overed, and, passing
through a reef, the ship came to an anchor. The natives, in numerous
canoes, came alongside, and were invited on board. Although naked, with
the exception of the usual wrapper, they were intelligent, and examined
with much interest the goats, hogs, ducks, dogs, and cats. Some were
invited into the cabin, but would touch none of the provisions except
some yams.

Afterwards Captain Cook landed, and all the chiefs made speeches. One
of them, Teabooma, especially, showing a friendly disposition, was of
great use in obtaining water, fuel, and provisions. Though hundreds of
natives came on board, not a theft was committed. In some respects the
country resembled New Holland, but the sides of the mountains and other
places had an especially dreary aspect. The natives had made some
advances out of a purely savage state. They lived in well-thatched
circular huts, some of which had two fireplaces, and some even two
stories, while their canoes were of large size.

Such was the first knowledge obtained of New Caledonia, and it was
considered, with the exception of New Zealand, the largest island in the
Pacific. To the south of it a small island was seen, to which the name
of the Isle of Pines was given, on account of the number of tall trees
growing on it.

Some of these were cut down for spars, and the _Resolution_ then bore
away for New Zealand.

On the 10th of October a small island was discovered, rising to a great
height out of the ocean, and bearing numbers of spruce pine and
cabbage-palms. It was uninhabited, and possibly no human being had ever
before landed there. The name of Norfolk Island was given to it, and it
was afterwards used by the British as a station for twice-convicted
prisoners.

On the 18th of October the _Resolution_ anchored in Ship Cove, near
Mount Egmont, in New Zealand. The conduct of the natives was
suspicious. They found that the _Adventure_ had been there, and feared
from what was said that some accident had happened to her; what it was
could not be made out.

On the 10th of November Captain Cook again sailed, and on the 20th of
December reached a harbour at the western entrance of the Straits of
Magellan, to which the name of "Christmas Sound" was given. Here a
number of natives made their appearance in nine canoes: a little, ugly,
half-starved, beardless race. Their clothing consisted of two or three
seal-skins, forming a cloak. Some had only one sealskin,