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: No. 029

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Remarkable Occurrences onboard His Majesty's Bark Endeavour

First & middlep.t Mod.t breezes  & clear. Latter fresh Gales &s Cloudy at 6 PM loosed the 2 Reef out of the Topsails & at 8 AM took them in again at noon Tack'd & stood to the NW having stood before to the Southward 

Very hard gales with some heavy showers of Rain the most part of these 24 Hours which brought us under our two Courses, broke one of our Main Topmast Puttock Plates washed overboard a small Boat belonging to the Boatswain, & drown'd between 3 & 4 Dozen of our Poultry which was worst of all towards Noon it moderated so that we could bear our Main Topsail close Reefd at Midnight wore & stood to the Southward~

Fresh Gales & Cloudy the most part of these 24 Hours PM got up the spare Mainsail to dry it being Wet by the Water getting into the Sail room occasioned by the Ship being very Leakey in her upper works at 5AM loosed 2 Reefs out of each Topsail, & saw the land which we judged to be between Cape Finister And Cape Ortugal at 10 Tackd being about 4 Miles Off Shore and stood to the NW. At Noon Cape Ortugal bore E S diste abt 8 Lg's

First part little wind & Hazey with rain remainder strong Gales with hard squalls which brought us under our close Reef Topsails & obliged us to strike Topgallant yards at 8AM wore ship & stood to the Southward

Forepart fresh Gales & clear remainder light Airs & 
calm at 6AM Cape Finister bore SbW½ W dist.t 10 or 11 Leagues. loosed all the Reefs out of the Topsails & Top gallant yards across 

Light breezes & calm all these 24 hours at 2PM had an Observation of the sun & Moon which gave the Longit.de 8º 42'W.t from Greenwich at 6 Cape Finister bore SbW½W 6 Lg's Variation of the Compass per Azm.th 18.42.W.t at Noon Cape Finister SbE dist 4 Lg's Lat.de observ'd 43º.4' therefore Cape Finister must lay in Lat.de 42º. 53' North
Mod.te breezes & Clear wea.r these 24 Hours. AM found the Variat.n by the Mean of 5 Azm.th to be 21º.40'W.t  3Degrees more than what it was found Yesterday. which I cannot account for as both Observations appeard to me to be equally well made at 10º.28' had an Observation of the Sun & Moon which gave the Long.te 9º.40'W.t from Greenwich  by this Observation Cape Finisterre[sic] must lay in 8º.52'. & by that made Yesterday in 8.40 the Mean of the two is 8º.46W.t of Greenwich the Long.de of the Cape its Lat.de being 42.53 North

Mod.te breezes & Clear wea.r found the Variation to be 21.4W.t
                                                                                                     

Fresh Gales & Cloudy wea.r AM past by 2 Sail which were standing to the NE.t

Firstpart fresh G.s remainder mod.e breezes & fine Clear wea.r set up the Topm.st rigging & found the Var.on to be 19º.50' West

A Steady fresh breeze & fine Clear wea.r found the Var.on ot the Compass by the Evening & Morning Amplit.de & by 2 Azm.th to be 20º.59 West

The same Winds & wea.r Continue found the Variat.n to be this Evening 18º.54' & in the Morning 17º.58' W. they both being the same result of Several good Observations

Mod.te breezes & fine Clear wea.r at 6 AM the Island of Ponto Santo bore NWbW dist 9 or 10 Lg's. Hauld the Wind to the Westward at Noon the Desarties extending from WSW to SWbS, the Body of Madeira W½S & Ponto Santo NNW½W.t