the South-Sea. 



m J7 Degrees Latitude, becaufe the Fog, the high Wind, 

 and the rolling Sea, would not have permitted us to re- 

 cover it, if we had fallen to the Leeward : 24 Hours after, 

 the Wind came more to the Southward, and we bore 

 away N. W. 



We reckon' d ourfelves in 5 7 Degrees and a half Latitude, a 

 and 69, or 66 of Longitude, when the Wind blowing tec 

 hard, and the Weather being foggy, about half an Hour 

 after One in the Mornings the Starboard Watch faw a Me- 

 teor unknown to the oldeft Sailors aboard ,* being a Light 

 differing from that of the Ancients, call'd Caftor and Pollux^ 

 and from Lightning ; which lafted about half a Minute r and 

 gave fome Tittle Heat. That unufual Appearance in the 

 cold Weather, and a high Wind, feared moft of the Men,, 

 who fliut their Eyes; and they fpeak of it only as a Flalh 

 of Lightning, the Brightness whereof appear 1 d even thro' 

 the Eye-lids ; the others, who were more bold, affirm'd 

 they had feen a Ball or Globe of a bluifli Light, and very 

 bright, about three Foot Diameter, which vaniih'd among 

 the Main-Top-Maft Stays. 



All the Men look'd upon it to prefage a Storm : I did 

 not like that Prophecy, the Weather was bad enough to 

 fear worfe; for,, befides that, it was cold, and the Sea ran 

 Mountain-high :' We had Wind a-head, which obliged us 

 to tack every Moment, without gaining any thing in Lon- 

 gitude. However, the three next Days did not prove 

 worfe : The 4th, we lay by fome Hours reef'd 5 but the 

 ( Wind, which had vary'd from Weft to S. S, W, being 

 come about to N. W. the Weather grew mild and clear 'd 

 up a little. The 23d and 24th, we got out of 59 De- 

 grees, 58 Minutes Latitude, where we had (luck a long 

 Time. The 25 th, we were obliged to lie by fomeHours^ 

 and the 26th were becalm'd. 



I began then to flatter myfelf with the Hopes, that we 

 fliould foon be out of thofe dreadful Parts., becaufe we 

 reckon' d we were pafs'd the Longitude or Caps Mojw 

 sine ot ten Degrees, that is, near 200 Leagues^ when. 



theie. 



