Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/216

140 3 p.m. passed by a remarkable head, which I called Gable end Foreland on account of the very great resemblance the white cliff at the very point hath to the Gable end of a House. It is made still more remarkable by a Spir'd Rock standing a little distance from it. This head land lies from Cape Table N. 24° E., distant 12 Leagues. Between them the Shore forms a Bay, wherein lies Poverty Bay, 4 Leagues from the former and 8 Leagues from the Latter. From Gable end Foreland the land trends N. by E. as far as we could see. The land from Poverty Bay to this place is of a moderate but very unequal height, distinguished by Hills and Vallies that are Cover'd with woods. We saw, as we run along shore, several Villages, cultivated lands, and some of the Natives. In the evening some Canoes came off to the Ship, and one Man came on board to whom we gave a few Trifles and then sent him away. Stood off and on until daylight, and then made sail in shore in order to look into 2 Bays that appear'd to our view about 2 Leagues to the Northward of the Foreland. The Southermost we could not fetch, but in the other we Anchor'd about 11 o'Clock in 7 fathoms, a black sandy bottom. The N. point bore N.E. ½ N., distant 2 Miles, and the S. Point S.E. by E., distant one Mile, and about ¾ of a Mile from the Shore. This Bay is not so much Shelter'd from the Sea as I at first thought it was; but as the Natives, many of whom came about us in their Canoes, appear'd to be of a friendly disposition, I was willing to try if we could not get a little water on board, and to see a little into the Nature of the Country before we proceeded further to the Northward.

Saturday, 21st.—We had no sooner come to an Anchor, as mentioned above, than perceiving 2 old Men in the Canoes, who from their Garbe appear'd to be Chiefs, these I invited on board, and they came without Hesitation. To each I gave about 4 Yards of linnen and a Spike Nail; the linnen they were very fond of, but the Nails they seem'd to set no Value upon. Tupia explain'd to them the reasons of our Coming here, and that we should neither hurt nor Molest them if they did but behave in the same peaceable manner to us; indeed, we were under very little apprehension but what they would, as they had heard of what hapned in Poverty Bay. Between 1 and 2 p.m. I put off with the Boats mann'd and Arm'd in order to land to look for fresh Water, these 2 Men along with us; but the surf running very high, and it begun to blow and rain at the same time, I returned back to the Ship, having first put the 2 Chiefs into one of their Canoes. In the evening it fell moderate, and we landed and found 2 Small Streams of Fresh Water, and the Natives to all appearance very friendly and peaceable; on which account I resolved to Stay one day at least, to fill a little water and to give Mr. Banks an opportunity to Collect