On this day ...
13 August 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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Monday 13th At 2 oClock in the PM we left Lizard Isld in order to return to the Ship and in our way landed upon the low sandy Isle mentioned in coming out We found on this Island a great number of birds the Most of them Sea fowl, except Eagles, we likewise saw some Turtle but caught none for the reasons before assigned. We found that the Natives resort to this Island as we saw several Turtle Shells piled one upon another After leaving Eagle Island we stood SW directly for the Ship, sounding all the way, and had not less than 8 fm nor more than 14 fm I found the same depth of water between Lizard and Eagle Island. After we got on board the Master informed me that he had been down to the Islands I had directed him to go to which he judged to lay about 3 Leagues from the Main, he found 10, 12 & 14 fathom water without them and 7 between them & Main, this last channell was narrow because from the run off a flat above 2 Leagues. He found upon the Islands piles of Turtle shells and some fins that were so fresh that ^both the boats crew eat of them, this shew'd that the Natives
After well considering both what I had seen my self and the report of the Master, who was of opinion that the Passage to Leeward would prove dangers; this I was pretty well convince'd of my self that by keeping in with the main land we should be in continual danger besides the risk we should run in being locke'd in within the Main reef at last and have to return back to seek a passage out, an accident of this kind or any other that might happen to the Ship would infallibly loose our passage to the East Indias this season and might prove the ruin of the Voyage as we have now little more than 3 Months provisions on board and that at short allowance in many Arti[c]les. These reasons had the weight with all the officers. I therefore resolved to weigh in the morning and endeavour to quet the coast altogether untill we could approach it with less danger, With this View we got under sail at day light and stood out NE for the NW end of Eagle Lizard Island, leaving Eagle Island to windward of us ^and some other Islands & Shoals to leward having the Pinnace a head sounding in this channell we had from 9 to 14 fathom At Noon the NW end of Lizard Island bore ESE distant one mile Latde observed 14°..38' St depth of water 14 fathom We now took the Pinnace in tow knowing that there was no danger till we got out to the Reefs without the Island -
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© Transcription by Paul Turnbull of National Library of Australia, Manuscript 1 page 277, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/cook/17700813.html