gale that had overtaken us some time
before; but as it was of more importance to contrive how to repair the
damage, than discover how it happened, we immediately put on a strong
fish, and woolded it so well, that we had reason to hope the mast would
be as serviceable as ever. Cape Virgin Mary now bore S. 62 deg. W. distant
twenty-one leagues, and our latitude was 51 deg. 50' S. longitude 69 deg. 56'
W.; the variation 20 deg. E.

On the 9th, having sailed S. 67 deg. E. our latitude was 52 deg. 8' S. our
longitude 68 deg. 31' W. and Cape Virgin Mary bore S. 83 deg. W. distant
thirty-three leagues.

On the 10th, there having been little wind for the last twenty-four
hours, between the north and east, with thick foggy weather, our course
was N. 18 deg. W. for thirty-nine miles. Our latitude was 51 deg. 31' S.
longitude 68 deg. 44' W.; variation 20 deg. E. and Cape Virgin Mary bore S. 60 deg.
W. distant thirty-three leagues.

On the 11th, we had strong gales at S.W. with a great sea: Our course
was N. 87 deg. E. for ninety-nine miles. Our latitude was 51 deg. 24' S.
longitude 66 deg. 10' W. Cape Virgin Mary bore S. 75 deg. 8' W. distant
sixty-five leagues, and Cape Fair-weather W. 2 deg. S. distant seventy
leagues; the variation was now 19 deg. E. About seven in the evening, I
thought I saw land a-head of us, but the Tamar being some leagues
astern, I wore ship, and made an easy sail off: The next morning, at
break of day, I stood in again, the wind having shifted in the night to
N.W. and about four o'clock I recovered sight of the land a-head, which
had the appearance of three islands: I imagined they might be the
islands of Sebald de Wert, but intending to stand between them, I found
that the land which had appeared to be separated, was joined by some
very low ground, which formed a deep bay. As soon as I had made this
discovery, I tacked and stood out again, and at the same time saw land a
great way to the southward, which I made no doubt was the same that is
mentioned in the charts by the name of the New Islands. As I was
hauling out of this bay, I saw a long, low shoal of rocks, stretching
out for more than a league to the northward of us, and another of the
same kind lying between that and what we had taken for the northermost
of De Wert's Islands. This land, except the low part, which is not seen
till it is approached near, consists of high, craggy, barren rocks,
which in appearance very much resemble Staten Land. W