At this time, being in the latitude of 48 deg. 6’ S., longitude 58 deg. 22’ E., the wind seemingly fixed at W.N.W., and seeing no signs of meeting with land, I gave over plying, and bore away east a little southerly:  Being satisfied, that if there is any land hereabout, it can only be an isle of no great extent.  And it was just as probable I might have found it to the E. as to the W.

While we were plying about here we took every opportunity to observe the variation of the compass, and found it to be from 27 deg. 50’ to 30 deg. 26’ W. Probably the mean of the two extremes, viz. 29 deg. 4’, is the nearest the truth, as it nearly agrees with the variation observed on board the Adventure.  In making these observations, we found that, when the sun was on the larboard side of the ship, the variation was the least; and when on the starboard side, the greatest.  This was not the first time we had made this observation, without being able to account for it.  At four o’clock in the morning of the 7th, I made the Adventure’s signal to keep at the distance of four miles on my starboard beam; and continued to steer E.S.E.  This being a fine day, I had all our men’s bedding and clothes spread on deck to air; and the ship cleaned and smoked betwixt decks.  At noon I steered a point more to the south, being then in the latitude of 45 deg. 49’ S., longitude 61 deg. 48’ E. At six o’clock in the evening, I called in the Adventure; and at the same time took several azimuths, which gave the variation 31 deg. 28’.W.  These observations could not be taken with the greatest accuracy, on account of the rolling of the ship, occasioned by a very high westerly swell.

The preceding evening, three Port Egmont hens were seen; this morning another appeared.  In the evening, and several times in the night, penguins were heard; and, at daylight in the morning of the 8th, several of these were seen; and divers of two sorts, seemingly such as are usually met with on the coast of England.  This occasioned us to sound, but we found no ground with a line of 210 fathoms.  Our latitude now was 49 deg. 53’ S., and longitude 63 deg. 39’ E. This was at eight o’clock.  By this time the wind had veered round by the N.E. to E., blew a brisk gale, and was attended with hazy weather, which soon after turned to a thick fog; and, at the same tine, the wind shifted to N.E.

I continued to keep the wind on the larboard tack, and to fire a gun every hour till noon; when I made the signal to tack, and tacked accordingly.  But, as neither this signal, nor any of the former, was answered by the Adventure, we had but too much reason to think that a separation had taken place; though we were at a loss to tell how it had been effected.  I had directed Captain Furneaux, in case he was separated from me, to cruise three days in the place where he last saw me.  I therefore continued making short boards, and firing half-hour guns, till the 9th in the afternoon, when, the weather having cleared up,