284 Voyage to 



of Ice, much higher than the former, which look'd like z 

 Coaft four or five Leagues long ; the End whereof we could 

 not well fee, by reafon of the Fog. Then frighted, with 

 goodReafon, at fo unexpected a Danger, we lamented the 

 fair N. W. Winds we had loft, to follow the ridiculous Na- 

 vigation of the Faithlefs S. Malo Men. The Wind luckily 

 frefhningat Weft, permitted us toftaml to the Northward, 

 and in lefs than an Hour we law no more Pieces of Ice. 



Tho' thofe Parts have been frequented for 14 Years paft, 

 at all Times of the Year,very few Ships have met with Ice, 

 fo that it was not apprehended. Only the Affumption, com- 

 manded by Poree, in 1708, faw avaft Float, like a Coaft. 

 Our Comrade, who, lying near the Wind, had got to 

 E. N. E. had no View of thofe we faw, but they affirm'd 

 they had met with a large Piece in 54 Degrees and 3-qrs. 

 This Accident may be a Warning to fuch as attempt to 

 pafs Cape Horn in Winter, as we did in the S. Jofeph, 

 becaufe the Length of the Nights, and the Darknefs of 

 the Days, do not afford Opportunity of avoiding them ea- 

 fily. Perhaps the Autumn is the moft dangerous Seafon, 

 becaufe then the Ice breaks and feparates by means of the 

 little Heat there has been in the Summer; however, being 

 extremely thick, it does not thaw till the next Summer, 

 for that Height which appears above the Water, is only the 

 third part of the true Thicknefs, the reft being below. 

 Terra An- If it be true, as many pretend, that the Ice in the Sea is 

 forth Chime- only form'd of the frelh .Water, which runs down from the 

 rud. Land, it muft be concluded that there is Land towards the 

 South Pole ; but it is not true that there are any more to 

 the Northward than 63 Degrees of Latitude for the Extent 

 of above 200 Leagues, from 55 of Longitude to 80; for 

 that Space has been run over by feveral Ships, which the 

 S. W. and S.S. W. Winds have obliged to ftand far to the 

 Southward, to double the End of the Lands. Thus thofe 

 Southern Lands, or Terra Auftralis generally laid down 

 in the old Charts, are meer Chimeras^ which have been 

 juftly left out of the new Charts* 



But 



