is a very instructive illustration of an actual hurricane, and one of
the most severe on record off our Atlantic coast. The spiral lines have
been added to bring out conspicuously the wind-circulation, and several
features will at once attract attention: the elongated shape of the
storm, along a north and south line (the direction of motion); the wide
region where there is a southeasterly gale (exactly analogous to the
belt of intensified trades); the long sweep of northeasterly winds
along the coast; and the marked variation from a strictly circular
whirl. The right-hand side is the dangerous semicircle, and it is here
that the navigator is called upon to decide whether he shall dare make
the attempt to run before the wind and cross the track of the storm;
the left-hand side is the navigable semicircle,--not very _navigable_
in this particular case, we may well believe, with no sea-room to the
westward, a fearful N NE. gale, and a terrific sea. This is a case
where every resource of seamanship and navigation may fail to save a
ship, as the loss of the steamship "Samana" and a dozen other strong
vessels, with all on board, bears sad testimony. Let me quote a few
lines from a thrilling report by Captain Drew, of the American ship
"Sea Witch" (this vessel's position is plotted on the chart about lat.
32° N., long. 75° W.): "Nov. 24: Hurricane from NE.; our position a
perilous one, the ship rolling heavily and filling the decks with
water; an awful gale, the worst we have ever had,--how will it end? At
3 P.M., the sun out a moment through the thick sky. Nov. 25: Still
blowing a hurricane, with awful squalls of rain; the seventh day of the
gale. No side-lights can burn; the binnacle-light goes out as fast as
we can light it. One blast from the north blew our brand-new
lower-maintopsail away like brown paper. We performed the critical
manoeuver of wearing ship, which saved the vessel: we were foundering."
Verily, this was "out of the jaws of death," and probably there were
few more sincere thanksgiving services than those held on board this
vessel on Nov. 29th, 1888, as recorded in her log. One other report may
be referred to here, as it is of especial interest. It is from the
British steamship "Effective," whose position is plotted about half way
between Bermuda and New York. At this time the wind was S SE., force 8,
and the storm center was moving directly toward her. We learn from
Captain Crosby's report that by noon, local time, the wind was strong
from south; at 4:30 P.M., a hard gale from east, moderating until
midnight, barometer falling very rapidly. Nov. 26th, very heavy gale
from NE., ship heading bow to sea; noon, wind east, barometer 28.60; 5
P.M., wind N NE., 28.20; 10 P.M., SW.; midnight, W., 28.20. This report
illustrates the experience of a vessel close to the line of sudden
shift of wind from SE. to N NE., and sustains very well the spiral
lines drawn on the chart, just where there is an absence of data on the
chart itself.
{PLATE: THE HURRICANE OF NOVEMBER 25, 1888: NOON, G. M. T.
THE HURRICANE SEASON.--June may be fairly said to be the first of the
five hurricane months in the North Atlantic, and the above diagram is
presented in order to call special attention to the Law of Storms,
especially to certain important modifications of the old laws. The
spiral lines indicate the general wind-circulation in this particular
hurricane, and the complete data presented on the Chart must convince
any one that conclusions based upon such evidence must be worthy of the
most careful consideration. This hurricane was one of the most severe
on record off our Atlantic coast, and, though much larger than a
hurricane in the tropics, similar evidence can be presented to show
that the 8-point rule is seldom a safe guide for obtaining the bearing
of the center; a 10-point or even a 12-point rule is generally better,
although the 8-point rule is fairly correct if applied to the direction
of the low clouds, rather than the wind. The long sweep of NE'ly winds
along the coast, when there is a hurricane below Hatteras, is a very
characteristic and important feature. With a NE'ly wind off Block
Island, for instance, it should not be assumed that the center bears
SE.: the Chart shows that it may be almost due south. There is likewise
a wide region where the wind is from the SE., and a vessel running
before this steady SE. wind would plunge deeper and deeper into the
hurricane. Similarly in the trades, to windward of the track of a
hurricane: not until the barometer has fallen about 6-tenths of an inch
is it safe to assume that, because the trade-wind increases in force
and remains steady in direction, you are on the track of the storm; by
attempting too early to cross its track, running free as soon as the
wind begins to freshen, you are liable to plunge directly into the
vortex.}
Lack of space does not allow of further details, and I must go on to
the next plate,