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. 306

New Wales or the East Coast of New Holland

not discourage me for I thought from the place he was at he must have seen it at disadvantage.before I quit this Island I shall describe it; it lies as I have before
[Margin note:] Lizard Island
observed about 5 Leagues from the Main it is about 8 Miles in Circuit & of a height sufficient to be seen 10 or 12 Leags it is mostly high land very rocky and barren except on the NW side where there are some sandy bays and low land which last is covered with thin long grafs [grass] Trees [ & ] the same upon the Main here is also fresh water in 2 places the one is a running stream the water a little brackish where I tasted it which was close to the Sea, as I dare say the other is a little way from the Sea beach, the only land Animals we saw here were Lizards &  these seem'd to be pretty Plenty which occasioned my naming the Island Lizard Island,  the inhabitants of the Main visit this Island at some Seasons of the year for we saw the Ruins of Several of their Hutts &  heaps of Shells. At SW 4 or 5 Miles from this Island lay the other 2 high Islands, which are very small compared to this & near them lay 3 others yet smaller &  lower Islands &  several Shoals or reefs especially to the SE. there is however a clear pafsage from Cape Flattery to those Islands & even quite out to the outer Reefs leaving the above Islands to the SE. &  Lizard Island to the NW.
Monday 13. AT 2 pm I left Lizard Island in order to return to the Ship &  in my way landed upon the low sandy Isle mentioned in coming out, We found on this Island a pretty number of Birds the most of them sea Fowl except Eagles, 2 of the latter were shot &  some of the others, we likewise saw some Turtles but got none for the reasons before mention'd, after leaving Eagle Isle I stood SW direct for the Ship sounding all the way &  had not left them 2 fa.m out more than 14 I had the same depth of Water between Lizard &  Eagle Isles. After I got on board the Master inform'd me he had been down to the Islands I had directed him to go to, which he judged to lay about 3 Leag.s from the Main &  had sounded the Channel between the 2 &  found 7 fa.m this was near the Islands for in with the Main he had only 9 feet 3 Miles off, but without the Islands he found 10:12 &  14 fa.m . after well considering both what I had seen myself &  the report of the Master I found by experience that by keeping in with the Mainland we should be in continual danger besides the risk we should run of being lock'd in with shoals &  reefs by not finding a pafsage out to Seaward in case we persevere in keeping the [Shore?] onboard an accident of this kind or any other that might happen to the ship would infallibly loose our pafsage to the E. Indias their Season &  might prove the ruin of both ourselves &  the Voyage, as we have now little more than 3 M.os provisions on bd. & that at short allowance, wherefore after consulting with the Officers I resolved to weigh in the morning &  endeavour to quit the Coast altogether until such time as I found I could approach it with