on the Marine 'Barometer . 
2 55 
on account of the decayed state of the Investigator, which 
obliged me to return with all practicable expedition to Port 
Jackson. An abridged statement, however, of the general 
height of the mercury under the five following circumstances, 
will afford some light upon the subject, and perhaps not be 
uninteresting. 1st. On the east side of the gulph, and at the 
head, with the south-east monsoon, or trade wind. 2d. At 
the head of the gulph with the north-west monsoon. 3d. On 
the west side during the north-west monsoon. 4th. At Cape 
Arnhem under the same circumstance; and 5th. In the pas- 
sage from Cape Arnhem, at a distance from the coast, to 
Timor, with variable winds. 
In a memoir written by Alexander Dalrymple, Esq. 
F. R. S. respecting the Investigator’s voyage, there is this 
general remark : — “ Within the tropics, the monsoon blowing 
“ on the coast produces rainy weather, and when blowing 
“ from over the land, it produces land and sea breezes.” 
This I found verified on the east side of the gulph of Car- 
pentaria, between Nov. 3 and 16, which time was employed 
in its examination ; for though we had found the south-east 
trade to blow constantly on the east side of Cape York just 
before, and doubtless it did so then, yet in the gulph we had 
a tolerably regular sea breeze, which set in from the west- 
ward at eleven or twelve o’clock, and continued till seven, 
eight, or nine in the evening. Towards the head of the gulph, 
the trade wind, which blew at night and in the morning, came 
more from the NE, and the sea breezes more from north and 
NW, but without producing any regular alteration in the 
height of the mercury, whose average standard was 29,95 : 
it never fell below 29,90 or rose above 30,^4. At the head, 
MDCCCVI. L 1 
