[September 1768. Plymouth to Madeira.]
Thursday, September 1st. Very hard gales, with some heavy showers of Rain, the most part of these 24 Hours, which brought us un-der our two Courses, Broke one of our Main Topmast phuttock Plates, washed overboard a small Boat belonging to the Boatswain, and drowned between 3 and 4 Dozen of our Poultry, which was worst of all. Towards Noon it moderated, so that we could bear our Maintopsail close Reefd. At Midnight wore and stood to the Southward. Wind Westerly; course South 70 degrees West; distance 20 miles; latitude 44 degrees 56 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 9 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 28 degrees 15 minutes West,
109 leagues.
Friday, 2nd. Fresh Gales and Cloudy the most part of these 24 hours. P.M. got up the spare Mainsail to dry, it being Wet by the
Water getting into the Sail room, occasioned by the Ship being very Leakey in her upper works. At 5 a.m. loosed 2 Reefs out of
each Topsail, and saw the Land, which we judged to be Cape Finister and Cape Ortugal. At 10 Tackt, being about 4 miles off Shore, and stood to the North-West; at Noon, Cape Ortugal bore East by South, distance about 8 Leagues. Wind North by West, West, South-West, West-South-West; course South by West; distance 64 miles; latitude 43 degrees 53 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 26 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North-North-East, 130 leagues.
Saturday, 3rd. First part little wind and Hazey, with rain; remainder strong Gales with hard squalls, which brought us under our close Reeft Topsails, and obliged us to strike Topgallant Yards. At 8 a.m. wore ship and stood to the Southward. Wind South-West and West; course South 68 degrees 45 minutes West; distance 44 miles; latitude 44 degrees 9 minutes North, longitude 10 degrees 20 minutes West; at noon, Lizard North 29 1/2 degrees East, 138 leagues.
Sunday, 4th. Fore part fresh Gales and Clear; remainder light Airs and Calm. At 6 a.m. Cape Finister bore South by West 1/2 West, distance 10 or 11 leagues. Loosed all the Reefs out of the Topsails, and got Topgallant Yards across. Wind Westerly, Calm; at noon, Island of Cyserga,* (* Sisarga, near Coruna.) East-South-East 3 leagues.
Monday, 5th. Light breezes and Calm all these 24 hours. At 2 p.m. had an Observation of the Sun and Moon, which gave the Longitude 8 degrees 42 minutes West from Greenwich. At 6 Cape Finister bore South by West 1/2 West, 6 Leagues. Variation of the Compass per Azimuth 18 degrees 42 minutes West. At Noon, Cape Finister South by East, distant 4 leagues; latitude observed
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43 degrees 4 minutes, therefore Cape Finister must lay in latitude 42 degrees 53 minutes North.* (* This is correct.) Wind Westerly, North-West, Calm.
Tuesday, 6th. Moderate breezes and Clear weather these 24 Hours. A.M. found the Variation by the Mean of 5 Azimuth to be 21 degrees 40 minutes West, 3 Degrees more than what it was found Yesterday, which I cannot account for,* (* Cook, as all other navigators of his time, was unaware of the deviation of the compass caused by the iron of the ship.) as both Observations appeared to me to be equally well made. At 10.28 had an Observation of the sun and moon, which gave the Longitude 9 degrees 40 minutes West from Greenwich. By this Observation Cape Finister must lay in 8 degrees 52 minutes, and by that made yesterday in 8 degrees
40 minutes. The Mean of the two is 8 degrees 46 minutes West of Greenwich the Longitude of the Cape,* (* The correct longitude is 9 degrees 15 minutes West.) its latitude being 42 degrees 53 minutes North. Wind North-West; course South 42 degrees West; distance 70 miles; latitude 42 degrees 1 minute North, longitude 9 degrees 50 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 42 degrees East, 70 miles.
Wednesday, 7th. Moderate breezes and Clear weather; found the Variation to be 21 degrees 4 minutes West. Wind West-North-West; course South by West; distance 92 miles; latitude 40 degrees 29 minutes North, longitude 10 degrees 11 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 13 degrees East, 49 leagues.
Thursday, 8th. Fresh Gales and Cloudy weather. A.M. Past by 2 Sail, which were standing to the North-East. Wind West-North-West to West by South; course South 4 degrees East; distance 111 miles; latitude 38 degrees 33 minutes North, longitude 10 degrees West; at noon, Cape Finister North 12 degrees East, 88 leagues.
Friday, 9th. First part fresh Gales; remainder moderate breezes and fine, Clear weather. Set up the Topmast rigging, and found the Variation to be 19 degrees 50 minutes West. Wind West by North to North-East; course South 40 degrees West; distance 116 miles; latitude 37 degrees 4 minutes North, longitude 11 degrees 33 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 20 degrees East, 124 leagues.
Saturday, 10th. A steady, fresh breeze and fine Clear weather. Found the Variation of the Compys by the Evening and Morning Amplitude and by 2 Azimuth to be 20 degrees 59 minutes West. Wind North-East by East; course South 36 minutes West; distance 130 miles; latitude 35 degrees 20 minutes North, longitude 13 degrees 28 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 24 degrees East,
166 leagues.
Sunday, 11th. The same Winds and weather Continue. Found the Variation to be this Evening 18 degrees 54 minutes, and in the Morning 17 degrees 58 minutes West, they both being the mean result of several good Observations. Wind North-East by East, North by East; course South 32 degrees West; distance 94 miles; latitude 34 degrees 1 minute North, longitude 14 degrees 29 minutes West; at noon, Cape Finister North 26 1/2 degrees East, 198 leagues.
Monday, 12th. Moderate breezes and fine Clear weather. At 6 a.m. the Island of Porto Santo bore North-West by West, distance 9
or 10 leagues. Hauld the Wind to the westward at noon, the Deserters extending from West-South-West to South-West by South, the Body of Madeira West 1/2 South, and Porto Santo North-North-West 1/2 West. Wind North-North-West; course South 40 degrees West; distance 102 miles; latitude 32 degrees 43 minutes North, longitude 15 degrees 53 minutes West.
Tuesday, 13th. Fresh breezes and clear weather. At 8 p.m. anchored in Funchal Road in 22 fathoms. Found here His Majesty's Ship Rose and several Merchants' Vessels. In the Morning new berthed the Ship, and Moor'd with the Stream Anchor, half a Cable on the Best Bower and a Hawser and a half on the Stream Wind North-West.
MOORED IN FUNCHAL ROAD, MADEIRA, Wednesday, 14th. First part fine, Clear weather, remainder Cloudy, with Squals from the land, attended with Showers of rain. In the Night the Bend of the Hawsers of the Stream Anchor Slip'd owing to the Carelessness of the Person who made it fast. In the Morning hove up the Anchor in the Boat and carried it out to the Southward. In heaving the Anchor out of the Boat Mr. Weir, Master's Mate, was carried overboard by the Buoy rope and to the Bottom with the Anchor. Hove up the Anchor by the Ship as soon as possible, and found his Body intangled in the Buoy rope. Moor'd the Ship with the two Bowers in 22 fathoms Water; the Loo Rock West and the Brazen Head East. Saild His Majesty's Ship Rose. The Boats employed carrying the Casks a Shore for Wine, and the Caulkers caulking the Ship Sides. Wind Easterly.
Thursday, 15th. Squals of Wind from the Land, with rain the most part of these 24 Hours. Received on board fresh Beef and
Greens for the Ship's Company, and sent on shore all our Casks for Wine and Water, having a Shore Boat employed for that purpose. Wind North-East to South-East.
Friday, 16th. The most part fine, Clear weather. Punished Henry Stevens, Seaman, and Thomas Dunster, Marine, with 12 lashes each,
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for refusing to take their allowance of Fresh Beef. Employed taking on board Wine and Water. Wind Easterly.
Saturday, 17th. Little wind, and fine Clear weather. Issued to the whole Ship's Company 20 pounds of Onions per Man. Employed as
Yesterday. Wind Westerly.
Sunday, 18th. Ditto Weather. P.M. received on board 270 pounds of fresh Beef, and a Live Bullock charged 613 pounds. Compleated our Wine and Water, having received of the former 3032 Gallons, of the Latter 10 Tuns. A.M. unmoor'd and prepar'd