NORTH WEST COAST OF AMERICA. 21 



prices, were it not for thofe oppreilions, which feem to be ^ ^^^ ^• 



without remedy from an inattentive government. On the • ^^ — ' 



whole, the variety of refrefliments which Saint Jago fupplies, oaos'er. 

 renders it a very eligible ftation for thofe velTcls to touch "^'"^ ^^^^* 

 at, which are employed in the Southern whale fifhery, or 

 for thofe which are bound, as we were, round Cape Horn. 



Having for fome days pafl obferved a rippling on the November. 

 water, in the morning of the 4th November the whale- ^'"'^^y^- 

 boat was lowered down, in order to try the current ; and 

 we found it fetting South Eaft by Eaft, at the rate of five 

 fathoms an hour. Our latitude then was 7° 44.^ North, and 

 the longitude 21° 55'' Weft. 



On the nth one of our feamen caught a fparrow-hawk, Friday u. 

 which had fettled on the mizen-topfail-yard. I could 

 fcarcely find any difference between this bird and that of 

 the fame fpecies to be met with in England. The obferva- 

 tion at noon gave 4° 39' North latitude, and 21° 30' 

 Weft longitude. 



Since our departure from Saint Jago we had feldom 

 been favoured with a fteady North Eaft trade ; the wind 

 frequently was variable, at times blew very frefh and in 

 heavy fqualls ; the weather was clofe and fultry, at- 

 tended with violent fhowers of rain. 



Such heavy rains and clofe fultry weather very often 

 bring on ficknefs among feafaring men, and too much 

 care cannot be taken to guard againft their fatal efi^eds ; 

 accordingly every precaution was taken that could be 

 thought ot for preferving the crews in good, health ; their 



clothes 



