A MOMENTOUS DECISION: DISCOVERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 1 5 
liis heart, and, the expedition having reached its furthest from England, 
it would appear that the youthful and adventurous Banks did not 
rehsh the idea of going on a homeward track. Fruitful as the voyage 
had been so far, he longed for further discoveries. 
At the same time, he gave his vote for the course which resulted 
in the discovery of New South Wales; and reading Banks’ Journal 
carefully, as I have often done, I feel sure that his pet scheme of a 
South Polar expedition would not have excluded the third scheme, 
but it would have been undertaken on the way home. 
A scheme worthy of the noblest inspiration of the most talented 
painter, or of the most divinely attuned poet, was thus propounded at 
that fateful council-meeting in the cramped cabin of the “ Endeavour,” 
when another continent was added to the world. 
And so, under date 31st March, Banks, in his modest narrative, 
goes on to say ; “ Our route being settled in the manner above- 
mentioned, we this morning weighed, and sailed with a fair breeze 
of wind, inclined to fall in with Van Diemen’s Land, as near as possible 
at the place where Tasman left it.”* 
On the 31st of March we left Admiralty Bay, an I sailed south-westerly towards 
New Holland, taking our departure from a point which we named Cape Farewell. 
By instructions — opened here — we were directed to return home by Cape Hormor, 
and to stop at the the East Indies if necessary. 
April the 18th, towards the evening, judging ourselves near the land, we handed 
topsails; and at night lying-to we sounded with 130 fathom of line, but found 
no ground. The next morning we made sail, and an hour after discovered the 
coast of New Holland, rising very high between N.E. by N. and \V. by S., and 
distant 8 leagues, being inlatitude 37° .50'S. andlongitude31° W. from Cape Farewell . 
We then steered N.N.E. along shore, at the distance of 4 leagues. Friday, the 20th, 
in the morning, we saw the ap])earance of an island at N.N.W. On Saturday we 
saw a smoke ashore, and afterwar s a high hill, which we named Cape Dromedary, 
from its likeness to the back of that animal. -f 
19th April. First saw the Australian continent. Point Hicks, to 
the southward of Cape Howe. 
28th April. “ An opening appearing like a harbour was seen, and 
we stood directly in for it. . . . By noon we were within the 
mouth of the inlet ” (Botany Bay). Thus happened one of the most 
fateful events in the history of any voyage — the re-discovery of another 
continent. 
The history of Australia may now be said to commence. 
Banks’ narrative of what happened at Botany Bay from the arriva 
of the “ Endeavour ” on the 28th AprilJ to its departure on 6th May 
• Op. cit., p. 258. 
t Becket’3 “ Voyage,*' p. 109. 
t ‘' Saturday morning, the 28th, we discovered a bay at N. by E. and stood towards it, sending 
the pi^ace forwards to sound; and at half after one in the afternoon we anchored in 6 fathoms 
and a half, sandy ground. But on attempting to land in our boats, a few of the natives advanced 
towar^ the shore, and two of them, armed \vith shields and spears, resolutely opposed our 
^embarkation, until being wounded by our shot, and unsupported by any of their countrymen, 
they retreated slowly to their houses within the bushes, but constantly faced us the whole wav." 
(Becket’s " Voyage,” p. 110.) 
