9th to 13th July 1771

More or less everything available to me has now been posted on this site, however, I will be leaving it for research purposes for the forseeable future. Comments on individual entries are, of course, still very welcome. I will seek to answer questions within a day or so.

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

9th. Fore and middle parts a Gentle breeze, and thick, Foggy

weather; remainder, a fresh Breeze and Cloudy. A swell from the

North-North-West all day. Wind South Westerly; course North 21 degrees

East; distance 100 miles; latitude 48 degrees 19 minutes North, longitude

8 degrees 1 minute West per Account, 8 degrees 7 minutes per Observation.

10th. Pleasant breezes and Clear weather. At 6 o'Clock in the

Morning sounded, and Struck ground in 60 fathoms Shells and Stones, by

which I judged we were the length of Scilly Isles. At Noon we saw land

from the Mast Head, bearing North, which we judged to be about the Land's

End. Soundings 54 fathoms, Coarse, Grey Sand. Wind Westerly; course North

44 degrees East; distance 97 miles; latitude 49 degrees 29 minutes North,

longitude 6 degrees 18 minutes West.

11th. Steady fresh breezes and clear weather. At 2 in the P.M.

saw the Lizardland, and at 6 o'clock the lighthouse bore North-West,

distant 5 Leagues, we being at this time, by my reckoning, in the

Longitude of 5 degrees 30 minutes West; soon after 2 Ships under their

Topsails between us and the land, which we took for Men of War. At 7

o'clock in the morning the Start Point bore North-West by North, distant

3 Leagues, and at Noon we reckon'd ourselves about 5 Leagues short of

Portland. This Forenoon a small cutter built vessel came under our Stern,

and inquir'd after the India Fleet, which, they said, they were cruizing

for and had not seen.

12th. Winds at South-West, a fresh Gale, with which we run

briskly up Channel. At 1/2 past 3 p.m. passed the Bill of Portland, and

at 7 Peverell Point; at 6 a.m. passed Beachy head at the distance of 4 or

5 miles; at 10 Dungeness, at the distance of 2 miles, and at Noon we were

abreast of Dover.

13th. At 3 o'clock in the P.M. anchor'd in the Downs, and soon

after I landed in order to repair to London.

(Signed) JAMs COOK.

7th and 8th July 1771

[North Atlantic]

7th. Gentle breezes and Clear weather. In the Evening found the Variation by the Amplitude to be 22 degrees 30 minutes West. At 9 A.M. Spoke a Brig from Liverpool bound to Porto, and some time after another from London, bound to the Granades. She had been 3 days from Scilly, and reckoned herself in the Longitude of about 10 minutes West, which was about 40 minutes to the Westward of what we found ourselves to-day by Observation. We learnt from this Vessel that no account had been received in England from us, and that Wagers were held that we were lost. It seems highly improbable that the Letters sent by the Dutch Ships from Batavia should not come to hand, as it is now 5 months since these Ships sail'd from the Cape of Good Hope. Wind North-North-East and North-West; course North 50 degrees East; distance 49 miles; latitude 46 degrees 16 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 39 minutes West per Account, 9 degrees 29 minutes per Observation.

8th. Little wind and hazey weather. Swell from the Northward. Wind North-North-West to South-West; course North 46 degrees 45 minutes East; distance 43 miles; latitude 46 degrees 45 minutes North, longitude 8 degrees 54 minutes West.

5th and 6th July 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

5th. Little wind and Cloudy. At 1 P.M. spoke a Dutch Galliot bound to Riga. At 5 Tack't, and stood to the Westward till 8 a.m., then to the Eastward. Wind North-East; course North 50 degrees East; distance 8 miles; latitude 45 degrees 34 minutes North, longitude 10 degrees 32 minutes West per Log, 9 degrees 18 minutes per Observation.

6th. Gentle breezes and Cloudy. At 1 p.m. sent a Boat on board a Brig belonging to Boston, last from Gibraltar, and bound to Falmouth. Wind North-North-East; course North 72 degrees 30 minutes East; distance 37 miles; latitude 44 degrees 45 minutes North, longitude 9 degrees 42 minutes West per Log, 8 degrees 28 minutes per Observation.

3rd and 4th July 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

3rd. Little wind and pleasant weather. At 9 A.M. found the Ship by Observation of the Sun and Moon 1 degree 14 minutes East of Account. Six Sail in Sight. Wind North and North-West; course North 56 degrees East; distance 54 miles; latitude 45 degrees 24 minutes North, longitude 11 degrees 59 minutes West per Log, 10 degrees 45 minutes per Observation.

4th. Gentle breezes and Cloudy weather. Variation per Azimuth and Amplitude in the Evening 21 degrees 25 1/2 West, and in the Morning 20 degrees 10 minutes West. Wind West, North, and North-East; course South 85 degrees East; distance 55 miles; latitude 45 degrees 29 minutes North, longitude 10 degrees 44 minutes West per Log, 9 degrees 27 minutes per Observation.

1st and 2nd July 1771

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

1st.  Ditto weather. In the Night passed 2 Sail Standing to the South-West. Wind Ditto; course North 77 degrees 15 minutes East; distance 90 miles; latitude 44 degrees 54 minutes North, longitude 13 degrees 59 minutes West.

2nd.  Little wind and Cloudy, hazey weather. One Sail in Sight to the North-East. Wind Ditto; course East; distance 42 miles; latitude 45 degrees 54 minutes North, longitude 13 degrees 2 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

1st.  My Bitch Lady was found dead in my Cabbin laying upon a stool on which she generaly slept. She had been remarkably well for some days; in the night she shreikd out very loud so that we who slept in the great Cabbin heard her, but becoming quiet immediately no one regarded it. Whatever disease was the cause of her death it was the most sudden that ever came under my Observation. Many Shearwaters were seen about the ship.