HISTORY OF THE 



weft dire<5tion ; but if we include the courfe of Hup- 

 ping thither, the iflands to be avoided, the tacks 

 and evolutions occafioned by contrary winds, and 

 lee-fhores, we may eftimate the voyages from 

 Greenock upon an average, at eighty miles each ; 

 which eighty miles, being a circuitous navigation, 

 that muft be made good on the oppofite fide of 

 the cape, till the vefiels have got fo far northward 

 as to be on a line with Greenock, the place from 

 whence they fet out, occafions an extra navigation 

 of 1 20 miles; or 240 miles outward and homeward, 

 to every veflel or boat pafling from the Clyde to the 

 Weft Highlands. The lofs of time, the expence 

 in provifions and feamens wages in performing 

 this voyage, muft be obvious to every reader j while 

 a confideration of ftill greater importance remains to 

 be mentioned. As there are no lands between this 

 cape and America, and the prevailing winds being 

 generally from that quarter, acrofs an ocean of 3000 

 miles, the collective force of thefe winds, and the 

 weight of the Atlantic, fall with the moft tremen- 

 dous and awful velocity on the cape ; which, had it 

 not been compofed of folid rock, muft have yielded, 

 long fince, to thofe raging elements. Veflels, there- 

 fore, whether outward or homeward bound, but 

 more efpecially the former, are frequently under 

 the necefllty of taking fhelter in fome commodious 

 port, creek, or bay, till the ftorms abate, till the 

 winds prove favourable, and the pafTage becomes 

 practicable. For, unlefs the wind be moderate as 

 well as fair, the bufTes and other fmall yeflels dare 

 not proceed, and thofe who are hardy enough to 

 make the attempt in rough weather, frequently 

 founder in the crofs and rapid tides that run at the 

 cape, and add very confiderably to its clangers. 



Nor are thefe the only difficulties that the buiTes ' 

 have to encounter in this navigation. The wind 

 that favoured the voyage down the Firth of Clyde, 

 /v . becomes, 



