es, or were too lazy to shift themselves when
they were drenched with the rains. The heat of the weather made them
careless of doing this; but taking a dram of brandy which I gave them
when wet, with a charge to shift themselves, they would however lie down
in their hammocks with their wet clothes; so that when they turned out
they caused an ill smell wherever they came, and their hammocks would
stink sufficiently that I think the remedying of this is worth the care
of commanders that cross the Line; especially when they are, it may be, a
month or more before they get out of the rains, at some times of year, as
in June, July or August.

HE STANDS AWAY FOR THE BAY OF ALL-SAINTS IN BRAZIL; AND WHY.

What I have here said about currents, winds, calms, etc. in this passage
is chiefly for the farther illustration of what I have heretofore
observed in general about these matters, and especially as to crossing
the Line, in my Discourse of the Winds, etc. in the Torrid Zone: which
observations I have had very much confirmed to me in the course of this
voyage; and I shall particularise in several of the chief of them as they
come in my way. And indeed I think I may say this of the main of the
observations in that treatise that the clear satisfaction I had about
them and how much I might rely upon them was a great ease to my mind
during this vexatious voyage; wherein the ignorance, and obstinacy
withal, of some under me, occasioned me a great deal of trouble: though
they found all along, and were often forced to acknowledge it, that I was
seldom out in my conjectures when I told them usually beforehand what
winds, etc. we should meet with at such or such particular places we
should come at.

Pernambuco was the port that I designed for at my first setting out from
St. Jago; it being a place most proper for my purpose, by reason of its
situation, lying near the extremity of Cape St. Augustine, the
easternmost promontory of Brazil; by which means it not only enjoys the
greater benefit of the seabreezes, and is consequently more healthy than
other places to the southward, but is withal less subject to the
southerly coasting tradewinds that blow half the year on this shore;
which were now drawing on, and might be troublesome to me: so that I
might both hope to reach soonest Pernambuco as most directly and nearest
in my run; and might thence also more easily get away to the southward
than from Bahia de todos los Santos or Rio de Jane