Jun. 11, 1789  Home  Logbook Remarks GM  Jun. 13, 1789

Bounty Logbook Remarks, Jun. 12, 1789

[On the map the position marked 'log' is according to the position in the logbook, the one marked 'desc' is according to Bligh's description and the rough map he drew.]

Thursday, Jun. 11, 1789

1:00 pm Fine Weather but exceedingly hazy.

4:00 pm Gannets and many Tropic Gulls. Caught a Booby by hand which ordered to be kept for Dinner.

6:00 pm Issued 1/24 pound Bread, and two Jills of water to each person. I hourly expect to fall in with Timor and have a most anxious look out

Friday, Jun. 12, 1789

3:00 am With an excess of Joy we discovered Timor bearing WNW to WBW Hauled the Wind.

5:00 am At Day light Timor from SWBS 2 leagues low land to NE½N 7 leagues interior part mountainous.

7:00 am At 7 Coast opening to the Southward with the low land at SW. Bore away

8:00 am Very Hazy Weather the extremes of Timor from SWBW 5 leagues to NEBN 6 leagues and the low land set at day light NBW 3 miles.

10:00 am High head lands opened with the southmost as set a 8 hours SW½W.

12:00 pm Fresh Breezes and hazy. The low land seen at day light is now the East extreme bearing NNE½E 4 leagues. The South extreme set at 8 hours NBE½E 3 miles and the southmost land in sight SW½W 5 leagues.
Land mountainous and woody.

Journal

All the afternoon we had several Gannets and many Birds about that indicated we were near to Land, and at Sun Down we had a very anxious look out. At 3 in the morning with an excess of Joy we discovered Timor bearing WSW to WNW and I hauled the Wind to the NNE untill day light when the land bore from SWBS about 2 leagues to NEBN 7 leagues.

At 7 hours I bore away along the south East side of the Island steering SSW and SWBS. At Noon the extremes of Timor from SW½W 5 leagues to NNE½E 4 leagues. Distant off shore 3 miles. The Sun being to the northward of me. I fear my Latitude may not be very exact being so near the Land.

It is not possible for me to describe the joy that the blessing of seeing the Land diffused among us. Indeed it is scarce within the scope of beleif that in 41 days I could be on the Coast of Timor in which time we have run by our Log 3623 miles which on a medium is 90 miles a Day.

I have already mentioned I knew not at what part of the Island the Dutch Settlement was and I was still at a loss, but I had a presentiment that it was at the SW part. I therefore steered to the Southward along the South shore of the Island with more satisfaction, for I could not go on the north without some loss of time.

The Day gave us an agreeable prospect of the Land, which was interspersed with woods and Lawns, the interior part mountainous, but the shore low. Towards Noon the Coast became higher, and we were highly delighted with the general look of the Country which exhibited cultivated spots and many beautifull: but we could only see a few Small Hutts, from whence I concluded no European resided at this part of the Island. Much Sea run on the Shore, so that the landing with a Boat was impracticable. I found I was on the SE side as the point of the Coast came in sight in the direction of SW.

In the Evening we Caught a Booby which I reserved for our Dinner, but I had some difficulty to stop the Masters muttering because I would not serve it for Breakfast, for this ignorant Man conceived he was instantly to be in the midst of plenty. The Allowance of Bread and water I Issued as before, & to the Surgeon and Lebogue I gave a little Wine.

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