Even before Captain Cook and his men rowed ashore at Botany Bay Kamay in 1770, he shot an Australian indigenous man who was protesting the landing. Here are the eye witness accounts of the event …
First Contact – journal of botanist Joseph Banks on HMB Endeavour
“After dinner the boats were mann’d and we set out from the ship intending to land at the place where we saw these people, hoping that as they regarded the ships coming in to the bay so little they would as little regard our landing.”
“We were in this however mistaken, for as soon as we aproachd the rocks two of the men came down upon them, each armd with a lance of about 10 feet long and a short stick which he seemd to handle as if it was a machine to throw the lance.”
“They calld to us very loud in a harsh sounding Language of which neither us or Tupia understood a word, shaking their lances and menacing, in all appearance resolvd to dispute our landing to the utmost tho they were but two and we 30 or 40 at least.”
“In this manner we parleyd with them for about a quarter of an hour, they waving to us to be gone, we again signing that we wanted water and that we meant them no harm.”
“They remaind resolute so a musquet was fird over them, the Effect of which was that the Youngest of the two dropd a bundle of lances on the rock at the instant in which he heard the report; he however snatchd them up again and both renewd their threats and opposition.”
“A Musquet loaded with small shot was now fird at the Eldest of the two who was about 40 yards from the boat; it struck him on the legs but he minded it very little so another was immediately fird at him; on this he ran up to the house about 100 yards distant and soon returnd with a sheild.”
“In the mean time we had landed on the rock. He immediately threw a lance at us and the young man another which fell among the thickest of us but hurt nobody; 2 more musquets with small shot were then fird at them on which the Eldest threw one more lance and then ran away as did the other.”
— journal of Endeavour botanist Joseph Banks, 28 April 1770
James Cook’s journal 29th April 1770 – “the shott struck the man”
“Sunday, 29th. In the P.M. wind Southerly and Clear weather, with which we stood into the bay and Anchored under the South shore about 2 miles within the Entrance in 5 fathoms, the South point bearing South-East and the North point East.”
“Saw, as we came in, on both points of the bay, several of the Natives and a few hutts; Men, Women, and Children on the South Shore abreast of the Ship, to which place I went in the Boats in hopes of speaking with them, accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Tupia.”
“As we approached the Shore they all made off, except 2 Men, who seem’d resolved to oppose our landing.”
“As soon as I saw this I order’d the boats to lay upon their Oars, in order to speak to them; but this was to little purpose, for neither us nor Tupia could understand one word they said.”
“We then threw them some nails, beads, etc., a shore, which they took up, and seem’d not ill pleased with, in so much that I thought that they beckon’d to us to come ashore; but in this we were mistaken, for as soon as we put the boat in they again came to oppose us, upon which I fir’d a musquet between the 2, which had no other Effect than to make them retire back, where bundles of their darts lay, and one of them took up a stone and threw at us, which caused my firing a Second Musquet, load with small Shott; and altho’ some of the shott struck the man, yet it had no other effect than making him lay hold on a Target.”
“Immediately after this we landed, which we had no sooner done than they throw’d 2 darts at us; this obliged me to fire a third shott, soon after which they both made off, but not in such haste but what we might have taken one; but Mr. Banks being of Opinion that the darts were poisoned, made me cautious how I advanced into the Woods.”
“We found here a few small hutts made of the Bark of Trees, in one of which were 4 or 5 Small Children, with whom we left some strings of beads, etc.”
“A quantity of Darts lay about the Hutts; these we took away with us.”
“3 Canoes lay upon the beach, the worst I think I ever saw; they were about 12 or 14 feet long, made of one piece of the Bark of a Tree, drawn or tied up at each end, and the middle keept open by means of pieces of Stick by way of Thwarts.”
“After searching for fresh water without success, except a little in a Small hole dug in the Sand, we embarqued, and went over to the North point of the bay, where in coming in we saw several people; but when we landed now there were nobody to be seen.”
“We found here some fresh Water, which came trinkling down and stood in pools among the rocks; but as this was troublesome to come at I sent a party of men ashore in the morning to the place where we first landed to dig holes in the sand, by which means and a Small stream they found fresh Water sufficient to Water the Ship.”
“The String of Beads, etc., we had left with the Children last night were found laying in the Hutts this morning; probably the Natives were afraid to take them away.”
“After breakfast we sent some Empty Casks a shore and a party of Men to cut wood, and I went myself in the Pinnace to sound and explore the Bay, in the doing of which I saw some of the Natives; but they all fled at my Approach.”
“I landed in 2 places, one of which the people had but just left, as there were small fires and fresh Muscles broiling upon them; here likewise lay Vast heaps of the largest Oyster Shells I ever saw.”
°°° See Cook’s journal from this week detailing the 8 days he spent in Kamay
Left: The HMB Endeavour replica sails under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, 2019.
Right: A statue of Captain Cook in Hyde Park, Sydney. © 2019 Mark Anning photos. All Rights Reserved
First Contact, journal of Sydney Parkinson, Endeavour artist
” … we got into a fine bay, and some of our people went on shore on one side of it, where we saw some houses. On our approaching the shore, two men, with different kinds of weapons, came out and made towards us. Their countenance bespoke displeasure; they threatened us, and discovered hostile intentions, often crying to us, Warra warra wai.”
“We made signs to them to be peacable, and threw them some trinkets; but they kept aloof, and dared us to come on shore.”
“We attempted to frighten them by firing off a gun loaded with small shot; but attempted it in vain.”
“One of them repaired to a house immediately, and brought out a shield, of an oval figure, painted white in the middle, with two holes in it to see through, and also a wooden sword, and then they advanced boldly, gathering up stones as they came along, which they threw at us.”
“After we had landed, they threw two of their lances at us; one of which fell between my feet.”
“Our people fired again, and wounded one of them; at which they took the alarm and were very frantic and furious, shouting for assistance, calling Hala, hala, mea; that is, (as we afterwards learned,) come hither.”
— journal of Endeavour artist Sydney Parkinson, 28 April 1770
First Contact – journal of Peter Briscoe, servant of Joseph Banks
“… hoisted out the long boat the Capt. went on shore in the pinnace to where we had seen some Indians and hith two of which opposed our landing arm’d with Targets and Launces but upon 2 or 3 musketts being fir’d, and some of them being wounded with small shott they run away into the woods the Captn. Mr. Banks Dr. Solander &c. with their servants and the detachment of Marines landed and search their huts …”
— journal of Peter Briscoe, servant of Joseph Banks, 29 April 1770
First Contact – journal of James Roberts, servant of Joseph Banks
“… hoist’d out the Long boat the Captn. went on shore in the pinnace to where we had seen some Indians and hutts two of which appeared on landing armed with targettes and lances but upon 2 or 3 muskitts fired and one of them being wounded with small shott they ran away into the woods the Captn. Mr. Banks Dr. Solander &c. with their servants and the detachment of Marines landed and search their huts …”
— journal of James Roberts, servant of Joseph Banks, 29 April 1770
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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
