At feven o’clock in the evening on the 18th, the calm was
fucceeded by a breeze at Eaft, which, the next day, increaf-
ing and veering to and fixing at N. E., we ftretched to N.
W. with our tacks on board. We made no doubt that we
had now got the N. E. trade-wind, as it was attended with
fair weather, except now and then fome light fhowers of
rain; and as we advanced to the North the wind increafed,
and blew a frefh. top-gallant gale.
On the 31 ft, I ordered the ftill to be fitted to the largeft copper,
which held about fixty-four gallons. The fire was lighted
at four o’clock in the morning, and at fix the ftill began
to run. It was continued till fix o’clock in the evening; in
which time we obtained thirty-two gallons of frefh water,
at the expence of one bufhel and a half of coals ; which was
about three-fourths of a bufhel more than was neceflary to
have boiled the fhip’s company’s viffuals only; but the expence
of fuel was no objeft with me. The victuals were
drefièd in the fmall copper, the other being applied wholly
to the ftill; and every method was made ufe of to obtain
from it the greateft quantity of frefh water poflible ; as this
was my foie motive for fetting it to work. The mercury in
the thermometer at noon was at eighty-four and a half, and
higher it is feldom found at fea. Had it been lower, more
water, under the fame circumftances, would undoubtedly
have been produced; for the colder the air is, the cooler
you can keep the ftill, which will condenfe the fleam the
fafter. Upon the whole, this is an ufeful invention; but I
would advife no man to truft wholly to it. For although
you may, provided you have plenty of fuel and good coppers,
obtain as much water as will fupport life, you cannot,
with all your efforts, obtain fufficient to fupport health, in
hot climates efpecially, where it is the molt wanting; for I
am well convinced, that nothing contributes more to the ’775*
. June.
health or feamen, than having plenty of water. <---- -— >
Wednef. z i .
The wind now remained invariably fixed at N. E. and E.
N. E., arid blew frefh with fquali’s attended with fhowers of
rain, and the fky for the molt part cloudy. On the 35th, in Sunday 25;
the latitude ofT6° 12 'North, longitude 370 30' Weft, feeing a
ihip to windward fleering down upon us, we fhortened fail
in order to fpeak with her; but finding fhe was Dutch by
her colours, we made fail again and left her to purfue her
courfe, which we fuppofed was to fome of the Dutch fettle-
ments in the Weft Indies. In the latitude of>3o9 North, longitude
39° 45' Weft, the wind began to veer to E. by N. and
Eaft; but the weather remained the fame-; that-is, we continued
to have it clear and cloudy by turns, with light
fqualls and fhowers. Our track was between N. W. by N.
and N. N. W., till noon on the 38th, after which our courfe wednef; 28,
made good was N. by W., being at this time in the latitude
of 2t‘P 31' North, longitude 40° 6'. Weft. Afterwards, the
wind began to blow a little more fteady, and was attended
with fair and clear weather. At two o’clock in the morning
of the 30th, being in the latitude o f 24? 20' North, longi- Fridano
tude 40° 4 7'Weft,, a fhip, fleering to the weftward, paffed us
within hale; We judged-her to be Englifh, as they anfwer-
ed us in that language ; but we could not underftand what
they faid, and they were prefently out of fight..
In the latitude o f 290 30', longitude 41? 30', the wind'
flackened and veered more to the S. E. We now began to
fee.Tome o f that fea-plint, which is commonly called gulph--
weed, from a fuppofition that it comes from the Gulph of
Florida. Indeed, for aught I know to the contrary, it may be
a faff ; but itfeems.not neceflary, as it is certainly a plant