Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
of our intended Voyage; they were well satisfied, and Expressed great
Cheerfulness and readiness to prosecute the Voyage. Received on board
another Supply of Provisions, Rum, etc. Wind North-West to South-West.
Saturday, 20th. First part little wind with rain; remainder fresh Gales
and thick rainy weather. Employed making ready for Sea. Wind
West-South-West.
Sunday, 21st. Fresh Gales and Ditto Weather. The Shipwrights having
finished their Work, intended to have sailed, instead of which was
obliged to let go another Anchor. Wind South-West, West-South-West.
Monday, 22nd. Fresh Gales, with heavy squalls of Wind and Rain all this
24 hours. Wind South-West.
Tuesday, 23rd. Ditto weather. Struck Yards and Topmasts; Anchored between
the Island and the Main His Majesty's Ship Gibraltar. Wind West by South.
Wednesday, 24th. Fresh Gales and Hazey weather; a.m. hove up the Small
Bower Anchor and got Topmasts and Yards. Wind West by South.
Thursday, 25th. Moderate and Cloudy weather; a.m. received on Board a
supply of Beer and Water, and returned all our Empty Casks. Loosed the
Topsails as a Signal for Sailing. Wind West, North by West, North-West by
West.
[Sailed from Plymouth.]
Friday, 26th. First part fresh Breezes and Cloudy, remainder little wind
and Clear. At 2 p.m. got under Sail and put to Sea, having on board 94
Persons, including Officers, Seamen, Gentlemen, and their Servants; near
18 Months' Provisions, 10 Carriage Guns, 12 Swivels, with good Store of
Ammunition and Stores of all kinds. At 8 the Dodman Point
West-North-West, distant 4 or 5 Leagues; at 6 a.m. the Lizard bore
West-North-West 1/2 West, 5 or 6 Leagues distant. At Noon Sounded and had
50 fathoms, Grey sand with small Stones and broken Shells. Wind North by
West, North-West, West by South; course South 21 degrees East; distance
23 miles; latitude 49 degrees 30 minutes North, longitude 5 degrees 52
minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 21 degrees West distant 23 miles.
Saturday, 27th. First part Light Airs and Clear weather, remainder fresh
breezes and Cloudy. Berthed the Ship's Company, Mustered the Chests and
Stove all that were unnecessary. Wind North-West, North-East, South-East;
course South-West; distance 77 miles; latitude 48 degrees 42 minutes
North, longitude 6 degrees 49 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 29
degrees East, 80 miles.
Sunday, 28th. Former part fresh Gales and Hazey with rain; remainder a
Moderate breeze and Cloudy. Wind Easterly; course South 48 degrees West;
distance 130 miles; latitude 47 degrees 16 minutes North, longitude 9
degrees 7 minutes West; at noon Lizard North 40 degrees 5 minutes East;
69 leagues.
Monday, 29th. Light Airs and Hazey the Most part of these 24 hours with
some Rain. Wind North-Westerly; course South 21 degrees West; distance 41
miles; latitude 46 degrees 38 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 29
minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 37 degrees 45 minutes East, 86
leagues.
Tuesday, 30th. Fresh Gales all these 24 Hours. At 1/2 past 1 p.m. Spoke
with His Majesty's Ship Guardaloupe; at 6 Close Reeft the Topsails, and
got down the Top Gallant Yards. Wind Westerly; course South 27 degrees
West; distance 33 miles; latitude 46 degrees 9 minutes North, longitude 9
degrees 52 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 36 degrees East, 96
leagues.
Wednesday, 31st. First and Middle parts, Moderate breezes and Clear;
Latter, fresh Gales and Cloudy. At 6 p.m. loosed the 2nd Reef out of the
Topsails, and at 8 a.m. took them in again; at Noon Tacked and stood to
the North-West, having stood before to the Southward. Wind West to
South-West; course South 36 degrees East; distance 82 miles; latitude 45
degrees 3 minutes North, longitude 8 degrees 43 minutes West; at noon,
Lizard North-North-East, 105 leagues.
[September 1768. Plymouth to Madeira.]
Thursday, September 1st. Very hard gales, with some heavy showers of
Rain, the most part of these 24 Hours, which brought us under our two
Courses, Broke one of our Main Topmast phuttock Plates, washed overboard
a small Boat belonging to the Boatswain, and drowned between 3 and 4
Dozen of our Poultry, which was worst of all. Towards Noon it moderated,
so that we could bear our Maintopsail close Reefd. At Midnight wore and
stood to the Southward. Wind Westerly; course South 70 degrees West;
distance 20 miles; latitude 44 degrees 56 minutes North, longitude 9
degrees 9 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 28 degrees 15 minutes West,
109 leagues.
Friday, 2nd. Fresh Gales and Cloudy the most part of these 24 hours. P.M.
got up the spare Mainsail to dry, it being Wet by the Water getting into
the Sail room, occasioned by the Ship being very Leakey in her upper
works. At 5 a.m. loosed 2 Reefs out of each Topsail, and saw the Land,
which we judged to be Cape Finister and Cape Ortugal. At 10 Tackt, being
about 4 miles off Shore, and stood to the North-West; at Noon, Cape
Ortugal bore East by South, distance about 8 Leagues. Wind North by West,
West, South-West, West-South-West; course South by West; distance 64
miles; latitude 43 degrees 53 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 26
minutes West; at noon, Lizard North-North-East, 130 leagues.
Saturday, 3rd. First part little wind and Hazey, with rain; remainder
strong Gales with hard squalls, which brought us under our close Reeft
Topsails, and obliged us to strike Topgallant Yards. At 8 a.m. wore ship
and stood to the Southward. Wind South-West and West; course South 68
degrees 45 minutes West; distance 44 miles; latitude 44 degrees 9 minutes
North, longitude 10 degrees 20 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 29 1/2
degrees East, 138 leagues.
Sunday, 4th. Fore part fresh Gales and Clear; remainder light Airs and
Calm. At 6 a.m. Cape Finister bore South by West 1/2 West, distance 10 or
11 leagues. Loosed all the Reefs out of the Topsails, and got Topgallant
Yards across. Wind Westerly, Calm; at noon, Island of Cyserga,* (*
Sisarga, near Coruna.) East-South-East 3 leagues.
Monday, 5th. Light breezes and Calm all these 24 hours. At 2 p.m. had an
Observation of the Sun and Moon, which gave the Longitude 8 degrees 42
minutes West from Greenwich. At 6 Cape Finister bore South by West 1/2
West, 6 Leagues. Variation of the Compass per Azimuth 18 degrees 42
minutes West. At Noon, Cape Finister South by East, distant 4 leagues;
latitude observed 43 degrees 4 minutes, therefore Cape Finister must lay
in latitude 42 degrees 53 minutes North.* (* This is correct.) Wind
Westerly, North-West, Calm.
Tuesday, 6th. Moderate breezes and Clear weather these 24 Hours. A.M.
found the Variation by the Mean of 5 Azimuth to be 21 degrees 40 minutes
West, 3 Degrees more than what it was found Yesterday, which I cannot
account for,* (* Cook, as all other navigators of his time, was unaware
of the deviation of the compass caused by the iron of the ship.) as both
Observations appeared to me to be equally well made. At 10.28 had an
Observation of the sun and moon, which gave the Longitude 9 degrees 40
minutes West from Greenwich. By this Observation Cape Finister must lay
in 8 degrees 52 minutes, and by that made yesterday in 8 degrees 40
minutes. The Mean of the two is 8 degrees 46 minutes West of Greenwich
the Longitude of the Cape,* (* The correct longitude is 9 degrees 15
minutes West.) its latitude being 42 degrees 53 minutes North. Wind
North-West; course South 42 degrees West; distance 70 miles; latitude 42
degrees 1 minute North, longitude 9 degrees 50 minutes West; at noon,
Cape Finister North 42 degrees East, 70 miles.
Wednesday, 7th. Moderate breezes and Clear weather; found the Variation
to be 21 degrees 4 minutes West. Wind West-North-West; course South by
West; distance 92 miles; latitude 40 degrees 29 minutes North, longitude
10 degrees 11 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 13 degrees East,
49 leagues.
Thursday, 8th. Fresh Gales and Cloudy weather. A.M. Past by 2 Sail, which
were standing to the North-East. Wind West-North-West to West by South;
course South 4 degrees East; distance 111 miles; latitude 38 degrees 33
minutes North, longitude 10 degrees West; at noon, Cape Finister North 12
degrees East, 88 leagues.
Friday, 9th. First part fresh Gales; remainder moderate breezes and fine,
Clear weather. Set up the Topmast rigging, and found the Variation to be
19 degrees 50 minutes West. Wind West by North to North-East; course
South 40 degrees West; distance 116 miles; latitude 37 degrees 4 minutes
North, longitude 11 degrees 33 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North
20 degrees East, 124 leagues.
Saturday, 10th. A steady, fresh breeze and fine Clear weather. Found the
Variation of the Compys by the Evening and Morning Amplitude and by 2
Azimuth to be 20 degrees 59 minutes West. Wind North-East by East; course
South 36 minutes West; distance 130 miles; latitude 35 degrees 20 minutes
North, longitude 13 degrees 28 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North
24 degrees East, 166 leagues.
Sunday, 11th. The same Winds and weather Continue. Found the Variation to
be this Evening 18 degrees 54 minutes, and in the Morning 17 degrees 58
minutes West, they both being the mean result of several good
Observations. Wind North-East by East, North by East; course South 32
degrees West; distance 94 miles; latitude 34 degrees 1 minute North,
longitude 14 degrees 29 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 26 1/2
degrees East, 198 leagues.
Monday, 12th. Moderate breezes and fine Clear weather. At 6 a.m. the
Island of Porto Santo bore North-West by West, distance 9 or 10 leagues.
Hauld the Wind to the westward at noon, the Deserters extending from
West-South-West to South-West by South, the Body of Madeira West 1/2
South, and Porto Santo North-North-West 1/2 West. Wind North-North-West;
course South 40 degrees West; distance 102 miles; latitude 32 degrees 43
minutes North, longitude 15 degrees 53 minutes West.
Tuesday, 13th. Fresh breezes and clear weather. At 8 p.m. anchored in
Funchal Road in 22 fathoms. Found here His Majesty's Ship Rose and
several Merchants' Vessels. In the Morning new berthed the Ship, and
Moor'd with the Stream Anchor, half a Cable on the Best Bower and a
Hawser and a half on the Stream Wind North-West.
MOORED IN FUNCHAL ROAD, MADEIRA, Wednesday, 14th. First part fine, Clear
weather, remainder Cloudy, with Squals from the land, attended with
Showers of rain. In the Night the Bend of the Hawsers of the Stream
Anchor Slip'd owing to the Carelessness of the Person who made it fast.
In the Morning hove up the Anchor in the Boat and carried it out to the
Southward. In heaving the Anchor out of the Boat Mr. Weir, Master's Mate,
was carried overboard by the Buoy rope and to the Bottom with the Anchor.
Hove up the Anchor by the Ship as soon as possible, and found his Body
intangled in the Buoy rope. Moor'd the Ship with the two Bowers in 22
fathoms Water; the Loo Rock West and the Brazen Head East. Saild His
Majesty's Ship Rose. The Boats employed carrying the Casks a Shore for
Wine, and the Caulkers caulking the Ship Sides. Wind Easterly.
Thursday, 15th. Squals of Wind from the Land, with rain the most part of
these 24 Hours. Received on board fresh Beef and Greens for the Ship's
Company, and sent on shore all our Casks for Wine and Water, having a
Shore Boat employed for that purpose. Wind North-East to South-East.
Friday, 16th. The most part fine, Clear weather. Punished Henry Stevens,
Seaman, and Thomas Dunster, Marine, with 12 lashes each, for refusing to
take their allowance of Fresh Beef. Employed taking on board Wine and
Water. Wind Easterly.
Saturday, 17th. Little wind, and fine Clear weather. Issued to the whole
Ship's Company 20 pounds of Onions per Man. Employed as Yesterday. Wind
Westerly.
Sunday, 18th. Ditto Weather. P.M. received on board 270 pounds of fresh