It cannot be supposed that we could know much, either of their civil or religious policy, in so short a time as four or five days, especially as we understood but little of their language:  Even the two islanders we had on board could not at first understand them, and yet as we became the more acquainted with them, we found their language was nearly the same spoken at Otaheite and the Society Isles.  The difference not being greater than what we find betwixt the most northern and western parts of England, as will more fully appear by the vocabulary.

CHAPTER IV.

Passage from Amsterdam to Queen Charlotte’s Sound, with an Account of an Interview with the Inhabitants, and the final Separation of the two Ships.

1773 October

About the time we were in a condition to make sail, a canoe, conducted by four men, came along-side, with one of those drums already mentioned, on which one man kept continually beating; thinking, no doubt, the music would charm us.  I gave them a piece of cloth and a nail, for the drum; and took an opportunity to send to my friend Attago some wheat, pease, and beans, which I had forgot to give him when he had the other seeds.  As soon as this canoe was gone, we made sail to the southward, having a gentle gale at S.E. by E.; it being my intention to proceed directly to Queen Charlotte’s Sound in New Zealand, there to take in wood and water, and then to go on farther discoveries to the south and east.

In the afternoon on the 8th, we made the island of Pilstart, bearing S.W. by W. 1/2 W., distant seven or eight leagues.  This island, which was also discovered by Tasman, is situated in the latitude of 22 deg. 26’ south, longitude 175 deg. 59’ west, and lies in the direction of S. 52 deg. west, distant thirty-two leagues from the south end of Middleburg.  It is more conspicuous in height than circuit; having in it two considerable hills, seemingly disjoined from each other by a low valley.  After a few hours calm the wind came to S.W.; with which we stretched to the S.E.; but on the 10th, it veered round by the south to the S.E. and E.S.E. and then we resumed our course to the S.S.W.

At five o’clock in the morning of the 21st, we made the land of New Zealand, extending from N.W. by N. to W.S.W.; at noon, Table Cape bore west, distant eight or ten leagues.  I was very desirous of having some intercourse with the natives of this country as far to the north as possible; that is, about Poverty or Tolaga Bays, where I apprehended they were more civilized than at Queen Charlotte’s Sound; in order to give them some hogs, fowls, seeds, roots, &c. which I had provided for the purpose.  The wind veering to the N.W. and north, enabled us to fetch in with the land a little to the north of Portland, and we stood as near the shore as we could with safety.  We observed several people upon it, but none attempted to come off to us.  Seeing this, we bore away under