Saturday, 30th, September 1769

Moderate breezes and Settled weather. Saw a dark brown bird as big as a Raven; it is a Sea Fowl, and are seen in great Numbers about the Faulkland Islands, as I am told. We likewise saw several pieces of Sea Weed. Wind South Easterly; course North 87 1/2 West; distance 90 miles; latitude 38 degrees 26 minutes South, longitude 172 degrees 20 minutes West.

Friday, 29th, September 1769

The first part strong Gales and Squally; remainder a fresh breeze and settled weather. At 1 p.m. was obliged to take in the Topsails, but set them again at 4. At 11 a.m. saw a Bird something like a Snipe, only it had a short bill; it had the appearance of a land bird. Several Albetrosses, Pintado birds, and Sheer Waters about the Ship, and a Number of Doves; of these we have seen more or less ever since the 31st of last Month, the day we first saw them. Wind South-West; course North 59 degrees West; distance 60 miles; latitude 38 degrees 30 minutes South, longitude 170 degrees 14 minutes West.

Thursday, 28th, September 1769

First and Middle parts, fresh gales and Cloudy; Latter part, very strong Gales and Squally. At 4 p.m. saw a Seal asleep upon the Water, and some Weed. A.M. saw several bunches of Sea Weed and a few Albetrosses and Sheer Waters. Wind Westerly; course South 21 degrees West; distance 92 miles; latitude 38 degrees 59 minutes South, longitude 169 degrees 5 minutes West.

Wednesday, 27th, September 1769

Very strong Gales and hazey, with rain the First and Middle part; Latter, moderate and clear weather. In the evening took in the Topsails and Mainsail, and lay too with her head to the Westward under the Foresail. During the night, at 4 a.m., made Sail. Saw several Pieces of Sea Weed at different times this 24 Hours. Wind North by East, Westerly; course South 28 West; distance 95 miles; latitude 37 degrees 33 minutes South, longitude 168 degrees 10 minutes West.

Tuesday, 26th, September 1769

Fresh breezes and fair weather. Wind North-North-East; course South-West; distance 136 miles; latitude 36 degrees 9 minutes South, longitude 167 degrees 14 minutes West.

Monday, 25th, September 1769

Ditto weather. At 1 p.m. passed by a Piece of Wood, about 3 feet long and 7 or 8 Inches thick. Variation at 6 p.m. per Azimuth, 10 degrees 48 minutes East. A.M., got up all the Boatswain's Stores, to take an account of them. Wind North-East; course South 43 1/2 West; distance 103 miles; latitude 34 degrees 30 minutes South, longitude 165 degrees 10 minutes West.

Sunday, 24th, September 1769

Moderate breezes and Cloudy. At Noon saw some sea-Weed. The Southerly swell is now quite gone down. Wind South-East to North-East; course South 35 West; distance 97 miles; latitude 33 degrees 18 minutes South, longitude 162 degrees 51 minutes West.

Saturday, 23rd, September 1769

Gentle breezes and Cloudy weather. Wind South-East; course South-West by South; distance 62 miles; latitude 31 degrees 59 minutes South, longitude 162 degrees 44 minutes West.

Friday, 22nd, September 1769

Fresh breezes and Cloudy. The Southerly swell still Continues, from which I conjecture that there is no land near in that Direction. Wind South-East; course South 34 West; distance 81 miles; latitude 31 degrees 7 minutes South, longitude 161 degrees 35 minutes West.

Thursday, 21st, September 1769

Most part Gentle breezes and clear weather. Wind South Easterly; course South 50 degrees West; distance 62 miles; latitude 30 degrees 00 minutes South, longitude 160 degrees 42 minutes West.

Wednesday, 20th, September 1769

Light Airs and Calm. Wind Variable; course South-West by South; distance 20 miles; latitude 29 degrees 20 minutes South, longitude 159 degrees 47 minutes West.

Tuesday, 19th, September 1769

Variable; light Airs and Calm. Variation per Amplitude at sunset, 8 degrees 36 minutes East; per Azimuth in the morning, 8 degrees 29 minutes East; mean, 8 degrees 32 1/2 minutes East. A large hollow swell from the Southward. Wind Variable; course East; distance 6 miles; latitude 29 degrees 00 minutes South, longitude 159 degrees 25 minutes West.

Monday, 18th, September 1769

Moderate Gales and Cloudy, with a Swell from the Southward. Wind Westerly; course North by West 1/2 West; distance 78 miles; latitude 29 degrees 00 minutes South, longitude 159 degrees 32 minutes West.

Sunday, 17th, September 1769

Fresh Gales and Cloudy. Wind South-West; course North 25 West; distance 100 miles; latitude 31 degrees 14 minutes South, longitude 159 degrees 6 minutes West.

Saturday, 16th, September 1769

First part very strong Gales and Squally; remainder more moderate, with a large Swell from the Southward. Wind South-South-East, South, West-South-West; course North 60 degrees West; distance 100 miles; latitude 31 degrees 45 minutes South, longitude 158 degrees 16 minutes West.

Friday, 15th, September 1769

First part, moderate and Cloudy, remainder Strong Gales and Squally. Several Albetrosses, Pintado Birds, and Sheer Waters about the Ship; some of the Albetrosses were all White. Wind North-East to South-East; course South 77 West; distance 139 miles; latitude 32 degrees 36 minutes South, longitude 156 degrees 34 minutes West.

Thursday, 14th, September 1769

Gentle breezes, and sometimes Calm. A Swell from the South-South-West. Wind Variable; course South 86 degrees West; distance 33 miles; latitude 32 degrees 5 minutes South, longitude 153 degrees 54 minutes West.

Wednesday, 13th, September 1769

Gentle breezes, with some flying Showers. At 6 p.m. Variation per Azimuth, 8 degrees 8 minutes East. Note, while we was between the Latitude of 37 and 40 degrees we had constantly blowing Tempestious weather, but since we have been to the Northward of 37 degrees, the weather hath been very moderate. Wind South-West and West-South-West; course North-North-West; distance 74 miles; latitude 32 degrees 3 minutes South, longitude 153 degrees 16 minutes West.

Tuesday, 12th, September 1769

Fresh breezes and cloudy; a swell from the South-South-West. Some Albetrosses and Pintado Birds about the Ship. Wind Westerly; course North 30 degrees West; distance 73 miles; latitude 33 degrees 12 minutes South, longitude 152 degrees 44 minutes West.

Monday, 11th, September 1769

Fresh breezes, and for the most part thick, hazey weather, with rain. Wind South-West; course North 43 degrees West; distance 87 miles; latitude 34 degrees 15 minutes South, longitude 152 degrees 00 minutes West.

Sunday, 10th, September 1769

Fresh breezes and cloudy. At 9 a.m. we thought the Colour of the Sea was paler than Usual, which occasioned us to sound, but had no ground with 100 fathoms. Wind South-West, West-South-West; course North 52 degrees West; distance 97 miles; latitude 35 degrees 19 minutes South, longitude 150 degrees 46 minutes West.

Saturday, 9th, September 1769

Moderate breezes and dark, cloudy weather, sometimes Hazey, with Drizling Rain. Wind South-East; course North 77 degrees West; distance 76 miles; latitude 36 degrees 19 minutes South, longitude 149 degrees 12 minutes West.

Friday, 8th, September 1769

P.M. very strong gales and Squally. A.M. more moderate; set the Topsails. At Noon the Observed Latitude was 13 Miles to the North of the Log. This I take to be owing to the great Sea we have had constantly of Late from the South-West. Wind Westerly; course North 1/4 East; distance 76 miles; latitude 36 degrees 36 minutes South, longitude 147 degrees 40 minutes West.

Thursday, 7th, September 1769

Fresh Gales and hard squalls, with rain. At 3 p.m. saw something upon the Water, which must either have been a Billet of Wood or a Seal. At Noon a hard gale and Squally, which obliged us to take in the Topsails. Wind Westerly; course South 80 degrees West; distance 15 miles; latitude 37 degrees 52 minutes South, longitude 147 degrees 49 minutes West.

Wednesday, 6th, September 1769

Fresh Gales and Squally, with rain. At Noon saw a Bird which was all white, except the Tip of each Wing; it was nearly as big as an Albetross. We saw 2 of these Birds in Latitude 19 degrees before we Arrived at George's Island. Wind Westerly; course South 87 degrees 30 minutes West; distance 70 miles; latitude 37 degrees 49 minutes South, longitude 147 degrees 30 West.

Tuesday, 5th, September 1769

Fresh breezes and Cloudy weather. At 2 p.m. saw a piece of rock Weed. Variation, per Azimuth 7 degrees 0 minutes East. Wind West to North-West; course North 32 West; distance 44 miles; latitude 37 degrees 52 minutes South, longitude 146 degrees 2 minutes West.

Monday, 4th, September 1769

First and latter parts, little wind and Cloudy; in the night Calm. Very few Birds about the Ship. Wind Westerly; course North by East; distance 26 miles; latitude 38 degrees 29 minutes South, longitude 145 degrees 32 minutes West.

Sunday, 3rd, September 1769

The fore and Middle parts fresh gales, with hard Squalls; Latter more moderate. At 5 a.m. loos'd the Reef out of the Mainsail, and set the Topsail double reef'd, and before noon had all the Reefs out. Wind Westerly; course North; distance 50 miles; latitude 38 degrees 54 minutes South, longitude 145 degrees 39 minutes West.

Saturday, 2nd, September 1769

Very strong Gales, with heavy squalls of Wind, hail, and rain. At 4 p.m., being in the Latitude of 40 degrees 22 minutes South, and having not the least Visible signs of land, we wore, and brought too under the Foresail, and reef'd the Mainsail, and handed it. I did intend to have stood to the Southward if the winds had been Moderate, so long as they continued Westerly, notwithstanding we had no prospect of meeting with land, Rather than stand back to the Northward, on the same Track as we came, but as the weather was so very Tempestious I laid aside this design, and thought it more adviseable to stand to the Northward into better weather, least we should receive such Damage in our Sails and Rigging as might hinder the further Prosecutions of the Voyage.* Some Albetrosses, Pintado birds, and Doves about the Ship, and a Bird larger than a Duck, his plumage of a Dark Brown, with a Yellow beak. We saw of these Birds in our Passage to the Northward, after doubling Cape Horn. At Noon the weather was more moderate; set the Reefd Mainsail. A great Sea from the West-South-West. Wind West; Course North 54 degrees 30 minutes East; distance 46 miles; latitude 39 degrees 45 minutes South, longitude 145 degrees 39 minutes West.

* This long excursion to the south is a fine instance of Cook's thoroughness and determination in exploration. The belief in a southern continent was strong amongst most geographers; but it rested on nothing more than the false idea that dry lands in the two hemispheres should balance one another. Cook himself did not share the general belief; and few others in his position would have struggled for 1500 miles out of his direct course into bad weather, simply to disprove an idea, when so much unexplored ocean lay before him to the westward, with a fair wind and fine weather.

Friday, 1st, September 1769

Very strong Gales and heavy Squalls with rain; at 6 p.m. brought too under the Main Sail. At 6 a.m. set the Foresail, a Great Sea from the Westward. The same sort of Birds about the Ship as Yesterday, but not in such great Numbers. Wind, Westerly; Course, South 29 degrees East; distance 50 miles; latitude 40 degrees 12 minutes South, longitude 146 degrees 29 minutes West.