from SSW to SSE, sometimes with fine, sometimes with dull weather, the mercury rising gradually from 30,08 to 30,22, In twenty-four hours afterwards, it fell below 30 inches, and a light breeze came from the northward, off the land, with finer weather than before. The mercury continued to fall to 29,56, where it stopped; the wind having then ceased to blow steadily from the northward, and become variable. In twenty-four hours more, the wind set in again to blow fresh from the southward, the mercury having then returned to 29,94, and it was presently up to 30,22 and 30,28. It kept nearly at this height for several days that the southwardly wind blew fresh, but on its becoming lighter, and less steady in its direction, the mercury descended; and in the calm which followed, it had fallen to 29,90. This example affords clear proof of a fresh wind from the sea making the mercury rise, whilst a light wind off the land, with finer weather, caused it to descend.
6th. The calm was the prelude to a fresh gale; but the mercury began to rise at eight in the evening when it had: just sprung up; by the next noon it was at 30,10 when the wind blew strongest, and in the evening at 30,22. This gale began as gales usually, if not always, do upon this coast, in the north-west quarter, and shifted round to SW and SSW; but quicker than I have generally seen them: there was no rain with it, nor was the atmosphere either very hazy or cloudy.[1] The mercury continued to rise till it had reached 30,25, and then was stationary as long as the wind remained between south and west; but on its veering round to the
- ↑ I afterwards learned from Captain Baudin, that this gale was much heavier in Bass' Strait than we felt it at Kangaroo Island.
