FORTER’S JOURNAL, 
r& 
In the heaviest blows- and worst sea we have yet had, I fin<il 
the ship to be remarkably easy and comfortable. 
We generally kept on the edge of soundings, in from 60 to 75 
fathoms of water; and, although the frequent ripples indicated 
strong currents, they did not make any sensible difference in our 
run, except on the 8th and 9th, in lat. 47° 36' S., when we were 
set 24 miles to the westward. When on soundings, we frequent¬ 
ly met masses of a weed, called kelp, and of sufficient buoyancy 
to bear the albatrosses, apd other birds which kept about them ; 
but we never met with them off soundings. We saw a few 
whales, but none approached us nearer than a mile. 
The northerly winds have much the character of the S.W» 
winds on the coast of North America, and are generally accom¬ 
panied with hazy weather. The S.W. winds are clear and cold, 
and bear no slight resemblance to the N.W. winds of the same' 
coast. The appearance of albatrosses and other birds, generally 
preceded a southerly wind, but few were to be seen when the 
winds came from the northward. No certain guide, however, 
can be given in this changable climate, to enable you to judge 
correctly of winds and weather; the finest appearances were fre¬ 
quently the immediate precursors of a fresh gale and unpleasant 
weather, which was as unexpectedly succeeded by calms and 
sunshine. 
On the morning of the 11th, the weather was remarkably fine, 
the air clear and serene, the sea smooth, and the wind fair, with 
every appearance of a continuation. Our lat. 51° 13' S.; long. 63 fe 
53' W.; and depth of water, 74 fathoms, fine gray sand. I em¬ 
braced the opportunity offered by the weather, for repairing our 
rudder-coat, and succeeded perfectly; and now, having no cause 
to go into port, I determined to make the best of my way round 
Cape Horn, and apprehensive of some difficulties in going through 
the Streights of Le Maire, I determined to go to the eastward of 
Staten Land. The latter part of the day, the wind hauled round 
from the northward, and the weather became extremely hazy, 
which I regretted extremely, as it prevented our getting an ob¬ 
servation ; the breeze was, however, extremely fine and increas¬ 
ing ; I therefore felt confident of a short run to Staten Land, and 
