500 
AT SEA. 
night to a perfect storm, compelliiig us to lie-too under a dose 
reefed main top sail ; a tremendous sea at tbe same time running 
in from W. S. W. In the morning, having drifted considerably 
to the westward, the wind and sea once more became moderate. 
I have particularly noticed these sudden changes in the wea- 
ther, as they prove very distinctly, that at this point the full 
influence of the south-west monsoon commences which prevails 
over the Indian Ocean. From this time we kept over to the 
coast of Africa, where we found light breezes from about 
W. by N., with clear and pleasant weather, which continued till 
the 5th of July, when at four P. M.,* having brought Mount 
Felukt to bear due south, distant four leagues, the Captain took 
a fresh departure, and steered about east north-east, with an in- 
tention of passing to the northward of the Island of Socotra. A 
few hours after this the wind from the north-west died away, and 
at nine it became calm ; but before midnight a heavy gale once 
more commenced from the south-west, attended by a tremen- 
dously high sea as we opened the channel between Gardafui and 
Socotra, when we were compelled to put the ship under her fore- 
sail, still keeping an eastern course ; and during the whole night 
she strained so much with the rolling of the sea, that the pump 
was employed every ten minutes to keep her free. By the fore- 
going observations, it appears that if a line be drawn from Has 
Gardafui to Aden, it will give an exact notion of the gene- 
ral direction and limits of the south-west monsoon in this gulf. 
* The exact courses and distance of our run will be given in Appendix No. V. 
t A sketch of this Cape, and another of Cape Gardafui, is given in the general ch?^rt 
of the East Coast of Africa. 
