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CAPTAIN COOK IN
NEW SOUTH WALES

OR
THE MYSTERY OF NAMING
BOTANY BAY

BY
JAMES BONWICK, F.R.G.S.
AUTHOR OF "GEOGRAPHY OF AUSTRALIA," "LAST OF THE TASMANIANS,"
ETC., ETC.

SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON AND CO., LTD.
ST. DUNSTAN'S HOUSE, FETTER LANE
1901


RICHARD CLAY AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BUNGAY.




CAPTAIN COOK IN NEW SOUTH WALES


This being the age of criticism, and not the time of taking for granted
as a fact whatever one had heard from book or speech, an investigation
of the story of Cook's Discovery of New South Wales may neither be
unwelcome nor unexpected.

The story must have been deemed of consequence, when the Admiralty was
willing to pay Dr. Hawkesworth six thousand guineas, or pounds, as
reported, to write the account of that voyage in H.M.S. _Endeavour_.

Though even after its appearance some doubts were expressed as to its
propriety, or even veracity, yet some allowance was made for
professional jealousies, as well as for the paucity of information upon
Australian matters, and the want of means either to substantiate or
reject the assertions of the writer.

Objection was taken to the literary mode adopted. The author chose to
make the narrative in the form of a personal record of events. The
Captain was represented as speaking of himself, saying, "I saw," or "I
did," &c. It was asserted by critics that to accomplish this personal
mode of narration, there would necessarily arise some difficulties in
the rearrangement of his sources of history. Was there not a little
temptation in the adoption of that plan to alter, repress, or exaggerate
facts, or even to invent trivial matters for accommodation?

The book had a wonderful sale, and no great amount of hostile remarks.
Dr. Hawkesworth's death, so soon after the publication, disarmed those
ready to question. Cook's fellow-voyagers, Banks, Matra, and the
officers of the _deavour_, were either silent, absent, or unqualified
to speak. Thoughtful men did inquire into the sources of the writer's
information, their extent, and authenticity. The singular dispersion,
loss, or destruction of such sources were fresh causes of embarrassment.
Mr., afterwards Sir Joseph, Banks, is said to have declared that he
furnished no assistance to the Editor.

Here it may be at once announced that this inquiry into the published
Voyage of the _Endeavour_ through the pen of Dr. Hawkesworth, has little
to do with Cook as a man and a navigator. The story was written by a
literary man, commanded or selected, and the Grand Old Sailor who has
for so long a time engrossed the affectionate interest and respectful
regard of all Australians, as the discoverer, or, if you will, the
re-discoverer of the eastern side of New Holland, will not suffer in our
esteem by the criticism of a book about the voyage.

Though that side happened to be that chosen for the New