158 cook's SECOND VOYAGE OCT. 



tide rises and falls upon a perpendicular about four 

 or five feet. 



The approach of night brought us all on board, 

 when we hoisted in the boats; and stretching to 

 E. N. E. (with the wind at S. E.) till midnight, we 

 tacked, and spent the remainder of the night making 

 short boards. 



Next morning, at sun-rise, we made sail, stretch- 

 ing to S. S. W., and weathered the island, on the south 

 side of which lie two isles, that serve as roosting and 

 breeding-places for birds. On this, as also on the 

 S. E. side, is a sandy beach ; whereas most of the 

 other shores are bounded by rocky cliffs which have 

 twenty and eighteen fathoms water close to them ; at 

 least so we found it on the N. E. side, and with good 

 anchorage. A bank of coral sand, mixed with shells, 

 on which we found from nineteen to thirty-five or 

 forty fathoms water, surrounds the isle, and extends, 

 especially to the south, seven leagues off. The morn- 

 ing we discovered the island the variation was found 

 to be 13° 9' E. ; but I think this observation gave too 

 much, as others, which we had both before and after, 

 gave 2° less. 



After leaving Norfolk Isle, I steered for New Zea- 

 land, my intention being to touch at Queen Char- 

 lotte's Sound, to refresh my crew, and put the ship 

 in a condition to encounter the southern latitudes. 



On the 17th, at day-break, we saw Mount Eg- 

 mont, which was covered with everlasting snow, 

 bearing S. E. i E. Our distance from the shore 

 was about eight leagues, and, on sounding, we found 

 seventy fathoms water, a muddy bottom. The wind 

 soon fixed in the western board, and blew a fresh 

 gale, with which we steered S. S E. for Queen 

 Charlotte's Sound, with a view of falling in with 

 Cape Stephens. At noon Cape Egmont bore E. N. 

 E., distant three or four leagues ; and though the 

 mount was hid in the clouds, we judged it to be in the 

 same direction as the Cape ; latitude observed 39° 24'. 



