[Captain Cook’s Journal During the First Voyage Round the World by James Cook]@TWC D-Link book
Captain Cook’s Journal During the First Voyage Round the World

CHAPTER 5
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Fresh Gales at North-West and West-North-West, kept plying to Windward until 7 A.M., and finding that we lost ground every board we made, I thought I could not do better than to bear up for the Bay, which lies to the Westward of Cape Brett, it being at this Time not above 2 Leagues to Leeward of us, for by putting in there we should gain some knowledge of it, on the Contrary, by Keeping the Sea with a Contrary wind, we were sure of meeting with nothing new.

These reasons induced me to bear away for the Bay,* (* The Bay of Islands.) and at 11 o'Clock we Anchor'd under the South-West side of one of the many Islands* (* Motu Arohia.) that line the South-East side of it, in 4 1/2 fathoms; but as we fell into this shoald water all at once, we Anchor'd sooner than was intended, and sent the Master with 2 Boats to sound, who found that we had got upon a Bank that spitted off from the North-West end of the Island, and that on the outside of it was 8 and 10 fathoms Water.
Thursday, 30th.

P.M., had the winds Westerly, with some very heavy Showers of Rain.

We had no sooner come to an Anchor than between 300 and 400 of the Natives Assembled in their Canoes about the Ship; some few were admitted on board, and to one of the Chiefs I gave a piece of Broad Cloth and distributed a few Nails, etc., among some others of them.

Many of these People had been off to the Ship when we were at Sea, and seem'd to be very sencible of the use of Fire Arms, and in the Trade we had with them they behaved Tolerable well, but continued so not long, before some of them wanted to take away the Buoy,* (* The buoy on the anchor.) and would not desist at the firing of several Musquets until one of them was hurt by small Shott, after which they withdrew a small distance from the Ship, and this was thought a good opportunity to try what Effect a Great Gun would have, as they paid so little respect to a Musquet, and accordingly one was fir'd over their Heads.


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