Cross the Equator for the Last Time. ^^^ 



approached the Equator, it gradually blew steadily from 

 the S.E. 



On 23rd June the Equator was reached and crossed for the 

 sixth and last time in 26° 13' W. In 25 days the frigate had 

 run in a direct line 3800 nautical miles, or an average of 6J 

 knots an hour. 



The very strongly-marked westerly current which prevails 

 near the Equator materially lengthened the voyage, its 

 strength in 2° 39' N. and 26" 14' W. being such that while 

 the ship made 213 knots in the 24 liours upon her direct 

 course, she was carried within the same period no fewer than 

 65 miles in a direction of W. by N. 



The S. E. trade remained as such as far as 4° 36' N., 25*^ 

 38' W., when fresh N. E. breezes were encountered, and 

 stayed by the ship till she reached 9"" 54' N. by 29" 42' 

 W. She now had to make her way slowly forward through 

 a belt of calms, rain-squalls, and occasional puffs of wind 

 from W. and S. W., tiU, at length, on 2nd July, the wind 

 came on to blow from N. N. E., in 11° 47' N., by 29° 

 29' W. 



The French corvette Euri/dice, which had laid her course 

 for St. Helena, had on that account kept more to the east- 

 ward, and had crossed the line in about 22° W., and had in 

 consequence lost so much more way than the Novara that 

 she took three days longer than our frigate to get from St. 

 Helena to lat. 20° N., to which this other circumstance con- 

 tributed, that the N. E. trade does not blow so strongly or so 



