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
At half an hour past six in the morning, as we were standing N. N. E.
with the wind at W., the fog very fortunately clearing away a little, we
discovered land a-head, three or four miles distant. On this we hauled
the wind to the N., but finding we could not weather the land on this
tack, we soon after tacked in one hundred and seventy-five fathoms
water, three miles from the shore, and about half a league from some
breakers. The weather then cleared up a little more, and gave us a
tolerably good sight of the land. That which we had fallen in with
proved three rocky islets of considerable height. The outermost
terminated in a lofty peak like a sugar-loaf, and obtained the name of
Freezeland Peak, after the man who first discovered it. Latitude 59° S.,
longitude 27° W. Behind this peak, that is to the east of it, appeared
an elevated coast, whose lofty snow-clad summits were seen above the
clouds. It extended from N. by E. to E. S. E. and I called it Cape
Bristol, in honour of the noble family of Hervey. At the same time
another elevated coast appeared in sight, bearing S. W. by S., and at
noon it extended from S. E. to S. S. W., from four to eight leagues
distant; at this time the observed latitude was 59° 13ʹ 30ʺ S.,
longitude 27° 45ʹ W. I called this land Southern Thule, because it is
the most southern land that has ever yet been discovered. It shows a
surface of vast height, and is every where covered with snow. Some
thought they saw land in the space between Thule and Cape Bristol. It is
more than probable that these two lands are connected, and that this
space is a deep bay, which I called Forster’s Bay.
At one o’clock, finding that we could not weather Thule, we tacked and
stood to the north, and at four, Freezeland Peak bore E., distant three
or four leagues. Soon after it fell little wind, and we were left to the
mercy of a great westerly swell, which set right upon the shore. We
sounded, but a line of two hundred fathoms found no bottom. At eight
o’clock, the weather, which had been very hazy, clearing up, we saw Cape
Bristol bearing E. S. E., and terminating in a point to the north,
beyond which we could see no land. This discovery relieved us from the
fear of being carried by the swell on the most horrible coast in the
world, and we continued to stand to the north all night, with a light
breeze at W.
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