'79'- now employed in completing our flock of water, and in procuring wood,
- °V_ fpruce, or rather a fpecies o f cyprefs, and the tea plant, for brewing at
fea. Towards noon, a breeze fpringing up from the N.w. both veflels
failed out of Bulky- Bay. A very heavy fwell rolled from the s.w. and
weftward ; but having a frelh breeze, by 4 o’clock Five Finger Point
bore N. by E. a league diftant.
Thus we quitted Dulky Bay, greatly indebted to its mod excellent re-
frefhments, and the falubrity of its air. The good effefts of a plentiful
fupply of filh, and fpruce beer, were evident in the appearance of every
individual in our little fociety. The health of our convalefcents was perfectly
re-eftablilhed, and excepting one with a chronic complaint, and
two wounded by cuts in their legs, we had not a man on the furgeon’s
lift; though, on the rnoft trifling occafion of indifpolition, no perfon was
ever permitted to attend his duty. Some wild fowl were procured, though
they were by no means'found in fuch numbers as when the Refolution
was here in the year 1773, owing, in all probability, to the difference o f
the feafon; to which, poflibly, is to be afcribed, our being unable to
afcertain whether the geefe then left here had propagated.
Captain Cook’s very excellent defcription of this place precludes any
material additions; and leaves me, as a tranfitory vifitor,. little elfe than the
power o f confirming his judicious remarks and opinions. One circum-
ftance, however, may not be unworthy notice. Mr. Menzies here found
the true winter’s bark ; exaCtly the fame plant as that found a t Terra del
Fuego; but which efcaped the obfervation of Captain Cook and our botanical
gentlemen in 1773: of this, with the antarftic birch, flax, and one
or two other plants, we took fpecimens on board, though the period of
our reaching England feemed too diftant to entertain hopes of their continuing
alive. Captain Cook’s recommendation of Facile Harbour to veflels
bound to the fouthward, is highly judicious, as it is in all refpefits a fafe,
commodious, and convenient ftation ; capable of fupplying every article
that can be expected from this country, without going out of fight o f the
veffel: and it is rendered ftill more eligible, by our having found fo good
an outlet with northerly or n.w . winds, between Pigeon and Parrot
iflands; as, in confequence of the high land drawing thofe winds direCtly
down
down the harbour, the weftern entrance will be found lefs convenient. NoJe9mbcr
No time fhould be loft on arriving in this bay, to feek fecurity in fome v— ,— j
of its harbours ; which, as Captain Cook very truly obferves, “ are nu-
“ merous, fafe, and convenient.” For although the weather we experienced
after the ftorm on our arrival, may juftly be confidered as delightful
fummer weather, yet it cannot be denied that the northerly winds
blow with incredible fury ; and as they always take the direction of the
arms o f the bay, they caufe in them, though they are very narrow, a
confiderable fea, which, in addition to their great depth of water, render
fuch anchoring places neither pleafant nor fecure. I fhould not, however,
fuppofe thefe ftorms to be very frequent, for two reafons. Firft,
during our ftay here, from the 26th of march until the 1 ith of may in the
year 1773-, which maybe confidered as comprehending part of the winter
feafon, We had no gale o f wind comparable in point of violence to
that, which we had lately experienced.- This was my fifth vilit to New
Zealand and its neighbourhood; and although I have certainly feen much
boifterous and tempeftuous weather, I never before contended with fo
violent a ftorm. Secondly, the mountains in Anchor Ifland, Refolution
Ifland, and all thofe of moderate height round the Bay, (the land
of Five-Finger Point alone excepted,) which on our arrival were perfectly
free from fnow, were after the ftorm covered with it a confiderable
way down. Were fuch falls of fnow to happen frequently, it is natural
to conclude that vegetation would be feverely checked, and that its productions
would not have been found to flouriflr, as they certainly do in a
molt luxuriant manner. A few days fine weather foon removed the greater
part of the fnow; and that which remained on the high, diftant, barren
mountains, which for fome days paft had been entirely free from clouds,
was obferved to be greatly diminilhed.
I (hall conclude our tranfaCtions in Dulky Bay, by noticing the few
aftronomical and nautical obfervations that were made in Anchor Ifland
harbour.
The badnefs o f the weather on our firft arrival, and the Ihort time
I propofed to remain, made me conclude that the ereClion of the obfer-
K 2 vatory