494 PASSAGES OVER THE ATLANTIC. 



There is a difficulty here in estimating the relative value of tho 

 American and Dutch results, as we do not know what the class and 

 sailing powers of the two fleets were ; but it is probable that the superiority 

 of the American tracks would not be so great, if the Dutch had selected 

 vessels of an equal class for the comparison. However, it would seem 

 that there is certainly some few hours detention on the average by going 

 inside the islands, compared with the outer passages contained in the 

 foregoing Tables. 



Captain Sir Edward Belcher, in his outward voyage round the Cape of Good 

 Hope, in the Suimtidng, March, 1843, diverged from the "beaten track," with 

 considerable advantage. His reason for so doing was, that by crossing the 

 Equator 10° or 15° more Eastward than is usually done, when arrived in the 

 parallel of St. Helena, he would be many miles to windward of the usual route. 

 *' Having always considered the Eastern route the preferable, I attempted; on my 

 homeward voyage, in H.M.S. Sulphur, to reach Porto Praya direct from Ascension. 

 In this, howevet, I failed, owing to the occurrence of "Westerly breezes driving us 

 toward the African coast, until in the parallel of the Cape de Verde Islands ; 

 which proved that from the Cape de Verdes, Southerly, towards the Equator, in 

 the month of June, favourable breezes without oalms might be reckoned upon ; 

 and I was reminded that ships coming from Ascension and St. Helena generally 

 make good passages, passing to the Westward of the Cape de Verdes. 



" My experience, while employed on the African station, taught me that a fair 

 passage from the Cape de Verdes to Sierra Leone, or the coast Easterly, could 

 always be anticipated, and that no retarding calms are to be met with on the verge 

 of the African soundings. Vessels also from the African coast, seeking Ascension 

 for change of climate, find this remark applicable ; and it might be fairly assumed 

 that if we could reach the Equator under light airs and moderate breezes in a less 

 number of days than the average passage to 24° West longitude (the increased 

 distance being impeded by many days' calm), and by crossing to the Eastward of 

 10° West longitude, the Westerly current would be avoided, and we should be 

 able to fetch to windward of Ascension, or possibly sight St. Helena, many 

 hundred miles to windward of the ' beaten track.' The result proved as antici- 

 pated. Leaving Porto Praya on March 7th, we experienced light and moderate 

 breezes, with Soidh- Easterly current. Between the 7th and 21st of March, or 

 from Porto Praya to the Equator, on the ninth meridian of West longitude, we 

 averaged 81 miles per day, and experienced no more than 10 hours calm. Before 

 the South-Westerly breezes quitted us, we had been carried as far as 8° W. After 

 light South-Westerly airs, we were enabled, on the 28th of March, by a succession 

 of breezes from the S.E., to pass 150 miles to windward of Ascension, in 9°44'E., 

 arriving in Simon's Bay on April 25th." — Voyage of the Samarang, pages 7-8. 



This passage, which takes advantage of the Easterly Guinea Current 

 (pages 325 — 334), will be more specially alluded to hereafter. If a West 

 African port should be sought, of course the advantages are on the side of 

 the inner passage. 



As each portion of the passage over the Atlantic is, in a great measure, 

 dependent on the other, it cannot be pronounced on absolutely whether, of 

 itself, one part of a course can be most advantageously pursued in a 

 certain direction. In the next ensuing paragraphs, this problem will be 

 considered in connection with the further progress of the voyage. 



o 



