Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
distance. By some on board they are thought to be much higher than the
Peak of Teneriffe, which I cannot agree to; neither do I think them so
high as Mount Egmont, on the South-West Coast of Aeheinomouwe, founding
my opinion on the summit of the Latter being almost wholy covered with
Snow, whereas it only lies upon these in patches.* (* The highest peak of
the Kaikoura Mountains, Mount Tapuaepuka, is 9500 feet high. It is
therefore higher than Mount Egmont, but not so high as the Peak of
Teneriffe. The snow lies thicker on the western side of New Zealand
mountains, so Cook's parallel was fallacious. The Endeavour was now near
the Kaikoura Peninsula, where a small town stands at the present day, the
shipping port of an agricultural district.) At noon was in the Latitude
of 42 degrees 34 minutes South; the Southermost land we had in sight bore
South-West 1/2 West, and some low land that made like an Island lying
close under the foot of the Ridge North-West by North, distant about 5 or
6 Leagues.
Thursday, 15th. In the P.M. 4 Double Canoes, in which were 57 Men, came
off to the Ship; they kept at the distance of about a Stone's throw from
us, and would not be prevailed upon to put alongside by all that Tupia
could say to them. From this we concluded that they never had heard of
our being upon the coast. At 8 p.m. a breeze sprung up at
South-South-West, with which we Stretched off South-East, because some on
board thought they saw land in that Quarter. We continued on this course
until 6 A.M., at which time we had run 11 Leagues, but saw no land but
that which we had left. Soon after this it fell calm, and continued so
for an hour; then a light breeze sprung up at West, which afterwards
veer'd to the North, and we stood to the Westward. At Noon our Latitude
by Observation was 42 degrees 56 minutes South, and the High Land we were
abreast of yesterday at Noon, North-North-West 1/2 West.
Friday, 16th. In the P.M. had a light breeze North-East, with which we
steer'd West, edging in for the land, which was distant from us about 8
Leagues. At 7 o'Clock the Southermost Extream of the land in sight bore
West-South-West, being about 6 Leagues from the Shore; soon after this it
fell Calm, and continued so most part of the night, with sometimes light
Airs from the land. At daylight we discover'd land bearing South by West,
and seemingly detached from the Coast we were upon; at 8 o'Clock a breeze
sprung up at North by East, and we steer'd directly for it. At Noon was
in the Latitude of 43 degrees 19 minutes South; the Peak on the Snowy
Mountains bore North 20 degrees East, distant 27 Leagues; the Southern
Extremity we could see of that land bore West, and the land discover'd in
the morning, making like an Island, extending from South-South-West to
South-West by West 1/2 West, distant about 8 Leagues; our Course and
distance sail'd since yesterday at Noon South-West by West, 43 Miles;
Variation by this Morning's Amplitude 14 degrees 39 minutes East.
[Off Banks Peninsula, New Zealand.]
Saturday, 17th. P.M. stood to the Southward for the land above mention'd,
with the wind at North, a fresh breeze and Clear weather. At 8 o'Clock we
had run 11 Leagues since Noon, when the land extended from South-West by
West to North by West, being distant from the nearest shore about 3 or 4
Leagues; in this situation had 50 fathoms, a fine sandy bottom. Soon
after this it fell Calm, and continued so until 6 A.M., when a light
breeze sprung up at North-West, which afterwards veer'd to North-East. At
sun rise, being very Clear, we plainly discover'd that the last mentioned
land was an Island by seeing part of the Land of Tovy-poenammu open to
the Westward of it, extending as far as West by South. At 8 o'Clock the
Extreams of the Island bore North 76 degrees West and North-North-East
1/2 East, and an opening that had the Appearance of a Bay or Harbour,
lying near the South point North 20 degrees West, distant 3 or 4 Leagues,
being in 38 fathoms, a brown Sandy bottom. This Island,* (* It is not an
island, but a mountainous peninsula, still called after Mr. Banks, but
from the lowness of the land it adjoins, looks like an island. On the
north side is the fine harbour of Lyttelton, the port of Christchurch, a
town of nearly 40,000 inhabitants. The harbour on the south side, that
Cook saw, is Akaroa, a magnificent port.) which I have named after Mr.
Banks, lies about 5 Leagues from the Coast of Tovy poenammu; the South
point bears South 21 degrees West from the higher peak on the Snowy
Mountain so often mention'd, and lies in the Latitude of 43 degrees 52
minutes South and in the Longitude of 186 degrees 30 minutes West, by
observations made of the Sun and Moon this morning. It is of a circular
figure, and may be about 24 Leagues in Compass; the land is of a height
sufficient to be seen 12 or 15 Leagues, and of a very broken, uneven
Surface, and hath more the appearance of barrenness than fertility. Last
night we saw smoke up it, and this morning some people, and therefore
must be inhabited. Yesterday Lieutenant Gore, having the Morning Watch at
the time we first saw this Island, thought he saw land bearing
South-South-East and South-East by East; but I, who was upon Deck at the
same time, was very Certain that it was only Clouds, which dissipated as
the Sun rose. But neither this, nor the running 14 Leagues to the South,
nor the seeing no land to the Eastward of us in the Evening, could
Satisfy Mr. Gore but what he saw in the morning was, or might be, land;
altho' there was hardly a possibility of its being so, because we must
have been more than double the distance from it at that time to what we
were either last night or this morning, at both of which times the
weather was Exceeding Clear, and yet we could see no land either to the
Eastward or Southward of us. Notwithstanding all this, Mr. Gore was of
the same opinion this morning; upon this I order'd the Ship to be wore,
and to be steer'd East-South-East by Compass on the other Tack, the point
on which he said the land bore at this time from us.* (* Another instance
of the general desire to leave nothing unexplored.) At Noon we were in
the Latitude of 44 degrees 7 minutes South; the South point of Banks
Island bore North, distant 5 Leagues.
Sunday, 18th. Gentle breezes at North and fair weather. P.M. stood
East-South-East in search of Mr. Gore's imaginary land until 7 o'clock,
at which time we had run 28 Miles since Noon; but seeing no land but that
we had left, or signs of any, we bore away South by West, and continued
upon that Course until Noon, when we found ourselves in the Latitude of
45 degrees 16 minutes South. Our Course and distance sail'd since
Yesterday is South 8 minutes East, 70 Miles; the South point of Banks
Island North 6 degrees 30 minutes West, distant 28 Leagues; Variation per
Amplitude this Morning 15 degrees 30 minutes. Seeing no signs of Land, I
thought it to no purpose standing any farther to the Southward, and
therefore hauled to the Westward, thinking we were far enough to the
Southward to weather all the land we had left; but this opinion was only
founded on the information we had had from the Natives of Queen
Charlotte's sound.* (* The ship was still 250 miles from the south point
of New Zealand.)
Monday, 19th. P.M. had a Moderate breeze at North-North-West and North
until 8 o'clock, when it fell little wind, and was very unsettled until
10, at which time it fix'd at South, and freshen'd in such a manner that
before the morning it brought us under our close reeft Topsails. At 8
a.m. having run 28 Leagues upon a West by North 1/2 North Course, and now
judging ourselves to be to the Westward of the Land of Tovy Poenammu, we
bore away North-West with a fresh Gale at South. At 10 o'clock, having
run 11 Miles upon this Course, we saw land extending from the South-West
to the North-West at the distance of about 10 Leagues from us, which we
hauled up for. At Noon our Latitude per observation was 44 degrees 38
minutes South; the South-East point of Banks Island bore North 59 degrees
30 minutes East, distant 30 Leagues, and the Main body of the land in
sight West by North. Course and distance sail'd since Yesterday at Noon
is North 66 degrees 45 minutes West, 96 Miles.
[Off Timaru, Middle Island, New Zealand.]
Tuesday, 20th. All P.M. had little wind, which veer'd round from South by
East to North-North-East. Steer'd South-South-West, but got very little
to the Southward on account of a head Sea. At 2 o'Clock sounded in 35
fathoms, fine sandy Bottom, being about 6 Leagues from the land. At 7
o'Clock the Extreams of the land extending from South-West by South to
North by West, distant from the nearest shore 6 Leagues, depth of water
32 fathoms. At 12 o'Clock it fell Calm, and continued so until 4 A.M.,
when a fresh breeze sprung up at South by West, with which we stood in
shore West by South, 4 Leagues, our Depth of Water from 32 to 13 fathoms.
In this last Depth we Tack'd and Stood off, being about 3 Miles from the
Shore, which lies nearly North and South, and is here very low and flatt,
and continues so up to the skirts of the hills, which are at least 4 or 5
Miles inland. The whole face of the Country appears barren, nor did we
see any signs of inhabitants.* (* This is a little south of Timaru, a
rising town in a fertile district; so deceptive is appearance from the
sea.) Latitude at Noon 44 degrees 44 minutes South; Longitude made from
Banks' Island to this land 2 degrees 22 minutes West.
Wednesday, 21st. Wind at South. A fresh Gale at 2 p.m., being in 50
fathoms, and 12 Leagues from the land, we tack'd and stood in Shore until
8 o'Clock, when we Tack'd and Stood off until 4 a.m.; then Tack'd and
Stood in, at 8 o'Clock being 10 Leagues from the Land; had 57 fathoms. At
Noon, being in the Latitude 44 degrees 35 minutes, and 5 or 6 Leagues
from the land, had 36 fathoms; notwithstanding we have Carried as much
sail as the Ship could bear, it is apparent from the observed Latitudes
that we have been drove 3 Leagues to leeward since Yesterday.
Thursday, 22nd. Moderate breezes between the South-East and South by
West, and dark gloomy weather, with a Swell from the South-East plying to
windward, keeping between 4 and 12 Leagues from the land; depth of water
from 35 to 53 fathoms, fine sandy bottom. A great many Sea fowl and
Grampusses about the Ship. In the A.M. Condemn'd 60 fathoms of the B.B.
Cable,* (* B.B. stands for Best Bower, one of the principal cables. The
hempen cables of those days were a continual cause of solicitude, and
required great care.) and converted it into Junk; at Noon had no
Observation, but by the land judged ourselves to be about 3 Leagues
farther North than Yesterday.
Friday, 23rd. Winds Southerly, a Gentle breeze, and for the most part
Cloudy weather. At sunset, the weather clearing up, presented to our View
a high peaked Mountain* (* There are so many lofty mountains in this
region that it is impossible to identify this. This ship was now no
farther south than she had been five days earlier.) bearing North-West by
North, and at the same time we saw the Land more Distincter than at any
time we had before, extending from North to South-West by South, the
inland parts of which appear'd to be high and Mountainous. We cannot tell
yet whether or no this land joins to, or makes a part of, the land we
have left; from the accounts received from the Natives of Queen
Charlotte's sound it ought not, because if it did it must have been
impossible for us to have sail'd round it in 4 Days; besides, the
Mountains inland and the soundings off the Coast seem to indicate this
Country to be more extensive than any they spoke of lying to the
Southward. Having a large hollow swell from the South-East, which made me