"A more scientific name would be the Tropic of Cancer," he answered.
"We had a good breeze before we entered it, but often the wind to the
north of where we now are is very variable. After we have passed this
belt of calm and light airs we shall get into the regions of the
north-east trades, which will carry us along at a fine rate till we get
into the very worst part of the ocean for trying a person's temper,
called the Doldrums. Remember to ask me more about it when we get
there. You will remember, then, the Variables are to the north of the
Tropic of Cancer. The `Horse Latitudes' are on either side of the
Tropic. Then we get into the north-east trade-winds, which carry us up
to the Doldrums about the Equator; and passing through them with more or
less trial of temper, we get into the south-east trade-winds, which we
shall have to cross with our tacks aboard. Then we shall probably find
calms about the Tropic of Capricorn; after which, without once sighting
land, we may very likely find a breeze, more or less favourable, but
seldom against us, which will carry us through the Straits of Sunda,
between Java and Sumatra, to the west of the great island of Borneo,
right away to the north, through the China sea, leaving the Philippine
Islands on our right hand, up to Japan. I will have a talk with you
another day about those East India Islands, for they are very curious,
and are probably less generally known than most parts of the world."
The events occurred very much as Mr Hooker had predicted. For nearly a
whole week our ship lay with her head sometimes one way, sometimes
another, the sails flapping against the masts. Then she got a breeze
which carried her a few miles further to the south, and people's spirits
began to rise, soon again to fall when once more the sails would give a
loud flap, and hang down without a particle of wind in them. At length,
however, they once more bulged out. The yards were squared away. The
captain walked the deck with a more elastic step than for the last week
had been the case, and on the ship went hour after hour, the breeze
rather increasing than lessening.
"We are in the north-east trades," observed Mr Hooker. "Little fear
now, for another two weeks or so we shall have a fine run of it."