May 1829. wkather — captain foster. 203 



The next day, after a beautifully clear and mild morning, 

 with a fresh northerly breeze, the weather became cloudy, and 

 the wind veered to the S.W. blowing excessively hard, with 

 hail and rain. The gusts, or williwaws, rushed through the 

 valley of the cove with inconceivable violence, heaving the ship 

 over on her broadside every minute, so that we were obliged to 

 have every thing lashed as if at sea. Fortunately, we had com- 

 pleted wood and water, and now only waited for observations, 

 to rate the chronometers, for our run to Valparaiso, whither it 

 was my intention to proceed. Days, however, passed without 

 a glimpse of the stars, and the sun only appeared for a few 

 minutes above the hills. Captain Foster had completed his 

 observations, and embarked all his instruments, excepting the 

 transit, which remained for taking the passages of stars ; but 

 the bad weather continued, with little intermission. On the 3d, 

 the gale was most violent, and the williwaws became short 

 hurricanes, in some of which the ship drifted and fouled her 

 anchors. On the 10th, we had a dry and fair day, which per- 

 mitted us to sight the anchors and moor again. 



The fine weather was of only a few hours duration, when the 

 gale again sprung up, and lasted, with little intermission, until 

 the day of our departure (the 24th). From the 4th to the 

 22d the sky was so perpetually clouded, that the only transits 

 obtained in that interval were, one of Antares, one of Regulus, 

 and one of the limb of the moon, though Captain Foster 

 even slept close to the telescope, in the greatest anxiety to 

 obtain observations. On the night of the 22d four stars were 



the ascent the column fell 0'039 inches, and during the descent rose 0*041 

 inches. Corrections were made for the dew point, as observed by Daniell's 

 hygrometer at the base and summit, and the calculations were made 

 according- to the formula in Daniell's Meteorological Essay. 

 The following- is the result : 



By Bunten's Syphon. By Jones 509. 



Ascent 174'3-4.. 1749*3 



Descent 1738- ] 739-1 



Mean .. J741 1744*2 



Mean of the two instruments 1742*4 feet. 



