466 



BAROMETER OFF CAPE HORN. 



northward, causing a fall of the mercury from 29*90 to 

 29 '56. On the day of full moon the column rose, and we had 

 a beautiful morning, during which the high mountains of Staten 

 Island were quite unclouded, as were also those of Tierra del 

 Fuego. At noon, however, a fresh gale from the S.W. set in, 

 and enveloped the land with a dense mist. No sooner had the 

 wind changed, than the mercury rose to 29*95, but fell again 

 the next morning ; and with the descent the wind veered round 

 to N.W., and blew strongly with thick cloudy weather and 

 rain, which continued until the following noon, when the wind 

 veered to S.W., the barometer at 29*54, having slightly risen ; 

 but after the change it fell, and continued to descend gradually 

 until midnight, when we had a fresh gale from W.S.W. 

 When this wind set in, the mercury rose, and continued to 

 rise, as the wind veered without decreasing in strength to 

 S.S.W., until it reached 29*95, when it fell again and the 

 weather moderated, but without any change of wind. During 

 the descent of the mercury, the sky with us was dull and over- 

 cast, with squalls of wind and rain, but on shore it seemed to 

 be very fine sunshiny weather. 



The column now fell to 29*23, and during its descent the 

 weather remained the same, dull and showery ; but as soon as 

 the mercury became stationary, a fresh breeze set in from the 

 southward, with fine weather. 



After this to new moon the weather was very unsettled, 

 the wind veering between South and W.S.W. ; the barometer 

 rising as it veered to the former, and falling as it became more 

 westerly ; but on no occasion did it precede the change. 



The mean height of the barometer is about 29*5. 



The mercury stands lowest with N.W. winds, and highest 

 with S.E. 



With the wind at N.W. or northerly the mercury is low; 

 if it falls to 29 inches or 28*80, a S.W. gale may be expected, 

 but it will not commence until the column has ceased to de- 

 scend. It frequently, however, falls without being followed by 

 this change. In the month of June, at Port Famine, the 

 barometer fell to 28-17, and afterwards gradually rose to 30-5, 



