HUEEICANES. 237 



operation of the wind, and its effect on a vessel in each of the quadrants of 

 the Storm, when the line of progression is to the N.W. 



(176.) First, or N.E. Quadrant—S^ind from South to East. The 

 changes of wind, if a vessel be lying-to, will appear to take place from left 

 to right, throughout ; as the wind will seem to draw round from the East- 

 ward toward the South, although it is in fact proceeding the contrary way, 

 or from right to left. 



The navigator's attention is particularly directed to this apparent paradox; 

 for, whilst he notes the wind down in his journal as veering with the sun, 

 it is all the time, as remarked before, going the contrary way. The delusion 

 is occasioned by the progression of the Hurricane to the N.W., which, by 

 receding from the vessel's position, has the effect of bringing up the more 

 Southerly phases of the wind in succession, and, consequently, imparting 

 to these an apparent contrary direction to that which the whole current of 

 air is actually pursuing. This deceptory process is somewhat similar to 

 the well-known astronomical illusion every day before our eyes ; we allude 

 to the apparent course of the great luminary. Not only can we imagine, 

 from the evidence of our sense of seeing (not at all times to be depended 

 upon), that the sun is moving from East to West, but, in conrcaon parlance, 

 such an idea is invariably expressed ; yet everybody knows that this is only 

 apparent, and that the delusion is occasioned by the diurnal rotation 

 of the earth round its axis from "West to East. This point, however, once 

 clearly understood, will no longer perplex us. 



We noio proceed with the First Quadrant. If a ship scuds to the North- 

 ward, the direction of the alteration of the wind will in a great measure 

 depend upon her velocity, as she is crossing the course of the progression 

 obliquely; if she keeps pace with the Northerly advance of the Storm, the 

 wind will remain the same ; if she exceeds it, the wind will draw round to 

 the Eastward ; and if the progression outstrips her, the changes will be to 

 the Southward. In either of the latter cases the variations will be few, in 

 all probability ; and the Westerly progress may be expected to cause the 

 ship to be speedily thrown out of the circle of operations. 



A ship is likely to enter this quadrant only under the Northern verge 

 from the North to the N.E. point : if she happens to be standing to the 

 Southward, within the limits of the Trade Wind, she will be liable to be 

 taken aback ; but if standing to the Northward, of course she will not. 



(177.) Second, or S.E. Quadrant. — Wind from West to South. With a 

 ship lying-to, and the wind from any point between South and S.W., the 

 shifts will be from the Southward toward the West, apparently from left 

 to right. If the wind be between S.W. and West, there will be few if any 

 changes, as the ship will be near the posterior line of the progression ; what 

 changes may happen will probably be from West towards the South. The 

 vessel will soon be clear of the commotion. It seems pretty evident that a 

 sailing vessel will not, in the first instance, be liable to fall under the S.E. 

 verge in this quadrant, for this reason — that she cannot overtake the 

 Hurricane, as its velocity, m all probability, at anytime would exceed her 

 rate of sailing. She may, however, just touch laterally about the Southern 

 verge, where she should get the wind from the West. To enter this 

 quadrant, therefore, a ship must pass through some other. 



