24th February 1770

[Off Timaru, Middle Island, New Zealand]
Calm until 6 p.m., at which time a light breeze sprung up at East-North-East, with which we steer'd South-South-East all night, edging off from the Land because of a hollow swell which we had from the South-East; depth of water from 60 to 75 fathoms. At daylight the wind began to freshen, and before noon blowed a fresh Gale, and veer'd to North-North-East; at 8 a.m. Saw the land extending as far as South-West by South, which we steer'd directly for, and at Noon we were in the Latitude of 45 degrees 22 minutes South; the land in sight extending from South-West 1/2 South to North-North-West making high and hilly. Course and distance run since Yesterday at Noon is South 15 degrees West, 47 Miles. In the P.M., while we lay becalm'd, Mr. Banks, in a small Boat, shott 2 Port Egmont Hens, which were in every respect the same sort of Birds as are found in great Numbers upon the Island of Faro; they are of a very dark brown plumage, with a little white about the under side of their wings, and are as large as a Muscovy Duck. These were the first that we have seen since we arrived upon the Coast of this Country, but we saw of them for some days before we made land.

Joseph Banks Journal
Fresh breeze of wind and fair so we went along shore briskly but kept so far off from it that no observations could be made: we can only say that we did not see any fires, other signs of people we could not have seen by reason of our distance had they been ever so numerous or conspicuous. In the evening the land ahead inclind a good deal to the West. We were now on board of two parties, one who wishd that the land in sight might, the other that it might not be a continent: myself have always been most firm for the former, tho sorry I am to say that in the ship my party is so small that I firmly beleive that there are no more heartily of it than myself and one poor midshipman, the rest begin to sigh for roast beef.

Sydney Parkinson Journal
Having beat to windward for several days without gaining any way, with the weather gloomy and very cold, on Saturday, the 24th, we had a fresh breeze from the north, which carried us round the outermost point, which we called Cape Saunders: beyond which the land tended away to the S. W.

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