L I EUT W* E N A N T C O O K ’ s V O Y A G E
1770* At fix o’clock in the morning of Friday the 3d, we made
another unfUccefsful attempt to warp the fhip out of the
satiny 4. harbour; but at five o’clock in the morning of the 4th,
our efforts had a better effeft, and about feven, we got once
more under fail, with a light air from the land, which foon
died away, and was followed by the fea-breezes from S. E.
by S. with which we flood off to fea E. by N. having the
pinnace ahead, which was ordered to keep founding continually.
The yawl had been fent to the turtle bank, to take
up the net which had been left there; but as the wind frefh-
ened, we got out before her. A little before noon we anchored
in fifteen fathom water, with a fandy bottom ; for I
did not think it fafe to run in among the fhoals, till I had
well viewed them, at low-water, from the maft-head, which
might determine me which way to fleer: for as yet I was
in doubt whether I fhould beat back to the fouthward, round
all the fhoals, or feek a paffage to the eaftward or the northward,
all which at prefent appeared to be equally difficult
and dangerous. When we were at anchor the harbour from
which we failed bore S. 70 W. diftant about five leagues ; the
northermoft point of the main in fight, which I named Gape
Bedford, and which lies in latitude 55° 16' S.~ longitude
2140 4 s' W. bore N. 20 W. diftant three leagues and a half;
but to the N. E. of this Cape we could fee land which had
the appearance of two high iflands: the turtle banks bore
eaft, diftant one mile: our latitude by obfervation was
15° 32' S. and our depth of water in Handing off from the
land was from three and an half to fifteen fathom.
CHAP .