Letter received by Banks from WilliamBligh, 24 May 1788 (Series 46.22) - No. 0001

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No. 20         

Bounty - False Bay C.G. Hope [Cape of Good Hope]
May 24th 1788

Dear Sir

I arrived here this day with every Man and 1 officer in good health after most tempestuous and severe Weather for these last three months  - I had flattered myself I could have accomplished my passage around Cape Horn, and should most certainly have done it had I been one week earlier, but altho no mans exertions could be greater to be there in time I had no sooner got into the latitude of 61°Sº when the winter evidently set in, and notwithstanding all my endeavors for nearly 30 Days, I was obliged to give up at last what was a very Dear point to me indeed, and traverse this immense sea back rather than hazard altogether the object of the Voyage. -

As I am anxious you should be possessed fully of a knowledge of my proceedings I beg your patience to look over a long letter from me. - 

I left Tenariff on the 10th Jany and past the Coast of Brasil & Rio de la Plata with good weather, but after that it became changeable with high winds & some heavy Gales. - As I advanced to the southward finding the season closing in either at Falklands Islands, or in the Neighbourhood of Terra del Fuego - I therefore carried all possible sail night and day to make the Coast of the latter, which I did on the 23 of March, a few leagues to the eastward of Streights le Maire. - The appearance of the country gave me much happyness that I had determined properly, for the interior parts only were covered with Snow and I pronounced that winter had not set in. -The wind now came at South & I could not enter the Streights . I therefore