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A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1 by James Cook
page 94 of 364 (25%)
distant ten leagues. As I intended to put into Dusky Bay, or any other port
I could find, on the southern part of _Tavai Poenammoo_, we steered in
for the land, under all the sail we could carry, having the advantage of a
fresh gale at W., and tolerably clear weather. This last was not of long
duration; for, at half an hour after four o'clock, the land, which was not
above four miles distant, was in a manner wholly obscured in a thick haze.
At this time, we were before the entrance of a bay, which I had mistaken
for Dusky Bay, being deceived by some islands that lay in the mouth of it.

Fearing to run, in thick weather, into a place to which we were all
strangers, and seeing some breakers and broken ground a-head, I tacked in
twenty-five fathom water, and stood out to sea with the wind at N.W. This
bay lies on the S.E. side of Cape West, and may be known by a white cliff
on one of the isles which lies in the entrance of the bay. This part of the
coast I did not see, but at a great distance, in my former voyage; and we
now saw it under so many disadvantageous circumstances, that the less I say
about it, the fewer mistakes I shall make. We stood out to sea, under
close-reefed top-sails and courses, till eleven o'clock at night; when we
wore and stood to the northward, having a very high and irregular sea. At
five o'clock next morning, the gale abated, and we bore up for the land; at
eight o'clock, the West Cape bore E. by N. 1/2 N., for which we steered,
and entered Dusky Bay about noon. In the entrance of it, we found 44
fathoms water, a sandy bottom, the West Cape bearing S.S.E., and Five
Fingers Point, or the north point of the bay, north. Here we had a great
swell rolling in from the S.W. The depth of water decreased to 40 fathoms,
afterwards we had no ground with 60. We were, however, too far advanced to
return; and therefore stood on, not doubting but that we should find
anchorage. For in this bay we were all strangers; in my former voyage,
having done no more than discover and name it.

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