In the morning of Sunday the 12th, two canoes came off full of people whom we had never seen before, but who appeared to have heard of us, by the caution which they used in approaching us.  As we invited them to come alongside with all the tokens of friendship that we could shew, they ventured up, and two of them came on board; the rest traded very fairly for what they had:  A small canoe also came from the other side of the bay, and sold us some very large fish, which they gave us to understand they would have brought yesterday, having caught them the day before, but that the wind was so high they could not venture to sea.

After breakfast I went with the pinnace and yawl, accompanied by Mr Banks and Dr Solander, over to the north side of the bay, to take a view of the country, and two fortified villages which we had discovered at a distance.  We landed near the smallest of them, the situation of which was the most beautifully romantic that can be imagined; it was built upon a small rock, detached from the main, and surrounded at high water.  The whole body of this rock was perforated by an hollow or arch, which possessed much the largest part of it; the top of the arch was above sixty feet perpendicular above the sea, which at high water flowed through the bottom of it:  The whole summit of the rock above the arch was fenced round after their manner; but the area was not large enough to contain more than five or six houses:  It was accessible only by one very narrow and steep path, by which the inhabitants, at our approach, came down, and invited us into the place; but we refused, intending to visit a much more considerable fort of the same kind at about a mile’s distance.  We made some presents, however, to the women, and in the mean time we saw the inhabitants of the town which we were going to, coming towards us in a body, men, women, and children, to the number of about one hundred:  When they came near enough to be heard, they waved their hands and called out Horomai; after which they sat down among the bushes near the beach; these ceremonies we were told were certain signs of their friendly disposition.  We advanced to the place where they were sitting, and when we came up, made them a few presents, and asked leave to visit their Heppah; they consented with joy in their countenances, and immediately led the way.  It is called Wharretouwa, and is situated upon a high promontory or point, which projects into the sea, on the north side, and near the head of the bay:  Two sides of it are washed by the sea, and these are altogether inaccessible; two other sides are to the land:  Up one of them, which is very steep, lies the avenue from the beach; the other is flat and open to the country upon the hill, which is a narrow ridge:  The whole is enclosed by a pallisade about ten feet high, consisting of strong pales bound together with withes.  The weak side next the land is also defended by a double ditch, the innermost of which has a bank and an additional