CHAPTER XI 
NEW ZEALAND TO AUSTRALIA (ENDEAVOUR RIVER) 
Marcu 31—June 18, 1770 
Choice of routes—Reasons in favour of and against the existence of a southern 
continent—Suggestions for a proposed expedition in search of it—Leave 
New Zealand—Malt wort—Portuguese man-of-war and its sting—Hot 
weather—Land seen— Waterspouts— Variation of the compass—Natives— 
Their indifference to the ship—Opposition to landing—Excursion into 
the country—Vegetation and animals seen—Botanising—Timidity of the 
natives—Enormous sting-rays—Treachery of natives—Leave Botany Bay 
—Ants—Stinging caterpillars—Gum trees—Oysters—Crabs—Figs im- 
pregnated by Cynips—East Indian plants—Ants’ nests—Butterflies— 
Amphibious fish—Ship strikes on a coral rock—Critical position— 
Fothering the ship—Steadiness of the crew—The ship taken into the 
Endeavour River—Scurvy. 
HavING now entirely circumnavigated New Zealand, and 
found it, not as generally supposed, part of a continent, but 
two islands, and having not the least reason to imagine that 
any country larger than itself lay in its neighbourhood, it 
was resolved to leave it and proceed upon further discoveries 
on our return to England, as we were determined to do as 
much as the state of the ship and provisions would allow. In 
consequence of this resolution a consultation was held and 
three schemes proposed. One, much the most eligible, was to 
return by Cape Horn, keeping all the way in the high lati- 
tudes, by which means we might with certainty determine 
whether or not a southern continent existed. This was 
unanimously agreed to be more than the condition of the 
ship would allow. Our provisions indeed might be equal to 
it; we had six months’ at two-thirds allowance, but our 
