26 Mr Redfield on the Hurricanes and 



claim any bondage to existing theories in meteorology ; and shall, 

 on the present occasion, only proceed to notice a few of the more 

 practical inferences which, to navigators and otiiers, may per- 

 haps be of no doubtful utility. 



1. A vessel bound to the eastward, between the latitudes of 

 32° and 45° in the western part of the Atlantic, on being over- 

 taken by a gale, which commences blowing from any point to 

 the eastward of S. E. or E. SE. may avoid some portion of its 

 violence, by putting her head to, the northward, and, when the 

 gale has veered sufficiently in the same direction, may safely re- 

 sume her course. But, by standing to the southward, under 

 like circumstances, she will probably fall into the heart of the 

 storm. 



2. In the same region, vessels, on taking a gale from S. E., or 

 points near thereto, will probably soon find themselves in the heart 

 of the storm; and, after its first fury is spent, may expect its re- 

 currence from the opposite quarter. The most promising mode 

 of mitigating its violence, and at the same time shortening its du- 

 ration, is to stand to the southward upon the wind as long as 

 may be necessary or possible ; and; if the movement succeeds, 

 the wind will gradually head you off in the same direction. If 

 it become necessary to heave to, put your head to the southward ; 

 and, if the wind does not veer, be prepared for a blast from the 

 north-west. 



3. In the same latitudes, a vessel scudding in a gale, with the 

 wind at east or north-east, shortens its duration. On the con- 

 trary, a vessel scudding before a south-westerly or westerly gale, 

 will thereby increase its duration. 



4. A vessel which is pursuing her course to the westward, 

 or south-westward, in this part of the Atlantic, meets the storms 

 in their course, and thereby shortens the period of their recur- 

 rence, and will encounter more gales, in an equal number of 

 days, than if stationary, or sailing in a different direction. 



5. On the other hand, vessels, while sailing to the eastward, 

 or north-eastward, oi in the course of the storms, will lengthen 

 the periods between their occurrence, and consequently expe- 

 rience them less frequently than vessels sailing on a different 

 course. The difference of exposure which results from these 



