OP LA PEROUSE. 6~5 



the Mediterranean, where it is a difh in great 

 requeii with Teamen. 



It was of the higheft importance that we 

 fhould have veifels that did not leak ; yet fcarcely 

 had we left Brefl Water before it was neceffary to 

 have recourfe to the pump. As we made two 

 centimeters of water an hour, we were obliged 

 to pump the fhip out twice a day. This precau- 

 tion was the more indifpenfable, as the water 

 would have got to our ftock of fait ; an object 

 of the greatfll confequence in the voyage that 

 we were undertaking. The quantity of water 

 that came into the hold fortunately made no far- 

 ther progrefs. 



The between-decks was fo encumbered, that 

 feveral months elapfed before we could find out 

 the fituation of this leak. We at laft perceived that 

 it was behind a knee. The fhip being lightened, 

 it was difcovered that a tree- nail had been for- 

 gotten/and that the hole where it ought to have 

 been placed had been covered only with pitch. 

 The water had not been long in penetrating 

 through this coat of ftuff; a bolt was imme- 

 diately driven into the hole, and the fhip leaked 

 no more. 



The albatroffes of the Cape of Good Hope, 

 which were feen in pretty large numbers, an- 

 nounced to us the vicinity of this fouthern ex- 

 tremity of Africa. We in fact got fight of the 

 ' vol. i. f land 



