SIR JOSEPH BANKS. 25 



thus, by the presence of mind and prudence of 

 Mr Banks, the instrument was recovered without 

 disturbing that harmony with the natives, so 

 essential to the objects of the navigators. 



Another anecdote of Mr Banks displays his 

 enthusiasm in obtaining the most correct infor- 

 mation as to the manners of the people amongst 

 whom he had become a resident. He had a great 

 desire to see a funeral procession, but was told his 

 only mode of doing so with propriety, was to take 

 a part in it, which he determined to do ; and, for 

 this purpose, he was stripped of his clothes, and 

 a piece of cloth being tied round his middle, his 

 body was smeared with charcoal and water ; and 

 in this guise he joined the procession. It is need- 

 less to give other instances of Mr Banks's zeal : 

 they might be multiplied to an indefinite extent. 

 Cook paid him the well merited compliment of 

 naming after him one of the newly discovered 

 Islands of New Zealand, lying in latitude 43 32' 

 south, and in longitude 186 30' west. 



At New Holland, while the ship was undergoing 

 repairs, the world had nearly been deprived of the 

 labours of this enterprising naturalist. In order 

 to secure his collections, and preserve them with 

 more than ordinary care, he had removed them 

 to the bread room ; but the workmen, in their 

 necessary repairs of the vessel, threw her so much 

 ajbaft, that her stern was filled with water, by 



