Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71Cook, James
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Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71
Cook, James
Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Early works to 1800; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
Saturday, 25th. P.M., had fresh Gales at South-West, and Squally weather.
We kept standing along Shore to the North-West, having the Main land on
the one side and Islands on the other; our Soundings were from 26 to 12
fathoms. At 1/2 past 7 p.m. we Anchor'd in a Bay in 14 fathoms, sandy
bottom. We had no sooner come to an Anchor than we caught between 90 and
100 Bream (a fish so called), this occasioned my giving this place the
Name of Bream Bay.* (* Whangarei Bay.) The 2 points which forms this Bay
lie North and South 5 Leagues from each other. The Bay is every where
pretty broad and between 3 and 4 Leagues deep; at the bottom of it their
appears to be a fresh water River.* (* Whangarei River. The district is
very fertile. Coal mines are in the vicinity, and coal is exported.) The
North head of the Bay, called Bream head, is high land and remarkable on
account of several peaked rocks ranged in order upon the top of it; it
lies in the Latitude 35 degrees 46 minutes South and North 41 degrees
West, distant 17 1/2 Leagues from Cape Colvill. This Bay may likewise be
known by some Small Islands lying before it called the Hen and Chickens,
one of which is pretty high and terminates at Top in 2 peaks. The land
between Point Rodney and Bream Head, which is 10 Leagues, is low and
wooded in Turfs, and between the Sea and the firm land are white sand
banks. We saw no inhabitants but saw fires in the Night, a proof that the
Country is not uninhabited. At daylight A.M. we left the Bay and directed
our Course along shore to the northward, having a Gentle breeze at South
by West and Clear weather. A little after sunrise found the Variation to
be 12 degrees 42 minutes Easterly. At Noon, our Latitude by observation
was 36 degrees 36 minutes South; Bream head bore South distant 10 Miles;
some small Islands (Poor Knights) at North-East by North distant 3
Leagues, and the Northermost land in sight bore North-North-West, being
at this Time 2 miles from the Shore, and in this Situation had 26
fathoms; the land here about is rather low and pretty well cover'd with
wood and seems not ill inhabited.
[Off Cape Brett, North Island, New Zealand.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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