9^ AVOYAGETO 



1777. Wefl:; and the next day, in the latitude of 48° 22' South,. 



January. ■' ' 



\. 1 longitude 80° 22' Eaft, it was 30° 47' 18" Weft. This was the 



greateft variation we found in this pafTage ; for afterward 



iridayj. it began to decreafe, but fo flowly, that on the 3d, in the 

 evening, being then in the latitude of 48° 16' South, longi- 

 tude 85° Eaft, it was 29° 38' Weft. 



Thus far we had frefli gales from the Weft and South Weft, 

 and tolerably clear weather. But now the wind veered to 

 the North, where it continued eight days, and was attended 

 with a thick fog. During this time, we ran above three 

 hundred leagues in the dark. Now and then the weather 

 would clear up, and give us a fight of the fun ; but this 

 happened very feldom, and was always of fliort continu- 

 Tuefday 7. auce. On the 7th, I hoifted out a boat, and fent an order to 

 Captain Gierke, appointing Adventure Bay, in Van Diemen's 

 Land, as our place of rendezvous, in cafe of Reparation be- 

 fore we arrived in the meridian of that land. But we were' 

 fortunate enough, amidft all this foggy weather, by fre- 

 quently firing guns as fignals, though we feldom faw each 

 other, not to lofe company. 



Sunday 12. On the i2th, being in the latitude of 48° 40' South, lon- 

 gitude 110° 26' Eaft, the Northerly winds ended in a calm; 

 which, after a few hours, was fucceeded by a wind from 

 the Southward. This, with rain, continued for twenty-four 

 hours ; when it frefliened, and veered to the Weft and North 

 Weft, and brought on fair and clear weather. 



We continued our courfe to the Eaftward, without meet- 

 ing with any thing worthy of notice, till four o'clock in the 

 Sunday 19. nioming of the 19th; when, in a fudden fquall of wind, 

 though the Difcovery received no damage, our fore-top-maft 

 went by the board, and carried the main-top- gallant-maft 



with 



