22 April 1770

James Cook's Journal: Daily Entries

Table of Contents On this day ... 22 April 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 Index Search Contact us Search for Nautical Term in Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine...

22 April 1770 Sunday 22d In the PM had a gentle breeze at SBW with which we steerd along shore NBE and NNE at the distance of about 3 Leagues; saw the smook of fire in several places near the Sea beach. At 5 oClock we were abreast of a Point of land which on account of its perpendicular clifts I call'd Point Upright ^/ Latde 35°..35'/ it bore from us due west distant 2 Leagues and in this situation had 31 fm water a Sandy bottom - At 6 oClock falling little wind we hauld off ENE   at this time the Northermost land in sight bore NNE1/2E - At midnight being in 70 fathom water we brougt too untill 4 AM    at which time we made sail in for the land and at day light found our selves nearly in the same place we we was were at 5 oClock in the evening by which it was apparent that we had been drove between about 3 Leagues to the Southward by a Tide or Current in the night, after this we steerd along shore NNE having a gentle breeze at SW. and were so near the Shore as to distinguish several people upon the Sea beach   they appear'd to be of a very dark or black Colour but whether this was the real colour of their skins or the C[l]othes they might have on I know not - At Noon we were by observation in the Latitude of 35°..27' and Longde 209°..23'. Cape Dromedary bore So 28° West distt 19 Leags    a remarkable peaked hill ^laying inland the top of which look'd like a Pigeon house and occasioned my giving it that name, bore N 32°..30' Wt and a small low Island laying close under the shore bore NW distt 2 or 3 Leagues, Variation of the Compass 9°..50' Et When we first discover'd this Island in the morning I was in hopes from its appearence that we should have found shelter for the Ship behind it but when we came to approach it near I did not think that there was even security for a boat to land, but this I believe I should have attempted had not the wind come on shore  after which I did not think it safe to send a boat from the ship as we had a large hollow sea ^from ye SE rowling in from the SE upon the land which beat every were very high upon the Shore and this we have had ever sence we came upon the Coast. The land near the Sea coast still continues of a moderate hieght forming alternatly rocky points and Sandy beaches, but inland between Mount Dromedary and the Pigeon house are several pretty high Mountains two only of which we saw but what were coverd with trees and these lay ^inland behind near to the Pigeon house and ^are remarkably flat atop with steep rocky clifts all round them as far as we could see - the trees in this Country hath all the appearence of being stout and lofty - For these two days past the observe'd Latitude hath been ^12 or 14 Miles to the Southward of the Ships account given by the Log which can be owing to nothing but a Curre[n]t set to the Southward — Voyaging Accounts © Transcription by Paul Turnbull of National Library of Australia, Manuscript 1 page 225, 2004 Published by kind permission of the Library To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/cook/17700422.html