League S.E. from it; on the West side of the Cape there appeared to be a Lagoon. On the 2 Spits which form the Entrance were a great Number of Pelicans; at least, so I call them. The most northermost land we could see bore from C. Capricorn N. 24° W., and appeared to be an Island;[1] but the Main land Trended W. by N. ½ N., which Course we steer'd, having from 15 to 16 fathoms and from 6 to 9, a hard sandy bottom. At Noon our Lat. by Observation was 23° 24′ S.; C. Capricorn bore S. 60° E., distance 2 Leagues; a small Island N. by E. 2 Miles. In this Situation had 9 fathoms at the distance of 4 Miles from the Main land, which is here low and Sandy next the Sea, except the points which are moderately high and rocky; in land the Country is hilly, and affords but a very indifferent prospect.[2]
Saturday, 26th.—In the P.M. light breezes at E.S.E., with which we stood to the N.W. until 4 o'Clock, when it fell calm, and soon after we Anchored in 12 fathoms. C. Capricorn bearing S. 54° E., distant 4 Leagues, having the Main land and Islands in a manner all around us. In the night we found the tide to rise and fall near 7 feet, and the flood to set to the Westward and Ebb to the Eastward; which is quite the reverse to what we found it when at Anchor to the Eastward of Bustard Bay. At 6 a.m. we weigh'd with the Wind at S., a Gentle breeze, and stood away to the N.W., between the Outermost range of Islands[3] and the Main land, leaving several small Islands between us and the Latter, which we passed Close by. Our soundings was a little irregular, from 12 to 4 fathoms, which caused me to send a Boat ahead to sound. At noon we were about 3 Miles from the Main, about the same distance from the Islands without us; our Lat. by Observation was 23° 7′ S., and Long. made from Cape Capricorn 18 Miles Wt. The Main land in this Lat. is tolerable high and Mountainious; and the Islands which lay off it are the most of them pretty high and of a Small Circuit, and have more the appearance of barrenness than fertility. We saw smookes a good way in land, which makes me think there must be a River, Lagoon, or Inlet, into the Country, and we passed 2 places that had the Appearance of such this morning; but our
- ↑ Hummocky Island.
- ↑ Between Bustard Bay and C. Capricorn is Port Curtis, in which stands the small town of Gladstone. C. Capricorn is the eastern point of Curtis Island, and to the northward is Keppel Bay, into which falls the Fitzroy River. Up the latter, 35 miles from the sea, is Rockhampton, the second largest town of Queensland. All this coast is encumbered with shoals, outside of which Cook had so far prudently kept. To seaward begins the long chain of islands and reefs known as the Great Australian Barrier, which stretches up to Torres Straits. Cook was unaware of their existence, as they were out of sight, but he became painfully acquainted with them later, where the reefs approach the land, and make navigation along the coast anxious work; but he here began to get into difficulties with the shoals which stretch off the coast itself.
- ↑ The Keppel Islands.
