464 WILD ANIMALS. 



dasher's apprentice, in a conspicuous position on the list of 

 England's distinguished navigators and explorers. 



After reaching Otaheite, and remaining there to make the obser- 

 vations on the transit of Yenus, which was one of the objects of 

 the expedition, they sailed in quest of that mysterious continent 

 supposed to exist in the South Pacific Ocean. In this way they 

 reached the islands of New Zealand, and ultimately arrived on 

 the coast of Now Holland, now known by the name of Australia. 

 Here they discovered a spot which from the number of plants 

 found there they called Botany Bay, a pleasant sounding and no 

 doubt appropriate name, but one which the British Government 

 subsequently made of terrible significance by selecting it as the 

 place for the enforced expatriation of convicts. 



Not far from Botany Bay the ship struck a rock, and a hole 

 having been made in her it became necessary to have it repaired, 

 and for this purpose they were detained in a river (about 16° south 

 latitude), which was christened Endeavour River. Here they were 

 destined to make a discovery other than new rivers or lands, 

 namely a new species of mammal, for ib was at this place they 

 first saw a kangaroo. 



On Friday, June 22, 1770, Captain Cook writes i'^ "some of the 

 people were sent on the other side of the river to shoot pigeons 

 for the sick, who at their return reported they had seen an 

 animal as large as a greyhound, of a slender make, a mouse- 

 colour, and extremely swift." On Saturday he remarks : " This 

 day almost everybody had seen the animal which the pigeon- 

 shooters had brought in an account of the day before ; and one 

 of the seamen who had been rambling in the woods, told us on 

 his return that he verily believed he had seen the devil. We 

 naturally inquired in what form he had appeared, and his answer 

 was in so singular a style that I shall set down his own words : 

 ' He was,' says John, ' as large as a one-gallon keg, and very like 

 it ; he had horns and wings, yet he crept so slowly through the 

 grass, that if I had not been af eared, I might have touched him.' 

 This formidable apparition was afterwards discovered to be a batt ; 

 {in reality a flying-fox), and the batts here must be acknowledged 

 1 See Hawkesworth, "Voyages," 1773. 



