Dec. 27. We came within twenty-five miles of Tierra del Fuego again,
on its western side, the wind setting us that way, so that we had
to tack and run W. instead of S. E. The captain, after he has taken
an observation, draws a line on his chart with his pen, showing the
distance run and the direction for the last twenty-four hours. It is
described for the last three days thus, (the line representing the
number of degrees, according to an arbitrary measurement, and each day
indicated by a cipher:)
[Illustration]
Sometimes the course is deflected by contrary winds; for example, thus:
[Illustration]
which is a loss. We have a chart with the tracks of several vessels
printed on it. One vessel was sixty days in getting round the Cape;
the winds let us pass in twelve. The vessel referred to made several
squares in her course, with other geometrical figures, sailing a part
of the time thus:
[Illustration]
You hereby see one cause of long passages. One day we made only eight
miles out of one hundred and twenty sailed; a few days before we went
two hundred and forty miles. One day while going round the Cape we
gained so little that we should be, at that rate, one thousand days in
getting to San Francisco.