The 6th, in the evening, being in the latitude of 42 deg. 12’, and in the longitude of 201 deg. 26’”, the variation was 17 deg. 15’ E. The next morning, our latitude being 41 deg. 20’, and our longitude 202 deg., a shag, or cormorant, flew several times round the ship.  As these birds are seldom, if ever, known to fly far out of sight of land, I judged that some was not far distant.  However, we could see none.  In the afternoon, there being but little wind, Captain Clerke came on board, and informed me of a melancholy accident that happened on board his ship, the second night after we left Samganoodha.  The main tack gave way, killed one man, and wounded the boatswain, and two or three more.  In addition to this misfortune, I now learned, that, on the evening of the 2d, his sails and rigging received considerable damage; and that the guns which he fired were the signal to bring to.’

On the 8th, the wind was at N.; a gentle breeze with clear weather.  On the 9th, in the latitude of 39-1/2 deg., we had eight hours calm.  This was succeeded by the wind from, the S., attended with fair weather.  Availing ourselves of this, as many of our people as could handle a needle, were set to work to repair the sails; and the carpenters were employed to put the boats in order.

On the 12th at noon, being then in the latitude of 38 deg. 14’, and in the longitude of 206 deg. 17’, the wind returned back to the northward; and, on the 15th, in the latitude of 33 deg. 30’, it veered to the E. At this time, we saw a tropic-bird, and a dolphin, the first that we had observed during the passage.  On the 17th, the wind veered to the southward, where it continued till the afternoon of the 19th, when a squall of wind and rain brought it at once round by the W. to the N. This was in the latitude of 32 deg. 26’, and in the longitude of 207 deg. 30’.

The wind presently increased to a very strong gale, attended with rain, so as to bring us under double-reefed top-sails.  In lowering down the main top-sail to reef it, the wind tore it quite out of the foot rope, and it was split in several other parts.  This sail had only been brought to the yard the day before, after having had a repair.  The next morning we got another top-sail to the yard.  This gale proved to be the forerunner of the trade-wind, which, in, latitude 25 deg., veered to E. and E.S.E.

I continued to steer to the southward till day-light in the morning of the 25th, at which time we were in the latitude of 20 deg. 55’.  I now spread the ships, and steered to the W. In the evening we joined, and at midnight brought-to.  At day-break, next morning, land was seen extending from S.S.E. to W. We made sail, and stood for it.  At eight, it extended from S.E. 1/2 S. to W., the nearest part two leagues distant.  It was supposed that we saw the extent of the land to the east, but not to the west.  We were now satisfied, that the group of the Sandwich Islands had been only imperfectly discovered; as those of them which we had visited in our progress northward, all lie to the leeward of our present station.