wing at one moment from the northward or northeast, and in the next
not a breath of wind will be felt in that direction, while from
the southwest it will come out all at once with a violence almost
inconceivable. A bright spot to the southward is the sure forerunner of
the change, and vessels are thus enabled to take the proper precautions.

It was about six in the morning when the blow came on with a white
squall, and, as usual, from the northward. By eight it had increased
very much, and brought down upon us one of the most tremendous seas I
had then ever beheld. Every thing had been made as snug as possible,
but the schooner laboured excessively, and gave evidence of her bad
qualities as a seaboat, pitching her forecastle under at every plunge
and with the greatest difficulty struggling up from one wave before she
was buried in another. Just before sunset the bright spot for which we
had been on the look-out made its appearance in the southwest, and in
an hour afterward we perceived the little headsail we carried flapping
listlessly against the mast. In two minutes more, in spite of every
preparation, we were hurled on our beam-ends, as if by magic, and a
perfect wilderness of foam made a clear breach over us as we lay. The
blow from the southwest, however, luckily proved to be nothing more than
a squall, and we had the good fortune to right the vessel without the
loss of a spar. A heavy cross sea gave us great trouble for a few hours
after this, but toward morning we found ourselves in nearly as good
condition as before the gale. Captain Guy considered that he had made an
escape little less than miraculous.

On the thirteenth of October we came in sight of Prince Edward's Island,
in latitude 46 degrees 53' S., longitude 37 degrees 46' E. Two days
afterward we found ourselves near Possession Island, and presently
passed the islands of Crozet, in latitude 42 degrees 59' S., longitude
48 degrees E. On the eighteenth we made Kerguelen's or Desolation
Island, in the Southern Indian Ocean, and came to anchor in Christmas
Harbour, having four fathoms of water.

This island, or rather group of islands, bears southeast from the Cape
of Good Hope, and is distant therefrom nearly eight hundred leagues. It
was first discovered in 1772, by the Baron de Kergulen, or Kerguelen,
a Frenchman, who, thinking the land to form a portion of an extensive
southern continent carried home information to that effect, which
produced much exc