42 COOK S SECOND VOYAGE DEC. 



top-gallant-yards. The barometer at this time was 

 unusually low, which foreboded an approaching 

 storm ; and this happened accordingly -, for, by one 

 o'clock P. M., the wind, which was at N. W., blew 

 with such strength as obliged us to take in all our 

 sails, to strike top-gallant-masts, and to get the sprit- 

 sail-yard in. And I thought proper to wear, and lie 

 to, under a mizzen-stay-sail, with the ships' heads to 

 the N. E., as they would bow the sea, which ran pro- 

 digiously high, better on this tack. 



At eight o'clock next morning, being the 8th, we 

 wore, and lay on the other tack ; the gale was a 

 little abated, but the sea ran too high to make sail, 

 any more than the fore-top-mast stay-sail. In the 

 evening, being in the latitude of 49 40' south, and 

 l east of the Cape, we saw two penguins, and some 

 sea or rock weed, which occasioned us to sound, 

 without rinding ground at 100 fathoms. At eight, 

 P. M. we wore, and lay with our heads to the N. E. 

 till three o'clock in the morning of the 9th, then 

 wore again to the southward, the wind blowing in 

 squalls, attended with showers of snow. At eight, being 

 something more moderate, I made the Adventure 

 signal to make sail, and soon after made sail ourselves 

 under the courses, and close-reefed top-sails. In the 

 evening, took in the top-sails and main-sail, and 

 brought to, under fore-sail and mizzen ; thermometer 

 at 36. The wind, still at N. W., blew a fresh gale, 

 accompanied with a very high sea. In the night, had 

 a pretty smart frost with snow. 



In the morning of the 10th, we made sail under 

 courses and top-sails close-reefed ; and made the 

 signal for the Adventure to make sail and lead. 

 At eight o'clock, saw an island of ice to the west- 

 ward of us, being then in the latitude of 50 40' 

 south, and longitude % 0' east of the Cape of Good 

 Hope. Soon after, the wind moderated, and we let 

 all the reefs out of the top-sails, got the spritsail-yard 



