Cloth on. This plant must be very scarce among them, as the Cloth made from it is only worn in small pieces by way of Ornaments at their ears, and even this we have seen but very seldom. Their knowing the use of this sort of Cloth doth in some measure account for the extraordinary fondness they have shew'd for it above every other thing we had to give them. Even a sheet of white paper is of more value than so much English Cloth of any sort whatever; but, as we have been at few places where I have not given away more or less of the latter, it's more than probable that they will soon learn to set a value upon it, and likewise upon Iron, a thing not one of them knows the use of or sets the least value upon; but was European commodities in ever such Esteem among them, they have no one thing of Equal value to give in return, at least that we have seen.
Tuesday, 5th.—P.M., had the winds at S.W. and W.S.W., a fresh breeze. At 3 o'Clock we return'd on board, and after dinner Visited another part of the Bay, but met with nothing new. By the evening all our Empty Casks were fill'd with water, and had at the same time got on board a large quantity of Sellery, which is found here in great Plenty. This I still caused to be boild every morning with Oatmeal and Portable Soup for the Ship's Company's breakfast. At 4 a.m. weigh'd with a light breeze at S.E., but had Variable light Airs and sometimes Calm until near Noon, when a Gentle breeze sprung up at N. At this time we had not got out of the Bay; our Latitude by Observation was 35° 9′ S. This Bay I have before observed, lies on the W. side of Cape Brett: I have named it the Bay of Islands,[1] on account of the Great Number which line its shores, and these help to form Several safe and Commodious Harbours, wherein is room and Depth of Water sufficient for any number of Shipping. The one we lay in is on the S.W. side of S.Westermost Island, that lies on the S.E. side of the Bay. I have made no accurate Survey of this Bay; the time it would have requir'd to have done this discouraged me from attempting it; besides, I thought it quite Sufficient to be able to Affirm with Certainty that it affords a good Anchorage and every kind of refreshment for Shipping, but as this was not the Season for roots, we got only fish. Some few we Caught ourselves with hook and line and in the Sean, but by far the greatest part, we purchased of the Natives, and these of Various sorts, such as Sharks, Stingrays, Breams, Mullet, Mackerel, and several other sorts. Their way of Catching them is the same as ours, viz., with Hook
- ↑ The principal settlement in the Bay of Islands is Russell. A little higher up the Waikare River, at Opua, coal obtained from mines in the vicinity is shipped. At Russell, then called Kororarika, the first settlement of missionaries was formed in 1814 by Samuel Marsden. Here also the Government of the Island was first established in 1840, but was soon removed to Auckland.
