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. 182

New Zealand

December 1769
observation was 34:44 So. ~
Sunday 10th had the wind from the Western board all this day, a Gentle breeze & clear wear. in the evening found the Variation to be 12:41 E [indecipherable] & 12:40 by the Amplitude, in the morning we stood Close in with the Land 7 Leags. to the Westwd. of Doubtless Bay here the shore forms another large open Bay the Bottom of this & Doubtless Bay cannot be far from each other, being to all appearance only separated by a low neck of land from which juts out a Peninsula or headland which I have named Knockle Point WbS 6 Leags. from this Point & abt. the Middle of the Bay is a high Mountain or Hill standing upon a desert shore on which accot. we called it Mount Camel Latde. 34:51 Longd.186:50 in this Bay we had 24 & 25 fam. Water & the bottom good for Anchorage but their seems to be nothing that can induce Shipping to put into it for no Country upon Earth can look more barren than the land about this bay doth it is in general low except the Mountain just Mentioned & the Soil to all appearance nothing but white sand thrown up in low irregularity lying in Narrow Ridges parrallel with the Shore this occasioned me to name it Sandy Bay, the first ridge behind the Sea beach is partly cover'd with Shrubs Plants &ct. but the second ridge hath hardly any green thing upon it which induced me to think that it lies open to the Western [?] as barren as this land appears it is not without inhabitants we saw a Village on this Side of Mount Camel & another on the Eastern side of the Bay besides 5 Canoes that were pulling off to the Ship but did not come up with us
At 9 AM we tacked & stood to the Northwd. at Noon  Latde. in observn. 34:38 the Cavalle Isles bore SEbE distt. 13 Leagues the Northern Extremity of the land in sight making like an Island bore NW¼ N distt. 9 Leags. & Mount Camel bore SWbS distt. 6 Leagues Tack'd & stood in Shore ~ 

Monday 11th Gentle breezes at NW & pleasant wear. kept plying all the day but got very little to windward at noon was in the Latde. of 34.32 So. the Northermst. in land set yesterday at noon bore NWbW dist 6 or 7 Leags.

Tuesday 12th Modte. breezes of Wind between the NW & No. & Smooth Water yet we gain'd  very little in plying to Windward. At Noon Mount Camel bore SbW distt. 4 or 5 Leags. Latde. observed 34.34 So. 

Wednesday 13th Forept. of PM modte. breezes at NbW & fair wear. stood in shore until 5 o'Clock at which time we tack'd & stood to the NE being 2 Leags. to the Northwd. of Mount Camel & ½ Mile from shore & this situation had 22 fam. water, at 10 it began to blow & rain wch. brought us under doulbe Reef & Topsails