NEW CALEDONIA AND THE RETURN 171 



had indeed put into Queen Charlotte Sound, 

 but that she had left several months before. Cer- 

 tain allusions and certain reticences on the part 

 of the New Zealanders made him fear, however, 

 that some misfortune had overtaken Captain 

 Furneaux's men. He cunningly questioned the 

 natives, but could learn nothing from them. It 

 was only at the Cape of Good Hope that he 

 heard the fatal truth. 



The relations which Cook established with 

 the New Zealanders in the course of this third 

 visit were marked by cordial friendship. One 

 of the chiefs, who was called Pedero and who 

 was of high rank, presented him with a stick of 

 office. In return. Cook dressed him in one of 

 his uniforms, which the native wore with as 

 much pride as ease. 



On November loth, when the ship had been 

 put into condition for the long voyage which 

 she was to undertake and had been fully pro- 

 visioned with water and victuals. Cook left New 

 Zealand and entered once more the southern seas, 

 in the attempt to solve finally the question of the 

 southern continent. 



Having no hope of finding land In the Pacific, 

 Cook decided to steer straight for the Straits of 

 Magellan, in order to coast round the southern 

 shores of Tierra del Fuego round Cape Horn, 



