In the afternoon we had a fresh breeze at west, and during the night variable light airs and calms:  In the morning a gentle breeze sprung up between the N.W. and N.E. and having till now stood to the southward, without seeing any probability of meeting with a harbour, and the country manifestly altering for the worse, I thought that standing farther in that direction would be attended with no advantage, but on the contrary would be a loss of time that might be employed with a better prospect of success in examining the coast to the northward; about one, therefore, in the afternoon, I tacked, and stood north, with a fresh breeze at west.  The high bluff head, with yellowish cliffs, which we were a-breast of at noon, I called Cape Turnagain, because here we turned back.  It lies in latitude 40 deg. 34’ S. longitude 182 deg. 55’ W., distant eighteen leagues S.S.W. and S.S.W. 1/2 W. from Cape Kidnappers.  The land between them is of a very unequal height; in some places it is lofty next the sea with white cliffs, in others low, with sandy beaches:  The face of the country is not so well clothed with wood as it is about Hawke’s bay, but looks more like our high downs in England:  It is, however, to all appearance, well inhabited, for as we stood along the shore, we saw several villages, not only in the vallies, but on the tops and sides of the hills, and smoke in many other places.  The ridge of mountains, which has been mentioned before, extends to the southward farther than we could see, and was then every where chequered with snow.  At night we saw two fires inland, so very large, that we concluded they must have been made to clear the land for tillage; but however that be, they are a demonstration that the part of the country where they appeared is inhabited.

On the 18th, at four o’clock in the morning, Cape Kidnappers bore N. 32 W. distant two leagues:  In this situation we had sixty-two fathom, and when the Cape bore W. by N. distant three or four leagues, we had forty-five fathom:  In the mid-way between the isle of Portland and the Cape we had sixty-five fathom.  In the evening, being abreast of the peninsula, within Portland island, called Terakako, a canoe came off from that shore, and with much difficulty overtook the ship; there were on board five people, two of whom appeared to be chiefs, and the other three servants:  The chiefs, with very little invitation, came on board, and ordered the rest to remain in their canoe.  We treated them with great kindness, and they were not backward in expressing their satisfaction; they went down into the cabin, and after a short time told us that they had determined not to go on shore till the next morning.  As the sleeping on board was an honour which we neither expected nor desired, I remonstrated strongly against it, and told them, that on their account it would not be proper, as the ship would probably be at a great distance from where she was then, the next morning:  They persisted,