25 May 1770

James Cook's Journal: Daily Entries

Table of Contents On this day ... 25 May 1770 Endeavour Voyage Maps James Cook's Journal Ms 1, National Library of Australia Joseph Banks's Journal Sydney Parkinson's Journal The authorised published account of Cook's Voyage by John Hawkesworth 1770 Index Search Contact us Search for Nautical Term in Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine...

25 May 1770 Friday 25th In the PM had it calm untill 5 oClock when a light breeze sprung up at SE and we steer'd NW as the land lay untill 10 oClock then brought too having had all along 14 and 15 fathom water. At 5 in the AM we made sail, at day light the northermost point of the Main bore N 70° West and soon after we saw more land making like Islands bearing NWBN. At 9 oClock we was were abreast of the point distant from it 1 Mile depth of water 14 fathom. I found this point to lay directly under the Tropick of Capricorn and for that reason call'd it by that Name    Longde 209°..0' West    it is of a moderate height and looks white and barren and may be known by some Islands which layes to the NW of it and some small rocks one League SE from it. On the west side of the Cape there appear'd to be a Lagoon, on the two spits which form'd the entrance were a great number of Pelicans at least so I call them. The most northermost land we could see bore from C. Capricorn N. 24° West and appear'd to be an Island, but the Main land trended WBN1/2N which Course we steer'd - ^having from 15 to 6 fathom and from 6 to 9 a hard sandy bottom   At noon our Latitude by observation was 23°..24' So C. Capricorn bore So 60°- East distant 2 Leagues a small Island NBE 2 Miles.   in this situation had 9 fm water at the distance of 4 Miles from the Main land which is here low and Sandy next the Sea except the points which are moderatly high and rocky    in land the Country is hilly and affords but a very indifferent prospect Voyaging Accounts © Transcription by Paul Turnbull of National Library of Australia, Manuscript 1 page 243, 2004 Published by kind permission of the Library To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/cook/17700525.html