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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 13, Issue 9 (December 1, 1938)

Kapiti's Stirring History

Kapiti's Stirring History.

The earliest mention of Kapiti appears in Captain Cook's record of his
The Bell Bird.

The Bell Bird.

first voyage to New Zealand, where he states that during his search for a suitable bay in which to careen his ship, he sailed into Queen Charlotte Sound in January, 1770. The record in his log is as follows: “About N. 9 leagues from Cape Teerawhitte, under the same shore, is a high, remarkable island, that may be distinctly seen from Queen Charlotte Sound. I have called it Entry Isle, and was taken notice of when we first passed it on Sunday, 14th of last month.”

The date of this entry is Wednesday, 7th February, the day he emerged from the Sound 168 years ago.

Subsequently the island became the headquarters of many whaling parties who ruthlessly attacked the whales passing through the Strait to their breeding grounds, and its bush-clad hills also resounded to the savage war cries of contending Maori tribes.