Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71Cook, James
History
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, 29th. Fresh Breezes and pleasant weather. Variation of the
Compass 2 degrees 25 minutes West. Wind East-South-East; course South by
West; distance 101 miles; latitude 5 degrees 25 minutes South, longitude
32 degrees 48" West.
Sunday, 30th. A Steady breeze, and for the most part close cloudy
weather. Variation by several Azimuths 1 degree 31 minutes West. At noon
the observed latitude 7 miles southward of account. Wind East-South-East;
course South 3/4 West; distance 107 miles; latitude 7 degrees 8 minutes
South, longitude 33 degrees 4 minutes West.
Monday, 31st. A Fresh breeze and Clear weather. Variation 0 degrees 15
minutes West. Observed Latitude again to the Southward of the Log. Wind
East to East-South-East; course, South 1/2 West; distance 114 miles;
latitude 9 degrees 1 minute South, longitude 33 degrees 16 minutes West.
[November 1768. Between Equator and Rio.]
Tuesday, November 1st. Moderate breezes, for the most part Cloudy.
Variation by the mean of Several Azimuths 0 degrees 58 minutes West in
the Evening, and in the Morning found it to be 0 degrees 18 minutes West.
Wind East-South-East; course South 3/4 West; distance 98 miles; latitude
10 degrees 38 minutes South.
Wednesday, 2nd. A Steady breeze and fine pleasant weather. This
Afternoon, by the mean of Several Azimuths and the Amplitude, found the
Variation to be 0 degrees 34 minutes East, from which it appears that
about the aforegoing Noon we have Crossed the Line of no Variation in the
Latitude of 10 degrees 38 minutes South, and, according to the following
Observations, in 32 degrees 0 minutes West longitude from Greenwich. At 5
hours 5 minutes 0 seconds Apparent time a.m. the longitude of the Ship
and the Observation of the moon and the star Aldebaran was found to be 32
degrees 0 minutes 45 seconds; at 8 hours 17 minutes 0 seconds, per sun
and moon, 32 degrees 25 minutes 0 seconds; and at 9 hours 0 minutes 16
seconds, 32 degrees 19 minutes 0 seconds. The mean of the three is 32
degrees 14 minutes 55 seconds. And again at 7 hours 12 minutes 52
seconds, per sun and moon, 32 degrees 10 minutes 4 seconds; and at 7
hours 19 minutes 42 seconds, per sun and moon, 32 degrees 15 minutes 20
seconds. The mean of these two is 32 degrees 12 minutes 42 seconds, and
the mean of the whole is 32 degrees 13 minutes 43 seconds West from
Greenwich, which is less by a whole Degree than that by account, which is
a Considerable Error to be made in 5 Days in these low Latitudes. One
would think from this that we must have had a Current setting to the
Eastward, which is not likely that it should set against the settled
trade wind. The 3 first of these Observations were made by Mr. Green, and
the 2 last by myself. Wind East-South-East, South; course South by West;
distance 132 miles; latitude 12 degrees 48 minutes South, longitude 32
degrees 20 minutes West per Observation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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