1836.] 



Notices of Books. e 



161 



{< I shall proceed to give some particulars of gales occurring during 

 the period comprised in the diary. 



" On the 27th of October 1797, the moon having just passed the first 

 quarter, and being at her greatest distance from the earth, there was a 

 violent gale of wind at Madras, somewhat resembling the storms of 

 late years ; it began from the northward in the night between the 26th 

 and 27th, veered to the N. E. and in the morning blew with uncommon 

 violence during three hours. About noon it suddenly shifted to the 

 south, and was almost as violent as before— many old trees were torn 

 up by the roots, and the leaves on the north side of those much expos- 

 ed, were either blown off, or completely withered. The barometer be- 

 gan to fall at about noon on the 25th, and at 2 o'clock p. m. on the 27 th, 

 had sunk to 29.465 from 30.005, or about 0.54 of an inch. This, though 

 not so violent as the late storms, was no ordinary gale of wind. 



" On the 10th of December 1807, the moon half-way between the first 

 quarter and full, and nearly at the greatest distance from the earth, 

 there was a gale at Madras. It began in the evening from the north 

 and was attended with thunder, lightning, and rain ; veering to the 

 southward of east, and blowing with violence, it slackened gradually 

 after noon, and at 3 p. m. the sky was again clear. The barometer 

 fell about 0.4 of an inch ; rain 3| inches. On the night between the 

 29th and 30th of March 1820, a strong gale of wind occurred ; the moon 

 at the full, but nearly at her greatest distance from the earth. This 

 gale commenced from N. E. and blew with great violence at times ; 

 contrary to the course of the monsoon gales, it veered to the north, 

 N. W., and S. W. still violent ; but at the latter quarter it gradually 

 slackened, and broke up at about 9 a. m. The barometer fell 0.40 of 

 an inch, and was a little above 29.5 when at the greatest depression : 

 about 6| inches of rain fell. The ships left the roads in the evening ; 

 but some of the smaller craft were driven on shore, and others w r ent 

 down at their anchors. Several ships and smaller vessels were lost 

 along the coast during the gale, which appears to have been more 

 violent to the northward than at Madras. 



" The storms we have had of late years at Madras resemble whirl- 

 winds, blowing all round the compass (from particular points w T ith 

 incredible fury), and are generally confined to a space comparatively 

 small in diameter. I shall also endeavour to give some of the leading 

 features of these. On the 2d of May 1811, a violent storm occurred at 

 Madras ; the moon had passed the first quarter on the 30th of April, and 

 was full on the 8th of May, and was also at her greatest distance from 

 the earth. This storm raged with great fury, and did considerable 

 mischief: 1 was in England at the time, but it appears, from what I 

 can collect, to have begun from the northward, and to have blown 

 equally strong from the east, S. E. and south. I did not, however, 



