Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
could not prove upon the Sea Chart that he had before Crossed the Line
was either to pay a Bottle of Rum or be Duck'd in the Sea, which former
case was the fate of by far the Greatest part on board; and as several of
the Men chose to be Duck'd, and the weather was favourable for that
purpose, this Ceremony was performed on about 20 or 30, to the no small
Diversion of the Rest. Wind South-East to South-South-East; course South
31 degrees West; distance 77 miles; latitude 1 degree 21 minutes South,
longitude 30 degrees 18 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East
point, North 25 degrees 30 minutes East, 385 leagues.
Thursday, 27th. Fresh Gales and Close Cloudy weather. Variation 2 degrees
48 minutes West. Wind South-South-East to South-East; course South 38
degrees 15 minutes West; distance 79 miles; latitude 2 degrees 23 minutes
South, longitude 31 degrees 7 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista,
South-East point, North 26 degrees East, 410 leagues.
Friday, 28th. Fresh Breeze and fine Clear weather. At a little past 1
a.m. Longitude in by the 3 following Observations--viz., by the Moon and
the star Arietis, 32 degrees 27 minutes; by the Moon and Pollux, 32
degrees 0 minutes 15 seconds; by ditto, 31 degrees 48 minutes 32 seconds;
the mean of the whole is 32 degrees 5 minutes 16 seconds West from
Greenwich, which is 31 minutes more Westerly than the longitude by
account carried on since the last Observation. The two first observations
were made and computed by Mr. Green, and the last by myself. The star
Arietis was on one side of the Moon and Pollux on the other. This day at
Noon, being nearly in the latitude of the Island Ferdinand Noronha, to
the Westward of it by some Charts and to the Eastward by others, was in
Expectation of seeing it or some of those Shoals that are laid down in
most Charts between it and the Main; but we saw neither one nor a Nother.
We certainly passed to the Eastward of the Island, and as to the Shoals,
I don't think they Exhist, grounding this my Opinion on the Journal of
some East India Ships I have seen who were detain'd by Contrary winds
between this Island and the Main, and being 5 or 6 Ships in Company,
doubtless must have seen some of them did they lay as Marked in the
Charts.* (* There is a very dangerous reef, As Rocas, 80 miles west of
Fernando Noronha. The Endeavour passed 60 miles east of latter.) Wind
South-East to South-East by East; course South 33 degrees West; distance
93 miles, latitude 3 degrees 41 minutes South, longitude 32 degrees 29
minutes West.
Saturday, 29th. Fresh Breezes and pleasant weather. Variation of the
Compass 2 degrees 25 minutes West. Wind East-South-East; course South by
West; distance 101 miles; latitude 5 degrees 25 minutes South, longitude
32 degrees 48" West.
Sunday, 30th. A Steady breeze, and for the most part close cloudy
weather. Variation by several Azimuths 1 degree 31 minutes West. At noon
the observed latitude 7 miles southward of account. Wind East-South-East;
course South 3/4 West; distance 107 miles; latitude 7 degrees 8 minutes
South, longitude 33 degrees 4 minutes West.
Monday, 31st. A Fresh breeze and Clear weather. Variation 0 degrees 15
minutes West. Observed Latitude again to the Southward of the Log. Wind
East to East-South-East; course, South 1/2 West; distance 114 miles;
latitude 9 degrees 1 minute South, longitude 33 degrees 16 minutes West.
[November 1768. Between Equator and Rio.]
Tuesday, November 1st. Moderate breezes, for the most part Cloudy.
Variation by the mean of Several Azimuths 0 degrees 58 minutes West in
the Evening, and in the Morning found it to be 0 degrees 18 minutes West.
Wind East-South-East; course South 3/4 West; distance 98 miles; latitude
10 degrees 38 minutes South.
Wednesday, 2nd. A Steady breeze and fine pleasant weather. This
Afternoon, by the mean of Several Azimuths and the Amplitude, found the
Variation to be 0 degrees 34 minutes East, from which it appears that
about the aforegoing Noon we have Crossed the Line of no Variation in the
Latitude of 10 degrees 38 minutes South, and, according to the following
Observations, in 32 degrees 0 minutes West longitude from Greenwich. At 5
hours 5 minutes 0 seconds Apparent time a.m. the longitude of the Ship
and the Observation of the moon and the star Aldebaran was found to be 32
degrees 0 minutes 45 seconds; at 8 hours 17 minutes 0 seconds, per sun
and moon, 32 degrees 25 minutes 0 seconds; and at 9 hours 0 minutes 16
seconds, 32 degrees 19 minutes 0 seconds. The mean of the three is 32
degrees 14 minutes 55 seconds. And again at 7 hours 12 minutes 52
seconds, per sun and moon, 32 degrees 10 minutes 4 seconds; and at 7
hours 19 minutes 42 seconds, per sun and moon, 32 degrees 15 minutes 20
seconds. The mean of these two is 32 degrees 12 minutes 42 seconds, and
the mean of the whole is 32 degrees 13 minutes 43 seconds West from
Greenwich, which is less by a whole Degree than that by account, which is
a Considerable Error to be made in 5 Days in these low Latitudes. One
would think from this that we must have had a Current setting to the
Eastward, which is not likely that it should set against the settled
trade wind. The 3 first of these Observations were made by Mr. Green, and
the 2 last by myself. Wind East-South-East, South; course South by West;
distance 132 miles; latitude 12 degrees 48 minutes South, longitude 32
degrees 20 minutes West per Observation.
Thursday, 3rd. A Fresh Trade wind and fair weather. Variation per Azimuth
this Evening 0 degrees 47 minutes East, and at a little past 9 a.m.
longitude in per sun and moon 33 degrees 0 minutes West of Greenwich.
Wind East by South-East; course South 15 degrees West; distance 128
miles; latitude 14 degrees 51 minutes South, longitude 33 degrees 7
minutes West.
Friday, 4th. A Steady Gale and fair weather. P.M. Variation per Azimuth 1
degree 29 minutes West, ditto 1 degree 28 minutes West, and by the
Amplitude 1 degree 12 minutes West; mean 1 degree 23 minutes West, by
which it appears that we have again Crossed the Line of no Variation. At
1/2 past 9 a.m. the longitude of the Ship, per Observation of the sun and
moon, 33 degrees 26 minutes 30 seconds. Wind East by South; course South
19 degrees 30 minutes West; distance 125 miles; latitude 16 degrees 49
minutes South, longitude 33 degrees 37 minutes West.
Saturday, 5th. Fine pleasant weather. Variation per Azimuth this morning
3 degrees 21 minutes East, which makes me Doubtful of the Variation found
yesterday, tho' at the time I had not the least room to doubt of the
Accuracy of the Observations. Longitude per Observation 34 degrees 43
minutes 30 seconds West. Wind East to North-East; course South 30 degrees
35 minutes West; distance 109 miles; latitude 18 degrees 22 minutes
South, longitude 34 degrees 50 minutes West.
Sunday, 6th. First and Latter part squally, with heavy Showers of rain;
middle moderate and fair. I now determined to put into Rio de Janeiro in
preferance to any other port in Brazil or Falkland Islands, for at this
place I knew we could recruit our Stock of Provisions, several Articles
of which I found we should in time be in want of, and at the same time
procure Live Stock and refreshment for the People; and from the reception
former Ships had met with here I doubted not but we should be well
received. Wind North-North-East, variable, South; course South 55 degrees
West; distance 74 miles; latitude 19 degrees 3 minutes South, longitude
35 degrees 50 minutes West.
Monday, 7th. Moderate breezes and Clear weather. P.M. found the Variation
to be 4 degrees 49 minutes East. At 6 Sounded and had 32 fathoms Water;
the Bottom Coral Rocks, fine Sand and Shells, which Soundings we carried
upon a South-West 1/2 West Course 9 or 10 leagues, and then had no ground
with 100 fathom. We were by our account and per run afterwards 54 Leagues
East from the Coast of Brazil and to the Southward of the Shoals called
Abrollos, as they are laid down in Most Charts. Wind South-East to
North-East; course South 58 degrees West; distance 68 miles; latitude 19
degrees 46 minutes South, longitude 36 degrees 50 minutes West.
Tuesday, 8th. Fresh breezes and Cloudy weather. P.M. variation by the
Mean of 12 Azimuths 5 degrees 26 minutes East, and by an Amplitude in the
Morning 7 degrees 52 minutes. At 6 a.m. saw the Land of Brazil bearing
North-West 1/2 North, distance 8 or 10 leagues. At 8 Sounded, had 37
fathoms, Coarse Sand, broken Shells, and Coral Rocks. At 9 brought too
and Spoke with a Fishing Boat, who informed us that the land in sight lay
to the Southward of Santo Espiritu. It appears high and Mountainous; the
drawing Number (3) exhibits a View of this Land as it appeared from the
Ship (A), being near to Santo Espiritu, and a remarkable hill (B) bore
North-West 1/2 North, distance 7 or 8 leagues. Made Sail in Shore, the
wind being Southerly. Had from the above Depth to 14 fathoms the same
sort of Bottom. Found the Ship at Noon by Observation 10 Miles to the
Southward of account, which I suppose to be occasioned by a Current
setting between the South and West. Wind North-North-East, North by West,
South-South-West to South by West; course South 50 degrees West; distance
140 miles; latitude 21 degrees 16 minutes South, longitude 37 degrees 35
minutes West.
Wednesday, 9th. First and Latter part Hazey, with a Moderate Breeze;
Middle, fresh Gales, with Thunder, Lightning, and rain. At 3 p.m. tack't
in 16 fathoms, distance from the Shore 5 Leagues, the land Extending from
the North-West by West to North-East. At 5 took the 2nd Reef in the
Topsails and got down Topgallant Yards, stood to the South-East until
Midnight, then tack'd, Sounding from 16 to 55 fathoms. At 8 a.m. Loosed
the Reefs out of the Topsails and got Topgallant Yards a Cross; unstowed
the Anchors and bent the Cables. At Noon Latitude Observed 21 degrees 29
minutes South, the Land Extending from South-West by South to
North-North-West, distance 4 leagues, Soundings from 55 to 10 fathoms.
Wind South-South-East, South-South-West, South; course South 62 degrees
15 minutes West; distance 28 miles; latitude 21 degrees 29 minutes South.
[Nearing Rio Janeiro.]
Thursday, 10th. Moderate breezes and Hazey upon the Land. Stood in for
the Shore South-West 1/2 West. Depth of water from 10 to 9 fathoms and
from 9 to 16 fathoms, being then 4 Leagues from the Land. From 16 fathoms
it shoalded gradually to 5 fathoms; then we tacked, being about 1 1/2
Leagues from the Shore. The extreams of the Land to the Southward, which
we took for Cape St. Thomas, bore South 3/4 West, distance 4 leagues. The
Land from Cape St. Thomas to the Northward lies North by East 1/2 East.
Along the Shore is low land covered with Wood and Sandy Beaches, but
inland are very high Mountains, the greatest part of them being hid in
the Clouds. Stood off until 5 in the Morning East and East by South.
Depth of Water 10, 20, 16, 23, and 30 fathoms. At Noon Latitude Observed
21 degrees 30 minutes; Depth of Water 14 fathoms; Grey sand with black
Specks. Extreams of the Land from South-West by West to North-North-West;
distance 12 or 14 leagues. Wind South-South-East, South-East by South,
South by East; course East 1/4 South; distance 17 miles; latitude 21
degrees 30 minutes South, longitude 37 degrees 43 minutes West per
account.
Friday, 11th. First and Latter parts, moderate breezes and fair, but
Cloudy and Hazey over the Land; middle, a fresh breeze and Cloudy. At 8
tack'd and Stood to the North-East. Extream of the Land to the southward,
which we took for Cape St. Thomas, South-West 1/2 South; distance 5 or 6
leagues; Depth of Water 13 fathoms, Grey sand. At 11 a.m. tack'd in 14
fathoms and Stood to the South-South-East, and at 3 a.m. Stood over a