PASSAGE ROUND CAPE HORN. 



465 



ship should be kept upon the starboard tack, unless it veer to 

 the southward of S.S.W., until she reaches the latitude of 60° 

 south, and then upon that tack on which most westing may 

 be made. In this parallel, however, the wind is thought to 

 prevail more from the eastward than from any other quarter. 

 Never having passed round Cape Horn in the summer season, 

 I may not perhaps be justified in opposing my opinion to that 

 of others, who, having tried both seasons, give the preference 

 to the summer months. The advantage of long days is cer- 

 tainly very great, but, from my experience of the winds and 

 weather during these opposite seasons at Port Famine, I 

 preferred the winter passage, and in our subsequent experience 

 of it, found no reason to alter my opinion. Easterly and 

 northerly winds prevail in the winter off the cape, whilst 

 southerly and westerly winds are constant during the summer 

 months ; and not only are the winds more favourable in the 

 winter, but they are moderate in comparison to the fury of the 

 summer gales. 



Having passed the meridian of Cape Pillar, it will yet be 

 advisable to take every opportunity of making westing in pre- 

 ference to northing until the meridian of 82° or 84° be reached, 

 which will enable a ship to steer through the North-westerly 

 winds that prevail between the parallels of 50° and 54°. (See 

 HalFs South America, Appendix.) 



With respect to the utility of the barometer as an indicator 

 of the weather that is experienced off Cape Horn, I do not 

 think it can be considered so unfailing a guide as it is in the 

 lower or middle latitudes. Captain Fitz-Roy, however, has 

 a better opinion of the indications shewn by this valuable 

 instrument : my opinion is, that although the rise or fall at times 

 precedes the change, yet it more frequently accompanies it. 

 The following sketch of the movement of the barometer, 

 and of the weather that we experienced, may be not without 

 its use. 



Being to the north of Staten Island for three days preceding 

 full moon, which occurred on the 3d April (1829), we had 

 very foggy weather, with light winds from the eastward and 



VOL. I. 2 H 



