194 ^^y^y^ ^f f^^ Novara. 



velocity of the ship against it. AVith this velocity ascer- 

 tained, we were in a position to determine and fix the aver- 

 age distance hetween two consecutive waves. Lastly, the 

 height of the wave was ascertained from the angle at which 

 the frigate rose and fell in the line of its keel, bv the influ- 

 ence of each successive wave and by means of the ascertained 

 distance from the trough of the sea to the crest of the wave. 

 Though this method, likewise, has many diflBculties and 

 deficiencies, yet it appears well suited to make correct com- 

 parisons between the difi^erent waves ; and, under certain 

 favourable conditions, it yields so accurate a result, that at 

 any rate it is to be preferred to mere guess-work, besides 

 that the experiment itself is susceptible of many improvements. 

 It seems safe to assume that waves scarcely ever attain an 

 elevation of more than 40 or 45 feet. 



The gale had driven us a long distance out, and only 

 after great trouble did we again near the land. On the 1st 

 of October the Cape came once more in sight ; we tacked, 

 in order to get into the wide gulf termed False Bay, by which 

 in some respects the peninsula of the Cape is formed, being 

 separated only by a low sandy plain from the Atlantic. 

 Whittle's rock renders tacking in its neighbourhood in so far 

 more difficult, as the existing charts of the bay are not suffi- 

 ciently exact to be implicitly relied on. Buoys have often been 

 fixed in that quarter, but every new gale carried them away 

 again ; so that the position of the rock is not indicated. 

 An English pilot now came on board, who brought papers. 



