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. 215

New Zealand

1770
February

Monday 26th In the PM had the wind Whisling all round the Compass sometimes blowing a fresh Gale & at other times almost calm at 5-o'Clock it fix'd at WSW & soon blow'd so hard as to put us past our Tops.l & to split the foresail all to pieces after getting another to the Yard we continued standing to the Southw.d under 2 courses at 1 AM the wind Moderating set the Topsails with one Reef not, but soon after day light the Gale increased to a Storm with heavy Squalls attended with rain, this bro.t us again under our Courses & the Main Tops.l being split we unbent it & bent another. at 6-o'Clock the Southerm.st land in sight bore WSN & Cape Saunders bore NSW.t dist.t 8 Leag.e at Noon it bore N20W.t distant 14 Leag.e Lat.d [?] 46°:35' ~

Tuesday 27.th A very hard gale at SWbW. & WSW.t with heavy squalls attended with Showers of rain & a large hollow sea without the least intermission the whole of this 24 Hours we continued under our Courses from Noon until 7 PM when we handed the Mainsail & lay too under the Topsail with her head to the Southward Lat.de at Noon 46:54 Long.d made from Cape Saunders 1°:24 Et ~

Wednesday 28.th Strong G.e at SW with a large Sea from the Same Quarter at 7 PM made sail under the Courses at 8 AM set the Tops.l close reefed at Noon being in the Lat.de of 47:43 S.o & Longde Et from Cape Saunders 2°:10' wore & stood to the Northward ~

March
Thursday 1.st Winds between the SW.t & NNW.t a fresh gale in the PM found the Variat.n to be 16°34' E.t at 8 Tack'd & Stood to the Southw.d with the wind at West. Which before the morning veer'd to NW.t accompanied with hazey wea.r & drizling rain at day light loosed a reef out of Each Topsail & set some of the small sails at Noon our Lat.de was 47:52 S.o & Longitude made from Cape Saunders 1:8 Et ~

Friday 2.d Strong G.e from the Wt with heavy Squalls attended with Showers of rain in the PM Stood to the Southw.d till ½ Past 3 when being in the Lat.d 48°:0 S.o & Long.de 188:00 W.t & seeing no Visible signs of land we Tack'd & Stood to the Northw.d hav.g a very large swell from the SWbW.t soon after we tackd we close reefd the Tops.l & in the night were obliged to handed them but at day light set them again. at Noon our Lat.d by Observ.n was 46°:42 S.O Cape Saunders bearing N.o 46° Wt dist 68 Miles ~

Saturday 3.d PM Wind & wear as Yesterday AM quite Mod.te yet the SWt swell continues which makes me conjecture that there is no land near in that quarter: at Noon our Lat.de was 46:42 S.o being Et of CSaunders 1°:30' ~

Sunday 4.th  At 4 PM the Wind coming to the Northw.d we stood to the Westw.d with all th eSail we could make in the morn.g got up Topgallt y.ds & set the sails found the Var.n to be 16:16 E.t saw sev.l WhalesSeals & one Penguin, this bird was but