The quotation from this Log, on the taking possession of the territory, runs thus:—
"Mod. and clear wear. saw a number of smoaks along shore at 1 Lay too for the yawl, Pinnace and Longboat, Sounding ½ pt. 2 made sail and steer'd for a passage, Between some Islands and the Main at 3 fired a gun and made the Signell for the Boats to sound the next Passage, to the N.ward of the above Mention'd ¾ pt. 3 was in the Passage Distce. from Each shore ¾ of a mile—saw several Indians who follow'd us shouting. At 4 fir'd a gun and made the Signell for the Boats. Came too with the Bt. Bower in 6¾ fam. good ground Veer'd to ½ a Cable. Exte. of the Land on the East side No. 56 Et. an Island to S.W. the Main on the Wt. side from N.S.E. to S. 73 Wt. 8 miles Distce. from the Eastern shore One mile. The Pinnace and yawl with the Captn. and Gentlemen went on shore to Examin the Country and view the Coast from one of the Hills. Soon after saw some Turtle it was high water. When we came too, the Tide of Ebb set from the S.W. 3k. 2m. pr. Hour, at 6 possession was taken of this Country in his majesty's name and under his Coulours Fired several volleys of small arms on the occasion and Cheer'd 3 times, which was answer'd from the ship."
There is, therefore, in the most orthodox Logs of H.M.S. Endeavour, not any authority for the names of Botany Bay and New South Wales.
END.
In a capital sketch of Captain Cook, appearing in the Sydney Town and Country Journal on February 22, 1879, when the noble New South Wales statue to Captain Cook was unveiled, the writer observed, "what the legendary Æneas was to Rome, Captain James Cook is to Eastern Australia."
Though the remark only referred to the remarkable wanderings by both men over various seas, the word legendary may, in a way, be applied to the two. The voyage of the Trojan has been regarded by the learned men of Europe as mythical, or, at least, explanatory of shifting reckonings of time, or to such groupings of constellations as should elucidate human fancies, and the inventions of quasi-historians.
Æneas was but a poetical creation, and Cook was a living hero of the ocean. Yet, around the narratives of Cook's first southern voyage, when he was said to have discovered Eastern Australia, have gathered so many mysteries, as almost to give them the colour of myths.
Suspicions regarding the official account of the voyage arose at an early date. It leaked out, from those who had accompanied Cook, that the recorded official Admiralty narrative did not agree with their recollection of the several facts. The death of the author soon after the issue of his work increased the embarrassment as to the source of the materials from which he made his compilation. The second of Cook's voyages, so ably described by the Dean of Windsor, had the advantage of genuine logs, together with the presence and active assistance of the navigator himself. It unfortunately happened that most of the actors in the first or New Holland voyage were out of reach for questions whilst the story was being written.