Wednesday, 31st. Late this Evening the Carpenters finished the Long boat.

[June 1769.]

Thursday, June 1st. This day I sent Lieutenant Gore in the Long boat to
York Island* (* Eimeo, westward of, and near to Tahiti.) with Dr.
Monkhouse and Mr. Sporing (a Gentleman belonging to Mr. Banks) to Observe
the Transit of Venus, Mr. Green having furnished them with Instruments
for that purpose. Mr. Banks and some of the Natives of this Island went
along with them.

Friday, 2nd. Very early this morning Lieutenant Hicks, Mr. Clark, Mr.
Pickersgill and Mr. Saunders went away in the Pinnace to the Eastward,
with orders to fix upon some Convenient situation upon this Island, and
there to Observe the Transit of Venus, they being likewise provided with
Instruments for that purpose.

Saturday, 3rd. This day proved as favourable to our purpose as we could
wish. Not a Cloud was to be seen the whole day, and the Air was perfectly
Clear, so that we had every advantage we could desire in observing the
whole of the Passage of the planet Venus over the Sun's Disk. We very
distinctly saw an Atmosphere or Dusky shade round the body of the planet,
which very much disturbed the times of the Contact, particularly the two
internal ones. Dr. Solander observed as well as Mr. Green and myself, and
we differ'd from one another in Observing the times of the Contact much
more than could be expected. Mr. Green's Telescope and mine where of the
same Magnifying power, but that of the Doctor was greater than ours. It
was nearly calm the whole day, and the Thermometer Exposed to the Sun
about the Middle of the day rose to a degree of heat we have not before