c 230 cook's first voyage august, 



I weighed anchor, and with a little sail stood first to 

 the southward, and afterwards edging away to the 

 westward, got once more out of danger. At sunset, 

 we anchored in ten fathom, with a sandy bottom, 

 having a fresh gale at E. S. E. 



At six in the morning, we weighed again and stood 

 west, having, as usual, first sent a boat a-head to 

 sound. I had intended to steer N.W. till I had made 

 the south coast of New Guinea, designing, if possi- 

 ble, to touch upon it ; but upon meeting with these 

 shoals, I altered my course, in hopes of finding a 

 clearer channel and deeper water. In this I suc- 

 ceeded, for by noon our depth of water was gradually 

 increased to seventeen fathom. Our latitude was 

 now, by observation, 10 10' S. ; and our longitude 

 220 12' W. No land w r as in sight. We continued 

 to steer west till sunset, our depth of water being 

 from twenty-seven to twenty-three fathom : we then 

 shortened sail, and kept upon a wind all night ; four 

 hours on one tack, and four on another. At daylight, 

 we made all the sail we could, and steered W. N. W. 

 till eight o'clock, and then N. W. At noon, our 

 latitude, by observation, was 9 5& S., longitude 

 221 W., variation 2 30' E. We continued our N.W. 

 course till sunset, when we again shortened sail, and 

 hauled close upon a wind to the northward : our 

 depth of water was twenty-one fathom. At eight, we 

 tacked and stood to the southward till twelve ; then 

 stood to the northward with little sail till daylight : 

 our soundings were from twenty-five to seventeen 

 fathom, the water growing gradually shallow as we 

 stood to the northward. At this time we made sail 

 and stood to the north, in order to make the land of 

 New Guinea : from the time of our making sail till 

 noon, the depth of water gradually decreased from 

 seventeen to twelve fathom, with a stoney and shelly 

 bottom. Our latitude, by observation, was now 

 8 5% 8., which is in the same parallel as that in 

 which the southern parts of New Guinea are laid 



