308 A Twenty-first Memoir on the Law of Storms. [No. 4. 



day May 2nd, Midnight increasing squalls with heavy rain, veered out 100 

 fathoms of cable, the Barometer standing 29.50, at 6, the signal guns were 

 fired ; heavy squalls at intervals, at 7 a. m. slipped from our moorings, and 

 proceeded out to sea, the Barometer still on the decline. May 3rd, at 2 

 p. m. hove to under close reefed main topsail, Midnight hard gales with 

 incessant squalls, wind due North, Barometer standing 29.20. May 4th, 

 wind from N. N. W. to N. W. the gale still increasing, Barometer 29.00 

 5 p. m. furled the main topsail, the squalls still increasing and the Baro- 

 meter still on the decline. Midnight the Barometer 28.80. May 5th, a 

 perfect hurricane, wind West and the sea in a full state of illumination 

 from the constant flashes of lightning, awful in the extreme, I had all my 

 sheep killed from the effects of the lightning ; at 4 a.m. the Barometer 

 commenced to rise and the violence of the gale abated, Barometer 29.0. 

 8 A. m. the Barometer 29.10, the wind still subsiding, Noon strong winds, 

 Barometer 29.30. May 6th, a. m. the weather still continuing to moderate 

 made all sail for the Boads, the Barometer 29.50 ; at 6 p. m. came to an 

 anchor in the Boads. During the heaviest of the gale I was in Latitude 

 12° 20' N. and Longitude 81° 12' E. 



H. W. Weight, 

 Barque Aztec. 



These remarks represent nautical time. 



C. B. 



Madras, May 6th, 1851. 



Captain C. Biden, 



My dear Sie, — As you requested, I herewith send you an abstract of 

 my log from slipping in Madras Eoads on May 3rd instant, at 7 a. m. 

 having perceived signals to do so from your department, 



We proceeded to sea under double reefed topsails and foresail, after 

 parting from 75 fathoms of chain, the wind then N. N. W. ; at Noon wind 

 the same, and eventually hove the ship to under a main staysail ; at 4 

 p. m. on the 4th inst. until Midnight of the same date it blew a complete 

 hurricane, the wind having suddenly shifted to W. S. W. ; at 8 p, m. with 

 heavy lightning and a turbulent sea at 4h. a. m. of the 5th, wind gradu- 

 ally decreasing and at Noon moderate, made all possible sail and stood in 

 for land, the wind at South and S. S. W. ; we had until our arrival again 

 fine weather. 



Farthest to the Eastward 81° 59' E. 

 Ditto Southward 12° 10' N. 



Barometer during the heaviest of the gale 29.85. 



