THE WEST COAST OE AFEICA. 611 



Sailing Vessels navigating on the Windward and Gold Coasts will, of 

 course, be accelerated or retarded, according to the season. An able and 

 competent judge on the subject has said : — 



'"' During the period of the year when land breezes alternate with those of 

 the sea (page 160), the best mode of beating a ship to windward is to get 

 under way as soon as the wind blows steadily from the land, hugging the 

 shore on board as near as may be prudent, for by that means every advan- 

 tage is derived from it that can be expected. Soon after daylight this 

 wind veers to the West, and lays the ship's head off shore; by 11 a.m. the 

 sea breeze will have acquired its strength and true direction, at which 

 time, also, the vessel will have made a good offing. Tack and stand in^ 

 shore, anchoring when in 8 fathoms of water, where it will be proper to 

 wait for the land wind. By adopting this method, a vessel is placed in 

 the best possible situation for taking early advantage of the breeze from 

 the shore ; whereas, if she were kept under weigh during the night, the 

 probability is that she would lose all the ground she had gained the 

 preceding day, independently of being placed where the land breeze might 

 not reach her. 



" t>uring the rainy season, when the sea breeze blows both in the day 

 and night, and at a few leagues from the shore from very near the South 

 point of the compass, stand off shore for twenty-four hours, when the wind 

 will mostly be found to blow at S.S.W. or S. by W., and often at South ; 

 with the port tack on board the vessel will lie up West clean full, and the 

 variation being nearly two points Southerly, she will not only make good 

 her course, but Southing also. 



" As the current at this season of the year sets strongly to the East- 

 ward, it will be prudent to allow about 36 miles in twenty-four hours 

 for its mean velocity ; otherwise, in bearing up and making the land, the 

 the ship will be found to leeward of her port of destination. This is an 

 error many have fallen into. Perhaps it would be better to allow even 48 

 miles, because it is easy to run to leeward, should the vessel prove to be to 

 windward of the place to wnich she is bound. 



8.— PASSAGES TO AND FKOM THE WEST INDIES, WITH 

 INSTRUCTIONS FOR NAVIGATING THEREIN. 



The courses of sailing ships bound as above are regulated by the 

 Winds and Currents which have been described in the preceding chapters. 

 The consequence is they must take a circuitous track, not only to the 

 West Indies, but to the Southern ports of the United States. For having 

 passed Cape Finisterre, as before described, the best course is then to the 

 S.S.W., so as to gain the Trade Winds quickly. The preceding observa- 

 tions on passing Madeira, &c., may, therefore, in this instance, be useful, 

 as well as in the former. 



As the great object is to attain the N.E. Trade, in order to run down 

 your Westing with as little delay as possible, the remarks upon the 

 passage across the Equator will apply almost equally to this voyage ; the 



