It was calm most part of the night; but at ten in the morning a light breeze sprung up at S.W. by W. when we made sail again along the shore, N.E. by N. having a large swell from the W.S.W. which had risen in the night; at noon, our latitude, by observation, was 43° 4’ S. and our longitude from Cape West 4° 12’ E. We observed, that the vallies as well as the mountains were this morning covered with snow, part of which we supposed to have fallen during the night, when we had rain. At six in the evening we shortened sail, and at ten brought to, at the distance of about five leagues from the shore, where we had 115 fathom. At midnight, there being little wind, we made sail, and at eight in the morning we stood to the N.E. close upon a wind till noon, when we tacked, being about three leagues from the land, and, by observation, in latitude 42° 8’, and longitude from Cape West 5° 5’ E.

We continued to stand westward till two in the morning, when we made a trip to the eastward, and afterwards stood westward till noon, when, by our reckoning, we were in the latitude of 42° 23’, and longitude from Cape West 3° 55’ E. We now tacked and stood eastward, with a fresh gale at N. by W. till six in the evening, when the wind shifted to the S. and S.S.W. with which we steered N.E. by N. till six in the morning, when we hauled in E. by N. to make the land, which we saw soon afterwards; at noon, our latitude, by account, was 41° 37’, and our longitude from Cape West 5° 42’ E. We were now within three or four leagues of the land, but it being foggy, we could see nothing upon it distinctly, and as we had much wind, and a vast swell rolling in upon the shore, from the W.S.W. I did not think it safe to go nearer.

Voyaging Accounts