1849.] Eighteenth Memoir on the Law of Storms. 855 



in crossing in front of the Cyclone, she sustained no injury except the 

 loss of an old Jolly Boat. Several of the dismasted and foundered 

 vessels left their pilots exactly at the same time, but they seem all to 

 have kept their wind as long as possible, and thus to have just stood 

 into the fatal centre. To this they were no doubt led by the dread of 

 the lee shores of Point Palmiras with an Easterly gale. I trust we 

 shall now be able to offer suggestions, if not to lay down rules, to 

 obviate or diminish the chances of such fatal errors in future. 



11th October. — p. m. Lower floating light E. b. S. dirty gloomy appearance, 

 afraid of getting a breeze about the Sandheads stood South. Wind East, 4 to 6 

 knot breeze, to midnight ; 5 p m. weather looking much worse, a deep red glare 

 thrown out by the setting sun. Every appearance for a hurricane ; made all pre- 

 parations. At 8 increasing, at 10 a dark heavy leaden bank of clouds, but ap- 

 pears stationary all round, about 20° high. Above it a thin strata of clouds 

 flying with great rapidity from the Northward. Midnight squally with rain 

 Bar. 1 p. m. 29.70; Ther 84° ; at 8, 29.70; at 10, 29.65. Force of wind from 

 5 increasing to 8. 



11th Oct.—l a. m. Bar. 29.62 ; 6 a. m.29.62 ; 10 a. m. 29.61 ; noon 29.61. 

 From midnight very threatening looking weather, wind varying in a strange way 

 from E. N. E. to E. S. E, to 3 a. m. moon and stars about the Zenith beautifully 

 bright, not so much as a circle round the moon, and scarcely any scud was flying 

 during the time the wind was flying about in such an extraordinary way. No 

 doubt now, at 3, that this is a Cyclone ; shortened sail to heave to, to allow it to 

 pass, but wind shifting suddenly to N. N. E. kept away before it to get to the S. W. 

 At 10 a. m. heavy-looking, dark purple or red clouds to the S. E. about 5° above 

 the horizon, but about the Zenith some occasional light breaks. At 11.15, a sud- 

 den lessening of the wind, Barometer fell between llh. and 12h. only .01. At 

 noon in Lat. 19° 18', mean D, R. and observation; Long. D. R. 87° 45' ; 

 a tremendous sea getting up. p. m. dark, fearful-looking weather all round. 

 Course S. W. wind N. N. E. (7), at 4 North (8), at 8 (9), at 9 (10), at 10 

 N. b. W. and at midnight N. N. W. (11.) At 1 p. m. the dark gloomy wea- 

 ther spoken of in the morning to the S. E. has cleared away, and that is now 

 the only place with a break in it, and there the weather looks quite fine; 9 p. m. 

 scudding under the foresail ; thick lurid clouds now all round, except about the 

 Zenith where a circle of about 15° in diameter is beautifully clear, but the scud 

 flying past with very great rapidity from the North. Much light summer-look- 

 ing lightning, only more broad and not so quick, from S. E. to West. At midnight 

 terrific weather, the wind howling like ten thousand large plug holes with the wind 

 blowing through them, and a very bright, but not altogether red appearance to 



