LUGKNOW. 
161 
blue cloud arose from the west, and at length covered half the 
sky. The thunder was not loud, and the air was perfectly still. 
The birds were flying very high, and making a terrible screaming. 
At length a dark brown cloud appeared on the western horizon, 
and came on with considerable rapidity. The whole town of Luck- 
now, with its numerous minars, was between me and the cloud, 
and the elevation of my terrace gav6 me an excellent opportunity 
of observing it. When at about the distance of a mile, it had all the 
appearance of a smoke from a vast fire, volume rolling over volume 
in wild confusion, at the same time raising itself high in the air. 
As it approached, it had a dingy red appearance ; and by conceal- 
ing the most distant minars from my view, convinced me that it 
was sand borne along by a whirlwind. The air wath us conti- 
nued perfectly still ; the clouds of sand had a defined exterior ; 
nor did the wind a moment precede it. It came on with a rushing 
sound, and at length reached us with such violence, as to oblige me 
to take shelter in my eastern verandah. Even there the dust was 
driven with a force that prevented me from keeping my eyes open. 
The darkness became every moment greater, and at length it was 
black as night. It might well be called palpable darkness ; for the 
wind now changing a little to the southward, brought on the storm 
with ten fold violence, and nearly smothered us with dust. It blew 
so violently, that the noise of the thunder was frequently drow^ned 
by the whistling of the wind in the trees and buildings. The total 
darkness lasted about ten minutes; when at length it gradually gave 
way to a terrifically red, but dingy light, which I, at first, attributed 
to a fire in the town. The rain now poured down in torrents, and 
the wind changed to due south. In about an hour from its com- 
