Duncan. — Following the Tracks of Captain Cook. 39 



the granite rock by order of Cook for receiving from a small 

 spring the fluid that unceasingly flows into it." You will 

 notice that Polack refers to a small hole dug in the granite 

 rock in front of a large cavern, not above a small cave as 

 shown nowadays. 



To continue Polack's narrative : " The marks of the pick- 

 axe are as visible at the present day as at the period it was 

 excavated under Cook's eye. The water that overflowed this 

 useful little memorial of our illustrious countryman was 

 pellucid and very cold. The sun had not penetrated this 

 sequestered spot for many years from the umbrageous kahika- 

 toa and other trees that surround it. Around the surface of 

 the cavern are many native delineations, executed with char- 

 coal, of ships, canoes sailing, men and women, dogs and pigs, 

 &c, drawn with tolerable accuracy. Above our reach, and 

 evidently faded by time, was the representation of a ship and 

 some boats, which were unanimously pointed out to me by all 

 present as the productions of the faithful Tahitian follower of 

 Cook (Tupia). This also had evidently been done by similar 

 materials." 



The back wall and roof of this cavern is of whitish silica, 

 and favourable for making charcoal drawings upon as de- 

 scribed by Polack. I noticed a drawing of two whales very 

 well done. The delineation was well out of reach, and evi- 

 dently done with a long charcoal-stick. This is further 

 evidence that the cavern shown on the screen is the cavern of 

 Tupaea, as the cave would not offer any advantages to a 

 charcoal artist, being not 4 ft. high and dark inside. I am of 

 opinion that since 1835 the natives have somehow lost the 

 locality of the place to which their tradition refers, and that 

 the chief Kani-o-takirau, who showed the place to Polack, was 

 more likely to be correct than the natives of more recent 

 years. 



After searching in the watercourse immediately in front of 

 this cavern and clearing away rubbish I found a square de- 

 pression over which the water ran. This cavern would give 

 shelter from the sun on an October afternoon to a large 

 number of people, and if my opinion were asked I would say 

 that the natives and probably Tupaea and the liberty men 

 from the " Endeavour" occupied it as a sort of dress circle, 

 from which to watch the work of wooding and watering 

 going on below, and that the hole was cut in the rock to collect 

 water for a clean drink. The depression in the rock is some 

 3 yards in front of the cavern, but I should not like to say 

 that it was artificial, although after clearing the scum from off 

 the bottom three small triangular holes were visible, as if made 

 by a pick. 



Sporing Island, the native name of which is Pourewa, runs 



