Ch. vi. south AMERICA. 359 



The winds continued at S, E. E. fometimes at S. 

 and S. W. with heavy rains, thunder and lightning, 

 till the frigate came into 23" of latitude, and 39 of lon- 

 gitude. 



On tlie 1 2th of May, at one in the morning, they 

 difcovered a fmall frigate to leeward; and on the 19th 

 being in 10° 30' S. latitude and 39 E. longitude, faw 

 three large fhips: but both fides continued their refpec- 

 tive courfe, without making any motion to avoid or 

 a^^proach each other. 



On die 27th they crofied the line, 44" ead of Val- 

 paraifo, or 30° 30' W. of Paris. As thefe parts a- 

 bound in fl)arks, they caught feveral, and one of them, 

 after opening it and taking out its entrails, heart, and 

 lungs, they threw it again into the water ; and it be- 

 ing calm they faw it fwim near the frigate above a 

 quarter of an hour, till floadng out of fight they could 

 not ice the death of the creature. The heart alfo of 

 this and many others on which the fame experiment 

 was tried, Vv'as obferved to have a motion on board the 

 Ihip for above a quarter of an hour. 



On the firil of June the frigate was in 4° 30' N. lat, 

 the wind N. E. and S. E. and lometimes at S. and S. W. 

 with heavy rains ; but now the provifions, and particu- 

 larly water growing fhort, the captain, with the appro- 

 bation of his officers and paiTengers, determined to put 

 in at Martinico, and accordingly the courfe was direded 

 thither. 



On the nth in the morning, being in the latitude of 

 9 deg. 30 min. and 39 deg. eaft of Valparaifo, they had 

 light of three large fliips which continued their courfe 

 without (landing for the frigate ; and as their courfes 

 were directly oppofite, they foon iofi: fight of each 

 other. 



On the 21ft at night, they had a fiiort fquali rather* 



of rain than wind, but the night being dark, they faw 



at the lop-g^llantvfnaft head, the meteor called by the 



A a 4 failo.s 



