is another reason why at certain seasons the Coast of BraziF
ought to be avoided, that is,' between the- months ojfe February
and: July when the winds hang much to the S,. being generally
from S. S.W. -to & by E. and S. S, E. This -is an old remark
made by many, but not generally mentioned by navigators who
have la id down directions for- navigating these seas. Tkeicur-
rent on the .Coast of- Brazil from March to. Septembejr,^Otsto
the N. and from September to March back again to the cSi? , No
doubt in doubling the Capes of Rocque and St.- Ahgusitirie, the
currents'extend themselves more to the E. of which we had*, a
Sufficient demonstration enabling me to account for, the remarks
already made respecting the course of the Eady.;iftil^.^fetiO
On the, 18th, we were in lat. 9° 50? S. long*, 28° 28? W. by
lunar observation. Eversince the 12th instanf we- had nothing
but S: S. E. and S. winds blowing a t all times very heavy, and
squally, with rain. This, had; impeded our progress to,.the &
very much, and carried us a longway to th cW , Bet^eem- the
3d and 7th degrees of S. lathude .wjuobserved thej.di.minutiop, of
the strength of the current to thp W.
The weather became moderate and pleasant on the 21st, with
fresh breezes. We found the variation to be 4° 47' W. In* fhes.<?
regions there is in general a constant weight or tMcknessref the
air, even in t^iCtfinesf weather, perceivable to the ( which
proceeds, no doubt, from. the h ea t;p£|fe§jsum rarifyin^itbe 1W>
rounding atmosphere, and no doubt makes a difference omfhe
refraction of all bodies obsentef)- ~
At sun-rise on the 23d, found the variation to be 5° 30' W.
We were now so far to thje j§; as 16° 4 S. This agrees pretty
nearly with, the Variation-Chart contained in the East India
Pilot, which was projected in 1772, adding,thereto the annual
increase of variation to the W. The day proving fine we got
the boats out to overhaul.the keels, and. found that the piece
which
Whleh bad-bfeeri joined b'fi to the âfterdcehlat Port Praya wak
gbhëif Not having suffi ci^ênÿÿiank in-thé véèslét, I’was obliged
tö down in tkd^ellfmnd join a breadth of
j)ldhk -I had leftvôü Jfcodt hoops, by?
whï'C^nîéaUs it Went ttèeé1 wùtëifïbelmÿ the vIMcts
bottom.
- On" tfih'24t%W e had?strbhg galeS froffi-the^f|$ E.^itffià^uâlls
and' iridblf. head- sea;'; tlltk ffit^ ^ ^ la b b ü ï' t'd dè^me:^ -
• ‘T h e -following -day th e weather was m e same1.1 ^ 'ê^ é rà ï'pin-
tad oe fer£t& ahd'sheêrWaters w e fë ‘|êen élefohdml W*
Gif th'd-'2éfhy; ther,‘W:è‘aJtîKlF'‘ becarnets^s^y a#lx. W. bitten the
hftérUofei'it tooklfs aback at ’ S'. E. ahfi ,M’I^^hn'me^ewrimg.,s
As w^teére mow fast approaéhih'g Rio Jahreffo1, havm^àn^ôb-
serfaftib^itf fkt: ’’22p^l!8uS: lorig:Jpèr "account, ^ l 0\ Î 9' W. X
órdér’éd'U survey of theewater ‘on Board ; %lMh finding we?had
twënty-four half hogsnéads in good-order, an#$everal barricoes,
I carné' tô t^bfékô’fdf^iïQlfmét touching lat Rio Jaiïe#o^ 11Ésö
took thê! ôppbrfuriity1 öf inf^êclih'gfthe siatebï'fhè ^veæef. The
Sail-rcfoîn wêi perfectly dry. The brèad-ïocîpi, which we'had
Ueé'ësjs1 -io^eVgry day, appeared Ihê'Same ; but-ünwimng td'trust
tëÖ'?iAuch to' thâtt, X had thé Bread anîd Tbuhd several
p'fâcêé whèrd it leaked; p a r t i c u l a r l y frhtné,
wh'ferë thbbhwart-ship planks of the-sterri join to ^the bùtt-end
ôfthé forè‘ and aft plariks of thé ifiîde; an’othdf^nfeâr to the stérn
post, and several qozings about‘ffie* irôif'knfeesbhat had heen
prit into h^fprevious to leaving thé Thdftlés. The lösif yu^*
tain’ed by this, was upwards ofr-t^b hundred 'weight of bread;
hoWévêr, Wé had still twenty-four bags an d àri half* undamaged.
I t may bé thought improper in me to make ànyobséfvdtion on
the work done to the vessel in ©eadmariV Dock, particularly
in4 caulking her ; but frbhl'the damagé' accruingXp the .suits and
bread, and tué wetness oFfUie places where we slept, Intrust
W e :2 B H B f t h e