38 On the prevailing Storms of the Atlantic Coast. 



niglit to E. S. E., at which time it was a "perfect hurricane" and 

 the "sea tremendous beyond description." At 4 A.M. of the 18th 

 the wind had veered back to north, and at 8 A.M. to north by west. 

 The Illinois was, on the same night, in the gulf stream, in a south- 

 easterly direction from the Britannia, standing eastward with a fair 

 wind and moonlight, when the scuds appeared flying with great swift- 

 ness, and the wind, changing to south, soon commenced blowing a 

 full hurricane, veering successively, during the night, first to south- 

 west, then to west and to north-west, raging with increased fury till 

 8 A. M. on the 18th when it abated. It appears evident that this 

 vessel was in the outward or southern semi-diameter of the storm, 

 and that its vortex or axis passed between the two ships. It is also 

 worthy of remark that the Illinois, which was bound from New Or- 

 leans to Liverpool, had passed through the Florida channel just pre- 

 vious to the passage of this storm towards the continent, and experi- 

 enced, from the south, its tremendous swell, while off the coast of 

 South Carolina, but by favor of a fine south-west wind and the cur- 

 rent of the gulf stream the ship escaped, for the time being, to be 

 afterwards overtaken by the storm when it had assumed its north- 

 eastwardly course.* 



* Since writing the above, the letter from which the following is an extract has 

 been received from the commander of the Illinois. 



I sailed from New Orleans on the 3d of A-jgust, bound to Liverpool ; nothing 

 worth notice occurred until the 15th, being then in the Gulf Stream, lat. 33° N. 

 Ion. 77° W. ; winds light in the south-east; experienced a very heavy swell from 

 the south, more than I had ever experienced before in this part, unless preceded by 

 heavy gales. We had no indications of wind at this time, but a dull and heavy ap- 

 pearance in the south. During the night of the 15th the wind shifted round to south 

 south-west, the weather still continuing fine. — By the commencement of the 16th 

 we had a fresh, wholesale breeze, so that with the help of the Gulf Stream, we ran 

 at a great rate, steering north-east; lat. at noon 36°, Ion. 73°. — All the 17th the wind 

 continued steadj" at south south-west, blowing a strong, wholesale breeze ; appear- 

 ance in the south dull and heavy; the sea quite smooth again, and to appearances 

 we had outrun the heavy southerly swell. Lat. at noon 37° 53', Ion, 69° 23' ; still 

 continuing to run about the course of the Gulf Stream; temperature of the water 

 86°. — On the first part of the 18th, (afternoon of the VltJi, current time,) the wind 

 backed to south and began io freshen-in very fast; some heavy clouds arising in the 

 south-west, and likewise observed some small flashes of lightning in that quarter. 

 8 P. M. the wind had increased to a strong gale ; tlie weather at this time had an 

 unusual appearance, but still it did not look bad ; 10 o'clock, the wind still increas- 

 ing, took in our sails and prepared for the worst; II o'clock, (he sea ran high and 

 cross, which induced me to heave the ship too under a close-reefed main top-sail. 

 About half past 12, (midnighi.) all was darkness; the heavy clouds that had been 

 rising in the sou(h-wes( had ;if ihis liir.e overtaken u.^ ; (he rain fell in torrents, and 



