Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
big as one can hold in one's hand, and pretty close to one another; in
this manner the Surface of the Ground is Coated. In the woods between the
Trees Dr. Solander had a bare sight of a Small Animal something like a
Rabbit, and we found the Dung of an Animal* (* This was the kangaroo.)
which must feed upon Grass, and which, we judge, could not be less than a
Deer; we also saw the Track of a Dog, or some such like Animal. We met
with some Hutts and places where the Natives had been, and at our first
setting out one of them was seen; the others, I suppose, had fled upon
our Approach. I saw some Trees that had been cut down by the Natives with
some sort of a Blunt instrument, and several Trees that were barqued, the
bark of which had been cut by the same instrument; in many of the Trees,
especially the Palms, were cut steps of about 3 or 4 feet asunder for the
conveniency of Climbing them. We found 2 Sorts of Gum, one sort of which
is like Gum Dragon, and is the same, I suppose, Tasman took for Gum lac;
it is extracted from the largest tree in the Woods.
Wednesday, 2nd. Between 3 and 4 in the P.M. we return'd out of the
Country, and after Dinner went ashore to the watering place, where we had
not been long before 17 or 18 of the Natives appeared in sight. In the
morning I had sent Mr. Gore, with a boat, up to the head of the Bay to
drudge for Oysters; in his return to the Ship he and another person came
by land, and met with these people, who followed him at the Distance of
10 or 20 Yards. Whenever Mr. Gore made a stand and faced them they stood
also, and notwithstanding they were all Arm'd, they never offer'd to
Attack him; but after he had parted from them, and they were met by Dr.
Monkhouse and one or 2 more, who, upon making a Sham retreat, they
throw'd 3 darts after them, after which they began to retire. Dr.
Solander, I, and Tupia made all the haste we could after them, but could
not, either by words or Actions, prevail upon them to come near us, Mr.
Gore saw some up the Bay, who by signs invited him ashore, which he
prudently declined. In the A.M. had the wind in the South-East with rain,
which prevented me from making an Excursion up the head of the bay as I
intended.
Thursday, 3rd. Winds at South-East, a Gentle breeze and fair weather. In
the P.M. I made a little excursion along the Sea Coast to the Southward,
accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. At our first entering the
woods we saw 3 of the Natives, who made off as soon as they saw us; more
of them were seen by others of our people, who likewise made off as soon
as they found they were discover'd. In the A.M. I went in the Pinnace to
the head of the bay, accompanied by Drs. Solander and Monkhouse, in order
to Examine the Country, and to try to form some Connections with the
Natives. In our way thither we met with 10 or 12 of them fishing, each in
a Small Canoe, who retir'd into Shoald water upon our approach. Others
again we saw at the first place we landed at, who took to their Canoes,
and fled before we came near them; after this we took Water, and went
almost to the head of the inlet, were we landed and Travel'd some
distance in land. We found the face of the Country much the same as I
have before described, but the land much richer for instead of sand I
found in many places a deep black soil, which we thought was Capable of
producing any kind of grain. At present it produceth, besides Timber, as
fine Meadow as ever was seen; however, we found it not all like this,
some few places were very rocky, but this, I believe, to be uncommon. The
stone is sandy, and very proper for building, etc. After we had
sufficiently examin'd this part we return'd to the Boat, and seeing some
Smoke and Canoes at another part we went thither, in hopes of meeting
with the people, but they made off as we approached. There were 6 Canoes
and 6 small fires near the Shore, and Muscles roasting upon them, and a
few Oysters laying near; from this we conjectured that there had been
just 6 people, who had been out each in his Canoe picking up the Shell
fish, and come a Shore to eat them, where each had made his fire to dress
them by. We tasted of their Cheer, and left them in return Strings of
beads, etc. The day being now far spent, we set out on our return to the
Ship.
Friday, 4th. Winds northerly, serene weather. Upon my return to the Ship
in the evening I found that none of the Natives had Appear'd near the
Watering place, but about 20 of them had been fishing in their Canoes at
no great distance from us. In the A.M., as the Wind would not permit us
to sail, I sent out some parties into the Country to try to form some
Connections with the Natives. One of the Midshipmen met with a very old
man and Woman and 2 Small Children; they were Close to the Water side,
where several more were in their Canoes gathering of Shell fish, and he,
being alone, was afraid to make any stay with the 2 old People least he
should be discovr'd by those in the Canoes. He gave them a bird he had
Shott, which they would not Touch; neither did they speak one word, but
seem'd to be much frightned. They were quite Naked; even the Woman had
nothing to cover her nudities. Dr. Monkhouse and another Man being in the
Woods, not far from the watering place, discover'd 6 more of the Natives,
who at first seem'd to wait his coming; but as he was going up to them he
had a dart thrown at him out of a Tree, which narrowly escaped him. As
soon as the fellow had thrown the dart he descended the Tree and made
off, and with him all the rest, and these were all that were met with in
the Course of this day.
Saturday, 5th. In the P.M. I went with a party of Men over to the North
Shore, and while some hands were hauling the Sean, a party of us made an
Excursion of 3 or 4 Miles into the Country, or rather along the Sea
Coast. We met with nothing remarkable; great part of the Country for some
distance inland from the Sea Coast is mostly a barren heath, diversified
with Marshes and Morasses. Upon our return to the Boat we found they had
caught a great number of small fish, which the sailors call leather
Jackets on account of their having a very thick skin; they are known in
the West Indies. I had sent the Yawl in the morning to fish for Sting
rays, who returned in the Evening with upwards of four hundred weight;
one single one weigh'd 240 pounds Exclusive of the entrails. In the A.M.,
as the wind Continued Northerly, I sent the Yawl again a fishing, and I
went with a party of Men into the Country, but met with nothing
extraordinary.
[Description of Botany Bay, New South Wales.]
Sunday, 6th. In the evening the Yawl return'd from fishing, having Caught
2 Sting rays weighing near 600 pounds. The great quantity of plants Mr.
Banks and Dr. Solander found in this place occasioned my giving it the
Name of Botany Bay.* (* The Bay was at first called Stingray Bay. The
plan of it at the Admiralty is called by this name, and none of the logs
know Botany Bay. It seems probable that Cook finally settled on the name
after the ship left, and when Banks had had time to examine his
collections. A monument was erected in 1870 near the spot, on the
southern side, where Cook first landed. Botany Bay was intended to be the
site where the first settlement of convicts should be made, but on the
arrival of Captain Phillip, on January 18th, 1788, he found it so
unsuited for the number of his colony that he started in a boat to
examine Broken Bay. On his way he went into Port Jackson, and immediately
decided on settling there. On the 25th and 26th the ships went round, and
Sydney was founded.) It is situated in the Latitude of 34 degrees 0
minutes South, Longitude 208 degrees 37 minutes West. It is capacious,
safe, and Commodious; it may be known by the land on the Sea Coast, which
is of a pretty even and moderate height, Rather higher than it is inland,
with steep rocky Clifts next the Sea, and looks like a long Island lying
close under the Shore. The Entrance of the Bay lies about the Middle of
this land. In coming from the Southward it is discover'd before you are
abreast of it, which you cannot do in coming from the Northward; the
entrance is little more than a Quarter of a Mile broad, and lies in
West-North-West. To sail into it keep the South shore on board until
within a small bare Island, which lies close under the North Shore. Being
within that Island the deepest of Water is on that side, 7, 6 and 5
fathoms a good way up; there is Shoald Water a good way off from the
South Shore--from the inner South Point quite to the head of the harbour;
but over towards the North and North-West Shore is a Channell of 12 or 14
feet at low Water, 3 or 4 Leagues up, to a place where there is 3 or 4
fathoms; but there I found very little fresh Water. We Anchor'd near the
South Shore about a Mile within the Entrance for the Conveniency of
Sailing with a Southerly wind and the getting of Fresh Water; but I
afterwards found a very fine stream of fresh Water on the North shore in
the first sandy Cove within the Island, before which the Ship might lay
almost land locked, and wood for fuel may be got everywhere. Although
wood is here in great plenty, yet there is very little Variety; the
bigest trees are as large or larger than our Oaks in England, and grows a
good deal like them, and Yields a reddish Gum; the wood itself is heavy,
hard, and black like Lignum Vitae. Another sort that grows tall and
Strait something like Pines--the wood of this is hard and Ponderous, and
something of the Nature of America live Oak. These 2 are all the Timber
trees I met with; there are a few sorts of Shrubs and several Palm Trees
and Mangroves about the Head of the Harbour. The Country is woody, low,
and flat as far in as we could see, and I believe that the Soil is in
general sandy. In the Wood are a variety of very beautiful birds, such as
Cocatoos, Lorryquets, Parrots, etc., and crows Exactly like those we have
in England. Water fowl is no less plenty about the head of the Harbour,
where there is large flats of sand and Mud, on which they seek their
food; the most of these were unknown to us, one sort especially, which
was black and white, and as large as a Goose, but most like a Pelican.*
(* Most probably the Black and White or Semipalmated Goose, now
exterminated in these parts.) On the sand and Mud banks are Oysters,
Muscles, Cockles, etc., which I believe are the Chief support of the
inhabitants, who go into Shoald Water with their little Canoes and peck
them out of the sand and Mud with their hands, and sometimes roast and
Eat them in the Canoe, having often a fire for that purpose, as I
suppose, for I know no other it can be for. The Natives do not appear to
be numerous, neither do they seem to live in large bodies, but dispers'd
in small parties along by the Water side. Those I saw were about as tall
as Europeans, of a very dark brown Colour, but not black, nor had they
woolly, frizled hair, but black and lank like ours. No sort of Cloathing
or Ornaments were ever seen by any of us upon any one of them, or in or
about any of their Hutts; from which I conclude that they never wear any.
Some that we saw had their faces and bodies painted with a sort of White
Paint or Pigment. Altho' I have said that shell fish is their Chief
support, yet they catch other sorts of fish, some of which we found
roasting on the fire the first time we landed; some of these they strike
with Gigs,* (* A fishing implement like a trident.) and others they catch
with hook and line; we have seen them strike fish with gigs, and hooks
and lines are found in their Hutts. Sting rays, I believe, they do not
eat, because I never saw the least remains of one near any of their Hutts
or fire places. However, we could know but very little of their Customs,