In the P.M. had little wind and Variable, with which and
the Tide of Flood we keept advancing to the West-North-West; depth of
Water 8, 7, and 5 fathoms. At 1/2 past 1 the pinnace, which was ahead,
made the Signal for Shoal Water, upon which we Tackt and sent away the
Yawl to sound also, and then Tack'd again, and stood after them with the
Ship; 2 hours after this they both at once made the Signal for having
Shoal water. I was afraid to stand on for fear of running aground at that
time of the Tide, and therefore came to an Anchor in 1/4 less 7 fathoms,
sandy ground. Wallice's Islands bore South by West 1/2 West, distant 5 or
6 Miles, the Islands to the Northward extending from North 73 degrees
East to North 10 degrees East, and a small island* (* Booby Island.) just
in sight bearing North-West 1/2 West. Here we found the flood Tide set to
the Westward and Ebb to the Contrary. After we had come to Anchor I sent
away the Master with the Long boat to sound, who, upon his return in the
evening, reported that there was a bank stretching North and South, upon
which were 3 fathoms Water, and behind it 7 fathoms. We had it Calm all
Night and until 9 in the morning, at which time we weigh'd, with a light
breeze at South-South-East, and steer'd North-West by West for the Small
Island above mentioned, having first sent the Boats ahead to sound; depth
of Water 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3 fathoms when upon the Bank,* (* The
Endeavour Strait is now little used, on account of this great bank, which
nearly bars its western part. There is, however, deeper water than Cook
found, a few miles to the southward; but it is just the difficulty of
finding this narrow pass, so far from land, and the fact that there is a
deep though narrow channel north of Prince of Wales Island, that has
caused it to be abandoned. The passage of Torres Strait is, however,
still an anxious bit of navigation.) it being now the last Quarter Ebb.
At this time the most Northermost Islands we had in sight bore North 9
degrees East; the South-West point of the largest Islands on the
North-West side of the Passage, which I named Cape Cornwall, bore East;
distant 3 Leagues. This bank, at least so much as we sounded, extends
nearly North and South, how far I cannot say; its breadth, however, is
not more than 1/4 or at most 1/2 a Mile. Being over the Bank, we deepned
our water to a 1/4 less 7 fathoms, which depth we carried all the way to
the small Island ahead, which we reached by Noon, at which time it bore
South, distant near 1/2 a Mile; depth of Water 5 fathoms.
The most
northermost land we had in sight (being part of the same Chain of Islands
we have had to the Northward of us since we entered the Passage) bore
North 71 degrees East; Latitude in, by Observation, 10 degrees 33 minutes
South, Longitude 219 degrees 22 minutes West. In this situation we had no
part of the Main land in sight. Being now near the island, and having but
little wind, Mr. Banks and I landed upon it, and found it to be mostly a
barren rock frequented by Birds, such as Boobies, a few of which we
shott, and occasioned my giving it the name of Booby Island.* (* Booby
Island is now the great landmark for ships making Torres Strait from the
westward. There is a light upon it.) I made but very short stay at this
Island before I return'd to the Ship; in the meantime the wind had got to
the South-West, and although it blow'd but very faint, yet it was
accompanied with a Swell from the same quarter. This, together with other
concuring Circumstances, left me no room to doubt but we had got to the
Westward of Carpentaria, or the Northern extremity of New Holland, and
had now an open Sea to the Westward; which gave me no small satisfaction,
not only because the danger and fatigues of the Voyage was drawing near
to an end, but by being able to prove that New Holland and New Guinea are
2 separate Lands or Islands, which until this day hath been a doubtful
point with Geographers.*
(* Luis Vaez de Torres, commanding a Spanish
ship in company with Quiros in 1605, separated from his companion in the
New Hebrides. He afterwards passed through the Strait separating New
Guinea from Australia, which now bears his name. This fact, however, was
little known, as the Spaniards suppressed all account of the voyage; and
though it leaked out later, the report was so vague that it was very much
doubted whether he had really passed this way. On most charts and maps of
the period, New Guinea was shown joined to Australia, and to Cook the
establishment of the Strait may fairly be given. Only the year before
Bougainville, the French navigator, who preceded Cook across the Pacific,
and who was steering across the Coral Sea on a course which would have
led him to Lizard Island, abandoned his search in that direction, after
falling in with two reefs to the eastward of the Barrier, because he
feared falling amongst other shoals, and had no faith whatever in the
reports of the existence of Torres Strait. Had he persevered, he would
have snatched from Cook the honour of the complete exploration of Eastern
Australia, and of the verification of the passage between it and New
Guinea. Bougainville paid dearly for his caution, as he found that
retracing his steps against the trade wind, in order to pass eastward and
northward of New Guinea, occupied such a weary time, that he and his
people were nearly starved before they reached a place of refreshment.)
Joseph Banks Journal
In the morn calm: at nine however a small breeze sprang up on which we weighd and saild through a channel which had been found during the calm. At noon we were abreast of an Island which was white with the Dung of Birds; as we had little wind the ship was brought too we went ashore upon it and shot bobies till our ammunition was quite expended. I myself Botanizd and found some plants which I had not before seen. After we came on board the winds were variable and soon after calm and very hot. Water still continued very Shoal but the swell, which ran larger than any we had met with within the reef, gave us great hope.
Sydney Parkinson Journal
On the 23d, we had light breezes from the N. and S.W. with some calms, and were certain of being in a strait, which seemed to be not very remote from the river Van Speult in Carpentaria; the land to the north being made up of a cluster of islands. We found shallow water all through this strait, which we named Endeavour Straits; and went over a bar that had only three fathoms and a half water. About noon, we saw a small island covered with birds-dung of a white colour, and some of our people went off in a boat, and shot a score of birds called Boobies.
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