Very early this morning Lieutenant Hicks, Mr. Clark, Mr.
Pickersgill and Mr. Saunders went away in the Pinnace to the Eastward,
with orders to fix upon some Convenient situation upon this Island, and
there to Observe the Transit of Venus, they being likewise provided with
Instruments for that purpose.
Joseph Banks Journal
Soon after day break we saw an Indian canoe and upon hailing her she shewed us an inlet through the reef, into [which] we pulld and soon fixd upon a Coral rock about 150 yards from the shore as a very proper situation for our Observatory; it was about 80 yards long and 60 broad and had in the middle of it a bed of white sand large enough for our tents to stand upon. The 2nd Lieutent and people therefore immediately set about it while I went upon the main Island to trade with the inhabitants for provisions, of which I soon bought a sufficient supply. Before night our observatory was in order, telescopes all set up and tried etc. and we went to rest anxious for the events of tomorrow; the evening having been very fine gave us however great hopes of success.
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