Having received orders from Governor Phillip to get the Supply ready for sea, I had every thing in readiness by the 25th of November; and early the next morning, we weighed anchor, and stood out of Sydney Cove, with a moderate breeze at east-north-east, and pleasant weather.
I had a Kanguroo on board, which I had directions to carry to Lord Grenville, as a present for his Majesty.
Governor Phillip, accompanied by Captain John Parker, of the Gorgon, breakfasted on board the Supply the morning of our departure; and soon afterwards they left us, and proceeded to the look-out at Port Jackson.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, we lost sight of the land, and stood to the southward, with a moderate breeze at north-east. In the forenoon of the 29th, the wind shifted to the southward, and blew a very strong gale, which brought us under low sail, but at five o'clock the weather grew moderate.
A vast number of birds were about the ship, and a land bird, of a singular kind, was caught: our latitude, at noon, was 38° 31' south, and the longitude 154° 23' east.
On the 2d of December, we saw a whale; our latitude, at noon, was 44° 21' south, and the longitude, by lunar observation, 156° 20' east: the variation of the compass, 10° 00' east. I now ordered the ship to be well cleaned every day between decks, being firmly convinced that cleanliness conduces very much to preserve the health of seaman. On the 4th, we had light, variable winds, chiefly from the northward: the latitude, at noon, was 47° 10' south, the longitude, by observed distances of the sun and moon, 160° 20', and the variation of the compass 11° 20' east.
In the afternoon, a thick fog came on, with light drizzling rain, which continued till the forenoon of the 5th, when the fog dispersed, and the weather cleared up. We saw some rock weed, and a great number of blue petrels and albatrosses were about the ship. In the afternoon, we passed more rock weed, and saw a number of whales. On the 6th, we had a fresh gale from the southward, and saw a vast number of petrels; albatrosses, &c. were about the vessel: we passed a great quantity of rock-weed, and perceiving the water to change colour, we hove to, and sounded, but got no bottom with 120 fathoms of line. The wind continued to blow strong from the southward, which brought on a very high, irregular swell, and occasioned the ship to labour and work very much: we still passed vast quantities of rock-weed, and had a number of birds about the ship. The latitude, at noon on the 8th, was 50° 44' south, and the longitude, by the time-keeper, 172° 56' east. The ship laboured greatly, which occasioned her to make water in her top-sides.
Great numbers of petrels, gulls, albatrosses, &c. were daily seen about the ship, and a whale was seen in the afternoon of the 10th. The wind continued to blow from the southward, strong and in squalls, until the 12th, when it shifted to the northward and westward. The latitude, at noon, was 53° 56' south, and the longitude, by the time-keeper, 188° 49' east.
At two o'clock in the morning of the 13th, the ship was pooped with a very heavy sea, which entirely stove in the two midship windows of the stern, and filled the cabin with water, great part of which ran down into the bread-room. In the afternoon of the 14th, a violent squall came on from the westward, which at six o'clock increased to a perfect storm, with an exceeding high sea; this occasioned me to keep the ship before it, and I found her steer very well; indeed, much better than I could possibly have expected in such a situation.
The weather continued squally, with hail and snow, until the morning of the 16th, when the wind shifted to the southward, and the weather grew more moderate. The latitude, at noon, was 52° 58' south, and the longitude 207° 09' east. On the 20th, we passed a large patch of sea-weed; several gulls and divers sea-birds were at that time about the ship. Portable soup, essence of malt, and sour krout were now served out to the ship's company. The weather was thick and foggy, which prevented us from getting any observation until the 22d, when our latitude, at noon, was 53° 59' south, and the longitude, by the time-keeper, 231° 36' east. A number of sheerwaters and petrels were about the ship. We had frequent squalls, attended with hail and snow.