Ch.1I, south AMERICA. 51^ 



yet we can advance one ftep towards it, namely, 

 that they always let towards the E. nor is there a fin- 

 gle inftance to the contrary, unlefs very near the land 

 on the W. fide of America near Cape Horn ; the prox- 

 imity of the coaft caufing there a great variety of ed- 

 dies, and 1 erra del Fuego, being compofed of a cluf- 

 ter of iflands, forming as many channels, the courfe 

 of the current is altered according to their difpofition ; 

 and at a fmali diilance from them the meeting of thefe 

 currents is plainly diilinguiiliable. 



In the account of Don George Juan's voyage infert- 

 ed in the fequel, though his courfe in weathering Cape 

 Horn, was nearly in the fame latitude as ours, but a 

 month later as to time, and the weather and winds ve- 

 ry different, yet no current v/as perceivable ; whicfi 

 confirms what I have already obferved. 



Though the general winds here are towards the - 

 W. and S. W. thofe from the E. are fometimes knov/n, 

 as we experienced in pafllng between the 57th and 

 58th degree of latitude, and for three or four days af- 

 ter we leffened our latitude. This, however, feldom 

 happens ; and therefore a fliip bound into the South- 

 Seas when in the latitude of Cape Florn, Ihouid keep 

 as near the wind as poffjble, if it be at N. W. or any 

 other intermediate point betAveen the S. W. thefe being 

 the reio-nino; winds in all feafons, taking; advantage of 

 the firft in order to gain the neceiTary latitude, which 

 fhould be fomething above 60 degrees, that if fhe 

 jfhould be obliged to tack with the wind at S. W. fhe 

 may have fufficient fea-room in weathering the Cape ; 

 for otherwife if the wind fhould take her iliort, after 

 two or three days, it would be neceffary to return 

 again to a higher latitude \ and this is, at all times, 

 attended with great fatigue and hardfhip, both on ac- 

 count of the rigour of the climate, and the frequency 

 of florms, attended with the moll terrible feas. It 

 was the middle of fummer when we came round the 

 cape, yet the fnow and hail fell very thick, and the 

 3 cold 



