362 FAUNA AND FLORA OF THE FALKLANDS. 



The barometer shewed the same changes as during the 

 outward voyage, remaining almost stationary at 30'10; slightly 

 rising during the morning and falling a fraction after about 

 4 p.m. 



At noon in 16°17'N., 25°25'"W'., the surface temperature of 

 the sea was 71°F. and during that afternoon, the 13th, we made 

 out the picturesque outline of the Cape Verde Islands, and 

 about sunset anchored off St. Yiucent. I had hoped to have 

 spent a few hours on shore the next day, but as our ship was one 

 day overdue, coaling was commenced at once. 



At 4 a.m. the next day the dawn was just breaking over the 

 undulating hills beyond the straggling town of St. Vincent as I 

 stepped from the saloon ; and a few minutes later we had a most 

 beautiful sunrise. The high hills of the island of St. Antonio, 

 which formed the western boundary to our anchorage, were 

 tinted purple and rose-colour ; and as the sun rose higher, the 

 mists which had hitherto hung like a thick cloud over the sea 

 rose and drifted away, leaving sparkling waves of the most 

 beautiful ultramarine blue. The transparency of the sea was 

 most striking. We were surrounded by numbers of rowing 

 boats the occupants of which were busily engaged dredging for 

 stray lumps of coal, which had been dropped overboard during 

 the coaling operations either by accident or design. Indeed the 

 water was so clear that at 6 a.m. I could easily trace our cable 

 hanging from the starboard bow, descend into the sea and 

 winding along the bottom like a serpent; the anchor being 

 plainly seen, but very distorted, in six fathoms of water. 



By 6.30 a.m. on the 14th we weighed anchor and resumed 

 our journey. The surface temperature of the sea at our 

 anchorage was 70"9°F., and about fifty miles north of the island 

 of St. Antonia at noon was 69'9°F. ; the temperature of the air 

 being 1° lower at the same time. The surface temperature of 

 the sea during the three following days fell as near as possible 

 1°F. every twenty four hours ; the barometer rising during that 

 time to 30-40. 



The weather on the 1 7th was delightfully fine and calm and 

 I spent several hours during that morning reclining in the bows 

 of the steamer and watching the shoals of medusse. Physalise 



