On the prevailing Storms of the Atlantic Coast. 39 



The next storm on which we shall bestow a moment's attention, is 

 that which occurred on the succeding week, which passed New York 

 on the 26th and 27th of August, and which was also on this coast a 

 north-east storm, of about three days duration. From the eastward 

 of the Bahamas it appears to have passed northwardly, between the 

 Florida stream and the Bermudas, and touching the American shore 

 near Cape Hatteras, raged with great fury for about forty hours at 

 each locality, as it swept the great central curve of our coast, and 

 passing from thence, continued its course over George's Bank, in a 

 north-easterly direction. It was evidently of greater compass and 

 slower progress than the preceding storm, as is proved by a collation 

 of the various reports of mariners and its long duration, and its ef- 

 fects were almost equally violent. A few notices only, will be given 

 of the reports of this, storm ; and we here note the fact, that it is 

 sometimes difficult to determine between current and nautical time, 

 in the dates of marine reports. 

 August 22d, the gale was experienced off the Bahamas. 



" 23d, in lat. 27° 30', Ion. 72°, heavy at E. N. E. 



" " " 30° 30^ " 68°, do. do. 



" 24th, " 33°, " 65°, tremendous gale at S. E. 



" " " 35°, " 70°, heavy gale. [two hours. 



" 24th and 25th, off Cape Hatteras, severe gale E. N. E. forty- 



" 25th and 26th, lat. 37°, Ion. 74°, severe gale N. E. [W. 



" " " off Cape May, forty hours, changing to N. and 



" " " lat. 38° 30', Ion. 71°, severe at N. E. 



" 26th, at Boston and the east coast of Massachusetts, N. E. 



" " lat. 41°, Ion. 62°, severe at S. 



the lightning was uncommonly vivid ; the wind had, in the space of one hour, in- 

 creased from a moderate gale to a perfect hurricane. Half past 1 A. M. it began to 

 veer to the westward; at 3 A. M. it was Vifest, and rather increased in violence as it 

 shifted. At day light the sky had cleared, but the gale, if any thing, rather increas- 

 ed in its fury ; the sea was tremendous and ran in every direction. 7 A. M. the 

 wind had got to the north-west, and at 9 o'clock it began to abate a little in violence. 

 At noon it became moderate enough to steer off our course.— All the 19th, moderate 

 gales at north-west and clear weather. Lat. at noon of the ISth 38° S3', Ion. 66° 30'; 

 lat. on the 19th 39°, Ion. 62° 22' ; temperature of the water 81° — still continuing in 

 the Gulf Stream. — From this period, (excepting one or two gales from the eastward,) 

 until we arrived at Liverpool, on the 12th of September, we had moderate winds 

 from south south-west to north north-west, with a very' smooth sea. — 1 have only to 

 add, that from an experience of twenty or thirty years, during which time I have 

 been constantly navigating the Atlantic, my mind is fully made up, that heavy 

 winds or hurricanes run in the form of whirlwinds. Yours truly, 



Robert Waterman. 



