ACEOSS THE EQUATOB. 487 



It may therefore be well for a dull sailing ship to make a little Easting 

 after passing the Cape Verd Islands, more especially as the Eemarks on 

 Wind, for Square 303, show that the Wind, Weather, and sea near the 

 South Americau coast are very trying. In one case the ship crossed the 

 Equator in 26° 18' W., but still was much hampered. Hence it seems 

 right that a dull sailer should not cross the Equator to the Westward of 

 25° W. in May. The captain of a smart ship, when outward-bound, may 

 prefer keeping well to the Westward, and risking the detention near Cape 

 St. Eoque. 



Ships hound to the Northward should cross the Equator between 25° and 

 30° W., thus avoiding the unsettled Wind and Weather near South 

 America on the one side, and the large amount of Calm and light N.W. 

 Wind in the Eastern half of Square 3 on the other. The diagram shows 

 that the prevailing South-Easterly Wind is stronger, as well as more 

 settled, between 25° and 30° W., than between 30° and 35° W., especially 

 in the Southern part of the district. 



June. 



Ships hound to the Southward should pass to the Westward of the Cape 

 Verd Islands, where the wind is stronger than to the Eastward of them, 

 and steer to the Southward in about 26° W., standing to the S.E. with the 

 first of the Southerly Wind which they will probably meet with in 6° N., 

 and keeping on the starboard tack, if they can make Southing, until they 

 have made a fair amount of Easting. The Eemarks on Wind, in Squares 

 302 and 303, show that ships should not cross the Equator to the West- 

 ward of 28° W., and it would be all the better if they crossed 2° or 3° to 

 the Eastward of that meridian. Between 8° and 4° N. the prevailing 

 Current will probably be Easterly, but South of 4° N. it is likely to be very 

 strong to the Westward ; the requisite Easting should therefore be made 

 on getting the first of the Southerly wind, as the S.E. Trade becomes more 

 Easterly near the Equator. 



Winds. — Eeferring to the Eastern half of the June Wind Chart for 

 Square 303, and taking S.E. by E. as a central point, then, when the 

 Wind is not from that point : — 



Between 0° & 4° S. the prob. is about 4 to 3 that it will be more Southerly. 

 , 4° & 6° S. -^ +" "^ 



, 6° & 8° S. 

 „ 8° & 10° S. 



So that, as in May, the wind becomes more Southerly in the Southern than 

 in the Northern half of the square, especially between 6° and 10° S. 



Current. — The Westerly Current in Square 303 is still strong, especially 

 in the Northern haK of the square, where it frequently exceeds 30 miles 

 in the 24 hours. There is much Southerly, and even South- Westerly, sea 

 in June. > 



In cases of ships crossing the Equator, all those in Square 803 show the 

 importance of crossing well to the Eastward. 



