tinned till th e iM at ,E. andJS.&j E | so variable, were the wind»
a t th is season of fhe.ymr from what they are Supposed to b e in
these southern latitudes, and which is laid' dow^to in gfmpw
ral froui the W. Tbeisea wasmueh smoother. .
- three P .M , of the 23d, we, saw .<«; vessel .bearing down-be*
fote t he wind upon us. I t how begapt to blow .bard a t N.N&E*
The stranger as she * approached proved to be a Spani&h brig
w i|||pm e colours up i captured in Hie River of Plate by a prh
vateeer fitted out by a merchant at the Cape of Good Hope,
commanded by Mr. John Black, of whom T shall have! occasion
to make mention hereafter. . On coming within hnil th^ prize-
master informed me that he had neither: bookor chart on board,
and that he did not know where he was. He had suffered con*
siderably in tbeheavyweather w e h a d jseen the breakers in,
and begged some canvas and twine to repair Id s -saibp and a
few other articles he stood in need -oft I deiced him, to keep
companywith me till the morning, informing Mm of thé coursie
I intended steering^ and that I would shorten sail for him : I
also gavehim the k titu d e aiidiongitu&e, ,The; was abent
seventy tons burtheift laden vrith bees wax, hides, -tallow and to*
feaceo.. Onpétoeiving the shattered state p f this, we.is.el, witb-
o u ta boat, she, haying it washed overboard, I could aót bni be
thankful we b ad n o tlo st a single article from our deckssahce
we left the Thames. The wind moderated about eight P.M.
but with heavy raifi, which continued: during the nights
The wind shifted in She morning of the 24th, back toffee W
but moderate. Our boat was. hoisted out, ancMsent for the
p|izermaster, to whom I gayga chart of the. Cape, and the fear*
bonrs in its vidmt^ p Hamilton Moore’s Epitome^ some canvas,
twine, -tea, sugar, and rum, which his men, from being con*
stantly wet, stood mneh ixr need of,. He received these with
many expressions of thankfulness. I promised to keep him
company
( M )
eompahyi to the Cape if, his vessel did not Sail .too: slow. I also
furnasheffilhim with, the, declination fcfc several, days from the
Nautical Almanack. |
on us, that feehad lost ,both latitude and' lchgifode, and asked
why hé" would *run the risk,, as we were pabited like a Spaniard;
but he* said‘he kbewrfrom ouyxanvas ,we».>werem'ot enemies. ■ As
to. the. crewf fhey were bSreless. what we were, for having lost
themselves 'they wére determined to speak to us. The privateer
had parted with the prize in a gale óf wind. The Master
was nmch surprized at the sight of the lady- Nelson, and con-
eluded thafewéhadstarteS^sbme of our sheathing, when he saw
onei of thtekeels,- as th e veSSilwasuoliing from his, ‘ I explained
theiconstruotfohvto him, which belngl|aeiifteofly new ekcited his
Winder. | Heaskedfete if she was one of the KingVyachts.
When T sent him back to Mé owö vëséel, he asked oné of thy
naen whether I was not’a little mad, for he could not credit the
story I told him of our going on a voyage of discovery. HoW-
eV(ëf^teè$sfoew his gforittide,--he seut tfs -^onm^jerked beef, of
which he had plenty bn board; and it- proved an agreeable
ehangésfrom onr salt meat.
On the 25th, ^ e had light airs, inelinihg to calm. Mercury
a ti$ t9.'lf ir ig in company:^
Thé following day strong gales with rain, and an heavy fol- ^
lowing sea: Mercury from b©9 to 63°.
On the 27th, We had numbers of birds round us. Strong
gales from N. W. Brig in company. ;
On the 28th, very heavy weather, but the little vessel behaved
very well. They who are conversant with the weather in thé
vicinity of the Cape in the winter season, with a N. W. gale,
must know it: is sufficient to try vessels of any description what*
ever. On this day, the brig being a-hêad hoisted her colours^
wMiefe was the signal I had agreed the Master should make if
r 2 he