The season was now too far advanced for us to expect more favourable winds or weather, and we had sufficiently experienced the impossibility of beating round against the wind, or of advancing at all without the help of a fair wind for which there was little reason to hope.  Another consideration which had great weight with me was that, if I persisted in my attempt this way and should after all fail to get round, it would occasion such a loss of time that our arrival at Otaheite soon enough to return in the proper season by the East Indies would be rendered precarious.  On the other hand the prevalence of the westerly winds in high southern latitudes left me no reason to doubt of making a quick passage to the Cape of Good Hope and thence to the eastward round New Holland.

Tuesday 22.

Having maturely considered all circumstances I determined to bear away for the Cape of Good Hope; and at five o’clock on the evening of the 22nd, the wind then blowing strong at west, I ordered the helm to be put a weather, to the great joy of every person on board.  Our sicklist at this time had increased to eight, mostly with rheumatic complaints:  in other respects the people were in good health, though exceedingly jaded.

The passage round Cape Horn into the South Seas during the summer months has seldom been attended with difficulty and is to be preferred in the moderate seasons to the more distant route to the eastward round the Cape of Good Hope and New Holland.  If we had been one month earlier, or perhaps less, I doubt not but we should have effected our passage.

The soundings that are met with off the coast of America, from the latitude of 36 degrees south to the southward, are very convenient to enable ships to judge of their distance from the land, as thick fogs are very frequent near that coast.  If the winds are favourable, to go through Straits le Maire must considerably shorten the passage round Cape Horn, as all the distance saved is so much gained to the westward.  I am informed that several harbours have been lately discovered by the South Sea whalers on the north side of Staten Island that afford safe anchorage with supplies of wood and water.

While we were off Cape Horn I did not observe that our situation was at all affected by currents.

CHAPTER 3.

Passage towards the Cape of Good Hope and Search after Tristan da Cunha.  Arrival at False Bay.  Occurrences there.  Reports concerning the Grosvenor’s People.  Departure from the Cape.

1788.  April.  Friday 25.

The westerly winds and stormy weather continuing gave me no reason to repent of my determination.  On the 25th at noon we were in latitude 54 degrees 16 minutes south and longitude 57 degrees 4 minutes west.  The nearest of the Falkland Islands by my reckoning then bore north 13 degrees west; distance 23 leagues.  Our stock of water being sufficient to serve us to the Cape of Good Hope I did not think it worth while to stop at these islands as the refreshment we might obtain there would scarce repay us for the expense of time:  we therefore continued our course towards the north-east and east-north-east.