the 22d, we were in latitude 11 deg. 10' S., longitude 240 deg. 38'
W. In the evening of the 23d, we found the variation of the needle to be
2 deg. 44' W.; as soon as we got clear of the islands we had constantly a
swell from the southward, which I imagined was not caused by a wind
blowing from that quarter, but by the sea being so determined by the
position of the coast of New Holland.

At noon on the 26th, being in latitude 10 deg. 47' S., longitude 249 deg. 52'
W., we found the variation to be 3 deg. 10' W., and our situation to be
twenty-five miles to the northward of the log; for which I know not how
to account. At noon on the 27th, our latitude by observation was 10 deg. 51'
S., which was agreeable to the log; and our longitude was 252 deg. 11' W. We
steered N.W. all day on the 28th, in order to make the land of Java; and
at noon on the 29th, our latitude by observation was 9 deg. 31' S.,
longitude 254 deg. 10' W.; and in the morning of the 30th, I took into my
possession the log-book and journals, at least all I could find, of the
officers, petty officers, and seamen, and enjoined them secrecy with
respect to where they had been.

At seven in the evening, being in the latitude of Java Head, and not
seeing any land, I concluded that we were too far to the westward: I
therefore hauled up E.N.E. having before steered N. by E. In the night,
we had thunder and lightning; and about twelve o'clock, by the light of
the flashes, we saw the land bearing east. I then tacked and stood to
the S.W. till four o'clock in the morning of the 1st of October; and at
six, Java Head, or the west end of Java, bore S.E. by E., distant five
leagues: Soon after we saw Prince's Island, bearing E. 1/2 S.; and at
ten, the island of Cracatoa, bearing N.E. Cracatoa is a remarkably
high-peaked island, and at noon it bore N. 40 E. distant seven leagues.

I must now observe that, during our run from Savu, I allowed twenty
minutes a-day for the westerly current, which I concluded must run
strong at this time, especially off the coast of Java, and I found that
this allowance was just equivalent to the effect of the current upon the
ship.[112]

[Footnote 112: This is a single but not an inconsiderable instance of
Cook's skill, in the important art of navigation.--E.]

At four o'clock in the morning of the 2d, we fetched close in with the
coast of Java, in fifteen fathom; we then stood along the coast, and
early in the forenoon, I sent the boat a