1849.] Seventeenth Memoir on the Law of Storms, 271 



On the 3rd July, the wind was gradually abating from midnight with all 

 the ships, and the wind was hauling to the S. W. b. S. and South with them, 

 according to their positions, which at Noon, when the weather was tolerably fine, 

 were, 



Buccleugh, Lat. 17° 26' N. Long 1 26 49' E. 



Taunton Castle, 17°17' Not given. 



Cuffnells, 18°19' 127°05' .. 



Glatton, . Not given, 



Canton, 17°46' 126°30' .. 



The whole of these ships, as will be noted, were now more or less in 

 a disabled condition from broaching to when scudding to the S. E. 

 across the South Western quadrant of the Cyclone, and we have seen 

 that the Canton, which ran on to 8 a. m. had a partial shift, and her 

 decks swept in consequence, and lost her rudder shortly after, 



It was in this Cyclone, and doubtless between midnight and 8 a.m. 

 that H. M. Sloop of war Swift, Capt. Hayward, with nearly 400 souls 

 on board* foundered ! She was the Commodore, and had separated with 

 this division of the fleet from the main body, and was scudding with 

 them to the S. E., her top-light being last seen by the Duke of Buc- 

 cleugh at midnight 1st, — 2nd, and by the Taunton Castle at 1 a. m. on 

 the 2nd, bearing S. b. W. from her. As Commodore she had no doubt 

 up to that time, though at much risk, kept under such sail (or probably 

 bare poles) as would enable her, with her superior sailing to the heavy 

 Indiamen, to keep company, but as from that time forward the Cyclone 

 was increasing in severity as the ships were nearing the centre, and the 

 centre crossing near them, she must, to avoid being pooped, have carried, 

 any sail she could bear, and thus have run close in upon the centre 

 before it crossed her track, or she may have seen the signals made by 

 the Indiamenf when they broached or hove to and have broached to 

 also, or been swamped or blown over in attempting to heave to herself. 

 It is worth remarking that the partial shift of the wind with the Canton 

 (W. N. W. to W. S. W.) is exactly an incurving of the wind such as I 

 have elsewhere shewn J takes place close upon the centres of Cyclones. 

 The Swift no doubt was ahead of the Canton the worst sailer in the fleet. 



* She had on board, besides her own complement, the officers and crew of H. M. 

 S. Providence wrecked a short time previous on Typinshan. 



f Signal to heave to is recorded in most of the Logs when they did so. 

 X Journal, Vol. XIV. p. 732, and Sailor's Horn Book. 



2 N 



