528 PASSAGES OVEE THE ATLANTIC. 



and those on the South between Trinidad and Paria, and on the coast and 

 Leeward Islands from Margarita to Buen-Ayre, as the current inside to the 

 South of these islands (in the dry season) sets about N.W. by N. ^ N., 

 at the rate of nearly 2 miles an hour. Ships running to Westward, inside, 

 should make an allowance for it, and keep a good look-out, for it must 

 be borne in mind, as already shown, that the currents here are variable, 

 according to the season. 



In order to touch at as many of the Whidward Islands as possible, with- 

 out having to beat to windward ; suppose your vessel to be at Barbados, 

 and you have to call at as many islands as you can, in as little time as 

 possible — from Barbados you can steer for Tobago, hence for St. Vincent, 

 which is as far to windward as you can fetch ; and, with a Northerly 

 Trade Wind, you will not be able to do that. From St. Vincent you may 

 steer to any of the Grenadines, and so on to Grenada ; and at times you 

 may fetch Trinidad, but this is not to be depended on. From Grenada 

 you cannot always fetch St. Kitts, but in general, the Virgin Islands, 

 St. Croix, St. Thomas, &c. The general course this way is to go to 

 Tobago, and thence to Trinidad. 



Another track is from Barbados (S.W. side) to St. Vincent (South side), 

 hence to the Grenadines and Grenada. 



From Barbados to the N.W. you may go to St. Lucia, passing round 

 the N.E. point of the island to Gros Islet Bay and the Careenage; from 

 this place you fetch Fort Eoyal Bay, Martinique, then St. Pierre, 

 Eoseau (Dominica), the Saintes, Basse-terre, and sometimes Point-a-Pitre, 

 Guadaloupe. 



From Basse-terre, Guadaloupe, you can seldom weather Montserrat, 

 unless you tack and take advantage of the variable winds under Guada- 

 loupe, which is the best way, it you are bound to Antigua, or to the North- 

 ward between Antigua and Nevis ; but if not, you may pass close to the 

 West side of Montserrat, and so steer for Nevis or St. Kitts, or to the 

 islands to the Westward ; or you may pass on either side of St. Eustatius 

 or Saba, if you can lie round without tacking, and so through the Dog and 

 Prickly Pear or Sombero Passage to the Northward. 



In steering through these passages, or across them, it is recommended to 

 keep well to windward, as the wind will often head you as you approach 

 the opposite side, and the currents are very strong ; and it may be 

 remarked that, in standing to the Southward, you feel the force of the 

 current more than when you are standing to the Northward. 



From these remarks, and a reference to the chart of the islands, it may 

 be readily seen what other track can be accomplished. Thus, from Bar- 

 bados to Antigua, and the islands to the Westward of it, you pass to the 

 Eastward of Desirade if you can ; if not, between that island and the 

 East point of Guadaloupe; when you are clear of this last point, you have 

 Antigua and all the islands to the Westward in your route. s 



The intercourse by sailing vessel between Barbados and Demerara is very 

 uncertain, and you cannot always trust to fetch from one place to the 

 other, even in fast-sailing vessels. From Demerara you can generally 

 weather Tobago ; of course, it must always depend on the wind and 

 current ; thereiore we speak in general terms only. Indeed, we have 



