This land naturally became the subject of much eager conversation; and the general opinion of the gentlemen on board the Endeavour was, that they had found the _Terra australis incognita_.

In fact, it was a part of New Zealand, where the first adventures the English met with were very unpleasant, on account of the hostile disposition of the inhabitants.
Lieutenant Cook having anchored, on the 8th, in a bay, at the entrance of a small river, went on shore in the evening, with the pinnace and yawl, accompanied by Mr.Banks and Dr.Solander, and attended with a party of men.

Being desirous of conversing with some natives, whom he had observed on the opposite side of the river from that on which he had landed, he ordered the yawl in, to carry himself and his companions over, and left the pinnace at the entrance.

When they came near the place where the Indians were assembled, the latter all ran away; and the gentlemen having left four boys to take care of the yawl, walked up to several huts, which were about two or three hundred yards from the water-side.

They had not gone very far, when four men, armed with long lances, rushed out of the woods, and, running up to attack the boat, would certainly have cut her off, if they had not been discovered by the people in the pinnace, who called to the boys to drop down the stream.