THE LIEUTENANT'S LOG AND STING REA BAY

The most reliable opinion as to matters connected with a voyage may be expected from the first mate or chief officer of a vessel. Lieutenant Zackary Hickes, whose log of the ship Endeavour was recovered a few years ago, gives his "Remarks on board his Majesty's Barque Endeavour New Holland, 1770." Therein we read for successive days:

"Moor'd in Sting Rea Bay."

While there, on Sunday, April 29, he wrote:

"Hoisted y^e boats out, and y^e Capnⁿ &c. attempting to land was opposed by a few of y^e Natives who dispersed on being wounded with small shot. In y^e evening returned having found a watering place."

Zackary Hickes notes their leaving Sting Rea Bay, May 8th. Under latitude 34° 6″ he writes:

"Moored in Sting Rea Bay the mouth of the Bay from E. to N.E. ½ E. distant from the shore ¾ mile."

On May 17 his progress was "Sting ree bay 2° 00 E^t." The Chief Officer knew nothing of Botany Bay.

Rich^d Pickersgill is the signature to what is called "A Logg of ye Proceedings, &c." He was master's mate for the ship. After stating on April 28:—

"Moor'd in Sting ray Bay," it adds: "April 29. At 3 the Capⁿ &c went ashore and were opposed on landing by 2 of the Nat^s whom they were obliged to sting with small shot which frighted them into y^e woods."

On May 4 he notes "striking Stingerrays."

"May 5, 1770—Stingerray Bay lies in Lat^d 34·06 S & Long^d W^t of Long^d on 20·43. It is form'd by two Low P^ts between which their is a passage of one mile with 12 f^ms water on the E^t side lies a Little Island and off y^e S^o end of it is a Shore where the Sea some times Breaks after you are in the Bay spreads and tends to y^e w^t ward for about 6 or 7 Miles and then ends in two large Lagoons off the S^o shores lies large flats with only 6 & 7 feet water upon them is a great Quantity of Stingerrays the Bay is very Shole but there is a Channel which lies open to y^e entrance with 5 and 6 f^m water, but after you are two miles within it sholes to 3 the Bay is about 4 Miles Broad and has a regular tide. The Country is very rich and fertile and has a fine appear^ce we saw a large tree which grows allone and yealds a Gum like Dragons Blood this we found in great Quantitys sticking to y^e Bark the Tree on which it grows is very large & spreads, but does not grow Stright nor tall besides we saw a wood which has a grain like oak and would be very durable if used for Building the leaves are like a Pine leaf the Soil is a light sandy black earth mix'd but is very shallow upon digging we found vast Quantitys of Oyster Shells which seem'd to have been underground a great while We also found a Tree which bore a red berry about y^e size of a Cherry, but they grew only in one Place—the inhabitants are so shy that we had no kind of Intercous with them they us'd to come down every evening arm'd with Lances and wooden Swords they appeard very thin and had their faces Daub'd over with some thing white one day as the Surgeon was walking in the woods which is all clear of under wood he had a Lance hove at him out of a tree but the man made of this was all we saw of them except when they were fishing off in their canoes which are very small & made of Bark they carry one man who paddles with two small pieces of wood they use them in striking fish on y^e flats their Houses are several Pieces of Bark sett up against an other & open at each end and are the worst I ever saw the people have nothing to cover themselves but go quite naked men & women, and are the most wretched sett I ever beheld or heard of."

Green's Log is by the astronomer of the expedition. He heads his page "Coasting New Holland northward." Though he puts April 28 for 29, his Botany Bay visit is thus recorded:—

"Hoisted out the boats at 3 the Cap^tn &c. with Marines and boat's crew arm'd attempted landing but were opposed on the rocks of Sandy beach by 2 Indians with 4 prong'd wooden fish gigs tipt at the ends with 4 fish bones and fastened to y^e wood with a gummy resinous substance; one of them under cover of a shield approach'd the boats and threw his Gig and in return was wounded with small shot. They now fled & with them a woman and 6 or 7 boys.

"On the beach they found 3 or 4 canoes made of the bark of a tree gather'd up at either end and stuck open with a few sticks for thwarts—the houses too (about 5) were no more than angular Kennels made by binding a piece of bark in the middle and resting either end on the ground encreasing the N^o of the pieces of bark according to ye length desired."

An unnamed log has the same account of the Bay.

The Log signed Cha Clerke is, like others of the early Cook age, wholly innocent of a reference to Botany Bay.

This is its treatment of April 29th:—

"Moored in Sting Rea bay. Little wind and fair. ½ past 1 came too with y^e B.B. in 6½ fa sandy ground hoisted y^e boats out. The Cap &c. attempting to Land was opposed by a few natives who dispersed on being wounded by small shot, in y^e evening they returned having found a watering place."

On Saturday, May 5, we read:—

"Moored in Sting Rea Bay."

The Wilkinson's Log ranges from June 22, 1768, to August 3, 1770. Under April 29 we have this report:—

"Little wind and fair W ½ past 1 came too with the Bower in 6½ fm water, sandy ground. Hoisted out the Boats at 3 P.M. the Capt and Mr. Banks and Dr. Sollander went on Shore and was Opposed by the Natives at their landing on account the Captain was obledg to Sting one with Small Shot. After they all retired to the woods in the Evening the Cap^t having found a watering place" &c.

On May 5 is recorded:—

"Moored in Stingray Bay, New Holland."

In "A Logg of the Proceedings of His Majesty's barque Endeavour," commencing May 27, 1768, to September 26, 1770, Stepⁿ Forwood, gunner, writes:—

"Remarks on Sting Ray Bay New Holland. Little wind and fair weather ½ past 1 came too with Bⁿ B^r in 6½ fath^m water Sandy ground. Hoisted out the Boats and the Cap^t and Gentlemen went on Shore but were Opposed in landing by two Indians standing on the Shore with their Spears in their Hands Ready to heave at the Boat. Notwithstanding the Cap^t tried all Means to Perswaid them to Lay their wapons down by Heaving them on shore Presents but all to no purpose. At last finding Nothing would do the Cap^t fired a Load of small Shott at them which so frightend them that they Run into the woods After finding a watering Place the boats returned."

An unsigned Log of the Endeavour was kept from August 26, 1768, to September 28, 1770. Its account of the Bay entered April 29 was:—

"Little wind & fair wea^r ½ past 1 came too with the B^t Bower in 6½ fam Sandy Ground. Hoisting the Boats out at 3 the Captain and Mr. Banks & Dr. Sollander went on shore. They were opposed in attempting to land by some of the Natives whom they were obliged to sting with some shotts which frightened them in to the woods—in the Evening the Captⁿ Returnd having found a watering Place."

The Log in the possession of the Admiralty, differing only in the inferiority of writing from that called the Queen's Log, is similar to others and later so-called Cook's copies.

Neither of them cites the first named Stingray or Sting Rea Bay. But the Admiralty Log records two sorts of trees there, one hard, heavy and black like Lignum Vitæ, and the other "tall and straight something like Pines."

Then follows:

"The great quantity of new plants &c. Mr. Banks & Dr. Solander collected in this place occasioned my giving it the name Botany Bay it is situated in the Lat^de 34°. 11 S. Long 208°."

The Admiralty Log notes what none of the old Cook's Logs knew.

"Abreast of a Bay or Harbour wherein there appeared to be safe anchorage which I called Port Jackson it lies 3 Legs to the northw^d of Botany Bay."

Other Logs only notice it as an inlet, but add no name.