State Library of NSW
NEW ZEALAND November 1769 [note left margin] Canoes came off from the place where they landed last night & between this & Noon many more came from other parts, had at one time a good many of the people onboard & about 170 came alongside, their behaviour was Tolerable friendly but we could not prevail upon them to Traffick with us. At noon the Mainland Extendg [note left margin ] Brett from the SbE to NWbW a remarkable point of land bore W.t dist.e 4 or 5 Miles Latitude observed 35:11.Sº ~ Monday 27.th PM. gentle breezes Easterly & Clear wea.r at 3 passed the point of land aforementioned, which I have named Cape Brett in honour of Sr. Piercey, [Rear Admiral Piercey Brett] the land of this Cape is considerable higher than any part of the Adjacent Coast at the very point of the Cape is a high round Hillock & NEb.N near one Mile from this is a small high Island or Rock with a hole pierced thro' it like the Arch of a Bridge & this was one reason why I gave the Cape the above because Piercey seem'd very proper for that of the Isl.d this Cape or at least some part of it is called by the Natives Matugogogo Lat.de 35º:10':30" Long.de 185º:25' W.t on the W.t side of Cape Brett is a large & pretty deep Bay lying in SWbW in which there appear'd to be several small Islands, the point that forms the NW.t entrance I have named point Pocock & lies W¼N 3 or 4 Leag.s from Cape Brett on the SW. side of this Bay we saw several Villages situated both on Islands & on the Main land from whence came off to us several large Canoes full of People but like those that had been alongside before would not Enter into a friendly Traffick with us but would Cheat when ever they had an opportunity, the people in these Canoes made a very good appearance, being all Stout well made men havg [indecipherable] their Hair; which was black Comb'd up & tied upon the Crown of their heads & these stuck with white feathers. in each of the Canoes were 2 or 3 Chiefs & the Habits of these were rather superior to any we had yet seen, The Cloth they wore was [indecipherable] of the best sort & covered on the outside with Dog Skins put on in Such a manner as to look Agreeable enough to the Eye. Few of these people were Tattowd marked in the face like those we have Seen farther to the South, but several had their Backsides Tattow'd much in the same manner as the Inhabitants of the Islands within the Tropic's in the Course of this day, that is this afternoon & Yesterday fore-noon we reckon'd that we had not less than 4 or 500 of the Natives alongside & onb.d the ship. & in that time did not range above 6 or 8 Leagues off that Coast a strong proof that this part of the Country must be well inhabited~ In the Evening the Wind came to the Westw.d of N.o & we Tack'd & stood off NZ until' a 11 o'Clock when the wind coming more favourable stood again to the Westward at 8 AM we were within a Mile of Groups of Islands lying close under the Mainland by NWbW½W.t distance 22 Miles from Cape Brett here we lay for near 2 Hours having little
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