WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 9203, 14 November 1898, Page 3

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

In an interesting letter a member of our staff received last week from Kalgoorlie, is given the following description of some climatic features of Western Australia: 41 A Dust Storm. —“ There is no warning. The sky, blue, and very distant, shows not a cloud ; the sun like, a tyrant, ruling over all. II there is any ma'ked air motion, it is the frolicsome ‘willy willy’ (local name for one kind of a wind) which makes more fuss for the time it stays, than most ihings. But this is an evil thing. One just sees it cqming, and it is come, and he sees no more. An opaque mass of red dust and gritty sand is whirled past on a furious and unchecked wind, and all the surroundings within a short distance are completely lost to view, even the sky above at times being obscured. The arid ground, deprived of its bush and scrub, and stirred up by traffic and the miner’s pick,gives an unlimited sup- - ply, .and while the wind lasts the earth loses all sense of gravity and betakes itself to the atmosphere, the place which knew it knowing it no more. As an invention of the devil- it has one weak point; the wind is fairly cool, and I really believe it would rain if it could. When the sky is not obscured white clouds are seen floating above, and if at times they look dense and moist it is only to tantalize, for although tbe earth has rebelled and uplifted itself, the heavens check it not. Outside the duit is lord of all; inside it is an obnoxious intruder, it is. very soon over everything an inqh thick. With the amount of water at one’s command, after a dust storm It is as gainful a task to wash the foreign matter off as in the early years, when with a basin of water we were ushered into the cares of social custom from out a state of primitive innocence and dirt. . Out in the bush there is immunity from the dust Business and traffic are most difficult,and personal affliction in the form of sore eyes is a common result. It is the great

detractor of the goldfields towns, and must always remain as the supreme horror of summer—an experience that can be expected but never tolerated, “ The Lake Mirage.—Themapof Western Australia has marked upon it many lakes and rivets over its million square miles of territory, and pondering over it how fondly one sees sheets of water in a sunny land with rich verdure on the shores,—tuneful and refreshing shades. Better to ponder and imagine than seek to partake of the reality, God forgive the men who called them lakes, for even in the wet season when the explorers came upon them they are but poorly supplied with water—(salt, except in the. Margaret district)—which vanishes in the thirsty summer, leaving only clay pans. Crossing one of these even (he poor shade of the bush is lost, and the heated air shimmers over the sun-cracked red clay. Looking suddenly ahead ! How pleasing to the sight is a mirror like a sheet of water, clear in the quivering air ana reflecting the opposite shore on its transparent surface. It is beautiful in contrast to its arid surroundings and in the sense of its coolness. One would fain believe it to be real as it seems; but with advancing steps the vision passes ,away and the foot falls on baked and heated clay! Heaven’s mercy on him who is far out and meets the delusion with empty water bag and a growing thirst.

“ The Willy-Willy—A steady breeze on a hot dayis a tempering agent longingly to be wished for. But it does not always come, and operations in the atmospheric region are completely suspended except for a fitful motion now from one direction and now from another ; uncertain and forceless. When a breeze comes from one quarter at one time, it is perfectly in order ; but when breezes bio v from different quarters at the same time as they frequently do, and meet obliquely, then the fun begins —a whirling action, at first fussy, and then seeming to madden at its own folly it grows fur/ous and loses all control ! In the town it conies as a pillar of dust, reaching into upper space, it rages about the camp, and passes on, leavioga perfect calm —a memory and a mess. In the bush it is not seen coming but is heard—the trees are strongly agitated and as you know it by experience you hold your baton and lookout lormissiles! Like the cheerful idiot, the willy-willy does not beget ill-will; for though its vivaeiousnesa is disturbing it stands not upon the order of its going but goes, in as great a flurry as a woman catching a train.”