Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/403

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A. ToM' Strait, by mason of the Westerly Monsoon, viz., Sect. VI. from the mouth of December to that of March, easterly 9. Coast. winds prevail upon the south coast, and are more regular and strong in that spree betweon the land and .the parallel of Ba?.' Strait% I have been told that the south-westerly gales that sometimes oeeur during that season, seldom, if ever, blow home upon the coast; and that when they do reneh the land, they partake more of the ?araeter of the sea breeze; be that as it may, n ship steering to the westward should keep to the north of 40% in order to benefit by tim regularity of the wind, which to the south of that parallel generally blows fran some western quarter. From April to (3ember the westerly gales are very constant, and veer be, tveen S.b.W. and N.b.E.; but, in the months of June nmi July, seldom veer to the southward of S.W. or northward ef N.W.; they are then aeeompunied by a deep and heavy sen. The wind, in the summer season, generally revolves with the sun, and, as the atmosphere becomes more dense, veers to the S.E., with fine weather. The marine barometer is here of considerable importance, as its rise always precedes a south-east wind, and its fall a change from the N.W. ? it seldom, however, studs lower than twenty-nine and a half inehes. The currents generally set to the north, and seldom run with any velocity either to the east or west, A ship steering along this coast to the eastward, bound tO Port Jackson through Tor?s' Strait, should steer upon the parallel of 41 �o avoid being thrown into the bight to the west of Cape Northumberland, where wi? a S.E. wind, that would otherwise be fair for carrying her through Bass' Strait, she would be detained probably a week. Upon making Van Diemen's Land, she is ready for either + Horsbdrgh, vol. 1L p. 500,