1848.] Sixteenth Memoir on the Law of Storms. 523 



Abridgment of an extract from the Log of the Transport Maria Somes, 

 (No. 24), William King, Commander, from Ceylon to England. 

 Civil time. 



It is necessary to note here that this extract from the Log is so 

 far imperfect that it begins on the 2/th March only, though it would 

 appear, and this, as will be seen is important, that they had had some 

 bad weather before, as indicated by the expressions which I have 

 marked with commas or in italics. A Mauritius newspaper says 

 that she " experienced a hurricane in 15° S. 78<> East ;" which may be 

 the approximate position of this day ? — and another that the Maria 

 Somes experienced " dreadful weather from the 24th to the 31st 

 March," so that we certainly have not the whole of the bad weather, 

 but only the latter part of it. 



27th March, 1846. — a. m. moderate winds, variable,* and cloudy 

 with squalls and rain ; lightning from the Eastward ; heavy cross sea. 

 In third reefs, furled foresail ; 6 decreasing wind, and hazy ; out 3rd reefs 

 and set reefed foresail. At 8 light wind and cloudy ; out reefs of courses, 

 to dry, being split ; seagoing down and every appearance of fine weather. 

 Barometer still doivn to 28.50, no change. Course S. S. W. 36' to noon. 

 p. m. course S. S. W. ; wind now marked W. N. W. with which the 

 log is marked to 3 p. m. 14 r to the S. S. W\, making altogether from 

 midnight 50 miles run to the S. S. W. p. m. moderate wind and sea 

 going down ; no change in the Barometer; still standing at 28.50, 

 1 p. m. close reefed fore and maintopsail, unbent the split mainsail and 

 commenced bending the best foresail ; " the gale increasing or westering 

 (the word is pestering in MSS. and I am doubtful which was meant ;) 

 put the courses below. At 2 increasing " furled foretopsail and 

 hove too with ship's head to S. S. W. ; wind at West veering to the 

 North ;" secured yards, sails and every thing for bad weather. At 3 

 a terrific gale burst on the ship, throwing her completely on her beam 

 ends ; sea drifting over her in the most furious manner, when she lost 

 the three topmasts, jib boom, &c. At 8 blowing a dreadful hurricane 

 to midnight. 



28^ March. — a. m. " hurricane still raging in a most terrific man- 

 ner ; at 2 a. m. wind veered from N. W. to North and back to West." 

 * Direction not marked. 



4 B 



