108 Storms in the Southern Hemisphere. 



a gale by the same vessel, in sailing round ilie axis of the 

 storm ; thus adding another practical demonstration of its 

 revolving character. One such case of complete circuit-sail- 

 ing I have referred to in 1836. Mr Thorn, in his account of 

 the llodriguez storm of April 1843, has shewn, that the Robin 

 Gray ran once and a half times round the axis of the storm 



from left to right, ( ) (this being in the Southern Hemi- 

 sphere), till, being thrown on her beam ends, she was pre- 

 vented from continuing her circuit. In the same storm, the 

 Ar^o made part of her second circuit, scudding round in the 

 gale in the same direction. In like manner the Margaret 

 made a circuit and a quarter round the axis, chiefly in the 

 heart of the gale. Several vessels, after once falling out of 

 this hurricane, pursued their course, again overtook it, and 

 plunged into the heart of the storm, where they suffered most 

 serious disasters. It appears probable, and indeed certain, 

 that nearly all the great loss and damage sustained in 

 this hurricane might well have been avoided by a knowledge 

 of the laws of rotation and progression in these storms. 



*' But the most striking case of circular sailing in a storm, 

 is that of the Charles Heddle in a hurricane near Mauritius, 

 in February 1845, \\'hich has been furnished me by Mr Pid- 

 dington. This was a clipper-built vessel, once a slaver, and 

 was bound from Mauritius to Muscat. It appears from the 

 log, that in her course round and round in the gale, the wind 

 veered five complete revolutions in 117 hours, with an average 

 run of eleven and seven-tenths knots per hour ; the whole 

 distance thus sailed being 1373 miles, while the progression 

 of the hurricane at this period ivas less than four miles an 

 hour. The average distance from the gale's axis is estimated 

 at about 45 miles. During this time the vessel made a good 

 course SW. f west, 354 miles only ; nearly on the usual 

 course pursued by the hurricanes near Mauritius. 



" These are results obtained by IMr Piddidgton, who has al- 

 ready published his twelfth memoir, and who informs me that 

 lie is preparing an other on this hurricane of the Charles Heddle. 

 In his eleventh memoir he has given us an account of t\\ o 



