Being desirous of taking as near a View of the coast as we could with safety we keept Edging in for it until 7 o'Clock p.m., being at this time 6 Leagues from the Land.

We then hauld our wind to South-East and keept on that Course close upon the wind all night, sounding several times but had no ground with 100 and 110 fathoms.

At 8 o'Clock a.m.was about 5 Leagues from the Land and a place which lies in the Latitude of 36 degrees 25 minutes that had the Appearance of a Bay or inlet bore East.* (* This was Kaipara Harbour, although, on a closer inspection, Cook thought he had been deceived.

It is the largest harbour on this part of the coast.

The town of Helensville stands on one of its arms.) In order to see more of this place we kept on our Course until 11 o'Clock when we were not above 3 Leagues from it, and then found that it was neither a Bay nor inlet, but low land bounded on each side by higher lands which caused the deception.