SECOND VOYAGE 193 



having them long and pointed. This had eighty-eight teeth 

 in each jaw. The haslet and lean flesh were to them a feast. 

 It was eaten roasted, broiled, and fried, first soaking it in 

 warm water. Indeed little art was wanting to make any- 

 thing fresh palatable to those who had been living so long 

 on salt meat. 



On the 10th, at day-break, they discovered land, bearing 

 S.W., which on a nearer approach they found to be an 

 island of good height, and five leagues in circuit. It was 

 named Norfolk Isle,* in honour of the noble family of 

 Howard. After dinner a party embarked in two boats, and 

 landed on the island without any difficulty, behind some 

 large rocks, which lined part of the coast. 



They found it uninhabited, and were undoubtedly the 

 first that ever set foot on it. They observed many trees 

 and plants common at New Zealand ; and, in particular, 

 the flax plant, which is rather more luxuriant here than in 

 any part of that country ; but the chief produce is a sort 

 of spruce pine, which grows in abundance, and to a large 

 size, many of the trees being as thick, breast high, as two 

 men could fathom, and exceedingly straight and tall. It 

 resembles the Quebec pine. For about two hundred yards 

 from the shore, the ground is covered so thick with shrubs 

 and plants as hardly to be penetrated farther inland. The 

 woods were perfectly clear and free from underwood, and 

 the soil seemed rich and deep. They found the same kind 

 of pigeons, parrots, and paroquets, as in New Zealand, rails, 

 and some small birds. The sea-fowl breed undisturbed on 

 the shores, and in the cliffs of the rocks. On the isle is 

 fresh water ; and cabbage-palm, wood-sorrel, sow-thistle, 

 and samphire, abounding in some places on the shore ; they 

 brought on board as much of each sort as the time they 

 had to gather them would admit. 



After leaving Norfolk Isle they steered for New Zealand, 

 intending to touch at Queen Charlotte's Sound, to refresh 

 the crew and put the ship in a condition to encounter the 

 southern latitudes. 



On the 17th, at day-break, they saw Mount Egmont, 

 which was covered with everlasting snow. Their distance 

 from the shore was about eight leagues. 



On the 18th, they anchored before Ship Cove ; and in the 

 afternoon, the Captain went into the cove, with the seine, 

 to try to catch some fish. The first thing he did after 

 landing was to look for the bottle he left when last here, 

 in which was the memorandum. It was taken away, but 

 by whom it did not appear. Two hauls with the seine pro- 



* This island, long the abode of convicts transported for life, 

 is now the residence of the Pitcairn Islanders. 

 680 



