1773* ROUND THE WORLD. 81 



ing of the 15th. At this time the wind abated and 

 shifted to S. E. the sky cleared up ; and the evening 

 was so serene and clear, that we could see many 

 leagues round us ; the horizon being the only bound- 

 ary to our sight. 



We were now in the latitude of 59 17' south, 

 longitude 140 12' east, and had such a large hollow 

 swell from W. S. W. as assured us that we had left 

 no land behind us in that direction. I was also well 

 assured that no land lay to the south on this side 60 

 of latitude. We had a smart frost during the night, 

 which was curiously illuminated with the southern 

 lights. 



At ten o'clock in the morning of the 16th, (which 

 was as soon as the sun appeared,) in the latitude of 

 58 51' south, our longitude was 143 10' east. This 

 good weather was, as usual, of short duration. In 

 the afternoon of this day, we had again thick snow 

 showers ; but at intervals it was tolerably clear ; and 

 in the evening, being in the latitude of 58 58' south, 

 longitude 144 3T east, I found the variation by sev- 

 eral azimuths, to be 31' east. 



I was not a little pleased with being able to deter- 

 mine with so much precision, this point of the line, in 

 which the compass has no variation. For I look 

 upon half a degree as next to nothing ; so that the 

 intersection of the latitude and longitude just men- 

 tioned, may be reckoned the point, without any sen- 

 sible error. At any rate the line can only pass a 

 very small matter west of it. 



I continued to steer to the east, inclining to the 

 south, with a fresh gale at S. W. till five o'clock the 

 next morning, when, being in the latitude of 59 T S. 

 longitude 146 53' E. I bore away N. E. and at noon 

 north, having come to a resolution to quit the high 

 southern latitudes, and to proceed to New Zealand, 

 to look for the Adventure, and to refresh my people. 

 I had also some thoughts, and even a desire, to visit 

 the east coast of Van Diemen's Land, in order to 



VOL. III. G 



