354 Nineteenth Memoir on the Lam of Storms. [No. 5- 



Remarks. — On the evening before the hurricane the air was exceed- 

 ingly close, and so hot that it was difficult for any one to remain below 

 in the ship. The Barometer fell gradually all the evening till 1 a. m. 

 it then came down a full half inch in about 45 minutes, but at 

 the same time the hurricane was upon us. It blew with the greatest 

 fury between 3 and 5 o'clock ; wind West to N. W. Lowest range of 

 the Barometer 29.03 at 3 p. m. It soon after began to rise as fast as 

 it had previously fallen. 



The estimated position of the ship during the height of the hurri- 

 cane by D, R. from noon of the 15th, was Lat. 9° 30' S. ; Long. 79° 

 20' east. 



Abridged Extract from the Log of the Barque Polly, John Binnie 



Master, from Greenock to Bombay. — Civil Time. FromT. Smith, 



Esq. Bombay. 



On the \Ath January 1848 — p. m. Steady breeze from S. E., all 

 sail set, increasing towards midnight. 



15th Jan. — a. m. a large black cloud in the N. E. quarter with strong chain 

 lightning coming out of it.* Bar. falling a little. 4 a. m. strong breeze dark 

 gloomy weather. Bar. stationary from 4 a. m, to 7 a. m. when it commenced 

 falling gradually to noon when making preparations for bad weather. At noon 

 strong gale S. E.with rain. Ship running under double-reefed topsails and courses 

 Lat. by Acct. 10° 25' S. ; Long. 79° 00' East p. m. increasing gale and heavy 

 sea from the S. S. E. Ship running 7 knots to the N. b. E. wind S. S. E. 4.30 

 p. m. weather looking very wild " atmosphere nearly as black as night." Baro- 

 meter falling rapidly. 5 p. m. broached to.f Barometer now fell 3 tenths in 

 one quarter of an hour ; lying to under bare poles blowing a hurricane, lost 

 foretopmast, ship on her beam ends. During the night appearance of the 

 weather terrific. Barometer at midnight was at the lowest, being then at 27.5 

 after which began to rise. 



16th Jan. — 1 a. m. wind N. E. gusts of wind frightful, impossible to hear 

 each other speak to 8 a. m., after which it began to moderate. Noon still blow- 

 ing a heavy gale. No observation, p. m. moderating. No D. R. is given 

 and no observation was obtained till the 19th when the Lat. was 10° '22 S. ; 

 Lono-. 75» 10' ; E. " shewing that the ship had drifted nearly 4°. West during 

 the hurricane," as she had nothing but calms from that time. 



* This was probably the disk of the Cyclone. I do not know what kind of 

 lightning is meant by chain lightning. 



f Now in about Lat. 9° 46' S. ; Long. 79° 8' East. 



