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

and sometimes drizling rain. Variation 24 degrees 4 minutes East. Wind, West by North, North-West by West; course South 82 West; distance 30 miles; latitude 58 degrees 33 minutes South, longitude 81 degrees 55 minutes West.

      Saturday, 4th. Fore and Middle parts, little wind and dark cloudy weather; latter, fresh Gales and Cloudy with some rain. P.M. had a Boat out and Shott several sorts of Birds, one of which was an Albetross as large as a Goose, whose wings when Extended measured 10 feet 2 inches; this was grey, but there are of them all White except the very tip end of their Wings. Another sort, in size between an Albetross and a large Gull, of a grey Colour, with a white Spot above their Tail about the Breadth of one's hand, and several other sorts. Wind Westerly; course North 13 degrees West; distance 48 miles; latitude 57 degrees 45 minutes South, longitude 82 degrees 16 minutes West.

      Sunday, 5th. Fresh gales with heavy squalls the first part; remainder, little wind and Cloudy. Very cold weather. Wind, West-South-West, West by North and South-West by West; course North; distance 49 miles; latitude 56 degrees 46 minutes South, longitude 82 degrees 16 minutes West.

      Monday, 6th. A moderate breeze of Wind with some flying showers of hail and rain; close upon a Wind all this day. Wind South-West by West to West by North; course North ¼ East; distance 86 miles; latitude 55 degrees 20 minutes South, longitude 82 degrees 23 minutes West.

      Tuesday, 7th. A fresh breeze and dark cloudy weather, with some showers of rain; the wind, varying from West to North by West, obliged us to Tack several times. Wind North-West by West, West by South; course North 20 degrees West; distance 46 miles; latitude 54 degrees 40 minutes South, longitude 82 degrees 54 minutes West.

      Wednesday, 8th. First part, cloudy with Squalls of wind and Showers of rain and hail; Latter part thick hazey weather, with frequent Showers. Wind, Westerly, South by West; course North 14 degrees 43 minutes West; distance 58 miles; latitude 53 degrees 36 minutes South, longitude 83 degrees 19 minutes West.

      Thursday, 9th. Fresh gales all this day, sometimes squally with rain; under Double-reef Topsails in the night, and Single-reeft Topsail in the day. Wind Southerly; course North 55 degrees West: distance 130 miles; latitude 52 degrees 22 minutes South, longitude 86 degrees 17 minutes West.

      Friday, 10th. The former part of this day had fresh breezes and Dark cloudy weather; in the night hard Squalls with rain, and afterwards hazy, rainy weather. Wind Westerly; course North 22 degrees West; distance 67 miles; latitude 51 degrees 16 minutes South, longitude 86 degrees 37 minutes West.

      Saturday, 11th. Former part Light Airs with drizling rain; remainder, a Moderate breeze and Cloudy. Wind, variable, southerly; course, North 54 degrees West; distance 36 miles; latitude 50 degrees 55 minutes South, longitude 87 degrees 24 minutes West.

      Sunday, 12th. First and Middle parts, fresh gales and cloudy; latter, little wind and clear. Having for some time past generally found the Ship by Observation to the Northward of the Log, which is not owing to a Current as I at first imagined, but to a wrong Division of the Log line, being 2½ feet in each Knot--but this is now rectified. Wind South-West by South; course North 48 degrees West; distance 113 miles; latitude 49 degrees 41 minutes South, longitude 89 degrees 36 minutes West.

      Monday, 13th. The first part of these 24 Hours, moderate breezes and Cloudy; remainder, fresh Gales and cloudy. P.M saw a great many Albetrosses and other Birds about the Ship; some were all white and about the size of Teal. Took several Observations of the sun and moon, the result of which gave 90 degrees 13 minutes West Longitude from Greenwich. The Variation of the Compass by the Mean of several Azimuths 17 degrees East. The Longitude by account is less than that by Observation, 37 minutes, which is about 20 Miles in these high Latitudes, and nearly equal to the Error of the Log line before mentioned. This near Agreement of the 2 Longitudes proves to a Demonstration that we have had no Western Current since we left the Land. Wind West, Northerly; course North 75 degrees West; distance 35 miles; latitude 49 degrees 35 minutes, longitude 90 degrees 37 minutes.

      [Remarks on Passage round Cape Horn.]

      From the Foregoing observations it will appear that we are now advanced about 12 degrees to the westward of the Strait of Magellan, and 3½ degrees to the Northward of it, having been 33* (* N.B. 23 days only from Success Bay.) days in Doubling Cape Horn or the Land of Terra del Fuego, and Arriving into the Degree of Latitude and Longitude we are now in, and without being brought once under our close Reef'd Topsails since we left Strait Le Maire, a Circumstance that perhaps never hapned before to any ship in those Seas so much dreaded for Hard gales of Wind; in so much that the doubling of Cape Horn is thought by some to be a mighty thing, and others to this day prefer the Straits of Magellan. As I have never been in those Straits I can only form my Judgement on a Carefull Comparison of the Different Ships' Journals that have passed them, and those that have sail'd round Cape Horn, particularly the Dolphin's two last Voyages and this of ours, being made at the same season of the Year, when one may reasonable expect the same Winds to prevail. The Dolphin in her last Voyage was three Months in getting through the Straits, not reckoning the time she lay in Port Famine; and I am firmly perswaided from the Winds we have had, that had we come by that Passage we should not have been in these Seas, besides the fatiguing of our People, the damage we must have done to our Anchors, Cables, Sails, and Rigging, none of which have suffer'd in our passage round Cape Horn.

      From what I have said it will appear that I am no advocate for the Straits of Magellan, but it should be expected that I should say something of Strait le Mair, through which we passed, and this is the more incumbant on me as it was by choice and contrary to the Advice given by Mr. Walter, the ingenious Author of Lord Anson's Voyage, who advised all Ships not to go through this Strait but to go to the Eastward of Staten Land, and likewise to stand to the Southward as far as 61 or 62 degrees south before any Endeavour is made to get to the Westward. With respect to the Passing of Strait le Mair or going round Staten Land, I look upon of little Consequence, and either one or the other to be pursued according to Circumstances; for if you happen to fall in with the land to the Westward of the Strait, and the winds favourable for going through, it certainly must be a piece of folly to lose time in going round Staten Land, for by paying a little Attention to the Directions I have already given no ill Consequences can attend; but on the Contrary if you should fall in with the land to the eastward of the Straits or the wind should prove Boisterous, or unfavourable, in any of these Cases the going to the eastward of Staten Land is the most Advisable. And next, as to running into the Latitude of 61 or 62 degrees South before any Endeavour is made to get to the Westward, is what I think no man will ever do that can avoid it, for it cannot be supposed that anyone will steer south mearly to get into a high Latitude, when at the same time he can steer west, for it is not Southing but Westing that is wanting. But this way you cannot Steer because the Wind blows almost Constantly from that Quarter, so that you have no other Choice but to stand to the Southward, close upon a Wind, and by keeping upon that Tack you not only make Southing but Westing also, and sometimes not a little when the wind Varies to the Northward of West; and the farther you advance to the Southward the better Chance you have of having the Winds from that Quarter or Easterly, and likewise of meeting with finer weather, both of which we ourselves Experienced. Prudence will direct every man when in those high Latitudes to make sure of sufficient Westing to double all the lands before he thinks of standing to the Northward. When the winds was Westerly the Mountains on Terra Del Fuego were generally covered with dense Clouds, formed, as one may reasonably suppose, by Westerly Exhalations and by Vapours brought thither by the Westerly winds. From that Quarter come frequent Showers of rain, hail, and Snow; and after we had left the land and were standing to the Southward, with the winds westerly, dark dence clouds were Continually forming in the Horizon, and rose to about 45 degrees, where they began to dissipate. These were generally attended with Showers of Rain, or hail, and Squals of Wind, but as we advanced to the Southward, these Clouds became less dence, and in the Latitude of 60 degrees 10 minutes, when we got the winds Easterly, the weather was more serene and Milder; again as we advanced to the Northward we had a constant Clouded sky and dark gloomy weather, the whole time exceeding Cold.

      [Cape Horn to Tahiti.]

      Tuesday, 14th. The first part, fresh Gales and Hazey with rain; the remainder moderate and Cloudy, with frequent rain. Wind, Westerly, South; course South-West; distance 32 miles; latitude 49 degrees 6 minutes