Mould, &c. &c. For so pleasing and valuable a society I am
principally indebted to my friend Dr. Grant, of tbé Hospital
Staff, whom I have already mentioned, as being resident there;
to this Gentleman I am moreover under many other obligations.
Dr. Grant had been appointed .to take charge of the
sick of the 22d and 34th regiments, which two regiments sailed
from England at the same time I did, and being chiefly com--
posed'of boys had suffered much during the voyage. Through
that Gentleman’s former knowledge of the Cape I derived much
useful information, for which l am indebted to his liberal communications.
On the 7th of October, being completely equipped, I put to
sea at eleven A. M. with a fine breeze from the N. W. and bid
adieu to-many who came down to see the little vessel depart,
most of whom entertained doubts of our ever reaching New
South Wales. At four P. M. I got clear put of False Bay, and
a t seven in the evening Cape Hanglip bore E. and the
Cape o f Good Hope N. W. \ W. distant five leagues. We had
now fresh gales from the W. and W. N. W. which in thé night
freshened with rain and a considerable sea. I found that the
vessel had lost none of her good qualities; and as i f c S.E,
Monsoon had set in at this season, which blows with much force
a t times, I was determined to keep as much as possible out of
its track, by getting into a higher south latitude as fast as I
could. I t was recommended to me to run down my easting
without going into a higher latitude than the Cape, from art
idea that the heaviness of the sea m the latitude of 40° S. would
be too much for my vessel to scud through, owing to the W.
winds blowing in these latitudes constantly all the year round,
and generally from the S-. and W. thereby occasioning much
heavy sea, hail, sleet, &c. Being well assured of the safety of
my vessel, joined to the delays that might attend my keeping
* in
in variable latitudes.subject to the strong S. E. winds, I prosecuted
fiar'SQipe time my course to the southward, judging that
on. finding ourselves in too. heavy weather we could leave it by
hauling to jhe .northward, and keeping in that parallel which
best answered pay purpose; at tlie time securing a fair Wv
wind, Independent of this being my own idea, I was encouraged
in it. by. Captain John Osborn* of-his sbip Tremenders,
an ,old and experienced Officer, whose, gtjtention to
me whilst at the Cape*
my voyage, I am happy in having the opportunity to acknowledge,
aud io say that I profited-byrit.
At six A. M. we had squally weather-with much rain, which
by noon cleared off, and we, observedthe latitude 4$
S. I still, continued, running to the southward, and found, as
we,got into an higher latitude,! the wind to. ingrease with,much
rain at times1, and in, general gloomy and Mnqpmfqriftble.weaT
ther-jl though we had not, as y e t met with the S* W. winds so
much looked for. In the latitude of’ S>($' and 3 ^ 1 found that
they hung in the N. W. quarter, an d r if te d , to IhT. and N. E. ,
Gn the lOth, I j^seiyed .atnoon the latitude to be 38° 40' S.
We had mush foliowing.sea, though not in my opinion wind
enough to xais,e or cause it. The wind had varied fBomJ^$N.E*
tp by.dj. I t had every appearance of blowing, and as I
have often, found since in these high southern latitudes, that the
sea frequently gets to. a great height before the gale comes^on,
I have also observed, that after a-gale, has done bio wing, for some
time the sea will continue tafjse, break much,.and become, very
troublesome., I t is no uncommon, thing-to find an .heavy, gale
that has continued to blo,w; with*great violence,, and steady for
many hours, die away in the course o f;half an hour to almost a
perfect xcalm. To many, who are in large heavy ^vessels, like
those ip general made use. of iu crossin g these seas* some of the
above