Sep 18, 1792 Home Providence Log Sep 20, 1792
Revised Aug 27 2021
1 pm: Strong Gales and very Squally Weather with small Rain.
2 pm: Employed about our ground tackling. Got our Boats in.
3 pm: Struck lower Yards for it blew a very hard Gale of Wind & a dark Night
4 pm: I ordered Lieut. Portlock if it moderated in the Morning to get under way and try the Soundings in the WSW, the Stream of the Tide.
6 pm: The Boats gave us account of 6 & 7 fathoms in the West about 3 Miles distant
The Ships draught of Water as near as we could take it was now—
Ft In
14..6 Forward
16..3 Aft
1..9
12 mid: The Squalls began to intermit which is always a good Sign of a Gale going off. I hoped this was rather an equinoctial puff than a changing of the Monsoon.
3 am: Weather Moderate got up the lower Yards and Top Gallant Masts. Sent the Whale Boat to the Assistant and she Sailed at day break.
7 am: At 7 hour..20′ Lieut. Portlock made the Signal for me to follow without danger, and we were under Sail at 7 hour..45′.
8 am: Moderate and Cloudy Weather with small Rain which did our Plants good. Boats a head, and our Soundings even, sometimes soft bluish mud, & at others Gravel & Shells, all the way to Noon.
11 am: Fair Weather
12 noon: Ditto Weather with haze, could not see the land we left, and all appeared an open
Sea. Assistant and Boats a head. I made the Signal to Steer West
Saw some forked tail Gulls. Dull yellow coloured Water Snakes, Brown Boobies and a Hawk.
This was the happiest Noon we have seen these three Weeks past
The Gale increased to a Storm towards Night, and obliged us to strike lower yards, but it moderated after Midnight, and the latter part of the day turned out favorable.
I ordered Lieut. Portlock to get under way if it was at all moderate in the Morning, and try the Soundings in the West and WSW with the Boats a head, and to repeat to me if it was a safe passage with even 4 fathoms of Water, altho I drew 16 feet..3 inches abaft I should now follow him. He did so, and at 20 Minutes past 7 he made the Signal for me to follow without danger, which we did; carrying very even Soundings, and every part fit Anchorage.
It was now absolutely necessary for me to push on at all events. The time of Stormy Weather was at hand. I had no Port to go to, or place of Shelter to Anchor in. My Water was getting short, so that I was obliged to stint my People. My ground tackling cripled, only the Anchors that are fit to Anchor with, and my Cables much rubbed.
The Sea appeared open in the West, and by Noon we happily found our Water deepen, and had run a greater distance without ala[r]m than any day since I have been within the Reefs.
Our last Anchoring Ground is well sheltered and secure with Winds from the North round by the East to the SSE. The situation by my Map and Time Keepers agree, and place it in 141°..56E, the Latitude 10°..05′S. It is 60 Leagues to the Westward of the Reefs I first met with.
The open space to the Westward, and the late Views I have had of the High Mountain on Island R, with the general direction of the Islands, now convince me it is the same I saw in the Bounty's Launch. If it is so, Captain Cook is 40 Miles wrong in its possition with respect to the Time Keepers, whatever their Error may be besides, and I apprehend the Coast of New Holland will partake of the same Error.
It would have been an agreeable circumstance if I could have spared time to have explored round to the Northward of Island U for a better outlet than the Narrows by which I came. I do not however think there is any fair Channel. All but this, I should consider no difficulty in bringing a Ship through at any future period.
Sep 18, 1792 Home Providence Log Sep 20, 1792