I called
the island that lies off it East Island; it is of a small circuit, high
and round, and appears white and barren: The Cape is high, with white
cliffs, and lies in latitude 37 deg. 42' 30" S. and longitude 181 deg. W. The
land from Tolaga Bay to East Cape is of a moderate, but unequal height,
forming several small bays, in which are sandy beaches: Of the inland
country we could not see much, the weather being cloudy and hazy. The
soundings were from twenty to thirty fathom at the distance of about a
league from the shore. After we had rounded the Cape, we saw in our run
along the shore a great number of villages, and much cultivated land;
the country in general appeared more fertile than before, and was low
near the sea, but hilly within. At six in the evening, being four
leagues to the westward of East Cape, we passed a bay which was first
discovered by Lieutenant Hicks, and which therefore I called Hicks's
Bay. At eight in the evening, being eight leagues to the westward of the
Cape, and three or four miles from the shore, I shortened sail, and
brought-to for the night, having at this time a fresh gale at S.S.E. and
squally; but it soon became moderate, and at two in the morning, we made
sail again to the S.W. as the land now trended; and at eight o'clock in
the morning, saw land, which made like an island, bearing west, the
south-westermost part of the main bearing south-west; and about nine no
less than five canoes came off, in which were more than forty men, all
armed with their country pikes and battle-axes, shouting and threatening
an attack; this gave us great uneasiness, and was indeed what we did not
expect; for we hoped, that the report both of our power and clemency had
spread to a greater extent. When one of these canoes had almost reached
the ship, another, of an immense size, the largest that we had yet seen,
crowded with people, who were also armed, put off from the shore, and
came up at a great rate; as it approached it received signals from the
canoe that was nearest to the ship, and we could see that it had sixteen
paddles on a side, beside people that sat, and others that stood in a
row from stem to stern, being in all about sixty men: As they made
directly to the ship, we were desirous of preventing an attack, by
showing what we could do; and therefore fired a gun, loaded with
grape-shot, a-head of them: This made them stop, but not retreat; a
round shot was then fired over them, and upon seei