Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-12-21
India During the Monsoon.

THE breaking of the monsoon (as the COM
mencement of the rainy season in India is
termed) is such a wonder in nature that
we propose giving an account of what was
experienced at Kurrachee in the year
1874. On the occasion in question the
temperature had for many days been most
oppressive, unrelieved even by the COM
paratively cool sea-breeze which usually
blew for an hour or two in the forenoon,
but which during this period brought no
GOODNESS with it; whilst the nights were
rendered almost unbearable by land
breeze which, originating in the hot sandy
plains of Sinde, blew over the station with
sitting warmth.
Between one and two o'clock one
morning, while trying to obtain some re-
pose, | was aroused to full consciousness
by the sOughing of the wind in the far dis
lance. Rising, [ went to the door facing
the west, and beheld sight which i'm
pressed itself forcibly upon my memory.
Overhead the moon and stars shone with
a splendor only seen in tropical and sub
tropical regions. Not cloud obscured
their beauty. All around objects were as
plainly visible as in the light of dav,
whilst over all there reigned that proven
bal calm and strange hush which precede
a storm. Away on the western horizon
was rapidly rising toward the zenith an
intensely black mass, within which lurid
lightning was necessarily flashing; at
times dazzling the eye with broad sheet
| of flame, and anon forming check cred
patterns of fire. AS the moments passed
the sOughing of the wind increased to a
roar, and the mass of clouds assumed the
appearance of an immense solid body,
forming dark background against
which the mOOnlit trees and sand-hills
showed in bold relief The vivid play of
the lightning continued, but the roll of
the thunder could not be distinguished in
the general roar of the storm. Whilst the
mass advanced it seemed to envelop in ut
ter darkness the objects over which it
passed, as effectually obscuring them as
if pail had been suddenly suspended
before them. While the storm continued
20 approach all Immediately around me
was hushed and calm. Not a breath
stirred, not a leaf moved. Not a cloud
the size of a mans hand obscurcd the
| brilliancy of the armament in advance of
the intense darkness within which the
storm was raging, and which was mo-
mentarily enveloping objects nearer and
nearer. But in very few minutes a
| strong blast of sultry air heralded the adj
could rush into the house and secure the
door, was upon us, bearing with it a vast
| body of sand. In a moment we were in
| the midst of darkness rendered all the
| more intense by the vividness Of almost
! incessant flashes of lightning, accom-
| panied by deafening peals of thunder
which drowned all attempts at verbal COM
| muniCatiOn with each Other-the loudest
shout being inaudible in the general up-
roar. Under the circumstances | hailed
with thankfulness the FLASHING of water
on the roof, and noted adiminution in the
roar of the storm and the binding glare
of the lightning. A deluge of rain sue
ceeded, and the sand storm having passed
over the thunder eals were soon undis-
tinguishable from the general noise, and
all trace of the hurricane was now
drowned in the pattering of the rain,
which fell in such quantities that what
was so recently an expanse of sun dried
sand, gaping for moisture, was quickly
| converted into watery swamp.
As the monsoon is not constant in its
visits to kurrachee, sometimes not drop
of rain falling for two or three years, par
tlcular preparations for its visit on that
occasion had not IN many instances been
made; consequently, numerous were the
/ u,
/ where the crOws-whoSe mischievous
habits your correspondent so graphically
| described in late number-had broken
or lOoSened the tiles, and the subsequent
swapping of interiors.
For a month or more afterward the
rain fell at intervals, but was not accom-
! panied with thunder or lightning. To-
wards the end of the first week the trees
had lost their dingy, sunburnt appearance
and were clothed with lovely green foil
age. The lately dazzling sandy plains
were rendered verdant by the young grass
blades, and the temperature had fallen to
what, after the preceding heat, appeared
to be cool and enjoyable; but between the
showers the sun shOne with undiminished
force, drawing from the moist ground
heavy vapors, rendering great care neces-
sary to avoid sudden chills with their con-
sequents, fevers and dysentery.
| In the Deccan, where the monsoon is
an annual phenomenon, the heat, for the
few days Immediately preceding Its break
| ing, is most oppressive; but, as nobody who
can by any possibility avoid it remains on
the plains during that season, it is seldom
experienced by Europeans likely to write
/ about India, and consequently is seldom
mentioned.
! Pleasant enough as a residence during
nine months of the year, the Deccan in
June, July and August is a most uncom-
! Portable place to live in Then it is that
the air is filled at intervals with fine sandy
| particles which, borne along by gusts of
wind, form the much dreaded sand
storms. | have frequently watched the
advance of one of these storms, which in
the distance appeared like a brownisIl
cloud, before which dead leaves and loose
rubbish of all kinds were swept with re-
! sIstless violence. Its passage over the
| spot on which | stood would occupy per-
maps one minute, perhaps ten; but long
or short as the time might be. within that
| period everything within the house that
| afforded Judgment for dust would be-
come thickly incrusted with it. So dense
are some of these clouds of sand that they
have very perceptible influence on the
| light of the sun, sometimes obScuring it
to such an extent as to produce a semi
darkness. Generally they were not pre-
/ coded by any movement of the air, but
held their course after the manner of
| squall, and left behind them, so far as at
mospheric disturbance was concerned, no
| trace of their passage. Whirlwinds would
also frequently sweep over the place dur
| ing this season; but these were not
| source of much inconvenience, except
when of unusual dimensions, or when
person CHANGED to be caught in the vortex
of one, when his umbrella would run the
| risk of being twisted out of his hands and
carried some distance away. and his skin
| ache with peculiar sensation. caused by
the whirling of sand and rubbish around
him. have heard stories of people being
lifted off their feet by whirlwinds, but |
never saw or felt one of sufficient power
| to produce that effect though it Is quite