INDIAN OCEAN. 229 



far south at any time. They have seen lands to the east of the 

 Shetlands, but give no account of any animal or vegetable produc- 

 tion on any of them. 



The southern part of the New South Shetlands extends farther 

 than any one has yet penetrated. The shores are bold, and in 

 many places afford spacious harbours, which look as if they might 

 extend far into land, like Hudson or Baffin's bay. 



The captains who have sailed within the straits of Magellan, all 

 report that, if properly surveyed, it would become the principal 

 passage to the Pacific ocean. They state that the snow-storms 

 are not frequent, nor of long duration, to the south, and generally 

 come with E. N. E. and S. S. E. winds. Currents, among the 

 Shetlands, mostly set N. E. at 1 J and 2 miles an hour. 



Captain James C. Swain states that he has been several times 

 in the Pacific ocean, and found the best time to double the Cape 

 in March and April, as then the winds are most variable, and the 

 weather the most pleasant, with but now and then some rain and 

 hail. The highest point of south latitude he made was 59 18', 

 long. 67 20' W., being then 95 days out. The snow-storms 

 lasted but a short time in that latitude. Short passages are made 

 by keeping hear the land. On the 5th of April, he saw birds in 

 lat. 56 20', long. 80 W. The birds were small, and could not 

 have flown far. From the appearance of the water, and from the 

 driftwood, as well as from the birds, he conjectured that land was 

 not far off. He crossed the equator on the- 24th of June, in long. 

 115 22' when the variation was 5 degrees easterly. In lat. 7 

 09' N., long., 121 25' W., the variation was 5 45'. In lat. 11 

 N., long 123 55' W., and from thence to long. 129, and to lat. 

 18 22 X , he saw driftwood, and imagined that land was near. 

 From 33 28' N. lat. and on 144 5CK W. long, to 153, the vari- 

 ation was about 10 degrees. He says it does not answer to come 

 from high to low latitudes until October. In lat. 23 25' S., long. 

 52 50' W., he saw an island, called by the natives " Remat." It 



