Thursday, 18th. Winds mostly from the South-West; a gentle breeze and Clear settled weather. P.M., righted the Ship and sent on shore all or most of our empty Casks, and in the Morning the Coopers went about Trimming them, and the Carpenters went to work to Caulk the sides and to repair other defects in the Ship, while the seamen are Employ'd in the hold Cutting Wood, etc., etc. I made a little Excursion in the pinnace in order to take a View of the Bay, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. We met with nothing remarkable, and as we were on the West side of the Bay where the land is so closely cover'd with wood that we could not penetrate into the country.
Friday, 19th. Winds and weather as yesterday, and the employment of the people the same. In the P.M. some of our people found in the Skirts of the Wood 3 hip Bones of Men; they lay near to a Hole or Oven, that is a place where the Natives dress their Victuals; this Circumstance, trifling as it is, is still a further proof that these people eat human flesh. In the A.M. set up the Forge to repair the Braces of the Tiller and such other Iron work as was wanting. The Natives came alongside and sold us a quantity of large Mackrell for Nails, pieces of Cloth and paper, and in this Traffick they never once attempted to defraud us of any one thing but dealt as fair as people could do.
Saturday, 20th. Winds Southerly and fair, pleasant weather. Employ'd wooding, Watering, etc., and in the A.M. sent part of the Powder ashore to be Air'd. Some of the Natives brought alongside in one of their Canoes 4 of the heads of the Men they had lately kill'd; both the Hairy Scalps and Skin of the faces were on. Mr. Banks bought one of the 4, but they would not part with any of the other on any account whatever. The one Mr. Banks got had received a blow on the Temple that had broke the Skull. This morning I set out in the Pinnace accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, in order to Survey the West Coast of the Bay; we took our rout towards the head of the Bay, but it was near noon before we had got beyond the place we had been before.
Sunday, 21st. P.M., a Gentle breeze of Wind Southerly, the remainder light Airs and Calm with clear, settled weather. P.M., the people employ'd as usual, and at 8 o'Clock we return'd on board the Pinnace from surveying the bay, in the doing of which I met with an Excellent Harbour, but saw no inhabitants or any Cultivated land. In the A.M. after hauling the Sean for fish, I gave every body leave to go ashore at the Watering place to amuse themselves as they thought proper.
Monday, 22nd. P.M., and in the night had variable light Airs and Calms. A.M., had a fresh breeze Southerly and Cloudy weather. In the morning the people were set about the necessary business of the Ship, and I set out in the Pinnace accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, with a view of examining the head of the inlet, but after rowing between 4 and 5 Leagues up it, and finding no probability of reaching it, or even seeing the end,* (* The head of Queen Charlotte's Sound is 20 miles from where the Endeavour was lying.) the wind being against us and the day already half spent; we landed at Noon on the South-East side in order to try to get upon one of the Hills, to view the inlet from thence.
Tuesday, 23rd. P.M., Winds Southerly, a fresh breeze. Agreeable to what is mentioned above I took one hand with me and Climbed up to the Top of one of the Hills, but when I came there I was hindered from seeing up the inlet by higher hills, which I could not come at for impenetrable woods, but I was abundantly recompensed for the trouble I had in assending the Hill, for from it I saw what I took to be the Eastern Sea, and a Strait or passage from it into the Western Sea; a little to the Eastward of the Entrance of the inlet in which we now lay with the Ship. The Main land which lies on the South-East side of this inlet appeared to me to be a narrow ridge of very high hills, and to form a part of the South-West side of the Strait;* (* Cook's Strait, which divides the two islands of New Zealand.) the land on the opposite side seem'd to tend away East, as far as the Eye could see. To the South-East appeared an Open Sea, and this I took to be the Eastern. I likewise saw some Islands lying on the East side of the inlet, which before I had taken to be a part of the main land. As soon as I had desended the hill and we had refreshed ourselves, we set out in order to return to the Ship, and in our way passed through and Examin'd the Harbours, Coves, etc., that lay behind the Islands above mentioned. In this rout we met with an old Village in which were a good many Houses, but no Body had lived in them lately; we likewise saw another that was inhabited, but the day being so far spent, that we had not time to go to it, but made the best of our way to the Ship, which we reached between 8 and 9 o'Clock. In the night had much rain with Cloudy, Hazey weather, which continued by intervals until Noon.
Wednesday, 24th. P.M., had a fresh breeze southerly and cloudy weather. After dinner I employ'd myself in carrying on the survey of the place, and upon one of the Islands where I landed were a number of houses but no inhabitants, neither had any been there lately. In the morning the Gunner was sent ashore with the remainder of the powder to-day, and the Long boat was sent with a Gang of hands to one of the Islands to cut Grass for our Sheep, and the rest of the people were employ'd about the usual work of the Ship. This forenoon some of us visited the Hippa which is situated on the point of the Island mentioned on our first arrival;* (* Motuara.) the inhabitants of this place shew'd not the least dislike at our coming, but, on the contrary, with a great deal of seeming good nature shew'd us all over the place. We found among them some human bones, the flesh of which they told us they had eat; they likewise informed us that there was no passage into the Sea thro' this inlet, as I had imagined their was, because above where I was in the Boat it turn'd away to the Westward. Leaving these people, we Travelled to the other end of the Island, and there took Water and Crossed over upon the Main, where we met with several Houses that were at present, or had very lately been, inhabited, but we saw but very few of the inhabitants, and these were in their Boats fishing; after Viewing this place we returned on board to Dinner.
Thursday, 25th. Winds at North West, a Gentle breeze and fair weather. P.M. the Long boat having return'd with a Load of Grass, she was employ'd bringing on board Wood and Water, and the Caulkers having finished Caulking the Ship's sides (a thing they have been employ'd upon ever since we came here), they were pay'd with Tar. Early in the A.M. the Long boat was sent again for Grass, and return'd at Noon with a Load.
Friday, 26th. Gentle breezes and pleasant weather. In the P.M. I made a little Excursion in the pinnace along shore towards the Mouth of the inlet, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. We found in a small Cove several of the Natives, of whom we purchased a quantity of fresh fish; and upon our return to the Ship found that the Sean had been equally as Successfull, which we generally haul morning and evening, and seldom fail of getting fish sufficient for all hands. In the A.M. I made an Excursion into one of the Bays which lye on the East side of the inlet, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. Upon our landing we assended a very high hill, from which we had a full View of the passage I had before discovered, and the land on the opposite shore, which appeared to be about 4 Leagues from us; but as it was hazey near the Horizon we could not see far to the South-East. However, I had now seen enough of this passage to Convince me that there was the Greatest probability in the World of its running into the Eastern Sea, as the distance of that Sea from this place cannot Exceed 20 Leagues even to where we where. Upon this I resolved after putting to Sea to Search this passage with the Ship. We found on the Top of the Hill a parcel of loose stones, of which we built a Pyramid, and left in it some Musquet balls, small Shott, beads, and whatever we had about us that was likely to stand the test of Time; after this we descended the hill, and found along with Tupia and the boat's Crew several of the Natives, setting in the most free and friendly manner imaginable. Tupia always accompanies us in every Excursion we make, and proves of infinate Service. In our return to the Ship we visited the Hippa we had seen on Tuesday last, which is situated on a small Island, or rather a Rock. The inhabitants of this place invited us ashore with their usual Marks of Friendship, and shew'd us all over the place; which indeed was soon done, for it was very small, yet it contain'd a good number of people, and they had in it, Split and hanging up to dry, a prodidgious quantity of various sorts of small fish, a part of which they sold to us for such Trifles as we had about us.
Saturday, 27th. Fresh gales, Westerly. This day we got the Tiller properly secured, which hath been the Employment of the Armourers and part of the Carpenters since we Anchor'd at this place; the former in repairing and making new Iron work, and the Latter in fixing a Transom,* (* A transom is a curved piece of wood which supports the end of the tiller.) for the want of which the Tiller has often been in danger of being broke; the Iron braces that supply'd the want of a Transom have broke every time they have been repair'd. Coopers still employ'd repairing the Casks; some hands with the Long boat getting on board Stones to put into the bottom of the bread room to bring the Ship more by the Stern; while others were employ'd cutting wood, repairing the rigging, and fishing.