10 ^ Cordovans Voyage of Discovery 



ters. These machines pointed out a considerable setting of the 

 waters to the E. ; insomuch, that from the 8th to the 13th De^ 

 cember, in which time we crossed the parallels from 41^ to 45^, 

 there was an error in our reckoning of 35' of longitude. 

 There was likewise an error of 1^ 32' of latitude; and both 

 "were evidently occasioned by the currents towards the E. and 

 N. The drift of the sea in that direction first gave us notice of 

 that which observations, made on purpose, afterwards con- 

 firmed. 



A little before noon of the 11 th December we felt a quick 

 short motion of the vessel, which was repeated after a short in- 

 terval, and was supposed to proceed from an earthquake, agree- 

 ably to the opinion of some of our officers, who had experi- 

 enced the like on other occasions. On the following day died 

 Alonzo Mateo, a seaman, with no other symptoms of illness 

 than a violent colic, which carried him off in a few hours. The 

 loss of one of our company was sensibly lelt ; however, we had 

 the satisfaction to observe that all others continued to enjoy 

 good health ; and that the transition from a warm to a cold cli- 

 mate had made no considerable alteration on them. 



From south latitude 43^, we directed our course to disco- 

 ver Cape Blaneo ; but were prevented from seeing it by the 

 \^ esterly winds. 



We cannot sufficiently recommend it to navigators in these 

 seas, bound for the Strait of Magellan or the Pacific Ocean, to 

 ieep as close as possible to the Patagonian coast, in summer 

 time ; that is, in the months of November, December, Janu- 

 ary, and February, during which the cross-winds from the 

 SE. are not known ; otherwise, the winds which predominate 

 from NW. to SW. will prevent thena from doing it when it 

 is absolutely necessary. If, m a passage to Lima, a vessel should 

 pass much to the eastward of Cape de las Virgines, and in that 

 latitude should meet with winds from SW., it would after- 

 wards cost infinite labour to make States Island ; and, conse- 

 quently, it would be to enhance unnecessarily the difficulties 

 and dangers of a voyage, which is already one of the most ha^ 

 zardous and severe that can be undertaken. 



At length, on the evening of the 13th December, we came 

 into soundings, with 60 fathoms fine brown sand. We were 

 then distant from the land about 64 leagues, according to the 

 chart of M. Bellin ; our time-pieces and lunar observations 

 shewing us to be in west longitude .55^, our latitude at the same 

 ^ime being 45** 35' 5" south. 



From that position we judged a SSW, course to be the 

 most advantageous, and accordingly steered to that quarter. 



It is proper to remark in this place, that the soundnigs on tlie 



