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2 November 1769
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2 November 1769

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James Cook's Journal Ms 1, National Library of Australia

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Sydney Parkinson's Journal

The authorised published account of Cook's Voyage by John Hawkesworth

1769
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 		2 November 1769

Thursday 2nd Gentle breeze from NW. round northerly to ESE and fair weather - At 2 P.M saw a pretty high Island bearing west from us and at 5 Saw more Islands and Rocks to the westward of it; hauld our wind in order to go without them but finding that we could not weather them before dark, bore up and run between them and the main   At 7 was close under the first Island from whence a large double Canoe full of people came off to us   this was the first double Canoe we had seen in this Country. they stayd about the Ship untill it was dark then left us, but not before they had thrown a few stones: they told us the name of the Island which was Mowtohora    it is but of a small circuit but high and lies 6 - Miles from the Main, under the south side is anchorage in 14 fathom water    SWB^S from this Island on the main land, seemingly at no great distance from the sea is a very high round mountain ^which I have named Mount Edgcomb    it standings in the middle of some low flat land a large plane which makes it the more conspicuous    Latitude 37°..59' Longd 183° 07- Under the south side of the Island is anchorage in 14 fm Water. In standing to the westward we shoalden'd our water from 17 to 130 fathom, and knowing that we were not far from some ^small Islands, and Rocks that that we had seen before dark, after pass^ing of which of these I intended to have brought too for the night, but now I thought it more prudent to tack and spend the night under the Island Mowtohora where I knowd there was no danger, and it was well we did for in the morning after we had made sail to the westward we discover'd ahead of us Rocks level with and under water; they lay 11/2 League from the Island Mowtohora and about 9 Miles from the Main. and NNE from Mount Edgcumbe. We pass'd between these rocks and the Main having from 7 to 10 fathom water. The Double Canoe which we saw last night follow'd us again to day under sail and kept abreast of the Ship near an houre talking to Tobupia but at last they began to pelt us with stones but upon fireing one Musquet they drop'd a stern and left us — At half past 10 pass'd between a low flat Island and the Main the distance from one to the other being 4 Miles depth of water 10, 12 and 15 fathom — At Noon the Flat Island bore from N.E to E1/2N distant 5 or 6 Miles, Course and distance run since yesterday at noon is        Leagues Latitude in per Observation 37°..39' So ^Longd 183.30 The Main land between this and the Island of Mowtohara ^which is [10 - check this ] Leagues is of a Moderate height and all a level flat Country pritty clear of wood and full of Plantations and Villages; this these Villages are built upon eminences near the Sea. and are fortified on the land side with a Bank and a Ditch, and Pallisaded all round, besides this some of them appear'd to have out wo^rks —

We have before now observed on several parts of the Coast small Villages inclosed with Pallisades, and Works of this kind built ^on eminences and ridges of hills, but Tobupia hath all along told us that they were Mories or places of Worship, but I rather think that they are places of retreat ^or Stronghold where they defend themselves againest the Attack of an Enimy as some of them seem'd not ill design'd for that purpose. We saw haled a shore under one of the Villages canoes which carried a small awning or little cabbin, a thing we have not seen before on this coast.

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© Transcription by Paul Turnbull of National Library of Australia, Manuscript 1 page 135, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/cook/17691102.html