1773.
April.
the strong refraction of the sun-beams from the perpendilar walls of rock, and the shelter from storms, made the climate considerably more mild and genial in this spot than in any other part. The soil was in nothing different here from that in other parts round the bay, but seemed to be the same vegetable mould; and the rocks and stones about the cascade consisted of masses of granite, or moorstone (saxum), and of a kind of brown talcous clay-stone, in strata, which is common to all New Zeeland.
We returned on board before sun-set, well pleased with our acquisitions during this excursion. At our return we were told, that the Indian family, whom we had seen paddling into the cove, in the morning, in their best attire, had gradually approached the ship with great caution. Captain Cook meeting them in a boat, quitted it, and went into their canoe, but could not prevail on them to come along-side of the ship, and was obliged to leave them to follow their own inclination. At length they went ashore, in a little creek hard by ours, and afterwards came and sat down on the shore abreast of the vessel, to which they were near enough to be heard, and spoken to. The captain gave orders to play the fife and bagpipe, and to beat the drum; but they entirely disregarded the two first, and were not very attentive to the last, nor could any thing induce them to come on board. Several of our officers and seamen then going on shore to them, were received with great good-nature,
