Chapter ELEPHANTA of E by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

from the H. hathiya, Skt. hasta, the 13th lunar Asterism, connected with hastin, an elephant, and hence sometimes called ‘the sign of the elephant.’ The hathiya is at the close of the Rains.]

1554.—“The Damani, that is to say a violent storm arose; the kind of storm is known under the name of the Elephant; it blows from the west.”—Sidi’ Ali, p. 75.

[1611.—“The storm of Ofante doth begin.”—Danvers, Letters, i. 126.]

c. 1616.—“The 20th day (August), the night past fell a storme of raine called the Oliphant, vsuall at going out of the raines.” —Sir T. Roe, in Purchas, i. 549; [Hak. Soc. i. 247].

1659.—“The boldest among us became dismayed; and the more when the whole culminated in such a terrific storm that we were compelled to believe that it must be that yearly raging tempest which is called the Elephant. This storm, annually, in September and October, makes itself heard in a frightful manner, in the Sea of Bengal.” —Walter Schulze, 67.

c. 1665.—“Il y fait si mauvais pour le Vaisseaux au commencement de ce mois à cause d’un Vent d’Orient qui y souffle en ce tems-là avec violence, et qui est toujours accompagnè de gros nuages qu’on appelle Elephans, parce-qu’ils en ont la figure. …” —Thevenot, v. 38.

1673.—“Not to deviate any longer, we are now winding about the South-West part of Ceilon; where we have the Tail of the Elephant full in our mouth; a constellation by the Portugals called Rabo del Elephanto, known for the breaking up of the Munsoons, which is the last Flory this season makes.” —Fryer. 48.

[1690.—“The Mussoans (Monsoon) are rude and Boisterous in their departure, as well as at their coming in, which two seasons are called the Elephant in India, and just before their breaking up, take their farewell for the most part in very rugged puffing weather.”—Ovington, 137].

1756.—“9th (October). We had what they call here an Elephanta, which is an excessive hard gale, with very severe thunder, lightning and rain, but it was of short continuance. In about 4 hours there fell … 2 (inches).”—Ives, 42.

c. 1760.—“The setting in of the rains is commonly ushered in by a violent thunderstorm, generally called the Elephanta.”— Grose, i. 33.