C H A P. VII.
Run from New Zeeland to O-Taheitee.
I T T E entered Cook’s Strait after noon, and Handing
’ ’ down to the fouthward, beheld the immenfe ocean
hefore us, which goes by the name of the South Sea.
This vaft expanfe of fea, through which many former
navigators had paffed, in the happy climate of the torrid
2one, but whofe middle “latitudes no European veffel, except
the Endeavour bark, had hitherto attempted to explore,
has always been believed to contain a large trail of
l.apd, diftinguilhed by geographers with the name of a
Southern Continent. Previous to the Endeavour s voyage.
New Zeeland was thought the weftern coaft of this unknown
land, and certain pretended difcoveries near America
were aliened as its eaftern fhores. Captain Cook -in
that voyage having cut off both thefe by his courfe, and
•even penetrated to 40 degrees of fouth latitude without
finding land, the fouthern continent was refirained within
narrower limits, though thefe were Hill confiderable enough
to engage the attention of future navigators. We were
now to enter on this unexplored part, and running to the
eaflward between the 50th and 40th degrees of fouth latitude,
to fearch for undifcovered countries in the depth of
winter.
- 3.3
winter. Many among our fellow-voyagers proceeded on j'07” ;
this dangerous expedition in the firm belief that we Ihould
fpeedily find the coafls we went in quefi of, whofe novelty
and valuable productions would amply reward our per-
feverance and fatigues. But captain Cook, and feveral
others, judging- from what had been done in the former
voyage, and what they had already experienced on this,
were far from expediting to difcover new lands, and greatly
doubted the exiflence of a fouthern continent.
We were Hill in the mouth of the firait at eight the Tuetday s.
next morning, and faw the high mountains of the fouthern
ille loaded with fnow, from whence they had their
.name, whilH the weather below was clear and mild, our
.'thermometer being about y i ° in the lhade. Great Ihoals
of cetaceous fifh, of a perfectly black colour, with a white
fpot before the .back-fin, palled by us. They were fired
at from our veffel, and one of them being fhot through
the head, could no longer plunge under water, but began
to beat about furioufly on the furface, and tinged the fea
-with its blood. .It feemed to be about three yards long,
and was fiender and blunt- headed, from whence our failors
called it the bottle-nofe, a name which Dale applies to a
■ very different fifh, the beaked whale, of which the beak
•or nofe refetnbles the neck of a bottle *. We went at the
■ * See Pennant’s Britifli Zoology.,
Vo L. I. H h raté