176 Voyage of the Novara. 



even during the hours of darkness to make out with perfect 

 distinctness islands lying 25 to 30 miles distant, so that we 

 were by these means, coupled with occasional casts of the 

 lead, enabled on every occasion to make out with sufficient 

 exactness at what point we had arrived. We were so lucky as 

 to have never once tlu"Oughout this intricate navigation been 

 compelled to cast anchor (as is so frequently the case here), 

 and thus succeeded in overhauling in Gaspar Straits more 

 than one merchantman, that was a far better sailer than the 

 Novara, 



On 30th April in 2<' 48' S., and 107° 16' E., we celebrated 

 the anniversary of our departure from Trieste, with hearts 

 filled with gratitude to the illustrious projector of an expedi- 

 tion devoted to such lofty aims. 



Although during our stay in Singapore the cholera had 

 not alone carried off its victims in the town, but also in the 

 harbour, especially in the screw-corvette Niger^ anchored in 

 our immediate vicinity, which lost at the rate of about a 

 man daily till she changed her moorings, and ultimately, 

 had to put to sea (which under such circumstances gives 

 hope from the very first for a change for the better in the 

 requisite sanitary conditions for restoring to health), yet 

 the crew of the Novara seemed destined to escape the slight- 

 est evil effects from our six days' stay in this plague-stricken 

 harbour. But the result did not justify these expectations. 

 Five days after our departure from Singapore, just as we 



