224 cook's second voyage march, 



46°44'S., longitude 33° 20' E., in which situation we 

 found the variation to be 23° 30' west. It is some- 

 what remarkable, that all the time we had northerly 

 winds, which were regular and constant for several 

 days, the weather was always thick and cloudy ; but, 

 as soon as they came S. of W. it cleared up, and 

 was fine and pleasant. The barometer began to rise 

 several days before this change happened ; but 

 whether on account of it, or our coming northward, 

 cannot be determined. 



The wind remained not long at south before it 

 veered round by the N.E. toN. W., blowing fresh 

 and by squalls, attended, as before, with rain and 

 thick misty weather. We had some intervals of clear 

 weather on the afternoon of the 3d, when we found 

 the variation to be 22° 26' W. ; latitude at this time 

 45° 8' S., longitude 30° 50' E. The following night 

 was very stormy ; the wind blew from S.W. and in 

 excessively heavy squalls. At short intervals between 

 the squalls, the wind would fall almost to a calm, and 

 then come on again with such fury, that neither our 

 sails nor rigging could withstand it, several of the 

 sails being split, and a middle stay-sail being wholly 

 lost. The next morning the gale abated, and we re- 

 paired the damage we had sustained in the best man- 

 ner we could. 



On the 8th, being in the latitude of 41° 30' S,, 

 longitude 26° 51/ E., the mercury in the thermome- 

 ter rose to 61, and we found it necessary to put on 

 lighter clothes. As the wind continued invariably 

 fixed between N. W. and W., we took every advan- 

 tage to get to the west, by tacking whenever it shifted 

 any thing in our favour ; but as we had a great swell 

 against us, our tacks were rather disadvantageous. 

 We daily saw albatrosses, peterels, and other oceanic 

 birds; but not the least sign of land. 



On the 11th, in the latitude of 40° 40' $., longi- 

 tude 23° 47' E,, the variation was 20° 48' W. About 

 noon the same day, the wind shifting suddenly from 



