ACEOSS THE EQUATOR. 501 



should steer S.S.W., if they desire to keep clear of the coast, till they reach the 

 parallel of 10° ; thence their course should be S.E. by S." 



His words on crossing the Line are, " When the Variable Winds succeed the 

 Tirade Winds, the best method of crossing the Line with speed is, to take advan- 

 tage of the very first Variable Winds, for gaining the ordinary track of the Trade 

 Winds, so soon as you possibly can ; and for this end, to keep indifferently to 

 that tack which bears most to the Southward, without troubling yourself about 

 crossing the Line at any determinate point, lest you make your voyage longer 

 than is necessary.* 



On the Return toward England, in crossing the N.E. Trade "Wind, a 

 ship's sails should be kept well filled, to enable her to gain speedily to the 

 Northward, as shown in the diagrams of Passages for each month of the 

 year. In this track the Sargasso or Gulf Weed will be met with in the 

 Sargasso Sea, as detailed on pages 335 — 343. 



Beyond the Northern limit of the Trade Wind, ships generally crosa 

 the parallel of 32° N. in from 39° to 42=" W., in order to make use of the 

 Southerly and Westerly winds which prevail here more than they do to 

 the Eastward. 



Should the wind veer to the N.W. on approaching toward the Azores, 

 you may pass through one of the channels of these islands, and thence 

 pursue a course to the English Channel, according to circumstances. 



It is not advisable to pass to the Eastw&rd of these islands, because 

 adverse winds often prevail from the Northward between them and the 

 coast of Portugal; and the currents are also generally unfavourable to 

 this route. Yet it has sometimes happened that ships passing this way 

 have, with S.W. and West winds, reached the Channel sooner than those 

 which have proceeded to the Westward. With these S.W. and Westerly 

 winds, you must be cautious in approaching the Channel, in case the 

 current should prevail which sometimes sets athwart it, as before de- 

 scribed (255). In case of contrary winds, vessels bound to ports in the 

 North Sea, &c., sometimes make a quicker passage by passing Westward 

 and Northward of the British Isles, as stated on pages 466 — 467. 



6.— TO AND FEOM THE SENEGAL AND GAMBIA.f 



Whatever may be the season of the year, it is advisable to gain an offing 

 of 75 miles to the Westward of Cape Finisterre ; from hence it may be 

 immaterial whether a course be shaped to the Eastward or Westward of 

 Madeira. A commander desirous of touching at the Canaries will adopt 

 the former, and will shape a course for Teneriffe, having nothing to appre- 

 hend on this course but the Salvages, the position of which has been well 

 determined. In the Canarian Archipelago the winds are mostly from 



• Captain Maury says ; — "No sailing directions can be given for these Calm Bt Its, 

 except such as are contained in these emphatic words : — Make the best of youb 

 WAY across them WITHOUT REGARD TO LONGITUDE. To which may be added, that 

 the nearer to North and South the course is, the bette", as it crosses their "Urectioa 

 at right angles. 



■\ Abridged chiefly from the Baron Roussin. 



