470 



THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 



New 



Caledonia, 

 Sept. 1774 



Norfolk 

 Island. 



New 

 Zealand 

 again, 

 Oct. 1774. 



of Quiros. 1 Cook thought the evidence sufficient, and 

 he called the Eastern point of the Bay, Cape Quiros. 

 (August 1774.) 



Sailing Southward, he discovered (4th September) a 

 large island which he called New Caledonia ; he was in 

 Scotch mood during this period of the voyage. He does 

 not explain why he gave the name to this island, but 

 we are to gather a hint from his statement that the inhabi- 

 tants " had little else than good nature to bestow, in which 

 they exceed all the nations we have yet met with." 2 The 

 country seemed to be barren, and to resemble New Holland 

 in the same Latitude. In fact he thought it possible 

 that New Caledonia might be connected with New Holland 

 by isles and sand-banks ; but he heard later that the 

 Frenchman Surville had proved that this was not the 

 case. In spite of the barrenness of the island, it grew 

 good timber ; a noteworthy fact, for Cook knew no 

 island in the South Pacific, except New Zealand, where a 

 ship could supply herself with masts and yards. 



Still sailing South, Cook discovered the tiny island 

 which he named " Norfolk Island," " in honour of the 

 noble house of Howard " ; and he wrote a description 

 which had the result of linking its history in sinister way 

 with the convict colony in New South Wales. " If it had 

 been of a greater size," wrote Forster, "it would have 

 been unexceptionable for a European settlement." 



In October he was once more in Queen Charlotte Sound. 

 He gathered from the natives, who welcomed him by 

 " jumping and skipping about like madmen," that the 

 Adventure had come in soon after the departure of the 

 Resolution. He also heard a story about the massacre 

 of a boatful of Englishmen, but could make little of it. 



1 Cook's men were poisoned by fish eaten in the island of Ambrym ; 

 but Forster recognised them as " of the same species " as those which 

 had poisoned the Spaniards in the Bay of St. Philip and St. James. 

 The Spanish pagrus is the red sea-bream (sparus erythrinus). Forster, 

 vol. ii. pp. 237 and 244. 



2 Forster (vol. ii. p. 378) explains : " The whole land, appearing to be 

 very extensive, was honoured with the appellation of Nova Caledonia." 

 He adds (p. 406) that the name " suited not only the good disposition 

 of the people, but also with the nature of the country." 



