The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. IV. Being the Second of the Second Voyage.Cook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. IV. Being the Second of the Second Voyage.
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
RANGE FROM CHRISTMAS SOUND, ROUND CAPE HORN, THROUGH STRAIT LE MAIRE,
AND ROUND STATEN LAND; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF A HARBOUR IN
THAT ISLAND, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE COASTS.
At four o’clock in the morning on the 28th, we began to unmoor; and at
eight weighed and stood out to sea, with a light breeze at N. W. which
afterwards freshened, and was attended with rain. At noon, the east
point of the sound (Point Nativity), bore N. 1/2 W.; distant one and a
half leagues, and St. Ildefonso Isles S. E. 1/2 S., distant seven
leagues. The coast seemed to trend in the direction of E. by S., but the
weather being very hazy, nothing appeared distinct.
We continued to steer S. E. by E. and E. S. E., with a fresh breeze at
W. N. W., till four o’clock P. M., when we hauled to the South, in order
to have a nearer view of St. Ildefonso Isles. At this time we were
abreast of an inlet, which lies E. S. E. about seven leagues from the
sound; but it must be observed that there are some isles without this
distinction. At the west point of the inlet, are two high peaked hills;
and below them, to the E. two round hills, or isles, which lie in the
direction of N. E. and S. W. of each other. An island, or what appeared
to be an island, lay in the entrance; and another but smaller inlet
appeared to the west of this; indeed, the coast appeared indented and
broken as usual.
At half-past five o’clock, the weather clearing up, gave us a good sight
of Ildefonso Isles. They are a group of islands and rocks above water,
situated above six leagues from the main, and in the latitude of 55° 53ʹ
S., longitude 69° 41ʹ W.
We now resumed our course to the east; and, at sun-set, the most
advanced land bore S. E. by E. 3/4 E.; and a point, which I judged to be
the west point of Nassau Bay, discovered by the Dutch fleet under the
command of Admiral Hermite in 1624, bore N. 80° E., six leagues distant.
In some charts, this point is called false Cape Horn, as being the
southern point of Terra del Fuego. It is situated in latitude 55° 39ʹ S.
From the inlet above-mentioned to this false cape, the direction of the
coast is nearly E., half a point S., distant fourteen or fifteen
leagues.
At ten o’clock, having shortened sail, we spent the night in making
short boards under the top-sails, and at three next morning, made sail,
and steered S. E. by S. with a fresh breeze at W. S. W., the weather
somewhat hazy. At this time, the west entrance to Nassau Bay extended
from N. by E. to N. 1/2 E., and the south side of Hermite’s Isles, E. by
S. At four, _Cape Horn_, for which we now steered, bore E. by S. It is
known, at a distance, by a high round hill over it. A point to the
W. N. W. shows a surface not unlike this; but their situations alone
will always distinguish the one from the other.
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