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 deg.. 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
latitude of 56 deg. 40' S. and longitude 2 deg. 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.
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