Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 096.djvu/305

 the low state of the mercury, continued until we got without side of Groote Eyland.

3d. On the east side of Groote Eyland, and the west side of the gulph, northward from that island, we sometimes had sea and land breezes with line weather; we had also two moderate gales of wind from the eastward, of from two to four days continuance each, with one of which there were heavy squalls of wind and rain; sometimes also, the winds were tolerably steady between north and west, with fine weather. During all these variations, the mercury never differed much from its average standard 29,90; and it seemed as if the increase of density in the air, from the wind blowing upon the coast, was equal to its diminution of quantity from the fall of rain and strength of the wind; and on the other side, that the wind from over that corner of Arnhem's Land permitted the mercury to descend, as much as the fine weather would otherwise have occasioned it to rise.

Upon the north side of Groote Eyland, the mercury stood higher than usual for five days, and during this time the wind blew with more regularity from NW, the only exception being for a few hours in the afternoons, when it commonly sprung up from the NE in the manner of a sea breeze: the weather remained fine during these five days, and the height of the mercury averaged 29,94.

4th, In the neighbourhood of Cape Arnhem, the mercury usually stood about 29,90, whether the wind was from NW, NE, or east, if the weather was fine; but if by chance the wind shifted to the south side of west, off the land, it descended to 29,80 though the weather remained the same: and this was its standard during those times when strong gusts