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Variation of the compass, 6 2 0 East.
thermometer, 50 0 0

The next morning we observed again, and the results were agreeable to the
preceding observations, allowing for the ship's run. I must here take
notice, that our longitude can never be erroneous, while we have so good a
guide as Mr Kendall's watch. This day, at noon, we steered E.N.E. 1/2 E.,
being then in the latitude of 49 deg. 7' S., longitude 131 deg. 2' W.

On the 9th, in latitude 48 deg. 17' S., longitude 127 deg. 10' W., we steered east,
with a fine fresh gale at west, attended with clear pleasant weather, and a
great swell from the same direction as the wind.

In the morning of the 10th, having but little wind, we put a boat in the
water, in which some of the officers went and shot several birds. These
afforded us a fresh meal; they were of the peterel tribe, and such as are
usually seen at any distance from land. Indeed, neither birds, nor any
other thing was to be seen, that could give us the least hopes of finding
any; and, therefore, at noon the next day, being then in the latitude of
47 deg. 51' S., longitude 122 deg. 12' W., and a little more than 200 leagues from
my track to Otaheite in 1769, I altered the course, and steered S.E., with
a fresh gale at S.W. by W. In the evening, when our latitude was 48 deg. 22'
S., longitude 121 deg. 29' W., we found the variation to be 2 deg. 34' E., which is
the least variation we had found without the tropic. In the evening of the
next day, we found it to be 4 deg. 30' E., our latitude, at that time, was 50 deg.
5' S., longitude 119 deg. 1/2 W.

Our course was now more southerly, till the evening of the 13th, when we
were in the latitude of 53 deg. 0' S., longitude 118 deg. 3' W. The wind being then
at N.W. a strong gale with a thick fog and rain, which made it unsafe to
steer large, I hauled up S.W., and continued this course till noon the next
day, when our latitude was 56 deg. 4' S., longitude 122 deg. 1' W. The wind having
veered to the north, and the fog continuing, I hauled to the east, under
courses and close-reefed top-sails. But this sail we could not carry long;
for before eight o'clock in the evening, the wind increased to a perfect
storm, and obliged us to lie-to, under the mizen-stay-sail, till the
morning of the 16th, when the wind having a good deal abated, and veered to
west, we set the courses, reefed top-sails, and s