96 APPENDIX. 



of the Mediterranean, particularly the Levant, is pursued generally in ships second in their 

 sailing qualities to the mercantile marine of no country in the world. 



After rejoining the admiral and fleet in Vourla Bay, she was despatched on the llth of 

 September again to Zante for the mails from the English packet, and made the voyage under 

 canvass in six days, encountering light winds throughout, principally in a direction contrary 

 to her course ; and on this occasion she beat an Austrian ship of war. The return 

 to Vourla under steam was at an average rate of eight and a half miles an hour, the 

 wind being contrary during the whole passage, and for more than half of it very strong. 



On the 7th of October the ship returned to Malta, and from thence she proceeded by steam 

 on the 20th towards Constantinople, with a messenger and despatches for the British 

 minister ; but not being allowed to enter the Dardanelles, she remained at anchor in Basika 

 Bay, on the coast of Asia Minor, close to the plains of Troy. On the 2nd of November, when 

 returning, they experienced in the neighbourhood of Lemnos a heavy gale of wind, in which 

 the vessel behaved remarkably well and suffered no damage, except the loss of a few sails 

 (it being always expedient, when the steam is used in a gale of wind, to set as much sail as 

 may conveniently be carried, in order to steady the ship). As the wind was very strong 

 ahead on nearly all the route to Malta, the passage was made at a slower rate than usual, 

 the speed being in some instances, during the height of the gale with a heavy swell, reduced 

 as low as three and a half knots ; yet, even under these untoward circumstances, the average 

 rate was six knots an hour. 



The next voyage was on the 26th of December, from Malta to and from Zante, Patras, 

 Cephalonia, and Corfu ; in this instance performing the duty of a packet. The run to Corfu 

 was at a mean rate of near nine miles an hour, the wind being variable, and having ex- 

 perienced as far as the islands a heavy swell, of course always unfavourable to the progress of 

 a steamer. On the 2nd of January, 1837, she left Corfu, at 4 P. M. again called at the 

 places above-mentioned, (being detained eight hours at Patras,) and reached Valette at 

 6 P. M. on the 5th, making the whole distance at an average of nine miles an hour, though the 

 wind was mostly contrary, and in some instances strong ahead. 



After this voyage the Medea remained at Malta until the 20th of March, when she started 

 for Toulon with some important despatches, and also to receive on board Sir Charles 

 Vaughan, lately appointed Ambassador Extraordinary to the Porte. This passage was effected 

 by steam in four days, at a mean rate of seven and a half knots, having for more than twenty- 

 four hours of this time experienced a heavy gale of wind from the westward, with a tremendous 

 sea, so high that at one time the ship was nearly thrown on her "beam-ends," the lee 

 paddle-box immersed, and a boat which was secured to " davits " far above the " gunwale" 

 much damaged. 



As the wind still continued westerly, it was favorable for the return passage so far as the 

 straits of Bonifacio, and the rate was nine and a quarter miles an hour, though the coals 

 were so bad as to make it difficult to keep the steam up, and the ship's motion, from the 

 waves, was very unfavorable to her progress. On the coast of Sardinia the wind changed to 

 south, with a continued high sea ; yet her speed against it was not below nine knots, and she 

 continued on the remainder of the route to Malta, with an incessant breeze ahead, at nearly 

 the same average, and reached the port on the 30th of March. 



