Circuit Sailing in Storms. ~~ 183 
than one circuit might sometimes be made in a gale by the same 
vessel, in sailing around the axis of the storm ; thus adding another 
practical demonstration of its revolving character. One such case 
of complete circuit sailing I have referred to, in 1836.* Mr. Tom, 
in his account of the Rodriguez storm of April, 1843, has shown 
that the Robin Giray run once and a half times around the axis 
of the storm, from left to right, (5, (this being in the southern 
hemisphere, ) till, being thrown on her beam ends, she was prevent- 
ed from continuing her circuits. In the same storm the Argo 
made part of her second circuit, scudding round in the gale in 
the same direction. In like manner the Margaret made a cir- 
cuit and a quarter around the axis, chiefly m the heart of the 
gale. Several vessels, after once falling out of this hurricane, 
pursued their course, again overtook it and plunged into the heart 
of the storm, where they suffered most serious disasters.t It ap- 
pears probable, and indeed certain, that nearly all of the great loss 
and damage sustained in this hurricane might well have been 
avoided, by a knowledge of the laws of rotation and progression 
in these storms. 
But the most striking case of circular sailing in a storm is that 
of the Charles Heddle in a hurricane near Mauritius, in February, 
1845, which has been furnished me by Mr. Pmpineron. This 
was a clipper built vessel, once a slaver, and was bound from 
Mauritius to Muscat. It appears from the log, that in her course, 
round and round in the gale, the wind veered five complete rev- 
olutions in one hundred and seventeen hours, with an average 
run of eleven and seven-tenth knots per hour, the whole distance 
thus sailed being thirteen hundred and seventy-three miles ; while 
the progression of the hurricane, at this period, was less than 
four miles an hour. The average distance from the gale’s axis 
is estimated at about forty-five miles. During this time, the ves- 
sel made good a course S. W. 3 W., three hundred and fifty-four 
miles, only ; nearly on the usual course pursued by the hurricanes, 
near Mauritius.{ 
* Lond. Nautical Magazine, an 1836, p. 205. This Journal, vol xxxi, p. 122. 
+ Nature and Course of Storms in the Indian Ocean ; with Diagrams. Lond. 1845. 
t These highly interesting cases of circuit sailing in storms give proofs of their 
revolving character not unlike those which are afforded of the earth’s rotundity in 
es of circumnavigation : and, like the latter, may be received by some who 
perhaps may not be able to appreciate the evidence, equally conclusive, from other 
sources. 
