Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara Volume Iii Part 16

He also spoke of the desirability of endeavouring to increase the intercourse between the scientific inst.i.tutes of Chile and Austria, and in token of the interest he took in the objects of the Expedition, presented a copy of Gay's splendid work, as also an extensive collection of all the historical and statistical papers ill.u.s.trative of Chilean history during the last ten years.

The hope indulged by the Commodore of being able to get the preliminaries of the Treaty signed before our departure, were unfortunately frustrated by the serious political events which then entirely occupied the attention of the various members of Government. It was necessary by moderate measures and an energetic policy to crush out the Revolution, which had broken out about two months prior to our arrival, before it had attained uncontrollable dimensions. The insurgents in this case were not vehement hot-headed Republicans, desirous of further liberty, but reactionary Ultramontanes (of whom there always are some, even in a Republic), who wished to overthrow the existing Liberal Government, and subst.i.tute in its place a more flexible cabinet, more dependent upon party tactics. The dread lest the insurrection should spread till it resulted in civil war, which would throw back for years the prosperity of the country, proved to be well-grounded. For several of the most prominent and distinguished citizens of Chile, as also the clerical party always so powerful in Spanish American colonies, had united with the insurgents, whose youthful and ardent leader, Don Pedro Gallo, belonged to one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Chile. He had already a.s.sumed a threatening att.i.tude in the northern provinces, where his family was held in high consideration, and had cut off all communication with the mining city of Copiapo. His mother, a lady some sixty years of age, harangued her son's troops from the balcony of her house, and repeatedly excited her auditory by shrieking out the thrilling a.s.surance, that "she would sacrifice her last farthing would it but ensure the downfall of the existing Government, and the return to power of the party of the _Peluqueros_" (literally wig-makers, or Whigs, who in Chile are regarded as adherents of the Conservative, or rather reactionary party).

Of the immense sums which ambition and party rancour are willing to sacrifice in Chile, some idea may be formed from the fact that the Gallo family, at the commencement of the insurrection, engaged to devote their whole fortune, estimated at more than 600,000, in promoting the aims of the revolutionists. Fortunately for the pecuniary interests both of the family and the State, it was nipped in the bud, before any enormous expenses had been incurred, although it must be confessed that also in Chile making war is a most costly pastime. The Intendant of Valparaiso, Don Joaquim Novoa, informed us that the cost of maintaining the highly-paid Chilean army, which does not number above 8000 men, amounts to 500,000 dollars (100,000) A WEEK!!! considerably more, proportionally, than four times the estimated cost of the highly-trained British army.

Our evenings in Santiago were usually spent in private circles, and we found ourselves in no small degree astonished at the elegance and luxury which were visible, both in the fitting up of the reception-rooms and the toilettes of the guests. It is true, we a.s.sociated with the wealthiest and most distinguished families in the country, but we had not expected to find the subdued but exquisite French taste so universally prevalent. The external aspect of the houses of the Chilean patricians is rather ma.s.sive than elegant. The heavy iron grating which surrounds the wide lofty windows leave a disagreeable gloomy impression. The large quadrangular court, or Pato, enclosed by the bed-chambers, and which is common to every Spanish American house from Chile to Mexico, is intended less for the pa.s.sage of air and light to the various apartments than as a place to fly to in case of an earthquake (which, however, within the last 20 years were of rare occurrence in Chile and of no great importance), whence it would be easy to escape. Usually the reception-room has no cost or pains spared to embellish it; every object or article of furniture in it being designed to produce a certain effect. The expense and risk attending the transport of a large mirror or pianoforte, or other article of similar value, from the factory at Paris to its destination in Chile, is enough to make the visitor open his eyes with amazement at beholding them there!

Conversation, which, owing to the limited information of the ladies, usually turns in South American drawing-rooms upon the most common-place subjects, is marked in Chile by all the interest and vivacity consequent on the important influence exercised by the fair s.e.x over the politics of the country, which prefers debating important political events to idle chatter and ordinary talk.

Even more agreeable than the evenings we spent among the patrician circles of Santiago, were those which we pa.s.sed with an Austrian gentleman, Dr.

Herzl, settled here some ten years, and with some German-Spanish families.

Here everlasting politics, or rather party squabbles, had not, as in the native _salons_, banished music and song, the latter being cherished as a means of rising out of the hurly-burly, and keeping the annoyances of public life, for the moment at least, at arm's length.

In Chilean salons nothing was talked but politics; here the bent of conversation was towards literature and art, and, climax of the evening, the beloved melodies of our native land. Madame Z----, a native of Madrid, a second time married to a German, is a downright musical prodigy. In her youth she had studied at the _Conservatoire_ in Paris in company with Madame Malibran, and although now 54, and the mother of 16 children, she still entrances by her clear ringing voice, and the charm of her exquisitely appreciative intonation.

The chief engineer and director of the southern railway (Ferro Carril del Sur), a North American gentleman named Evans, a graduate of West Point, had the kindness to invite some members of the Expedition to visit the Maipu Bridge, distant some 17 miles from Santiago, and accompanied them in person on their excursion to this the most interesting engineering work of the line. We set off at 1 P.M. by one of the ordinary trains. The road is intended to unite Santiago with the very productive district of Talca, a distance of 180 miles, and is destined to exercise a most beneficial influence in improving the position of the peasantry.

The drive through the valley of Santiago is exceedingly interesting, as the line keeps close beneath the Cordillera through nearly its entire length, thus revealing to the gaze of the astonished traveller a succession of Alpine landscapes, such as one might behold in crossing the Semmering Alp. The ordinary rate of travelling in Chile is 25 miles an hour, but the expresses occasionally run at the rate of 60 miles per hour.

As the splendid pastures on either side are grazed by innumerable herds, some of which were constantly straying upon the line, the item for injury done to cattle used to a.s.sume serious proportions, owing to the negligence of the drivers, till the directors, under the advice of Mr. Evans, offered a premium of 30 dollars a quarter to any engine driver who should during that s.p.a.ce avoid killing any of the cattle: a singular regulation, but which put a stop to the evil. The line is solidly constructed, but very simply equipped, the waiting-rooms at the different stations being entirely deficient in that luxury which the traveller is accustomed to on first-rate European lines. But it tells in favour of the dividend.[113]

The splendid and substantially-built iron bridge thrown over the Maipu here, 1500 feet wide, at an elevation of 1822 feet above the level of the sea, was like everything used on the line, with the exception of the wood, imported from North America. Of the difficulty and expense attending land-transport in Chile, some idea may be formed from the fact that the freightage of one ton of goods from New York to Valparaiso, 10,000 miles by sea, is but 1 1_s._, whereas the conveyance of the same quant.i.ty from Santiago to Valparaiso, only 100 miles, costs 7 7_s._!!

Although evening surprised us ere we returned to Santiago from Maipu, and a dense mist hung over the landscape quite precluding all views for the greatest part of the road, we were so fortunate, shortly before our arrival at the city, as to be favoured with a glimpse of the majestic range of the Cordillera, lit up by the declining rays of the sun, a spectacle resembling the sunset splendours of the Alps in Switzerland; but the novelty of the details of which, coupled with its suddenness and brevity of duration, greatly deepened the impression of awe and admiration with which we regarded it.

At noon of the 30th of April we set out on our return to Valparaiso. On this occasion we availed ourselves of a different kind of vehicle, an American mail-coach as it is termed, from its having been first organized by a North American, which admitted of our seeing a different range of country. In this journey we were fortunate enough to be accompanied by Mr.

James Volckmann, a young German gentleman, who is an active colleague of the renowned geologist, Mr. p.i.s.sis, and has already himself contributed many valuable additions to our acquaintance with the geology of Chile. The coach stopping at Melepilla, the next station, a neat little town nestling on a level surface at the foot of a lovely valley, whence it was to proceed the following morning to the port, we took advantage of the opportunity to pay an _impromptu_ visit to a Chilean family in the neighbourhood, to which we had introduction. We rode out accordingly to the _hacienda_ of Las Esmeraldas, about two miles distant from Melepilla, where we were received like old friends of the hospitable family Lecaros.

Most of the wealthy landowners of the country pa.s.s only a few months of each year in their splendid houses at Valparaiso or Santiago, and spend the rest of their time in affluent retirement upon their properties. The small, externally unsightly, mansion was furnished within with all that could minister to that genuine English notion of COMFORT; and the ladies, though the hour was so late that they could scarcely have expected any further visitors, received us in full Parisian toilette. This surprised us the more, inasmuch as the national costume is very much more graceful than that of Europe,--even an elderly female, dressed in sombre-hued silk, and with a long black coif around the head, the left ribbon of which is turned over the right shoulder, having quite a unique, piquant, and attractive appearance.

Even here the conversation took a political tone, and it speedily came to light that the stay of the ladies at Las Esmeraldas at the present inclement season was attributable less to any admiration of the beauties of nature than to some political disagreement; for the Chilean ladies, like all their s.e.x of the Latin stock, delight in political demonstrations. However, they are mainly taken up with keeping the Ultramontane element, the influence of which is everywhere apparent, within the limits a.s.signed it by the Const.i.tution itself. The head of the family, Don Jose Antonio Lecaro, an excellent energetic old gentleman, told us a great deal about his property, of the improvements he had made and was still projecting, and we regretted that the advanced hour prevented our examining this well-managed _hacienda_, which is so large that the pasturage can maintain several thousand horned cattle and horses.

Nevertheless, so far as regards numbers of farm-animals, it is probable that the proprietor of Las Esmeraldas is very far from being among the most extensive land-holders of Chile.

In the evening we adjourned to the elegant drawing-room, where time flew away in the most delightful manner with music and singing; the music, chiefly German, being selected, if we were not mistaken, quite as much through genuine appreciation of the great _maestros_ whose works were chosen, as to do honour to the nationality of the guests.

During the night we returned on horseback to Melepilla, and the following morning, 1st May, 1859, continued our journey to Valparaiso, where we arrived about four P.M., full of the most delightful and varied memories of our trip.

When we reached Valparaiso the frigate was ready to sail, but her departure was delayed, as our Commodore resolved to await the arrival of the next European mail, in case he should receive further instructions as to his route. In every social circle at this place, men hoped against hope that a European Congress would be convoked, which should devise a peaceful solution of existing differences. If, however, there was to be war, then amongst all, especially the Germans resident here, it was a foregone conclusion that Germany ought to make common cause with Austria. The disappointment was not long waited for--* * * *!

The uncertainty of our stay did not admit of any more excursions being made to a distance, and the naturalists accordingly redoubled their activity in searching for subjects in the environs of the town. The Directors of the railroad from Valparaiso to Santiago, which, however, is as yet only completed as far as the little village of Guillota, were so kind as to invite the members of the Expedition to make free use of their line, and the chief engineer, Mr. Lloyd, had also issued instructions to the various station-masters to give all manner of facilities to the foreign guests, and a.s.sist them in their collections to the utmost of their power. Unfortunately we found no time to avail ourselves of this very friendly invitation, and thus had to forego an excellent opportunity for examining the line itself, and studying its interesting geological features.

We succeeded once in getting as far as Guillota, the Spa of Chile. This portion of the road, 30 miles in length, is much travelled over, the fares being 1, 2, and 3 dollars according to cla.s.s, and the monthly receipts amount to from 20,000 to 25,000 dollars (4200 to 5250).

The little village of Guillota, lying in a valley laid out in orchards and vineyards, is of enormous extent; the _Calle larga_, or Long Street, being six English miles in length. The houses are usually one storey, very plain and unpretending but scrupulously clean. The stranger who wanders though Guillota, and becomes sensible of the filth and dust in the streets, and the entire absence of comfort within-doors, is apt to puzzle himself how the place came to be selected for a summer resort of the fas.h.i.+onable world, as indeed he may marvel how the Spanish navigators, to whom Valparaiso is indebted for its name, contrived to a.s.sociate the idea of the Vale of Paradise with its sandy hills and glades bare of vegetation.

Possibly the summer guests, who flock hither from October to March, may be sufficiently enthusiastic in their admiration of natural scenery, to feel themselves indemnified for discomfort within-doors by the charm of the surrounding landscape. The environs are exceedingly beautiful, the valley abounds in luxuriant vegetation and beautiful distant prospects, and from the little hill of Manaca, 150 to 200 feet in height, on the summit of which a large wooden cross was set up by missionary preachers in 1849, there is stretched at the feet of the beholder a magnificent picture of unrivalled interest and beauty, especially when the sun is near his setting, and lights up the magnificent peaks, from 3000 to 4000 feet in height, called, from their form resembling that of a bell, Campana and Campanita. More probably, however, the visitors from the port are at that hour busily employed at the "green tables," where, at faro and roulette, enormous sums are frequently lost and won.

One marked peculiarity, which it is impossible to avoid noticing, is the vast disproportion here between the s.e.xes. One hardly ever sees any but ladies in the streets, or sitting elegantly attired on low stools in front of the open door, their hands busy with their work, their eyes watching the pa.s.sers-by. The numerous hard-working male population is much more profitably employed in working at the city, rather than staying at home engaged in agriculture; whence it results that at Guillota, just as in some European fis.h.i.+ng villages along our sea-coasts, the male portion of the household are often absent for weeks together, and the little hamlet has the appearance of being the head-quarters of a tribe of Amazons.

From Guillota we went on to a large hacienda, about nine miles further, called La Calera, the property of a native of Bolivia. Part of this is planted with almond trees, but by far the larger portion is devoted to wine-growing. One of the _Mandadores_, or overseers; begged us to enter a large, handsome building where the process of wine-preparing was being carried on, and gave us some new wine, here called _Chicha_(p.r.o.nounced Tchitcha), which tasted very sweet and palatable. The Chicha is used in enormous quant.i.ties in Chile, and is even sent abroad in large bottle-shaped skins, but, owing to this mode of keeping it, the wine, which is set down much as cider is in Normandy, acquires a villanous tw.a.n.g that is anything but agreeable.

In Valparaiso we were so fortunate as to fall in with Mr. Kindermann, one of the founders of the German settlement of Valdivia, who has been long resident there, and has large landed property in that direction. We also made the acquaintance of Dr. Philippi, who, although attending to his duties as Professor of Natural History in the University of Santiago, finds time to take an active part in the colony of Valdivia. It would appear from the inquiries inst.i.tuted by competent persons, that the main obstacle to the permanent success and extension of the German colony consists in the want of roads, and that the fertility of the soil justifies the most sanguine hopes, so soon as more ready means of communication are provided, that the numerous products raised by this industrious community will no longer want either a steady market or extensive buyers.

Another German colony, which was organized with extensive privileges established at Punta Arenas in Magelhaen's Straits, and now numbers some 150 colonists, not only displays the most cheering signs of vitality, and that in a climate which has acquired, most unjustly however, an unenviable reputation, but promises to be of great importance both to Chile itself and to the vessels of all nations navigating the Straits of Magelhaen[114]. This will be more particularly the case, so soon as the scheme projected by certain Chilean patriots is realized, of which there is an early prospect, of placing a number of steamers upon the Magelhaen-Straits' line, for the purpose of towing vessels through.

In order to form an adequate conception of the importance of this undertaking, both for Chile and all seafaring nations, it must be borne in mind, that by thus making the Straits available, vessels will not alone escape the storms of Cape Horn, but will effect a great saving in time.

Maury estimates the time required by a vessel to pa.s.s from the eastern entrance of the Straits around Cape Horn to the western entrance at 25 days. They could be towed through in from four to five days, thus saving some 20 days. The tonnage pa.s.sing round Cape Horn to Valparaiso alone cannot be much short of 120,000 tons of merchandise, valued at about 16,000,000 dollars (3,200,000), so that the pecuniary returns realized by the saving of time in the voyages of these vessels promises to realize to the company a net profit of 257,776 dollars (53,600)[115].

Of course the estimate will become very much larger, if all the sailing vessels be included which pa.s.s annually round the Horn from E. to W., amounting to some 500 in number, with a tonnage of 400,000, and cargoes valued at 53,000,000 dollars (11,000,000). The projectors also propose to erect a lighthouse and telegraph station, both at Cape Virgin on the East, and Cape Pilar at the Western entrance, as also in Possession Bay, 40 miles W. of Virgin's Cape, at the Eastern entrance, and to have the depot buildings for the requisite materials at the entrance of Smythe Channel, 35 miles east of Cape Pilar. Four or five steamers of at least 500 tons are to perform the towing service, for which they propose to charge sailing vessels 1.50 dollars (6s. 3_d._) per ton, less, in fact, than the charge for towing in China, Australia, &c.

The carrying out of this scheme, which must exercise an incalculable influence on the commerce of the Pacific slope of the Indies, is mainly dependent on the disposition of the Chilean Government to guarantee a given interest, and accord certain facilities to the company which is to undertake so important and heavy an enterprise. Its requirements are by no means extravagant. During a period of fifteen years, it asks for an annual subvention of 125,000 dollars, for the first five years,[116] during the next five years of 100,000 dollars, and in the last five years 75,000 dollars, after which all aid from the State is to be withdrawn. Further, the company seeks to be secured in the exclusive right during those fifteen years of working the coal-fields,[117] which are known to exist in the Straits, to be presented free of expense with the land required for the various buildings and stations, and, lastly, permission to fell wood all along Magelhaen's Straits, and in the divergent bays, gulfs, and channels, but on the condition that one half of the soil so reclaimed shall remain the property of the State, the other half to remain in perpetuity the property of the adventurers. From the day on which this project is ushered into existence by the munificence and under the auspices of the Chilean Government, a new era will commence for the s.h.i.+pping interest along the west coast of South America! The difficulty is in securing a monopoly of the Straits. At present any captain may run the Straits if he will, and this is occasionally done. An English man-of-war pa.s.sed through in the spring of 1862.

At last, on 8th May, the European mail came in, but failed to bring the letters we expected, giving us instead only news of several months back, our bag having been sent to Lima instead of Valparaiso. However, the news received direct from Europe left no doubt that a war was imminent between France and Austria, and this circ.u.mstance at once determined our commander, like a true patriot, to return immediately home, so as to make his own services as well as those of his subordinates available in protecting our native land from the dangers impending over it. The original plan of sailing to Lima, and thence, after visiting the Galipagos, to Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, was under the prevailing circ.u.mstances totally abandoned. In a few days more the vessel was to sail for Gibraltar direct round Cape Horn.

As this decision involved a sea-voyage of some 10,000 miles, which must naturally be almost barren of ethnographic or statistical interest, and as the arrival of the _Novara_ at Gibraltar could scarcely be expected under from 80 to 90 days, the author of this narrative requested permission of the commander of the Expedition to devote the time required for the frigate to make her voyage, in prosecuting a journey overland to Lima and Panama, with the intention of catching at Aspinwall the next British royal mail steamer to Europe, and thus again fall in with the _Novara_ at Gibraltar about the beginning of August. The paramount motive for this proposal was the wish expressed to dedicate all this time to visit Lima, Panama, and the intermediate ports, and thus to forward to the utmost the objects of the Imperial Expedition, even when it was in fact homeward bound. It was also his intention to inst.i.tute certain inquiries while residing in the capital of Peru, respecting the actual condition of those Tyrolese families, who, misled by alluring prospects of all sorts, had resolved on emigrating to Peru in 1851, and had since then sunk into a most wretched state, according to indirect accounts received of their unhappy case. Commodore Wullerstorf, always ready to a.s.sist, whenever it is in his power, in promoting and advancing scientific aims, at once acceded to this request, conceiving that it was a deviation quite within the scope of his instructions for the Expedition, and compatible with the objects aimed at by its ill.u.s.trious projector.

Before the departure of the _Novara_, the Austrian Consul-General gave a splendid entertainment. This had been repeatedly postponed, as, under existing circ.u.mstances, it was not certain whether Chilean society could well be present. The intelligence, however, which a few days previous had been received from the Northern provinces as to the att.i.tude of Government, the suppression of the insurrection, and the flight of the leaders, had produced a vehement reaction in the public mind, and, at least among governmental circles, had given hope of a happy solution.

Accordingly the ball came off, and very gay it was. The s.p.a.cious and elegant residence of M. Flemmich (the head of the distinguished English firm of Huth, Gruning, & Co.) was richly adorned with flowers in every apartment, and the whole brilliantly lit up, while a bevy of graceful ladies swept through the salons, whose natural charms were enhanced by their agreeable geniality, not less than by an elegance of toilette such as Parisian salons themselves could not have surpa.s.sed.

A few days before the _Novara_ sailed, a merchantman dropped anchor in the roads, which on her voyage from Melbourne to Europe had, while running 11 miles an hour, come into collision with an iceberg in 60 S. and 149 E., by which she had lost bowsprit, foremast, and all her topmasts, besides carrying away her cut.w.a.ter and figurehead, and damaging the hull, and, sad to relate, sacrificing the lives of sixteen persons! The spectacle presented by this mere ruin of a s.h.i.+p, as she ran in half dismasted under jury-rig, created profound emotion even among the seafaring portion of the community, which was still further deepened, when the full particulars of their sufferings were detailed by the pa.s.sengers. The captain, fully expecting that a s.h.i.+p so seriously damaged must go to the bottom, formed the unworthy resolution of escaping in a boat with fifteen of the men. The whole perished, it is supposed, as nothing was ever heard of them, while the vessel, which owed her truly marvellous preservation to the fact that, having struck stem on, she had sprung no leak, though so terribly injured, was enabled to pursue her voyage to Valparaiso, where she arrived, the wind proving favourable, after a pa.s.sage of 55 days.

On the 11th May all was ready for the departure of the _Novara_, and the officer on duty only waited a favourable breeze to weigh anchor and set sail. Unfortunately, however, none such sprung up, and when towards 7 A.M.

a gentle breeze at last rippled the water, it did not last long enough to enable the vessel to clear the roads. The captain of H.M.S. _Ganges_ (80), who, as also Admiral Baines, the venerable Commander-in-chief of the British naval forces on the Pacific station, had already in a variety of ways cordially cooperated with and aided the Austrian Expedition, sent some of his boats to tow the frigate out of the roads, in which the French corvette _Constantine_, which had arrived the day before, politely a.s.sisted. Thus towed along by no less than 14 boats, the _Novara_ succeeded in getting into the open ocean. Favoured with a gentle breeze from the northward, she was soon able to lie her course, and towards evening, when a rather fresh S.W. sprang up, she was rapidly leaving the hospitable sh.o.r.es of Chile.

The Commodore thought it advisable to make an offing of from 100 to 200 miles parallel with the coast, and to keep increasing his distance even against contrary winds, so as to permit of his rounding Terra del Fuego, running free before the S.W. winds, prevalent at that season off the Horn.

The weather was from time to time heavy and unfavourable, besides being cold and rainy, but on the whole it was a very fair pa.s.sage for the winter season. But few observations could be got, though there were enough to admit of keeping the s.h.i.+p on her course. Only once did it happen that no observations could be got for several days, till, during the night of 23rd May the sky suddenly cleared. No sooner, however, had the officer of the watch selected a star by which to calculate his position, than he found himself involved in no small perplexity. The Southern Cross and Centaur were close to the zenith, and when the seamen directed their wondering gaze to the magnificent aspect presented by the southern stellar hemisphere, they could with difficulty recognize the old familiar European constellations as they now shone forth along the northern horizon, with sadly diminished brilliancy.

The further south the _Novara_ ran, the more melancholy grew the aspect both of the sun and the moon. Fog, clouds, and rain obscured a great proportion of the feeble light left, and although the clearness of the night occasionally made some compensation, yet to sailors long accustomed to the warm, smiling tropical skies, they seemed doubly cold and gloomy.

The frigate rolled heavily, her oscillations increasing the general discomfort, although the fetch of ocean was less than off the Cape of Good Hope. Impelled by favourable winds, the good s.h.i.+p rapidly neared the southernmost point of her voyage, and every one on board watched with ever-increasing interest the alterations in the natural phenomena of these inhospitable lat.i.tudes.

Several days were lost in calms and easterly winds, and partly to catch the southerly breezes which might drive her N.E. into the zone of constant winds, partly for the purpose of scientific investigation, the vessel was carried as far south as the parallel of 60.

On 28th May, the thermometer was observed to indicate a strongly-marked and speedy decline in the temperature of the water, whence it was conjectured that polar winds would be found following the course of the cold current, or else that icebergs were near. The s.h.i.+p's head was now laid for Terra del Fuego, the wind blowing very gently from the N.E., but a S. wind springing up later, she began to work merrily along. Of several s.h.i.+ps which for some days had been in sight, steering the same course as the frigate, none had ventured so far south; they now were all left behind, having lost way by over-caution. Among these was the French corvette _Eurydice_, which left Valparaiso Roads two days before the _Novara_, and was overhauled on the 29th May.

With the polar wind snow fell during the night; and when day broke, about 9 A.M., the singular spectacle was presented of a s.h.i.+p all in white,--white masts, white yards, white cannon. This appearance was repeated the two following days only, but the weather remained for a much longer period cold and disagreeable. The lowest reading, however, of the thermometer only indicated 3 Celsius below freezing (26.6 Fahr.).

On 29th May, about noon, the _Novara_ crossed the meridian of Cape Horn, and was once more in the Atlantic Ocean. Notwithstanding the uncertain conditions of wind and weather, a variety of interesting observations were made during the pa.s.sage of the s.h.i.+p round Cape Horn, and numbers of valuable results obtained for the benefit of navigators in those high lat.i.tudes. Thus, for example, the fallacy was established of the a.s.sertion of certain navigators that "the fluctuations of the barometer off Cape Horn did not depend on the state of wind and weather." In like manner by ascertaining the mean of a variety of collated data, it was found that the temperature of the surface of the ocean demands the most careful attention, inasmuch as the alterations in it from hour to hour may be relied on to indicate corresponding changes in the wind and weather.

The low reading of the barometer off the Horn seems to be a sort of compensation for the great pressure of the air in what are known to seamen as "the Horse lat.i.tudes," and, in point of fact, the barometrical readings at 56 S. betray a drooping tendency, which corresponds with the movements of the sun, as the latter also does with that of the zone of greatest atmospheric pressure. Hence it is obvious that from this parallel the atmospheric pressure will increase as we advance to the Pole, and this law is farther confirmed by the prevailing winds further south. Hence, while we find north-west or strong west winds blowing off Cape Horn, at the South Shetland Islands, still further south, the prevailing winds are N.E.

or E., thus producing contrary atmospheric currents, almost resembling chronic whirlwinds, and consequently that both north and south of the central zone, the barometer will be found to indicate a greater atmospheric pressure.

For this reason vessels intending to round the Horn from E. to W. usually keep further to the south than those sailing in the opposite direction. On the other hand, during the winter season of the southern hemisphere, the east wind must blow more frequently at the Cape itself, in consequence of the influence exercised by the zone of least atmospheric pressure, and the weather be less likely to prove stormy. And such is found in fact to be the case.

Hitherto, with the exception of Cape Horn, so few observations have been made in high southern lat.i.tudes, that it is impossible to arrive at any definite conclusion, important as the subject is to science as well as in the interests of commerce, and which must exercise so much influence upon the whole system of atmospheric changes over the entire surface of the earth. To attain this object, an expedition consisting of but one s.h.i.+p cannot suffice. It would be necessary to employ several, each provided with instruments carefully compared, and which should sail simultaneously to the southern waters at definite distances from each other, and at given times make precisely similar observations and devote their entire attention to investigating the laws which regulate this puzzle to the scientific student.

Under more favourable political auspices, a joint expedition by the various naval powers would be the best means of solving the problem, and a fleet of some ten or twelve s.h.i.+ps commencing upon a definite plan, might obtain results such as might hand down the scientific renown of our age and century to all future generations.

While sailing in these southern lat.i.tudes, the Commodore hit upon the idea of ascertaining the increase of gravity as the poles were approached, by the comparison of simultaneous observations taken with the mercurial and Aneroid barometers. Both instruments, in fact, gave a regular rule for calculating the weight of the atmosphere at the points of observation, with this single difference, that the ordinary barometer gives the weight by the pressure of the air upon a column of mercury, representing the weight of a similar column of air; while in the Aneroid barometer, the weight of the atmosphere is measured by an exhausted receiver, which, in resisting this pressure, indicates the amount by the tension of a spring.