The Run from New Zealand to Terra del Fuego, with the Range from Cape Deseada to Christmas Sound, and Description of that Part of the Coast.
1774 November
At day-break on the 10th, with a fine breeze at W.N.W., we weighed and
stood out of the Sound; and, after getting round the Two Brothers, steered
for Cape Campbell, which is at the S.W. entrance of the Strait, all sails
set, with a fine breeze at north. At four in the afternoon, we passed the
Cape, at the distance of four or five leagues, and then steered S.S.E. 1/2
E. with the wind at N.W., a gentle gale, and cloudy weather.
Next morning the wind veered round by the west to south, and forced us more
to the east than I intended. At seven o'clock in the evening, the snowy
mountains bore W. by S., and Cape Palliser N. 1/2 W., distant sixteen or
seventeen leagues; from which cape I, for the third time, took my
departure. After a few hours calm, a breeze springing up at north, we
steered S. by E. all sails set, with a view of getting into the latitude of
54° or 55°; my intention being to cross this vast ocean nearly in these
parallels, and so as to pass over those parts which were left unexplored
the preceding summer.
In the morning of the 12th, the wind increased to a fine gale: At noon we
observed in latitude 43° 13' 30" S., longitude 176° 41' E.; an
extraordinary fish of the whale kind was seen, which some called a sea
monster. I did not see it myself. In the afternoon, our old companions the
pintado peterels began to appear.
On the 13th, in the morning, the wind veered to W.S.W. At seven, seeing the
appearance of land to S.W., we hauled up towards it, and soon found it to
be a fog-bank. Afterwards we steered S.E. by S., and soon after saw a seal. At noon, latitude, by account, 44° 25', longitude 177° 31' E. Foggy weather, which continued all the afternoon. At six in the evening, the wind veered to N.E. by N., and increased to a fresh gale, attended with thick hazy weather; course steered S.E. 1/4 S.
On the 14th, a.m. saw another seal. At noon, latitude 45° 54', longitude
179° 29' E.
On the 15th, a.m. the wind veered to the westward; the fog cleared away, but the weather continued cloudy. At noon, latitude 47° 30', longitude 178° 19' W.; for, having passed the meridian of 180° E., I now reckon my longitude west of the first meridian, viz. Greenwich. In the evening heard penguins, and the next morning saw some sea or rock weed. At noon a fresh gale from the west and fine weather. Latitude observed 49° 33', longitude 175° 31' W.
Next morning fresh gales and hazy weather; saw a seal and several pieces of
weed. At noon, latitude 51° 12', longitude 173° 17' W. The wind veered to
the N. and N.E. by N., blew a strong gale by squalls, which split an old
topgallant sail, and obliged us to double-reef the top-sails; but in the
evening the wind moderated, and veered to W.N.W., when we loosed a reef out
of each top-sail; and found the variation of the compass to be 9° 52' E., being then in the latitude 51° 47', longitude 172° 21' W., and the next morning, the 18th, in the latitude of 52° 25', longitude 170° 45' W., it was 10° 26' E. Towards noon, had moderate but cloudy weather, and a great swell from the west: Some penguins and pieces of sea-weed seen.
On the 19th, steered E.S.E, with a very fresh gale at north, hazy dirty
weather. At noon, latitude 53° 43', longitude 166° 15' W.
On the 20th, steered E. by S., with a moderate breeze at north, attended
with thick hazy weather. At noon, latitude 54° 8', longitude 162° 18' W.
On the 21st, winds mostly from the N.E., a fresh gale attended with thick, hazy, dirty weather. Course S.E. by S.; latitude, at noon, 55° 31', longitude 160° 29'; abundance of blue peterels and some penguins seen.
Fresh gales at N.W. by N. and N. by W., and hazy till towards noon of the
22d, when the weather cleared up, and we observed in latitude 55° 48' S., longitude 156° 56' W. In the afternoon had a few hours calm; after that, the wind came at S.S.E. and S.E. by S. a light breeze, with which we steered east northerly. In the night the aurora australis was visible, but very faint, and no ways remarkable.
On the 23d, in the latitude of 55° 46' S., longitude 156° 13' W., the
variation was 9° 42' E. We had a calm from ten in the morning till six in
the evening, when a breeze sprung up at west; at first it blew a gentle
gale, but afterwards freshened. Our course was now E. 1/2 N.