Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/352

324 the same elevation. In observing that that instrument is a very uncertain measure of sensible heat, I ought to apprize the reader that I always speak of the mercurial thermometer of Reaumur.

11th. This day, the Esperance ran foul of us, being the sixth accident of this kind, since we left Europe. She broke the foot rope of her sprit-sail yard, on the fore part of our rigging. Fortunately we kept the frigates asunder, by placing a boom between them. As it was a dead calm, we put out two boats, to tow the ships still farther from each other. The boats, at the same time, observed the direction of the current, which carried us to the N.N.E. at the rate of half a knot in the hour.

12th. At day-break, we had sight of the largest of Schouten's Islands, bearing S. ¼ S.W.

The surface of the water was violently agitated, in a large space, through which the Esperance had occasion to pass, in prosecuting her course. Fearing that it was caused by breakers, she put

about;