362 ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 



Having reached a lower latitude, the weather had now become 

 pleasant, and we could dispense with our winter clothing, — a relief 

 which the whole of the crew seemed to enjoy. It was the reverse 

 with me ; I had a feeling of exhaustion and lassitude that I could not 

 account for, and the least exertion caused me much fatigue. 



On the 9th, we reached the latitude of Cape Howe, and were seventy 

 miles to the eastward of it. We there experienced a rise in the tem- 

 perature of the water : six degrees in less than an hour. 



On the 10th, when off Cape Jervis, and about forty miles to the 

 eastward of it, we again changed the temperature from 68° to 73°, as 

 we steered in for the land to the northward, but on hauling to the 

 eastward it again fell to 68°. A strong southerly current has been 

 long known to exist along this coast; and I feel well satisfied that the 

 thermometer is a good guide in making the passage from the south- 

 ward. The coasting vessels, as I was informed at Sydney, had 

 frequently made long passages from Van Diemen's Land, and South 

 Australia, which I have but little doubt is owing to the prevalence of 

 this minor Gulf Stream, the position of which the use of the thermo- 

 meter will clearly indicate. This current will be noticed particularly 

 in the chapter on currents ; its width no doubt varies with the season. 



On the 11th of March, at noon, we passed the Heads of Port 

 Jackson, and took a pilot. We were, as a body, in better condition 

 than when we left Sydney three months before. 



In an hour afterwards we dropped our anchor in Farm Cove, off 

 Fort Macquarie. Our reception was flattering; scarcely was our 

 anchor well down before many of our friends came on board to bid 

 us welcome ; and we felt tenfold that kind hospitality which on our 

 former visit we had first become acquainted with. They appeared to 

 rejoice in our success as if we had been their countrymen. 



During our absence from Sydney, many improvements had taken 

 place. The storehouses for the deposit of grain on an island in the 

 harbour were in rapid progress ; the new Government-House nearly 

 completed, and the foundation of an Exchange laid ; besides this, many 

 improvements in town that were then in progress, had been completed ; 

 and the rapidity with which these works had been accomplished, strongly 

 reminded me of similar operations at home. 



The country was looking quite green and pretty ; indeed, the sail up 

 the noble harbour was truly beautiful ; it wore quite a different face 

 from its former parched appearance, the rains having been abundant 

 during our absence. 



Observations were obtained for the rates of our chronometers and 

 the magnetic needles again experimented with. 



