VOYAGE FROM THE CHESAPEAKE TO MADEIRA. 



81 



CHAPTER IL 



VOYAGE FROM THE CAPES OF THE CHESAPEAKE TO MADEIRA. VIEW OF THE ISLAKD. FtTMCHAL. HOSPITALITY OF THE INHAB- 

 ITANTS. SALUBRITY OF THE CLIMATE. EXPORTS OF THE ISLAND. NOVEL MODE OF CONVEYANCE. DEPARTURE FROM 



MADEIRA AND ARRIVAL AT THE CANARIES. EARLY FAILURE OF NORTHEAST TRADES EXTRAORDINARY SWELL FROM THE 



NORTHWEST. GENERAL ORDER AS TO PRIVATE JOURNALS AND COMMUNICATIONS TO PUBLIC PRINTS. GENERAL ORDER AS 



TO SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS BY OFFICERS. THE "HARMATTAN," CONSIDERATION OF HYPOTHESES AS TO ITS ORIGIN. 



SOUTHEAST TRADES. SHIP STEERED FOR ST. HELENA. OBSERVATIONS ON THE CURRENTS. CHAPLAIn's OBSERVATIONS ON 



THE ZODIACAL LIGHTS. ARRIVAL AT ST. HELENA. DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND. JAMESTOWN. LONGWOOD. TOMB OP 



NAPOLEON. THE CALCULATING HOSPITALITY OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE ISLAND.' — ADVENTURE OF LIEUTENANT ■. 



FORTIFICATIONS OF THE ISLAND. THEIR SUFFICIENCY AGAINST SAILING VESSELS. PROBABLE INSUFFICIENCY AGAINST AN 



APPROACH FROM THE WEST BY STEAM. DEPARTURE FROM ST. HELENA. 



N leaving the capes of the Chesapeake, the wind for ten 

 days was strong from the southward ; it then changed 

 to N.N.E., making a heavy "wallowing" sea; and then, 

 hauling to the westward, blew with such violence as to render 

 the ship uncomfortable. She, however, sustained the high 

 opinion the Commodore entertained of her good qualities, 

 behaving (as she always had done) most admirably, and 

 averaging more than seven knots during the whole passage. 

 Though unusually deep in the water, but eight of her twelve 

 furnaces were put in requisition, and her daily consumption 

 of Cumberland coal was about twenty-six tons. 



After crossing the Gulf stream a southwestern current 

 of about a knot per hour was experienced ; and this continued until the ship was within a 

 thousand miles of Madeira, when it ceased entirely. No other current was observed during the 

 remainder of the passage to the island. 



The land was made on the evening of December 11th, seventeen days after leaving Norfolk. 

 On making the northern extremity of the island, "Point Atristow," the wind was blowing a 

 gale from the W.S.W., which occasioned a heavy "rolling" sea. The ship was, therefore, 

 run along the northern end of the island with the view of finding smoother water, the more 

 conveniently to bend the cables. 



In coasting the island, several very pretty villages were observed occupying sheltered nooks, 

 usually at the bottom of some ravine, and near an indentation of the coast, which offered 

 11 J 



