1840.] the Theory of the Law of Storms in India. 1015 



in order to keep her to the wind ; this soon blew away, together 

 with a spare jib, which was hoisted to the main stay. Constantly 

 employed pumping. Noon a little more moderate. Lat. account 16° 41' 

 N. Long. 88° 0' E., cut away the wreck from the jib-boom, which was 

 sprung, bent a spare foresail to the mainyard and set it ; got a preventer 

 main topmast stay up, and otherwise repaired damages. Bore up for 

 Calcutta. 



\st May. Midnight squally with rain and thick cloudy weather, at day- 

 light people employed setting up rigging, &c. and getting up a main top- 

 sail. Noon moderate breeze with passing clouds. Lat. Obs. 17° 26' N. Long. 

 87° 47' E. Barometer 28-30. 



May 4:th. At 4. p.m. got a pilot. During this gale, and previous to it, the 

 following phoenomenon manifested itself; that of the clouds rising rapidly in 

 the north, appearing ragged and black, with white feathery edges, and 

 stretching to the southward in long tails ; the sea becoming tumultuous in, 

 and as soon as the gale reached us the atmosphere becoming very sultry. 

 Barometer stood at noon about 29.30, or about the standard height previous 

 to the gale, and now in Calcutta, about 29-20.* 



Extract from the Log of the Brig " Vectis," R. Isemonger, Commander, bound 

 from Calcutta to the Cape. Reduced to Civil time. 



22>th April. — At noon, fresh breezes east, and cloudy. Lat. 18° 37' N. Long. 

 87° 55'E. Standing south, going 6 knots, p.m. strong breezes ; dull hazy wea- 

 ther. At 8 P.M. preparing for bad weather. Midnight, wind ENE. blowing a 

 gale ; head SbW. 



29^/i April. — 1 A.M. Increasing gale, scudded; and at 6 a.m. hove to un- 

 der bare poles. At 7 a.m. full hurricane and heavy sea ; lost jibboom ; ship- 

 ped a heavy sea, which hove the vessel on her beam ends, and cleared the 

 deck, bulwarks, &c. : Cut away the topmasts. Noon, the same weather, wind 

 marked as variable^, Lat. 16© 58' N. Long. 88° 4' E. At 2 p.m. began to mode- 

 rate. Wind marked as veering to the Northward, then to the Westward. At 

 8 P.M. it stood at SSW. 2 feet water in the well. 



SOth April. — a.m. to Noon, heavy cross sea. Lat. 17° 40' N= Long. 88° 10' E. 

 Wind SbW. Gale continuing, and very high sea. 



* It is due to Captain Sxnoult to say, that this very valuable account of the storm 

 was accompanied with a capital MSS. chart, on which the vessel's track was accurately 

 laid down.— H. P. 



t In the confusion of a small vessel on her beam ends it is probable no one could say 

 how the wind was for some hours ; or it might have been veering rapidly, and is thus 

 marked variable. 



