230 PER tJ. 



immediately got under way with the squadron, and succeeded in 

 making an offing. As we opened the land to the southward, my view 

 and thoughts wandered in that direction, hoping that still, and at the 

 last moment, the missing tender might heave in sight. But no white 

 speck was seen, nor any thing that could cause a ray of hope that 

 she might yet be in existence ; and my fears foreboded what has since 

 proved too true, — she and her crew had perished. 



On the second day after leaving Valparaiso, we had a fresh gale 

 from the northward, accompanied with much sea. During the night, 

 in thick weather, we lost sight of the Peacock and Flying-Fish. On 

 the 9th we got beyond the wind, which blows along the coast from 

 the northward, and our weather improved, exchanging fog, rain, mist, 

 and contrary winds, for clear weather, and winds from the southwest. 



The current was found west-by-north, nine miles in twenty-four 

 hours. The wind, however, continued variable. On the 12th, in 

 longitude 74° 40' W., latitude 28° 34' S., we took the trades, but they 

 proved very unsteady. They were very strong for a few hours, and 

 then again light and almost calm, with squally appearances all around 

 the horizon. The sea was quite smooth, and the weather pleasant. 

 During the days that the trade-winds were not strong, we usually had 

 the wind to vary to the northward and eastward for a few hours. 



On the morning of the 19th, the zodiacal light was quite brilliant, 

 resembling the aurora borealis, but without its radiating, vacillating, 

 and transitory appearance, and having the form of a distinct narrow 

 cone. At its base it was 20° ; the apex could not be ascertained, on 

 account of the intervention of clouds. As the dawn increased, the 

 cone grew broader, until it was lost in the daylight. Its whole dura- 

 tion was about forty-five minutes. The stars were seen through it, as 

 though covered with a transparent veil. On the same day, we found 

 the temperature at bottom, in eighty- three fathoms, 57°, whilst at the 

 surface it was 63°. We were then abreast of Point Sola, and San 

 Lorenzo bore to the north, distant twenty-five miles. 



On the 20th, in the evening, we passed through the Bouqueron 

 Passage, having got several casts of the lead in three and a quarter 

 fathoms water ; and by the assistance of the lights of the other vessels, 

 anchored near the rest of the squadron at San Lorenzo, after a passage 

 of thirteen days. We found them all well, and proceeding rapidly 

 with their repairs. The Peacock and Flying-Fish arrived two days 

 before us. We found the current generally with us, but not strong. 

 The temperature of the water varied at sea from 58-27° to 66-5°; that 

 of the air, from 57-3° to 63-04° : a rise of eight degrees in the former 

 and six degrees in the latter, in twenty-one degrees of latitude. 



