Travels Of Richard And John Lander Into The Interior Of Africa For The Discovery Of The Course And Termination Of The Niger By Robert Huish
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The
Landers Witnessed Three Of These Tornadoes, But They Were Trifling In
Their Effects, Compared With Those Which Take Place In The Rainy
Season.
They are described as being most violent, but happily of
short duration; nothing can withstand the fury of the
Wind while they
last, but they give sufficient indications of their approach, to
enable the experienced mariner, who is ever on the watch for the
changes in the weather, to reduce his sail on the ship, and put her
head in that position, in which she is best able to withstand its
effects, by running before the wind. This awful period lasts
generally about a quarter of an hour, when the wind subsides rather
suddenly, while the rain falls incessantly; shortly afterwards, the
wind shifts round by the south to its old quarter, the west, until
another tornado comes to disturb it. There are several peculiarities
attending the tornadoes, which are rather remarkable. It has been
remarked by experienced navigators, that they are much influenced by
the different phases of the moon, that they generally commence with
the full or new moon, at which time they are the most violent, and
that they even come on at the time that the moon sets. The influence
of the moon on the weather In other countries is doubted, but this is
an extraordinary fact, relating to the tornadoes, which has been
proved by experience.
On Saturday December 25th, after a pleasing passage, Richard Lander,
in company with Mr. Becroft, anchored off Ephraim Town, in the
Calebar River.
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