Tuesday, 31st. October 1769

[Off Cape Runaway, North Island, New Zealand.]
At half-past one p.m. hauled round the Island above mentioned, which lies East 1 Mile from the North-East point of the land. The lands from hence Trends North-West by West, and West-North-West, as far as we could see. This point of Land I have called East Cape, because I have great reason to think that it is the Eastermost land on this whole Coast; and for the same reason I have called the Island which lays off it, East Island. It is but of a small circuit, high and round, and appears white and barren. The Cape is of a moderate height with white cliffs, and lies in the Latitude of 37 degrees 42 minutes 30 seconds South, and Longitude 181 degrees 00 minutes West from the Meridian of Greenwich. After we had rounded the East Cape we saw, as we run along shore, a great number of Villages and a great deal of Cultivated land; and in general the country appear'd with more fertility than what we had seen before; it was low near the Sea, but hilly inland. At 8, being 8 leagues to the Westward of Cape East, and 3 or 4 miles from the shore, shortned sail and brought too for the night, having at this Time a fresh Gale at South-South-East and squally weather; but it soon fell moderate, and at 2 a.m. made Sail again to the South-West as the land now Trended. At 8 saw land which made like an Island bearing West. At the same time the South-Westermost part of the Main bore South-West. At 9, five Canoes came off to us, in one of which were upwards of 40 Men all Arm'd with Pikes, etc.; from this and other Circumstances it fully appear'd that they came with no friendly intentions; and I at this Time being very buisey, and had no inclination to stay upon deck to watch their Motions, I order'd a Grape shot to be fir'd a little wide of them. This made them pull off a little, and then they got together either to consult what to do or to look about them. Upon this I order'd a round shott to be fir'd over their heads, which frightend them to that degree that I believe they did not think themselves safe until they got ashore. This occasion'd our calling the Point of land off which this hapned, Cape Runaway. Latitude 37 degrees 32 minutes South, longitude 181 degrees 50 minutes West, and 17 or 18 Leagues to the Westward of East Cape. 4 Leagues to the Westward of East Cape is a bay which I have named Hicks's bay, because Lieutenant Hicks was the first who discover'd it.