32 cook's first voyage march, 



are so much stronger than any thing we can make 

 with hemp, that they will not bear a comparison. 

 From the same plant, by another preparation, they 

 draw long slender fibres which shine like silk, and 

 are as white as snow : of these, which are also sur- 

 prisingly strong, the finer clothes are made ; and of 

 the leaves, without any other preparation than split- 

 ting them into proper breadths, and tying the strips 

 together, they make their fishing nets ; some of 

 which, as I have before remarked, are of an enor- 

 mous size. 



A plant which, with such advantage, might be ap- 

 plied to so many useful and important purposes, would 

 certainly be a great acquisition to England, where it 

 would probably thrive with very little trouble, as it 

 seems to be hardy, and to affect no particular soil ; 

 being found equally in hill and valley ; in the driest 

 mould, and the deepest bogs : the bog, however, it 

 seems rather to prefer, as near such places we observed 

 it to be larger than elsewhere. 



I have already observed, that we found great plenty 

 of iron sand in Mercury Bay, and therefore that iron 

 ore is undoubtedly to be found at no great distance. 

 As to other metals we had scarcely knowledge enough 

 of the country for conjecture. 



If the settling of this country should ever be thought 

 an object worthy the attention of Great Britain, the 

 best place for establishing a colony would be either 

 on the banks of the Thames, or in the country bor- 

 dering upon the Bay of Islands. In either place there 

 would be the advantage of an excellent harbour ; and, 

 by means of the river, settlements might be extended, 

 and a communication established with the inland 

 parts of the country : vessels might be built of the 

 fine timber which abounds in these parts, at very little 

 trouble and expence, fit for such a navigation as 

 would answer the purpose. I cannot indeed exactly 

 assign the depth o water which a vessel intended to 

 navigate this river, even as far up as I went with the 



