1773.
May.
manner. It is therefore very probable, that rats are indigenous in New Zeeland, or at least that their arrival there, is prior to its discovery by European navigators. Captain Furneaux shewed us several spots of ground on the top of this rock, which he had ordered to be dug, and on which he had sown a great variety of garden-seeds; these succeeded so well that we frequently had sallads, and many dishes of European greens at our table, notwithstanding the season of winter was now far advanced. But the climate in this part of New Zeeland is extremely mild, when compared to that of Dusky Bay; and notwithstanding the vicinity of the snowy mountains, I am inclined to believe it seldom freezes hard in Queen Charlotte's Sound; at least we experienced no frost during our continuance there to the 6th of June.
Saturday 22.On the 22d we went over to an island in the sound, to which captain Cook had given the name of Long Island in his former voyage. It consists of one long ridge, of which the sides are steep, and the back or top nearly level, though in most places very narrow. On its N.W. side we saw a fine beach, surrounding a little piece of flat land, of which the greatest part was marshy, and covered with various grasses; the rest was full of antiscorbutics, and the New Zeeland flax-plant (phormium), growing round some old abandoned huts of the natives. We cleared some spots of ground here, and sowed European garden seeds on them,which
