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31 March 1770
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31 March 1770

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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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 		31 March 1770

Saturday 31st. In the PM after rowing a League and a half or two Leagues up the Bay I landed on the [sic] upon a point of land on the west side where from an eminency I could see this western arm of the Bay run in SWBW about 5 Leagues farther yet did not see the head of it. there appear'd to be several other inlets or at least small bays, between this and Cape the the NW head of Queen Charlottes sound in every one of which I make no doubt but what there is anchorage and shelter for ship as they are partly cover'd from the sea wind by the Islands which lay without them. The land about this bay at least what I could see of it is of a very hilly uneven surface and appears to be mostly cover'd with wood, shrubs, Firns &Ca which renders traveling both difficult and fatigueing. I saw no inhabitants neither have we seen any sence we have been in the bay, but met with several of there hutts ^all of which appear'd to have been at least twelve months deserted. Upon my return to the Ship in the evening I found the Water &Ca all on board and the Ship ready for sea and being now resolv'd to quit this country altogether and to bend my thoughts towards returning home by such a rout as might conduce most to the advantage of the service I am upon I consulted with the officers upon the most eligible way of putting this in execution. To return by ^the way of Cape Horn was what I most wish'd because by this rout we should have been able to prove the existence or non existence of a Southern Continent which yet remains doubtfull, but in order to ascertain this we must have kept in a high latitude in the very depth of winter ^but the condition of the ship in every respect was not thought sufficient for such an undertaking.   for the same reason the thoughts of proceeding directly to the Cape of Good Hope was laid a side especialy as no discovery of any moment could be hoped for in that rout     it was therefore resolved to return by way of the East Indies, but as the state of the Ships provisions was thought more than sufficient to carry us thither it was agree'd ^by the following rout - upon leaving this coast to steer to the westward untill we fall in with the East Coast of New Holland and than to follow the deriction of that Coast to the northward or ^what other direction it might take untill we arrive at its northern extremity and if this should be found ^impractical than to endeavour to fall in with the lands or Islands discover'd by Quiros. With this View at day light in the morning we got under sail and put to sea having the advantage of a fresh gale at SE and clear weather - At Noon the Island which lies off the NW point of the Bay bore E 9° So distant 10 Miles - our Latitude by observation was 40°.35' So This bay I have named Admiralty Bay the NW point Cape Stephens and the SE point Point Jackson ^after the 2 Secretaries     it may always be know by the Island above Mentioned which is pretty high and lies NE 2 Miles from Cape Stephens Latde 40°..37' S, Longitude 185° 6' West

Between this Island and Cape Farewell which is WBN and EBS distant 14 or 15 Leagues from each other the Shore forms a large deep bay the bottom of which we could hardly see in sailing in a straight line from the one Cape to the other: but it is not attall improbable but what it is all low land next the sea as we have met with less water here than on any other part of the Coast at the same distance from land - however a Bay there is and is known the Chart by the name of Blind Bay —— but I have reason to believe it to be Tasmans Murderers Bay .

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© Transcription by Paul Turnbull of National Library of Australia, Manuscript 1 page 205, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/cook/17700331.html