30 VOYAGE TO RIO. 



the N. E. and S. E. trade. For a week here we 

 have had a foul wind from the S.W.; but 

 before we crossed the line, we got into the 

 S. E. trade, which is now carrying us along at 

 eight or nine knots. The old practice was to 

 cross the line nearer to the coast of Africa ; 

 but it has been found that calms are much 

 less frequent in a more western longitude, and 

 we crossed in 28°. 



Last year a French ship was becalmed on 

 the line, in 13° east longitude, for five weeks. 

 Until within the last two days, the glass has 

 varied but little from the day we passed the 

 Cape de Verd islands ; being usually at 80° in 

 the shade. To-day it has fallen to 78°. 



Rio Harbour, Sept. 14th.- — We made Cape 

 Frio the next day, the 11th, early in the 

 morning, and at 10 o'clock at night we an- 

 chored close to the Spartiate, in the harbour of 

 Rio. 



