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carried away. It next entered Mr. Utterson's plantations, and destroyed fifty trees, appearing to have selected particular ones on which to wreak its fury; for while one was torn up by the roots, those immediately around it were untouched, and some were broken in two places, as though they had been twice subjected to the action of the vortex.

On approaching Mr. Utterson's beautiful cottage, the storm divided into two parts, one proceeded to the right, the other to the left, as was shewn by the thatch remaining perfectly undisturbed, while trees standing both in front and behind the house were thrown down. At the extremity of the house the storm seems to have again united, as it tore away some wooden paling, though completely sheltered by the building, stripping the tiles off lower out-houses, and throwing down a considerable portion of the garden wall.

At the Marquis of Abercorn's, it passed close by an elm, one of whose branches it carried away, the remainder being untouched; and it then threw down about seventy-five yards of garden wall, and leaving an interval of the same extent uninjured, destroyed thirty more; this seems to imply that the storm had here a second time divided. Near this spot one of the Marquis's workmen was thrown down by the violence of the wind, and after being rolled over repeatedly, was at length compelled to hold by the grass to prevent his being carried further. In passing over the dove-house, the pidgeons were whirled to the ground, and a quantity of paling was torn up, and blown to a great distance. The current of wind now proceeded across the road to Mr. Blackwell's brick-kiln, tearing from its hinges, and tumbling into a ditch a field gate, levelling sixty-five feet of the garden wall in one direction, and also the upper part of another wall running in right angles, in the opposite. The out-houses at this place were much damaged, but the dwellinghouse was not touched. A fir, which stood among several trees was torn up, while others received no injury. After leaving the garden, it assailed a large beech, which measured at the base eighteen feet in circumference. My eye happened to be fixed on this tree at

the moment; the wind commenced by giving its large head a considerable twist, and instantly afterwards tore it up by the roots. After passing over the gravelpits at Harrow Weald, and a part of the village of Bushey, where it nearly unroofed a house, it continued its course without doing any further mischief until it reached Mr. Bellas's farm.

At this place its effects were very destructive among the fruit trees and large elms, besides tearing away the tiles and thatch of the house, buildings, and ricks, for here the storm appears to have contracted itself to a width of sixty yards, and its impetuosity to have increased in proportion as its breadth became diminished. After passing in a north by east direction about a mile and a half beyond Mr. Bellas's farm, its fury most probably subsided, as the only further mischief I have been able to trace was the destruction of two small elms in a hedge row, and whose support had been weakened by digging away the earth from their roots. I observed when the cloud or vapour, from which all this storm proceeded, enveloped the upper part of the cone in which Mr. Blackwell burns his tiles or bricks, the cone appeared to be surrounded with a thick mist, and most violently agitated. I also observed that in its passage over the gravel pits it tore up the earth and gravel, not in an uniform manner, but, as it were, by jumps, leaving intervals between the various points of contact, of sometimes a hundred yards and upwards; and the dreadful whistling noise continued unabated until the cessation of the storm. This phenomenon was at one time within less than a quarter of a mile of my house; but the trees in the garden were not much affected by it, though I have reason to believe, from the testimony of several persons, on whose veracity I can rely, that the violence of the storm was such as to force them to lay hold of hedges to prevent their being thrown down. Mr. Blackwell, in particular, mentioned, that in returning from church with one of his children, in order to secure himself and boy from being carried away, he was obliged to hold by a stake. It is further stated, on the most respectable authority, that cattle were seen lifted, or rather irresistibly driven, from one end of the

field to the other. There is reason to believe that one or more meteoric stones fell during the storm; for one of the late Marquis of Abercorn's gardeners told `me, he had observed “ a large stone about the size of bis fist descend in nearly a perpendicular direction, after a very dazzling flash of lightning not followed by thunder." At my request he readily showed the

spot on which it apparently fell;, but the place being full of holes, the search was unsuccessful; or it might have fallen into a pond situated close to the place. I as well as others, after one flash of lightning, heard a noise similar to the firing of a large rocket, or resembling a number of hard substances shot out of a cart. Should the rarity of such violent commotions of the elements in this country render this communication worthy of insertion in your journal, I shall esteem myself happy in having been enabled to witness its effects from nearly the commencement.

A VISIT TO MALAGA.

To the Editor of the Pocket Magazine.*

SIR. Should you be of opinion that your readers will derive any amusement from the following "Extracts from the Journal of one of the officers of the American army employed in the expedition against Algiers," I shall be glad to see them in an early number of your Magazine.

January 20, 1819.

I am, sir,

B. D.

Malaga, Saturday, September 15, 1815. THE pratique officer permitted us to land without performing quarantine, and this afternoon I went on shore. We landed on a fine quay, which presented a very busy scene, being crowded with horses and mules, carrying skins of wine, packages of fruit, and other articles of commerce. The lighters passing to and from the vessels in the port were numerous, and the

There is a tolerable specimen of American vanity in the early part of the first extract, and gross injustice to the Spanish character in the whole; but the article will, it is hoped, be found to be amusing.

labourers five times as many as would be employed for the same service in America. This is natural, as one American is fully equal to five Spaniards. The proportion of idlers is still greater. On landing we were assailed by a crowd of mendicants, who were so persevering in their importunities, that we were often obliged to resort to Belcour's expedient of brushing them away. A few filthy monks, and banditti-looking soldiers, with vagabonds of every other descrip tion, swelled the crowd. We got clear of these, and soon found ourselves in a handsome public square, where, in front of a fine large house, we were greeted by the words "Commercial Hotel," in plain English, which we noted by the way for our future benefit, and passed on.

We were soon entangled in a labyrinth of narrow and irregular streets, the appearance of which at once dissipated the apparent absurdity of many of the tales of Spanish romance. Here intrigue might veil itself in secrecy, or the assassin strike in security his midnight victim. The streets are seldom more than ten or twelve feet wide, and frequently less; and so crooked, that in many of them almost every house has a dif ferent front. The buildings are very high, which adds to the darkness of the streets. In most of those of the better order, there are no windows in the lower story, which open on the street, and in many the upper stories are also destitute of them. Those windows which overlook the street are generally grated, and tó almost every house there is a balcony from the second story, covered with an awning, and frequently sur rounded with curtains. Here the ladies sit during the afternoon or evening unseen, except by those at whose approach the curtain is for a moment withdrawn. These places are generally so situated as not to be exposed to the eye of any prying neighbour; so that signora (senora) may converse with her lover without the danger of detection.

The entrance into the Spanish houses is commonly by a large door, or rather a huge gate, which opens into a dark passage; at the end of this another door opens into an area or court yard, paved with stone, round which the house appears to be built, the doors

and windows of the chambers opening into it. There are balconies on the level with each floor, with staircases leading up to them. Here, notwithstanding the heat of the climate, is generally a cool retreat, and the luxurious though selfish Spaniard, whose home is his world, and who lives but to enjoy his life, fills it with objects calculated to delight the ear and charm the senses: and combining taste with enjoyment, he 66 wisely sets for show" around him, the feathered songster, the fragrant herb, and the luscious fruit of his climate; and here in the afternoon Don Surly smokes his segar, while his lady is taking the air alone. The houses are, for the most part, paved with stone throughout, which adds to their cleanliness and coolness; they cannot, however, exclude from them a smell of garlic, which pervades the air of the city,

The Almieda, (Alameda) or public walk, is about a hundred yards wide, and several hundred in length. It is paved with gravel, and planted with several rows of trees; the latter, however, are small, having been cut down by Buonaparte at the same time that he robbed their church, and since replanted. At one end is a superb fountain, ornamented with some handsome marble figures, and at regular distances along the walk are marble seats. The houses on each side are lofty; and the tout ensemble has an appearance of elegance and taste.

Here in the evening all ranks are assembled; the ludicrous and insignificant looking Spanish officer, the ferocious soldier, the gentleman with his shortwaisted coat and huge chapeau de bras, "the hooded monk," the "tawny mountaineer," and a half a dozen other classes of lank degenerate Spaniards, who look like" the cankers of a calm world and a long peace." All these mingled together, form a pleasing and interesting variety; which, with the addition of the American officers, the foreigners generally, and the ladies, without whom no scene of beauty can be complete, was absolutely striking. The Spanish lady, in a black silk dress, tastefully adapted to the symmetry of fine form, with a lace veil of the same colour, thrown negligently over the head, without concealing either her "glossy hair of jet black," her fine eye, or her

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