The 30th, The Current And Billows As
Before, They Were Fully Assured Of Having The Way Open Into The South
Sea, And This Day At Noon They Made Their Latitude 57 Deg.
34' S. The 31st
sailing west, with the wind at north, their latitude at noon was 58 deg.
S.
But the wind changing to W. and W.S.W. they passed Cape Horn, losing
sight of land altogether, still meeting huge billows rolling from the
west with a blue sea, which made them believe they were in the main
South Sea. February 1st, they had a storm at S.W. and sailed N.W. and
W.N.W. The 2d, having the wind at W. they sailed southwards, and came
into the lat. of 57 deg. 58' S. The 3d they made their latitude 59 deg. 25' S.
with a strong wind at W. but saw no signs of any land to the South.
SECTION II.
Continuation of the Voyage, from Cape Horn to the Island of Java.
Altering their course to the northwards, they plainly discerned the
western mouth of the Straits of Magellan, bearing east from them, on the
12th February; and being now quite sure of their new and happy
discovery, they returned thanks to the Almighty for their good fortune
over a cup of wine, which was handed three times round the company. To
this new-found passage or straits, leading from the Atlantic into the
Pacific, they gave the name of the Straits of Le Maire, though that
honour ought justly to have been given to Schouten, by whose excellent
conduct these straits were discovered.
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