g. 48' south. This was a
proof that the time-keeper must have altered its rate since we
left Port Jackson; we had then determined it to be losing 4"-77.
This change of its rate, since we left Port Jackson, I had some
time suspected, and attributed it to the effects of the weather
we had off, and near, Cape Horn. This evening we made a short
trip off till midnight, when we tacked and stood for the land
again: Joseph Caldwell, a seaman, died of the scurvy. At
day-light we saw the land; the nearest, or that part which we
were a-breast of, was distant about four leagues, and the Table
Mountain bore south by east about nine or ten leagues; the wind,
for the last twenty-four hours, had been strong from the
southward, and we had, occasioned by there being too much of it,
fallen to leeward.

Nothing could have been more correct than our observations for
the longitude. The wind coming from the sea, we stood along shore
to the southward, and in the afternoon were a-breast of Robin's
Island, but could not fetch round the reef, and into Table
Bay.

The weakly condition of that part of the ship's company, who
were able to do duty upon deck, and the very dejected state of
those who were confined to their beds, determined me, if
possible, to bring the ship to an anchor before night; as the
very idea of being in port, sometimes has an exceeding good
effect upon the spirits of people who are reduced low by the
scurvy; which was the case with a great many of our ship's
company; and indeed, a considerable number were in the last stage
of it.

After endeavouring in vain to weather the reef off the south
end of the island, I bore away, and ran round the north end, and
anchored within, right off the flag-staff and landing-place, in
nine fathoms water, coarse ground; the flag-staff bearing west,
and the south end of the island, just on with the Lyon's
Rump.

[A Table of the winds and weather, etc. on a passage from the coast
of New South Walesto the Cape of Good Hope (by the route of Cape Horn)
in His Majesty's ship Sirius, in the months of October, November and
December, 1788.]
[An Account of Observations for finding the variation of the compass...]
[The tables are included in the HTML version]

Chapter V

A VOYAGE TO CAPE OF GOOD HOPE AND VOYAGE TO PORT JACKSON

January 1789 to May 1789

-Depart from Robin's Island, and anchor in Table
Bay.--The sick sent on shore.--Arrival of the Alexander
transport.--Provisions procured