THE SARGASSO WEED. 281 



Horsburgh, in his Directory, mentions the 

 range of the weed, as being first seen in latitude 

 24° or 25° north, and extending as far as latitude 

 40° or 42° north, but I regard the limits of its 

 range as depending much on the prevailing 

 winds blowing strong for some time in a par- 

 ticular direction. On the 3rd of March, 1831, 

 I first saw the weed in latitude 20° 12' north, 

 longitude 35° 39' west. In latitude 24° 16' north, 

 and longitude 36° 55' west, large quantities of it 

 were passed, and in latitude 37° 53' north, and 

 longitude 35° 32' west, we left it. 



During this voyage it was first observed, as 1 

 have previously mentioned, on the 31st of March, 

 in latitude 22° north, and 41' west longitude; 

 and was seen in large quantities nearly the 

 whole distance. From the trade wind being- 

 much to the northward, we were driven as 

 far to the westward as 44° 7', still continuing 

 to have a quantity of weed about the ship ; in- 

 deed it rather increased than diminished, for 

 large masses were seen even thus far beyond the 

 usual limit assigned to it ; on the 12th of April 

 extending to 38° 32' north latitude, and 34° 30' 

 west longitude. The utmost western limit I had 

 an opportunity of observing it in being 44° 7', 

 and the range of the temperature of the atmo- 

 sphere in its limits being maximum 76°, medium 

 70", minimum 59°. 



