A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Xiv Part 4

We had no sooner anch.o.r.ed than we were visited by the captain of the port, or master-attendant, some other officers belonging to the company, and Mr Brandt. This last gentleman brought us off such things as could not fail of being acceptable to persons coming from sea. The purport of the master attendant's visit was, according to custom, to take an account of the s.h.i.+ps; to enquire into the health of the crews; and, in particular, if the small-pox was on board; a thing they dread, above all others, at the Cape, and for these purposes a surgeon is always one of the visitants.

My first step after anchoring, was, to send an officer to wait on Baron Plettenberg, the governor, to acquaint him with our arrival, and the reasons which induced me to put in there. To this the officer received a very polite answer; and, upon his return, we saluted the garrison with eleven guns, which compliment was returned. Soon after I went on sh.o.r.e myself, and waited upon the governor, accompanied by Captain Furneaux, and the two Mr Forsters. He received us, with very great politeness, and promised me every a.s.sistance the place could afford. From him I learned that two French s.h.i.+ps from the Mauritius, about eight months before, had discovered land, in the lat.i.tude of 48 S., and in the meridian of that island, along which they sailed forty miles, till they came to a bay into which they were about to enter, when they were driven off and separated in a hard gale of wind, after having lost some of their boats and people, which they had sent to sound the bay. One of the s.h.i.+ps, viz. the La Fortune, soon after arrived at the Mauritius, the captain of which was sent home to France with an account of the discovery. The governor also informed me, that in March last, two other French s.h.i.+ps from the island of Mauritius, touched at the Cape in their way to the South Pacific Ocean; where they were going to make discoveries, under the command of M. Marion.

Aotourou, the man M. de Bougainville brought from Otaheite, was to have returned with M. Marion, had he been living.

After having visited the governor and some other princ.i.p.al persons of the place, we fixed ourselves at Mr Brandt's, the usual residence of most officers belonging to English s.h.i.+ps. This gentleman spares neither trouble nor expence to make his house agreeable to those who favour him with their company, and to accommodate them with every thing they want. With him I concerted measures for supplying the s.h.i.+ps with provisions, and all other necessaries they wanted; which he set about procuring without delay, while the seamen on board were employed in overhauling the rigging; and the carpenters in caulking the s.h.i.+ps' sides and decks, &c.

Messrs Wales and Bayley got all their instruments on sh.o.r.e, in order to make astronomical observations for ascertaining the going of the watches, and other purposes. The result of some of these observations shewed, that Mr Kendal's watch had answered beyond all expectation, by pointing out the longitude of this place to within one minute of time to what it was observed by Messrs Mason and Dixon in 1761.

Three or four days after us, two Dutch Indiamen arrived here from Holland; after a pa.s.sage of between four and five months, in which one lost, by the scurvy and other putrid diseases, 150 men, and the other 41. They sent, on their arrival, great numbers to the hospital in very dreadful circ.u.mstances. It is remarkable that one of these s.h.i.+ps touched at Port Praya, and left it a month before we arrived there; and yet we got here three days before her. The Dutch at the Cape having found their hospital too small for the reception of their sick, were going to build a new one at the east part of the town; the foundation of which was laid with great ceremony while we were there.

By the healthy condition of the crews of both s.h.i.+ps at our arrival, I thought to have made my stay at the Cape very short. But, as the bread we wanted was unbaked, and the spirit, which I found scarce, to be collected from different parts out of the country, it was the 18th of November before we had got every thing on board, and the 22d before we could put to sea.

During this stay the crews of both s.h.i.+ps were served every day with fresh beef or mutton, new-baked bread, and as much greens as they could eat. The s.h.i.+ps were caulked and painted; and, in every respect, put in as good a condition as when they left England. Some alterations in the officers took place in the Adventure. Mr Shank the first lieutenant having been in an ill state of health ever since we sailed from Plymouth, and not finding himself recover here, desired my leave to quit, in order to return home for the re- establishment of his health. As his request appeared to be well-founded, I granted him leave accordingly, and appointed Mr Kemp, first lieutenant in his room, and Mr Burney, one of my mids.h.i.+pmen, second, in the room of Mr Kemp.

Mr Forster, whose whole time was taken up in the pursuit of natural history and botany, met with a Swedish gentleman, one Mr Sparman, who understood something of these sciences, having studied under Dr Linnaeus. He being willing to embark with us, Mr Forster strongly importuned me to take him on board, thinking that he would be of great a.s.sistance to him in the course of the voyage. I at last consented, and he embarked with us accordingly, as an a.s.sistant to Mr Forster, who bore his expences on board, and allowed him a yearly stipend besides.[10]

Mr Hodges employed himself here in drawing a view of the Cape, town, and parts adjacent, in oil colours, which, was properly packed up with some others, and left with Mr Brandt, in order to be forwarded to the Admiralty by the first s.h.i.+p that should sail for England.

[1] The reader is desired to remember, that F. placed at a note refers to Forster's Observations; G.F. to the younger Forster's Account of the Voyage; and W. to Mr Wales' works. For notes signed E. the editor, as formerly, must hold himself responsible. Thus much was thought advisable to save unnecessary repet.i.tion. This opportunity is taken of stating some circ.u.mstances respecting the two former works, of consequence to the parties concerned, and not uninteresting to the general reader. We are informed in the preface to G.F.'s work, that when his father was sent out to accompany Captain Cook as a naturalist, no particular rules were prescribed for his conduct, as they who appointed him conceived he would certainly endeavour to derive the greatest possible advantages to learning from his voyage; that he was only directed therefore, to exercise all his talents, and to extend his observations to every remarkable object; and that from him was expected a philosophical history of the voyage, on a plan which the learned world had not hitherto seen executed. His father, accordingly, he says, having performed the voyage, and collected his observations, in conformity to such opinion and expectations, proceeded, on his return home, to accomplish the remaining task allotted to him--writing the history of the voyage. It was first proposed, we are told, that a single narrative should be composed from his and Cook's papers, the important observations of each being inserted, and ascertained by appropriate marks. Forster, in consequence, received a part of Cook's journal, and drew up several sheets as a specimen; but this plan was soon desisted from, as it was thought more expedient that the two journals should be kept separate.

In fartherance, then, of this design, it is said, an agreement was drawn up on the 13th of April, 1776, between Captain Cook and Mr Forster, in the presence, and with the signature, of the Earl of Sandwich, which specified the particular parts of the relations to be prepared by each, and confirmed to both, jointly, the gift of the valuable plates engraved at the expence of the Admiralty, and generously bestowed on these two gentlemen in equal shares. Mr F. soon afterwards presented a second specimen of his narrative to the Earl of Sandwich, but was surprised to find that it was quite disapproved of, though at last he was convinced that, as the word "narrative" had been omitted in the above-mentioned agreement, he was not ent.i.tled to compose a connected account of the voyage. He was, moreover, informed, that if he chose to preserve his claim to half of the profits arising from the plates, he must conform to the letter of that agreement. In this he acquiesced for the benefit of his family; and accordingly, though he had understood it was intended he should write the history of the voyage, he found himself confined to the publication of his unconnected philosophical observations. G. Forster adds, it hurt him much to see the chief intent of his father's mission defeated, and the public disappointed in their expectations of a philosophical recital of facts; however, as he himself had been appointed his father's a.s.sistant, and was bound by no such agreement as that which restrained him, he thought it inc.u.mbent to attempt such a narrative as a duty to the public, and in justice to the ample materials he had collected during the voyage. "I was bound," he concludes, "by no agreement whatever; and that to which my father had signed, did not make him answerable for my actions, nor, in the most distant manner, preclude his giving me a.s.sistance. Therefore, in every important circ.u.mstance I had leave to consult his journals, and have been enabled to draw up my narrative with the most scrupulous attention to historical truth."

Such is the defence which Mr G. Forster sets up in behalf of a conduct, which it is certain was very differently construed by the patrons of the expedition, whose indignant opinions were so far regarded by the public, as to render the residence of both father and son in England no longer pleasant or respectable. They left it and went to the continent; though it is likely they were the more induced to do so by certain family difficulties, and the ill effects of the father's turbulent temper, which speedily lost him the friends his uncommon abilities and erudition had procured. The reader who desires information respecting these two singular men, and the sentiments entertained in general as to their improper conduct in the matter of the publication, may turn to the Supplement to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. It is, however, but justice to inform him, that the account there given, bears decisive indications of party bias in more senses than one; and that the strongest a.s.sertions it contains as to the share which Forster the father had in the publication, are not supported on evidence sufficient for the conviction of any unprejudiced mind. The writer of that article, as of several others in that very valuable publication, appears to have given up his imagination to the prevailing terrors of the times, and to have become, at last, almost incapable of discriminating betwixt personal delinquency and epidemic immorality--the misfortunes incident to individuals in every age or country, and the evils arising out of the erroneous creeds and systems of a particular time and place. A single quotation from the article now alluded to, may be conducive to the reader's favourable acceptance of that portion of the Forsters'

labours from which it is proposed to supply many of the succeeding notes. "An account of the voyage was published in English and German, by George Forster; and the language, which is correct and elegant, was undoubtedly his; but those who knew both him and his father, are satisfied that the matter proceeded from the joint stock of their observations and reflections. Several parts of the work, and particularly the elaborate investigations relative to the languages spoken by the natives of the South Sea Islands, and the speculations concerning their successive migrations, are thought to be strongly impressed with the genius of the elder Forster." Before concluding this note, it may be proper to say, that Mr Wales conceiving Mr G.

Forster had made some misrepresentations of certain facts, wrote some remarks upon his book, to which Mr F. replied. This is said on the authority of the Biog. Brit. for the writer himself has never seen either of the productions alluded to. That work very candidly admits, that the Forsters' books contain much curious and useful information.

It is probable, then, that the readers in general will concur with the writer in discarding entirely all consideration of moral conduct as to the agreement, and availing themselves of whatever of utility or amus.e.m.e.nt the publication in question can afford.--E.

[2] The same day we observed several flying fishes, pursued by bonitos and dolphins, rising out of the water in order to escape from them.

They were flying in all directions, and not against the wind only, as Mr Kalm seems to think. Neither did they confine themselves to a strait-lined course, but frequently were seen to describe a curve.

When they met the top of a wave as they skimmed along the surface of the ocean, they pa.s.sed through, and continued their flight beyond it.

From this time, till we left the torrid zone, we were almost daily amused with the view of immense shoals of these fishes, and now and then caught one upon our decks, when it had unfortunately taken its flight too far, and was spent by its too great elevation above the surface of the sea."--G.F.

[3] "About this time, the captain ordered the s.h.i.+p to be fumigated with gunpowder and vinegar, having taken notice that all our books and utensils became covered with mould, and all our iron and steel, though ever so little exposed, began to rust. Nothing is more probable than that the vapours, which now filled the air, contained some saline particles, since moisture alone does not appear to produce such an effect."--G.F.

There can be no doubt that the atmospherical air is capable of sustaining marine salt in a state of solution, and of bearing it off to great distances on land, where it serves important purposes in animal and vegetable economy. The reader will be pleased with some remarks on the subject in Robison's Account of Black's Lectures. The air in the vessel, then, it will be readily imagined will contain it, and hence, as it is known that it is gradually decomposed by iron, the rust that was observed. The process of corroding the iron, &c. as it is commonly called, would be much accelerated by moisture, as the muriatic acid acts most powerfully on bodies capable of decomposing water; and it is no less certain, that the heat of a tropical climate would aid the operation. But it is difficult to explain how any benefit could be derived from the fumigation said to be practised by Cook on this occasion, otherwise than by producing dry warm air.

Indeed, many persons will imagine that the circ.u.mstances required nothing more than free ventilation, and the occasional use of fires to destroy moisture. Mr Forster takes particular notice of what is mentioned in the text about the fermentation of the insp.i.s.sated juice of malt, or, as he calls it, essence of beer; and he says, that, by the advice of his father, a vessel strongly fumigated with sulphur was filled with it, and prevented the fermentation for a few days. He does not explain on what principle, and perhaps was not acquainted with it.

The fact is, that sulphuric acid, which is produced by the burning of sulphur, has the power of checking, or altogether destroying, the fermentation of substances. In the present case, it seems, enough of it had not been produced to answer the purpose effectually. Some other acids have the same power. Hence the desideratum mentioned in the text is easily supplied. The juice, it may be thought, will be changed by the addition of a strong acid, and rendered unserviceable. There can be no doubt, however, that when it is required for the purpose of making beer, &c. means could be used to neutralize the acid that had been added to it, without materially, or at all, affecting the juice itself.--E.

[4] "When we made application to this indolent Don, by the governor's direction, to be supplied with cattle, he indeed promised to furnish us with as many as we wanted, but we never got more than a single lean bullock. The company perfectly tyrannizes over the inhabitants, and sells them wretched merchandize at exorbitant prices."--G.F.

This gentleman says there are very few white people in the Cape Verd Islands; that he did not see more than five or six at St Jago, including the governor, commandant, and company's agent; and that in some of the islands even the governors and priests are taken from among the blacks. He draws a moving picture of the wretched condition of these forlorn islanders, under the indolent and yet oppressive government of the court of Lisbon. Mr G.F. be it known, was peculiarly sharp-sighted in discovering, and vehement in inveighing against, every impolitic violation of human liberty. In the judgments of some persons, he had imbibed too readily the intoxicating beverage of revolutionary France. Many strong heads, it is certain, were not proof against its effects.--E.

[5] "Before leaving Port Praya, Captain Cook invited the governor- general and the commandant to dinner, and we staid on board in order to act as interpreters on this occasion. The captain sent them his own boat; but when it came on sh.o.r.e the governor begged to be excused, because he was always affected with sickness on board any vessel, whether at sea or in harbour. The commandant promised to come, but having at first neglected to ask the governor's leave, the latter retired to take his _siesta_, (or afternoon's repose,) and no one ventured to disturb him."--G.F.

[6] "The heavy rains entirely soaked the plumage of a poor swallow, which had accompanied us for several days past; it was obliged, therefore, to settle on the railing of the quarter-deck, and suffered itself to be caught. From the history of this bird, which was of the common species, we may deduce the circ.u.mstances that bring solitary land-birds a great way out to sea. It seems to be probable, that they begin with following a s.h.i.+p, from the time she leaves the land; that they are soon lost in the great ocean, and are thus obliged to continue close to the s.h.i.+p, as the only solid ma.s.s in this immense fluid expanse. If two or more s.h.i.+ps are in company, it is also easy to account for the expression of _meeting with_ land-birds at a great distance from land, because they may happen to follow some other s.h.i.+p from the sh.o.r.e, than that which carries the observer; thus they may escape observation for a day or two, or perhaps longer, and when noticed, are supposed to be _met with_ at sea. However, great storms are sometimes known to have driven single birds, nay, vast flocks, out to sea, which are obliged to seek for rest on board of s.h.i.+ps at considerable distances from any land. Captain Cook very obligingly communicated to me a fact which confirms the above a.s.sertion. "Being on board of a s.h.i.+p between Norway and England, he met with a violent storm, during which a flight of several hundred birds covered the whole rigging of the s.h.i.+p. Among numbers of small birds he observed several hawks, which lived very luxuriously by preying on those poor defenceless creatures."--G.F.

To record incidents such as these, will not seem unimportant or injudicious to any one who knows the philosophical value of facts in the formation of just theories.--E.

[7] "This morning, 5th September, I let down a thermometer, suspended in the middle of a strong wooden case, of such a construction as to let the water pa.s.s freely through it in its descent, but which shut close the instant it began to be drawn up. By this means the thermometer was brought up in a body of water of the same heat with that it had been let down to. The results were as above."--W.

This opportunity may be used for introducing the following table and remarks, which are certainly deserving attention. "To ascertain the degree of _warmth_ of the sea-water, at a certain depth, several experiments were made by us. The thermometer made use of, was of Fahrenheit's construction, made by Mr Ramsden, and furnished with an ivory scale; it was, on these occasions, always put into a cylindrical tin case, which had at each end a valve, admitting the water as long as the instrument was going down, and shutting while it was hauling up again. The annexed table will at once shew the result of the experiments.

Degrees of Fahrenheit's Stay of Time in Thermometer. the hauling -------------------------- Thermo- the On the Depth meter Thermo- In the Surface At a in in the meter Air. of the certain Fathoms. Deep. up. Date Lat.i.tude Sea. Depth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1772 Sept. 5 0052'N. 75 74 66 85 F. 30' 27-1/2'

Sept.27. 2444'S. 72-1/2 70 68 80 F. 15' 7'

Oct. 12. 3448'S. 60 59 58 100 F. 2O' 6'

Dec. 15. 5500'S. 30-1/2 30 34 100 F. 17' 5-1/2'

Dec. 23. 5526'S 33 32 34-1/2 100 F. 16' 6-1/2'

1773

Jan. 13. 6100'S. 37 33-1/2 32 100 F. 20' 7'

From this table it appears, that under the Line and near the tropics, the water is cooler at a great depth than at its surface. In high lat.i.tudes, the air is cooler sometimes, sometimes very near upon a par, and sometimes warmer than the sea-water at the depth of about 100 fathoms, according as the preceding changes of the temperature of the air, or the direction and violence of the wind happen to fall out. For it is to be observed, that these experiments were always made when we had a calm, or at least very little wind; because in a gale of wind, we could not have been able to make them in a boat. Another probable cause of the difference in the temperature of the sea-water in the same high lat.i.tude, undoubtedly must be sought in the ice; in a sea covered with high and extensive ice islands, the water should be colder than in a sea which is at a great distance from any ice."--F.

This table is evidently too confined, and made up of too few elements, to justify almost any general inferences. The subject is certainly a curious one, and merits full investigation, but presents very considerable difficulties, as many circ.u.mstances, which are likely to modify the result, may escape notice during the experiments. It has been said, that as water is most dense at from 37 to 39 Fahrenheit, this may be presumed to be the mean temperature at the bottom of the sea; but such hypothetical deductions are, perhaps, ent.i.tled to little confidence. It may however be safely enough presumed, that the temperature of the sea is kept tolerably uniform on the well-known principle of statics, that the heavier columns of any fluid displace those that are lighter. The waters of the ocean, perhaps, are the great agent by which the average temperature of our globe is preserved almost entirely invariable. We shall have an opportunity, in the account of another voyage, to make some remarks on this subject, and to notice more exact experiments than those just now mentioned.--E.

[8] "On this day, we had an alarm that one of our crew was overboard, upon which we immediately put about, but seeing nothing, the names of all persons on board the vessel were called over, and none found missing, to our great satisfaction. Our friends on board the Adventure, whom we visited a few days after, told us they had indeed suspected by our manoeuvre, the accident which we had apprehended, but that looking out on the sea, Captain Furneaux had plainly observed a sea-lion, that had been the cause of this false alarm."--G.F.

[9] Mr G.F. concludes his description of this well-known appearance in the following very just remark: "There was a singularity, and a grandeur in the display of this phenomenon, which could not fail of giving occupation to the mind, and striking it with a reverential awe, due to Omnipotence. The ocean covered to a great extent, with myriads of animalcules; these little beings, organized, alive, endowed with locomotive power, a quality of s.h.i.+ning whenever they please, and illuminating every body with which they come in contact, and of laying aside their luminous appearance at pleasure; all these ideas crowded upon us, and bade us admire the Creator, even in his minutest works."

However florid the language of this gentleman on the subject, his account and opinions are strongly enforced by the recent discoveries of the French naturalists related by Mr Peron, to which we shall probably call the reader's attention hereafter.--E.

[10] Mr G.F. speaks with much more enthusiasm, as one might have expected, of Dr Sparrman, extolling his talents and activity in the course of science, but lamenting, at the same time, that this voyage, on which he now set out, yielded much less matter for observation than his ardent mind had antic.i.p.ated. That gentleman's labours at the Cape, it seems, however, especially in botany, were very successful; he and Dr Thunberg having, it is said, gathered above a thousand species entirely unknown before.--E.

SECTION II.

_Departure from the Cape of Good Hope, in search of a Southern Continent._

Having at length finished my business at the Cape, and taken leave of the governor and some others of the chief officers, who, with very obliging readiness, had given me all the a.s.sistance I could desire, on the 22d of November we repaired on board; and at three o'clock in the afternoon weighed, and came to sail with the wind at N. by W. As soon as the anchor was up, we saluted the port with fifteen guns, which was immediately returned; and after making a few trips, got out of the bay by seven o'clock, at which time the town bore S.E. distant four miles. After this we stood to the westward all night, in order to get clear of the land, having the wind at N.N.W. and N.W., blowing in squalls attended with rain, which obliged us to reef our topsails. The sea was again illuminated for some time, in the same manner as it was the night before we arrived in Table Bay.

Having got clear of the land, I directed my course for Cape Circ.u.mcision.

The wind continued at N.W. a moderate gale, until the 24th, when it veered round to the eastward. On the noon of this day, we were in the lat.i.tude of 35 25' S., and 29' west of the Cape; and had abundance of albatrosses about us, several of which were caught with hook and line; and were very well relished by many of the people, notwithstanding they were at this time served with fresh mutton. Judging that we should soon come into cold weather, I ordered slops to be served to such as were in want; and gave to each man the fearnought jacket and trowsers allowed them by the Admiralty.

The wind continued easterly for two days, and blew a moderate gale, which brought us into the lat.i.tude of 39 4', and 2 of longitude west of the Cape, thermometer 52-1/2[1] The wind now came to W. and S.W.; and on the 29th fixed at W.N.W., and increased to a storm, which continued, with some few intervals of moderate weather, till the 6th of December, when we were in the lat.i.tude of 48 41' S., and longitude 18 24' E. This gale, which was attended with rain and hail, blew at times with such violence that we could carry no sails; by which means we were driven far to the eastward of our intended course, and no hopes were left me of reaching Cape Circ.u.mcision. But the greatest misfortune that attended us, was the loss of great part of our live stock, which we had brought from the Cape, and which consisted of sheep, hogs, and geese. Indeed this sudden transition from warm, mild weather, to extreme cold and wet, made every man in the s.h.i.+p feel its effects. For by this time the mercury in the thermometer had fallen to 38; whereas at the Cape it was generally at 67 and upwards. I now made some addition to the people's allowance of spirit, by giving them a dram whenever I thought it necessary, and ordered Captain Furneaux to do the same. The night proved clear and serene, and the only one that was so since we left the Cape; and the next morning the rising sun gave us such flattering hopes of a fine day, that we were induced to let all the reefs out of the top-sails, and to get top-gallant yards across, in order to make the most of a fresh gale at north. Our hopes, however, soon vanished; for before eight o'clock, the serenity of the sky was changed into a thick haze, accompanied with rain. The gale increasing obliged us to hand the main-sail, close-reef our top-sails, and to strike top-gallant yards. The barometer at this time was unusually low, which foreboded an approaching storm, and this happened accordingly. For, by one o'clock p. m. the wind, which was at N.W., blew with such strength as obliged us to take in all our sails, to strike top-gallant-masts, and to get the spritsail-yard in. And I thought proper to wear, and lie-to, under a mizzen-stay-sail, with the s.h.i.+ps' heads to the N.E. as they would bow the sea, which ran prodigiously high, better on this tack.

At eight o'clock next morning, being the 8th, we wore, and lay on the other tack; the gale was a little abated, but the sea ran too high to make sail, any more than the fore-top-mast-stay-sail. In the evening, being in the lat.i.tude of 49 40 S., and 1-1/2 E. of the Cape, we saw two penguins and some sea or rock-weed, which occasioned us to sound, without finding ground at 100 fathoms. At eight p. m. we wore, and lay with our heads to the N.E.

till three in the morning of the 9th, then wore again to the southward, the wind blowing in squalls attended with showers of snow. At eight, being something more moderate, I made the Adventure signal to make sail; and soon after made sail ourselves under the courses and close-reefed top-sails. In the evening, took in the top-sails and main-sail, and brought-to under fore-sail and mizzen; thermometer at 36. The wind still at N.W. blew a fresh gale, accompanied with a very high sea. In the night had a pretty smart frost with snow.[2]

In the morning of the 10th we made sail under courses and top-sails close- reefed; and made the signal for the Adventure to make sail and lead. At eight o'clock saw an island of ice to the westward of us, being then in the lat.i.tude of 56 40' S. and longitude 2 0' E. of the Cape of Good Hope.

Soon after the wind moderated, and we let all the reefs out of the top- sails, got the spritsail-yard out, and top-gallant-mast up. The weather coming hazy, I called the Adventure by signal under my stern, which was no sooner done, than the haze increased so much with snow and sleet, that we did not see an island of ice, which we were steering directly for, till we were less than a mile from it. I judged it to be about 50 feet high, and half a mile in circuit. It was flat at top, and its sides rose in a perpendicular direction, against which the sea broke exceedingly high.

Captain Furneaux at first took this ice for land, and hauled off from it, until called back by signal. As the weather was foggy, it was necessary to proceed with caution. We therefore reefed our top-sails, and at the same time sounded, but found no ground with 150 fathoms. We kept on to the southward with the wind at north till night, which we spent in making short trips, first one way and then another, under an easy sail; thermometer these 24 hours from 36-1/2 to 31.

At day-light in the morning of the 11th, we made sail to the southward with the wind at west, having a fresh gale, attended with sleet and snow. At noon we were in the lat.i.tude of 51 50' S., and longitude 21 3' E., where we saw some white birds about the size of pigeons, with blackish bills and feet. I never saw any such before; and Mr Forster had no knowledge of them.

I believe them to be of the peterel tribe, and natives of these icy seas.[3] At this time we pa.s.sed between two ice islands, which lay at a little distance from each other.