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202 EAJ IOME TEI IS— K A T EK S PEAK. April 18.29.
one insect, a species of Oniscus. Nothing, in fact, could be
more desolate, and we had only the satisfaction of a good
observation for the height, and an excellent bird’s-eye view of
the surrounding islands and channel, to repay us for the labour
of the ascent. On reaching the top, the barometers were suspended
under the lee of the rock, twelve feet below its summit,
and I then proceeded to set up the theodolite, which I found
more damaged than I had anticipated; but not so much as to
deprive me of a very extensive round of angles, in which were
contained bearings of the Ildefonso Islands. We were thus
occupied about an hour and half, which afforded me an opportunity
of obtaining two good readings of the barometer.
The view to the N.W. was very extensive, and bounded by
long ranges of snow-clad mountains of great height; the atmosphere
was remarkably clear, and every object unusually distinct.
Bearings of the islands of Diego Kamirez would have
been taken, but for the extreme force of the wind, which more
than once blew me from the theodolite, and once actually threw
me on the ground. The temperature was not below 88° ; but,
owing to the wind, the cold was intense, and the rapid evaporation
produced the most painful sensations, particularly in
our feet and legs, which were thoroughly wet when we reached
the top.
Our descent was not effected in less than an hour and twenty
minutes, owing to the difficulty of passing through the beech
thickets; but we reached the base without injury to the barometers,
which was being more fortunate than I expected. They
were again set up on the beach, and read; after which we
returned on board, amply gratified and rewarded for our
fatigue.
The height of the peak, which, from its vicinity to the station
selected by Captain Foster for the pendulum experiments,
could not receive a more appropriate name than Kater’s Peak,
was found to be 1,742 feet above the high-water mark.*
* The changes of p ressure, during the intervals of ascent and descent,
were obtained by registering the ship’s barometer, which was done by
signal from the stations on shore, when the readings were taken. During
the
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May 1829. w e a t h e i i— c a i >x a i n e o s t e k . 203
The next day, after a beautifully clear and mild morning,
with a fresh northerly breeze, the weather became cloudy, and
the wind veered to the S.W. blowing excessively hard, with
hail and rain. The gusts, or williwaws, rushed through the
valley of the cove with inconceivable violence, heaving the ship
over on her broadside every minute, so that we were obliged to
have every thing lashed as if at sea. Fortunately, we had completed
wood and water, and now only waited for observations,
to rate the chronometers, for our run to Valparaiso, whither it
was my intention to proceed. Days, however, passed without
a glimpse of the stars, and the sun only appeared for a few
minutes above the hills. Captain Foster had completed his
observations, and embarked all his instruments, excepting the
transit, which remained for taking the passages of stars ; but
the bad weather continued, with little intermission. On the 3d,
the gale was most violent, and the williwaws became short
hurricanes, in some of which the ship drifted and fouled her
anchors. On the 10th, we had a dry and fair day, which permitted
us to sight the anchors and moor again.
The fine weather was of only a few hours duration, when the
gale again sprung up, and lasted, with little intermission, until
the day of our departure (the 24th). From the 4th to the
22d the sky was so perpetually clouded, that the only transits
obtained in that interval were, one of Antares, one of Regulus,
and one of the limb of the moon, though Captain Foster-
even slept close to the telescope, in the greatest anxiety to
obtain observations. On the night of the 22d four stars were
the ascent the column fell 0-039 inches, and during the descent rose 0-041
inches. Corrections were made for the dew point, as observed by Daniell’s
hygrometer a t the base and summit, and the calcnlations were made
according to the formula in Daniell’s Meteorological Essay.
The following is the result :
By Bunten’s S y phon.. By Jones 509.
Ascent 1743-4................................................ 1749-3
Descent 1738- ................................................ 1739-1
M e a n .. 1741.................................................... 1744-2
Mean of the two instruments 1742-4 feet.
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