XXXIl APPENDIX. 
places; the country is flat for miles, and the soil sandy. What was formerly a plain of 
sand, reaching from the sea several miles inland, is now covered with habitations (many 
of a superior order) and gardens; with one of the finest roads in the world running 
through it, a distance to St. Thomas’s Mount of about nine miles, and some way on, 
to the new cantonment. Madras, like most other places in India, has been visited with 
that dreadful malady, the cholera, as it is termed; to which many, both Europeans and 
natives, have fallen victims. 
Gates or Winp anv Storms —Gales of wind at Madras usually occur only during 
the rainy season, between the 15th of October and the middle of December; the baro- 
meter seldom sinks much more than four-tenths of an inch, or stands lower than 29°45 
inches. ‘These gales begin rather to the westward of north along the shore, veer to the 
eastward, and increase in violence as they get round; this change of direction continues, 
the wind gradually abating, until it is at south, when it frequently falls almost calm. 
T'rom what has been just stated, the necessity fur ships in Madras roads getting under 
weigh immediately a gale commences is apparent; as when the wind has veered easterly, 
it is next to impossible to get sea-room, and the vessels must be driven on shore. 
I shall proceed to give some particulars of gales occurring during the period comprised 
in the diary. 
On the 27th of October 1797, the moon having just passed the first quarter, and 
being at her greatest distance from the earth, there was a violent gale of wind at Madras, 
somewhat resembling the storms of late years; it began from the northward in the 
night between the 26th and 27th, veered to the N.E, and in the morning blew with 
uncommon violence during three hours. About noon it suddenly shifted to the south, 
and was almost as violent as before—many old trees were torn up by the roots, and the 
leaves on the north side of those much exposed, were either blown off, or completely 
withered. The barometer began to fall at about noon on the 25th, ard at 2 o’clock 
p.M. on the 27th had sunk to 29°465 from 30005, or about 0°54 of an inch. This, 
though not so violent as the late storms, was no ordinary gale of wind. 
On the 10th of December 1807, the moon half-way between the first quarter and full, 
and nearly at the greatest distance from the earth, there was a gale at Madras. It 
began in the evening from the north, and was attended with thunder, lightning, and 
rain; veering to the southward of east, and blowing with violence, it slackened gradually 
after noon, and at 13 p.m. the sky was again clear. The barometer fell about 04 of an 
inch; rain 3} inches. On the night between the 29th and 30th of March 1820, a 
strong gale of wind occurred; the moon at the full, but nearly at her greatest distance 
from the earth. This gale commenced from N E. and blew with great violence at times: 
contrary to the course of the monsoon gales, it veered to the North, N.W., and S.W. 
Still violent; but at the latter quarter it gradually slackened, and broke up at about 
9am. The barometer fell 0:40 of an inch, and was a little above 29°5 when at the 
greatest depression: about 63 inches of rain fell. The ships left the roads in the 
evening; but some of the smaller craft were driven on shore, and others went down at 
ROG Sy 
