Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
point of the Dipping Needle Dip'd 65 degrees 52 minutes below the
Horizon. Wind Westerly; course South 65 degrees West; distance 58 miles;
latitude 43 degrees 46 minutes South, longitude 101 degrees 34 minutes
West.
Tuesday, 21st. Fresh breezes and pretty Clear weather. Variation 6
degrees 30 minutes East. Wind North-West; course South 62 degrees West;
distance 115 miles; latitude 44 degrees 39 minutes South, longitude 103
degrees 54 minutes West.
Wednesday, 22nd. Hazey, rainy weather the most part of this Day. Wind
North-Westerly; course South 86 degrees West; distance 91 miles; latitude
44 degrees 46 minutes South, longitude 106 degrees 1 minute West.
Thursday, 23rd. Little wind and Calm, and some Lightning, a thing we have
not seen for some time past, and therefore suppose not common in these
Seas in high Latitudes. Variation 5 degrees 34 minutes East. Wind
North-West, calm; course North 30 degrees East; distance 13 miles;
latitude 44 degrees 35 minutes South, longitude 105 degrees 52 minutes
West.
Friday, 24th. First part, Calm; Middle, light breezes; latter, fresh
breezes and hazey. P.M. had several Azimuths, all of which gave the
Variation less than 4 degrees East, but they were a little doubtful on
account of the Rowling of the Ship. What winds we have had this day hath
been from the Eastward, and are the first we have had from that Quarter
since we left the Latitude 58 degrees 46 minutes. Wind calm,
East-North-East and East-South-East; course North 42 degrees 45 minutes
West; distance 79 miles: latitude 43 degrees 37 minutes South, longitude
107 degrees 6 minutes West.
Saturday, 25th. First and Middle parts, fresh Gales and Cloudy, with some
rain; the Latter, little Wind and Cloudy. Wind South-East by East,
South-South-East; course North 48 degrees 30 minutes West; distance 112
miles; latitude 42 degrees 23 minutes South, longitude 109 degrees 0
minutes West.
Sunday, 26th. First part, Calm and light Airs; remainder, very strong
gales and Squally, with Showers of rain, which at length brought us under
our two Courses, and close-reefed Maintopsail. Wind calm, North-West and
West-South-West; course North 26 degrees 15 minutes West; distance 88
miles; latitude 41 degrees 4 minutes South, longitude 109 degrees 52
minutes West.
Monday, 27th. First part, Strong Gales and Cloudy; the remainder, Gentle
Breezes and clear weather. P.M. set the topsail one Reef out. A large
swell from the South-West. Wind westerly; course North 18 degrees West;
distance 85 miles; latitude 39 degrees 43 minutes South, 110 degrees 26
minutes West.
Tuesday, 28th. The former part little wind and fine clear weather; the
Air full as warm as in the same Degree of North Latitude at the
Correspondent Season of the Year. The South-West swells still keep up,
notwithstanding the Gale hath been over about 30 Hours, a proof that
there is no land near in that Quarter.* (* These are instances of Cook's
observation and seamanlike perspicacity. The prevailing belief of the
time was in a great southern continent.) The remainder part of this day
fresh breezes and clear. At 9 a.m. took 3 Sets of Observations of the sun
and moon in order to find the Longitude of the Ship. Wind West to
North-West; course North 13 degrees West; distance 42 miles; latitude 39
degrees 33 minutes 30 seconds South, longitude 110 degrees 38 minutes
West.
[March 1769.]
Wednesday, March 1st. First part fresh breezes, the remainder moderate
breezes and clear weather. The result of the Forementioned Observations
gives 110 degrees 33 minutes West Longitude from Greenwich, and exactly
agrees with the Longitude given by the Log from Cape Horn. This Agreement
of the two Longitudes after a Run of 660 leagues is surprizing, and much
more than could be expected; but, as it is so, it serves to prove, as
well as the repeated trials we have made when the weather would permit,
that we have had no Current that hath Affected the Ship since we came
into these Seas. This must be a great Sign that we have been near no land
of any extent, because near land are generally found Currents. It is well
known that on the East side of the Continent in the North Sea we meet
with Currents above 100 Leagues from the Land, and even in the Middle of
the Atlantic Ocean, between Africa and America, are always found
Currents; and I can see no reason why Currents should not be found in
this Sea, supposing a Continent or lands lay not far West from us, as
some have imaggin'd, and if such land was ever seen we cannot be far from
it, as we are now 560 leagues West of the Coast of Chili.* (* These are
instances of Cook's observation and seamanlike perspicacity. The
prevailing belief of the time was in a great southern continent.) Wind
West by South; course North 76 degrees West; distance 52 miles; latitude
38 degrees 44 minutes South, longitude 111 degrees 43 minutes West; at
noon, Cape Horn South 60 degrees East 660 leagues.
Thursday, 2nd. Former part, fresh gales and hazey, with much rain; the
remainder, a Strong fresh gale and pretty clear weather. Wind Westerly;
course North by West; distance 87 miles; latitude 37 degrees 16 minutes
South, longitude 112 degrees 5 minutes West.
Friday, 3rd. First part, moderate breezes; remainder, calm and clear
weather. A.M. employed filling salt Water in the Fore Hold and airing all
the Spare Sails. Wind West, calm; course North 17 degrees East; distance
31 miles; latitude 36 degrees 49 minutes South, longitude 111 degrees 34
minutes West.
Saturday, 4th. First part, Calm; remainder, a fine genteel breeze and
clear weather. Variation per Azimuth and Amplitude this Evening 2 degrees
26 minutes East. The South-West swell still keeps up, notwithstanding it
hath been Calm 24 hours. Wind calm, North-East, North; course North 50
degrees West; distance 58 miles; latitude 36 degrees 12 minutes South,
longitude 112 degrees 50 minutes West.
Sunday, 5th. First and latter parts, fine Clear weather; the Middle,
fresh gales and Hazey, with rain. Wind North-West by North and
North-West; course South 81 degrees 40 minutes West; distance 64 miles;
latitude 36 degrees 21 minutes South, longitude 114 degrees 9 minutes
West.
Monday, 6th. Moderate breezes and Tolerable clear weather all this day.
The wind a little Variable, which caused us to Tack several Times. Wind
North-West by North to West-North-West; course South 57 degrees West;
distance 20 miles; latitude 36 degrees 32 minutes South, longitude 114
degrees 30 minutes West.
Tuesday, 7th. A Moderate steady breeze and clear weather. Wind
North-West; course South 64 degrees 15 minutes West; distance, 83 miles;
latitude 37 degrees 8 minutes South, longitude 116 degrees 8 minutes
West.
Wednesday, 8th. The first and Middle parts moderate breezes and Cloudy;
the Latter Part Variable winds and much Rain. Wind North-West, variable;
course South 78 degrees West; distance, 76 miles; latitude 37 degrees 24
minutes South, longitude 117 degrees 41 minutes West.
Thursday, 9th. First part, moderate and Hazey, with Drizling rain; the
remainder fresh breezes and clear weather. Variation 4 degrees 41 minutes
east. Wind South-West by West to South by East; course North 38 degrees
West; distance 123 miles; latitude 35 degrees 47 minutes South, longitude
119 degrees 18 minutes West.
Friday, 10th. Moderate breezes and fine Pleasant weather. Wind
South-East; course North 40 degrees West; distance 121 miles; latitude 34
degrees 14 minutes South, longitude 120 degrees 54 minutes West.
Saturday, 11th. A Steady gale and fine weather. Variation 4 degrees 12
minutes East. Wind South-East; course North 46 degrees 15 minutes West;
distance 116 miles; latitude 32 degrees 54 minutes South, longitude 122
degrees 35 minutes West.
Sunday, 12th. Ditto weather. Variation 4 degrees 12 minutes East. Put the
Ship's Company to three Watches, they having been at Watch and Watch
since our first arrival on the coast of Terra del Fuego. Wind South-East;
course North 49 degrees West; distance 122 miles; latitude 31 degrees 34
minutes South, longitude 124 degrees 25 minutes West.
Monday, 13th. First part a Steady, fresh Gale; the remainder, little wind
and fine Clear weather. Wind South-East; course North 48 degrees 15
minutes West; distance 72 miles; latitude 30 degrees 46 minutes South,
longitude 125 degrees 28 minutes West.
Tuesday, 14th. Little wind and fine Pleasant weather. At 3 p.m. took
several Observations of the sun and moon; the mean result of which gave
126 degrees 20 minutes 45 seconds, the Longitude of the Ship West of
Greenwich, and is 47 degrees Longitude West of account carried on from
Cape Horn. Wind South, East-South-East, East-North-East; course North 50
degrees West; distance 47 miles; latitude 30 degrees 17 minutes South,
longitude 126 degrees 10 minutes West.
Wednesday, 15th. Light breezes and clear weather. Variation, p.m. 3
degrees 45 minutes East, a.m. 3 degrees 22 minutes East. Saw a Tropic
Bird. Wind, East-North-East and East-South-East; course, North 47 degrees
15 minutes West; distance, 50 miles; latitude 29 degrees 43 minutes
South, longitude 126 degrees 53 minutes West.
Thursday, 16th. Light Airs next to a Calm and clear Weather. Variation by
the mean result of 21 Azimuths, 1 degree 30 minutes East. This evening
observed an Occultation of h by the [crescent],* (* h is Saturn,
[crescent] the Moon.) Immersion at ---- hours ---- minutes and Emersion
at ---- hours ---- minutes ---- seconds a.m.* (* Blanks in manuscript.)
Variation per several Azimuths 2 degrees East. Wind East-South-East,
South-South-East, South-West; course North-North-West; distance 34 miles;
latitude 29 degrees 22 minutes South, longitude 127 degrees 8 minutes
West.
Friday, 17th. Little wind and fine Pleasant weather. Variation, p.m. 3
degrees 27 minutes East. Wind, South-East by South; course, North 20
degrees West; distance, 55 miles; latitude 28 degrees 30 minutes South,
longitude 127 degrees 29 minutes West.
Saturday, 18th. First part, little wind and Cloudy; latter, fresh gales
and hard Squalls, with much rain. Took 2 Reefs in the Topsails. Wind
North-East North; course North 60 degrees 45 minutes West; distance 78
miles; latitude 27 degrees 52 minutes South, longitude 128 degrees 44
minutes West.
Sunday, 19th. First part fresh Gales and Squally, with rain; remainder
more moderate and cloudy. Variation, a.m. per Means of several Azimuths,
3 degrees 14 minutes East. Loosed the 2d reefs out of the Topsails. Wind
between the North and West; course North 52 degrees West; distance 50
miles; latitude 27 degrees 21 minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 28
minutes West.
Monday, 20th. A Fine breeze and pleasant weather. Saw several Tropic
Birds. Wind West; course North; distance 95 miles; latitude 25 degrees 44
minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 28 minutes West.
Tuesday, 21st. First part little wind, the remainder Calm. Variation, 3
degrees 43 minutes East. Saw some rock weed and a great many Tropic
Birds. Wind West by North, calm; course North; distance 23 miles;
latitude 25 degrees 21 minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 28 minutes
West.
Wednesday, 22nd. First part Calm, in the night Squally, with rain. A.M. a
fresh breeze and Cloudy. Variation per Amplitude 3 degrees 10 minutes
East. Saw some Egg Birds. Wind North by East to North-North-West; course
West; distance 57 miles; latitude 25 degrees 21 minutes South, longitude
129 degrees 52 minutes West.
Thursday, 23rd. Fresh gales and Squally, with rain, the first part;
remainder fresh Gales and Cloudy. P.M. saw some Men-of-War Birds, and Egg
Birds, and in the Morning saw more Egg Birds and Tropic Birds. The
Man-of-War and Tropic Birds are pretty well known, but the Egg Bird (as
it is called in the Dolphin's Journal) requires some discription to know