Cook's Momentous Decision.

The second large catch of fish, and the fact that there appeared to be plenty of wild fowl in the bush, showed that Dusky was well able to provide good food for his people; therefore, Cook determined to stay there for some time. He wished to make a thorough examination of the bay, as no one before him had landed there or on any other part of southern New Zealand. Dr. McNab considers that Cook's decision in this matter, “played a very important part in the history of southern New Zealand, as it gave an accurately surveyed harbour to the merchant service of the world.”

Among the tasks which were begun immediately, was the brewing of spruce beer; Cook's recipe for making this is most interesting:—

First make a strong decoction of the small branches of the spruce and tea plants, by boiling them three or four hours, or until the bark will strip with ease from off the branches, then take them out of the copper and put in the proper quantity of mollasses; ten gallons of which is sufficient to make a ton, or two hundred and forty gallons of beer. Let this mixture just boil, then put it into the casks, and, to it, add an equal quantity of cold water, more or less according to the strength of the decoction, or to your taste. When the whole is milk warm, put in a little grounds of beer, or yeast, if you have it, or anything else that will cause fermentation, and after a few days it will be fit to drink.”

This beer was intended to supply the want of vegetables, which it did. The spruce tree to which Cook refers, is rimu or red pine, and the tea plant is manuka.