APPENDIX. 541 



parts of the coast, there are no doubt strong gales at times 

 from the westward, that send in a very heavy sea. During the 

 easterly monsoon, the weather is fine on the N.W. coast, parti- 

 cularly in the months of May, June, July, and August; this is 

 undoubtedly the best time for visiting it ; land and sea-breezes 

 are regular, and the temperature is very agreeable. 



The average range of the thermometer on that part of the 

 coast, between the N.W. Cape, and the meridian of 120° east 

 longitude, during the above-mentioned period, was between 

 75° in the middle of the day, and 60° at night, on board the 

 ship, and the general course of the wind as follows, viz. 



About sunrise, or sometimes a little before that, a breeze 

 springs up between S. and S.S.E. and draws to the east- 

 ward as the sun rises, rapidly increasing in strength, and 

 between 8 and 11 a.m. often blows a fiery breeze; towards 

 noon it moderates, and rarely lasts until 2 p.m., after which 

 there is a light breeze from N.E. which at times reaches to 

 north ; the nights are mostly calm, or a light breeze from the 

 south-westward ; at the full and change of the moon, we found 

 the south-easterly winds stronger than at other times ; dews at 

 times very copious. 



All this part of the coast is subject to the effects of mirage, 

 by which its outline is at times very much distorted, but 

 generally speaking it ceases with the strength of the breeze, 

 and as the sun attains a little altitude. When the effects of 

 mirage was observed in the morning, I noticed that the winds 

 were much lighter throughout the day, than usual. 



During this part of the year, the atmosphere is clear, with 

 a cloudless sky, and the coast is exempted from the violent 

 E.S.E. squalls, that are of frequent occurrence, while the sun 

 is in the southern hemisphere, and the land consequently very 

 much heated. 



Towards the latter end of August, and in September, the 

 winds are not quite so regular, and there are occasional inter- 

 vals of two or three days of westerly winds. 



That part of the N.W. coast between the N.W. Cape, and 

 the 116th degree of east longitude, seems to be subject to 



