before the
wind again dropped, and the ship was driven back towards the roaring
breakers. Again the gentle breeze returned, and lasted another ten
minutes. During this time an opening had been discovered, and the ship
was towed towards it, but so strong a current set through it that she
was driven fully a quarter of a mile away from the reef. Aided by the
boats, the ebb tide carried her nearly two miles away by noon. When the
flood made, however, she was once more carried back towards the reef;
but in the meantime the first lieutenant had discovered a passage, and a
light breeze springing up, it was resolved to attempt it. The boats
continued towing ahead; the raging, roaring sea leaped up on either
side; the breeze filled the sails; the tide swept rapidly onward; and in
a short time the Endeavour was within the reef, safe from present
danger, and anchored in nineteen-fathom water.

Captain Cook now resolved to keep the land close on board, in spite of
all dangers, for fear of missing the channel. Numerous islands and
headlands were passed and named, and rocks and reefs were escaped, and
at length perseverance and sagacity were rewarded by the discovery of
York Cape, the northern promontory of the country, and the southern side
of Torres Straits, through which the Endeavour triumphantly passed.

As Captain Cook was now about to leave the eastern coast of New Holland,
which he had followed up from latitude 38 degrees, and which he was
confident no European had ever before seen, he landed on an island,
which he named Possession Island, and once more took formal possession
of the whole eastern coast of the mainland, in right of His Majesty King
George the Third. He gave to the country, with all its bays, rivers,
and islands, the name of New South Wales. Three volleys of small arms
were then fired, and these were answered by the same number from the
ship. Ten natives were seen on the island when this ceremony was
performed, and seemed astounded, as they very well might be.

They were seen to be armed with spears; one of them had also a bow and a
bundle of arrows, which weapons had not before been seen. Two of them
had large ornaments of mother-of-pearl hanging round their necks. It
was expected that when the boats approached they would have made a show
of opposing a landing, but instead of that, they walked leisurely away.
They and their descendants have never been disturbed in their possession
of the island,