ON THE WAY TO TAHITI 43 



Cook explored the Strait for some harbour 

 where he could procure wood and water, and, 

 Banks and Solander being anxious to land, he 

 sent them and their people ashore in a boat. 

 They stayed there four hours and came back 

 with a plentiful harvest of plants and flowers. 

 With an English sailor's peculiar humour, Cook 

 recorded in his journal: "They came back, 

 bringing with them several plants and flowers, 

 of which most are unknown in Europe. Their 

 whole value lies in this fact." 



On the next day, January 15th, the anchor was 

 let go in Success Bay, situated about the middle 

 of Lemaire Strait on the coast of Tierra del 

 Fuego. Cook, Banks, Solander and several 

 others landed and began a conversation by means 

 of signs with a few natives who had appeared, 

 to whom they offered, as tokens of friendship, 

 ribbons and glass beads. These presents having 

 gained the confidence of the black men, three of 

 them went on board the ship, where they ate a 

 little beef and bread, but spat out in disgust the 

 wine and brandy which they were offered. They 

 regarded everything with bored and indifferent 

 eyes. 



On January i6th, Banks and Solander, accom- 

 panied by Green the astronomer, Monkhouse the 

 surgeon, Buchan the draughtsman, two sailors 

 and Banks' two black servants, left early in the 



