that we were
approaching, or had passed by, some land. At this time the wind blew
hard from the northward, which made a great sea, but we had
notwithstanding long rolling billows from the southward so that whatever
land was in that quarter, could be only small rocky islands; and I am
inclined to believe that if there was land at all it was to the
northward, possibly it might be Roggewein's eastern island, which he has
placed in latitude 27 deg. S., and which some geographers have supposed to
be about seven hundred leagues distant from the continent of South
America, if indeed any credit is to be given to his account.

It was now the depth of winter in these parts, and we had hard gales and
high seas that frequently brought us under our courses and low sails:
The winds were also variable, and though we were near the tropic, the
weather was dark, hazy, and cold, with frequent thunder and lightning,
sleet and rain. The sun was above the horizon about ten hours in the
four-and-twenty, but we frequently passed many days together without
seeing him; and the weather was so thick, that when he was below the
horizon the darkness was dreadful: The gloominess of the weather was
indeed not only a disagreeable, but a most dangerous circumstance, as we
were often long without being able to make an observation, and were,
notwithstanding, obliged to carry all the sail we could spread, day and
night, our ship being so bad a sailer, and our voyage so long, to
prevent our perishing by hunger, which, with all its concomitant
horrors, would otherwise be inevitable.

We continued our course westward till the evening of Thursday the 2d of
July, when we discovered land, to the northward of us. Upon approaching
it the next day, it appeared like a great rock rising out of the sea: It
was not more than five miles in circumference, and seemed to be
uninhabited; it was, however, covered with trees, and we saw a small
stream of fresh water running down one side of it. I would have landed
upon it, but the surf, which, at this season broke upon it with great
violence, rendered it impossible. I got soundings on the west side of it
at somewhat less than a mile from the shore, in twenty-five fathom, with
a bottom of coral and sand; and it is probable that in fine summer
weather landing here may not only be practicable but easy. We saw a
great number of sea-birds hovering about it, at somewhat less than a
mile from the shore, and the sea here seemed to h