Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/198

 with ome European veel to obtain upplies to enable us to wait for a more favourable period to round Cape Horn.

How far I may be right in my conjecture mut be decided by future trials, but I am very much dipoed to believe, that the tar we had on board was of a bad quality, and detroyed not only the copper but iron, and was, in ome degree, the caue of our leak: for the copper, wherever it was paid with it, was become as thin as paper, and the copper-headed nails, as well as thoe of iron, had received coniderable injury.

On the twenty-ninth we reached as far Northward as 16° 50′ South, and made the coat of Peru; on the thirtieth at noon we were within a few miles of the hore, and not eeing any hips, we conceived our opinion of a war with Spain was confirmed, and the only rational alternative left us, was to brave all the difficulties that we experienced and was further threatened with; and force ourelves as oon as poible out of them, by loing no time in getting round the Cape into the Atlantic; this being determined we took our departure for England. As we tretched to the Southward, the wind hung more to the Eatward of South, than on the former part of our voyage.