208 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



The fifties which delight in ft ill water abound 

 in this channel, where our ftfhermen were, in 

 general, very fuccefsful. 



Scarcely hail we proceeded three kilometers be- 

 yond the outlet of the Strait, when we could no 

 longer diftinguiih its opening. The foundings 

 increafed in proportion as we advanced into the 

 open fea. 



Our reckoning placed us at noon in latitude 

 43 i' fouth, and longitude 145 19'eaft. 



We foon doubled Cape Pillar, and we then 

 fhaped our courfe nor; in order to go and 



explore the fouth-wefi coaft of New Caledonia. 



The mercury in the barometer had fallen to 

 28 inches 8 lines, and the wind blew ftrong at 

 north-weft. The rolling of the fhip made me 

 feel as qualmifh as at our departure from Breft. 

 The ft ay we had recently made at Cape Diemen 

 had already made me lofe the habit of the fea. 



By the 30th of May we had made confiderable 

 pro incc at noon we were in the latitude of 



40 55' fouth, our longitude l>eing 150 4' eaft. 



The men try of the barometer had fallen in the 

 courfe of the morning to 27 inches 4 lines, and 

 had not deceived us in announcing tempeftuous 

 winds. Wc could do no more than feud under 

 the forefail, and that too we were obliged to reef* 

 but fort una: cly we had a fair wi 



Although the thermometer was not lower than 



9* 



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