The transit of Venus over the Sun’s disc was satisfactorily observed on the third of June, [Sidenote: 1769.] but the observation had been nearly foiled by the roguery of a native, who had carried off the quadrant. The thief was found amongst several hundred of his fellows, and, but for a characteristic combination in BANKS of frank good humour and of firm hardihood, the spoil would not have been recovered. On this, as upon many other occasions, both his fine personal qualities and his genial manners marked him as a natural leader of men. On occasions, however, of a more delicate kind they brought him into a peculiar peril. Queen OBEREA fell in love with him. She was not herself without attractions. And they were clad in all the graces of unadorned simplicity. The poetical satirists of his day used Sir Joseph—after his return—with cruel injustice if he was really quite so successful, in resisting feminine charms in Otaheite, as he had formerly been at home. [Sidenote: THE VOYAGE TO NEW HOLLAND.] But however that may have been, his researches, as a naturalist, at Otaheite were abundantly successful. And to the island, in return, he was a friend and benefactor. [Sidenote: 1769–1770.] After a stay of three months the explorers left Otaheite for New Holland on the 15th of August, 1769. In Australia their collections were again very numerous and valuable. But their long stay in explorations exposed them to two great dangers, each of which was very nearly fatal to Mr. BANKS and to most of his companions. They struck upon a rock, while coasting New South Wales. Their escape was wonderful. The accident entailed an amount of injury to the ship which brought them presently within a peril more imminent still. Whilst making repairs in the noxious climate of Batavia, a pestilence seized upon nearly all the Europeans. Seven, including the ship’s surgeon, died in Batavia. Twenty-three, including the second draughtsman, Mr. PARKINSON, died on shipboard afterwards. BANKS and SOLANDER were so near death that their recovery seemed, to their companions, almost miraculous. [Sidenote: THE RETURN HOME.] After leaving New South Wales and Batavia they had a prosperous passage [Sidenote: 1771. June.] to the Cape—prosperous, save for the loss of those whom the pestilence had previously stricken—and made some additions to their scientific stores. _The Endeavour_ anchored in the Downs on the 12th of June, 1771, after an absence of nearly three years. Beyond the immediate and obvious scientific results of the voyage, it was the means, eventually, of conferring an eminent benefaction on our West Indian Colonies. It gave them the Bread-Fruit tree (_Artocarpus incisa_). The transplantation of GOD’S bounties from clime to clime was a favourite pursuit—and a life-long one—with Sir Joseph BANKS, and its agencies cost him much time and thought, as well as no small expenditure of fortune.