from
Greenwich. Captain Cook was to endeavour to discover whether this was
part of the supposed continent or only the promontory of an island, and
then to continue his journey southward and then eastward.

On Monday, July 13, 1772, the two ships sailed from Plymouth, passing
the Eddystone, and after visiting the islands of Canaria, Teneriffe, and
others, reached the Cape of Good Hope on September 29. Here we stayed
until November 22, when we directed our course towards the Antarctic
circle, meeting on December 8 with a gale of such fury that we could
carry no sails, and were driven by this means to eastward of our
intended course, not the least hope remaining of our reaching Cape
Circumcision.

We now encountered in 51 deg. 50' S. latitude and 21 deg. 3' E. longitude
some ice islands. The dismal scene, a view to which we were unaccustomed,
was varied as well by birds of the petrel kind as by several whales which
made their appearance among the ice, and afforded us some idea of a
southern Greenland. But though the appearance of the ice with the waves
breaking over it might afford a few minutes' pleasure to the eye, yet it
could not fail to fill us with horror when we reflected on our danger,
for the ship would be dashed to pieces in a moment were she to get
against the weather side of these islands, where the sea runs high.
Captain Cook had directed the Adventure, in case of separation, to
cruise three days in that place, but in a thick fog we lost sight of
her. This was a dismal prospect, for we now were exposed to the dangers
of the frozen climate without the company of our fellow voyagers, which
before had relieved our spirits when we considered we were not entirely
alone in case we lost our vessel.

The spirits of our sailors were greatly exhilarated when we reached
Dusky Bay, New Zealand. Landing a shooting party at Duck Cove, we found
a native with his club and some women behind him, who would not move.
His fears, however, were all dissipated by Captain Cook going up to
embrace him. After a stay here we opened Queen Charlotte's Sound and
found the Adventure at anchor; none can describe the joy we felt at this
most happy meeting. They had experienced terrible weather, and having
made no discovery of land, determined to bear away from Van Diemen's
Land, which was supposed to join New Holland and was discovered by
Tasman, in 1642 A.D. Here they refitted their ship, and after three
months' separation met us again.