On the 17th, at day-break, we saw Mount Egmont, which was covered with everlasting snow, bearing S. E. 1⁄2 E. Our distance from the shore was about eight leagues, and, on sounding, we found seventy fathoms water, a muddy bottom. The wind soon fixed in the western board, and blew a fresh gale, with which we steered S. S. E. for Queen Charlotte’s Sound, with a view of falling in with Cape Stephens. At noon Cape Egmont bore E. N. E., distant three or four leagues; and though the mount was hid in the clouds, we judged it to be in the same direction as the Cape; latitude observed 39° 24ʹ. The wind increased in such a manner as to oblige us to close reef our top-sails, and strike top-gallant yards. At last we could bear no more sail than the two courses, and two close-reefed top-sails; and under them we stretched for Cape Stephens, which we made at eleven o’clock at night.
At midnight we tacked, and made a trip to the north till three o’clock next morning, when we bore away for the sound. At nine we hauled round Point Jackson, through a sea which looked terrible, occasioned by a rapid tide and a high wind; but as we knew the coast, it did not alarm us. At eleven o’clock we anchored before Ship Cove; the strong flurries from off the land not permitting us to get in.
In the afternoon, as we could not move the ship, I went into the cove, with the seine, to try to catch some fish. The first thing I did after landing was to look for the bottle I left hid when last here, in which was the memorandum. It was taken away; but by whom it did not appear. Two hauls with the seine producing only four small fish, we, in some measure, made up for this deficiency, by shooting several birds, which the flowers in the garden had drawn thither, as also some old shags, and by robbing the nests of some young ones.
Being little wind next morning, we weighed, and warped the ship into the Cove, and there moored with the two bowers. We unbent the sails to repair them, several having been split, and otherwise damaged in the late gale. The main and four courses, already worn to the very utmost, were condemned as useless. I ordered the top-masts to be struck and unrigged, in order to fix to them moveable chocks or knees, for want of which the trestle-trees were continually breaking; the forge to be set up, to make bolts and repair our iron-work; and tents to be erected on shore for the reception of a guard, coopers, sail-makers, &c. I likewise gave orders that vegetables (of which there were plenty) should be boiled every morning with oat-meal and portable broth for breakfast, and with peas and broth every day for dinner for the whole crew, over and above their usual allowance of salt malt.
In the afternoon, as Mr. Wales was setting up his observatory, he discovered that several trees, which were standing when we last sailed from this place, had been cut down with saws and axes; and a few days after, the place where an observatory, clock, &c. had been set up, was also found, in a spot different from that where Mr. Wales had placed his. It was therefore now no longer to be doubted that the Adventure had been in this cove after we had left it.
Next day, winds southerly, hazy cloudy weather. Every body went to work at their respective employments, one of which was to caulk the ship’s sides, a thing much wanted. The seams were paid with putty, made with cook’s fat and chalk; the gunner happening to have a quantity of the latter on board.
The 21st, wind southerly, with continual rains.
The weather being fair in the afternoon of the 22d, accompanied by the botanists, I visited our gardens on Motuara, which we found almost in a state of nature, having been wholly neglected by the inhabitants. Nevertheless, many articles were in a flourishing condition, and showed how well they liked the soil in which they were planted. None of the natives having yet made their appearance, we made a fire on the point of the island; in hopes, if they saw the smoke, they might be induced to come to us.
Nothing remarkable happened till the 24th, when, in the morning, two canoes were seen coming down the sound; but as soon as they perceived the ship, they retired behind a point on the west side. After breakfast I went in a boat to look for them; and as we proceeded along the shore, we shot several birds. The report of the muskets gave notice of our approach, and the natives discovered themselves in Shag Cove by hallooing to us; but as we drew near to their habitations, they all fled to the woods, except two or three men, who stood on a rising ground near the shore, with their arms in their hands. The moment we landed, they knew us. Joy then took place of fear, and the rest of the natives hurried out of the woods, and embraced us over and over again, leaping and skipping about like madmen; but I observed that they would not suffer some women, whom we saw at a distance, to come near us. After we had made them presents of hatchets, knives, and what else we had with us, they gave us in return a large quantity of fish, which they had just caught. There were only a few amongst them whose faces we could recognise; and on our asking why they were afraid of us, and inquiring for some of our old acquaintances by name, they talked much about killing, which was so variously understood by us, that we could gather nothing from it; so that, after a short stay, we took leave, and went on board.
Next morning early, our friends, according to a promise they made us the preceding evening, paying us a visit, brought with them a quantity of fine fish, which they exchanged for Otaheitean cloth, &c. and then returned to their habitations.