We failed round moft part of the bay without finding'any opening j and the
foundings, all along the ihore, were very regular. The country appeared more
fertile hereabout, and well covered with wood, the fea-ihore making in clayey
cliffs, upon which the furf broke very high. This bay was called Hawke’s Bay.
Tn the afternoon, a canoe followed us, with eighteen people in her, armed with
lances j but as they could not keep pace with us, they gave up their expedition..
In failing along, we could plainly diftinguiih land that was cultivated, parcelled
out intofquare compartments, having fome forts of herbs growing upon them.
On the 15th, in the morning, we bent our courfc round a fmall peninfula,
which was joined to the main land by a low ifthmus, on which were many groves
of tall (trait trees, that looked as if they had been planted by art 5 and, within-
iide of it, the water was quite fmooth. We.faw fome very high ridges o f hills
freaked with fnowj and, when we had doubled the point i f this peninfula, the
low ifthmus appeared again, ftretching a long way by the fea-fide. The country
looked very pleafant, having fine iloping hills, which ftretched out into beautiful
green lawns, though not covered with wood, as other parts of the coaft are.
In the morning, while we were on the other fide of the peninfula, nine canoes
came to us, in which were one hundred and fixty of the natives : they behaved
in a very irrefolute manner, fometimes feeming as if they would attack us} then
taking fright, and retreating a little j one half paddling one way, and the other half
paddling another, ihaking their lances and bone bludgeons at us, talking very loud
and bluftering, [fee pi. XVII.] lolling out their tongues, and making other figns
of defiance. We did all we could to make them peaceable, but to no purpofe,
for they feemed, at length, refolved to do us fome mifchiefj. coming along-fide
of the (hip again, and threatening us, we fired one of our guns, loaded with grape-
lhot, over their heads: they looked upon us for fome time with aftoniihment, and
then haftened away as faft as they could. By this time two other canoes came
toward us, but flopped a little, and held a conference with thofe that were returning,
and then made up to us, leaving the reft at fome diftance, who feemed to
wait