500 PASSAGES OVEE THE ATLANTIC. 



track now generally adopted by ships having chronometers is that to the West- 

 ward of all the islands. 



" Should it be required to touch at Senegal or Gore«, the best course will be to 

 make the coast of Africa near Cape Blanco, lat. 20° 55'; as there are soundings at 

 5 or 6 leagues oflf the coast, and no danger in making the land, either by day or 

 night, provided the lead be kept frequently going ; and thus you may steer up to 

 the cape. 



" Though it may seem natural enough not to suspect any errors of consequence 

 in your reckoning in so short a passage as from the Canaries to the Isles of Cape 

 Verde, yet there are instances of such, as well to Easting as to Westing. It is 

 with respect to errors in our Westings, that I advise all vessels to keep 30 leagues 

 lo windward of Bonavista, before they stand in to make the land ; lest, in keeping 

 ck direct course for that island, they should pass between the Isle of St. Nicholas 

 and tha Isle of Sal ; and, finding themselves to Westward of Bonavista, when 

 they reckoned themselves to be still to Eastward of it, they should miss their 

 refreshments at the Isle of St. lago, an accident which has happened to several 

 vessels. 



" The making of these islands is often difficult, occasioned by the fogs which 

 hang frequently around them. For this reason, those who come from the North- 

 ward ought to steer their vessels in this track with all possible precaution. 



" The most convenient course for vessels which continue their voyage from the 

 Canaries, without touching at the islands of Cape Verde or Goree, is to steer, after 

 they lose sight of the Canaries, so as to pass about 45 leagues West of Cape 

 Blanco, or near the meridian of 20° ; from this position they wUI make good their 

 covu-se due South, as far as 12° N., and afterward S.E. by S., till they meet with 

 those variable winds which succeed to the Trade Winds. By this they will keep 

 the mid-channel between the islands and Cape Verde, and coast along the bank 

 below that cape, at a sufficient distance, even though they should make an error 

 in their reckoning of 15 or 20 leagues to the Eastward." 



But as, when the sun i5 near the Northern Tropic, the Trade Wind has been 

 often found to fail with.n the sight of the Cape Verde Islands, it has been recom- 

 mended to ships, at these times, to pass t'le islands to the Westward, at the 

 distance of about 10 leagues, in order to preserve a steady wind, and to prevent 

 delay, by keeping clear of the light eddy winds, which then prevail near and 

 among the islands. When to the Southward of these isles steer to the S.E., so 

 as to get between the meridians of 18° and 23° W., upon losing the N.E. Trade 

 Wind. Should the Southerly winds then commence, advantage may be taken 

 of the shifts to stand on the tack which will gain most to the Southward, so as 

 to cross the Equator between the longitudes above mentioned, if the wind will 

 permit. Be cautious of making a long tack, either Eastward or Westward, with 

 a dead Southerly wind, in the hope of having a better, imless the wind should 

 veer, so as to produce much Southing. 



The S.E. Trade Wind, at its Northern limit, generally inclines far to the South- 

 ward, particularly in July, August, and September, but frequently in other 

 months. A ship meeting this Trade should not be kept too close to the wind, but 

 keep clean full, in order to make good way to the S.W., and clear of the Southern 

 limits of the Westerly current that generally prevails about the Equator. 



It has been already shown, in the description of currents, that ships, passing the 

 Line too far to the Westward, run the risk of not being able to weather the coast 

 of Brazil. But M. D'Apres has observed, that there is not one instance to prove 

 that, by passing the Line to the Eastward of the limits above mentioned, ships 

 meet with calms of long duration, and currents setting with great rapidity toward 

 the River Gaboon, as had before been generally imagined. 



M. D'Apres adds, "Vessels which saU from St. lago should steer S.E. as far as 

 the 12th degree of latitude ; after that S.E. by S. Those which depart from Goree 



