Account of a Voyage of Discovery Part 21

From Loo-choo to Lintin, off Canton.

27th October to the 2d November, 1816 6 days.

As the north-east monsoon was blowing fresh, this quick pa.s.sage was to be expected.

9.

[Sidenote: China to Manilla, 200 leagues.]

From Lemma Islands to Manilla.

2d February to the 5th February, 1817 3 days.

A good pa.s.sage for this season of the year.

10.

[Sidenote: Manilla to Penang, 600 leagues.]

From Manilla to Prince of Wales's Island.

21st February to 8th March, 1817 15 days.

In the north-east monsoon this is somewhat under the average pa.s.sage.

11.

[Sidenote: Penang to Bengal, 400 leagues.]

From Prince of Wales's Island to Saugor Roads, Bengal.

13th March to the 27th March, 1817 14 days.

The average at this season is twenty-one days, consequently this pa.s.sage is very good. At this season of the year the north-east monsoon has entirely ceased in the centre of the Bay of Bengal; so that a ship which steers well out between the Nicobars and Andamans need not apprehend northerly winds; whereas in the north-eastern parts of the bay, the monsoon still blows faintly, with long intervals of calm. A merchant brig, reputed a good sailer, left Prince of Wales's Island 6 days before us, and followed the inner route, while we went outside, and arrived 10 days before her at Calcutta.

12.

[Sidenote: Calcutta to Madras, 300 leagues.]

Sand Heads off Calcutta to Madras, against the south-west monsoon.

From 19th April to the 7th May, 1817 18-1/2 days.

Three weeks is said to be a good pa.s.sage. We beat down as far as the lat.i.tude 11 north, and longitude 87 east, before we hauled across. We had fine weather all the way.

13.

[Sidenote: Madras to Mauritius, 1140 leagues.]

From Madras to the Mauritius.

1st June to the 1st July, 1817 30 days.

We were driven by the south-west monsoon as far as longitude 92 east, before crossing the equator; here we had a constant high swell. We were much baffled, and did not get the steady south-east trade till in 7 south, and longitude 88 east. The average pa.s.sage is between five and six weeks at this season of the year.

14.

[Sidenote: Mauritius to rounding the Cape, 800 leagues.]

From Mauritius to making the land of Africa, about Algoa Bay.

8th July to the 22d July, 1817 14 days.

Thence to rounding the Cape on the 30th July 8 --- Mauritius till round the Cape, 3 weeks 1 day, or 22 days.

The average from the Mauritius to rounding the Cape, is twenty-eight days; on this occasion we kept close in-sh.o.r.e: we had no current, and though in the depth of winter, the weather was invariably fine, and the water smooth. At night a breeze generally blew off sh.o.r.e. There was a heavy dew every night.

15.

[Sidenote: Cape to St. Helena, 570 leagues.]

From off the Cape to St. Helena on the 11th August 12 days.

Mauritius to the Cape (see above) 22 days.

--- From Mauritius to St. Helena in 4 weeks 6 days, or 34 days.

[Sidenote: Mauritius to St. Helena, 1370 leagues.]

This is an excellent pa.s.sage. It appears to be a great object in making a pa.s.sage from India to England, to pa.s.s the Cape without going in; for it is often easy to round the Cape and go to St. Helena, when it is difficult and tedious either to go to Simon's or Table Bay, and much delay is produced by the difficulty of getting out of the former anchorage.

16.

[Sidenote: St. Helena to Ireland, 1800 leagues.]

From St. Helena to Bantry Bay in Ireland.

Sailed from St. Helena on the 14th August, 1817.

Arrived off Bantry Bay, 14th October, 1817 61 days.