the 30th, when it was 30-16; during the greater part of this interval, the winds were light, generally from some eastern point in the morning, and going round the compass by north and west during the day; the nights were mostly calm,-a heavy bank of clouds was collecting between N.N.E. and south-west, and the whole western horizon had a gloomy appearance. On the evening of the 30th, the water had risen considerably at the anchorage, and the stream ran to the southward. A fresh breeze also set in from north-east, and gradually veered to the northward, as it increased in strength. On the 31st, it blew hard all day between N.N.E. and N.N.W.. with dark squally weather,-much lightning in the south-west, and heavy rain, that continued all night. On June the 1st, the gale was at its height, and at 8 4.M. (the sympiesometer having fallen to 29.93,) was blowing a hard gale, with heavy squalls and rain from north-west; towards noon the wind veered to west, but still blew very hard. The sympiesometer now began to rise, and in the evening the wind was W.S.W., and had moderated considerably; the weather was also clearer, although heavy clouds still hung on the western horizon.

The next morning, (the 2nd,) the sympiesometer had risen to 30-26, but this was much too sudden a rise, (0:33 in 24 hours,) to allow us to suppose that the favourable change in the weather was to be of long continuance. During the day the oil began to fall again, and the wind veered to west and north-west, and on the 3rd blew harder than ever, with heavy rain, thunder and lightning, and with the exception of occasional intervals, when the wind moderated, this weather continued until the 10th. The wind during this time was variable, between N.N.W. and W.S.W. Sympiesometer between 29-81 and 30.16, falling with the north-west winds, and rising as the wind veered to west and W.S.W.*

This gale, which may be said to have been of ten days' continuance, caused a heavy sea upon the coast:-the oldest residents at Swan River said they had never experienced so heavy a sea before. On the 10th, the glass commenced to rise steadily, and the weather was fine, with light variable winds, until the Beagle sailed on the 20th.

Owing to the security of Owens anchorage, and the good quality of the bottom, the Beagle rode out this bad weather, without causing the slightest apprehension to any one on board; but had a merchant vessel been in Gages Road, in all probability she would have added one more to the list of wrecks, that have already done too much in prejudicing strangers against the Swan River settlement.

The gale of May, 1840, at Houtmans Abrolhos, commenced in a similar manner with that already described, but being in a lower latitude, was of shorter duration, and the indications did not precede it such a length of time, still they were in every respect similar.

This gale commenced on the 2nd of May, in the evening, and lasted until the evening of the 4th.

On April the 29th, the barometer stood at 30-17, (having been some

• It will be seen that these gales have all the character of the usual hurricanes of the Atlantic, and the typhoon of the China Sea, but being in the southern hemisphere the shifts of wind draw round to the left instead of the right, in each case going with the sun, and confirming the theory of Mr. Redfield and Col. Reid.

days steadily high,) it then commenced to fall, and on the evening of May the 2nd, was 29.86; during this interval, we daily experienced strong E.N.E. and north-east winds, they generally commenced after midnight and lasted until noon. A bank of clouds was also collecting in the north-west, and there was occasional lightning in that quarter, The early part of May (the 2nd) was nearly calm, and there was a heavy bank of clouds between north and south-west. After noon, a light breeze sprang up from north-west, which gradually freshened, and during the night the barometer fell 17-hundredths.

At sunrise, on May the 3rd, there was a fresh breeze from N.N.W., and the weather had a very dull and gloomy appearance, the wind increasing rapidly, and by noon it blew a heavy gale at W.N.W.; the barometer had fallen to 29-58, at which it continued until midnight, when the wind drew to the southward of west, and the mercury began to rise. The gale continued unabated, with squalls and rain until noon of the 4th, although the barometer had been rising since the previous midnight;-in the afternoon the wind moderated, and the weather became fine.

From this, it would appear that the barometer gives ample warning of an approaching north-west gale, as it had been falling nearly four days before the commencement of the bad weather; this alone ought to be sufficient to put a man upon his guard, if near the shore. Between April the 29th, (the first day of the fresh north-easterly winds,) and May the 3rd, (when the gale was at its height, and the wind began to draw to the southward of west,) the mercury had fallen 6-tenths. The change of current did not precede the wind, but changed with it, When the gale was strong from north-west and W.N.W., the current ran a knot an hour to the south-east, and when the wind changed to south-west, it ran with the same velocity to the north-east.

The west coast of New Holland is at times visited by sudden squalls, resembling hurricanes; as I was told by the master of an American whaler, that in March, 1839, when in company with several whalers off Sharks Bay, he experienced some very bad weather, which came on suddenly without having given any previous warning, but it was not of long continuance :-the gusts of wind were very violent, shifting suddenly to all points of the compass. Some of the ships suffered considerable damage, in loss of topmasts, &c., others in sails, but all more or less. I think the first squall was from north-east, off the land.

The American whalers that resort to the west coast of Australia, are upon different parts of it at all seasons of the year; their range is between the parallels of 10° and 50° of south latitude. In the summer they fish to the southward, and at that season visit Swan River and King George Sound for refreshments, but during the winter months they are rarely to the southward of Sharks Bay;-numbers are to be met off the north-west Cape.

Between the parallels of 40° and 45° they meet much bad weather, as it is generally blowing strong with a heavy sea; but between 45° and 50° the weather is much more settled and finer, November is said to be generally the finest of the summer months, the winds are mostly moderate, and the weather more settled than at other periods,

Two gales that were experienced by the Beagle in November, 1937, between the islands of St. Paul and Amsterdam and Swan River, will serve to shew the different effects upon the barometer, by gales from opposite quarters, one being from north-west and the other from south

east.

On November the 1st, the barometer stood at 29.90, having been gradually rising for some days previous to that, and the wind had been fresh between north and west. After 8 P.M. on the 1st, the mercury began to fall, and on the 2nd the wind was strong from N.N.W.,— barometer falling all day. During the night it blew a heavy gale, and the barometer fell to 29-34. On the morning of the 3rd, the wind veered to the westward, and the mercury began to rise, the weather also became more moderate and gradually fine.

On the 8th of the same month, the barometer was 30.05: at 8 p.M., with fine weather, wind S.E.b.E., it then commenced to fall, and at 8 P.M. on the 9th, was 29.80, and blowing a heavy gale at south-east, which continued all night, and until 8 P.M. on the 10th, at which time it became more moderate, and the barometer began to rise.

What a different effect these gales had on the barometer, that from the north-west causing the mercury to fall nearly 6-tenths, whereas, the last from south-east, only lowered it 2-tenths and 5-hundredths. They were of equal strength and duration, and both accompanied by heavy rain,

Mr. Ogle in his account of the colony of Western Australia, says, "This colony is in a position highly advantageous, whether considered in relation to Europe or Asia. It is nearer by one month's voyage to the former than Sydney, and only twenty-five days sail from Madras; and when steam communication has been established, less than half that time will be necessary to convey the exhausted European from the enervating climate of Hindostan to the invigorating and healthful air of Western Australia; also those productions in the East which may be in demand. So healthful a clime will constitute a home for the wives and children of those, whose avocations require their attendance in Hindostan, and who will become profitable consumers in the colony. In the seas adjacent, the prevailing wind is from the westward throughout the year. During the summer, the difference of temperature produces the land and sea breezes with great regularity. From the absence of marshes and decomposed vegetable substances, and consequent miasma, the land breeze bears no injurious air to the coasts and bordering seas."

[In consequence of the unfavourable reports which have got abroad respecting Swan River, its harbour, resources, &c., Captain Wickham, who has just arrived in England invalided from Australia, has supplied us with the following return from the Resident at that place, shewing the port clearances for a few months to the latest date. This is an important document, and we lose no time in placing it before our readers.-ED.]

REMARKS ON THE BAY OF ACRE.-Coast of Syria, 1840.—By Mr. G. Biddlecombe, Master H.M.S. Talbot.

CAPE BLANCO to the northward of Acre is moderately high and white, is easily distinguished at fifteen miles distance; to the southward the coast becomes low, forming a small bay to a point about three miles from the cape, when it continues nearly in a direct line with sandy beach the whole distance to the fortress of Acre, which stands on the northern part of the bay, and is easily distinguished twelve miles at sea, having a citadel on its northern side, and a large mosque near its centre. Mount Carmel forms the northern part of the bay, the mount is moderately high and regular, with the convent of St. Elias on its western height, and the town of Kaiffa on its northern shore. The land from Kaiffa to Acre is very low, with a sandy beach all round the bay.

The southern and western faces of the fortress of Acre stand in the sea, and on the south-east side is a sea gate, just inside the old Mole. The sea faces, previous to the action, were said to have from 160 to 200 pieces of cannon of different calibre mounted; the land faces are much stronger, having two immensely wide ditches and a great many outworks, with a great number of cannon mounted, all in a good state; and it is generally supposed, if properly garrisoned, it would be impossible to take it on the land side.

Numerous shoals lie in the vicinity, the first is a shoal continuing in the direction of south-west, (true) from the southwest extreme of the fortress, to a distance of 950 yards, of two and a half to four and a half fathoms, (sand and gravel,) when it deepens to five and five and a half fathoms for a short distance, where another shoal commences of four and a half fathoms for a distance of nearly a mile from the fortress, when it deepens to seven fathoms immediately.

The outer shoals, the north end of which lies about three-quarters of a mile north 60° west, (true,) from the north-west extreme of the fort, extend nearly two miles in the direction of south 20° west, (true) with channels between them, and in some places are patches of four and a half and four fathoms rock and gravel.

To go in to the northward of the shoals, bring the large mosque on with the north-west angle of the fortress, bearing south 45° east, (true) run in with that mark on until you are within half a mile of the fortress, when you will have seven fathoms, then keep away in the line of the fortress at the same distance off shore, until you bring a remarkable white house (a little inshore and to the northward of the fortress,) on with the north-west angle of it, bearing north 49° east, (true,) or until the Mole Rock opens to the southward of the fortress, when you may haul in gradually; but avoid losing sight of or shutting the northwest angle of the fortress in by the south-west angle, (as that keeps you clear of the shoal extending from the south-west extreme of the fortress,) until you see the wooden jetty or landing place, which is inshore of the Mole, between the two Mole rocks; which mark just takes you along the south-east edge of the shoal, in five fathoms, and you may anchor in five and a half fathoms, sandy bottom, about two cable's