We erected a tent on shore for the cooper, who was busily employed in repairing our casks, and the other hands were employed in watering and other necessary duties.
As we had now made 310° 43' of east longitude, which is equal to 20 h. 42 min. 52 sec. of time, we, of course, dropped one day, and called the 5th of February, Saturday the 4th. This afternoon I sent two boats on shore for various refreshments, having nearly completed our water. In the morning of the 5th, the cutter swamped at her moorings aftern; the oars and tiller washed out of her, and were lost.
On the 7th, most of our business being finished, we unmoored; and after standing a little farther out of the harbour, we anchored with the small bower, in five and a quarter fathoms; the Fort of Santa Cruz bearing north-north-west, and the opposite fort, north-east. We completed our water and every other duty on the 8th, and the next morning weighed and made sail. At eleven o'clock, we saluted the fort with eleven guns, which was returned by an equal number: at noon, we were abreast of Santa Cruz Fort.
With a light breeze from the northward, we were employed in turning down the harbour; and at seven o'clock, we came to in five fathoms, over a muddy bottom; the Island Averade bearing north-east half north, and Santa Cruz Fort south-west by west. Early the next morning, we weighed and stood out of the harbour, and the wind being very light, the jolly-boat was sent a-head to tow the vessel: in the afternoon, a moderate breeze came on from the eastward.
At noon on the 11th, the land bore from south 57° west, to north 82° west: the wind being variable, we tacked occasionally. Our latitude was 27° 19' south, and the longitude 48° 21' west. 'Till the 17th, we had light winds, chiefly from the north-east quarter, and fine clear weather; the wind then shifted to the westward, with frequent squalls and heavy showers of rain. The latitude, at noon, was 29° 27' south, and 41° 14' west longitude. On the 20th, we had the ship well cleaned between decks, and thoroughly washed with vinegar. The variation of the compass was 4° 40' easterly.
At noon on the 21st, a severe squall came on, attended with thunder, and very heavy rain; the wind all round the compass: this occasioned us to clew up the top-sails, and reef the foresail; however, towards evening, the weather growing more moderate we set the top-sails.
We opened a cask of beef on the 22d, which was marked R. H. N° 72, and was received from the commissary at the victualling-office, Port Jackson: it contained sixty-six double pieces, which was four double pieces short of the number there ought to have been.
During the 23d and 24th, we had light easterly winds, with intervening calms, and dark cloudy weather, attended with rain. On the 25th, in latitude 26° 13' south, and 31° 33' east longitude, we found 1° 22' easterly variation; and on the 27th the variation was 00° 45' westerly; the latitude being 22° 32' south, and the longitude 29° 03' west. I ordered the cables to be hauled up, the tier to be well cleaned, and washed with vinegar. The wind now hauled to the westward, with a moderate breeze and clear weather. On the 28th, the wind shifted to the northward, and at one o'clock in the morning of the 29th, a very severe squall came on from north-north-east, attended with heavy rain: soon after day-light, the weather moderated.
We now had a settled easterly wind and fine weather, until the morning of the 6th of March, when the wind blew strong and in squalls, and continued very unsettled till the afternoon of the 7th, when it grew moderate. The latitude was 14° 26' south, and the longitude 23° 02' west. On the 12th, we were in 02° 11' south latitude, and 25' 16" west longitude, and in the afternoon we saw a sail to the northward; we bore up and spoke her; she proved to be the Cleopatra, of Boston, bound to Calcutta. I ordered the jolly-boat to be hoisted out and sent on board her; at six o'clock the boat returned, we got her on board, and made sail.
From the 16th to the 18th, we had squally unsettled weather, attended with thunder, lightning, and heavy rain. Our latitude at noon on the 20th, was 08° 45' north, the longitude 30° 16' west, and the variation by azimuth 7° 52' west: the wind blew strong from the north-east, which occasioned a very high sea.