Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
distance 119 miles; latitude 38 degrees 18 minutes North, longitude 40
degrees 38 minutes West.
Monday, 17th. Steady, Gentle Gales and pleasant weather. Variation in the
Evening 9 degrees West. Wind South-South-East; course North 68 degrees
East; distance 104 miles; latitude 38 degrees 57 minutes North, longitude
38 degrees 36 minutes West.
Tuesday, 18th. Little wind, and clear weather. At 2 p.m. found the Ship
to be by Observation 1 degree 22 minutes to the Westward of Account
carried on from the last Observation; in the Evening the Variation was 14
degrees 15 minutes West, and in the Morning 14 degrees 24 minutes. Wind
South; course North 66 degrees East; distance 82 miles; latitude 39
degrees 52 minutes North, longitude 36 degrees 59 minutes West.
Wednesday, 19th. Fresh Gales and Cloudy. At 2 p.m. found by observation
the same Error in our Longitude as Yesterday, which I have now corrected.
The Longitude of this day is that resulting from Observation. At 10 A.M.
saw a Sail a head, which we soon came up with, and sent a Boat on board.
She was a Schooner from Rhoad Island out upon the Whale fishery. From her
we learnt that all was peace in Europe, and that the America Disputes
were made up; to confirm this the Master said that the Coat on his back
was made in old England. Soon after leaving this Vessel we spoke another
from Boston, and saw a third, all out on the same account. Wind South to
South-West; course North 73 degrees East; distance 127 miles; latitude 40
degrees 9 minutes North, longitude 36 degrees 44 minutes West.
Thursday, 20th. Fresh Gales and Cloudy, with some Showers of rain. At day
light in the Morning saw a Sail ahead standing to the East. A Swell from
the North-North-West. Wind South-West, North-West, North; course North 80
1/2 degrees East; distance 121 miles; latitude 40 degrees 29 minutes
North, longitude 33 degrees 10 minutes West.
Friday, 21st. Fresh Gales and Cloudy. In the P.M. saw a Sail astern
standing to the South-East, and at 11 o'Clock A.M. saw from the Mast head
13 Sail of Stout Ships, which we took to be the East India Fleet. Wind
Northerly; course East by North; distance 128 miles; latitude 40 degrees
33 minutes North, longitude 30 degrees 20 minutes West.
Saturday, 22nd. Fresh Gales, with Squalls, attended with rain. In the
Evening had 14 Sail in sight, 13 upon our lee Quarter, and a Snow upon
our lee Bow. In the Night split both Topgallant Sails so much that they
were obliged to be unbent to repair. In the Morning the Carpenter
reported the Maintopmast to be Sprung in the Cap, which we supposed
hapned in the P.M., when both the Weather Backstays broke. Our Rigging
and Sails are now so bad that something or another is giving way every
day. At Noon had 13 Sail in sight, which we are well assured are the
India Fleet, and are all now upon our Weather Quarter. Wind North to
North-East; course North 81 degrees East; distance 114 miles; latitude 41
degrees 11 minutes, longitude 27 degrees 52 minutes West.
Sunday, 23rd. Fresh Gales and Squally, attended with Showers of rain. In
the Evening all the Fleet were to Windward of us, and in the Morning not
one was to be seen. Wind North-East by North to East-North-East; course
South 69 1/2 degrees East; distance 80 miles; latitude 40 degrees 43
minutes North, longitude 26 degrees 13 minutes West.
Monday, 24th. First part, moderate breezes; remainder, Squally. At Noon
Tack'd. Wind North-East to East-South-East; course South 82 degrees East;
distance 64 miles; latitude 40 degrees 34 minutes North, longitude 24
degrees 49 minutes West.
Tuesday, 25th. First part and remainder a fresh breeze and Cloudy. Wind
North-East to North-North-East; course South 85 degrees East; distance 58
miles; latitude 40 degrees 39 minutes North, longitude 23 degrees 33
minutes West.
Wednesday, 26th. First part, breezes; remainder, little wind. Wind North
by East; course North 86 degrees 45 minutes East; distance 72 miles;
latitude 40 degrees 43 minutes North, longitude 21 degrees 58 minutes
West.
Thursday, 27th. Moderate breezes and Cloudy weather. Wind Westerly;
course North 54 minutes East; distance 54 miles; latitude 41 degrees 14
minutes North, longitude 20 degrees 59 minutes West.
Friday, 28th. Fresh breezes, with Showers of Rain. Wind West to
North-North-West; course North 38 degrees East; distance 123 miles;
latitude 42 degrees 55 minutes North, longitude 19 degrees 18 minutes
West.
Saturday, 29th. First part, little wind; remainder, Fresh Gales and
Squally, with Showers of Rain. Wind South-West to West and North-East;
course North 59 degrees 15 minutes East; distance 86 miles; latitude 43
degrees 39 minutes North, longitude 17 degrees 36 minutes West.
Sunday, 30th. Gentle breezes and fair weather. Variation in the Evening
18 degrees 30 minutes West, and in the Morning 19 degrees 30 minutes.
Wind Northerly; course North 50 degrees 45 minutes East; distance 87
miles; latitude 44 degrees 34 minutes North, longitude 16 degrees 2
minutes West.
[July 1771.]
Monday, July 1st. Ditto weather. In the Night passed 2 Sail Standing to
the South-West. Wind Ditto; course North 77 degrees 15 minutes East;
distance 90 miles; latitude 44 degrees 54 minutes North, longitude 13
degrees 59 minutes West.
Tuesday, 2nd. Little wind and Cloudy, hazey weather. One Sail in Sight to
the North-East. Wind Ditto; course East; distance 42 miles; latitude 45
degrees 54 minutes North, longitude 13 degrees 2 minutes West.
Wednesday, 3rd. Little wind and pleasant weather. At 9 A.M. found the
Ship by Observation of the Sun and Moon 1 degree 14 minutes East of
Account. Six Sail in Sight. Wind North and North-West; course North 56
degrees East; distance 54 miles; latitude 45 degrees 24 minutes North,
longitude 11 degrees 59 minutes West per Log, 10 degrees 45 minutes per
Observation.
Thursday, 4th. Gentle breezes and Cloudy weather. Variation per Azimuth
and Amplitude in the Evening 21 degrees 25 1/2 West, and in the Morning
20 degrees 10 minutes West. Wind West, North, and North-East; course
South 85 degrees East; distance 55 miles; latitude 45 degrees 29 minutes
North, longitude 10 degrees 44 minutes West per Log, 9 degrees 27 minutes
per Observation.
Friday, 5th. Little wind and Cloudy. At 1 P.M. spoke a Dutch Galliot
bound to Riga. At 5 Tack't, and stood to the Westward till 8 a.m., then
to the Eastward. Wind North-East; course North 50 degrees East; distance
8 miles; latitude 45 degrees 34 minutes North, longitude 10 degrees 32
minutes West per Log, 9 degrees 18 minutes per Observation.
Saturday, 6th. Gentle breezes and Cloudy. At 1 p.m. sent a Boat on board
a Brig belonging to Boston, last from Gibraltar, and bound to Falmouth.
Wind North-North-East; course North 72 degrees 30 minutes East; distance
37 miles; latitude 44 degrees 45 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 42
minutes West per Log, 8 degrees 28 minutes per Observation.
Sunday, 7th. Gentle breezes and Clear weather. In the Evening found the
Variation by the Amplitude to be 22 degrees 30 minutes West. At 9 A.M.
Spoke a Brig from Liverpool bound to Porto, and some time after another
from London, bound to the Granades. She had been 3 days from Scilly, and
reckoned herself in the Longitude of about 10 minutes West, which was
about 40 minutes to the Westward of what we found ourselves to-day by
Observation. We learnt from this Vessel that no account had been received
in England from us, and that Wagers were held that we were lost. It seems
highly improbable that the Letters sent by the Dutch Ships from Batavia
should not come to hand, as it is now 5 months since these Ships sail'd
from the Cape of Good Hope. Wind North-North-East and North-West; course
North 50 degrees East; distance 49 miles; latitude 46 degrees 16 minutes
North, longitude 9 degrees 39 minutes West per Account, 9 degrees 29
minutes per Observation.
Monday, 8th. Little wind and hazey weather. Swell from the Northward.
Wind North-North-West to South-West; course North 46 degrees 45 minutes
East; distance 43 miles; latitude 46 degrees 45 minutes North, longitude
8 degrees 54 minutes West.
Tuesday, 9th. Fore and middle parts a Gentle breeze, and thick, Foggy
weather; remainder, a fresh Breeze and Cloudy. A swell from the
North-North-West all day. Wind South Westerly; course North 21 degrees
East; distance 100 miles; latitude 48 degrees 19 minutes North, longitude
8 degrees 1 minute West per Account, 8 degrees 7 minutes per Observation.
Wednesday, 10th. Pleasant breezes and Clear weather. At 6 o'Clock in the
Morning sounded, and Struck ground in 60 fathoms Shells and Stones, by
which I judged we were the length of Scilly Isles. At Noon we saw land
from the Mast Head, bearing North, which we judged to be about the Land's
End. Soundings 54 fathoms, Coarse, Grey Sand. Wind Westerly; course North
44 degrees East; distance 97 miles; latitude 49 degrees 29 minutes North,
longitude 6 degrees 18 minutes West.
Friday, 11th. Steady fresh breezes and clear weather. At 2 in the P.M.
saw the Lizardland, and at 6 o'clock the lighthouse bore North-West,
distant 5 Leagues, we being at this time, by my reckoning, in the
Longitude of 5 degrees 30 minutes West; soon after 2 Ships under their
Topsails between us and the land, which we took for Men of War. At 7
o'clock in the morning the Start Point bore North-West by North, distant
3 Leagues, and at Noon we reckon'd ourselves about 5 Leagues short of
Portland. This Forenoon a small cutter built vessel came under our Stern,
and inquir'd after the India Fleet, which, they said, they were cruizing
for and had not seen.
Friday, 12th. Winds at South-West, a fresh Gale, with which we run
briskly up Channel. At 1/2 past 3 p.m. passed the Bill of Portland, and
at 7 Peverell Point; at 6 a.m. passed Beachy head at the distance of 4 or
5 miles; at 10 Dungeness, at the distance of 2 miles, and at Noon we were
abreast of Dover.
Saturday, 13th. At 3 o'clock in the P.M. anchor'd in the Downs, and soon
after I landed in order to repair to London.
(Signed) JAMs COOK.
POSTCRIPT.
I HAVE made mention in Book 1st,* (* The Journal was written in thin
books, afterwards bound together in England. The page given here is of
this published copy.) page 76, of 2 Spanish Ships touching at Georges
Island some months before our Arrival there. Upon our arrival at Batavia
we were inform'd that 2 French Ships, commanded by the Sieur de
Bougainville, had put in there about 2 years before us in their way home
from the South Seas. We were told many Circumstances relating to the 2
Ships, all tending to prove beyond a doubt that they were the same 2 as
were at George's Island as above mentioned, which we then conjectur'd to
be Spaniards, being lead into that mistake by the Spanish Iron, etc., we
saw among the Natives, and by Toobouratomita pitching upon the Colours of
that Nation for those they wore, in which he might very easily be
mistaken; but as to the Iron, etc., there might be no mistake, for we
were told that either one or both of these Ships had put into the River
de la Plata, where they disposed of all their European goods brought for
that purpose, and purchased others to Trade with the Islanders in the
South Sea; and I think we were told that they also touched upon the
Spanish Main in the South Sea. As a proof of their having been trading
with the Spaniards, Bougainville's Ship had on board a great Quantity of
Spanish Dollars at the time she arrived at and left Batavia, some days
after our arrival at the Cape of Good Hope. I was told by some French
Officers, lately come from the Island Mauritius, that Orette, the Native
of George's Island which Bougainville brought away with him, was now at
the Maritius, and that they were going to fit out a Ship to carry him to