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. 191

[Page 191]
New Zealand

January
being very foul) & to repair some few defects, requested our Stock of Wood, Water & I, with this View we kept plying on & off all Night having from 80 to 63 fam water at day light stood in for an inlet which runs in SW at 8AM we were got within the Entrance which may be known by a Reef of Rocks stretching off from the NWt point & some rocky Island lying off the SEt point at 9 o'Clock being little wind & Variable we were carried by the Tide or Currt within 2 cables length of the NWt Shore where we had 54 fam but with the help of our Boats we got clear at that time we saw life up twice near the Ship a Sea Lyon the Head of which was Exactly like the head of the Male one described by Lord Anson --
We likewise saw a Canoe with some of the Natives cross the Bay & a Village situated upon a point of an Island which lies 7 or 8 Miles with the Entrance at Noon we were the length of this Island & being little wind had the Boats a head Towing.

Sunday 16th Variable light Airs & Clear settled wear, at 1PM hauld close round the SW end of the Island on which stands the Village before mention'd the inhabitants of which were all in skins[?], at 2 o'Clock we anchor'd in a very Snug Cove which is on the NWt Side of the Bay facing the SWt end of the Island in 11 fam of Ground[?] & Island with the Stream Anchor. By this time several of the Natives had come off to the Ship in their canoes & after heaving a few stones at us & having some Conversation with Tupia some of them Ventured onboard where they made but a very short stay before they went into their Canoes again & soon after left us altogether. I then went ashore in the bottom of the Cove accompanied by most of the the Gentlemen on board, we found a fine Stream of Excellent water & as to wood the land is here one intire forest, having the [Indecipherable] with our we made a few hauls & caught 300lb weight of difference sorts of fish which were equally distributed to the Ships Company. AM Careen'd the the Ship scrubb'd & pay'd the Larboard Side, several of the Natives Visited us this Morning & brot with them some Stinking fish which however I order'd to be bought up to incourage them in this kind of Traffick but Trade at this time seem'd not to be their Object but were more inclinable to Quarrel & set the Ship was upon the Carreen I thought they might give us some Trouble & Perhaps hurt some of our people that were in the Boats along side, for their reason I fir'd some small Shott at one of the first Offenders this made them keep at a proper distance while they stay'd which was not long before they all went away These People declared to us this morning that they never ether saw or heard of Ships like ours being upon this Coast before from this it appears that they have no Traditions among them of Tasman being here for I believe Murtherers bay the place where he Anchor'd not to be far from their place but this cannot be it from the Latitude for I find by an Observation made this day at Noon that we are at an Anchor in 41º:5':32" So which is 15 miles to the Southward of Murtherers Bay -------------------