whole catalogue of plants, including lichens, did not exceed sixteen
or eighteen.

A SOUTHERLY BUSTER.

The first part of January 1777 was foggy, and Cook says they "ran above
300 leagues in the dark." On the 19th a squall carried away the fore
topmast and main topgallant mast, and it took the whole day to replace
the first, but they had nothing suitable for the top gallant mast. On
26th January they put into Adventure Bay, Van Diemen's Land, and obtained
a spar; Cook spoke of the timber as being good but too heavy. A few
natives were seen, but did not create a favourable impression, still Cook
landed a couple of pigs in hopes to establish the breed, a hope doomed to
be unsatisfied. The Marquis de Beauvoir relates that in 1866 he saw in
Adventure Bay a tree on which was cut with a knife: Cook, 26th Jan. 1777,
and he was informed it had been cut by the man himself. They seem to have
seen nothing to raise a doubt about Furneaux's conclusion that Van
Diemen's Land formed a part of Australia, so no attempt was made to
settle the question, and they sailed for New Zealand on the 30th, meeting
with a "perfect storm" from the south; the thermometer rose:

"almost in an instant from about 70 degrees to near 90 degrees, but fell
again when the wind commenced, in fact the change was so rapid that there
were some on board who did not notice it."

These storms are of frequent occurrence, and are locally known as
Southerly Busters.

On 10th February Rocks Point, near Cape Farewell, was sighted, and on the
12th they anchored near their old berth in Queen Charlotte's Sound, and a
camp was immediately established. Here they were visited by a few of the
natives, some of whom remembered Cook and were recognised by him. At
first they thought he had come to avenge the Adventure's losses, but
after a time were persuaded to put aside their distrust, and they flocked
down to the shore, every available piece of ground being quickly occupied
by their huts. Cook describes how one party worked. The ground was
selected, the men tearing up the grass and plants, and erected the huts,
whilst the women looked after the canoes, properties, and provisions, and
collected firewood; and he kept the children and some of the oldest of
the party out of mischief by scrambling the contents of his pockets
amongst them. At the same time he noticed that however busy the men might
be, they took care to be within easy reach of their weapons; and he on
his side