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. 271

                               New Wales or East Coast of New Holland

could see as we run in this direction our depth of Water was 10: 8 & 9 fathoms. At Noon the NW point of Thirsty Sound which I have named Pier head bore South 36 degrees East distance 5 Leagues the Eastern point of the other inlet which Communicates with the former as I have before mentioned, bore South by West distance 2i/2 Leagues, the Group of Islands above mentioned laying between us & the point. The farthest part of the Main in sight on the other side of the inlet bore North-West, our Latitude by observation was 21 degrees 53 minutes South.

Friday 1st  At 1/2 an hour After Noon upon the Boat we had ahead sounding making the Signal for the Shoal Water we hauld our wind to the NE having at that time 7 fathoms, the Next cast 5 & then 3 upon which we let go an Anchor & brought the Ship up. The NW point of Thirsty Sound or Pier Head bore SE distance 6 Leagues being Midway between the Island which lies off the east point of the Western inlet & 3 Small Islands lying directly without them, it being now the first of the flood which we found to set NorthWest by West 1/2 West. After having sounded about the Shoal on which we found not quite 3 fathoms but without it deep water we got under Sail & hauld round the 3 Islands just mentioned, & came to an Anchor under the Lee of them in 15 fathoms having at this time dark hazey rainy weather which continued until 7 o'clock am, at which time we got again under sail & stood to the NorthWest with a fresh breeze at SSE, & fair weather having the Main land in Sight & a Number of Islands all round us some of which lay out at Sea as far as we could See, the Western Inlet before mentioned known in the Chart by the Name of Broad Sound we had now all open. It is at least 9 or 10 Leagues wide at the Entrance with several Islands laying in & before & I believe Shoals also, for we had very irregular Soundings, from 10 to 5 & 4 fathoms. At Noon we were by Observation in the Latitude of 21 degrees 29 minutes South & Longitude made from Cape Townshend 59 degrees West.  A point of land which forms the NorthWest Entrance into Broad Sound bore from us at this Time West, distance 3 Leagues; this point I have named Cape Palmerston (Latitude 21 degrees 27 minutes South, Longitude 210 degrees 57 minutes West). Between this Cape & Cape Townshend lies the Bay of Inlets, so named from the Number of Inlets, Creeks etc in it _____________
Saturday 2nd  Winds at SSE & SE a gentle breeze with which we stood to the NW & NW by N as the land lay. Under an easey Sail. Having a boat ahead found our Soundings at first were very irregular from 9 to 4 fathoms but afterwards regular from 8 to 11 fathoms. At 8 being about 2 Leagues from the Main land we Anchor'd in 11 fathoms Sandy bottom. Soon after this we found a Slow Motion of a Tide seting to the Westward. At 1 o'clock it was Slack or Slow Water & at 1/2 past 2 the Ship tended to the Eastward & rode so until 6 at which time the tide had risen 11 feet; we now got under Sail & Stood away  NNW as the land lay. From the Observations made on the tide last Night it is plain that the flood comes from the NW. Whereas yesterday & for Several days before we found it to come from the 
South-East