bodies; from which it appeared that they had been killed and devoured by the savages. It was not the intention of Captain Cook, at this distance of time, to resent the injury; he even refused to put to death a chief named Kahoora, who, as he was informed by the natives themselves, had killed Mr. Rowe, the commander of the party. He was, however, particularly careful that no opportunity should now be given the savages of committing such an action with impunity; and with this view a boat was never sent on shore without being well armed, and the men under the command of such officers as could be depended upon. The New Zealanders were no sooner assured of Captain Cook's pacific disposition, than they threw aside their fears and suspicions, and entered into a commercial intercourse with the people. It would have been the less excusable in Captain Cook to have revenged at this time the massacre of Mr. Rowe's party, as he was assured that the quarrel originated from some petty thefts of the savages, which were too hastily resented on the part of the British; and that, had it not been for this, no mischief would have happened.

On the 25th of February New Zealand was left, and at the request of Omai, two boys were taken into the ship, the eldest about eighteen, and the youngest about ten. So much time had now been spent in sailing up and down in the Pacific Ocean, where several new islands were discovered, that Captain Cook judged it impossible to accomplish anything this year in the high northern latitudes; for which reason he determined to bear away for the Friendly Islands, in order to supply himself with those necessaries which he had found it impossible to procure at any of the islands which he had just discovered. In his run thither, several new islands were visited; and in prosecuting

these discoveries another narrow escape was made from shipwreck. The danger at this time arose from a low sandy island which the "Resolution" was very near running upon, and from which she was only saved by the circumstance of all the men having been accidentally called upon deck to put the vessel about. Soon after this both ships struck upon some sunk coral rocks, but happily got off without material damage.

After a stay of between two and three months, Captain Cook took leave of the Friendly Islands on the 13th of July 1777, and on the 12th of August reached Otaheite, where he introduced Omai to his countrymen. Here the captain found the people of Otaheite ready to engage in a war with those of Eimeo; but though strongly solicited by the former to assist them in an expedition against their enemies, he refused to take any concern in the affair, alleging, by way of excuse, that the people of Eimeo had never offended him. This seemed to satisfy most of the chiefs; but one, named Towha, was so much displeased that Captain Cook could never regain his favour.

From Otaheite Captain Cook next proceeded to Eimeo, where, on account of some thefts committed by the natives, he was obliged to commence hostilities, by burning a number of their war canoes, and even some houses. These transactions gave him much concern; and the more that he had been so much solicited to make war on these people by his friends at Otaheite, to whose entreaties he had refused to listen. From Eimeo he proceeded to Huaheine, where he saw Omai finally settled, and left with him the two New Zealand youths already mentioned. The youngest of these was so much attached to the English that it was necessary to carry him out of the ship and put him ashore

by force. During his stay on this island, it was found necessary to punish a thief with greater severity than had ever been done before, by causing his head and beard to be shaved, and his ears cut off. Some other disagreeable transactions took place, particularly the desertion of two of the crew, who were not recovered without the greatest difficulty. In the course of the exertions that were made for their recovery, it was found necessary to detain the son, daughter, and son-in-law of the chief of an island named Otaha. This had almost produced very serious consequences, the natives having formed a plot for carrying off Captain Cook himself, as well as Captain Clerke and Mr. Gore. As to the commander, they were disappointed by his own caution and vigilance; but Clerke and Gore were in particular danger; and it was only owing to the circumstance of one of them having a pistol in his hand as they walked together on shore, that they were not seized.

CHAPTER VIL

DEPARTURE FOR THE NORTH SEAS, FEBRUARY 1778.

After the "Discovery" had joined us, we stood away to the northward. Notwithstanding our advanced latitude, and its being the winter season, we had only begun, for a few days past, to feel a sensation of cold in the mornings and evenings. This is a sign of the equal and lasting influence of the sun's heat, at all seasons, to 30° on each side the line. The disproportion is known to become very great after that. This must be attributed, almost entirely, to the direction of the rays of the sun, independent of the bare distance, which is by no means equal to the effect. We had on the 25th Feburary reached the latitude of 42° 30', and the longitude of 219°; and then we began to meet with the rock-weed, mentioned by the writer of Lord Anson's voyage, under the name of sea-leek, which the Manilla ships generally fall in with. Now and then a piece of wood also appeared. But if we had not known that the continent of North America was not far distant, we might, from the few signs of the vicinity of land hitherto met with, have concluded that there was none within some thousand leagues of us. We had hardly seen a bird, or any oceanic animal, since we left Sandwich Islands.

NEW ALBION.

On the 6th of March at noon, being in the latitude of 44° 10′ N., and the longitude of 2341° E., we saw two seals and several

whales; and at daybreak the next morning, the long-looked-for coast of New Albion was seen extending from north-east to south-east, distant ten or twelve leagues. The land appeared to be of a moderate height, diversified with hills and valleys, and almost everywhere covered with wood. There was, however, no very striking object on any part of it, except one hill, whose elevated summit was flat. This bore east from us at noon. At the northern extreme the land formed a point, which I called Cape Foulweather, from the very bad weather that we soon after met with. Our difficulties now began to increase, and it was not until after being unprofitably tossed about for a fortnight that we saw land on the morning of the 22d March 1778.

At this time we were in the latitude of 47° 5' north, and in the longitude of 235° 10′ east, and about four leagues from the land, which extended from north to south-east half east. A small round hill, which had the appearance of being an island, bore north three quarters east, distant six or seven leagues, as I guessed it appears to be of a tolerable height, and was but just to be seen from the deck. Between this island or rock, and the northern extreme of the land, there appeared to be a small opening, which flattered us with the hopes of finding a harbour. These hopes lessened as we drew nearer; and, at last, we had some reason to think that the opening was closed by low land. On this account I called the point of land to the north of it Cape Flattery. There is a round hill of a moderate height over it; and all the land upon this part of the coast is of a moderate and pretty equal height, well covered with wood, and had a very pleasant and fertile appearance. It is in this very latitude where we now were, that geographers have placed the pretended strait of Juan de Fuca.