The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
I had now an opportunity of making the following remarks on the coast
between Cape Teerawhitte and Cape Palliser. The bay which lies on the
west side of the last cape, does not appear to run so far inland to the
northward as I at first thought, the deception being caused by the land
in the bottom of it being low; it is, however, at least five leagues
deep, and full as wide at the entrance. Though it seems to be exposed to
southernly and south-west winds, it is probable there may be places in
the bottom of it sheltered even from these. The bay or inlet on the east
side of Cape Teerawhitte, before which we anchored, lies in north
inclining to the west, and seemed to be sheltered from all winds. The
middle cape or point of land that disjoins these two bays, rises to a
considerable height especially inland; for close to the sea is a skirt
of low land, off which lie some pointed rocks, but so near to the shore
as to be no ways dangerous. Indeed, the navigation of this side of the
strait, seems much safer than the other, because the tides here are not
near so strong. Cape Teerawhitte and Cape Palliser lie in the direction
of N. 69° W. and S. 69° E. from each other, distant ten leagues. The
cape which disjoins the two bays above mentioned, lies within or north
of this direction. All the land near the coast, between and about these
capes, is exceedingly barren; probably owing to its being so much
exposed to the cold southernly winds. From Cape Teerawhitte to the Two
Brothers which lie off Cape Koamaroo, the course is nearly north-west by
north, distant sixteen miles. North of Cape Teerawhitte, between it and
Entry Island, is an island lying pretty near the shore. I judged this to
be an island when I saw it in my former voyage, but not being certain,
left it undetermined in my chart of the strait, which is the reason of
my taking notice of it now, as also of the bays, &c. above-mentioned.
At day-light in the morning on the 26th, we made sail round Cape
Palliser, firing guns as usual as we ran along the shore. In this manner
we proceeded till we were three or four leagues to the north-east of the
cape, when the wind shifting to north-east, we bore away to Cape
Campbell, on the other side of the strait. Soon after seeing a smoke
ascend, at some distance inland away to the north-east we hauled the
wind, and continued to ply till six o’clock in the evening; which was
several hours after the smoke disappeared, and left us not the least
signs of people.
Every one being unanimously of opinion that the Adventure could neither
be stranded on the coast, nor be in any of the harbours thereof, I gave
up looking for her, and all thoughts of seeing her any more during the
voyage; as no rendezvous was absolutely fixed upon after leaving New
Zealand. Nevertheless, this did not discourage me from fully exploring
the southern parts of the Pacific Ocean, in the doing of which I
intended to employ the whole of the ensuing season.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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