3i8 A VOYAGE TO Book IX; 



mih them from 55*^ upwards. They are ufuiiUy 

 hearer the (hore tov/ards the end of vvlnter ih?h in fum- 

 mer, v/hen beginning to ioofen themfelves from the 

 iand^ they gradually move from ic ^ and not diifolving 

 by realbn of the continuance of the coldnefs of the 

 air, they are always fcen at higher latitudes than that 

 of 60 degreesi The Hedor, a regifter (hip in her 

 pafTage from Cadiz to the fouth-fea was loft on one of 

 thefe ifiands of ic^ ; and many others have narrowly 

 efcaped the like misfortune. 



These mafTes of ice and the many eddies of the 

 currents render it advifeabie to.keep a good offing at 

 weathering the Cape in the return from the fouth-lea^ ^ 

 efpecially as there are fome illands at a litcle diftance^ 

 from the coaft, reaching to 56 degrees at lead. Thefe 

 are at all times dangerous, both from the difficulty 

 of determining with certainty, oil account of the cur- 

 rents, the place of the ffiip ; and likewife from fog? 

 which are there fo common and thick, that the whole 

 day is as it v/ere turned to night, and the darknefs fucli 

 thatthofe on the poop cannot fee the men on the fore- 

 caftle. Thefe dangers render it therefore advifeable^ 

 that the fhip in returning to Europe, fhould always 

 iland into the latitude of 58 or 60 degrees. 



In paffing into the fouth-fea, a larger latitude even 

 from 60 to 63 or 64 degrees, as the wind will admits 

 and then fteering W. 60 or 80 leagues beyond what 

 may feem neceiiary by account, will be advifeabie ; 

 becaufe if the fiiip fhould liave met with currents, ful- 

 ficient allowance v;ould be made for them ; and con- 

 fequently the great inconvenience prevented of not wea- 

 thering the cape which might be the cafe without the 

 allovvance of thefe 60 or So leao-ues. This weftern dif- 

 tancc, after it appears, by the reckoning that the fliip 

 has weathered the cape, will be of little confequence, 

 if we confider tlie great advantages gained thereby j if 

 is always better for the fiiip to be obliged to fail iqq 

 leagues eairward, till flic makes the weftern coaft of 



Ame- 



