CHAPTER IV. 



PAUMOTU GROUP. 



SAILING DIBECTIONS FOR THE PAUMOTU GROUP. 



Before giving a full description of each island of the Paumotu 

 Group visited by the Expedition, I shall indicate the best routes to 

 pass through this group, with the least danger, and subject to the 

 least delay or difficulties. Few vessels heretofore have been willing 

 to run the risk of a night navigation among them, and have been 

 constrained to lie to until daylight reappears. While I would have 

 every precaution observed in navigating through this dangerous clus- 

 ter, I can yet see no necessity for detention in passing through them. 



Most vessels have the intention of stopping at Tahiti, and as this 

 group lies immediately in the route between it and the coast of South 

 America, it becomes of advantage to pass through the islands which 

 are embraced within it. 



During the summer months of the southern hemisphere (from 

 December to March), the weather is the most boisterous : the trade 

 winds are usually fresh, but the vessel cannot calculate on them with 

 any degree of certainty. The currents are not strong, nor do they at 

 any season affect a vessel, and from all the authorities I have con- 

 sulted, as well as our own experiments, I am inclined to believe that 

 no allowance for current need be made. Some slight current will at 

 times be experienced near some of the islands, during or after a strong 

 wind, but it will be found to be both local and variable. 



During the winter season (from March to September), the trade 

 winds are by no means regular among these islands ; they seldom 

 extend so far to the south, are very often prevalent from the south- 

 west, and the weather is frequently very unpleasant, inclining to calms 

 and light winds, with an occasional squall ; it is, however, the fine 



