NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 223 



or nothing, except what conjecture suggested, was known as to the 

 winds in this part of the ocean. The results of nay investigations else- 

 where, with regard to winds and the circulation of the atmosphere had 

 enabled me to announce as a theoretical deduction, that the winds in 

 the " variables " of the South Pacific would probably be found to pre- 

 vail from the westward with a tradewind like regularity. 



^j ii 



Between the parallels of 45 and 55 degrees south from the meridian 

 of the Cape of Good Hope eastward, around to that of Cape Horn, 

 there is no land or other disturbing agent to intercept the wind in its 

 regular circuits : here the winds would be found blowing from the west 



^? o 



with greater force than from the east in the tradewind region, and 

 giving rise to that long rolling swell peculiar to those regions of the 

 Pacific, they would enable ships steering east to make the most 

 remarkable runs that have ever been accomplished under canvass. 

 The Sovereign of the Seas has afforded the most beautiful illustration 

 as to the correctness of these theoretical deductions. Leaving Oahu 

 for New York, via Cape Horn, 13th February last, she stood to the 

 southward through the belts, both of the northeast and the southeast 

 trades, making a 2;ood course on the average through them, a little to 



O O O O 



the west of south. She finally got clear of them March 6th, after 

 crossing the parallel of 45 degrees south, upon the meridian of 164 

 degrees west. The 8th and 9th she was in the horse latitude weather 

 of the Southern hemisphere. So far, her run had been good, but 

 there was nothing remarkable in it. Having crossed the parallel of 

 48 degrees south, she found herself on the 10th, fairly within the trade- 

 like west winds of the Southern ocean ; and here commenced a suc- 

 cession of the most extraordinary days' runs that have ever been link- 

 ed together across the ocean. From March 9th to March 31st, from 

 the parallel of 48 degrees south in the Pacific, to 35 degrees south in 

 the Atlantic, during an interval of twenty-two days, that ship made 29 

 degrees of latitude, and 126 of longitude.' Her shortest day's run 

 during the interval, determined by calculation, (not by log) being 

 150 knots. The wind, all this time, is not recorded once with easting 

 in it ; it was steady and fresh from the westward. 



In these twenty-two days, that ship made five thousand three hun- 

 dred and ninety-one nautical miles. But that you may the more con- 

 veniently contrast her performance with that of railroad cars and 

 river steamers, I will quote her in statute miles. 



Here, then, is a ship under canvass, and with the winds alone as a 

 propelling power, and with a crew, too, so short, the captain informs 

 me, that she was but half manned, accomplishing, in twenty-two days, 

 the enormous run of six thousand two hundred and forty-five miles, 

 (one-fourth the distance round the earth,) and making the daily aver- 

 age of two hundred and eighty-three statute miles and nine-tenths 

 (283.9). During eleven of these days consecutively, her daily aver- 

 age was three hundred and fifty-four statute miles ; and during four 

 days, also, consecutively, she averaged as high as three hundred and 

 ninety-eight and three quarter statute miles. From noon of one 

 to the noon of the next day, the greatest distance made was three hun 



20* 



