State Library of NSW
New Zealand
In the morning I sent the Longb.t to Trawl in the Bay, & an Officer in the Marines & a party of men to Cut wood & haul the Scan but neither the Scan nor the Trawl meet with any Success. but the Natives in some measure made up for this by bringing sev.l Baskets of dry'd or ready dress'd fish altho' it was none of the best I order'd it all to be bought up in order to encourage them to Trade ~ Tuesday 7th The firstp.t mod.te & fair the remainder a fresh breeze northerly with dirty hazey rainy wea.r PM got onboard a Longb.t Load of Water & Caught a dish of fish in the Scan found here a great Quantity of Sellery which is boild every day for the Ships Compy as Usu.l Wednesday 8th PM fresh breezes at NNW.t & hazey rainy wea.r the remainder a Gentle breeze at WSW & Clear Wea.r AM heeld & Scrubb'd both sides of the Ship & Sent a Party of Men ashore to Cutt wood & fill Water. The Natives bus.d off to the Ship & Sold us for Small Pieces of Cloth as much fish as served all hands, they were of the Mackrell kind & as good as ever was Eat At Noon I observ'd the Suns Meridian Zenith distce by the Astronomical Quad.t which gave the Lat.d 36°.47'.43" S.o this was in the river beforementioned that lies within the So Entrance of the Bay ~ Thursday 9th. Variable light breezes & Clear wea.r as soon as it was daylight the Natives began to bring off Mackrell & more than we well know what to do with notw.th Standing I order'd all they bro.t to be purchased in order to incourage them in this kind of Traffick. at 8 Mr Green & I went onshore with our Instrum.ts to observe the Transit of Mercury which came on at 7h:20'.58" Apparent time & was observed by Mr green only. Inthis time was taking the Suns Altitude in order to Ascertain the time the Egress was observ'd as follows. By Mr Green {External Contact 12h.8'.28"} Afternoon {Internal Contact 12:9:55} By myself {Internal Contact at 12.8:45} Afternoon {External Contact 12.9:43} Lat.de observ'd at noon 36°:48':28" the mean of this & Yesterdays observation gives 36°:48".5½" S.o the Lat.d of the Place of Observn & the Var.n of the Compass was all this Time found to be 11°.9' E.t While we were making these observ.ns 5 Canoes came alongside the Ship & 3 Small ones in one were 4 People but in the other not so many, they were wholy strangers to us & to all appearance they came with a Hostile intention being compleatly Arm'd with Pikes Dash, Stones &c.a however they made no attempt & this was very Probable owing to their being inform'd by some other Canoes (who at this time were alongside selling fish) what sort of people they had to Deal with, when they first came alongside they began to sell our People some of their Arms & one Man offer'd to Sale a Kaãhow [i.e. kākahu Māori ] that is a Square Piece of Cloth such as they wore. Lieut.t Gore who at this time was Command.g Officer sent into the Canoe a piece of Cloth which the Man had agreed to Take in Exchange for his, but as soon
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