'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎37] (140/496)

clung to the Malabar coast in its northerly course* that would be ap
plicable to all the varied circumstances in which a vessel may be
placed* in reference to her distance and bearing from the centre and
path of the storm* and from the nearest land or reefs*—in connexion
with her navigable capabilities* propulsion by paddles or canvas* size*
strength* cargo* &c. Suffice it to say* that* with the sea open to the
westward* and the gale commencing from East to N.E.* a ship ought
to scud due west till the wind veers to North* then keep away S.W.
and southerly* as the vortex will have passed. On the other hand*
if the wind at East is changing to S.E.* ships would do well to stand
as much to the Eastward as possible till the gale is round to South or
S.W. If near the coast* this must be attended by some hazard* but
we suspect much less will be incurred than by lying to outside till the
vortex passes over. When a vessel meets such a storm at East* and*
owing to the Laccadive Islands dare not run west out of its way,
she will have no alternative left but to cling to the eastern side of
the channel till the wind is at South veering to S.W.* when she may
regain a good offing in the wake of the storm* before the westerly
winds are fully established. If practicable* the most judicious step
would be to return to Bombay harbour.
Much must depend on the distance of the focus from the
shore. The exact bearing of this from a vessel and its path*
can alone be discovered with accuracy by a previous knowledge
of the laws of such phenomena. It will be too late to begin
to study these at the moment when a hurricane is passing over the ves
sel ; but to him who has the subject in his hand* a glance at the sea*
sky* and barometer* in connexion with the force and veering of the
wind* will* with a moment’s reflection* enable him to reduce his princi
ples to practice. When a gale increases* with the wind steady at one
point of the compass, as East or E.N.E.* it is obvious that the vortex
is coming directly towards the ship ; if veering to North on one
side, or South on the other* then the centre is passing to the east or
west* and the line of escape is readily discovered.
Fortunately the revolving gales of the Arabian sea generally drift
N.W.* by which vessels near the coast are in less danger. Supposing
however, that another gale* like the one under consideration* was to
visit the coast and the focus* instead of passing it at the distance of
sixty or eighty miles was actually to impinge on the coast, vessels