Saturday, 7th. First part, Strong Gales, with excessive hard Squals, with rain. At 9 p.m. wore and brought too, her head to the Westward under the Mainsail, and Reef'd the Foresail for the first time. The Storm continued with a little intermission until a little towards Noon, when it abated, so we could set the Topsails close Reefed. Saw many Penguins and some Seals. Wind southerly: course South 62 degrees East; distance 14 miles; latitude 51 degrees 26 minutes South, longitude 61 degrees 59 minutes West.
Joseph Banks Journal
Blew strong, yet the ship still Laying too, now for the first time saw some of the Birds calld Penguins by the southern navigators; they seem much of the size and not unlike alca pica but are easily known by streaks upon their faces and their remarkably shrill cry different from any sea bird I am acquainted with. We saw also several seals but much smaller than those which I have seen in Newfoundland and black, they generaly appeard in lively action leaping out of the water like porpoises, so much so that some of our people were deceivd by them mistaking them for fish.
About noon weather much more moderate; set the lower sails; before night sea quite down tho the wind still stood at south east. The sea rises and falls quicker in these latitudes than it does about England, which we have observd Ever since we came into variable winds way to the South of the tropicks. During this whole gale we observed vast plenty of birds about us, Procellarias of all the kinds we have before mentiond, the grey ones of the 3d of this month and a kind? all black, procell. aquinoctialis? Linn. but could not discern whether or not their beaks were yellow, and plenty of Albatrosses; indeed I have generaly observd a much greater quantity of birds upon wing in gales of wind than in moderate weather, owing perhaps to the tossing of the waves which must render swimming very uneasy; in this situation they must be oftener seen than when they set on the water.
The ship during this gale has shewn her excellence in laying too remarkably well, shipping scarce any water tho it blew at times vastly strong; the seamen in general say that they never knew a ship lay too so well as this does, so lively and at the same time so easy.
Sydney Parkinson’s Journal
On the 7th, had an exceeding hard gale of wind from S. W. in latitude 51° 25' S. and longitude 62° 44' W. We supposed ourselves not far from Falkland's Islands, but, not knowing their longitude, we could not so readily find them.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment