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. 069

Endeavour is made to get to the Westward is what I think no man will ever do that can avoid it for it cannot be supposed that any one will steer S.º mearly[sic] to get into a high lat.d when at the same time he can steer West for it is not Southing but Westing  thats[sic] wanting but this way you cannot steer because the Winds blows almost Constantly from that Quarter, so that you have no other choice but to stand to the Southward close upon a Wind & by keeping upon that Tack you not only make southing but  Westing also, and sometimes not a little, when the wind varies to the Northward of West, and the farther you advance to the Southward the better chance you have of having the Winds from that Quarter or Easterly & likewise of meeting with finer wea.r both of which we ourselves experienced. Prudence will direct every man when in those high latitudes to make sure of sufficient Westing to double all the lands before he thinks of standing to the Northward, when the winds was Westerly the Mountain in Terra Del Fuego rose generally cover'd with dense clouds, formed as one may reasonably suppose by Westerly Exhalations & by Vapours bro.t[brought] forth? by the Westerly winds from that Quarter came frequent showers of rain Hail & snow & after we had left the land & was standing to the Southw.d with the winds westerly dark dense clouds were continuously forming in the Horizon & rose to about 45º were they began to dissipate these was generally attended with showers & rain or hail & Squals[sic] of Wind, but as we advanced to the Southw.d these Clouds became less dense & in the Lat.de of 60º.10' when we got the winds Easterly the wea.r was more serene & Milder, again as we advanced to the Northw.d we had a constant clouded sky & dark gloomy weather the whole time exceeding Cold.

Remarkable Occurrences & I[incidents]in the South Seas

The first part fresh gales & hazey with rain the remainder moderate & cloudy with frequent rain.
Little wind & cloudy the most part of this day Var.n per Azm.th in the evening 12º.in E.t &  the morning both by an Ampl.de & an Azm.th 11º E.t AM shifted the Mainsail Mizen. Fore & Main topsail

The first part of this day had fresh Gales & cloudy in the night thick hazey wea.r with heavy squals of wind & rain which obliged us to close reef our top sails in the morning & all the forenoon had strong gales & cloudy wea.r very heavy seas from the SSW, one which broke upon the quart and carried away the Driver Boom-

Strong gales & cloudy the most part of this day Split the Maintops.l unbent it. & bent another 

Fresh gales all this day the wea.r Variable sometimes fair & cloudy, othertimes hazey with drisling rain and some birds nearly as big as albatrosses  they were all black with yellow beaks

Firstpart fresh gales & hazey, the Middlep.t hazey with drizling rain the latter gentle breezes & fine clear wea.r yet the air is still cold.

Mod.te breezes & fine wea.r the greatest part of this day & the sea very smooth, found by repeated trials that the south point of the dipping needle dip'd 65º.52' below the horizon.

Fresh breezes & pretty clear wea.r Variat.n  6.30E.t

Hazey rainy wea.r the most part of this day.