70 COOK S SECOND VOYAGE FEB. 



sail, and steered S. E. with a very fresh gale at 

 W. by N., accompanied with a high sea from the 

 same direction. 



While we were beating about here, we frequently 

 saw penguins and divers, which made us conjecture 

 that land was not far off; but in what direction, it 

 was not possible for us to tell. As we advanced 

 to the south, we lost the penguins, and most of the 

 divers, and as usual, met with abundance of alba- 

 trosses, blue peterels, sheer-waters, &c. 



The 11th at noon, and in the latitude of 51 15' 

 south, longitude 67 20' east, we again met with 

 penguins ; and saw an egg-bird, which we also look 

 upon to be a sign of the vicinity of land. I con- 

 tinued to steer to the S. E., with a fresh gale in the 

 N. W. quarter, attended with a long hollow swell, 

 and frequent showers of rain, hail, and snow. The 

 12th, in the morning, being in the latitude of 52 32' 

 south, longitude 69 47' east, the variation was 

 31 38' West. In the evening, in the latitude of 

 53 Y south, longitude 70 50' east, it was 32 33' : 

 and the next morning, in the latitude of 53 3Y 

 south, longitude 72 10', it was 33 8' west. Thus 

 far we had continually a great number of penguins 

 about the ship, which seemed to be different from 

 those we had seen near the ice ; being smaller, with 

 reddish bills and brownish heads. The meeting with 

 so many of these birds, gave us some hopes of finding 

 land, and occasioned various conjectures about its 

 situation. The great westerly swell, which still con- 

 tinued, made it improbable that land of any con- 

 siderable extent lay to the west. Nor was it very pro- 

 bable that any lay to the north ; as we were only 

 about 160 leagues to the south of Tasman's Track in 

 1642 ; and 1 conjectured that Captain Eurneaux 

 would explore this place ; which accordingly hap- 

 ened. In the evening we saw a Port Egmont hen, 

 which flew away in the direction of N. E. by E., and 

 the next morning, a seal was seen ; but no pen- 



