Ch. 11. SOUTH AMERICA. 3\3 



yet we can advance one ftep towards it, namely, that 

 they always fet towards the E. nor is there a fingle 

 inft.ince to the contrary, imlels very near the land on 

 the W. fide of America near Cape Horn ; the prox- 

 imity of the coaft caiifing there a great variety of ed- 

 dies, and Terra del Fuego, being compofed of a cliif- 

 ter of iQands, forming as many channels, the courfe of 

 the current is altered according to their difpofition : 

 and at a fmall diftance from them the meeting of thefe 

 currents is plainly diftinguilhable. 



In the account of Don George Juan's voyage in- 

 ferred in the fequel, though his courfe in weathering 

 Cape Horn, was nearly in the fame latitude as ours» 

 but a month later as to time, and the weather and 

 winds very different, yet no current was perceivable} 

 which confirms v»/hat 1 have already obferved. 



Though the general winds here are towards the 

 W. and S. VV. thofe from rheE. are fometimes known, 

 as we experienced in paffing between the 57 th ahd 

 58th degree of latitude, and for three or four days af- 

 ter we leiTened our latitude. This, however, feldom 

 happens ; and therefore a ihip bound into the South- 

 Seas when in the latitude of Cape Horn^ ihouid keep 

 as near the wind as poffible, if it be at N. VV. or any 

 other intermediate point between the S. W. thefe being 

 the reigning winds in all feafons, taking advantage of 

 the firft in order to gain the ncceifary latitude, which 

 Ihould be fomething above 60 degrees, that if fhe 

 fliould be obliged to tack with the wind at S. W. Hie 

 may have iufficient fca-room in weathering the Cape; 

 for otherwife if the wind Ihould take her íhürt, after 

 two or three days, i't would be necefifary to return 

 again to a higher latitude j and this is, at all times, 

 attended with great fatigue and hardfnip, both on ac- 

 count of the rigour of the climate, and the frequency 

 of ftorms, attended with the moil: terrible feas. Ic 

 was the middle of lummer when we came round the 

 Cape, yet the ihow and hail fell very thick, and the 



cold 



