ent to send a boat up again; as we were convinced there was not
the least probability of any of our people being alive.

On the 23d, we weighed and made sail out of the Sound, and stood to the
eastward to get clear of the straits; which we accomplished the same
evening, but were baffled for two or three days with light winds, before
we could clear the coast. We then stood to the S.S.E. till we got into
the latitude of 56 deg. south, without any thing remarkable happening,
having a great swell from the southward. At this time the wind began to
blow strong from the S.W., and the weather to be very cold; and as the
ship was low and deep laden, the sea made a continual breach over her,
which kept us always wet; and by her straining, very few of the people
were dry in bed or on deck, having no shelter to keep the sea from them.

The birds were the only companions we had in this vast ocean, except,
now and then, we saw a whale or porpoise; and sometimes a seal or two,
and a few penguins. In the latitude of 58 deg. S., longitude 213 deg.* east,
we fell in with some ice, and, every day, saw more or less, we then
standing to the east. We found a very strong current setting to the
eastward; for by the time we were abreast of Cape Horn, being in the
latitude of 61 deg. S., the ship was a-head of our account eight degrees. We
were very little more than a month from Cape Palliser in New Zealand to
Cape Horn, which is an hundred and twenty-one degrees of longitude, and
had continual westerly winds from S.W. to N.W., with a great sea
following.

[* About 147 west longitude, I reckon.]

1774 January

On opening some casks of pease and flour, that had been stowed on the
coals, we found them very much damaged, and not eatable; so thought it
most prudent to make for the Cape of Good Hope, but first to stand into
the latitude and longitude of Cape Circumcision. After being to the
eastward of Cape Horn, we found the winds did not blow so strong from
the westward as usual, but came more from the north, which brought on
thick foggy weather; so that for several days together we could not be
able to get an observation, or see the least sign of the sun. This
weather lasted above a month, being then among a great many islands of
ice, which kept us constantly on the look-out, for fear of running foul
of them, and, being a single ship, made us more attentive. By this time
our people began to complain of colds and pains in their limbs, which
ob