1824, OCTOBER. OFF FALKLAND ISLANDS 91 



iis assistant, Mr. Gogerty, who was tlie intimate friend of Mr. Forbes and 

 Mr. Gratam. Mr. Gogerty afterward accompanied me to the ship. 



October Wih, 12th, 13th. — Being in expectation of having favourable 

 T^eather for departing I could not leave the vessel. This I regretted 

 exceedingly, the weather being dry and finer than any during my stay. 



Thursday, October lith. — ^At seven o'clock this, morning the anchor was 

 weighed, and with a light air of wind from the north-west I left that 

 interesting country, certainly with regret, but left it with the hope of 

 being enabled to make a longer stay at a future period. 



October Hth to 22nd. — The wind for a few days after leaving land 

 •continued variable and generally accompanied with rains in the evening. 

 Max. heat 79° to 82° in the shade ; min. 66° to 68°. At four o'clock on 

 Tuesday morning a fine breeze sprang up and we pursued our voyage 

 along the Brazilian coast with pleasure. Day after day passes away 

 almost imperceptibly ; at breakfast inquiries are made how the wind has 

 been during the night, and the like questions. At home among friends 

 this would look ridiculous, but here they appear of great moment. 

 Calculations are made, should the wind be so-and-so we shall be at 

 such-and-such a place at such a time. Without any exaggeration such 

 things are requisite for such places and circumstances. Off the Plate, in 

 Lat. 37° S.,Long. 37° W., immense shoals of seaweed passed the ship, 

 only of one species, some of which measured 60 feet in length. (No 

 sounding could be found.) Stem round, three inches in diameter at the 

 thickest part; leaves alternate, lanceolate, partly serrate and crisped, 

 the young ones all united at the tops of the stem ; vesicles oval, very 

 large ; on the roots were some starfish and bivalve shells ; the earthy 

 matter adhering to the roots was small shells, fine white sand, and lime 

 of a recent formation ; having no fresh water to immerse them in, previous 

 to laying them in paper, I put up in a large jar a portion of the Fucus in 

 spirits, which will convey a good idea of its magnitude. When in this 

 latitude, the weather was much like that usually experienced in the Gulf 

 of Florida. 



Here the species of petrel which before was scarce was abundant, and 

 could be taken with a hook and line baited with fat of pork. I caught 

 three of the mottled one which may prove to be P[rocellaria] capensis, 

 and preserved them. Two other species were also plentiful ; both are shy. 

 I am not fortunate enough to take any of them ; one large, nearly double 

 the size of the mottled one, of a glossy jet black, another smaller, but 

 larger than P. capensis, of a dusky-brown colour. Also two species of 

 Albatross, one large, white, brownish-black on the upper side of the wings ; 

 this may be Diomedea exulans, and a black one,"- smaller, which I take 

 to be D. fuliginosa ; the latter I caught ofi the Falkland Islands in 

 abundance, in the same manner as the petrels, the line of course being 

 stronger and the hook larger, I preserved two of this which have since 

 spoiled with me. 



Saturday, November 5th. — Off the Falkland Islands in Lat. 54^° S. 

 We now began to feel the chilliness of Cape Horn and experience the bad 

 ^ In another MS. : — ' Of a dark muddy colour.' 



