Jarvis, in his History of the Hawaiian or Sandwich Islands, says that with Cook “a silence in regard to the maritime efforts of his predecessors is observable throughout his Journals”; and as a proof that he traded on the knowledge of others, he remarks that at Otaheite he made enquiries if there were any islands to the north; and afterwards evinced no surprise when he discovered them.  Now Cook in his Journals constantly shows that he compares his knowledge with that of others, and often regrets he has not further records to consult.  As for his enquiries, he would have been grossly neglecting his duty had he not made them, for it was only a commonsense method of procedure, which evidently Mr. Jarvis could not understand.  The result of these enquiries can be seen in the British Museum in the shape of a map drawn by Cook from information given by Tupia.  On it are some sentences in the Otaheitan language.

CHAPTER 9. 1769 TO 1770.  NEW ZEALAND.

Leaving the Society Islands on 9th August, they were off Ohetiroa (Rurutu), in the Central Group, on the 14th, but the natives were unfriendly, and they did not land.  A canoe came out to meet the pinnace which had been sent to obtain information.  The occupants, on being presented with gifts, tried to steal the lot, and were fired over, but by some mischance one of the natives was slightly wounded in the head, whereupon they hurriedly retreated, and further attempts at communication were abandoned.  From this place the course was laid to the south to strike the much-talked-of Southern Continent.  The weather rapidly got colder, and the pigs and fowls began to sicken and die.  On 26th August they celebrated the anniversary of leaving England by cutting a Cheshire cheese and tapping a cask of porter, which proved excellent.

On the 28th an unfortunate death occurred; the boatswain’s mate, John Reading, was given some rum by his chief, and it is supposed drunk it off at once, for he was shortly afterwards found to be very drunk, and was taken to his berth, but next morning was past recovery.

On 2nd September, in latitude 40 degrees 22 minutes South, the weather was very bad, and “having not the least visible signs of land,” Cook again turned northwards, in order to get better weather and then to push west.  The continuous swell convinced him there was no large body of land to the south for many leagues.  Towards the end of September frequent signs were noted of being near land, floating seaweed, wood, the difference in the birds, etc., so a gallon of rum was offered to the first to sight land, and on 7th October the North Island of New Zealand, never before approached from the east by Europeans, was seen by a boy named Nicholas Young, the servant of Mr. Perry, surgeon’s mate.  The boy’s name is omitted from the early muster sheets of the ship, but appears on 18th April 1769, entered as A.B. in the place of Peter Flower, drowned.  Cook named the point seen, the south-west point of Poverty Bay, Young Nick’s Head.