72 cook's first voyage FEB. 



eat of it very heartily even when there was fresh pork 

 upon the table. 



From a variety of observations which were made 

 with great care, it appeared probable in the highest 

 degree, that, from the time of our leaving the land 

 to the 13th of February, when we were in latitude 

 49° 32', and longitude 90° 37', we had no current to 

 the west. 



At this time we had advanced about 12° to the 

 westward, and 3 and i to the northward of the 

 Streight of Magellan ; having been just three and 

 thirty days in coming round the land of Terra del 

 Fuego, or Cape Horn, from the east entrance of the 

 Streight to this situation. And though the doubling 

 of Cape Horn is so much dreaded, that, in the gene- 

 ral opinion, it is more eligible to pass through the 

 Streight of Magellan, we were not once brought 

 under our close-reefM topsails after we left the 

 Streight of Le Maire. The Dolphin, in her last voy- 

 age, which she performed at the same season of the 

 year with ours, was three months in getting through 

 the Streight of Magellan, exclusive of the time that 

 she lay in Port Famine ; and I am persuaded, from 

 the winds we had, that if we had come by that pas- 

 sage, we should not at this time have been in these 

 seas J that our people would have been fatigued, and 

 our anchors, cables, sails and rigging much damaged ; 

 neither of which inconveniencies we had now suf- 

 fered. But supposing it more ehgible to go round the 

 Cape, than through the Streight of Magellan 5 it may 

 still be questioned, whether it is better to go through 

 the Streight of Le Maire, or stand to the eastward, 

 and go round Staten Land. The advice given in the 

 Account of Lord Anson's voyage is, ** That all 

 " ships bound to the South Seas, instead of passing 

 " through the Streight of Le Maire, should constantly 

 " pass to the eastward of Staten Land, and should 

 " be invariably bent on running to the southward as 

 " far as the latitude of 61 or 62 degrees, before they 



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