Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
Assistance of our Boats, we could observe the Ship to move off from the
Reef in a slanting direction; but in less than 10 Minutes we had as flat
a Calm as ever, when our fears were again renewed, for as yet we were not
above 200 Yards from the Breakers. Soon after our friendly Breeze visited
us again, and lasted about as long as before. A Small Opening was now
Seen in the Reef about a 1/4 of a Mile from us, which I sent one of the
Mates to Examine. Its breadth was not more than the Length of the Ship,
but within was Smooth Water. Into this place it was resolved to Push her
if Possible, having no other Probable Views to save her, for we were
still in the very Jaws of distruction, and it was a doubt wether or no we
could reach this Opening. However, we soon got off it, when to our
Surprise we found the Tide of Ebb gushing out like a Mill Stream, so that
it was impossible to get in. We however took all the Advantage Possible
of it, and it Carried us out about a 1/4 of a Mile from the breakers; but
it was too Narrow for us to keep in long. However, what with the help of
this Ebb, and our Boats, we by Noon had got an Offing of 1 1/2 or 2
Miles, yet we could hardly flatter ourselves with hopes of getting Clear,
even if a breeze should Spring up, as we were by this time embay'd by the
Reef, and the Ship, in Spite of our Endeavours, driving before the Sea
into the bight. The Ebb had been in our favour, and we had reason to
Suppose the flood which was now made would be against us. The only hopes
we had was another Opening we saw about a Mile to the Westward of us,
which I sent Lieutenant Hicks in the Small Boat to Examine. Latitude
observed 12 degrees 37 minutes South, the Main Land in Sight distant
about 10 Leagues.
[Pass Again Inside Barrier Reef.]
Friday, 17th. While Mr. Hicks was Examining the opening we struggled hard
with the flood, sometime gaining a little and at other times loosing. At
2 o'Clock Mr. Hicks returned with a favourable Account of the Opening. It
was immediately resolved to Try to secure the Ship in it. Narrow and
dangerous as it was, it seemed to be the only means we had of saving her,
as well as ourselves. A light breeze soon after sprung up at
East-North-East, with which, the help of our Boats, and a Flood Tide, we
soon entered the Opening, and was hurried thro' in a short time by a
Rappid Tide like a Mill race, which kept us from driving against either
side, though the Channel was not more than a 1/4 of a Mile broad, having
2 Boats ahead of us sounding.* (* This picture of the narrow escape from
total shipwreck is very graphic. Many a ship has been lost under similar
circumstances, without any idea of anchoring, which would often save a
vessel, as it is not often that a reef is so absolutely steep; but that
Cook had this possibility in his mind is clear. As a proof of the
calmness which prevailed on board, it may be mentioned that when in the
height of the danger, Mr. Green, Mr. Clerke, and Mr. Forwood the gunner,
were engaged in taking a Lunar, to obtain the longitude. The note in Mr.
Green's log is: "These observations were very good, the limbs of sun and
moon very distinct, and a good horizon. We were about 100 yards from the
reef, where we expected the ship to strike every minute, it being calm,
no soundings, and the swell heaving us right on.") Our deepth of water
was from 30 to 7 fathoms; very irregular soundings and foul ground until
we had got quite within the Reef, where we Anchor'd in 19 fathoms, a
Coral and Shelly bottom. The Channel we came in by, which I have named
Providential Channell, bore East-North-East, distant 10 or 12 Miles,
being about 8 or 9 Leagues from the Main land, which extended from North
66 degrees West to South-West by South.
It is but a few days ago that I rejoiced at having got without the Reef;
but that joy was nothing when Compared to what I now felt at being safe
at an Anchor within it. Such are the Visissitudes attending this kind of
Service, and must always attend an unknown Navigation where one steers
wholy in the dark without any manner of Guide whatever. Was it not from
the pleasure which Naturly results to a man from his being the first
discoverer, even was it nothing more than Land or Shoals, this kind of
Service would be insupportable, especially in far distant parts like
this, Short of Provisions and almost every other necessary. People will
hardly admit of an excuse for a Man leaving a Coast unexplored he has
once discovered. If dangers are his excuse, he is then charged with
Timerousness and want of Perseverance, and at once pronounced to be the
most unfit man in the world to be employ'd as a discoverer; if, on the
other hand, he boldly encounters all the dangers and Obstacles he meets
with, and is unfortunate enough not to succeed, he is then Charged with
Temerity, and, perhaps, want of Conduct. The former of these Aspersions,
I am confident, can never be laid to my Charge, and if I am fortunate to
Surmount all the Dangers we meet with, the latter will never be brought
in Question; altho' I must own that I have engaged more among the Islands
and Shoals upon this Coast than perhaps in prudence I ought to have done
with a single Ship* (* Cook was so impressed with the danger of one ship
alone being engaged in these explorations, that in his subsequent voyages
he asked for, and obtained, two vessels.) and every other thing
considered. But if I had not I should not have been able to give any
better account of the one half of it than if I had never seen it; at
best, I should not have been able to say wether it was Mainland or
Islands; and as to its produce, that we should have been totally ignorant
of as being inseparable with the other; and in this case it would have
been far more satisfaction to me never to have discover'd it. But it is
time I should have done with this Subject, which at best is but
disagreeable, and which I was lead into on reflecting on our late
Dangers.
In the P.M., as the wind would not permit us to sail out by the same
Channel as we came in, neither did I care to move until the pinnace was
in better repair, I sent the Master with all the other Boats to the Reef
to get such refreshments as he could find, and in the meantime the
Carpenters were repairing the pinnace. Variations by the Amplitude and
Azimuth in the morning 4 degrees 9 minutes Easterly; at noon Latitude
observed 12 degrees 38 minutes South, Longitude in 216 degrees 45 minutes
West. It being now about low water, I and some other of the officers went
to the Masthead to see what we could discover. Great part of the reef
without us was dry, and we could see an Opening in it about two Leagues
farther to the South-East than the one we came in by; we likewise saw 2
large spots of sand to the Southward within the Reef, but could see
nothing to the Northward between it and the Main. On the Mainland within
us was a pretty high promontary, which I called Cape Weymouth (Latitude
12 degrees 42 minutes South, Longitude 217 degrees 15 minutes); and on
the North-West side of this Cape is a Bay, which I called Weymouth Bay.*
(* Viscount Weymouth was one of the Secretaries of State when the
Endeavour sailed.)
Saturday, 18th. Gentle breezes at East and East-South-East. At 4 P.M. the
Boats return'd from the Reef with about 240 pounds of Shell-fish, being
the Meat of large Cockles, exclusive of the Shells. Some of these Cockles
are as large as 2 Men can move, and contain about 20 pounds of Meat, very
good. At 6 in the morning we got under sail, and stood away to the
North-West, as we could not expect a wind to get out to Sea by the same
Channel as we came in without waiting perhaps a long time for it, nor was
it advisable at this time to go without the Shoals, least we should by
them be carried so far off the Coast as not to be able to determine
wether or no New Guinea joins to or makes a part of this land. This
doubtful point I had from my first coming upon the Coast, determined, if
Possible, to clear up; I now came to a fix'd resolution to keep the Main
land on board, let the Consequence be what it will, and in this all the
Officers concur'd. In standing to the North-West we met with very
irregular soundings, from 10 to 27 fathoms, varying 5 or 6 fathoms almost
every Cast of the Lead. However, we keept on having a Boat ahead
sounding. A little before noon we passed a low, small, sandy Isle, which
we left on our Starboard side at the distance of 2 Miles. At the same
time we saw others, being part of large Shoals above water, away to the
North-East and between us and the Main land. At Noon we were by
observation in the Latitude of 12 degrees 28 minutes South, and 4 or 5
Leagues from the Main, which extended from South by West to North 71
degrees West, and some Small Islands extending from North 40 degrees West
to North 54 degrees West, the Main or outer Reef seen from the Masthead
away to the North-East.
[Amongst Shoals off Cape Grenville.]
Sunday, 19th. Gentle breezes at South-East by East and Clear wether. At 2
P.M., as we were steering North-West by North, saw a large shoal right
ahead, extending 3 or 4 points on each bow, upon which we hauld up
North-North-East and North-East by North, in order to get round to North
Point of it, which we reached by 4 o'clock, and then Edged away to the
westward, and run between the North end of this Shoal and another, which
lays 2 miles to the Northward of it, having a Boat all the time ahead
sounding. Our depth of Water was very irregular, from 22 to 8 fathoms. At
1/2 past 6 we Anchor'd in 13 fathoms; the Northermost of the Small
Islands mentioned at Noon bore West 1/2 South, distant 3 Miles. These
Islands, which are known in the Chart by the name of Forbes's Isles,* (*
Admiral John Forbes was a Commissioner of Longitude in 1768, and had been
a Lord of the Admiralty from 1756 to 1763.) lay about 5 Leagues from the
Main, which here forms a moderate high point, which we called Bolt head,
from which the Land trends more westerly, and is all low, sandy Land, but
to the Southward it is high and hilly, even near the Sea. At 6 A.M. we
got under sail, and directed our Course for an Island which lay but a
little way from the Main, and bore from us at this time North 40 degrees
West, distant 5 Leagues; but we were soon interrupted in our Course by
meeting with Shoals, but by the help of 2 Boats ahead and a good lookout
at the Mast head we got at last into a fair Channel, which lead us down
to the Island, having a very large Shoal on our Starboard side and
several smaller ones betwixt us and the Main land. In this Channel we had
from 20 to 30 fathoms. Between 11 and 12 o'Clock we hauld round the
North-East side of the Island, leaving it between us and the Main from
which it is distant 7 or 8 Miles. This Island is about a League in
Circuit and of a moderate height, and is inhabited; to the North-West of
it are several small, low Islands and Keys, which lay not far from the
Main, and to the Northward and Eastward lay several other Islands and
Shoals, so that we were now incompassed on every side by one or the
other, but so much does a great danger Swallow up lesser ones, that these
once so much dreaded spots were now looked at with less concern. The
Boats being out of their Stations, we brought too to wait for them. At
Noon our Latitude by observation was 12 degrees 0 minutes South,
Longitude in 217 degrees 25 minutes West; depth of Water 14 fathoms;
Course and distance sail'd, reduced to a strait line, since yesterday
Noon is North 29 degrees West, 32 Miles. The Main land within the above
Islands forms a point, which I call Cape Grenville* (* George Grenville
was First Lord of the Admiralty for a few months in 1763, and afterwards
Prime Minister for two years.) (Latitude 11 degrees 58 minutes, Longitude