State Library of NSW
[Page 195] New Zealand [Written in margin:] Charlotta Sound January 1770 Thursday 25th Winds at NW a gentle breeze & fair wear PM The Longboat having returnd with a Load of Grass she was employ'd bringing on board Wood & Water & the Caulkers having finished Caulking the Ships sides (a thing they have been employ'd upon ever since we came here) they were pay'd with Tar. Early in the AM the Longbt was sent again for Grass & return'd at Noon with a Load
Friday 26th Gentle breezes & pleasant wear in the PM I made a little Excursion in the Pinnace along shore towards the mouth of the inlet accompanied by Mr Banks & Dr Solander, we found in a small Cove several of the Natives of whom we purchased a quantity of fresh fish & upon our return to the Ship found that the Sean had been equally as successfull which we generally haul morning & evening & seldom fail of getting fish sufficient for all hands. In the AM I made an excursion into one of the Bays which lye on the East side of the inlet accompanied by MrBank & Dr Solander, upon our landing we assended a very high hill from which we had a full View of the passage I had before discovered & the land on the opposite shore which appeared to be about 4 Leags from us, but as it was hazey near the Horizon we could not see far to the SEt however I had now seen enough of this passage to Convince me that there was the Greatest probability in the World of its running into the Eastern Sea, as the distance of that Sea from this place cannot Exceed 20 Leags even to where we where, upon this I resolved after putting to Sea to search this Passage with the Ship. We found on the Top of the hill a Parcel of loose Stones of which we built a Pyramid & left in it some Musquet balls, small Shott beads & what ever we had about us that was likely to stand the test of time: after this we descended the hill & found along with Tupia & the boats Crew several of the Natives, siting in the most free & friendly manner imaginable Tupia always accompanies us in every Excursion we make & proves of infinate Service. In our return to the ship we Visited the Hippa we had seen on Tuesday last which is situated on a small Island or rather a Rock the Inhabitants of this place invited us ashore with their usual Marks of Friendship & shew'd us all over the place which indeed was soon done for it was very small yet it contain'd a good number of People & they had in it split & hanging up to dry a prodigious quantity of Various sorts of small fish a part of which they sold to us for such trifles as we had about us.
Saturday 27th Fresh Gs Westerly this day we got the Tiller properly secured which hath been the Employment of the Armourers & part of the Carpenters since we Anchd at this place, the former in repairing & making new Iron work & the Latter in fixing a Transom for the want of which the Tiller has often been in danger of being broke, the Iron
This page has its status set to Ready for review and is no longer transcribable.