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. 194

[Page 194]
Nw Zealand
[In margin:] Charlotta Sound
January 1770 assending the hill, for from it I saw what I took to be the Eastern Sea & a Strait or Passage from it into the Western Sea a little to the Eastward of the entrance of the Inlet in which we now lay with the Ship, the main land which lies on the SE side of this inlet appear'd to me to be a narrow ridge of very high hills & to form a part of the SW side of the Strait. The land on the opposite side seem'd to trend away East as far as the Eye could see, to the SEd appear'd an Open Sea & this I took to be the Eastern. I likewise saw some Islands lying on the East side of the inlet which before I had taken to be a part of the Main land. as soon as I had descended the hill & we had refreshed ourselves we set out in order to return to the Ship & in our way passed through & examined the Harbours Coves etc that lay behind the Islands above mentioned. In this rout we met with an old Village in which were a good many Houses but no Body had lived in any of them lately, we likewise saw another that was inhabited but the day being so far spent so that we had not time to go to it but made the best of our way to the Ship which we reached between 8 & 9 o'Clock. In the Night had much rain with Cloudy Hazey wear which continued by intervals until Noon.

Wednesday 24th PM had a fresh breeze Southerly & Cloudy wear  after dinner I employ'd my self in carrying on the Survey of the place & upon one of the Islands where I landed were a number of houses, but no inhabitants neither had any been there lately, in the morning the Gunner was sent a shore with the remainder of the powder to dry & the Longboat was sent with a Gang of hands to one of the Islands to cut Grass for our Sheep & the rest of the people were employ'd about the usual work of the Ship. This forenoon some of us visited the Hippa which is situated on the point of the Island. mentioned on our first arrival the inhabitants of this place shew'd not the least dislike at our coming, but on the Contrary with a great deal of seeming good nature shew'd us all over the place, we found among them some human bones, the flesh of which they told us they had eat, they likewise inform'd us that there was no passage into the Sea thro' this inlet as I had imagined their might because above where I was in the Boat it turn'd away to the Westward. leaving these people we Travelled to the other end of the Island & there took water & cross'd over upon the Main where we met with several Houses that were at present or had very lately been inhabited but we saw but very few of the inhabitants & these were in there boats fishing, after Viewing this place we return'd on board to dinner