As we had now circumnavigated the whole country, it became necessary to think of quitting it; but as I had thirty tons of empty water casks on board, this could not be done till I had filled them:  I therefore hauled round the island, and entered a bay which lies between that and Queen Charlotte’s Sound, leaving three more islands, which lay close under the western shore, between three or four miles within the entrance, on our starboard hand:  While we were running in, we kept the lead continually going, and had from forty to twelve fathom.  At six o’clock in the evening, we anchored in eleven fathom with a muddy bottom, under the west shore, in the second cove, that lies within the three islands; and as soon as it was light the next morning, I took a boat, and went on shore to look for a watering-place, and a proper birth for the ship, both which I found, much to my satisfaction.  As soon as the ship was moored, I sent an officer on shore to superintend the watering, and the carpenter, with his crew, to cut wood, while the long-boat was employed in landing the empty casks.

In this employment we were busy till the 30th, when the wind seeming to settle at S.E. and our water being nearly completed, we warped the ship out of the cove, that we might have room to get under sail:  And at noon I went away in the pinnace to examine as much of the bay as my time would admit.

After rowing about two leagues up it, I went ashore upon a point of land on the western side, and having climbed a hill, I saw the western arm of this bay run in S.W. by W. about five leagues farther, yet I could not discover the end of it:  There appeared to be several other inlets, or at least small bays, between this and the north-west head of Queen Charlotte’s Sound, in each of which, I make no doubt, there is anchorage and shelter, as they are all covered from the sea-wind by the islands which lie without them.  The land about this bay, as far as I could see of it, is of a hilly surface, chiefly covered with trees, shrubs, and fern, which render travelling difficult and fatiguing.  In this excursion I was accompanied by Mr Banks and Dr Solander, who found several new plants.  We met with some huts, which seemed to have been long deserted, but saw no inhabitants.  Mr Banks examined several of the stones that lay upon the beach, which were full of veins, and had a mineral appearance; but he did not discover any thing in them which he knew to be ore:  If he had had an opportunity to examine any of the bare rocks, perhaps he might have been more fortunate.  He was also of opinion that what I had taken for marble in another place, was a mineral substance; and that, considering the correspondence of latitude between this place and South America, it was not improbable but that, by a proper examination, something very valuable might be found.