34 cook's SECOND VOYAGE JULY, 



imagination, I know not. He was afterwards as if 

 nothing had been done to him, and lived to be 

 brought home to England. However, I have no 

 doubt of this stuff being of a poisonous quality, as it 

 could answer no other purpose. The people seemed 

 not unacquainted with the nature of poison ; for when 

 they brought us water on shore, they first tasted it, 

 and then gave us to understand we might with safety 

 drink it. 



This harbour, which is situated on the N. E. side 

 of Mallicollo, not far from the S. E. end, in latitude 

 16° 25' 20" S., longitude 167° '6f 23" E., I named 

 Port Sandwich. It lies in S. W. by S. about one 

 league, and is one-third of a league broad. A reef of 

 rocks extends out a little way from each point ; but the 

 channel is of a good breadth, and hath in it from 

 forty to twenty-four fathoms water. In the port, the 

 depth of water is from twenty to four fathoms ; and 

 it is so sheltered that no winds can disturb a ship at 

 anchor there. Another great advantage is, you can 

 lie so near the shore as to cover your people who may 

 be at work upon it. 



