116 Onthe Gales and Hurricanes of the Western Atlantic. 
the opposite margins or longitudinal sections of the track of each 
and all of these storms.* | 
At an early period of the inquiry, I met with the statement above 
quoted from the Atlantic Memoir, which, by the direction and change 
of wind therein mentioned, seemed to indicate that this region of the 
Atlantic had been visited at least by one storm of a different char- 
acter. Such, however, was the remarkable uniformity presented to 
my view in the phenomena of the storms which were investigated, 
that I was led, at length, to suspect some error in the above state- 
ment, and on further inquiry, I soon found my doubts fully justified. 
I have now before me several printed authorities of that period, from 
which it appears that the first part of the hurricane in P orm was 
from E. iS. E. and that it shifted suddenly to N. N. W.+ 
It appears, therefore, that instead of blowing as described in the 
Memoir, this gale exhibited the usual characteristics of the Atlantic 
hurricanes. 
If the movements of the atmosphere in these storms were of the 
vague and erratic character which has usually been assigned to them, 
the above correction would be of little importance. But, notwith- 
standing the supposed, and even proverbial uncertainty of the winds, 
navigators may be assured, that they will never, in the temperate 
e American Coast Pilot, 12th edition, ee 626—629; or the American 
palo of Science and Arts, vol. xxv. pp. 
Extract from the Journal of an ae on board the Ramilies.. 
* September eh 1782. At noon, lat. 42° 15/, lon. 48° 55/, wind ee 3: Sts 
ene fresh; 1 p. M. gale increased, hazy weather; at 3 took in sails; 
very mi brought-to under the mainsail. Midnight, three anda Re, feet 
water in the hold; gale E. S. E. exceeding strong; at 2. m. on the 17th, heavy 
rain and squally; at 3 a. m. the wind shifted; a violent squall from the N. N. W. 
without the smallest warning of a shift, took, the mainsail aback; the mainmast, 
close to us; several near us dismast ed, and signals of distress making from all; 
a prodigious swell of the sea, and heavy gale from N. W.; at 10 a.m. hard gale 
from N. W. and aa a swell; six feet water in the hold; afternoon, threw 
guns overboard,” 
foundered after the storm, states aa early part of the gale to have been from 8. E. 
by E. and the shift to have been to N, W. This trifling discrepancy confirms, 
rather than invalidates, the general fact, and may be accounted for as a slight in- 
accuracy on the part of the observers, or by supposing the position of Capt, Ed- 
— ship to have been some distance to the southward and eastward of the 
