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. 305

New Wales or East Coast of New Holland

and the 3 high Islands without which I was now well afsured [assured] were Islands & not a part of the Mainland as some had taken them to be be, excepting C. Flattery 
[Margin note:] Point look out
& the Point I am now upon which I have named Point Lookout the Main land next the sea to the Northward of Cape Bedford is low Chequer'd with white sand & green Bushes for 10 or 12 miles inland beyond which is high lands. to the northward of Point Lookout the shore appear'd to be shoal and flat some distance off which was no good sign of meeting with a Channell in with the land as we have hitherto done, we saw the foot steps of People upon the sand & smoke & and fire up in the country & in the evening return'd onboard where I came to a resolution to visit one of the high Islands in the [Offing?] in my Boat as they lay at least 5 Leagues out at Sea &  seem'd to be of such a height that from the Top of one of them I hoped to see & find a Pafsage [Passage] out to sea clear of the Shoals accordingly in the morning I set out in the Pinnace for the northern.st & largest of the 3 accompanied by Mr Banks, at the same time I sent the Master in the Yawl to Leeward to sound between the Low Islands &  the Main, in my way to the Island I pafsed [passed] over a large reef of Coral Rocks & sand which lies about 2 Leags from the Island I left another to Leeward which lays about 3 Miles [Indec. from the 1st ] on the N. past of this is a low sandy Isle with Trees upon it, on the reef we pafs'd over in the Boat we saw several Turtle &  Chased one or two but caught none, it blowing too hard &  I had no time to spare being otherways employe'd. I did not reach the Island until half an hour after one o'Clock in the PM on ____
Sunday 11th I then Immediately went upon the highest hill on the Island where to my Mortification I discover'd a Reef of Rocks laying at about 2 or 3 Leagues without the Island extending in a line NW &  SE further than I could see on whch the sea broke very high, this however gave me great hope that they were the external shoals and did not doubt but what I should be able to get without them for there appeard to be several breaks or [Partitions/} in the Reef &  Deep Water between it &  the Islands. I stay'd upon this Hill until near sun set but the wear continued so [breezy?] all the time that I could not see above 4 or 5 Leags round me, so that I came down much disappointed in the prospect I expected to have had, but being in hopes the morning might have prove clearer & give me a better View of the Shoals with this view I stay'd all night upon the Island &  at 3 in the morning sent the Pinnace with one of the Mates I had with me to sound between the Island &  the Reef &  to examine one of the breaks, or Channells, &  in the mean time I went again upon the Hill where I arrived by Sun Rife [Rise]but found it much Hazier than in the Evening. about noon the Pinnace return'd having been out as far as the Reef &  found from 15 to 28 fam water, it blow'd so hard that they durst not venture into one of the Channels which the Mate said seem'd to him to be very narrow. but this did not