Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/512

474 fogs which southerly winds diffuse over the Mediterranean, near the African coast, in a very hot season. The sands, heated by the solar rays, had communicated to the atmosphere an additional power of retaining water, and we found ourselves immersed, as it were, in a vapour bath of a moderate temperature.

About eleven at night, we lost sight of the Esperance, which did not answer the signals we made, till three hours afterwards, when we heard a very distant report of a gun.

25th. The breeze was weak: we plied close to windward; and when day-light appeared, we saw the Esperance at a small distance. The wind soon began to blow forcibly from the south-west; and for some time, we went at a great rate towards the east.

At noon, we were in 34° 14′ south latitude, and 121° east longitude; and two hours afterwards, we perceived behind some little islands, a large bight, which appeared to offer us excellent shelter.

The natives announced their presence by the smoke of fires, a great way from the shore, and from each other.

The barometer having descended still lower than when it foretold the tempest, which forced us to anchor in Legrand road, we stood off shore, to