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. 326

New Wales or E.t. Coast of New Holland

of their own for any one Article we could offer them, this in my opinion Argues that they think themselves provided with all the necefsarys of Life & that they have no Superfluities. I shall conclude the Precis of this Country with a few observations on the Currents & Tides upon the Coast, because I have
[Margin note] Of the Tides & Currents
mention'd in the Course of this Journal that the latter hath sometimes set one way & some times another which I shall endeavour to acc.t. for in the best manner I can from the Lat.de. of 32º or above downwards to Sandy Cape in the Lat.de. of 24º:46' we constantly found a Current sitting to the Southward at the rate of 10 or 15 Miles. per Day, more or lefs according to the distance we were from the land, for it runs stronger in shore than in the Offing all the time. I had not been able to satisfy myself whether the flood tide came from the Southward Eastward or Northward but judged it to come from the SE. but the first time we anchord upon the coast which was in the Lat.de. of 24º:30' & about 10 Leag. to the SE. of Bustard Bay we found there the flood to come from the NW. on the Contrary 30 Leag. further to the NW., on the S. side of Keppel Bay we found the Flood to come from the East & at the Northern part of the said bay we found it come from the Northward but with a much slower Motion than the Easterly Tide. Again on the East side of the Bay of Inlets we found the flood to sit strong to the West.w., as far as the Opening of Broad sound, but on the N. side of that sound the flood come with a slow motion from the NW. & when at Anchor before Repulse bay we found the flood to come from the northward, we need only admit the flood tide to come from the Eastern SE. & then all these seeming Contradictions will be found to be conformable to reason & experience. It is well known that where there are deep Inlets large close & into low lands that it is not occasioned by fresh water Rivers there is a very great indraught of the Flood Tide the direction of which will be determined according to the Pofsition or direction of the Coast which will forms the Entrance into such Inlets, and this direction the Tide must follow, let it be ever so contrary to their general Course out at Sea & were the Tides are weak as they are in general upon this Coast a large Inlet will if I may so call it attack the Flood tide for many Leagues. Anyone need only cast an Eye over the Chart to be made sensible of what I have here advanced, to the Northward of Whitsundays Pafsage there are few or no large Inlets & consequently the Flood sets to the Northward or NW. according to the direction of the Coast & Ebb the Contrary, but this is to be understood at a little distance from land or where there are no Creeks or Inlets for where such are be they ever so small they draw the flood from the Southward Eastw.d. & Northward as I found by experience while we lay in Endeavour River. Another thing I have observed upon the Tides which ought to be remark'd which