is well situated for that purpose, being built on an elevation, which rises directly from the sea on the right, at the head of the bay. We had no sooner got clear of Port Praya, than we got a fresh gale at N. N. E. which blew in squalls, attended with showers of rain. But the next day the wind and showers abated, and veered to the south. It was, however, variable and unsettled for several days, accompanied with dark, gloomy weather, and showers of rain. On the 19th, in the afternoon, one of the carpenter’s-mates fell over board, and was drowned. He was over the side, fitting in one of the scuttles; from whence, it was supposed, he had fallen: for he was not seen till the very instant he sunk under the ship’s stern, when our endeavours to save him were too late. This loss was sensibly felt during the voyage, as he was a sober man and a good workman. About noon the next day, the rain poured down upon us not in drops, but in streams. The wind, at the same time, was variable, and squally; which obliged the people to attend the decks, so that few in the ships escaped a good soaking. We, however, benefited by it, as it gave us an opportunity of filling all our empty water casks. This heavy rain at last brought on a dead calm, which continued twenty-four hours, when it was succeeded by a breeze from S. W. Betwixt this point and south it continued for several days; and blew, at times, in squalls, attended with rain and hot sultry weather. The mercury in the thermometers at noon, kept generally from 79 to 82. On the 27th, spake with Captain Furneaux, who informed us that one of his petty officers was dead. At this time we had not one sick on board; although we had every thing of this kind to fear from the rain we had had, which is a great promoter of sickness in hot climates. To prevent this, and agreeable to some hints I had from Sir Hugh Palliser, and from Captain Campbell, I took every necessary precaution, by airing and drying the ship with fires made betwixt decks, smoaking, &c. and by obliging the people to air their bedding, wash and dry their clothes, whenever there was an opportunity. A neglect of these things causeth a disagreeable smell below, affects the air, and seldom fails to bring on sickness; but more especially in hot and wet weather. We now began to see some of those birds which are said never to fly far from land; that is, man of war, and tropic birds, gannets, &c. No land, however, that we knew of, could be nearer than eighty leagues.