1785. It perhaps'may be neceffary to inform thee, that the method of
November £nc;jng what latitude the fhip is in is, to take an altitude of the
Sun when he is in the meridian, (which is always twelve o’clock
at noon) and this altitude, after being wrought by an eafy procels,
ogives the latitude.
Sailors on croiling the Line, have a cuftom of plunging every
tperfon on board, who have never been to the Southward of it, over
head and ears in a tub of water. This ceremony being but ill
relifhed by fome of our people. Captain Dixon promifed all hands
a double allowance of grog if they would defift : this was very
-willingly accepted, and harmony was foon reftored: but alas I
-grog and good-humour foon were at -variance, and fome of the
people grew fo quarrelfome and turbulent, that they -were put in
irons : this brought them to reafon in a fhort time, and they were
Jet at liberty on promife of better behaviour.
I was exprefling my furprize and forrow to my mefs-mates, that
To difturbing a.circumftance Ihould happen, but they laughed, and
Laid, tliat things of this fort were fo common at fea, that they were
mot worth taking the leaft notice of. On this I could not help
reflecting with-Solomon, that “ there is nothing new under the
Sun.”
At two o’clock in the afternoon of the 21ft, we faw a fail to the
Eaftward, but at too great a diftance to difcern what country the
.belonged to. On the 24th, vinegar was ferved out to the flap’s
company, which made our fait proviflons more wholefome and
-agreeable : it likewife proved a very good ingredient to eat with
fifti, which we frequently caught, fuch as bonettas, albacours,
■ dolphins, &c. On the 25th, the people were ferved with what
2 flops
flops they wanted, and fo were rid of the fears they entertained at 1785.
our firft failing, viz. that they Ihould not be able to procure a fup- ,__
ply of cloaths when their flock was worn out. On the 26th, tea
and fugar were ferved to the flap’s company, at an allowance fufli-
cient for breakfaft every morning» This made a. very comfortable
addition to our victuals, and was a very agreeable change : add
to this, they are excellent anti-fcorbutics, and as fuch, peculiarly
delirable in long voyages. Indeed we-had a plentiful flock both
of tea, coffee, and fugar for our own mefs; of a fuperior quality to
what we had ferved out ; but it was a moft defirable acquifition to
the people, as I believe it is never ferved out, either in the King’s
fiiips, or merchants fervice. On the 30th, we had a fpare main-
fail fitted over the quarter-deck, as a * temporary awning. This not
only rendered the heat of the weather more tolerable on deck, but.
was of great ufe in preferving it from the fun.
By the 6th of December we were well out of the Tropics, being-;
in 26 deg. 16 min. South latitude. The weather now began to -
be agreeable and pleafant, with frelh fteady Eafterly breezes.. At
nine in the morning of the 7th, the King George made a fignal for
feeing a fail to the South-Weft ; but the did notcome near enough
for us to difcern what country fhe. belonged, to.-
I believe Captain Portlock propofes touching at Falkland’s ,
Iflands ; if fo, thou mayeft depend on a further continuation from >
that place. Thine.ever,
W .B . .
At Sea, 7.
20th Dec. S
L E T T E R'