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CHAP. meridian of Cape Horn to a station fifty leagues due west of Cape Pillar,
and that during that time there was more reason to complain of light
Sept. winds and calms, than the heavy gales which proverbially visit these
shores.
Navigators distinguish the passages round Cape Horn by the
0Ute7- and iimer; some recommending one, some the other ; and doubtless
both have their advantages and disadvantages. It would be very
uninteresting here to discuss the merits of either, as the question has
been sufficiently considered elsewhere ; and it woidd, in my opinion,
be equally useless, as very few persons follow the advice of their predecessors
in a matter of this nature, hut pursue that course which from
circumstances may seem most advantageous at the moment; and this
will ever be the case where such a difference of opinion exists. I
shall therefore reserve what I have to say on this subject for its appropriate
place in the Appendix.
In describing the passage round Cape Horn, I have omitted to mention
some particulars on the days on which they occurred, in order that
they might not interrupt the narrative. As we approached the Palk-
land Islands from Eio Janeiro, some penguins were seen upon the water
in latitude 47° S., at a distance of three hundred and forty miles from the
nearest land; a fact which either proves the common opinion, that this
species never stray far from land, to be an error, or that some unknown
land exists in the vicinity. As their situation was not far from the parallel
in which the long-sought He Grande of La Roche was said to have
been seen, those who are wedded to the common opinion above alluded
to, may yet fancy such an island has existence ; although it is highly improbable
that it should have escaped the observation, not only of those
who purposely went in search of it, but of the numerous ships also
which have of late made the passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Another opinion, not quite so general, (but which I have heard repeatedly
expressed with reference to the coast of California), is, that of
aquatic birds confining their flight within certain limits, so that a person
who has paid attention to the subject will know by the birds that are
about him, without seeing the land, what part of the coast he is off.
My own experience does not enable me to offer any remarks on the subject,
except in the instance of the St. Lawrence Islands, in Beering’s CHAR.
Strait, the vicinity to which is always indicated by the Crested Auk ( alca ^
crestatella) . But the following fact may be serviceable in adding weight
to the opinion, jirovided it were not accidental; and if so, it may still
be useful in calling the attention of others to the subject. Off the
River Plate, we fell in with the dusky albatross (diomediafulginosa),
and as we proceeded southward, they became very numerous; but on
reaching the latitude of 51° S. they all quitted us. YVe rounded the
cape; and on regaining the same parallel of 51° S. on the opposite side,
they again came round us, and accompanied the ship up the Chili coast.
The pintados were our constant attendants the whole way.
From the time of our leaving England, the temperature of the
surface of the sea had been registered every two hours. Off Cape Horn,
I caused it to be tried every hour, under an impression that it might
apprise us of our approach to floating ice, when, from the darkness of
the night, or foggy weather, it could not be seen ; a plan I would recommend
being adopted, as it may be useful, notwithstanding its fallibility;
for when ice in detached masses is drifting fast with the wind, it extends
its influence a very short way in the direction of its course: but on
the other hand, its effect may be felt a considerable distance in its wake.
We had only one warning of this nature, by a decrease of temperature
of four degrees, which lasted about an hour. The temperature ot
the sea, at the greatest depth our lines would reach, was not below
39°, 2. Off the Falkland Islands, it was the same at 854 fathoms as
at 603 fathoms. The lowest temperature of the air was 26". The
current, which at a distance from the land runs fast to the eastward
to the discomfiture of ships bound in the opposite direction, near the
coast to the westward of Cape Horn, at first entirely ceased, and afterwards
took a contrary course. There is much reason to believe that
it continues this north-westerly course, and ultimately falls into the
northerly current so prevalent along the coast of Chili.
The wind was now favourable for making progress to the northward.
My instructions did not direct me to proceed to any port on the coast
of Chili, but circumstances rendered it necessary to put into one of them,
and I selected Conception as being the most desirable for our purpose.
Sqit.
I82.i.
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