Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
Tuesday, 17th. Fresh Gales at South-South-West and West-South-West with
rain and Snow, and, of Course, very cold weather; notwithstanding we kept
geting on board Wood and Water, and finished the Survey of the Bay. Mr.
Banks and his Party not returning this Evening as I expected, gave me
great uneasiness, as they were not prepared for Staying out the Night.
However, about Noon they returned in no very Comfortable Condition, and
what was still worse 2 blacks, servants to Mr. Banks, had perished in the
Night with Cold. Great part of the day they landed was spent before they
got through the Woods, after which they advanced so far into the Country
that they were so far from being able to return that night, and with much
difficulty they got to a place of Tolerable Shelter where they could make
a fire: these 2 men being Intrusted with great part of the Liquor (that
was for the whole party) had made too free with it, and Stupified
themselves to that degree that they either could or would not Travel, but
laid themselves down in a place where there was not the least thing to
Shelter them from the inclemency of the night. This was about 1/4 of a
Mile from where the rest took up their Quarters, and notwithstanding
their repeated Endeavours, they could not get them to move one Step
farther, and the bad travelling made it impossible for any one to Carry
them, so that they were Obliged to leave them, and the next morning they
were both found dead.
Wednesday, 18th. All the Middle and Latter parts of this day it blow'd
very strong from the South-South-West and South-West, attended with Snow,
Hail and Rain, and brought such a Sea into the Bay, which rose the Surf
to such a Height that no Boat could land. The same Stormy weather and
Surf continued all
Thursday, 19th. All this time the Ship road very easy with her Broad side
to the swell. The great Surf that always will be upon the Shore when the
wind blows hard from the Southward makes Wooding and Watering tedious,
notwithstanding there are great plenty of both close to high water Mark.
Friday, 20th. Moderate gales and Cloudy with frequent Showers of rain all
this day. This Evening the Surf abated, and at 2 a.m. sent the People on
shore to Wood and Water and cut Brooms, all of which we Completed this
day. In this Service we lost our small Kedge Anchor, it having been laid
off the Watering Place to ride the Long-boat by, and the Gale had broke
away the Hawser and Buoy rope, and perhaps buried the Anchor in the Sand,
for notwithstanding our utmost Endeavours we were not able to Hook it.
Took up the Stream Anchor and made ready for Sailing.
[Sailed from Success Bay.]
Saturday, 21st. Wind from South-South-West to South-West; moderate
breezes the first part; latter, fresh Gales with Showers of Rain. P.M.
hoisted in the Boats, and made ready for Sailing; at 2 a.m. weighed and
made Sail out of the Bay. At 1/2 past 4 the Cape of good Success bore
West, and Cape Bartholomew East. Variation per Azimuth, 24 degrees 9
minutes East; at Noon the Cape of good Success bore North 36 degrees
West; distance, 11 leagues.
Sunday, 22nd. Wind between the South and the West first and Latter part,
fresh Gales and Squally, with rain; the Middle, little wind and rain.
A.M. found the Variation by several Azimuths to be 20 degrees 4 minutes
East. Unbent the Cables and Stowed the Anchors. At Noon, Latitude
observed 56 degrees 7 minutes South, longitude, made from the Cape of
Good Success, 42 minutes East.
Monday, 23rd. Winds variable from South-East round by the South-West to
North-West. First part, a fresh breeze and Squally, the remainder
moderate breezes and sometimes Calm and clear weather, which is more than
we have had for several days past. At 4 a.m. saw the Land in the
South-West Quarter, and a small Island bearing West; from this Time until
9 it was Calm, at which time the Ship drove very fast to the North-East
by North. At 9 Sprung up a light breeze at North, loos'd all the Reefs
out, and set the Steering sails. The Cape of good Success bore North-East
by North; Staten land seen from the Deck bearing North-East; the Sugar
Loaf on Terra Del Fuego North-North-East, and is the same Hill as is seen
from the North-East side of the Land; it appears to stand but a little
way in Land from the Shore; and the Mainland and Islands on the Coast
extending from the Cape of good Success to the South by West. The Country
Mountainous, of an indifferent height; the Tops were covered with Snow,
which had lately fell, as it did not lay long. There appeared to be
several Bays and inlets and Islands laying along the Coast; the 3rd view
in the Chart exhibits the appearance of this Coast where g is new Island,
c the Sugar Loaf, and h the Cape of good Success. At noon the West End of
New Island bore North-West by West, 5 leagues. Latitude observed 55
degrees 25 minutes South, this Island I named New Island because it is
not laid down in any Chart.* (* This island is still so called in the
charts.)
Tuesday, 24th. The fore and Middle parts of these 24 Hours Moderate Gales
and Cloudy with some Showers of Rain; the Latter, fresh gales with flying
Showers. At 7 p.m. New Island bore North-West by North, and a small
Island laying to the Westward of it bore West by North. Variation per
Several Azimuths 21 degrees 0 minutes East, which is much less than we
have yet found it upon this Coast; yet I am satisfied with the Goodness
of the Observations. At 1/2 past 1 a.m. the Wind Shifted from
South-South-West to East-South-East. Tackt and stood South-West; at 6 Saw
the Land to the Westward making like several Islands. At 8 two Small
Islands laying off a low Point of Land bore West by South, distant 3
Leagues, and the small Island we saw last night bore North-North-West.
This I take to be the Island of Evouts, it is about one League in
Circuit, and of a Moderate height and lies 4 Leagues from the Main. Near
the South Point of it are some Peaked rocks pretty high above Water; the
wind coming to the Southward we did but just weather this Island; in
passing it, sounded and had 40 fathoms Water, sand, and broken Shells. At
Noon it bore North-East distance one League, and the low point of land
before mentioned South 17 degrees West distant 4 or 5 Leagues. Tackt and
Stood to the South-East, wind at South-South-West. From this low Point
the land trends to the North-West, about 4 Leagues, where it ends in a
low point round which to the Westward appears to be a Deep Bay, unless
this land should prove to be an Island or Islands, which is most likely.
It rises into high Craggy hills, and the Shore seems to form several
Bays; if so, they must afford good Shelter for Shipping against Southerly
and Westerly winds.
[Off Cape Horn.]
Wednesday, 25th. Winds from the South to the West-North-West, the first
part fresh Gales and Squally with some Rain; Middle, little wind with
Hail and Rain; latter, fresh Gales and Hazey, with Showers of Rain. At 8
p.m. the Island of Evouts North-West, distant 3 or 4 miles. Variation,
per morning Amplitude 21 degrees 16 minutes East. At 8 a.m. the
Southermost low point of land seen Yesterday Bore South 74 degrees West,
and a remarkable Peaked Hill to the Southward of it South-West; and soon
after we discovered that the land which we took Yesterday to be a part of
the Main or an Island, was three Islands, which I take to be Hermites. At
Noon the South Point of the Southermost Island bore North-West by West
distant 3 leagues, having then 58 fathoms Peble Stones. This Point is
pretty high and consists of Peaked Craggy rocks, and not far from it lay
several others high above Water. It lies in the Latitude of 55 degrees 53
minutes South and South-West 26 Leagues from Straits La Mair, and by some
on board thought to be Cape Horn; but I was of another Opinion, and with
good reason, because we saw land to the Southward of it about 3 or 4
leagues. It appeared not unlike an Island with a very high round Hummock
upon it; this I believe to be Cape Horn, for after we had stood about 3
Leagues the weather cleared up for about a quarter of an hour, which gave
us a sight of the land bearing West-South-West, but we could see no land
to the southward or Westward of it, and therefore conclude that it must
be the Cape, but whether it be an Island of itself, a part of the
Southermost of Hermits Islands, or a part of Terra del Fuego, I am not
able to determine. However, this is of very little Consequence to
Navigation: I only wished to be Certain whether or no it was the
Southermost Land on or near to Terra del Fuego; but the thick foggy
weather and the westerly winds which Carried us from the land prevented
me from satisfying my Curiosity in this point, but from its Latitude and
the reasons before given I think it must, and if so it must be Cape Horn,
and lies in the latitude of 55 degrees 53 minutes South and Longitude 68
degrees 13 minutes West from the Meridian of Greenwich,* (* No doubt this
was Cape Horn, but it lies in 55 degrees 58 minutes South, 67 degrees 16
minutes West.) being the Mean result of Several Observations of the sun
and moon made the day after we left the land, and which agreed with those
made at Straits Le Mair, allowing for the distance between one place and
the other, which I found means very accurately to determine. As we are
now about taking our departure from the Land, which we are not likely to
fall in with again, I shall give a more full Description of such parts of
the Coasts of Terra del Fuego as hath fallen under my inspection.
We fell in with this Coast 21 Leagues to the Westward of Straits Le Mair,
and ranged the coast from thence to the Strait within 2 or 3 Leagues of
the Land, and had soundings all the way from 40 to 20 fathoms, a Gravelly
and Sandy Bottom. The land near the Shore is in general low but hilly,
the face of the Country appears Green and Woody, but in land are Craggy
Mountains; they appeared to be of no great height, nor were they Covered
with Snow. The most remarkable land on Terra Del Fuego is a high Mountain
in form of a Sugar Loaf, situated not far from the sea on the South-West
side of the Land, and 3 hills called the 3 Brothers. They lay near the
Shore and nine Miles to the Westward of Cape St. Diego, which is a low
point that forms the North-West Entrance of Strait Le Mair, and are
Contiguous to Each other. The Sugar Loaf lies from these Hills
South-South-West, and when it was in this situation the Appearances of
the Land is represented in the first View in the Chart, but it must be
observed that from this point of View the Three Brothers appear far more
Conspicuous than from any other; these land Marks are by some Voyagers
thought very necessary to know Strait Le Mair by, but whoever coasts
Terra Del Fuego within sight of land cannot possibly miss the Strait, it
being of itself so very Conspicuous; and Staten Land, which forms the
East side, is still more so from its very rugged appearance. One League
and a half to the Westward of Cape St. Diego lies Cape St. Vincent,
between these two Capes lies Vincent's Bay,* (* Now called Thetis Bay, it
is a very poor anchorage.) a Small Cove wherein is Wood and Water, and
before which a Ship might Anchor with a Southerly or South-West wind, but
the ground is none of the best, unless you go into the very Mouth of the
Cove, which is on the East side of the first Bluff point from Cape St.
Vincent, where there is Anchorage in 4 fathoms, a Sandy Bottom. In going
in keep clear of the Sea Weed, and send a Boat Ahead to sound, and at
best this is but a bad place for Shipping, and only recommended to such
as are in want of Wood and Water, and have no Opportunity to put into the
Strait, which in Prudence ought not to be attempted but with a fair wind
or Moderate weather, and upon the very first of the Tide of Flood, which