State Library of NSW
[Page 9]
5. August 1769. in search of the Southern Continent
Some sea weed was also seen to pass by the ship but as it was a very small peice our hopes are not very sanguine on that head The thermometer today 52. which pinches us much who are so lately come from a countrey where it was seldom less than 80. - a swell from SW - [Margin note] Weed
31. Blows fresh this morn with a good deal of sea about 7 in the morn a heap of sea weed passd the ship an immence quantity of birds are about her today Albatrosses of both kinds which are easily distinguishd one from the other by their beaks which in one is white in the other black also large black shearwaters and a smaller sort with grey backs Pintados; but above all many millions I may safely say of the small bird mentiond yesterday about as large as a dove greyish on the back some with a dark colourd line mark going in a crooked direction on that and their its wings I try'd today to catch some of these numerous attendants with a hook but after the whole morning spent in the atempt caught only one Pintado which provd to be Procellaria capensis of Linnaeus
1. Blows very fresh with a heavy sea the ship was very troublesome all last night and is not less so today many birds are about but not so many as yesterday there are however all the sorts
2. Wind still fresher, ship lays too bird of all the sorts before mentiond in great numbers round
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