Thursday, 13th June, 1771

Thursday, 13th. Little wind and pleasant weather. Found the Variation by the Amplitude in the Evening to be 8 degrees 23 minutes; in the Morning 8 degrees 15 minutes, and by Azimuth soon after 8 degrees 14 minutes West. Wind Ditto; Course North by East 1/2 East; distance 77 miles; latitude 34 degrees 14 minutes North, longitude 44 degrees 25 minutes West.


Wednesday, 12th June, 1771

Wednesday, 12th. Light breezes and clear weather. Variation by the Amplitude in the Evening 7 degrees 0 minutes West, and by Azimuth in the Morning 6 degrees 55 minutes West. Exercised Great Guns and Small Arms. Wind East by South; course North-North-East; distance 48 miles; latitude 33 degrees 8 minutes North, longitude 44 degrees 53 minutes West.


Tuesday, 11th June, 1771

Tuesday, 11th. Ditto weather. A Smooth Sea. Wind North-East by East; course North 18 minutes West; distance 67 miles; latitude 32 degrees 16 North, longitude 45 degrees 14 minutes West.


Monday, 10th June, 1771

Monday, 10th. Little wind and Clear weather. Exercised the people at Small Arms. Wind Ditto; course North 30 degrees West; distance 71 miles; latitude 31 degrees 12 minutes North, longitude 44 degrees 50 minutes West.


Sunday, 9th June, 1771

Sunday, 9th. Clear, pleasant weather and a Smooth Sea. In the A.M. found the Variation to be 7 degrees 33 minutes West. Some Tropick birds flying about the Ship; we have seen of these birds every day since we passed the Tropick. Wind Ditto; course North by West 1/2 West; distance 81 miles; latitude 30 degrees 11 minutes North, longitude 44 degrees 9 minutes West.


Saturday, 8th June, 1771

Saturday, 8th. Moderate breezes and Pleasant weather. In the A.M. found the Variation to be 5 degrees 24 minutes West. By the Observation of the Sun and Moon the Longitude of the Ship at Noon was 43 degrees 42 minutes West. Wind Easterly; course North; distance 88 miles; latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes North, longitude 43 degrees 42 minutes West.


Friday, 7th June, 1771

Friday, 7th. Moderate breezes, and Cloudy. A.M., Variation per mean of 20 Azimuths 5 degrees 20 minutes West. Wind East-North-East; course North 15 degrees West; distance 84 miles; latitude 27 degrees 22 minutes North, longitude 43 degrees 42 minutes West.


Thursday, 6th June, 1771

Thursday, 6th. Ditto weather. In the A.M. found the Variation by the mean of the Amplitude and Azimuth to be 5 degrees 34 minutes West, and by Observation of the Sun and Moon found the Ship in Longitude 43 degrees 18 minutes West of Greenwich, 2 degrees 51 minutes West of the Log since the last Observations; this I judge to be owing to a Westerly Current. Wind East-North-East to East; course North 3/4 West; distance 90 miles; latitude 26 degrees 1 minute North, longitude, per Observation Sun and Moon, 43 degrees 18 minutes West.


Wednesday, 5th June, 1771

Wednesday, 5th. Gentle breezes, with some Showers of Small Rain. Wind Ditto; course North 52 degrees West; distance 83 miles; latitude 24 degrees 31 minutes North, longitude 41 degrees 11 minutes West.


Tuesday, 4th June, 1771

Tuesday, 4th. Ditto weather. In the A.M. found the Variation to be 4 degrees 30 minutes West. Wind North-East; course North 34 degrees West; distance 91 miles; latitude 23 degrees 40 North, longitude 40 degrees 4 minutes West.


Monday, 3rd June, 1771

Monday, 3rd. A Gentle Trade Wind, and Pleasant weather. Wind North-East; course North 44 degrees West; distance 85 miles; latitude 22 degrees 21 minutes North, longitude 39 degrees 9 minutes West.


Sunday, 2nd June, 1771

Sunday, 2nd. Moderate Gales and Clear weather. Variation 5 degrees 4 minutes West. Wind North-East to North-North-East; course North 49 degrees West; distance 104 miles; latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes North, longitude 38 degrees 5 minutes West.


Saturday, 1st June, 1771

Saturday, 1st. Fresh Trade, and Cloudy weather. In the A.M. got up Top Gallant Yards. Wind North-East; course North 35 degrees West; distance 100 miles; latitude 20 degrees 12 minutes North, longitude 36 degrees 41 minutes West.


Friday, 31st May, 1771

Friday, 31st. Strong Gales and Cloudy in the Evening. Got down Top Gallant Yards, and in the Morning found the Variation 5 degrees 9 minutes West. Wind North-East and North-East by East; course North 39 1/2 degrees West; distance 136 miles; latitude 18 degrees 50 minutes North, longitude 35 degrees 40 minutes West.


Thursday, 30th May, 1771

Thursday, 30th. Ditto Gales and Cloudy. Fix’d a new maintopmast Backstay, the old one having broke several times. Wind Ditto; course North 31 degrees 15 minutes West; distance 124 miles; latitude 17 degrees 5 minutes North, longitude 34 degrees 9 minutes West.


Wednesday, 29th May, 1771

Wednesday, 29th. Fresh Gales and Hazey. Wind Ditto; course North 31 1/2 degrees West; distance 128 miles; latitude 15 degrees 19 minutes North, longitude 33 degrees 2 minutes West.


Tuesday, 28th May, 1771

Tuesday, 28th. A steady Trade and fair weather. Wind North Easterly; course North 40 degrees West; distance 108 miles; latitude 13 degrees 30 minutes North, longitude 31 degrees 51 minutes West.


Monday, 27th May, 1771

Monday, 27th. A Steady, fresh Trade and Cloudy weather. This day I gave Mr. Charles Clerk an order to act as Lieutenant in the room of Mr. Hicks, deceased, he being a Young Man extremely well qualified for that Station. Wind North-East; course North 39 degrees West; distance 103 miles; latitude 12 degrees 7 minutes North, longitude 30 degrees 40 minutes West.


Sunday, 26th May, 1771

Sunday, 26th. A Steady Trade and Cloudy Weather. About 1 o’Clock P.M. departed this Life Lieutenant Hicks, and in the Evening his body was committed to the Sea with the usual ceremonys. He died of a Consumption which he was not free from when we sail’d from England, so that it may be truly said that he hath been dying ever since, tho’ he held out tolerable well until we got to Batavia. Wind North-East by North; course North 46 degrees West; distance 92 miles; latitude 20 degrees 47 minutes North, longitude 29 degrees 35 minutes West.


Saturday, 25th May, 1771

Saturday, 25th. Moderate Trade Wind and Cloudy weather. Wind North-North-East; course North 50 degrees 15 minutes West; distance 92 miles; latitude 9 degrees 41 minutes North, longitude 28 degrees 30 minutes West.


Friday, 24th May, 1771

Friday, 24th. First part Moderate breezes, and hazey, with rain; the latter, fresh breezes and fair. At 3 p.m., finding the Fleet to come fast up with us, we made all the Sail we could. Soon after it became hazey, and we lost sight of them until near 6, when it clear’d up a little, and we saw 3 Sail abreast of us, bearing East about 2 or 3 Miles’ Distance; by this we saw that they not only kept a better wind, but out sail’d us upon a wind. It became again hazey, and we lost Sight of them, and notwithstanding we keept close upon a wind all night, with as much Sail out as we could bear, there was not one Sail in sight in the Morning. Wind North-East and North-North-East; course North 54 degrees West; distance 92 miles; latitude 8 degrees 42 minutes North, 27 degrees 18 minutes West.


Thursday, 23rd May, 1771

Thursday, 23rd. Little wind from the Eastward, with frequent showers of Rain, and hazey weather. The Fleet astern of us all this day. At Noon we Shortned Sail for them to come up, the headmost being about 2 Leagues off. Wind East to North-East; course North 25 degrees West; distance 56 miles; latitude 7 degrees 49 minutes North, longitude 26 degrees 2 minutes West.


Wednesday, 22nd May, 1771

Wednesday, 22nd. Variable, unsettled weather, with rain. About 9 o’clock in the A.M. the Portland shorten’d Sail for the Sternmost Ships to come up. As we imagin’d, this gave us an Opportunity to get a Head of the Fleet, after which we made such sail as was necessary to keep in Company. Wind Variable; course North-North-West 3/4 West; distance 58 miles; latitude 6 degrees 58 minutes North, longitude 25 degrees 38 minutes West.


Tuesday, 21st May, 1771

Tuesday, 21st. Little wind, with some heavy showers of rain. At 2 p.m. had some Observations of the Sun and Moon, which gave the Longitude 24 degrees 50 minutes West, 2 degrees 28 minutes West of Account. In the morning it was Calm, and the Ships, being near one another, several of them had their Boats out to tow. We Observed the Portland to carry out a long Warp. I, being desirous to see the Machine they made use of, we hoisted out a Boat, and Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and myself went on board her, where we was show’d it. It was made of Canvas, in every respect like an Umbrello; its Circumference, if extended to a Circle, was 24 feet, tho’ this was a Small one of the Sort; yet Captain Elliot told me that it would hold as much as 150 Men could haul. I was so well satisfied of the Utility of this Machine that I would not have delayed a moment in having one Made had not our Forge been render’d Useless by the loss of some of its parts. Winds Variable; course North 31 degrees West; distance 35 miles; latitude 6 degrees 8 minutes North, longitude 25 degrees 8 minutes West.


Monday, 20th May, 1771

Monday, 20th. Dark, cloudy, unsettled weather, with rain. At Noon the Observ’d Latitude was 27 Miles to the Northward of the Log. Sailing in Company with the Fleet. Wind Variable between the South and East; course North 19 degrees West; distance 70 miles; latitude 5 degrees 38 minutes North, longitude 22 degrees 21 minutes West.


Sunday, 19th May, 1771

Sunday, 19th. Cloudy, unsettled weather, with some rain. In the A.M. found the Variation by the Amplitude and Azimuth 7 degrees 40 minutes West. Hoisted a Boat out, and sent on board the Houghton for the Surgeon, Mr. Carret, in order to look at Mr. Hicks, who is so far gone in a Consumption that his Life is dispair’d of. Observation at Noon 16 Miles to the Northward of the Log. Wind South-East to South by East; course North 20 degrees West; distance 98 miles; latitude 4 degrees 32 minutes North, longitude 21 degrees 58 minutes West.


Saturday, 18th May, 1771

Saturday, 18th. First part ditto weather; remainder Squally, with Thunder and Rain. The observ’d Latitude is 14 Miles to the Northward of the Log. Sailing in Company with the Fleet. Wind South-South-East to East; course North 20 degrees West; distance 86 miles; latitude 3 degrees 0 minutes North, longitude 21 degrees 22 minutes West.


Thursday, 17th May, 1771

Thursday, 17th. Ditto Weather. Sailing in Company with the Fleet. Wind Ditto; course North 31 degrees West; distance 61 miles; latitude 1 degree 39 minutes North, longitude 20 degrees 50 minutes West.


Wednesday, 16th May, 1771

Wednesday, 16th. Light breezes and fair weather. Variation 9 degrees 30 minutes West. Wind South-East by South; course North 31 degrees West; distance 71 miles; latitude 0 degrees 47 minutes North, longitude 20 degrees 20 minutes West.


Tuesday, 15th May, 1771

Tuesday, 15th. Little wind and hot, Sultry weather. In the P.M. observed, meerly for the sake of Observing, an Eclipse of the Sun. In the A.M. brought another Foretopsail to the Yard, the old one being quite wore out. Wind East-South-East; course North 32 1/2 degrees West; distance 85 miles; latitude 0 degrees 14 minutes South, longitude 19 degrees 43 minutes West.