I'm from England but I'm interested in somebody called William Horton Smyley who was born in Rhode Island in 1792 - so it's going back a bit. He went to sea young and became a sea captain based mostly in the Falklands/Malvinas. Has anybody ever heard of him?-- Andrew Kerr-Jarrett
"Schooner Catharine, of Newport, W. H. Smyley, master, bound to Patagonia. I left
Newport, September 10, 1845, and stood to sea, with the intention of taking my old route, that
is, to steer for Fernando de Noronha, or nearly that course, so as to pass east of the Bermudas,
but the wind prevailing more to the south gave me a chance to keep well to the eastward. I
stood boldly on; but had the wind light, with heavy rain squalls, and much thunder and light-
ning; crossed the line in 23° 32', making little headway, having light airs and a very irregular
sea. Although I found so much rain and light winds, the sea did not seem to fall in the least,
causing the vessel to thresh heavily, and be very uneasy. I spoke a brig, which had been eight
days longer than myself in these rainy regions, and off Pernambuco I spoke one which had been
ten days less, being to the westward of me. I was forty-five days to Olinda, and twenty days
from there to Rio Negro, Patagonia; and I fully believe, if I had taken the western route, I
should have made a very short passage, as the vessel sailed very fast, was in good trim, and
well manned.
"Pilot-boat John E. Davison, W. H. Smyley, master, from New York, towards coast of
Patagonia, sailed July 5, 1849.
July 6. The Hook and Light-house in sight.
7. WindW.SW.
Latitude 38°
43' N.
Longitude none.
True longitude
8.
' light SE.
K
38
31
1 1
none.
9.
' S.SE. and SE.
( (
38
14
( t
none.
10.
' S.SE. and calm.
1 (
38
03
1 1
none.
11.
' calm.
( :
38
00
i (
none.
12.
' N.
( i
35
07
( i
66° 53'
59° 07'
13.
' SW. and calm.
( (
35
04
( t
65 02
14.
' S.
( t
34
48
i i
63 32
15.
' s.
i i
34
29
1 1
61 23
47 40
16.
' variable.
1 1
33
38
i i
60 52*
• Note. — The above is taken from the log-book of the mate ; the winds and latitudes are put down correctly, but the
FROM THE "FAIR WAY" OFF ST. ROQUE TO CAPE HORN. 465
Homeward passages in the above-mentioned vessels. Days. Hours.
Sailor's Return, from Rio Grande to Newport 27 4
Benjamin DeWolf, first voyage, arrived from Morea Mernanguapa 26
Benjamin DeWolf, second voyage, arrived in March from Morea Mernanguapa • • 30
Ohio, from Rio Janeiro to New York 34
John E. Davidson, Rio Negro to New York 39 16
In these five passages, after passing Cape St. Roque, I have kept "good full, 77 and always
found, as I neared the West India islands, that the wind hauled favorably and the weather
became less squally.
"Mernanguapa is a small port near Parahiba. — (See chart.)
"There are few portions of the continent of America less known than from the Rio de la
Plata to Cape Horn, and none of more importance; the whole of that portion of country, except
part of Belgranna and Rio Negro, being inhabited only by Indians. It has been the custom of
vessels bound to the Pacific, after passing the La Plata, to go to the eastward of the Falkland
Islands; some wishing to avoid running by La Agle shoal, others fearing to get jammed on the
coast of Patagonia. This should no longer be an excuse; for the first does not exist, and of the
latter there is no danger. I have cruised for the above-mentioned shoal several times, taking
a good departure from the Jasans and from New Island, in the Falklands, and crossed to Cape
Virginis and back in the long summer days, seeing no signs of it. In 1842, I left East Harbor,
Staten Land, with my consort in company, and steered for the shoal, keeping about eight miles
apart. The weather was clear. I kept men at the mastheads, and saw nothing of it. My
observations were to be relied upon; for I had on board three chronometers, which had been
well proved at Cape St. John. I kept on for Rio Negro, and on my arrival again tried my
chronometers, and found them correct. I am well aware that no such shoal exists. I have
since then tried to find it with the schooner, but without success. The Beagle and Adventure,
and Captain Sullivan, of the navy, have also hunted for this shoal without finding it.
' ' As for a vessel getting blown on shore on the coast of Patagonia by northeast gales, it is
out of the question. I have spent twenty-two years of my life mostly from South Shetlands to
the River La Plata, and once I remained six years without coming north of 41° south, and I
cannot say that I ever knew, during that time, the wind to blow heavily directly on shore for
twelve hours. My voyages being principally made for sealing or whaling caused me to keep
close into the coast, whereby I had the best opportunities for observing the weather, currents
tides, &c. ; in fact, my voyages depended partly on these, and it stood me in hand to make
myself acquainted with them.
longitude is 13° 15' out of the way. I merely put down this to show you how erroneous some persons will be. I gave him
his longitude on the 16th, when I spoke a vessel whose longitude agreed with mine within four miles ; but, in crossing the
line, he was almost as far out again. I crossed the line in 34° 15' on the 5th of August, and on the 7th passed ten miles west
of Fernando de Noronha, the weather clear, the island plainly in sight. On the 9 th, passed Pernambuco ; I found no trouble
in getting to the southward. It was my intention to have stopped at Pernambuco, for the purpose of landing some of my
crew, who had mutinied on the passage, nearly killing my mate and shooting me with a pistol. Their attempt to take
the vessel left me without a sufficient number of men to work her, which caused my passage to be much longer than it other-
wise would have been. I kept but little reckoning afterwards, and that mostly in my head, for fear of another mutiny, for
the crew shipped in New York for the purpose of taking the vessel, and nearly succeeded in doing so. The weather being
squally off Pernambuco, I kept on for St. Catharine's, and arrived there on the 2 2d of August ; on the 23d or 24th, gave
my men up to the U. S. Consul ; on the 7th of September, got under way from St. Catharine's, and, on the 16th, anchored
on the bar off Rio Negro. Patagonia. Giving me 30 days to the line ; 47 days to St. Catharine's ; 56 days to Rio Negro.
VOL. II 59
466 THE WIND AND CURRENT CHARTS.
' ' I have always found that the sooner I got to the westward, after crossing the line, the
better. I always try to make the Peninsula of St. Joseph's, between New Bay and Port Yaldez.
The land is high, steep clay cliffs, flat on top. Then, I endeavor to keep near enough to see
the land until I get well to the south, so as to pass close by Staten Land; by doing this, I have
smooth water, winds from NW. to W.NW., and pleasant weather; while another vessel will
have the wind from W.NW. and SW. off the Falkland Islands, and on the south side of the
islands the wind will be from SW. to S. This I have proved by having left men on the Jasans
and the Bushenes, (these being the extremes of the islands, both sealing grounds,) and requiring
them to keep a journal of wind and weather. I found the wind to prevail much more from the
SW. and S.SW., about one-third or one-half way between Cape Horn and , and beyond
that distance it drew more to the westward, and even to the northward of west. It was a
common thing, while at anchor under Diego Ramirez, or sealing on shore, to see a vessel pass
in shore of the island heading up two points higher than another vessel off shore of them;
and I have often started to go in to anchor, heading well up for the place I wanted to come to
at, and found, as I drew in shore, the wind gradually headed me off. When bound to Shetlands,
from the Cape, or from Staten Land, (Shetland is our rendezvous, on account of getting wood
there to last until our return,) we always find, after passing the latitude of 60° south, the
weather much milder, fewer blows, but more fog. The currents, as well as the winds, are
generally the reverse of what they are off Cape Horn. The prevailing wind at Shetland is
NE., while in the track generally taken by vessels it is SW. The current is similar, for it
seems more like a gulf stream than a common current following the direction of the wind.
"No navigator should be afraid to approach the coast. Soundings are found far out; the
water is much discolored, as the land is neared; and we have another sign, which seldom fails
in the daytime, i. e. the small gulls, which will always be found in forty or fifty miles of the
coast, making their presence known by the noise they make as soon as the vessel is perceived.
This seldom fails to be the case.
"The navigator should not be backward in tacking as soon as he finds himself getting off
shore, for the wind will often lead him along for two or three points, and then favor him for a
short distance again, by which means vessels often get so far to the eastward as to lose much
time. I would always recommend a ship to tack in shore, even if she could make no better
than a W.NW. course, in preference to going to the eastward; for by keeping well in, she will
have smooth water, clear weather, and wind more off shore. While, on the other hand, when
she nears the Falklands, she would begin to have fogs, rain, and sleet; and south of the islands
the rain becomes hail-stones and snow. A short distance in these latitudes makes a great dif-
ference in wind, weather, and tides.
' ' For comparison, take Santa Cruz harbor, on the coast of Patagonia, latitude 50° 8' S. ;
longitude 68° 21' W. ; tide in spring, forty-eight feet. The Jasan Islands, belonging to the
Falklands, latitude 51° S.j longitude 61° 20' W. ; tide but six feet. Here is a great difference
in 7° of longitude, about 260 true miles. This will show the extraordinary difference made in
tides by a short distance, and the weather in proportion to the tides ; on the one it is seldom
known to rain, at the other it rains half the time. At the Straits of Magellan, in a similar way,
it seldom rains at the eastern entrance, and at the western it seldom stops; but this is owing
more to the mountains leading from Cape Forward along the straits, and from thence to Cape
Tres Montes, or Chili."
"I think," says Captain Ebenezer H. Linnell, "the Straits of Le Maire should be passed
FROM THE "FAIR WAY" OFF ST. ROQUE TO CAPE HORN. 467
near to Terra del Fuego shore, and continue the shore until well to the west; by so doing, I
have found an eddy current to the west; this being the fifth time I have found this to be the
case. Since 1845, I have been navigating these waters, mostly in the Chili trade, and I am
confident that my passages have been shortened by keeping near the land. When to the west
of the Straits of Magellan, I think you will eventually find that by keeping from 60 to 100
miles from the coast until you approach the 35° of latitude, then to pass near to Juan Fernandez
to the SE. trades, for the six summer months; then, for the winter months, a direct course a
little to the west, you will find favorable winds. In July 21, 1851, I passed through the Straits
of Le Maire; passed the equator in 115° W., in 26 days, by the western route. In October,
1852, in 27 days from the Straits of Le Maire, and passed the equator in 116° W. per ship
Buena Vista, being a full ship.
' ' I trust the time is not far distant when this part of the ocean (North and South Pacific)
will be tested and fully explained, as your "Wind and Current Charts fully show the great
advantages of this scientific undertaking."
' ' Allow me, among thousands, to thank you for your kindness in sending me your book and
charts. Although I am not able to keep a log either satisfactory to you or myself, still I hope
to improve as I advance in your great study.
' ' You will see that we tacked ship to clear the Texariel Shoals, the look-out crying out
breakers ahead. The ship came round very close to very white water, which was very smooth,
and no wind upon it; it was in the night. I followed your directions as close as possible, and
had good runs to the Line, to Rio, and to 'the Straits of Le Maire, where I endeavored to beat
through for two days but could not succeed, as the current ran strongly to the north. "We had
very bad weather off the Cape, which spoiled the passage. We had a good run from 60° south to
the Line, but light head winds afterwards. Bound to Callao, we made a good passage outside.
I learn the average passage from Callao to the Chinchas is about six days. Bound home from
Callao, we ran through the trades and took the southerly winds ; we stood to E.SE. and SE.,
and had a tedious passage to the Cape. I think I should have done better to have gone on the
western tack, as we had strong SW. indications at the time. In coming home round the Horn
I will never go inside the Falklands, unless compelled, but get well to eastward when possible.
Unfortunately we took a NE. wind in about 30° south, and it drove me in sight of Cape Frio.
We had light northeast winds for about twenty-three days beating up to near 8° south, when
we took the southeast winds. Being in company with the Rio fleet, I was informed that the
great trouble is to preserve the easting. As the ship drew twenty-four feet out and home we
have not made very good passages, but thanks to you, without your works before me I should
have done much worse.
' ' I have had a fine opportunity of testing your chart of approach to New York ; have
been all over it ; hove the lead every half hour, and find it all that is required if your instruc-
tions are remembered and the lead not neglected, as you have given us all that is required to
get anywhere. I hope, soon, you will bring us back again, although such a log as this proba-
bly is about equal to none, still by sending me your works last year you have ruined me forever
going without them." — Edgar Wakeman, of the ship Adelaide.
I find in the abstract logs and letters of co-operators many excellent remarks on the passage
through the Straits of Le Maire.
468 THE WIND AND CURRENT CHARTS.
Ship Defiance, (Robert McCerran.) "September 26, 1852. At 4 hours 30 min. a. m. hove to
for daylight. At 8 hours 50 min. a. m. entered the Straits of Le Maire; wind at N.NE. At
10 a. m. Cape St. Diego bore west per compass, and Staten Land SE., entirely covered with
snow. At 11 hours 30 min. clear of the strait. I am surprised that this strait is not passed
by all ships in preference to passing east of Staten Land; Le Maire being free from shoals, and
14 miles wide. An experience of 21 years' command in the Liverpool trade convinces me that
the passage between Tuskar and the Smalls are trebly dangerous, and I can see no difficulty in
this passage that is not much greater in the navigation of the Irish Channel, either north or
south about.
"I should certainly beat through in preference to going within three miles of the land. I
have no doubt that an eddy from eastward — I found a current close in shore setting SW., and
by keeping the current from the SW. — must prevail under any circumstances. Good Success
Bay affords easy access and good anchorage. It may be said that heavy gales ahead, and thick
weather, make the passage dangerous. In answer I say, that it cannot blow harder than it
does in the Irish Channel, and the fog cannot be so dense as it is on the coast of Ireland, as
the water is deeper and the air colder in Le Maire. Besides, the number of vessels on the Irish
coast increases the danger by the chance of collision, and there is no other passage to approach."
"Having, as I consider," says Captain Young, of the Venice, "got to the westward far
enough to make sure of not being driven back, it may not be out of place to give my humble
opinion with regard to the mooted point of making the passage around this bug-aboo, Cape
Horn. I most distinctly disagree with those who recommend keeping to the eastward of the
Falkland Islands; not conceiving the necessity of keeping so far to leeward, rendering the
beating against a heavy head sea and strong current necessary. The chances for SE. winds do
not, in my opinion, make up for the great difference in distance between eastern and western
sides of those islands. My opinion is not predicated solely on the beautiful weather I experi-
enced to the westward of those islands, but to the fact, that to the northward and westward
of Staten Land you are in a measure free from the heavy SW. swell; which, by reference to
that part of this abstract, it will be observed I had very smooth water, and so continued till I
passed Staten Land. In Rio, I had frequent conversations with several whale captains, and
their opinions are in conformity with my own. I do not hesitate to say the winter months (May,
June, and July,) are the best for doubling the cape, with more certainty of easterly winds;
the only drawback being the interminable long nights. After all, I feel sure that masters in
the European trade, who have, during the California fever, made the passage around the cape,
will agree with me in saying, doubling Cape Horn is nothing in comparison with making the
passage from Liverpool to New York, during our winter months."
"I followed your track to the equator for July, and had a passage of 28 days to the equator;
crossed in 32° 20'; just cleared Rocas, and then had a very hard chance to Cape Horn. I highly
approve of your track from Boston to the equator, and have no doubt but that I gained by
following your instructions. I found very little current near St. Roque. I intended to have
gone through Straits of Le Maire, but the wind being SW., I could not get far enough to
westward, and thought it better to pass eastward of Staten Land. With regard to a passage
around Cape Horn, I would say I have seen worse weather between Boston and Liverpool in
September than I have seen for this passage north of the equator. I had a long spell of calm
FROM THE "FAIR WAY" OFF ST. ROQUE TO CAPE HORN. 469
weather, which prolonged my passage, but find, on arrival, that I was in company with four
other clipper ships, and all arrived here same day." — Captain Sears, of the Wild Banger.
" June 14, 1852, (San Francisco.) I herewith forward you the abstract log of ship Great
Britain, of Boston, under my command from New York to this port. The ship is twenty-five
years old, and not a clipper. The ship John Jay sailed in company, not yet arrived. The last
I heard from her she was at Rio, leaky. I do not know whether she had your charts. The
clipper ship Aramingo left New York three days after we did, say 12th January, without your
charts, went nearly to the Western Islands, crossed the line in about 26° W., went east of
Falkland Islands, I believe, and arrived here one day after I did, say 138 days, without
stopping. On my chart (Blunt' s) I find St. Paul's Island placed in long. 28° 20' W., and in
some editions of Bowditch the same ; while in other editions, and in Horsburg's Directory,
29° 15' to 29° 22' W. As this island is directly in the track of outward bound ships, it is
important that all charts and books should be correct. I passed close to it, having had a good
observation in the morning. It was cloudy when I passed it, about 4 or 5 p. m., but there is
no doubt that it is in about 29° 20'* and not 28° 20'. With regard to your charts, allow me to
say I think very highly of them. I crossed the equator in about 30° in 26| days from New
York, after losing my tiller and being thereby detained sixteen hours with a strong fair gale.
I passed to the windward of Noronha, cleared St. Roque and St. Augustine, and the first time
I tacked ship from New York was south of Rio, which I passed in less than thirty-seven days,
with a very deep ship. Passed through the Straits of Le Maire in sixty, and Cape Horn in
less than sixty-one days. After that I had miserable chances. Having been nearly twenty
years a shipmaster, and having, during my passage, given the subject much consideration, I
will venture, at the risk of being thought presuming, to state my own views on the passage
from Cape Horn to this port. Being up with Cape Horn, 1 would improve all opportunities of
making icesting, with very little regard to latitude, except to keep clear of the land, till in
long, of 80° W. ; then, if wind permitted, edge off very gradually to the N. and shape my
course so as to be in the long, of 110° W., in about 30° S. lat. ; here you may expect to get the
SE. trades ; and then make a due north course till I took the NE. trades. My reasons are that
you would thus make your westing where the degrees are short, and then cross the entire SE.
trades on^a course that would let all your canvas draw, instead of running so much before the
wind as to becalm your head sails. You would thus take the NE. trades in about 110° W.,
which is as far east as desirable. You will see by the log that the doldrums did not detain me
much on either side." — Captain Caldivell, of the Great Britain.
"I had good NE. trades," says Captain Phinney, of the Kentucky, "and lost them in
about 5 C N., 30° 20' W. ; 19 days from Boston ; an old-fashioned ship, and very deep ; that I
had very little calm or rain, but almost immediately took the SE. trades, light and baffling,
crossed the equator in 32° 40', 24 days out ; wind, SE. ; made two short tacks to eastward in
the vicinity of Rocas; passed seventeen miles west of same, and cleared St. Roque in 27 days,
running all one day near the land, in about ten fathoms water ; crossed the parallel of Rio in
36 days, and from thence to Cape Horn I had a very poor chance. Entered the Straits of Le
Maire in 65 days, and in 70 was west of the cape, with but little bad weather, and no easterly
current ; neither did I feel that strong westerly set between the line and St. Roque, so much
spoken of and feared.
* Its position was accurately determined by the officers of the United States ship Marion, in 1849, to he in long.
29° 18' W. , and it is accurately laid down on the Wind and Current Charts. — M. F. M.
470 THE WIND AND CURRENT CHARTS.
' ' I cannot refrain from expressing my sense of the benefit I feel that your labors have
already conferred upon the commercial world ; and also, my hope that you may be permitted
to follow up these researches and investigations, by which, I believe, navigation will in a few
years, become quite a different matter from what it has been in times past."
" On leaving New York," says Captain Homans, of the Winged Race, at San Francisco,
"I followed your Directions as near as the wind and weather would allow, and crossed the
equator in the Atlantic in long. 31° 16', and found no difficulty in getting past the Brazil
coast. Time to equator 21 days, 21 hours, and passed through the Straits of Le Maire; and
off Cape Horn had light fine weather. Off the Horn I tried to follow your Directions in getting
west ; but the wind prevented me, hanging to NW. after around the Horn ; and I passed
about three degrees to west of Juan Fernandez. The SE. trades I had far to the eastward,
sometimes E.NE., and from that to E.SE.
" Crossed the equator March 7, 1853, eighty -five days out, in long. 106° 24' W. Took NE.
trades in about three or four, wind N.NE. to N., and arrived off this bar Sunday, March 27,
in a thick fog, which continued until Wednesday, 30th, when it cleared up, and I ran in.
" I should follow your Directions again if I was coming round the Horn, as near as the