nearly the fame climate as part of England ; yet the weather here
is more like March than Midfummer.
On the ift Januaiy, 1786, we had-great numbers of feals.and
penguins about us, and a great variety of birds, which plainly
indicated that we were not far from land.
A t three o’clock in the morning of the 2d, we faw land, the
extremes of which bore from South-Eaft by South to South by
Weft, at about nine leagues diftance. At ten o’clock we founded
in feventy-eight fathom water, over a fine fandy bottom, intermixed
with black fpecks: the extremes of the land at noon bore
from South-Eaft to South-Weft j the weather thick and hazy with
rain. During the afternoon, we had light winds, inclining to calm.
In the evening we founded, and had again feventy-eight fathom
water, with much the fame bottom as before..
At eight in the morning of the 3d, we faw the land bearing Eaft
by North3 and at ten, the extremes of the land in fight bore from
South-Eaft to South-Weft by South, diftant from fhore nine or
ten leagues : the water appeared very black and muddy. At eleven
o’clock we faw a rock, bearing South-Eaft, at about feven leagues
diftance, which had very much the appearance of a ftiip under fail,
and indeed we at firft took it for a veftel. We have fince learnt,
that this rock is called the Eddyftone. Our latitude at noon was
51 deg. 2 min. South, and the longitude 58 deg. 48 min. Weft.
I mention the latitude more frequently, that thou mayeft form
an idea of our progrefs j and alfo, by that and the longitude,
{which I will mention in future at every opportunity) thou mayeft
find with eafe the very fpot of the globe that we are upon.
During
During the afternoon we had frefh breezes and cloudy weather,
and, not willing to lofe fight of the land, we flood in fhore, and
tacked occafionally. At eight o’clock in the evening, the Wefter-
moft land bore Weft South-Weft, and the Eddyftone North-Eaft.
We had frefh breezes, with thick hazy weather; at times a thick
fog.
1786.
January.
In the forenoon of the 4th wo faw two fmall iflands, bearing
South by Eaft and South by Weft, with high land behind them.
At noon, the Weftermoft land in fight was about four leagues,
and the Eaftermoft near eight leagues diftance, latitude 51 deg. 10
miu. South. During the afternoon we flood along fhore, as we
judged Port Egmont (the harbour we intended to anchor in) not
to be far off. About midnight, being within three miles -of the
Weftermoft land, Captain Portlock made fignal to ftand off fhore.
I have before obferved, that we had very long days 3 in faff, we
had no night, and the weather being moderate, might juftly warrant
our Handing near the land during the night time.
At two o’clock in the morning of the 5th, we wore and made
fail. At three Captain Portlock fent his whale-boat with Mr.
Macleod, his Firft IVIate, to found a-head, and look out for a harbour.
Mr. Macleod left a copy of the various fignals he was to
make on board the Queen, as a guide for us, our veffel being a-head
of the King George.
At half paft feven Mr. Macleod fired a mufquet, as a fignal for
danger, which occafioned us to ftand off the land, and tack occafionally,
the better to obferve the motions of the boat. Towards
nine o’clock, being pretty near the place where Mr. Macleod made
rW^TMii ifmr ■ i v ‘ W the