at intervals, and afforded an opportunity to observe several distances
of the sun and moon, which we had not been able to do for some time
past, having had a constant succession of bad weather.

Having now run over the place where the land was supposed to lie,
without seeing the least signs of any, it was no longer to be doubted
but that the ice-islands had deceived us as well as Mr Bouvet. The wind
by this time having veered to the north, and increased to a perfect
storm, attended as usual with snow and sleet, we handed the top-sails
and hauled up E.N.E. under the courses. During the night the wind
abated, and veered to N.W., which enabled us to steer more to the north,
having no business farther south.



SECTION VII.

_Heads of what has been done in the Voyage; with some Conjectures
concerning the Formation of Ice-Islands; and an Account of our
Proceedings till our Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope._


I had now made the circuit of the southern ocean in a high latitude, and
traversed it in such a manner as to leave not the least room for the
possibility of there being a continent, unless near the Pole, and out of
the reach of navigation. By twice visiting the tropical sea, I had not
only settled the situation of some old discoveries, but made there many
new ones, and left, I conceive, very little more to be done even in that
part. Thus I flatter myself, that the intention of the voyage has, in
every respect, been fully answered; the southern hemisphere sufficiently