148 
SURVEY OP THE INTERTROPICAL 
1 ^. with tolerable precision by the state of a small 
Dec. 31. piece of sea-weed, the weight of which varied 
according to the dryness or moisture of the at- 
mosphere between one and three scruples. I 
found it on all occasions extremely sensible, and 
very often to predict a change of wind much 
sooner than the barometer. 
Fahrenheit’s thermometer ranged between 64° 
and 74°, but the usual extremes were between 
66° and 70°. 
1822 . During the day of the I st of January, the depth 
Jan. 1 . of the bar was frequently sounded, but as there 
was not more than ten feet and a half water upon 
it, we were necessarily detained at the anchorage. 
2. On the following morning, also, at four o’clock 
the depth was the same ; but at ten o’clock the 
water rose suddenly eighteen inches, upon which 
the anchors were lifted, and the brig warped 
over the bar to an anchorage in three and a 
half fathoms off the outer watering-place, to await 
a favourable opportunity of going over to Seal 
Island; near which it was intended to anchor, 
in order to refit the rigging, and otherwise pre- 
pare the vessel for our voyage up the west coast. 
In the afternoon we procured a load of water, 
and permitted the natives, thirteen of whom were 
assembled, to pay us another visit. On their 
coming on board, it was noticed that many of 
