fearing that the wind might back again to the eastward, was careful not to
make too much northing, lest he might fall to the leeward of Mauritius, thus
losing the benefit of a fair wind, which not only increases the rate of going
of a steamer, as of a sailing vessel, but also saves the fuel of the former.
From the 11th to the 14th of February, inclusive, the wind continued from
the southward and eastward, and at the latter date the ship reached latitude
29° 34/, and longitude 55° 22', from which period to her arrival at port Louis
on the 18th the wind hung to the northward and eastward, the trades having
entirely failed. The weather throughout the passage was fine, the barometer
varying from 29° 80' to 29° 95/, the thermometer from 74° to 84°, the currents
setting with the wind, and running at about three quarters of a knot
per hour.
There is no reason to doubt the correctness of the opinion of Horsburgh,
to the effect that the best route for a sailing ship bound from the Cape of
Good Hope to Mauritius, is that in which nearly the whole, if not all, the
easting is made between the parallels of 35° and 38° of longitude, and the
southeast trades are struck between the latitude of 27° and the longitude of
55° or 57°.: This course brings vessels well to the windward, and enables
them to fetch the island of Mauritius without difficulty, provided the trade
winds do not haul north of B. by N. In the passage of the Mississippi the
wind actually hauled as far as N.N.E., an occurrence not usual at the season,
when northerly and northwesterly winds frequently prevail from Madagascar
toward and beyond the island of Bourbon, (or, as it is now termed, Reunion,)
and Mauritius.
The question has been agitated as to whether it is advisable for steamers
to make this curve in their route to Mauritius, or to steam directly from the
Cape to the island, passing close round Cape Aghilus. The Commodore is
decidedly of the opinion that, unless the steamer be one of first-rate speed,
it would be unwise to take the direct route, in which she would have to contend
against a strong trade wind and its consequent current. The difference
between the two routes is about 240 miles, which would hardly seem to compensate
for the loss occasioned by head winds and currents, leaving out of
consideration the advantage of the cooler and more agreeable weather of the
southern passage. The mail, and indeed all the European steamers, have
usually taken the latter route; and the Susquehanna, which attempted the
direct course, although a faster steamer than the Mississippi, had a passage
of seventeen days, while the Mississippi made the run by the other course
in fifteen days.
The Mississippi, in doubling the Cape of Good Hope in midsummer, escaped
any very heavy blow, although hardly a week passes without a gale
from some quarter. Horsburgh remarks, in regard to the weather, that
“ in the storms off the Cape Bank and to the eastward, the sea is turbulent,
and then generally accompanied with a black overcast sky; when they are