Near the entrance upon the bank of the inlet several huts were noticed, and near them Mr. Bedwell found a canoe; which, being hollowed out of the trunk of a tree, was of very different construction to any we had before seen; its length was twenty-one feet, but its greatest breadth in the bilge did not exceed fifteen inches, whilst at the gunwale the opening was only from six to eight and a half inches wide; an outrigger, projecting about two feet, was neatly attached to one side, which prevented its liability to overset, and at each end was a projection, from fifteen to twenty inches long, on which the natives carry their fire, or sit; nothing was found in the canoe but two paddles and a long pole.

The bay on which we had anchored was called, at first, Shelter Bay; but it was afterwards changed to Weary Bay in consequence of Captain Cook’s having given that name to the coast in this vicinity.

The weather was so thick and unsettled during the afternoon, that we did not leave this anchorage until nine o’clock the next morning.

June 27.

When it was found necessary that we should take advantage of the first safe anchorage, where we might remain during the continuance of the bad weather, as well as repair our losses and erect the boat that we had on board in frame, to replace the one we had lately lost; as Endeavour River would afford us the necessary convenience and shelter it was determined that we should visit it, and as its distance from Weary Bay did not exceed ten leagues, there was every reason to expect that we should reach it early enough to enter before dark.  At half past ten o’clock we passed between the Hope Islands and the Reef, a.  The course was then directed for the hills on the south side of the entrance of Endeavour River, the highest of which, a conspicuous peaked hill, received the name of Mount Cook, in memorial of our celebrated navigator, who suffered so much distress and anxiety at this place.  The bay south of it was that which he first examined for shelter after his ship had been got off the rocks, but it was found to be shoal and unfit for his purpose.* It was then that Endeavour River was discovered; and there, as is well known, the ship was repaired sufficiently to enable her to proceed to Batavia.

(Footnote.  Hawkesworth volume 3 page 149.)

We arrived off the south head of Endeavour River early in the afternoon, and anchored close to it in three fathoms, with the outer point bearing South-East.  The wind was too fresh to examine the bar until the evening, and it was then too late to enter.

June 28.

But early the next morning the cutter was warped in, in doing which she grounded on the north side of the bar in eight feet.  As the water was quite smooth, this little delay occasioned no damage, and by twelve o’clock she was secured to the shore, within ten feet of a steep beach on the south side of the entrance; in all probability the very same spot that Captain Cook landed his stores upon forty-nine years ago.