ship should be kept upon the starboard tack, unless it veer to the southward of S.S.W., until she reaches the latitude of 60° south, and then upon that tack on which most westing may be made. In this parallel, however, the wind is thought to prevail more from the eastward than from any other quarter. Never having passed round Cape Horn in the summer season, I may not perhaps be justified in opposing my opinion to that of others, who, having tried both seasons, give the preference to the summer months. The advantage of long days is certainly very great, but, from my experience of the winds and weather during these opposite seasons at Port Famine, I preferred the winter passage, and in our subsequent experience of it, found no reason to alter my opinion. Easterly and northerly winds prevail in the winter off the cape, whilst southerly and westerly winds are constant during the summer months; and not only are the winds more favourable in the winter, but they are moderate in comparison to the fury of the summer gales.

Having passed the meridian of Cape Pillar, it will yet be advisable to take every opportunity of making westing in preference to northing until the meridian of 82° or 84° be reached, which will enable a ship to steer through the North-westerly winds that prevail between the parallels of 50° and 54°. (See Hall's South America, Appendix.)

With respect to the utility of the barometer as an indicator of the weather that is experienced off Cape Horn, I do not think it can be considered so unfailing a guide as it is in the lower or middle latitudes. Captain Fitz-Roy, however, has a better opinion of the indications shewn by this valuable instrument: my opinion is, that although the rise or fall at times precedes the change, yet it more frequently accompanies it. The following sketch of the movement of the barometer, and of the weather that we experienced, may be not without its use.

Being to the north of Staten Island for three days preceding full moon, which occurred on the 3d April (1829), we had very foggy weather, with light winds from the eastward and

northward, causing a fall of the mercury from 29.90 to 29.56. On the day of full moon the column rose, and we had a beautiful morning, during which the high mountains of Staten Island were quite unclouded, as were also those of Tierra del Fuego. At noon, however, a fresh gale from the S.W. set in, and enveloped the land with a dense mist. No sooner had the wind changed, than the mercury rose to 29.95, but fell again the next morning; and with the descent the wind veered round to N.W., and blew strongly with thick cloudy weather and rain, which continued until the following noon, when the wind veered to S.W., the barometer at 29.54, having slightly risen; but after the change it fell, and continued to descend gradually until midnight, when we had a fresh gale from W.S.W. When this wind set in, the mercury rose, and continued to rise, as the wind veered without decreasing in strength to S.S.W., until it reached 29.95, when it fell again and the weather moderated, but without any change of wind. During the descent of the mercury, the sky with us was dull and overcast, with squalls of wind and rain, but on shore it seemed to be very fine sunshiny weather.

The column now fell to 29.23, and during its descent the weather remained the same, dull and showery; but as soon as the mercury became stationary, a fresh breeze set in from the southward, with fine weather.

After this to new moon the weather was very unsettled, the wind veering between South and W.S.W.; the barometer rising as it veered to the former, and falling as it became more westerly; but on no occasion did it precede the change.

The mean height of the barometer is about 29.5.

The mercury stands lowest with N.W. winds, and highest with S.E.

With the wind at N.W. or northerly the mercury is low; if it falls to 29 inches or 28.80, a S.W. gale may be expected, but it will not commence until the column has ceased to descend. It frequently, however, falls without being followed by this change. In the month of June, at Port Famine, the barometer fell to 28.17, and afterwards gradually rose to 30.5,