29.76 inches
and, although the thermometer was at 79 degrees and the sun powerful, yet
the atmosphere was so charged with moisture that the decks and everything
out of the immediate influence of the sun were quite damp. This
extraordinary and constant humidity appeared only to occupy the
atmosphere for the sky was always beautifully clear and serene.

During the night the gale blew strong from the southward with a high
topping sea from the South-West; and being occupied in shifting the main
topsail which had split during the night, we stood off until three
o'clock before we tacked towards the shore.

January 29.

At eight o'clock being in latitude 22 degrees 19 minutes 23 seconds, the
land was visible from North-East to South 35 degrees East at the distance
of five or six leagues: by its outline which, from the glare of the sun
was the only part at all discernible, it seemed to be of moderate height,
very level, and offering no particular mark that could be set with any
chance of recognition to obtain a cross bearing. As there is every reason
to believe that this part of the coast is what was taken by former
navigators for Cloates Island,* I have named the southernmost point of
the high land Point Cloates.

(*Footnote. See volume 1.)

At noon we were in latitude 21 degrees 57 minutes 5 seconds, having
experienced a current of twenty-three miles to the north since yesterday
at noon. The northern extreme, Vlaming's Head, bore North-East by East
1/2 East and the south extreme South 7 degrees West; and in the bearing
of between South 32 degrees to 82 degrees East the land is higher than in
other parts and declines very gradually towards the extreme.

As the brig approached the land breakers were seen to extend the whole
length of the shore, which is fronted by a sandy beach: the land is of
moderate height but the summit is rather more rugged than that to the
southward where the outline is perfectly level. At half-past three
o'clock Vlaming Head bore south six miles and three quarters off: at four
o'clock the latitude, by the moon's meridional altitude, was found to be
21 degrees 38 minutes 27 seconds, at which time sights were taken for the
chronometer, which made the longitude of the head 114 degrees 2 minutes
16 seconds: the situation assigned to it on our first voyage was 114
degrees 1 minute 47 seconds; the mean of the two, 114 degrees 2 minutes 2
seconds, may therefore be considered its true situation.

From th