i08 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



left I gave the name of Merctiiy Bay, on account of the observation "wHcli 

 we liad made there of the transit of the planet over the sun." What then 

 could have been a more appropriate termination at such a time than to cut 

 the date of their successful scientific achievement " to be left as a memorial 

 of our having visited this place,"* (to use his own words recorded on a 

 subsequent occasion), accompanied with a display of the English colours, 

 and to take a formal possession of the bay (or territory) in which they had 

 performed that duty in the name of the King 7 



At all events we find him doing something very similar some six or seven 

 months later when at Botany Bay. He says : — " During my stay in this 

 harbour I caused the English colours to be displayed on shore every day, 

 and the ship's name and the date of the year to be inscribed upon one of 

 the trees near the watering-place."! In this instance, the taking of formal 

 possession of the whole country or island as being the first discoverer, had 

 nothing to do with it ; as New Holland (as it was then called) had been 

 discovered and visited long before Captain Cook's time. 



Lastly, and in conclusion, I will say, that if what I have herein advanced 

 is considered to be of the least moment towards the defining of an interest- 

 ing point in our history, it will not, it cannot end here : and that is just 

 what I wanted. Captain Cook's log-books and ship's papers are, no doubt, 

 still in existence, and in safe keeping. By an accurate and close examination 

 of them — particularly of his landing at Poverty Bay — the whole matter will, 

 I have little doubt, be fully determined and for ever settled. 



And if it should be asked why it was that I never brought this matter 

 forward before, seeing it is one of public or of national importance, I think 

 I can also satisfactorily answer that, but I reserve my reply. 



Aet. IX. — Manihus Parkinsonibus sacrum. A brief Memoir of the First 

 Artist xclio visited New Zealand; together with several little-known Items 

 of Interest extracted from his Journal. By W. Colenso, F.L.S. 

 \Read before the Haivke Bay PliilosopMcal Institute, IBth August, 1877.] 

 OuE Institute having been " founded for the advancement of science, 

 literature, and art," it cannot be considered amiss to bring to your notice 

 the first artist who visited our shores. 



I confess I like to do something of this kind. To commemorate those 

 dear fellow-labourers, those true disciples of nature, who preceded us in this 



* II., p. 400 : (Jan. 80, 1770). f III., p. 506. 



