course South 67
degrees 45 minutes West; distance 87 miles; latitude 31 degrees 54
minutes South; longitude 324 degrees 36 minutes West.

[Off Coast of Natal.]

Tuesday, 5th. Fresh Gales from the South-South-West, with squally, rainy
weather, with which we stood to the Westward. In the evening some people
thought they saw the appearance of land to the Northward; but this
appear'd so improbable that I, who was not on deck at this time, was not
acquainted with it until dark, when I order'd them to sound, but found no
ground with 80 fathoms, upon which we concluded that no land was near.
But daylight in the Morning proved this to be a mistake by shewing us the
land at the distance of about 2 Leagues off. We had now the wind at
South-East, blowing fresh right upon the land. When we made the land we
were standing to the Westward; but, thinking the other the best tack to
get off on, we wore, and hauld off to the Eastward, and by Noon had got
an Offing of about 4 Leagues, the land at this time extending from
North-East by North to West-South-West. This part of the Coast of Africa
which we fell in with lies in about the Latitude of 32 degrees 0 minutes
South, and Longitude 331 degrees 29 minutes West, and near to what is
called in the Charts Point Nattall.* (* Natal.) It was a steep, craggy
point, very much broke, and looked as if the high, craggy rocks were
Islands. To the North-East of this point the land in General appear'd to
rise, sloping from the Sea to a Moderate height; the Shore, alternately
Rocks and Sands. About 2 Leagues to the North-East of the Point appear'd
to be the mouth of a River, which probably may be that of St. Johns. At
this time the weather was very hazey, so that we had but a very imperfect
view of the land, which did not appear to great advantage. Wind
South-South-West to South-East; course per Log North 31 degrees West;
distance 32 miles; latitude 31 degrees 5 minutes South per Observation,
31 degrees 7 minutes per Reckoning; longitude 331 degrees 19 minutes per
Observation, 324 degrees 56 minutes per Reckoning.

Wednesday, 6th. Moderate Gales, with hazey, rainy weather. Stood to the
Eastward all the day, having the land in sight, which at 4 p.m. extended
from North-East by North to South-West by West, distant 5 Leagues. At 6
in the Morning we could only see it at West distant 7 or 8 Leagues. At
Noon found the Ship by Observation 90 Miles to the Southward of account.
Thus far the current has carrie