114 On the Law of Storms in the 
26th.—At night the north wind again freshened to a gale. 
27th, Noon.—The increasing gale reduced our sails to 
close-reefed maintopsail and foresail, which were necessary 
to keep the ship before the high following sea. The gale 
continued all night, with a heavy cross sea ; much lightning 
to the eastward ; meteors in great numbers darting about 
in all directions. The whole aspect of the sky proclaimed a 
convulsion or disturbance of the atmosphere of an unusual 
character. Barometer descended rapidly, and at 4 A.M. 
(28th) stood at 28°88. 
29th, Day-break.—Sea more regular. Hove-to all day to 
enable the Terror to rejoin, supposing that she had broached- 
to during the night, or had found it impossible or imprudent 
to scud before the gale. The barometer continued to fall 
until 8 p.M.: when at its lowest, 28°29, there was nothing 
in the sky to indicate more than an ordinary storm—indeed, 
the gale had abated considerably (eye of storm); but so 
ereat was our reliance on the barometer that we kept the 
ship under snug sail, and every way prepared, and soon the 
dense accumulating clouds gave notice of the tempest. We 
kept the vessel directly before the wind, although the seas 
broke over both quarters, flooding the decks to a depth of 
more than 2 feet, and obliging us to knock out the ports to 
let the water run off, and relieve the ship of its weight. 
The mountainous sea before which we had been scudding 
was quelled for the time by the force of wind, whilst the 
tops of the waves were driven completely over us in sheets 
of water; but the violence of the hurricane was such as 
soon to expend itself. Beginning at the N.N.W., in an 
hour and three-quarters the storm had abated to the strength 
of a common gale from the west; and in that short space 
of time the barometer rose nearly half an inch. 
July 80th—During the night the wind and sea subsided. 
