VOYAGE OUTWARD. 31 



in nature. This land is north of Joris Bay, and is seldom 

 seen : see Plate I. Fig. 1. 



On the 28th of April, three natives, the first 1 had yet 

 seen, came up with the ship, and being lifted into a boat, 

 canoes and all, they came aboard, and bartered some parts 



southward, then traversing sideways, with fairy speed, in conical spires 

 from E.N.E. to W.S.W. on an invisible base, nearly parallel with 

 the horizon, but descending fi'om the north. 



The moon, at the same time, shone faintly through a corona in 

 intervening diffuse cirrostratus, around which was an extensive halo. 

 Mr. Foster states the halo as ordinarily about 45° in radius : by that 

 proportion the halo here observed must have been more than twice 

 that extent of radius. The luminous ring here noticed exhibited 

 none of the iridescent colours, but was of a sickly yellowish white ; 

 the area scarcely differing from the exterior, except that portion in 

 which the corona appeared. 



This phenomenon having attracted my attention, I remained on 

 deck till midnight, and conversing with an experienced seaman on the 

 subject, I learned that such appearances in this latitude generally 

 preceded very high wind. The increasing temperature, noted this 

 day, was a further indication of an approaching wind from the south- 

 ward. 



There was a dead calm immediately after the coruscation disap- 

 peared : the atmosphere very clear. 



March 27 : ther. 42°, 46°, 43° : Wind S. by W., strong breeze : 



