1840.] the Theory of the Law of Storms. 405 



destroyed many villages on the Coast, and caused a very heavy loss 

 of life, I fear, at least, to an extent of five thousand ; including those 

 from the number of vessels wrecked. According to my own ob- 

 servation, the storm commenced about 10 p.m. of the 16th from the 

 North-East, it afterwards veered round to the Eastward, from which 

 point it blew strongest, and after lasting six hours, ceased about 4 

 a. m. of the 17th, the wind having got round to the Southward. I 

 had not the means of referring to a Barometer, but I have under- 

 stood that the fall was about an inch. 



Observations of Mr. W. L. Pascal, Superintendent of the Lighthouse on 

 Hope Island off Coringa, on the Hurricane of \6th November 1839. 

 On the \Qth November* 1839. Saturday, at about 8 a. m. it com- 

 menced blowing fresh from the North-Eastward, with mizzling rain, 

 and continued so till 1 p. m., when the wind shifted round to the 

 NNW. and terminated into a gale. About 2 p. m. the wind shifted 

 to N W. when the river commenced rising, and at 8, the Island was 

 under water. At 10, the wind hauled round to the NE. and blew 

 a dreadful hurricane, (during which time the water rose to about 

 2 feet in the Lighthouse, with a heavy confused sea beating against 

 it, which burst open the door, and swept away every article in it ; 

 at this time the top of the Lantern wrenched and whirled itself aloft. 

 The conductor broke into five pieces, and my house was completely 

 washed away, with every article it contained. At 12 a. m. the wind 

 shifted to the Eastward, and at 1 a. m. 17th, Sunday, it shifted to the 

 South-Eastward, and blew tremendous strong ; at 2 the water began to 

 recede ; at day-break the weather cleared up, and we found five corpses 

 on the Island. 



Extract from the log book of Schooner " Jane," furnished by Capt. 



Hazlewood. 



lith November.— 1839. The Schooner " Jane" at sea, in longitude 



89° 20'* and latitude 17° 10' N. At 10 p. m. the gale commenced from 



the Eastward, and continued from that quarter till the 16th, and then 



the wind changed to the SE. and cleared up. During the gale, we 



* This must be I think an error of the copyist's, for 89' 20' would require a drift of 

 '250 miles to have made the last as subsequently mentioned. I suppose 87- 20' to have 

 been the vessel's position. — H. P. 



