On the 27th, in latitude 6 deg. north and longitude 171/2 deg. west, a noddy was caught, and next day a swallow was found dead in my sleeping cabin.  This poor little bird had been our companion for three or four days before, and had become a favourite.  It was generally seen darting past the lee scuttles and ports, apparently after the flies which were carried out by the streams of air; sometimes it alighted upon the boats which hung on the ship’s quarters, and more than once rested itself in the cabin where, at length, it was found dead.

WEDNESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 1801

The south-western winds continued to blow without intermission, and drove us, much against my inclination, far to the eastward, towards the coast of Africa.  One or two attempts were made to go upon the western tack; but this could not be done with any advantage until the 2nd of September, when we were in latitude 3 deg. 50’ north, and longitude 111/4 deg. west.  The wind had veered gradually round, from south-west to south, as we approached the African coast, to the direction of which it kept at nearly a right angle.  I had not fully adverted to the probability, that the winds blowing upon this coast would prevail to a greater extent at this season than at any other time of the year; otherwise, as I wished to avoid Africa, I should have passed some degrees to the westward of the Cape-Verde Islands, and probably have carried the north-east trade to the 12th, or perhaps to the 10th degree of north latitude; and in 8 deg., or at furthest in 6 deg., the south-east trade might have been expected.

Captain Cook, in his second voyage, experienced the same south-western winds, and was carried so far eastward, that he crossed the equator in longitude 8 deg. west.  Monsieur de la Perouse also experienced them, and both were here at the same season with ourselves; that is, in the months of August and September, when the African continent had received its greatest degree of heat.

Although I preferred to avoid Africa, it is by no means certain that a good passage to the Cape of Good Hope may not be made, especially at this season, by steering round the Bight of Benin with the south-west and south winds.  It is probable, that on approaching the meridian of Greenwich the wind would be found to return to the south-west, and perhaps more westward, and enable a ship to reach the 10th degree of south latitude before meeting the south-east trade; in which case, the circuit to be made before attaining the western winds beyond the southern tropic, would be much shortened.  The East-India-Company’s ships bound to St. Helena, do, I believe, now generally follow that route.