The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-09-29
THE TYPHooN.
FIom The New York Evening SUN.

| FIom the New York Evening Sun.
"The worst storms said the captain Of
a tramp steamship the other day, "are the
typhoons Of the Chinese seas. They cover
a large area, are uncertain in their move
ments and follow each other quickly. The
typhoon season is on just now. And l see
that one reason the Japanese and Chinese
war fleets are anxious to stay at home is
because they are afraid of the big storms.
"The first signs of the storm are light
cirrus clouds coming from the east, with
hot, dry weather, very light winds and a
slight rise in the barometer. This fine
weather lasts for several days.
sThere are usually halos to he seen
round the sun by day and round the moon
by night, while the phosphorescence of the
sea becomes suddenly increased; the sun
sets aud suurises becomes gloriously colored
with crimson, gold and amber, and the
twilight rays are beautiful beyond descrip-
ton.
"Then at a distance of about 500 miles
from the center activity of the typhoon,
heavy swells begin to heave the surface
of the ocean. A heavy swell in the China
Sea is certain indication of distant ty-
phoon,
"Then the cirrus clouds begin to be re-
placed gradually by heavy masses of cumu-
lus, and where the blue sky is visible be-
tween it is seen to be streaked by faint
dashes of pale cirrus clouds. Next the
temperature begins to fall and the air be-
comes very oppressive from increasing
dampness. During the early hours of the
morning slight haze is noticed, and the
sky presents "a threatening and vaporous
appearance.
SAT this stage of typhoon's growth the
animal world, including human beings, is
seen to be strangely affected. Numerous
writers have very graphically described the
omnious terror of some animals and the
nervous excitement of others, while the
overpowering sense in the human mind of
foreboding, presentiment and coming dan
ger are in many cases little short of abject
terror.
"The weather is depressing and many
people find it impossible to sleep. All sorts
of vermin, including snakes, spiders, bee
ties, frogs and typhoon flies, become un-
usually active.
HThe larger animals, such as horses, cat
tie and dogs, show all the signs Of nervous
terror that may be noticed in heavy thun-
der storm in Western lands. There is no
thunder with typhoon, though the sound
of the wind may often be mistaken for it,
The air becomes very dry, and the wind
blows in sudden, short and terrific squalls,
lasting perhaps six to ten minutes. The
sky is black and threatening, and has pc
culiar, ominous appearance.
"Among the rigging of ship caught in
typhoon, the seabirds as well as butter
flies, birds and insects from the land may
be seen. The surface of the sea presents
the appearance of boiling water, due to the
air which is caught and imprisoned by the
seething foam and the crests of the huge
waves lashed into fury by the force of the
wind
"In the exact center Of typhoon the
sea is calm and the winds are hushed, while
overhead the clouds are thin and high, Of
ten allowing the stars to peep eheerfully
through.
"But woe betide the ships that are de
eeived by the lull of this central calm.
"For around it on all sides the winds
are bowling and shrieking and apparently
blowing in dozen directions at one, and
The moment ship passes out of the calm
it will be impossible to tell from which
quarter the dangerous squall viii swoop
1own and strike her.
"The central calm is often twenty square
miles in size. 1t is caused by the rotary
motion of the winds and the sky is usually
clear directly over over it.
During the typhoon season the storms
follow each other quickly, and there are
often several at once raging in different
parts of the far east. During August and
in fact, just at this time, the
season is at its height"