the foot of the high land and the Sea is a border of low, flat land, off which lies some rocks, that appear above water. Between this Cape and Cape Turnagain the land near the shore is in many places low and flatt, and appear'd green and pleasant; but inland are many Hills. From Cape Pallisser to Cape Teerawhitte the land is tollerable high, making in Table-points, and the Shore forms 2 Bays; at least it appear'd so, for we were always too far off this part of the Coast to be particular.[1] The wind continued at N.E. until 12 at Night, when it died away, and veer'd round to the W., and afterwards to S. and S.S.E. little wind, so that by noon we had advanced no farther than 41° 52′ S. Lat. Cape Pallisser bearing N., distant 5 Leagues, and the Snowy mountain bore S. 83° W.
Tuesday, 13th.—P.M. light Airs at S.E., the remainder Calm. At Noon found ourselves in the Lat. of 42° 2′ S., Cape Pallisser bearing N. 20° E., distant 8 Leagues.
Wednesday, 14th.—P.M. a fresh breeze sprung up at N.E., and we Steer'd S.W. by W. for the Southermost land we had in sight, which bore from us at sunset S. 74° W. At this time we found the Variation to be 15° 4′ E. At 8 A.M. it fell Calm; at this time we had run 21 Leagues S. 58° W. since Yesterday at noon, which brought us abreast of the high Snowy mountain, it bearing from us N.W. in this direction. It lay behind a Mountainous ridge of nearly the same height, which riseth directly from the Sea, and runs Parrallel with the Shore, which lies N.E. ½ N. and S.W. ½ S. The N.E. end of the ridge takes its rise but a little way inland from Cape Campbell. These mountains are distinctly seen both from Cape Koamaroo and Cape Pallisser, being distant from the former S.W. ½ S. 22 Leagues, and from the Latter W.S.W. 30 Leagues; but they are of a height sufficient to be seen at a much greater distance. By some on board they are thought to be much higher than the Peak of Teneriffe, which I cannot agree to; neither do I think them so high as Mount Egmont, on the S.W. Coast of Aeheinomouwe, founding my opinion on the summit of the Latter being almost wholy covered with Snow, whereas it only lies upon these in patches[2] At noon was in the Lat. of 42° 34′ S.; the Southermost land we had in sight bore S.W. ½ W., and some low land that made like an Island lying close under the foot, of the Ridge N.W. by N., distant about 5 or 6 Leagues.
Thursday, 15th.—In the P.M. 4 Double Canoes, in which were 57
- ↑ The northern of these was the entrance to Port Nicholson, the harbour of Auckland.
- ↑ The highest peak of the Kaikoura Mountains, Mount Tapuaepuka, is 9500 ft. high. It is therefore higher than Mount Egmont, but not so high as the Peak of Teneriffe. The snow lies thicker on the western side of New Zealand mountains, so Cook's parallel was fallacious.
The Endeavour was now near the Kaikoura Peninsula, where a small town stands at the present day, the shipping port of an agricultural district.
