WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 2864, 15 November 1898, Page 4

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

In an interesting letter a member of oar staff received last week from Kalgoorlie r is given the- following description of some climatic features of Western Australia: — "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. If there is any marked 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 things. But this is an evil thing. O*e just sees it coming, 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 1 the miners pJck,gives an unlimited sup- \ ply, and while the wind lasts the carth ■ 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' obsqured white clouds are Been floating above, and if at times they look dense and moist it is only to tantalize, for. although the earth has rebelled and uplifted itself, the heavens check it not. Outside the dust is lord of all ; inside it is an obnoxious intruder, it is very soon over everything an inch thick. With the amount of water at one's command, after a dust storm it is as painful a task to wash, the foreign matter off as m the early years, when with a basin of water we were ushered Into the cares of social custom from oat a state of primitive innocence and dirt. Out m the bush there is immunity from the dust Business and traffic are most difficult,anrl personal affliction m the form of sore eyeß 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.— The map of Western Australia has marked upom it many lakes and rivers over its million square miles of territory, and pondering over it how fondly one sees sheets of water m a sonny land with rich verdure on the shored,— tuneful and refreshing shades. Better to ponder and imagine than seek to partake of the reality. God forgive tiu< men who called them lakes, for even m the wet season when the explorers came upon them they are but poorly supplied with water— (salt, except m the Margaret district)— which vanishes m the thirsty summer, leaving only clay pans. Crossing one of these even the 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 sheet of water, clear m the quivering air and reflecting the opposite shore on its transparent surface. It is beautiful m contrast to its arid surroundings and m 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 arrowing thirst. . «• Tfce WiUahWilly— A steady breeze I- • V

on a hot day -a tempering agent longingly to be wished for. But it does not always come, and operations m 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 conies from one quarter at one time, it is perfectly m order ; but when breezes blow 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 furious and loses all control ! In the town it comes as a pillar of dust, reaching into upper space, it rages about the camp, and passes on, leaving a 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 hat on and look out for missiles! Like the cheerful idiot, the willy-willy does not beget ill-will ; for though its vivaciousneas is disturbing it stands not upon the order of its going but goes, m as great a flurry as a woman catching a train."