THE TECHNOLOGIST. 
THE GENUS ARAUCARIA. 
BY JOHN R. JACKSON, 
CURATOR, MUSEUM, ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 
In the year 1774, the good ship •' Resolution,' commanded by the great 
circumnavigator Captain Cook, was calmly sailing along through the 
glorious southern seas, when the cry of " Land a-head" echoed through 
the vessel. All eyes were directed towards the point indicated. The 
faint outline of an unknown shore was visible. Gradually they neared 
the coast. The pleasure of those upon the deck was equalled by their 
surprise as by degrees the scene became more visible. They saw what 
appeared to them to be tall pillars, or spires, or the masts of a thousand 
ships, towering high over all else around them. On they sped without 
being able to determine what this unusual and unexpected sight could 
mean, till upon nearing Cape Coronation a few days after, the same 
objects presented themselves to view. What could they be ? Could 
they be nearing a land where civilization held sway ? or could these be 
magnificent columns of basaltic formation 1 This latter was the general 
opinion of the naturalists on board. Speculation was rife, expectation 
was on tip-toe. The enlightened commander maintained from the first 
that they were trees. The telescope was kept pointed towards them, 
and at last it became evident that these strange pillars were, in fact, 
tiees, but trees of a new and wonderful species. A landing was pro- 
posed, all hands being determined not to leave the place till they were 
satisfied as to what kind of trees they were. Captain Cook with the 
botanists on board now first set foot upon the island. The hearts of 
the enthusiastic company bounded within them at the sight, as they for 
the first time made the acquaintance of a goodly number of Araucaria 
columnaris. Nor was this discovery interesting alone to the botanists, 
here were trees the trunks of which on this little isle were from sixty 
to seventy feet high admirably adapted for ships' spars. Captain Cook 
says : — " If I except New Zealand, I at this time knew of no island in 
VOL. VI. B 
