CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 447 



observed, except at the Cape de Verde Islands, while on our outward 

 voyage. After we had passed the pitch of the Cape, the direction of 

 the current was found to be changed, having set us, in twenty-four 

 hours, forty miles, on a course N. 40° W. 



I am satisfied that the use of thermometers would be beneficial to 

 those navigating around this Cape; for by keeping in water of a tem- 

 perature above 70°, they would, although exposed to a rougher sea, 

 be carried more rapidly around the Cape, and would discover that they 

 had passed it by encountering the cold water which is flowing rapidly 

 to the northwest. In fact, it is obvious to me that the anomalies of 

 current and temperature existing in this neighbourhood, can only be 

 accounted for on the hypothesis of an upper and under current of 

 different temperatures. The former of these is the warm, the latter 

 the cooler one; but for a more particular explanation of this subject, 

 the reader is referred to the diagram map, and the chapter on cur- 

 rents and whaling. 



On the 12th of April, we arrived off False Bay. The tem- 

 perature of the surface water was reduced to 64°, and the current 

 was setting us rapidly to the north-northwest. The fog and mist 

 that now prevailed, prevented my observations for ascertaining the 

 rate of the current from being as accurate as I desired ; the results, 

 such as they were, gave it a velocity of more than a mile per hour. 



On the 13th, no observations could be obtained on account of the 

 fog and mist ; and our situation became rather a perplexing one. 

 On making trial of the current, we found that it was drifting us 

 to the north at the rate of eighteen miles in twenty-four hours. 

 Soundings were obtained in eighty-five fathoms. The temperature 

 of the surface water fell to 54°. Towards evening it cleared up, and 

 our situation was obtained by bearings, which placed us off Snake's 

 Head, about twelve miles to the southward and westward of the Lion's 

 Head. Believing that my only chance of making Table Bay was by 

 keeping as close to the shore as possible, I kept the ship on sound- 

 ings during the night, and at daylight stood in through a thick fog 

 for what I felt sure must be the position of Green Point. While 

 under way, we fell in with a fleet of small fishing-boats lying at 

 anchor. Their crews were catching a species of bass, as fast as they 

 could haul in their lines. Immense numbers of birds, such as alba- 

 trosses, petrels, and gulls, surrounded the boats, and were feeding on 

 the small fish and offal thrown overboard from them. The fish 

 caught here are salted, and being afterwards dried, furnish no incon- 

 siderable portion of the food of the lower orders of the colony. One 



