On Friday, the 10th, our commander, accompanied by Mr. Banks and the other gentlemen, went with two boats, to examine a large river that empties itself into the head of Mercury Bay. As the situation they were now in abounded with conveniences, the lieutenant has taken care to point them out, for the benefit of future navigators. If any occasion should ever render it necessary for a ship either to winter here, or to stay for a considerable length of time, tents might be built on a high point or peninsula in this place, upon ground sufficiently spacious for the purpose; and they might easily be made impregnable to the whole force of the country. Indeed the most skilful engineer in Europe could not choose a situation better adapted to enable a small number to defend themselves against a greater. Among other accommodations which the Endeavour's company met with in Mercury Bay, they derived an agreeable refreshment from some oyster beds, which they had fortunately discovered. The oysters, which were as good as ever came from Colchester, and about the same size, were so plentiful, that not the boat only, but the ship itself, might have been loaded in one tide.
On Wednesday, the 15th, Lieutenant Cook sailed out of Mercury Bay. This name has been given to it, on account of the observation which had there been made of the transit of that planet over the sun. The river where oysters had been so plentifully found, he called Oyster River. There is another river, at the head of the Bay, which is the best and safest place for a ship that wants to stay any length of time. From the number of mangroves about it, the lieutenant named it Mangrove River. In several parts of Mercury Bay, our voyagers saw, thrown upon the shore, great quantities of iron sand, which is brought down by every little rivulet of freshwater that finds its way from the country. This is a demonstration, that there is ore of that metal not far inland; and yet none of the inhabitants of New Zealand, who had yet been seen, knew the use of iron, or set upon it the least degree of value. They had all of them preferred the most worthless and useless trifle not only to a nail, but to any tool of that metal. Before the Endeavour left the bay, the ship's name and that of the commander were cut upon one of the trees near the watering place, together with the date of the year and month when our navigators were there. Besides this, Mr. Cook, after displaying the English colours took formal possession of the place in the name of his Britannic Majesty, King George the Third.