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only three-quarters of a puncheon of fresh water CHAP. amongst fourteen persons, in a hot climate; and when they were reduced to eat raw salt pork, being at the time without masts or sails. Mr. Wilkinson's situation serves to exemplify that of masters of ships when they have to treat with wreckers.

Since the account of the Racer's storm was first published, its further course has been traced by Mr. Redfield across the Southern United States to the Atlantic Ocean, where it became an Atlantic gale, north of the Bermuda islands.

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CHAPTER VI.

ON STORMS IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.

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CHAP. THE storm tracks already traced in north latitude, with few exceptions, are seen to follow nearly similar courses, and in their progress to pass gradually towards the North Pole. While studying the subject, I was led to conclude that, in accordance with the beautiful order and regularity of Nature, storms in south latitude would be found to revolve in a precisely contrary direction to that which they take in the northern hemisphere; I therefore earnestly sought for facts, to ascertain if this were really the case or not.

The first observations I obtained were from Captain Locke Lewis, of the Royal Engineers, who was for several years stationed in the island of Mauritius, between the 20th and 21st degrees of south latitude; and I soon afterwards received others from Captain Grierson, also of the Royal Engineers, who had likewise been stationed at the same island.

On first attempting to lay down these observations of storms in south latitude, by means of the figure used for those of north latitude, they were found only reconcileable with revolving storms, travelling towards the equator instead of towards the pole; but a little inquiry proved that this was not their true course. When the other figure was used, which represents a storm revolving like the hands of a watch (being the second figure

. VI.

at page 5), then their progress was of course reversed, CHA P. and tended towards the south pole; and such will be found (as far as I have been able to obtain records) to be their real course and mode of action.

It was not until I had laid down these observations from the Mauritius, and others in south latitude obtained at the India House, that I received from Mr. Redfield, of New York, a copy of the pamphlets written by that gentleman on the subject of storms; and found in those of the latest date a sentence expressive of precisely the same opinion as my own. Mr. Redfield had not then published any detailed proofs in support of it. The following is the sentence alluded to:

"There is reason to believe that the great circuits of wind, of which the trade winds form an integral part, are nearly uniform in the great oceanic basins; and that the courses of these circuits and of the stormy gyrations which they may contain, is, in the southern hemisphere, in a counter direction to those north of the equator, producing a corresponding difference in the general phases of storms and winds in the two hemispheres."

Neither was I aware, when the first edition of this work was printed, that Professor Dove, of Berlin, entertained opinions somewhat analogous, viz., that the winds do revolve, and that in different directions, in the two hemispheres. Professor Dove and Mr. Redfield do not appear to have been known to each other. It therefore strengthens the probability of the correctness of what is here stated, that three individuals should have formed similar opinions on the subject before they had any communication with

each other.

L

CHAP.

VI..

Ships may overtake storms.

Since the mode of action of the wind in storms can only be satisfactorily ascertained by procuring many simultaneous observations regarding the same storms, recorded at distant points, I proceed to give such details as I have collected from south latitudes. But the number of ships navigating the southern seas is few compared with those sailing on the North Atlantic; it has therefore proved proportionably difficult to procure simultaneous observations of one and the same storm in the southern hemisphere.

Though much less perfect than the observations obtained from north latitude, the facts brought together and arranged in this chapter can hardly fail to interest those who navigate the southern hemisphere. I have printed extracts from the logs in some instances, where I have met with a single ship only in a storm in south latitude, without being able to find a vessel which encountered the same storm at a second point: and though such logs may be of little value in proving by themselves the rotatory nature of storms, yet they may be the means of tracing out other vessels which have encountered the same hurricanes.

I was not aware, when I commenced this inquiry, that it is an observation among seamen, that the storms near the islands of Mauritius and Madagascar generally begin at south-east and end at northwest.

This will commonly happen when ships are sailing from the Cape of Good Hope towards India; but on the returning voyage, it would appear as if the ships sometimes overtake the storms, and by sailing faster than they move along, plunge into them from the east side, receiving the wind from the north-west

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north, or north-east. The case of the Neptune, which CHAP. will be given hereafter, is an instance of what is here supposed to happen.

The most useful observations for our purpose are those made at several islands within the sphere of the same storm; and if the tracks of ships can be added, little more seems required than that such observations should be made and recorded at each place with proper care. In 1824, Captain Locke Lewis, R.E., proposed, that regular observations regarding hurricanes should be kept by the French at the Isle of Bourbon, and by the English in the island of Mauritius, and that duplicates of these observations should be exchanged. This should now be done, and the sphere of observation extended to the island of Rodriguez eastward, and to Madagascar and the coast of Africa westward.

The small vessels which supply Mauritius and Bourbon with cattle, which they bring from Madagascar, although they seldom venture to make the voyage during the hurricane months, sometimes meet with storms; and the reports collected from them by the harbour-masters would be very useful. If such records as are here suggested were kept, the logs of ships which may meet with storms in the same seas would be of great value; and the whole, when put together and compared, would either prove or disprove the rotatory nature of tempests.

It will be seen in this chapter, that the severe storms experienced off the Cape of Good Hope are, in all probability, sometimes the Mauritius hurricanes and Madagascar gales; as the storms off Cape Hatteras are certainly very often no other than the hurricanes