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.