1843.] Law of Storms in India. 361 



This gale in its course, was contrary to what it is generally; the 

 wind blows from the N. W., flies round to the N. E, in passing by 

 the N., and then to the E. and the S. This time the wind flew to 

 the S. and S. E. in passing by the S. W. and it remained many days 

 from the S. not strong, but the drops of rain were very large.* 



Certificate from the Master Attendant of Pondicherry. 



" I, the undersigned do declare and certify, that the English bark 

 Antoinette, Captain Prudhomme, arriving from Cochin and Tranque- 

 bar with a part of her cargo on board, anchored in the roads of 

 Pondicherry on the 2d of October last." 



On the 23d of the same month, in the afternoon, the Captain was 

 on shore, and the weather having assumed a bad appearance, the surf 

 became so high that communications with the roads were interrupted. 

 On the morning of the 24th the Barometer had risen,\ and we 

 thought that the weather had settled ; nevertheless the surf was 

 always very high, and Masula boats could not go through it. 



There were in the roads, the English barques Antoinette and Appol- 

 lon, the English brig Cervantes, the French brig Le Mirabeau, and 

 the Dutch barque Corsair. 



At 10 a. m. the Barometer began to fall, the wind was blowing 

 moderately by squalls from N, W. to W. N. W. It was raining in 

 the squalls. At noon the wind blew harder, the Barometer always 

 falling. At half-past 12 o'clock the Dutch barque Corsair which was 

 to windward of the Antoinette, dragged her anchor, and seemed to fall 

 athwart the hawse of the Antoinette. The rain which was then falling 

 in great abundance, though the wind was not very strong, hindered us 

 from seeing both ships, which after having appeared a moment together, 

 separated themselves, and the Corsair had anchored on the larboard 

 side of the Antoinette at a small distance. At 2 p. m. I made signals 

 to the ships to get under weigh immediately. The sea was very 

 high in the roads, and the ships pitched a great deal at anchor. From 



* This, it will be seen, depends upon the storm passing to the North or South of the 

 observer, as also upon its track. 

 f Italics are mine. — H. P. 



