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. 218

[Page 218]
New Zealand 
[In margin] March 1770
wind to the Westwd at sunset the Southermst point of land which I afterwards named So Cape & which lies in the Latde of 47:19'So Longde 192°:12'Wt from Greenwh bore N38Et distt 4 Leags & the Westermst land in sight bore No2°Et this last was a small Island lying off the point of the Main. I began now to think that this was the Southermst land & that we should be able to get round it by the Wt for we have had a large hollow swell from the SWt ever since we had the last gale of wind from that Quarter which makes me think that there is no land in that direction. In the Night it began to blow so that at or before day light we were brot under our 2 Courses but at 8 AM it fell modte & we set the Topsails close reeft & the Mizn staysail being split we unbent them & bent others. At Noon the wind coming at Wt we Tackt & stood to the Northwd having no land in sight - our Latde by observn was 47°:33'So Longde Wt from the South Cape 0°:59'.

Sunday 11th Winds between the Wt & NWt a fresh Gale & clear wear Stood away NNEt close upon a wind without seeing any land until' 2 AM when we discover'd an Island bearing NWbN distant 4 or 5 Leags 2 hours after this we saw the land a head upon which we Tackt & stood off until' 6 o'Clock then Stood in in order to take a nearer View of it, at 11 being about 3 Leags from the land & the wind seem'd to incline on shore we Tackt & stood off to the Southwd & now we thought that the land to the Southward or that we have been sailing round these 2 days past was an Island, because there appeared an Open Channell between the No part of that land & the So part of the other in which we thought we saw the Small Island we were in with  the 6th Instt but when I came to lay this land down upon Paper from the several bearings I had taken it appeared that there was but little reason to suppose it an Island  on the contrary, I hardly have a doubt but what it joins to & makes a part of the Main land the Western extremity of which bore from at Noon No 59°Wt & the Island seen in the morning So59Wt distt 5 Leagues Latd Obsd 46°:24So Longde 192:49Wt it is nothing but a barren rock of about a Mile in circuit remarkably high & lies full 5 Leags from the Main the shore of the Main lies nearest EbS and WbN and forms a large open bay in wch there is no appearance of a Harbour or other place of safety for shipping against SW & Southerly winds. The face of the Country bears a very rugged Aspect being full of high craggy hills on the summits of which were several patches of Snow, however the land is not wholy barren we could see wood not only in the Valleys but on several of the Hills, but we saw no signs of inhabitants.