and south-south-west. The Lady Nelson pitched and rolled considerably,
and nearly every one on board was sea-sick. On the 6th it fell calm
again.

At 6 A.M. on the 9th a schooner was sighted, and shortly afterward a
brig, which stood towards the ship. Believing that the latter was an
enemy, Grant was glad when a storm hid her from view. On the 10th,
however, a glimpse of the brig was again caught, and on the 13th two more
sail were descried standing to the westward, but they finally
disappeared. The Lady Nelson was now surrounded by flying-fish and
tropical birds in great numbers, the latter being of the species
mentioned by Captain Cook as seen by him when he traversed this route.

On May 16th a long, heavy swell was experienced with light airs, and the
sea took a luminous appearance. A spell of bad weather followed, ending
on the 23rd, when, the day being fine, the boats were lowered and the
keels overhauled and repaired, and it was then found that a new piece of
wood which had been put on the after keel at Port Praya was missing. Not
having sufficient timber on board to repair it as before, the keel was
let farther down in the well and a breadth of planking was joined to it
with iron hooping and nails, with the result that it extended three feet
below the vessel.

On the 28th, when nearing Rio de Janeiro, an inspection was made of the
bread and water, and as the latter was found to be in good condition
Grant decided not to enter the port. Some of the bread was a little
damaged by leakage into the bread room, but a more water-tight place for
storing it was soon found. About the same date birds were again observed,
particularly the hoglet: the men caught many of these and made caps of
their skins. Mother Cary's chickens* (* Procellaria pelagica Linn.) were