for the generation of these storms. The winds are generally blowing any way, and excepting those of the eastern high pressure have apparently no circulating power.
These were the conditions at 9 a.m., but as the day advanced the col area advanced with its arid heat, and this acting upon the precipitated moisture of the previous two days, resulted in the tornado which we are about to describe, and which occured at Bourke on the morning of March 21st, being one of the most terrific ever witnessed in that district. It struck the town at 10 o'clock, but could be seen approaching for some time from a north-westerly direction. It only lasted six minutes, but during that period thirty-nine points of rain fell, and several hundred pounds' worth of damage was done to houses. Chimneys, verandahs, trees, etc., suffered and general consternation prevailed. Many narrow escapes occurred, as the cyclone came across the common from the direction of Fort Bourke. The theatre was unroofed and a quantity of beams and iron was deposited in an adjoining yard. Pleasure boats on the river were sunk, and a steam-boat was considerably damaged by the falling of a large gum tree.
A comparatively small number of these storms reach the coast of Australia, and owing to the almost complete absence of observing stations, New Caledonia excepted, and the small number of vessels passing their tracks, it is usually impossible to trace their course before they reach Australia, but there seems to be no reason to doubt that they are more or less spent tropical cyclones, which reach Australia in the act of recurving. The majority reach the coast of Queensland between latitudes 20° and 26°; some farther north and south; only one has been traced from the coast inland, and then recurving there to south-east. It reached the coast in the neighbourhood of Brisbane in January 1893, passed inland over the mountains, gradually curving to south past Mudgee and Dubbo, thence curving easterly it left the mainland about latitude 35° S. Its course was marked by violent cyclonic wind and rain.
