41

& shouting which gathered a good company of us in
that direction We were told that their was a night-
hawk up the fore-mast & they were trying to fright
en it down one of our fellows thought he would
have it so up he went but no hawk could he
find It was a night hoax. He was greeted with a
hearty laugh for his pains I was made not an
April fool but an Equatorial one. The only hawk
to be seen was a hawk without wings or legs
with a large eye consisting of a huge copper
lamp which hung at the mast head
to let other vessels know our whereabouts.
To night for the first time we see the
southern X it being pointed out to us
by the sailors The Great Bear & Polar Star
are gradually sinking on the horizon
& will soon be lost to sight

Sat Jan 17/80

276 miles 7 [degrees] 24" Lat S 5 [degrees] 54" Long W Very hot as
usual but with it comes a nice breeze