A Contribution to the Study of the EaitifaU Map of South Africa. 885 
stones which fell at Maritzburg in April, 1874, were too big to go into a 
breakfast cup, measured 4| in. in one diameter and 3| in. in the other and 
weighed up to 1^ lb. avoirdupois.* These stones, therefore, were a matter 
of 6e5,000 times as large as the largest possible raindrop ; their terminal 
velocity must have been very much greater than that of any raindrop, so 
that it is no wonder that they crashed through corrugated iron roofs as they 
would through paper. 
Two newspaper accounts of heavy South African hailstoruis are given 
below : 
(1) From the Diamond Fields Advertiser of December 12, 1915 : 
" Weather Extraordinary : RemarJcahle Wind and Hail. — The Maf eking 
Mail on Monday had a report of an extraordinary storm stated to have 
occurred in the vicinity of Hildavale a few days previously. Tlie full fury 
of the storm, it was stated, was felt on the farm Kaailies Park, while other 
farms in the neighbourhood to suffer included those of Messrs. Odendaal 
Van Wijk (De Eust), Adams (Thorn Park), and G-reenberg (Crowsley Park). 
Mr. Durand was reported as having stated that the storm pursued a narrow 
path about 350 yards wide, and for a distance of a mile every tree and shrub 
in its course was destroyed. Of the trees many were twisted off at the trunk 
but the majority were torn out of the ground. Examination of this devastated 
belt afterwards showed that many of the larger trees were carried away for 
some 20 yards with their trunks trailing on the ground, and were then lifted 
clear of the ground and deposited many yards distant. A further and perhaps 
more telling illustration of the fury of the tornado may be found in the fact 
that 350 yards of fencing in its path was wholly destroyed — not only were the 
iron standards twisted in corkscrew fashion and bent, but the strands of wire 
were broken in many places, doubtless due to the uprooted trees being 
hurled against them. 
" There followed a hailstorm of exceptional violence. Says the paper 
named : ' For nearly five minutes great isolated chunks of ice fell. We 
have the authority of Mr. Durand for stating that four of these chunks, 
weighed collectively, turned the scale at 4 lb., and the measurements of one 
were : width 4 in., depth 4 in., and length 4| in. Numerous hail-stones 
weighing over f lb. also fell. Into ploughed land the bigger stones 
penetrated to a depth of from 2 to 3 in. and it would be better to 
imagine than experience a bombardment with such missiles had such been 
accompanied by a heavy wind. 
" ' As it was, Mr. Durand's losses in livestock were considerable. Of one 
flock of sheep 14 were killed outright and 16 died later, while 30 or 40, 
though very badly bruised and bleeding, are recovering. An ox had its eye 
* Natal. Commission appointed to Enquire and Eeporfc npon the Extent and 
Condition of Forest Lands in the Colony/ 1880. Also, Eev. J. D. la Toucliein ' Quart. 
Journ., R. Met. Soc./ October, 1874. 
