'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎95] (204/496)

95
had on deck. The Buckinghamshire, being at a greater distance from
the vortex, received no injury, and, although the wind was blowing a
hard gale, stood on her course under a press of sail. At the N.W. ex
tremity of the circle, the Sesostris had the gale more moderately, and
on the S.E. side, where the Atiet Bohoman was at anchor, apparently a
short distance outside it, the weather was merely squally and unsettled.
From these facts it would appear that the storm circle had contracted
considerably in its progress, and at this time did not exceed 300 miles
in diameter.
Having thus ascertained the position of the centre of the hurricane
at two different points, we are enabled to find its course, and estimate
the rate at which it progressed. At noon on the 16th, its centre, as
before stated, was found to be at A in the plan, and at 2 A. M. on the
17th, fourteen hours after, at B ; and as the distance between these two
points is 180 miles, it had moved in a N. by W, direction at the rate
of thirteen miles per hour.
At noon on the 18th, the Buckinghamshire was between Vingorla
and Goa, about 30 miles from the land : there the gale shifted sud
denly, and blew most furiously from E.S.E. In the course of an hour all
her sails were blown from the yards,
her quarter boat blown away over
the poop, and she lost all her
masts. The violence and storming
force of the wind is mentioned in
her Log Book as indescribable. At
2 P. M. it fell suddenly calm, which
continued until 4 P. M., when “ the
wind, which had died away at
E. S. E., commenced with equal
violence at W. N. W.” She had,
in fact, run into the vortex of the
hurricane, which, moving upwards
whilst she remained nearly station
ary, caused the remarkable change
of wind described above, as may be
shown by the subjoined diagram.
At this time the Mermaid was about 50 miles to the S.S.E., running
up with a fresh gale from W.S.W., with only her foremast standing,
and five feet water in her hold. The Sesostris, 150 miles to the -S.W.,
was standing to the Eastward, with a fresh breeze from N.W., being
just without the limit of the hurricane circle. Her position again
enables us to judge of its extent, which had apparently contracted to
/
/
/
\
\
/