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. 075

Remarkable Occurrances &c in the South Sea's

Tropic Birds, are pretty well known but the Egg Bird / as it is called in the Dolphins Journal / require some discription[sic] to know it by that Name, it is a small slender Bird of the Gull kind & all white & not much unlike the small white Gulls we have in England, only not so big. there are also birds in Newfoundland called Stearings that are of the same shape & Bigness, only they are of a Greyish Colour. these Birds were called by the Dolphins Egg Birds on account of their being like those known by that name by Sailors in the Gulph[sic] of Florida neither they nor the Man of War Birds are never reckoned to go very far from Land -

Fresh Gales & Cloudy with some rain in the Forept. of this day. all the Forept. of these 24 Hours the Sea was smooth but at 12 at night it was more so. & about 3 in the Morning one of the people saw or thought he saw a Log of Wood pass the Ship. this made us think we was near some land, but at day light we saw not the least appearance of any & I did not think myself at liberty to spend time in searching for what I was not sure to find altho' I thought myself at this not far from those Islands discover'd by Quiros in 1606. & very probable we wasere and from the Birds &c. we have seen for these 2 or 3 days past.

Firstpart dark cloudy wear. with rain & a fresh breeze of Wind, remainder fair & Cloudy -

Squally wear. with rain at 5 PM saw some sea Weed pass the Ship, & at 7 Wm. Greenslade Marine either by Accident or design went overboard & was Drown'd, the following circumstances makes it appear as tho' it was done design'dly[sic]. he had been Centinel[sic]at the Storage door between 12 & 4 o'Clock where he had take part of a Seal Skin put under his charge & which was bound up in linen, the other Marines thought themselves hurt by one of their party commiting[sic] a crime of this nature, & he being a raw young fellow & 'tis very probable made him resolve upon commitg. this rash Action for the Sergt. not being willing that it should pass over unknown to me, was about 7 o'Clock going to bring him Aft to have it inquir'd[sic] into, when he gave him the Slip between Decks & was seen go upon the Forecastle & from that time was seen no more. I was neither made acquainted with the Theft or the Circumstances attending it until the Man was gone -

Variable winds & wear. with frequent showers of rain, at Noon saw a Bird like a Gannett

Little wind & Cloudy Variatn. per Ampl.de 3º.56' East

Little winds & Cloudy w.r Var.on 2º.27' Et. saw a Bird like a Dove & several fish about the Ship, Employ'd worming the Best Bo. Cable, repairing & Painting the Boats.

Firstpt. Calm & close Cloudy wear. in the night had Variable winds & wear. with rain. AM Genteel Breezes & Cloudy wear. between 10 & 11 AM took several Observns. of the sun & moon the mean result of them gave the Longde. of the Ship at Noon to be 127º.38' & is 1º.49 Et. of the Longde. given by the Log  but on the 14.th Instant the ship by Observn. was 47' Wt. of the Log. therefore she must have lost 2º. 36' of the Log. since the last Observation an Error too great to be accounted for -

A Steady breeze & fine Pleasant wear. AM took several Observns. of the sun & moon  the mean result of them came within 8 Miles of Yesterdays Observns. computted[sic] both by Mr Green & myself & Yet