1843.] ROUTE TO THE CAPE. 7 



That my brother seamen may not be displeased with this 

 remark, it may be stated that my reasons for selecting 

 this almost abandoned track, were, in the first place, that 

 many competent observers had already preceded me in the 

 route towards the twenty-fourth degree of West Longi- 

 tude ; and, therefore, if I could pass ten or fifteen de- 

 grees more to the eastward, a parallel course would tend 

 either to confirm or shake the theoretical lines of Dip and 

 Intensity, particularly in the vicinity of the Magnetic 

 Equator. Secondly, that as the Island of St. Matthew 

 still remains on our charts, it might be desirable to add 

 my testimony as to its existence or otherwise, in its 

 "assigned position." These were points of research 

 essential in a Naval Surveyor, and a further duty, which 

 all Naval Commanders owe to their profession, is that 

 of explaining why they have deviated from what is com- 

 monly received as the " main road ", as well as the result 

 of such deviation. 



Having always considered the eastern route the pre- 

 ferable, I attempted, on my homeward voyage in H.M.S. 

 ' Sulphur ', to reach Porto Praya direct from Ascension ; 

 in this, however, I failed, owing to the occurrence of 

 westerly breezes driving us towards the African coast 

 until in the parallel of the Cape de Verd Islands, which 

 proved that from the Cape de Verds southerly towards the 

 Equator, in the month of June, favourable breezes without 

 calms might be reckoned upon; and I was reminded 

 that ships coming from Ascension and St. Helena gene- 

 rally make good passages, passing to the westward of the 

 Cape de Verds. My experience whilst employed on the 

 African Station, taught me that a fair passage from the 



