After spending a week surveying Botany Bay (Kamay) and replenishing their supplies of fresh water and ray, Cook and the crew aboard H.M.Bark Eneavour headed north into uncharted waters.
During this week, Cook gave English names to Broken Bay at the mouth of the Hawkesbury River, Cape Three Points, Point Stephens and Port Stephens, Cape Hawke, Three Brothers, Smokey Cape (near South West Rocks).
This week they travelled about 490 kilometres, or just over 300 miles. They saw camp fires all along the coast.
James Cook gave the English name Three Brothers to three mountains north of Taree and south of Port Macquarie, approximately 360 kilometres north of Sydney. Co-incidentally, the local Biripi nation also calls them Dooragan, Mooragan, Booragan – Three Brothers Mountains.
HMB Endeavour under sail © 2019 Mark Anning photo. All Rights Reserved.
James Cook journal 7 May 1770 ° “This Bay I named Broken bay”
Monday, 7th. Little wind, Southerly, and Serene pleasant Weather. In the P.M. found the Variation by several Azimuths to be 8 degrees East; at sunset the Northermost land in sight bore North 26 degrees East; and some broken land that appear’d to form a bay bore North 40 degrees West, distant 4 Leagues.
This Bay I named Broken bay,* Latitude 33 degrees 36 minutes South. (* The Hawkesbury River, the largest on the east coast of Australia, runs into Broken Bay.)
We steer’d along shore North-North-East all night at the distance of about 3 Leagues from the land, having from 32 to 36 fathoms, hard sandy bottom. A little after sun rise I took several Azimuths with 4 Needles belonging to the Azimuth Compass, the mean result of which gave the Variation of 7 degrees 56 minutes East.
At Noon we were by observation in the Latitude of 33 degrees 22 minutes South, and about 3 Leagues from the land, the Northermost part of which in sight bore North 19 degrees East. Some pretty high land which projected out in 3 bluff Points, and occasioned my calling it Cape 3 Points (Latitude 33 degrees 33 minutes South), bore South-West, distant 5 Leagues; Longitude made from Botany Bay 0 degrees 19 minutes East.
HMB Endeavour under sail © 2019 Mark Anning photo. All Rights Reserved.
James Cook journal 8th May 1770 ° “saw some smooks upon the Shore”
Tuesday, 8th. Variable Light Airs and Clear weather. In the P.M. saw some smooks upon the Shore, and in the Evening found the Variation to be 8 degrees 25 minutes East; at this time we were about 2 or 3 Miles from the land, and had 28 fathoms Water. Our situation at Noon was nearly the same as Yesterday, having advanced not one Step to the Northward.
HMB Endeavour under sail © 2019 Mark Anning photo. All Rights Reserved.
James Cook journal 9th May 1770 ° “we Tack’d with the wind”
Wednesday, 9th. Winds northerly; most part a fresh breeze, with which we stood off Shore until 12 at Night.
At the distance of 5 Leagues from the land had 70 fathoms, at the distance of 6 Leagues 80 fathoms, which is the Extent of the Soundings, for at the Distance of 10 Leagues off we had no ground with 150 fathoms.
Stood in Shore until 8 o’Clock A.M., and hardly fetched Cape Three Points; having a little wind at North-West by North, we tack’d, and stood off until Noon, at which Time we Tack’d with the wind at North-North-East, being then in the Latitude of 33 degrees 37 minutes South, Cape Three Points bearing North West by West, distance 4 Leagues.
HMB Endeavour under sail © 2019 Mark Anning photo. All Rights Reserved.
James Cook journal 10th May 1770 ° “advantage of a light Moon”
Thursday, 10th. In the P.M., had the wind at North-East by North, with which we stood in Shore until near 4 o’Clock, when we Tack’d in 23 fathoms Water, being about a Mile from the land, and as much to the Southward of Cape 3 Points.
In the night the wind veer’d to North-West and West, and in the morning to South-West. Having the advantage of a light Moon, we made the best of our way along shore to the Northward.
At Noon we were by observation in the Latitude of 32 degrees 53 minutes South, and Longitude 208 degrees 0 minutes West, and about 2 Leagues from the land, which extended from North 41 degrees East to South 41 degrees West.
A small round rock or Island,* laying close under the land, bore South 82 degrees West, distance 3 or 4 Leagues. (* Nobby Head, at the entrance of Newcastle Harbour, formed by the Hunter River.)
At sunrise in the Morning found the Variation to be 8 degrees East. In the Latitude of 33 degrees 2 minutes South, a little way inland, is a remarkable hill, that is shaped like the Crown of a Hatt, which we past about 9 o’Clock in the forenoon.
HMB Endeavour under sail © 2019 Mark Anning photo. All Rights Reserved.
James Cook journal 11 May 1770 ° “saw several smokes a little way in the Country”
[Off Cape Hawke, New South Wales.]
Friday, 11th. Winds Southerly in the day, and in the night Westerly; a Gentle breeze and Clear weather. At 4 P.M. past, at the distance of one Mile, a low rocky point which I named Point Stephens (Latitude 32 degrees 45 minutes); on the North side of this point is an inlet which I called Port Stephens* (Latitude 32 degrees 40 minutes; Longitude 207 degrees 51 minutes), that appear’d to me from the Masthead to be shelter’d from all Winds. (* Called after Mr. Stephens, one of the Secretaries to the Admiralty. It is a large and fine harbour.)
At the Entrance lay 3 Small Islands, 2 of which are of a Tolerable height, and on the Main, near the shore, are some high round hills that make at a distance like Islands. In passing this bay at the distance of 2 or 3 miles from the Shore our soundings were from 33 to 27 fathoms; from which I conjectured that there must be a sufficient depth of Water for Shipping in the bay.
We saw several smokes a little way in the Country upon the flat land; by this I did suppose that there were Lagoons which afforded subsistance for the Natives, such as shell-fish, etc., for we as yet know nothing else they have to live upon.
At 1/2 past 5, the Northermost land in sight bore North 36 degrees East, and Point Stephens South-West, distant 4 Leagues, at which time we took in our Steerings,* (* Studding sails.) and run under an Easey sail all night until 4 A.M., when we made all sail; our soundings in the night were from 48 to 62 fathoms, at the distance of between 3 and 4 Leagues from the land.
At 8 we were abreast of a high point of Land, which made in 2 Hillocks; this point I called Cape Hawke* (Latitude 32 degrees 14 minutes South, Longitude 207 degrees 30 minutes West). It bore from us at this time West distant 8 Miles, and the same time the Northermost land in sight bore North 6 degrees East, and appear’d high and like an Island. (* After Admiral Sir Edward Hawke, First Lord of the Admiralty.)
At Noon this land bore North 8 degrees East, the Northermost land in sight North 13 degrees East, and Cape Hawke South 37 degrees West. Latitude in per Observation 32 degrees 2 minutes South, which was 12 Miles to the Southward of that given by the Log, which I do suppose to be owing to a Current setting that way.
Course and distance sail’d since Yesterday at Noon was first North-East by East, 27 Miles, then North 10 degrees East, 37 Miles; Longitude in 207 degrees 20 minutes West; Variation per morning Amplitude and Azimuth 9 degrees 10 minutes East.
HMB Endeavour under sail © 2019 Mark Anning photo. All Rights Reserved.
James Cook journal 12 May 1770 ° “called them the 3 Brothers”
Saturday, 12th. Winds Southerly, a Gentle breeze in the P.M. As we run along Shore we saw several smokes a little way in land from the Sea, and one upon the Top of a hill, which was the first we have seen upon elevated ground since we have been upon the Coast.
At sunset we were in 23 fathoms, and about a League and a half from the land, the Northermost part of which we had in sight bore North 13 degrees East; and 3 remarkable large high hills lying Contigious to each other, and not far from the shore, bore North-North-West.
As these Hills bore some resemblance to each other we called them the 3 Brothers * (north of Taree, approximately 360 kilometres north of Sydney. Co-incidentally, the local Biripi nation also calls them Dooragan, Mooragan, Booragan – Three Brothers Mountains.)
We steer’d North-East by North all Night, having from 27 to 67 fathoms, from 2 to 5 and 6 Leagues from the Land, and at day light we steer’d North for the Northermost land we had in sight. At noon we were 4 Leagues from the Land, and by observation in the Latitude of 31 degrees 18 minutes South, which was 15 miles to the Southward of that given by the Log.
Our Course and distance made good since Yesterday noon was North 24 degrees East, 48 miles. Longitude 206 degrees 58 minutes West; several smokes seen a little way in land.
HMB Endeavour under sail © 2019 Mark Anning photo. All Rights Reserved.
James Cook journal 13th May 1770 ° “fires that Caused a great Quantity of smoke”
Sunday, 13th. In the P.M. stood in shore with the Wind at North-East until 6, at which time we Tack’d, being about 3 or 4 miles from the land, and in 24 fathoms. Stood off shore with a fresh breeze at North and North-North-West until midnight, then Tack’d, being in 118 fathoms and 8 Leagues from the Land. At 3 a.m. the wind veer’d to the Westward, and we Tack’d and stood to the Northward.
At noon we were by Observation in the Latitude of 30 degrees 43 minutes South, and Longitude 206 degrees 45 minutes West, and about 3 or 4 Leagues from the Land, the Northermost part of which bore from us North 13 degrees West; and a point or head land, on which were fires that Caused a great Quantity of smoke, which occasioned my giving it the name of Smokey Cape, bore South-West, distant 4 Leagues; it is moderately high land.
Over the pitch of the point is a round hillock; within it 2 others, much higher and larger, and within them very low land (Latitude 30 degrees 51 minutes, Longitude 206 degrees 5 minutes West).
Besides the smoke seen upon this Cape we saw more in several places along the Coast. The observed Latitude was only 5 Miles to the Southward of the Log.
°°°
See also: List of Persons Who Left England in HMB Endeavour, 26th August, 1768
1. Captain Cook’s ship Endeavour confirmed found in Newport Harbour, USA
2. Secret Orders to Captain James Cook on H.M. Bark ENDEAVOUR
3. Captain Cook’s Journal 1-18 Apr.1770: Passage from New Zealand to New Holland
4. James Cook journal: 20th – 28th April, 1770 on HMB Endeavour
