Aug 29, 1792 Home Providence Log Aug 31, 1792
Revised Aug 27 2021
1 pm: Light Winds and fine Weather with Haze.
2 pm: Exercised at Small Arms.
4 pm: Saw many of the black backed and Winged Species of Gulls. Caught a Noddy.
6 pm: Worked the Pumps. Shortned Sail to Double Reefs
8 pm: Fine Night with Lightning in the NE where I saw the Land of New Guinea.
10 pm: A Dew.
1 am: Gulls flying round us making a noise like the Tropic Birds.
4 am: At ½ past 5 Saw the Coast of New Guinea off the Deck from NNE½E to NE½E about 12 Leagues off. NbE from the Mast head.
6 am: Saw a brown Booby, Species of Gulls & many flying Fish
8 am: Fine Weather & Hazy. As soon as the Sun got up, could not see the Land
9 am: Up all Chests and Washed Ship, Aired with Fires, Served Sour Krout in the Pease for Dinner
10 am:Sailmakers repairing Boats coverings.
12 noon: Very fine Weather and light Winds, a little Hazy, the land however discernable
from aloft from NNE to NE&frac;12;E.
Assistant in Company and leading.
Happily my Plants are in a most flourishing condition.
As I intended we fell in with the most Western parts of Mr. Bougainvilles discovery. My longitude shows it to be somewhat to the Westward of any part he saw, but as in other respects I think it to be a part of the same, we may readily attribute the difference to be owing to an error on his side from the unfavorable Weather he had.
It was at a distance of at least 12 Leagues for with my best Glasses before the Sun got up and a clear Horizon, I could discover nothing but its form which was too indistinct to give a Sketch of it. Notwithstanding, to give an Idea of its height it was comparatively speaking 15 Feet above the Horizon and formed in Hills and Vales, and therefore may be considered to be high Land.
I approve of this way of comparing the height of land when at a considerable distance, because a person accustomed to discern objects on the horizon can form a more just Idea of it.
Fixing the Land at 12 Leagues distant bearing NE by true Compass, its situation will be 9°..38′S Longitude 147°..16E from the Mean of the Time Keepers to which 14 being added for their Error the exact situation becomes 147°..30′E. The West part that Mr. Bougainville saw is computed by a late publication to be in Latitude 10°..00′S and 148°..40′ East.
Aug 29, 1792 Home Providence Log Aug 31, 1792