26o Voyage of the Novara. 



by 110 means special importance, that we sliould reach the 

 very point of minimum declination, — it sufficed to ascertain 

 that the observed diminution, as marked upon the charts, 

 corresponded with our observations, which proved, in fact, to 

 be the case. 



This confirmation proved the more satisfactory, that when 

 we reached the N. E. side of the Paomotu group (also called 

 Pakomotu, lying between IS''— 22° S., and 135°— 150° W.) 

 we found a fresh north-easter blowing, a phenomenon which 

 during the fine season is due to the high temperature of these 

 islands, and of course interposed a serious and persistent ob- 

 stacle to our intended N. E. course. 



Another impediment to our attempt to get nearer to the 

 zero point of minimum declination presented itself in the 

 far from healthy state of the ship's crew. A peculiar endemic 

 colic,* called by the French at Tahiti colique secJie, or colique 

 vegetale (dry or vegetable colic), was rapidly extending 

 among the menj and had already carried oif one victim, a 

 sailor, who died after a short illness on the morning of the 

 9th March, and was committed to the deep the same day 

 with the customary solemnities. 



By 17th March, in 15° 52' S., and 137° 23' W., the declina- 

 tion of the magnetic needle had diminished to 5J° E., and 

 thus far agreed pretty accurately with that indicated by the 

 charts ; it is not, however, likely that it actually falls to a 



* This colic stuck to the ship for nearly eight months, and out of 36 cases, the 

 shortest time it took to run its course was nine days, the longest 94. 



