VOYAGE Iff SEARCH 



The Admiral, fearing that we fbould not all 

 equally relifh this farce, forbade that any perfon 

 ihould be ducked. 



On the 29th of November, the fea-water, by 

 Beaume's areometer for falts, gave me 3^, 

 when we were in half a degree of fouth lati- 

 tude. 



The currents fet us to the we ft ward. The 

 winds, as is well known, are, in thisvaft fea, the 

 principal caufe of the different direction of the 

 waters. 



We had every reafon to be apprehenfive of a, 

 long palTage ; betides, the Efperance did not 

 hold fo good a wind as us. We were afraid 

 that the want of water would oblige us to touch 

 on the coait of Brazil ; this circumftance would 



ing among the officers and people who have never before vifited 

 them, his accuftomed tribute, which confifts of a {hilling each, 

 from the men, and a prefent in liquor from the officers. Such 

 of the fhip's company as are unable to pay this tribute, are 

 obliged to fubn.it to the penalty of being fhaved, in order to be 

 io a condition to be prefented to his aquatic majefty. This cere- 

 mony is performed in the following manner : the novice being 

 feated over a large tub of fait water, in lieu of a lather of foap, 

 his chin is befmeared with tar, and a piece of rufty iron hoop 

 fuppiies the place of a. razor. The operation is terminated by the 

 infolvent tributary undergoing firft a ducking in the tub over 

 which he fits, and afterwards a copious ablution of fait- water 

 from Neptune's attendant Triton*. It is almoft unueceflary to 

 add, that the reft of the day is fpent in the fort of conviviality 

 congenial to tbedifpofitionof Britifh tars. T. 



have 



