408 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



We left the region of the tropics in the courfe 

 of the 1 8th. 



The mercury in the barometer rofe the tame 

 day to 28 inches 5 lines ; which appeared to me 

 the more aftonifhing, as it varies very little be- 

 tween the tropics. Befidcs, this was the only 

 time in our whole voyage that it rofe fo high in a 

 fimilar latitude. Although the thermometer was 

 not lower than 18 , we neverthelefs experienced 

 a lively fenfation of cold. 



On the 20th we began to meet with the vari- 

 able winds, in the latitude of 26 foutb. 



Our goats were perifhing daily for want of 

 proper food : we again loft two in the courfe of 

 this clay. 



About five o'clock In the afternoon of the 27th, 

 the Efperance was on the point of running aboard 

 of us ; yet there was wind enough for keeping 

 a fhip properly under command : this negligence 

 of the officer of the watch might have occafioned 

 much damage to our fhips, and forced us to 

 abandon the project of vifiting the fouth-weft 

 coal! of New Holland, which we were fhortly to 

 A <*pare boojm was fortunately run out 

 in tune to keep us clear of her. 



On the 5 1 ti of December, the fight of levcral 

 fpecie? of gulls and other birds, which fcldom go 

 fo far from the ihore, indicated the proximiiy of 

 land. The wind blew too ftrong at weft fouth- 



weft 



