FURNEAUX

furneaux, tobias (1735-1781), english navigator, was born at swilly near plymouth on the 21st of august 1735. he entered the royal navy, and was employed on the french and african coasts and in the west indies during the latter part of the seven years' war (1760-1763). he served as second lieutenant of the "dolphin" under captain samuel wallis on the latter's voyage round the globe (august 1766-may 1768); was made a commander in november 1771; and commanded the "adventure" which accompanied captain cook (in the "resolution") in cook's second voyage. on this expedition furneaux was twice separated from his leader (february 8-may 19, 1773; october 22, 1773-july 14, 1774, the date of his return to england). on the former occasion he explored a great part of the south and east coasts of tasmania, and made the earliest british chart of the same. most of his names here survive; cook, visiting this shore-line on his third voyage, confirmed furneaux's account and delineation of it (with certain minor criticisms and emendations), and named after him the islands in banks straits, opening into bass's straits, and the group now known as the low archipelago. after the "adventure" was finally separated from the "resolution" off new zealand in october 1773, furneaux returned home alone, bringing with him omai of ulaietea. this first south sea islander seen in the british isles returned to his home with cook in 1776-1777. furneaux was made a captain in 1775, and commanded the "syren" in the british attack of the 28th of june 1776 upon charleston, south carolina. his successful efforts to introduce domestic animals and potatoes into the south sea islands are worthy of note. he died at swilly on the 19th of september 1781. see hawkesworth's _narrative of wallis' voyage_; captain cook's _narrative of his second voyage_; also t. furneaux's life by rev. henry furneaux in the _dictionary of national biography_. furnes (flem. _veurne_), an old-fashioned little town amid the dunes near the coast in west flanders, belgium, about 26 m. s.w. of bruges. pop. (1904) 6099. it is the centre of a considerable area extending to the french frontier, and its market is an important one for the disposal of corn, stock, hops and dairy produce. during the norman raids furnes was destroyed, and the present town was built by baldwin bras de fer, first count of flanders, about the year 870. at the height of the prosperity of the flemish communes in the 14th century there were dependent on the barony of furnes not fewer than fifty-two rich villages, but these have all disappeared, partly no doubt as the consequence of repeated french invasions down to the end of the 18th century, but chiefly through the encroachment of the sea followed by the accumulation of sand along the whole of this portion of the coast. furnes contains many curious old houses and the church of st walburga, which is a fine survival of the 13th century with some older portions. the old church and buildings, grouped round the grand place, which is the scene of the weekly market, present a quaint picture which is perhaps not to be equalled in the country. near furnes on the seashore is the fashionable bathing place called la panne. furnes one day a year becomes a centre of attraction to all the people of flanders. this is the last sunday in july, when the fete of calvary and the crucifixion is celebrated. of all popular festivities in belgium this is the nearest approach to the old passion play. the whole story of christ is told with great precision by means of succeeding groups which typify the different phases of the subject. the people of furnes pose as roman soldiers or jewish priests, as the apostles or mere spectators, while the women put on long black veils so that they may figure in the procession as the just women.