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
At seven in the morning, on the 8th, Mr Pickersgill returned, together with
his companions, in no very good plight, having been at the head of the arm
he was sent to explore, which he judged to extend in to the eastward about
eight miles. In it is a good anchoring-place, wood, fresh water, wild fowl,
and fish. At nine o'clock I set out to explore the other inlet, or the one
next the sea; and ordered Mr Gilbert, the master, to go and examine the
passage out to sea, while those on board were getting every thing in
readiness to depart. I proceeded up the inlet till five o'clock in the
afternoon, when bad weather obliged me to return before I had seen the end
of it. As this inlet lay nearly parallel with the sea-coast, I was of
opinion that it might communicate with Doubtful Harbour, or some other
inlet to the northward. Appearances were, however, against this opinion,
and the bad weather hindered me from determining the point, although a few
hours would have done it. I was about ten miles up, and thought I saw the
end of it: I found on the north side three coves, in which, as also on the
south side, between the main and the isles that lie four miles up the
inlet, is good anchorage, wood, water, and what else can be expected, such
as fish and wild fowl: Of the latter, we killed in this excursion, three
dozen. After a very hard row, against both wind and rain, we got on board
about nine o'clock at night, without a dry thread on our backs.
This bad weather continued no longer than till the next morning, when it
became fair, and the sky cleared up. But, as we had not wind to carry us to
sea, we made up two shooting parties; myself, accompanied by the two
Mr. Forsters and some others, went to the area I was in the day before;
and the other party to the coves and isles Mr Gilbert had discovered when
he was out, and where he found many wild fowl. We had a pleasant day, and
the evening brought us all on board; myself and party met with good sport;
but the other party found little.
All the forenoon of the 10th, we had strong gales from the west, attended
with heavy showers of rain, and blowing in such flurries over high land, as
made it unsafe for us to get under sail. The afternoon was more moderate,
and became fair; when myself, Mr Cooper, and some others, went out in the
boats to the rocks, which lie at this entrance of the bay, to kill seals.
The weather was rather unfavourable for this sport, and the sea ran high,
so as to make landing difficult; we, however, killed ten, but could only
wait to bring away five, with which we returned on board.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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