538 Voyage af the Novara. 



after receiving which we were on 14th x\ugust towed as far as 

 Gutzlaff's Island. Here we had once more to lay to, owing to 

 calms and currents, till at last on the 15th August a fresh breeze 

 sprang up from the S. E., and enabled us to make an offing. 



The temperature had materially altered during the last few 

 days. After a cycle of oppressive heat the weather had sud- 

 denly changed to severe squalls, with a marked fall in the 

 barometric column. The thermometer, which while we were 

 lying off Shanghai marked from 86*^ to 93^.2 Fahr., now indi- 

 cated in the morning only 68° Fahr., and during the day 

 never rose above 77° Fahr. The number of fever cases, which 

 had reached the number of seventy, began gradually to fall 

 off. Several cases of dysentery forthwith began to show symp- 

 toms of amendment. 



Considering the latitude we were in, and the season of the 

 year, the barometer stood unusually high (30°. 100), and al- 

 though this might be attributable to the constant prevalence 

 of easterly winds, we nevertheless knew we were approaching 

 the period when the monsoon changes, and little reliance was 

 to be placed on the steadiness of that from the S.E. Accord- 

 ingly on the 17th the wind shifted round to N.E. by E., while 

 our course was due S.E. This however rendered it necessary 

 to tack, if we wished to pass to the northward of the Loo-Choo 

 group, whereas we could run free and with a fair wind 

 through the southern channel. The sun set behind a bank 

 of dense clouds on the horizon. The western sky was tinged 

 a deep red, and the stars shone out with uncommon brilliancy, 



