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Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World

James Cook

Thursday, 6th. First part light Breezes and Cloudy; Middle frequent heavy Squalls, with rain, till towards Noon when we had again little wind. Found the Variation by the mean of 3 Azimuth, taken this Morning, to be 8 degrees 52 minutes West, which makes the Variation found Yesterday doubtful. Wind North-East, South-East, Southerly; course South 10 degrees 30 minutes West; distance 77 miles; latitude 9 degrees 40 minutes North, longitude 22 degrees 28 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 4 degrees East, 128 leagues. Friday, 7th. Variable light Airs and Calm all these 24 Hours. At Noon found the Current to set South-East 1/4 South one Mile per hour, and yet by Observation at Noon I find the Ship 12 Miles to the Northward of Account, a Circumstance that hath not hapned for many days, and which I believe to be owing to the heavy Squalls we had Yesterday from the South-East, which obliged us to put frequently before the Wind. Wind Southerly, calm, Northerly; course South 5 degrees West; distance 10 miles; latitude 9 degrees 42 minutes North, longitude 22 degrees 19 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 4 degrees East, 127 leagues. [Between Cape de Verd Islands and Equator.] Saturday, 8th. First part, light Airs and Clear weather; Middle, Squally, with Thunder and Lightning all round; latter part, Moderate breezes and Clear weather. Had several Azimuths both in the Evening and Morning, which gave the Variation South 8 degrees 30 minutes West. At Noon found by Observation that the Ship had outrun the Log 20 Miles, a Proof that there is a Current setting to the Southward. Wind North-East by North to East-South-East; course South by East; distance 78 miles; latitude 8 degrees 25 minutes North, longitude 22 degrees 4 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 1 degree 45 minutes East, 152 leagues. Sunday, 9th. Light Airs and fine Clear weather. Found the Variation by a great Number of Azimuth made this Afternoon to be 8 degrees 21 minutes 30 seconds West, and by the Morning Amplitude 7 degrees 48 minutes. At Noon try'd the Current, and found it set North-North-West 3/4 West, 1 1/8 miles per hour. The Shifting of the Current was conformed by the Observed Latitude Wind East-South-East; course South 16 degrees West; distance 29 miles; latitude 7 degrees 58 minutes North, longitude 22 degrees 13 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 2 degrees 40 minutes, 161 leagues. Monday, 10th. First part, light breezes and Clear weather; Middle, squally, with heavy Showers of Rain; latter, Variable, light Airs and Calm and dark gloomy weather. At 3 p.m. found the Current to set North-North-East 1/4 East, 1 1/4 Mile per Hour, and at Noon found it to set North-East 3/4 North at the same rate, and the Variation to be 8 degrees 39 minutes West by the Mean of Several Azimuth. Wind South-East by East, Southerly; course South; distance 10 miles; latitude 7 degrees 48 minutes North; longitude 22 degrees 13 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 3 degrees East, 164 leagues. Tuesday, 11th. Very Variable weather, with frequent Squalls rain, and Lightning. By the Observed Latitude at Noon I find the Ship hath only made 22 Miles Southing since the last Observation two days ago, whereas the Log gives 55 Miles, a Proof that there is a Current setting to the Northward. Wind South-East; course South 52 degrees West; distance 18 miles; latitude 7 degrees 36 minutes North, longitude 22 degrees 8 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 3 degrees East, 168 leagues. Wednesday, 12th. Much the same weather as Yesterday the first part, the remainder mostly Calm and cloudy weather. A.M. try'd the Current and found it set South by West 1/4 West, 1/2 Mile per Hour, which is not agreeable to yesterday's remark. Wind variable; course South 33 degrees 30 minutes West; distance 20 miles; latitude 7 degrees 21 minutes North, longitude 22 degrees 39 minutes West; at noon Bonavista North 5 degrees East, 174 leagues. Thursday, 13th. Light Airs of Wind, with some heavy showers of rain. Variation by Azimuth and Amplitude this Evening 8 degrees 46 minutes West. At Noon try'd the Current, and found it set South 3/4 East, 1/3 of a Mile per Hour; but finding the Observation and Log agree, I am inclinable to think it hath had no effect upon the Ship. Wind South-West, West-South-West; course South 16 degrees 45 minutes East; distance 21 miles; latitude 7 degrees 1 minute North, longitude 22 degrees 32 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 5 degrees East, 181 leagues. Friday, 14th. Dark, gloomy weather, with much rain, the Wind Variable from West-South-West to South-South-East, sometimes on one Tack and sometimes on the other. Wind West-South-West to South-South-East; course South 5 degrees East; distance 24 miles; latitude 6 degrees 38 minutes North, longitude 22 degrees 30 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 3 degrees 15 minutes, 188 leagues. Saturday, 15th. First part, little wind and Cloudy; Middle, Squally, with rain; latter part, light Airs and Clear weather. A little before Noon took several Observations of the sun and moon, the mean result of which gave the Longitude to be 23 degrees 46 minutes West from Greenwich, which is 1 degree 22 minutes more Westerly than that by account carried on from the last Observation; and the Observed Latitude is 24 Miles more Northerly than the Log since the Last Observation 2 days ago, all of which shows that the North-Westerly Current hath prevailed for this some Days past. Wind South-South-West to South-East; course South 30 degrees East per log; distance 12 miles; latitude 6 degrees 50 minutes North; longitude 22 degrees 23 minutes West per account, 23 degrees 46 minutes per sun and moon; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North by East, 187 leagues. Sunday, 16th. First part Calm, the remainder Gentle breezes and fine, Pleasant weather. At 3 hours 30 minutes 39 seconds Apparent time p.m. the observed distance of the sun and moon's nearest Limb was 52 degrees 42 minutes 30 seconds; the Altitude of the sun's lower limb 32 degrees 39 minutes; the Altitude of the moon's lower limb 58 degrees 36 minutes; the longitude of the Ship from the aforegoing Observations 23 degrees 33 minutes 33 seconds West from Greenwich, differing 13 minutes from those made this Morning or Yesterday, the Ship laying all the time becalmed. Variation of the Compass 8 degrees 45 minutes West. Wind South-East, variable, North-East; course South 2 degrees East; distance 72 miles; latitude 5 degrees 38 minutes North, longitude 23 degrees 45 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 5 degrees 15 minutes East, 208 leagues. Monday, 17th. Variable, light Airs and Calm clear weather. 1/2 past 1 p.m. took two Distances of the sun and moon, the first of which gave the Longitude 23 degrees 45 minutes 56 seconds, and the last 23 degrees 44 minutes West, the difference being not quite two miles, which shows how near to one another these observations can be made. Wind South, South-East, variable; course South by West 1/2 West; distance 11 miles; latitude 5 degrees 17 minutes North, longitude 23 degrees 47 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 5 degrees 15 minutes East, 212 leagues. Tuesday, 18th. Sometimes little wind, sometimes Squally, with rain and Lightning. Wind South to East-South-East; course South 48 degrees West; distance 45 miles; latitude 4 degrees 47 Minutes North, longitude 24 degrees 23 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 12 degrees East, 229 leagues. Wednesday, 19th. Fresh breezes and Cloudy weather. The Observed Latitude to the Northward of that given by the Log 9 miles, which I suppose must be owing to a Current. Wind South by East to South-East by South; course South 42 degrees West; distance 88 miles; latitude 3 degrees 44 minutes North, longitude 25 degrees 23 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 14 degrees East, 253 leagues. Thursday, 20th. A Genteel gale and Clear weather. At a little before 5 p.m. had an Observation of the sun and moon, which gave the Longitude 25 degrees 46 minutes West from Greenwich, which is more Westerly than that by account carried on from the last Observation; and the Observed latitude being again to the Northward shows that there must be a current setting between the North and West. Wind South by East to South-East by South; course South 52 degrees West; distance 48 miles; latitude 3 degrees 16 minutes North, longitude 26 degrees 20 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, North 18 degrees 30 minutes East, 270 leagues. [Crossing Equator.] Friday, 21st. A moderate breeze, and for the most part clear weather. Longitude per the Mean of 2 Observations of the sun and moon made at 4 hours 45 minutes and at 4 hours 54 minutes p.m., 26 degrees 33 minutes West. Variation of the Compass 4 degrees 7 minutes West, and the Observed Latitude at Noon to the Northward of the Log 7 Miles. Wind South-East to South-South-East; course South 58 degrees West; distance 57 miles; latitude 2 degrees 46 minutes North, longitude 27 degrees 11 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista South-East point, North 21 degrees East, 281 leagues. Saturday, 22nd. Moderate breezes and fine, pleasant weather. Variation 3 degrees 17 minutes West. Wind South-East by South; course South 43 degrees 15 minutes West; distance 87 miles; latitude 1 degree 40 minutes North, longitude 28 degrees 12 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 23 degrees East, 312 leagues. Sunday, 23rd. A moderate, Steady breeze and fine Clear weather. The Ship by Observation at Noon is 8 Miles to the Northward of the Log. Wind South-South-East; course South; distance 5 miles; latitude 1 degree 40 minutes North, longitude 28 degrees 12 West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 23 degrees East, 312 leagues. Monday, 24th. First part ditto weather; remainder fresh Breezes and Cloudy, with some flying Showers of rain. Variation per Azimuth this morning 3 degrees West. At Noon by Observation found the Ship 11 Miles ahead of the Log. Wind South by East to South-East by South; course South 49 degrees West; distance 50 miles; latitude 1 degree 7 minutes North; longitude 28 degrees 50 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 25 degrees East, 328 leagues. Tuesday, 25th. A Genteel breeze and Clear weather, with a Moist Air. Soon after sunrise found the Variation of the Compass to be 2 degrees 24 minutes West, being the Mean result of several very good Azimuths. This was just before we crossed the Line in the Longitude of 29 degrees 29 minutes West from Greenwich. We also try'd the Diping Needle belonging to the Royal Society, and found the North point to Dip 26 degrees below the Horizon; but this Instrument cannot be used at Sea to any great degree of accuracy on account of the Motion of the Ship, which hinders the Needle from resting. However, as the Ship was pretty steady, and by means of a Swinging Table I had made for that purpose, we could be Certain of the Dip to two Degrees at most. The Observed Latitude and that by account nearly Agree. Wind South-East to South-East by East; course South 30 degrees West; distance 95 miles; latitude 0 degrees 15 minutes South, longitude 29 degrees 30 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 26 degrees East, 358 leagues. Wednesday, 26th. First part light Airs and Cloudy weather, the remainder a Moderate Breeze and Cloudy. After we had got an observation, and it was no longer Doubted that we were to the Southward of the Line, the Ceremony on this occasion practis'd by all Nations was not Omitted. Every one that