The next visit was accidental, but most important: Captain Cook, in
1772, left Great Britain to explore the icy region near the Pole. There
the vessels separated in a fog: they were unable to rejoin, and while
Cook proceeded to New Zealand in the _Resolution_, Captain Tobias
Furneaux, his second in command, touched at Van Diemen's Land in the
_Adventure_. He made the south-west cape on the 9th of March, 1773,
exactly one year after Marion left the island. After passing the
Mewstone, a boat's crew sent on shore reported favorably of the country,
and that they had seen beautiful cascades pouring from rocks two hundred
feet high. Finding no anchorage, Furneaux passed the black rocks (the
Boreels of Tasman), which he called the Friars, and discovered Adventure
Bay, which is separated from Storm Bay by Cape Frederick Henry. There
they found anchorage in seven fathoms, within half a mile of either
shore, and obtained wood and water in abundance. The numerous islets and
tortuous navigation of the coasts led Furneaux into several errors. To
discuss them would tire the patience of nine readers in ten, and afford
no pleasure to the tenth.
The _Adventure_ sailed along the eastern coast to the latitude of 40 deg.
50', where Furneaux observed the land turned towards the westward. He,
however, narrowly missed the discovery of the straits, and turned off
for New Zealand, convinced "that there was no strait between New Holland
and Van Diemen's Land, but a very deep bay." The impression he adopted,
he conveyed to Captain Cook, who had intended to visit Van Diemen's Land
for the solution of this geographical problem, which now he considered
determined.[5]
On his third and final voyage to the Pacific, Captain Cook touched at
Van Diemen's Land in the _Resolution_, then accompanied by Captain
Clerke. He sighted the island bearing north-west half-west, distant
three leagues from Mewstone. A neighbouring rock, unnoticed by Furneaux,
he called the Eddystone, from its resemblance to an English lighthouse
of that name. Detained by calms, he did not reach Adventure Bay until
the 26th, where at 4 P.M. he dropped anchor in twelve fathoms, within a
mile of the shore. The officers were delighted with the country, and
particularly with its gigantic forests. Mr. Anderson, the surgeon, spent
his leisure wandering on the beach of Adventure Bay; angling in a lake,
or ascending the neighbouring hills.[6] Captain Cook left swine on the
shore, which were driven into the bush when the natives were not
present; in the hope they might escape them, and thus add to the
resources of the country. He departed on the 30th for New Zealand. The
account left by Cook is chiefly interesting for its description of the
natives, and will be noticed in the history of that unfortunate people.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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