Hurricanes

[blackjohn]

Somewhere in here, but I can't find it to save my soul, someone asked a question about hurricanes, and what sort of early records we have, etc.

It just so happens that I have a copy of Hurricanes of the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions, 1492 - 1800. Here's a snippet from the section on the origins of the word itself...

"The Spaniards who accompanied Columbus on his four voyages to America took back to the Old World with them a new concept of what a severe storm could be and, naturally, a new word of Indian origin. It seems the Indian word was pronounced furacán during the early years of the discovery and colonization of America."

Interestingly enough, it appears Columbus didn't encounter any on his first voyage. On the second voyage however, the author states "in June of that year, 1494, [the town of] Isabella was struck by a hurricane, the first time that white men had seen such a terrible storm."

Blackjohn

[JoshuaRed]

I'm getting ready to read Dampier's "Discourse On Winds" which should have some good info...I'll share here soon as I get to it.

[piratelassie]

I don't know where I heard this, but I remember hearing or reading somewheres that the word hurricane is a contraction of the words hurry and cane, and when the Caribbean was full of sugar plantations, they'd yell Hurry the Cane when a storm was coming so it wouldn't get soggy and ruined. Again, complete hearsay this is, so don't go on it. Just thought I'd put in me tuppence