8 Fifth Memoir on the Law of Storms. [No. 121. 



" We have received several accounts of the effects of the gale, one of 

 which we herewith append. 



" The gale commenced at about two o'clock on Sunday morning from 

 the North Westward (was not this about the hour of moon rising?) 

 attended with violent squalls and rain, which it was feared, would part 

 the Shipping : however, at day-light, all appeared to be holding on 

 well. At this time, the weather seemed broken, and the Barometer 

 high and steady, though the surf was so high that no boats could go off. 

 From nine till noon, the weather was murky, and unsettled. The Scud 

 was flying, sometimes in a South and South Easterly direction, and 

 so long as the wind hung off the land, no danger to the Shipping was 

 apprehended. At one r. m. indications of bad weather became ap- 

 parent by the falling of Barometers, and the Surf and Sea rising to an 

 alarming degree, and merging into one, nearly a mile out. The Com- 

 manders of Vessels (nearly all of whom were on shore, with some of the 

 Chief Officers) now felt very anxious for the safety of their vessels, 

 especially when it was impossible for them to get off to their ships ; 

 which were signalized from the Master Attendant's Flag-staff to pre- 

 pare for sea, and afterwards to cut or slip, simultaneous with which, 

 guns were fired every five minutes for one hour from the Ramparts of 

 the Fort, which latter excellent warning we do not recollect having 

 been adopted for many a year. At this moment, the deepest anxiety 

 was depicted in the countenance of every Commander whilst watching 

 his vessel in the operation of cutting or slipping, which we understand 

 was all done in the quickest and most seaman-like manner, and every 

 vessel safely under-weigh endeavouring to make an offing by two 

 o'clock. Until six p. m. the Barometers continued gradually falling, 

 and the weather assumed a most threatening appearance. Every body 

 who had the shipping interest at heart highly approved of the prompt 

 and judicious steps taken by the Master Attendant, in advising the 

 vessels to go to sea, and felt glad that they were all well outside and 

 clear of the roads. Not so with the Dhonies, which, after observing 

 that all the vessels had been warned and had proceeded to sea, remain- 

 ed, preferring trusting to their fragile ground tackling rather than ven- 

 ture to sea in such tempestuous weather. The consequence was, that 

 two Brigs and one Dhoney came on shore at the Fort after dusk, and one 

 Brig during the night at the Adyar. We also learn that one Dhoney 



