Friday, 29th. Winds at South-West and South-West by West. A very hard Gale with Squalls but mostly fair weather. At 7 p.m. wore and lay on the other Tack. At 6 a.m. loosed the Reef out of the Foresail and Set it and the Reefd Mainsail. At 11 unbent both Foresail and Mainsail to repair, and bent others and made Sail under them. At Noon Latitude observed 34 degrees 45 minutes South. Course and distance saild since yesterday East by North 29 miles.
Saturday, 30th. Winds at South-West. P.M., hard Gales with some Squalls attended with rain. A.M., more moderate and fair. At 8 p.m. wore and stood to the North-West until 5 a.m., then wore and stood to the South-East and being pretty moderate we set the Topsails close Reef'd, but the South-West Sea runs so high that the Ship goes Bodily to leeward. At 6 saw the land bearing North-East distant about 6 Leagues which we judge to be the same as Tasman calls Cape Maria Van Dieman; at Noon it bore North-North-East 1/2 East and we could see the land extend to the East and Southward as far as South-East by East. Our Latitude by observation 34 degrees 50 minutes South.
Sunday, 31st. Fresh gales at South-West and South-West by South accompanied by a large Sea from the same Quarter. At 1 p.m. Tack'd and Stood to the North-West until 8, then stood to the South-East. At this time the Island of the 3 Kings bore North-West by West, distant 11 Leagues, and Cape Maria Van Diemen North by East. At Midnight wore and Stood to the North-West until 4 a.m., then wore and Stood to the South-East; at Noon our Latitude by observation was 34 degrees 42 minutes South. The land of Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North-East by North distant about 5 Leagues.
1770.
[January 1770.]
Monday, January 1st. P.M., fresh breezes at South-West by South and Squally, the remainder moderate breezes at South-West by South and South-West clear weather. At 7 p.m. Tack'd and stood to the Westward. At this time Mount Camel bore North 83 degrees East and the Northermost land or Cape Maria Van Diemen North by West, being distant from the Nearest Shore 3 Leagues; in this situation had 40 fathoms Water.
NOTE. Mount Camel doth not appear to lay little more than a Mile from the Sea on this Side* (* It is, in fact, about six miles, but the coast in front is so low that the mistake in estimation is very natural.) and about the same distance on the other, so that the land here cannot be above 2 or 3 Miles broad from Sea to Sea, which is what I computed when we were in Sandy Bay on the other side of the Coast. At 6 a.m. Tack'd and Stood to the Eastward, the Island of the 3 Kings North-West by North. At Noon Tack'd again and stood to the Westward, being in the Latitude of 34 degrees 37 minutes South; the Island of the 3 Kings bore North-West by North, distant 10 or 11 Leagues; and Cape Maria Van Diemen North 31 East, distant 4 1/2 Leagues; in this situation had 54 fathoms. I cannot help thinking but what it will appear a little strange that at this season of the Year we should be 3 Weeks in getting 10 Leagues to the Westward and 5 Weeks in getting 50 Leagues, for so long it is since we pass'd Cape Brett; but it will hardly be credited that in the midst of Summer and in the Latitude of 35 degrees South such a Gale of wind as we have had could have hapned which for its Strength and Continuance was such as I hardly was ever in before. Fortunately at this time we were a good distance from land, otherwise it would have proved fatal to us.* (* The north point of New Zealand is celebrated for bad weather.)
Tuesday, 2nd. Fresh breezes at South-South-West and West accompanied with a rowling Sea from the South-West. At 5 p.m. the wind Veering to the Westward we Tack'd and Stood to the Southward. At this time the North Cape bore East 3/4 North and was just open of a point that lies 3 Leagues West by South from it, being now well assured that it is the Northermost Extremity of this Country and is the East point of a Peninsula which Stretches out North-West and North-West by North 17 or 18 Leagues, and as I have before observed is for the most part low and narrow except its Extremity where the land is Tollerable high and Extends 4 or 5 Leagues every way. Cape Maria Van Diemen is the West point of the Peninsula and lies in the Latitude of 34 degrees 30 minutes South; Longitude 187 degrees 18 minutes West from Greenwich.* (* This is extraordinarily accurate, seeing that the ship was never close to the Cape, and the observations were all taken in bad weather. The latitude is exact, and the longitude is only three miles in error. The persistence with which Cook clung to this point until he could resume his exploration and examination of the coast is very characteristic of the man. He would not willingly miss a mile of it, nor did he.) From this Cape the Land Trends away South-East by South and South-East to and beyond Mount Camel, and is everywhere a barren shore affording no better prospect than what ariseth from white sand Banks. At 1/2 past 7 p.m. the Island of the 3 Kings bore North-West by North and Cape Maria Van Diemen North-East by East, distant 4 Leagues. At 5 a.m. Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North-North-East 1/2 East and Mount Camel East. At Noon was in the Latitude of 35 degrees 17 minutes and Cape Maria Van Diemen by judgment bore North distant 16 Leagues; having no land in sight, not daring to go near it as the wind blow'd fresh right on shore and a high rowling Sea from the Same Quarter, and knowing that there was no Harbour that we could put into in case we were Caught upon a lee shore.
Wednesday, 3rd. Winds at West-South-West and South-West; a fresh breeze and Squally, the remainder moderate with frequent Squalls attended with rain. In the evening shortned Sail and at Midnight Tack'd and made a Trip to the North-West until 2 a.m., then wore and stood to the Southward. At daylight made Sail and Edged away in order to make the Land; at 10 saw it bearing North-East and appeared to be high land; at Noon it extended from North to East-North-East distant, by Estimation, 8 or 10 Leagues, and Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North 2 degrees 30 minutes West, distant 33 Leagues. Our Latitude by observation was 36 degrees 2 minutes South. A high rowling swell from the South-West.
[Off Kaipara Harbour, North Island, New Zealand.]