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. 254

New Wales or East Coast of New Holland

[re]turn to the Boat we found they had caught a great number of small fish w.ch the Sailors call leather Jackets on acc.t of their having a very thick skin they are known in the Wt Indies. I had sent the Yawl in the morning to fish for Sting rays who return'd in the Evening with upward of four hundd. weight one Single one weighed 240lb Exclusive of the intrails. In the AM as the wind Continued Northerly I sent the Yawl again afishing & I went with a Party of Men into the Country but met with nothing extraordinary ~
In the evening the Yawl return'd from fishing having caught 2 Sting rays weighing near 600.lb The great quantity of plants Mr Banks & Dr Solander found in this place occasioned my giving it the name of Bott'ny Bay. It is situated in the Lat.de of 34:0 S.o Long.de 208:37 W.t it is Capacious safe & Commodious it may be known by the land on the Sea Coast which is of a pretty even & mod.te height Rather higher than it is inland with steep rocky Cliffs next the Sea & looks like a long Island lying close under the Shore. the Entrance of the Harbour Bay lies ab.t the Middle of this land, in coming from the Southw.d it is discover'd before you are abreast of it, which you cannot do on coming from the Northward. the entrance is little more than a Quarter of a Mile broad & lies in WNW.t To sail into it keep the S.o shore onboard until' within a Small base Island which lies close under the N.o Shore being within that Island the deepest of Water is on that side 7:6 & 5 fa.m a good way up there is Shoal Water a good way off from the S.o Shore from the inner S.o point quite to the head of the harbour but over towards the N.o & NWt Shore is a Channell of 12 or 14 feet. at low Water, 3 or 4 Leag.s up to a place where there is 3 or 4 f.m 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 & the getting of Fresh Water but I afterwards found a very fine stream of Fresh Water on the No shore in the first sandy Cove within the Island before which a Ship might lay almost land locked, & wood for fuel may be got every where. altho' 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 & grows a good deal like them & Yeilds a redish Gum, the wood itself is heavy hard & black like Lignum Vitae. another sort that grows tall & strait something like Pines, the wood of this is hard & Ponderous & something of the Nature of America live Oak. these 2 are all the TImber trees here I met with. there are a few sorts of Shrubs & several Palm Trees, & Mangroves about the Head of the Harbour. the Country is woody low & flat as far in as we could see & I believe that the Soil is in general sandy. in the Wood are a variety of very beautiful birds such as Cocatoos Lorryquets Parrots &c.a & crows Exactly like those we have in England. Water fowl is no less plenty about the head of the Harb.r