After A Few Hours Calm, A Breeze Springing Up At North, We
Steered S. By E. All Sails Set, With A View Of Getting Into The Latitude Of
54 Deg.
Or 55 deg.; my intention being to cross this vast ocean nearly in these
parallels, and so as to pass over those parts which were left unexplored
the preceding summer.
In the morning of the 12th, the wind increased to a fine gale: At noon we
observed in latitude 43 deg. 13' 30" S., longitude 176 deg. 41' E.; an
extraordinary fish of the whale kind was seen, which some called a sea
monster. I did not see it myself. In the afternoon, our old companions the
pintado peterels began to appear.[1]
On the 13th, in the morning, the wind veered to W.S.W. At seven, seeing the
appearance of land to S.W., we hauled up towards it, and soon found it to
be a fog-bank. Afterwards we steered S.E. by S., and soon after saw a seal.
At noon, latitude, by account, 44 deg. 25', longitude 177 deg. 31' E. Foggy
weather, which continued all the afternoon. At six in the evening, the wind
veered to N.E. by N., and increased to a fresh gale, attended with thick
hazy weather; course steered S.E. 1/4 S.
On the 14th, a.m. saw another seal. At noon, latitude 45 deg. 54', longitude
179 deg. 29' E.
On the 15th, a.m. the wind veered to the westward; the fog cleared away,
but the weather continued cloudy. At noon, latitude 47 deg. 30', longitude 178 deg.
19' W.; for, having passed the meridian of 180 deg. E., I now reckon my
longitude west of the first meridian, viz. Greenwich. In the evening heard
penguins, and the next morning saw some sea or rock weed. At noon a fresh
gale from the west and fine weather. Latitude observed 49 deg. 33', longitude
175 deg. 31' W.
Next morning fresh gales and hazy weather; saw a seal and several pieces of
weed. At noon, latitude 51 deg. 12', longitude 173 deg. 17' W. The wind veered to
the N. and N.E. by N., blew a strong gale by squalls, which split an old
topgallant sail, and obliged us to double-reef the top-sails; but in the
evening the wind moderated, and veered to W.N.W., when we loosed a reef out
of each top-sail; and found the variation of the compass to be 9 deg. 52' E.,
being then in the latitude 51 deg. 47', longitude 172 deg. 21' W., and the next
morning, the 18th, in the latitude of 52 deg. 25', longitude 170 deg. 45' W., it
was 10 deg. 26' E. Towards noon, had moderate but cloudy weather, and a great
swell from the west: Some penguins and pieces of sea-weed seen.
On the 19th, steered E.S.E, with a very fresh gale at north, hazy dirty
weather.
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