Sam's Diary

• Harry Macleod , Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2010

Sam’s Diary: A diary from 9-year-old Sam who was on the Endeavour with Captain Cook


By Harry Macleod

November 1769

I’m hungry, lonely, bored and I feel like I’m half dead. I miss my family, friends and my goat Katie. It’s been four months since I’ve seen them--- and all because of stealing a jacket. I was cold. What was I supposed to do? Now I am on this ship for months and I only go outside for exercise and air.

January 1770

All I can see is clear, free water and everyone is getting sick and some are dying. I’ll be seeing fresh land in no time because Cook said we’d be there in 3 months. I was very excited yesterday because my family sent me a card but when I read it I was very sad. It said that Katie had died and it’s my fault because I wasn’t there to love her. That night I didn’t eat because of my sadness then I went to bed and I had nightmares about how Katie died.

April 1770

Now we’re on a rowing boat heading towards land and we see men that look like the colour of rum waving spears. Cook got out a gun and shot it at the men but they didn’t go away! They ran back into the bush. On the land we saw a strange animal like a dog with a tail curled up which bounced standing up on its back legs. And we also found a bear that was very little and climbed trees and ate these leaves that have a little button attached to them. When we made our camp I found a big tree. I pretended I could see England from there!

June 1770

One night when we’ve left the land claimed as NSW at its 11 pm as I sleep - suddenly BANG! I jumped onto my feet and ran on deck. We’ve hit rocks and everyone is doing something. Bailing water in and out, running around the boat. Now I’ve heard a sailor talking to Cook. I go closer until I can hear their plan to put a cloth around the bottom of the boat where it leaks. We all helped to get the cloth under the boat and put the sails up and we got safely off the reef.
October
1770

We’re on a rowing boat heading to another land and we see two people the same colour as those in NSW but they look a little different and they are coming to us on their canoes. They are looking at the boat and they think it’s a floating island or a gigantic bird! They try to get the Endeavor to go away so Cook shoots to see if they will surrender but two of those people died from the shots, one person was wounded and three people jumped out of their canoes with the fright.