e, we were
looking out for the Swallow.[50]

[Footnote 50: This is very liable to be controverted. Captain W. well
knew the bad condition and insufficiency of that vessel, and had, in
consequence, promised to _wait_ on her. But did he so, after he cleared
the streights? Did he even appoint a rendezvous or place of meeting with
her, after getting into the South Sea?--a thing so common for vessels
sailing in concert. He has assigned his reasons for not doing the
former, in Section II. Of his neglect of the latter, no satisfactory
account perhaps can be given. The reader will have some cause of wonder
and displeasure at more persons than one, when he peruses what Captain
Carteret has to say as to the propriety of sending out the Swallow on
this voyage. One can scarcely help inferring from his words, that he had
been intended as a mere forlorn hope, in navigating the difficult and
dangerous passage betwixt the two oceans.--E.]

At four in the afternoon of the 16th, the variation, by azimuth and
amplitude, was 6 deg.E. and at six the next morning, by four azimuths, it
was 3 deg.20'.

The carpenters were now employed in caulking the upper works of the
ship, and repairing and painting the boats, and on the 18th I gave a
sheep among the people that were sick and recovering.

On Wednesday the 20th, we found our longitude, by observation, to be
106 deg.47'W. and our latitude 20 deg.52'S. The next day we saw several flying
fish, which were the first we had seen in these seas.

On the 22d, our longitude, by observation, was 111 deg.W. and our latitude
20 deg.18'S. and this day we saw some bonettoes, dolphins, and tropic birds.

The people, who had been recovering from colds and fevers, now began to
fall down in the scurvy, upon which, at the surgeon's representation,
wine was served to them; wort was also made for them of malt, and each
man had half a pint of pickled cabbage every day. The variation from 4
to 5 E.

On the 26th we saw two grampuses; on the 28th we saw another, and the
next day several birds, among which was one about the size of a swallow,
which some of us thought was a land bird.

Our men now began to look very pale and sickly, and to fall down very
fast in the scurvy, notwithstanding all our care and attention to
prevent it. They had vinegar and mustard without limitation, wine
instead of spirits, sweet wort and salop. Portable soup was still
constantly boiled in their peas and oatmeal; their birth and