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

James Cook

North-Westward, being then about 5 Miles from the Shore, and had 23 fathoms, sandy Bottom. At Midnight Tackt and Stood to the Eastward. At Noon the Land over the Entrance of Straits La Maire, East-North-East, distance, 7 leagues; Soundings from 28 to 38 fathoms. Wind North, North-North-East, variable, West-South-West; latitude 54 degrees 34 minutes South per observation. Friday, 13th. The greatest part of this day little wind and Cloudy. At 8 p.m., Cape St. Diego, at the west entrance of Straits La Maire, East, distance about 5 leagues. Keept under an easey Sail until daylight, at which time we were abreast of Cape St. Diego, and then put into the Straits, but the Tide soon turned against us and obliged us to haul under the Cape again and wait until 9 a.m. when it shifted in our favour. Put into the Straits again with a Moderate breeze at South-West, which soon grew Boisterous with very heavy Squalls, with rain and hail, and obliged us to Close reef our Topsails. Wind North-East by East, West-South-West, South-West; latitude 54 degrees 39 minutes South; at noon, Cape St. Diego North 2 leagues. [In Strait of Le Maire.] Saturday, 14th. First part Strong Gales, and very heavy squalls with Hail and Rain; remainder more moderate but unsettled, sometimes a fresh breeze and Squally, and sometimes little wind. Kept plying in the Straits until 1/2 past 4 p.m., at which time the Tide had made strong against us, and the wind not abating, bore away, intending to have hauled under Cape St. Diego, but was prevented by the force of the Tide, which carried us past that Cape with surprising rapidity, at the same time caused a very great sea. At 6, the weather being Clear, took 9, or 3 sets of, Observations of the sun and moon in order to find the Longitude of the place, and as they perhaps are the first Observations of this kind that were ever made so near to the Extremity of South America, I have inserted them below just as they were taken, that everybody may judge for themselves. COLUMN 1: NAME OF SET. COLUMN 2: TIME BY THE WATCH IN HOURS, MINUTES AND SECONDS. COLUMN 3: APPARENT TIME COMPUTED FROM IN HOURS, MINUTES AND SECONDS. COLUMN 4: OBSERVED DISTANCE. SUN AND MOON'S NEAREST LIMB IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND SECONDS. COLUMN 5: OBSERVED ALTITUDE. SUN'S LOWER LIMB IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND SECONDS. COLUMN 6: OBSERVED ALTITUDE. MOON'S UPPER LIMB IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND SECONDS. COLUMN 7: CORRECT ALTITUDE. SUN'S CENTER IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND SECONDS. COLUMN 8: CORRECT ALTITUDE. MOON'S CENTER IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND SECONDS. COLUMN 9: THE LONGITUDE RESULTING FROM BOTH SETS OF OBSERVATIONS IN DEGREES, MINUTES AND SECONDS. -- : 8 27 15 : -- : 71 26 0 : 15 36 0 : 24 13 0 : -- : -- : --. -- : 8 30 30 : -- : 71 28 0 : 15 11 0 : 24 8 0 : -- : -- : --. -- : 8 32 15 : -- : 71 29 0 : 14 56 0 : 23 57 0 : -- : -- : --. ------------------------------------------------ -- : 25 30 00 : -- : - 83 0 : 45 43 0 : 72 18 0 : -- : -- : --. ------------------------------------------------ 1st set : 8 30 0 : 6 12 53 : 71 27 40 : 15 14 20 : 24 6 0 : 15 22 39 : 23 43 0 : 66 7 45. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- -- : 8 33 50 : -- : 71 30 0 : 14 43 0 : 23 38 0 : -- : -- : --. -- : 8 35 39 : -- : - 31 0 : 14 25 0 : 23 42 0 : -- : -- : --. -- : 8 37 46 : -- : - 30 30 : 14 10 0 : 23 32 0 : -- : -- : --. ------------------------------------------------- -- : 8 107 15 : -- : - 91 30 : 43 18 0 : 23 112 0 : -- : -- : --. ------------------------------------------------- 2nd set : 8 35 45 : 6 18 41 : 71 30 30 : 14 26 0 : 23 37 20 : 14 34 00 : 23 14 0 : 66 19 45. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- -- : 8 39 10 : -- : 71 31 30 : 13 56 0 : 23 26 0 : -- : -- : --. -- : 8 41 20 : -- : - 32 00 : 13 40 0 : 23 20 0 : -- : -- : --. -- : 8 43 49 : -- : - 33 00 : 13 18 0 : 23 6 0 : -- : -- : --. ------------------------------------------------- -- : 8 124 19 : -- : - 96 30 : - 114 0 : - 52 0 : -- : -- : --. ------------------------------------------------- 3rd set : 8 41 26 : 6 24 26 : 71 32 10 : 13 38 0 : 23 17 20 : 13 46 0 : 22 55 0 : 66 0 45. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- N.B. The mean of the three sets is 66 degrees 9 minutes 25 seconds, and the mean of Mr. Green's Computations from the same Observations was 66 degrees 14 minutes 0 seconds, and the mean of his computations and mine will be 66 degrees 11 minutes 32 seconds, and therefore the Longitude of Cape St. Diego or the North-West entrance of Strait Le Maire will be 66 degrees 0 minutes 0 seconds West from Greenwich, and its Latitude 54 degrees 39 minutes South.* (* Modern determination is 54 degrees 40 minutes South, 65 degrees 8 minutes West.) Note: The distance of the sun and moon was taken by Mr. Green alone, my Quadrant being out of Order. Cape St. Diego bore at this time South by East about 4 Leagues Distant. At 1/2 past 7 Tackt and Stood to the South-East, Cape St. Diego bearing South by East, distance 5 Leagues. At 1 a.m., Squally, wore Ship, Staten Land extending from North to East. At 4, Moderate Weather, loosed a Reef out of each Topsail, the Cape of Good Success West by South, and Cape St. Diego North-North-West, being now in the Strait, but the Tide turning against us soon carried us out. The Violence of the Tide of Ebb rose such a Sea off Cape St. Diego, that it looked as if it was breaking Violently on the ledge of Rocks, and would be taken for such by any who know'd not the true cause. When the Ship was in this Torrent she frequently Pitched her Bowsprit in the Water. By Noon we got under the Land between Cape St. Diego and Cape St. Vincent, where I thought to have Anchored, but found the Bottom every where hard and Rocky; the Depth of Water from 30 to 12 fathoms. Sent the Master to Examine a small Cove which appeared to our View a little to the Eastward of Cape St. Vincent. Wind South-South-West and South-West by South. Sunday, 15th. Moderate breezes at South and South-East, and cloudy weather, the greater part of this day. At 2 p.m. the Master return'd with an account that there was Anchorage in 4 fathoms Water and a good bottom close to the Eastward of the first black bluff point which is on the East side of Cape St. Vincent, at the very Entrance of the Cove we saw from the Ship (which I named Vincent Bay). Before this Anchoring ground lay several Rocky Ledges covered with Sea Weed: on these Ledges I was informed was not less than 8 or 9 fathoms, but in standing in with the Ship the first we came upon had only 4 fathoms upon it. I therefore thought that Anchoring here would be attended with some Risk, and that it would be better to Endeavour to find some Port in the Strait, and there Compleat our Wood and Water. However, I sent an Officer with a Boat on shore to attend to Mr. Banks and people who was very desirous of being on shore at any rate, while I keept plying as near the shore as possible with the Ship. At 9 they return'd on board bringing with them several Plants, Flowers, etc., most of them unknown in Europe, and in that Alone consisted their whole Value; they saw none of the Natives, but meet with several of their old Hutts. Hoisted the Boat in and made Sail into the Straits and at 3 a.m. Anchord in 12 1/2 fathoms Water (the bottom Coral rocks) before a small Cove which we took for Port Maurice, and near 1/2 a Mile from the shore Cape St. Diego South-South-West, and Cape St. Bartholomew (which is the south point of Staten Land) East-South-East. Port Maurice appeared to afford so little Shelter for Shipping that I did not think it worth while to hoist a Boat out to Examine it; we saw here 2 of the Natives come down to the Shore, who stay'd sometime, then retir'd into the Woods againe. At 10 o'Clock got under Sail, Wind at South-East, and plyed to Windward. [In Success Bay.] Monday, 16th. A Fresh breeze of Wind at South and South-West, with frequent showers of Rain and Snow. At 2 p.m. Anchored in the Bay of Success in 9 fathoms, the bottom Owse and sand.* (* The Endeavour was three days and a half in getting through the Strait of Le Maire, as far as Success Bay. It is a difficult passage for a sailing vessel even in the present day, as the tides are strong and winds generally contrary, but experience has enabled good directions to be given as to the best way to pass the Strait. Cook himself gives capital advice farther on.) The south point of the Bay bore South-East and the north point East-North-East. This Bay I shall describe when I come to speake of the rest of the Coast. Hoisted out the Boats and moor'd with the Stream Anchor. While this was doing I went ashore accompanyed by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander to look for a Watering place and to speak with the Natives, who were assembled on the Beach at the Head of the Bay to the Number of 30 or 40. They were so far from being afraid or surprised at our coming amongst them that three of them came on board without the least hesitation. They are something above the Middle size, of a Dark Copper Colour with long black hair; they paint their Bodies in Streakes, mostly Red and Black. Their Cloathing consists wholy in a Guanacoe Skin or that of a Seal, in the same form as it came from the Animal's back. The Women Wear a Piece of Skin over their Privy Parts, but the Men observe no such decency. Their Hutts are made like a behive, and open on one side where they have their fires; they are made of small Sticks and covered with branches of trees, long Grass, etc., in such a manner that they are neither Proof against Wind, Hail, rain or Snow, a sufficient proof that these People must be a very hardy race. They live chiefly on shell fish, such as Muscels, which they gather from off the Rocks along the Sea Shore, and this seems to be the Work of the Women. Their Arms are Bows and Arrows neatly made; their Arrows are bearded, some with glass and others with fine flint; several Pieces of the former we saw amongst them with other European things, such as rings, Buttons, Cloth, Canvas, etc., which I think proves that they must sometimes travel to the Northward, as we know of no Ship that hath been in these parts for many Years; besides, they were not at all surprised at our Fire Arms; on the Contrary, they seemed to know the use of them, by making signs to us to fire at Seals or Birds that might come in the way. They have no Boats that we saw or anything to go upon the Water with; their number doth not Exceed 50 or 60 young and old, and there are fewer Women than Men. They are Extreamly fond of any Red thing, and seemed to set more Value on Beads than anything we could give them; in this Consists their whole Pride, few, either Men or Women, are without a Necklace or String of Beads made of Small Shells or bones about their Necks. They would not taste any strong Liquor, neither did they seem fond of our Provisions. We could not discover that they had any Head or Chief or Form of Government, neither have they any useful or necessary Utensil except it be a Bag or Basket to gather their Muscels into. In a word they are perhaps as Miserable a sett of People as are this day upon Earth.* (* Cook's description of the natives of Tierra del Fuego is good to the present day, except that those who live farther westward are still more wretched. Those of the main island, in which the Bay of Good Success lies, are able to kill guanaco, and enjoy a better climate. They, as Cook observed, never go on the water, whereas those westward practically live in canoes.) Having found a convenient place on the south side of the Bay to Wood and Water at, we set about that Work in the Morning, and Mr. Banks with a Party went into the Country to gather Plants, etc.