t requires no
discription to know it by, the Latitude and the Angle made here by the
Coast will be found quite sufficient; however, there is a remarkable
saddle hill laying near the Shore, 3 or 4 Leagues South-West of the Cape.
From 1 to 4 Leagues North of the Cape the Shore seem'd to form 2 or 3
Bays, wherein there appear'd to be Anchorage and Shelter from South-West,
Westerly, and North-West winds.* (* One of these is Otago Harbour, where
lies Dunedin, perhaps the most important commercial city in New Zealand.)
I had some thoughts of bearing up for one of these places in the morning
when the Wind came to South-West, but the fear of loosing time and the
desire I had of pushing to the Southward, in order to see as much of the
Coast as possible, or, if this land should prove to be an Island, to get
round it, prevented me. Being not far from the Shore all this morning, we
had an Opportunity of Viewing the Land pretty distinctly; it is of a
Moderate height, full of Hills, which appear'd green and Woody, but we
saw not the least signs of inhabitants. At Noon Cape Saunders bore North
30 degrees West, distant 4 Leagues. Latitude per Log, for we had no
Observation, 46 degrees 0 minutes South.
Monday, 26th. In the P.M. had the wind Whifling all round the Compass,
sometimes blowing a fresh Gale, and at other times almost Calm. At 5
o'Clock it fixed at West-South-West, and soon blow'd so hard as to put us
past our Topsails, and to split the foresail all to pieces. After getting
another to the Yard, we continued standing to the Southward under 2
Courses. At 1 A.M. the wind Moderating, set the Topsails with one Reef
out; but soon after day light the Gale increased to a Storm, with heavy
Squalls, attended with rain. This brought us again under our Courses, and
the Main Topsail being Split we unbent it and bent another. At 6 o'Clock
the Southermost land in sight bore West by North, and Cape Saunders bore
North by West, distant 8 Leagues; at Noon it bore North 20 minutes West,
distant 14 Leagues. Latitude observed 46 degrees 35 minutes.
Tuesday, 27th. A very hard gale at South-West by West, and
West-South-West, with heavy squalls attended with Showers of rain, and a
large hollow sea, without the least intermission the whole of this 24
Hours. We continued under our Courses from Noon until 7 P.M., when we
handed the Mainsail, and lay too under the Foresail with the head to the
Southward. Latitude at Noon 46 degrees 54 minutes; Longitu
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