1-69. October. south and east: boats can go in and out of the river at any time of the tide in fine weather; but as there is a bar at the entrance, no boat Wednes.11. can go either in or out when the fea runs high: the best place to attempt it, is on the north east fide, and it is there practicable when it is not fo in any other part. The fhore of the bay, a little within its entrance, is a low flat fand; behind which, at a small distance, the face of the country is finely diverfified by hills and valleys, all clothed with wood, and covered with verdure. The country alfo appears to be well inhabited, especially in the valleys leading up from the bay, where we daily faw fmoke rifing in clouds one behind another to a great distance, till the view terminated in mountains of a stupendous height. The fouth weft point of the bay I named YOUNG NICK'S HEAD, after Nicholas Young, the boy who first faw the land; at noon, it bore N. W. by W. diftant about three or four leagues, and we were then about three miles from the fhore. The main land extended from N. E. by N. to fouth, and I proposed to follow the direction of the coaft to the fouthward as far as the latitude of 40 or 41; and then, if I met with no encouragement to proceed farther, to return to the northward. In the afternoon we lay becalmed, which the people on fhore perceiving, feveral canoes put M 4 off, 1 October, Wednes. II, 1769. off, and came within lefs than a quarter of a mile of the veffel; but could not be perfuaded to come nearer, though Tupia exerted all the powers of his lungs and his eloquence upon the occafion, fhouting, and promising that they fhould not be hurt. Another canoe was now feen coming from Poverty Bay, with only four people on board, one of whom we well remembered to have feen in our first interview upon the rock. This canoe, without stopping or taking the least notice of the others, came directly alongside of the ship, and with very little perfuafion, we got the Indians on board. Their example was foon followed by the rest, and we had about us seven canoes, and about fifty men, We made them all prefents with a liberal hand; notwithstanding which, they were so defirous to have more of our commodities, that they fold us every thing they had, even the clothes from their backs, and the paddles from their boats. There were but two weapons among them, these were the inftruments of green talc, which were shaped somewhat like a pointed battledore, with a fhort handle and fharp edges; they were called Patoo-Patoo, and were well contrived for close-fighting, as they would certainly split the thickeft fcull at a single blow, When these people had recovered from the first impreffions of fear, which, notwithstanding their resolution in coming on board, had mani feftly 1769. October feftly thrown them into fome confufion, we inquired after our poor boys. The man who first came on board immediately answered, that Wednes, 11. they were unhurt and at home; adding, that he had been induced to venture on board by the account which they had given him of the kindness with which they had been treated, and the wonders that were contained in the ship. While they were on board they fhewed every fign of friendship, and invited us very cordially to go back to our old bay, or to a small cove which they pointed out, that was not quite fo far off; but I chofe rather to profecute my dif coveries than go back, having reafon to hope that I fhould find a better harbour than any I had yet feen. About an hour before fun-fet, the canoes put off from the fhip with the few paddles they had référved, which were fcarcely fufficient to fet them on fhore; but by fome means or other three of their people were left behind: as soon as we discovered it, we hailed them; but not one of them would return to take them on board: this greatly furprised us; but we were surprised ftill more to obferve that the deferted Indians did not feem at all uneafy at their fituation, but entertained us with dancing and finging after their manner, eat their fuppers, and went quietly to bed. A light 1769. October. A light breeze fpringing up foon after it was dark, we fteered along the shore under an easy Wednef. 11. fail till midnight, and then brought to, foon after which it fell calm; we were now fome leagues distant from the place where the canoes had left us, and at day-break, when the Indians perceiv ed it, they were feized with confternation and terror, and lamented their fituation in loud complaints, with gestures of despair and many tears. Tupia, with great difficulty, pacified them; and Thurfd. 12. about feven o'clock in the morning, a light breeze fpringing up, we continued to ftand fouth west along the fhore. Fortunately for our poor Indians, two canoes came off about this time, and made towards the fhip: they stopped, however, at a little distance, and feemed unwilling to truft themfelves nearer. Our Indians were greatly agitated in this state of uncertainty, and urged their fellows to come alongside of the fhip, both by their voice and geftures, with the utmost eagerness and impatience. Tupia interpreted what they faid, and we were much furprifed to find, that, among other arguments, they affured the people in the canoes, we did not eat men. We now began ferioufly to believe that this horrid cuftom prevailed among them; for what she boys had faid, we confidered as a mere hyperbolical expreffion of their fear. One of the canoes, at length, ventured to come under the fhip's fide; and an old man came came on board, who feemed to be a Chief from the finery of his garment, and the fuperiority of his weapon, which was a Patoo-Patoo, made of bone, that, as he faid, had belonged to a whale. He ftaid on board but a fhort time, and when he went away, he took with him our guests, very much to the fatisfaction both of them and us. At the time when we failed, we were abreast of a point, from which the land trends S. S. W. and which, on account of its figure, I called CAPE TABLE. This point lies feven leagues to the fouthward of Poverty Bay, in latitude 39° 4* S. and longitude 181° 36′ W.; it is of a confiderable height, makes in a fharp angle, and appears to be quite flat at the top. In fteering along the fhore to the fouthward of the Cape, at the distance of two or three miles, our foundings were from twenty to thirty fathom, having a chain of rocks between us and the fhore, which appeared at different heights above the water. At noon, Cape Table bore N. 20 E. diftant about four leagues, and a fmall island, which was the fouthermoft land in fight, bore S. 70 land in fight, bore S. 70 W. at the distance of about three miles, This 1769. October. Thurfd. 12. ifland, which the natives call TEAHOWRAY, I Iland of named the ISLAND OF PORTLAND, from very great refemblance to Portland in the English Channel: it lies about a mile from a point on the Portland, 1 |