are bold to both the shores, and the distance between them is about two miles. In this inlet is good anchorage in seven, six, five, and four fathom; and places very convenient for laying a ship down, where, at spring-tides, the water does not rise less than sixteen or eighteen feet. The tide flows at the full and change of the moon about eleven o'clock. I have already observed that here is no fresh water, nor could we procure refreshment of any other kind we saw two turtles, but we were not able to take either of them: neither did we catch either fish or wild-fowl, except a few small land birds: we saw indeed the same sorts of water-fowl as in Botany Bay, but they were so shy that we could not get a shot at them.

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As I had not therefore a single inducement to stay longer in this place, I weighed anchor at six o'clock in the morning of Thursday the 31st of May, and put to sea. We stood to the N.W. with a fresh breeze at S.S.E., and kept without the group of islands that lie in shore, and to the N.W. of Thirsty Sound, as there appeared to be no safe passage between them and the main; at the same time we had a number of islands without us, extending as far as we could see: during our run in this direction, our depth of water was ten, eight, and nine fathom. At noon, the west point of Thirsty Sound, which I have called Pier Head, bore S. 36 E., distant five leagues; the east point of the other inlet, which communicates with the Sound, bore S. by W., distant two leagues; the group of islands just mentioned lay between us and the point, and the farthest part of the main in sight, on the other side of the inlet, bore N.W. Our latitude by observation was 21° 53'. At half an hour after twelve, the boat, which was sounding ahead, made the signal for shoal-water, and we immediately hauled our wind to the N.E. At this time we had seven fathom, at the next cast five, and at the next three, upon which we instantly dropped an anchor, that brought the ship up. Pier-head, the north-west point of Thirsty Sound, bore S.E. distant six leagues, being half-way between the islands which lie off the east point of the western inlet, and three small islands which lie directly without them. It was now the first of the flood, which we found to set N.W. by W. ↓ W.; and having sounded about the shoal, upon which we had three fathom, and found deep water all round it, we got under sail, and having hauled round the three islands that have been just mentioned, came to an anchor under the lee of them, in fifteen fathom water; and the weather being dark, hazy, and rainy, we remained there till seven o'clock in the morning. At this time we got again under sail, and stood to the N.W. with a fresh breeze at S.S.E.; having the mainland in sight, and a number of islands all round us, some of which lay out at sea as far as the eye could reach. The western inlet, which, in the chart, is distinguished by the name of Broad Sound, we had now all open; at the entrance, it is at least nine or ten leagues wide: in it, and before it, lie several islands, and probably shoals also; for our soundings were very irregular, varying suddenly from ten to four fathom. At noon, our latitude by observation was 21° 29′ S.; a point of land which forms the north-west entrance into Broad Sound and which I have named CAPE PALMERSTON, lying in latitude 21° 30', longitude 210° 54' W. bore W. by N. distant three leagues. Our latitude was 21° 27', our longitude 210° 57'. Between this Cape and Cape Townshend lies the bay which I have called the BAY OF INLETS. We continued to stand to the N.W. and N.W. by N., as the land lay, under an easy sail, having a boat ahead to sound: at first the soundings were very irregular, from nine to four fathom; but afterwards they were regular, from nine to eleven. At eight in the evening, being about two leagues from the main land, we anchored in eleven fathom, with a sandy bottom; and soon after, we found the tide setting with a slow motion to the westward. At one o'clock, it was slack, or low water; and at half an hour after two, the ship tended to the eastward, and rode so till six in the morning, when the tide had risen eleven feet. We now got under sail, and stood away in the direction of the coast, N.N.W. From what we had observed of the tide during the night, it is plain, that the flood came from the N.W.; whereas, the preceding day, and several days before, it came from the S. E.; nor was this the first, or even second time, that we had remarked the same thing. At sunrise this morning, we found the variation to be 6° 45′ E.; and in steering along the shore, between the island and the main, at the distance of about two leagues from the main, and three or four from the island, our soundings were regular from twelve to nine fathom; but

about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, we were again embarrassed with shoal water, having at one time not more than three fathom; yet we got clear, without casting anchor. At noon we were about two leagues from the main, and four from the islands without us. Our latitude by observation was 20° 56′, and a high promontory, which I named CAPE HILLSBOROUGH, bore W. & N., distant seven miles. The land here is diversified by mountains, hills, plains, and valleys, and seems to be well clothed with herbage and wood: the islands which lie parallel to the coast, and from five to eight or nine miles distant, are of various height and extent; scarcely any of them are more than five leagues in circumference, and many are not four miles: besides this chain of islands, which lies at a distance from the coast, there are others much less, which lie under the land, from which we saw smoke rising in different places. We continued to steer along the shore at the distance of about two leagues, with regular soundings from nine to ten fathom. At sunset, the farthest point of the main bore N. 48 W., and to the northward of this lay some high land, which I took to be an island, and of which the north-west point bore 41 W.; but not being sure of a passage, I came to an anchor about eight o'clock in the evening, in ten fathom water, with a muddy bottom. About ten we had a tide setting to the northward, and at two it had fallen nine feet; after this it began to rise, and the flood came from the northward, in the direction of the islands which lay out to sea; a plain indication that there was no passage to the N.W. This however, had not appeared at daybreak, when we got under sail and stood to the N.W. At eight o'clock in the morning, we discovered low land quite across what we took for an opening, which proved to be a bay, about five or six leagues deep; upon this we hauled our wind to the eastward round the north point of the bay, which at this time bore from us N.E. by N., distant four leagues: from this point we found the land trend away N. by W. W., and a strait or passage between it and a large island, or islands, lying parallel to it. Having the tide of ebb in our favour, we stood for this passage, and at noon were just within the entrance: our latitude by observation was 20° 26' S.; Cape Hillsborough bore S. by E., distant ten leagues; and the north point of the bay distant four miles. This point, which I named CAPE CONWAY, lies in latitude 26° 36′ S., longitude 211° 28′ W.; and the bay which lies between this Cape and Cape Hillsborough, I called REPULSE BAY. The greatest depth of water which we found in it was thirteen fathom, and the least eight. In all parts there was safe anchorage, and I believe that, upon proper examination, some good harbours would be found in it; especially at the north side within Cape Conway; for just within that Cape, there lie two or three small islands, which alone would shelter that side of the bay from the southerly and south-easterly winds, that seem to prevail here as a Trade. Among the many islands that lie upon this coast, there is one more remarkable than the rest; it is of a small circuit, very high and peaked, and lies E. by S. ten miles from Cape Conway, at the south end of the passage. In the afternoon, we steered through this passage, which we found to be from three to seven miles broad, and eight or nine leagues in length, N. by W. W., S. by E. E. It is formed by the main on the west, and by the islands on the east, one of which is at least five leagues in length: our depth of water in running through was from twenty to five-and-twenty fathom, with good anchorage, everywhere, and the whole passage may be considered as one safe harbour, exclusive of the small bays and coves which abound on each side, where ships might lie as in a basin. The land, both upon the main and islands, is high, and diversified by hill and valley, wood and lawn, with a green and pleasant appearance. On one of the islands, we discovered with our glasses two men and a woman, and a canoe with an outrigger, which appeared to be larger, and of a construction very different from those of bark tied together at the ends, which we had seen upon other parts of the coast; we hoped therefore that the people here had made some farther advances beyond mere animal life than those that we had seen before. At six o'clock in the evening, we were nearly the length of the north end of the passage; the north-westernmost point of the main in sight bore N. 54 W., and the north end of the island N.N.E., with an open sea between the two points. As this passage was discovered on Whitsunday, I called it WHITSUNDAY'S PASSAGE; and I called the islands that form it CUMBERLAND ISLANDS, in honour of his Royal Highness the Duke. We kept under an easy sail, with the lead going all night, being at the distance of about

three leagues from the shore, and having from twenty-one to twenty-three fathom water. At daybreak we were abreast of the point which had been the farthest in sight to the north-west the evening before, which I named CAPE GLOUCESTER*. It is a lofty promontory, in latitude 19° 59′ S., longitude 211° 49′ W., and may be known by an island which lies out at sea N. by W. W. at the distance of five or six leagues from it, and which I called HOLBORNE ISLE; there are also islands lying under the land between Holborne Isle and Whitsunday's Passage. On the west side of Cape Gloucester the land trends away S.W. and S.S.W., and forms a deep bay, the bottom of which I could but just see from the mast-head: it is very low, and a continuation of the low land which we had seen at the bottom of Repulse Bay. This bay I called EDGECUMBE BAY, but without staying to look into it, we continued our course to the westward, for the farthest land we could see in that direction, which bore W. by N. & N. and appeared very high. At noon, we were about three leagues from the shore, by observation in latitude 19° 47′ S., and Cape Gloucester bore S. 63 E., distant seven leagues and a half. At six in the evening, we were abreast of the westernmost point just mentioned, at about three miles distance; and because it rises abruptly from the low lands which surround it, I called it CAPE UPSTART. It lies in latitude 19° 39′ S., longitude 212° 32′ W., fourteen leagues W.N.W. from Cape Gloucester, and is of a height sufficient to be seen at the distance of twelve leagues: inland there are some high hills or mountains, which, like the Cape, afford but a barren prospect. Having passed this Cape, we continued standing to the W.N.W. as the land lay, under an easy sail, having from sixteen to ten fathom, till two o'clock in the morning, when we fell into seven fathom; upon which we hauled our wind to the northward, judging ourselves to be very near land at daybreak, we found our conjecture to be true, being within little more than two leagues of it. In this part of the coast, the land, being very low, is nearer than it appears to be, though it is diversified with here and there a hill. At noon, we were about four leagues from the land, in fifteen fathom water, and our latitude, by observation, was 19° 12' S., Cape Upstart bearing S. 32° 30′ E., distant twelve leagues. About this time some very large columns of smoke were seen rising from the lowlands. At sunset, the preceding night, when we were close under Cape Upstart, the variation was nearly 9° E., and at sunrise this day it was no more than 5° 35'; I judged therefore that it had been influenced by iron ore, or other magnetical matter, contained under the surface of the earth†. We continued to steer W.N.W. as the land lay, with twelve or fourteen fathom water, till noon on the 6th, when our latitude by observation was 19° 1' S. and we had the mouth of a bay all open, extending from S. E. to S.W. S. distant two leagues. This bay, which I named CLEVELAND BAY, appeared to be about five or six miles in extent every way the east point I named CAPE CLEVELAND, and the west, which had the appearance of an island, MAGNETICAL ISLE, as we perceived that the compass did not traverse well when we were near it: they are both high, and so is the mainland within them, the whole forming a surface the most rugged, rocky, and barren of any we had seen upon the coast; it was not however without inhabitants, for we saw smoke in several parts of the bottom of the bay. The northernmost land that was in sight at this time bore N. W., and it had the appearance of an island, for we could not trace the mainland farther than W. by N. steered W.N.W. keeping the mainland on board, the outermost part of which, at sunset, bore W. by N.; but without it lay high land, which we judged not to be part of it. At

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This is in reality an island (now known as Gloucester Island) of five miles long. It is separated from the real Cape by a strait, a mile and a half wide. See King's Survey of the coasts of Australia.-ED.

"The variation observed by Captain Cook off Mount Upstart was 9° E.; but by an azimuth observed by me close to the Cape, it was found not more than 6° 16' E. The result of Captain Cook's observation must therefore be attributed to some other cause than, as he supposed, to a magnetical power in the hills of this promontory."King's Survey of the Coast of Australia, vol. i. p 190.

In reference to this passage, Captain King remarks that in taking some bearings when on shore in Cleveland

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Bay, "a remarkable observation was here made upon the magnetic influence of this land; the variation was observed to be 10° 32′ W.; but on removing the compass eight yards off, only gave 2o 50' E. This in some degree corresponds with Captain Cook's record of the irregularity of his compass when he passed near this part of the coast, in consequence of which, he called the peaked island to the westward of the cape, Magnetical Island: this irregularity, however, was not noticed by me in my observations near the same spot; and the difference observed by him may very probably have been occasioned by the ship's local attraction, which in those days was unknown."-ED.

daybreak, we were abreast of the eastern part of this land, which we found to be a group of islands, lying about five leagues from the main: at this time, being between the two shores, we advanced slowly to the N.W. till noon, when our latitude, by observation, was 18° 49′ S. and our distance from the main about five leagues: the north-west part of it bore from us N. by W. W., the islands extending from N. to E., and the nearest being distant about two miles: Cape Cleveland bore S. 50 E. distant eighteen leagues. Our soundings, in the course that we had sailed between this time and the preceding noon, were from fourteen to eleven fathom.

In the afternoon, we saw several large columns of smoke upon the main; we saw also some people and canoes, and upon one of the islands what had the appearance of cocoa-nut trees. As a few of these nuts would now have been very acceptable, I sent Lieutenant Hicks ashore, and with him went Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, to see what refreshment could be procured, while I kept standing in for the island with the ship. About seven o'clock in the evening they returned, with an account that what we had taken for cocoa-nut trees were a small kind of cabbage-palm, and that, except about fourteen or fifteen plants, they had met with nothing worth bringing away. While they were ashore they saw none of the people; but just as they had put off, one of them came very near the beach, and shouted with a loud voice. It was so dark that they could not see him; however, they turned towards the shore; but when he heard the boat putting back, he ran away or hid himself, for they could not get a glimpse of him; and though they shouted, he made no reply. After the return. of the boats, we stood away N. by W. for the northernmost land in sight, of which we were abreast at three o'clock in the morning, having passed all the islands three or four hours before. This land, on account of its figure, I named POINT HILLOCK; it is of a considerable height, and may be known by a round hillock, or rock, which joins to the point, but appears to be detached from it. Between this cape and Magnetical Isle, the shore forms a large bay, which I called HALIFAX BAY: before it lay the group of islands which has been just mentioned, and some others at a less distance from the shore. By these islands the bay is sheltered from all winds, and it affords good anchorage. The land near the beach, in the bottom of the bay, is low and woody; but farther back it is one continued ridge of high land, which appeared to be barren and rocky. Having passed Point Hillock, we continued standing to the N.N.W., as the land trended, having the advantage of a light moon. At six, we were abreast of a point of land which lies N. by W. W., distant eleven miles from Point Hillock, which I named CAPE SANDWICH. Between these two points the land is very high, and the surface is craggy and barren. Cape Sandwich may be known not only by the high craggy land over it, but by a small island which lies east of it, at the distance of a mile, and some others that lie about two leagues to the northward. From Cape Sandwich the land trends W., and afterwards N., forming a fine large bay, which I called ROCKINGHAM BAY, where there appears to be good shelter and good anchorage, but I did not stay to examine it. I kept ranging along the shore to the northward for a cluster of small islands which lie off the northern point of the bay. Between the three outermost of these islands, and those near the shore, I found a channel of about a mile broad, through which I passed; and, upon one of the nearest islands, we saw with our glasses about thirty of the natives, men, women, and children, all standing together, and looking with great attention at the ship, the first instance of curiosity that we had seen among them. They were all stark naked, with short hair, and of the same complexion with those that we had seen before. At noon, our latitude, by observation, was 17° 59′, and we were abreast of the north point of Rockingham Bay, which bore from us W., at the distance of about two miles. This boundary of the bay is formed by an island of considerable height, which in the chart is distinguished by the name of DUNK ISLE, and which lies so near the shore as not to be easily distinguished from it. Our longitude was 213° 57′ W.; Cape Sandwich bore S. by E. E., distant nineteen miles; and the northernmost land in sight, N. W. Our depth of water for the last ten hours had not been more than sixteen, nor less than seven, fathom. At sunset, the northern extremity of the land bore N. 25 W., and we kept our course N. by W. along the coast, at the distance of between three and four leagues, with an easy sail all night, having from twelve to fifteen fathom water.

At six o'clock in the morning, we were abreast of some small islands, which we called FRANKLAND'S ISLES, and which lie about two leagues distant from the mainland. The most distant point in sight to the northward bore N. by W. W., and we thought it was part of the main, but afterwards found it to be an island of considerable height, and about four miles in circuit. Between this island and a point on the main, from which it is distant about two miles, I passed with the ship. At noon, we were in the middle of the channel, and, by observation, in the latitude of 16° 57′ S., with twenty fathom water. The point on the main, of which we were now abreast, I called CAPE GRAFTON; its latitude is 16° 57' S., and longitude 214° 6′ W.; and the land here, as well as the whole coast for about twenty leagues to the southward, is high, has a rocky surface, and is thinly covered with wood. During the night we had seen several fires, and about noon some people. Having hauled round Cape Grafton, we found the land trend away N.W. by W.; and three miles to the westward of the cape we found a bay, in which we anchored about two miles from the shore, in four fathom water, with an oozy bottom. The east point of the bay bore S. 74 E., the west point S. 83 W., and a low, green, woody island, which lies in the offing, N. 35 E. This island, which lies N. by E. E., distant three or four leagues from Cape Grafton, is called in the chart GREEN ISLAND.

As soon as the ship was brought to an anchor, I went ashore, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. As my principal view was to procure some fresh water, and as the bottom of the bay was low land covered with mangroves, where it was not probable fresh water was to be found, I went out towards the cape, and found two small streams, which, however, were rendered very difficult of access by the surf and rocks upon the shore. I saw also, as I came round the cape, a small stream of water run over the beach in a sandy cove; but I did not go in with the boat, because I saw that it would not be easy to land. When we got ashore, we found the country every where rising into steep rocky hills; and as no fresh water could conveniently be procured, I was unwilling to lose time by going in search of lower land elsewhere. We therefore made the best of our way back to the ship; and about midnight we weighed, and stood to the N.W., having but little wind, with some showers of rain. At four in the morning, the breeze freshened at S. by E., and the weather became fair. We continued steering N.N.W. W. as the land lay, at about three leagues distance, with ten, twelve, and fourteen fathom water. At ten, we hauled off north, in order to get without a small low island, which lay at about two leagues distance from the main, and great part of which at this time, it being high-water, was overflowed. About three leagues to the north-west of this island, close under the mainland, is another island, the land of which rises to a greater height, and which at noon bore from us N. 55 W., distant seven or eight miles. At this time our latitude was 16° 20′ S.; Cape Grafton bore S. 29 E., distant forty miles; and the northernmost point of land in sight, N. 20 W.: our depth of water was fifteen fathom. Between this point and Cape Grafton, the shore forms a large, but not a very deep bay, which being discovered on Trinity Sunday, I called TRINITY BAY.

CHAPTER III.-DANGEROUS SITUATION OF THE SHIP IN HER COURSE FROM TRINITY BAY TO ENDEAVOUR RIVER.

HITHERTO We had safely navigated this dangerous coast, where the sea in all parts conceals shoals that suddenly project from the shore, and rocks that rise abruptly like a pyramid from the bottom, for an extent of two-and-twenty degrees of latitude, more than one thousand three hundred miles; and therefore hitherto none of the names which distinguish the several parts of the country that we saw, are memorials of distress; but here we became acquainted with misfortune, and we therefore called the point which we had just seen farthest to the northward, CAPE TRIBULATION.

This cape lies in latitude 16° 6' S., and longitude 214° 39′ W. We steered along the shore N. by W., at the distance of between three and four leagues, having from fourteen to twelve, and ten fathom water: in the offing we saw two islands, which lie in latitude 16° S., and about six or seven leagues from the main. At six in the evening the northernmost land