OF LA PEKOUSE. 55 



have been the more vexatious, as it would have 

 totally deranged the plan of our voyage ; for it 

 was necefTary for us to follow the feafons, in 

 order to explore part of the countries that we 

 were to vilit. 



On the 17th of December we pafled the 

 tropic of Capricorn, in the longitude of 28 

 weft. 



On board the Efperance were taken upwards 

 of a hundred bonitoes a day, while all our moft 

 expert fifhermen together never caught more 

 than ten in a day, and even that very feldom. It 

 was not, however, immaterial to the health of the 

 fhips' companies whether they lived on freflx 

 provifions or falt-meat. 



On the 1 8th of December, when we were in 

 the latitude of 25 20' fouth, and in the longi- 

 tude of 1 8 42" weft, the thermometer obferved 

 at noon flood at 19 above o, and at 17 before 

 fun-rife, although that luminary was not far from 

 our zenith. The cold had been fo great during 

 the night, as to oblige our people to wear their 

 woollen clothes. 



We had depended on wefterly winds on ap- 

 proaching the coaft of Brazil ; they were, on the 

 contrary, from the eailward ; but having drawn 

 aft, we had been enabled to go free for a fort- 

 night, till we arrived at the 28th degree of fouth 

 latitude, and the 24th of weft longitude. 



s. 4 It 



