to desist and
moor the Ship again just within the Barr.

Saturday, 4th. In the P.M., having pretty moderate weather, I order'd the
Coasting Anchor and Cable to be laid without the barr, to be ready to
warp out by, that we might not loose the least opportunity that might
Offer; for laying in Port spends time to no purpose, consumes our
Provisions, of which we are very Short in many Articles, and we have yet
a long Passage to make to the East Indies through an unknown and perhaps
dangerous Sea; these Circumstances consider'd, make me very Anxious of
getting to Sea. The wind continued moderate all night, and at 5 a.m. it
fell calm; this gave us an opportunity to warp out. About 7 we got under
sail, having a light Air from the Land, which soon died away, and was
Succeeded by the Sea breezes from South-East by South, with which we
stood off to Sea East by North, having the Pinnace ahead sounding. The
Yawl I sent to the Turtle bank to take up the Net that was left there;
but as the wind freshen'd we got out before her, and a little After Noon
Anchor'd in 15 fathoms water, Sandy bottom, for I did not think it safe
to run in among the Shoals until I had well view'd them at low Water from
the Mast head, that I might be better Able to Judge which way to Steer;
for as yet I had not resolved whether I should beat back to the Southward
round all the Shoals, or seek a Passage to the Eastward or Northward, all
of which appeared to be equally difficult and dangerous. When at Anchor
the Harbour sail'd from bore South 70 degrees West, distant 4 or 5
Leagues; the Northermost point of the Main land we have in sight, which I
named Cape Bedford* (* Probably after John, 4th Duke, who had been First
Lord of the Admiralty, 1744 to 1747.) (Latitude 15 degrees 17 minutes
South, Longitude 214 degrees 45 minutes West), bore North 20 degrees
West, distant 3 1/2 Leagues; but we could see land to the North-East of
this Cape, which made like 2 high Islands;* (* Direction Islands.) the
Turtle banks bore East, distant one Mile. Latitude by Observation 15
degrees 23 minutes South; our depth of Water, in standing off from the
land, was from 3 1/2 to 15 fathoms.

[Description of Endeavour River.]

I shall now give a Short description of the Harbour, or River, we have
been in, which I named after the Ship, Endeavour River. It is only a
small Barr Harbour or Creek, which runs winding 3 or 4 Leagues in land,
at the Head of which is a small fresh Water Brook