218 Catiton Tyfoons of Aug. 3d, 1833, and Sept. 23d, 1831. 



Extract from the journal of an American sJiipmaster hound to Can- 

 ton. "Aug. 2d, 1832, (nautical time,) lat. \Q°M N.,lon. \U° E.; 

 harom. 29.56. First part light and baffling winds from E. to N. E. and 

 N. and hazy : — middle part the same : — At 4 a. m. calm, harom. 29.59 : — 

 At 4.30 a. m. a breeze sprung up from W. N. W. ; — made all sail by the 

 wind. Latter part and end, strong W. N. W. wind and rough head sea. 

 Took in the royals, flying jib, and fore and raizen top gallant sails. Ba- 

 rometer at noon 29.40. The weather, however, looks very fine, and the 

 breeze is steady at W. N. W. lat. 19° 54' N., Ion. 113° 50'^. 



Aug. Sd commences with a strong steady breeze at W. N. W. and 

 hazy weather, barometer falling fast. At 2 p. m. down to 28.98, but not 

 the least unfavorable appearance in the clouds, sea, or weather. [The 

 ship was at this time running into the path of the gale, from its southern 

 side.] I must acknowledge that the rapid fall of the mercury, within the 

 last ten hours, has alarmed me not a little, and we are now preparing for 

 the worst of weather. — At 4 p. m. harom. 29.25 and the wind freshening ; 

 single reefed topsails. The old tars who have seen sail carried on this 

 ship through thick and thin in the stormy regions of the southern ocean, 

 now look at each other with amazement at such preparation for apparently 

 nothing. Towards evening the weather begins to look unfavorable ; the 

 sun went down in a body of clouds, deeply tinged with red ; not the rich 

 and variegated tints that give rise to pleasurable sensations to all who look 

 upon them, but the fierce, glaring, angry red that creates distress in the 

 bosom, particularly of a mariner. After sunset the moon (at the 2d quar- 

 ter) could be seen at intervals through the clouds that are driving from 

 the ]V. E. at the rate of twenty knots, and the lightning shooting up from 

 every point of the compass. At 8 p. in. harom. 29.15. Took in all sail 

 but the close reefed fore and main topsails and fore-topmast staysail ; the 

 wind still steady at W. N. W. Sounded in 45 fathoms, the Grand La- 

 drone hearing W. N. W. 38 miles. At 10 p. ni. the loind suddenly shifted 

 to W. N. W. [N. N. W. ?] in a squall. — Heavy rain and distant thunder 

 until 5 a. m. : — Had continued shifts of wind all round the compass. At 7 

 a. m. a steady gale very severe, from about N. W. and constant rain : — hove 

 to under the reefed main topsail : — At 8 a. m. harom. 29. ! ! — Latter 

 part and end, the real, genuine, unadulterated Chinese Tyfoong ; a steady 

 roar and constant rain ; took in the main topsail. 



Aug. 4th. (P. M. of 3d.) The first quarter of this day extremely se- 

 vere gale and thick weather. — At 2.30 p. m. harom. 28.88 ; shortly after 

 which it began to rise : — at 6 p. m. 29.05; — at 8 p. m. 29.08, and mode- 

 rating. — During the night, hard gale from W. to W. S. W. and torrents 

 of rain. — At 4 a. m. wind S. W. to S. S. W. and hazy : — made sail and 

 by 6 a. m. had royal and studding sails set. During the day passed a 

 number of wrecks, and when we arrived, (5th,) found that the hurricane 

 had been very severe and caused immense destruction." — JVcto York 

 Journal of Commerce. 



Canton Tyfoon of Sept. 23 J, 1831. 



The American ship Galen, from the Sandwich Islands, bound to Can- 

 ton, encountered bad weather off the Bashee Islands on the 21st of Sep- 

 tember, and on the 23d near the Lema Islands, lost her mizen mast, fore 

 and main topmasts, &c. 



