which we were not in a condition to struggle with.  Our sails and rigging were so much worn, that something was giving way every hour; and we had nothing left either to repair or to replace them.  Our provisions were in a state of decay, and consequently afforded little nourishment, and we had been a long time without refreshments.  My people, indeed, were yet healthy, and would have cheerfully gone wherever I had thought proper to lead them; but I dreaded the scurvy laying hold of them at a time when we had nothing left to remove it.  I must say farther, that it would have been cruel in me to have continued the fatigues and hardships they were continually exposed to, longer than was absolutely necessary.  Their behaviour, throughout the whole voyage, merited every indulgence which it was in my power to give them.  Animated by the conduct of the officers, they shewed themselves capable of surmounting every difficulty and danger which came in their way, and never once looked either upon the one or the other, as being at all heightened, by our separation from our consort the Adventure.

All these considerations induced me to lay aside looking for the French discoveries, and to steer for the Cape of Good Hope; with a resolution, however, of looking for the isles of Denia and Marseveen, which are laid down in Dr Halley’s variation chart in the latitude of 41 deg. 1/2 S., and about 4 deg. of longitude to the east of the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope.  With this view I steered N.E., with a hard gale at N.W. and thick weather; and on the 25th, at noon, we saw the last ice island, being at this time in the latitude of 52 deg. 52’ S., longitude 26 deg. 31’ E.

1775 March

The wind abating and veering to the south, on the first of March, we steered west, in order to get farther from Mr Bouvet’s track, which was but a few degrees to the east of us, being at this time in the latitude of 46 deg. 44’ S., longitude 33 deg. 20’ E., in which situation we found the variation to be 23 deg. 36’ W. It is somewhat remarkable, that all the time we had northerly winds, which were regular and constant for several days, the weather was always thick and cloudy; but, as soon as they came south of west, it cleared up, and was fine and pleasant.  The barometer began to rise several days before this change happened; but whether on account of it, or our coming northward, cannot be determined.

The wind remained not long at south before it veered round by the N.E. to the N.W., blowing fresh and by squalls, attended, as before, with rain and thick misty weather.  We had some intervals of clear weather in the afternoon of the 3d, when we found the variation to be 22 deg. 26’ W.; latitude at this time 45 deg. 8’ S., longitude 30 deg. 50’ E. The following night was very stormy, the wind blew from S.W. and in excessively heavy squalls.  At short intervals between the squalls the wind would fall almost to a calm, and then come on again with such fury, that neither our sails nor rigging could withstand it, several of the sails being split, and a middle stay-sail being wholly lost.  The next morning the gale abated, and we repaired the damage we had sustained in the best manner we could.