354 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



CYCLONE OF THE LARK. 



The American barque Lark, Tibbets, master, from Canton for Valparaiso, bad a severe gale 

 on tbe 23d of September, 1843, in latitude 15°. JST., longitude 138° 40' W. Found it necessary 

 to make a port after the gale, and put in at Tahiti. 



It appears, also, that the Lark encountered a violent typhoon of an earlier date, when off the 

 island of Formosa. 



CYCLONES OP THE EASTERN PACIFIC. 



In approaching the eastern border of the North Pacific ocean, in the lower latitudes, we fall 

 into the track of the large and increasing trade to California, and a better knowledge is thus 

 obtained of the cyclones in this region. Of these gales, the tracks of twelve, which will now be 

 noticed, are partially indicated on the chart. 



Track 1. The Joseph Butler, on or about the 24th of June, 1850, encountered a severe gale 

 of wind near latitude 16° N., longitude 107° W., [260 miles from the shore of Mexico,] which 

 carried away her mainmast. I have no further accounts of this gale. 



Track 2. The barque Oomo, on the 5th of August, 1850, in latitude 14° 20' N., longitude 

 HY W., encountered a severe gale, commencing at N., and veering to W. and S. Lost sails 

 and bulwarks, and sustained much other damage. These winds denote a course of progression 

 corresponding to that of the hurricanes in the West Indies, and that the vessel was in the left 

 side of the storm-path. 



Track 3. Niagara's Hurricane. — The Niagara was dismasted in a hurricane September 9, 

 1850, about ninety miles south of Acapulco, [latitude 15° 16' N., longitude 99° 50' W.] 



The Diana, September 11, latitude 22° 1ST., longitude 116° W., had a severe hurricane from 

 N.E., veering to S.W. ; blew five hours ; vessel hove on beam-ends. 



The Diana's position was in the left side of the storm-path, but near to the axis line, the 

 progression of the storm being still northwesterly. Its course of progression from the Niagara 

 was 34° N. of W. , or ]ST.W. by W. nearly. Its rate of progress was nearly twenty-three miles 

 an hour, allowing no error for the nautical dates. 



Track 4. The Laura, September 26, 1850, latitude 26° JST., longitude 123° W., in a severe 

 gale, was thrown on her beam-ends ; lost cargo, &c. I have no further account of the progress 

 of this gale. 



Track 5. The Kingston, from San Francisco for Panama, experienced a severe gale on the 

 Mexican coast, and was thrown on beam-ends, October 1, 1850, in latitude 14° N., and reports 

 that the gale swept the whole coast with great violence, as may be seen in the succeeding 

 statements. 



The Belgrade, from San Francisco for Eealejo, October 1, fine breeze from W.N.W., and 

 heavy swell from S.E. At 10 p. M. wind hauled suddenly to S.E., with increased force and 

 squally appearances ; at midnight under single-reefed topsails ; 1a.m. still increasing, with 

 vivid lightning and heavy rain ; 4 a.m. split fore-topsail ; 8 a.m. lost foresail ; gale increasing 

 to a hurricane ; thrown on beam-ends, with loss of main and mizen-topmasts, with head of main- 

 mast, when the ship righted a little. At 1 p. m., October 2, hurricane still increasing, ship on 

 her beam-ends ; lost fore-topmast, with much other damage ; at midnight blowing as hard as 

 ever ; at 4 a. m., October 3, more moderate, heavy rain ; October 4, latitude 18° 11' N., longi- 



