2nd to 4th May 1771

[At St. Helena]

2nd. Clear, Pleasant weather. In the P.M. moor'd with the Kedge

 nchor, and in the A.M. received some few Officers' stores from the Portland. Wind Ditto. At noon at Anchor in St. Helena Road.

3rd. Clear, Pleasant weather. Employ'd repairing Sails, overhauling the Rigging, etc. Wind South-East. At noon at Anchor in St. Helena Road.

4th. Little wind and pleasant weather. At 6 A.M. the Portland made the Signal to unmoor, and at Noon to Weigh, at which time the Ships began to get under Sail. Wind Ditto. At noon at Anchor in St. Helena Road.

Joseph Banks Journal

May 2.

As the fleet was to sail immediately and our ship to accompany it, it became necessary to make as much of a short time as possible, so this whole day was employd in riding about the Island, in the course of which we made very nearly the Compleat Circuit of it visiting all the most remarkable places that we had been told of.

May 3.

Spent this day in Botanizing on the Ridge where the Cabbage trees grow, visiting Cuckolds point and Dianas peak, the Highest land in the Island as settled by the Observations of Mr Maskelyne, who was sent out to this Island by the Royal Society for the Purpose of Observing the transit of Venus in the Year [1761]. See Account of St Helena below

May 4. Depart St Helens for England

Saild after dinner in company with 12 Indiamen and his Majesties ship Portland, resolvd to steer homewards with all expedition in Order (if possible) to bring home the first news of our voyage, as we found that many Particulars of it has transpird and particularly that a copy of the Latitudes and Longitudes of most or all the principal places we had been at had been taken by the Captns Clerk from the Captns own Journals and Given or Sold to one of the India Captns. War we had no longer the least suspicion of: the India men being orderd to sail immediately without waiting for the few who were not yet arrivd was a sufficient proof that our freinds at home were not at all apprehensive of it.