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

Gales and Hazey weather; a.m. hove up the Small Bower Anchor and got Topmasts and Yards. Wind West by South.

      Thursday, 25th. Moderate and Cloudy weather; a.m. received on Board a supply of Beer and Water, and returned all our Empty Casks. Loosed the Topsails as a Signal for Sailing. Wind West, North by West, North-West by West.

      [Sailed from Plymouth.]

      Friday, 26th. First part fresh Breezes and Cloudy, remainder little wind and Clear. At 2 p.m. got under Sail and put to Sea, having on board 94 Persons, including Officers, Seamen, Gentlemen, and their Servants; near 18 Months' Provisions, 10 Carriage Guns, 12 Swivels, with good Store of Ammunition and Stores of all kinds. At 8 the Dodman Point West-North-West, distant 4 or 5 Leagues; at 6 a.m. the Lizard bore West-North-West ½ West, 5 or 6 Leagues distant. At Noon Sounded and had 50 fathoms, Grey sand with small Stones and broken Shells. Wind North by West, North-West, West by South; course South 21 degrees East; distance 23 miles; latitude 49 degrees 30 minutes North, longitude 5 degrees 52 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 21 degrees West distant 23 miles.

      Saturday, 27th. First part Light Airs and Clear weather, remainder fresh breezes and Cloudy. Berthed the Ship's Company, Mustered the Chests and Stove all that were unnecessary. Wind North-West, North-East, South-East; course South-West; distance 77 miles; latitude 48 degrees 42 minutes North, longitude 6 degrees 49 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 29 degrees East, 80 miles.

      Sunday, 28th. Former part fresh Gales and Hazey with rain; remainder a Moderate breeze and Cloudy. Wind Easterly; course South 48 degrees West; distance 130 miles; latitude 47 degrees 16 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 7 minutes West; at noon Lizard North 40 degrees 5 minutes East; 69 leagues.

      Monday, 29th. Light Airs and Hazey the Most part of these 24 hours with some Rain. Wind North-Westerly; course South 21 degrees West; distance 41 miles; latitude 46 degrees 38 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 29 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 37 degrees 45 minutes East, 86 leagues.

      Tuesday, 30th. Fresh Gales all these 24 Hours. At ½ past 1 p.m. Spoke with His Majesty's Ship Guardaloupe; at 6 Close Reeft the Topsails, and got down the Top Gallant Yards. Wind Westerly; course South 27 degrees West; distance 33 miles; latitude 46 degrees 9 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 52 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 36 degrees East, 96 leagues.

      Wednesday, 31st. First and Middle parts, Moderate breezes and Clear; Latter, fresh Gales and Cloudy. At 6 p.m. loosed the 2nd Reef out of the Topsails, and at 8 a.m. took them in again; at Noon Tacked and stood to the North-West, having stood before to the Southward. Wind West to South-West; course South 36 degrees East; distance 82 miles; latitude 45 degrees 3 minutes North, longitude 8 degrees 43 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North-North-East, 105 leagues.

      [September 1768. Plymouth to Madeira.]

      Thursday, September 1st. Very hard gales, with some heavy showers of Rain, the most part of these 24 Hours, which brought us under our two Courses, Broke one of our Main Topmast phuttock Plates, washed overboard a small Boat belonging to the Boatswain, and drowned between 3 and 4 Dozen of our Poultry, which was worst of all. Towards Noon it moderated, so that we could bear our Maintopsail close Reefd. At Midnight wore and stood to the Southward. Wind Westerly; course South 70 degrees West; distance 20 miles; latitude 44 degrees 56 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 9 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 28 degrees 15 minutes West, 109 leagues.

      Friday, 2nd. Fresh Gales and Cloudy the most part of these 24 hours. P.M. got up the spare Mainsail to dry, it being Wet by the Water getting into the Sail room, occasioned by the Ship being very Leakey in her upper works. At 5 a.m. loosed 2 Reefs out of each Topsail, and saw the Land, which we judged to be Cape Finister and Cape Ortugal. At 10 Tackt, being about 4 miles off Shore, and stood to the North-West; at Noon, Cape Ortugal bore East by South, distance about 8 Leagues. Wind North by West, West, South-West, West-South-West; course South by West; distance 64 miles; latitude 43 degrees 53 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 26 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North-North-East, 130 leagues.

      Saturday, 3rd. First part little wind and Hazey, with rain; remainder strong Gales with hard squalls, which brought us under our close Reeft Topsails, and obliged us to strike Topgallant Yards. At 8 a.m. wore ship and stood to the Southward. Wind South-West and West; course South 68 degrees 45 minutes West; distance 44 miles; latitude 44 degrees 9 minutes North, longitude 10 degrees 20 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 29½ degrees East, 138 leagues.

      Sunday, 4th. Fore part fresh Gales and Clear; remainder light Airs and Calm. At 6 a.m. Cape Finister bore South by West ½ West, distance 10 or 11 leagues. Loosed all the Reefs out of the Topsails, and got Topgallant Yards across. Wind Westerly, Calm; at noon, Island of Cyserga,* (* Sisarga, near Coruna.) East-South-East 3 leagues.

      Monday, 5th. Light breezes and Calm all these 24 hours. At 2 p.m. had an Observation of the Sun and Moon, which gave the Longitude 8 degrees 42 minutes West from Greenwich. At 6 Cape Finister bore South by West ½ West, 6 Leagues. Variation of the Compass per Azimuth 18 degrees 42 minutes West. At Noon, Cape Finister South by East, distant 4 leagues; latitude observed 43 degrees 4 minutes, therefore Cape Finister must lay in latitude 42 degrees 53 minutes North.* (* This is correct.) Wind Westerly, North-West, Calm.

      Tuesday, 6th. Moderate breezes and Clear weather these 24 Hours. A.M. found the Variation by the Mean of 5 Azimuth to be 21 degrees 40 minutes West, 3 Degrees more than what it was found Yesterday, which I cannot account for,* (* Cook, as all other navigators of his time, was unaware of the deviation of the compass caused by the iron of the ship.) as both Observations appeared to me to be equally well made. At 10.28 had an Observation of the sun and moon, which gave the Longitude 9 degrees 40 minutes West from Greenwich. By this Observation Cape Finister must lay in 8 degrees 52 minutes, and by that made yesterday in 8 degrees 40 minutes. The Mean of the two is 8 degrees 46 minutes West of Greenwich the Longitude of the Cape,* (* The correct longitude is 9 degrees 15 minutes West.) its latitude being 42 degrees 53 minutes North. Wind North-West; course South 42 degrees West; distance 70 miles; latitude 42 degrees 1 minute North, longitude 9 degrees 50 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 42 degrees East, 70 miles.

      Wednesday, 7th. Moderate breezes and Clear weather; found the Variation to be 21 degrees 4 minutes West. Wind West-North-West; course South by West; distance 92 miles; latitude 40 degrees 29 minutes North, longitude 10 degrees 11 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 13 degrees East, 49 leagues.

      Thursday, 8th. Fresh Gales and Cloudy weather. A.M. Past by 2 Sail, which were standing to the North-East. Wind West-North-West to West by South; course South 4 degrees East; distance 111 miles; latitude 38 degrees 33 minutes North, longitude 10 degrees West; at noon, Cape Finister North 12 degrees East, 88 leagues.

      Friday, 9th. First part fresh Gales; remainder moderate breezes and fine, Clear weather. Set up the Topmast rigging, and found the Variation to be 19 degrees 50 minutes West. Wind West by North to North-East; course South 40 degrees West; distance 116 miles; latitude 37 degrees 4 minutes North, longitude 11 degrees 33 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 20 degrees East, 124 leagues.

      Saturday, 10th. A steady, fresh breeze and fine Clear weather. Found the Variation of the Compys by the Evening and Morning Amplitude and by 2 Azimuth to be 20 degrees 59 minutes West. Wind North-East by East; course South 36 minutes West; distance 130 miles; latitude 35 degrees 20 minutes North, longitude 13 degrees 28 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 24 degrees East, 166 leagues.

      Sunday, 11th. The same Winds and weather Continue. Found the Variation to be this Evening 18 degrees 54 minutes, and in the Morning 17 degrees 58 minutes West, they both being the mean result of several good Observations. Wind North-East by East, North by East; course South 32 degrees West; distance 94 miles; latitude 34 degrees 1 minute North, longitude 14 degrees 29 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 26½ degrees East, 198 leagues.

      Monday, 12th. Moderate breezes and fine Clear weather. At 6 a.m. the Island of Porto Santo bore North-West by West, distance 9 or 10 leagues. Hauld the Wind to the westward at noon, the Deserters extending from West-South-West to South-West by South, the Body of Madeira West ½ South, and Porto Santo North-North-West ½ West. Wind North-North-West; course South 40 degrees West; distance 102 miles; latitude 32 degrees 43 minutes North, longitude