THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 481 



the rudder of the Refolution having been, for fome time, '7 80 - 



April. 



complaining, and, on being examined, reported to be in a *— — v— -» 

 dangerous Hate, he refolved to fleer immediately for the 

 Cape, as the mod eligible place, both for the recovery of 

 his lick, and for procuring a new main-piece to the rudder. 



From the 21ft of March, when we were in latitude zf 22' 

 South, longitude 52 25' Eaft, to the 5th of April, when we Wednefij, 

 had got into latitude 36 12' South, longitude 22* 7' Eaft, we 

 were (Irongly affected by the currents, which fet to the 

 South South Weft, and South Weft by Weft, fometimes at 

 the rate of eighty knots a day. On the 6th, having got Thurfday<s. 

 under the lee of the African coaft, we loft them intirely. 



In the morning of the 6th, a fail was feen to the South 

 Weft (landing toward us ; and, as the wind foon after rofe 

 from the fame quarter, we cleared our fliips for action. We 

 now difcovercd, from the maft-head, five fail more on our 

 lee-bow, (landing to the Eaftward ; but the weather coming 

 on hazy, we loft fight of them all in an hour's time. Our 

 latitude at noon was §5° 49' South, longitude :i° 32' Eaft. 

 At feven o'clock the next morning (the feventh), we made Fridav -. 

 the land to the Northward at a confiderable diftance. 



On the 8th, the weather was fqually, and blew frefti from Saturday 3. 

 the North Weft; the following day it fettled to the Weft, Sunday 9. 

 and we paffed pretty clofc to the fail feen on the 6th, but 

 did not hail her. She was clumfy in figure, and, to appear- 

 ance, unfkilfully managed ; yet flic out-failed us exceedingly. 

 The colours which (lie hoifted were different from any we 

 had feen ; fome fuppofed them to be Portugueze, others 

 Imperial. 



At day-light, the next morning, the land again appeared Monday 10. 

 to the North North Weft j and, in the forenoon, a fnow was 

 Vol. III. 3 Q^ feen 



