Carry, with a fine fresh gale at N.W. by W. in expectation of seeing the
land before night; but not making it till ten o'clock, we took in the
studding-sails, top-gallant sails, and a reef in each top-sail, and steered
E.N.E., in order to make sure of falling in with Cape Deseada.
Two hours after, we made the land, extending from N.E. by N. to E. by S.
about six leagues distant. On this discovery, we wore and brought-to, with
the ship's head to the south; and having sounded, found seventy-five
fathoms water, the bottom stone and shells. The land now before us could be
no other than the west coast of Terra del Fuego, and near the west entrance
to the Straits of Magalhaens.
As this was the first run that had been made directly across this ocean, in
a high southern latitude,[2] I have been a little particular in noting
every circumstance that appeared in the least material: and, after all, I
must observe, that I never made a passage any where of such length, or even
much shorter, where so few interesting circumstances occurred. For, if I
except the variation of the compass, I know of nothing else worth notice.
The weather had been neither unusually stormy nor cold. Before we arrived
in the latitude of 50 deg., the mercury in the thermometer fell gradually from
sixty to fifty; and after we arrived in the latitude of 55 deg., it was
generally between forty-seven and forty-five; once or twice it fell to
forty-three.
