io the Strait of Magellan, 



51 



ttnually changing place, a'ld ^re desi itcite of a fixed point of 

 compa' ison. Besides, we were induced tO keep an account by 

 the time-piece, because tbe»'e bad been a great diiTerence west- 

 wa-dJy, for the Jajt three days, between our reckonnig and the 

 truth, as is ext:)3rienced by periiaps eve';v vessel with^i the 

 Tor. ifl Zone, and in tbe neighbourhood of the Equioociial. 



At day-break of the 25ih of April, being in S, latitude 4^ 45', 

 and W. longitude 2;j« 40', happened the full-moon, when we 

 stood away NNE. 5^ E. that before night we might reach the 

 parallel of the Island Fernando Norono. When it grew dark 

 we had seen no land; and, although we had not attained that 

 parallel, even with our glasses, we resolved to continue our 

 cou»-se, being satisfied in the accuracy of our calculations, as 

 well as oi the position assigned to that island of Don John de 

 Langara and Captain Cook. Tbe latter places it in 2i)° 1^' W. 

 longitude from Cadiz, and in S. latitude 3° 53', referring his 

 obsert^ations to the highest hill of the island, which appears like 

 the steeple or to^ver of a church; and we were then tull three 

 degrees to the eastward of its meridian. 



Night came on very cloudy; however, in some intervals of 

 clear weather, we observed the meridian altitudes of some stars, 

 to discover if there was any remarkable eri'or in our reckoning; 

 and, at ilf p.m., concluding that we had passed the parallel of 

 tbe Is'and of Norono, we continued our course in the former 

 direction. The clouds dispersed without either squalls or rain, 

 so that this night was the finest we had seen since we were in 

 lat. ,':o^. 



On tbe 27th, in the morning, we had squally rainy weather, 

 and we steered NNE. to make ihe most direct course. Next 

 day we had calms and gentle bieezes, when we saw several 

 bonitoes, and caught three small ones, — a confirmation of the 

 con?mon opinion that these fish are only to be seen in such 

 weather. 



Notwithstanding that the weather, since we left the StraH of 

 Magellan, had been so rainy and inimical to the health of our 

 people, who were almost constantly quite wet, yet, in our s'ck- 

 ward there were only three patients ; of w^hom, the worst was 

 one with a venereal infection, who had been at the point of death 

 in the strait, and whose complaint, now complicated with 

 scurvy, rendered his recovery doubtful, at least, during the 

 voyage ; nevertheless, he stood it out. The other two had 

 symptoms of the latter terrible malady. 



During the 29th we had more calms and heavy falls of rain, 

 now beginning to experience the ordinary weather of the Lme, 

 which did not Jast long ; but at noon sprung up a wind from 



Voyages and Travels^ No, 5, FoL I J, i 



