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. 330

                                                           New Guinea
August 1770
& by this time we had Shoal'd our water from 10 to 5 fathoms, upon which I made the Pinnacle Signal to edge down to it, but she not going far enough, we sent the Yawl to sound in it, & at the same time haul;d off upon a Wind with the Ship until 4 at which time we had run 6 Miles but did not depen our water anything. We then Edged away SW 4 Miles more but finding still Shoal Water we [indecipherable] & called the Boats onboard by Signal, hoisted them in & then haul'd off shore upon a wind being at this time about 3 or 4 Miles from the Land. The Yawl found only 3 fathoms Water in the place where I sent her to sound, which place I weather'd about 1/2 a Mile. Between 1 & 2 we passed a Bay or Inlet before which lies a small Island that seems to Shelter it from the Southerly winds, but I very much doubt there being Water behind it for Shipping. I could not attempt it because the SE Trade wind blows right in & we have not as yet had any land breezes_____ We stretched off to Sea until 12 o'clock at which time we were 10 or 11 Leagues from the Land & had defin'd our Water to 29 fathoms. We now tack'd & stood in until until 4 o'clock when being in 61/2 fathoms we tack'd & lay her head off until day light, at which time we saw the land bearing NW by W distance about 4 Leagues. We now made Sail & steer'd WSW
and then West by South but coming into 51/2 fathoms we haul'd off SW until we defin'd our Water to 8 fathoms. We then keept away West by South & West having 9 fathoms & the Land just in sight from the Deck which we judged not above 3 or 4 Leagues off as it is every where exceeding low. At Noon we where by Observation in the Latitude of 8 degrees 38 minutes South, Longitude 222 degrees 34 minutes West. St Bartholomew Isle bore North 69 degrees East distance 74 Miles.
Friday 31st   Between 12 & 1 in the pm Steer'd WNW in which time we Shoalded our water from 8 to 51/2 which I thought was little enough & therefore keept away again West & soon depen'd it to 7 fathoms which depth we keept until 6, having the Land just in sight from the Deck, at this time the Western Extream bore North distant about 4 Leagues & Seem'd to end in a point & turn away to the Northward; we took it to be Point St Augustino
or Walsche Caep Latitude 8 degrees 24 minutes South, Longitude 222 degrees 55 minutes West. We now shortned Sail & hauld off South South West & South by West having the wind at South East & South East by East a Gentle breeze; we stood off 16 Miles having from 7 to 27 fathoms deepning gradually as we run off. At Midnight we Tacked and stood in until daylight at which time we could see no land & yet we had only 51/2 fathoms. We now Steered NW having the same deepth of Water until near 9 o'Clock when we began to Depen our Water to 61/2 & 7 fathoms. By this I thought that we were far Enough to the Westward of the Cape & might haul to the Northward with Safety, which we now did having the Wind at North East by East a light breeze by noon we had increased our Water to 9 fathoms & were by Observation in the Latitude of 8 degrees 10 minutes South which was 10 Miles to the Northward of that given by the Log by which I conjectur'd that we had meet with a strong Current setting round the Cape not only to the Northward but to the Westward also, otherwise we ought to have seen the Land which we did not ________________