28th February 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

The former part little wind and fine clear weather; the Air full as warm as in the same Degree of North Latitude at the Correspondent Season of the Year. The South-West swells still keep up, notwithstanding the Gale hath been over about 30 Hours, a proof that there is no land near in that Quarter.*

(* These are instances of Cook's observation and seamanlike perspicacity. The prevailing belief of the time was in a great southern continent.)

The remainder part of this day fresh breezes and clear. At 9 a.m. took 3 Sets of Observations of the sun and moon in order to find the Longitude of the Ship. Wind West to North-West; course North 13 degrees West; distance 42 miles; latitude 39 degrees 33 minutes 30 seconds South, longitude 110 degrees 38 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Weather fine with a pleasant breeze. In the evening a great many Porpoises of a very large size came about the ship; they differ'd from any I have seen before in being very much larger, in having their back fins a great deall higher in proportion, and in every one having a white spot on each side of his face as large as the crown of a hat but of an oval shape.