1788. About eight o’clock the veffel we had feen on the 24th came-
May' . within hail and fpoke us. She proved to be the Lanfdowne, Captain
Storey, who, as has been already mentioned, got a-ground
in the Straights of Banca, but got clear of the Straights of Sunda
a week before us. As this velfel is efteemed a prime failer, it cannot
be denied but that the light of her at this time infufed frelh
fpirits into every perfon on board, efpecially when we compared
our bad failing velfel to her, and found that with all her boafted
fuperiority, and the time Ihe had before gained on us, we were
yet on a fa r in regard" to the voyage. This incident brought that
obfervation of Solomon frelh into my memory, “ The race is not
to the fie ift,’’ &c. for we here had an inconteftible proof, that
“ time and chance happeneth to all.”
Captain Storey informed us, that he had been beating about
the Cape ever lince the 15th, which was the fame time we mét
with the gale, but did not affign any reafon for his not getting
here fooner. Our obfervation at noon gave 35 deg. 32 min.
South latitude; and the mean of fame lunar obfervations 337
deg, 48 min. Weft longitude.
On the 26th, the wind continuing at North Weft, ottr Captain
determined to Hand to the South Weft, hoping to meet with
a change of wind : the weather being now moderate, and tolerably
fettled, the people were put to their former allowance of water.
Our latitude at noon was 36 deg. 17 min. South. In the night
the wind lhifted to North North Eaft, and in the forenoon o f
the 27th, increafed to a frelh breeze, on which we fet all the fail
we could carry, and fleered North Weft by Weft : our latitude at
noon was 36 deg. 12 min. South, and the longitude 339 deg. 39
min. Weft : we were deftinedto enjoy this favourable breeze but a
fhort
N O R T H -W E S T C O A S T O F AME R I C A .
Ihort time, for in the afternoon the wind lhifted to the North
Weft, blowing very frelh; and towards evening increafed to a
ftrong gale, which continued all night with unceafing violence,
attended with- heavy* fqualls, much rain and lightning, with a
heavy head-fea: towards morning the gale abated, and in the
forenoon we had light winds and a heavy crofs fea, which caufed
the velfel to labour very much.
1788.
M a y -
For fome days previous to this gale we had got fcarcely any fand
out of the well, and the pump was fixed in its place, but now, the
motion of the velfel obliged us to take it up again, and we got up
nearly as much fand as when this unlucky accident firft happened.
Our latitude at noon was 37 deg. 11 min. South, the weather
fqually, with rain, the wind ftill at North Weft. At eight
o’clock in the evening, to our great joy, a frelh gale came on
at South Weft, and during the night it blew very heavy, with
frequent fqualls, conftant rain, and much lightning: we carried
all the fail we could with prudence, being exceedingly anxious
to double this Cape. During the whole of the 29th, the wind
blew ftrong from the fame favourable quarter, and we fleered
North Weft, and North Weft by North, as beft fuited our purpofe,
there being about two points Wefterly variation.
The wind on the 30th, was equally favourable to us: in thé
forenoon of the 3 ift, the wind veered to South Eaft, ftill blowing
a fine fteady breeze, with moderate weather; our latitude at
noon was 33 deg. 44 min. South; and the longitude by lunar observation,
347 deg. 50 W e ft: fo that to our great comfort we now
had doubled this hitherto formidable Cape, the charts placing the
South Weft point of land in 34 deg. 26 min. South latitude, and
341 deg. 37 min. Weft longitude.
X x 2 I ftiall