Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
the Ship's Name, Month, and Year, one of them was set up at the Watering
Place, on which was hoisted the Union flag; and in the Morning I took the
other over to the Island which is known by the name of Motuouru, and is
the one that lies nearest to the Sea; but before I attempted to set up
the Post I went first to the Hippa, having Dr. Monkhouse and Tupia along
with me. We here met with the old Man I have before spoke of. The first
thing I did was to inquire after the Man said to be kill'd by our people,
and the one that was wounded at the same time, when it did not appear to
me that any such accidents had happened. I next (by means of Tupia)
explain'd to the old Man and several others that we were Come to set up a
Mark upon the Island, in order to shew to any ship that might put into
this place that we had been here before. They not only gave their free
Consent to set it up, but promised never to pull it down. I then gave
every one a present of one thing or another; to the old man I gave
Silver, three penny pieces dated 1763, and Spike Nails with the King's
Broad Arrow cut deep in them; things that I thought were most likely to
remain long among them. After I had thus prepared the way for setting up
the post, we took it up to the highest part of the Island, and after
fixing it fast in the ground, hoisted thereon the Union flag, and I
dignified this Inlet with the name of Queen Charlotte's Sound, and took
formal possession of it and the Adjacent lands in the Name and for the
use of his Majesty. We then drank her Majesty's health in a Bottle of
wine, and gave the Empty bottle to the old man (who had attended us up
the hill), with which he was highly pleased. Whilst the Post was setting
up we asked the old man about the Strait or Passage into the Eastern sea,
and he very plainly told us there was a Passage, and as I had some
Conjectures that the lands to the South-West of this Strait (which we are
now at) was an Island, and not a Continent, we questioned the old Man
about it, who said it consisted of two Wannuas, that is 2 lands or
Islands that might be Circumnavigated in a few days, even in 4. This man
spoke of 3 lands, the 2 above mentioned which he called Tovy-poinammu,*
(* The two Wannuas were doubtless the peninsulas lying west of Queen
Charlotte's Sound. The third was the North Island. Te Wai Pounamu (The
Water of the Greenstone, of which the most prized weapons were made) is
the native name of the Middle Island; but there must have been some
confusion as to the possibility of getting round this in four days. The
name of the North Island is Te Ika o Maui (The Fish of Maui), but is
given by Cook as Aeheino Mouwe. It has been suggested (Rusden) that the
name given to him was Tehinga o Maui (The Fishing of Maui), and
imperfectly rendered.) which Signifies green Talk or Stone, such as they
make their Tools or ornaments, etc., and for the third he pointed to the
land on the East side of the Strait; this, he said, was a large land, and
that it would take up a great many Moons to sail round it; this he called
Aeheino Mouwe, a name many others before had called it by. That part
which borders on the strait he called Teiria Whitte. After we had done
our business upon the Island we returned on board, bringing the old Man
along with us, who after dinner went ashore in a Canoe that came to
attend upon him.
[February 1770.]
Thursday, February 1st. P.M. having compleated the Ship with wood, and
filled all our water, the Boatswain was sent ashore with a party of Men
to cut and make brooms, while others were Employ'd about the rigging,
fishing, etc. In the night and the remainder of the day had a Strong Gale
from the North-West, attended with very much rain.
Friday, 2nd. In the P.M. the Gale increased to a Storm, attended with
rain and squalls, which came down in Excessive heavy gusts from off the
high land, in one of which the hawser we had fast to the shore broke;
this obliged us to let go another Anchor. Towards midnight the Gale
moderated, and in the morning it fell Calm, and we took up the Sheet
Anchor, looked at the best bower, and moored the ship again to the Shore.
The heavy rain, which both fell and Continues to fall, hath caused the
Brook we water'd at to overflow its banks, and carry away 10 small Casks
we had Standing there full of Water, and notwithstanding we searched the
whole Cove, we could not find one of them.
Saturday, 3rd. Winds Northerly, mostly fair weather. Very early in the
A.M. sent the Long boat for Sellery to boil for the Ship's Company's
breakfast, and as I intended sailing the first opportunity, I went over
to the Hippa, which is on the East side of the sound, and purchased of
the inhabitants a quantity of split and half dry'd fish, and such as I
could get. While we were at this Hippa, Tupia made farther enquiry about
the Lands and Strait, and these people confirm'd everything the old Man
had before told us. About noon we took our leave of them, which some
seem'd not sorry for; notwithstanding they sold us their fish very
freely, there were some few among them who shew'd evident signs of
disapprobation.
Sunday, 4th. Winds Northerly, a fresh breeze and fair weather. In the
P.M., after returning from the Hippa, some of us made an Excursion along
shore to the Northward, in order to Traffic with the Natives for fish, in
which we had no great Success. In the evening got everything off from the
Shore, designing to sail in the Morning, but the wind not permitting, we
amused ourselves in fishing, collecting of shells, etc.
Monday, 5th. Winds and weather as Yesterday. In the A.M. Cast off the
Hawser, hove short on the Bower, and carried out the Kedge Anchor, in
order to warp the Ship out of the Cove. All the dry fish we have been
able to procure from the Natives since we came here were this day divided
amongst the Ship's Company.
Tuesday, 6th. At 2 p.m. hove up the Anchor, warped the Ship out of the
Cove, and got under Sail, but it soon after falling little wind, and that
very Variable, we anchor'd again a little above Motu-ouru. The old man,
seeing us under sail, came on board to take his leave of us. Amongst
other conversation that passed between him and Tupia, he was asked if
either he or any of his Ancestors had ever seen or heard of any Ship like
this being in these parts; to which question he answer'd in the Negative,
but said that his Ancestors had told him that there came once to this
place a small Vessel from a distant part, wherein were 4 Men that were
all kill'd upon their landing; and being asked where this distant land
lay, he pointed to the North, intimating that it would take up a great
many days to go thither. Something of this land was mentioned by the
People of the Bay of Islands, who said that some of their Ancestors had
been there; but it is very clear to us that there knowledge of this land
is only traditionary.* (* This was doubtless the tradition current among
the Maoris, that their ancestors came from islands to the north. See Note
below.) Had it Calm all night until 6 o'clock in the Morning, when a
light breeze sprung up at North, and we got again under sail; but as the
wind proved very unsteady, we got no farther than just without Motu-ouru
by noon, but had a fair prospect of getting clear out of the Sound, which
I shall next describe.
DESCRIPTION OF QUEEN CHARLOTTE'S SOUND.
The entrance of this Sound is situated in the Latitude of 41 degrees
South and Longitude 184 degrees 45 minutes West, and near the middle of
the South-West side of the Strait before mentioned. The land off the
South-East head of the Sound called by the Natives, Koamaroo (off which
lies 2 Small Islands and some rocks) makes the Narrowest part of the
Strait. There stretcheth out 2 Miles North-East by North from the
North-West head a reef of rocks, a part of which is above Water. This
account of the 2 Heads will be found sufficient guide to know this sound,
which is 3 Leagues broad at the Entrance, and lies in South-West by
South-South-West, and West-South-West at least 10 Leagues, and is a
collection of some of the finest harbours in the world, as will evidently
appear from the plan which was taken with all the accuracy that time and
Circumstances would admit. The Harbour or Cove in which we lay, called
Ship Cove, is not inferior to any in the Sound, both in point of Security
and other Conveniences. It lies on the West side of the Sound, and is the
Southermost of 3 Coves lying within Motu-ouru, which Island bears East
from it. You may sail into this Cove either between this last mentioned
Island and the Isle Hamote, or Long Island, or between Motuouru and the
West shore; in this last Channell are 2 Ledges of Rocks 3 fathoms under
water, but they may be known by the Sea Weed which grows upon them. In
sailing in or out of this sound with little wind attention must be had to
the Tides, which flow 9 or 10 o'Clock full and Change of the Moon, and
rises and falls upon a Perpendicular 7 or 8 feet. The flood comes in
through the Strait from the South-East, and sets strong over upon the
North-West Head and the reef laying off it; the Ebb sets with great
rapidity to the South-East over upon the Islands and Rocks lying off the
South-East Head. The Variation of the Compass from good observations we
found to be 13 degrees 5 minutes East. The land about this Sound is of
such height that we first saw it at the distance of 20 Leagues. It
consists wholy of high hills and deep Valleys, well stored with a variety
of excellent Timber, fit for all purposes except Ships' Masts, for which
use it is too hard and heavy. The Sea abounds with a variety of fish, and
in such plenty that, without going out of the Cove where we lay, we
caught daily, what with the Sean, Hook, and Lines, quite sufficient for
all hands, and upon our first arrival we found plenty of Shags and some
few other Wild Fowls, which to people in our situation was fresh food not
to be dispised. The Number of Inhabitants hardly exceeds 300 or 400
People. They live dispers'd along the Shore in search of their daily
bread, which is fish and firn roots, for they Cultivate no part of the
lands. Upon the appearance of danger they Retire to their Hippas or
strongholds, for in this situation we found them, and they remain'd so
for some days after. This people are poor when compared to many we have
seen, and their Canoes are mean and without ornament. The little Traffick
we had with them was wholy for fish, for we saw little else they had to
dispose of. They had some knowledge of Iron, for they very readily took
Nails in Exchange for fish, and sometimes Prefer'd them to anything else,
which was more than the people of any other place would do. They were at
first fond of Paper, but when they found it spoile by being wet they
would not take it; nor did they set much value upon the cloth we got at
George's Island, but shew'd an extraordinary fondness for English broad
cloth and red Kersey, which shew'd them to be a more sensible People than
many of their Neighbours. Besides the common dress, many of these People
wore on their Heads round Caps made of Birds' feathers, which were far
from being unbecoming.* (* Cook was not able to explore the whole of
Queen Charlotte's Sound, which runs into the land for 25 miles. Towards
the southern end is Picton, the port of Blenheim, the capital of the
province of Marlborough.)
[In Cook's Strait, New Zealand.]
Wednesday, 7th. In the P.M. had a light breeze at North by West, with
which we got out of the Sound and stood over to the Eastward, in order to
get the Strait well open before the tide of Ebb Made. At 7 the 2 Small
Islands which lies off Cape Koamaroo, or the South-East head of Queen
Charlotte's Sound, bore East, distant 4 miles. At this time we had it