xiv HISTORY OF 
manuscripts, being 213. Among those which had not been previously 
observed was the Mangrove (Avicennia officinalis), which occurred 
in such abundance along the sides of the Whitianga River that Cook 
gave it the name of the “ River of Mangroves.” Through a curious 
misapprehension he states that the mangroves “ produce a resinous 
substance very much like Rosm. . . . . We found it, at first, 
in small Lumps upon the Sea Beach, but afterwards found it sticking 
to the Mangrove Trees, and by that means found out from whence it 
came.” The resinous substance was no doubt the now well-known 
kauri-gum, pieces of which are often drifted along tidal streams, and 
are not infrequently detained among the roots or lower branches of 
the mangrove. The kauri-tree itself does not seem to have been 
observed, either by Cook or by Banks and Solander, although common 
enough on the hills overlooking Mercury Bay. Probably they did not 
venture far enough from the coast to reach it. 
After leaving Mercury Bay Cook continued to follow the coast- 
line, and rounding Cape Colville, entered the Hauraki Gulf. Here 
he found himself surrounded by islands, and not wishing to lose sight 
of the mainland, kept close under the western side of the Coromandel 
Peninsula. A short sail brought him to the entrance of the Thames 
River, where he anchored, almost directly abreast of the position 
where the town of Thames now stands. On the following day, the 
21st November, accompanied by Banks and Solander, he made a boat 
voyage up the Thames River for a distance of twelve or fourteen miles. 
A landing was effected on the west side of the river for the purpose 
of examining the kahikatea forest which still clothes its banks, and 
which had attracted Cook’s attention at his anchorage. Describing 
the trees, he says, ‘“ We had not gone a hundred yards into the woods 
before we found a Tree that girted 19 feet 8 inches, 6 feet above the 
ground, and having a Quadrant with me, I found its length from the 
root to the first branch to be 89 feet; it was as Streight as an Arrow, 
and Taper’d but very little in proportion to its length, so that I judged 
that there was 356 Solid feet of timber in this Tree, clear of the branches. 
We saw many others of the same sort, several of which were Taller 
than the one we measured, and all of them very stout; there were 
likewise many other sorts of very Stout Timber Trees, all of them 
wholy unknown to any of us. We brought away a few specimens, and 
at 3 o’Clock we embarqued in order to return.” It is somewhat dis- 
tressing to state that the historic tree mentioned above, after surviving 
one hundred and thirty years with unimpaired vitality, was wantonly 
cut down only a few years ago. 
From the Thames River Cook’s course was directed to Cape Rodney, 
and from thence northwards to Cape Brett, which was reached on the 
27th November. Here contrary winds were met with, and it was not 
until the 29th that the cape was weathered, and an anchorage found 
in the Bay of Islands, where the “ Endeavour” remained until the 
