30th September 1768

Off Cape de Verde Islands
A Steady breeze and Pleasant weather. At 6 a.m. saw the Island of Bonavista (one of the Cape de Verd islands), Extending from South by East to South-West by South, distance 3 or 4 Leagues. Ranged the East side of this Island at the Distance of 3 or 4 miles from the Shore, until we were obliged to Haul Off to avoid a Ledge of Rocks which stretched out South-West by West from the Body or South-East Point of the Island 1 1/2 leagues. Had no ground with 40 fathoms a Mile without this Ledge.

The Island of Bonavista is in Extent from North to South about 5 leagues, is of a very uneven and hilly Surface, with low sandy beaches on the East side. The South-East part of the Island, from which I take my Departure, by an Observation this day at Noon lies in the latitude of 16 degrees North, and according to our run from Madeira in the longitude of 21 degrees 51 minutes West from Greenwich, and South 21 degrees West; 260 leagues from Tenerriff. Drawings Numbers 1 and 2 represent the appearance of the East side of this Island, where (2) is the South-East point, with the hill over it, which is high, of a round Figure, and the southernmost on the Island. Wind North-East; course South 12 degrees 30 minutes West; distance 97 miles; latitude 15 degrees 37 minutes North per observation; Teneriffe, North 20 degrees 43 minutes East, 262 1/3 leagues; at noon the hill on the South-East Point of the Island Bonavista North 69 degrees West, distant from the shore 3 leagues.

Joseph Banks Journal
This Morn at day break made the Island of Bonavista, one of the Cape Verde Islands: Mr Buchan employd in taking views of the land; Mr Parkinson busy in finishing the sketches made of the shark yesterday.

This Evening the other Motacilla avida was brought to us, it differd scarce at all from the first taken, except that it was something larger; his head however gave us some good, by supplying us with near twenty specimens of ticks, which differd but little from the acarus vicinus Linn; it was however described and calld Motacilla.

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