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the naked eye. It is remarkable, that the Endeavour was three weeks in making tenleagues to the weftward. On the morning of the 4th they flood along the fhore, thecoaft appearing fandy and barren. They faw a fun-fifh, fhort and thick in figure, withtwo large fins, but fcarce any tail, refembling a fhark in colour and fize.
On the 9th they faw a point remarkably high to the eafl-north-eafl; the captainnamed it Albetrofs Point, on the north fide of which a bay is formed that promifesgood anchorage. At about two leagues diflance from Albetrofs Point, to the north-eaft, they difcovered a remarkable high mountain, equal in height to that of TenerifFe,the fummit of which was covered with fnow, and it was named Mount Egmont . Thisday fome very heavy fhowers of rain fell, accompanied with thunder and lightning.The captain propofed careening the fhip here, and taking in wood and water; andaccordingly, on the 15th, fleered for an inlet. Here they faw a fea-lion ; it is a very-curious creature, and anfwers the defcription given of it in Lord Anfon’s Voyage. Inpalling the point of the bay, they obferved an armed fentinel on duty, who was twicerelieved. Four canoes came from fhore to vifit the fhip, but none of the Indians wouldventure on board, except an old man, who feemed of elevated rank ; he was receivedwith the utmofl hofpitality. The captain and the other gentlemen now went on fhore,where they met with plenty of wood and water, and were very fuccefsful in fifhing,catching fome hundred weight in a fhort time.
On the 16th, the Endeavour’s people were engaged in careening her, when threecanoes came off with a great number of Indians, and brought feveral of their womenwith them. This circumflance was judged a favourable prefage of their peaceabledifpofition; but they foon gave proofs of the contrary, by attempting to flop the long-boat that was fent a fhore for water, when Captain Cook had recourfe to the old expe-dient of firing fome fhot, which intimidated them for the prefent. Tupia, in converfingwith them, and making many inquiries concerning the curiofities of New Zealand ,afked them, if they had ever before feen a fhip of the magnitude of the Endeavour;to which they replied, they had never feen fuch a veffel, nor ever heard that one hadbeen upon the coaft. There is great plenty of fifh in all the coves of this bay ; amongothers here are cuttle-fifh, large breams, fmall grey breams, frnall and large baracootas,flying gurnards, horfe-mackerel, dog-fifh, foies, dabs, mullets, drums, fcorpenas orfock-fifh,' cole-fifh, fliags, chimeras, &c. The inhabitants catch their fifh as follows :their net is cylindrical, extended by feveral hoops at the bottom, and contra&ed at thetop; the fifh going in to feed upon what is put in the net, are caught in greatabundance. There are alfo birds of various kinds, and in great numbers, particularly,parrots, wood-pigeons, water-hens, hawks, and many different finging birds. An herb,a fpecies of Philadelphus, w'as ufed here jinftead of tea ; and a plant, called teegoome,Refembling rug-cloaks, ferved the natives for garments. The environs of the covewhere the Endeavour lay are covered entirely with wood, and the fupple-jacks are fottnmerous, that it is with difficulty paffengers can purfue their way ; here is a numerousfand-fly that is very difagreeable. The tops of many of the hills are covered withfern. The air of the country is very moifl, and has fome qualities that promote putre-faction, as birds that had be 5 n fhot but a few hours were found with maggots in them.They difpofe of their dead in a very fingular manner: they tie a large ftone to the body,and throw it into the fea. Ihe gentlemen faw the body of a woman which had beenAifpofed of this way, but which by fome accident had difengaged itfelf from the ftone,floating upon the water. The captain, Mr. Banks , and the doctor, vifited a cove, abouttwo miles from the fhip. There was a family of Indians, who were greatly alarmed attbe approach of the gentlemen, all running away except one ; but upon Tupia’s con-
v °n. xi. 3 z verfing