CHAPTER I 
ENGLAND TO RIO DE JANEIRO 
Aue. 25—Nov. 18, 1768 
Departure—Birds and marine animals—Species of Dagysa—Madeira—Dr. 
Heberden— Madeira mahogany — Wine -making — Vines— Carts— Vege- 
table productions—Convent—Chapel wainscoted with bones—General 
account of Madeira—Peak of Teneriffe—Marine animals—Cross the 
Equator—Climate of tropics—Luminous animals in the water—Trade 
winds—Brazilian fishermen—Sargasso weed—Rio harbour. 
25th August 1768. Plymouth—After having waited in 
this place ten days, the ship and everything belonging to 
me being all that time in perfect readiness to sail at a 
moment’s warning, we at last got a fair wind; and this day 
at three o’clock in the evening weighed anchor and set sail, 
all in excellent health and spirits, perfectly prepared (in 
mind at least) to undergo with cheerfulness any fatigues or 
dangers that may occur in our intended voyage. 
26th. Saw this evening a shoal of those fish which are 
particularly called Porpoises by the seamen, probably the 
Delphinus Phoceena of Linnzeus, as their noses are very blunt. 
28th. In some sea water which was on board to season 
a cask, observed a very minute sea-insect, which Dr. 
Solander described by the name of Podura marina. Took 
several specimens of Medusa pelagica, whose different motions 
in swimming amused us very much; among the appendages 
to this animal we found also a new species of Oniscus. We 
took also another animal, quite different from any we had 
ever seen; it was of an angular figure, about three inches 
B 
ou 
