16 A Twentieth Memoir on the Law of Storms. [No. 8. 



winds shifting suddenly from all quarters. Thick rain t. and 1. 1 p. m. 

 breeze settled at N. E. increasing gradually. At 4 p. m. N. N. E.; 5, Bar. 29.75 

 o. r. 1. 1. In small sails, and prepared for bad weather. At 8 p. m. N. N. E. ; 

 At 8, Bar. 29.65 q. r. Running S. S. W. 8 k. midnight steady at N. N. E. 

 gradually increasing. (9). Sea rising fast, 29.58, q. r. steering S. S. W. since 

 noon 88' miles. 



25th April — 3 a. m. N. N. E. ; (9) Barometer steadily falling r. q. Sea high 

 but regular: Bar. 29.41. Close reefed main topsail ; furled foresail and scudded 

 S. S. W. under the close reefed main topsail and reefed foresail ; 8 knots. 4 

 a. m. veering N. E. and back again to N. N. E. Same weather and a heavy 

 sea; 29.35; wind N. N. E. (10.) 5 a. m. N. N. E. blowing in heavy gusts. At 

 lOh 29.30 ; shipped a sea on main deck, knocking bulwarks away and breaking 

 adrift water-cask spars and launch. Ship labouring heavily. Hauled foresail up, 

 and lay ship to until we got launch and spars secured again ; most of the water 

 casks were either washed overboard or stove to prevent injury to the main 

 deck stancheons and splitting the covering boards open. At 6 a. m. N. N. E.; 

 llh 29.28 ; at 8, 29.28 North; (11,) r. o. q. ; at 8 a. m. being all secured again 

 and finding the gale increasing, " knowing myself to be in front of the approach* 

 ing centre bore away again under close reefed main topsail and fore-topmast 

 stay sail right before it, making about South course. At 10 a. m. N. N. W. ; 

 (11) Bar. 29.28 ; At 11, N. W. by W. ; (10,) 29.30 q. r. o. Noon heavy gale 

 at W. N. W. with heavier squalls, more violent and at shorter intervals. 

 Expecting to see the main topsail go to pieces every moment. Bar. 29.30 

 (rising) r. o. q. Sun obscured all day. Lat. by Acct. 12° 40' N. ; Long, by 

 Acct. 88° 27' E. ; Ther. 84°. p. m. begins with a hard gale ; (10,) and a moun- 

 tainous sea running. Fore-topmast stay sail blew away ; bent a new one ; at 4 

 p. m. apparently moderating, wind now W. by N. ; (9,) squalls less violent ; Bar. 

 29.45 c. q. ; at 6, wind West ; (8,) weather gradually moderating and the clouds 

 breaking up in large openings and clear intervals, having previously been perfect- 

 ly overcast all round. Set reefed fore-sail and treble-reefed fore-topsail. At 8, 

 still clearing away, stars now visible. Bar. 29.60 ; wind W. S. W. ; at 8, c. 

 Midnight fresh gales and cloudy with a high sea. Wind W. S. W. ; (7,) 29.63. 



26th April. — Still becoming gradually moderate and fine, wind S. W. ; (6,) 

 set jib, maiusail, &c. 29.65 ; 8 a. m. wind moderating with clear weather, 

 wind S. W. ; (5,) 29.67; made sail accordingly. Noon fresh breezes with clear 

 weather, wind S. W. ; 29.70; Ther. 87°; Lat. Obs. 11° 37' N. ; Long. Obs. 

 88° 59' E. 



Memorandum. — I have endeavoured to describe the weather and the strength 

 of the wind by Capt. Beaufort's system with which you are doubtless well ac- 

 quainted and trust I have made it sufficiently intelligible. 1 should not omit 

 to remark that on the evening of the 24th, the Eastern horizon fcr some 15° in 



