1844.] Tenth Memoir on the Law of Storms in India. 91 



Abridged Report from Capt. Onslow, of the Ship General Kyd, 

 to the Secretary to the Marine Board, Calcutta. 



The ship General Kyd, of 1318 tons burthen, (old measurement) 

 left the Bengal passage, Acheen Head, on the evening of the 9th May, 

 civil time, with a pleasant breeze and very sultry weather from the N. 

 Eastward. 



This continued for some days with squalls and variable weather at 

 times, and sudden sharp squalls and rain, and that throughout the pas- 

 sage from Acheen to Madras, to which place we were bound in 

 ballast from China. The weather continued so unsettled, although the 

 Barometer continued high, between 29.70 and 29.90 and the thermome- 

 ter never below 84°, and on one afternoon at 3 o'clock it stood at 96° in 

 my cabin that I was led to apprehend a gale of wind during the whole 

 passage of eight days. On the 19th May I anchored in Madras roads, 

 and immediately received a notice from the Master Attendant to be 

 prepared for bad weather. On the 20th May the weather was squally 

 and unsettled from the Northward, Barometer at 29.70. In the 

 evening the appearances becoming more favourable I did not. leave the 

 shore, but on the morning of Sunday the 21st the sea which is a sure 

 forerunner of a gale on that coast, rose tremendously high, insomuch 

 that I was once capsized in trying to get through the surf, and was 

 very nearly one hour and a half in getting through the second time, 

 with the boat nearly full of water ; at noon got on board the ship, the 

 wind then from N. N. W. blowing fresh, shipped the cable and made 

 sail, stood E. by S. At 3 p. m. gradually increasing with thick rain at 

 times and most turbulent sea. At 7-30 p. m., much lightning to the 

 Eastward, but the sky gathering up thick in the Westward, and very 

 unsettled and squally, with a furious sea. At about 8-30 a tremendous 

 squall and a sudden shift to W. by N. Clued up and with difficulty 

 furled the main topsail and rounded to with head to the N. Eastward, 

 ship labouring awfully. Continued strong gale and tremendous sea 

 till about 2-30 a. m. on the 22d, when the wind in a tremendous 

 squall shifted suddenly to the S. W. by W. causing the sea to rise in 

 perfect mountains and in a most confused irregular manner, — the ship 

 then rolling and plunging that I sometimes thought she would not re- 

 cover herself. About 3-30 the mainmast went over the side followed 

 by every stick except the foremast, bowsprit and fore yard ; the ship then 



