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 94
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page number 94
GEORGE ISLAND
May 1769
Night, & a promise from Tootaha that he would come to the Ship in a Day or two with more & bring with him the things that are lost, a promise that we had no reason to expect he would fulfill, thus ended our Visit & we got to the Fort late in the evening-
Tuesday 30th We are now very buisey in preparing our Instruments &ct for the Observation & Instructing such Gentlemen in the use of them as I intend to send to other parts to observe for fear we should fail here- [margin]June [/margin]
Wednesday 31st Late this evening the Carpenters finished the Longboat
Thursday 1st This day I sent Lieutenant Gore in the Longboat to York Island with Dr Monkhouse & Mr Sporing/a Gentleman belonging to Mr Banks/ is Observe the Transit of Venus Mr
Green having furnished them with Instruments for that propose Mr Banks & some of the Natives of this Island went along with them- [margin]-dispatch'd People away to Observe the Transit[/margin]
Friday 2d Very early this morning Lieut.t Hicks Mr Clerk Mr Pickersgill & Mr Saunders went away in the Pinnace to the Eastward with orders to fix upon some Convenient situation on this Island & there to Observe the Transit of Venus they being likewise provided with Instruments for that purpose- Saturday 3d This day proved a favourable to our purpose as we could wish, not a cloud was to be seen the whole day & the Air was perfectly clear, so that we had every advantage we could desire in observing the whole of the passage of the planet Venus over the Suns Disk: we very distinctly saw an atmosphere or
[margin]The transit of Venus observ'd - [/margin]
Dusky shade round the body of the Planet which very much disturbed the times of the Contach particularly the two internal ones, Dr Solander observed as well as Mr Green & myself. & we differ'd from one another in Observing the times of the Contach much more than could be expected - Mr Greens Telescope & mine where of the same Magnifying power but that of the Doctors was greater than ours, it was mearly calm the whole day & the Thermometer Exposed to the Sun about the Middle of the day rose to a degree of heat we have not before meet with- Sunday 4th Punished Archd. Wolf with 2 Dozen lashes for Theft, having broke into one of the Storerooms & stol'n from thence a large quantity of Spike Nails some few of them where found upon him. This evening the Gentlemen that were sent to observe The Transit of Venus return'd with success, those that were sent to York Island were well received by the Natives, that Island appear'd to them not to be very fruitful-
Monday 5th Got some of the Bread ashore out of the Bread Room to dry & clean Yesterd.y being His Maj.s birth day we keep it to day & had several of the Chiefs to dine with us- Tuesday 6th This day & for some days past we have been informd by several of the Natives that about 10 or 15 Months ago. Two Ships touched at this Island & stay'd 10 Days in a Horizon to the Eastward called Ohidea the Commanders name was Toottere so at last the Natives call him & those of the Natives Brother to the Chief of Ohidea went away with him they likewise