North to South; but only from the Gulf of Guayaquil to Lima, because in this space the land-breezes blow during eighteen hours, and the sea-breezes for only six hours, in such a way that they proceeded to the S.S.W. with the land-breeze, and neared the land again with the sea-breeze; but they ought not to go farther off shore than 60 or 70 leagues. This navigation, called by the Spaniards Navigacion por el Meridian, had the great advantages that they then avoided the gales which often occurred during the months of August, September, October, and November, between lat. 28° and 33°. Capt. Colnett, who ranged along this same portion of coast, at the distance of only a few leagues, does not mention this singularity in the duration of the sea and land-breezes; he only remarks that the currents on it are very irregular.

In the months of November, December, and January, you are exposed to storms, rains, and winds near the Galapagos Isles, and there is fine weather during May, June, July, and August.

FOURTH ZONE.-FROM LATITUDE 30° TO CAPE HORN.

The southern trade-wind, after having blown from lat. 5° N. near the American coast, terminates near the coast of Chili, when the North and South monsoons recommence besides this, it is difficult to determine the point which limits the trade-winds and the monsoons. Funnel says that the South winds commence in lat. 38° 30', near the Isle La Mouche; but it seems to me that this is placing it too far to the South, and that we may prefer the supposition of Humboldt, who assigns the 30th degree of latitude for their limits. According to Frezier, the winds from North and N.W. blow during two or three months of the year near Coquimbo in lat. 30°, near Valparaiso in lat. 33°; they blow during four months, that is, from May until December, accompanied with rain and fogs, but they are not very violent: the remainder of the year the weather is dry; the winds from South are predominant, and blow with such violence that vessels are often driven from their anchors in the road of Valparaiso.

Capt. Vancouver, in his track towards the South, encountered, in the month of May, winds from N.W., with bad weather. Near Concepcion Bay, in lat. 36°, and the Isles of Chiloe, in lat. 42° S., the North and South monsoons last longer. As we approach Cape Horn, the prevalent winds are, with few exceptions, those from S.W. and N.W.; in winter they blow with peculiar violence. The currents follow the direction of the winds, and near to Cape Horn they will always be found bearing to the East.

This concludes Admiral Krusenstern's remarks, which, though in many respects are brief, must be taken as the sum of the then available information. Nor is there even now anything which will subvert the statements here set forth; and it only remains to add to these the observations which have been made on the portions of the Pacific not fully touched on, that is, in the eastern portions on the American coasts.

Humboldt, Essai Politique sur Nouvelle Espagne, tome iv. p. 403. + Dampier's Voyages, vol. iv. p. 116.

Tableau des Vents et des Courants, par Romme.

WINDS OFF CAPE HORN, ETC.

In an early page of this work (part i. pp. 40, 41) we have given Capt. P. P. King's remarks on this head. By referring to this it will be seen that westerly winds prevail during the greater portion of the year; the East wind occurring in the winter months, and but seldom in the summer. They invariably rise light with fine weather, increase gradually, and sometimes end in a heavy gale, but more frequently do not rise to this strength.

North winds are generally accompanied by thick weather and rain; they always commence moderately, but increasing in strength, they draw to the westward, blowing hardest between North and N.W., the strength of which lasts from twelve to fifty hours, and sometimes shift suddenly into the S. W. quarter, blowing harder than before.

Winds from the S.W. generally last several days, blowing strong, moderating towards the end. Northerly winds then again commence, and thus constant shifts from North to South round the West are felt during the summer.

Bad weather never comes on suddenly from the East, nor does a S.W. or southerly gale shift quickly to the northward. South and S.W. gales rise suddenly and violently, and should be well considered in choosing an anchorage.

This is the sum of the information contained in the passages quoted. But little more need be said here. The constant prevalence of winds between S.W. and N.W. renders the passage round Cape Horn from the Atlantic frequently one of difficulty and hard work. April, May, and June, are perhaps the best months for making the westerly passage. The summer months are preferable for the other direction, but this is so easy as scarcely to require much consideration.

WESTERN COAST OF PATAGONIA.

As in the preceding paragraphs, we refer to a former page (part i. p. 69) for some remarks on the winds in this portion. They prevail from the N.W. If it blows hard from that quarter, it is very liable to shift round suddenly and blow heavily from the westward. These do not usually last long. If they veer round to southward, should the barometer rise, it will clear up; should they tack round to N.W. again, and the barometer keep low or oscillate, the weather will doubtless become worse. Easterly winds rarely occur, and bring fine clear weather. Westerly winds, on the contrary, bring constant rain and a quick succession of hard squalls of wind and hail.

The barometer rises with southerly winds, the maximum being with S.E. winds ; it falls with northerly and westerly winds, the minimum being at N.W. -M. Lartigue makes the following remarks on the Patagonian winds :-

The winds blow strongly from N.W. to S.W. for about ten months of the year on all the extent of the West coast of America comprised between Cape Horn and the 40th degree of latitude. S.W. winds shift at times to S.S.E.; but those from N.W. come rarely to N.N.E. If the weather should become overcast during calms, which are generally of short duration in these parts, the first breeze which springs up generally comes from North or N.N.E.: it freshens gradually; rain. begins to fall; and the weather becomes hazy, principally near the land, where

sometimes the fog will not allow objects to be seen at 2 miles' distance. The wind continues to acquire strength; and as it freshens it passes round to N.N.W. and N.W.; then the rain diminishes, and the sky begins to get clearer. When the wind gets to N.W. it usually flies quickly to W.S.W., in gusts which are sometimes very violent; other gusts succeed rapidly, and it is then that the wind is strongest. At all times when these W.S. W. winds, that come in gusts have lasted a certain time, they end by coming round to S.W., and the weather then gets finer afterwards, though rarely, they pass to S.S.W. and even S.S.E. These latter extreme variations occur particularly near the land and to the S.W. of Cape Horn, where the winds generally preserve the same direction for a longer time than they do to the West of the American continent.

When the N.W. winds have shifted during a gust to W.S.W., if they diminish in strength instead of increasing, as we have before said they will return to the N.W., and pass successively to West and W.N.W. The N.W. winds do not always shift at once to W.S.W.; but they change, sometimes in summer, and very often in winter, by passing successively to W.N.W. and West: they are then accompanied by rain, but soon changing again to N.W., blow successively in the same intermediate directions.

Winds from W.S. W. to S.S. E. are the only ones which last for any length of time all those which blow in any other direction are constantly changing. It is but rarely that S.E. to N.E. winds are felt on this coast; but when they do blow from this quarter, they are almost always violent, and last but a short time. They are generally announced by short intervals of calm, which follow strong W.N.W. winds which have passed in succession to the West, and have been accompanied, as well as the calm, by very abundant rain. The winds from S.E. to N.E., after having blown during some hours, revert to N.N.E., losing their strength, and then get to the North; having got to this quarter, they acquire strength, and are not long before they again pass to the N.W.

When the winds come from the land, the number of inlets and islands existing between the Strait of Magalhaens and the Island of Chiloe have necessarily an influence on their direction. In reality, these winds must come from the interior of these bays and channels, and blow in their direction: thus Dampier says that he sailed up this coast with easterly winds, by keeping within sight of land.

But when the winds come from N.W. to S.W., and blow right on shore, they are so strong, that neither the neighbourhood of the land, nor its direction, can make the least alteration; it is then dangerous to approach the coast, particularly in winter.

From the month of October until that of April, that is to say, during summer, the winds from W.S.W. are most frequent; in winter those from N.W. to W.S.W. are so, and these, as has been before stated, are very variable. It blows hard almost always in these parts, particularly in winter. The sea is very heavy also in this season of the year; and it is also impossible to make head against a contrary wind without great strain upon the ship.

The winds from S.W. to N.W. being of less strength, and the sea not so heavy in high latitudes as upon the corresponding parallels on the American coast, it will be prudent, at all times when the wind comes from the western quarter, to run

up to at least the parallel of 60°, and there need be no fear of passing beyond this parallel so long as the wind keeps to the North of West. But if it gets to the South of this bearing, you can then take a N.W. course. It is a general rule that you ought to get to the West, and at as great a distance from the land as possible before closing with the land and bearing up to the northward: for, in winter especially, you must endeavour to avoid being obliged to keep too close, and even to run 2 or 3 points free, in case the wind should get to the North of West, and approach to N.W.

The difficulties that are met with in getting to westward after having doubled Cape Horn to bear up again along the western coast of America, going from South to North, arise from the strength of the adverse currents which are experienced there, and the heavy sea which they occasion. On the contrary, it is very easy to get to westward on leaving the coast of Peru to go into the Atlantic Ocean : everything seems to favour this passage. You will go, by the assistance of the usual winds, to a good distance from the land, and thus avoid all contrarieties in case the wind should get to the South of West.

CHILOE AND THE CHONOS ARCHIPELAGO.*

There is much less difference between the climate, the prevailing winds, and the order in which they follow, the tides, and the currents on the outer coast of Chiloe and at the West entrance of the Strait of Magalhaens, including the intermediate coasts, than persons would suppose who judge only by their geographical positions. North-westerly winds prevail, bringing clouds and rain in abundance. Southwesters succeed them, and partially clear the sky with their fury; then the wind moderates, and hauls into the S.E. quarter, where, after a short interval of fine weather, it dies away. Light airs spring up from the N.E., freshening as they veer round to the North, and augment the store of moisture which they always bring; from the North they soon shift to the usual quarter, N.W.; and between that point and S.W. they shift and back sometimes for weeks before they take another round turn. When the wind backs (from S. W. to W.N.W., &c.) bad weather and strong winds are sure to follow. On that coast the wind never backs suddenly, but it shifts with the sun (with respect to that hemisphere) very quickly, sometimes flying from N.W. to S.W. or South in a most violent squall. Before a shift of this kind there is almost always an opening or light appearance in the clouds towards the S.W., which the Spaniards call an eye (ojo), and for that signal the seaman ought to watch carefully. As the sudden shifts are always with the sun, no man ought to be taken aback unexpectedly; for, so long as a north-wester is blowing with any strength, accompanied by rain, so long must he recollect that the wind may fly round to the S. W. quarter at any minute. It never blows hard from East, rarely with any strength from N.E.; but an occasional severe gale from S.E. may be expected, especially about the middle of winter (June, July, August). In the summer southerly winds last longer and blow more frequently than they do in winter, and the reverse. The winds never go completely round the circle; they die away as they approach East; and after

an interval of calm, more or less in duration, spring up gradually between N.E. by E. and North. Heavy tempests sometimes blow from W.N.W. to S.W.; and those winds, blowing directly on shore, are most to be guarded against.

COAST OF CHILE.

The following observations are also by Capt. FitzRoy:

From September to May is the fine season, during which the skies of Chile are generally clear, and, comparatively speaking, but little rain falls. It is not, however, meant that there are not occasional exceptions to the general case: strong northers have been known (though rarely) in summer; and two or three days of heavy rain, even with little intermission, now and then disturb the equanimity of those who have made arrangements with implicit confidence in the serenity of a summer sky. These unwelcome interruptions are more rare, and of less consequence, to the northward of 31° than South of that parallel: and indeed so nearly uniform is the climate of Coquimbo, that the city is called La Serena.

In settled weather a fresh southerly wind springs up a little before noon (an hour sooner or later) and blows till about sunset, occasionally till midnight. This wind is sometimes quite furious in the height of summer, so very strong that ships are often prevented from working into their anchorages, such as Valparaiso Bay, although they may have taken the precautions of sending down topgallantyards, striking topgallant-masts, and close-reefing their sails. But the usual strength of this sea-breeze (as it is called, though it blows along the land) is such as a good ship would carry double-reefed topsails to it when working to windward. This is also nearly the average strength of a southerly wind in the open sea, between the parallels above mentioned; but there it is neither so strong by day, nor does it die away at night. Within sight of the land a ship finds the wind freshen and decrease nearly as much as in the ports, where the nights are generally calm till a land-breeze from the eastward springs up; but this light message from the Cordillera is never troublesome, neither does it last many hours. With these winds the sky is almost always clear; indeed, when the sky becomes cloudy, in summer, it is a sure sign of little or no sea-breeze, and probably a fall of rain: in the winter, it foretells an approaching northerly wind with rain.

In summer, ships anchor close to the land, to avoid being driven out to sea by those strong southerly winds; but as the winter approaches a more roomy berth is advisable, though not too far out, because near the shore there is always an undertow, and the wind is less powerful. Seamen should bear in mind that the course of the winds on this coast, as in all the southern hemisphere, is from the North round by the West; that the winds which blow the hardest, and bring the most sea, come from the westward of North; and that therefore they should get as much as possible under the shelter of rocks or land lying to the westward, rather than of those which only defend them from North winds. Northers, as they are called, give good warning; an overcast sky, little or no wind unless easterly, a swell from the northward, water higher than usual, distant land remarkably visible, being raised by refraction, and a falling barometer, are their sure indications. All northers, however, are not gales; some years pass without one that can be so termed, though few years pass in succession without ships