Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/350

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272
Cook's Journal.—First Voyage.
[June 1770.

the shore forms a Large bay, which I named Hallifax bay;[1] before it lay the Groups of Islands before mentioned, and some others nearer the Shore. These Islands shelter the Bay in a manner from all Winds, in which is good Anchorage. The land near the Shore in the bottom of the bay is very low and Woody; but a little way back in the Country is a continued ridge of high land, which appear'd 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 6 a.m. we were abreast of a point of Land which lies N. by W. ½ W., 11 Miles from Point Hillick; the Land between them is very high, and of a craggy, barren surface. This point I named Cape Sandwich;[2] it may not only be known by the high, craggy land over it, but by a small Island which lies E. one Mile from it, and some others about 2 Leagues to the Northward of it. From Cape Sandwich the Land trends W., and afterwards N., and forms a fine, Large Bay, which I called Rockingham Bay;[3] it is well Shelter'd, and affords good Anchorage; at least, so it appear'd to me, for having met with so little encouragement by going ashore that I would not wait to land or examine it farther, but continued to range along Shore to the Northward for a parcel of Small Islands[4] laying off the Northern point of the Bay, and, finding a Channel of a Mile broad between the 3 Outermost and those nearer the Shore, we pushed thro'. While we did this we saw on one of the nearest Islands a Number of the Natives collected together, who seem'd to look very attentively upon the Ship; they were quite naked, and of a very Dark Colour, with short hair. At noon we were by observation in the Lat. of 17° 59′, and abreast of the N. point of Rockingham Bay, which bore from us W. 2 Miles. This boundry of the Bay is form'd by a Tolerable high Island, known in the Chart by the Name of Dunk Isle; it lays so near the Shore as not to be distinguished from it unless you are well in with the Land. At this time we were in the Long. of 213° 57′, Cape Sandwich bore S. by E. ½ E., distant 19 Miles, and the northermost land in sight N. ½ W. Our depth of Water in the Course of this day's Sail was not more than 16, nor less than 7, fathoms.[5]

Saturday, 9th.—Winds between the S. and S.E., a Gentle breeze, and Clear weather, with which we steer'd N. by W. as the land lay, the northern extream of which at sunset bore N. 25° W. We keept on our Course under an Easey sail all night, having from 12 to 16

  1. The Earl of Halifax was Secretary of State 1763–5.
  2. Earl of Sandwich was First Lord of the Admiralty 1763.
  3. The Marquis of Rockingham was Prime Minister 1765–6.
  4. The Family Islands.
  5. About here the Great Barrier Reefs begin to close in on the land. Cook kept so close to the latter that he was unconscious as yet of their existence; but he was soon to find them.