Joseph Banks - Endeavour Journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0268
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[Page 268]
South Sea
whether what had been so long seen to the Westward was realy land or only vapours myself went to the Masthead but the sunset was cloudy & we could see nothing of it
As soon as I came down a shark att the stern attackd the net in which tomorrows dinner was towing to freshen we hookd & took him just as it became dark
11. Up at 5 this morn to examine the shark who proves to be A blew Shark Squalus glaucus while we were doing it 3 more came under the Stern of which we soon caught 2 which were common grey Sharks Squalus Carcharias on one of whom were some sucking fish Echinus remora The seamen tell us that the blew shark is worst of all sharks to eat indeed his smell is abominably strong so as we had two of the better sort he was hove overboard
little wind & variable with Squalls from all points of the Compass bringing heavy rain Georges Island in sight appearing very high in the same direction as the land was seen last night so I found the fault was in our eyes yesterday tho the non-seers were much