

FEB. 1770 PASS COOK'S STRAITS 217 



which proved to be a strong tide, and which set her directly 

 upon a rock. We had approached very near to this when 

 the anchor was dropped, and she was brought up about 

 a cable's length from it. We were now sensible of the 

 force of the tide, which roared like a mill-stream, and ran 

 at four knots at least when it flowed the fastest, for the 

 rate varied much. It ran in this manner till twelve o'clock, 

 when, with the slack water, we got up the anchor with 

 great difficulty, and a light breeze from the northward soon 

 cleared us from our dangers. 



8^. As some of the officers declared last night that they 

 thought it probable that the land we have been round might 

 communicate by an isthmus situated somewhere .between 

 where we now are and Cape Turnagain (though the whole 

 distance is estimated at no more than ninety miles), the 

 captain resolved to stand to the northward till he should 

 see that cape, which was accordingly done. 



Three canoes put off from the shore, and with very little 

 invitation came on board. The people appeared richer and 

 more cleanly than any we have seen since we were in the 

 Bay of Islands ; their canoes also were ornamented in the 

 same manner as those we had formerly seen in the north of 

 the island. They were always more civil in their behaviour, 

 and on having presents made them, immediately made 

 presents to us in return (an instance we have not before met 

 with in this island). All these things inclined me to 

 believe that we were again come to the dominions of Teratu. 

 but on asking they said that he was not their king. 



9th. By eleven o'clock Cape Turnagain was in sight, 

 which convinced everybody that the land was really an 

 island, on which we once more turned the ship's head to 

 the southward. 



~L4th. I had two or three opportunities this evening of 

 seeing albatrosses rise from the water, which they did with 

 great ease ; maybe they are not able to do so (as I have 

 seen) when they are gorged with food. 



This morning we were close to a new island l which 



1 Banks' Peninsula : it is not an island. 



