Bounty Logbook Mar 9, 1788

Mar 8, 1788 Home Logbook Mar 10, 1788

Revised Jun 28 2021

Bounty Logbook Mar 9, 1788

101)

Courses

Winds

Ther.

Rem^s Sunday 9^th. March 1788

Observations

SWBS

WNW

Light Airs and very fine clear W^r. Sounded 240 fm^s. Streight Line no ground.

70°

NNW

Hove too to pick up a Turtle. Hosited the Boat out but found the Turtle unfit for use. Hoisted the Boat in made all Sail. several Crabs about the Turtle. It had no signs of being killed.

At 5^h..30′ Lat^d 36°..56′ S^o
Long^d. T Keeper 53°..23′ W
Variaⁿ. p^r. Azim^hs
A Compass 14°..55′ E
D^o. Turned 14..34
B Compass 14..31
D^o. Turned 15..21
Mean 14..50 E

68½°

68¼°

SWBW

Fresh Breezes with Smooth water & delightful fine clear W^r.

NWBN

So very clear that all the Stars transit the Horizon in a most beautiful manner.

68°

In Top G^t Steering Sails

67°

Fine W^r. and hazy.

NWBW

Water became discoloured. A variety of Sea Fowl about, many of them Albatrosses

At 19^h..58′ Lat^d. 38°..29′ S^o
Long^d. T Keeper 54..35 W
Variaⁿ p^r. Azim^hs
A Compass 14°..21′ E
D^o. Turned 14..31
B Compass 14..32
D^o. Turned 14..34
Mean 14..24 E

Hove too and sounded 150 fm^s Streight Line but no Ground.

Muster'd the People & performed Divine Service.

64¾°

Fine W^r. but hazy. Saw numbers of Sea Fowl about of different kinds. Top G^t. Top M^t & lower Steering Sails set.

123

Meridⁿ. Alt^d.
Odot

Center

55°..57′

6974

7097

Difference Long^d. this day by
DR	TK
1°..55′W	1°..34′W

		Latitude		Longitude			Rem^s at Noon
Course	Dist.	Obs^d.	D. R.	D. R.	T. K.	L. & T. K.	I have allowed line & ran in a Curr^t. setting 8°
S^o.38°W	148	38°..46′S^o	30°..13′S^o	57°..53′W	54°..53′W	54°..37′W	I have allowed line & ran in a Curr^t. setting 8°

(102

Remarks

Untill to Day we have had the Weather remarkably clear, when at day light the Sun advanced with a very strong haze and the Sea became very much changed in its colour as it is usual in Soundings, and different kinds of Sea Fowl were seen in great Numbers and many patches of Weed. I have already passed the limits where former Navigators had found ground and in particular Captⁿ. Wallis who found 54 fm^s in Lat^d. 35°..40′ S^o. and Long^d 49°..54′ West; but it can be observed for these few days past I have not been able to get any with 240 fm^s of Line. The Soundings were judiciously made with the Lead wraped with Canvas and armed, from whence I conclude his Longitude must have been much out, as I conceive my situation in that respect not above one fourth of a degree wrong. The discolouring of the water I believe to be owing to the haze. Altho I have no reason to believe I am more than 40 leagues from the land. Having passed on yesterday the appearance of a Current after soundings I tryed it by a Keg moored with 100 fm^s and a heavy Deepsea Lead, and it evidently gave me a Stream setting to the NNW. 1¼ mile per hour–from this I concluded of course a Northern Current, but on the contrary to day, and also before, we have clearly been set to the Southward. What was particular also in this experiment was, the Ship drifted to Windward of the Keg. It will be proper for me to remark here, however this method may answer in soundings, yet I have from many years experience found it fail in deep water, and I totally lay it aside as a basis to go upon, to correct the course or distance. I am now possessed of the best means to discover the directions of the Current, the Time Keeper; and I shall hereafter make a summary out of these observations which I hope may discover it. At noon to make the most of time with such a fine Wind and fair Weather, I steered in a direction for Port Desire.