A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 13Kerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 13
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
On the 9th, we continued a south-east course till eight o'clock in the
evening, having run seven leagues since noon, with the wind at N.N.E.
and N. and being within three or four leagues of the land, which
appeared to be low and sandy. I then steered S.E. by S. in a direction
parallel wills the coast, having from forty-eight to thirty-four fathom
water, with a black sandy bottom. At day-break the next morning, we
found ourselves between two and three leagues from the land, which began
to have a better appearance, rising in gentle slopes, and being covered
with trees and herbage. We saw a smoke and a few houses, but it appeared
to be but thinly inhabited. At seven o'clock we steered S. by E. and
afterwards S. by W., the land lying in that direction. At nine, we were
abreast of a point which rises with an easy ascent from the sea to a
considerable height: This point, which lies in latitude 37° 43', I named
Woody Head. About eleven miles from this Head, in the direction of S.W.
1/2 W. lies a very small island, upon which we saw a great number of
gannets, and which we therefore called Gannet Island. At noon, a high
craggy point bore E.N.E. distant about a league and a half, to which I
gave the name of Albetross Point: It lies in latitude 38° 4' S.
longitude 184° 42' W.; and is distant seven leagues, in the direction of
S. 17 W. from Woody Head. On the north side of this point the shore
forms a bay, in which there appears to be anchorage and shelter for
shipping. Our course and distance for the last twenty-four hours was S.
37 E. sixty-nine miles; and at noon this day Cape Maria bore N. 30 W.
distant eighty-two leagues. Between twelve and one, the wind shifted at
once from N.N.E. to S.S.W. with which we stood to the westward till four
o'clock in the afternoon, and then tacked, and stood again in shore till
seven; when we tacked again and stood to the westward, having but little
wind. At this time Albetross Point bore N.E. distant near two leagues,
and the southermost land insight bore S.S.W. 1/2 W. being a very high
mountain, and in appearance greatly resembling the peak of Teneriffe. In
this situation we had thirty fathom water, and having but little wind
all night, we tacked about four in the morning and stood in for the
shore. Soon after, it fell calm; and being in forty-two fathom water,
the people caught a few sea-bream. At eleven, a light breeze sprang up
from the west, and we made sail to the southward. We continued to steer
S. by W. and S.S.W. along the shore, at the distance of about four
leagues, with gentle breezes from between N.W. and N.N.E. At seven in
the evening, we saw the top of the peak to the southward, above the
clouds, which concealed it below. And at this time, the southermost land
in sight bore S. by W.; the variation, by several azimuths which were
taken both in the morning and the evening, appeared to be 14° 15'
easterly.
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