Transcription

New Zealand
1770 February
Wednesday 7th. In the PM a light breeze at NbW with which we got out of the Sound & stood over to the Eastward in order to get the Strait well open before the tide of Ebb. made, at 7 the 2 Small Islands which lies off Cape Koamaroo or the SE head of Queen Charlotte's Sound bore E. dist. 4 Miles at this time we had it nearly Calm & the tide of Ebb making out we were Carried by the Rapidity of the Stream in a very short time close upon one of the Islands where we narrowly escaped being dashed against the Rocks. by bringing the Ship to an Anchor in 75 fam. Water with 150 fam. of Cable out, even this would not have saved us had not the Tide which first set SbE. by meeting with the Island changed its direction to a SE. & carried us past the first point. when the Ship was brot. up she was about 2 Cables Lengths off the Rocks & in the Strength of the Stream which set SE. at least 4 or 5 Knoth or Miles p. Hour, a little before 12 o'clock the Tides abated & we began to heave, by 3 the Anchor was at the bows & having a light breeze at NW. we made sail over for the Eastern Shore, but having the tide against us we made but little way, the Wind afterwards freshened & came to N. & NE. with which the tide of Ebb we were in a short time hurried thro' the narrowest part of the Strait
[Margin note] Cooks Straits
& then stood away for the Southernmost land, we had in sight which bore from us SbW, over this land appeared a prodigious high Mountain the Summit of which was covered with Snow. The narrowest part of the Strait we have pafsed lies between Cape Koamaroo on Tovy-pocnammu & Cape Teerawhitte on Aeheinomowwe the distance from the one to the other I judged to be between 4 & 5 Leag. & notwithstanding the strength of the Tides now that it is known, there is no great danger in pafsing it, in the doing of which I am of the opinion that the NE Shore is the safest to keep upon, for upon that side there appeared no danger whereas on the other shore there are not only the Islands & Rocks lying off Cape Koamaroo for I discover'd from the hill from which I had the Second View of the Strait a Reef of Rocks stretching from these Islands 6 or 7 Miles to the Southward & lay about 2 or 3 Miles off from the Shore. I shall not pretend here to afsign limits to the length of this Strait a view of the Chart will best illustrate that, about N. 9 Leags. from Cape Teerawhitte under the same shore is a high remarkable Island that may be distinctly seen from Queen Charlotte sound from which it lies NEbE/½ E dist. 6 or 7 Leagues. I have called it Entry Isle & was taken Notice of when we first past it on Sunday 14 of last Month, on the East side of Cape Teerawhitte the Land Trends away SEbE about 8 Leagues where it ends in a Point & is the Southern. land on Aeheonomouwe which I have named Cape Pallifser in Honour of my worthy friend Capt. Pallifser Latde. 41º:34' S. Longde.158º:0'. It bore from us this day at Noon S. 79º E. dist. 12 or 13 Leagues being
 

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