Ch.I. south AMERICA. 303 



we hoifled out our boat, for the carpenters to nail 

 fhect lead over the feams j but the fea ran too high 

 for them to execute it. 



On the 20th the wind blowing ftrong at N. and 

 N.E. one quarter northerly, and the fea running high, 

 we laid to, under our mainfail but rain coming on, 

 we had, next day, moderate weather. The wind 

 continued in the fame quarter till the 25th, but little 

 of it, with fogs and fhowers. We were now in the 

 latitude of 39"^ 14' and 30^ 5' E. of the meridian of 

 Conception. During thefe days we faw feveral birds, 

 but in much lefs numbers than before ^ fome of them 

 very different, as black pardelas, and others of the 

 fame <:olour, but of an unknown fpecies. 



The water in our fhips was now fo greatly in- 

 creafed, and our men fo fpcnt winh continually la- 

 bouring at the pump, that we had thoughts -of quit- 

 ting her i and doubtleis this would have been done 

 fome days before had it not been for her valuable 

 cargo ; having on board near two millions of Peru- 

 vian dollars, a million and a halt of v. hich was in 

 gold and filver, and ftov^ed under the cacao fhe had 

 taken in at Guayaqu 1, In order therefore in fome 

 meafure to keep out the water, a fail quilted with 

 oakum, and fhot fallened to the cKies to fink it, 

 was lowered into the water from the head of the 

 Ihip ; but this expedient had little eifed. For tho* 

 at firft the water did not feem to enter with the ra- 

 pidity as before, yet the oakum which prevented it, 

 was foon carried away, when our condition was not 

 mended in the leaft. 



From the 29th, when we were in the latitude 

 of 35^ 38' and 33^ 27' E. of the meridian of Concep- 

 tion, our courfe was W.N. W. till the 4th of April, 

 when till the 20th we fteered between the N. E. and 

 E. N. E. with the fame variable weather, fhowers, 

 hard gales, and calms. So that during this long inter- 

 val of twenty-nine days, cur latitude dim.inifhed little 

 ' : ' more 



