Natives opposing Captain Cook's landing

Artist William Macleod

Date1886

Object number00031287

NameEngraving

MediumInk on paper

DimensionsSight: 210 x 215 mm
Image: 135 x 135 mm
Overall: 310 x 317 mm, 0.132 kg
Mount: 310 x 317 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionA circular coloured engraving titled 'Natives opposing Captain Cook's landing' featuring foliage decoration around the outside. The image, based on Cook's journal entry for the 29 April 1770, depicts two Gweagal men standing on a rocky outcrop on Dharawal Country holding spears. There are two small row boats approaching with HMB ENDEAVOUR in the distance. Published in 'Picturesque Atlas of Australasia' and 'W. Macleod' inscribed lower right corner. HistoryCaptain Cook records this scene in this journal of that day: "Saw as we came in on both points of the bay Several of the natives and a few hutts, Men women and children on the south shore abreast of the Ship to which place I went in the boats in hopes of speaking with them accompaned by Mr Banks Dr Solander and Tupia- as we approached the shore they all made off except two Men who seem'd resolved to oppose our landing - as soon as I saw this I orderd the boats to lay upon their oars in order to speake to them but this was to little purpose for neither us nor Tupia could understand one word they said. we then threw them some nails beeds &Ca a shore which they took up and seem'd not ill pleased with in so much that I thout that they beckon'd to us to come a shore but in this we were mistaken for as soon as we put the boat in they again came to oppose us upon which I fired a musket between the two which had no other effect than to make them retire back where bundles of thier darts lay and one of them took up a stone and threw at us which caused my fireing a second Musquet load with small shott and altho' some of the shott struck the man yet it had no other effect than to make him lay hold of a ^Shield or target ^to defend himself emmediatly after this we landed which we had no sooner done than they throw'd two darts at us this obliged me to fire a third shott soon after which they both made off, but not in such haste but what we might have taken one, but Mr Banks being of opinion that the darts were poisoned made me cautious how I advanced into the woods. We found here a few Small hutts made of the bark of trees in one of which were four or five small children with whome we left some strings of beeds &Ca a quantity of darts lay about the hutts these we took away with us - three Canoes lay upon the bea[c]h the worst I think I ever saw they were about 10 12 or 14 feet long made of one peice of the bark of a tree drawn or tied up at each end and the middle kept open by means of peices of sticks by way of Thwarts — After searching for fresh water without success except a little in a small hole dug in the sand, we embarqued and went over to the north point of the bay were in coming in we saw several people but when we landed now there were no body to be seen - we found here some fresh water which came trinkling down and stood in pools among the rocks: but as this was troblesome to come at I sent a party of men a shore in the morning to the place where we first landed to dig holes in the sand by which means and a small stream they found fresh water sufficient to water the ship - the strings of beeds &Ca we had left with the children last night were found laying in the hut this morning probably the natives were afraid to take them away - after breakfast we sent some empty casks a shore and a party of men to cut wood and I went my self in the Pinnace to sound and explore the Bay - in the doing of which I saw severl of the natives but they all fled at my approach - I landed in two places one of which the people had but just left as there were small fires and fresh muscles broiling upon them - here likewise lay vast heaps of the largest oyster shells I ever saw." - 29 April, 1770.SignificanceThe moment of first contact between the British and Gweagal people at what would become known as Botany Bay, resulted in an exchange of hostilities and misunderstanding.