Hurricanes of the Eastern Pacific. 185 
20° 10’ N., lon. 105° 25’ W.] It first blew off the land, from 
the northward, and shifting suddenly to the westward, blew a 
perfect hurricane, right on shore. This may indicate its recur- 
vation near the southern entrance of the Gulf of California at 
Cape Corientes. It has been shown that some hurricanes of the 
gulf of Mexico, commence their recurvated course to the north- 
ward and eastward in a still lower latitude. For such a case, see 
this Journal, vol. i, New Series, p. 153-162. 
The inter-tropical gales of the North Pacific which are com- 
prised in these few notices, are seen to have occurred in the sev- 
eral months from June to October, both inclusive; and I have 
now before me an account of another violent gale, far to the west- 
ward, in the month of May. ‘The prevalence of storms on that 
coast in the other months, from October to April, has been no- 
ticed by Humboldt and other writers; and is now but too well 
known by the experience of navigators. 
We thus establish the prevalence of violent cyclones upon the 
southwestern coast of North America at all seasons of the year: 
and find that these are sometimes of great violence. hat many 
of these cyclones pass over the Mexican territories, some to the 
gulf of Mexico, under the local name of northers, and others to 
the territory of the United States, I can find no reason to doubt. 
€ very prominent characteristic of southeast winds, in the 
storms which commonly visit the Pacific coast, affords evidence 
of their progress along the coast in the lower latitudes, and of 
their direct entrance upon those shores in higher latitudes, sub- 
a 
the voyages of Cook, Vancouver, and others, and in the Journals 
of whalers, which came under my inspection. 
| We might infer, therefore, without reference to other and di- 
tect evidence, that the same general system of cyclonic move- 
Ment prevails on the continent of North America that is found 
onthe Atlantic. Indeed, a glance at our storm Chart might af- 
ford conviction of this fact.* 3 
competent knowledge of the cyclones and of the law which 
80Verns their development, has become essential to our naviga- 
, th merchants and insurers are beginning to discover that 
even the good qualities of a vessel have commonly less influence 
Upon the safety of her voyage, than has the intelligence and 
SM Of the commander. ence, there are now insurers who 
freel y Select those risks which are in charge of the most compe- 
. : : o occur: and 
even wah, ery region = my ps ang ad eee rp ictal at certain 
Vv : i large portio 4 
we irect observations, the 
Prevalence a pala er ee saber ct! tho globe, in both hem- 
®8; excepting some interior or inaccessible portions of the old continent. 
ND Senies, Vol. XVIII, No. 53.—Sept., 1854. 
