EXAMINATION OF REID'S STORMS. 231 



Narrative of Mr. Macqneen, master of the Ship Rawlins, 

 from Jamaica to London. 



Latitude Commencement N. 30 30'. 



Termination 30 40. 



Longitude Commencement W. 77 40. 



Termination 77 18. 



Wind commenced on the 16th, at N. E. by E. blowing 

 strong from that quarter about twelve hours, then suddenly 

 to N., continuing with unabated vigor till midnight of the 

 17th ; in an instant a perfect calm ensued for one hour, then, 

 quick as thought, the hurricane sprung up with tremendous 

 force from the south west, not again shifting from that point. 

 No swell whatever preceded the convulsion. The barome- 

 ter gave every notice of the coming gale for many hours 

 previous. Two days antecedent, the weather was beauti- 

 fully serene, but oppressively hot, with light shifting airs ; 

 the barometer at that time standing at "set fair;" during 

 the gale so low as almost to be invisible in the tube above 

 the frame work of the instrument. The force subsided at 

 midnight, August 18th. the sea tremendous, and rising in 

 every direction ; from the force of the wind no tops to the 

 waves, being dispersed in one sheet of white foam ; the decks 

 tenanted by many sea birds in an exhausted state, seeking 

 shelter in the vessel ; impossible to discern any thing, even 

 during the day, at fifty yards distance; the wind, represent- 

 ing numberless voices, elevated to the shrillest lone of scream- 

 ing ; but few flashes of lightning, and those in the S. W. 

 On the 19th, wind and sea much abated. A dismal appear- 

 ance to the N. W. 



Narrative of Mr. Turner ', master of the ship West Indian, 

 from Jamaica to London. At noon of the 14th, lat. 28 28', 

 Ion. 79 45', barometer 30.1 inches. At 5 P. M. the weather 

 put on an unsettled appearance, and a strong swell began to 

 set in from the E. N. E., which continued to increase, as 



