Friday, 4th. A Steady Gale and fair weather. P.M. Variation per Azimuth 1 degree 29 minutes West, ditto 1 degree 28 minutes West, and by the Amplitude 1 degree 12 minutes West; mean 1 degree 23 minutes West, by which it appears that we have again Crossed the Line of no Variation. At 1/2 past 9 a.m. the longitude of the Ship, per Observation of the sun and moon, 33 degrees 26 minutes 30 seconds. Wind East by South; course South 19 degrees 30 minutes West; distance 125 miles; latitude 16 degrees 49 minutes South, longitude 33 degrees 37 minutes West.
Saturday, 5th. Fine pleasant weather. Variation per Azimuth this morning 3 degrees 21 minutes East, which makes me Doubtful of the Variation found yesterday, tho' at the time I had not the least room to doubt of the Accuracy of the Observations. Longitude per Observation 34 degrees 43 minutes 30 seconds West. Wind East to North-East; course South 30 degrees 35 minutes West; distance 109 miles; latitude 18 degrees 22 minutes South, longitude 34 degrees 50 minutes West.
Sunday, 6th. First and Latter part squally, with heavy Showers of rain; middle moderate and fair. I now determined to put into Rio de Janeiro in preferance to any other port in Brazil or Falkland Islands, for at this place I knew we could recruit our Stock of Provisions, several Articles of which I found we should in time be in want of, and at the same time procure Live Stock and refreshment for the People; and from the reception former Ships had met with here I doubted not but we should be well received. Wind North-North-East, variable, South; course South 55 degrees West; distance 74 miles; latitude 19 degrees 3 minutes South, longitude 35 degrees 50 minutes West.
Monday, 7th. Moderate breezes and Clear weather. P.M. found the Variation to be 4 degrees 49 minutes East. At 6 Sounded and had 32 fathoms Water; the Bottom Coral Rocks, fine Sand and Shells, which Soundings we carried upon a South-West 1/2 West Course 9 or 10 leagues, and then had no ground with 100 fathom. We were by our account and per run afterwards 54 Leagues East from the Coast of Brazil and to the Southward of the Shoals called Abrollos, as they are laid down in Most Charts. Wind South-East to North-East; course South 58 degrees West; distance 68 miles; latitude 19 degrees 46 minutes South, longitude 36 degrees 50 minutes West.
Tuesday, 8th. Fresh breezes and Cloudy weather. P.M. variation by the Mean of 12 Azimuths 5 degrees 26 minutes East, and by an Amplitude in the Morning 7 degrees 52 minutes. At 6 a.m. saw the Land of Brazil bearing North-West 1/2 North, distance 8 or 10 leagues. At 8 Sounded, had 37 fathoms, Coarse Sand, broken Shells, and Coral Rocks. At 9 brought too and Spoke with a Fishing Boat, who informed us that the land in sight lay to the Southward of Santo Espiritu. It appears high and Mountainous; the drawing Number (3) exhibits a View of this Land as it appeared from the Ship (A), being near to Santo Espiritu, and a remarkable hill (B) bore North-West 1/2 North, distance 7 or 8 leagues. Made Sail in Shore, the wind being Southerly. Had from the above Depth to 14 fathoms the same sort of Bottom. Found the Ship at Noon by Observation 10 Miles to the Southward of account, which I suppose to be occasioned by a Current setting between the South and West. Wind North-North-East, North by West, South-South-West to South by West; course South 50 degrees West; distance 140 miles; latitude 21 degrees 16 minutes South, longitude 37 degrees 35 minutes West.
Wednesday, 9th. First and Latter part Hazey, with a Moderate Breeze; Middle, fresh Gales, with Thunder, Lightning, and rain. At 3 p.m. tack't in 16 fathoms, distance from the Shore 5 Leagues, the land Extending from the North-West by West to North-East. At 5 took the 2nd Reef in the Topsails and got down Topgallant Yards, stood to the South-East until Midnight, then tack'd, Sounding from 16 to 55 fathoms. At 8 a.m. Loosed the Reefs out of the Topsails and got Topgallant Yards a Cross; unstowed the Anchors and bent the Cables. At Noon Latitude Observed 21 degrees 29 minutes South, the Land Extending from South-West by South to North-North-West, distance 4 leagues, Soundings from 55 to 10 fathoms. Wind South-South-East, South-South-West, South; course South 62 degrees 15 minutes West; distance 28 miles; latitude 21 degrees 29 minutes South.
[Nearing Rio Janeiro.]
Thursday, 10th. Moderate breezes and Hazey upon the Land. Stood in for the Shore South-West 1/2 West. Depth of water from 10 to 9 fathoms and from 9 to 16 fathoms, being then 4 Leagues from the Land. From 16 fathoms it shoalded gradually to 5 fathoms; then we tacked, being about 1 1/2 Leagues from the Shore. The extreams of the Land to the Southward, which we took for Cape St. Thomas, bore South 3/4 West, distance 4 leagues. The Land from Cape St. Thomas to the Northward lies North by East 1/2 East. Along the Shore is low land covered with Wood and Sandy Beaches, but inland are very high Mountains, the greatest part of them being hid in the Clouds. Stood off until 5 in the Morning East and East by South. Depth of Water 10, 20, 16, 23, and 30 fathoms. At Noon Latitude Observed 21 degrees 30 minutes; Depth of Water 14 fathoms; Grey sand with black Specks. Extreams of the Land from South-West by West to North-North-West; distance 12 or 14 leagues. Wind South-South-East, South-East by South, South by East; course East 1/4 South; distance 17 miles; latitude 21 degrees 30 minutes South, longitude 37 degrees 43 minutes West per account.
Friday, 11th. First and Latter parts, moderate breezes and fair, but Cloudy and Hazey over the Land; middle, a fresh breeze and Cloudy. At 8 tack'd and Stood to the North-East. Extream of the Land to the southward, which we took for Cape St. Thomas, South-West 1/2 South; distance 5 or 6 leagues; Depth of Water 13 fathoms, Grey sand. At 11 a.m. tack'd in 14 fathoms and Stood to the South-South-East, and at 3 a.m. Stood over a Shoal or Bank of 6 fathoms, afterwards the Depth increased to 30 fathoms, at Noon in 36 fathoms. Latitude Observed 22 degrees 37 minutes South, which is 10 miles to the Southward of the Log. No Land in sight. Wind South-East to East; course South 5 degrees West; distance 67 miles; latitude 23 degrees 37 minutes South, longitude 37 degrees 49 minutes West.
Saturday, 12th. Genteel breezes and fine Clear weather. At 2 p.m. Sounded, but had no ground with 38 fathoms, and soon after sounded and had none at 50 fathoms, from which it appears that we are to the Southward of the Bank we have been upon this 2 days past. It Extends off from the Land between the Latitude 21 degrees and 22 degrees nor less than 18 or 20 Leagues, How much farther I know not. Standing in from Sea, the Depth of Water very soon diminisheth from 30 to 20 and 17 fathoms, afterwards gradually from 9, 8 and even to 6 fathoms; but between this Shoal Water and the Main, which is 6 or 7 leagues, you will have 10, 12 and even 16 fathoms, till you come within 2 or 3 leagues of the Shore. The Bottom is of Various kinds, sometimes Coral Rocks, Coral Rocks and broken Shells, Coarse sand and broken Shells, Small Stones and at other times fine Sand varying at almost every Cast of the Lead. At 5 p.m. saw the Land bearing North-West by West 1/2 West, distance 10 or 12 leagues, which proved to be the Island of Cape Frio; it appeared in two Hillocks, and from the Deck looked like two Islands. Took several Azimuth of the Sun, which gave the Variation 6 degrees 40 minutes East. At 8 a.m. the Isle of Cape Frio bore West by North 4 leagues. This Island is situated in the Latitude of 23 degrees 2 minutes South, and according to our Reckoning in the Longitude of 38 degrees 45 minutes West from Greenwich, but from many Circumstances I have good reason to think that our reckoning is wrong and that it lies in the Longitude 41 degrees 10 minutes West. It is not of a Large Circuit, but Tolerable high, with a hollow in the Middle, which makes it look like 2 Islands when it first makes its appearance out of the Water. It lays not far from the Main, which with the Island forms a right Angle, one side trending North and the other West. To the northward of the Island and between it and the Main there appears to lay several smaller Islands near each other. The Main land on the Sea Coast appears to be low, but inland are high Mountains. Drawing Number 4 exhibits a View of this Island when it bore West-North-West, distance 4 leagues. Wind North-East, East-North-East; course South 60 degrees 30 minutes West; distance 59 miles; latitude 23 degrees 6 minutes South; Isle of Cape Frio North 60 degrees East, 4 leagues.