to relinquiſh his former intention, and reſolve to double the Cape of Van Diemen, in order to get into the South Seas.
About half an hour after ſix o'clock in the morning, he ſent a boat to the Eſperance to acquaint the Captain with his determination. The wind fell all of a ſudden when the two ſhips were very cloſe to each other. A very high ſurge increaſed the danger of our ſituation; ſo that the bowſprit of the Eſperance was very near running foul of our ſtern, had the veſſels not been kept clear of each other by the boats.
We found that the currents ſet to the north. The ring by which the long-boat, that had been ſent to take an obſervation of their direction, was faſtened to the cable, gave way as they were hoiſting it on board, and the compaſs that they had been uſing was deſtroyed.
Though we were upwards of 1,000,000 toiſes from the Cape of Good Hope, we ſaw ſeveral albatroſſes (diomedea exulans), ſome of which let us come very near them, as they floated upon the ſurface of the ſea. We frequently obſerved them thruſt their beaks very deep under the water to ſeize their prey.
The flight of theſe birds is very aſtoniſhing. One cannot perceive any motion of their wings except at the moment they raiſe themſelves into
the
