396 APPENDIX. 



rection will ultimately be of use. Between December and 

 April a more northerly trade may be expected, and conse- 

 quently easting is of more consequence. The S.E. trade is 

 not as regular as that to the northward of the Equator. It 

 generally blows at E. or E.N.E., and when the sun is to the 

 southward of the equator it is sometimes interrupted by N. 

 and N. W. winds. These should be taken advantage of 

 in order to get to the eastward, even at the expense of a few 

 miles of latitude, until well advanced to the northward, and 

 until the N.E. trade is fallen in with. 



The Blossom left Otaheite on the 26th of April, 1826, and 

 crossed the equator on the 9th of May in long. 150° 01' W. 

 From the time of sailing the winds were light from the E. and 

 E. N. E., but sometimes veered to N. E. and N. ; with these 

 we tacked and endeavoured to gain easting, but did not suc- 

 ceed as we wished. We kept the easterly wind to the lat. of 4o 

 N. and long. 149o 47' W., when the N.E. trade met us ; it 

 commenced with hard squalls and rain at N.E. by E., at which 

 point it continued with scarcely any variation ; and we had as 

 much wind as would allow us to cany, conveniently, courses 

 and double-reefed topsails, and latterly topgallant sails, until 

 we made Owyhee on the 18th, about forty miles due west of 

 us. We now felt the advantage of being well to windward, 

 and keeping the same distance in order to ensure the sea 

 breeze throughout the night, made Mowee the following 

 morning, and the same night arrived close off Diamond Point 

 (Woahoo). 



The current from Otaheite to the equator set to the W.N. W. 

 from ten to thirty miles per day, at an average rate of sixteen 

 and a half miles per day. From the equator to the fourth de- 

 cree N., when we met the N.E. trade, it ran N.N.E. fifteen 

 to twenty-three miles a day, averaging eighteen miles a day, 

 after which it ceased entirely. On om* arrival off Owyhee the 

 current from leaving Otaheite had set N. 54° W. 164 miles, 

 or 7.1 miles per day. 



