276 



ISLAND OF SAXENBURGH. 



[1828. 



mortal ; and if I am ever fortunate enough to re-enter the circle from 

 which she derives her name, it. shall go hard with me but the flying- 

 jib-boom of my vessel will point still nearer to the south pole than 

 northern pine has ever yet done. But more of this hereafter. 



We continued steering to the south, with fine breezes from the north- 

 east, until Thursday, the 31st of July, at which time we lost the north 

 east trades, in lat. 9° 50' north, long. 20° 14' west ; variation per azi 

 muth 16° 11' westerly ; the current setting west-south-west, thirteen 

 miles in twenty-four hours. From the last-mentioned date to the 

 6th of August we had the winds from south-west to south-south-east, 

 attended with much rain ; we then took the south-east trade-wind 

 from south-south-east, and fair weather, in lat. 1° 25' north, long. 21° 

 47' west; variation per azimuth, at 10, A. M., 14° 45' westerly: cur- 

 rent setting to the north-west-by-west, fourteen miles in twenty-four 

 hours. 



August 7th. — On the following day, which was Thursday, we 

 crossed the equator, in long. 22° 54' west, with a fine breeze from 

 south-east to east-south-east, and fair weather. We were now just 

 about half-way between the coast of Africa and that of Brazil; Sierra 

 Leone bearing north-east, and Pernambuco south-west. It may here 

 be proper to observe, that ships bound round the Cape of Good Hope 

 should always pass ten or fifteen leagues to the westward of the Cape 

 Verd Islands, if they need no refreshments ; and endeavour to leave 

 the north-east trades in between twenty-two and twenty-three degrees 

 of west longitude. They should also endeavour to cross the equator 

 in the same longitude at all seasons of the year ; by attending to which 

 they will invariably shorten their passage, and have the weather more 

 regular. 



August ISth. — After crossing the equator we continued standing to 

 the southward, with a fine breeze from south-east to east-south-east, 

 and fair weather, until Monday, when we lost the south-east trade-wind 

 in lat. 28° 14' south, long. 29° 4' west. On the following day we took 

 a light breeze from west-south-west. On Wednesday, the 20th, we 

 were in lat. 30° 37' south ; and at 1, P. M., our lat. was 30° 40' south, 

 long. 28° 41' west, with the wind from west-south-west, and fair 

 weather. 



I now determined to sight the island of Saxenburgh, if such an 

 island really existed within any reasonable distance of the spot in 

 which it is said to be situated. The location which has been assigned 

 to it is about half-way between the eastern coast of South America and 

 the Cape of Good Hope, in lat. 30° 43' south, and long. 19° 30' west. 

 We made a due east course, keeping two men at the mast-head, day 

 and night, until we were in long. 17° 21' west, without seeing any indi- 

 cations of land whatever. During the time of our making this run of 

 eleven degrees, we were not three miles from the parallel of 30° 40', 

 excepting about eight hours ; when on Saturday, the 23d of August, 

 we were roused by the cheering cry from the mast-head of " Land, ho ! 

 land, ho ! about six points off the starboard bow." 



We now had the wind from west-by-south, which permitted us to 

 haul up for it ; but after running in that direction about four hours, at 



