2:91-3,95-98 [11-13,17-19,22 July 1770]
CONFLICT arises on 19/7/70 [2:96-7] over refusal of crew of Endeavour to share turtles they had caught – fires started, shots fired.
Journal – Recording Mariner: James Cook
J C Beaglehole (ed.) 1969
The Journals of Captain James Cook on his Voyage of Discovery: Volume 1, The Voyage of the Endeavour 1768 – 1771,
Cambridge: Hakluyt Society.
p.303 [40 km south of Botany Bay, 26 April 1770]
Saw several smooks along shore before dark and two or 3 times a fire in the night.
p.304 [near Bulli, 28 April 1770]
At this time we saw several people a Shore four of whome were carrying a small boat or Canoe… … Mr Banks, Dr Solander, Tupia and my self put off in the yawl and pull’d in for the land to a place where we saw four or five natives who took to the woods as we approachd the Shore
pp.304-5 [entering Botany Bay, 29 April 1770]
Saw as we came in on both points of the>>305 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 two Men who seemd resolved to oppose our landing. As soon as I saw this I ordered the boats to lay upon their oars in order to speake to them but this was to little purpose for neither of us nor Tupia could understand one word they said. We then threw them some nails beeds etc a shore which they took up and seem’d not ill pleased in so much that I thout that they beckon’d to us to come a shore; but in this we were mistaken, for as soon as we put the boat in they again came ot oppose us upon which I fired a musket between the two which had no effect than to make them retire back where bundles of thier darts lay, and one of them took up a stone and threw it at us which caused my fireing a second Musquet load with small shott, and although some of the shott struck the man yet it had no other effect than to make him lay hold of a Shield or target to defend himself. Emmidiatly after this we landed which we had no sooner done than they throw’d two darts at us, this obloiged me to fire a third shott soon after which they both made off, but not in such haste …
p.305 [Botany Bay, 29 April 1770]
we embarqued and went over to the north point of the bay where in coming in we saw several people, but when we landed there was nobody to be seen.
p.306 [Botany Bay, morning, 30 April 1770]
I went my self in the Pinnace to sound and explore the Bay, in the doing of which I saw sever of the natives but they all fled at my apporoach. I landed in two places one of which the people had just left, as there were small fires and fresh muscles boiling up on them …
p.306 [Botany Bay, 30 April 1770]
10 or 12 of the natives came to the watering place and took away there 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 a 100 yards of our people at the watering place and there made a satnd. Mr Hicks who was officer ashore did all in his power to entice them to him by offering them presents etc 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.
p.306-7 [Botany Bay, 1 May 1770]
In the PM ten of the natives again Viseted the watering place. I being on board at this time went immidiatly to shore but before I got there they were going away, I>>307 follow’d them alone and unarm’d some distance along the shore but they would not stop until they got farther off than I choose to trust my self …
p.308 [Botany Bay, 2 May 1770]
in his [Mr Gore] return to the ship he and another person came by land and met with these people who follow’d him at the distance of 19 or 20 yards; when ever Mr Gore made a Stand and face’d them they stood also and not withstanding they were all arm’d they never offered to attack him, but after he had parted from them and they were met by Dr Munkhouse and one or two more who upon makeing a sham retreat they throw’d 3 darts after them, after which they began to retire. Dr Solander, I, and Tupia made all haste we could after them but could by neither words nor actions prevail upon them to come near us.
p.308 [Botany Bay, 3 May 1770]
At our first entering the woods we saw 3 of the natives who made off as soon as they saw us; more of them were seen by others of our people who likewise made off as soon as they found they were discover’d.
In the AM I went in the Pinnace to the head of the Bay … … … in our way theither we met with 10 or 12 of them fishing each in a small Canoe who retired in to shoald water upon our approach, others again we saw at the first place we landed at who took to their Canoes and feld before we came near them:
Continued in 10. Further interactions at Botany Bay