m out of red baize, and gave so much
satisfaction that he presented Cook with his pattou, a sort of short flat
club made of stone. He visited the ship, and took great interest in all
that was going on, particularly with the saw pit. After watching the men
some time, he intimated his desire to try his hand in the pit, but found
the work not quite so easy as it looked, and soon required very little
persuasion to relinquish his task.

Cook speaks very favourably of Dusky Bay, a good anchorage, plenty of
good water, game, fish, and easy to enter. The timber he describes as the
best he had seen in New Zealand, with the exception of that at the
Thames. There was but little edible herbage, but he tried to remedy this
by planting a quantity of European seeds, and he also left, in a place
where he hoped they might be undisturbed, a pair of geese. Whilst here
Cook was for a time confined to his cabin by what he describes as a
slight cold, but Mr. Forster says was a severe attack of rheumatism.
After several unsuccessful attempts, owing to contrary winds, they left
Dusky Bay on 11th May, and on the 17th, when near Cape Stephens, fell in
with six water-spouts, one of which came within fifty yards of the ship,
and Cook regretted he had not fired a gun at it, as he had heard that
course recommended. He says he had one ready, but was so busy noting the
phenomena that he did not think of it in time. On the other hand, Forster
says that one "was ordered to be got ready, but our people being, as
usual, very desultory about it, the danger was passed before we could try
the experiment."

FURNEAUX REPORTS.

On 18th May they arrived in Queen Charlotte's Sound, finding, as Cook had
expected, the Adventure there before them. Furneaux immediately reported
himself to his commanding officer, and said they had been there for six
weeks. After they had lost sight of the Resolution on 8th February, they
heard a gun and bore up for it, firing every half-hour, but heard no
reply. They then cruised about for three days as near the spot as the
weather would permit, and then, following Tasman's track, as Cook had
surmised, made for New Zealand, sighting Van Diemen's Land on 9th March,
near Tasman's South Cape. He sent a boat ashore at the first opportunity,
and a few traces of natives were seen, but the weather was so threatening
that the boat had to return to the ship. They then put in to Adventure
Bay, and staying five days took in wood and water; the