206 On the Avoidance of Cyclones. 
scribed in the accompanying paper by Mr. Schénborn, assistant 
astronomer on board. 
_ We had a gale on Nov. 9th, 1854, in lat. 28° 22’ N., lon. 143° 
45’ E., which I thought was the edge of a typhoon ‘We ran on 
until I had satisfied myself as to its character, and then we hove 
the ship to on the starboard tack heading away from it. We soon 
raised the barometer and improved the weather. This case is 
also described in the ga paper of Mr. Schénborn. 
n the steamer John Hancock, which I commanded, we were 
on May 20th, 1854, upon the verge of a typhoon. The weather 
was not violent but the seas were ° peculiar, rising up into sharp 
cones and running in every direction. ‘hey bu ffeted the vessel 
in every pery striking her upon the lee bow and weather quarter 
at marked to the officers on board that I felt sure we 
were upon the edge of a typhoon. It gave me however no ut 
easiness. I concluded that we were behind it ant that kena 
the vessel away would increase our distance from 
e steered off once, in a fresh aval, for about fifteen min- 
utes, sd hauled up to our course again. We ran on with a fair 
wind. I ex nemen a wish to know oa any stg some one or 
two hundred miles to the northward and eastward of us was 
faring. This curiosity was satisfied by the preci pan ex- 
tract from the log-book of the British ship Har She was 
a large Indiaman, well out of water, and in seer such 
Ki il wholesome vessel as a seamen would select to stand heavy 
wea 
Typhoons are rare in the China seas in the month of te 
This is therefore not without interest. 
Very eapadideile. your obedient servant, 
N RODGERS, 
Commanding U. 8. merites Expedition. 
[Lxtracted from Hong Kong Gazette of June 14th, 1854.] 
* The er Harkura left Hong Kong for London May 16th, 1854, and returned to 
4 masts on the 11th of June. She had fine weather 4 = the 18th, on 
d the Dutch bark 
ae 
e] moderate D tee from E.N.E., the barometer meg in the evening, with 
the southward. Latitude at noon of that day 16° 22’ N., aoe 13° E. 
