END OF TERRA AUSTRALIS 465 



realised that it was also further East. That is the reason 



why on the modern map that Bay is on the West side 



of Tasman's peninsula, and not, where Tasman put it, 



on the East. When he rounded Cape Pillar he thought 



he was rounding Maria Island. He intended to sail North 



till he came to Point Hicks, the first point seen by Cook 



on the East coast of New Holland. By so doing, he would 



finally settle the question, left undetermined by Cook, 



whether New Holland and Van Diemen's Land were or 



were not one land. He sailed as far North as the islands 



now called Furneaux Islands, but the wind was unfavour- Furneaux 



able to further progress. So he sailed for New Zealand, Islands - 



recording his opinion that " there is no strait between 



New Holland and Van Diemen's Land, but a very deep 



bay." Bayley the astronomer, however, thought it very 



" evident that this is the mouth of a strait which separates 



New Holland from Van Diemen's Land." l 



Cook himself had wished to visit Van Diemen's Land No 

 to determine this question. But he considered that ^^^ 

 Furneaux had " in great measure cleared up that point," America 

 and that he had no business there. On the 7th of June lealamT 

 he sailed Eastward to see whether a continent was to be 

 found between 40 and 46. He calls attention to the 

 date, and claims that this voyage will show that " it is 

 practicable to go on discoveries even in the depth of winter." 

 The search was fruitless, and Cook_became confirmed 

 in the opinion that "there is no Southern Continent between 

 America and New Zealand." The " large hollow swell " 

 proved that no land was near. If a Southern Continent 

 existed, it existed in a very high Latitude, and could 

 only be discovered in a midsummer voyage. 



So Cook sailed North to Tahiti, and arrived there in Tahiti, 

 August. He was welcomed in that loving island with Aug> I773- 

 a warmth of affection that touched emotion. A venerable 

 old lady could not look upon him without tears, and Cook 

 found it almost impossible to refrain " mingling my tears 

 with hers." When they sailed, Furneaux took with him a 

 native named Omai as a present for Banks, who " kept 

 1 M'Nab's Historical Records of New Zealand, vol. ii. p. 200. 



W.A. 2 G 



