lock in the morning of the 16th, (which was as soon as the sun
appeared,) in the latitude of 58 deg. 51' S., our longitude was 144 deg. 10' E.
This good weather was, as usual, of short duration. In the afternoon of
this day, we had again thick snow showers; but, at intervals, it was
tolerably clear; and, in the evening being in the latitude of 58 deg. 58' S.,
longitude 144 deg. 37' E., I found the variation by several azimuths to be
31' E.

I was not a little pleased with being able to determine, with so much
precision, this point of the Line, in which the compass has no variation.
For I look upon half a degree as next to nothing; so that the intersection
of the latitude and longitude just mentioned, may be reckoned the point
without any sensible error. At any rate, the Line can only pass a very
small matter west of it.

I continued to steer to the east, inclining to the south, with a fresh gale
at S.W., till five o'clock the next morning, when, being in the latitude of
59 deg. 7' S., longitude 146 deg. 53' E., I bore away N.E., and, at noon, north,
having come to a resolution to quit the high southern latitudes, and to
proceed to New Zealand to look for the Adventure, and to refresh my people.
I had also some thoughts, and even a desire to visit the east coast of Van
Diemen's Land, in order to satisfy myself if it joined the coast of New
South Wales.

In the night of the 17th, the wind shifted to N.W., and blew in squalls,
attended with thick hazy weather and rain. This continued all the 18th, in
the evening of which day, being in the latitude of 56 deg. 15' S., longitude
150 deg., the sky cleared up, and we found the variation by several azimuths to
be 13 deg. 30' E. Soon after, we hauled up, with the log, a piece of rock-weed,
which was in a state of decay, and covered with barnacles. In the night the
southern lights were very bright.

The next morning we saw a seal; and towards noon, some penguins, and more
rock-weed, being at this time in the latitude of 55 deg. 1', longitude 152 deg. 1'
E. In the latitude of 54 deg. 4', we also saw a Port Egmont hen, and some weed.
Navigators have generally looked upon all these to be certain signs of the
vicinity of land; I cannot, however, support this opinion. At this time we
knew of no land, nor is it even probable that there is any, nearer than New
Holland, or Van Diemen's Land, from which we were distant 260 leagues. We
had, at the same time, several porpoises playing abou