46 CAPTAIN COOK 



weather. A little grass scattered on the floor 

 served as seats and beds. The sole food of the 

 Fuegans seemed to be shell-fish. The only 

 things about them which showed signs of indus- 

 try were weapons, which consisted of fairly well- 

 made bows and arrows of polished wood, with 

 flint heads, barbed, carved and fitted with great 

 skill. 



On January 27th the Endeavour doubled 

 Cape Horn and entered the Pacific, steering at 

 first towards the south. During the following 

 month's sailing, Cook, observing the complete 

 absence of currents, arrived at the conclusion 

 that, because currents are always found in the 

 vicinity of a coast-line, the great "Austral Conti- 

 nent" which was imagined to exist round the 

 Pole, being supposed to maintain the balance of 

 the earth, was merely a myth. Cook's deduction 

 was correct, and he was to confirm its accuracy 

 in the course of his second voyage. 



Having set sail towards the north-west. Cook 

 came across several islands which had nearly all 

 been discovered two years previously by Bou- 

 gainville. To these islands, covered with lux- 

 uriant vegetation, Cook gave the names of 

 Lagoon, Thrum Cap, Bow, the two groups Bird 

 and Chain. 



Nothing out of the way took place during 

 these long weeks of ocean sailing. Banks killed 



