Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/411

Sept. 1770.] in 6½ fathoms, we tack'd and lay her head off until day light, at which time we saw the land bearing N.W. by W., distant about 4 Leagues. We now made sail and steer'd W.S.W., and then W. by S., but coming into 5½ fathoms we hauld off S.W. until we depen'd our Water to 8 fathoms; we then keept away W. by S. and W., having 9 fathoms and the Land just in sight from the Deck, which we judged not above 3 or 4 Leagues off, as it is everywhere exceeding low. At Noon we were by Observation in the Latitude of 8° 38′ S., Long. 222° 34′ W. St. Bartholomew Isle bore N. 69° E., distant 74 Miles.

Friday, 31st.—Between 12 and 1 in the P.M. Steer'd N.N.W., in which time we Shoalded our Water from 8 to 5½, which I thought was little enough, and therefore keept away again W., and soon depen'd it to 7 fathoms, which depth we keept until 6, having the land just in sight from the Deck. At this time the Western Extream bore N., distant about 4 Leagues, and Seem'd to end in a point and turn away to the Northward; we took it to be Point St. Augustine or Walsche Caep, Lat. 8° 24′ S., Long. 222° 55′ W. We now shortned sail and hauld off S.S.W. and S. by W., having the wind at S.E. and S.E. by E., a Gentle breeze; we stood off 16 Miles, having from 7 to 27 fathoms, deepning gradually as we run off. At midnight we Tacked and stood in until daylight, at which time we could see no land, and yet we had only 5½ fathoms. We now Steer'd N.W., having the same deepth of Water until near 9 o'Clock, when we began to Depen our Water to 6½ and 7 fathoms. By this I thought that we were far Enough to the Westward of the Cape, and might haul to the Northward with Safety, which we now did, having the Wind at N.E. by E., a light breeze. By Noon we had increased our Water to 9 fathoms, and were by Observation in the Latitude of 8° 10′ S., which was 10 Miles to the Northward of that given by the Log; by which I conjectur'd that we had meet with a strong Current setting round the Cape, not only to the Northward, but to the Westward also, otherwise we ought to have seen the Land, which we did not.

Saturday, 1st September.—In the P.M. and most part of the night had a fresh breeze from the S.E. with which we keept standing in for the land N.E. and E.N.E., close upon a wind, until half past 6, when we Anchor'd in 4½ fathoms, soft muddy bottom, as we have every were found upon the Coast. About an hour before we Anchor'd we saw the land from the Mast head extending from the E. by N. to S.S.E., all very low; at the time we Anchor'd we