STORMS. 



333 



them. The master of the ship compares the sea 'to a hilly land- 

 scape in winter, covered with snow.' Does it not appear as if the 

 ' treasures of the hail' were opened, which were ' reserved against 

 the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war ?' "* 



950. ExTRA-TEOPiCAL Gales. — In the extra-tropical regions 

 of each hemisphere furious gales of wind also occur. One of 

 these, remarkable for its violent effects, was encountered on the 

 24th of December, 1853, about three hundred miles from Sandy 

 Hook, latitude 39 ^ north, longitude 70° west, by the San Francis- 

 co, steam-ship (§ 88). That ship was made a complete wreck in a 

 few moments, and she was abandoned by the survivors, after in- 

 credible hardships, exertions, and sufferings. Some months after 

 this disaster, I received by the California mail the abstract log of 

 the fine clipper ship "Eagle Wing" (Ebenezer H. Linnell), from 

 Boston to San Francisco. She encountered the ill-fated steamer's 

 gale, and thus describes it : 



951. ''December 2Ath, 1853. Latitude 39° 15^ north, longi- 

 tude 62° 32^ west. First part threatening weather; shortened 

 sail: at 4 P.M. close-reefed the top-sails and furled the courses. 

 At 8 P.M. took in fore and mizzen top-sails ; hove to under close- 

 reefed main top-sail and spencer, the ship lying with her lee rail 

 under water, nearly on her beam-ends. At 1 30 A.M. the fore 

 and main top-gallant-masts went over the side, it blowing a per- 

 fect hurricane. At 8 A.M., moderated ; a sea took away jib-boom 

 and bowsprit-cap. In my thirty-one years' experience at sea, I 

 have never seen a typhoon or hurricane so severe. Lost two men 

 overboard — saved one. Stove sky-light, broke my barometer, 

 &c., &c." 



952. Severe gales in this part of the Atlantic — i. 6., on the polar 

 side of the calm belt of Cancer — rarely occur during the months 

 of June, July, August, and September. This appears to be the 

 time when the fiends of the storm are most busily at work in the 

 West Indies. During the remainder of the year, these extra- 

 tropical gales, for the most part, come from the northwest. But 



* Natuurkiindige Beschryving der Zeeen, door M. F. Maury, LL.D., Luitenant der 

 Nord Araerikaansche Marine, vertaald door M. H. Jansen, Luitenant ter Zee. Dor- 

 drecht, P. K. Braat, 1855. 



