1773. HOUND THE WORLD. 121 



CHAP. VII. 



CAPTAIN FURNEAUx's NARRATIVE, FROM THE TIME THE 

 TWO SHIPS WERE SEPARATED, TO THEIR JOINING AGAIN 

 IN QUEEN CHARLOTTE'S SOUND^ WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF 

 VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. 



On the 7th of February, 1773, hi the morning, the 

 Resolution being then about two miles a head, the 

 wind shifting then to the westward, brought on a 

 very thick fog, so that we lost sight of her. We 

 soon after heard a gun, the report of which we 

 imagined to be on the larboard beam ; we then 

 hauled up S. E. and kept firing a four pounder every 

 half hour ; but had no answer, nor further sight of 

 her ; then we kept the course we steered on before 

 the fog came on. In the evening it began to blow 

 hard, and was, at intervals, more clear ; but could 

 see nothing of her, which gave us much uneasiness. 

 We then tacked and stood to the westward, to cruize 

 in the place where we last saw her, according to 

 agreement in case of separation ; but, next day, 

 came on a very heavy gale of wind and thick weather, 

 that obliged us to bring to, and thereby prevented 

 us reaching the intended spot. However, the wind 

 coming more moderate, and the fog in some measure 

 clearing away, we cruized as near the place as we 

 could get, for three days ; when giving over all 

 hopes of joining company again, we bore away for 

 winter quarters, distant fourteen hundred leagues, 

 through a sea entirely unknown, and reduced the 

 allowance of water to one quart per day. 



We kept between the latitude of 52 and 53 south; 

 had much westerly wind, hard gales with squalls, 

 snow and sleet, with a long hollow sea from the S. W. 

 so that we judged there is no land in that quarter. 

 After we reached the longitude of 95 east, we found 

 the variation decrease very fast ; but for a more per- 



