522 Sixteenth Memoir on the Law of Storms. [June, 



26th March. — By noon fine weather and a strong trade. Lat. Acct. 

 15° 38' S. Long. 73o 5' E. 



Abridged Log of the Barque Duncan, Capt. Fawcett, from Cadiz 

 to Calcutta — reduced to Civil time. 



26th March, 1846. — At noon the Duncan was in Lat. 16° 47' S. 

 Long. 78° 19 ; East, with strong breezes from East and squally weather 

 since midnight ; a high cross-sea and vessel labouring and lurching hea- 

 vily. Simpiesometer oscillating a little between 29.76 at 2 a. m., and 

 29.79 ; at noon 29.76. Running 7 knots to the N. N. E. p. m. wind 

 E. b. S. To midnight the same. Simpiesometer 29.68, Ther. 81°. 



27^ March. — a. m. wind East, squally and rain ; course N. N. E. 5 

 knots ; noon Lat. 14° 43' S. ; Long. 78° 54' E. ; Simpiesometer 29. 59, 

 Ther. 81° ; Ship under double reefs, p. m. increasing wind and gloomy 

 looking weather. " Prepared for a hurricane, and at 6 p. m. hove too with 

 wind East ; at midnight strong gales, hard squalls and vivid lightning. 



28th March. — To noon lying too with a heavy gale, hard squalls, 

 torrents of rain and vivid lightning occasionally ; heavy sea getting up. 

 Wind marked E. N. E. Lat. Acct. 14° 11' S. ; Long. 78° 16' E. ; Sim- 

 piesometer 29.46, Ther. 82° p. m. Heavy gales ; N. E. b. N. At 

 midnight vivid flashes of lightning all round the horizon ; Simpiesometer 

 29.48. 



29th March. — a. m. to noon heavy gales and high sea ; 4 a. m. wind 

 N. b. E. ; 10 a. m. North; "5 a.m. a most singular phenomenon 

 occurred about two miles astern of the ship ; the water was rushing and 

 foaming up to an astonishing height, gyrating round a centre and pas- 

 sing the track (wake*) of the ship with astonishing velocity. The 

 diameter or breadth of the vortex of the whirlwind could not be less 

 than 2 miles from the appearance of its spread, and how far the circle 

 of its attraction extended I was unable to guess." 



Noon no abatement of the gale and a very high sea ; Lat. observed 

 14° 45 7 ; Long. 78°00 / . Simpiesometer 29.50 ; Ther. 82°. p. m. strong 

 gale N. b. W. ; 6 p. m. N. N. W. ; 4 p. m. beginning to moderate ; mid- 

 night strong wind only, with squalls and lightning ; Simpiesometer 29.60. 



30th March.— -Noon moderate and fine ; Lat. 14° 20' ; Long. 78° 50' ; 

 Ther. 63°. 



* As she was then lying to. 



