Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71Cook, James
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Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71
Cook, James
Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Early works to 1800; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
Saturday, 13th. Winds Variable. P.M., Cloudy weather. At 7 o'Clock
sounded and had 42 fathoms water, being distant from the Shore between 2
and 3 Leagues and the Peaked Mountain as near as I could judge bore East.
After it was Dark saw a fire upon the Shore, a sure sign that the Country
is inhabited. In the night had some Thunder, Lightning, and Rain; at 5
a.m. saw for a few Minutes the Top of the Peaked Mountain above the
Clouds bearing North-East. It is of a prodidgious height and its Top is
cover'd with Everlasting Snow; it lies in the Latitude of 39 degrees 16
minutes South, and in the Longitude of 185 degrees 15 minutes West. I
have named it Mount Egmont in honour of the Earl of Egmont.* (* The Earl
of Egmont was First Lord of the Admiralty from 1763 to 1766. Mount Egmont
is a magnificent conical mountain, surrounded on three sides by the sea,
from which it rises to a height of 8300 feet.) This mountain seems to
have a pretty large base and to rise with a Gradual Ascent to the Peak,
and what makes it more Conspicuous is its being situated near the Sea and
in the Midst of a flat Country which afforded a very good Aspect, being
Cloathed with Woods and Verdure. The shore under the foot of this
Mountain forms a large Cape which I have named Cape Egmont; it lies
South-South-West 1/2 West, 27 Leagues from Albetross Point. On the
North-East side of the Cape lay 2 Small Islands near to a very remarkable
Point of the Main that riseth to a good height in the very form of a
Sugar Loaf. To the Southward of the Cape the Land tends away South-East
by East and East-South-East, and seems to be every where a bold shore. At
Noon had variable light Airs and Clear weather. Latitude observ'd 39
degrees 32 minutes South. Cape Egmont bore about North-East, and we were
about 4 Leagues from the Shore in that direction; in this situation had
40 fathoms Water.
[In North Part of Cook's Strait.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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