CAPTAIN COOK IN NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 930, 25 September 1869, Page 6

CAPTAIN COOK IN NEW ZEALAND.

At this time just one hundred years ago, the'barque Endeavour, of 370 tons, Captain.James Oook, was, cautiously fueling her -way from the , eastward towards New Zealand, at the rate of between three and four miles an hour. Her Ulustrious captain had left the island of Otaheite in July, 1769, after having accomplished there the first part of the mission confided to him by King George the Third, which was to make an accurate observation of the transit of Venus over the sun's disc in the preceding month. He' was now carrying out the second part of his instructions by proseouting researches in the South Pacific ocean. Some glimpses of Australia and of Tasmania as well as of New Zealand had been oaught one And two centuries before by Dutch navigators ; but bo little had been observed of these countries that they were believed to form one continent, and were called among geographers " The unknown southern land." So Captain James Oook, having no chart, proceeded with caution. Here are extracts from his ° 8 " On the Ist of September, being in the latitude of 40deg. 22min. S., and longitude 147deg. 29min. W., and there not being any signs of land, with a heavy sea from the westward and Btrong gales, I wore and stood back to the northward, fearing that we might receive such damage in our sails and rigging as would hinder the prosecution of the voyage. On the next day, there being strong gales to the westward, I brought to with the ship's head to the northward ; but on the morning of the 3rd, the wind being more moderate, we loosened the reef of the mainsail, set the topsails, and plied to the westward. We continued our course till the 19th, when our latitude being 29 deg., and our longitude 159 deg. 29 mm., we observed the variation to be 8 deg. 32 mm. E. On the 24th, being in latitude 33 deg. 18 mm., longitude 162 deg. 51 mm., we observed a small piece of seaweed and a piece of wood covered with barnacles ; the variation here was 10 deg. 48 mm. E. On the 27th , being in latitude 28 deg. 59 mm., longitude 169 deg. 5 mm., we saw a seal asleep upon the water, and several bunches of seaweed. The next day we saw more seaweed in bunches, and on the 29th a bird which we thought a land bird ; it somewhat resembled a snipe, but had a short bill. On the lot of October we saw birdß innumerable, and another seal asleep upon the waters. It is a general opinion that seals never go out of soundings, or far from land, but those we saw in these seas prove the contrary. Rock weed is, however, a certain indication that land is not far distant. The next day, it being calm, we hoisted out the boat, to try whether thore was a current, but found none. Our latitude was 37deg. lOmin., longitude, 172deg. 54min., W. Oa the 3rd, being in latitude 36deg. sGmin., longitude 173deg. 27min., we took up more sea weed, and another piece of wood, covered with barnacles. The next day we saw two more soalß, and a brown bird, about as big as a raven, with some white feathers under the wing. Mr Goro told us that bird* of this kind wore seen in creat numbors about Falkland Islands, and our people gave them the name of Port Egmont hens." . „ .. Hitherto only promising indications have appeared. But soon tho object of his search will bo scon, and the "unknown southern land " will at last Ho before an explorer who intends not to lose sight of its shores until he can give a good account of thorn. In calm modest language ho writes down tho aunouueomont of his important discovery :— "On tho sth, wo thought the wator chanced oolour, but upon casting tho loadTiad no ground with 180 fathoms. In the evening of this day, tho variation was 12.G0 E., and whilo we were goina: nino leagues, it incroosod to 14 2. On the next day, Friday, October tho Oth, wo saw land from tho mast-head, bearing Wby N., and stood directly for it ; in tho evening it could jnat bo discerned from tho deck, and appoarod largo. -At midnight I brought to nnd sounded, but had no wound with 170 fathoms. On tho 7th it foil calm ; wo therefore appronchod tho land slowly, nnd in tho afternoon, whon a broeKO sprung up, wo wore still distant so yon or eight leagues. It appeared still iargor as it was moro distinctly soon, with four or livo ranges of hills rising ono over tho other, and a ohaia of mountains abovo nil, whioh nnpoarcd to bo of an enormous height. This land became tho subjoct of much eager conversation, but the B«nml «^n«o« soomed to be that wo had found tho Ttrra Amtrali* iwwjnUn. About fivo ocock wo saw tho opening of a bay, which soomod to run pretty far inland, upon which we hanlod our wind, s»nd stood in for It ; we also ssw smoke osoondingfrom different plaoea on shore. When night cam* on, however, we kept plying off nnd on Oil daylight, when we found our-

s'elve'B)to leeward' of the" bayy the <wind; befng f 4t north.' We could; now perceive that the hills were clothed with wood, and that some of the trees, in the valleys were very large. By noon we fetched in with the south-west point, but not being able to weather it, tacked, and stood off. At this time we saw several canoes standing across the bay, which, in a little time' made to shore without seeming to take the least notice of the "ship; we saw also sbme houses which appeared to be small but neat ; and near one of them a considerable number of the people collected together, who were sitting upon the beach, and 'who were, we thought, the same that we had seen in the canoea. About four o'clock in 'the afternoon we anchored on the north-weßt Bide of the bay, before the entrance of a small river, in ten fathom water, with a fine sandy bottom; and at about half a league from the shore.

" In the evening I went ashore, accompanied by Mr Banks, and Dr. Solander, with the pinnace and yawl, and a party of men. We landed abreast of the ship, on the east side of the river, which was here about 40 yards broad ; but, seeing some natives on the west side whom I wished to speak with, and finding the river not fordable, I ordered the yawl in to carry us over, and left the pinnace at the entrance. When we came near the place where the people were assembled, they all ran away. However, we landed, and leaving four boys to take care of the yawl, we walked up to some huts which were about two or three hundred yards from the waterside. When we had got some distance from tho boat, 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 the people in the pinnace had not discovered them, and called to the boys to drop down the stream. The boys instantly obeyed, but being olosely pursued by the Indians the coxswain of the pinnace, who had the charge of the boats, fired a musket over their headß. At this they stopped and looked round them, but in a few minutes renewed the pursuit, brandishing their lances in a threatening manner. The coxowain then fired a second musket over their heads, but of this they took no notice ; and one of them lifting up his spear to dart it at the boat, another piece was fired which shot him dead. When he fell, the other three stood motionless for some minutes as if petrified with astonishment. As soon as they recovered, they went back, dragging after them the dead body, which, however, they Boon left that it might not encumber their flight. At the report of the first musket we drew together, having straggled to a little distance from each other, and made the beat of our way back to the boat ; and, crossing the river wo soon saw the Indian lying dead upon the ground. Upon examining the body, wo found that he had been shot through the heart. Ho was a man of the middle size and Mature, his complexion was brown, but not very dark ; and one side of hia face was tattooed in spiral lines of a very regular figure. He was covered with a fine cloth of a manufacture altogothor new to us, and it was tied on exactly according to the representation in Valantyn's account of Abel Taeman's voyage. His hair also was tied in a knot on the top of his head, but had no feather in it. We returned immediately to the ship, whore we could hoar the pooplo on ehoro talking with great earnestness and in a very loud tone, probably about what had happened, and what should bo done."

Throo days were spent at this place in fruitless attempts to establish intercourse with tho natives, and not without the loss of some lives. In his justification, Cook says : — "lam conscious that tho feelings of ovory humane reader will conauro mo for having firod upon these unhappy people. They certainly did not desorvo death for not choosing to confide in my promises, or not consenting to como on board my bout oven if thoy had apprehondod no danger ; but tho nature of my sorvico required mo to obtain a knowlodgo of tho country, which I could not otherwise oiTuot than by forcing my way into it in a hostilo manner, or gaining admission through tho confidonco and goodwill of tho pooplo." Standing away from " this unfortunate and inhosnitablo place, to which I gave tho namo of Poverty Bay, as it did not afford us a single article that wo wanted oxcopta little wood," tho Endeavour steorod alouß thoshoreiinderoasyeailinasonthorlydircoUon. Thecoaatsoonwd totcom with population . Native* camo off to the shin in canoes from every point, many in warlike mood, with songs of doiianco, bul most of them signifying confidence and goodwill, and eagerly oxchanginc woapons, fish, «fto, for presents of cloth. After passing and naming Hawko's Bay, tho Endeavour turned upon its course and ooatted northerly. Some distance above Poverty Bay, Cook entered an inlet to which he was invited by the ptnpl* of many oanoe#, who pointed oat to him* pl*» whmtiuf

.said . there was plenty. ; .of J( trestt M water,.. Here he 'determined to , make., another, attempt to acquire some knowledge of the C ° "^n^the, evening (of the 20th October) the boats were ordered out, and Handed,, accompanied by Mr Banks t and Dr Solander. We were received with great expressions- of friendship by the natives, who behaved with a scrupulous attention noctogiveoffence. -In particular, they took care not to appear in great bodies ; one family, or the inhabitants of two or three houses, were generally placed together to the number of 15 or 20, consisting of men, women, and children, These little companies sat upon the ground, not advancing towards us, but inviting , us ,to them by a kind of beckon, moving one 1 hand towards the breast. ,We made them several little presents, and in our walk round the bay, found two small streams of fresh water. This convenience, and friendly behaviour of the people, determined me to stay a day or two, that I might fill some of my empty water casks, and give Mr Banks an opportunity of examining the natural produce of the country. In the morning of the 21st, I sent Lieutenant Gore on shore to superintend the watering, with a strong party of men, and they were soon followed by Mr Banks and Dr Solander, and four others., The natives sat by our people, and seemed pleased to observe them, but did not intermix with .them. They traded, however, chiefly for cloth, and, after a short time, applied to their ordinary occupations, aa if no stranger had ' been among them. In the forenoon several of their boats went out a fishing, and at dinner time everyone repaired to his respective dwelling, from which after a certain time he returned. These fair appearances encouraged Mr Banks and Dr Solander to range the bay with very little precaution, where they found many plants, and shot many birds of exquisite beauty. In their walk they visited Beveral houses of the natives, and saw something of their manner of life — for they showed without any reserve, everything which the gentlemen desired to see. They were sometimes found at their meals, which the approach of the strangers never interrupted. Their food at this season consisted of fish, with which, instead of bread, they eat the root of a kind of fern, very like that which grows upon our commons in England. These roots "they scorch over the fire, .and then beat with a stick till the bark and dry outside fall off; what remains is a soft Bubstance, somewhat clammy and sweet, not unpleasing to the taste, but mixed with three or four times its quantity of strings and fibre, which are very disagreeable; these were net swallowed. In other seasons they have certainly plenty of excellent vegetables, but no tame animals were seen among them, except degs, which were very small and ugly. Mr Banks saw some of their plantationa, where the ground was as well broken down and tilled as even in the gardens of the most curious people among us. In these spots wore sweet potatoes, coccos or eddas which are well known and much esteemed both in tho East and West Indies, and oome gourds. The sweet potatoes were planted in small hills some ranged in rows, and others in quincunx, all laid by a line with the greatest regularity. The coccoa were planted upon flat laud, but none of them yet appeared above ground, and the gourds were set in small hollows or dishes, much as in England. Thepe plantationa wore of different oxtent, from one or two acres to ton ; taken together there appeared to be from 150 to 200 acres in cultivation in the whole bay, though we never saw a hundred people. Each section was fenced in, gonorally with reeds, which wore placod so close together that there was scarcely room for a mouse to creep between. " Thewomonweroplain,andinadotherasolves more so by painting their faces with red ochre and oil, which, being generally fresh and wot upon their cheoks Mid foreheads, was easily transferred to the nosos of those who thought fit to salute thorn; and that they wero not wholly averse to such familiarity, the noses of several of our people strongly testified. Thoy wore, howovor, ns groat coquottcs as any of tho most fashionablo ladies in Europo. .... At four o'olock in tho morning of tho 20th, having cot on board our wood and water, and a large supply of oxcollent colcry, with which tho country abounds, and which proved a powerful antiscorbutic, T unmoored and put to sea." Cook's noxt landing was at Morcnry Bay, whore the natives in largo numbers made friendly visits to tho Endeavour. Thoy permitted the explorers, on tho other hand, to make long excursions inland, from which thoy returned with notebooks full of information on the habits of tho pooplo, and tho natural productions of the oountry. Hero, Captain Cook appears to have bethought himself that ho had perhaps found a oountry which weald someday be valuable in the »yes of

the English Colonial office, so Centers in his journal 14th, November ,: ( we' left foe Bay, we r cut upon one ' of the \ trees near the watering place, the Blip's name, and that , of the Commander, with' the date of the year and month when we were there, and after displaying the English colours, I took formal possession ot it in the name of His Britannic Majesty King George the Third." A visit was then made to a place with which Captain Cook was highly pleased. He passed five days at it, and makes a recommendation that future navigators, who might have need to refit should choose to do so there. The same place is not without its attractions at the present time. , "At daybreak (20th November) I set out in the pinnace and long boat, accom- \ panied by Mr Banks, Dr Solander, and Tupia, and wa found the inlet end in a river, 1 about- nine miles above the ship. Into this river we entered with the first of the flood, and within three miles found the water perfectly fresh. Before we had proceeded more than one-third of that distance we found an Indian town, which was built upon a small bank of dry sand, but entirely surrounded by a deep mud, which possibly the inhabitants might consider a defence. These people as soon as they saw us thronged to the banks and invited us ashore. We accepted the invitation, and made them a visit notwithstanding the mud. They received us with open amis, but our stay could not be long, as we had other objects of curiosity in view. We proceeded up the river till near noon, when we were fourteen miles within its entrance ; and then finding the face of the country to continue nearly the same without any alteration in the course of the stream, which we had no hope of tracing to its source, we landed on the west side to take a view of the lofty trees which everywhere adorned its banks. They were of a kind that we had seen before, though only at a distance, both in Poverty Bay and Hawke's Bay. # Before we had walked a hundred yards into the wood we met with one of them which was nineteen feet eight inches in the girth at the height of six feet above the ground. Having a quadrant with me I measured its height from the root to the first branch, and found it to be 89 feet : it was Btraight as an arrow and tapered but very little in proportion to its height. As we advanced w« saw many others that were still larger. We cut down a young one, and the wood proved heavy and solid, not fit for masts, but such as would make the finest plank in the world. Our carpenter, who waß with us, said that the timber resembled that of the pitch-pine which is lightened by tapping : and possibly some such method might bo found to lighten these, and they would then be such masts as no country in Europe can produce. We found many stout trees of other kinds, all of them utterly unknown to us, specimens of which we brought away. The river at this height is as broad as the Thames at Greenwich, and the tide of flood as strong : it is not indeed quite no deep, but has water for vosßelß of more than a middle size, and a bottom of mud so soft ' that nothing could take damage by running ashore. About three o'olock, we reembarked, in order to return with the first of the obb ; and I named the river the Thames— it having Borne resemblance to our own river of that name."

From thence, tho Endeavour pursued a northerly course, anchoring for a time in the Bay of Islands, where the inhabitants being very numerous and spirited, Captain Cook and his men met with many adventures. The North Capo was rounded about the sth January, 1770, with gentle N.W. and JN.N.E. breozes. Tho ship coasted down tho western shores of the North Inland, keeping an offing of about six milos. Tho explorers made no attempt to land on this coast, but carefully observod tho outline of tho country, and gave names to its principal features. For instance : —

"At noon, of tho 12th, wo wore distant about three loagues from tho shore, which lion under tho peak we saw tho two provious days, but the peak itsolf was wholly concealed by olouds. Wo judged it to boar about S.S.E. , and some very romarkahlo poakod islands which lay undor tho ahoro boro E.S.E. distant throo or four leagues. At soven in tho evening weaoundod, and had 42 fathoms, boing distant from tho shoro between two and threo loaguos. Wo judged tho peak to bear oast, and after it was dark wo saw fires upon tho shore. At fivo o'olock in tho morning we saw for a fow minutoa tho summit of tho peak, towering abovo tho clouds, and covered with snow. It now boro N.E. ; it lios in Int. 30.10 S., lonjr. 185.15 VV. ; and I namod it Mount Egmont, in honour of tho Earl. It seems to have a large base, and to riso with a gradual ascent. It Hot near the soa, and is surrounded by a flat country of a pleasant appearanoo, being clothed with vardoro ana wood." Two day* later, Capttin Cook anchored

the Endeavour ; in a deep mlet, whera ne determined to oaree'ri his 1 ship,;an'd!reprmt wood and water. ''" At the' time. he 1 did not know that ! he had passed from the North Island ; but in a few days he discovered the Strait which now bears his name.' " In the morning of the 22nd (of January) I set out again in the pinnace, accompanied by Mr Banks and Dr. Solander, with a design to examine the head of the inlet ; but, after rowing" about four or five leagues without so much as coming in sight of it, the wind' being contrary and the day half spent, we went on shore on the south-east side, to try what might be discovered from the hills. Mr Banks and Dr Solander immediately employed themselves in botanising near the beach, and 1, taking a seaman with me, ascended one of the hills. When I reached the summit, I found a view of the inlet intercepted by hills, which in that direction rose still higher, and which were rendered inaccessible by impenetrable woods. 1 was, however, abundantly compensated for my labour, for I saw the sea on the eastern side of the country, and a passage leading from it to that on the west, a little to the eastward of the entrance to the inlet where the ship now lay. . . . "In the rooming of the 26th 1 went again out in the boat, and entered one of the bays which lie on the east side of the inlet in order to get another sight of the strait which passes between the eastern and western seas. For this purpose, having landed at a convenient place, we climbed a hill of a very considerable height, from which we had a full view of it with the land on the opposite shore, which we judged to be about four leagues distant, but as it was hazy in the horizon we could not see far to the son th- east I resolved, however, to search the passage as soon as I should put to sea. " The Endeavour lay in this inlet from the 15th of January to the 6th of February, 1870 ; and the explorers' account^ of their transactions and observations during these three weeks fill thirty or forty pages of very interesting reading. The following is worth transcribing :— "On the 30th January, the carpenter, having prepared two posts to be left as memorials of our having visited this place, I ordered thorn to be inscribed with the ship's name and the year and month ; one of them I set up at the watering place, hoisting the union flag tipon the top of it, and the other I carried over to the island that lies nearest to the soa, called by the natives motuara. I went first to the village or hippah accompanied by Mr Markhouse and Tupia, where t met with an old man, and told him and several others by means of Tupia, that we were come to Bet up a mark on the island, in order to shew to any other ship which should happen to come hither that we had been there before. To this they readily consented, and promised that they would never pull it down. 1 then gave something to everyono present, and to the old man I gave a silver three- ponce dated 173G, and some spike nailsjwith the king's broad arrow cut deep upon them ; things which I thought most likely to remain long among them. I then took the post to the highest part of the island, and after fixing it firmly in the ground, I hoisted upon it tho union flag, and honoured this inlet with the name of Queen Charlotte's Sound ; at the samo time taking formal possession of this and the adjoining country in the nnmo and for tho use of His Majesty King George the Third. We then djrank a bottle of wine to Her Majesty's health, and gave the bottle to the old man who had attended us up the hill, and who was mightily delighted with his present." And thio :—: — "Of eatable vegetables thero are but few. Our people, indeed, who had boon long at aea, ate with equal plcasuro and advantage of wild calory, and a kind of crosoes which grow in groat abundance upon all parts of tho sea shore." On leaving Quoen Charlotte's Sound, Captain Cook passed through tho ntrait Bopamting tho North from tho Middle Island, and spod on to that point of the East Coast of tho former which ho had named Capo Tnrnagain throe months previously, bo as to complete his circumnavigation of that island. Ho thon turned to tho South to examine tho country ho Baw lying in that direction. Tho season of tho year, and tho circumstances of tho voyago, no saya, would not permit him to spend so much timo about this island as he had omployod upon tho other, and tho storms that ho mot with, made it both difficult and dangerous to keep near tho shore. This wo regard as highly unfortunate ; for, as it happens, tho only observations raaao by tho explorers upon tho country now within tho provinces of Oantorbury and Olngohavo reforonco to littlo else than a fow landmarks notablo only to tho navigator. As, howover, Captain Cook novor modo another survey of our oastcm coast, oyon theso raoftgro observations arc not with- ! out interest. Wo thoreforo oxtract a passage reforring to a well known portion | of our coast ;•—

"At daybreaK on the IBth of JFebrtiary we^ discovered' latid r ' bearing S. bjMWv and seemingly detached , from tho poast'we were upon. . ' About' eight'a breeze sprung j up at N. by Ei, arid we steered directly for it. At noon we were in latitude 43. 19 S ; the southern extremity of theland we could see bore west, and the land which had been discovered in the morning appeared like an island extending from S.S.W. to S.W. by W., distant about eight leagues. At sunrise the next morning, our opinion that the land we. had been standing for was an island was confirmed by our seeing part of the mainland open to the westward of it. This is land which I named after Mr BanVs (Banks Peninsula), and lies about' five" leagues from the coast. It is of a circular figure, and about twenty four leagues in compabs. It is sufficiently high to be seen at the distance of twelve or fifteen leagues, and the land has a broken irregular surtface, with the appearance rather of I barrenness than, fertility ; yet it was inhabited, for we saw smoke in one place and a few straggling natives in another." After two or three days occupied in tacking off and on the coast, to which they once or twice approached pretty close, a high point of land was perceived. Ceok continues his narrative thus :—: —

" At daybreak, having made sail, the point bore north, distant three leagues, and we now found that the land trended from it S. W. by W. as far as we could see. This point I named Cape Saunders, in honour of Sir Charles. Our latitude was 45.35 S., and longitude 189.4 W. By the latitude, and the angles that are made by the- coast, this point will be sufficiently shown. There is, however, about three or four leagues to the southwest of it, and very near the shore, a remarkable saddle hill, which is a good direction to it on that quarter. From one league to four leagues north of Cape Saunders, the shore forms two or three bays, in which there appeared to be good anchorage, and effectual shelter from the S.W. westerly, and N. westerly winds ; but my desire of getting to the southward, in order to ascertain whether this country was an island or a continent, presented my putting into any of them. We kept a small distance from the shore alTthis morning, with the wind at S.W., and had a very distinct view of it : it is of a moderate height, and the surface is broken by many hills which are green and woody ; but we saw no appearance of inhabitants. At noon Cape Saunders bore N". 30 W. , distant about four leagues. We had variable winds and calms till five o'clock in the evening, when it fixed at W.S. W., and soon blew so hard that it put us past our topsails, and split the foresail all to pieces : after getting another to the yard, we continued to stand to the southward under two courses, and at six the next morning, the southernmost land in sight bore W. by N., and Cape Saunders N. by W., distant eight leagues. At noon it bore N. 20 W., fourteen leagues ; and our latitude by observation was 40.36. The gale continued, with h«avy squalls and a large hollow sea, all the afternoon ; and at soven in the ovening, we lay-to under our foresail, with the ship's head to the southward ; at noon on the 27 th, our latitude was 46.54, and our longitude from Cape Saunders 1.24 E. At soven in the ovening, we made sail under our courses ; and at eight tho noxt morning set the topsails close reefed. At noon our latitude was 47.43, and our longitude east from Cape Saunders 2.10. At this time we wore and stood to the northward. At eight in tho evening, we tacked and stood to the southward, with tho wind at west. At noon this day, onr latitude by account was 47.52, and our longitudo from Capo Sounders ldeg. Bmin. E. Wo stood to tho southward till half-past three in the aftoruoon ; and then, boing in latitude 48deg. S. , and longitude 188deg. W., and seeing no appearance of land, wo tackod and stood to tho northward, having a largo swell from the S. W, by W. At noon tho noxt day, our latitude was 46dog. 42min. 8, , and Capo Sounders boro NT, 4<ideg. W. , distant 80 miles. Tho southwest awoll continuing till tho 3rd, confirmed our opinion that thero was no land in that quarter. At four in tho afternoon wo stood to tho westward, with all tho sail wo could make. In the morning of tho 4th wo found tho variation to bo lOdog. lOmin. E. This day wo saw some whales and seals, as we had done several timos after our having passed tho strait ; but wo saw no soal whilo wo wero upon i tho coast of Eahionomamio.

Wo soundod both in tho night and this morning, hut hod no ground with ono hundred and fifty fathoms. At noon wo saw Capo Sauuders bearing N. J W.; and our latitude, by observation, was 40. 31 8. At half* an- hour past ono o'clock, wo saw land boaring W. by 8., which wo ntoorod for, and boforo ii was dark wero within throo or four miles of it. During tha wholo night wo saw tiros upon it, and at soven in tho morning w«ro within about throe leagues of tho shore, which

t app*eal?ea'Wßrfiigli''Bmngm* M *Armet l o'clock in the afterrioon'. we saw thefland • extending- from Ni ß. by Ni to 2ST.-W.' £ N. ,; and soon after we discovered:, some low' land, which appeared like an island, bearing'S. %W. v We continued our course to the W.*byS., andintwb hours, we bow] high land over the low land,' extending, to j the southward as far as S.W. by: S. 5 but did not appear to be" joined to the land to the northward, so that there is either water, a deep bay, or low land between them. On the 7th, at noon, we were in latitude 47.6 S., and had made twelve miles easting during tho last twenty-four hours. We stood to the westward the remainder of this day, and all the next till sunset, when the extremes of the land bore from N. by E. to W., distant about seven or eight leagues ; in this situation our depth of water was fifty - five fathoms. The wind now veered from N. to W., and as we had fine weather and moonI light, we- kept standing close upon the wind to the S.W. all night. At four in the morning, we had 60 fathoms water; and at daylight, we discovered under our bow a ledge of rocks, extending from S. by W. to W. by S., upon which the flea broke very high; they were not more than three-quarters of a mile distant, yet we had fivo-and-forty fathom water. As the wind was at N.W., we could not now weather them, and as I was unwilling to run to leeward, I tacked and made a! trip to the eastward ; the wind, however, soon after coming to the northward, enabled us to get clear of all. Our soundings, while we were passing within the ledge, were from 35 to 47 fathoms, with a rocky bottom. This ledge lies S.E. , six leagues from the southernmost part of the land, and S. E. by E. from some remarkable hills which stand near the shore. _ About three leagues to the northward of it, there is another ledge, which lies full three I leagues from the shore, and on which the sea broke in a dreadful surf. As we passed these rocks to the north in the night, and discovered the others under our bow at break of day, it is manifest that our danger was imminent, and our escape critical in the highest degree. From the situation of these rocks, as well adapted to catch unwary strangers, I called them the Traps. Our latitude at noon was 4.7.26 S. The land insight, which had the appearance of an island extended from N.E. by N. toN.W. by W., and seemed to be about five leagues distant from the main ; the easternmost ledge ©f rocks bore S.S.E., distant one league and a half, and the northernmost N.E. £E., distant about three leagues. This land is high and barren, with nothing upon it but a few straggling Bhrubs, for not a single tree was to be seen. It was, however, remarkable for a number of white patches, which I took to be marble, as they reflected the sun's rays very strongly. Other patches of the same kind we had observed in different parts of this country, particularly in Mercury Bay. We continued to stand close upon a wind to the wostward, and at sunset the southernmost point of land bore N. 38 E., distant four leagues, and the westernmost land in sight bore N. 2E. Tho point I named South Cape. The westernmost land was a small j island, lying off the point of the main. Supposing the South Cape to be the southern extremity of this country, as indeed it proved to be, I hoped to get round it by the west, for a largo hollow swell from tho soath-west, ever sine© our last hard gale, had convinced me that thore was no land in that direction. In the night wo had a hard gale at N.E. by N. andN., which brought us under our courses, but about eight in the morning it became moderate ; and at noon, veering to the weßt, wo tockod and Btood to tho northward, having no laud in sight. Our altitude, by observation, was 47.33 S., our longitude west from tho South Capo 59min, We stood away N.N.E. closo upon a wind, without soeing any land, till two tho noxt morning, when wo discovorod an island boaring N.W. by N., distant about fivo leaguos. About two hours afterwards wo saw land a-hoad, upon which wo tacked and stood off till six, whon wo stood in to tako a nearer view of its At eleven wo wero within three leagues of it, but tho wind seeming to inolino upon tho shoro I Uckod and i stood off to the southward. Wo had now sailed round tho land iwhioh wo had disoovoroil on tho sth, and which then did not appear to bo joined to thw main which lay norlh of it ; and being now como to the othor.sido of what wo supposed to bo water, a bay, or low land, it hid th« samo appearance, but when I camo to lay it down on papor tsaw no reason to supposo it to bo an island, on tho contrary, I was clearly of opinion that it mado part of tho main. At noon tho western extremity of tho main bore N. 60 W,, and tho island which wo had soon in the morning, S. 50 W.. distant about fivo leagues. It lie* in latitude 40.31 8., longitndo 192.49, W., and is nothing but a bsrren rook about a milo in circuit, remarkibly high, and lies full fivo leagues from the num.

arid called it Solander's 1 Island. . The shore of the main lies nearest E. by S., &id' W. by N7; and forms a large open bay, in which there is no appearance of any harbour or shelter for;Bhipping against S.W. and, southerly winds ; the surface of the cpuntry is broken into craggy hills, of a great height, oh the summits ( of which are'severai patches of snow ;' it is not, however, wholly barren, for we could see wood not only in. the valleys, but upon , the highest ground, yet we saw no appearance of. its being inhabited. We continued to stand to S.W. byS. till eleven o'clock next morning, when the wind shifted to the S.W. by W., upon which we wore and stood to the N.N.W., being, then in latitude 47.40 S., longitude 193. 50 W., and having a hollow sea from the S.W. During the night we steered N. N.W. till sir in the momlng, when seeing no land we steered N. • y E. till eight, when we steered N.E. by E. half E. to make the land, which at ten we saw bearing E.N.E., but it being hazy, we could distinguish nothing upon it. About two it cleared up, and the land appeared to be high, rude, and mountainous: about half an hour after three I hauled in for a bay, inwiiich there appeared to be good anchorage ; but in about an hour, finding the distance too great to run before it would be dark, and the wind blowing too hard to make the attempt safe in the night, I bore away along the shore. This bay, which I called Dusky Bay, lies in latitude 45.47 S. : it is between three and four miles broad at the entrance, and seems to be full as deep as it is broad : it contains several islands, behind which there must be shelter from all winds, though possibly there may not be sufficient depth of water. The north point of this bay, when it bears S.E. by S., is rendered very remarkable by five peaked rocks which lie off it, and have tho appearance of the four fingers and thumb of a man's hand, for which reason I called it Point Five Fingers. The land of this point is farthe^ remarkable for being the only level latid within a considerable distance. It extends near two leagues to the northward, is lofty, and covered with wood. The land behind it is very different, consisting wholly of mountains, totally barren and rocky ; and this difference yives the Cape the appearance of an island." "At sunset the southernmost laud in sight bore due south, distant about tivo or six leagues, and as this is the www tornmost point of land upon the whole coast, I called it West Cape." It was now the 14th of March. Botween that date and the 23rd, the Ende.ivour crept along the West Coast, rounded Cape Farewell, and anchored in Admiralty Bay, within 20 miles of Queen Charlotte's Sound. The circumnavigation of both islands being thus completed, Capt. Cook at once turned his thoughts to making discoveries elsewhere. On the 31st, the Endeavour quitted New Zealand, sailing to the westward, and before tho end of another month, coat anchor in Botany Bay.