during- a Voyage from St Helena to England. 249 

 May 14. S. Lat. 1° 8', W. Long. 18° 16'. 



The night was fresh, and we crossed the Line about 10 h 28' 

 P. M. 



We were carried, in twenty-four hours preceding noon, 

 about sixteen miles to the west, and one or two to the south. 



According to the observations collected by M. DApres, 

 there are shoals near the Line, to the southward, between the 

 meridians 21° W, and 18° W. A ship, for example, received 

 a shock, as if from touching a sand-bank, in 0° 20' S. Lat. 

 and 20° 50' W. Long. ; another met with the same accident 

 in 0° 20/ S. Lat. and 18° W. Long. ; and a third in 1° 35' 

 S. Lat. and 17° 50' W. Long. A sand island also was seen 

 in 0° 23', and 19° 10' W. Long. The comparative low tem- 

 perature of the sea to-day is in favour of the opinion that the 

 bottom we have been passing over is not very deep, particu- 

 larly so as the current seems to set rather southward than 

 northward. Very many flying fish have been seen to-day ; 

 often more than 100 together. 



'&"■ 



May 15. N. Lat. 1° 24', W. Long. 18° 40'. 



During the twenty-four hours preceding noon, we have 

 been carried nine miles to the westward, and thirteen to the 

 south. 



A little after six in the evening, the weather changed. The 

 wind became variable and squally, and the sky obscured with 

 dark clouds, threatening rain. We shortened sail as speedily 

 as possible ; and whilst this was doing, the wind blowing hard 



