526 PASSAGES OVER THE ATLANTIC. 



NeviS; St. Christopher, and Antigua, on the South side. Barbadoea 

 should likewise be passed on the South side, in orde to fetch into Carlisle 

 Bay ; and Grenada and St. Vincent on tha South side. No particular 

 directions are necessary for the other islands, as every seaman knows the 

 danger of running to leeward or past the land; — a very serious occurrence 

 for a dull saiUng vessel. 



Vessels on making Barhadoes and the other Windward Islands, when 

 approaching from the Northward, should be very careful not to cross the 

 latitude of the low or Northern islands during the night, although their 

 reckoning may be many degrees to the Eastward of the isles. The low 

 islands, on which so many vessels have been lost, are Barbuda, Anguilla, 

 Dog and Prickly Pear, Sombrero, Anegada, and its Horseshoe Beef; of all 

 these, the first and last are the most dangerous. Before you see Anegada, 

 in clear weather, Virgin-Gorda, and perhaps Tortola, will be seen very 

 distinctly ; distance is often deceiving at sea, and this land, by those not 

 well acquainted with it, has been frequently mistaken for the East end of 

 Porto Rico ; and, although directions have been given for avoiding this 

 error, by observing that there is only open sea to the Eastward of Virgin- 

 Gorda, and that to the Eastward of Porto Rico lie several islands, yet it 

 is necessary to observe that these islands, when the high land of Porto 

 Rico is first discovered, cannot be seen, so that, if you make the land at 

 the close of the day, it is well to be aware of this circumstance. It may 

 also be remarked, that Anguilla and the Dog and Prickly Pear Isles cannot 

 be seen until some time after you make St. Martin, which is high land, 

 and lying to the Southward of these low isles. Barbuda is dangerous in 

 the night time only, but to strangers also, in the day, having reefs under 

 water all round, excepting at the extreme S.W. point. 



On passing to leeiuard of the high islands which obstruct the course of the 

 Trade Wind, danger arises from strong gusts coming from the mountains, 

 which sometimes dismast a vessel. Be cautious to keep so far from such 

 land as to be able to work your ship, should the wind suddenly shift and 

 blow on shore, which it often does during the day. When the wind is 

 baffling, you will find it advantageous to keep your course along shore so 

 long as you have steerage-way, although all your sails may be aback ; for 

 it frequently happens that the wind comes round to its former quarter 

 before you lose your headway, and by this one ship may get into another 

 current of air, which brings her into a fresh breeze, while another, in 

 dompany, by altering her course to get her sails full, loses the opportunity 

 of getting into the breeze, and may be detained by calms and baffling 

 winds great part of the day. We have often seen the after-sails filled, 

 with the wind aft, while the headsails were flat aback, with the wind 

 ahead, which continued so long that the foresail was hauled up to con- 

 tinue the headway. 



In navigating atnong the Windward Islands, every precaution must be 

 taken in allowing for the direction and strength of the currents. It has 

 already been shown, in the preceding section, that the general prevalence 

 of them is to the Westward, but with different velocities, disturbed at 

 times by the lunar influence, and varied by the contour of the coast, &c. 

 An Easterly current is seldom or never found out of sight of land, but 



