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. 328

                                       Passage from Endeavour Strait to New Guinea
Aug 1770
since we weigh'd 9 fathoms ____________________
Sunday 26th   Fresh breezes at East in standing to the NW. We began to Shoalden our water from 9 to 7 fathoms & at 1/2 past 1 having run 11 Miles since Noon the boat which was ahead made the Signal for Shoal Water immediately upon which we let go an Anchor & brought the Ship up with the Sails standing as the boat was but a little way ahead having but just relieved the Crew & at same time we saw from the Ship Shoal Water in a manner all round us & both wind & tide setting upon it. We lay in 6 fathoms with the Ship but upon sounding about her found hardly 2 fathoms, a very rocky bottom not much above 1/2 a Cable's length from us from the East round by the North & West as far as SW so that their was no way to get clear but the way we came. This was one of the many Fortunate Escapes we have had from Shipwreck for it was near high water, & these run a short cockling sea that would soon have bulged the Ship had she struck, these Shoals that lay a fathom or 2 under water are the most dangerous of any for they do not shew themselves until you are close upon them & then the water upon them looks like the reflection of dark clouds. Between 3 & 4 the Ebb began to make when I sent the Master to sound to the Southward & SWward & in the meantime as the Ship tended [indecipherable] up the Anchor & with  a little Sail stood to the Southward & afterwards edged away to the Westward & got once more out of danger where at sunset we have Anchor'd in 10 fathoms, Sandy bottom having a fresh of wind at ESE, at 6 o'clock in the Morning we weighed & stood West with a fresh of wind at East having at first sent a boat ahead to sound. I did intend to have steer'd NW until we had made the Coast of New Guinea designing if Possible to touch upon that Coast, but the meeting with these Shoals last night made me Alter the Course to W in hopes of meeting with Fewer dangers & deeper water, & this we found for by Noon we had deepened our water gradually to 17 fathoms  & this time we were by Observation in the Latitude of 10 degrees 10 minutes South Longitude 220 degrees 12 minutes West Course & distance sail'd since yesterday at Noon North 76 degrees West 11 Leagues no land in Sight ________
Monday 27th  Fresh breezes between the East by North & East South East with which we steer'd West until sun set depth of Water from 27 to 33 fathoms. We now Reef'd the Topsails shortened Sail & hoisted in the pinnace & Longboat up alongside & afterwards kept upon a Wind all night under our Topsails 4 hours on one Tack & 4 hours on the other depth of water 25 fathoms very even soundings.& at daylight made all the Sail we could & steer'd WNW until 8 o'clock then NW. At Noon we were by Observation in the Latitude of 9 degrees 56 minutes South Longitude 221 degrees West , Variation 2 degrees 30 minutes East. Course & distance sail'd since yesterday at Noon North 73 degrees 30 minutes West 49 Miles ____________
Tuesday 28th  Fresh breezes at East & East by South & fair weather continued a North West Course until sun set at which time we Shortned Sail & haul'd close upon a Wind to the North.