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
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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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    the left side of its axis and along the American coast, from Flori- da towards the gulf of St. Lawrence. 70. Brig Leonora, bound southward, encountered the gale Oct 5th, between 5 and 6 p. M., preceded by a very heavy rain. During the night it blew heavy from E. S. E., with increasing force. At midnight hove to with head to southward, and bo continued till the height of the gale, when, although under bare poles and an exceedingly stiff vessel, she was gradually blown over upon her beam ends by the force of the winds upon her spars and rigging, and lay buried in the sea, till, no hope appearing, the rigging was cut, when the masts instantly went over, and she righted with six feet water in the hold. The sails had been previously blown away, after being furled with strong additional 'lashings. About 9 a. M. of the 6lh, the wind hauled suddenly to the northward, without any abate- ment, and continued blowing a severe hurricane, for about three hours longer, when it abated with the wind at N. W , and we judged ourselves then in lat 3)° 40', Ion. 74° 45'. [Being a few miles L., and nearer the axis line than at the shift of the wind at 9 a. m. Capt. Collins had no chronometer, and the position may have been more westward than is here given.] 71. Ship Arhansav), from New York for Mobile, had the storm commence gradually on the night of Oct. 5tb, and at 3 a. m. on the Gth was blowing a full gale from E. S. E., which at 8 a. m. had increased to a terrific hurricane, from the same quarter. At half past 9 a. m. the wind suddenly abated, hauling at the same time by the N., and in fifteen minutes from the first lull, had set in again in full fury from \V. N. VV., which soon dismasted the ship. Capt. Bunker, in 32 years service, had never seen any thing like it in violence and strength. After blowing from this quarter for near two hours, the hurricane began to relax in force till reduced to a common gale of wind. At midnight the gale subsided. Position at the shift of the gale about lat. 31° 30', Ion. 75°. [55 miles L.J 72. Brig Stirling, for New York, Oct. 5th, at noon in the Gulf Stream, lat. 32° 31', Ion. 78°, [233 miles L.,] fresh breezes from N. E. and cloudy, heading E. S. E., all sail set; 3 p. m. took in light sails ; 5 p. m. single reefed topsails and trysail ; 6 p. m tacked again to E. S. E. and at 8 to N. N. W. ; took in mainsail and jib and tacked to E. by S., the gale increasing and hauling northerly; at midnight close reefed topsail and trysail and furled the foresail. Oct. 6th, at 1 a. if.', wind N.-; at 8 a. m. took in foretopsail. At noon heavy gales from N. N. W. and squally, with a high sea ; lat. 33° 04', near the outer edge of the Gulf Stream, [about 153 miles L.,] at 2 r. U., wind N. W., strong gales and rainy, lying to under close reefed main-topsail. At 5 p. m. began to make tail; at midnight light airs and cloudy. 73. Savannah barracks, Geo., lat. 32° 05', Ion. 81° 07', [370 miles L. of axis line.] Oct. 5th, winds N. to E., 1 ; Gth, W. (?), 1 to 3 ; 7th, W. 1 to 2. No rain nor gale reported. 74. Augusta arsenal, [470 miles L. and 100 miles N. VV. of SavannahJ daily average of barometer: Oct. 1st, 29 843; Oct. 2d, 29823 ; 3d, 29736 ; 4th, 29564; 5th, 29546; 6th, 29-488 ; 7th, 29592. Winds from 2d to 5th light, chiefly S. VV.; 6th a. m. N. E. 3 ; r. U N. W. 1. 75. Charleston, (Ft. Moultrie,) lat. 32° 46', Ion. 79° 46', [335 miles L.] Oct. 1st, barom- eter, (av.) 30 375 ; 2d, 33310 ; 3d, 30054 ; 4th, 29875 ; 5th, 29975 ; 6th, 29 803; 7th, 30-10. Winds, 5th, N. 3, 4, E. 4, N. N. E. 4 ; 6th, sunrse, N. N. E. 4 ; during day, N. W. 4 ; 9 r. m. W. 3; 7th, variable, 2. [The last three places appear to have been little exposed to the gale, as a surface wind, but were all quite within its barometrical influence.] 76. Fort Johnson, near Cape Fear, N. C, lat. 33° 54', Ion. 78° 01', [300 miles L.] Oct. 6th, a- m., wind E. 6, N. E 6 ; p. m., N. E. 5; 9 p. M., W. 2. No rain noticed. 77. Fort Macon, near Beaufort, N. C. lat. 34° 41', Ion. 76° 30', [270 miles L.j Oct. 6th, a. M. wind N. 3; p. U., N. 6. No rain. [At the last two posts we have the gale blowing in considerable strength, without rain.] 78. Brig Capt. John, had the gale in lat. 34° 22', Ion. 76° 20', [near Cape Lookout, 240 miles L. of axis line! Shipped a heavy sea, which stove the galley and killed the cook. 79. Barque Bashaw, Oct. 6th, lat. 33° 10', Ion. 75° 15', [140 miles L.] experienced a gale from N. E. which blew away main-topsail yard, top-gallant mast, &c. 80. Brig Pennsylvania, Oct. Gth, lat. 32° 40', Ion. 74°, [57 miles L.J was thrown on hei beam ends in the hurricane, and totally dismasted. 7