Account of a Hurricane hi the JJ'est Indies* 15 



Jrom the south-west; and from the north-west, in distinct 

 sections. But finding there arc some considcFations in mv 

 piece on the gale of February 1802 which arc not centainet} 

 ia his treatise upon our north-cast wind, I take the present 

 opportunity of inscrihing it to you. In his shott essay upon 

 the south-east wind he clos-es his observati-nns, for want of 

 more facta, not choosing to supply their place by conjec- 

 ture. I believe that, by reason of a hurricane which laielv 

 happened in the southern latitudes, bordering on countries 

 in North and South America which you have visited, it is 

 now in my power to communicate to you some additional 

 facts on the south-east wind of the western hemisphere, 

 and some very important information relative to its north- 

 east and east winds. 



Between the 3d and 9th of September iSOt, there oc- 

 curred in the Caribbee Islands, in the Bahamas, on the 

 ocean to the north-east of these, and on the coasts of Flo- 

 rida, Georgia, and South Carolina, one of" the most de- 

 structive storms that had ever raged within the mesnory oi 

 man. The agitation of the atmosphere and of th€ sea was 

 so dreadful as to overwhelm and destroy an uncommon 

 number of vessels, cargoes, and crews, both on the ocean 

 and in port, and also to work great damage on shore, A 

 current from the south-east swept all before it in its pro- 

 gress from the Caribbees. It had, however, various tiu^i- 

 jngs, whirlings, and eddies, blowing in the most opposite 

 directions, and veering almost all round the compass. An- 

 other current from the north-east met the former in about 

 the latitude of Charleston or Beaufort. The two streams 

 formed for a while an east wind, which coutimied until the 

 south-cast gale triumphed !)v its superior force. This con- 

 flict of the winds was accoinpanied by torrenty of rain, bv 

 a retardation of the Gulf Stream, and by such an accum^i- 

 5ation of water in the curvature of the coast between Florida 

 and North Carolina, as to lay a great portion o'f the low 

 shores and islands of Georgia and Soiith Caro'lrna under 

 water. This storm, unlike the former one which I de- 

 scribed, began to windward, and by violent propulsive force 

 worked its w-ay to leeward. I have reduced to something 

 like method, the relations and facts as stated by navigators, 

 and gathered from cotemporaneous publications. 



A gale or hurricane of this sort happened in September 

 1782, as far north as lat. 42" 15', and in long. 48° 55\ It 

 began on the iGlh, and destroyed many tnghsh ships, be- 

 longing to a fleet of ninety sail, then off the banks of New- 

 foundland, and bound homewards from Jamaica. It begjm 



at 



