neral navigation and particular
sailing-directions for the outer passage from Port Jackson through Torres
Strait, by entering the reefs at Murray Island. From these chapters
Captain Horsburgh has arranged, in his valuable work on the Hydrography
etc. of the Indian Ocean, a set of sailing-directions and other nautical
information** that will be found useful for the navigation of the
southern and eastern coasts of this continent.

(*Footnote. Volume 1 book 1 chapter 11 and volume 2 book 2 chapter 11.)

(**Footnote. Horsburgh's Indian Directory volume 2 pages 493 and 515.)

APPENDIX A. SECTION 1.

OF THE WINDS AND CURRENTS, AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTS, ISLANDS, AND
COAST BETWEEN PORT JACKSON AND BREAKSEA SPIT.

EAST COAST.

The south-east trade cannot be said to blow home upon that part of the
coast of New South Wales, which lies between Breaksea Spit and Port
Jackson, except during the summer months when winds from that quarter
prevail and often blow very hard; they are then accompanied by heavy
rains and very thick weather: generally however from October to April
they assume the character of a sea-breeze and, excepting during their
suspension by south-easterly or westerly gales, are very regular. In the
month of December strong south-easterly gales are not uncommon; and in
February and March they are very frequent.

In the month of December hot winds from the north-west will sometimes
last for two or three days, and are almost always suddenly terminated by
a gust of wind from the southward. The most prevailing winds, during all
seasons, are from the south, and are probably oftener from the eastward
of that point than from the westward. The current always sets to the
southward, and has been found by us on several occasions to set the
strongest during a South-East gale. The general course of the current is
in the direction of the coast, but this is not constant; for, between
Port Stevens and to the southward of Port Jackson, it sometimes sets in
towards it. In a gale from the South-East in the month of December 1820,
it must have been setting as much to the westward as South-West. This
should be attended to, particularly in south-easterly gales, and an
offing preserved to provide against the wind's veering to East-South-East
and East by South, which is often the case; and then the current, setting
upon the weather-bow, will place the vessel, in a dark night, in
considerable danger. The rate of the current is