On 11th November the Resolution left the Sound at daybreak to cross the South Pacific between latitudes 54 and 55 degrees, and the course convinced Cook there was no possibility of there being any large piece of land in that portion of the ocean.  He therefore stood for the western entrance of Magellan’s Straits, sighting Cape Descada on 17th December, following the coast round to Christmas Sound, which they reached on the 20th, the country passed being described as “the most desolate and barren I ever saw.”  At Christmas Sound they were more fortunate, for wood, water, wild celery, and a large number of geese provided them with a welcome banquet for Christmas Day.  They were visited by some of the natives, described as “a little, ugly, half-starved, beardless race; I saw not a tall person amongst them.”  The scent of dirt and train oil they carried with them was “enough to spoil the appetite of any European,” consequently none were invited to join the festivities.  They had European knives, cloth, handkerchiefs, etc., showing they had been in communication with white men; and Forster notes they had canoes which could not have been made in the neighbourhood, for there was no timber of sufficient size.

Cape horn corrected.

Cape Horn was passed on 29th December, and Cook made his longitude 68 degrees 13 minutes West, a little too far to the westward; it should be 67 degrees 16 minutes West.  This is absolutely correct, according to Wharton.  On 1st January 1775 they landed on a small island off Staten Island, and then put in to a fine sheltered harbour on the main island, which consequently was named New Year Harbour.  The weather proved unfavourable for surveying, but enough was ascertained to convince them that the Tierra del Fuego and Staten Island coasts were not so dangerous to navigation as they had been represented.

On 3rd January they left to look for Dalrymple’s Gulf of Sebastian, which Cook thought was non-existent, and on the 6th they reached the position given on the chart, but could find no signs of any land.  Bearing up to the north, Georgia Island was seen on the 14th, and was found to be entirely covered with snow, creating surprise as it was now the height of summer.  The ship ran in between Georgia and Willis Islands, and possession was formally taken of the group, though Cook did not think that “any one would ever be benefited by the discovery.”  Working as far south as 60 degrees, he turned to the east, being “tired of these high southern latitudes where nothing was to be found but ice and thick fogs,” and a long hollow swell coming from the westward convinced him that he was correct in his assumption that the Gulf of Sebastian and a large body of land did not exist.  On the 30th two large islands were seen, and then three rocky islets to the north; the largest was named Freezeland Peak, after the sailor who sighted it, S. Freesland; and behind these was an elevated coast which received the name of Southern Thule, as being the most southerly land then discovered.  The position of the ship was given as 59 degrees 13 minutes 30 seconds South, 27 degrees 45 minutes West.