Throughout the passage to the island Amsterdam, we were accompanied by some, or all of the oceanic birds usually found in these latitudes; but not in the numbers I had been accustomed to see them further south.  The spouting of a whale was occasionally perceived, and became more frequent on approaching the island; the number of small blue petrels was also increased, and a few Cape hens then made their appearance.

TUESDAY 24 NOVEMBER 1801

At five in the evening of the 24th, the mean variation from three compasses on the binnacle, was observed to be 23 deg. 7’ west, with the ship’s head E. S. E., or 20 deg. 4’ true.  Our latitude was then 38 deg. 20’ south, longitude 76 deg. 26’ east; and at eleven at night, having nearly reached the longitude of Amsterdam, whose situation I wished to compare with the time keepers, we hove to, in a parallel between it and the island St. Paul.  At five next morning [WEDNESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 1801], we steered southward to make Amsterdam; but having reached its latitude, and no land being visible, our eastwardly course was resumed.  The weather was thick, so that objects could not be distinguished beyond five or six miles; and at noon the ship was found to have been set 23’ of longitude to the east of what the log gave.  From these joint causes it must have been that Amsterdam was not perceived, if its situation of 38 deg. 43’ south and 77 deg. 40’ east, as made in His Majesty’s ship Providence, in 1792, were rightly ascertained.

In passages like this, when fortunately made, it is seldom that any circumstance occurs, of sufficient interest to be related.  Our employments were to clean, dry, and air the ship below; and the seamen’s clothes and bedding, with the sails, upon deck.  These, with the exercise of the great guns and small arms, were our principal employments in fine weather; and when otherwise, we were wet and uncomfortable, and could do little.  It was a great satisfaction that frequent pumping of the ship was not now required, the greatest quantity of water admitted during this passage being less than two inches an hour.  The antiseptics issued were sour krout and vinegar, to the extent of the applications for them; and at half an hour before noon every day, a pint of strong wort, made by pouring boiling water upon the essence of malt, was given to each man.  It was drunk upon deck; and with half a biscuit, made a luncheon for both officers and people.  The allowance of grog was never issued until half an hour after the dinner time.

[SOUTH COAST. CAPE LEEUWIN.]

SUNDAY 6 DECEMBER 1801

On the 6th of December, our latitude was 35 deg. 10’ and longitude 114 deg. 19’; which placed us about S. W. 1/2 S. twenty-two leagues from the westernmost isles lying off the south-west cape of New Holland, according to their position by the French rear-admiral D’Entrecasteaux; a traced copy of whose general chart of this coast had been furnished to me from the hydrographical office at the Admiralty.  There were no names applied in this copy; but in the charts of the French voyage, lately published, these islets are called Iles St. Alouarn.