The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-25

signs, those warnings which are hung out
for all to read in the sky, and yet how many
never notice them at all, 30 that when
there comes a really great CONFUSION OF
nature they are caught ~unprepared.
That awful cyclone which overwhelmed
the great seaport of Galveston three years
ago, drowning thousands Of people, was
heralded by an immense ~groundswell,
which was seen forty-eight hours before
the tempest broke.
The Mississippi storm Of 1874, which is
generally supposed to have been the worst
gale. that has ever been recorded, and the
result OF which was to wipe out nearly
twenty settlements, flood 10000 square
miles Of land and permanently change
the course OF the great river, was precede
by a strange and at the int inexplicable
moaning sound, which went on for three
days and seemed to come from the upner
air, although below all was still. The
Indians heard it and left for the high ground;
the whites heard 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 a strong easterly wind.
which, blowing off the warm surface of
the Japan current, will rapidly melt the
mountain snows, causing sudden disastrous
foods.
But no ~inhabitant Of the slopes is ever
caught unawares, because for many hours
before the warm gale there appear over the
tftu VI JIG OIe -iliNC etA'
bands of the 50 called Chinook clouds.
These are q certain sign Of the hot wind,
and are never known to fail.
Desert dwellers are never surprised by a
Skhamsin," or dust storm, unless II comes
too quickly to be avoided. Before such a
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 tho SIlrfpp 70 0f this nlarpt Ia tho
so-called "Quesbrada Fncartada,' the en-
chanted ravire of the Uloa Valley, in Hon
duras, of which an account, written by
Mr.. George Byron Gordon, who visited the
place, is to be found In the memoir OF the
Peabody Museum.
When rain is approaching there ONE
from this ravine a melodious, whist lin &
sound, which varies in intensity according
as to whether the coming storm will be
heavy or light. Before one of the terrific
t~rorjcal thurderstorms which at times
deyastate that part of the world the sound
il a deep organ note, which is heard many
|. miles away in every direction.
Even earthquakes and volcanic eruptions,
most terrible of all rature's visltations. do
not come without due warning. Sir Nor
man Lockyer has stated that the most
disastrous volcanic eruntionG, and earth
uuakes occur, like the rain pulses OF lndla,
at the dates OF the sun spot maXima ard
! mir ina. AT the mir imum in 1887 Mauna
mosa we're involved. At the maximum i'll
is72 Mar,ir ique and st. Vincent; in 1883
came the frightful explosion Of Krakatoa,
ard, to give a recent Instance, the Mar,
tir ique eruption came at a maximum OF
solar disturbance.
Also lust before an earthquake there are
other and plainor warning signs. Just
before the catastrophe at ST. Pierre came
news that the Martinique cable was broken.
This sort Of Thru has happened more than
once before similar visitations.
On the western coasts Of South America,
where earth tremors are constant. severe
shocks are usually heralded by disturbances
! Of the sea. Such heavy quakes also almost