70 



HYDROGRAPHY. 



miniature Gulf Stream. It at times flows rapidly, and retards vessels 

 sailing to the northward from Van Diemen's Land, if they keep within 

 it. When entering this stream a rise of several degrees of temperature 

 takes place : this is more noticed in the winter than in the summer 

 season. The stream is about 30 to 40 miles wide, and has an eddy on 

 its inner edge, which is not felt beyond 6 to 10 miles from the shore. 

 Small vessels may keep along the coast, if bound to the north. The 

 Heads of Sydney are readily distinguished, being the most elevated 

 land on this part of the coast. 



On the east coast of New Holland, according to King and Flinders, 

 the winds blow from the southeast during the summer months, and 

 from the southwest and west in the winter and spring. The months 

 of March and April are the most stormy, when bad weather some- 

 times lasts for a long time. The port of Sydney is at all times acces- 

 sible. The lighthouse on Sydney Head gives a very brilliant light, 

 and affords every facility to enter during the night, with or without a 

 pilot. Captain King's chart may be confidently relied upon as accu- 

 rate. We had ample opportunity to prove its correctness. 



FROM CALIAO TO THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 



Between the 20th of July and the 2d of September, 1839. 



The Relief made this passage in 44 days. She experienced for the 

 first four days the current setting to the west, and afterwards, to the 

 longitude of 104° west, to the south and southeast, and crossed the 

 equator in 109° west longitude, making a west-northwest course. The 

 wind continued fresh from the southeast, until 9° of north latitude, 

 when she encountered south and southwest winds, until the latitude 

 of 15° north and 124° west longitude had been attained. The currents 

 were also variable, sometimes setting southwest, then north and west, 

 and again southwest. On reaching the latitude of 16° 30' north, the 

 northeast trades were entered, which carried them to the Hawaiian 

 Islands. Between the longitude of 125° and 130° west, the cur- 

 rents were variable ; from thence to the Hawaiian Islands, their set 

 was to the south. 



This passage was considered a long one. It was not made with a 

 view of following the shortest and most direct route, but of examining 

 the locality between 130° and 135° west longitude, and on the parallel 



