12th April 1769

Tahiti

Variable, light Airs all these 24 Hours, and Hot sultry weather. At 5 p.m. King George's Island extending from North-West by West to South-West, distance 6 or 7 Leagues; and at 6 a.m. it bore from South-South-West to West by North, being little wind with Calms. Several of the Natives came off to us in their Canoes, but more to look at us than anything else. We could not prevail with any of them to come on board, and some would not come near the ship. Wind variable; course West; distance 18 miles; latitude 17 degrees 38 minutes South, longitude 148 degrees 58 minutes West; at noon, King George's Island, from South to West by North, 5 leagues.

Joseph Banks Journal

Very nearly calm all last night, Georges Land was now but little nearer to us than last night, the tops of the hills were wrap'd in clouds. About 7 a small breeze sprung up and we saw some Canoes coming off to us, by ten or eleven they were up with us. I forbear to say any thing about either people or canoes as I shall have so many better opportunities of observing them: we however bought their cargoes consisting of fruits and cocoa nuts which were very acceptable to us after our long passage.

Sydney Parkinson’s Journal

The sea being mostly calm in the forenoon, we could get very little nearer land; but many of the Indians came off to us in canoes (one of which was double, and had much carved work upon it) bringing with them cocoa nuts, and apples, to truck for nails, buttons, and beads. These canoes were but just wide enough for one person to fit in the breadth: to prevent them from oversetting, they place out riggers, upon the top of which is fixed a bamboe fishing rod. The people in the canoes were of a pale, tawny, complexion, and had long black hair. They seemed to be very good-natured, and not of a covetous disposition; giving us a couple of cocoa nuts, or a basket of apples, for a button, or a nail.

While we lay before these islands, we had squalls of wind, some calms, and heavy showers of rain. Toward night we opened the N. W. point, and discovered the island named by the Dolphin's people, York Island, and called by the natives, as we afterwards learned, Eimayo. A breeze springing up, we lay off and on all that night.