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. 184

New Zealand

1769
December
Monday 18th Modte. breezes at W & WNW & Clear wear. at 4 PM Tack'd & stood in shore in doing of which we meet with a Strong rippling & the Ship fell fast to [indecipherable] occasioned as we thought by a Currt. setting to the Eastwd. at 8 Tack'd & stood off No. until 8 AM when we Tack'd & stood in being about 10 Leags.from the Land at Noon the Point of Land we were near yesterday at noon bore SSW distt. 5 Lg's Latde. obsd. 34:85

Tuesday 19th The wind still continues at W PM a modte. breeze & Clear wear. at [indecipherable] Tack'd in 35 fam. the point of land before mention's bore NWbN distt. 4 or 5 Miles having not gain'd one inch to windwd. this last 24 hours  which is a great proof that there might be a Current setting to the Eastwd. the Point of Land above-mentioned I have called No. Cape judging it to be the Northernmost Extremity of this Country, it is in the Latde. of 34:22 So. & Longde. 186:55 W from Greenwich & No.63 W 31 Leags. from C. Brett it forms the No. Point of Sandy Bay & is a Peninsula jutting out NE about 2 Miles & Terminates in a Bluff head which is flatt at Top, the Isthmus which joins this head to the Mainland is very low on which accot. the land off the Cape from several situations make like an Island. It appears still more remarkable when to the Southwd of it by the Appearance of a high round Island at the SE Point of the Cape but this is likewise a deception being a round hill join'd to the Cape by a low narrow neck of Land. on the SE side of the Cape there appears to be anchorage where ships must be covered from N & NW winds. we saw a Hippa or Village upon the Cape & some few inhabitants. in the night had some Squalls attended with rain which obliged us to take another Reef in our Topsails. at 8 AM Tack'd & stood in Shore, & being modt. loosed a Reef out of each Topsl. & set the small sails. at noon we were in the Latde. of 34:2So. & being hazey over the land we did not see it ~ 

Wednesday 20th PM Fresh breezes at WbN & Clear wear. at 6 Tack'd & stood off No Cape bore So distt. 3 or 4 Miles, at 4 AM Tack'd & stood in, Wind at WNW, a fresh breeze but it increased to a Strong Gale with heaavy squalls attended with Thunder & Rain which brot. us under our Courses. at 11 it Cleared up & the Wind came to WSW we set the Topsails double Reef'd & Tack'd & stood to the NW. at Noon a Stiff Gale & Clear wear. Latde. observed 34:14 So. No. Cape SSW distt. 3 Leags. ~ 

Thursday 21st Fresh breezes at SW & Clear wear. with a heavy swell first from the W then from the SW. at 8 AM loosed the 2nd Reef out of the Topsails. at noon clear wear. no land in sight. The No Cape bore So. 25 E distt. 24 Leags. Latde. obsd. 33:17 So. ~ 

Friday 22nd A modte. Gale at SbW & SSW & Cloudy wear. at 8 AM got up TopGall Yards & set the sails. at Noon Latd. observ'd 33:3 So. Course V distt. since Yesterday at Noon is No.69 ½ W 37 Miles. The No Cape bore So 39 E. distt. 38 Leagues ~