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. 047

[Page 47]
to sail into Rio de Janeiro [note left]

the Fort of Santa Cruse which stands on the point that forms the East Entrance of the Bay or River on the West Entrance is Fort Lorio built upon a Rock which lies close to the Main Land the Distance from one Fort to the other is ¾ of a Mile East & West but the Channell for Shipping is not quite so broad by reason of Sunken Rocks laying off each of the Forts, these rocks may not be properly placed in the Plan being only laid down from the information of the Pilot. the Narrowness of the Channell here causeth the Tides both Flood & Ebb to run pretty strong in so much that you cannot Stem it without a fresh breeze of Wind nor is it safe Anchoring because the Bottom is foul & Rocky, by keeping in the Middle of the Channell you will not only avoid being forced to come to an Anchor but all other danger being got within the Entrance Your Course up the Bay is first NbW ½W & NNW.t something more than one League this brings you the length of the great Road. & NW & WNW one Leag.s more carrys you the length of the Ilha Dos Cobras which lies before the City. keep the North side of the Island ^close onboard & Anchor above it in 5 fa.m  Water where you see most Convenient before the Monastry of Benedictines which stands upon a hill at the NW End of the City: Small Ships & Vessels generally lay between the Town & the Ilha dos Cobras but in order to get there they must come round the No side of that Island ~

The Forts & Battry's described [note left]

I shall now give the best description I can of the Different Forts that are Erected for the Defence of this Bay. the First you meet with coming in from Sea is a Battry of 22 Guns seated in the Bottom of a sandy Bay which is on the S.n side of the Sugar Loaf & can be design'd for no other use that to Hinder an Enemy from landing in that Valley from whence I suppose they may March up to the Town or round by the W side of the Sugar Loaf to attack the Forts that are on that side of the Entrance into the Bay the First of which is seated under the foot of the Sugar Loaf on a low Isthmus which Joyns the Peninsula or point of the Bay with the Land of the Sugar Loaf is appears to be a square of Stone Work without a Ditch, with Bastions & furnished with Cannon, a little within this Fort are 2 Battry's of 5 or 6 Guns each, they are designed to play upon shipping but neither their Battery or the Fort are out of reach of a Ships Cannon hard by these Batterys stand Fort Logie it is an irregular Hexagon built of Stone upon a small Rock standing at the West Entrance of the Bay & is surrounded on all side by the sea it is mounted with 14 or 15 Guns which are placed so as to play upon Shipping going in & out of the Harbour. There is only one way to go into it which is by steps leading up to the Sally Port on the NW.t side opposite this as the Forts of Santa Cruze build upon a low rocky point that faces the East Entrance of the Bay it hath the appearance of a Regular Fortification