The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. II. Being the Second of the First VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. II. Being the Second of the First Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
At half an hour after one in the morning of the next day, we passed a
small island which bore from us N. N. W., distant between three and four
miles; and at day-light we discovered another low island, extending from
N. N. W. to N. N. E., distant about two or three leagues. Upon this
island, which did not appear to be very small, I believe I should have
landed to examine its produce, if the wind had not blown too fresh to
admit of it. When we passed this island we had only ten fathom water,
with a rocky bottom; and therefore I was afraid of running down to
leeward, lest I should meet with shoal water and foul ground. These
islands have no place in the charts except they are the Arrou islands;
and if these, they are laid down much too far from New Guinea. I found
the south part of them to lie in latitude 7° 6ʹ S., longitude 225° W.
We continued to steer W. S. W. at the rate of four miles and a half an
hour, till ten o’clock at night, when we had forty-two fathom, at eleven
we had thirty-seven, at twelve forty-five, at one in the morning
forty-nine, and at three 120, after which we had no ground. At
day-light, we made all the sail we could, and at ten o’clock, saw land,
extending from N. N. W. to W. by N., distant between five and six
leagues: at noon, it bore from N. to W., and at about the same distance:
it appeared to be level, and of a moderate height. By our distance from
New Guinea, it ought to have been part of the Arrou islands, but it lies
a degree farther to the south than any of these islands are laid down in
the charts; and by the latitude should be Timor Laoet: we sounded, but
had no ground with fifty fathom.
As I was not able to satisfy myself from any chart, what land it was
that I saw to leeward, and fearing that it might trend away more
southerly, the weather also being so hazy that we could not see far, I
steered S. W., and by four had lost sight of the island. I was now sure
that no part of it lay to the southward of 8° 15ʹ S., and continued
standing to the S. W. with an easy sail, and a fresh breeze at S. E. by
E. and E. S. E.: we sounded every hour, but had no bottom with 120
fathom.
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