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Experiences on the voyage of the First Fleet
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Experiences on the voyage of the First Fleet
First European footprints
1770 ~ Captain James Cook
About
James Cook was a British naval officer, explorer, and cartographer best known for charting the Pacific Ocean and the east coast of Australia in the 18th century. Born in England in 1728, England, he became one of the most important explorers of his time and is best known for his 'discovery' of Australia and New Zealand in 1770.
Cook, accompanied by astronomer Charles Green, naturalist Joseph Banks, and Swedish botanist Daniel Solander, sailed in Endeavour on 28 August 1768 with the primary intention of observing the 1769 Transit of Venus at Tahiti. After completing this astronomical mission, Cook crossed the Pacific to survey New Zealand, and then continued west under secret Admiralty orders to explore the eastern side of the great southern landmass — and to search, more broadly, for any remaining trace of the long-imagined Terra Australis Incognita (“unknown southern land”).
Great Southern Land
The authors of History of Australian Discovery claim Cook himself doubted the existence of a southern continent and “entered into very elaborate arguments” to show earlier navigators had been mistaken. Whether this overstates his scepticism, it is true that his voyage revealed how little was understood of the southern oceans despite centuries of speculation. As the authors note,
“Notwithstanding all the efforts of navigators for hundreds of years previously… very little progress had really been made in elucidating the mystery which enveloped the Great South Land.”
That uncertainty spurred the British Admiralty to act. Cook was selected as the officer best qualified to “lift the veil” that supposedly shrouded a fifth continent from European knowledge.
After departing New Zealand, Cook at first saw no sign of land—only flocks of seabirds, which he dismissed as inconclusive. But on 18 April 1770, land appeared near the south-eastern extremity of the continent. Cook named the point Point Hicks, after Lieutenant Zachary Hicks, whom he credited with the first sighting. Over the following days the Endeavour coasted northward. Cook noted smoke rising from the shoreline, and later wrote of seeing
“several of the natives upon the beach, of a black or very dark colour.”
Cook's diary
20th April 1770. "...The weather being clear gave us an opportunity to View the Country, which had a very agreeable and promising aspect, diversified with hills, ridges, plains, and Valleys, with some few small lawns; but for the most part the whole was covered with wood, the hills and ridges rise with a gentle slope; they are not high, neither are there many of them...
Saturday, 28th. In the PM hoisted out the Pinnace and Yawl in order to attempt a landing (at today's Bulli on the South Coast of NSW), but the Pinnace took in the Water so fast that she was obliged to be hoisted in again to stop her leakes. At this time we saw several people a shore, 4 of whom were carrying a small Boat or Canoe, which we imagin'd they were going to put in to the Water in order to Come off to us; but in this we were mistaken. Being now not above 2 Miles from the Shore Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, Tupia, and myself put off in the Yawl, and pull'd in for the land to a place where we saw 4 or 5 of the Natives, who took to the Woods as we approached the Shore; which disappointed us in the expectation we had of getting a near View of them, if not to speak to them. But our disappointment was heightened when we found that we no where could effect a landing by reason of the great Surf which beat everywhere upon the shore. We saw haul'd up upon the beach 3 or 4 small Canoes, which to us appeared not much unlike the Small ones of New Zeland. In the wood were several Trees of the Palm kind, and no under wood; and this was all we were able to observe from the boat, after which we return'd to the Ship about 5 in the evening... At daylight in the morning we discover'd a Bay,* (*Botany Bay.) which appeared to be tollerably well shelter'd from all winds, into which I resolved to go with the Ship, and with this View sent the Master in the Pinnace to sound the Entrance, while we kept turning up with the Ship, having the wind right out...​
Resistance mounted
At Botany Bay, Cook and his men attempted to land. Two Gweagal (one of the Dharawal language groups) men stood their ground, armed with spears and a throwing stick, calling out in a language Cook could not understand. Cook tried gifts, gestures, and reassurance; the men remained firm. When they continued to oppose the landing, Cook reluctantly fired small shot, wounding one. The sailors went ashore, leaving beads and cloth in the nearby huts, which the Gweagal refused to touch.
Cook’s journals record encounters tinged with misunderstanding, wariness and courage on both sides.
​At Anchor, Botany Bay, New South Wales.]
Sunday, 29th. ...Saw, as we came in, on both points of the bay, several of the Natives and a few hutts; Men, Women, and Children on the South Shore abreast of the Ship, to which place I went in the Boats in hopes of speaking with them, accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Tupia. As we approached the Shore they all made off, except 2 Men, who seem'd resolved to oppose our landing. As soon as I saw this I order'd the boats to lay upon their Oars, in order to speak to them; but this was to little purpose, for neither us nor Tupia could understand one word they said. We then threw them some nails, beads, etc., ashore, which they took up, and seem'd not ill pleased with, in so much that I thought that they beckon'd to us to come ashore; but in this we were mistaken, for as soon as we put the boat in they again came to oppose us, upon which I fir'd a musquet between the 2, which had no other Effect than to make them retire back, where bundles of their darts lay, and one of them took up a stone and threw at us, which caused my firing a Second Musquet, load with small Shott; and altho' some of the shott struck the man, yet it had no other effect than making him lay hold on a Target. Immediately after this we landed, which we had no sooner done than they throw'd 2 darts at us; this obliged me to fire a third shott, soon after which they both made off, but not in such haste but what we might have taken one; but Mr. Banks being of Opinion that the darts were poisoned, made me cautious how I advanced into the Woods. We found here a few small hutts made of the Bark of Trees, in one of which were 4 or 5 Small Children, with whom we left some strings of beads, etc. A quantity of Darts lay about the Hutts; these we took away with us. 3 Canoes lay upon the beach, the worst I think I ever saw; they were about 12 or 14 feet long, made of one piece of the Bark of a Tree, drawn or tied up at each end, and the middle keept open by means of pieces of Stick by way of Thwarts. After searching for fresh water without success, except a little in a Small hole dug in the Sand, we embarqued, and went over to the North point of the bay, where in coming in we saw several people; but when we landed now there were nobody to be seen... The String of Beads, etc., we had left with the Children last night were found laying in the Hutts this morning; probably the Natives were afraid to take them away. After breakfast we sent some Empty Casks shore and a party of Men to cut wood, and I went myself in the Pinnace to sound and explore the Bay, in the doing of which I saw some of the Natives; but they all fled at my Approach. I landed in 2 places, one of which the people had but just left, as there were small fires and fresh Muscles broiling upon them; here likewise lay Vast heaps of the largest Oyster Shells I ever saw.
Monday, 30th. As Soon as the Wooders and Waterers were come on board to Dinner 10 or 12 of the Natives came to the watering place, and took away their Canoes that lay there, but did not offer to touch any one of our Casks that had been left ashore; and in the afternoon 16 or 18 of them came boldly up to within 100 yards of our people at the watering place, and there made a stand. Mr. Hicks, who was the Officer ashore, did all in his power to intice them to him by offering them presents; but it was to no purpose, all they seem'd to want was for us to be gone. After staying a Short time they went away. They were all Arm'd with Darts and wooden Swords; the darts have each 4 prongs, and pointed with fish bones. Those we have seen seem to be intended more for striking fish than offensive Weapons; neither are they poisoned, as we at first thought...
Tuesday, May 1st. Gentle breezes, Northerly. In the P.M. 10 of the Natives again visited the Watering place. I, being on board at this time, went immediately ashore, but before I got there they were going away. I follow'd them alone and unarm'd some distance along shore, but they would not stop until they got farther off than I choose to trust myself. These were armed in the same manner as those that came Yesterday... This morning a party of us went ashore to some Hutts, not far from the Watering place, where some of the Natives are daily seen; here we left several articles, such as Cloth, Looking Glasses, Coombs, Beads, Nails, etc.; after this we made an Excursion into the Country, which we found diversified with Woods, Lawns, and Marshes...
Thursday, 3rd May. ... In the A.M. I went in the Pinnace to the head of the bay, accompanied by Drs. Solander and Monkhouse, in order to Examine the Country, and to try to form some Connections with the Natives. In our way thither we met with 10 or 12 of them fishing, each in a Small Canoe, who retir'd into Shoald water upon our approach. Others again we saw at the first place we landed at, who took to their Canoes, and fled before we came near them... The stone is sandy, and very proper for building, etc. After we had sufficiently examin'd this part we return'd to the Boat, and seeing some Smoke and Canoes at another part we went thither, in hopes of meeting with the people, but they made off as we approached. There were 6 Canoes and 6 small fires near the Shore, and Muscles roasting upon them, and a few Oysters laying near; from this we conjectured that there had been just 6 people, who had been out each in his Canoe picking up the Shell fish, and come a Shore to eat them, where each had made his fire to dress them by. We tasted of their Cheer, and left them in return Strings of beads, etc. The day being now far spent, we set out on our return to the Ship.
Friday, 4th. "...Upon my return to the Ship in the evening I found that none of the Natives had Appear'd near the Watering place, but about 20 of them had been fishing in their Canoes at no great distance from us. In the A.M., as the Wind would not permit us to sail, I sent out some parties into the Country to try to form some Connections with the Natives. One of the Midshipmen met with a very old man and Woman and 2 Small Children; they were Close to the Water side, where several more were in their Canoes gathering of Shell fish, and he, being alone, was afraid to make any stay with the 2 old People least he should be discovr'd by those in the Canoes. He gave them a bird he had Shott, which they would not Touch; neither did they speak one word, but seem'd to be much frightned. They were quite Naked; even the Woman had nothing to cover her nudities. Dr. Monkhouse and another Man being in the Woods, not far from the watering place, discover'd 6 more of the Natives, who at first seem'd to wait his coming; but as he was going up to them he had a dart thrown at him out of a Tree, which narrowly escaped him. As soon as the fellow had thrown the dart he descended the Tree and made off, and with him all the rest..."
Cook then continued his voyage north along the coast, noting features but unable to investigate many of them due to weather, reefs and time constraints. On 6 May 1770, Cook wrote:
"...Having seen everything this place afforded, we, at daylight in the morning, weigh'd with a light breeze at North-West, and put to Sea... at Noon we were by observation in the Latitude of 33 degrees 50 minutes South, about 2 or 3 Miles from the Land, and abreast of a Bay, wherein there appear'd to be safe Anchorage, which I called Port Jackson..."
Cook, and having many hundreds of miles of coast before him, did not examine Port Jackson, the harbour in which Sydney now lies. His named the bay after George Jackson, one of the Secretaries of the Admiralty.
Cook takes formal possession
Finally, after charting the coast as far as Cape York, Cook ended his account of New South Wales with the formal act of possession:
“As I was now about to quit the eastern coast of New Holland, which I was confident no European had ever seen before, I once more hoisted English colours… I now took possession of the whole eastern coast, in right of His Majesty King George the Third, by the name of New South Wales… We then fired three volleys of small arms, which were answered by the same number from the ship.”
The publication of Cook’s voyage narratives created a sensation in Britain. His detailed descriptions of the east coast of New Holland—its sheltered bays, fertile land and seemingly hospitable climate—lodged firmly in the public imagination. A few years later, the conclusion of the American War of Independence closed off Britain’s long-used outlet for transported convicts. With prisons overflowing and penal reform stalled, the government was forced to seek a new destination for those who could no longer be sent to the American colonies.
In this context, the shores of the bay Cook had praised in 1770 suddenly took on new strategic appeal. Botany Bay seemed, on paper at least, the ideal location for a fresh outpost: remote, defensible, temperate and far from European rivals. The decision was made—but not quickly acted upon. Several years passed before the British government finally moved to implement the plan.