The Cloth we got at King George's Island and
Ulietea, they valued more than anything we could give them, and as every
one in the Ship were provided with some of this sort of Cloth, I suffer'd
every body to purchase what ever they pleased without limitation; for by
this means I knew that the Natives would not only sell but get a good
Price for every thing they brought. This I thought would induce them to
bring to Market whatever the Country afforded, and I have great reason to
think that they did, yet it amounted to no more than what is above
mentioned. We saw no 4 footed Animals, either Tame or Wild, or signs of
any, except Dogs and Rats,* (* Cook's powers of observation are here
evident. There were no other quadrupeds in New Zealand.) and these were
very Scarce, especially the latter. The flesh of the former they eat, and
ornament their clothing with their skins as we do ours with furs, etc.
While we lay here I went upon some of the Hills in order to View the
Country, but when I came there I could see but very little of it, the
sight being interrupted by still higher hills. The Tops and ridges of the
Hills are for the most part barren, at least little grows on them but
fern; but the Valleys and sides of many of the Hills were luxuriously
clothed with woods and Verdure and little Plantations of the Natives
lying dispers'd up and down the Country. We found in the Woods, Trees of
above 20 different sorts; Specimens of each I took on board, as all of
them were unknown to any of us. The Tree which we cut for firing was
something like Maple and yeilded a whitish Gum. There was another sort of
a deep Yellow which we imagin'd might prove useful in dying. We likewise
found one Cabage Tree* (* Palm.) which we cut down for the sake of the
cabage. The Country abounds with a great Number of Plants, and the woods
with as great a variety of beautiful birds, many of them unknown to us.
The soil of both the hills and Valleys is light and sandy, and very
proper for producing all kinds of Roots, but we saw only sweet potatoes
and Yams among them; these they plant in little round hills, and have
plantations of them containing several Acres neatly laid out and keept in
good order, and many of them are fenced in with low paling which can only
serve for Ornament.

Monday, 30th. P.M. little wind and cloudy weather. At 1 Tack'd and stood
in shore; at 7 o'Clock Tolaga Bay bore West-North-West, distant one
League. Tack'd and lay her head off; ha