16th November 1769

[Off Cape Colville, North Island, New Zealand]
Fresh breezes between the North-West and South-West, and fair weather. At 1 P.M., having got within the Group of Islands which lies of the North head of Mercury Bay, hauld our wind to the Northward, and Kept plying to windward all the day between these Islands and some others laying to the Northward of them, with a View to get under the Main land, the Extream North-West point of which we could see, at Noon, bore West by North, distant 6 or 8 Leagues; Latitude in Per Observation 36 degrees 33 minutes South.

Note, in speaking of Mercury Bay, I had forgot to mention that the Mangrove Trees found there produce a resinous substance very much like Rosin. Something of this kind, I am told, is found in both the East and West Indies. We found it, at first, in small Lumps upon the Sea Beach, but afterwards found it sticking to the Mangrove Trees, and by that means found out from whence it came.

Joseph Banks Journal
Wind foul as yesterday. Many Islands were seen but neither the main or them appeard at all Fertile or well inhabited; only one town was seen all day and no people, indeed we were.

Sydney Parkinson Journal
On the 16th, in the morning, the weather being very fair, we weighed anchor, and stood out to sea, but, having a strong breeze from the west, which was against us all this day... rather too far off.

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