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. 185

New Zealand

1769
December
Saturday 23rd Gentle breezes between the SbW & SW & Clear settled wear. with a swell from the SW Course [indecipherable] since Yesterday at Noon is So 60º E 30 Miles Latde. observed 33:17 So No Cape S 36 E distt. 27 Leagues ~ 

Sunday 24th Light Airs next to a Calm all this 24 Hours at 7 PM saw the land from the Masthead bearing S½E at 11 AM saw it again bearg. SSE distt. 8 Lg's at Noon Latde. observed 33:48 So. ~ 

Monday 25th a Gentle breeze at SE the wear. a little hazey PM stood to the SW at 4 the land abovementioned bore EbS distt. 4 lgs. It proves to be a small Island which we take to be the 3 Kings discover'd by Tasman, there are several Smaller Islands or Rooks lying off the SW end & one at the NE end it lies in the Latde. of 34:10 S & Longde. 187:45 W & W.14 N.14 or 15 Lg's from the No Cape. at Midnight Tack'd & stood to the NE until 6 AM then Tack'd & stood to the Southward, at Noon the Island of the 3 Kings bore E 8 N distt. 5 or 6 Leagues Latde. obsd. 34:12 S Longde. in 188:5 W variatn. [indecipherable] taken this morning 11:25 E ~ 

Tuesday 26th Modte. breezes Easterly & hazey wear. standing to the Southwd. close upon a wind, at Noon was in the Latde. of 35:10 S & Longde. 188:20 W. the Island of the 3 Kings N 26 W dist 22 Leagues, in this situation had no land in sight & yet by observation we are in the Latde. of the Bay of Islands & by my reckoning but 30 Leags, to the Westwd. of the No Cape from whence ot appears that the Northern part of this land must be very narrow otherwise we must have seen some part of the Wt. side of it ~ 

Wednesday 27th Winds at E. PM a fresh Gale wth.  wch. we stood to the Southwd. until 12 at Night, then Tack'd & Stood to the Northwd. at 4 PM the wind began to freshen & increased in such a manner that at 9 we were obliged to bring the Ship too under her Mainsail, it blowing at this time excessive hard with heavy squalls attended with rain, & at the same time thick hazey wear. Course made good since Yesterday at Noon SSW ½ W distt. 11 Miles Latde. in 35:19 S Longde. in 188:29 W. The Island of the 3 Kings N 27 E distt  77 Miles ~ 

Thursday 28th The Gale continued without the least intermission until 2 AM when the wind fell a little & began to veer to the Southwd. & to SW where it fix'd at 4 & we made Sail & steer'd E in for the Land under the Topsail & Mainsail, but was soon obliged to take in the latter as it began to blow very hard & increased in such a manner that by 8 o'Clock it was a mear Hurricane attended with rain & the Sea run prodidgeous high at this time we wore the Ship hauld up the Foresail & brot. her too with her head to the NW under a Reef Mainsail but this was scarce done before the Main Tack gave way & we were glad to take in the Mainsail & lay too under the Mizen staysail & Ballanced Mizen, after  which we reefd the Foresail & furld both it & the Mainsail. at Noon the Gale was a little abated, but had still heavy squalls attended with rain. our Course made good today is North