'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎94] (203/496)

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nearer to the vortex than the Fake Bubahny, was probably owing to
the interruption and disturbance caused in the course and strength
of the gale by the high mountains in the vicinity. At this time the
storm appears to have been revolving from right to left, looking to the
northward, and this seems to have been the case throughout its duration.
When the gale first reached the Fake Bubahny, and for several hours
after, the Mermaid, about 90 miles from her, and standing from Man
galore to the Southward, had moderate winds and fine weather, which
was also the case with the Sesostris Steam Frigate, then about 100
miles to the W.N.W. of the Cherbaniani Bank, and as they were en
tirely out of its influence, we can form some idea of the extent of
space over which it prevailed, which a reference to the chart will show
was a circle with a diameter of about 410 miles.
On the morning of the 17th, at 2 A. M,, the gale first reached the
Sesostris, Mermaid, and Victoria, and we have now more ample means
of tracing its course and extent, as at that time the vessels were in
different and opposite quarters of the circle. Their positions were as
follows:—
Sesostris, Latitude 13° W North, Longitude 72° 2 / E.—moderate
gale from N.E. by E.
Buckinghamshire, Latitude 9° S 7 North, Longitude 74° 29 7 E.—hard
gale from W.S.W.
Mermaid, Latitude 12° 12 7 North, Longitude 74° 50 7 E.—fresh gale
from SE.
Faize Rubalny, Latitude 11° 23 / North, Longitude 75° 35 7 E.—heavy
gale from S.E. close to her position at noon of the 16th.
Victoria at Cannanore—moderate gale from E.S.E.
The direction of the wind at these different localities places the
centre of the hurricane at this period near Underoot island (marked B
in the Chart). The Faizo Rubalmy and Mermaid, who were nearest to
it, experienced the worst weather. The latter, after lying to a few
hours under a close reefed maintopsail, lost her maintopmast, and
was obliged to cut away her mizenmast, and bear up before it; and
the former, after haying her sails blown from the yards, her quarter
boats washed away, and heaving overboard a portion of her cargo,
spars, &c., was obliged to follow her example. The Victoria steam
ssel, although farther distant, also received considerable damage, and
was under the necessity of throwing overboard some heavy cargo she