256 Seventeenth Memoir on the Law of Storms. [March, 



broached to, carried away boats, &c. ; continued to scud till midnight with the 

 wind still at South. 



19th Nov. — At 2 a. m. Foresail blew away and the ship was compelled to 

 heave to again ; Noon Lat. 19° 10' North ; Long. 119° 30' East; Bar. 29.42 ; 

 Ther. 79.0. p. m. wind South ; Tyfoon till midnight and ship driving to the 

 Northward. 



20 th Nov. — Wind still at South, somewhat moderated. Daylight kept away 

 to repair damages. Noon Lat. 20° 21' N. ; Long. 120° 13' East; Bar. 29.45. 

 Wind still at South. At Noon hurricane came on still more severe with a 

 cross turbulent sea rendering it dangerous to run. At 2 p. m. hove too. Sunset 

 more violent to midnight. Ship from 2 p. m. driving to the Northward at the 

 rate of about 3' per hour on to the Vele Rete* rocks, the violence of the wind and 

 sea being such that it was impossible to steer any kind of course to clear them. 



21st Nov.— Midnight suddenly fell calm, a calm of the most dangerous des- 

 cription, as the ship was rolling helplessly with a tremendous lee sea; Bar. falling 

 to 29.25. At 1 a. m. a faint air sprang up from the Northward ; set the close 

 reefed fore-top -sail to get her head to the Westward, but had hardly done so 

 when a most dreadful hurricane burst upon the ship from the Northward, laying 

 her upon her beam ends and exposing her deck entirely to the previous heavy 

 sea from the Southward ;f and at the same time a frightful sea came rolling 

 down from the Northward ; lost fore and main topmasts ; ship now drifting to the 

 Southward again; Noon Lat. 20° 33' N. ; Long. 120° 30' East ; Bar. rising to 

 29.50 ; p. m. wind North but moderating ; ship lying too till midnight. 



22nd Nov. — a, m. Daylight moderating ; made some sail. True course made 

 W.i N.; Noon Lat, 20° 29' N.; Long. 110° 37' East; Bar. 29,76. Ther. 

 78.00. p. m. wind N. E. ; moderate gale with a cross turbulent sea ; at mid- 

 night moderate. 



23rd Nov.— Lat. Noon 20° 17' N. ; Long. 118° 15' East; Bar. 29.84. 

 Ther. 80. Ship arrived at Hong Kong on the 25th. 



Captain Shire has enhanced the great value of his contribution to 

 our science by the following notes on the appearances of the weather, 

 the sea, the compasses, fyc, which I print with some slight abridge- 

 ments, entire, before giving my own remarks : 



On leaving Singapore on 26th Oct. 1847, from the entrance of Singapore 

 strait until on the coast of Palaworn, 10th Nov. had remarkably clear 



* So in the Charts, the proper name no doubt is the Spanish Las Velas Rotas ; 

 (the torn sails.) 



f See further the remarks on this dangerous incident of a lee-sea in the height of 

 a Cvclone. 



