Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
the wind to the South-West and close reefd the Topsails. At 1 a.m. being
very squally with rain, took in the Topsails and brought too under the
Mainsail. At 6 made Sail under the Courses. Saw some seaweed, sounded,
but had no ground at 65 fathoms of Line. Some Albetrosses, Sheer Waters,
and a great many Pintado Birds about the Ship with some hundreds of Birds
that were smaller than Pidgeons, their backs were grey, their Bellies
white, and the ends of their Tails black, and have a blackish line along
the upper parts of the wings from the Tip of one to the other. We saw
birds very like those near Faulklands Islands on the Coast of Patagonia,
only they had not the black streak along the wings; they fly low like
sheer waters or mother Carys birds, and are perhaps of the same Tribe,
for Distinction sake I shall call them Doves.* (* Probably petrels of the
genus Prion.) Wind Westerly; course South 4 degrees 15 minutes East;
distance 68 miles; latitude 39 degrees 28 minutes South, longitude 147
degrees 0 minutes West.
[September 1769.]
Friday, September 1st. Very strong Gales and heavy Squalls with rain; at
6 p.m. brought too under the Main Sail. At 6 a.m. set the Foresail, a
Great Sea from the Westward. The same sort of Birds about the Ship as
Yesterday, but not in such great Numbers. Wind, Westerly; Course, South
29 degrees East; distance 50 miles; latitude 40 degrees 12 minutes South,
longitude 146 degrees 29 minutes West.
Saturday, 2nd. Very strong Gales, with heavy squalls of Wind, hail, and
rain. At 4 p.m., being in the Latitude of 40 degrees 22 minutes South,
and having not the least Visible signs of land, we wore, and brought too
under the Foresail, and reef'd the Mainsail, and handed it. I did intend
to have stood to the Southward if the winds had been Moderate, so long as
they continued Westerly, notwithstanding we had no prospect of meeting
with land, Rather than stand back to the Northward, on the same Track as
we came, but as the weather was so very Tempestious I laid aside this
design, and thought it more adviseable to stand to the Northward into
better weather, least we should receive such Damage in our Sails and
Rigging as might hinder the further Prosecutions of the Voyage.* (* This
long excursion to the south is a fine instance of Cook's thoroughness and
determination in exploration. The belief in a southern continent was
strong amongst most geographers; but it rested on nothing more than the
false idea that dry lands in the two hemispheres should balance one
another. Cook himself did not share the general belief; and few others in
his position would have struggled for 1500 miles out of his direct course
into bad weather, simply to disprove an idea, when so much unexplored
ocean lay before him to the westward, with a fair wind and fine weather.)
Some Albetrosses, Pintado birds, and Doves about the Ship, and a Bird
larger than a Duck, his plumage of a Dark Brown, with a Yellow beak. We
saw of these Birds in our Passage to the Northward, after doubling Cape
Horn. At Noon the weather was more moderate; set the Reefd Mainsail. A
great Sea from the West-South-West. Wind West; Course North 54 degrees 30
minutes East; distance 46 miles; latitude 39 degrees 45 minutes South,
longitude 145 degrees 39 minutes West.
Sunday, 3rd. The fore and Middle parts fresh gales, with hard Squalls;
Latter more moderate. At 5 a.m. loos'd the Reef out of the Mainsail, and
set the Topsail double reef'd, and before noon had all the Reefs out.
Wind Westerly; course North; distance 50 miles; latitude 38 degrees 54
minutes South, longitude 145 degrees 39 minutes West.
Monday, 4th. First and latter parts, little wind and Cloudy; in the night
Calm. Very few Birds about the Ship. Wind Westerly; course North by East;
distance 26 miles; latitude 38 degrees 29 minutes South, longitude 145
degrees 32 minutes West.
Tuesday, 5th. Fresh breezes and Cloudy weather. At 2 p.m. saw a piece of
rock Weed. Variation, per Azimuth 7 degrees 0 minutes East. Wind West to
North-West; course North 32 West; distance 44 miles; latitude 37 degrees
52 minutes South, longitude 146 degrees 2 minutes West.
Wednesday, 6th. Fresh Gales and Squally, with rain. At Noon saw a Bird
which was all white, except the Tip of each Wing; it was nearly as big as
an Albetross. We saw 2 of these Birds in Latitude 19 degrees before we
Arrived at George's Island. Wind Westerly; course South 87 degrees 30
minutes West; distance 70 miles; latitude 37 degrees 49 minutes South,
longitude 147 degrees 30 West.
Thursday, 7th. Fresh Gales and hard squalls, with rain. At 3 p.m. saw
something upon the Water, which must either have been a Billet of Wood or
a Seal. At Noon a hard gale and Squally, which obliged us to take in the
Topsails. Wind Westerly; course South 80 degrees West; distance 15 miles;
latitude 37 degrees 52 minutes South, longitude 147 degrees 49 minutes
West.
Friday, 8th. P.M. very strong gales and Squally. A.M. more moderate; set
the Topsails. At Noon the Observed Latitude was 13 Miles to the North of
the Log. This I take to be owing to the great Sea we have had constantly
of Late from the South-West. Wind Westerly; course North 1/4 East;
distance 76 miles; latitude 36 degrees 36 minutes South, longitude 147
degrees 40 minutes West.
Saturday, 9th. Moderate breezes and dark, cloudy weather, sometimes
Hazey, with Drizling Rain. Wind South-East; course North 77 degrees West;
distance 76 miles; latitude 36 degrees 19 minutes South, longitude 149
degrees 12 minutes West.
Sunday, 10th. Fresh breezes and cloudy. At 9 a.m. we thought the Colour
of the Sea was paler than Usual, which occasioned us to sound, but had no
ground with 100 fathoms. Wind South-West, West-South-West; course North
52 degrees West; distance 97 miles; latitude 35 degrees 19 minutes South,
longitude 150 degrees 46 minutes West.
Monday, 11th. Fresh breezes, and for the most part thick, hazey weather,
with rain. Wind South-West; course North 43 degrees West; distance 87
miles; latitude 34 degrees 15 minutes South, longitude 152 degrees 00
minutes West.
Tuesday, 12th. Fresh breezes and cloudy; a swell from the
South-South-West. Some Albetrosses and Pintado Birds about the Ship. Wind
Westerly; course North 30 degrees West; distance 73 miles; latitude 33
degrees 12 minutes South, longitude 152 degrees 44 minutes West.
Wednesday, 13th. Gentle breezes, with some flying Showers. At 6 p.m.
Variation per Azimuth, 8 degrees 8 minutes East. Note, while we was
between the Latitude of 37 and 40 degrees we had constantly blowing
Tempestious weather, but since we have been to the Northward of 37
degrees, the weather hath been very moderate. Wind South-West and
West-South-West; course North-North-West; distance 74 miles; latitude 32
degrees 3 minutes South, longitude 153 degrees 16 minutes West.
Thursday, 14th. Gentle breezes, and sometimes Calm. A Swell from the
South-South-West. Wind Variable; course South 86 degrees West; distance
33 miles; latitude 32 degrees 5 minutes South, longitude 153 degrees 54
minutes West.
Friday, 15th. First part, moderate and Cloudy, remainder Strong Gales and
Squally. Several Albetrosses, Pintado Birds, and Sheer Waters about the
Ship; some of the Albetrosses were all White. Wind North-East to
South-East; course South 77 West; distance 139 miles; latitude 32 degrees
36 minutes South, longitude 156 degrees 34 minutes West.
Saturday, 16th. First part very strong Gales and Squally; remainder more
moderate, with a large Swell from the Southward. Wind South-South-East,
South, West-South-West; course North 60 degrees West; distance 100 miles;
latitude 31 degrees 45 minutes South, longitude 158 degrees 16 minutes
West.
Sunday, 17th. Fresh Gales and Cloudy. Wind South-West; course North 25
West; distance 100 miles; latitude 31 degrees 14 minutes South, longitude
159 degrees 6 minutes West.
Monday, 18th. Moderate Gales and Cloudy, with a Swell from the Southward.
Wind Westerly; course North by West 1/2 West; distance 78 miles; latitude
29 degrees 00 minutes South, longitude 159 degrees 32 minutes West.
Tuesday, 19th. Variable; light Airs and Calm. Variation per Amplitude at
sunset, 8 degrees 36 minutes East; per Azimuth in the morning, 8 degrees
29 minutes East; mean, 8 degrees 32 1/2 minutes East. A large hollow
swell from the Southward. Wind Variable; course East; distance 6 miles;
latitude 29 degrees 00 minutes South, longitude 159 degrees 25 minutes
West.
Wednesday, 20th. Light Airs and Calm. Wind Variable; course South-West by
South; distance 20 miles; latitude 29 degrees 20 minutes South, longitude
159 degrees 47 minutes West.
Thursday, 21st. Most part Gentle breezes and clear weather. Wind South
Easterly; course South 50 degrees West; distance 62 miles; latitude 30
degrees 00 minutes South, longitude 160 degrees 42 minutes West.
Friday, 22nd. Fresh breezes and Cloudy. The Southerly swell still
Continues, from which I conjecture that there is no land near in that
Direction. Wind South-East; course South 34 West; distance 81 miles;
latitude 31 degrees 7 minutes South, longitude 161 degrees 35 minutes
West.
Saturday, 23rd. Gentle breezes and Cloudy weather. Wind South-East;
course South-West by South; distance 62 miles; latitude 31 degrees 59
minutes South, longitude 162 degrees 44 minutes West.
Sunday, 24th. Moderate breezes and Cloudy. At Noon saw some sea-Weed. The
Southerly swell is now quite gone down. Wind South-East to North-East;
course South 35 West; distance 97 miles; latitude 33 degrees 18 minutes
South, longitude 162 degrees 51 minutes West.
Monday, 25th. Ditto weather. At 1 p.m. passed by a Piece of Wood, about 3
feet long and 7 or 8 Inches thick. Variation at 6 p.m. per Azimuth, 10
degrees 48 minutes East. A.M., got up all the Boatswain's Stores, to take
an account of them. Wind North-East; course South 43 1/2 West; distance
103 miles; latitude 34 degrees 30 minutes South, longitude 165 degrees 10
minutes West.
Tuesday, 26th. Fresh breezes and fair weather. Wind North-North-East;
course South-West; distance 136 miles; latitude 36 degrees 9 minutes
South, longitude 167 degrees 14 minutes West.
Wednesday, 27th. Very strong Gales and hazey, with rain the First and
Middle part; Latter, moderate and clear weather. In the evening took in
the Topsails and Mainsail, and lay too with her head to the Westward
under the Foresail. During the night, at 4 a.m., made Sail. Saw several
Pieces of Sea Weed at different times this 24 Hours. Wind North by East,
Westerly; course South 28 West; distance 95 miles; latitude 37 degrees 33
minutes South, longitude 168 degrees 10 minutes West.
Thursday, 28th. First and Middle parts, fresh gales and Cloudy; Latter
part, very strong Gales and Squally. At 4 p.m. saw a Seal aSleep upon the
Water, and some Weed. A.M. saw several bunches of Sea Weed and a few
Albetrosses and Sheer Waters. Wind Westerly; course South 21 degrees
West; distance 92 miles; latitude 38 degrees 59 minutes South, longitude
169 degrees 5 minutes West.
Friday, 29th. The first part strong Gales and Squally; remainder a fresh
breeze and settled weather. At 1 p.m. was obliged to take in the
Topsails, but set them again at 4. At 11 a.m. saw a Bird something like a
Snipe, only it had a short bill; it had the appearance of a land bird.
Several Albetrosses, Pintado birds, and Sheer Waters about the Ship, and
a Number of Doves; of these we have seen more or less ever since the 31st
of last Month, the day we first saw them. Wind South-West; course North
59 degrees West; distance 60 miles; latitude 38 degrees 30 minutes South,
longitude 170 degrees 14 minutes West.
Saturday, 30th. Moderate breezes and Settled weather. Saw a dark brown
bird as big as a Raven; it is a Sea Fowl, and are seen in great Numbers