KEOM THE WEST COAST OF AFEICA. 509 



no higher than W.N.W., tack immediately, and try to cross the Line ; 

 for, by so doing, you will keep out of the strong N.E. current (the Guinea 

 Current) that sets towaids the Bights of Benin and Biafra. After you 

 have crossed the Line, you will find that you are nearly out of the Easterly 

 current. In the parallel of 1° S. you will find the current set to the West- 

 ward, at the rate of 1 mile an hour. In the month of May or June, when 

 the sun has a high declination, the Trade Wind is fair to the Southward, 

 and you will not gain the regular breeze nearer than in 3° S. This breeze 

 commences from S. by W. As you make Westing, the wind will be found 

 to haul more to the Southward and Eastward, and the current increases 

 to the rate of li knot an hour, until you arrive as far to the Westward as 

 long. 15° W. 



On proceeding hence towards Sierra Leone, come no farther to the 

 Eastward than 15° W., until you are as far to the Northward as 8° 30' N.; 

 then you may steer boldly in for the Cape. You will strike soundings in 

 that parallel, in 14° 40' W. ; and as you approach the Cape the soundings 

 will be found very irregular, from 20 fathoms to 12 at a cast. You will 

 then be 7 leagues from the Cape, and in the fair track of the river. Having 

 given these directions to our prize-masters, they generally made the 

 passage from Fernando Po or Bonny in five weeks ; merchant vessels have 

 frequently been three months by keeping inshore." 



Many navigators have remarked, that on standing to the Westward 

 between Prince's and St. Thomas's, even when making a trifle of Northing, 

 the N.E. current has been found to diminish in strength as the vessel 

 makes Westing. Even so far to the Southward as latitude 3° South 

 there is seldom any Easting in the wind before passing the meridian of 

 Greenwich. 



Vessels hound to the Northivard should not attempt crossing the Equator 

 to the Eastward of 20° W. (the meridian of 21|° W. is to be preferred), 

 and should then make a North or N. by W. course, to get into the N.E. 

 Trade Wind, which having once fairly gained, the homeward navigation 

 is generally well understood. In this route, after leaving the Guinea 

 Current in the Bight of Biafra, the ship will gradually get into the 

 Equatorial Current as she gets to the Southward, and this current fre- 

 quently runs with considerable velocity. On examining my journals, I 

 find that, by good lunar observations and an excellent chronometer, I have, 

 at various times, made the following differences to the Westward of dead 

 reckoning, in the run from St. Thomas's to longitude 20° W. of Greenwich, 

 between the parallels of 0° 35' North, and 3° of South latitude. In April, 

 1830, the brig Ayine was set 237 miles to the Westward, and 78 miles to 

 the Northward, of account, in 20 days. In October and November, 1831, 

 the barque Severn was set 240 miles to the Westward, and 94 to the 

 Northward, of account, in 23 days. In October, 1833, the Freeland was 

 set 246 miles to the Westward, and 51 to the Northward, of account, in 

 20 days. In August, 1835, the same vessel was set 228 miles to the 

 Westward, and 43 to the Northward, in 19 days ; and in November and 

 December, 1836, the Caledonia was set 373 miles to the Westward, and 

 107 miles to the Northward, in 18 days. But it may be observed that, in 

 the latter vessel, I never crossed the Equator, but was generally 8 or 10 



