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. 249

New Wales or East Coast of New Holland

Red point bear J. [unclear] in this situation we were abt 4 or 5 miles from the land which extended from Sº.19º.30‛ W to Nº 29º East.
In the pm hoisted out the Pinnace & Yawl in order to attempt a landing but the pinnace took in the water so fast that we were obliged to be hoisted in again to stop her leakes, at this time we saw several people ashore [indec.] of whom where carrying a small Boat or Canoe which we imagin'd they were going to put into the Water in order to come to off us but in this we were mistaken, being now not above 2 miles from the shore Mr Banks, Dr Solander, Tupia and myself put off in the yawl and pull'd in for the land to a place where we saw 4 or 5 of the Natives who took to the woods as we approached the Shore which disappointed us in the expectation we had of getting a near View of them if not to speak to them, but our disappointment was heightened when we found that we no where could effect a landing by reason of the great surff which beat up everywhere upon the [?beach] we saw haul'd up on the beach 3 or 4 small Canoes, which to us appear'd not much unlike the small ones we saw in New Zealand. in the wood were several trees of the Palm kind & no under wood & this was all we were able to observe from the boat, after which we return'd to the ship about 5 in the evening. At this time it fell calm & we were not above a mile & a half from the shore in a [indec.] within some breakers that lay to the SouthW [est] of us, but luckily a light breeze came off from the land which carried us out of danger & with which we stood to the North W[est. At daylight in the Morning we discovered a bay which appeared to be tolerably well sheltered from all winds into which I resolved to go with the ship. with this view sent the Master in the pinnace to sound the entrance, while we kept [indec.] with the ship having the wind [indec.] at Noon the Entrance bore NNW, distance 1 mile.
In the [?pm] wind Southerly & clear, [indec.] with which we stood into the Bay [indec.] under the [indec.] shore about 2 miles within the entrance in 5 fathoms, the S point bearing [?], the N point [?], saw as we came in on both points of the bay a few [?] Men, Women and Children on the South shore abreast of the ship to which place I went in the Boats in hopes of speaking with them accompanied by Mr Banks, Dr Solander and Tupia, as we approached the shore they all made off except 2 men who seemed resolved to oppose our landing, as soon as I saw this I ordered the boats to lay upon their oars in order to speak to them but this was to little purpose for neither us not Tupia could understand one word they said, He then threw them some nails and beads which they took up and seem'd not ill pleased with, in so much that I thought they beckoned to us to come ashore, but in this we were mistaken for as soon as we put the boat in they again came to oppose us upon which I fir'd a musquet between the 2 which had no other effect than to make them retire back where bundles of their [?dash] lay & one of them