4 SPOET1NG ADVENTURES 



who may be seen disporting themselves in the 

 water. 



This custom is not always carried out in a 

 man-of-war, as some captains consider that it 

 interferes with the discipline of the ship. In 

 reality it does not do so, and the ceremony, if 

 carried out in a good-tempered way, adds much 

 to the mirth and joviality of all- on board. On 

 the 6th of October we anchored in the beautiful 

 harbour of Rio de Janeiro ; the " Nymphe " had 

 not arrived, nor did she appear for eight days 

 afterwards, so that we beat her by eleven days. 



On comparing our logs, this discrepancy was 

 partly accounted for by the different routes 

 taken by the two ships ; the "Nymphe" went 

 to the westward of the Cape de Yerdes, and 

 encountered a hurricane which delayed her three 

 days ; she also crossed the line farther to the 

 eastward than we did. There can be no doubt 

 that by crossing the line well to the westward 

 a narrower belt of calms is met with, and the 

 S.B. trade picked up sooner than by adopting a 

 more easterly route. 



