Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/165

] towards the outh-eat end of the iland; o that, in favourable weather, veels might eaily put in at that part of the coat. We oberved everal rivulets, which, after winding with a erpentine coure amongt the hills, dicharged themelves into the ea.

We were till very near to the iland when the night came on. The land then appeared as if covered with a heet of fire, whilt the illuminated moke gave that vivid appearance to the ky which generally portends a hurricane.

The ile of St. Paul is about 10,000 toies in circumference, and ituated in about 37° 56′ S, lat. and 75° 2′ E. lon.

The variation of the magnetic needle was here 17½° W.

During the continuance of the gales from N.W. and S.W. the mercury of the barometer gradually fell eight lines. On the firt of April, it was tationary at 27 inches 7 lines, when the gale was o trong, that we went at the rate of ten knots with the fore and main top-ails et. We never ran o fat as on this day, in the whole coure of our voyage. We were now already in 40½° S. lat. Lon. 85° E.

Hitherto we had flattered ourelves that no fraud had been practied upon us, at leat with repect