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Fateful Voyage

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Revised Jun 30 2021

Bounty Logbook May 15, 1789

HKFCoursesWindsRems: Friday 15th May 1789 - Bountys Launch.
15 WSEFresh Gale and dark Gloomy Wr.
25
35WBN
45""I was abreast of the Isld. R bearing SBE about a league. Sugar Loaf Peak Island SE½E and North Rocks NE½N about 4 or 5 leags.. The Island Q SSE and East. Island P SEBE. Saw Smokes.
545WSW
64
74""A great deal of Sea. Constantly wet and Bailing. Served 1/24 lb Bread and a Jill of water for Supper.
846
942
105
1142
125
15""Saw another Island S tolerably high WNW 5 leags dist.
25
35
444
56""Fresh Gales and Squally with much Rain, but not so heavy as to be able to collect any.
65
746""The Island S seen at 1 oClock NE 7 leags. Very wet and cold. Sea constantly breaking over us which keeps one person bailing without the least intermission. Served 1/24 lb Bread and a Jill of water for Breakfast.
844
95WBS
1044
1146
125""The Rain now abated. Gannets, Boobies, Noddies and Men of War Birds. Got a Light of the sun but apprehend it had more to rise, if so I am more to the northwd. as my Account shews.
Served 1/24 lb Bread and a Jill of water for Dinner.
114OdotCenter57°09′
969
1083
 LatitudeLongitude
CourseDist.Obsd.D. R.D. R. 
S80°W11313°..55′S13°..48′S167°..35′E

Journal

Fresh Gales and Gloomy Wr. with Rain the Sea running high & keeps us constantly bailing.

At 4 in the afternoon I passed the westermost Island. At 1 in the morning I discovered another bearing WNW 5 leagues dist. Saw a number of Gannets Boobies and Men of War Birds. The Situation of this last Island is in Latd. 13°..29′ So Longd. 168°..15′ Et. The others lie between the latitude of 13°..16′ So. and 14°..10′ So. and between the Longd of 169°..03′ Et. and 169°..29′ Et. The largest Island may have 20 leagues of Sea Coast the others about 5 or 6. The Eastermost is the smallest Island and most remarkable having a Sugar Loaf Hill.

But very little reflection will show our miserable Situation. We are now but little better that Starving with plenty in view, yet the risk was so great to get that releif, that prolonging of life even in the midst of misery is preferable while we have hopes of surmounting all our hardships. But for my own part I consider the general run of Cloudy and wet weather to be a providential blessing to us. Hot Weather would have caused us to have died raving mad with thirst, yet now altho we Sleep covered with Rain or Sea we suffer not that dreadfull Calamity.

As I have nothing to assist my memory I cannot determine whether these Islands I have passed are part of the Hebrides or not, they are however Fertile and Inhabited for I saw several Smokes.


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