On the 21st, at 7h. 30m. 20s. a, m., our longitude, by the mean of two observed distances of the sun and moon, was 8 deg. 4’ 30” E., Mr Kendal’s watch at the same time gave 7 deg. 22’.  Our latitude was 35 deg. 20’ N. The wind was now easterly, and continued so till the 23d, when it veered to N. and N.W. after some hours calm; in which we put a boat in the water, and Mr Forster shot some albatrosses and other birds, on which we feasted the next day, and found them exceedingly good.  At the same time we saw a seal, or, as some thought, a sea-lion, which probably might be an inhabitant of one of the isles of Tristian de Cunhah, being now nearly in their latitude, and about 5 deg. east of them.

The wind continued but two days at N.W. and S.W.; then veered to the S.E., where it remained two days longer; then fixed at N.W., which carried us to our intended port.  As we approached the land, the sea-fowl, which had accompanied us hitherto, began to leave us; at least they did not come in such numbers.  Nor did we see gannets, or the black bird, commonly called the Cape Hen, till we were nearly within sight of the Cape.  Nor did we strike sounding till Penguin Island bore N.N.E., distant two or three leagues, where we had fifty fathom water.  Not but that the soundings may extend farther off.  However, I am very sure that they do not extend very far west from the Cape.  For we could not find ground with a line of 210 fathoms, twenty-five leagues west of Table-Bay; the same at thirty-five leagues, and at sixty-four leagues.  I sounded these three times, in order to find a bank, which, I had been told, lies to the west of the cape; but how far I never could learn.

I was told before I left England, by some gentlemen who were well enough acquainted with the navigation between England and the Cape of Good Hope, that I sailed at an improper season of the year; and that I should meet with much calm weather, near and under the Line.  This probably may be the case some years.  It is, however, not general.  On the contrary, we hardly met with any calms; but a brisk S.W. wind in those very latitudes where the calms are expected.  Nor did we meet with any of those tornadoes, so much spoken of by other navigators.  However, what they have said of the current setting towards the coast of Guinea, as you approach that shore, is true.  For, from the time of our leaving St Jago, to our arrival into the latitude of 1-1/2 deg.  N., which was eleven days, we were carried by the current 3 deg. of longitude more east than our reckoning.  On the other hand, after we had crossed the Line, and got the S.E. trade-wind, we always found, by observation, that the ship outstripped the reckoning, which we judged to be owing to a current setting between the south and west.  But, upon the whole, the currents in this run seemed to balance each other; for upon our arrival at the Cape, the difference of longitude by dead reckoning kept from England, without once being corrected, was only three quarters of a degree less than that by observation.