Monday, 12th. Most part of P.M. had a fresh breeze at North-East, which by sunset carried us the length of Cape Pallisser, and as the weather was clear I had an opportunity of Viewing the land of this Cape, which is of a height Sufficient to be seen in clear weather 12 or 14 Leagues, and is of a broken and hilly surface. Between the foot of the high land and the Sea is a border of low, flat land, off which lies some rocks, that appear above water. Between this Cape and Cape Turnagain the land near the shore is in many places low and flatt, and appear'd green and pleasant; but inland are many Hills. From Cape Pallisser to Cape Teerawhitte the land is tollerable high, making in Table-points, and the Shore forms 2 Bays; at least it appear'd so, for we were always too far off this part of the Coast to be particular.* (* The northern of these was the entrance to Port Nicholson, the harbour of Auckland.) The wind continued at North-East until 12 at Night, when it died away, and veer'd round to the West, and afterwards to South and South-South-East little wind, so that by noon we had advanced no farther than 41 degrees 52 minutes South Latitude. Cape Pallisser bearing North, distant 5 Leagues, and the Snowy mountain bore South 83 degrees West.
Tuesday, 13th. P.M. light Airs at South-East, the remainder Calm. At Noon found ourselves in the Latitude of 42 degrees 2 minutes South, Cape Pallisser bearing North 20 degrees East, distant 8 Leagues.
Wednesday, 14th. P.M. a fresh breeze sprung up at North-East, and we Steer'd South-West by West for the Southermost land we had in sight, which bore from us at sunset South 74 degrees West. At this time we found the Variation to be 15 degrees 4 minutes East. At 8 A.M. it fell Calm; at this time we had run 21 Leagues South 58 degrees West since Yesterday at noon, which brought us abreast of the high Snowy mountain, it bearing from us North-West in this direction. It lay behind a Mountainous ridge of nearly the same height, which riseth directly from the Sea, and runs Parrallel with the Shore, which lies North-East 1/2 North and South-West 1/2 South. The North-East end of the ridge takes its rise but a little way inland from Cape Campbell. These mountains are distinctly seen both from Cape Koamaroo and Cape Pallisser, being distant from the former South-West 1/2 South 22 Leagues, and from the Latter West-South-West 30 Leagues: but they are of a height sufficient to be seen at a much greater distance. By some on board they are thought to be much higher than the Peak of Teneriffe, which I cannot agree to; neither do I think them so high as Mount Egmont, on the South-West Coast of Aeheinomouwe, founding my opinion on the summit of the Latter being almost wholy covered with Snow, whereas it only lies upon these in patches.* (* The highest peak of the Kaikoura Mountains, Mount Tapuaepuka, is 9500 feet high. It is therefore higher than Mount Egmont, but not so high as the Peak of Teneriffe. The snow lies thicker on the western side of New Zealand mountains, so Cook's parallel was fallacious. The Endeavour was now near the Kaikoura Peninsula, where a small town stands at the present day, the shipping port of an agricultural district.) At noon was in the Latitude of 42 degrees 34 minutes South; the Southermost land we had in sight bore South-West 1/2 West, and some low land that made like an Island lying close under the foot of the Ridge North-West by North, distant about 5 or 6 Leagues.
Thursday, 15th. In the P.M. 4 Double Canoes, in which were 57 Men, came off to the Ship; they kept at the distance of about a Stone's throw from us, and would not be prevailed upon to put alongside by all that Tupia could say to them. From this we concluded that they never had heard of our being upon the coast. At 8 p.m. a breeze sprung up at South-South-West, with which we Stretched off South-East, because some on board thought they saw land in that Quarter. We continued on this course until 6 A.M., at which time we had run 11 Leagues, but saw no land but that which we had left. Soon after this it fell calm, and continued so for an hour; then a light breeze sprung up at West, which afterwards veer'd to the North, and we stood to the Westward. At Noon our Latitude by Observation was 42 degrees 56 minutes South, and the High Land we were abreast of yesterday at Noon, North-North-West 1/2 West.
Friday, 16th. In the P.M. had a light breeze North-East, with which we steer'd West, edging in for the land, which was distant from us about 8 Leagues. At 7 o'Clock the Southermost Extream of the land in sight bore West-South-West, being about 6 Leagues from the Shore; soon after this it fell Calm, and continued so most part of the night, with sometimes light Airs from the land. At daylight we discover'd land bearing South by West, and seemingly detached from the Coast we were upon; at 8 o'Clock a breeze sprung up at North by East, and we steer'd directly for it. At Noon was in the Latitude of 43 degrees 19 minutes South; the Peak on the Snowy Mountains bore North 20 degrees East, distant 27 Leagues; the Southern Extremity we could see of that land bore West, and the land discover'd in the morning, making like an Island, extending from South-South-West to South-West by West 1/2 West, distant about 8 Leagues; our Course and distance sail'd since yesterday at Noon South-West by West, 43 Miles; Variation by this Morning's Amplitude 14 degrees 39 minutes East.
[Off Banks Peninsula, New Zealand.]
Saturday, 17th. P.M. stood to the Southward for the land above mention'd, with the wind at North, a fresh breeze and Clear weather. At 8 o'Clock we had run 11 Leagues since Noon, when the land extended from South-West by West to North by West, being distant from the nearest shore about 3 or 4 Leagues; in this situation had 50 fathoms, a fine sandy bottom. Soon after this it fell Calm, and continued so until 6 A.M., when a light breeze sprung up at North-West, which afterwards veer'd to North-East. At sun rise, being very Clear, we plainly discover'd that the last mentioned land was an Island by seeing part of the Land of Tovy-poenammu open to the Westward of it, extending as far as West by South. At 8 o'Clock the Extreams of the Island bore North 76 degrees West and North-North-East 1/2 East, and an opening that had the Appearance of a Bay or Harbour, lying near the South point North 20 degrees West, distant 3 or 4 Leagues, being in 38 fathoms, a brown Sandy bottom. This Island,* (* It is not an island, but a mountainous peninsula, still called after Mr. Banks, but from the lowness of the land it adjoins, looks like an island. On the north side is the fine harbour of Lyttelton, the port of Christchurch, a town of nearly 40,000 inhabitants. The harbour on the south side, that Cook saw, is Akaroa, a magnificent port.) which I have named after Mr. Banks, lies about 5 Leagues from the Coast of Tovy poenammu; the South point bears South 21 degrees West from the higher peak on the Snowy Mountain so often mention'd, and lies in the Latitude of 43 degrees 52 minutes South and in the Longitude of 186 degrees 30 minutes West, by observations made of the Sun and Moon this morning. It is of a circular figure, and may be about 24 Leagues in Compass; the land is of a height sufficient to be seen 12 or 15 Leagues, and of a very broken, uneven Surface, and hath more the appearance of barrenness than fertility. Last night we saw smoke up it, and this morning some people, and therefore must be inhabited. Yesterday Lieutenant Gore, having the Morning Watch at the time we first saw this Island, thought he saw land bearing South-South-East and South-East by East; but I, who was upon Deck at the same time, was very Certain that it was only Clouds, which dissipated as the Sun rose. But neither this, nor the running 14 Leagues to the South, nor the seeing no land to the Eastward of us in the Evening, could Satisfy Mr. Gore but what he saw in the morning was, or might be, land; altho' there was hardly a possibility of its being so, because we must have been more than double the distance from it at that time to what we were either last night or this morning, at both of which times the weather was Exceeding Clear, and yet we could see no land either to the Eastward or Southward of us. Notwithstanding all this, Mr. Gore was of the same opinion this morning; upon this I order'd the Ship to be wore, and to be steer'd East-South-East by Compass on the other Tack, the point on which he said the land bore at this time from us.* (* Another instance of the general desire to leave nothing unexplored.) At Noon we were in the Latitude of 44 degrees 7 minutes South; the South point of Banks Island bore North, distant 5 Leagues.
Sunday, 18th. Gentle breezes at North and fair weather. P.M. stood East-South-East in search of Mr. Gore's imaginary land until 7 o'clock, at which time we had run 28 Miles since Noon; but seeing no land but that we had left, or signs of any, we bore away South by West, and continued upon that Course until Noon, when we found ourselves in the Latitude of 45 degrees 16 minutes South. Our Course and distance sail'd since Yesterday is South 8 minutes East, 70 Miles; the South point of Banks Island North 6 degrees 30 minutes West, distant 28 Leagues; Variation per Amplitude this Morning 15 degrees 30 minutes. Seeing no signs of Land, I thought it to no purpose standing any farther to the Southward, and therefore hauled to the Westward, thinking we were far enough to the Southward to weather all the land we had left; but this opinion was only founded on the information we had had from the Natives of Queen Charlotte's sound.* (* The ship was still 250 miles from the south point of New Zealand.)
Monday, 19th. P.M. had a Moderate breeze at North-North-West and North until 8 o'clock, when it fell little wind, and was very unsettled until 10, at which time it fix'd at South, and freshen'd in such a manner that before the morning it brought us under our close reeft Topsails. At 8 a.m. having run 28 Leagues upon a West by North 1/2 North Course, and now judging ourselves to be to the Westward of the Land of Tovy Poenammu, we bore away North-West with a fresh Gale at South. At 10 o'clock, having run 11 Miles upon this Course, we saw land extending from the South-West to the North-West at the distance of about 10 Leagues from us, which we hauled up for. At Noon our Latitude per observation was 44 degrees 38 minutes South; the South-East point of Banks Island bore North 59 degrees 30 minutes East, distant 30 Leagues, and the Main body of the land in sight West by North. Course and distance sail'd since Yesterday at Noon is North 66 degrees 45 minutes West, 96 Miles.
[Off Timaru, Middle Island, New Zealand.]