18' W.
Some birds being about the ship, we took the advantage of the calm to put a
boat in the water, and shot several birds, on which we feasted the next
day. One of these birds was of that sort which has been so often mentioned
in this journal under the name of Port Egmont hens. They are of the gull
kind, about the size of a raven, with a dark-brown plumage, except the
under-side of each wing, where there are some white feathers. The rest of
the birds were albatrosses and sheer-waters.
After a few hours calm, having got a breeze at N.W., we made a stretch to
the S.W. for twenty-four hours; in which route we saw a piece of wood, a
bunch of weed, and a diving peterel. The wind having veered more to the
west, made us tack and stretch to the north till noon on the 14th, at which
time we were in the latitude of 49 deg. 32' S., longitude 95 deg. 11' W. We had now
calms and light breezes, succeeding each other, till the next morning, when
the wind freshened at W.N.W., and was attended with a thick fog and
drizzling rain the three following days, during which time we stretched to
the north, inclining to the east, and crossed my track to Otaheite in 1769.
I did intend to have kept more to the west, but the strong winds from that
direction put it out of my power.
On the 18th, the wind veered to S.W., and blew very fresh, but was attended
with clear weather, which gave us an opportunity to ascertain our longitude
by several lunar observations made by Messrs Wales, Clarke, Gilbert, and
Smith. The mean result of all, was 94 deg. 19' 30" W.; Mr Kendal's watch, at
the same time, gave 94 deg. 46' W.; our latitude was 43 deg. 53' S. The wind
continued not long at S.W. before it veered back to the west and W.N.W.
As we advanced to the north, we felt a most sensible change in the weather.
The 20th, at noon, we were in the latitude of 39 deg. 58' S., longitude 94 deg. 37'
W. The day was clear and pleasant, and I may say, the only summer's day we
had had since we left New Zealand. The mercury in the thermometer rose to
66.
We still continued to steer to the north, as the wind remained in the old
quarter; and the next day, at noon, we were in the latitude 37 deg. 54' S.;
which was the same that Juan Fernandez's discovery is said to lie in. We,
however, had not the least signs of any land lying in our neighbourhood.
The next day at noon, we were in latitude 36 deg. 10' S., longitude 94 deg. 56' W.
Soon after, the wind veered to S.S.E., and enabled us to steer W.S.W.,
which I thought the most probable direction to find the land of which we
were in search; and yet I had no hopes of succeeding, as we had a large
hollow swell from the same point.
