This was on Friday the 26th of March,
at three in the afternoon, after having been 117 days at sea; in which time
we had sailed 3600 leagues, without having once sight of land.
After such a long continuance at sea, in a high southern latitude, it is
but reasonable to think that many of my people must be ill of the scurvy.
The contrary, however, happened. Mention hath already been made of sweet
wort being given to such as were scorbutic. This had so far the desired
effect, that we had only one man on board that could be called very ill of
this disease; occasioned chiefly, by a bad habit of body, and a
complication of other disorders. We did not attribute the general good
state of health in the crew, wholly to the sweet wort, but to the frequent
airing and sweetening the ship by fires, &c. We must also allow portable
broth, and sour krout, to have had some share in it. This last can never be
enough recommended.
My first care, after the ship was moored, was to send a boat and people a-
fishing; in the mean time, some of the gentlemen killed a seal, (out of
many that were upon a rock,) which made us a fresh meal.
[1] "The two time-keepers being put on each side of the great cabin, I
put a thermometer by each, and before a fire was kept in the cabin, I
never saw them differ more than half a degree; but since there has
been a fire, I have constantly found that thermometer highest, which
happened to be on the weather-side, sometimes by three degrees,
whereas one would naturally have expected it to have been just the
contrary." - W.
The rapidity of the current of moist air would be no doubt greater on
the other side, and therefore, as moisture occasions cold, would lower
the thermometer on that side. On the weather-side, on the contrary,
the air would be less quickly changed, and of course preserve greater
uniformity of temperature. This explanation, however, depends on a
certain supposition as to the form of the cabin, and its kind of
communication with the external air. - E.
[2] "The natural state of the heavens, except in the south-east
quarter, and for about ten degrees of altitude all round the horizon,
was a whitish haze, through which stars of the third magnitude were
just discernible. All round, the horizon was covered with thick
clouds, out of which arose many streams of a pale reddish light, that
ascended towards the zenith. These streams had not that motion which
they are sometimes seen to have in England; but were perfectly steady,
except a small tremulous motion which some of them had near their
edges.
"19th. - In the night the southern lights were very bright at times,
and the colours much more various and vivid than they were on
Wednesday night, their motion also was greater, so that on the whole
they were extremely beautiful.
"20th. - At nine o'clock in the evening, the southern light sprung up
very bright about the east point of the horizon, in a single steady
pillar, of a pale reddish light. Its direction was not directly towards
the zenith, but gradually deflected towards the south, and grew
fainter as it ascended, so as to vanish about south-east, and at
forty-five degrees of altitude.
"15th March. - The southern lights very bright at times, and exceeding
beautiful; their colours being vivid, and their motion quick and
curious.
"18th. - A little after nine o'clock in the evening it was very clear,
and the southern lights were exceeding bright and beautiful, and
appeared of a semi-circular or rainbow-like form, whose two
extremities were nearly in the east and west points of the horizon.
This bow, when it first made its appearance, passed a considerable way
to the north of the zenith; but rose by degrees, turning, as it were,
on its diameter, and passing through the zenith, settled at length
towards the southern horizon. These lights were at one time so bright,
that we could discern our shadows on the deck." - W.
It was thought proper to bring together all these similar remarks of
so accurate and faithful an observer. There is reason to believe that
the southern lights had never been seen by any navigator before this
voyage of Cook's. - E.
[3] "The shapes of these large frozen masses, were frequently
singularly ruinous, and so far picturesque enough; among them we
passed one of a great size, with a hollow in the middle, resembling a
grotto or cavern, which was pierced through, and admitted the light
from the other side. Some had the appearance of a spire or steeple;
and many others gave full scope to our imagination, which compared
them to several known objects, by that means attempting to overcome
the tediousness of our cruise, which the sight of birds, porpoises,
seals, and whales, now too familiar to our eyes, could not prevent
from falling heavily upon us." - G.F.
[4] "One island of ice, which we passed in the afternoon, was near a
mile and a half long, and very high. It was calm most part of the
night, so that we found ourselves very near it in the morning, but
observed that several very large pieces had broke off from it. Many
great reports, like thunder, were heard in the night, which I conceive
were occasioned by these pieces breaking off." - W.
SECTION IV.
Transactions in Dusky Bay, with an Account of several Interviews with
the Inhabitants.
As I did not like the place we had anchored in, I sent Lieutenant
Pickersgill over to the S.E. side of the bay, to search for a better; and I
went myself to the other side, for the same purpose, where I met with an
exceedingly snug harbour, but nothing else worthy of notice.
