METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER,

Kept at Croom's Hill, Greenwich, by Mr. W. ROGERSON, of the Royal Observatory.

NOVEMBER.-Mean height of the Barometer=29-826 inches; Mean Temperature 40·3 degrees Depth of Rain fallen=1.60 inches.

For explanation of abbreviations used in the columns "Weather," and "Strength of Wind," see former numbers.

LONDON: T. STANLEY, PRINTER, WHEATSHEAF-YARD, FARRINGDON-STREET.

ORIGINAL PAPERS.

FEBRUARY, 1838.

VOYAGE OF THE ACTEON.-Valparaiso to the Marquesas Islands.

WE left Valparaiso on the 29th of August, 1836, intending to shape our course direct for Pitcairn's Island; but a westerly wind obliged us to stand to the northward, when we had variable winds from the N.W. to S. and S.S.E. In lat. 22° 30′ S. and long. 10° 3′ W. we met a S.E. wind with fine clear weather, and considered it the trade, although it veered to N.E. and N.N.E., from which quarter we had it during the remainder of our passage to the Marquesas.

On the 10th September, at 9 A.M. we were in the longitude, and only six miles to the northward of a rock laid in the Admiralty chart,* in lat. 28° 33′ S. and long. 90° 30′ W. Had it been there, or near the situation, we must have seen it, as a good look out was kept at the masthead, and having a clear day, good sights were obtained for latitude and longitude, the chronometers going well. We passed near the situation of the Wareham Rocks; it was in the evening, but we saw nothing of them. The current, during the whole passage from Valparaiso, set to the southward and eastward, different to that found by Captain Beechey, in the Blossom. The whole amount during the thirtyfour days' passage from Valparaiso to the Marquesas Islands, was S. 47° E. eighty-five miles.

On the 2nd of October we discovered the islands of Magdalena and San Pedro, distant from thirty-five to forty miles. We stood close in to Dominica, one of the eastern small ones of the group, and then tacked, standing off and on till daylight, when we had Dominica, Santa Christina, San Pedro, and Hogg's Island in sight. The wind continued easterly, while we bore up and ran to the southward of Dominica, within two miles of the shore, passing between this island and Santa Christina, which are about three miles apart. When through, we hauled close round the point of Santa Christina for Resolution Bay, where we anchored on the 3rd of October, in seventeen fathoms, at two cables' length from the valley; the southern extreme of the bay bearing S.W., and the northern extreme N.W.

[* There is no Admiralty chart of the Pacific Ocean, and until one is constructed, that of Arrowsmith's is supplied to Her Majesty's ships.-ED. N.M.] ENLARGED SERIES.-NO. 2.-VOL. FOR 1838.

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The island of Magdalena is very high, and also that of San Pedro, which has a rock off its southern extreme, distinctly visible from the island. Dominica is about twenty-five or thirty miles from east to west, and is very high, particularly at its western end; perhaps about 4,000 feet. There are several vallies in the island, the inhabitants of which are believed to be cannibals.

The island of Christina, off which we had anchored, is about 2,500 feet high, and has about 800 inhabitants, which are distributed in different valleys of the island, each having its own chief, who is again subordinate to the principal chief residing at Resolution Bay. We found here two missionaries (Messrs. Rogerson and Stallworthy) who had succeeded in improving the natives so far as to induce them to throw aside their idols, and were now about to build a chapel. The principal chief or king, with his queen, visited the Actæon. He is a fine stout athletic man, not overburthened with kingly robes; the only thing about his person being the maro, or cloth, round his loins: he had a fine commanding appearance, and his lady was allowed, by the best judges on board, to have some pretensions even to beauty. The graceful folds of her zapa, or body dress, consisting of a mere cloth constructed from the bark of a tree, added no little to the dignity of her appearance. We found the natives of Resolution Bay particularly quiet and inoffensive. A great number found their way on board by swimming, so much so that it was difficult to keep the decks clear of them; yet no case of theft occurred during our stay, although they are frequently known to steal from merchant vessels.

Two of the vallies which terminate in Resolution Bay are inhabited. The largest contains about forty huts, built on a pile of stones collected from the beach. The shape of these is peculiar to themselves. The area enclosed by them is rectangular, the roof thatched with leaves, slanting from one of the sides which is high, down to the opposite, which is about four feet from the ground, and in which is a sliding door.

We found the island abounding in wild hogs, fowls, bread-fruit, plantains, and sweet potatoes; but the natives were too indolent to bring them on board for sale. They will, however, readily exchange their ornaments, &c., for muskets and powder. We found several English and American seamen located among them, from whom we obtained a few pigs and potatoes, as well as plantains. This fruit grows to an enormous size in the island. One of the plantains which I measured was nine inches and a half in circumference, and seven and a half long. These men reside in a valley towards the northern part of the island. A ship going to Resolution Bay, on passing the north end of Christina should haul close up for the next bluff. She will then pass a small sandy bay, where the foreigners are living in a kind of stockade. The next

bay to this is Resolution Bay, but it cannot be made out until the northern bluff of the bay is passed. When this is done, the villages will be distinctly seen. As the wind blows out of this bay, a ship would have to work up to the anchorage. She may stand close over, the shore being steep, and will anchor in from fifteen to seventeen fathoms, on a hard bottom with the bearings already given. About the months of March and April south west winds set in here, but have neither strength nor duration. The landing place is extremely bad, the boat being obliged to go alongside rocks, on which the surf sometimes is heavy. Watering therefore is difficult, as the casks must be landed through the surf; the water is good, but the supply so small that it would take half an hour to fill a puncheon.

GENERAL REMARKS RESPECTING THE CURRENTS AND TIDAL STREAMS IN THE ST. Lawrence.

10. Prevailing Currents.-11. Currents at the entrance of the Gulf.-12. Current in through the Strait of Belle Isle.-13. Its Course after entering the Gulf.— 14. Main Current of the River.-15. Its Course and Rate.-16. Round Point de Monts.-17. Along the South Coast.-18. Remarks on the Tides of the North Coast, eastward of Point de Monts.

10. THE time of high water on the full and change days of the moon, and the rise in spring and neap tides at different places, will be found in a table which will follow. Local peculiarities will be mentioned in their proper places. At present I shall chiefly confine myself to a general description of those great currents, and tidal streams, which, although they may be subject to occasional interruption and modification, seem, nevertheless, to depend on constantly existing causes. The prevailing currents of the St. Lawrence extend over very large spaces, though varying according to locality and other circumstances, and they are altogether so important a feature in the navigation, that some general knowledge respecting them is indispensable both to the safety and expedition of vessels in the gulf and estuary of the St. Lawrence.

11. It is a generally received opinion that a current sets constantly to the south-eastward out of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, between

Newfoundland and Cape Breton Islands, and also that it is frequently deflected to the southward, towards the shores of the island last named, by another current from the northward, which is said to enter the gulf by the Strait of Belle Isle.

I have myself observed that a current sets out, between Cape Ray and St. Paul Island, during westerly winds and in calm weather; but it is checked by easterly winds, and I believe that it may sometimes run in a contrary direction from the same cause. Northerly winds, and perhaps also the above-named current from the northward, may cause the stream to set to the southward towards Cape Breton Island. But the truth is, that winds, both present and at a distance, possess so powerful and irregular an action upon the set and strength of the currents and tides in this entrance of the gulf, that I can say nothing certain or definite respecting them.

12. The reality of a current inwards through the Strait of Belle Isle, is confirmed by the presence of icebergs, which it transports into the gulf every summer, against the prevailing S.W. winds; frequently carrying them as far as Mecatina, and sometimes even to the neighbourhood of the east point of Anticosti. It is probable that this is a branch of the great current from Davis Strait, which is known to run along the coast of Labrador, and to transport numerous ice-bergs far to the southward every year. This currrent will be mentioned again under the head of the Strait of Belle Isle. Its strength is very much increased by a prevalence of N.E. winds: at such times it runs at the rate of 2 knots, through the strait, and for 30 to 40 miles further to the westward; diminishing gradually in force as it spreads out in the wider parts of the gulf. Usually, however, its rate is much less. At times, when S.W. winds prevail, it becomes very weak; and it has even been reported to me, that a current has been observed setting out of the gulf, in a contrary direction, to the N.E., for days together, but this was never observed by us during either of the three seasons which we passed there. There is, however, no doubt that this current is extremely irregular, as might be expected at the narrow outlet of a great inland sea, where winds, both within and without, must of necessity possess great influence.

13. After entering the gulf, it runs along the north, or Labrador coast, at the distance of 2 or 3 miles from the outer islands; leaving a narrow space inshore, in which the streams of the tides, when uninfluenced by winds, are tolerably regular. Passing outside of Mistanoque, the islands of Grand Mecatina, and the South Naker's Ledge, it pursues a direction given to it by the trending of the coast, till it is turned gradually to the southward, by the weak current which is often found coming from the westward between Anticosti and the north coast, during westerly winds, and which is set off to the