Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World. James Cook
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Fuego.
On the South-West side of the Cape of good Success (which forms the South-West entrance of Strait Le Mair, and is known by some rocks off it) lies Valentine's Bay, the entrance of which we only saw. From this Bay the land Trends to the West-South-West; for 20 or 30 Leagues it appears High and Mountainous, and forms several Bays and inlets South-West ½ South 14 Leagues from the Cape of good Success, and 2 or 3 Leagues from the Shore lies New Island; it is 2 leagues in length, North-East and South-West, the North-East end is terminated by a remarkable Hillock. South-West 7 Leagues from New Island lies the Isle Evouts, and South, a little Westerly from this island, lies Barnevelts, two small flatt Islands close to each other; they are partly Environ'd with rocks of Different height above water, and lay South-West 24 leagues from Strait le Mair. From Barnevelts Island to the South-East point of Hermites island is South-West by South, distance 3 Leagues. These Islands lay South-East and North-West, and are pretty high, and will, from most points of view, be taken for one Island or a part of the Main; from the South-East point of Hermites Isles to Cape Horn, the Course is South-West by South, distance 3 Leagues. The Appearance of this Cape and Hermites Islands is represented in the last View in the chart which I have drawn of this Coast from our first making the land unto Cape Horn, in which is included Strait Le Mair and part of Staten Land. In this chart I have laid down no land nor figured out any Shore, but what I saw myself and thus far the Chart may be depended upon. The Bays and inlets are left voide, the openings of which we only see from the Ship. It cannot be doubted but what there is Anchorage, Wood and Water in those Bays, and it must have been in some of them that the Dutch Squadron commanded by Hermites put into in the year 1624. It was the Vice Admiral Chapenham, of this Squadron, who first discovered that the land of Cape Horn was consisted of a Number of Islands, but the account they have given of those parts is very short and imperfect, and that of Schouton and Le Maire still worse, that it is no wonder that the Charts hitherto published should be found incorrect, not only in laying down the Land, but in the Latitude and Longitude of the places they contain, but I can now venture to Assert that the Longitude of few parts of the World are better Ascertained than that of Strait Le Maire and Cape Horn, being determined by several Observations of the Sun and moon made both by myself and Mr. Green, the Astronomer.
We found the Variation of the Compass on this Coast to be from 23 to 25 degrees east, except near Barnevelts Islands and Cape Horn, where we found it less and unsettled; it is likely that it is here disturbed by the land, as the Dutch Squadron before mentioned found in this very place all their Compasses to differ from each other. The declination of the South point of the Dipping Needle when set up ashore in Success Bay was 68 degrees 15 minutes below the horizon. Between Strait Le Maire and Cape Horn we found a Current setting generally pretty strong to the North-East when we were in with the Shore, but when 15 or 20 Leagues off we were not sencible of any.
REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES IN JANUARY 1769. SOUTH SEAS.
[Off Cape Horn.]
Thursday, 26th. Fresh Gales and thick Hazey weather, with small rain. At 2 p.m., the weather clearing up a little, saw Cape Horn bearing West-South-West, distance about 6 leagues, and from which I take my departure. Its Latitude and Longitude have before been taken notice of. Wind South-West by West to West-North-West; course South 15 degrees West; distance, 63 miles; latitude 56 degrees 57 minutes South; longitude 68 degrees 13 minutes West; at noon, Cape Horn North, 58 miles.
Friday, 27th. First part, moderate breezes and thick Hazey weather; the Middle, fair and Cloudy; and the Latter, fresh Gales with some rain. At 8 a.m. took two Setts of Observations of the sun and moon; the first gave 68 degrees 15 minutes; the second, 68 degrees 9 minutes; the Mean of the 2 is 68 degrees 12 minutes West. The Longitude of the Ship at Noon by these Observations is 68 degrees 42 minutes less 14 minutes, the Longitude made from Cape Horn, equal to 68 degrees 28 minutes, the longitude of Cape Horn according to the Observation. A Great many large Albetrosses about the Ship. Wind, South-West, West and North; course, South and West; distance, 32 miles; latitude 57 degrees 2 minutes South, longitude 68 degrees 27 minutes West.
Saturday, 28th. Fresh Gales the most part of this day; first and Middle parts cloudy; latter, clear with a Sharp cold air. At 2 p.m. saw the land, bearing North, distant about 8 Leagues; it made in 2 Hummocks, and appeared to be an Island, which I take to be the Isle of Diego Ramirez. It lays in the Latitude of 56 degrees 38 minutes South and Longitude 68 degrees 47 minutes West from Greenwich.* (* Diego Ramirez is in 56 degrees 31 minutes South, 68 degrees 43 minutes West.) Found the Variation this Evening to be 22 degrees East. A.M. had 3 sets of Observations of the sun and moon, which gave the Longitude 69 degrees 7 minutes 15 seconds West. The Longitude of the Ship at Noon by the Observation is 69 degrees 24 minutes, from which take 1 degree 48 minutes, the longitude made from Cape Horn, the remainder is 67 degrees 36 minutes, the Longitude of the Cape, which is 52 minutes less than the result of Yesterday's Observations.* (* This was the best observation.) This difference may arise partly from the Observations and partly from the Ship's runs; the mean of the 2 gives 68 degrees 2 minutes and 68 degrees 24 minutes, the Longitude of the Cape from the Observations taken at Strait Maire 136 degrees 26 minutes/2 = 68 degrees 13 minutes West from Greenwich. The Longitude of Cape Horn being deduced from no less than 24 Observations taken at no very great distance from the Cape, and on both sides of it, and when the Sun was both to the East and West of the Moon; for in this case the Errors arising from the Observations are most likely to Correct one another. Wind, North and West by North to North-West by West; course, South 39 degrees West; distance, 80 miles; latitude 58 degrees 4 minutes South, longitude 70 degrees 1 minute West.
Sunday, 29th. First and Latter parts, fresh Gales and Squally, with flying Showers of rain and Hail; the Middle, strong Gales with heavy Squalls and showers of rain. At 8 p.m. took 2nd Reef Topsails, at 6 a.m. Close reefd the Foretopsails and took in the Mizen Topsl, and at 10 set it again and let the reef out of the Fore top-sails. Wind, West Northerly; course South-West; distance, 79 miles; latitude 59 degrees 0 minutes South, longitude 72 degrees 48 minutes West.
Monday, 30th. Fore part, fresh Gales and Squally with Hail and rain, remainder moderate and Cloudy. At 6 a.m. loosed the 2nd reef out of the Topsails and set Top-gallant Sails. At 11 Longitude per 3 sets of Observations of the sun and moon, 1st set 73 degrees 38 minutes 15 seconds; second set 73 degrees 25 minutes 45 seconds; and 3rd, 73 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds; the mean of the whole is 73 degrees 27 minutes 50 seconds West, and 35 minutes less than the Longitude by Dead reckoning, which is only 6 Leagues in this Latitude, and therefore not worth taking notice of. Latitude per Observation 60 degrees 4 minutes South. Wind West by North and West-North-West; course, South 33 degrees West; distance, 76 miles; latitude 60 degrees 4 minutes South, longitude 74 degrees 10 minutes West.
Tuesday, 31st. First part moderate and Cloudy, with some rain; in the night, little wind and Calm; towards Noon, fresh Gales and Cloudy. Between 7 and 8 p.m., being then in the Latitude of 60 degrees 10 minutes, which was the farthest south we were, and in the Longitude of 74 degrees 30 minutes found the Variation of the Compass by the mean of Azimuth to be 27 degrees 9 minutes East. At 3 a.m. wind at East-South-East, and Moderate breeze. Set the Steeringsails, and soon after 2 Birds like Penguins were seen by the Mate of the Watch. Wind West-North-West, calm, East-South-East, South-South-East; course North 71 degrees West; distance, 55 miles; latitude 59 degrees 46 minutes South, longitude 75 degrees 54 minutes West.
[February 1769.]
Wednesday, February 1st. First part, fresh Gales; latter, light Airs and Cloudy; P.M. found the Variation by several Azimuth to be 24 degrees 53 minutes East. At Noon sounded, but had no ground with 240 fathoms of line; hoisted a Boat out to try if there was any Current, but found none. The weather was such as to admit Mr. Banks to row round the Ship in a Lighterman's Skiff shooting birds. Wind, South-East by East, South-South-East, East; course, North-West by West; distance, 106 miles; latitude 58 degrees 46 minutes South, longitude 78 degrees 42 minutes West.
Thursday, 2nd. First part, light breezes and Cloudy; remainder, sometimes a fresh breeze and at other times little wind and hazey, rainy, Cold weather. Took in the Steeringsls and a reef in each Topsail. Wind variable, North-North-West, South-West and South; course, West by North; distance, 82 miles; latitude 58 degrees 30 minutes South, longitude 80 degrees 58 minutes West.
Friday, 3rd. Calm and Light Airs, and for the most part