CHAPTER II.
Voyage from the Capes of the Chesapeake to Madeira.—View of the Island.—Funchal.—Hospitality of the
Inhabitants.—Salubrity of the Climate.—Exports of the Island.—Novel Mode of Conveyance.—Departure
from Madeira and Arrival at the Canaries.—Early Failure of Northeast Trades.—Extraordinary
Swell from the Northwest—General Order as to Private Journals and Communications to Public
Prints.—General Order as to Scientific Investigations by Officers.—The “ Harmattan,” Consideration of
Hypotheses as to its Origin.—Southeast Trades.—Ship steered for S t Helena.—Observations on the
Currents.—Chaplain’s Observations on the Zodiacal Lights.—-Arrival at S t Helena.—Description of the
Island.—Jamestown.—Longwood.—Tomb of Napoleon.—The Calculating Hospitality of the Inhabitants
of the Island.—Adventure of L ieutenant .—Fortifications of the Island.—Their Sufficiency
against Sailing Vessols.—Probable Insufficiency against an Approach from the W est by Steam.—Departure
from S t Helena.
N leaving the capes of the Chesapeake,
the wind for ten days was
strong from the southward; it
then changed to N. N. E., making
a heavy “ wallowing” sea; and
then, hauling to the westward, blew
with such violence as to render the
ship uncomfortable. She, however,
sustained the high opinion the
Commodore entertained of her good
qualities, behaving (as she always
had done) most admirably, and averaging
more than seven knots during
the whole passage. Though
unusually deep in the water, but eight of her twelve furnaces were put
in requisition, and her daily consumption of Cumberland ooal was about
twenty-six tons.
After crossing the Gulf stream a southwestern current of about a knot
per hour was experienced; and this continued until the ship was within a
thousand miles of Madeira, when it ceased entirely. No other current was
observed during the remainder of the passage to the island.
VIEW OF FUNOHAL, M A D E IR A .