Further Exploration and Final Days.

Whenever the weather permitted, the work of surveying, botanizing, and sealing was carried on. The seals served three purposes—the skins were made use of for the ship's rigging, the fat gave oil for the lamps, and the flesh was food—“little inferior to beef steaks”—which the company enjoyed.

On the morning of 23rd April Pickersgill, Gilbert, and two others went to Cascade Cove in order to ascend one of the mountains. Returning, they reported that on reaching the summit, nothing was to be seen inland but “barren mountains with huge, craggy precipices disjoined by valleys, or rather chasms, frightful to behold.”

The following day, Cook took five geese—brought from the Cape of Good Hope—and released them in a cove which now bears the name—Goose Cove. It was hoped that the geese would multiply and spread over the country. A succession of eight or nine fine days facilitated the work of getting a supply of wood and water, and making the ship ready for sea.

On 27th April Cook discovered an arm or inlet which communicated with the sea, and which afforded a better outlet for ships bound north, than the one by which he had entered Dusky Bay. The following day—the tents and every other article being safely on board—Cook set fire to the top wood, in order to dry the ground they had been occupying. “Next morning the ground was dug up and sowed with several sorts of garden seeds. The soil did not promise much success to the planter, but was the best that could be found.” (con. on p. 54 ).

page 54

At two o'clock in the afternoon they set sail, but after getting through between Indian and Long Islands it “fell calm,” and they were obliged to anchor near Long Island. In the morning, 30th April, they tried again to get away, but after struggling till five o'clock in the evening, were compelled to anchor again under the north side of Long Island. After another effort to leave the bay, calms kept them in a cove—aptly named “Detention Cove”—until the afternoon of 4th May, when they got the length of the passage leading to the sea. The breeze then left them.

The night brought heavy squalls of wind, attended with rain, hail, snow and thunder, and in the morning all the hills and mountains in sight were covered with snow. With the help of a light breeze and their boat, the next day saw them down the passage to the place where Cook had intended to anchor. To the east ran a second arm which Cook wished to explore, but being confined on board with a cold, he sent Lieutenant Pickersgill, accompanied by the two Forsters, to do the work. Apparently they experienced some rough weather, as the arm is called “Wet Jacket Arm.”

Finally, at noon on 11th May, the Resolution got clear of the land, and sailed away up the coast, leaving Dusky Bay to settle down once more to sleep.