Saturday, 2nd June, 1770
Winds at South-South-East and South-East, a gentle breeze, with which we stood to the North-West and North-West by North, as the land lay, under an easy sail. Having a boat ahead, we found our soundings at first were very irregular, from 9 to 4 fathoms; but afterwards regular, from 9 to 11 fathoms. At 8, being about 2 leagues from the main land, we anchored in 11 fathoms, sandy bottom. Soon after this, we found a slow motion of a tide setting to the eastward, and rode so until 6, at which time the tide had risen 11 feet; we now got under sail, and stood away North-North-West as the land lay. From the observations made on the tide last night, it is plain that the flood comes from the North-West; whereas yesterday and for several days before, we found it to come from the South-East. This is neither the first nor second time that we have observed the same thing, and in my opinion, easily accounted for; but this I shall do in another place. At sunrise, we found the variation to be 6 degrees 45 minutes East. In steering along shore between the island and the main, at the distance of 2 leagues from the latter, and 3 or 4 from the former, our soundings were regular, from 12 to 9 fathoms; but about 11 o’clock we were again embarrassed with shoal water but got clear without letting go an anchor; we had at one time not quite 3 fathoms. At noon, we were about 2 leagues from the mainland, and about 4 from the islands without us; our latitude by observation was 20 degrees 56 minutes South, longitude made from Cape Palmerston 16 degrees West; a pretty high promontory, which I named Cape Hillsborough, bore West 1/2 North, distant 7 miles. The mainland is here pretty much diversified with mountains, hills, plains, and valleys, and seemed to be tolerably clothed with wood and verdure. These islands, which lie parallel with the coast, and from 5 to 8 or 9 leagues off, are of various extent, both for height and circuit; hardly any exceeds 5 leagues in circuit, and many again are very small. Besides the chain of islands, which lie at a distance from the coast, there are other small ones laying under the land. Some few smokes were seen on the mainland.
Sunday, 3rd June, 1770
Winds between the South by East and South-East. A gentle breeze and clear weather. In the P.M., we steered along shore North-West 1/2 West, at the distance of 2 leagues from the main, having 9 and 10 fathoms regular soundings. At sunset, the furthest point of the mainland that we could distinguish as such bore North 48 degrees West; to the northward of this lay some high land, which I took to be an island, the North-West point of which bore North 41 degrees West; but as I was not sure that there was a passage this way, we at 8 came to an anchor in 10 fathoms, muddy bottom. Two hours after this, we had a tide setting to the northward, and at 2 o’clock it had fallen 9 feet since the time we anchored. After this, the tide began to rise, and the flood came from the northward, which was from the islands out at sea, and plainly indicated that there was no passage to the North-West; but as this did not appear at daylight when we got under sail, and stood away to the North-West until 8, at this time we discovered low land, quite across what we took for an opening between the main and the islands, which proved to be a bay about 5 or 6 leagues deep. Upon this, we hauled our wind to the eastward round the northernmost point of the bay, which bore from us at this time North-East by North, distance 4 leagues. From this point, we found the mainland trend away North by West 1/2 West, and a strait or passage between it and a large island or islands laying in a parallel direction with the coast; this passage we stood into, having the tide of ebb in our favor. At noon, we were just within the entrance, and by observation in the latitude of 20 degrees 26 minutes South; Cape Hillsborough bore South by East, distant 10 leagues, and the north point of the bay before mentioned bore South 19 degrees West, distance 4 miles. This point I have named Cape Conway, and the bay, Repulse Bay, which is formed by these 2 capes. The greatest and least depth of water we found in it was 13 and 8 fathoms; everywhere safe anchoring, and I believe, was it properly examined, there would be found some good harbor in it, especially on the north side within Cape Conway, for just within the cape lay 2 or 3 small islands, which alone would shelter that side of the bay from the South-East and southerly winds, which seem to be the prevailing or trade winds. Among the many islands that lay upon this coast, there is one more remarkable than the rest, being of a small circuit, very high and peaked, and lies East by South, 10 miles from Cape Conway at the south end of the passage above mentioned.
Monday, 4th June, 1770
Winds at South-South-East and South-East, a gentle breeze and clear weather. In the P.M., steered through the passage which we found from 3 to 6 or 7 miles broad, and 8 or 9 leagues in length, North by West 1/2 West and South by East 1/2 East. It is formed by the main on the west, and by islands on the east, one of which is at least 5 leagues in length. Our depth of water in running through was between 25 and 20 fathoms; everywhere good anchorage; indeed the whole passage is one continued safe harbor, besides a number of small bays and coves on each side, where ships might lay as it were in a basin; at least so it appeared to me, for I did not wait to examine it, as having been in port so lately, and being unwilling to lose the benefit of a light moon. The land, both on the main and islands, especially on the former, is tolerably high, and distinguished by hills and valleys, which are diversified with woods and lawns that looked green and pleasant. On a sandy beach upon one of the islands, we saw 2 people and a canoe, with an outrigger, which appeared to be both larger and differently built than any we have seen upon the coast. At 6, we were nearly the length of the north end of the passage; the north-westernmost point of the main in sight bore North 54 degrees West, and the north end of the island North-North-East, having an open sea between these 2 points. This passage I have named Whitsunday Passage, as it was discovered on the day the church commemorates that festival, and the isles which form it Cumberland Isles, in honor of His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland. We kept under an easy sail and the lead going all night, having 21, 22, and 23 fathoms, at the distance of 3 leagues from the land. At daylight A.M., we were abreast of the point above mentioned, which is a lofty promontory; that I named Cape Gloucester. It may be known by an island which lies out at sea North by West 1/2 West, 5 or 6 leagues from it; this I called Holbourn Isle. There are also islands laying under the land between it and Whitsunday Passage. On the west side of the cape, the land trends away South-West and South-South-West, and forms a deep bay. The sand in the bottom of this bay I could but just see from the masthead; it is very low and is a continuation of the same low land as is at the bottom of Repulse Bay. Without waiting to look into this bay, which I called Edgcumbe Bay, we continued our course to the westward for the westernmost land we had in sight which bore from us West by North 1/2 North, and appeared very high. At noon, we were about 3 leagues from the land, and by observation in the latitude of 19 degrees 47 minutes South, Cape Gloucester bearing South 63 degrees East, distant 7 1/2 leagues.