James Cook - A Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's Bark Endeavour on a voyage round the world, by Lieutenant James Cook, Commander, commencing the 25th of May 1768 - 23 Oct. 1770 - Page 35

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35

Remarkable Occurrences &tc. from Madeira  Towards Rio De Janeiro

Light breezes of Wind sometimes Clear & sometimes Cloudy wea.r.Variant.on.6.10W. by an Amplitude & Azm.th. this evening.  At Noon found the Ship by the Observ'd Lat.de. 7 Miles to the Southward of the Log & by the observed Long.d. 30º to the Eastward of Yesterday's Observ.n. & as these Observ.on for Finding the Long.de. if carefully observ'd with good Instruments/will generally come within 10 or 15 Miles of each other & very often much nearer, it therefore can be no longer in Doubt but that there is a Current setting to the Eastward yet we cannot have had this Current long became the Long.de. by acc.t & by Observat.n. agree today but yesterday she was 28º to the Westw.d. of the Observ.on.,

Firstp.t. light Breezes & Cloudy. Middle frequent heavy Squalls with rain til' towards Noon when we had again little wind found the Variat.on. by the mean of 9 Azim.th taken this Morning to be 8.52 W.t. which makes the Variation found yesterday Doubtful.

Variable light Airs & Calm all this 24 Hours.At Noon found the Curr.t to set SE¼S one Mile Per Hour & yet by Observ.on. at Noon I find the Ship 12 Miles to the Northward of Acc.t a Circumstance that hath not hapned[sic] for many days & which I believe to be owing to the heavy Squalls we had Yesterday from the SE.t which obliged us to put frequently before the Wind

Firstpt. light Airs & Clear wea.r. Middle Squally with Thunder & Lightning all round, latterp.t Mod.te breezes & Clear wea.r, had several Azm.th both in the Evening & Morning which gave the Variat.on S.30W.t at Noon found by Observ.on. that the ship had outrun. the log 20 Miles a Proof that there is a Curr.t setting to the Southward.

Light Airs & fine Clear wea.r. found the Var.on. by a great. Number  of Azm.th made this afternoon to be 8º.21'30"W.t & by the  Morning Ap.d. 7º48' at Noon try'd the Current & found it set  N.NW¼W.t 1/8 Mile per Hour the Shifting of the Curr.t. was confirmed by the Observed Latitude

Firstp.t. light breezes & Clear wea.r. Middle squally with heavy showers of Rain latter Variable Light Airs & Calm & dark gloomy wea.r. At 3 PM found the Curr.t. to set NNE'/4E.t 1¼ Mile Per Hour & at Noon found it to set NE¾N at the same rate, & the Variation to be 8º39'W.t by the Mean of Several Azm.th-

Very Variable wea.r. with frequent Squalls,rain & Lightning by the Obs.d Lat.de. at Noon I find the Ship hath only made 22 Miles Southing since the last Observ.on. two days ago whereas the Log gives 55 Miles a Proof that there is a Curr.t. setting to the Northward.

Much the same wea.r. as Yesterday the first part the remainder mostly Calm & cloudy wea.r. AM Try'd the Curr.t. & found it sett SSW¼W.t  half a Mile Per Hour. which is not agreeable to Yesterday Journal.

Light Airs of Wind with some heavy showers of rain Variat.on. by Azm.th. & Amplit.de. this Evening 8º.4' b W.t at Noon try'd the current & found it set Sº¾E 1/3 of a Mile per Hour but finding the Obs.on & Log agree I am inclinable to think it hath had no effect upon the Ship.

Dark gloomy wea.r. with much rain the Wind Var'ble from WSW to SSE sometimes on one Tack & sometimes on the other

Firstp.t. little wind & Cloudy, Middle Squally with rain, latterp.t. light Airs & Clear wea.r. a little Before Noon took several Obs.on. of the sun & moon the mean result of which gave the Long.de to be 23º.46' W.t from Greenwich - which is 1º.22' more Westerly than that by acc.t carried on from the last Observ.on. & the Observed Lat.de. is 24 Miles more Northerly than the Log since the Last Observ.on. 2 days ago, all of which shows the North.Westerly Current hath Prevailed for this some Days Past

 

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