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. 268

                                             New Wales or East Coast of New Holland

May 1770   risith in hills directly from the Sea it may be known by 3 Islands laying off it one near the Shore & the other 2 Eight Miles out at Sea; the one of these is low & flat & the other high & round. At 6 o'clock we shortned sail & brought too, the Northermost part of the Main we had in sight bore NW & some Island lying off it bore North 31 degrees West; our soundings since Noon were from 20 to 25 fathoms & in the Night 30 & 34 fathoms. At day light we made Sail, Cape Manifold bearing South by East distance 8 Leagues, & the Islands set last night in the same directions distance from us 4 Miles; the farthest point of th Main bore North 67 degrees West distance 22 Miles, but we could see several Islands to the Northward of this direction. At 9 o'clock we were abreast of the above point which I named Cape Townshend (Latitude 22 degrees 13 minutes Longitude 209 degrees 48 minutes West). The land of this Cape is of a moderate & pretty even height & is more barren than woody. Several Islands lay to the Northward of it 4 or 5 Leagues out at Sea. 3 or 4 Leagues to the SE the Shore forms a bay in the bottom of which there appeared to be an inlet or Harbour to the Westward of the Coast & Trends SouthWest1/2South & there forms a very large Bay which turns away to the Eastward & probably communicates with the Inlet above mentioned & by that Means makes the land of the Cape an Island. As soon as we got round the Cape we haul'd our wind to the Westward in order to get within the Islands which lay scatter'd up & down in this bay in great number & extend out to Sea as far as we could see from the Masthead how much farther will hardly be in my power to determine, their are as Various in their height & Circuit as as they are numerous. We had not stood long upon a Wind before we meet with Shoal Water & was obliged to Tack about it to avoid it, after which I sent a boat ahead & we bore away West by North,leaving many small Islands, Rocks & Shoals between us & the Main & a number of Large Islands; without us soundings from 14 to 17 fathoms, Sandy Bottom.  A little before noon the boat made the Signal for meeting with Shoal water upon which we hauld close upon a Wind to the Eastward, but suddenly fell into 3/4 fathom water upon which we immediately let go an Anchor & brought the Ship up with all Sails standing & had then 4 fathoms Coarse sandy bottom.  We found here a strong Tide setting to the NorthWest by West1/2West, at the rate of between 2 and 3 miles an Hour, which was what Carried us so quickly upon the Shoal. Our Latitude by Observation was 22 degrees 8 minutes South. Cape Townshend bore East 16 degrees South, distance 13 Miles & the Westermost part of the Main Land in sight West 3/4 North having a Number of Islands in sight all round us.