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. 335

                                       From New Guinea to Batavia

September 1770    much too far from New Guinea I found the South part of these to lay in the Latitude 7 degrees 6 minutes South, Longitude 225 degrees 0 minutes West _________________

Thursday 6th  A steady fresh gale at east by South & clear weather, with which we steer'd West South West.    At 7 in the Evening we took in the small Sails, reef'd the Topsails & sounded having 50 fathoms we still keept West South West all night going at the rate of 41/2 Miles an hour. At 10 had 43 fathoms, at 11: 37 & at 12 o'clock 45, 1 o'clock 49 & at 3: 120 after which we could get no ground in the evening we caught 2 Boobies which settled upon the rigging & these were the first of the kind we have caught in this manner the voyage, altho' I have heard of them being caught this way in great numbers. At day in the morning we made all the sail we could & at 10 o'clock saw land extending from NNW to W by N distant 5 or 6 Leagues. At Noon it bore from North to West & about the same distance our Latitude by Observation was 8 degrees 16 minutes South, Longitude 227 degrees 47 minutes West. This Land is of an even & moderate height & by our run from New Guinea ought to be a part of the Arrow Isles, but it lays a degree farther to the South than any of these Islands are laid down in the Charts. We sounded but had no ground with 50 fathoms of Line _______________

Friday 7th  As I was not able to satisfy myself from any Chart what land it was we saw to Leeward of us & fearing it might trend away more Southerly & the weather being hazey so that we could not see far we steer'd South West which Course by 4 o'Clock run us out of sight of the land; by this I was assured that no part of it lay to the Southward of 8 degrees 15 minutes South. We continued standing to the South West all night under an Easey sail having the advantage of a fresh gale at South East by East & East South East & clear moon light we sounded every hour but had no bottom with 100 & 120 fathoms of line. At day light in the Morning we steer'd West South West & afterwards West by South, which by Noon brought us into the Latitude of 9 degrees 30 minutes South & Longitude 229 degrees 34 minutes West & by our run from New Guinea ought to be in sight of Wessels Isle which according to the Charts is laid down about 20 or 25 Leagues from the Coast of New Holland, but we saw nothing by which I conclude that it is wrong laid down & this is not to be wonder'd at when we consider that not only these Islands but the lands which bound this Sea have been discover'd & Explored by different people & at different times & compiled & put together by others, perhaps some Ages after the first discoveries were made. Navigation formerly wanted many of these helps towards keeping an Accurate Journal which the present Age is possessed of. It is not they that are wholy to blame for the faultiness of the Charts, but the Compilers & Publishers who publish to the world the rude Sketches of the Navigator as Accurate surveys without telling what authority they have for so doing; for where they to do this we should then be as good or better judges than they & know where to depend upon the Charts & where not. Neither can I clear Seamen