Cook's Journal: Queensland Coast (1770)

The following excerpts from Cook's journal lead into his grounding on a coral reef off the northeast Australian coast and trace through until his passage through the reef into the deeper water of the Coral Sea. Comments (largely taken from Beaglehole's notes in his edited version of the journal) and summary are indented and italicized.

Wednesday, 6 June 1770: This bay, which I named Cleveland Bay appear'd to be about 5 or 6 Miles in extent every way; the East point I named Cape Cleveland and the West Magnetical head or Isle as it had much the appearance of an Island and the Compass would not travis well near it.

Beaglehole states the bay was likely named for John Cleveland, Secretary to the Admiralty 1751-1763.

Friday, 8 June 1770: . . . . in the PM some in the ship thinking they saw Cocoa nut trees ashore a boat was sent which returned at 7 having seen nothing but that the supposed Cocoa nut trees were Cabbage palms the island on which they Landed was called Palm Island . . . .

Northward, Cook did not recognize the beautiful island (now known as Hinchenbrook) which is separated from the mainland by a narrow water passage. Interestingly, in this area Cook spent some effort trying to reconcile a decision for naming two adjacent bays. To the south from the unrecognized island, he called the bay Rockingham. To the north he called the bay Halifax. The margins of manuscripts find much crossing out and writing over of these two bay names until finally there is settlement. The settlement is opposite that described above. More southerly and adjacent to Cleveland Bay is Halifax Bay and to the north of Hinchenbrook Island is Rockingham Bay. An interesting situation resulted in that Dunk Island now sits in the midst of Rockingham Bay. Originally, Dunk Island was named while the bay was called Halifax. Dunk is tied to the family name of Halifax, but when the bay to the south became called Halifax, that left Dunk Island in the midst of Rockingham Bay. Furthermore, the group of islands of which Dunk is a part, was referenced as the family islands, possibly in reference to Dunk and Halifax and the geographical and familial relationship of each. However, when the bay name Halifax was moved, that left Dunk Island in the wrong (Rockingham) family!

Beaglehole notes that Charles Watson-Wentworth was the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham (1730-1782). Also, noted is the northern point of what became known as Hinchenbrook Island was called Cape Sandwich by Cook, after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Subsequently, the island was fittingly named after the home of Montagu in Huntingdoneshire.

Sunday, 10 June 1770: The shore between Cape Grafton and the above northern point forms a large but not very deep Bay which I named Trinity Bay after the day on which it was discovered, the north point Cape Tribulation because here begun all our troubles. Lattitude 16 degrees, 6 minutes South, Longitude 214 degrees, 39 minutes West.

Monday, 11 June 1770: My intention was to stretch off all night as well to avoid the dangers we saw ahead as to see if any Islands lay in the offing, especially as we now begin to draw near the Latitude of those discover'd by Quiros which some Geographers, for what reason I know not have thought proper to tack to this land, having the advantage of a fine breeze of wind a a clear moonlight night. In standing off from 6 untill near 9 oClock we deepened our water from 14 to 21 fathom when all at once we fell into 12, 10 and 8 fathom. At this time I had every body at their stations to put about and come too an anchore but in this I was not so fortunate for meeting again with deep water I thought there could be no danger in standing on. Before 10 oClock we had 20 and 21 fathom and continued in that depth untill a few Minutes before a 11 when we had 17 and before the Man at the lead could heave another cast the Ship Stuck and stuck fast. Emmidiately upon this we took in all our sails hoisted out the boats and sounded around the Ship, and found that we had got upon the SE edge of a reef of Coral rocks having in some places around the Ship 3 and 4 fathom water and in other places not quite as many feet . . . .

. . . . we went to work to lighten her as fast as possible which seem'd to be the only means we had left to get her off as we went a Shore about the top of high-water. We not only started water but throw'd over board our guns Iron and stone ballast Casks, Hoops staves oyle Jars, decay'd store, and so on . . . . All this time the Ship made little or no water. At 11 oClock in the AM being high-water as we thought we try'd to heave her off without success, she not being a float by a foot or more notwithstanding by this time we had thrown over board 40 or 50 Tun weight.

As the Tide fell the Ship began to make water as much as two Pumps could free. At noon she lay with 3 or 4 Strakes heel to Starboard.

Tuesday, 12 June 1770: By the time it was 5 oClock in the pm, the tide we had observed now begun to rise and the leak increased upon us which obliged us to set the 3rd Pump to work as we should have done the 4th also, but could not make it work. At 9 oClock the Ship righted and the leak gained upon the Pumps considerably. This was an alarming and I may say terrible Circumstance and threatened immediate destruction to us as soon as the Ship was afloat. However I resolved to resk all and heave her off in case it was practical and accordingly turnd as many hands to the Capstan & windlass as could be spared from the Pumps and about 20 minutes past 10 oClock the Ship floated and we hove her off into deep water having at this time 3 feet 9 Inches water in the hold.

Got up the for topmast and fore yard, warped the Ship to the SE and at a 11 got under Sail and Stood in for the land with a light breeze at ESE, some hands employ'd sowing oakam wool etcetera into a lower Studding sail to fother the Ship, others emplo'd at the Pumps which still gain'd upon the leak.

Wednesday, 13 June 1770: In the PM had light airs at ESE with which we kept edging in for the land, got up the Main topmast and Main yard and having got the sail ready for fothering the Ship we put it over under the Starboard fore chains where we suspected the ship had suffered most and soon after the leak decreased so as to be kept clear with one Pump with ease, this fortunate circumstance gave new life to every one on board.

At 9oClock [am] we past close without two small low Islands laying in the latitude 15 degrees, 41 minutes and about 4 Leagues from the Main. I have named them Hope Islands because we were always in hopes of being able to reach these Islands.

Cook moved northward along the coast, seeking a suitable location for beaching the ship in order to make repairs.

Sunday, 17 June 1770: Most part strong gales at SE with some heavy showers of rain in the PM. At 6 in the AM being pretty moderate we weigh'd and run in to the Harbour in doing of which we run the Ship a shore twice, the first time she went off without any trouble but the second time She stuck fast, but this was of no consequence any farther than giving us a little trouble and was no more than what I expected as we had the wind.

Monday, 18 June 1770: Fresh gales and clowdy with showers of rain. At 1 PM the Ship floated and we warped her into the harbour and moor'd her along side of a Steep beach on the south side.

The harbour into which Cook lay his ship on the shore was actually a river, and its name was recorded in the journal entry for the 4th of August (see below). The ship, isolated from the rest of the modern world, was repaired and Cook prepared to resume the expedition about six weeks later.

Friday, 3 August 1770: Strong breezes and hazy untill 6 oClock in the AM when it Moderated and we unmoored, hove up the anchor and began to warp out, but the Ship tailing up on the sand on the north side of the River, the Tide of Ebb making out and a fresh breeze seting in we were obliged to desist and Moor the Ship again just within the barr.

Saturday, 4 August 1770: The wind continued moderate all night and at 5 oClock in the morning when it fell calm, this gave us an opportunity to warp out. About 7 we got under sail having a light air from the land which soon died away and was Succedded by the Sea breeze from SEBS with which we stood off to Sea EBN, having the Pinnace ahead sounding. The Yawl I sent to the Turtle bank to take up the net that was left there but as the wind freshend we got out before her, and a little after noon anchor'd in 15 fathom water Sandy bottom; for I did not think it safe to run in among the Shoals untill I had well View'd them at low-water from the Mast head, that I might be better able to judge which way to steer . . . .

. . . . the harbour or River we have been in which I have named after the Ship Endeavor River.

Cook worked his way amongst the coastal reefs and Low Isles with regular views from the masthead for passage. In addition, the pinance was used regularly for taking soundings about the path of the ship.

Friday, 10 August 1770: At noon we were got betwixt the headland and the 3 High Islands distant from the former 2 and the latter 4 Leagues, our Latitude by observation was 14 degrees, 51 minutes South. We now judged ourselves to be clear of all danger having as we thought a clear open sea before us, but this we soon found otherwise and accasioned my calling the headland above mentioned Cape Flattery.

Cook continued to move northward near the mainland, seeking a method by which he could free himself of the increasing maze of submerged coral shoals, like the one on which he had grounded on 17 June. He decided to strike for the high islands some distance off shore.

Saturday, 11 August 1770: . . . . I came to a resolution to Visit one of the high Islands in the offing in my Boat, as they lay at least 5 Leagues out to sea and seem'd to be of such height that from the top of one of them I hoped to see and find a Passage out to sea clear of the shoals. I did not reach the Island untill half an hour after one oClock in the PM of

Sunday, 12 August 1770: when I immediately went upon the highest hill on the Island where to my mortification I discovered a Reef of Rocks laying about 2 or 3 Leagues without the Island, extending in a line NW and SE farther than I could see on which the Sea broke very high. This however gave me great hopes that they were the outermost shoals, as I did not doubt but what I should be able to get without them for there appeared to be several breaks or Partitions in the reef and deep water between it and the islands.

The only Land-animals we saw here were Lizards and these seem'd to be pretty plenty which occasioned my naming the Island Lizard Island.

The prominent lizards inhabiting this island are a type of monitor lizard with length on the order of three to five feet. The highest point is locally known as Cook's Look and is a bare, dome-shaped rise to 1179 feet. It commands (and gave Cook) an excellent view of the reef's forming the outer barrier of the Great Barrier Reef. The Coral Sea and deep water lie beyond the line of reefs.

Cook leaves Lizard Island to pass from the channel behind the reef to the open water on the other side.

Monday 13 August 1770: At noon the NW end of Lizard Island bore ESE distant one mile, Latitude observed 14 degrees, 38 minutes South, depth of water 14 fathom. We now took the Pinnace in tow knowing that there was no danger till we got out to the Reefs without the Island.

Tuesday, 14 August 1770: By 2 oClock we just fetched to windward of one of the Channels in the outer Reef I had seen from the Island, we now tacked and made a short trip to the SW while the Master in the Pinnace examined the channell, he soon made the Signal for the Ship to follow which we accordingly did and in a short time got safe out, we had no sooner got out without the breakers than we had no ground with 150 fathom of lineand found a well growen Sea rowling in from the SE, certain signs that nither land nor shoals were in our neighborhood in that direction, which made us quite easy at being free'd from fears of Shoals . . . .