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KERGUELEN’S VOYAGE TO THE NORTH. 759
and nature was as it were afleep ; but the fun appearing above the horizon re-animated
her, and brought us abreeze ; this is what is frequently experienced in the torrid zone ;
the reafon of it is this.
During the whole of the day, the fun by its heat expands and caufes to rife from
the plains, and above all from the furface of the fea, aqueous particles and bubbles of
rarified air, whichit attracts to a diftance from the earth. Thofe which afcend the
laft, fall again almoft immediately after fun-fet, they approach each other in their fall,
and caufe that firft coolnefs of the evening which is called ferenity ; but all the other
particles which in the long courfe of the day, have furmounted the grofs airs, and be-
come in equilibrium with the firft ftrata of that air in afuperior region, remain fufpend-
ed there during the calm of night ; at fun rifing the firft rays of heat being felt by the
chilled and contra¢ted air, neceflarily dilute it. One mafs of air expanded by the heat
drives on another, which meets with refiftance from a third; this motion of the air be-
comes a wind, and the atmofphere is affected by it ina lefs or greater degree.
At eight o’clock, being yet three leagues from fhore, fome Norwegian pilots came
on board, who informed me that I wasa great deal to the fouth of the paflage of
Cruxfiord, but that there was a paflage two leagues north of where I was, and that if
by luffing, I could get up thefe two leagues, (for the wind was north,) they would take
me into good anchorage, where I might wait for a fouth wind to get into Berghen. I
luffed therefore to head the wind. At noonI obferved the latitude ; and at four o’clock
a ftorm arofe, which determined the pilots to make the land, in order to feek the pafi-
age to the north of the ifle of Bommel ; through which they fteered me to anchor at
Ingefon. As the anchorage is difficuit on the coaft of Norway, that is to fay, on the
currents of Berghen, and as they require great precaution, I fhall detail the methods I
made ufe of in anchoring ; it would be proper to inform the reader firft, what obfer-
vations [ made on the coatt. ,
I firftaffured myfelf by three obfervations of the variation: the one an eaftern, the
other by azimuth, and the third meridional. The agreement of thefe three obfervations
fhewed me that the variation of the needle was 17° 50’ on the coaft of Norway, under
theifle of Bommel. I took the latitude at noon, and from the bearings I found the ifle
of Bommel to be 15/ more north, than what it is fet down in the large chart of the
Neptune. On my fecond voyage, I made the fame obfervation, and found the whole of
the coaft of Norway, to be 15’ more north, than’ what it is defcribed in the above-men-
tioned chart. In fhort, I remarked that the exterior grounds, and bed of the channel of
Berghen, almoft wholly refemble each other. There are every where rocks of the
fame elevation, fafhioned and craggy alike; which renders making land a difficult
matter, as nothing fhort of perfect experience can enable a perfon to know where to
make for land. It may be faid that in an extent of twelve leagues of coaft on the fide
where I made for fhore, there is only mount Bommel in the ifland of that name, that is
diftinguifhable from others. The objects of the continent feldom ferve for land-marks,
on account of their being generally hid by fogs, and covered with fnow, befides being
greatly in land. ‘There are feveral paflages to enter the canal or river of Berghen.
From the ifle of Schuttnefs to the town of Berghen, is fixteen Danifh miles, about
ninety English, and in this extent of the coaft, there are eight paflages to enter the canal.
In coming from the fea to the north of Berghen, there are alfo two paflages. much fre-
quented, the moft northerly of which is only fix Danifh miles from the town. North
of thefe are fome other paflages, but they are fo little known, fo little frequented, and
fo difficult, that they are not worth mentioning,
Thefe
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