The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
It was the 22d, in the evening, before we got clear of these shoals, and
then I durst not venture to steer to the westward in the night, but
spent it off Cape Newenham, and at day-break next morning steered to the
north-west, ordering the Discovery to lead. Before we had run two
leagues, our depth of water decreased to six fathoms. Fearing, if we
continued this course, that we should find less and less water, I hauled
to the southward, the wind being at east, a fresh breeze. This course
brought us gradually into eighteen fathoms; and having that depth I
ventured to steer a little westerly, and afterward west, when we at last
found twenty-six fathoms water.
On the 24th at noon we were, by observation, in the latitude of 58° 7ʹ,
and in the longitude of 194° 22ʹ. Three leagues to the westward of this
station we had twenty-eight fathoms water, and then steered west
north-west, the water gradually deepening to thirty-four fathoms. I
would have steered more northerly, but the wind having veered in that
direction, I could not.
The 25th in the evening, having a very thick fog, and but little wind,
we dropped anchor in thirty fathoms water. Our latitude was now 58° 29ʹ,
and our longitude 191-1/2° 37ʹ. At six the next morning the weather
clearing up a little, we weighed, and, with a small breeze at east,
steered north; our soundings being from twenty-eight to twenty-five
fathoms. After running nine leagues upon this course, the wind returned
back to the north, which obliged us to steer more westerly.
The weather continued, for the most part, foggy, till toward noon on the
28th, when we had a few hours clear sun-shine; during which we made
several lunar observations. The mean result of them, reduced to noon,
when the latitude was 59° 55ʹ, gave 190° 6ʹ longitude; and the
time-keeper gave 189° 59ʹ. The variation of the compass was 18° 40ʹ
east. Continuing our westerly course, the water having now deepened to
thirty-six fathoms, at four o’clock next morning we discovered land,
bearing north-west by west, six leagues distant. We stood toward it till
half past ten, when we tacked in twenty-four fathoms water; being at
this time a league from the land, which bore north north-west. It was
the south-east extremity, and formed a perpendicular cliff of
considerable height; on which account it was called _Point Upright_, and
lies in the latitude of 60° 17ʹ, and in the longitude of 187° 30ʹ. More
land was seen to the westward of the point; and, at a clear interval, we
saw another elevated portion of land in the direction of west by south;
and this seemed to be entirely separated from the other. Here we met
with an incredible number of birds, all as the hawk kind before
described.
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