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. 168

New Zealand

November 1769
for any Conveniency it could afford them but for its Natural Strength ~ 
At 7 AM weighd with a light breeze at W & clear wear. & made Sail out of the Bay steering NE for the Northernmst. of a Number of Islands lying off the No. point of the Bay these Islands are of Various extents & lye Scattered to the NW in a Parrallel direction with the Main as far as we could see. I was at first afraid to go within them, thinking that there was no safe Passage, but I afterwards thought that we might & I would have attempted it but the wind coming to the NW prevented it so that we were obliged to stand out to Sea. at Noon was in the Latde. of 36:4. The Northermst. Island above mentioned bore No. distt. half a Leag. the Coast of Aldermen SEbS distt. 6 lgs. & the Bay Sails from which I have named Mercury Bay on accot. of the obsern. being made there SWbW distt. 6 Miles ~ Mercury Bay lies in the Latde. of 36:47 & the Longde. of 184:4S from the Meridian of Greenwich, it lies in SW between 2 & 3 Leags. there are several Islands lying both to the Soward & & Northwd. of it & a Small high Island or Rock in the Middle of the Entrance within this Island the depth of water doth no were Exceed 9 or 8 fam. the best Anchorage is in a sandy Bay which lies just within the So. head on 5 & 4 fam. bringing a high Tower Rock which lies without the head in one with the head, or just shut in behind it, here it is very Convenient Woodg. & Watering & in the River are an immense quantity of Oysters & other small Shell fish & this is the only thing it is remarkable for, & hath occasioned my giving it the Name of Oyster River.
But the Snugest & Softest place for a Ship to lay in, that wants to stay here any time is in the River at the head of the Bay & where there is every conveniency the place can Afford to Sail up & into it keep the So. shore all the way onboard. As we did not learn that the Natives had any name for this River I have called it the River of Mangroves because of the great quantity of these Trees that are found in it. The Country on the SW side of this River & Bay is very barren producing little else but Fern & such other plants as delight in a poor Soil. the land on the NW side is pretty well cover'd with wood, the Soil more fertile & would no doubt produce the necessarys of Life was it Cultivated, however this much might be said against it is that it is not near so Rich nor Fertile as the lands we have seen to the Southward & the same may be said of its inhabitants who altho pretty numerous are poor to the highest degree when Compar'd to these we have seen they have no plantations but live only on Fern roots & fish, their Canoes are mean & witht. Ornament & so are their Houses or Hutts & in general everything they have about them, this may be owing to the frequent wars in which they are Certainly engaged, strong proof of this we have seen for the People who resided near the place were we wooded & who slept every night in the Open Air placed themselves in such a manner when they laid down to sleep as plainly shew'd that it was necessary for them to be always upon their Guard