The seamen to-day feel kindly disposed to this sounding machine which has removed the hardship of the deep-sea lead, and navigators the world over feel greatly indebted to Lord Kelvin, not only for his sounding machine, but because in many ways he has done more than any other man to advance the science of navigation.
RHYMES FORETELLING WEATHER
Rhymes Foretelling Weather
THERE is considerable truth in the rhymes used by seamen in detecting signs of a coming storm. Although it matters little to a modern steamer what the weather is, as long as it keeps clear, still if such an up-to-date craft is in the hurricane regions during the season, it will give the master much anxiety.
Tropical cyclones generally originate in about latitude 10° north or south of the equator. The sign of an approaching hurricane is the ugly threatening appearance which comes ahead of most severe gales, and increases in severity at every gust. Sometimes a long heavy swell and confused sea will precede the hurricane, rolling from the direction in which the hurricane is approaching. The halo around the sun, the moist and heavy air with squalls of misty rain, the light feathery whitish glare of the sky all give evidence that bad weather is at hand. In northern latitudes a mackerel sky moving rapidly from the westward indicates an approaching westerly gale. The mare’s tail is another sign of a coming storm. Oily looking clouds tell of wind, while soft ones speak of fine weather. High upper clouds crossing the sun and moon in a direction opposite to that from which the wind is blowing indicate a change of wind coming from that direction. When the first glimmer of dawn appears over a bank of clouds instead of the horizon, it foretells wind. When the first streaks of light appear on the horizon expect fine weather. A rapid rise of the barometer indicates unsettled weather. A slow, steady rise foretells fair weather. A rapid fall a heavy gale with rain.
“A red sky in the morning,
Sailors take warning,
A red sky at night,
The sailors delight.”
The same rhyme answers for the rainbow as it does for the sky.