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. 187

[page 187]

NEW ZEALAND

1770 January [note left margin]
its Strength & Continuance was such as I hardly was ever in before. Fortunately at this time we were a good distance from land otherwise it might have proved fatal to us ~
TUESDAY 2.d Fresh breezes at SSW.t & W.t accompanied with a rowling Sea from the SW.t at 5 PM the wind Veering to the Westw.d we Tack'd & Stood to the Southward at this time the NºCape bore Et¾ N & was just open of a point that lies 3 Leag.s WbS. from it, being now well assured that it is the Northerm.st Extremity of this Country & is the Eastpoint of a Peninsula which Stretches out NW.t & NWbN 17 or 18 Leag.s & as I have before observ.d is for the most part low & narrow except its Extremity where the land is Tollerable high & Extends 4 or 5 Leag.s every way. Cape Maria Van Dieman  is the West point of  this Peninsula & lies in the Latitude of 34:30 S.º Long.de 187º:18' West from Greenw.ch. from the Cape the Land Trends away SEbS & SE.t to & beyond Mount Carmel~  
& is every where a barren shore affording no better Prospect than What ariseth from white sand Banks, at ½ past 7 PM the Islands of the 3 Kings bore NWbN & Cape Maria Van Dieman NEbE dist.e 4 Leag.s at 5 AM Cape Maria Van Diemen bore NNE½E.t & Mount Carmel E.t at Noon was in the Lat.de of 35º:17' & Cape Maria Van Diemen by judgm.t bore N.o  dist.e 16 Lg.s having no land in sight not daring to go near it as the wind blow'd fresh right onshore & a high rowling Sea from the Same Quarter & knowing that there was no Harbour that we could put into in case we were Caught upon a lee shore—
WEDNESDAY 3.d Winds at WSW & SW.t a fresh breeze & Squally the remainder mod.te with freq.t Squalls attended with rain, in the evening shortned Sail & at Midnight Tack'd & made a Trip to the NW.t until' 2 AM then wore & stood to the Southw.d at day light made Sail & Edged away in order to make the Land at 10 Saw it bearing NE.t & appeared to be high land, at Noon it extended from N.o to ENE.t dist.t by Estimation 8 or 10 Leag.s & Cape Maria Van Diemen bore N2º:30'W.t dis.t 33 Leag.s our Lat.de by observ.n was 36º:2' S.o a high rowling swell from the SW.t 
THURSDAY 4.th Winds at SW & SWbS. mostly a fresh Gale accompanied with a rowling sea from the same Quarter, being desirous of taking as near a View of the coast as we could with Safety we keept Edging in for it until' 7o'Clock PM being at this time 6 Leag.s from the Land we then hauld our wind to the SE.t & kept on that Course close upon the wind all night sound.g several times but had no ground with 100 & 110 fa.m at 8 o'Clock AM was ab.t 5 Leag.s from the Land & a place which lies in the Lat.de of 36:25 that had the Appearance of a Bay or inlet bore E.t in order to see more of this place we kept on our Course until ' 11o'Clock when we were not above 3 Leag.s from it, & then found that is was neither a Bay nor inlet, but low land bounded on each side by