A few years ago, behind some old wainscotting in the Deptford Government Victualling Yard, were discovered several _Logs_ of the interesting ship, which are now safely preserved in the admirably conducted Public Record Office, Chancery Lane. Do these _veritable_ Logs and Journals throw any light upon the disputed questions respecting _Botany Bay_ and _New South Wales_? The plain unvarnished tale of seamen, though oftentimes copied from each other, yet evidently written down at the period of the occurrence of events, may be set against the much varied accounts attributed to Cook himself, and in copies recorded to have been sent home from Java, where so many of the crew were sick. But these copies were, apparently, made by the same transcribers, and done upon the same plan. There were blank spaces left for the _day_ and _date_, with other spaces for the after insertion of the _locality_ visited. It is not a little singular that our navigator should allow these Logs to be sent forth in so incomplete a state. It is not to be wondered that, if _en route_, or upon arrival in England, such copies should have these spaces more or less filled up, according to order, or to the fancy of the copyist. We are thus prepared for the remarkable aspect of one called after its salesman, Mr. Corner, and now in Sydney's custody. I had three opportunities, as a supposed expert, of examining that _Log_. I pointed out, in a personal interview with a distinguished Admiralty authority, my reasons for doubt as to its authenticity as a genuine _Cook_. Corner's Log has side references in a hand differing from that in the text. The _days_ named are clearly written by another party, and in red ink. The first copyist never ventured to name place or date, but left the open spaces to be filled by another. This Log names both _Point Hicks_ and _Cape Howe_, unknown in earlier copies of the voyage chronicles. There is some reason to think that Corner's document may have served as one of the authorities with Dr. Hawkesworth. Thus, it records "the bay which I called Edgecombe Bay," while the published work says "the bay I called Edgecombe Bay." Corner has it, of a native woman, "had nothing to cover her nudities"; but the author states "both were stark naked." In cases, the penknife was used: as, _Iron Head_ was altered to _Cape Cleveland_, and both _Rockingham_ and _Halifax_ Bays were afterthoughts, judging from the former erasures being unsuccessfully performed. The Logs of the _Endeavour_ could not have troubled the authors of "Cook's Voyage" over much, discrepancies appearing so often between them (the supposed medium of information) and the printed volume; so much absurd or such unnecessary matters being introduced, with so large an extent of imagination employed.