'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎93] (202/496)

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Art. II. — Remarks on the Course of the Hurricane which occurred on the
Malabar Coast in April 1847, and on the probable position of the
Steam Frigate u Cleopatra^ at the time; ivith a sketch. By Captain
T. G. Carless, I. N.
[Presented by Government.]
The following’ attempt to trace tlie Course of the Hurricane which
occurred on the Malabar Coast in April 1847, is drawn up from the
information obtained from the Log Books of the Steam Frigate Se-
sostris, steam vessel Victoria, and ships Buckinghamshire, Mermaid,
Faize Eubahny, and Atiet Eohoman. The investigation furnishes
another proof to those already afforded of the rotatory nature of these
violent storms, and as I believe it is the first occurring on the Western
Coast of India which has been submitted to examination, the subject
possesses a peculiar interest.
At noon on the 16th April, it appears by the Buckinghamshire’s Log
that she was in Latitude 8° 45 / North, Longitude 73° S 7 E., with the
wind blowing a hard gale from N.E. by N., and a very high sea. It
is * not stated what sail she was under, but as the foresail had been
furled some time before, and her speed was reduced to half a knot per
hour, I conclude she was lying to under a close reefed maintopsail.
The Faize Eubahny, at the same time, was in Latitude 11° 16 7 North,
Longitude 75° 27 7 E., with the gale moderate from E.8.E. ; and the
Atiet Eohoman at anchor off Aleppee, in Latitude 9° 25 7 North, had
squally weather, with the wind varying from East and E.S.E.
The data afforded by the direction of the wind at these points, al
though not so complete as could be wished, from the vessels being all
in the upper half of the circle described by the Hurricane, is still suf
ficient to enable us to ascertain the vortex or centre round which it
revolved with tolerable accuracy ; and I am therefore induced, after an
attentive consideration of the facts, to place it in Latitude 8° 3 7 North,
Longitude 74° S 7 E., at the spot marked A in the Chart. My belief in
the correctness of this position is confirmed by observing that the
Buckinghamshire, being nearest to it, experienced the gale strongest,
and that, as she advanced to the Eastward, the wind veered gradually
round from N.E. to North and W.N.W.; that at the Faize Eubahny s
position in the N.E. quarter of the circle, upon its outer extremity, the
wind was less violent, and from E.S.E.; and that the weather was still
more moderate, and the breeze variable from East and S.E. at Aleppee,
where the Atiet Eohoman was at anchor, which, as she was somewhat