A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1Cook, James
History
A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1
Cook, James
Antarctica; Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Early works to 1800; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
In the morning of the 29th, the wind abated and shifted to S.W. a gentle
gale. Of this we took immediate advantage, set all our sails, and stood for
Cape Palliser, which at noon bore W. by N. 1/2 N., distant about six
leagues. The wind continued between the S.W. and south till five in the
evening, when it fell calm. At this time we were about three leagues from
the Cape. At seven o'clock the calm was succeeded by a gentle breeze from
N.N.E., as fair as we could wish; so that we began to reckon what time we
should reach the Sound the next day; but at nine the wind shifted to its
old quarter N.W., and blew a fresh gale, with which we stretched to the
S.W., under single-reefed topsails and courses, with the Adventure in
company. She was seen until midnight, at which time she was two or three
miles a-stern, and presently after she disappeared; nor was she to be seen
at day-light. We supposed she had tacked and stood to the N.E., by which
manoeuvre we lost sight of her.
We continued to stretch to the westward with the wind at N.N.W., which
increased in such a manner as to bring us under our two courses, after
splitting a new main-topsail. At noon Cape Campbell bore W. by N., distant
seven or eight leagues. At three in the afternoon the gale began to abate,
and to veer more to the north, so that we fetched in with the land, under
the Snowy Mountains, about four or five leagues to windward of the Lookers-
on, where there was the appearance of a large bay, I now regretted the loss
of the Adventure; for had she been with me, I should have given up all
thoughts of going to Queen Charlotte's Sound to wood and water, and have
sought for a place to get these articles farther south, as the wind was now
favourable for ranging along the coast. But our separation made it
necessary for me to repair to the Sound, that being the place of
rendezvous.
As we approached the land, we saw smoke in several places along the shore;
a sure sign that the coast was inhabited. Our soundings were from forty-
seven to twenty-five fathoms; that is, at the distance of three miles from
the shore, forty-seven fathoms; and twenty-five fathoms at the distance of
one mile, where we tacked, and stood to the eastward, under the two courses
and close-reefed top-sails; but the latter we could not carry long before
we were obliged to hand them. We continued to stand to the eastward all
night, in hopes of meeting with the Adventure in the morning.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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