255 
Wednesday, 30th October. We passed in the fore- 
noon cape Bon, and steered S. S. E. 5° E. with a little 
breeze. 
Thursday, 31st October. We continued the same 
point with some more wind. Towards evening we saw 
the island of Lampidosa, or Lampedusa, distant five 
leagues to the east. 
Either my chronometer must have become irregular 
in one day, or there is a mistake in the position of this 
island, of half a degree towards the west, on the hydro- 
graphical map of Madrid, which I perceived by an as- 
tronomical observation which I made, to the right of 
the island. I shall reserve this question for the scien- 
tific part of my voyage, in which such astronomical ob- 
servations will be discussed. 
At nine in the evening the wind got fresh, and increas- 
ed at midnight to such a degree, that it blew a terrible 
storm. The ship made much water, the sea was very 
high; the waves inundated the deck, and the interior of 
the ship; our pump was continually playing, but to little 
purpose; the rigging of the ship being worn out, was 
torn to pieces by the sea and wind; the rolling became 
so strong that the ship's yards were immersed more than 
six feet deep in the sea; the crew gave all up for lost, 
and began to sing the song of death; the captain with a 
pale and frightened face, apprized me of the impossibili- 
ty of saving the ship, and asked my advice in this critical 
moment. 
I asked him if any sails were set, and upon his an- 
swering in the affirmative, I advised him to lower them 
all, except a small one for keeping the direction. The 
