Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/338

260 far the most Numerous sort of any in the Woods, grow Something like birch; the Bark at first sight looks like birch bark, but upon examination I found it to be very different, and so I believe is the wood; but this I could not examine, as having no axe or anything with me to cut down a Tree. About the Skirts of the Lagoon grows the true Mangrove, such as are found in the West Indies, and which we have not seen during the Voyage before; here is likewise a sort of a palm Tree, which grows on low, barren, sandy places in the So. Sea Islands. All, or most of the same sort, of Land and Water fowl as we saw at Botany Harbour we saw here; besides these we saw some Bustards, such as we have in England, one of which we kill'd that weighed 17½ pounds, which occasioned my giving this place the Name of Bustard Bay (Lat. 24° 4′, Long. 208° 22′ W.); we likewise saw some black and white Ducks. Here are plenty of small Oysters sticking to the Rocks, Stones, and Mangrove Trees, and some few other shell fish, such as large Muscles, Pearl Oysters, Cockels, etc. I measured the perpendicular height of the last Tide, and found it to be 8 foot above low water mark, and from the time of low water to-day I found that it must be high Water at the full and Change of the Moon at 8 o'Clock.

Thursday, 24th.—In the P.M. I was employ'd ashore in the Transactions before related; at 4 a.m. we weighed with a Gentle breeze at S., and made sail out of the Bay. In standing out our soundings were from 5 to 15 fathoms; when in this last Depth we were abreast of the North Point, and being daylight we discover'd breakers stretching out from it about N.N.E., 2 or 3 miles; at the Outermost point of them is a Rock just above Water. In passing these rocks at the distance of ½ a mile we had from 15 to 20 fathoms; being past them, we hauld along shore W.N.W. for the farthest land we had in sight. At Noon we were by Observation in the Lat. of 23° 52′ S.; the North part of Bustard Bay bore S. 62° E, distance 10 miles, and the Northermost land in sight N. 60° W. Long. in 208° 37′ W., distance from the nearest shore 6 Miles; in this situation had 14 fathoms water.

Friday, 25th.—In the P.M. had it calm until 5, when a light breeze sprung up at S.E., and we steer'd N.W. as the land lay until 10, then brought too, having had all along 14 and 15 fathoms. At 5 A.M. we made sail; at daylight the Northermost point of the Main bore N. 70° W., and soon after we saw more land making like Islands, bearing N.W. by N.; at 9 we were abreast of the point, distant from it 1 mile; Depth of Water 14 fathoms. I found this point to lay directly under the Tropic of Capricorn, and for that reason call it by that Name. Long. 209° 0′ W. It is of a Moderate height, and looks white and barren, and may be known by some Islands which lie to the N.W. of it, and some small Rocks one