On this day ...
7 February 1770
Endeavour Voyage Maps
James Cook's Journal Ms 1, National Library of Australia
Joseph Banks's Journal
Sydney Parkinson's Journal
The authorised published account of Cook's Voyage by John Hawkesworth
1770
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Wednesday 7th In the PM had a light breeze at NBW with which we got out of the Sound and stood over to the eastward in ord[er] to get the Strait well open before the tide of ebb made. At 7 the two small Island which lies off Cape Koamaroo or the SE head of Queen Charlottes Sound bore East distant 4 miles. at this time we had it nearly calm and the tide of Ebb makeing out we were carried by the rapiddity of the stream in a very short time close upon one of the Islands where we narrowly escaped being dashed againest the rocks by bringing the Ship to an Anchor in 75 fathom water with 150 fathoms of Cable out; even this would not have save'd us had not the tide, which first set SBE, by meeting with the Island changed its diretion to SE and carried us past the first point. when the Ship was brought up she was about two Cables lengths of the rocks and in the strength of the stream which set SE at least 4 or 5 Knotts or miles an hour. A little before 12 oClock the tide abated and we began to heave, by 3 the anchor was at the bows and having a light breeze at NW we made sail over for the eastern shore but having the tide againest us we made but little way. The wind afterwards freshend and came to north and NE with which and the tide of ebb we were in a short time hurried thro' the narrowest part of the strait and than stood away for the southermost land we had in sight which bore from us SBW. Over this land appear'd a prodegious high mountain the summit of which was coverd with snow —
The narrowest part of the strait we have pass'd lies between Cape Koamaroo on Tovy-poenammu and Cape Teerawhitte on Aeheinomouwe the distance from the one to the other I judged to be between 4 and 5 Leagues and notwithstanding the strength of the tides, now that is known, there is no great danger in passing it. in the doing of which I am of opinion that the NE shore is the safest to keep upon for on that side there appear'd to ^be danger whereas on the other shore there are not only the Islands and Rocks lying off Cape Koamaroo for I discover'd from the hill from which I had the second View of the Strait a Reef of Rocks stretching from these Islands Six or 7 Miles to the Southward and lay about 2 or 3 Miles off from the shore. I shall not pretend ^here to assign limets to the length of this strait a view of the Chart will best ellusterate that. About North 9 Leagues from Cape Teerawhitte under the same shore is a high remarkable Island that may be distinctly seen from Queen Charlottes Sound from which it lies NEBE1/2E distant four Six or five seven Leagues, I have called it Entry Isle and was taken notice of when we first past it on Sunday 14th ^of last Month. On the East side of Cape Teerawhitte the Land trends away SEBE about eight leagues where it ends in a point and is the southermost land of Aeheinomouwe which I have named Cape Pallisser ^in honour of my worthy friend Capt Pallisser / Latitude 41°..34', So Longitude. 183°..58' Wt / it bore from us ^this day at Noon So 79° Et distant 12 or 13 Leagues being than in the latitude of 41°..27' So at the same time Cape Koamaroo bore N1/2E distant 7 or 8 Leagues. the southermost point of land in sight bore So 16° Wt and the Snowey Mountain SW being about three leagues from the shore and a breast of a deep Bay or Inlet, call'd Clowdy bay in the bottom of which appear'd low land cover'd with tall trees —
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© Transcription by Paul Turnbull of National Library of Australia, Manuscript 1 page 185, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/cook/17700207.html