Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/237

Nov. 1769.] Situation had 26 fathoms Water. The farthest point we could see on the Main bore from us N.W., but we could see several small Islands laying to the Northward of that direction. The point of land we are now abreast off, I take to be the N.W. Extremity of the River Thames, for I shall comprehend under that Name the Deep Bay we have been in for this week past, the N.E. point of which is the Promontory we past on Saturday morning last, and which I have named Cape Colvill in honour of the Right hon'ble the Lord Colvill; Lat. 36° 26′ S.; Long. 184° 27′ W. It rises directly from the Sea to a Considerable height, but what makes it most remarkable is a high Rock standing close to the pitch of the point, and from some points of view may be distinguished at a very great distance. From the S.W. point of this Cape the river Extends itself in a direct line S. by E., and is no where less than 3 Leagues broad until' you are 14 Leagues above the Cape, there it is at once Contracted to a Narrow stream. From this place it still continues the same S. by E. Course thro' a low flat Country or broad Valley that lies Parrallel with the Sea Coast, the End of which we could not see. The land on the East side of the Broadest part of this river is Tollerable high and hilly, that on the W. side is rather low, but the whole is cover'd with woods and Verdure and looks to be pretty fertile, but we saw but a few small places that were Cultivated. About the Entrance of the narrow part of the River the land is mostly Cover'd with Mangroves and other Shrubs, but farther in are immense woods of as stout lofty timber as is to be found perhaps in any other part of the world. In many places the woods grow close upon the very banks of the River, but where it does not the land is Marshey such as we find about the Thames in England. We saw poles stuck up in many places in the River to set nets for Catching of fish; from this we immagin'd that there must be plenty of fish, but of what sort we know not for we saw none. The Greatest Depth of Water we found was 26 fathoms and decreaseth pretty gradually as you run up to 1½ and 1 fathom. In the mouth of the fresh-water Stream or narrow part is 3 and 4 fathoms, but before this are sand banks and large flatts; Yet, I believe, a Ship of a Moderate draught of Water may go a long way up this River with a flowing Tide, for I reckon that the Tides rise upon a perpendicular near 10 feet, and is high water at the full and Change of the Moon about 9 o'Clock. Six Leagues within Cape Colvill, under the Eastern Shore, are several small Islands, these Islands together with the Main seem'd to form some good Harbours. Opposite to these Islands under the Western Shore lies some other Islands, and it appear'd very probable that these form'd some good Harbours