intermission, a few hours excepted, which, to
borrow an expression in Lord Anson's voyage, were "like the elements
drawing breath to return upon us with redoubled violence." The season was
now too far advanced for us to expect more favourable winds or weather,
and we had sufficiently experienced the impossibility of beating round
against the wind, or of advancing at all without the help of a fair wind
for which there was little reason to hope. Another consideration which
had great weight with me was that, if I persisted in my attempt this way
and should after all fail to get round, it would occasion such a loss of
time that our arrival at Otaheite soon enough to return in the proper
season by the East Indies would be rendered precarious. On the other hand
the prevalence of the westerly winds in high southern latitudes left me
no reason to doubt of making a quick passage to the Cape of Good Hope and
thence to the eastward round New Holland.

Tuesday 22.

Having maturely considered all circumstances I determined to bear away
for the Cape of Good Hope; and at five o'clock on the evening of the
22nd, the wind then blowing strong at west, I ordered the helm to be put
a weather, to the great joy of every person on board. Our sicklist at
this time had increased to eight, mostly with rheumatic complaints: in
other respects the people were in good health, though exceedingly jaded.

The passage round Cape Horn into the South Seas during the summer months
has seldom been attended with difficulty and is to be preferred in the
moderate seasons to the more distant route to the eastward round the Cape
of Good Hope and New Holland. If we had been one month earlier, or
perhaps less, I doubt not but we should have effected our passage.

The soundings that are met with off the coast of America, from the
latitude of 36 degrees south to the southward, are very convenient to
enable ships to judge of their distance from the land, as thick fogs are
very frequent near that coast. If the winds are favourable, to go through
Straits le Maire must considerably shorten the passage round Cape Horn,
as all the distance saved is so much gained to the westward. I am
informed that several harbours have been lately discovered by the South
Sea whalers on the north side of Staten Island that afford safe anchorage
with supplies of wood and water.

While we were off Cape Horn I did not observe that our situation was at
all affected by currents.

CHAPT