180 cook's SECOND VOYAGE JAN. 



length ; in some places near a mile broad ; and hath 

 in it from fifty to ten fathoms water, a bottom of mud 

 and sand. Its shores are covered with wood fit for 

 fuel ; and in it are several streams of fresh water. On 

 the islands were sea-lions, &c. and such an innumer- 

 able quantity of gulls as to darken the air when dis- 

 turbed, and almost to suffocate our people with their 

 dung. This they seemed to void in a way of de- 

 fence, and it stunk worse than asafoetida, or as it is 

 commonly called, devil's dung. Our people also saw 

 several geese, ducks, and race-horses, which is also a 

 kind of duck. The day on which this port was dis- 

 covered, occasioned my calling it New Year's Har- 

 bour. It would be more convenient for ships bound 

 to the west, or round Cape Horn, if its situation 

 would permit them, to put to sea with an easterly 

 and northerly wind. This inconvenience, however, is 

 of little consequence, since these winds are never 

 known to be of long duration. The southerly and 

 westerly are the prevailing winds ; so that a ship can 

 never be detained long in this port. 



As we could not sail in the morning of the 2d, for 

 want of wind, I sent a party of men on shore to the 

 island, on the same duty as before. Towards noon 

 we got a fresh breeze at west ; but it came too late, 

 and I resolved to wait till the next morning, when, 

 at four o'clock, we weighed with a fresh gale at N.W. 

 by W. and stood for Cape St. John, which, at half- 

 past six, bore N. by E. distant four or five miles. This 

 cape, being the eastern point of Staten Land, a de- 

 scription of it is unnecessary. It may, however, not 

 be amiss to say, that it is a rock of considerable 

 height, situated in the latitude of 54° 46' South, lon- 

 gitude 64° 7' West, with a rocky islet lying close 

 under the north part of it. To the westward of^the 

 cape, about five or six miles, is an inlet, which seemed 

 to divide the land ; that is, to communicate with the 

 sea to the south ; and between this inlet and the cape 

 is a bay ; but I cannot say of what depth. In sailing 



