17^5. ROUND THE WORLD. c 255 



showers of rain, and for the most part dark gloomy 

 weather, which continued till the evening of the 15th, 

 when in the latitude of 5° 47' north, longitude 31° 

 west, we had three calm days, in which time we did 

 not advance above ten or twelve leagues to the north. 

 We had fair weather and rain by turns ; the sky, for 

 the most part, being obscured, and sometimes by 

 heavy dense clouds which broke in excessive hard 

 showers. 



At seven o'clock in the evening on the 18th, the 

 calm was succeeded by a breeze at east, which, the 

 next day, increasing and veering to and fixing at 

 N. E., we stretched to N. W. with our tacks on board. 

 We made no doubt that we had now got the N.E. 

 trade wind, at it was attended with fair weather, ex- 

 cept now and then some light showers of rain ; and, 

 as we advanced to the north, the wind increased and 

 blew a fresh top-gallant gale. 



On the 21st, I ordered the still to be fitted to the 

 largest copper, which held about sixty-four gallons. 

 The fire was lighted at four o'clock in the morning, 

 and at six the still began to run, It was continued 

 till six o'clock in the evening ; in which time we ob- 

 tained thirty-two gallons of fresh water, at the ex- 

 pence of one bushel and a half of coals ; which was 

 about three-fourths of a bushel more than was neces- 

 sary to have boiled the ship's company's victuals only; 

 but the expence of fuel was no object with me. The 

 victuals were dressed in the small copper, the other 

 being applied wholly to the still ; and every method 

 was made use of to obtain from it the greatest quantity 

 of fresh water possible, as this was my sole motive 

 for setting it to work. The mercury in the ther- 

 mometer at noon was at eighty-four and a halfi and 

 higher it is seldom found at sea. Had it been lower, 

 more water, under the same circumstances, would 

 undoubtedly have been produced ; for the colder the 

 air is, the cooler you can keep the still, which will 

 condense the steam the faster. Upon the whole, this 



