Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0416
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[Page 416]
312
New Guinea
& pleasant to all appearance this was the sixth day we had now coasted along still upon the same bank of mud which by its shoalness prevented our approaches near enough to make going ashore convenient This delay & the loss of so many days fair wind when we well knew the the SE Monsoon was nearly at an end was irksome to us all it was therefore resolvd to run the ship in as near the shore as possible & then send off the pinnace which might go ashore while the ship ply'd off & on & learn whether the produce of the countrey or the usage she might meet with from the inhabitants would be such as might induce us to search farther we accordingly stood right in shore & at 1/2 past 8 had less than 3 fathm water 5 or 6 miles from the shore the Captn Dr Solander & myself with the Boats crew & my servants consisting in all of 12 men well armd went in her & rowd directly towards the shore but could not get nearer than about 200 yards on account of the shallowness of