15th January 1770

[In North Part of Cook's Strait]

Fore and Middle parts, fresh breezes between the West and North-West and fair weather. At 8 p.m. we were within 2 Leagues of the Land, we discover'd in the morning, having run 10 Leagues since Noon; the land seen then bearing South 63 degrees West bore now North 59 degrees West, distant 7 or 8 Leagues and makes like an Island. Between this land or Island and Cape Egmont is a very broad and Deep Bay or inlet the South-West side of which we are now upon, and here the Land is of a Considerable height, distinguished by Hills and Valleys, and the Shore seems to form several Bays, into one of which I intend to go with the Ship in order to Careen her (she being very foul) and to repair some few defects, recruit our Stock of Wood, Water, etc. With this View we Keept plying on and off all Night, having from 80 to 63 fathoms Water; at daylight stood in for an inlet which runs in South-West.* (* Queen Charlotte's Sound, in the north-east part of the Middle Island.) At 8 a.m. we were got within the Entrance which may be known by a Reef of Rocks stretching off from the North-West point, and some rocky Islands lying off the South-East point. At 9 o'clock being little wind and Variable we were carried by the Tide or Current within 2 Cables length of the North-West Shore where we had 54 fathoms, but with the help of our Boats we got Clear, at this time we saw rise up twice near the Ship a Sea Lyon, the Head of which was Exactly like the head of the Male one described by Lord Anson. We likewise saw a Canoe with some of the Natives cross the Bay, and a Village situated upon a point of an Island, which lies 7 or 8 miles with the Entrance. At Noon we were the length of this Island, and being little wind had the Boats ahead Towing.

Joseph Banks Journal

In the course of the last night we were drove to the Eastward more than we had any reason to expect, so much that we found ourselves in the morn past the harbour we intended to go into. Another however was in sight into which we went: the land on both sides appeard most miserably barren till we got pretty deep in when it began to mend by gradual degrees. Here we saw some canoes who instead of coming towards us went to an Indian town or fort built upon an Island nearly in the middle of the passage, which appeard crowded with people as if they had flockd to it from all parts; as the ship aproachd it they wavd to us as if to invite us to come to them but the moment we had passd by they set up a loud shout and every man brandishd his weapons which none of them were without. The countrey about us was now very fertile to appearance and well wooded so we came to an anchor about long cannon shot from the fort, from whence 4 Canoes were immediately dispatchd to reconoitre I suppose and in case they were able to take us, as they were all well armd. The men in these boats were dressd much as they are represented in Tasmans figure, that is 2 corners of the cloth they wore were passd over their shoulders and fastned to the rest of it just below their breast, but few or none had feathers in their hair. They rowd round and round the ship defying and threatning us as usual and at last hove some stones aboard which we all expected to be a prelude of some behaviour which would oblige us to fire upon them; but just at this time a very old man in one of the boats express'd a desire of coming on board, which we immediately encouraged, and threw a rope into his canoe by which she was immediately hawld up along side and the old man (contrary to the opinion of all the other Indians who went so far as to hold him fast for some time) came on board, where he was receivd in as freindly a manner as we possibly could and had many presents given to him, with which he returnd to the canoes who immediately joind in a war dance-- whether to shew their freindship or enmity it is impossible to say, we have so often seen them do it upon both those occasions. After this they retird to their town and we went ashore abreast of the ship where we found good wood and water and caught more fish in the Seine than all our people could possibly destroy, besides shooting a multitude of Shaggs. The countrey however did not answer so well to Dr Solander and myself as to the ship, we finding only 2 new plants in the whole even.

Sydney Parkinson Journal

In the forenoon, having reached to the farther end of the supposed bay, we entered into a smaller, or rather a harbour, it being land-locked on every side. At the entrance of this harbour there are two islands, on the smallest of which, we discovered a Hippa: we passed very near it, and the natives flocked in crouds to gaze at us. We stood in for a little cove, and anchored within two cables length of the shore, opposite to a small rivulet which ran into the sea. Some of our people went on shore, and shot some birds: we also hauled the sein, and caught a large draught of fishes, some of which weighed twenty-one pounds; and, on the shore, we found muscles, and other sorts of shell-fish, in great plenty.