Sunday, 28th. Strong Gales westerly. P.M. fair and Cloudy, the remainder thick, hazey weather, with much rain.
Monday, 29th. Winds as yesterday. P.M. rainy weather, the remainder fair and Cloudy. Pretty early in the A.M. an old man, who had made us several visits upon our first Arrival here, came on board, and told us that one of our boats had fir'd upon and wounded 2 of their people, one of which was dead of his wounds. This affair hapned on Sunday was a week, and never before now came to my Knowledge; on that day the Master and 5 Petty officers desir'd to have a small boat to go a fishing; but instead of Keeping within the usual bounds and under the protection of the Ship, they went over to the Hippa on the Island, from which some of the inhabitants put off in 2 Canoes, as they thought to attack them; this Caused the Master to fire, and, according to the report of the old Man, wounded 2, one of which is since dead; but this last circumstance was soon after contradicted by another of the Natives, who Mr. Green and Tupia saw ashore, and I wish this last report may be true, because I find the reasons for firing upon them are not very Justifiable. This morning I went out to the Mouth of the Inlet and landed upon the West point, and from the Top of a pretty high hill which is there I had a view of this Coast to the North-West. The farthest land I could see in that Quarter was an Island* (* Stephens Island. Cape Stephens, off which it lies, forms the western termination of the strait, Cook's, between the two islands of New Zealand. The Coast between this and Cape Jackson, where Cook was standing, is thickly indented with inlets of great extent. The two Capes were named after the Secretaries of the Admiralty.) about 10 Leagues off, and lying pretty near the Main, and is the same as hath been before mentioned. Between this Island and the place where I was lay some other Islands close under the Shore, which forms several Bays, where there appears to be safe Anchorage for Shipping. After I had set the different points, etc., we Erected upon the Top of the Hill a Tower or Pile of Stones, in which we left a Piece of Silver Coin, some Musquet Balls, Beads, etc., and left flying upon it a piece of an old Pendant. After this we return'd to the Boat, and in our way to the Ship visited some of the Natives we met with along shore, and purchased of them a small quantity of fish.
Tuesday, 30th. Winds at North-West, Gentle breezes, and fair weather. Early in the A.M. a boat was sent to one of the Islands to get Sellery to boil for the People's breakfasts. While our people were gathering it near some empty huts about 20 of the Natives landed there--Men, Women, and Children. They had no sooner got out of their Canoe than 5 or 6 Women set down together, and cut and sacrificed themselves--viz., their Legs, Shins, Arms, and Faces, some with Shells, and others with pieces of Jaspar. So far as our people could understand them, this was done on account of their husbands being lately killed and devoured by their Enemies. While the women was performing this Ceremony, the Men went about repairing the Huts without showing the least Concern. The Carpenter went with part of his people into the Woods to cut and Square some Timber to saw into boards for the use of the Ship, and to prepare two Posts to be set up with inscriptions on them.
Wednesday, 31st. Little wind and Variable. In the P.M. the Carpenters having prepared the 2 Posts with inscriptions upon them, setting forth the Ship's Name, Month, and Year, one of them was set up at the Watering Place, on which was hoisted the Union flag; and in the Morning I took the other over to the Island which is known by the name of Motuouru, and is the one that lies nearest to the Sea; but before I attempted to set up the Post I went first to the Hippa, having Dr. Monkhouse and Tupia along with me. We here met with the old Man I have before spoke of. The first thing I did was to inquire after the Man said to be kill'd by our people, and the one that was wounded at the same time, when it did not appear to me that any such accidents had happened. I next (by means of Tupia) explain'd to the old Man and several others that we were Come to set up a Mark upon the Island, in order to shew to any ship that might put into this place that we had been here before. They not only gave their free Consent to set it up, but promised never to pull it down. I then gave every one a present of one thing or another; to the old man I gave Silver, three penny pieces dated 1763, and Spike Nails with the King's Broad Arrow cut deep in them; things that I thought were most likely to remain long among them. After I had thus prepared the way for setting up the post, we took it up to the highest part of the Island, and after fixing it fast in the ground, hoisted thereon the Union flag, and I dignified this Inlet with the name of Queen Charlotte's Sound, and took formal possession of it and the Adjacent lands in the Name and for the use of his Majesty. We then drank her Majesty's health in a Bottle of wine, and gave the Empty bottle to the old man (who had attended us up the hill), with which he was highly pleased. Whilst the Post was setting up we asked the old man about the Strait or Passage into the Eastern sea, and he very plainly told us there was a Passage, and as I had some Conjectures that the lands to the South-West of this Strait (which we are now at) was an Island, and not a Continent, we questioned the old Man about it, who said it consisted of two Wannuas, that is 2 lands or Islands that might be Circumnavigated in a few days, even in 4. This man spoke of 3 lands, the 2 above mentioned which he called Tovy-poinammu,* (* The two Wannuas were doubtless the peninsulas lying west of Queen Charlotte's Sound. The third was the North Island. Te Wai Pounamu (The Water of the Greenstone, of which the most prized weapons were made) is the native name of the Middle Island; but there must have been some confusion as to the possibility of getting round this in four days. The name of the North Island is Te Ika o Maui (The Fish of Maui), but is given by Cook as Aeheino Mouwe. It has been suggested (Rusden) that the name given to him was Tehinga o Maui (The Fishing of Maui), and imperfectly rendered.) which Signifies green Talk or Stone, such as they make their Tools or ornaments, etc., and for the third he pointed to the land on the East side of the Strait; this, he said, was a large land, and that it would take up a great many Moons to sail round it; this he called Aeheino Mouwe, a name many others before had called it by. That part which borders on the strait he called Teiria Whitte. After we had done our business upon the Island we returned on board, bringing the old Man along with us, who after dinner went ashore in a Canoe that came to attend upon him.
[February 1770.]
Thursday, February 1st. P.M. having compleated the Ship with wood, and filled all our water, the Boatswain was sent ashore with a party of Men to cut and make brooms, while others were Employ'd about the rigging, fishing, etc. In the night and the remainder of the day had a Strong Gale from the North-West, attended with very much rain.
Friday, 2nd. In the P.M. the Gale increased to a Storm, attended with rain and squalls, which came down in Excessive heavy gusts from off the high land, in one of which the hawser we had fast to the shore broke; this obliged us to let go another Anchor. Towards midnight the Gale moderated, and in the morning it fell Calm, and we took up the Sheet Anchor, looked at the best bower, and moored the ship again to the Shore. The heavy rain, which both fell and Continues to fall, hath caused the Brook we water'd at to overflow its banks, and carry away 10 small Casks we had Standing there full of Water, and notwithstanding we searched the whole Cove, we could not find one of them.
Saturday, 3rd. Winds Northerly, mostly fair weather. Very early in the A.M. sent the Long boat for Sellery to boil for the Ship's Company's breakfast, and as I intended sailing the first opportunity, I went over to the Hippa, which is on the East side of the sound, and purchased of the inhabitants a quantity of split and half dry'd fish, and such as I could get. While we were at this Hippa, Tupia made farther enquiry about the Lands and Strait, and these people confirm'd everything the old Man had before told us. About noon we took our leave of them, which some seem'd not sorry for; notwithstanding they sold us their fish very freely, there were some few among them who shew'd evident signs of disapprobation.
Sunday, 4th. Winds Northerly, a fresh breeze and fair weather. In the P.M., after returning from the Hippa, some of us made an Excursion along shore to the Northward, in order to Traffic with the Natives for fish, in which we had no great Success. In the evening got everything off from the Shore, designing to sail in the Morning, but the wind not permitting, we amused ourselves in fishing, collecting of shells, etc.
Monday, 5th. Winds and weather as Yesterday. In the A.M. Cast off the Hawser, hove short on the Bower, and carried out the Kedge Anchor, in order to warp the Ship out of the Cove. All the dry fish we have been able to procure from the Natives since we came here were this day divided amongst the Ship's Company.