31st March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

A Steady breeze and fine pleasant weather. A.M. took several Observations of the sun and moon, the mean result of them came within 8 Miles of Yesterday's Observations computed both by Mr. Green and myself, and yet cannot think so great an error can have been committed in the ship's run in so short a time as these observations seem to point out, and therefore I shall abide by the Longitude given by the Log unless from subsequent Observations this error should be found to be just. Wind South; course North 75 degrees 45 minutes West; distance 111 miles; latitude 19 degrees 7 minutes South, longitude 131 degrees 21 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Pleasant breeze of wind which is the trade: some few tropick birds seen this morn. Myself not quite well a little inflammation in my throat and swelling of the glands.

30th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part, Calm and close Cloudy weather; in the night had Variable winds and weather, with rain. A.M. Genteel Breezes and Cloudy weather. Between 10 and 11 a.m. took several Observations of the sun and moon; the mean result of them gave the Longitude of the Ship at Noon to be 127 degrees 38 minutes, and is 1 degree 49 minutes East of the Longitude given by the Log; but on the 4th Instant the ship by Observation was 47 minutes West of the Log, therefore she must have lost 2 degrees 36 minutes of the Log since the last Observation--an Error too great to be accounted for. Wind calm, variable, South-South-East; course North 40 degrees West; distance 53 miles; latitude 19 degrees 34 minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 27 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Some birds and bonitos seen this morn but none after I came upon deck.

29th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Little winds and Cloudy weather. Variation per Azimuth 2 degrees 27 minutes East. Saw a Bird like a Dove and several fish about the Ship. Employed worming the Best Br. Cable, repairing and Painting the Boats. Wind Easterly; course North 75 degrees West; distance 50 miles; latitude 20 degrees 14 minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 27 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Calm again. Bent a new shark line in the even a shark alongside took the bait but broke the new line just as we were going to hoist him in, I am told by the people that common fishing line will never last above a year if ever so much care is taken of it.

28th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Little wind and Cloudy. Variation per Amplitude 3 degrees 56 minutes East. Wind Easterly; course North-North-West; distance 37 miles; latitude 20 degrees 38 minutes South, longitude 127 degrees 50 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Calm today: one tropick bird was seen this morn. After dinner a Shark came the first we had seen in these seas, he greedily took the bait but the line being old broke, very soon he however returnd with the hook and chain hanging out of his mouth but would not take the second bait.

27th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Variable winds and weather, with frequent showers of rain.  At Noon saw a Bird like a Gannet. Wind variable; course North 1/4 East; distance 30 miles; latitude 21 degrees 2 minutes South, longitude 127 degrees 38 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Weather much like yesterday, no birds, at night a little more setled.

26th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Squally weather, with rain. At 5 p.m. saw some sea Weed pass the Ship, and at 7 William Greenslade, Marine, either by Accident or design, went overboard and was Drowned. The following circumstances makes it appear as tho' it was done design'dly. He had been Centinel at the Steerage door between 12 and 4 o'clock, where he had taken part of a Seal Skin put under his charge, and which was found upon him. The  ther Marines thought themselves hurt by one of their party commiting a crime of this nature, and he being a raw young fellow, and, as very probable, made him resolve upon commiting this rash Action, for the Serjeant not being willing that it should pass over unknown to me, was about 7 o'clock going to bring him aft and have it inquired into, when he gave him the Slip between Decks, and was seen to go upon the Forecastle, and from that time was seen no more. I was neither made acquainted with the Theft or the Circumstances attending it, until the Man was gone. Wind, North-West to West; longitude 127 degrees 43 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

This whole day calms succeeded by hard squalls with much rain, which weather the seamen call trolly lollys; the wind went more than once round the Compass which made us hope that we were near the trade at least. Few or no birds and no tropick birds.

25th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part dark cloudy weather, with rain and a fresh breeze of wind; remainder fair and Cloudy. Wind North-West by North, to West by North; course North-East 1/2 North; distance 95 miles; latitude 22 degrees 11 minutes South, longitude 127 degrees 55 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Wind continued much the same but more moderate, few or no birds were about the ship but some sea weed was seen by some of the people, only one bed.

This even one of our marines threw himself overboard and was not miss'd till it was much too late even to attempt to recover him. He was a very young man scarce 21 years of age, remarkably quiet and industrious, and to make his exit the more melancholy was drove to the rash resolution by an accident so trifling that it must appear incredible to every body who is not well accquainted with the powerfull effects that shame can work upon young minds.

This day at noon he was sentry at the Cabbin door and while he was on that duty one of the Capts servants being calld away in a hurry left a peice of seal skin in his charge, which it seems he was going to cut up to make tobacco pouches some of which he had promisd to several of the men; the poor young fellow it seems had several times askd him for one, and when refus'd had told him that since he refusd him so trifling a thing he would if he could steal one from him, this he put in practise as soon as the skin was given into his charge and was of course found out immediately as the other returnd, who was angry and took the peice he had cut off from him but declard he would not complain to the officers for so trifling a cause.

In the mean time the fact came to the ears of his fellow soldiers, who stood up for the honour of their Core 13 in number so highly that before night, for this hapned at noon, they drove the young fellow almost mad by representing his crime in the blackest coulours as a breach of trust of the worst consequence: a theft committed by a sentry upon duty they made him think an inexcusable crime, especialy when the thing stole was given into his charge: the Sargeant particularly declard that if the person acgreivd would not complain he would, for people should not suffer scandal from the ill behaviour of one. This affected the young fellow much, he went to his hammock, soon after the Sargeant went to him calld him and told him to follow him upon deck. He got up and slipping the Sargeant went forward, it was dusk and the people thought he was gone to the head and were not convincd that he was gone over till half an hour after it hapned.

24th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

[Passing Low Archipelago.]

Fresh Gales and Cloudy, with some rain in the forepart of this day. All the forepart of these 24 hours the Sea was smooth, but at 12 at night it was more so, and about 3 in the Morning one of the people saw, or thought he saw, a Log of Wood pass the Ship. This made us think that we were near some land,* (* The Endeavour was now passing to the northward of the easternmost islands of the Paumotu or Low Archipelago, though out of sight of them.) but at daylight we saw not the least appearance of any, and I did not think myself at liberty to spend time in searching for what I was not sure to find, although I thought myself not far from those Islands discovered by Quiros in 1606; and very probably we were not, from the birds, etc., we have seen for these 2 or 3 days past. Wind West-North-West to North-West; course North-East by North 1/4 East; distance 99 miles; latitude 22 degrees 23 minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 2 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Blew fresh still, wind as foul as ever. The officer of the watch reported that in the middle watch the water from being roughish became on a sudden as smooth as a mill pond, so that the ship from going only 4 knotts at once increasd to six, tho there was little or no more wind than before this, and a log of wood which was seen to pass by the ship by several people made them believe that there was land to windward.

At 8 when I came on deck the signs were all gone, I saw however two birds which seemed to be of the sterna? kind both very small, one quite white and another quite black who from their appearance probably could not venture far from Land.

Today by our reckoning we crossed the tropick.

23rd March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Fresh gales and Squally, with rain, the first part; remainder fresh Gales and Cloudy. P.M. saw some Men-of-War Birds, and Egg Birds, and in the Morning saw more Egg Birds and Tropic Birds. The Man-of-War and Tropic Birds are pretty well known, but the Egg Bird (as it is called in the Dolphin's Journal) requires some discription to know it by that Name. It is a small slender Bird of the Gull kind, and all white, and not much unlike the small white Gulls we have in England, only not so big.* (* Terns) There are also Birds in  Newfoundland called Stearings that are of the same shape and Bigness, only they are of a Greyish Colour. These Birds were called by the Dolphin Egg Birds on account of their being like those known by that name by Sailors in the Gulph of Florida; neither they nor the Man-of-War Birds are ever reckoned to go very far from Land. Wind North by West to West by North: course North 13 degrees West; distance 49 miles; latitude 24 degrees 43 minutes South, longitude 130 degrees 8 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Most troublesome weather, calms and squalls with very heavy rain but the wind will not stirr. Many Egg birds seen today and some few Tropick.

22nd March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part Calm, in the night Squally, with rain. A.M. a fresh breeze and Cloudy. Variation per Amplitude 3 degrees 10 minutes East. Saw some Egg Birds. Wind North by East to North-North-West; course West; distance 57 miles; latitude 25 degrees 21 minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 52 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Fresh breeze of wind today, the ship layd no better than west so we were forcd to give over our hopes on the NNW point. Many man of war birds were about the ship today and some egg birds, I shot 3 of the first but none of them fell onboard the ship. All today the weather very hot and damp, Thermometer 80, which it never was at sea before except in the calms under the line.

21st March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part little wind, the remainder Calm. Variation, 3 degrees 43 minutes East. Saw some rock weed and a great many Tropic Birds. Wind West by North, calm; course North; distance 23 miles; latitude 25 degrees 21 minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 28 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Calm this morn: went out in the boat and shot Tropick bird Phaeton erubescens, and Procellaria atrata, velox and sordida. Took Turbo fluitans floating upon the water in the same manner as Helix Janthina, Medusa Porpita exactly like those taken on the other side of the continent, and a small Cimex? which also was taken before but appears to be a larva, if so probably of some animal that lives under water, as I saw many but none that appeard perfect tho they were enough so to propagate their species or copulate at least. In examining the Phaetons found that what appeard to me a black crissus as they flew was no other than their black feet; on them was plenty of a very curious kind of acarus Phaetintis which either was or appeard to be viviparous.

Besides what was shot today there were seen Man of war birds pelecanus aquilus, and a small bird of the Sterna? kind calld by the seamen egg birds, which were white with red beaks about the size of sterna hirundo. Of these I saw several just at night fall who flew very high and followd one another all standing towards the NNW; probably there is land on that point as we were now not far from the Lat and Longitude in which Quiros saw his southermost Islands Incarnation and St Jno Baptist.

Sydney Parkinson’s Journal

We saw a great number of tropic and egg birds, and shot two of the former, which had a very beauteous plumage, being a fine white, mingled with a most lively red: their tails were composed of two long red feathers; and their beaks were of a deep red. We found ourselves at this time in latitude 25° 21' S. and longitude 120° 20' W. having fair weather, with a dry, serene, and salubrious air.

20th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

A Fine breeze and pleasant weather. Saw several Tropic Birds. Wind West; course North; distance 95 miles; latitude 25 degrees 44 minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 28 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Very fine as yesterday: many tropick birds were about the ship, as indeed there has been every day since I first mentiond them but still more of them as the weather was finer. When I look on the charts of these Seas and see our course, which has been Near a streight one at NW since we left Cape Horne, I cannot help wondering that we have not yet seen land. It is however some pleasure to be able to disprove that which does not exist but in the opinions of Theoretical writers, of which sort most are who have wrote any thing about these seas without having themselves been in them. They have generaly supposd that every foot of sea which they beleivd no ship had passd over to be land, tho they had little or nothing to support that opinion but vague reports, many of them mentiond only as such by the very authors who first publishd them, as for instance the Orange Tree one of the Nassau fleet who being separated from her Companions and drove to the westward reported on her joining them again that she had twice seen the Southern continent; both which places are laid down by Mr Dalrymple many degrees to the eastward of our track, tho it is probable that he has put them down as far to the westward as he thought it possible that she could go.

To streng[t]hen these weak arguments another Theory has been started which says that it is Nescessary that so much of the South sea as the authors of it call land should be so, otherwise this wor[l]d would not be properly bal[a]nc'd as the quantity of Earth known to be situated in the Northern hemisphere would not have a counterpoise in this. The number of square degrees of their land which we have already chang'd into water sufficiently disproves this, and teaches me at least that till we know how this globe is fixd in that place which has been since its creation assignd to it in the general system, we need not be anxious to give reasons how any one part of it counterbalances the rest.

19th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part fresh Gales and Squally, with rain; remainder more moderate and cloudy. Variation, a.m. per Means of several Azimuths, 3 degrees 14 minutes East. Loosed the 2d reefs out of the Topsails. Wind between the North and West; course North 52 degrees West; distance 50 miles; latitude 27 degrees 21 minutes South, longitude 129 degrees 28 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Pleasant breeze, ship went N by W. Some flying fish were seen this morn and several procellarias cheifly of the brown sorts as sordida.

18th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part, little wind and Cloudy; latter, fresh gales and hard Squalls, with much rain. Took 2 Reefs in the Topsails. Wind North-East North; course North 60 degrees 45 minutes West; distance 78 miles; latitude 27 degrees 52 minutes South, longitude 128 degrees 44 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Squally weather all night with heavy rain: this morn much the same, the rain so heavy that the Cabbin was twice baild of more than a bucket full at a time, all which came in at the crevises of the weather quarter window, for there was no leak of any consequence in any other part of the cabbin. The Wind was at N and brought with it a hot damp air which affected (I may safely say) every man in the ship more or less; towards even however it shifted towards the west and was much dryer.

17th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Little wind and fine Pleasant weather. Variation, p.m. 3 degrees 27 minutes East. Wind, South-East by South; course, North 20 degrees West; distance, 55 miles; latitude 28 degrees 30 minutes South, longitude 127 degrees 29 minutes West. 

Joseph Banks Journal

Most of this day as yesterday almost calm, at night a small breeze came on from ENE so that the ship went 4 knotts.

16th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Light Airs next to a Calm and clear Weather. Variation by the mean result of 21 Azimuths, 1 degree 30 minutes East. This evening observed an Occultation of h by the [crescent],* (* h is Saturn, [crescent] the Moon.) Immersion at ---- hours ---- minutes and Emersion at ---- hours ---- minutes ---- seconds a.m.* (* Blanks in manuscript.) Variation per several Azimuths 2 degrees East. Wind East-South-East, South-South-East, South-West; course North-North-West; distance 34 miles; latitude 29 degrees 22 minutes South, longitude 127 degrees 8 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Calm almost, but the ship stole through this remarkably smooth water so that I do not think it worth while to have a boat hoisted out; by observation to day they find that she has gone these two days much faster than the log which they tell me is very often the case in light winds when the ship goes before them.

Our water which was taken aboard at Terra del Fuego has remaind till this time perfectly good without the least change, an instance which I am told is very rare, especialy as in our case when water is brought from a cold climate into a hot one. This however has stood it without any damage and now drinks as brisk and pleasant as when first taken on board, or better, for the red colour it had at first is subsided and it is now as clear as any English spring water.

15th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Light breezes and clear weather. Variation, p.m. 3 degrees 45 minutes East, a.m. 3 degrees 22 minutes East. Saw a Tropic Bird. Wind, East-North-East and East-South-East; course, North 47 degrees 15 minutes West; distance, 50 miles; latitude 29 degrees 43 minutes South, longitude 126 degrees 53 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

All but calm all this day: many tropick birds were about the ship. The sea today was remarkably quiet so that the ship had little or no motion.

This night happend an occultation of Saturn by the moon, which Mr Green observ'd but was unlucky in having the weather so cloudy that the observation was good for little or nothing.

14th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Little wind and fine Pleasant weather. At 3 p.m. took several Observations of the sun and moon; the mean result of which gave 126 degrees 20 minutes 45 seconds, the Longitude of the Ship West of Greenwich, and is 47 degrees Longitude West of account carried on from Cape Horn. Wind South, East-South-East, East-North-East; course North 50 degrees West; distance 47 miles; latitude 30 degrees 17 minutes South, longitude 126 degrees 10 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Very light winds today shifting from South to East: at noon an alarm of Land being seen which proved at night to be no more than a fog bank tho it certainly remaind many hours without any change in its appearance.

The tropick birds this Evening made a noise as they flew over the ship not unlike some gulls.

13th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part a Steady, fresh Gale; the remainder, little wind and fine Clear weather. Wind South-East; course North 48 degrees 15 minutes West; distance 72 miles; latitude 30 degrees 46 minutes South, longitude 125 degrees 28 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Almost calm to day tho not quite enough for going out in the boat. I saw a tropick bird for the first time hovering over the ship but flying very high; if my eyes did not deceive me it differd from that describd by Linnaeus, Phaeton aethereus, in having the long feathers of his tail red and his crissum black.

Towards even set the servants to work with a dipping net who took Mimus volutator and Phyllodoce velella, both exactly the same as those we have seen in the Atlantick ocean. Lat. 30.45, Long. 126.23.45.

[After the last few weeks I think we might all understand the tedium of a long ocean voyage in a ship that is only capable of a few knots.  But fear not, Tahiti is not far away and Cook, Banks and Parkinson have MUCH to say of the islands and its inhabitants in the Spring of 1769.  Roger R.]

12th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Ditto weather. Variation 4 degrees 12 minutes East. Put the Ship's Company to three Watches, they having been at Watch and Watch since our first arrival on the coast of Terra del Fuego. Wind South-East; course North 49 degrees West; distance 122 miles; latitude 31 degrees 34 minutes South, longitude 124 degrees 25 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Wind continued fair but in the even flaggd a little; we began to imagine that it must be the trade, at least if it continues we resolv'd [to] call it so.

11th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

A Steady gale and fine weather. Variation 4 degrees 12 minutes East. Wind South-East; course North 46 degrees 15 minutes West; distance 116 miles; latitude 32 degrees 54 minutes South, longitude 122 degrees 35 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Wind and weather much the same as yesterday. Tho it had blown a steady breeze of wind these three days no sea at all was up, from whence we began to conclude that we pass'd the Line drawn between the Great South Sea and the Pacifick ocean by the Council of the Royal Society, notwithstanding we are not yet within the tropicks.

10th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Moderate breezes and fine Pleasant weather. Wind South-East; course North 40 degrees West; distance 121 miles; latitude 34 degrees 14 minutes South, longitude 120 degrees 54 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Fine weather continued, wind aft and very pleasant.

9th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part, moderate and Hazey, with Drizling rain; the remainder fresh breezes and clear weather. Variation 4 degrees 41 minutes east. Wind South-West by West to South by East; course North 38 degrees West; distance 123 miles; latitude 35 degrees 47 minutes South, longitude 119 degrees 18 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Fine weather wind right aft. A tropick bird was seen by some of the people but myself did not see him.

8th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

The first and Middle parts moderate breezes and Cloudy; the Latter Part Variable winds and much Rain. Wind North-West, variable; course South 78 degrees West; distance, 76 miles; latitude 37 degrees 24 minutes South, longitude 117 degrees 41 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Rains today with uncommonly large and heavy drops, accompanied with calms and small puffs of wind all round the Compass; in the Evening a SE wind took the ship aback and before night blew brisk.

7th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

A Moderate steady breeze and clear weather. Wind North-West; course South 64 degrees 15 minutes West; distance, 83 miles; latitude 37 degrees 8 minutes South, longitude 116 degrees 8 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Wind weather heat and dew as yesterday. No Albatrosses have been seen since the 4th, and for some days before that we had only now and then a single one in sight so conclude we have parted with them for good and all.

6th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Moderate breezes and Tolerable clear weather all this day.  The wind a little Variable, which caused us to Tack several Times. Wind North-West by North to West-North-West; course South 57 degrees West; distance 20 miles; latitude 36 degrees 32 minutes South, longitude 114 degrees 30 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Weather wind and heat continued, dew to night as strong as ever.

5th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First and latter parts, fine Clear weather; the Middle, fresh gales and Hazey, with rain. Wind North-West by North and North-West; course South 81 degrees 40 minutes West; distance 64 miles; latitude 36 degrees 21 minutes South, longitude 114 degrees 9 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Fine weather but foul wind, it now begins to be very hot. Therm. 70 and damp, with prodigious dews at night greater than any I have felt, this renews our uncomfortably damp situation, every thing beginning to mould as it did about the aequinoctial line in the Atlantick.

4th March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part, Calm; remainder, a fine genteel breeze and clear weather. Variation per Azimuth and Amplitude this Evening 2 degrees 26 minutes East. The South-West swell still keeps up, notwithstanding it hath been Calm 24 hours. Wind calm, North-East, North; course North 50 degrees West; distance 58 miles; latitude 36 degrees 12 minutes South, longitude 112 degrees 50 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Fine weather, the ship goes 5 knotts without rowling or pitching which she has not done this great while; this we attribute to the empty water cask [s] in the fore hold having been filld with salt water yesterday.

There were several bonitos about the ship or at least fish something like them.

3rd March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part, moderate breezes; remainder, calm and clear weather. A.M. employed filling salt Water in the Fore Hold and airing all the Spare Sails. Wind West, calm; course North 17 degrees East; distance 31 miles; latitude 36 degrees 49 minutes South, longitude 111 degrees 34 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Calm: went in the boat and killd Procellaria velox, 2 velificans, 3 sordida, 4 melanopus, 5 lugens, agilis and Diomedaea exulans. The Albatross very brown exactly the same as the first I killd, which if I mistake not was nearly in the same latitude on the other side of the continent. Caught Holothuria obtusata, Phillodoce velella exactly the same as those taken on the other side of the continent except in size, which in these did not exceed that of an English sixpence. Also Dagysa vitrea the same as that taken off Rio de Janeiro; now however we had an opportunity of seeing its ext[r]ordinary manner of breeding which is better to be understood from the drawing than any description I can give; suffice it therefore to say that the whole progeny 15 or 20 in number hung in a chain from one end of the mother, the oldest only or the largest adhering to her and rest to each other.

While in the boat among a large quantity of birds I had killd, 69 in all, caught 2 Hippoboscas forest flies, both of one species different from any described. More than probably these belongd to the birds and came off with them from the land. I found also this day a large Sepia cuttle fish laying on the water just dead but so pulld to peices by the birds that his Species could not be determind; only this I know that of him was made one of the best soups I ever eat. He was very large, differd from the Europaeans in that his arms instead of being (like them) furnished with suckers were armd with a double row of very sharp talons, resembling in shape those of a cat and like them retractable into a sheath of skin from whence they might be thrust at pleasure.

The weather is now become pleasan[t]ly warm and the Barnacles upon the ships bottom seemd to be regenerate, very few only of the old ones remaining alive but young ones without number scarce bigger than Lentils.

2nd March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

Former part, fresh gales and hazey, with much rain; the remainder, a Strong fresh gale and pretty clear weather. Wind Westerly; course North by West; distance 87 miles; latitude 37 degrees 16 minutes South, longitude 112 degrees 5 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

Rather squally this morn and had been so all night: it did not however blow up to a gale tho the ship had a good  deal of motion, indeed I began to hope that we were now so near the peacefull part of the Pacifick ocean that we may almost cease to fear any more gales.

1st March 1769

Cape Horn to Tahiti

First part fresh breezes, the remainder moderate breezes and clear weather. The result of the Forementioned Observations gives 110 degrees 33 minutes West Longitude from Greenwich, and exactly agrees with the Longitude given by the Log from Cape Horn. This Agreement of the two Longitudes after a Run of 660 leagues is surprizing, and much more than could be expected; but, as it is so, it serves to prove, as well as the repeated trials we have made when the weather would permit, that we have had no Current that hath Affected the Ship since we came into these Seas. This must be a great Sign that we have been near no land of any extent, because near land are generally found Currents. It is well known that on the East side of the Continent in the North Sea we meet with Currents above 100 Leagues from the Land, and even in the Middle of the Atlantic Ocean, between Africa and America, are always found Currents; and I can see no reason why Currents should not be found in this Sea, supposing a Continent or lands lay not far West from us, as some have imaggin'd, and if such land was ever seen we cannot be far from it, as we are now 560 leagues West of the Coast of Chili.

Joseph Banks Journal 

Fine weather and very pleasant, began the new month by pulling off an under waistcoat.