A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 14Kerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 14
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
After getting clear of the straits, I directed my course S.E. by E., having
a gentle gale, but variable between the north and west. The late S.E. winds
having caused a swell from the same quarter, which did not go down for some
days, we had little hopes of meeting with land in that direction. We
however continued to steer to the S.E., and on the 11th crossed the
meridian of 180°, and got into the west longitude, according to my way of
reckoning.
On the 16th, at seven in the morning, the wind having veered round to S.E.,
we tacked and stretched to N.E., being at this time in the latitude of 47°
7', longitude 173° W. In this situation we had a great swell from N.E.[2]
The wind continued at S.E. and S.S.E., blew fresh at intervals, and was
attended with sometimes fair, and at other times rainy weather, till the
20th, on which day, being in the latitude of 44° 30', longitude 165° 45'
W., the wind shifted to the west, blew a gentle gale, and was attended with
fair weather. With this we steered E. by N., E. by S., and E., till the 23d
at noon, when, being in the latitude of 44° 38' S., longitude 161° 27' W.,
we had a few hours calm. The calm was succeeded by a wind at east, with
which we stood to the north. The wind increased and blew in squalls,
attended with rain, which at last brought us under our courses; and at two
o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, we were obliged to lie-to under
the foresail, having a very hard gale from E.N.E., and a great sea from the
same direction.[3]
At seven o'clock in the morning of the 25th, the gale being more moderate,
we made sail under the courses, and in the afternoon set the top-sails
close-reefed. At midnight, the wind having veered more to the north, we
tacked and stretched to the S.E., being at this time in the latitude of 42°
53' S., longitude 163° 20' W.
We continued to stretch to the S.E., with a fresh gale and fair weather,
till four o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, when we stood again to
the N.E., till midnight between the 27th and 28th. Then we had a few hours
calm, which was succeeded by faint breezes from the west. At this time we
were in the latitude of 42° 32', longitude 161° 15' W. The wind remained
not long at west, before it veered back to the E. by the N., and kept
between the S.E. and N.E., but never blew strong.
On July 2d, being in the latitude of 53° 3', longitude 156° 17' W., we had
again a calm, which brought the wind back to the west; but it was of no
longer continuance than before. For the next day it returned to the E. and
S.E., blew fresh at times, and by squalls, with rain.
On the 7th, being in the latitude of 41° 22', longitude 156° 12' W., we had
two hours calm; in which time Mr Wales went on board the Adventure to
compare the watches, and they were found to agree, allowing for the
difference of their rates of going: A probable, if not a certain proof,
that they had gone well since we had been in this sea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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