177^» ROUND THE WOULD. 1.57 



than the west coast of Terra del Fuego, and near the 

 west entrance to the Straits of Magalhaens. 



As this was the first run that had been made 

 directly across this ocean, in a high southern latitude*, 

 I have been a little particular in noting every cir- 

 cumstance that appeared in the least material ; and 

 after all, I must observe that I never made a passage 

 any where of such length, or even much shorter, 

 where so few interesting circumstances occurred. 

 For, if I except the variation of the compass, I know 

 of nothing else worth notice. The weather had been 

 neither unusually stormy nor cold. Before we ar- 

 rived in the latitude of 50°, the mercury in the ther- 

 mometer fell gradually from sixty to fifty ; and after 

 we arrived in the latitude of 55°, it was generally 

 between forty-seven and forty-five ; once or twice it 

 fell to forty-three. These observations were made 

 at noon. 



I have now done with the Southern Pacific Ocean ; 

 and flatter myself that no one will think that I have 

 left it unexplored; or that more could have been 

 done, in one voyage, towards obtaining that end, 

 than has been done in this. 



Soon after we left New Zealand, Mr. Wales con- 

 trived, and fixed up an instrument, which very ac- 

 curately measured the angle the ship rolled, when 

 sailing large and in a great sea ; and that in which 

 she lay down, when sailing upon a wind. The 

 greatest angle he observed her to roll was 38°. This 

 was on the 6th of this month, when the sea was not 

 unusually high ; so that it cannot be reckoned the 

 greatest roll she had made. The most he observed 

 her to heel or lie down, when sailing upon a wind, 

 was 18°; and this was under double-reefed topsails 

 and courses. 



On the 18th, at three in the morning, we sounded 

 again, and found one hundred and ten fathoms, the 



* It is not to be supposed that I could know at this time that 

 the Adventure had made the passage before me. 



