many Sea fowl and Grampusses about the Ship. In the A.M. Condemn'd 60 fathoms of the Bʳ B° Cable,[1] and converted it into Junk; at Noon had no Observation, but by the land judged ourselves to be about 3 Leagues farther North than Yesterday.
Friday, 23rd.—Winds Southerly, a Gentle breeze, and for the most part Cloudy weather. At sunset, the weather clearing up, presented to our View a high peaked Mountain[2] bearing N.W. by N., and at the same time we saw the Land more Distincter than at any time we had before, extending from N. to S.W. by S., the inland parts of which appear'd to be high and Mountainous. We cannot tell yet whether or no this land joins to, or makes a part of, the land we have left; from the accounts received from the Natives of Queen Charlotte's sound it ought not, because if it did it must have been impossible for us to have saild round it in 4 Days; besides, the Mountains inland and the soundings off the Coast seem to indicate this Country to be more extensive than any they spoke of lying to the Southward. Having a large hollow swell from the S.E., which made me expect the Wind from the same quarter, we keept plying from 7 to 15 Leagues from the land, depth of Water 44 to 70 fathoms; at Noon our Latitude, by Observation, was 44° 40′ S.; Longitude made from Banks's Island 1° 31′ W.
Saturday, 24th.—Calm until 6 p.m., at which time a light breeze sprung up at E.N.E., with which we steerd S.S.E. all night, edging off from the Land because of a hollow swell which we had from the S.E.; depth of water from 60 to 75 fathoms. At daylight the wind began to freshen, and before noon blowed a fresh Gale, and veer'd to N.N.E.; at 8 a.m. Saw the land extending as far as S.W. by S., which we steer'd directly for, and at Noon we were in the Latitude of 45° 22′ S.; the land in sight extending from S.W. ½ S. to N.N.W. making high and hilly. Course and distance run since Yesterday at Noon is S. 15° W., 47 Miles. In the P.M., while we lay becalm'd, Mr. Banks, in a small Boat, shott 2 Port Egmont Hens, which were in every respect the same sort of Birds as are found in great Numbers upon the Island of Faro; they are of a very dark brown plumage, with a little white about the under side of their wings, and are as large as a Muscovy Duck. These were the first that we have seen since we arrived upon the Coast of this Country, but we saw of them for some days before we made land.
Sunday, 25th.—In the P.M. Steer'd S.W. by S. and S.W., edging in for the land, having the Advantage of a fresh Gale at N., which I was over desirous of making the most of, and by that means
- ↑ B.B. stands for Best Bower, one of the principal cables, The hempen cables of those days were a continual cause of solicitude, and required great care.
- ↑ There are so many lofty mountains in this region that it is impossible to identify this. This ship was now no farther south than she had been five days earlier.
