Fresh breezes at South-South-West and West accompanied with
a rowling Sea from the South-West. At 5 p.m. the wind Veering to the
Westward we Tack'd and Stood to the Southward. At this time the North
Cape bore East 3/4 North and was just open of a point that lies 3 Leagues
West by South from it, being now well assured that it is the Northermost
Extremity of this Country and is the East point of a Peninsula which
Stretches out North-West and North-West by North 17 or 18 Leagues, and as
I have before observed is for the most part low and narrow except its
Extremity where the land is Tollerable high and Extends 4 or 5 Leagues
every way. Cape Maria Van Diemen is the West point of the Peninsula and
lies in the Latitude of 34 degrees 30 minutes South; Longitude 187
degrees 18 minutes West from Greenwich.*
(* This is extraordinarily
accurate, seeing that the ship was never close to the Cape, and the
observations were all taken in bad weather. The latitude is exact, and
the longitude is only three miles in error. The persistence with which
Cook clung to this point until he could resume his exploration and
examination of the coast is very characteristic of the man. He would not
willingly miss a mile of it, nor did he.)
From this Cape the Land Trends
away South-East by South and South-East to and beyond Mount Camel, and is
everywhere a barren shore affording no better prospect than what ariseth
from white sand Banks. At 1/2 past 7 p.m. the Island of the 3 Kings bore
North-West by North and Cape Maria Van Diemen North-East by East, distant
4 Leagues. At 5 a.m. Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North-North-East 1/2 East
and Mount Camel East. At Noon was in the Latitude of 35 degrees 17
minutes and Cape Maria Van Diemen by judgment bore North distant 16
Leagues; having no land in sight, not daring to go near it as the wind
blow'd fresh right on shore and a high rowling Sea from the Same Quarter,
and knowing that there was no Harbour that we could put into in case we
were Caught upon a lee shore.
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