now it can only be an island; and if we may
judge from the degree of cold we found in that latitude, it cannot be a
fertile one. Besides, this would have kept me two months longer at sea,
and in a tempestuous latitude, which we were not in a condition to
struggle with. Our sails and rigging were so much worn, that something
was giving way every hour; and we had nothing left either to repair or
to replace them. Our provisions were in a state of decay, and
consequently afforded little nourishment, and we had been a long time
without refreshments. My people, indeed, were yet healthy, and would
have cheerfully gone wherever I had thought proper to lead them; but I
dreaded the scurvy laying hold of them at a time when we had nothing
left to remove it. I must say farther, that it would have been cruel in
me to have continued the fatigues and hardships they were continually
exposed to, longer than was absolutely necessary. Their behaviour,
throughout the whole voyage, merited every indulgence which it was in my
power to give them. Animated by the conduct of the officers, they shewed
themselves capable of surmounting every difficulty and danger which came
in their way, and never once looked either upon the one or the other, as
being at all heightened, by our separation from our consort the
Adventure.

All these considerations induced me to lay aside looking for the French
discoveries, and to steer for the Cape of Good Hope; with a resolution,
however, of looking for the isles of Denia and Marseveen, which are laid
down in Dr Halley's variation chart in the latitude of 41 deg. 1/2 S., and
about 4 deg. of longitude to the east of the meridian of the Cape of Good
Hope. With this view I steered N.E., with a hard gale at N.W. and thick
weather; and on the 25th, at noon, we saw the last ice island, being at
this time in the latitude of 52 deg. 52' S., longitude 26 deg. 31' E.

1775 March

The wind abating and veering to the south, on the first of March, we
steered west, in order to get farther from Mr Bouvet's track, which was
but a few degrees to the east of us, being at this time in the latitude
of 46 deg. 44' S., longitude 33 deg. 20' E., in which situation we found the
variation to be 23 deg. 36' W. It is somewhat remarkable, that all the time
we had northerly winds, which were regular and constant for several
days, the weather was always thick and cloudy; but, as soon as they came
south of west, it cleared up, and was fine and