5. The Endeavour has left Tahiti and heads for New Zealand.
Sunday the 1st of October we took up a piece of timber covered
with barnacles, and saw a seal sleeping on the water, several
porpoises, a grampus, numerous flocks of land-birds, and many
parcels of rock-weed; we sounded with one hundred and ninety fathom
of line, but found no bottom. But continuing our course, Saturday,
October 7th we discovered land at West by North, which appeared
in low hummocks;
6. Cook anchors for the first time in New Zealand, begins mapping
and meets the first natives.
. . . and at four o'clock P.M. the following day we anchored in
a deep bay, with our best bower, having ten fathom water, and
a fine brown sandy bottom. This we called Poverty-Bay, it being
on the East side of New Zealand, and in latitude 39° 00' S. and
longitude 179° 47' West from Greenwich, and the variation 14°
30' East.
Wednesday the 11th, at seven P.M. the wind being westerly, we
left the bay, and sailed to the southward, along the coast, keeping
at four or five miles distance from the shore. On Thursday [10/12]
several of the natives came on board, and sold us some of their
paddles, cloth, &c. we made them several presents, and they left
us apparently well satisfied with their reception. About twenty-two
miles S.S.E. half E. from the North point or head of the bay is
a cape, which, from its figure, we called Cape Table; between
them we had regular soundings from thirteen to eighteen fathoms;
but on standing four miles farther off from the cape we had seventy
fathoms of water, with soft ground, being then on the outer edge
of a bank that extends from the North head to Cape Table. About
nine miles farther to the southward is a small island, which we
named Portland Isle: it is connected to the main by a chain of
rocks, about a mile in length, which are partly under water. About
three miles N.E. from Portland are several shoals, which we called
the Shambles; one of these we narrowly escaped: there is however
a passage with twenty fathom of water between them. On Friday
[10/13] four large canoes came towards us filled with men, who
appeared to be all armed: they made several long speeches, inviting
or challenging us to battle; but seeing themselves disregarded,
they boldly came alongside, and threw their spears into the ship;
we then fired a musquet over them, which producing no effect,
we discharged a four-pounder loaded with grape-shot above their
heads, on which they precipitately retired. But as we found the
current setting us fast towards the shore, we soon anchored in
twenty-one fathom, about a league distant from the land.
7. The first culture clash - the Europeans want fish and the Indians
make jokes.
On Saturday [10/14], the wind continuing at N. we sailed along
the coast, at about four miles distance, having from twelve to
fifteen fathom of water. In the afternoon we sent our long-boat
and pinnace ashore to sound and discover a watering-place, of
which we had great need; but they were soon recalled, as we saw
several canoes making towards them. Soon after about one hundred
and fifty of the armed natives in canoes approached us and, to
convince them of our pacific intentions, we threw several presents
into the water towards them, and employed every expedient in our
power to allure them on board to trade; but all our endeavours
were fruitless; and their designs appeared more hostile even than
our former visitors, as they actually proceeded to an attack upon
us, and continued it, until, like the former, they were dispersed
by the discharge of a cannon, after which they fled to the shore.
The next morning, being Sunday [10/15], we were near a very large
bay, which we named Hawke's Bay, in latitude 39° 40' S. and longitude
180° 30' W. Here several fishing-canoes came off with cray and
other kinds of fish, which we purchased of them for paper and
Otahitee cloth; but from their behaviour we concluded that they
had never received any sentiment of probity, either from the suggestions
of a moral sense, or the precepts of education; for after bargaining
with us for a parcel of fish, as often as they could get possession
of those commodities which they were to receive in payment, before
they had tied their fish to the rope by which we were to draw
them on board, they would laugh at our want of precaution, and
resolutely refuse us any return for what they had received, obliging
us to repurchase the same parcel of fish with other paper and
cloth; and this without appearing to be sensible that there was
any thing shameful or unjust in their knavery; nor would any menace
prevail with them to alter their behaviour.
8. The Indians capture Tiato who barely escapes with his life.
While these fishermen continued with us they were joined by several
other canoes, filled with armed natives; and as some of our people
were trading for fish over the ship's side, they made several
attempts to force them into their canoes; and at length they actually
seized Tiato, the boy we had brought from George's Island, and
immediately fled towards the shore; we then fired several musquets
among them, which obliged them to put on their thick cloathing;
and one of them seeing a gun pointed at him, doubled up his nets,
and held them before him to intercept the ball.
Several Indians however being wounded in the canoe that had seized
Tiato, he found means to disengage himself and jump into the water,
but in swimming towards the ship he was pursued by a second canoe,
that returned to retake him; but to prevent this we discharged
a four-pounder a little above their heads, on which they all retired;
and soon after the boy was taken up in a boat, which we sent for
that purpose, but not before his strength was almost exhausted,
as his clothes, being thick and heavy, had greatly impeded him
in swimming. He had doubtless but narrowly escaped being eaten;
though at that time we did not know that inhabitants of New Zealand
were cannibals.
When this accident happened we were opposite the South point of
Hawke's Bay, which we from thence named Cape Kidnapper. There
are two rocks lying without this cape, which are both of a conical
form: Hawke's Bay enters within the land about thirteen leagues;
near the middle, but towards the north side, we observed several
small rivulets and at the bottom a lagoon about three miles in
breadth; its communication with the sea is by a small inlet at
the north end, where the sea washes over, but apparently, there
is not sufficient water for the entrance of any thing larger than
canoes. The north side is formed by a bank of sand extending to
the southward; about the middle of this, is an elevation which
has been converted to an island by the sands separating or wearing
away from it. It is about four miles in length, and one and an
half in breadth, running from East to West. The land near the
bottom of the bay presents a very beautiful prospect; being happily
diversified with large groves of tall strait trees, branching
only towards the top, and resembling cedars: the more interior
country rises into mountains, many of which are near as high as
the Peak of Teneriffe, and covered on their tops with snow. Southwestward
from these, the land appeared to be less elevated and uneven;
as we discovered several large level plains, apparently covered
with grass.
9. On orders from the Admiralty, Cook turns around at Cape Turnagain.
From this bay we continued our course to the southward, until
Tuesday [10/17] noon, when we found ourselves in 40° 35' South.
It is to be remembered, that New Zealand, before our arrival here,
having been only seen in two or three places, was but very imperfectly
known; and the Lords of the Admiralty being uncertain whether
it was an island or continent, had directed us to sail along the
coast as far as 40° south latitude, and from thence, if the land
appeared to extend farther, to return again to the northward.
And agreeable to these instructions, at noon, being opposite a
bluff or prominence of land, which we name Cape Turnagain, we
changed our course from South to North; and the wind having likewise
changed to the southward, we returned nearly in our former track,
sailing along the coast about the same distance as usual from
the shore. Cape Turnagain is remarkable for a stratum of clay
of a bright brown colour; its prominence gradually diminishes
towards the north-side, but o the southward its descent is more
sudden. The soundings opposite to it, at the distance of a mile
and an half, are about thirty-two fathom, with coarse yellow gravel
at the bottom.
10. Friendly Indians spend the night on the Endeavour.
On Thursday evening [10/19] a canoe came along side with five
Indians who told us they intended to stay all night; we therefore
hoisted our guests on board, and entertained them in the manner
which we expected would be most agreeable. There was nothing like
rustic, bashfulness or timidity in their behaviour; as they familiarly
tasted of every thing which they saw us eat, even when uninvited;
and appeared to have as much confidence in our hospitality and
friendship, as if they had long experienced both. Two of them
were finely proportioned in their shapes and limbs; and their
features appeared to have an unusual feminine delicacy. We dismissed
them the next morning with several presents, and they left us
with reluctance, being desirous to continue with us the whole
day, to which we objected, thinking it should carry them too far
from their habitations.
11. The crew needs water and wood and finds a friendly village.
The next morning [10/20] (having passed the land which we first
discovered on this coast) we saw to the northward a bay with an
island in the middle. In sailing into this bay between the island
and the main, we had very foul uneven ground, but afterwards the
sounding became regular, and we anchored about half a mile from
the shore in eight fathom, with a fine sandy bottom. Our boats
were then sent in search of a watering place, but it being very
squally, with a great surf, they could not land. In the afternoon
we made a second attempt with more success; and the next morning
[10/21] sent our boats for wood and water, with a party of men
to protect them. But the surf running high and finding great difficulty
in bringing our water on board, we gave over the attempt and sailed
the next morning [10/22]. This bay is called Tegadoo Bay by the
natives, who did not appear to be numerous. It is in latitude
38°11'S. and longitude 180°35'W. The variation 13°15'E.
Family in Dusky Bay, New Zeeland, Drawn from Nature by W. Hodges
The inhabitants had a few houses, surrounded by a fence to intercept
the winds, and several stages for drying fish near the place at
which we landed. They appeared to have plenty of crab, and cray-fish,
and a great many dogs with small pointed ears. Some of them were
covered with cloth of their own manufacture, which will be more
particularly described hereafter and several females had bunches
of sea-weeds tied about their middles. Continuing our course to
the northward, several canoes came along-side, and some of them
venturing on board, we enquired for a watering place, and they
pointed to a bay, bearing S.W. by W. to which we dispatched our
boats, and at one o'clock the same afternoon they returned, having
found a convenient place for procuring a supply both of wood and
water: and on Tuesday the 24th we anchored in the bay, having
ten fathom of water, and a sandy bottom. The inhabitants here
behaved with great hospitality. At the watering place we drew
a line, and enjoined them not to pass it; an injunction which
they obeyed with great exactness. There were several houses continguous,
and the lands in the adjacent vallies being regular flats, were
neatly disposed in small plantations; the ground appearing to
be well broken as if designed for gardens. Sweet potatoes, like
those of Carolina, of which they have large quantities, commonly
occupy a considerable part of these plantations. In many places
we observed the cloth-plant growing without cultivation.
The bay itself affords plenty of fish, particularly cray fish,
and ship-jacks or horse mackarel, which are larger than the mackarel
on the British coast. The adjacent woods are very compact, and
rendered almost impassable by the numerous supple jacks growing
in them. But they afford shelter to a multitude of birds of different
kinds, among which are the quail and a very large pigeon. We purchased
many things from these people, especially cloth of their own manufacture,
giving them in exchange the cloth of Otahitee, of which they were
extravagantly fond.
12. The Indians show their generosity towards the European visitors.
 In rambling about the country we frequently met with their habitations,
and were always treated with great kindness, as they never denied
us any thing in their possession. In one of these excursions an
officer fell in with a group of houses, and an elderly woman came
out and invited him to enter the enclosure, where he found about
two dozen of the natives, of both sexes, seated at a repast of
cray-fish and potatoes, of which he was invited to partake; and
having made them a small present of cloth ... Some time after,
an elderly man, with two women, entered, as visitors, with much
gravity, And very formally saluted all the company according to
the custom of the country; that is, by gently joining the tips
of their noses, which a spectator might mistake for a kiss: At
parting, however, he repeated this ceremony, which gave them a
great pleasure: and in returning the way by which he had come,
they sent a man who lead him a much better road; the other being
in many places overflowed with water; and in conducting him to
the watering place, as often as they came to a ditch or a rivulet,
of which there are many for draining their fields, the Indian
always carried him over dry, And appeared desirous of transporting
him the whole way on his back. This bay is called Tolaga by the
natives, and is in latitude 38°290', and longitude 181°38'W. the
variation being 13°20'E.
After completing our provision of wood and water, and making an
inscription on a tree a little to the right of our watering place,
it being Sunday the 29th of October, at six in the morning, we
sailed form Tolaga Bay, coasting to the Northward; On the 31st
several canoes came towards us, one of them carrying sixty of
the natives; but finding them determined on committing hostilities,
we dispersed them by firing two of our cannon a little over their
heads; after which we continued our course. . .
|