e to be the scene of dancing;
nor did I discourage other playful amusements which might occasionally be
more to the taste of the sailors, and were not unseasonable.

Within the tropics, lime juice and sugar were made to suffice as
antiscorbutics; on reaching a higher latitude, sour krout and vinegar
were substituted; the essence of malt was reserved for the passage to New
Holland, and for future occasions. On consulting with the surgeon, I had
thought it expedient to make some slight changes in the issuing of the
provisions. Oatmeal was boiled for breakfast four days in the week,
instead of three; and when rice was issued, after the expenditure of the
cheese, it was boiled on the other three days. Pease soup was prepared
for dinner four days in the week, as usual; and at other times, two
ounces of portable broth, in cakes, to each man, with such additions of
onions, pepper, etc. as the different messes possessed, made a
comfortable addition to their salt meat. And neither in this passage,
nor, I may add, in any subsequent part of the voyage, were the officers
or people restricted to any allowance of fresh water. They drank freely
at the scuttled cask, and took away, under the inspection of the officer
of the watch, all that was requisite for culinary purposes; and very
frequently two casks of water in the week were given for washing their
clothes.

With these regulations, joined to a due enforcement of discipline, I had
the satisfaction to see my people orderly and full of zeal for the
service in which we were engaged; and in such a state of health, that no
delay at the Cape was required beyond the necessary refitment of the
ship, and I still hoped to save a good part of the summer season upon the
south coast of Terra Australis.

[CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. FALSE BAY]

The usual time for His Majesty's ships to leave False Bay and go round to
Table Bay, I found to be the latter end of September; but being then
unacquainted with the precise time, and knowing of the loss of the
Sceptre in Table Bay, on November 5, from a heavy gale at north-west, I
determined to go into False Bay; unless we should get previous
information that it had been quitted by the squadron. At noon, the
extremes of the land bore N. by W. 1/2 W. and E. 1/2 N. The Cape Point bore
north, three leagues; and our observed latitude being 34 deg. 32', showed the
Requisite Tables to be erroneous in the position of this point; but that
34 deg. 23', as assigned to