The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-31

malice. InlS tree, JnOuSn II may STAND
in the midst of burning desert, invari-
ably tells of water below the surface.
If the traveller be not too far gone to
dig, he will find the precious fluid be
with maliee's roots.
The old shepard crossing Dartmoot
is perfectly certain to tumble knee, per
haps waist, deep into ahorrible black
compound of mud and water The
shepherd avoids the boys because he
has Termed to read natures danger
signal, He does not walk on places
where the sphagnam covers the surface,
and SO avoids the pitfalls hidden be-
Meath its pale green fronds.
Most of us know something Of wealth
er signs, those warnings which are
hung out forall to read in the sky, and
yet how many never notice them at all,
so that when there comes a really
great CONFUSION of nature they are
caught unprepaired.
That awful cyclone which over
whelmed the great seaport of Galveston
three years ago, drowning thousands of
people, was heraled by an immense
groundswell which was seen fortnight
hours before the tempest broke.
The Mississippi storm of 1854, which
is generally supposed ITO have been the
worst gale that has ever been record
ed, and the result of which was to
tered In Hartford at the time of the
wipe out nearby twenty settlements,
flood 10000 square miles of land and
permanently change the course of the
great river, was preceded by a strange
and at the time inexplicable moaning
sound. which went on for three days
and seemed to come from the upper air,
although below all was still. The In
1ians head it and left for the high
ground, the whites heard 1t, stayed it,
stayed where they were and were
drowned.
In the winter British Columbia and
all the western slopes of the Rockies
are at times visited by strong easter
ly wind which, blowing off the warm
surface of the Japan current, will
rapidly melt the mountain SHOWS, caus-
ing sudden disastrous floods.
But an inhabitant of the slopes is
ever caught unawares, because for
many hours before the warm gale there
appear over the heads of the noun
tains long lines and bands of the SO
called Chinook" cloud. These are a
certain sign of the hot wind, and are
never known to fail.
Desert jewellers are never surprised
by 'khamsin," or dust storm, unless
1t comes too quickly to be avoided. Be-
fore such visitation the horizon
changes color, and according to the
color, which varies from dull yellow to
deep red, so will be the strength and
fury of the storm.
AS strange a danger signal as may
be found on the surfare of the planet
is the so-called "Quesbrada Encanta-
da," the enchanted ravine of the Uloa
Valley, in Honduras of which an ac-
count, written by Mr.. George Byton
Gordon, who visited the place is to
be found in the memoirs of the Pea
body Museum
When rain is approaching there comes
from this ravine a melodious, whistllng
sound, which varies in intensity accord
ing as to whether the coming storm
will be heavy or light, Before one of
the terrific tropical thunderstorms
which at times devastate that part Of
the world the sound is a deep organ
note, which is heard many miles away
in every direction
Even earthquakes and volcanic erup-
tions, most terrible of all natures WISH
tations, do not come without due warn
ing. Sir Normanman Lockyer has
stated that the most disastrous volcanic
eruptions and earthquakes occur, like
the rainpulses of Indi, at the dates of
the sun spot maxima and minima. At
the minimum in 1887 Mama Loa.. Vesu-
vius, South American and Formosa
were involved. At the maximum in 1872
Martinique and ST.. Vincent; in 1888
came the frightful explosion of Kraka-
toa, and, to give a recent instance, the
Martinique erucption came at a maxi
mum of solar disturbance.
Also Just before an earthquake there
are other and plalinor warning signs.
Just before the catastrophe at st. Pierre
came news that the Martinique cable
was broken. This sor of thing has
happened more than once before SINH
lar vislar visitations.
On the western coasts of South Amer
lea, where earth tremors are constant,
severe shocks are usually heralded by
disturbances Of the sea. Such heavy
quakes also almost invariably happen
at high tide. In Hawaii, another vol
canic centre, certain springs stop flow
ing before an outburst, In crater Of
Mauna Loa the lava always rises
steadily for some weeks before an erup-
ton.
Indeed, it may truly be said that to
those who have eyes to see nature in
varfably gives warning before COM
ing catastrophe Of any kind whatso-
ever.