Our voyage from Muscat to Mozambique was not marked by any particular occurrence, excepting the death of a very young and valuable officer. The southwest monsoon having ended, we were in daily expectation of the advent of the northeast monsoon; but on the morning of the seventh of October, without waiting for a change of wind, as we were ready for sea, we weighed anchor again, in company with our consort, depending mostly upon the assistance of the current; for there was scarcely “a breath, the blue wave to curl.” As soon as the anchor was “apeek,” and the topsails sheeted home and hoisted up, eighteen guns were fired, as a parting salute to the hospitable sultan, (sooltaun,) which was returned with twenty-one. Not wishing to be behind-hand in an act of courtesy, three more were fired. The effect produced by the echo, among the serrated and cavernous rocks and mountains about the cove of Muscat, and the neighbouring hills, was surpassingly fine; loud, distinct, and repeated charges were heard, apparently, for the space of several minutes, until the reverberations died away, in faint echoes, among the distant hills in the southeast, west, and northwestern quarters. The winds were very light, from the southward and eastward, the first part of the passage, until we arrived in about 5° south, when it changed gradually to the northward and eastward, and continued so until we arrived at Mozambique. We had abundance of rain about the equator, accompanied by light squalls and calms; the currents setting generally to the southward and westward; they also set to the southward and eastward, and to the northward and eastward, due west, and to the northwest. A short distance to the northward and eastward of the island of Socotra, (Socotera,) it set in for three successive days, about 70° west, eighty-six miles, and for the seven successive days to the southward and westward, two hundred and sixty-five miles. The particulars of each day, I omit, as it can only interest the navigator; but what I have stated, will serve to show the absolute necessity of having firstrate chronometers, or the lunar observations carefully attended to; and never omitted to be taken when practicable. On our passage through the channel, we entered the small port Quintangony, seeing the Portuguese flag flying on a fort, mistaking it for Mozambique, as the bearings answered to its situation, and the table-land being north of it. We weighed anchor forthwith, and in two hours afterward, on the afternoon of the seventh of November, we discovered the island of St. George, which has a flag-staff and a small battery, and to the southward of it, the island of St. Jago; and at the same time the island of Mozambique, lying to the westward, distant about three miles, with its formidable castle and its neat white houses, appeared in view. [Sidenote: ARRIVAL AT MOZAMBIQUE.]