Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
nearly Calm, and the tide of Ebb making out, we were Carried by the
Rapidity of the Stream in a very short time close upon one of the
Islands,* (* The Brothers. There is now a lighthouse on this island.)
where we narrowly escaped being dashed against the Rocks by bringing the
Ship to an Anchor in 75 fathoms Water, with 150 fathoms of Cable out.
Even this would not have saved us had not the Tide, which first set South
by East, by meeting with the Island changed its direction to South-East,
and carried us past the first point. When the Ship was brought up she was
about 2 Cables' Lengths of the Rocks and in the Strength of the Stream,
which set South-East at least 4 or 5 Knotts or miles per Hour. A little
before 12 o'Clock the Tide abated, and we began to heave; by 3 the Anchor
was at the bows, and having a light breeze at North-West, we made sail
over for the Eastern Shore; but having the tide against us we made but
little way. The wind afterwards freshned, and Came to North and
North-East, with which and the tide of Ebb we were in a short time
hurried thro' the narrowest part of the Strait, and then stood away for
the Southermost land we had in sight, which bore from us South by West.
Over this land appeared a Prodigious high Mountain,* (* The Kairoura
Range, the summit of which is 9500 feet high.) the Summit of which was
covered with snow. The narrowest part of the Strait we have passed lies
between Cape Koamaroo on Tovy-poinammu and Cape Teerawhitte on
Aeheino-mouwe; the distance from the one to the other I judged to be
between 4 and 5 Leagues. And notwithstanding the strength of the Tides,
now that is known, there is no great danger in passing it; in the doing
of which I am of opinion that the North-East Shore is the safest to keep
upon, for upon that side there appeared no danger, whereas on the other
shore there are not only the Islands and Rocks lying off Cape Koamaroo,
for I discover'd from the hill from which I had the Second View of the
Strait, a Reef of Rocks stretching from these Islands 6 or 7 Miles to the
Southward, and lay about 2 or 3 Miles off from the Shore. I shall not
pretend here to assign limits to the length of this Strait; a view of the
Chart will best illustrate that. About North 9 Leagues from Cape
Teerawhitte, under the same shore, is a high remarkable Island, that may
be distinctly seen from Queen Charlotte Sound, from which it lies
North-East by East 1/4 East, distant 6 or 7 Leagues. I have called it
Entry Isle, and was taken Notice of when we first past it on Sunday 14th
of last Month. On the East side of Cape Teerawhitte the Land Trends away
South-East by East about 8 Leagues, where it ends in a point, and is the
Southermost land on Aeheinomouwe, which I have named Cape Pallisser in
Honour of my worthy friend Capt. Pallisser.* (* Captain Palliser,
afterwards Sir Hugh, was Captain of the Eagle, Cook's first ship in the
Royal Navy. He discovered Cook's talents, and was his warm friend
throughout his life. Between Cape Teerawhitte and Cape Palliser is the
entrance to Port Nicholson, wherein is situated Wellington, the capital
of New Zealand. This entrance is, however, narrow, and Cook was never
near enough to the land to discover it.) Latitude 41 degrees 34 minutes,
Longitude 183 degrees 58 minutes, it bore from us this day at Noon South
79 degrees East, distant 12 or 13 Leagues, being then in the Latitude of
41 degrees 27 minutes South; at the same time Cape Koamaroo bore North
1/2 East, distant 7 or 8 Leagues. The Southermost point of land in sight
bore South 16 degrees West, and the snowy Mountain South-West being about
3 Leagues from the shore and abreast of a Deep Bay or inlet called Cloudy
bay, in the bottom of which appear'd low land cover'd with tall Trees.
Thursday, 8th. In the P.M. had a fresh breeze at North-North-East and
Cloudy weather. At 3 o'Clock was abreast of the Southermost point of land
set at Noon, which I named Cape Campbell, Latitude 41 degrees 42 minutes
South, Longitude 184 degrees 47 minutes West, it lies South by West,
distant 12 or 13 Leagues from Cape Koamaroo, and together with Cape
Pallisser forms the Southern Entrance of the Straits; the Distance of the
one to the other is 13 or 14 Leagues West by South and East by North.
From this Cape we steer'd along Shore South-West by South until 8
o'Clock, when the wind died away; but an Hour after a fresh breeze sprung
up at South-West, and we put the Ship right before it. The reason of my
doing this was owing to a notion, which some of the Officers had just
started, that Aeheinomouwe was not an Island; founding their opinion on a
supposition that the land might extend away to the South-East from
between Cape Turnagain and Cape Pallisser, there being a space of about
12 or 13 leagues which we had not seen. For my own part, I had seen so
far into this Sea the first time I discover'd the Strait, together with
many other Concurrent testimonies of its being an Island, that no such
supposition ever enter'd my thoughts; but being resolved to clear up
every doubt that might Arise on so important an Object, I took the
opportunity of the Shifting of the Wind to Stand to the Eastward, and
accordingly steer'd North-East by East all night. At 9 o'Clock A.M. we
were abreast of Cape Pallisser, where we found the Land trend away
North-East towards Cape Turnagain, which I reckon'd to be distant from us
about 26 Leagues, but as the weather was hazey so that we could not see
above 4 or 5 Leagues ahead, we Still kept standing to the North-East,
with a light breeze at South. At Noon Cape Pallisser bore North 72
degrees West, distant 3 Leagues; our Latitude by account is 41 degrees 30
minutes South.
[Complete the Circuit of North Island, New Zealand.]
Friday, 9th. Gentle breezes at South and South-South-East, hazey Cloudy
weather. In the P.M. 3 Canoes came off to the Ship, wherein were between
30 and 40 of the Natives, who had been pulling after us sometime. It
appeared from the behaviour of these people that they had heard of our
being upon the Coast, for they came alongside, and some of them on board
the Ship, without shewing the least signs of fear. They were no sooner on
board than they asked for Nails, but when Nails was given them they asked
Tupia what they were, which was plain that they had never seen any
before; yet they not only knowed how to ask for them, but know'd what use
to make of them, and therefore must have heard of Nails, which they call
Whow, the name of a Tool among them made generally of bone, which they
use as a Chisel in making Holes, etc. These people asking so readily for
Nails proves that their connections must extend as far North as Cape
Kidnapper, which is 45 Leagues, for that was the Southermost place on
this side the coast we had any Traffick with the Natives; and it is most
probable that the inhabitants of Queen Charlotte's sound got the little
knowledge they seem'd to have of Iron by the Connections they may have
with the Teerawhitteans bordering upon them; for we have no reason to
think that the inhabitants of any part of this land had the least
knowledge of Iron before we came amongst them. After a short stay these
people were dismissed with proper presents, and we continued our Course
along shore to the North-East until 11 o'Clock A.M., when the weather
clear'd up, and we saw Cape Turnagain bearing North by East 1/4 East,
distant 7 Leagues. I then called the Officers upon deck, and asked them
if they were now satisfied that this land was an Island; to which they
answer'd in the Affirmative, and we hauled our wind to the Eastward.* (*
The Endeavour had now completely circumnavigated the North Island of New
Zealand, having spent four months in the exploration. That Cook had
communicated his enthusiasm to his officers is evident; or, knowing his
determination to leave nothing doubtful, they would not have started the
idea that the North Island might not be really an island. The natural
wish after so many months' absence from civilization must have been to
get back to it, and to take things for granted that would otherwise delay
their progress.) At Noon our Latitude by observation was 40 degrees 55
minutes South, which is 21 Miles to the Southward of Cape Turnagain, it
bearing North by East, and Cape Pallisser by this day's run bears South
43 degrees West, 19 or 20 Leagues.
Saturday, 10th. Gentle breezes at South-East and Cloudy weather. At 4
P.M. Tack'd and stood South-West until 8 A.M., when being not above 3 or
4 Miles from the Shore we Tack'd, and stood off 2 hours, and then stood
again to the South-West until noon, when being in the Latitude of 41
degrees 13 minutes South, and about 2 Miles from the Shore, the land of
Cape Pallisser bearing South 53 degrees West, had 26 fathoms of water.
Sunday, 11th. P.M. had light breeze from the South-East. In the night it
was Calm until 9 a.m., when a Gentle breeze sprung up at East-North-East,
with which we made sail to the Southward, having a large swell rolling in
from that Quarter. At Noon was in the Latitude of 41 degrees 6 minutes
South, distant from the Shore 1 1/2 Leagues; a remarkable hillock,* (*
Castle Point.) which stands close to the Sea, bore North 1/2 East,
distance 4 Leagues. At this time 2 Canoes came alongside the Ship, with
whom we had some little Traffic, and then dismissed them.
Monday, 12th. Most part of P.M. had a fresh breeze at North-East, which
by sunset carried us the length of Cape Pallisser, and as the weather was
clear I had an opportunity of Viewing the land of this Cape, which is of
a height Sufficient to be seen in clear weather 12 or 14 Leagues, and is
of a broken and hilly surface. Between the foot of the high land and the
Sea is a border of low, flat land, off which lies some rocks, that appear
above water. Between this Cape and Cape Turnagain the land near the shore
is in many places low and flatt, and appear'd green and pleasant; but
inland are many Hills. From Cape Pallisser to Cape Teerawhitte the land
is tollerable high, making in Table-points, and the Shore forms 2 Bays;
at least it appear'd so, for we were always too far off this part of the
Coast to be particular.* (* The northern of these was the entrance to
Port Nicholson, the harbour of Auckland.) The wind continued at
North-East until 12 at Night, when it died away, and veer'd round to the
West, and afterwards to South and South-South-East little wind, so that
by noon we had advanced no farther than 41 degrees 52 minutes South
Latitude. Cape Pallisser bearing North, distant 5 Leagues, and the Snowy
mountain bore South 83 degrees West.
Tuesday, 13th. P.M. light Airs at South-East, the remainder Calm. At Noon
found ourselves in the Latitude of 42 degrees 2 minutes South, Cape
Pallisser bearing North 20 degrees East, distant 8 Leagues.
Wednesday, 14th. P.M. a fresh breeze sprung up at North-East, and we
Steer'd South-West by West for the Southermost land we had in sight,
which bore from us at sunset South 74 degrees West. At this time we found
the Variation to be 15 degrees 4 minutes East. At 8 A.M. it fell Calm; at
this time we had run 21 Leagues South 58 degrees West since Yesterday at
noon, which brought us abreast of the high Snowy mountain, it bearing
from us North-West in this direction. It lay behind a Mountainous ridge
of nearly the same height, which riseth directly from the Sea, and runs
Parrallel with the Shore, which lies North-East 1/2 North and South-West
1/2 South. The North-East end of the ridge takes its rise but a little
way inland from Cape Campbell. These mountains are distinctly seen both
from Cape Koamaroo and Cape Pallisser, being distant from the former
South-West 1/2 South 22 Leagues, and from the Latter West-South-West 30
Leagues: but they are of a height sufficient to be seen at a much greater