James Cook - A Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's Bark Endeavour on a voyage round the world, by Lieutenant James Cook, Commander, commencing the 25th of May 1768 - 23 Oct. 1770: No. 291

[Page 291]
New Wales or East Coast of New Holland
July 1770 ([in the margin is written:] Endeavour River) in the fire as soon as they had done this they all went to a place where some of our people were washing & where all our nets and a good deal of linnen were laid out to dry, here with the greatest obstinacy they again set fire to the grass which I & some others who were present could not prevent until I was obliged to fire a Musquet load with Small Shott at one of the Ring leaders which sent them off, as we were apprised of this last Attempt of theirs we got the fire out, before it got head, but the first spread like wild fire in the Woods & grass. Notwithstandg my firing in which one must have been a little hurt, because we saw a few drops of blood on some of the linnen he had gone over, they did not go far from us for we soon after heard their Voices in the woods, upon which Mr. Banks and I & 3 or 4 more went to look for them & very soon met them coming towards us as they had each 4 or 5 Darts and not knowing their intention we seized upon 6 or 7 of the first darts we met with: this alarm’d them so much that they all made off & we follow’d them for near 1/2 a Mile & then set down & called to them & they stop’d also; after some little unintelligible conversation had passed they laid down their darts, and came to us in a very friendly manner, we now return’d the Darts we had taken from them, which reconcil’d every thing. There were 4 Strangers among them that we had not seen before, and these were interduced to us by name by the others; the Man which we supposed to have been Struck with small Shott was gone off, but he could not be much hurt as he was at a great distance when I fir’d, they all came along with us abreast of the Ship, where they stay’d a short time, and then went away & soon after set the woods on fire about a Mile and a half or two Miles from us.
Friday 2​​​​​0th Fresh breezes at SEt and Cloudy wear. PM got everything onbd the Ship, new berth’d her & let her swing with the tide. In the night the Master return’d with the pinnace & reported that there was no safe Passage for the Ship to the Northward at low water. A.M. I went & Sounded & buoy’d the Bar being now ready to put to sea the first opportunity.
Saturday 21st PM sent a Boat to haul the Sean which return'd with as much fish as came to 1 3/4 [Indecipherable ct=hundredweight?]Man the Yawl return'd with only one Turtle which was caught in the Nett for it blew too hard for the Boat to strike any. In the morning I sent her out again but she was obliged to return not being able to get to Windward, the Carpenters employ'd in repairing the Boats & overhauling the Pumps & as the Wind would not permit us to sail I sent the Boatswain with some hands ashore to make rope & a petty Officer with 2 Men to gather Greens for the Ships Company.