TO RIO JANEIRO. 35 



them with some fruit and vegetables, which were very acceptable to 

 the numerous passengers. The Crusader had crossed the line in 

 longitude 22° W., and lost the trades in latitude 7° 30' N. 



On the 9th we reached the supposed position of Patty's Overfalls, 

 and were becalmed close in their proximity for forty-eight hours. 

 Nothing was seen of them. We had passed through rips trending 

 east and west, but no current was found on the trials which were 

 made, nor did the reckoning show any. If any had existed, we must 

 have been made aware of it during the time we were becalmed, for 

 we remained nearly in the same position forty-eight hours. Thence 

 we stood for Warley's Shoal. The weather had the same indistinct- 

 ness that we had first observed at Porto Praya. It might be termed 

 a dry haze. 



In this part of the ocean we passed through spaces of water, from 

 ten to thirty miles in width, in which the temperature of the water 

 frequently rose three or four degrees. This increase seemed to me 

 to indicate the existence of currents. I was, therefore, very particular 

 in watching for them, and the only indication we had was of a very 

 slight one to the southward and eastward. Our winds continued light 

 and variable, and sailing in squadron, we had many opportunities 

 of observing their different courses. On the 12th of October a 

 remarkable one happened, in which all the squadron, while sailing 

 with a brisk breeze from the southeast, were taken aback, and at one 

 time all apparently had the wind from different quarters, although but 

 a few cables' length distant from one another. The Peacock and 

 Porpoise were very near running into each other. The whirl was in 

 the direction of the hands of a watch. On the night of the 16th we 

 parted company with the Peacock, and on the 17th spoke an English 

 whaler, seventy days from New Zealand, by the way of Cape Horn, 

 who reported he had lost the southeast trades in latitude 6° 55' N., 

 longitude 21° 10' W. 



On the morning of the 18th, thirty falling stars were seen in as 

 many minutes, shooting in all directions from the constellations 

 Gemini and Taurus. On board the Peacock, some sixty miles to the 

 westward of us, they were much more brilliant, and in greater 

 numbers. 



On the 22d, several common European swallows were seen about 

 the vessels. 



The 24th, we reached the position assigned to Warley's Shoal, in 

 latitude 5° 4' N., longitude 21° 25' W. The vessels were spread as 

 before described, in open order, covering as much space as possible. 

 We passed over the supposed locality, but saw no appearance of 



