25th to 30th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

25th. First part and remainder a fresh breeze and Cloudy. Wind

North-East to North-North-East; course South 85 degrees East; distance 58

miles; latitude 40 degrees 39 minutes North, longitude 23 degrees 33

minutes West.

26th. First part, breezes; remainder, little wind. Wind North

by East; course North 86 degrees 45 minutes East; distance 72 miles;

latitude 40 degrees 43 minutes North, longitude 21 degrees 58 minutes

West.

27th. Moderate breezes and Cloudy weather. Wind Westerly;

course North 54 minutes East; distance 54 miles; latitude 41 degrees 14

minutes North, longitude 20 degrees 59 minutes West.

28th. Fresh breezes, with Showers of Rain. Wind West to

North-North-West; course North 38 degrees East; distance 123 miles;

latitude 42 degrees 55 minutes North, longitude 19 degrees 18 minutes

West.

29th. First part, little wind; remainder, Fresh Gales and

Squally, with Showers of Rain. Wind South-West to West and North-East;

course North 59 degrees 15 minutes East; distance 86 miles; latitude 43

degrees 39 minutes North, longitude 17 degrees 36 minutes West.

30th. Gentle breezes and fair weather. Variation in the Evening

18 degrees 30 minutes West, and in the Morning 19 degrees 30 minutes.

Wind Northerly; course North 50 degrees 45 minutes East; distance 87

miles; latitude 44 degrees 34 minutes North, longitude 16 degrees 2

minutes West.

23rd and 24th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

23rd. Fresh Gales and Squally, attended with Showers of rain. In the Evening all the Fleet were to Windward of us, and in the Morning not one was to be seen. Wind North-East by North to East-North-East; course South 69 1/2 degrees East; distance 80 miles; latitude 40 degrees 43 minutes North, longitude 26 degrees 13 minutes West.

24th. First part, moderate breezes; remainder, Squally. At Noon Tack'd. Wind North-East to East-South-East; course South 82 degrees East; distance 64 miles; latitude 40 degrees 34 minutes North, longitude 24 degrees 49 minutes West.

21st & 22nd June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

21st. Fresh Gales and Cloudy. In the P.M. saw a Sail astern standing to the South-East, and at 11 o'Clock A.M. saw from the Mast head 13 Sail of Stout Ships, which we took to be the East India Fleet. Wind Northerly; course East by North; distance 128 miles; latitude 40 degrees 33 minutes North, longitude 30 degrees 20 minutes West.

22nd. Fresh Gales, with Squalls, attended with rain. In the Evening had 14 Sail in sight, 13 upon our lee Quarter, and a Snow upon our lee Bow. In the Night split both Topgallant Sails so much that they were obliged to be unbent to repair. In the Morning the Carpenter reported the Maintopmast to be Sprung in the Cap, which we supposed hapned in the P.M., when both the Weather Backstays broke. Our Rigging and Sails are now so bad that something or another is giving way every day. At Noon had 13 Sail in sight, which we are well assured are the India Fleet, and are all now upon our Weather Quarter. Wind North to North-East; course North 81 degrees East; distance 114 miles; latitude 41 degrees 11 minutes, longitude 27 degrees 52 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

21st.  About noon we discoverd a fleet of 13 sail of large ships on our weather quarter; these we doubted not were our consorts the India fleet. One Shearwater was seen.

22nd.  The Fleet held so much better a wind than us that the[y] fairly went out of sight to windward of us, who indeed had split both our Topgallant sails in a squall.

19th and 20th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

19th.  Fresh Gales and Cloudy. At 2 p.m. found by observation the same Error in our Longitude as Yesterday, which I have now corrected. The Longitude of this day is that resulting from Observation. At 10 A.M. saw a Sail a head, which we soon came up with, and sent a Boat on board. She was a Schooner from Rhoad Island out upon the Whale fishery. From her we learnt that all was peace in Europe, and that the America Disputes were made up; to confirm this the Master said that the Coat on his back was made in old England. Soon after leaving this Vessel we spoke another from Boston, and saw a third, all out on the same account. Wind South to South-West; course North 73 degrees East; distance 127 miles; latitude 40 degrees 9 minutes North, longitude 36 degrees 44 minutes West.

20th.  Fresh Gales and Cloudy, with some Showers of rain. At day light in the Morning saw a Sail ahead standing to the East. A Swell from the North-North-West. Wind South-West, North-West, North; course North 80 1/2 degrees East; distance 121 miles; latitude 40 degrees 29 minutes  North, longitude 33 degrees 10 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

20th.  Saw a large ship ahead which on our lowering our foretopsail hoisted a flag at her maintopmast head; she soon however made sail and left us.

17th and 18th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

17th. Steady, Gentle Gales and pleasant weather. Variation in the Evening 9 degrees West. Wind South-South-East; course North 68 degrees East; distance 104 miles; latitude 38 degrees 57 minutes North, longitude 38 degrees 36 minutes West.

18th. Little wind, and clear weather. At 2 p.m. found the Ship to be by Observation 1 degree 22 minutes to the Westward of Account carried on from the last Observation; in the Evening the Variation was 14 degrees 15 minutes West, and in the Morning 14 degrees 24 minutes. WindSouth; course North 66 degrees East; distance 82 miles; latitude 39 degrees 52 minutes North, longitude 36 degrees 59 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

18th.  Saw 3 New En[g]land Schooners cruising for whales. Sent a boat on board one who told us that he had yesterday spoke an outward bound Englishman, who told him that all was peace in Europe, and that the Spanyards had agreed to pay the Manilla ransom with interest in one year and a million of Dollars for damages done at Falklands Islands. The vessel had by their own account been out 5 weeks and caught nothing; they had chasd a whale 60 Leagues into Fyall harbour into which they could not follow it as the Portugese suffer no Whaler to go into any of their Ports in the Western Islands. They had they said no meat on board but livd upon what they could catch; they sold us readily 4 large Albacores saying that they could catch more. As for American news King George they said had behavd very ill for some time but they had brought him to terms at last.

15th and 16th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

15th.  Ditto Weather at Daylight. In the Morning saw a Sloop to Windward standing to the Eastward, which we run out of sight by Noon. Wind South-East; course North-East 1/2 East; distance 119 miles; latitude 37 degrees 2 minutes North, longitude 41 degrees 54 minutes West.

16th.  A Steady breeze and pleasant weather, with some rain in the Night. At daylight in the Morning saw a Sail a head, which we came up and spoke with a little after 10 o'clock. She proved a Portoguee Ship from Rio de Janeiro, bound to Lisbon. Wind Ditto; course North-East 1/2 East; distance 119 miles; latitude 38 degrees 18 minutes North, longitude 40 degrees 38 minutes West.

13th and 14th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

13th. Little wind and pleasant weather. Found the Variation by the Amplitude in the Evening to be 8 degrees 23 minutes; in the Morning 8 degrees 15 minutes, and by Azimuth soon after 8 degrees 14 minutes West. Wind Ditto; Course North by East 1/2 East; distance 77 miles; latitude 34 degrees 14 minutes North, longitude 44 degrees 25 minutes West.

14th. A Gentle Gale, and pleasant weather. In the A.M. saw 2 Turtle laying a Sleep upon the water. Wind East-South-East; course North 18 degrees East; distance 99 miles; latitude 35 degrees 48 minutes North, longitude 43 degrees 48 minutes West.

11th and 12th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

11th. Ditto weather. A Smooth Sea. Wind North-East by East;

course North 18 minutes West; distance 67 miles; latitude 32 degrees 16

North, longitude 45 degrees 14 minutes West.

12th. Light breezes and clear weather. Variation by the

Amplitude in the Evening 7 degrees 0 minutes West, and by Azimuth in the

Morning 6 degrees 55 minutes West. Exercised Great Guns and Small Arms.

Wind East by South; course North-North-East; distance 48 miles; latitude 
33 degrees 8 minutes North, longitude 44 degrees 53 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

11th.  Rather more weed than lately. Quite calm so that I went out in the boat and took up many individuals of all the species mentiond before but nothing new.

12th.  Water as smooth as in a harbour: were we in an unknown sea we should build much on the probability of some Land in the neighbourhood. Some Porpoises and Skipjacks were seen but very little weed.

10th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

Little wind and Clear weather. Exercised the people at Small Arms. Wind Ditto; course North 30 degrees West; distance 71 miles; latitude 31 degrees 12 minutes North, longitude 44 degrees 50 minutes West.

7th to 9th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

7th. Moderate breezes, and Cloudy. A.M., Variation per mean of 20 Azimuths 5 degrees 20 minutes West. Wind East-North-East; course North 15 degrees West; distance 84 miles; latitude 27 degrees 22 minutes North, longitude 43 degrees 42 minutes West.

8th. Moderate breezes and Pleasant weather. In the A.M. found the Variation to be 5 degrees 24 minutes West. By the Observation of the Sun and Moon the Longitude of the Ship at Noon was 43 degrees 42 minutes West. Wind Easterly; course North; distance 88 miles; latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes North, longitude 43 degrees 42 minutes West.

9th. Clear, pleasant weather and a Smooth Sea. In the A.M. found the Variation to be 7 degrees 33 minutes West. Some Tropick birds flying about the Ship; we have seen of these birds every day since we passed the Tropick. Wind Ditto; course North by West 1/2 West; distance 81 miles; latitude 30 degrees 11 minutes North, longitude 44 degrees 9 minutes West.

3rd to 6th June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

3rd. A Gentle Trade Wind, and Pleasant weather. Wind North-East; course North 44 degrees West; distance 85 miles; latitude 22 degrees 21 minutes North, longitude 39 degrees 9 minutes West.

4th. Ditto weather. In the A.M. found the Variation to be 4 degrees 30 minutes West. Wind North-East; course North 34 degrees West; distance 91 miles; latitude 23 degrees 40 North, longitude 40 degrees 4 minutes West.

5th. Gentle breezes, with some Showers of Small Rain. Wind Ditto; course North 52 degrees West; distance 83 miles; latitude 24 degrees 31 minutes North, longitude 41 degrees 11 minutes West.

6th. Ditto weather. In the A.M. found the Variation by the mean of the Amplitude and Azimuth to be 5 degrees 34 minutes West, and by Observation of the Sun and Moon found the Ship in Longitude 43 degrees 18 minutes West of Greenwich, 2 degrees 51 minutes West of the Log since the last Observations; this I judge to be owing to a Westerly Current. Wind East-North-East to East; course North 3/4 West; distance 90 miles; latitude 26 degrees 1 minute North, longitude, per Observation Sun and Moon, 43 degrees 18 minutes West.

1st and 2nd June 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

1st. Fresh Trade, and Cloudy weather. In the A.M. got up Top Gallant Yards. Wind North-East; course North 35 degrees West; distance 100 miles; latitude 20 degrees 12 minutes North, longitude 36 degrees 41 minutes West.

2nd. Moderate Gales and Clear weather. Variation 5 degrees 4 minutes West. Wind North-East to North-North-East; course North 49 degrees West; distance 104 miles; latitude 21 degrees 20 minutes North, longitude 38 degrees 5 minutes West.