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. 272

         New Wales or East of New Holland

June 1770   South East. This is neither the first nor second time that we have observed the same thing & in my Opinion easy accounted for but this I shall do in an other place. At sun rise we found the Variation to be 6 degrees 45 minutes East. In steering along shore between the Island & the Main at the Distance of 2 Leagues from the Latter & 3 or 4 from the former, our Soundings were Regular from 12 to 9 fathoms but about 11 o'clock we were again embarrassed with Shoal Water but got clear without letting go an Anchor, we had but one time not quite 3 fathoms. At Noon we were about 2 Leagues from the Main land & about 4 from the Island without us, our Latitude by Observation was 20 degrees 56 minutes South, Longitude made from Cape Palmerston 16 degrees West a pretty high Promontory which I named Cape Hillsborough bore West 1/2 North distant 7 miles. The Main Land is here pretty much diversified with Mountains, Hills, plains & Vallies & seem'd to be tollerably Cloathed with Wood & Verdure. These Islands which lay Parrallel with the Coast & from 5 to 8 or 9 Leagues off are of Various Extent, both for height & Circuit, Hardly any Exceeds 5 Leagues in Circuit & many again are very small. Besides the Chain of Islands which lay at a distance from the Coast there are other Small Ones laying under the Sand. Some few  Smokes  were seen on the Mainland _____________
Sunday 3rd  Winds between the S by E & SE a Gentle breeze & Clear weather. In the PM we steer'd along shore NW 1/2 W at the distance of 2 Leagues from the Main having 9 & 10 fathoms regular soundings. At sunset the furthest point of the Main Land that we could distinguish as such bore North 48 degrees 48 minutes West. To the Northward of this lay some high land  which I took to be an Island the NW point of which bore N 41 degrees W but as I was not sure that there was a passage this way we at 8 came to an Anchor in 10 fathoms, muddy bottom. 2 hours after this we had a tide setting to the Northward & at 2 o'clock it had fallen 9 Feet since the time we Anchor'd. After this the Tide began to rise & the flood came from the Northward which was from the Islands and at last plainly indicated  that there was no passage to the NW but as this did not appear at day light when we got under Sail and stood away to the NW until 8. At this time we discover'd low land quite a Cross what we took for an Opening between the Main & the Islands which proved to be a Bay about 5 or 6 Leagues deep; upon this we hauld our wind to the Eastward round the Northermost point of the Bay which bore from us at this time North East by North distance 4 Leagues. From this point we found the Main land trend away North by West 1/2 West & a Strait or Passage between it & a Large Island or Islands laying in a parrallel direction with the Coast, with this passage we Stood into having the Tide of Ebb in our favour. At Noon we were just within the Entrance & by observation in the Latitude of 20 degrees 26 minutes South of
Cape