Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
Thursday, 6th. A steady fresh gale at East by South and clear weather,
with which we steer'd West-South-West. At 7 in the Evening we took in the
small Sails, reefd the Topsails, and sounded, having 50 fathoms; we still
keept West-South-West all night, going at the rate of 4 1/2 Miles an
hour. At 10 had 42 fathoms; at 11, 37; and at 12 o'Clock 45; 1 o'Clock
49; and at 3, 120; after which we could get no ground. In the evening we
caught 2 Boobies, which settled upon the rigging, and these were the
first of the kind we have caught in this manner the voyage, altho' I have
heard of them being caught this way in great numbers. At daylight, in the
Morning, we made all the sail we could, and at 10 o'Clock saw land
extending from North-North-West to West by North, distant 5 or 6 League.
At Noon it bore from North to West about the same distance; our Latitude
by observation was 8 degrees 15 minutes South, Longitude 227 degrees 47
minutes West. This land is of an even and moderate height, and by our run
from New Guinea ought to be a part of the Arrow Isles;* (* This was the
southern part of the Tenimber Islands.) but it lays a degree farther to
the South than any of these Islands are laid down in the Charts. We
sounded, but had no ground, with 50 fathoms of Line.
[Remarks on Charts.]
Friday, 7th. As I was not able to satisfy myself from any Chart what land
it was we saw to Leeward of us, and fearing it might trend away more
Southerly, and the weather being hazey so that we could not see far, we
steer'd South-West, which Course by 4 o'Clock run us out of sight of the
land; by this I was assured that no part of it lay to the Southward of 8
degrees 15 minutes South. We continued standing to the South-West all
night under an Easey sail, having the advantage of a fresh gale at
South-East by East and East-South-East, and clear moon light; we sounded
every hour, but had no bottom with 100 and 120 fathoms of line. At
daylight in the Morning we steer'd West-South-West, and afterwards West
by South, which by Noon brought us into the Latitude of 9 degrees 30
minutes South, and Longitude 229 degrees 34 minutes West, and by our run
from New Guinea ought to be in sight of Wessels Isle, which, according to
the Chart is laid down about 20 or 25 Leagues from the coast of New
Holland; but we saw nothing, by which I conclude that it is wrong laid
down; and this is not to be wonder'd at when we consider that not only
these Islands, but the lands which bound this Sea have been discover'd
and explored by different people and at different times, and compiled and
put together by others, perhaps some Ages after the first discoveries
were made. Navigation formerly wanted many of these helps towards keeping
an Accurate Journal which the present Age is possessed of; it is not they
that are wholy to blame for the faultiness of the Charts, but the
Compilers and Publishers, who publish to the world the rude Sketches of
the Navigator as Accurate surveys, without telling what authority they
have for so doing; for were they to do this we should then be as good or
better judge than they, and know where to depend upon the Charts, and
where not. Neither can I clear Seamen of this fault; among the few I have
known who are Capable of drawing a Chart or Sketch of a Sea Coast I have
generally, nay, almost always, observed them run into this error. I have
known them lay down the line of a Coast they have never seen, and put
down Soundings where they never have sounded; and, after all, are so fond
of their performances as to pass the whole off as Sterling under the
Title of a Survey Plan, etc. These things must in time be attended with
bad Consequences, and cannot fail of bringing the whole of their works in
disrepute.* (* Cook had good reason for writing thus, and being himself
scrupulously honest and careful, he felt this scamped work to be a
disgrace to seamen.) If he is so modest as to say, Such and such parts,
or the whole of his plan is defective, the Publishers or Vendures will
have it left out, because they say it hurts the sale of the work; so that
between the one and the other we can hardly tell when we are possessed of
a good Sea Chart until we ourselves have proved it.
Saturday, 8th. Winds Easterly, with a high Sea from the same Quarter. Our
Course and distance sail'd this 24 Hours is South 86 degrees 30 minutes
West, 102 Miles; Latitude in 9 degrees 36 minutes South, Longitude 231
degrees 17 minutes West.
Sunday, 9th. Light Airs and Clear weather the most part of this 24 Hours.
In the evening found the Variation by several Azimuths to be 0 degrees 12
minutes West, and by the Amplitude 0 degrees 5 minutes West. At Noon we
were by observation in the Latitude of 9 degrees 46 minutes South,
Longitude 232 degrees 7 minutes West. Course and distance sail'd since
yesterday at Noon South 78 degrees 45 minutes West, 52 Miles. For these 2
days past we have steer'd due West, and yet we have by observation made
16 Miles Southing--6 Miles Yesterday and 10 to-day; from which it should
seem that there is a Current setting to the Southward and Westward
withall, as I should suppose.
Monday, 10th. Light Airs Easterly, except in the morning, when we had it
at North; at sunset found the Variation to be 0 degrees 2 minutes West,
at the same time saw, or thought we saw, very high land bearing
North-West, and in the Morning saw the same appearances of land in the
same Quarter, which left us no room to doubt but what it was land, and
must be either the Island of Timor land or Timor, but which of the 2 I
cannot as yet determine.* (* This was Timor. What Cook calls Timor land
is probably Timor Laut, another name for the principal island of the
Tenimber Group.) At Noon we were by Observation in the Latitude of 10
degrees 1 minute South, which was 15 Miles to the Southward of that given
by the Log. Longitude in per Observation 233 degrees 27 minutes West.
Tuesday, 11th. Variable light Airs and Clear weather. Steer'd North-West,
in order to discover the Land plainer until 4 in the morning, at which
time the wind came to North-West and West, with which we stood to the
Southward until 9 o'Clock, when we Tack'd and stood North-West, having
the wind at West-South-West. At sun rise in the morning we could see the
land extend from West-North-West to North-East; at noon we could see it
extend to the Westward as far as West by South 1/2 South, but no farther
to the Eastward than North by East. We were now well assured that this
was part of the Island of Timor, in consequence of which the last Island
we saw must have been Timor land, the South part of which lies in the
Latitude of 8 degrees 15 minutes South, Longitude 228 degrees 10 minutes,
whereas in the Charts the South Point is laid down in Latitude 9 degrees
30 minutes. It is possible that the Land we saw might be some other
Island; but then I cannot see how we could have miss'd seeing Timor land,
soposing it to be right laid down in Latitude, as we were never to the
Southward of 9 degrees 30 minutes; for my design was to have made that
Island, and to have landed upon it to have seen what it produced, as it
is (according to the Charts) a large Island, and not settled by the Dutch
that I ever heard off. We were now in the Latitude of 9 degrees 37
minutes, Longitude 233 degrees 54 minutes West by observation of the Sun
and Moon, and Yesterday we were by Observation in 233 degrees 27 minutes
West. The difference is 27 minutes, which is exactly the same as what the
Log gave; this, however, is a degree of accuracy in observation that is
seldom to be expected.
[Off South Coast of Timor.]
Wednesday, 12th. Winds between the South and West, a light breeze and
Clear weather in the P.M.; stood in shore until 8 o'Clock, then Tack'd
and stood off, being about 6 Leagues from the Land, which at dark extend
from South-West 1/2 West to North-East; at this time we sounded and had
no ground with 140 fathoms of line, being not above 4 Leagues from the
Land. At 12 o'Clock we Tack'd and stood in, having but little wind, and
continued so until noon, at which time we were by Observation in Latitude
9 degrees 36 minutes South; the Log this 24 Hours gave 18 Miles Westing,
but it did not appear by the land that we had made so much. We saw
several Smoaks upon the Land by day, and fires in the Night.
Thursday, 13th. Stood in shore, with a light breeze at South by West
until 1/2 past 5 o'Clock in the P.M., when, being a Mile and a 1/2 from
the Shore, and in 16 fathoms, we tack'd and stood off. At this time the
Extreams of the Land extended from North-East by East to West by South
1/2 South; this last was a low point, distant from us about 3 Leagues. We
were right before a small Creek or Inlet into the low land, which lies in
the Latitude of 9 degrees 34 minutes South. Probably it might be the same
as Dampier went into in his Boat, for it did not seem to have depth of
Water sufficient for anything else. In standing in shore we sounded
several times, but found no soundings until we got within 2 1/2 Miles of
the Shore, where we had 25 fathoms, soft bottom. We stood off Shore until
12 o'Clock, with the wind at South, then Tack'd and stood to the Westward
2 Hours, when the wind veer'd to the South-West and West-South-West, and
then we stood to the Southward. In the Morning found the Variation to be
1 degree 10 minutes West by the Amplitude, and by the Azimuth 1 degree 27
minutes West; at Noon we were by Observation in the Latitude of 9 degrees
45 minutes South, Longitude 234 degrees 12 minutes West, and about 6 or 7
Leagues from the land, which extended from North 31 degrees East to
West-South-West 1/2 West. Winds at South-South-West, a Gentle breeze.
Friday, 14th. Light Land and Sea breezes; the former we had from West by
North, and only a few hours in the morning, the latter we had from the
South-South-West and South. With these winds we advanced but slowly to
the Westward. At Noon we were about 6 or 7 Leagues from the Land, which
extended from North by East to South 78 degrees West; our Latitude by
Observation was 9 degrees 54 minutes South. Course and Distance sail'd
since Yesterday noon South 68 degrees West, 24 Miles. We saw several
Smoakes ashore in the P.M., and fires in the night, both upon the Low
land and up in the Mountains.
Saturday, 15th. In the P.M. had the Sea breezes at South-South-West and
South, with which we stood to the Westward until 8 o'Clock, when being
about 3 Leagues from the Land, and having very little wind, we tack'd and
lay her Head off Shore. At 11 o'Clock we got the Land wind at North by
West, with which we steer'd South-West by West along shore, keeping about
4 or 5 Miles from the Land on which in the morning we saw several Houses,
Plantations, etc. At 9 o'Clock we got the wind at North-East by East, a
light breeze; at Noon we were about 2 Leagues from the Land, which
extended as far to the Southward as South-West by West; our Latitude by
observation was 10 degrees 1 minute South. Course and Distance sail'd
since Yesterday at Noon South 78 degrees 45 minutes West, 36 Miles.
Sunday, 16th. Light breezes from the North-East by East, with clear
weather, except in the morning, when we had it cloudy, with a few small
Showers of Rain. Steer'd along shore South-West and South-West by West
until 6 o'Clock in the morning, when we steer'd West-South-West, and at
9, West, at which time we saw the Island Rotte right ahead. At Noon we
were in the Latitude of 10 degrees 39 minutes, Longitude 235 degrees 57
minutes; the South end of Timor bore North-North-West, distant 5 or 6
Leagues; the Island of Rotte extending from South 75 degrees West to
North 67 degrees West, and the Island of Anaboa as Dampier calls it, or
Seman* (* Semao. This island lies off the Dutch settlement of Koepang or