At five o’clock in the morning of the 21st, we made the land of New Zealand extending from N. W. by N. to W. S. W.: at noon, Table Cape bore west, distant eight or ten leagues. I was very desirous of having some intercourse with the natives of this country as far to the north as possible; that is, about Poverty or Tolaga Bays, where I apprehended they were more civilized than at Queen Charlotte’s Sound; in order to give them some hogs, fowls, seeds, roots, &c. which I had provided for the purpose. The wind veering to the N. W. and north, enabled us to fetch in with the land a little to the north of Portland, and we stood as near the shore as we could with safety. We observed several people upon it, but none attempted to come off to us. Seeing this, we bore away under Portland, where we lay to some time, as well to give time for the natives to come off, as to wait for the Adventure. There were several people on Portland, but none seemed inclined to come to us; indeed the wind, at this time, blew rather too fresh for them to make the attempt. Therefore as soon as the Adventure was up with us, we made sail for Cape Kidnappers, which we passed at five o’clock in the morning, and continued our course along-shore till nine, when, being about three leagues short of Black Head, we saw some canoes put off from the shore. Upon this I brought to, in order to give them time to come on board; but ordered the Adventure, by signal, to stand on, as I was willing to lose as little time as possible.
Those in the first canoe, which came along-side, were fishers, and exchanged some fish for pieces of cloth and nails. In the next, were two men, whom, by their dress and behaviour, I took to be chiefs. These two were easily prevailed on to come on board, when they were presented with nails, and other articles. They were so fond of nails, as to seize on all they could find, and with such eagerness, as plainly showed they were the most valuable things we could give them. To the principal of these two men I gave the pigs, fowls, seeds, and roots. I believe, at first, he did not think I meant to give them to him; for he took but little notice of them, till he was satisfied they were for himself. Nor was he then in such a rapture as when I gave him a spike-nail half the length of his arm. However, at his going away, I took notice, that he very well remembered how many pigs and fowls had been given him, as he took care to have them all collected together, and kept a watchful eye over them, lest any should be taken away. He made me a promise not to kill any; and if he keeps his word, and proper care is taken of them, there were enough to stock the whole island in due time; being two boars, two sows, four hens, two cocks. The seeds were such as are most useful, viz. wheat, French and kidney beans, pease, cabbage, turnips, onions, carrots, parsnips, and yams, &c. With these articles they were dismissed. It was evident these people had not forgot the Endeavour being on their coast; for the first words they spoke to us were, Mataou no te pow pow (we are afraid of the guns). As they could be no strangers to the affair which happened off Cape Kidnapper in my former voyage, experience had taught them to have some regard to these instruments of death.
As soon as they were gone, we stretched off to the southward, the wind having now veered to the W. S. W. In the afternoon it increased to a fresh gale, and blew in squalls; in one of which we lost our fore-top-gallant mast, having carried the sail a little too long. The fear of losing the land induced me to carry as much sail as possible. At seven in the morning, we tacked and stretched in shore, Cape Turnagain, at this time, bore about N. W. 1⁄2 N., distant six or seven leagues. The Adventure, being a good way to leeward, we supposed, did not observe the signal, but stood on; consequently was separated from us. During the night (which was spent in plying) the wind increased in such a manner as to bring us under our courses; it also veered to S. W. and S. S. W., and was attended with rain.
At nine in the morning on the 23d, the sky began to clear up, and the gale to abate, so that we could carry close-reefed top-sails. At eleven o’clock we were close in with Cape Turnagain, when we tacked and stood off; at noon the said Cape bore west a little northerly, distant six or seven miles. Latitude observed 41° 30ʹ south. Soon after, the wind falling almost to a calm, and flattering ourselves that it would be succeeded by one more favourable, we got up another top-gallant mast, rigged top-gallant yards, and loosed all the reefs out of the top-sails. The event was not equal to our wishes. The wind, indeed, came something more favourable, that is, at W. by N., with which we stretched along shore to the southward; but it soon increased in such a manner, as to undo what we had but just done, and at last stripped us to our courses, and two close-reefed top-sails, under which sails we continued all night. About day-light the next morning, the gale abating, we were again tempted to loose out the reefs, and rig top-gallant yards, which proved all lost labour; for, by nine o’clock, we were reduced to the same sail as before. Soon after, the Adventure joined us; and at noon Cape Palliser bore west, distant eight or nine leagues. This Cape is the northern point of Eahei-nomauwe. We continued to stretch to the southward till midnight, when the wind abated and shifted to S. E. Three hours after, it fell calm, during which we loosed the reefs out, with the vain hopes that the next wind which came would be favourable. We were mistaken; the wind only took this short repose, in order to gain strength, and fall the heavier upon us. For at five o’clock in the morning, being the 25th, a gale sprung up at N. W., with which we stretched to S. W.: Cape Palliser, at this time, bore N. N. W., distant eight or nine leagues. The wind increased in such a manner, as obliged us to take in one reef after another; and, at last, it came on with such fury, as made it necessary to take in all our sails with the utmost expedition, and to lie to under bare poles. The sea rose in proportion with the wind; so that we had a terrible gale, and a mountainous sea to encounter. Thus, after beating up against a hard gale for two days, and arriving just in sight of our port, we had the mortification to be driven off from the land by a furious storm. Two favourable circumstances attended it, which gave us some consolation; it was fair over head, and we were not apprehensive of a lee-shore.
The storm continued all the day without the least intermission. In the evening we bore down to look for the Adventure, she being out of sight to leeward, and after running the distance we supposed her to be off, brought to again without seeing; it being so very hazy and thick in the horizon, that we could not see a mile round us, occasioned by the spray of the sea being lifted up to a great height by the force of the wind. At midnight the gale abated; soon after fell little wind; and at last shifted to S. W., when we wore, set the courses and top-sails close-reefed, and stood in for the land. Soon after the wind freshened and fixed at south; but as the Adventure was some distance a-stern, we lay by for her till eight o’clock, when we both made all sail, and steered N. by W. 1⁄2 W. for the strait. At noon observed in 42° 27ʹ south, Cape Palliser, by judgment, bore north, distant seventeen leagues. This favourable wind was not of sufficient duration; in the afternoon it fell, by little and little, and at length to a calm; this at ten o’clock was succeeded by a fresh breeze from the north, with which we stretched to the westward.
At three o’clock next morning we were pretty well in with Cape Campbell on the west side of the Strait, when we tacked, and stretched over for Cape Palliser, under courses and close-reefed top-sails, having the wind at N. W. a very strong gale, and fair weather. At noon, we tacked and stretched to the S. W. with the last-mentioned cape bearing west, distant four or five leagues. In the afternoon, the gale increased in such a manner as brought us under our courses. We continued to stretch to the S. W. till midnight, when we wore, and set close-reefed top-sails.
On the 28th, at eight o’clock in the morning, we wore, and stood again to the S. W. till noon, when we were obliged to lie to under the fore-sail. At this time the high land over Cape Campbell bore west, distant ten or twelve leagues. The Adventure four or five miles to leeward. In the afternoon the fury of the gale began to abate; when we set the main-sail, close-reefed main-top-sail, and stood to the northward with the wind at W. N. W. and W. by N., a strong gale, attended with heavy squalls.
In the morning of the 29th, the wind abated and shifted to S. W., a gentle gale. Of this we took immediate advantage, set all our sails, and stood for Cape Palliser, which at noon bore W. by N. 1⁄2 N., distant about six leagues. The wind continued between the S. W. and south till five in the evening, when it fell calm. At this time we were about three leagues from the Cape. At seven o’clock the calm was succeeded by a gentle breeze from N. N. E. as fair as we could wish; so that we began to reckon what time we should reach the Sound the next day; but at nine the wind shifted to its old quarter N. W. and blew a fresh gale, with which we stretched to the S. W. under single-reefed top-sails and courses, with the Adventure in company. She was seen until midnight, at which time she was two or three miles astern, and presently after she disappeared; nor was she to be seen at daylight. We supposed she had tacked and stood to the N. E., by which manœuvre we lost sight of her.
We continued to stretch to the westward with the wind at N. N. W., which increased in such a manner as to bring us under our two courses, after splitting a new main-top-sail. At noon, Cape Campbell bore W. by N., distant seven or eight leagues. At three in the afternoon, the gale began to abate, and to veer, more to the north, so that we fetched in with the land, under the Snowy mountains, about four or five leagues to windward of the Lookers-on, where there was the appearance of a large bay. I now regretted the loss of the Adventure; for had she been with me, I should have given up all thoughts of going to Queen Charlotte’s Sound to wood and water, and have sought for a place to get these articles farther south, as the wind was now favourable for ranging along the coast. But our separation made it necessary for me to repair to the Sound, that being the place of rendezvous.
As we approached the land we saw smoke in several places along the shore; a sure sign that the coast was inhabited. Our soundings were from forty-seven to twenty-five fathoms; that is, at the distance of three miles from the shore, forty-seven fathoms; and twenty-five fathoms at the distance of one mile, where we tacked, and stood to the eastward, under the two courses and close-reefed top-sails; but the latter we could not carry long before we were obliged to hand them. We continued to stand to the eastward all night, in hopes of meeting with the Adventure in the morning.