1st December 1769

[At Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand]

Winds at North-North-West a Gentle breeze. At 3 p.m., the Boats having return'd from sounding, I went with them over to the South side of the Harbour, and landed upon the Main, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. We met with nothing new or remarkable. The place where we landed was in a small sandy Cove, where there are 2 small Streams of Fresh Water and Plenty of Wood for fuel. Here were likewise several little Plantations planted with Potatoes and Yams. The Soil and Natural produce of the Country was much the same as what we have hitherto met with. The people we saw behaved to us with great marks of friendship. In the evening we had Some very heavy showers of rain, and this brought us on board sooner than we intended. A.M., the wind being still contrary, I sent some people ashore upon the Island to cut Grass for our Sheep, in the doing of which the inhabitants gave them no sort of disturbance, and in the same friendly manner did those behave that were alongside the Ship. Punished Matthew Cox with 6 Lashes, and then dismiss'd him.

Joseph Banks Journal

Several Canoes were on board by Day break and sold some things cheifly for Indian Cloth and quart bottles. The day misty and stewy: the boats were on shore on the Island which we searchd on the 29th with so little success that we did not think it worth while to go ashore.

It is now a long time since I have mentiond their custom of Eating human flesh, as I was loth a long time to beleive that any human beings could have among them so brutal a custom. I am now however convincd and shall here give a short account of what we have heard from the Indians concerning it. At Taoneroa the first place we landed in on the Continent the boys who we had on board mentiond it of their own accords, asking whether the meat they eat was not human flesh, as they had no Idea of any animal but a man so large till they saw our sheep: they however seemd ashamd of the custom, saying that the tribe to which they belongd did not use it but that another very near did. Since that we have never faild wherever we went ashore and often when we convers'd with canoes to ask the question; we have without one exception been answerd in the affirmative, and several times as at Tolaga and today the people have put themselves into a heat by defending the Custom, which Tubia who had never before heard of such a thing takes every Occasion to speak ill of, exhorting them often to leave it off. They however as universaly agree that they eat none but the bodies of those of their enemies who are killd in war, all others are buried.