Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 096.djvu/294

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246
Mr. Flinders's Observations

thick weather, and lasted two days; by which time, the mercury had descended to 29,58.

8th. In Bass' Strait, for several days in the month of April, the mercury stood above 30,40 with the wind from the south and eastward, sometimes blowing fresh: the weather generally fine. It then fell half an inch in eight hours, and a wind set in soon after from the north-westward which continued four days, blowing moderately, with cloudy weather, and sometimes a shower of rain; the mercury remaining stationary between 29,83 and 29,89. On this second wind dying away, a strong breeze sprung up which fixed at WSW with squally weather; but for three days no alteration took place in the barometer, until the wind shifted to NW and north, and the mercury then descended to 29,52, though the weather was finer, and wind more moderate than before.

9th. Passing along the south coast of Australia the second time, we experienced light winds from the sea for forty hours in D'Entrecasteaux's Archipelago, in the month of May: they were variable between WSW and SSE with dull cloudy weather, and the mercury stood very high, being up to 30,50 most of the time. The wind then came round to N by E and NNW; previously to which, the mercury began to descend, and it kept falling for two days till it reached 30,19, though the weather was not so cloudy as before, and the wind was equally light. On the wind veering to west and WSW the mercury rose to 30,25; but it now came on to blow fresh, with squally thick weather, yet the mercury continued nearly stationary for twenty-four hours, appearing to be kept up in consequence of the wind having shifted round to SSW, more directly from off the sea. On its increasing to a