40 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



Furneaux, had left Plymouth on July 13, 1772. The 

 objects they set out for were duly accomplished without 

 any serious disaster, excepting the loss of an Adventure's 

 boat, which fell into the hands of cannibals. Cook had 

 made a point of ascertaining if land existed in the far 

 South. As far as 71 S. the question was settled in the 

 negative. Visits were paid to New Zealand, Otaheite, 

 and other South Sea Islands, where they encountered 

 many old friends, and a few hostile " Indians." New 

 surveys were made, and a large accumulation was made 

 in furtherance of Natural Science. Forster wrote once to 

 Daines Barrington, to whom he reported 260 new plants 

 and animals. Others of the scientific side of the Expedi- 

 tion were, Wales, the astronomer and mathematician ; 

 William Bay ley, astronomer on the Adventure ; William 

 Anderson, the surgeon's mate ; who made their mark in 

 life. George Vancouver, a middy on the Resolution, 

 and Jarnes Burney, lieutenant of the Adventure, were also 

 heard of again with honour. 1 



More than once the Adventure was separated from her 

 consort. In the end Captain Furneaux thought proper 

 to make for home alone, and so reached England a year 

 in advance of the Resolution. Her arrival provided an 



1 When the Resolution was at Otaheite, there were two concurrent 

 plots for staying there altogether and letting Cook get home how he 

 might. This story (hitherto unrecorded) is told by one of those con- 

 cerned. The writer has just heard of the mutiny of the Bounty : 

 " Something what Bligh's people did was designed by most of the 

 people of the Endeavour [this is a slip of memory] headed by Anderson 

 and Gray, I think. They were for remaining, which prevented two or 

 three gentlemen from doing so. When the scheme was discovered, the 

 only successful argument against it was getting a certain disease and 

 dying rotten ... it turned the scale ; otherwise Cook, with the two 

 superior messes must have found his way home had the ship been spared. 

 I was a ringleader among a few who had prepared for remaining." ( J. M. 

 Matra to Sir Joseph Banks, May 7, 1790. Addl. MSS., 33979/29.) 



This Matra must be identified with Marr, or Marra, an Irishman (who 

 seems to have passed for a Dane) who joined the Endeavour at Batavia 

 in 1770, and went in the Resolution on Cook's second voyage, (v. A. 

 Kitson : Capt. James Cook, p. 205.) We shall hear again of this enter- 

 prising fellow. 



