A V O Y A G E T O W A R D S T H E S O U T H P O L E ,
ice; and, every day, faw m ore or lefs, we then Handing
to the Eaft. We found a very ftrong current fetting to the
eaftw ard; for by the time-we were abreaft of Cape H orn, being
in the latitude o f 6 i° S., the Hr ip was ahead o f ou r account
eight degrees. We w ere very little m ore than a
m onth from Cape Pallifer in New Zealand to Cape Horn,
w h ich is an hu ndred and twenty-one degrees of longitude
and had continual wefterly winds from S. W. to N. W., w ith
a great Tea following.
On opening fome calks o f peafe and flour, that had been
flowed on the coals, we found them very m uch dam aged,
and not eatab le; fo thoug ht it moft prudent to m ake for
the Cape of Good Hope, bu t firft to Hand into the latitude
and longitude o f Cape Circumcifion. After being to the
eaftward o f Cape H orn, we found the winds did not blow fo
ftrong from the w eftw ard as ufual, bu t cam e m ore from the
North, w hich bro ugh t on thick foggy w e ath er; fo that for
feveral days together we could not be able to get an obfer-
vation, or fee the leaft lign of the fun. T his w eather lafted
above a m onth, being then am ong a great m any iflands o f
ice, w hich kept us conftantly on the look-out, for fear o f
ru n n in g foul o f them , and, being a Angle fhip, m ade us
m ore attentive. By this tim e ou r people began to com plain
o f colds and pains in their lim bs, w hich obliged me to haul
to the northw ard to the latitude of 54'0 S .; but We ftill continued
to have the fame fort of w eather, though we had
oftener an opportunity of obtaining obfervations for the latitude.
A fter getting into the latitude above-m entioned, I fleered
to the Eaft, in order, if poflible, to find the land laid down
by Bouvet. As we advanced to the Eaft, the iflands o f ice Wik. • 1 - - . ' ......... .. . . February. becam e m ore num erous and dangerous; they being m uch -
fm ailer than they ufed to be.; and the nights began to be
d a rk ..
On the 3d of March, being then in the latitude of 540 4’S.
longitude 13? E., w hich is the latitude o f Bouvet’s difcovery,
and h alf a degree to the eaftw ard of it, and not feeing the
leaft fign o f land, either now or fince we have been in this
parallel, I gave over looking for it, and hauled aw ay to the
northw ard. As our laft track to the fouthw ard was w ithin
a fe w degrees o f Bouvet’s difcovery in the longitude
a Signed to it;, and about three or fou r degrees to the fouthw
ard, fhould there be any land thereabout, it m ult be a very
inconfiderable ifland. But I believe it was no thing b u t ice ;
as we, in ou r firft fetting out, thoug ht we had feen land
feveral tim es, bu t it proved to be h ig h iflands of ice at the
hack of the large fields ; and as it was thick foggy w eather
when Mr. Bouvet fell in with-it, he m ight very eafily m iftake
them fo r land.
On the 7th, being in the latitude o f 48° 30' S., longitude
140 a6' E,,.faw two large iflands o f ice.. •
On the 17th, m ade the land of the Cape o f Good-Hope, and
o n -th e 19th anchored in Table Bay, w here w e found Comm
odore Sir Edward H ughes, w ith liis Majefty’s fhips Salifbury
and Sea-horfe. I faluted the Commodore w ith thirteen g u n s;
and, foon after, the garrifon w ith the fam e n um b er; the
form er returned the falute, as ufual, w ith two guns lefs, and
the latter w ith an equal num ber.
On