38 PASSAGE FROM MADEIRA 



We next sailed for a vigia laid down on the chart. 



On the 7th November at noon we were in longitude 18° 20' W., 

 and latitude 3° 30' N. Here we first experienced the influence of the 

 equatorial current, and found it setting west by north at the rate of 

 half a mile per hour. This vigia was not seen. I then stood for 

 Bouvet's Sandy Isle, or its reported position. We saw nothing of it 

 whatever. I was very desirous of continuing my search farther to the 

 west, from the report I had seen of various vessels having experienced 

 shocks of earthquakes, and the belief having been entertained that 

 shoals might have been formed by them. The equatorial current 

 having been felt, I was aware that in getting farther to the west, I 

 should lose the opportunity of examining the locality where that 

 distinguished navigator, Admiral Krusenstern, supposed he saw a 

 volcano. I therefore gave up proceeding farther to the westward in 

 this latitude, and hauled up for its position. 



It was now the 9th of November ; we had delightful weather ; and 

 moderate breezes from the south and east. 



An amusing circumstance occurred this night. In our course we 

 passed very near a large sail, which from the night being dark, the 

 officer of the deck of the Porpoise mistook for the Vincennes, although 

 sailing on a different course. He immediately, agreeably to his orders, 

 followed the vessel, and continued after her until morning, when, to 

 his surprise, he discovered that it was a large Dutch ship. Fortu- 

 nately, I had perceived the ship pass, and conjectured, when we found 

 the Porpoise was not in sight at daylight, the nature of the mistake. I 

 therefore retraced my steps, and in an hour or two we again came in 

 sight of her, then tacked and proceeded on our course. On the next 

 day, the time being very favourable, we hove-to, to get a deep-sea 

 sounding with the wire line, and ran out one thousand six hundred 

 fathoms of it. On reeling it up, the wire parted, and we lost nine 

 hundred and sixty fathoms of line, with our sounding apparatus, 

 including one of Six's self-registering thermometers. The wire was 

 badly prepared and ill adapted to the purpose. 



On the 11th we found ourselves near the location of Krusenstern's 

 supposed shoal, ran over the position in parallel lines, and satisfied 

 ourselves of its non-existence. 



Having now examined all the localities which were designated in 

 my instructions, I made all sail for Rio de Janeiro. 



We now found ourselves in the equatorial current, setting us west 

 twenty-five miles in twenty-four hours. 



On the nights of the 11th, 12th, and 13th, we kept a watch for the 

 periodical showers of stars. About thirty were seen in the mid-watch 



