1829.] 
Proceedings of Societies. 
341 
houses in the centre of the spot where the wind had struck, were crushed flat on the 
ground ; those towards the side were thrown down outward. I say struck, for it 
evidently appeared that the wind had caused the same effect as a gun when fired at 
the earth, which throws the dust up on every side of the space through which the 
charge passes. I can only account in this way for the appearance of the houses, 
and suppose that it was part of those at the 'edges which were thrown outwards, 
that the rebound carried into the air: some of the people were thrown down flat’ 
but no lives were lost. It had exactly the same appearance as those which are fre- 
quently met with at sea, and from observations which I have frequently been ena- 
bled to make on the latter, I am inclined to think, that in general, they are merely 
of the above description, containing no water ; the sea appears to he generally much 
troubled under them, but I have never observed, though at times very close, that 
any quantity of Water has fallen when they break. L. 
6. Tabasheer. 
Our readers are aware, that several very interesting papers and notices have been 
published by Dr. Brewster in his Journal, and in the Philosophical Transactions on 
this curious production of the vegetable world. In a letter to a correspondent, in 
Calcutta, who had sent him numerous specimens, lie mentions as a desideratum, the 
possibility' of procuring it in a fluid state. The following are the observations of a 
gentleman who has had many opportunities of observing this substance. 
“ The Tahasliecr may be procured in a state resembling jelly. It must also be in 
a completely fluid state in the first instance, but as almost all bamboos contain a 
large quantity of water between their joints, it would he difficult to determine when 
it was, and when it was not held in solution. In the state of jelly in which I have 
seen it, I think it might be pressed into the shape of a lens ; but it would not, I sup- 
pose, answer Dr. B.’s purpose, as he probably requires it to be made from the sub- 
stance in its crystalline form.” D. S. 
XII . — Proceedings of Societies. 
1. Asiatic Society. 
A meeting of this Society was held on Wednesday the 2d Sept. — Sir .Edward Ryan 
in the Chair. 
The following gentlemen were elected Members of the Society : 
Major Caldwell, Rajd Banwari Lull, Babu Asutosh De, Babu Rajchander 
Das, and Babu Sykraalil Thdkur. 
A letter was read from Mr. Avdall, presenting part of a brick from Babylon. 
A letter was read from Lieutenant Craigie, presenting sundry old coins, in the 
name ofthe Bdgam Somru. 
A letter was read from Mr. Williams and Dr. Adam, presenting thirteen copper 
weapons found in the earth uear Fatehgerh. 
A letter was read from Babu Sibchander Das, presenting a Gorac.h Danda, be- 
ing an iron instrument with rings, said to have been invented by Gorac,h Natha, a 
celebrated sage, from the vicinity of Guzerat. The instrument is a kind of puzzle, 
in which an iron rod is passed and repassed through a series of rings. The inven- 
tor is said to have died at Gbrucphr, which derives its name from that circum- 
stance. 
A letter was read from Mr. Martin, presenting a pig with two heads, and two 
young Kangaroos in spirits. 
A copy of the Alif Leilla, printed at the Lithographic Press, was presented by- 
Mr. Wood. 
A letter was read from Captain Ruddell, forwarding a very large collection of 
Thibetan Manuscripts on the part of the College Council. 
A copy of the work of Ribarius on Surgery, found in Nepal, was presented by 
Mr. Hodsjson. 
A Tagala Dictionary was presented by the Count di Vidua, and a copy of the 
Englefield Vases, by Mr. Grant. . J ^ 
Captain Herbert presented the printed Meteorological tables for June and 
tiopy of an inscription found in a temple near Allahabad, was presented on the 
part of Mr. Boulderson. 
