Feb 4, 1793 Home Flinders's Log Feb 6-8, 1793
Revised Sep 17 2021
At 2 Extremes of the Island in Sight N68°W to S70°W 4 or 5 Leagues
At 4 Point Morant and the NE End of the Island on at N39°W Extreme to the Southward bore S80°W
off the Point about 5 Miles
At 4·24 Point Morant True North 4′ or 5′
At ☉Sett [Sunset] Point Morant N44°E – Yellows [Yelhas] Point West Off shore 4 or 5 Miles.
At 5 Extremes of the Land WbN to ENE offshore 3 or 4 Leagues
At 8 Rock Fort N4°E 4′ or 5′ – Fort Charles or Port royal Point N85°W about 3 Leagues
Portland Point SW about 10 Leagues
Gun and Smith Key are NNE and SSW of each and ⅓ of a Mile asunder sounded between them in 15 Fathoms
1 pm: Moderate Breezes & fine Weather a thick Haze hanging over the Land which is very high towards the Center of the Island, Hills rising over Hills and are what I believe are called the Blue Mountain, towards the Shore it becomes low and flat, and wooddy as are the Hills – Point Morant is the East End of the Island, coming on with what we took to be such at N39°W there are some Breakers off it to the Northwards – At 3:30 Took in the Studding sails – a Pilot and two strange Sail to the South Westward on a Wind – At 5 Hove to off Rocky Point and Henry [blank] Pilot a black Man came on board in a Canoe and took Charge of the Ship – his Boat carried a blue Flag peirced white, and he told that all Pilot Boats carried peirced Colours by which they are known. – At 5½ Bore away towards the two strange Sail which proved to be the Proserpine Captain Arms and the Hound Captain Lawford upon a Cruize. Spoke the latter by whom we were informed who they were Hove to and hoisted out the Whale boat, Captain Bligh went on board the Proserpine as being senior Officer to report himself – Took a second reef in the Topsails – At 6:30 the Captain returned, hoisted in the Boat, bore away & made sail. At 8:30 Hove to, the Pilot not chusing to stand on in the Dark. the yellows [Yelhas] Point bearing NW about 3 Leagues.
12 mid: At 12 Wore Ship to the North Westward Point Yellows NNW½W 7 or 8 Miles. At 3 Bore away at ½ past 3 Hove to again on the Larboard Tack. At 5 Bore away. I believe the yellows Point bearing NE 3 Leagues from which I judge we have driven W[blank] about [blank] Miles more than by the Log. – From Port Morant thus far the Land towards teh Center of the Island is very high forming Double & treble Hills – and towards the Shore low and wooddy – At 7 we had light baffling Winds off the Land – Hove to for the Sea Breeze and hoisted out the Boats.
8 am: At 8:50 Got the Sea breeze and bore away with it for Port royal – Could distinguish the Ships in the Harbour – At 10 the Breeze died away sent the Boats ahead to tow – At 10:45 between Gun and Smith Keys which are NNE & SSW of each other about ⅓ of a Mile asunder. Spoke the Sloop Malbrough 38 Days from London. the Master of her (a Lieutenant in the Service) came on board and gave us all his News. whilst between the Keys where we sounded in 15 Fathoms saluted the Commodore with 13 Guns which was returned At 10:50 Luffed close round Port royal Point and anchored in 9 Fathoms muddy bottom a little to the Southward of the Commodore on the Europa no other Men of War but her and the Penelope here. Boarded by the Guard Boat immediately we anchored.
12 noon: At Noon Fresh Sea Breezes & fine Weather Assistant at Anchor a cables Length to the North Westward of us.
Port royal Point S2°E 1 Mile Fort of the Twelve Apostles WbS½Squall Augusta or Maskitoe Fort NbW½W yellows [Yelhas] Point N45°E 1 Mile. Kingston Church N52°E.
Before I had an opportunity of writing out this Days Log all Journals &c were ordered by the Captain to be delivered in to him to be sent to the Admiratly, and I was not (as at St Helena) able to keep the Book I am at present writing in. my Request to that Purpose being denied, hence, as I had not another Book to proceed with, a Stop was totally put to my writing any more Account of the Voyage – and it was not untill July 6th after we had cleared the Gulf of Florida in our Passage Home from Jamaica that I was able to get it again, so that the succeeding Account of our Proceedings cannot be so accurate as I hoped and intended it should otherwise have been, my Memory and the Ships Log Book (which I cannot say much for the Accuracy of) being the only resourses I am to fill up from. our Observations its true I have at all Times Access to, hence that Part which is indeed a very principal one may be looked and depended on to be as good as in the prior Part of our Voyage – so much for Preface and now I proceed to my work –
Feb 4, 1793 Home Flinders's Log Feb 6-8, 1793