14th February 1770

[Cape Pallisser to Banks Peninsula]

P.M. a fresh breeze sprung up at North-East, and we Steer'd South-West by West for the Southermost land we had in sight, which bore from us at sunset South 74 degrees West. At this time we found the Variation to be 15 degrees 4 minutes East. At 8 A.M. it fell Calm; at this time we had run 21 Leagues South 58 degrees West since Yesterday at noon, which brought us abreast of the high Snowy mountain, it bearing from us North-West in this direction. It lay behind a Mountainous ridge of nearly the same height, which riseth directly from the Sea, and runs Parrallel with the Shore, which lies North-East 1/2 North and South-West 1/2 South. The North-East end of the ridge takes its rise but a little way inland from Cape Campbell. These mountains are distinctly seen both from Cape Koamaroo and Cape Pallisser, being distant from the former South-West 1/2 South 22 Leagues, and from the Latter West-South-West 30 Leagues: but they are of a height sufficient to be seen at a much greater distance. By some on board they are thought to be much higher than the Peak of Teneriffe, which I cannot agree to; neither do I think them so high as Mount Egmont, on the South-West Coast of Aeheinomouwe, founding my opinion on the summit of the Latter being almost wholy covered with Snow, whereas it only lies upon these in patches.* (* The highest peak of the Kaikoura Mountains, Mount Tapuaepuka, is 9500 feet high. It is therefore higher than Mount Egmont, but not so high as the Peak of Teneriffe. The snow lies thicker on the western side of New Zealand mountains, so Cook's parallel was fallacious. The Endeavour was now near the Kaikoura Peninsula, where a small town stands at the present day, the shipping port of an agricultural district.) At noon was in the Latitude of 42 degrees 34 minutes South; the Southermost land we had in sight bore South-West 1/2 West, and some low land that made like an Island lying close under the foot of the Ridge North-West by North, distant about 5 or 6 Leagues.

Joseph Banks Journal

Shooting again, killd Nectris munda and Procellaria saltatrix. While I was out 4 Canoes came off from the shore which I had not the least suspicion of, as we were farther from the shore than ever canoes had come before. Signals were made but as the ship was right in the wake of the sun none of them were seen by us till we saw the canoes themselves, when we immedi[a]tely pulld for the ship and got aboard I beleive without the Indians ever seing us so much was their attention taken up with looking at the ship; indeed if they had no bad consequence could have ensued as they were so timourous that they hardly dard venture within call of the ship. They stayd but a little while and then went away, not time enough to get ashore before it was dark, for at sunset we saw them not more than half way between us and the shore. I had two or three oppertunities this even of seeing Albatrosses raise from the Water which they did with great ease; maybe when they are not able to do so (which I have seen) is when they are Gorgd with food.

Sydney Parkinson Journal

We passed Cook's Straits, without seeing them, on the east side of  Toaipoonamoo. The land consists of high ridges of mountains, whose tops, streaked with snow, had but little verdure upon them; and, at the bottom of them, we saw but little low land. In the afternoon, four double canoes, in which were fifty-seven people, came off to us; they had some leaves about their heads, but few cloths on their bodies, and seemed to be poor wretches. They kept aloof from us, nor could we persuade them to traffic with us.