On three several hurricanes of the Atlantic, and their relations to the northers of Mexico and Central America, with notices of other storms / by W.C. Redfield.

  • William C. Redfield
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On three several hurricanes of the Atlantic, and their relations to the northers of Mexico and Central America, with notices of other storms / by W.C. Redfield. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    25. Barque William En~s, sailed from Key West, Sept. 3d, at 6 a.m., wind light from N. E. and fine clear weather: at noon sixteen miles S. S. E. from Key West light; barometer 30-10. At 6 p. m. the wind began to freshen, with dark clouds rising at N. and barometer fell rapidly till 8 p. K., when it stood at 2970. Took in all light sails and put the ship under double reefed topsails ; weather continuing to wear the same appear- ances. Sept. 4th, at 2 a. m. took a heavy squall from N, which reduced us to close-reefed main topsail; barometer still at 2970. The wind continued to blow with great violence from N. till 4 a. m., when it began to haul gradually to the eastward, which continued till 8 a. m., when it stood at E. S. E. and blew, if possible, with increased violence. We were now on soundings on the Florida Reef, and gaining nothing off shore, the sea breaking over us and preventing all communication with the cabin, so that the barometer could not be ob- served. At noon still blowing a hurricane from E. S. E. and continued steady at that point, with squalls of rain, till about 3 v. B„ when it began gradually to subside, and at 10 p. m. had so far moderated that we could get up new sails from below and bend them ; the wind continued to die away at E. S. E. till it fell calm. The barometer near the close of the gale stood at 30 inches. At noon of the 5th was in lat. 24° 15', Ion. 83° 35'. We judged our position at the commencement of the gale to be in lat. 24° 5', Ion. 81° 25', ma- king a drift of one hundred and eight miles to the west, which we could account for only by our being on soundings and having a strong counter current. Wre afterwards made Key West and found our chronometer correct.—{Letter from Capt. Coe.) [This vessel was clearly in the right side of the gale.] 26. Capt. Smith of ship ChrUtotal Colon, states that on the 4th of Sept. a very heavy gale was experienced at Havanna and Matanzas, commencing at N. about sunrise, at Havanna, and veering westward round to S. 8. W., and blowing with great violence for ten hours ; causing much damage to the shipping in port. This is confirmed in substance by Capt. Boss of the barque Merchant, from Havanna, who states that by noon the gale had veered to N. W., increasing in force : and also by the statement of Lieut. McClurk, com- manding H. M. S. Roman, furnished to Col. Reid, from which we learn that in the after- noon the gale blew furiously from S. W., and continued from this quarter till 1 a. m. of the 5th, when the wind ceased, but heavy rain continued till 3 a.m. 27. Ship Hilah, from New Orleans for New York; Sept. 4th, 11 a. m., in sight of Havanna, a tremendous hurricane from N. W. At 5 p. M. gale increasing, saw the land about 300 yards to leeward; attempted to work the ship off, when the wind suddenly shifted to S. W. and blew still heavier. Cut away sails and rigging to save the spars. 28. Brig Harriet, in lat. 25° 1', Ion. 84° 9', experienced a hurricane, lost spars, sails, &c. 29. Schr. Emporium, lat. 24°, Ion. 84° 15', in a severe hurricane, lost topmast, sails, &c, and sprung lower masts. 30. The barque Euphrates, from New7 Orleans for Marseilles, was dismasted on the 5th of Sept. in Ion. 85° 30'. 31. Ship Oconee, from New Orleans, Sept. 5th, 6th, experienced a heavy gale, 100 to 150 miles S. E. of Balize, from N. E. by E. to E. by iN., with a heavy sea running from S. E. Laid to with head to IS. E. under close-reefed maintopsail for twenty four hours.—{State- ment of Capt. Jackson.) 32. Barque Columbia, from New Orleans, crossed the N. E. bar Sept. 1st, and had light winds from E. and E. S. E. till Sept. 4th, when the wind became fresh and squally from N. N. E., lat. 28° 8', Ion. 87° 28'. Sept. 5th, commenced blowing from N, E. with squalls and rain ; lat 26° 49', Ion. 86° 51', the gale increasing and veering to E. N. E. with a heavy sea. Sept. 6th, lat. 25° 31', Ion. 85° 30'; shortened sail to a three reefed maintopsail and main spenscr; continued blowing a complete hurricane; from 6 to 10 p. m. expected every moment to see the masts go over the side. Sept. 7th the wind veered E. and abated : lat. 24° 35', Ion. 85° 2': for two days after the hurrricane had a very heavy sea from W. S. W, which led us to expect a renewal of the gale from that quarter, the winds at the time be- ing light from E. S. E. and E.—(Staleme?d of Capt. Trussel.) We now pass to the left side of the storm.