®4 'A V O Y A G E T O T H E
oafbér, We left Kin® GeorSe’s Sound, as I have already observed, on the
u— .— 29t^1 ° f September, with a fine Wefterly breeze; but it fhifted to
the Eaftward on the 30th, with moderate weather.
On the 31ft, the wind again blew from the Weftward, the weather
was dear and fine. On the 4th of October, we had clofe foggy
weather, with frequent fqualls. On the 7th, at noon, our latitude
was 43 deg. 8 min. and our longitude 131 deg. 59 min. Weft: we
had variable.winds, the weather ftilf foggy. During the night the
wind blew a ftrong gale from the Weftward; but towards the
morning of the 8th, it grew moderate.
About eight o’clock in the evening of the 1 ith, there was a kind
o f fiery meteor feen playing about the lhip. As failors havea tolerable
Ihare of fuperftition, an appearance of this kind is much
dreaded by them, and'is univerfally known by the appellation of
Davy Jones. Davy’s power is very great, but he is fuppofed to
prefide more immediately over the winds and waves, though he
feldom or ever appears for any good purpofe ; and this I prefume
makes the honeft tars afraid of his Worlhip.
’Tis fomewhat ftrange, that a fet of men, who defpife m*/dan-
gets, which might appall the fioutefl heart, Ihould be terrified with
ideal fears of their own creating, and thofe raifed by an object fit
only for a bug-bear to children.
During the night we had a ftrong gale of wind from the Southward,
with heavy rain. A circumftance of this fort happening fo
foon after the appearance of Davy Jones, ferves greatly to ftrengthen
the fuperftitious opinion which failors already entertain of him.
In
In the morning of the 12th, the weather moderated ; and at ten 1786.
o’clock the wind fliifted to the Northward, blowing a fine frelh breeze. i(-)a°bcr-|
At noon on the 13th, our latitude was 37 deg. 2 min. North 5
and our longitude, being the mean of feveral fets of lunar obfer-
vations, 134 deg. 47 min. Weft, In this fituation we perceived a
current fetting pretty ftrong to the Eaftward.
On the 14th, we caught three large lharks, which were very
acceptable, on account of the oil they afforded us, and which we
•could ufe, not only for the binnacle, but to pay our mails, rigging,
See. our oil running Ihort. From the 14th to the 24th,
nothing occurred worth notice. During this time we had variable
winds, and pretty moderate weather.
On the 25th, our latitude was 33 deg. North ; and the longitude
143 deg. 36 min. Weft. We had a moderate breeze from South
South Eaft, with frequent fhowers of rain. This afternoon we
•had a fpecies of birds about the Ihip, which I take to be the ftri-
ated fand-piper of Pennant, two of yvhich were fo tame, that our
people had nearly caught them.
From this to the 31ft, we had little variety. The weather in
general was tolerably fine, though fometimes fqually, with rain.
Our obfervation at noon gave 29 deg. 5 min. North latitude; and
148 deg. Weft longitude.
On the ill of November, we looked out for St. Maria Le Gorta,
which is laid down in Cook’s Chart, in 27 deg. 50 min. North latitude
; and 149 deg. Weft longitude; and the fame afternoon, failed
directly over it. Indeed we fcarcely expected to meet with any fuch
place, as it is copied by Mr. Roberts into the above Chart, from the
1 fame