light, and were repeatedly heard to shout very loud; and soon after
day-break they were seen on the beach; but quickly retired about a mile,
and kindled several fires in the woods. This day some of the ship’s crew
being employed in cutting grass, at a distance from the main body of
those on shore, a party of Indians made towards them; on which the
grass-cutters retreated to the main body, while the natives pursued
them; but stopping within fifty or sixty yards of them, they shouted
several times, and retired to the woods. In the evening they behaved
exactly in the same manner, when the Captain followed them alone and
unarmed for some time, but they still retired as he approached.
On Tuesday May the first, the south point of the bay was named
_Sutherland Point_, one of the seamen, of the name of Sutherland, having
died that day, and been buried on shore. This day Messrs. Banks,
Solander, the Captain and a few other gentlemen, went on shore, and left
more presents in the huts, such as looking-glasses, combs, &c. but the
former ones had not been taken away.--Making an excursion about the
country, they found it agreeably variegated with wood and lawn. The
trees being strait and tall, and without underwood, the country might be
cultivated without cutting down one of them. The grass grows in large
tufts, almost close to each other, and there is a great plenty of it. In
this excursion they met with many places where the inhabitants had slept
without shelter; but they saw only one man, who ran away the moment he
beheld them. They left more presents, in their huts, and at their
sleeping-places, in hopes of producing a friendly intercourse. They saw
the dung of an animal which fed on grass, and traced the foot-steps of
another, which had claws like a dog, and was probably about the size of
a wolf: they discovered the track of a small animal, whose foot was like
that of a pole-cat; and saw one animal alive, about the size of a
rabbit. They found some wood which had been felled, and the bark
stripped off by the natives; and saw several growing trees, in which
steps had been cut, for the convenience of ascending them. The trees
abounded with a vast variety of beautiful birds, among which were
cockatoos, parroquets and loriquets, which flew in large flocks.
The second Lieutenant, Mr. Gore, having been with a boat to dredge for
oysters, saw some Indians, who made signs for him to come on shore,
which he declined. Having finished his business, he sent the boat away,
and went by land with a Midshipman, to join the party that was getting
water. In their way they met with more than twenty of the natives, who
followed them so close, as to come within a few yards of them. Mr. Gore
stopped and faced them; on which the Indians stopped also, and when he
proceeded again they followed him; but they did not attack him, though
they had each man his lance. The Indians coming in sight of the
Waterers, stood still at the distance of a quarter of a mile, while Mr.
Gore and his companion reached their shipmates in safety. Two or three
of the Waterers now advanced towards the Indians; but observing they did
not retire, they very imprudently turned about, and retreated hastily;
this apparent cowardice inspirited the savages, who discharged four
lances at the fugitives, which flying beyond them, they escaped unhurt.
They now stopped to pick up the lances, on which the Indians retired in
their turn. At this instant the Captain came up, with Messrs. Banks,
Solander, and Tupia; and advancing, made signs of friendship; but the
poor natives would not wait their coming up to them.
On the following day they again went on shore, where many plants were
collected by Dr. Solander and Mr. Banks. They saw several parties of the
Indians, who all ran away on their approach. Tupia having learnt to
shoot, frequently strayed alone to shoot parrots; and the Indians
constantly fled from him with as much precipitation as from the English.
On the 3d of May, fourteen or fifteen Indians, in the same number of
canoes, were engaged in striking fish within half a mile of the
watering-place. At this time a party of the ship’s crew were shooting
near the fishermen, one of whom Mr. Banks observed to haul up his canoe
on the beach, and approach the people who were shooting. He watched
their motions, unobserved by them, for more than a quarter of an hour,
then put off his boat, and returned to his fishing.
At this time the Captain, with Dr. Solander and another gentleman, went
to the head of the bay to try to form some connexion with the Indians.
On their first landing they found several Indians on shore, who
immediately retreated to their canoes, and rowed off. They went up the
country, where they found the soil to be a deep black mould, which
appeared to be calculated for the production of any kind of grain. They
saw some of the finest meadows that were ever beheld, and met with a few
rocky places, the stone of which is sandy, and seemed to be admirably
adapted for building. In the woods they found a tree bearing cherries,
if shape and colour may entitle them to that name, the juice of which
was agreeably tart. They now returned to their boat, and seeing a fire
at a distance, rowed towards it, but the Indians fled on their approach.
Near the beach they found seven canoes, and as many fires, from whence
they judged that each fisherman had dressed his own dinner. There were
oysters lying on the spot, and some muscles roasting on the fire. They
ate of these fish, and left them some beads and other trifles in return.
They now returned to the ship; and in the evening Mr. Banks went out
with his gun, and saw a great number of quails, some of which he shot,
and they proved to be the same kind as those of England.
On the following day a Midshipman having strayed from his companions,
came suddenly on an old man and woman, and some children, who were
sitting naked under a tree together. They seemed afraid of him, but did
not run away. The man wore a long beard, and both him and the woman were
grey-headed; but the woman’s hair was cut short. This day, likewise, two
of another party met with six Indians on the border of a wood, one of
whom calling out very loud, a lance was thrown from the wood, which
narrowly missed them. The Indians now ran off; and, on looking round,
they saw a youth descend from a tree, who had doubtless been placed
there for the purpose of throwing the lance at them. This day the
Captain went up the country on the north-side of the bay, which he found
to resemble the moory grounds of England; but the land was thinly
covered with plants about sixteen inches high. The hills rise gradually
behind each other to a great distance, and between them is marshy
ground. Those who had been sent out to fish this day met with great
success; and the second Lieutenant struck a fish called the sting-ray,
which weighed near two hundred and fifty pounds. The next morning a fish
of the same kind was catched, which weighed three hundred and fifty
pounds.
The name of BOTANY BAY was given to this place, from the large number of
plants collected by Messrs. Banks and Solander. This country produces
two kinds of wood which may be deemed timber; one of which is tall and
strait, like the pine, and the other is hard, heavy, and dark-coloured,
like _lignum vitæ_; it yields a red gum, like _sanguis draconis_, and
bears some resemblance to an English oak. There are mangroves in
abundance, several kinds of palm, and a few shrubs. Among other kinds of
birds, crows were found here, exactly like those of England. There is
great plenty of water-fowl among the flats of sand and mud; one of which
is shaped like a pelican, is larger than a swan, and has black and white
feathers. These banks of mud abound with cockles, muscles, oysters, and
other shell-fish, which greatly contribute towards the support of the
natives, who sometimes dress them on shore, and at other times in their
canoes. They likewise catch many other sorts of fish with hook and line.
While captain Cook remained in the harbour, the English colours were
displayed on shore, daily, and the name of the ship, with the date of
the year, was carved on a tree near the place where they took in their
water.
They sailed from BOTANY BAY on the 6th of May, 1770; at noon were off a
harbour which they called PORT JACKSON, and in the evening, near a bay,
to which they gave the name of BROKEN BAY. The next day, at noon, the
northermost land in sight projected so as to justify the calling it CAPE
THREE POINTS. On Wednesday the 9th, they saw two exceeding beautiful
rainbows, the colours of which were strong and lively; and those of the
inner one so bright, as to reflect its shadow on the water. They made a
complete semicircle, and the space between them was much darker than the
rest of the sky. On Thursday they passed a low rocky point, which was
named POINT STEPHENS, near which was an inlet, denominated PORT
STEPHENS. Next day they saw smoke in several places on the shore; and in
the evening discovered three remarkably high hills, near each other,
which the Captain named the THREE BROTHERS.
On Sunday the 13th they saw the smoke of many fires on a point of land,
which was therefore called SMOKEY CAPE. As they proceeded northward from
BOTANY BAY, the land appeared high and well covered with wood. On
Tuesday morning, by the assistance of their glasses, they discovered
about a score of the Indians, each loaded with a bundle, which they
imagined to be palm-leaves, to thatch their houses. They traced them for
more than an hour, during which time they took not the least notice of
the ship; at length they left the beach, and were lost behind a hill,
which they gained by a gentle ascent.--At noon the Captain discovered a
high point of land, which he called CAPE BYRON. In the evening they
discovered breakers at a considerable distance from the shore; so that
they were obliged to tack, and get into deeper water; which having done,
they lay with the head of the vessel to the land till the next morning,
when they were astonished to find themselves farther to the southward
than they had been the preceding evening, notwithstanding they had a
southerly wind all night. In the morning they passed the breakers, near
a peaked mountain, which was named MOUNT WARNING; and the point off
which they lay was called POINT DANGER. The next day they saw more
breakers, near a point which was distinguished by the name of POINT
LOOK-OUT, to the north of which lies a bay, which Captain Cook called
MORETON’S BAY; and the north point of which he named CAPE MORETON. Near
this place are three hills, which were called the GLASS HOUSES, from the
very strong resemblance they bore to such buildings.
On the 18th they descried a point so unequal, that it looks like two
small islands lying under the land; and it was therefore called DOUBLE
ISLAND POINT. At noon, by the help of glasses, they discovered some
sands, which lay in spots of several acres, which they observed were
moveable, and that some of them had not been long in their present
situation, as they saw trees half buried, and the tops of others still
green; likewise the naked trunks of some that had been destroyed by the
sand. At this time two beautiful water-snakes swam by the ship, which
seemed to be distinguished from land-snakes, only by their broad and
flat tails, which it was thought were useful to them in swimming. On the
19th they sailed by a point of land, on which a large number of the
Indians were assembled, from whence it was called INDIAN HEAD. They soon
afterwards saw many more of the natives, and observed smoke in the
day-time, and fires by night. The next day they saw a point, which was
named SANDY CAPE, from two large tracts of white sand that were on it.
They next passed a shoal which was called BREAK SEA SPIT, because they
had now smooth water, after having long encountered a high sea. They
had, for some days past, seen the sea-birds, called boobies, none of
which they had met with before; and which, from half an hour before
sun-rising, to half an hour after, were continually passing the ship in
large flights: from which it was conjectured, that there was a river or
inlet of shallow water to the southward, where they went to feed in the
day, returning in the evening to some islands to the northward. In
honour of Captain Hervey, this bay was called HERVEY’S BAY.
On the 22d, by the help of their glasses, they discovered that the land
was covered with palm-nut trees, none of which they had seen since they
quitted the islands within the tropic. The next morning early the
Captain took a party of men, and being attended by Tupia, and the
several gentlemen on board, went on shore to examine the country. They
landed a little within the point of a bay, which led into a large
lagoon, by the sides of which grows the true mangrove, as it also does
on some bogs, and swamps of salt-water which they discovered. There were
many nests of a singular kind of ant, as green as grass, in the branches
of these mangroves. When the branches were disturbed they came forth in
great numbers, and bit the disturber most severely. These trees likewise
afforded shelter for immense numbers of green caterpillars, their bodies
were covered with hairs, which, on the touch, gave a pain similar to the
sting of a nettle, but much more acute. These insects ranged themselves
side by side on the leaves, thirty or forty together, in a very regular
manner. They saw, among the sand banks, many birds larger than swans,
which they imagined were pelicans; and they shot a kind of bustard,
which weighed seventeen pounds. This bird proved very delicate food, and
gave name to the place, which was called BUSTARD-BAY. They likewise shot
a duck of a most beautiful plumage, with a white beak. They found vast
numbers of oysters of various sorts, and, among the rest, some hammer
oysters of a curious kind. While the gentlemen were in the woods,
several of the natives came down and took a survey of the ship, and then
departed. The gentlemen on shore saw fires in many places, and repairing
to one of them, they found about a dozen small fires burning near each
other; but the people were gone, and had left some shells and bones of
fish they had just eaten. They likewise saw several pieces of soft bark,
about the length and breadth of a man, which they judged had been used
as beds. This kind of encampment was in a thicket well defended from the
wind; and as the place was much trodden, and there was no appearance of
a house, it was imagined that they spent their nights, as well as days,
in the open air: even Tupia shook his head, and exclaimed, _Taata Enos!_
“Poor wretches!” They sailed the next morning, and on the day following
were a-breast of a point, which lying immediately under the tropic, the
Captain called CAPE CAPRICORN, on the west side of which they saw an
amazing number of large birds resembling the pelican, some of which were
near five feet high.
On the 26th they stood between a range of almost barren islands, and the
main land, which is mountainous. They had here very shallow water, and
anchored in sixteen feet, which was not two feet more than the ship
drew. Mr. Banks tried to fish from the cabin windows, but the water was
too shallow. The ground indeed was covered with crabs, which greedily
seized the bait, and held it till they were above water. These crabs
were of two kinds, one of a very fine blue, with a white belly, and the
other marked with blue on the joints, and having three remarkable brown
spots on the back. The Captain having sent some men in a boat a-head to
sound, they returned with an account, that there was not water enough
for the ship to pass through, upon which they tacked about and stood
back again. In the morning they sailed to the northward, and to the
northermost point of land the Captain gave the name of CAPE MANIFOLD,
from the number of high hills appearing above it. Between this cape and
the shore is a bay called KEPPEL’S BAY, and some islands bearing the
name of the same gentleman. On the 28th, being determined to keep the
main land close aboard, which continued to tend away to the west, they
got among another cluster of islands; they were here again greatly
alarmed, having on a sudden but three fathom water, in a ripling tide;
they immediately put the ship about, and hoisted out the boats in search
of deeper water; after which they stood to the west with an easy sail,
and in the evening, came to the entrance of a bay. On the 29th, in the
morning, the master was sent with two boats to sound the bay; and the
ship was no sooner under sail, than the boats made the signal, and the
ship accordingly came to an anchor. As they observed the tide to flow
and ebb considerably, they imagined this bay to be the entrance of a
river which ran up the country: in this place therefore the Captain
intended to lay the ship a-shore and clean her bottom; and accordingly
landed, in search of a proper place for the purpose.
In this excursion Messrs. Banks and Solander attended Captain Cook. They
found walking extremely incommodious, the ground being covered with
grass, the seeds of which were sharp, and bearded, so that they were
continually sticking in their cloaths, whence they worked forwards to
the flesh, by means of the beard. They were likewise tormented with the
perpetual stinging of musquetos. Several places were found convenient,
to lay the ship a-shore; but they could meet with no fresh water. In the
interior parts of the country they found gum-trees, on the branches of
which were white ants nests formed of clay, as big as a bushel. On
another tree they found black ants, which formed their lodging in the
body of it, after they had eaten away the pith; yet the trees were in a
flourishing condition. They found butterflies in such incredible
numbers, that whatever way they looked, many thousands were to be seen
in the air; while every bough and twig was covered with multitudes. They
likewise discovered on dry ground, where it was supposed to have been
left by the tide, a fish about the size of a minnow, having two strong
breast fins, with which it leaped away as nimbly as a frog: it did not
appear to be weakened by being out of water, nor even to prefer that
element to the land; for when seen in the water it leaped on shore, and
pursued its way. It was likewise remarked, that where there were small
stones projecting above the water, it chose rather to leap from one
stone to another, than to swim through the water.
On the 30th the Captain went ashore very early, and having gained the
summit of a hill, took a survey of the coast, and adjacent islands;
which being done, he accompanied Dr. Solander up an inlet, which had
been discovered the preceding day; but the weather proving unfavourable,
they returned early to the ship, having seen only two Indians, who
followed the boat a considerable way along the shore; but the tide
running strong, they did not think it prudent to wait for them. This day
Mr. Banks went with a party on shore, and having met with a piece of
swampy ground, covered with mangroves, they resolved to pass it, which
they did, up to the knees in mud, and sometimes crawling on their hands,
when they had slipt between the branches of trees, which were interwoven
on the surface of the swamp. Having performed this disagreeable task,
they arrived at a spot where the natives appeared to have slept on the
grass, and where there were the remains of a fish supper, which had been
roasted by four small fires. The second Lieutenant, at another place,
saw the track of a large animal, near a gully of water: he likewise
heard the voices of the Indians, but did not see any. Two turtles were
seen at this place, some waterfowl, and a few small land-birds.
As no water was to be found, the Captain called the inlet THIRSTY SOUND,
which they left on the 31st of May, and having sailed round three small
islands, anchored in fifteen fathom water. On the 1st of June they got
under sail, having a number of islands in sight, as far as the eye could
reach. On the second at noon they saw a high promontory, which was
called CAPE HILLSBOROUGH, and seemed to abound in wood and herbage,
distributed on hills, plains, and in vallies. There are a number of
small islands in this neighbourhood, on some of which they saw smoke
arising in different places. On Sunday the 3d they discovered a point,
which was named CAPE CONWAY, and between that and Cape Hillsborough a
bay, which took the name of REPULSE BAY. The land about CAPE CONWAY is
diversified by hills and dales, lawns and woods, and forms a
delightfully verdant appearance. By the help of their glasses they
discovered three people, on one of the islands, and a canoe, with an
outrigger, like those of Otaheite. They this day named the islands,
CUMBERLAND ISLANDS, in honour of the Duke; and a passage which they
discovered was called WITSUNDAY’S PASSAGE, from the day on which it was
seen. At day-break, on Monday, they were a-breast of a point, which took
the name of CAPE GLOUCESTER. Names were likewise this day given to three
other places, viz. HOLBORNE ISLE, EDGCUMBE BAY, and CAPE UPSTART, which
latter was so called, because it rises abruptly from the low lands that
surround it.
On Tuesday, when near the shore, they saw very large columns of smoke
rising from the low-lands. This day they gave name to CLEAVELAND BAY,
the east point of which was called CAPE CLEAVELAND, and the west
MAGNETICAL ISLE, because the compass did not traverse well when they
were near it. The points, as well as the main land within them, lay
high, and form a barren, rugged and rocky coast. On the afternoon of
Thursday they saw several large columns of smoke, likewise some canoes,
and several natives, with some trees, that they thought were those of
cocoa-nut; in search of which fruit Messrs. Banks and Solander went
ashore with Lieutenant Hicks; but they returned in the evening with a
few plants, which they had gathered from the cabbage palm, and which had
been mistaken for the cocoa-tree. On Friday they gave the name of POINT
HILLOCK to a point of land; between which and Magnetical Isle the shore
forms HALIFAX BAY, which affords shelter from all winds. At six this
evening they were a-breast of a point of land, which was named Cape
Sandwich, near which lies ROCKINGHAM BAY. Hence they ranged northward
along the shore, towards a cluster of islands, on one of which about
forty men, women and children were standing together, and looking at the
ship with a curiosity never observed among these people before. The
north point of Rockingham bay was called DUNK ISLE, which is scarcely to
be distinguished from the shore, it lies so very near it. On Saturday
morning they were a-breast of some small islands, which were named
FRANKLAND’S ISLES; near which lie two places, which were called CAPE
GRAFTON and GREEN ISLAND. Here Messrs. Banks and Solander went ashore
with the Captain, whose chief view were to procure water, which not
being easily to be got, they soon returned on board, and the next day
arrived near TRINITY BAY, which was so called, because it was discovered
on Trinity Sunday.
As no accident remarkably unfortunate had befallen our adventurers,
during a navigation of more than thirteen hundred miles, upon a coast
every where abounding with the most dangerous rocks and shoals; no name
expressive of distress had hitherto been given to any cape or point of
land which they had seen. But they now gave the name of CAPE TRIBULATION
to a point which they had just discovered, as they here became
acquainted with misfortune.
This cape is in sixteen degrees six minutes south latitude, and 214
degrees 39 minutes west longitude.