OCT. 1769 HAWKE'S BAY !8 9 



a reddish-coloured stone or clay, the lower white. Beyond 

 this the country appeared pleasant, with low smooth hills 

 like downs. The captain thought it not necessary to 

 proceed any farther on this side of the coast, so the ship's 

 head was turned to the northward, and the cape thence 

 called Cape Turnagain. At night we were off Hawke's Bay 

 and saw two monstrous fires inland on the hills. We are 

 now inclined to think that these, and most if not all the 

 great fires that we have seen, are made for the convenience 

 of clearing the land for tillage, but for whatever purpose 

 they are a certain indication that where they are the country 

 is inhabited. 



20th. Several canoes followed us, and seemed very 

 peaceably inclined, inviting us to go into a bay they pointed 

 out, where they said was plenty of fresh water. We followed 

 them in, and by eleven came to an anchor. We then 

 invited two, who seemed by their dress to be chiefs, to come 

 on board ; they immediately accepted our invitation. In the 

 meantime those who remained in the canoes traded with our 

 people very fairly for whatever they had in their boats. The 

 chiefs, who were two old men, the one dressed in a jacket 

 ornamented after their fashion with dog skin, the other in 

 one covered almost entirely with some tufts of red feathers, 

 received our presents, and stayed with us till we had dined. 



21st. At daybreak the waterers went ashore, and soon 

 after Dr. Solander and myself did the same. There was a 

 good deal of surf upon the beach, but we landed without 

 much difficulty. The natives sat by our people, but did not 

 intermix with them. They traded, however, for cloth chiefly, 

 giving whatever they had, though they seemed pleased with 

 observing our people, as well as with the gain they got by 

 trading with them ; yet they did not neglect their ordinary 

 occupations. In the morning several of their boats went 

 out fishing, and at dinner-time all went to their respective 

 homes, returning after a certain time. Such fair appearances 

 made Dr. Solander and myself almost trust them ; we ranged 

 all about the bay and were well repaid by finding many 

 plants, and shooting some most beautiful birds. In doing 



