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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15869-8.txt b/15869-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..71dca3c --- /dev/null +++ b/15869-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10730 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round +the World Volume 2, by James Cook + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World Volume 2 + +Author: James Cook + +Contributor: Tobias Furneaux + +Release Date: May 20, 2005 [EBook #15869] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH *** + + + + +- + + + + + + +A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD; PERFORMED IN +HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS THE RESOLUTION AND ADVENTURE, IN THE YEARS +1772, 3, 4, AND 5. WRITTEN BY JAMES COOK, COMMANDER OF THE RESOLUTION. +IN WHICH IS INCLUDED CAPTAIN FURNEAUX'S NARRATIVE OF HIS PROCEEDINGS +IN THE ADVENTURE DURING THE SEPARATION OF THE SHIPS. IN TWO VOLUMES. +ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS AND CHARTS, AND A VARIETY OF PORTRAITS OF +PERSONS AND VIEWS AND PLACES, DRAWN DURING THE VOYAGE BY MR. HODGES, +AND ENGRAVED BY THE MOST EMINENT MASTERS. + +VOLUME II + +* * * + +LONDON: +PRINTED FOR W STRAHAN AND T CADELL IN THE STRAND. +MDCCLXXVII +(1777) + +* * * + +CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. + + +BOOK III. +From Ulietea to New Zealand. + +CHAPTER I. Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Isles, with a Description +of several Islands that were discovered, and the Incidents which happened +in that Track. + +CHAPTER II. Reception at Anamocka; a Robbery and its Consequences, with a +Variety of other Incidents. Departure from the Island. A sailing Canoe +described. Some Observations on the Navigation of these Islanders. A +Description of the Island, and of those in the Neighbourhood, with +some Account of the Inhabitants, and nautical Remarks. + +CHAPTER III. The Passage from the Friendly Isles to the New Hebrides, with +an Account of the Discovery of Turtle Island, and a Variety of Incidents +which happened, both before and after the Ship arrived in Port +Sandwich, in the Island of Mallicollo. A Description of the Port, the +adjacent Country, its Inhabitants, and many other Particulars. + +CHAPTER IV. An Account of the Discovery of several Islands, and an +Interview and Skirmish with the Inhabitants upon one of them. The Arrival +of the Ship at Tanna, and the Reception we met with there. + +CHAPTER V. An Intercourse established with the Natives; some Account of +the Island, and a Variety of Incidents that happened during our Stay at it. + +CHAPTER VI. Departure from Tanna; with some Account of its Inhabitants, +their Manners and Arts. + +CHAPTER VII. The survey of the Islands continued, and a more particular +Description of them. + +CHAPTER VIII. An Account of the Discovery of New Caledonia, and the +Incidents that happened while the Ship lay in Balade. + +CHAPTER IX. A Description of the Country and its Inhabitants; their +Manners, Customs, and Arts. + +CHAPTER X. Proceedings on the Coast of New Caledonia, with Geographical +and Nautical Observations. + +CHAPTER XI. Sequel of the Passage from New Caledonia to New Zealand, +with an Account of the Discovery of Norfolk Island; and the Incidents that +happened while the Ship lay in Queen Charlotte's Sound. + +BOOK IV. +From leaving New Zealand to our Return to England. + +CHAPTER I. The Run from New Zealand to Terra del Fuego, with the Range +from Cape Deseada to Christmas Sound, and Description of that Part of the +Coast. + +CHAPTER II. Transactions in Christmas Sound, with an Account of the +Country and its Inhabitants. + +CHAPTER III. Range from Christmas Sound, round Cape Horn, through Strait +Le Maire, and round Staten Land; with an Account of the Discovery of a +Harbour in that Island, and a Description of the Coasts, + +CHAPTER IV. Observations, geographical and nautical, with an Account of +the Islands near Staten Land, and the Animals found in them, + +CHAPTER V. Proceedings after leaving Staten Island, with an Account of +the Discovery of the Isle of Georgia, and a Description of it, + +CHAPTER VI. Proceedings after leaving the Isle of Georgia, with an Account +of the Discovery of Sandwich Land; with some Reasons for there being Land +about the South Pole, + +CHAPTER VII. Heads of what has been done in the Voyage; with some +Conjectures concerning the Formation of Ice-Islands; and an Account of +our Proceedings till our Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, + +CHAPTER VIII. Captain Furneaux's Narrative of his Proceedings, in the +Adventure, from the Time he was separated from the Resolution, to his +Arrival in England; including Lieutenant Burney's Report concerning the +Boat's Crew who were murdered by the Inhabitants of Queen Charlotte's +Sound, + +CHAPTER IX. Transactions at the Cape of Good Hope; with an Account of +some Discoveries made by the French; and the Arrival of the Ship at St +Helena, + +CHAPTER X. Passage from St Helena to the Western Islands, with a +Description of the Island of Ascension and Fernando Noronha, + +CHAPTER XI. Arrival of the Ship at the Island of Fayal, a Description +of the Place, and the Return of the Resolution to England. + +Tables of the route of the Resolution and the Adventure, the variation +of the compass and meteorological observations during the voyage. + +A Vocabulary of the Language of the Society Isles. + +A table, exhibiting at one view, specimens of different languages spoken +in the South Sea, from Easter Island, westward to New Caledonia, as +observed in the voyage. + +Letter from John Ibbetson Esq., secretary to the Commissioners of +Longitude, to Sir John Pringle, Baronet, P.R.S. + +A discourse upon some late improvementsof the means for preserving +the health of mariners, delivered at the anniversary meeting of the +Royal Society, Nov. 30, 1776. By Sir John Pringle, Bart. President. + +* * * * * + +A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD. + +BOOK III. + +FROM ULIETEA TO NEW ZEALAND. + +CHAPTER I. + +_Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Isles, with a Description of +several Islands that were discovered, and the Incidents which happened in +that Track._ + +1774 June + +On the 6th, being the day after leaving Ulietea, at eleven o'clock a.m., we +saw land bearing N.W., which, upon a nearer approach, we found to be a low +reef island about four leagues in compass, and of a circular form. It is +composed of several small patches connected together by breakers, the +largest lying on the N.E. part. This is Howe Island, discovered by Captain +Wallis, who, I think, sent his boat to examine it; and, if I have not been +misinformed, found a channel through, within the reef, near the N.W. part. +The inhabitants of Ulietea speak of an uninhabited island about this +situation, called by them Mopeha, to which they go at certain seasons for +turtle. Perhaps, this may be the same; as we saw no signs of inhabitants +upon it. Its latitude is 16° 46' S. longitude 154° 8' W. + +From this day to the 16th, we met nothing remarkable, and our course was +west southerly; the winds variable from north round by the east to S.W., +attended with cloudy, rainy, unsettled weather, and a southerly swell. We +generally brought-to, or stood upon a wind during night; and in the day +made all the sail we could. About half an hour after sun-rise this morning, +land was seen from the top-mast head, bearing N.N.E. We immediately altered +the course, and steering for it, found it to be another reef island, +composed of five or six woody islets, connected together by sand-banks and +breakers inclosing a lake, into which we could see no entrance. We ranged +the west and N.W. coasts, from its southern to its northern-extremity, +which is about two leagues, and so near the shore, that at one time we +could see the rocks under us; yet we found no anchorage, nor saw we any +signs of inhabitants. There were plenty of various kinds of birds, and the +coast seemed to abound with fish. The situation of this isle is not very +distant from that assigned by Mr Dalrymple for La Sagitaria, discovered by +Quiros; but, by the description the discoverer has given of it, it cannot +be the same. For this reason, I looked upon it as a new discovery, and +named it Palmerston Island, in honour of Lord Palmerston, one of the lords +of the Admiralty. It is situated in latitude 18° 4' S. longitude 163° 10' +W. + +At four o'clock in the afternoon, we left this isle, and resumed our course +to the W. by S. with a fine steady gale easterly, till noon on the 20th, at +which time, being in latitude 18° 50', longitude 168° 52, we thought we saw +land to S.S.W. and hauled up for it accordingly. But two hours after, we +discovered our mistake, and resumed our course W. by S. Soon after, we saw +land from the mast-head in the same direction; and, as we drew nearer, +found it to be an island, which, at five o'clock, bore west, distant five +leagues. Here we spent the night plying under the topsails; and at day-break +next morning, bore away, steering to the northern point, and ranging +the west coast at the distance of one mile, till near noon. Then perceiving +some people on the shore, and landing seeming to be easy, we brought-to, +and hoisted out two boats, with which I put off to the land, accompanied by +some of the officers and gentlemen. As we drew near the shore, some of the +inhabitants, who were on the rocks, retired to the woods, to meet us, as we +supposed; and we afterwards found our conjectures right. We landed with +ease in a small creek, and took post on a high rock to prevent a surprise. +Here we displayed our colours, and Mr Forster and his party began to +collect plants, etc. The coast was so over-run with woods, bushes, plants, +stones, etc. that we could not see forty yards round us. I took two men, and +with them entered a kind of chasm, which opened a way into the woods. We +had not gone far before we heard the natives approaching; upon which I +called to Mr Forster to retire to the party, as I did likewise. We had no +sooner joined than the islanders appeared at the entrance of a chasm not a +stone's throw from us. We began to speak, and make all the friendly signs +we could think of, to them, which they answered by menaces; and one of two +men, who were advanced before the rest, threw a stone, which struck Mr +Sparrman on the arm. Upon this two muskets were fired, without order, which +made them all retire under cover of the woods; and we saw them no more. + +After waiting for some little time, and till we were satisfied nothing was +to be done here, the country being so overrun with bushes, that it was +hardly possible to come to parley with them, we embarked and proceeded down +along shore, in hopes of meeting with better success in another place. +After ranging the coast for some miles, without seeing a living soul, or +any convenient landing-place, we at length came before a small beach, on +which lay four canoes. Here we landed by means of a little creek, formed by +the flat rocks before it, with a view of just looking at the canoes, and to +leave some medals, nails, etc. in them; for not a soul was to be seen. The +situation of this place was to us worse than the former. A flat rock lay +next the sea; behind it a narrow stone beach; this was bounded by a +perpendicular rocky cliff of unequal height, whose top was covered with +shrubs; two deep and narrow chasms in the cliff seemed to open a +communication into the country. In or before one of these lay the four +canoes which we were going to look at; but in the doing of this, I saw we +should be exposed to an attack from the natives, if there were any, without +being in a situation proper for defence. To prevent this, as much as could +be, and to secure a retreat in case of an attack, I ordered the men to be +drawn up upon the rock, from whence they had a view of the heights; and +only myself, and four of the gentlemen, went up to the canoes. We had been +there but a few minutes, before the natives, I cannot say how many, rushed +down the chasm out of the wood upon us. The endeavours we used to bring +them to a parley, were to no purpose; for they came with the ferocity of +wild boars, and threw their darts. Two or three muskets, discharged in the +air did not hinder one of them from advancing still farther, and throwing +another dart, or rather a spear, which passed close over my shoulder. His +courage would have cost him his life, had not my musket missed fire; for I +was not five paces from him when he threw his spear, and had resolved to +shoot him to save myself. I was glad afterwards that it happened as it did. +At this instant, our men on the rock began to fire at others who appeared +on the heights, which abated the ardour of the party we were engaged with, +and gave us time to join our people, when I caused the firing to cease. The +last discharge sent all the islanders to the woods, from whence they did +not return so long as we remained. We did not know that any were hurt. It +was remarkable, that when I joined our party, I tried my musket in the air, +and it went off as well as a piece could do. Seeing no good was to be got +with these people, or at the isle, as having no port, we returned on board, +and having hoisted in the boats, made sail to the W.S.W. I had forgot to +mention in its proper order, that having put ashore a little before we came +to this last place, three or four of us went upon the cliffs, where we +found the country, as before, nothing but coral rocks, all over-run with +bushes, so that it was hardly possible to penetrate into it; and we +embarked again with intent to return directly on board, till we saw the +canoes; being directed to the place by the opinion of some of us, who +thought they heard some people. + +The conduct and aspect of these islanders occasioned my naming it Savage +Island. It is situated in the latitude 19° 1' S. longitude 169° 37' W. It +is about eleven leagues in circuit; of a round form, and good height; and +hath deep waters close to its shores. All the sea-coast, and as far inland +as we could see, is wholly covered with trees, shrubs, etc.; amongst which +were some cocoa-nut trees; but what the interior parts may produce we know +not. To judge of the whole garment by the skirts, it cannot produce much; +for so much as we saw of it consisted wholly of coral rocks, all over-run +with woods and bushes. Not a bit of soil was to be seen; the rocks alone +supplying the trees with humidity. If these coral rocks were first formed +in the sea by animals, how came they thrown up to such an height? Has this +island been raised by an earthquake? Or has the sea receded from it? Some +philosophers have attempted to account for the formation of low isles, such +as are in the sea; but I do not know that any thing has been said of high +islands, or such as I have been speaking of. In this island, not only the +loose rocks which cover the surface, but the cliffs which bound the shores, +are of coral stone, which the continual beating of the sea has formed into +a variety of curious caverns, some of them very large: The roof or rock +over them being supported by pillars, which the foaming waves have formed +into a multitude of shapes, and made more curious than the caverns +themselves. In one we saw light was admitted through a hole at the top; in +another place, we observed that the whole roof of one of these caverns had +sunk in, and formed a kind of valley above, which lay considerably below +the circumjacent rocks. + +I can say but little of the inhabitants, who, I believe, are not numerous. +They seemed to be stout well-made men, were naked except round the waists, +and some of them had their faces, breasts, and thighs painted black. The +canoes were precisely like those of Amsterdam; with the addition of a +little rising like a gunwale on each side of the open part; and had some +carving about them, which shewed that these people are full as ingenious. +Both these islanders and their canoes agree very well with the description +M. de Bougainville has given of those he saw off the Isle of Navigators, +which lies nearly under the same meridian. + +After leaving Savage Island, we continued to steer W.S.W. with a fine +easterly trade-wind, till the 24th in the evening, when, judging ourselves +not far from Rotterdam, we brought-to, and spent the night plying under the +top-sails. At daybreak next morning, we bore away west; and soon after, saw +a string of islands extending from S.S.W. by the west to N.N.W. The wind +being at N.E., we hauled to N.W., with a view of discovering more +distinctly the isles in that quarter; but, presently after, we discovered a +reef of rocks a-head, extending on each bow farther than we could see. As +we could not weather them, it became necessary to tack and bear up to the +south, to look for a passage that way. At noon the southernmost island bore +S.W., distant four miles. North of this isle were three others, all +connected by breakers, which we were not sure did not join to those we had +seen in the morning, as some were observed in the intermediate space. Some +islands were also seen to the west of those four; but Rotterdam was not yet +in sight. Latitude 20° 23' S. longitude 174° 6' W. During the whole +afternoon, we had little wind; so that at sunset, the southernmost isle +bore W.N.W., distant five miles; and some breakers, we had seen to the +south, bore now S.S.W. 1/2 W. Soon after it fell calm, and we were left to +the mercy of a great easterly swell; which, however, happened to have no +great effect upon the ship. The calm continued till four o'clock the next +morning, when it was succeeded by a breeze from the south. At day-light, +perceiving a likelihood of a passage between the islands to the north and +the breakers to the south, we stretched in west, and soon after saw more +islands, both to the S.W. and N.W., but the passage seemed open and clear. +Upon drawing near the islands, we sounded, and found forty-five and forty +fathoms, a clear sandy bottom. I was now quite easy, since it was in our +power to anchor, in case of a calm; or to spend the night, if we found no +passage. Towards noon some canoes came off to us from one of the isles, +having two or three people in each; who advanced boldly alongside, and +exchanged some cocoa-nuts, and shaddocks, for small nails. They pointed out +to us Anamocka, or Rotterdam; an advantage we derived from knowing the +proper names. They likewise gave us the names of some of the other isles, +and invited us much to go to theirs, which they called Cornango. The breeze +freshening, we left them astern, and steered for Anamocka; meeting with a +clear passage, in which we found unequal sounding, from forty to nine +fathoms, depending, I believe, in a great measure, on our distance from the +islands which form it. + +As we drew near the south end of Rotterdam, or Anamocka, we were met by a +number of canoes, laden with fruit and roots; but as I did not shorten +sail, we had but little traffic with them. The people in one canoe enquired +for me by name; a proof that these people have an intercourse with those of +Amsterdam. They importuned us much to go towards their coast, letting us +know, as we understood them, that we might anchor there. This was on the +S.W. side of the island, where the coast seemed to be sheltered from the S. +and S.E. winds; but as the day was far spent, I could not attempt to go in +there, as it would have been necessary to have sent first a boat to examine +it. I therefore stood for the north side of the island, where we anchored +about three-fourths of a mile from shore; the extremes of it bearing south, +88° E. to S.W.; a cove with a sandy beach at the bottom of it S. 50° E. + +CHAPTER II. + +_Reception at Anamocka; a Robbery and its Consequences, with a Variety of +other Incidents. Departure from the Island. A sailing Canoe described. Some +Observations on the Navigation of these Islanders. A Description of the +Island, and of those in the Neighbourhood, with some Account of the +Inhabitants, and nautical Remarks._ + +1774 June + +Before we had well got to an anchor, the natives came off from all parts in +canoes, bringing with them yams and shaddocks, which they exchanged for +small nails and old rags. One man taking a vast liking to our lead and +line, got hold of it, and, in spite of all the threats I could make use of, +cut the line with a stone; but a discharge of small shot made him return +it. Early in the morning, I went ashore with Mr Gilbert to look for fresh +water. We landed in the cove above-mentioned, and were received with great +courtesy by the natives. After I had distributed some presents amongst +them, I asked for water, and was conducted to a pond of it that was +brackish, about three-fourths of a mile from the landing-place, which I +supposed to be the same that Tasman watered at. In the mean time, the +people in the boat had laden her with fruit and roots, which the natives +had brought down, and exchanged for nails and beads. On our return to the +ship, I found the same sort of traffic carrying on there. After breakfast, +I went ashore with two boats to trade with the people, accompanied by +several of the gentlemen, and ordered the launch to follow with casks to be +filled with water. The natives assisted us to roll them to and from the +pond; and a nail or a bead was the expence of their labour. Fruits and +roots, especially shaddocks and yams, were brought down in such plenty, +that the two boats were laden, sent off, cleared, and laden a second time, +before noon; by which time also the launch had got a full supply of water, +and the botanical and shooting parties had all come in, except the surgeon, +for whom we could not wait, as the tide was ebbing fast out of the cove; +consequently he was left behind. As there is no getting into the cove with +a boat, from between half-ebb to half-flood, we could get off no water in +the afternoon. However, there is a very good landing-place, without it, +near the southern point, where boats can get ashore at all times of the +tide. Here some of the officers landed after dinner, where they found the +surgeon, who had been robbed of his gun. Having come down to the shore some +time after the boats had put off, he got a canoe to bring him on board; +but, as he was getting into her, a fellow snatched hold of the gun, and ran +off with it. After that no one would carry him to the ship, and they would +have stripped him, as he imagined, had he not presented a tooth-pick case, +which they, no doubt, thought was a little gun. As soon as I heard of this, +I landed at the place above-mentioned, and the few natives who were there +fled at my approach. After landing I went in search of the officers, whom I +found in the cove, where we had been in the morning, with a good many of +the natives about them. No step had been taken to recover the gun, nor did +I think proper to take any; but in this I was wrong. The easy manner of +obtaining this gun, which they now, no doubt, thought secure in their +possession, encouraged them to proceed in these tricks, as will soon +appear. The alarm the natives had caught being soon over, they carried +fruit, etc. to the boats, which got pretty well laden before night, when we +all returned on board. + +Early in the morning of the 28th, Lieutenant Clerke, with the master and +fourteen or fifteen men, went on shore in the launch for water. I did +intend to have followed in another boat myself, but rather unluckily +deferred it till after breakfast. The launch was no sooner landed than the +natives gathered about her, behaving in so rude a manner, that the officers +were in some doubt if they should land their casks; but, as they expected +me on shore soon, they ventured, and with difficulty got them filled, and +into the boat again. In the doing of this Mr Clerke's gun was snatched from +him, and carried off; as were also some of the cooper's tools; and several +of the people were stripped of one thing or another. All this was done, as +it were, by stealth; for they laid hold of nothing by main force. I landed +just as the launch was ready to put off; and the natives, who were pretty +numerous on the beach, as soon as they saw me, fled; so that I suspected +something had happened. However, I prevailed on many to stay, and Mr Clerke +came, and informed me of all the preceding circumstances. I quickly came to +a resolution to oblige them to make restitution; and, for this purpose, +ordered all the marines to be armed and sent on shore. Mr Forster and his +party being gone into the country, I ordered two or three guns to be fired +from the ship, in order to alarm him; not knowing how the natives might act +on this occasion. These orders being given, I sent all the boats off but +one, with which I staid, having a good many of the natives about me, who +behaved with their usual courtesy. I made them so sensible of my intention, +that long before the marines came, Mr Clerke's musket was brought; but they +used many excuses to divert me from insisting on the other. At length Mr +Edgcumbe arriving with the marines, this alarmed them so much, that some +fled. The first step I took was to seize on two large double sailing +canoes, which were in the cove. One fellow making resistance, I fired some +small shot at him, and sent him limping off. The natives being now +convinced that I was in earnest, all fled; but on my calling to them, many +returned; and, presently after, the other musket was brought, and laid down +at my feet. That moment, I ordered the canoes to be restored, to shew them +on what account they were detained. The other things we had lost being of +less value, I was the more indifferent about them. By this time the launch +was ashore for another turn of water, and we were permitted to fill the +casks without any one daring to come near us; except one man, who had +befriended us during the whole affair, and seemed to disapprove of the +conduct of his countrymen. + +On my returning from the pond to the cove, I found a good many people +collected together, from whom we understood that the man I had fired at was +dead. This story I treated as improbable, and addressed a man, who seemed +of some consequence, for the restitution of a cooper's adze we had lost in +the morning. He immediately sent away two men, as I thought, for it; but I +soon found that we had greatly mistaken each other; for instead of the +adze, they brought the wounded man, stretched out on a board, and laid him +down by me, to all appearance dead. I was much moved at the sight; but soon +saw my mistake, and that he was only wounded in the hand and thigh. I, +therefore, desired he might be carried out of the sun, and sent for the +surgeon to dress his wounds. In the mean time, I addressed several people +for the adze; for as I had now nothing else to do, I determined to have it. +The one I applied the most to, was an elderly woman, who had always a great +deal to say to me, from my first landing; but, on this occasion, she gave +her tongue full scope. I understood but little of her eloquence; and all I +could gather from her arguments was, that it was mean in me to insist on +the return of so trifling a thing. But when she found I was determined, she +and three or four more women went away; and soon after the adze was brought +me, but I saw her no more. This I was sorry for, as I wanted to make her a +present, in return for the part she had taken in all our transactions, +private as well as public. For I was no sooner returned from the pond, the +first time I landed, than this old lady presented to me a girl, giving me +to understand she was at my service. Miss, who probably had received her +instructions, wanted, as a preliminary article, a spike-nail or a shirt, +neither of which I had to give her, and soon made them sensible of my +poverty. I thought, by that means, to have come off with flying colours; +but I was mistaken; for they gave me to understand I might retire with her +on credit. On my declining this proposal, the old lady began to argue with +me; and then abuse me. Though I comprehended little of what she said, her +actions were expressive enough, and shewed that her words were to this +effect, sneering in my face, saying, What sort of a man are you, thus to +refuse the embraces of so fine a young woman? For the girl certainly did +not want beauty; which, however, I could better withstand, than the abuses +of this worthy matron, and therefore hastened into the boat. They wanted me +to take the young lady aboard; but this could not be done, as I had given +strict orders, before I went ashore, to suffer no woman, on any pretence +whatever, to come into the ship, for reasons which I shall mention in +another place. + +As soon as the surgeon got ashore, he dressed the man's wounds, and bled +him; and was of opinion that he was in no sort of danger, as the shot had +done little more than penetrate the skin. In the operation, some poultice +being wanting, the surgeon asked for ripe plantains; but they brought +sugar-cane, and having chewed it to a pulp, gave it him to apply to the +wound. This being of a more balsamic nature than the other; proves that +these people have some knowledge of simples. As soon as the man's wounds +were dressed, I made him a present, which his master, or at least the man +who owned the canoe, took, most probably to himself. Matters being thus +settled apparently to the satisfaction of all parties, we repaired on board +to dinner, where I found a good supply of fruit and roots, and, therefore, +gave orders to get every thing in readiness to sail. + +I now was informed of a circumstance which was observed on board; several +canoes being at the ship, when the great guns were fired in the morning, +they all retired, but one man, who was bailing the water out of his canoe, +which lay alongside directly under the guns. When the first was fired, he +just looked up, and then, quite unconcerned, continued his work. Nor had +the second gun any other effect upon him. He did not stir till the water +was all out of his canoe, when he paddled leisurely off. This man had, +several times, been observed to take fruit and roots out of other canoes, +and sell them to us. If the owners did not willingly part with them, he +took them by force; by which he obtained the appellation of custom-house +officer. One time, after he had been collecting tribute, he happened to be +lying alongside of a sailing canoe which was on board. One of her people +seeing him look another way, and his attention otherwise engaged, took the +opportunity of stealing somewhat out of his canoe; they then put off, and +set their sail. But the man, perceiving the trick they had played him, +darted after them, and having soon got on board their canoe, beat him who +had taken his things, and not only brought back his own, but many other +articles which he took from them. This man had likewise been observed +making collections on shore at the trading-place. I remembered to have seen +him there; and, on account of his gathering tribute, took him to be a man +of consequence, and was going to make him a present; but some of their +people would not let me, saying he was no _Areeke_ (that is, chief). +He had his hair always powdered with some kind of white dust. + +As we had no wind to sail this afternoon, a party of us went ashore in the +evening. We found the natives everywhere courteous and obliging; so that, +had we made a longer stay, it is probable we should have had no more reason +to complain of their conduct. While I was now on shore, I got the names of +twenty islands, which lie between the N.W. and N.E., some of them in sight. +Two of them, which lie most to the west, viz. Amattafoa and Oghao, are +remarkable on account of their great height. In Amattafoa, which is the +westernmost, we judged there was a volcano, by the continual column of +smoke we saw daily ascending from the middle of it. + +Both Mr Cooper and myself being on shore at noon, Mr Wales could not wind +up the watch at the usual time; and, as we did not come on board till late +in the afternoon, it was forgotten till it was down. This circumstance was +of no consequence, as Mr Wales had had several altitudes of the sun at this +place, before it went down; and also had opportunities of taking some +after. + +At day-break on the 29th, having got under sail with a light breeze at +west, we stood to the north for the two high islands; but the wind, +scanting upon us, carried us in amongst the low isles and shoals; so that, +we had to ply, to clear them. This gave time for a great many canoes to get +up with us. The people in them brought for traffic various articles; some +roots, fruits, and fowls, but of the latter not many. They took in exchange +small nails, and pieces of any kind of cloth. I believe, before they went +away, they stripped the most of our people of the few clothes the ladies at +Otaheite had left them; for the passion for curiosities was as great as +ever. Having got clear of the low isles, we made a stretch to the south, +and did but fetch a little to windward of the south end of Anamocka; so +that we got little by this day's plying. Here we spent the night, making +short boards over that space with which we had made ourselves acquainted +the preceding day. + +On the 30th at day-break, stretched out for Amattafoa, with a gentle breeze +at W.S.W. Day no sooner dawned than we saw canoes coming from all parts. +Their traffic was much the same as it had been the day before, or rather +better; for out of one canoe I got two pigs, which were scarce articles +here. At four in the afternoon, we drew near the island of Amattafoa, and +passed between it and Oghao, the channel being two miles broad, safe, and +without soundings. While we were in the passage, we had little wind and +calms. This gave time for a large sailing double canoe, which had been +following us all the day, as well as some others with paddles, to come up +with us. I had now an opportunity to verify a thing I was before in doubt +about, which was, whether or no some of these canoes did not, in changing +tacks, only shift the sail, and so proceed with that end foremost, which +before was the stern. The one we now saw wrought in this manner. The sail +is latteen, extending to a latteen yard above, and to a boom at the foot; +in one word, it is like a whole mizzen, supposing the whole foot to be +extended to a boom. The yard is slung nearly in the middle, or upon an +equipoise. When they change tacks they throw the vessel up in the wind, +ease off the sheet, and bring the heel or tack-end of the yard to the other +end of the boat, and the sheet in like manner; there are notches, or +sockets, at each end of the vessel in which the end of the yard fixes. In +short, they work just as those do at the Ladrone Islands, according to Mr +Walter's description*. When they want to sail large, or before the wind, +the yard is taken out of the socket and squared. It most be observed, that +all their sailing vessels are not rigged to sail in the same manner. Some, +and those of the largest size, are rigged, so as to tack about. These have +a short but pretty stout mast, which steps on a kind of roller that is +fixed to the deck near the fore-part. It is made to lean or incline very +much forward; the head is forked; on the two points of which the yard +rests, as on two pivots, by means of two strong cleats of wood secured to +each side of the yard, at about one-third its length from the tack or heel, +which, when under sail, is confined down between the two canoes, by means +of two strong ropes, one to and passing through a hole at the head of each +canoe; for it must be observed, that all the sailing vessels of this sort +are double. The tack being thus fixed, it is plain that, in changing tacks, +the vessels must be put about; the sail and boom on the one tack will be +clear of the mast, and on the other it will lie against it, just as a whole +mizzen. However, I am not sure if they do not sometimes unlace that part of +the sail from the yard which is between the tack and mast-head, and so +shift both sail and boom leeward of the mast. The drawings which Mr Hodges +made of these vessels seem to favour this supposition. The outriggers and +ropes used for shrowds, etc. are all stout and strong. Indeed, the sail, +yard, and boom, are all together of such an enormous weight, that strength +is required. + +[* See Lord Anson's Voyage.] + +The summit of Amattafoa was hid in the clouds the whole day, so that we +were not able to determine with certainty whether there was a volcano or +no; but every thing we could see concurred to make us believe there was. +This island is about five leagues in circuit. Oghao is not so much; but +more round and peaked. They lie in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. from +Anamocka, eleven or twelve leagues distant; they are both inhabited, but +neither of them seemed fertile. + +We were hardly through the passage before we got a fresh breeze at south. +That moment all the natives made haste to be gone, and we steered to the +west; all sails set. I had some thoughts of touching at Amsterdam, as it +lay not much out of the way; but as the wind was now, we could not fetch +it; and this was the occasion of my laying my design aside altogether. + +Let us now return to Anamocka, as it is called by the natives. It is +situated in the latitude of 20° 15' S.; longitude 174° 31' W., and was +first discovered by Tasman, and by him named Rotterdam. It is of a +triangular form, each side whereof is about three and a half or four miles. +A salt-water lake in the middle of it occupies not a little of its surface, +and in a manner cuts off the S.E. angle. Round the island, that is, from +the N.W. to the S., round by the N. and E., lie scattered a number of small +isles, sand-banks, and breakers. We could see no end to their extent to the +N.; and it is not impossible that they reach as far S. as Amsterdam or +Tongatabu. These, together with Middleburg or Eaoowee, and Pylstart, make a +group, containing about three degrees of latitude and two of longitude, +which I have named the Friendly Isles or Archipelago, as a firm alliance +and friendship seems to subsist among their inhabitants, and their +courteous behaviour to strangers entitles them to that appellation; under +which we might, perhaps, extend their group much farther, even down to +Boscawen and Keppell's Isles discovered by Captain Wallis, and lying nearly +under the same meridian, and in the latitude of 15° 53'; for, from the +little account I have had of the people of these two isles they seem to +have the same sort of friendly disposition we observed in our Archipelago. + +The inhabitants, productions, etc. of Rotterdam, and the neighbouring isles, +are the same as at Amsterdam. Hogs and fowls are, indeed, much scarcer; of +the former having got but six, and not many of the latter. Yams and +shaddocks were what we got the most of; other fruits were not so plenty. +Not half of the isle is laid out in inclosed plantations as at Amsterdam; +but the parts which are not inclosed, are not less fertile or uncultivated. +There is, however, far more waste land on this isle, in proportion to its +size, than upon the other; and the people seem to be much poorer; that is, +in cloth, matting, ornaments, etc. which constitute a great part of the +riches of the South-Sea islanders. + +The people of this isle seem to be more affected with the leprosy, or some +scrophulous disorder, than any I have seen elsewhere. It breaks out in the +face more than any other part of the body. I have seen several whose faces +were ruined by it, and their noses quite gone. In one of my excursions, +happening to peep into a house where one or more of them were, one man only +appeared at the door, or hole, by which I must have entered, and which he +began to stop up, by drawing several parts of a cord across it. But the +intolerable stench which came from his putrid face was alone sufficient to +keep me out, had the entrance been ever so wide. His nose was quite gone, +and his whole face in one continued ulcer; so that the very sight of him +was shocking. As our people had not all got clear of a certain disease they +had contracted at the Society Isles, I took all possible care to prevent +its being communicated to the natives here; and I have reason to believe my +endeavours succeeded. + +Having mentioned a house, it may not be amiss to observe, that some here +differ from those I saw at the other isles: being inclosed or walled on +every side, with reeds neatly put together, but not close. The entrance is +by a square hole, about two feet and a half each way. The form of these +houses is an oblong square; the floor or foundation every way shorter than +the eve, which is about four feet from the ground. By this construction, +the rain that falls on the roof, is carried off from the wall, which +otherwise would decay and rot. + +We did not distinguish any king or leading chief, or any person who took +upon him the appearance of supreme authority. The man and woman before +mentioned, whom I believed to be man and wife, interested themselves on +several occasions in our affairs; but it was easy to see they had no great +authority. Amongst other things which I gave them as a reward for their +service, was a young dog and bitch, animals which they have not, but are +very fond of, and know very well by name. They have some of the same sort +of earthen pots we saw at Amsterdam; and I am of opinion they are of their +own manufacture, or that of some neighbouring isle. + +The road, as I have already mentioned, is on the north side of the isle, +just to the southward of the southernmost cove; for there are two on this +side. The bank is of some extent, and the bottom free from rocks, with +twenty-five and twenty fathoms water, one or two miles from the shore. + +Fire-wood is very convenient to be got at, and easy to be shipped off; but +the water is so brackish that it is not worth the trouble of carrying it on +board; unless one is in great distress for want of that article, and can +get no better. There is, however, better, not only on this isle, but on +others in the neighbourhood; for the people brought us some in cocoa-nut +shells which was as good as need be; but probably the springs are too +trifling to water a ship. + +I have already observed, that the S.W. side of the island is covered by a +reef or reefs of rocks, and small isles. If there be a sufficient depth of +water between them and the island, as there appeared to be, and a good +bottom, this would be a much securer place for a ship to anchor in, than +that where we had our station. + +CHAPTER III. + +_The Passage from the Friendly Isles to the New Hebrides, with an Account +of the Discovery of Turtle Island, and a Variety of Incidents which +happened, both before and after the Ship arrived in Port Sandwich, in the +Island of Mallicollo. A Description of the Port, the adjacent Country, its +Inhabitants, and many other Particulars._ + +1774 July + +On the first of July, at sun-rise, Amattafoa was still in sight, bearing +N.E., distant twenty leagues. Continuing our course to the west, we, the +next day at noon, discovered land bearing N.W. by W., for which we steered; +and, upon a nearer approach, found it to be a small island. At four o'clock +it bore from N.W. half W. to N.W. by N., and, at the same time, breakers +were seen from the masthead, extending from W. to S.W. The day being too +far spent to make farther discoveries, we soon after shortened sail, hauled +the wind, and spent the night, making short boards, which, at day-break, we +found had been so advantageous that we were farther from the island than we +expected, and it was eleven o'clock before we reached the N.W. or lee-side, +where anchorage and landing seemed practicable. In order to obtain a +knowledge of the former, I sent the master with a boat to sound, and, in +the mean time, we stood on and off with the ship. At this time four or five +people were seen on the reef, which lies round the isle, and about three +times that number on the shore. As the boat advanced, those on the reef +retired and joined the others; and when the boat landed they all fled to +the woods. It was not long before the boat returned, when the master +informed me that there were no soundings without the reef, over which, in +one place only, he found a boat channel of six feet water. Entering by it, +he rowed in for the shore, thinking to speak with the people, not more than +twenty in number, who were armed with clubs and spears; but the moment he +set his foot on shore, they retired to the woods. He left on the rocks some +medals, nails, and a knife, which they no doubt found, as some were seen +near the place afterwards. This island is not quite a league in length, in +the direction of N.E. and S.W., and not half that in breadth. It is covered +with wood, and surrounded by a reef of coral rocks, which in some places +extend two miles from the shore. It seems to be too small to contain many +inhabitants; and probably the few whom we saw, may have come from some isle +in the neighbourhood to fish for turtle; as many were seen near this reef, +and occasioned that name to be given to the island, which is situated in +latitude 19° 48' south, longitude 178° 21' west. + +Seeing breakers to the S.S.W., which I was desirous of knowing the extent +of before night, I left Turtle Isle, and stood for them. At two o'clock we +found they were occasioned by a coral bank, of about four or five leagues +in circuit. By the bearing we had taken, we knew these to be the same +breakers we had seen the preceding evening. Hardly any part of this bank or +reef is above water at the reflux of the waves. The heads of some of the +rocks are to be seen near the edge of the reef, where it is the shoalest; +for in the middle is deep water. In short, this bank wants only a few +little islets to make it exactly like one of the half-drowned isles so +often mentioned. It lies S.W. from Turtle Island, about five or six miles, +and the channel between it and the reef of that isle is three miles over. +Seeing no more shoals or islands, and thinking there might be turtle on +this bank, two boats were properly equipped and sent thither; but returned +without having seen one. + +The boats were now hoisted in, and we made sail to the west, with a brisk +gale at east, which continued till the 9th, when we had for a few hours, a +breeze at N.W., attended with squalls of rain. This was succeeded by a +steady fresh gale at S.E., with which we steered N.W., being at this time +in the latitude of 20° 20' S. longitude 176° 8' E. + +On the 15th at noon, being in the latitude of 15° 9' south, longitude 171° +16' east, I steered west. The next day the weather was foggy, and the wind +blew in heavy squalls, attended with rain, which in this ocean, within the +tropics, generally indicates the vicinity of some high land. This was +verified at three in the afternoon, when high land was seen bearing S.W. +Upon this we took in the small sails, reefed the top-sails, and hauling up +for it, at half-past five we could see it extend from S.S.W. to N.N.W. half +W. Soon after we tacked and spent the night, which was very stormy, in +plying. Our boards were disadvantageous; for, in the morning, we found we +had lost ground. This, indeed, was no wonder, for having an old suit of +sails bent, the most of them were split to pieces; particularly a +fore-top-sail, which was rendered quite useless. We got others to the yards, +and continued to ply, being desirous of getting round the south ends of the +lands, or at least so far to the south as to be able to judge of their +extent in that direction. For no one doubted that this was the Australia +del Espiritu Santo of Quiros, which M. de Bougainville calls the Great +Cyclades, and that the coast we were now upon was the east side of Aurora +Island, whose longitude is 168° 30' E. + +The gale kept increasing till we were reduced to our low sails; so that, on +the 18th, at seven in the morning, I gave over plying, set the top-sails +double-reefed, bore up for, and hauled round the north end of Aurora +Island, and then stretched over for the Isle of Lepers, under close-reefed +topsails and courses, with a very hard gale at N.E.; but we had now the +advantage of a smooth sea, having the Isle of Aurora to windward. At noon +the north end of it bore N.E. 1/2 N., distant four leagues; our latitude, +found by double altitudes, and reduced to this time, was 15° 1' 30" south, +longitude 168° 14' east. At two o'clock p.m. we drew near the middle of the +Isle of Lepers, and tacked about two miles from land; in which situation we +had no soundings with a line of seventy fathoms. We now saw people on the +shore, and many beautiful cascades of water pouring down the neighbouring +hills. The next time we stood for this isle, we came to within half a mile +of it, where we found thirty fathoms a sandy bottom; but a mile off we +found no soundings at seventy fathoms. Here two canoes came off to us, in +one of which were three men, and in the other but one. Though we made all +the signs of friendship, we could not bring them nearer than a stone's +throw; and they made but a short stay before they retired ashore, where we +saw a great number of people assembled in parties, and armed with bows and +arrows. They were of a very dark colour; and, excepting some ornaments at +their breast and arms, seemed to be entirely naked. + +As I intended to get to the south, in order to explore the land which might +lie there, we continued to ply between the Isle of Lepers and Aurora; and +on the 19th, at noon, the south end of the last-mentioned isle bore south +24° east, and the north end north, distant twenty miles. Latitude observed +15° 11'. The wind continued to blow strong at S.E., so that what we got by +plying in the day, we lost in the night. On the 20th, at sun-rise, we found +ourselves off the south end of Aurora, on the N.W. side of which, the coast +forms a small bay. In this we made some trips to try for anchorage; but +found no less than eighty fathoms water, the bottom a fine dark sand, at +half a mile from shore. Nevertheless, I am of opinion that, nearer, there +is much less depth, and secure riding; and in the neighbourhood is plenty +of fresh water and wood for fuel. The whole isle, from the sea-shore to the +summits of the hills, seemed to be covered with the latter; and every +valley produced a fine stream of the former. We saw people on the shore, +and some canoes on the coast, but none came off to us. Leaving the bay just +mentioned, we stretched across the channel which divides Aurora from +Whitsuntide Island. At noon we were abreast the north end of this latter, +which bore E.N.E., and observed in 15° 28' 1/2. The isle of Aurora bore +from N. to N.E. 1/2 east, and the Isle of Lepers from N. by W. 1/2 W. to +west. Whitsuntide Isle appeared joined to the land to the S. and S.W. of +it; but in stretching to S.W. we discovered the separation. This was about +four o'clock p.m., and then we tacked and stretched in for the island till +near sun-set, when the wind veering more to the east, made it necessary to +resume our course to the south. We saw people on the shore, smokes in many +parts of the island, and several places which seemed to be cultivated. +About midnight, drawing near the south land, we tacked and stretched to the +north, in order to spend the remainder of the night. + +At day-break on the 21st, we found ourselves before the channel that +divides Whitsuntide Island from the south land, which is about two leagues +over. At this time, the land to the southward extended from S. by E. round +to the west, farther than the eye could reach, and on the part nearest to +us, which is of considerable height, we observed two very large columns of +smoke, which, I judged, ascended from volcanoes. We now stood S.S.W., with +a fine breeze at S.E.; and, at ten o'clock, discovered this part of the +land to be an island, which is called by the natives Ambrym. Soon after an +elevated land appeared open off the south end of Ambrym; and after that, +another still higher, on which is a high peaked hill. We judged these lands +to belong to two separate islands. The first came in sight at S.E.; the +second at E. by S., and they appeared to be ten leagues distant. Holding on +our course for the land ahead, at noon it was five miles distant from us, +extending from S.S.E. to N.W. by W., and appeared to be continued. The +islands to the east bore from N.E. by E. to S.E. by E., latitude observed +16° 17' south. As we drew nearer the shore we discovered a creek, which had +the appearance of being a good harbour, formed by a low point or peninsula, +projecting out to the north. On this a number of people were assembled, who +seemed to invite us ashore; probably with no good intent, as the most of +them were armed with bows and arrows. In order to gain room and time to +hoist out and arm our boats, to reconnoitre this place, we tacked and made +a trip off, which occasioned the discovery of another port about a league +more to the south. Having sent two armed boats to sound and look for +anchorage, on their making the signal for the latter, we sailed in S.S.W., +and anchored in eleven fathoms water, not two cables' length from the S.E. +shore, and a mile within the entrance. + +We had no sooner anchored than several of the natives came off in canoes. +They were very cautious at first; but, at last, trusted themselves +alongside, and exchanged, for pieces of cloth, arrows; some of which were +pointed with bone, and dipped in some green gummy substance, which we +naturally supposed was poisonous. Two men having ventured on board, after a +short stay, I sent them away with presents. Others, probably induced by +this, came off by moon-light; but I gave orders to permit none to come +alongside, by which means we got clear of them for the night. + +Next morning early, a good many came round us, some in canoes, and others +swimming. I soon prevailed on one to come on board, which be no sooner did, +than he was followed by more than I desired; so that not only our deck, but +rigging, was presently filled with them. I took four into the cabin, and +gave them various articles, which they shewed to those in the canoes, and +seemed much pleased with their reception. While I was thus making friends +with those in the cabin, an accident happened that threw all into +confusion, but in the end, I believe, proved advantageous to us. A fellow +in a canoe having been refused admittance into one of our boats that lay +alongside, bent his bow to shoot a poisoned arrow at the boat-keeper. Some +of his countrymen prevented his doing it that instant, and gave time to +acquaint me with it. I ran instantly on deck, and saw another man +struggling with him; one of those who had been in the cabin, and had leaped +out of the window for this purpose. The other seemed resolved, shook him +off, and directed his bow again to the boat-keeper; but, on my calling to +him, pointed it at me. Having a musquet in my hand loaded with small shot, +I gave him the contents. This staggered him for a moment, but did not +prevent him from holding his bow still in the attitude of shooting. Another +discharge of the same nature made him drop it, and the others, who were in +the canoe, to paddle off with all speed. At this time, some began to shoot +arrows on the other side. A musquet discharged in the air had no effect; +but a four-pound shot over their heads sent them off in the utmost +confusion. Many quitted their canoes and swam on shore; those in the great +cabin leaped out of the windows; and those who were on the deck, and on +different parts of the rigging, all leaped overboard. After this we took no +farther notice of them, but suffered them to come off and pick up their +canoes; and some of them even ventured alongside of the ship. Immediately +after the great gun was fired, we heard the beating of drums on shore; +which was, probably, the signal for the country to assemble in arms. We now +got every thing in readiness to land, to cut some wood, which we were in +want of, and to try to get some refreshments, nothing of this kind having +been seen in any of the canoes. + +About nine o'clock, we put off in two boats, and landed in the face of four +or five hundred people, who were assembled on the shore. Though they were +all armed with bows and arrows, clubs and spears, they made not the least +opposition. On the contrary, seeing me advance alone, with nothing but a +green branch in my hand, one of them, who seemed to be a chief, giving his +bow and arrows to another, met me in the water, bearing also a green +branch, which having exchanged for the one I held, he then took me by the +hand, and led me up to the crowd. I immediately distributed presents to +them, and, in the mean time, the marines were drawn up upon the beach. I +then made signs (for we understood not a word of their language) that we +wanted wood; and they made signs to us to cut down the trees. By this time, +a small pig being brought down and presented to me, I gave the bearer a +piece of cloth, with which he seemed well pleased. This made us hope that +we should soon have some more; but we were mistaken. The pig was not +brought to be exchanged for what we had, but on some other account, +probably as a peace-offering. For, all we could say or do, did not prevail +on them to bring down, after this, above half a dozen cocoa-nuts, and a +small quantity of fresh water. They set no value on nails, or any sort of +iron tools; nor indeed on any thing we had. They would, now and then, +exchange an arrow for a piece of cloth; but very seldom would part with a +bow. They were unwilling we should go off the beach, and very desirous we +should return on board. At length, about noon, after sending what wood we +had cut on board, we embarked ourselves; and they all retired, some one way +and some another. Before we had dined, the afternoon was too far spent to +do any thing on shore; and all hands were employed, setting up the rigging, +and repairing some defects in it. But seeing a man bring along the strand a +buoy, which they had taken in the night from the kedge-anchor, I went on +shore for it, accompanied by some of the gentlemen. The moment we landed, +it was put into the boat, by a man who walked off again without speaking +one word. It ought to be observed, that this was the only thing they took, +or even attempted to take from us, by any means whatever. Being landed near +one of their plantations and houses, which were just within the skirts of +the wood, I prevailed on the man to conduct me to them; but, though they +suffered Mr Forster to go with me, they were unwilling any more should +follow. These houses were something like those of the other isles; rather +low, and covered with palm thatch. Some were enclosed, or walled round with +boards; and the entrance to those was by a square hole at one end, which at +this time was shut up, and they were unwilling to open it for us to look +in. There were here about six houses, and some small plantations of roots, +etc., fenced round with reeds as at the Friendly Isles. There were, +likewise, some bread-fruit, cocoa-nut, and plaintain trees; but very little +fruit on any of them. A good many fine yams were piled up upon sticks, or a +kind of raised platform; and about twenty pigs, and a few fowls, were +running about loose. After making these observations, having embarked, we +proceeded to the S.E. point of the harbour, where we again landed and +walked along the bench till we could see the islands to the S.E. already +mentioned. The names of these we now obtained, as well as the name of that +on which we were. This they called Mallicollo;* the island that first +appeared over the south end of Ambrym is called Apee; and the other with +the hill upon it Paoom. We found on the beach a fruit like an orange, +called by them Abbimora; but whether it be fit for eating, I cannot say, as +this was decayed. + +[* Or Mallicolla. Some of our people pronounced it Manicolo or +Manicola, and thus it is also writ in Quiros' Memorial, as printed by +Dalrymple, vol. ii. p. 146.] + +Proceeding next to the other side of the harbour, we there landed, near a +few houses, at the invitation of some people who came down to the shore; +but we had not been there five minutes before they wanted us to be gone. We +complied, and proceeded up the harbour in order to sound it, and look for +fresh water, of which, as yet, we had seen none, but the very little that +the natives brought, which we knew not where they got. Nor was our search +now attended with success; but this is no proof that there is not any. The +day was too far spent to examine the place well enough to determine this +point. Night having brought us on board, I was informed that no soul had +been off to the ship; so soon was the curiosity of these people satisfied. +As we were coming on board, we heard the sound of a drum, and, I think, of +some other instruments, and saw people dancing; but us soon as they heard +the noise of the oars, or saw us, all was silent. + +Being unwilling to lose the benefit of the moon-light nights, which now +happened, at seven a.m. on the 23d, we weighed; and, with a light air of +wind, and the assistance of our boats, proceeded out of the harbour, the +south end of which, at noon, bore W.S.W., distant about two miles. + +When the natives saw us under sail, they came off in canoes, making +exchanges with more confidence than before, and giving such extraordinary +proofs of their honesty as surprised us. As the ship, at first, had fresh +way through the water, several of them dropped astern after they had +received our goods, and before they had time to deliver theirs in return. +Instead of taking advantage of this, as our friends at the Society Isles +would have done, they used their utmost efforts to get up with us, and to +deliver what they had already been paid for. One man, in particular, +followed us a considerable time, and did not reach us till it was calm, and +the thing was forgotten. As soon as he came alongside he held up the thing +which several were ready to buy; but he refused to part with it, till he +saw the person to whom he had before sold it, and to him he gave it. The +person, not knowing him again, offered him something in return, which he +refused, and shewed him what he had given him before. Pieces of cloth, and +marble paper, were in most esteem with them; but edge-tools, nails, and +beads, they seemed to disregard. The greatest number of canoes we had +alongside at once did not exceed eight, and not more than four or five +people in each, who would frequently retire to the shore all on a sudden, +before they had disposed of half their things, and then others would come +off. + +At the time we came out of the harbour, it was about low water, and great +numbers of people were then on the shoals or reefs which lie along the +shore, looking, as we supposed., for shell and other fish. Thus our being +on their coast, and in one of their ports, did not hinder them from +following the necessary employments. By this time they might be satisfied +we meant them no harm; so that, had we made a longer stay, we might soon +have been upon good terms with this ape-like nation. For, in general, they +are the most ugly, ill-proportioned people I ever saw, and in every respect +different from any we had met with in this sea. They are a very +dark-coloured and rather diminutive race; with long heads, flat faces, and +monkey countenances. Their hair mostly black or brown, is short and curly; +but not quite so soft and woolly as that of a negroe. Their beards are very +strong, crisp, and bushy, and generally black and short. But what most adds +to their deformity, is a belt or cord which they wear round the waist, and +tie so tight over the belly, that the shape of their bodies is not unlike +that of an overgrown pismire. The men go quite naked, except a piece of +cloth or leaf used as a wrapper*. + +[* The particular manner of applying the wrapper may be seen in Wafer's +voyage, who mentions this singular custom as existing, though with some +little variation, amongst the Indians of the Isthmus of Darien. +See Wafer's Voyage, p. 140.] + +We saw but few women, and they were not less ugly than the men; their +heads, faces, and shoulders, are painted red; they wear a kind of +petticoat; and some of them had something over their shoulders like a bag, +in which they carry their children. None of them came off to the ship, and +they generally kept at a distance when we were on shore. Their ornaments +are ear-rings, made of tortoise-shell and bracelets. A curious one of the +latter, four or five inches broad, wrought with thread or cord, and studded +with shells, is worn by them just above the elbow. Round the right wrist +they wear hogs' tusks, bent circular, and rings made of shells; and round +their left, a round piece of wood, which we judged was to ward off the +bow-string. The bridge of the nose is pierced, in which they wear a piece of +white stone, about an inch and a half long. As signs of friendship they +present a green branch, and sprinkle water with the hand over the head. + +Their weapons are clubs, spears, and bows and arrows. The two former are +made of hard or iron-wood. Their bows are about four feet long, made of a +stick split down the middle, and are not circular. The arrows, which are a +sort of reeds, are sometimes armed with a long and sharp point, made of the +hard wood, and sometimes with a very hard point made of bone; and these +points are all covered with a substance which we took for poison. Indeed +the people themselves confirmed our suspicions, by making signs to us not +to touch the point, and giving us to understand that if we were prickled by +them we should die. They are very careful of them themselves, and keep +them, always wrapped up in a quiver. Some of these arrows are formed with +two or three points, each with small prickles on the edges, to prevent the +arrow being drawn out of the wound. + +The people of Mallicollo seemed to be a quite different nation from any we +had yet met with, and speak a different language. Of about eighty words, +which Mr Forster collected, hardly one bears any affinity to the language +spoken at any other island or place I had ever been at. The letter R is +used in many of their words; and frequently two or three being joined +together, such words we found difficult to pronounce. I observed that they +could pronounce most of our words with great ease. They express their +admiration by hissing like a goose. + +To judge of the country by the little water we saw of it, it must be +fertile; but I believe their fruits are not so good as those of the Society +or Friendly Isles. Their cocoa-nut trees, I am certain, are not; and their +bread-fruit and plantains did not seem much better. But their yams appeared +to be very good. We saw no other animals than those I have already +mentioned. They have not so much as a name for a dog, and consequently have +none, for which reason we left them a dog and a bitch; and there is no +doubt they will be taken care of, as they were very fond of them. + +After we had got to sea, we tried what effect one of the poisoned arrows +would have on a dog. Indeed we had tried it in the harbour the very first +night, but we thought the operation was too slight, as it had no effect. +The surgeon now made a deep incision in the dog's thigh, into which he laid +a large portion of the poison, just as it was scraped from the arrows, and +then bound up the wound with a bandage. For several days after we thought +the dog was not so well as it had been before, but whether this was really +so, or only suggested by imagination, I know not. He was afterwards as if +nothing had been done to him, and lived to be brought home to England. +However, I have no doubt of this stuff being of a poisonous quality, as it +could answer no other purpose. The people seemed not unacquainted with the +nature of poison, for when they brought us water on shore, they first +tasted it, and then gave us to understand we might with safety drink it. + +This harbour, which is situated on the N.E. side of Mallicollo, not far +from the S.E. end, in latitude 16° 25' 20" S., longitude 167° 57' 23" E., I +named Port Sandwich. It lies in S.W. by S. about one league, and is one-third +of a league broad. A reef of rocks extends out a little way from each +point, but the channel is of a good breadth, and hath in it from forty to +twenty-four fathoms water. In the port, the depth of water is from twenty +to four fathoms; and it is so sheltered that no winds can disturb a ship at +anchor there. Another great advantage is, you can lie so near the shore, as +to cover your people, who may be at work upon it. + +CHAPTER IV. + +_An Account of the Discovery of several Islands, and an Interview and +Skirmish with the Inhabitants upon one of them. The Arrival of the Ship at +Tanna, and the Reception we met with there._ + +1774 July + +Soon after we got to sea, we had a breeze at E.S.E. with which we stood +over for Ambrym till three o'clock in the afternoon, when the wind veering +to the E.N.E. we tacked and stretched to the S.E. and weathered the S.E. +end of Mallicolo, off which we discovered three or four small islands, that +before appeared to be connected. At sun-set the point bore S. 77° W., +distant three leagues, from which the coast seemed to trend away west. At +this time, the isle of Ambrym extended from N. 3° E. to N. 65° E. The isle +of Paoon from N. 76° E. to S. 88° E.; and the isle of Apee from S. 83° E. +to S. 43° E. We stood for this last isle, which we reached by midnight, and +then brought-to till day-break on the 24th, when we made sail to the S.E., +with a view of plying up to the eastward on the south side of Apee. At +sun-rise we discovered several more islands, extending from the S.E. point of +Apee to the south as far as S.E. by S. The nearest to us we reached by ten +o'clock, and not being able to weather it, we tacked a mile from its shore +in fourteen fathoms water. This island is about four leagues in circuit, is +remarkable by having three high peaked hills upon it, by which it has +obtained that name. In the p.m. the wind veering more to the north, we +resumed our course to the east; and having weathered Threehills, stood for +the group of small isles which lie off the S.E. point of Apee. These I +called Shepherd's Isles, in honour of my worthy friend Dr Shepherd, Plumian +professor of astronomy at Cambridge. Having a fine breeze, I had thoughts +of going through between them; but the channels being narrow, and seeing +broken water in the one we were steering for, I gave up the design, and +bore up, in order to go without, or to the south of them. Before this could +be accomplished, it fell calm, and we were left to the mercy of the +current, close to the isles, where we could find no soundings with a line +of an hundred and eighty fathoms. We had now land or islands in every +direction, and were not able to count the number which lay round us. The +mountain on Paoon was seen over the east end of Apee, bearing N.N.W. at +eight o'clock. A breeze at S.E. relieved us from the anxiety the calm had +occasioned; and we spent the night in making short boards. + +The night before we came out of Port Sandwich, two reddish fish, about the +size of large bream, and not unlike them, were caught with hook and line. +On these fish most of the officers, and some of the petty officers, dined +the next day. The night following, every one who had eaten of them was +seized with violent pains in the head and bones, attended with a scorching +heat all over the skin, and numbness in the joints. There remained no doubt +that this was occasioned by the fish being of a poisonous nature, and +having communicated its bad effects to all who partook of them, even to the +hogs and dogs. One of the former died about sixteen hours after; it was not +long before one of the latter shared the same fate; and it was a week or +ten days before all the gentlemen recovered. These must have been the same +sort of fish mentioned by Quiros,* under the name of pargos, which +poisoned the crews of his ships, so that it was some time before they +recovered; and we should, doubtless, have been in the same situation, had +more of them been eaten. + +[* Dalrymple's Collection of Voyages, vol. I. p. 140, 141.] + +At day break on the 25th, we made a short stretch to the east of Shepherd's +Isles till after sun-rise, when seeing no more land in that direction, we +tacked and stood for the island we had seen in the south, having a gentle +breeze at S.E. We passed to the east of Threehills, and likewise of a low +isle, which lies on the S.E. side of it, between a remarkable peaked rock +which obtained the name of Monument, and a small island named Twohills, on +account of two peaked hills upon it, disjoined by a low and narrow isthmus. +The channel between this island and the Monument is near a mile broad, and +twenty-four fathoms deep. Except this rock, which is only accessible to +birds, we did not find an island on which people were not seen. At noon, we +observed, in latitude 17° 18' 30"; longitude, made from Port Sandwich, 45' +E. In this situation, the Monument bore N. 16° E. distant two miles; +Twohills bore N. 25° W. distant two miles, and in a line with the S.W. part +of Threehills; and the islands to the south extended from S. 16° 30' E. to +S. 42° W. + +Continuing our course to the south, at five p.m. we drew near the southern +lands, which we found to consist of one large island, whose southern and +western extremities extended beyond our sight, and three or four smaller +ones lying off its north side. The two northernmost are much the largest, +have a good height, and lie in the direction of E. by S. and W. by N. from +each other, distant two leagues; I named the one Montagu and the other +Hinchinbrook, and the large island Sandwich, in honour of my noble patron +the Earl of Sandwich. Seeing broken water ahead, between Montagu and +Hinchinbrook isles, we tacked; and soon after it fell calm. The calm +continued till seven o'-clock the next morning, when it was succeeded by a +breeze from the westward. During the calm, having been carried by the +currents and a S.E. swell, four leagues to the W.N.W., we passed +Hinchinbrook Isle, saw the western extremity of Sandwich Island, bearing +S.S.W., about five leagues distant, and at the same time discovered a small +island to the west of this direction. After getting the westerly breeze, I +steered S.E. in order to pass between Montagu Isle and the north end of +Sandwich Island. At noon we were in the middle of the channel, and observed +in latitude 17° 31' S. The distance from one island to the other is about +four or five miles; but the channel is not much above half that breadth, +being contracted by breakers. We had no soundings in it with a line of +forty fathoms. + +As we passed Montagu Isle several people came down to the sea-side, and, by +signs, seemed to invite us ashore. Some were also seen on Sandwich Island, +which exhibited a most delightful prospect, being spotted with woods and +lawns, agreeably diversified over the whole surface. It hath a gentle slope +from the hills, which are of a moderate height, down to the sea coast. This +is low, and guarded by a chain of breakers, so that there is no approaching +it at this part. But more to the west, beyond Hinchinbrook Island, there +seemed to run in a bay sheltered from the reigning winds. The examining it +not being so much an object, with me as the getting to the south, in order +to find the southern extremity of the Archipelago, with this view I steered +S.S.E., being the direction of the coast of Sandwich Island. We had but +just got through the passage, before the west wind left us to variable +light airs and calms; so that we were apprehensive of being carried back +again by the currents, or rather of being obliged to return, in order to +avoid being driven on the shoals, as there was no anchorage, a line of an +hundred and sixty fathoms not reaching to the bottom. At length a breeze +springing up at S.W. we stood to S.E., and at sun-set the Monument bore N. +14° 30' W., and Montagu Island N. 28° W. distant three leagues. We judged +we saw the S.E. extremity of Sandwich Island, bearing about S. by E. + +We continued to stand S.E. till four a.m. on the 27th, when we tacked to +the west. At sun-rise, having discovered a new land bearing south, and +making in three hills, this occasioned us to tack and stand towards it. At +this time Montagu Isle bore N. 52° W., distant thirteen leagues; at noon it +was nearly in the same direction, and the new land extended from S. 1/2 E. +to S. by W., and the three hills seemed to be connected. Our latitude by +observation, was 18° 1' S., and the longitude, made from Port Sandwich, 1° +23' E. We continued to stand to the S.E., with a gentle breeze at S.W. and +S.S.W. till the 28th at sun-rise, when, the wind veering to the south, we +tacked and stood to the west. The three hills mentioned above, we now saw, +belonging to one island, which extended from S. 35° to 71° W. distant about +ten or twelve leagues. + +1774 August + +Retarded by contrary winds, calms, and the currents, that set to N.W., we +were three days in gaining this space; in which time we discovered an +elevated land to the south of this; It first appeared in detached hummocks, +but we judged it to be connected. At length, on the 1st of August, about +ten a.m. we got a fine breeze at E.S.E., which soon after veered to N.E., +and we steered for the N.W. side of the island. Reaching it about two p.m., +we ranged the west coast at one mile from shore, on which the inhabitants +appeared in several parts, and by signs invited us to land. We continued to +sound without finding bottom, till we came before a small bay, or bending +of the coast, where, near a mile from shore, we found thirty and twenty-two +fathoms water, a sandy bottom. I had thoughts of anchoring here, but the +wind almost instantly veered to N.W.; which being nearly on shore, I laid +this design aside. Besides, I was unwilling to lose the opportunity that +now offered of getting to the south-east, in order first to explore the +lands which lay there. I therefore continued to range the coast to the +south, at about the same distance from shore; but we soon got out of +soundings. About a league to the south of this bay, which hath about two +miles extent, is another more extensive. Towards the evening, the breeze +began to abate, so that it was sun-set before we got the length of it. I +intended not to stop here, and to stand to the south under an easy sail all +night; but at eight o'clock, as we were steering S.S.E. we saw a light +ahead. Not knowing but it might be on some low detached isle, dangerous to +approach while dark, we hauled the wind, and spent the night standing off +and on, or rather driving to and fro; for we had but very little wind. + +At sun-rise on the 2d, we saw no more land than the coast we were upon; but +found that the currents had carried us some miles to the north, and we +attempted, to little purpose, to regain what we had lost. At noon we were +about a league from the coast, which extended from S.S.E. to N.E. Latitude +observed 18° 45' S. In the afternoon, finding the ship to drift not only to +the north, but in shore also, and being yet to the south of the bay we +passed the day before, I had thoughts of getting to an anchor before night, +while we had it in our power to make choice of a place. With this view, +having hoisted out two boats, one of them was sent ahead to tow the ship; +in the other Mr Gilbert went to sound for anchorage. Soon after, the towing +boat was sent to assist him. So much time was spent in sounding this bay, +that the ship drove past, which made it necessary to call the boats on +board to tow her off from the northern point. But this service was +performed by a breeze of wind, which, that moment, sprung up at S.W.; so +that as the boats got on board, we hoisted them in, and then bore up for +the north side of the island, intending once more to try to get round by +the east; Mr Gilbert informed me, that at the south part of the bay, he +found no soundings till close to a steep stone beach, where he landed to +taste a stream of water he saw there, which proved to be salt. Some people +were seen there, but they kept at a distance. Farther down the coast, that +is to the north, he found twenty, twenty-four, and thirty fathoms, +three-fourths of a mile, or a mile, from shore, the bottom a fine dark sand. + +On the 3d, at sun-rise, we found ourselves abreast a lofty promontory on +the S.E. side of the island, and about three leagues from it. Having but +little wind, and that from the south, right in our teeth, and being in want +of fire-wood, I sent Lieutenant Clerke with two boats to a small islet +which lies off the promontory, to endeavour to get some. In the mean time +we continued to ply up with the ship; but what we gained by our sails, we +lost by the current. At length towards noon, we got a breeze at E.S.E., and +E., with which we could lie up for the head; and soon after Mr Clerke +returned, having not been able to land, on account of a high surf on the +shore. They met with no people on the isle; but saw a large bat, and some +birds, and caught a water-snake. At six o'clock p.m. we got in with the +land, under the N.W. side of the head, where we anchored in seventeen +fathoms water, the bottom a fine dark sand, half a mile from shore; the +point of the head bearing N. 18° E., distant half a league; the little +islet before-mentioned N.E. by E. 1/2 E., and the N.W. point of the bay N. +32° W. Many people appeared on the shore, and some attempted to swim off to +us; but having occasion to send the boat ahead to sound, they retired as +she drew near them. This, however, gave us a favourable idea of them. + +On the 4th, at day-break, I went with two boats to examine the coast, to +look for a proper landing-place, wood, and water. At this time, the natives +began to assemble on the shore, and by signs invited us to land. I went +first to a small beach, which is towards the head, where I found no good +landing, on account of some rocks which every where lined the coast. I, +however, put the boat's bow to the shore, and gave cloth, medals, etc. to +some people who were there. For this treatment they offered to haul the +boats over the breakers to the sandy beach, which I thought a friendly +offer, but had reason afterwards to alter my opinion. When they found I +would not do as they desired, they made signs for us to go down into the +bay, which we accordingly did, and they ran along shore abreast of us, +their number increasing prodigiously. I put in to the shore in two or three +places, but, not liking the situation, did not land. By this time, I +believe, the natives conceived what I wanted, as they directed me round a +rocky point, where, on a fine sandy beach, I stepped out of the boat +without wetting a foot, in the face of a vast multitude, with only a green +branch in my hand, which I had before got from one of them. I took but one +man out of the boat with me, and ordered the other boat to lie-to at a +little distance off. They received me with great courtesy and politeness; +and would retire back from the boat on my making the least motion with my +hand. A man, whom I took to be a chief, seeing this, made them form a +semicircle round the boat's bow, and beat such as attempted to break +through this order. This man I loaded with presents, giving likewise to +others, and asked by signs for fresh water, in hopes of seeing where they +got it. The chief immediately sent a man for some, who ran to a house, and +presently returned with a little in a bamboo; so that I gained but little +information by this. I next asked, by the same means, for something to eat, +and they as readily brought me a yam, and some cocoa-nuts. In short, I was +charmed with their behaviour; and the only thing which could give the least +suspicion was, that most of them were armed with clubs, spears, darts, and +bows and arrows. For this reason I kept my eye continually upon the chief, +and watched his looks as well as his actions. He made many signs to me to +haul the boat up upon the shore, and at last slipped into the crowd, where +I observed him speak to several people, and then return to me, repeating +signs to haul the boat up, and hesitating a good deal before he would +receive some spike-nails, which I then offered him. This made me suspect +something was intended, and immediately I stepped into the boat, telling +them by signs that I should soon return. But they were not for parting so +soon, and now attempted by force, what they could not obtain by gentler +means. The gang-board happened unluckily to be laid out for me to come into +the boat, I say unluckily, for if it had not been out, and if the crew had +been a little quicker in getting the boat off, the natives might not have +had time to put their design in execution, nor would the following +disagreeable scene have happened. As we were putting off the boat, they +laid hold of the gang-board, and unhooked it off the boat's stern. But as +they did not take it away, I thought this had been done by accident, and +ordered the boat in again to take it up. Then they themselves hooked it +over the boat's stern, and attempted to haul her ashore; others, at the +same time, snatched the oars out of the people's hands. On my pointing a +musket at them, they in some measure desisted, but returned in an instant, +seemingly determined to haul the boat ashore. At the head of this party was +the chief; the others, who could not come at the boat, stood behind with +darts, stones, and bows and arrows in hand, ready to support them. Signs +and threats having no effect, our own safety became the only consideration; +and yet I was unwilling to fire on the multitude, and resolved to make the +chief alone fall a victim to his own treachery; but my musket at this +critical moment missed fire. Whatever idea they might have formed of the +arms we held in our hands, they must now have looked upon them as childish +weapons, and began to let us see how much better theirs were, by throwing +stones and darts, and by shooting arrows. This made it absolutely necessary +for me to give orders to fire. The first discharge threw them into +confusion; but a second was hardly sufficient to drive them off the beach; +and after all, they continued to throw stones from behind the trees and +bushes, and, every now and then, to pop out and throw a dart. Four lay, to +all appearance, dead on the shore; but two of them afterwards crawled into +the bushes. Happy it was for these people, that not half our muskets would +go off, otherwise many more must have fallen. We had one man wounded in the +cheek with a dart, the point of which was as thick as my finger, and yet it +entered above two inches, which shews that it must have come with great +force, though indeed we were very near them. An arrow struck Mr Gilbert's +naked breast, who was about thirty yards off; but probably it had struck +something before; for it hardly penetrated the skin. The arrows were +pointed with hard wood. + +As soon as we got on board, I ordered the anchor to be weighed, with a view +of anchoring near the landing-place. While this was doing, several people +appeared on the low rock point, displaying two oars we had lost in the +scuffle. I looked on this as a sign of submission, and of their wanting to +give us the oars. I was, nevertheless, prevailed on to fire a four-pound +shot at them, to let them see the effect of our great guns. The ball fell +short, but frightened them so much, that none were seen afterwards; and +they left the oars standing up against the bushes. + +It was now calm; but the anchor was hardly at the bow before a breeze +sprung up at north, of which we took the advantage, set our sails, and +plyed out of the bay, as it did not seem capable of supplying our wants +with that conveniency I wished to have. Besides, I always had it in my +power to return to this place, in case I should find none more convenient +farther south. + +These islanders seemed to be a different race from those of Mallicollo; and +spoke a different language. They are of the middle size, have a good shape, +and tolerable features. Their colour is very dark, and they paint their +faces, some with black, and others with red pigment. Their hair is very +curly and crisp, and somewhat woolly. I saw a few women, and I thought them +ugly; they wore a kind of petticoat made of palm-leaves, or some plant like +it. But the men, like those of Mallicollo, were in a manner naked; having +only the belt about the waist, and the piece of cloth, or leaf, used as a +wrapper*. I saw no canoes with these people, nor were any seen in any part +of this island. They live in houses covered with thatch, and their +plantations are laid out by a line, and fenced round. + +[* The particular manner of applying the wrapper may be seen in Wafer's +voyage, who mentions this singular custom as existing, though with some +little variation, amongst the Indians of the Isthmus of Darien. +See Wafer's Voyage, p. 140.] + +At two o'clock in the afternoon, we were clear of the bay, bore up round +the head, and steered S.S.E. for the south end of the island, having a fine +breeze at N.W. On the S.W. side of the head is a pretty deep bay, which +seemed to run in behind the one on the N.W. side. Its shores are low, and +the adjacent lands appeared very fertile. It is exposed to the S.E. winds; +for which reason, until it be better known, the N.W. bay is preferable, +because it is sheltered from the reigning winds; and the winds to which it +is open, viz. from N.W. by N. to E. by N., seldom blow strong. The +promontory, or peninsula, which disjoins these two bays, I named Traitor's +Head, from the treacherous behaviour of its inhabitants. It is the N.E. +point of the island, situated in the latitude 18° 43' S. longitude 169° +'28' E., and terminates in a saddle-hill which is of height sufficient to +be seen sixteen or eighteen leagues. As we advanced to S.S.E., the new +island, we had before discovered, began to appear over the S.E. point of +the one near us, bearing S. 1/2 E., distant ten or twelve leagues. After +leaving this one, we steered for the east end of the other, being directed +by a great light we saw upon it. + +At one o'clock the next morning, drawing near the shore, we tacked and +spent the remainder of the night making short boards. At sun-rise we +discovered a high table land (an island) bearing E. by S., and a small low +isle in the direction of N.N.E., which we had passed in the night without +seeing it. Traitor's Head was still in sight, bearing N. 20° W. distant +fifteen leagues, and the island to the south extended from S. 7° W. to S. +87° W. distant three or four miles. We then found that the light we had +seen in the night was occasioned by a volcano, which we observed to throw +up vast quantities of fire and smoke, with a rumbling noise heard at a +great distance. We now made sail for the island; and, presently after, +discovered a small inlet which had the appearance of being a good harbour. +In order to be better informed, I sent away two armed boats, under the +command of Lieutenant Cooper, to sound it; and, in the meanwhile, we stood +on and off with the ship, to be ready to follow, or give them any +assistance they might want. On the east point of the entrance, we observed +a number of people, and several houses and canoes; and when our boats +entered the harbour, they launched some, and followed them, but came not +near. It was not long before Mr Cooper made the signal for anchorage; and +we stood in with the ship. The wind being at west, and our course S.S.W., +we borrowed close to the west point, and passed over some sunken rocks, +which might have been avoided, by keeping a little more to the east, or +about one-third channel over. The wind left us as soon as we were within +the entrance, and obliged us to drop an anchor in four fathoms water. After +this, the boats were sent again to sound; and, in the meantime, the launch +was hoisted out, in order to carry out anchors to warp in by, as soon as we +should be acquainted with the channel. + +While we were thus employed, many of the natives got together in parties, +on several parts of the shore, all armed with bows, spears, etc. Some swam +off to us, others came in canoes. At first they were shy, and kept at the +distance of a stone's throw; they grew insensibly bolder; and, at last, +came under our stern, and made some exchanges. The people in one of the +first canoes, after coming as near as they durst, threw towards us some +cocoa-nuts. I went into a boat and picked them up, giving them in return +some cloth and other articles. This induced others to come under the stern, +and alongside, where their behaviour was insolent and daring. They wanted +to carry off every thing within their reach; they got hold of the fly of +the ensign, and would have torn it from the staff; others attempted to +knock the rings off the rudder; but the greatest trouble they gave us was +to look after the buoys of our anchors, which were no sooner thrown out of +our boats, or let go from the ship, than they got hold of them. A few +muskets fired in the air had no effect; but a four-pounder frightened them +so much, that they quitted their canoes that instant, and took to the +water. But as soon as they found themselves unhurt, they got again into +their canoes, gave us some halloos, flourished their weapons, and returned +once more to the buoys. This put us to the expence of a few musquetoon +shot, which had the desired effect. Although none were hurt, they were +afterwards afraid to come near the buoys; very soon all retired on shore, +and we were permitted to sit down to dinner undisturbed. + +During these transactions, a friendly old man in a small canoe made several +trips between us and the shore, bringing off each time a few cocoa-nuts, or +a yam, and taking in exchange whatever we gave him. Another was on the +gangway when the great gun was fired, but I could not prevail on him to +stay there long. Towards the evening, after the ship was moored, I landed +at the head of the harbour, in the S.E. corner, with a strong party of men, +without any opposition being made by a great number of the natives who were +assembled in two parties, the one on our right and the other on the left, +armed with clubs, darts, spears, slings, and stones, bows, and arrows, etc. +After distributing to the old people (for we could distinguish no chief), +and some others, presents of cloth, medals, etc. I ordered two casks to be +filled with water out of a pond about twenty paces behind the landing-place; +giving the natives to understand, that this was one of the articles +we wanted. Besides water, we got from them a few cocoa-nuts, which seemed +to be in plenty on the trees; but they could not be prevailed upon to part +with any of their weapons. These they held in constant readiness, and in +the proper attitudes of offence and defence; so that little was wanting to +make them attack us; at least we thought so, by their pressing so much upon +us, and in spite of our endeavours to keep them off. Our early re-embarking +probably disconcerted their scheme; and after that, they all retired. The +friendly old man before mentioned, was in one of these parties; and we +judged, from his conduct, that his temper was pacific. + +CHAPTER V. + +_An Intercourse established with the Natives; some Account of the Island, +and a Variety of Incidents that happened during our Stay at it._ + +August 1774 + +As we wanted to take in a large quantity both of wood and water, and as, +when I was on shore, I had found it practicable to lay the ship much nearer +the landing-place than she now was, which would greatly facilitate that +work, as well as overawe the natives, and enable us better to cover and +protect the working party on shore; with this view, on the 6th, we went to +work to transport the ship to the place I designed to moor her in. While we +were about this, we observed the natives assembling from all parts, and +forming themselves into two parties, as they did the preceding evening, one +on each side the landing-place, to the amount of some thousands, armed as +before. A canoe, sometimes conducted by one, and at other times by two or +three men, now and then came off, bringing a few cocoa-nuts or plantains. +These they gave us without asking for any return; but I took care they +should always have something. Their chief design seemed to invite us on +shore. One of those who came off was the old man, who had already +ingratiated himself into our favour. I made him understand, by signs, that +they were to lay aside their weapons, took those which were in the canoe, +and threw them overboard, and made him a present of a large piece of cloth. +There was no doubt but he understood me, and made my request known to his +countrymen. For as soon as he landed, we observed him to go first to the +one party, and then to the other; nor was he, ever after, seen by us with +any thing like a weapon in his hand. After this, three fellows came in a +canoe under the stern, one of them brandishing a club, with which he struck +the ship's side, and committed other acts of defiance, but at last offered +to exchange it for a string of beads, and some other trifles. These were +sent down to him by a line; but the moment they were in his possession, he +and his companions paddled off in all haste, without giving the club or any +thing else in return. This was what I expected, and indeed what I was not +sorry for, as I wanted an opportunity to shew the multitude on shore, the +effect of our fire arms, without materially hurting any of them. Having a +fowling-piece loaded with small shot (No. 3) I gave the fellow the +contents; and, when they were above musquet-shot off, I ordered some of the +musquetoons, or wall-pieces, to be fired, which made them leap out of the +canoe, keep under her offside, and swim with her ashore. This transaction +seemed to make little or no impression on the people there. On the +contrary, they began to halloo, and to make sport of it. + +After mooring the ship, by four anchors, with her broadside to the +landing-place, hardly musquet-shot off, and placing our artillery in such a +manner as to command the whole harbour, I embarked with the marines, and a +party of seamen, in three boats, and rowed in for the shore. It hath been +already mentioned, that the two divisions of the natives were drawn up on each +side the landing-place. They had left a space between them of about thirty or +forty yards, in which were laid, to the most advantage, a few small bunches +of plantains, a yam, and two or three roots. Between these and the water +were stuck upright in the sand, for what purpose I never could learn, four +small reeds, about two feet from each other, in a line at right angles to +the shore, where they remained for two or three days after. The old man +before-mentioned, and two more, stood by these things, inviting us, by +signs, to land; but I had not forgot the trap I was so near being caught in +at the last island; and this looked something like it. We answered, by +making signs for the two divisions to retire farther back, and give us more +room. The old man seemed to desire them so to do, but no more regard was +paid to him than to us. More were continually joining them, and, except two +or three old men, not one unarmed. In short, every thing conspired to make +us believe they meant to attack us as soon as we should be on shore; the +consequence of which was easily supposed; many of them must have been +killed and wounded, and we should hardly have escaped unhurt; two things I +equally wished to prevent. Since, therefore, they would not give us the +room required, I thought it was better to frighten them into it, than to +oblige them by the deadly effect of our fire-arms. I accordingly ordered a +musquet to be fired over the party on our right, which was by far the +strongest body; but the alarm it gave them was momentary. In an instant +they recovered themselves and began to display their weapons. One fellow +shewed us his backside, in a manner which plainly conveyed his meaning. + +After this I ordered three or four more musquets to be fired. This was the +signal for the ship to fire a few great guns, which presently dispersed +them; and then we landed, and marked out the limits, on the right and left, +by a line. Our old friend stood his ground, though deserted by his two +companions, and I rewarded his confidence with a present. The natives came +gradually to us, seemingly in a more friendly manner; some even without +their weapons, but by far the greatest part brought them; and when we made +signs to lay them down, they gave us to understand that we must lay down +ours first. Thus all parties stood armed. The presents I made to the old +people, and to such as seemed to be of consequence, had little effect on +their conduct. They indeed climbed the cocoa-nut trees, and threw us down +the nuts, without requiring any thing for them; but I took care that they +should always have somewhat in return. I observed that many were afraid to +touch what belonged to us; and they seemed to have no notion of exchanging +one thing for another. I took the old man (whose name we now found to be +Paowang) to the woods, and made him understand, I wanted to cut down some +trees to take on board the ship; cutting some down at the same time, which +we put into one of our boats, together with a few small casks of water, +with a view of letting the people see what it was we chiefly wanted. +Paowang very readily gave his consent to cut wood; nor was there any one +who made the least objection. He only desired the cocoa-nut trees might not +be cut down. Matters being thus settled, we embarked and returned on board +to dinner, and, immediately after, they all dispersed. I never learnt that +any one was hurt by our shot, either on this or the preceding day; which +was a very happy circumstance. In the afternoon having landed again, we +loaded the launch with water, and having made three hauls with the seine, +caught upwards of three hundred pounds of mullet and other fish. It was +some time before any of the natives appeared, and not above twenty or +thirty at last, amongst whom was our trusty friend Paowang, who made us a +present of a small pig, which was the only one we got at this isle, or that +was offered to us. + +During the night the volcano, which was about four miles to the west of us, +vomited up vast quantities of fire and smoke, as it had also done the night +before; and the flames were seen to rise above the hill which lay between +us and it. At every eruption it made a long rumbling noise like that of +thunder, or the blowing up of large mines. A heavy shower of rain, which +fell at this time, seemed to increase it; and the wind blowing from the +same quarter, the air was loaded with its ashes, which fell so thick that +every thing was covered with the dust. It was a kind of fine sand, or +stone, ground or burnt to powder, and was exceedingly troublesome to the +eyes. + +Early in the morning of the 7th, the natives began again to assemble near +the watering-place, armed as usual, but not in such numbers as at first. +After breakfast, we landed, in order to cut wood and fill water. I found +many of the islanders much inclined to be friends with us, especially the +old people; on the other hand, most of the younger were daring and +insolent, and obliged us to keep to our arms. I staid till I saw no +disturbance was like to happen, and then returned to the ship, leaving the +party under the command of Lieutenants Clerke and Edgcumbe. When they came +on board to dinner, they informed me that the people continued to behave in +the same inconsistent manner as in the morning; but more especially one +man, whom Mr Edgcumbe was obliged to fire at, and believed he had struck +with a swan shot. After that the others behaved with more discretion; and +as soon as our people embarked they all retired. While we were sitting at +dinner an old man came on board, looked into many parts of the ship, and +then went ashore again. + +In the afternoon, only a few of those who lived in the neighbourhood, with +whom we were now upon a tolerable footing, made their appearance at the +watering-place. Paowang brought us an axe which had been left by our +people, either in the woods or on the beach, and found by some of the +natives. A few other articles were afterwards returned to us, which either +they had stolen, or we had lost by our negligence, so careful were they now +not to offend us in this respect. + +Early the next morning, I sent the launch, protected by a party of marines +in another boat, to take in ballast, which was wanted. This work was done +before breakfast; and after it, she was sent for wood and water, and with +her the people employed in this service, under the protection of a +serjeant's guard, which was now thought sufficient, as the natives seemed +to be pretty well reconciled to us. I was told, that they asked our people +to go home with them, on condition they stripped naked as they were. This +shews that they had no design to rob them, whatever other they might +have. + +On the 9th, I sent the launch for more ballast, and the guard and wooders +to the usual place. With these I went myself, and found a good many of the +natives collected together, whose behaviour, though armed, was courteous +and obliging; so that there was no longer any occasion to mark out the +limits by a line; they observed them without this precaution. As it was +necessary for Mr Wales's instruments to remain on shore all the middle of +the day, the guard did not return to dinner, as they had done before, till +relieved by others. When I came off, I prevailed on a young man, whose name +was Wha-a-gou, to accompany me. Before dinner I shewed him every part of +the ship; but did not observe that any thing fixed his attention a moment, +or caused in him the least surprise. He had no knowledge of goats, dogs, or +cats, calling them all hogs (_Booga_ or _Boogas_). I made him a +present of a dog and a bitch, as he shewed a liking to that kind of animal. +Soon after he came on board, some of his friends followed in a canoe, and +enquired for him, probably doubtful of his safety. He looked out of the +quarter gallery, and having spoken to them, they went ashore, and quickly +returned with a cock, a little sugar-cane, and a few cocoa-nuts, as a +present to me. Though he sat down with us, he did but just taste our salt +pork, but eat pretty heartily of yam, and drank a glass of wine. After +dinner I made him presents, and then conducted him, ashore. + +As soon as we landed, the youth and some of his friends took me by the +hand, with a view, as I understood, to conduct me to their habitations. We +had not gone far, before some of them, for what reason I know not, were +unwilling I should proceed; in consequence of which the whole company +stopped; and, if I was not mistaken, a person was dispatched for something +or other to give me; for I was desired to sit down and wait, which I +accordingly did. During this interval, several of our gentlemen passed us, +at which they shewed great uneasiness, and importuned me so much to order +them back, that I was at last obliged to comply. They were jealous of our +going up the country, or even along the shore of the harbour. While I was +waiting here, our friend Paowang came with a present of fruit and roots, +carried by about twenty men; in order, as I supposed, to make it appear the +greater. One had a small bunch of plantains, another a yam, a third a +cocoa-nut, etc.; but two men might have carried the whole with ease. This +present was in return for something I had given him in the morning; +however, I thought the least I could do now, was to pay the porters. + +After I had dispatched Paowang, I returned to Wha-a-gou and his friends, +who were still for detaining me. They seemed to wait with great impatience +for something, and to be unwilling and ashamed to take away the two dogs, +without making me a return. As night was approaching, I pressed to be gone; +with which they complied, and so we parted. + +The preceding day, Mr Forster learnt from the people the proper name of the +island, which they call Tanna; and this day I learnt from them the names of +those in the neighbourhood. The one we touched at last is called Erromango; +the small isle, which we discovered the morning we landed here, Immer; the +Table island to the east, discovered at the same time, Erronan or Footoona; +and an island which lies to the S.E. Annattom. All these islands are to be +seen from Tanna. + +They gave us to understand, in a manner which I thought admitted of no +doubt, that they eat human flesh, and that circumcision was practised among +them. They began the subject of eating human flesh, of their own accord, by +asking us if we did; otherwise I should never have thought of asking them +such a question. I have heard people argue, that no nation could be +cannibals, if they had other flesh to eat, or did not want food; thus +deriving the custom from necessity. The people of this island can be under +no such necessity; they have fine pork and fowls, and plenty of roots and +fruits. But since we have not actually seen them eat human flesh, it will +admit of doubt with some, whether they are cannibals. + +When I got on board, I learnt that, when the launch was on the west side of +the harbour taking in ballast, one of the men employed in this work, had +scalded his fingers in taking a stone up out of some water. This +circumstance produced the discovery of several hot springs, at the foot of +the cliff, and rather below high-water mark. + +This day Mr Wales, and two or three of the officers advanced a little, for +the first time, into the island. They met with a small straggling village, +the inhabitants of which treated them with great civility; and the next +morning Mr Forster and his party made another excursion inland. They met +with several fine plantations of plantains, sugar-canes, yams, etc.; and the +natives were courteous and civil. Indeed, by this time, the people, +especially those in our neighbourhood, were so well reconciled to us, that +they shewed not the least dislike at our rambling about in the skirts of +the woods, shooting, etc. In the afternoon some boys having got behind +thickets, and having thrown two or three stones at our people who were +cutting wood, they were fired at by the petty officers present on duty. +Being ashore at that time, I was alarmed at hearing the report of the +musquets, and seeing two or three boys run out of the wood. When I knew the +cause I was much displeased at so wanton an use being made of our fire-arms, +and took measures to prevent it for the future. Wind southerly, with +heavy showers of rain. + +During the night, and also all the 11th, the volcano was exceedingly +troublesome, and made a terrible noise, throwing up prodigious columns of +fire and smoke at each explosion, which happened every three or four +minutes; and, at one time, great stones were seen high in the air. Besides +the necessary work of wooding and watering, we struck the main-top-mast to +fix new trestle-trees and back-stays. Mr Forster and his party went up the +hill on the west side of the harbour, where he found three places from +whence smoke of a sulphureous smell issued, through cracks and fissures in +the earth. The ground about these was exceedingly hot, and parched or +burnt, and they seemed to keep pace with the volcano; for, at every +explosion of the latter, the quantity of smoke or steam in these was +greatly increased, and forced out so as to rise in small columns, which we +saw from the ship, and had taken for common fires made by the natives. At +the foot of this hill are the hot-springs before mentioned. + +In the afternoon, Mr Forster having begun his botanical researches on the +other side of the harbour, fell in with our friend Paowang's house, where +he saw most of the articles I had given him, hanging on the adjoining trees +and bushes, as if they were not worthy of being under his roof. + +On the 12th, some of the officers accompanied Mr Forster to the hot places +he had been at the preceding day. A thermometer placed in a little hole +made in one of them, rose from 80, at which it stood in the open air, to +170. Several other parts of the hill emitted smoke or steam all the day, +and the volcano was unusually furious, insomuch that the air was loaded +with its ashes. The rain which fell at this time was a compound of water, +sand, and earth; so that it properly might be called showers of mire. +Whichever way the wind was, we were plagued with the ashes; unless it blew +very strong indeed from the opposite direction. Notwithstanding the natives +seemed well enough satisfied with the few expeditions we had made in the +neighbourhood, they were unwilling we should extend them farther. As a +proof of this, some undertook to guide the gentlemen when they were in the +country, to a place where they might see the mouth of the volcano. They +very readily embraced the offer; and were conducted down to the harbour, +before they perceived the cheat. + +The 13th, wind at N.E., gloomy weather. The only thing worthy of note this +day was, that Paowang being at dinner with us on board, I took the +opportunity to shew him several parts of the ship, and various articles, in +hopes of finding out something which they might value, and be induced to +take from us in exchange for refreshments; for what we got of this kind was +trifling. But he looked on every thing that was shewn him with the utmost +indifference; nor did he take notice of any one thing, except a wooden +sand-box, which he seemed to admire, and turned it two or three times over +in his hand. + +Next morning after breakfast, a party of us set out for the country, to try +if we could not get a nearer and better view of the volcano. We went by the +way of one of those hot smoking places before mentioned, and dug a hole in +the hottest part, into which a thermometer of Fahrenheit's construction was +put; and the mercury presently rose to 100°. It remained in the hole two +minutes and a half without either rising or falling. The earth about this +place was a kind of white clay, had a sulphureous smell, and was soft and +wet, the surface only excepted, over which was spread a thin dry crust, +that had upon it some sulphur, and a vitriolic substance, tasting like +alum. The place affected by the heat was not above eight or ten yards +square; and near it were some fig-trees, which spread their branches over +part of it, and seemed to like their situation. We thought that this +extraordinary heat was caused by the steam of boiling water, strongly +impregnated with sulphur. I was told that some of the other places were +larger than this; though we did not go out of the road to look at them, but +proceeded up the hill through a country so covered with trees, shrubs, and +plants, that the bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees, which, seem to have been +planted here by nature, were, in a manner, choaked up. Here and there we +met with a house, some few people, and plantations. These latter we found +in different states, some of long standing, others lately cleared, and some +only clearing, and before any thing had been planted. The clearing of a +piece of ground for plantation, seemed to be a work of much labour, +considering the tools they had to work with, which, though much inferior to +those at the Society Isles, are of the same kind. Their method is, however, +judicious, and as expeditious as it can well be. They lop off the small +branches of the large trees, dig under the roots, and there burn the +branches and small shrubs and plants which they root up. The soil, in some +parts, is a rich black mould; in other parts, it seemed to be composed of +decayed vegetables, and of the ashes the volcano sends forth throughout all +its neighbourhood. Happening to turn out of the common path, we came into a +plantation where we found a man at work, who, either out of good-nature, or +to get us the sooner out of his territories, undertook to be our guide. We +followed him, accordingly, but had not gone far before we came to the +junction of two roads, in one of which stood another man with a sling and a +stone, which he thought proper to lay down when a musquet was pointed at +him. The attitude in which we found him, the ferocity appearing in his +looks, and his behaviour after, convinced us that he meant to defend the +path he stood in. He, in some measure, gained his point, for our guide took +the other road, and we followed, but not without suspecting he was leading +us out of the common way. The other man went with us likewise, counting us +several times over, and hallooing, as we judged, for assistance; for we +were presently joined by two or three more, among whom was a young woman +with a club in her hand. By these people we were conducted to the brow of a +hill, and shewn a road leading down to the harbour, which they wanted us to +take. Not choosing to comply, we returned to that we had left, which we +pursued alone, our guide refusing to go with us. After ascending another +ridge, as thickly covered with wood as those we had come over, we saw yet +other hills between us and the volcano, which seemed as far off as at our +first setting out. This discouraged us from proceeding farther, especially +as we could get no one to be our guide. We therefore came to a resolution +to return; and had but just put this in execution when we met between +twenty and thirty people, whom the fellow before mentioned had collected +together, with a design, as we judged, to oppose our advancing into the +country; but as they saw us returning they suffered us to pass unmolested. +Some of them put us into the right road, accompanied us down the hill, made +us stop by the way, to entertain us with cocoa-nuts, plantains, and +sugar-cane; and what we did not eat on the spot, they brought down the hill +with us. Thus we found these people hospitable, civil, and good-natured, when +not prompted to a contrary conduct by jealousy; a conduct I cannot tell how +to blame them for, especially when I considered the light in which they +must view us. It was impossible for them to know our real design; we enter +their ports without their daring to oppose; we endeavour to land in their +country as friends, and it is well if this succeeds; we land, nevertheless, +and maintain the footing we have got, by the superiority of our fire-arms. +Under such circumstances, what opinion are they to form of us? Is it not as +reasonable for them to think that we are come to invade their country, as +to pay them a friendly visit? Time, and some acquaintance with us, can only +convince them of the latter. These people are yet in a rude state; and, if +we may judge from circumstances and appearances, are frequently at war, not +only with their neighbours, but among themselves; consequently must be +jealous of every new face. I will allow there are some exceptions to this +rule to be found in this sea; but there are few nations who would willingly +suffer visitors like us to advance far into their country. + +Before this excursion, some of us had been of opinion that these people +were addicted to an unnatural passion, because they had endeavoured to +entice some of our men into the woods; and, in particular, I was told, that +one who had the care of Mr Forster's plant bag, had been once or twice +attempted. As the carrying of bundles, etc. is the office of the women in +this country, it had occurred to me, and I was not singular in this, that +the natives might mistake him and some others for women. My conjecture was +fully verified this day. For this man, who was one of the party, and +carried the bag as usual, following me down the hill, by the words which I +understood of the conversation of the natives, and by their actions, I was +well assured that they considered him as a female; till, by some means, +they discovered their mistake, on which they cried out, "Erramange! +Erramange!" "It is a man! It is a man!" The thing was so palpable, that +every one was obliged to acknowledge, that they had before mistaken his +sex: and that, after they were undeceived, they seemed not to have the +least notion of what we had suspected. This circumstance will shew how +liable we are to form wrong conjectures of things, among people whose +language we are ignorant of. Had it not been for this discovery, I make no +doubt that these people would have been charged with this vile custom. + +In the evening I took a walk with some of the gentlemen into the country on +the other side of the harbour, where we had very different treatment from +what we had met with in the morning. The people we now visited, among whom +was our friend Paowang, being better acquainted with us, shewed a readiness +to oblige us in every thing in their power. We came to the village which +had been visited on the 9th. It consisted of about twenty houses, the most +of which need no other description than comparing them to the roof of a +thatched house in England, taken off the walls and placed on the ground. +Some were open at both ends, others partly closed with reeds, and all were +covered with palm thatch. A few of them were thirty or forty feet long, and +fourteen or sixteen broad. Besides these, they have other mean hovels, +which, I conceived, were only to sleep in. Some of these stood in a +plantation, and I was given to understand, that in one of them lay a dead +corpse. They made signs that described sleep, or death; and circumstances +pointed out the latter. Curious to see all I could, I prevailed on an +elderly man to go with me to the hut, which was separated from the others +by a reed fence, built quite round it at the distance of four or five feet. +The entrance was by a space in the fence, made so low as to admit one to +step over. The two sides and one end of the hut were closed or built up in +the same manner, and with the same materials, as the roof. The other end +had been open, but was now well closed with mats, which I could not prevail +on the man to remove, or suffer me to do it. There hung at this end of the +hut a matted bag or basket, in which was a piece of roasted yam, and some +sort of leaves, all quite fresh. I had a strong desire to see the inside of +the hut but the man was peremptory in refusing this, and even shewed an +unwillingness to permit me to look into the basket. He wore round his neck, +fastened to a string, two or three locks of human hair; and a woman present +had several about her neck. I offered something in exchange for them, but +they gave me to understand they could not part with them, as it was the +hair of the person who lay in the hut. Thus I was led to believe that these +people dispose of their dead in a manner similar to that of Otaheite. The +same custom of wearing the hair is observed by the people of that island, +and also by the New Zealanders. The former make tamau of the hair of their +deceased friends, and the latter make ear-rings and necklaces of their +teeth. + +Near most of their large houses were fixed, upright in the ground, the +stems of four cocoa-nut trees, in a square position, about three feet from +each other. Some of our gentlemen who first saw them, were inclined to +believe they were thus placed on a religious account; but I was now +satisfied that it was for no other purpose but to hang cocoa-nuts on to +dry. For when I asked, as well as I could, the use of them, a man took me +to one, loaded with cocoa-nuts from the bottom to the top; and no words +could have informed me better. Their situation is well chosen for this use, +as most of their large houses are built in an open airy place, or where the +wind has a free passage, from whatever direction it blows. Near most, if +not all of them, is a large tree or two, whose spreading branches afford an +agreeable retreat from the scorching sun. This part of the island was well +cultivated, open and airy; the plantations were laid out by line, abounding +wilh plantains, sugar-canes, yams and other roots, and stocked with +fruit-trees. In our walk we met with our old friend Paowang, who, with some +others, accompanied us to the water side, and brought with them, as a +present, a few yams and cocoa-nuts. + +On the 15th, having finished wooding and watering, a few hands only were on +shore making brooms, the rest being employed on board setting up the +rigging, and putting the ship in a condition for sea. Mr Forster, in his +botanical excursion this day, shot a pigeon, in the craw of which was a +wild nutmeg. He took some pains to find the tree, but his endeavours were +without success. In the evening a party of us walked to the eastern sea-shore, +in order to take the bearing of Annattom, and Erronan or Footoona. +The horizon proved so hazy that I could see neither; but one of the natives +gave me, as I afterwards found, the true direction of them. We observed +that in all, or most of their sugar plantations, were dug holes or pits, +four feet deep, and five or six in diameter; and on our enquiring their +use, we were given to understand that they caught rats in them. These +animals, which are very destructive to the canes, are here in great plenty. +The canes, I observed, were planted as thick as possible round the edge of +these pits, so that the rats in coming at them are the more liable to +tumble in. + +Next morning we found the tiller sprung in the rudder head, and, by some +strange neglect, we had not a spare one on board, which we were ignorant of +till now it was wanting. I knew but of one tree in the neighbourhood fit +for this purpose, which I sent the carpenter on shore to look at, and an +officer, with a party of men, to cut it down, provided he could obtain +leave of the natives; if not, he was ordered to acquaint me. He understood +that no one had any objection, and set the people to work accordingly. But +as the tree was large, this required some time; and, before it was down, +word was brought me that our friend Paowang was not pleased. Upon this I +gave orders to desist, as we found that, by scarfing a piece to the inner +end of the tiller, and letting it farther into the rudder-head, it would +still perform its office. But as it was necessary to have a spare one on +board, I went on shore, sent for Paowang, made him a present of a dog and a +piece of cloth, and then explained to him that our great steering paddle +was broken, and that I wanted that tree to make a new one. It was easy to +see how well pleased every one present was, with the means I took to obtain +it. With one voice they gave their consent, Paowang joining his also, which +he perhaps could not have done without the others; for I do not know that +he had either more property, or more authority, than the rest. This point +being obtained, I took our friend on board to dinner, and after it was +over, went with him ashore, to pay a visit to an old chief, who was said to +be king of the island; which was a doubt with me. Paowang took little or no +notice of him. I made him a present, after which he immediately went away, +as if he got all he came for. His name was Geogy, and they gave him the +title of Areeke. He was very old, but had a merry open countenance. He wore +round his waist a broad red-and-white chequered belt, the materials and +manufacture of which seemed the same as that of Otaheite cloth; but this +was hardly a mark of distinction. He had with him a son, not less than +forty-five or fifty years of age. A great number of people were at this +time at the landing-place, most of them from distant parts. The behaviour +of many was friendly; while others were daring and insolent, which I +thought proper to put up with, as our stay was nearly at an end. + +On the 17th, about ten o'clock, I went ashore, and found in the crowd old +Geogy and his son, who soon made me understand that they wanted to dine +with me; and accordingly I brought them and two more on board. They all +called them Areekees (or kings); but I doubt if any of them had the least +pretensions to that title over the whole island. It had been remarked, that +one of these kings had not authority enough to order one of the people up +into a cocoa-nut tree, to bring him down some nuts. Although he spoke to +several, he was at last obliged to go himself, and, by way of revenge, as +it was thought, left not a nut on the tree, taking what he wanted himself, +and giving the rest to some of our people. + +When I got them on board, I went with them all over the ship, which they +viewed with uncommon surprise and attention. We happened to have for their +entertainment a kind of pie or pudding made of plantains, and some sort of +greens which we had got from one of the natives. On this and on yams they +made a hearty dinner; for, as to the salt beef and pork, they would hardly +taste them. In the afternoon, having made each of them a present of a +hatchet, a spike-nail, and some medals, I conducted them ashore. + +Mr Forster and I then went over to the other side of the harbour, and, +having tried, with Fahrenheit's thermometer, the head of one of the hot +springs, we found that the mercury rose to 191°. At this time the tide was +up within two or three feet of the spring, so that we judged, it might, in +some degree, be cooled by it. We were mistaken however, for on repeating +the experiment next morning, when the tide was out, the mercury rose no +higher than 187°; but, at another spring, where the water bubbled out of +the sand from under the rock at the S.W. corner of the harbour, the mercury +in the same thermometer rose to 202°-1/2, which is but little colder than +boiling water. The hot places before mentioned are from about three to four +hundred feet perpendicular above these springs, and on the slope of the +same ridge with the volcano; that is, there are no vallies between them, +but such as are formed in the ridge itself; nor is the volcano on the +highest part of the ridge, but on the S.E. side of it. This is, I have been +told, contrary to the general opinion of philosophers, who say that +volcanos must be on the summits of the highest hills. So far is this from +being the case on this island, that some of its hills are more than double +the height of that on which the volcano is, and close to it. To these +remarks I must add, that, in wet or moist weather, the volcano was most +violent. There seems to be room for some philosophical reasoning on these +phenomena of nature; but not having any talent that way, I must content +myself with stating facts as I found them, and leave the causes to men of +more abilities. + +The tiller was now finished; but, as the wind was unfavourable for sailing, +the guard was sent on shore on the 19th as before, and a party of men to +cut up and bring off the remainder of the tree from which we had got the +tiller. Having nothing else to do, I went on shore with them, and finding a +good number of the natives collected about the landing-place as usual, I +distributed among them all the articles I had with me, and then went on +board for more. In less than an hour I returned, just as our people were +getting some large logs into the boat. At the same time four or five of the +natives stepped forward to see what we were about, and as we did not allow +them to come within certain limits, unless to pass along the beach, the +centry ordered them, back, which they readily complied with. At this time, +having my eyes fixed on them, I observed the sentry present his piece (as I +thought at these men,) and was just going to reprove him for it, because I +had observed that, whenever this was done, some of the natives would hold +up their arms, to let us see they were equally ready. But I was astonished +beyond measure when the sentry fired, for I saw not the least cause. At +this outrage most of the people fled; it was only a few I could prevail on +to remain. As they ran off, I observed one man to fall; and he was +immediately lifted up by two others, who took him into the water, and +washed his wound, and then led him off. Presently after, some came and +described to me the nature of his wound; and as I found he was not carried +far, I sent for the surgeon. As soon as he arrived, I went with him to the +man, whom, we found expiring. The ball had struck his left arm, which was +much shattered, and then entered his body by the short ribs, one of which +was broken. The rascal who fired, pretended that a man had laid an arrow +across his bow, and was going to shoot at him, so that he apprehended +himself in danger. But this was no more than they had always done, and with +no other view than to shew they were armed as well as we; at least I have +reason to think so, as they never went farther. What made this incident the +more unfortunate was, it not appearing to be the man who bent the bow, that +was shot, but one who stood by him. This affair threw the natives into the +utmost consternation; and a few that were prevailed on to stay, ran to the +plantations and brought cocoa-nuts, etc. which they laid down at our feet. +So soon, were those daring people humbled! When I went on board to dinner, +they all retired, and only a few appeared in the afternoon, amongst whom +were Paowang and Wha-a-gou. I had not seen this young man since the day he +had dined on board. Both he and Paowang promised to bring me fruit, etc. the +next morning, but our early departure put it out of their power. + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Departure from Tanna; with some Account of its Inhabitants, their +Manners and Arts._ + +1774 August + +During the night the wind had veered round to S.E. As this was favourable +for getting out of the harbour, at four o'clock in the morning of the 20th, +we began to unmoor, and at eight, having weighed our last anchor, put to +sea. As soon as we were clear of the land, I brought-to, waiting for the +launch, which was left behind to take up a kedge-anchor and hawser we had +out, to cast by. About day-break a noise was heard in the woods, nearly +abreast of us, on the east side of the harbour, not unlike singing of +psalms. I was told that the like had been heard at the same time every +morning, but it never came to my knowledge till now, when it was too late +to learn the occasion of it. Some were of opinion, that at the east point +of the harbour (where we observed, in coming in, some houses, boats, etc.) +was something sacred to religion, because some of our people had attempted +to go to this point, and were prevented by the natives. I thought, and do +still think, it was owing to a desire they shewed on every occasion, of +fixing bounds to our excursions. So far as we had once been, we might go +again; but not farther with their consent. But by encroaching a little +every time, our country expeditions were insensibly extended without giving +the least umbrage. Besides, these morning ceremonies, whether religious or +not, were not performed down at that point, but in a part where some of our +people had been daily. + +I cannot say what might be the true cause of these people shewing such +dislike to our going up into their country. It might be owing to a +naturally jealous disposition, or perhaps to their being accustomed to +hostile visits from their neighbours, or quarrels among themselves. +Circumstances seemed to shew that such must frequently happen; for we +observed them very expert in arms, and well accustomed to them; seldom or +never travelling without them. It is possible all this might be on our +account; but I hardly think it. We never gave them the least molestation, +nor did we touch any part of their property, not even the wood and water, +without first having obtained their consent. The very cocoa-nuts, hanging +over the heads of the workmen, were as safe as those in the middle of the +island. It happened rather fortunately, that there were so many cocoa-nut +trees, near the skirts of the harbour, which seemed not to be private +property; so that we could generally prevail on the natives to bring us +some of these nuts, when nothing would induce them to bring any out of the +country. + +We were not wholly without refreshments; for besides the fish, which our +seine now and then provided us with, we procured daily some fruits or roots +from the natives, though but little in proportion to what we could consume. +The reason why we got no more might be our having nothing to give them in +exchange, which they thought valuable. They had not the least knowledge of +iron; consequently, nails and iron tools, beads, etc. which had so great a +run at the more eastern isles, were of no consideration here; and cloth can +be of no use to people who go naked. + +The produce of this island is bread-fruit, plantains, cocoa-nuts, a fruit +like a nectarine, yams, tarra, a sort of potatoe, sugar-cane, wild figs, a +fruit like an orange, which is not eatable, and some other fruit and nuts +whose names I have not. Nor have I any doubt that the nutmeg before +mentioned was the produce of this island. The bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and +plantains, are neither so plentiful nor so good as at Otaheite; on the +other hand, sugar-canes and yams are not only in greater plenty, but of +superior quality, and much larger. We got one of the latter which weighed +fifty-six pounds, every ounce of which was good. Hogs did not seem to be +scarce; but we saw not many fowls. These are the only domestic animals they +have. Land-birds are not more numerous than at Otaheite, and the other +islands; but we met with some small birds, with a very beautiful plumage, +which we had never seen before. There is as great a variety of trees and +plants here, as at any island we touched at, where our botanists had time +to examine. I believe these people live chiefly on the produce of the land, +and that the sea contributes but little to their subsistence. Whether this +arises from the coast not abounding with fish, or from their being bad +fishermen, I know not; both causes perhaps concur. I never saw any sort of +fishing-tackle amongst them, nor any one out fishing, except on the shoals, +or along the shores of the harbour, where they would watch to strike with a +dart such fish as came within their reach; and in this they were expert. +They seemed much to admire our catching fish with the seine; and, I +believe, were not well pleased with it at last. I doubt not, they have +other methods of catching fish besides striking them. + +We understood that the little isle of Immer was chiefly inhabited by +fishermen, and that the canoes we frequently saw pass, to and from that +isle and the east point of the harbour, were fishing canoes. These canoes +were of unequal sizes, some thirty feet long, two broad, and three deep; +and they are composed of several pieces of wood clumsily sewed together +with bandages. The joints are covered on the outside by a thin batten +champered off at the edges, over which the bandages pass. They are +navigated either by paddles or sails. The sail is lateen, extended to a +yard and boom, and hoisted to a short mast. Some of the large canoes have +two sails, and all of them outriggers. + +At first we thought the people of this island, as well as those of +Erromango, were a race between the natives of the Friendly Islands and +those of Mallicollo; but a little acquaintance with them convinced us that +they had little or no affinity to either, except it be in their hair, which +is much like what the people of the latter island have. The general colours +of it are black and brown, growing to a tolerable length, and very crisp +and curly. They separate it into small locks, which they woold or cue round +with the rind of a slender plant, down to about an inch of the ends; and, +as the hair grows, the woolding is continued. Each of these cues or locks +is somewhat thicker than common whipcord; and they look like a parcel of +small strings hanging down from the crown of their heads. Their beards, +which are strong and bushy, are generally short. The women do not wear +their hair so, but cropped; nor do the boys, till they approach manhood. +Some few men, women, and children, were seen, who had hair like ours; but +it was obvious that these were of another nation; and, I think, we +understood they came from Erronan. It is to this island they ascribe one of +the two languages which they speak, and which is nearly, if not exactly, +the same as that spoken in the Friendly Islands. It is therefore more than +probable that Erronan was peopled from that nation, and that by long +intercourse with Tanna and the other neighbouring islands, each had learnt +the other's language, which they use indiscriminately. + +The other language which the people of Tanna speak, and, as we understood, +those of Erromango and Annatom, is properly their own. It is different from +any we had before met with, and bears no affinity to that of Mallicollo; so +that, it should seem, the people of these islands are a distinct nation of +themselves. Mallicollo, Apee, etc. were names entirely unknown to them; they +even knew nothing of Sandwich Island, which is much nearer. I took no small +pains to know how far their geographical knowledge extended; and did not +find that it exceeded the limits of their horizon. + +These people are of the middle size, rather slender than otherwise; many +are little, but few tall or stout; the most of them have good features, and +agreeable countenances; are, like all the tropical race, active and nimble; +and seem to excel in the use of arms, but not to be fond of labour. They +never would put a hand to assist in any work we were carrying on, which the +people of the other islands used to delight in. Bat what I judge most from, +is their making the females do the most laborious work, as if they were +pack-horses. I have seen a woman carrying a large bundle on her back, or a +child on her back and a bundle under her arm, and a fellow strutting before +her with nothing but a club or spear, or some such thing. We have +frequently observed little troops of women pass, to and fro, along the +beach, laden with fruit and roots, escorted by a party of men under arms; +though, now and then, we have seen a man carry a burden at the same time, +but not often. I know not on what account this was done, nor that an armed +troop was necessary. At first, we thought they were moving out of the +neighbourhood with their effects, but we afterwards saw them both carry +out, and bring in, every day. + +I cannot say the women are beauties, but I think them handsome enough for +the men, and too handsome for the use that is made of them. Both sexes are +of a very dark colour, but not black; nor have they the least +characteristic of the negro about them. They make themselves blacker than +they really are, by painting their faces with a pigment of the colour of +black-lead. They also use another sort which is red, and a third sort +brown, or a colour between red and black. All these, but especially the +first, they lay on with a liberal hand, not only on the face, but on the +neck, shoulders, and breast. The men wear nothing but a belt, and the +wrapping leaf as at Mallicollo. The women have a kind of petticoat made of +the filaments of the plantain-tree, flags, or some such thing, which +reaches below the knee. Both sexes wear ornaments, such as bracelets, +ear-rings, necklaces, and amulets. The bracelets are chiefly worn by the men; +some made of sea-shells, and others of those of the cocoa-nut. The men also +wear amulets; and those of most value being made of a greenish stone, the +green stone of New Zealand is valued by them for this purpose. Necklaces +are chiefly used by the women, and made mostly of shells. Ear-rings are +common to both sexes, and those valued most are made of tortoise-shell. +Some of our people having got some at the Friendly Islands, brought it to a +good market here, where it was of more value than any thing we had besides; +from which I conclude that these people catch but few turtle, though I saw +one in the harbour, just as we were getting under sail. I observed that, +towards the latter end of our stay, they began to ask for hatchets, and +large nails, so that it is likely they had found that iron is more +serviceable than stone, bone, or shells, of which all their tools I have +seen are made. Their stone hatchets, at least all those I saw, are not in +the shape of adzes, as at the other islands, but more like an axe. In the +helve, which is pretty thick, is made a hole into which the stone is fixed. + +These people, besides the cultivation of ground, have few other arts worth +mentioning. They know how to make a coarse kind of matting, and a coarse +cloth of the bark of a tree, which is used chiefly for belts. The +workmanship of their canoes, I have before observed, is very rude; and +their arms, with which they take the most pains in point of neatness, come +far short of some others we have seen. Their weapons are clubs, spears or +darts, bows and arrows, and stones. The clubs are of three or four kinds, +and from three to five feet long. They seem to place most dependence on the +darts, which are pointed with three bearded edges. In throwing them they +make use of a becket, that is, a piece of stiff plaited cord about six +inches long, with an eye in one end and a knot at the other. The eye is +fixed on the fore-finger of the right hand, and the other end is hitched +round the dart, where it is nearly on an equipoise. They hold the dart +between the thumb and remaining fingers, which serve only to give it +direction, the velocity being communicated by the becket and fore-finger. +The former flies off from the dart the instant its velocity becomes greater +than that of the hand. But it remains on the finger ready to be used again. +With darts they kill both birds and fish, and are sure of hitting a mark, +within the compass of the crown of a hat, at the distance of eight or ten +yards; but, at double that distance, it is chance if they hit a mark the +size of a man's body, though they will throw the weapon sixty or seventy +yards. They always throw with all their might, let the distance be what it +will. Darts, bows and arrows are to them what musquets are to us. The +arrows are made of reeds pointed with hard wood; some are bearded and some +not, and those for shooting birds have two, three, and sometimes four +points. The stones they use are, in general, the branches of coral rocks +from eight to fourteen inches long, and from an inch to an inch-and-half in +diameter. I know not if they employ them as missive weapons; almost every +one of them carries a club, and besides that, either darts, or a bow and +arrows, but never both; those who had stones kept them generally in their +belts. + +I cannot conclude this account of their arms without adding an entire +passage out of Mr Wales's journal. As this gentleman was continually on +shore amongst them, he had a better opportunity of seeing what they could +perform, than any of us. The passage is as follows: "I must confess I have +been often led to think the feats which Homer represents his heroes as +performing with their spears, a little too much of the marvellous to be +admitted into an heroic poem; I mean when confined within the strait stays +of Aristotle. Nay, even so great an advocate for him as Mr Pope, +acknowledges them to be _surprising_. But since I have seen what these +people can do with their wooden spears, and them badly pointed, and not of +a very hard nature, I have not the least exception to any one passage in +that great poet on this account. But, if I see fewer exceptions, I can find +infinitely more beauties in him; as he has, I think, scarce an action, +circumstance, or description of any kind whatever, relating to a spear, +which I have not seen and recognised among these people; as their whirling +motion, and whistling noise, as they fly; their quivering motion, as they +stick in the ground when they fall; their meditating their aim, when they +are going to throw, and their shaking them in their hand as they go along, +etc. etc." + +I know no more of their cookery, than that it consists of roasting and +baking; for they have no vessel in which water can be boiled. Nor do I know +that they have any other liquor but water and the juice of the cocoa-nut. + +We are utter strangers to their religion; and but little acquainted with +their government. They seem to have chiefs among them; at least some were +pointed out to us by that title; but, as I before observed, they appeared +to have very little authority over the rest of the people. Old Geogy was +the only one the people were ever seen to take the least notice of; but +whether this was owing to high rank or old age, I cannot say. On several +occasions I have seen the old men respected and obeyed. Our friend Paowang +was so; and yet I never heard him called chief, and have many reasons to +believe that he had not a right to any more authority than many of his +neighbours, and few, if any, were bound to obey him, or any other person in +our neighbourhood; for if there had been such a one, we certainly should, +by some means, have known it. I named the harbour Port Resolution, after +the ship, she being the first which ever entered it. It is situated on the +north side of the most eastern point of the island, and about E.N.E. from +the volcano; in the latitude of 19° 32' 25" 1/2 S., and in the longitude of +169° 44' 35" E. It is no more than a little creek running in S. by W. 1/2 +W. three quarters of a mile, and is about half that in breadth. A shoal of +sand and rocks, lying on the east side, makes it still narrower. The depth +of water in the harbour is from six to three fathoms, and the bottom is +sand and mud. No place can be more convenient for taking in wood and water; +for both are close to the shore. The water stunk a little after it had been +a few days on board, but it afterwards turned sweet; and even when it was +at the worst, the tin machine would, in a few hours, recover a whole cask. +This is an excellent contrivance for sweetening water at sea, and is well +known in the navy. + +Mr Wales, from whom I had the latitude and longitude, found the variation +of the needle to be 7° 14' 12" E., and the dip of its south end 45° 2' 3/4. +He also observed the time of high water, on the full and change days, to be +about 5h 45m; and the tide to rise and fall three feet. + +CHAPTER VII. + +_The Survey of the Islands continued, and a more particular Description +of them._ + +1774 August + +As soon as the boats were hoisted in, we made sail, and stretched to the +eastward, with a fresh gale at S.E., in order to have a nearer view of +Erronan, and to see if there was any land in its neighbourhood. We stood on +till midnight, when, having passed the island, we tacked, and spent the +remainder of the night making two boards. At sun-rise on the 21st, we stood +S.W., in order to get to the south of Tanna, and nearer to Annatom, to +observe if any more land lay in that direction; for an extraordinary clear +morning had produced no discovery of any to the east. At noon, having +observed in latitude 20° 33' 30", the situation of the lands around us was +as follows: Port Resolution bore north 86° W., distant six and a half +leagues; the island of Tanna extended from S. 88° W., to N. 64° W.; +Traitor's Head N. 58° W., distant twenty leagues; the island of Erronan N. +80° E., distant five leagues; and Annatom from S. 1/2 E. to S. 1/2 W., +distant ten leagues. We continued to stretch to the south till two o'clock +p.m. when, seeing no more land before us, we bore up round the S.E. end of +Tanna; and, with a fine gale at E.S.E., ran along the south coast at one +league from shore. It seemed a bold one, without the guard of any rocks; +and the country full as fertile as in the neighbourhood of the harbour, and +making a fine appearance. At six o'clock the high land of Erromango +appeared over the west end of Tanna in the direction of 10° W.; at eight +o'clock we were past the island, and steered N.N.W. for Sandwich Island, in +order to finish the survey* of it, and of the isles to the N.W. On the +22d, at four o'clock p.m., we drew near the S.E. end, and ranging the south +coast, found it to trend in the direction of W. and W.N.W. for about nine +leagues. Near the middle of this length, and close to the shore, are three +or four small isles, behind which seemed to be a safe anchorage. But not +thinking I had any time to spare to visit this fine island, I continued to +range the coast to its western extremity, and then steered N.N.W, from the +S.E. end of Mallicollo, which, at half past six o'clock next morning, bore +N. 14° E., distant seven or eight leagues, and Three-Hills Island S. 82° +E. Soon after, we saw the islands Apee, Paom, and Ambrym. What we had +comprehended under the name of Paom appeared now to be two isles, something +like a separation being seen between the hill and the land to the west of +it. We approached the S.W. side of Mallicollo to within half a league, and +ranged it at that distance. From the S.E. point, the direction of the land +is west, a little southerly, for six or seven leagues, and then N.W. by W. +three leagues, to a pretty high point or head-land, situated in latitude +16° 29', and which obtained the name of South-west Cape. The coast, which +is low, seemed to be indented into creeks and projecting points; or else, +these points were small isles lying under the shore. We were sure of one, +which lies between two and three leagues east of the Cape. Close to the +west side or point of the Cape, lies, connected with it by breakers, a +round rock or islet, which helps to shelter a fine bay, formed by an elbow +in the coast, from the reigning winds. + +[* The word Survey is not here to be understood in its literal sense. +Surveying a place, according to my idea, is taking a geometrical plan +of it, in which every place is to have its true situation, which +cannot be done in a work of this nature.] + +The natives appeared in troops on many parts of the shore, and some seemed +desirous to come off to us in canoes, but they did not; and, probably, our +not shortening sail, was the reason. From the South-west Cape, the +direction of the coast is N. by W.; but the most advanced land bore from it +N.W. by N., at which the land seemed to terminate. Continuing to follow the +direction of the coast, at noon it was two miles from us; and our latitude, +by observation, was 16° 22' 30" S. This is nearly the parallel to Port +Sandwich, and our never-failing guide, the watch, shewed that we were 26' +west of it; a distance which the breadth of Mallicollo cannot exceed in +this parallel. The South-east Cape bore S. 26° E., distant seven miles; and +the most advanced point of land, for which we steered, bore N.W. by N. At +three o'clock, we were the length of it, and found the land continued, and +trending more and more to the north. We coasted it to its northern +extremity, which we did not reach till after dark, at which time we were +near enough to the shore to hear the voices of people, who were assembled +round a fire they had made on the beach. There we sounded, and found twenty +fathoms and a bottom of sand; but, on edging off from the shore, we soon +got out of sounding, and then made a trip back to the south till the moon +got up. After this we stood again to the north, hauled round the point, and +spent the night in Bougainville's passage; being assured of our situation +before sun-set, by seeing the land, on the north side of the passage, +extending as far as N.W. 1/2 W. + +The south coast of Mallicollo, from the S.E. end to the S.W. Cape, is +luxuriantly clothed with wood, and other productions of nature, from the +sea-shore to the very summits of the hills. To the N.W. of the Cape the +country is less woody, but more agreeably interspersed with lawns, some of +which appeared to be cultivated. The summits of the hills seemed barren; +and the highest lies between Port Sandwich and the S.W. Cape. Farther north +the land falls insensibly lower, and is less covered with wood. I believe +it is a very fertile island, and well inhabited; for we saw smoke by day +and fire by night, in all parts of it. + +Next morning at sun-rise, we found ourselves nearly in the middle of the +passage, the N.W. end of Mallicollo extending from S. 30° E., to S. 58° W.; +the land to the north from N. 70° W. to N. 4° E.; and the Isle of Lepers +bearing N. 30° E., distant eleven or twelve leagues. We now made sail, and +steered N. by E., and afterwards north, along the east coast of the +northern land, with a fine breeze at S.E. We found that this coast, which +at first appeared to be continued, was composed of several low woody isles, +the most of them of small extent, except the southernmost, which, on +account of the day, I named St Bartholomew. It is six or seven leagues in +circuit, and makes the N.E. point of Bougainville's Passage. At noon the +breeze began to slacken. We were at this time between two and three miles +from the land, and observed in latitude 15° 23' the Isle of Lepers bearing +from E. by N. to S., distance seven leagues; and a high bluff-head, at +which the coast we were upon seemed to terminate, N.N.W. 1/2 W., distant +ten or eleven leagues; but from the mast-head we could see land to the +east. This we judged to be an island, and it bore N. by W. 1/2 W. + +As we advanced to N.N.W., along a fine coast covered with woods, we +perceived low land that extended off from the bluff-head towards the island +above mentioned, but did not seem to join it. It was my intention to have +gone through the channel, but the approach of night made me lay it aside, +and steer without the island. During the afternoon, we passed some small +isles lying under the shore; and observed some projecting points of unequal +height, but were not able to determine whether or no they were connected +with the main land. Behind them was a ridge of hills which terminated at +the bluff-head. There were cliffs, in some places of the coast, and white +patches, which we judged to be chalk. At ten o'clock, being the length of +the isle which lies off the head, we shortened sail, and spent the night in +making short boards. + +At day-break on the 25th, we were on the north side of the island (which is +of a moderate height, and three leagues in circuit,) and steered west for +the bluff-head, along the low land under it. At sun-rise an elevated coast +came in sight beyond the bluff-head, extending to the north as far N.W. by +W. After doubling the head we found the land to trend south, a little +easterly, and to form a large deep bay, bounded on the west by the coast +just mentioned. + +Every thing conspired to make us believe this was the Bay of St Philip and +St Jago, discovered by Quiros in 1606. To determine this point, it was +necessary to proceed farther up; for at this time we saw no end to it. The +wind being at south, we were obliged to ply, and first stretched over for +the west shore, from which we were three miles at noon, when our latitude +was 14° 55' 30" S., longitude 167° 3' E.; the mouth of the bay extending +from N. 64° W., to S. 86° E., which last direction was the bluff-head, +distant three leagues. In the afternoon the wind veering to E.S.E., we +could look up to the head of the bay; but as the breeze was faint, a N.E. +swell hurtled us over to the west shore; so that, at half past four o'clock +p.m., we were no more than two miles from it, and tacked in one hundred and +twenty fathoms water, a soft muddy bottom. The bluff-head, or east point of +the bay, bore north 53° east. + +We had no sooner tacked than it fell calm, and we were left to the mercy of +the swell, which continued to hurtle us towards the shore, where large +troops of people were assembled. Some ventured off in two canoes; but all +the signs of friendship we could make, did not induce them to come along-side, +or near enough to receive any present from us. At last they took +sudden fright at something, and returned ashore. They were naked, except +having some long grass, like flags, fastened to a belt, and hanging down +before and behind, nearly as low as the knee. Their colour was very dark, +and their hair woolly, or cut short, which made it seem so. The canoes +were small and had outriggers. The calm continued till near eight o'clock, +in which time we drove into eighty-five fathoms water, and so near the +shore that I expected we should be obliged to anchor. A breeze of wind +sprung up at E.S.E., and first took us on the wrong side; but, contrary to +all our expectations, and when we had hardly room to veer, the ship came +about, and having filled on the starboard tack, we stood off N.E. Thus we +were relieved from the apprehensions of being forced to anchor in a great +depth, on a lee shore, and in a dark and obscure night. + +We continued to ply upwards, with variable light breezes between E.S.E. and +S., till ten next morning, when it fell calm. We were, at this time, about +seven or eight miles from the head of the bay, which is terminated by a low +beach; and behind that, is an extensive flat covered with wood, and bounded +on each side by a ridge of mountains. At noon we found the latitude to be +15° 5' S., and were detained here by the calm till one o'clock p.m., when +we got a breeze at N. by W., with which we steered up to within two miles +of the head of the bay; and then I sent Mr Cooper and Mr Gilbert to sound +and reconnoitre the coast, while we stood to and fro with the ship. This +gave time to three sailing canoes which had been following us some time, to +come up. There were five or six men in each; and they approached near +enough to receive such things as were thrown to them fastened to a rope, +but would not advance alongside. They were the same sort of people as those +we had seen the preceding evening; indeed we thought they came from the +same place. They seemed to be stouter and better shaped men than those of +Mallicollo; and several circumstances concurred to make us think they were +of another nation. They named the numerals as far as five or six in the +language of Anamocka, and understood us when we asked the names of the +adjacent lands in that language. Some, indeed, had black short frizzled +hair like the natives of Mallicollo, but others had it long, tied up on the +crown of the head, and ornamented with feathers like the New Zealanders. +Their other ornaments were bracelets and necklaces; one man had something +like a white shell on his forehead, and some were painted with a blackish +pigment. I did not see that they had any other weapon but darts and gigs, +intended only for striking of fish. Their canoes were much like those of +Tanna, and navigated in the same manner, or nearly so. They readily gave us +the names of such parts as we pointed to; but we could not obtain from them +the name of the island. At length, seeing our boats coming, they paddled in +for the shore, notwithstanding all we could say or do to detain them. + +When the boats returned, Mr Cooper informed me, that they had landed on the +beach which is at the head of the bay, near a fine river, or stream of +fresh water, so large and deep that they judged boats might enter it at +high water. They found three fathoms depth close to the beach, and fifty-five +and fifty, two cables' length off. Farther out they did not sound; and +where we were with the ship, we had no soundings with a hundred and seventy +fathoms line. Before the boats got on board, the wind had shifted to the +S.S.E. As we were in want of nothing, and had no time to spare, I took the +advantage of this shift of wind, and steered down the bay. During the +fore-part of the night, the country was illuminated with fires, from the +sea-shore to the summits of the mountains; but this was only on the west side +of the shore. I cannot pretend to say what was the occasion of these fires, +but have no idea of their being on our account. Probably, they were burning +or clearing the ground for new plantations. At day-break on the 27th, we +found ourselves two-thirds down the bay, and, as we had but little wind, it +was noon before we were the length of the N.W. point, which at this time +bore N. 82° W., distant five miles. Latitude observed 14° 39' 30". + +Some of our gentlemen were doubtful of this being the bay of St Philip and +St Jago, as there was no place which they thought could mean the port of +Vera Cruz. For my part I found general points to agree so well with +Quiros's description, that I had not the least doubt about it. As to what +he calls the Port of Vera Cruz, I understand that to be the anchorage at +the head of the bay, which in some places may extend farther off than where +our boats landed. There is nothing in his account of the port which +contradicts this supposition*. It was but natural for his people to give a +name to the place, independent of so large a bay, where they lay so long at +anchor. A port is a vague term, like many others in geography, and has been +very often applied to places far less sheltered than this. + +[See Quiros's Voyage, in Dalrymple's Collection, vol i, p.136, 137.] + +Our officers observed that grass and other plants grew on the beach close +to high water-mark, which is always a sure sign of pacific anchorage, and +an undeniable proof that there never is a great surf on the shore. They +judged that the tide rose about four or five feet, and that boats and such +craft might, at high-water, enter the river, which seemed to be pretty deep +and broad within; so that this, probably, is one of those mentioned by +Quiros; and if we were not deceived, we saw the other. + +The bay hath twenty leagues sea-coast, six on the east side, which lies in +the direction of S. half W. and N. half E., two at the head, and twelve on +the west side, the direction of which is S. by E. and N. by W., from the +head down to two-thirds of its length, and then N.W. by N. to the N.W. +point. The two points which form the entrance, lie in the direction of S. +53° E., and N. 53° W., from each other, distant ten leagues. The bay is +every where free from danger, and of an unfathomable depth, except near the +shores, which are for the most part low. This, however, is only a very +narrow strip between the sea-shore and the foot of the hills; for the bay, +as well as the flat land at the head of it, is bounded on each side by a +ridge of hills, one of which, that to the west, is very high and double, +extending the whole length of the island. An uncommonly luxuriant +vegetation was every where to be seen; the sides of the hills were +chequered with plantations; and every valley watered by a stream. Of all +the productions of nature this country was adorned with, the cocoa-nut +trees were the most conspicuous. The columns of smoke we saw by day, and +fires by night all over the country, led us to believe that it is well +inhabited and very fertile. The east point of this bay, which I name Cape +Quiros, in memory of its first discoverer, is situated in latitude 14° 56' +S., longitude 167° 13' E. The N.W. point, which I named Cape Cumberland, in +honour of his Royal Highness the Duke, lies in the latitude of 14° 38' 45" +S., longitude 166° 49' 1/2 E., and is the N.W. extremity of this +archipelago; for, after doubling it, we found the coast to trend gradually +round to the S. and S.S.E. + +On the 28th and 29th, we had light airs and calms, so that we advanced but +little. In this time, we took every opportunity, when the horizon was +clearer than usual, to look out for more land, but none was seen. By +Quiros's track to the north, after leaving the bay above-mentioned, it +seems probable that there is none nearer than Queen Charlotte's Island, +discovered by Captain Carteret, which lies about ninety leagues N.N.W. from +Cape Cumberland, and I take to be the same with Quiros's Santa Cruz. + +On the 30th, the calm was succeeded by a fresh breeze at S.S.E. which +enabled us to ply up the coast. At noon we observed in 15° 20'; afterwards +we stretched in east, to within a mile of the shore, and then tacked in +seventy-five fathoms, before a sandy flat, on which several of the natives +made their appearance. We observed on the sides of the hills, several +plantations that were laid out by line, and fenced round. + +On the 31st, at noon, the S. or S.W. point of the island bore N. 62° E., +distant four leagues. This forms the N.W. point of what I call +Bougainville's Passage; the N.E. point at this time bore N. 85° E., and the +N.W. end of Mallicollo from S. 54° E. to S. 72° E. Latitude observed 15° +45' S. In the afternoon, in stretching to the east, we weathered the S.S.W. +point of the island, from which the coast trends east, northerly. It is +low, and seemed to form some creeks or coves; and, as we got farther into +the passage, we perceived some small low isles lying along it, which seemed +to extend behind St Bartholomew Island. + +Having now finished the survey of the whole archipelago, the season of the +year made it necessary for me to return to the south, while I had yet some +time left to explore any land I might meet with between this and New +Zealand; where I intended to touch, that I might refresh my people, and +recruit our stock of wood and water for another southern course. With this +view, at five p.m. we tacked, and hauled to the southward with a fresh gale +at S.E. At this time the N.W. point of the passage, or the S.W. point of +the island Tierra del Espiritu Santo, the only remains of Quiros's +continent, bore N. 82° W., distant three leagues. I named it Cape Lisburne, +and its situation is in latitude 15° 40', longitude 165° 59' E. + +The foregoing account of these islands, in the order in which we explored +them, not being particular enough either as to situation or description, it +may not be improper now to give a more accurate view of them, which will +convey to the reader a better idea of the whole groupe. + +The northern islands of this archipelago were first discovered by that +great navigator Quiros in 1606; and, not without reason, were considered as +part of the southern continent, which, at that time, and until very lately, +was supposed to exist. They were next visited by M. de Bougainville, in +1768; who, besides landing on the Isle of Lepers, did no more than discover +that the land was not connected, but composed of islands, which he called +the Great Cyclades. But as, besides ascertaining the extent and situation +of these islands, we added to them several new ones which were not known +before, and explored the whole, I think we have obtained a right to name +them; and shall in future distinguish them by the name of the New Hebrides. +They are situated between the latitude of 14° 29' and 20° 4' S., and +between 166° 41' and 170° 21' E. longitude, and extend an hundred and +twenty-five leagues in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. and S.S.E. 1/2 E. + +The most northern island is that called by M. de Bougainville, Peak of the +Etoile; it is situated, according to his account, in latitude, 14° 29', +longitude 168° 9'; and N. by W., eight leagues from Aurora. + +The next island, which lies farthest north, is that of Tierra del Espiritu +Santo. It is the most western and largest of all the Hebrides, being +twenty-two leagues long, in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. and S.S.E. 1/2 +E., twelve in breadth, and sixty in circuit. We have obtained the true +figure of this island very accurately. The land of it, especially the west +side, is exceedingly high and mountainous; and, in many places the hills +rise directly from the sea. Except the cliffs and beaches, every other part +is covered with wood, or laid out in plantations. Besides the bay of St +Philip and St Jago, the isles which lie along the south and east coast, +cannot, in my opinion, fail of forming some good bays or harbours. + +The next considerable island is that of Mallicollo. To the S.E. it extends +N.W. and S.E., and is eighteen leagues long in that direction. Its greatest +breadth, which is at the S.E., end, is eight leagues. The N.W. end is +two-thirds this breadth, and near the middle, one-third. This contraction is +occasioned by a wide and pretty deep bay on the S.W. side. To judge of this +island from what we saw of it, it must be very fertile and well inhabited. +The land on the sea-coast is rather low, and lies with a gentle slope from +the hills which are in the middle of the island. Two-thirds of the N.E. +coast was only seen at a great distance; therefore the delineations of it +can have no pretensions to accuracy; but the other parts, I apprehend, are +without any material errors. + +St Bartholomew lies between the S.E. end of Tierra del Espiritu Santo, and +the north end of Mallicollo; and the distance between it and the latter is +eight miles. This is the passage through which M. de Bougainville went; and +the middle of it is in latitude 15° 48'. + +The Isle of Lepers lies between Espiritu Santo and Aurora Island, eight +leagues from the former, and three from the latter, in latitude 15° 22', +and nearly under the same meridian as the S.E.. end of Mallicollo. It is of +an egg-like figure, very high, and eighteen or twenty leagues in circuit. +Its limits were determined by several bearings; but the lines of the shore +were traced out by guess, except the N.E. part where there is anchorage +half a mile from the land. + +Aurora, Whitsuntide, Ambrym, Paoom, and its neighbour Apee, Threehills, and +Sandwich Islands, lie all nearly under the meridian of 167° 29' or 30' E., +extending from the latitude of 14° 51' 30", to 17° 53' 30". + +The island of Aurora lies N. by W. and S. by E., and is eleven leagues long +in that direction; but I believe, it hardly any where exceeds two or two +and a half in breadth. It hath a good height, its surface hilly, and every +where covered with wood, except where the natives have their dwellings and +plantations. + +Whitsuntide Isle, which is one league and a half to the south of Aurora, is +of the same length, and lies in the direction of north and south, but is +something broader than Aurora Island. It is considerably high, and clothed +with wood, except such parts as seemed to be cultivated, which were pretty +numerous. + +From the south end of Whitsuntide Island to the north side of Ambrym is two +leagues and a half. This is about seventeen leagues in circuit; its shores +are rather low, but the land rises with an unequal ascent to a tolerably +high mountain in the middle of the island, from which ascended great +columns of smoke; but we were not able to determine whether this was +occasioned by a volcano or not. That it is fertile and well inhabited, +seems probable from the quantities of smoke which we saw rise out of the +woods, in such parts of the island as came within the compass of our sight; +for it must be observed, that we did not see the whole of it. + +We saw still much less of Paoom and its neighbourhood. I can say no more of +this island than that it towers up to a great height in the form of a round +hay-stack; and the extent of it, and of the adjoining isle (if there are +two), cannot exceed three or four leagues in any direction; for the +distance between Ambrym and Apee is hardly five; and they lie in this +space, and east from Port Sandwich, distant about seven or eight leagues. + +The island of Apee is not less than twenty leagues in circuit; its longest +direction is about eight leagues N.W. and S.E.; it is of considerable +height; and hath a hilly surface diversified with woods and lawns, the west +and south parts especially; for the others we did not see. + +Shepherd's Isles are a group of small ones of unequal size, extending off +from the S.E. point of Apee about five leagues in the direction of S.E. + +The island Threehills lies south four leagues from the coast of Apee, and +S.E. 1/2 S., distant seventeen leagues from Port Sandwich; to this, and +what hath been already said of it, I shall only add, that W. by N., five +miles from the west point, is a reef of rocks on which the sea continually +breaks. + +Nine leagues, in the direction of south, from Threehills, lies Sandwich +Island. Twohills, the Monument, and Montagu Islands, lie to the east of +this line, and Hinchinbrook to the west, as also two or three small isles +which lie between it and Sandwich Island, to which they are connected by +breakers. + +Sandwich Island is twenty-five leagues in circuit; its greatest extent is +ten leagues; and it lies in the direction of N.W. by W. and S.E. by E. The +N.W. coast of this island we only viewed at a distance; therefore our chart +of this part may be faulty so far as it regards the line of the coast, but +no farther. The distance from the south end of Mallicollo to the N.W. end +of Sandwich Island, is twenty-two leagues in the direction of S.S.E. 1/2 E. + +In the same direction lie Erromango, Tanna, and Annatom. The first is +eighteen leagues from Sandwich Island, and is twenty-four or twenty-five +leagues in circuit. The middle of it lies in the latitude of 18° 54', +longitude 169° 19' E., and it is of a good height, as may be gathered from +the distance we were off when we first saw it. + +Tanna lies six leagues from the south side of Erromango, extending S.E. by +S. and N.W. by N., about eight leagues long in that direction, and every +where about three or four leagues broad. + +The isle of Immer lies in the direction of N. by E. 1/2 E., four leagues +from Port Resolution in Tanna; and the island of Erronan or Footoona East, +in the same direction, distant eleven leagues. This, which is the most +eastern island of all the Hebrides, did not appear to be above five leagues +in circuit, but is of a considerable height and flat at top. On the N.E. +side is a little peak seemingly disjointed from the isle; but we thought it +was connected by low land. Annatom, which is the southernmost island, is +situated in the latitude of 20° 3', longitude 170° 4', and S. 30° E., +eleven or twelve leagues from Port Resolution. It is of a good height, with +an hilly surface; and more I must not say of it. + +Here follow the lunar observations by Mr Wales, for ascertaining the +longitude of these islands, reduced by the watch to Port Sandwich in +Mallicollo, and Port Resolution in Tanna. + +Port Sandwich, ( Mean of 10 sets of ob. before 167° 56' 33" 1/4 ) E. + ( 2 ditto, at 168 2 37 1/2 ) long + ( 20 ditto, after 167 52 57 ) + ( ---------------- + ( Mean of those means, 167 57 22 3/4 + +Port Resolution, ( Mean of 20 sets of ob. before 169 37 35 ) E. + ( 5 ditto, at 169 48 48 ) long + ( 20 ditto, after 169 47 22 1/2 ) + ( ---------------- + ( Mean of these means, 169 44 33 + +It is necessary to observe, that each set of observations, consisting of +between six and ten observed distances of the sun and moon, or moon and +stars, the whole number amounts to several hundreds; and these have been +reduced by means of the watch to all the islands; so that the longitude of +each is as well ascertained as that of the two ports above-mentioned. As a +proof of this I shall only observe, that the longitude of the two ports, as +pointed out by the watch and by the observations, did not differ two miles. +This also shews what degree of accuracy these observations are capable of, +when multiplied to a considerable number, made with different instruments, +and with the sun and stars, or both sides of the moon. By this last method, +the errors which may be either in the instruments or lunar tables, destroy +one another, and likewise those which may arise from the observer himself; +for some men may observe closer than others. If we consider the number of +observations that may be obtained in the course of a month (if the weather +is favourable,) we shall perhaps find this method of finding the longitude +of places as accurate as most others; at least it is the most easy, and +attended with the least expence to the observer. Every ship that goes to +foreign parts is, or maybe, supplied with a sufficient number of quadrants +at a small expence; I mean good ones, proper for making these observations. +For the difference of the price between a good and a bad one, I apprehend, +can never be an object with an officer. The most expensive article, and +what is in some measure necessary in order to arrive at the utmost +accuracy, is a good watch; but for common use, and where that strict +accuracy is not required, this may be dispensed with. I have observed +before, in this journal, that this method of finding the longitude is not +so difficult but that any man, with proper application, and a little +practice, may soon learn to make these observations as well as the +astronomers themselves. I have seldom known any material difference between +the observations made by Mr Wales, and those made by the officers at the +same time*. + +[See Vol I. p40. "Which is nearly the same difference as the day +before..."] + +In observing the variation of the magnetic needle, we found, as usual, our +compasses differ among themselves, sometimes near 2°; the same compass too, +would sometimes make nearly this difference in the variation on different +days, and even between the morning and evening of the same day, when our +change of situation has been but very little. By the mean of the +observations which I made about Erromango; and the S.E. part of these +islands, the variation of the compass was 10° 5' 48" E.; and the mean of +those made about Tierra del Espiritu Santo, gave 10° 5' 30" E. This is +considerably more than Mr Wales found it to be at Tanna. I cannot say what +might occasion this difference in the variation observed at sea and on +shore, unless it be influenced by the land; for I must give the preference +to that found at sea, as it is agreeable to what we observed before we made +the islands, and after we left them. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_An Account of the Discovery of New Caledonia, and the Incidents that +happened while the Ship lay in Balade._ + +1774 September + +At sun-rise on the 1st of September, after having stood to S.W. all night, +no more land was to be seen. The wind remaining in the S.E. quarter, we +continued to stand to S.W. On the 2d, at five o'clock, p.m., being in the +latitude 18° 22', longitude 165° 26', the variation was 10° 50' E.; and at +the same hour on the 3d, it was 10° 51', latitude at that time 19° 14', +longitude 165° E. The next morning, in the latitude of 19° 49' longitude +164° 53", the amplitude gave 10° 21', and the azimuths 10° 7' E. At eight +o'clock, as we were steering to the south, land was discovered bearing +S.S.W., and at noon it extended from S.S.E. to W. by S., distant about six +leagues. We continued to steer for it with a light breeze at east, till +five in the evening, when we were stopped by a calm. At this time we were +three leagues from the land, which extended from S.E. by S. to W. by N., +round by the S.W. Some openings appeared in the west, so that we could not +tell whether it was one connected land or a group of islands. To the S.E. +the coast seemed to terminate in a high promontory, which I named Cape +Colnett, after one of my midshipmen who first discovered this land. +Breakers were seen about half-way between us and the shore; and, behind +them, two or three canoes under sail, standing out to sea, as if their +design had been to come off to us; but a little before sun-set they struck +their sails, and we saw them no more. After a few hours calm, we got a +breeze at S.E., and spent the night standing off and on. + +On the 5th, at sun-rise, the horizon being clear, we could see the coast +extend to the S.E. of Cape Colnett, and round by the S.W. to N.W. by W. +Some gaps or openings were yet to be seen to the west; and a reef, or +breakers, seemed to lie all along the coast, connected with those we +discovered the preceding night. It was a matter of indifference to me, +whether we plied up the coast to the S.E., or bore down to N.W. I chose the +latter; and after running two leagues down the outside of the reef (for +such it proved) we came before an opening that had the appearance of a good +channel, through which we might go in for the land. I wanted to get at it, +not only to visit it, but also to have an opportunity to observe an eclipse +of the sun which was soon to happen. With this view we brought-to, hoisted +out two armed boats, and sent them to sound the channel; ten or twelve +large sailing canoes being then near us. We had observed them coming off +from the shore, all the morning, from different parts; and some were lying +on the reef, fishing, as we supposed. As soon as they all got together, +they came down to us in a body, and were pretty near when we were hoisting +out our boats, which probably gave them some alarm; for, without stopping, +they hauled in for the reef, and our boats followed them. We now saw that +what we had taken for openings in the coast was low land, and that it was +all connected, except the western extremity, which was an island known by +the name of Balabea, as we afterwards learnt. + +The boats having made a signal for a channel, and one of them being placed +on the point of the reef on the weather side of it, we stood in with the +ship, and took up the other boat in our way, when the officer informed me, +that where we were to pass, was sixteen and fourteen fathoms water, a fine +sandy bottom, and that having put alongside two canoes, he found the people +very obliging and civil. They gave him some fish; and, in return, he +presented them with medals, etc. In one was a stout robust young man, whom, +they understood to be a chief. After getting within the reef, we hauled up +S. 1/2 E., for a small low sandy isle that we observed lying under the +shore, being followed by all the canoes. Our sounding in standing in, was +from fifteen to twelve fathoms (a pretty even fine sandy bottom,) for about +two miles; then we had six, five, and four fathoms. This was on the tail of +a shoal which lies a little without the small isle to the N.E. Being over +it, we found seven and eight fathoms water, which shallowed gradually as we +approached the shore, to three fathoms, when we tacked and stood off a +little, and then anchored in five fathoms, the bottom a fine sand mixed +with mud. The little sandy isle bore E. by S., three-quarters of a mile +distant; and we were one mile from the shore of the main, which extended +from S.E. by E., round to the south, to W.N.W. The island of Balabea bore +N.W. by N., and the channel, through which we came, north, four miles +distant. In this situation we were extremely well sheltered from the +reigning winds, by the sandy isle and its shoals, and by the shoal without +them. + +We had hardly got to an anchor, before we were surrounded by a great number +of the natives, in sixteen or eighteen canoes, the most of whom were +without any sort of weapons. At first they were shy in coming near the +ship; but in a short time we prevailed on the people in one boat to get +close enough to receive some presents. These we lowered down to them by a +rope, to which, in return, they tied two fish that stunk intolerably, as +did those they gave us in the morning. These mutual exchanges bringing on a +kind of confidence, two ventured on board the ship; and presently after, +she was filled with them, and we had the company of several at dinner in +the cabin. Our pease-soup, salt-beef and pork, they had no curiosity to +taste; but they eat of some yams, which we happened to have yet left, +calling them _Oobee_. This name is not unlike _Oofee_, as they +are called at most of the islands, except Mallicollo; nevertheless, we +found these people spoke a language new to us. Like all the nations we had +lately seen, the men were almost naked; having hardly any other covering +but such a wrapper as is used at Mallicollo*. They were curious in examining +every part of the ship, which they viewed with uncommon attention. They had +not the least knowledge of goats, hogs, dogs, or cats, and had not even a +name for one of them. They seemed fond of large spike-nails, and pieces of +red cloth, or indeed of any other colour, but red was their favourite. + +[* The particular manner of applying the wrapper may be seen in Wafer's +voyage, who mentions this singular custom as existing, though with some +little variation, amongst the Indians of the Isthmus of Darien. +See Wafer's Voyage, p. 140.] + +After dinner, I went on shore with two armed boats, having with us one of +the natives who had attached himself to me. We landed on a sandy beach +before a vast number of people, who had got together with no other intent +than to see us; for many of them had not a stick in their hands; +consequently we were received with great courtesy, and with the surprise +natural for people to express, at seeing men and things so new to them as +we must be. I made presents to all those my friend pointed out, who were +either old men, or such as seemed to be of some note; but he took not the +least notice of some women who stood behind the crowd, folding my hand when +I was going to give them some beads and medals. Here we found the same +chief, who had been seen in one of the canoes in the morning. His name, we +now learnt, was Teabooma; and we had not been on shore above ten minutes, +before he called for silence. Being instantly obeyed by every individual +present, he made a short speech; and soon after another chief having called +for silence, made a speech also. It was pleasing to see with what attention +they were heard. Their speeches were composed of short sentences; to each +of which two or three old men answered, by nodding their heads, and giving +a kind of grunt, significant, as I thought, of approbation. It was +impossible for us to know the purport of these speeches; but we had reason +to think they were favourable to us, on whose account they doubtless were +made. + +I kept my eyes fixed on the people all the time, and saw nothing to induce +me to think otherwise. While we were with them, having enquired, by signs, +for fresh water, some pointed to the east and others to the west. My friend +undertook to conduct us to it, and embarked with us for that purpose. We +rowed about two miles up the coast to the east, where the shore was mostly +covered with mangrove-trees; and entering amongst them, by a narrow creek +or river, which brought us to a little straggling village, above all the +mangroves, there we landed and were shewn fresh water. The ground near this +village was finely cultivated, being laid out in plantations of sugar-canes, +plantains, yams, and other roots, and watered by little rills, +conducted by art from the main stream, whose source was in the hills. Here +were some cocoa-nut trees, which did not seem burdened with fruit. We heard +the crowing of cocks, but saw none. Some roots were baking on a fire in an +earthen jar, which would have held six or eight gallons; nor did we doubt +its being their own manufacture. As we proceeded up the creek, Mr Forster +having shot a duck flying over our heads, which was the first use these +people saw made of our fire-arms, my friend begged to have it; and when he +landed, told his countrymen in what manner it was killed. The day being far +spent, and the tide not permitting us to stay longer in the creek, we took +leave of the people and got on board a little after sun-set. From this +little excursion, I found that we were to expect nothing from these people +but the privilege of visiting their country undisturbed. For it was easy to +see they had little else than good-nature to bestow. In this they exceeded +all the nations we had yet met with; and, although it did not satisfy the +demands of nature, it at once pleased and left our minds at ease. + +Next morning we were visited by some hundreds of the natives; some coming +in canoes, and others swimming off; so that, before ten o'clock, our decks, +and all other parts of the ship, were quite full with them. My friend, who +was of the number, brought me a few roots, but all the others came empty in +respect to eatables. Some few had with them their arms, such as clubs and +darts, which they exchanged for nails, pieces of cloth, etc. After +breakfast, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill with two armed boats to look for +fresh water; for what we found the day before was by no means convenient +for us to get on board. At the same time Mr Wales, accompanied by +lieutenant Clerke, went to the little isle to make preparations for +observing the eclipse of the sun, which was to be in the afternoon. Mr +Pickersgill soon returning, informed me that he had found a stream of fresh +water, pretty convenient to come at. I therefore ordered the launch to be +hoisted out to complete our water, and then went to the isle to assist in +the observation. + +About one p.m., the eclipse came on. Clouds interposed, and we lost the +first contact, but were more fortunate in the end, which was observed as +follows: + +By Mr Wales with Dollond's 3 1/2 foot + achromatic refractor, at 3h 28' 39" 1/4 \ +By Mr Clerke with Bird's 2 feet |Appa- + reflector, at 3 28 52 1/4 |rent +And by me with an 18 inch reflector |time. + made by Watkins, 3 28 53 1/4 / +Latitude of the isle or place of observation, 20° 17' 39" S. +Longitude per distance of the sun and moon, + and moon and stars, 48 sets, 164° 41' 21" East. +Ditto per watch 163 58 0 + +Mr Wales measured the quantity eclipsed by a Hadley's quadrant, a method +never before thought of. I am of opinion it answers the purpose of a +micrometer to a great degree of certainty, and is a great addition to the +use of this most valuable instrument. After all was over, we returned on +board, where I found Teabooma the chief, who soon after slipped out of the +ship without my knowledge, and by that means lost the present I had made up +for him. + +In the evening I went ashore to the watering-place, which was at the head +of a little creek, at a fine stream that came from the hills. It was +necessary to have a small boat in the creek to convey the casks from and to +the beach over which they were rolled, and then put into the launch; as +only a small boat could enter the creek, and that only at high water. +Excellent wood for fuel was here far more convenient than water, but this +was an article we did not want. About seven o'clock this evening, died +Simon Monk, our butcher, a man much esteemed in the ship; his death being +occasioned by a fall down the fore-hatch-way the preceding night. + +Early in the morning of the 7th, the watering-party, and a guard, under the +command of an officer, were sent ashore; and soon after a party of us went +to take a view of the country. As soon as we landed we made known our +design to the natives, and two of them undertaking to be our guides, +conducted us up the hills by a tolerably good path. In our route, we met +several people, most or whom turned back with us; so that at last our train +was numerous. Some we met who wanted us to return; but we paid no regard to +their signs, nor did they seem uneasy when we proceeded. At length we +reached the summit of one of the hills, from which we saw the sea in two +places, between some advanced hills, on the opposite or S.W. side of the +land. This was an useful discovery, as it enabled us to judge of the +breadth of the land, which, in this part, did not exceed ten leagues. + +Between those advanced hills, and the ridge we were upon, was a large +valley, through which ran a serpentine river. On the banks of this were +several plantations, and some villages, whose inhabitants we had met on the +road, and found more on the top of the hill gazing at the ship, as might be +supposed. The plain, or flat of land, which lies along the shore we were +upon, appeared from the hills to great advantage; the winding streams which +ran through out, the plantations, the little straggling villages, the +variety in the woods, and the shoals on the coast, so variegating the +scene, that the whole might afford a picture for romance. Indeed, if it +were not for those fertile spots on the plains, and some few on the sides +of the mountains, the whole country might be called a dreary waste. The +mountains, and other high places, are, for the most part, incapable of +cultivation, consisting chiefly of rocks, many of which are full of +mundicks. The little soil that is upon them is scorched and burnt up with +the sun; it is, nevertheless, coated with coarse grass and other plants, +and here and there trees and shrubs. The country, in general, bore great +resemblance to some parts of New Holland under the same parallel of +latitude, several of its natural productions seeming to be the same, and +the woods being without underwood, as in that country. The reefs on the +coast and several other similarities, were obvious to every one who had +seen both countries. We observed all the N.E. coast to be covered with +shoals and breakers, extending to the northward, beyond the Isle of +Balabea, till they were lost in the horizon. Having made these +observations, and our guides not chusing to go farther, we descended the +mountains by a road different from that by which we ascended. This brought +us down through some of their plantations in the plains, which I observed +were laid out with great judgment, and cultivated with much labour. Some of +them were lying in fallow, some seemingly lately laid down, and others of +longer date, pieces of which they were again beginning to dig up. The first +thing I observed they did, was to set fire to the grass, etc. which had +over-run the surface. Recruiting the land by letting it lie some years +untouched, is observed by all the nations in this sea; but they seem to +have no notion of manuring it, at least I have no where seen it done. Our +excursion was finished by noon, when we returned on board to dinner; and +one of our guides having left us, we brought the other with us, whose +fidelity was rewarded at a small expence. + +In the afternoon I made a little excursion along-shore to the westward, in +company with Mr Wales. Besides making observations on such things as we +met, we got the names of several places, which I then thought were islands; +but upon farther enquiry, I found they were districts upon the same land. +This afternoon a fish being struck by one of the natives near the +watering-place, my clerk purchased it, and sent it to me after my return +on board. + +It was of a new species, something like a sun-fish, with a large long ugly +head. Having no suspicion of its being of a poisonous nature, we ordered it +to be dressed for supper; but, very luckily, the operation of drawing and +describing took up so much time, that it was too late, so that only the +liver and row were dressed, of which the two Mr Forsters and myself did but +taste. About three o'clock in the morning, we found ourselves seized with +an extraordinary weakness and numbness all over our limbs. I had almost +lost the sense of feeling; nor could I distinguish between light and heavy +bodies, of such as I had strength to move; a quart-pot, full of water, and +a feather, being the same in my hand. We each of us took an emetic, and +after that a sweat, which gave us much relief. In the morning, one of the +pigs, which had eaten the entrails, was found dead. When the natives came +on board and saw the fish hanging up, they immediately gave us to +understand it was not wholesome food, and expressed the utmost abhorrence +of it; though no one was observed to do this when the fish was to be sold, +or even after it was purchased. + +On the 8th, the guard and a party of men were on shore as usual. In the +afternoon, I received a message from the officer, acquainting me that +Teabooma the chief was come with a present consisting of a few yams and +sugar-canes. In return, I sent him, amongst other articles, a dog and a +bitch, both young, but nearly full grown. The dog was red and white, but +the bitch was all red, or the colour of an English fox. I mention this, +because they may prove the Adam and Eve of their species in that country. +When the officer returned on board in the evening, he informed me that the +chief came, attended by about twenty men, so that it looked like a visit of +ceremony. It was some time before he would believe the dog and bitch were +intended for him; but as soon as he was convinced, he seemed lost in an +excess of joy, and sent them away immediately. + +Next morning early, I dispatched Lieutenant Pickersgill and Mr Gilbert with +the launch and cutter to explore the coast to the west; judging this would +be better effected in the boats than in the ship, as the reef would force +the latter several leagues from land. After breakfast, a party of men was +sent on shore, to make brooms; but myself and the two Mr Forsters were +confined on board, though much better, a good sweat having had an happy +effect. In the afternoon a man was seen, both ashore and alongside the +ship, said to be as white as an European. From the account I had of him +(for I did not see him,) his whiteness did not proceed from hereditary +descent, but from chance or some disease; and such have been seen at +Otaheite and the Society Isles. A fresh easterly wind, and the ship +lying a mile from the shore, did not hinder those good-natured people from +swimming off to us in shoals of twenty or thirty, and returning the same +way. + +[* Wafers met with Indians in the Isthmus of Darien of the colour of +a white horse. See his 'Description of the Isthmus', page 134. See also +Mr de Paw's Philosophical Enquiries concerning Americans, where +several other instances of this remarkable whiteness are mentioned, +and the causes of it attempted to be explained.] + +On the 10th, a party was on shore as usual; and Mr Forster so well +recovered as to go out botanizing. + +In the evening of the 11th, the boats returned, when I was informed of the +following circumstances. From an elevation which they reached the morning +they set out, they had a view of the coast. Mr Gilbert was of opinion that +they saw the termination of it to the west, but Mr Pickersgill thought not; +though both agreed that there was no passage for the ship that way. From +this place, accompanied by two of the natives, they went to Balabea, which +they did not reach till after sun-set, and left again next morning before +sun-rise; consequently this was a fruitless expedition, and the two +following days were spent in getting up to the ship. As they went down to +the isle, they saw abundance of turtle; but the violence of the wind and +sea made it impossible to strike any. The cutter was near being lost, by +suddenly filling with water, which obliged them to throw several things +overboard, before they could free her, and stop the leak she had sprung. +From a fishing canoe, which they met coming in from the reefs, they got as +much fish as they could eat; and they were received by Teabi, the chief of +the isle of Balabea, and the people, who came in numbers to see them, with +great courtesy. In order not to be too much crowded, our people drew a line +on the ground, and gave the others to understand they were not to come +within it. This restriction they observed, and one of them, soon after, +turned to his own advantage. For happening to have a few cocoa-nuts, which +one of our people wanted to buy, and he was unwilling to part with, he +walked off, and was followed by the man who wanted them. On seeing this, he +sat down on the sand, made a circle round him, as he had seen our people +do, and signified that the other was not to come within it; which was +accordingly observed. As this story was well attested, I thought it not +unworthy of a place in this journal. + +Early in the morning of the 12th, I ordered the carpenter to work, to +repair the cutter, and the water to be re-placed, which we had expended the +three preceding days. As Tea Booma the chief had not been seen since he got +the dogs, and I wanted to lay a foundation for stocking the country with +hogs also, I took a young boar and a sow with me in the boat, and went up +to the mangrove creek to look for my friend, in order to give them to him. + +But when we arrived there, we were told that he lived at some distance, and +that they would send for him. Whether they did or no I cannot say; but he +not coming, I resolved to give them to the first man of note I met with. +The guide we had to the hills happening to be there, I made him understand +that I intended to leave the two pigs on shore, and ordered them out of the +boat for that purpose. I offered them to a grave old man, thinking he was a +proper person to entrust them with; but he shook his head, and he and all +present, made signs to take them into the boat again. When they saw I did +not comply, they seemed to consult with one another what was to be done; +and then our guide told me to carry them to the Alekee (chief). Accordingly +I ordered them to be taken up, and we were conducted by him to a house, +wherein were seated, in a circle, eight or ten middle-aged persons. To them +I and my pigs being introduced, with great courtesy they desired me to sit +down; and then I began to expatiate on the merits of the two pigs, +explaining to them how many young ones the female would have at one time, +and how soon these would multiply to some hundreds. My only motive was to +enhance their value, that they might take the more care of them; and I had +reason to think I in some measure succeeded. In the mean time, two men +having left the company, soon returned with six yams, which were presented +to me; and then I took my leave and went on board. + +I have already observed, that here was a little village; I now found it +much larger than I expected; and about it, a good deal of cultivated land, +regularly laid out, planted and planting with taro or eddy root, yams, +sugar-canes, and plantains. The taro plantations were prettily watered by +little rills, continually supplied from the main channel at the foot of the +mountains, from whence these streams were conducted in artful meanders. +They have two methods of planting these roots, some are in square or oblong +patches, which lie perfectly horizontal, and sink below the common level of +the adjacent land, so that they can let in on them as much water as they +think necessary. I have generally seen them covered two or three inches +deep; but I do not know that this is always necessary. Others are planted +in ridges about three or four feet broad, and two, or two and a half high. +On the middle or top of the ridge, is a narrow gutter, in and along which +is conveyed, as above described, a little rill that waters the roots, +planted in the ridge on each side of it; and these plantations are so +judiciously laid out, that the same stream waters several ridges. These +ridges are sometimes the divisions to the horizontal plantations; and when +this method is used, which is for the most part observed where a pathway, +or something of that sort, is requisite, not an inch of ground is lost. +Perhaps there may be some difference in the roots, which may make these two +methods of raising them necessary. Some are better tasted than others, and +they are not all of a colour; but be this as it may, they are very +wholesome food, and the tops make good greens, and are eaten as such by the +natives. On these plantations men, women, and children were employed. + +In the afternoon I went on shore, and, on a large tree, which stood close +to the shore, near the watering-place, had an inscription cut, setting +forth the ship's name, date, etc. as a testimony of our being the first +discoverers of this country, as I had done at all others, at which we had +touched, where this ceremony was necessary. This being done, we took leave +of our friends, and returned on board; when I ordered all the boats to be +hoisted in, in order to be ready to put to sea in the morning. + +CHAPTER IX. + +_A Description of the Country and its Inhabitants; their Manners, +Customs, and Arts._ + +1774 September + +I shall conclude our transactions at this place with some account of the +country and its inhabitants. They are a strong, robust, active, well-made +people, courteous and friendly, and not in the least addicted to pilfering, +which is more than can be said of any other nation in this sea. They are +nearly of the same colour as the natives of Tanna, but have better +features, more agreeable countenances, and are a much stouter race; a few +being seen who measured six feet four inches. I observed some who had thick +lips, flat noses, and full cheeks, and, in some degree, the features and +look of a negro. Two things contributed to the forming of such an idea; +first, their rough mop heads, and, secondly, their besmearing their faces +with black pigment. Their hair and beards are, in general, black. The +former is very much frizzled, so that, at first sight, it appears like that +of a negro. It is, nevertheless, very different, though both coarser and +stronger than ours. Some, who wear it long, tie it up on the crown of the +head; others suffer only a large lock to grow on each side, which they tie +up in clubs; many others, as well as all the women, wear it cropped short. +These rough heads, most probably, want frequent scratching; for which +purpose they have a most excellent instrument. This is a kind of comb made +of sticks of hard wood, from seven to nine or ten inches long, and about +the thickness of knitting-needles. A number of these, seldom exceeding +twenty, but generally fewer, is fastened together at one end, parallel to, +and near one-tenth of an inch from each other. The other ends, which are a +little pointed, will spread out or open like the sticks of a fan, by which +means they can beat up the quarters of an hundred lice at a time. These +combs or scratchers, for I believe they serve both purposes, they always +wear in their hair, on one side their head. The people of Tanna have an +instrument of this kind for the same use; but theirs is forked, I think, +never exceeding three or four prongs; and sometimes only a small pointed +stick. Their beards, which are of the same crisp nature as their hair, are, +for the most part, worn short. Swelled and ulcerated legs and feet are +common among the men; as also a swelling of the scrotum. I know not whether +this is occasioned by disease, or by the mode of applying the wrapper +before-mentioned, and which they use as at Tanna and Mallicollo. This is +their only covering, and is made generally of the bark of a tree, but +sometimes of leaves. The small pieces of cloth, paper, etc. which they got +from us, were commonly applied to this use. We saw coarse garments amongst +them, made of a sort of matting, but they seemed never to wear them, except +when out in their canoes and unemployed. Some had a kind of concave, +cylindrical, stiff black cap, which appeared to be a great ornament among +them, and, we thought, was only worn by men of note or warriors. A large +sheet of strong paper, when they got one from us, was generally applied to +this use. + +The women's dress is a short petticoat, made of the filaments of the +plantain-tree, laid over a cord, to which they are fastened, and tied round +the waist. The petticoat is made at least six or eight inches thick, but +not one inch longer than necessary for the use designed. The outer +filaments are dyed black; and, as an additional ornament, the most of them +have a few pearl oyster-shells fixed on the right side. The general +ornaments of both sexes are ear-rings of tortoise-shell, necklaces or +amulets, made both of shells and stones, and bracelets, made of large +shells, which they wear above the elbow. They have punctures, or marks on +the skin, on several parts of the body; but none, I think, are black, as at +the Eastern Islands. I know not if they have any other design than +ornament; and the people of Tanna are marked much in the same manner. + +Were I to judge of the origin of this nation, I should take them to be a +race between the people of Tanna and of the Friendly Isles, or between +those of Tanna and the New Zealanders, or all three; their language, in +some respects, being a mixture of them all. In their disposition they are +like the natives of the Friendly Isles; but in affability and honesty they +excel them. + +Notwithstanding their pacific inclination they must sometimes have wars, as +they are well provided with offensive weapons, such as clubs, spears, +darts, and slings for throwing stones. The clubs are about two feet and a +half long, and variously formed; some like a scythe, others like a pick-axe; +some have a head like an hawk, and others have round heads, but all +are neatly made. Many of their darts and spears are no less neat, and +ornamented with carvings. The slings are as simple as possible; but they +take some pains to form the stones that they use into a proper shape, which +is something like an egg, supposing both ends to be like the small one. +They use a becket, in the same manner as at Tanna, in throwing the dart, +which, I believe, is much used in striking fish, etc. In this they seem very +dexterous; nor, indeed, do I know that they have any other method of +catching large fish, for I neither saw hooks nor lines among them. + +It is needless to mention their working-tools, as they are made of the same +materials, and nearly in the same manner, as at the other islands. Their +axes, indeed, are a little different; some, at least, which may be owing to +fancy as much as custom. + +Their houses, or at least most of them, are circular, something like a +bee-hive, and full as close and warm. The entrance is by a small door, or long +square hole, just big enough to admit a man bent double. The side-walls are +about four feet and a half high, but the roof is lofty, and peaked to a +point at the top; above which is a post, or stick of wood, which is +generally ornamented either with carving or shells, or both. The framing is +of small spars, reeds, etc. and both sides and roof are thick and close +covered with thatch, made of coarse long grass. In the inside of the house +are set up posts, to which cross spars are fastened, and platforms made, +for the conveniency of laying any thing on. Some houses have two floors, +one above the other. The floor is laid with dry grass, and here and there +mats are spread, for the principal people to sleep or sit on. In most of +them we found two fire-places, and commonly a fire burning; and, as there +was no vent for the smoke but by the door, the whole house was both smoky +and hot, insomuch that we, who were not used to such an atmosphere, could +hardly endure it a moment. This may be the reason why we found these people +so chilly when in the open air, and without exercise. We frequently saw +them make little fires any where, and hustle round them, with no other view +than to warm themselves. Smoke within doors may be a necessary evil, as it +prevents the musquitoes from coming in, which are pretty numerous here. In +some respects their habitations are neat; for, besides the ornaments at +top, I saw some with carved door-posts. Upon the whole, their houses are +better calculated for a cold than a hot climate; and as there are no +partitions in them, they can have little privacy. + +They have no great variety of household utensils; the earthen jars before +mentioned being the only article worth notice. Each family has at least one +of them, in which they bake their roots, and perhaps their fish, etc. The +fire, by which they cook their victuals, is on the outside of each house, +in the open air. There are three or five pointed stones fixed in the +ground, their pointed ends being about six inches above the surface. Those +of three stones are only for one jar, those of five stones for two. The +jars do not stand on their bottoms, but lie inclined on their sides. The +use of these stones is obviously to keep the jars from resting on the fire, +in order that it may burn the better. + +They subsist chiefly on roots and fish, and the bark of a tree, which I am +told grows also in the West Indies. This they roast, and are almost +continually chewing. It has a sweetish, insipid taste, and was liked by +some of our people. Water is their only liquor, at least I never saw any +other made use of. + +Plantains and sugar-canes are by no means in plenty. Bread-fruit is very +scarce, and the cocoa-nut trees are small and but thinly planted; and +neither one nor the other seems to yield much fruit. + +To judge merely by the numbers of the natives we saw every day, one might +think the island very populous; but I believe that, at this time, the +inhabitants were collected from all parts on our account. Mr Pickersgill +observed, that down the coast, to the west, there were but few people; and +we knew they came daily from the other side of the land, over the +mountains, to visit us. But although the inhabitants, upon the whole, may +not be numerous, the island is not thinly peopled on the sea-coast, and in +the plains and valleys that are capable of cultivation. It seems to be a +country unable to support many inhabitants. Nature has been less bountiful +to it than to any other tropical island we know in this sea. The greatest +part of its surface, or at least what we saw of it, consists of barren +rocky mountains; and the grass, etc. growing on them, is useless to people +who have no cattle. + +The sterility of the country will apologise for the natives not +contributing to the wants of the navigator. The sea may, perhaps, in some +measure, compensate for the deficiency of the land; for a coast surrounded +by reefs and shoals, as this is, cannot fail of being stored with fish. + +I have before observed, that the country bears great resemblance to New +South Wales, or New Holland, and that some of its natural productions are +the same. In particular, we found here, the tree which is covered with a +soft white ragged bark, easily peeled off, and is, as I have been told, the +same that, in the East Indies, is used for caulking of ships. The wood is +very hard, the leaves are long and narrow, of a pale dead green, and a fine +aromatic; so that it may properly be said to belong to that continent. +Nevertheless, here are several plants, etc. common to the eastern and +northern islands, and even a species of the passionflower, which, I am +told, has never before been known to grow wild any where but in America. +Our botanists did not complain for want of employment at this place; every +day bringing something new in botany or other branches of natural history. +Land-birds, indeed, are not numerous, but several are new. One of these is +a kind of crow, at least so we called it, though it is not half so big, and +its feathers are tinged with blue. They also have some very beautiful +turtle-doves, and other small birds, such as I never saw before. + +All our endeavours to get the name of the whole island proved ineffectual. +Probably it is too large for them to know by one name. Whenever we made +this enquiry, they always gave us the name of some district or place, which +we pointed to; and, as before observed, I got the names of several, with +the name of the king or chief of each. Hence I conclude, that the country +is divided into several districts, each governed by a chief; but we know +nothing of the extent of his power. Balade was the name of the district we +were at, and Tea Booma the chief. He lived on the other side of the ridge +of hills, so that we had but little of his company, and therefore could not +see much of his power. _Tea_ seems a title prefixed to the names of +all, or most, of their chiefs or great men. My friend honoured me by +calling me _Tea_ Cook. + +They deposit their dead in the ground. I saw none of their burying-places, +but several of the gentlemen did. In one, they were informed, lay the +remains of a chief who was slain in battle; and his grave, which bore some +resemblance to a large mole-hill, was decorated with spears, darts, +paddles, etc. all stuck upright in the ground round about it. The canoes, +which these people use, are somewhat like those of the Friendly Isles; but +the most heavy clumsy vessels I ever saw. They are what I call double +canoes, made out of two large trees, hollowed out, having a raised gunnel, +about two inches high, and closed at each end with a kind of bulk-head of +the same height; so that the whole is like a long square trough, about +three feet shorter than the body of the canoe; that is, a foot and a half +at each end. Two canoes, thus fitted, are secured to each other, about +three feet asunder, by means of cross spars, which project about a foot +over each side. Over these spars is laid a deck, or very heavy platform, +made of plank, and small round spars, on which they have a fire-hearth, and +generally a fire burning; and they carry a pot or jar to dress their +victuals in. The space between the two canoes is laid with plank, and the +rest with spars. On one side of the deck, and close to the edge, is fixed a +row of knees, pretty near to each other, the use of which is to keep the +masts, yards, etc. from, rolling over-board. They are navigated by one or +two lateen-sails, extended to a small lateen-yard, the end of which fixes +in a notch or hole in the deck. The foot of the sail is extended to a small +boom. The sail is composed of pieces of matting, the ropes are made of the +coarse filaments of the plantain-tree, twisted into cords of the thickness +of a finger; and three or four more such cords, marled together, serve them +for shrouds, etc. I thought they sailed very well; but they are not at all +calculated for rowing or paddling. Their method of proceeding, when they +cannot sail, is by sculling, and for this purpose there are holes in the +boarded deck or platform. Through these they put the sculls, which are of +such a length, that, when the blade is in the water, the loom or handle is +four or five feet above the deck. The man who works it stands behind, and +with both his hands sculls the vessel forward. This method of proceeding is +very slow; and for this reason, the canoes are but ill calculated for +fishing, especially for striking of turtle, which, I think, can hardly ever +be done in them. Their fishing implements, such as I have seen, are +turtle-nets, made, I believe, of the filaments of the plantain-tree twisted; +and small hand-nets, with very minute meshes made of fine twine and fish-gigs. +Their general method of fishing, I guess, is to lie on the reefs in shoal +water, and to strike the fish that may come in their way. They may, +however, have other methods, which we had no opportunity to see, as no boat +went out while we were here; all their time and attention being taken up +with us. Their canoes are about thirty feet long, and the deck or platform +about twenty-four in length, and ten in breadth. We had not, at this time, +seen any timber in the country so large as that of which their canoes were +made. It was observed that the holes, made in the several parts, in order +to sew them together, were burnt through, but with what instrument we never +learnt. Most probably it was of stone, which may be the reason why they +were so fond of large spikes, seeing at once they would answer this +purpose. I was convinced they were not wholly designed for edge-tools, +because every one shewed a desire for the iron belaying-pins which were +fixed in the quarter-deck rail, and seemed to value them far more than a +spike-nail, although it might be twice as big. These pins, which are round, +perhaps have the very shape of the tool they wanted to make of the nails. I +did not find that a hatchet was quite so valuable as a large spike. Small +nails were of little or no value; and beads, looking-glasses, etc. they did +not admire. + +The women of this country, and likewise those of Tanna, are, so far as I +could judge, far more chaste than those of the more eastern islands. I +never heard that one of our people obtained the least favour from any one +of them. I have been told that the ladies here would frequently divert +themselves by going a little aside with our gentlemen, as if they meant to +be kind to them, and then would run away laughing at them. Whether this was +chastity or coquetry, I shall not pretend to determine; nor is it material, +since the consequences were the same. + +CHAPTER X. + +_Proceedings on the Coast of New Caledonia, with Geographical and +Nautical Observations._ + +1774 September + +Everything being in readiness to put to sea, at sun-rise, on the 13th of +September, we weighed, and with a fine gale at E. by S., stood out for the +same channel we came in by. At half past seven we were in the middle of it. +Observatory Isle bore S. 5° E., distant four miles, and the isle of Balabea +W.N.W. As soon as we were clear of the reef, we hauled the wind to the +starboard tack, with a view of plying in to the S.E.; but as Mr Gilbert was +of opinion that he had seen the end, or N.W. extremity of the land, and +that it would be easier to get round by the N.W., I gave over plying, and +bore up along the outside of the reef, steering N.N.W., N.W., and N.W. by +W., as it trended. At noon the island of Balabea bore S. by W., distant +thirteen miles; and what we judged to be the west end of the great land, +bore S.W. 1/2 S., and the direction of the reef was N.W. by W., latitude +observed 19° 53' 20". Longitude from Observatory Isle 14' W. We continued +to steer N.W. by W. along the outside of the reef till three o'clock, at +which time the isle of Balabea bore S. by E. 1/2 E. In this direction we +observed a partition in the reef, which we judged to be a channel, by the +strong tide which set out of it. From this place the reef inclined to the +north for three or four leagues, and then to the N.W. We followed its +direction, and as we advanced to N.W., raised more land, which seemed to be +connected with what we had seen before; so that Mr Gilbert was mistaken, +and did not see the extremity of the coast. At five o'clock this land bore +W. by N. 1/2 N., distant twenty miles; but what we could see of the reef +trended in the direction of N.W. by N. + +Having hauled the wind to the starboard tack, and spent the night plying, +on the 14th, at sun-rise, the island of Balabea bore S. 6 E., and the land +seen the preceding night W., but the reef still trended N.W., along which +we steered with a light breeze at E.S.E. At noon we observed in latitude +19° 28', longitude from Observatory Isle 27' W. We had now no sight of +Balabea; and the other land, that is, the N.W. part of it, bore W. by S. +1/2 S., but we were not sure if this was one continued coast, or separate +islands. For though some partitions were seen, from space to space, which +made it look like the latter, a multitude of shoals rendered a nearer +approach to it exceedingly dangerous, if not impracticable. In the +afternoon, with a fine breeze at E.S.E., we ranged the outside of these +shoals, which we found to trend in the direction of N.W. by W., N.W. by N., +and N.N.E. At three o'clock we passed a low sandy isle, lying on the outer +edge of the reef, in latitude 19° 25', and in the direction of N.E. from +the north-westernmost land, six or seven leagues distant. So much as we +could see of this space was strewed with shoals, seemingly detached from +each other; and the channel leading in amongst them appeared to be on the +S.E. side of the sandy isle; at least, there was a space where the sea did +not break. At sun-set we could but just see the land, which bore S.W. by +S., about ten leagues distant. A clear horizon produced the discovery of no +land to the westward of this direction; the reef too trended away W. by N. +1/2 N., and seemed to terminate in a point which was seen from the mast-head. +Thus every thing conspired to make us believe that we should soon get +round these shoals; and with these flattering expectations we hauled the +wind, which was at E.N.E., and spent the night making short boards. + +Next morning at sun-rise, seeing neither land nor breakers, we bore away +N.W. by W., and two hours after saw the reef extending N.W. farther than +the eye could reach; no land was to be seen. It was therefore probable that +we had passed its N.W. extremity; and, as we had seen from the hills of +Balade its extent to the S.W., it was necessary to know how far it extended +to the east or southeast, while it was in our power to recover the coast; +for, by following the direction of the shoals, we might have been carried +so far to leeward as not to be able to beat back without considerable loss +of time. We were already far out of sight of land; and there was no knowing +how much farther we might be carried, before we found an end to them. These +considerations, together with the risk we must run in exploring a sea +strewed with shoals, and where no anchorage, without them, is to be found, +induced me to abandon the design of proceeding round by the N.W., and to +ply up to the S.E., in which direction I knew there was a clear sea. With +this view we tacked and stood to the S.E., with the wind at N.E. by E., a +gentle breeze. At this time we were in the latitude of 19° 7' S., longitude +163° 57' E. + +In standing to the S.E. we did but just weather the point of the reef we +had passed the preceding evening. To make our situation the more dangerous +the wind began to fail us; and at three in the afternoon it fell calm, and +left us to the mercy of a great swell, setting directly on the reef, which +was hardly a league from us. We sounded, but found no bottom with a line of +two hundred fathoms. I ordered the pinnace and cutter to be hoisted out to +tow the ship, but they were of little use against so great a swell. We, +however, found that the ship did not draw near the reef so fast as might be +expected; and at seven o'clock a light air at N.N.E. kept her head to the +sea, but it lasted no longer than midnight, when it was succeeded by a dead +calm. + +At day-break on the 16th we had no sight of the reef; and at eleven, a +breeze springing up at S.S.W., we hoisted in the boats, and made sail to +S.E. At noon we observed in 19° 35' S., which was considerably more to the +south than we expected, and shewed that a current or tide had been in our +favour all night, and accounted for our getting so unexpectedly clear of +the shoals. At two o'clock p.m. we had again a calm which lasted till nine, +when it was succeeded by a light air from E.N.E. and E., with which we +advanced but slowly. + +On the 17th at noon, we observed in latitude 19° 54', when the isle of +Balabea bore S. 68° W., ten and a half leagues distant. We continued to +ply, with variable light winds, between N.E. and S.E., without meeting with +any thing remarkable till the 20th at noon, when Cape Colnett bore +N. 78° W., distant six leagues. From this cape the land extended round by +the south to E.S.E. till it was lost in the horizon, and the country +appeared with many hills and vallies. Latitude observed 20° 41', longitude +made from Observatory Isle 1° 8' E. We stood in shore with a light breeze +at east till sun-set, when we were between two and three leagues off. The +coast extended from S. 42° 1/2 E. to N. 59° W. Two small islets lay without +this last direction, distant from us four or five miles; some others lay +between us and the shore, and to the east, where they seemed to be +connected by reefs, in which appeared some openings from space to space. +The country was mountainous, and had much the same aspect as about Balade. +On one of the western small isles was an elevation like a tower; and over a +low neck of land within the isle were seen many other elevations, +resembling the masts of a fleet of ships. + +Next day at sun-rise, after having stood off all night with a light breeze +at S.E., we found ourselves about six leagues from the coast; and in this +situation we were kept by a calm till ten in the evening, when we got a +faint land-breeze at S.W., with which we steered S.E. all night., + +On the 22d at sun-rise the land was clouded, but it was not long before the +clouds went off, and we found, by our land-marks, that we had made a good +advance. At ten o'clock, the land-breeze being succeeded by a sea-breeze at +E. by S., this enabled us to stand in for the land, which at noon extended +from N. 78° W. to S. 31° 1/2 E., round by the S. In this last direction the +coast seemed to trend more to the south in a lofty promontory, which, on +account of the day, received the name of Cape Coronation. Latitude 22° 2', +longitude 167° 7' 1/2 E. Some breakers lay between us and the shore, and +probably they were connected with those we had seen before. + +During the night, we had advanced about two leagues to the S.E.; and at +day-break on the 23d an elevated point appeared in sight beyond Cape +Coronation, bearing S. 23° E. It proved to be the south-east extremity of +the coast, and obtained the name of Queen Charlotte's Foreland. Latitude +22° 16' S., longitude 167° 14' E. About noon, having got a breeze from the +N.E., we stood to S.S.E., and as we drew towards Cape Coronation, saw in a +valley to the south of it, a vast number of those elevated objects +before-mentioned; and some low land under the foreland was wholly covered with +them. We could not agree in our opinions of what they were. I supposed them +to be a singular sort of trees, being too numerous to resemble any thing +else; and a great deal of smoke kept rising all the day from amongst those +near the cape. Our philosophers were of opinion that this was the smoke of +some internal and perpetual fire. My representing to them that there was no +smoke here in the morning would have been of no avail, had not this eternal +fire gone out before night, and no more smoke been seen after. They were +still more positive that the elevations were pillars of basaltes, like +those which compose the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. At sun-set, the wind +veering round to the south, we tacked and stood off, it not being safe to +approach the shore in the dark. At day-break we stood in again, with a +faint land-breeze between E.S.E. and S.S.E. At noon observed, in latitude +21° 59' 30", Cape Coronation being west southerly, distant seven leagues, +and the foreland S. 38° W. As we advanced S.S.W. the coast beyond the +foreland began to appear in sight; and at sun-set we discovered a low +island lying S.S.E, about seven miles from the foreland. It was one of +those which are generally surrounded with shoals and breakers. At the same +time a round hill was seen bearing S. 24° E, twelve leagues distant. During +night, having had variable light winds, we advanced but little either way. + +On the 25th, about ten o'clock a.m., having got a fair breeze at E.S.E., we +stood to the S.S.W., in hopes of getting round the foreland; but, as we +drew near, we perceived more low isles, beyond the one already mentioned, +which at last appeared to be connected by breakers, extending towards the +foreland, and seeming to join the shore. We stood on till half past three +o'clock, when we saw, from the deck, rocks, just peeping above the surface +of the sea, on the shoal above-mentioned. It was now time to alter the +course, as the day was too far spent to look for a passage near the shore, +and we could find no bottom to anchor in during the night. We therefore +stood to the south to look for a passage without the small isles. We had a +fine breeze at E.S.E., but it lasted no longer than five o'clock, when it +fell to a dead calm. Having sounded, a line of 170 fathoms did not reach +the bottom, though we were but a little way from the shoals, which, instead +of following the coast to S.W., took a S.E. direction towards the hill we +had seen the preceding evening, and seemed to point out to us that it was +necessary to go round that land. At this time the most advanced point on +the main bore S. 68° W., distant nine or ten leagues. About seven o'clock +we got a light breeze at north, which enabled us to steer out E.S.E., and +to spend the night with less anxiety. On some of the low isles were many of +those elevations already mentioned. Every one was now satisfied they were +trees, except our philosophers, who still maintained that they were +basaltes. + +About day-break on the 26th, the wind having shifted to S.S.W., we +stretched to S.E. for the hill before mentioned. It belonged to an island +which at noon extended from S. 16° E. to S. 7° W., distant six leagues. +Latitude observed 22° 16' S. In the p.m. the wind freshened, and veering to +S.S.E., we stretched to the east, till two a.m., on the 27th, when we +tacked and stood to S.W., with hopes of weathering the island; but we fell +about two miles short of our expectations, and had to tack about a mile +from the east side of the island, the extremes bearing from N.W. by N. to +S.W., the hill W., and some low isles, lying off the S.E. point, S. by W. +These seemed to be connected with the large island by breakers. We sounded +when in stays, but had no ground with a line of eighty fathoms. The skirts +of this island were covered with the elevations more than once mentioned. +They had much the appearance of tall pines, which occasioned my giving that +name to the island. The round hill, which is on the S.W. side, is of such a +height as to be seen fourteen or sixteen leagues. The island is about a +mile in circuit, and situated in latitude 22° 38' S., longitude 167° 40' E. +Having made two attempts to weather the Isle of Pines before sun-set, with +no better success, than before, this determined me to stretch off till +midnight. This day at noon the thermometer was at 68° 3/4 which is lower +than it had been since the 27th of February. + +Having tacked at midnight, assisted by the currents and a fresh gale at E. +S.E. and S.E., next morning at day-break we found ourselves several leagues +to windward of the Isle of Pines, and bore away large, round the S.E. and +S. sides. The coast from the S.E., round by the S. to the W., was strewed +with sand-banks, breakers, and small low isles, most of which were covered +with the same lofty trees that ornamented the borders of the greater one. +We continued to range the outside of these small isles and breakers, at +three-fourths of a league distance, and as we passed one, raised another, +so that they seemed to form a chain extending to the isles which lie off +the foreland. At noon we observed, in latitude 22° 44' 36" S. the Isle of +Pines extending from N by E 1/2 E. to E. by N.; and Cape Coronation N. 32° +30' W distant seventeen leagues. In the afternoon, with a fine gale at +east, we steered N.W. by W., along the outside of the shoals, with a view +of falling in with the land a little to S.W. of the foreland. At two +o'clock p.m. two low islets were seen bearing W. by S., and as they were +connected by breakers, which seemed to join those on our starboard, this +discovery made it necessary to haul off S.W., in order to get clear of them +all. At three, more breakers appeared, extending from the low isles towards +the S.E. We now hauled out close to the wind, and, in an hour and a half, +were almost on board the breakers, and obliged to tack. From the mast-head +they were seen to extend as far as E.S.E., and the smoothness of the sea +made it probable that they extended to the north of east, and that we were +in a manner surrounded by them. At this time the hill on the Isle of Pines +bore N. 71 1/2 E., the foreland N. 1/4 W., and the most advanced point of +land on the S.W. coast bore N.W., distant fifteen or sixteen leagues. This +direction of the S.W. coast, which was rather within the parallel of the +N.E., assured us that this land extended no farther to the S.W. After +making a short trip to N.N.E., we stood again to the south, in expectation +of having a better view of the shoals before sun-set. We gained nothing by +this but the prospect of a sea strewed with shoals, which we could not +clear but by returning in the track by which we came. We tacked nearly in +the same place where we had tacked before, and on sounding found a bottom +of fine sand. But anchoring in a strong gale, with a chain of breakers to +leeward, being the last resource, I rather chose to spend the night in +making short boards over that space we had, in some measure, made ourselves +acquainted with in the day: And thus it was spent, but under the terrible +apprehension, every moment, of falling on some of the many dangers which +surrounded us. + +Day-light shewed that our fears were not ill-founded, and that we had been +in the most imminent danger; having had breakers continually under our lee, +and at a very little distance from us. We owed our safety to the +interposition of Providence, a good look-out, and the very brisk manner in +which the ship was managed; for, as we were standing to the north, the +people on the lee-gangway and forecastle saw breakers under the lee-bow, +which we escaped by quickly tacking the ship. + +I was now almost tired of a coast which I could no longer explore, but at +the risk of losing the ship, and ruining the whole voyage. I was, however, +determined not to leave it, till I knew what trees those were which had +been the subject of our speculation; especially as they appeared to be of a +sort useful to shipping, and had not been seen any where but in the +southern part of this land. With this view, after making a trip to the +south, to weather the shoals under our lee, we stood to the north, in hopes +of finding anchorage under some of the islets on which these trees grow. We +were stopped by eight o'clock by the shoals which lie extended between the +Isle of Pines and Queen Charlotte's Foreland; and found soundings off them +in fifty-five, forty, and thirty-six fathoms, a fine sandy bottom. The +nearer we came to these shoals, the more we saw of them, and we were not +able to say if there was any passage between the two lands. + +Being now but a few miles to windward of the low isles lying off the +Foreland, mentioned on the 25th and 26th, I bore down to the one next to +us. As we drew near it, I perceived that it was unconnected with the +neighbouring shoals, and that it is probable we might get to an anchor +under its lee or west side. We therefore stood on, being conducted by an +officer at the mast-head; and after hauling round the point of the reef +which surrounds the isle, we attempted to ply to windward, in order to get +nearer the shore. Another reef to the north confined us to a narrow +channel, through which ran a current against us, that rendered this attempt +fruitless; so that we were obliged to anchor in thirty-nine fathoms water, +the bottom fine coral sand; the isle bearing W. by N. one mile distant. As +soon as this was done, we hoisted out a boat, in which I went on ashore, +accompanied by the botanists. We found the tall trees to be a kind of +spruce pine, very proper for spars, of which we were in want. After making +this discovery, I hastened on board in order to have more time after +dinner, when I landed again with two boats, accompanied by several of the +officers and gentlemen, having with us the carpenter and some of his crew, +to cut down such trees as were wanting. While this was doing I took the +bearings of several lands round. The hill on the Isle of Pines bore +S. 59 30' E; the low point of Queen Charlotte's Foreland N. 14° 30' W.; the +high land over it, seen over two low isles, N. 20° W.; and the most +advanced point of land to the west, bore west, half a point south, distant +six or seven leagues. We had, from several bearings, ascertained the true +direction of the coast from the foreland to this point, which I shall +distinguish by the name of Prince of Wales's Foreland. It is situated in +the latitude of 22° 29' S., longitude 166° 57' E., is of considerable +height, and, when it first appears above the horizon, looks like an island. +From this cape, the coast trended nearly N.W. This was rather too northerly +a direction to join that part which we saw from the hills of Balade. But as +it was very high land which opened off the cape in that direction, it is +very probable that lower land, which we could not see, opened sooner; or +else the coast more to the N.W. takes a more westerly direction, in the +same manner as the N.E. coast. Be this as it may, we pretty well know the +extent of the land, by having it confined within certain limits. However, I +still entertained hopes of seeing more of it, but was disappointed. + +The little isle upon which we landed, is a mere sandbank, not exceeding +three-fourths of a mile in circuit, and on it, besides these pines, grew +the Etoa-tree of Otaheite, and a variety of other trees, shrubs, and +plants. These gave sufficient employment to our botanists, all the time we +stayed upon it, and occasioned my calling it Botany Isle. On it were +several water-snakes, some pigeons, and doves, seemingly different from any +we had seen. One of the officers shot a hawk, which proved to be of the +very same sort as our English fishing-hawks. Several fire-places, branches, +and leaves very little decayed, remains of turtle, etc. shewed that people +had lately been on the isle. The hull of a canoe, precisely of the same +shape as those we had seen at Balade, lay wrecked in the sand. We were now +no longer at a loss to know of what trees they make their canoes, as they +can be no other than these pines. On this little isle were some which +measured twenty inches diameter, and between sixty and seventy feet in +length, and would have done very well for a foremast to the Resolution, had +one been wanting. Since trees of this size are to be found on so small a +spot, it is reasonable to expect to find some much larger on the main, and +larger isles; and, if appearances did not deceive us, we can assert it. + +If I except New Zealand, I, at this time, knew of no island in the South +Pacific Ocean, where a ship could supply herself with a mast or yard, were +she ever so much distressed for want of one. Thus far the discovery is or +may be valuable. My carpenter, who was a mast-maker as well as a shipwright, +two trades he learnt in Deptford-yard, was of opinion that these +trees would make exceedingly good masts. The wood is white, close-grained, +tough, and light. Turpentine had exuded out of most of the trees, and the +sun had inspissated it into a rosin, which was found sticking to the +trunks, and lying about the roots. These trees shoot out their branches +like all other pines; with this difference, that the branches of these are +much smaller and shorter; so that the knots become nothing when the tree is +wrought for use. I took notice, that the largest of them had the smallest +and shortest branches, and were crowned, as it were, at the top, by a +spreading branch like a bush. This was what led some on board into the +extravagant notion of their being basaltes: Indeed no one could think of +finding such trees here. The seeds are produced in cones; but we could find +none that had any in them, or that were in a proper state for vegetation or +botanical examination. Besides these, there was another tree or shrub of +the spruce-fir kind, but it was very small. We also found on the isle a +sort of scurvy-grass, and a plant, called by us Lamb's Quarters, which, +when boiled, eat like spinnage. + +Having got ten or twelve small spars to make studding-sail booms, boat-masts, +etc., and night approaching, we returned with them on board. + +The purpose for which I anchored under this isle being answered, I was now +to consider what was next to be done. We had from the top-mast-head taken a +view of the sea around us, and observed the whole, to the west, to be +strewed with small islets, sand-banks, and breakers, to the utmost extent +of our horizon. They seemed indeed not to be all connected, and to be +divided by winding channels. But when I considered that the extent of this +S.W. coast was already pretty well determined, the great risk attending a +more accurate survey, and the time it would require to accomplish it, on +account of the many dangers we should have to encounter, I determined not +to hazard the ship down to leeward, where we might be so hemmed in as to +find it difficult to return, and by that means lose the proper season for +getting to the south. I now wished to have had the little vessel set up, +the frame of which we had on board. I had some thoughts of doing this, when +we were last at Otaheite, but found it could not be executed, without +neglecting the caulking and other necessary repairs of the ship, or staying +longer there than the route I had in view would admit. It was now too late +to begin setting her up, and then to use her in exploring this coast; and +in our voyage to the south, she could be of no service. These reasons +induced me to try to get without the shoals; that is, to the southward of +them. + +Next morning at day-break, we got under sail with a light breeze at E. by +N. We had to make some trips to weather the shoals to leeward of Botany +Isle; but when this was done the breeze began to fail; and at three p.m. it +fell calm. The swell, assisted by the current, set us fast to S.W. towards +the breakers, which were yet in sight in that direction. Thus we continued +till ten o'clock, at which time a breeze springing up at N.N.W. we steered +E.S.E.; the contrary course we had come in; not daring to steer farther +south till daylight. + +1774 October + +At three o'clock next morning, the wind veered to S.W., blew hard, and in +squalls, attended with rain, which made it necessary to proceed with our +courses up and top-sails on the cap, till day-break, when the hill on the +Isle of Pines bore north; and our distance from the shore in that direction +was about four leagues. We had now a very strong wind at S.S.W. attended by +a great sea; so that we had reason to rejoice at having got clear of the +shoals before this gale overtook us. Though every thing conspired to make +me think this was the westerly monsoon, it can hardly be comprehended under +that name, for several reasons; first, because it was near a month too soon +for these winds; secondly, because we know not if they reach this place at +all; and lastly, because it is very common for westerly winds to blow +within the tropics. However, I never found them to blow so hard before, or +so far southerly. Be these things as they may, we had now no other choice +but to stretch to S.E., which we accordingly did with our starboard tacks +aboard; and at noon we were out of sight of land. + +The gale continued with very little alteration till noon next day; at which +time we observed in latitude 23° 18', longitude made from the Isle of Pines +1° 54' E. In the afternoon we had little wind from the south, and a great +swell from the same direction: And many boobies, tropic, and men-of-war +birds were seen. At eleven o'clock a fresh breeze sprung up at W. by S., +with which we stood to the south. At this time we were in the latitude of +23° 18', longitude 169° 49' E., and about forty-two leagues south of the +Hebrides. + +At eight o'clock in the morning, on the third, the wind veered to S.W. and +blew a strong gale by squalls, attended with rain. I now gave over all +thought of returning to the land we had left. Indeed, when I considered the +vast ocean we had to explore to the south; the state and condition of the +ship, already in want of some necessary stores; that summer was approaching +fast, and that any considerable accident might detain us in this sea +another year; I did not think it advisable to attempt to regain the land. + +Thus I was obliged, as it were by necessity, for the first time, to leave a +coast I had discovered, before it was fully explored.--I called it New +Caledonia; and, if we except New Zealand, it is perhaps the largest island +in the South Pacific Ocean. For it extends from the latitude of 19° 37', to +22° 30', S., and from the longitude of 163° 37' to 167° 14' E. It lies +nearly N.W. 1/2 W., and S.E. 1 E., and is about eighty-seven leagues long +in that direction; but its breadth is not considerable, not any where +exceeding ten leagues. It is a country full of hills and valleys; of +various extent both for height and depth. To judge of the whole by the +parts we were on, from these hills spring vast numbers of little rivulets, +which greatly contribute to fertilize the plains, and to supply all the +wants of the inhabitants. The summits of most of the hills seem to be +barren; though some few are cloathed with wood; as are all the plains and +valleys. By reason of these hills, many parts of the coast, when at a +distance from it, appeared indented, or to have great inlets between the +hills; but, when we came near the shore, we always found such places shut +up with low land, and also observed low land to lie along the coast between +the seashore and the foot of the hills. As this was the case in all such +parts as we came near enough to see, it is reasonable to suppose that the +whole coast is so. I am likewise of opinion, that the whole, or greatest +part, is surrounded by reefs or shoals, which render the access to it very +dangerous, but at the same time guard the coast from the violence of the +wind and sea; make it abound with fish, secure an easy and safe navigation +along it, for canoes, etc.; and, most likely, form some good harbours for +shipping. Most, if not every part of the coast, is inhabited, the Isle of +Pines not excepted; for we saw either smoke by day, or fires by night, +wherever we came. In the extent which I have given to this island, is +included the broken or unconnected lands to the N.W. That they may be +connected; I shall not pretend to deny; we were, however, of opinion that +they were isles, and that New Caledonia terminated more to S.E.; though +this at most is but a well-founded conjecture. + +But whether these lands be separate isles, or connected with New Caledonia, +it is by no means certain that we saw their termination to the west. I +think we did not; as the shoals did not end with the land we saw, but kept +their N.W. direction farther than Bougainville's track in the latitude of +15° or 15° 1/2. Nay, it seems not improbable, that a chain of isles, +sand-banks, and reefs, may extend to the west, as far as the coast of New +South Wales. The eastern extent of the isles and shoals off that coast, +between the latitude of 15° and 23', were not known. The resemblance of the +two countries; *Bougainville's meeting with the shoal of Diana above sixty +leagues from the coast; and the signs he had of land to the S.E.; all tend +to increase the probability. I must confess that it is carrying probability +and conjecture a little too far, to say what may lie in a space of two +hundred leagues; but it is in some measure necessary, were it only to put +some future navigator on his guard. + +[See his Voyage, English translation p.303.] + +Mr Wales determined the longitude of that part of New Caledonia we +explored, by ninety-six sets of observations, which were reduced to one +another by our trusty guide the watch. I found the variation of the compass +to be 10° 24' E. This is the mean variation given by the three azimuth +compasses we had on board, which would differ from each other a degree and +a half, and sometimes more. I did not observe any difference in the +variation between the N.W. and S.E. parts of this land, except when we were +at anchor before Balade, where it was less than 10°; but this I did not +regard, as I found such an uniformity out at sea; and it is there where +navigators want to know the variation. While we were on the N.E. coast, I +thought the currents set to S.E. and W. or N.W. on the other side; but they +are by no means considerable, and may, as probably, be channels of tides, +as regular currents. In the narrow channels which divide the shoals, and +those which communicate with the sea, the tides run strong; but their rise +and fall are inconsiderable, not exceeding three feet and a half. The time +of high-water, at the full and change, at Balade, is about six o'clock; but +at Botany Isle we judged it would happen about ten or eleven o'clock. + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Sequel of the Passage from New Caledonia to New Zealand, with an Account +of the Discovery of Norfolk Island; and the Incidents that happened while +the Ship lay in Queen Charlotte's Sound._ + +1774 October + +The wind continuing at S.W., W.S.W., and W., blowing a fresh gale, and now +and then squalls, with showers of rain, we steered to S.S.E, without +meeting with any remarkable occurrence till near noon on the 6th, when it +fell calm. At this time we were in the latitude of 27° 50' S., longitude +171° 43' E. The calm continued till noon the next day, during which time we +observed the variation to be 10° 33' E. I now ordered the carpenters to +work to caulk the decks. As we had neither pitch, tar, nor rosin, left to +pay the seams, this was done with varnish of pine, and afterwards covered +with coral sand, which made a cement far exceeding my expectation. In the +afternoon, we had a boat in the water, and shot two albatrosses, which were +geese to us. We had seen one of this kind of birds the day before, which +was the first we observed since we had been within the tropic. On the 7th, +at one p.m. a breeze sprung up at south; soon after it veered to, and fixed +at S.E. by S., and blew a gentle gale, attended with pleasant weather. + +We stretched to W.S.W., and next day at noon were in the latitude of 28° +25', longitude 170° 26' E. In the evening, Mr Cooper haying struck a +porpoise with a harpoon, it was necessary to bring-to, and have two boats +out, before we could kill it, and get it on board. It was six feet long; a +female of that kind, which naturalists call dolphin of the ancients, and +which differs from the other kind of porpoise in the head and jaw, having +them long and pointed. This had eighty-eight teeth in each jaw. The haslet +and lean flesh were to us a feast. The latter was a little liverish, but +had not the least fishy taste. It was eaten roasted, broiled, and fried, +first soaking it in warm water. Indeed, little art was wanting to make any +thing fresh, palatable to those who had been living so long on salt +meat. + +We continued to stretch to W.S.W. till the 10th, when at day-break we +discovered land, bearing S.W., which on a nearer approach we found to be an +island of good height, and five leagues in circuit. I named it Norfolk +Isle, in honour of the noble family of Howard. It is situated in the +latitude of 29° 2' 30" S. and longitude 168° 16' E. The latter was +determined by lunar observations made on this, the preceding, and following +days; and the former by a good observation at noon, when we were about +three miles from the isle. Soon after we discovered the isle, we sounded in +twenty-two fathoms on a bank of coral sand; after this we continued to +sound, and found not less than twenty-two; or more than twenty-four fathoms +(except near the shore), and the same bottom mixed with broken shells. +After dinner a party of us embarked in two boats, and landed on the island, +without any difficulty, behind some large rocks, which lined part of the +coast on the N.E. side. + +We found it uninhabited, and were undoubtedly the first that ever set foot +on it. We observed many trees and plants common at New Zealand; and, in +particular, the flax-plant, which is rather more luxuriant here than in any +part of that country; but the chief produce is a sort of spruce-pine, which +grows in great abundance, and to a large size, many of the trees being as +thick, breast high, as two men could fathom, and exceedingly straight and +tall. This pine is a sort between that which grows in New Zealand, and that +in New Caledonia; the foliage differing something from both, and the wood +not so heavy as the former, nor so light and close-grained as the latter. +It is a good deal like the Quebec pine. For about two hundred yards from +the shore, the ground is covered so thick with shrubs and plants, as hardly +to be penetrated farther inland. The woods were perfectly clear and free +from underwood, and the soil seemed rich and deep. + +We found the same kind of pigeons, parrots, and parroquets as in New +Zealand, rails, and some small birds. The sea-fowl are, white boobies, +gulls, tern, etc. which breed undisturbed on the shores, and in the cliffs +of the rocks. + +On the isle is fresh water; and cabbage-palm, wood-sorrel, sow-thistle, and +samphire, abounding in some places on the shore, we brought on board as +much of each sort as the time we had to gather them would admit. These +cabbage-trees or palms were not thicker than a man's leg, and from ten to +twenty feet high. They are of the same genus with the cocoa-nut tree; like +it they have large pinnated leaves, and are the same as the second sort +found in the northern parts of New South Wales*. The cabbage is, properly +speaking, the bud of the tree; each tree producing but one cabbage, which +is at the crown, where the leaves spring out, and is inclosed in the stem. +The cutting off the cabbage effectually destroys the tree; so that no more +than one can be had from the same stem. The cocoa-nut tree, and some others +of the palm kind, produce cabbage as well as these. This vegetable is not +only wholesome, but exceedingly palatable, and proved the most agreeable +repast we had for some time. + +[Vide Hawkesworth's Voyages, Vol III, Page 624.] + +The coast does not want fish. While we were on shore, the people in the +boats caught some which were excellent. I judged that it was high water at +the full and change, about one o'clock; and that the tide rises and falls +upon a perpendicular about four or five feet. + +The approach of night brought us all on board, when we hoisted in the +boats, and stretched to E.N.E. (with the wind at S.E.) till midnight, when +we tacked, and spent the remainder of the night making short boards. + +Next morning at sun-rise, we made sail, stretching to S.S.W., and weathered +the island; on the south side of which lie two isles, that serve as +roosting and breeding-places for birds. On this, as also on the S.E. side, +is a sandy beach; whereas most of the other shores are bounded by rocky +cliffs, which have twenty and eighteen fathoms water close to them: At +least so we found it on the N.E. side, and with good anchorage. A bank of +coral sand, mixed with shells, on which we found from nineteen to thirty-five +or forty fathoms water, surrounds the isle, and extends, especially to +the south, seven leagues off. The morning we discovered the island, the +variation was found to be 13° 9' E.; but I think this observation gave too +much, as others which we had, both before and after, gave 2° less. + +After leaving Norfolk Isle, I steered for New Zealand, my intention being +to touch at Queen Charlotte's Sound, to refresh my crew, and put the ship +in a condition to encounter the southern latitudes. + +On the 17th, at day-break, we saw Mount Egmont, which was covered with +everlasting snow, bearing S.E. 1/2 E. Our distance from the shore was about +eight leagues, and, on sounding, we found seventy fathoms water, a muddy +bottom. The wind soon fixed in the western board, and blew a fresh gale, +with which we steered S.S.E. for Queen Charlotte's Sound, with a view of +falling in with Cape Stephens. At noon Cape Egmont bore E.N.E. distant +three or four leagues; and though the mount was hid in the clouds, we +judged it to be in the same direction as the Cape; latitude observed 39° +24'. The wind increased in such a manner as to oblige us to close-reef our +top-sails, and strike top-gallant yards. At last we could bear no more sail +than the two courses, and two close-reefed top-sails; and under them we +stretched for Cape Stephens, which we made at eleven o'clock at night. + +At midnight we tacked and made a trip to the north till three o'clock next +morning, when we bore away for the sound. At nine we hauled round Point +Jackson through a sea which looked terrible, occasioned by a rapid tide, +and a high wind; but as we knew the coast, it did not alarm us. At eleven +o'clock we anchored before Ship Cove; the strong flurries from off the land +not permitting us to get in. + +In the afternoon, as we could not move the ship, I went into the Cove, with +the seine, to try to catch some fish. The first thing I did after landing, +was to look for the bottle I left hid when last there, in which was the +memorandum. It was taken away, but by whom it did not appear. Two hauls +with the seine producing only four small fish, we, in some measure, made up +for this deficiency, by shooting several birds, which the flowers in the +garden had drawn thither, as also some old shags, and by robbing the nests +of some young ones. + +Being little wind next morning, we weighed and warped the ship into the +Cove, and there moored with the two bowers. We unbent the sails to repair +them; several having been split, and otherwise damaged in the late gale. +The main and fore courses, already worn to the very utmost, were condemned +as useless. I ordered the top-masts to be struck and unrigged, in order to +fix to them moveable chocks or knees, for want of which the trestle-trees +were continually breaking; the forge to be set up, to make bolts and repair +our iron-work; and tents to be erected on shore for the reception of a +guard, coopers, sail-makers, etc. I likewise gave orders that vegetables (of +which there were plenty) should be boiled every morning with oatmeal and +portable broth for breakfast, and with pease and broth every day for dinner +for the whole crew, over and above their usual allowance of salt meat. + +In the afternoon, as Mr Wales was setting up his observatory, he discovered +that several trees, which were standing when we last sailed from this +place, had been cut down with saws and axes; and a few days after, the +place where an observatory, clock, etc. had been set up, was also found, in +a spot different from that where Mr Wales had placed his. It was, +therefore, now no longer to be doubted, that the Adventure had been in this +cove after we had left it. + +Next day, wind southerly; hazy clouded weather. Every body went to work at +their respective employments, one of which was to caulk the ship's sides, a +thing much wanted. The seams were paid with putty, made with cook's fat and +chalk; the gunner happening to have a quantity of the latter on board. + +The 21st, wind southerly, with continual rains. + +The weather being fair in the afternoon of the 22d, accompanied by the +botanists, I visited our gardens on Motuara, which we found almost in a +state of nature, having been wholly neglected by the inhabitants. +Nevertheless, many articles were in a flourishing condition, and shewed how +well they liked the soil in which they were planted. None of the natives +having yet made their appearance, we made a fire on the point of the +island, in hopes, if they saw the smoke, they might be induced to come to +us. + +Nothing remarkable happened till the 24th, when, in the morning, two canoes +were seen coming down the sound; but as soon as they perceived the ship, +they retired behind a point on the west side. After breakfast I went in a +boat to look for them; and as we proceeded along the shore, we shot several +birds. The report of the muskets gave notice of our approach, and the +natives discovered themselves in Shag Cove by hallooing to us; but as we +drew near to their habitations, they all fled to the woods, except two or +three men, who stood on a rising ground near the shore, with their arms in +their hands. The moment we landed, they knew us. Joy then took place of +fear; and the rest of the natives hurried out of the woods, and embraced us +over and over again; leaping and skipping about like madmen, but I observed +that they would not suffer some women, whom we saw at a distance, to come +near us. After we had made them presents of hatchets, knives, and what else +we had with us, they gave us in return a large quantity of fish, which they +had just caught. There were only a few amongst them whose faces we could +recognise, and on our asking why they were afraid of us, and enquiring for +some of our old acquaintances by name, they talked much about killing, +which was so variously understood by us, that we could gather nothing from +it, so that, after a short stay, we took leave, and went on board. + +Next morning early, our friends, according to a promise they had made us +the preceding evening, paying us a visit, brought with them a quantity of +fine fish, which they exchanged for Otaheitean cloth, etc. and then returned +to their habitations. + +On the 26th, we got into the after-hold four boat-load of shingle ballast, +and struck down six guns, keeping only six on deck. Our good friends the +natives, having brought us a plentiful supply of fish, afterwards went on +shore to the tents, and informed our people there, that a ship like ours +had been lately lost in the strait; that some of the people got on shore; +and that the natives stole their clothes, etc. for which several were shot; +and afterwards, when they could fire no longer, the natives having got the +better, killed them with their patapatoos, and eat them, but that they +themselves had no hand in the affair, which, they said, happened at Vanna +Aroa, near Terrawhitte, on the other side of the strait. One man said it +was two moons ago: But another contradicted him, and counted on his fingers +about twenty or thirty days. They described by actions how the ship was +beat to pieces by going up and down against the rocks, till at last it was +all scattered abroad. + +The next day some others told the same story, or nearly to the same +purport, and pointed over the east bay, which is on the east side of the +sound, as to the place where it happened. These stories making me very +uneasy about the Adventure, I desired Mr Wales, and those on shore, to let +me know if any of the natives should mention it again, or to send them to +me; for I had not heard any thing from them myself. When Mr Wales came on +board to dinner he found the very people who had told him the story on +shore, and pointed them out to me. I enquired about the affair, and +endeavoured to come at the truth by every method I could think of. All I +could get from them was, "Caurey," (no); and they not only denied every +syllable of what they had said on shore, but seemed wholly ignorant of the +matter; so that I began to think our people had misunderstood them, and +that the story referred to some of their own people and boats. + +On the 28th, fresh gales westerly, and fair weather. We rigged and fitted +the top-masts. Having gone on a shooting-party to West Bay, we went to the +place where I left the hogs and fowls; but saw no vestiges of them, nor of +any body having been there since. In our return, having visited the +natives, we got some fish in exchange for trifles which we gave them. As we +were coming away, Mr Forster thought be heard the squeaking of a pig in the +woods, close by their habitations; probably they may have those I left with +them when last here. In the evening we got on board, with about a dozen and +a half of wild fowl, shags, and sea-pies. The sportsmen who had been out in +the woods near the ship were more successful among the small birds. + +On the 29th and 30th nothing remarkable happened, except that in the +evening of the latter all the natives left us. + +The 31st being a fine pleasant day, our botanists went over to Long Island, +where one of the party saw a large black boar. As it was described to me, I +thought it might be one of those which Captain Furneaux left behind, and +had been brought over to this isle by those who had it in keeping. Since +they did not destroy those hogs when first in their possession, we cannot +suppose they will do it now; so that there is little fear but that this +country will in time be stocked with these animals, both in a wild and +domestic state. + +1774 November + +Next day we were visited by a number of strangers who came up from the +sound, and brought with them but little fish. Their chief commodity was +green stone or talc, an article which never came to a bad market; and some +of the largest pieces of it I had ever seen were got this day. + +On the 2d I went over to the east side of the sound, and, without meeting +any thing remarkable, returned on board in the evening, when I learnt that +the same people who visited us the preceding day, had been on board most of +this, with their usual article of trade. + +On the 3d, Mr Pickersgill met with some of the natives, who related to him +the story of a ship being lost, and the people being killed; but added, +with great earnestness, it was not done by them. + +On the 4th, fine pleasant weather. Most of the natives now retired up the +sound. Indeed, I had taken every gentle method, to oblige them to be gone, +for since these newcomers had been with us, our old friends had +disappeared, and we had been without fish. Having gone over to Long Island, +to look for the hog which had been seen there, I found it to be one of the +sows left by Captain Furneaux; the same that was in the possession of the +natives when we were last here. From the supposition of its being a boar, I +had carried over a sow to leave with him; but on seeing my mistake, brought +her back, as the leaving her there would answer no end. + +Early in the morning of the 5th, our old friends made us a visit, and +brought a seasonable supply of fish. At the same time I embarked in the +pinnace, with Messrs Forsters and Sparrman, in order to proceed up the +sound. I was desirous of finding the termination of it; or rather of seeing +if I could find any passage out to sea by the S.E., as I suspected from +some discoveries I had made when first here. In our way up, we met with +some fishers, of whom we made the necessary enquiry; and they all agreed +that there was no passage to the sea by the head of the sound. As we +proceeded, we, some time after, met a canoe conducted by four men coming +down the sound. These confirmed what the others had said, in regard to +there being no passage to the sea the way we were going; but gave us to +understand that there was one to the east, in the very place where I +expected to find it. I now laid aside the scheme of going to the head of +the sound, and proceeded to this arm, which is on the S.E. side, about four +or five leagues above the isle of Motuara. + +A little within the entrance on the S.E. side, at a place called +Kotieghenooee, we found a large settlement of the natives., The chief, +whose name was Tringo-boohee, and his people, whom we found to be some of +those who had lately been on board the ship, received us with great +courtesy. They seemed to be pretty numerous both here and in the +neighbourhood. Our stay with them was short, as the information they gave +us encouraged us to pursue the object we had in view. Accordingly, we +proceeded down the arm E.N.E. and E. by N., leaving several fine coves on +both sides, and at last found it to open into the strait by a channel about +a mile wide, in which ran out a strong tide; having also observed one +setting down the arm, all the time we had been in it. It was now about four +o'clock in the afternoon, and in less than an hour after, this tide ceased, +and was succeeded by the flood, which came in with equal strength. + +The outlet lies S.E. by E. and N.W. by W. and nearly in the direction of +E.S.E. and W.N.W. from Cape Terrawhitte. We found thirteen fathoms water a +little within the entrance, clear ground. It seemed to me that a leading +wind was necessary to go in and out of this passage, on account of the +rapidity of the tides. I, however, had but little time to make observations +of this nature, as night was at hand, and I had resolved to return on +board. On that account I omitted visiting a large _hippa_, or strong-hold, +built on an elevation on the north side, and about a mile or two +within the entrance, The inhabitants of it, by signs, invited us to go to +them; but, without paying any regard to them, we proceeded directly for the +ship, which we reached by ten o'clock, bringing with us some fish we had +got from the natives, and a few birds we had shot. Amongst the latter were +some of the same kinds of ducks we found in Dusky Bay, and we have reason +to believe that they are all to be met with here. For the natives knew them +all by the drawings, and had a particular name for each. + +On the 6th, wind at N.E., gloomy weather with rain. Our old friends having +taken up their abode near us, one of them, whose name was Pedero, (a man of +some note,) made me a present of a staff of honour, such as the chiefs +generally carry. In return, I dressed him in a suit of old clothes, of +which he was not a little proud. He had a fine person, and a good presence, +and nothing but his colour distinguished him from an European. Having got +him, and another, into a communicative mood, we began to enquire of them if +the Adventure had been there during my absence; and they gave us to +understand, in a manner which admitted of no doubt, that, soon after we +were gone, she arrived; that she staid between ten and twenty days, and had +been gone ten months. They likewise asserted that neither she, nor any +other ship, had been stranded on the coast, as had been reported. This +assertion, and the manner in which they related the coming and going of the +Adventure, made me easy about her; but did not wholly set aside our +suspicions of a disaster having happened to some other strangers. Besides +what has been already related, we had been told that a ship had lately been +here, and was gone to a place called Terato, which is on the north side of +the strait. Whether this story related to the former or no, I cannot say. +Whenever I questioned the natives about it, they always denied all +knowledge of it, and for some time past, had avoided mentioning it. It was +but a few days before, that one man received a box on the ear for naming it +to some of our people. + +After breakfast I took a number of hands over to Long Island, in order to +catch the sow, to put her to the boar and remove her to some other place; +but we returned without seeing her. Some of the natives had been there not +long before us, as their fires were yet burning; and they had undoubtedly +taken her away. Pedero dined with us, eat of every thing at table, and +drank more wine than any one of us, without being in the least affected by +it. + +The 7th, fresh gales at N.E. with continual rain. + +The 8th, fore-part rain, remainder fair weather. We put two pigs, a boar, +and a sow, on shore, in the cove next without Cannibal Cove; so that it is +hardly possible all the methods I have taken to stock this country with +these animals should fail. We had also reason to believe that some of the +cocks and hens which I left here still existed, although we had not seen +any of them; for an hen's egg was, some days before, found in the woods +almost new laid. + +On the 9th, wind westerly or N.W., squally with rain. In the morning we +unmoored, and shifted our birth farther out of the cove, for the more ready +getting to sea the next morning; for at present the caulkers had not +finished the sides, and till this work was done we could not sail. Our +friends having brought us a very large and seasonable supply of fish, I +bestowed on Pedero a present of an empty oil-jar, which made him as happy +as a prince. Soon after, he and his party left the cove, and retired to +their proper place of abode, with all the treasure they had received from +us. I believe that they gave away many of the things they, at different +times, got from us, to their friends and neighbours, or else parted with +them to purchase peace of their more powerful enemies; for we never saw any +of our presents after they were once in their possession: And every time we +visited them they were as much in want of hatchets, nails, etc. to all +appearance, as if they never had had any among them. + +I am satisfied that the people in this sound, who are, upon the whole, +pretty numerous, are under no regular form of government, or so united as +to form one body politic. The head of each tribe, or family, seems to be +respected; and that respect may, on some occasions, command obedience; but +I doubt if any amongst them have either a right or power to enforce it. The +day we were with Tringo-boohee, the people came from all parts to see us, +which he endeavoured to prevent. But though he went so far as to throw +stones at some, I observed that very few paid any regard either to his +words or actions; and yet this man was spoken of as a chief of some note. I +have, before, made some remarks on the evils attending these people for +want of union among themselves; and the more I was acquainted with them, +the more I found it to be so. Notwithstanding they are cannibals, they are +naturally of a good disposition, and have not a little humanity. + +In the afternoon a party of us went ashore into one of the coves, where +were two families of the natives variously employed; some sleeping, some +making mats, others roasting fish and fir roots, and one girl, I observed, +was heating of stones. Curious to know what they were for, I remained near +her. As soon as the stones were made hot, she took them out of the fire, +and gave them to an old woman, who was sitting in the hut. She placed them +in a heap, laid over them a handful of green celery, and over that a coarse +mat, and then squatted herself down, on her heels, on the top of all; thus +making a kind of Dutch warming-pan, on which she sat as close as a hare on +her seat. I should hardly have mentioned this operation, if I had thought +it had no other view than to warm the old woman's backside. I rather +suppose it was intended to cure some disorder she might have on her, which +the steams arising from the green celery might be a specific for. I was led +to think so by there being hardly any celery in the place, we having +gathered it long before; and grass, of which there was great plenty, would +have kept the stones from burning the mat full as well, if that had been +all that was meant. Besides, the woman looked to me sickly, and not in a +good state of health. + +Mr Wales, from time to time, communicated to me the observations he had +made in this Sound for determining the longitude, the mean results of which +give 174° 25' 7" 1/2 east, for the bottom of Ship Cove, where the +observations were made; and the latitude of it is 41° 5' 50" 1/2 south. In +my chart, constituted in my former voyage, this place is laid down in 184° +54' 30" west, equal to 175° 5' 30" east. The error of the chart is +therefore 0° 40' 0", and nearly equal to what was found at Dusky Bay; by +which it appears that the whole of Tavai-poenamoo is laid down 40' too far +east in the said chart, as well as in the journal of the voyage. But the +error in Eaheino-mauwe, is not more than half a degree, or thirty minutes; +because the distance between. Queen Charlotte's Sound and Cape Palliser has +been found to be greater by 10' of longitude than it is laid down in the +chart. I mention these errors, not from a fear that they will affect either +navigation or geography, but because I have no doubt of their existence; +for, from the multitude of observations which Mr Wales took, the situation +of few parts of the world is better ascertained than Queen Charlotte's +Sound. Indeed, I might, with equal truth, say the same of all the other +places where we made any stay; for Mr Wales, whose abilities are equal to +his assiduity, lost no one observation that could possibly be obtained. +Even the situation of those islands, which we passed without touching at +them, is, by means of Kendal's watch, determined with almost equal +accuracy. The error of the watch from Otaheite to this place was only 43' +39" 1/2 in longitude, reckoning at the rate it was found to go at, at that +island and at Tanna; but by reckoning at the rate it was going when last at +Queen Charlotte's Sound, and from the time of our leaving it, to our return +to it again, which was near a year, the error was 19' 31", 25 in time, or +4° 52' 48" 1/4 in longitude. This error cannot be thought great, if we +consider the length of time, and that we had gone over a space equal to +upwards of three-fourths of the equatorial circumference of the earth, and +through all the climates and latitudes from 9° to 71°. Mr Wales found its +rate of going here to be that of gaining 12",576, on mean time, per day. + +The mean result of all the observations he made for ascertaining the +variation of the compass and the dip of the south end of the needle, the +three several times we had been here, gave 14° 9' 1/5 east for the former; +and 64° 36" 2/3 for the latter. He also found, from very accurate +observations, that the time of high-water preceded the moon's southing, on +the full and change days, by three hours; and that the greatest rise and +fall of the water was five feet ten inches, and a half; but there were +evident tokens on the beach, of its having risen two feet higher than ever +it did in the course of his experiments. + +A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD. + +BOOK IV. + +FROM LEAVING NEW ZEALAND TO OUR RETURN TO ENGLAND. + +CHAPTER I. + +_The Run from New Zealand to Terra del Fuego, with the Range from Cape +Deseada to Christmas Sound, and Description of that Part of the Coast._ + +1774 November + +At day-break on the 10th, with a fine breeze at W.N.W., we weighed and +stood out of the Sound; and, after getting round the Two Brothers, steered +for Cape Campbell, which is at the S.W. entrance of the Strait, all sails +set, with a fine breeze at north. At four in the afternoon, we passed the +Cape, at the distance of four or five leagues, and then steered S.S.E. 1/2 +E. with the wind at N.W., a gentle gale, and cloudy weather. + +Next morning the wind veered round by the west to south, and forced us more +to the east than I intended. At seven o'clock in the evening, the snowy +mountains bore W. by S., and Cape Palliser N. 1/2 W., distant sixteen or +seventeen leagues; from which cape I, for the third time, took my +departure. After a few hours calm, a breeze springing up at north, we +steered S. by E. all sails set, with a view of getting into the latitude of +54° or 55°; my intention being to cross this vast ocean nearly in these +parallels, and so as to pass over those parts which were left unexplored +the preceding summer. + +In the morning of the 12th, the wind increased to a fine gale: At noon we +observed in latitude 43° 13' 30" S., longitude 176° 41' E.; an +extraordinary fish of the whale kind was seen, which some called a sea +monster. I did not see it myself. In the afternoon, our old companions the +pintado peterels began to appear. + +On the 13th, in the morning, the wind veered to W.S.W. At seven, seeing the +appearance of land to S.W., we hauled up towards it, and soon found it to +be a fog-bank. Afterwards we steered S.E. by S., and soon after saw a seal. +At noon, latitude, by account, 44° 25', longitude 177° 31' E. Foggy +weather, which continued all the afternoon. At six in the evening, the wind +veered to N.E. by N., and increased to a fresh gale, attended with thick +hazy weather; course steered S.E. 1/4 S. + +On the 14th, a.m. saw another seal. At noon, latitude 45° 54', longitude +179° 29' E. + +On the 15th, a.m. the wind veered to the westward; the fog cleared away, +but the weather continued cloudy. At noon, latitude 47° 30', longitude 178° +19' W.; for, having passed the meridian of 180° E., I now reckon my +longitude west of the first meridian, viz. Greenwich. In the evening heard +penguins, and the next morning saw some sea or rock weed. At noon a fresh +gale from the west and fine weather. Latitude observed 49° 33', longitude +175° 31' W. + +Next morning fresh gales and hazy weather; saw a seal and several pieces of +weed. At noon, latitude 51° 12', longitude 173° 17' W. The wind veered to +the N. and N.E. by N., blew a strong gale by squalls, which split an old +topgallant sail, and obliged us to double-reef the top-sails; but in the +evening the wind moderated, and veered to W.N.W., when we loosed a reef out +of each top-sail; and found the variation of the compass to be 9° 52' E., +being then in the latitude 51° 47', longitude 172° 21' W., and the next +morning, the 18th, in the latitude of 52° 25', longitude 170° 45' W., it +was 10° 26' E. Towards noon, had moderate but cloudy weather, and a great +swell from the west: Some penguins and pieces of sea-weed seen. + +On the 19th, steered E.S.E, with a very fresh gale at north, hazy dirty +weather. At noon, latitude 53° 43', longitude 166° 15' W. + +On the 20th, steered E. by S., with a moderate breeze at north, attended +with thick hazy weather. At noon, latitude 54° 8', longitude 162° 18' W. + +On the 21st, winds mostly from the N.E., a fresh gale attended with thick, +hazy, dirty weather. Course S.E. by S.; latitude, at noon, 55° 31', +longitude 160° 29'; abundance of blue peterels and some penguins seen. + +Fresh gales at N.W. by N. and N. by W., and hazy till towards noon of the +22d, when the weather cleared up, and we observed in latitude 55° 48' S., +longitude 156° 56' W. In the afternoon had a few hours calm; after that, +the wind came at S.S.E. and S.E. by S. a light breeze, with which we +steered east northerly. In the night the aurora australis was visible, but +very faint, and no ways remarkable. + +On the 23d, in the latitude of 55° 46' S., longitude 156° 13' W., the +variation was 9° 42' E. We had a calm from ten in the morning till six in +the evening, when a breeze sprung up at west; at first it blew a gentle +gale, but afterwards freshened. Our course was now E. 1/2 N. + +On the 24th, a fresh breeze at N.W. by W. and N. by W. At noon, in latitude +55° 38' S., longitude 153° 37' W., foggy in the night, but next day had a +fine gale at N.W., attended with clear pleasant weather; course steered E. +by N. In the evening, being in the latitude of 55° 8' S., longitude 148° +10' W., the variation, by the mean of two compasses, was 6° 35' E. + +Having a steady fresh gale at N.N.W. on the 26th and 27th, we steered east; +and at noon on the latter were in latitude 55° 6' S., longitude 138° 56' W. + +I now gave up all hopes of finding any more land in this ocean, and came to +a resolution to steer directly for the west entrance of the Straits of +Magalhaeus, with a view of coasting the out, or south side of Terra del +Fuego round Cape Horn to the strait Le Maire. As the world has but a very +imperfect knowledge of this shore, I thought the coasting of it would be of +more advantage, both to navigation and to geography, than any thing I could +expect to find in a higher latitude. In the afternoon of this day, the wind +blew in squalls, and carried away the main top-gallant mast. + +A very strong gale northerly, with hazy rainy weather, on the 28th, obliged +us to double-reef the fore and main top-sail to hand the mizen top-sail, +and get down the fore top-gallant yard. In the morning, the bolt rope of +the main top-sail broke, and occasioned the sail to be split. I have +observed that the ropes to all our sails, the square sails especially, are +not of a size and strength sufficient to wear out the canvass. At noon, +latitude 55° 20' S., longitude 134° 16' W., a great swell from N.W.: +Albatrosses and blue peterels seen. + +Next day towards noon, the wind abating, we loosed all the reefs out of the +top-sails, rigged another top-gallant mast, and got the yards across. P.M. +little wind, and hazy weather; at midnight calm, that continued till noon +the next day, when a breeze sprung up at east, with which we stretched to +the northward. At this time we were in the latitude 55° 32' S., longitude +128° 45' W.; some albatrosses and peterels seen. At eight, p.m., the wind +veering to N.E., we tacked and stood to E.S.E. + +1774 December + +On the 1st of December, thick hazy weather, with drizzling rain, and a +moderate breeze of wind, which, at three o'clock p.m. fell to a calm; at +this time in latitude 55° 41' S., longitude 127° 5' W. After four hours +calm, the fog cleared away, and we got a wind at S.E. with which we stood +N.E. + +Next day, a fresh breeze at S.E. and hazy foggy weather, except a few hours +in the morning, when we found the variation to be 1° 28' E. Latitude 55° +17', longitude 125° 41' W. The variation after this was supposed to +increase; for on the 4th, in the morning, being in latitude 53° 31', +longitude 121° 31' W., it was 3° 16' E.; in the evening, in latitude 53° +13', longitude 119° 46' W., it was 3° 28' E.; and on the 5th, at six +o'clock in the evening, in latitude 53° 8', longitude 115° 58' W., it was +4° 1' E. + +For more than twenty-four hours, having had a fine gale at south, this +enabled us to steer east, with very little deviation to the north; and the +wind now altering to S.W. and blowing a steady fresh breeze, we continued +to steer east, inclining a little to south. + +On the 6th, had some snow-showers. In the evening, being in latitude 53° +13', longitude 111° 12', the variation was 4° 58' E.; and the next morning, +being in latitude 58° 16', longitude 109° 33', it was 5° 1' E. + +The wind was now at west, a fine pleasant gale, sometimes with showers of +rain. Nothing remarkable happened, till the 9th, at noon, when being in the +latitude of 53° 37', longitude 103° 44' W., the wind veered to N.E., and +afterwards came insensibly round to the south, by the E. and S.E., attended +with cloudy hazy weather, and some showers of rain. + +On the 10th, a little before noon, latitude 54°, longitude 102° 7' west, +passed a small bed of sea-weed. In the afternoon the wind veered to S.W., +blew a fresh gale, attended with dark cloudy weather. We steered east half +a point north; and the next day, at six in the evening, being in latitude +53° 35', longitude 95° 52' west, the variation was 9° 58' east. Many and +various sorts of albatrosses about the ship. + +On the 12th, the wind veered to the west, N.W.; and in the evening to +north; and, at last, left us to a calm; that continued till midnight, when +we got a breeze at south; which, soon after, veering to, and fixing at, +west, we steered east; and on the 14th, in the morning, found the variation +to be 13° 25' east, latitude 53° 25', longitude 87° 53' west; and in the +afternoon, being in the same latitude, and the longitude of 86° 2' west, it +was 15° 3' east, and increased in such a manner, that on the 15th, in the +latitude of 53° 30', longitude 82° 23' west, it was 17° east; and the next +evening, in the latitude of 53° 25', longitude 78° 40', it was 17° 38' +east. About this time, we saw a penguin and a piece of weed; and the next +morning, a seal and some diving peterels. For the three last days, the wind +had been at west, a steady fresh gale, attended, now and then, with showers +of rain or hail. + +At six in the morning of the 17th, being nearly in the same latitude as +above, and in the longitude of 77° 10' west, the variation was 18° 33' +east; and in the afternoon it was 21° 38, being at that time in latitude +53° 16' S., longitude 75° 9' west. In the morning, as well as in the +afternoon, I took some observations to determine the longitude by the +watch; and the results, reduced to noon, gave 76° 18' 30" west. At the same +time, the longitude, by my reckoning, was 76° 17' west. But I have reason +to think, that we were about half a degree more to the west than either the +one or the other; our latitude, at the same time, was 53° 21' S. + +We steered E. by N. and E. 1/2 N. all this day, under all the sail we could +carry, with a fine fresh gale at N.W. by W. in expectation of seeing the +land before night; but not making it till ten o'clock, we took in the +studding-sails, top-gallant sails, and a reef in each top-sail, and steered +E.N.E., in order to make sure of falling in with Cape Deseada. + +Two hours after, we made the land, extending from N.E. by N. to E. by S. +about six leagues distant. On this discovery, we wore and brought-to, with +the ship's head to the south; and having sounded, found seventy-five +fathoms water, the bottom stone and shells. The land now before us could be +no other than the west coast of Terra del Fuego, and near the west entrance +to the Straits of Magalhaens. + +As this was the first run that had been made directly across this ocean, in +a high southern latitude*, I have been a little particular in noting +every circumstance that appeared in the least material: and, after all, I +must observe, that I never made a passage any where of such length, or even +much shorter, where so few interesting circumstances occurred. For, if I +except the variation of the compass, I know of nothing else worth notice. +The weather had been neither unusually stormy nor cold. Before we arrived +in the latitude of 50°, the mercury in the thermometer fell gradually from +sixty to fifty; and after we arrived in the latitude of 55°, it was +generally between forty-seven and forty-five; once or twice it fell to +forty-three. These observations were made at noon. + +[It is not to be supposed that I could known at this time, that the +Adventure had made the passage before me.] + +I have now done with the southern Pacific Ocean; and flatter myself that no +one will think that I have left it unexplored; or that more could have been +done, in one voyage, towards obtaining that end, than has been done in +this. + +Soon after we left New Zealand, Mr Wales contrived, and fixed up, an +instrument, which very accurately measured the angle the ship rolled, when +sailing large and in a great sea; and that in which she lay down, when +sailing upon a wind. The greatest angle he observed her to roll was 38°. +This was on the 6th of this month, when the sea was not unusually high; so +that it cannot be reckoned the greatest roll she had made. The most he +observed her to heel or lie down, when sailing upon a wind, was 18°; and +this was under double-reefed top-sails and courses. + +On the 18th, at three in the morning, we sounded again, and found one +hundred and ten fathoms, the same bottom as before. We now made sail with a +fresh gale at N.W., and steered S.E. by E. along the coast. It extended +from Cape Deseada, which bore north 7° east, to E S.E.; a pretty high +ragged isle, which lies near a league from the main, and S., 18° E. six +leagues E. from Cape Deseada, bore N. 49° E. distant four leagues; and it +obtained the name of Landfall. At four o'clock, we were north and south of +the high land of Cape Deseada, distant about nine leagues; so that we saw +none of the low rocks said to lie off it. The latitude of this Cape is +about 53° S., longitude 74° 40' west. + +Continuing to range the coast, at about two leagues distance, at eleven +o'clock we passed a projecting point, which I called Cape Gloucester. It +shews a round surface of considerable height, and has much the appearance +of being an island. It lies S.S.E. 1/2 E. distant seventeen leagues from +the isle of Landfall. The coast between them forms two bays, strewed with +rocky islets, rocks, and breakers. The coast appeared very broken with many +inlets; or rather it seemed to be composed of a number of islands. The land +is very mountainous, rocky, and barren, spotted here and there with tufts +of wood, and patches of snow. At noon Cape Gloucester bore north, distant +eight miles, and the most advanced point of land to the S.E., which we +judged to be Cape Noir, bore S.E. by S., distant seven or eight leagues. +Latitude observed 54° 13' S. Longitude, made from Cape Deseada, 54' E. From +Cape Gloucester, off which lies a small rocky island, the direction of the +coast is nearly S.E.; but to Cape Noir, for which we steered, the course is +S.S.E., distant about ten leagues. + +At three o'clock we passed Cape Noir, which is a steep rock of considerable +height, and the S.W. point of a large island that seemed to lie detached, a +league, or a league and a half, from the main land. The land of the cape, +when at a distance from it, appeared to be an island disjoined from the +other; but, on a nearer approach, we found it connected by a low neck of +land. At the point of the cape are two rocks; the one peaked like a +sugar- loaf, the other not so high, and shewing a rounder surface; and S. +by E., two leagues from the cape, are two other rocky islets. This cape is +situated in the latitude of 54° 30' S., longitude 73° 33' W. + +After passing the two islets, we steered E.S.E., crossing the great bay of +St Barbara. We but just saw the land in the bottom of it, which could not +be less than seven or eight leagues from us. There was a space, lying in +the direction of E.N.E. from Cape Noir, where no land was to be seen: this +may be the channel of St Barbara, which opens into the straits of +Magalhaens, as mentioned by Frezier. We found the cape to agree very well +with his description, which shews that he laid down the channel from good +memoirs. At ten o'clock, drawing near the S.E. point of the bay, which, +lies nearly in the direction of S. 60° E. from Cape Noir, eighteen leagues +distant, we shortened sail, and spent the night standing off and on. + +At two o'clock in the morning of the 19th, having made sail, we steered +S.E. by E. along the coast, and soon passed the S.E. point of the bay of St +Barbara, which I called Cape Desolation, because near it commenced the most +desolate and barren country I ever saw. It is situated in the latitude of +54° 55' S., longitude 72° 12' W. About four leagues to the east of this +cape is a deep inlet, at the entrance of which lies a pretty large island, +and some others of less note. Nearly in this situation some charts place a +channel leading into the straits of Magalhaens, under the name of straits +of Jelouzel. At ten o'clock, being about a league and a half from the land, +we sounded, and found sixty fathoms water, a bottom of small stones and +shells. + +The wind, which had been fresh at N. by W., began to abate, and at noon it +fell calm, when we observed in latitude 55° 20' S., longitude made from +Cape Deseada 3° 24' E. In this situation we were about three leagues from +the nearest shore, which was that of an island. This I named Gilbert Isle, +after my master. It is nearly of the same height with the rest of the +coast, and shews a surface composed of several peaked rocks unequally high. +A little to the S.E. of it are some smaller islands, and, without them, +breakers. + +I have before observed that this is the most desolate coast I ever saw. It +seems entirely composed of rocky mountains without the least appearance of +vegetation. These mountains terminate in horrible precipices, whose craggy +summits spire up to a vast height, so that hardly any thing in nature can +appear with a more barren and savage aspect than the whole of this country. +The inland mountains were covered with snow, but those on the sea-coast +were not. We judged the former to belong to the main of Terra del Fuego, +and the latter to be islands, so ranged as apparently to form a coast. + +After three hours calm we got a breeze at S.E. by E., and having made a +short trip to south, stood in for the land; the most advanced point of +which, that we had in sight, bore east, distant ten leagues. This is a +lofty promontory, lying E.S.E, nineteen leagues from Gilbert isle, and +situated in latitude 55° 26' S, longitude 70° 25' W. Viewed from the +situation we now were in, it terminated in two high towers; and, within +them, a hill shaped like a sugar-loaf. This wild rock, therefore, obtained +the name of York Minster. Two leagues to the westward of this head appeared +a large inlet, the west point of which we fetched in with by nine o'clock, +when we tacked in forty-one fathoms water, half a league from the shore; to +the westward of this inlet was another, with several islands lying in the +entrance. + +During the night between the 19th and 20th we had little wind easterly, +which in the morning veered to N.E. and N.N.E., but it was too faint to be +of use; and at ten we had a calm, when we observed the ship to drive from +off the shore out to sea. We had made the same observation the day before. +This must have been occasioned by a current; and the melting of the snow +increasing, the inland waters will cause a stream to run out of most of +these inlets. At noon we observed in latitude 55° 39' 30" S., York Minster +then bearing N. 15° E., distant five leagues; and Round-hill, just peeping +above the horizon, which we judged to belong to the isles of St Ildefonso, +E. 25° S., ten or eleven leagues distant. At ten o'clock, a breeze +springing up at E. by S., I took this opportunity to stand in for the land, +being desirous of going into one of the many ports which seemed open to +receive us, in order to take a view of the country, and to recruit our +stock of wood and water. + +In standing in for an opening, which appeared on the east side of York +Minster, we had forty, thirty-seven, fifty, and sixty fathoms water, a +bottom of small stones and shells. When we had the last soundings, we were +nearly in the middle between the two points that form the entrance to the +inlet, which we observed to branch into two arms, both of them lying in +nearly north, and disjoined by an high rocky point. We stood for the +eastern branch as being clear of islets; and after passing a black rocky +one, lying without the point just mentioned, we sounded, and found no +bottom with a line of an hundred and seventy fathoms. This was altogether +unexpected, and a circumstance that would not have been regarded if the +breeze had continued; but at this time it fell calm, so that it was not +possible to extricate ourselves from this disagreeable situation. Two boats +were hoisted out, and sent a-head to tow; but they would have availed +little, had not a breeze sprung up about eight o'clock at S.W., which put +it in my power either to stand out to sea, or up the inlet. Prudence seemed +to point out the former, but the desire of finding a good port, and of +learning something of the country, getting the better of every other +consideration, I resolved to stand in; and, as night was approaching, our +safety depended on getting to an anchor. With this view we continued to +sound, but always had an unfathomable depth. + +Hauling up under the east side of the land which divided the two arms, and +seeing a small cove ahead, I sent a boat to sound; and we kept as near the +shore as the flurries from the land would permit, in order to be able to +get into this place, if there should be anchorage. The boat soon returned, +and informed us that there was thirty and twenty-five fathoms water, a full +cable's length from the shore; here we anchored in thirty fathoms, the +bottom sand and broken shells; and carried out a kedge and hawser to steady +the ship for the night. + +CHAPTER II. + +_Transactions in Christmas Sound, with an Account of the Country and its +Inhabitants._ + +1774 December + +The morning of the 21st was calm and pleasant. After breakfast I set out +with two boats to look for a more secure station. We no sooner got round, +or above the point, under which the ship lay, than we found a cove in which +was anchorage in thirty, twenty, and fifteen fathoms, the bottom stones and +sand. At the head of the cove was a stony beach, a valley covered with +wood, and a stream of fresh water, so that there was every thing we could +expect to find in such a place, or rather more; for we shot three geese out +of four that we saw, and caught some young ones, which we afterwards let +go. + +After discovering and sounding this cove, I sent Lieutenant Clerke, who +commanded the other boat, on board, with orders to remove the ship into +this place, while I proceeded farther up the inlet. I presently saw that +the land we were under, which disjoined the two arms, as mentioned before, +was an island, at the north end of which the two channels united. After +this I hastened on board, and found every thing in readiness to weigh, +which was accordingly done, and all the boats sent ahead to tow the ship +round the point. But at that moment a light breeze came in from the sea too +scant to fill our sails, so that we were obliged to drop the anchor again, +for fear of falling upon the point, and to carry out a kedge to windward. +That being done, we hove up the anchor, warped up to, and weighed the +kedge, and proceeding round the point under our stay-sails; there anchored +with the best bower in twenty fathoms; and moored with the other bower, +which lay to the north, in thirteen fathoms. In this position we were shut +in from the sea by the point above-mentioned, which was in one with the +extremity of the inlet to the east. Some islets, off the next point above +us, covered us from the N.W., from which quarter the wind had the greatest +fetch, and our distance from the shore was about one-third of a mile. + +Thus situated we went to work, to clear a place to fill water, to cut wood, +and to set up a tent for the reception of a guard, which was thought +necessary, as we had already discovered that, barren as this country is, it +was not without people, though we had not yet seen any. Mr Wales also got +his observatory and instruments on shore; but it was with the greatest +difficulty he could find a place of sufficient stability, and clear of the +mountains, which every where surrounded us, to set them up in; and at last +he was obliged to content himself with the top of a rock not more than nine +feet over. + +Next day I sent Lieutenants Clerke and Pickersgill, accompanied by some of +the other officers, to examine and draw a sketch of the channel on the +other side of the island; and I went myself in another boat, accompanied by +the botanists, to survey the northern parts of the sound. In my way I +landed on the point of a low isle covered with herbage, part of which had +been lately burnt: We likewise saw a hut, signs sufficient that people were +in the neighbourhood. After I had taken the necessary bearings, we +proceeded round the east end of Burnt Island, and over to what we judged to +be the main of Terra del Fuego, where we found a very fine harbour +encompassed by steep rocks of vast height, down which ran many limpid +streams of water; and at the foot of the rocks some tufts of trees, fit for +little else but fuel. + +This harbour, which I shall distinguish by the name of the Devil's Bason, +is divided, as it were, into two, an inner and an outer one; and the +communication between them is by a narrow channel five fathoms deep. In the +outer bason I found thirteen and seventeen fathoms water, and in the inner +seventeen and twenty-three. This last is as secure a place as can be, but +nothing can be more gloomy. The vast height of the savage rocks which +encompass it, deprived great part of it, even on this day, of the meridian +sun. The outer harbour is not quite free from this inconvenience, but far +more so than the other; it is also rather more commodious, and equally +safe. It lies in the direction of north, a mile and a half distant from +the east end of Burnt Island. I likewise found a good anchoring-place a +little to the west of this harbour, before a stream of water, that comes +out of a lake or large reservoir, which is continually supplied by a +cascade falling into it. + +Leaving this place, we proceeded along the shore to the westward, and found +other harbours which I had not time to look into. In all of them is fresh +water, and wood for fuel; but, except these little tufts of bushes, the +whole country is a barren rock, doomed by nature to everlasting sterility. +The low islands, and even some of the higher, which lie scattered up and +down the sound, are indeed mostly covered with shrubs and herbage, the soil +a black rotten turf, evidently composed, by length of time, of decayed +vegetables. + +I had an opportunity to verify what we had observed at sea, that the sea-coast +is composed of a number of large and small islands, and that the +numerous inlets are formed by the junction of several channels; at least so +it is here. On one of these low islands we found several huts, which had +lately been inhabited; and near them was a good deal of celery, with which +we loaded our boat, and returned on board at seven o'clock in the evening. +In this expedition we met with little game; one duck, three or four shags, +and about that number of rails or sea-pies, being all we got. The other +boat returned on board some hours before, having found two harbours on the +west side of the other channel; the one large, and the other small, but +both of them safe and commodious; though, by the sketch Mr Pickersgill had +taken of them, the access to both appeared rather intricate. + +I was now told of a melancholy accident which had befallen one of our +marines. He had not been seen since eleven or twelve o'clock the preceding +night. It was supposed that he had fallen overboard, out of the head, where +he had been last seen, and was drowned. + +Having fine pleasant weather on the 23d, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill in +the cutter to explore the east side of the sound, and went myself in the +pinnace to the west side, with an intent to go round the island, under +which we were at anchor (and which I shall distinguish by the name of Shag +Island), in order to view the passage leading to the harbours Mr +Pickersgill had discovered the day before, on which I made the following +observations. In coming from sea, leave all the rocks and islands, lying +off and within York Minster, on your larboard side; and the black rock, +which lies off the south end of Shag Island, on your starboard; and when +abreast of the south end of that island, haul over for the west shore, +taking care to avoid the beds of weeds you will see before you, as they +always grow on rocks; some of which I have found twelve fathoms under +water; but it is always best to keep clear of them. The entrance to the +large harbour, or Port Clerke, is just to the north of some low rocks lying +off a point on Shag Island. This harbour lies in W. by S., a mile and a +half, and hath in it from twelve to twenty-four fathoms depth, wood and +fresh water. About a mile without, or to the southward of Port Clerke, is, +or seemed to be, another which I did not examine. It is formed by a large +island which covers it from the south and east winds. Without this island, +that is, between it and York Minster, the sea seemed strewed with islets, +rocks, and breakers. In proceeding round the south end of Shag Island, we +observed the shags to breed in vast numbers in the cliffs of the rock. Some +of the old ones we shot, but could not come at the young ones, which are by +far the best eating. On the east side of the island we saw some geese; and +having with difficulty landed, we killed three, which, at this time, was a +valuable acquisition. + +About seven, in the evening, we got on board, where Mr Pickersgill had +arrived but just before. He informed me that the land opposite to our +station was an island, which he had been round; that on another, more to +the north, be found many _terns_ eggs; and that without the great +island, between it and the east-head, lay a cove in which were many geese; +one only of which he got, beside some young goslings. + +This information of Mr Pickersgill's induced me to make up two shooting +parties next day; Mr Pickersgill and his associates going in the cutter, +and myself and the botanists in the pinnace. Mr Pickersgill went by the +N.E. side of the large island above-mentioned, which obtained the name of +Goose Island; and I went by the S.W. side. As soon as we got under the +island we found plenty of shags in the cliffs, but, without staying to +spend our time and shot upon these, we proceeded on, and presently found +sport enough, for in the south side of the island were abundance of geese. +It happened to be the moulting season; and most of them were on shore for +that purpose, and could not fly. There being a great surf, we found great +difficulty in landing, and very bad climbing over the rocks when we were +landed; so that hundreds of the geese escaped us, some into the sea, and +others up into the island. We, however, by one means or other, got sixty-two, +with which we returned on board all heartily tired; but the +acquisition we had made overbalanced every other consideration, and we sat +down with a good appetite to supper on part of what the preceding day had +produced. Mr Pickersgill and his associates had got on board some time +before us with fourteen geese; so that I was able to make distribution to +the whole crew, which was the more acceptable on account of the approaching +festival. For had not Providence thus singularly provided for us, our +Christmas cheer must have been salt beef and pork. + +I now learnt that a number of the natives, in nine canoes, had been +alongside the ship, and some on board. Little address was required to +persuade them to either; for they seemed to be well enough acquainted with +Europeans, and had, amongst them, some of their knives. + +The next morning, the 25th, they made us another visit. I found them to be +of the same nation I had formerly seen in Success Bay, and the same which +M. de Bougainville distinguishes by the name of Pecheras; a word which +these had, on every occasion, in their mouths. They are a little, ugly, +half-starved, beardless race. I saw not a tall person amongst them. They +are almost naked; their clothing was a seal-skin; some had two or three +sewed together, so as to make a cloak which reached to the knees; but the +most of them had only one skin, hardly large enough to cover their +shoulders, and all their lower parts were quite naked. The women, I was +told, cover their nakedness with the flap of a seal-skin, but in other +respects are clothed like the men. They, as well as the children, remained +in the canoes. I saw two young children at the breast entirely naked; thus +they are inured from their infancy to cold and hardships. They had with +them bows and arrows, and darts, or rather harpoons, made of bone, and +fitted to a staff. I suppose they were intended to kill seals and fish; +they may also kill whales with them, as the Esquimaux do. I know not if +they resemble them in their love of train-oil; but they and every thing +they had smelt most intolerably of it. I ordered them some biscuit, but did +not observe them so fond of it as I had been told. They were much better +pleased when I gave them some medals, knives, etc. + +The women and children, as before observed, remained in their canoes. These +were made of bark; and in each was a fire, over which the poor creatures +huddled themselves. I cannot suppose that they carry a fire in their canoes +for this purpose only, but rather that it may be always ready to remove +ashore wherever they land; for let their method of obtaining fire be what +it may, they cannot be always sure of finding dry fuel that will kindle +from a spark. They likewise carry in their canoes large seal hides, which I +judged were to shelter them when at sea, and to serve as covering to their +huts on shore, and occasionally to be used for sails. + +They all retired before dinner, and did not wait to partake of our +Christmas cheer. Indeed I believe no one invited them, and for good +reasons; for their dirty persons, and the stench they carried about them, +were enough to spoil the appetite of any European; and that would have been +a real disappointment, as we had not experienced such fare for some time. +Roast and boiled geese, goose-pye, etc. was a treat little known to us; and +we had yet some Madeira wine left, which was the only article of our +provision that was mended by keeping. So that our friends in England did +not, perhaps, celebrate Christmas more cheerfully than we did. + +On the 26th, little wind next to a calm, and fair weather, except in the +morning, when we had some showers of rain. In the evening, when it was +cold, the natives made us another visit; and it being distressing to see +them stand trembling and naked on the deck, I could not do less than give +them some baize and old canvas to cover themselves. + +Having already completed our water, on the 27th I ordered the wood, tent, +and observatory to be got on board; and, as this was work for the day, a +party of us went in two boats to shoot geese, the weather being fine and +pleasant. We proceeded round by the south side of Goose Island, and picked +up in all thirty-one. On the east side of the island, to the north of the +east point, is good anchorage, in seventeen fathoms water, where it is +entirely land-locked. This is a good place for ships to lie in that are +bound to the west. On the north side of this isle I observed three fine +coves, in which were both wood and water; but it being near night, I had no +time to sound them, though I doubt not there is anchorage. The way to come +at them is by the west end of the island. + +When I returned on board I found every thing got off the shore, and the +launch in; so that we now only waited for a wind to put to sea. The +festival, which we celebrated at this place, occasioned my giving it the +name of Christmas Sound. The entrance, which is three leagues wide, is +situated in the latitude of 55° 27' S., longitude 70° 16' W.; and in the +direction of N. 37° W. from St Ildefonso Isles, distant ten leagues. These +isles are the best landmark for finding the sound. York Minster, which is +the only remarkable land about it, will hardly be known by a stranger, from +any description that can be given of it, because it alters its appearance +according to the different situations it is viewed from. Besides the black +rock, which lies off the end of Shag Island, there is another about midway +between this and the east shore. A copious description of this sound is +unnecessary, as few would be benefited by it. Anchorage, tufts of wood, and +fresh-water, will be found in all the coves and harbours. I would advise no +one to anchor very near the shore for the sake of having a moderate depth +of water, because there I generally found a rocky bottom. + +The refreshments to be got here are precarious, as they consist chiefly of +wild fowl, and may probably never be found in such plenty as to supply the +crew of a ship; and fish, so far as we can judge, are scarce. Indeed the +plenty of wild-fowl made us pay less attention to fishing. Here are, +however, plenty of muscles, not very large, but well tasted; and very good +celery is to be met with on several of the low islets, and where the +natives have their habitations. The wild-fowl are geese, ducks, sea-pies, +shags, and that kind of gull so often mentioned in this journal under the +name of Port Egmont hen. Here is a kind of duck, called by our people +race-horses, on account of the great swiftness with which they run on the +water; for they cannot fly, the wings being too short to support the body in +the air. This bird is at the Falkland Islands, as appears by Pernety's +Journal*. The geese too are there, and seem to be very well described under +the name of bustards. They are much smaller than our English tame geese, +but eat as well as any I ever tasted. They have short black bills and yellow +feet. The gander is all white; the female is spotted black and white, or grey, +with a large white spot on each wing. Besides the bird above-mentioned, here +are several other aquatic, and some land ones; but of the latter not many. + +[* See Pernety's Journal, p.244 and p.213.] + +From the knowledge which the inhabitants seem to have of Europeans, we may +suppose that they do not live here continually, but retire to the north +during the winter. I have often wondered that these people do not clothe +themselves better, since Nature has certainly provided materials. They +might line their seal-skin cloaks with the skins and feathers of aquatic +birds; they might make their cloaks larger, and employ the same skins for +other parts of clothing, for I cannot suppose they are scarce with them. +They were ready enough to part with those they had to our people, which +they hardly would have done, had they not known where to have got more. In +short, of all the nations I have seen, the Pecheras are the most wretched. +They are doomed to live in one of the most inhospitable climates in the +world, without having sagacity enough to provide themselves with such +conveniences as may render life in some measure more comfortable. + +Barren as this country is, it abounds with a variety of unknown plants, and +gave sufficient employment to Mr Forster and his party. The tree, which +produceth the winter's bark; is found here in the woods, as is the +holy-leaved barberry; and some other sorts, which I know not, but I believe +are common in the straits of Magalhaens. We found plenty of a berry, which we +called the cranberry, because they are nearly of the same colour, size, and +shape. It grows on a bushy plant, has a bitterish taste, rather insipid; +but may he eaten either raw or in tarts, and is used as food by the +natives. + +CHAPTER III. + +_Range from Christmas Sound, round Cape Horn, through Strait Le Maire, +and round Staten Land; with an Account of the Discovery of a Harbour in +that Island, and a Description of the Coasts._ + +1774 December + +At four o'clock in the morning on the 28th, we began to unmoor, and at +eight weighed, and stood out to sea, with a light breeze at N.W., which +afterwards freshened, and was attended with rain. At noon, the east +point of the sound (Point Nativity) bore N. 1/2 W., distant one and a +half leagues, and St Ildefonzo Isles S.E. 1/2 S., distant seven leagues. +The coast seemed to trend in the direction of E. by S.; but the weather +being very hazy, nothing appeared distinct. + +We continued to steer S.E. by E. and E.S.E.; with a fresh breeze at +W.N.W., till four o'clock p.m., when we hauled to the south, in order to +have a nearer view of St Ildefonzo Isles. At this time we were abreast +of an inlet, which lies E.S.E, about seven leagues from the sound; but +it must be observed that there are some isles without this distinction. +At the west point of the inlet are two high peaked hills, and below +them, to the east, two round hills, or isles, which lie in the direction +of N.E. and S.W. of each other. An island, or what appeared to be an +island, lay in the entrance; and another but smaller inlet appeared to +the west of this: Indeed the coast appeared indented and broken as +usual. + +At half past five o'clock, the weather clearing up, gave us a good sight +of Ildefonzo Isles. They are a group of islands and rocks above water, +situated about six leagues from the main, and in the latitude of 55° 53' +S., longitude 69° 41' W. + +We now resumed our course to the east, and, at sun-set, the most +advanced land bore S.E. by E. 3/4 E.; and a point, which I judged to be +the west point of Nassau Bay, discovered by the Dutch fleet under the +command of Admiral Hermite in 1624, bore N. 80° E., six leagues distant. +In some charts this point is called False Cape Horn, as being the +southern point of Terra del Fuego. It is situated in latitude 55° 39' S. +From the inlet above-mentioned to this false cape, the direction of the +coast is nearly east, half a point south, distant fourteen or fifteen +leagues. + +At ten o'clock, having shortened sail, we spent the night in making +short boards under the top-sails, and at three next morning made sail, +and steered S.E. by S., with a fresh breeze at W.S.W., the weather +somewhat hazy. At this time the west entrance to Nassau Bay extended +from N. by E. to N.E. 1/2 E., and the south side of Hermite's Isles, E. +by S. At four, Cape Horn, for which we now steered, bore E. by S. It is +known, at a distance, by a high round hill over it. A point to the +W.N.W. shews a surface not unlike this; but their situations alone will +always distinguish the one from the other. + +At half past seven, we passed this famous _cape_, and entered the +southern Atlantic ocean. It is the very same point of land I took for +the cape, when I passed it in 1769, which at that time I was doubtful +of. It is the most southern extremity on a group of islands of unequal +extent, lying before Nassau Bay, known by the name of Hermite Islands, +and is situated in the latitude of 55° 58', and in the longitude of 68° +13' W.; according to the observations made of it in 1769. But the +observations which we had in Christmas Sound, and reduced to the cape by +the watch, and others which we had afterwards, and reduced back to it by +the same means, place it in 67° 19'. It is most probable that a mean +between the two, viz. 67° 46', will be nearest the truth. On the N.W. +side of the cape are two peaked rocks, like sugar-loaves: They lie N.W. +by N., and S.E. by S., by compass, of each other. Some other straggling +low rocks lie west of the cape, and one south of it; but they are all +near the shore. From Christmas Sound to Cape Horn the course is E.S.E +1/4 E., distant thirty-one leagues. In the direction of E.N.E., three +leagues from Cape Horn, is a rocky point, which I called Mistaken Cape, +and is the southern point of the easternmost of Hermite Isles. Between +these two capes there seemed to be a passage directly into Nassau Bay; +some small isles were seen in the passage; and the coast, on the west +side, had the appearance of forming good bays or harbours. In some +charts, Cape Horn is laid down as belonging to a small island. This was +neither confirmed, nor can it be contradicted by us; for several +breakers appeared on the coast, both to the east and west of it; and the +hazy weather rendered every object indistinct. The summits of some of +the hills were rocky, but the sides and vallies seemed covered with a +green turf, and wooded in tufts. + +From Cape Horn we steered E. by N. 1/2 N., which direction carried us +without the rocks that lie off Mistaken Cape. These rocks are white with +the dung of fowls, and vast numbers were seen about them. After passing +them we steered N.E. 1/2 E. and N.E., for Strait Le Maire, with a view +of looking into Success Bay, to see if there were any traces of the +Adventure having been there. At eight o'clock in the evening, drawing +near the strait, we shortened sail, and hauled the wind. At this time +the Sugar-loaf on Terra del Fuego bore N. 33° W.; the point of Success +Bay, just open of the cape of the same name, bearing N. 20° E.; and +Staten Land, extending from N. 53° E. to 67° E. Soon after the wind +died away, and we had light airs and calms by turns till near noon the +next day, during which time we were driven by the current over to Staten +Land. + +The calm being succeeded by a light breeze at N.N.W., we stood over for +Success Bay, assisted by the currents, which set to the north. Before +this we had hoisted our colours, and fired two guns; and soon after saw +a smoke rise out of the woods, above the south point of the bay, which I +judged was made by the natives, as it was at the place where they +resided when I was here in 1769. As soon as we got off the bay, I sent +Lieutenant Pickersgill to see if any traces remained of the Adventure +having been there lately; and in the mean time we stood on and off with +the ship. At two o'clock, the current turned and set to the south; and +Mr Pickersgill informed me, when he returned, that it was falling water +on shore, which was contrary to what I had observed when I was here +before, for I thought then that the flood came from the north. Mr +Pickersgill saw not the least signs of any ship having been there +lately. I had inscribed our ship's name on a card, which he nailed to a +tree at the place where the Endeavour watered. This was done with a view +of giving Captain Furneaux some information, in case he should be behind +us and put in here. + +On Mr Pickersgill's landing he was courteously received by several of +the natives, who were clothed in guanicoe and seal skins, and had on +their arms bracelets, made of silver wire, and wrought not unlike the +hilt of a sword, being no doubt the manufacture of some Europeans. They +were the same kind of people we had seen in Christmas Sound, and, like +them, repeated the word pechera on every occasion. One man spoke much to +Mr Pickersgill, pointing first to the ship and then to the bay, as if he +wanted her to come in. Mr Pickersgill said the bay was full of whales +and seals; and we had observed the same in the strait, especially on the +Terra del Fuego side, where the whales, in particular, are exceedingly +numerous. + +As soon as the boat was hoisted in, which, was not till near six +o'clock, we made sail to the east, with a fine breeze at north. For +since we had explored the south coast of Terra del Fuego, I resolved to +do the same by Staten Land, which I believed to have been as little +known as the former. At nine o'clock the wind freshening, and veering to +N.W., we tacked, and stood to S.W., in order to spend the night; which +proved none of the best, being stormy and hazy, with rain. + +Next morning, at three o'clock, we bore up for the east end of Staten +Land, which, at half past four, bore S. 60° E., the west end S. 2° E., +and the land of Terra del Fuego S. 40° W. Soon after I had taken these +bearings, the land was again obscured in a thick haze, and we were +obliged to make way, as it were, in the dark; for it was but now and +then we got a sight of the coast. As we advanced to the east, we +perceived several islands, of unequal extent, lying off the land. There +seemed to be a clear passage between the easternmost, and the one next +to it, to the west. I would gladly have gone through this passage, and +anchored under one of the islands, to have waited for better weather, +for on sounding we found only twenty-nine fathoms water; but when I +considered that this was running to leeward in the dark, I chose to keep +without the islands, and accordingly hauled off to the north. At eight +o'clock we were abreast of the most eastern isle, distant from it about +two miles, and had the same depth of water as before. I now shortened +sail to the three top-sails, to wait for clear weather; for the fog was +so thick that we could see no other land than this island. After waiting +an hour, and the weather not clearing, we bore up and hauled round the +east end of the island, for the sake of smooth water and anchorage, if +it should be necessary. In hauling round, we found a strong race of a +current, like unto broken water; but we had no less than nineteen +fathoms. We also saw on the island abundance of seals and birds. This +was a temptation too great for people in our situation to withstand, to +whom fresh provisions of any kind were acceptable; and determined me to +anchor, in order that we might taste of what we now only saw at a +distance. At length, after making a few boards, fishing, as it were, for +the best ground, we anchored in twenty-one fathoms water, a stony +bottom, about a mile from the island, which extended from N. 18° E. to +N. 55° 1/2 W.; and soon after, the weather clearing up, we saw Cape St +John, or the east end of Staten Land, bearing S. 76° E., distant four +leagues. We were sheltered from the south wind by Staten Land, and from +the north wind by the island; the other isles lay to the west, and +secured us from that wind; but beside being open to the N.E. and E., we +also lay exposed to the N.N.W. winds. This might have been avoided by +anchoring more to the west, but I made choice of my situation for two +reasons; first, to be near the island we intended to land upon, and, +secondly, to be able to get to sea with any wind. + +After dinner we hoisted out three boats, and landed with a large party +of men; some to kill seals, others to catch or kill birds, fish, or what +came in our way. To find the former it mattered not where we landed, for +the whole shore was covered with them; and by the noise they made one +would have thought the island was stocked with cows and calves. On +landing we found they were a different animal from seals, but in shape +and motion exactly resembling them. We called them lions, on account of +the great resemblance the male has to that beast. Here were also the +same kind of seals which we found in New Zealand, generally known by the +name of sea-bears; at least we gave them that name. + +They were, in general, so tame, or rather stupid, as to suffer us to +come near enough to knock them down with sticks; but the large ones we +shot, not thinking it safe to approach them. We also found on the island +abundance of penguins and shags; and the latter had young ones almost +fledged, and just to our taste. Here were geese and ducks, but not many; +birds of prey, and a few small birds. In the evening we returned on +board, our boats well laden with one thing or other. + +1775 January + +Next day, being January the 1st, 1775, finding that nothing was wanting +but a good harbour to make this a tolerable place for ships to refresh +at, whom chance or design, might bring hither, I sent Mr Gilbert over to +Staten Land in the cutter to look for one. Appearances promised success +in a place opposite the ship. I also sent two other boats for the lions, +etc. we had killed the preceding day; and soon after I went myself, and +observed the sun's meridian altitude at the N.E. end of the island, +which gave the latitude 54° 40' 5" S. After shooting a few geese, some +other birds, and plentifully supplying ourselves with young shags, we +returned on board, laden with sea-lions, sea-bears, etc. The old lions +and bears were killed chiefly for the sake of their blubber, or fat, to +make oil of; for, except their haslets, which were tolerable, the flesh +was too rank to be eaten with any degree of relish. But the young cubs +were very palateable, and even the flesh of some of the old lionesses +was not much amiss, but that of the old males was abominable. In the +afternoon I sent some people on shore to skin and cut off the fat of +those which yet remained dead on shore, for we had already more carcases +on board than necessary; and I went myself, in another boat, to collect +birds. About ten o'clock Mr Gilbert returned from Staten Land, where he +found a good port, situated three leagues to the westward of Cape St +John, and in the direction of north, a little easterly, from the N.E. +end of the eastern island. It may be known by some small islands lying +in the entrance. The channel, which is on the east side of these +islands, is half a mile broad. The course is in S.W. by S., turning +gradually to W. by S. and W. The harbour lies nearly in this last +direction; is almost two miles in length; in some places near a mile +broad; and hath in it from fifty to ten fathoms water, a bottom of mud +and sand. Its shores are covered with wood fit for fuel; and in it are +several streams of fresh water. On the islands were sea-lions, etc. and +such an innumerable quantity of gulls as to darken the air when +disturbed, and almost to suffocate our people with their dung. This they +seemed to void in a way of defence, and it stunk worse than assafoetida, +or what is commonly called devil's dung. Our people saw several geese, +ducks, and race-horses, which is also a kind of duck. The day on which +this port was discovered occasioned my calling it New-Year's Harbour. It +would be more convenient for ships bound to the west, or round Cape +Horn, if its situation would permit them to put to sea with an easterly +and northerly wind. This inconvenience, however, is of little +consequence, since these winds are never known to be of long duration. +The southerly and westerly are the prevailing winds, so that a ship +never can be detained long in this port. + +As we could not sail in the morning of the 2d for want of wind, I sent a +party of men on shore to the island, on the same duty as before. Towards +noon we got a fresh breeze at west; but it came too late, and I resolved +to wait till the next morning, when, at four o'clock, we weighed, with a +fresh gale at N.W. by W., and stood for Cape St John, which, at half +past six, bore N. by E., distant four or five miles. This cape, being +the eastern point of Staten Land, a description of it is unnecessary. It +may, however, not be amiss to say, that it is a rock of a considerable +height, situated in the latitude of 54° 46' S., longitude 63° 47' W., +with a rocky islet lying close under the north part of it. To the +westward of the cape, about five or six miles, is an inlet, which seemed +to divide the land, that is, to communicate with the sea to the south; +and between this inlet and the cape is a bay, but I cannot say of what +depth. In sailing round the cape we met with a very strong current from +the south: It made a race which looked like breakers; and it was as much +as we could do, with a strong gale, to make head against it. + +After getting round the cape, I hauled up along the south coast, and as +soon as we had brought the wind to blow off the land, it came upon us in +such heavy squalls as obliged us to double-reef our top-sails. It +afterwards fell, by little and little, and at noon ended in a calm. At +this time Cape St John bore N. 20° E., distant three and a half leagues; +Cape St Bartholomew, or the S.W. point of Staten Land, S. 83° W.; two +high detached rocks N. 80° W.; and the place where the land seemed to be +divided, which had the same appearance on this side, bore N. 15° W. +three leagues distant. Latitude observed 54° 56'. In this situation we +sounded, but had no bottom with a line of 120 fathoms. The calm was of +very short duration, a breeze presently springing up at N.W.; but it was +too faint to make head against the current, and we drove with it back to +the N.N.E. At four o'clock the wind veered, at once, to S. by E., and +blew in squalls attended with rain. Two hours after, the squalls and +rain subsided, and the wind returning back to the west, blew a gentle +gale. All this time the current set us to the north, so that, at eight +o'clock, Cape St John bore W.N.W., distant about seven leagues. I now +gave over plying, and steered S.E., with a resolution to leave the land; +judging it to be sufficiently explored to answer the most general +purposes of navigation and geography. + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Observations, geographical and nautical, with an Account of the Islands +near Staten Land, and the Animals found in them_. + +1775 January + +The annexed chart will very accurately shew the direction, extent, and +position of the coast, along which I have sailed, either in this or my +former voyage. The latitudes have been determined by the sun's meridian +altitude, which we were so fortunate as to obtain every day, except the +one we sailed from Christmas Sound, which was of no consequence, as its +latitude was known before. The longitudes have been settled by lunar +observations, as is already mentioned. I have taken 67° 46' for the +longitude of Cape Horn. From this meridian the longitudes of all the +other parts are deduced by the watch, by which the extent of the whole +mast be determined to a few miles; and whatever errors there may be in +longitude, must be general. But I think it highly probable that the +longitude is determined to within a quarter of a degree. Thus the extent +of Terra del Fuego from east to west, and consequently that of the +straits of Magalhaens, will be found less than most navigators have made +it. + +In order to illustrate this and to shew the situations of the +neighbouring lands, and, by this means, make the chart of more general +use, I have extended it down to 47° of latitude. But I am only +answerable for the accuracy of such parts as I have explored myself. In +laying down the rest I had recourse to the following authorities. + +The longitude of Cape Virgin Mary, which is the most essential point, as +it determines the length of the straits of Magalhaens, is deduced from +Lord Anson, who made 2° 30' difference of longitude between it and the +Strait Le Maire. Now as the latter lies in 65° 22', Cape Virgin-Mary +must lie in: 67° 52', which is the longitude I have assigned to it, and +which, I have reason to think, cannot be far from the truth. + +The strait of Magalhaens, and the east coast of Patagonia, are laid down +from the observations made by the late English and French navigators. + +The position of the west coast of America, from Cape Victory northward, +I have taken from the discoveries of _Sarmiento_, a Spanish navigator, +communicated to me by Mr Stuart, F.R.S. + +Falkland Islands are copied from a sketch taken from Captain M'Bride, +who circumnavigated them some years ago in his majesty's ship Jason; and +their distance from the main is agreeable to the run of the Dolphin, +under the command of Commodore Byron, from Cape Virgin Mary to Port +Egmont, and from Port Egmont to Port Desire, both of which runs were +made in a few days; consequently no material errors could happen. + +The S.W. coast of Terra del Fuego, with respect to inlets, islands, etc. +may be compared to the coast of Norway; for I doubt if there be an +extent of three leagues where there is not an inlet or harbour which +will receive and shelter the largest shipping. The worst is, that till +these inlets are better known, one has, as it were, to fish for +anchorage. There are several lurking rocks on the coast, but happily +none of them lie far from land, the approach to which may be known by +sounding, supposing the weather so obscure that you cannot see it. For +to judge of the whole by the parts we have sounded, it is more than +probable that there are soundings all along the coast, and for several +leagues out to sea. Upon the whole, this is by no means the dangerous +coast it has been represented. + +Staten Land lies near E. by N. and W. by S., and is ten leagues long in +that direction, and no where above three or four leagues broad. The +coast is rocky, much indented, and seemed to form several bays or +inlets. It shews a surface of craggy hills which spire up to a vast +height, especially near the west end. Except the craggy summits of the +hills, the greatest part was covered with trees and shrubs, or some sort +of herbage, and there was little or no snow on it. The currents between +Cape Deseada and Cape Horn set from west to east, that is, in the same +direction as the coast; but they are by no means considerable. To the +east of the cape their strength is much increased, and their direction +is N.E. towards Staten Land. They are rapid in Strait Le Maire and along +the south coast of Staten Land, and set like a torrent round Cape St +John; where they take a N.W. direction, and continue to run very strong +both within and without New Year's Isles. While we lay at anchor within +this island, I observed that the current was strongest during the flood; +and that on the ebb its strength was so much impaired, that the ship +would sometimes ride head to the wind when it was at W. and W.N.W. This +is only to be understood of the place where the ship lay at anchor, for +at the very time we had a strong current setting to the westward, Mr +Gilbert found one of equal strength near the coast of Staten Land +setting to the eastward, though probably this was an eddy current or +tide. + +If the tides are regulated by the moon, it is high-water by the shore at +this place on the days of the new and full moon, about four o'clock. The +perpendicular rise and fall is very inconsiderable, not exceeding four +feet at most. In Christmas Sound it is high-water at half past two +o'clock on the days of the full and change, and Mr Wales observed it to +rise and fall on a perpendicular three feet six inches; but this was +during the neap tides, consequently the spring tides must rise higher. +To give such an account of the tides and currents on these coasts as +navigators might depend on, would require a multitude of observations, +and in different places, the making of which would be a work of time. I +confess myself unprovided with materials for such a task; and believe +that the less I say on this subject the fewer mistakes I shall make. But +I think I have been able to observe, that in Strait Le Maire the +southerly tide or current, be it flood or ebb, begins to act on the days +of new and full moon about four o'clock, which remark may be of use to +ships who pass the strait. + +Were I bound round Cape Horn to the west, and not in want of wood or +water, or any other thing that might make it necessary to put into port, +I would not come near the land at all. For by keeping out at sea you +avoid the currents, which, I am satisfied, lose their force at ten or +twelve leagues from land; and at a greater distance, there is none. + +During the time we were upon the coast we had more calms than storms, +and the winds so variable, that I question if a passage might not have +been made from east to west in as short a time as from west to east; nor +did we experience any cold weather. The mercury in the thermometer at +noon was never below 46°; and while we lay in Christmas Sound it was +generally above temperate. At this place the variation was 23° 30' E.; a +few leagues to the S. W. of Strait Le Maire it was 24°; and at anchor, +within New Year's Isles, it was 24° 20' E. + +These isles are, in general, so unlike Staten Land, especially the one +on which we landed, that it deserves a particular description. It shews +a surface of equal height, and elevated about thirty or forty feet above +the sea, from which it is defended by a rocky coast. The inner part of +the isle is covered with a sort of sword-grass, very green, and of a +great length. It grows on little hillocks of two or three feet in +diameter, and as many or more in height, in large tufts, which seemed to +be composed of the roots of the plant matted together. Among these +hillocks are a vast number of paths made by sea-bears and penguins, by +which they retire into the centre of the isle. It is, nevertheless, +exceedingly bad travelling; for these paths are so dirty that one is +sometimes up to the knees in mire. Besides this plant, there are a few +other grasses, a kind of heath, and some celery. The whole surface is +moist and wet, and on the coast are several small streams of water. The +sword-grass, as I call it, seems to be the same that grows in Falkland +Isles, described by Bougainville as a kind of _gladiolus_, or rather a +species of _gramen_* and named by Pernety corn-flags. + +[See English translation of Bougainville, p.51.] + +The animals found on this little spot are sea-lions, sea-bears, a +variety of oceanic, and some land-birds. The sea-lion is pretty well +described by Pernety, though those we saw here have not such fore-feet +or fins as that he has given a plate of, but such fins as that which he +calls the sea-wolf. Nor did we see any of the size he speaks of; the +largest not being more than twelve or fourteen feet in length, and +perhaps eight or ten in circumference. They are not of that kind +described under the same name by Lord Anson; but, for aught I know, +these would more properly deserve that appellation: The long hair, with +which the back of the head, the neck and shoulders, are covered, giving +them greatly the air and appearance of a lion. The other part of the +body is covered with short hair, little longer than that of a cow or a +horse, and the whole is a dark-brown. The female is not half so big as +the male, and is covered with a short hair of an ash or light-dun +colour. They live, as it were, in herds, on the rocks, and near the +sea-shore. As this was the time for engendering as well as bringing +forth their young, we have seen a male with twenty or thirty females +about him, and always very attentive to keep them all to himself, and +beating off every other male who attempted to come into his flock. +Others again had a less number; some no more than one or two; and here +and there we have seen one lying growling in a retired, place, alone, +and suffering neither males nor females to approach him: We judged these +were old and superannuated. + +The sea-bears are not so large, by far, as the lions, but rather larger +than a common seal. They have none of that long hair which distinguishes +the lion. Theirs is all of an equal length, and finer than that of the +lion, something like an otter's, and the general colour is that of an +iron-grey. This is the kind which the French call sea-wolfs, and the +English seals; they are, however, different from the seals we have in +Europe and North America. The lions may, too, without any great +impropriety, be called over-grown seals; for they are all of the same +species. It was not at all dangerous to go among them, for they either +fled or lay still. The only danger was in going between them and the +sea; for if they took fright at any thing, they would come down in such +numbers, that, if you could not get out of their way, you would be run +over. Sometimes, when we came suddenly upon them, or waked them out of +their sleep, (for they are a sluggish sleepy animal), they would raise +up their heads; snort and snarl, and look as fierce as if they meant to +devour us; but as we advanced upon them they always run away, so that +they are downright bullies. + +The penguin is an amphibious bird, so well known to most people, that I +shall only observe, they are here in prodigious numbers, so that we +could knock down as many as we pleased with a stick. I cannot say they +are good eating. I have indeed made several good meals of them, but it +was for want of better victuals. They either do not breed here, or else +this was not the season; for we saw neither eggs nor young ones. + +Shags breed here in vast numbers; and we carried on board not a few, as +they are very good eating. They take certain spots to themselves, and +build their nests near the edge of the cliffs on little hillocks, which +are either those of the sword-grass, or else they are made by the shags +building on them from year to year. There is another sort rather smaller +than these, which breed in the cliffs of rocks. + +The geese are of the same sort we found in Christmas Sound; we saw but +few, and some had young ones. Mr Forster shot one which was different +from these, being larger, with a grey plumage, and black feet. The +others make a noise exactly like a duck. Here were ducks, but not many; +and several of that sort which we called race-horses. We shot some, and +found them to weigh twenty-nine or thirty pounds; those who eat of them +said they were very good. + +The oceanic birds were gulls, terns, Port Egmont hens, and a large brown +bird, of the size of an albatross, which Pernety calls quebrantahuessas. +We called them Mother Carey's geese, and found them pretty good eating; +The land-birds were eagles, or hawks, bald-headed vultures, or what our +seamen called turkey-buzzards, thrushes, and a few other small birds. + +Our naturalists found two new species of birds. The one is about the +size of a pigeon, the plumage as white as milk. They feed along-shore, +probably on shell-fish and carrion, for they have a very disagreeable +smell. When we first saw these birds we thought they were the +snow-peterel, but the moment they were in our possession the mistake was +discovered; for they resemble them in nothing but size and colour. These +are not webb-footed. The other sort is a species of curlews nearly as +big as a heron. It has a variegated plumage, the principal colours +whereof are light-grey, and a long crooked bill. + +I had almost forgot to mention that there are sea-pies, or what we +called, when in New Zealand, curlews; but we only saw a few straggling +pairs. It may not be amiss to observe, that the shags are the same bird +which Bougainville calls saw-bills; but he is mistaken in saying that +the quebrantahuessas are their enemies; for this bird is of the peterel +tribe, feeds wholly on fish, and is to be found in all the high southern +latitudes. + +It is amazing to see how the different animals which inhabit this little +spot are mutually reconciled. They seem to have entered into a league +not to disturb each other's tranquillity. The sea-lions occupy most of +the sea-coast; the sea-bears take up their abode in the isle; the shags +have post in the highest cliffs; the penguins fix their quarters where +there is the most easy communication to and from the sea; and the other +birds choose more retired places. We have seen all these animals mix +together, like domestic cattle and poultry in a farm-yard, without one +attempting to molest the other. Nay, I have often observed the eagles +and vultures sitting on the hillocks among the shags, without the +latter, either young or old, being disturbed at their presence. It may +be asked how these birds of prey live? I suppose on the carcases of +seals and birds which die by various causes; and probably not few, as +they are so numerous. + +This very imperfect account is written more with a view to assist my own +memory than to give information to others. I am neither a botanist nor a +naturalist; and have not words to describe the productions of nature, +either in the one branch of knowledge or the other. + +CHAPTER V. + +_Proceedings after leaving Staten Island, with an Account of the +Discovery of the Isle of Georgia, and a Description of it._ + +1775 January + +Having left the land in the evening of the 3d, as before mentioned, we +saw it again next morning, at three o'clock, bearing west. Wind +continued to blow a steady fresh breeze till six p.m., when it shifted +in a heavy squall to S.W., which came so suddenly upon us, that we had +not time to take in the sails, and was the occasion of carrying away a +top-gallant mast, a studding-sail boom, and a fore studding-sail. The +squall ended in a heavy shower of rain, but the wind remained at S.W. +Our course was S.E., with a view of discovering that extensive coast +laid down by Mr Dalrymple in his chart, in which is the gulph of St +Sebastian. I designed to make the western point of that gulph, in order +to have all the other parts before me. Indeed I had some doubt of the +existence of such a coast; and this appeared to me the best route for +clearing it up, and for exploring the southern part of this ocean. + +On the 5th, fresh gales, and wet and cloudy weather. At noon observed in +57° 9', latitude made from Cape St John, 5° 2' E. At six o'clock p.m., +being in the latitude 57° 21', and in longitude 57° 45' W., the +variation was 21° 28' E. + +At eight o'clock in the evening of the 6th, being then in the latitude +of 58° 9' S., longitude 53° 14' W., we close-reefed our top-sails, and +hauled to the north, with a very strong gale at west, attended with a +thick haze and sleet. The situation just mentioned is nearly the same +that Mr Dalrymple assigns for the S.W. point of the gulph of St +Sebastian. But as we saw neither land, nor signs of land, I was the more +doubtful of its existence, and was fearful that, by keeping to the +south, I might miss the land said to be discovered by La Roche in 1675, +and by the ship Lion in 1756, which Mr Dalrymple places in 54° 30' +latitude, and 45° of longitude; but on looking over D'Anville's chart, I +found it laid down 9° or 10° more to the west; this difference of +situation being to me a sign of the uncertainty of both accounts, +determined me to get into the parallel as soon as possible, and was the +reason of my hauling to the north at this time. + +Towards the morning of the 7th the gale abated, the weather cleared up, +and the wind veered to the W.S.W., where it continued till midnight, +after which it veered to N.W. Being at this time in the latitude of 56° +4' S., longitude 53° 36' W., we sounded, but found no bottom with a line +of one hundred and thirty fathoms. I still kept the wind on the +larboard-tack, having a gentle breeze and pleasant weather. On the 8th, +at noon, a bed of sea-weed passed the ship. In the afternoon, in +latitude 55° 4', longitude 51° 43' W., the variation was 20° 4' E. + +On the 9th, wind at N.E., attended with thick hazy weather; saw a seal, +and a piece of sea-weed. At noon, latitude 55° 12' S., longitude 50° 15' +W., the wind and weather continuing the same till towards midnight, when +the latter cleared up, and the former veered to west, and blew a gentle +gale. We continued to ply till two o'clock the next morning, when we +bore away east, and at eight E.N.E.; at noon, observed in latitude 54° +35' S., longitude 47° 56' W., a great many albatrosses and blue peterels +about the ship. I now steered east, and the next morning, in the +latitude of 54° 38', longitude 45° 10' W., the variation was 19° 25' E. +In the afternoon saw several penguins, and some pieces of weed. + +Having spent the night lying-to, on the 12th, at day-break, we bore +away, and steered east northerly, with a fine fresh breeze at W.S.W.; at +noon observed in latitude 54° 28' S., longitude in 42° 8' W.; that is, +near 3° E. of the situation in which Mr Dalrymple places the N.E. point +of the gulph of St Sebastian; but we had no other signs of land than +seeing a seal and a few penguins; on the contrary, we had a swell from +E.S.E., which would hardly have been, if any extensive track of land lay +in that direction. In the evening the gale abated, and at midnight it +fell calm. + +The calm, attended by a thick fog, continued till six next morning, when +we got a wind at east, but the fog still prevailed. We stood to the +south till noon, when, being in the latitude of 55° 7', we tacked and +stretched to the north with a fresh breeze at E. by S. and E.S.E., +cloudy weather; saw several penguins and a snow-peterel, which we looked +on to be signs of the vicinity of ice. The air too was much colder than +we had felt it since we left New Zealand. In the afternoon the wind +veered to the S.E., and in the night to S.S.E., and blew fresh, with +which we stood to the N.E. + +At nine o'clock the next morning we saw an island of ice, as we then +thought, but at noon were doubtful whether it was ice or land. At this +time it bore E. 3/4 S., distant thirteen leagues; our latitude was 53° +56' 1/2, longitude 39° 24' W.; several penguins, small divers, a +snow-peterel, and a vast number of blue peterels about the ship. We had +but little wind all the morning, and at two p.m. it fell calm. It was +now no longer doubted that it was land, and not ice, which we had in +sight. It was, however, in a manner wholly covered with snow. We were +farther confirmed in our judgement of its being land, by finding +soundings at one hundred and seventy-five fathoms, a muddy bottom. The +land at this time bore E. by S., about twelve leagues distant. At six +o'clock the calm was succeeded by a breeze at N.E., with which we stood +to S.E. At first it blew a gentle gale; but afterwards increased so as +to bring us under double-reefed top-sails, and was attended with snow +and sleet. + +We continued to stand to the S.E. till seven in the morning on the +15th, when the wind veering to the S.E., we tacked and stood to the +north. A little before we tacked, we saw the land bearing E. by N. At +noon the mercury in the thermometer was at 35° 1/4. The wind blew in +squalls, attended with snow and sleet, and we had a great sea to +encounter. At a lee-lurch which the ship took, Mr Wales observed her to +lie down 42°. At half past four p.m. we took in the top-sails, got down +top-gallant yards, wore the ship, and stood to the S.W., under two +courses. At midnight the storm abated, so that we could carry the +top-sails double-reefed. + +At four in the morning of the 16th we wore and stood to the east, with +the wind at S.S.E., a moderate breeze, and fair; at eight o'clock saw +the land extending from E. by N. to N.E. by N.; loosed a reef out of +each top-sail, got top-gallant yards across, and set the sails. At noon +observed in latitude 54° 25' 1/2, longitude 38° 18' W. In this situation +we had one hundred and ten fathoms water; and the land extended from N. +1/2 W. to E., eight leagues distant. The northern extreme was the same +that we first discovered, and it proved to be an island, which obtained +the name of Willis's Island, after the person who first saw it. + +At this time we had a great swell from the south, an indication that no +land was near us in that direction; nevertheless the vast quantity of +snow on that in sight induced us to think it was extensive, and I chose +to begin with exploring the northern coast. With this view we bore up +for Willis's Island, all sails set, having a fine gale at S.S.W. As we +advanced to the north, we perceived another isle lying east of Willis's, +and between it and the main. Seeing there was a clear passage between +the two isles, we steered for it, and at five o'clock, being in the +middle of it, we found it about two miles broad. + +Willis's Isle is an high rock of no great extent, near to which are some +rocky islets. It is situated in the latitude of 54° S., longitude 38° +23' W. The other isle, which obtained the name of Bird Isle, on account +of the vast number that were upon it, is not so high, but of greater +extent, and is close to the N.E. point of the main land, which I called +Cape North. + +The S.E. coast of this land, as far as we saw it, lies in the direction +of S. 50° E., and N. 50° W. It seemed to form several bays or inlets; +and we observed huge masses of snow, or ice, in the bottoms of them, +especially in one which lies ten miles to the S.S.E. of Bird Isle. + +After getting through the passage, we found the north coast trended E. +by N., for about nine miles; and then east and east-southerly to Cape +Buller, which is eleven miles more. We ranged the coast, at one league +distance, till near ten o'clock, when we brought-to for the night, and +on sounding found fifty fathoms, a muddy bottom. + +At two o'clock in the morning of the 17th we made sail in for the land, +with a fine breeze at S.W.; at four, Willis's Isle bore W. by S., +distant thirty-two miles; Cape Buller, to the west of which lie some +rocky islets, bore S.W. by W.; and the most advanced point of land to +the east, S. 63° E. We now steered along shore, at the distance of four +or five miles, till seven o'clock, when, seeing the appearance of an +inlet, we hauled in for it. As soon as we drew near the shore, having +hoisted out a boat, I embarked in it, accompanied by Mr Forster and his +party, with a view of reconnoitring the bay before we ventured in with +the ship. When we put off from her, which was about four miles from the +shore, we had forty fathoms water. I continued to sound as I went +farther in, but found no bottom with a line of thirty-four fathoms, +which was the length of that I had in the boat, and which also proved +too short to sound the bay, so far as I went up it. I observed it to lie +in S.W. by S. about two leagues, about two miles broad, well sheltered +from all winds; and I judged there might be good anchorage before some +sandy beaches which are on each side, and likewise near a low flat isle, +towards the head of the bay. As I had come to a resolution not to bring +the ship in, I did not think it worth my while to go and examine these +places; for it did not seem probable that any one would ever be +benefited by the discovery. I landed at three different places, +displayed our colours, and took possession of the country in his +majesty's name, under a discharge of small arms. + +I judged that the tide rises about four or five feet, and that it is +high water on the full and change days about eleven o'clock. + +The head of the bay, as well as two places on each side, was terminated +by perpendicular ice-cliffs of considerable height. Pieces were +continually breaking off, and floating out to sea; and a great fall +happened while we were in the bay, which made a noise like cannon. + +The inner parts of the country were not less savage and horrible. The +wild rocks raised their lofty summits till they were lost in the clouds, +and the valleys lay covered with everlasting snow. Not a tree was to be +seen, nor a shrub even big enough to make a toothpick. The only +vegetation we met with was a coarse strong-bladed grass growing in +tufts, wild burnet, and a plant like moss, which sprung from the rocks. + +Seals, or sea-bears, were pretty numerous. They were smaller than those +at Staten Land: Perhaps the most of those we saw were females, for the +shores swarmed with young cubs. We saw none of that sort which we call +lions; but there were some of those which the writer of Lord Anson's +voyage describes under that name; at least they appeared to us to be of +the same sort; and are, in my opinion, very improperly called lions, for +I could not see any grounds for the comparison. + +Here were several flocks of penguins, the largest I ever saw; some which +we brought on board weighed from twenty-nine to thirty-eight pounds. It +appears by Bougainville's account of the animals of Falkland Islands, +that this penguin is there; and I think it is very well described by him +under the name of first class of penguins*. The oceanic birds were +albatrosses, common gulls, and that sort which I call Port Egmont hens, +terns, shags, divers, the new white bird, and a small bird like those of +the Cape of Good Hope, called yellow birds; which, having shot two, we +found most delicious food. + +[* See Bougainville, English translation p.64.] + +All the land birds we saw consisted of a few small larks, nor did we +meet with any quadrupeds. Mr Forster indeed observed some dung, which he +judged to come from a fox, or some such animal. The lands, or rather +rocks, bordering on the sea-coast, were not covered with snow like the +inland parts; but all the vegetation we could see on the clear places +was the grass above-mentioned. The rocks seemed to contain iron. Having +made the above observations, we set out for the ship, and got on board a +little after twelve o'clock, with a quantity of seals and penguins, an +acceptable present to the crew. + +It must not, however, be understood that we were in want of provisions: +we had yet plenty of every kind; and since we had been on this coast, I +had ordered, in addition to the common allowance, wheat to be boiled +every morning for breakfast; but any kind of fresh meat was preferred by +most on board to salt. For my own part, I was now, for the first time, +heartily tired of salt meat of every kind; and though the flesh of the +penguins could scarcely vie with bullock's liver, its being fresh was +sufficient to make it go down. I called the bay we had been in, +Possession Bay. It is situated in the latitude of 54° 5' S., longitude +37° 18' W., and eleven leagues to the east of Cape North. A few miles to +the west of Possession Bay, between it and Cape Buller, lies the Bay of +Isles, so named on account of several small isles lying in and before it. + +As soon as the boat was hoisted in, we made sail along the coast to the +east, with a fine breeze at W.S.W. From Cape Buller the direction of the +coast is S. 72° 30' E., for the space of eleven or twelve leagues, to a +projecting point, which obtained the name of Cape Saunders. Beyond this +cape is a pretty large bay, which I named Cumberland Bay. In several +parts in the bottom of it, as also in some others of less extent, lying +between Cape Saunders and Possession Bay, were vast tracks of frozen +snow, or ice, not yet broken loose. At eight o'clock, being just past +Cumberland Bay, and falling little wind, we hauled off the coast, from +which we were distant about four miles, and found one hundred and ten +fathoms water. + +We had variable light airs and calms till six o'clock the next morning, +when the wind fixed at north, and blew a gentle breeze; but it lasted no +longer than ten o'clock, when it fell almost to a calm. At noon, +observed in latitude 54° 30' S., being then about two or three leagues +from the coast, which extended from N. 59° W. to S. 13° W. The land in +this last direction was an isle, which seemed to be the extremity of the +coast to the east. The nearest land to us being a projecting point which +terminated in a round hillock, was, on account of the day, named Cape +Charlotte. On the west side of Cape Charlotte lies a bay which obtained +the name of Royal Bay, and the west point of it was named Cape George. +It is the east point of Cumberland Bay, and lies in the direction of +S.E. by E. from Cape Saunders, distant seven leagues. Cape George and +Cape Charlotte lie in the direction of S. 37° E. and N. 37° W., distant +six leagues from each other. The isle above-mentioned, which was called +Cooper's Isle, after my first lieutenant, lies in the direction of S. by +E., distant eight leagues from Cape Charlotte. The coast between them +forms a large bay, to which I gave the name of Sandwich. The wind being +variable all the afternoon we advanced but little; in the night it fixed +at S. and S.S.W., and blew a gentle gale, attended with showers of snow. + +The 19th was wholly spent in plying, the wind continuing at S. and +S.S.W., clear pleasant weather, but cold. At sunrise a new land was +seen, bearing S.E. 1/2 E. It first appeared in a single hill, like a +sugar-loaf; some time after other detached pieces appeared above the +horizon near the hill. At noon, observed in the latitude 54° 42' 30" S., +Cape Charlotte bearing N. 38° W., distant four leagues; and Cooper's +Isle S. 31° W. In this situation a lurking rock, which lies off Sandwich +Bay, five miles from the land, bore W. 1/2 N., distant one mile, and +near this rock were several breakers. In the afternoon we had a prospect +of a ridge of mountains behind Sandwich Bay, whose lofty and icy summits +were elevated high above the clouds. The wind continued at S.S.W. till +six o'clock, when it fell to a calm. At this time Cape Charlotte bore N. +31° W., and Cooper's Island W.S.W. In this situation we found the +variation, by the azimuths, to be 11° 39', and by the amplitude, 11° 12' +E. At ten o'clock, a light breeze springing up at north, we steered to +the south till twelve, and then brought-to for the night. + +At two o'clock in the morning of the 20th we made sail to S.W. round +Cooper's Island. It is a rock of considerable height, about five miles +in circuit, and one mile from the main. At this isle the main coast +takes a S.W. direction for the space of four or five leagues to a point, +which I called Cape Disappointment. Off that are three small isles, the +southernmost of which is green, low, and flat, and lies one league from +the cape. + +As we advanced to S.W. land opened, off this point, in the direction of +N. 60° W., and nine leagues beyond it. It proved an island quite +detached from the main, and obtained the name of Pickersgill Island, +after my third officer. Soon after a point of the main, beyond this +island, came in sight, in the direction of N. 55° W., which exactly +united the coast at the very point we had seen, and taken the bearing +of, the day we first came in with it, and proved to a demonstration that +this land, which we had taken for part of a great continent, was no more +than an island of seventy leagues in circuit. + +Who would have thought that an island of no greater extent than this, +situated between the latitude of 54° and 55°, should, in the very height +of summer, be in a manner wholly covered, many fathoms deep, with frozen +snow, but more especially the S.W. coast? The very sides and craggy +summits of the lofty mountains were cased with snow and ice; but the +quantity which lay in the valleys is incredible; and at the bottom of +the bays the coast was terminated by a wall of ice of considerable +height. It can hardly be doubted that a great deal of ice is formed here +in the water, which in the spring is broken off, and dispersed over the +sea; but this island cannot produce the ten-thousandth part of what we +saw; so that either there must be more land, or the ice is formed +without it. These reflections led me to think that the land we had seen +the preceding day might belong to an extensive track, and I still had +hopes of discovering a continent. I must confess the disappointment I +now met with did not affect me much; for, to judge of the bulk by the +sample, it would not be worth the discovery. + +I called this island the isle of Georgia, in honour of his majesty. It +is situated, between the latitudes of 53° 57' and 54° 57' S.; and +between 38° 13' and 35° 34' west longitude. It extends S.E. by E. and +N.W. by W., and is thirty-one leagues long in that direction; and its +greatest breadth is about ten leagues. It seems to abound with bays and +harbours, the N.E. coast especially; but the vast quantity of ice must +render them inaccessible the greatest part of the year; or, at least, it +must be dangerous lying in them, on account of the breaking up of the +ice cliffs. + +It is remarkable that we did not see a river, or stream of fresh water, +on the whole coast. I think it highly probable that there are no +perennial springs in the country; and that the interior parts, as being +much elevated, never enjoy heat enough to melt the snow in such +quantities as to produce a river, or stream, of water. The coast alone +receives warmth sufficient to melt the snow, and this only on the N.E. +side; for the other, besides being exposed to the cold south winds, is, +in a great degree, deprived of the sun's rays, by the uncommon height of +the mountains. + +It was from a persuasion that the sea-coast of a land situated in the +latitude of 54°, could not, in the very height of summer, be wholly +covered with snow, that I supposed Bouvet's discovery to be large +islands of ice. But after I had seen this land, I no longer hesitated +about the existence of Cape Circumcision; nor did I doubt that I should +find more land than I should have time to explore. With these ideas I +quitted this coast, and directed my course to the E.S.E. for the land we +had seen the preceding day. + +The wind was very variable till noon, when it fixed at N.N.E., and blew +a gentle gale; but it increased in such a manner, that, before three +o'clock, we were reduced to our two courses, and obliged to strike +top-gallant yards. We were very fortunate in getting clear of the land, +before this gale overtook us; it being hard to say what might have been +the consequence had it come on while we were on the north coast. This +storm was of short duration; for, at eight o'clock it began to abate; +and at midnight it was little wind. We then took the opportunity to +sound, but found no bottom with a line of an hundred and eighty fathoms. + +Next day the storm was succeeded by a thick fog, attended with rain; the +wind veered to N.W., and, at five in the morning, it fell calm, which +continued till eight; and then we got a breeze southerly, with which we +stood to the east till three in the afternoon. The weather then coming +somewhat clear, we made sail, and steered north in search of land; but, +at half-past six, we were again involved in a thick mist, which made it +necessary to haul the wind, and spend the night in making short boards. + +We had variable light airs next to a calm, and thick foggy weather, till +half-past seven o'clock in the evening of the 22d, when we got a fine +breeze at north, and the weather was so clear that we could see two or +three leagues round us. We seized the opportunity, and steered to west; +judging we were to the east of the land. After running ten miles to the +west, the weather again became foggy, and we hauled the wind, and spent +the night under top-sails. + +Next morning at six o'clock, the fog clearing away, so that we could see +three or four miles, I took the opportunity to steer again to the west, +with the wind at east, a fresh breeze; but two hours after, a thick fog +once more obliged us to haul the wind to the south. At eleven o'clock, a +short interval of clear weather gave us view of three or four rocky +islets extending from S.E. to E.N.E., two or three miles distant; but +we did not see the Sugar-Loaf Peak beforementioned. Indeed, two or three +miles was the extent of our horizon. + +We were well assured that this was the land we had seen before, which we +had now been quite round; and therefore it could be no more than a few +detached rocks, receptacles for birds, of which we now saw vast numbers, +especially shags, who gave us notice of the vicinity of land before we +saw it. These rocks lie in the latitude of 55° S., and S. 75° E., +distant twelve leagues from Cooper's Isle. + +The interval of clear weather was of very short duration, before we had +as thick a fog as ever, attended with rain, on which we tacked in sixty +fathoms water, and stood to the north. Thus we spent our time, involved +in a continual thick mist; and, for aught we knew, surrounded by +dangerous rocks. The shags and soundings were our best pilots; for after +we had stood a few miles to the north, we got out of soundings, and saw +no more shags. The succeeding day and night we spent in making short +boards; and at eight o'clock on the 24th, judging ourselves not far from +the rocks by some straggling shags which came about us, we sounded in +sixty fathoms water, the bottom stones and broken shells. Soon after, we +saw the rocks bearing S.S.W. 1/2 W., four miles distant, but still we +did not see the peak. It was, no doubt, beyond our horizon, which was +limited to a short distance; and, indeed, we had but a transient sight +of the other rocks, before they were again lost in the fog. + +With a light air of wind at north, and a great swell from N.E., we were +able to clear the rocks to the west; and, at four in the p.m., judging +ourselves to be three or four leagues east and west of them, I steered +south, being quite tired with cruizing about them in a thick fog; nor +was it worth my while to spend any more time in waiting for clear +weather, only for the sake of having a good sight of a few straggling +rocks. At seven o'clock, we had at intervals a clear sky to the west, +which gave us a sight of the mountains of the isle of Georgia, bearing +W.N.W., about eight leagues distant. At eight o'clock we steered S.E. by +S., and at ten S.E. by E., with a fresh breeze at north, attended with a +very thick fog; but we were, in some measure, acquainted with the sea +over which we were running. The rocks above-mentioned obtained the name +of Clerke's Rocks, after my second officer, he being the first who saw +them. + +CHAPTER VI. + +_ Proceedings after leaving the Isle of Georgia, with an Account of the +Discovery of Sandwich Land; with some Reasons for there being Land about +the South Pole_. + +1775 January + +On the 25th, we steered E.S.E., with a fresh gale at N.N.E., attended +with foggy weather, till towards the evening, when the sky becoming +clear, we found the variation to be 9° 26' E., being at this time in the +latitude of 56° 16' S., longitude 32° 9' W. + +Having continued to steer E.S.E., with a fine gale at N.N.W., till +day-light next morning, on seeing no land to the east, I gave orders to +steer south, being at this time in the latitude of 56° 33' S., longitude +31° 10' W. The weather continued clear, and gave us an opportunity to +observe several distances of the sun and moon for the correcting our +longitude, which at noon was 31° 4' W., the latitude observed 57° 38' S. +We continued to steer to the south till the 27th, at noon, at which time +we were in the latitude of 59° 46' S., and had so thick a fog that we +could not see a ship's length. It being no longer safe to sail before +the wind, as we were to expect soon to fall in with ice, I therefore +hauled to the east, having a gentle breeze at N.N.E. Soon after the fog +clearing away, we resumed our course to the south till four o'clock, +when it returned again as thick as ever, and made it necessary for us to +haul upon a wind. + +I now reckoned we were in latitude 60° S., and farther I did not intend +to go, unless I observed some certain signs of soon meeting with land. +For it would not have been prudent in me to have spent my time in +penetrating to the south, when it was at least as probable that a large +tract of land might be found near Cape Circumcision. Besides, I was +tired of these high southern latitudes, where nothing was to be found +but ice and thick fogs. We had now a long hollow swell from the west, a +strong indication that there was no land in that direction; so that I +think I may venture to assert that the extensive coast, laid down in Mr +Dalrymple's chart of the ocean between Africa and America, and the Gulph +of St Sebastian, do not exist. + +At seven o'clock in the evening, the fog receding from us a little, gave +us a sight of an ice island, several penguins and some snow peterels; we +sounded, but found no ground at one hundred and forty fathoms. The fog +soon returning, we spent the night in making boards over that space +which we had, in some degree, made ourselves acquainted with in the day. + +At eight in the morning of the 28th, we stood to the east, with a gentle +gale at north; the weather began to clear up; and we found the sea +strewed with large and small ice; several penguins, snow peterels, and +other birds were seen, and some whales. Soon after we had sun-shine, but +the air was cold; the mercury in the thermometer stood generally at +thirty-five, but at noon it was 37°; the latitude by observation was 60° +4' S., longitude 29° 23' W. + +We continued to stand to the east till half-past two o'clock, p.m., when +we fell in, all at once, with a vast number of large ice-islands, and a +sea strewed with loose ice. The weather too was become thick and hazy, +attended with drizzling rain and sleet, which made it the more dangerous +to stand in among the ice. For this reason we tacked and stood back to +the west, with the wind at north. The ice-islands, which at this time +surrounded us, were nearly all of equal height, and shewed a flat even +surface; but they were of various extent, some being two or three miles +in circuit. The loose ice was what had broken from these isles. + +Next morning, the wind falling and veering to S.W., we steered N.E.; but +this coarse was soon intercepted by numerous ice-islands; and, having +but very little wind, we were obliged to steer such courses as carried +us the clearest of them; so that we hardly made any advance, one way or +other, during the whole day. Abundance of whales and penguins were about +us all the time; and the weather fair, but dark and gloomy. + +At midnight the wind began to freshen at N.N.E., with which we stood to +the N.W., till six in the morning of the 30th, when the wind veering to +N.N.W., we tacked and stood to N.E., and soon after sailed through a +good deal of loose ice, and passed two large islands. Except a short +interval of clear weather about nine o'clock, it was continually foggy, +with either sleet or snow. At noon we were, by our reckoning, in the +latitude of 59° 3O' S., longitude 29° 24' W. + +Continuing to stand to N.E. with a fresh breeze at N.N.W., at two +o'clock, we passed one of the largest ice-islands we had seen in the +voyage, and some time after passed two others, which were much smaller; +Weather still foggy, with sleet: And the wind continued at N. by W., +with which we stood to N.E., over a sea strewed with ice. + +At half an hour past six next morning, as we were standing N.N.E. with +the wind at west, the fog very fortunately clearing away a little, we +discovered land ahead, three or four miles distant. On this we hauled +the wind to the north; but finding we could not weather the land on this +tack, we soon after tacked in one hundred and seventy-five fathoms +water, three miles from the shore, and about half a league from some +breakers. The weather then cleared up a little more, and gave us a +tolerably good sight of the land. That which we had fallen in with +proved three rocky islets of considerable height. The outermost +terminated in a lofty peak like a sugar-loaf, and obtained the name of +Freezeland Peak, after the man who first discovered it. Latitude 59° S., +longitude 27° W. Behind this peak, that is to the east of it, appeared +an elevated coast, whose lofty snow-clad summits were seen above the +clouds. It extended from N. by E. to E.S.E., and I called it Cape +Bristol, in honour of the noble family of Hervey. At the same time +another elevated coast appeared in sight, bearing S.W. by S., and at +noon it extended from S.E. to S.S.W., from four to eight leagues +distant; at this time the observed latitude was 59° 13' 30" S., +longitude 27° 45' W. I called this land Southern Thule, because it is +the most southern land that has ever yet been discovered. It shews a +surface of vast height, and is every where covered with snow. Some +thought they saw land in the space between Thule and Cape Bristol. It is +more than probable that these two lands are connected, and that this +space is a deep bay, which I called Forster's Bay. + +At one o'clock, finding that we could not weather Thule, we tacked and +stood to the north, and at four, Freezeland Peak bore east, distant +three or four leagues. Soon after, it fell little wind, and we were left +to the mercy of a great westerly swell, which set right upon the shore. +We sounded, but a line of two hundred fathoms found no bottom. + +At eight o'clock, the weather, which had been very hazy, clearing up, we +saw Cape Bristol bearing E.S.E., and terminating in a point to the +north, beyond which we could see no land. This discovery relieved us +from the fear of being carried by the swell on the most horrible coast +in the world, and we continued to stand to the north all night, with a +light breeze at west. + +1775 February + +On the 1st of February, at four o'clock in the morning, we got sight of +a new coast, which at six o'clock bore N. 60° east. It proved a high +promontory, which I named Cape Montagu, situated in latitude 58° 27' S., +longitude 26° 44' west, and seven or eight leagues to the north of Cape +Bristol. We saw land from space to space between them, which made me +conclude that the whole was connected. I was sorry I could not determine +this with greater certainty; but prudence would not permit me to venture +near a coast, subject to thick fogs, on which there was no anchorage; +where every port was blocked or filled up with ice; and the whole +country, from the summits of the mountains, down to the very brink of +the cliffs which terminate the coast, covered, many fathoms thick, with +everlasting snow. The cliffs alone was all which was to be seen like +land. + +Several large ice-islands lay upon the coast; one of which attracted my +notice. It had a flat surface, was of considerable extent both in height +and circuit, and had perpendicular sides, on which the waves of the sea +had made no impression; by which I judged that it had not been long from +land, and that it might lately have come out of some bay on the coast, +where it had been formed. + +At noon we were east and west of the northern part of Cape Montagu, +distant about five leagues, and Freezeland Peak bore S. 16° east, +distant twelve leagues; latitude observed 58° 25' S. In the morning the +variation was 10° 11' east. At two in the afternoon, as we were standing +to the north, with a light breeze at S.W., we saw land bearing N. 25' +east, distant fourteen leagues. Cape Montagu bore at this time, S. 66° +east; at eight it bore S. 40° east; Cape Bristol, S. by E.; the new land +extending from N. 40° to 52° east; and we thought we saw land still more +to the east, and beyond it. + +Continuing to steer to the north all night, at six o'clock the next +morning a new land was seen bearing N. 12° east, about ten leagues +distant. It appeared in two hummocks just peeping above the horizon; but +we soon after lost sight of them; and having got the wind at N.N.E. a +fresh breeze, we stood for the northernmost land we had seen the day +before, which at this time bore E.S.E. We fetched in with it by ten +o'clock, but could not weather it, and were obliged to tack three miles +from the coast, which extended from E. by S. to S.E., and had much the +appearance of being an island of about eight or ten leagues circuit. It +shews a surface of considerable height, whose summit was lost in the +clouds, and, like all the neighbouring lands, covered with a sheet of +snow and ice, except in a projecting point on the north side, and two +hills seen over this point, which probably might be two islands. These +only were clear of snow, and seemed covered with a green turf. Some +large ice islands lay to the N.E., and some others to the south. + +We stood off till noon, and then tacked for the land again, in order to +see whether it was an island or no. The weather was now become very +hazy, which soon turning to a thick fog, put a stop to discovery, and +made it unsafe to stand for the shore; so that after having run the same +distance in, as we had run off, we tacked and stood to N.W., for the +land we had seen in the morning, which was yet at a considerable +distance. Thus we were obliged to leave the other, under the supposition +of its being an island, which I named Saunders, after my honourable +friend Sir Charles. It is situated in the latitude of 57° 49' south +longitude, 26° 44' west; and north, distant thirteen leagues, from Cape +Montagu. + +At six o'clock in the evening, the wind shifting to the west, we tacked, +and stood to the north; and at eight the fog clearing away, gave us a +sight of Saunders's Isle, extending from S.E. by S. to E.S.E. We were +still in doubt if it was an island; for, at this time, land was seen +bearing E. by S., which might or might not be connected with it; it +might also be the same that we had seen the preceding evening. But, be +this as it may, it was now necessary to take a view of the land to the +north, before we proceeded any farther to the east. With this intention, +we stood to the north, having a light breeze at W. by S., which at two +o'clock in the morning of the 3d, was succeeded by a calm that continued +till eight, when we got the wind at E. by S. attended by hazy weather. +At this time we saw the land we were looking for, and which proved to be +two isles. The day on which they were discovered, was the occasion of +calling them Candlemas Isles; latitude 57° 11' S., longitude 27° 6' W. +They were of no great extent, but of considerable height, and were +covered with snow. A small rock was seen between them, and perhaps there +may be more; for the weather was so hazy that we soon lost sight of the +islands, and did not see them again till noon, at which time they bore +west, distant three or four leagues. + +As the wind kept veering to the south, we were obliged to stand to the +N.E., in which route we met with several large ice islands, loose ice, +and many penguins; and at midnight, came at once into water uncommonly +white, which alarmed the officer of the watch so much, that he tacked +the ship instantly. Some thought it was a float of ice; others that it +was shallow water; but, as it proved neither, probably it was a shoal of +fish. + +We stood to the south till two o'clock next morning, when we resumed our +course to the east with a faint breeze at S.S.E. which having ended in a +calm, at six, I took the opportunity of putting a boat in the water to +try if there were any current; and the trial proved there was none. Some +whales were playing about us, and abundance of penguins: a few of the +latter were shot, and they proved to be of the same sort that we had +seen among the ice before, and different both from those on Staten Land, +and from those at the isle of Georgia. It is remarkable, that we had not +seen a seal since we left that coast. At noon we were in latitude of 56° +44' S., longitude 25° 33' W. At this time we got a breeze at east, with +which we stood to the south, with a view of gaining the coast we had +left; but at eight o'clock the wind shifted to the south, and made it +necessary to tack and stand to the east; in which course we met with +several ice-islands and some loose ice; the weather continuing hazy with +snow and rain. + +No penguins were seen on the 5th, which made me conjecture that we were +leaving the land behind us, and that we had already seen its northern +extremity. At noon we were in the latitude of 57° 8' S., longitude 23° +34' west, which was 3° of longitude to the east of Saunders's Isle. In +the afternoon the wind shifted to the west; this enabled us to stretch +to the south, and to get into the latitude of the land, that, if it took +an east direction, we might again fall in with it. + +We continued to steer to the south and S.E. till next day at noon, at +which time we were in the latitude of 58° 15' S., longitude 21° 34' +west, and seeing neither land nor signs of any, I concluded that what we +had seen, which I named Sandwich Land, was either a group of islands, or +else a point of the continent. For I firmly believe that there is a +tract of land near the Pole which is the source of most of the ice that +is spread over this vast southern ocean. I also think it probable that +it extends farthest to the north opposite the southern Atlantic and +Indian oceans; because ice was always found by us farther to the north +in these oceans than any where else, which I judge could not be, if +there were not land to the south; I mean a land of considerable extent. +For if we suppose that no such land exists, and that ice may be formed +without it, it will follow of course that the cold ought to be every +where nearly equal round the Pole, as far as 70° or 60' of latitude, or +so far as to be beyond the influence of any of the known continents; +consequently we ought to see ice every where under the same parallel, or +near it; and yet the contrary has been, found. Very few ships have met +with ice going round Cape Horn: And we saw but little below the sixtieth +degree of latitude, in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Whereas in this +ocean, between the meridian of 40° west and 50° or 60° east, we found +ice as far north as 51°. Bouvet met with, some in 48°, and others have +seen it in a much lower latitude. It is true, however, that the greatest +part of this southern continent (supposing there is one), must lie +within the polar circle, where the sea is so pestered with ice, that the +land is thereby inaccessible. The risque one runs in exploring a coast, +in these unknown and icy seas, is so very great, that I can be bold +enough to say that no man will ever venture farther than I have done; +and that the lands which may lie to the south will never be explored. +Thick fogs, snow storms, intense cold, and every other thing that can +render navigation dangerous, must be encountered, and these difficulties +are greatly heightened by the inexpressibly horrid aspect of the +country; a country doomed by nature never once to feel the warmth of +the sun's rays, but to lie buried in everlasting snow and ice. The ports +which may be on the coast, are, in a manner, wholly filled up with +frozen snow of vast thickness; but if any should be so far open as to +invite a ship into it, she would run a risque of being fixed there for +ever, or of coming out in an ice island. The islands and floats on the +coast, the great falls from the ice-cliffs in the port, or a heavy +snow-storm attended with a sharp frost, would be equally fatal. + +After such an explanation as this, the reader must not expect to find me +much farther to the south. It was, however, not for want of inclination, +but for other reasons. It would have been rashness in me to have risqued +all that had been done during the voyage, in discovering and exploring a +coast, which, when discovered and explored, would have answered no end +whatever, or have been of the least use, either to navigation or +geography, or indeed to any other science. Bouvet's discovery was yet +before us, the existence of which was to be cleared up; and, besides all +this, we were not now in a condition to undertake great things; nor +indeed was there time, had we been ever so well provided. + +These reasons induced me to alter the course to the east, with a very +strong gale at north, attended with an exceedingly heavy fall of snow. +The quantity which lodged on our sails was so great, that we were +frequently obliged to throw the ship up in the wind to shake it out of +them, otherwise neither they nor the ship could have supported the +weight. In the evening it ceased to snow; the weather cleared up, the +wind backed to the west, and we spent the night in making two short +boards, under close-reefed top-sails and fore-sail. + +At day-break on the 7th, we resumed our course to the east, with a very +fresh gale at S.W. by W., attended by a high sea from the same +direction. In the afternoon, being in the latitude of 58° 24' S., +longitude 16° 19' west, the variation was 1° 52' east. Only three +ice-islands seen this day. At eight o'clock, shortened sail, and hauled +the wind to the S.E. for the night, in which we had several showers of +snow and sleet. + +On the 8th at day-light, we resumed our east course with a gentle breeze +and fair weather. After sun-rise, being then in the latitude of 58° 30' +S., longitude 15° 14' west, the variation, by the mean results of two +compasses, was 2° 43' east. These observations were more to be depended +on than those made the night before, there being much less sea now than +then. In the afternoon, we passed three ice-islands. This night was +spent as the preceding. + +At six next morning, being in the latitude of 58° 27' S., longitude 13° +4' W., the variation was 26' E.; and in the afternoon, being in the same +latitude, and about a quarter of a degree more to the east, it was 2' +west. Therefore this last situation must be in or near the Line, in +which the compass has no variation. We had a calm the most part of the +day. The weather fair and clear, excepting now and then a snow-shower. +The mercury in the thermometer at noon rose to 40; whereas, for several +days before, it had been no higher than 36 or 38. We had several +ice-islands in sight, but no one thing that could induce us to think +that any land was in our neighbourhood. At eight in the evening a breeze +sprung up at S.E., with which we stood to N.E. + +During the night the wind freshened and veered south, which enabled us +to steer east. The wind was attended with showers of sleet and snow till +day-light, when the weather became fair, but piercing cold, so that the +water on deck was frozen, and at noon the mercury in the thermometer was +no higher than 34-1/2. At six o'clock in the morning, the variation was +23' west, being then in the latitude of 58° 15' S., longitude 11° 41' W; +and at six in the evening, being in the same latitude, and in the +longitude of 9° 24' W., it was 1° 51' W. In the evening the wind abated; +and during the night, it was variable between south and west. +Ice-islands continually in sight. + +On the 11th, wind westerly, light airs attended with heavy showers of +snow in the morning; but as the day advanced, the weather became fair, +clear, and serene. Still continuing to steer east, at noon we observed +in latitude 58° 11', longitude at the same time 7° 55' west. Thermometer +34-2/3. In the afternoon we had two hours calm; after which we had faint +breezes between the N.E. and S.E. + +At six o'clock in the morning of the 12th, being in the latitude of 58° +23' S., longitude 6° 54' W., the variation was 3° 23' west. We had +variable light airs next to a calm all this day, and the weather was +fair and clear till towards the evening, when it became cloudy with +snow-showers, and the air very cold. Ice-islands continually in sight; +most of them small and breaking to pieces. + +In the afternoon of the 13th, the wind increased, the sky became +clouded, and soon after we had a very heavy fall of snow, which +continued till eight or nine o'clock in the evening, when the wind +abating and veering to S.E., the sky cleared up, and we had a fair +night, attended with so sharp a frost, that the water in all our vessels +on deck was next morning covered with a sheet of ice. The mercury in the +thermometer was as low as 29°, which is 3° below freezing, or rather 4; +for we generally found the water freeze when the mercury stood at 33°. + +Towards noon on the 14th, the wind veering to the south, increased to a +very strong gale, and blew in heavy squalls attended with snow. At +intervals, between the squalls, the weather was fair and clear, but +exceedingly cold. We continued to steer east, inclining a little to the +north, and in, the afternoon crossed the first meridian, or that of +Greenwich, in the latitude of 57° 50' S. At eight in, the evening, we +close-reefed the top-sails, took in the main-sail, and steered east with +a very hard gale at S.S.W., and a high sea from the same direction. + +At day-break on the 15th, we set the main-sail, loosed a reef out of +each top-sail, and with a very strong gale at S.W., and fair weather, +steered E.N.E. till noon, at which, time we were in latitude of 50° 37' +S., longitude 4° 11' E., when we pointed to the N.E., in order to get +into the latitude of Cape Circumcision. Some large ice-islands were in +sight, and the air was nearly as cold as on the preceding day. At eight +o'clock in the evening, shortened sail, and at eleven hauled the wind to +the N.W., not daring to stand on in the night, which was foggy, with +snow-showers, and a smart frost. + +At day-break on the 16th, we bore away N.E., with a light breeze at +west, which, at noon, was succeeded by a calm and fair weather. Our +latitude at this time was 55° 26' S., longitude 5° 52' E., in which +situation we had a great swell from the southward, but no ice in sight. +At one o'clock in the p.m., a breeze springing up at E.N.E., we stood to +S.E. till six, then tacked, and stood to the north, under double-reefed +top-sails and courses, having a very fresh gale attended with snow and +sleet, which fixed to the masts and rigging as it fell, and coated the +whole with ice. + +On the 17th the wind continued veering, by little and little, to the +south, till midnight, when it fixed at S.W. Being at this time in the +latitude of 54° 20' S., longitude 6° 33' east, I steered east, having a +prodigious high sea from the south, which assured us no land was near in +that direction. + +In the morning of the 18th, it ceased to snow; the weather became fair +and clear; and we found the variation to be 18° 44' west. At noon we +were in the latitude of 54° 25', longitude 8° 46' east. I thought this a +good latitude to keep in, to look for Cape Circumcision; because, if the +land had ever so little extent in the direction of north and south, we +could not miss seeing it, as the northern point is said to lie in 54°. +We had yet a great swell from the south, so that I was now well assured +it could only be an island, and it was of no consequence which side we +fell in with. In the evening Mr Wales made several observations of the +moon, and stars Regulus and Spica; the mean results, at four o'clock +when the observations were made, for finding the time by the watch, gave +9° 15' 20" east longitude. The watch at the same time gave 9° 36' 45". +Soon after the variation was found to be 13° 10' west. It is nearly in +this situation that Mr Bouvet had 1° east. I cannot suppose that the +variation has altered so much since that time; but rather think he had +made some mistake in his observations. That there could be none in ours +was certain, from the uniformity for some time past. Besides, we found +12° 8' west, variation, nearly under this meridian, in January 1773. +During the night the wind veered round by the N.W. to N.N.E. and blew a +fresh gale. + +At eight in the morning of the 19th, we saw the appearance of land in +the direction of E. by S., or that of our course; but it proved a mere +fog-bank, and soon after dispersed. We continued to steer E. by S. and +S.E., till seven o'clock in the evening, when being in the latitude of +54° 42' S., longitude 13° 3' E., and the wind having veered to N.E., we +tacked and stood to N.W. under close-reefed topsails and courses; having +a very strong gale attended with snow-showers. + +At four o'clock next morning, being in the latitude of 54° 30' S., +longitude 12° 33'. east, we tacked and stretched to N.E. with a fresh +gale at S.W., attended with snow-showers and sleet. At noon, being in +the latitude of 54° 8' S., longitude 12° 59' E., with a fresh gale at W. +by N., and tolerably clear weather, we steered east till ten o'clock in +the evening, when we brought-to, lest we might pass any land in the +night, of which we however had not the least signs. + +At day-break, having made sail, we bore away E., and at noon observed in +latitude 54° 16' S., longitude 16° 13' east, which is 5° to the east of +the longitude in which Cape Circumcision is said to lie; so that we +began to think there was no such land in existence. I however continued +to steer east, inclining a little to the south, till four o'clock in the +afternoon of the next day, when we were in latitude 54° 24' S., +longitude 19° 18' east. + +We had now run down thirteen degrees of longitude in the very latitude +assigned for Bouvet's Land. I was therefore well assured that what he +had seen could be nothing but an island of ice; for, if it had been +land, it is hardly possible we could have missed it, though it were ever +so small. Besides, from the time of leaving the southern lands, we had +not met with the least signs of any other. But even suppose we had, it +would have been no proof of the existence of Cape Circumcision; for I am +well assured that neither seals nor penguins, nor any of the oceanic +birds, are indubitable signs of the vicinity of land. I will allow that +they are found on the coasts of all these southern lands; but are they +not also to be found in all parts of the southern ocean? There are, +however, some oceanic or aquatic birds which point out the vicinity of +land; especially shags, which seldom go out of sight of it; and gannets, +boobies, and men-of-war birds, I believe, seldom go very far out to sea. + +As we were now no more than two degrees of longitude front our route to +the south, when we left the Cape of Good Hope, it was to no purpose to +proceed any farther to the east under this parallel, knowing that no +land could be there. But an opportunity now offering of clearing up some +doubts of our having seen land farther to the south, I steered S.E. to +get into the situation in which it was supposed to lie. + +We continued this course till four o'clock the next morning, and then +S.E. by E. and E.S.E., till eight in the evening, at which time we were +in the latitude of 55° 25' S., longitude 23° 22' east, both deduced from +observations made the same day; for, in the morning, the sky was clear +at intervals, and afforded an opportunity to observe several distances +of the sun and moon, which we had not been able to do for some time +past, having had a constant succession of bad weather. + +Having now run over the place where the land was supposed to lie, +without seeing the least signs of any, it was no longer to be doubted +but that the ice-islands had deceived us as well as Mr Bouvet. The wind +by this time having veered to the north, and increased to a perfect +storm, attended as usual with snow and sleet, we handed the top-sails +and hauled up E.N.E. under the courses. During the night the wind +abated, and veered to N.W., which enabled us to steer more to the north, +having no business farther south. + +CHAPTER VII. + +_Heads of what has been done in the Voyage; with some Conjectures +concerning the Formation of Ice-Islands; and an Account of our +Proceedings till our Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope._ + +1775 February + +I had now made the circuit of the southern ocean in a high latitude, and +traversed it in such a manner as to leave not the least room for the +possibility of there being a continent, unless near the Pole, and out of +the reach of navigation. By twice visiting the tropical sea, I had not +only settled the situation of some old discoveries, but made there many +new ones, and left, I conceive, very little more to be done even in that +part. Thus I flatter myself, that the intention of the voyage has, in +every respect, been fully answered; the southern hemisphere sufficiently +explored, and a final end put to the searching after a southern +continent, which has, at times, ingrossed the attention of some of the +maritime powers, for near two centuries past, and been a favourite +theory amongst the geographers of all ages. + +That there may be a continent, or large tract of land, near the Pole, I +will not deny; on the contrary I am of opinion there is; and it is +probable that we have seen a part of it. The excessive cold, the many +islands and vast floats of ice, all tend to prove that there must be +land to the south; and for my persuasion that this southern land must +lie, or extend, farthest to the north opposite to the southern Atlantic +and Indian oceans, I have already assigned some reasons; to which I may +add the greater degree of cold experienced by us in these seas, than in +the southern Pacific ocean under the same parallels of latitude. + +In this last ocean, the mercury in the thermometer seldom fell so low as +the freezing point, till we were in 60° and upwards; whereas in the +others, it fell as low in the latitude of 54°. This was certainly owing +to there being a greater quantity of ice, and to its extending farther +to the north, in these two seas than in the south Pacific; and if ice be +first formed at, or near land, of which I have no doubt, it will follow +that the land also extends farther north. + +The formation or coagulation of ice-islands has not, to my knowledge, +been thoroughly investigated. Some have supposed them to be formed by +the freezing of the water at the mouths of large rivers, or great +cataracts, where they accumulate till they are broken off by their own +weight. My observations will not allow me to acquiesce in this opinion; +because we never found any of the ice which we took up incorporated with +earth, or any of its produce, as I think it must have been, had it been +coagulated in land-waters. It is a doubt with me, whether there be any +rivers in these countries. It is certain, that we saw not a river, or +stream of water, on all the coast of Georgia, nor on any of the southern +lands. Nor did we ever see a stream of water run from any of the +ice-islands. How are we then to suppose that there are large rivers? The +valleys are covered, many fathoms deep, with everlasting snow; and, at +the sea, they terminate in icy cliffs of vast height. It is here where +the ice-islands are formed; not from streams of water, but from +consolidated snow and sleet, which is almost continually falling or +drifting down from the mountains, especially in the winter, when the +frost must be intense. During that season, the ice-cliffs must so +accumulate as to fill up all the bays, be they ever so large. This is a +fact which cannot be doubted, as we have seen it so in summer. These +cliffs accumulate by continual falls of snow, and what drifts from the +mountains, till they are no longer able to support their own weight; +and then large pieces break off, which we call ice-islands. Such as have +a flat even surface, must be of the ice formed in the bays, and before +the flat vallies; the others, which have a tapering unequal surface, +must be formed on, or under, the side of a coast composed of pointed +rocks and precipices, or some such uneven surface. For we cannot suppose +that snow alone, as it falls, can form, on a plain surface, such as the +sea, such a variety of high peaks and hills, as we saw on many of the +ice-isles. It is certainly more reasonable to believe that they are +formed on a coast whose surface is something similar to theirs. I have +observed that all the ice-islands of any extent, and before they begin +to break to pieces, are terminated by perpendicular cliffs of clear ice +or frozen snow, always on one or more sides, but most generally all +round. Many, and those of the largest size, which had a hilly and spiral +surface, shewed a perpendicular cliff, or side, from the summit of the +highest peak down to its base. This to me was a convincing proof, that +these, as well as the flat isles, must have broken off from substances +like themselves, that is, from some large tract of ice. + +When I consider the vast quantity of ice we saw, and the vicinity of the +places to the Pole where it is formed, and where the degrees of +longitude are very small, I am led to believe that these ice-cliffs +extend a good way into the sea, in some parts, especially in such as are +sheltered from the violence of the winds. It may even be doubted if ever +the wind is violent in the very high latitudes. And that the sea will +freeze over, or the snow that falls upon it, which amounts to the same +thing, we have instances in the northern hemisphere. The Baltic, the +Gulph of St Laurence, the Straits of Belle-Isle, and many other equally +large seas, are frequently frozen over in winter. Nor is this at all +extraordinary, for we have found the degree of cold at the surface of +the sea, even in summer, to be two degrees below the freezing point; +consequently nothing kept it from freezing but the salt it contains, and +the agitation of its surface. Whenever this last ceaseth in winter, when +the frost is set in, and there comes a fall of snow, it will freeze on +the surface as it falls, and in a few days, or perhaps in one night, +form such a sheet of ice as will not be easily broken up. Thus a +foundation will be laid for it to accumulate to any thickness by falls +of snow, without its being at all necessary for the sea-water to +freeze. It may be by this means these vast floats of low ice we find in +the spring of the year are formed, and which, after they break up, are +carried by the currents to the north. For, from all the observations I +have been able to make, the currents every where, in the high latitudes, +set to the north, or to the N.E. or N.W.; but we have very seldom found +them considerable. + +If this imperfect account of the formation of these extraordinary +floating islands of ice, which is written wholly from my own +observations, does not convey some useful hints to an abler pen, it +will, however, convey some idea of the lands where they are formed: +Lands doomed by Nature to perpetual frigidness; never to feel the warmth +of the sun's rays; whose horrible and savage aspect I have not words to +describe. Such are the lands we have discovered; what then may we expect +those to be which lie still farther to the south? For we may reasonably +suppose that we have seen the best, as lying most to the north. If any +one should have resolution and perseverance to clear up this point by +proceeding farther than I have done, I shall not envy him the honour of +the discovery; but I will be bold to say, that the world will not be +benefited by it. + +I had, at this time, some thoughts of revisiting the place where the +French discovery is said to lie. But then I considered that, if they had +really made this discovery, the end would be as fully answered as if I +had done it myself. We know it can only be an island; and if we may +judge from the degree of cold we found in that latitude, it cannot be a +fertile one. Besides, this would have kept me two months longer at sea, +and in a tempestuous latitude, which we were not in a condition to +struggle with. Our sails and rigging were so much worn, that something +was giving way every hour; and we had nothing left either to repair or +to replace them. Our provisions were in a state of decay, and +consequently afforded little nourishment, and we had been a long time +without refreshments. My people, indeed, were yet healthy, and would +have cheerfully gone wherever I had thought proper to lead them; but I +dreaded the scurvy laying hold of them at a time when we had nothing +left to remove it. I must say farther, that it would have been cruel in +me to have continued the fatigues and hardships they were continually +exposed to, longer than was absolutely necessary. Their behaviour, +throughout the whole voyage, merited every indulgence which it was in my +power to give them. Animated by the conduct of the officers, they shewed +themselves capable of surmounting every difficulty and danger which came +in their way, and never once looked either upon the one or the other, as +being at all heightened, by our separation from our consort the +Adventure. + +All these considerations induced me to lay aside looking for the French +discoveries, and to steer for the Cape of Good Hope; with a resolution, +however, of looking for the isles of Denia and Marseveen, which are laid +down in Dr Halley's variation chart in the latitude of 41° 1/2 S., and +about 4° of longitude to the east of the meridian of the Cape of Good +Hope. With this view I steered N.E., with a hard gale at N.W. and thick +weather; and on the 25th, at noon, we saw the last ice island, being at +this time in the latitude of 52° 52' S., longitude 26° 31' E. + +1775 March + +The wind abating and veering to the south, on the first of March, we +steered west, in order to get farther from Mr Bouvet's track, which was +but a few degrees to the east of us, being at this time in the latitude +of 46° 44' S., longitude 33° 20' E., in which situation we found the +variation to be 23° 36' W. It is somewhat remarkable, that all the time +we had northerly winds, which were regular and constant for several +days, the weather was always thick and cloudy; but, as soon as they came +south of west, it cleared up, and was fine and pleasant. The barometer +began to rise several days before this change happened; but whether on +account of it, or our coming northward, cannot be determined. + +The wind remained not long at south before it veered round by the N.E. +to the N.W., blowing fresh and by squalls, attended, as before, with +rain and thick misty weather. We had some intervals of clear weather in +the afternoon of the 3d, when we found the variation to be 22° 26' W.; +latitude at this time 45° 8' S., longitude 30° 50' E. The following +night was very stormy, the wind blew from S.W. and in excessively heavy +squalls. At short intervals between the squalls the wind would fall +almost to a calm, and then come on again with such fury, that neither +our sails nor rigging could withstand it, several of the sails being +split, and a middle stay-sail being wholly lost. The next morning the +gale abated, and we repaired the damage we had sustained in the best +manner we could. + +On the 8th, being in the latitude of 41° 30' S., longitude 26° 51' E., +the mercury in the thermometer rose to 61, and we found it necessary to +put on lighter clothes. As the wind continued invariably fixed between +N.W. and W., we took every advantage to get to the west, by tacking +whenever it shifted any thing in our favour; but as we had a great swell +against us, our tacks were rather disadvantageous. We daily saw +albatrosses, peterels, and other oceanic birds; but not the least sign +of land. + +On the 11th, in the latitude of 40° 40' S., longitude 23° 47' E., the +variation was 20° 48' W. About noon the same day the wind shifted +suddenly from N.W. to S.W., caused the mercury in the thermometer to +fall as suddenly from 62° to 52°; such was the different state of the +air, between a northerly and southerly wind. The next day, having +several hours calm, we put a boat in the water, and shot some +albatrosses and peterels, which, at this time, were highly acceptable. +We were now nearly in the situation where the isles which we were in +search of, are said to lie; however, we saw nothing that could give us +the least hope of finding them. + +The calm continued till five o'clock of the next morning, when it was +succeeded by a breeze at W. by S., with which we stood to N.N.W., and at +noon observed in latitude 38° 51' S. This was upwards of thirty miles +more to the north than our log gave us; and the watch shewed that we had +been set to the east also. If these differences did not arise from some +strong current, I know not how to account for them. Very strong currents +have been found on the African coast, between Madagascar and the Cape +of Good Hope, but I never heard of their extending so far from the land; +nor is it probable they do. I rather suppose that this current has no +connection with that on the coast; and that we happened to fall into +some stream which is neither lasting nor regular. But these are points +which require much time to investigate, and must therefore be left to +the industry of future navigators. + +We were now two degrees to the north of the parallel in which the isles +of Denia and Marseveen are said to lie. We had seen nothing to encourage +us to persevere in looking after them, and it must have taken up some +time longer to find them, or to prove their non-existence. Every one was +impatient to get into port, and for good reasons: As for a long time we +had had nothing but stale and salt provisions, for which every one on +board had lost all relish. These reasons induced me to yield to the +general wish, and to steer for the Cape of Good Hope, being at this time +in the latitude of 38° 38' S., longitude 23° 37' E. + +The next day the observed latitude at noon was only seventeen miles to +the north of that given by the log; so that we had either got out of the +strength of the current, or it had ceased. + +On the 15th the observed latitude at noon, together with the watch, +shewed that we had had a strong current setting to the S.W., the +contrary direction to what we had experienced on some of the preceding +days, as hath been mentioned. + +At day-light, on the 16th, we saw two sail in the N.W. quarter standing +to the westward, and one of them shewing Dutch colours. At ten o'clock +we tacked and stood to the west also, being at this time in the latitude +of 39° 9' S., longitude 22° 38' E. + +I now, in pursuance of my instructions, demanded of the officers and +petty officers, the log-books and journals they had kept; which were +delivered to me accordingly, and sealed up for the inspection of the +Admiralty. I also enjoined them, and the whole crew, not to divulge +where we had been, till they had their lordships' permission so to do. +In the afternoon, the wind veered to the west, and increased to a hard +gale, which was of short duration; for, the next day, it fell, and at +noon veered to S.E. At this time we were in the latitude of 34° 49' S., +longitude 22° E.; and, on sounding, found fifty-six fathoms water. In +the evening we saw the land in the direction of E.N.E. about six leagues +distant; and, during the fore-part of the night, there was a great fire +or light upon it. + +At day-break on the 18th, we saw the land again, bearing N.N.W., six or +seven leagues distant, and the depth of water forty-eight fathoms. At +nine o'clock, having little or no wind, we hoisted out a boat, and sent +on board one of the two ships before-mentioned, which were about two +leagues from us; but we were too impatient after news to regard the +distance. Soon after, a breeze sprung up at west, with which we stood to +the south; and, presently, three sail more appeared in sight to +windward, one of which shewed English colours. + +At one, p.m., the boat returned from on board the Bownkerke Polder, +Captain Cornelius Bosch, a Dutch Indiaman from Bengal. Captain Bosch, +very obligingly, offered us sugar, arrack, and whatever he had to spare. +Our people were told by some English seamen on board this ship, that the +Adventure had arrived at the Cape of Good Hope twelve months ago, and +that the crew of one of her boats had been murdered and eaten by the +people of New Zealand; so that the story which we heard in Queen +Charlotte's Sound was now no longer a mystery. + +We had light airs next, to a calm till ten o'clock the next morning, +when a breeze sprung up at west, and the English ship, which was to +windward, bore down to us. She proved to be the True Briton, Captain +Broadly, from China. As he did not intend to touch at the Cape, I put a +letter on board him for the secretary of the Admiralty. + +The account which we had heard of the Adventure was now confirmed to us +by this ship. We also got, from on board her, a parcel of old +newspapers, which were new to us, and gave us some amusement; but these +were the least favours we received from Captain Broadly. With a +generosity peculiar to the commanders of the India Company's ships, he +sent us fresh provisions, tea, and other articles which were very +acceptable, and deserve from me this public acknowledgment. In the +afternoon we parted company. The True Briton stood out to sea, and we in +for the land, having a very fresh gale at west, which split our fore +top-sail in such a manner, that we were obliged to bring another to the +yard. At six o'clock we tacked within four or five miles of the shore; +and, as we judged, about five or six leagues to the east of Cape +Aguilas. We stood off till midnight, when, the wind having veered round +to the south, we tacked, and stood along-shore to the west. The wind +kept veering more and more in our favour, and at last fixed at E.S.E.; +and blew for some hours a perfect hurricane. + +As soon as the storm began to subside, we made sail, and hauled in for +the land. Next day at noon, the Table Mountain over the Cape Town bore +N.E. by E., distant nine or ten leagues. By making use of this bearing +and distance to reduce the longitude shewn by the watch to the Cape +Town, the error was found to be no more than 18' in longitude, which it +was too far to the east. Indeed the difference found between it and the +lunar observations, since we left New Zealand, had seldom exceeded half +a degree, and always the same way. + +The next morning, being with us Wednesday the 22d, but with the people +here Tuesday the 21st, we anchored in Table Bay, where we found several +Dutch ships; some French; and the Ceres, Captain Newte, an English East +India Company's ship, from China, bound directly to England, by whom I +sent a copy of the preceding part of this journal, some charts, and +other drawings to the Admiralty. + +Before we had well got to an anchor, I dispatched an officer to acquaint +the governor with our arrival, and to request the necessary stores and +refreshments; which were readily granted. As soon as the officer came +back, we saluted the garrison with thirteen guns, which compliment was +immediately returned with an equal number. + +I now learnt that the Adventure had called here, on her return; and I +found a letter from Captain Furneaux, acquainting me with the loss of +his boat, and of ten of his best men, in Queen Charlotte's Sound. The +captain, afterwards, on my arrival in England, put into my hands a +complete narrative of his proceedings, from the time of our second and +final separation, which I now lay before the public in the following +section. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_Captain Furneaux's Narrative of his Proceedings, in the Adventure, +from, the Time he was separated from the Resolution, to his Arrival in +England; including Lieutenant Burney's Report concerning the Boat's Crew +who were murdered by the Inhabitants of Queen Charlottes Sound_. + +1773 October + +After a passage of fourteen days from Amsterdam, we made the coast of +New Zealand near the Table Cape, and stood along-shore till we came as +far as Cape Turnagain. The wind then began to blow strong at west, with +heavy squalls and rain, which split many of our sails, and blew us off +the coast for three days; in which time we parted company with the +Resolution, and never saw her afterwards. + +1773 November + +On the 4th of November, we again got in shore, near Cape Palliser, and +were visited by a number of the natives in their canoes; bringing a +great quantity of cray-fish, which we bought of them for nails and +Otaheite cloth. The next day it blew hard from W.N.W., which again drove +us off the coast, and obliged us to bring-to for two days; during which +time it blew one continual gale of wind, with heavy falls of sleet. By +this time, our decks were very leaky; our beds and bedding wet; and +several of our people complaining of colds; so that we began to despair +of ever getting into Charlotte's Sound, or joining the Resolution. + +On the 6th, being to the north of the cape, the wind at S.W., and +blowing strong, we bore away for some bay to complete our water and +wood, being in great want of both, having been at the allowance of one +quart of water for some days past; and even that pittance could not be +come at above six or seven days longer. We anchored in Tolaga Bay on the +9th, in latitude 38° 21' S., longitude 178° 31' east. It affords good +riding with the wind westerly, and regular soundings from eleven to five +fathoms, stiff muddy ground across the bay for about two miles. It is +open from N.N.E. to E.S.E. It is to be observed, easterly winds seldom +blow hard on this shore; but when they do, they throw in a great sea, +so that if it were not for a great undertow, together with a large river +that empties itself in the bottom of the bay, a ship would not be able +to ride here. Wood and water are easily to be had, except when it blows +hard easterly. The natives here are the same as those at Charlotte's +Sound, but more numerous, and seemed settled, having regular plantations +of sweet potatoes, and other roots, which are very good; and they have +plenty of cray and other fish, which we bought of them for nails, beads, +and other trifles, at an easy rate. In one of their canoes we observed +the head of a woman lying in state, adorned with feathers and other +ornaments. It had the appearance of being alive; but, on examination, we +found it dry, being preserved with every feature perfect, and kept as +the relic of some deceased relation. + +Having got about ten tons of water, and some wood, we sailed for +Charlotte's Sound on the 12th. We were no sooner out than the wind began +to blow hard, dead on the shore, so that we could not clear the land on +either tack. This obliged us to bear away again for the bay, where we +anchored the next morning, and rode out a very heavy gale of wind at E. +by S., which threw in a very great sea. We now began to fear we should +never join the Resolution; having reason to believe she was in Charlotte +Sound, and by this time ready for sea. We soon found it was with great +difficulty we could get any water, owing to the swell setting in so +strong; at last, however, we were able to go on shore, and got both wood +and water. + +Whilst we lay here we were employed about the rigging, which was much +damaged by the constant gales of wind we had met with since we made the +coast. We got the booms down on the decks, and having made the ship as +snug as possible, sailed again on the 16th. After this we met with +several gales of wind off the mouth of the Strait; and continued beating +backwards and forwards till the 30th, when we were so fortunate as to +get a favourable wind, which we took every advantage of, and at last got +safe into our desired port. We saw nothing of the Resolution, and began +to doubt her safety; but on going ashore, we discerned the place where +she had erected her tents; and, on an old stump of a tree in the garden, +observed these words cut out, "Look underneath." There we dug, and soon +found a bottle corked and waxed down, with a letter in it from Captain +Cook, signifying their arrival on the 3d instant, and departure on the +24th; and that they intended spending a few days in the entrance of the +Straits to look for us. + +We immediately set about getting the ship ready for sea as fast as +possible; erected our tents; sent the cooper on shore to repair the +casks; and began to unstow the hold, to get at the bread that was in +butts; but on opening them found a great quantity of it entirely +spoiled, and most part so damaged, that we were obliged to fix our +copper oven on shore to bake it over again, which undoubtedly delayed us +a considerable time. Whilst we lay here, the inhabitants came on board +as before, supplying us with fish, and other things of their own +manufacture, which we bought of them for nails, etc. and appeared very +friendly, though twice in the middle of the night they came to the tent, +with an intention to steal; but were discovered before they could get +any thing into their possession. + +1773 December + +On the 17th of December, having refitted the ship, completed our water +and wood, and got every thing ready for sea, we sent our large cutter, +with Mr Rowe, a midshipman, and the boat's crew, to gather wild greens +for the ship's company; with orders to return that evening, as I +intended to sail the next morning. But on the boat's not returning the +same evening, nor the next morning, being under great uneasiness about +her, I hoisted out the launch, and sent her with the second lieutenant, +Mr Burney, manned with the boat's crew and ten marines, in search of +her. My orders to Mr Burney were first, to look well into East Bay, and +then to proceed to Grass Cove, the place to which Mr Rowe had been sent; +and if he heard nothing of the boat there, to go farther up the sound, +and come back along the west shore. As Mr Rowe had left the ship an hour +before the time proposed, and in a great hurry, I was strongly persuaded +that his curiosity had carried him into East Bay, none in our ship +having ever been there; or else, that some accident had happened to the +boat, either by going adrift through the boat-keeper's negligence, or by +being stove among the rocks. This was almost every body's opinion; and +on this supposition, the carpenter's mate was sent in the launch, with +some sheets of tin. I had not the least suspicion that our people had +received any injury from the natives, our boats having frequently been +higher up, and worse provided. How much I was mistaken, too soon +appeared; for Mr Burney having returned about eleven o'clock the same +night, made his report of a horrible scene indeed, which cannot be +better described than in his own words, which now follow. + +"On the 18th, we left the ship; and having a light breeze in our favour, +we soon got round Long Island, and within Long Point. I examined every +cove, on the larboard hand, as we went along, looking well all around +with a spy-glass, which I took for that purpose. At half past one, we +stopped at a beach on the left-hand side going up East Bay, to boil some +victuals, as we brought nothing but raw meat with us. Whilst we were +cooking, I saw an Indian on the opposite shore, running along a beach to +the head of the bay. Our meat being drest, we got into the boat and put +off; and, in a short time, arrived at the head of this reach, where we +saw an Indian settlement." + +"As we drew near, some of the Indians came down on the rocks, and waved +for us to be gone, but seeing we disregarded them, they altered their +notes. Here we found six large canoes hauled up on the beach, most of +them double ones, and a great many people; though not so many as one +might expect from the number of houses and size of the canoes. Leaving +the boat's crew to guard the boat, I stepped ashore with the marines +(the corporal and five men), and searched a good many of their houses, +but found nothing to give me any suspicion. Three or four well-beaten +paths led farther into the woods, where were many more houses; but the +people continuing friendly, I thought it unnecessary to continue our +search. Coming down to the beach, one of the Indians had brought a +bundle of _Hepatoos_ (long spears), but seeing I looked very earnestly +at him, he put them on the ground, and walked about with seeming +unconcern. Some of the people appearing to be frightened, I gave a +looking-glass to one, and a large nail to another. From this place the +bay ran, as nearly as I could guess, N.N.W. a good mile, where it ended +in a long sandy beach. I looked all around with the glass, but saw no +boat, canoe, or sign of inhabitant. I therefore contented myself with +firing some guns, which I had done in every cove as I went along." + +"I now kept close to the east shore, and came to another settlement, +where the Indians invited us ashore. I enquired of them about the boat, +but they pretended ignorance. They appeared very friendly here, and sold +us some fish. Within an hour after we left this place, in a small beach +adjoining to Grass Cove, we saw a very large double canoe just hauled +up, with two men and a dog. The men, on seeing us, left their canoe, and +ran up into the woods. This gave me reason to suspect I should here get +tidings of the cutter. We went ashore, and searched the canoe, where we +found one of the rullock-ports of the cutter, and some shoes, one of +which was known to belong to Mr Woodhouse, one of our midshipmen. One of +the people, at the same time, brought me a piece of meat, which he took +to be some of the salt meat belonging to the cutter's crew. On examining +this, and smelling to it, I found it was fresh. Mr Fannin (the master) +who was with me, supposed it was dog's flesh, and I was of the same +opinion; for I still doubted their being cannibals. But we were soon +convinced by most horrid and undeniable proof." + +"A great many baskets (about twenty) lying on the beach, tied up, we cut +them open. Some were full of roasted flesh, and some of fern-root, which +serves them for bread. On, farther search, we found more shoes, and a +hand, which we immediately knew to have belonged to Thomas Hill, one of +our fore-castle men, it being marked T.H. with an Otaheite +tattow-instrument. I went with some of the people a little way up the +woods, but saw nothing else. Coming down again, there was a round spot +covered with fresh earth, about four feet diameter, where something had +been buried. Having no spade, we began to dig with a cutlass; and in the +mean time I launched the canoe with intent to destroy her; but seeing a +great smoke ascending over the nearest hill, I got all the people into +the boat, and made what haste I could to be with them before sun-set." + +"On opening the next bay, which was Grass Cove, we saw four canoes, one +single and three double ones, and a great many people on the beach, who, +on our approach; retreated to a small hill, within a ship's length of +the water side, where they stood talking to us. A large fire was on the +top of the high land, beyond the woods, from whence, all the way down +the hill, the place was thronged like a fair. As we came in, I ordered a +musquetoon to be fired at one of the canoes, suspecting they might be +full of men lying down in the bottom; for they were all afloat, but +nobody was seen in them. The savages on the little hill still kept +hallooing, and making signs for us to land. However, as soon as we got +close in, we all fired. The first volley did not seem to affect them +much; but on the second, they began to scramble away as fast as they +could, some of them howling. We continued firing as long as we could see +the glimpse of any of them through the bushes. Amongst the Indians were +two very stout men, who never offered to move till they found themselves +forsaken by their companions; and then they marched away with great +composure and deliberation; their pride not suffering them to run. One +of them, however, got a fall, and either lay there, or crawled off on +all-fours. The other got clear, without any apparent hurt. I then landed +with the marines, and Mr Fannin staid to guard the boat." + +"On the beach were two bundles of celery, which had been gathered for +loading the cutter. A broken oar was stuck upright in the ground, to +which the natives had tied their canoes; a proof that the attack had +been made here. I then searched all along at the back of the beach, to +see if the cutter was there. We found no boat, but instead of her, such +a shocking scene of carnage and barbarity as can never be mentioned or +thought of but with horror; for the heads, hearts, and lungs of several +of our people were seen lying on the beach, and, at a little distance, +the dogs gnawing their entrails." + +"Whilst we remained almost stupified on the spot, Mr Fannin called to us +that he heard the savages gathering together in the woods; on which I +returned to the boat, and hauling along-side the canoes, we demolished +three of them. Whilst this was transacting, the fire on the top of the +hill disappeared; and we could hear the Indians in the woods at high +words; I suppose quarrelling whether or no they should attack us, and +try to save their canoes. It now grew dark; I therefore just stepped +out, and looked once more behind the beach to see if the cutter had been +hauled up in the bushes; but seeing nothing of her, returned, and put +off. Our whole force would have been barely sufficient to have gone up +the hill; and to have ventured with half (for half must have been left +to guard the boat) would have been fool-hardiness." + +"As we opened the upper part of the sound, we saw a very large fire +about three or four miles higher up, which formed a complete oval, +reaching from the top of the hill down almost to the water-side, the +middle space being inclosed all round by the fire, like a hedge. I +consulted with Mr Fannin, and we were both of opinion that we could +expect to reap no other advantage than the poor satisfaction of killing +some more of the savages. At leaving Grass Cove, we had fired a general +volley towards where we heard the Indians talking; but, by going in and +out of the boat, the arms had got wet, and four pieces missed fire. What +was still worse, it began to rain; our ammunition was more than, half +expended, and we left six large canoes behind us in one place. With so +many disadvantages, I did not think it worth while to proceed, where +nothing could be hoped for but revenge." + +"Coming between two round islands, situated to the southward of East +Bay, we imagined we heard somebody calling; we lay on our oars, and +listened, but heard no more of it; we hallooed several times, but to +little purpose; the poor souls were far enough out of hearing, and, +indeed, I think it some comfort to reflect, that in all probability +every man of them must have been killed on the spot." + +Thus far Mr Burney's report; and to complete the account of this +tragical transaction, it may not be unnecessary to mention, that the +people in the cutter were Mr Rowe, Mr Woodhouse, Francis Murphy, +quarter-master; William Facey, Thomas Hill, Michael Bell, and Edward +Jones, fore-castle men; John Cavanaugh, and Thomas Milton, belonging to +the after-guard; and James Sevilley, the captain's man, being ten in +all. Most of these were of our very best seamen, the stoutest and most +healthy people in the ship. Mr Burney's party brought on board two +hands, one belonging to Mr Rowe, known by a hurt he had received on it; +the other to Thomas Hill, as before-mentioned; and the head of the +captain's servant. These, with more of the remains, were tied in a +hammock, and thrown over-board, with ballast and shot sufficient to sink +it. None of their arms nor cloaths were found, except part of a pair of +trowsers, a frock, and six shoes, no two of them being fellows. + +I am not inclined to think this was any premeditated plan of these +savages; for, the morning Mr Rowe left the ship, he met two canoes, +which came down and staid all the fore-noon in Ship Cove. It might +probably happen from some quarrel which was decided on the spot, or the +fairness of the opportunity might tempt them, our people being so +incautious, and thinking themselves too secure. Another thing which +encouraged the New Zealanders, was, they were sensible that a gun was +not infallible, that they sometimes missed, and that, when discharged, +they must be loaded before they could be used again, which time they +knew how to take advantage of. After their success, I imagine there was +a general meeting on the east side of the sound. The Indians of Shag +Cove were there; this we knew by a cock which was in one of the canoes, +and by a long single canoe, which some of our people had seen four days +before in Shag Cove, where they had been with Mr Rowe in the cutter. + +We were detained in the Sound by contrary winds four days after this +melancholy affair happened, during which time we saw none of the +inhabitants. What is very remarkable, I had been several times up in the +same cove with Captain Cook, and never saw the least sign of an +inhabitant, except some deserted towns, which appeared as if they had +not been occupied for several years; and yet, when Mr Burney entered the +cove, he was of opinion there could not be less than fifteen hundred or +two thousand people. I doubt not, had they been apprized of his coming, +they would have attacked him. From these considerations, I thought it +imprudent to send a boat up again; as we were convinced there was not +the least probability of any of our people being alive. + +On the 23d, we weighed and made sail out of the Sound, and stood to the +eastward to get clear of the straits; which we accomplished the same +evening, but were baffled for two or three days with light winds, before +we could clear the coast. We then stood to the S.S.E. till we got into +the latitude of 56° south, without any thing remarkable happening, +having a great swell from the southward. At this time the wind began to +blow strong from the S.W., and the weather to be very cold; and as the +ship was low and deep laden, the sea made a continual breach over her, +which kept us always wet; and by her straining, very few of the people +were dry in bed or on deck, having no shelter to keep the sea from them. + +The birds were the only companions we had in this vast ocean, except, +now and then, we saw a whale or porpoise; and sometimes a seal or two, +and a few penguins. In the latitude of 58° S., longitude 213°* east, +we fell in with some ice, and, every day, saw more or less, we then +standing to the east. We found a very strong current setting to the +eastward; for by the time we were abreast of Cape Horn, being in the +latitude of 61° S., the ship was a-head of our account eight degrees. We +were very little more than a month from Cape Palliser in New Zealand to +Cape Horn, which is an hundred and twenty-one degrees of longitude, and +had continual westerly winds from S.W. to N.W., with a great sea +following. + +[* About 147 west longitude, I reckon.] + +1774 January + +On opening some casks of pease and flour, that had been stowed on the +coals, we found them very much damaged, and not eatable; so thought it +most prudent to make for the Cape of Good Hope, but first to stand into +the latitude and longitude of Cape Circumcision. After being to the +eastward of Cape Horn, we found the winds did not blow so strong from +the westward as usual, but came more from the north, which brought on +thick foggy weather; so that for several days together we could not be +able to get an observation, or see the least sign of the sun. This +weather lasted above a month, being then among a great many islands of +ice, which kept us constantly on the look-out, for fear of running foul +of them, and, being a single ship, made us more attentive. By this time +our people began to complain of colds and pains in their limbs, which +obliged me to haul to the northward to the latitude of 54° S.; but we +still continued to have the same sort of weather, though we had oftener +an opportunity of obtaining observations for the latitude. + +1774 February + +After getting into the latitude above-mentioned, I steered to the east, +in order, if possible, to find the land laid down by Bouvet. As we +advanced to the east, the islands of ice became more numerous and +dangerous; they being much smaller than they used to be; and the nights +began to be dark. + +1774 March + +On the 3d of March, being then in the latitude of 54° 4' S., longitude +13° E., which is the latitude of Bouvet's discovery, and half a degree +to the eastward of it, and not seeing the least sign of land, either now +or since we have been in this parallel, I gave over looking for it, and +hauled away to the northward. As our last track to the southward was +within a few degrees of Bouvet's discovery in the longitude assigned to +it, and about three or four degrees to the southward, should there be +any land thereabout, it must be a very inconsiderable island. But I +believe it was nothing but ice: As we, in our first setting out, thought +we had seen land several times, but it proved to be high islands of ice +at the back of the large fields; and as it was thick foggy weather when +Mr Bouvet fell in with it, he might very easily mistake them for land. + +On the seventh, being in the latitude of 48° 30' S., longitude 14° 26' +E., saw two large islands of ice. + +On the 17th, made the land of the Cape of Good Hope, and on the 19th +anchored in Table Bay, where we found Commodore Sir Edward Hughes, with +his majesty's ships Salisbury and Sea-horse. I saluted the commodore +with, thirteen guns; and, soon after, the garrison with the same number; +the former returned the salute, as usual, with two guns less, and the +latter with an equal number. + +1774 March-July + +On the 24th, Sir Edward Hughes sailed with the Salisbury and Sea-horse, +for the East Indies; but I remained refitting the ship and refreshing +the people till the 16th of April, when I sailed for England, and on the +14th of July anchored at Spithead. + +CHAPTER IX. + +_Transactions at the Cape of Good Hope; with an Account of some +Discoveries made by the French; and the Arrival of the Ship at St +Helena._ + +1775 March 22 + +I now resume my own Journal, which Captain Furneaux's interesting +narrative, in the preceding section, had obliged me to suspend. + +The day after my arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, I went on shore, and +waited on the Governor, Baron Plettenberg, and other principal officers, +who received, and, treated us, with the greatest politeness, +contributing all in their power to make it agreeable. And, as there are +few people more obliging to strangers than the Dutch in general, at this +place, and refreshments of all kinds are no where to be got in such +abundance, we enjoyed some real repose, after the fatigues of a long +voyage. + +The good treatment which strangers meet with at the Cape of Good Hope, +and the necessity of breathing a little fresh air, has introduced a +custom, not common any where else (at least I have no where seen it so +strictly observed), which is, for all the officers, who can be spared +out of the ship, to reside on shore. We followed this custom. Myself, +the two Mr Forsters, and Mr Sparrman, took up our abode with Mr Brandt, +a gentleman well known to the English, by his obliging readiness to +serve them. My first care, after my arrival, was to procure fresh-baked +bread, fresh meat, greens, and wine, for those who remained on board; +and being provided, every day during our stay, with these articles, they +were soon restored to their usual strength. We had only three men on +board whom it was thought necessary to send on shore for the recovery of +their health; and for these I procured quarters, at the rate of thirty +stivers, or half-a-crown, per day, for which they were provided with +victuals, drink, and lodging. + +We now went to work to supply all our defects. For this purpose, by +permission, we erected a tent on shore, to which we sent our casks and +sails to be repaired. We also struck the yards and topmasts, in order to +overhaul the rigging, which we found in so bad a condition, that almost +every thing, except the standing rigging, was obliged to be replaced +with new, and that was purchased at a most exorbitant price. In the +article of naval stores, the Dutch here, as well as at Batavia, take a +shameful advantage of the distress of foreigners. + +That our rigging, sails, etc. should be worn out, will not be wondered +at, when it is known, that during this circumnavigation of the globe, +that is, from our leaving this place to our return to it again, we had +sailed no less than twenty thousand leagues; an extent of voyage nearly +equal to three times the equatorial circumference of the earth, and +which, I apprehend, was never sailed by any ship in the same space of +time before. And yet, in all this great run, which had been made in all +latitudes between 9° and 71, we sprung neither low-masts, top-mast, +lower, nor top-sail yard, nor so much as broke a lower or top-mast +shroud; which, with the great care and abilities of my officers, must be +owing to the good properties of our ship. + +One of the French ships which were at anchor in the bay, was the Ajax +Indiaman, bound to Pondicherry, commanded by Captain Crozet. He had been +second in command with Captain Marion, who sailed from this place with +two ships, in March 1772, as hath been already mentioned. Instead of +going from hence to America, as was said, he stood away for New Zealand; +where, in the Bay of Isles, he and some of his people were killed by the +inhabitants. Captain Crozet, who succeeded to the command, returned by +the way of the Phillipine Isles, with the two ships, to the island of +Mauritius. He seemed to be a man possessed of the true spirit of +discovery, and to have abilities. In a very obliging manner he +communicated to me a chart, wherein were delineated not only his own +discoveries, but also that of Captain Kerguelen, which I found laid down +in the very situation where we searched for it; so that I can by no +means conceive how both we and the Adventure missed it. + +Besides this land, which Captain Crozet told us was a long but very +narrow island, extending east and west, Captain Marion, in about the +latitude of 48° south, and from 16° to 30° of longitude east of the Cape +of Good Hope, discovered six islands, which were high and barren. These, +together with some islands lying between the Line and the southern +tropic in the Pacific Ocean, were the principal discoveries made in this +voyage, the account of which, we were told, was ready for publication. + +By Captain Crozet's chart it appeared, that a voyage had been made by +the French across the South Pacific Ocean in 1769, under the command of +one Captain Surville; who, on condition of his attempting discoveries, +had obtained leave to make a trading voyage to the coast of Peru. He +fitted out, and took in a cargo, in some part of the East Indies; +proceeded by way of the Phillipine Isles; passed near New Britain; and +discovered some land in the latitude of 10° S., longitude 158° east, to +which he gave his own name. From hence he steered to the south; passed, +but a few degrees, to the west of New Caledonia; fell in with New +Zealand at its northern extremity, and put into Doubtful Bay; where, it +seems, he was, when I passed it, on my former voyage in the Endeavour. +From New Zealand Captain Surville steered to the east, between the +latitude of 35° and 41° south, until he arrived on the coast of America; +where, in the port of Callao, in attempting to land, he was drowned. + +These voyages of the French, though undertaken by private adventurers, +have contributed something towards exploring the Southern Ocean. That of +Captain Surville clears up a mistake which I was led into, in imagining +the shoals off the west end of New Caledonia, to extend to the west as +far as New Holland; it proves that there is an open sea in that space, +and that we saw the N.W. extremity of that country. + +From the same gentleman, we learnt, that the ship which had been at +Otaheite before our first arrival there this voyage, was from New Spain; +and that, in her return, she had discovered some islands in the latitude +of 32° S., and under the meridian of 130° W. Some other islands, said to +be discovered by the Spaniards, appeared on this chart; but Captain +Crozet seemed to think they were inserted from no good authorities. + +We were likewise informed of a later voyage undertaken by the French, +under the command of Captain Kerguelen, which had ended much to the +disgrace of that commander. + +While we lay in Table Bay, several foreign ships put in and out, bound +to and from India, viz. English, French, Danes, Swedes, and three +Spanish frigates, two of them going to, and one coming from Manilla. It +is but very lately that the Spanish ships have touched here; and these +were the first that were allowed the same privileges as other European +friendly nations. + +1775 March-April + +On examining our rudder, the pintles were found to be loose, and we were +obliged to unhang it, and take it on shore to repair. We were also +delayed for want of caulkers to caulk the ship, which was absolutely +necessary to be done before we put to sea. At length I obtained two +workmen from one of the Dutch ships; and the Dutton English East +Indiaman coming in from Bengal, Captain Rice obliged me with two more; +so that by the 26th of April this work was finished: And having got on +board all necessary stores, and a fresh supply of provisions and water, +we took leave of the governor and other principal officers, and the next +morning repaired on board. Soon after the wind coming fair, we weighed +and put to sea; as did also the Spanish frigate Juno, from Manilla, a +Danish Indiaman, and the Dutton. + +As soon as we were under sail, we saluted the garrison with thirteen +guns; which compliment was immediately returned with the same number. +The Spanish frigate and Danish Indiaman both saluted us as we passed +them, and I returned each salute with an equal number of guns. When we +were clear of the bay the Danish ship steered for the East Indies, the +Spanish frigate for Europe, and we and the Dutton for St Helena. + +Depending on the goodness of Mr Kendall's watch, I resolved to try to +make the island by a direct course. For the first six days, that is, +till we got into the latitude of 27° S., longitude 11° 1/2 W. of the +cape, the winds were southerly and S.E. After this we had variable light +airs for two days; they were succeeded by a wind at S.E. which continued +to the island, except a part of one day, when it was at N.E. In general +the wind blew faint all the passage, which made it longer than common. + +1775 May + +At day-break in the morning of the 15th of May, we saw the island of St +Helena at the distance of fourteen leagues; and at midnight anchored in +the road before the town, on the N.W. side of the island. At sun-rise +the next morning, the castle, and also the Dutton, saluted us, each with +thirteen guns; on my landing, soon after, I was saluted by the castle +with the same number, and each of the salutes was returned by the ship. + +Governor Skettowe and the principal gentlemen of the island, received +and treated me, during my stay, with the greatest politeness; by shewing +me every kind of civility in their power. + +Whoever views St Helena in its present state, and can but conceive what +it must have been originally, will not hastily charge the inhabitants +with want of industry. Though, perhaps, they might apply it to more +advantage, were more land appropriated to planting of corn, vegetables, +roots, etc. instead of being laid out in pasture, which is the present +mode. But this is not likely to happen, so long as the greatest part of +it remains in the hands of the company and their servants. Without +industrious planters, this island can never flourish, and be in a +condition to supply the shipping with the necessary refreshments. + +Within these three years a new church has been built; some other new +buildings were in hand; a commodious landing-place for boats has been +made; and several other improvements, which add both strength and beauty +to the place. + +During our stay here, we finished some necessary repairs of the ship, +which we had not time to do at the Cape. We also filled all our empty +water-casks; and the crew were served with fresh beef, purchased at +five-pence per pound. Their beef is exceedingly good, and is the only +refreshment to be had worth mentioning. + +By a series of observations made at the Cape town, and at James Fort in +St Helena, at the former by Messrs Mason and Dixon, and at the latter by +Mr Maskelyne, the astronomer royal, the difference of longitude between +these two places is 24° 12' 15", only two miles more than Mr Kendall's +watch made. The lunar observations made by Mr Wales, before we arrived +at the island, and after we left it, and reduced to it by the watch, +gave 5° 51' for the longitude of James Fort; which is only five miles +more west than it is placed by Mr Maskelyne. In like manner the +longitude of the Cape Town was found within 5' of the truth. I mention +this to shew how near the longitude of places may be found by the lunar +method, even at sea, with the assistance of a good watch. + +CHAPTER X. + +_Passage from St Helena to the Western Islands, with a Description of +the Island of Ascension and Fernando Noronha._ + +1775 May + +On the 21st in the evening, I took leave of the governor, and repaired +on board. Upon my leaving the shore, I was saluted with thirteen guns; +and upon my getting under sail, with the Dutton in company, I was +saluted with thirteen more; both of which I returned. + +After leaving St Helena, the Dutton was ordered to steer N.W. by W. or +N.W. by compass, in order to avoid falling in with Ascension; at which +island, it was said, an illicit trade was carried on between the +officers of the India Company's ships, and some vessels from North +America, who, of late years, had frequented the island on pretence of +fishing whales or catching turtle, when their real design was to wait +the coming of the India ships. In order to prevent their homeward-bound +ships from falling in with these smugglers, and to put a stop to this +illicit trade, the Dutton was ordered to steer the course +above-mentioned, till to the northward of Ascension. I kept company with +this ship till the 24th, when, after putting a packet on board her for +the Admiralty, we parted: She continuing her course to the N.W., and I +steering for Ascension. + +In the morning of the 28th I made the island; and the same evening +anchored in Cross Bay on the N.W. side, in ten fathoms water, the bottom +a fine sand, and half a mile from the shore. The Cross Hill, so called +on account of a cross, or flag-staff erected upon it, bore by compass S. +38° E.; and the two extreme points of the bay extended from N.E. to S.W. +We remained here till the evening of the 31st, and notwithstanding we +had several parties out every night, we got but twenty-four turtle, it +being rather too late in the season; however, as they weighed between +four or five hundred pounds each, we thought ourselves not ill off. We +might have had a plentiful supply of fish in general, especially of that +sort called Old Wives, of which I have no where seen such abundance. +There were also cavalies, conger eels, and various other sorts; but the +catching of any of these was not attended to, the object being turtle. +There are abundance of goats, and aquatic birds, such as men-of-war and +tropic birds, boobies, etc. + +The island of Ascension is about ten miles in length, in the direction +of N.W. and S.E., and about five or six in breadth. It shews a surface +composed of barren hills and vallies, on the most of which not a shrub +or plant is to be seen for several miles, and where we found nothing but +stones and sand, or rather flags and ashes; an indubitable sign that the +isle, at some remote time, has been destroyed by a volcano, which has +thrown up vast heaps of stones, and even hills. Between these heaps of +stones we found a smooth even surface, composed of ashes and sand, and +very good travelling upon it; but one may as easily walk over broken +glass bottles as over the stones. If the foot deceives you, you are sure +to be cut or lamed, which happened to some of our people. A high +mountain at the S.E. end of the isle seems to be left in its original +state, and to have escaped the general destruction. Its soil is a kind +of white marl, which yet retains its vegetative qualities, and produceth +a kind of purslain, spurge, and one or two grasses. On these the goats +subsist, and it is at this part of the isle where they are to be found, +as also land-crabs, which are said to be very good. + +I was told, that about this part of the isle is some very good land on +which might be raised many necessary articles; and some have been at the +trouble of sowing turnips and other useful vegetables. I was also told +there is a fine spring in a valley which disjoins two hills on the top +of the mountain above-mentioned; besides great quantities of fresh water +in holes in the rocks, which the person who gave me this information, +believed was collected from rains. But these supplies of water can only +be of use to the traveller; or to those who may be so unfortunate as to +be shipwrecked on the island; which seems to have been the fate of some +not long ago, as appeared by the remains of a wreck we found on the N.E. +side. By what we could judge, she seemed to have been a vessel of about +one hundred and fifty tons burthen. + +While we lay in the road, a sloop of about seventy tons burthen came to +an anchor by us. She belonged to New York, which place she left in +February, and having been to the coast of Guinea with a cargo of goods, +was come here to take in turtle to carry to Barbadoes. This was the +story which the master, whose name was Greves, was pleased to tell, and +which may, in part, be true. But I believe the chief view of his coming +here, was the expectation of meeting with some of the India ships. He +had been in the island near a week, and had got on board twenty turtle. +A sloop, belonging to Bermuda, had sailed but a few days before with one +hundred and five on board, which was as many as she could take in; but +having turned several more on the different sandy beaches, they had +ripped open their bellies, taken out the eggs, and left their carcasses +to putrify; an act as inhuman as injurious to those who came after them. +Part of the account I have given of the interior parts of this island I +received from Captain Greves, who seemed to be a sensible intelligent +man, and had been all over it. He sailed in the morning of the same day +we did. + +Turtle, I am told, are to be found at this isle from January to June. +The method of catching them is to have people upon the several sandy +bays, to watch their coming on shore to lay their eggs, which is always +in the night, and then to turn them on their backs, till there be an +opportunity to take them off the next day. It was recommended to us to +send a good many men to each beach, where they were to lie quiet till +the turtle were ashore, and then rise and turn them at once. This method +may be the best when the turtle are numerous; but when there are but +few, three or four men are sufficient for the largest beach; and if they +keep patroling it, close to the wash of the surf, during the night, by +this method they will see all that come ashore, and cause less noise +than if there were more of them. It was by this method we caught the +most we got; and this is the method by which the Americans take them. +Nothing is more certain, than that all the turtle which are found about +this island, come here for the sole purpose of laying their eggs; for we +met with none but females; and of all those which we caught, not one had +any food worth mentioning in its stomach; a sure sign, in my opinion, +that they must have been a long time without any; and this may be the +reason why the flesh of them is not so good as some I have eat on the +coast of New South Wales, which were caught on the spot where they fed. + +The watch made 8° 45' difference of longitude between St Helena and +Ascension; which, added to 5° 49' the longitude of James Fort in St +Helena, gives 14° 34' for the longitude of the Road of Ascension, or 14° +30' for the middle of the island, the latitude of which is 8° S. The +lunar observations made by Mr Wales, and reduced to the same point of +the island by the watch, gave 14° 28' 30" west longitude. + +On the 31st of May, we left Ascension, and steered to the northward with +a fine gale at S.E. by E. I had a great desire to visit the island of St +Matthew, to settle its situation; but as I found the wind would not let +me fetch it, I steered for the island of Fernando de Noronha on the +coast of Brazil, in order to determine its longitude, as I could not +find this had yet been done. Perhaps I should have performed a more +acceptable service to navigation, if I had gone in search of the island +of St Paul, and those shoals which are said to lie near the equator, and +about the meridian of 20° W.; as neither their situation nor existence +are well known. The truth is, I was unwilling to prolong the passage in +searching for what I was not sure to find; nor was I willing to give up +every object, which might tend to the improvement of navigation or +geography, for the sake of getting home a week or a fortnight sooner. It +is but seldom that opportunities of this kind offer; and when they do, +they are too often neglected. + +In our passage to Fernando de Noronha, we had steady fresh gales +between the S.E. and E.S.E., attended with fair and clear weather; and +as we had the advantage of the moon, a day or night did not pass without +making lunar observations for determining our longitude. In this run, +the variation of the compass gradually decreased from 11° W., which it +was at Ascension., to 1° W., which we found off Fernando de Noronha. +This was the mean result of two compasses, one of which gave 1° 37', and +the other 23' W. + +1775 June + +On the 9th of June at noon we made the island of Fernando de Noronha, +bearing S.W. by W. 1/2 W., distant six or seven leagues, as we +afterwards found by the log. It appeared in detached and peaked hills, +the largest of which looked like a church tower or steeple. As we drew +near the S.E. part of the isle, we perceived several unconnected sunken +rocks lying near a league from the shore, on which the sea broke in a +great surf. After standing very near these rocks, we hoisted our +colours, and then bore up round the north end of the isle, or rather +round a group of little islets; for we could see that the land was +divided by narrow channels. There is a strong fort on the one next the +main island, where there are several others; all of which seemed to have +every advantage that nature can give them, and they are so disposed, as +wholly to command all the anchoring and landing-places about the island. +We continued to steer round the northern point, till the sandy beaches +(before which is the road for shipping) began to appear, and the forts +and the peaked hills were open to the westward of the said point. At +this time, on a gun being fired from one of the forts, the Portuguese +colours were displayed, and the example was followed by all the other +forts. As the purpose for which I made the island was now answered, I +had no intention to anchor; and therefore, after firing a gun to +leeward, we made sail and stood away to the northward with a fine fresh +gale at E.S.E. The peaked hill or church tower bore S., 27° W., distant +about four or five miles; and from this point of view it leans, or +overhangs, to the east. This hill is nearly in the middle of the island, +which no where exceeds two leagues in extent, and shews a hilly unequal +surface, mostly covered with wood and herbage. + +Ulloa says, "This island hath two harbours capable of receiving ships of +the greatest burden; one is on the north side, and the other is on the +N.W. The former is, in every respect, the principal, both for shelter +and capacity, and the goodness of its bottom; but both are exposed to +the north and west, though these winds, particularly the north, are +periodical, and of no long continuance." He further says, that you +anchor in the north harbour (which is no more than what I would call a +road) to thirteen fathoms water, one-third of a league from shore, +bottom of fine sand; the peaked hill above-mentioned bearing S.W. 2° +southerly.* + +[* See Don Antonio d'Ulloa's Book, vol. ii. chap. 3. page 95 +to 102, where there is a very particular account of this island.] + +This road seems to be well sheltered from the south and east winds. One +of my seamen had been on board a Dutch India ship, who put in at this +isle in her way out in 1770. They were very sickly, and in want of +refreshments and water. The Portuguese supplied them with some buffaloes +and fowls; and they watered behind one of the beaches in a little pool, +which was hardly big enough to dip a bucket in. By reducing the observed +latitude at noon to the peaked hill, its latitude will be 3° 53' S.; and +its longitude, by the watch, carried on from St Helena, is 32° 34' W.; +and by observations of the sun and moon, made before and after we made +the Isle, and reduced to it by the watch, 32° 44' 30" W. This was the +mean result of my observations. The results of those made by Mr Wales, +which were more numerous, gave 32° 23'. The mean of the two will be +pretty near the watch, and probably nearest the truth. By knowing the +longitude of this isle, we are able to determine that of the adjacent +east coast of Brazil; which, according to the modern charts, lies about +sixty or seventy leagues more to the west. We might very safely have +trusted to these charts, especially the variation chart for 1744, and Mr +Dalrymple's of the southern Atlantic ocean*. + +[* Ulloa says, that the chart places this island sixty leagues from the +coast of Brazil; and that the Portuguese pilots, who often make the +voyage, judge it to be eighty leagues; but, by taking the mean between +the two opinions, the distance may be fixed at seventy leagues.] + +On the 11th, at three o'clock in the afternoon, we crossed the equator +in the longitude of 32° 14' W. We had fresh gales at E.S.E., blowing in +squalls, attended by showers of rain, that continued at certain +intervals, till noon the next day, after which we had twenty-four hours +fair weather. + +At noon on the 13th, being in the latitude of 3° 49' N., longitude 31° +47' W., the wind became variable, between the N.E. and S.; and we had +light airs and squalls by turns, attended by hard showers of rain, and +for the most part dark gloomy weather, which continued till the evening +of the 15th, when, in the latitude of 5° 47' N., longitude 31° W., we +had three calm days, in which time we did not advance above ten or +twelve leagues to the north. We had fair weather and rain by turns; the +sky, for the most part, being obscured, and sometimes by heavy dense +clouds which broke in excessive hard showers. + +At seven o'clock in the evening on the 18th, the calm was succeeded by a +breeze at east, which the next day increasing and veering to and fixing +at N.E., we stretched to N.W. with our tacks on board. We made no doubt +that we had now got the N.E. trade-wind, as it was attended with fair +weather, except now and then some light showers of rain; and as we +advanced to the north the wind increased, and blew a fresh top-gallant +gale. + +On the 21st, I ordered the still to be fitted to the largest copper, +which held about sixty-four gallons. The fire was lighted at four +o'clock in the morning, and at six the still began to run. It was +continued till six o'clock in the evening; in which time we obtained +thirty-two gallons of fresh water, at the expence of one bushel and a +half of coals; which was about three-fourths of a bushel more than was +necessary to have boiled the ship's company's victuals only; but the +expence of fuel was no object with me. The victuals were dressed in the +small copper, the other being applied wholly to the still; and every +method was made use of to obtain from it the greatest quantity of fresh +water possible; as this was my sole motive for setting it to work. The +mercury in the thermometer at noon was eighty-four and a half, and +higher it is seldom found at sea. Had it been lower, more water, under +the same circumstances, would undoubtedly have been produced; for the +colder the air is, the cooler you can keep the still, which will +condense the steam the faster. Upon the whole, this is an useful +invention; but I would advise no man to trust wholly to it. For although +you may, provided you have plenty of fuel and good coppers, obtain as +much water as will support life, you cannot, with all your efforts, +obtain sufficient to support health, in hot climates especially, where +it is the most wanting: For I am well convinced, that nothing +contributes more to the health of seamen, than having plenty of water. + +The wind now remained invariably fixed at N.E. and E.N.E., and blew +fresh with squalls, attended with showers of rain, and the sky for the +most part cloudy. On the 25th, in the latitude of 16° 12' N., longitude +37° 20' W., seeing a ship to windward steering down upon us, we +shortened sail in order to speak with her; but finding she was Dutch by +her colours, we made sail again and left her to pursue her course, which +we supposed was to some of the Dutch settlements in the West Indies. In +the latitude of 20° N., longitude 39° 45' W., the wind began to veer to +E. by N. and E.; but the weather remained the same; that is, we +continued to have it clear and cloudy by turns, with light squalls and +showers. Our track was between N.W. by N. and N.N.W., till noon on the +28th, after which our course made good was N. by W., being at this time +in the latitude of 21° 21' N., longitude 40° 6' W. Afterwards, the wind +began to blow a little more steady, and was attended with fair and clear +weather. At two o'clock in the morning of the 30th, being in the +latitude of 24° 20' N., longitude 40° 47' W., a ship, steering to the +westward, passed us within hail. We judged her to be English, as they +answered us in that language; but we could not understand what they +said, and they were presently out of sight. + +In the latitude of 29° 30', longitude 41° 30', the wind slackened and +veered more to the S.E. We now began to see some of that sea-plant, +which is commonly called gulph-weed, from a supposition that it comes +from the Gulph of Florida. Indeed, for aught I know to the contrary, it +may be a fact; but it seems not necessary, as it is certainly a plant +which vegetates at sea. We continued to see it, but always in small +pieces, till we reached the latitude 36°, longitude 39° W., beyond which +situation no more appeared. + +1775 July + +On the 5th of July, in the latitude of 22° 31' 30" N., longitude 40° 29' +W., the wind veered to the east, and blew very faint: The next day it +was calm; the two following days we had variable light airs and calms by +turns; and, at length, on the 9th, having fixed at S.S.W., it increased +to a fresh gale, with which we steered first N.E. and then E.N.E., with +a view of making some of the Azores, or Western Isles. On the 11th, in +the latitude of 36° 45' N., longitude 36° 45' W., we saw a sail which +was steering to the west; and the next day we saw three more. + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Arrival of the Ship at the Island of Fayal, a Description of the Place, +and the Return of the Resolution to England._ + +1775 July + +At five o'clock in the evening of the 13th, we made the island of Fayal, +one of the Azores, and soon after that of Pico, under which we spent the +night in making short boards. At day-break the next morning, we bore +away for the bay of Fayal, or De Horta, where at eight o'clock, we +anchored in twenty fathoms water, a clear sandy bottom, and something +more than half a mile from the shore. Here we moored N.E. and S.W., +being directed so to do by the master of the port, who came on board +before we dropped anchor. When moored, the S.W. point of the bay bore S. +16° W., and the N.E. point N. 33° E.; the church at the N.E. end of the +town N. 38° W., the west point of St George's Island N. 42° E., distant +eight leagues; and the isle of Pico, extending from N. 74° E. to S. 46° +E., distant four or five miles. + +We found in the bay the Pourvoyeur, a large French frigate, an American +sloop, and a brig belonging to the place. She had come last from the +river Amazon, where she took in a cargo of provision from the Cape Verd +Islands; but, not being able to find them, she steered for this place, +where she anchored about half an hour before us. + +As my sole design in stopping here was to give Mr Wales an opportunity +to find the rate of the watch, the better to enable us to fix with some +degree of certainty the longitude of these islands, the moment we +anchored, I sent an officer to wait on the English consul, and to notify +our arrival to the governor, requesting his permission for Mr Wales to +make observations on shore, for the purpose above mentioned. Mr Dent, +who acted as consul in the absence of Mr Gathorne, not only procured +this permission, but accommodated Mr Wales with a convenient place in +his garden to set up his instruments; so that he was enabled to observe +equal altitudes the same day. + +We were not more obliged to Mr Dent for the very friendly readiness he +shewed in procuring us this and every other thing we wanted, than for +the very liberal and hospitable entertainment we met with at his house, +which was open to accommodate us both night and day. + +During our stay, the ship's company was served with fresh beef; and we +took on board about fifteen tons of water, which we brought off in the +country boats, at the rate of about three shillings per ton. Ships are +allowed to water with their own boats; but the many inconveniencies +attending it, more than overbalance the expence of hiring shore-boats, +which is the most general custom. + +Fresh provisions for present use may be got, such as beef, vegetables, +and fruit; and hogs, sheep, and poultry for sea stock, all at a pretty +reasonable price; but I do not know that any sea-provisions are to be +had, except wine. The bullocks and hogs are very good, but the sheep are +small and wretchedly poor. + +The principal produce of Fayal is wheat and Indian corn, with which they +supply Pico and some of the other isles. The chief town is called Villa +de Horta. It is situated in the bottom of the bay, close to the edge of +the sea, and is defended by two castles, one at each end of the town, +and a wall of stone-work, extending along the sea-shore from the one to +the other. But these works are suffered to go to decay, and serve more +for shew than strength. They heighten the prospect of the city, which +makes a fine appearance from the road; but, if we except the Jesuits' +college, the monasteries and churches, there is not another building +that has any thing to recommend it, either outside or in. There is not a +glass window in the place, except what are in the churches, and in a +country-house which lately belonged to the English consul; all the +others being latticed, which, to an Englishman, makes them look like +prisons. + +This little city, like all others belonging to the Portuguese, is +crowded with religious buildings, there being no less than three +convents of men and two of women, and eight churches, including those +belonging to the convents, and the one in the Jesuits' college. This +college is a fine structure, and is situated on an elevation in the +pleasantest part of the city. Since the expulsion of that order, it has +been suffered to go to decay, and will probably, in a few years, be no +better than a heap of ruins. + +Fayal, although the most noted for wines, does not raise sufficient for +its own consumption. This article is raised on Pico, where there is no +road for shipping; but being brought to De Horta, and from thence +shipped abroad, chiefly to America, it has acquired the name of Fayal +Wine. + +The bay, or road of Fayal, is situated at the east end of the isle, +before the Villa de Horta, and facing the west end of Pico. It is two +miles broad, and three quarters of a mile deep, and hath a semi-circular +form. The depth of water is from twenty to ten and even six fathoms, a +sandy bottom, except near the shore, and particularly near the S.W. +head, off which the bottom is rocky, also without the line which joins +the two points of the bay, so that it is not safe to anchor far out. The +bearing before mentioned, taken when at anchor, will direct any one to +the best ground. It is by no means a bad road, but the winds most to be +apprehended, are those which blow from between the S.S.W. and S.E.; the +former is not so dangerous as the latter, because, with it, you can +always get to sea. Besides this road, there is a small cove round the +S.W. point, called Porto Pierre, in which, I am told, a ship or two may +lie in tolerable safety, and where they sometimes heave small vessels +down. + +A Portuguese captain told me, that about half a league from the road in +the direction of S.E., in a line between it and the south side of Pico, +lies a sunken rock, over which is twenty-two feet water, and on which +the sea breaks in hard gales from the south. He also assured me, that of +all the shoals that are laid down in our charts and pilot-books about +these isles, not one has any existence but the one between the islands +of St Michael and St Mary, called Hormingan. This account may be +believed, without relying entirely upon it. He further informed me, that +it is forty-five leagues from Fayal to the island of Flores; and that +there runs a strong tide between Fayal and Pico, the flood setting to +the N.E. and the ebb to the S.W., but that, out at sea, the direction is +E. and W. Mr Wales having observed the times of high and low water by +the shore, concluded that it must be high water at the full and change, +about twelve o'clock, and the water riseth about four or five feet. + +The distance between Fayal and Flores was confirmed by Mr Rebiers, +lieutenant of the French frigate, who told me, that after being by +estimation two leagues due south of Flores, they made forty-four leagues +on a S.E. by E. course by compass, to St Catherine's Point on Fayal. + + I found the latitude of the ship at anchor 38° 31' 55" N. + in the bay + + By a mean of seventeen sets of lunar 28 24 30 W. + observations, and reduced to the bay + by the watch, the longitude was made + + By a mean of six sets after leaving it, 28 53 22 + and reduced back by the watch + ----------------- + Longitude by observation 28 38 56 + ----------------- + Ditto, by the watch 28 55 45 + + Error of the watch on our arrival at 16 26-1/2 + Portsmouth + ----------------- + True longitude by the watch 28 39 18-1/2 + _________________ + +I found the variation of the compass, by several azimuths, taken by +different compasses on board the ship, to agree very well with the like +observations made by Mr Wales on shore; and yet the variation thus found +is greater by 5° than we found it to be at sea, for the azimuths taken +on board the evening before we came into the bay, gave no more than 16° +18' W. variation, and the evening after we came out 17° 33' W. + +I shall now give some account of the variation, as observed in our run +from the island of Fernando De Noronha to Fayal. The least variation we +found was 37' W. which was the day after we left Fernando De Noronha, +and in the latitude of 33' S., longitude 32° 16' W. The next day, being +nearly in the same longitude, and in the latitude of 1° 25' N., it was +1° 23' W.; and we did not find it increase till we got into the latitude +of 5° N., longitude 31° W. After this our compasses gave different +variation, viz. from 3° 57' to 5° 11' W. till we arrived in the latitude +of 26° 44' N., longitude 41° W., when we found 6° W. It then increased +gradually, so that in the latitude of 35° N., longitude 40° W., it was +10° 24' W.; in the latitude of 38° 12' N., longitude 32° 1/2 W. it was +14° 47'; and in sight of Fayal 16° 18' W., as mentioned above. + +Having left the bay, at four in the morning of the 19th, I steered for +the west end of St George's Island. As soon as we had passed it, I +steered E. 1/2 S. for the Island of Tercera; and after having run +thirteen leagues, we were not more than one league from the west end. I +now edged away for the north side, with a view of ranging the coast to +the eastern point, in order to ascertain the length of the island; but +the weather coming on very thick and hazy, and night approaching, I gave +up the design, and proceeded with all expedition for England. + +On the 29th, we made the land near Plymouth. The next morning we +anchored at Spithead; and the same day I landed at Portsmouth, and set +out for London, in company with Messrs Wales, Forsters, and Hodges. + +Having been absent from England three years and eighteen days, in which +time, and under all changes of climate, I lost but four men, and only +one of them by sickness, it may not be amiss, at the conclusion of this +journal, to enumerate the several causes to which, under the care of +Providence, I conceive this uncommon good state of health, experienced +by my people, was owing. + +In the Introduction, mention has been made of the extraordinary +attention paid by the Admiralty in causing such articles to be put on +board, as either from experience or suggestion it was judged would tend +to preserve the health of the seamen. I shall not trespass upon the +reader's time in mentioning them all, but confine myself to such as were +found the most useful. + +We were furnished with a quantity of malt, of which was made _Sweet +Wort_. To such of the men as shewed the least symptoms of the scurvy, +and also to such as were thought to be threatened with that disorder, +this was given, from, one to two or three pints a-day each man; or in +such proportion as the surgeon found necessary, which sometimes amounted +to three quarts. This is, without doubt, one of the best anti-scorbutic +sea-medicines yet discovered; and, if used in time, will, with proper +attention to other things, I am persuaded, prevent the scurvy from +making any great progress for a considerable while. But I am not +altogether of opinion that it will cure it at sea. + +_Sour Krout_, of which we had a large quantity, is not only a wholesome +vegetable food, but, in my judgment, highly antiscorbutic; and it spoils +not by keeping. A pound of this was served to each man, when at sea, +twice-a-week, or oftener, as was thought necessary. + +_Portable Broth_ was another great article, of which we had a large +supply. An ounce of this to each man, or such other proportion as +circumstances pointed out, was boiled in their pease, three days in the +week; and when we were in places where vegetables were to be got, it was +boiled with them, and wheat or oatmeal, every morning for breakfast; and +also with pease and vegetables for dinner. It enabled us to make several +nourishing and wholesome messes, and was the means of making the people +eat a greater quantity of vegetables than they would otherwise have +done. + +_Rob of Lemon and Orange_ is an antiscorbutic we were not without. The +surgeon made use of it in many cases with great success. + +Amongst the articles of victualling, we were supplied with _Sugar_ in +the room of _Oil_, and with _Wheat_ for a part of our _Oatmeal_; and +were certainly gainers by the exchange. Sugar, I apprehend, is a very +good antiscorbutic; whereas oil (such as the navy is usually supplied +with), I am of opinion, has the contrary effect. + +But the introduction of the most salutary articles, either as provisions +or medicines, will generally prove unsuccessful, unless supported by +certain regulations. On this principle, many years experience, together +with some hints I had from Sir Hugh Palliser, Captains Campbell, Wallis, +and other intelligent officers, enabled me to lay a plan, whereby all +was to be governed. + +The crew were at three watches, except upon some extraordinary +occasions. By this means they were not so much exposed to the weather as +if they had been at watch and watch; and had generally dry clothes to +shift themselves, when they happened to get wet. Care was also taken to +expose them as little to wet weather as possible. + +Proper methods were used to keep their persons, hammocks, bedding, +cloaths, etc. constantly clean and dry. Equal care was taken to keep the +ship clean and dry betwixt decks. Once or twice a week she was aired +with fires; and when this could not be done, she was smoked with +gun-powder, mixed with vinegar or water. I had also, frequently, a fire +made in an iron pot, at the bottom of the well, which was of great use +in purifying the air in the lower parts of the ship. To this, and to +cleanliness, as well in the ship as amongst the people, too great +attention cannot be paid; the least neglect occasions a putrid and +disagreeable smell below, which nothing but fires will remove. + +Proper attention was paid to the ship's coppers, so that they were kept +constantly clean. + +The fat which boiled out of the salt beef and pork, I never suffered to +be given to the people; being of opinion that it promotes the scurvy. + +I was careful to take in water wherever it was to be got, even though we +did not want it, because I look upon fresh water from the shore to be +more wholesome than that which has been kept some time on board a ship. +Of this essential article we were never at an allowance, but had always +plenty for every necessary purpose. Navigators in general cannot, +indeed, expect, nor would they wish to meet with such advantages in this +respect, as fell to my lot. The nature of our voyage carried us into +very high latitudes. But the hardships and dangers inseparable from that +situation, were in some degree compensated by the singular felicity we +enjoyed, of extracting inexhaustible supplies of fresh water from an +ocean strewed with ice. + +We came to few places, where either the art of man, or the bounty of +nature, had not provided some sort of refreshment or other, either in +the animal or vegetable way. It was my first care to procure whatever of +any kind could be met with, by every means in my power; and to oblige +our people to make use thereof, both by my example and authority; but +the benefits arising from refreshments of any kind soon became so +obvious, that I had little occasion, to recommend the one, or to exert +the other. + +It doth not become me to say how far the principal objects of our voyage +have been obtained. Though it hath not abounded with remarkable events, +nor been diversified by sudden transitions of fortune; though my +relation of it has been more employed in tracing our course by sea, than +in recording our operations on shore; this, perhaps, is a circumstance +from which the curious reader may infer, that the purposes for which we +were sent into the Southern Hemisphere, were diligently and effectually +pursued. Had we found out a continent there, we might have been better +enabled to gratify curiosity; but we hope our not having found it, after +all our persevering researches, will leave less room for future +speculation about unknown worlds remaining to be explored. + +But, whatever may be the public judgment about other matters, it is with +real satisfaction, and without claiming any merit but that of attention +to my duty, that I can conclude this account with an observation, which +facts enable me to make; that our having discovered the possibility of +preserving health amongst a numerous ship's company, for such a length +of time, in such varieties of climate, and amidst such continued +hardships and fatigues, will make this voyage remarkable in the opinion +of every benevolent person, when the disputes about a Southern Continent +shall have ceased to engage the attention, and to divide the judgment of +philosophers. + +(Tables of the route of the Resolution and the Adventure, the variation +of the compass and meteorological observations during the voyage.) + +* * * * * + +A VOCABULARY OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE SOCIETY ISLES. + + +DIRECTIONS FOR THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE VOCABULARY. + +As all nations who are acquainted with the method of communicating their +ideas by characters, (which represent the sound that conveys the idea,) +have some particular method of managing, or pronouncing, the sounds +represented by such characters, this forms a very essential article in +the constitution of the language of any particular nation, and must, +therefore, be understood before we can make any progress in learning, or +be able to converse in it. But as this is very complex and tedious to a +beginner, by reason of the great variety of powers the characters, or +letters, are endued with under different circumstances, it would seem +necessary, at least in languages which have never before appeared in +writing, to lessen the number of these varieties, by restraining the +different sounds, and always representing the same simple ones by the +same character; and this is no less necessary in the English than any +other language, as this variety of powers is very frequent, and without +being taken notice of in the following Vocabulary, might render it +entirely unintelligible. As the vowels are the regulations of all +sounds, it is these only that need be noticed, and the powers allotted +to each of these in the Vocabulary is subjoined. + +_A_ in the English language is used to represent two different simple +sounds, as in the word Arabia, where the first and last have a different +power from the second. In the Vocabulary this letter must always have +the power, or be pronounced like the first and last in Arabia. The other +power, or sound, of the second _a_, is always represented in the +Vocabulary by _a_ and _i_, printed in Italics thus, _ai_. + +_E_ has likewise two powers, or it is used to represent two simple +sounds, as in the words Eloquence, Bred, Led, etc. and it may be said to +have a third power, as in the words Then, When, etc. In the first case, +this letter is only used at the beginning of words, and wherever it is +met with in any other place in the words of the Vocabulary, it is used +as in the second case: But never as in the third example; for this +power, or sound, is every where expressed by the _a_ and _i_ +before-mentioned, printed in Italics. + +_I_ is used to express different simple sounds, as in the words +Indolence, Iron, and Imitation. In the Vocabulary it is never used as in +the first case, but in the middle of words; it is never used as in the +second example, for that sound is always represented by _y_, nor is it +used as in the last case, that sound being always represented by two +_e_'s, printed in Italics in this manner, _ee_. + +_O_ never alters in the pronunciation, i.e. in this Vocabulary, of a +simple sound, but is often used in this manner, _oo_, and sounds as in +Good, Stood, etc. + +_U_ alters, or is used to express different simple sounds, as in Unity, +or Umbrage. Here the letters _e_ and _u_, printed in Italics _eu_ are +used to express its power as in the first example, and it always retains +the second power, wherever it is met with. + +_Y_ is used to express different sounds, as in My, By, etc. etc. and in +Daily, Fairly, etc. Wherever it is met with in the middle, or end, (i.e. +anywhere but at the beginning,) of a word, it is to be used as in the +first example; but is never to be found as in the second, for that +sound, or power, is always represented by the Italic letter _e_. It has +also a third power, as in the words Yes, Yell, etc., which is retained +every where in the Vocabulary, at least in the beginning of words, or +when it goes before another vowel, unless directed to be sounded +separately by a mark over it, as thus, ÿ a. + +Unless in a few instances, these powers of the vowels are used +throughout the Vocabulary; but, to make the pronunciation still less +liable to change, or variation, a few marks are added to the words, as +follows:-- + +This mark ¨ as öa, means that these letters are to be expressed singly. + +The letters in Italic, as _ee_, or _oo_, make but one simple sound. + +When a particular stress is laid on any part of a word in the +pronunciation, an accent is placed over that letter where it begins, or +rather between that and the preceding one. + +It often happens that a word is compounded as it were of two, or in some +cases the same word, or syllable, is repeated. In these circumstances, a +comma is placed under them at this division, where a rest, or small +space, of time is left before you proceed to pronounce the other part, +but it must not be imagined that this is a full stop. + + + _Examples in all these Cases._ + + Röa, Great, long, distant. E'r_ee_ma, Five. Ry'po_ee_a, Fog, _or + mist_. E'h_oo_ra, To invert, _or turn upside down_. Par_oo_, r_oo_, + A partition, _division, or screen_. + + +A VOCABULARY, etc. + + A. + To abide, _or remain_ Ete'_ei_. + An Abode, _or place of residence_, Noho`ra. + Above, _not below_, N_eea_, s. Tie'n_eea_. + An Abscess, Fe'fe. + Action, _opposed to rest_, Ta'er_ee_. + Adhesive, _of an adhesive or sticking + quality_ Oo'p_ee_re. + Adjoining, _or contiguous to_, E'p_ee_iho. + Admiration, _an interjection of_, A'w_ai_, s. A'w_ai_ + to P_ee_r_ee_ai. + An adulterer, T_ee_ho t_ee_ho, s. Teeho + _or one that vexes a married woman_ ta-rar + To agitate, _or shake a thing, + as water, etc._ E_oo_a'w_ai_. + Aliment, _or food of any kind_, Mäa. + Alive, _that is not dead_, Waura. + All, _the whole, not a part_, A'ma_oo_. + Alone, _by one's self_, Ota'h_oi_. + Anger, _or to be angry_, Warrad_ee_, + s. R_ee_d_ee_. + To angle, _or fish_, E'h_oo_tee. + _The_ Ankle, Momoa. + _The inner_ Ankle, A't_oo_a,ewy. + Answer, _an answer to a question_, Oo'm_ai_a. + Approbation, _or consent_, Mad_oo_ho'why. + _Punctuated_ Arches _on the hips_, E'var're. + _The_ Arm, R_ee_ma. + _The_ Armpit, E'e. + _An_ arrow, E'_oo_me. + Arrow, _the body of an arrow or reed_, O'wha. + _The point of an_ Arrow, To'_ai_, s. O'möa. + Ashamed, _to be ashamed or confused_, Ama, s. He'ama. + Ashore, _or on shore_, Te Euta. + To ask _for a thing_, Ho'my, s. Ha'py my. + Asperity, _roughness_, Tarra, tarra. + An Assassin,_murderer, or rather + man-killer, soldier, Taata,Töa. or + warrior_, + An Assembly, _or meeting_, Ete_ou_'rooa. Atherina, + A'n_ai_h_eu_. + Avaricious, _parsimonious, ungenerous_, P_ee_'p_ee_re. + Averse, _unwillingness to do a thing_, Fata, h_oi_to' _hoi_to. + Authentic,_true_, Par_ou_, m_ou_. + Awake, _not asleep_, Arra arra, s. E'ra. + Awry,_or to one side; as a wry neck_, Na'na. + An Axe, _hatchet, or adze_, Töe. + Ay, _yes; an affirmation_, _Ai_. + +B. + + A Babe, _or child_, Mydidde. + A Batchelor, _or unmarried person_, E'ev_ee_ (taata.) + The_ Back, T_oo_a_. + To wipe the_ Backside, Fy'r_oo_,too'ty. + Bad, _it is not good_, 'Eè'no. + A Bag _of straw_, Ete'öe, s.Eäte. + Bait, _for fish_, Era'_eu_noo. + Baked _in the oven_, Et_oo_n_oo_. + Bald-headed, O_o_po'b_oo_ta. + Bamboo, E_e_n_ee'ou_. + A Bank, _or shoal_, E'paa. + Bare, _naked, applied to a person that + is undressed_, Ta'turra. + The Bark _of a tree_, Ho'hore. + Barren _land_, Fe'nooa Ma'_ou_re. + _A large round_ Basket _of twig_, He'na. + _A small_ Basket _of cocoa leaves_, V_ai_'hee. + _A long _Basket _of cocoa leaves_, Apo'_ai_ra. + A Basket _of plantain stock_, Papa' M_aiee_a. + _A fisher's_ Basket, Er're'vy. + _A round_ Basket _of cocoa leaves_, Mo'ene. + A Bastard, Fanna T_oo_'n_ee_a. + Bastinado, _to bastinade or flog a person_, Tapra'h_ai_. + To bathe, Ob'_oo_. + A Battle, _or fight_, E'motto. + A Battle-axe, O'morre. + To bawl, _or cry aloud_, T_ei_mo'toro. + A Bead, Pöe. + The Beard, _Oo_me _oo_me. + To beat _upon, or strike a thing_, T_oo_'py or T_oo_'ba_ee_. + To beat _a drum_, Er_oo_'k_oo_. + To beckon _a person with the hand_, Ta'rappe. + A Bed, _or bed-place_, E'ro_ee_, s. Möi'a. + To bedaub, _or bespatter_, Par'ry. + A Bee, E'räo. + A Beetle, P_ee_re'te_ee_. + Before, _not behind_, Te'möa. + A Beggar, _a person that is troublesome_, Tapa'r_oo_. + _continually asking for some-what_, + Behind, _not before_, Te'm_oo_r_ee_. + To belch, Er_oo_'y. + Below, _as below stairs_, Tei'dirro, s. T_ee_diraro. + Below, _underneath, far below_, O'raro. + To bend _any thing, as a stick_, etc. Fa'fe'fe. + Benevolence, _generosity_, Ho'röa, + e.g. _you are a generous man_, Taata ho roa öe. + Between, _in the middle, betwixit two_, Fero'p_oo_. + To bewail, _or lament by crying_, E'tat_ee_. + Bigness, _largeness, great_, Ara'hay. + A Bird, Manoo. + A Bitch, _Oo_re, e'_oo_ha. + To bite, _as a dog_, A ah_oo_. + Black, _colour_, Ere, ere. + Bladder, Töa meeme. + A_ Blasphemer, _a person who speaks_ T_oo_na, (t_aa_ta.) + _disrespectfully of their deities_, + Blind, Matta-po. + A Blister, _raised by a burn or + other means_, Mei'_ee_ + Blood, Toto, s. Eh_ooei_. + To blow _the nose_, Fatte. + The blowing, _or breathing of a whale_, Ta'hora. + Blunt, _as a blunt tool of any sort_, Ma'n_ee_a. + _The carved_ Boards _of a Maray_, E'ra. + _A little_ Boat, _or canoe_, E'väa. + A Boil, Fe'fe. + Boldness, Eäw_ou_. + A Bone, E'ev_ee_. + A Bonetto, _a fish so called_, Peera'ra. + To bore _a hole_, Ehoo'_ee_, s. Eh_oo_'o. + A Bow, E'fanna. + A Bow-string, Aröa'h_oo_a. + To bow _with the head_, Etoo'o. + _A young_ Boy, My'didde. + Boy, _a familiar way of speaking_, He'aman_ee_. + The Brain _of any animal_, A b_oo_ba. + A Branch _of a tree or plant_, E'ama. + Bread-fruit, _or the fruit of the + bread-tree_, _Oo_r_oo_. + Bread-fruit, _a particular sort of it_, E'patëa. + _An insipid paste of_ Bread-fruit, Eh'öe. + _The gum of the _Bread-tree, Tappo'_oo_r_oo_. + _The leaf of the_ Bread-tree, E'da'_oo_r_oo_. + _The pith of the_ Bread-tree, Po'_oo_r_oo_. + To break _a thing_, O whatte, s. Owhan ne, + s. Fatte. + The Breast, O'ma + A Breast-plate _made of twigs, ornamented + with feathers, dog's hair, Ta_oo_me. + and pearl-shell_, + To breathe, Watte Weete wee + të,'aho. + Bring, _to ask one to bring a thing_, Ho'my. + Briskness, _being brisk or quick_, T_ee_ t_ee_re. + Broiled, _or roasted, as broiled meat_, _Oo_aw_ee_ra. + Broken, _or cut_, 'Mot_oo_. + The Brow, _or forehead_, E'ry. + A brown _colour_, Aur_au_ra. + Buds _of a tree or plant_, Te, arre ha_oo_. + A Bunch _of any fruit_, Eta. + To burn _a thing_, Döod_oo_e. + A Butterfly, Pepe. + + C. + + To call _a person at a distance_, T_oo_o t_oo_'o_oo_. + A Calm, Man_ee_no. + A Calm, _or rather to be so placed, + that the wind has no access to you_, E_ou_, shea. + _Sugar_ Cane, Tö, Etöo. + A Cap, _or covering for the head_ T_au_'matta. + To carry _any thing_, E'a'mo. + To carry _a person an the back_, Eva'ha. + Catch a _thing hastily with the hand_, Po'po_ee_, s. Peero. + as a fly, etc. + To catch _a ball_, Ama'wh_ee_a. + To catch _fish with a line_, E'h_oo_te. + A Caterpillar, E't_oo_a. + Celerity, _swiftness_, T_ee_'teere, s. E'tirre. + The Centre, _or middle of a thing_, Tera'p_oo_. + Chalk, Mamma'tëa. + A Chatterer, _or noisy impertinent Taata E'm_oo_, + fellow_, s. E'm_oo_. + Chearfulness, Wara. + The Cheek, Pappar_ee_a. + A Chest, 'P_ee_ha. + The Chest, _or body_, O'p_oo_. + To chew, _or eat_, E'y. + Chequered, _or painted in squares_, P_oo_re, p_oo_re. + A Chicken, Möa pee'ri_a_ia. + A Chief, _or principal person; one of Eäree. + the first rank among the people_, + _An inferior_ Chief, _or one who + is only in an independent state, T_oo'ou_ + a gentleman_, + Child-bearing, Fanou, e'vaho. + Children's _language_, Father, O'pucen_oo_, _and_ Papa. + Mother, E'wh_ei_arre, and O'pa'tëa. + Brother, E'tama. + Sister, Te't_oo_a. + The Chin, _and lower jaw_, E'taa. + Choaked, _to be choaked as with Ep_oo_'n_ei_na, + victuals_, etc. s. Er_oo_'y. + To chuse, _or pick out_, Eh_ee_e,te,me,my ty. + Circumcision, _or rather an incision_ E_oo_re,te h_ai_. + _of the foreskin_, + _A sort of_ Clappers,_used at funerals_, Par'ha_oo_. + Clapping _the bend of the arm smartly E'too. + with the hand, so as to make a noise, + an Indian custom_, + The Claw _of a bird,_ A'_ee oo_. + Clay, _or clammy earth_, Ewh_ou_,arra. + Clean, _not nasty_, _Oo_'ma, s. Eoo'_ee_. + Clear, _pure; as clear water_, etc. Tëa'te. + _White clayey_ Cliffs, E'mammatëa. + Close, _shut_, Eva'h_ee_. + Cloth _of any kind, or rather the covering Ahoo. + or raiments made of it_, + _A piece of oblong_ Cloth, _slit in the + middle, through which the head is Teeboota. + put, and it then hangs down behind + and before_, + _Brown thin_ Cloth, _Oo_'erai. + _Dark-brown_ Cloth, Poo'h_ee_re. + _Nankeen-coloured_ Cloth, Ah_ee_re, s. _Oo_a. + _Gummed_ Cloth, Oo'_ai_r ara. + Heappa,heappa, s. + _Yellow_ Cloth, A'ade, p_oo ee ei_, s. + Oora poo'_ee ei_. + Cloth, _a piece of thin white cloth Par_oo_'y, by which name + wrapt round the waist, or thrown they also call a white + over the shoulders_, shirt. + A Cloth-beater, _or an oblong square To'aa. + piece of wood grooved, and used in + making cloth_, + The _Cloth-plant, _a sort of mulberry Ea_ou_te. + tree_, + A Cloud, E'äo, s. Ea_oo_. + A Cock, Möa, e'töa. + Cock, _the cock claps his wings_ Te Moa Pa_ee_, pa_ee_. + A Cock-roach, Potte potte. + A Cocoa-nut, A'r_ee_. + _The fibrous husk of a_ Cocoa-nut, P_oo_r_oo_'waha, + s. P_oo_r_oo_. + Cocoa-nut _oil_, E'rede,väe. + Cocoa leaves, E,ne'ha_oo_. + Coition, E'y. + _The sense of_ Cold, Ma'r_ee_de. + A Comb, Pa'horo, s. Pa'herre. + Company, _acquaintance, gossips_, Tee'ÿa. + Compliance _with a request, consent_, Mad_oo_,ho'why. + Computation, _or counting of numbers_, Ta't_ou_. + A Concubine, Wa'h_ei_ne Möebo, + s. Etoo'n_ee_a. + Confusedness, _without order_, E'vah_ee_a. + Consent, _or approbation_, Mad_oo_,ho'why. + Contempt, _a name of contempt given Wah_ei_ne,p_oo_'ha. + to a maid, or unmarried woman_, + Conversation, Para_ou_,maro, s. + Para'para_ou_. + _A sort of_ Convolvulus, _or bird-weed, + common in the islands_, Oh_oo_e. + Cook'd, _dress'd; not raw_, Ee'_oo_, s. E_ee_'wera. + To Cool _one with a fan_, Taha`r_ee_. + Cordage _of any kind_, Taura. + The Core _of an apple_, Böe. + A Cork, _or stopper of a bottle or gourd + shell_, Ora'h_oo_e. + A Corner, E'pecho. + Covering, _the covering of a fish's gills_, Pe_ee_'eya. + Covetousness, _or rather one not inclined + to give_, Pee,peere. + A Cough, Ma're. + To Court, _woo a woman_, Ta'raro. + Coyness _in a woman,_ No'nöa. + A Crab, Pappa. + Crab, _a large land-crab that climbs + the cocoa-nut trees for fruit_, E'_oo_wa. + A Crack, cleft, or fissure, Mot_oo_. + Crammed, _lumbered, crowded_, Ooa,p_ee_a'pe,s.Ehotto. + The Cramp, Emo't_oo_ t_oo_. + A Cray-fish, O'_oo_ra. + To Creep _on the hands and feet_, Ene'_ai_. + Crimson _colour_, _Oo_ra _oo_ra. + Cripple, _lame_, T_ei_'t_ei_. + Crooked, _not straight_, O_o_o'p_ee_o. + To crow _as a cock_, A'a _oo_a. + The Crown _of the head_, T_oo_'p_oo_e. + To cry, _or shed tears_, Ta_ee_. + _A brown_ Cuckoo, _with black bars and + a long tail, frequent in the isles_, Ara'were_wa_. + To cuff, _or slap the chops_, E'par_oo_. + Curlew, _a small curlew or whimbrel + found about the rivulets_, Torëa. + Cut, _or divided_, Mot_oo_. + _To_ cut _the hair with scissars_, O'tee. + + D. + + A Dance, H_ee_va. + Darkness, Poee'r_ee_, + s. Po_oo_'r_ee_ + To Darn O'ono + A Daughter, Ma'h_ei_ne. + Day, _or day-light_, Mara'marama, s. + A'_ou_, s. A'a_ou_. + Day-break, Oota'tah_ei_ta. + Day, _to-day_, A_oo_'n_ai_. + Dead, Matte röa. + _A natural_ Death, Matte nöa. + Deafness, Ta'r_ee_a, t_oo_r_ee_. + Decrepid, Epoo't_oo_a. + Deep water, Mona'. + A Denial, _or refusal_, Eh_oo_'nöa. + To desire, _or wish for a thing_, E_ooee_. + A Devil, _or evil spirit_, E't_ee_. + Dew, Ahe'a_oo_. + A Diarrhoea, _or looseness_, Hawa, hawa. + To_ dip _meat in salt water instead of_ Eaw_ee_'wo + _salt, (an Indian custom_,) + Dirt, _or nastiness of any kind_, E'repo. + Disapprobation, Eh_oo_nöa. + A Disease, _where the head cannot be E'p_ee_. + held up, perhaps the palsy_, + To disengage, _untie or loosen_, Ea_oo_'w_ai_. + Dishonesty, E_ee_'a. + Displeased, _to be displeased, vexed, or Ta_ee_'va. + in the dumps_, + Dissatisfaction, _to grumble, or be Fa_oo_'oue. + dissatisfied_, + Distant, _far off_, Röa. + _To_ distort, _or writhe the limbs, body, Faee'ta. + lips, etc. + To distribute, _divide or share out_, At_oo_'ha. + A District, Matei na. + A Ditch, Eö'h_oo_. + To dive _under water_, Eho'p_oo_. + A Dog, _Oo_'r_ee_. + A Doll _made of cocoa-plants_, Ad_oo_'a. + A Dolphin, A'_ou_na. + Done, _have done; or that is enough_, A'teera. + _or there is no more_, + A Door, _Oo_'b_oo_ta. + Double, _or when two things are in_ Tau'r_oo_a. + _one, as a double canoe_, + Down, _or soft hair_, E'waou, + To draw _a bow_, Etëa. + To draw, _or drag a thing by force_, Era'ko. + Dread, _or fear_, Mattou. + Dress'd, _or cooked, not raw_, Ee'_oo_. + _A head_ Dress, _used at funerals_, Pa'ra_ee_. + To dress, _or put on the cloaths_, Eu, hau'ho_oo_ t'Ahoo. + To drink, A_ee_'n_oo_. + Drop, _a single drop of any liquid_, _Oo_,ata'hai. + To drop, _or leak_, Eto't_oo_r_oo_, s. + E't_oo_r_oo_. + Drops, _as drops of rain_, To'potta. + Drowned, Parre'mo. + A Drum, Pa'hoo. + Dry, _not wet_, _Oo_'maro. + A Duck, Mora. + A Dug, _teat, or nipple_, E_oo_. + Dumbness, E'faö. + + E. + + The Ear, Ta'r_ee_a. + _The inside of the_ Ear, Ta'toor_ee_. + An Ear-ring, Poe note tar_ee_a. + To eat, _or chew_, E'y, s. Mäa. + An Echinus, _or sea-egg_, Heawy. + Echo, T_oo_o. + An Egg _of a bird_, Ehooero te Man_oo_. + _A white_ Egg-bird, Pee'ry. + Eight, A'waroo. + The Elbow, T_oo_'r_ee_. + Empty, Oooata'aö, + s. Tata'_oo_a. + An Enemy, Taata'e. + Entire, _whole, not broke_, Eta, Eta. + Equal, _Oo_hy't_ei_. + Erect, _upright_, Et_oo_. + A Euphorbium _tree, with white flowers_, Te'too_ee_. + The Evening, Oooh_oi_'h_oi_. + Excrement, T_oo_'ty. + To expand, _or spread out cloth, etc._ Ho'hora. + The Eye, Matta. + The Eye-brow, _and eye-lid_, T_oo_a, matta. + + F. + + The Face, E'mot_ee_a. + _To hide or hold the_ Face _away, as_ + when ashamed_, Far_ee_'w_ai_. + Facetious, _merry_, Faatta atta. + Fainting, _to faint_, Möe,mo'my. + To fall _down_, Topa. + False, _not true_, Ha'warre. + A Fan, _or to fan the face or cool it_, Taha'r_ee_. + To fart, _or a fart_, Eh_oo_. + Fat, _full of flesh, lusty_, P_ee_a. + The fat _of meat_, Ma_ee_. + A Father Med_oo_a tanne. + A _step-_father, Tanne, te höa. + Fatigued, _tired_, E'h_ei'eu_,s.Faea. + Fear, Mattou. + A Feather, _or quill_, H_oo_roo, _hoo_r_oo_, + man_oo_. + _Red_ Feathers, Ora, h_oo_r_oo_ te man_oo_. + Feebleness, _weakness_, Fara'ra, s. Tooro'r_ee_. + _The sense of_ Feeling, Fa'fa. + To feel, Tear'ro. + _A young clever dexterous_ Fellow, _or boy_, Te'my de pa'ar_ee_. + The Female _kind of any animal_, E'_oo_ha. + The Fern-tree, Ma'mo_oo_. + Fertile _land_, Fen_oo_a,maa. + Fetch, _go fetch it_, Atee. + Few _in number_, Eote. + To fight, E'neotto. + A Fillip, _with the fingers_, Epatta. + The Fin _of a fish_, Tirra. + To finish, _or make an end_, Eiote. + A Finger, E'r_ee_ma. + Fire, Ea'hai. + _A flying_ Fish, Mara'ra. + _A green flat_ Fish, E_eu_me. + _A yellow flat_ Fish, _Oo_'morehe. + _A flat green and red_ P_ai'ou_. + _The cuckold_ Fish, Etata. + A Fish, Eya. + Fishing _wall for hauling the seine at Epa. + the first point_, + A Fish _pot_, E'wha. + _A long_ Fishing _rod of Bamboo, used Ma'k_ee_ra. + to catch bonettoes_, etc., + A Fissure, _or crack_, Motoo. + Fist, _to open the fist_, Ma'hora. + Fist, _striking with the fist in dancing_, A'moto. + _A fly_ Flapper, _or to flap flies_, Dah_ee_'ere e'r_eu_pa. + Flatness, _applied to a nose, or a vessel + broad and flat; also a spreading + flat topt tree_, Papa. + _A red_ Flesh _mark_, E_ee_'da. + To float _on the face of the water_, Pa'noo. + The Flower _of a plant_, P_oo_a. + _Open_ Flowers, T_ee_arre'_oo_ wa. + Flowers, _white odoriferous flowers, + used as ornaments in the ears_, T_ee_arre tarr_ee_a. + Flown, _it is flown or gone away_, Ma'h_ou_ta. + A Flute, W_ee_wo. + _A black_ Fly-catcher, _a bird so called_, O'mamäo. + A Fly, P_oo_re'h_oo_a. + To fly, _as a bird_, E'r_ai_re. + Fog, _or mist_, Ry'po_ee_a. + To fold _up a thing, as cloth_, etc. He'fet_oo_. + A Fool, _scoundrel, or other epithet of + contempt_, Ta'_ou_na. + The Foot, _or sole of the foot_, Tapooy. + The Forehead, E'ry. + Forgot, _or lost in memory_, _Oo_'aro. + Foul, _dirty, nasty_, Erepo. + A Fowl, Möa. + Four, E'ha. + The Frapping _of a flute_, Ahëa. + Freckles, Taina. + Fresh, _not salt_, Eanna,anna. + Friction, _rubbing_, E'_oo ee_. + Friend, _a method of addressing a + stranger_, Ehöa + _A particular_ Friend, _or the salutation E'apatte. + to him_, + To frisk, _to wanton, to play_, E'hanne. + From _there_, No,r_ei_ra, + s. No,r_ei_da. + From _without_, No,waho'_oo_. + From _before_, No,m_oo_a. + Fruit, 'Hoo'ero. + _Perfume_ Fruit _from Tethuroa_, a + _small island_, Hooero te manoo. + _A yellow_ Fruit, _like a large plumb + with a rough core_, A'v_ee_. + Full, _satisfied with eating_, Pÿa,s._Oo_'pÿa, + s.'Paÿa. + A Furunculus, _or a small hard boil_, Apoo. + + G. + + A Garland _of flowers_, A'v_ou_t_oo_, + s. A'r_ou_too + Ef ha, apai. + Generosity, _benevolence_, Ho'röa. + A Gimblet, Eho'_oo_. + A Girdle, Ta't_oo_a. + A Girl, _or young woman_, Too'n_ee_a. + A Girthing _manufacture_, Tat_oo_'y. + To give _a thing_, Höa't_oo_. + _A looking_-Glass, H_ee_o'_ee_ota. + A Glutton, _or great eater_, Taata A'_ee_, s. + Era'pöa n_oo_e. + To go, _or move from where you stand_ Harre. + _to walk_ + To go, _or leave a place_, Era'wa. + Go, _begone, make haste and do it_, Haro. + Go _and fetch it_, At_ee_. + Good, _it is good, it is very well_, My`ty, s. + Myty,tye, + s. Maytay. + Good-_natured_, Mama'h_ou_, + s. Ma'r_oo_. + A Grandfather, Too'b_oo_na. + A Great-grandfather, Tooboona tahe'too. + A Great great-grandfather, Ouroo. + A Grandson, Mo'b_oo_na. + To grasp _with the hand_, Hara'wa_ai_. + Grasping _the antagonist's thigh when Tomo. + dancing_, + Grass, _used on the floors of their Ano'noho. + houses, + To grate _cocoa-nut kernel_, E'annatehea'r_ee_. + Great, _large, big_, Ara'h_ai_. + Green _colour_, P_oo_re p_oore_. + To groan, Er_oo_,whe. + The groin, Ta'pa. + To grow _as a plant_, etc. We'r_oo_a. + To grunt, _or strain_, Etee,_too_whe. + _The blind_ Gut, Ora'b_oo_b_oo_. + The Guts _of any animal_, A'a_oo_. + + H. + + The Hair _of the head_, E'ror_oo_, + s. E'roh_oo_r_oo_. + _Grey_ Hair, Hinna'heina. + _Red_ Hair, _or a red-headed man_, E'h_oo_. + _Curled_ Hair, P_ee_p_ee_. + _Woolly frizzled_ Hair, Oë'töeto. + _To pull the_ Hair, E'w_ou_a. + Hair, _tied on the crown of the head_, E'p_oo_te. + Half _of any thing_, Fa'_ee_te. + A Hammer, Et_ee_'te. + Hammer _it out_, Atoo'bian_oo_. + The Hand, E'r_ee_ma. + _A deformed_ Hand, P_ee_le'_oi_. + _A motion with the_ Hand _in dancing_, O'ne o'ne. + A Harangue, _or speech_, Oraro. + A Harbour, _or anchoring-place_, T_oo_'t_ou_. + Hardness, E'ta,e'ta. + A Hatchet, _axe, or adze_, Töe. + He, Nana. + The Head, _Oo_'po. + _A shorn_ Head, E'v_ou_a. + The Head-ache, _in consequence of + drunkenness_, Eana`n_ee_a. + _The sense of_ Hearing, Faro. + The Heart _of an animal_, A'h_ou_too. + Heat, _warmth_, Mahanna,hanna. + Heavy, _not light_, T_ei_ma'ha. + _The sea_ Hedge-hog, Totera. + _A blue_ Heron, Otoo. + _A white_ Heron, Tra'pappa. + To hew _with an axe_, Teraee. + Hibiscus, _the smallest species of Hibiscus, + with rough seed cases, that adhere + to the clothes in walking_, P_ee_re,p_ee_re. + Hibiscus, _a species of Hibiscus with + large yellow flowers_, Po_oo_'r_ou_. + The Hiccup, Et_oo_'ee, + s. E_oo_'wha. + Hide, _to hide a thing_, E'h_oo_na. + High, _or steep_, Mato. + A Hill, _or mountain_, Ma_oo_, + s. Ma_oo_'a, + s. M_ou_a. + _One-tree_ Hill, _a hill so called in + Matavia Bay_, Tal'ha. + To hinder, _or prevent_, Tapëa. + The Hips, E'tohe. + Hips, _the black punctuated part of Tamo'r_ou_. + the hips_, + To hit _a mark_, Ele'ba_ou_, + s. Wa'p_oo_ta. + Hiss, _to hiss or hold out the finger at T_ee_'he. + one_, + Hoarseness, E'fäo. + A Hog, Böa. + To hold _fast_, Mou. + Hold _your tongue, be quiet or silent_, Ma'm_oo_, + A Hole, _as a gimblet hole in wood_,etc., E'r_oo_a, s. Poota. + To hollow, _or cry aloud to one_, T_oo_'o. + _To keep at_ Home, Ate'_ei_ te Efarre. + Honesty, Eea'_ou_re. + _A fish_ Hook, Ma't_au_. + _A fish_ Hook _of a particular sort_, W_ee_te,w_ee_te. + The Horizon, E'pa_ee_, + no t'Era_ee_. + Hot, _or sultry air, it is very hot_, Poh_ee_'a. + A House, E'farre, s. Ewharre. + A House _of office_, Eha'm_oo_te. + _A large_ House, Efarre'pota. + A House _on props_, A'whatta. + _An industrious_ Housewife, Ma'h_ei_ne Am_au_'hattoi + How _do you, or how is it with you, Tehanoöe. + Humorous, _droll, merry_, Fa,atta,'atta. + Hunger, Poro'r_ee_, + s. Po_ee_'a. + A Hut, _or house_, E'farre. + + I + + I,_ myself, first person singular_, W_ou_(1) M_ee_.(2) + _The lower_ Jaw, E'ta. + Idle, _or lazy_, T_ee_'py. + Jealousy _in a woman_, Ta'b_oo_ne, s.Fatee + no, s. H_oo_'hy. + Ignorance, _stupidity_, W_ee_a'ta. + Ill-natured, _cross_, _Oo_re, e'_ee_ore. + An Image _of a human figure_, E'tee. + Imps,_ the young imps,_ Tëo'he. + Immature, _unripe, as unripe fruit_, Poo. + Immediately, _instantly_, To'hyto. + Immense, _very large_, Röa. + Incest, _or incestuous_, Ta'wytte. + Indigent, _poor, necessitous_, T_ee_,t_ee_. + Indolence, _laziness_, T_ee_'py. + Industry, _opposed to idleness_, Ta_ee_'a. + Inhospitable, _ungenerous_, P_ee_'p_ee_re. + To inform, E'whäe. + _A sort of_ Ink, _used to punctuate_, E'rah_oo_. + An inquisitive _tattling woman_, Maheine Opotai_ee_hu. + To interrogate, _or ask questions_, Faeete. + To invert, _or turn upside down_, E'h_oo_ra, tela'why. + An Islet, Mo'too. + The Itch, _an itching of any sort_, Myro. + + J. + + To jump, _or leap_, Mah_ou_ta, s. Araire. + + K. + + Keep _it to yourself_, V_ai_h_ee_'o. + The Kernel _of a cocoa-nut_, Emo't_ee_a. + To kick _with the foot_, Ta'h_ee_. + The Kidnies, F_oo_a'h_oo_a. + Killed, _dead_, Matte. + To kindle, _or light up_, Emäa. + A King, Eär_ee_,da'h_ai_. + A King-fisher, _the bird to called_, E'r_oo_ro. + To kiss, E'ho_ee_. + Kite, _a boy's play-kite_, O'omo. + The Knee, E't_oo_r_ee_. + To kneel, T_oo_'t_oo_r_ee_. + A Knot, Ta'pona. + _A double_ Knot, Va'hod_oo_. + _The female_ Knot _formed on the upper T_ee_bona. + part of the garment, and on one + side_, + To know, _or understand_, _Ee_te. + The Knuckle, _or joint of the fingers_, T_ee_,p_oo_. + + L. + + To labour, _or work_, Ehëa. + A Ladder, Era'a, s. E'ara. + A Lagoon, Ewha'_ou_na, + s.Eä'onna. + Lame, _cripple_, T_ei_'t_ei_. + A Lance, _or spear_, Täo. + Land _in general, a country_, Fe'n_oo_a, + s. Whe'n_oo_a. + Language, _speech, words_, Pa'ra_ou_. + Language, _used when dancing, Timoro'd_ee_, + te'Timoro'd_ee_. + Largeness, _when applied to a country, Ara'h_ai_. + country,_etc. N_oo_e. + To laugh, Atta. + Laziness, T_ee_'py. + Lean, _the lean of meat_, Aëo. + Lean,_slender, not fleshy_, T_oo_'h_ai_. + To leap, Ma'h_ou_ta, + s. A'rere. + Leave _it behind, let it remain_, 'V_ai_hëo. + To leave, E'wh_eeoo_. + The Leg, A'wy. + Legs, _my legs ache, or are tired_, A'h_oo_a. + A Liar, Taata,ha'warre. + To lie _down, or along, to rest one's + self_, Ete'raha, + s. Te'p_oo_. + To lift _a thing up_, Era'w_ai_. + _Day_ Light, Mara'marama. + Light, _or fire of the great people_ T_ou_t_oi_,papa. + Light, _or fire of the common people_, N_ee_ao,papa. + Light, _to light or kindle the fire_, A't_oo_n_oo_ + t'E_ee_'wera. + Light, _not heavy_, Ma'ma. + Lightning, _Oo_'waira. + The Lips, _Oo_t_oo_. + Little, _small_, _Ee_te. + A Lizard, 'Möo. + Loathsome, _nauseous_, E,a'wawa. + _A sort of_ Lobster, _frequent in the isles_, T_ee_on_ai_. + To loll _about, or be lazy_, Tee'py. + To loll _out the tongue_, Ewha'tor_oo_ t'Arere. + To look _for a thing that is lost_, Tap_oo_n_ee_. + A Looking-glass, H_ee_o'_ee_'otta. + Loose, _not secure_, A_oo_'w_ee_wa. + A Looseness, _or purging_, Hawa,'hawa. + To love, Ehe'nar_oo_. + Lover, _courtier, wooer_, Eh_oo_'nöa. + A Louse, _Oo_'t_oo_. + Low, _not high, as low land_, etc. Hëa,hëa, s. Papoo. + E_ee_'öa. + The Lungs, T_ee_too,'arapoa. + Lusty, _fat, full of flesh_, Oo'p_ee_a. + +M. + + Maggots, E'h_oo_h_oo_. + A Maid, _or young woman _, T_oo_'n_ee_a. + To make _the bed_, Ho'hora, te Möe'ya. + The Male _of any animal, male kind_, E'öta. + A Man, Täata, s. Taane. + _An indisposed or insincere_ Man, Täata,ham'an_ee_no. + A Man-of-war _bird_, Otta'ha. + Many, _a great number_, Wo'rou,wo'rou, + s. man_oo_, man_oo_. + _A black_ Mark _on the skin_, E_ee_'r_ee_. + Married, _as a married man_, Fan_ou_'nou. + A Mat, E'vanne. + _A silky kind of_ Mat, Möe'a. + _A rough sort of_ Mat, _cut in the P_oo_'rou. + middle to admit the head_, + A Mast _of a ship or boat_, T_ee_ra. + Mature, _ripe; as ripe fruit_, Para, s. Pe. + Me, _I_, W_ou_, s. M_ee_. + A Measure, E'a. + To measure _a thing_, Fa'_ee_te. + To meet _one_, Ewharidde. + To melt, _or dissolve a thing, T_oo_'t_oo_e. + as grease etc._ + The middle, _or midst of a thing_, Teropoo. + Midnight, O't_oo_ra,h_ei_'po. + To mince, _or cut small_, E'p_oo_ta. + Mine, _it is mine, or belongs to me_, No'_oo_. + To miss, _not to hit a thing_, _Oo_'happa. + Mist, _or fog_, Ry'po_ee_a. + To mix _things together_, A'p_oo_e,'p_oo_e. + To mock _or scoff at one_, Etoo'h_ee_. + Modesty, Mamma'ha_oo_. + Moist, _wet_, Wara'r_ee_. + A Mole _upon the skin_, At_oo_'nöa. + _A lunar_ Month, Mara'ma. + A Monument _to the dead_, Whatta'r_au_. + The Moon, Mara'ma. + The Morning, Oo'po_ee_'po_ee_. + To-morrow, Bo'bo, s. A,Bo'bo. + _The day after to_-morrow, A'bo'bo d_oo_ra. + _The second day after to_-morrow; Po_ee_,po_ee_,addoo. + A Moth, E,pepe. + A Mother, Ma'd_oo_a, wa'h_ei_ne. + A motherly, _or elderly woman_, Pa'tëa. + Motion, _opposed to rest_, O_o_a'ta. + A Mountain, _or hill, Ma_oo_a, s. Mo_u_a. + Mountains _of the highest order_, Mo_u_a tei'tei. + Mountains _of the second order_, Mo_u_a 'haha. + Mountains _of the third or lowest + order_, Pere'ra_ou_. + Mourning, '_Ee_va. + Mourning _leaves, viz. those of the Ta'pa_oo_. + cocoa-tree, used for that purpose_, + The Mouth, Eva'ha. + _To open the_ Mouth, Ha'mamma. + A Multitude, _or vast number_, Wo'r_ou_, wo'r_ou_. + Murdered, _killed_, Matte, s. matte röa. + A Murderer, Taata töa. + A Muscle-shell, No_u,ou_. + Music _of any kind_, H_ee_va. + A Musket, _pistol, or firearms P_oo_,p_oo_, s. Poo. + of any kind_, + Mute, _silent_, Fateb_oo_a. + To matter, or _stammer_, E'wha_ou_. + +N. + + The Nail _of the fingers_, Aee'_oo_. + A Nail _of iron_, _E_ure. + Naked, _i. e. with the clothes off, Ta'lurra. + undressed_, + The Name _of a thing_, E_ee'oo_. + Narrow, _strait, not wide_, P_ee_re,p_ee_re. + Nasty, _dirty, not clean_, E,repo. + A Native, Taata'toob_oo_. + The Neck, A'_ee_. + Needles, Narreeda. + _A fishing_ Net, _Oo_'p_ai_a. + New, _young, sound_, Ho_u_. + Nigh, Poto, s. Whatta'ta. + Night, P_o_, s. E'a_oo_. + To-Night, _or to-day at night_, A'_oo_ne te' Po. + _Black_ Night-_shade_, Oporo. + Nine, A'_ee_va. + The Nipple _of the breast_, E'_oo_. + A Nit, Eriha. + [1] Ay'ma, [2] Y_ai_ha, + No, _a negation_, [3]A'_ou_re, [4] A_ee_, + [5] Yeha_ee_a. + To nod, A't_ouou_. + Noisy, _chattering, impertinent_, Emoo. + Noon, Wawa'tea. + The Nostrils, Popo'hëo. + Numeration, _or counting of numbers_, Ta't_ou_. + _A cocoa_ Nut, Aree. + _A large compressed_ Nut,_that tastes E_ee_h_ee_. + like chesnuts when roasted_, + + O. + + Obesity, _corpulence_, Ou'p_ee_a. + The Ocean, Ty, s. Meede. + Odoriferous, _sweet-smelled_, No'nöa. + _Perfumed_ Oil _they put on the hair_, Mo'nöe. + An Ointment,_plaister, or any thing E'ra'pa_oo_. + that heals or relates to medicine_, + Old, Ora'wheva. + One, A'tahai. + Open, _clear, spacious_, Ea'tëa. + Open, _not shut_, Fe'r_ei_. + To open, Te'haddoo. + Opposite _to, or over against_, Wetoo'wh_ei_tte. + Order, _in good order, regular, without Wara'wara. + confusion_, + Ornament, _any ornament for the ear_, T_ooee_ ta'r_ee_a. + _Burial_ Ornaments, _viz. nine noits Ma'ray Wharre. + stuck in the ground_, + An Orphan, _Oo_'hoppe, + poo'_ai_a. + Out, _not in, not within_, T_ei_we'ho. + The Outside _of a thing_, _Oo_a'p_ee_. + An Oven _in the ground_, E_oo_'m_oo_. + Over, _besides, more than the quantity_, Te'harra. + To overcome, _or conquer_, E'ma'_oo_ma. + To overturn, _or overset_, Eha'pa_oo_. + An Owner E'whattoo. + _A large species of_ Oyster, I't_eë_a. + _The large rough_ Oyster, _or Spondylus_, Paho'öa. + + P. + + The Paddle _of a canoe, or to paddle_, E'höe. + To paddle _a canoe's head to the right_ What'tëa. + To paddle _a canoe's head to the left_, Wemma. + Pain, _or soreness,the sense of pain_, Ma'my. + A Pair, _or two of any thing together_, Ano'ho. + The Palate, E'ta'nea. + The Palm _of the hand_, Ap_oo_'r_ee_ma. + To Pant, _or breathe quickly_, Oo'pou'pou,tëa'ho. + Pap, _or child's food_, Mamma. + A Parent, Me'd_oo_a. + _A small blue_ Parroquet, E'v_ee_n_ee_. + _A green_ Parroquet, _with a E'a'a. + red forehead_, + The Part _below the tongue_, Eta'raro. + A Partition, _division, or screen_, Par_oo_'r_oo_. + A Pass, _or strait_, E,aree'ëa. + _A fermented_ Paste, _of bread, + fruit and others_, Ma'h_ee_. + A Path, _or road_, Eä'ra. + The Pavement _before a house or hut_, Pÿe,pye. + A Pearl, Pöe. + The Peduncle, _and stalk of a plant_, A'mäa, s. E'atta. + To peel _or take the skin off a + cocoa-nut_etc. A'tee, s. E'atee. + Peeled, _it is peeled_, Me'at_ee_. + A Peg _to hang a bag on_, 'Pe'a_oo_. + A Pepper-plant, _from the root of + which they prepare an inebriating + liquor_, Awa. + Perhaps, _it may be so_, E'pa'ha. + Persons _of distinction_, Patoo'nehe. + A Petticoat _of plantane leaves_, AArou'm_aiee_a. + Petty, _small, trifling, opposed to Nooe_, R_ee_. + _A_ Physician, _or person who + attends the sick_, Taata no E'rapa_oo_. + Pick, _to pick or choose_, Eh_ee_ te _mai_ my ty. + _A large wood_ Pigeon, Er_oope_. + _A large green and white_ Pigeon, O_o_'_oo_pa. + _A small black and white_ Pigeon, + _with purple wings_, _Oooo_wy'deroo. + A Pimple, H_oo_a'h_ou_a. + To Pinch _with, the fingers_, _Oo_ma. + A Plain, _or flat_, E'_pee_ho. + Plane, _smooth_, Pa'_ee_a. + A Plant _of any kind_, O'mo. + _A small_ Plant, E'rabo. + _The fruit of a_ Plantane-tree M_aiee_'a, s. Maya. + _Horse_ Plantanes, Fai'_ee_. + Pleased, _good humoured, not cross or Mar_oo_. + surly_, + Pluck _it up_, Ar_ee_te. + To pluck _hairs from the beard_, H_oo_h_oo_tee. + To plunge _a thing in the water_, E,_oo_'wh_ee_. + The Point _of any thing_, Oë,öe, or _Oi,oi_. + Poison, _bitter_, Awa,awa. + A Poll, _Oo_ra'h_oo_. + Poor, _indigent, not rich_, Tee'tee. + _A bottle-nosed_ Porpoise, E'_ou_a. + _Sweet_ Potatoes, Oo'marra. + To pour _out any liquid substance_, Ma'n_ee_. + Pregnant _with young_, Waha'p_oo_. + To press, _or squeeze the legs gently + with the hand, when tired or pained_, Roro'm_ee_. + Prick, _to prick up the ears_, Eoma te ta'r_ee_. + A Priest, Ta'h_ou_a. + Prone, _or face downwards_, T_ee_'opa. + _A sort of_ Pudding, _made of fruits, + oil_, etc. Po'po'_ee_. + Pumpkins, A'h_ooa_. + To puke, _or vomit_, E'awa, s. e'r_oo_'y. + Pure, _clear_, E'_oo'ee_. + A Purging, _or looseness_, Hawa,hawa. + To pursue, _and catch a person who Er_oo_,Er_oo_, + has done some mischief_, s. Eha'r_oe_. + To push _a thing with the hand_, T_oo_'ra_ee_. + Put _it up, or away_, Orno. + + Q. + + Quickness, _briskness_, E'tirre. + _To walk_ quickly, Harre'n_ei_na. + Quietness, _silence, a silent or seemingly + thoughtful person_, Falle'b_oo_a. + A Quiver _for holding arrows_, 'P_ee_ha. + + R. + + _A small black_ Rail, _with red eyes_, M_ai_'ho. + _A small black_ Rail, _spotted and + buured with white_, P_oo_a'n_ee_. + Rain, E'_oo_a. + A Rainbow, E'n_oo_a. + Raft, _a raft of bamboo_, M_ai_to'e. + Rank,_ strong, urinous_, Ewão wao. + A Rasp, _or file_, _Ooee_. + A Rat, 'Yore, s. Eyore. + Raw _meat, flesh that is not dressed E'otta. + cooked_, + Raw _fruit, as plantanes, etc. that are Paroure. + not baked_ + To recline, _or lean upon a thing_, E'py. + Red _colour_, _Oo_ra,_oo_ra, + s. Matde. + To reef _a sail_, Epo'uie te rya. + A Refusal, Eh_oo_'nooa. + The Remainder _of any thing_, T,'Ewahei. + To rend, _burst, or split_, M_oo_'m_oo_m_oo_. + Rent, _cracked, or torn_, E'wha. + To reside, _live or dwell_, E'noho. + Respiration, _breathing_, T_oo_e,t_oo_e. + A Rib, Awäo. + Rich, _not poor, having plenty of Epo'too. + goods, etc._ + A Ring, 'M_ai_no. + The Ringworm, _a disease so called_, E'n_oo_a. + Ripe, _as ripe fruit, etc._ Para, s. Pai, s. Ooo + p_ai_. + Rise, _to rise up_, A'too. + To rive, _or split_, Ewha_oo'_ wha_oo_. + A Road, _or path_, Eä'ra. + Roasted, _or broiled_, _Oo_a'w_ai_ra. + A Robber, _or thief_, E_ee_'a (taata.) + A Rock, Pa_oo_. + _A reef of_ Rocks, E'a_ou_. + Rolling, _the rolling of a ship_, T_oo_'r_oo_re. + A Root, Ap_oo_, s. Ea. + A Rope _of any kind_, Taura. + Rotten, _as rotten fruit, etc._ R_oo_pe. + Rough, _not smooth_, Ta'rra, tarra. + To row _with oars_, E'_oo_me, s, E'höe. + To rub _a thing, as in washing the hands Ho'ro_ee_. + and face_, + The Rudder _of a boat, or steering Höe,fa'herre. + paddle of a canoe_, + Running _backwards and forwards, Oo'atapone. + endeavouring to escape_, + + S. + + The Sail _of a ship or boat_, E_ee_'_ai_. + To sail, _or to be under sail_, E'whano. + Salt, _or salt water_, Ty'ty, s. Meede. + Sand, _dust_, E'one. + Saturn, Whati'hëa. + Saunders's _island_, Tab_oo_a, Manoo. + A Saw, E_ee'oo_. + A Scab, E'tona. + _A fish's_ Scale _or scales_, Pöa. + _A pair of_ Scissars, O't_oo_bo, + s. O'tob_oo_. + A Scoop, _to empty water from a canoe_, E'tata. + To scrape _a thing_, _Oo_'a_oo_. + To scratch _with the fingers_, Era'ra_oo_. + Scratched, _a scratched metal_, etc. Pah_oo_re'h_oo_re. + The Sea-cat, _a fish so called_, P_oo_he. + The Sea, Ta_ee_, s. M_ee_de. + A Sea-egg, He'awy. + A Seam _between two planks_, Fatoo'wh_ai_ra. + To search _for a thing that is lost_, Oö,s.Pae'm_ee_. + A Seat, Papa. + Secret, _a secret whispering, or slandering + another_, Ohe'm_oo_. + The Seed _of a plant,_ H_oo_a't_oo_t_oo_, + s. Ehooero + The sense _of seeing_, E'h_ee_'o. + To send, Eho'pöe. + A Sepulchre, _or burying-place_, Ma'ray. + A Servant, T_ow_t_ow_. + Seven, A'H_ee_t_oo_. + To sew, _or string_, E't_oo_e. + Seyne, _to haul a seyne_, Etoroo te p_ai_a. + Shady, Mar_oo_,maroo. + To shake, _or agitate a thing_, E_oo_a'wai. + A Shark, Mäo. + Sharp, _not blunt_, Oö'ëe. + To shave, _or take off the beard_, Eva'r_oo_, + s.Whanne, whanne. + _A small_ Shell, Ot'eo. + _A tyger_ Shell, Pore'h_oo_. + Shew _it me_, Enara. + A Ship, P_a_hee. + Shipwreck, Ara'wha. + _A white_ Shirt, Par_oo_'y. + To shiver _with cold_, A'tete. + _Mud_ Shoes, _or fishing shoes_, Tama. + The Shore, Euta. + Short, Po'potoo. + Shut, _not open_, Opa'n_ee_, + s. Poo'peepe. + Sickness, Matte my Mamy. + _The left_ Side, A'r_oo_de. + The Side, E'reea'wo. + _The right_ Side, Atou,a'taou. + Sighing, Fa'ëa. + Silence, Fatte'b_oo_a. + Similar, _or alike_, _Oo_whyä'da. + To sink, A'tomo. + A Sister, T_oo_'h_ei_ne. + To sit _down_, A'noho. + To sit _cross-legged_, T_ee_'py. + Six, A'Hon_oo_. + A Skate-fish, E'wha_ee_. + The Skin, _Ee_'ree. + The Sky, E'ra_ee_. + To sleep, Möe. + _The long_ Sleep, _or death_, Möe röa. + To sleep, _when sitting_, T_oo_'roore,möe. + A Sling, E'ma. + Slow, Marra,marröa,s.Fate. + Small, _little_, _Ee_te. + _The sense of_ smelling, Fata't_oo_, + s._Oo_too,too,too. + Smell _it_, H_oi_na. + To smell, Ahe'_oi_. + Smoke, E'_oo_ra. + Smooth, Pa'ya. + Smutting _the face with charcoal for + funeral ceremonies_, Bap'para. + _A sea_ Snake, _that has alternate + rings of a white and black colour_, P_oo_h_ee_'ar_oo_. + To snatch _a thing hastily_, E'h_ai_r_oo_. + Sneezing, Mach_ee_'_ai_. + Snipe, _a bird resembling a snipe, of + a black and brown colour_, T_ee_'t_ee_. + Snot 'H_oo_pe. + Soberness, _sobriety, sober, not given_ T_ei_r_ei_da. + _to drunkenness_, + To soften, Epar_oo_'par_oo_. + Softness, _that is, not hard_, Maroo. + The Sole _of the foot_, Tap_oo_'y. + A Son My'de. + A Son-in-law, H_oo_'nöa. + A Song, Heeva. + A Sore, _or ulcer_, O'pai. + Soreness, _or pain_, Ma'may. + Sound, _any sound that strikes the ear_, Pa'_ee_na. + A Span, Ewhäe ono. + To speak, Paraou. + Speak; _he speaks not from the heart, Neeate _oo_t_oo_ te parou + his words are only on his lips_, no nona. + A Spear, _or lance_, Täo. + To spill, Emare. + To spit, Too't_oo_a. + _To_ spread, _or to expand a thing, as_ Ho'hora. + _cloth, etc._ + To squeeze, _or press hard_, Ne,'ne_ee_. + To squeeze, _or press gently with the hand_, Roro'm_ee_. + Squint-eyed, Matta'areva. + _A fighting_ Stage _in a boat_, E't_oo_t_ee_. + To stamp _with the feet, to trample on Tata'hy. + a thing_, + Stand _up_, Atëarenona. + A Star, E'f_ai_too, s. Hwettoo. + A Star-fish, Eve'r_ee_. + To startle, _as when one dreams_ Wa'hee, te'dirre. + Stay, _or wait a little_, A'r_ee_a, s. Ar_ee_'ana. + To steal, 'Woreedo. + Steep, _as steep rocks, or cliffs_, Mato. + _A walking_ Stick, 'Tame. + Stinking, _ill-smelled, as stinking water,etc._ Na'm_oo_a, + s. N_ee_'n_ee_o. + Stink, _to stink or smell ill_, F_ou_, f_ou_. + To stink, _as excrement_, P_ee_ro,p_ee_ro. + The Stomach, 'Para_ee_'a. + A Stone, Owhay. + _A polished_ Stone, used to beat victuals P_ai_'noo. + into a paste_, + Stones, _upright stones which stand on + the paved area before huts_, T_oo_'t_oo_re. + _A small_ Stool, _to lay the head + on when asleep_, Papa, s. Papa, r_oo_ä. + Stool, _to go to stool_, T_ee_t_ee_'o. + To stop, A'too. + The Stopper _of a quiver_, Ponau. + A Storm _of wind, rain, thunder_, etc. Tarooa. + Strait, _narrow, not wide_, P_ee_re,peere. + Striking, _hollow striking in dancing_, Ap_ee_. + The String _of a quiver_, E'aha. + Strong, _as a strong man_, _O'o_mara. + Struck, A'b_oo_l_a_. + Stupidity, _ignorance_, W_ee_a'l_a_. + To suck _as a child_, Ote,ote. + Sugar _cane_, E'To, s. Töo. + Suicide, Euha'a_ou_. + Sultry, _or hot air_, Poh_ee_a. + The Sun, Mahanna, s. Era. + _The meridian_ Sun, T_ei_'n_ee_a te Mahanna. + Supine, _lying_, Fateeraha. + Surf _of the sea_, Horo'w_ai_. + _An interjection of_ Surprise, + _or admiration_, Allaheuee'_ai_. + To surround, A'b_oo_ne. + To swallow, Horo'm_ee_. + The Sweat _of the body, or to sweat_ E'h_ou_, s. Eh_ou_ h_ou_. + A sweet _taste_, Mona. + Swell _of the sea_, E'r_oo_. + + T. + + A Tail, Ero. + A Tail _of a bird_, E'hoppe. + To take _a friend by the hand_, Etoo'ya_oo_. + To take _off, or unloose_, Eve'vette. + To take _care of the victuals_, Ewhaapoo te maa. + To talk, _or converse_, Paraou. + _The sense of_ tasting, Tama'ta. + A Tetotum, _or whirligig_, E'piröa. + To tear _a thing_, Ha'hy, s. Whatte. + A Teat, _or dug_, E'_oo_. + The Teeth, E'n_ee_h_ee_o. + Ten A'h_oo_r_oo_. + To tend, _or feed hogs_, Ew_h_a_ee_ te Böa. + Tenants, Af_eu_'h_au_. + _A black_ Tern, _with a whitish head_, O_ee_'o. + There, Te'raee. + They, _them, or theirs_, To'ta_oo_a. + Thickness, _applied to solid bodies_, Meoo'meoo. + Thick, _as thick cloth_, etc. T_oo_e'too'e. + Thick, _muddy_, Ewore'r_oo_,s.Eworepe. + Thine, _it is yours, or belongs to you_, No öe. + Thirst, W'ah_ee_'y. + Thoughts, Para_ou_, no te o'p_oo_. + _An appearance of_ thoughtfulness, Fate'b_oo_a. + Three, Tor_oo_. + The Throat, Ara'poa. + To throw, _or heave a thing_, Taora. + To throw _a thing away_, Harre'wai. + To throw _a ball_, Ama'h_oo_a. + To throw _a lance_, Evara'towha. + Throw, _shall I throw it_, Taure'a'a. + Throwing _in dancing_, Hoe'aire. + The Thumb, E'r_ee_ma,erahai. + Thunder, Pa't_ee_re. + Tickle, _to tickle a person_, My'n_ee_na. + A Tide, _or current_, A'ow. + To tie _a knot_, Ty. + Time, _a space of time, from 6 to 10 + at night_, O't_oo_e, teepo. + Time, _a little time, a small space_, Popo'_eu_n_oo_. + Time, _a long time, a great while_, Ta'moo. + A Title _belonging to a woman of rank_, E'tapay'r_oo_. + A Toe _of the foot_, Man_ee_o. + A Tomb, T_oo_,pap'pou. + The Tongue, E'rero. + A Tortoise, E'hon_oo_. + Touching, Fa'fa. + Tough, _as tough meat_, etc. Ah_oo_'_ou_e. + A Town, E'farre p_oo_to p_oo_t_oo_. + To trample _with the foot_, Tata'he, s. Ta'ta'hy. + A Tree, E'räo. + A Tree, _from which they make clubs, Töa (Eräo.) + spears_, etc. + To tremble, _or shudder with cold_, _Oo_a'titte, s. Eta. + Trembling, _shaking_, A_ou_'dou. + To trip _one up in wrestling_, Me'häe. + A Tropic-bird, Man_oo_'roa. + Truth, Eva_ee_'röa,s.Para_ou_,mou. + To tumble, P_ou_ta'heite. + A Turban, E'täe. + To turn, _or turned_, _Oo_'ahöe. + To turn, _as in walking backwards and + forwards_, H_oo_d_ee_p_ee_pe. + Twins, _twin children_, Ma'hëa. + To twist _a rope_, Taw_ee_'r_ee_. + Two, E'Rooä. + + U. + + An Ulcer, _or sore_, O'p_ai_. + Under, _below, low down_, Oraro. + Under _sail_, P_ou_'pou_ee_. + To understand, Ee'te. + To undress, _or take off the clothes_, Ta'turra. + An unmarried _person_, Ar_ee_'_oi_. + Unripe, _as unripe fruit_,etc. P_oo_. + + V. + + _Luminous_ Vapour, Epao. + Vassal, _or subject_, Manna'h_ou_na. + Vast, Ara,hai,s.Mai,ara'hai. + The Veins _that run under the skin_, E'w_ou_a. + Venus, T_ou_'r_oo_a. + Vessel, _any hollow vessel, as cups of + nuts_,etc. _Ai_'boo. + Vessel, _a hollow vessel in which they + prepare an inebriating liquor_, _Oo_'mutte. + To vomit, Er_oo_'y. + + W. + + Wad, _tow, fibres like hemp_, Ta'm_ou_. + Wait, _stay a little_, Areeana. + Wake, _awake_, Arra arra, s. Era. + To walk out, Avou'_oi_a. + To walk _backwards and forwards_, H_oo_a p_ee_pe. + A Warrior, _soldier, or rather a man-killer_, Taatatöa. + Warmth, _heat_, Mahanna,hanna. + A Wart, Toria. + To wash, _as to wash cloth in water_, Mare. + To watch, Eteäe. + Water, A'vy. + Water-cresses, Pa'töa. + We, _both of us_, Ta_oo_a, s. Ar_oo_'r_oo_a. + A wedge, Era'h_ei_. + To weep, _or cry_, Hanö a,a,ta_ee_. + Well _recovered, or well escaped_, Woura, s. woo,ara. + Well, _it is well, charming, fine_, P_oo_ro'too. + What, _whats that_, E'hara, E'ha'rya,s. + Ye'ha_ee_a, expressed + inquisitively. + What _do you call that, what is the + name of it_, Owy te a_ee_'_oa_. + When, _at what time_, W'hëëa. + Where _is it_, Te'hëa. + Whet, _to whet or sharp a thing_, Evo_ee_. + To whistle, Ma'p_oo_. + Whistling, _a method of whistling to + call the people to meals_, Ep_ou_,maa. + To whisper _secretly, as in backbiting_, etc. Ohe'm_oo_. + Who _is that, what is he called_, Owy,tanna, s. + Owy,nana. + Whole, _the whole not a part of a thing_, E'ta,e'tea, s. A'ma_oo_. + Wide, _not strait or narrow_, Whatta,whatta. + A Widow, Wa't_oo_neea. + Wife, _my wife_, Ma'h_ei_ne. + The Wind, Mattay. + _The south-east_ Wind, Mattaee. + A Window, Ma'laee ou'panee. + The Wing _of a bird_, Ere'_ou_. + To wink, E'am_ou_,am_oo_. + To wipe _a thing clean_, Ho'ro_ee_. + Wish, _a wish to one who sneezes_, Eva'r_ou_a t Eät_oo_a. + Within _side_, T_ee_'ro to. + A Woman, Wa'h_ei_ne. + _A married_ Woman, Wa'h_ei_ne mou. + Woman, _she is a married woman, she + has got another husband_, Terra,tanne. + Won't _I won't do it_, 'A_eeoo_, expressed + angrily. + Wood _of any kind_, E'raö. + A Wound, Oo't_ee_. + A Wrestler, M_ou_na. + Wrinkled _in the face_, M_ee_o, m_ee_o. + The Wrist, Mo'möa. + A Wry-neck, Na'na. + + Y. + + To yawn, Ha'mamma. + Yellow _colour_, He'appa. + Yes, Ay, s. _ai_. + Yesterday, Ninna'hay. + Yesternight, Ere'po. + York _island_, Ei'mëo. + Yon Oë. + young,_as a young animal of any kind_, P_ee_'n_ai_a. + + +A TABLE EXHIBITING AT ONE VIEW, SPECIMENS OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SPOKEN +IN THE SOUTH-SEA, FROM EASTER ISLAND, WESTWARD TO NEW CALEDONIA, AS +OBSERVED IN THE VOYAGE. + + English. Otaheite. Easter Island. + The Marquesas Isles. The Island of Amsterdam. New Zealand. + Malicolo. Tanna. New Caledonia + + A Bird, 'Man_oo_,[22] 'Man_oo_, + 'Manu_oo_, + Man_oo_, Manee, s. Man_eek_. + + A Bow E'fanna, + 'Fanna, + Nabrr_oo_s, Na'fanga. + + Bread-fruit _Oo_r_oo_, + Mai_ee_, + Ba'rabe, Tag'_oo_r_oo_. + + A canoe E'väa 'Wagga, + Ev'äa, Ta'wagga, + Wang. + + Cloth Ah_oo_, 'Ah_oo_, + 'Ah_oo_, s. A'hoo_ee_a, Babba'langa,Kak'ah_oo_, + Ta'nar_ee_, Hamban. + + A Cocoa-nut 'Ar_ee_, + 'Eeoo, + Nar_oo_, Nab_oo_'y, 'N_eeoo_. + + To drink Ayn_oo_' A_ee_n_oo_, + 'A_ee_n_oo_, + No'a_ee_, N_ooee_, 'Oo_d_oo_, s. _Oo_nd_oo_. + + The Eye Matta, Matta, + 'Matta, s. Matta_ee_a, 'Matta, 'Matta, + M_ai_tang, Nan_ee_'maiuk, T_ee_'vein. + + The Ear Ta'r_ee_a, Ta'r_ee_an, + B_oo_'_ee_na, Ta'r_ee_ka, + Talingan, F_ee_n_ee_'enguk, Gain'_ee_ng. + + Fish 'Eya, _Ee_ka, + '_Ee_ka, '_Ee_ka, + 'Nam_oo_. + + A Fowl, Möa, Möa, + Möa, + Moe'r_oo_. + + The Hand, E'r_ee_ma, 'R_ee_ma, + E_oo_'my, E'r_ee_ma, 'R_ee_nga, + Badon'h_ee_n. + + The Head, _Oo_'po, Aö'po, + Tak'_oo_po, + Ba's_ai_ne, N_oo_gwa'n_aium, Gar'moing. + + A Hog, 'Böa, + 'B_oo_a, B_oo_'acka, + 'Brr_oo_as, 'B_oo_ga, s. 'B_oo_gas. + + I,myself, W_ou_, s. _ou_, + 'W_ou_, _Ou_. + + To laugh, 'Atta, + Katta, + 'Häarish, Ap, s.Gye'ap. + + A Man, 'Täata, Papa? + T_ee_to, + Ba'rang, Nar_oo_'mäan. + + The Navel, 'P_ee_to, + P_ee_to, s. P_ee_to'ai, P_ee_to, + Nomprtong, Nap_ee_ rainguk, Whanb_oo_ _ee_n. + + No, (1)'Ayma,(2)Y_ai_ha,(3)A'_ou_re,'_Ei_sa, + '_Ee_sha, Ka'_ou_re, + Ta'ep, E'sa, '_Ee_va, _Ee_ba. + + Plantains, 'M_ai_ya, (1)Maya, (2)F_oo_tse, + M_ai_e_ea_, 'F_oo_dje, + Nabrruts. + + Puncturation, Ta't_ou_, + E'pat_oo_, Ta't_ou_, Moko, + 'Gan, s. Gan,galang. + + Rain, E'_oo_a, '_Oo_a, + + Na'mawar, _Oo_e. + + Sugar cane, E'To, To, + + Na'r_oo_k. + + The Teeth, E'n_ee_h_ee_o, 'N_ee_ho, + E'n_ee_ho, 'N_ee_fo, N_ee_ho, + R_ee_'bohn, 'Warrewuk, s. 'R_ai_buk, Penna'w_ei_n. + + Water, A'vay, E'vy, + + Er'g_ou_r, _Oo_e. + + To Whistle, 'Map_oo_, + F_ee_o,f_ee_o, + Papang, Awe'bern, 'Wy_oo_. + + A Woman, Wa'h_ei_ne, + Ve'h_ee_ne, + Ra'bin, N_ai_'bräan, Tama. + + Yams, E'_oo_he, _Oo_he, + _Oo_fe, + Nan-'ram, _Oo_fe, _Oo_be. + + Yes, _Ai_, + '_Ee_o, + _Ai_, '_Ee_o, 'Elo, s. _Ee_o, + s. öe. + + You, Oë, + Oë. + + One, A'Tahay, Katta'ha_ee_, + Atta'ha_ee_, Ta'ha_ee_, + + Ts_ee_'ka_ee_, R_ee_d_ee_, Wag_ee'ai_ng. + + Two, E'R_oo_a, 'Rooa, + A'ooa, E'ooa, + E'ry, 'Karoo, 'Waroo. + + Three, 'Ter_oo_, 'Tor_oo_, + A'tor_oo_, 'Tor_oo_, + E'r_ei_, 'Kahar, Wat_ee_ en. + + Four, A'Haa, 'Häa, s. Fäa, + A'faa, A'fäa, + E'bats, 'K_ai_phar, Wam'ba_ee_k. + + Five, E'R_ee_ma, 'R_ee_ma, + A'_ee_ma, 'N_ee_ma, + E'r_ee_m, 'Kr_ee_rum, Wannim. + + Six, A'ono, 'Hon_oo_, + A'ono, + Ts_oo_'ka_ee_, Ma'r_ee_d_ee_, Wannim-g_ee_ek. + + Seven, A'H_ei_too, 'H_ee_d_oo_, + A'wh_ee_t_oo_, + G_oo_y, Ma'kar_oo_, Wannim'n_oo_. + + Eight, A'war_oo_, 'Var_oo_, + A'wa_oo_, + H_oo_rey, Ma'kahar, Wannim'g_ai_n. + + Nine, A'_ee_va, H_ee_va, + A'_ee_va, + G_oo_dbats, Ma'k_ai_phar, Wannim'ba_ee_k. + + Ten, A'h_oo_r_oo_, Atta'h_oo_r_oo_, + s. Anna'h_oo_r_oo_, + Wannah_oo_, s. Wanna'h_oo_e, + Senearr, Ma'kr_ee_rum, Wann_oo_'n_ai_uk. + +(Footnote re similarity of the languages)--omiited by ebook producer. + + +LETTER FROM JOHN IBBETSON, ESQ. +Secretary to the Commissioners of Longitude, +T0 +Sir JOHN PRINGLE, Baronet, P.R.S. + +SIR, + +The Earl of Sandwich, and the other Commissioners for the Discovery of +Longitude at Sea, etc. who were present at a late meeting at this place, +having expressed to you a desire that the very learned and ingenious +Discourse upon some late Improvements of the Means for preserving the +Health of Mariners, which was delivered by you at the Anniversary Meeting +of the Royal Society, on the 30th of November last might, with Captain +Cook's Paper therein referred to, be printed, and annexed to the Account +of the Astronomical and Philosophical Observations made in the course of +the said Captain Cook's late voyages which account is preparing for the +press, under their direction; and it having been since thought more proper +that the said Discourse and Paper should be annexed to the Second Volume of +the Account of that Voyage, which is shortly to be published, by order of +the Board of Admiralty, I have, therefore, the direction of the Earl of +Sandwich, First Commissioner of that Board, as well as of the Board of +Longitude, to acquaint you therewith, and to desire you will please to +permit your said Discourse, with the Paper therein referred to, to be +printed, and annexed to the Second Volume of the Account of the said Voyage +accordingly. + +I am, with great Regard and Esteem, + +SIR, + +Your most obedient humble Servant, + +ADMIRALTY, +March 15, 1777. +JOHN IBBETSON. + + +A DISCOURSE UPON SOME LATE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE MEANS FOR PRESERVING +THE HEALTH OF MARINERS. + +DELIVERED AT THE Anniversary Meeting of the ROYAL SOCIETY, +November 30, 1776. +By Sir JOHN PRINGLE, Baronet, +PRESIDENT, + +CORRECTED BY THE AUTHOR. + + +GENTLEMEN, + +Before we proceed further in the business of this day, permit me to +acquaint you with the judgment of your Council, in the disposal of Sir +Godfrey Copley's medal; an office I have undertaken at their request, and +with the greater satisfaction, as I am confident you will be no less +unanimous in giving your approbation, than they have been in addressing +you for it upon this occasion. For though they were not insensible of the +just title that several of the Papers, composing the present volume of +your Transactions, had to your particular notice, yet they did not +hesitate in preferring that which I presented to you from Captain Cook, +giving An account of the method he had taken to preserve the health of +the crew of his Majesty's ship the Resolution during her late voyage +round the world*. Indeed I imagine that the name alone of so worthy a +member of this society would have inclined you to depart from the +strictness of your rules, by conferring upon him that honour, though you +had received no direct communication from him; considering how +meritorious in your eyes that person must appear, who hath not only made +the most extensive, but the most instructive voyages; who hath not only +discovered, but surveyed, vast tracts of new coasts; who hath dispelled +the illusion of a terra australis incognita, and fixed the bounds of the +habitable earth, as well as those of the navigable ocean, in the southern +hemisphere. + +[* The paper itself, read at the Society in March last, with an extract +of a letter from Captain Cook to the President, dated Plymouth, the 7th +of July following, are both subjoined to this discourse.] + +I shall not, however, expatiate on that ample field of praise, but +confine my discourse to what was the intention of this honorary premium, +namely, to crown that Paper of the year which should contain the most +useful and most successful experimental inquiry. Now what inquiry can be +so useful as that which hath for its object the saving the lives of men? +And when shall we find one more successful than that before us? Here are +no vain boastings of the empiric, nor ingenious and delusive theories of +the dogmatist; but a concise, an artless, and an incontested relation of +the means, by which, under the Divine favour, Captain Cook, with a +company of an hundred and eighteen men*, performed a voyage of three +years and eighteen days, throughout all the climates, from fifty-two +degrees north, to seventy-one degrees south, with the loss of only one +man by a distemper**. What must enhance to us the value of these salutary +observations, is to see the practice hath been no less simple than +efficacious. + +[* There were on board, in all, one hundred and eighteen men, including +M. Sparrman, whom they took in at the Cape of Good Hope.] + +[** This was a phthisis pulmonalis terminating in a dropsy. Mr. Patten, +surgeon to the Resolution, who mentioned to me this case, observed that +this man began so early to complain of a cough and other consumptive +symptoms, which had never left him, that his lungs must have been +affected before he came on board.] + +I would now inquire of the most conversant in the study of bills of +mortality, whether in the most healthful climate, and in the best +condition of life, they have ever found so small a number of deaths in +such a number of men, within that space of time? How great and agreeable +then must our surprise be, after perusing the histories of long +navigations in former days, when so many perished by marine diseases, to +find the air of the sea acquitted of all malignity, and in fine that a +voyage round the world may be undertaken with less danger to health than +a common tour in Europe! + +But the better to see the contrast between the old and the present times, +allow me to recal to your memory what you have read of the first voyage +for the establishment of the East-India, Company*. The equipment +consisting of four ships, with four hundred and eighty men, three of +those vessels were so weakened by the scurvy, by the time they had got +only three degrees beyond the Line, that the merchants, who had embarked +on this adventure, were obliged to do duty as common sailors; and there +died in all, at sea, and on shore at Soldania (a place of refreshment on +this side the Cape of Good Hope) one hundred and five men, which was near +a fourth part of their complement. And hath not Sir Richard Hawkins, an +intelligent as well as brave officer, who lived in that age, recorded, +that in twenty years, during which be had used the sea, be could give an +account of ten thousand mariners who bad been consumed by the scurvy +alone**? Yet so far was this author from mistaking the disease, that I +have perused few who have so well described it. If then in those early +times, the infancy I may call them of the commerce and naval power of +England, so many were carried off by that bane of sea-faring people, what +must have been the destruction afterwards, upon the great augmentation of +the fleet and the opening of so many new ports to the trade of Great +Britain, whilst so little advancement was made in the nautical part +of medicine! + +[* This squadron under the command of LANCASTER (who was called the +General) set out in the year 1601. See Purchas's Pilgr. vol. i. p. 147, +et seq.] + +[** Idem, vol. iv. p. 1373, et seq.] + +But passing from these old dates to one within the remembrance of many +here present, when it might have been expeded that whatever tended to +aggrandize the naval power of Britain, and to extend her commerce, would +have received the highest improvement; yet we shall find, that even at +this late period few measures had been taken to preserve the health of +seamen, more than had been known to our uninstructed ancestors. Of this +assertion the victorious, but mournful, expedition of Commodore Anson, +affords too convincing a proof. It is well known that soon after passing +the Streights of Le Maire, the scurvy began to appear in his squadron; +that by the time the Centurion had advanced but a little way into the +South Sea, forty-seven had died of it in his ship; and that there were +few on board who had not, in some degree, been afflicted with the +distemper, though they had not been then eight months from England. That +in the ninth month, when standing for the island of Juan Fernandez, the +Centurion lost double that number; and that the mortality went on at so +great a rate (I still speak of the Commodore's ship) that before they +arrived there she had buried two hundred; and at last could muster no +more than six of the the common men in a watch capable of doing duty. +This was the condition of one of the three ships which reached that +island; the other two suffered in proportion. + +Nor did the tragedy end here for after a few months respite the same +fatal sickness broke out afresh, and made such havock, that before the +Centurion (which now contained the whole surviving crew of the three +ships) had got to the island of Tinian, there died sometimes eight or ten +in a day; insomuch that when they had been only two years on their +voyage, they had lost a larger proportion than of four in five of their +original number; and, by the account of the historian, all of them, after +their entering the South Sea, of the scurvy. I say by the account of the +elegant writer of this voyage; for as he neither was in the medical line +himself, nor hath authenticated this part of his narrative by appealing +to the surgeons of the ship or their journals, I should doubt that this +was not strictly the case; but rather, that in producing this great +mortality, a pestilential kind of distemper was joined to the scurvy, +which, from the places where it most frequently occurs, hath been +distinguished by the name of jail or hospital-fever*. But whether the +scurvy alone, or this fever combined with it, were the cause, it is not +at present material to inquire, since both, arising from foul air and +other sources of putrefaction, may now in a great measure be obviated by +the various means fallen upon since Lord Anson's expedition. For in +justice to that prudent as well as brave commander, it must be observed +that the arrangements preparatory to his voyage were not made by himself; +that his ship was so deeply laden as not to admit of opening the +gun-ports, except in the calmest weather, for the benefit of air; and +that nothing appears to have been neglected by him, for preserving the +health of his men, that was then known and practised in the navy. + +[* Dr. Mead, who had seen the original observations of two of Commodore +Anson's surgeons, says, that the scurvy at that time was accompanied with +putrid fevers, etc. See his Treatise on the Scurvy, p. 98. et seq.] + +I should now proceed to enumerate the chief improvements made since that +period, and which have enabled our ships to make so many successful +circumnavigations, as in a manner to efface the impression of former +disasters; but as I have mentioned the sickness most destructive to +mariners, and against the ravages of which those preservatives have been +mainly contrived, it may be proper briefly to explain its nature, and the +rather as, unless among mariners, it is little understood. First then, I +would observe that the scurvy is not the ailment which goes by that name +on shore. The distemper commonly, but erroneously, in this place, called +the scurvy, belongs to a class of diseases totally different from what we +are now treating of; and so far is the commonly received opinion, that +there are few constutions altogether free from a scorbutic taint, from +being true, that unless among sailors and some others circumstanced like +them, more particularly with respect to those who use a salt and putrid +diet, and especially if they live in foul air and uncleanliness, I have +reason to believe there are few disorders less frequent. This opinion I +submitted to the judgment of the society several years ago, and I have +had no reason since to alter it. I then said, contrary to what was +generally believed, but seemingly on the best grounds, that the sea-air +was never the cause of the scurvy, since on board a ship, on the longest +voyages, cleanliness, ventilation, and fresh provisions, would preserve +from it; and that upon a sea-coast, free from marshes, the inhabitants +were not liable to that indisposition, though frequently breathing the +air from the sea*. I concluded with joining in sentiments with those who +ascribed the scurvy to a septic resolution, that is a beginning +corruption of the whole habit, similar to that of every animal substance +when deprived of life**. This account seemed to be sufficiently verified +by the examination of the symptoms in the scorbutic sick, and of the +appearances in their bodies after death***. On that occasion I remarked, +that salted meats after some time become in effect putrid, though they +may continue long palatable by means of the salt; and that common salt, +supposed to be one of the strongest preservatives from corruption, is at +best but an indifferent one, even in a large quantity; and in a small +one, such as we use at table with fresh meats, or swallow in meats that +have been salted, so far from impeding putrefaction, it rather promotes +that process in the body. + +[* Diseases of the Army, part I. ch. 2. Append. Pap. 7.] + +[** Woodall's Surgeon's Mate, p. 163. Poupart. Mem. de l'Acad. R. des Sc. +A. 1'99. Petit. Mal. des Os, tom. II.p. 446. Mead on the Scurvy, p. 104.] + +This position concerning the putrefying quality of sea-salt, in certain +proportions, hath been since confirmed by the experiments of the late Mr. +Canton, Fellow of this Society, in his Paper on the Cause of the luminous +appearance of sea-water*. + +[* Phil. Transact. vol. lix. p. 446.] + +It hath been alleged, that the scurvy is much owing to the coldness of +the air, which checks perspiration, and on that account is the endemic +distemper of the northern nations, particularly of those around the +Baltic*. The fact is partly true, but I doubt not so the cause. In those +regions, by the long and severe winters, the cattle destitute of pasture +can barely live, and are therefore unfit for use; so that the people, for +their provision during that season, are obliged to slaughter them by the +end of autumn, and to salt them for above half the year. This putrid diet +then, on which they must subsist so long, and to which the inhabitants of +the south are not reduced, seems to be the chief cause of the disease. +And if we reflect that the lower people of the north have few or no +greens nor fruit in the winter, scarce any fermented liquors, and often +live in damp, foul, and ill-aired houses, it is easy to conceive how they +should become liable to the same distemper with seamen; whilst others of +as high a latitude, but who live in a different manner, keep free from +it. Thus we are informed by Linnaeus, that the Laplanders, one of the +most hyperborean nations, know nothing of the scurvy*; for which no other +reason can be assigned than their never eating salted meats, nor indeed +salt with any thing, but their using all the winter the fresh flesh of +their rain-deer. + +[* Bartholin. Med. Danor. Domestic p. 98.] + +[** Linnaei Flora Lapponica, p. 8, 9.] + +This exemption of the Laplanders from the general distemper of the north +is the more observable, as they seldom taste vegetables, bread never, as +we farther learn from that celebrated author. Yet in the very provinces +which border on Lapland, where they use bread, but scarcely any other +vegetable, and eat salted meats, they are as much troubled with the +scurvy as in any other country*. But let us incidentally remark, that the +late improvements in agriculture, gardening, and the other arts of life, +by extending their influence to the remotest parts of Europe, and to the +lowest people, begin sensibly to lessen the frequency of that complaint, +even in those climates that have been once the most afflicted with it. + +[* Linnaeus in several parts of his work confirms what is here said of +salted meats, as one of the chief causes of the scurvy. See Amoenitat. +Acad. vol. v. p. 6. et seq. p. 42.] + +It hath also been asserted, that men living on shore will be affected +with the scurvy, though they have never been confined to salted meats; +but of this I have never known any instance, except in those who breathed +a marshy air, or what was otherwise putrid, and who wanted exercise, +fruits, and green vegetables: under such circumstances it must be +granted, that the humours will corrupt in the same manner, though not in +the same degree, with those of mariners. Thus, in the late war, when +Sisinghurst Castle in Kent was filled with French prisoners, the scurvy +broke out among them, notwithstanding they had never been served with +salted victuals in England; but had daily had an allowance of fresh meat, +and of bread in proportion, though without greens or any other vegetable. +The surgeon who attended them, and from whom I received this information, +having formerly been employed in the navy, was the better able to judge +of the disorder and to cure it. Besides the deficiency of herbs, he +observed that the wards were foul and crowded, the house damp (from a +moat that surrounded it) and that the bounds allotted for taking the air +were so small, and in wet weather so sloughy, that the men seldom went +out. He added, that a representation having been made, he had been +empowered to furnish the prisoners with roots and greens for boiling in +their soup, and to quarter the sick in a neighbouring village in a dry +situation, with liberty to go out for air and exercise; and that by these +means they had all quickly recovered. It is probable, that the scurvy +sooner appeared among these strangers, from their having been taken at +sea, and consequently more disposed to the disease. My informer further +acquainted me, that in the lower and wetter parts of that county, where +some of his practice lay, he had now and then met with slighter cases of +the scurvy among the common people; such, he said, as lived the whole +winter on salted bacon, without fermented liquors, greens, or fruit, a +few apples excepted; but, he remarked, that in the winters following a +plentiful growth of apples, those peasants were visibly less liable to +the disorder. + +I have dwelt the longer on this part of my subject, as I look upon the +knowledge of the nature and cause of the scurvy to be an essential step +towards improving the means of prevention and cure. And I am persuaded, +after mature reflection, and the opportunities I have had of conversing +with those who, to much sagacity, had joined no small experience in +nautical practice, that upon an examination of the several articles, +which have either been of old approven, or have of late been introduced +into the navy, it will be evident, that though these means may vary in +form, and in their mode of operating; yet they all some way contribute +towards preventing or correcting putrefaction, whether of the air in the +closer parts of a ship, of the meats, of the water, of the clothes and +bedding, or of the body itself. And if in this inquiry (which may be made +by the way, whilst we take a review of the principal articles of +provision, and other methods used by Captain Cook to guard against the +scurvy) I say, if in this inquiry it shall appear, that the notion of a +septic or putrid origin, is not without foundation, it will be no small +encouragement to proceed on that principle, in order further to improve +this important branch of medicine. + +Captain Cook begins his list of stores with malt. Of this, he says, was +made Sweet Wort, and given not only to those men who had manifest +symptoms of the scurvy, but to such also as were judged to be most liable +to it. Dr. Macbride, who first suggested this preparation, was led (as he +says) to the discovery by some experiments that had been laid before this +Society; by which it appeared that the air produced by alimentary +fermentation was endowed with a power of correcting putrefaction*. The +fact he confirmed by numerous trials, and finding this fluid to be _fixed +air_, he justly concluded, that whatever substance proper for food +abounded with it, and which could be conveniently carried to sea, would +make one of the best provisions against the scurvy; which he then +considered as a putrid disease, and as such to be prevented or cured by +that powerful kind of antiseptic**. Beer, for instance, had always been +esteemed one of the best antiscorbutics; but as that derived all its +fixed air from the malt of which it is made, he inferred that malt itself +was preferable in long voyages, as it took up less room than the brewed +liquor, and would keep longer found. Experience hath since verified this +ingenious theory, and the malt hath now gained so much credit in the +navy, that there only wanted so long, so healthful, and so celebrated a +voyage as this, to rank it among the most indispensable articles of +provision. For though Captain Cook remarks, that _A proper attention to +other things must be joined, and that he is not altogether of opinion, +that the wort will be able to cure the scurvy in an advanced state at +sea; yet he is persuaded that it is sufficient to prevent that distemper +from making any great progress, for a considerable time_; and therefore +he doth not hesitate to pronounce it _one of the best antiscorbutic +medicines yet found out***. + +[* Append. to my _Observations on the Diseases of the Army_.] + +[** Macbride's Exper. Eff. passim.] + +[*** Having been favoured with a sight of the medical journal of Mr. +Patten, surgeon to the Resolution, I read the following passage in it, +not a little strengthening the above testimony. _I have found the wort of +the utmost service in all scorbutic cases during the voyage. As many took +it by way of prevention, few cases occurred where it had a fair trial; +but theft, however, I flatter myself, will he sufficient to convince +every impartial person, that it is the best remedy hitherto found out for +the cure of the sea scurvy: and I am well convinced, from what I have +seen the wort perform, and from its mode of operation, that if aided by +portable-soup, sour krout, sugar, sago, and courants, then scurvy, that +maritime pestilence, will seldom or never make its alarming appearance +among a ship's crew, on the longest voyages; proper care with regard to +cleanliness and provisions being observed_.] + +This salutary gas (or _fixed air_) is contained more or less in all +fermentable liquors, and begins to oppose putrefaction as soon as the +working or intestine motion commences. + +In wine it abounds, and perhaps no vegetable substance is more replete +with it than the juice of the grape. If we join the grateful taste of +wine, we must rank it the first in the list of antiscorbutic liquors. +Cyder is likewise good, with other vinous productions from fruit, as also +the various kinds of beer. It hath been a constant observation, that in +long cruizes or distant voyages, the scurvy is never seen whilst the +small-beer holds out, at a full allowance; but that when it is all +expended, that ailment soon appears. It were therefore to be wished, that +this most wholesome beverage could be renewed at sea; but our ships +afford not sufficient convenience. The Russians however make a shift to +prepare on board, as well as at land, a liquor of a middle quality +between wort and small-beer, in the following manner. They take +ground-malt and rye-meal in a certain proportion, which they knead into +small loaves, and bake in the oven. These they occasionally infuse in a +proper quantity of warm water, which begins so soon to ferment, that in +the space of twenty-four hours their brewage is completed, in the +production of a small, brisk, and acidulous liquor, they call _quas_, +palatable to themselves, and not disagreeable to the taste of strangers. +The late Dr. Mounsey, fellow of this Society, who had lived long in +Russia, and had been _Archiater_ under two successive sovereigns, +acquainted me, that the _quas_ was the common and wholesome drink both of +the fleets and armies of that empire, and that it was particularly good +against the scurvy. He added, that happening to be at Moscow when he +perused my _Observations on the Jail and Hospital Fever_, then lately +published*, he had been induced to compare what he read in that treatise +with what he should see in the several prisons of that large city: but to +his surprize, after visiting them all, and finding them full of +malefactors (for the late Empress then suffered none of those who were +convicted of capital crimes to be put to death) yet he could discover no +fever among them, nor learn that any acute distemper peculiar to jails +had ever been known there. He observed, that some of those places of +confinement had a yard, into which the prisoners were allowed to come for +the air; but that there were others without that advantage, yet not +sickly: so that he could assign no other reason for the healthful +condition of those men than the kind of diet they used, which was the +same with that of the common people of the country; who not being able to +purchase fresh-meat, live mostly on rye-bread (the most acescent of any) +and drink _quas_. He concluded with saying, that upon his return to St. +Petersburg he had made the same inquiry there, and with the same result. + +[* That treatise was first published by itself, and afterwards +incorporated with the _Observations on the Diseases of the Army_.] + +Thus far Dr. Mounsey, from whose account it would seem, that the rye-meal +assisted both in quickening the fermentation and adding more _fixed air_, +since the malt alone could not so readily produce so tart and brisk a +liquor. And there is little doubt but that whenever the other grains can +be brought to a proper degree of fermentation, they will more or less in +the same way become useful. That oats will, I am satisfied from what I +have been told by one of the intelligent friends of Captain Cook. This +gentleman being on a cruize in a large ship*, in the beginning of the +late war, and the scurvy breaking out among his crew, he bethought him +self of a kind of food he had seen used in some parts of the country, as +the most proper on the occasion. Some oatmeal is put into a wooden +vessel, hot water is poured upon it, and the infusion continues until the +liquor begins to taste sourish, that is, till a fermentation comes on, +which in a place moderately warm, may be in the space of two days. The +water is then poured off from the grounds, and boiled down to the +consistence of a jelly**. This he ordered to be made and dealt out in +messes, being first sweetened with sugar, and seasoned with some prize +French wine, which though turned sour, yet improved the taste, and made +this aliment not less palatable than medicinal. + +He assured me, that upon this diet chiefly, and by abstaining from salted +meats, his scorbutic sick had quite recovered on board; and not in that +voyage only, bur, by the same means, in his subsequent cruizes during the +war, without his being obliged to send one of them on shore because they +could not get well at sea. Yet oat-meal unfermented, like barley +unmalted, hath no sensible effect in curing the scurvy: as if the fixed +air, which is incorporated with these grains, could mix with the chyle +which they produce, enter the lacteals, and make part of the nourishment +of the body, without manifesting any elastic or antiseptic quality, when +not loosened by a previous fermentation. + +[* The Essex, a seventy-gun ship.] + +[** This rural food, in the North, is called Sooins.] + +Before the power of the _fixed air_ in subduing putrefaction was known, +the efficacy of fruits, greens, and fermented liquors, was commonly +ascribed to the acid in their composition and we have still reason to +believe that the acid concurs in operating that effect. If it be alleged +that mineral acids, which contain little or no _fixed air_, have been +tried in the scurvy with little success, I would answer, that I doubt that +in those trials they have never been sufficiently diluted; for it is easy +to conceive, that in the small quantity of water the elixir of vitriol, +for instance, is commonly given, that austere acid can scarce get beyond +the first passages; considering the delicate sensibility of the mouths of +the lacteals, which must force them to shut and exclude so pungent a +liquor. It were therefore a proper experiment to be made, in a deficiency +of malt, or when that grain shall happen to be spoilt by keeping*, to use +water acidulated with the spirit of sea-salt, in the proportion of only +ten drops to a quart; or with the weak spirit of vitriol, thirteen drops +to the same measure**; and to give to those that are threatened with the +disease three quarts of this liquor daily, to be consumed as they shall +think proper. + +[* Captain Cook told me, that the malt held out sufficiently good for the +two first years; but that in the third, having lost much of its taste, he +doubted whether it retained any of its virtues. Mr. Patten however +observed, that though the malt at that time was sensibly decayed, yet +nevertheless he had still found it useful when he employed a large +proportion of it to make the infusion.] + +[** In these proportions I found the water taste just acidulous and +pleasant.] + +But if the _fixed air_ and acids are such preservatives against the +scurvy, why should Captain Cook make so little account of the _rob_ of +lemons and of oranges (for so they have called the extracts or +inspissated juices of those fruits) in treating that distemper? This I +found was the reason. These preparations being only sent out upon trial, +the surgeon of the ship was told, at a conjecture, how much he might give +for a dose, but without strictly limiting it. The experiment was made +with the quantity specified, but with so little advantage, that judging +it not adviseable to lose more time, he set about the cure with the wort +only, whereof the efficacy he was certain; whilst he reserved these robs +for other purposes; more particularly for colds, when, to a large draught +of warm water, with some spirits and sugar, he added a spoonful of one of +them, and with this composition made a grateful sudorific that answered +the intention. No wonder then if Captain Cook, not knowing the proper +dose of these concentrated juices for the scurvy, but feeing them fail as +they were given in the trial, should entertain no great opinion of their +antiscorbutic virtue. It may be also proper to take notice, that as they +had been reduced to a small proportion of their bulk by evaporation upon +fire, it is probable, they were much weakened by that process, and that +with their aqueous parts they had lost not a little of their aerial, on +which so much of their antiseptic power depended. If, therefore, a +further trial of these excellent fruits were to be made, it would seem +more adviseable to send to sea the purified juices entire in casks; +agreeably to a proposal I find hath been made to the Admiralty some years +ago by an ingenious and experienced surgeon of the navy. For in truth, +the testimonies in favour of the salutary qualities of these acids are so +numerous and so strong, that I should look upon some failures, even in +cases where their want of success cannot so well be accounted for, as in +this voyage, not a sufficient reason for striking them out of the list of +the most powerful preservatives against this consuming malady of sailors. + +It may be observed, that Captain Cook says not more in praise of vinegar +than of the _robs_; yet I would not thence infer that he made no account +of that acid, but only that as he happened in this voyage to be sparingly +provided with it and yet did well, he could not consider a large store of +vinegar to be so material an article of provision as was commonly +imagined. And though he supplied its place in the messes of the men with +the acid of the sour-crout, and trusted chiefly to fire for purifying his +decks, yet it is to be hoped that future navigators will not therefore +omit it. Vinegar will serve at least for a wholesome variety in the +seasoning of salted meats, and may be sometimes successfully used as a +medicine, especially in the aspersions of the berths of the sick. It is +observable, that though the smell be little grateful to a person in +health, yet it is commonly agreeable to those who are sick, at least to +such as are confined to a foul and crowded ward. There the physician +himself will smell to vinegar, as much for pleasure as for guarding +against infection. + +Now the wort and the acid juices were only dispensed as medicines, but +the next article was of more extensive use. This was the Sour-Crout (sour +cabbage), a food of universal request in Germany. The acidity is acquired +by its spontaneous fermentation, and it was the sour taste which made it +the more acceptable to all who ate it. To its further commendation we may +add, that it held out good to the 1ast of the voyage. + +It may seem strange, that though this herb hath had so high encomiums +bestowed upon it by the ancients (witness what Cato the elder and Pliny +the Naturalist say on the subject), and hath had the sanction of the +experience of nations for ages, it should yet be disapproved of by some +of the most distinguished medical writers of our times. One finds it +yield a rank smell in decoction, which he confounds with that of +putrefaction. Another analyzes it, and discovers so much gross air in the +composition as to render it indigestible; yet this flatulence, so much +decryed, must now be acknowledged to be the _fixed air_, which makes the +cabbage so wholesome when fermented. Nay it hath been traduced by one of +the most celebrated physicians of our age, as partaking of a poisonous +nature: nor much better founded was that notion of the same illustrious +professor, that cabbage being an alcalescent plant, and therefore +disposing to putrefaction, could never be used in the scurvy, except when +the disease proceeded from an acid. But the experiments which I formerly +laid before the Society evinced this vegetable, with the rest of the +supposed alcalescents, to be really acescent; and proved that the scurvy +is never owing to acidity, but, much otherwise, to a species of +putrefaction; that very cause, of which the ill-grounded class of +alcalescents was supposed to be a promoter*. + +[* See this remark more at large, in my Observations on the Diseases of +the Army, App. Pap. 7.] + +Among other of the late improvements of the naval stores we have heard +much of the Portable-Soup, and accordingly we find that Captain Cook hath +not a little availed himself of it in his voyage. This concentrated broth +being freed from all fat, and having by long boiling evaporated the most +putrescent parts of the meat, is reduced to the consistence of a glue, +which in effect it is, and will, like other glues, in a dry place, keep +sound for years together. It hath been said, that broths turn sour on +keeping, though made without any vegetable*. Now, whether any real acid +can be thus formed or not, I incline at least to believe that the +gelatinous parts of animal substances, such as compose these cakes, are +not of a nature much disposed to putrefy. But however that may be, since +Captain Cook observes, that this soup was the means of making his people +eat a greater quantity of greens than they would have done otherwise, in +so far we must allow it to have been virtually antiseptic. + +[* La feule matiere qui s'aigriffe dans le sang est la matiere +gelatincuse, etc. Senac, Structure du Coeur, 1. iii. ch. 4. para. 5.] + +So much for those articles that have of late been supplied to all the +king's ships on long voyages, and in which therefore our worthy brother +claims no other merit than the prudent dispensation of them; but what +follows being regulations either wholly new, or improven hints from some +of his experienced friends, we may justly appropriate them to himself. + +First then, he put his people at three watches, instead of two, which +last is the general practice at sea; that is, he divided the whole crew +into three companies, and by putting each company upon the watch by +turns, four hours at a time, every man had eight hours free, for four of +duty: whereas at watch and watch, the half of the men being on duty at +once, with returns of it every four hours, they can have but broken +sleep, and when exposed to wet, they have not time to get dry before they +lie down. When the service requires it, such hardships must be endured; +but when there is no pressing call, ought not a mariner to be refreshed +with as much uninterrupted rest as a common day-labourer? + +I am well informed, that an officer distinguishes himself in nothing more +than in preserving his men from wet and the other injuries of the +weather. These were most essential points with this humane commander. In +the torrid zone he shaded his people from the scorching sun by an awning +over his deck, and in his course under the antarctic circle he had a coat +provided for each man, of a substantial woollen stuff, with the addition +of a hood for covering their heads. This garb (which the sailors called +their Magellan jacket) they occasionally wore, and found it more +comfortable for working in rain and snow, and among the broken ice in the +high latitudes of the South. + +Let us proceed to another article, one of the most material, the care to +guard against putrefaction, by keeping clean the persons, the cloaths, +bedding, and berths of the sailors. The Captain acquainted me, that +regularly, one morning in the week, he passed his ship's company in +review, and saw that every man had changed his linen, and was in other +points as clean and neat as circumstances would permit. It is well known +how much cleanliness is conducive to health, but it is not so obvious how +much it also tends to good order and other virtues. That diligent officer +was persuaded (nor was perhaps the observation new) that such men as he +could induce to be more cleanly than they were disposed to be of +themselves, became at the same time more sober, more orderly, and more +attentive to their duty. It must be acknowledged that a seaman has but +indifferent means to keep himself clean, had he the greatest inclination +to do it; for I have not heard that commanders of ships have yet availed +themselves of the _still_ for providing fresh water for washing; and it +is well known that sea-water doth not mix with soap, and that linen wet +with brine never thoroughly dries. But for Captain Cook, the frequent +opportunities he had of taking in water among the islands of the +South-Sea, enabled him in that tract to dispense to his ship's company +some fresh water for every use; and when he navigated in the high +latitudes of the Southern Oceans, he still more abundantly provided them +with it, as you will find by the sequel of this discourse. + +Of the hammocks and bedding I need say little, as all officers are now +sensible, how much it concerns the health of their people to have this +part of a ship's furniture kept dry and well-aired; since by the +perspiration of so many men, every thing below, even in the space of +twenty-four hours, is apt to contract an offensive moisture. But Captain +Cook was not satisfied with ordering upon deck the hammocks and bedding +every day that was fair (the common method) but took care that every +bundle should be unlashed, and so spread out, that every part of it might +be exposed to the air. + +His next concern was to see to the purity of the ship itself, without +which attention all the rest would have profited little. I shall not +however detain you with the orders about washing and scraping the decks, +as I do not understand that in this kind of cleansing he excelled others; +but since our author has laid so great a stress upon _Fire_, as a +purifier, I shall endeavour to explain the way of using it, more fully +than he has done in his Paper. Some wood, and that not sparingly, being +put into a proper stove or grate, is lighted, and carried successively to +every part below deck. Wherever fire is, the air nearest to it being +heated becomes specifically lighter, and by being lighter rises, and +passes through the hatchways into the atmosphere. The vacant space is +filled with the cold air around, and that being heated in its turn, in +like manner ascends, and is replaced by other air as before. Thus, by +continuing the fire for some time, in any of the lower apartments, the +foul air is in a good measure driven out, and the fresh admitted. This is +not all: I apprehend that the acid steams of the wood, in burning, act +here as an antiseptic and correct the corrupted air that remains. + +An officer of distinguished rank, another of Captain Cook's experienced +friends, mentioned to me a common and just observation in the fleet, +which was, that all the old twenty-gun ships were remarkably less sickly +than those of the same size of a modern construction. This, he said, was +a circumstance he could not otherwise account for, than, by the former +having their _galley_* in the fore-part of the _orlop_**, the chimney +vented so ill, that it was sure to fill every part with smoke whenever +the wind was a-stern. This was a nuisance for the time, but, as he +thought, abundantly compensated by the extraordinary good health of the +several crews. Possibly those fire-places were also beneficial, by drying +and ventilating the lower decks, more when they were below, than they can +do now that they are placed under the fore-castle upon the upper deck. + +[* Their fire-place or kitchen.] + +[** The deck immediately above the hold.] + +But the most obvious use of the portable fires was their drying up the +moisture, and especially in those places where there was the least +circulation of air. This humidity, composed of the perspirable matter of +a multitude of men, and often of animals (kept for a live-flock) and of +the steams of the bilge water from the well, where the corruption is the +greatest; this putrid moisture, I say, being one of the main sources of +the scurvy, was therefore more particularly attended to, in order to its +removal. The fires were the powerful instrument for that purpose, and +whilst they burned, some men were employed in rubbing hard, with canvass +or oakum, every part of the inside of the ship that was damp and +accessible. But the advantage of fire appears no where so manifest as in +cleansing the well; for this being in the lowest part of the hold, the +whole leakage runs into it, whether of the ship itself, or of the casks +of spoilt meats or corrupted water. The mephitic vapours, from this sink +alone, have often been the cause of instantaneous death to those who have +unwarily approached to clean it; and not to one only, but to several +successively, when they have gone down to succour their unfortunate +companions: yet this very place has not only been rendered safe but +sweet, by means of an iron pot filled with fire and let down to burn in +it. + +When, from the circumstances of the weather, this salutary operation +could not take place, the ship was fumigated with gun-powder, as +described in the Paper; though that smoke could have no effect in drying, +but only in remedying the corruption of the air, by means of the acid +spirits from the sulphur and nitre, aided perhaps by some species of an +aerial fluid, then disengaged from the fuel, to counteract putrefaction. +But as these purifications by gun-powder, as well as by burning tar and +other resinous substances, are sufficiently known, I shall not insist +longer on them here. + +Among the several means of sweetening or renewing the air, we should +expect to hear of Dr. Hales's _Ventilator_. I must confess it was my +expectation, and therefore, persuaded as I was of the excellence of the +invention, it was not without much regret that I saw so good an +opportunity lost, of giving the same favourable impression of it to the +Public. If a degree of success, exceeding our most sanguine hopes, is not +sufficient for justifying the omission of a measure, deemed one of the +most essential for attaining an end, I would plead in favour of our +worthy brother, that by a humiliating fatality, so often accompanying the +most useful discoveries, the credit of this ventilator is yet far from +being firmly established in the navy. What wonder then, if Captain Cook +being so much otherwise taken up, should not have had time to examine it, +and therefore avoided the encumbering his ship with an apparatus, he had +possibly never seen used, and of which he had at best received but a +doubtful character? Nor was he altogether unprovided with a machine for +ventilation. He had the _Wind-Sails_, though he hath not mentioned them +in his Paper, and he told me that he had found them at times very +serviceable, and particularly between the Tropics. They have the merit of +taking up little room, they require no labour in working, and the +contrivance is so simple that they can sail in no hands. But their powers +are small in comparison with those of the ventilator; they cannot be put +up in hard gales of wind, and they are of no efficacy in dead calms, when +a refreshment of the air is most wanted. Should there be any objection to +the employing both? + +Such were the measures taken by our sagacious Navigator for procuring a +purity of air. It remains only to see in what manner he supplied pure +water; another article of so great moment, that the thirsty voyager, upon +his salt and putrid diet, with a short allowance of this element, and +that in a corrupted Rate, must account a plentiful provision of fresh +water to be indeed the _best of things_. + +Captain Cook was not without an apparatus for distilling sea-water, and +though he could not obtain nearly so much as was expected from the +invention, yet he sometimes availed himself of it; but for the most of +his voyage he was otherwise provided. Within the Southern Tropic, in the +Pacific Ocean, he found so many islands, and those so well stored with +springs, that, as I have hinted before, he seldom was without a +sufficiency of fresh water for every useful purpose. But not satisfied +with plenty, he would have the purest; and therefore whenever an +opportunity offered, he emptied what he had taken in but a few days +before, and filled his casks anew. But was he not above four months in +his passage from the Cape of Good Hope to New Zeeland, in the frozen zone +of the South, without once seeing land? and did he not actually complete +his circumnavigation, in that high latitude, without the benefit of a +single fountain? Here was indeed a _wonder of the Deep_! I may call it +the _Romance of his Voyage_! Those very shoals, fields, and floating +mountains of ice, among which he steered his perilous course, and which +presented such terrifying prospects of destruction; those, I say, were +the very means of his support, by supplying him abundantly with what he +most wanted. It had been said that those stupendous masses of ice, called +_islands_ or _mountains_, melted into fresh water, though Crantz, the +relator of that paradox, did not imagine they originated from the sea, +but that they were first formed in the great rivers of the North, and +being carried down into the ocean, were afterwards increased to that +amazing height by the snow that fell upon them*. But that all frozen +sea-water would thaw into fresh, had either never been asserted, or had +met with little credit. This is certain that Captain Cook expected no +such transmutation, and therefore was agreeably surprised to find he had +one difficulty less to encounter, that of preserving the health of his +men so long on salt-provisions, with a scanty allowance of corrupted +water, or what he could procure by distillation The melted ice of the sea +was not only fresh but soft, and so wholesome, as to show the fallacy of +human reason unsupported by experiments. An ancient of great authority +had assigned, from theory, bad qualities to melted snow; and from that +period to the present times, this prejudice extended to ice had not been +quite removed. + +[* Hist. of Greenland, b. I. ch, ii. para 11, 12.] + +In this circumnavigation, amidst sleets and falls of snow, fogs, and much +moist weather, the _Resolution_ enjoyed nearly the same good state of +health she had done in the temperate and torrid zones. It appears only +from the journal of the Surgeon, that towards the end of the first +course* some of the crew began to complain of the scurvy; but the disease +made little progress, except in one who had become early an invalid from +another cause. The other disorders were likewise inconsiderable, such as +common colds, slight diarrhoeas, and intermittents that readily yielded +to the Bark: there were also some fevers of a continued form, but which +by timely care never rose to an alarming height. Much commendation is +therefore due to the attention and abilities of Mr. PATTEN, the Surgeon +of the _Resolution_, for having so well seconded his Captain in the +discharge of his duty. For it must be allowed, that in despite of the +best regulations and the best provisions, there will always be among a +numerous crew, during a long voyage, some casualties more or less +productive of sickness; and that unless there be an intelligent medical +assistant on board, many under the wisest Commander will perish, that +otherwise might have been saved. + +[* Viz. The voyage between the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand.] + + +These, Gentlemen, are the reflections I had to lay before you on this +interesting subject; and if I have encroached on your time, you will +recollect that much of my discourse hath been employed in explaining some +things but just mentioned by Captain Cook, and in adding other materials, +which I had procured partly from himself, and partly, after his +departure, from those intelligent friends he alludes to in his Paper. +This was my plan; which, as I have now executed, you will please to +return your thanks to those gentlemen, who, on your account, so +cheerfully communicated to me their observations. + +As to your acknowledgments to Captain Cook, and your high opinion of his +deserts, you will best testify them by the honourable distinction +suggested by your Council, in presenting him with this medal: for I need +not gather your suffrages, since the attention with which you have +favoured me hath abundantly expressed your approbation. My satisfaction +therefore had been complete, had he himself been present to receive the +honours you now confer upon him. But you are apprized that our brave and +indefatigable Brother is at this instant far removed from us, +anticipating, I may say, your wonted request on these occasions, by +continuing his labours for the advancement of Natural Knowledge, and for +the honour of this Society: as you may be assured, that the object of his +new enterprize is not less great, perhaps still greater than either of +the former. + +Allow me then, GENTLEMEN, to deliver this medal, with his unperishing +name engraven upon it, into the hands of one who will be happy to receive +that trust, and to know that this respectable Body never more cordially +nor more meritoriously bestowed that faithful symbol of their esteem and +affection. For if Rome decreed the _Civic Crown_ to him who saved the +life of a single citizen, what wreaths are due to that Man, who, having +himself saved many, perpetuates in your Transactions the means by which +Britain may now, on the most distant voyages, preserve numbers of her +intrepid sons, her Mariners; who, braving every danger, have so liberally +contributed to the fame, to the opulence, and to the maritime empire, of +their Country*. + +[* Here followed Captain Cook's Paper, which was presented to the +Society, and is inserted in part 2. vol. 1xvi. of the Philosophical +Transactions; but as the Substance of that Publication is now contained +in the last pages of Captain Cook's Voyage, it was judged unnecessary to +repeat it here. The only material circumstance of Captain Cook's +communication to the Society, omitted in his journal, is the following +Extract of a Letter which he wrote to the President, just before his late +embarkation, dated _Plymouth Sound_, July 7, 1776; and is as follows: + +"I entirely agree with you, that the dearness of the Rob of lemons, and +of oranges, will hinder them from being furnished in large quantities; +but I do not think this so necessary, for though they may assist other +things, I have no great opinion of them alone. Nor have I a higher +opinion of vinegar: my people had it very sparingly during the late +voyage; and towards the latter part, none at all; and yet we experienced +no ill effects from the want of it. The custom of washing the inside of +the ship with vinegar I seldom observed, thinking that fire and smoke +answered the purpose much better."] + + + +END OF VOLUME II. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Voyage Towards the South Pole and +Round the World Volume 2, by James Cook + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH *** + +***** This file should be named 15869-8.txt or 15869-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/8/6/15869/ + +- + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +*** END: FULL LICENSE *** + diff --git a/15869-8.zip b/15869-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f05db96 --- /dev/null +++ b/15869-8.zip diff --git a/15869.txt b/15869.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7c7b460 --- /dev/null +++ b/15869.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10729 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round +the World Volume 2, by James Cook + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World Volume 2 + +Author: James Cook + +Contributor: Tobias Furneaux + +Release Date: May 20, 2005 [EBook #15869] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH *** + + + + + + + + + + +A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD; PERFORMED IN +HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS THE RESOLUTION AND ADVENTURE, IN THE YEARS +1772, 3, 4, AND 5. WRITTEN BY JAMES COOK, COMMANDER OF THE RESOLUTION. +IN WHICH IS INCLUDED CAPTAIN FURNEAUX'S NARRATIVE OF HIS PROCEEDINGS +IN THE ADVENTURE DURING THE SEPARATION OF THE SHIPS. IN TWO VOLUMES. +ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS AND CHARTS, AND A VARIETY OF PORTRAITS OF +PERSONS AND VIEWS AND PLACES, DRAWN DURING THE VOYAGE BY MR. HODGES, +AND ENGRAVED BY THE MOST EMINENT MASTERS. + +VOLUME II + +* * * + +LONDON: +PRINTED FOR W STRAHAN AND T CADELL IN THE STRAND. +MDCCLXXVII +(1777) + +* * * + +CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. + + +BOOK III. +From Ulietea to New Zealand. + +CHAPTER I. Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Isles, with a Description +of several Islands that were discovered, and the Incidents which happened +in that Track. + +CHAPTER II. Reception at Anamocka; a Robbery and its Consequences, with a +Variety of other Incidents. Departure from the Island. A sailing Canoe +described. Some Observations on the Navigation of these Islanders. A +Description of the Island, and of those in the Neighbourhood, with +some Account of the Inhabitants, and nautical Remarks. + +CHAPTER III. The Passage from the Friendly Isles to the New Hebrides, with +an Account of the Discovery of Turtle Island, and a Variety of Incidents +which happened, both before and after the Ship arrived in Port +Sandwich, in the Island of Mallicollo. A Description of the Port, the +adjacent Country, its Inhabitants, and many other Particulars. + +CHAPTER IV. An Account of the Discovery of several Islands, and an +Interview and Skirmish with the Inhabitants upon one of them. The Arrival +of the Ship at Tanna, and the Reception we met with there. + +CHAPTER V. An Intercourse established with the Natives; some Account of +the Island, and a Variety of Incidents that happened during our Stay at it. + +CHAPTER VI. Departure from Tanna; with some Account of its Inhabitants, +their Manners and Arts. + +CHAPTER VII. The survey of the Islands continued, and a more particular +Description of them. + +CHAPTER VIII. An Account of the Discovery of New Caledonia, and the +Incidents that happened while the Ship lay in Balade. + +CHAPTER IX. A Description of the Country and its Inhabitants; their +Manners, Customs, and Arts. + +CHAPTER X. Proceedings on the Coast of New Caledonia, with Geographical +and Nautical Observations. + +CHAPTER XI. Sequel of the Passage from New Caledonia to New Zealand, +with an Account of the Discovery of Norfolk Island; and the Incidents that +happened while the Ship lay in Queen Charlotte's Sound. + +BOOK IV. +From leaving New Zealand to our Return to England. + +CHAPTER I. The Run from New Zealand to Terra del Fuego, with the Range +from Cape Deseada to Christmas Sound, and Description of that Part of the +Coast. + +CHAPTER II. Transactions in Christmas Sound, with an Account of the +Country and its Inhabitants. + +CHAPTER III. Range from Christmas Sound, round Cape Horn, through Strait +Le Maire, and round Staten Land; with an Account of the Discovery of a +Harbour in that Island, and a Description of the Coasts, + +CHAPTER IV. Observations, geographical and nautical, with an Account of +the Islands near Staten Land, and the Animals found in them, + +CHAPTER V. Proceedings after leaving Staten Island, with an Account of +the Discovery of the Isle of Georgia, and a Description of it, + +CHAPTER VI. Proceedings after leaving the Isle of Georgia, with an Account +of the Discovery of Sandwich Land; with some Reasons for there being Land +about the South Pole, + +CHAPTER VII. Heads of what has been done in the Voyage; with some +Conjectures concerning the Formation of Ice-Islands; and an Account of +our Proceedings till our Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, + +CHAPTER VIII. Captain Furneaux's Narrative of his Proceedings, in the +Adventure, from the Time he was separated from the Resolution, to his +Arrival in England; including Lieutenant Burney's Report concerning the +Boat's Crew who were murdered by the Inhabitants of Queen Charlotte's +Sound, + +CHAPTER IX. Transactions at the Cape of Good Hope; with an Account of +some Discoveries made by the French; and the Arrival of the Ship at St +Helena, + +CHAPTER X. Passage from St Helena to the Western Islands, with a +Description of the Island of Ascension and Fernando Noronha, + +CHAPTER XI. Arrival of the Ship at the Island of Fayal, a Description +of the Place, and the Return of the Resolution to England. + +Tables of the route of the Resolution and the Adventure, the variation +of the compass and meteorological observations during the voyage. + +A Vocabulary of the Language of the Society Isles. + +A table, exhibiting at one view, specimens of different languages spoken +in the South Sea, from Easter Island, westward to New Caledonia, as +observed in the voyage. + +Letter from John Ibbetson Esq., secretary to the Commissioners of +Longitude, to Sir John Pringle, Baronet, P.R.S. + +A discourse upon some late improvementsof the means for preserving +the health of mariners, delivered at the anniversary meeting of the +Royal Society, Nov. 30, 1776. By Sir John Pringle, Bart. President. + +* * * * * + +A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD. + +BOOK III. + +FROM ULIETEA TO NEW ZEALAND. + +CHAPTER I. + +_Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Isles, with a Description of +several Islands that were discovered, and the Incidents which happened in +that Track._ + +1774 June + +On the 6th, being the day after leaving Ulietea, at eleven o'clock a.m., we +saw land bearing N.W., which, upon a nearer approach, we found to be a low +reef island about four leagues in compass, and of a circular form. It is +composed of several small patches connected together by breakers, the +largest lying on the N.E. part. This is Howe Island, discovered by Captain +Wallis, who, I think, sent his boat to examine it; and, if I have not been +misinformed, found a channel through, within the reef, near the N.W. part. +The inhabitants of Ulietea speak of an uninhabited island about this +situation, called by them Mopeha, to which they go at certain seasons for +turtle. Perhaps, this may be the same; as we saw no signs of inhabitants +upon it. Its latitude is 16 deg. 46' S. longitude 154 deg. 8' W. + +From this day to the 16th, we met nothing remarkable, and our course was +west southerly; the winds variable from north round by the east to S.W., +attended with cloudy, rainy, unsettled weather, and a southerly swell. We +generally brought-to, or stood upon a wind during night; and in the day +made all the sail we could. About half an hour after sun-rise this morning, +land was seen from the top-mast head, bearing N.N.E. We immediately altered +the course, and steering for it, found it to be another reef island, +composed of five or six woody islets, connected together by sand-banks and +breakers inclosing a lake, into which we could see no entrance. We ranged +the west and N.W. coasts, from its southern to its northern-extremity, +which is about two leagues, and so near the shore, that at one time we +could see the rocks under us; yet we found no anchorage, nor saw we any +signs of inhabitants. There were plenty of various kinds of birds, and the +coast seemed to abound with fish. The situation of this isle is not very +distant from that assigned by Mr Dalrymple for La Sagitaria, discovered by +Quiros; but, by the description the discoverer has given of it, it cannot +be the same. For this reason, I looked upon it as a new discovery, and +named it Palmerston Island, in honour of Lord Palmerston, one of the lords +of the Admiralty. It is situated in latitude 18 deg. 4' S. longitude 163 deg. 10' +W. + +At four o'clock in the afternoon, we left this isle, and resumed our course +to the W. by S. with a fine steady gale easterly, till noon on the 20th, at +which time, being in latitude 18 deg. 50', longitude 168 deg. 52, we thought we saw +land to S.S.W. and hauled up for it accordingly. But two hours after, we +discovered our mistake, and resumed our course W. by S. Soon after, we saw +land from the mast-head in the same direction; and, as we drew nearer, +found it to be an island, which, at five o'clock, bore west, distant five +leagues. Here we spent the night plying under the topsails; and at day-break +next morning, bore away, steering to the northern point, and ranging +the west coast at the distance of one mile, till near noon. Then perceiving +some people on the shore, and landing seeming to be easy, we brought-to, +and hoisted out two boats, with which I put off to the land, accompanied by +some of the officers and gentlemen. As we drew near the shore, some of the +inhabitants, who were on the rocks, retired to the woods, to meet us, as we +supposed; and we afterwards found our conjectures right. We landed with +ease in a small creek, and took post on a high rock to prevent a surprise. +Here we displayed our colours, and Mr Forster and his party began to +collect plants, etc. The coast was so over-run with woods, bushes, plants, +stones, etc. that we could not see forty yards round us. I took two men, and +with them entered a kind of chasm, which opened a way into the woods. We +had not gone far before we heard the natives approaching; upon which I +called to Mr Forster to retire to the party, as I did likewise. We had no +sooner joined than the islanders appeared at the entrance of a chasm not a +stone's throw from us. We began to speak, and make all the friendly signs +we could think of, to them, which they answered by menaces; and one of two +men, who were advanced before the rest, threw a stone, which struck Mr +Sparrman on the arm. Upon this two muskets were fired, without order, which +made them all retire under cover of the woods; and we saw them no more. + +After waiting for some little time, and till we were satisfied nothing was +to be done here, the country being so overrun with bushes, that it was +hardly possible to come to parley with them, we embarked and proceeded down +along shore, in hopes of meeting with better success in another place. +After ranging the coast for some miles, without seeing a living soul, or +any convenient landing-place, we at length came before a small beach, on +which lay four canoes. Here we landed by means of a little creek, formed by +the flat rocks before it, with a view of just looking at the canoes, and to +leave some medals, nails, etc. in them; for not a soul was to be seen. The +situation of this place was to us worse than the former. A flat rock lay +next the sea; behind it a narrow stone beach; this was bounded by a +perpendicular rocky cliff of unequal height, whose top was covered with +shrubs; two deep and narrow chasms in the cliff seemed to open a +communication into the country. In or before one of these lay the four +canoes which we were going to look at; but in the doing of this, I saw we +should be exposed to an attack from the natives, if there were any, without +being in a situation proper for defence. To prevent this, as much as could +be, and to secure a retreat in case of an attack, I ordered the men to be +drawn up upon the rock, from whence they had a view of the heights; and +only myself, and four of the gentlemen, went up to the canoes. We had been +there but a few minutes, before the natives, I cannot say how many, rushed +down the chasm out of the wood upon us. The endeavours we used to bring +them to a parley, were to no purpose; for they came with the ferocity of +wild boars, and threw their darts. Two or three muskets, discharged in the +air did not hinder one of them from advancing still farther, and throwing +another dart, or rather a spear, which passed close over my shoulder. His +courage would have cost him his life, had not my musket missed fire; for I +was not five paces from him when he threw his spear, and had resolved to +shoot him to save myself. I was glad afterwards that it happened as it did. +At this instant, our men on the rock began to fire at others who appeared +on the heights, which abated the ardour of the party we were engaged with, +and gave us time to join our people, when I caused the firing to cease. The +last discharge sent all the islanders to the woods, from whence they did +not return so long as we remained. We did not know that any were hurt. It +was remarkable, that when I joined our party, I tried my musket in the air, +and it went off as well as a piece could do. Seeing no good was to be got +with these people, or at the isle, as having no port, we returned on board, +and having hoisted in the boats, made sail to the W.S.W. I had forgot to +mention in its proper order, that having put ashore a little before we came +to this last place, three or four of us went upon the cliffs, where we +found the country, as before, nothing but coral rocks, all over-run with +bushes, so that it was hardly possible to penetrate into it; and we +embarked again with intent to return directly on board, till we saw the +canoes; being directed to the place by the opinion of some of us, who +thought they heard some people. + +The conduct and aspect of these islanders occasioned my naming it Savage +Island. It is situated in the latitude 19 deg. 1' S. longitude 169 deg. 37' W. It +is about eleven leagues in circuit; of a round form, and good height; and +hath deep waters close to its shores. All the sea-coast, and as far inland +as we could see, is wholly covered with trees, shrubs, etc.; amongst which +were some cocoa-nut trees; but what the interior parts may produce we know +not. To judge of the whole garment by the skirts, it cannot produce much; +for so much as we saw of it consisted wholly of coral rocks, all over-run +with woods and bushes. Not a bit of soil was to be seen; the rocks alone +supplying the trees with humidity. If these coral rocks were first formed +in the sea by animals, how came they thrown up to such an height? Has this +island been raised by an earthquake? Or has the sea receded from it? Some +philosophers have attempted to account for the formation of low isles, such +as are in the sea; but I do not know that any thing has been said of high +islands, or such as I have been speaking of. In this island, not only the +loose rocks which cover the surface, but the cliffs which bound the shores, +are of coral stone, which the continual beating of the sea has formed into +a variety of curious caverns, some of them very large: The roof or rock +over them being supported by pillars, which the foaming waves have formed +into a multitude of shapes, and made more curious than the caverns +themselves. In one we saw light was admitted through a hole at the top; in +another place, we observed that the whole roof of one of these caverns had +sunk in, and formed a kind of valley above, which lay considerably below +the circumjacent rocks. + +I can say but little of the inhabitants, who, I believe, are not numerous. +They seemed to be stout well-made men, were naked except round the waists, +and some of them had their faces, breasts, and thighs painted black. The +canoes were precisely like those of Amsterdam; with the addition of a +little rising like a gunwale on each side of the open part; and had some +carving about them, which shewed that these people are full as ingenious. +Both these islanders and their canoes agree very well with the description +M. de Bougainville has given of those he saw off the Isle of Navigators, +which lies nearly under the same meridian. + +After leaving Savage Island, we continued to steer W.S.W. with a fine +easterly trade-wind, till the 24th in the evening, when, judging ourselves +not far from Rotterdam, we brought-to, and spent the night plying under the +top-sails. At daybreak next morning, we bore away west; and soon after, saw +a string of islands extending from S.S.W. by the west to N.N.W. The wind +being at N.E., we hauled to N.W., with a view of discovering more +distinctly the isles in that quarter; but, presently after, we discovered a +reef of rocks a-head, extending on each bow farther than we could see. As +we could not weather them, it became necessary to tack and bear up to the +south, to look for a passage that way. At noon the southernmost island bore +S.W., distant four miles. North of this isle were three others, all +connected by breakers, which we were not sure did not join to those we had +seen in the morning, as some were observed in the intermediate space. Some +islands were also seen to the west of those four; but Rotterdam was not yet +in sight. Latitude 20 deg. 23' S. longitude 174 deg. 6' W. During the whole +afternoon, we had little wind; so that at sunset, the southernmost isle +bore W.N.W., distant five miles; and some breakers, we had seen to the +south, bore now S.S.W. 1/2 W. Soon after it fell calm, and we were left to +the mercy of a great easterly swell; which, however, happened to have no +great effect upon the ship. The calm continued till four o'clock the next +morning, when it was succeeded by a breeze from the south. At day-light, +perceiving a likelihood of a passage between the islands to the north and +the breakers to the south, we stretched in west, and soon after saw more +islands, both to the S.W. and N.W., but the passage seemed open and clear. +Upon drawing near the islands, we sounded, and found forty-five and forty +fathoms, a clear sandy bottom. I was now quite easy, since it was in our +power to anchor, in case of a calm; or to spend the night, if we found no +passage. Towards noon some canoes came off to us from one of the isles, +having two or three people in each; who advanced boldly alongside, and +exchanged some cocoa-nuts, and shaddocks, for small nails. They pointed out +to us Anamocka, or Rotterdam; an advantage we derived from knowing the +proper names. They likewise gave us the names of some of the other isles, +and invited us much to go to theirs, which they called Cornango. The breeze +freshening, we left them astern, and steered for Anamocka; meeting with a +clear passage, in which we found unequal sounding, from forty to nine +fathoms, depending, I believe, in a great measure, on our distance from the +islands which form it. + +As we drew near the south end of Rotterdam, or Anamocka, we were met by a +number of canoes, laden with fruit and roots; but as I did not shorten +sail, we had but little traffic with them. The people in one canoe enquired +for me by name; a proof that these people have an intercourse with those of +Amsterdam. They importuned us much to go towards their coast, letting us +know, as we understood them, that we might anchor there. This was on the +S.W. side of the island, where the coast seemed to be sheltered from the S. +and S.E. winds; but as the day was far spent, I could not attempt to go in +there, as it would have been necessary to have sent first a boat to examine +it. I therefore stood for the north side of the island, where we anchored +about three-fourths of a mile from shore; the extremes of it bearing south, +88 deg. E. to S.W.; a cove with a sandy beach at the bottom of it S. 50 deg. E. + +CHAPTER II. + +_Reception at Anamocka; a Robbery and its Consequences, with a Variety of +other Incidents. Departure from the Island. A sailing Canoe described. Some +Observations on the Navigation of these Islanders. A Description of the +Island, and of those in the Neighbourhood, with some Account of the +Inhabitants, and nautical Remarks._ + +1774 June + +Before we had well got to an anchor, the natives came off from all parts in +canoes, bringing with them yams and shaddocks, which they exchanged for +small nails and old rags. One man taking a vast liking to our lead and +line, got hold of it, and, in spite of all the threats I could make use of, +cut the line with a stone; but a discharge of small shot made him return +it. Early in the morning, I went ashore with Mr Gilbert to look for fresh +water. We landed in the cove above-mentioned, and were received with great +courtesy by the natives. After I had distributed some presents amongst +them, I asked for water, and was conducted to a pond of it that was +brackish, about three-fourths of a mile from the landing-place, which I +supposed to be the same that Tasman watered at. In the mean time, the +people in the boat had laden her with fruit and roots, which the natives +had brought down, and exchanged for nails and beads. On our return to the +ship, I found the same sort of traffic carrying on there. After breakfast, +I went ashore with two boats to trade with the people, accompanied by +several of the gentlemen, and ordered the launch to follow with casks to be +filled with water. The natives assisted us to roll them to and from the +pond; and a nail or a bead was the expence of their labour. Fruits and +roots, especially shaddocks and yams, were brought down in such plenty, +that the two boats were laden, sent off, cleared, and laden a second time, +before noon; by which time also the launch had got a full supply of water, +and the botanical and shooting parties had all come in, except the surgeon, +for whom we could not wait, as the tide was ebbing fast out of the cove; +consequently he was left behind. As there is no getting into the cove with +a boat, from between half-ebb to half-flood, we could get off no water in +the afternoon. However, there is a very good landing-place, without it, +near the southern point, where boats can get ashore at all times of the +tide. Here some of the officers landed after dinner, where they found the +surgeon, who had been robbed of his gun. Having come down to the shore some +time after the boats had put off, he got a canoe to bring him on board; +but, as he was getting into her, a fellow snatched hold of the gun, and ran +off with it. After that no one would carry him to the ship, and they would +have stripped him, as he imagined, had he not presented a tooth-pick case, +which they, no doubt, thought was a little gun. As soon as I heard of this, +I landed at the place above-mentioned, and the few natives who were there +fled at my approach. After landing I went in search of the officers, whom I +found in the cove, where we had been in the morning, with a good many of +the natives about them. No step had been taken to recover the gun, nor did +I think proper to take any; but in this I was wrong. The easy manner of +obtaining this gun, which they now, no doubt, thought secure in their +possession, encouraged them to proceed in these tricks, as will soon +appear. The alarm the natives had caught being soon over, they carried +fruit, etc. to the boats, which got pretty well laden before night, when we +all returned on board. + +Early in the morning of the 28th, Lieutenant Clerke, with the master and +fourteen or fifteen men, went on shore in the launch for water. I did +intend to have followed in another boat myself, but rather unluckily +deferred it till after breakfast. The launch was no sooner landed than the +natives gathered about her, behaving in so rude a manner, that the officers +were in some doubt if they should land their casks; but, as they expected +me on shore soon, they ventured, and with difficulty got them filled, and +into the boat again. In the doing of this Mr Clerke's gun was snatched from +him, and carried off; as were also some of the cooper's tools; and several +of the people were stripped of one thing or another. All this was done, as +it were, by stealth; for they laid hold of nothing by main force. I landed +just as the launch was ready to put off; and the natives, who were pretty +numerous on the beach, as soon as they saw me, fled; so that I suspected +something had happened. However, I prevailed on many to stay, and Mr Clerke +came, and informed me of all the preceding circumstances. I quickly came to +a resolution to oblige them to make restitution; and, for this purpose, +ordered all the marines to be armed and sent on shore. Mr Forster and his +party being gone into the country, I ordered two or three guns to be fired +from the ship, in order to alarm him; not knowing how the natives might act +on this occasion. These orders being given, I sent all the boats off but +one, with which I staid, having a good many of the natives about me, who +behaved with their usual courtesy. I made them so sensible of my intention, +that long before the marines came, Mr Clerke's musket was brought; but they +used many excuses to divert me from insisting on the other. At length Mr +Edgcumbe arriving with the marines, this alarmed them so much, that some +fled. The first step I took was to seize on two large double sailing +canoes, which were in the cove. One fellow making resistance, I fired some +small shot at him, and sent him limping off. The natives being now +convinced that I was in earnest, all fled; but on my calling to them, many +returned; and, presently after, the other musket was brought, and laid down +at my feet. That moment, I ordered the canoes to be restored, to shew them +on what account they were detained. The other things we had lost being of +less value, I was the more indifferent about them. By this time the launch +was ashore for another turn of water, and we were permitted to fill the +casks without any one daring to come near us; except one man, who had +befriended us during the whole affair, and seemed to disapprove of the +conduct of his countrymen. + +On my returning from the pond to the cove, I found a good many people +collected together, from whom we understood that the man I had fired at was +dead. This story I treated as improbable, and addressed a man, who seemed +of some consequence, for the restitution of a cooper's adze we had lost in +the morning. He immediately sent away two men, as I thought, for it; but I +soon found that we had greatly mistaken each other; for instead of the +adze, they brought the wounded man, stretched out on a board, and laid him +down by me, to all appearance dead. I was much moved at the sight; but soon +saw my mistake, and that he was only wounded in the hand and thigh. I, +therefore, desired he might be carried out of the sun, and sent for the +surgeon to dress his wounds. In the mean time, I addressed several people +for the adze; for as I had now nothing else to do, I determined to have it. +The one I applied the most to, was an elderly woman, who had always a great +deal to say to me, from my first landing; but, on this occasion, she gave +her tongue full scope. I understood but little of her eloquence; and all I +could gather from her arguments was, that it was mean in me to insist on +the return of so trifling a thing. But when she found I was determined, she +and three or four more women went away; and soon after the adze was brought +me, but I saw her no more. This I was sorry for, as I wanted to make her a +present, in return for the part she had taken in all our transactions, +private as well as public. For I was no sooner returned from the pond, the +first time I landed, than this old lady presented to me a girl, giving me +to understand she was at my service. Miss, who probably had received her +instructions, wanted, as a preliminary article, a spike-nail or a shirt, +neither of which I had to give her, and soon made them sensible of my +poverty. I thought, by that means, to have come off with flying colours; +but I was mistaken; for they gave me to understand I might retire with her +on credit. On my declining this proposal, the old lady began to argue with +me; and then abuse me. Though I comprehended little of what she said, her +actions were expressive enough, and shewed that her words were to this +effect, sneering in my face, saying, What sort of a man are you, thus to +refuse the embraces of so fine a young woman? For the girl certainly did +not want beauty; which, however, I could better withstand, than the abuses +of this worthy matron, and therefore hastened into the boat. They wanted me +to take the young lady aboard; but this could not be done, as I had given +strict orders, before I went ashore, to suffer no woman, on any pretence +whatever, to come into the ship, for reasons which I shall mention in +another place. + +As soon as the surgeon got ashore, he dressed the man's wounds, and bled +him; and was of opinion that he was in no sort of danger, as the shot had +done little more than penetrate the skin. In the operation, some poultice +being wanting, the surgeon asked for ripe plantains; but they brought +sugar-cane, and having chewed it to a pulp, gave it him to apply to the +wound. This being of a more balsamic nature than the other; proves that +these people have some knowledge of simples. As soon as the man's wounds +were dressed, I made him a present, which his master, or at least the man +who owned the canoe, took, most probably to himself. Matters being thus +settled apparently to the satisfaction of all parties, we repaired on board +to dinner, where I found a good supply of fruit and roots, and, therefore, +gave orders to get every thing in readiness to sail. + +I now was informed of a circumstance which was observed on board; several +canoes being at the ship, when the great guns were fired in the morning, +they all retired, but one man, who was bailing the water out of his canoe, +which lay alongside directly under the guns. When the first was fired, he +just looked up, and then, quite unconcerned, continued his work. Nor had +the second gun any other effect upon him. He did not stir till the water +was all out of his canoe, when he paddled leisurely off. This man had, +several times, been observed to take fruit and roots out of other canoes, +and sell them to us. If the owners did not willingly part with them, he +took them by force; by which he obtained the appellation of custom-house +officer. One time, after he had been collecting tribute, he happened to be +lying alongside of a sailing canoe which was on board. One of her people +seeing him look another way, and his attention otherwise engaged, took the +opportunity of stealing somewhat out of his canoe; they then put off, and +set their sail. But the man, perceiving the trick they had played him, +darted after them, and having soon got on board their canoe, beat him who +had taken his things, and not only brought back his own, but many other +articles which he took from them. This man had likewise been observed +making collections on shore at the trading-place. I remembered to have seen +him there; and, on account of his gathering tribute, took him to be a man +of consequence, and was going to make him a present; but some of their +people would not let me, saying he was no _Areeke_ (that is, chief). +He had his hair always powdered with some kind of white dust. + +As we had no wind to sail this afternoon, a party of us went ashore in the +evening. We found the natives everywhere courteous and obliging; so that, +had we made a longer stay, it is probable we should have had no more reason +to complain of their conduct. While I was now on shore, I got the names of +twenty islands, which lie between the N.W. and N.E., some of them in sight. +Two of them, which lie most to the west, viz. Amattafoa and Oghao, are +remarkable on account of their great height. In Amattafoa, which is the +westernmost, we judged there was a volcano, by the continual column of +smoke we saw daily ascending from the middle of it. + +Both Mr Cooper and myself being on shore at noon, Mr Wales could not wind +up the watch at the usual time; and, as we did not come on board till late +in the afternoon, it was forgotten till it was down. This circumstance was +of no consequence, as Mr Wales had had several altitudes of the sun at this +place, before it went down; and also had opportunities of taking some +after. + +At day-break on the 29th, having got under sail with a light breeze at +west, we stood to the north for the two high islands; but the wind, +scanting upon us, carried us in amongst the low isles and shoals; so that, +we had to ply, to clear them. This gave time for a great many canoes to get +up with us. The people in them brought for traffic various articles; some +roots, fruits, and fowls, but of the latter not many. They took in exchange +small nails, and pieces of any kind of cloth. I believe, before they went +away, they stripped the most of our people of the few clothes the ladies at +Otaheite had left them; for the passion for curiosities was as great as +ever. Having got clear of the low isles, we made a stretch to the south, +and did but fetch a little to windward of the south end of Anamocka; so +that we got little by this day's plying. Here we spent the night, making +short boards over that space with which we had made ourselves acquainted +the preceding day. + +On the 30th at day-break, stretched out for Amattafoa, with a gentle breeze +at W.S.W. Day no sooner dawned than we saw canoes coming from all parts. +Their traffic was much the same as it had been the day before, or rather +better; for out of one canoe I got two pigs, which were scarce articles +here. At four in the afternoon, we drew near the island of Amattafoa, and +passed between it and Oghao, the channel being two miles broad, safe, and +without soundings. While we were in the passage, we had little wind and +calms. This gave time for a large sailing double canoe, which had been +following us all the day, as well as some others with paddles, to come up +with us. I had now an opportunity to verify a thing I was before in doubt +about, which was, whether or no some of these canoes did not, in changing +tacks, only shift the sail, and so proceed with that end foremost, which +before was the stern. The one we now saw wrought in this manner. The sail +is latteen, extending to a latteen yard above, and to a boom at the foot; +in one word, it is like a whole mizzen, supposing the whole foot to be +extended to a boom. The yard is slung nearly in the middle, or upon an +equipoise. When they change tacks they throw the vessel up in the wind, +ease off the sheet, and bring the heel or tack-end of the yard to the other +end of the boat, and the sheet in like manner; there are notches, or +sockets, at each end of the vessel in which the end of the yard fixes. In +short, they work just as those do at the Ladrone Islands, according to Mr +Walter's description*. When they want to sail large, or before the wind, +the yard is taken out of the socket and squared. It most be observed, that +all their sailing vessels are not rigged to sail in the same manner. Some, +and those of the largest size, are rigged, so as to tack about. These have +a short but pretty stout mast, which steps on a kind of roller that is +fixed to the deck near the fore-part. It is made to lean or incline very +much forward; the head is forked; on the two points of which the yard +rests, as on two pivots, by means of two strong cleats of wood secured to +each side of the yard, at about one-third its length from the tack or heel, +which, when under sail, is confined down between the two canoes, by means +of two strong ropes, one to and passing through a hole at the head of each +canoe; for it must be observed, that all the sailing vessels of this sort +are double. The tack being thus fixed, it is plain that, in changing tacks, +the vessels must be put about; the sail and boom on the one tack will be +clear of the mast, and on the other it will lie against it, just as a whole +mizzen. However, I am not sure if they do not sometimes unlace that part of +the sail from the yard which is between the tack and mast-head, and so +shift both sail and boom leeward of the mast. The drawings which Mr Hodges +made of these vessels seem to favour this supposition. The outriggers and +ropes used for shrowds, etc. are all stout and strong. Indeed, the sail, +yard, and boom, are all together of such an enormous weight, that strength +is required. + +[* See Lord Anson's Voyage.] + +The summit of Amattafoa was hid in the clouds the whole day, so that we +were not able to determine with certainty whether there was a volcano or +no; but every thing we could see concurred to make us believe there was. +This island is about five leagues in circuit. Oghao is not so much; but +more round and peaked. They lie in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. from +Anamocka, eleven or twelve leagues distant; they are both inhabited, but +neither of them seemed fertile. + +We were hardly through the passage before we got a fresh breeze at south. +That moment all the natives made haste to be gone, and we steered to the +west; all sails set. I had some thoughts of touching at Amsterdam, as it +lay not much out of the way; but as the wind was now, we could not fetch +it; and this was the occasion of my laying my design aside altogether. + +Let us now return to Anamocka, as it is called by the natives. It is +situated in the latitude of 20 deg. 15' S.; longitude 174 deg. 31' W., and was +first discovered by Tasman, and by him named Rotterdam. It is of a +triangular form, each side whereof is about three and a half or four miles. +A salt-water lake in the middle of it occupies not a little of its surface, +and in a manner cuts off the S.E. angle. Round the island, that is, from +the N.W. to the S., round by the N. and E., lie scattered a number of small +isles, sand-banks, and breakers. We could see no end to their extent to the +N.; and it is not impossible that they reach as far S. as Amsterdam or +Tongatabu. These, together with Middleburg or Eaoowee, and Pylstart, make a +group, containing about three degrees of latitude and two of longitude, +which I have named the Friendly Isles or Archipelago, as a firm alliance +and friendship seems to subsist among their inhabitants, and their +courteous behaviour to strangers entitles them to that appellation; under +which we might, perhaps, extend their group much farther, even down to +Boscawen and Keppell's Isles discovered by Captain Wallis, and lying nearly +under the same meridian, and in the latitude of 15 deg. 53'; for, from the +little account I have had of the people of these two isles they seem to +have the same sort of friendly disposition we observed in our Archipelago. + +The inhabitants, productions, etc. of Rotterdam, and the neighbouring isles, +are the same as at Amsterdam. Hogs and fowls are, indeed, much scarcer; of +the former having got but six, and not many of the latter. Yams and +shaddocks were what we got the most of; other fruits were not so plenty. +Not half of the isle is laid out in inclosed plantations as at Amsterdam; +but the parts which are not inclosed, are not less fertile or uncultivated. +There is, however, far more waste land on this isle, in proportion to its +size, than upon the other; and the people seem to be much poorer; that is, +in cloth, matting, ornaments, etc. which constitute a great part of the +riches of the South-Sea islanders. + +The people of this isle seem to be more affected with the leprosy, or some +scrophulous disorder, than any I have seen elsewhere. It breaks out in the +face more than any other part of the body. I have seen several whose faces +were ruined by it, and their noses quite gone. In one of my excursions, +happening to peep into a house where one or more of them were, one man only +appeared at the door, or hole, by which I must have entered, and which he +began to stop up, by drawing several parts of a cord across it. But the +intolerable stench which came from his putrid face was alone sufficient to +keep me out, had the entrance been ever so wide. His nose was quite gone, +and his whole face in one continued ulcer; so that the very sight of him +was shocking. As our people had not all got clear of a certain disease they +had contracted at the Society Isles, I took all possible care to prevent +its being communicated to the natives here; and I have reason to believe my +endeavours succeeded. + +Having mentioned a house, it may not be amiss to observe, that some here +differ from those I saw at the other isles: being inclosed or walled on +every side, with reeds neatly put together, but not close. The entrance is +by a square hole, about two feet and a half each way. The form of these +houses is an oblong square; the floor or foundation every way shorter than +the eve, which is about four feet from the ground. By this construction, +the rain that falls on the roof, is carried off from the wall, which +otherwise would decay and rot. + +We did not distinguish any king or leading chief, or any person who took +upon him the appearance of supreme authority. The man and woman before +mentioned, whom I believed to be man and wife, interested themselves on +several occasions in our affairs; but it was easy to see they had no great +authority. Amongst other things which I gave them as a reward for their +service, was a young dog and bitch, animals which they have not, but are +very fond of, and know very well by name. They have some of the same sort +of earthen pots we saw at Amsterdam; and I am of opinion they are of their +own manufacture, or that of some neighbouring isle. + +The road, as I have already mentioned, is on the north side of the isle, +just to the southward of the southernmost cove; for there are two on this +side. The bank is of some extent, and the bottom free from rocks, with +twenty-five and twenty fathoms water, one or two miles from the shore. + +Fire-wood is very convenient to be got at, and easy to be shipped off; but +the water is so brackish that it is not worth the trouble of carrying it on +board; unless one is in great distress for want of that article, and can +get no better. There is, however, better, not only on this isle, but on +others in the neighbourhood; for the people brought us some in cocoa-nut +shells which was as good as need be; but probably the springs are too +trifling to water a ship. + +I have already observed, that the S.W. side of the island is covered by a +reef or reefs of rocks, and small isles. If there be a sufficient depth of +water between them and the island, as there appeared to be, and a good +bottom, this would be a much securer place for a ship to anchor in, than +that where we had our station. + +CHAPTER III. + +_The Passage from the Friendly Isles to the New Hebrides, with an Account +of the Discovery of Turtle Island, and a Variety of Incidents which +happened, both before and after the Ship arrived in Port Sandwich, in the +Island of Mallicollo. A Description of the Port, the adjacent Country, its +Inhabitants, and many other Particulars._ + +1774 July + +On the first of July, at sun-rise, Amattafoa was still in sight, bearing +N.E., distant twenty leagues. Continuing our course to the west, we, the +next day at noon, discovered land bearing N.W. by W., for which we steered; +and, upon a nearer approach, found it to be a small island. At four o'clock +it bore from N.W. half W. to N.W. by N., and, at the same time, breakers +were seen from the masthead, extending from W. to S.W. The day being too +far spent to make farther discoveries, we soon after shortened sail, hauled +the wind, and spent the night, making short boards, which, at day-break, we +found had been so advantageous that we were farther from the island than we +expected, and it was eleven o'clock before we reached the N.W. or lee-side, +where anchorage and landing seemed practicable. In order to obtain a +knowledge of the former, I sent the master with a boat to sound, and, in +the mean time, we stood on and off with the ship. At this time four or five +people were seen on the reef, which lies round the isle, and about three +times that number on the shore. As the boat advanced, those on the reef +retired and joined the others; and when the boat landed they all fled to +the woods. It was not long before the boat returned, when the master +informed me that there were no soundings without the reef, over which, in +one place only, he found a boat channel of six feet water. Entering by it, +he rowed in for the shore, thinking to speak with the people, not more than +twenty in number, who were armed with clubs and spears; but the moment he +set his foot on shore, they retired to the woods. He left on the rocks some +medals, nails, and a knife, which they no doubt found, as some were seen +near the place afterwards. This island is not quite a league in length, in +the direction of N.E. and S.W., and not half that in breadth. It is covered +with wood, and surrounded by a reef of coral rocks, which in some places +extend two miles from the shore. It seems to be too small to contain many +inhabitants; and probably the few whom we saw, may have come from some isle +in the neighbourhood to fish for turtle; as many were seen near this reef, +and occasioned that name to be given to the island, which is situated in +latitude 19 deg. 48' south, longitude 178 deg. 21' west. + +Seeing breakers to the S.S.W., which I was desirous of knowing the extent +of before night, I left Turtle Isle, and stood for them. At two o'clock we +found they were occasioned by a coral bank, of about four or five leagues +in circuit. By the bearing we had taken, we knew these to be the same +breakers we had seen the preceding evening. Hardly any part of this bank or +reef is above water at the reflux of the waves. The heads of some of the +rocks are to be seen near the edge of the reef, where it is the shoalest; +for in the middle is deep water. In short, this bank wants only a few +little islets to make it exactly like one of the half-drowned isles so +often mentioned. It lies S.W. from Turtle Island, about five or six miles, +and the channel between it and the reef of that isle is three miles over. +Seeing no more shoals or islands, and thinking there might be turtle on +this bank, two boats were properly equipped and sent thither; but returned +without having seen one. + +The boats were now hoisted in, and we made sail to the west, with a brisk +gale at east, which continued till the 9th, when we had for a few hours, a +breeze at N.W., attended with squalls of rain. This was succeeded by a +steady fresh gale at S.E., with which we steered N.W., being at this time +in the latitude of 20 deg. 20' S. longitude 176 deg. 8' E. + +On the 15th at noon, being in the latitude of 15 deg. 9' south, longitude 171 deg. +16' east, I steered west. The next day the weather was foggy, and the wind +blew in heavy squalls, attended with rain, which in this ocean, within the +tropics, generally indicates the vicinity of some high land. This was +verified at three in the afternoon, when high land was seen bearing S.W. +Upon this we took in the small sails, reefed the top-sails, and hauling up +for it, at half-past five we could see it extend from S.S.W. to N.N.W. half +W. Soon after we tacked and spent the night, which was very stormy, in +plying. Our boards were disadvantageous; for, in the morning, we found we +had lost ground. This, indeed, was no wonder, for having an old suit of +sails bent, the most of them were split to pieces; particularly a +fore-top-sail, which was rendered quite useless. We got others to the yards, +and continued to ply, being desirous of getting round the south ends of the +lands, or at least so far to the south as to be able to judge of their +extent in that direction. For no one doubted that this was the Australia +del Espiritu Santo of Quiros, which M. de Bougainville calls the Great +Cyclades, and that the coast we were now upon was the east side of Aurora +Island, whose longitude is 168 deg. 30' E. + +The gale kept increasing till we were reduced to our low sails; so that, on +the 18th, at seven in the morning, I gave over plying, set the top-sails +double-reefed, bore up for, and hauled round the north end of Aurora +Island, and then stretched over for the Isle of Lepers, under close-reefed +topsails and courses, with a very hard gale at N.E.; but we had now the +advantage of a smooth sea, having the Isle of Aurora to windward. At noon +the north end of it bore N.E. 1/2 N., distant four leagues; our latitude, +found by double altitudes, and reduced to this time, was 15 deg. 1' 30" south, +longitude 168 deg. 14' east. At two o'clock p.m. we drew near the middle of the +Isle of Lepers, and tacked about two miles from land; in which situation we +had no soundings with a line of seventy fathoms. We now saw people on the +shore, and many beautiful cascades of water pouring down the neighbouring +hills. The next time we stood for this isle, we came to within half a mile +of it, where we found thirty fathoms a sandy bottom; but a mile off we +found no soundings at seventy fathoms. Here two canoes came off to us, in +one of which were three men, and in the other but one. Though we made all +the signs of friendship, we could not bring them nearer than a stone's +throw; and they made but a short stay before they retired ashore, where we +saw a great number of people assembled in parties, and armed with bows and +arrows. They were of a very dark colour; and, excepting some ornaments at +their breast and arms, seemed to be entirely naked. + +As I intended to get to the south, in order to explore the land which might +lie there, we continued to ply between the Isle of Lepers and Aurora; and +on the 19th, at noon, the south end of the last-mentioned isle bore south +24 deg. east, and the north end north, distant twenty miles. Latitude observed +15 deg. 11'. The wind continued to blow strong at S.E., so that what we got by +plying in the day, we lost in the night. On the 20th, at sun-rise, we found +ourselves off the south end of Aurora, on the N.W. side of which, the coast +forms a small bay. In this we made some trips to try for anchorage; but +found no less than eighty fathoms water, the bottom a fine dark sand, at +half a mile from shore. Nevertheless, I am of opinion that, nearer, there +is much less depth, and secure riding; and in the neighbourhood is plenty +of fresh water and wood for fuel. The whole isle, from the sea-shore to the +summits of the hills, seemed to be covered with the latter; and every +valley produced a fine stream of the former. We saw people on the shore, +and some canoes on the coast, but none came off to us. Leaving the bay just +mentioned, we stretched across the channel which divides Aurora from +Whitsuntide Island. At noon we were abreast the north end of this latter, +which bore E.N.E., and observed in 15 deg. 28' 1/2. The isle of Aurora bore +from N. to N.E. 1/2 east, and the Isle of Lepers from N. by W. 1/2 W. to +west. Whitsuntide Isle appeared joined to the land to the S. and S.W. of +it; but in stretching to S.W. we discovered the separation. This was about +four o'clock p.m., and then we tacked and stretched in for the island till +near sun-set, when the wind veering more to the east, made it necessary to +resume our course to the south. We saw people on the shore, smokes in many +parts of the island, and several places which seemed to be cultivated. +About midnight, drawing near the south land, we tacked and stretched to the +north, in order to spend the remainder of the night. + +At day-break on the 21st, we found ourselves before the channel that +divides Whitsuntide Island from the south land, which is about two leagues +over. At this time, the land to the southward extended from S. by E. round +to the west, farther than the eye could reach, and on the part nearest to +us, which is of considerable height, we observed two very large columns of +smoke, which, I judged, ascended from volcanoes. We now stood S.S.W., with +a fine breeze at S.E.; and, at ten o'clock, discovered this part of the +land to be an island, which is called by the natives Ambrym. Soon after an +elevated land appeared open off the south end of Ambrym; and after that, +another still higher, on which is a high peaked hill. We judged these lands +to belong to two separate islands. The first came in sight at S.E.; the +second at E. by S., and they appeared to be ten leagues distant. Holding on +our course for the land ahead, at noon it was five miles distant from us, +extending from S.S.E. to N.W. by W., and appeared to be continued. The +islands to the east bore from N.E. by E. to S.E. by E., latitude observed +16 deg. 17' south. As we drew nearer the shore we discovered a creek, which had +the appearance of being a good harbour, formed by a low point or peninsula, +projecting out to the north. On this a number of people were assembled, who +seemed to invite us ashore; probably with no good intent, as the most of +them were armed with bows and arrows. In order to gain room and time to +hoist out and arm our boats, to reconnoitre this place, we tacked and made +a trip off, which occasioned the discovery of another port about a league +more to the south. Having sent two armed boats to sound and look for +anchorage, on their making the signal for the latter, we sailed in S.S.W., +and anchored in eleven fathoms water, not two cables' length from the S.E. +shore, and a mile within the entrance. + +We had no sooner anchored than several of the natives came off in canoes. +They were very cautious at first; but, at last, trusted themselves +alongside, and exchanged, for pieces of cloth, arrows; some of which were +pointed with bone, and dipped in some green gummy substance, which we +naturally supposed was poisonous. Two men having ventured on board, after a +short stay, I sent them away with presents. Others, probably induced by +this, came off by moon-light; but I gave orders to permit none to come +alongside, by which means we got clear of them for the night. + +Next morning early, a good many came round us, some in canoes, and others +swimming. I soon prevailed on one to come on board, which be no sooner did, +than he was followed by more than I desired; so that not only our deck, but +rigging, was presently filled with them. I took four into the cabin, and +gave them various articles, which they shewed to those in the canoes, and +seemed much pleased with their reception. While I was thus making friends +with those in the cabin, an accident happened that threw all into +confusion, but in the end, I believe, proved advantageous to us. A fellow +in a canoe having been refused admittance into one of our boats that lay +alongside, bent his bow to shoot a poisoned arrow at the boat-keeper. Some +of his countrymen prevented his doing it that instant, and gave time to +acquaint me with it. I ran instantly on deck, and saw another man +struggling with him; one of those who had been in the cabin, and had leaped +out of the window for this purpose. The other seemed resolved, shook him +off, and directed his bow again to the boat-keeper; but, on my calling to +him, pointed it at me. Having a musquet in my hand loaded with small shot, +I gave him the contents. This staggered him for a moment, but did not +prevent him from holding his bow still in the attitude of shooting. Another +discharge of the same nature made him drop it, and the others, who were in +the canoe, to paddle off with all speed. At this time, some began to shoot +arrows on the other side. A musquet discharged in the air had no effect; +but a four-pound shot over their heads sent them off in the utmost +confusion. Many quitted their canoes and swam on shore; those in the great +cabin leaped out of the windows; and those who were on the deck, and on +different parts of the rigging, all leaped overboard. After this we took no +farther notice of them, but suffered them to come off and pick up their +canoes; and some of them even ventured alongside of the ship. Immediately +after the great gun was fired, we heard the beating of drums on shore; +which was, probably, the signal for the country to assemble in arms. We now +got every thing in readiness to land, to cut some wood, which we were in +want of, and to try to get some refreshments, nothing of this kind having +been seen in any of the canoes. + +About nine o'clock, we put off in two boats, and landed in the face of four +or five hundred people, who were assembled on the shore. Though they were +all armed with bows and arrows, clubs and spears, they made not the least +opposition. On the contrary, seeing me advance alone, with nothing but a +green branch in my hand, one of them, who seemed to be a chief, giving his +bow and arrows to another, met me in the water, bearing also a green +branch, which having exchanged for the one I held, he then took me by the +hand, and led me up to the crowd. I immediately distributed presents to +them, and, in the mean time, the marines were drawn up upon the beach. I +then made signs (for we understood not a word of their language) that we +wanted wood; and they made signs to us to cut down the trees. By this time, +a small pig being brought down and presented to me, I gave the bearer a +piece of cloth, with which he seemed well pleased. This made us hope that +we should soon have some more; but we were mistaken. The pig was not +brought to be exchanged for what we had, but on some other account, +probably as a peace-offering. For, all we could say or do, did not prevail +on them to bring down, after this, above half a dozen cocoa-nuts, and a +small quantity of fresh water. They set no value on nails, or any sort of +iron tools; nor indeed on any thing we had. They would, now and then, +exchange an arrow for a piece of cloth; but very seldom would part with a +bow. They were unwilling we should go off the beach, and very desirous we +should return on board. At length, about noon, after sending what wood we +had cut on board, we embarked ourselves; and they all retired, some one way +and some another. Before we had dined, the afternoon was too far spent to +do any thing on shore; and all hands were employed, setting up the rigging, +and repairing some defects in it. But seeing a man bring along the strand a +buoy, which they had taken in the night from the kedge-anchor, I went on +shore for it, accompanied by some of the gentlemen. The moment we landed, +it was put into the boat, by a man who walked off again without speaking +one word. It ought to be observed, that this was the only thing they took, +or even attempted to take from us, by any means whatever. Being landed near +one of their plantations and houses, which were just within the skirts of +the wood, I prevailed on the man to conduct me to them; but, though they +suffered Mr Forster to go with me, they were unwilling any more should +follow. These houses were something like those of the other isles; rather +low, and covered with palm thatch. Some were enclosed, or walled round with +boards; and the entrance to those was by a square hole at one end, which at +this time was shut up, and they were unwilling to open it for us to look +in. There were here about six houses, and some small plantations of roots, +etc., fenced round with reeds as at the Friendly Isles. There were, +likewise, some bread-fruit, cocoa-nut, and plaintain trees; but very little +fruit on any of them. A good many fine yams were piled up upon sticks, or a +kind of raised platform; and about twenty pigs, and a few fowls, were +running about loose. After making these observations, having embarked, we +proceeded to the S.E. point of the harbour, where we again landed and +walked along the bench till we could see the islands to the S.E. already +mentioned. The names of these we now obtained, as well as the name of that +on which we were. This they called Mallicollo;* the island that first +appeared over the south end of Ambrym is called Apee; and the other with +the hill upon it Paoom. We found on the beach a fruit like an orange, +called by them Abbimora; but whether it be fit for eating, I cannot say, as +this was decayed. + +[* Or Mallicolla. Some of our people pronounced it Manicolo or +Manicola, and thus it is also writ in Quiros' Memorial, as printed by +Dalrymple, vol. ii. p. 146.] + +Proceeding next to the other side of the harbour, we there landed, near a +few houses, at the invitation of some people who came down to the shore; +but we had not been there five minutes before they wanted us to be gone. We +complied, and proceeded up the harbour in order to sound it, and look for +fresh water, of which, as yet, we had seen none, but the very little that +the natives brought, which we knew not where they got. Nor was our search +now attended with success; but this is no proof that there is not any. The +day was too far spent to examine the place well enough to determine this +point. Night having brought us on board, I was informed that no soul had +been off to the ship; so soon was the curiosity of these people satisfied. +As we were coming on board, we heard the sound of a drum, and, I think, of +some other instruments, and saw people dancing; but us soon as they heard +the noise of the oars, or saw us, all was silent. + +Being unwilling to lose the benefit of the moon-light nights, which now +happened, at seven a.m. on the 23d, we weighed; and, with a light air of +wind, and the assistance of our boats, proceeded out of the harbour, the +south end of which, at noon, bore W.S.W., distant about two miles. + +When the natives saw us under sail, they came off in canoes, making +exchanges with more confidence than before, and giving such extraordinary +proofs of their honesty as surprised us. As the ship, at first, had fresh +way through the water, several of them dropped astern after they had +received our goods, and before they had time to deliver theirs in return. +Instead of taking advantage of this, as our friends at the Society Isles +would have done, they used their utmost efforts to get up with us, and to +deliver what they had already been paid for. One man, in particular, +followed us a considerable time, and did not reach us till it was calm, and +the thing was forgotten. As soon as he came alongside he held up the thing +which several were ready to buy; but he refused to part with it, till he +saw the person to whom he had before sold it, and to him he gave it. The +person, not knowing him again, offered him something in return, which he +refused, and shewed him what he had given him before. Pieces of cloth, and +marble paper, were in most esteem with them; but edge-tools, nails, and +beads, they seemed to disregard. The greatest number of canoes we had +alongside at once did not exceed eight, and not more than four or five +people in each, who would frequently retire to the shore all on a sudden, +before they had disposed of half their things, and then others would come +off. + +At the time we came out of the harbour, it was about low water, and great +numbers of people were then on the shoals or reefs which lie along the +shore, looking, as we supposed., for shell and other fish. Thus our being +on their coast, and in one of their ports, did not hinder them from +following the necessary employments. By this time they might be satisfied +we meant them no harm; so that, had we made a longer stay, we might soon +have been upon good terms with this ape-like nation. For, in general, they +are the most ugly, ill-proportioned people I ever saw, and in every respect +different from any we had met with in this sea. They are a very +dark-coloured and rather diminutive race; with long heads, flat faces, and +monkey countenances. Their hair mostly black or brown, is short and curly; +but not quite so soft and woolly as that of a negroe. Their beards are very +strong, crisp, and bushy, and generally black and short. But what most adds +to their deformity, is a belt or cord which they wear round the waist, and +tie so tight over the belly, that the shape of their bodies is not unlike +that of an overgrown pismire. The men go quite naked, except a piece of +cloth or leaf used as a wrapper*. + +[* The particular manner of applying the wrapper may be seen in Wafer's +voyage, who mentions this singular custom as existing, though with some +little variation, amongst the Indians of the Isthmus of Darien. +See Wafer's Voyage, p. 140.] + +We saw but few women, and they were not less ugly than the men; their +heads, faces, and shoulders, are painted red; they wear a kind of +petticoat; and some of them had something over their shoulders like a bag, +in which they carry their children. None of them came off to the ship, and +they generally kept at a distance when we were on shore. Their ornaments +are ear-rings, made of tortoise-shell and bracelets. A curious one of the +latter, four or five inches broad, wrought with thread or cord, and studded +with shells, is worn by them just above the elbow. Round the right wrist +they wear hogs' tusks, bent circular, and rings made of shells; and round +their left, a round piece of wood, which we judged was to ward off the +bow-string. The bridge of the nose is pierced, in which they wear a piece of +white stone, about an inch and a half long. As signs of friendship they +present a green branch, and sprinkle water with the hand over the head. + +Their weapons are clubs, spears, and bows and arrows. The two former are +made of hard or iron-wood. Their bows are about four feet long, made of a +stick split down the middle, and are not circular. The arrows, which are a +sort of reeds, are sometimes armed with a long and sharp point, made of the +hard wood, and sometimes with a very hard point made of bone; and these +points are all covered with a substance which we took for poison. Indeed +the people themselves confirmed our suspicions, by making signs to us not +to touch the point, and giving us to understand that if we were prickled by +them we should die. They are very careful of them themselves, and keep +them, always wrapped up in a quiver. Some of these arrows are formed with +two or three points, each with small prickles on the edges, to prevent the +arrow being drawn out of the wound. + +The people of Mallicollo seemed to be a quite different nation from any we +had yet met with, and speak a different language. Of about eighty words, +which Mr Forster collected, hardly one bears any affinity to the language +spoken at any other island or place I had ever been at. The letter R is +used in many of their words; and frequently two or three being joined +together, such words we found difficult to pronounce. I observed that they +could pronounce most of our words with great ease. They express their +admiration by hissing like a goose. + +To judge of the country by the little water we saw of it, it must be +fertile; but I believe their fruits are not so good as those of the Society +or Friendly Isles. Their cocoa-nut trees, I am certain, are not; and their +bread-fruit and plantains did not seem much better. But their yams appeared +to be very good. We saw no other animals than those I have already +mentioned. They have not so much as a name for a dog, and consequently have +none, for which reason we left them a dog and a bitch; and there is no +doubt they will be taken care of, as they were very fond of them. + +After we had got to sea, we tried what effect one of the poisoned arrows +would have on a dog. Indeed we had tried it in the harbour the very first +night, but we thought the operation was too slight, as it had no effect. +The surgeon now made a deep incision in the dog's thigh, into which he laid +a large portion of the poison, just as it was scraped from the arrows, and +then bound up the wound with a bandage. For several days after we thought +the dog was not so well as it had been before, but whether this was really +so, or only suggested by imagination, I know not. He was afterwards as if +nothing had been done to him, and lived to be brought home to England. +However, I have no doubt of this stuff being of a poisonous quality, as it +could answer no other purpose. The people seemed not unacquainted with the +nature of poison, for when they brought us water on shore, they first +tasted it, and then gave us to understand we might with safety drink it. + +This harbour, which is situated on the N.E. side of Mallicollo, not far +from the S.E. end, in latitude 16 deg. 25' 20" S., longitude 167 deg. 57' 23" E., I +named Port Sandwich. It lies in S.W. by S. about one league, and is one-third +of a league broad. A reef of rocks extends out a little way from each +point, but the channel is of a good breadth, and hath in it from forty to +twenty-four fathoms water. In the port, the depth of water is from twenty +to four fathoms; and it is so sheltered that no winds can disturb a ship at +anchor there. Another great advantage is, you can lie so near the shore, as +to cover your people, who may be at work upon it. + +CHAPTER IV. + +_An Account of the Discovery of several Islands, and an Interview and +Skirmish with the Inhabitants upon one of them. The Arrival of the Ship at +Tanna, and the Reception we met with there._ + +1774 July + +Soon after we got to sea, we had a breeze at E.S.E. with which we stood +over for Ambrym till three o'clock in the afternoon, when the wind veering +to the E.N.E. we tacked and stretched to the S.E. and weathered the S.E. +end of Mallicolo, off which we discovered three or four small islands, that +before appeared to be connected. At sun-set the point bore S. 77 deg. W., +distant three leagues, from which the coast seemed to trend away west. At +this time, the isle of Ambrym extended from N. 3 deg. E. to N. 65 deg. E. The isle +of Paoon from N. 76 deg. E. to S. 88 deg. E.; and the isle of Apee from S. 83 deg. E. +to S. 43 deg. E. We stood for this last isle, which we reached by midnight, and +then brought-to till day-break on the 24th, when we made sail to the S.E., +with a view of plying up to the eastward on the south side of Apee. At +sun-rise we discovered several more islands, extending from the S.E. point of +Apee to the south as far as S.E. by S. The nearest to us we reached by ten +o'clock, and not being able to weather it, we tacked a mile from its shore +in fourteen fathoms water. This island is about four leagues in circuit, is +remarkable by having three high peaked hills upon it, by which it has +obtained that name. In the p.m. the wind veering more to the north, we +resumed our course to the east; and having weathered Threehills, stood for +the group of small isles which lie off the S.E. point of Apee. These I +called Shepherd's Isles, in honour of my worthy friend Dr Shepherd, Plumian +professor of astronomy at Cambridge. Having a fine breeze, I had thoughts +of going through between them; but the channels being narrow, and seeing +broken water in the one we were steering for, I gave up the design, and +bore up, in order to go without, or to the south of them. Before this could +be accomplished, it fell calm, and we were left to the mercy of the +current, close to the isles, where we could find no soundings with a line +of an hundred and eighty fathoms. We had now land or islands in every +direction, and were not able to count the number which lay round us. The +mountain on Paoon was seen over the east end of Apee, bearing N.N.W. at +eight o'clock. A breeze at S.E. relieved us from the anxiety the calm had +occasioned; and we spent the night in making short boards. + +The night before we came out of Port Sandwich, two reddish fish, about the +size of large bream, and not unlike them, were caught with hook and line. +On these fish most of the officers, and some of the petty officers, dined +the next day. The night following, every one who had eaten of them was +seized with violent pains in the head and bones, attended with a scorching +heat all over the skin, and numbness in the joints. There remained no doubt +that this was occasioned by the fish being of a poisonous nature, and +having communicated its bad effects to all who partook of them, even to the +hogs and dogs. One of the former died about sixteen hours after; it was not +long before one of the latter shared the same fate; and it was a week or +ten days before all the gentlemen recovered. These must have been the same +sort of fish mentioned by Quiros,* under the name of pargos, which +poisoned the crews of his ships, so that it was some time before they +recovered; and we should, doubtless, have been in the same situation, had +more of them been eaten. + +[* Dalrymple's Collection of Voyages, vol. I. p. 140, 141.] + +At day break on the 25th, we made a short stretch to the east of Shepherd's +Isles till after sun-rise, when seeing no more land in that direction, we +tacked and stood for the island we had seen in the south, having a gentle +breeze at S.E. We passed to the east of Threehills, and likewise of a low +isle, which lies on the S.E. side of it, between a remarkable peaked rock +which obtained the name of Monument, and a small island named Twohills, on +account of two peaked hills upon it, disjoined by a low and narrow isthmus. +The channel between this island and the Monument is near a mile broad, and +twenty-four fathoms deep. Except this rock, which is only accessible to +birds, we did not find an island on which people were not seen. At noon, we +observed, in latitude 17 deg. 18' 30"; longitude, made from Port Sandwich, 45' +E. In this situation, the Monument bore N. 16 deg. E. distant two miles; +Twohills bore N. 25 deg. W. distant two miles, and in a line with the S.W. part +of Threehills; and the islands to the south extended from S. 16 deg. 30' E. to +S. 42 deg. W. + +Continuing our course to the south, at five p.m. we drew near the southern +lands, which we found to consist of one large island, whose southern and +western extremities extended beyond our sight, and three or four smaller +ones lying off its north side. The two northernmost are much the largest, +have a good height, and lie in the direction of E. by S. and W. by N. from +each other, distant two leagues; I named the one Montagu and the other +Hinchinbrook, and the large island Sandwich, in honour of my noble patron +the Earl of Sandwich. Seeing broken water ahead, between Montagu and +Hinchinbrook isles, we tacked; and soon after it fell calm. The calm +continued till seven o'-clock the next morning, when it was succeeded by a +breeze from the westward. During the calm, having been carried by the +currents and a S.E. swell, four leagues to the W.N.W., we passed +Hinchinbrook Isle, saw the western extremity of Sandwich Island, bearing +S.S.W., about five leagues distant, and at the same time discovered a small +island to the west of this direction. After getting the westerly breeze, I +steered S.E. in order to pass between Montagu Isle and the north end of +Sandwich Island. At noon we were in the middle of the channel, and observed +in latitude 17 deg. 31' S. The distance from one island to the other is about +four or five miles; but the channel is not much above half that breadth, +being contracted by breakers. We had no soundings in it with a line of +forty fathoms. + +As we passed Montagu Isle several people came down to the sea-side, and, by +signs, seemed to invite us ashore. Some were also seen on Sandwich Island, +which exhibited a most delightful prospect, being spotted with woods and +lawns, agreeably diversified over the whole surface. It hath a gentle slope +from the hills, which are of a moderate height, down to the sea coast. This +is low, and guarded by a chain of breakers, so that there is no approaching +it at this part. But more to the west, beyond Hinchinbrook Island, there +seemed to run in a bay sheltered from the reigning winds. The examining it +not being so much an object, with me as the getting to the south, in order +to find the southern extremity of the Archipelago, with this view I steered +S.S.E., being the direction of the coast of Sandwich Island. We had but +just got through the passage, before the west wind left us to variable +light airs and calms; so that we were apprehensive of being carried back +again by the currents, or rather of being obliged to return, in order to +avoid being driven on the shoals, as there was no anchorage, a line of an +hundred and sixty fathoms not reaching to the bottom. At length a breeze +springing up at S.W. we stood to S.E., and at sun-set the Monument bore N. +14 deg. 30' W., and Montagu Island N. 28 deg. W. distant three leagues. We judged +we saw the S.E. extremity of Sandwich Island, bearing about S. by E. + +We continued to stand S.E. till four a.m. on the 27th, when we tacked to +the west. At sun-rise, having discovered a new land bearing south, and +making in three hills, this occasioned us to tack and stand towards it. At +this time Montagu Isle bore N. 52 deg. W., distant thirteen leagues; at noon it +was nearly in the same direction, and the new land extended from S. 1/2 E. +to S. by W., and the three hills seemed to be connected. Our latitude by +observation, was 18 deg. 1' S., and the longitude, made from Port Sandwich, 1 deg. +23' E. We continued to stand to the S.E., with a gentle breeze at S.W. and +S.S.W. till the 28th at sun-rise, when, the wind veering to the south, we +tacked and stood to the west. The three hills mentioned above, we now saw, +belonging to one island, which extended from S. 35 deg. to 71 deg. W. distant about +ten or twelve leagues. + +1774 August + +Retarded by contrary winds, calms, and the currents, that set to N.W., we +were three days in gaining this space; in which time we discovered an +elevated land to the south of this; It first appeared in detached hummocks, +but we judged it to be connected. At length, on the 1st of August, about +ten a.m. we got a fine breeze at E.S.E., which soon after veered to N.E., +and we steered for the N.W. side of the island. Reaching it about two p.m., +we ranged the west coast at one mile from shore, on which the inhabitants +appeared in several parts, and by signs invited us to land. We continued to +sound without finding bottom, till we came before a small bay, or bending +of the coast, where, near a mile from shore, we found thirty and twenty-two +fathoms water, a sandy bottom. I had thoughts of anchoring here, but the +wind almost instantly veered to N.W.; which being nearly on shore, I laid +this design aside. Besides, I was unwilling to lose the opportunity that +now offered of getting to the south-east, in order first to explore the +lands which lay there. I therefore continued to range the coast to the +south, at about the same distance from shore; but we soon got out of +soundings. About a league to the south of this bay, which hath about two +miles extent, is another more extensive. Towards the evening, the breeze +began to abate, so that it was sun-set before we got the length of it. I +intended not to stop here, and to stand to the south under an easy sail all +night; but at eight o'clock, as we were steering S.S.E. we saw a light +ahead. Not knowing but it might be on some low detached isle, dangerous to +approach while dark, we hauled the wind, and spent the night standing off +and on, or rather driving to and fro; for we had but very little wind. + +At sun-rise on the 2d, we saw no more land than the coast we were upon; but +found that the currents had carried us some miles to the north, and we +attempted, to little purpose, to regain what we had lost. At noon we were +about a league from the coast, which extended from S.S.E. to N.E. Latitude +observed 18 deg. 45' S. In the afternoon, finding the ship to drift not only to +the north, but in shore also, and being yet to the south of the bay we +passed the day before, I had thoughts of getting to an anchor before night, +while we had it in our power to make choice of a place. With this view, +having hoisted out two boats, one of them was sent ahead to tow the ship; +in the other Mr Gilbert went to sound for anchorage. Soon after, the towing +boat was sent to assist him. So much time was spent in sounding this bay, +that the ship drove past, which made it necessary to call the boats on +board to tow her off from the northern point. But this service was +performed by a breeze of wind, which, that moment, sprung up at S.W.; so +that as the boats got on board, we hoisted them in, and then bore up for +the north side of the island, intending once more to try to get round by +the east; Mr Gilbert informed me, that at the south part of the bay, he +found no soundings till close to a steep stone beach, where he landed to +taste a stream of water he saw there, which proved to be salt. Some people +were seen there, but they kept at a distance. Farther down the coast, that +is to the north, he found twenty, twenty-four, and thirty fathoms, +three-fourths of a mile, or a mile, from shore, the bottom a fine dark sand. + +On the 3d, at sun-rise, we found ourselves abreast a lofty promontory on +the S.E. side of the island, and about three leagues from it. Having but +little wind, and that from the south, right in our teeth, and being in want +of fire-wood, I sent Lieutenant Clerke with two boats to a small islet +which lies off the promontory, to endeavour to get some. In the mean time +we continued to ply up with the ship; but what we gained by our sails, we +lost by the current. At length towards noon, we got a breeze at E.S.E., and +E., with which we could lie up for the head; and soon after Mr Clerke +returned, having not been able to land, on account of a high surf on the +shore. They met with no people on the isle; but saw a large bat, and some +birds, and caught a water-snake. At six o'clock p.m. we got in with the +land, under the N.W. side of the head, where we anchored in seventeen +fathoms water, the bottom a fine dark sand, half a mile from shore; the +point of the head bearing N. 18 deg. E., distant half a league; the little +islet before-mentioned N.E. by E. 1/2 E., and the N.W. point of the bay N. +32 deg. W. Many people appeared on the shore, and some attempted to swim off to +us; but having occasion to send the boat ahead to sound, they retired as +she drew near them. This, however, gave us a favourable idea of them. + +On the 4th, at day-break, I went with two boats to examine the coast, to +look for a proper landing-place, wood, and water. At this time, the natives +began to assemble on the shore, and by signs invited us to land. I went +first to a small beach, which is towards the head, where I found no good +landing, on account of some rocks which every where lined the coast. I, +however, put the boat's bow to the shore, and gave cloth, medals, etc. to +some people who were there. For this treatment they offered to haul the +boats over the breakers to the sandy beach, which I thought a friendly +offer, but had reason afterwards to alter my opinion. When they found I +would not do as they desired, they made signs for us to go down into the +bay, which we accordingly did, and they ran along shore abreast of us, +their number increasing prodigiously. I put in to the shore in two or three +places, but, not liking the situation, did not land. By this time, I +believe, the natives conceived what I wanted, as they directed me round a +rocky point, where, on a fine sandy beach, I stepped out of the boat +without wetting a foot, in the face of a vast multitude, with only a green +branch in my hand, which I had before got from one of them. I took but one +man out of the boat with me, and ordered the other boat to lie-to at a +little distance off. They received me with great courtesy and politeness; +and would retire back from the boat on my making the least motion with my +hand. A man, whom I took to be a chief, seeing this, made them form a +semicircle round the boat's bow, and beat such as attempted to break +through this order. This man I loaded with presents, giving likewise to +others, and asked by signs for fresh water, in hopes of seeing where they +got it. The chief immediately sent a man for some, who ran to a house, and +presently returned with a little in a bamboo; so that I gained but little +information by this. I next asked, by the same means, for something to eat, +and they as readily brought me a yam, and some cocoa-nuts. In short, I was +charmed with their behaviour; and the only thing which could give the least +suspicion was, that most of them were armed with clubs, spears, darts, and +bows and arrows. For this reason I kept my eye continually upon the chief, +and watched his looks as well as his actions. He made many signs to me to +haul the boat up upon the shore, and at last slipped into the crowd, where +I observed him speak to several people, and then return to me, repeating +signs to haul the boat up, and hesitating a good deal before he would +receive some spike-nails, which I then offered him. This made me suspect +something was intended, and immediately I stepped into the boat, telling +them by signs that I should soon return. But they were not for parting so +soon, and now attempted by force, what they could not obtain by gentler +means. The gang-board happened unluckily to be laid out for me to come into +the boat, I say unluckily, for if it had not been out, and if the crew had +been a little quicker in getting the boat off, the natives might not have +had time to put their design in execution, nor would the following +disagreeable scene have happened. As we were putting off the boat, they +laid hold of the gang-board, and unhooked it off the boat's stern. But as +they did not take it away, I thought this had been done by accident, and +ordered the boat in again to take it up. Then they themselves hooked it +over the boat's stern, and attempted to haul her ashore; others, at the +same time, snatched the oars out of the people's hands. On my pointing a +musket at them, they in some measure desisted, but returned in an instant, +seemingly determined to haul the boat ashore. At the head of this party was +the chief; the others, who could not come at the boat, stood behind with +darts, stones, and bows and arrows in hand, ready to support them. Signs +and threats having no effect, our own safety became the only consideration; +and yet I was unwilling to fire on the multitude, and resolved to make the +chief alone fall a victim to his own treachery; but my musket at this +critical moment missed fire. Whatever idea they might have formed of the +arms we held in our hands, they must now have looked upon them as childish +weapons, and began to let us see how much better theirs were, by throwing +stones and darts, and by shooting arrows. This made it absolutely necessary +for me to give orders to fire. The first discharge threw them into +confusion; but a second was hardly sufficient to drive them off the beach; +and after all, they continued to throw stones from behind the trees and +bushes, and, every now and then, to pop out and throw a dart. Four lay, to +all appearance, dead on the shore; but two of them afterwards crawled into +the bushes. Happy it was for these people, that not half our muskets would +go off, otherwise many more must have fallen. We had one man wounded in the +cheek with a dart, the point of which was as thick as my finger, and yet it +entered above two inches, which shews that it must have come with great +force, though indeed we were very near them. An arrow struck Mr Gilbert's +naked breast, who was about thirty yards off; but probably it had struck +something before; for it hardly penetrated the skin. The arrows were +pointed with hard wood. + +As soon as we got on board, I ordered the anchor to be weighed, with a view +of anchoring near the landing-place. While this was doing, several people +appeared on the low rock point, displaying two oars we had lost in the +scuffle. I looked on this as a sign of submission, and of their wanting to +give us the oars. I was, nevertheless, prevailed on to fire a four-pound +shot at them, to let them see the effect of our great guns. The ball fell +short, but frightened them so much, that none were seen afterwards; and +they left the oars standing up against the bushes. + +It was now calm; but the anchor was hardly at the bow before a breeze +sprung up at north, of which we took the advantage, set our sails, and +plyed out of the bay, as it did not seem capable of supplying our wants +with that conveniency I wished to have. Besides, I always had it in my +power to return to this place, in case I should find none more convenient +farther south. + +These islanders seemed to be a different race from those of Mallicollo; and +spoke a different language. They are of the middle size, have a good shape, +and tolerable features. Their colour is very dark, and they paint their +faces, some with black, and others with red pigment. Their hair is very +curly and crisp, and somewhat woolly. I saw a few women, and I thought them +ugly; they wore a kind of petticoat made of palm-leaves, or some plant like +it. But the men, like those of Mallicollo, were in a manner naked; having +only the belt about the waist, and the piece of cloth, or leaf, used as a +wrapper*. I saw no canoes with these people, nor were any seen in any part +of this island. They live in houses covered with thatch, and their +plantations are laid out by a line, and fenced round. + +[* The particular manner of applying the wrapper may be seen in Wafer's +voyage, who mentions this singular custom as existing, though with some +little variation, amongst the Indians of the Isthmus of Darien. +See Wafer's Voyage, p. 140.] + +At two o'clock in the afternoon, we were clear of the bay, bore up round +the head, and steered S.S.E. for the south end of the island, having a fine +breeze at N.W. On the S.W. side of the head is a pretty deep bay, which +seemed to run in behind the one on the N.W. side. Its shores are low, and +the adjacent lands appeared very fertile. It is exposed to the S.E. winds; +for which reason, until it be better known, the N.W. bay is preferable, +because it is sheltered from the reigning winds; and the winds to which it +is open, viz. from N.W. by N. to E. by N., seldom blow strong. The +promontory, or peninsula, which disjoins these two bays, I named Traitor's +Head, from the treacherous behaviour of its inhabitants. It is the N.E. +point of the island, situated in the latitude 18 deg. 43' S. longitude 169 deg. +'28' E., and terminates in a saddle-hill which is of height sufficient to +be seen sixteen or eighteen leagues. As we advanced to S.S.E., the new +island, we had before discovered, began to appear over the S.E. point of +the one near us, bearing S. 1/2 E., distant ten or twelve leagues. After +leaving this one, we steered for the east end of the other, being directed +by a great light we saw upon it. + +At one o'clock the next morning, drawing near the shore, we tacked and +spent the remainder of the night making short boards. At sun-rise we +discovered a high table land (an island) bearing E. by S., and a small low +isle in the direction of N.N.E., which we had passed in the night without +seeing it. Traitor's Head was still in sight, bearing N. 20 deg. W. distant +fifteen leagues, and the island to the south extended from S. 7 deg. W. to S. +87 deg. W. distant three or four miles. We then found that the light we had +seen in the night was occasioned by a volcano, which we observed to throw +up vast quantities of fire and smoke, with a rumbling noise heard at a +great distance. We now made sail for the island; and, presently after, +discovered a small inlet which had the appearance of being a good harbour. +In order to be better informed, I sent away two armed boats, under the +command of Lieutenant Cooper, to sound it; and, in the meanwhile, we stood +on and off with the ship, to be ready to follow, or give them any +assistance they might want. On the east point of the entrance, we observed +a number of people, and several houses and canoes; and when our boats +entered the harbour, they launched some, and followed them, but came not +near. It was not long before Mr Cooper made the signal for anchorage; and +we stood in with the ship. The wind being at west, and our course S.S.W., +we borrowed close to the west point, and passed over some sunken rocks, +which might have been avoided, by keeping a little more to the east, or +about one-third channel over. The wind left us as soon as we were within +the entrance, and obliged us to drop an anchor in four fathoms water. After +this, the boats were sent again to sound; and, in the meantime, the launch +was hoisted out, in order to carry out anchors to warp in by, as soon as we +should be acquainted with the channel. + +While we were thus employed, many of the natives got together in parties, +on several parts of the shore, all armed with bows, spears, etc. Some swam +off to us, others came in canoes. At first they were shy, and kept at the +distance of a stone's throw; they grew insensibly bolder; and, at last, +came under our stern, and made some exchanges. The people in one of the +first canoes, after coming as near as they durst, threw towards us some +cocoa-nuts. I went into a boat and picked them up, giving them in return +some cloth and other articles. This induced others to come under the stern, +and alongside, where their behaviour was insolent and daring. They wanted +to carry off every thing within their reach; they got hold of the fly of +the ensign, and would have torn it from the staff; others attempted to +knock the rings off the rudder; but the greatest trouble they gave us was +to look after the buoys of our anchors, which were no sooner thrown out of +our boats, or let go from the ship, than they got hold of them. A few +muskets fired in the air had no effect; but a four-pounder frightened them +so much, that they quitted their canoes that instant, and took to the +water. But as soon as they found themselves unhurt, they got again into +their canoes, gave us some halloos, flourished their weapons, and returned +once more to the buoys. This put us to the expence of a few musquetoon +shot, which had the desired effect. Although none were hurt, they were +afterwards afraid to come near the buoys; very soon all retired on shore, +and we were permitted to sit down to dinner undisturbed. + +During these transactions, a friendly old man in a small canoe made several +trips between us and the shore, bringing off each time a few cocoa-nuts, or +a yam, and taking in exchange whatever we gave him. Another was on the +gangway when the great gun was fired, but I could not prevail on him to +stay there long. Towards the evening, after the ship was moored, I landed +at the head of the harbour, in the S.E. corner, with a strong party of men, +without any opposition being made by a great number of the natives who were +assembled in two parties, the one on our right and the other on the left, +armed with clubs, darts, spears, slings, and stones, bows, and arrows, etc. +After distributing to the old people (for we could distinguish no chief), +and some others, presents of cloth, medals, etc. I ordered two casks to be +filled with water out of a pond about twenty paces behind the landing-place; +giving the natives to understand, that this was one of the articles +we wanted. Besides water, we got from them a few cocoa-nuts, which seemed +to be in plenty on the trees; but they could not be prevailed upon to part +with any of their weapons. These they held in constant readiness, and in +the proper attitudes of offence and defence; so that little was wanting to +make them attack us; at least we thought so, by their pressing so much upon +us, and in spite of our endeavours to keep them off. Our early re-embarking +probably disconcerted their scheme; and after that, they all retired. The +friendly old man before mentioned, was in one of these parties; and we +judged, from his conduct, that his temper was pacific. + +CHAPTER V. + +_An Intercourse established with the Natives; some Account of the Island, +and a Variety of Incidents that happened during our Stay at it._ + +August 1774 + +As we wanted to take in a large quantity both of wood and water, and as, +when I was on shore, I had found it practicable to lay the ship much nearer +the landing-place than she now was, which would greatly facilitate that +work, as well as overawe the natives, and enable us better to cover and +protect the working party on shore; with this view, on the 6th, we went to +work to transport the ship to the place I designed to moor her in. While we +were about this, we observed the natives assembling from all parts, and +forming themselves into two parties, as they did the preceding evening, one +on each side the landing-place, to the amount of some thousands, armed as +before. A canoe, sometimes conducted by one, and at other times by two or +three men, now and then came off, bringing a few cocoa-nuts or plantains. +These they gave us without asking for any return; but I took care they +should always have something. Their chief design seemed to invite us on +shore. One of those who came off was the old man, who had already +ingratiated himself into our favour. I made him understand, by signs, that +they were to lay aside their weapons, took those which were in the canoe, +and threw them overboard, and made him a present of a large piece of cloth. +There was no doubt but he understood me, and made my request known to his +countrymen. For as soon as he landed, we observed him to go first to the +one party, and then to the other; nor was he, ever after, seen by us with +any thing like a weapon in his hand. After this, three fellows came in a +canoe under the stern, one of them brandishing a club, with which he struck +the ship's side, and committed other acts of defiance, but at last offered +to exchange it for a string of beads, and some other trifles. These were +sent down to him by a line; but the moment they were in his possession, he +and his companions paddled off in all haste, without giving the club or any +thing else in return. This was what I expected, and indeed what I was not +sorry for, as I wanted an opportunity to shew the multitude on shore, the +effect of our fire arms, without materially hurting any of them. Having a +fowling-piece loaded with small shot (No. 3) I gave the fellow the +contents; and, when they were above musquet-shot off, I ordered some of the +musquetoons, or wall-pieces, to be fired, which made them leap out of the +canoe, keep under her offside, and swim with her ashore. This transaction +seemed to make little or no impression on the people there. On the +contrary, they began to halloo, and to make sport of it. + +After mooring the ship, by four anchors, with her broadside to the +landing-place, hardly musquet-shot off, and placing our artillery in such a +manner as to command the whole harbour, I embarked with the marines, and a +party of seamen, in three boats, and rowed in for the shore. It hath been +already mentioned, that the two divisions of the natives were drawn up on each +side the landing-place. They had left a space between them of about thirty or +forty yards, in which were laid, to the most advantage, a few small bunches +of plantains, a yam, and two or three roots. Between these and the water +were stuck upright in the sand, for what purpose I never could learn, four +small reeds, about two feet from each other, in a line at right angles to +the shore, where they remained for two or three days after. The old man +before-mentioned, and two more, stood by these things, inviting us, by +signs, to land; but I had not forgot the trap I was so near being caught in +at the last island; and this looked something like it. We answered, by +making signs for the two divisions to retire farther back, and give us more +room. The old man seemed to desire them so to do, but no more regard was +paid to him than to us. More were continually joining them, and, except two +or three old men, not one unarmed. In short, every thing conspired to make +us believe they meant to attack us as soon as we should be on shore; the +consequence of which was easily supposed; many of them must have been +killed and wounded, and we should hardly have escaped unhurt; two things I +equally wished to prevent. Since, therefore, they would not give us the +room required, I thought it was better to frighten them into it, than to +oblige them by the deadly effect of our fire-arms. I accordingly ordered a +musquet to be fired over the party on our right, which was by far the +strongest body; but the alarm it gave them was momentary. In an instant +they recovered themselves and began to display their weapons. One fellow +shewed us his backside, in a manner which plainly conveyed his meaning. + +After this I ordered three or four more musquets to be fired. This was the +signal for the ship to fire a few great guns, which presently dispersed +them; and then we landed, and marked out the limits, on the right and left, +by a line. Our old friend stood his ground, though deserted by his two +companions, and I rewarded his confidence with a present. The natives came +gradually to us, seemingly in a more friendly manner; some even without +their weapons, but by far the greatest part brought them; and when we made +signs to lay them down, they gave us to understand that we must lay down +ours first. Thus all parties stood armed. The presents I made to the old +people, and to such as seemed to be of consequence, had little effect on +their conduct. They indeed climbed the cocoa-nut trees, and threw us down +the nuts, without requiring any thing for them; but I took care that they +should always have somewhat in return. I observed that many were afraid to +touch what belonged to us; and they seemed to have no notion of exchanging +one thing for another. I took the old man (whose name we now found to be +Paowang) to the woods, and made him understand, I wanted to cut down some +trees to take on board the ship; cutting some down at the same time, which +we put into one of our boats, together with a few small casks of water, +with a view of letting the people see what it was we chiefly wanted. +Paowang very readily gave his consent to cut wood; nor was there any one +who made the least objection. He only desired the cocoa-nut trees might not +be cut down. Matters being thus settled, we embarked and returned on board +to dinner, and, immediately after, they all dispersed. I never learnt that +any one was hurt by our shot, either on this or the preceding day; which +was a very happy circumstance. In the afternoon having landed again, we +loaded the launch with water, and having made three hauls with the seine, +caught upwards of three hundred pounds of mullet and other fish. It was +some time before any of the natives appeared, and not above twenty or +thirty at last, amongst whom was our trusty friend Paowang, who made us a +present of a small pig, which was the only one we got at this isle, or that +was offered to us. + +During the night the volcano, which was about four miles to the west of us, +vomited up vast quantities of fire and smoke, as it had also done the night +before; and the flames were seen to rise above the hill which lay between +us and it. At every eruption it made a long rumbling noise like that of +thunder, or the blowing up of large mines. A heavy shower of rain, which +fell at this time, seemed to increase it; and the wind blowing from the +same quarter, the air was loaded with its ashes, which fell so thick that +every thing was covered with the dust. It was a kind of fine sand, or +stone, ground or burnt to powder, and was exceedingly troublesome to the +eyes. + +Early in the morning of the 7th, the natives began again to assemble near +the watering-place, armed as usual, but not in such numbers as at first. +After breakfast, we landed, in order to cut wood and fill water. I found +many of the islanders much inclined to be friends with us, especially the +old people; on the other hand, most of the younger were daring and +insolent, and obliged us to keep to our arms. I staid till I saw no +disturbance was like to happen, and then returned to the ship, leaving the +party under the command of Lieutenants Clerke and Edgcumbe. When they came +on board to dinner, they informed me that the people continued to behave in +the same inconsistent manner as in the morning; but more especially one +man, whom Mr Edgcumbe was obliged to fire at, and believed he had struck +with a swan shot. After that the others behaved with more discretion; and +as soon as our people embarked they all retired. While we were sitting at +dinner an old man came on board, looked into many parts of the ship, and +then went ashore again. + +In the afternoon, only a few of those who lived in the neighbourhood, with +whom we were now upon a tolerable footing, made their appearance at the +watering-place. Paowang brought us an axe which had been left by our +people, either in the woods or on the beach, and found by some of the +natives. A few other articles were afterwards returned to us, which either +they had stolen, or we had lost by our negligence, so careful were they now +not to offend us in this respect. + +Early the next morning, I sent the launch, protected by a party of marines +in another boat, to take in ballast, which was wanted. This work was done +before breakfast; and after it, she was sent for wood and water, and with +her the people employed in this service, under the protection of a +serjeant's guard, which was now thought sufficient, as the natives seemed +to be pretty well reconciled to us. I was told, that they asked our people +to go home with them, on condition they stripped naked as they were. This +shews that they had no design to rob them, whatever other they might +have. + +On the 9th, I sent the launch for more ballast, and the guard and wooders +to the usual place. With these I went myself, and found a good many of the +natives collected together, whose behaviour, though armed, was courteous +and obliging; so that there was no longer any occasion to mark out the +limits by a line; they observed them without this precaution. As it was +necessary for Mr Wales's instruments to remain on shore all the middle of +the day, the guard did not return to dinner, as they had done before, till +relieved by others. When I came off, I prevailed on a young man, whose name +was Wha-a-gou, to accompany me. Before dinner I shewed him every part of +the ship; but did not observe that any thing fixed his attention a moment, +or caused in him the least surprise. He had no knowledge of goats, dogs, or +cats, calling them all hogs (_Booga_ or _Boogas_). I made him a +present of a dog and a bitch, as he shewed a liking to that kind of animal. +Soon after he came on board, some of his friends followed in a canoe, and +enquired for him, probably doubtful of his safety. He looked out of the +quarter gallery, and having spoken to them, they went ashore, and quickly +returned with a cock, a little sugar-cane, and a few cocoa-nuts, as a +present to me. Though he sat down with us, he did but just taste our salt +pork, but eat pretty heartily of yam, and drank a glass of wine. After +dinner I made him presents, and then conducted him, ashore. + +As soon as we landed, the youth and some of his friends took me by the +hand, with a view, as I understood, to conduct me to their habitations. We +had not gone far, before some of them, for what reason I know not, were +unwilling I should proceed; in consequence of which the whole company +stopped; and, if I was not mistaken, a person was dispatched for something +or other to give me; for I was desired to sit down and wait, which I +accordingly did. During this interval, several of our gentlemen passed us, +at which they shewed great uneasiness, and importuned me so much to order +them back, that I was at last obliged to comply. They were jealous of our +going up the country, or even along the shore of the harbour. While I was +waiting here, our friend Paowang came with a present of fruit and roots, +carried by about twenty men; in order, as I supposed, to make it appear the +greater. One had a small bunch of plantains, another a yam, a third a +cocoa-nut, etc.; but two men might have carried the whole with ease. This +present was in return for something I had given him in the morning; +however, I thought the least I could do now, was to pay the porters. + +After I had dispatched Paowang, I returned to Wha-a-gou and his friends, +who were still for detaining me. They seemed to wait with great impatience +for something, and to be unwilling and ashamed to take away the two dogs, +without making me a return. As night was approaching, I pressed to be gone; +with which they complied, and so we parted. + +The preceding day, Mr Forster learnt from the people the proper name of the +island, which they call Tanna; and this day I learnt from them the names of +those in the neighbourhood. The one we touched at last is called Erromango; +the small isle, which we discovered the morning we landed here, Immer; the +Table island to the east, discovered at the same time, Erronan or Footoona; +and an island which lies to the S.E. Annattom. All these islands are to be +seen from Tanna. + +They gave us to understand, in a manner which I thought admitted of no +doubt, that they eat human flesh, and that circumcision was practised among +them. They began the subject of eating human flesh, of their own accord, by +asking us if we did; otherwise I should never have thought of asking them +such a question. I have heard people argue, that no nation could be +cannibals, if they had other flesh to eat, or did not want food; thus +deriving the custom from necessity. The people of this island can be under +no such necessity; they have fine pork and fowls, and plenty of roots and +fruits. But since we have not actually seen them eat human flesh, it will +admit of doubt with some, whether they are cannibals. + +When I got on board, I learnt that, when the launch was on the west side of +the harbour taking in ballast, one of the men employed in this work, had +scalded his fingers in taking a stone up out of some water. This +circumstance produced the discovery of several hot springs, at the foot of +the cliff, and rather below high-water mark. + +This day Mr Wales, and two or three of the officers advanced a little, for +the first time, into the island. They met with a small straggling village, +the inhabitants of which treated them with great civility; and the next +morning Mr Forster and his party made another excursion inland. They met +with several fine plantations of plantains, sugar-canes, yams, etc.; and the +natives were courteous and civil. Indeed, by this time, the people, +especially those in our neighbourhood, were so well reconciled to us, that +they shewed not the least dislike at our rambling about in the skirts of +the woods, shooting, etc. In the afternoon some boys having got behind +thickets, and having thrown two or three stones at our people who were +cutting wood, they were fired at by the petty officers present on duty. +Being ashore at that time, I was alarmed at hearing the report of the +musquets, and seeing two or three boys run out of the wood. When I knew the +cause I was much displeased at so wanton an use being made of our fire-arms, +and took measures to prevent it for the future. Wind southerly, with +heavy showers of rain. + +During the night, and also all the 11th, the volcano was exceedingly +troublesome, and made a terrible noise, throwing up prodigious columns of +fire and smoke at each explosion, which happened every three or four +minutes; and, at one time, great stones were seen high in the air. Besides +the necessary work of wooding and watering, we struck the main-top-mast to +fix new trestle-trees and back-stays. Mr Forster and his party went up the +hill on the west side of the harbour, where he found three places from +whence smoke of a sulphureous smell issued, through cracks and fissures in +the earth. The ground about these was exceedingly hot, and parched or +burnt, and they seemed to keep pace with the volcano; for, at every +explosion of the latter, the quantity of smoke or steam in these was +greatly increased, and forced out so as to rise in small columns, which we +saw from the ship, and had taken for common fires made by the natives. At +the foot of this hill are the hot-springs before mentioned. + +In the afternoon, Mr Forster having begun his botanical researches on the +other side of the harbour, fell in with our friend Paowang's house, where +he saw most of the articles I had given him, hanging on the adjoining trees +and bushes, as if they were not worthy of being under his roof. + +On the 12th, some of the officers accompanied Mr Forster to the hot places +he had been at the preceding day. A thermometer placed in a little hole +made in one of them, rose from 80, at which it stood in the open air, to +170. Several other parts of the hill emitted smoke or steam all the day, +and the volcano was unusually furious, insomuch that the air was loaded +with its ashes. The rain which fell at this time was a compound of water, +sand, and earth; so that it properly might be called showers of mire. +Whichever way the wind was, we were plagued with the ashes; unless it blew +very strong indeed from the opposite direction. Notwithstanding the natives +seemed well enough satisfied with the few expeditions we had made in the +neighbourhood, they were unwilling we should extend them farther. As a +proof of this, some undertook to guide the gentlemen when they were in the +country, to a place where they might see the mouth of the volcano. They +very readily embraced the offer; and were conducted down to the harbour, +before they perceived the cheat. + +The 13th, wind at N.E., gloomy weather. The only thing worthy of note this +day was, that Paowang being at dinner with us on board, I took the +opportunity to shew him several parts of the ship, and various articles, in +hopes of finding out something which they might value, and be induced to +take from us in exchange for refreshments; for what we got of this kind was +trifling. But he looked on every thing that was shewn him with the utmost +indifference; nor did he take notice of any one thing, except a wooden +sand-box, which he seemed to admire, and turned it two or three times over +in his hand. + +Next morning after breakfast, a party of us set out for the country, to try +if we could not get a nearer and better view of the volcano. We went by the +way of one of those hot smoking places before mentioned, and dug a hole in +the hottest part, into which a thermometer of Fahrenheit's construction was +put; and the mercury presently rose to 100 deg.. It remained in the hole two +minutes and a half without either rising or falling. The earth about this +place was a kind of white clay, had a sulphureous smell, and was soft and +wet, the surface only excepted, over which was spread a thin dry crust, +that had upon it some sulphur, and a vitriolic substance, tasting like +alum. The place affected by the heat was not above eight or ten yards +square; and near it were some fig-trees, which spread their branches over +part of it, and seemed to like their situation. We thought that this +extraordinary heat was caused by the steam of boiling water, strongly +impregnated with sulphur. I was told that some of the other places were +larger than this; though we did not go out of the road to look at them, but +proceeded up the hill through a country so covered with trees, shrubs, and +plants, that the bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees, which, seem to have been +planted here by nature, were, in a manner, choaked up. Here and there we +met with a house, some few people, and plantations. These latter we found +in different states, some of long standing, others lately cleared, and some +only clearing, and before any thing had been planted. The clearing of a +piece of ground for plantation, seemed to be a work of much labour, +considering the tools they had to work with, which, though much inferior to +those at the Society Isles, are of the same kind. Their method is, however, +judicious, and as expeditious as it can well be. They lop off the small +branches of the large trees, dig under the roots, and there burn the +branches and small shrubs and plants which they root up. The soil, in some +parts, is a rich black mould; in other parts, it seemed to be composed of +decayed vegetables, and of the ashes the volcano sends forth throughout all +its neighbourhood. Happening to turn out of the common path, we came into a +plantation where we found a man at work, who, either out of good-nature, or +to get us the sooner out of his territories, undertook to be our guide. We +followed him, accordingly, but had not gone far before we came to the +junction of two roads, in one of which stood another man with a sling and a +stone, which he thought proper to lay down when a musquet was pointed at +him. The attitude in which we found him, the ferocity appearing in his +looks, and his behaviour after, convinced us that he meant to defend the +path he stood in. He, in some measure, gained his point, for our guide took +the other road, and we followed, but not without suspecting he was leading +us out of the common way. The other man went with us likewise, counting us +several times over, and hallooing, as we judged, for assistance; for we +were presently joined by two or three more, among whom was a young woman +with a club in her hand. By these people we were conducted to the brow of a +hill, and shewn a road leading down to the harbour, which they wanted us to +take. Not choosing to comply, we returned to that we had left, which we +pursued alone, our guide refusing to go with us. After ascending another +ridge, as thickly covered with wood as those we had come over, we saw yet +other hills between us and the volcano, which seemed as far off as at our +first setting out. This discouraged us from proceeding farther, especially +as we could get no one to be our guide. We therefore came to a resolution +to return; and had but just put this in execution when we met between +twenty and thirty people, whom the fellow before mentioned had collected +together, with a design, as we judged, to oppose our advancing into the +country; but as they saw us returning they suffered us to pass unmolested. +Some of them put us into the right road, accompanied us down the hill, made +us stop by the way, to entertain us with cocoa-nuts, plantains, and +sugar-cane; and what we did not eat on the spot, they brought down the hill +with us. Thus we found these people hospitable, civil, and good-natured, when +not prompted to a contrary conduct by jealousy; a conduct I cannot tell how +to blame them for, especially when I considered the light in which they +must view us. It was impossible for them to know our real design; we enter +their ports without their daring to oppose; we endeavour to land in their +country as friends, and it is well if this succeeds; we land, nevertheless, +and maintain the footing we have got, by the superiority of our fire-arms. +Under such circumstances, what opinion are they to form of us? Is it not as +reasonable for them to think that we are come to invade their country, as +to pay them a friendly visit? Time, and some acquaintance with us, can only +convince them of the latter. These people are yet in a rude state; and, if +we may judge from circumstances and appearances, are frequently at war, not +only with their neighbours, but among themselves; consequently must be +jealous of every new face. I will allow there are some exceptions to this +rule to be found in this sea; but there are few nations who would willingly +suffer visitors like us to advance far into their country. + +Before this excursion, some of us had been of opinion that these people +were addicted to an unnatural passion, because they had endeavoured to +entice some of our men into the woods; and, in particular, I was told, that +one who had the care of Mr Forster's plant bag, had been once or twice +attempted. As the carrying of bundles, etc. is the office of the women in +this country, it had occurred to me, and I was not singular in this, that +the natives might mistake him and some others for women. My conjecture was +fully verified this day. For this man, who was one of the party, and +carried the bag as usual, following me down the hill, by the words which I +understood of the conversation of the natives, and by their actions, I was +well assured that they considered him as a female; till, by some means, +they discovered their mistake, on which they cried out, "Erramange! +Erramange!" "It is a man! It is a man!" The thing was so palpable, that +every one was obliged to acknowledge, that they had before mistaken his +sex: and that, after they were undeceived, they seemed not to have the +least notion of what we had suspected. This circumstance will shew how +liable we are to form wrong conjectures of things, among people whose +language we are ignorant of. Had it not been for this discovery, I make no +doubt that these people would have been charged with this vile custom. + +In the evening I took a walk with some of the gentlemen into the country on +the other side of the harbour, where we had very different treatment from +what we had met with in the morning. The people we now visited, among whom +was our friend Paowang, being better acquainted with us, shewed a readiness +to oblige us in every thing in their power. We came to the village which +had been visited on the 9th. It consisted of about twenty houses, the most +of which need no other description than comparing them to the roof of a +thatched house in England, taken off the walls and placed on the ground. +Some were open at both ends, others partly closed with reeds, and all were +covered with palm thatch. A few of them were thirty or forty feet long, and +fourteen or sixteen broad. Besides these, they have other mean hovels, +which, I conceived, were only to sleep in. Some of these stood in a +plantation, and I was given to understand, that in one of them lay a dead +corpse. They made signs that described sleep, or death; and circumstances +pointed out the latter. Curious to see all I could, I prevailed on an +elderly man to go with me to the hut, which was separated from the others +by a reed fence, built quite round it at the distance of four or five feet. +The entrance was by a space in the fence, made so low as to admit one to +step over. The two sides and one end of the hut were closed or built up in +the same manner, and with the same materials, as the roof. The other end +had been open, but was now well closed with mats, which I could not prevail +on the man to remove, or suffer me to do it. There hung at this end of the +hut a matted bag or basket, in which was a piece of roasted yam, and some +sort of leaves, all quite fresh. I had a strong desire to see the inside of +the hut but the man was peremptory in refusing this, and even shewed an +unwillingness to permit me to look into the basket. He wore round his neck, +fastened to a string, two or three locks of human hair; and a woman present +had several about her neck. I offered something in exchange for them, but +they gave me to understand they could not part with them, as it was the +hair of the person who lay in the hut. Thus I was led to believe that these +people dispose of their dead in a manner similar to that of Otaheite. The +same custom of wearing the hair is observed by the people of that island, +and also by the New Zealanders. The former make tamau of the hair of their +deceased friends, and the latter make ear-rings and necklaces of their +teeth. + +Near most of their large houses were fixed, upright in the ground, the +stems of four cocoa-nut trees, in a square position, about three feet from +each other. Some of our gentlemen who first saw them, were inclined to +believe they were thus placed on a religious account; but I was now +satisfied that it was for no other purpose but to hang cocoa-nuts on to +dry. For when I asked, as well as I could, the use of them, a man took me +to one, loaded with cocoa-nuts from the bottom to the top; and no words +could have informed me better. Their situation is well chosen for this use, +as most of their large houses are built in an open airy place, or where the +wind has a free passage, from whatever direction it blows. Near most, if +not all of them, is a large tree or two, whose spreading branches afford an +agreeable retreat from the scorching sun. This part of the island was well +cultivated, open and airy; the plantations were laid out by line, abounding +wilh plantains, sugar-canes, yams and other roots, and stocked with +fruit-trees. In our walk we met with our old friend Paowang, who, with some +others, accompanied us to the water side, and brought with them, as a +present, a few yams and cocoa-nuts. + +On the 15th, having finished wooding and watering, a few hands only were on +shore making brooms, the rest being employed on board setting up the +rigging, and putting the ship in a condition for sea. Mr Forster, in his +botanical excursion this day, shot a pigeon, in the craw of which was a +wild nutmeg. He took some pains to find the tree, but his endeavours were +without success. In the evening a party of us walked to the eastern sea-shore, +in order to take the bearing of Annattom, and Erronan or Footoona. +The horizon proved so hazy that I could see neither; but one of the natives +gave me, as I afterwards found, the true direction of them. We observed +that in all, or most of their sugar plantations, were dug holes or pits, +four feet deep, and five or six in diameter; and on our enquiring their +use, we were given to understand that they caught rats in them. These +animals, which are very destructive to the canes, are here in great plenty. +The canes, I observed, were planted as thick as possible round the edge of +these pits, so that the rats in coming at them are the more liable to +tumble in. + +Next morning we found the tiller sprung in the rudder head, and, by some +strange neglect, we had not a spare one on board, which we were ignorant of +till now it was wanting. I knew but of one tree in the neighbourhood fit +for this purpose, which I sent the carpenter on shore to look at, and an +officer, with a party of men, to cut it down, provided he could obtain +leave of the natives; if not, he was ordered to acquaint me. He understood +that no one had any objection, and set the people to work accordingly. But +as the tree was large, this required some time; and, before it was down, +word was brought me that our friend Paowang was not pleased. Upon this I +gave orders to desist, as we found that, by scarfing a piece to the inner +end of the tiller, and letting it farther into the rudder-head, it would +still perform its office. But as it was necessary to have a spare one on +board, I went on shore, sent for Paowang, made him a present of a dog and a +piece of cloth, and then explained to him that our great steering paddle +was broken, and that I wanted that tree to make a new one. It was easy to +see how well pleased every one present was, with the means I took to obtain +it. With one voice they gave their consent, Paowang joining his also, which +he perhaps could not have done without the others; for I do not know that +he had either more property, or more authority, than the rest. This point +being obtained, I took our friend on board to dinner, and after it was +over, went with him ashore, to pay a visit to an old chief, who was said to +be king of the island; which was a doubt with me. Paowang took little or no +notice of him. I made him a present, after which he immediately went away, +as if he got all he came for. His name was Geogy, and they gave him the +title of Areeke. He was very old, but had a merry open countenance. He wore +round his waist a broad red-and-white chequered belt, the materials and +manufacture of which seemed the same as that of Otaheite cloth; but this +was hardly a mark of distinction. He had with him a son, not less than +forty-five or fifty years of age. A great number of people were at this +time at the landing-place, most of them from distant parts. The behaviour +of many was friendly; while others were daring and insolent, which I +thought proper to put up with, as our stay was nearly at an end. + +On the 17th, about ten o'clock, I went ashore, and found in the crowd old +Geogy and his son, who soon made me understand that they wanted to dine +with me; and accordingly I brought them and two more on board. They all +called them Areekees (or kings); but I doubt if any of them had the least +pretensions to that title over the whole island. It had been remarked, that +one of these kings had not authority enough to order one of the people up +into a cocoa-nut tree, to bring him down some nuts. Although he spoke to +several, he was at last obliged to go himself, and, by way of revenge, as +it was thought, left not a nut on the tree, taking what he wanted himself, +and giving the rest to some of our people. + +When I got them on board, I went with them all over the ship, which they +viewed with uncommon surprise and attention. We happened to have for their +entertainment a kind of pie or pudding made of plantains, and some sort of +greens which we had got from one of the natives. On this and on yams they +made a hearty dinner; for, as to the salt beef and pork, they would hardly +taste them. In the afternoon, having made each of them a present of a +hatchet, a spike-nail, and some medals, I conducted them ashore. + +Mr Forster and I then went over to the other side of the harbour, and, +having tried, with Fahrenheit's thermometer, the head of one of the hot +springs, we found that the mercury rose to 191 deg.. At this time the tide was +up within two or three feet of the spring, so that we judged, it might, in +some degree, be cooled by it. We were mistaken however, for on repeating +the experiment next morning, when the tide was out, the mercury rose no +higher than 187 deg.; but, at another spring, where the water bubbled out of +the sand from under the rock at the S.W. corner of the harbour, the mercury +in the same thermometer rose to 202 deg.-1/2, which is but little colder than +boiling water. The hot places before mentioned are from about three to four +hundred feet perpendicular above these springs, and on the slope of the +same ridge with the volcano; that is, there are no vallies between them, +but such as are formed in the ridge itself; nor is the volcano on the +highest part of the ridge, but on the S.E. side of it. This is, I have been +told, contrary to the general opinion of philosophers, who say that +volcanos must be on the summits of the highest hills. So far is this from +being the case on this island, that some of its hills are more than double +the height of that on which the volcano is, and close to it. To these +remarks I must add, that, in wet or moist weather, the volcano was most +violent. There seems to be room for some philosophical reasoning on these +phenomena of nature; but not having any talent that way, I must content +myself with stating facts as I found them, and leave the causes to men of +more abilities. + +The tiller was now finished; but, as the wind was unfavourable for sailing, +the guard was sent on shore on the 19th as before, and a party of men to +cut up and bring off the remainder of the tree from which we had got the +tiller. Having nothing else to do, I went on shore with them, and finding a +good number of the natives collected about the landing-place as usual, I +distributed among them all the articles I had with me, and then went on +board for more. In less than an hour I returned, just as our people were +getting some large logs into the boat. At the same time four or five of the +natives stepped forward to see what we were about, and as we did not allow +them to come within certain limits, unless to pass along the beach, the +centry ordered them, back, which they readily complied with. At this time, +having my eyes fixed on them, I observed the sentry present his piece (as I +thought at these men,) and was just going to reprove him for it, because I +had observed that, whenever this was done, some of the natives would hold +up their arms, to let us see they were equally ready. But I was astonished +beyond measure when the sentry fired, for I saw not the least cause. At +this outrage most of the people fled; it was only a few I could prevail on +to remain. As they ran off, I observed one man to fall; and he was +immediately lifted up by two others, who took him into the water, and +washed his wound, and then led him off. Presently after, some came and +described to me the nature of his wound; and as I found he was not carried +far, I sent for the surgeon. As soon as he arrived, I went with him to the +man, whom, we found expiring. The ball had struck his left arm, which was +much shattered, and then entered his body by the short ribs, one of which +was broken. The rascal who fired, pretended that a man had laid an arrow +across his bow, and was going to shoot at him, so that he apprehended +himself in danger. But this was no more than they had always done, and with +no other view than to shew they were armed as well as we; at least I have +reason to think so, as they never went farther. What made this incident the +more unfortunate was, it not appearing to be the man who bent the bow, that +was shot, but one who stood by him. This affair threw the natives into the +utmost consternation; and a few that were prevailed on to stay, ran to the +plantations and brought cocoa-nuts, etc. which they laid down at our feet. +So soon, were those daring people humbled! When I went on board to dinner, +they all retired, and only a few appeared in the afternoon, amongst whom +were Paowang and Wha-a-gou. I had not seen this young man since the day he +had dined on board. Both he and Paowang promised to bring me fruit, etc. the +next morning, but our early departure put it out of their power. + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Departure from Tanna; with some Account of its Inhabitants, their +Manners and Arts._ + +1774 August + +During the night the wind had veered round to S.E. As this was favourable +for getting out of the harbour, at four o'clock in the morning of the 20th, +we began to unmoor, and at eight, having weighed our last anchor, put to +sea. As soon as we were clear of the land, I brought-to, waiting for the +launch, which was left behind to take up a kedge-anchor and hawser we had +out, to cast by. About day-break a noise was heard in the woods, nearly +abreast of us, on the east side of the harbour, not unlike singing of +psalms. I was told that the like had been heard at the same time every +morning, but it never came to my knowledge till now, when it was too late +to learn the occasion of it. Some were of opinion, that at the east point +of the harbour (where we observed, in coming in, some houses, boats, etc.) +was something sacred to religion, because some of our people had attempted +to go to this point, and were prevented by the natives. I thought, and do +still think, it was owing to a desire they shewed on every occasion, of +fixing bounds to our excursions. So far as we had once been, we might go +again; but not farther with their consent. But by encroaching a little +every time, our country expeditions were insensibly extended without giving +the least umbrage. Besides, these morning ceremonies, whether religious or +not, were not performed down at that point, but in a part where some of our +people had been daily. + +I cannot say what might be the true cause of these people shewing such +dislike to our going up into their country. It might be owing to a +naturally jealous disposition, or perhaps to their being accustomed to +hostile visits from their neighbours, or quarrels among themselves. +Circumstances seemed to shew that such must frequently happen; for we +observed them very expert in arms, and well accustomed to them; seldom or +never travelling without them. It is possible all this might be on our +account; but I hardly think it. We never gave them the least molestation, +nor did we touch any part of their property, not even the wood and water, +without first having obtained their consent. The very cocoa-nuts, hanging +over the heads of the workmen, were as safe as those in the middle of the +island. It happened rather fortunately, that there were so many cocoa-nut +trees, near the skirts of the harbour, which seemed not to be private +property; so that we could generally prevail on the natives to bring us +some of these nuts, when nothing would induce them to bring any out of the +country. + +We were not wholly without refreshments; for besides the fish, which our +seine now and then provided us with, we procured daily some fruits or roots +from the natives, though but little in proportion to what we could consume. +The reason why we got no more might be our having nothing to give them in +exchange, which they thought valuable. They had not the least knowledge of +iron; consequently, nails and iron tools, beads, etc. which had so great a +run at the more eastern isles, were of no consideration here; and cloth can +be of no use to people who go naked. + +The produce of this island is bread-fruit, plantains, cocoa-nuts, a fruit +like a nectarine, yams, tarra, a sort of potatoe, sugar-cane, wild figs, a +fruit like an orange, which is not eatable, and some other fruit and nuts +whose names I have not. Nor have I any doubt that the nutmeg before +mentioned was the produce of this island. The bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and +plantains, are neither so plentiful nor so good as at Otaheite; on the +other hand, sugar-canes and yams are not only in greater plenty, but of +superior quality, and much larger. We got one of the latter which weighed +fifty-six pounds, every ounce of which was good. Hogs did not seem to be +scarce; but we saw not many fowls. These are the only domestic animals they +have. Land-birds are not more numerous than at Otaheite, and the other +islands; but we met with some small birds, with a very beautiful plumage, +which we had never seen before. There is as great a variety of trees and +plants here, as at any island we touched at, where our botanists had time +to examine. I believe these people live chiefly on the produce of the land, +and that the sea contributes but little to their subsistence. Whether this +arises from the coast not abounding with fish, or from their being bad +fishermen, I know not; both causes perhaps concur. I never saw any sort of +fishing-tackle amongst them, nor any one out fishing, except on the shoals, +or along the shores of the harbour, where they would watch to strike with a +dart such fish as came within their reach; and in this they were expert. +They seemed much to admire our catching fish with the seine; and, I +believe, were not well pleased with it at last. I doubt not, they have +other methods of catching fish besides striking them. + +We understood that the little isle of Immer was chiefly inhabited by +fishermen, and that the canoes we frequently saw pass, to and from that +isle and the east point of the harbour, were fishing canoes. These canoes +were of unequal sizes, some thirty feet long, two broad, and three deep; +and they are composed of several pieces of wood clumsily sewed together +with bandages. The joints are covered on the outside by a thin batten +champered off at the edges, over which the bandages pass. They are +navigated either by paddles or sails. The sail is lateen, extended to a +yard and boom, and hoisted to a short mast. Some of the large canoes have +two sails, and all of them outriggers. + +At first we thought the people of this island, as well as those of +Erromango, were a race between the natives of the Friendly Islands and +those of Mallicollo; but a little acquaintance with them convinced us that +they had little or no affinity to either, except it be in their hair, which +is much like what the people of the latter island have. The general colours +of it are black and brown, growing to a tolerable length, and very crisp +and curly. They separate it into small locks, which they woold or cue round +with the rind of a slender plant, down to about an inch of the ends; and, +as the hair grows, the woolding is continued. Each of these cues or locks +is somewhat thicker than common whipcord; and they look like a parcel of +small strings hanging down from the crown of their heads. Their beards, +which are strong and bushy, are generally short. The women do not wear +their hair so, but cropped; nor do the boys, till they approach manhood. +Some few men, women, and children, were seen, who had hair like ours; but +it was obvious that these were of another nation; and, I think, we +understood they came from Erronan. It is to this island they ascribe one of +the two languages which they speak, and which is nearly, if not exactly, +the same as that spoken in the Friendly Islands. It is therefore more than +probable that Erronan was peopled from that nation, and that by long +intercourse with Tanna and the other neighbouring islands, each had learnt +the other's language, which they use indiscriminately. + +The other language which the people of Tanna speak, and, as we understood, +those of Erromango and Annatom, is properly their own. It is different from +any we had before met with, and bears no affinity to that of Mallicollo; so +that, it should seem, the people of these islands are a distinct nation of +themselves. Mallicollo, Apee, etc. were names entirely unknown to them; they +even knew nothing of Sandwich Island, which is much nearer. I took no small +pains to know how far their geographical knowledge extended; and did not +find that it exceeded the limits of their horizon. + +These people are of the middle size, rather slender than otherwise; many +are little, but few tall or stout; the most of them have good features, and +agreeable countenances; are, like all the tropical race, active and nimble; +and seem to excel in the use of arms, but not to be fond of labour. They +never would put a hand to assist in any work we were carrying on, which the +people of the other islands used to delight in. Bat what I judge most from, +is their making the females do the most laborious work, as if they were +pack-horses. I have seen a woman carrying a large bundle on her back, or a +child on her back and a bundle under her arm, and a fellow strutting before +her with nothing but a club or spear, or some such thing. We have +frequently observed little troops of women pass, to and fro, along the +beach, laden with fruit and roots, escorted by a party of men under arms; +though, now and then, we have seen a man carry a burden at the same time, +but not often. I know not on what account this was done, nor that an armed +troop was necessary. At first, we thought they were moving out of the +neighbourhood with their effects, but we afterwards saw them both carry +out, and bring in, every day. + +I cannot say the women are beauties, but I think them handsome enough for +the men, and too handsome for the use that is made of them. Both sexes are +of a very dark colour, but not black; nor have they the least +characteristic of the negro about them. They make themselves blacker than +they really are, by painting their faces with a pigment of the colour of +black-lead. They also use another sort which is red, and a third sort +brown, or a colour between red and black. All these, but especially the +first, they lay on with a liberal hand, not only on the face, but on the +neck, shoulders, and breast. The men wear nothing but a belt, and the +wrapping leaf as at Mallicollo. The women have a kind of petticoat made of +the filaments of the plantain-tree, flags, or some such thing, which +reaches below the knee. Both sexes wear ornaments, such as bracelets, +ear-rings, necklaces, and amulets. The bracelets are chiefly worn by the men; +some made of sea-shells, and others of those of the cocoa-nut. The men also +wear amulets; and those of most value being made of a greenish stone, the +green stone of New Zealand is valued by them for this purpose. Necklaces +are chiefly used by the women, and made mostly of shells. Ear-rings are +common to both sexes, and those valued most are made of tortoise-shell. +Some of our people having got some at the Friendly Islands, brought it to a +good market here, where it was of more value than any thing we had besides; +from which I conclude that these people catch but few turtle, though I saw +one in the harbour, just as we were getting under sail. I observed that, +towards the latter end of our stay, they began to ask for hatchets, and +large nails, so that it is likely they had found that iron is more +serviceable than stone, bone, or shells, of which all their tools I have +seen are made. Their stone hatchets, at least all those I saw, are not in +the shape of adzes, as at the other islands, but more like an axe. In the +helve, which is pretty thick, is made a hole into which the stone is fixed. + +These people, besides the cultivation of ground, have few other arts worth +mentioning. They know how to make a coarse kind of matting, and a coarse +cloth of the bark of a tree, which is used chiefly for belts. The +workmanship of their canoes, I have before observed, is very rude; and +their arms, with which they take the most pains in point of neatness, come +far short of some others we have seen. Their weapons are clubs, spears or +darts, bows and arrows, and stones. The clubs are of three or four kinds, +and from three to five feet long. They seem to place most dependence on the +darts, which are pointed with three bearded edges. In throwing them they +make use of a becket, that is, a piece of stiff plaited cord about six +inches long, with an eye in one end and a knot at the other. The eye is +fixed on the fore-finger of the right hand, and the other end is hitched +round the dart, where it is nearly on an equipoise. They hold the dart +between the thumb and remaining fingers, which serve only to give it +direction, the velocity being communicated by the becket and fore-finger. +The former flies off from the dart the instant its velocity becomes greater +than that of the hand. But it remains on the finger ready to be used again. +With darts they kill both birds and fish, and are sure of hitting a mark, +within the compass of the crown of a hat, at the distance of eight or ten +yards; but, at double that distance, it is chance if they hit a mark the +size of a man's body, though they will throw the weapon sixty or seventy +yards. They always throw with all their might, let the distance be what it +will. Darts, bows and arrows are to them what musquets are to us. The +arrows are made of reeds pointed with hard wood; some are bearded and some +not, and those for shooting birds have two, three, and sometimes four +points. The stones they use are, in general, the branches of coral rocks +from eight to fourteen inches long, and from an inch to an inch-and-half in +diameter. I know not if they employ them as missive weapons; almost every +one of them carries a club, and besides that, either darts, or a bow and +arrows, but never both; those who had stones kept them generally in their +belts. + +I cannot conclude this account of their arms without adding an entire +passage out of Mr Wales's journal. As this gentleman was continually on +shore amongst them, he had a better opportunity of seeing what they could +perform, than any of us. The passage is as follows: "I must confess I have +been often led to think the feats which Homer represents his heroes as +performing with their spears, a little too much of the marvellous to be +admitted into an heroic poem; I mean when confined within the strait stays +of Aristotle. Nay, even so great an advocate for him as Mr Pope, +acknowledges them to be _surprising_. But since I have seen what these +people can do with their wooden spears, and them badly pointed, and not of +a very hard nature, I have not the least exception to any one passage in +that great poet on this account. But, if I see fewer exceptions, I can find +infinitely more beauties in him; as he has, I think, scarce an action, +circumstance, or description of any kind whatever, relating to a spear, +which I have not seen and recognised among these people; as their whirling +motion, and whistling noise, as they fly; their quivering motion, as they +stick in the ground when they fall; their meditating their aim, when they +are going to throw, and their shaking them in their hand as they go along, +etc. etc." + +I know no more of their cookery, than that it consists of roasting and +baking; for they have no vessel in which water can be boiled. Nor do I know +that they have any other liquor but water and the juice of the cocoa-nut. + +We are utter strangers to their religion; and but little acquainted with +their government. They seem to have chiefs among them; at least some were +pointed out to us by that title; but, as I before observed, they appeared +to have very little authority over the rest of the people. Old Geogy was +the only one the people were ever seen to take the least notice of; but +whether this was owing to high rank or old age, I cannot say. On several +occasions I have seen the old men respected and obeyed. Our friend Paowang +was so; and yet I never heard him called chief, and have many reasons to +believe that he had not a right to any more authority than many of his +neighbours, and few, if any, were bound to obey him, or any other person in +our neighbourhood; for if there had been such a one, we certainly should, +by some means, have known it. I named the harbour Port Resolution, after +the ship, she being the first which ever entered it. It is situated on the +north side of the most eastern point of the island, and about E.N.E. from +the volcano; in the latitude of 19 deg. 32' 25" 1/2 S., and in the longitude of +169 deg. 44' 35" E. It is no more than a little creek running in S. by W. 1/2 +W. three quarters of a mile, and is about half that in breadth. A shoal of +sand and rocks, lying on the east side, makes it still narrower. The depth +of water in the harbour is from six to three fathoms, and the bottom is +sand and mud. No place can be more convenient for taking in wood and water; +for both are close to the shore. The water stunk a little after it had been +a few days on board, but it afterwards turned sweet; and even when it was +at the worst, the tin machine would, in a few hours, recover a whole cask. +This is an excellent contrivance for sweetening water at sea, and is well +known in the navy. + +Mr Wales, from whom I had the latitude and longitude, found the variation +of the needle to be 7 deg. 14' 12" E., and the dip of its south end 45 deg. 2' 3/4. +He also observed the time of high water, on the full and change days, to be +about 5h 45m; and the tide to rise and fall three feet. + +CHAPTER VII. + +_The Survey of the Islands continued, and a more particular Description +of them._ + +1774 August + +As soon as the boats were hoisted in, we made sail, and stretched to the +eastward, with a fresh gale at S.E., in order to have a nearer view of +Erronan, and to see if there was any land in its neighbourhood. We stood on +till midnight, when, having passed the island, we tacked, and spent the +remainder of the night making two boards. At sun-rise on the 21st, we stood +S.W., in order to get to the south of Tanna, and nearer to Annatom, to +observe if any more land lay in that direction; for an extraordinary clear +morning had produced no discovery of any to the east. At noon, having +observed in latitude 20 deg. 33' 30", the situation of the lands around us was +as follows: Port Resolution bore north 86 deg. W., distant six and a half +leagues; the island of Tanna extended from S. 88 deg. W., to N. 64 deg. W.; +Traitor's Head N. 58 deg. W., distant twenty leagues; the island of Erronan N. +80 deg. E., distant five leagues; and Annatom from S. 1/2 E. to S. 1/2 W., +distant ten leagues. We continued to stretch to the south till two o'clock +p.m. when, seeing no more land before us, we bore up round the S.E. end of +Tanna; and, with a fine gale at E.S.E., ran along the south coast at one +league from shore. It seemed a bold one, without the guard of any rocks; +and the country full as fertile as in the neighbourhood of the harbour, and +making a fine appearance. At six o'clock the high land of Erromango +appeared over the west end of Tanna in the direction of 10 deg. W.; at eight +o'clock we were past the island, and steered N.N.W. for Sandwich Island, in +order to finish the survey* of it, and of the isles to the N.W. On the +22d, at four o'clock p.m., we drew near the S.E. end, and ranging the south +coast, found it to trend in the direction of W. and W.N.W. for about nine +leagues. Near the middle of this length, and close to the shore, are three +or four small isles, behind which seemed to be a safe anchorage. But not +thinking I had any time to spare to visit this fine island, I continued to +range the coast to its western extremity, and then steered N.N.W, from the +S.E. end of Mallicollo, which, at half past six o'clock next morning, bore +N. 14 deg. E., distant seven or eight leagues, and Three-Hills Island S. 82 deg. +E. Soon after, we saw the islands Apee, Paom, and Ambrym. What we had +comprehended under the name of Paom appeared now to be two isles, something +like a separation being seen between the hill and the land to the west of +it. We approached the S.W. side of Mallicollo to within half a league, and +ranged it at that distance. From the S.E. point, the direction of the land +is west, a little southerly, for six or seven leagues, and then N.W. by W. +three leagues, to a pretty high point or head-land, situated in latitude +16 deg. 29', and which obtained the name of South-west Cape. The coast, which +is low, seemed to be indented into creeks and projecting points; or else, +these points were small isles lying under the shore. We were sure of one, +which lies between two and three leagues east of the Cape. Close to the +west side or point of the Cape, lies, connected with it by breakers, a +round rock or islet, which helps to shelter a fine bay, formed by an elbow +in the coast, from the reigning winds. + +[* The word Survey is not here to be understood in its literal sense. +Surveying a place, according to my idea, is taking a geometrical plan +of it, in which every place is to have its true situation, which +cannot be done in a work of this nature.] + +The natives appeared in troops on many parts of the shore, and some seemed +desirous to come off to us in canoes, but they did not; and, probably, our +not shortening sail, was the reason. From the South-west Cape, the +direction of the coast is N. by W.; but the most advanced land bore from it +N.W. by N., at which the land seemed to terminate. Continuing to follow the +direction of the coast, at noon it was two miles from us; and our latitude, +by observation, was 16 deg. 22' 30" S. This is nearly the parallel to Port +Sandwich, and our never-failing guide, the watch, shewed that we were 26' +west of it; a distance which the breadth of Mallicollo cannot exceed in +this parallel. The South-east Cape bore S. 26 deg. E., distant seven miles; and +the most advanced point of land, for which we steered, bore N.W. by N. At +three o'clock, we were the length of it, and found the land continued, and +trending more and more to the north. We coasted it to its northern +extremity, which we did not reach till after dark, at which time we were +near enough to the shore to hear the voices of people, who were assembled +round a fire they had made on the beach. There we sounded, and found twenty +fathoms and a bottom of sand; but, on edging off from the shore, we soon +got out of sounding, and then made a trip back to the south till the moon +got up. After this we stood again to the north, hauled round the point, and +spent the night in Bougainville's passage; being assured of our situation +before sun-set, by seeing the land, on the north side of the passage, +extending as far as N.W. 1/2 W. + +The south coast of Mallicollo, from the S.E. end to the S.W. Cape, is +luxuriantly clothed with wood, and other productions of nature, from the +sea-shore to the very summits of the hills. To the N.W. of the Cape the +country is less woody, but more agreeably interspersed with lawns, some of +which appeared to be cultivated. The summits of the hills seemed barren; +and the highest lies between Port Sandwich and the S.W. Cape. Farther north +the land falls insensibly lower, and is less covered with wood. I believe +it is a very fertile island, and well inhabited; for we saw smoke by day +and fire by night, in all parts of it. + +Next morning at sun-rise, we found ourselves nearly in the middle of the +passage, the N.W. end of Mallicollo extending from S. 30 deg. E., to S. 58 deg. W.; +the land to the north from N. 70 deg. W. to N. 4 deg. E.; and the Isle of Lepers +bearing N. 30 deg. E., distant eleven or twelve leagues. We now made sail, and +steered N. by E., and afterwards north, along the east coast of the +northern land, with a fine breeze at S.E. We found that this coast, which +at first appeared to be continued, was composed of several low woody isles, +the most of them of small extent, except the southernmost, which, on +account of the day, I named St Bartholomew. It is six or seven leagues in +circuit, and makes the N.E. point of Bougainville's Passage. At noon the +breeze began to slacken. We were at this time between two and three miles +from the land, and observed in latitude 15 deg. 23' the Isle of Lepers bearing +from E. by N. to S., distance seven leagues; and a high bluff-head, at +which the coast we were upon seemed to terminate, N.N.W. 1/2 W., distant +ten or eleven leagues; but from the mast-head we could see land to the +east. This we judged to be an island, and it bore N. by W. 1/2 W. + +As we advanced to N.N.W., along a fine coast covered with woods, we +perceived low land that extended off from the bluff-head towards the island +above mentioned, but did not seem to join it. It was my intention to have +gone through the channel, but the approach of night made me lay it aside, +and steer without the island. During the afternoon, we passed some small +isles lying under the shore; and observed some projecting points of unequal +height, but were not able to determine whether or no they were connected +with the main land. Behind them was a ridge of hills which terminated at +the bluff-head. There were cliffs, in some places of the coast, and white +patches, which we judged to be chalk. At ten o'clock, being the length of +the isle which lies off the head, we shortened sail, and spent the night in +making short boards. + +At day-break on the 25th, we were on the north side of the island (which is +of a moderate height, and three leagues in circuit,) and steered west for +the bluff-head, along the low land under it. At sun-rise an elevated coast +came in sight beyond the bluff-head, extending to the north as far N.W. by +W. After doubling the head we found the land to trend south, a little +easterly, and to form a large deep bay, bounded on the west by the coast +just mentioned. + +Every thing conspired to make us believe this was the Bay of St Philip and +St Jago, discovered by Quiros in 1606. To determine this point, it was +necessary to proceed farther up; for at this time we saw no end to it. The +wind being at south, we were obliged to ply, and first stretched over for +the west shore, from which we were three miles at noon, when our latitude +was 14 deg. 55' 30" S., longitude 167 deg. 3' E.; the mouth of the bay extending +from N. 64 deg. W., to S. 86 deg. E., which last direction was the bluff-head, +distant three leagues. In the afternoon the wind veering to E.S.E., we +could look up to the head of the bay; but as the breeze was faint, a N.E. +swell hurtled us over to the west shore; so that, at half past four o'clock +p.m., we were no more than two miles from it, and tacked in one hundred and +twenty fathoms water, a soft muddy bottom. The bluff-head, or east point of +the bay, bore north 53 deg. east. + +We had no sooner tacked than it fell calm, and we were left to the mercy of +the swell, which continued to hurtle us towards the shore, where large +troops of people were assembled. Some ventured off in two canoes; but all +the signs of friendship we could make, did not induce them to come along-side, +or near enough to receive any present from us. At last they took +sudden fright at something, and returned ashore. They were naked, except +having some long grass, like flags, fastened to a belt, and hanging down +before and behind, nearly as low as the knee. Their colour was very dark, +and their hair woolly, or cut short, which made it seem so. The canoes +were small and had outriggers. The calm continued till near eight o'clock, +in which time we drove into eighty-five fathoms water, and so near the +shore that I expected we should be obliged to anchor. A breeze of wind +sprung up at E.S.E., and first took us on the wrong side; but, contrary to +all our expectations, and when we had hardly room to veer, the ship came +about, and having filled on the starboard tack, we stood off N.E. Thus we +were relieved from the apprehensions of being forced to anchor in a great +depth, on a lee shore, and in a dark and obscure night. + +We continued to ply upwards, with variable light breezes between E.S.E. and +S., till ten next morning, when it fell calm. We were, at this time, about +seven or eight miles from the head of the bay, which is terminated by a low +beach; and behind that, is an extensive flat covered with wood, and bounded +on each side by a ridge of mountains. At noon we found the latitude to be +15 deg. 5' S., and were detained here by the calm till one o'clock p.m., when +we got a breeze at N. by W., with which we steered up to within two miles +of the head of the bay; and then I sent Mr Cooper and Mr Gilbert to sound +and reconnoitre the coast, while we stood to and fro with the ship. This +gave time to three sailing canoes which had been following us some time, to +come up. There were five or six men in each; and they approached near +enough to receive such things as were thrown to them fastened to a rope, +but would not advance alongside. They were the same sort of people as those +we had seen the preceding evening; indeed we thought they came from the +same place. They seemed to be stouter and better shaped men than those of +Mallicollo; and several circumstances concurred to make us think they were +of another nation. They named the numerals as far as five or six in the +language of Anamocka, and understood us when we asked the names of the +adjacent lands in that language. Some, indeed, had black short frizzled +hair like the natives of Mallicollo, but others had it long, tied up on the +crown of the head, and ornamented with feathers like the New Zealanders. +Their other ornaments were bracelets and necklaces; one man had something +like a white shell on his forehead, and some were painted with a blackish +pigment. I did not see that they had any other weapon but darts and gigs, +intended only for striking of fish. Their canoes were much like those of +Tanna, and navigated in the same manner, or nearly so. They readily gave us +the names of such parts as we pointed to; but we could not obtain from them +the name of the island. At length, seeing our boats coming, they paddled in +for the shore, notwithstanding all we could say or do to detain them. + +When the boats returned, Mr Cooper informed me, that they had landed on the +beach which is at the head of the bay, near a fine river, or stream of +fresh water, so large and deep that they judged boats might enter it at +high water. They found three fathoms depth close to the beach, and fifty-five +and fifty, two cables' length off. Farther out they did not sound; and +where we were with the ship, we had no soundings with a hundred and seventy +fathoms line. Before the boats got on board, the wind had shifted to the +S.S.E. As we were in want of nothing, and had no time to spare, I took the +advantage of this shift of wind, and steered down the bay. During the +fore-part of the night, the country was illuminated with fires, from the +sea-shore to the summits of the mountains; but this was only on the west side +of the shore. I cannot pretend to say what was the occasion of these fires, +but have no idea of their being on our account. Probably, they were burning +or clearing the ground for new plantations. At day-break on the 27th, we +found ourselves two-thirds down the bay, and, as we had but little wind, it +was noon before we were the length of the N.W. point, which at this time +bore N. 82 deg. W., distant five miles. Latitude observed 14 deg. 39' 30". + +Some of our gentlemen were doubtful of this being the bay of St Philip and +St Jago, as there was no place which they thought could mean the port of +Vera Cruz. For my part I found general points to agree so well with +Quiros's description, that I had not the least doubt about it. As to what +he calls the Port of Vera Cruz, I understand that to be the anchorage at +the head of the bay, which in some places may extend farther off than where +our boats landed. There is nothing in his account of the port which +contradicts this supposition*. It was but natural for his people to give a +name to the place, independent of so large a bay, where they lay so long at +anchor. A port is a vague term, like many others in geography, and has been +very often applied to places far less sheltered than this. + +[See Quiros's Voyage, in Dalrymple's Collection, vol i, p.136, 137.] + +Our officers observed that grass and other plants grew on the beach close +to high water-mark, which is always a sure sign of pacific anchorage, and +an undeniable proof that there never is a great surf on the shore. They +judged that the tide rose about four or five feet, and that boats and such +craft might, at high-water, enter the river, which seemed to be pretty deep +and broad within; so that this, probably, is one of those mentioned by +Quiros; and if we were not deceived, we saw the other. + +The bay hath twenty leagues sea-coast, six on the east side, which lies in +the direction of S. half W. and N. half E., two at the head, and twelve on +the west side, the direction of which is S. by E. and N. by W., from the +head down to two-thirds of its length, and then N.W. by N. to the N.W. +point. The two points which form the entrance, lie in the direction of S. +53 deg. E., and N. 53 deg. W., from each other, distant ten leagues. The bay is +every where free from danger, and of an unfathomable depth, except near the +shores, which are for the most part low. This, however, is only a very +narrow strip between the sea-shore and the foot of the hills; for the bay, +as well as the flat land at the head of it, is bounded on each side by a +ridge of hills, one of which, that to the west, is very high and double, +extending the whole length of the island. An uncommonly luxuriant +vegetation was every where to be seen; the sides of the hills were +chequered with plantations; and every valley watered by a stream. Of all +the productions of nature this country was adorned with, the cocoa-nut +trees were the most conspicuous. The columns of smoke we saw by day, and +fires by night all over the country, led us to believe that it is well +inhabited and very fertile. The east point of this bay, which I name Cape +Quiros, in memory of its first discoverer, is situated in latitude 14 deg. 56' +S., longitude 167 deg. 13' E. The N.W. point, which I named Cape Cumberland, in +honour of his Royal Highness the Duke, lies in the latitude of 14 deg. 38' 45" +S., longitude 166 deg. 49' 1/2 E., and is the N.W. extremity of this +archipelago; for, after doubling it, we found the coast to trend gradually +round to the S. and S.S.E. + +On the 28th and 29th, we had light airs and calms, so that we advanced but +little. In this time, we took every opportunity, when the horizon was +clearer than usual, to look out for more land, but none was seen. By +Quiros's track to the north, after leaving the bay above-mentioned, it +seems probable that there is none nearer than Queen Charlotte's Island, +discovered by Captain Carteret, which lies about ninety leagues N.N.W. from +Cape Cumberland, and I take to be the same with Quiros's Santa Cruz. + +On the 30th, the calm was succeeded by a fresh breeze at S.S.E. which +enabled us to ply up the coast. At noon we observed in 15 deg. 20'; afterwards +we stretched in east, to within a mile of the shore, and then tacked in +seventy-five fathoms, before a sandy flat, on which several of the natives +made their appearance. We observed on the sides of the hills, several +plantations that were laid out by line, and fenced round. + +On the 31st, at noon, the S. or S.W. point of the island bore N. 62 deg. E., +distant four leagues. This forms the N.W. point of what I call +Bougainville's Passage; the N.E. point at this time bore N. 85 deg. E., and the +N.W. end of Mallicollo from S. 54 deg. E. to S. 72 deg. E. Latitude observed 15 deg. +45' S. In the afternoon, in stretching to the east, we weathered the S.S.W. +point of the island, from which the coast trends east, northerly. It is +low, and seemed to form some creeks or coves; and, as we got farther into +the passage, we perceived some small low isles lying along it, which seemed +to extend behind St Bartholomew Island. + +Having now finished the survey of the whole archipelago, the season of the +year made it necessary for me to return to the south, while I had yet some +time left to explore any land I might meet with between this and New +Zealand; where I intended to touch, that I might refresh my people, and +recruit our stock of wood and water for another southern course. With this +view, at five p.m. we tacked, and hauled to the southward with a fresh gale +at S.E. At this time the N.W. point of the passage, or the S.W. point of +the island Tierra del Espiritu Santo, the only remains of Quiros's +continent, bore N. 82 deg. W., distant three leagues. I named it Cape Lisburne, +and its situation is in latitude 15 deg. 40', longitude 165 deg. 59' E. + +The foregoing account of these islands, in the order in which we explored +them, not being particular enough either as to situation or description, it +may not be improper now to give a more accurate view of them, which will +convey to the reader a better idea of the whole groupe. + +The northern islands of this archipelago were first discovered by that +great navigator Quiros in 1606; and, not without reason, were considered as +part of the southern continent, which, at that time, and until very lately, +was supposed to exist. They were next visited by M. de Bougainville, in +1768; who, besides landing on the Isle of Lepers, did no more than discover +that the land was not connected, but composed of islands, which he called +the Great Cyclades. But as, besides ascertaining the extent and situation +of these islands, we added to them several new ones which were not known +before, and explored the whole, I think we have obtained a right to name +them; and shall in future distinguish them by the name of the New Hebrides. +They are situated between the latitude of 14 deg. 29' and 20 deg. 4' S., and +between 166 deg. 41' and 170 deg. 21' E. longitude, and extend an hundred and +twenty-five leagues in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. and S.S.E. 1/2 E. + +The most northern island is that called by M. de Bougainville, Peak of the +Etoile; it is situated, according to his account, in latitude, 14 deg. 29', +longitude 168 deg. 9'; and N. by W., eight leagues from Aurora. + +The next island, which lies farthest north, is that of Tierra del Espiritu +Santo. It is the most western and largest of all the Hebrides, being +twenty-two leagues long, in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. and S.S.E. 1/2 +E., twelve in breadth, and sixty in circuit. We have obtained the true +figure of this island very accurately. The land of it, especially the west +side, is exceedingly high and mountainous; and, in many places the hills +rise directly from the sea. Except the cliffs and beaches, every other part +is covered with wood, or laid out in plantations. Besides the bay of St +Philip and St Jago, the isles which lie along the south and east coast, +cannot, in my opinion, fail of forming some good bays or harbours. + +The next considerable island is that of Mallicollo. To the S.E. it extends +N.W. and S.E., and is eighteen leagues long in that direction. Its greatest +breadth, which is at the S.E., end, is eight leagues. The N.W. end is +two-thirds this breadth, and near the middle, one-third. This contraction is +occasioned by a wide and pretty deep bay on the S.W. side. To judge of this +island from what we saw of it, it must be very fertile and well inhabited. +The land on the sea-coast is rather low, and lies with a gentle slope from +the hills which are in the middle of the island. Two-thirds of the N.E. +coast was only seen at a great distance; therefore the delineations of it +can have no pretensions to accuracy; but the other parts, I apprehend, are +without any material errors. + +St Bartholomew lies between the S.E. end of Tierra del Espiritu Santo, and +the north end of Mallicollo; and the distance between it and the latter is +eight miles. This is the passage through which M. de Bougainville went; and +the middle of it is in latitude 15 deg. 48'. + +The Isle of Lepers lies between Espiritu Santo and Aurora Island, eight +leagues from the former, and three from the latter, in latitude 15 deg. 22', +and nearly under the same meridian as the S.E.. end of Mallicollo. It is of +an egg-like figure, very high, and eighteen or twenty leagues in circuit. +Its limits were determined by several bearings; but the lines of the shore +were traced out by guess, except the N.E. part where there is anchorage +half a mile from the land. + +Aurora, Whitsuntide, Ambrym, Paoom, and its neighbour Apee, Threehills, and +Sandwich Islands, lie all nearly under the meridian of 167 deg. 29' or 30' E., +extending from the latitude of 14 deg. 51' 30", to 17 deg. 53' 30". + +The island of Aurora lies N. by W. and S. by E., and is eleven leagues long +in that direction; but I believe, it hardly any where exceeds two or two +and a half in breadth. It hath a good height, its surface hilly, and every +where covered with wood, except where the natives have their dwellings and +plantations. + +Whitsuntide Isle, which is one league and a half to the south of Aurora, is +of the same length, and lies in the direction of north and south, but is +something broader than Aurora Island. It is considerably high, and clothed +with wood, except such parts as seemed to be cultivated, which were pretty +numerous. + +From the south end of Whitsuntide Island to the north side of Ambrym is two +leagues and a half. This is about seventeen leagues in circuit; its shores +are rather low, but the land rises with an unequal ascent to a tolerably +high mountain in the middle of the island, from which ascended great +columns of smoke; but we were not able to determine whether this was +occasioned by a volcano or not. That it is fertile and well inhabited, +seems probable from the quantities of smoke which we saw rise out of the +woods, in such parts of the island as came within the compass of our sight; +for it must be observed, that we did not see the whole of it. + +We saw still much less of Paoom and its neighbourhood. I can say no more of +this island than that it towers up to a great height in the form of a round +hay-stack; and the extent of it, and of the adjoining isle (if there are +two), cannot exceed three or four leagues in any direction; for the +distance between Ambrym and Apee is hardly five; and they lie in this +space, and east from Port Sandwich, distant about seven or eight leagues. + +The island of Apee is not less than twenty leagues in circuit; its longest +direction is about eight leagues N.W. and S.E.; it is of considerable +height; and hath a hilly surface diversified with woods and lawns, the west +and south parts especially; for the others we did not see. + +Shepherd's Isles are a group of small ones of unequal size, extending off +from the S.E. point of Apee about five leagues in the direction of S.E. + +The island Threehills lies south four leagues from the coast of Apee, and +S.E. 1/2 S., distant seventeen leagues from Port Sandwich; to this, and +what hath been already said of it, I shall only add, that W. by N., five +miles from the west point, is a reef of rocks on which the sea continually +breaks. + +Nine leagues, in the direction of south, from Threehills, lies Sandwich +Island. Twohills, the Monument, and Montagu Islands, lie to the east of +this line, and Hinchinbrook to the west, as also two or three small isles +which lie between it and Sandwich Island, to which they are connected by +breakers. + +Sandwich Island is twenty-five leagues in circuit; its greatest extent is +ten leagues; and it lies in the direction of N.W. by W. and S.E. by E. The +N.W. coast of this island we only viewed at a distance; therefore our chart +of this part may be faulty so far as it regards the line of the coast, but +no farther. The distance from the south end of Mallicollo to the N.W. end +of Sandwich Island, is twenty-two leagues in the direction of S.S.E. 1/2 E. + +In the same direction lie Erromango, Tanna, and Annatom. The first is +eighteen leagues from Sandwich Island, and is twenty-four or twenty-five +leagues in circuit. The middle of it lies in the latitude of 18 deg. 54', +longitude 169 deg. 19' E., and it is of a good height, as may be gathered from +the distance we were off when we first saw it. + +Tanna lies six leagues from the south side of Erromango, extending S.E. by +S. and N.W. by N., about eight leagues long in that direction, and every +where about three or four leagues broad. + +The isle of Immer lies in the direction of N. by E. 1/2 E., four leagues +from Port Resolution in Tanna; and the island of Erronan or Footoona East, +in the same direction, distant eleven leagues. This, which is the most +eastern island of all the Hebrides, did not appear to be above five leagues +in circuit, but is of a considerable height and flat at top. On the N.E. +side is a little peak seemingly disjointed from the isle; but we thought it +was connected by low land. Annatom, which is the southernmost island, is +situated in the latitude of 20 deg. 3', longitude 170 deg. 4', and S. 30 deg. E., +eleven or twelve leagues from Port Resolution. It is of a good height, with +an hilly surface; and more I must not say of it. + +Here follow the lunar observations by Mr Wales, for ascertaining the +longitude of these islands, reduced by the watch to Port Sandwich in +Mallicollo, and Port Resolution in Tanna. + +Port Sandwich, ( Mean of 10 sets of ob. before 167 deg. 56' 33" 1/4 ) E. + ( 2 ditto, at 168 2 37 1/2 ) long + ( 20 ditto, after 167 52 57 ) + ( ---------------- + ( Mean of those means, 167 57 22 3/4 + +Port Resolution, ( Mean of 20 sets of ob. before 169 37 35 ) E. + ( 5 ditto, at 169 48 48 ) long + ( 20 ditto, after 169 47 22 1/2 ) + ( ---------------- + ( Mean of these means, 169 44 33 + +It is necessary to observe, that each set of observations, consisting of +between six and ten observed distances of the sun and moon, or moon and +stars, the whole number amounts to several hundreds; and these have been +reduced by means of the watch to all the islands; so that the longitude of +each is as well ascertained as that of the two ports above-mentioned. As a +proof of this I shall only observe, that the longitude of the two ports, as +pointed out by the watch and by the observations, did not differ two miles. +This also shews what degree of accuracy these observations are capable of, +when multiplied to a considerable number, made with different instruments, +and with the sun and stars, or both sides of the moon. By this last method, +the errors which may be either in the instruments or lunar tables, destroy +one another, and likewise those which may arise from the observer himself; +for some men may observe closer than others. If we consider the number of +observations that may be obtained in the course of a month (if the weather +is favourable,) we shall perhaps find this method of finding the longitude +of places as accurate as most others; at least it is the most easy, and +attended with the least expence to the observer. Every ship that goes to +foreign parts is, or maybe, supplied with a sufficient number of quadrants +at a small expence; I mean good ones, proper for making these observations. +For the difference of the price between a good and a bad one, I apprehend, +can never be an object with an officer. The most expensive article, and +what is in some measure necessary in order to arrive at the utmost +accuracy, is a good watch; but for common use, and where that strict +accuracy is not required, this may be dispensed with. I have observed +before, in this journal, that this method of finding the longitude is not +so difficult but that any man, with proper application, and a little +practice, may soon learn to make these observations as well as the +astronomers themselves. I have seldom known any material difference between +the observations made by Mr Wales, and those made by the officers at the +same time*. + +[See Vol I. p40. "Which is nearly the same difference as the day +before..."] + +In observing the variation of the magnetic needle, we found, as usual, our +compasses differ among themselves, sometimes near 2 deg.; the same compass too, +would sometimes make nearly this difference in the variation on different +days, and even between the morning and evening of the same day, when our +change of situation has been but very little. By the mean of the +observations which I made about Erromango; and the S.E. part of these +islands, the variation of the compass was 10 deg. 5' 48" E.; and the mean of +those made about Tierra del Espiritu Santo, gave 10 deg. 5' 30" E. This is +considerably more than Mr Wales found it to be at Tanna. I cannot say what +might occasion this difference in the variation observed at sea and on +shore, unless it be influenced by the land; for I must give the preference +to that found at sea, as it is agreeable to what we observed before we made +the islands, and after we left them. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_An Account of the Discovery of New Caledonia, and the Incidents that +happened while the Ship lay in Balade._ + +1774 September + +At sun-rise on the 1st of September, after having stood to S.W. all night, +no more land was to be seen. The wind remaining in the S.E. quarter, we +continued to stand to S.W. On the 2d, at five o'clock, p.m., being in the +latitude 18 deg. 22', longitude 165 deg. 26', the variation was 10 deg. 50' E.; and at +the same hour on the 3d, it was 10 deg. 51', latitude at that time 19 deg. 14', +longitude 165 deg. E. The next morning, in the latitude of 19 deg. 49' longitude +164 deg. 53", the amplitude gave 10 deg. 21', and the azimuths 10 deg. 7' E. At eight +o'clock, as we were steering to the south, land was discovered bearing +S.S.W., and at noon it extended from S.S.E. to W. by S., distant about six +leagues. We continued to steer for it with a light breeze at east, till +five in the evening, when we were stopped by a calm. At this time we were +three leagues from the land, which extended from S.E. by S. to W. by N., +round by the S.W. Some openings appeared in the west, so that we could not +tell whether it was one connected land or a group of islands. To the S.E. +the coast seemed to terminate in a high promontory, which I named Cape +Colnett, after one of my midshipmen who first discovered this land. +Breakers were seen about half-way between us and the shore; and, behind +them, two or three canoes under sail, standing out to sea, as if their +design had been to come off to us; but a little before sun-set they struck +their sails, and we saw them no more. After a few hours calm, we got a +breeze at S.E., and spent the night standing off and on. + +On the 5th, at sun-rise, the horizon being clear, we could see the coast +extend to the S.E. of Cape Colnett, and round by the S.W. to N.W. by W. +Some gaps or openings were yet to be seen to the west; and a reef, or +breakers, seemed to lie all along the coast, connected with those we +discovered the preceding night. It was a matter of indifference to me, +whether we plied up the coast to the S.E., or bore down to N.W. I chose the +latter; and after running two leagues down the outside of the reef (for +such it proved) we came before an opening that had the appearance of a good +channel, through which we might go in for the land. I wanted to get at it, +not only to visit it, but also to have an opportunity to observe an eclipse +of the sun which was soon to happen. With this view we brought-to, hoisted +out two armed boats, and sent them to sound the channel; ten or twelve +large sailing canoes being then near us. We had observed them coming off +from the shore, all the morning, from different parts; and some were lying +on the reef, fishing, as we supposed. As soon as they all got together, +they came down to us in a body, and were pretty near when we were hoisting +out our boats, which probably gave them some alarm; for, without stopping, +they hauled in for the reef, and our boats followed them. We now saw that +what we had taken for openings in the coast was low land, and that it was +all connected, except the western extremity, which was an island known by +the name of Balabea, as we afterwards learnt. + +The boats having made a signal for a channel, and one of them being placed +on the point of the reef on the weather side of it, we stood in with the +ship, and took up the other boat in our way, when the officer informed me, +that where we were to pass, was sixteen and fourteen fathoms water, a fine +sandy bottom, and that having put alongside two canoes, he found the people +very obliging and civil. They gave him some fish; and, in return, he +presented them with medals, etc. In one was a stout robust young man, whom, +they understood to be a chief. After getting within the reef, we hauled up +S. 1/2 E., for a small low sandy isle that we observed lying under the +shore, being followed by all the canoes. Our sounding in standing in, was +from fifteen to twelve fathoms (a pretty even fine sandy bottom,) for about +two miles; then we had six, five, and four fathoms. This was on the tail of +a shoal which lies a little without the small isle to the N.E. Being over +it, we found seven and eight fathoms water, which shallowed gradually as we +approached the shore, to three fathoms, when we tacked and stood off a +little, and then anchored in five fathoms, the bottom a fine sand mixed +with mud. The little sandy isle bore E. by S., three-quarters of a mile +distant; and we were one mile from the shore of the main, which extended +from S.E. by E., round to the south, to W.N.W. The island of Balabea bore +N.W. by N., and the channel, through which we came, north, four miles +distant. In this situation we were extremely well sheltered from the +reigning winds, by the sandy isle and its shoals, and by the shoal without +them. + +We had hardly got to an anchor, before we were surrounded by a great number +of the natives, in sixteen or eighteen canoes, the most of whom were +without any sort of weapons. At first they were shy in coming near the +ship; but in a short time we prevailed on the people in one boat to get +close enough to receive some presents. These we lowered down to them by a +rope, to which, in return, they tied two fish that stunk intolerably, as +did those they gave us in the morning. These mutual exchanges bringing on a +kind of confidence, two ventured on board the ship; and presently after, +she was filled with them, and we had the company of several at dinner in +the cabin. Our pease-soup, salt-beef and pork, they had no curiosity to +taste; but they eat of some yams, which we happened to have yet left, +calling them _Oobee_. This name is not unlike _Oofee_, as they +are called at most of the islands, except Mallicollo; nevertheless, we +found these people spoke a language new to us. Like all the nations we had +lately seen, the men were almost naked; having hardly any other covering +but such a wrapper as is used at Mallicollo*. They were curious in examining +every part of the ship, which they viewed with uncommon attention. They had +not the least knowledge of goats, hogs, dogs, or cats, and had not even a +name for one of them. They seemed fond of large spike-nails, and pieces of +red cloth, or indeed of any other colour, but red was their favourite. + +[* The particular manner of applying the wrapper may be seen in Wafer's +voyage, who mentions this singular custom as existing, though with some +little variation, amongst the Indians of the Isthmus of Darien. +See Wafer's Voyage, p. 140.] + +After dinner, I went on shore with two armed boats, having with us one of +the natives who had attached himself to me. We landed on a sandy beach +before a vast number of people, who had got together with no other intent +than to see us; for many of them had not a stick in their hands; +consequently we were received with great courtesy, and with the surprise +natural for people to express, at seeing men and things so new to them as +we must be. I made presents to all those my friend pointed out, who were +either old men, or such as seemed to be of some note; but he took not the +least notice of some women who stood behind the crowd, folding my hand when +I was going to give them some beads and medals. Here we found the same +chief, who had been seen in one of the canoes in the morning. His name, we +now learnt, was Teabooma; and we had not been on shore above ten minutes, +before he called for silence. Being instantly obeyed by every individual +present, he made a short speech; and soon after another chief having called +for silence, made a speech also. It was pleasing to see with what attention +they were heard. Their speeches were composed of short sentences; to each +of which two or three old men answered, by nodding their heads, and giving +a kind of grunt, significant, as I thought, of approbation. It was +impossible for us to know the purport of these speeches; but we had reason +to think they were favourable to us, on whose account they doubtless were +made. + +I kept my eyes fixed on the people all the time, and saw nothing to induce +me to think otherwise. While we were with them, having enquired, by signs, +for fresh water, some pointed to the east and others to the west. My friend +undertook to conduct us to it, and embarked with us for that purpose. We +rowed about two miles up the coast to the east, where the shore was mostly +covered with mangrove-trees; and entering amongst them, by a narrow creek +or river, which brought us to a little straggling village, above all the +mangroves, there we landed and were shewn fresh water. The ground near this +village was finely cultivated, being laid out in plantations of sugar-canes, +plantains, yams, and other roots, and watered by little rills, +conducted by art from the main stream, whose source was in the hills. Here +were some cocoa-nut trees, which did not seem burdened with fruit. We heard +the crowing of cocks, but saw none. Some roots were baking on a fire in an +earthen jar, which would have held six or eight gallons; nor did we doubt +its being their own manufacture. As we proceeded up the creek, Mr Forster +having shot a duck flying over our heads, which was the first use these +people saw made of our fire-arms, my friend begged to have it; and when he +landed, told his countrymen in what manner it was killed. The day being far +spent, and the tide not permitting us to stay longer in the creek, we took +leave of the people and got on board a little after sun-set. From this +little excursion, I found that we were to expect nothing from these people +but the privilege of visiting their country undisturbed. For it was easy to +see they had little else than good-nature to bestow. In this they exceeded +all the nations we had yet met with; and, although it did not satisfy the +demands of nature, it at once pleased and left our minds at ease. + +Next morning we were visited by some hundreds of the natives; some coming +in canoes, and others swimming off; so that, before ten o'clock, our decks, +and all other parts of the ship, were quite full with them. My friend, who +was of the number, brought me a few roots, but all the others came empty in +respect to eatables. Some few had with them their arms, such as clubs and +darts, which they exchanged for nails, pieces of cloth, etc. After +breakfast, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill with two armed boats to look for +fresh water; for what we found the day before was by no means convenient +for us to get on board. At the same time Mr Wales, accompanied by +lieutenant Clerke, went to the little isle to make preparations for +observing the eclipse of the sun, which was to be in the afternoon. Mr +Pickersgill soon returning, informed me that he had found a stream of fresh +water, pretty convenient to come at. I therefore ordered the launch to be +hoisted out to complete our water, and then went to the isle to assist in +the observation. + +About one p.m., the eclipse came on. Clouds interposed, and we lost the +first contact, but were more fortunate in the end, which was observed as +follows: + +By Mr Wales with Dollond's 3 1/2 foot + achromatic refractor, at 3h 28' 39" 1/4 \ +By Mr Clerke with Bird's 2 feet |Appa- + reflector, at 3 28 52 1/4 |rent +And by me with an 18 inch reflector |time. + made by Watkins, 3 28 53 1/4 / +Latitude of the isle or place of observation, 20 deg. 17' 39" S. +Longitude per distance of the sun and moon, + and moon and stars, 48 sets, 164 deg. 41' 21" East. +Ditto per watch 163 58 0 + +Mr Wales measured the quantity eclipsed by a Hadley's quadrant, a method +never before thought of. I am of opinion it answers the purpose of a +micrometer to a great degree of certainty, and is a great addition to the +use of this most valuable instrument. After all was over, we returned on +board, where I found Teabooma the chief, who soon after slipped out of the +ship without my knowledge, and by that means lost the present I had made up +for him. + +In the evening I went ashore to the watering-place, which was at the head +of a little creek, at a fine stream that came from the hills. It was +necessary to have a small boat in the creek to convey the casks from and to +the beach over which they were rolled, and then put into the launch; as +only a small boat could enter the creek, and that only at high water. +Excellent wood for fuel was here far more convenient than water, but this +was an article we did not want. About seven o'clock this evening, died +Simon Monk, our butcher, a man much esteemed in the ship; his death being +occasioned by a fall down the fore-hatch-way the preceding night. + +Early in the morning of the 7th, the watering-party, and a guard, under the +command of an officer, were sent ashore; and soon after a party of us went +to take a view of the country. As soon as we landed we made known our +design to the natives, and two of them undertaking to be our guides, +conducted us up the hills by a tolerably good path. In our route, we met +several people, most or whom turned back with us; so that at last our train +was numerous. Some we met who wanted us to return; but we paid no regard to +their signs, nor did they seem uneasy when we proceeded. At length we +reached the summit of one of the hills, from which we saw the sea in two +places, between some advanced hills, on the opposite or S.W. side of the +land. This was an useful discovery, as it enabled us to judge of the +breadth of the land, which, in this part, did not exceed ten leagues. + +Between those advanced hills, and the ridge we were upon, was a large +valley, through which ran a serpentine river. On the banks of this were +several plantations, and some villages, whose inhabitants we had met on the +road, and found more on the top of the hill gazing at the ship, as might be +supposed. The plain, or flat of land, which lies along the shore we were +upon, appeared from the hills to great advantage; the winding streams which +ran through out, the plantations, the little straggling villages, the +variety in the woods, and the shoals on the coast, so variegating the +scene, that the whole might afford a picture for romance. Indeed, if it +were not for those fertile spots on the plains, and some few on the sides +of the mountains, the whole country might be called a dreary waste. The +mountains, and other high places, are, for the most part, incapable of +cultivation, consisting chiefly of rocks, many of which are full of +mundicks. The little soil that is upon them is scorched and burnt up with +the sun; it is, nevertheless, coated with coarse grass and other plants, +and here and there trees and shrubs. The country, in general, bore great +resemblance to some parts of New Holland under the same parallel of +latitude, several of its natural productions seeming to be the same, and +the woods being without underwood, as in that country. The reefs on the +coast and several other similarities, were obvious to every one who had +seen both countries. We observed all the N.E. coast to be covered with +shoals and breakers, extending to the northward, beyond the Isle of +Balabea, till they were lost in the horizon. Having made these +observations, and our guides not chusing to go farther, we descended the +mountains by a road different from that by which we ascended. This brought +us down through some of their plantations in the plains, which I observed +were laid out with great judgment, and cultivated with much labour. Some of +them were lying in fallow, some seemingly lately laid down, and others of +longer date, pieces of which they were again beginning to dig up. The first +thing I observed they did, was to set fire to the grass, etc. which had +over-run the surface. Recruiting the land by letting it lie some years +untouched, is observed by all the nations in this sea; but they seem to +have no notion of manuring it, at least I have no where seen it done. Our +excursion was finished by noon, when we returned on board to dinner; and +one of our guides having left us, we brought the other with us, whose +fidelity was rewarded at a small expence. + +In the afternoon I made a little excursion along-shore to the westward, in +company with Mr Wales. Besides making observations on such things as we +met, we got the names of several places, which I then thought were islands; +but upon farther enquiry, I found they were districts upon the same land. +This afternoon a fish being struck by one of the natives near the +watering-place, my clerk purchased it, and sent it to me after my return +on board. + +It was of a new species, something like a sun-fish, with a large long ugly +head. Having no suspicion of its being of a poisonous nature, we ordered it +to be dressed for supper; but, very luckily, the operation of drawing and +describing took up so much time, that it was too late, so that only the +liver and row were dressed, of which the two Mr Forsters and myself did but +taste. About three o'clock in the morning, we found ourselves seized with +an extraordinary weakness and numbness all over our limbs. I had almost +lost the sense of feeling; nor could I distinguish between light and heavy +bodies, of such as I had strength to move; a quart-pot, full of water, and +a feather, being the same in my hand. We each of us took an emetic, and +after that a sweat, which gave us much relief. In the morning, one of the +pigs, which had eaten the entrails, was found dead. When the natives came +on board and saw the fish hanging up, they immediately gave us to +understand it was not wholesome food, and expressed the utmost abhorrence +of it; though no one was observed to do this when the fish was to be sold, +or even after it was purchased. + +On the 8th, the guard and a party of men were on shore as usual. In the +afternoon, I received a message from the officer, acquainting me that +Teabooma the chief was come with a present consisting of a few yams and +sugar-canes. In return, I sent him, amongst other articles, a dog and a +bitch, both young, but nearly full grown. The dog was red and white, but +the bitch was all red, or the colour of an English fox. I mention this, +because they may prove the Adam and Eve of their species in that country. +When the officer returned on board in the evening, he informed me that the +chief came, attended by about twenty men, so that it looked like a visit of +ceremony. It was some time before he would believe the dog and bitch were +intended for him; but as soon as he was convinced, he seemed lost in an +excess of joy, and sent them away immediately. + +Next morning early, I dispatched Lieutenant Pickersgill and Mr Gilbert with +the launch and cutter to explore the coast to the west; judging this would +be better effected in the boats than in the ship, as the reef would force +the latter several leagues from land. After breakfast, a party of men was +sent on shore, to make brooms; but myself and the two Mr Forsters were +confined on board, though much better, a good sweat having had an happy +effect. In the afternoon a man was seen, both ashore and alongside the +ship, said to be as white as an European. From the account I had of him +(for I did not see him,) his whiteness did not proceed from hereditary +descent, but from chance or some disease; and such have been seen at +Otaheite and the Society Isles. A fresh easterly wind, and the ship +lying a mile from the shore, did not hinder those good-natured people from +swimming off to us in shoals of twenty or thirty, and returning the same +way. + +[* Wafers met with Indians in the Isthmus of Darien of the colour of +a white horse. See his 'Description of the Isthmus', page 134. See also +Mr de Paw's Philosophical Enquiries concerning Americans, where +several other instances of this remarkable whiteness are mentioned, +and the causes of it attempted to be explained.] + +On the 10th, a party was on shore as usual; and Mr Forster so well +recovered as to go out botanizing. + +In the evening of the 11th, the boats returned, when I was informed of the +following circumstances. From an elevation which they reached the morning +they set out, they had a view of the coast. Mr Gilbert was of opinion that +they saw the termination of it to the west, but Mr Pickersgill thought not; +though both agreed that there was no passage for the ship that way. From +this place, accompanied by two of the natives, they went to Balabea, which +they did not reach till after sun-set, and left again next morning before +sun-rise; consequently this was a fruitless expedition, and the two +following days were spent in getting up to the ship. As they went down to +the isle, they saw abundance of turtle; but the violence of the wind and +sea made it impossible to strike any. The cutter was near being lost, by +suddenly filling with water, which obliged them to throw several things +overboard, before they could free her, and stop the leak she had sprung. +From a fishing canoe, which they met coming in from the reefs, they got as +much fish as they could eat; and they were received by Teabi, the chief of +the isle of Balabea, and the people, who came in numbers to see them, with +great courtesy. In order not to be too much crowded, our people drew a line +on the ground, and gave the others to understand they were not to come +within it. This restriction they observed, and one of them, soon after, +turned to his own advantage. For happening to have a few cocoa-nuts, which +one of our people wanted to buy, and he was unwilling to part with, he +walked off, and was followed by the man who wanted them. On seeing this, he +sat down on the sand, made a circle round him, as he had seen our people +do, and signified that the other was not to come within it; which was +accordingly observed. As this story was well attested, I thought it not +unworthy of a place in this journal. + +Early in the morning of the 12th, I ordered the carpenter to work, to +repair the cutter, and the water to be re-placed, which we had expended the +three preceding days. As Tea Booma the chief had not been seen since he got +the dogs, and I wanted to lay a foundation for stocking the country with +hogs also, I took a young boar and a sow with me in the boat, and went up +to the mangrove creek to look for my friend, in order to give them to him. + +But when we arrived there, we were told that he lived at some distance, and +that they would send for him. Whether they did or no I cannot say; but he +not coming, I resolved to give them to the first man of note I met with. +The guide we had to the hills happening to be there, I made him understand +that I intended to leave the two pigs on shore, and ordered them out of the +boat for that purpose. I offered them to a grave old man, thinking he was a +proper person to entrust them with; but he shook his head, and he and all +present, made signs to take them into the boat again. When they saw I did +not comply, they seemed to consult with one another what was to be done; +and then our guide told me to carry them to the Alekee (chief). Accordingly +I ordered them to be taken up, and we were conducted by him to a house, +wherein were seated, in a circle, eight or ten middle-aged persons. To them +I and my pigs being introduced, with great courtesy they desired me to sit +down; and then I began to expatiate on the merits of the two pigs, +explaining to them how many young ones the female would have at one time, +and how soon these would multiply to some hundreds. My only motive was to +enhance their value, that they might take the more care of them; and I had +reason to think I in some measure succeeded. In the mean time, two men +having left the company, soon returned with six yams, which were presented +to me; and then I took my leave and went on board. + +I have already observed, that here was a little village; I now found it +much larger than I expected; and about it, a good deal of cultivated land, +regularly laid out, planted and planting with taro or eddy root, yams, +sugar-canes, and plantains. The taro plantations were prettily watered by +little rills, continually supplied from the main channel at the foot of the +mountains, from whence these streams were conducted in artful meanders. +They have two methods of planting these roots, some are in square or oblong +patches, which lie perfectly horizontal, and sink below the common level of +the adjacent land, so that they can let in on them as much water as they +think necessary. I have generally seen them covered two or three inches +deep; but I do not know that this is always necessary. Others are planted +in ridges about three or four feet broad, and two, or two and a half high. +On the middle or top of the ridge, is a narrow gutter, in and along which +is conveyed, as above described, a little rill that waters the roots, +planted in the ridge on each side of it; and these plantations are so +judiciously laid out, that the same stream waters several ridges. These +ridges are sometimes the divisions to the horizontal plantations; and when +this method is used, which is for the most part observed where a pathway, +or something of that sort, is requisite, not an inch of ground is lost. +Perhaps there may be some difference in the roots, which may make these two +methods of raising them necessary. Some are better tasted than others, and +they are not all of a colour; but be this as it may, they are very +wholesome food, and the tops make good greens, and are eaten as such by the +natives. On these plantations men, women, and children were employed. + +In the afternoon I went on shore, and, on a large tree, which stood close +to the shore, near the watering-place, had an inscription cut, setting +forth the ship's name, date, etc. as a testimony of our being the first +discoverers of this country, as I had done at all others, at which we had +touched, where this ceremony was necessary. This being done, we took leave +of our friends, and returned on board; when I ordered all the boats to be +hoisted in, in order to be ready to put to sea in the morning. + +CHAPTER IX. + +_A Description of the Country and its Inhabitants; their Manners, +Customs, and Arts._ + +1774 September + +I shall conclude our transactions at this place with some account of the +country and its inhabitants. They are a strong, robust, active, well-made +people, courteous and friendly, and not in the least addicted to pilfering, +which is more than can be said of any other nation in this sea. They are +nearly of the same colour as the natives of Tanna, but have better +features, more agreeable countenances, and are a much stouter race; a few +being seen who measured six feet four inches. I observed some who had thick +lips, flat noses, and full cheeks, and, in some degree, the features and +look of a negro. Two things contributed to the forming of such an idea; +first, their rough mop heads, and, secondly, their besmearing their faces +with black pigment. Their hair and beards are, in general, black. The +former is very much frizzled, so that, at first sight, it appears like that +of a negro. It is, nevertheless, very different, though both coarser and +stronger than ours. Some, who wear it long, tie it up on the crown of the +head; others suffer only a large lock to grow on each side, which they tie +up in clubs; many others, as well as all the women, wear it cropped short. +These rough heads, most probably, want frequent scratching; for which +purpose they have a most excellent instrument. This is a kind of comb made +of sticks of hard wood, from seven to nine or ten inches long, and about +the thickness of knitting-needles. A number of these, seldom exceeding +twenty, but generally fewer, is fastened together at one end, parallel to, +and near one-tenth of an inch from each other. The other ends, which are a +little pointed, will spread out or open like the sticks of a fan, by which +means they can beat up the quarters of an hundred lice at a time. These +combs or scratchers, for I believe they serve both purposes, they always +wear in their hair, on one side their head. The people of Tanna have an +instrument of this kind for the same use; but theirs is forked, I think, +never exceeding three or four prongs; and sometimes only a small pointed +stick. Their beards, which are of the same crisp nature as their hair, are, +for the most part, worn short. Swelled and ulcerated legs and feet are +common among the men; as also a swelling of the scrotum. I know not whether +this is occasioned by disease, or by the mode of applying the wrapper +before-mentioned, and which they use as at Tanna and Mallicollo. This is +their only covering, and is made generally of the bark of a tree, but +sometimes of leaves. The small pieces of cloth, paper, etc. which they got +from us, were commonly applied to this use. We saw coarse garments amongst +them, made of a sort of matting, but they seemed never to wear them, except +when out in their canoes and unemployed. Some had a kind of concave, +cylindrical, stiff black cap, which appeared to be a great ornament among +them, and, we thought, was only worn by men of note or warriors. A large +sheet of strong paper, when they got one from us, was generally applied to +this use. + +The women's dress is a short petticoat, made of the filaments of the +plantain-tree, laid over a cord, to which they are fastened, and tied round +the waist. The petticoat is made at least six or eight inches thick, but +not one inch longer than necessary for the use designed. The outer +filaments are dyed black; and, as an additional ornament, the most of them +have a few pearl oyster-shells fixed on the right side. The general +ornaments of both sexes are ear-rings of tortoise-shell, necklaces or +amulets, made both of shells and stones, and bracelets, made of large +shells, which they wear above the elbow. They have punctures, or marks on +the skin, on several parts of the body; but none, I think, are black, as at +the Eastern Islands. I know not if they have any other design than +ornament; and the people of Tanna are marked much in the same manner. + +Were I to judge of the origin of this nation, I should take them to be a +race between the people of Tanna and of the Friendly Isles, or between +those of Tanna and the New Zealanders, or all three; their language, in +some respects, being a mixture of them all. In their disposition they are +like the natives of the Friendly Isles; but in affability and honesty they +excel them. + +Notwithstanding their pacific inclination they must sometimes have wars, as +they are well provided with offensive weapons, such as clubs, spears, +darts, and slings for throwing stones. The clubs are about two feet and a +half long, and variously formed; some like a scythe, others like a pick-axe; +some have a head like an hawk, and others have round heads, but all +are neatly made. Many of their darts and spears are no less neat, and +ornamented with carvings. The slings are as simple as possible; but they +take some pains to form the stones that they use into a proper shape, which +is something like an egg, supposing both ends to be like the small one. +They use a becket, in the same manner as at Tanna, in throwing the dart, +which, I believe, is much used in striking fish, etc. In this they seem very +dexterous; nor, indeed, do I know that they have any other method of +catching large fish, for I neither saw hooks nor lines among them. + +It is needless to mention their working-tools, as they are made of the same +materials, and nearly in the same manner, as at the other islands. Their +axes, indeed, are a little different; some, at least, which may be owing to +fancy as much as custom. + +Their houses, or at least most of them, are circular, something like a +bee-hive, and full as close and warm. The entrance is by a small door, or long +square hole, just big enough to admit a man bent double. The side-walls are +about four feet and a half high, but the roof is lofty, and peaked to a +point at the top; above which is a post, or stick of wood, which is +generally ornamented either with carving or shells, or both. The framing is +of small spars, reeds, etc. and both sides and roof are thick and close +covered with thatch, made of coarse long grass. In the inside of the house +are set up posts, to which cross spars are fastened, and platforms made, +for the conveniency of laying any thing on. Some houses have two floors, +one above the other. The floor is laid with dry grass, and here and there +mats are spread, for the principal people to sleep or sit on. In most of +them we found two fire-places, and commonly a fire burning; and, as there +was no vent for the smoke but by the door, the whole house was both smoky +and hot, insomuch that we, who were not used to such an atmosphere, could +hardly endure it a moment. This may be the reason why we found these people +so chilly when in the open air, and without exercise. We frequently saw +them make little fires any where, and hustle round them, with no other view +than to warm themselves. Smoke within doors may be a necessary evil, as it +prevents the musquitoes from coming in, which are pretty numerous here. In +some respects their habitations are neat; for, besides the ornaments at +top, I saw some with carved door-posts. Upon the whole, their houses are +better calculated for a cold than a hot climate; and as there are no +partitions in them, they can have little privacy. + +They have no great variety of household utensils; the earthen jars before +mentioned being the only article worth notice. Each family has at least one +of them, in which they bake their roots, and perhaps their fish, etc. The +fire, by which they cook their victuals, is on the outside of each house, +in the open air. There are three or five pointed stones fixed in the +ground, their pointed ends being about six inches above the surface. Those +of three stones are only for one jar, those of five stones for two. The +jars do not stand on their bottoms, but lie inclined on their sides. The +use of these stones is obviously to keep the jars from resting on the fire, +in order that it may burn the better. + +They subsist chiefly on roots and fish, and the bark of a tree, which I am +told grows also in the West Indies. This they roast, and are almost +continually chewing. It has a sweetish, insipid taste, and was liked by +some of our people. Water is their only liquor, at least I never saw any +other made use of. + +Plantains and sugar-canes are by no means in plenty. Bread-fruit is very +scarce, and the cocoa-nut trees are small and but thinly planted; and +neither one nor the other seems to yield much fruit. + +To judge merely by the numbers of the natives we saw every day, one might +think the island very populous; but I believe that, at this time, the +inhabitants were collected from all parts on our account. Mr Pickersgill +observed, that down the coast, to the west, there were but few people; and +we knew they came daily from the other side of the land, over the +mountains, to visit us. But although the inhabitants, upon the whole, may +not be numerous, the island is not thinly peopled on the sea-coast, and in +the plains and valleys that are capable of cultivation. It seems to be a +country unable to support many inhabitants. Nature has been less bountiful +to it than to any other tropical island we know in this sea. The greatest +part of its surface, or at least what we saw of it, consists of barren +rocky mountains; and the grass, etc. growing on them, is useless to people +who have no cattle. + +The sterility of the country will apologise for the natives not +contributing to the wants of the navigator. The sea may, perhaps, in some +measure, compensate for the deficiency of the land; for a coast surrounded +by reefs and shoals, as this is, cannot fail of being stored with fish. + +I have before observed, that the country bears great resemblance to New +South Wales, or New Holland, and that some of its natural productions are +the same. In particular, we found here, the tree which is covered with a +soft white ragged bark, easily peeled off, and is, as I have been told, the +same that, in the East Indies, is used for caulking of ships. The wood is +very hard, the leaves are long and narrow, of a pale dead green, and a fine +aromatic; so that it may properly be said to belong to that continent. +Nevertheless, here are several plants, etc. common to the eastern and +northern islands, and even a species of the passionflower, which, I am +told, has never before been known to grow wild any where but in America. +Our botanists did not complain for want of employment at this place; every +day bringing something new in botany or other branches of natural history. +Land-birds, indeed, are not numerous, but several are new. One of these is +a kind of crow, at least so we called it, though it is not half so big, and +its feathers are tinged with blue. They also have some very beautiful +turtle-doves, and other small birds, such as I never saw before. + +All our endeavours to get the name of the whole island proved ineffectual. +Probably it is too large for them to know by one name. Whenever we made +this enquiry, they always gave us the name of some district or place, which +we pointed to; and, as before observed, I got the names of several, with +the name of the king or chief of each. Hence I conclude, that the country +is divided into several districts, each governed by a chief; but we know +nothing of the extent of his power. Balade was the name of the district we +were at, and Tea Booma the chief. He lived on the other side of the ridge +of hills, so that we had but little of his company, and therefore could not +see much of his power. _Tea_ seems a title prefixed to the names of +all, or most, of their chiefs or great men. My friend honoured me by +calling me _Tea_ Cook. + +They deposit their dead in the ground. I saw none of their burying-places, +but several of the gentlemen did. In one, they were informed, lay the +remains of a chief who was slain in battle; and his grave, which bore some +resemblance to a large mole-hill, was decorated with spears, darts, +paddles, etc. all stuck upright in the ground round about it. The canoes, +which these people use, are somewhat like those of the Friendly Isles; but +the most heavy clumsy vessels I ever saw. They are what I call double +canoes, made out of two large trees, hollowed out, having a raised gunnel, +about two inches high, and closed at each end with a kind of bulk-head of +the same height; so that the whole is like a long square trough, about +three feet shorter than the body of the canoe; that is, a foot and a half +at each end. Two canoes, thus fitted, are secured to each other, about +three feet asunder, by means of cross spars, which project about a foot +over each side. Over these spars is laid a deck, or very heavy platform, +made of plank, and small round spars, on which they have a fire-hearth, and +generally a fire burning; and they carry a pot or jar to dress their +victuals in. The space between the two canoes is laid with plank, and the +rest with spars. On one side of the deck, and close to the edge, is fixed a +row of knees, pretty near to each other, the use of which is to keep the +masts, yards, etc. from, rolling over-board. They are navigated by one or +two lateen-sails, extended to a small lateen-yard, the end of which fixes +in a notch or hole in the deck. The foot of the sail is extended to a small +boom. The sail is composed of pieces of matting, the ropes are made of the +coarse filaments of the plantain-tree, twisted into cords of the thickness +of a finger; and three or four more such cords, marled together, serve them +for shrouds, etc. I thought they sailed very well; but they are not at all +calculated for rowing or paddling. Their method of proceeding, when they +cannot sail, is by sculling, and for this purpose there are holes in the +boarded deck or platform. Through these they put the sculls, which are of +such a length, that, when the blade is in the water, the loom or handle is +four or five feet above the deck. The man who works it stands behind, and +with both his hands sculls the vessel forward. This method of proceeding is +very slow; and for this reason, the canoes are but ill calculated for +fishing, especially for striking of turtle, which, I think, can hardly ever +be done in them. Their fishing implements, such as I have seen, are +turtle-nets, made, I believe, of the filaments of the plantain-tree twisted; +and small hand-nets, with very minute meshes made of fine twine and fish-gigs. +Their general method of fishing, I guess, is to lie on the reefs in shoal +water, and to strike the fish that may come in their way. They may, +however, have other methods, which we had no opportunity to see, as no boat +went out while we were here; all their time and attention being taken up +with us. Their canoes are about thirty feet long, and the deck or platform +about twenty-four in length, and ten in breadth. We had not, at this time, +seen any timber in the country so large as that of which their canoes were +made. It was observed that the holes, made in the several parts, in order +to sew them together, were burnt through, but with what instrument we never +learnt. Most probably it was of stone, which may be the reason why they +were so fond of large spikes, seeing at once they would answer this +purpose. I was convinced they were not wholly designed for edge-tools, +because every one shewed a desire for the iron belaying-pins which were +fixed in the quarter-deck rail, and seemed to value them far more than a +spike-nail, although it might be twice as big. These pins, which are round, +perhaps have the very shape of the tool they wanted to make of the nails. I +did not find that a hatchet was quite so valuable as a large spike. Small +nails were of little or no value; and beads, looking-glasses, etc. they did +not admire. + +The women of this country, and likewise those of Tanna, are, so far as I +could judge, far more chaste than those of the more eastern islands. I +never heard that one of our people obtained the least favour from any one +of them. I have been told that the ladies here would frequently divert +themselves by going a little aside with our gentlemen, as if they meant to +be kind to them, and then would run away laughing at them. Whether this was +chastity or coquetry, I shall not pretend to determine; nor is it material, +since the consequences were the same. + +CHAPTER X. + +_Proceedings on the Coast of New Caledonia, with Geographical and +Nautical Observations._ + +1774 September + +Everything being in readiness to put to sea, at sun-rise, on the 13th of +September, we weighed, and with a fine gale at E. by S., stood out for the +same channel we came in by. At half past seven we were in the middle of it. +Observatory Isle bore S. 5 deg. E., distant four miles, and the isle of Balabea +W.N.W. As soon as we were clear of the reef, we hauled the wind to the +starboard tack, with a view of plying in to the S.E.; but as Mr Gilbert was +of opinion that he had seen the end, or N.W. extremity of the land, and +that it would be easier to get round by the N.W., I gave over plying, and +bore up along the outside of the reef, steering N.N.W., N.W., and N.W. by +W., as it trended. At noon the island of Balabea bore S. by W., distant +thirteen miles; and what we judged to be the west end of the great land, +bore S.W. 1/2 S., and the direction of the reef was N.W. by W., latitude +observed 19 deg. 53' 20". Longitude from Observatory Isle 14' W. We continued +to steer N.W. by W. along the outside of the reef till three o'clock, at +which time the isle of Balabea bore S. by E. 1/2 E. In this direction we +observed a partition in the reef, which we judged to be a channel, by the +strong tide which set out of it. From this place the reef inclined to the +north for three or four leagues, and then to the N.W. We followed its +direction, and as we advanced to N.W., raised more land, which seemed to be +connected with what we had seen before; so that Mr Gilbert was mistaken, +and did not see the extremity of the coast. At five o'clock this land bore +W. by N. 1/2 N., distant twenty miles; but what we could see of the reef +trended in the direction of N.W. by N. + +Having hauled the wind to the starboard tack, and spent the night plying, +on the 14th, at sun-rise, the island of Balabea bore S. 6 E., and the land +seen the preceding night W., but the reef still trended N.W., along which +we steered with a light breeze at E.S.E. At noon we observed in latitude +19 deg. 28', longitude from Observatory Isle 27' W. We had now no sight of +Balabea; and the other land, that is, the N.W. part of it, bore W. by S. +1/2 S., but we were not sure if this was one continued coast, or separate +islands. For though some partitions were seen, from space to space, which +made it look like the latter, a multitude of shoals rendered a nearer +approach to it exceedingly dangerous, if not impracticable. In the +afternoon, with a fine breeze at E.S.E., we ranged the outside of these +shoals, which we found to trend in the direction of N.W. by W., N.W. by N., +and N.N.E. At three o'clock we passed a low sandy isle, lying on the outer +edge of the reef, in latitude 19 deg. 25', and in the direction of N.E. from +the north-westernmost land, six or seven leagues distant. So much as we +could see of this space was strewed with shoals, seemingly detached from +each other; and the channel leading in amongst them appeared to be on the +S.E. side of the sandy isle; at least, there was a space where the sea did +not break. At sun-set we could but just see the land, which bore S.W. by +S., about ten leagues distant. A clear horizon produced the discovery of no +land to the westward of this direction; the reef too trended away W. by N. +1/2 N., and seemed to terminate in a point which was seen from the mast-head. +Thus every thing conspired to make us believe that we should soon get +round these shoals; and with these flattering expectations we hauled the +wind, which was at E.N.E., and spent the night making short boards. + +Next morning at sun-rise, seeing neither land nor breakers, we bore away +N.W. by W., and two hours after saw the reef extending N.W. farther than +the eye could reach; no land was to be seen. It was therefore probable that +we had passed its N.W. extremity; and, as we had seen from the hills of +Balade its extent to the S.W., it was necessary to know how far it extended +to the east or southeast, while it was in our power to recover the coast; +for, by following the direction of the shoals, we might have been carried +so far to leeward as not to be able to beat back without considerable loss +of time. We were already far out of sight of land; and there was no knowing +how much farther we might be carried, before we found an end to them. These +considerations, together with the risk we must run in exploring a sea +strewed with shoals, and where no anchorage, without them, is to be found, +induced me to abandon the design of proceeding round by the N.W., and to +ply up to the S.E., in which direction I knew there was a clear sea. With +this view we tacked and stood to the S.E., with the wind at N.E. by E., a +gentle breeze. At this time we were in the latitude of 19 deg. 7' S., longitude +163 deg. 57' E. + +In standing to the S.E. we did but just weather the point of the reef we +had passed the preceding evening. To make our situation the more dangerous +the wind began to fail us; and at three in the afternoon it fell calm, and +left us to the mercy of a great swell, setting directly on the reef, which +was hardly a league from us. We sounded, but found no bottom with a line of +two hundred fathoms. I ordered the pinnace and cutter to be hoisted out to +tow the ship, but they were of little use against so great a swell. We, +however, found that the ship did not draw near the reef so fast as might be +expected; and at seven o'clock a light air at N.N.E. kept her head to the +sea, but it lasted no longer than midnight, when it was succeeded by a dead +calm. + +At day-break on the 16th we had no sight of the reef; and at eleven, a +breeze springing up at S.S.W., we hoisted in the boats, and made sail to +S.E. At noon we observed in 19 deg. 35' S., which was considerably more to the +south than we expected, and shewed that a current or tide had been in our +favour all night, and accounted for our getting so unexpectedly clear of +the shoals. At two o'clock p.m. we had again a calm which lasted till nine, +when it was succeeded by a light air from E.N.E. and E., with which we +advanced but slowly. + +On the 17th at noon, we observed in latitude 19 deg. 54', when the isle of +Balabea bore S. 68 deg. W., ten and a half leagues distant. We continued to +ply, with variable light winds, between N.E. and S.E., without meeting with +any thing remarkable till the 20th at noon, when Cape Colnett bore +N. 78 deg. W., distant six leagues. From this cape the land extended round by +the south to E.S.E. till it was lost in the horizon, and the country +appeared with many hills and vallies. Latitude observed 20 deg. 41', longitude +made from Observatory Isle 1 deg. 8' E. We stood in shore with a light breeze +at east till sun-set, when we were between two and three leagues off. The +coast extended from S. 42 deg. 1/2 E. to N. 59 deg. W. Two small islets lay without +this last direction, distant from us four or five miles; some others lay +between us and the shore, and to the east, where they seemed to be +connected by reefs, in which appeared some openings from space to space. +The country was mountainous, and had much the same aspect as about Balade. +On one of the western small isles was an elevation like a tower; and over a +low neck of land within the isle were seen many other elevations, +resembling the masts of a fleet of ships. + +Next day at sun-rise, after having stood off all night with a light breeze +at S.E., we found ourselves about six leagues from the coast; and in this +situation we were kept by a calm till ten in the evening, when we got a +faint land-breeze at S.W., with which we steered S.E. all night., + +On the 22d at sun-rise the land was clouded, but it was not long before the +clouds went off, and we found, by our land-marks, that we had made a good +advance. At ten o'clock, the land-breeze being succeeded by a sea-breeze at +E. by S., this enabled us to stand in for the land, which at noon extended +from N. 78 deg. W. to S. 31 deg. 1/2 E., round by the S. In this last direction the +coast seemed to trend more to the south in a lofty promontory, which, on +account of the day, received the name of Cape Coronation. Latitude 22 deg. 2', +longitude 167 deg. 7' 1/2 E. Some breakers lay between us and the shore, and +probably they were connected with those we had seen before. + +During the night, we had advanced about two leagues to the S.E.; and at +day-break on the 23d an elevated point appeared in sight beyond Cape +Coronation, bearing S. 23 deg. E. It proved to be the south-east extremity of +the coast, and obtained the name of Queen Charlotte's Foreland. Latitude +22 deg. 16' S., longitude 167 deg. 14' E. About noon, having got a breeze from the +N.E., we stood to S.S.E., and as we drew towards Cape Coronation, saw in a +valley to the south of it, a vast number of those elevated objects +before-mentioned; and some low land under the foreland was wholly covered with +them. We could not agree in our opinions of what they were. I supposed them +to be a singular sort of trees, being too numerous to resemble any thing +else; and a great deal of smoke kept rising all the day from amongst those +near the cape. Our philosophers were of opinion that this was the smoke of +some internal and perpetual fire. My representing to them that there was no +smoke here in the morning would have been of no avail, had not this eternal +fire gone out before night, and no more smoke been seen after. They were +still more positive that the elevations were pillars of basaltes, like +those which compose the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. At sun-set, the wind +veering round to the south, we tacked and stood off, it not being safe to +approach the shore in the dark. At day-break we stood in again, with a +faint land-breeze between E.S.E. and S.S.E. At noon observed, in latitude +21 deg. 59' 30", Cape Coronation being west southerly, distant seven leagues, +and the foreland S. 38 deg. W. As we advanced S.S.W. the coast beyond the +foreland began to appear in sight; and at sun-set we discovered a low +island lying S.S.E, about seven miles from the foreland. It was one of +those which are generally surrounded with shoals and breakers. At the same +time a round hill was seen bearing S. 24 deg. E, twelve leagues distant. During +night, having had variable light winds, we advanced but little either way. + +On the 25th, about ten o'clock a.m., having got a fair breeze at E.S.E., we +stood to the S.S.W., in hopes of getting round the foreland; but, as we +drew near, we perceived more low isles, beyond the one already mentioned, +which at last appeared to be connected by breakers, extending towards the +foreland, and seeming to join the shore. We stood on till half past three +o'clock, when we saw, from the deck, rocks, just peeping above the surface +of the sea, on the shoal above-mentioned. It was now time to alter the +course, as the day was too far spent to look for a passage near the shore, +and we could find no bottom to anchor in during the night. We therefore +stood to the south to look for a passage without the small isles. We had a +fine breeze at E.S.E., but it lasted no longer than five o'clock, when it +fell to a dead calm. Having sounded, a line of 170 fathoms did not reach +the bottom, though we were but a little way from the shoals, which, instead +of following the coast to S.W., took a S.E. direction towards the hill we +had seen the preceding evening, and seemed to point out to us that it was +necessary to go round that land. At this time the most advanced point on +the main bore S. 68 deg. W., distant nine or ten leagues. About seven o'clock +we got a light breeze at north, which enabled us to steer out E.S.E., and +to spend the night with less anxiety. On some of the low isles were many of +those elevations already mentioned. Every one was now satisfied they were +trees, except our philosophers, who still maintained that they were +basaltes. + +About day-break on the 26th, the wind having shifted to S.S.W., we +stretched to S.E. for the hill before mentioned. It belonged to an island +which at noon extended from S. 16 deg. E. to S. 7 deg. W., distant six leagues. +Latitude observed 22 deg. 16' S. In the p.m. the wind freshened, and veering to +S.S.E., we stretched to the east, till two a.m., on the 27th, when we +tacked and stood to S.W., with hopes of weathering the island; but we fell +about two miles short of our expectations, and had to tack about a mile +from the east side of the island, the extremes bearing from N.W. by N. to +S.W., the hill W., and some low isles, lying off the S.E. point, S. by W. +These seemed to be connected with the large island by breakers. We sounded +when in stays, but had no ground with a line of eighty fathoms. The skirts +of this island were covered with the elevations more than once mentioned. +They had much the appearance of tall pines, which occasioned my giving that +name to the island. The round hill, which is on the S.W. side, is of such a +height as to be seen fourteen or sixteen leagues. The island is about a +mile in circuit, and situated in latitude 22 deg. 38' S., longitude 167 deg. 40' E. +Having made two attempts to weather the Isle of Pines before sun-set, with +no better success, than before, this determined me to stretch off till +midnight. This day at noon the thermometer was at 68 deg. 3/4 which is lower +than it had been since the 27th of February. + +Having tacked at midnight, assisted by the currents and a fresh gale at E. +S.E. and S.E., next morning at day-break we found ourselves several leagues +to windward of the Isle of Pines, and bore away large, round the S.E. and +S. sides. The coast from the S.E., round by the S. to the W., was strewed +with sand-banks, breakers, and small low isles, most of which were covered +with the same lofty trees that ornamented the borders of the greater one. +We continued to range the outside of these small isles and breakers, at +three-fourths of a league distance, and as we passed one, raised another, +so that they seemed to form a chain extending to the isles which lie off +the foreland. At noon we observed, in latitude 22 deg. 44' 36" S. the Isle of +Pines extending from N by E 1/2 E. to E. by N.; and Cape Coronation N. 32 deg. +30' W distant seventeen leagues. In the afternoon, with a fine gale at +east, we steered N.W. by W., along the outside of the shoals, with a view +of falling in with the land a little to S.W. of the foreland. At two +o'clock p.m. two low islets were seen bearing W. by S., and as they were +connected by breakers, which seemed to join those on our starboard, this +discovery made it necessary to haul off S.W., in order to get clear of them +all. At three, more breakers appeared, extending from the low isles towards +the S.E. We now hauled out close to the wind, and, in an hour and a half, +were almost on board the breakers, and obliged to tack. From the mast-head +they were seen to extend as far as E.S.E., and the smoothness of the sea +made it probable that they extended to the north of east, and that we were +in a manner surrounded by them. At this time the hill on the Isle of Pines +bore N. 71 1/2 E., the foreland N. 1/4 W., and the most advanced point of +land on the S.W. coast bore N.W., distant fifteen or sixteen leagues. This +direction of the S.W. coast, which was rather within the parallel of the +N.E., assured us that this land extended no farther to the S.W. After +making a short trip to N.N.E., we stood again to the south, in expectation +of having a better view of the shoals before sun-set. We gained nothing by +this but the prospect of a sea strewed with shoals, which we could not +clear but by returning in the track by which we came. We tacked nearly in +the same place where we had tacked before, and on sounding found a bottom +of fine sand. But anchoring in a strong gale, with a chain of breakers to +leeward, being the last resource, I rather chose to spend the night in +making short boards over that space we had, in some measure, made ourselves +acquainted with in the day: And thus it was spent, but under the terrible +apprehension, every moment, of falling on some of the many dangers which +surrounded us. + +Day-light shewed that our fears were not ill-founded, and that we had been +in the most imminent danger; having had breakers continually under our lee, +and at a very little distance from us. We owed our safety to the +interposition of Providence, a good look-out, and the very brisk manner in +which the ship was managed; for, as we were standing to the north, the +people on the lee-gangway and forecastle saw breakers under the lee-bow, +which we escaped by quickly tacking the ship. + +I was now almost tired of a coast which I could no longer explore, but at +the risk of losing the ship, and ruining the whole voyage. I was, however, +determined not to leave it, till I knew what trees those were which had +been the subject of our speculation; especially as they appeared to be of a +sort useful to shipping, and had not been seen any where but in the +southern part of this land. With this view, after making a trip to the +south, to weather the shoals under our lee, we stood to the north, in hopes +of finding anchorage under some of the islets on which these trees grow. We +were stopped by eight o'clock by the shoals which lie extended between the +Isle of Pines and Queen Charlotte's Foreland; and found soundings off them +in fifty-five, forty, and thirty-six fathoms, a fine sandy bottom. The +nearer we came to these shoals, the more we saw of them, and we were not +able to say if there was any passage between the two lands. + +Being now but a few miles to windward of the low isles lying off the +Foreland, mentioned on the 25th and 26th, I bore down to the one next to +us. As we drew near it, I perceived that it was unconnected with the +neighbouring shoals, and that it is probable we might get to an anchor +under its lee or west side. We therefore stood on, being conducted by an +officer at the mast-head; and after hauling round the point of the reef +which surrounds the isle, we attempted to ply to windward, in order to get +nearer the shore. Another reef to the north confined us to a narrow +channel, through which ran a current against us, that rendered this attempt +fruitless; so that we were obliged to anchor in thirty-nine fathoms water, +the bottom fine coral sand; the isle bearing W. by N. one mile distant. As +soon as this was done, we hoisted out a boat, in which I went on ashore, +accompanied by the botanists. We found the tall trees to be a kind of +spruce pine, very proper for spars, of which we were in want. After making +this discovery, I hastened on board in order to have more time after +dinner, when I landed again with two boats, accompanied by several of the +officers and gentlemen, having with us the carpenter and some of his crew, +to cut down such trees as were wanting. While this was doing I took the +bearings of several lands round. The hill on the Isle of Pines bore +S. 59 30' E; the low point of Queen Charlotte's Foreland N. 14 deg. 30' W.; the +high land over it, seen over two low isles, N. 20 deg. W.; and the most +advanced point of land to the west, bore west, half a point south, distant +six or seven leagues. We had, from several bearings, ascertained the true +direction of the coast from the foreland to this point, which I shall +distinguish by the name of Prince of Wales's Foreland. It is situated in +the latitude of 22 deg. 29' S., longitude 166 deg. 57' E., is of considerable +height, and, when it first appears above the horizon, looks like an island. +From this cape, the coast trended nearly N.W. This was rather too northerly +a direction to join that part which we saw from the hills of Balade. But as +it was very high land which opened off the cape in that direction, it is +very probable that lower land, which we could not see, opened sooner; or +else the coast more to the N.W. takes a more westerly direction, in the +same manner as the N.E. coast. Be this as it may, we pretty well know the +extent of the land, by having it confined within certain limits. However, I +still entertained hopes of seeing more of it, but was disappointed. + +The little isle upon which we landed, is a mere sandbank, not exceeding +three-fourths of a mile in circuit, and on it, besides these pines, grew +the Etoa-tree of Otaheite, and a variety of other trees, shrubs, and +plants. These gave sufficient employment to our botanists, all the time we +stayed upon it, and occasioned my calling it Botany Isle. On it were +several water-snakes, some pigeons, and doves, seemingly different from any +we had seen. One of the officers shot a hawk, which proved to be of the +very same sort as our English fishing-hawks. Several fire-places, branches, +and leaves very little decayed, remains of turtle, etc. shewed that people +had lately been on the isle. The hull of a canoe, precisely of the same +shape as those we had seen at Balade, lay wrecked in the sand. We were now +no longer at a loss to know of what trees they make their canoes, as they +can be no other than these pines. On this little isle were some which +measured twenty inches diameter, and between sixty and seventy feet in +length, and would have done very well for a foremast to the Resolution, had +one been wanting. Since trees of this size are to be found on so small a +spot, it is reasonable to expect to find some much larger on the main, and +larger isles; and, if appearances did not deceive us, we can assert it. + +If I except New Zealand, I, at this time, knew of no island in the South +Pacific Ocean, where a ship could supply herself with a mast or yard, were +she ever so much distressed for want of one. Thus far the discovery is or +may be valuable. My carpenter, who was a mast-maker as well as a shipwright, +two trades he learnt in Deptford-yard, was of opinion that these +trees would make exceedingly good masts. The wood is white, close-grained, +tough, and light. Turpentine had exuded out of most of the trees, and the +sun had inspissated it into a rosin, which was found sticking to the +trunks, and lying about the roots. These trees shoot out their branches +like all other pines; with this difference, that the branches of these are +much smaller and shorter; so that the knots become nothing when the tree is +wrought for use. I took notice, that the largest of them had the smallest +and shortest branches, and were crowned, as it were, at the top, by a +spreading branch like a bush. This was what led some on board into the +extravagant notion of their being basaltes: Indeed no one could think of +finding such trees here. The seeds are produced in cones; but we could find +none that had any in them, or that were in a proper state for vegetation or +botanical examination. Besides these, there was another tree or shrub of +the spruce-fir kind, but it was very small. We also found on the isle a +sort of scurvy-grass, and a plant, called by us Lamb's Quarters, which, +when boiled, eat like spinnage. + +Having got ten or twelve small spars to make studding-sail booms, boat-masts, +etc., and night approaching, we returned with them on board. + +The purpose for which I anchored under this isle being answered, I was now +to consider what was next to be done. We had from the top-mast-head taken a +view of the sea around us, and observed the whole, to the west, to be +strewed with small islets, sand-banks, and breakers, to the utmost extent +of our horizon. They seemed indeed not to be all connected, and to be +divided by winding channels. But when I considered that the extent of this +S.W. coast was already pretty well determined, the great risk attending a +more accurate survey, and the time it would require to accomplish it, on +account of the many dangers we should have to encounter, I determined not +to hazard the ship down to leeward, where we might be so hemmed in as to +find it difficult to return, and by that means lose the proper season for +getting to the south. I now wished to have had the little vessel set up, +the frame of which we had on board. I had some thoughts of doing this, when +we were last at Otaheite, but found it could not be executed, without +neglecting the caulking and other necessary repairs of the ship, or staying +longer there than the route I had in view would admit. It was now too late +to begin setting her up, and then to use her in exploring this coast; and +in our voyage to the south, she could be of no service. These reasons +induced me to try to get without the shoals; that is, to the southward of +them. + +Next morning at day-break, we got under sail with a light breeze at E. by +N. We had to make some trips to weather the shoals to leeward of Botany +Isle; but when this was done the breeze began to fail; and at three p.m. it +fell calm. The swell, assisted by the current, set us fast to S.W. towards +the breakers, which were yet in sight in that direction. Thus we continued +till ten o'clock, at which time a breeze springing up at N.N.W. we steered +E.S.E.; the contrary course we had come in; not daring to steer farther +south till daylight. + +1774 October + +At three o'clock next morning, the wind veered to S.W., blew hard, and in +squalls, attended with rain, which made it necessary to proceed with our +courses up and top-sails on the cap, till day-break, when the hill on the +Isle of Pines bore north; and our distance from the shore in that direction +was about four leagues. We had now a very strong wind at S.S.W. attended by +a great sea; so that we had reason to rejoice at having got clear of the +shoals before this gale overtook us. Though every thing conspired to make +me think this was the westerly monsoon, it can hardly be comprehended under +that name, for several reasons; first, because it was near a month too soon +for these winds; secondly, because we know not if they reach this place at +all; and lastly, because it is very common for westerly winds to blow +within the tropics. However, I never found them to blow so hard before, or +so far southerly. Be these things as they may, we had now no other choice +but to stretch to S.E., which we accordingly did with our starboard tacks +aboard; and at noon we were out of sight of land. + +The gale continued with very little alteration till noon next day; at which +time we observed in latitude 23 deg. 18', longitude made from the Isle of Pines +1 deg. 54' E. In the afternoon we had little wind from the south, and a great +swell from the same direction: And many boobies, tropic, and men-of-war +birds were seen. At eleven o'clock a fresh breeze sprung up at W. by S., +with which we stood to the south. At this time we were in the latitude of +23 deg. 18', longitude 169 deg. 49' E., and about forty-two leagues south of the +Hebrides. + +At eight o'clock in the morning, on the third, the wind veered to S.W. and +blew a strong gale by squalls, attended with rain. I now gave over all +thought of returning to the land we had left. Indeed, when I considered the +vast ocean we had to explore to the south; the state and condition of the +ship, already in want of some necessary stores; that summer was approaching +fast, and that any considerable accident might detain us in this sea +another year; I did not think it advisable to attempt to regain the land. + +Thus I was obliged, as it were by necessity, for the first time, to leave a +coast I had discovered, before it was fully explored.--I called it New +Caledonia; and, if we except New Zealand, it is perhaps the largest island +in the South Pacific Ocean. For it extends from the latitude of 19 deg. 37', to +22 deg. 30', S., and from the longitude of 163 deg. 37' to 167 deg. 14' E. It lies +nearly N.W. 1/2 W., and S.E. 1 E., and is about eighty-seven leagues long +in that direction; but its breadth is not considerable, not any where +exceeding ten leagues. It is a country full of hills and valleys; of +various extent both for height and depth. To judge of the whole by the +parts we were on, from these hills spring vast numbers of little rivulets, +which greatly contribute to fertilize the plains, and to supply all the +wants of the inhabitants. The summits of most of the hills seem to be +barren; though some few are cloathed with wood; as are all the plains and +valleys. By reason of these hills, many parts of the coast, when at a +distance from it, appeared indented, or to have great inlets between the +hills; but, when we came near the shore, we always found such places shut +up with low land, and also observed low land to lie along the coast between +the seashore and the foot of the hills. As this was the case in all such +parts as we came near enough to see, it is reasonable to suppose that the +whole coast is so. I am likewise of opinion, that the whole, or greatest +part, is surrounded by reefs or shoals, which render the access to it very +dangerous, but at the same time guard the coast from the violence of the +wind and sea; make it abound with fish, secure an easy and safe navigation +along it, for canoes, etc.; and, most likely, form some good harbours for +shipping. Most, if not every part of the coast, is inhabited, the Isle of +Pines not excepted; for we saw either smoke by day, or fires by night, +wherever we came. In the extent which I have given to this island, is +included the broken or unconnected lands to the N.W. That they may be +connected; I shall not pretend to deny; we were, however, of opinion that +they were isles, and that New Caledonia terminated more to S.E.; though +this at most is but a well-founded conjecture. + +But whether these lands be separate isles, or connected with New Caledonia, +it is by no means certain that we saw their termination to the west. I +think we did not; as the shoals did not end with the land we saw, but kept +their N.W. direction farther than Bougainville's track in the latitude of +15 deg. or 15 deg. 1/2. Nay, it seems not improbable, that a chain of isles, +sand-banks, and reefs, may extend to the west, as far as the coast of New +South Wales. The eastern extent of the isles and shoals off that coast, +between the latitude of 15 deg. and 23', were not known. The resemblance of the +two countries; *Bougainville's meeting with the shoal of Diana above sixty +leagues from the coast; and the signs he had of land to the S.E.; all tend +to increase the probability. I must confess that it is carrying probability +and conjecture a little too far, to say what may lie in a space of two +hundred leagues; but it is in some measure necessary, were it only to put +some future navigator on his guard. + +[See his Voyage, English translation p.303.] + +Mr Wales determined the longitude of that part of New Caledonia we +explored, by ninety-six sets of observations, which were reduced to one +another by our trusty guide the watch. I found the variation of the compass +to be 10 deg. 24' E. This is the mean variation given by the three azimuth +compasses we had on board, which would differ from each other a degree and +a half, and sometimes more. I did not observe any difference in the +variation between the N.W. and S.E. parts of this land, except when we were +at anchor before Balade, where it was less than 10 deg.; but this I did not +regard, as I found such an uniformity out at sea; and it is there where +navigators want to know the variation. While we were on the N.E. coast, I +thought the currents set to S.E. and W. or N.W. on the other side; but they +are by no means considerable, and may, as probably, be channels of tides, +as regular currents. In the narrow channels which divide the shoals, and +those which communicate with the sea, the tides run strong; but their rise +and fall are inconsiderable, not exceeding three feet and a half. The time +of high-water, at the full and change, at Balade, is about six o'clock; but +at Botany Isle we judged it would happen about ten or eleven o'clock. + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Sequel of the Passage from New Caledonia to New Zealand, with an Account +of the Discovery of Norfolk Island; and the Incidents that happened while +the Ship lay in Queen Charlotte's Sound._ + +1774 October + +The wind continuing at S.W., W.S.W., and W., blowing a fresh gale, and now +and then squalls, with showers of rain, we steered to S.S.E, without +meeting with any remarkable occurrence till near noon on the 6th, when it +fell calm. At this time we were in the latitude of 27 deg. 50' S., longitude +171 deg. 43' E. The calm continued till noon the next day, during which time we +observed the variation to be 10 deg. 33' E. I now ordered the carpenters to +work to caulk the decks. As we had neither pitch, tar, nor rosin, left to +pay the seams, this was done with varnish of pine, and afterwards covered +with coral sand, which made a cement far exceeding my expectation. In the +afternoon, we had a boat in the water, and shot two albatrosses, which were +geese to us. We had seen one of this kind of birds the day before, which +was the first we observed since we had been within the tropic. On the 7th, +at one p.m. a breeze sprung up at south; soon after it veered to, and fixed +at S.E. by S., and blew a gentle gale, attended with pleasant weather. + +We stretched to W.S.W., and next day at noon were in the latitude of 28 deg. +25', longitude 170 deg. 26' E. In the evening, Mr Cooper haying struck a +porpoise with a harpoon, it was necessary to bring-to, and have two boats +out, before we could kill it, and get it on board. It was six feet long; a +female of that kind, which naturalists call dolphin of the ancients, and +which differs from the other kind of porpoise in the head and jaw, having +them long and pointed. This had eighty-eight teeth in each jaw. The haslet +and lean flesh were to us a feast. The latter was a little liverish, but +had not the least fishy taste. It was eaten roasted, broiled, and fried, +first soaking it in warm water. Indeed, little art was wanting to make any +thing fresh, palatable to those who had been living so long on salt +meat. + +We continued to stretch to W.S.W. till the 10th, when at day-break we +discovered land, bearing S.W., which on a nearer approach we found to be an +island of good height, and five leagues in circuit. I named it Norfolk +Isle, in honour of the noble family of Howard. It is situated in the +latitude of 29 deg. 2' 30" S. and longitude 168 deg. 16' E. The latter was +determined by lunar observations made on this, the preceding, and following +days; and the former by a good observation at noon, when we were about +three miles from the isle. Soon after we discovered the isle, we sounded in +twenty-two fathoms on a bank of coral sand; after this we continued to +sound, and found not less than twenty-two; or more than twenty-four fathoms +(except near the shore), and the same bottom mixed with broken shells. +After dinner a party of us embarked in two boats, and landed on the island, +without any difficulty, behind some large rocks, which lined part of the +coast on the N.E. side. + +We found it uninhabited, and were undoubtedly the first that ever set foot +on it. We observed many trees and plants common at New Zealand; and, in +particular, the flax-plant, which is rather more luxuriant here than in any +part of that country; but the chief produce is a sort of spruce-pine, which +grows in great abundance, and to a large size, many of the trees being as +thick, breast high, as two men could fathom, and exceedingly straight and +tall. This pine is a sort between that which grows in New Zealand, and that +in New Caledonia; the foliage differing something from both, and the wood +not so heavy as the former, nor so light and close-grained as the latter. +It is a good deal like the Quebec pine. For about two hundred yards from +the shore, the ground is covered so thick with shrubs and plants, as hardly +to be penetrated farther inland. The woods were perfectly clear and free +from underwood, and the soil seemed rich and deep. + +We found the same kind of pigeons, parrots, and parroquets as in New +Zealand, rails, and some small birds. The sea-fowl are, white boobies, +gulls, tern, etc. which breed undisturbed on the shores, and in the cliffs +of the rocks. + +On the isle is fresh water; and cabbage-palm, wood-sorrel, sow-thistle, and +samphire, abounding in some places on the shore, we brought on board as +much of each sort as the time we had to gather them would admit. These +cabbage-trees or palms were not thicker than a man's leg, and from ten to +twenty feet high. They are of the same genus with the cocoa-nut tree; like +it they have large pinnated leaves, and are the same as the second sort +found in the northern parts of New South Wales*. The cabbage is, properly +speaking, the bud of the tree; each tree producing but one cabbage, which +is at the crown, where the leaves spring out, and is inclosed in the stem. +The cutting off the cabbage effectually destroys the tree; so that no more +than one can be had from the same stem. The cocoa-nut tree, and some others +of the palm kind, produce cabbage as well as these. This vegetable is not +only wholesome, but exceedingly palatable, and proved the most agreeable +repast we had for some time. + +[Vide Hawkesworth's Voyages, Vol III, Page 624.] + +The coast does not want fish. While we were on shore, the people in the +boats caught some which were excellent. I judged that it was high water at +the full and change, about one o'clock; and that the tide rises and falls +upon a perpendicular about four or five feet. + +The approach of night brought us all on board, when we hoisted in the +boats, and stretched to E.N.E. (with the wind at S.E.) till midnight, when +we tacked, and spent the remainder of the night making short boards. + +Next morning at sun-rise, we made sail, stretching to S.S.W., and weathered +the island; on the south side of which lie two isles, that serve as +roosting and breeding-places for birds. On this, as also on the S.E. side, +is a sandy beach; whereas most of the other shores are bounded by rocky +cliffs, which have twenty and eighteen fathoms water close to them: At +least so we found it on the N.E. side, and with good anchorage. A bank of +coral sand, mixed with shells, on which we found from nineteen to thirty-five +or forty fathoms water, surrounds the isle, and extends, especially to +the south, seven leagues off. The morning we discovered the island, the +variation was found to be 13 deg. 9' E.; but I think this observation gave too +much, as others which we had, both before and after, gave 2 deg. less. + +After leaving Norfolk Isle, I steered for New Zealand, my intention being +to touch at Queen Charlotte's Sound, to refresh my crew, and put the ship +in a condition to encounter the southern latitudes. + +On the 17th, at day-break, we saw Mount Egmont, which was covered with +everlasting snow, bearing S.E. 1/2 E. Our distance from the shore was about +eight leagues, and, on sounding, we found seventy fathoms water, a muddy +bottom. The wind soon fixed in the western board, and blew a fresh gale, +with which we steered S.S.E. for Queen Charlotte's Sound, with a view of +falling in with Cape Stephens. At noon Cape Egmont bore E.N.E. distant +three or four leagues; and though the mount was hid in the clouds, we +judged it to be in the same direction as the Cape; latitude observed 39 deg. +24'. The wind increased in such a manner as to oblige us to close-reef our +top-sails, and strike top-gallant yards. At last we could bear no more sail +than the two courses, and two close-reefed top-sails; and under them we +stretched for Cape Stephens, which we made at eleven o'clock at night. + +At midnight we tacked and made a trip to the north till three o'clock next +morning, when we bore away for the sound. At nine we hauled round Point +Jackson through a sea which looked terrible, occasioned by a rapid tide, +and a high wind; but as we knew the coast, it did not alarm us. At eleven +o'clock we anchored before Ship Cove; the strong flurries from off the land +not permitting us to get in. + +In the afternoon, as we could not move the ship, I went into the Cove, with +the seine, to try to catch some fish. The first thing I did after landing, +was to look for the bottle I left hid when last there, in which was the +memorandum. It was taken away, but by whom it did not appear. Two hauls +with the seine producing only four small fish, we, in some measure, made up +for this deficiency, by shooting several birds, which the flowers in the +garden had drawn thither, as also some old shags, and by robbing the nests +of some young ones. + +Being little wind next morning, we weighed and warped the ship into the +Cove, and there moored with the two bowers. We unbent the sails to repair +them; several having been split, and otherwise damaged in the late gale. +The main and fore courses, already worn to the very utmost, were condemned +as useless. I ordered the top-masts to be struck and unrigged, in order to +fix to them moveable chocks or knees, for want of which the trestle-trees +were continually breaking; the forge to be set up, to make bolts and repair +our iron-work; and tents to be erected on shore for the reception of a +guard, coopers, sail-makers, etc. I likewise gave orders that vegetables (of +which there were plenty) should be boiled every morning with oatmeal and +portable broth for breakfast, and with pease and broth every day for dinner +for the whole crew, over and above their usual allowance of salt meat. + +In the afternoon, as Mr Wales was setting up his observatory, he discovered +that several trees, which were standing when we last sailed from this +place, had been cut down with saws and axes; and a few days after, the +place where an observatory, clock, etc. had been set up, was also found, in +a spot different from that where Mr Wales had placed his. It was, +therefore, now no longer to be doubted, that the Adventure had been in this +cove after we had left it. + +Next day, wind southerly; hazy clouded weather. Every body went to work at +their respective employments, one of which was to caulk the ship's sides, a +thing much wanted. The seams were paid with putty, made with cook's fat and +chalk; the gunner happening to have a quantity of the latter on board. + +The 21st, wind southerly, with continual rains. + +The weather being fair in the afternoon of the 22d, accompanied by the +botanists, I visited our gardens on Motuara, which we found almost in a +state of nature, having been wholly neglected by the inhabitants. +Nevertheless, many articles were in a flourishing condition, and shewed how +well they liked the soil in which they were planted. None of the natives +having yet made their appearance, we made a fire on the point of the +island, in hopes, if they saw the smoke, they might be induced to come to +us. + +Nothing remarkable happened till the 24th, when, in the morning, two canoes +were seen coming down the sound; but as soon as they perceived the ship, +they retired behind a point on the west side. After breakfast I went in a +boat to look for them; and as we proceeded along the shore, we shot several +birds. The report of the muskets gave notice of our approach, and the +natives discovered themselves in Shag Cove by hallooing to us; but as we +drew near to their habitations, they all fled to the woods, except two or +three men, who stood on a rising ground near the shore, with their arms in +their hands. The moment we landed, they knew us. Joy then took place of +fear; and the rest of the natives hurried out of the woods, and embraced us +over and over again; leaping and skipping about like madmen, but I observed +that they would not suffer some women, whom we saw at a distance, to come +near us. After we had made them presents of hatchets, knives, and what else +we had with us, they gave us in return a large quantity of fish, which they +had just caught. There were only a few amongst them whose faces we could +recognise, and on our asking why they were afraid of us, and enquiring for +some of our old acquaintances by name, they talked much about killing, +which was so variously understood by us, that we could gather nothing from +it, so that, after a short stay, we took leave, and went on board. + +Next morning early, our friends, according to a promise they had made us +the preceding evening, paying us a visit, brought with them a quantity of +fine fish, which they exchanged for Otaheitean cloth, etc. and then returned +to their habitations. + +On the 26th, we got into the after-hold four boat-load of shingle ballast, +and struck down six guns, keeping only six on deck. Our good friends the +natives, having brought us a plentiful supply of fish, afterwards went on +shore to the tents, and informed our people there, that a ship like ours +had been lately lost in the strait; that some of the people got on shore; +and that the natives stole their clothes, etc. for which several were shot; +and afterwards, when they could fire no longer, the natives having got the +better, killed them with their patapatoos, and eat them, but that they +themselves had no hand in the affair, which, they said, happened at Vanna +Aroa, near Terrawhitte, on the other side of the strait. One man said it +was two moons ago: But another contradicted him, and counted on his fingers +about twenty or thirty days. They described by actions how the ship was +beat to pieces by going up and down against the rocks, till at last it was +all scattered abroad. + +The next day some others told the same story, or nearly to the same +purport, and pointed over the east bay, which is on the east side of the +sound, as to the place where it happened. These stories making me very +uneasy about the Adventure, I desired Mr Wales, and those on shore, to let +me know if any of the natives should mention it again, or to send them to +me; for I had not heard any thing from them myself. When Mr Wales came on +board to dinner he found the very people who had told him the story on +shore, and pointed them out to me. I enquired about the affair, and +endeavoured to come at the truth by every method I could think of. All I +could get from them was, "Caurey," (no); and they not only denied every +syllable of what they had said on shore, but seemed wholly ignorant of the +matter; so that I began to think our people had misunderstood them, and +that the story referred to some of their own people and boats. + +On the 28th, fresh gales westerly, and fair weather. We rigged and fitted +the top-masts. Having gone on a shooting-party to West Bay, we went to the +place where I left the hogs and fowls; but saw no vestiges of them, nor of +any body having been there since. In our return, having visited the +natives, we got some fish in exchange for trifles which we gave them. As we +were coming away, Mr Forster thought be heard the squeaking of a pig in the +woods, close by their habitations; probably they may have those I left with +them when last here. In the evening we got on board, with about a dozen and +a half of wild fowl, shags, and sea-pies. The sportsmen who had been out in +the woods near the ship were more successful among the small birds. + +On the 29th and 30th nothing remarkable happened, except that in the +evening of the latter all the natives left us. + +The 31st being a fine pleasant day, our botanists went over to Long Island, +where one of the party saw a large black boar. As it was described to me, I +thought it might be one of those which Captain Furneaux left behind, and +had been brought over to this isle by those who had it in keeping. Since +they did not destroy those hogs when first in their possession, we cannot +suppose they will do it now; so that there is little fear but that this +country will in time be stocked with these animals, both in a wild and +domestic state. + +1774 November + +Next day we were visited by a number of strangers who came up from the +sound, and brought with them but little fish. Their chief commodity was +green stone or talc, an article which never came to a bad market; and some +of the largest pieces of it I had ever seen were got this day. + +On the 2d I went over to the east side of the sound, and, without meeting +any thing remarkable, returned on board in the evening, when I learnt that +the same people who visited us the preceding day, had been on board most of +this, with their usual article of trade. + +On the 3d, Mr Pickersgill met with some of the natives, who related to him +the story of a ship being lost, and the people being killed; but added, +with great earnestness, it was not done by them. + +On the 4th, fine pleasant weather. Most of the natives now retired up the +sound. Indeed, I had taken every gentle method, to oblige them to be gone, +for since these newcomers had been with us, our old friends had +disappeared, and we had been without fish. Having gone over to Long Island, +to look for the hog which had been seen there, I found it to be one of the +sows left by Captain Furneaux; the same that was in the possession of the +natives when we were last here. From the supposition of its being a boar, I +had carried over a sow to leave with him; but on seeing my mistake, brought +her back, as the leaving her there would answer no end. + +Early in the morning of the 5th, our old friends made us a visit, and +brought a seasonable supply of fish. At the same time I embarked in the +pinnace, with Messrs Forsters and Sparrman, in order to proceed up the +sound. I was desirous of finding the termination of it; or rather of seeing +if I could find any passage out to sea by the S.E., as I suspected from +some discoveries I had made when first here. In our way up, we met with +some fishers, of whom we made the necessary enquiry; and they all agreed +that there was no passage to the sea by the head of the sound. As we +proceeded, we, some time after, met a canoe conducted by four men coming +down the sound. These confirmed what the others had said, in regard to +there being no passage to the sea the way we were going; but gave us to +understand that there was one to the east, in the very place where I +expected to find it. I now laid aside the scheme of going to the head of +the sound, and proceeded to this arm, which is on the S.E. side, about four +or five leagues above the isle of Motuara. + +A little within the entrance on the S.E. side, at a place called +Kotieghenooee, we found a large settlement of the natives., The chief, +whose name was Tringo-boohee, and his people, whom we found to be some of +those who had lately been on board the ship, received us with great +courtesy. They seemed to be pretty numerous both here and in the +neighbourhood. Our stay with them was short, as the information they gave +us encouraged us to pursue the object we had in view. Accordingly, we +proceeded down the arm E.N.E. and E. by N., leaving several fine coves on +both sides, and at last found it to open into the strait by a channel about +a mile wide, in which ran out a strong tide; having also observed one +setting down the arm, all the time we had been in it. It was now about four +o'clock in the afternoon, and in less than an hour after, this tide ceased, +and was succeeded by the flood, which came in with equal strength. + +The outlet lies S.E. by E. and N.W. by W. and nearly in the direction of +E.S.E. and W.N.W. from Cape Terrawhitte. We found thirteen fathoms water a +little within the entrance, clear ground. It seemed to me that a leading +wind was necessary to go in and out of this passage, on account of the +rapidity of the tides. I, however, had but little time to make observations +of this nature, as night was at hand, and I had resolved to return on +board. On that account I omitted visiting a large _hippa_, or strong-hold, +built on an elevation on the north side, and about a mile or two +within the entrance, The inhabitants of it, by signs, invited us to go to +them; but, without paying any regard to them, we proceeded directly for the +ship, which we reached by ten o'clock, bringing with us some fish we had +got from the natives, and a few birds we had shot. Amongst the latter were +some of the same kinds of ducks we found in Dusky Bay, and we have reason +to believe that they are all to be met with here. For the natives knew them +all by the drawings, and had a particular name for each. + +On the 6th, wind at N.E., gloomy weather with rain. Our old friends having +taken up their abode near us, one of them, whose name was Pedero, (a man of +some note,) made me a present of a staff of honour, such as the chiefs +generally carry. In return, I dressed him in a suit of old clothes, of +which he was not a little proud. He had a fine person, and a good presence, +and nothing but his colour distinguished him from an European. Having got +him, and another, into a communicative mood, we began to enquire of them if +the Adventure had been there during my absence; and they gave us to +understand, in a manner which admitted of no doubt, that, soon after we +were gone, she arrived; that she staid between ten and twenty days, and had +been gone ten months. They likewise asserted that neither she, nor any +other ship, had been stranded on the coast, as had been reported. This +assertion, and the manner in which they related the coming and going of the +Adventure, made me easy about her; but did not wholly set aside our +suspicions of a disaster having happened to some other strangers. Besides +what has been already related, we had been told that a ship had lately been +here, and was gone to a place called Terato, which is on the north side of +the strait. Whether this story related to the former or no, I cannot say. +Whenever I questioned the natives about it, they always denied all +knowledge of it, and for some time past, had avoided mentioning it. It was +but a few days before, that one man received a box on the ear for naming it +to some of our people. + +After breakfast I took a number of hands over to Long Island, in order to +catch the sow, to put her to the boar and remove her to some other place; +but we returned without seeing her. Some of the natives had been there not +long before us, as their fires were yet burning; and they had undoubtedly +taken her away. Pedero dined with us, eat of every thing at table, and +drank more wine than any one of us, without being in the least affected by +it. + +The 7th, fresh gales at N.E. with continual rain. + +The 8th, fore-part rain, remainder fair weather. We put two pigs, a boar, +and a sow, on shore, in the cove next without Cannibal Cove; so that it is +hardly possible all the methods I have taken to stock this country with +these animals should fail. We had also reason to believe that some of the +cocks and hens which I left here still existed, although we had not seen +any of them; for an hen's egg was, some days before, found in the woods +almost new laid. + +On the 9th, wind westerly or N.W., squally with rain. In the morning we +unmoored, and shifted our birth farther out of the cove, for the more ready +getting to sea the next morning; for at present the caulkers had not +finished the sides, and till this work was done we could not sail. Our +friends having brought us a very large and seasonable supply of fish, I +bestowed on Pedero a present of an empty oil-jar, which made him as happy +as a prince. Soon after, he and his party left the cove, and retired to +their proper place of abode, with all the treasure they had received from +us. I believe that they gave away many of the things they, at different +times, got from us, to their friends and neighbours, or else parted with +them to purchase peace of their more powerful enemies; for we never saw any +of our presents after they were once in their possession: And every time we +visited them they were as much in want of hatchets, nails, etc. to all +appearance, as if they never had had any among them. + +I am satisfied that the people in this sound, who are, upon the whole, +pretty numerous, are under no regular form of government, or so united as +to form one body politic. The head of each tribe, or family, seems to be +respected; and that respect may, on some occasions, command obedience; but +I doubt if any amongst them have either a right or power to enforce it. The +day we were with Tringo-boohee, the people came from all parts to see us, +which he endeavoured to prevent. But though he went so far as to throw +stones at some, I observed that very few paid any regard either to his +words or actions; and yet this man was spoken of as a chief of some note. I +have, before, made some remarks on the evils attending these people for +want of union among themselves; and the more I was acquainted with them, +the more I found it to be so. Notwithstanding they are cannibals, they are +naturally of a good disposition, and have not a little humanity. + +In the afternoon a party of us went ashore into one of the coves, where +were two families of the natives variously employed; some sleeping, some +making mats, others roasting fish and fir roots, and one girl, I observed, +was heating of stones. Curious to know what they were for, I remained near +her. As soon as the stones were made hot, she took them out of the fire, +and gave them to an old woman, who was sitting in the hut. She placed them +in a heap, laid over them a handful of green celery, and over that a coarse +mat, and then squatted herself down, on her heels, on the top of all; thus +making a kind of Dutch warming-pan, on which she sat as close as a hare on +her seat. I should hardly have mentioned this operation, if I had thought +it had no other view than to warm the old woman's backside. I rather +suppose it was intended to cure some disorder she might have on her, which +the steams arising from the green celery might be a specific for. I was led +to think so by there being hardly any celery in the place, we having +gathered it long before; and grass, of which there was great plenty, would +have kept the stones from burning the mat full as well, if that had been +all that was meant. Besides, the woman looked to me sickly, and not in a +good state of health. + +Mr Wales, from time to time, communicated to me the observations he had +made in this Sound for determining the longitude, the mean results of which +give 174 deg. 25' 7" 1/2 east, for the bottom of Ship Cove, where the +observations were made; and the latitude of it is 41 deg. 5' 50" 1/2 south. In +my chart, constituted in my former voyage, this place is laid down in 184 deg. +54' 30" west, equal to 175 deg. 5' 30" east. The error of the chart is +therefore 0 deg. 40' 0", and nearly equal to what was found at Dusky Bay; by +which it appears that the whole of Tavai-poenamoo is laid down 40' too far +east in the said chart, as well as in the journal of the voyage. But the +error in Eaheino-mauwe, is not more than half a degree, or thirty minutes; +because the distance between. Queen Charlotte's Sound and Cape Palliser has +been found to be greater by 10' of longitude than it is laid down in the +chart. I mention these errors, not from a fear that they will affect either +navigation or geography, but because I have no doubt of their existence; +for, from the multitude of observations which Mr Wales took, the situation +of few parts of the world is better ascertained than Queen Charlotte's +Sound. Indeed, I might, with equal truth, say the same of all the other +places where we made any stay; for Mr Wales, whose abilities are equal to +his assiduity, lost no one observation that could possibly be obtained. +Even the situation of those islands, which we passed without touching at +them, is, by means of Kendal's watch, determined with almost equal +accuracy. The error of the watch from Otaheite to this place was only 43' +39" 1/2 in longitude, reckoning at the rate it was found to go at, at that +island and at Tanna; but by reckoning at the rate it was going when last at +Queen Charlotte's Sound, and from the time of our leaving it, to our return +to it again, which was near a year, the error was 19' 31", 25 in time, or +4 deg. 52' 48" 1/4 in longitude. This error cannot be thought great, if we +consider the length of time, and that we had gone over a space equal to +upwards of three-fourths of the equatorial circumference of the earth, and +through all the climates and latitudes from 9 deg. to 71 deg.. Mr Wales found its +rate of going here to be that of gaining 12",576, on mean time, per day. + +The mean result of all the observations he made for ascertaining the +variation of the compass and the dip of the south end of the needle, the +three several times we had been here, gave 14 deg. 9' 1/5 east for the former; +and 64 deg. 36" 2/3 for the latter. He also found, from very accurate +observations, that the time of high-water preceded the moon's southing, on +the full and change days, by three hours; and that the greatest rise and +fall of the water was five feet ten inches, and a half; but there were +evident tokens on the beach, of its having risen two feet higher than ever +it did in the course of his experiments. + +A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD. + +BOOK IV. + +FROM LEAVING NEW ZEALAND TO OUR RETURN TO ENGLAND. + +CHAPTER I. + +_The Run from New Zealand to Terra del Fuego, with the Range from Cape +Deseada to Christmas Sound, and Description of that Part of the Coast._ + +1774 November + +At day-break on the 10th, with a fine breeze at W.N.W., we weighed and +stood out of the Sound; and, after getting round the Two Brothers, steered +for Cape Campbell, which is at the S.W. entrance of the Strait, all sails +set, with a fine breeze at north. At four in the afternoon, we passed the +Cape, at the distance of four or five leagues, and then steered S.S.E. 1/2 +E. with the wind at N.W., a gentle gale, and cloudy weather. + +Next morning the wind veered round by the west to south, and forced us more +to the east than I intended. At seven o'clock in the evening, the snowy +mountains bore W. by S., and Cape Palliser N. 1/2 W., distant sixteen or +seventeen leagues; from which cape I, for the third time, took my +departure. After a few hours calm, a breeze springing up at north, we +steered S. by E. all sails set, with a view of getting into the latitude of +54 deg. or 55 deg.; my intention being to cross this vast ocean nearly in these +parallels, and so as to pass over those parts which were left unexplored +the preceding summer. + +In the morning of the 12th, the wind increased to a fine gale: At noon we +observed in latitude 43 deg. 13' 30" S., longitude 176 deg. 41' E.; an +extraordinary fish of the whale kind was seen, which some called a sea +monster. I did not see it myself. In the afternoon, our old companions the +pintado peterels began to appear. + +On the 13th, in the morning, the wind veered to W.S.W. At seven, seeing the +appearance of land to S.W., we hauled up towards it, and soon found it to +be a fog-bank. Afterwards we steered S.E. by S., and soon after saw a seal. +At noon, latitude, by account, 44 deg. 25', longitude 177 deg. 31' E. Foggy +weather, which continued all the afternoon. At six in the evening, the wind +veered to N.E. by N., and increased to a fresh gale, attended with thick +hazy weather; course steered S.E. 1/4 S. + +On the 14th, a.m. saw another seal. At noon, latitude 45 deg. 54', longitude +179 deg. 29' E. + +On the 15th, a.m. the wind veered to the westward; the fog cleared away, +but the weather continued cloudy. At noon, latitude 47 deg. 30', longitude 178 deg. +19' W.; for, having passed the meridian of 180 deg. E., I now reckon my +longitude west of the first meridian, viz. Greenwich. In the evening heard +penguins, and the next morning saw some sea or rock weed. At noon a fresh +gale from the west and fine weather. Latitude observed 49 deg. 33', longitude +175 deg. 31' W. + +Next morning fresh gales and hazy weather; saw a seal and several pieces of +weed. At noon, latitude 51 deg. 12', longitude 173 deg. 17' W. The wind veered to +the N. and N.E. by N., blew a strong gale by squalls, which split an old +topgallant sail, and obliged us to double-reef the top-sails; but in the +evening the wind moderated, and veered to W.N.W., when we loosed a reef out +of each top-sail; and found the variation of the compass to be 9 deg. 52' E., +being then in the latitude 51 deg. 47', longitude 172 deg. 21' W., and the next +morning, the 18th, in the latitude of 52 deg. 25', longitude 170 deg. 45' W., it +was 10 deg. 26' E. Towards noon, had moderate but cloudy weather, and a great +swell from the west: Some penguins and pieces of sea-weed seen. + +On the 19th, steered E.S.E, with a very fresh gale at north, hazy dirty +weather. At noon, latitude 53 deg. 43', longitude 166 deg. 15' W. + +On the 20th, steered E. by S., with a moderate breeze at north, attended +with thick hazy weather. At noon, latitude 54 deg. 8', longitude 162 deg. 18' W. + +On the 21st, winds mostly from the N.E., a fresh gale attended with thick, +hazy, dirty weather. Course S.E. by S.; latitude, at noon, 55 deg. 31', +longitude 160 deg. 29'; abundance of blue peterels and some penguins seen. + +Fresh gales at N.W. by N. and N. by W., and hazy till towards noon of the +22d, when the weather cleared up, and we observed in latitude 55 deg. 48' S., +longitude 156 deg. 56' W. In the afternoon had a few hours calm; after that, +the wind came at S.S.E. and S.E. by S. a light breeze, with which we +steered east northerly. In the night the aurora australis was visible, but +very faint, and no ways remarkable. + +On the 23d, in the latitude of 55 deg. 46' S., longitude 156 deg. 13' W., the +variation was 9 deg. 42' E. We had a calm from ten in the morning till six in +the evening, when a breeze sprung up at west; at first it blew a gentle +gale, but afterwards freshened. Our course was now E. 1/2 N. + +On the 24th, a fresh breeze at N.W. by W. and N. by W. At noon, in latitude +55 deg. 38' S., longitude 153 deg. 37' W., foggy in the night, but next day had a +fine gale at N.W., attended with clear pleasant weather; course steered E. +by N. In the evening, being in the latitude of 55 deg. 8' S., longitude 148 deg. +10' W., the variation, by the mean of two compasses, was 6 deg. 35' E. + +Having a steady fresh gale at N.N.W. on the 26th and 27th, we steered east; +and at noon on the latter were in latitude 55 deg. 6' S., longitude 138 deg. 56' W. + +I now gave up all hopes of finding any more land in this ocean, and came to +a resolution to steer directly for the west entrance of the Straits of +Magalhaeus, with a view of coasting the out, or south side of Terra del +Fuego round Cape Horn to the strait Le Maire. As the world has but a very +imperfect knowledge of this shore, I thought the coasting of it would be of +more advantage, both to navigation and to geography, than any thing I could +expect to find in a higher latitude. In the afternoon of this day, the wind +blew in squalls, and carried away the main top-gallant mast. + +A very strong gale northerly, with hazy rainy weather, on the 28th, obliged +us to double-reef the fore and main top-sail to hand the mizen top-sail, +and get down the fore top-gallant yard. In the morning, the bolt rope of +the main top-sail broke, and occasioned the sail to be split. I have +observed that the ropes to all our sails, the square sails especially, are +not of a size and strength sufficient to wear out the canvass. At noon, +latitude 55 deg. 20' S., longitude 134 deg. 16' W., a great swell from N.W.: +Albatrosses and blue peterels seen. + +Next day towards noon, the wind abating, we loosed all the reefs out of the +top-sails, rigged another top-gallant mast, and got the yards across. P.M. +little wind, and hazy weather; at midnight calm, that continued till noon +the next day, when a breeze sprung up at east, with which we stretched to +the northward. At this time we were in the latitude 55 deg. 32' S., longitude +128 deg. 45' W.; some albatrosses and peterels seen. At eight, p.m., the wind +veering to N.E., we tacked and stood to E.S.E. + +1774 December + +On the 1st of December, thick hazy weather, with drizzling rain, and a +moderate breeze of wind, which, at three o'clock p.m. fell to a calm; at +this time in latitude 55 deg. 41' S., longitude 127 deg. 5' W. After four hours +calm, the fog cleared away, and we got a wind at S.E. with which we stood +N.E. + +Next day, a fresh breeze at S.E. and hazy foggy weather, except a few hours +in the morning, when we found the variation to be 1 deg. 28' E. Latitude 55 deg. +17', longitude 125 deg. 41' W. The variation after this was supposed to +increase; for on the 4th, in the morning, being in latitude 53 deg. 31', +longitude 121 deg. 31' W., it was 3 deg. 16' E.; in the evening, in latitude 53 deg. +13', longitude 119 deg. 46' W., it was 3 deg. 28' E.; and on the 5th, at six +o'clock in the evening, in latitude 53 deg. 8', longitude 115 deg. 58' W., it was +4 deg. 1' E. + +For more than twenty-four hours, having had a fine gale at south, this +enabled us to steer east, with very little deviation to the north; and the +wind now altering to S.W. and blowing a steady fresh breeze, we continued +to steer east, inclining a little to south. + +On the 6th, had some snow-showers. In the evening, being in latitude 53 deg. +13', longitude 111 deg. 12', the variation was 4 deg. 58' E.; and the next morning, +being in latitude 58 deg. 16', longitude 109 deg. 33', it was 5 deg. 1' E. + +The wind was now at west, a fine pleasant gale, sometimes with showers of +rain. Nothing remarkable happened, till the 9th, at noon, when being in the +latitude of 53 deg. 37', longitude 103 deg. 44' W., the wind veered to N.E., and +afterwards came insensibly round to the south, by the E. and S.E., attended +with cloudy hazy weather, and some showers of rain. + +On the 10th, a little before noon, latitude 54 deg., longitude 102 deg. 7' west, +passed a small bed of sea-weed. In the afternoon the wind veered to S.W., +blew a fresh gale, attended with dark cloudy weather. We steered east half +a point north; and the next day, at six in the evening, being in latitude +53 deg. 35', longitude 95 deg. 52' west, the variation was 9 deg. 58' east. Many and +various sorts of albatrosses about the ship. + +On the 12th, the wind veered to the west, N.W.; and in the evening to +north; and, at last, left us to a calm; that continued till midnight, when +we got a breeze at south; which, soon after, veering to, and fixing at, +west, we steered east; and on the 14th, in the morning, found the variation +to be 13 deg. 25' east, latitude 53 deg. 25', longitude 87 deg. 53' west; and in the +afternoon, being in the same latitude, and the longitude of 86 deg. 2' west, it +was 15 deg. 3' east, and increased in such a manner, that on the 15th, in the +latitude of 53 deg. 30', longitude 82 deg. 23' west, it was 17 deg. east; and the next +evening, in the latitude of 53 deg. 25', longitude 78 deg. 40', it was 17 deg. 38' +east. About this time, we saw a penguin and a piece of weed; and the next +morning, a seal and some diving peterels. For the three last days, the wind +had been at west, a steady fresh gale, attended, now and then, with showers +of rain or hail. + +At six in the morning of the 17th, being nearly in the same latitude as +above, and in the longitude of 77 deg. 10' west, the variation was 18 deg. 33' +east; and in the afternoon it was 21 deg. 38, being at that time in latitude +53 deg. 16' S., longitude 75 deg. 9' west. In the morning, as well as in the +afternoon, I took some observations to determine the longitude by the +watch; and the results, reduced to noon, gave 76 deg. 18' 30" west. At the same +time, the longitude, by my reckoning, was 76 deg. 17' west. But I have reason +to think, that we were about half a degree more to the west than either the +one or the other; our latitude, at the same time, was 53 deg. 21' S. + +We steered E. by N. and E. 1/2 N. all this day, under all the sail we could +carry, with a fine fresh gale at N.W. by W. in expectation of seeing the +land before night; but not making it till ten o'clock, we took in the +studding-sails, top-gallant sails, and a reef in each top-sail, and steered +E.N.E., in order to make sure of falling in with Cape Deseada. + +Two hours after, we made the land, extending from N.E. by N. to E. by S. +about six leagues distant. On this discovery, we wore and brought-to, with +the ship's head to the south; and having sounded, found seventy-five +fathoms water, the bottom stone and shells. The land now before us could be +no other than the west coast of Terra del Fuego, and near the west entrance +to the Straits of Magalhaens. + +As this was the first run that had been made directly across this ocean, in +a high southern latitude*, I have been a little particular in noting +every circumstance that appeared in the least material: and, after all, I +must observe, that I never made a passage any where of such length, or even +much shorter, where so few interesting circumstances occurred. For, if I +except the variation of the compass, I know of nothing else worth notice. +The weather had been neither unusually stormy nor cold. Before we arrived +in the latitude of 50 deg., the mercury in the thermometer fell gradually from +sixty to fifty; and after we arrived in the latitude of 55 deg., it was +generally between forty-seven and forty-five; once or twice it fell to +forty-three. These observations were made at noon. + +[It is not to be supposed that I could known at this time, that the +Adventure had made the passage before me.] + +I have now done with the southern Pacific Ocean; and flatter myself that no +one will think that I have left it unexplored; or that more could have been +done, in one voyage, towards obtaining that end, than has been done in +this. + +Soon after we left New Zealand, Mr Wales contrived, and fixed up, an +instrument, which very accurately measured the angle the ship rolled, when +sailing large and in a great sea; and that in which she lay down, when +sailing upon a wind. The greatest angle he observed her to roll was 38 deg.. +This was on the 6th of this month, when the sea was not unusually high; so +that it cannot be reckoned the greatest roll she had made. The most he +observed her to heel or lie down, when sailing upon a wind, was 18 deg.; and +this was under double-reefed top-sails and courses. + +On the 18th, at three in the morning, we sounded again, and found one +hundred and ten fathoms, the same bottom as before. We now made sail with a +fresh gale at N.W., and steered S.E. by E. along the coast. It extended +from Cape Deseada, which bore north 7 deg. east, to E S.E.; a pretty high +ragged isle, which lies near a league from the main, and S., 18 deg. E. six +leagues E. from Cape Deseada, bore N. 49 deg. E. distant four leagues; and it +obtained the name of Landfall. At four o'clock, we were north and south of +the high land of Cape Deseada, distant about nine leagues; so that we saw +none of the low rocks said to lie off it. The latitude of this Cape is +about 53 deg. S., longitude 74 deg. 40' west. + +Continuing to range the coast, at about two leagues distance, at eleven +o'clock we passed a projecting point, which I called Cape Gloucester. It +shews a round surface of considerable height, and has much the appearance +of being an island. It lies S.S.E. 1/2 E. distant seventeen leagues from +the isle of Landfall. The coast between them forms two bays, strewed with +rocky islets, rocks, and breakers. The coast appeared very broken with many +inlets; or rather it seemed to be composed of a number of islands. The land +is very mountainous, rocky, and barren, spotted here and there with tufts +of wood, and patches of snow. At noon Cape Gloucester bore north, distant +eight miles, and the most advanced point of land to the S.E., which we +judged to be Cape Noir, bore S.E. by S., distant seven or eight leagues. +Latitude observed 54 deg. 13' S. Longitude, made from Cape Deseada, 54' E. From +Cape Gloucester, off which lies a small rocky island, the direction of the +coast is nearly S.E.; but to Cape Noir, for which we steered, the course is +S.S.E., distant about ten leagues. + +At three o'clock we passed Cape Noir, which is a steep rock of considerable +height, and the S.W. point of a large island that seemed to lie detached, a +league, or a league and a half, from the main land. The land of the cape, +when at a distance from it, appeared to be an island disjoined from the +other; but, on a nearer approach, we found it connected by a low neck of +land. At the point of the cape are two rocks; the one peaked like a +sugar- loaf, the other not so high, and shewing a rounder surface; and S. +by E., two leagues from the cape, are two other rocky islets. This cape is +situated in the latitude of 54 deg. 30' S., longitude 73 deg. 33' W. + +After passing the two islets, we steered E.S.E., crossing the great bay of +St Barbara. We but just saw the land in the bottom of it, which could not +be less than seven or eight leagues from us. There was a space, lying in +the direction of E.N.E. from Cape Noir, where no land was to be seen: this +may be the channel of St Barbara, which opens into the straits of +Magalhaens, as mentioned by Frezier. We found the cape to agree very well +with his description, which shews that he laid down the channel from good +memoirs. At ten o'clock, drawing near the S.E. point of the bay, which, +lies nearly in the direction of S. 60 deg. E. from Cape Noir, eighteen leagues +distant, we shortened sail, and spent the night standing off and on. + +At two o'clock in the morning of the 19th, having made sail, we steered +S.E. by E. along the coast, and soon passed the S.E. point of the bay of St +Barbara, which I called Cape Desolation, because near it commenced the most +desolate and barren country I ever saw. It is situated in the latitude of +54 deg. 55' S., longitude 72 deg. 12' W. About four leagues to the east of this +cape is a deep inlet, at the entrance of which lies a pretty large island, +and some others of less note. Nearly in this situation some charts place a +channel leading into the straits of Magalhaens, under the name of straits +of Jelouzel. At ten o'clock, being about a league and a half from the land, +we sounded, and found sixty fathoms water, a bottom of small stones and +shells. + +The wind, which had been fresh at N. by W., began to abate, and at noon it +fell calm, when we observed in latitude 55 deg. 20' S., longitude made from +Cape Deseada 3 deg. 24' E. In this situation we were about three leagues from +the nearest shore, which was that of an island. This I named Gilbert Isle, +after my master. It is nearly of the same height with the rest of the +coast, and shews a surface composed of several peaked rocks unequally high. +A little to the S.E. of it are some smaller islands, and, without them, +breakers. + +I have before observed that this is the most desolate coast I ever saw. It +seems entirely composed of rocky mountains without the least appearance of +vegetation. These mountains terminate in horrible precipices, whose craggy +summits spire up to a vast height, so that hardly any thing in nature can +appear with a more barren and savage aspect than the whole of this country. +The inland mountains were covered with snow, but those on the sea-coast +were not. We judged the former to belong to the main of Terra del Fuego, +and the latter to be islands, so ranged as apparently to form a coast. + +After three hours calm we got a breeze at S.E. by E., and having made a +short trip to south, stood in for the land; the most advanced point of +which, that we had in sight, bore east, distant ten leagues. This is a +lofty promontory, lying E.S.E, nineteen leagues from Gilbert isle, and +situated in latitude 55 deg. 26' S, longitude 70 deg. 25' W. Viewed from the +situation we now were in, it terminated in two high towers; and, within +them, a hill shaped like a sugar-loaf. This wild rock, therefore, obtained +the name of York Minster. Two leagues to the westward of this head appeared +a large inlet, the west point of which we fetched in with by nine o'clock, +when we tacked in forty-one fathoms water, half a league from the shore; to +the westward of this inlet was another, with several islands lying in the +entrance. + +During the night between the 19th and 20th we had little wind easterly, +which in the morning veered to N.E. and N.N.E., but it was too faint to be +of use; and at ten we had a calm, when we observed the ship to drive from +off the shore out to sea. We had made the same observation the day before. +This must have been occasioned by a current; and the melting of the snow +increasing, the inland waters will cause a stream to run out of most of +these inlets. At noon we observed in latitude 55 deg. 39' 30" S., York Minster +then bearing N. 15 deg. E., distant five leagues; and Round-hill, just peeping +above the horizon, which we judged to belong to the isles of St Ildefonso, +E. 25 deg. S., ten or eleven leagues distant. At ten o'clock, a breeze +springing up at E. by S., I took this opportunity to stand in for the land, +being desirous of going into one of the many ports which seemed open to +receive us, in order to take a view of the country, and to recruit our +stock of wood and water. + +In standing in for an opening, which appeared on the east side of York +Minster, we had forty, thirty-seven, fifty, and sixty fathoms water, a +bottom of small stones and shells. When we had the last soundings, we were +nearly in the middle between the two points that form the entrance to the +inlet, which we observed to branch into two arms, both of them lying in +nearly north, and disjoined by an high rocky point. We stood for the +eastern branch as being clear of islets; and after passing a black rocky +one, lying without the point just mentioned, we sounded, and found no +bottom with a line of an hundred and seventy fathoms. This was altogether +unexpected, and a circumstance that would not have been regarded if the +breeze had continued; but at this time it fell calm, so that it was not +possible to extricate ourselves from this disagreeable situation. Two boats +were hoisted out, and sent a-head to tow; but they would have availed +little, had not a breeze sprung up about eight o'clock at S.W., which put +it in my power either to stand out to sea, or up the inlet. Prudence seemed +to point out the former, but the desire of finding a good port, and of +learning something of the country, getting the better of every other +consideration, I resolved to stand in; and, as night was approaching, our +safety depended on getting to an anchor. With this view we continued to +sound, but always had an unfathomable depth. + +Hauling up under the east side of the land which divided the two arms, and +seeing a small cove ahead, I sent a boat to sound; and we kept as near the +shore as the flurries from the land would permit, in order to be able to +get into this place, if there should be anchorage. The boat soon returned, +and informed us that there was thirty and twenty-five fathoms water, a full +cable's length from the shore; here we anchored in thirty fathoms, the +bottom sand and broken shells; and carried out a kedge and hawser to steady +the ship for the night. + +CHAPTER II. + +_Transactions in Christmas Sound, with an Account of the Country and its +Inhabitants._ + +1774 December + +The morning of the 21st was calm and pleasant. After breakfast I set out +with two boats to look for a more secure station. We no sooner got round, +or above the point, under which the ship lay, than we found a cove in which +was anchorage in thirty, twenty, and fifteen fathoms, the bottom stones and +sand. At the head of the cove was a stony beach, a valley covered with +wood, and a stream of fresh water, so that there was every thing we could +expect to find in such a place, or rather more; for we shot three geese out +of four that we saw, and caught some young ones, which we afterwards let +go. + +After discovering and sounding this cove, I sent Lieutenant Clerke, who +commanded the other boat, on board, with orders to remove the ship into +this place, while I proceeded farther up the inlet. I presently saw that +the land we were under, which disjoined the two arms, as mentioned before, +was an island, at the north end of which the two channels united. After +this I hastened on board, and found every thing in readiness to weigh, +which was accordingly done, and all the boats sent ahead to tow the ship +round the point. But at that moment a light breeze came in from the sea too +scant to fill our sails, so that we were obliged to drop the anchor again, +for fear of falling upon the point, and to carry out a kedge to windward. +That being done, we hove up the anchor, warped up to, and weighed the +kedge, and proceeding round the point under our stay-sails; there anchored +with the best bower in twenty fathoms; and moored with the other bower, +which lay to the north, in thirteen fathoms. In this position we were shut +in from the sea by the point above-mentioned, which was in one with the +extremity of the inlet to the east. Some islets, off the next point above +us, covered us from the N.W., from which quarter the wind had the greatest +fetch, and our distance from the shore was about one-third of a mile. + +Thus situated we went to work, to clear a place to fill water, to cut wood, +and to set up a tent for the reception of a guard, which was thought +necessary, as we had already discovered that, barren as this country is, it +was not without people, though we had not yet seen any. Mr Wales also got +his observatory and instruments on shore; but it was with the greatest +difficulty he could find a place of sufficient stability, and clear of the +mountains, which every where surrounded us, to set them up in; and at last +he was obliged to content himself with the top of a rock not more than nine +feet over. + +Next day I sent Lieutenants Clerke and Pickersgill, accompanied by some of +the other officers, to examine and draw a sketch of the channel on the +other side of the island; and I went myself in another boat, accompanied by +the botanists, to survey the northern parts of the sound. In my way I +landed on the point of a low isle covered with herbage, part of which had +been lately burnt: We likewise saw a hut, signs sufficient that people were +in the neighbourhood. After I had taken the necessary bearings, we +proceeded round the east end of Burnt Island, and over to what we judged to +be the main of Terra del Fuego, where we found a very fine harbour +encompassed by steep rocks of vast height, down which ran many limpid +streams of water; and at the foot of the rocks some tufts of trees, fit for +little else but fuel. + +This harbour, which I shall distinguish by the name of the Devil's Bason, +is divided, as it were, into two, an inner and an outer one; and the +communication between them is by a narrow channel five fathoms deep. In the +outer bason I found thirteen and seventeen fathoms water, and in the inner +seventeen and twenty-three. This last is as secure a place as can be, but +nothing can be more gloomy. The vast height of the savage rocks which +encompass it, deprived great part of it, even on this day, of the meridian +sun. The outer harbour is not quite free from this inconvenience, but far +more so than the other; it is also rather more commodious, and equally +safe. It lies in the direction of north, a mile and a half distant from +the east end of Burnt Island. I likewise found a good anchoring-place a +little to the west of this harbour, before a stream of water, that comes +out of a lake or large reservoir, which is continually supplied by a +cascade falling into it. + +Leaving this place, we proceeded along the shore to the westward, and found +other harbours which I had not time to look into. In all of them is fresh +water, and wood for fuel; but, except these little tufts of bushes, the +whole country is a barren rock, doomed by nature to everlasting sterility. +The low islands, and even some of the higher, which lie scattered up and +down the sound, are indeed mostly covered with shrubs and herbage, the soil +a black rotten turf, evidently composed, by length of time, of decayed +vegetables. + +I had an opportunity to verify what we had observed at sea, that the sea-coast +is composed of a number of large and small islands, and that the +numerous inlets are formed by the junction of several channels; at least so +it is here. On one of these low islands we found several huts, which had +lately been inhabited; and near them was a good deal of celery, with which +we loaded our boat, and returned on board at seven o'clock in the evening. +In this expedition we met with little game; one duck, three or four shags, +and about that number of rails or sea-pies, being all we got. The other +boat returned on board some hours before, having found two harbours on the +west side of the other channel; the one large, and the other small, but +both of them safe and commodious; though, by the sketch Mr Pickersgill had +taken of them, the access to both appeared rather intricate. + +I was now told of a melancholy accident which had befallen one of our +marines. He had not been seen since eleven or twelve o'clock the preceding +night. It was supposed that he had fallen overboard, out of the head, where +he had been last seen, and was drowned. + +Having fine pleasant weather on the 23d, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill in +the cutter to explore the east side of the sound, and went myself in the +pinnace to the west side, with an intent to go round the island, under +which we were at anchor (and which I shall distinguish by the name of Shag +Island), in order to view the passage leading to the harbours Mr +Pickersgill had discovered the day before, on which I made the following +observations. In coming from sea, leave all the rocks and islands, lying +off and within York Minster, on your larboard side; and the black rock, +which lies off the south end of Shag Island, on your starboard; and when +abreast of the south end of that island, haul over for the west shore, +taking care to avoid the beds of weeds you will see before you, as they +always grow on rocks; some of which I have found twelve fathoms under +water; but it is always best to keep clear of them. The entrance to the +large harbour, or Port Clerke, is just to the north of some low rocks lying +off a point on Shag Island. This harbour lies in W. by S., a mile and a +half, and hath in it from twelve to twenty-four fathoms depth, wood and +fresh water. About a mile without, or to the southward of Port Clerke, is, +or seemed to be, another which I did not examine. It is formed by a large +island which covers it from the south and east winds. Without this island, +that is, between it and York Minster, the sea seemed strewed with islets, +rocks, and breakers. In proceeding round the south end of Shag Island, we +observed the shags to breed in vast numbers in the cliffs of the rock. Some +of the old ones we shot, but could not come at the young ones, which are by +far the best eating. On the east side of the island we saw some geese; and +having with difficulty landed, we killed three, which, at this time, was a +valuable acquisition. + +About seven, in the evening, we got on board, where Mr Pickersgill had +arrived but just before. He informed me that the land opposite to our +station was an island, which he had been round; that on another, more to +the north, be found many _terns_ eggs; and that without the great +island, between it and the east-head, lay a cove in which were many geese; +one only of which he got, beside some young goslings. + +This information of Mr Pickersgill's induced me to make up two shooting +parties next day; Mr Pickersgill and his associates going in the cutter, +and myself and the botanists in the pinnace. Mr Pickersgill went by the +N.E. side of the large island above-mentioned, which obtained the name of +Goose Island; and I went by the S.W. side. As soon as we got under the +island we found plenty of shags in the cliffs, but, without staying to +spend our time and shot upon these, we proceeded on, and presently found +sport enough, for in the south side of the island were abundance of geese. +It happened to be the moulting season; and most of them were on shore for +that purpose, and could not fly. There being a great surf, we found great +difficulty in landing, and very bad climbing over the rocks when we were +landed; so that hundreds of the geese escaped us, some into the sea, and +others up into the island. We, however, by one means or other, got sixty-two, +with which we returned on board all heartily tired; but the +acquisition we had made overbalanced every other consideration, and we sat +down with a good appetite to supper on part of what the preceding day had +produced. Mr Pickersgill and his associates had got on board some time +before us with fourteen geese; so that I was able to make distribution to +the whole crew, which was the more acceptable on account of the approaching +festival. For had not Providence thus singularly provided for us, our +Christmas cheer must have been salt beef and pork. + +I now learnt that a number of the natives, in nine canoes, had been +alongside the ship, and some on board. Little address was required to +persuade them to either; for they seemed to be well enough acquainted with +Europeans, and had, amongst them, some of their knives. + +The next morning, the 25th, they made us another visit. I found them to be +of the same nation I had formerly seen in Success Bay, and the same which +M. de Bougainville distinguishes by the name of Pecheras; a word which +these had, on every occasion, in their mouths. They are a little, ugly, +half-starved, beardless race. I saw not a tall person amongst them. They +are almost naked; their clothing was a seal-skin; some had two or three +sewed together, so as to make a cloak which reached to the knees; but the +most of them had only one skin, hardly large enough to cover their +shoulders, and all their lower parts were quite naked. The women, I was +told, cover their nakedness with the flap of a seal-skin, but in other +respects are clothed like the men. They, as well as the children, remained +in the canoes. I saw two young children at the breast entirely naked; thus +they are inured from their infancy to cold and hardships. They had with +them bows and arrows, and darts, or rather harpoons, made of bone, and +fitted to a staff. I suppose they were intended to kill seals and fish; +they may also kill whales with them, as the Esquimaux do. I know not if +they resemble them in their love of train-oil; but they and every thing +they had smelt most intolerably of it. I ordered them some biscuit, but did +not observe them so fond of it as I had been told. They were much better +pleased when I gave them some medals, knives, etc. + +The women and children, as before observed, remained in their canoes. These +were made of bark; and in each was a fire, over which the poor creatures +huddled themselves. I cannot suppose that they carry a fire in their canoes +for this purpose only, but rather that it may be always ready to remove +ashore wherever they land; for let their method of obtaining fire be what +it may, they cannot be always sure of finding dry fuel that will kindle +from a spark. They likewise carry in their canoes large seal hides, which I +judged were to shelter them when at sea, and to serve as covering to their +huts on shore, and occasionally to be used for sails. + +They all retired before dinner, and did not wait to partake of our +Christmas cheer. Indeed I believe no one invited them, and for good +reasons; for their dirty persons, and the stench they carried about them, +were enough to spoil the appetite of any European; and that would have been +a real disappointment, as we had not experienced such fare for some time. +Roast and boiled geese, goose-pye, etc. was a treat little known to us; and +we had yet some Madeira wine left, which was the only article of our +provision that was mended by keeping. So that our friends in England did +not, perhaps, celebrate Christmas more cheerfully than we did. + +On the 26th, little wind next to a calm, and fair weather, except in the +morning, when we had some showers of rain. In the evening, when it was +cold, the natives made us another visit; and it being distressing to see +them stand trembling and naked on the deck, I could not do less than give +them some baize and old canvas to cover themselves. + +Having already completed our water, on the 27th I ordered the wood, tent, +and observatory to be got on board; and, as this was work for the day, a +party of us went in two boats to shoot geese, the weather being fine and +pleasant. We proceeded round by the south side of Goose Island, and picked +up in all thirty-one. On the east side of the island, to the north of the +east point, is good anchorage, in seventeen fathoms water, where it is +entirely land-locked. This is a good place for ships to lie in that are +bound to the west. On the north side of this isle I observed three fine +coves, in which were both wood and water; but it being near night, I had no +time to sound them, though I doubt not there is anchorage. The way to come +at them is by the west end of the island. + +When I returned on board I found every thing got off the shore, and the +launch in; so that we now only waited for a wind to put to sea. The +festival, which we celebrated at this place, occasioned my giving it the +name of Christmas Sound. The entrance, which is three leagues wide, is +situated in the latitude of 55 deg. 27' S., longitude 70 deg. 16' W.; and in the +direction of N. 37 deg. W. from St Ildefonso Isles, distant ten leagues. These +isles are the best landmark for finding the sound. York Minster, which is +the only remarkable land about it, will hardly be known by a stranger, from +any description that can be given of it, because it alters its appearance +according to the different situations it is viewed from. Besides the black +rock, which lies off the end of Shag Island, there is another about midway +between this and the east shore. A copious description of this sound is +unnecessary, as few would be benefited by it. Anchorage, tufts of wood, and +fresh-water, will be found in all the coves and harbours. I would advise no +one to anchor very near the shore for the sake of having a moderate depth +of water, because there I generally found a rocky bottom. + +The refreshments to be got here are precarious, as they consist chiefly of +wild fowl, and may probably never be found in such plenty as to supply the +crew of a ship; and fish, so far as we can judge, are scarce. Indeed the +plenty of wild-fowl made us pay less attention to fishing. Here are, +however, plenty of muscles, not very large, but well tasted; and very good +celery is to be met with on several of the low islets, and where the +natives have their habitations. The wild-fowl are geese, ducks, sea-pies, +shags, and that kind of gull so often mentioned in this journal under the +name of Port Egmont hen. Here is a kind of duck, called by our people +race-horses, on account of the great swiftness with which they run on the +water; for they cannot fly, the wings being too short to support the body in +the air. This bird is at the Falkland Islands, as appears by Pernety's +Journal*. The geese too are there, and seem to be very well described under +the name of bustards. They are much smaller than our English tame geese, +but eat as well as any I ever tasted. They have short black bills and yellow +feet. The gander is all white; the female is spotted black and white, or grey, +with a large white spot on each wing. Besides the bird above-mentioned, here +are several other aquatic, and some land ones; but of the latter not many. + +[* See Pernety's Journal, p.244 and p.213.] + +From the knowledge which the inhabitants seem to have of Europeans, we may +suppose that they do not live here continually, but retire to the north +during the winter. I have often wondered that these people do not clothe +themselves better, since Nature has certainly provided materials. They +might line their seal-skin cloaks with the skins and feathers of aquatic +birds; they might make their cloaks larger, and employ the same skins for +other parts of clothing, for I cannot suppose they are scarce with them. +They were ready enough to part with those they had to our people, which +they hardly would have done, had they not known where to have got more. In +short, of all the nations I have seen, the Pecheras are the most wretched. +They are doomed to live in one of the most inhospitable climates in the +world, without having sagacity enough to provide themselves with such +conveniences as may render life in some measure more comfortable. + +Barren as this country is, it abounds with a variety of unknown plants, and +gave sufficient employment to Mr Forster and his party. The tree, which +produceth the winter's bark; is found here in the woods, as is the +holy-leaved barberry; and some other sorts, which I know not, but I believe +are common in the straits of Magalhaens. We found plenty of a berry, which we +called the cranberry, because they are nearly of the same colour, size, and +shape. It grows on a bushy plant, has a bitterish taste, rather insipid; +but may he eaten either raw or in tarts, and is used as food by the +natives. + +CHAPTER III. + +_Range from Christmas Sound, round Cape Horn, through Strait Le Maire, +and round Staten Land; with an Account of the Discovery of a Harbour in +that Island, and a Description of the Coasts._ + +1774 December + +At four o'clock in the morning on the 28th, we began to unmoor, and at +eight weighed, and stood out to sea, with a light breeze at N.W., which +afterwards freshened, and was attended with rain. At noon, the east +point of the sound (Point Nativity) bore N. 1/2 W., distant one and a +half leagues, and St Ildefonzo Isles S.E. 1/2 S., distant seven leagues. +The coast seemed to trend in the direction of E. by S.; but the weather +being very hazy, nothing appeared distinct. + +We continued to steer S.E. by E. and E.S.E.; with a fresh breeze at +W.N.W., till four o'clock p.m., when we hauled to the south, in order to +have a nearer view of St Ildefonzo Isles. At this time we were abreast +of an inlet, which lies E.S.E, about seven leagues from the sound; but +it must be observed that there are some isles without this distinction. +At the west point of the inlet are two high peaked hills, and below +them, to the east, two round hills, or isles, which lie in the direction +of N.E. and S.W. of each other. An island, or what appeared to be an +island, lay in the entrance; and another but smaller inlet appeared to +the west of this: Indeed the coast appeared indented and broken as +usual. + +At half past five o'clock, the weather clearing up, gave us a good sight +of Ildefonzo Isles. They are a group of islands and rocks above water, +situated about six leagues from the main, and in the latitude of 55 deg. 53' +S., longitude 69 deg. 41' W. + +We now resumed our course to the east, and, at sun-set, the most +advanced land bore S.E. by E. 3/4 E.; and a point, which I judged to be +the west point of Nassau Bay, discovered by the Dutch fleet under the +command of Admiral Hermite in 1624, bore N. 80 deg. E., six leagues distant. +In some charts this point is called False Cape Horn, as being the +southern point of Terra del Fuego. It is situated in latitude 55 deg. 39' S. +From the inlet above-mentioned to this false cape, the direction of the +coast is nearly east, half a point south, distant fourteen or fifteen +leagues. + +At ten o'clock, having shortened sail, we spent the night in making +short boards under the top-sails, and at three next morning made sail, +and steered S.E. by S., with a fresh breeze at W.S.W., the weather +somewhat hazy. At this time the west entrance to Nassau Bay extended +from N. by E. to N.E. 1/2 E., and the south side of Hermite's Isles, E. +by S. At four, Cape Horn, for which we now steered, bore E. by S. It is +known, at a distance, by a high round hill over it. A point to the +W.N.W. shews a surface not unlike this; but their situations alone will +always distinguish the one from the other. + +At half past seven, we passed this famous _cape_, and entered the +southern Atlantic ocean. It is the very same point of land I took for +the cape, when I passed it in 1769, which at that time I was doubtful +of. It is the most southern extremity on a group of islands of unequal +extent, lying before Nassau Bay, known by the name of Hermite Islands, +and is situated in the latitude of 55 deg. 58', and in the longitude of 68 deg. +13' W.; according to the observations made of it in 1769. But the +observations which we had in Christmas Sound, and reduced to the cape by +the watch, and others which we had afterwards, and reduced back to it by +the same means, place it in 67 deg. 19'. It is most probable that a mean +between the two, viz. 67 deg. 46', will be nearest the truth. On the N.W. +side of the cape are two peaked rocks, like sugar-loaves: They lie N.W. +by N., and S.E. by S., by compass, of each other. Some other straggling +low rocks lie west of the cape, and one south of it; but they are all +near the shore. From Christmas Sound to Cape Horn the course is E.S.E +1/4 E., distant thirty-one leagues. In the direction of E.N.E., three +leagues from Cape Horn, is a rocky point, which I called Mistaken Cape, +and is the southern point of the easternmost of Hermite Isles. Between +these two capes there seemed to be a passage directly into Nassau Bay; +some small isles were seen in the passage; and the coast, on the west +side, had the appearance of forming good bays or harbours. In some +charts, Cape Horn is laid down as belonging to a small island. This was +neither confirmed, nor can it be contradicted by us; for several +breakers appeared on the coast, both to the east and west of it; and the +hazy weather rendered every object indistinct. The summits of some of +the hills were rocky, but the sides and vallies seemed covered with a +green turf, and wooded in tufts. + +From Cape Horn we steered E. by N. 1/2 N., which direction carried us +without the rocks that lie off Mistaken Cape. These rocks are white with +the dung of fowls, and vast numbers were seen about them. After passing +them we steered N.E. 1/2 E. and N.E., for Strait Le Maire, with a view +of looking into Success Bay, to see if there were any traces of the +Adventure having been there. At eight o'clock in the evening, drawing +near the strait, we shortened sail, and hauled the wind. At this time +the Sugar-loaf on Terra del Fuego bore N. 33 deg. W.; the point of Success +Bay, just open of the cape of the same name, bearing N. 20 deg. E.; and +Staten Land, extending from N. 53 deg. E. to 67 deg. E. Soon after the wind +died away, and we had light airs and calms by turns till near noon the +next day, during which time we were driven by the current over to Staten +Land. + +The calm being succeeded by a light breeze at N.N.W., we stood over for +Success Bay, assisted by the currents, which set to the north. Before +this we had hoisted our colours, and fired two guns; and soon after saw +a smoke rise out of the woods, above the south point of the bay, which I +judged was made by the natives, as it was at the place where they +resided when I was here in 1769. As soon as we got off the bay, I sent +Lieutenant Pickersgill to see if any traces remained of the Adventure +having been there lately; and in the mean time we stood on and off with +the ship. At two o'clock, the current turned and set to the south; and +Mr Pickersgill informed me, when he returned, that it was falling water +on shore, which was contrary to what I had observed when I was here +before, for I thought then that the flood came from the north. Mr +Pickersgill saw not the least signs of any ship having been there +lately. I had inscribed our ship's name on a card, which he nailed to a +tree at the place where the Endeavour watered. This was done with a view +of giving Captain Furneaux some information, in case he should be behind +us and put in here. + +On Mr Pickersgill's landing he was courteously received by several of +the natives, who were clothed in guanicoe and seal skins, and had on +their arms bracelets, made of silver wire, and wrought not unlike the +hilt of a sword, being no doubt the manufacture of some Europeans. They +were the same kind of people we had seen in Christmas Sound, and, like +them, repeated the word pechera on every occasion. One man spoke much to +Mr Pickersgill, pointing first to the ship and then to the bay, as if he +wanted her to come in. Mr Pickersgill said the bay was full of whales +and seals; and we had observed the same in the strait, especially on the +Terra del Fuego side, where the whales, in particular, are exceedingly +numerous. + +As soon as the boat was hoisted in, which, was not till near six +o'clock, we made sail to the east, with a fine breeze at north. For +since we had explored the south coast of Terra del Fuego, I resolved to +do the same by Staten Land, which I believed to have been as little +known as the former. At nine o'clock the wind freshening, and veering to +N.W., we tacked, and stood to S.W., in order to spend the night; which +proved none of the best, being stormy and hazy, with rain. + +Next morning, at three o'clock, we bore up for the east end of Staten +Land, which, at half past four, bore S. 60 deg. E., the west end S. 2 deg. E., +and the land of Terra del Fuego S. 40 deg. W. Soon after I had taken these +bearings, the land was again obscured in a thick haze, and we were +obliged to make way, as it were, in the dark; for it was but now and +then we got a sight of the coast. As we advanced to the east, we +perceived several islands, of unequal extent, lying off the land. There +seemed to be a clear passage between the easternmost, and the one next +to it, to the west. I would gladly have gone through this passage, and +anchored under one of the islands, to have waited for better weather, +for on sounding we found only twenty-nine fathoms water; but when I +considered that this was running to leeward in the dark, I chose to keep +without the islands, and accordingly hauled off to the north. At eight +o'clock we were abreast of the most eastern isle, distant from it about +two miles, and had the same depth of water as before. I now shortened +sail to the three top-sails, to wait for clear weather; for the fog was +so thick that we could see no other land than this island. After waiting +an hour, and the weather not clearing, we bore up and hauled round the +east end of the island, for the sake of smooth water and anchorage, if +it should be necessary. In hauling round, we found a strong race of a +current, like unto broken water; but we had no less than nineteen +fathoms. We also saw on the island abundance of seals and birds. This +was a temptation too great for people in our situation to withstand, to +whom fresh provisions of any kind were acceptable; and determined me to +anchor, in order that we might taste of what we now only saw at a +distance. At length, after making a few boards, fishing, as it were, for +the best ground, we anchored in twenty-one fathoms water, a stony +bottom, about a mile from the island, which extended from N. 18 deg. E. to +N. 55 deg. 1/2 W.; and soon after, the weather clearing up, we saw Cape St +John, or the east end of Staten Land, bearing S. 76 deg. E., distant four +leagues. We were sheltered from the south wind by Staten Land, and from +the north wind by the island; the other isles lay to the west, and +secured us from that wind; but beside being open to the N.E. and E., we +also lay exposed to the N.N.W. winds. This might have been avoided by +anchoring more to the west, but I made choice of my situation for two +reasons; first, to be near the island we intended to land upon, and, +secondly, to be able to get to sea with any wind. + +After dinner we hoisted out three boats, and landed with a large party +of men; some to kill seals, others to catch or kill birds, fish, or what +came in our way. To find the former it mattered not where we landed, for +the whole shore was covered with them; and by the noise they made one +would have thought the island was stocked with cows and calves. On +landing we found they were a different animal from seals, but in shape +and motion exactly resembling them. We called them lions, on account of +the great resemblance the male has to that beast. Here were also the +same kind of seals which we found in New Zealand, generally known by the +name of sea-bears; at least we gave them that name. + +They were, in general, so tame, or rather stupid, as to suffer us to +come near enough to knock them down with sticks; but the large ones we +shot, not thinking it safe to approach them. We also found on the island +abundance of penguins and shags; and the latter had young ones almost +fledged, and just to our taste. Here were geese and ducks, but not many; +birds of prey, and a few small birds. In the evening we returned on +board, our boats well laden with one thing or other. + +1775 January + +Next day, being January the 1st, 1775, finding that nothing was wanting +but a good harbour to make this a tolerable place for ships to refresh +at, whom chance or design, might bring hither, I sent Mr Gilbert over to +Staten Land in the cutter to look for one. Appearances promised success +in a place opposite the ship. I also sent two other boats for the lions, +etc. we had killed the preceding day; and soon after I went myself, and +observed the sun's meridian altitude at the N.E. end of the island, +which gave the latitude 54 deg. 40' 5" S. After shooting a few geese, some +other birds, and plentifully supplying ourselves with young shags, we +returned on board, laden with sea-lions, sea-bears, etc. The old lions +and bears were killed chiefly for the sake of their blubber, or fat, to +make oil of; for, except their haslets, which were tolerable, the flesh +was too rank to be eaten with any degree of relish. But the young cubs +were very palateable, and even the flesh of some of the old lionesses +was not much amiss, but that of the old males was abominable. In the +afternoon I sent some people on shore to skin and cut off the fat of +those which yet remained dead on shore, for we had already more carcases +on board than necessary; and I went myself, in another boat, to collect +birds. About ten o'clock Mr Gilbert returned from Staten Land, where he +found a good port, situated three leagues to the westward of Cape St +John, and in the direction of north, a little easterly, from the N.E. +end of the eastern island. It may be known by some small islands lying +in the entrance. The channel, which is on the east side of these +islands, is half a mile broad. The course is in S.W. by S., turning +gradually to W. by S. and W. The harbour lies nearly in this last +direction; is almost two miles in length; in some places near a mile +broad; and hath in it from fifty to ten fathoms water, a bottom of mud +and sand. Its shores are covered with wood fit for fuel; and in it are +several streams of fresh water. On the islands were sea-lions, etc. and +such an innumerable quantity of gulls as to darken the air when +disturbed, and almost to suffocate our people with their dung. This they +seemed to void in a way of defence, and it stunk worse than assafoetida, +or what is commonly called devil's dung. Our people saw several geese, +ducks, and race-horses, which is also a kind of duck. The day on which +this port was discovered occasioned my calling it New-Year's Harbour. It +would be more convenient for ships bound to the west, or round Cape +Horn, if its situation would permit them to put to sea with an easterly +and northerly wind. This inconvenience, however, is of little +consequence, since these winds are never known to be of long duration. +The southerly and westerly are the prevailing winds, so that a ship +never can be detained long in this port. + +As we could not sail in the morning of the 2d for want of wind, I sent a +party of men on shore to the island, on the same duty as before. Towards +noon we got a fresh breeze at west; but it came too late, and I resolved +to wait till the next morning, when, at four o'clock, we weighed, with a +fresh gale at N.W. by W., and stood for Cape St John, which, at half +past six, bore N. by E., distant four or five miles. This cape, being +the eastern point of Staten Land, a description of it is unnecessary. It +may, however, not be amiss to say, that it is a rock of a considerable +height, situated in the latitude of 54 deg. 46' S., longitude 63 deg. 47' W., +with a rocky islet lying close under the north part of it. To the +westward of the cape, about five or six miles, is an inlet, which seemed +to divide the land, that is, to communicate with the sea to the south; +and between this inlet and the cape is a bay, but I cannot say of what +depth. In sailing round the cape we met with a very strong current from +the south: It made a race which looked like breakers; and it was as much +as we could do, with a strong gale, to make head against it. + +After getting round the cape, I hauled up along the south coast, and as +soon as we had brought the wind to blow off the land, it came upon us in +such heavy squalls as obliged us to double-reef our top-sails. It +afterwards fell, by little and little, and at noon ended in a calm. At +this time Cape St John bore N. 20 deg. E., distant three and a half leagues; +Cape St Bartholomew, or the S.W. point of Staten Land, S. 83 deg. W.; two +high detached rocks N. 80 deg. W.; and the place where the land seemed to be +divided, which had the same appearance on this side, bore N. 15 deg. W. +three leagues distant. Latitude observed 54 deg. 56'. In this situation we +sounded, but had no bottom with a line of 120 fathoms. The calm was of +very short duration, a breeze presently springing up at N.W.; but it was +too faint to make head against the current, and we drove with it back to +the N.N.E. At four o'clock the wind veered, at once, to S. by E., and +blew in squalls attended with rain. Two hours after, the squalls and +rain subsided, and the wind returning back to the west, blew a gentle +gale. All this time the current set us to the north, so that, at eight +o'clock, Cape St John bore W.N.W., distant about seven leagues. I now +gave over plying, and steered S.E., with a resolution to leave the land; +judging it to be sufficiently explored to answer the most general +purposes of navigation and geography. + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Observations, geographical and nautical, with an Account of the Islands +near Staten Land, and the Animals found in them_. + +1775 January + +The annexed chart will very accurately shew the direction, extent, and +position of the coast, along which I have sailed, either in this or my +former voyage. The latitudes have been determined by the sun's meridian +altitude, which we were so fortunate as to obtain every day, except the +one we sailed from Christmas Sound, which was of no consequence, as its +latitude was known before. The longitudes have been settled by lunar +observations, as is already mentioned. I have taken 67 deg. 46' for the +longitude of Cape Horn. From this meridian the longitudes of all the +other parts are deduced by the watch, by which the extent of the whole +mast be determined to a few miles; and whatever errors there may be in +longitude, must be general. But I think it highly probable that the +longitude is determined to within a quarter of a degree. Thus the extent +of Terra del Fuego from east to west, and consequently that of the +straits of Magalhaens, will be found less than most navigators have made +it. + +In order to illustrate this and to shew the situations of the +neighbouring lands, and, by this means, make the chart of more general +use, I have extended it down to 47 deg. of latitude. But I am only +answerable for the accuracy of such parts as I have explored myself. In +laying down the rest I had recourse to the following authorities. + +The longitude of Cape Virgin Mary, which is the most essential point, as +it determines the length of the straits of Magalhaens, is deduced from +Lord Anson, who made 2 deg. 30' difference of longitude between it and the +Strait Le Maire. Now as the latter lies in 65 deg. 22', Cape Virgin-Mary +must lie in: 67 deg. 52', which is the longitude I have assigned to it, and +which, I have reason to think, cannot be far from the truth. + +The strait of Magalhaens, and the east coast of Patagonia, are laid down +from the observations made by the late English and French navigators. + +The position of the west coast of America, from Cape Victory northward, +I have taken from the discoveries of _Sarmiento_, a Spanish navigator, +communicated to me by Mr Stuart, F.R.S. + +Falkland Islands are copied from a sketch taken from Captain M'Bride, +who circumnavigated them some years ago in his majesty's ship Jason; and +their distance from the main is agreeable to the run of the Dolphin, +under the command of Commodore Byron, from Cape Virgin Mary to Port +Egmont, and from Port Egmont to Port Desire, both of which runs were +made in a few days; consequently no material errors could happen. + +The S.W. coast of Terra del Fuego, with respect to inlets, islands, etc. +may be compared to the coast of Norway; for I doubt if there be an +extent of three leagues where there is not an inlet or harbour which +will receive and shelter the largest shipping. The worst is, that till +these inlets are better known, one has, as it were, to fish for +anchorage. There are several lurking rocks on the coast, but happily +none of them lie far from land, the approach to which may be known by +sounding, supposing the weather so obscure that you cannot see it. For +to judge of the whole by the parts we have sounded, it is more than +probable that there are soundings all along the coast, and for several +leagues out to sea. Upon the whole, this is by no means the dangerous +coast it has been represented. + +Staten Land lies near E. by N. and W. by S., and is ten leagues long in +that direction, and no where above three or four leagues broad. The +coast is rocky, much indented, and seemed to form several bays or +inlets. It shews a surface of craggy hills which spire up to a vast +height, especially near the west end. Except the craggy summits of the +hills, the greatest part was covered with trees and shrubs, or some sort +of herbage, and there was little or no snow on it. The currents between +Cape Deseada and Cape Horn set from west to east, that is, in the same +direction as the coast; but they are by no means considerable. To the +east of the cape their strength is much increased, and their direction +is N.E. towards Staten Land. They are rapid in Strait Le Maire and along +the south coast of Staten Land, and set like a torrent round Cape St +John; where they take a N.W. direction, and continue to run very strong +both within and without New Year's Isles. While we lay at anchor within +this island, I observed that the current was strongest during the flood; +and that on the ebb its strength was so much impaired, that the ship +would sometimes ride head to the wind when it was at W. and W.N.W. This +is only to be understood of the place where the ship lay at anchor, for +at the very time we had a strong current setting to the westward, Mr +Gilbert found one of equal strength near the coast of Staten Land +setting to the eastward, though probably this was an eddy current or +tide. + +If the tides are regulated by the moon, it is high-water by the shore at +this place on the days of the new and full moon, about four o'clock. The +perpendicular rise and fall is very inconsiderable, not exceeding four +feet at most. In Christmas Sound it is high-water at half past two +o'clock on the days of the full and change, and Mr Wales observed it to +rise and fall on a perpendicular three feet six inches; but this was +during the neap tides, consequently the spring tides must rise higher. +To give such an account of the tides and currents on these coasts as +navigators might depend on, would require a multitude of observations, +and in different places, the making of which would be a work of time. I +confess myself unprovided with materials for such a task; and believe +that the less I say on this subject the fewer mistakes I shall make. But +I think I have been able to observe, that in Strait Le Maire the +southerly tide or current, be it flood or ebb, begins to act on the days +of new and full moon about four o'clock, which remark may be of use to +ships who pass the strait. + +Were I bound round Cape Horn to the west, and not in want of wood or +water, or any other thing that might make it necessary to put into port, +I would not come near the land at all. For by keeping out at sea you +avoid the currents, which, I am satisfied, lose their force at ten or +twelve leagues from land; and at a greater distance, there is none. + +During the time we were upon the coast we had more calms than storms, +and the winds so variable, that I question if a passage might not have +been made from east to west in as short a time as from west to east; nor +did we experience any cold weather. The mercury in the thermometer at +noon was never below 46 deg.; and while we lay in Christmas Sound it was +generally above temperate. At this place the variation was 23 deg. 30' E.; a +few leagues to the S. W. of Strait Le Maire it was 24 deg.; and at anchor, +within New Year's Isles, it was 24 deg. 20' E. + +These isles are, in general, so unlike Staten Land, especially the one +on which we landed, that it deserves a particular description. It shews +a surface of equal height, and elevated about thirty or forty feet above +the sea, from which it is defended by a rocky coast. The inner part of +the isle is covered with a sort of sword-grass, very green, and of a +great length. It grows on little hillocks of two or three feet in +diameter, and as many or more in height, in large tufts, which seemed to +be composed of the roots of the plant matted together. Among these +hillocks are a vast number of paths made by sea-bears and penguins, by +which they retire into the centre of the isle. It is, nevertheless, +exceedingly bad travelling; for these paths are so dirty that one is +sometimes up to the knees in mire. Besides this plant, there are a few +other grasses, a kind of heath, and some celery. The whole surface is +moist and wet, and on the coast are several small streams of water. The +sword-grass, as I call it, seems to be the same that grows in Falkland +Isles, described by Bougainville as a kind of _gladiolus_, or rather a +species of _gramen_* and named by Pernety corn-flags. + +[See English translation of Bougainville, p.51.] + +The animals found on this little spot are sea-lions, sea-bears, a +variety of oceanic, and some land-birds. The sea-lion is pretty well +described by Pernety, though those we saw here have not such fore-feet +or fins as that he has given a plate of, but such fins as that which he +calls the sea-wolf. Nor did we see any of the size he speaks of; the +largest not being more than twelve or fourteen feet in length, and +perhaps eight or ten in circumference. They are not of that kind +described under the same name by Lord Anson; but, for aught I know, +these would more properly deserve that appellation: The long hair, with +which the back of the head, the neck and shoulders, are covered, giving +them greatly the air and appearance of a lion. The other part of the +body is covered with short hair, little longer than that of a cow or a +horse, and the whole is a dark-brown. The female is not half so big as +the male, and is covered with a short hair of an ash or light-dun +colour. They live, as it were, in herds, on the rocks, and near the +sea-shore. As this was the time for engendering as well as bringing +forth their young, we have seen a male with twenty or thirty females +about him, and always very attentive to keep them all to himself, and +beating off every other male who attempted to come into his flock. +Others again had a less number; some no more than one or two; and here +and there we have seen one lying growling in a retired, place, alone, +and suffering neither males nor females to approach him: We judged these +were old and superannuated. + +The sea-bears are not so large, by far, as the lions, but rather larger +than a common seal. They have none of that long hair which distinguishes +the lion. Theirs is all of an equal length, and finer than that of the +lion, something like an otter's, and the general colour is that of an +iron-grey. This is the kind which the French call sea-wolfs, and the +English seals; they are, however, different from the seals we have in +Europe and North America. The lions may, too, without any great +impropriety, be called over-grown seals; for they are all of the same +species. It was not at all dangerous to go among them, for they either +fled or lay still. The only danger was in going between them and the +sea; for if they took fright at any thing, they would come down in such +numbers, that, if you could not get out of their way, you would be run +over. Sometimes, when we came suddenly upon them, or waked them out of +their sleep, (for they are a sluggish sleepy animal), they would raise +up their heads; snort and snarl, and look as fierce as if they meant to +devour us; but as we advanced upon them they always run away, so that +they are downright bullies. + +The penguin is an amphibious bird, so well known to most people, that I +shall only observe, they are here in prodigious numbers, so that we +could knock down as many as we pleased with a stick. I cannot say they +are good eating. I have indeed made several good meals of them, but it +was for want of better victuals. They either do not breed here, or else +this was not the season; for we saw neither eggs nor young ones. + +Shags breed here in vast numbers; and we carried on board not a few, as +they are very good eating. They take certain spots to themselves, and +build their nests near the edge of the cliffs on little hillocks, which +are either those of the sword-grass, or else they are made by the shags +building on them from year to year. There is another sort rather smaller +than these, which breed in the cliffs of rocks. + +The geese are of the same sort we found in Christmas Sound; we saw but +few, and some had young ones. Mr Forster shot one which was different +from these, being larger, with a grey plumage, and black feet. The +others make a noise exactly like a duck. Here were ducks, but not many; +and several of that sort which we called race-horses. We shot some, and +found them to weigh twenty-nine or thirty pounds; those who eat of them +said they were very good. + +The oceanic birds were gulls, terns, Port Egmont hens, and a large brown +bird, of the size of an albatross, which Pernety calls quebrantahuessas. +We called them Mother Carey's geese, and found them pretty good eating; +The land-birds were eagles, or hawks, bald-headed vultures, or what our +seamen called turkey-buzzards, thrushes, and a few other small birds. + +Our naturalists found two new species of birds. The one is about the +size of a pigeon, the plumage as white as milk. They feed along-shore, +probably on shell-fish and carrion, for they have a very disagreeable +smell. When we first saw these birds we thought they were the +snow-peterel, but the moment they were in our possession the mistake was +discovered; for they resemble them in nothing but size and colour. These +are not webb-footed. The other sort is a species of curlews nearly as +big as a heron. It has a variegated plumage, the principal colours +whereof are light-grey, and a long crooked bill. + +I had almost forgot to mention that there are sea-pies, or what we +called, when in New Zealand, curlews; but we only saw a few straggling +pairs. It may not be amiss to observe, that the shags are the same bird +which Bougainville calls saw-bills; but he is mistaken in saying that +the quebrantahuessas are their enemies; for this bird is of the peterel +tribe, feeds wholly on fish, and is to be found in all the high southern +latitudes. + +It is amazing to see how the different animals which inhabit this little +spot are mutually reconciled. They seem to have entered into a league +not to disturb each other's tranquillity. The sea-lions occupy most of +the sea-coast; the sea-bears take up their abode in the isle; the shags +have post in the highest cliffs; the penguins fix their quarters where +there is the most easy communication to and from the sea; and the other +birds choose more retired places. We have seen all these animals mix +together, like domestic cattle and poultry in a farm-yard, without one +attempting to molest the other. Nay, I have often observed the eagles +and vultures sitting on the hillocks among the shags, without the +latter, either young or old, being disturbed at their presence. It may +be asked how these birds of prey live? I suppose on the carcases of +seals and birds which die by various causes; and probably not few, as +they are so numerous. + +This very imperfect account is written more with a view to assist my own +memory than to give information to others. I am neither a botanist nor a +naturalist; and have not words to describe the productions of nature, +either in the one branch of knowledge or the other. + +CHAPTER V. + +_Proceedings after leaving Staten Island, with an Account of the +Discovery of the Isle of Georgia, and a Description of it._ + +1775 January + +Having left the land in the evening of the 3d, as before mentioned, we +saw it again next morning, at three o'clock, bearing west. Wind +continued to blow a steady fresh breeze till six p.m., when it shifted +in a heavy squall to S.W., which came so suddenly upon us, that we had +not time to take in the sails, and was the occasion of carrying away a +top-gallant mast, a studding-sail boom, and a fore studding-sail. The +squall ended in a heavy shower of rain, but the wind remained at S.W. +Our course was S.E., with a view of discovering that extensive coast +laid down by Mr Dalrymple in his chart, in which is the gulph of St +Sebastian. I designed to make the western point of that gulph, in order +to have all the other parts before me. Indeed I had some doubt of the +existence of such a coast; and this appeared to me the best route for +clearing it up, and for exploring the southern part of this ocean. + +On the 5th, fresh gales, and wet and cloudy weather. At noon observed in +57 deg. 9', latitude made from Cape St John, 5 deg. 2' E. At six o'clock p.m., +being in the latitude 57 deg. 21', and in longitude 57 deg. 45' W., the +variation was 21 deg. 28' E. + +At eight o'clock in the evening of the 6th, being then in the latitude +of 58 deg. 9' S., longitude 53 deg. 14' W., we close-reefed our top-sails, and +hauled to the north, with a very strong gale at west, attended with a +thick haze and sleet. The situation just mentioned is nearly the same +that Mr Dalrymple assigns for the S.W. point of the gulph of St +Sebastian. But as we saw neither land, nor signs of land, I was the more +doubtful of its existence, and was fearful that, by keeping to the +south, I might miss the land said to be discovered by La Roche in 1675, +and by the ship Lion in 1756, which Mr Dalrymple places in 54 deg. 30' +latitude, and 45 deg. of longitude; but on looking over D'Anville's chart, I +found it laid down 9 deg. or 10 deg. more to the west; this difference of +situation being to me a sign of the uncertainty of both accounts, +determined me to get into the parallel as soon as possible, and was the +reason of my hauling to the north at this time. + +Towards the morning of the 7th the gale abated, the weather cleared up, +and the wind veered to the W.S.W., where it continued till midnight, +after which it veered to N.W. Being at this time in the latitude of 56 deg. +4' S., longitude 53 deg. 36' W., we sounded, but found no bottom with a line +of one hundred and thirty fathoms. I still kept the wind on the +larboard-tack, having a gentle breeze and pleasant weather. On the 8th, +at noon, a bed of sea-weed passed the ship. In the afternoon, in +latitude 55 deg. 4', longitude 51 deg. 43' W., the variation was 20 deg. 4' E. + +On the 9th, wind at N.E., attended with thick hazy weather; saw a seal, +and a piece of sea-weed. At noon, latitude 55 deg. 12' S., longitude 50 deg. 15' +W., the wind and weather continuing the same till towards midnight, when +the latter cleared up, and the former veered to west, and blew a gentle +gale. We continued to ply till two o'clock the next morning, when we +bore away east, and at eight E.N.E.; at noon, observed in latitude 54 deg. +35' S., longitude 47 deg. 56' W., a great many albatrosses and blue peterels +about the ship. I now steered east, and the next morning, in the +latitude of 54 deg. 38', longitude 45 deg. 10' W., the variation was 19 deg. 25' E. +In the afternoon saw several penguins, and some pieces of weed. + +Having spent the night lying-to, on the 12th, at day-break, we bore +away, and steered east northerly, with a fine fresh breeze at W.S.W.; at +noon observed in latitude 54 deg. 28' S., longitude in 42 deg. 8' W.; that is, +near 3 deg. E. of the situation in which Mr Dalrymple places the N.E. point +of the gulph of St Sebastian; but we had no other signs of land than +seeing a seal and a few penguins; on the contrary, we had a swell from +E.S.E., which would hardly have been, if any extensive track of land lay +in that direction. In the evening the gale abated, and at midnight it +fell calm. + +The calm, attended by a thick fog, continued till six next morning, when +we got a wind at east, but the fog still prevailed. We stood to the +south till noon, when, being in the latitude of 55 deg. 7', we tacked and +stretched to the north with a fresh breeze at E. by S. and E.S.E., +cloudy weather; saw several penguins and a snow-peterel, which we looked +on to be signs of the vicinity of ice. The air too was much colder than +we had felt it since we left New Zealand. In the afternoon the wind +veered to the S.E., and in the night to S.S.E., and blew fresh, with +which we stood to the N.E. + +At nine o'clock the next morning we saw an island of ice, as we then +thought, but at noon were doubtful whether it was ice or land. At this +time it bore E. 3/4 S., distant thirteen leagues; our latitude was 53 deg. +56' 1/2, longitude 39 deg. 24' W.; several penguins, small divers, a +snow-peterel, and a vast number of blue peterels about the ship. We had +but little wind all the morning, and at two p.m. it fell calm. It was +now no longer doubted that it was land, and not ice, which we had in +sight. It was, however, in a manner wholly covered with snow. We were +farther confirmed in our judgement of its being land, by finding +soundings at one hundred and seventy-five fathoms, a muddy bottom. The +land at this time bore E. by S., about twelve leagues distant. At six +o'clock the calm was succeeded by a breeze at N.E., with which we stood +to S.E. At first it blew a gentle gale; but afterwards increased so as +to bring us under double-reefed top-sails, and was attended with snow +and sleet. + +We continued to stand to the S.E. till seven in the morning on the +15th, when the wind veering to the S.E., we tacked and stood to the +north. A little before we tacked, we saw the land bearing E. by N. At +noon the mercury in the thermometer was at 35 deg. 1/4. The wind blew in +squalls, attended with snow and sleet, and we had a great sea to +encounter. At a lee-lurch which the ship took, Mr Wales observed her to +lie down 42 deg.. At half past four p.m. we took in the top-sails, got down +top-gallant yards, wore the ship, and stood to the S.W., under two +courses. At midnight the storm abated, so that we could carry the +top-sails double-reefed. + +At four in the morning of the 16th we wore and stood to the east, with +the wind at S.S.E., a moderate breeze, and fair; at eight o'clock saw +the land extending from E. by N. to N.E. by N.; loosed a reef out of +each top-sail, got top-gallant yards across, and set the sails. At noon +observed in latitude 54 deg. 25' 1/2, longitude 38 deg. 18' W. In this situation +we had one hundred and ten fathoms water; and the land extended from N. +1/2 W. to E., eight leagues distant. The northern extreme was the same +that we first discovered, and it proved to be an island, which obtained +the name of Willis's Island, after the person who first saw it. + +At this time we had a great swell from the south, an indication that no +land was near us in that direction; nevertheless the vast quantity of +snow on that in sight induced us to think it was extensive, and I chose +to begin with exploring the northern coast. With this view we bore up +for Willis's Island, all sails set, having a fine gale at S.S.W. As we +advanced to the north, we perceived another isle lying east of Willis's, +and between it and the main. Seeing there was a clear passage between +the two isles, we steered for it, and at five o'clock, being in the +middle of it, we found it about two miles broad. + +Willis's Isle is an high rock of no great extent, near to which are some +rocky islets. It is situated in the latitude of 54 deg. S., longitude 38 deg. +23' W. The other isle, which obtained the name of Bird Isle, on account +of the vast number that were upon it, is not so high, but of greater +extent, and is close to the N.E. point of the main land, which I called +Cape North. + +The S.E. coast of this land, as far as we saw it, lies in the direction +of S. 50 deg. E., and N. 50 deg. W. It seemed to form several bays or inlets; +and we observed huge masses of snow, or ice, in the bottoms of them, +especially in one which lies ten miles to the S.S.E. of Bird Isle. + +After getting through the passage, we found the north coast trended E. +by N., for about nine miles; and then east and east-southerly to Cape +Buller, which is eleven miles more. We ranged the coast, at one league +distance, till near ten o'clock, when we brought-to for the night, and +on sounding found fifty fathoms, a muddy bottom. + +At two o'clock in the morning of the 17th we made sail in for the land, +with a fine breeze at S.W.; at four, Willis's Isle bore W. by S., +distant thirty-two miles; Cape Buller, to the west of which lie some +rocky islets, bore S.W. by W.; and the most advanced point of land to +the east, S. 63 deg. E. We now steered along shore, at the distance of four +or five miles, till seven o'clock, when, seeing the appearance of an +inlet, we hauled in for it. As soon as we drew near the shore, having +hoisted out a boat, I embarked in it, accompanied by Mr Forster and his +party, with a view of reconnoitring the bay before we ventured in with +the ship. When we put off from her, which was about four miles from the +shore, we had forty fathoms water. I continued to sound as I went +farther in, but found no bottom with a line of thirty-four fathoms, +which was the length of that I had in the boat, and which also proved +too short to sound the bay, so far as I went up it. I observed it to lie +in S.W. by S. about two leagues, about two miles broad, well sheltered +from all winds; and I judged there might be good anchorage before some +sandy beaches which are on each side, and likewise near a low flat isle, +towards the head of the bay. As I had come to a resolution not to bring +the ship in, I did not think it worth my while to go and examine these +places; for it did not seem probable that any one would ever be +benefited by the discovery. I landed at three different places, +displayed our colours, and took possession of the country in his +majesty's name, under a discharge of small arms. + +I judged that the tide rises about four or five feet, and that it is +high water on the full and change days about eleven o'clock. + +The head of the bay, as well as two places on each side, was terminated +by perpendicular ice-cliffs of considerable height. Pieces were +continually breaking off, and floating out to sea; and a great fall +happened while we were in the bay, which made a noise like cannon. + +The inner parts of the country were not less savage and horrible. The +wild rocks raised their lofty summits till they were lost in the clouds, +and the valleys lay covered with everlasting snow. Not a tree was to be +seen, nor a shrub even big enough to make a toothpick. The only +vegetation we met with was a coarse strong-bladed grass growing in +tufts, wild burnet, and a plant like moss, which sprung from the rocks. + +Seals, or sea-bears, were pretty numerous. They were smaller than those +at Staten Land: Perhaps the most of those we saw were females, for the +shores swarmed with young cubs. We saw none of that sort which we call +lions; but there were some of those which the writer of Lord Anson's +voyage describes under that name; at least they appeared to us to be of +the same sort; and are, in my opinion, very improperly called lions, for +I could not see any grounds for the comparison. + +Here were several flocks of penguins, the largest I ever saw; some which +we brought on board weighed from twenty-nine to thirty-eight pounds. It +appears by Bougainville's account of the animals of Falkland Islands, +that this penguin is there; and I think it is very well described by him +under the name of first class of penguins*. The oceanic birds were +albatrosses, common gulls, and that sort which I call Port Egmont hens, +terns, shags, divers, the new white bird, and a small bird like those of +the Cape of Good Hope, called yellow birds; which, having shot two, we +found most delicious food. + +[* See Bougainville, English translation p.64.] + +All the land birds we saw consisted of a few small larks, nor did we +meet with any quadrupeds. Mr Forster indeed observed some dung, which he +judged to come from a fox, or some such animal. The lands, or rather +rocks, bordering on the sea-coast, were not covered with snow like the +inland parts; but all the vegetation we could see on the clear places +was the grass above-mentioned. The rocks seemed to contain iron. Having +made the above observations, we set out for the ship, and got on board a +little after twelve o'clock, with a quantity of seals and penguins, an +acceptable present to the crew. + +It must not, however, be understood that we were in want of provisions: +we had yet plenty of every kind; and since we had been on this coast, I +had ordered, in addition to the common allowance, wheat to be boiled +every morning for breakfast; but any kind of fresh meat was preferred by +most on board to salt. For my own part, I was now, for the first time, +heartily tired of salt meat of every kind; and though the flesh of the +penguins could scarcely vie with bullock's liver, its being fresh was +sufficient to make it go down. I called the bay we had been in, +Possession Bay. It is situated in the latitude of 54 deg. 5' S., longitude +37 deg. 18' W., and eleven leagues to the east of Cape North. A few miles to +the west of Possession Bay, between it and Cape Buller, lies the Bay of +Isles, so named on account of several small isles lying in and before it. + +As soon as the boat was hoisted in, we made sail along the coast to the +east, with a fine breeze at W.S.W. From Cape Buller the direction of the +coast is S. 72 deg. 30' E., for the space of eleven or twelve leagues, to a +projecting point, which obtained the name of Cape Saunders. Beyond this +cape is a pretty large bay, which I named Cumberland Bay. In several +parts in the bottom of it, as also in some others of less extent, lying +between Cape Saunders and Possession Bay, were vast tracks of frozen +snow, or ice, not yet broken loose. At eight o'clock, being just past +Cumberland Bay, and falling little wind, we hauled off the coast, from +which we were distant about four miles, and found one hundred and ten +fathoms water. + +We had variable light airs and calms till six o'clock the next morning, +when the wind fixed at north, and blew a gentle breeze; but it lasted no +longer than ten o'clock, when it fell almost to a calm. At noon, +observed in latitude 54 deg. 30' S., being then about two or three leagues +from the coast, which extended from N. 59 deg. W. to S. 13 deg. W. The land in +this last direction was an isle, which seemed to be the extremity of the +coast to the east. The nearest land to us being a projecting point which +terminated in a round hillock, was, on account of the day, named Cape +Charlotte. On the west side of Cape Charlotte lies a bay which obtained +the name of Royal Bay, and the west point of it was named Cape George. +It is the east point of Cumberland Bay, and lies in the direction of +S.E. by E. from Cape Saunders, distant seven leagues. Cape George and +Cape Charlotte lie in the direction of S. 37 deg. E. and N. 37 deg. W., distant +six leagues from each other. The isle above-mentioned, which was called +Cooper's Isle, after my first lieutenant, lies in the direction of S. by +E., distant eight leagues from Cape Charlotte. The coast between them +forms a large bay, to which I gave the name of Sandwich. The wind being +variable all the afternoon we advanced but little; in the night it fixed +at S. and S.S.W., and blew a gentle gale, attended with showers of snow. + +The 19th was wholly spent in plying, the wind continuing at S. and +S.S.W., clear pleasant weather, but cold. At sunrise a new land was +seen, bearing S.E. 1/2 E. It first appeared in a single hill, like a +sugar-loaf; some time after other detached pieces appeared above the +horizon near the hill. At noon, observed in the latitude 54 deg. 42' 30" S., +Cape Charlotte bearing N. 38 deg. W., distant four leagues; and Cooper's +Isle S. 31 deg. W. In this situation a lurking rock, which lies off Sandwich +Bay, five miles from the land, bore W. 1/2 N., distant one mile, and +near this rock were several breakers. In the afternoon we had a prospect +of a ridge of mountains behind Sandwich Bay, whose lofty and icy summits +were elevated high above the clouds. The wind continued at S.S.W. till +six o'clock, when it fell to a calm. At this time Cape Charlotte bore N. +31 deg. W., and Cooper's Island W.S.W. In this situation we found the +variation, by the azimuths, to be 11 deg. 39', and by the amplitude, 11 deg. 12' +E. At ten o'clock, a light breeze springing up at north, we steered to +the south till twelve, and then brought-to for the night. + +At two o'clock in the morning of the 20th we made sail to S.W. round +Cooper's Island. It is a rock of considerable height, about five miles +in circuit, and one mile from the main. At this isle the main coast +takes a S.W. direction for the space of four or five leagues to a point, +which I called Cape Disappointment. Off that are three small isles, the +southernmost of which is green, low, and flat, and lies one league from +the cape. + +As we advanced to S.W. land opened, off this point, in the direction of +N. 60 deg. W., and nine leagues beyond it. It proved an island quite +detached from the main, and obtained the name of Pickersgill Island, +after my third officer. Soon after a point of the main, beyond this +island, came in sight, in the direction of N. 55 deg. W., which exactly +united the coast at the very point we had seen, and taken the bearing +of, the day we first came in with it, and proved to a demonstration that +this land, which we had taken for part of a great continent, was no more +than an island of seventy leagues in circuit. + +Who would have thought that an island of no greater extent than this, +situated between the latitude of 54 deg. and 55 deg., should, in the very height +of summer, be in a manner wholly covered, many fathoms deep, with frozen +snow, but more especially the S.W. coast? The very sides and craggy +summits of the lofty mountains were cased with snow and ice; but the +quantity which lay in the valleys is incredible; and at the bottom of +the bays the coast was terminated by a wall of ice of considerable +height. It can hardly be doubted that a great deal of ice is formed here +in the water, which in the spring is broken off, and dispersed over the +sea; but this island cannot produce the ten-thousandth part of what we +saw; so that either there must be more land, or the ice is formed +without it. These reflections led me to think that the land we had seen +the preceding day might belong to an extensive track, and I still had +hopes of discovering a continent. I must confess the disappointment I +now met with did not affect me much; for, to judge of the bulk by the +sample, it would not be worth the discovery. + +I called this island the isle of Georgia, in honour of his majesty. It +is situated, between the latitudes of 53 deg. 57' and 54 deg. 57' S.; and +between 38 deg. 13' and 35 deg. 34' west longitude. It extends S.E. by E. and +N.W. by W., and is thirty-one leagues long in that direction; and its +greatest breadth is about ten leagues. It seems to abound with bays and +harbours, the N.E. coast especially; but the vast quantity of ice must +render them inaccessible the greatest part of the year; or, at least, it +must be dangerous lying in them, on account of the breaking up of the +ice cliffs. + +It is remarkable that we did not see a river, or stream of fresh water, +on the whole coast. I think it highly probable that there are no +perennial springs in the country; and that the interior parts, as being +much elevated, never enjoy heat enough to melt the snow in such +quantities as to produce a river, or stream, of water. The coast alone +receives warmth sufficient to melt the snow, and this only on the N.E. +side; for the other, besides being exposed to the cold south winds, is, +in a great degree, deprived of the sun's rays, by the uncommon height of +the mountains. + +It was from a persuasion that the sea-coast of a land situated in the +latitude of 54 deg., could not, in the very height of summer, be wholly +covered with snow, that I supposed Bouvet's discovery to be large +islands of ice. But after I had seen this land, I no longer hesitated +about the existence of Cape Circumcision; nor did I doubt that I should +find more land than I should have time to explore. With these ideas I +quitted this coast, and directed my course to the E.S.E. for the land we +had seen the preceding day. + +The wind was very variable till noon, when it fixed at N.N.E., and blew +a gentle gale; but it increased in such a manner, that, before three +o'clock, we were reduced to our two courses, and obliged to strike +top-gallant yards. We were very fortunate in getting clear of the land, +before this gale overtook us; it being hard to say what might have been +the consequence had it come on while we were on the north coast. This +storm was of short duration; for, at eight o'clock it began to abate; +and at midnight it was little wind. We then took the opportunity to +sound, but found no bottom with a line of an hundred and eighty fathoms. + +Next day the storm was succeeded by a thick fog, attended with rain; the +wind veered to N.W., and, at five in the morning, it fell calm, which +continued till eight; and then we got a breeze southerly, with which we +stood to the east till three in the afternoon. The weather then coming +somewhat clear, we made sail, and steered north in search of land; but, +at half-past six, we were again involved in a thick mist, which made it +necessary to haul the wind, and spend the night in making short boards. + +We had variable light airs next to a calm, and thick foggy weather, till +half-past seven o'clock in the evening of the 22d, when we got a fine +breeze at north, and the weather was so clear that we could see two or +three leagues round us. We seized the opportunity, and steered to west; +judging we were to the east of the land. After running ten miles to the +west, the weather again became foggy, and we hauled the wind, and spent +the night under top-sails. + +Next morning at six o'clock, the fog clearing away, so that we could see +three or four miles, I took the opportunity to steer again to the west, +with the wind at east, a fresh breeze; but two hours after, a thick fog +once more obliged us to haul the wind to the south. At eleven o'clock, a +short interval of clear weather gave us view of three or four rocky +islets extending from S.E. to E.N.E., two or three miles distant; but +we did not see the Sugar-Loaf Peak beforementioned. Indeed, two or three +miles was the extent of our horizon. + +We were well assured that this was the land we had seen before, which we +had now been quite round; and therefore it could be no more than a few +detached rocks, receptacles for birds, of which we now saw vast numbers, +especially shags, who gave us notice of the vicinity of land before we +saw it. These rocks lie in the latitude of 55 deg. S., and S. 75 deg. E., +distant twelve leagues from Cooper's Isle. + +The interval of clear weather was of very short duration, before we had +as thick a fog as ever, attended with rain, on which we tacked in sixty +fathoms water, and stood to the north. Thus we spent our time, involved +in a continual thick mist; and, for aught we knew, surrounded by +dangerous rocks. The shags and soundings were our best pilots; for after +we had stood a few miles to the north, we got out of soundings, and saw +no more shags. The succeeding day and night we spent in making short +boards; and at eight o'clock on the 24th, judging ourselves not far from +the rocks by some straggling shags which came about us, we sounded in +sixty fathoms water, the bottom stones and broken shells. Soon after, we +saw the rocks bearing S.S.W. 1/2 W., four miles distant, but still we +did not see the peak. It was, no doubt, beyond our horizon, which was +limited to a short distance; and, indeed, we had but a transient sight +of the other rocks, before they were again lost in the fog. + +With a light air of wind at north, and a great swell from N.E., we were +able to clear the rocks to the west; and, at four in the p.m., judging +ourselves to be three or four leagues east and west of them, I steered +south, being quite tired with cruizing about them in a thick fog; nor +was it worth my while to spend any more time in waiting for clear +weather, only for the sake of having a good sight of a few straggling +rocks. At seven o'clock, we had at intervals a clear sky to the west, +which gave us a sight of the mountains of the isle of Georgia, bearing +W.N.W., about eight leagues distant. At eight o'clock we steered S.E. by +S., and at ten S.E. by E., with a fresh breeze at north, attended with a +very thick fog; but we were, in some measure, acquainted with the sea +over which we were running. The rocks above-mentioned obtained the name +of Clerke's Rocks, after my second officer, he being the first who saw +them. + +CHAPTER VI. + +_ Proceedings after leaving the Isle of Georgia, with an Account of the +Discovery of Sandwich Land; with some Reasons for there being Land about +the South Pole_. + +1775 January + +On the 25th, we steered E.S.E., with a fresh gale at N.N.E., attended +with foggy weather, till towards the evening, when the sky becoming +clear, we found the variation to be 9 deg. 26' E., being at this time in the +latitude of 56 deg. 16' S., longitude 32 deg. 9' W. + +Having continued to steer E.S.E., with a fine gale at N.N.W., till +day-light next morning, on seeing no land to the east, I gave orders to +steer south, being at this time in the latitude of 56 deg. 33' S., longitude +31 deg. 10' W. The weather continued clear, and gave us an opportunity to +observe several distances of the sun and moon for the correcting our +longitude, which at noon was 31 deg. 4' W., the latitude observed 57 deg. 38' S. +We continued to steer to the south till the 27th, at noon, at which time +we were in the latitude of 59 deg. 46' S., and had so thick a fog that we +could not see a ship's length. It being no longer safe to sail before +the wind, as we were to expect soon to fall in with ice, I therefore +hauled to the east, having a gentle breeze at N.N.E. Soon after the fog +clearing away, we resumed our course to the south till four o'clock, +when it returned again as thick as ever, and made it necessary for us to +haul upon a wind. + +I now reckoned we were in latitude 60 deg. S., and farther I did not intend +to go, unless I observed some certain signs of soon meeting with land. +For it would not have been prudent in me to have spent my time in +penetrating to the south, when it was at least as probable that a large +tract of land might be found near Cape Circumcision. Besides, I was +tired of these high southern latitudes, where nothing was to be found +but ice and thick fogs. We had now a long hollow swell from the west, a +strong indication that there was no land in that direction; so that I +think I may venture to assert that the extensive coast, laid down in Mr +Dalrymple's chart of the ocean between Africa and America, and the Gulph +of St Sebastian, do not exist. + +At seven o'clock in the evening, the fog receding from us a little, gave +us a sight of an ice island, several penguins and some snow peterels; we +sounded, but found no ground at one hundred and forty fathoms. The fog +soon returning, we spent the night in making boards over that space +which we had, in some degree, made ourselves acquainted with in the day. + +At eight in the morning of the 28th, we stood to the east, with a gentle +gale at north; the weather began to clear up; and we found the sea +strewed with large and small ice; several penguins, snow peterels, and +other birds were seen, and some whales. Soon after we had sun-shine, but +the air was cold; the mercury in the thermometer stood generally at +thirty-five, but at noon it was 37 deg.; the latitude by observation was 60 deg. +4' S., longitude 29 deg. 23' W. + +We continued to stand to the east till half-past two o'clock, p.m., when +we fell in, all at once, with a vast number of large ice-islands, and a +sea strewed with loose ice. The weather too was become thick and hazy, +attended with drizzling rain and sleet, which made it the more dangerous +to stand in among the ice. For this reason we tacked and stood back to +the west, with the wind at north. The ice-islands, which at this time +surrounded us, were nearly all of equal height, and shewed a flat even +surface; but they were of various extent, some being two or three miles +in circuit. The loose ice was what had broken from these isles. + +Next morning, the wind falling and veering to S.W., we steered N.E.; but +this coarse was soon intercepted by numerous ice-islands; and, having +but very little wind, we were obliged to steer such courses as carried +us the clearest of them; so that we hardly made any advance, one way or +other, during the whole day. Abundance of whales and penguins were about +us all the time; and the weather fair, but dark and gloomy. + +At midnight the wind began to freshen at N.N.E., with which we stood to +the N.W., till six in the morning of the 30th, when the wind veering to +N.N.W., we tacked and stood to N.E., and soon after sailed through a +good deal of loose ice, and passed two large islands. Except a short +interval of clear weather about nine o'clock, it was continually foggy, +with either sleet or snow. At noon we were, by our reckoning, in the +latitude of 59 deg. 3O' S., longitude 29 deg. 24' W. + +Continuing to stand to N.E. with a fresh breeze at N.N.W., at two +o'clock, we passed one of the largest ice-islands we had seen in the +voyage, and some time after passed two others, which were much smaller; +Weather still foggy, with sleet: And the wind continued at N. by W., +with which we stood to N.E., over a sea strewed with ice. + +At half an hour past six next morning, as we were standing N.N.E. with +the wind at west, the fog very fortunately clearing away a little, we +discovered land ahead, three or four miles distant. On this we hauled +the wind to the north; but finding we could not weather the land on this +tack, we soon after tacked in one hundred and seventy-five fathoms +water, three miles from the shore, and about half a league from some +breakers. The weather then cleared up a little more, and gave us a +tolerably good sight of the land. That which we had fallen in with +proved three rocky islets of considerable height. The outermost +terminated in a lofty peak like a sugar-loaf, and obtained the name of +Freezeland Peak, after the man who first discovered it. Latitude 59 deg. S., +longitude 27 deg. W. Behind this peak, that is to the east of it, appeared +an elevated coast, whose lofty snow-clad summits were seen above the +clouds. It extended from N. by E. to E.S.E., and I called it Cape +Bristol, in honour of the noble family of Hervey. At the same time +another elevated coast appeared in sight, bearing S.W. by S., and at +noon it extended from S.E. to S.S.W., from four to eight leagues +distant; at this time the observed latitude was 59 deg. 13' 30" S., +longitude 27 deg. 45' W. I called this land Southern Thule, because it is +the most southern land that has ever yet been discovered. It shews a +surface of vast height, and is every where covered with snow. Some +thought they saw land in the space between Thule and Cape Bristol. It is +more than probable that these two lands are connected, and that this +space is a deep bay, which I called Forster's Bay. + +At one o'clock, finding that we could not weather Thule, we tacked and +stood to the north, and at four, Freezeland Peak bore east, distant +three or four leagues. Soon after, it fell little wind, and we were left +to the mercy of a great westerly swell, which set right upon the shore. +We sounded, but a line of two hundred fathoms found no bottom. + +At eight o'clock, the weather, which had been very hazy, clearing up, we +saw Cape Bristol bearing E.S.E., and terminating in a point to the +north, beyond which we could see no land. This discovery relieved us +from the fear of being carried by the swell on the most horrible coast +in the world, and we continued to stand to the north all night, with a +light breeze at west. + +1775 February + +On the 1st of February, at four o'clock in the morning, we got sight of +a new coast, which at six o'clock bore N. 60 deg. east. It proved a high +promontory, which I named Cape Montagu, situated in latitude 58 deg. 27' S., +longitude 26 deg. 44' west, and seven or eight leagues to the north of Cape +Bristol. We saw land from space to space between them, which made me +conclude that the whole was connected. I was sorry I could not determine +this with greater certainty; but prudence would not permit me to venture +near a coast, subject to thick fogs, on which there was no anchorage; +where every port was blocked or filled up with ice; and the whole +country, from the summits of the mountains, down to the very brink of +the cliffs which terminate the coast, covered, many fathoms thick, with +everlasting snow. The cliffs alone was all which was to be seen like +land. + +Several large ice-islands lay upon the coast; one of which attracted my +notice. It had a flat surface, was of considerable extent both in height +and circuit, and had perpendicular sides, on which the waves of the sea +had made no impression; by which I judged that it had not been long from +land, and that it might lately have come out of some bay on the coast, +where it had been formed. + +At noon we were east and west of the northern part of Cape Montagu, +distant about five leagues, and Freezeland Peak bore S. 16 deg. east, +distant twelve leagues; latitude observed 58 deg. 25' S. In the morning the +variation was 10 deg. 11' east. At two in the afternoon, as we were standing +to the north, with a light breeze at S.W., we saw land bearing N. 25' +east, distant fourteen leagues. Cape Montagu bore at this time, S. 66 deg. +east; at eight it bore S. 40 deg. east; Cape Bristol, S. by E.; the new land +extending from N. 40 deg. to 52 deg. east; and we thought we saw land still more +to the east, and beyond it. + +Continuing to steer to the north all night, at six o'clock the next +morning a new land was seen bearing N. 12 deg. east, about ten leagues +distant. It appeared in two hummocks just peeping above the horizon; but +we soon after lost sight of them; and having got the wind at N.N.E. a +fresh breeze, we stood for the northernmost land we had seen the day +before, which at this time bore E.S.E. We fetched in with it by ten +o'clock, but could not weather it, and were obliged to tack three miles +from the coast, which extended from E. by S. to S.E., and had much the +appearance of being an island of about eight or ten leagues circuit. It +shews a surface of considerable height, whose summit was lost in the +clouds, and, like all the neighbouring lands, covered with a sheet of +snow and ice, except in a projecting point on the north side, and two +hills seen over this point, which probably might be two islands. These +only were clear of snow, and seemed covered with a green turf. Some +large ice islands lay to the N.E., and some others to the south. + +We stood off till noon, and then tacked for the land again, in order to +see whether it was an island or no. The weather was now become very +hazy, which soon turning to a thick fog, put a stop to discovery, and +made it unsafe to stand for the shore; so that after having run the same +distance in, as we had run off, we tacked and stood to N.W., for the +land we had seen in the morning, which was yet at a considerable +distance. Thus we were obliged to leave the other, under the supposition +of its being an island, which I named Saunders, after my honourable +friend Sir Charles. It is situated in the latitude of 57 deg. 49' south +longitude, 26 deg. 44' west; and north, distant thirteen leagues, from Cape +Montagu. + +At six o'clock in the evening, the wind shifting to the west, we tacked, +and stood to the north; and at eight the fog clearing away, gave us a +sight of Saunders's Isle, extending from S.E. by S. to E.S.E. We were +still in doubt if it was an island; for, at this time, land was seen +bearing E. by S., which might or might not be connected with it; it +might also be the same that we had seen the preceding evening. But, be +this as it may, it was now necessary to take a view of the land to the +north, before we proceeded any farther to the east. With this intention, +we stood to the north, having a light breeze at W. by S., which at two +o'clock in the morning of the 3d, was succeeded by a calm that continued +till eight, when we got the wind at E. by S. attended by hazy weather. +At this time we saw the land we were looking for, and which proved to be +two isles. The day on which they were discovered, was the occasion of +calling them Candlemas Isles; latitude 57 deg. 11' S., longitude 27 deg. 6' W. +They were of no great extent, but of considerable height, and were +covered with snow. A small rock was seen between them, and perhaps there +may be more; for the weather was so hazy that we soon lost sight of the +islands, and did not see them again till noon, at which time they bore +west, distant three or four leagues. + +As the wind kept veering to the south, we were obliged to stand to the +N.E., in which route we met with several large ice islands, loose ice, +and many penguins; and at midnight, came at once into water uncommonly +white, which alarmed the officer of the watch so much, that he tacked +the ship instantly. Some thought it was a float of ice; others that it +was shallow water; but, as it proved neither, probably it was a shoal of +fish. + +We stood to the south till two o'clock next morning, when we resumed our +course to the east with a faint breeze at S.S.E. which having ended in a +calm, at six, I took the opportunity of putting a boat in the water to +try if there were any current; and the trial proved there was none. Some +whales were playing about us, and abundance of penguins: a few of the +latter were shot, and they proved to be of the same sort that we had +seen among the ice before, and different both from those on Staten Land, +and from those at the isle of Georgia. It is remarkable, that we had not +seen a seal since we left that coast. At noon we were in latitude of 56 deg. +44' S., longitude 25 deg. 33' W. At this time we got a breeze at east, with +which we stood to the south, with a view of gaining the coast we had +left; but at eight o'clock the wind shifted to the south, and made it +necessary to tack and stand to the east; in which course we met with +several ice-islands and some loose ice; the weather continuing hazy with +snow and rain. + +No penguins were seen on the 5th, which made me conjecture that we were +leaving the land behind us, and that we had already seen its northern +extremity. At noon we were in the latitude of 57 deg. 8' S., longitude 23 deg. +34' west, which was 3 deg. of longitude to the east of Saunders's Isle. In +the afternoon the wind shifted to the west; this enabled us to stretch +to the south, and to get into the latitude of the land, that, if it took +an east direction, we might again fall in with it. + +We continued to steer to the south and S.E. till next day at noon, at +which time we were in the latitude of 58 deg. 15' S., longitude 21 deg. 34' +west, and seeing neither land nor signs of any, I concluded that what we +had seen, which I named Sandwich Land, was either a group of islands, or +else a point of the continent. For I firmly believe that there is a +tract of land near the Pole which is the source of most of the ice that +is spread over this vast southern ocean. I also think it probable that +it extends farthest to the north opposite the southern Atlantic and +Indian oceans; because ice was always found by us farther to the north +in these oceans than any where else, which I judge could not be, if +there were not land to the south; I mean a land of considerable extent. +For if we suppose that no such land exists, and that ice may be formed +without it, it will follow of course that the cold ought to be every +where nearly equal round the Pole, as far as 70 deg. or 60' of latitude, or +so far as to be beyond the influence of any of the known continents; +consequently we ought to see ice every where under the same parallel, or +near it; and yet the contrary has been, found. Very few ships have met +with ice going round Cape Horn: And we saw but little below the sixtieth +degree of latitude, in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Whereas in this +ocean, between the meridian of 40 deg. west and 50 deg. or 60 deg. east, we found +ice as far north as 51 deg.. Bouvet met with, some in 48 deg., and others have +seen it in a much lower latitude. It is true, however, that the greatest +part of this southern continent (supposing there is one), must lie +within the polar circle, where the sea is so pestered with ice, that the +land is thereby inaccessible. The risque one runs in exploring a coast, +in these unknown and icy seas, is so very great, that I can be bold +enough to say that no man will ever venture farther than I have done; +and that the lands which may lie to the south will never be explored. +Thick fogs, snow storms, intense cold, and every other thing that can +render navigation dangerous, must be encountered, and these difficulties +are greatly heightened by the inexpressibly horrid aspect of the +country; a country doomed by nature never once to feel the warmth of +the sun's rays, but to lie buried in everlasting snow and ice. The ports +which may be on the coast, are, in a manner, wholly filled up with +frozen snow of vast thickness; but if any should be so far open as to +invite a ship into it, she would run a risque of being fixed there for +ever, or of coming out in an ice island. The islands and floats on the +coast, the great falls from the ice-cliffs in the port, or a heavy +snow-storm attended with a sharp frost, would be equally fatal. + +After such an explanation as this, the reader must not expect to find me +much farther to the south. It was, however, not for want of inclination, +but for other reasons. It would have been rashness in me to have risqued +all that had been done during the voyage, in discovering and exploring a +coast, which, when discovered and explored, would have answered no end +whatever, or have been of the least use, either to navigation or +geography, or indeed to any other science. Bouvet's discovery was yet +before us, the existence of which was to be cleared up; and, besides all +this, we were not now in a condition to undertake great things; nor +indeed was there time, had we been ever so well provided. + +These reasons induced me to alter the course to the east, with a very +strong gale at north, attended with an exceedingly heavy fall of snow. +The quantity which lodged on our sails was so great, that we were +frequently obliged to throw the ship up in the wind to shake it out of +them, otherwise neither they nor the ship could have supported the +weight. In the evening it ceased to snow; the weather cleared up, the +wind backed to the west, and we spent the night in making two short +boards, under close-reefed top-sails and fore-sail. + +At day-break on the 7th, we resumed our course to the east, with a very +fresh gale at S.W. by W., attended by a high sea from the same +direction. In the afternoon, being in the latitude of 58 deg. 24' S., +longitude 16 deg. 19' west, the variation was 1 deg. 52' east. Only three +ice-islands seen this day. At eight o'clock, shortened sail, and hauled +the wind to the S.E. for the night, in which we had several showers of +snow and sleet. + +On the 8th at day-light, we resumed our east course with a gentle breeze +and fair weather. After sun-rise, being then in the latitude of 58 deg. 30' +S., longitude 15 deg. 14' west, the variation, by the mean results of two +compasses, was 2 deg. 43' east. These observations were more to be depended +on than those made the night before, there being much less sea now than +then. In the afternoon, we passed three ice-islands. This night was +spent as the preceding. + +At six next morning, being in the latitude of 58 deg. 27' S., longitude 13 deg. +4' W., the variation was 26' E.; and in the afternoon, being in the same +latitude, and about a quarter of a degree more to the east, it was 2' +west. Therefore this last situation must be in or near the Line, in +which the compass has no variation. We had a calm the most part of the +day. The weather fair and clear, excepting now and then a snow-shower. +The mercury in the thermometer at noon rose to 40; whereas, for several +days before, it had been no higher than 36 or 38. We had several +ice-islands in sight, but no one thing that could induce us to think +that any land was in our neighbourhood. At eight in the evening a breeze +sprung up at S.E., with which we stood to N.E. + +During the night the wind freshened and veered south, which enabled us +to steer east. The wind was attended with showers of sleet and snow till +day-light, when the weather became fair, but piercing cold, so that the +water on deck was frozen, and at noon the mercury in the thermometer was +no higher than 34-1/2. At six o'clock in the morning, the variation was +23' west, being then in the latitude of 58 deg. 15' S., longitude 11 deg. 41' W; +and at six in the evening, being in the same latitude, and in the +longitude of 9 deg. 24' W., it was 1 deg. 51' W. In the evening the wind abated; +and during the night, it was variable between south and west. +Ice-islands continually in sight. + +On the 11th, wind westerly, light airs attended with heavy showers of +snow in the morning; but as the day advanced, the weather became fair, +clear, and serene. Still continuing to steer east, at noon we observed +in latitude 58 deg. 11', longitude at the same time 7 deg. 55' west. Thermometer +34-2/3. In the afternoon we had two hours calm; after which we had faint +breezes between the N.E. and S.E. + +At six o'clock in the morning of the 12th, being in the latitude of 58 deg. +23' S., longitude 6 deg. 54' W., the variation was 3 deg. 23' west. We had +variable light airs next to a calm all this day, and the weather was +fair and clear till towards the evening, when it became cloudy with +snow-showers, and the air very cold. Ice-islands continually in sight; +most of them small and breaking to pieces. + +In the afternoon of the 13th, the wind increased, the sky became +clouded, and soon after we had a very heavy fall of snow, which +continued till eight or nine o'clock in the evening, when the wind +abating and veering to S.E., the sky cleared up, and we had a fair +night, attended with so sharp a frost, that the water in all our vessels +on deck was next morning covered with a sheet of ice. The mercury in the +thermometer was as low as 29 deg., which is 3 deg. below freezing, or rather 4; +for we generally found the water freeze when the mercury stood at 33 deg.. + +Towards noon on the 14th, the wind veering to the south, increased to a +very strong gale, and blew in heavy squalls attended with snow. At +intervals, between the squalls, the weather was fair and clear, but +exceedingly cold. We continued to steer east, inclining a little to the +north, and in, the afternoon crossed the first meridian, or that of +Greenwich, in the latitude of 57 deg. 50' S. At eight in, the evening, we +close-reefed the top-sails, took in the main-sail, and steered east with +a very hard gale at S.S.W., and a high sea from the same direction. + +At day-break on the 15th, we set the main-sail, loosed a reef out of +each top-sail, and with a very strong gale at S.W., and fair weather, +steered E.N.E. till noon, at which, time we were in latitude of 50 deg. 37' +S., longitude 4 deg. 11' E., when we pointed to the N.E., in order to get +into the latitude of Cape Circumcision. Some large ice-islands were in +sight, and the air was nearly as cold as on the preceding day. At eight +o'clock in the evening, shortened sail, and at eleven hauled the wind to +the N.W., not daring to stand on in the night, which was foggy, with +snow-showers, and a smart frost. + +At day-break on the 16th, we bore away N.E., with a light breeze at +west, which, at noon, was succeeded by a calm and fair weather. Our +latitude at this time was 55 deg. 26' S., longitude 5 deg. 52' E., in which +situation we had a great swell from the southward, but no ice in sight. +At one o'clock in the p.m., a breeze springing up at E.N.E., we stood to +S.E. till six, then tacked, and stood to the north, under double-reefed +top-sails and courses, having a very fresh gale attended with snow and +sleet, which fixed to the masts and rigging as it fell, and coated the +whole with ice. + +On the 17th the wind continued veering, by little and little, to the +south, till midnight, when it fixed at S.W. Being at this time in the +latitude of 54 deg. 20' S., longitude 6 deg. 33' east, I steered east, having a +prodigious high sea from the south, which assured us no land was near in +that direction. + +In the morning of the 18th, it ceased to snow; the weather became fair +and clear; and we found the variation to be 18 deg. 44' west. At noon we +were in the latitude of 54 deg. 25', longitude 8 deg. 46' east. I thought this a +good latitude to keep in, to look for Cape Circumcision; because, if the +land had ever so little extent in the direction of north and south, we +could not miss seeing it, as the northern point is said to lie in 54 deg.. +We had yet a great swell from the south, so that I was now well assured +it could only be an island, and it was of no consequence which side we +fell in with. In the evening Mr Wales made several observations of the +moon, and stars Regulus and Spica; the mean results, at four o'clock +when the observations were made, for finding the time by the watch, gave +9 deg. 15' 20" east longitude. The watch at the same time gave 9 deg. 36' 45". +Soon after the variation was found to be 13 deg. 10' west. It is nearly in +this situation that Mr Bouvet had 1 deg. east. I cannot suppose that the +variation has altered so much since that time; but rather think he had +made some mistake in his observations. That there could be none in ours +was certain, from the uniformity for some time past. Besides, we found +12 deg. 8' west, variation, nearly under this meridian, in January 1773. +During the night the wind veered round by the N.W. to N.N.E. and blew a +fresh gale. + +At eight in the morning of the 19th, we saw the appearance of land in +the direction of E. by S., or that of our course; but it proved a mere +fog-bank, and soon after dispersed. We continued to steer E. by S. and +S.E., till seven o'clock in the evening, when being in the latitude of +54 deg. 42' S., longitude 13 deg. 3' E., and the wind having veered to N.E., we +tacked and stood to N.W. under close-reefed topsails and courses; having +a very strong gale attended with snow-showers. + +At four o'clock next morning, being in the latitude of 54 deg. 30' S., +longitude 12 deg. 33'. east, we tacked and stretched to N.E. with a fresh +gale at S.W., attended with snow-showers and sleet. At noon, being in +the latitude of 54 deg. 8' S., longitude 12 deg. 59' E., with a fresh gale at W. +by N., and tolerably clear weather, we steered east till ten o'clock in +the evening, when we brought-to, lest we might pass any land in the +night, of which we however had not the least signs. + +At day-break, having made sail, we bore away E., and at noon observed in +latitude 54 deg. 16' S., longitude 16 deg. 13' east, which is 5 deg. to the east of +the longitude in which Cape Circumcision is said to lie; so that we +began to think there was no such land in existence. I however continued +to steer east, inclining a little to the south, till four o'clock in the +afternoon of the next day, when we were in latitude 54 deg. 24' S., +longitude 19 deg. 18' east. + +We had now run down thirteen degrees of longitude in the very latitude +assigned for Bouvet's Land. I was therefore well assured that what he +had seen could be nothing but an island of ice; for, if it had been +land, it is hardly possible we could have missed it, though it were ever +so small. Besides, from the time of leaving the southern lands, we had +not met with the least signs of any other. But even suppose we had, it +would have been no proof of the existence of Cape Circumcision; for I am +well assured that neither seals nor penguins, nor any of the oceanic +birds, are indubitable signs of the vicinity of land. I will allow that +they are found on the coasts of all these southern lands; but are they +not also to be found in all parts of the southern ocean? There are, +however, some oceanic or aquatic birds which point out the vicinity of +land; especially shags, which seldom go out of sight of it; and gannets, +boobies, and men-of-war birds, I believe, seldom go very far out to sea. + +As we were now no more than two degrees of longitude front our route to +the south, when we left the Cape of Good Hope, it was to no purpose to +proceed any farther to the east under this parallel, knowing that no +land could be there. But an opportunity now offering of clearing up some +doubts of our having seen land farther to the south, I steered S.E. to +get into the situation in which it was supposed to lie. + +We continued this course till four o'clock the next morning, and then +S.E. by E. and E.S.E., till eight in the evening, at which time we were +in the latitude of 55 deg. 25' S., longitude 23 deg. 22' east, both deduced from +observations made the same day; for, in the morning, the sky was clear +at intervals, and afforded an opportunity to observe several distances +of the sun and moon, which we had not been able to do for some time +past, having had a constant succession of bad weather. + +Having now run over the place where the land was supposed to lie, +without seeing the least signs of any, it was no longer to be doubted +but that the ice-islands had deceived us as well as Mr Bouvet. The wind +by this time having veered to the north, and increased to a perfect +storm, attended as usual with snow and sleet, we handed the top-sails +and hauled up E.N.E. under the courses. During the night the wind +abated, and veered to N.W., which enabled us to steer more to the north, +having no business farther south. + +CHAPTER VII. + +_Heads of what has been done in the Voyage; with some Conjectures +concerning the Formation of Ice-Islands; and an Account of our +Proceedings till our Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope._ + +1775 February + +I had now made the circuit of the southern ocean in a high latitude, and +traversed it in such a manner as to leave not the least room for the +possibility of there being a continent, unless near the Pole, and out of +the reach of navigation. By twice visiting the tropical sea, I had not +only settled the situation of some old discoveries, but made there many +new ones, and left, I conceive, very little more to be done even in that +part. Thus I flatter myself, that the intention of the voyage has, in +every respect, been fully answered; the southern hemisphere sufficiently +explored, and a final end put to the searching after a southern +continent, which has, at times, ingrossed the attention of some of the +maritime powers, for near two centuries past, and been a favourite +theory amongst the geographers of all ages. + +That there may be a continent, or large tract of land, near the Pole, I +will not deny; on the contrary I am of opinion there is; and it is +probable that we have seen a part of it. The excessive cold, the many +islands and vast floats of ice, all tend to prove that there must be +land to the south; and for my persuasion that this southern land must +lie, or extend, farthest to the north opposite to the southern Atlantic +and Indian oceans, I have already assigned some reasons; to which I may +add the greater degree of cold experienced by us in these seas, than in +the southern Pacific ocean under the same parallels of latitude. + +In this last ocean, the mercury in the thermometer seldom fell so low as +the freezing point, till we were in 60 deg. and upwards; whereas in the +others, it fell as low in the latitude of 54 deg.. This was certainly owing +to there being a greater quantity of ice, and to its extending farther +to the north, in these two seas than in the south Pacific; and if ice be +first formed at, or near land, of which I have no doubt, it will follow +that the land also extends farther north. + +The formation or coagulation of ice-islands has not, to my knowledge, +been thoroughly investigated. Some have supposed them to be formed by +the freezing of the water at the mouths of large rivers, or great +cataracts, where they accumulate till they are broken off by their own +weight. My observations will not allow me to acquiesce in this opinion; +because we never found any of the ice which we took up incorporated with +earth, or any of its produce, as I think it must have been, had it been +coagulated in land-waters. It is a doubt with me, whether there be any +rivers in these countries. It is certain, that we saw not a river, or +stream of water, on all the coast of Georgia, nor on any of the southern +lands. Nor did we ever see a stream of water run from any of the +ice-islands. How are we then to suppose that there are large rivers? The +valleys are covered, many fathoms deep, with everlasting snow; and, at +the sea, they terminate in icy cliffs of vast height. It is here where +the ice-islands are formed; not from streams of water, but from +consolidated snow and sleet, which is almost continually falling or +drifting down from the mountains, especially in the winter, when the +frost must be intense. During that season, the ice-cliffs must so +accumulate as to fill up all the bays, be they ever so large. This is a +fact which cannot be doubted, as we have seen it so in summer. These +cliffs accumulate by continual falls of snow, and what drifts from the +mountains, till they are no longer able to support their own weight; +and then large pieces break off, which we call ice-islands. Such as have +a flat even surface, must be of the ice formed in the bays, and before +the flat vallies; the others, which have a tapering unequal surface, +must be formed on, or under, the side of a coast composed of pointed +rocks and precipices, or some such uneven surface. For we cannot suppose +that snow alone, as it falls, can form, on a plain surface, such as the +sea, such a variety of high peaks and hills, as we saw on many of the +ice-isles. It is certainly more reasonable to believe that they are +formed on a coast whose surface is something similar to theirs. I have +observed that all the ice-islands of any extent, and before they begin +to break to pieces, are terminated by perpendicular cliffs of clear ice +or frozen snow, always on one or more sides, but most generally all +round. Many, and those of the largest size, which had a hilly and spiral +surface, shewed a perpendicular cliff, or side, from the summit of the +highest peak down to its base. This to me was a convincing proof, that +these, as well as the flat isles, must have broken off from substances +like themselves, that is, from some large tract of ice. + +When I consider the vast quantity of ice we saw, and the vicinity of the +places to the Pole where it is formed, and where the degrees of +longitude are very small, I am led to believe that these ice-cliffs +extend a good way into the sea, in some parts, especially in such as are +sheltered from the violence of the winds. It may even be doubted if ever +the wind is violent in the very high latitudes. And that the sea will +freeze over, or the snow that falls upon it, which amounts to the same +thing, we have instances in the northern hemisphere. The Baltic, the +Gulph of St Laurence, the Straits of Belle-Isle, and many other equally +large seas, are frequently frozen over in winter. Nor is this at all +extraordinary, for we have found the degree of cold at the surface of +the sea, even in summer, to be two degrees below the freezing point; +consequently nothing kept it from freezing but the salt it contains, and +the agitation of its surface. Whenever this last ceaseth in winter, when +the frost is set in, and there comes a fall of snow, it will freeze on +the surface as it falls, and in a few days, or perhaps in one night, +form such a sheet of ice as will not be easily broken up. Thus a +foundation will be laid for it to accumulate to any thickness by falls +of snow, without its being at all necessary for the sea-water to +freeze. It may be by this means these vast floats of low ice we find in +the spring of the year are formed, and which, after they break up, are +carried by the currents to the north. For, from all the observations I +have been able to make, the currents every where, in the high latitudes, +set to the north, or to the N.E. or N.W.; but we have very seldom found +them considerable. + +If this imperfect account of the formation of these extraordinary +floating islands of ice, which is written wholly from my own +observations, does not convey some useful hints to an abler pen, it +will, however, convey some idea of the lands where they are formed: +Lands doomed by Nature to perpetual frigidness; never to feel the warmth +of the sun's rays; whose horrible and savage aspect I have not words to +describe. Such are the lands we have discovered; what then may we expect +those to be which lie still farther to the south? For we may reasonably +suppose that we have seen the best, as lying most to the north. If any +one should have resolution and perseverance to clear up this point by +proceeding farther than I have done, I shall not envy him the honour of +the discovery; but I will be bold to say, that the world will not be +benefited by it. + +I had, at this time, some thoughts of revisiting the place where the +French discovery is said to lie. But then I considered that, if they had +really made this discovery, the end would be as fully answered as if I +had done it myself. We know it can only be an island; and if we may +judge from the degree of cold we found in that latitude, it cannot be a +fertile one. Besides, this would have kept me two months longer at sea, +and in a tempestuous latitude, which we were not in a condition to +struggle with. Our sails and rigging were so much worn, that something +was giving way every hour; and we had nothing left either to repair or +to replace them. Our provisions were in a state of decay, and +consequently afforded little nourishment, and we had been a long time +without refreshments. My people, indeed, were yet healthy, and would +have cheerfully gone wherever I had thought proper to lead them; but I +dreaded the scurvy laying hold of them at a time when we had nothing +left to remove it. I must say farther, that it would have been cruel in +me to have continued the fatigues and hardships they were continually +exposed to, longer than was absolutely necessary. Their behaviour, +throughout the whole voyage, merited every indulgence which it was in my +power to give them. Animated by the conduct of the officers, they shewed +themselves capable of surmounting every difficulty and danger which came +in their way, and never once looked either upon the one or the other, as +being at all heightened, by our separation from our consort the +Adventure. + +All these considerations induced me to lay aside looking for the French +discoveries, and to steer for the Cape of Good Hope; with a resolution, +however, of looking for the isles of Denia and Marseveen, which are laid +down in Dr Halley's variation chart in the latitude of 41 deg. 1/2 S., and +about 4 deg. of longitude to the east of the meridian of the Cape of Good +Hope. With this view I steered N.E., with a hard gale at N.W. and thick +weather; and on the 25th, at noon, we saw the last ice island, being at +this time in the latitude of 52 deg. 52' S., longitude 26 deg. 31' E. + +1775 March + +The wind abating and veering to the south, on the first of March, we +steered west, in order to get farther from Mr Bouvet's track, which was +but a few degrees to the east of us, being at this time in the latitude +of 46 deg. 44' S., longitude 33 deg. 20' E., in which situation we found the +variation to be 23 deg. 36' W. It is somewhat remarkable, that all the time +we had northerly winds, which were regular and constant for several +days, the weather was always thick and cloudy; but, as soon as they came +south of west, it cleared up, and was fine and pleasant. The barometer +began to rise several days before this change happened; but whether on +account of it, or our coming northward, cannot be determined. + +The wind remained not long at south before it veered round by the N.E. +to the N.W., blowing fresh and by squalls, attended, as before, with +rain and thick misty weather. We had some intervals of clear weather in +the afternoon of the 3d, when we found the variation to be 22 deg. 26' W.; +latitude at this time 45 deg. 8' S., longitude 30 deg. 50' E. The following +night was very stormy, the wind blew from S.W. and in excessively heavy +squalls. At short intervals between the squalls the wind would fall +almost to a calm, and then come on again with such fury, that neither +our sails nor rigging could withstand it, several of the sails being +split, and a middle stay-sail being wholly lost. The next morning the +gale abated, and we repaired the damage we had sustained in the best +manner we could. + +On the 8th, being in the latitude of 41 deg. 30' S., longitude 26 deg. 51' E., +the mercury in the thermometer rose to 61, and we found it necessary to +put on lighter clothes. As the wind continued invariably fixed between +N.W. and W., we took every advantage to get to the west, by tacking +whenever it shifted any thing in our favour; but as we had a great swell +against us, our tacks were rather disadvantageous. We daily saw +albatrosses, peterels, and other oceanic birds; but not the least sign +of land. + +On the 11th, in the latitude of 40 deg. 40' S., longitude 23 deg. 47' E., the +variation was 20 deg. 48' W. About noon the same day the wind shifted +suddenly from N.W. to S.W., caused the mercury in the thermometer to +fall as suddenly from 62 deg. to 52 deg.; such was the different state of the +air, between a northerly and southerly wind. The next day, having +several hours calm, we put a boat in the water, and shot some +albatrosses and peterels, which, at this time, were highly acceptable. +We were now nearly in the situation where the isles which we were in +search of, are said to lie; however, we saw nothing that could give us +the least hope of finding them. + +The calm continued till five o'clock of the next morning, when it was +succeeded by a breeze at W. by S., with which we stood to N.N.W., and at +noon observed in latitude 38 deg. 51' S. This was upwards of thirty miles +more to the north than our log gave us; and the watch shewed that we had +been set to the east also. If these differences did not arise from some +strong current, I know not how to account for them. Very strong currents +have been found on the African coast, between Madagascar and the Cape +of Good Hope, but I never heard of their extending so far from the land; +nor is it probable they do. I rather suppose that this current has no +connection with that on the coast; and that we happened to fall into +some stream which is neither lasting nor regular. But these are points +which require much time to investigate, and must therefore be left to +the industry of future navigators. + +We were now two degrees to the north of the parallel in which the isles +of Denia and Marseveen are said to lie. We had seen nothing to encourage +us to persevere in looking after them, and it must have taken up some +time longer to find them, or to prove their non-existence. Every one was +impatient to get into port, and for good reasons: As for a long time we +had had nothing but stale and salt provisions, for which every one on +board had lost all relish. These reasons induced me to yield to the +general wish, and to steer for the Cape of Good Hope, being at this time +in the latitude of 38 deg. 38' S., longitude 23 deg. 37' E. + +The next day the observed latitude at noon was only seventeen miles to +the north of that given by the log; so that we had either got out of the +strength of the current, or it had ceased. + +On the 15th the observed latitude at noon, together with the watch, +shewed that we had had a strong current setting to the S.W., the +contrary direction to what we had experienced on some of the preceding +days, as hath been mentioned. + +At day-light, on the 16th, we saw two sail in the N.W. quarter standing +to the westward, and one of them shewing Dutch colours. At ten o'clock +we tacked and stood to the west also, being at this time in the latitude +of 39 deg. 9' S., longitude 22 deg. 38' E. + +I now, in pursuance of my instructions, demanded of the officers and +petty officers, the log-books and journals they had kept; which were +delivered to me accordingly, and sealed up for the inspection of the +Admiralty. I also enjoined them, and the whole crew, not to divulge +where we had been, till they had their lordships' permission so to do. +In the afternoon, the wind veered to the west, and increased to a hard +gale, which was of short duration; for, the next day, it fell, and at +noon veered to S.E. At this time we were in the latitude of 34 deg. 49' S., +longitude 22 deg. E.; and, on sounding, found fifty-six fathoms water. In +the evening we saw the land in the direction of E.N.E. about six leagues +distant; and, during the fore-part of the night, there was a great fire +or light upon it. + +At day-break on the 18th, we saw the land again, bearing N.N.W., six or +seven leagues distant, and the depth of water forty-eight fathoms. At +nine o'clock, having little or no wind, we hoisted out a boat, and sent +on board one of the two ships before-mentioned, which were about two +leagues from us; but we were too impatient after news to regard the +distance. Soon after, a breeze sprung up at west, with which we stood to +the south; and, presently, three sail more appeared in sight to +windward, one of which shewed English colours. + +At one, p.m., the boat returned from on board the Bownkerke Polder, +Captain Cornelius Bosch, a Dutch Indiaman from Bengal. Captain Bosch, +very obligingly, offered us sugar, arrack, and whatever he had to spare. +Our people were told by some English seamen on board this ship, that the +Adventure had arrived at the Cape of Good Hope twelve months ago, and +that the crew of one of her boats had been murdered and eaten by the +people of New Zealand; so that the story which we heard in Queen +Charlotte's Sound was now no longer a mystery. + +We had light airs next, to a calm till ten o'clock the next morning, +when a breeze sprung up at west, and the English ship, which was to +windward, bore down to us. She proved to be the True Briton, Captain +Broadly, from China. As he did not intend to touch at the Cape, I put a +letter on board him for the secretary of the Admiralty. + +The account which we had heard of the Adventure was now confirmed to us +by this ship. We also got, from on board her, a parcel of old +newspapers, which were new to us, and gave us some amusement; but these +were the least favours we received from Captain Broadly. With a +generosity peculiar to the commanders of the India Company's ships, he +sent us fresh provisions, tea, and other articles which were very +acceptable, and deserve from me this public acknowledgment. In the +afternoon we parted company. The True Briton stood out to sea, and we in +for the land, having a very fresh gale at west, which split our fore +top-sail in such a manner, that we were obliged to bring another to the +yard. At six o'clock we tacked within four or five miles of the shore; +and, as we judged, about five or six leagues to the east of Cape +Aguilas. We stood off till midnight, when, the wind having veered round +to the south, we tacked, and stood along-shore to the west. The wind +kept veering more and more in our favour, and at last fixed at E.S.E.; +and blew for some hours a perfect hurricane. + +As soon as the storm began to subside, we made sail, and hauled in for +the land. Next day at noon, the Table Mountain over the Cape Town bore +N.E. by E., distant nine or ten leagues. By making use of this bearing +and distance to reduce the longitude shewn by the watch to the Cape +Town, the error was found to be no more than 18' in longitude, which it +was too far to the east. Indeed the difference found between it and the +lunar observations, since we left New Zealand, had seldom exceeded half +a degree, and always the same way. + +The next morning, being with us Wednesday the 22d, but with the people +here Tuesday the 21st, we anchored in Table Bay, where we found several +Dutch ships; some French; and the Ceres, Captain Newte, an English East +India Company's ship, from China, bound directly to England, by whom I +sent a copy of the preceding part of this journal, some charts, and +other drawings to the Admiralty. + +Before we had well got to an anchor, I dispatched an officer to acquaint +the governor with our arrival, and to request the necessary stores and +refreshments; which were readily granted. As soon as the officer came +back, we saluted the garrison with thirteen guns, which compliment was +immediately returned with an equal number. + +I now learnt that the Adventure had called here, on her return; and I +found a letter from Captain Furneaux, acquainting me with the loss of +his boat, and of ten of his best men, in Queen Charlotte's Sound. The +captain, afterwards, on my arrival in England, put into my hands a +complete narrative of his proceedings, from the time of our second and +final separation, which I now lay before the public in the following +section. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_Captain Furneaux's Narrative of his Proceedings, in the Adventure, +from, the Time he was separated from the Resolution, to his Arrival in +England; including Lieutenant Burney's Report concerning the Boat's Crew +who were murdered by the Inhabitants of Queen Charlottes Sound_. + +1773 October + +After a passage of fourteen days from Amsterdam, we made the coast of +New Zealand near the Table Cape, and stood along-shore till we came as +far as Cape Turnagain. The wind then began to blow strong at west, with +heavy squalls and rain, which split many of our sails, and blew us off +the coast for three days; in which time we parted company with the +Resolution, and never saw her afterwards. + +1773 November + +On the 4th of November, we again got in shore, near Cape Palliser, and +were visited by a number of the natives in their canoes; bringing a +great quantity of cray-fish, which we bought of them for nails and +Otaheite cloth. The next day it blew hard from W.N.W., which again drove +us off the coast, and obliged us to bring-to for two days; during which +time it blew one continual gale of wind, with heavy falls of sleet. By +this time, our decks were very leaky; our beds and bedding wet; and +several of our people complaining of colds; so that we began to despair +of ever getting into Charlotte's Sound, or joining the Resolution. + +On the 6th, being to the north of the cape, the wind at S.W., and +blowing strong, we bore away for some bay to complete our water and +wood, being in great want of both, having been at the allowance of one +quart of water for some days past; and even that pittance could not be +come at above six or seven days longer. We anchored in Tolaga Bay on the +9th, in latitude 38 deg. 21' S., longitude 178 deg. 31' east. It affords good +riding with the wind westerly, and regular soundings from eleven to five +fathoms, stiff muddy ground across the bay for about two miles. It is +open from N.N.E. to E.S.E. It is to be observed, easterly winds seldom +blow hard on this shore; but when they do, they throw in a great sea, +so that if it were not for a great undertow, together with a large river +that empties itself in the bottom of the bay, a ship would not be able +to ride here. Wood and water are easily to be had, except when it blows +hard easterly. The natives here are the same as those at Charlotte's +Sound, but more numerous, and seemed settled, having regular plantations +of sweet potatoes, and other roots, which are very good; and they have +plenty of cray and other fish, which we bought of them for nails, beads, +and other trifles, at an easy rate. In one of their canoes we observed +the head of a woman lying in state, adorned with feathers and other +ornaments. It had the appearance of being alive; but, on examination, we +found it dry, being preserved with every feature perfect, and kept as +the relic of some deceased relation. + +Having got about ten tons of water, and some wood, we sailed for +Charlotte's Sound on the 12th. We were no sooner out than the wind began +to blow hard, dead on the shore, so that we could not clear the land on +either tack. This obliged us to bear away again for the bay, where we +anchored the next morning, and rode out a very heavy gale of wind at E. +by S., which threw in a very great sea. We now began to fear we should +never join the Resolution; having reason to believe she was in Charlotte +Sound, and by this time ready for sea. We soon found it was with great +difficulty we could get any water, owing to the swell setting in so +strong; at last, however, we were able to go on shore, and got both wood +and water. + +Whilst we lay here we were employed about the rigging, which was much +damaged by the constant gales of wind we had met with since we made the +coast. We got the booms down on the decks, and having made the ship as +snug as possible, sailed again on the 16th. After this we met with +several gales of wind off the mouth of the Strait; and continued beating +backwards and forwards till the 30th, when we were so fortunate as to +get a favourable wind, which we took every advantage of, and at last got +safe into our desired port. We saw nothing of the Resolution, and began +to doubt her safety; but on going ashore, we discerned the place where +she had erected her tents; and, on an old stump of a tree in the garden, +observed these words cut out, "Look underneath." There we dug, and soon +found a bottle corked and waxed down, with a letter in it from Captain +Cook, signifying their arrival on the 3d instant, and departure on the +24th; and that they intended spending a few days in the entrance of the +Straits to look for us. + +We immediately set about getting the ship ready for sea as fast as +possible; erected our tents; sent the cooper on shore to repair the +casks; and began to unstow the hold, to get at the bread that was in +butts; but on opening them found a great quantity of it entirely +spoiled, and most part so damaged, that we were obliged to fix our +copper oven on shore to bake it over again, which undoubtedly delayed us +a considerable time. Whilst we lay here, the inhabitants came on board +as before, supplying us with fish, and other things of their own +manufacture, which we bought of them for nails, etc. and appeared very +friendly, though twice in the middle of the night they came to the tent, +with an intention to steal; but were discovered before they could get +any thing into their possession. + +1773 December + +On the 17th of December, having refitted the ship, completed our water +and wood, and got every thing ready for sea, we sent our large cutter, +with Mr Rowe, a midshipman, and the boat's crew, to gather wild greens +for the ship's company; with orders to return that evening, as I +intended to sail the next morning. But on the boat's not returning the +same evening, nor the next morning, being under great uneasiness about +her, I hoisted out the launch, and sent her with the second lieutenant, +Mr Burney, manned with the boat's crew and ten marines, in search of +her. My orders to Mr Burney were first, to look well into East Bay, and +then to proceed to Grass Cove, the place to which Mr Rowe had been sent; +and if he heard nothing of the boat there, to go farther up the sound, +and come back along the west shore. As Mr Rowe had left the ship an hour +before the time proposed, and in a great hurry, I was strongly persuaded +that his curiosity had carried him into East Bay, none in our ship +having ever been there; or else, that some accident had happened to the +boat, either by going adrift through the boat-keeper's negligence, or by +being stove among the rocks. This was almost every body's opinion; and +on this supposition, the carpenter's mate was sent in the launch, with +some sheets of tin. I had not the least suspicion that our people had +received any injury from the natives, our boats having frequently been +higher up, and worse provided. How much I was mistaken, too soon +appeared; for Mr Burney having returned about eleven o'clock the same +night, made his report of a horrible scene indeed, which cannot be +better described than in his own words, which now follow. + +"On the 18th, we left the ship; and having a light breeze in our favour, +we soon got round Long Island, and within Long Point. I examined every +cove, on the larboard hand, as we went along, looking well all around +with a spy-glass, which I took for that purpose. At half past one, we +stopped at a beach on the left-hand side going up East Bay, to boil some +victuals, as we brought nothing but raw meat with us. Whilst we were +cooking, I saw an Indian on the opposite shore, running along a beach to +the head of the bay. Our meat being drest, we got into the boat and put +off; and, in a short time, arrived at the head of this reach, where we +saw an Indian settlement." + +"As we drew near, some of the Indians came down on the rocks, and waved +for us to be gone, but seeing we disregarded them, they altered their +notes. Here we found six large canoes hauled up on the beach, most of +them double ones, and a great many people; though not so many as one +might expect from the number of houses and size of the canoes. Leaving +the boat's crew to guard the boat, I stepped ashore with the marines +(the corporal and five men), and searched a good many of their houses, +but found nothing to give me any suspicion. Three or four well-beaten +paths led farther into the woods, where were many more houses; but the +people continuing friendly, I thought it unnecessary to continue our +search. Coming down to the beach, one of the Indians had brought a +bundle of _Hepatoos_ (long spears), but seeing I looked very earnestly +at him, he put them on the ground, and walked about with seeming +unconcern. Some of the people appearing to be frightened, I gave a +looking-glass to one, and a large nail to another. From this place the +bay ran, as nearly as I could guess, N.N.W. a good mile, where it ended +in a long sandy beach. I looked all around with the glass, but saw no +boat, canoe, or sign of inhabitant. I therefore contented myself with +firing some guns, which I had done in every cove as I went along." + +"I now kept close to the east shore, and came to another settlement, +where the Indians invited us ashore. I enquired of them about the boat, +but they pretended ignorance. They appeared very friendly here, and sold +us some fish. Within an hour after we left this place, in a small beach +adjoining to Grass Cove, we saw a very large double canoe just hauled +up, with two men and a dog. The men, on seeing us, left their canoe, and +ran up into the woods. This gave me reason to suspect I should here get +tidings of the cutter. We went ashore, and searched the canoe, where we +found one of the rullock-ports of the cutter, and some shoes, one of +which was known to belong to Mr Woodhouse, one of our midshipmen. One of +the people, at the same time, brought me a piece of meat, which he took +to be some of the salt meat belonging to the cutter's crew. On examining +this, and smelling to it, I found it was fresh. Mr Fannin (the master) +who was with me, supposed it was dog's flesh, and I was of the same +opinion; for I still doubted their being cannibals. But we were soon +convinced by most horrid and undeniable proof." + +"A great many baskets (about twenty) lying on the beach, tied up, we cut +them open. Some were full of roasted flesh, and some of fern-root, which +serves them for bread. On, farther search, we found more shoes, and a +hand, which we immediately knew to have belonged to Thomas Hill, one of +our fore-castle men, it being marked T.H. with an Otaheite +tattow-instrument. I went with some of the people a little way up the +woods, but saw nothing else. Coming down again, there was a round spot +covered with fresh earth, about four feet diameter, where something had +been buried. Having no spade, we began to dig with a cutlass; and in the +mean time I launched the canoe with intent to destroy her; but seeing a +great smoke ascending over the nearest hill, I got all the people into +the boat, and made what haste I could to be with them before sun-set." + +"On opening the next bay, which was Grass Cove, we saw four canoes, one +single and three double ones, and a great many people on the beach, who, +on our approach; retreated to a small hill, within a ship's length of +the water side, where they stood talking to us. A large fire was on the +top of the high land, beyond the woods, from whence, all the way down +the hill, the place was thronged like a fair. As we came in, I ordered a +musquetoon to be fired at one of the canoes, suspecting they might be +full of men lying down in the bottom; for they were all afloat, but +nobody was seen in them. The savages on the little hill still kept +hallooing, and making signs for us to land. However, as soon as we got +close in, we all fired. The first volley did not seem to affect them +much; but on the second, they began to scramble away as fast as they +could, some of them howling. We continued firing as long as we could see +the glimpse of any of them through the bushes. Amongst the Indians were +two very stout men, who never offered to move till they found themselves +forsaken by their companions; and then they marched away with great +composure and deliberation; their pride not suffering them to run. One +of them, however, got a fall, and either lay there, or crawled off on +all-fours. The other got clear, without any apparent hurt. I then landed +with the marines, and Mr Fannin staid to guard the boat." + +"On the beach were two bundles of celery, which had been gathered for +loading the cutter. A broken oar was stuck upright in the ground, to +which the natives had tied their canoes; a proof that the attack had +been made here. I then searched all along at the back of the beach, to +see if the cutter was there. We found no boat, but instead of her, such +a shocking scene of carnage and barbarity as can never be mentioned or +thought of but with horror; for the heads, hearts, and lungs of several +of our people were seen lying on the beach, and, at a little distance, +the dogs gnawing their entrails." + +"Whilst we remained almost stupified on the spot, Mr Fannin called to us +that he heard the savages gathering together in the woods; on which I +returned to the boat, and hauling along-side the canoes, we demolished +three of them. Whilst this was transacting, the fire on the top of the +hill disappeared; and we could hear the Indians in the woods at high +words; I suppose quarrelling whether or no they should attack us, and +try to save their canoes. It now grew dark; I therefore just stepped +out, and looked once more behind the beach to see if the cutter had been +hauled up in the bushes; but seeing nothing of her, returned, and put +off. Our whole force would have been barely sufficient to have gone up +the hill; and to have ventured with half (for half must have been left +to guard the boat) would have been fool-hardiness." + +"As we opened the upper part of the sound, we saw a very large fire +about three or four miles higher up, which formed a complete oval, +reaching from the top of the hill down almost to the water-side, the +middle space being inclosed all round by the fire, like a hedge. I +consulted with Mr Fannin, and we were both of opinion that we could +expect to reap no other advantage than the poor satisfaction of killing +some more of the savages. At leaving Grass Cove, we had fired a general +volley towards where we heard the Indians talking; but, by going in and +out of the boat, the arms had got wet, and four pieces missed fire. What +was still worse, it began to rain; our ammunition was more than, half +expended, and we left six large canoes behind us in one place. With so +many disadvantages, I did not think it worth while to proceed, where +nothing could be hoped for but revenge." + +"Coming between two round islands, situated to the southward of East +Bay, we imagined we heard somebody calling; we lay on our oars, and +listened, but heard no more of it; we hallooed several times, but to +little purpose; the poor souls were far enough out of hearing, and, +indeed, I think it some comfort to reflect, that in all probability +every man of them must have been killed on the spot." + +Thus far Mr Burney's report; and to complete the account of this +tragical transaction, it may not be unnecessary to mention, that the +people in the cutter were Mr Rowe, Mr Woodhouse, Francis Murphy, +quarter-master; William Facey, Thomas Hill, Michael Bell, and Edward +Jones, fore-castle men; John Cavanaugh, and Thomas Milton, belonging to +the after-guard; and James Sevilley, the captain's man, being ten in +all. Most of these were of our very best seamen, the stoutest and most +healthy people in the ship. Mr Burney's party brought on board two +hands, one belonging to Mr Rowe, known by a hurt he had received on it; +the other to Thomas Hill, as before-mentioned; and the head of the +captain's servant. These, with more of the remains, were tied in a +hammock, and thrown over-board, with ballast and shot sufficient to sink +it. None of their arms nor cloaths were found, except part of a pair of +trowsers, a frock, and six shoes, no two of them being fellows. + +I am not inclined to think this was any premeditated plan of these +savages; for, the morning Mr Rowe left the ship, he met two canoes, +which came down and staid all the fore-noon in Ship Cove. It might +probably happen from some quarrel which was decided on the spot, or the +fairness of the opportunity might tempt them, our people being so +incautious, and thinking themselves too secure. Another thing which +encouraged the New Zealanders, was, they were sensible that a gun was +not infallible, that they sometimes missed, and that, when discharged, +they must be loaded before they could be used again, which time they +knew how to take advantage of. After their success, I imagine there was +a general meeting on the east side of the sound. The Indians of Shag +Cove were there; this we knew by a cock which was in one of the canoes, +and by a long single canoe, which some of our people had seen four days +before in Shag Cove, where they had been with Mr Rowe in the cutter. + +We were detained in the Sound by contrary winds four days after this +melancholy affair happened, during which time we saw none of the +inhabitants. What is very remarkable, I had been several times up in the +same cove with Captain Cook, and never saw the least sign of an +inhabitant, except some deserted towns, which appeared as if they had +not been occupied for several years; and yet, when Mr Burney entered the +cove, he was of opinion there could not be less than fifteen hundred or +two thousand people. I doubt not, had they been apprized of his coming, +they would have attacked him. From these considerations, I thought it +imprudent to send a boat up again; as we were convinced there was not +the least probability of any of our people being alive. + +On the 23d, we weighed and made sail out of the Sound, and stood to the +eastward to get clear of the straits; which we accomplished the same +evening, but were baffled for two or three days with light winds, before +we could clear the coast. We then stood to the S.S.E. till we got into +the latitude of 56 deg. south, without any thing remarkable happening, +having a great swell from the southward. At this time the wind began to +blow strong from the S.W., and the weather to be very cold; and as the +ship was low and deep laden, the sea made a continual breach over her, +which kept us always wet; and by her straining, very few of the people +were dry in bed or on deck, having no shelter to keep the sea from them. + +The birds were the only companions we had in this vast ocean, except, +now and then, we saw a whale or porpoise; and sometimes a seal or two, +and a few penguins. In the latitude of 58 deg. S., longitude 213 deg.* east, +we fell in with some ice, and, every day, saw more or less, we then +standing to the east. We found a very strong current setting to the +eastward; for by the time we were abreast of Cape Horn, being in the +latitude of 61 deg. S., the ship was a-head of our account eight degrees. We +were very little more than a month from Cape Palliser in New Zealand to +Cape Horn, which is an hundred and twenty-one degrees of longitude, and +had continual westerly winds from S.W. to N.W., with a great sea +following. + +[* About 147 west longitude, I reckon.] + +1774 January + +On opening some casks of pease and flour, that had been stowed on the +coals, we found them very much damaged, and not eatable; so thought it +most prudent to make for the Cape of Good Hope, but first to stand into +the latitude and longitude of Cape Circumcision. After being to the +eastward of Cape Horn, we found the winds did not blow so strong from +the westward as usual, but came more from the north, which brought on +thick foggy weather; so that for several days together we could not be +able to get an observation, or see the least sign of the sun. This +weather lasted above a month, being then among a great many islands of +ice, which kept us constantly on the look-out, for fear of running foul +of them, and, being a single ship, made us more attentive. By this time +our people began to complain of colds and pains in their limbs, which +obliged me to haul to the northward to the latitude of 54 deg. S.; but we +still continued to have the same sort of weather, though we had oftener +an opportunity of obtaining observations for the latitude. + +1774 February + +After getting into the latitude above-mentioned, I steered to the east, +in order, if possible, to find the land laid down by Bouvet. As we +advanced to the east, the islands of ice became more numerous and +dangerous; they being much smaller than they used to be; and the nights +began to be dark. + +1774 March + +On the 3d of March, being then in the latitude of 54 deg. 4' S., longitude +13 deg. E., which is the latitude of Bouvet's discovery, and half a degree +to the eastward of it, and not seeing the least sign of land, either now +or since we have been in this parallel, I gave over looking for it, and +hauled away to the northward. As our last track to the southward was +within a few degrees of Bouvet's discovery in the longitude assigned to +it, and about three or four degrees to the southward, should there be +any land thereabout, it must be a very inconsiderable island. But I +believe it was nothing but ice: As we, in our first setting out, thought +we had seen land several times, but it proved to be high islands of ice +at the back of the large fields; and as it was thick foggy weather when +Mr Bouvet fell in with it, he might very easily mistake them for land. + +On the seventh, being in the latitude of 48 deg. 30' S., longitude 14 deg. 26' +E., saw two large islands of ice. + +On the 17th, made the land of the Cape of Good Hope, and on the 19th +anchored in Table Bay, where we found Commodore Sir Edward Hughes, with +his majesty's ships Salisbury and Sea-horse. I saluted the commodore +with, thirteen guns; and, soon after, the garrison with the same number; +the former returned the salute, as usual, with two guns less, and the +latter with an equal number. + +1774 March-July + +On the 24th, Sir Edward Hughes sailed with the Salisbury and Sea-horse, +for the East Indies; but I remained refitting the ship and refreshing +the people till the 16th of April, when I sailed for England, and on the +14th of July anchored at Spithead. + +CHAPTER IX. + +_Transactions at the Cape of Good Hope; with an Account of some +Discoveries made by the French; and the Arrival of the Ship at St +Helena._ + +1775 March 22 + +I now resume my own Journal, which Captain Furneaux's interesting +narrative, in the preceding section, had obliged me to suspend. + +The day after my arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, I went on shore, and +waited on the Governor, Baron Plettenberg, and other principal officers, +who received, and, treated us, with the greatest politeness, +contributing all in their power to make it agreeable. And, as there are +few people more obliging to strangers than the Dutch in general, at this +place, and refreshments of all kinds are no where to be got in such +abundance, we enjoyed some real repose, after the fatigues of a long +voyage. + +The good treatment which strangers meet with at the Cape of Good Hope, +and the necessity of breathing a little fresh air, has introduced a +custom, not common any where else (at least I have no where seen it so +strictly observed), which is, for all the officers, who can be spared +out of the ship, to reside on shore. We followed this custom. Myself, +the two Mr Forsters, and Mr Sparrman, took up our abode with Mr Brandt, +a gentleman well known to the English, by his obliging readiness to +serve them. My first care, after my arrival, was to procure fresh-baked +bread, fresh meat, greens, and wine, for those who remained on board; +and being provided, every day during our stay, with these articles, they +were soon restored to their usual strength. We had only three men on +board whom it was thought necessary to send on shore for the recovery of +their health; and for these I procured quarters, at the rate of thirty +stivers, or half-a-crown, per day, for which they were provided with +victuals, drink, and lodging. + +We now went to work to supply all our defects. For this purpose, by +permission, we erected a tent on shore, to which we sent our casks and +sails to be repaired. We also struck the yards and topmasts, in order to +overhaul the rigging, which we found in so bad a condition, that almost +every thing, except the standing rigging, was obliged to be replaced +with new, and that was purchased at a most exorbitant price. In the +article of naval stores, the Dutch here, as well as at Batavia, take a +shameful advantage of the distress of foreigners. + +That our rigging, sails, etc. should be worn out, will not be wondered +at, when it is known, that during this circumnavigation of the globe, +that is, from our leaving this place to our return to it again, we had +sailed no less than twenty thousand leagues; an extent of voyage nearly +equal to three times the equatorial circumference of the earth, and +which, I apprehend, was never sailed by any ship in the same space of +time before. And yet, in all this great run, which had been made in all +latitudes between 9 deg. and 71, we sprung neither low-masts, top-mast, +lower, nor top-sail yard, nor so much as broke a lower or top-mast +shroud; which, with the great care and abilities of my officers, must be +owing to the good properties of our ship. + +One of the French ships which were at anchor in the bay, was the Ajax +Indiaman, bound to Pondicherry, commanded by Captain Crozet. He had been +second in command with Captain Marion, who sailed from this place with +two ships, in March 1772, as hath been already mentioned. Instead of +going from hence to America, as was said, he stood away for New Zealand; +where, in the Bay of Isles, he and some of his people were killed by the +inhabitants. Captain Crozet, who succeeded to the command, returned by +the way of the Phillipine Isles, with the two ships, to the island of +Mauritius. He seemed to be a man possessed of the true spirit of +discovery, and to have abilities. In a very obliging manner he +communicated to me a chart, wherein were delineated not only his own +discoveries, but also that of Captain Kerguelen, which I found laid down +in the very situation where we searched for it; so that I can by no +means conceive how both we and the Adventure missed it. + +Besides this land, which Captain Crozet told us was a long but very +narrow island, extending east and west, Captain Marion, in about the +latitude of 48 deg. south, and from 16 deg. to 30 deg. of longitude east of the Cape +of Good Hope, discovered six islands, which were high and barren. These, +together with some islands lying between the Line and the southern +tropic in the Pacific Ocean, were the principal discoveries made in this +voyage, the account of which, we were told, was ready for publication. + +By Captain Crozet's chart it appeared, that a voyage had been made by +the French across the South Pacific Ocean in 1769, under the command of +one Captain Surville; who, on condition of his attempting discoveries, +had obtained leave to make a trading voyage to the coast of Peru. He +fitted out, and took in a cargo, in some part of the East Indies; +proceeded by way of the Phillipine Isles; passed near New Britain; and +discovered some land in the latitude of 10 deg. S., longitude 158 deg. east, to +which he gave his own name. From hence he steered to the south; passed, +but a few degrees, to the west of New Caledonia; fell in with New +Zealand at its northern extremity, and put into Doubtful Bay; where, it +seems, he was, when I passed it, on my former voyage in the Endeavour. +From New Zealand Captain Surville steered to the east, between the +latitude of 35 deg. and 41 deg. south, until he arrived on the coast of America; +where, in the port of Callao, in attempting to land, he was drowned. + +These voyages of the French, though undertaken by private adventurers, +have contributed something towards exploring the Southern Ocean. That of +Captain Surville clears up a mistake which I was led into, in imagining +the shoals off the west end of New Caledonia, to extend to the west as +far as New Holland; it proves that there is an open sea in that space, +and that we saw the N.W. extremity of that country. + +From the same gentleman, we learnt, that the ship which had been at +Otaheite before our first arrival there this voyage, was from New Spain; +and that, in her return, she had discovered some islands in the latitude +of 32 deg. S., and under the meridian of 130 deg. W. Some other islands, said to +be discovered by the Spaniards, appeared on this chart; but Captain +Crozet seemed to think they were inserted from no good authorities. + +We were likewise informed of a later voyage undertaken by the French, +under the command of Captain Kerguelen, which had ended much to the +disgrace of that commander. + +While we lay in Table Bay, several foreign ships put in and out, bound +to and from India, viz. English, French, Danes, Swedes, and three +Spanish frigates, two of them going to, and one coming from Manilla. It +is but very lately that the Spanish ships have touched here; and these +were the first that were allowed the same privileges as other European +friendly nations. + +1775 March-April + +On examining our rudder, the pintles were found to be loose, and we were +obliged to unhang it, and take it on shore to repair. We were also +delayed for want of caulkers to caulk the ship, which was absolutely +necessary to be done before we put to sea. At length I obtained two +workmen from one of the Dutch ships; and the Dutton English East +Indiaman coming in from Bengal, Captain Rice obliged me with two more; +so that by the 26th of April this work was finished: And having got on +board all necessary stores, and a fresh supply of provisions and water, +we took leave of the governor and other principal officers, and the next +morning repaired on board. Soon after the wind coming fair, we weighed +and put to sea; as did also the Spanish frigate Juno, from Manilla, a +Danish Indiaman, and the Dutton. + +As soon as we were under sail, we saluted the garrison with thirteen +guns; which compliment was immediately returned with the same number. +The Spanish frigate and Danish Indiaman both saluted us as we passed +them, and I returned each salute with an equal number of guns. When we +were clear of the bay the Danish ship steered for the East Indies, the +Spanish frigate for Europe, and we and the Dutton for St Helena. + +Depending on the goodness of Mr Kendall's watch, I resolved to try to +make the island by a direct course. For the first six days, that is, +till we got into the latitude of 27 deg. S., longitude 11 deg. 1/2 W. of the +cape, the winds were southerly and S.E. After this we had variable light +airs for two days; they were succeeded by a wind at S.E. which continued +to the island, except a part of one day, when it was at N.E. In general +the wind blew faint all the passage, which made it longer than common. + +1775 May + +At day-break in the morning of the 15th of May, we saw the island of St +Helena at the distance of fourteen leagues; and at midnight anchored in +the road before the town, on the N.W. side of the island. At sun-rise +the next morning, the castle, and also the Dutton, saluted us, each with +thirteen guns; on my landing, soon after, I was saluted by the castle +with the same number, and each of the salutes was returned by the ship. + +Governor Skettowe and the principal gentlemen of the island, received +and treated me, during my stay, with the greatest politeness; by shewing +me every kind of civility in their power. + +Whoever views St Helena in its present state, and can but conceive what +it must have been originally, will not hastily charge the inhabitants +with want of industry. Though, perhaps, they might apply it to more +advantage, were more land appropriated to planting of corn, vegetables, +roots, etc. instead of being laid out in pasture, which is the present +mode. But this is not likely to happen, so long as the greatest part of +it remains in the hands of the company and their servants. Without +industrious planters, this island can never flourish, and be in a +condition to supply the shipping with the necessary refreshments. + +Within these three years a new church has been built; some other new +buildings were in hand; a commodious landing-place for boats has been +made; and several other improvements, which add both strength and beauty +to the place. + +During our stay here, we finished some necessary repairs of the ship, +which we had not time to do at the Cape. We also filled all our empty +water-casks; and the crew were served with fresh beef, purchased at +five-pence per pound. Their beef is exceedingly good, and is the only +refreshment to be had worth mentioning. + +By a series of observations made at the Cape town, and at James Fort in +St Helena, at the former by Messrs Mason and Dixon, and at the latter by +Mr Maskelyne, the astronomer royal, the difference of longitude between +these two places is 24 deg. 12' 15", only two miles more than Mr Kendall's +watch made. The lunar observations made by Mr Wales, before we arrived +at the island, and after we left it, and reduced to it by the watch, +gave 5 deg. 51' for the longitude of James Fort; which is only five miles +more west than it is placed by Mr Maskelyne. In like manner the +longitude of the Cape Town was found within 5' of the truth. I mention +this to shew how near the longitude of places may be found by the lunar +method, even at sea, with the assistance of a good watch. + +CHAPTER X. + +_Passage from St Helena to the Western Islands, with a Description of +the Island of Ascension and Fernando Noronha._ + +1775 May + +On the 21st in the evening, I took leave of the governor, and repaired +on board. Upon my leaving the shore, I was saluted with thirteen guns; +and upon my getting under sail, with the Dutton in company, I was +saluted with thirteen more; both of which I returned. + +After leaving St Helena, the Dutton was ordered to steer N.W. by W. or +N.W. by compass, in order to avoid falling in with Ascension; at which +island, it was said, an illicit trade was carried on between the +officers of the India Company's ships, and some vessels from North +America, who, of late years, had frequented the island on pretence of +fishing whales or catching turtle, when their real design was to wait +the coming of the India ships. In order to prevent their homeward-bound +ships from falling in with these smugglers, and to put a stop to this +illicit trade, the Dutton was ordered to steer the course +above-mentioned, till to the northward of Ascension. I kept company with +this ship till the 24th, when, after putting a packet on board her for +the Admiralty, we parted: She continuing her course to the N.W., and I +steering for Ascension. + +In the morning of the 28th I made the island; and the same evening +anchored in Cross Bay on the N.W. side, in ten fathoms water, the bottom +a fine sand, and half a mile from the shore. The Cross Hill, so called +on account of a cross, or flag-staff erected upon it, bore by compass S. +38 deg. E.; and the two extreme points of the bay extended from N.E. to S.W. +We remained here till the evening of the 31st, and notwithstanding we +had several parties out every night, we got but twenty-four turtle, it +being rather too late in the season; however, as they weighed between +four or five hundred pounds each, we thought ourselves not ill off. We +might have had a plentiful supply of fish in general, especially of that +sort called Old Wives, of which I have no where seen such abundance. +There were also cavalies, conger eels, and various other sorts; but the +catching of any of these was not attended to, the object being turtle. +There are abundance of goats, and aquatic birds, such as men-of-war and +tropic birds, boobies, etc. + +The island of Ascension is about ten miles in length, in the direction +of N.W. and S.E., and about five or six in breadth. It shews a surface +composed of barren hills and vallies, on the most of which not a shrub +or plant is to be seen for several miles, and where we found nothing but +stones and sand, or rather flags and ashes; an indubitable sign that the +isle, at some remote time, has been destroyed by a volcano, which has +thrown up vast heaps of stones, and even hills. Between these heaps of +stones we found a smooth even surface, composed of ashes and sand, and +very good travelling upon it; but one may as easily walk over broken +glass bottles as over the stones. If the foot deceives you, you are sure +to be cut or lamed, which happened to some of our people. A high +mountain at the S.E. end of the isle seems to be left in its original +state, and to have escaped the general destruction. Its soil is a kind +of white marl, which yet retains its vegetative qualities, and produceth +a kind of purslain, spurge, and one or two grasses. On these the goats +subsist, and it is at this part of the isle where they are to be found, +as also land-crabs, which are said to be very good. + +I was told, that about this part of the isle is some very good land on +which might be raised many necessary articles; and some have been at the +trouble of sowing turnips and other useful vegetables. I was also told +there is a fine spring in a valley which disjoins two hills on the top +of the mountain above-mentioned; besides great quantities of fresh water +in holes in the rocks, which the person who gave me this information, +believed was collected from rains. But these supplies of water can only +be of use to the traveller; or to those who may be so unfortunate as to +be shipwrecked on the island; which seems to have been the fate of some +not long ago, as appeared by the remains of a wreck we found on the N.E. +side. By what we could judge, she seemed to have been a vessel of about +one hundred and fifty tons burthen. + +While we lay in the road, a sloop of about seventy tons burthen came to +an anchor by us. She belonged to New York, which place she left in +February, and having been to the coast of Guinea with a cargo of goods, +was come here to take in turtle to carry to Barbadoes. This was the +story which the master, whose name was Greves, was pleased to tell, and +which may, in part, be true. But I believe the chief view of his coming +here, was the expectation of meeting with some of the India ships. He +had been in the island near a week, and had got on board twenty turtle. +A sloop, belonging to Bermuda, had sailed but a few days before with one +hundred and five on board, which was as many as she could take in; but +having turned several more on the different sandy beaches, they had +ripped open their bellies, taken out the eggs, and left their carcasses +to putrify; an act as inhuman as injurious to those who came after them. +Part of the account I have given of the interior parts of this island I +received from Captain Greves, who seemed to be a sensible intelligent +man, and had been all over it. He sailed in the morning of the same day +we did. + +Turtle, I am told, are to be found at this isle from January to June. +The method of catching them is to have people upon the several sandy +bays, to watch their coming on shore to lay their eggs, which is always +in the night, and then to turn them on their backs, till there be an +opportunity to take them off the next day. It was recommended to us to +send a good many men to each beach, where they were to lie quiet till +the turtle were ashore, and then rise and turn them at once. This method +may be the best when the turtle are numerous; but when there are but +few, three or four men are sufficient for the largest beach; and if they +keep patroling it, close to the wash of the surf, during the night, by +this method they will see all that come ashore, and cause less noise +than if there were more of them. It was by this method we caught the +most we got; and this is the method by which the Americans take them. +Nothing is more certain, than that all the turtle which are found about +this island, come here for the sole purpose of laying their eggs; for we +met with none but females; and of all those which we caught, not one had +any food worth mentioning in its stomach; a sure sign, in my opinion, +that they must have been a long time without any; and this may be the +reason why the flesh of them is not so good as some I have eat on the +coast of New South Wales, which were caught on the spot where they fed. + +The watch made 8 deg. 45' difference of longitude between St Helena and +Ascension; which, added to 5 deg. 49' the longitude of James Fort in St +Helena, gives 14 deg. 34' for the longitude of the Road of Ascension, or 14 deg. +30' for the middle of the island, the latitude of which is 8 deg. S. The +lunar observations made by Mr Wales, and reduced to the same point of +the island by the watch, gave 14 deg. 28' 30" west longitude. + +On the 31st of May, we left Ascension, and steered to the northward with +a fine gale at S.E. by E. I had a great desire to visit the island of St +Matthew, to settle its situation; but as I found the wind would not let +me fetch it, I steered for the island of Fernando de Noronha on the +coast of Brazil, in order to determine its longitude, as I could not +find this had yet been done. Perhaps I should have performed a more +acceptable service to navigation, if I had gone in search of the island +of St Paul, and those shoals which are said to lie near the equator, and +about the meridian of 20 deg. W.; as neither their situation nor existence +are well known. The truth is, I was unwilling to prolong the passage in +searching for what I was not sure to find; nor was I willing to give up +every object, which might tend to the improvement of navigation or +geography, for the sake of getting home a week or a fortnight sooner. It +is but seldom that opportunities of this kind offer; and when they do, +they are too often neglected. + +In our passage to Fernando de Noronha, we had steady fresh gales +between the S.E. and E.S.E., attended with fair and clear weather; and +as we had the advantage of the moon, a day or night did not pass without +making lunar observations for determining our longitude. In this run, +the variation of the compass gradually decreased from 11 deg. W., which it +was at Ascension., to 1 deg. W., which we found off Fernando de Noronha. +This was the mean result of two compasses, one of which gave 1 deg. 37', and +the other 23' W. + +1775 June + +On the 9th of June at noon we made the island of Fernando de Noronha, +bearing S.W. by W. 1/2 W., distant six or seven leagues, as we +afterwards found by the log. It appeared in detached and peaked hills, +the largest of which looked like a church tower or steeple. As we drew +near the S.E. part of the isle, we perceived several unconnected sunken +rocks lying near a league from the shore, on which the sea broke in a +great surf. After standing very near these rocks, we hoisted our +colours, and then bore up round the north end of the isle, or rather +round a group of little islets; for we could see that the land was +divided by narrow channels. There is a strong fort on the one next the +main island, where there are several others; all of which seemed to have +every advantage that nature can give them, and they are so disposed, as +wholly to command all the anchoring and landing-places about the island. +We continued to steer round the northern point, till the sandy beaches +(before which is the road for shipping) began to appear, and the forts +and the peaked hills were open to the westward of the said point. At +this time, on a gun being fired from one of the forts, the Portuguese +colours were displayed, and the example was followed by all the other +forts. As the purpose for which I made the island was now answered, I +had no intention to anchor; and therefore, after firing a gun to +leeward, we made sail and stood away to the northward with a fine fresh +gale at E.S.E. The peaked hill or church tower bore S., 27 deg. W., distant +about four or five miles; and from this point of view it leans, or +overhangs, to the east. This hill is nearly in the middle of the island, +which no where exceeds two leagues in extent, and shews a hilly unequal +surface, mostly covered with wood and herbage. + +Ulloa says, "This island hath two harbours capable of receiving ships of +the greatest burden; one is on the north side, and the other is on the +N.W. The former is, in every respect, the principal, both for shelter +and capacity, and the goodness of its bottom; but both are exposed to +the north and west, though these winds, particularly the north, are +periodical, and of no long continuance." He further says, that you +anchor in the north harbour (which is no more than what I would call a +road) to thirteen fathoms water, one-third of a league from shore, +bottom of fine sand; the peaked hill above-mentioned bearing S.W. 2 deg. +southerly.* + +[* See Don Antonio d'Ulloa's Book, vol. ii. chap. 3. page 95 +to 102, where there is a very particular account of this island.] + +This road seems to be well sheltered from the south and east winds. One +of my seamen had been on board a Dutch India ship, who put in at this +isle in her way out in 1770. They were very sickly, and in want of +refreshments and water. The Portuguese supplied them with some buffaloes +and fowls; and they watered behind one of the beaches in a little pool, +which was hardly big enough to dip a bucket in. By reducing the observed +latitude at noon to the peaked hill, its latitude will be 3 deg. 53' S.; and +its longitude, by the watch, carried on from St Helena, is 32 deg. 34' W.; +and by observations of the sun and moon, made before and after we made +the Isle, and reduced to it by the watch, 32 deg. 44' 30" W. This was the +mean result of my observations. The results of those made by Mr Wales, +which were more numerous, gave 32 deg. 23'. The mean of the two will be +pretty near the watch, and probably nearest the truth. By knowing the +longitude of this isle, we are able to determine that of the adjacent +east coast of Brazil; which, according to the modern charts, lies about +sixty or seventy leagues more to the west. We might very safely have +trusted to these charts, especially the variation chart for 1744, and Mr +Dalrymple's of the southern Atlantic ocean*. + +[* Ulloa says, that the chart places this island sixty leagues from the +coast of Brazil; and that the Portuguese pilots, who often make the +voyage, judge it to be eighty leagues; but, by taking the mean between +the two opinions, the distance may be fixed at seventy leagues.] + +On the 11th, at three o'clock in the afternoon, we crossed the equator +in the longitude of 32 deg. 14' W. We had fresh gales at E.S.E., blowing in +squalls, attended by showers of rain, that continued at certain +intervals, till noon the next day, after which we had twenty-four hours +fair weather. + +At noon on the 13th, being in the latitude of 3 deg. 49' N., longitude 31 deg. +47' W., the wind became variable, between the N.E. and S.; and we had +light airs and squalls by turns, attended by hard showers of rain, and +for the most part dark gloomy weather, which continued till the evening +of the 15th, when, in the latitude of 5 deg. 47' N., longitude 31 deg. W., we +had three calm days, in which time we did not advance above ten or +twelve leagues to the north. We had fair weather and rain by turns; the +sky, for the most part, being obscured, and sometimes by heavy dense +clouds which broke in excessive hard showers. + +At seven o'clock in the evening on the 18th, the calm was succeeded by a +breeze at east, which the next day increasing and veering to and fixing +at N.E., we stretched to N.W. with our tacks on board. We made no doubt +that we had now got the N.E. trade-wind, as it was attended with fair +weather, except now and then some light showers of rain; and as we +advanced to the north the wind increased, and blew a fresh top-gallant +gale. + +On the 21st, I ordered the still to be fitted to the largest copper, +which held about sixty-four gallons. The fire was lighted at four +o'clock in the morning, and at six the still began to run. It was +continued till six o'clock in the evening; in which time we obtained +thirty-two gallons of fresh water, at the expence of one bushel and a +half of coals; which was about three-fourths of a bushel more than was +necessary to have boiled the ship's company's victuals only; but the +expence of fuel was no object with me. The victuals were dressed in the +small copper, the other being applied wholly to the still; and every +method was made use of to obtain from it the greatest quantity of fresh +water possible; as this was my sole motive for setting it to work. The +mercury in the thermometer at noon was eighty-four and a half, and +higher it is seldom found at sea. Had it been lower, more water, under +the same circumstances, would undoubtedly have been produced; for the +colder the air is, the cooler you can keep the still, which will +condense the steam the faster. Upon the whole, this is an useful +invention; but I would advise no man to trust wholly to it. For although +you may, provided you have plenty of fuel and good coppers, obtain as +much water as will support life, you cannot, with all your efforts, +obtain sufficient to support health, in hot climates especially, where +it is the most wanting: For I am well convinced, that nothing +contributes more to the health of seamen, than having plenty of water. + +The wind now remained invariably fixed at N.E. and E.N.E., and blew +fresh with squalls, attended with showers of rain, and the sky for the +most part cloudy. On the 25th, in the latitude of 16 deg. 12' N., longitude +37 deg. 20' W., seeing a ship to windward steering down upon us, we +shortened sail in order to speak with her; but finding she was Dutch by +her colours, we made sail again and left her to pursue her course, which +we supposed was to some of the Dutch settlements in the West Indies. In +the latitude of 20 deg. N., longitude 39 deg. 45' W., the wind began to veer to +E. by N. and E.; but the weather remained the same; that is, we +continued to have it clear and cloudy by turns, with light squalls and +showers. Our track was between N.W. by N. and N.N.W., till noon on the +28th, after which our course made good was N. by W., being at this time +in the latitude of 21 deg. 21' N., longitude 40 deg. 6' W. Afterwards, the wind +began to blow a little more steady, and was attended with fair and clear +weather. At two o'clock in the morning of the 30th, being in the +latitude of 24 deg. 20' N., longitude 40 deg. 47' W., a ship, steering to the +westward, passed us within hail. We judged her to be English, as they +answered us in that language; but we could not understand what they +said, and they were presently out of sight. + +In the latitude of 29 deg. 30', longitude 41 deg. 30', the wind slackened and +veered more to the S.E. We now began to see some of that sea-plant, +which is commonly called gulph-weed, from a supposition that it comes +from the Gulph of Florida. Indeed, for aught I know to the contrary, it +may be a fact; but it seems not necessary, as it is certainly a plant +which vegetates at sea. We continued to see it, but always in small +pieces, till we reached the latitude 36 deg., longitude 39 deg. W., beyond which +situation no more appeared. + +1775 July + +On the 5th of July, in the latitude of 22 deg. 31' 30" N., longitude 40 deg. 29' +W., the wind veered to the east, and blew very faint: The next day it +was calm; the two following days we had variable light airs and calms by +turns; and, at length, on the 9th, having fixed at S.S.W., it increased +to a fresh gale, with which we steered first N.E. and then E.N.E., with +a view of making some of the Azores, or Western Isles. On the 11th, in +the latitude of 36 deg. 45' N., longitude 36 deg. 45' W., we saw a sail which +was steering to the west; and the next day we saw three more. + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Arrival of the Ship at the Island of Fayal, a Description of the Place, +and the Return of the Resolution to England._ + +1775 July + +At five o'clock in the evening of the 13th, we made the island of Fayal, +one of the Azores, and soon after that of Pico, under which we spent the +night in making short boards. At day-break the next morning, we bore +away for the bay of Fayal, or De Horta, where at eight o'clock, we +anchored in twenty fathoms water, a clear sandy bottom, and something +more than half a mile from the shore. Here we moored N.E. and S.W., +being directed so to do by the master of the port, who came on board +before we dropped anchor. When moored, the S.W. point of the bay bore S. +16 deg. W., and the N.E. point N. 33 deg. E.; the church at the N.E. end of the +town N. 38 deg. W., the west point of St George's Island N. 42 deg. E., distant +eight leagues; and the isle of Pico, extending from N. 74 deg. E. to S. 46 deg. +E., distant four or five miles. + +We found in the bay the Pourvoyeur, a large French frigate, an American +sloop, and a brig belonging to the place. She had come last from the +river Amazon, where she took in a cargo of provision from the Cape Verd +Islands; but, not being able to find them, she steered for this place, +where she anchored about half an hour before us. + +As my sole design in stopping here was to give Mr Wales an opportunity +to find the rate of the watch, the better to enable us to fix with some +degree of certainty the longitude of these islands, the moment we +anchored, I sent an officer to wait on the English consul, and to notify +our arrival to the governor, requesting his permission for Mr Wales to +make observations on shore, for the purpose above mentioned. Mr Dent, +who acted as consul in the absence of Mr Gathorne, not only procured +this permission, but accommodated Mr Wales with a convenient place in +his garden to set up his instruments; so that he was enabled to observe +equal altitudes the same day. + +We were not more obliged to Mr Dent for the very friendly readiness he +shewed in procuring us this and every other thing we wanted, than for +the very liberal and hospitable entertainment we met with at his house, +which was open to accommodate us both night and day. + +During our stay, the ship's company was served with fresh beef; and we +took on board about fifteen tons of water, which we brought off in the +country boats, at the rate of about three shillings per ton. Ships are +allowed to water with their own boats; but the many inconveniencies +attending it, more than overbalance the expence of hiring shore-boats, +which is the most general custom. + +Fresh provisions for present use may be got, such as beef, vegetables, +and fruit; and hogs, sheep, and poultry for sea stock, all at a pretty +reasonable price; but I do not know that any sea-provisions are to be +had, except wine. The bullocks and hogs are very good, but the sheep are +small and wretchedly poor. + +The principal produce of Fayal is wheat and Indian corn, with which they +supply Pico and some of the other isles. The chief town is called Villa +de Horta. It is situated in the bottom of the bay, close to the edge of +the sea, and is defended by two castles, one at each end of the town, +and a wall of stone-work, extending along the sea-shore from the one to +the other. But these works are suffered to go to decay, and serve more +for shew than strength. They heighten the prospect of the city, which +makes a fine appearance from the road; but, if we except the Jesuits' +college, the monasteries and churches, there is not another building +that has any thing to recommend it, either outside or in. There is not a +glass window in the place, except what are in the churches, and in a +country-house which lately belonged to the English consul; all the +others being latticed, which, to an Englishman, makes them look like +prisons. + +This little city, like all others belonging to the Portuguese, is +crowded with religious buildings, there being no less than three +convents of men and two of women, and eight churches, including those +belonging to the convents, and the one in the Jesuits' college. This +college is a fine structure, and is situated on an elevation in the +pleasantest part of the city. Since the expulsion of that order, it has +been suffered to go to decay, and will probably, in a few years, be no +better than a heap of ruins. + +Fayal, although the most noted for wines, does not raise sufficient for +its own consumption. This article is raised on Pico, where there is no +road for shipping; but being brought to De Horta, and from thence +shipped abroad, chiefly to America, it has acquired the name of Fayal +Wine. + +The bay, or road of Fayal, is situated at the east end of the isle, +before the Villa de Horta, and facing the west end of Pico. It is two +miles broad, and three quarters of a mile deep, and hath a semi-circular +form. The depth of water is from twenty to ten and even six fathoms, a +sandy bottom, except near the shore, and particularly near the S.W. +head, off which the bottom is rocky, also without the line which joins +the two points of the bay, so that it is not safe to anchor far out. The +bearing before mentioned, taken when at anchor, will direct any one to +the best ground. It is by no means a bad road, but the winds most to be +apprehended, are those which blow from between the S.S.W. and S.E.; the +former is not so dangerous as the latter, because, with it, you can +always get to sea. Besides this road, there is a small cove round the +S.W. point, called Porto Pierre, in which, I am told, a ship or two may +lie in tolerable safety, and where they sometimes heave small vessels +down. + +A Portuguese captain told me, that about half a league from the road in +the direction of S.E., in a line between it and the south side of Pico, +lies a sunken rock, over which is twenty-two feet water, and on which +the sea breaks in hard gales from the south. He also assured me, that of +all the shoals that are laid down in our charts and pilot-books about +these isles, not one has any existence but the one between the islands +of St Michael and St Mary, called Hormingan. This account may be +believed, without relying entirely upon it. He further informed me, that +it is forty-five leagues from Fayal to the island of Flores; and that +there runs a strong tide between Fayal and Pico, the flood setting to +the N.E. and the ebb to the S.W., but that, out at sea, the direction is +E. and W. Mr Wales having observed the times of high and low water by +the shore, concluded that it must be high water at the full and change, +about twelve o'clock, and the water riseth about four or five feet. + +The distance between Fayal and Flores was confirmed by Mr Rebiers, +lieutenant of the French frigate, who told me, that after being by +estimation two leagues due south of Flores, they made forty-four leagues +on a S.E. by E. course by compass, to St Catherine's Point on Fayal. + + I found the latitude of the ship at anchor 38 deg. 31' 55" N. + in the bay + + By a mean of seventeen sets of lunar 28 24 30 W. + observations, and reduced to the bay + by the watch, the longitude was made + + By a mean of six sets after leaving it, 28 53 22 + and reduced back by the watch + ----------------- + Longitude by observation 28 38 56 + ----------------- + Ditto, by the watch 28 55 45 + + Error of the watch on our arrival at 16 26-1/2 + Portsmouth + ----------------- + True longitude by the watch 28 39 18-1/2 + _________________ + +I found the variation of the compass, by several azimuths, taken by +different compasses on board the ship, to agree very well with the like +observations made by Mr Wales on shore; and yet the variation thus found +is greater by 5 deg. than we found it to be at sea, for the azimuths taken +on board the evening before we came into the bay, gave no more than 16 deg. +18' W. variation, and the evening after we came out 17 deg. 33' W. + +I shall now give some account of the variation, as observed in our run +from the island of Fernando De Noronha to Fayal. The least variation we +found was 37' W. which was the day after we left Fernando De Noronha, +and in the latitude of 33' S., longitude 32 deg. 16' W. The next day, being +nearly in the same longitude, and in the latitude of 1 deg. 25' N., it was +1 deg. 23' W.; and we did not find it increase till we got into the latitude +of 5 deg. N., longitude 31 deg. W. After this our compasses gave different +variation, viz. from 3 deg. 57' to 5 deg. 11' W. till we arrived in the latitude +of 26 deg. 44' N., longitude 41 deg. W., when we found 6 deg. W. It then increased +gradually, so that in the latitude of 35 deg. N., longitude 40 deg. W., it was +10 deg. 24' W.; in the latitude of 38 deg. 12' N., longitude 32 deg. 1/2 W. it was +14 deg. 47'; and in sight of Fayal 16 deg. 18' W., as mentioned above. + +Having left the bay, at four in the morning of the 19th, I steered for +the west end of St George's Island. As soon as we had passed it, I +steered E. 1/2 S. for the Island of Tercera; and after having run +thirteen leagues, we were not more than one league from the west end. I +now edged away for the north side, with a view of ranging the coast to +the eastern point, in order to ascertain the length of the island; but +the weather coming on very thick and hazy, and night approaching, I gave +up the design, and proceeded with all expedition for England. + +On the 29th, we made the land near Plymouth. The next morning we +anchored at Spithead; and the same day I landed at Portsmouth, and set +out for London, in company with Messrs Wales, Forsters, and Hodges. + +Having been absent from England three years and eighteen days, in which +time, and under all changes of climate, I lost but four men, and only +one of them by sickness, it may not be amiss, at the conclusion of this +journal, to enumerate the several causes to which, under the care of +Providence, I conceive this uncommon good state of health, experienced +by my people, was owing. + +In the Introduction, mention has been made of the extraordinary +attention paid by the Admiralty in causing such articles to be put on +board, as either from experience or suggestion it was judged would tend +to preserve the health of the seamen. I shall not trespass upon the +reader's time in mentioning them all, but confine myself to such as were +found the most useful. + +We were furnished with a quantity of malt, of which was made _Sweet +Wort_. To such of the men as shewed the least symptoms of the scurvy, +and also to such as were thought to be threatened with that disorder, +this was given, from, one to two or three pints a-day each man; or in +such proportion as the surgeon found necessary, which sometimes amounted +to three quarts. This is, without doubt, one of the best anti-scorbutic +sea-medicines yet discovered; and, if used in time, will, with proper +attention to other things, I am persuaded, prevent the scurvy from +making any great progress for a considerable while. But I am not +altogether of opinion that it will cure it at sea. + +_Sour Krout_, of which we had a large quantity, is not only a wholesome +vegetable food, but, in my judgment, highly antiscorbutic; and it spoils +not by keeping. A pound of this was served to each man, when at sea, +twice-a-week, or oftener, as was thought necessary. + +_Portable Broth_ was another great article, of which we had a large +supply. An ounce of this to each man, or such other proportion as +circumstances pointed out, was boiled in their pease, three days in the +week; and when we were in places where vegetables were to be got, it was +boiled with them, and wheat or oatmeal, every morning for breakfast; and +also with pease and vegetables for dinner. It enabled us to make several +nourishing and wholesome messes, and was the means of making the people +eat a greater quantity of vegetables than they would otherwise have +done. + +_Rob of Lemon and Orange_ is an antiscorbutic we were not without. The +surgeon made use of it in many cases with great success. + +Amongst the articles of victualling, we were supplied with _Sugar_ in +the room of _Oil_, and with _Wheat_ for a part of our _Oatmeal_; and +were certainly gainers by the exchange. Sugar, I apprehend, is a very +good antiscorbutic; whereas oil (such as the navy is usually supplied +with), I am of opinion, has the contrary effect. + +But the introduction of the most salutary articles, either as provisions +or medicines, will generally prove unsuccessful, unless supported by +certain regulations. On this principle, many years experience, together +with some hints I had from Sir Hugh Palliser, Captains Campbell, Wallis, +and other intelligent officers, enabled me to lay a plan, whereby all +was to be governed. + +The crew were at three watches, except upon some extraordinary +occasions. By this means they were not so much exposed to the weather as +if they had been at watch and watch; and had generally dry clothes to +shift themselves, when they happened to get wet. Care was also taken to +expose them as little to wet weather as possible. + +Proper methods were used to keep their persons, hammocks, bedding, +cloaths, etc. constantly clean and dry. Equal care was taken to keep the +ship clean and dry betwixt decks. Once or twice a week she was aired +with fires; and when this could not be done, she was smoked with +gun-powder, mixed with vinegar or water. I had also, frequently, a fire +made in an iron pot, at the bottom of the well, which was of great use +in purifying the air in the lower parts of the ship. To this, and to +cleanliness, as well in the ship as amongst the people, too great +attention cannot be paid; the least neglect occasions a putrid and +disagreeable smell below, which nothing but fires will remove. + +Proper attention was paid to the ship's coppers, so that they were kept +constantly clean. + +The fat which boiled out of the salt beef and pork, I never suffered to +be given to the people; being of opinion that it promotes the scurvy. + +I was careful to take in water wherever it was to be got, even though we +did not want it, because I look upon fresh water from the shore to be +more wholesome than that which has been kept some time on board a ship. +Of this essential article we were never at an allowance, but had always +plenty for every necessary purpose. Navigators in general cannot, +indeed, expect, nor would they wish to meet with such advantages in this +respect, as fell to my lot. The nature of our voyage carried us into +very high latitudes. But the hardships and dangers inseparable from that +situation, were in some degree compensated by the singular felicity we +enjoyed, of extracting inexhaustible supplies of fresh water from an +ocean strewed with ice. + +We came to few places, where either the art of man, or the bounty of +nature, had not provided some sort of refreshment or other, either in +the animal or vegetable way. It was my first care to procure whatever of +any kind could be met with, by every means in my power; and to oblige +our people to make use thereof, both by my example and authority; but +the benefits arising from refreshments of any kind soon became so +obvious, that I had little occasion, to recommend the one, or to exert +the other. + +It doth not become me to say how far the principal objects of our voyage +have been obtained. Though it hath not abounded with remarkable events, +nor been diversified by sudden transitions of fortune; though my +relation of it has been more employed in tracing our course by sea, than +in recording our operations on shore; this, perhaps, is a circumstance +from which the curious reader may infer, that the purposes for which we +were sent into the Southern Hemisphere, were diligently and effectually +pursued. Had we found out a continent there, we might have been better +enabled to gratify curiosity; but we hope our not having found it, after +all our persevering researches, will leave less room for future +speculation about unknown worlds remaining to be explored. + +But, whatever may be the public judgment about other matters, it is with +real satisfaction, and without claiming any merit but that of attention +to my duty, that I can conclude this account with an observation, which +facts enable me to make; that our having discovered the possibility of +preserving health amongst a numerous ship's company, for such a length +of time, in such varieties of climate, and amidst such continued +hardships and fatigues, will make this voyage remarkable in the opinion +of every benevolent person, when the disputes about a Southern Continent +shall have ceased to engage the attention, and to divide the judgment of +philosophers. + +(Tables of the route of the Resolution and the Adventure, the variation +of the compass and meteorological observations during the voyage.) + +* * * * * + +A VOCABULARY OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE SOCIETY ISLES. + + +DIRECTIONS FOR THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE VOCABULARY. + +As all nations who are acquainted with the method of communicating their +ideas by characters, (which represent the sound that conveys the idea,) +have some particular method of managing, or pronouncing, the sounds +represented by such characters, this forms a very essential article in +the constitution of the language of any particular nation, and must, +therefore, be understood before we can make any progress in learning, or +be able to converse in it. But as this is very complex and tedious to a +beginner, by reason of the great variety of powers the characters, or +letters, are endued with under different circumstances, it would seem +necessary, at least in languages which have never before appeared in +writing, to lessen the number of these varieties, by restraining the +different sounds, and always representing the same simple ones by the +same character; and this is no less necessary in the English than any +other language, as this variety of powers is very frequent, and without +being taken notice of in the following Vocabulary, might render it +entirely unintelligible. As the vowels are the regulations of all +sounds, it is these only that need be noticed, and the powers allotted +to each of these in the Vocabulary is subjoined. + +_A_ in the English language is used to represent two different simple +sounds, as in the word Arabia, where the first and last have a different +power from the second. In the Vocabulary this letter must always have +the power, or be pronounced like the first and last in Arabia. The other +power, or sound, of the second _a_, is always represented in the +Vocabulary by _a_ and _i_, printed in Italics thus, _ai_. + +_E_ has likewise two powers, or it is used to represent two simple +sounds, as in the words Eloquence, Bred, Led, etc. and it may be said to +have a third power, as in the words Then, When, etc. In the first case, +this letter is only used at the beginning of words, and wherever it is +met with in any other place in the words of the Vocabulary, it is used +as in the second case: But never as in the third example; for this +power, or sound, is every where expressed by the _a_ and _i_ +before-mentioned, printed in Italics. + +_I_ is used to express different simple sounds, as in the words +Indolence, Iron, and Imitation. In the Vocabulary it is never used as in +the first case, but in the middle of words; it is never used as in the +second example, for that sound is always represented by _y_, nor is it +used as in the last case, that sound being always represented by two +_e_'s, printed in Italics in this manner, _ee_. + +_O_ never alters in the pronunciation, i.e. in this Vocabulary, of a +simple sound, but is often used in this manner, _oo_, and sounds as in +Good, Stood, etc. + +_U_ alters, or is used to express different simple sounds, as in Unity, +or Umbrage. Here the letters _e_ and _u_, printed in Italics _eu_ are +used to express its power as in the first example, and it always retains +the second power, wherever it is met with. + +_Y_ is used to express different sounds, as in My, By, etc. etc. and in +Daily, Fairly, etc. Wherever it is met with in the middle, or end, (i.e. +anywhere but at the beginning,) of a word, it is to be used as in the +first example; but is never to be found as in the second, for that +sound, or power, is always represented by the Italic letter _e_. It has +also a third power, as in the words Yes, Yell, etc., which is retained +every where in the Vocabulary, at least in the beginning of words, or +when it goes before another vowel, unless directed to be sounded +separately by a mark over it, as thus, y a. + +Unless in a few instances, these powers of the vowels are used +throughout the Vocabulary; but, to make the pronunciation still less +liable to change, or variation, a few marks are added to the words, as +follows:-- + +This mark " as oea, means that these letters are to be expressed singly. + +The letters in Italic, as _ee_, or _oo_, make but one simple sound. + +When a particular stress is laid on any part of a word in the +pronunciation, an accent is placed over that letter where it begins, or +rather between that and the preceding one. + +It often happens that a word is compounded as it were of two, or in some +cases the same word, or syllable, is repeated. In these circumstances, a +comma is placed under them at this division, where a rest, or small +space, of time is left before you proceed to pronounce the other part, +but it must not be imagined that this is a full stop. + + + _Examples in all these Cases._ + + Roea, Great, long, distant. E'r_ee_ma, Five. Ry'po_ee_a, Fog, _or + mist_. E'h_oo_ra, To invert, _or turn upside down_. Par_oo_, r_oo_, + A partition, _division, or screen_. + + +A VOCABULARY, etc. + + A. + To abide, _or remain_ Ete'_ei_. + An Abode, _or place of residence_, Noho`ra. + Above, _not below_, N_eea_, s. Tie'n_eea_. + An Abscess, Fe'fe. + Action, _opposed to rest_, Ta'er_ee_. + Adhesive, _of an adhesive or sticking + quality_ Oo'p_ee_re. + Adjoining, _or contiguous to_, E'p_ee_iho. + Admiration, _an interjection of_, A'w_ai_, s. A'w_ai_ + to P_ee_r_ee_ai. + An adulterer, T_ee_ho t_ee_ho, s. Teeho + _or one that vexes a married woman_ ta-rar + To agitate, _or shake a thing, + as water, etc._ E_oo_a'w_ai_. + Aliment, _or food of any kind_, Maea. + Alive, _that is not dead_, Waura. + All, _the whole, not a part_, A'ma_oo_. + Alone, _by one's self_, Ota'h_oi_. + Anger, _or to be angry_, Warrad_ee_, + s. R_ee_d_ee_. + To angle, _or fish_, E'h_oo_tee. + _The_ Ankle, Momoa. + _The inner_ Ankle, A't_oo_a,ewy. + Answer, _an answer to a question_, Oo'm_ai_a. + Approbation, _or consent_, Mad_oo_ho'why. + _Punctuated_ Arches _on the hips_, E'var're. + _The_ Arm, R_ee_ma. + _The_ Armpit, E'e. + _An_ arrow, E'_oo_me. + Arrow, _the body of an arrow or reed_, O'wha. + _The point of an_ Arrow, To'_ai_, s. O'moea. + Ashamed, _to be ashamed or confused_, Ama, s. He'ama. + Ashore, _or on shore_, Te Euta. + To ask _for a thing_, Ho'my, s. Ha'py my. + Asperity, _roughness_, Tarra, tarra. + An Assassin,_murderer, or rather + man-killer, soldier, Taata,Toea. or + warrior_, + An Assembly, _or meeting_, Ete_ou_'rooa. Atherina, + A'n_ai_h_eu_. + Avaricious, _parsimonious, ungenerous_, P_ee_'p_ee_re. + Averse, _unwillingness to do a thing_, Fata, h_oi_to' _hoi_to. + Authentic,_true_, Par_ou_, m_ou_. + Awake, _not asleep_, Arra arra, s. E'ra. + Awry,_or to one side; as a wry neck_, Na'na. + An Axe, _hatchet, or adze_, Toee. + Ay, _yes; an affirmation_, _Ai_. + +B. + + A Babe, _or child_, Mydidde. + A Batchelor, _or unmarried person_, E'ev_ee_ (taata.) + The_ Back, T_oo_a_. + To wipe the_ Backside, Fy'r_oo_,too'ty. + Bad, _it is not good_, 'Ee'no. + A Bag _of straw_, Ete'oee, s.Eaete. + Bait, _for fish_, Era'_eu_noo. + Baked _in the oven_, Et_oo_n_oo_. + Bald-headed, O_o_po'b_oo_ta. + Bamboo, E_e_n_ee'ou_. + A Bank, _or shoal_, E'paa. + Bare, _naked, applied to a person that + is undressed_, Ta'turra. + The Bark _of a tree_, Ho'hore. + Barren _land_, Fe'nooa Ma'_ou_re. + _A large round_ Basket _of twig_, He'na. + _A small_ Basket _of cocoa leaves_, V_ai_'hee. + _A long _Basket _of cocoa leaves_, Apo'_ai_ra. + A Basket _of plantain stock_, Papa' M_aiee_a. + _A fisher's_ Basket, Er're'vy. + _A round_ Basket _of cocoa leaves_, Mo'ene. + A Bastard, Fanna T_oo_'n_ee_a. + Bastinado, _to bastinade or flog a person_, Tapra'h_ai_. + To bathe, Ob'_oo_. + A Battle, _or fight_, E'motto. + A Battle-axe, O'morre. + To bawl, _or cry aloud_, T_ei_mo'toro. + A Bead, Poee. + The Beard, _Oo_me _oo_me. + To beat _upon, or strike a thing_, T_oo_'py or T_oo_'ba_ee_. + To beat _a drum_, Er_oo_'k_oo_. + To beckon _a person with the hand_, Ta'rappe. + A Bed, _or bed-place_, E'ro_ee_, s. Moei'a. + To bedaub, _or bespatter_, Par'ry. + A Bee, E'raeo. + A Beetle, P_ee_re'te_ee_. + Before, _not behind_, Te'moea. + A Beggar, _a person that is troublesome_, Tapa'r_oo_. + _continually asking for some-what_, + Behind, _not before_, Te'm_oo_r_ee_. + To belch, Er_oo_'y. + Below, _as below stairs_, Tei'dirro, s. T_ee_diraro. + Below, _underneath, far below_, O'raro. + To bend _any thing, as a stick_, etc. Fa'fe'fe. + Benevolence, _generosity_, Ho'roea, + e.g. _you are a generous man_, Taata ho roa oee. + Between, _in the middle, betwixit two_, Fero'p_oo_. + To bewail, _or lament by crying_, E'tat_ee_. + Bigness, _largeness, great_, Ara'hay. + A Bird, Manoo. + A Bitch, _Oo_re, e'_oo_ha. + To bite, _as a dog_, A ah_oo_. + Black, _colour_, Ere, ere. + Bladder, Toea meeme. + A_ Blasphemer, _a person who speaks_ T_oo_na, (t_aa_ta.) + _disrespectfully of their deities_, + Blind, Matta-po. + A Blister, _raised by a burn or + other means_, Mei'_ee_ + Blood, Toto, s. Eh_ooei_. + To blow _the nose_, Fatte. + The blowing, _or breathing of a whale_, Ta'hora. + Blunt, _as a blunt tool of any sort_, Ma'n_ee_a. + _The carved_ Boards _of a Maray_, E'ra. + _A little_ Boat, _or canoe_, E'vaea. + A Boil, Fe'fe. + Boldness, Eaew_ou_. + A Bone, E'ev_ee_. + A Bonetto, _a fish so called_, Peera'ra. + To bore _a hole_, Ehoo'_ee_, s. Eh_oo_'o. + A Bow, E'fanna. + A Bow-string, Aroea'h_oo_a. + To bow _with the head_, Etoo'o. + _A young_ Boy, My'didde. + Boy, _a familiar way of speaking_, He'aman_ee_. + The Brain _of any animal_, A b_oo_ba. + A Branch _of a tree or plant_, E'ama. + Bread-fruit, _or the fruit of the + bread-tree_, _Oo_r_oo_. + Bread-fruit, _a particular sort of it_, E'patea. + _An insipid paste of_ Bread-fruit, Eh'oee. + _The gum of the _Bread-tree, Tappo'_oo_r_oo_. + _The leaf of the_ Bread-tree, E'da'_oo_r_oo_. + _The pith of the_ Bread-tree, Po'_oo_r_oo_. + To break _a thing_, O whatte, s. Owhan ne, + s. Fatte. + The Breast, O'ma + A Breast-plate _made of twigs, ornamented + with feathers, dog's hair, Ta_oo_me. + and pearl-shell_, + To breathe, Watte Weete wee + te,'aho. + Bring, _to ask one to bring a thing_, Ho'my. + Briskness, _being brisk or quick_, T_ee_ t_ee_re. + Broiled, _or roasted, as broiled meat_, _Oo_aw_ee_ra. + Broken, _or cut_, 'Mot_oo_. + The Brow, _or forehead_, E'ry. + A brown _colour_, Aur_au_ra. + Buds _of a tree or plant_, Te, arre ha_oo_. + A Bunch _of any fruit_, Eta. + To burn _a thing_, Doeod_oo_e. + A Butterfly, Pepe. + + C. + + To call _a person at a distance_, T_oo_o t_oo_'o_oo_. + A Calm, Man_ee_no. + A Calm, _or rather to be so placed, + that the wind has no access to you_, E_ou_, shea. + _Sugar_ Cane, Toe, Etoeo. + A Cap, _or covering for the head_ T_au_'matta. + To carry _any thing_, E'a'mo. + To carry _a person an the back_, Eva'ha. + Catch a _thing hastily with the hand_, Po'po_ee_, s. Peero. + as a fly, etc. + To catch _a ball_, Ama'wh_ee_a. + To catch _fish with a line_, E'h_oo_te. + A Caterpillar, E't_oo_a. + Celerity, _swiftness_, T_ee_'teere, s. E'tirre. + The Centre, _or middle of a thing_, Tera'p_oo_. + Chalk, Mamma'tea. + A Chatterer, _or noisy impertinent Taata E'm_oo_, + fellow_, s. E'm_oo_. + Chearfulness, Wara. + The Cheek, Pappar_ee_a. + A Chest, 'P_ee_ha. + The Chest, _or body_, O'p_oo_. + To chew, _or eat_, E'y. + Chequered, _or painted in squares_, P_oo_re, p_oo_re. + A Chicken, Moea pee'ri_a_ia. + A Chief, _or principal person; one of Eaeree. + the first rank among the people_, + _An inferior_ Chief, _or one who + is only in an independent state, T_oo'ou_ + a gentleman_, + Child-bearing, Fanou, e'vaho. + Children's _language_, Father, O'pucen_oo_, _and_ Papa. + Mother, E'wh_ei_arre, and O'pa'tea. + Brother, E'tama. + Sister, Te't_oo_a. + The Chin, _and lower jaw_, E'taa. + Choaked, _to be choaked as with Ep_oo_'n_ei_na, + victuals_, etc. s. Er_oo_'y. + To chuse, _or pick out_, Eh_ee_e,te,me,my ty. + Circumcision, _or rather an incision_ E_oo_re,te h_ai_. + _of the foreskin_, + _A sort of_ Clappers,_used at funerals_, Par'ha_oo_. + Clapping _the bend of the arm smartly E'too. + with the hand, so as to make a noise, + an Indian custom_, + The Claw _of a bird,_ A'_ee oo_. + Clay, _or clammy earth_, Ewh_ou_,arra. + Clean, _not nasty_, _Oo_'ma, s. Eoo'_ee_. + Clear, _pure; as clear water_, etc. Tea'te. + _White clayey_ Cliffs, E'mammatea. + Close, _shut_, Eva'h_ee_. + Cloth _of any kind, or rather the covering Ahoo. + or raiments made of it_, + _A piece of oblong_ Cloth, _slit in the + middle, through which the head is Teeboota. + put, and it then hangs down behind + and before_, + _Brown thin_ Cloth, _Oo_'erai. + _Dark-brown_ Cloth, Poo'h_ee_re. + _Nankeen-coloured_ Cloth, Ah_ee_re, s. _Oo_a. + _Gummed_ Cloth, Oo'_ai_r ara. + Heappa,heappa, s. + _Yellow_ Cloth, A'ade, p_oo ee ei_, s. + Oora poo'_ee ei_. + Cloth, _a piece of thin white cloth Par_oo_'y, by which name + wrapt round the waist, or thrown they also call a white + over the shoulders_, shirt. + A Cloth-beater, _or an oblong square To'aa. + piece of wood grooved, and used in + making cloth_, + The _Cloth-plant, _a sort of mulberry Ea_ou_te. + tree_, + A Cloud, E'aeo, s. Ea_oo_. + A Cock, Moea, e'toea. + Cock, _the cock claps his wings_ Te Moa Pa_ee_, pa_ee_. + A Cock-roach, Potte potte. + A Cocoa-nut, A'r_ee_. + _The fibrous husk of a_ Cocoa-nut, P_oo_r_oo_'waha, + s. P_oo_r_oo_. + Cocoa-nut _oil_, E'rede,vaee. + Cocoa leaves, E,ne'ha_oo_. + Coition, E'y. + _The sense of_ Cold, Ma'r_ee_de. + A Comb, Pa'horo, s. Pa'herre. + Company, _acquaintance, gossips_, Tee'ya. + Compliance _with a request, consent_, Mad_oo_,ho'why. + Computation, _or counting of numbers_, Ta't_ou_. + A Concubine, Wa'h_ei_ne Moeebo, + s. Etoo'n_ee_a. + Confusedness, _without order_, E'vah_ee_a. + Consent, _or approbation_, Mad_oo_,ho'why. + Contempt, _a name of contempt given Wah_ei_ne,p_oo_'ha. + to a maid, or unmarried woman_, + Conversation, Para_ou_,maro, s. + Para'para_ou_. + _A sort of_ Convolvulus, _or bird-weed, + common in the islands_, Oh_oo_e. + Cook'd, _dress'd; not raw_, Ee'_oo_, s. E_ee_'wera. + To Cool _one with a fan_, Taha`r_ee_. + Cordage _of any kind_, Taura. + The Core _of an apple_, Boee. + A Cork, _or stopper of a bottle or gourd + shell_, Ora'h_oo_e. + A Corner, E'pecho. + Covering, _the covering of a fish's gills_, Pe_ee_'eya. + Covetousness, _or rather one not inclined + to give_, Pee,peere. + A Cough, Ma're. + To Court, _woo a woman_, Ta'raro. + Coyness _in a woman,_ No'noea. + A Crab, Pappa. + Crab, _a large land-crab that climbs + the cocoa-nut trees for fruit_, E'_oo_wa. + A Crack, cleft, or fissure, Mot_oo_. + Crammed, _lumbered, crowded_, Ooa,p_ee_a'pe,s.Ehotto. + The Cramp, Emo't_oo_ t_oo_. + A Cray-fish, O'_oo_ra. + To Creep _on the hands and feet_, Ene'_ai_. + Crimson _colour_, _Oo_ra _oo_ra. + Cripple, _lame_, T_ei_'t_ei_. + Crooked, _not straight_, O_o_o'p_ee_o. + To crow _as a cock_, A'a _oo_a. + The Crown _of the head_, T_oo_'p_oo_e. + To cry, _or shed tears_, Ta_ee_. + _A brown_ Cuckoo, _with black bars and + a long tail, frequent in the isles_, Ara'were_wa_. + To cuff, _or slap the chops_, E'par_oo_. + Curlew, _a small curlew or whimbrel + found about the rivulets_, Torea. + Cut, _or divided_, Mot_oo_. + _To_ cut _the hair with scissars_, O'tee. + + D. + + A Dance, H_ee_va. + Darkness, Poee'r_ee_, + s. Po_oo_'r_ee_ + To Darn O'ono + A Daughter, Ma'h_ei_ne. + Day, _or day-light_, Mara'marama, s. + A'_ou_, s. A'a_ou_. + Day-break, Oota'tah_ei_ta. + Day, _to-day_, A_oo_'n_ai_. + Dead, Matte roea. + _A natural_ Death, Matte noea. + Deafness, Ta'r_ee_a, t_oo_r_ee_. + Decrepid, Epoo't_oo_a. + Deep water, Mona'. + A Denial, _or refusal_, Eh_oo_'noea. + To desire, _or wish for a thing_, E_ooee_. + A Devil, _or evil spirit_, E't_ee_. + Dew, Ahe'a_oo_. + A Diarrhoea, _or looseness_, Hawa, hawa. + To_ dip _meat in salt water instead of_ Eaw_ee_'wo + _salt, (an Indian custom_,) + Dirt, _or nastiness of any kind_, E'repo. + Disapprobation, Eh_oo_noea. + A Disease, _where the head cannot be E'p_ee_. + held up, perhaps the palsy_, + To disengage, _untie or loosen_, Ea_oo_'w_ai_. + Dishonesty, E_ee_'a. + Displeased, _to be displeased, vexed, or Ta_ee_'va. + in the dumps_, + Dissatisfaction, _to grumble, or be Fa_oo_'oue. + dissatisfied_, + Distant, _far off_, Roea. + _To_ distort, _or writhe the limbs, body, Faee'ta. + lips, etc. + To distribute, _divide or share out_, At_oo_'ha. + A District, Matei na. + A Ditch, Eoe'h_oo_. + To dive _under water_, Eho'p_oo_. + A Dog, _Oo_'r_ee_. + A Doll _made of cocoa-plants_, Ad_oo_'a. + A Dolphin, A'_ou_na. + Done, _have done; or that is enough_, A'teera. + _or there is no more_, + A Door, _Oo_'b_oo_ta. + Double, _or when two things are in_ Tau'r_oo_a. + _one, as a double canoe_, + Down, _or soft hair_, E'waou, + To draw _a bow_, Etea. + To draw, _or drag a thing by force_, Era'ko. + Dread, _or fear_, Mattou. + Dress'd, _or cooked, not raw_, Ee'_oo_. + _A head_ Dress, _used at funerals_, Pa'ra_ee_. + To dress, _or put on the cloaths_, Eu, hau'ho_oo_ t'Ahoo. + To drink, A_ee_'n_oo_. + Drop, _a single drop of any liquid_, _Oo_,ata'hai. + To drop, _or leak_, Eto't_oo_r_oo_, s. + E't_oo_r_oo_. + Drops, _as drops of rain_, To'potta. + Drowned, Parre'mo. + A Drum, Pa'hoo. + Dry, _not wet_, _Oo_'maro. + A Duck, Mora. + A Dug, _teat, or nipple_, E_oo_. + Dumbness, E'faoe. + + E. + + The Ear, Ta'r_ee_a. + _The inside of the_ Ear, Ta'toor_ee_. + An Ear-ring, Poe note tar_ee_a. + To eat, _or chew_, E'y, s. Maea. + An Echinus, _or sea-egg_, Heawy. + Echo, T_oo_o. + An Egg _of a bird_, Ehooero te Man_oo_. + _A white_ Egg-bird, Pee'ry. + Eight, A'waroo. + The Elbow, T_oo_'r_ee_. + Empty, Oooata'aoe, + s. Tata'_oo_a. + An Enemy, Taata'e. + Entire, _whole, not broke_, Eta, Eta. + Equal, _Oo_hy't_ei_. + Erect, _upright_, Et_oo_. + A Euphorbium _tree, with white flowers_, Te'too_ee_. + The Evening, Oooh_oi_'h_oi_. + Excrement, T_oo_'ty. + To expand, _or spread out cloth, etc._ Ho'hora. + The Eye, Matta. + The Eye-brow, _and eye-lid_, T_oo_a, matta. + + F. + + The Face, E'mot_ee_a. + _To hide or hold the_ Face _away, as_ + when ashamed_, Far_ee_'w_ai_. + Facetious, _merry_, Faatta atta. + Fainting, _to faint_, Moee,mo'my. + To fall _down_, Topa. + False, _not true_, Ha'warre. + A Fan, _or to fan the face or cool it_, Taha'r_ee_. + To fart, _or a fart_, Eh_oo_. + Fat, _full of flesh, lusty_, P_ee_a. + The fat _of meat_, Ma_ee_. + A Father Med_oo_a tanne. + A _step-_father, Tanne, te hoea. + Fatigued, _tired_, E'h_ei'eu_,s.Faea. + Fear, Mattou. + A Feather, _or quill_, H_oo_roo, _hoo_r_oo_, + man_oo_. + _Red_ Feathers, Ora, h_oo_r_oo_ te man_oo_. + Feebleness, _weakness_, Fara'ra, s. Tooro'r_ee_. + _The sense of_ Feeling, Fa'fa. + To feel, Tear'ro. + _A young clever dexterous_ Fellow, _or boy_, Te'my de pa'ar_ee_. + The Female _kind of any animal_, E'_oo_ha. + The Fern-tree, Ma'mo_oo_. + Fertile _land_, Fen_oo_a,maa. + Fetch, _go fetch it_, Atee. + Few _in number_, Eote. + To fight, E'neotto. + A Fillip, _with the fingers_, Epatta. + The Fin _of a fish_, Tirra. + To finish, _or make an end_, Eiote. + A Finger, E'r_ee_ma. + Fire, Ea'hai. + _A flying_ Fish, Mara'ra. + _A green flat_ Fish, E_eu_me. + _A yellow flat_ Fish, _Oo_'morehe. + _A flat green and red_ P_ai'ou_. + _The cuckold_ Fish, Etata. + A Fish, Eya. + Fishing _wall for hauling the seine at Epa. + the first point_, + A Fish _pot_, E'wha. + _A long_ Fishing _rod of Bamboo, used Ma'k_ee_ra. + to catch bonettoes_, etc., + A Fissure, _or crack_, Motoo. + Fist, _to open the fist_, Ma'hora. + Fist, _striking with the fist in dancing_, A'moto. + _A fly_ Flapper, _or to flap flies_, Dah_ee_'ere e'r_eu_pa. + Flatness, _applied to a nose, or a vessel + broad and flat; also a spreading + flat topt tree_, Papa. + _A red_ Flesh _mark_, E_ee_'da. + To float _on the face of the water_, Pa'noo. + The Flower _of a plant_, P_oo_a. + _Open_ Flowers, T_ee_arre'_oo_ wa. + Flowers, _white odoriferous flowers, + used as ornaments in the ears_, T_ee_arre tarr_ee_a. + Flown, _it is flown or gone away_, Ma'h_ou_ta. + A Flute, W_ee_wo. + _A black_ Fly-catcher, _a bird so called_, O'mamaeo. + A Fly, P_oo_re'h_oo_a. + To fly, _as a bird_, E'r_ai_re. + Fog, _or mist_, Ry'po_ee_a. + To fold _up a thing, as cloth_, etc. He'fet_oo_. + A Fool, _scoundrel, or other epithet of + contempt_, Ta'_ou_na. + The Foot, _or sole of the foot_, Tapooy. + The Forehead, E'ry. + Forgot, _or lost in memory_, _Oo_'aro. + Foul, _dirty, nasty_, Erepo. + A Fowl, Moea. + Four, E'ha. + The Frapping _of a flute_, Ahea. + Freckles, Taina. + Fresh, _not salt_, Eanna,anna. + Friction, _rubbing_, E'_oo ee_. + Friend, _a method of addressing a + stranger_, Ehoea + _A particular_ Friend, _or the salutation E'apatte. + to him_, + To frisk, _to wanton, to play_, E'hanne. + From _there_, No,r_ei_ra, + s. No,r_ei_da. + From _without_, No,waho'_oo_. + From _before_, No,m_oo_a. + Fruit, 'Hoo'ero. + _Perfume_ Fruit _from Tethuroa_, a + _small island_, Hooero te manoo. + _A yellow_ Fruit, _like a large plumb + with a rough core_, A'v_ee_. + Full, _satisfied with eating_, Pya,s._Oo_'pya, + s.'Paya. + A Furunculus, _or a small hard boil_, Apoo. + + G. + + A Garland _of flowers_, A'v_ou_t_oo_, + s. A'r_ou_too + Ef ha, apai. + Generosity, _benevolence_, Ho'roea. + A Gimblet, Eho'_oo_. + A Girdle, Ta't_oo_a. + A Girl, _or young woman_, Too'n_ee_a. + A Girthing _manufacture_, Tat_oo_'y. + To give _a thing_, Hoea't_oo_. + _A looking_-Glass, H_ee_o'_ee_ota. + A Glutton, _or great eater_, Taata A'_ee_, s. + Era'poea n_oo_e. + To go, _or move from where you stand_ Harre. + _to walk_ + To go, _or leave a place_, Era'wa. + Go, _begone, make haste and do it_, Haro. + Go _and fetch it_, At_ee_. + Good, _it is good, it is very well_, My`ty, s. + Myty,tye, + s. Maytay. + Good-_natured_, Mama'h_ou_, + s. Ma'r_oo_. + A Grandfather, Too'b_oo_na. + A Great-grandfather, Tooboona tahe'too. + A Great great-grandfather, Ouroo. + A Grandson, Mo'b_oo_na. + To grasp _with the hand_, Hara'wa_ai_. + Grasping _the antagonist's thigh when Tomo. + dancing_, + Grass, _used on the floors of their Ano'noho. + houses, + To grate _cocoa-nut kernel_, E'annatehea'r_ee_. + Great, _large, big_, Ara'h_ai_. + Green _colour_, P_oo_re p_oore_. + To groan, Er_oo_,whe. + The groin, Ta'pa. + To grow _as a plant_, etc. We'r_oo_a. + To grunt, _or strain_, Etee,_too_whe. + _The blind_ Gut, Ora'b_oo_b_oo_. + The Guts _of any animal_, A'a_oo_. + + H. + + The Hair _of the head_, E'ror_oo_, + s. E'roh_oo_r_oo_. + _Grey_ Hair, Hinna'heina. + _Red_ Hair, _or a red-headed man_, E'h_oo_. + _Curled_ Hair, P_ee_p_ee_. + _Woolly frizzled_ Hair, Oe'toeeto. + _To pull the_ Hair, E'w_ou_a. + Hair, _tied on the crown of the head_, E'p_oo_te. + Half _of any thing_, Fa'_ee_te. + A Hammer, Et_ee_'te. + Hammer _it out_, Atoo'bian_oo_. + The Hand, E'r_ee_ma. + _A deformed_ Hand, P_ee_le'_oi_. + _A motion with the_ Hand _in dancing_, O'ne o'ne. + A Harangue, _or speech_, Oraro. + A Harbour, _or anchoring-place_, T_oo_'t_ou_. + Hardness, E'ta,e'ta. + A Hatchet, _axe, or adze_, Toee. + He, Nana. + The Head, _Oo_'po. + _A shorn_ Head, E'v_ou_a. + The Head-ache, _in consequence of + drunkenness_, Eana`n_ee_a. + _The sense of_ Hearing, Faro. + The Heart _of an animal_, A'h_ou_too. + Heat, _warmth_, Mahanna,hanna. + Heavy, _not light_, T_ei_ma'ha. + _The sea_ Hedge-hog, Totera. + _A blue_ Heron, Otoo. + _A white_ Heron, Tra'pappa. + To hew _with an axe_, Teraee. + Hibiscus, _the smallest species of Hibiscus, + with rough seed cases, that adhere + to the clothes in walking_, P_ee_re,p_ee_re. + Hibiscus, _a species of Hibiscus with + large yellow flowers_, Po_oo_'r_ou_. + The Hiccup, Et_oo_'ee, + s. E_oo_'wha. + Hide, _to hide a thing_, E'h_oo_na. + High, _or steep_, Mato. + A Hill, _or mountain_, Ma_oo_, + s. Ma_oo_'a, + s. M_ou_a. + _One-tree_ Hill, _a hill so called in + Matavia Bay_, Tal'ha. + To hinder, _or prevent_, Tapea. + The Hips, E'tohe. + Hips, _the black punctuated part of Tamo'r_ou_. + the hips_, + To hit _a mark_, Ele'ba_ou_, + s. Wa'p_oo_ta. + Hiss, _to hiss or hold out the finger at T_ee_'he. + one_, + Hoarseness, E'faeo. + A Hog, Boea. + To hold _fast_, Mou. + Hold _your tongue, be quiet or silent_, Ma'm_oo_, + A Hole, _as a gimblet hole in wood_,etc., E'r_oo_a, s. Poota. + To hollow, _or cry aloud to one_, T_oo_'o. + _To keep at_ Home, Ate'_ei_ te Efarre. + Honesty, Eea'_ou_re. + _A fish_ Hook, Ma't_au_. + _A fish_ Hook _of a particular sort_, W_ee_te,w_ee_te. + The Horizon, E'pa_ee_, + no t'Era_ee_. + Hot, _or sultry air, it is very hot_, Poh_ee_'a. + A House, E'farre, s. Ewharre. + A House _of office_, Eha'm_oo_te. + _A large_ House, Efarre'pota. + A House _on props_, A'whatta. + _An industrious_ Housewife, Ma'h_ei_ne Am_au_'hattoi + How _do you, or how is it with you, Tehanooee. + Humorous, _droll, merry_, Fa,atta,'atta. + Hunger, Poro'r_ee_, + s. Po_ee_'a. + A Hut, _or house_, E'farre. + + I + + I,_ myself, first person singular_, W_ou_(1) M_ee_.(2) + _The lower_ Jaw, E'ta. + Idle, _or lazy_, T_ee_'py. + Jealousy _in a woman_, Ta'b_oo_ne, s.Fatee + no, s. H_oo_'hy. + Ignorance, _stupidity_, W_ee_a'ta. + Ill-natured, _cross_, _Oo_re, e'_ee_ore. + An Image _of a human figure_, E'tee. + Imps,_ the young imps,_ Teo'he. + Immature, _unripe, as unripe fruit_, Poo. + Immediately, _instantly_, To'hyto. + Immense, _very large_, Roea. + Incest, _or incestuous_, Ta'wytte. + Indigent, _poor, necessitous_, T_ee_,t_ee_. + Indolence, _laziness_, T_ee_'py. + Industry, _opposed to idleness_, Ta_ee_'a. + Inhospitable, _ungenerous_, P_ee_'p_ee_re. + To inform, E'whaee. + _A sort of_ Ink, _used to punctuate_, E'rah_oo_. + An inquisitive _tattling woman_, Maheine Opotai_ee_hu. + To interrogate, _or ask questions_, Faeete. + To invert, _or turn upside down_, E'h_oo_ra, tela'why. + An Islet, Mo'too. + The Itch, _an itching of any sort_, Myro. + + J. + + To jump, _or leap_, Mah_ou_ta, s. Araire. + + K. + + Keep _it to yourself_, V_ai_h_ee_'o. + The Kernel _of a cocoa-nut_, Emo't_ee_a. + To kick _with the foot_, Ta'h_ee_. + The Kidnies, F_oo_a'h_oo_a. + Killed, _dead_, Matte. + To kindle, _or light up_, Emaea. + A King, Eaer_ee_,da'h_ai_. + A King-fisher, _the bird to called_, E'r_oo_ro. + To kiss, E'ho_ee_. + Kite, _a boy's play-kite_, O'omo. + The Knee, E't_oo_r_ee_. + To kneel, T_oo_'t_oo_r_ee_. + A Knot, Ta'pona. + _A double_ Knot, Va'hod_oo_. + _The female_ Knot _formed on the upper T_ee_bona. + part of the garment, and on one + side_, + To know, _or understand_, _Ee_te. + The Knuckle, _or joint of the fingers_, T_ee_,p_oo_. + + L. + + To labour, _or work_, Ehea. + A Ladder, Era'a, s. E'ara. + A Lagoon, Ewha'_ou_na, + s.Eae'onna. + Lame, _cripple_, T_ei_'t_ei_. + A Lance, _or spear_, Taeo. + Land _in general, a country_, Fe'n_oo_a, + s. Whe'n_oo_a. + Language, _speech, words_, Pa'ra_ou_. + Language, _used when dancing, Timoro'd_ee_, + te'Timoro'd_ee_. + Largeness, _when applied to a country, Ara'h_ai_. + country,_etc. N_oo_e. + To laugh, Atta. + Laziness, T_ee_'py. + Lean, _the lean of meat_, Aeo. + Lean,_slender, not fleshy_, T_oo_'h_ai_. + To leap, Ma'h_ou_ta, + s. A'rere. + Leave _it behind, let it remain_, 'V_ai_heo. + To leave, E'wh_eeoo_. + The Leg, A'wy. + Legs, _my legs ache, or are tired_, A'h_oo_a. + A Liar, Taata,ha'warre. + To lie _down, or along, to rest one's + self_, Ete'raha, + s. Te'p_oo_. + To lift _a thing up_, Era'w_ai_. + _Day_ Light, Mara'marama. + Light, _or fire of the great people_ T_ou_t_oi_,papa. + Light, _or fire of the common people_, N_ee_ao,papa. + Light, _to light or kindle the fire_, A't_oo_n_oo_ + t'E_ee_'wera. + Light, _not heavy_, Ma'ma. + Lightning, _Oo_'waira. + The Lips, _Oo_t_oo_. + Little, _small_, _Ee_te. + A Lizard, 'Moeo. + Loathsome, _nauseous_, E,a'wawa. + _A sort of_ Lobster, _frequent in the isles_, T_ee_on_ai_. + To loll _about, or be lazy_, Tee'py. + To loll _out the tongue_, Ewha'tor_oo_ t'Arere. + To look _for a thing that is lost_, Tap_oo_n_ee_. + A Looking-glass, H_ee_o'_ee_'otta. + Loose, _not secure_, A_oo_'w_ee_wa. + A Looseness, _or purging_, Hawa,'hawa. + To love, Ehe'nar_oo_. + Lover, _courtier, wooer_, Eh_oo_'noea. + A Louse, _Oo_'t_oo_. + Low, _not high, as low land_, etc. Hea,hea, s. Papoo. + E_ee_'oea. + The Lungs, T_ee_too,'arapoa. + Lusty, _fat, full of flesh_, Oo'p_ee_a. + +M. + + Maggots, E'h_oo_h_oo_. + A Maid, _or young woman _, T_oo_'n_ee_a. + To make _the bed_, Ho'hora, te Moee'ya. + The Male _of any animal, male kind_, E'oeta. + A Man, Taeata, s. Taane. + _An indisposed or insincere_ Man, Taeata,ham'an_ee_no. + A Man-of-war _bird_, Otta'ha. + Many, _a great number_, Wo'rou,wo'rou, + s. man_oo_, man_oo_. + _A black_ Mark _on the skin_, E_ee_'r_ee_. + Married, _as a married man_, Fan_ou_'nou. + A Mat, E'vanne. + _A silky kind of_ Mat, Moee'a. + _A rough sort of_ Mat, _cut in the P_oo_'rou. + middle to admit the head_, + A Mast _of a ship or boat_, T_ee_ra. + Mature, _ripe; as ripe fruit_, Para, s. Pe. + Me, _I_, W_ou_, s. M_ee_. + A Measure, E'a. + To measure _a thing_, Fa'_ee_te. + To meet _one_, Ewharidde. + To melt, _or dissolve a thing, T_oo_'t_oo_e. + as grease etc._ + The middle, _or midst of a thing_, Teropoo. + Midnight, O't_oo_ra,h_ei_'po. + To mince, _or cut small_, E'p_oo_ta. + Mine, _it is mine, or belongs to me_, No'_oo_. + To miss, _not to hit a thing_, _Oo_'happa. + Mist, _or fog_, Ry'po_ee_a. + To mix _things together_, A'p_oo_e,'p_oo_e. + To mock _or scoff at one_, Etoo'h_ee_. + Modesty, Mamma'ha_oo_. + Moist, _wet_, Wara'r_ee_. + A Mole _upon the skin_, At_oo_'noea. + _A lunar_ Month, Mara'ma. + A Monument _to the dead_, Whatta'r_au_. + The Moon, Mara'ma. + The Morning, Oo'po_ee_'po_ee_. + To-morrow, Bo'bo, s. A,Bo'bo. + _The day after to_-morrow, A'bo'bo d_oo_ra. + _The second day after to_-morrow; Po_ee_,po_ee_,addoo. + A Moth, E,pepe. + A Mother, Ma'd_oo_a, wa'h_ei_ne. + A motherly, _or elderly woman_, Pa'tea. + Motion, _opposed to rest_, O_o_a'ta. + A Mountain, _or hill, Ma_oo_a, s. Mo_u_a. + Mountains _of the highest order_, Mo_u_a tei'tei. + Mountains _of the second order_, Mo_u_a 'haha. + Mountains _of the third or lowest + order_, Pere'ra_ou_. + Mourning, '_Ee_va. + Mourning _leaves, viz. those of the Ta'pa_oo_. + cocoa-tree, used for that purpose_, + The Mouth, Eva'ha. + _To open the_ Mouth, Ha'mamma. + A Multitude, _or vast number_, Wo'r_ou_, wo'r_ou_. + Murdered, _killed_, Matte, s. matte roea. + A Murderer, Taata toea. + A Muscle-shell, No_u,ou_. + Music _of any kind_, H_ee_va. + A Musket, _pistol, or firearms P_oo_,p_oo_, s. Poo. + of any kind_, + Mute, _silent_, Fateb_oo_a. + To matter, or _stammer_, E'wha_ou_. + +N. + + The Nail _of the fingers_, Aee'_oo_. + A Nail _of iron_, _E_ure. + Naked, _i. e. with the clothes off, Ta'lurra. + undressed_, + The Name _of a thing_, E_ee'oo_. + Narrow, _strait, not wide_, P_ee_re,p_ee_re. + Nasty, _dirty, not clean_, E,repo. + A Native, Taata'toob_oo_. + The Neck, A'_ee_. + Needles, Narreeda. + _A fishing_ Net, _Oo_'p_ai_a. + New, _young, sound_, Ho_u_. + Nigh, Poto, s. Whatta'ta. + Night, P_o_, s. E'a_oo_. + To-Night, _or to-day at night_, A'_oo_ne te' Po. + _Black_ Night-_shade_, Oporo. + Nine, A'_ee_va. + The Nipple _of the breast_, E'_oo_. + A Nit, Eriha. + [1] Ay'ma, [2] Y_ai_ha, + No, _a negation_, [3]A'_ou_re, [4] A_ee_, + [5] Yeha_ee_a. + To nod, A't_ouou_. + Noisy, _chattering, impertinent_, Emoo. + Noon, Wawa'tea. + The Nostrils, Popo'heo. + Numeration, _or counting of numbers_, Ta't_ou_. + _A cocoa_ Nut, Aree. + _A large compressed_ Nut,_that tastes E_ee_h_ee_. + like chesnuts when roasted_, + + O. + + Obesity, _corpulence_, Ou'p_ee_a. + The Ocean, Ty, s. Meede. + Odoriferous, _sweet-smelled_, No'noea. + _Perfumed_ Oil _they put on the hair_, Mo'noee. + An Ointment,_plaister, or any thing E'ra'pa_oo_. + that heals or relates to medicine_, + Old, Ora'wheva. + One, A'tahai. + Open, _clear, spacious_, Ea'tea. + Open, _not shut_, Fe'r_ei_. + To open, Te'haddoo. + Opposite _to, or over against_, Wetoo'wh_ei_tte. + Order, _in good order, regular, without Wara'wara. + confusion_, + Ornament, _any ornament for the ear_, T_ooee_ ta'r_ee_a. + _Burial_ Ornaments, _viz. nine noits Ma'ray Wharre. + stuck in the ground_, + An Orphan, _Oo_'hoppe, + poo'_ai_a. + Out, _not in, not within_, T_ei_we'ho. + The Outside _of a thing_, _Oo_a'p_ee_. + An Oven _in the ground_, E_oo_'m_oo_. + Over, _besides, more than the quantity_, Te'harra. + To overcome, _or conquer_, E'ma'_oo_ma. + To overturn, _or overset_, Eha'pa_oo_. + An Owner E'whattoo. + _A large species of_ Oyster, I't_ee_a. + _The large rough_ Oyster, _or Spondylus_, Paho'oea. + + P. + + The Paddle _of a canoe, or to paddle_, E'hoee. + To paddle _a canoe's head to the right_ What'tea. + To paddle _a canoe's head to the left_, Wemma. + Pain, _or soreness,the sense of pain_, Ma'my. + A Pair, _or two of any thing together_, Ano'ho. + The Palate, E'ta'nea. + The Palm _of the hand_, Ap_oo_'r_ee_ma. + To Pant, _or breathe quickly_, Oo'pou'pou,tea'ho. + Pap, _or child's food_, Mamma. + A Parent, Me'd_oo_a. + _A small blue_ Parroquet, E'v_ee_n_ee_. + _A green_ Parroquet, _with a E'a'a. + red forehead_, + The Part _below the tongue_, Eta'raro. + A Partition, _division, or screen_, Par_oo_'r_oo_. + A Pass, _or strait_, E,aree'ea. + _A fermented_ Paste, _of bread, + fruit and others_, Ma'h_ee_. + A Path, _or road_, Eae'ra. + The Pavement _before a house or hut_, Pye,pye. + A Pearl, Poee. + The Peduncle, _and stalk of a plant_, A'maea, s. E'atta. + To peel _or take the skin off a + cocoa-nut_etc. A'tee, s. E'atee. + Peeled, _it is peeled_, Me'at_ee_. + A Peg _to hang a bag on_, 'Pe'a_oo_. + A Pepper-plant, _from the root of + which they prepare an inebriating + liquor_, Awa. + Perhaps, _it may be so_, E'pa'ha. + Persons _of distinction_, Patoo'nehe. + A Petticoat _of plantane leaves_, AArou'm_aiee_a. + Petty, _small, trifling, opposed to Nooe_, R_ee_. + _A_ Physician, _or person who + attends the sick_, Taata no E'rapa_oo_. + Pick, _to pick or choose_, Eh_ee_ te _mai_ my ty. + _A large wood_ Pigeon, Er_oope_. + _A large green and white_ Pigeon, O_o_'_oo_pa. + _A small black and white_ Pigeon, + _with purple wings_, _Oooo_wy'deroo. + A Pimple, H_oo_a'h_ou_a. + To Pinch _with, the fingers_, _Oo_ma. + A Plain, _or flat_, E'_pee_ho. + Plane, _smooth_, Pa'_ee_a. + A Plant _of any kind_, O'mo. + _A small_ Plant, E'rabo. + _The fruit of a_ Plantane-tree M_aiee_'a, s. Maya. + _Horse_ Plantanes, Fai'_ee_. + Pleased, _good humoured, not cross or Mar_oo_. + surly_, + Pluck _it up_, Ar_ee_te. + To pluck _hairs from the beard_, H_oo_h_oo_tee. + To plunge _a thing in the water_, E,_oo_'wh_ee_. + The Point _of any thing_, Oe,oee, or _Oi,oi_. + Poison, _bitter_, Awa,awa. + A Poll, _Oo_ra'h_oo_. + Poor, _indigent, not rich_, Tee'tee. + _A bottle-nosed_ Porpoise, E'_ou_a. + _Sweet_ Potatoes, Oo'marra. + To pour _out any liquid substance_, Ma'n_ee_. + Pregnant _with young_, Waha'p_oo_. + To press, _or squeeze the legs gently + with the hand, when tired or pained_, Roro'm_ee_. + Prick, _to prick up the ears_, Eoma te ta'r_ee_. + A Priest, Ta'h_ou_a. + Prone, _or face downwards_, T_ee_'opa. + _A sort of_ Pudding, _made of fruits, + oil_, etc. Po'po'_ee_. + Pumpkins, A'h_ooa_. + To puke, _or vomit_, E'awa, s. e'r_oo_'y. + Pure, _clear_, E'_oo'ee_. + A Purging, _or looseness_, Hawa,hawa. + To pursue, _and catch a person who Er_oo_,Er_oo_, + has done some mischief_, s. Eha'r_oe_. + To push _a thing with the hand_, T_oo_'ra_ee_. + Put _it up, or away_, Orno. + + Q. + + Quickness, _briskness_, E'tirre. + _To walk_ quickly, Harre'n_ei_na. + Quietness, _silence, a silent or seemingly + thoughtful person_, Falle'b_oo_a. + A Quiver _for holding arrows_, 'P_ee_ha. + + R. + + _A small black_ Rail, _with red eyes_, M_ai_'ho. + _A small black_ Rail, _spotted and + buured with white_, P_oo_a'n_ee_. + Rain, E'_oo_a. + A Rainbow, E'n_oo_a. + Raft, _a raft of bamboo_, M_ai_to'e. + Rank,_ strong, urinous_, Ewao wao. + A Rasp, _or file_, _Ooee_. + A Rat, 'Yore, s. Eyore. + Raw _meat, flesh that is not dressed E'otta. + cooked_, + Raw _fruit, as plantanes, etc. that are Paroure. + not baked_ + To recline, _or lean upon a thing_, E'py. + Red _colour_, _Oo_ra,_oo_ra, + s. Matde. + To reef _a sail_, Epo'uie te rya. + A Refusal, Eh_oo_'nooa. + The Remainder _of any thing_, T,'Ewahei. + To rend, _burst, or split_, M_oo_'m_oo_m_oo_. + Rent, _cracked, or torn_, E'wha. + To reside, _live or dwell_, E'noho. + Respiration, _breathing_, T_oo_e,t_oo_e. + A Rib, Awaeo. + Rich, _not poor, having plenty of Epo'too. + goods, etc._ + A Ring, 'M_ai_no. + The Ringworm, _a disease so called_, E'n_oo_a. + Ripe, _as ripe fruit, etc._ Para, s. Pai, s. Ooo + p_ai_. + Rise, _to rise up_, A'too. + To rive, _or split_, Ewha_oo'_ wha_oo_. + A Road, _or path_, Eae'ra. + Roasted, _or broiled_, _Oo_a'w_ai_ra. + A Robber, _or thief_, E_ee_'a (taata.) + A Rock, Pa_oo_. + _A reef of_ Rocks, E'a_ou_. + Rolling, _the rolling of a ship_, T_oo_'r_oo_re. + A Root, Ap_oo_, s. Ea. + A Rope _of any kind_, Taura. + Rotten, _as rotten fruit, etc._ R_oo_pe. + Rough, _not smooth_, Ta'rra, tarra. + To row _with oars_, E'_oo_me, s, E'hoee. + To rub _a thing, as in washing the hands Ho'ro_ee_. + and face_, + The Rudder _of a boat, or steering Hoee,fa'herre. + paddle of a canoe_, + Running _backwards and forwards, Oo'atapone. + endeavouring to escape_, + + S. + + The Sail _of a ship or boat_, E_ee_'_ai_. + To sail, _or to be under sail_, E'whano. + Salt, _or salt water_, Ty'ty, s. Meede. + Sand, _dust_, E'one. + Saturn, Whati'hea. + Saunders's _island_, Tab_oo_a, Manoo. + A Saw, E_ee'oo_. + A Scab, E'tona. + _A fish's_ Scale _or scales_, Poea. + _A pair of_ Scissars, O't_oo_bo, + s. O'tob_oo_. + A Scoop, _to empty water from a canoe_, E'tata. + To scrape _a thing_, _Oo_'a_oo_. + To scratch _with the fingers_, Era'ra_oo_. + Scratched, _a scratched metal_, etc. Pah_oo_re'h_oo_re. + The Sea-cat, _a fish so called_, P_oo_he. + The Sea, Ta_ee_, s. M_ee_de. + A Sea-egg, He'awy. + A Seam _between two planks_, Fatoo'wh_ai_ra. + To search _for a thing that is lost_, Ooe,s.Pae'm_ee_. + A Seat, Papa. + Secret, _a secret whispering, or slandering + another_, Ohe'm_oo_. + The Seed _of a plant,_ H_oo_a't_oo_t_oo_, + s. Ehooero + The sense _of seeing_, E'h_ee_'o. + To send, Eho'poee. + A Sepulchre, _or burying-place_, Ma'ray. + A Servant, T_ow_t_ow_. + Seven, A'H_ee_t_oo_. + To sew, _or string_, E't_oo_e. + Seyne, _to haul a seyne_, Etoroo te p_ai_a. + Shady, Mar_oo_,maroo. + To shake, _or agitate a thing_, E_oo_a'wai. + A Shark, Maeo. + Sharp, _not blunt_, Ooe'ee. + To shave, _or take off the beard_, Eva'r_oo_, + s.Whanne, whanne. + _A small_ Shell, Ot'eo. + _A tyger_ Shell, Pore'h_oo_. + Shew _it me_, Enara. + A Ship, P_a_hee. + Shipwreck, Ara'wha. + _A white_ Shirt, Par_oo_'y. + To shiver _with cold_, A'tete. + _Mud_ Shoes, _or fishing shoes_, Tama. + The Shore, Euta. + Short, Po'potoo. + Shut, _not open_, Opa'n_ee_, + s. Poo'peepe. + Sickness, Matte my Mamy. + _The left_ Side, A'r_oo_de. + The Side, E'reea'wo. + _The right_ Side, Atou,a'taou. + Sighing, Fa'ea. + Silence, Fatte'b_oo_a. + Similar, _or alike_, _Oo_whyae'da. + To sink, A'tomo. + A Sister, T_oo_'h_ei_ne. + To sit _down_, A'noho. + To sit _cross-legged_, T_ee_'py. + Six, A'Hon_oo_. + A Skate-fish, E'wha_ee_. + The Skin, _Ee_'ree. + The Sky, E'ra_ee_. + To sleep, Moee. + _The long_ Sleep, _or death_, Moee roea. + To sleep, _when sitting_, T_oo_'roore,moee. + A Sling, E'ma. + Slow, Marra,marroea,s.Fate. + Small, _little_, _Ee_te. + _The sense of_ smelling, Fata't_oo_, + s._Oo_too,too,too. + Smell _it_, H_oi_na. + To smell, Ahe'_oi_. + Smoke, E'_oo_ra. + Smooth, Pa'ya. + Smutting _the face with charcoal for + funeral ceremonies_, Bap'para. + _A sea_ Snake, _that has alternate + rings of a white and black colour_, P_oo_h_ee_'ar_oo_. + To snatch _a thing hastily_, E'h_ai_r_oo_. + Sneezing, Mach_ee_'_ai_. + Snipe, _a bird resembling a snipe, of + a black and brown colour_, T_ee_'t_ee_. + Snot 'H_oo_pe. + Soberness, _sobriety, sober, not given_ T_ei_r_ei_da. + _to drunkenness_, + To soften, Epar_oo_'par_oo_. + Softness, _that is, not hard_, Maroo. + The Sole _of the foot_, Tap_oo_'y. + A Son My'de. + A Son-in-law, H_oo_'noea. + A Song, Heeva. + A Sore, _or ulcer_, O'pai. + Soreness, _or pain_, Ma'may. + Sound, _any sound that strikes the ear_, Pa'_ee_na. + A Span, Ewhaee ono. + To speak, Paraou. + Speak; _he speaks not from the heart, Neeate _oo_t_oo_ te parou + his words are only on his lips_, no nona. + A Spear, _or lance_, Taeo. + To spill, Emare. + To spit, Too't_oo_a. + _To_ spread, _or to expand a thing, as_ Ho'hora. + _cloth, etc._ + To squeeze, _or press hard_, Ne,'ne_ee_. + To squeeze, _or press gently with the hand_, Roro'm_ee_. + Squint-eyed, Matta'areva. + _A fighting_ Stage _in a boat_, E't_oo_t_ee_. + To stamp _with the feet, to trample on Tata'hy. + a thing_, + Stand _up_, Atearenona. + A Star, E'f_ai_too, s. Hwettoo. + A Star-fish, Eve'r_ee_. + To startle, _as when one dreams_ Wa'hee, te'dirre. + Stay, _or wait a little_, A'r_ee_a, s. Ar_ee_'ana. + To steal, 'Woreedo. + Steep, _as steep rocks, or cliffs_, Mato. + _A walking_ Stick, 'Tame. + Stinking, _ill-smelled, as stinking water,etc._ Na'm_oo_a, + s. N_ee_'n_ee_o. + Stink, _to stink or smell ill_, F_ou_, f_ou_. + To stink, _as excrement_, P_ee_ro,p_ee_ro. + The Stomach, 'Para_ee_'a. + A Stone, Owhay. + _A polished_ Stone, used to beat victuals P_ai_'noo. + into a paste_, + Stones, _upright stones which stand on + the paved area before huts_, T_oo_'t_oo_re. + _A small_ Stool, _to lay the head + on when asleep_, Papa, s. Papa, r_oo_ae. + Stool, _to go to stool_, T_ee_t_ee_'o. + To stop, A'too. + The Stopper _of a quiver_, Ponau. + A Storm _of wind, rain, thunder_, etc. Tarooa. + Strait, _narrow, not wide_, P_ee_re,peere. + Striking, _hollow striking in dancing_, Ap_ee_. + The String _of a quiver_, E'aha. + Strong, _as a strong man_, _O'o_mara. + Struck, A'b_oo_l_a_. + Stupidity, _ignorance_, W_ee_a'l_a_. + To suck _as a child_, Ote,ote. + Sugar _cane_, E'To, s. Toeo. + Suicide, Euha'a_ou_. + Sultry, _or hot air_, Poh_ee_a. + The Sun, Mahanna, s. Era. + _The meridian_ Sun, T_ei_'n_ee_a te Mahanna. + Supine, _lying_, Fateeraha. + Surf _of the sea_, Horo'w_ai_. + _An interjection of_ Surprise, + _or admiration_, Allaheuee'_ai_. + To surround, A'b_oo_ne. + To swallow, Horo'm_ee_. + The Sweat _of the body, or to sweat_ E'h_ou_, s. Eh_ou_ h_ou_. + A sweet _taste_, Mona. + Swell _of the sea_, E'r_oo_. + + T. + + A Tail, Ero. + A Tail _of a bird_, E'hoppe. + To take _a friend by the hand_, Etoo'ya_oo_. + To take _off, or unloose_, Eve'vette. + To take _care of the victuals_, Ewhaapoo te maa. + To talk, _or converse_, Paraou. + _The sense of_ tasting, Tama'ta. + A Tetotum, _or whirligig_, E'piroea. + To tear _a thing_, Ha'hy, s. Whatte. + A Teat, _or dug_, E'_oo_. + The Teeth, E'n_ee_h_ee_o. + Ten A'h_oo_r_oo_. + To tend, _or feed hogs_, Ew_h_a_ee_ te Boea. + Tenants, Af_eu_'h_au_. + _A black_ Tern, _with a whitish head_, O_ee_'o. + There, Te'raee. + They, _them, or theirs_, To'ta_oo_a. + Thickness, _applied to solid bodies_, Meoo'meoo. + Thick, _as thick cloth_, etc. T_oo_e'too'e. + Thick, _muddy_, Ewore'r_oo_,s.Eworepe. + Thine, _it is yours, or belongs to you_, No oee. + Thirst, W'ah_ee_'y. + Thoughts, Para_ou_, no te o'p_oo_. + _An appearance of_ thoughtfulness, Fate'b_oo_a. + Three, Tor_oo_. + The Throat, Ara'poa. + To throw, _or heave a thing_, Taora. + To throw _a thing away_, Harre'wai. + To throw _a ball_, Ama'h_oo_a. + To throw _a lance_, Evara'towha. + Throw, _shall I throw it_, Taure'a'a. + Throwing _in dancing_, Hoe'aire. + The Thumb, E'r_ee_ma,erahai. + Thunder, Pa't_ee_re. + Tickle, _to tickle a person_, My'n_ee_na. + A Tide, _or current_, A'ow. + To tie _a knot_, Ty. + Time, _a space of time, from 6 to 10 + at night_, O't_oo_e, teepo. + Time, _a little time, a small space_, Popo'_eu_n_oo_. + Time, _a long time, a great while_, Ta'moo. + A Title _belonging to a woman of rank_, E'tapay'r_oo_. + A Toe _of the foot_, Man_ee_o. + A Tomb, T_oo_,pap'pou. + The Tongue, E'rero. + A Tortoise, E'hon_oo_. + Touching, Fa'fa. + Tough, _as tough meat_, etc. Ah_oo_'_ou_e. + A Town, E'farre p_oo_to p_oo_t_oo_. + To trample _with the foot_, Tata'he, s. Ta'ta'hy. + A Tree, E'raeo. + A Tree, _from which they make clubs, Toea (Eraeo.) + spears_, etc. + To tremble, _or shudder with cold_, _Oo_a'titte, s. Eta. + Trembling, _shaking_, A_ou_'dou. + To trip _one up in wrestling_, Me'haee. + A Tropic-bird, Man_oo_'roa. + Truth, Eva_ee_'roea,s.Para_ou_,mou. + To tumble, P_ou_ta'heite. + A Turban, E'taee. + To turn, _or turned_, _Oo_'ahoee. + To turn, _as in walking backwards and + forwards_, H_oo_d_ee_p_ee_pe. + Twins, _twin children_, Ma'hea. + To twist _a rope_, Taw_ee_'r_ee_. + Two, E'Rooae. + + U. + + An Ulcer, _or sore_, O'p_ai_. + Under, _below, low down_, Oraro. + Under _sail_, P_ou_'pou_ee_. + To understand, Ee'te. + To undress, _or take off the clothes_, Ta'turra. + An unmarried _person_, Ar_ee_'_oi_. + Unripe, _as unripe fruit_,etc. P_oo_. + + V. + + _Luminous_ Vapour, Epao. + Vassal, _or subject_, Manna'h_ou_na. + Vast, Ara,hai,s.Mai,ara'hai. + The Veins _that run under the skin_, E'w_ou_a. + Venus, T_ou_'r_oo_a. + Vessel, _any hollow vessel, as cups of + nuts_,etc. _Ai_'boo. + Vessel, _a hollow vessel in which they + prepare an inebriating liquor_, _Oo_'mutte. + To vomit, Er_oo_'y. + + W. + + Wad, _tow, fibres like hemp_, Ta'm_ou_. + Wait, _stay a little_, Areeana. + Wake, _awake_, Arra arra, s. Era. + To walk out, Avou'_oi_a. + To walk _backwards and forwards_, H_oo_a p_ee_pe. + A Warrior, _soldier, or rather a man-killer_, Taatatoea. + Warmth, _heat_, Mahanna,hanna. + A Wart, Toria. + To wash, _as to wash cloth in water_, Mare. + To watch, Eteaee. + Water, A'vy. + Water-cresses, Pa'toea. + We, _both of us_, Ta_oo_a, s. Ar_oo_'r_oo_a. + A wedge, Era'h_ei_. + To weep, _or cry_, Hanoe a,a,ta_ee_. + Well _recovered, or well escaped_, Woura, s. woo,ara. + Well, _it is well, charming, fine_, P_oo_ro'too. + What, _whats that_, E'hara, E'ha'rya,s. + Ye'ha_ee_a, expressed + inquisitively. + What _do you call that, what is the + name of it_, Owy te a_ee_'_oa_. + When, _at what time_, W'heea. + Where _is it_, Te'hea. + Whet, _to whet or sharp a thing_, Evo_ee_. + To whistle, Ma'p_oo_. + Whistling, _a method of whistling to + call the people to meals_, Ep_ou_,maa. + To whisper _secretly, as in backbiting_, etc. Ohe'm_oo_. + Who _is that, what is he called_, Owy,tanna, s. + Owy,nana. + Whole, _the whole not a part of a thing_, E'ta,e'tea, s. A'ma_oo_. + Wide, _not strait or narrow_, Whatta,whatta. + A Widow, Wa't_oo_neea. + Wife, _my wife_, Ma'h_ei_ne. + The Wind, Mattay. + _The south-east_ Wind, Mattaee. + A Window, Ma'laee ou'panee. + The Wing _of a bird_, Ere'_ou_. + To wink, E'am_ou_,am_oo_. + To wipe _a thing clean_, Ho'ro_ee_. + Wish, _a wish to one who sneezes_, Eva'r_ou_a t Eaet_oo_a. + Within _side_, T_ee_'ro to. + A Woman, Wa'h_ei_ne. + _A married_ Woman, Wa'h_ei_ne mou. + Woman, _she is a married woman, she + has got another husband_, Terra,tanne. + Won't _I won't do it_, 'A_eeoo_, expressed + angrily. + Wood _of any kind_, E'raoe. + A Wound, Oo't_ee_. + A Wrestler, M_ou_na. + Wrinkled _in the face_, M_ee_o, m_ee_o. + The Wrist, Mo'moea. + A Wry-neck, Na'na. + + Y. + + To yawn, Ha'mamma. + Yellow _colour_, He'appa. + Yes, Ay, s. _ai_. + Yesterday, Ninna'hay. + Yesternight, Ere'po. + York _island_, Ei'meo. + Yon Oe. + young,_as a young animal of any kind_, P_ee_'n_ai_a. + + +A TABLE EXHIBITING AT ONE VIEW, SPECIMENS OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SPOKEN +IN THE SOUTH-SEA, FROM EASTER ISLAND, WESTWARD TO NEW CALEDONIA, AS +OBSERVED IN THE VOYAGE. + + English. Otaheite. Easter Island. + The Marquesas Isles. The Island of Amsterdam. New Zealand. + Malicolo. Tanna. New Caledonia + + A Bird, 'Man_oo_,[22] 'Man_oo_, + 'Manu_oo_, + Man_oo_, Manee, s. Man_eek_. + + A Bow E'fanna, + 'Fanna, + Nabrr_oo_s, Na'fanga. + + Bread-fruit _Oo_r_oo_, + Mai_ee_, + Ba'rabe, Tag'_oo_r_oo_. + + A canoe E'vaea 'Wagga, + Ev'aea, Ta'wagga, + Wang. + + Cloth Ah_oo_, 'Ah_oo_, + 'Ah_oo_, s. A'hoo_ee_a, Babba'langa,Kak'ah_oo_, + Ta'nar_ee_, Hamban. + + A Cocoa-nut 'Ar_ee_, + 'Eeoo, + Nar_oo_, Nab_oo_'y, 'N_eeoo_. + + To drink Ayn_oo_' A_ee_n_oo_, + 'A_ee_n_oo_, + No'a_ee_, N_ooee_, 'Oo_d_oo_, s. _Oo_nd_oo_. + + The Eye Matta, Matta, + 'Matta, s. Matta_ee_a, 'Matta, 'Matta, + M_ai_tang, Nan_ee_'maiuk, T_ee_'vein. + + The Ear Ta'r_ee_a, Ta'r_ee_an, + B_oo_'_ee_na, Ta'r_ee_ka, + Talingan, F_ee_n_ee_'enguk, Gain'_ee_ng. + + Fish 'Eya, _Ee_ka, + '_Ee_ka, '_Ee_ka, + 'Nam_oo_. + + A Fowl, Moea, Moea, + Moea, + Moe'r_oo_. + + The Hand, E'r_ee_ma, 'R_ee_ma, + E_oo_'my, E'r_ee_ma, 'R_ee_nga, + Badon'h_ee_n. + + The Head, _Oo_'po, Aoe'po, + Tak'_oo_po, + Ba's_ai_ne, N_oo_gwa'n_aium, Gar'moing. + + A Hog, 'Boea, + 'B_oo_a, B_oo_'acka, + 'Brr_oo_as, 'B_oo_ga, s. 'B_oo_gas. + + I,myself, W_ou_, s. _ou_, + 'W_ou_, _Ou_. + + To laugh, 'Atta, + Katta, + 'Haearish, Ap, s.Gye'ap. + + A Man, 'Taeata, Papa? + T_ee_to, + Ba'rang, Nar_oo_'maean. + + The Navel, 'P_ee_to, + P_ee_to, s. P_ee_to'ai, P_ee_to, + Nomprtong, Nap_ee_ rainguk, Whanb_oo_ _ee_n. + + No, (1)'Ayma,(2)Y_ai_ha,(3)A'_ou_re,'_Ei_sa, + '_Ee_sha, Ka'_ou_re, + Ta'ep, E'sa, '_Ee_va, _Ee_ba. + + Plantains, 'M_ai_ya, (1)Maya, (2)F_oo_tse, + M_ai_e_ea_, 'F_oo_dje, + Nabrruts. + + Puncturation, Ta't_ou_, + E'pat_oo_, Ta't_ou_, Moko, + 'Gan, s. Gan,galang. + + Rain, E'_oo_a, '_Oo_a, + + Na'mawar, _Oo_e. + + Sugar cane, E'To, To, + + Na'r_oo_k. + + The Teeth, E'n_ee_h_ee_o, 'N_ee_ho, + E'n_ee_ho, 'N_ee_fo, N_ee_ho, + R_ee_'bohn, 'Warrewuk, s. 'R_ai_buk, Penna'w_ei_n. + + Water, A'vay, E'vy, + + Er'g_ou_r, _Oo_e. + + To Whistle, 'Map_oo_, + F_ee_o,f_ee_o, + Papang, Awe'bern, 'Wy_oo_. + + A Woman, Wa'h_ei_ne, + Ve'h_ee_ne, + Ra'bin, N_ai_'braean, Tama. + + Yams, E'_oo_he, _Oo_he, + _Oo_fe, + Nan-'ram, _Oo_fe, _Oo_be. + + Yes, _Ai_, + '_Ee_o, + _Ai_, '_Ee_o, 'Elo, s. _Ee_o, + s. oee. + + You, Oe, + Oe. + + One, A'Tahay, Katta'ha_ee_, + Atta'ha_ee_, Ta'ha_ee_, + + Ts_ee_'ka_ee_, R_ee_d_ee_, Wag_ee'ai_ng. + + Two, E'R_oo_a, 'Rooa, + A'ooa, E'ooa, + E'ry, 'Karoo, 'Waroo. + + Three, 'Ter_oo_, 'Tor_oo_, + A'tor_oo_, 'Tor_oo_, + E'r_ei_, 'Kahar, Wat_ee_ en. + + Four, A'Haa, 'Haea, s. Faea, + A'faa, A'faea, + E'bats, 'K_ai_phar, Wam'ba_ee_k. + + Five, E'R_ee_ma, 'R_ee_ma, + A'_ee_ma, 'N_ee_ma, + E'r_ee_m, 'Kr_ee_rum, Wannim. + + Six, A'ono, 'Hon_oo_, + A'ono, + Ts_oo_'ka_ee_, Ma'r_ee_d_ee_, Wannim-g_ee_ek. + + Seven, A'H_ei_too, 'H_ee_d_oo_, + A'wh_ee_t_oo_, + G_oo_y, Ma'kar_oo_, Wannim'n_oo_. + + Eight, A'war_oo_, 'Var_oo_, + A'wa_oo_, + H_oo_rey, Ma'kahar, Wannim'g_ai_n. + + Nine, A'_ee_va, H_ee_va, + A'_ee_va, + G_oo_dbats, Ma'k_ai_phar, Wannim'ba_ee_k. + + Ten, A'h_oo_r_oo_, Atta'h_oo_r_oo_, + s. Anna'h_oo_r_oo_, + Wannah_oo_, s. Wanna'h_oo_e, + Senearr, Ma'kr_ee_rum, Wann_oo_'n_ai_uk. + +(Footnote re similarity of the languages)--omiited by ebook producer. + + +LETTER FROM JOHN IBBETSON, ESQ. +Secretary to the Commissioners of Longitude, +T0 +Sir JOHN PRINGLE, Baronet, P.R.S. + +SIR, + +The Earl of Sandwich, and the other Commissioners for the Discovery of +Longitude at Sea, etc. who were present at a late meeting at this place, +having expressed to you a desire that the very learned and ingenious +Discourse upon some late Improvements of the Means for preserving the +Health of Mariners, which was delivered by you at the Anniversary Meeting +of the Royal Society, on the 30th of November last might, with Captain +Cook's Paper therein referred to, be printed, and annexed to the Account +of the Astronomical and Philosophical Observations made in the course of +the said Captain Cook's late voyages which account is preparing for the +press, under their direction; and it having been since thought more proper +that the said Discourse and Paper should be annexed to the Second Volume of +the Account of that Voyage, which is shortly to be published, by order of +the Board of Admiralty, I have, therefore, the direction of the Earl of +Sandwich, First Commissioner of that Board, as well as of the Board of +Longitude, to acquaint you therewith, and to desire you will please to +permit your said Discourse, with the Paper therein referred to, to be +printed, and annexed to the Second Volume of the Account of the said Voyage +accordingly. + +I am, with great Regard and Esteem, + +SIR, + +Your most obedient humble Servant, + +ADMIRALTY, +March 15, 1777. +JOHN IBBETSON. + + +A DISCOURSE UPON SOME LATE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE MEANS FOR PRESERVING +THE HEALTH OF MARINERS. + +DELIVERED AT THE Anniversary Meeting of the ROYAL SOCIETY, +November 30, 1776. +By Sir JOHN PRINGLE, Baronet, +PRESIDENT, + +CORRECTED BY THE AUTHOR. + + +GENTLEMEN, + +Before we proceed further in the business of this day, permit me to +acquaint you with the judgment of your Council, in the disposal of Sir +Godfrey Copley's medal; an office I have undertaken at their request, and +with the greater satisfaction, as I am confident you will be no less +unanimous in giving your approbation, than they have been in addressing +you for it upon this occasion. For though they were not insensible of the +just title that several of the Papers, composing the present volume of +your Transactions, had to your particular notice, yet they did not +hesitate in preferring that which I presented to you from Captain Cook, +giving An account of the method he had taken to preserve the health of +the crew of his Majesty's ship the Resolution during her late voyage +round the world*. Indeed I imagine that the name alone of so worthy a +member of this society would have inclined you to depart from the +strictness of your rules, by conferring upon him that honour, though you +had received no direct communication from him; considering how +meritorious in your eyes that person must appear, who hath not only made +the most extensive, but the most instructive voyages; who hath not only +discovered, but surveyed, vast tracts of new coasts; who hath dispelled +the illusion of a terra australis incognita, and fixed the bounds of the +habitable earth, as well as those of the navigable ocean, in the southern +hemisphere. + +[* The paper itself, read at the Society in March last, with an extract +of a letter from Captain Cook to the President, dated Plymouth, the 7th +of July following, are both subjoined to this discourse.] + +I shall not, however, expatiate on that ample field of praise, but +confine my discourse to what was the intention of this honorary premium, +namely, to crown that Paper of the year which should contain the most +useful and most successful experimental inquiry. Now what inquiry can be +so useful as that which hath for its object the saving the lives of men? +And when shall we find one more successful than that before us? Here are +no vain boastings of the empiric, nor ingenious and delusive theories of +the dogmatist; but a concise, an artless, and an incontested relation of +the means, by which, under the Divine favour, Captain Cook, with a +company of an hundred and eighteen men*, performed a voyage of three +years and eighteen days, throughout all the climates, from fifty-two +degrees north, to seventy-one degrees south, with the loss of only one +man by a distemper**. What must enhance to us the value of these salutary +observations, is to see the practice hath been no less simple than +efficacious. + +[* There were on board, in all, one hundred and eighteen men, including +M. Sparrman, whom they took in at the Cape of Good Hope.] + +[** This was a phthisis pulmonalis terminating in a dropsy. Mr. Patten, +surgeon to the Resolution, who mentioned to me this case, observed that +this man began so early to complain of a cough and other consumptive +symptoms, which had never left him, that his lungs must have been +affected before he came on board.] + +I would now inquire of the most conversant in the study of bills of +mortality, whether in the most healthful climate, and in the best +condition of life, they have ever found so small a number of deaths in +such a number of men, within that space of time? How great and agreeable +then must our surprise be, after perusing the histories of long +navigations in former days, when so many perished by marine diseases, to +find the air of the sea acquitted of all malignity, and in fine that a +voyage round the world may be undertaken with less danger to health than +a common tour in Europe! + +But the better to see the contrast between the old and the present times, +allow me to recal to your memory what you have read of the first voyage +for the establishment of the East-India, Company*. The equipment +consisting of four ships, with four hundred and eighty men, three of +those vessels were so weakened by the scurvy, by the time they had got +only three degrees beyond the Line, that the merchants, who had embarked +on this adventure, were obliged to do duty as common sailors; and there +died in all, at sea, and on shore at Soldania (a place of refreshment on +this side the Cape of Good Hope) one hundred and five men, which was near +a fourth part of their complement. And hath not Sir Richard Hawkins, an +intelligent as well as brave officer, who lived in that age, recorded, +that in twenty years, during which be had used the sea, be could give an +account of ten thousand mariners who bad been consumed by the scurvy +alone**? Yet so far was this author from mistaking the disease, that I +have perused few who have so well described it. If then in those early +times, the infancy I may call them of the commerce and naval power of +England, so many were carried off by that bane of sea-faring people, what +must have been the destruction afterwards, upon the great augmentation of +the fleet and the opening of so many new ports to the trade of Great +Britain, whilst so little advancement was made in the nautical part +of medicine! + +[* This squadron under the command of LANCASTER (who was called the +General) set out in the year 1601. See Purchas's Pilgr. vol. i. p. 147, +et seq.] + +[** Idem, vol. iv. p. 1373, et seq.] + +But passing from these old dates to one within the remembrance of many +here present, when it might have been expeded that whatever tended to +aggrandize the naval power of Britain, and to extend her commerce, would +have received the highest improvement; yet we shall find, that even at +this late period few measures had been taken to preserve the health of +seamen, more than had been known to our uninstructed ancestors. Of this +assertion the victorious, but mournful, expedition of Commodore Anson, +affords too convincing a proof. It is well known that soon after passing +the Streights of Le Maire, the scurvy began to appear in his squadron; +that by the time the Centurion had advanced but a little way into the +South Sea, forty-seven had died of it in his ship; and that there were +few on board who had not, in some degree, been afflicted with the +distemper, though they had not been then eight months from England. That +in the ninth month, when standing for the island of Juan Fernandez, the +Centurion lost double that number; and that the mortality went on at so +great a rate (I still speak of the Commodore's ship) that before they +arrived there she had buried two hundred; and at last could muster no +more than six of the the common men in a watch capable of doing duty. +This was the condition of one of the three ships which reached that +island; the other two suffered in proportion. + +Nor did the tragedy end here for after a few months respite the same +fatal sickness broke out afresh, and made such havock, that before the +Centurion (which now contained the whole surviving crew of the three +ships) had got to the island of Tinian, there died sometimes eight or ten +in a day; insomuch that when they had been only two years on their +voyage, they had lost a larger proportion than of four in five of their +original number; and, by the account of the historian, all of them, after +their entering the South Sea, of the scurvy. I say by the account of the +elegant writer of this voyage; for as he neither was in the medical line +himself, nor hath authenticated this part of his narrative by appealing +to the surgeons of the ship or their journals, I should doubt that this +was not strictly the case; but rather, that in producing this great +mortality, a pestilential kind of distemper was joined to the scurvy, +which, from the places where it most frequently occurs, hath been +distinguished by the name of jail or hospital-fever*. But whether the +scurvy alone, or this fever combined with it, were the cause, it is not +at present material to inquire, since both, arising from foul air and +other sources of putrefaction, may now in a great measure be obviated by +the various means fallen upon since Lord Anson's expedition. For in +justice to that prudent as well as brave commander, it must be observed +that the arrangements preparatory to his voyage were not made by himself; +that his ship was so deeply laden as not to admit of opening the +gun-ports, except in the calmest weather, for the benefit of air; and +that nothing appears to have been neglected by him, for preserving the +health of his men, that was then known and practised in the navy. + +[* Dr. Mead, who had seen the original observations of two of Commodore +Anson's surgeons, says, that the scurvy at that time was accompanied with +putrid fevers, etc. See his Treatise on the Scurvy, p. 98. et seq.] + +I should now proceed to enumerate the chief improvements made since that +period, and which have enabled our ships to make so many successful +circumnavigations, as in a manner to efface the impression of former +disasters; but as I have mentioned the sickness most destructive to +mariners, and against the ravages of which those preservatives have been +mainly contrived, it may be proper briefly to explain its nature, and the +rather as, unless among mariners, it is little understood. First then, I +would observe that the scurvy is not the ailment which goes by that name +on shore. The distemper commonly, but erroneously, in this place, called +the scurvy, belongs to a class of diseases totally different from what we +are now treating of; and so far is the commonly received opinion, that +there are few constutions altogether free from a scorbutic taint, from +being true, that unless among sailors and some others circumstanced like +them, more particularly with respect to those who use a salt and putrid +diet, and especially if they live in foul air and uncleanliness, I have +reason to believe there are few disorders less frequent. This opinion I +submitted to the judgment of the society several years ago, and I have +had no reason since to alter it. I then said, contrary to what was +generally believed, but seemingly on the best grounds, that the sea-air +was never the cause of the scurvy, since on board a ship, on the longest +voyages, cleanliness, ventilation, and fresh provisions, would preserve +from it; and that upon a sea-coast, free from marshes, the inhabitants +were not liable to that indisposition, though frequently breathing the +air from the sea*. I concluded with joining in sentiments with those who +ascribed the scurvy to a septic resolution, that is a beginning +corruption of the whole habit, similar to that of every animal substance +when deprived of life**. This account seemed to be sufficiently verified +by the examination of the symptoms in the scorbutic sick, and of the +appearances in their bodies after death***. On that occasion I remarked, +that salted meats after some time become in effect putrid, though they +may continue long palatable by means of the salt; and that common salt, +supposed to be one of the strongest preservatives from corruption, is at +best but an indifferent one, even in a large quantity; and in a small +one, such as we use at table with fresh meats, or swallow in meats that +have been salted, so far from impeding putrefaction, it rather promotes +that process in the body. + +[* Diseases of the Army, part I. ch. 2. Append. Pap. 7.] + +[** Woodall's Surgeon's Mate, p. 163. Poupart. Mem. de l'Acad. R. des Sc. +A. 1'99. Petit. Mal. des Os, tom. II.p. 446. Mead on the Scurvy, p. 104.] + +This position concerning the putrefying quality of sea-salt, in certain +proportions, hath been since confirmed by the experiments of the late Mr. +Canton, Fellow of this Society, in his Paper on the Cause of the luminous +appearance of sea-water*. + +[* Phil. Transact. vol. lix. p. 446.] + +It hath been alleged, that the scurvy is much owing to the coldness of +the air, which checks perspiration, and on that account is the endemic +distemper of the northern nations, particularly of those around the +Baltic*. The fact is partly true, but I doubt not so the cause. In those +regions, by the long and severe winters, the cattle destitute of pasture +can barely live, and are therefore unfit for use; so that the people, for +their provision during that season, are obliged to slaughter them by the +end of autumn, and to salt them for above half the year. This putrid diet +then, on which they must subsist so long, and to which the inhabitants of +the south are not reduced, seems to be the chief cause of the disease. +And if we reflect that the lower people of the north have few or no +greens nor fruit in the winter, scarce any fermented liquors, and often +live in damp, foul, and ill-aired houses, it is easy to conceive how they +should become liable to the same distemper with seamen; whilst others of +as high a latitude, but who live in a different manner, keep free from +it. Thus we are informed by Linnaeus, that the Laplanders, one of the +most hyperborean nations, know nothing of the scurvy*; for which no other +reason can be assigned than their never eating salted meats, nor indeed +salt with any thing, but their using all the winter the fresh flesh of +their rain-deer. + +[* Bartholin. Med. Danor. Domestic p. 98.] + +[** Linnaei Flora Lapponica, p. 8, 9.] + +This exemption of the Laplanders from the general distemper of the north +is the more observable, as they seldom taste vegetables, bread never, as +we farther learn from that celebrated author. Yet in the very provinces +which border on Lapland, where they use bread, but scarcely any other +vegetable, and eat salted meats, they are as much troubled with the +scurvy as in any other country*. But let us incidentally remark, that the +late improvements in agriculture, gardening, and the other arts of life, +by extending their influence to the remotest parts of Europe, and to the +lowest people, begin sensibly to lessen the frequency of that complaint, +even in those climates that have been once the most afflicted with it. + +[* Linnaeus in several parts of his work confirms what is here said of +salted meats, as one of the chief causes of the scurvy. See Amoenitat. +Acad. vol. v. p. 6. et seq. p. 42.] + +It hath also been asserted, that men living on shore will be affected +with the scurvy, though they have never been confined to salted meats; +but of this I have never known any instance, except in those who breathed +a marshy air, or what was otherwise putrid, and who wanted exercise, +fruits, and green vegetables: under such circumstances it must be +granted, that the humours will corrupt in the same manner, though not in +the same degree, with those of mariners. Thus, in the late war, when +Sisinghurst Castle in Kent was filled with French prisoners, the scurvy +broke out among them, notwithstanding they had never been served with +salted victuals in England; but had daily had an allowance of fresh meat, +and of bread in proportion, though without greens or any other vegetable. +The surgeon who attended them, and from whom I received this information, +having formerly been employed in the navy, was the better able to judge +of the disorder and to cure it. Besides the deficiency of herbs, he +observed that the wards were foul and crowded, the house damp (from a +moat that surrounded it) and that the bounds allotted for taking the air +were so small, and in wet weather so sloughy, that the men seldom went +out. He added, that a representation having been made, he had been +empowered to furnish the prisoners with roots and greens for boiling in +their soup, and to quarter the sick in a neighbouring village in a dry +situation, with liberty to go out for air and exercise; and that by these +means they had all quickly recovered. It is probable, that the scurvy +sooner appeared among these strangers, from their having been taken at +sea, and consequently more disposed to the disease. My informer further +acquainted me, that in the lower and wetter parts of that county, where +some of his practice lay, he had now and then met with slighter cases of +the scurvy among the common people; such, he said, as lived the whole +winter on salted bacon, without fermented liquors, greens, or fruit, a +few apples excepted; but, he remarked, that in the winters following a +plentiful growth of apples, those peasants were visibly less liable to +the disorder. + +I have dwelt the longer on this part of my subject, as I look upon the +knowledge of the nature and cause of the scurvy to be an essential step +towards improving the means of prevention and cure. And I am persuaded, +after mature reflection, and the opportunities I have had of conversing +with those who, to much sagacity, had joined no small experience in +nautical practice, that upon an examination of the several articles, +which have either been of old approven, or have of late been introduced +into the navy, it will be evident, that though these means may vary in +form, and in their mode of operating; yet they all some way contribute +towards preventing or correcting putrefaction, whether of the air in the +closer parts of a ship, of the meats, of the water, of the clothes and +bedding, or of the body itself. And if in this inquiry (which may be made +by the way, whilst we take a review of the principal articles of +provision, and other methods used by Captain Cook to guard against the +scurvy) I say, if in this inquiry it shall appear, that the notion of a +septic or putrid origin, is not without foundation, it will be no small +encouragement to proceed on that principle, in order further to improve +this important branch of medicine. + +Captain Cook begins his list of stores with malt. Of this, he says, was +made Sweet Wort, and given not only to those men who had manifest +symptoms of the scurvy, but to such also as were judged to be most liable +to it. Dr. Macbride, who first suggested this preparation, was led (as he +says) to the discovery by some experiments that had been laid before this +Society; by which it appeared that the air produced by alimentary +fermentation was endowed with a power of correcting putrefaction*. The +fact he confirmed by numerous trials, and finding this fluid to be _fixed +air_, he justly concluded, that whatever substance proper for food +abounded with it, and which could be conveniently carried to sea, would +make one of the best provisions against the scurvy; which he then +considered as a putrid disease, and as such to be prevented or cured by +that powerful kind of antiseptic**. Beer, for instance, had always been +esteemed one of the best antiscorbutics; but as that derived all its +fixed air from the malt of which it is made, he inferred that malt itself +was preferable in long voyages, as it took up less room than the brewed +liquor, and would keep longer found. Experience hath since verified this +ingenious theory, and the malt hath now gained so much credit in the +navy, that there only wanted so long, so healthful, and so celebrated a +voyage as this, to rank it among the most indispensable articles of +provision. For though Captain Cook remarks, that _A proper attention to +other things must be joined, and that he is not altogether of opinion, +that the wort will be able to cure the scurvy in an advanced state at +sea; yet he is persuaded that it is sufficient to prevent that distemper +from making any great progress, for a considerable time_; and therefore +he doth not hesitate to pronounce it _one of the best antiscorbutic +medicines yet found out***. + +[* Append. to my _Observations on the Diseases of the Army_.] + +[** Macbride's Exper. Eff. passim.] + +[*** Having been favoured with a sight of the medical journal of Mr. +Patten, surgeon to the Resolution, I read the following passage in it, +not a little strengthening the above testimony. _I have found the wort of +the utmost service in all scorbutic cases during the voyage. As many took +it by way of prevention, few cases occurred where it had a fair trial; +but theft, however, I flatter myself, will he sufficient to convince +every impartial person, that it is the best remedy hitherto found out for +the cure of the sea scurvy: and I am well convinced, from what I have +seen the wort perform, and from its mode of operation, that if aided by +portable-soup, sour krout, sugar, sago, and courants, then scurvy, that +maritime pestilence, will seldom or never make its alarming appearance +among a ship's crew, on the longest voyages; proper care with regard to +cleanliness and provisions being observed_.] + +This salutary gas (or _fixed air_) is contained more or less in all +fermentable liquors, and begins to oppose putrefaction as soon as the +working or intestine motion commences. + +In wine it abounds, and perhaps no vegetable substance is more replete +with it than the juice of the grape. If we join the grateful taste of +wine, we must rank it the first in the list of antiscorbutic liquors. +Cyder is likewise good, with other vinous productions from fruit, as also +the various kinds of beer. It hath been a constant observation, that in +long cruizes or distant voyages, the scurvy is never seen whilst the +small-beer holds out, at a full allowance; but that when it is all +expended, that ailment soon appears. It were therefore to be wished, that +this most wholesome beverage could be renewed at sea; but our ships +afford not sufficient convenience. The Russians however make a shift to +prepare on board, as well as at land, a liquor of a middle quality +between wort and small-beer, in the following manner. They take +ground-malt and rye-meal in a certain proportion, which they knead into +small loaves, and bake in the oven. These they occasionally infuse in a +proper quantity of warm water, which begins so soon to ferment, that in +the space of twenty-four hours their brewage is completed, in the +production of a small, brisk, and acidulous liquor, they call _quas_, +palatable to themselves, and not disagreeable to the taste of strangers. +The late Dr. Mounsey, fellow of this Society, who had lived long in +Russia, and had been _Archiater_ under two successive sovereigns, +acquainted me, that the _quas_ was the common and wholesome drink both of +the fleets and armies of that empire, and that it was particularly good +against the scurvy. He added, that happening to be at Moscow when he +perused my _Observations on the Jail and Hospital Fever_, then lately +published*, he had been induced to compare what he read in that treatise +with what he should see in the several prisons of that large city: but to +his surprize, after visiting them all, and finding them full of +malefactors (for the late Empress then suffered none of those who were +convicted of capital crimes to be put to death) yet he could discover no +fever among them, nor learn that any acute distemper peculiar to jails +had ever been known there. He observed, that some of those places of +confinement had a yard, into which the prisoners were allowed to come for +the air; but that there were others without that advantage, yet not +sickly: so that he could assign no other reason for the healthful +condition of those men than the kind of diet they used, which was the +same with that of the common people of the country; who not being able to +purchase fresh-meat, live mostly on rye-bread (the most acescent of any) +and drink _quas_. He concluded with saying, that upon his return to St. +Petersburg he had made the same inquiry there, and with the same result. + +[* That treatise was first published by itself, and afterwards +incorporated with the _Observations on the Diseases of the Army_.] + +Thus far Dr. Mounsey, from whose account it would seem, that the rye-meal +assisted both in quickening the fermentation and adding more _fixed air_, +since the malt alone could not so readily produce so tart and brisk a +liquor. And there is little doubt but that whenever the other grains can +be brought to a proper degree of fermentation, they will more or less in +the same way become useful. That oats will, I am satisfied from what I +have been told by one of the intelligent friends of Captain Cook. This +gentleman being on a cruize in a large ship*, in the beginning of the +late war, and the scurvy breaking out among his crew, he bethought him +self of a kind of food he had seen used in some parts of the country, as +the most proper on the occasion. Some oatmeal is put into a wooden +vessel, hot water is poured upon it, and the infusion continues until the +liquor begins to taste sourish, that is, till a fermentation comes on, +which in a place moderately warm, may be in the space of two days. The +water is then poured off from the grounds, and boiled down to the +consistence of a jelly**. This he ordered to be made and dealt out in +messes, being first sweetened with sugar, and seasoned with some prize +French wine, which though turned sour, yet improved the taste, and made +this aliment not less palatable than medicinal. + +He assured me, that upon this diet chiefly, and by abstaining from salted +meats, his scorbutic sick had quite recovered on board; and not in that +voyage only, bur, by the same means, in his subsequent cruizes during the +war, without his being obliged to send one of them on shore because they +could not get well at sea. Yet oat-meal unfermented, like barley +unmalted, hath no sensible effect in curing the scurvy: as if the fixed +air, which is incorporated with these grains, could mix with the chyle +which they produce, enter the lacteals, and make part of the nourishment +of the body, without manifesting any elastic or antiseptic quality, when +not loosened by a previous fermentation. + +[* The Essex, a seventy-gun ship.] + +[** This rural food, in the North, is called Sooins.] + +Before the power of the _fixed air_ in subduing putrefaction was known, +the efficacy of fruits, greens, and fermented liquors, was commonly +ascribed to the acid in their composition and we have still reason to +believe that the acid concurs in operating that effect. If it be alleged +that mineral acids, which contain little or no _fixed air_, have been +tried in the scurvy with little success, I would answer, that I doubt that +in those trials they have never been sufficiently diluted; for it is easy +to conceive, that in the small quantity of water the elixir of vitriol, +for instance, is commonly given, that austere acid can scarce get beyond +the first passages; considering the delicate sensibility of the mouths of +the lacteals, which must force them to shut and exclude so pungent a +liquor. It were therefore a proper experiment to be made, in a deficiency +of malt, or when that grain shall happen to be spoilt by keeping*, to use +water acidulated with the spirit of sea-salt, in the proportion of only +ten drops to a quart; or with the weak spirit of vitriol, thirteen drops +to the same measure**; and to give to those that are threatened with the +disease three quarts of this liquor daily, to be consumed as they shall +think proper. + +[* Captain Cook told me, that the malt held out sufficiently good for the +two first years; but that in the third, having lost much of its taste, he +doubted whether it retained any of its virtues. Mr. Patten however +observed, that though the malt at that time was sensibly decayed, yet +nevertheless he had still found it useful when he employed a large +proportion of it to make the infusion.] + +[** In these proportions I found the water taste just acidulous and +pleasant.] + +But if the _fixed air_ and acids are such preservatives against the +scurvy, why should Captain Cook make so little account of the _rob_ of +lemons and of oranges (for so they have called the extracts or +inspissated juices of those fruits) in treating that distemper? This I +found was the reason. These preparations being only sent out upon trial, +the surgeon of the ship was told, at a conjecture, how much he might give +for a dose, but without strictly limiting it. The experiment was made +with the quantity specified, but with so little advantage, that judging +it not adviseable to lose more time, he set about the cure with the wort +only, whereof the efficacy he was certain; whilst he reserved these robs +for other purposes; more particularly for colds, when, to a large draught +of warm water, with some spirits and sugar, he added a spoonful of one of +them, and with this composition made a grateful sudorific that answered +the intention. No wonder then if Captain Cook, not knowing the proper +dose of these concentrated juices for the scurvy, but feeing them fail as +they were given in the trial, should entertain no great opinion of their +antiscorbutic virtue. It may be also proper to take notice, that as they +had been reduced to a small proportion of their bulk by evaporation upon +fire, it is probable, they were much weakened by that process, and that +with their aqueous parts they had lost not a little of their aerial, on +which so much of their antiseptic power depended. If, therefore, a +further trial of these excellent fruits were to be made, it would seem +more adviseable to send to sea the purified juices entire in casks; +agreeably to a proposal I find hath been made to the Admiralty some years +ago by an ingenious and experienced surgeon of the navy. For in truth, +the testimonies in favour of the salutary qualities of these acids are so +numerous and so strong, that I should look upon some failures, even in +cases where their want of success cannot so well be accounted for, as in +this voyage, not a sufficient reason for striking them out of the list of +the most powerful preservatives against this consuming malady of sailors. + +It may be observed, that Captain Cook says not more in praise of vinegar +than of the _robs_; yet I would not thence infer that he made no account +of that acid, but only that as he happened in this voyage to be sparingly +provided with it and yet did well, he could not consider a large store of +vinegar to be so material an article of provision as was commonly +imagined. And though he supplied its place in the messes of the men with +the acid of the sour-crout, and trusted chiefly to fire for purifying his +decks, yet it is to be hoped that future navigators will not therefore +omit it. Vinegar will serve at least for a wholesome variety in the +seasoning of salted meats, and may be sometimes successfully used as a +medicine, especially in the aspersions of the berths of the sick. It is +observable, that though the smell be little grateful to a person in +health, yet it is commonly agreeable to those who are sick, at least to +such as are confined to a foul and crowded ward. There the physician +himself will smell to vinegar, as much for pleasure as for guarding +against infection. + +Now the wort and the acid juices were only dispensed as medicines, but +the next article was of more extensive use. This was the Sour-Crout (sour +cabbage), a food of universal request in Germany. The acidity is acquired +by its spontaneous fermentation, and it was the sour taste which made it +the more acceptable to all who ate it. To its further commendation we may +add, that it held out good to the 1ast of the voyage. + +It may seem strange, that though this herb hath had so high encomiums +bestowed upon it by the ancients (witness what Cato the elder and Pliny +the Naturalist say on the subject), and hath had the sanction of the +experience of nations for ages, it should yet be disapproved of by some +of the most distinguished medical writers of our times. One finds it +yield a rank smell in decoction, which he confounds with that of +putrefaction. Another analyzes it, and discovers so much gross air in the +composition as to render it indigestible; yet this flatulence, so much +decryed, must now be acknowledged to be the _fixed air_, which makes the +cabbage so wholesome when fermented. Nay it hath been traduced by one of +the most celebrated physicians of our age, as partaking of a poisonous +nature: nor much better founded was that notion of the same illustrious +professor, that cabbage being an alcalescent plant, and therefore +disposing to putrefaction, could never be used in the scurvy, except when +the disease proceeded from an acid. But the experiments which I formerly +laid before the Society evinced this vegetable, with the rest of the +supposed alcalescents, to be really acescent; and proved that the scurvy +is never owing to acidity, but, much otherwise, to a species of +putrefaction; that very cause, of which the ill-grounded class of +alcalescents was supposed to be a promoter*. + +[* See this remark more at large, in my Observations on the Diseases of +the Army, App. Pap. 7.] + +Among other of the late improvements of the naval stores we have heard +much of the Portable-Soup, and accordingly we find that Captain Cook hath +not a little availed himself of it in his voyage. This concentrated broth +being freed from all fat, and having by long boiling evaporated the most +putrescent parts of the meat, is reduced to the consistence of a glue, +which in effect it is, and will, like other glues, in a dry place, keep +sound for years together. It hath been said, that broths turn sour on +keeping, though made without any vegetable*. Now, whether any real acid +can be thus formed or not, I incline at least to believe that the +gelatinous parts of animal substances, such as compose these cakes, are +not of a nature much disposed to putrefy. But however that may be, since +Captain Cook observes, that this soup was the means of making his people +eat a greater quantity of greens than they would have done otherwise, in +so far we must allow it to have been virtually antiseptic. + +[* La feule matiere qui s'aigriffe dans le sang est la matiere +gelatincuse, etc. Senac, Structure du Coeur, 1. iii. ch. 4. para. 5.] + +So much for those articles that have of late been supplied to all the +king's ships on long voyages, and in which therefore our worthy brother +claims no other merit than the prudent dispensation of them; but what +follows being regulations either wholly new, or improven hints from some +of his experienced friends, we may justly appropriate them to himself. + +First then, he put his people at three watches, instead of two, which +last is the general practice at sea; that is, he divided the whole crew +into three companies, and by putting each company upon the watch by +turns, four hours at a time, every man had eight hours free, for four of +duty: whereas at watch and watch, the half of the men being on duty at +once, with returns of it every four hours, they can have but broken +sleep, and when exposed to wet, they have not time to get dry before they +lie down. When the service requires it, such hardships must be endured; +but when there is no pressing call, ought not a mariner to be refreshed +with as much uninterrupted rest as a common day-labourer? + +I am well informed, that an officer distinguishes himself in nothing more +than in preserving his men from wet and the other injuries of the +weather. These were most essential points with this humane commander. In +the torrid zone he shaded his people from the scorching sun by an awning +over his deck, and in his course under the antarctic circle he had a coat +provided for each man, of a substantial woollen stuff, with the addition +of a hood for covering their heads. This garb (which the sailors called +their Magellan jacket) they occasionally wore, and found it more +comfortable for working in rain and snow, and among the broken ice in the +high latitudes of the South. + +Let us proceed to another article, one of the most material, the care to +guard against putrefaction, by keeping clean the persons, the cloaths, +bedding, and berths of the sailors. The Captain acquainted me, that +regularly, one morning in the week, he passed his ship's company in +review, and saw that every man had changed his linen, and was in other +points as clean and neat as circumstances would permit. It is well known +how much cleanliness is conducive to health, but it is not so obvious how +much it also tends to good order and other virtues. That diligent officer +was persuaded (nor was perhaps the observation new) that such men as he +could induce to be more cleanly than they were disposed to be of +themselves, became at the same time more sober, more orderly, and more +attentive to their duty. It must be acknowledged that a seaman has but +indifferent means to keep himself clean, had he the greatest inclination +to do it; for I have not heard that commanders of ships have yet availed +themselves of the _still_ for providing fresh water for washing; and it +is well known that sea-water doth not mix with soap, and that linen wet +with brine never thoroughly dries. But for Captain Cook, the frequent +opportunities he had of taking in water among the islands of the +South-Sea, enabled him in that tract to dispense to his ship's company +some fresh water for every use; and when he navigated in the high +latitudes of the Southern Oceans, he still more abundantly provided them +with it, as you will find by the sequel of this discourse. + +Of the hammocks and bedding I need say little, as all officers are now +sensible, how much it concerns the health of their people to have this +part of a ship's furniture kept dry and well-aired; since by the +perspiration of so many men, every thing below, even in the space of +twenty-four hours, is apt to contract an offensive moisture. But Captain +Cook was not satisfied with ordering upon deck the hammocks and bedding +every day that was fair (the common method) but took care that every +bundle should be unlashed, and so spread out, that every part of it might +be exposed to the air. + +His next concern was to see to the purity of the ship itself, without +which attention all the rest would have profited little. I shall not +however detain you with the orders about washing and scraping the decks, +as I do not understand that in this kind of cleansing he excelled others; +but since our author has laid so great a stress upon _Fire_, as a +purifier, I shall endeavour to explain the way of using it, more fully +than he has done in his Paper. Some wood, and that not sparingly, being +put into a proper stove or grate, is lighted, and carried successively to +every part below deck. Wherever fire is, the air nearest to it being +heated becomes specifically lighter, and by being lighter rises, and +passes through the hatchways into the atmosphere. The vacant space is +filled with the cold air around, and that being heated in its turn, in +like manner ascends, and is replaced by other air as before. Thus, by +continuing the fire for some time, in any of the lower apartments, the +foul air is in a good measure driven out, and the fresh admitted. This is +not all: I apprehend that the acid steams of the wood, in burning, act +here as an antiseptic and correct the corrupted air that remains. + +An officer of distinguished rank, another of Captain Cook's experienced +friends, mentioned to me a common and just observation in the fleet, +which was, that all the old twenty-gun ships were remarkably less sickly +than those of the same size of a modern construction. This, he said, was +a circumstance he could not otherwise account for, than, by the former +having their _galley_* in the fore-part of the _orlop_**, the chimney +vented so ill, that it was sure to fill every part with smoke whenever +the wind was a-stern. This was a nuisance for the time, but, as he +thought, abundantly compensated by the extraordinary good health of the +several crews. Possibly those fire-places were also beneficial, by drying +and ventilating the lower decks, more when they were below, than they can +do now that they are placed under the fore-castle upon the upper deck. + +[* Their fire-place or kitchen.] + +[** The deck immediately above the hold.] + +But the most obvious use of the portable fires was their drying up the +moisture, and especially in those places where there was the least +circulation of air. This humidity, composed of the perspirable matter of +a multitude of men, and often of animals (kept for a live-flock) and of +the steams of the bilge water from the well, where the corruption is the +greatest; this putrid moisture, I say, being one of the main sources of +the scurvy, was therefore more particularly attended to, in order to its +removal. The fires were the powerful instrument for that purpose, and +whilst they burned, some men were employed in rubbing hard, with canvass +or oakum, every part of the inside of the ship that was damp and +accessible. But the advantage of fire appears no where so manifest as in +cleansing the well; for this being in the lowest part of the hold, the +whole leakage runs into it, whether of the ship itself, or of the casks +of spoilt meats or corrupted water. The mephitic vapours, from this sink +alone, have often been the cause of instantaneous death to those who have +unwarily approached to clean it; and not to one only, but to several +successively, when they have gone down to succour their unfortunate +companions: yet this very place has not only been rendered safe but +sweet, by means of an iron pot filled with fire and let down to burn in +it. + +When, from the circumstances of the weather, this salutary operation +could not take place, the ship was fumigated with gun-powder, as +described in the Paper; though that smoke could have no effect in drying, +but only in remedying the corruption of the air, by means of the acid +spirits from the sulphur and nitre, aided perhaps by some species of an +aerial fluid, then disengaged from the fuel, to counteract putrefaction. +But as these purifications by gun-powder, as well as by burning tar and +other resinous substances, are sufficiently known, I shall not insist +longer on them here. + +Among the several means of sweetening or renewing the air, we should +expect to hear of Dr. Hales's _Ventilator_. I must confess it was my +expectation, and therefore, persuaded as I was of the excellence of the +invention, it was not without much regret that I saw so good an +opportunity lost, of giving the same favourable impression of it to the +Public. If a degree of success, exceeding our most sanguine hopes, is not +sufficient for justifying the omission of a measure, deemed one of the +most essential for attaining an end, I would plead in favour of our +worthy brother, that by a humiliating fatality, so often accompanying the +most useful discoveries, the credit of this ventilator is yet far from +being firmly established in the navy. What wonder then, if Captain Cook +being so much otherwise taken up, should not have had time to examine it, +and therefore avoided the encumbering his ship with an apparatus, he had +possibly never seen used, and of which he had at best received but a +doubtful character? Nor was he altogether unprovided with a machine for +ventilation. He had the _Wind-Sails_, though he hath not mentioned them +in his Paper, and he told me that he had found them at times very +serviceable, and particularly between the Tropics. They have the merit of +taking up little room, they require no labour in working, and the +contrivance is so simple that they can sail in no hands. But their powers +are small in comparison with those of the ventilator; they cannot be put +up in hard gales of wind, and they are of no efficacy in dead calms, when +a refreshment of the air is most wanted. Should there be any objection to +the employing both? + +Such were the measures taken by our sagacious Navigator for procuring a +purity of air. It remains only to see in what manner he supplied pure +water; another article of so great moment, that the thirsty voyager, upon +his salt and putrid diet, with a short allowance of this element, and +that in a corrupted Rate, must account a plentiful provision of fresh +water to be indeed the _best of things_. + +Captain Cook was not without an apparatus for distilling sea-water, and +though he could not obtain nearly so much as was expected from the +invention, yet he sometimes availed himself of it; but for the most of +his voyage he was otherwise provided. Within the Southern Tropic, in the +Pacific Ocean, he found so many islands, and those so well stored with +springs, that, as I have hinted before, he seldom was without a +sufficiency of fresh water for every useful purpose. But not satisfied +with plenty, he would have the purest; and therefore whenever an +opportunity offered, he emptied what he had taken in but a few days +before, and filled his casks anew. But was he not above four months in +his passage from the Cape of Good Hope to New Zeeland, in the frozen zone +of the South, without once seeing land? and did he not actually complete +his circumnavigation, in that high latitude, without the benefit of a +single fountain? Here was indeed a _wonder of the Deep_! I may call it +the _Romance of his Voyage_! Those very shoals, fields, and floating +mountains of ice, among which he steered his perilous course, and which +presented such terrifying prospects of destruction; those, I say, were +the very means of his support, by supplying him abundantly with what he +most wanted. It had been said that those stupendous masses of ice, called +_islands_ or _mountains_, melted into fresh water, though Crantz, the +relator of that paradox, did not imagine they originated from the sea, +but that they were first formed in the great rivers of the North, and +being carried down into the ocean, were afterwards increased to that +amazing height by the snow that fell upon them*. But that all frozen +sea-water would thaw into fresh, had either never been asserted, or had +met with little credit. This is certain that Captain Cook expected no +such transmutation, and therefore was agreeably surprised to find he had +one difficulty less to encounter, that of preserving the health of his +men so long on salt-provisions, with a scanty allowance of corrupted +water, or what he could procure by distillation The melted ice of the sea +was not only fresh but soft, and so wholesome, as to show the fallacy of +human reason unsupported by experiments. An ancient of great authority +had assigned, from theory, bad qualities to melted snow; and from that +period to the present times, this prejudice extended to ice had not been +quite removed. + +[* Hist. of Greenland, b. I. ch, ii. para 11, 12.] + +In this circumnavigation, amidst sleets and falls of snow, fogs, and much +moist weather, the _Resolution_ enjoyed nearly the same good state of +health she had done in the temperate and torrid zones. It appears only +from the journal of the Surgeon, that towards the end of the first +course* some of the crew began to complain of the scurvy; but the disease +made little progress, except in one who had become early an invalid from +another cause. The other disorders were likewise inconsiderable, such as +common colds, slight diarrhoeas, and intermittents that readily yielded +to the Bark: there were also some fevers of a continued form, but which +by timely care never rose to an alarming height. Much commendation is +therefore due to the attention and abilities of Mr. PATTEN, the Surgeon +of the _Resolution_, for having so well seconded his Captain in the +discharge of his duty. For it must be allowed, that in despite of the +best regulations and the best provisions, there will always be among a +numerous crew, during a long voyage, some casualties more or less +productive of sickness; and that unless there be an intelligent medical +assistant on board, many under the wisest Commander will perish, that +otherwise might have been saved. + +[* Viz. The voyage between the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand.] + + +These, Gentlemen, are the reflections I had to lay before you on this +interesting subject; and if I have encroached on your time, you will +recollect that much of my discourse hath been employed in explaining some +things but just mentioned by Captain Cook, and in adding other materials, +which I had procured partly from himself, and partly, after his +departure, from those intelligent friends he alludes to in his Paper. +This was my plan; which, as I have now executed, you will please to +return your thanks to those gentlemen, who, on your account, so +cheerfully communicated to me their observations. + +As to your acknowledgments to Captain Cook, and your high opinion of his +deserts, you will best testify them by the honourable distinction +suggested by your Council, in presenting him with this medal: for I need +not gather your suffrages, since the attention with which you have +favoured me hath abundantly expressed your approbation. My satisfaction +therefore had been complete, had he himself been present to receive the +honours you now confer upon him. But you are apprized that our brave and +indefatigable Brother is at this instant far removed from us, +anticipating, I may say, your wonted request on these occasions, by +continuing his labours for the advancement of Natural Knowledge, and for +the honour of this Society: as you may be assured, that the object of his +new enterprize is not less great, perhaps still greater than either of +the former. + +Allow me then, GENTLEMEN, to deliver this medal, with his unperishing +name engraven upon it, into the hands of one who will be happy to receive +that trust, and to know that this respectable Body never more cordially +nor more meritoriously bestowed that faithful symbol of their esteem and +affection. For if Rome decreed the _Civic Crown_ to him who saved the +life of a single citizen, what wreaths are due to that Man, who, having +himself saved many, perpetuates in your Transactions the means by which +Britain may now, on the most distant voyages, preserve numbers of her +intrepid sons, her Mariners; who, braving every danger, have so liberally +contributed to the fame, to the opulence, and to the maritime empire, of +their Country*. + +[* Here followed Captain Cook's Paper, which was presented to the +Society, and is inserted in part 2. vol. 1xvi. of the Philosophical +Transactions; but as the Substance of that Publication is now contained +in the last pages of Captain Cook's Voyage, it was judged unnecessary to +repeat it here. The only material circumstance of Captain Cook's +communication to the Society, omitted in his journal, is the following +Extract of a Letter which he wrote to the President, just before his late +embarkation, dated _Plymouth Sound_, July 7, 1776; and is as follows: + +"I entirely agree with you, that the dearness of the Rob of lemons, and +of oranges, will hinder them from being furnished in large quantities; +but I do not think this so necessary, for though they may assist other +things, I have no great opinion of them alone. Nor have I a higher +opinion of vinegar: my people had it very sparingly during the late +voyage; and towards the latter part, none at all; and yet we experienced +no ill effects from the want of it. The custom of washing the inside of +the ship with vinegar I seldom observed, thinking that fire and smoke +answered the purpose much better."] + + + +END OF VOLUME II. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Voyage Towards the South Pole and +Round the World Volume 2, by James Cook + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH *** + +***** This file should be named 15869.txt or 15869.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/8/6/15869/ + +- + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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