TORNADOES. l6l 



understand the theory of cyclones in both hemispheres, 

 we shall here relate the manner in which Captain J. V. 

 Hall escaped from a typhoon of the China seas. About 

 noon, when three days out from Macao, Captain Hall 

 saw *a most wild and uncommon-looking halo round 

 the sun.' On the afternoon of the next day, the baro- 

 meter had commenced to fall rapidly ; and though, as 

 yet, the weather was fine, orders were at once given to 

 prepare for a heavy gale. Towards evening a bank of 

 cloud was seen in the south-east, but when night closed 

 the weather was still calm and the water smooth, though 

 the sky looked wild and a scud was coming on from 

 the north-east. * I was much interested,' says Captain 

 Hall, ' in watching for the commencement of the gale, 

 which I now felt sure was coming. That bank to the 

 south-east was the meteor (cyclone) approaching us, the 

 north-east scud, the outer north-west portion of it ; and 

 when at night a strong gale came on about north, or 

 north-north-west, I felt certain we were on its western 

 and south-western verge. It rapidly increased in 

 violence ; but I was pleased to see the wind veering to 

 the north-west, as it convinced me that I had put the 

 ship on the right track namely, on the starboard tack, 

 standing, of course, to the south-west. From ten A.M. 

 to three P.M. it blew with great violence, but the ship 

 being well prepared, rode comparatively easy. The 

 barometer was now very low, the centre of the storm 

 passing to the northward of us, to which we might have 

 been very near had we in the first place put the ship on 

 the larboard tack. 



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