JANUARY, 1902. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 19 ~~ ~ and tlie 10,000-foot plane, respectively, were computed by thi logarithmic taldes froin the data thus obtained on the centers o. reduction, and the corresponding systems of isobars n-ere drawn There now esists the same general liarmony in tliese isobrtri as on the sea-level plane, ani1 no fnrther correcrtioiis are r e quirecl. It is to be especidly iiotecl thttt, in the plateau regior the recluctions froin sea level to the upper plniies were iiiade l q the same principles as if it had been a free air coluiiin, so tliel all plateau questions are laid aside. THE SECUND C'OMIPI~TATION OF Ill, 1-2, . From the HI and H, charts the pressures bylonging t.o a11 thc stations were interpolated, so that the values of HI. I;.,. to b e derived by a direct computation from the stat.ion data chnld 1)e compared as a check. Meanwhile the se\m-al station reductioi: tables to the three planes had been completed, and as a filii check the three values, H,,, HI, were computed nail coni. pared with the values derired froiii the charts, as esplsiiied in the first process. The differences between the two sets of val- ues for H,. R,. H, were about the sniiie on tlie three planes they average about 0.010 inch, t.he iiinjorit,v heing 0.000 01 0.010 inch. a few 0.020 inch, with ocr.casioiia1 larger variation6 due to errors of computatiim readily cletecterl, or to a local peculiarity. involving a slight reacljiistnient of t.he corrections in the station tables. These cliecks, therefore, involved tlic three distinct parts of the entire discussion. siiice the process has been armngecl practically in a circuit so as to pass froiii t,lie station 1;" to HI and fi? bp two separate roiites, as clrscril.)etl. Hence, ( 1 ) the processes of eliminating the plateau effect, aiicl of coiiipating the temperature :trgmiients f and I ) were siiccess- fal; ( 2 ) the logarithmic tables and the nu~iierical stnt,ioii tables are in agreement; ( 3 ) the charts are accurately drawn, and represent the observations with precision. As the result of this cliscussioii we hive prepared charts for the United States nncl Chnaila, giving the iiiont,hly null aniiual normals of pressure. temperature, and vapcor teiisioii 011 the sea-lerel plane, the &501)-foot plane, and the ll~,(JOO-foot plniie, also the relative humidity on the sea-lerel plane. i. e., 13(! charts for these data. There are also clinrts of gradients of temperature in latitude. in longit,ude, and iii alt,it,ii& : ant1 charts of pressure variations for a few selected hours referred to the mean of 24 hourly observations. Furtlieriiiore, t,lle corresponding numerical values are entered iii a s u ~n ~i i a r ~ table for all statioiis on the sea-level plane. alioiit, 265 in number; also for all tlie statioiis which were in use by the Weather Bureau, either in tlie United Htntes, C!aiinclii, and the West Indies, a t the heginning of the year l!bOO. or wliicli have been opened for service since t.hat dat.e. iiinkiiig almit 175 on t,he upper planes. It has not been founcl necessary to revise any of the reduc- tions to sea level since the tables were pnt in operation on January 1, 1!)02, showing that they bear t,lie test of practical work a t the hands of .many obserrers. The ststmion t,ables for the upper planes will soon be tried, and an est,imate made as to their value in increasing the accurmy of the forecast sys- tem of the Weather Bureau. We conclude with the remark that! the pressure olwervatioiis and computations of the United 8t.at.es have heea at last placed upon n strictly scientific hasis. and that all the corrections re- quired by theory will he systm.untically applied iii the future, and the entire series froiii 1873 onwarcls will be kept strictly homogeneous. We shall, therefore. for the first time be ready to take up the probleiiis of seasonal rariatt.ion of the weather. the changes of the climate and c.rop from gear to year. and also the true cosinical proldeiiis involved in the radiation effects of the sun upon the earth's atmosphere. Even if we do.not ourselves succeed in resolving these questions, we shall have left this portion of the data iii foriii for others to iiinke reliable discussions. THE TERM INDIAN SUMMER.' Ny ALTLICRT Y.\TTIIEW~;. Hnstm. 31::~s.. ilsteil Dreemher 15, 1901. Howerer iutich we Aniericans may abuse our ever changing cliiiiate,' there is at least one portion of the year iipon which we unite in lavishing praise. It iieed scarcely be said that I allude to t.liat highly indefinite but always delightful period knowii as the Indian suiiinier. Connected as this season is, both by iiniiie and in popular belief. with the aborigines, it would seem as if tlie iiaiiie itself must be of some antiquity; yet. so far as iiiy obwervat.ion goes, it is not until the year 1794 that the expression Indian suiuiner occurs at all. and nut until the nineteenth century that it becume well estab- lished. I f t,lie term is, in fact. barely more than a century old. i t wonld again seeiii as if we ought to be able to trace out it.s origin with seine certainty. Yet such is far from being the CRHL'. In a little inore than a cent,nry t,here has grown up, as will soon be abundantly prcived. a popular helief that there occurs in our autmiin a spell of peculiar weather. and to this lias been given tlir naiue Indian suininer. It has been stated that this spell appears in Hept,ember; that it conies in October; that it occurs in Noveiiiber or l l C J t at all; that it, t,akes place in January; that it lasts for tliree or five c ~a p only; that it extends over 2% period of niure t,lian four weeks; that. it is peculiar to New England; that it does not occur in New England at all; that it is now inore marked than was foriiierly the case; that in former gears it TVRH more proiiouiiced t,hm it in iiow: that it, hnx a t present ceased to occur anywhere. A n d tliese various and conflictiiig assertions. it is not easy to arrive at niiy definite conclmion; hit.. eliiniiiating the point,s in regard to which t,liere is cliver- grnce of opinion. i t is toleri5hly clear that this siipposed spell id peculiar wedher is chracterizecl 1~)- three special features- by :I w-arint,li greater than that of the few clays or weeks imme- dizit,ely preceiing. By smokiiiess. atad by haziness. It is true t,liat, soiue scientific writers hrtve denied the existence of the iiicrensed wiriiitli and liare declared that the alleged smoki- ness is aii optical illusion.' But the pi.q)iilar belief-and it is 1 During the past, ninet.y yen.rs nirich liar; bren w~it,ten about this t.rrni, I j i i t , unbil now 110 rttt.enipt, has l>eim made to give its 1iist.ory in det.ai1 or bo cdlect, mi11 emniiiir crit.ic.a.lly t.he esplnnat,ions t,liat. have been aclmnced R,M to it,s origin. Tht? t.erni is not. fciuntl in Webst.er's Coniprndious Dic- tii:m;try ( 1HU6 1. IIW in his Anwritmi Dictionary ( 18281, nor in his Letter tv thr Hun. a. Pickwing IUI tlie Rul:)jri.*t. of his Vocnhiibry ( 1817 1; nor iu 6. Pic.kering's VocalJulwry or C4~1111vt.ion of Worrls and Phra I;upI.wsril Lo be prculiar t.o t,lir TTnit,erl States ( 1816 ): hut. iiizeil in the 1841 edit,iun of 1Vebst.w. 1t.a 1iist.oi-y was first indicat,ed in bhe Oxford Dic4ionwy ( 1OUU ). and sonie nf t.lie est,rttct.s tliere quoted are 't1s1.1 given in this paper. Lest i t be thought. t.liat I have t,aken these rvit.linut it~..linnwlrdgeiiirnt, I niay lie perniit.trd t,o ailtl that of the nine ?stracts Iirevious to 1883 quoted I.iy Dr. Murray all Lut one (,h m De L2uin~q-, dated 1850 I were fui-nir;hrd liy me. Y g itt,trnt.ion has h e n direckd bo the t.erni for more tlinn twelve years, tnil l.liis paper is lmsed on iiiat,erial during t.hitt, period. I ani, li~iwrvw. inilebt,rd tis Pn-if. Clrvrlanil for t.uniing over t,o me the zstrai3s awl c~rresp~nde~i~r in his 1) : to t,he rilitors of t.lie Dial. Lhe -Jt.iurnul of American Fvlk-Li>re ion. and t,lie New England Historical and Geneali,gica.l RpgiSt.t>r fi ir inserting qurrirw in their jour- inls: and t.il varii.ius c.i-irrrspciiii:lriits fi ir repl>-ing t.1) appeals fisr infonu& .%in. 1VIirrrver t,liis haa I.IIWI i ilit.ainwl and usrL1, due ackiio~~~lrilgiiient s nieilr in t.hr niit.rw. 2 In 17s:) Dr. Bus11 sctirl: ' * Prrhqs there is 1:iut one atwily t.rait. in tlie (Anieri- Rush WVBS spraking of Pennsylvania. h t . his reninrk is equally appli- &able t,ib the country at. large. Tlw suililrn and violent changes which it-wir in i.mr triiiprraturr lirtvr for t,hrer centorirs bren it fttwrite subject I f I~l:lllllllent~. 3 111 lH.33 it Balt,iliiorc.ai,n wrde: ..Again t.his redness of the air toget,lier rith the nirchanicibl irritn.t.ion pr'i,iluwd 11s the denseness of the aerial -apw. escit.es a painful affrct,ic-in i if tlie eyes-this sensation, connect,ed rit,li t,he sin(iky sppwranrr of the sky. iiiductrs great nii~nl:~ers oP the nliabit,a.iits of t.liia c*i,unt.ry t.u hrlirre t1ia.t. the Indian sunliner consists if a snioky st;tt.e of t.he air prcducecl 1-1s bunling the vegetable decidua vliieh t~r+: wllecti?d together in the fall scasm for this purpose, or a8 I t is 1miper to define the scope of t,his paper. 1 t.lirtt. is. it. is unifi.irnily varia1.ilv." 20 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. JANUARY, 1902 with this only that I am concernecl-appears to be such as I have described. I do not enter into the question whether this supposed spell of peculiar weather does actually occur. or whether it is rather a delusion like the popular belief that the weather is affected by the changes in tlie moon.' I merely take the term Indian suminer as a literary term which givea expression to the popular belief, and my concern is solely with the history of this literary term and wit,h the esplanations which have been advrtnc.ed to account for it. The statement already macle that the term Indian suninier itself is unknown until 1794,5 and the further xtateiiient bhat, allusions to the Indian-summer season under any iianie ahat- soever appear to be unknown until late in the eighteenth cen- tury. will doubtless ca~ise ~iirpiise ani1 aroiise opposition : for they are in direct conflict with popular belief and with inany assertions to the contrary. AR long ago as lSO4. C. B. Brown declared that the season was b L predicted by the natires to t,lie first emigrants." I n 1809 Dr. Ricketson said t,hat the iiaiiie Indian summer In 1843 J. F. Watson asserted that the season was SO called '< the white inhabitants. in early times. " In 1872 W. Flagg spoke of the L L peculiar plieiiomena described by some of our early writers both in prose and verhe. " I n 1N8 T. B. Msury declared that L L the first esplorers of America noted the Inilinii summer. ''O I n 1887 Bela Hubbarcl stated that the sensor^ was spoken of by <' early New England wiiters. "' sonie will liavr it the firing of the nrighbnring aionnt~a.ins. This q i p a r - awe of act,ual smoke is however an optical illusii~n. pridnceil liy l.hr foggy appearance of the air, and which seems t.ci And c~.iiifir~iiat~ici~i liy the great. irritation o f t,he visual organs. effected by tlie excess of rrtl mys. etc." In 1835 Dr. L. Foot wrot.e: "As t,o the ,iiwreu*ed tenipi~rat~irre, illiring Indian suniiiier, we can not agree to it. Finni t,lie ilocunirnt wv have quot,ed. ( Metrolnlogicrtl register. it. app~ars. t,tiat, t,he Iiwaii t,ennpertit,iin* for November, is wonienhat. lower t.lian t.liat of Oct,olwr. It. i r l'r~mi the quiet placid state of the at~~iiiispIirre. t.liat l;jonir are 1i.d b1.i slippi.iw that i t is aet.ually warmer. But, he w1ii.i keeps an accurate rei~ird of t.lw 1.Iirr- monieter will And i t is a niist~ak~." W e I I I I I I ~. indeed, in a sulisequent chaptiv to pnint out. that we i w e a greut drat1 niore t.o her t.haii wits fiirni~rly suspected: I.iut. t~lii~ri. is VIW wiilely- crediteil niyth aliriut the nioon which must. lw regarileil tis iIvvi.ii(1 nf rml foundat.ion. The idm t.liiit t,liti ni(ion and the wi~itt.li~r two voiinrv.t~ril Inns no doubt 1Jel'n ent.ei.t.ainetl 1-iy high niit.1ioiit.y. hit. ctweful c1.11ii1it~rist 111 has shown that there is no c1etinit.e i:onnect~ii.m lwtween t,he 1~~ri.i.'' (St.l.iry i if the Heavens, 1886. lip. 59. W.) 5 By t.his I mean that no srarnplr LIrforc 1794 has ever 1:iern nilillwed., That the t.erni was in use earlier. is possilde: liut if H I I . thi. fart. has not yet been discovered. OMr. Maury's words are : r g The first explorers of Aniwica nntcd t,lie Indian suninier, and ever since it. has excited the poetic fancy as well as the philosophic inquiry of niany minds. Palfrey. thv ilist,iiiguislivd his- torian of New England, and TIiimias .Jefferson. in liis History nf Virginia. have not forgotten it is one of the most fascinat.ing ieaturtls 1.d .4nit-ri1.~1 climate." Mr. Mauiy then goes on to quote from Palfrey a passaye \vhicl~ will Ilr given later in our test (under date of 1859). and O~JSWWS: L L This testimony, which was I>urue 1,y other colonial annalists. agree9 with the present facts, and showv the identity of this iiiete(jri:iliigic wiin- der with that of tlie Old Men's Summer ' of Germany. * Bt. Martin's ' VI France, and a similar one. which has been remarked by cinp or twu his- torians, of Mexico." This remark conveys the inipression either that Palfrey was a b L iw1i.i- nial annalist." or that he is alluding t.o coltmial tinres. Palfrey wrcitt only a little mire than forty years agi. he is discussing tlie cliniate nf liic own time. and wliat he says natnrally .* agrees with lJI'eSt?nt fa& '' Ise. cause he is dealing with present fact.s. ,Jefferson. in liis notes on Virginia ( 178'2). t o which Mr. Maury i.li.Iulit.. less alludes, derot.ed Query VI1 t o climate (1.11~ 134-151. in Fi:ird's erlit.it?ii o f Jefferson's writ.ings. iii, 177-187 1. MI.. Maury's stat.rwont that .Trffer- son had b L not.forgotten * * * one of the iiiost, fascinating features d American climate '' is very wide of the ~iiilrli. inasniiicli as .Jeffrrsim'+ chapter does not contain a syllahle t.liat I J ~ any ingenuity can he tmist~ed into an allusion to the Indian siiiiinier. A little later IIr. B1a.ii1-y quotes an article by *' an early writer." but t.liis artide was written in 1X33 itnrl priuted in 1835. Finally, t.he Gernmi nanie for the smstin is not. b L OlU Men's Summer," but *( Altweiber soiiiniw." Mr. IIaury's articlr will 1 -1 ~ found in Harper's Magazine for December. 1873, slviii, 89-98. It is worth while t o give Mr. Hiihhrd's statement in full: L L Earlj hac1 long been known in this count,sy. " . .. __ (American dourndl cif Science. 1855, xxvii. 147. I (1lJirl.. 1881;. s s s , 12. I 4 Sir Robert H. Ball writes: 6. We i.iwe much to the ni(inn. It is thus seen that for nearly a century people have been tsserting that the term Indian suninier was known to and em- )loyet1 by our eerly But it will lie observed that io one hnx yet placed his finger on a single passage where the .mw~ occiirs in early m-iitings. Those who make a positive itntenient are l>ound to adduce evidence in its support, and ;heir failure to do so may be taken as an inclicntion that the :equired evidence does not esist. On the other hand, it is ,roverbinlly dificnlt to prove n negative, and all I can be es- )ect,ed to do in the circumstances is to give specific references ;o passages in which there are allusions to climate, so that h e rencler can at his leisure. if so disposed, ascertain for him- i.iper's ni.iw1s. The niiwt piqmlar theory in rega.id t,t.i tlie cIrrivat.ia i n of the wvi~rcl Tanker is that Tankee is a ccwrirp- tit 111 (.if Tengees. it.self t i vi.irriipt Iirc"iii1iiristi~iii I J ~ the I~idic~ns o f tlie ~o r d E~iglish. L , Nwrly a.11 t.lw illd writ.ers. who speak of t.hr I~ldians first ltnciwn t.o tlir C a i1nnist.s. lllttlis thi~iii promiinw the word * English ' as ' Tengeest..' " The Ibi~rslager, i, 23l.I. ni.ite. ) It is not often t,liat aiiw is al.11~ to pciint til t.lie flrst printei-I appearalive .if it \VI in1 in tlie lmgu;igi:, l i u t in t,lw prt+wnt. instance t.liis (mi lie done. rile W I -I ~I I Tengrw wtia tirat. used, a.nd t.lnr Yengees tlicnry wa.s first ad- r-tm*ril. l ~y the Bvv. .TI.I~II Ht+cli~*Wt~ldt~r in his Awi)iiiit, of t,hti Hist,ciry, Man~ierr. and Cust,oiiis of the Intliiui Nittime. a wi.irk puliliwhed in 1819. The nc~rd Sengees. then. at the t h e Cooper dei:lared that it m-as kntiwn t,n 5 . netirly all t.htt sild writers," lind 1:ieen 1,efm-e the world precisely :'Aintmg P U I ?~ wiwlis seen1 t.o lie the following : Cnpt. J. Hmit,ln. True Rrlat.itm, 1IXIS: Chpt.. 6. Siiiit,li. ljer~.~ipt.iun o f New England. 16llj: Capt. J. Binit.11. New Englands Tritils. 11~30: T. bhJI't4J11, New Englitili Ctiiiaan. 1B37: Calit. E. Ji~liiison, Wi.liidrr-Warking Pivvidruce. lG4: G. A l ~p . Cliaract.cr of the Proriilw (if Mary-Land. 1666: N. Morton, Ncw England's Meniorinl, 16GY; J. ,Josselyn. New-Englands Rarities Discovered, 1673: J. Dunton. Letters frcini New Eilglt~nd. writ,t,en in 1686. 'OAnlnng thtsse are the fdhwing: 1609. Nora Britannia. p. 11 (,Force's Triwts and 0t.ht.r Paprrs. i I : 1B12. C!apt. 6. Hniitli. Yap of Virginia,Works ( Arljer'). pp. 47, 48. 344: lli91, E. \Vinslow, in Mourt,'s Relat.ion. 1622. $1. 62: 1694. E. Winslow, Good News friini New England. in Arber's Story of the Pilgrini Fat,liers. 1897. pp. 593, 594: 1639, F. Higginson. New-Englands Plant&ion. 1 IvIassachnsetts Hist,orical Collectious, i. 120. 181 : 1630. Plant.rrs Plea! p. 13, ( Forw's Tracts and Ot,lier Papers. ii ): 1634. W. Dcding. 18li7, 1). 114: l(i43. R. Willimis. Key into the Language o f .4111er- ilia. pp. 8y-85: 1644, J. Megapolen&, in E. Hazard's Hist,orical Cullrc t.ions. 1793. i, 519. .5yll: lIW;, Brief Descriptiijii of the Province of C!aiv- lintt. in 13. R. C!is.rroll'ti Hil;t,uricitl C!t.dleot~ions of S0ut.h Caivliiia, 1836. ii. 13. 14: 11?71), lj. Denton. Brief Desc.ript.i~.~n of New Yurk. 1845. pp. 16. 18. 19; lti74. J. Jiwselyvn. Accmnt id TwI:~ Voyages to New-England. pp. 54-58; 1Wi). W. Hiild~i~rd, Geniwil History o f New England. 1815, pp. 19-31: l6RJ. T. A.. Cardina. in B. R. Cnii~~ll's Historical Cbllections Of %ut.h Cnrnlina, ii, 63. 63: 16M. Account nf t,he Pivvincr iif Carolina, in Carroll. ii. 33. 35. 36: 16%. T. Biidd. C:ood Onler Established in Pensilvania &k Nvw-Jersey. 1865, 1.1. 29: 1688. .J. Clnyt,on. in Philosuphiral Transiwtions. lW3. xrii.. 784-789: 11i96, 6. Miller. Description of the Piuivince and City t i f New Ywk. 1848, pp. 7. 8; 1698, C:. Thniilas. Hist*,ricn.l and Geographi- cal Awsiint nr t.hc Pnirince and &iunt.ry of Pensilrania. pp. 7, 8: 1698, C;. Thc~nia.~, Hidtorical Descript,iou of the Province and Country of We& New-Jersey, p. 20: New York Colonial Documents. i. 14, 40. 179, 180.275, iuhj e G t . -. . . . .. . -_ . ~ If Yr. HLl1J~Jrt~d l i d lllet With 110 ~~~?~>~l i i t i ~l l Of the terlii befc.)re 1837. 8 Tlirse err0ne0us assert.ia ins are dl~Ill1Jt~h? Alludiiig t,i.) t,liia t1iviii-y. Cooper rrniarkrd in 1841: t\vt~llt.y-t\vo yettrs. Wood. New E~igln~irls Prl.IslJel!t.. 18G5, pp. 3-11: 16q2, T. Lecahfyitges I-1;t.m 1' In- tGrieor rlr Louixiaiir, iii, ?ti$)-274: 18117. C+. Herit It. Tra Ci%nadas, pp. :ill, 2dl-2dti: 1807. 6. Measr. C:eulclgiml United States. 1111. 1;1-118: 18119. H. (+r~.y. Let,t,ers from 256, 289-351: 1801). Essay (.in t,liv C!litiinte (if the U n i t 4 States. Pllilaileln. phia; 18119. D. Ra~iisay, History of S~.iiit.h-C'~riili~ia. ii. 49-G!J: 1~ei-t. Travels t.lirough Lowvr Canada and t.hr United St America. i, 110-139. ii. 350, 351. 463-4811: 18111. F. C!unliiig. Tour to tlie Western Oituiitry. pi), 391. 380, 394. 395: 1x11. H. William. son. OLseiwttions of the C!liniat.e ill different Parts of dinerice.. pp. 1-31: 1812. H. Willianison. Hiatcwy of NI.II.~.~ C'arnlina. ii. 17:3-211: 1812. 6. M e - lish, Trards in the Uiiited Rtat.rs c i f Anierica. i. 71;,77. 98. 11,3. 114. 124. 135. 145. 171. 173. 179. 188. 189. 2Wi. 235. 26IJ. 3x11, 881, 2!)1), ii. 43. ltlll. 19.3. 803, 237. 278: 1913. D. W. Siiiytli. Short Topogralihitml Dest?rilit.il:in of His Majesty's Province of Upper Cannda in Nvrtli dnirrit:a: 1813. R. Dickin- son. C+ixigraphiml ancl 8ta.t.istical View of Massai:hueett.s Pn ~p r . 1.11~ 13- 33: 1814. H. &I. Rrac4ienridge. Views of Louisiana. pp. :31. 32. 111. 112: 1815, J. Bouchettc, Tnpcigrapicnd Descript.inn of t.he Province 4 if LI.I\VI~ Chnarlit, pli. 57-81. 595: 1811;. J. Whipple. Histciry nf Aradie. Pcwil.lsc.t.it Bay and River. pp. 5-8: 1811;. 31. Grt.eiilt~af. Statist.itml Y t r k t of Maine. pp. 19-29: 1817, W. Darl-iy, C;engra.lilii~-?al the State of Lnnisiaua, the S~-~uthern Part of the State of X Tarritory of Ala1:iaina.. pp. 4:3, 44. 243-2811: 1817. J . Rnnsa.ini. Sket.vhes of LI.IWW Ca~inila. pp. 1'39-15:3: lS18. W. Tudor, Lettws on the Eastrm Stat.es, lip. 256-9156: 1816, W. Darliy. Eniigrant,'a (.+1iide t.11 t,llr Weat,rrrl and Sout.liwesterii St.at.rs an11 Trrrihiries. pp. 2:311-251): l<l. (.!. Iz. .J~.JIII- scin. Let,ters froiii the Brit.isli Het,t,lrnieiit, in Pennsylrmin. 1.11.1. :1X-101: 1819, D. Thmias. Travels thrnrrph t.hc TVest.ern C'lbunt,ry ill t,hr S111111111.r of lS18. pli. 51;-59. 197-203: l M l 9 . E. Nackenxir. Hist.t.irival. TI qiogra.plii- eal, m i l Drszriptive Yicw of t,he ITnitetl Stattw. pp. 3!). 411. 5:31.:-549: 181:l. J. C!. Pmse and J. 31. Niles. C+itzet.t.rer #-it' tlie St,ates of C!l.iiiiill(.t.iclit, a.1111 Rhnde Islaud. pp. 7. Y. 3118: 1W1. C!. Mtuctrt. Emigmnt's Guide t.ct Upp'tr Canecla. pp. 2!)-53: Melnoirs 1.d the Anirriwn Avadrniy nf Arts R ,I I ~ S1:i- enrrs. iii. 1117-121. Xl-412. iv. 3lil-392: Metlia.~ii.l Rrpwihry. Sict.1t1~1 Hnatle. iii. 34$I-:i1;5, v. 3ti:3-:374, vi. 23-45: Mont.lily Ant111 ilabgy, is, 55-:ii; C+enzraI Repository, i r , 313-356. It. is usrless tcf ct.intillue tliesr vasfer- encea ufter lW91). as by t.liitt t.inie t.he tl-rni Indian R I I I I I I I I V ~ had 1:it:,:.1:i1111? Wvrll rstablishcd. Tlir Jnurna~l WZLS nlsa I printt>a:l. to- gether wit.11 a.mthw wnrk. in 18C0. mid t,lle pttsmge will lie ftitIlid n.t, 1.ittgr 4112 (if that rdit.iiin. Mnjcir Dawny was l ~~i i ill 1761, at. (krlisle, Pa.. a1i1.1 apprars tn haw qwnt niost [-if his life ill that State. In SImvh. 1i!14. 11e was sent by C:overnor Mifflin tI.1 est.ahlish a pwt at Pr11el11' Isle. Lztkr. Erie. On the day w-hen he madi~ tlw aimre entry in his jmirna1 hl> \\'a+ at Le Bwuf. on French Creek, ii,l:inut tcn or t.wl\-e mi1c.s ill it stlut~hrrly direction frmi Prrsrlu' Isle. The lat.ter na.nw is not uliv~.i1nni~.ili ill tile regioii of t.he Great Lakw. imt the plaw so called 1 .1 ~ Drnny is 114 IW t.he city of Erie. though t.he d r l iiani~~ i s p r e s t ~e d in Presque I s l ~ R;LJ-. Ahout t,lie same t,ime \Villiam priest.. an Euglishnian. niadc a ~~n i a r l i wirt.h not.ing. Writing f n ~t i i Ne\v Y4:irIi Bept.txnilwr 18. 1797. he sitid: s L M y .Jersey iu~elligcnce \vas tu,) t.rnp: liut the diwwli~r [yell<.iw fever] is chiefly confined t.0 one 1m-t. of the laity, ;tl111 is etfPctually pre\-rnt.ed from sprtwliiig at. presimt by the nlJrth\\-l!st. winrl. which is sr.1; in this ~ncirniiig with unr*oninion sevrrit,y: a. t*ir~:1Illistal1(-~ which soniet,iines happens at. t,hie sra.snn of the year. and is tjf lli1ig t-otl- tinuance. This kind of weather the Indians call kn!l' winter. tT1lft-,rt,lI- uately for t,he Philadelphians. they had no half wint,er in the year 1795." (Travels in the United Stut,es of Anierica, 18U2, pp. 1511. 151). -~ '*hIilitnvy sJoi~rnul. 1R59, p. 198. In 1Iedic.itl Repository. ii. PW9. ~ Volney, tlie noted French traveler, who visited this coun- try between 1'795 and 1'798, reliiarked in 1803: '( Une seconde eaus joiirs, appelk 1'CtG rrrrrwyr ( ~),[~~f ~),-s //t )~))~~~.) : c'est cw qiie nous .zpl)elons en Frmce l'& de la Saint-&Itwtin; mais il est clerenu si rare et si court, que nous n'en parlons plus que par tradition. ' "" Thoiuan Ashe. itn Englisliiiinn who traveled in this country, said. under date of ,Jiil>?, 1806: "111 regard to the climate, the winter is mild ; snow and frost seldom continue above three or four weeks; tlie spring is clry, interrupted only by the necessary refreshment of ocansioiial showerx ; the sumiuer is not violently hot, being tempered by a perpetmd breeze; and t,he nutunin is distinguished by tlie name of the Second Sum- mer. Ctmtronlecl by these facts the public cry is that Ken- tucky )),.tisf be lwaltly, that, eujoying such a c.limate, it can not he otherwise, and tliat 110 oouiitry of the globe can bond, of such tia1ul)rity and such an :Ltmosphere. "" In 1809 Dr. Sliailracli Rioketsoii, alluding to New York, 01)- serwcl: L. The two last autumnal months exhibited nothing w r y unusual. being att,encled ait,li frequent alternations of frost itnil rain. In tlie last was a coiirse of dry, smoky weatlier, long known in this country by the mine of ' Indian summer. ' " In 1813 H. Cf. 8lmfford wrote: ' The Indian-Summer. a pe- culiar and elegant feature of an American autumn, in connec- tion with the xplen&d and rich variety of tint assumecl by the forest folinge at that season, coiniiiences usually about the last of 0c:tober. and ex tends into December with occasional iat,errupt~ioiis by esst,erii stornis. ' ' s3 1Vit.h this twnipare the estral.+ frmi Dr. Rurih. alreudy quoted under r1at.r of 17x9. "T;tl~l~?t~ii rlu C'liinnt et. clu Hcil des kt -1Tnis cl'Ami?rique. i, 292, 393. Vnliiey's 1:m ik WAB t,wii:e translat.ed into English; by nn Englishman. ut Lonrlon, in 1x04. and by C!. B. B~I.IWII. at P1iiladelphiu. in 1804. It would I:w interesting to kninv exactly where Volney h i n d t.he term in this coun- t.ry. He viaiteil alinost all s:vt,i(,ns, but does not say lier re, wlien. or III B W &vii lip heard it. It hits lwrn urgt?cl that Volnep's emplognieiit of blip esprvssi~Ju iinplies a widtx use in this coiunt.ry. On t,he ot,lier hand, it. spe~i~s t,o t.he present writcr t,lint t.he tinly w i t ? conclusion to be drawn hwn Vdney's reniarks is t.liat. l i e heart1 the t,erni ticmediere hi this :~iiint,ry. but nut. ucrtressnrilq- in every part t,Iimugli w-liidi he t.riirelei1. rllr point I wish to niah 1n'a.y br illustra,ted by an extract iron1 t.he Jour- uitl of .Jaci.ilJ FiJWIer. i!ilitrll by the late Dr. Elliott c0uC.s in 1898. Under 1at.e of Drwni1:ier 17. W31, Fowler writes: " The Weather verry much inoderated Hawing iiiuvli the itppeereiive of t,he Indean Scmiiner." FIwlrr was t.hen ou t.he drkaiistts River. in what is now the State of 3 llwnilo. (!an we t.Iicrel~.ire l-wwrlude that Fowler liei~i~l the t,erni used in t.ha.1: rrgkjn? mist. certainly we can not. for t,lie ohvious reasnn that tt, t.littt. tinie t,Iiere were nu English in1iai:iiDants in that region at all. I n 4mrt.. FnwIer. wlin W~LR 1wrn in New York and who had. prerioiiw t,o t,he l.iiiie of his .Jtinrnnl. liwd in Kentucky, took the term to the West. with iim. It. lias also 1:ieiw urged, in ~~invt?rsat,ion wit.11 t,he writer. thiit the infre- . ~iiviicy with which the c~spre~sion is niet with herore 1800 indicat,es not ill n1u14i its rnrit.2. as the rapt t.hat it. was so wniirion as not to excite .~.imnient. But, siircly we ccw lint, assunie the existence of a word merely >wituse no oiir ~?nipl~:iys it.. Besides, after lWW, by which tinie t,he term hia1ia.n su~nnirr tiad aert,ainly 1~~c01iie vwnnion. it.8 coininonness did not .ire\-~.~nt pe~:~ple from usiug it nr cmimeut,ing upon it. Recognizing to the 'ull that negative eviclerwe niust be rewired wit.h ca ut.ion. yet. in view of :hr t:a)iiiplct,r silenve of nntire historiiuis before 1800 ancl UP t,he complete ;ili.nce of all writ,ers, nat,iw or foreign, befcire 1794. I see no escape froin tic 1.1 int*lusia.iii t.hat. the l~ur~len of piuiof lies on t.liose who maintain that In- l i m siiniiiier wits it t.erni v (~i i i n ~~w before 1BH) or linown at. all hefi.ire 1794. Trawls in Anieric.:a. Perfornied in 1801% ( 1YlJ8 1. ii. 153. My attention sn.s I:allvtl t.l.1 this pa~snge by Mr. E. P. Merrit,t cif Boston. *: i)lJwrvnt.iI IIIP on the Weather and Distwes ill the Autuinn nf 1808, in ,hr C'itp of N4.w Y~nrk, in Media.al 1tepnsit.ory. Second Hesaile, vi. 187. In the Oxford Diction- try. Dr. Uiirray gives no earlier esnniple of .* elegant '' in its vulgar use - ~ 1'a.ge 65. ) C+a.xotteer of t.he Stat.(> of New Pork, $1. 14. JANUARY, 1902 24 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. I n 1816 Dr. D. Drake remarked: “ INDIAX SUMMEX. I n the autumn of every year, we have a period to which this appellation is affised. It generally succeeds to rain 01 snow and severe frost; beginning in October or November. and continuing for two or three weeks, with an occasional stom. But the atmosphere is, for the most part. dry. serene, and smoky, through which the sun anil moun exhibit in the morning and evening a face of tlarkened crimson. The ver- dure of the forest fades away, or passes into the countless varieties of brown, red, ani1 yellow, w1iic.h give to the snr- rounding scenery a dull and sombre aspect. The occurrence of rain, with a north-west wincl a t length sucldenly dispels the gloom, strips the wood of its remaining foliage. and intro- duces winter, wit,h a transparent itnil cheeiing ntsiaosphere. The effect of this peculiar atmosphere on h-j-pocwndriacs, tho’ less in degree, is similar to that proclucecl by the November fogs of Great Britain.” It sounds grotesque a t the present day to tind the Indian- summer season associated with gloom. and to hear that it has an unhappy effect upon hypochondriacs. I n 1817 John Bradburp, an English traveler. npeakiiig (J f the Missouri Territory ani1 of the Ohio River, 01~served: ‘.About the beginning or micldle of October the Indian summer commences, ancl is immeclintel-j- known by the change which takes place in the atmosphere, as i t now hec~lmes hazy, or what they term smoky. This gives to the sun a re11 ~il~penr- ance and takes away the glare of light, so that all the clay. except a few hour# about noon. he may be looked a t with the naked eye without pain: the air is perfectly quiescent and all is stillness, as if nature, after her exertions c7uiiiig the siiin- mer, were now a t rest. The \vint.ers are sharp. but i t may be remarked that less snow fdls, anil they are muc*li more mocl- erate on the west than on the east side of the Alleghmies in similar latitudes. * * * The seasons and general state of the n-ertther correspond with what has been mentionell of upper Louisiana in siinilnr latitudes: I n spring heavy rains; in summer an almost rloncl- less sky, with heavy dews a t night; in antunin some rain, fol- lowed by the Im?in)i ~onnwr; and the winter from ten weeks to three months long. which is dry, sliarp. and pleasant. “ Jg Writing from Shawnee Town, Illinois Territory, in Decem- ber, 1817, H. B. Fearon, mother English traveler. mid: “With regard to the fieasoiis. they are said to have severe winters of from three to four montshs. with a keen. dry air and cloudless sky ; during summer. excessive heat (tlierniome- ter in the shade 80” to 96” 1, with heavy dews a t night: springs, cold and heavp rains ; autmiiiis, h e . fol1011-ed ly- Itcrlirrti x i o i l - wwr,’ which is truly delightful. This I have experienced, and can say that until now I never knew what really fine weather was. ’ ’ ~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ than 1848. For niore than a century. hfwewr. this use has 1w.n ixini- nion in our country. nncl in 1817 IT. Birk1:wk. an English t.rnvrlw, tliiis amusingly coinn~eiiti?cl upm it: *. The grand in scenery I havn Iieen slii-dwcl to hear. liy American lips. called disgusting, bevaunt! t.lie surhcr woiilrl bt? tiio rude for t.lie pluuph: and the epithet of rlegatlt is used C)II every orcasim of rl,tiiuirndat.ioii but that to which it is approprii&. in t,hr English lnngiiage. ‘‘ A,ta, e l f p i a t itnprorewtrttf is n cabin of rude hgs, nnd a few acres 1vit.h trees cut dowll to tht? height of tllree fwt. anc-1 surrounilrd l ~y t i wiir~~i- feni!e. or zig-zag railing. You htvi,r of an clqrotf mill. an clrgnttf I-irchiird. an ekgmd tan-yard. Cv.. ant1 fan~iliiirly of eleptif roads. -meaning siicl1 as you may pass withorit estrcmr peril. Thc word implies rligil-Ji1it.y a:lr usefulness in America. Init. has nothing t i l do wit.11 taste.” Notes CUI a. Journey in America. second eilit.ian. 1818, p. 133. ’) *+ Natural and Statistical View. t ir Pit:t,urr of C!inciiinat.i nud 1.he Miitini Country, p. 110. Indians hegin to provide for the winter wlien this st.iite of thr weather coninien~es. as they linow it. will SI 1011 npprotwh.” ys Travels in t,he Interior of Anwrictt, in t,hr Years lXikI, IRlil, mid 1P11. pp. 258, ‘359, 28.2. Sketches of America, 1818, p. 221. I n 1819 Dr. H. M’Murtrie remarked: ICA sketch of the weather during the last winter will convey as much informa- tion upon tlie subject, as a volume. Early in the fall the Indian Summer as it is called, succeeded the Autumn, and lasted foiw weeks with occasional days of estremely cold weather: this was sucoeecled by a week of changes the most sudden aad estraordinary I ever witnessed, the ponds in the town. being frozen sncl thawed alternately during the same day. which was closed by a night equally as variable. The cold now appeared RR t,lioiigh it hac1 commenced in good- earliest; during the space of three weeks it was very intense, quant.ities of ilrifting ice were seen on t-he Ohio, the ponds were incrusted 1):- it t h e e inches deep, when the wind, which had hitherto bll Jwn froni t,lie northwest, suddenly veering to the south and sont,li-southwest,. a warm rain fell, which dissolved the icy fetters of minter and again restored the Indian cj ummer. Such was the mildness of the weather till the latter end of January, t,hnt t,he buds of the peach trees were swelled, and hac1 not! a few frosty nights supervened, they must have blossomed. ’ ’ This is cert,ainly one of the most singular pasxngeR we shall have to consider. For three centuries m d n half most people liave been content to regard autiiinii and fall as synonpuous ternis, but Dr. M’Murt,rie seeins to have entertained a different notmion. According to him. the fall conies after the autumn. The Inclian siimnier. in 181s. aft,er lasting four weeks, was succeeded by one week of suclcleii changes, and this by three m-eeks of cold. when the Indian suiniiier was again restored, and, perlinp, extended into Jmaary. But this is not certain, for the passage is very indefinite, thougli it a t least shows. that the Indian siiimiier was regarded by itI’Murtrie as lasting a long time. I n 1M1 John Howison wrote: “The autumns of Upper Can- ticla very much resemble those of Bi-itain. October is usually 11 delightfnl dry month, with mild clap and clenr frosty nights. The early part of No vember is generally character- izecl by a peculiar state of tslie weather, which the Canadians term Idirtti R I I I H w r . The atmosphere has a haziness and smokiness which niekes distant objects appear indistinct and undefined, and a halo often encircles the sun. At the same time, a genial warmth prevails, ancl there is seldom any wind. The Indian summer is so delightful, that one would almost suppose the country where i t takes place to be transportec1‘ for a season to some celestinl clime, where the elements ever existed in harmony and acted in unison. It is extremely dif- ficult to explan the cause of the regular occurrence of this kind of wedher; for scmcely a year passes, in t,he aut,umn of which there are not some days of Indian suinmer.”39 In 1821 William Tudor remarked: “One of the most agree- able peculiarities in our climate is a period in t,he autumn, called the it id in^ h’iciij t w r ; it happens in October, coinmeiicing a few clays earlier or later, as the season may be. The tem- perature is delightfnl and tlie weather differing in its charac- t,er from t,hat of any other stlason. The air is filled with a slight haze. like sinoke, which some persons suppose it to be; the aiiicl is south west. ani1 there is a vernal softness in the atmospliere; yet the different alt.itude of the sun from what it has in the summer. inakes it in other respects wry unlike that season. This singular occurrence in our climate seems to be to siiimier, what n vivid recollection of past joys is to the reality. ” ‘O . . ~ -- 38 Skrt.chw of La-luisrillr And it,s Enriioiis. pp. 49. 50. xg Sltetdies of 1Tppcr C!anaila, pp. 430, 431. This is t.lie earliest appear- a1ic.P of t,hP term in Cnnada linijwn to ne. 4o Lotiers on t,lw Enat.ern Bt,at,rs. second rdit,ion, p. 312. Tudor goes on to sn.y that -* t.lir Iiidiitns have stiine pleitsing supwstitions respect.ing it,” and t,lieii quotes from t.he Rcv. J . Freeman t~ passage which nil1 be con- sidered later. It. is curitme t,hat ~I I t,he first edit,ion o f his Letters on the East.ern St,at.es. pu1:llished in 1618. Tudor, though he thwtes pp. ‘358-266 t.u climate. has not 21. word to say about Indian suniiner, ant1 the passage quoted in the test appeared for the flrst t,inie in the second edition. JANUARY, 1902. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 25 In 1823 J. Farmer and J. B. Moore wrote: c c F r ~m the 20th of September to the 30th of October, the weatsher is delightful, The temperature is mild, the air is sweet, and the sky singu- larly bright ancl beautiful. This period is denoiiiinat,ed thc Indian Summer. I' In 1826 Timothy Flint observed: "Then, when we werc made fast in a cove on the m&le sand-bar; when the nioon, with her circumference broadend and reddened by the hazc and smoke of Indian suinmer, rose, aiid diffused. as C!hateau- biiand so beautifully says. the great secret of nielanchol> over these ancient forestma :'-after our evening prayers. and the favorite hymn, The clay is past and gone. ' etc. I have spent hours in traversing the sand-bars entirely alone. *' '? In 1839 James Macadey said: '. I n autumn there are UHII- ally several great inovements in the atmosphere, which servc as so many precursors of the aplmxwh of winter. The firs1 happens about the time of the equinox, anil is often attended with heavy wind and more or iess rain. * * * This is suc- ceeded by fine weather. which lasts with soine interi.uptsions. till about the 10trh or 20tmh of October, when the second occiirs. This, like the preceding. is accompanied by wind ancl rain. There is, however, consiclerable difference. The winds art often very violent, and come near to hurricanes, * * * These winds rarely last over two or t h e e days. They are fol- lowed by cold of soine days duration. when the wentlier set- tles down and becomes fine. The Inclian Summer, n series oi smoky clays, usually follows or coines shortly after t,he setble- ment. Its continuance is now and then two weeks. Tlir Indian Summer, at present. is shorter, and comes 1at.er thaii formerly. A third begins about the middle or latter part oj November."4S In the mine year John MacTaggart reniarked: '' The snow generally begins to fall about the niicldle of November: in the woods. it is seldom attended with wind, but in the cleared places it blows into huge wreaths; the roadways are filled full between the fences. In the beginning of the above-named month, there are general17 a few very fine warm clays, called the Idiun A'tonnwr. " 'I By 1830 the term had found its way to England. for in tlist year De Quincey, alluding to Bentley, wrote: L c An Indian sum- mer crept stealthily over his closing dags; a summer less gaudy than the mighty summer of the solstice, but sweet, golden. silent; happy, though sad; and to Bentleg, upon whoin ( now eighty years old) his last fatal illness riished as suclilenly as it moved rapidly through all its stages. it was never known t,liat this meet mimickry of summer-a spiritual or fairy echo of R mighty music that has departed-is as frail and transitory as it is solemn, quiet, and lovely. "I5 .. . . .. . . . . . . .. . ~ I1 C+aset,teer of t,he St,ate of New Hnmpshire. p. 9. Recollevt.ions of the Last Ten Tears, Passed in the Valley of the Mis- sissipi. p. 285. 4xNatural, Statistical. and Civil History of t.he State of New Tork. i. 369, 370. Three years in Cnnarla: An An*~,ont. of t,lie Act.unl St,at,e of t.lir Cl~int.ry in lW3B-18P8. ii. 2. The beginning of t,he passage is cit.ed in t,he Osfoiul Dictionary. De Quincey adds a note whirh ir; #.I f int,crest as showing liow readily t,he terni found avcept.ance in Engl~nd: .* The Indian euinnier of Canada. :tiid I 1.wlieve universnlly of the Norb1lei-n Unit.ed States. ir; in Noveinber. at. whicdi season. in w n i r cliniat~es. a ljrief echo of suninier uniformly occws. It. is a niist.alie t.o S U ~~I W ~ it. unlinvwn in Europe. Throughout Geriiiaiiy ( I helie\-e also Russia) it. is pilpularly knvwn, sonietinies as The Old TV'osinti'w ,Stttri,twr, s(1nietimes nr; Tirc Girl'a Siwinier. A natural question arisrcwhnt lnrliinfi suggestion it. is of diiii ideas or ernnescent. iniagea t.hitt confers upon t.he Indian ~iininier its peculinr interest,. Already in its C:ernian and Livoninn n a i i i ~~~ w e miig rend an indicat,ion, that by its priinary feature this anoninluus season citnie forward as a fertritiiiw reflection of a power in it.srlf by fervour a.nd creative energy essent,ially arctaritline: a Zitrinr image of an sgeiiry t.hat,. by it,s rapt.ure and headlong lifv. was imperis11aldy twh. Hrcmtlly. it was regarded as a dependency, as a season t,liat looked 1:mcli to somethiug that had departed, a faint nieinorial (like t,he light of setting suns) recall- ing an archetype of splendours that were hurrying to oblivion. Thirdly, it was itself attached by its place in the succession of annual phenoinena l5 Btmtley, W~rks, 1843, vi. 180. 4-4 . In.1832 John M'Gregor said: c r I n September, the weather is estremelg pleasant. The season, from this time to the middle or latter part of October, is generally a continuation of pleas- ant clays. * * * About tlie end of this month, * * * tliere appears in the atmosphere a determination to establish cold weather. * * * Rain, sunshine, evaporation, and slight frosts, succeed each other. and the leaves of the forest froin this period, change their verdure into the most brilliant ani1 rich colours. * * * After this crisis, the air becomes colder. but the sky continues clear: and a number of fine days usually appear in Norember. There are frosts at night, but the sun is warm in the middle of the clay; the evenings and mornings are pleasant. but cool, and a fire becomes agreeable. This period is terniecl all over Ainerica the Indian suinmer, ' and is ~lways looked for, ancl depended on, as the time to make preparations for the winter season. ''I6 In 1833 a Bnltiinorenn wrote: "The term Indian summer, has been applied t,o that obscure anil hazy condition of the atmosphere, which usually occurs toward the last of No~~ember, attended with a peculiar redness of t,he sky, an alisence of rain, and we iiiiglit add an olwiously increased temperature ; which latter fact is in some degree significant of its name. * * * Having stmated that the Indian summer appears usnally in the iuoiitli of November, we do not however, wish to be under- stood, that a liaziness or obscurity of the air occiirs in that niondh only, aiid that its duration is confined, and peculiar to, H few days in the latter part of the autumnal season-on the contrary, ooinnion observation (as well as the minute references to meteorological tables) proves, that it, is by no means un- conimon in the month of October, and is frequently mistaken then for the true Inclian siimiuer. by persons iulacquainteil with tlie proper period of its accession. * * * It is worthy of remark. that according to the recollection of o w older inhabi- tants, its foimer duration was often three or four weeks, whereas its present continuance is short and uncertain, seldom esceecling ten or fifteen clays. It appears further, that this ilecline has been soniewhat regular. keeping pace with, and evi- dently influenced by, the gradnal uncovering of the country. ' I In 1835 0. J. Latrobe, an English traveler, remarked: "I have mentioned, that uncertain as the occurrences of genial weather might now be in this latitude, we hac1 been en- couragecl to hope that the delicious season, known by the uanie of the Indian Summer. which ordinarily intervenes be- tween t,he fall of the leaf and the commenceinent of the severe winter of the no& iniglit yet come to our aid in the prosecu- t,ion of our escursion. It is true, the north wind blew while we were at Prairie de Chien, * * * still we were not de- ceived. but, before the lapse of many days we RRW the sleet rlisappear-the wind cease to agit,ate the river and the f o r e s t the wild fowl pause in their passage. and, furling their pin- ions, alight by myriads nmong the islands and marshes, and, ns though by enchantment. a season settle down upon the earth. which, for its peculiar beauties. might vie with the most poetical ancl clelicious in t,lie circle of the year. To what ~hnll w e conipnre the Indian SmninerP To the last bright and tinexpected flare of a dying taper-to the sudden and short- lived return to consciousness and apparent hope in one stretched upon the bed of death, efter the standers by have deemed him gone-or to the mnrm, transient, but rosy glow which will often steal over the snows of the distant Alps, after tt> the dqitrrtitig year. By a t.riple title, therefore, the Indian summer mas beaut,iful. and was sad. For august. grcmdeur, self-sustained, it suh- +titut,erl it frailty of lorelinwe: nni-1 for t,he riot and torrent rapture of ivy in t.he fullness of possession. esclianged the mnonliglit hauntings of I visitmitry and sndc1ent.d remembrance. In short. what the American [ndian race it.self at this time is. tiicdt the Indian suninier represents synibolliiially-viz., t.lie most perfect aniongst human revelations of grace n forni and movenient, but under a vhible fatality of decay." My at.tention was called to this ynssage 3y Miss Sara Mickle of Toronto. *I American Journal of Science, 1835, xsvii, pp. 140, 141, 146. British America. i, 135-137. 26 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. JANUARY, 1902 the sun is far below the Jura, and after they have been seen rearing themselves for a while, cold and ghastly white. over the horizon ? Glistening strings of gossamer, woven by the wronaut spider. streaiii across the landscape-all nearer objects are seen tlirougli a dreamy atmosphere filled with a rich golden haze, while the distance melts away in violet and purple. The surface of tlie river. with its moving flood of silver reflectn all objects a d every colour with matcliless fidelitry-the harsher tones o f tlir rocks. of the deep brown forests. an11 of the yellow prairies appear so softened.-the reflection of their pale tints is so per- fect, and such a similarity of colour am1 shade pervdes tlie earth, the air and the wtter, that all tliree seem blended together." 4R In 1837 Longfellow. speaking of Sweden, observed : '' Nor must we forget the sudden changing seasons of the Northern clime. There is 110 long and lingering spring. uiifoltling leaf and blossom one by one: no long ancl liiigeriiig autmiln. pimi- pour; with many-colored leaves and tlie glow of Iiiiliaii suiii- mer. But winter and suiiiiiier are wonderful. an11 ptss into each other. " '9 "During the Inclian Summer the air is calm. I n 1838 some unkiio\va person wrote : To a resident in New Eiiglaiicl the very name of Iiiiliaii Simmer calls 111) so many essentially poetic images. that, it, is diEcult to approach the subject witlioiit periiiittinp the thoughts to run riot over the fairy sceiies which that season presents; and we iuarvel not that it lias suggested to tlie muse of America some of her most brilliant effusions: for it would require no great! effort of the imagiiintioii t n 1lerc.eive in its balmy and buo;vniit air n portiou of that tlir-iuns (!!flufirs of which the old poets spalie. * * * I n the early part of October a strange iiiterruptic 111 occurs to tlie progressive fall of the mercury, aiicl when in tlie natural course of events we should be led to anticipate a still further increase of cold, we are mrprisecl to perceive. that for two or three weeks snc- cessively, with a few alight exceptions. an elevation uf teiii- perature is esperieiic.ec1. to a greater degree in many cakes than the average of the first week of Se~~teml>er.-noiuetinie~ as great as the ineaii of the month of August. * * * But with 11s the afterlieat ' is attended with circumstaiices of no uncoiniiion interest and beauty. I n New Englaiitl eqwrinlly i t is a rich and glorions sessiuii. in which Nature woul~l seein struggling to -a-itlitlraw attentioii from the decay which is stealing upon her. by tlie increased gorgeoiisness of her ql- parel, and tlie spring-like youtlifuliiens of her vt lice :tu11 air; hiding moreover those defects which die can 111 I t ntlierwise conceal, by a thin veil of iiiilcl and sinolq- haze. " Tlie most peculiar charactelistic of this SecvJntl Siuniiier cwnsists in the wonderful and Leantiful change which takes plnce in the forest. This feature. hon-ever, though it coil- tinues throughout the whc )le of tlie Iiirlian Smniner's lwief reign. begins, strictly speaking. to develope itself nt an earlier ' Scarcely has nature become enveloped in tliih gorgeous winding sheet. a hen tlie I ~tlier characteiihtics I ~f the Iiiiliaii Summer begin to develope themselves. The temperature of the atmosphere during the hours of sunshine heconies iiiilder tliaii it has been for weeks before. There i n a balmy and voliiptuous softness and stillness in the air, resembling the early days of June. There is not wind enough to s h k e from pe1iod. * * * tinged with a ruby gleam, which is reflected from the win- i l o ~s , and which suffuses every object on which it is thrown. The moon also wears a blush as she rises. ancl the planets which hang in the flushing west wear a more golden aspect than is their wont." XI In 1839 Bela H ~l >b a r ~l said: "October20. * * * Since 13th instant we have been favored with balmy Iiiclian summer. All nature is liunhed and wrapped in a thin, misty robe. Tliruugli this the siin's rays fall, robbed of their earlier bril- liance nul fervor and of a deeper and milder red. * * October 27. This delicious weather lias continued until to-thy. wlien a shower set in. ' ' 51 On Septeiiiher 8. 1841. Thoreau wrote: r b Your note came wafted to iiiy hand like the first leaf of the Fall on the Sep- tember wind. and I put only another interpretativn upon its lilies tliaii U ~J U tlie veins of those which are soon to be strewed mound me. It is nothing but Iiiclian Summer here at present,. I mean that any weather seems reserved expressly for our late purposes whenever we happen to be fulfilling them. '' 52 In 1x41 Whittier wrote: b . Tlius. aliile at timrs Iwfore our eyes The shallows ltlelt a1id fall apart. And. smiling through them. round lis lieb Thy warm light of I I W iiiiwning diir.%- Thr Indian Huitinirr (i f the 1irai-t ! In secret sympathy i b f minil. In founts 11f frrliny which retain Their ii~ire, frcdi flciw. we yet limy tilid Our early clrcniiis not whtilly vitiii ! '' s3 I n 1S42 Zac1oc.k Thompson said: 6 L But it appears that. from the i.oiiiiiieiiceiiieiit of tlie settlement of the country, the In- dian Smiiluers hare gradually become more and inwe irregular and less strikingly marked in their character. until they hare almost ceased tu he noticed. '' a I n the saiiie year J. F. Watson observe11 : " INDIAN RTTDIDIER. b b This \vas a short season of very fine, mild weather, which \I as formerly inucli mcire iiianifest than of later years. It was expected to occur in the last days of November. It was a I)lanil ani1 genial time, in which the bircls. the insects, and the plants, felt a iiew creittic)li. n u l sported a short-lived suiim~er, ere tliey shrunk finally from tlie rigour of the winter's blast. Tlie sky. in tlie mean time. was alwa~-s thinly veiled in a inurky linze-intercepting the direct rays of tlie sun, get pans- ing enough of light and lient to prevent sensations of gloom or chill. * * * &* Tlie k i i i ~v i i amenity of nucli a season was fixed u1)on. in ulden time. 11s tlie fittest time for the peat. fitir a t Philadel- phia. which opened on the last Monday in November, and con- tinneil tliree clays, thus iiisnriiig, an they conceived. as many good clays. before ~n c l after tlie term. for good tra\veling to and from the same. The fair in the last week of May was alsb clioseu for its liuown settled weather." '' 50 ITiiiteil States Mngwxinr ant1 Urnincrntil. Review, iii, 153-15M. 51 Mwitirials [if a Half Chitury. lsx'i. 11. 5711. 5? Familiiir Lrttrrs. 1SW. 11. 43. 53 ItIeiiiin+b. Piirtii*itl IVt)rlik, 18W. i i . 97. 98. 54Hih11.y d Veririmt. i. 11;. 55 .~l l l l ~~b of Philnilrlpliin and Pf~nlisglv-ania, ii. pp. 31i4, 363. In the Niitiiiiial Intrlligenrrr uf Tlirrrsdny, Nnrrniher Yli, 1857, No. 8579, p. JANUARY, 1902. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 27 In 1843 Hawthorne reinarkecl: 'rOctober 10th. * * * In the meantime nutiinin has been aclvaiicing, ancl is said to ~J E a month earlier than usual. We had frosts snficient to kill the bean and squash vines, more than a fortiiiglit ago; but there has since been some of the most delicious Iiidiaii- sunnier weather that I ever ezPeriencecl,--luild, sweet, perfect clays, in which the warin sunshine seemed to einbmce the earth and all earth's children with love and teiiderness. * * 4 Noveinber 8th. * * * Ever since our ret,urii [from a trill of nine clays], ]rowever, until to-clay, there lias been a succ*es- sion of genuine Indian-summer claps. with gentle wiiids. 01 none a t all, aiicl a misty atmosphere. which idealizes all nature, and a milcl, beneficent siinshine, iiiviting one to lie dowii iii R nook ancl forget all earthly care. To-clay tlie sky is dark iincl lowering, anel occasionally lets fall a few sullen tears. I sup- pose we must bid farewell to Indiaii siiiiiiuer iiow, and expect no more tenderness from Mother Nature t;ill next spring be well advanced. ' ' In 1844 the R.er. C. Dewey, qiedciiig of tlie seasons of tlie previous year, said: r i Tlie fine warin smoky drip, wliicli coni- nonl-j- take place in Octoher, or the beginning of NoveiiilJer. and called Indian siiimner. did iiot appear this pear iii tlieir usual perfection. Indeed, it \vas a coiiiiiioii reiiiark. that. we had no Indian siiininer. * * * on the 17th of Noveinbe1 the atmosphere was quite smoky, and a slight Indian siiiiiiuer appeared for eight clays in succession. *' s 7 In 1846 IV. E. Maswell reiiiarkecl : b r On rearliiig. iii h h . Birt's report on 'Atniospherie Waves, ' presented at tlie meeting of the British Associntioii [see Atheniruin of September 261, the account of the great Noveiiiber wave, it has struck iue as a curious coincidence that. the period of the inaxiiiiuni of the wave-viz, from the 12th to the 17th of November-is pre- cisely that given by American trarelers for tlie occiirreiice of that inost remarkable ineteorolcigical pheiioiiieiioii, f l r ~ fl3l//tl/l suittttwr; when, after having already hail a foretastme of t.he dgonrs of the approaching winter. IL sudden change of tein- perature takes place, a delicious warmth is felt, tlie sky is without a cloud, not a breath of air is stirring, and tlie whole atmosphere is filled with a glowing transpareiit liaze.--\vliicli state of weather lasts about three claTs. " In 1847 Charles Peirce piiblislieel a voluiue giving nii ztccoiint of the weather a t Pliiladelpliia from 1790 to 1846. Perliitps the most singular feature of this book is that it 11i.w.s iiot c m - taiii a single allusion to siiioke, but ii single allusion to haze, and only three allusions to the Indian suininer cluiing those forty-seven years. 5y of t.lw sun, yet passing riiciugh light an11 lieat provwt arnsn.t.it-iiia t.lf +m or c4iill. while tlie nights grow ehitrl~ and frosty. an11 the iit-~~ssnry hres give clirei-ful fwecast d' t.he st.ioial winter evenings IIIW at liand." H." iwncludea by an allnsim to St. Martin's suniiiier and by pua.it.ing Sliakespeare. It is clear that '6 H." coolly apl?r~.qiriat~rd t.hr 11itssage cited in tlie test from Wat.svn ancl passe11 it off as original. Haivtlinrnr n'~s at Con- cord, Mass. In a novel written in 1851. Hawt.liorne said: '. Ilideed. all the enjoyinent,s of t.liis period were piwvocatire of tetrrs. C!oniing as lat,e as i t did, it was a kind of 1ni:lian summer, mit.li a mist, in it,s balmiest sunshine. and clpcay and death in it,s gaudiest delight,." (,House of t.lte Sewn C;ables. 1883, 11. 180. ) 5: In the Fifty-Sevent,h Annual Report o f t.lir Rrgeiit.s o f tlir TTiiiv-ersity of the St,at,e of New York. 1844. p. 991. Bochester. N. T.. is referred t4.i. On Oct,oher 31. 1854. Mr. Dewey wr0t.e: *' Primary tmd s e ~w ~l n r y rain- 1)ows at west this morning itnil evening large and fine. Iilrlieii suninicr for nine preceding clays." Sisty-Eighth Annnel Report, 1855,i.i. 99X. ) M y itt,tcwt.iun w-as called to t,heae Reports by Professor .4hhe. veniher 14 a. cmwspondent. writing from Ostrnd. snirl : *. In Swit.zer- laud tjie stme plienon~eno~~ Iias I iren reninrlred from time inimeniorin.1. and 1'PtG de St. Martin has pessed int.0 n ~J ~W V Y I ~. Now. the 11th of No- vember is t,lie i'6t.e of this wort,hy:--nud fivni diaries which I kept. during six consecutive years in Switzerland and southeru Bav-ariit, I tinil t1ia.t. with the excc.pt,ion of 1~37, we hm:1 a ret.urn of perfect, suniniiv weat,lier for four or fire days toget.her.--itncl this, dber the season lint1 nppnrently completely broken up. In all cases. t.his occurred UlJl.Illt. that. attnie perin1:l- or rather toward the 14t.h of the mont.h." (P. 1171. ) "American Note-Books, 1883, pp. :396-:39X. *The Atlienamin. Ol?tber 31.' ( Clslninbian Centinal, 1 Decernlrrr, 1819. No. 37l!l. 11. 9. ) waieS.a It ;ill be convenient to mention in this place some expressions found elsewhere in Eurcrpe. In France the sum- mer of St. Denis and St. Martsin's suiumer are employed both literally and figuratively ; in Germany. Altweibersom- mer io is current; and in several countries other espressions are s d to be fouiiil." Thus, as the late R. (+. White re- niarked. '' even this beautiful season is therefore not one of those good things which are peculiarly American.' " The term \VBR sl.ill kniwn in E11gln.iiiI early in t.he niiic~1.eent.h century. f4.w t,liP Eiiglislinian wlio translated Volney's TtJ.ilrau said t,hat t.lir St.. &Iert.in's suniiiirr (.if Francv was '.in. Englantl. an All-li:~ll~i~ii suninlrr." (View tif t,hit Climate ani1 Soil of t.hr Unit,rl:l States. p. 2M niit,e.) b L Such wn.s t.hr adwiit of i~utuiun. Then fdlowerl t,hctt l>rautifiil scason. his niat.eria1 for t.hiit, pieni. so far a.s it rclat.es t.0 Ntwa Scwt,ia. froill T. C!. Hnlihurton's Hist