CHAPTER XI
NEW ZEALAND TO AUSTRALIA (ENDEAVOUR RIVER)
March 31—June 18, 1770
Choice of routes—Reasons in favour of and against the existence of a southern continent—Suggestions for a proposed expedition in search of it—Leave New Zealand—Malt wort—Portuguese man-of-war and its sting—Hot weather—Land seen—Waterspouts—Variation of the compass—Natives—Their indifference to the ship—Opposition to landing—Excursion into the country—Vegetation and animals seen—Botanising—Timidity of the natives—Enormous sting-rays—Treachery of natives—Leave Botany Bay—Ants—Stinging caterpillars—Gum trees—Oysters—Crabs—Figs impregnated by Cynips—East Indian plants—Ants' nests—Butterflies—Amphibious fish—Ship strikes on a coral rock—Critical position—Fothering the ship—Steadiness of the crew—The ship taken into the Endeavour River—Scurvy.
Having now entirely circumnavigated New Zealand, and found it, not as generally supposed, part of a continent, but two islands, and having not the least reason to imagine that any country larger than itself lay in its neighbourhood, it was resolved to leave it and proceed upon further discoveries on our return to England, as we were determined to do as much as the state of the ship and provisions would allow. In consequence of this resolution a consultation was held and three schemes proposed. One, much the most eligible, was to return by Cape Horn, keeping all the way in the high latitudes, by which means we might with certainty determine whether or not a southern continent existed. This was unanimously agreed to be more than the condition of the ship would allow. Our provisions indeed might be equal to it; we had six months' at two-thirds allowance, but our
