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 three in the morning, we made sail again to the northward, having the
advantage of a fresh gale at S. W. At noon we were about three or four
leagues from the shore, and in latitude 34° 22ʹ S., longitude 208° 36ʹ
W. In the course of this day’s run from the preceding noon, which was
forty-five miles north-east, we saw smoke in several places near the
beach. About two leagues to the northward of Cape George, the shore
seemed to form a bay, which promised shelter from the north-east winds,
but as the wind was with us, it was not in my power to look into it
without beating up, which would have cost me more time than I was
willing to spare. The north point of this bay, on account of its figure,
I named LONG NOSE; its latitude is 35° 6ʹ, and about eight leagues north
of it there lies a point, which, from the colour of the land about it, I
called RED POINT: its latitude is 34° 29ʹ, and longitude 208° 45ʹ W. To
the north-west of Red Point, and a little way inland, stands a round
hill, the top of which looks like the crown of a hat. In the afternoon
of this day we had a light breeze at N. N. W. till five in the evening,
when it fell calm. At this time, we were between three and four leagues
from the shore, and had forty-eight fathom water: the variation by
azimuth was 8° 48ʹ E. and the extremities of this land were from N. E.
by N. to S. W. by S. Before it was dark, we saw smoke in several places
along the shore, and a fire two or three times afterwards. During the
night we lay becalmed, driving in before the sea till one in the
morning, when we got a breeze from the land, with which we steered N.
E., being then in thirty-eight fathom. At noon it veered to N. E. by N.,
and we were then in latitude 34° 10ʹ S., longitude 208° 27ʹ W.: the land
was distant about five leagues, and extended from S. 37 W. to N. ½ E. In
this latitude there are some white cliffs, which rise perpendicularly
from the sea to a considerable height. We stood off the shore till two
o’clock, and then tacked and stood in till six, when we were within four
or five miles of it, and at that distance had fifty fathom water. The
extremities of the land bore from S. 28 W. to N. 25° 30ʹ E. We now
tacked and stood off till twelve, then tacked and stood in again till
four in the morning, when we made a trip off till daylight; and during
all this time we lost ground, owing to the variableness of the winds. We
continued at the distance of between four and five miles from the shore,
till the afternoon, when we came within two miles, and I then hoisted
out the pinnace and yawl to attempt a landing, but the pinnace proved to
be so leaky that I was obliged to hoist her in again. At this time we
saw several of the natives walking briskly along the shore, four of whom
carried a small canoe upon their shoulders. We flattered ourselves that
they were going to put her into the water, and come off to the ship, but
finding ourselves disappointed, I determined to go on shore in the yawl,
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