As we could not sail in the morning of the 2d for want of wind, I sent a party of men on shore to the island, on the same duty as before.  Towards noon we got a fresh breeze at west; but it came too late, and I resolved to wait till the next morning, when, at four o’clock, we weighed, with a fresh gale at N.W. by W., and stood for Cape St John, which, at half past six, bore N. by E., distant four or five miles.  This cape, being the eastern point of Staten Land, a description of it is unnecessary.  It may, however, not be amiss to say, that it is a rock of a considerable height, situated in the latitude of 54 deg. 46’ S., longitude 63 deg. 47’ W., with a rocky islet lying close under the north part of it.  To the westward of the cape, about five or six miles, is an inlet, which seemed to divide the land, that is, to communicate with the sea to the south; and between this inlet and the cape is a bay, but I cannot say of what depth.  In sailing round the cape we met with a very strong current from the south:  It made a race which looked like breakers; and it was as much as we could do, with a strong gale, to make head against it.

After getting round the cape, I hauled up along the south coast, and as soon as we had brought the wind to blow off the land, it came upon us in such heavy squalls as obliged us to double-reef our top-sails.  It afterwards fell, by little and little, and at noon ended in a calm.  At this time Cape St John bore N. 20 deg.  E., distant three and a half leagues; Cape St Bartholomew, or the S.W. point of Staten Land, S. 83 deg.  W.; two high detached rocks N. 80 deg.  W.; and the place where the land seemed to be divided, which had the same appearance on this side, bore N. 15 deg.  W. three leagues distant.  Latitude observed 54 deg. 56’.  In this situation we sounded, but had no bottom with a line of 120 fathoms.  The calm was of very short duration, a breeze presently springing up at N.W.; but it was too faint to make head against the current, and we drove with it back to the N.N.E.  At four o’clock the wind veered, at once, to S. by E., and blew in squalls attended with rain.  Two hours after, the squalls and rain subsided, and the wind returning back to the west, blew a gentle gale.  All this time the current set us to the north, so that, at eight o’clock, Cape St John bore W.N.W., distant about seven leagues.  I now gave over plying, and steered S.E., with a resolution to leave the land; judging it to be sufficiently explored to answer the most general purposes of navigation and geography.

CHAPTER IV.

Observations, geographical and nautical, with an Account of the Islands near Staten Land, and the Animals found in them.

1775 January