- 1774*
January.
Monday u.
Saturday 15.
South Sea within the temperate zone, and that if it exifts at
all, we have at leaft confined it within the antardlic circle.
The long continuance in thefe cold climates began now
to hang heavily on our crew, efpecially as it banifhed all
hope of returning home this year, which had hitherto fup-
ported their fpirits. At firft a painful defpondence, owing
to Ü15 dreary profpeft of another year’s cruize to the South,,
feemed painted in every countenance ; till by degrees they
refigned themfelves to their fate, with a kind of fullen indifference.
It mull; be owned however, that nothing could
be more dejefting than the entire ignorance of our future
deftination, which, without any apparent reafon, was con-
flantly kept a fecret to every perfon in the fhip.
We now flood to the north-eaftward for a few days, till
we came fo far as 4 7 0 52' fouth latitude, where the thermometer
rofe to 52 degrees. On that day, which was the
1 ith, at noon, the courfe was diredled to the S. E. again,
though this frequent and hidden change of climate could
not fail of proving very hurtful to our health in general.
On the i 5 th the wind encreafed very much, and in a fhort
time blew a tempeftuous gale, which took
»'■ 11 1 1 - the ruffian billows by the top.
Curling their monftrous heads and hanging them
W ith deaf’ning clamours in the flippery fhrouds. Shakespeare.
At nine o’clock a huge mountainous wave flruck the Ihip-
on the beam, and filled the decks with a deluge of water.
It
It pdured through the fky-Iigbc over our heads, and ex-
tinguifhed the candle, leaving us for a moment in doubt,
whether we were not entirely overwhelmed and finking in-'
to the abyfs. Every thing was afloat in toy father’s cabin,
and his bed was thoroughly foaked.' His rhentoatifm, which
had now afflidted him above a fortnight, was Hill fo violent
as to have almofl: deprived him of .the ufe of his legs, and
his pains redoubled in the morning. Our fituation at pre-
fent was indeed very difmal, even to thofe who preferved
the bleffing of health; to the fick, whofe crippled limbs
were tortured with exceflive pain, it was infupportable.
The ocean about us had a furious afpedl, and feemed in-
cenfed at the prefumption of a few intruding mortals. A
gloomy melancholy air loured on the brows o f our fhip-
mates, and a dreadful filence reigned amongft us. Salt
meat, our conllant diet, was become loathfome to all, and
even to thofe who had been bred to a nautical life from
their tender years : the hour- of dinner was hateful to us,
for the well known fmell of the victuals had no fooner
reached our nofe, than we found it impoflible to partake of
them with a hearty appetite.
It will appear from hence that this voyage was not to be
compared to any preceding one, for the multitude of hard-
Ihips and diftrefles which attended it. Our predeeeflTors ini
the South Sea had always navigated within the tropic,, or
at leaft in the beft parts of the temperate zone; they had
almofl!
1774- .
Jan ua r y .
Sunday 16*