ed the sails; and we were no further
advanced, at noon, than to have the Cape Point bearing south-west, at the
distance of two or three leagues. On receiving the breeze, which came
from the south-south-west, we stretched towards Cape Agulhas, veering
ship at eleven at night, on coming into 50 fathoms. This wind died away
in the morning, and remained calm till noon; the Cape Point then bore N.
W. 3/4 N., Cape False N. 3/4 E., and our latitude was 34 deg. 36'. Near this
situation, the bottom is a greenish mud, at the depth of 78 fathoms.

The report of the guns fired by the squadron in Simon's Bay, to
commemorate the escape from gunpowder treason, was distinctly heard at
one o'clock, when we were occupied in making sail to a fine breeze which
had sprung up from the south-westward. At six in the evening, it blew
fresh with cloudy weather; the extremes of the land bore from N. 20 deg. W to
W. 58 deg. E., and we took our departure for New Holland.

Lieutenant Flinders observed azimuths this evening from the binnacle with
two compasses; the ship's head was south (magnetic), and the variation
found to be 26 deg. 13' west; and in default of observations on shore, I
consider this to have been the true variation at the Cape of Good Hope in
1801.

During our run across the Agulhas Bank, I did not find any current
setting to the westward; but in the five days taken to reach the latitude
36 deg. 30' and longitude 33 deg. 38', [TUESDAY 10 NOVEMBER 1801] the ship was
set 59' to the north of the reckoning. The swell which followed after the
ship probably counteracted the effect of the usual westwardly current;
and indeed it must have done something more, if our log were correct,
since the longitude by time keepers was then 30' ahead of account.

I considered the parallel Of 37 deg. south, at this season of the year, to be
sufficiently distant from the verge of the south-east trade to insure a
continuance of western winds; and to be far enough to the north, to avoid
the gales incident to high latitudes. Having made this passage three
times before, I was satisfied of the impropriety of running in a high
southern latitude, particularly when the sun is in the other hemisphere,
and there is nothing else in view than to make a good passage; not only
from the winds there being often stronger than desired, but because they
will not blow so steadily from the westward. In the latitude of 42 deg., I
have experienced heavy gales from the north,