Mar. 8, 1788
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Logbook Remarks GM
Mar. 10, 1788
Revised Jun 7 2021
1:00 pm Light Airs and very fine clear Weather. Sounded 240 fathoms Streight Line no ground.
5:00 pm Hove too to pick up a Turtle. Hosited the Boat out but found the Turtle unfit for use. Hoisted the Boat in made all Sail. several Crabs about the Turtle. It had no signs of being killed.
9:00 pm Fresh Breezes with Smooth water & delightful fine clear Weather.
10:00 pm So very clear that all the Stars transit the Horizon in a most beautiful manner.
3:00 am In Top Gallant Steering Sails
5:00 am Fine Weather and hazy.
6:00 am Water became discoloured. A variety of Sea Fowl about, many of them Albatrosses
9:00 am Hove too and sounded 150 fathoms streight Line but no Ground.
10:00 am Mustered the People & performed Divine Service.
12:00 pm Fine Weather but hazy. Saw numbers of Sea Fowl about of different kinds. Top Gallant Top Mast & lower Steering Sails set.
Remarks at Noon: I have allowed line & ran in a Current setting 8°
Untill to Day we have had the Weather remarkably clear, when at day light the Sun advanced with a very strong haze and the Sea became very much changed in its colour as it is usual in Soundings, and different kinds of Sea Fowl were seen in great Numbers and many patches of Weed. I have already passed the limits where former Navigators had found ground and in particular Captain Wallis who found 54 fathoms in Latitude 35°40′ S and Longitude 49°54′ West; but it can be observed for these few days past I have not been able to get any with 240 fathoms of Line. The Soundings were judiciously made with the Lead wraped with Canvas and armed, from whence I conclude his Longitude must have been much out, as I conceive my situation in that respect not above one fourth of a degree wrong. The discolouring of the water I believe to be owing to the haze. Altho I have no reason to believe I am more than 40 leagues from the land. Having passed on yesterday the appearance of a Current after soundings I tryed it by a Keg moored with 100 fathoms and a heavy Deepsea Lead, and it evidently gave me a Stream setting to the NNW. 1¼ mile per hour–from this I concluded of course a Northern Current, but on the contrary to day, and also before, we have clearly been set to the Southward. What was particular also in this experiment was, the Ship drifted to Windward of the Keg. It will be proper for me to remark here, however this method may answer in soundings, yet I have from many years experience found it fail in deep water, and I totally lay it aside as a basis to go upon, to correct the course or distance. I am now possessed of the best means to discover the directions of the Current, the Time Keeper; and I shall hereafter make a summary of these observations which I hope may discover it. At noon to make the most of time with such a fine Wind and fair Weather, I steered in a direction for Port Desire.
Mar. 8, 1788
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Logbook Remarks GM
Mar. 10, 1788