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



At noon the gale moderated a little, but an awful sea was still running. The 

 mainmast was however secured, and a small sail set on the stump of the main 

 topmast. On the 9th there was a fresh gale from the S. E. but less sea, and the 

 mercury rose to 29.10. They then steered for Hongkong to repair damages, 

 but when about 350 miles distant, on the 11th, it commenced blowing a strong 

 gale from S. S. E., which increased in violence veering to S. W., until 11a.m. 

 when it blew a perfect hurricane. The Barometer fell to 28,20 ; and they were 

 obliged to throw the guns overboard, and cut away the mainmast, all the pre- 

 venter tackles and shrouds being carried away, and from the motion of the vessel it 

 was tearing up the deck and starting the beams. About two hours after, a heavy 

 sea fell on board, which swept away all the larboard bulwarks from the fore chan- 

 nel to the gangway, leaving the foremast almost destitute of support. During 

 the night of the 11th and morning of the 12th, their situation was extremely 

 perilous, and at daybreak, they discovered they were not more than 4 miles from 

 the breakers on the mainland of Formosa, a strong gale blowing from the S. S. 

 W., and a mountainous sea running. All morning it had been blowing in severe 

 squalls and thick rain, but cleared up for about half an hour enabling them to 

 see their danger, when the rain again set in so close that they could scarcely see 

 a cable's length. They were able to set a foresail and keep the ship off, and at 

 5 p. m., reached Lamyet. During the whole of the 12th a heavy gale blew from 

 the S. S. W., and on the 13th there were continued gales with a high turbulent 

 sea and constant rain. This night they lay to, to avoid being driven on the Pesca- 

 dores. It cleared up at daylight of the 14th and the Eastern Islands were dis- 

 covered. It again blew furiously with heavy squalls, and two of the jury sails 

 were blown away. On the 15th there was a fresh gale from S. S. E. with a heavy 

 sea, but a jury mainsail was got up which enabled them to make a better course, 

 and Amoy was reached at 4 p. m. on the 16th. Five days had passed without 

 their being able to cook any thing, and for nearly nine days they had not a dry 

 suit of clothes to put on.'* — Singapore Free Press, Sept. llth, 1845. 



Considering the first of these Cyclones, we are a little embarrassed by 

 the Lat, and Long, being given first, and its not being stated whether 

 this is the estimated position when it began to blow heavily from the 

 N. E., or that at noon which has been merely put down first ? Taking 

 the whole of the context however I incline to believe that, as it is said 

 " they were then in Lat. &c." and that at 1 1 " she broached to," it is 

 intended to express here that this position was that of about daylight, 

 when the fall of the Barometer commenced, or say at 6 a. m,, from 

 which time, if we allow her to have run on her direct course (for she 

 was I take it hound to England by the Eastern passage, since she ran 



