Captain Cook in New South Wales; Or, The Mystery of Naming Botany Bay

by James Bonwick

THE PALLISER LOG.

The Palliser Log, presented by Cook himself to his old American Commander and patron, Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, was examined by me in Sunderland, when invited there by its owner for some days, Mr. R. W. Hudson, the northern shipowner. His lady, a Palliser, assured me the book had never been out of the possession of the family since Cook's gift.

I read therein:—

"This Book was a Present from Captain Cook to Sir Hugh Palliser, containing his Logg from the 27th May, 1768, to the 11th June, 1771, during his voyage on board the Endeavour Bark, sent to make observations on the Transit of Venus in the South Seas, and afterwards to make discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere."

The book was bound in red morocco, gold bordered, with a fancy back, and marked:—

"Cook's Logg Book, 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771."

Though not, as I saw at once, wholly in Cook's handwriting, the record had no knowledge either of Botany Bay or of New South Wales, but had the Cook's style of spelling, as: "severell smokes were seen," and "saw smokes upon the shore." What was afterwards known as Botany Bay is there called "Sting Ray Harbour."

Apart from the Museum Logs, this one is undoubtedly the best authenticated Cook's Log.