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.

Thursday, 28th. 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.

Friday, 29th. 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.

Saturday, 30th. 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.

[October 1769.]

Sunday, October 1st. Little Wind in the day time and Calm in the Night.
At 8 a.m. sounded: no ground with 120 fathoms of line. Saw an immence
number of Birds, the most of them were Doves; saw likewise a Seal asleep
upon the Water, which we at first took for a Crooked billet. These
creatures, as they lay upon the Water, hold their fins up in a very odd
manner, and very different to any I have seen before; we generally reckon
that seals never go out of Soundings or far from Land, but the few we
have seen in this Sea is certainly an exception to that rule. However,
one would think that we were not far from some land, from the Pieces of
Rock weed we see daily floating upon the Water. To-day we took up a small
Piece of Stick, but to all appearance it had been a long time at Sea. The
observ'd Latitude is considerable to the North