BOOK III.

CHAP. I.

THE RUN FROM NEW ZEALAND TO BOTANY BAY, ON THE EAST COAST OF NEW

HOLLAND, NOW CALLED NEW SOUTH WALES; VARIOUS INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED

THERE; WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS INHABITANTS.

HAVING sailed from Cape Farewell, which lies in latitude 40° 33ʹ S.,

longitude 186° W., on Saturday the 31st of March, 1770, we steered

westward, with a fresh gale at N. N. E., and at noon, on the 2d of

April, our latitude, by observation, was 40°, our longitude from Cape

Farewell 2° 31ʹ W.

In the morning of the 9th, being in latitude 38° 29ʹ S., we saw a tropic

bird, which, in so high a latitude, is very uncommon.

In the morning of the 10th, being in latitude 38° 51ʹ S., longitude 202°

43ʹ W., we found the variation, by the amplitude, to be 11° 25ʹ E., and

by the azimuth 11° 20ʹ.

In the morning of the 11th, the variation was 13° 48ʹ, which is two

degrees and a half more than the day before, though I expected to have

found it less.

In the course of the 13th, being in latitude 39° 23ʹ S., longitude 204°

2ʹ W., I found the variation to be 12° 27ʹ E., and in the morning of the

14th it was 11° 30ʹ, this day we also saw some flying fish. On the 15th,

we saw an egg bird and a gannet, and as these are birds that never go

far from the land, we continued to sound all night, but had no ground

with 130 fathom. At noon, on the 16th, we were in latitude 39° 45ʹ S.,

longitude 208° W. At about two o’clock the wind came about to the W. S.

W., upon which we tacked and stood to the N. W.; soon after, a small

land-bird perched upon the rigging, but we had no ground with 120

fathom. At eight we wore and stood to the southward till twelve at

night, and then wore and stood to the N. W. till four in the morning,

when we again stood to the southward, having a fresh gale at W. S. W.,

with squalls and dark weather till nine, when the weather became clear,

and there being little wind, we had an opportunity to take several

observations of the sun and moon, the mean result of which gave 207° 56ʹ

W. longitude: our latitude at noon was 39° 36ʹ S. We had now a hard gale

from the southward, and a great sea from the same quarter, which obliged

us to run under our fore-sail and mizen all night, during which we

sounded every two hours, but had no ground with 120 fathom.

In the morning of the 18th, we saw two Port Egmont hens, and a pintado

bird, which are certain signs of approaching land, and, indeed, by our

reckoning, we could not be far from it, for our longitude was now one

degree to the westward of the east side of Van Diemen’s land, according

to the longitude laid down by Tasman, whom we could not suppose to have

erred much in so short a run as from this land to New Zealand; and by

our latitude we could not be above fifty or fifty-five leagues from the

place whence he took his departure. All this day we had frequent squalls

and a great swell. At one in the morning we brought to and sounded, but

had no ground with 130 fathom; at six we saw land extending from N. E.

to W., at the distance of five or six leagues, having eighty fathom

water, with a fine sandy bottom.

We continued standing westward, with the wind at S. S. W., till eight,

when we made all the sail we could, and bore away along the shore N. E.

for the eastermost land in sight, being at this time in latitude 37° 58ʹ

S., and longitude 210° 39ʹ W. The southermost point of land in sight,

which bore from us W. ¼ S., I judged to lie in latitude 38°, longitude

211° 7ʹ, and gave it the name of POINT HICKS, because Mr. Hicks, the

first lieutenant, was the first who discovered it. To the southward of

this Point no land was to be seen, though it was very clear in that

quarter, and by our longitude, compared with that of Tasman, not as it

is laid down in the printed charts, but in the extracts from Tasman’s

journal, published by Rembrantse, the body of Van Diemen’s land ought to

have borne due south; and, indeed, from the sudden falling of the sea

after the wind abated, I had reason to think it did; yet as I did not

see it, and as I found this coast trend N. E. and S. W., or rather more

to the eastward, I cannot determine whether it joins to Van Diemen’s

land or not.

At noon we were in latitude 37° 5ʹ, longitude 210° 29ʹ W. The extremes

of the land extended from N. W. to E. N. E., and a remarkable point bore

N. 20 E., at the distance of about four leagues. This point rises in a

round hillock, very much resembling the Ram Head at the entrance of

Plymouth Sound, and therefore I called it by the same name. The

variation by an azimuth, taken this morning, was 3° 7ʹ E.; and what we

had now seen of the land, appeared low and level: the sea-shore was a

white sand, but the country within was green and woody. About one

o’clock, we saw three water-spouts at once; two were between us and the

shore, and the third at some distance, upon our larboard quarter: this

phenomenon is so well known, that it is not necessary to give a

particular description of it here.

At six o’clock in the evening we shortened sail, and brought to for the

night, having fifty-six fathom water, and a fine sandy bottom. The

northermost land in sight then bore N. by E. ½ E., and a small island

lying close to a point on the main bore W. distant two leagues. This

point, which I called CAPE HOWE, may be known by the trending of the

coast, which is north on the one side and south-west on the other; it

may also be known by some round hills upon the main, just within it.

We brought to for the night, and at four in the morning made sail along

shore to the northward. At six, the northermost land in sight bore N. N.

W. and we were at this time about four leagues from the shore. At noon

we were in latitude 36° 51ʹ S., longitude 209° 53ʹ W., and about three

leagues distant from the shore. The weather being clear, gave us a good

view of the country, which has a very pleasing appearance: it is of a

moderate height, diversified by hills and valleys, ridges and plains,

interspersed with a few lawns of no great extent, but in general covered

with wood: the ascent of the hills and ridges is gentle, and the summits

are not high. We continued to sail along the shore to the northward,

with a southerly wind, and in the afternoon we saw smoke in several

places, by which we knew the country to be inhabited. At six in the

evening we shortened sail, and sounded: we found forty-four fathom

water, with a clear sandy bottom, and stood on under an easy sail till

twelve, when we brought to for the night, and had ninety fathom water.

At four in the morning we made sail again, at the distance of about five

leagues from the land, and at six, we were abreast of a high mountain,

lying near the shore, which, on account of its figure, I called MOUNT

DROMEDARY. Under this mountain the shore forms a point, to which I gave

the name of POINT DROMEDARY, and over it there is a peaked hillock. At

this time, being in latitude 36° 18ʹ S., longitude 209° 55ʹ W., we found

the variation to be 10° 42ʹ E.

Between ten and eleven, Mr. Green and I took several observations of the

sun and moon, the mean result of which gave 209° 17ʹ longitude W. By an

observation made the day before, our longitude was 210° 9ʹ W., from

which 20ʹ being subtracted, there remains 209° 49ʹ, the longitude of the

ship this day at noon, the mean of which, with this day’s observation,

gives 209° 33ʹ, by which I fix the longitude of this coast. At noon our

latitude was 35° 49ʹ S., Cape Dromedary bore S. 30 W., at the distance

of twelve leagues, and an open bay, in which were three or four small

islands, bore N. W. by W., at the distance of five or six leagues. This

bay seemed to afford but little shelter from the sea winds, and yet it

is the only place where there appeared a probability of finding

anchorage upon the whole coast. We continued to steer along the shore N.

by E. and N. N. E., at the distance of about three leagues, and saw

smoke in many places near the beach. At five in the evening we were

abreast of a point of land which rose in a perpendicular cliff, and

which, for that reason, I called POINT UPRIGHT. Our latitude was 35° 35ʹ

S. when this point bore from us due west, distant about two leagues: in

this situation, we had about thirty-one fathom water, with a sandy

bottom. At six in the evening, the wind falling, we hauled off E. N. E.,

and at this time the northermost land in sight bore N. by E. ½ E. At

midnight, being in seventy fathom water, we brought to till four in the

morning, when we made sail in for the land; but at day-break found our

situation nearly the same as it had been at five the evening before, by

which it was apparent that we had been driven about three leagues to the

southward, by a tide or current, during the night. After this we steered

along the shore N. N. E. with a gentle breeze at S. W., and were so near

the land as to distinguish several of the natives upon the beach, who

appeared to be of a black, or very dark colour. At noon, our latitude,

by observation, was 35° 27ʹ S. and longitude 209° 23ʹ W., Cape Dromedary

bore S. 28 W., distant nineteen leagues, a remarkable peaked hill, which

resembled a square dove-house, with a dome at the top, and which for

that reason I called the PIGEON HOUSE, bore N. 32° 30ʹ W., and a small

low island, which lay close under the shore, bore N. W., distant about

two or three leagues. When I first discovered this island, in the

morning, I was in hopes, from its appearance, that I should have found

shelter for the ship behind it; but when we came near it, it did not

promise security even for the landing of a boat. I should however have

attempted to send a boat on shore, if the wind had not veered to that

direction, with a large hollow sea rolling in upon the land from the S.

E., which indeed had been the case ever since we had been upon it. The

coast still continued to be of a moderate height, forming alternately

rocky points and sandy beaches; but within, between Mount Dromedary and

the Pigeon House, we saw high mountains, which, except two, are covered

with wood: these two lie inland behind the Pigeon House, and are

remarkably flat at the top, with steep rocky cliffs all round them, as

far as we could see. The trees, which almost every where clothe this

country, appear to be large and lofty. This day the variation was found

to be 9° 50ʹ E., and for the two last days, the latitude, by

observation, was twelve or fourteen miles to the southward of the ship’s

account, which could have been the effect of nothing but a current

setting in that direction. About four in the afternoon, being near five

leagues from the land, we tacked, and stood off S. E. and E., and the

wind having veered in the night, from E. to N. E. and N., we tacked

about four in the morning, and stood in, being then about nine or ten

leagues from the shore. At eight, the wind began to die away, and soon

after it was calm. At noon, our latitude, by observation, was 35° 38ʹ,

and our distance from the land about six leagues. Cape Dromedary bore S.

37 W., distant seventeen leagues, and the Pigeon House N. 40 W. In this

situation we had 74 fathom water. In the afternoon, we had variable

light airs and calms, till six in the evening, when a breeze sprung up

at N. by W.: at this time, being about four or five leagues from the

shore, we had seventy fathom water. The Pigeon House bore N. 45 W.,

Mount Dromedary S. 30 W., and the northermost land in sight N. 19 E.

We stood to the north-east till noon the next day, with a gentle breeze

at N. W., and then we tacked and stood westward. At this time our

latitude by observation, was 35° 10ʹ S., and longitude 208° 51ʹ W. A

point of land which I had discovered on St. George’s day, and which

therefore I called CAPE GEORGE, bore W. distant nineteen miles, and the

Pigeon House (the latitude and longitude of which I found to be 35° 19ʹ

S. and 209° 42ʹ W.) S. 75 W. In the morning we had found the variation,

by amplitude, to be 7° 50ʹ E., and by several azimuths 7° 54ʹ E. We had

a fresh breeze at N. W. from noon till three; it then came to the west,

when we tacked and stood to the northward. At five in the evening, being

about five or six leagues from the shore, with the Pigeon House bearing

W. S. W. distant about nine leagues, we had eighty-six fathom water; and

at eight, having thunder and lightning, with heavy squalls, we brought

to in 120 fathom.

At three in the morning, we made sail again to the northward, having the

advantage of a fresh gale at S. W. At noon we were about three or four

leagues from the shore, and in latitude 34° 22ʹ S., longitude 208° 36ʹ

W. In the course of this day’s run from the preceding noon, which was

forty-five miles north-east, we saw smoke in several places near the

beach. About two leagues to the northward of Cape George, the shore

seemed to form a bay, which promised shelter from the north-east winds,

but as the wind was with us, it was not in my power to look into it

without beating up, which would have cost me more time than I was

willing to spare. The north point of this bay, on account of its figure,

I named LONG NOSE; its latitude is 35° 6ʹ, and about eight leagues north

of it there lies a point, which, from the colour of the land about it, I

called RED POINT: its latitude is 34° 29ʹ, and longitude 208° 45ʹ W. To

the north-west of Red Point, and a little way inland, stands a round

hill, the top of which looks like the crown of a hat. In the afternoon

of this day we had a light breeze at N. N. W. till five in the evening,

when it fell calm. At this time, we were between three and four leagues

from the shore, and had forty-eight fathom water: the variation by

azimuth was 8° 48ʹ E. and the extremities of this land were from N. E.

by N. to S. W. by S. Before it was dark, we saw smoke in several places

along the shore, and a fire two or three times afterwards. During the

night we lay becalmed, driving in before the sea till one in the

morning, when we got a breeze from the land, with which we steered N.

E., being then in thirty-eight fathom. At noon it veered to N. E. by N.,

and we were then in latitude 34° 10ʹ S., longitude 208° 27ʹ W.: the land

was distant about five leagues, and extended from S. 37 W. to N. ½ E. In

this latitude there are some white cliffs, which rise perpendicularly

from the sea to a considerable height. We stood off the shore till two

o’clock, and then tacked and stood in till six, when we were within four

or five miles of it, and at that distance had fifty fathom water. The

extremities of the land bore from S. 28 W. to N. 25° 30ʹ E. We now

tacked and stood off till twelve, then tacked and stood in again till

four in the morning, when we made a trip off till daylight; and during

all this time we lost ground, owing to the variableness of the winds. We

continued at the distance of between four and five miles from the shore,

till the afternoon, when we came within two miles, and I then hoisted

out the pinnace and yawl to attempt a landing, but the pinnace proved to

be so leaky that I was obliged to hoist her in again. At this time we

saw several of the natives walking briskly along the shore, four of whom

carried a small canoe upon their shoulders. We flattered ourselves that

they were going to put her into the water, and come off to the ship, but

finding ourselves disappointed, I determined to go on shore in the yawl,

with as many as it would carry. I embarked, therefore, with only Mr.

Banks, Dr. Solander, Tupia, and four rowers: we pulled for that part of

the shore where the Indians appeared, near which four small canoes were

lying at the water’s edge. The Indians sat down upon the rocks, and

seemed to wait for our landing; but to our great regret, when we came

within about a quarter of a mile, they ran away into the woods. We

determined, however, to go ashore, and endeavour to procure an

interview; but in this we were again disappointed, for we found so great

a surf beating upon every part of the beach, that landing with our

little boat was altogether impracticable. We were therefore obliged to

be content with gazing at such objects as presented themselves from the

water. The canoes, upon a near view, seemed very much to resemble those

of the smaller sort at New Zealand. We observed, that among the trees on

shore, which were not very large, there was no underwood; and could

distinguish that many of them were of the palm kind, and some of them

cabbage trees: after many a wishful look we were obliged to return, with

our curiosity rather excited than satisfied, and about five in the

evening got on board the ship. About this time it fell calm, and our

situation was by no means agreeable. We were now not more than a mile

and a half from the shore, and within some breakers, which lay to the

southward; but happily a light breeze came off the land, and carried us

out of danger. With this breeze we stood to the northward, and at

day-break we discovered a bay, which seemed to be well sheltered from

all winds, and into which, therefore, I determined to go with the ship.

The pinnace being repaired, I sent her, with the master, to sound the

entrance, while I kept turning up, having the wind right out. At noon,

the mouth of the bay bore N. N. W., distant about a mile, and seeing a

smoke on the shore, we directed our glasses to the spot, and soon

discovered ten people, who, upon our nearer approach, left their fire,

and retired to a little eminence, whence they could conveniently observe

our motions. Soon after two canoes, each having two men on board, came

to the shore just under the eminence, and the men joined the rest on the

top of it. The pinnace, which had been sent a-head to sound, now

approached the place, upon which all the Indians retired farther up the

hill, except one, who hid himself among some rocks near the

landing-place. As the pinnace proceeded along the shore, most of the

people took the same route, and kept abreast of her at a distance. When

she came back, the master told us, that in a cove a little within the

harbour, some of them had come down to the beach, and invited him to

land by many signs and words, of which he knew not the meaning; but that

all of them were armed with long pikes, and a wooden weapon shaped

somewhat like a cimeter. The Indians who had not followed the boat,

seeing the ship approach, used many threatening gestures, and brandished

their weapons; particularly two, who made a very singular appearance,

for their faces seemed to have been dusted with a white powder, and

their bodies painted with broad streaks of the same colour, which

passing obliquely over their breasts and backs, looked not unlike the

cross-belts worn by our soldiers; the same kind of streaks were also

drawn round their legs and thighs, like broad garters. Each of these men

held in his hand the weapon that had been described to us as like a

cimeter, which appeared to be about two feet and a half long; and they

seemed to talk to each other with great earnestness.

We continued to stand into the bay, and early in the afternoon anchored

under the south shore, about two miles within the entrance, in six

fathom water, the south point bearing S. E., and the north point East.

As we came in we saw, on both points of the bay, a few huts, and several

of the natives, men, women, and children. Under the south head we saw

four small canoes, with each one man on board, who were very busily

employed in striking fish with a long pike or spear. They ventured

almost into the surf, and were so intent upon what they were doing, that

although the ship passed within a quarter of a mile of them, they

scarcely turned their eyes toward her; possibly, being deafened by the

surf, and their attention wholly fixed upon their business or sport,

they neither saw nor heard her go past them.

The place where the ship had anchored was abreast of a small village,

consisting of about six or eight houses; and while we were preparing to

hoist out the boat, we saw an old woman, followed by three children,

come out of the wood; she was loaded with fire-wood, and each of the

children had also its little burden. When she came to the houses, three

more children, younger than the others, came out to meet her: she often

looked at the ship, but expressed neither fear nor surprise. In a short

time she kindled a fire, and the four canoes came in from fishing. The

men landed, and having hauled up their boats, began to dress their

dinner, to all appearance, wholly unconcerned about us, though we were

within half a mile of them. We thought it remarkable that all of the

people we had yet seen, not one had the least appearance of clothing,

the old woman herself being destitute even of a fig-leaf.

After dinner the boats were manned, and we set out from the ship, having

Tupia of our party. We intended to land where we saw the people, and

began to hope that as they had so little regarded the ship’s coming into

the bay, they would as little regard our coming on shore. In this,

however, we were disappointed; for as soon as we approached the rocks,

two of the men came down upon them to dispute our landing, and the rest

ran away. Each of the two champions was armed with a lance about ten

feet long, and a short stick, which he seemed to handle as if it was a

machine to assist him in managing or throwing the lance. They called to

us in a very loud tone, and in a harsh dissonant language, of which

neither we nor Tupia understood a single word: they brandished their

weapons, and seemed resolved to defend their coast to the uttermost,

though they were but two, and we were forty. I could not but admire

their courage, and being very unwilling that hostilities should commence

with such inequality of force between us, I ordered the boat to lie upon

her oars: we then parlied by signs for about a quarter of an hour, and

to bespeak their good-will, I threw them nails, beads, and other

trifles, which they took up, and seemed to be well pleased with. I then

made signs that I wanted water, and, by all the means that I could

devise, endeavoured to convince them that we would do them no harm. They

now waved to us, and I was willing to interpret it as an invitation; but

upon our putting the boat in, they came again to oppose us. One appeared

to be a youth about nineteen or twenty, and the other a man of middle

age: as I had now no other resource, I fired a musket between them. Upon

the report, the youngest dropped a bundle of lances upon the rock, but

recollecting himself in an instant, he snatched them up again with great

haste. A stone was then thrown at us, upon which I ordered a musket to

be fired with small shot, which struck the eldest upon the legs, and he

immediately ran to one of the houses, which was distant about an hundred

yards. I now hoped that our contest was over, and we immediately landed;

but we had scarcely left the boat when he returned, and we then

perceived that he had left the rock only to fetch a shield or target for

his defence. As soon as he came up, he threw a lance at us, and his

comrade another; they fell where we stood thickest, but happily hurt

nobody. A third musket with small shot was then fired at them, upon

which one of them threw another lance, and both immediately ran away: if

we had pursued, we might probably have taken one of them; but Mr. Banks

suggesting that the lances might be poisoned, I thought it not prudent

to venture into the woods. We repaired immediately to the huts, in one

of which we found the children, who had hidden themselves behind a

shield and some bark; we peeped at them, but left them in their retreat,

without their knowing that they had been discovered, and we threw into

the house, when we went away, some beads, ribbons, pieces of cloth, and

other presents, which we hoped would procure us the good-will of the

inhabitants when they should return; but the lances which we found lying

about, we took away with us, to the number of about fifty: they were

from six to fifteen feet long, and all of them had four prongs in the

manner of a fish-gig, each of which was pointed with fish-bone, and very

sharp: we observed that they were smeared with a viscous substance of a

green colour, which favoured the opinion of their being poisoned, though

we afterwards discovered that it was a mistake: they appeared, by the

sea-weed that we found sticking to them, to have been used in striking

fish. Upon examining the canoes that lay upon the beach, we found them

to be the worst we had ever seen: they were between twelve and fourteen

feet long, and made of the bark of a tree in one piece, which was drawn

together and tied up at each end, the middle being kept open by sticks,

which were placed across them from gunwale to gunwale as thwarts. We

then searched for fresh water, but found none, except in a small hole

which had been dug in the sand.

Having reimbarked in our boat, we deposited our lances on board the

ship, and then went over to the north point of the bay, where we had

seen several of the inhabitants when we were entering it, but which we

now found totally deserted. Here, however, we found fresh water, which

trickled down from the top of the rocks, and stood in pools among the

hollows at the bottom; but it was situated so as not to be procured for

our use without difficulty.

In the morning, therefore, I sent a party of men to that part of the

shore where we first landed, with orders to dig holes in the sand where

the water might gather; but going ashore myself with the gentlemen soon

afterwards, we found, upon a more diligent search, a small stream, more

than sufficient for our purpose.

Upon visiting the hut where we had seen the children, we were greatly

mortified to find that the beads and ribbons which we had left there the

night before had not been moved from their places, and that not an

Indian was to be seen.

Having sent some empty water-casks on shore, and left a party of men to

cut wood, I went myself in the pinnace to sound, and examine the bay;

during my excursion I saw several of the natives, but they all fled at

my approach. In one of the places where I landed, I found several small

fires, and fresh muscles broiling upon them; here also I found some of

the largest oyster-shells I had ever seen.

As soon as the wooders and waterers came on board to dinner, ten or

twelve of the natives came down to the place, and looked with great

attention and curiosity at the casks, but did not touch them: they took

away, however, the canoes which lay near the landing-place, and again

disappeared. In the afternoon, when our people were again ashore,

sixteen or eighteen Indians, all armed, came boldly within about an

hundred yards of them, and then stopped: two of them advanced somewhat

nearer; and Mr. Hicks, who commanded the party on shore, with another,

advanced to meet them, holding out presents to them as he approached,

and expressing kindness and amity by every sign he could think of, but

all without effect; for before he could get up with them they retired,

and it would have answered no purpose to pursue. In the evening I went

with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander to a sandy cove on the north side of the

bay, where, in three or four hauls with the seine, we took above three

hundred weight of fish, which was equally divided among the ship’s

company.

The next morning, before day-break, the Indians came down to the houses

that were abreast of the ship, and were heard frequently to shout very

loud. As soon as it was light, they were seen walking along the beach;

and soon after they retired to the woods, where, at the distance of

about a mile from the shore, they kindled several fires.

Our people went ashore as usual, and with them Mr. Banks and Dr.

Solander, who, in search of plants, repaired to the woods. Our men, who

were employed in cutting grass, being the farthest removed from the main

body of the people, a company of fourteen or fifteen Indians advanced

towards them, having sticks in their hands, which, according to the

report of the serjeant of marines, shone like a musket. The

grass-cutters upon seeing them approach, drew together, and repaired to

the main body. The Indians, being encouraged by this appearance of a

flight, pursued them; they stopped, however, when they were within about

a furlong of them, and after shouting several times, went back into the

woods. In the evening they came again in the same manner, stopped at the

same distance, shouted and retired. I followed them myself, alone and

unarmed, for a considerable way along the shore, but I could not prevail

upon them to stop.

This day Mr. Green took the sun’s meridian altitude a little within the

south entrance of the bay, which gave the latitude 34° S., the variation

of the needle was 11° 3ʹ E.

Early the next morning, the body of Forby Sutherland, one of our seamen,

who died the evening before, was buried near the watering-place; and

from this incident I called the south point of this bay Sutherland

Point. This day we resolved to make an excursion into the country. Mr.

Banks, Dr. Solander, myself, and seven others, properly accoutred for

the expedition, set out, and repaired first to the huts near the

watering-place, whither some of the natives continued every day to

resort; and though the little presents which we had left there before

had not yet been taken away, we left others of somewhat more value,

consisting of cloth, looking-glasses, combs, and beads, and then went up

into the country. We found the soil to be either swamp or light sand,

and the face of the country finely diversified by wood and lawn. The

trees are tall, straight, and without underwood, standing at such a

distance from each other, that the whole country, at least where the

swamps do not render it incapable of cultivation, might be cultivated

without cutting down one of them. Between the trees the ground is

covered with grass, of which there is great abundance, growing in tufts

about as big as can well be grasped in the hand, which stand very close

to each other. We saw many houses of the inhabitants, and places where

they had slept upon the grass without any shelter; but we saw only one

of the people, who, the moment he discovered us, ran away. At all these

places we left presents, hoping that at length they might produce

confidence and good-will. We had a transient and imperfect view of a

quadruped, about as big as a rabbit. Mr. Banks’s greyhound, which was

with us, got sight of it, and would probably have caught it, but the

moment he set off he lamed himself against a stump which lay concealed

in the long grass. We afterwards saw the dung of an animal which fed

upon grass, and which we judged could not be less than a deer; and the

footsteps of another, which was clawed like a dog, and seemed to be

about as big as a wolf. We also tracked a small animal, whose foot

resembled that of a polecat or weasel. The trees over our head abounded

with birds of various kinds, among which were many of exquisite beauty,

particularly loriquets and cockatoos, which flew in flocks of several

scores together. We found some wood which had been felled by the natives

with a blunt instrument, and some that had been barked. The trees were

not of many species; among others there was a large one which yielded a

gum not unlike the _sanguis draconis_; and in some of them steps had

been cut at about three feet distance from each other, for the

convenience of climbing them.

From this excursion we returned between three and four o’clock, and

having dined on board, we went ashore again at the watering-place, where

a party of men were filling casks. Mr. Gore, the second lieutenant, had

been sent out in the morning with a boat to dredge for oysters at the

head of the bay; when he had performed this service, he went ashore, and

having taken a midshipman with him, and sent the boat away, set out to

join the waterers by land. In his way he fell in with a body of

two-and-twenty Indians, who followed him, and were often not more than

twenty yards distant. When Mr. Gore perceived them so near, he stopped,

and faced about, upon which they stopped also; and when he went on

again, continued their pursuit. They did not, however, attack him,

though they were all armed with lances, and he and the midshipman got in

safety to the watering-place. The Indians, who had slackened their

pursuit when they came in sight of the main body of our people, halted

at about the distance of a quarter of a mile, where they stood still.

Mr. Monkhouse and two or three of the waterers took it into their head

to march up to them; but seeing the Indians keep their ground till they

came pretty near them, they were seized with a sudden fear very common

to the rash and fool-hardy, and made a hasty retreat. This step, which

insured the danger that it was taken to avoid, encouraged the Indians,

and four of them running forward, discharged their lances at the

fugitives, with such force, that flying no less than forty yards, they

went beyond them. As the Indians did not pursue, our people, recovering

their spirits, stopped to collect the lances when they came up to the

place where they lay; upon which the Indians, in their turn, began to

retire. Just at this time I came up, with Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and

Tupia; and being desirous to convince the Indians that we were neither

afraid of them, nor intended them any mischief, we advanced towards

them, making signs of expostulation and entreaty; but they could not be

persuaded to wait till we could come up. Mr. Gore told us, that he had

seen some of them up the bay, who had invited him by signs to come on

shore, which he, certainly with great prudence, declined.

The morning of the next day was so rainy, that we were all glad to stay

on board. In the afternoon, however, it cleared up, and we made another

excursion along the sea-coast to the southward: we went ashore, and Mr.

Banks and Dr. Solander gathered many plants; but besides these we saw

nothing worthy of notice. At our first entering the woods, we met with

three of the natives, who instantly ran away: more of them were seen by

some of the people, but they all disappeared, with great precipitation,

as soon as they found that they were discovered. By the boldness of

these people at our first landing, and the terror that seized them at

the sight of us afterwards, it appears that they were sufficiently

intimidated by our fire-arms: not that we had any reason to think the

people much hurt by the small shot which we were obliged to fire at

them, when they attacked us at our coming out of the boat; but they had

probably seen the effects of them, from their lurking-places, upon the

birds that we had shot. Tupia, who was now become a good marksman,

frequently strayed from us to shoot parrots; and he had told us, that

while he was thus employed, he had once met with nine Indians, who, as

soon as they perceived he saw them, ran from him, in great confusion and

terror.

The next day, twelve canoes, in each of which was a single Indian, came

towards the watering-place, and were within half a mile of it a

considerable time: they were employed in striking fish, upon which, like

others that we had seen before, they were so intent, that they seemed to

regard nothing else. It happened, however, that a party of our people

were out a shooting near the place, and one of the men, whose curiosity

might at length, perhaps, be roused by the report of the fowling-pieces,

was observed by Mr. Banks to haul up his canoe upon the beach, and go

towards the shooting-party. In something more than a quarter of an hour,

he returned, launched his canoe, and went off in her to his companions.

This incident makes it probable that the natives acquired a knowledge of

the destructive power of our fire-arms, when we knew nothing of the

matter; for this man was not seen by any of the party whose operations

he had reconnoitred.

While Mr. Banks was gathering plants near the watering-place, I went

with Dr. Solander and Mr. Monkhouse to the head of the bay, that I might

examine that part of the country, and make farther attempts to form some

connexion with the natives. In our way we met with eleven or twelve

small canoes, with each a man in it, probably the same that were

afterwards abreast of the shore, who all made into shoal water upon our

approach. We met other Indians on shore the first time we landed, who

instantly took to their canoes, and paddled away. We went up the country

to some distance, and found the face of it nearly the same with that

which has been described already, but the soil was much richer; for,

instead of sand, I found a deep black mould, which I thought very fit

for the production of grain of any kind. In the woods we found a tree

which bore fruit that in colour and shape resembled a cherry: the juice

had an agreeable tartness, though but little flavour. We found also

interspersed some of the finest meadows in the world: some places,

however, were rocky, but these were comparatively few: the stone is

sandy, and might be used with advantage for building. When we returned

to the boat, we saw some smoke upon another part of the coast, and went

thither in hopes of meeting with the people, but at our approach, these

also ran away. We found six small canoes, and six fires very near the

beach, with some muscles roasting upon them, and a few oysters lying

near: by this we judged that there had been one man in each canoe, who

having picked up some shell fish, had come ashore to eat it, and made

his separate fire for that purpose. We tasted of their cheer, and left

them in return some strings of beads, and other things which we thought

would please them. At the foot of a tree in this place we found a small

well of fresh water, supplied by a spring; and the day being now far

spent, we returned to the ship. In the evening, Mr. Banks made a little

excursion with his gun, and found such a number of quails, resembling

those in England, that he might have shot as many as he pleased; but his

object was variety and not number.

The next morning, as the wind would not permit me to sail, I sent out

several parties into the country to try again whether some intercourse

could not be established with the natives. A midshipman, who belonged to

one of these parties, having straggled a long way from his companions,

met with a very old man and woman, and some little children; they were

sitting under a tree by the water side, and neither party saw the other

till they were close together. The Indians showed signs of fear, but did

not attempt to run away. The man happened to have nothing to give them

but a parrot that he had shot; this he offered, but they refused to

accept it, withdrawing themselves from his hand either through fear or

aversion. His stay with them was but short, for he saw several canoes

near the beach fishing, and being alone, he feared they might come

ashore and attack him. He said, that these people were very

dark-coloured, but not black; that the man and woman appeared to be very

old, being both grey-headed; that the hair of the man’s head was bushy,

and his beard long and rough; that the woman’s hair was cropped short;

and both of them were stark naked. Mr. Monkhouse, the surgeon, and one

of the men, who were with another party near the watering-place, also

strayed from their companions, and as they were coming out of a thicket,

observed six Indians standing together, at the distance of about fifty

yards. One of them pronounced a word very loud, which was supposed to be

a signal, for a lance was immediately thrown at him out of the wood,

which very narrowly missed him. When the Indians saw that the weapon had

not taken effect, they ran away with the greatest precipitation; but on

turning about towards the place whence the lance had been thrown, he saw

a young Indian, whom he judged to be about nineteen or twenty years old,

come down from a tree, and he also ran away with such speed as made it

hopeless to follow him. Mr. Monkhouse was of opinion that he had been

watched by these Indians in his passage through the thicket, and that

the youth had been stationed in the tree to discharge the lance at him,

upon a signal, as he should come by; but however this be, there could be

no doubt but that he was the person who threw the lance.

In the afternoon, I went myself with a party over to the north shore,

and while some of our people were hauling the seine, we made an

excursion a few miles into the country, proceeding afterwards in the

direction of the coast. We found this place without wood, and somewhat

resembling our moors in England; the surface of the ground, however, was

covered with a thin brush of plants, about as high as the knees. The

hills near the coast are low, but others rise behind them, increasing by

a gradual ascent to a considerable distance, with marshes and morasses

between. When we returned to the boat, we found that our people had

caught with the seine a great number of small fish, which are well known

in the West-Indies, and which our sailors call leather-jackets, because

their skin is remarkably thick. I had sent the second lieutenant out in

the yawl a striking, and when we got back to the ship, we found that he

also had been very successful. He had observed that the large

sting-rays, of which there is great plenty in the bay, followed the

flowing tide into very shallow water; he therefore took the opportunity

of flood, and struck several in not more than two or three feet water:

one of them weighed no less than two hundred and forty pounds after his

entrails were taken out.

The next morning, as the wind still continued northerly, I sent out the

yawl again, and the people struck one still larger, for when his

entrails were taken out he weighed three hundred and thirty-six pounds.

The great quantity of plants which Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander collected

in this place induced me to give it the name of BOTANY BAY. It is

situated in the latitude of 34° S., longitude 208° 37ʹ W. It is

capacious, safe, and convenient, and may be known by the land on the

sea-coast, which is nearly level, and of a moderate height; in general

higher than it is farther inland, with steep rocky cliffs next the sea,

which have the appearance of a long island lying close under the shore.

The harbour lies about the middle of this land, and in approaching it

from the southward, is discovered before the ship comes abreast of it;

but from the northward it is not discovered so soon: the entrance is a

little more than a quarter of a mile broad, and lies in W. N. W. To sail

into it, the southern shore should be kept on board, till the ship is

within a small bare island, which lies close under the north shore;

within this island the deepest water on that side is seven fathom

shallowing to five a good way up. At a considerable distance from the

south shore there is a shoal reaching from the inner south point quite

to the head of the harbour; but over towards the north and north-west

shore there is a channel of twelve or fourteen feet at low water, for

three or four leagues, up to a place where there is three or four

fathom; but here I found very little fresh water. We anchored near the

south shore, about a mile within the entrance, for the convenience of

sailing with a southerly wind, and because I thought it the best

situation for watering; but I afterwards found a very fine stream on the

north shore, in the first sandy cove within the island, before which a

ship might lie almost land-locked, and procure wood as well as water in

great abundance. Wood, indeed, is every where plenty, but I saw only two

kinds which may be considered as timber. These trees are as large, or

larger, than the English oak, and one of them has not a very different

appearance; this is the same that yields the reddish gum like _sanguis

draconis_, and the wood is heavy, hard, and dark-coloured, like _lignum

vitæ_: the other grows tall and straight, something like the pine; and

the wood of this, which has some resemblance to the live oak of America,

is also hard and heavy. There are a few shrubs, and several kinds of the

palm: mangroves also grow in great plenty near the head of the bay. The

country in general is level, low, and woody, as far as we could see. The

woods, as I have before observed, abound with birds of exquisite beauty,

particularly of the parrot kind: we found also crows here, exactly the

same with those in England. About the head of the harbour, where there

are large flats of sand and mud, there is great plenty of water-fowl,

most of which were altogether unknown to us; one of the most remarkable

was black and white, much larger than a swan, and in shape somewhat

resembling a pelican. On these banks of sand and mud there are great

quantities of oysters, muscles, cockles, and other shell-fish, which

seem to be the principal subsistence of the inhabitants, who go into

shoal water with their little canoes, and pick them out with their

hands. We did not observe that they eat any of them raw, nor do they

always go on shore to dress them, for they have frequently fires in

their canoes for that purpose. They do not, however, subsist wholly upon

this food, for they catch a variety of other fish, some of which they

strike with gigs, and some they take with hook and line. All the

inhabitants that we saw were stark naked; they did not appear to be

numerous, nor to live in societies, but, like other animals, were

scattered about along the coast, and in the woods. Of their manner of

life, however, we could know but little, as we were never able to form

the least connection with them: after the first contest at our landing,

they would never come near enough to parley; nor did they touch a single

article of all that we had left at their huts, and the places they

frequented, on purpose for them to take away.

During my stay in this harbour I caused the English colours to be

displayed on shore every day, and the ship’s name, and the date of the

year, to be inscribed upon one of the trees near the watering-place.

It is high-water here at the full and change of the moon about eight

o’clock, and the tide rises and falls perpendicularly between four and

five feet.

CHAP. II.

THE RANGE FROM BOTANY BAY TO TRINITY BAY; WITH A FARTHER ACCOUNT OF THE

COUNTRY, ITS INHABITANTS, AND PRODUCTIONS.

AT day-break, on Sunday, the 6th of May, 1770, we set sail from Botany

Bay, with a light breeze at N. W., which soon after coming to the

southward, we steered along the shore N. N. E.; and at noon, our

latitude, by observation, was 33° 50ʹ S. At this time we were between

two and three miles distant from the land, and abreast of a bay or

harbour, in which there appeared to be good anchorage, and which I

called PORT JACKSON. This harbour lies three leagues to the northward of

Botany Bay: the variation, by several azimuths, appeared to be 8° E. At

sun-set, the northermost land in sight bore N. 26 E., and some broken

land, that seemed to form a bay, bore N. 40 W., distant four leagues.

This bay, which lies in latitude 33° 42ʹ, I called BROKEN BAY. We

steered along the shore N. N. E. all night, at the distance of about

three leagues from the land, having from thirty-two to thirty-six fathom

water, with a hard sandy bottom.

Soon after sun-rise on the 7th, I took several azimuths, with four

needles belonging to the azimuth compass, the mean result of which gave

the variation 7° 56ʹ E. At noon our latitude, by observation, was 33°

22ʹ S.: we were about three leagues from the shore, the northermost land

in sight bore N. 19 E., and some lands which projected in three bluff

points, and which, for that reason, I called CAPE THREE POINTS, bore S.

W., distant five leagues. Our longitude from BOTANY BAY was 19ʹ E. In

the afternoon, we saw smoke in several places upon the shore, and in the

evening, found the variation to be 8° 25ʹ E. At this time we were

between two and three miles from the shore, in twenty-eight fathom; and

at noon, the next day, we had not advanced one step to the northward. We

stood off shore, with the winds northerly, till twelve at night, and at

the distance of about five leagues, had seventy fathom; at the distance

of six leagues we had eighty fathom, which is the extent of the

soundings; for at the distance of ten leagues, we had no ground with 150

fathom.

The wind continuing northerly till the morning of the 10th, we continued

to stand in and off the shore, with very little change of situation in

other respects; but a gale then springing up at S. W., we made the best

of our way along the shore to the northward. At sun-rise, our latitude

was 33° 2ʹ S., and the variation 8° E. At nine in the forenoon, we

passed a remarkable hill, which stood a little way inland, and somewhat

resembled the crown of a hat; and at noon, our latitude, by observation,

was 32° 53ʹ S., and our longitude 208° W. We were about two leagues

distant from the land, which extended from N. 41 E. to S. 41 W., and a

small round rock, or island, which lay close under the land, bore S. 82

W., distant between three and four leagues. At four in the afternoon, we

passed, at the distance of about a mile, a low rocky point, which I

called POINT STEPHENS; on the north side of which is an inlet, which I

called PORT STEPHENS: this inlet appeared to me, from the masthead, to

be sheltered from all winds. It lies in latitude 32° 40ʹ, longitude 207°

51ʹ, and at the entrance are three small islands, two of which are high;

and on the main near the shore are some high round hills, which at a

distance appear like islands. In passing this bay, at the distance of

two or three miles from the shore, our soundings were from thirty-three

to twenty-seven fathom, from which I conjectured that there must be a

sufficient depth of water within it. At a little distance within land,

we saw smoke in several places; and at half an hour past five, the

northermost land in sight bore N. 36 E. and Point Stephens S. W.,

distant four leagues. Our soundings in the night were from forty-eight

to sixty-two fathom, at the distance of between three and four leagues

from the shore, which made in two hillocks. This Point I called CAPE

HAWKE: it lies in the latitude of 32° 14ʹ S., longitude 207° 30ʹ W.; and

at four o’clock in the morning bore W., distant about eight miles; at

the same time the northermost land in sight bore N. 6 E. and appeared

like an island. At noon, this land bore N. 8 E., the northermost land in

sight N. 13 E., and Cape Hawke S. 37 W. Our latitude, by observation,

was 32° 2ʹ S. which was twelve miles to the southward of that given by

the log; so that probably we had a current setting that way: by the

morning amplitude and azimuth, the variation was 9° 10ʹ E. During our

run along the shore, in the afternoon, we saw smoke in several places,

at a little distance from the beach, and one upon the top of a hill,

which was the first we had seen upon elevated ground since our arrival

upon the coast. At sunset, we had twenty-three fathom, at the distance

of a league and a half from the shore: the northermost land then bore N.

13 E., and three hills, remarkably large and high, lying contiguous to

each other, and not far from the beach, N. N. W. As these hills bore

some resemblance to each other, we called them THE THREE BROTHERS. They

lie in latitude 31° 40ʹ, and may be seen fourteen or sixteen leagues. We

steered N. E. by N. all night, having from twenty-seven to sixty-seven

fathom, at the distance of between two and six leagues from the shore.

At day-break, we steered north, for the northermost land in sight. At

noon, we were four leagues from the shore, and, by observation, in

latitude 31° 18ʹ S., which was fifteen miles to the southward of that

given by the log; our longitude 206° 58ʹ W. In the afternoon, we stood

in for the land, where we saw smoke in several places, till six in the

evening, when, being within three or four miles of it, and in

twenty-four fathom of water, we stood off with a fresh breeze at N. and

N. N. W. till midnight, when we had 118 fathom, at the distance of eight

leagues from the land, and then tacked. At three in the morning, the

wind veered to the westward, when we tacked and stood to the northward.

At noon, our latitude, by observation, was 30° 43ʹ S., and our longitude

206° 45ʹ W. At this time we were between three and four leagues from the

shore, the northermost part of which bore from us N. 13 W. and a point,

or head-land, on which we saw fires that produced a great quantity of

smoke, bore W., distant four leagues. To this point I gave the name of

SMOKEY CAPE: it is of a considerable height, and over the pitch of the

point is a round hillock; within it are two others, much higher and

larger, and within them the land is very low. Our latitude was 30° 31ʹ

S., longitude 206° 54ʹ W.: this day the observed latitude was only five

miles south of the log. We saw smoke in several parts along the coast,

besides that seen upon Smokey Cape.

In the afternoon, the wind being at N. E., we stood off and on, and at

three or four miles distance from the shore had thirty fathom water: the

wind afterwards coming cross off land, we stood to the northward, having

from thirty to twenty-one fathom, at the distance of four or five miles

from the shore.

At five in the morning, the wind veered to the north, and blew fresh,

attended with squalls: at eight it began to thunder and rain, and in

about an hour it fell calm, which gave us an opportunity to sound, and

we had eighty-six fathom at between four and five leagues from the

shore. Soon after this we had a gale from the southward, with which we

steered N. by W. for the northermost land in sight. At noon we were

about four leagues from the shore, and by observation, in latitude 30°

22ʹ, which was nine miles to the southward of our reckoning, longitude

206° 39ʹ W. Some lands near the shore, of a considerable height, bore W.

As we advanced to the northward from Botany Bay, the land gradually

increased in height, so that in this latitude it may be called a hilly

country. Between this latitude and the Bay, it exhibits a pleasing

variety of ridges, hills, vallies, and plains, all clothed with wood, of

the same appearance with that which has been particularly described. The

land near the shore is in general low and sandy, except the points,

which are rocky, and over many of them are high hills, which, at their

first rising out of the water, have the appearance of islands. In the

afternoon, we had some small rocky islands between us and the land, the

southermost of which lies in latitude 30° 10ʹ, and the northermost in

29° 58ʹ, and somewhat more than two leagues from the land: about two

miles without the northermost island we had thirty-three fathom water.

Having the advantage of a moon, we steered along the shore all night, in

the direction of N. and N. by E., keeping at the distance of about three

leagues from the land, and having from twenty to twenty-five fathom

water. As soon as it was light, having a fresh gale, we made all the

sail we could; and at nine o’clock in the morning, being about a league

from the shore, we discovered smoke in many places, and having recourse

to our glasses, we saw about twenty of the natives, who had each a large

bundle upon his back, which we conjectured to be palm-leaves for

covering their houses. We continued to observe them above an hour,

during which they walked upon the beach, and up a path that led over a

hill of a gentle ascent, behind which we lost sight of them: not one of

them was observed to stop and look towards us, but they trudged along,

to all appearance, without the least emotion, either of curiosity or

surprise, though it is impossible they should not have seen the ship by

a casual glance as they walked along the shore; and though she must,

with respect to every other object they had yet seen, have been little

less stupendous and unaccountable than a floating mountain with all its

woods would have been to us. At noon, our latitude, by observation, was

28° 39ʹ S., and longitude 206° 27ʹ W. A high point of land, which I

named CAPE BYRON, bore N. W. by W., at the distance of three miles. It

lies in latitude 28° 37ʹ 30ʺ S., longitude 206° 30ʹ W., and may be known

by a remarkable sharp-peaked mountain, which lies inland, and bears from

it N. W. by W. From this point the land trends N. 13 W.: inland it is

high and hilly, but low near the shore: to the southward of the point it

is also low and level. We continued to steer along the shore with a

fresh gale, till sun-set, when we suddenly discovered breakers a-head,

directly in the ship’s course, and also on our larboard bow. At this

time we were about five miles from the land, and had twenty fathom

water: we hauled up east till eight, when we had run eight miles, and

increased our depth of water to forty-four fathom; we then brought to,

with the ship’s head to the eastward, and lay upon this tack till ten,

when, having increased our sounding to seventy-eight fathom, we wore and

lay with the ship’s head to the land till five in the morning, when we

made sail, and, at day-light, were greatly surprised to find ourselves

farther to the southward than we had been the evening before, though the

wind had been southerly, and blown fresh all night. We now saw the

breakers again within us, and passed them at the distance of one league.

They lie in latitude 28° 8ʹ S., stretching off east two leagues from a

point of land, under which is a small island. Their situation may always

be known by the peaked mountain which has been just mentioned, and which

bears from them S. W. by W.: for this reason I have named it MOUNT

WARNING. It lies seven or eight leagues inland, in latitude 28° 22ʹ S.

The land about it is high and hilly, but it is of itself sufficiently

conspicuous to be at once distinguished from every other object. The

point off which these shoals lie I have named POINT DANGER. To the

northward of this point the land is low, and trends N. W. by N.; but it

soon turns again more to the northward.

At noon we were about two leagues from the land, and, by observation, in

latitude 27° 46ʹ S., which was seventeen miles to the southward of the

log: our longitude was 206° 26ʹ W. Mount Warning bore S. 26 W. distant

fourteen leagues, and the northernmost land in sight bore N. We pursued

our course along the shore, at the distance of about two leagues, in the

direction of N. ¾ E. till between four and five in the afternoon, when

we discovered breakers on our larboard bow. Our depth of water was

thirty-seven fathom, and at sunset, the northernmost land bore N. by W.,

the breakers N. W. by W., distant four miles, and the northernmost land

set at noon, which formed a point, and to which I gave the name of POINT

LOOK-OUT, W. distant five or six miles, in the latitude of 27° 6ʹ. On

the north side of this point, the shore forms a wide open bay, which I

called MORETON’S BAY, in the bottom of which the land is so low that I

could but just see it from the top-mast head. The breakers lie between

three or four miles from Point Look-out; and at this time we had a great

sea from the southward, which broke upon them very high. We stood on N.

N. E. till eight o’clock, when having passed the breakers, and deepened

our water to fifty-two fathom, we brought to till midnight, when we made

sail again to the N. N. E. At four in the morning we had 135 fathom, and

when the day broke, I perceived that during the night I had got much

farther northward, and from the shore, than I expected from the course

we steered, for we were distant at least seven leagues; I therefore

hauled in N. W. by W., with a fresh gale at S. S. W. The land that was

farthest to the north the night before now bore S. S. W., distant six

leagues, and I gave it the name of CAPE MORETON, it being the north

point of Moreton’s Bay: its latitude is 26° 56ʹ, and its longitude is

206° 28ʹ. From Cape Moreton the land trends away west, farther than can

be seen, for there is a small space, where at this time no land is

visible; and some on board having also observed that the sea looked

paler than usual, were of opinion that the bottom of Moreton’s Bay

opened into a river. We had here thirty-four fathom water, and a fine

sandy bottom: this alone would have produced the change that had been

observed in the colour of the water; and it was by no means necessary to

suppose a river to account for the land at the bottom of the bay not

being visible; for supposing the land there to be as low as we knew it

to be in a hundred other parts of the coast, it would have been

impossible to see it from the station of the ship; however, if any

future navigator should be disposed to determine the question, whether

there is or is not a river in this place, which the wind would not

permit us to do, the situation may always be found by three hills which

lie to the northward of it, in the latitude of 26° 53ʹ. These hills lie

but a little way inland, and not far from each other: they are

remarkable for the singular form of their elevation, which very much

resembles a glass-house, and for which reason I called them the

GLASS-HOUSES. The northernmost of the three is the highest and largest:

there are also several other peaked hills inland to the northward of

these, but they are not nearly so remarkable. At noon our latitude was,

by observation, 26° 28ʹ S., which was ten miles to the northward of the

log, a circumstance which had never before happened upon this coast; our

longitude was 206° 46ʹ. At this time we were between two and three

leagues from the land, and had twenty-four fathom water. A low bluff

point, which was the south head of a sandy bay, bore N. 62 W., distant

three leagues, and the northernmost point of land in sight bore N. ¼ E.

This day we saw smoke in several places, and some at a considerable

distance inland.

In steering along the shore at the distance of two leagues, our

soundings were from twenty-four to thirty-two fathom, with a sandy

bottom. At six in the evening the northernmost point of the land bore N.

¼ W., distant four leagues; at ten it bore N. W. by W. ½ W., and as we

had seen no land to the northward of it, we brought to, not well knowing

which way to steer.

At two in the morning, however, we made sail with the wind at S. W., and

at day-light, we saw the land extending as far as N. ¾ E.: the point we

had set the night before bore S. W. by W., distant between three and

four leagues. It lies in latitude 25° 58ʹ, longitude 206° 48ʹ W.: the

land within it is of a moderate and equal height, but the point itself

is so unequal, that it looks like two small islands lying under the

land, for which reason I gave it the name of DOUBLE ISLAND POINT: it may

also be known by the white cliffs on the north side of it. Here the land

trends to the N. W., and forms a large open bay, the bottom of which is

so low a flat that from the deck it could scarcely be seen. In crossing

this bay, our depth of water was from thirty to twenty-two fathom, with

a white sandy bottom. At noon we were about three leagues from the

shore, in latitude 25° 34ʹ S., longitude 206° 45ʹ W.: Double Island

Point bore S. ¾ W., and the northernmost land in sight N. ¾ E. This part

of the coast, which is of a moderate height, is more barren than any we

had seen, and the soil more sandy. With our glasses we could discover

that the sands, which lay in great patches of many acres, were moveable,

and that some of them had not been long in the place they possessed; for

we saw in several parts trees half buried, the tops of which were still

green; and in others, the naked trunks of such as the sand had

surrounded long enough to destroy. In other places the woods appeared to

be low and shrubby, and we saw no signs of inhabitants. Two water-snakes

swam by the ship: they were beautifully spotted, and in every respect

like land snakes, except that their tails were broad and flat, probably

to serve them instead of fins in swimming. In the morning of this day

the variation was 8° 20ʹ E., and in the evening 8° 36ʹ. During the night

we continued our course to the northward, with a light breeze from the

land, being distant from it between two and three leagues, and having

from twenty-three to twenty-seven fathom, with a fine sandy bottom.

At noon, on the 19th, we were about four miles from the land, with only

thirteen fathom. Our latitude was 25° 4ʹ, and the northernmost land in

sight bore N. 21 W., distant eight miles. At one o’clock, being still

four miles distant from the shore, but having seventeen fathom water, we

passed a black bluff head, or point of land, upon which a great number

of the natives were assembled, and which therefore I called INDIAN HEAD:

it lies in latitude 25° 3ʹ. About four miles N. by W. of this head is

another very like it, from whence the land trends away somewhat more to

the westward: next to the sea it is low and sandy, and behind it nothing

was to be seen, even from the mast-head. Near Indian Head we saw more of

the natives, and upon the neighbouring shore fires by night, and smoke

by day. We kept to the northward all night, at the distance of from four

miles to four leagues from the shore, and with a depth of water from

seventeen to thirty-four fathom. At day-break, the northernmost land

bore from us W. S. W., and seemed to end in a point, from which we

discovered a reef running out to the northward as far as we could see.

We had hauled our wind to the westward before it was light, and

continued the course till we saw the breakers upon our lee-bow. We now

edged away N. W. and N. N. W. along the eastside of the shoal, from two

to one mile distant, having regular soundings from thirteen to seven

fathom, with a fine sandy bottom. At noon our latitude, by observation,

was 20° 26ʹ, which was thirteen miles to the northward of the log: we

judged the extreme point of the shoal to bear from us about N. W., and

the point from which it seemed to run out bore S. ¾ W., distant twenty

miles. This point I named SANDY CAPE, from two very large patches of

white sand which lay upon it. It is sufficiently high to be seen at the

distance of twelve leagues, in clear weather, and lies in latitude 24°

45ʹ, longitude 206° 51ʹ: the land trends from it S. W. as far as can be

seen. We kept along the east side of the shoal till two in the

afternoon, when, judging that there was a sufficient depth of water upon

it to allow passage for the ship, I sent the boat a-head to sound, and

upon her making the signal for more than five fathom, we hauled our

wind, and stood over the tail of it in six fathom. At this time we were

in latitude 24° 22ʹ, and Sandy Cape bore S. ½ E., distant eight leagues;

but the direction of the shoal is nearest N. N. W. and S. S. E. It is

remarkable that when on board the ship we had six fathom, the boat,

which was scarcely a quarter of a mile to the southward, had little more

than five, and that immediately after six fathom we had thirteen, and

then twenty, as fast as the man could cast the lead: from these

circumstances, I conjectured that the west side of the shoal was steep.

This shoal I called the BREAK SEA SPIT, because we had now smooth water,

and to the southward of it we had always a high sea from the S. E. At

six in the evening, the land of Sandy Cape extended from S. 17 E. to S.

27 E., at the distance of eight leagues; our depth of water was

twenty-three fathom: with the same soundings we stood to the westward

all night. At seven in the morning, we saw, from the mast-head, the land

of Sandy Cape bearing S. E. ½ E., distant about thirteen leagues: at

nine, we discovered land to the westward, and soon after saw smoke in

several places. Our depth of water was now decreased to seventeen

fathom, and by noon we had no more than thirteen, though we were seven

leagues from the land, which extended from S. by W. to W. N. W. Our

latitude at this time was 24° 28ʹ S. For a few days past we had seen

several of the sea-birds called boobies, not having met with any of them

before; last night a small flock of them passed the ship, and went away

to the N. W., and in the morning, from about half an hour before sunrise

to half an hour after, flights of them were continually coming from the

N. N. W. and flying to the S. S. E., nor was one of them seen to fly in

any other direction; we therefore conjectured that there was a lagoon,

river, or inlet of shallow water, in the bottom of the deep bay, to the

southward of us, whither these birds resorted to feed in the day, and

that not far to the northward there were some islands to which they

repaired in the night. To this bay I gave the name of HERVEY’S BAY, in

honour of Captain Hervey. In the afternoon we stood in for the land,

steering S. W., with a gentle breeze at S. E. till four o’clock, when,

being in latitude 24° 36ʹ, about two leagues from the shore, and having

nine fathom water, we bore away along the coast N. W. by W., and at the

same time could see land extending to the S. S. E. about eight leagues.

Near the sea the land is very low, but within there are some lofty

hills, all thickly clothed with wood. While we were running along the

shore, we shallowed our water from nine to seven fathom, and at one time

we had but six, which determined us to anchor for the night.

At six in the morning we weighed, with a gentle breeze from the

southward, and steered N. W. ¼ W., edging in for the land, till we got

within two miles of it, with water from seven to eleven fathom; we then

steered N. N. W. as the land lay, and at noon our latitude was 24° 19ʹ.

We continued in the same course, at the same distance, with from twelve

fathom to seven, till five in the evening, when we were abreast of the

south point of a large open bay, in which I intended to anchor. During

this course, we discovered with our glasses that the land was covered

with palm-nut trees, which we had not seen from the time of our leaving

the islands within the tropic: we also saw two men walking along the

shore, who did not condescend to take the least notice of us. In the

evening, having hauled close upon a wind, and made two or three trips,

we anchored about eight o’clock in five fathom, with a fine sandy

bottom. The south point of the bay bore E. ¾ S. distant two miles, the

north point N. W. ¼ N., and about the same distance from the shore.

Early the next morning I went ashore, with a party of men, in order to

examine the country, accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, the other

gentlemen, and Tupia: the wind blew fresh, and we found it so cold, that

being at some distance from the shore, we took our cloaks as a necessary

equipment for the voyage. We landed a little within the south point of

the bay, where we found a channel leading into a large lagoon: this

channel I proceeded to examine, and found three fathom water till I got

about a mile up it, where I met with a shoal, upon which there was

little more than one fathom, but having passed over it, I had three

fathom again. The entrance of this channel lies close to the south point

of the bay, being formed by the shore on the east, and on the west by a

large spit of sand: it is about a quarter of a mile broad, and lies in

S. by W. In this place there is room for a few ships to lie in great

security, and a small stream of fresh water: I would have rowed into the

lagoon, but was prevented by shallows. We found several bogs, and swamps

of salt water, upon which, and by the sides of the lagoon, grows the

true mangrove, such as is found in the West Indies, and the first of the

kind that we had met with. In the branches of these mangroves there were

many nests of a remarkable kind of ant, that was as green as grass: when

the branches were disturbed they came out in great numbers, and punished

the offender by a much sharper bite than ever we had felt from the same

kind of animal before. Upon these mangroves also we saw small green

caterpillars in great numbers: their bodies were thick set with hairs,

and they were ranged upon the leaves side by side like a file of

soldiers, to the number of twenty or thirty together: when we touched

them, we found that the hair of their bodies had the quality of a

nettle, and gave us a much more acute, though less durable pain. The

country here is manifestly worse than about Botany Bay: the soil is dry

and sandy, but the sides of the hills are covered with trees, which grow

separately, without underwood. We found here the tree that yields a gum

like the _sanguis draconis_; but it is somewhat different from the trees

of the same kind which we had seen before, for the leaves are longer,

and hang down like those of the weeping willow. We found also much less

gum upon them, which is contrary to the established opinion, that the

hotter the climate the more gums exude. Upon a plant also, which yielded

a yellow gum, there was less than upon the same kind of plant in Botany

Bay. Among the shoals and sand-banks we saw many large birds, some in

particular of the same kind that we had seen in Botany Bay, much bigger

than swans, which we judged to be pelicans; but they were so shy that we

could not get within gun-shot of them. Upon the shore we saw a species

of the bustard, one of which we shot: it was as large as a turkey, and

weighed seventeen pounds and a half. We all agreed that this was the

best bird we had eaten since we left England; and in honour of it we

called this inlet BUSTARD BAY. It lies in latitude 24° 4ʹ, longitude

208° 18ʹ. The sea seemed to abound with fish; but, unhappily, we tore

our seine all to pieces at the first haul. Upon the mud banks, under the

mangroves, we found innumerable oysters of various kinds; among others,

the hammer-oyster, and a large proportion of small pearl-oysters: if in

deeper water there is equal plenty of such oysters at their full growth,

a pearl fishery might certainly be established here to very great

advantage.

The people who were left on board the ship said, that while we were in

the woods about twenty of the natives came down to the beach, abreast of

her, and having looked at her some time, went away; but we that were

ashore, though we saw smoke in many places, saw no people: the smoke was

at places too distant for us to get to them by land, except one, to

which we repaired: we found ten small fires still burning within a few

paces of each other; but the people were gone. We saw near them several

vessels of bark, which we supposed to have contained water, and some

shells and fish-bones, the remains of a recent meal. We saw also, lying

upon the ground, several pieces of soft bark, about the length and

breadth of a man, which we imagined might be their beds; and, on the

windward side of the fires, a small shade, about a foot and a half high,

of the same substance. The whole was in a thicket of close trees, which

afforded good shelter from the wind. The place seemed to be much

trodden, and as we saw no house, nor any remains of a house, we were

inclined to believe that, as these people had no clothes, they had no

dwelling, but spent their nights, among the other commoners of nature,

in the open air; and Tupia himself, with an air of superiority and

compassion, shook his head, and said, that they were _Taata Enos_, “poor

wretches.” I measured the perpendicular height of the last tide, and

found it to be eight feet above low water-mark; and from the time of low

water this day, I found that it must be high-water at the full and

change of the moon at eight o’clock.

At four o’clock in the morning we weighed, and with a gentle breeze at

south made sail out of the bay. In standing out, our soundings were from

five to fifteen fathom; and at daylight, when we were in the greatest

depth, and abreast of the north head of the bay, we discovered breakers

stretching out from it N. N. E. between two and three miles, with a rock

at the outermost point of them, just above water. While we were passing

these rocks, at the distance of about half a mile, we had from fifteen

to twenty fathom, and as soon as we had passed them, we hauled along

shore W. N. W. for the farthest land we had in sight. At noon our

latitude, by observation, was 23° 52ʹ S.; the north part of Bustard Bay

bore S. 62 E., distant ten miles, and the northernmost land in sight N.

60 W.; the longitude was 208° 37ʹ, and our distance from the nearest

shore six miles, with fourteen fathom water.

Till five in the afternoon it was calm, but afterwards we steered before

the wind N. W. as the land lay till ten at night, and then brought to,

having had all along fourteen and fifteen fathom. At five in the morning

we made sail; and at daylight the northernmost point of the main bore N.

70 W. Soon after we saw more land, making like islands, and bearing N.

W. by N. At nine we were abreast of the point, at the distance of one

mile, with fourteen fathom water. This point I found to lie directly

under the tropic of Capricorn; and for that reason I called it CAPE

CAPRICORN: its longitude is 208° 58ʹ W.: it is of a considerable height,

looks white and barren, and may be known by some islands which lie to

the N. W. of it, and some small rocks at the distance of about a league

S. E. On the west side of the Cape there appeared to be a lagoon, and on

the two spits which formed the entrance, we saw an incredible number of

the large birds that resemble a pelican. The northernmost land now in

sight bore from Cape Capricorn N. 24 W., and appeared to be an island;

but the main land trended W. by N. ½ N., which course we steered, having

from fifteen to six fathom, and from six to nine, with a hard sandy

bottom. At noon our latitude, by observation, was 23° 24ʹ S.; Cape

Capricorn bore S. 60 E. distant two leagues; and a small island N. by E.

two miles: in this situation we had nine fathom, being about four miles

from the main, which, next the sea, is low and sandy, except the points

which are high and rocky. The country inland is hilly, but by no means

of a pleasing aspect. We continued to stand to the N. W. till four

o’clock in the afternoon, when it fell calm; and we soon after anchored

in twelve fathom, having the main land and islands in a manner all round

us, and Cape Capricorn bearing S. 54 E., distant four leagues. In the

night we found the tide rise and fall near seven feet; and the flood to

set to the westward, and the ebb to the eastward, which is just contrary

to what we found when we were at anchor to the eastward of Bustard Bay.

At six in the morning we weighed, with a gentle breeze at south, and

stood away to the N. W. between the outermost range of islands and the

main, leaving several small islands between the main and the ship, which

we passed at a very little distance: our soundings being irregular, from

twelve to four fathom, I sent a boat ahead to sound. At noon we were

about three miles from the main, and about the same distance from the

islands without us: our latitude, by observation, was 23° 7ʹ S. The main

land here is high and mountainous; the islands which lie off it are also

most of them high, and of a small circuit, having an appearance rather

of barrenness than fertility. At this time we saw smoke in many places

at a considerable distance inland, and therefore conjectured that there

might be a lagoon, river, or inlet, running up the country, the rather

as we had passed two places which had the appearance of being such; but

our depth of water was too little to encourage me to venture where I

should probably have less. We had not stood to the northward above an

hour, before we suddenly fell into three fathom; upon which I anchored,

and sent away the master to sound the channel which lay to leeward of

us, between the northernmost island and the main: it appeared to be

pretty broad, but I suspected that it was shallow, and so indeed it was

found; for the master reported at his return that in many places he had

only two fathom and a half, and where we lay at anchor we had only

sixteen feet, which was not two feet more than the ship drew. While the

master was sounding the channel, Mr. Banks tried to fish from the cabin

windows with hook and line. The water was too shallow for fish; but the

ground was almost covered with crabs, which readily took the bait, and

sometimes held it so fast in their claws, that they did not quit their

hold till they were considerably above water. These crabs were of two

sorts, and both of them such as we had not seen before: one of them was

adorned with the finest blue that can be imagined, in every respect

equal to the ultra-marine, with which all his claws and every joint was

deeply tinged: the under part of him was white, and so exquisitely

polished, that in colour and brightness it exactly resembled the white

of old china. The other was also marked with the ultra-marine upon his

joints and his toes, but somewhat more sparingly; and his back was

marked with three brown spots, which had a singular appearance. The

people who had been out with the boat to sound, reported, that, upon an

island where we had observed two fires, they had seen several of the

inhabitants, who called to them, and seemed very desirous that they

should land. In the evening the wind veered to E. N. E., which gave us

an opportunity to stretch three or four miles back by the way we came;

after which, the wind shifted to the south, and obliged us again to

anchor in six fathom.

At five in the morning I sent away the master to search for a passage

between the islands, while we got the ship under sail; and as soon as it

was light we followed the boat, which made a signal that a passage had

been found. As soon as we had got again into deep water, we made sail to

the northward, as the land lay, with soundings from nine fathom to

fifteen, and some small islands still without us. At noon we were about

two leagues distant from the main; and, by observation, in latitude 22°

53ʹ S. The northernmost point of land in sight now bore N. N. W.,

distant ten miles. To this point I gave the name of CAPE MANIFOLD, from

the number of high hills which appeared over it: it lies in latitude 22°

43ʹ S., and distant about seventeen leagues from Cape Capricorn, in the

direction of N. 26 W. Between these capes the shore forms a large bay,

which I called KEPPEL BAY; and I also distinguished the islands by the

name of KEPPEL’S ISLANDS. In this bay there is good anchorage; but what

refreshments it may afford I know not: we caught no fish, though we were

at anchor; but probably there is fresh water in several places, as both

the islands and the main are inhabited. We saw smoke and fires upon the

main; and upon the islands we saw people. At three in the afternoon we

passed Cape Manifold, from which the land trends N. N. W. The land of

the Cape is high, rising in hills directly from the sea; and may be

known by three islands which lie off it, one of them near the shore, and

the other two eight miles out at sea. One of these islands is low and

flat, and the other high and round. At six o’clock in the evening we

brought to, when the northernmost part of the main in sight bore N. W.,

and some islands which lie off it N. 31 W. Our soundings after twelve

o’clock were from twenty to twenty-five fathom, and in the night from

thirty to thirty-four.

At daybreak we made sail, Cape Manifold bearing S. by E., distant eight

leagues, and the islands which I had set the night before were distant

four miles in the same direction. The farthest visible point of the main

bore N. 67 W., at the distance of twenty-two miles; but we could see

several islands to the northward of this direction. At nine o’clock in

the forenoon we were abreast of the point which I called CAPE TOWNSHEND.

It lies in latitude 22° 15ʹ; longitude 209° 43ʹ: the land is high and

level, and rather naked than woody. Several islands lie to the northward

of it, at the distance of four or five miles out at sea; three or four

leagues to the S. E. the shore forms a bay, in the bottom of which there

appeared to be an inlet or harbour. To the westward of the Cape the land

trends S. W. ½ S., and there forms a very large bay, which turns to the

eastward, and probably communicates with the inlet, and makes the land

of the Cape an island. As soon as we got round this Cape, we hauled our

wind to the westward, in order to get within the islands, which lie

scattered in the bay in great numbers, and extend out to sea as far as

the eye could reach even from the mast-head. These islands vary, both in

height and circuit, from each other; so that, although they are very

numerous, no two of them are alike. We had not stood long upon a wind

before we came into shoal water, and were obliged to tack at once to

avoid it. Having sent a boat ahead, I bore away W. by N., many small

islands, rocks, and shoals, lying between us and the main, and many of a

larger extent without us. Our soundings till near noon were from

fourteen to seventeen fathom, when the boat made the signal for meeting

with shoal water. Upon this we hauled close upon a wind to the eastward,

but suddenly fell into three fathom and a quarter: we immediately

dropped an anchor, which brought the ship up with all her sails

standing. When the ship was brought up we had four fathom, with a coarse

sandy bottom, and found a strong tide setting to the N. W. by W. ½ W. at

the rate of near three miles an hour, by which we were so suddenly

carried upon the shoal. Our latitude by observation was 22° 8ʹ S.; Cape

Townshend bore E. 16 S., distant thirteen miles; and the westernmost

part of the main in sight W. ¾ N. At this time a great number of islands

lay all round us.

In the afternoon, having sounded round the ship, and found that there

was water sufficient to carry her over the shoal, we weighed, and about

three o’clock made sail and stood to the westward, as the land lay,

having sent a boat ahead to sound. At six in the evening we anchored in

ten fathom, with a sandy bottom, at about two miles distance from the

main; the westernmost part of which bore W. N. W., and a great number of

islands, lying a long way without us, were still in sight.

At five o’clock the next morning I sent away the master with two boats

to sound the entrance of an inlet which bore from us west, at about the

distance of a league, into which I intended to go with the ship, that I

might wait a few days till the moon should increase, and in the mean

time examine the country. As soon as the ship could be got under sail,

the boats made the signal for anchorage; upon which we stood in, and

anchored in five fathom water, about a league within the entrance of the

inlet; which, as I observed a tide to flow and ebb considerably, I

judged to be a river that ran up the country to a considerable distance.

In this place I had thoughts of laying the ship ashore, and cleaning her

bottom; I therefore landed with the master in search of a convenient

place for that purpose, and was accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr.

Solander. We found walking here exceedingly troublesome, for the ground

was covered with a kind of grass, the seeds of which were very sharp,

and bearded backwards; so that whenever they stuck into our clothes,

which indeed was at every step, they worked forwards by means of the

beard, till they got at the flesh; and at the same time we were

surrounded by a cloud of musquitos, which incessantly tormented us with

their stings. We soon met with several places where the ship might

conveniently be laid ashore; but to our great disappointment we could

find no fresh water. We proceeded, however, up the country, where we

found gum-trees like those that we had seen before, and observed that

here also the gum was in very small quantities. Upon the branches of

these trees, and some others, we found ants’ nests, made of clay, as big

as a bushel, something like those described in Sir Hans Sloan’s Natural

History of Jamaica, vol. ii. p. 221. tab. 258., but not so smooth: the

ants which inhabited these nests were small, and their bodies white. But

upon another species of the tree we found a small black ant, which

perforated all the twigs, and having worked out the pith, occupied the

pipe which had contained it; yet the parts in which these insects had

thus formed a lodgment, and in which they swarmed in amazing numbers,

bore leaves and flowers, and appeared to be in as flourishing a state as

those that were sound. We found also an incredible number of

butterflies, so that for the space of three or four acres the air was so

crowded with them, that millions were to be seen in every direction, at

the same time that every branch and twig was covered with others that

were not upon the wing. We found here also a small fish of a singular

kind; it was about the size of a minnow, and had two very strong breast

fins: we found it in places that were quite dry, where we supposed it

might have been left by the tide; but it did not seem to have become

languid by the want of water; for upon our approach it leaped away, by

the help of the breast fins, as nimbly as a frog: neither, indeed, did

it seem to prefer water to land; for when we found it in the water, it

frequently leaped out, and pursued its way upon dry ground: we also

observed, that when it was in places where small stones were standing

above the surface of the water at a little distance from each other, it

chose rather to leap from stone to stone, than to pass through the

water; and we saw several of them pass entirely over puddles in this

manner, till they came to dry ground, and then leap away.

In the afternoon, we renewed our search after fresh water, but without

success; and therefore I determined to make my stay here but short:

however, having observed from an eminence that the inlet penetrated a

considerable way into the country, I determined to trace it in the

morning.

At sun-rise I went ashore, and climbing a considerable hill, I took a

view of the coast and the islands that lie off it, with their bearings,

having an azimuth compass with me for that purpose; but I observed that

the needle differed very considerably in its position, even to thirty

degrees, in some places more, in others less; and once I found it differ

from itself no less than two points in the distance of fourteen feet. I

took up some of the loose stones that lay upon the ground, and applied

them to the needle, but they produced no effect; and I therefore

concluded that there was iron ore in the hills, of which I had remarked

other indications both here and in the neighbouring parts. After I had

made my observations upon the hill, I proceeded with Dr. Solander up the

inlet; I set out with the first of the flood, and long before high water

I had advanced above eight leagues. Its breadth thus far was from two to

five miles, upon a S. W. by S. direction; but here it opened every way,

and formed a large lake, which to the N. W. communicated with the sea;

and I not only saw the sea in this direction, but found the tide of

flood coming strongly in from that point: I also observed an arm of this

lake extending to the eastward, and it is not improbable that it may

communicate with the sea in the bottom of the bay, which lies to the

westward of Cape Townshend. On the south side of the lake is a ridge of

high hills, which I was very desirous to climb; but it being high-water,

and the day far spent, I was afraid of being bewildered among the shoals

in the night, especially as the weather was dark and rainy; and

therefore I made the best of my way to the ship. In this excursion I saw

only two people, and they were at a distance; they followed the boat

along the shore a good way, but the tide running strongly in my favour,

I could not prudently wait for them; I saw, however, several fires in

one direction, and smoke in another, but they also were at a distance.

While I was tracing the inlet with Dr. Solander, Mr. Banks was

endeavouring to penetrate into the country, where several of the people

who had leave to go ashore were also rambling about. Mr. Banks and his

party found their course obstructed by a swamp, covered with mangroves,

which however they resolved to pass; the mud was almost knee-deep, yet

they resolutely went on; but before they got half way, they repented of

their undertaking: the bottom was covered with branches of trees

interwoven with each other, sometimes they kept their footing upon them,

sometimes their feet slipped through, and sometimes they were so

entangled among them, that they were forced to free themselves by

groping in the mud and slime with their hands. In about an hour,

however, they crossed it, and judged it might be about a quarter of a

mile over. After a short walk, they came up to a place where there had

been four small fires, and near them some shells and bones of fish that

had been roasted: they found also heaps of grass laid together, where

four or five people appeared to have slept. The second lieutenant, Mr.

Gore, who was at another place, saw a little water lying in the bottom

of a gulley, and near it the track of a large animal: some bustards were

also seen, but none of them shot, nor any other bird except a few of the

beautiful loriquets which we had seen in Botany Bay. Mr. Gore, and one

of the midshipmen, who were in different places, said that they had

heard the voices of Indians near them, but had seen none: the country in

general appeared sandy and barren, and being destitute of fresh water,

it cannot be supposed to have any settled inhabitants. The deep gulleys,

which were worn by torrents from the hills, prove, that at certain

seasons the rains here are very copious and heavy.

The inlet in which the ship lay, I called THIRSTY SOUND, because it

afforded us no fresh water. It lies in latitude 22° 10ʹ S., and

longitude 210° 18ʹ W.; and may be known by a group of small islands

lying under the shore, from two to five leagues distant, in the

direction of N. W., and by another group of islands that lie right

before it, between three and four leagues out at sea. Over each of the

points that form the entrance is a high round hill, which, on the N. W.,

is a peninsula that at high water is surrounded by the sea: they are

bold to both the shores, and the distance between them is about two

miles. In this inlet is good anchorage in seven, six, five, and four

fathom; and places very convenient for laying a ship down, where, at

spring-tides, the water does not rise less than sixteen or eighteen

feet. The tide flows at the full and change of the moon about eleven

o’clock. I have already observed that here is no fresh water, nor could

we procure refreshment of any other kind: we saw two turtles, but we

were not able to take either of them: neither did we catch either fish

or wild-fowl, except a few small land birds: we saw indeed the same

sorts of water-fowl as in Botany Bay, but they were so shy that we could

not get a shot at them.

As I had not therefore a single inducement to stay longer in this place,

I weighed anchor at six o’clock in the morning of Thursday the 31st of

May, and put to sea. We stood to the N. W. with a fresh breeze at S. S.

E., and kept without the group of islands that lie in shore, and to the

N. W. of Thirsty Sound, as there appeared to be no safe passage between

them and the main; at the same time we had a number of islands without

us, extending as far as we could see: during our run in this direction,

our depth of water was ten, eight, and nine fathom. At noon, the west

point of Thirsty Sound, which I have called PIER HEAD, bore S. 36 E.,

distant five leagues; the east point of the other inlet, which

communicates with the Sound, bore S. by W., distant two leagues; the

group of islands just mentioned lay between us and the point, and the

farthest part of the main in sight, on the other side of the inlet, bore

N. W. Our latitude by observation was 21° 53ʹ. At half an hour after

twelve, the boat, which was sounding ahead, made the signal for

shoal-water, and we immediately hauled our wind to the N. E. At this

time we had seven fathom, at the next cast five, and at the next three,

upon which we instantly dropped an anchor, that brought the ship up.

Pier-head, the north-west point of Thirsty Sound, bore S. E. distant six

leagues, being half-way between the islands which lie off the east point

of the western inlet, and three small islands which lie directly without

them. It was now the first of the flood, which we found to set N. W. by

W. ½ W.; and having sounded about the shoal, upon which we had three

fathom, and found deep water all round it, we got under sail, and having

hauled round the three islands that have been just mentioned, came to an

anchor under the lee of them, in fifteen fathom water; and the weather

being dark, hazy, and rainy, we remained there till seven o’clock in the

morning. At this time we got again under sail, and stood to the N. W.

with a fresh breeze at S. S. E.; having the main land in sight, and a

number of islands all round us, some of which lay out at sea as far as

the eye could reach. The western inlet, which, in the chart, is

distinguished by the name of Broad Sound, we had now all open; at the

entrance, it is at least nine or ten leagues wide: in it, and before it,

lie several islands, and probably shoals also; for our soundings were

very irregular, varying suddenly from ten to four fathom. At noon, our

latitude by observation was 21° 29ʹ S.; a point of land which forms the

north-west entrance into Broad Sound, and which I have named CAPE

PALMERSTON, lying in latitude 21° 30ʹ, longitude 210° 54ʹ W. bore W. by

N. distant three leagues. Our latitude was 21° 27ʹ, our longitude 210°

57ʹ. Between this Cape and Cape Townshend lies the bay which I have

called the BAY OF INLETS. We continued to stand to the N. W. and N. W.

by N., as the land lay, under an easy sail, having a boat ahead to

sound: at first the soundings were very irregular, from nine to four

fathom; but afterwards they were regular, from nine to eleven. At eight

in the evening, being about two leagues from the main land, we anchored

in eleven fathom, with a sandy bottom; and soon after, we found the tide

setting with a slow motion to the westward. At one o’clock, it was

slack, or low water; and at half an hour after two, the ship tended to

the eastward, and rode so till six in the morning, when the tide had

risen eleven feet. We now got under sail, and stood away in the

direction of the coast, N. N. W. From what we had observed of the tide

during the night, it is plain, that the flood came from the N. W.;

whereas, the preceding day, and several days before, it came from the S.

E.; nor was this the first, or even second time that we had remarked the

same thing. At sun-rise this morning, we found the variation to be 6°

45ʹ E.; and in steering along the shore, between the island and the

main, at the distance of about two leagues from the main, and three or

four from the island, our soundings were regular from twelve to nine

fathom; but about eleven o’clock in the forenoon, we were again

embarrassed with shoal water, having at one time not more than three

fathom; yet we got clear, without casting anchor. At noon we were about

two leagues from the main, and four from the islands without us. Our

latitude by observation was 20° 56ʹ, and a high promontory, which I

named CAPE HILLSBOROUGH, bore W. ½ N., distant seven miles. The land

here is diversified by mountains, hills, plains, and valleys, and seems

to be well clothed with herbage and wood: the islands which lie parallel

to the coast, and from five to eight or nine miles distant, are of

various height and extent; scarcely any of them are more than five

leagues in circumference, and many are not four miles: besides this

chain of islands, which lies at a distance from the coast, there are

others much less, which lie under the land, from which we saw smoke

rising in different places. We continued to steer along the shore at the

distance of about two leagues, with regular soundings from nine to ten

fathom. At sun-set, the farthest point of the main bore N. 48 W., and to

the northward of this lay some high land, which I took to be an island,

and of which the north-west point bore 41 W.; but not being sure of a

passage, I came to an anchor about eight o’clock in the evening, in ten

fathom water, with a muddy bottom. About ten we had a tide setting to

the northward, and at two it had fallen nine feet; after this it began

to rise, and the flood came from the northward, in the direction of the

islands which lay out to sea; a plain indication that there was no

passage to the N. W. This, however, had not appeared at day-break, when

we got under sail and stood to the N. W. At eight o’clock in the

morning, we discovered low land quite across what we took for an

opening, which proved to be a bay, about five or six leagues deep; upon

this we hauled our wind to the eastward round the north point of the

bay, which at this time bore from us N. E. by N., distant four leagues:

from this point we found the land trend away N. by W. ½ W., and a

straight or passage between it and a large island, or islands, lying

parallel to it. Having the tide of ebb in our favour, we stood for this

passage, and at noon were just within the entrance: our latitude by

observation was 20° 26ʹ S.; Cape Hillsborough bore S. by E. distant ten

leagues; and the north point of the bay S. 19 W., distant four miles.

This point, which I named CAPE CONWAY, lies in latitude 26° 36ʹ S.,

longitude 211° 28ʹ W.; and the bay which lies between this Cape and Cape

Hillsborough, I called REPULSE BAY. The greatest depth of water which we

found in it was thirteen fathom, and the least eight. In all parts there

was safe anchorage, and I believe that, upon proper examination, some

good harbours would be found in it; especially at the north side within

Cape Conway; for just within that Cape, there lie two or three small

islands, which alone would shelter that side of the bay from the

southerly and south-easterly winds, that seem to prevail here as a

Trade. Among the many islands that lie upon this coast, there is one

more remarkable than the rest; it is of a small circuit, very high and

peaked, and lies E. by S. ten miles from Cape Conway, at the south end

of the passage. In the afternoon, we steered through this passage, which

we found to be from three to seven miles broad, and eight or nine

leagues in length, N. by W. ½ W., S. by E. ½ E. It is formed by the main

on the west, and by the islands on the east, one of which is at least

five leagues in length: our depth of water in running through was from

twenty to five and twenty fathom, with good anchorage every where, and

the whole passage may be considered as one safe harbour, exclusive of

the small bays and coves which abound on each side, where ships might

lie as in a bason. The land, both upon the main and islands, is high,

and diversified by hill and valley, wood and lawn, with a green and

pleasant appearance. On one of the islands, we discovered with our

glasses two men and a woman, and a canoe with an outrigger, which

appeared to be larger, and of a construction very different from those

of bark tied together at the ends, which we had seen upon other parts of

the coast; we hoped therefore that the people here had made some farther

advances beyond mere animal life than those that we had seen before. At

six o’clock in the evening, we were nearly the length of the north end

of the passage; the north westermost point of the main in sight bore N.

54 W., and the north end of the island N. N. E., with an open sea

between the two points. As this passage was discovered on Whitsunday, I

called it WHITSUNDAY’S PASSAGE; and I called the islands that form it

CUMBERLAND ISLANDS, in honour of his Royal Highness the Duke. We kept

under an easy sail, with the lead going all night, being at the distance

of about three leagues from the shore, and having from twenty-one to

twenty-three fathom water. At day-break, we were abreast of the point

which had been the farthest in sight to the north-west the evening

before, which I named CAPE GLOUCESTER. It is a lofty promontory, in

latitude 19° 59ʹ S., longitude 211° 49ʹ W., and may be known by an

island which lies out at sea N. by W. ½ W. at the distance of five or

six leagues from it, and which I called HOLBORNE ISLE; there are also

islands lying under the land between Holborne Isle and Whitsunday’s

Passage. On the west side of Cape Gloucester the land trends away S. W.

and S. S. W., and forms a deep bay, the bottom of which I could but just

see from the mast-head: it is very low, and a continuation of the low

land which we had seen at the bottom of Repulse Bay. This bay I called

EDGECUMBE BAY, but without staying to look into it, we continued our

course to the westward, for the farthest land we could see in that

direction, which bore W. by N. ½ N. and appeared very high. At noon, we

were about three leagues from the shore, by observation in latitude 19°

47ʹ S., and Cape Gloucester bore S. 63 E., distant seven leagues and a

half. At six in the evening, we were abreast of the westermost point

just mentioned, at about three miles distance; and because it rises

abruptly from the low lands which surround it, I called it CAPE UPSTART.

It lies in latitude 19° 39ʹ S., longitude 212° 32ʹ W., fourteen leagues

W. N. W. from Cape Gloucester, and is of a height sufficient to be seen

at the distance of twelve leagues: inland there are some high hills or

mountains, which, like the Cape, afford but a barren prospect. Having

passed this Cape, we continued standing to the W. N. W. as the land lay,

under an easy sail, having from sixteen to ten fathom, till two o’clock

in the morning, when we fell into seven fathom; upon which we hauled our

wind to the northward, judging ourselves to be very near land: at

day-break, we found our conjecture to be true, being within little more

than two leagues of it. In this part of the coast, the land being very

low, is nearer than it appears to be, though it is diversified with here

and there a hill. At noon, we were about four leagues from the land, in

fifteen fathom water, and our latitude, by observation, was 19° 12ʹ S.,

Cape Upstart bearing S. 32° 30ʹ E., distant twelve leagues. About this

time some very large columns of smoke were seen rising from the low

lands. At sun-set, the preceding night, when we were close under Cape

Upstart, the variation was nearly 9° E., and at sun-rise this day, it

was no more than 5° 35ʹ; I judged therefore that it had been influenced

by iron ore, or other magnetical matter, contained under the surface of

the earth.

We continued to steer W. N. W. as the land lay, with twelve or fourteen

fathom water, till noon on the 6th, when our latitude by observation was

19° 1ʹ S. and we had the mouth of a bay all open, extending from S. ½ E.

to S. W. ½ S. distant two leagues. This bay, which I named CLEAVELAND

BAY, appeared to be about five or six miles in extent every way: the

east point I named CAPE CLEAVELAND, and the west, which had the

appearance of an island, MAGNETICAL ISLE, as we perceived that the

compass did not traverse well when we were near it: they are both high,

and so is the main land within them, the whole forming a surface the

most rugged, rocky, and barren of any we had seen upon the coast; it was

not however without inhabitants, for we saw smoke in several parts of

the bottom of the bay. The northermost land that was in sight at this

time, bore N. W., and it had the appearance of an island, for we could

not trace the main land farther than W. by N. We steered W. N. W.

keeping the main land on board, the outermost part of which, at sun-set,

bore W. by N.; but without it lay high land, which we judged not to be

part of it. At day-break, we were abreast of the eastern part of this

land, which we found to be a group of islands, lying about five leagues

from the main: at this time, being between the two shores, we advanced

slowly to the N. W. till noon, when our latitude, by observation, was

18° 49ʹ S. and our distance from the main about five leagues: the

north-west part of it bore from us N. by W. ½ W. the islands extending

from N. to E., and the nearest being distant about two miles: Cape

Cleaveland bore S. 50 E. distant eighteen leagues. Our soundings, in the

course that we had sailed between this time and the preceding noon, were

from fourteen to eleven fathom.

In the afternoon, we saw several large columns of smoke upon the main;

we saw also some people and canoes, and upon one of the islands what had

the appearance of cocoa-nut trees: as a few of these nuts would now have

been very acceptable, I sent Lieutenant Hicks ashore, and with him went

Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, to see what refreshment could be procured,

while I kept standing in for the island with the ship. About seven

o’clock in the evening, they returned, with an account that what we had

taken for cocoa-nut trees, were a small kind of cabbage palm, and that,

except about fourteen or fifteen plants, they had met with nothing worth

bringing away. While they were ashore, they saw none of the people, but

just as they had put off, one of them came very near the beach, and

shouted with a loud voice; it was so dark that they could not see him,

however they turned towards the shore, but when he heard the boat

putting back, he ran away or hid himself, for they could not get a

glimpse of him, and though they shouted he made no reply. After the

return of the boats, we stood away N. by W. for the northermost land in

sight, of which we were abreast at three o’clock in the morning, having

passed all the islands three or four hours before. This land, on account

of its figure, I named POINT HILLOCK: it is of a considerable height,

and may be known by a round hillock, or rock, which joins to the Point,

but appears to be detached from it. Between this Cape and Magnetical

Isle, the shore forms a large bay, which I called HALIFAX BAY: before it

lay the group of islands which has been just mentioned, and some others,

at a less distance from the shore. By these islands the bay is sheltered

from all winds, and it affords good anchorage. The land near the beach,

in the bottom of the bay, is low and woody, but farther back it is one

continued ridge of high land, which appeared to be barren and rocky.

Having passed Point Hillock, we continued standing to the N. N. W. as

the land trended, having the advantage of a light moon. At six, we were

abreast of a point of land which lies N. by W. ½ W., distant eleven

miles from Point Hillock, which I named CAPE SANDWICH. Between these two

points, the land is very high, and the surface is craggy and barren.

Cape Sandwich may be known not only by the high craggy land over it, but

by a small island which lies east of it, at the distance of a mile, and

some others that lie about two leagues to the northward. From Cape

Sandwich the land trends W. and afterwards N., forming a fine large bay,

which I called ROCKINGHAM BAY, where there appears to be good shelter,

and good anchorage, but I did not stay to examine it: I kept ranging

along the shore to the northward, for a cluster of small islands, which

lie off the northern point of the bay. Between the three outermost of

these islands, and those near the shore, I found a channel of about a

mile broad, through which I passed, and upon one of the nearest islands,

we saw with our glasses about thirty of the natives, men, women, and

children, all standing together, and looking with great attention at the

ship; the first instance of curiosity that we had seen among them: they

were all stark naked, with short hair, and of the same complexion with

those that we had seen before. At noon, our latitude, by observation,

was 17° 59ʹ, and we were abreast of the north point of Rockingham Bay,

which bore from us W., at the distance of about two miles. This boundary

of the bay is formed by an island of considerable height, which in the

chart is distinguished by the name of DUNK ISLE, and which lies so near

the shore as not to be easily distinguished from it. Our longitude was

213° 57ʹ W. Cape Sandwich bore S. by E. ½ E. distant nineteen miles, and

the northermost land in sight N. ½ W.: our depth of water for the last

ten hours had not been more than sixteen, nor less than seven fathom. At

sun-set, the northern extremity of the land bore N. 25 W., and we kept

our course N. by W. along the coast, at the distance of between three

and four leagues, with an easy sail all night, having from twelve to

fifteen fathom water.

At six o’clock in the morning, we were abreast of some small islands,

which we called FRANKLAND’S ISLES, and which lie about two leagues

distant from the main land. The most distant point in sight to the

northward bore N. by W. ½ W., and we thought it was part of the main,

but afterwards found it to be an island of considerable height, and

about four miles in circuit. Between this island and a point on the

main, from which it is distant about two miles, I passed with the ship.

At noon, we were in the middle of the channel, and by observation in the

latitude of 16° 57ʹ S. with twenty fathom water. The point on the main,

of which we were now abreast, I called CAPE GRAFTON: its latitude is 16°

57ʹ S., and longitude 214° 6ʹ W.; and the land here, as well as the

whole coast for about twenty leagues to the southward, is high, has a

rocky surface, and is thinly covered with wood: during the night we had

seen several fires, and about noon some people. Having hauled round Cape

Grafton, we found the land trend away N. W. by W.; and three miles to

the westward of the cape, we found a bay, in which we anchored about two

miles from the shore, in four fathom water, with an ouzey bottom. The

east point of the bay bore S. 74 E., the west point S. 83 W., and a low,

green, woody island, which lies in the offing, N. 35 E. This island,

which lies N. by E. ½ E., distant three or four leagues from Cape

Grafton, is called in the chart GREEN ISLAND.

As soon as the ship was brought to an anchor, I went ashore, accompanied

by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. As my principal view was to procure some

fresh water, and as the bottom of the bay was low land covered with

mangroves, where it was not probable fresh water was to be found, I went

out towards the cape, and found two small streams, which however were

rendered very difficult of access by the surf and rocks upon the shore:

I saw also, as I came round the cape, a small stream of water run over

the beach in a sandy cove, but I did not go in with the boat, because I

saw that it would not be easy to land. When we got ashore, we found the

country every where rising into steep rocky hills; and as no fresh water

could conveniently be procured, I was unwilling to lose time by going in

search of lower land elsewhere: we therefore made the best of our way

back to the ship, and about midnight we weighed and stood to the N. W.,

having but little wind, with some showers of rain. At four in the

morning, the breeze freshened at S. by E., and the weather became fair:

we continued steering N. N. W. ½ W. as the land lay, at about three

leagues distance, with ten, twelve, and fourteen fathom water. At ten,

we hauled off north, in order to get without a small low island, which

lay at about two leagues distance from the main, and great part of which

at this time, it being high-water, was overflowed: about three leagues

to the north-west of this island, close under the main land, is another

island, the land of which rises to a greater height, and which at noon

bore from us N. 55 W. distant seven or eight miles. At this time our

latitude was 16° 20ʹ S.; Cape Grafton bore S. 29 E. distant forty miles,

and the northermost point of land in sight N. 20 W.; our depth of water

was fifteen fathom. Between this point and Cape Grafton, the shore forms

a large, but not a very deep bay, which being discovered on Trinity

Sunday, I called TRINITY BAY.

CHAP. III.

DANGEROUS SITUATION OF THE SHIP IN HER COURSE FROM TRINITY BAY TO

ENDEAVOUR RIVER.

HITHERTO we had safely navigated this dangerous coast, where the sea in

all parts conceals shoals that suddenly project from the shore, and

rocks that rise abruptly like a pyramid from the bottom, for an extent

of two and twenty degrees of latitude, more than one thousand three

hundred miles; and therefore hitherto none of the names which

distinguish the several parts of the country that we saw, are memorials

of distress; but here we became acquainted with misfortune, and we

therefore called the point which we had just seen farthest to the

northward, CAPE TRIBULATION.

This cape lies in latitude 16° 6ʹ S., and longitude 214° 39ʹ W. We

steered along the shore N. by W. at the distance of between three and

four leagues, having from fourteen to twelve, and ten fathom water: in

the offing we saw two islands, which lie in latitude 16° S., and about

six or seven leagues from the main. At six in the evening, the

northermost land in sight bore N. by W. ½ W., and two low woody islands,

which some of us took to be rocks above water, bore N. ½ W. At this time

we shortened sail, and hauled off shore E. N. E. and N. E. by E. close

upon a wind, for it was my design to stretch off all night, as well to

avoid the danger we saw ahead, as to see whether any islands lay in the

offing, especially as we were now near the latitude assigned to the

islands which were discovered by Quiros, and which some geographers, for

what reason I know not, have thought fit to join to this land. We had

the advantage of a fine breeze, and a clear moonlight night, and in

standing off from six till near nine o’clock, we deepened our water from

fourteen to twenty-one fathom; but while we were at supper, it suddenly

shoaled, and we fell into twelve, ten, and eight fathom, within the

space of a few minutes; I immediately ordered every body to their

station, and all was ready to put about and come to an anchor, but

meeting at the next cast of the lead with deep water again, we concluded

that we had gone over the tail of the shoals which we had seen at

sun-set, and that all danger was past: before ten, we had twenty and

one-and-twenty fathom, and this depth continuing, the gentlemen left the

deck in great tranquillity, and went to bed; but a few minutes before

eleven, the water shallowed at once from twenty to seventeen fathom, and

before the lead could be cast again, the ship struck, and remained

immoveable, except by the heaving of the surge, that beat her against

the craggs of the rock upon which she lay. In a few moments every body

was upon the deck, with countenances which sufficiently expressed the

horrors of our situation. We had stood off the shore three hours and a

half, with a pleasant breeze, and therefore knew that we could not be

very near it, and we had too much reason to conclude that we were upon a

rock of coral, which is more fatal than any other, because the points of

it are sharp, and every part of the surface so rough as to grind away

whatever is rubbed against it, even with the gentlest motion. In this

situation all the sails were immediately taken in, and the boats hoisted

out to examine the depth of water round the ship: we soon discovered

that our fears had not aggravated our misfortune, and that the vessel

had been lifted over a ledge of the rock, and lay in a hollow within it:

in some places there was from three to four fathom, and in others not so

many feet. The ship lay with her head to the N. E.; and at the distance

of about thirty yards on the starboard side, the water deepened to

eight, ten, and twelve fathom. As soon as the long boat was out, we

struck our yards and topmasts, and carried out the stream anchor on the

starboard bow, got the coasting anchor and cable into the boat, and were

going to carry it out the same way; but upon sounding a second time

round the ship, the water was found to be deepest astern: the anchor

therefore was carried out from the starboard quarter instead of the

starboard bow, that is, from the stern instead of the head, and having

taken ground, our utmost force was applied to the capstern, hoping that

if the anchor did not come home, the ship would be got off, but to our

great misfortune and disappointment we could not move her: during all

this time she continued to beat with great violence against the rock, so

that it was with the utmost difficulty that we kept upon our legs; and

to complete the scene of distress, we saw by the light of the moon the

sheathing boards from the bottom of the vessel floating away all round

her, and at last her false keel, so that every moment was making way for

the sea to rush in which was to swallow us up. We had now no chance but

to lighten her, and we had lost the opportunity of doing that to the

greatest advantage, for unhappily we went on shore just at high water,

and by this time it had considerably fallen, so that after she should be

lightened so as to draw as much less water as the water had sunk, we

should be but in the same situation as at first; and the only

alleviation of this circumstance was, that as the tide ebbed the ship

settled to the rocks, and was not beaten against them with so much

violence. We had indeed some hope from the next tide, but it was

doubtful whether she would hold together so long, especially as the rock

kept grating her bottom under the starboard bow with such force as to be

heard in the fore store-room. This however was no time to indulge

conjecture, nor was any effort remitted in despair of success: that no

time might be lost, the water was immediately started in the hold, and

pumped up; six of our guns, being all we had upon the deck, our iron and

stone ballast, casks, hoop staves, oil jars, decayed stores, and many

other things that lay in the way of heavier materials, were thrown

overboard with the utmost expedition, every one exerting himself with an

alacrity almost approaching to cheerfulness, without the least repining

or discontent; yet the men were so far imprest with a sense of their

situation, that not an oath was heard among them, the habit of

profaneness, however strong, being instantly subdued by the dread of

incurring guilt when death seemed to be so near.