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. 169

New Zealand 

1769
November
Guard. They do not own Subjection to [indecipherable] but say that [indecipherable] he would kill them was he to come among them they confirm the Custom of Eating their Enemies so no longer to be doubted. I have before observed that this is a thing that many of the People about this bay had no fix'd habitations & we thougt. so then but have since learnt that they have strongholds or Hippa's as they call them which they retire to in time of danger ~ 
We found thrown upon the Shore in several places in this Bay quantitys of Iron Sand which is brot. down out of the Country by almost every little fresh water brook, this proves that there must be of that Ore not far inland. neither the Inhabitants of this place or any other where we have been know the use of Iron or set the least Value upon it ~ preferring the most Trifling thing we could give them to a Nail or any sort of Iron Tool. before we left this bay we cut out upon one of the Trees near the Watering place the Ships name date &ct. & after displaying the English Colours I took formal possession of the place in the Name of His Majesty ~ 

Thursday 16th Fresh breezes between the NW & SW & fair wear. At 1 PM having got witht. the Group of Islands which lies of the No. head if Mercury Bay hauld our wind to the Northwd. I keept plying to windward all this day between these Islands & some others laying to the Northwd. of them with a View to get under the Mainland the Extream NW point of which we could see at Noon bore WbN dist. 6 or 8 Leagues Latde. in of Observn. 36:38 So.  ~ 
Note in speaking of Mercury Bay I had forgot to mention that the Mangroves Trees found there produce a resinous substance very much like Rosin something of this kind I am told is found in both the E & W Indies. we found it at first in small Lumps upon the Sea Beach, but afterwards found it sticking to the Mangrove Trees & by that Means surmised from whence it came ~ 

Friday 17th The fore & Middlept. had fresh Gs. between the SW & WbS. & Squally. kept plying to windwd. in order to get under the land. at 6 AM fetched close under the lee of the Northermst. Island in sight then Tackd & Stood to the Southwd. until 11 when we tack'd & Stood to the Northwd. at this time the No. head of Mercury Bay or Point Mercury bore SEbE distt. 3 Leags. being at this time between 2 & 3 Leags. from the Main land & abreast of a place where there appear'd to be a Harbour but the heavy squalls which we had from the Land would not permit us to take a nearer View of it, but soon brot. us under our Close reef & Topsails, at Noon Point Mercury bore SE distt. 4 Leags. & the weathermst. point of the Main land in sight bore No.60º W distt. 5 Leagues, over the NW side of Mercury Bay is a pretty high round hill rising Sloping from the Shore of the Bay. this hill is very Conspicuous from where we now are ~