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
In the afternoon, we had a gentle breeze at S. W., which, before it was
quite dark, brought us abreast of the eastern point which we had seen at
noon; but not knowing what course the land took on the other side of it,
we brought to in thirty-four fathom, at the distance of about one league
from the shore. At eight in the evening, there being little wind, we
filled and stood on till midnight, and then we brought to till four in
the morning, when we again made sail, and at break of day we saw low
land extending from the point to the S. S. E. as far as the eye could
reach, the eastern extremity of which appeared in round hillocks: by
this time the gale had veered to the eastward, which obliged us to ply
to windward. At noon next day, the eastern point bore S. W. by S.
distant sixteen miles, and our latitude was 40° 19ʹ: the wind continuing
easterly, we were nearly in the same situation at noon on the day
following. About three o’clock the wind came to the westward, and we
steered E. S. E. with all the sail we could set till it was dark, and
then shortened sail till the morning: as we had thick hazy weather all
night, we kept sounding continually, and had from thirty-seven to
forty-two fathom. When the day broke we saw land bearing S. E. by E. and
an island lying near it, bearing E. S. E. distant about five leagues:
this island I knew to be the same that I had seen from the entrance of
Queen Charlotte’s Sound, from which it bears N. W. by N. distant nine
leagues. At noon, it bore south, distant four or five miles, and the
north-west head of the sound S. E. by S. distant ten leagues and a half.
Our latitude, by observation, was 40° 33ʹ S.
As we had now circumnavigated the whole country, it became necessary to
think of quitting it; but as I had thirty tons of empty water casks on
board, this could not be done till I had filled them: I therefore hauled
round the island, and entered a bay, which lies between that and Queen
Charlotte’s Sound, leaving three more islands, which lay close under the
western shore, between three or four miles within the entrance, on our
starboard hand: while we were running in, we kept the lead continually
going, and had from forty to twelve fathom. At six o’clock in the
evening, we anchored in eleven fathom with a muddy bottom, under the
west shore, in the second cove, that lies within three islands; and as
soon as it was light the next morning, I took a boat, and went on shore
to look for a watering place, and a proper birth for the ship, both
which I found, much to my satisfaction. As soon as the ship was moored,
I sent an officer on shore to superintend the watering, and the
carpenter, with his crew, to cut wood, while the long-boat was employed
in landing the empty casks.
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