Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/333

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May 1770.]
Off Moreton Bay, Queensland.
255

giving them that Name. The Northermost of the 3 is the highest and largest. There are likewise several other peaked hills inland to the Northward of these, but they are not near so remarkable. At Noon we were by Observation in the Lat. of 26° 28′ S., which was 10 Miles to the Northward of the Log; a Circumstance that hath not hapned since we have been upon the Coast before. Our Course and distance run since Yesterday noon was N. by W. 80 Miles, which brought us into the Long. of 206° 46′. At this time we were about 2 or 3 Leagues from the land, and in 24 fathoms Water; a low bluff point, which was the Southern point of an open Sandy bay,[1] bore N. 52° W., distant 3 Leagues, and the Northermost point of land in sight bore N. ¼ E. Several Smokes seen to-day, and some pretty far inland.

Friday, 18th.—In steering along shore at the distance of 2 Leagues off our Soundings was from 24 to 32 fathoms Sandy bottom. At 6 P.M. the N. point set at Noon bore N. ¼ W., distant 4 Leagues; at 10 it bore N.W. by W. ½ W., and as we had seen no land to the Northward of it we brought too, not knowing which way to steer, having at this time but little wind, and continued so for the most part of the night. At 2 P.M. we made sail with the wind at S.W., and at daylight saw the land extending as far as N. ¾ E. The point set last night bore S.W. by W., distant 3 or 4 Leagues; I have named it Double Island Point, on account of its figure (Lat. 25° 58′ S, Long. 206° 48′ W.). The land within this point is of a moderate and pretty equal height, but the point itself is of such an unequal Height that it looks like 2 Small Islands laying under the land; it likewise may be known by the white Clifts on the N. side of it. Here the land trends to the N.W., and forms a large open bay,[2] in the bottom of which the land appear'd to be very low, in so much that we could but just see it from the Deck. In crossing the mouth of this bay our Depth of Water was from 30 to 32 fathoms, a white sandy bottom. At Noon we were about 3 Leagues from the Land, and in the Lat. of 25° 34′ S., Long. 206° 45′ W.; Double Island Point bore S.W., and the Northermost land in sight N. ¾ E. The land hereabouts, which is of a moderate height, appears more barren than any we have yet seen on this Coast, and the Soil more sandy, there being several large places where nothing else is to be seen; in other places the woods look to be low and Shrubby, nor did we see many signs of inhabitants.

Saturday, 19th.—In the P.M. had Variable light Airs, and Calms; in the night had a light breeze from the land, which in the A.M. veer'd to S.W. and S.S.W. In the evening found the Variation

    name is now written. Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, stands on the river of the same name, which falls into Moreton Bay.

  1. Laguna Bay. The point is called Low Bluff.
  2. Wide Bay.