18th to 20th January 1771

[Batavia to Capetown]

18th. Light Airs and Calms, with Showers of Rain. Wind Variable; course South-West 1/2 South; distance 30 miles; latitude 7 degrees 55 minutes South; longitude 255 degrees 54 minutes West.

19th. For the most part of these 24 hours had little wind and fair weather. Wind Westerly; course South 3 degrees East; distance 53 miles; latitude 8 degrees 48 minutes South; longitude 255 degrees 51 minutes West.

20th. Light Airs and Calms, with some Showers of Rain. Saw 2 Sail in the North-West Quarter standing to the South-West; one of them shew'd Dutch Colours. Wind North Westerly; course South 44 degrees West; distance 36 miles; latitude 9 degrees 14 minutes South; longitude 256 degrees 15 minutes West.

Joseph Banks Journal

18th. In the Morn Rain with light breezes. Several Man of war birds and some shearwaters were about the ship.

19th. Light breezes all day. A ship in sight but too far off to distinguish her colours.

20th. Weather as usual. 2 ships in sight who shew'd us Dutch Colours and then saild ahead of us, letting us know that sure as our ship might be she was too slow to outsail even a Dutchman. Several tropick birds were seen.

In the Even the wind came foul. Myself who had began with the Bark Yesterday miss'd my fever today, the people however in general grew worse and many had now the dysentery or bloody flux.