fliall be able to defcribe them more particularly than I now have it
in my power to do.
No very material occurrence happened during the greateft part
o f our pad-age from the Iflands to Cook’s River: however, as thou
art fond of particulars, though ever lo trifling, I will endeavour to
oblige thee in that refpebt.
On the 15th, being well clear of the land, we changed our courfe
to Northand North by Eall:, and from that to the 22d, had moderate
breezes, with fine weather.
From the 23d to the 28th, frequent flrong breezes with rain;
the wind veering from South Weft to North Weft, but more frequently
fince the trade winds left us, which they did about the
latitude 26 deg. North.
From the 29th of June to the il l of July, we had light variable
winds, with thick fogs, and drizzling rain 5 latitude o n the 30th
o f June 40 deg. 30 min. North, longitude 151 deg. 42 min. Weft
On the 2d of July, the water changing its colour, and a number
o f feals being feen playing about us (one of which was ftruck
and got on board the King George) we founded with a line of 120
fathom, but got no bottom. On the 3d, we faw a piece of wood
floating on the water, with a number of birds on i t : we had frequent
gales from the North Weft, with rain. On the 4th, being
in 45 deg. 2 min. North latitude, and 152 deg. 14 min. Weft
longitude, we found a ftrong current fetting to the South Weft.
From the 5th to the n th , we had variable winds from South
Eaft to South Weft, fometimes ftrong breezes, with foggy weather
1 and
and much rain. On the 10th, our obfervation at noon gave 49
deg. 5 1 min. North latitude ; and 147 deg. 14 min. Weft longitude j
the weather thick and hazy.
1786.
July-
We frequently faw large quantities of fea-weed, called by failors
fea-leeks, and a fpecies of birds much refembling Cape pigeons.
The 1 ith, in the evening, the moon was totally eclipfed, but the
evening and night were fo very thick and foggy, that we could not
obtain the leaft light of it.
By the 13th, our ftock of yams was nearly expended, an inconvenience
which we felt very heavily, as they anfwered every pur-
pofe, both of potatoes and bread. We frequently paffed pieces of
wood and fea-weed, and faw various fpecies of birds. Latitude at
noon on the 13th, 54 deg. 55 min. North p longitude 147 deg, 18
min. Weft.
On the 15th, the colour of the water altering very much, the
King George frequently founded with 90 to 120 fathom line, but
found no bottom. Latitude at noon, 57 deg. 4 min. North ; longitude
149 deg. 50 min. Weft.
■ On the 16th, we had a numberof puffins, gulls, fea-parrots, and
other birds about us ; fea-leeks and pieces of wood continually
paffing us : on this we founded at ten o’clock in the forenoon,
with 120 fathom line, but got no bottom. Our obfervation at
noon gave 58 deg. 14 min. North latitude, and our longitude
was 151 deg. 13 min. Weft. At fix in the afternoon, we
founded with 55 fathom line, over a bottom of black rock and
fand, intermixed with a kind of black fhells. At feven o’clock,
being then Handing nearly North, we law the land to our great
joy, bearing North Weft by Weft, at about eight leagues diftance,
H and