NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 353 



the island the air saturated with moisture impinging on the steep mountain ranges 

 causes frequent showers of snow, hail, or rain, and the clouds arrested by the hills 

 accumulate and -sink down causing -mists and fogs ; whilst, as is usually the case, on the 

 eastward or lee side of the island the air is generally dry and there is but little fog. 



The difference between the amount of rainfall on the weather and lee sides of Kerguelen 

 is well illustrated by the snow on the hills, for whilst the main range (the mean height 

 of which cannot exceed 3500 feet) is always capped with snow and ice, the leeward hills, 

 Mount Crosier, Mount Wyville Thomson, &c. (which exceed 3000 feet), are entirely free 

 from snow in the summer season. 



The prevailing westerly wind is sometimes interrupted by northeast and north w T inds 

 (N. by E. to N.W. by N. true) wdiich blow with considerable violence, and during their 

 continuance the sky is overcast and the weather thick and rainy, they usually follow a 

 high barometer and fine weather. Just before they commence the barometer falls rapidly 

 and the thermometer rises, and their duration is inversely as the rate of descent of the 

 mercurial column. On one occasion in Betsy Cove the Challenger experienced a 

 sudden northeast gale wdiich only lasted three hours, the barometer falling a tenth of 

 an inch per hour for four hours. These northeasterly and northerly winds are called 

 by the whalers " northers," and their liability to blow occasionally at all seasons of the 

 year should be borne in mind in selecting an anchorage, for inlets such as Cascade Reach 

 and Accessible Bay are open to these winds ; Betsy Cove is, however, protected from them. 



When the wind veers to the westward or southwestward {S.W. by W. and S. by W. 

 true) the thermometer falls and the barometer rises, whilst the sky becomes fairly clear, 

 but there are still occasional snow squalls. 



It must be borne in mind by vessels visiting or navigating in the vicinity of 

 Kerguelen Island that strong winds are the rule and moderate or light breezes the ex- 

 ception, and that though clear weather prevails immediately to leeward of the group, the 

 land is not extensive enough to cause much alteration in the general condition of the 

 atmosphere hereabouts, which is thick and foggy. During the 68 days Ross spent in 

 Christmas Harbour in the depth of winter, it blew a gale on 45 days, and only three 

 days w r ere entirely free from snow and rain. In the 26 days spent here by the 

 Challenger in January, strong breezes or gales prevailed for 16 days; and whilst the 

 " Volage " was at the island attending on the Transit of Venus party from the 

 9th October 1874 to the 27th February 1875, in October 7 days' gales were registered, 

 in November 14, in December 16, in January 10, and in February 12. 



Occasionally, but very rarely, the usual boisterous weather is interrupted by a calm, 

 or a light easterly wind, when the sky is perfectly free from clouds, and the atmosphere is 

 remarkably clear, every hill-top being distinctly visible ; but this fine enjoyable weather 

 seldom lasts twenty-four hours, and is quickly succeeded by a gale. No strict rule can be 

 laid down as to the connection between the state of the weather and the height of the 



(XAHR. CHALL. EXI\ VOL. I. 1884.) 45 



