CAPTAIN COOK IN NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 931, 2 October 1869, Page 17

CAPTAIN COOK IN NEW ZEALAND.

Captain Cook's second voyage was undertaken in search of a continent between the meridian »f the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand. , The voyage was commenced in Apri1, 1772. He sailed in the ship Resolution, and was accom- j panied by Captain Furneaux in the' ship Adventure. In Maroh, 1773, being then in the neighbourhood of New Zealand, Captain Cook bore up for Dusky Bay to refit, and accordingly, on the 26fch of that month, entered that Bay. He describes hifl transactions there thus :— " After running about two leagues up, and passing several of the isles 1 which lay in it, I brought to and hoisted out two boats, one of which I sent away with an officer round a point on the larboard hand to look for anchorage. This he found, and signified the same by signal. We then followed with the ship, and anchored in fifty fathom water so near the shore as to reach it "with a hawser : my first care after the ship was moored was to send a boat and people a-fishing : in the meantime Borne of the gentlemen killed a seal (out of many that were upon a rook), which made us a fresh meal. The fishing-boat was very successful, returning with fish sufficient for all hands for supper, and in a few hours in the morning, caught as many as served for dinner. This gave us certain hopes of being plentifully supplied with this article. Nor did the shores and woods appear less destitute of wild fowl, so that we hoped* to enjoy with ease what in our situation might be called the luxuries of life. Thiß determined me to stay some time in this bay, in order to examine it thoroughly, as no one had ever landed before on any of the southern parts of this country. . . . Being so situated, we began to clear placeß in the woods in order to set up the astronomy observatory, the forge to repair our ironwork, tents for the sailmakers and coopers, to land our empty casks to fill water, and to cut down wood for fuel, all of which were absolutely necessary occupations. We also began to brew beer from the branches and leaves of a tree, which much resembles the American black spruce. The few sheep and goats we had left were not likely to fare quite so well as onrBelves, there being no grass here but what was coarse and harsh. It was, however, not so bad but that we expected they would devour it with great greediness, and were the more surprised to find that they would not taste it, nor did they seem over fond of the leaves of more tender plants. Upon examination wo found their teeth loose, and that many of them had every other symptom of inveterate sea scurvy. Out of four ewes and two rams which 1 brought from the Cape, with an intent to put ashore in this country, I had only been able to preserve one of each ; and even these were in so bad a state, that it was doubtful if they could recover. . . . The 2nd of April being a pleasant morning, Lieutenants Clarke and Edgcumb, and the two Mr Forsters, went in a boat up the bay to search for the productions of nature ; and myself, Lieutenant Pickersgill, and Mr Hodges went to take a view of the N.W. side. In our way we touohed at the Seal Rock and killed three Deals, one of which afforded us much sport. After passing several isles, we at length came to the most northern and western arm of the Bay, the same as is formed by the land of Five Fingers Point. In the bottom of this arm or cove we found many duoks, wood hens, and other wild fowl, some of which we killed, and returned on board at ten o'clock in the evening, where tho other party had arrived several hours before us. They had taken with them a black dog we brought from tho Cape, who at tho first musket shot ran into the woods, from whence he would not return. The three following d&ya were rainy, so that no excursions were made. Early in the morning of the Oth, I set oat to continue tho surrey of the bay. My attention was directed to the north side, whoro I discovered a fine capacious cove, in the bottom of which is a fresh water river : on the west side several beautiful small cascades : and tho shores are bo stoop that a ahip might lie near enough to convey the water into hor by hoie. In this covo wo shot 14 duoks, bosidos othor birds, which occasioned xny calling it Duck Cove, ; , "As wo returned in tho ©voning, wo had a short interviow with thro© of tho native*, one man and two women. Wo •hould have pasted without aooing them, had not the man hallooed to us. He ■tood, with hi» dub in hit hand, upon tho point of a reok, and behind him, ftt the skirt* of the wood, stood two womon, with each of thorn a apear. Tho man could not help discovering great signs of few when wo approached the rock with our boat. He, howovor, itood firm, nor did he move to toko up aomo thing* we

threw him ashore." At length, I landed, went up, and embraced him, and presented him with such articles as I had about me* which at once dissipated^ his fears. Presently after we were joined by the two women, the gentlemen ' that were with me, and some of the seamen. After this, We Bpent about half an hour in chit-chat—- little understood on either side — dp. which the youngest of the two women bore by far the greatest share. This occasioned one of the seamen to say, that women did not want tongue in any part of the world. Night approaching, obliged ub to take leave of them, when the youngest of the two women, whose volubility of tongue exceeded everything 1 ever met with, gave ua a dance. Having five geese left out of those we brought from the Cape of Good Hope I went with them next morning to Goose Cove (named so on this account), where I left them. I make no doubt but that they will breed, and may in time spread over the whole country and fully answer my intention in leaving them. . . . Everything being removed from the shore, I set fire to the top wood, &c, in order to dry a piece of ground we had occupied which, next morning, I dug up and sowed with several sorts of garden seeds. . . . The country is exceedingly mountainous ; but tho land bordering on the sea coast and all the islands are thickly clothed with wood down to the water's edge. Except in the river Thames I have not seen finer timber in all New Zealand. The soil is a deep black mould evidently composed of decayed vegetables, and so loose that it sinks under you at every step. All the ground among the trees is covered with moss and fern, of both which there is a great variety ; but, except the flax plant and a few others, there is very little herbage of any sort, and none that was eatable, that we found, except a handful of water cresses and about the same quantity of celery. ... Wo found here five different kinds of ducks. . . . What Dusky Bay abounds with is fish, of this article the variety is almost equal to the plenty." . . . Cook was highly pleased with his visit, and could only find fault with "the almost continual rain," and with the sandflies, "which are very numerous, and so troublesome that they exceed anything of the kind I ever met with." After leaving Dusky Bay, on 11th May, ho directed his course along the West Coast to Queen Charlotte's Sound, where he arrived on the 18th, to find his consort, the Adventure, awaiting him in Ship Cove. Both vessels remained here ten days before proceeding again to sea. One or two notes of this time will be interesting :—: — " In the morning of the 20th, I went ashore to the watering-place, near the Adventure's tent, taking the ewe and ram remaining of those which I brought from the Cape of Good Hope with an intent to leave in this country. Soon after, I vißitod the several pardona Captain Furneaux had caused to bo made and planted with various articles, all of which were in a flourishing state, and, if attended to by the natives, may prove of great utility to them. The next day I set some men to work to make a garden on Long hland, which I planted with garden seeds, roots, &c. On the 23rd, in the morning, the ewe and the ram I had with so much care and trouble brought to this place were both found dead, occasioned, as was supposed, by eating some poisonous plant Thus my hopes of stocking this country with a breed of sheep were blasted in a moment. About noon we were visited, for the first time since I arrived, by some of the natives, who dined with us ; and it was not a little they devoured. In the evening they were dismissed with presents. Nothing worthy of notice happened till the 20th, when aoveral of the natives made us a visit, and brought with them a quantity of fish, which they exchanged for nails, &o. One of these people I took over to Motuara, and showed himsomo potatoes planted thero by Mr Fannen. mastorof the Adventure. Thero seemed to bo no doubt of thoir succeeding ; and tho man was so woll pleased with thorn, that ho, of hi* own accord, began to hoo the earth up about tho plant*. Wo next took him to the othergardons, and showed him the turnips, oarrots, and parsnips ; roots which, together with the potatoes, will bo of more real übo to thorn, than all tho othor articles wo had planted. It was easy to give thorn an idea of those roots i by comparing thorn with auch m thoy l know. Two or thro© families of tho»o people now took up their abode now* us. employing thwnaelvo* daily in fishing and supplying us with tho fruit* of their labour, the good ©fleoU of which we soon folk For we were by no moan* ouch oxport fl*hor» as they or© ; nor woro any of ! our method* of fishing equal to theirs. On tho 2nd of Juno, tho ship* being nearly roady to put to *oa, I »ont onshore, on theouUido of tho Bound, two goat*, malo j and fomalo. Tho former was aomothing moro than a> year old, but tho Utter wm

much older. She had two fine kids, some time before we arrived in Dusky Bay. which were killed by cold, as has been already mentioned. Capt. furneaux also nut on shore, in Cannibal Coye r , a boar and two breeding sows ; so that w© have reason to hope this country will, in timej be stocked with these animals, if they are not destroyed by the natives before they become wild ; for afterwards they will be in no danger. But ad the natives knew nothing of their being left behind, it may be some time before they are discovered:" Captain Cook returned from the South Seas to New Zealand in October, 1773. " At five o'clock in the morning of the 21st we made the land of New Zealand, extending from N.W. by N. to W.S.W. At noon Table Cape bore west, distant eight leagues. I was very desirous of having some intercourse with the natives of this country as far to north as possible, that is about Poverty or Tologa Bays, where I apprehended they were mare civilised than at Queen Charlotte's Sound ; in order to give them some hogs, fowls, seeds, roots, &c, which I had provided for the purpose. The wind veering to the N. W. and N. , enabled us to fetch in with the land a little to the north of Portland, and we stood as near the shore as we could with safety. We observed several people upon it, but none attempted to come off to us. Seeing this, we bore a^ ay under Portland, where we lay-to some time, as well to give time for the natives to come off as to wait for the Adventure. There were several people on Portland, but none seemed inclined to come to us ; indeed the wind, at this time, blew rather too fresh for them to make the attempt. Therefore, as soon as the Adventure was up with us, we made sail for Cape Kidnappers, which we passed at five o'clock in the morning, and continued our course along shore till nine, when, being about three leagues short of Black Head, we saw some canoes put off from the shore. Upon this 1 brought to, in order to give them time to come on board ; but ordered the Adventure, by Bignal, to stand on, as Iwas willing to lose as little time as possible. Those in the first canoe which came alongside were fiahers, and exchanged some fish for pieces of cloth and nails. In the next were two men, whom, by their dreßS and behaviour, I took to be chiefs. These two were easily prevailed on to come on board, when thoy were presented with naik and other articles. They were so fond of nails as to Beize on all they could find, and with such eagerness as plainly showed they were the most valuable things we could give them. To the principal of these two men I gave the pigs, fowls, seeds, and roots. I believe, at first, he did not think I meant to give them to him, for he took but little notice of them till he was satisfied they were for himself. Nor was he then in such a rapture as when I gave him a spike-nail half the length of hiß arm. However, at his going away, I took notico that ho very well remembered how many pigs and fowls had been given him, as he took care to have them all collected together, and kept a watchful eye over them, lest any should bo taken away. He made me a promise not to kill any ; and if he keeps his word, and proper care io taken of them, there were enough to stock the whole island in due time, being two boars, two sowb, four hons, and two cocks. The seeds were such as are most useful, viz., wheat, Fronch. and kidney beans, peas, cabbage, turnips, onions, carrots, parsnips, and yams, &c. With these articles they wore dismissed. It was evidont these people had not forgot the Endeavour being on their coast, tor the first words they spoke to us were, " Mataou note powpow" (We are afraid of tho puna). As we approached the abovementioned shore, wo discovered on tho east side of Cape Toemwhitte a now inlet I had never obaervod before. Being tired with boating against tho north* west winds, I reaolved to put into this place, if I found it practicable, or to anchor in tho bay which lios before it. Tho flood being in our favour, after making a stretch off, wo fotchod under tho capo, and strotchod into tho bay along by tho western shore, having from thirty-fivo to twolvo fathoms, tho bottom ovorywhoro good anchorage. At one o'clock wo reached tho entranoo of tho inlot, just as the tide of ebb wa* making out ; tho wind being likowiso against ua, wo anchored in twolvo fathoms wot«r, the bottom a fmo *and. Tho oaatornmost of tho Black Rocks, which lio on tho larboard uido of the ontranc© of tho inlot, boro N. by E., on© milo distant, Capo Toorowhitto, or tho wost point of tho bay, west, distant, about two loaguen, and tho east point of tho bay, N. by X., four or fly© milo*. Soon after wo had anchored, aovoral of tho native* came off in thoir cohom ; two from ono ahoro and one from the other. It required but little addro** to gut throo or four of thorn on board. Thoso pooplo woro extravagantly fond of nail* abovo ovory othor thing. To on© man 1 gavo two cock* and two hon*, which ho rooelved with «o much indLQorono© v gavo

1 me little hopes he would take proper card of them. We had • not been at, anchor here above two hours before- the- wind veered to N.E., with which ,we weighed ; but the anchor was hardly at the bows before it shifted'to south. With this we could but just lead out of the bay, and then bore away for the Sound under all- the flail we could set, having the advantage, or rather disadvantage, of an increasing gale, whioh already blew too hard. We hauled up into the Sound just at dark, 'after making two boards, in which most of our sails were split, and anchored in eighteen fathoms water, between the White Rocks and the N.W. shore. The next morning the gale abated, and was succeeded by a few hours calm j after that a breeze sprung up at N.W., with whioh we weighed and ran up into ship Cove, where we did not find the Adventure, as was expected. Next morning I sent over to the Cove where the natives reside, to haul the seine, and took with me a boar and young sow, two cocks and two hens, we had brought from the isles. These 1 gave to the natives, being persuaded they would take proper care of them, by their keeping Captain Furneaux's sow near five months ; for lam to suppose it was caught soon after we sailed. We had no better success with the Beine than before ; nevertheless, we did not return on board quite empty, having purchased a large quantity from the natives. When we were upon this traffic, they showed a great inclination to pick my pockets, and to take away the fißh with one hand which they had just given me with the other. This evil one of the chiefs undertook to remove, and with fury in his eyes made a Bhow of keeping the people at a proper distance. I applauded his conduct, but at the same time kept so good a look out, as to detect him in picking my pocket of a handkerchief, which I suffered him to put in his bosom before I seemed to know anything of the matter, and then told him what I had lost. He seemed quite ignorant and innocent till I took it from him, and then he put it off with a laugh, acting his part with so much address that it was hardly possible for me to be angry with him, so that we remained good friends, and he accompanied me on board to dinner." We are tempted to borrow a more unpleasant note about these people :— * ..." The Bight of the head and the relation of the above circumstances struck me with horror, and filled my mind with indignation against these cannibals. Curiosity, however, got the better of my indignation, especially when I consider it would avail but little ; and being desirous of becoming an eye witness of a fact which many doubted, I ordered a piece of the flesh to be "broiled and brought to the quarter deck, where one of the cannibals ate it with surprising avidity. This had such an effect on some of our people as to make them sick. . . . . Among many reasons which I have heard assigned for this horrid custom, the want of animal food has been one, but how far this is deducible from facts I shall leave those to find out who advanced it. In every part of New Zealand where I have beon, fish was in such plenty that the natives generally caught as much as served both for themselves and us. Thoy have also plenty of dogp, Dor is there any want of wild- fowl, which they know very woll how to kill ; so that neither this nor tho want of food of any kind can, in my opinion, be reason. But whatever it may bo, I think it was but too evident thab they have a great liking for this kind of food." Another departure was made by tho Resolution, on the 2Gth November, without tho Adventure, the two ships having beon aoparatod by a gale which befell thorn, on tho 29th Ootobor, off Capo Campbell During tho noxt twelvemonths' cruise, Cook discovered Now Caledonia and Norfolk Island, returning again to tho familiar anchorage at Ship Coy© in October, 1774. Ho then nailed for England in completion of his second voyago. Tho third voyago of Captain Cook was designed to mako further discoverios in tho Pacific Ocean, and to dotormino tho position and extent of tho west aido of North Amorica, It was calculated to employ four yoors. Ho again commanded tho Resolution, and was now accompanied by Captain Clarke, in tho Diacovory, or 300 tons burthon. Leaving England in July 1770, tho R««ol«tion and DUcovory, after a variety of adventures at Tonoriflo, the Cap© of Good Hopo, Korguolen** Land, and Van Diomen's Lund, turned toward* tho favonrito tmnimrium of tho oxpediti«ui. "On tho 10th of February, 1777, at four in tho afternoon, wo diicoveivd tho land of Now Zealand. After making tho land, I atoored for Cap© Farowoll, which at daybroak th© noxt morning boro S. by W., distant about four loaanoa, At eight o'clock it boro S.W. by 8., about Uvo ' Who* dittont, and in thi* situation wo had forty fivo fathom*' water over a sandy

i'iol&*^^^ ■,&fcHath'om S Jano^^ I now' steered'-f oriStephen'aJaland^ w*<>K '" we' came up with at .nine p,ck>ck at.nignt;;- ' and at-iOnext ■morniug.antihored jn.our ' old station in Queen Charlotte's >Sdund.; . Unwilling td 'lose .any time, pur operation * commenced ;that,yery afternoon, , .when-tre -landed a number, of empty. water casks,, and' beaan< to clear a.plaoe w.here we, might set up the two observatories, and tents for the reception of^a guard, and, of such of our people whose business might make it necessary for them , to remain on 8 "On the 15th I made an excursion in my boat to look for grass; and visited the Hippah, or fortified village, at the southwest point of Motuara r and the places where our gardens had been planted on that island. There were no people at the former, but the, houses and palisades nod been rebuilt, and were now in a state, of good repair, and there were other evident marks of its having been inhabited not long before. When the Adventure arrived first at Queen Charlotte's Sound, m 1773, Mr Bayley fixed upon this place for making his observations ; and he and the people with him, at their leisure hours, planted several spots with English garden seeds. Not the least vestige of these now remained. It is probable that they had been all rooted out to make room for buildings when the village was reinhabited ; for, at all the other gardens then planted by Captain Furneaux, although now wholly overgrown with the weeds of the country, we found cabbages, onions, leeks, purslane, radishes, mustard, &c, and a few potatoes. These potatoes, which were first brought from the Cape of Good Hope, had been greatly improved by change of soil, and with proper cultivation would be superior to those produced in moat other countries. Though the New Zealanders are fond of this root, it was evident that they had not taken the trouble to plant a single one (much less any other of the articles which we had introduced), and if it were not for the difficulty of clearing ground where potatoes had been once planted, there would not have been any now remaining. The next day we were visited by a tribe or family consisting of about thirty persons, men, women, and children, who came from the upper part of the Sound. I had never seen them before. Their chief was a man of about forty-five years of age, with a cheerful open countenance. And indeed, the reßt of his tribe were, in general, the handsomest of the New Zealand race I had ever met with. By this time more than two-thirds of the inhabitants of the Sound had settled themselves about üb. Great numbers of them daily frequented the ships and the encampment on shore ; but the latter became by f*r the most favourite place of resort, while our people there were melting Borne aeal blubber. No Greenlatider was ever fonder of train oil than our friends horo seemod to be. They relished the very skimmings of the kettle and dregs of the cask, but a little of the pure stinking oil was a delicious feast, bo eagerly desired, that 1 supposed it is seldom enjoyed. Having got on board as much hay and graßsaa we iudged sufficient to serve the .cattle till our arrival at Otahoite, and havinir completed tho wood and water of both ships on the 23rd, we struck our tents and carried everything off from tlio shore ; and next morning we weighed anchor and stood out of the cove. Hut the wind not being very fair, and nnoine that the tide of ebb would be spent before wo could get out of the Sound, we cast anchor again a little without the island Motimra to wait for a more favourable opportunity of putting into the Strait While we were unmooring and getting undor sail, the chief and many more of the natives came to take thoir leave of us, or rather to obtain if they could some additional present from us before we left thorn, me chiof became suitor to mo for Bomo goats and hogs. Accordingly I gave him two goata, a male and fbmale with kid : also two pigs, a boar and a sow. He mado mo a promise not to kill them ; though I must own I put no groat faith in this. Tho animals which C&ptain Furnoanx sont on shore here, and which 3oon after foil into tho hands of the natives, I was now told wore all dead ; but I oould got no intelligence about tho fato of those I had loft on West Bay, and on Cannibal Cove, whon I was here in tho course of my last voyage. Howovor all the nativos whom I convorsod with agreed that poultry are now to be met with wild in tho woods behind Shin Covo ; and I was afterwards informed by the two youths who wont away with us that Tiratou, a popular chiof amongst them, had » great many cocks and hens in hii ■eparato poueuion and one of the •ow». On ray present arrival at this plaoe, I fuUy intended to have left not only 8?»*f •«£ hogt. but sheep, and a young bull with two hoifew, if I oould have found either % chief powerful enough to proteot and keep them, or a plaoe whew there might bo »

spVo£'abfli^o^thei^f%eteg*cqn^aled| ; fsdnt; : those ,f^9,«jw,ould v ignorati'tly; attenfotitw :de,strbyi them.,vhß,ut u neitherjthe onje nor {the pther presented itself .to- me. ? iTiratbu nwaa nowabserit ; and Tringoboohee/whonit I had>m©t;with,d«ringtny;last > yoyage, and: yrho-Beemedto be a person of much consequence at .that time, had « been killedfive, months (.ago; with .about seventy, persons of histribe;, ondi I could not learn (that .there now remained in our neighbourhood any tribe, whose nuihbers could secure to them a superiority of power over ,the rest of their countrymen. To have given the animals to any of the natives who possessed no such power would not have answered the intention. , For, in, a country like this, where no man's property is secure, they would soonhavefalfen a prey, to different parties, and been either separated or killed,; but most likely both, Thiswassoevidentfrotn what wehad observed since our arrival, that I had resolved to leave no kind of animal till this chief solicited me for the hogs and goats. , As I could spare them, I let them go, to take their chance. I have,, at different times, left in New Zealand no lesßthan ten, or a dozen hogs, besides those put on shore by Captain Furneaux. It will be a little extraordinary, therefore, if this race should not increase and be preserved here, either in a wild or in a domestic state, or in both."^ Cook was about to take his final leave of New Zealand. At thia point of the record, he describes much of the natural history of the country he had left unnoted before. On the subject of plants he writes :—: — " Of these, however, there is one which deserves particular notice here, as the nativeß make their garments of it, arid it produces a fine silky flax, superior in appearance to anything we have, and, probably, at least as strong. It grows everywhere near the sea, and in some places, a considerable way up the hills in branches or tufts, with sedge like leaves, bearing, on a long stalk, yellowish flowers, which are succeeded by a long roundish pod, filled with very thin shining black seeds," Departing from tho Sound on the 25th of February, 1777, Cook revisited Otaheite, discovered the Friendly Islands and the Sandwich Islands, explored North America up to the ice, and returned to the Sandwich Islands, where, on the 14th February, 1779, in an unfortunate encounter with the nativeß, he loat his life at the early age of fifty-two.