On this day ...
14 - 27 November 1770
Endeavour Voyage Maps
James Cook's Journal Ms 1, National Library of Australia
Transcript of Cook's Journal
Joseph Banks's Journal
Other Accounts ...
• Sydney Parkinson's Journal
Savu to Batavia
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By the 14th, the bottom of the ship was thoroughly repaired, and very much to my satisfaction: it would, indeed, be injustice to the officers and workmen of this yard, not to declare that, in my opinion, there is not a marine yard in the world, where a ship can be laid down with more convenience, safety, and dispatch, nor repaired with more diligence and skill. At this place they heave down by two masts, a method which we do not now practise; it is, however, unquestionably more safe and expeditious to heave down with two masts than one, and he must have a good share of bigotry to old customs, and an equal want of common sense, who will not allow this, after seeing with what facility the Dutch heave down their largest ships at this place.
Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander recovered slowly at their country-house, which was not only open to the sea breeze, but situated upon a running stream, which greatly contributed to the circulation of the air: but I was now taken ill myself Mr. Sporing, and a seaman who had attended Mr. Banks were also seized with intermittents; and indeed there was not more than ten of the whole ship’s company that were able to do duty.
We proceeded however in rigging the ship, and getting water and, stores aboard: the water we were obliged to procure from Batavia, at the rate of fix shillings and eight pence a leager, or one hundred and fifty gallons.
About the 26th, the westerly monsoon set in, which generally blows here in the night from the S.W. and in the day from the N.W. or N. For some nights before this, we had very heavy rain, with much thunder; and in the night between 25th and 26th, such rain as we had seldom seen, for near four hours without intermission. Mr.Banks’s house admitted the water in every part like a sieve, and it ran through the lower rooms in a stream that would have turned a mill: he was by this time sufficiently recovered to go out, and upon his entering Batavia the next morning, he was much surprised to see the bedding every where hung out to dry.
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Voyaging Accounts |  |
© Derived from Vols. II-III of the London 1773 edition: National Library of Australia call no. FERG 7243, pages 719 - 720, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/hv23/719.html