by weathering the reefs near the South end of New Caledonia a passage may always be effected.

The westerly monsoon in the Pacific, as in the Indian Ocean, is attended with cloudy overcast weather, squalls, and heavy rains. Some of these squalls are very severe, requiring all sail to be taken in when crossing the wind; even when running close reefs will be found enough. I have experienced several near New Ireland and New Guinea, which generally gave warning and commenced at W.S.W., blowing furiously the first hour, and continuing in a strong gale, veerto the N.W. for five or six hours.

From lat. 10° S. to the southern tropic hurricanes are likely to be experienced from November until April agreeing also in this respect with the Indian Ocean; and I make no doubt that one of these occasioned the loss of La Perouse and his fellow voyagers. These scourges of the sea are more prevalent near the New Hebrides and New Caledonia than the Feejee Group and Friendly Islands. In fact, the lia

mon

bility to hurricancs appears in exact ratio to that of the S.W. soon, or rather to the meridians in which the westerly monsoon blows, differing in latitude; the monsoon seldom extending beyond 17 or 18° S.,—indeed, at times 13° S. is the limit,-whereas hurricanes are experienced as far as the tropic.

From all that I can gather of these hurricanes of the South Pacific, having conversed with several masters who have encountered them, some of whom have had their ships dismasted, I scarcely think they are of that terrific description occasionally experienced elsewhere; and am almost inclined to believe them more often and more severely felt near the islands than well clear of the land, although aware of this disagreeing with the new theory; but future facts will be necessary to elucidate this subject.

They are still of unfrequent occurrence in the Pacific, several years intervening without any ship encountering one. I possess no facts which would be serviceable in pointing out their track or direction of rotation. They will, without doubt, be considered to agree with other places in the same latitude, yet a few more well authenticated descriptions of these southern hurricanes would not appear to encumber the evidence of their uniformity in these particulars.

Near the Friendly Islands (and perhaps elsewhere) storms occasionally happen of extreme violence, blowing from one point and producing similar effects to hurricanes. In November, 1835, eight or ten ships, English and American, encountered one of these near Tongataboo and Eooa from S.S.E., the heavy part of which lasted about eight hours, causing more or less damage to all,-one or two were dismasted. It was described by the masters whom I saw, which included most of them, as being more severe than anything they had ever seen. Ashore at Eooa, it was most violent,-houses and trees blown down and all the crops destroyed. It likewise did great damage at Tongataboo, and was also felt very severely at the Hapai Islands and Vavaoo. Here, Mr. Thomas, the missionary, was obliged to shore his house up, although it was considered by the natives that a gradual decrease in

strength had been experienced in proceeding northward. Still further North, the Nassau encountered it in 16° N., in the shape of a heavy gale. At all these places the wind was from the southward,-S.S.E. by the ships; ashore they had no compasses, but it certainly was from the southward and without shifting. I have thus endeavoured to be explicit, through an impression that more is required to be known of hurricanes and gales in localities, and having a strong belief that many of the hurricanes, even those producing the most disastrous effects, will be found very local.

Reverting again to the N.W. monsoon:-at the Salomon Archipelago it commences in December or January. In some years these months are tolerably fine. During February and March strong winds, with severe squalls and heavy rains, may be expected. April generally is a fine month, with variable winds; also in May there is a good deal of fine weather. The S.E. monsoon sets in strongly in June, with heavy rains and squalls, and continues so until the end of August: in all these months, nevertheless, there are considerable intervals of fine weather. In September the strength of the monsoon is spent, and the weather is more moderate from this time until the return of the north-wester.

Farther to the eastward, about the meridian of Rotumah, the westerly monsoon is less constant, beginning generally in January, and blowing strongly about seventeen or eighteen days consecutively, then declining; and, the easterly wind returning in a fresh breeze for nearly the same period, the westerly wind again intervenes, asually commencing with a gale, and always continuing in a strong breeze, with squalls and rain;-the easterly and westerly winds thus alternating until the end of March, when the S.E. trade sets in steadily. Proceeding still further to the eastward the westerly monsoon gradually becomes less constant, and finally disappears, I think, somewhere about the meridian of the Marquesas Islands.

Of currents I can only speak in very general terms, these being subject to great changes in many localities. From 1° or 2° N. to about 3° S., a current of two or three knots an hour prevails, taking its course from the wind, which is easterly during the greater part of the year: current, therefore, westerly. I have, however, experienced an exception to this. In July, 1833, on the equator, in long. 175° E., a current of about the strength already mentioned ran to the eastward for fourteen or fifteen days, although the wind was then fresh from the eastward; and I believe such changes have generally occurred once a year, probably induced by a strong S. W. or westerly monsoon in North latitude reaching at this time near the line. They are fitful changes and not to be depended on, nor can I state their extent eastward.

In other parts of this ocean, well clear of the land, there appears to be very little current. Mr. Horsburgh speaks of a drain to leeward, and this seems to express all there is. Indeed, I think the swell may almost account for it; therefore it is obviously not such a serious matter to fall to leeward in the Trades as may be imagined; almost any ship with perseverance may work to windward, the wind varying con

siderably, and veering at times far to the southward. For instance, in April I have worked up in a dull sailing and leewardly ship from the reefs off New Caledonia to the West side of the Feejee Group. From thence, in June, to the islands called by the natives Fotuna and Alloaffy, (marked in one as Alluffalli in the chart,) and from thence to Wallis Island. Moderate westerly winds of two or three days duration happen in nearly every month.

Off the islands, so far as my observation extends, the currents decrease in strength in proportion to the increase in latitude, that is, the nearer to the equator the stronger the current, and generally with the wind. There are no doubt many exceptions, but without an account of each island, which I am unable to give, no statement can embrace all the particulars, yet one or two instances of such deviation may be mentioned. Cruising to the southward of New Georgia and Bougainville Islands throughout the S.E. monsoon from May until October, in the years 1836 and 1840, the current ran strongly to the S.E. against a strong wind and heavy swell, although at the same time on the North side of these islands it was running as strongly to the westward. Off the North side of New Ireland, where a westerly current prevails, changes to the eastward occur for ten or twelve days at all

seasons.

In concluding these remarks, I may be permitted to hope that some of your readers will follow them up. The winds of the western part of the North Pacific seem very imperfectly known. No statement has appeared of the eastern limit of the S. W. monsoon; it certainly enters this ocean. In June I have run to the northward, keeping about 3° eastward of the Philippines, with a flesh and steady breeze from S.W. The same wind prevailed until reaching 27° North and 138° East.

Guam and the other islands of the Ladrone Group are also understood to be subject to hurricanes, for which the inhabitants prepare by lashing down and securing their houses; yet the seasons at which these are most likely to be experienced are not generally known. Having only crossed this locality once or twice in making passages, I can merely give hearsay evidence. The present Governor of Lamboangan, who has resided in Guam two years in the same capacity, informs forms me that in June, July, and August, also in December and January, they are expected. December, 1832, the Japan, a new ship, encountered a severe hurricane in 13° North and about 160° West, the meridian of some of the Sandwich Islands, in which she was totally dismasted, and fears were entertained of her weathering it. This is the farthest to the eastward in the North Pacific of which I have heard.

[The foregoing important paper, contributed by Captain Hunter to this journal in 1843, is reprinted here with the view of showing that the passage from Singapore to Sydney may be made at all times of the year by the North coast of New Guinea, as pointed out by him in the last number. Our readers have now the three passages before them,but we recommend them to the experience of Capt. Hunter.-ED.]

A WHALER'S VISIT TO HAKODADI.

The impression generally received by shipmasters is a favourable one of the port of Hakodadi; and the treatment received from Japanese officers and others with whom they came in contact, was courteous, and in no sense annoying. We judge, however, from all the information we can gather, that the pleasure of a sojourn there or a visit, arises more from the novelty of the scenes met with than from any superior advantages offered for recruiting; for on this score it would appear that there are many disadvantages.

Leaving Cape Elizabeth in the Ochotsk Sea, in company with the Rapid, October 1st, 1857, the Adeline steered South through the Saghalien Sea for Perouse Straits, and in the passage encountered heavy gales and bad weather generally. Passed through the straits October 15th in a thick fog, seeing no land except a rock which lies in the passage. After passing the straits they had the same heavy weather and gales, mostly from the S.W., which was dead ahead, and arrived at Hakodadi on the 22nd of October, after a passage of twenty-two days,an average passage from the Ochotsk to Honolulu. Captain Taber thinks, however, that the passage can be made in ten to fifteen days. We quote the letter:

-

"About twenty minutes after we had anchored, the Japanese officials made us a visit, and I was surprised to see such a noble and intelligent looking people. Upon arriving on board, the interpreter introduced himself and his fellow officers, who by the way could not speak or understand English. The interpreter asked, 'What for you come here?' Upon being told that we came in for supplies for our ship and people, he asked 'What kind of supplies we wanted?' I told him that we should want wood and water, fresh meat and vegetables, together with the products of the country generally. This was made known by the interpreter to the high officer in attendance, who made known to us through the same medium that we should have everything we wanted that the country afforded, and they all appeared much pleased with our visit to their country, and quite as much with their visit on board our ship. We were therefore received with a hearty welcome, and a free pass given to come and go whenever we liked; and I would here say that the government, from the time we arrived until our departure, did, as they said they would, all they could to make us comfortable while there, and furnished us with all necessary supplies.

We found that we could obtain most of the necessary supplies that ships stand in need of. First, we got fresh beef, being the first, as I was informed, furnished to any merchant or whale ship. The beef is tender and very sweet, and costs about eight cents per pound. The Japanese do not kill beef cattle to eat themselves, nor do I remember seeing beef cooked as food in any way on shore; but when they came on board ship they dropped all scruples they ever had on that matter,

and put a good quantity out of sight, as if they owed somebody a spite. Potatoes were also obtained, which were of an excellent quality, though small, and as to quantity there seemed to be an abundance; but, from some cause or other, quite a number of whale ships in the spring could not get potatoes. It was reported that they lost a great many in the winter by frost and by the severe thaws that take place after the heavy snows overflowing the potato holes or cellars. They say such failures shall be remedied another year, though, in fact, they know very little about raising potatoes or taking care of them after they have raised them. They are very much like other people in counting the cost, and, if anything, a little more so. There was also plenty of rice, and some of the best rice I ever saw, at two cents per pound; quite a variety of beans, sugar, rice, flour, buckwheat flour. Abundance of fish of a very nice quality, and fresh cod were caught in the harbour all winter.

There was also an abundance of chickens and eggs, and in the winter venison was plenty, all of which could be bought at reasonable rates, if the money could be got at at a reasonable rate, which was the most vexatious thing met with in our stay there. The government pays for gold coin twenty-two cents for the dollar, and silver coin (except only Spanish and Mexican dollars, which passed at six per cent. discount,) went by weight, the average deduction being about one third or thirty-three per cent.; to say nothing of drawing a bill at fifty per cent. discount, to which ought to have been added, one half at sight and the remainder in a minute. However, we got through it in the way of general average pretty well after all.

The harbour of Hakodadi cannot be surpassed for safety. It is sufficiently large to shelter several hundred sail of vessels in an anchorage averaging from three to eight fathoms water, with soft muddy bottom. The harbour also abounds with sea fowl in winter, of various and choice kinds, to say nothing of the sport of taking them.

The Japanese are a very shrewd and close-calculating people; they offer us about one fourth the cost of our goods, and when we refuse to sell, they say, 'Very well, what we cannot make ourselves there is no use of our having; but time will drive that notion out of their heads, because they are very fond of dress.

As the Japanese become more acquainted with the American people, their manners, customs, &c., they will drop many of their own absurdities. A few American residents with a store or two would do much to begin the work. While we were there, the people were not allowed to receive or make any presents, which was, of course, a difficult thing to control, the curiosity of both parties being very much excited. Several books, pictorials, magazines, Godey's, Harper's, &c., were sent back, and the people punished that received them.

There might be a great deal more said about the Japanese that would appear strange to us; but I hope to find them more enlightened and less exclusive should I visit them again, which I hope to do."

NO. 5.-VOL. XXVIII.

2 L