194 Voijage of the JSlovara. 



of Victoria, and by the middle of November retm-ned via 

 Mauritius and the Red Sea to Europe." 



Sucli is the account given by our geologist of his proceed- 

 ings while the Novara was steering homewards. The voyage 

 to the Society Islands Archipelago promised at first to be 

 very speedy, but ere long was seriously delayed by strong 

 contrary winds, and while, on the one hand, we could make 

 but short tacks, we had on the other not merely to forego 

 the pleasure of clear sunny weather, but had the miserable 

 prospect of nothing but squalls and rain. Our additions to 

 our natural history collections were likewise very scanty, 

 and even our most important capture, a shark 10 feet 4 inches 

 in length, and weighing 174 lbs., was much more of a treat 

 to the sailors than an acquisition to science. 



The only circumstance throughout the voyage which made 

 a certain impression was the passage of the meridian of 180", 

 about 11 P.M., on the 10th of January, so that we had now 

 entered upon W. longitude again. Accordingly, there was 

 no small astonishment among the sailors, when a day seemed 

 suddenly to be dropped out of our reckoning, and orders 

 were issued that Monday, 10th January, should be entered 

 twice in all journals and reckonings, that is, should be entered 

 for that and the following day also, so as to prevent our re- 

 turning to Europe with the log one day ahead of the calendar. 

 Of course a little explanation soon satisfied all landsmen of 



