t with
the time-keeper and lunar observations. The greatest velocity of
the westerly current, was between latitude 3 deg. 00' north and
the line, and its direction appeared to have been nearly west,
for we never found our observations for the latitude materially
affected by it; the same was the case with the easterly current,
which may account for the ships from the northward, bound to the
coast of Brazil, who may have no other way of determining their
longitude but by account, scarcely having been sensible of any
current; so very nearly does the westerly set, counteract, in the
passage, that to the eastward.

On the 14th of July, in the evening, we crossed the equator in
longitude 26 deg. 10' west, and with 5 deg. 00' of west
variation. The south-east trade wind now made us ample amends for
the failure of the north-east, for it blew a fresh and steady
breeze from east-south-east to east, which I believe is rather
uncommon when the sun has so great north declination: if the wind
had not favoured us so much, we must have fallen in with the
coast of Brazil, far to the northward, which, with this convoy,
would have been attended with much loss of time, and some degree
of danger; however, with this favourable slant, we carried all
the sail possible, and were enabled to keep at a distance from
the coast, but not so far as to be able to make the island of
Trinidada, which it was Captain Phillip's intention to have done,
had the wind permitted.

We passed its parallel 4 deg. 30' to the westward of it, and
had for several days kept a look out for an island, which the
Portuguese call Ascencao, and is said to lie between Trinidada
and the coast of Brazil; but the existence of which there is much
reason to doubt. We did not see any thing until the 3d of August,
when we made Cape Frio; at 12 o'clock at night we were right
abreast of it, and had it bearing north half west five or six
miles; its longitude, by the time-keeper, is 41 deg. 40' west of
the meridian of Greenwich* and its latitude is 22 deg. 58' south.
This cape is an island distant two or three miles from the main
land; we had very light airs and variable weather between the
Cape and Rio Janeiro, which is a distance of 18 or 20 leagues; we
never approached the shore nearer than five or six miles, at
which distance we had 30 fathoms water over a soft bottom, and at
four leagues distance had 42 and 43 fathoms, with the same soft
ground.

[* It will appear hereafter t