1839.] on the M, 4th, and 5th of June, 1839. 567 



thunder and lightning to the Eastward ; sunset, the wind steady from 

 the Eastward, with smooth sea, occasional showers during the night, 

 lightning very vivid to the Eastward, sometimes sharp flashes of light- 

 ning to the South. 



1*/ June. The weather very similar to yesterday, more sea, very 

 sharp lightning during the night to the NE. ; 8 p. m. Outer Light 

 Vessel bearing NNE. about nine miles distant. 



2nd. Heavy squalls from NE. to NNE. during the early part of 

 the morning; 10 a.m. wind steady from ENE. weather more hazy 

 and sea rising; 4 p. m. wind NE. by E., sharp lightning to the ENE.; 

 sunset, Outer Light Vessel SE. by E. six miles; 8 p. m. Light Vessel 

 E. by N. ; heavy squalls from the NE. with sharp rain, ship under 

 double reefed topsails, the weather threatening throughout the night. 



3rd. Day-light heavy squalls from the ENE. ship under double 

 reefed topsails, sea rising fast with rain ; noon, off the tail of the Eastern 

 Sea Reef; gale increasing from ENE., ship standing out under three 

 reefs in the topsails, top gallant yards on deck ; at 8 p. m. split the 

 topsails, reefed the courses, the wind steady from ENE., heavy sea 

 and the gale still increasing with rain, no lightning up to midnight. 



4th. 2 a. m. ship reduced to main courses, wind ENE. heavy 

 gusts of winds and rain; 4 a. m. a hard gale at ENE. ship la- 

 bouring much; 6 a. m. gale still increasing; at 11 a. m. ship under 

 bare poles, wind ENE.; 3 p. m. wind E. ; 3° 30' p. m. wind ESE. ; 

 4 p. m. wind SSE. ; blowing a perfect hurricane ; 6 p. m. wind 

 South, a tremendous cross sea ; ship at this time off " Codgone Point," 

 up to midnight blowing a perfect hurricane from South to SSW. no 

 lightning nor thunder. 



5th June. 2 a. m. gale began to moderate from SSW. with heavy 

 cross sea; noon, longitude 87° E. latitude 20° 3' N. ; ship throughout 

 the remainder of the day under foresail and close reefed main topsail 

 with dry weather but very hazy, the sea very high. 



6th. The wind steady from SSW. and hazy. 



Remarks — The 30th May led me to be very watchful of the wea- 

 ther, it became so extremely clear and such a sameness in the ap- 

 pearance all round ; the stars very bright, the clouds stationary and of 

 a very light appearance, the lightning very very sharp, the noise of every 

 thing on board seemed to be more than ordinary. What was most re- 

 markable, the wind continued so steady from the Eastward at one time 

 on the 4th that I had most serious apprehensions of the ship drifting on 

 shore upon the western shores of the Bay; the wind shifted suddenly, 

 otherwise nothing but her anchors could have saved her. 



J. PATERSON, H. C. Ship " Amherst." 



4 R 



