38 On the prevailing Storms of the Atlantic Coast. 
night to E.S.E., at which time it was a “perfect hurricane” and 
the “sea tremendous beyond description.” At 4 A.M. of the 18th 
the wind had veered back to north, and at 8 A.M. to north by west. 
The Illincis was, on the same night, in the gulf stream, in a south- 
easterly direction from the Britannia, standing eastward with a fair 
wind and moonlight, when the scuds appeared flying with great swift- 
ness, and the wind, changing to south, soon commenced blowing a 
full hurricane, veering successively, during the night, first to soithe 
west, then to west and to north-west, raging with increased fury till 
8 A. M. on the 18th when it abated. It appears evident that this 
vessel was in the outward or southern semi-diameter of the storm, 
and that its vortex or axis passed between the two ships. It is also 
worthy of remark that the Illinois, which was bound from New Or- 
leans to Liverpool, had passed through the Florida channel just pre- 
vious to the passage of this storm towards the continent, and experi- 
enced, from the south, its tremendous swell, while off the coast of 
South Carolina, but by favor of a fine south-west wind and the cur- 
rent of the gulf stream the ship escaped, for the time being, to be 
afterwards overtaken by the storm when it had.assumed its north- 
eastwardly course.* 
* Since writing the above, the letter from which the following is an extract has 
inois 
I sailed from New Orleans on the 3d of Gurost, bound to Liverpool; per 
ig notice occurred until the 15th, es then in the Gulf Stream, lat. 33° N. 
oW.; wi 
heavy gales. We had no eae as of wind at this time, but a dull and heavy ap- 
pearance in the south. During the night of the 15th the wind shifted round to south 
south-west, the weather still Cponinetng fine.—By the commencement of the 16th 
- we had a fresh, wholesale breeze, so that with the help the Gulf Stream, we ran 
at a great rate, steering north-east; lat. at noon 36°, lon. 73°.—All the 17th the wind 
continued steady at south south-west, blowing a strong, agtises breeze; appear- 
ance in the south dull and heavy; the sea quite smooth again, and to appearances 
we had outrun the heavy southerly swell. Lat. at noon 37° 58/, Ion. 69° 23/; still 
Saget: to run about the course of the Gulf Stream; temperature of the water 
°.—On the first part of the 18th, (afternoon of the 17th, current time,) the wind 
ied to south and began to freshen-in very fast; some heavy clouds arising in the 
south-west, and likewise observed some an flashes of lightning in that quarter. 
.M. the wind had increased to a strong gale; the weather at this time had an 
unusual appearance, but still it did not look bad; 10 o'clock, the wind still increas- 
ing, took i in our sails and prepared for the worst; 11 o’clock, the sea ran high an 
About half past 12, (midnight,) all was darkness; the heavy clouds that had been 
rising in the south-west had at this time overtaken us; the rain fell in torrents, an¢ 
mere 
ca 
= i aa 
