, but had
no ground till the 18th, when we found a soft muddy bottom at the depth
of fifty-four fathom. We were now in lat. 35 deg. 40' S. long. 49 deg. 54' W.;
and this was the first sounding we had after our coming upon the coast
of Brazil.

On the 19th, about eight o'clock in the evening, we saw a meteor of a
very extraordinary appearance in the north-east, which, soon after we
had observed it, flew off in a horizontal line to the south-west, with
amazing rapidity: It was near a minute in its progress, and it left a
train of light behind it so strong, that the deck was not less
illuminated than at noon-day. This day we saw a great number of seals
about the ship, and had soundings at fifty-five fathom, with a muddy
bottom. The next day the seals continued, and we had soundings at
fifty-three fathom, with a dark-coloured sand; upon which we bent our
cables.

On the 21st we had no ground with 150 fathom. Our lat. at noon was 37 deg.
40' S. long 51 deg. 24' W.

On the 22d we had soundings again at seventy fathom, with a dark brown
sand, and saw many whales and seals about the ship, with a great number
of butterflies, and birds, among which were snipes and plovers. Our lat.
at noon was 38 deg. 55' long. 56 deg. 47' W.

Our soundings continued from forty to seventy fathom, till the eighth of
December, when, about six o'clock in the morning, we saw land bearing
from S.W. to W. by S. and appearing like many small islands. At noon it
bore from W. by S. to S.S.W. distant eight leagues; our latitude then
being 47 deg. 16' S. long. 64 deg. 58' W. About three o'clock Cape Blanco bore
W.N.W. distant six leagues, and a remarkable double saddle W.S.W.
distant about three leagues. We had now soundings from twenty to sixteen
fathom, sometimes with coarse sand and gravel, sometimes with small
black stones and shells. At eight in the evening the Tower rock at Port
Desire bore S.W. by W. distant about three leagues; and the extremes of
the land from S. by E. to N.W. by N. At nine, Penguin Island bore S.W.
by W. 1/2 W. distant two leagues; and at four o'clock in the morning of
the ninth, the land seen from the mast-head bore from S.W. to W. by N.

At noon, Penguin island bore S. by E. distant fifty-seven miles; our
latitude being 48 deg. 56' S. longitude 65 deg. 6' W. This day we saw such a
quantity of red shrimps about the ship that the sea was coloured with
them.

At noon the next day, Wednesday the 10th, the extremes of the land