34 On the Cyclones of the North Pacific Ocean, 



and maintopmast^ — October 6thy at 1 A. ivr. the barometer began 

 to rise; at 2 A. M. bar. 28*90 ; gale W. S. W., moderating a little. 

 At 4 A. M. bar. 29-00 ; wind west bj S. ; 8 a. m. 2910 ; noon 

 29*30; moderating fast, but still blowing a severe gale. 



Capt. Briard thinks, that on the 4th, the cyclone was travelling 

 K. W. ; but, '* that on the 5th, it recurred to the north; as we 

 had the heaviest of it when the center bore N. W*" We are 

 certainly indebted to him for a good account of this typhoon, 

 revious to and at the time of its recurvation. On comparing 

 is report with those of the great cyclone of July, 1853^ before 

 noticed, I am led to infer that the soutlieast swell encountered by 



the II. S. ships on the 2d, was produced by the right-hand por- 

 tion or border of the cyclone, wdiile travelling northwestward, 



I have received from the British Admiralty, through the 

 kindness of Capt. A, B. Becher, E. N., the observations made, 

 during the nearest passing of the cyclone, on board H. M. S. 

 Winchester, then lying in JSTagasaki roads, lat 32° 44' K, lon. 

 129° 46'' E. I consider this position as about three hundred 

 miles to the northwest of the nearest portion of the axial line of 

 the storm path, after the recurvation; with the great Island of 

 Kiusiu intervening. At midnight, previous to the oth of October, 

 the weather was calm; the barometer 30*05:' at noon of 5th it 

 had fallen to 29-88, with the wind veering from E. K E. to K E., 

 the true wind of the cyclone on this border; its force 4 to 3, 

 with squally weather. In the afternoon the wind veered to the 

 north, and the barometer fell to 29'80; near which it continued 

 during the night, and throughout the next day; the wind nearly 

 at north, varying in its force from 4 to 2 ; with a calm at 8 P. M. 

 On the morning of the 7th, the wind came from N. N. W-, force 

 3, and at noon the barometer had risen to 29*97; it attained a 

 maximum of 30"0G in the following night. 



We here find a depression of a quarter of an inch in the ba- 

 rometer, under the cyclonic wunds Avhich are normal to this 

 lace, which is wholly sheltered by high lands from the original 

 brce of these winds. The phenomena do not dilYer essentially 

 from those which are often found near the western border of the 

 cyclones of the United States, when in a like relative position. 

 The last two accounts, will serve to show the approximate posi- 

 tion which I have assigned to the axis path of the track, on the 

 chart at and near the time of its recurvation. 



From these various reports, we may estimate the rate of the 

 cyclone^s advance, from the probable position of its center at 

 noon on the 3d, to that on the 4th of October, at about seven- 

 teen nautical miles per hour: — from thence to noon of 5th, from 

 ten to twelve miles per hour; from 5th to 7thy at twenty two 

 miles per hour; and from 7th to 9th at about forty miles per 

 hour. 



