344 NAVIGATION. 



favourable for doubling the Cape. After leaving Table or 

 Simon's Bay, bound to the eastward, it is advisable to stand 

 well to the southward across the Bank of Aguilhas, to 

 avoid the stream of current setting over the bank to the 

 westward. To the southward of latitude 37° an easterly 

 current is often felt, and greatly facilitates the progress to 

 the eastward, particularly as the winds are uncertain and 

 unsettled hereabouts. Around the Cape Bank the winds in 

 changing follow the course of the sun. The heavy gales 

 generally blow from north-west ; if the wind backs to 

 north-north-west it increases ; if it veers to west-south- 

 west it decreases ; and when at south-west the gale breaks. 

 It is very useful to note this fact ; for ships bound east- 

 ward are often tempted to make northing when running be- 

 fore a north-westerly gale ; whereas the latitude should 

 then be increased to allow for being headed off to the north- 

 ward as the wind veers round to the eastward, which it has 

 been known to do five or six times in a week. 



The southernmost land of Africa is Cape Aguilhas or 

 Lagullas. It is found to be farther south than early navi- 

 gators supposed, being in lat. 34° 55' south, long. 20° 18'* 

 east, bearing east 20° south from the Cape of Good Hope, 

 distant thirty leagues. It is low even land, and may be 

 seen five or six leagues from the deck. There is no high 

 land within several miles in any direction. The Gunner's 

 Quoin, aver)' remarkable hill of that shape, is three or four 

 leagues west-north-west of Cape Lagullas, and is often seen 

 before the low land about this cape, and sometimes mistaken 

 for it. The Quoin appears isolated, and slopes down to the 

 eastward. From the Cape of Good Hope to Algoa Bay a 

 bank of soundings projects to the southward, in some re- 

 spects conforming to the shape of the coast. The southern 

 point of the bank is supposed to be in long. 22° east, lat. 

 37° south. Westward of Cape Aguilhas, to the south- 

 ward of 35° 15' south, the soundings are generally mud; 

 to the southward »f the Cape, green sand, on the south-east 

 and eastern parts of the bank, mostly coral, coarse sand, 

 shells,- and small stones. Abreast of Cape Aguilhas and 

 the land to the eastward of the Cape, there are generally 

 from forty to fifty fathoms three or four leagues from the 

 shore. 



* Captain Owen— Cape Lagullas, long. 19o 56' E., lat. 34<? 51' S 



