Apr 4, 1792 Home Providence Log Apr 6, 1792
Revised Aug 26 2021
1 pm: Fresh Breezes and fair Weather with some flying Showers –
3 pm: Exercised at Small Arms
4 pm: Fair Weather
6 pm: Let fresh Water into the Ship and Ventilated with the Pumps —
7 pm: In Steering Sails and First Reefs –
4 am: Out Reefs and Set Steering Sails
5 am: Hazy Weather
7 am: Served thick Portable Soup Gruel for Breakfast Krout – Sweet Wort – Bore Cold in the Pease for dinner
8 am: Washed and Cleaned below — Exercised & and [sic] Fired — Armourer at the Forge —
10 am: Saw a low lagoon Island from SW to W½N by the West Distant about 4 or 5 Miles, made the Signal and hauled up for it.
12 noon: Squally Weather. The Island EbN½N 3 or 4 Miles to SbE¾E about 5 Miles.— Trememdous Surf on the Shore. Saw dark brown Noddys with a White spot on the Head, Men of War Birds & Tropic, A few Cocoa Nutt Trees on SW part. No Inhabitants. —
The Weather was so very hazy, and the land so low, that it was a mere chance we had not passed it without knowing of being near any land whatever. We saw the break of the Surf as soon as the Island was discovered. Its extent of Coast is about 22 miles. From the East to the West point is 8 Miles, and nearly 9 Miles from SW to NE across a Lagoon which takes up most of the Isle. In some parts it is covered with Bushes and some Trees common to these Islands in this Sea, in others a bare Sandy Beach, over which in some places the Sea broke in a most tremendous manner. On the North side are several very loarge Rocks, but in every other place it is a White Sandy Beach Shore. On the SW part I saw a few Cocoa Nutt Trees, and near the point was a Cluster of Seven very tall Ones, remarkable from their situation.
I do not believe the Island to be Inhabited. [Its?] nearest situation to any known Land is N68°E distant 59 Miles from Osnaburge Island discovered by Captain Carteret, which is in Latitude 22°..00′ S and Longitude 218°..26′ E.
I am doubtfull if it was possible for a Boat to land, so high was the Surf on the lee side of the Island; it was however of too little consequence to me to delay any time in search of it, altho I dare say there are many Turtle and abundance of Fish. I did not see any opening into the Lagoon.
The Latitude of the North part of the land is in 21°..38′ South Longitude from a Mean of the Time Keepers 219 ..19 East Ditto by Account 218 ..24 East Variation Compass fron fore & afternoon Observations 5 ..51 East Longitude by Time Keeper Corrected at Matavai Bay 219 ..23 East Longitude by Lunar Observation reduced up to this day 219 ..29 East
[The island is Atoll Tematagi, or Bligh Island, at 21°40′S, 140°38′W.]
Apr 4, 1792 Home Providence Log Apr 6, 1792