James Cook - A Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's Bark Endeavour on a voyage round the world, by Lieutenant James Cook, Commander, commencing the 25th of May 1768 - 23 Oct. 1770: No. 173

New Zealand

remarkable is a high Rock standing close to the Pitch of the Point & from Some Points of View may be distinguished at a very great distance. From the SW point of this Cape the river extends itself in a direct line SbE. & is nowhere lefs than 3 Leags. broad until' you are 14 leas. above the Cape. There it is at once Controlled to a Narrow stream from this place it still continues the same SbE Course thro' a low flat Country or broad Valley that lies parrallel with the Sea Coast, the End of which we could not see. The land on the East side of the Broadest part of this River is Tollerable high & hilly, that on the W. side is rather low, but the whole is cover'd with woods & Verdure & looks to be pretty fertile but we saw but a few small Places that were Cultivated. about the Entrance of the narrow part of the River the land is mostly Cover'd with Mangroves & other Shrubs but farther in are immense woods of as stout lofty timber as is to be found Perhaps in any other part of the world, in many places the woods grow close upon the very banks of the River, but where it does not, the land is Marshey such as we find about the Thames in England. We saw poles stuck up in many Places in the River to set nets for Catching of fish from this we immagin'd that there must be plenty of fish but of what sort we know not for we saw none. The Greatest Depth of Water we found was 26 fam. & decreaseth pretty gradually as you run up to 1½ & 1 fam. in the Mouth of the fresh Water Stream or narrow part is 3 & 4 fam. but before this are sand banks & large flatts. yet I believe a Ship of a Modte. draught of water may go along way up this River with a flowing Tide, for I reckon that the Tides rise upon a perpendicular near 10 feet & is high Water at the full & Change of the Moon about 9 o'clock ~ Six Leagues within Cape Colvill under the Eastern Shore are several small Islands. These Islands together with the Main seem'd to form some good Harbours. opposite to these Islands under the Western Shore lies some other Islands & it appear'd very Probable that there form'd some good Harbours likewise. But even supposing there were no Harbours about this River it is good anchoring in every part of it where the depth of Water is Sufficient, being defended from the Sea by a Chain of Large & Small Islands which I have named Barrier Isles lying acrofs the Mouth of it extending themselves NW & SE 10 Leags. the S. end of these Islands lies NE, between 2 & 3 Leags. from Cape Colvill  & the N. end lies NE 4 ½ Leags. from the NW point of the River which I have named Point Rodney. it lies WNW 9 Leags. from Cape Colvill Latde. 36º:13 S. Longde.  184:58 W. The Natives residing about this River do not appear to be very numerous considering the great Extent of Country at least not many came off to the Ship at one Time & as we were but little ashore ourselves we could not so well judge of their numbers. They are a strong well made active People as any we have seen yet, & all of them paint their Bodys.