Dumber voura^ e opportunity, w e foon got others to the yards ; and
v-— y— j then we left the land aftern. The Difcovery, by being at
fome diftance to the North, was never near the la n d ; n o r
did we fee her till e ight o’clock.
On this occafion, I cannot h e lp obferving, that I have always
found, that the bolt-ropes to our fails have not been
o f fufficient ftrength or fubftance. Thi3, at different times,
has been the fource o f infinite trouble and vexation; and
o f much expence o f canvas, ruined by their g iv in g way. I
w iili alfo, that I did not think there is room for remarking,
that the cordage and canvas, and indeed a ll the other ftores
made ufe o f in the navy, are not o f equal goodnefs w ith
thofe, in general, ufed in the merchant fervice.
It feems to be a very prevalent opinion, amongft naval'
officers o f all ranks, that the k in g ’s ftnren arp hrarrer than-
any othe££,_a»<! tharrTtmTips are fo well fitted out as thofe
o f the navy. Undoubtedly they are in the right, as to the
quantity, but* I fear, not as to the quality o f the flares.
This, indeed, is feldom t r i e d f o r things are generally-
condemned, or converted to fome other ufe, by fu ch time as-
they are h a lf worn out. It is only on fuch voyages as ours,»
that we have an opportunity o f makin g the trial; as our
flotation makes, it neeefTary to wear, every thing to- the very
utmofl *.
* Captain Cook may, in part, be right in his companion o f fome cordage ufed in:
the K in g ’s fervice, with what is ufed in that o f the merchants j efpecially in time o f
war, when part o f the cordage wanted in the navy is, from necdlity,. made by contract..
But it is well known, that there is no better cordage than what is made in the-
K ing’ s yards. T h is explanation o f the preceding, paragraph has been fubjoined, on;
the authority o f a naval officer o f diflinguilhed rank, and great profeffional ability,
who has, at the fame time, recommended it as a neceJTary precaution, that ihips»
fitted out on voyages o f difcovery,, ihould be furniihed w-ith no cordage but what is,
made in the K ing’s yards ; and, indeed, that every article o f their ftore, o f every kind,
fhould be the heft that can be made.
As foon as day-light appeared, the natives alhore difplay- 177s.
ed a white flag, which we conceived to be a fignal o f
peace and friendlhip. Some o f them ventured out after us ;
but the wind freihening, and it not being fafe to wait, they
were foon left aflem.
In the afternoon, after m akin g another attempt to weather
theEaftern extreme, which failed, I gave it up, and run down
to the Difcovery. Indeed.it was o f no confequence to get round
the iflan d ; for we had feen its extent to the South Eaft,
which was the thing I aimed a t ; and, according to the information
which we had got from the natives, there is no
other ifland to the windward o f this. However, as we were
fo near the South Eaft end o f it, and as the Ieaft ih ift o f
wind, in our favour, would ferve to carry us round, I did not
w h o lly g iv e u p the idea o f w eathering it ; and therefore continued
to ply.
Oh the 20th, at noon, this South Eaft point bore South, Sunday a*,
three leagues diftant; the fnowy hills Weft North We ft; and
we were about four miles from the neareft ifiore. In the afternoon,
fome o f the natives came o ff in their canoes
brin gin g with them a few pigs and plantains. The latter
were very acceptable, having had no vegetables fo r fome
da ys; but the fupply w e now received was fo inconfider-
able, being barely fuflicient for one day, that I flood in
again the next morning, till within three or four miles o f Monday 2r;
the land, where we were met by a number o f canoes, laden
with provifions. We brought to, and continued trading
with the people in them, till four in the afternoon; when,
having got a pretty good fupply, we made fail, and ftretched
o ff to the Northward, V