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diff --git a/22834.txt b/22834.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c7ebd3c --- /dev/null +++ b/22834.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6461 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyage of H.M.S. Pandora, by +Edward Edwards and George Hamilton + +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: Voyage of H.M.S. Pandora + Despatched to Arrest the Mutineers of the 'Bounty' in the + South Seas, 1790-1791 + +Author: Edward Edwards + George Hamilton + +Commentator: Basil Thomson + +Release Date: October 2, 2007 [EBook #22834] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE OF H.M.S. PANDORA *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Lybarger and the booksmiths at +http://www.eBookForge.net + + + + + +VOYAGE OF + +H.M.S. 'PANDORA' + +DESPATCHED TO ARREST THE MUTINEERS OF +THE 'BOUNTY' IN THE SOUTH SEAS, 1790-91 + +BEING THE NARRATIVES OF + +CAPTAIN EDWARD EDWARDS, R.N. + +THE COMMANDER + +AND + +GEORGE HAMILTON + +THE SURGEON + +WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY + +BASIL THOMSON + +LONDON +FRANCIS EDWARDS +83 HIGH STREET, MARYLEBONE +1915 + + +CONTENTS + PAGE + +INTRODUCTION 1 +CAPTAIN EDWARDS' REPORTS 27 +A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD 91 + VOYAGE FROM OTAHEITE TO ANAMOOKA 121 + VOYAGE FROM ANAMOOKA, WITH AN ACCOUNT + OF THE LOSS OF THE _PANDORA_ 136 + VOYAGE FROM THE WRECK TO THE ISLAND OF TIMOR 147 + OCCURRENCES AT COUPANG; VOYAGE TO BATAVIA, + ETC.; ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND 160 +INDEX 173 + MAP OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN, SHOWING THE COURSE + FOLLOWED BY H.M.S. _PANDORA_ IN 1791 + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +NONE of the minor incidents in our naval history has inspired so many +writers as the Mutiny of the _Bounty_. Histories, biographies and +romances, from Bligh's narrative in 1790 to Mr. Becke's "Mutineers" in +1898, have been founded upon it; Byron took it for the theme of the least +happy of his dramatic poems; and all these, not because the mutiny left +any mark upon history, but because it ranks first among the stories of +the sea, instinct with the living elements of romance, of primal passion +and of tragedy--all moving to a happy ending in the Arcadia of Pitcairn +Island. And yet, while every incident in the moving story, even to the +evidence in the famous court-martial, has been discussed over and over +again, there has been lying in the Record Office for more than a century +an autograph manuscript, written by one of the principal actors in the +drama, which no one has thought it worth while to print. + +Though the story of the mutiny is too well known to need repeating in +detail, it is necessary to set forth as briefly as possible its relation +to the history of maritime discovery in the Pacific. In the year 1787, +ten years after the death of Captain Cook in Hawaii, a number of West +India merchants in London, stirred by the glowing reports of the natural +wealth of the South Sea Islands brought home by Dampier and Cook, +petitioned the government to acclimatize the bread-fruit in Jamaica. A +ship of 215 tons was purchased into the service and fitted out under the +direct superintendence of Sir Joseph Banks, who named her the _Bounty_, +and recommended William Bligh, one of Cook's officers, for the command. +It was a new departure. The object of most of the earlier government +expeditions to the South Seas had been the advancement of geographical +science and natural history; the voyage of the _Bounty_ was to turn +former discoveries to the profit of the empire. + +Bligh was singularly ill-fitted for the command. While he had undoubted +ability, his whole career shows him to have been wanting in the tact and +temper without which no one can successfully lead men; and in this +venture his own defects were aggravated by the inefficiency of his +officers. He took in his cargo of bread-fruit trees at Tahiti, and there +was no active insubordination until he reached Tonga on the homeward +voyage. At sunrise on April 28th, 1789, the crew mutinied under the +leadership of Fletcher Christian, the Master's Mate, whom Bligh's +ungoverned temper had provoked beyond endurance. The seamen had other +motives. Bligh had kept them far too long at Tahiti, and during the five +months they had spent at the island, every man had formed a connection +among the native women, and had enjoyed a kind of life that contrasted +sharply with the lot of bluejackets a century ago. Forcing Bligh, and +such of their shipmates as were loyal to him, into the launch, and +casting them adrift with food and water barely sufficient for a week's +subsistence, they set the ship's course eastward, crying "Huzza for +Tahiti!" There followed an open boat voyage that is unexampled in +maritime history. The boat was only 23 feet long; the weight of eighteen +men sank her almost to the gunwale; the ocean before them was unknown, +and teeming with hidden dangers; their only arms against hostile natives +were a few cutlasses, their only food two ounces of biscuit each a day; +and yet they ran 3618 nautical miles in forty-one days, and reached Timor +with the loss of only one man, and he was killed by the natives at the +very outset. + +The mutineers fared as mutineers have always fared. Having sailed the +ship to Tahiti, they fell out among themselves, half taking the _Bounty_ +to the uninhabited island of Pitcairn, where they were discovered +twenty-seven years later, and half remaining at Tahiti. Of these two were +murdered, four were drowned in the wreck of the _Pandora_, three were +hanged in England, and six were pardoned, one living to become a +post-captain in the navy, another to be gunner on the _Blenheim_ when she +foundered with Sir Thomas Troubridge. + +One boat voyage only is recorded as being longer than Bligh's. In 1536 +Diego Botelho Pereira made the passage from Portuguese India to Lisbon in +a native _fusta_, or lateen rigged boat, but a little larger than +Bligh's. He had, however, covered her with a deck, and provisioned her +for the venture, and he was able to replenish his stock at various points +on the voyage. + +In 1790 the publication of Bligh's account of his sufferings excited the +strongest public sympathy, and the Admiralty lost no time in fitting out +an expedition to search for the mutineers, and bring them home to +punishment. The _Pandora_, frigate, of 24 guns, was commissioned for the +purpose, and manned by 160 men, composed largely of landsmen, for every +trained seaman in the navy had gone to man the great fleet then +assembling at Portsmouth under Lord Howe. Captain Edward Edwards, the +officer chosen for the command, had a high reputation as a seaman and a +disciplinarian, and from the point of view of the Admiralty, who intended +the cruise simply as a police mission without any scientific object, no +better choice could have been made. Their orders to him were to proceed +to Tahiti, and, not finding the mutineers there, to visit the different +groups of the Society and Friendly Islands, and the others in the +neighbouring parts of the Pacific, using his best endeavours to seize and +bring home in confinement the whole, or such part of the delinquents as +he might be able to discover. "You are," the orders ran, "to keep the +mutineers as closely confined as may preclude all possibility of their +escaping, having, however, proper regard to the preservation of their +lives, that they may be brought home to undergo the punishment due to +their demerits." Edwards belonged to that useful class of public servant +that lives upon instructions. With a roving commission in an ocean +studded with undiscovered islands the possibilities of scientific +discovery were immense, but he faced them like a blinkered horse that has +his eyes fixed on the narrow track before him, and all the pleasant +byways of the road shut out. A cold, hard man, devoid of sympathy and +imagination, of every interest beyond the straitened limits of his +profession, Edwards in the eye of posterity was almost the worst man that +could have been chosen. For, with a different commander, the voyage would +have been one of the most important in the history of South Sea +discovery, and the account he has written of it compares in style and +colour with a log-book. + +In Edwards' place a more genial man, a Catoira, a Wallis, or a Cook, +would have written a journal of discovery that might have taken a place +in the front rank of the literature of travel. He would have investigated +the murder of La Perouse's boat's crew in Tutuila on the spot; he would +have rescued the survivors of that ill-fated expedition whose +smoke-signals he saw on Vanikoro; he would have brought home news of the +great Fiji group through which Bligh passed in the _Bounty's_ launch; he +might even have discovered Fletcher Christian's colony of mutineers in +Pitcairn. But, on the other hand, humanity to his prisoners might have +furnished them with the means of escape, and his ardour for discovery +might have led him into dangers from which no one would have survived to +tell the tale. Edwards had the qualities of his defects. If he treated +his prisoners harshly, he prevented them from contaminating his crew, and +brought the majority of them home alive through all the perils of +shipwreck and famine. In all the attacks that have been made upon him +there is not a word against his character as a plain, straight-forward +officer, who could lick a crew of landsmen into shape, and keep them +loyal to him through the stress of shipwreck and privation. If he was +callous to the sufferings of his prisoners, he was at least as +indifferent to his own. If he felt no sympathy with others, he asked for +none with himself. If he won no love, he compelled respect. + +Of his officers little need be said. Corner, the first lieutenant, was a +stout seaman, who bottled up his disapproval of his captain's behaviour +until the commission was out. Hayward, the second lieutenant, was a +time-server. He had been a midshipman on the _Bounty_ at the time of the +mutiny, and an intimate friend of young Peter Heywood who was constrained +to cast in his lot with the mutineers, yet, when Heywood gave himself up +on the arrival of the _Pandora_ at Tahiti, his old comrade, now risen in +the world, received him with a haughty stare. Of Larkin, Passmore, and +the rest, we know nothing. + +Fortunately for us, the _Pandora_ carried a certain rollicking, +irresponsible person as surgeon. George Hamilton has been called "a +coarse, vulgar, and illiterate man, more disposed to relate licentious +scenes and adventures, in which he and his companions were engaged, than +to give any information of proceedings and occurrences connected with +the main object of the voyage." From this puritanical criticism most +readers will dissent. Hamilton was bred in Northumberland, and was at +this time past forty. His portrait, the frontispiece to his book, +represents him in the laced coat and powdered wig of the period, a man of +middle age, with clever, well-cut features, and a large, humorous, and +rather sensual mouth. His book, with all its faults of scandalous plain +speech, is one that few naval surgeons of that day could have written. +The style, though flippant, is remarkable for a cynical but always +good-natured humour, and on the rare occasions when he thought it +professionally incumbent on him to be serious, as in his discussion of +the best dietary for long voyages, and the physical effects of +privations, his remarks display observation and good sense. It must be +admitted, I fear, that he relates certain of his own and his shipmates' +adventures ashore with shameless gusto, but he wrote in an age that loved +plain speech, and that did not care to veil its appetite for licence. +Like Edwards, he tells us little of the prisoners after they were +consigned to "Pandora's Box." His narrative is valuable as a commentary +on Edwards' somewhat meagre report, and for the sidelights which it +throws upon the manners of naval officers of those days. Even Edwards, to +whom he is always loyal, does not escape his little shaft of satire when +he relates how the stern captain was driven to conduct prayers in the +most desperate portion of the boat voyage. His book, published at Berwick +in 1793, has now become so rare that Mr. Quaritch lately advertised for +it three times without success, and therefore no excuse is needed for +reprinting it. + +The _Pandora_ was dogged by ill luck from the first. An epidemic fever +raging in England at the time of her departure, was introduced on board, +it was thought, by infected clothing. The sick bay, and indeed, the +officers' cabins, too, were crammed with stores intended for the return +voyage of the _Bounty_, and there was no accommodation for the sick. +Hamilton attributes their recovery to the use of tea and sugar, then +carried for the first time in a ship of war. He gives some interesting +information regarding the precautions taken against scurvy. They had +essence of malt and hops for brewing beer, a mill for grinding wheat, the +meal being eaten with brown sugar, and as much saurkraut as the crew +chose to eat. + +The first land sighted after rounding Cape Horn, was Ducie's island; +probably the same island which, as the Encarnacion of Quiros, has dodged +about the charts of the old geographers, swelling into a continent, +contracting into an atoll, and finally coming to rest in the +neighbourhood of the Solomon Islands before vanishing for ever. The +_Pandora_ was now in the latitude of Pitcairn, which lay down wind only +three hundred miles distant. If she had but kept a westerly course, she +must have sighted it, for the island's peak is visible for many leagues, +but relentless ill fortune turned her northward, and during the ensuing +day she passed the men she was in search of scarce thirty leagues away. +One glimmer of good fortune awaited Edwards in Tahiti. The schooner built +by the mutineers was ready for sea, but not provisioned for a voyage. She +put to sea, and outsailed the _Pandora's_ boat that went in chase of her, +but her crew, dreading the inevitable starvation that faced them, put +back during the night and took to the mountains, where they were all +captured. + +In the matter of "Pandora's Box," there were excuses for Edwards, who was +bitterly attacked afterwards for his inhumanity. One of the chiefs had +warned him that there was a plot between the natives and the mutineers to +cut the cable of the _Pandora_ in the night. Most of the mutineers were +connected through their women with influential chiefs, and nothing was +more likely than that such a rescue should be attempted. His own crew, +moreover, were human. They could see for themselves the charms of a life +in Tahiti; they could hear from the prisoners the consideration in which +Englishmen were held in this delightful land. What had been possible in +the _Bounty_ was possible in the _Pandora_. Edwards regarded his +prisoners as pirates, desperate with the weight of the rope about their +necks. His orders were definite--to consider nothing but the preservation +of their lives--and he did his duty in his own way according to his +lights. And that he was not insensible to every feeling of humanity is +shown by the fact that he allowed the native wives of the mutineers daily +access to their husbands while the ship lay there. The infinitely +pathetic story of poor "Peggy," the beautiful Tahitian girl who had borne +a child to midshipman Stewart, was vouched for six years later by the +missionaries of the "Duff." She had to be separated from her husband by +force, and it was at his request that she was not again admitted to the +ship. Poor girl! it was all her life to her. A month before her +boy-husband perished in the wreck of the _Pandora_, she had died of a +broken heart, leaving her baby, the first half-caste born in Tahiti, to +be brought up by the missionaries. + +"Pandora's Box" certainly needed some excuse. A round house, eleven feet +long, accessible only through a scuttle in the roof, was built upon the +quarter deck as a prison for the fourteen mutineers, who were ironed and +handcuffed. Hamilton says that the roundhouse was built partly out of +consideration for the prisoners themselves, in order to spare them the +horrors of prolonged imprisonment below in the tropics, and that although +the service regulations restricted prisoners to two-thirds allowance, +Edwards rationed them exactly like the ship's company. Morrison, +however, who seems to have belonged to that objectionable class of +seamen--the sea-lawyer--having kept a journal of grievances against Bligh +when on the _Bounty_, and preserved it even in "Pandora's Box," gives a +very different account, and Peter Heywood, a far more trustworthy +witness, declared in a letter to his mother, that they were kept "with +both hands and both legs in irons, and were obliged to eat, drink, sleep, +and obey the calls of nature, without ever being allowed to get out of +this den." + +Edwards now provisioned the mutineers' little schooner, and put on board +of her a prize crew of two petty officers and seven men to navigate her +as his tender. For the first few weeks, while the scent was keen, he +maintained a very active search for the _Bounty_. He had three clues: +first, the mention of Aitutaki in a story the mutineers had told the +natives to account for their reappearance; second, a report made to him +by Hillbrant, one of his prisoners, that Christian, on the night before +he left Tahiti, had declared his intention of settling on Duke of York's +Island; and third, the discovery on Palmerston Island of the _Bounty's_ +driver yard, much worm-eaten from long immersion. It must be confessed +that hopes founded on these clues did little credit to Edwards' +intelligence. Aitutaki, having been discovered by Bligh, was the last +place Christian would have chosen: he might have guessed that a man of +Christian's intelligence would intentionally have given a false account +of his projects to the mutineers he left behind, knowing that even if all +who were set adrift in the boat had perished, the story of the mutiny +would be learned by the first ship that visited Tahiti; a worm-eaten spar +lying on the tide-mark, at an island situated directly down-wind from the +Society Islands, so far from proving that the _Bounty_ had been there, +indicated the exact contrary. But it is to be remembered that at this +time the islands known to exist in the Pacific could almost be counted on +the fingers, and that Edwards could not have hoped, within the limits of +a single cruise, to examine even the half of those that were marked in +his chart. Had he suspected the existence of the vast number of islands +around him, he would at once have realised the hopelessness of attempting +to discover the hiding-place of an able navigator bent on concealment. +Whether, as has been suggested by one writer,[10-1] Christian was piloted +to Pitcairn by his Tahitian companions, of whom some were descended from +the old native inhabitants, or had read of it in Carteret's voyage in +1767, or had chanced upon it by accident, he could have followed no wiser +course than to steer eastward, and upwind, for any vessel despatched to +arrest him would perforce go first to Tahiti for information, when it +would be too late to beat to the eastward without immense loss of time. + +From Aitutaki Edwards bore north-west to investigate the second clue, and +in the Union Group he made his first important discovery of new +land--Nukunono, inhabited by a branch of the Micronesian race, crossed +with Polynesian blood. From thence he ran southward to Samoa, where he +came upon traces of the massacre of La Perouse's second in command, M. de +Langle, in the shape of accoutrements cut from the uniforms of the French +officers. Consistent with his usual concentration upon the object of his +voyage, he does not seem to have cared to make enquiries about them. + +At this stage in the voyage there occurred an accident which, from our +point of view, must be regarded as the most fortunate incident of the +voyage. The tender, very imperfectly victualled, parted company in a +thick shower of rain. At this date Fiji, the most important group in the +South Pacific, was practically unknown. Tasman had sighted its +north-eastern extremity: Cook had discovered Vatoa, an outlying island in +the far southward, and had heard of it from the Tongans in his second +voyage when he had not time to look for it; Bligh had passed through the +heart of it in his boat voyage, and had even been chased by two canoes +from Round Island, Yasawa; but no European had landed or held any +intercourse with the natives. It is not easy to understand how islands of +such magnitude as Fiji should have remained undiscovered so long after +every other important group in the Pacific had found its place in the +charts of the Pacific. They were known by repute; Hamilton writes of "the +savage and cannibal Feegees"; they lay but two days' sail down-wind from +Tonga. Three years before the _Pandora's_ cruise the Pacific had been +thrown open to the sperm whale fishery, which has had so large a part in +South Sea discovery, by the cruise of the English ship _Amelia_, fitted +out by Enderby; and yet neither ship of war nor whaler had chanced upon +them. But for a meagre passage in Edwards' journal, and a traditionary +poem in the Fijian language, we should not know to whom belongs the +honour of first visiting them. The native tradition sets forth that with +the first visit of a European ship a devastating sickness, called the +Great Lila, or "Wasting Sickness," attacked the people of one of the +Eastern Islands (of the Lau group), and, spreading from island to island, +swept away vast numbers of the people. There are, it may be remarked, +innumerable instances in history of the contact between continental and +island peoples, both of them healthy at the time of contact, producing +fatal epidemics among the islanders. Even among our own Hebrides the +natives are said to look for an outbreak of "Strangers' Cold" after every +visit of a ship. The Fijian tradition certainly dates from a few years +before the beginning of the last century. + +The real discoverers of Fiji seem to have been Oliver, master's mate; +Renouard, midshipman; James Dodds, quartermaster, and six seamen of the +_Pandora_, who formed the crew of Edwards' tender; and surely no ship +that ever ventured among those dangerous islands was so ill furnished for +repelling attack. Edwards had sent provisions and ammunition on board of +her when off Palmerston Island, but by this time they were exhausted, and +a fresh supply was actually on the _Pandora's_ deck when she parted +company. Her provision for the long and dangerous voyage before her was a +bag of salt, a bag of nails and ironware, a boarding netting, and several +seven-barrelled pieces and blunderbusses. She had besides the latitude +and longitude of the places the _Pandora_ would touch at. + +The following account of their cruise is drawn from the remarks of +Edwards and Hamilton on finding the tender safe in Samarang, for I have +searched the Record Office in vain for Oliver's log. If he kept any, it +was not thought worth preserving. On the night the tender parted company, +the 22nd June, 1791, the natives of the south-east end of Upolu made a +determined attack upon the little vessel with their canoes. The +seven-barrelled pieces made terrible havoc among them, but, never having +seen fire-arms, and not understanding the connection between the fall of +their comrades and the report, they kept up the attack with great fury. +But for the boarding netting they would easily have taken the schooner, +and indeed, one fellow succeeded in springing over it, and would have +felled Oliver with his club had he not been shot dead at the moment of +striking. On the 23rd they cruised about in search of the _Pandora_ until +the afternoon when, having drunk their last drop of water, they gave her +up, and made sail for Namuka, the appointed rendezvous. The torture they +suffered from thirst on the passage was such that poor Renouard, the +midshipman, became delirious, and continued so for many weeks. Their +leeway and the easterly current combined to set them to the westward of +Namuka, and the first land they made was Tofoa, which they mistook for +Namuka, their rendezvous. The natives, the same that had attacked Bligh +so treacherously two years before, sold them provisions and water, and +then made an attempt to take the vessel, and would have succeeded but for +the fire-arms. On the very day of the attack the _Pandora_ dropped anchor +at Namuka, within sight of Tofoa, and not finding her tender, bore down +upon that island. Had Oliver been able to wait there for her, his +troubles would have been at an end. But he dared not take the risk, and +when Edwards sent a boat ashore to make enquiries the little schooner had +sailed. The reception accorded to Edwards at Tofoa is very characteristic +of the Tongans. Lieutenant Hayward, who had been present at the attack +made upon Bligh, recognised several of the murderers of Norton among the +people who crowded on board to do homage to the great chief, Fatafehi, +who had taken passage in the frigate, but Edwards dared not punish them +for fear that his tender should fall among them after he had left. Had he +but known that these men had come red-handed from a treacherous attack +upon the tender; that Fatafehi, who so loudly condemned their treachery +to Bligh, and assured him that nothing had been seen of the little +vessel, had just heard of the abortive attack they had made upon her, he +would have taught them a lesson that would have lasted the Tongans many +years, and might have saved the lives of the Europeans who perished in +the taking of the _Port-au-Prince_ and the _Duke of Portland_. For these +"Norsemen of the Pacific," whom Cook, knowing nothing of the treachery +they had planned against him under the guise of hospitality, misnamed the +"Friendly Islanders," were, in reality, a nation of wreckers. + +Leaving Tofoa about July 1st, the schooner ran westward for two days +"nearly in its latitude," and fell in with an island which Edwards +supposed to be one of the Fiji group. The island of the Fiji group that +lies most nearly in the latitude of Tofoa is Vatoa, discovered by Cook, +but there are strong reasons for seeking Oliver's discoveries elsewhere. +Vatoa lies only 170 miles from Tofoa, and, therefore, if Oliver took two +days in reaching it, he cannot have been running at more than three knots +an hour. But, early in July, the south-east trade wind is at its +strongest, and with a fair wind a fast sailer, as we know the schooner to +have been, cannot have been travelling at a slower rate than six knots. +We are further told that Oliver waited five weeks at the island, and took +in provisions and water. Now, in July, which is the middle of the dry +season, no water is to be found on Vatoa except a little muddy and fetid +liquid at the bottom of shallow wells which the natives, who rely upon +coconuts for drinking water, only use for cooking. Provisions also are +very scarce there at all times. The same objections apply to Ongea and +Fulanga which lie fifty miles north of Vatoa, in the same longitude, +though they certainly possess harbours in which a vessel could lie for +five weeks, which Vatoa does not. If, however, the schooner ran at the +rate of six knots, as may safely be assumed, all difficulties, except +that of latitude, vanish together, for at the distance of 290 nautical +miles from Tofoa lies Matuku, which with much justification has been +described by Wilkes as the most beautiful of all the islands in the +Pacific. There the natives live in perpetual plenty among perennial +streams, and could victual the largest ship without feeling any +diminution of their stock. In the harbour three frigates could lie in +perfect safety, and the people have earned a reputation for honesty and +hospitality to passing ships which belongs to the inhabitants of none of +the large islands. There is another alternative--Kandavu--but to reach +that island, the schooner must have run at an average of eleven knots, +and the number and cupidity of the natives would have made a stay of five +weeks impossible to a vessel so poorly manned and armed. + +All these considerations point to the fact that Oliver lay for five weeks +at Matuku, which lies but fifty miles north of the latitude of Tofoa. He +was, therefore, the first European who had intercourse with the Fijians. +Their traditions have never been collected, and if one be found recording +the insignificant details so dear to the native poet, such as the +boarding netting, or the sickness of Midshipman Renouard, or better +still, the outbreak of the Great Lila Sickness, the inference may be +taken as proved. + +Any other navigator than Edwards would have given us details of Oliver's +wonderful voyage, or, at least, would have preserved his log, but the +voyage from Fiji to the Great Barrier reef is a blank. Hamilton, indeed, +alludes vaguely to the crew having had to be on their guard "at other +islands that were inhabited," and since their course from Fiji to +Endeavour Straits would have carried them through the heart of the New +Hebrides, and close to Malicolo, we may assume that they called at Api, +at Ambrym or at Malicolo to replenish their stock of water. They reached +the Great Barrier reef in the greatest distress, and having run "from +shore to shore," _i.e._ from New Guinea to within sight of the coast of +Queensland without finding an opening, and having to choose between the +alternatives of shipwreck or of death by famine, they went boldly at it, +and beat over the reef. Even then they would have starved but for their +providential encounter with a small Dutch vessel cruising a little to the +westward of Endeavour Straits, which supplied them with water and +provisions. The governor of the first Dutch settlement they touched at, +having a description of the mutineers from the British Government, and +observing that their schooner was built of foreign timber, refused to +believe their account of themselves, especially as Oliver, being a petty +officer, could produce no commission or warrant in support of his +statement, and imprisoned them all, without, however, treating them with +harshness. On the first opportunity he sent them to Samarang, where +Edwards had them released. The plucky little schooner was sold, to begin +another career of usefulness as set forth in the footnote to p. 33, and +her purchase money was divided among the _Pandora's_ crew. + +Thus ended one of the most eventful voyages in the history of South Sea +discovery, dismissed by Edwards in a few lines; by Hamilton in two pages. +The search made among the naval archives at the Record Office leaves but +little hope that any log-book or journal has been preserved. + +Meanwhile, Edwards, disappointed in his search for the tender at Namuka +and Tofoa, and prevented by a head wind from examining Tongatabu, set his +course again for Samoa, and passed within sight of Vavau by the way. +Making the easterly extremity of the group, he visited in turn Manua, +Tutuila, and Upolu, but, like Bougainville, did not sight Savaii, which +lay a little to the northward of his course. It is not surprising that +the natives of Upolu denied all knowledge of the tender, seeing that they +had made a determined attempt upon her less than a month before. From +Samoa he sailed to Vavau which he named Howe's Group, in ignorance that +it had been discovered by Maurelle ten years before, and subsequently +visited by La Perouse. Running southward, he made Pylstaart, at that time +inhabited by Tongan castaways, and the fact that he did not stop to +examine it, although he saw by the smoke that it was inhabited, shows +that he had begun to tire of his search for the mutineers. Having +enquired at Tongatabu and Eua, he returned to Namuka for water, and at +this point any systematic search either for the tender or the mutineers +seems to have been abandoned. + +Edwards had now been nine months at sea, and the prospect of the long +homeward voyage round the Cape was still before him. With every league he +had sailed westward the scent had grown fainter, and he was about to pass +the spot from which the mutineers were known to have sailed in the +opposite direction. His course is not easy to explain. To reason that the +tender had fallen to leeward of her rendezvous, and had been compelled to +seek shelter and provisions at one of the islands discovered by Bligh +only two days' sail to the westward, required no high degree of +foresight; and yet Edwards, who must have known the position of the Fiji +islands from Bligh's narrative, deliberately set his course for +Niuatobutabu, two days' sail to the north-west. But, falling to leeward +of it, he made Niuafo'ou, the curious volcanic island discovered by +Schouten in 1616, and never since visited. The prevailing wind making a +visit to Niuatobutabu now impossible, he visited Wallis Island, and then +bore away to the west. + +On August 8th, 1791, he made the discovery of Rotuma, whose enterprising +people now furnish the Torres Straits pearl fishery with its best divers. +It is difficult to forgive him for leaving so meagre an account of this +interesting little community of mixed Polynesian and Micronesian blood. +Edwards was probably mistaken in thinking their intentions hostile. Kau +Moala, a Tongan who visited them in 1807, and related his experiences to +Mariner, describes them as always friendly to strangers. Probably they +took the _Pandora_ for a god-ship, and since the Immortals of their +Pantheon are generally malevolent, they left their women behind, and +flourished weapons to scare the gods into good behaviour. In 1807 they +had forgotten the visit, perhaps because it had brought them no calamity +to inspire the native poets. Hamilton relates an incident quite in +keeping with the character of this determined and sturdy little people. +"One fellow was making off with some booty, but was detected; and +although five of the stoutest men in the ship were hanging upon him, and +had fast hold of his long flowing black hair, he overpowered them all, +and jumped overboard with his prize." + +The ill fortune that pursued Edwards, that had baulked him of Pitcairn +when it lay within a few hours' sail, that had cheated him at once of the +recovery of his tender and the discovery of Fiji, and was soon to rob him +of his ship, now dealt him the unkindest cut of all. On August 13th, he +sighted the island of Vanikoro, and ran along its shore, sometimes within +a mile of the reef. There was no conceivable reason why he should not +have made some attempt to communicate with the inhabitants whose smoke +signals attracted his attention. Had he done so, he would have been the +means of rescuing the survivors of La Perouse's expedition, and of +clearing away the mystery that covered their fate for so many years. For, +after Dillon's discoveries, there can be little doubt that they were on +the island at that very time, and it is not unlikely that the smoke was +actually a signal made by them to attract his attention. The Comte de la +Perouse, who had been despatched on a voyage of discovery by Louis XVI. +on the eve of the Revolution, handed his journals to Governor Phillip in +Botany Bay for transmission to Europe in 1788, and neither he, nor his +two frigates, nor any of their company were ever seen again. Their fate +produced so painful an impression in France that the National Assembly, +then in the throes of the Revolution, sent out a relief expedition under +"Citizen-admiral" d'Entrecasteaux, and issued a splendid edition of his +journals at the public expense. We now know from the native account +elicited by Dillon that during a hurricane on a very dark night both +frigates struck on the reef of Vanikoro, that the _Astrolabe_ foundered +with all hands in deep water, and the crew of the _Boussole_ got safe to +land. They stayed on the island until they had built a brig of native +timber, in which they sailed away to the westward to meet a second +shipwreck, perhaps on the Great Barrier reef. But two of them stayed +behind for many years, and of these one was certainly alive in 1825. Now, +Edwards saw Vanikoro just three years after the wreck, and even if the +brig had sailed, there were two castaways who could have cleared up the +mystery. + +After a narrow escape from shipwreck on the Indispensable Reef, he made +the coast of New Guinea, supposing it to be one of the Louisiades. And +here has occurred one of those curious errors in geographical +nomenclature which are perpetuated by the most permanent of all +histories--the Admiralty charts. Edwards gives the positions of two +conspicuous headlands, which he named Cape Rodney and Cape Hood, and of a +mountain lying between them which he called Mount Clarence. All these +names appear in the Admiralty charts, but they are assigned to the wrong +places. To a ship coming from the eastward the Cape Rodney of the charts +is not conspicuous enough to have attracted Edwards' attention. The Cape +Hood of the charts, on the contrary, cannot be mistaken, and it lies +exactly in the position which Edwards gave for Cape Rodney. The "Cape +Hood" that Edwards saw was undoubtedly Round Head, and his Mount Clarence +must have been the high cone between them in the Saroa district. The +_Pandora_ must have approached on one of those misty mornings when the +clouds creep down the mountain sides of New Guinea, and obscure the +ranges that rise, tier upon tier, right up to the towering peak of Mount +Victoria, or Edwards could not have mistaken the continent for the +insignificant islands of the Louisiades. On such a morning a narrow line +of coast stands out clear against a background of sombre fog. + +The baleful fortune of the _Pandora_, now folded her wings and perched +upon the taffrail. By hugging the coast of New Guinea she would have won +a clear passage through these wreck-strewn straits of Torres, but the +navigators of those days counted on clear water to Endeavour Straits, and +recked little of the dangers of the Great Barrier reef. Bligh, who +chanced upon a passage in 12.34 S. Lat. so aptly that he called it +"Providential Channel," cautioned future navigators in words that should +have warned Edwards against the course he was steering. "These, however, +are marks too small for a ship to hit, unless it can hereafter be +ascertained that passages through the reef are numerous along the coast." +Edwards was not looking for Bligh's passage, which lay more than two +degrees southward of his course. He had lately adopted a most dangerous +practice of running blindly on through the night. Until he made the coast +of New Guinea, he had profited by the warning of Bougainville, the only +navigator whose book he seems to have studied, and always lay to till +daylight, but now, in the most dangerous sea in the world, he threw this +obvious precaution to the wind. Hamilton, to whom we are indebted for +this information (for it did not transpire at the court martial) says +that "the great length of the voyage would not permit it." How fatuous a +proceeding it was in unsurveyed and unknown waters may be judged from the +fact that in coral seas that have been carefully surveyed all ships of +war are now compelled to keep the lead going whenever they move in coral +waters. On August 25th he discovered the Murray Islands, and, after +spending the day in a vain attempt to force a passage through them, he +followed the reef southward for two days without finding a passage. This +must have brought him very near the latitude of Bligh's passage. On the +morning of August 28th Lieut. Corner was sent to examine what appeared to +be a channel, and an hour before dark he signalled that he had found a +passage large enough for the ship. The night fell before the boat could +get back, and this induced Edwards, who had already lost one boat's crew +and his tender, to lie much closer to the reef than was prudent. The +current did the rest. About seven the ship struck heavily, and, bumping +over the reef, tore her planking so that, despite eleven hours incessant +pumping, she foundered shortly after daylight. Eighty-nine of the ship's +company and ten of the mutineers were picked up by the boats and landed +on a sand cay four miles distant, and thirty-one sailors, and four +mutineers (who went down in manacles) were drowned. + +Having read the different versions of this affair both for and against +Edwards, I think it is proved that, besides treating his prisoners with +inhumanity, he disregarded the orders of the Admiralty. His attitude +towards the prisoners was always consistent. We learn from Corner that he +allowed Coleman, Norman and Mackintosh to work at the pumps, but that +when the others implored him to let them out of irons he placed two +additional sentries over them, and threatened to shoot the first man who +attempted to liberate himself. Every allowance must be made for the fear +that in the disordered state of the ship, they might have made an attempt +to escape, but during the eleven hours in which the water was gaining +upon the pumps there was ample time to provide for their security. That +so many were saved was due, not to him, but to a boatswain's mate, who +risked his own life to liberate them. Lieut. Corner, who would not have +been likely to err on the side of hostility to Edwards, gives his +evidence against him in this particular. But whether he is to be believed +or not, the fact that four of the prisoners went down in irons is +impossible to extenuate. + +Edwards dismisses the boat voyage in very few words, though, in fact, it +was a remarkable achievement to take four overloaded boats from the +Barrier Reef to Timor without the loss of a single man. He made the coast +of Queensland a little to the south of Albany Island, where the blacks +first helped him to fill his water breakers, and then attacked him. He +watered again at Horn Island, and then sailed through the passage which +bears Flinders' name owing to the fallacy that he discovered it. After +clearing the sound, he seems to have mistaken Prince of Wales' Island for +Cape York, which he had left many miles behind him. + +Favoured by a fair wind and a calm sea, he made the run from Flinders +passage to Timor in eleven days. Like Bligh, he found that the young bore +their privations better than the old, and that the first effect of thirst +and famine is to make men excessively irritable. Hamilton records a +characteristic incident. Edwards had neglected to conduct prayers in his +boat until he was reminded of his duty by one of the mutineers, who was +leading the devotions of the seamen in the bows of the boat. Scandalized +at the impropriety of a "pirate" daring to appeal to the Highest Tribunal +for mercy, as it were, behind the back of the earthly court before which +he was shortly to be arraigned, the captain sternly reproved him, and +conducted prayers himself. A sense of humour was not numbered among +Edwards' endowments. + +Timor was sighted on the 13th September, and on the 15th the party landed +at Coupang, where the Dutch authorities received them with every +hospitality. Here they met the survivors of a third boat voyage, +scarcely less adventurous than Bligh's and their own. A party of +convicts, including a woman and two small children, had contrived to +steal a ship's gig and to escape in her from Port Jackson. Sleeping on +shore at nights whenever possible, subsisting on shell-fish and +sea-birds, they ran the entire length of the Queensland coast, threaded +Endeavour Straits, and arrived at Coupang after an exposure lasting ten +weeks without the loss of a single life. Having given themselves out as +the survivors from the wreck of an English ship, they were entertained +with great hospitality until the arrival of Edwards two weeks later, when +they betrayed their story gratuitously. The captain of a Dutch vessel, +who spoke English, on first hearing the news of Edwards' landing, ran to +them with the glad tidings of their captain's arrival, on which one of +them started up in surprise and exclaimed, "What captain? Dam'me! we have +no captain." On hearing this the governor had them arrested, and sent to +the castle, one man and the woman having to be pursued into the bush +before they were taken. They then confessed that they were escaped +convicts. + +Apart from their adventurous voyage, there is much romance about their +story. William Bryant, the leader, had been transported for smuggling, +and his sweetheart, Mary Broad, who was maid to a lady in Salcombe, in +Devonshire for connivance in her lover's escape from Winchester Gaol. In +due course they were married in Botany Bay, where Bryant was employed as +fisherman to the governor, a post that enabled him to plan their +successful escape. Bryant and both children died on the voyage home, +together with three others, Morton, Cox and Simms, but the woman survived +to obtain a full pardon, owing chiefly to the exertions of an officer of +marines who went home with her in the _Gorgon_, and eventually married +her.[24-1] Butcher, who was also pardoned, returned to New South Wales +and became a thriving settler. The remaining four were sent back to +complete their sentences. Their story has been graphically told by +Messrs. Louis Becke and Walter Jeffery in "The First Fleet Family." + +During the voyage from Coupang to Batavia Edwards narrowly escaped a +second shipwreck. The _Rembang_ was dismasted on a lee shore in a +cyclone, and, but for the exertions of the English seamen, would +assuredly have been stranded, the Dutch sailors, who, says the facetious +Hamilton, "would fight the devil should he appear to them in any other +shape but that of thunder and lightning," having taken to their hammocks. +At Samarang, as already related, Edwards found the tender, which he had +long given up for lost, and the price she fetched enabled the crew to +purchase decent clothing. Heywood afterwards asserted that no clothing +was given to the prisoners but what they could earn by plaiting and +selling straw hats. They were miserably housed, when on board the +_Rembang_, and kept in rigid confinement both at Batavia, and on the +_Vreedemberg_, in which they made the voyage to the Cape. + +At Batavia Edwards divided his men among three Dutch vessels homeward +bound, but at the Cape he removed his own contingent into H.M.S. +_Gorgon_, and arrived at Spithead on June 18th, 1792. Two days later the +ten mutineers were transferred to H.M.S. _Hector_, Captain Montague, and +the convicts were sent to Newgate. The court martial, which did not +assemble until September 12th, lasted five days, with the result that +Norman, Coleman, Mackintosh and Byrne were acquitted, and Heywood, +Morrison, Ellison, Burkitt, Millward and Muspratt were condemned to +death, the two first being recommended to mercy. On October 24th Heywood +and Morrison received the King's pardon, and both re-entered the Navy, +Heywood to retire in 1816, when nearly at the head of the list of +captains; Morrison to go down in the ill-fated _Blenheim_ in which he was +serving as gunner. Muspratt also was pardoned, but the three others were +hanged on board the _Brunswick_ in Portsmouth Harbour on October 29th, +1792. Thus ended a voyage that, for adventure and discovery, deserves a +high place in the history of maritime enterprise in the Pacific. Voyages +take their rank from the scientific attainments and literary ability of +the men who record them, and the _Pandora_, unlucky in her fate as in her +ill-omened name, was scarcely less unfortunate in her historian. + +B. T. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[10-1] Mr. Louis Becke, "The Mutineers." + +[24-1] The _Gorgon_ also carried Lieut. Clark, of the Royal Marines, +whose journal of the voyage to Botany Bay and Norfolk Island in 1789 +throws a very interesting light upon the early days of the colony. +Unfortunately the journal says very little of the _Gorgon's_ voyage +home. + + + + +CAPTAIN EDWARDS' REPORTS. + + +"_Pandora_ in Sta Cruz Bay, +Teneriff, +25th November, 1790. + +[R 28 Dec. and Read.] + +SIR, + +Be pleased to acquaint My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that I +sailed again from Jack-in-the-Basket with His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_ +under my command on the 7th day of November, and anchored in Santa Cruz +by Teneriffe on the 22nd: that nothing particular occured in my passage +to this place, except that of my falling in with His Majesty's sloop +_Shark_ on the 17th November in Latitude 32 deg. 33' Longitude 13 deg. 40' W. +bound to Madeira with despatches for Rear Admiral Cornish, and my +learning from them that the matters in dispute with Spain were amicably +settled, of which circumstance I was unacquainted when I left England. I +am now compleating my water, and have taken on board full 3 months wine +for my compliment, with some fruit and vegetables, and purpose and +flatter myself that I shall be able to sail from hence this evening. +Inclosed I send the state and condition of His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_ +for their Lordships' information, and I have the honour to be, + +Sir, +Your most obedient and ever humble servant, +EDWARD EDWARDS. + +Phillip Stevens, Esq." + + +"_Pandora_ at Rio Janeiro, +the 6th January, 1791. + +[Received 29th June and read.] + +SIR, + +Be pleased to acquaint My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that I +sailed from Teneriff with His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_ on the afternoon +of the 25th November, agreeable to my intentions signified to their +Lordships by letter from that island, and anchored off the city Rio +Janeiro on the evening of the 31st of December with a view to compleat my +water and to get refreshments for the ship's company and from my being +persuaded that very long runs, particularly with new ships' companies, +are prejudicial to health, and as my men are of that description, and +have also suffered in their health from a fever which has prevailed +amongst them in a greater or less degree ever since they left England, +were other inducements for my touching at this port. I shall stay here no +longer than is absolutely necessary to procure these articles, and which +I expect to be able to accomplish by the seventh of this month, and I +shall then proceed on my voyage as soon as wind and weather will permit. + +Herewith I send the state and condition of His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_, +and I have the honour to be, Sir, + +Your most obedient and humble servant, +EDW. EDWARDS." + + +"Batavia, the 25th November, 1791. +29th May, 1792. +From Amsterdam. + +SIR, + +In a letter dated the 6th day of January, 1791, which I did myself the +honour to address to you from Rio Janeiro I gave an account of my +proceedings up to that time and inclosed the state and condition of His +Majesty's Ship _Pandora_ under my command, and having compleated the +water and procured such articles of provision, etc., for the use of the +Ship's Company as they were in want of and I thought necessary for the +voyage, I sailed from that port on the 8th January, 1791, run along the +coast of America, Tierra Del Fuego, Hatin Land, round Cape Horn and +proceeded directly to Otaheite, and arrived at Matavy Bay in that Island +on the 23rd March without having touched in any other place in my passage +thither. + +It was my intention to have put into New Year's harbour, or some other +port in its neighbourhood to complete our water and to refresh my people, +could I have effected that business within the month of January; but as I +arrived too late on that coast to fulfil my intentions within the time, +it determined me to push forward without delay, by which means I +flattered myself I might avoid that extreme bad weather and all the evil +consequences that are usually experienced in doubling Cape Horn in a more +advanced season of the year, and I had the good fortune not to be +disappointed in my expectation. + +After doubling the Cape, and advancing Northward into warmer weather, the +fever which had prevailed on board gradually declined, and the diseases +usually succeeding such fevers prevented by a liberal use of the +antiscorbutics and other nourishing and useful articles with which we +were so amply supplied, and the ship's company arrived at Otaheite in +perfect health, except a few whose debilitated constitutions no climate, +provisions or medicine could much improve. + +In our run to Otaheite we discovered 3 islands: the first, which I called +Ducie's Island, lies in Latitude 24 deg. 40' 30" S. and Longitude 124 deg. 36' +30" W. from Greenwich. It is between 2 and 3 miles long. The second I +called Lord Hood's Island. It lies in Latitude 21 deg. 31' S. and Longitude +135 deg. 32' 30" W., and is about 8 miles long. The third I called +Carysfort's Island. It lies in Latitude 20 deg. 49' S. and Longitude 138 deg. 33' +W. and it is 5 miles long. They are all three low lagoon islands covered +with wood, but we saw no inhabitants on either of them.[30-1] Before we +anchored at Matavy Bay, Joseph Coleman, Armourer of the _Bounty_, and +several of the natives came on board, from whom I learned that Christian +the pirate had landed and left 16 of his men on the Island, some of whom +were then at Matavy, and some had sailed from there the morning before +our arrival (in a schooner they had built) for Papara, a distant part of +the Island, to join other of the pirates that were settled at that place, +and that Churchill, Master at Arms, had been murdered by Matthew +Thompson, and that Matthew Thompson was killed by the natives and offered +as a sacrifice on their altars for the murder of Churchill, whom they had +made a chief. + +George Stewart and Peter Heywood, midshipmen of the _Bounty_, came on +board the _Pandora_ soon after she came to an anchor, and I had also +information that Richard Skinner was at Matavy. I desired Poen, an +inferior chief (who, in the absence of Otoo, was the principal person in +the district) to bring him on board. The chief went on shore for the +purpose, and soon after he returned again and informed me that Skinner +was coming on board. Before night he did come on board, but whether it +was in consequence of the chief's instructions, or his own accord, I am +at a loss to say. As soon as the ship was moored the pinnace and launch +were got ready and sent under the direction of Lt. Corner and Hayward in +pursuit of the pirates and schooner in hopes of getting hold of them +before they could get information of our arrival, and Odiddee, a native +of Bolabola, and who has been with Capt. Cook, etc., went with them as a +guide. + +The boats were discovered by the pirates before they had arrived at the +place where these people had landed, and they immediately embarked in +their schooner and put to sea, and she was chased the remainder of the +day by our boats, but, it blowing fresh, she outsailed them, and the +boats returned to the ship. Jno. Brown, the person left at Otaheite by +Mr. Cox of the _Mercury_,[31-1] and from whom their Lordships supposed I +might get some useful information, had been under the necessity for his +own safety to associate with the pirates, but he took the opportunity to +leave them when they were about to embark in the schooner and put to sea. +He informed me that they had very little water and provisions on board, +or vessels to hold them in, and, of course, could not keep at sea long. I +entered Brown on the ship's books as part of the compliment and found him +very intelligent and useful in the different capacities of guide, soldier +and seaman. I employed different people to look out for and to give +information on their landing either on this or the neighbouring islands. + +On the 26th, in the evening, sent the pinnace to Edee by desire of the +old Otoo, or king, to bring him on board the _Pandora_. Early on the +morning of the 27th, I had information that the pirates were returning +with the schooner to Papara and that they were landed and retired to the +mountains, to endeavour to conceal and defend themselves. Immediately +sent Lt. Corner with 26 men in the launch to Papara to pursue them. At +night the Otoo, his two queens and suite came on board the pinnace and +slept on board the _Pandora_, which they afterwards frequently did. + +The next morning Lt. Hayward was sent with a party in the pinnace to join +the party in the launch at Papara. I found the Otoo ready to furnish me +with guides and to give me any other assistance in his power, but he had +very little authority or influence in that part of the island where the +pirates had taken refuge, and even his right to the sovereignty of the +eastern part of the island had been recently disputed by Tamarie, one of +the royal family. Under these circumstances I conceived the taking of the +Otoo and the other chiefs attached to his interest into custody would +alarm the faithful part of his subjects and operate to our disadvantage. +I therefore satisfied myself with the assistance he offered and had in +his power to give me, and I found means at different times to send +presents to Tamarie (and invited him to come on board, which he promised +to do, but never fulfilled his promise), and convinced him I had it in my +power to lay his country in waste, which I imagined would be sufficient +at least to make him withhold that support he hitherto, through policy, +had occasionally given to the pirates in order to draw them to his +interest and to strengthen his own party against the Otoo. + +I probably might have had it in my power to have taken and secured the +person of Tamarie, but I was apprehensive that such an attempt might +irritate the natives attached to his interest, and induce them to act +hostilely against our party at a time the ship was at too great a +distance to afford them timely and necessary assistance in case of such +an event, and I adopted the milder method for that reason, and from a +persuasion that our business could be brought to a conclusion at less +risk and in less time by that means. The yawl was sent to Papara with +spare hands to bring back the launch which was wanted to water the ship, +and on the 29th the launch returned to the ship with James +Morrison,[33-1] Charles Norman, and Thomas Ellison, belonging to the +_Bounty_, and who had been made prisoners at Papara on the 7th April. The +companies returned with the detachment from Papara, and brought with them +the pirate schooner which they had taken there. The natives had deserted +the place, and I had information that the six remaining pirates had fled +to the mountains. + +On the 5th I sent Lt. Hayward with 25 men in the schooner and yawl to +Papara, the old Otoo and several of the youths, &c., went with him. On +the 7th, in the morning, Lt. Corner was landed with 16 men at Point Venus +in order to march round the back of the mountains, in which the pirates +had retreated, to cooperate with the party sent to Papara. Orissia, the +Otoo's brother, and a party of natives went with him as guides and to +carry the provisions, &c. + +On the 9th Lt. Hayward returned with the schooner and yawl and brought +with him Henry Hillbrant, Thomas M'Intosh, Thomas Burkitt, Jno. +Millward, Jno. Sumner and William Muspratt, the six remaining pirates +belonging to the _Bounty_. They had quitted the mountains and had got +down near the seashore when they were discovered by our party on the +opposite side of a river. They submitted, on being summoned to lay down +their arms. Lt. Corner with his party marched across the mountains to +Papara, and a boat was sent for them there, and they returned on board +again on the 13th in the afternoon. I put the pirates in the round house +which I built at the after part of the Quarter deck for their more +effectual security, airy and healthy situation, and to separate them +from, and to prevent their having any communication with, or to crowd and +incommode the ship's company. + +Contrary to my expectations, the water we got at the usual place at Point +Venus turned out very bad, and on touching for better, most excellent +water was found issuing out of a rock in a little bay to the southward of +One Tree Hill. I mention this circumstance because it may be of +importance to be known to other ships that may hereafter touch at that +island. + +The natives had in their possession a bower anchor belonging to the +_Bounty_, which that ship had left in the bay, and I took it on board the +_Pandora_, and made them a handsome present by way of salvage and as a +reward for their ingenuity in weighing it with materials so ill +calculated for the purpose. I learned from different people and from +journals kept on board the _Bounty_, which were found in the chests of +the pirates at Otaheite, that after Lt. Bligh and the people with him +were turned adrift in the launch, the pirates proceeded with the ship to +the Island of Toobouai in Latitude 20 deg. 13' S. and Longitude 149 deg. 35' W., +where they anchored on the 25th May, 1789. Before their arrival there +they threw the greatest part of the bread fruit plants overboard, and the +property of the officers and people that were turned out of the ship was +divided amongst those who remained on board her, and the royals and some +other small sails were cut up and disposed of in the same manner. + +Notwithstanding they met with some opposition from the natives, they +intended to settle on this island, but after some time they perceived +that they were in want of several things necessary for a settlement and +which was the cause of disagreements and quarrels amongst themselves. At +last they came to a resolution to come to Otaheite to get such of the +things wanted as could be procured there, and in consequence of that +resolution they sailed from Toobouai at the latter end of the month and +arrived at Otaheite on the 6th of June. The Otoo and other natives were +very inquisitive and desirous to know what was become of Lt. Bligh and +the other absentees and the bread fruit plants, &c. They deceived them by +saying that they had fallen in with Captain Cook at an island he had +lately discovered called "Why-Too-Tackee" [Aitutaki], and where he +intended to settle, and that the plants were landed and planted there, +and that Lt. Bligh and the other absentees were detained to assist +Captain Cook in the business he had in hand, and that he had appointed +Christian captain of the _Bounty_ and ordered him to Otaheite for an +additional supply of hogs, goats, fowls, bread fruit plants, &c. + +These humane islanders were imposed upon by this artful story, and they +were so rejoiced to hear that their old friend Captain Cook was alive and +was near them that they used every means in their power to procure the +things that were wanted, so that in the course of a few days the _Bounty_ +took on board 312 hogs, 38 goats, eight dozen fowls, a bull and a cow, +and a quantity of bread fruit plants, &c. They also took with them a +woman, eight men and seven boys. With these supplies they sailed from +Otaheite on the 19th June and arrived again at Toobouai on the 26th. They +landed the live stock on the quays that were near the harbour, lightened +the ship and warped her up the harbour into two fathoms water opposite to +the place where they intended to build the fort. On this occasion their +spare masts, yards and booms were got out and moored, but they afterwards +broke adrift and were lost.[36-1] + +On the 19th July they began to build the fort. Its dimensions were 50 +yards square. These villains had frequent quarrels amongst themselves +which at last were carried to such a length that no order was observed +amongst them, and by the 30th August the work at the fort was +discontinued. They had also almost continual disputes and skirmishes with +the natives, which were generally brought on by their own violence and +depredations. Christian, perceiving that he had lost his authority, and +that nothing more could be done, desired them to consult together and +consider what step would be the most advisable to take, and said that he +would put into execution the opinion that was supported by the most +votes. After long consultation it was at last determined that the scheme +of staying at Toobouai should be given up, and that the ship should be +taken to Otaheite, where those who chose to go on shore should be at +liberty to do so, and those who remained on the ship might take her away +to whatever place they should think fit. + +In consequence of this final determination preparations were made for the +purpose and they sailed from Toobouai on the 15th and arrived at Matavy +Bay, Otaheite, on the 20th September 1789. The bull which they took from +Otaheite died on its passage to Toobouai, and they killed the cow before +they left that island, yet, notwithstanding this and the depredations +they committed there, the natives still derived considerable advantage +from their visits, as several hogs, goats, fowls and other things of +their introduction were left behind. These sixteen men mentioned before +were landed at Otaheite, viz.:-- + + Joseph Coleman [Armourer].[37-3] + Peter Heywood [Midshipman].[37-2] + George Stewart [Midshipman].[37-4] + Richard Skinner [A.B.].[37-4] + Michael Burn [A.B. Fiddler].[37-3] + James Morrison [Boatswain's Mate].[37-2] + Charles Norman [Carpenter's Mate].[37-3] + Thomas Ellison [A.B.].[37-1] + Henry Hillbrant [A.B.].[37-4] + John Sumner [A.B.].[37-4] + Thomas M'Intosh [Carpenter's Crew].[37-3] + William Muspratt [A.B.].[37-1] + Thomas Burkitt [A.B.].[37-1] + John Millward [A.B.].[37-1] + +These fourteen were made prisoners by my people and Charles Churchill and +Matthew Thompson were murdered on that island. Previous to these people +being put on shore the small arms, powder, canvas and the small stores +belonging to the ship were equally divided amongst the whole crew. After +building the schooner six of these people actually sailed in her for the +East Indies, but meeting with bad weather and suspecting the abilities of +Morrison, whom they had chosen to be their captain to navigate her there, +they returned again to Otaheite on the night between the 21st and 22nd of +September 1789 and were seen in the morning to the N.W. of Point +Venus.[37-5] + +Fletcher Christian, Edward Young, Matthew Quintall, William M'Koy, +Alexander Smith, John Williams, Isaac Martin, William Brown and John +Mills went away in the ship and they also took with them several natives +of these islands, both men and women, but I could not exactly learn their +numbers, only that they had on board a few more women than white men, a +deficiency of whom had formerly been one of their grievances and the +principal cause of their quarrels. Christian had been frequently heard to +declare that he would search for an unknown or uninhabited island in +which there was no harbour for shipping, would run the ship ashore and +get from her such things as would be useful to him and settle there, but +this information was too vague to be followed in an immense ocean strewed +with an almost innumerable number of known and unknown islands; therefore +after the ship was caulked, which I found was necessary to be done, the +rigging overhauled and in other respects refitted her for sea, and fitted +the pirates' schooner as a tender, and put on board two petty +officers[38-1] and seven men to navigate her, conceiving she would be of +considerable use in covering the boats in my future search for the +_Bounty_, as well as for reconnoitring the passage through the reef +leading to Endeavour Straits; I sailed from Otaheite on the 8th of May +with a view to put the remainder of my orders into execution. + +Oediddee was desirous to go in the _Pandora_ to Ulietia and to Bolabola, +and as I thought he would be useful as a guide for the boats I took him +with me and steered for Huahaine which we saw the next morning. The +tender and the boats were employed the 9th and part of the 10th in +examining the harbours, and Oediddee went with them as pilot. Several +chiefs came on board and brought with them hogs and other articles, the +produce of the island, and a servant of Omai also came on board, and said +that he was not then much the better for his master's riches, however his +former connections was the cause of his visit to the ship being made very +profitable to him, and all the chiefs and their attendances received +presents from me. Two of the chiefs of this island were desirous to go in +the ship to Ulietia and I had given them leave to, but when the ship was +about to make sail they suddenly changed their minds and went on shore +and took Oediddee with them. Oediddee promised to follow us there the +next day, but we did not see him again. + +I proceeded to Ulietea Otaka and Bolabola, and the tender and boats were +employed in examining the bays and harbours of these islands, but we got +no intelligence of the _Bounty_ or her people. Tahatoo, who called +himself king of Bolabola, informed me that he had been a few days before +at Tubai, which is a small, low island situated on the Northward of +Bolabola and under its jurisdiction, and that there were no white men +upon that island, nor upon Maurua, another island in sight of it and to +the westward of Bolabola. He also mentioned another island which I +thought he called Mojeshah, but we know no such island unless it be +Howe's Island, and that seems to be situated too far to the South and to +the West for the island he attempted to describe and point out to us. The +chiefs and several other people came on board from these islands and +brought with them the usual produce, and they were at all the isles very +pressing to prevail upon us to make a longer stay with them, but as I had +no object particularly in view and my people in good health, I did not +think it proper unnecessarily to waste my time for the sake of procuring +a few articles that were in greater abundance in these islands than at +Otaheite. I made presents to all those chiefs as it was my custom to do +to everyone that had the least pretension to pre-eminence, and to all the +people who came on board in the first boat. + +After leaving Bolabola I steered for Maurua and passed it at a small +distance. Howe's Island was not seen by us as it is a low island and we +passed to the Southward of it. I then shaped my course to get into the +latitude of and to fall in to the Eastward of Why-to-tackee [Aitutaki]. + +On the 14th, Henry Hillbrant, one of the pirates, gave information that +Christian had declared to him the evening before he left Otaheite that he +intended to go with the _Bounty_ to an uninhabited island discovered by +Mr. Byron, situated to the Westward of the Isles of Danger, which, from +description of the situation, I found to be the island called by Mr. +Byron "The Duke of York's Island,"[40-1] and if they could land, would +settle there and run the ship upon the reef and destroy her, and if they +could not land, or if on examination found it would not answer their +purpose, he would look out for some other uninhabited island. However, I +continued my course for Why-to-tackee, being now determined to examine +the island in preference to following any intelligence, however +plausible, and on the morning of the 19th saw the Island of Why-to-tackee +[Aitutaki],[40-2] and sent the tender in shore to ground and look out for +a harbour. + +At noon sent Lt. Hayward in the yawl to look into a place on the N.W. +part of the island that had the appearance of a harbour and to get +intelligence of the natives. In the evening he returned. The place was so +far from being fit for the reception of the ship that he could scarcely +find a passage through the reef for the boat; he conversed with seven or +eight different sets of people, whom he met with in canoes, and they all +agreed that the _Bounty_ was not, nor had not been there since Lt. Bligh +left the island, nor did any of them known anything of her. Lt. Hayward +recollected one of the natives, whom he remembered to have seen on board +the _Bounty_ when he discovered the island, and he saw another savage +belonging to a neighbouring island who knew Captain Cook and inquired +after him, Omai and Oediddee, whom he said he had seen. + +These people at first approached the boat with caution, and could not be +prevailed upon to come on board the ship. As I was convinced that the +_Bounty_ was not on this island, and as Hervey's, Mangea and Wattea +Islands to the S.E. of Why-to-tackee were inhabited, I did not think it +probable that Christian, in the weak state the ship was in, would attempt +to settle upon either of them, and as there was some plausibility in the +information given me by Hillbrant the prisoner, and as the Duke of York's +Island seemed to answer the description of such an island as Christian +had been heard by others to declare he would search for to settle on, it +being by Mr. Byron's account uninhabited, and with a harbour; and as the +fact that it was out of the known track of ships in these seas since our +acquaintance with the Society Islands, made it still more eligible for +his purpose; from these united circumstances I thought it was probable he +might make choice of the Duke of York's Island for his intended +settlement. I therefore determined to proceed to that island, taking +Palmerston's island in my way thither, as it also answered in all +respects, except situation, to the description of the other; and at night +I bore away and made sail for Palmerston's Island, and made that on the +21st in the afternoon.[42-1] + +On the 22nd in the morning sent the schooner tender and cutter in shore +to look for the harbours or anchorage, and soon after Lt. Corner was sent +in the yawl for the same purpose and to look out for the _Bounty_ and her +people. At noon, perceiving the schooner and cutter had got round the +Northernmost island, I stood round the S.E. island with the ship in +order to join the yawl that was at a grapnel off that island, and sent +the other yawl to join Lt. Corner. At 4 the two yawls returned with a +quantity of cocoanuts and Lt. Corner also returned on board. Soon after, +Lt. Hayward was sent on shore in the yawl to examine the S.W. island. +After dark we burnt several false fires as signals to the boat, but the +weather being thick and squally she did not return till the morning of +the 23rd, but the tender joined us that night and informed me that she +had found a yard on the island marked "Bounty's Driver Yard" and other +circumstances that indicated that the _Bounty_ was, or had been there. +The tender was immediately sent on shore after the yawl. + +On the 23rd provisions, ammunition, &c., was sent on board the +tender,[43-1] and Lt. Corner with a party of men were sent with the yawl +and tender to land on the Northernmost island. At 4 in the afternoon, +perceiving that the schooner tender had anchored under that island the +yawl landing the party on the reef leading to it, Lt. Corner had orders +to examine that and the Easternmost island very minutely to see if any +other traces besides the yard could be made out of the _Bounty_ or her +people. + +On the 24th in the morning sent the cutter on board the tender for +intelligence, but she did not return till nearly 2 o'clock in the +afternoon, when she brought with her seven men of Lt. Corner's party. She +was sent on board the tender again with orders for the remainder of the +party that was returned from the search to be brought on board the +_Pandora_ in the yawl, and for the cutter to remain on board the tender +to embark Lt. Corner when he returned, the midshipman having represented +that she answered the purpose of landing and embarking better than the +larger boat from the particular circumstances of the landing place; and I +stood over for the S.W. island to take on board the other yawl which had +been sent to ground near the reef of that island and to procure from it +some cocoanuts, &c. + +At 5 the yawl came on board, and I then stood towards the schooner in +order to take the other yawl on board, but the weather became squally +with rain and I stood out to sea. During the night the weather was +rougher than usual, with an ugly sea and I did not get close in with them +again till the 28th at noon, soon after which the yawl came on board from +the schooner and informed us to my great astonishment and concern that +the cutter had not been on board her since she left the ship.[44-1] The +tender was ordered to run down by the side of the reef and if the cutter +was not seen there to run out to sea six leagues and to steer about +W.N.W.-W., it being the opposite point to that on which the wind blew +from the preceding night, and I waited with the ship to take on board Lt. +Corner who was not then returned from the search. He soon after appeared +and was taken on board. + +In his search he found a double canoe curiously painted, and different in +make from those we had seen on the islands we had visited. A piece of +wood burnt half through was also found. The yard and these things lay +upon the beach at high water mark and were all eaten by the sea worm, +which is a strong presumption they were drifted there by the waves. The +driver yard was probably drove from Toobouai where the _Bounty_ lost the +greater part of her spars, and as no recent traces could be found on the +island of a human being or any part of the wreck of a ship I gave up all +further search and hopes of finding the _Bounty_ or her people there. I +then stood out to sea and the ship and the tender cruized about in search +of the cutter until the 29th in the morning, when seeing nothing of her, +I being at that time well in with the land, sent on shore once more to +examine the reef and beach of the northernmost island, but with no better +success than before, as neither the cutter or any article belonging to +her could be found there. + +I then steered for the Duke of York's island which we got sight of at +noon on the 6th June, and in the afternoon the tender and two yawls were +sent on shore to examine the coast. On the 7th in the morning Lt. Corner +and Hayward were sent on shore with a party of men attended by the +schooner and two yawls. We soon after saw some huts upon the island and +so made a signal to the boats to warn them of danger, and for them to be +upon their guard against surprise. They landed and got canoes to the +within side of the lagoon in which they made a circuit of it. A few +houses were found in examining the hills on the opposite side of the +lagoon, and also a ship's large wooden buoy, which appeared to be of +foreign make, and had evident marks of its having been long in the water. + +As Mr. Byron describes the Duke of York's island to be without +inhabitants, the sight of the houses and ship's buoy, before they were +minutely examined wrot so strongly on the minds of the people that they +saw many things in imagination that did not exist, but all tended to +persuade them that the _Bounty's_ people were really upon the island +agreeable to the intelligence given by Hillbrant, but after a most minute +and repeated search, no human being of any description could be found +upon the island. There were a number of canoes, spare paddles, fishing +gear, and a variety of other things found in the houses which seemed to +prove that it was an occasional residence and fishery of the natives of +some neighbouring islands.[46-1] + +There is so great a difference in the situation of this island as laid +down in the charts of Hawkesworth's collection of voyages and also some +others from that of Captain Cook that there may be some doubt about its +real situation. I followed that of Captain Cook, yet the situation of +this island by our account did not exactly agree with him. He lays it +down in Latitude 8 deg. 41' S. and Longitude 173 deg. 3' W., and the centre of +the island by our account lies Latitude 8 deg. 34' S. and Longitude by +observation 172 deg. 6', and by timekeeper 172 deg. 39' W. By our estimation this +island is not so large as it is by Mr. Byron's. In other respects, except +the houses, it answers his description very well. I should have stood off +to the westward to have seen if there were any other islands in that +direction, but I was apprehensive by so doing that I might have much +difficulty in fetching the island I had then to visit, and as the wind +was favourable to stand to the Southward when I left the island, I +therefore satisfied myself in passing to the westward of it and +stretching to the northward so far as to know there was no island within +thirty miles of it on that point of the compass, and also to pass to the +windward of the island when I put about and stood to the northward. + +In standing to the Northward I discovered an island on the 12th +June.[46-2] We soon perceived that it was a lagoon island, formed by a +great many small islands connected together by a reef of rocks, forming a +circle round the lagoon in its centre. It is low, but well wooded, +amongst which the cocoanut tree is conspicuous both for its height and +peculiar form. As we approached the land we saw several natives on the +beach. Lt. Hayward was sent with the tender and yawl in shore to +reconnoitre and to endeavour to converse with the natives, and if +possible to bring about a friendly intercourse with them. They made signs +of friendship and beckoned him to come on shore, yet, whenever he drew +near with the boat, they always retired, and he could not prevail on them +to come to her; and the surf was thought too great to venture to land, at +least before the friendship of the natives was better confirmed. + +We soon afterwards saw several sailing canoes with stages in their +middle, sailing across the lagoon for the opposite islands, but whether +it was a flight, or that they were only going a-fishing, or on some other +business, we were at that time at a loss to know. Lt. Corner was sent to +look for a better landing place, and, thinking that there was the +appearance of an opening into the lagoon round the N.W. island, I stood +that way with the ship to take a view of it but found that it was also +barred in that part by a reef. Better landing places were found, but they +were to leeward and at a considerable distance from the place that seemed +to be the principal residence of the natives. + +The next morning Lt. Corner and Hayward landed with a strong party near +the houses, which they found deserted by the natives, and they had taken +with them all the canoes except one. It appeared exactly to resemble +those we had seen at the Duke of York's island. The houses, fishing gear +and utensils were also similar to those seen there, which made me suppose +that these were the people who occasionally visited that island, but this +had the appearance of being the principal residence as Morais, or burying +places, were found at this, but none at the former. + +I was very desirous to get into communication with these people, as I +thought we might possibly get some useful information relative to the +buoy we had seen at the Duke of York's island, or about the _Bounty_ had +she touched at either of these islands, or at any others in their +neighbourhood. With that view I left in and about the houses hatchets, +knives, glasses and a variety of things that I thought would be useful or +pleasing to them, and also to show them that we were disposed to be +friendly to them, and by that means I hoped they would become less shy, +and that our intercourse with them would be brought about; and I stood +round the northernmost island to visit other parts of the island, and on +the 14th in the morning Lt. Corner was sent on shore with the tender, +yawl and canoe, and he landed to the eastward of the northernmost island +and marched round to the northeast extremity of the islands: he perceived +marks of bare feet of the natives in different parts, but more +particularly about the cocoanut trees, most of which were stripped of +their fruit, but not a single person or canoe could be found. He embarked +again at that part of the isles with great difficulty by the assistance +of cork jackets and rope and the canoe. I supposed that the natives had +left the island and I bore away to join the tender that had been sent to +search for a channel into the lagoon near the northernmost isle; and +after joining her I went once more towards the place we had first +examined, and seeing no natives or any signs of them there I gave up the +search. + +On the 15th stood to the southward for Navigators' islands. I called the +island the Duke of Clarence's Island. It lies in Latitude 9 deg. 9' 30" and +Longitude 171 deg. 30' 46".[48-1] From the abundance of cocoanut trees both +on this and the Duke of York's island, in the trunks of which holes were +cut transversely to catch and preserve water, and as no other water was +seen by us we supposed it was the only means they had of procuring that +useful and necessary article. On the 18th in the forenoon we saw a very +high island and as I supposed it to be a new discovery I called it +Chatham island,[49-1] and standing in for it, I perceived a Bay towards +the N.E. end and I made a tack to endeavour to look into it. Perceiving +that I could not accomplish my intentions before night I bore away and +ran along the shore and sent the tender to reconnoitre, and found, +opposite to a sandy beach where there was an Indian town, she got 25 +fathoms about a quarter of a mile from the reef, which runs off the place +and carries soundings of sand regularly in to 5 fathoms. + +In the morning a boat was sent to ground in an opening in the reef before +the town, in which 3 fathoms of water was found, and 21/2 fathoms within +it. This harbour is situated on the North side near the middle, but +rather nearest to the West end.[49-2] We were told that there was a river +there, and another or two between it and the South end. We then ran round +the West to the S.W. end of the island and in the bay there 25 fathoms of +water was found, the bottom rather foul and bad landing for a ship's +boat. The natives said there was another, but the boat being called on +board by signal she did not dare to examine into the truth of their +report. We found here a native of the Friendly Islands, who called +himself Fenow, and a relation of the chief of that name of +Tongataboo.[49-3] Fenow said he had seen Captain Cook and English ships +at the Friendly Islands, and that the natives of this island had never +seen a ship before they saw the _Pandora_. The island is more than 30 +miles long. A high mountain [4000 feet] extends almost from one extremity +to the other, which tapers down gradually at the ends and sides to the +sea where it generally terminates in perpendicular cliffs of moderate +height, except in a few places where there is a white beach of coral +sand. The natives called the island Otewhy;[50-1] latitude of +Northernmost point 13 deg. 27' 48" S. Longitude 172 deg. 32' 13" W. South Point +Latitude 13 deg. 46' 18" S., Longitude 172 deg. 18' 20" W., and East point in +Latitude 13 deg. 32' 20" S. and Longitude 172 deg. 2' W. + +On the 21st we saw another island[50-2] about 4 leagues to the Eastward +of this, and there are two small islands between them, a small one in the +middle and four off its East end, three of which are of considerable +height. There is a greater variety of mountains and valleys in this than +in Chatham's and it is exceedingly well wooded, and the trees of enormous +size grow upon the very summits of the mountains with spreading heads +resembling the oak. The same sort of trees were also seen in the same +situation at Chatham, but not in so great abundance. This island is near +forty miles long and of considerable breadth. The natives called it +Oattooah.[50-3] Their canoes (although not so well finished), language +and some of their customs much resemble those of the Friendly Islands, +but they have some peculiar to themselves--that of dyeing their skins +yellow and which is a mark of distinction amongst them is one of +them.[50-4] The Latitude of the West point is 13 deg. 52' 25" S. and +Longitude 171 deg. 49' 13" W. and the S.E. part in Latitude 14 deg. 3' 30" S. +and Longitude 171 deg. 12' 50" W. As this island by our account was +considerably to the Westward of the Navigators' islands, we at first +supposed it to be a new discovery, but in visiting the other of the +Navigators' islands discovered by Mons. Bougainville and running down +again upon this we had reason to suppose that the S.E. end of Oattooah +had been seen by him at a distance, and that it was the last island of +the group that he saw.[51-1] + +Between five and six o'clock of the evening of the 22nd June lost sight +of our tender in a thick shower of rain. Some thought that they saw her +light again at eight o'clock, but in the morning she was not to be seen. +We cruised about for her in sight of the island on the 23rd and 24th and +as I could not find the tender near the place where she was first lost, I +thought it better to make the best of my way to Annamooka, the place +appointed as a last rendezvous and to endeavour to get there before her, +lest her small force should be a temptation to the natives to attack her, +and accordingly we stood to the Southward.[51-2] When we were to the +Eastward of Oattooah we saw another island bearing from us about E.S.E. +eight leagues. We afterwards knew that this was one of the Navigators' +islands seen by Mons. Bougainville. On the morning of the 28th we saw the +Happy [Haapai] islands, and before noon a group of islands to the +Eastward of Annamooka. We passed round to the Southward of these islands +and ran down between little Annamooka and the Fallafagee isles and on the +29th anchored in Annamooka Road. + +Whilst we were watering the ship, &c. I sent Lt. Hayward to the Happy +[Haapai] Islands in a double canoe, which I hired of Tooboo a chief of +these islands for the purpose of examining them and to make inquiries +after the _Bounty_ and the tender, but no intelligence could be got of +either of these vessels at these two islands, nor at either of the Happy +islands, and having completed our water and got a plentiful supply of +yams and a few hogs, we sailed from thence on the 10th July. The natives +were very daring in their thefts, but some of the articles stolen were +recovered again by the chiefs, yet many of them were entirely lost, and +as I did not think it proper to carry things to extremities on that +occasion for fear that too much rigour might operate to the disadvantage +of the tender should she arrive at the island in our absence, which I +told them I expected she would do, and that I intended to return with the +ship in about 20 days, and I left a letter of instructions for the tender +with Moukahkahlah, a resident chief, which he promised to deliver. He is +not the superior chief, but we found him most useful to us and I thought +him the most worthy of trust. + +Whilst we were at Annamooka, Fattahfahe [Fatafehi][52-1] the chief of all +the islands, and who generally resides at Tongataboo or Amsterdam +Island, came to visit us, as did also a great number of the chiefs from +the adjacent islands and to all of whom I gave presents and also to such +of their friends and attendances that were introduced for the purpose of +receiving favours. A person called Toobou was the principal person in +authority at Annamooka when we arrived there. I learned that he belonged +to Tongataboo, and had little property on the island he governed, and I +supposed that he was a deputy or minister of Fattahfahe who is generally +acknowledged to be the superior chief of all the islands known under the +names of the Friendly, Happy, and also of many other islands unknown to +us. Fattahfahe and Toobou were on board the _Pandora_ when she got under +way, attended by two large double sailing canoes, the largest of which +had upwards of 40 persons on board. I suppose that they came on board to +take leave and in expectation of getting some additional farewell +presents, in which they were not disappointed. + +I knew that Fattahfahe was shortly going to make a tour of the Happy +Islands, and as I perceived that he was exceedingly well pleased with +what I had given him, and with his situation and accommodation on board +the ship, I invited him to come with us to Toofoa [Tofoa] and Kaho [Kao], +two islands I was then steering for and that I intended to visit, as I +thought he would be useful by procuring us a favourable landing at +Toofoa, the island whose inhabitants had behaved so treacherously to Lt. +Bligh when he put in there for refreshments in the _Bounty's_ launch. +Before the sun set we got within a small distance of the island, but it +was too late for our boats to go on shore, and the canoes were sent to +the islands to announce the arrival of these great chiefs; their coming +in the ship I made no doubt would increase their consequence, and +probably also the tribute they might think proper to impose on their +subjects. + +The next morning Lt. Corner, attended by the two chiefs, was sent on +shore at Toofoa to search and to make the necessary inquiries after the +_Bounty_ and our tender, &c. and then to cross the channel which is about +three or four miles over, and to do the same at Kaho, and when I saw the +boat put off from Toofoa and stand over for the other island I bore away +with the ship and ran through the channel between the two islands. At +four in the afternoon Lt. Corner, Fattahfahe and Toobou, returned on +board without success in their search and inquiries. The two chiefs were +put on board their canoes, and they made sail for the Happy +Islands.[54-1] + +I now intended to have visited Tongataboo and the other of the Friendly +Islands, but, as the wind was Southerly and unfavourable for the purpose, +I took the resolution once more to visit Oattooah, and also the +Navigators' Islands in search of the _Bounty_ and our tender and to +endeavour to fall in to the eastward of those islands. On the morning of +the 12th we discovered a cluster of islands bearing from us W. by S. to +N.W. by N., but as the wind was favourable for us to proceed I did not +think it proper to lose time in examining them now, but intended to do it +on my return to the Friendly Islands.[55-1] + +On the 14th, in the forenoon, we saw three islands, which we supposed to +be the three first islands seen by Mons. Bougainville and part of the +cluster called by him "Navigators' Islands," the largest of these islands +the natives called Toomahnuah.[55-2] We passed them at a convenient +distance and several canoes came towards the ship, and it was with great +difficulty that we prevailed on them to come alongside, and still greater +difficulty to get them into the ship. They brought very few things in +their canoes except cocoanuts, which I bought, and then gave them a few +things as presents before they left the ship, and after making the +necessary inquiries as far as our limited knowledge of the language would +permit us, I proceeded to the Westward and before daylight on the morning +of the 15th we saw another island. We ran down on the North side of it +and brought to occasionally to find and take on board canoes. + +We found the same shyness amongst the natives here as at the last +islands, but a few presents being given to them they at last ventured on +board. The island is called by them Otootooillah.[55-3] It is at least 5 +leagues long; we supposed it to be another of the islands seen by Mons. +Bougainville. We got soundings in 53 fathoms water, and the depth +decreased as we stood in shore, and there is probable anchorage on this +side of the island sheltered from the prevailing winds, but we did not +see the reef mentioned by Mons. Bougainville to run two leagues from the +West end. + +After making inquiries after the _Bounty_ and tender and making presents +to our visitors, we steered to the Westward, inclining to the North and +before night saw Oattooa, bearing W.N.W. The South East end of this +island was also probably seen by Mons. Bougainville, but by his +description he could only have had a distant and a very imperfect view of +the island. On the 16th we ran down on the South side of it, almost to +the West end, and had frequent communication with the natives, but could +get no information relative either to the _Bounty_ or our tender. We saw +a few of the natives with blue, mulberry and other coloured beads about +their necks, and we understood that they got them from Cook at +Tongataboo, one of the Friendly Islands. Having finished my business +here, I stood to the Southward with the intention of visiting the group +of islands we had discovered on our way hither, and we got sight of them +again in the afternoon of the 18th.[56-1] + +On the 19th, in the morning we ran down on the North side until we came +to an opening through which we could see the sea on the opposite side, +and a kind of sound is formed by some islands to the North East and some +islands of considerable size to the South West, and in the intermediate +space there are several small islands and rocks. On the larboard hand of +the North entrance there is a shoal, on which the sea appears to break +although there is from ten to twelve fathoms of water upon it. In the +other part of the entrance there is forty fathoms of water or more. Our +boat had only time to examine the entrance and the larboard side of the +sound, in which there are interior bays where about 30 fathoms of water +is to be found within a cables length of the shore. The branches of the +sound on the starboard side, and which are yet unexamined, appear to +promise better anchorage than was found on the opposite shore, and should +it turn out so, it will be by far the safest and best anchorage hitherto +known amongst the Friendly Islands.[57-1] + +The natives told us there was good water at several places within the +sound, and there is plenty of wood. Several of the inferior chiefs were +on board us, amongst whom were one of Fattahfahe's and one of Toobou's +family, but the principal chief of the island was not on board, but we +supposed he was coming at the time we made sail.[57-2] They brought on +board yams, cocoanuts, some bread fruit, and a few hogs and fowls, and +would have supplied us with more hogs had it been convenient for us to +have made a longer stay with them, and which they entreated us much to +do. We found them very fair in their dealings, very inoffensive and +better behaved than any savages we had yet seen. + +They have frequent communication with Annamooka and the other Friendly +Islands, and their customs and language appear to be nearly the same. I +called the whole group Howe's Islands. The islands on the larboard side +of the North entrance I distinguished by the names of Barrington[58-1] +and Sawyer, two to the starboard side with the names of Hotham[58-2] and +Jarvis.[58-3] A high island a considerable way to the North West I called +Gardener's island,[58-4] and another high island to the South West was +called Bickerton's island.[58-5] There is a small high isle about four +miles to the S.W. of this, and a small low island about five or six miles +to the S.E. by E. of Gardener's island,[58-6] and several islands to the +S.E. of the islands forming the sound and too several small islands +within it to which no names were given. + +On the 20th at two in the morning, we passed within two miles of the +small island that lies to the S.E. from Gardener's island, and soon after +saw Gardener's island, on the N.W. side of which there appeared to be +tolerable good landing on shingle beach, and a little to the right of +this place, at the upper edge of the cliffs is a volcano, from which we +observed the smoke issuing. There are recent marks of convulsion having +happened in the island. Some parts of it appear to have fallen in, and +other parts to be turned upside down. This part of the island is the most +barren land we have seen in the country.[58-7] At nine o'clock thought +we saw a large island bearing N. by W. and I made sail towards it, and as +the weather was hazy we did not discover our mistake till near noon, when +I hauled the wind to the Southward. On the 23rd saw an island from the +masthead which I suppose was one of the Pylstaart islands.[59-1] On the +26th in the morning saw the island of Middleburgh and on the 27th ran in +between Middleburgh, Eooa and Tongataboo. + +Several canoes came on board us from the different islands. We were then +within half a mile of the last, and equally near to the shoals of the +second, but not so near to Middleburgh, yet we were near enough to see +into English Road. At these islands we could neither see nor get any +satisfactory information relative to the objects of our search. The +natives brought in their canoes, yams, cocoanuts and a few small hogs, +and I made no doubt that I should have been able to procure plenty of +these articles had it been convenient for me to have stayed at these +islands. The difficulty in getting in and out of the harbour and the +indifferent quality of the water were alone sufficient objections against +my stopping here. The road at Annamooka was more convenient for getting +out and in, and the water, although not of the best quality, is reported +to be better than that found at Amsterdam [Tongatabu], and Annamooka +being the place I had appointed as a rendezvous for the tender I did not +hesitate in giving the preference to it, and accordingly made the best of +my way thither, and we saw the Fallafagee islands (which lie near +Annamooka) [Kotu Group?] before dark, and also Toofoa, Kaho and Hoonga +Tonga islands to the Westward, which are visible at a greater distance. + +On the 28th July anchored in Annamooka Road. The person who now had the +principal authority on the shore was a young chief whom we had not seen +before. There was the same respect paid to him as was paid to Fattahfahe +and to Toobou; neither of these chiefs nor Moukahkahlah were now in the +islands, and the natives were now more daring in their thefts than ever, +and would sometimes endeavour to take things by force, and robbed and +stripped some of our people that were separated from the party. Lt. +Corner, who commanded the watering and wooding parties on shore, received +a blow on the head and was robbed of a curiosity he had bought and held +in his hand, and with which the thief was making off. Lt. Corner shot the +thief in the back, and he fell to the ground; at the same instant the +natives attempted to take axes and a saw from the wooding party, and +actually got off with two axes, one by force and the other by stealth, +but they did not succeed in getting the saw. Two muskets were fired at +the thieves, yet it was supposed that they were not hurt, but we are told +that the other man died of his wound. One of the yawls was on shore at +the time, and the long boat was landing near her with an empty cask. Lt. +Corner drew the wooding and watering parties towards the boats and then +began to load them with the wood that was cut. + +A boat was sent from the ship to inquire the cause of the firing that was +heard, but before she returned a canoe came from the shore to inform the +principal chief (whom I had brought on board to dine with me) that one of +the natives had been killed by our people. The chief was very much +agitated at the information, and wanted to get out of the cabin windows +into the canoe, but I would not suffer him to do it and told him I would +go on shore with him myself in a little time in one of the ship's boats. +Our boat soon returned and gave me an account of what had passed on +shore. I told the chief that the Lieutenant had been struck, and that he +and his party had been robbed of several things, and that I was very glad +that the thief had been shot, and that I should shoot every person who +attempted to rob us, but that no other person except the thief should be +hurt by us on that account. The axes and some other things that had been +stolen before were returned and very few robbings of any consequence were +attempted and discovered until the day of our departure. + +I took this opportunity of showing the chief what execution the cannon +and carronades would do by firing a six-pound shot on shore and an +eighteen-pounder carronade loaded with grape shot into the sea. I +afterwards went on shore with two boats and took with me the chief and +his attendants, and before I returned on board again told him that I +should send on shore the next morning for water and wood, and that I +should also come on shore myself in the course of the day, all which he +approved of and desired me to do, and accordingly the next morning, the +31st July the watering and wooding parties were sent on shore and carried +on their business without interruption, and in the afternoon I went on +shore myself and made a small present to the chief and to some other +people. + +On the 2nd August, having completed my water, &c. and thinking it time to +return to England I did not think proper to wait any longer for the +tender, but left instructions for her commander should she happen to +arrive after my departure, and I sailed from Annamooka, attended by a +number of chiefs and canoes belonging to those and the surrounding +islands. After the ship was under way some of the natives had the address +to get in at the cabin windows and stole out of the cabin some books and +other things, and they had actually got into their canoes before they +were discovered. The thieves were allowed to make their escape, but the +canoes that had stolen these things were brought alongside and broke up +for firewood. During this transaction the other natives carried on their +traffic alongside with as much unconcern as if nothing had happened. + +I made farewell presents to all the chiefs and to many others of +different descriptions, and after hauling round Annamooka shoals, passed +to the Eastward of Toofoa and Kaho, and in the morning saw Bickerton's +island and the small island to the Southward of it. On the 4th, in the +evening, saw land bearing N.N.W. At first we took it to be Keppel's and +Boscowen's islands, which I intended to visit, and by account was only a +few miles to the Westward of them. As we approached the land we perceived +that it was only one island, and as I supposed that it was a new +discovery I called it Proby's island.[62-1] The hills, of which there +are a great many of different heights and forms, are planted with +cocoanuts and other trees, and the houses of a larger size than we had +usually seen on the islands in these seas; were on the tops of hills of +moderate height. We passed from S.E. end to the East, round to the North +and N.W. + +Landing appeared to be very indifferent until we came near the N.W., +where the land formed itself into a kind of bay, and where the landing +appeared to be better. The natives brought on board cocoanuts and +plantains, all of which I bought, and made them a present of a few +articles of iron. They told us that they had water, hogs, fowls and yams +on shore and plenty of wood. They spoke nearly the same language as at +the Friendly Islands. It lies in latitude 15 deg. 53' S. and longitude 175 deg. +51' W. I was now convinced that I was rather further to the Westward than +I expected, and examining the island had carried me still further that +way. I therefore gave up my intention of visiting Boscowen's and Keppel's +islands,[63-1] as the regaining the Easting necessary would take up more +time than would be prudent to allow at this advanced time of the season, +and as soon as I had made the necessary inquiries, &c., after the +_Bounty_, &c., our course was shaped with a view to fall in to the +Eastward of Wallis' Island,[63-2] and the next day, the 5th, a little +before noon saw that island bearing West by South, estimated by the +master at ten leagues, but I did not myself suppose it to be more than +seven leagues from us at that time. + +Canoes came off to us and brought us cocoanuts and fish, which they sold +for nails, and I also made them a present of some small articles which I +always made a rule to do to first adventurers, hoping that it might turn +out advantageous to future visitors, but they went away before I had +given them all I intended. They told us that there was running water, +hogs and fowls on shore. They spoke the language of the Friendly Islands, +and I observed that one of the men had both of his little fingers cut +off, and the flesh over his cheekbones very much bruised after the manner +of the natives of those islands.[64-1] + +In the evening I bore away and made sail to the Westward intending to run +between Espiritu Santo and Santa Cruz, and to keep between the tracks of +Captain Carteret and Lt. Bligh, and on the 8th at 10 at night saw land +bearing from the W. by S. We had no ground at 110 fathoms. At daylight I +bore away and passed round the East end and ran down on the South side of +the island. There is a white beach on these parts of the island on which +there appears to be tolerable good landing, or better than is usually +seen on the islands in these seas, and there is probably anchorage in +different places on this side or under the small islands, of which there +are several near the principal island, but as I did not hoist out the +boats to sound that still remains a doubt. + +There are cocoanut trees all along the shore behind the beach, and an +uncommon number of boughs amongst them. The island is rather high, +diversified with hills of different forms, some of which might obtain the +name of mountain, but they are cultivated up to their very summits with +cocoanut trees and other articles, and the island is in general as well +or better cultivated and its inhabitants more numerous for its size than +any of the islands we have hitherto seen. The principal island is about 7 +miles long and three or four broad, but including the islands off its +East and West ends, and which latter are joined to it by a reef, it is +about ten miles long. I called it Grenville Island [Rotuma], supposing it +to be a new discovery. Its latitude is 12 deg. 29' and longitude 183 deg. 03' W. + +A great number of paddling canoes came off and viewed the ship at a +distance, and I believed that their intentions were at first hostile. +They were all armed with clubs and they had a great quantity of stones in +their canoes which they use in battle, and they all occasionally joined +in a kind of war-whoop. We made signs of peace, and offered them a +variety of toys which drew them alongside, and then into the ship where +they behaved very quietly; probably the unexpected presents they got from +us, and our number and strength might operate in favour of peace. +However, they seemed to have the same propensity to thieving as the +natives of the other islands, and gave us many, some of which ludicrous, +examples. + +Although at so great a distance they said that they were acquainted with +the Friendly islands, and had learned from them the use of iron.[65-1] +They were tattooed in a different manner from the natives of the other +islands we had visited, having the figure of a fish, birds and a variety +of other things marked upon their arms. Their canoes were not so +delicately formed nor so well finished as at the Friendly islands, but +more resemble those of the Duke of York's, the Duke of Clarence's and the +Navigators' islands. Neither sailing or double canoes came on board, +neither did we see any of either of these descriptions. They told us that +water and many other useful things, the usual produce of the islands in +these seas, could be procured on shore. + +Their language appeared something to resemble that spoken at the Friendly +islands, and after asking them such questions as we thought necessary, +some of which probably were not understood perfectly by them, or their +answers by us, we made sail and continued our course to the Westward. No +women were seen in the canoes that visited us, which curiosity or the +hope of getting some pleasing toys usually bring to our side, but this is +another proof that their original intentions were hostile. We passed the +island in so short a time that those who neglected to come out at our +first appearance had not afterwards the opportunity to visit us. + +On the 11th at eleven o'clock in the morning we struck soundings on a +bank in twelve to fourteen fathoms water and at ten minutes after eleven +had no ground in one hundred and forty fathoms. No land was then in +sight, nor did we get any soundings after in the course of the day. It +was called Pandora's Bank, its Latitude 12 deg. 11' S. and Longitude 188 deg. 68' +W. + +On the next morning saw a small island which met in two high hummocks and +a steeple rock which lies high on the West side of the hummocks. It +obtained the name of Mitre Island. The shore appeared to be steep to, and +we had no bottom at 120 fathoms within three quarters of a mile of the +shore. There was no landing place or sign of inhabitants. The tops of the +hills were covered with wood. There was also some on the sides, but not +in so great an abundance they being too steep and too bare of soil in +some places to support it. Latitude 11 deg. 49' S. and Longitude 190 deg. 04' +30" W.[67-1] + +By nine o'clock we had passed it and steered to the Westward, and soon +afterwards we saw another island bearing N.W. by N. We hauled up to the +N.W. to make it out more distinctly as it is of considerable height, yet +not much more than a mile long, and the top and the side of the hills +very well cultivated and a number of houses were seen near the beach in a +bay on the South side of the island. The beach from the East round to the +South of the West end is of white sand, but there was then too much surf +for the ship's boat to land upon it with safety. I called it Cherry's +Island [Native name: Anula]. Its Latitude is 11 deg. 37' S. and Longitude +190 deg. 19' 30" W.[67-2] + +On the 13th August a little before noon we saw an island bearing about +N.W. by N. In general it is high, but to the West and North West the +mountain tapered down to a round point of moderate height. It abounds +with wood, even the summits of the mountain are covered with trees. In +the S.E. end there was the appearance of a harbour, and from that place +the reef runs along the South side to the Westernmost extremity. In some +places its distance is not much more than a mile from the shore, in other +places it is considerably more. Although we were sometimes within less +than a mile of the reef we saw neither house nor people. The haziness of +the weather prevented us from seeing objects distinctly, yet we saw smoke +very plain, from which it may be presumed that the island is inhabited. +It is six or seven leagues long and of considerable breadth. I called it +Pitt's Island. Its Latitude is 11 deg. 50' 30" S. South point, and Longitude +193 deg. 14' 15" W.[68-1] + +At midnight between the 16th and 17th of August breakers were discovered +ahead and upon our bow, and not a mile from us. We were lying to and +heaving the lead at the time and had no ground at 120 fathoms. We wore +the ship and stood from them and in less than an hour after more breakers +were seen extending more than a point before our lee beam, but we made +more sail and so got clear of them all. At daylight we put about with the +intention of examining the breakers we had seen in the night and we made +two boards, but perceiving that I could not weather them without some +risk I bore up and ran round its N.W. end. It is a double reef enclosing +a space of deeper water like the lagoon islands so common in these seas, +and probably will become one in the course of time. The sea breaks pretty +high upon it in different parts, but there is no part of the reef +absolutely above water. It is about seven miles long in the direction of +N.W. by N. Its breadth is not so much. Called it Willis's shoal. It lies +in Latitude 12 deg. 20' S. and Longitude 200 deg. 2' W.[69-1] + +We pursued our course to the Westward and on the 23rd saw the land +bearing from N.E. to N. by W. The Easternmost land when first seen was +ten or twelve leagues from us and it cannot be far to the Westward of the +land seen by Mons. Bougainville and called by him Louisiade, and probably +joins to it. The cape is in Latitude 10 deg. 3' 32" S. and Longitude 212 deg. +14' W., was called Cape Rodney and another cape in Latitude 9 deg. 58' S. and +Longitude 212 deg. 37' W. was called Cape Hood, and an island lying between +them was called Mount Clarence. After passing Cape Hood the land appears +lower and to branch off about N.N.W. and to form a deep and wide bay, or +perhaps a passage through, for we saw no other land, and there are doubts +whether it joins New Guinea or not.[69-2] + +I pursued my course to the Westward between the Latitudes of 10 deg. and 9 deg. +33' S. keeping the mouth of Endeavour Straits open, by which I hoped to +avoid the difficulties and dangers experienced by Captain Cook in his +passage through the reef in a higher latitude, and also the difficulties +he met with when within in his run from thence to the Strait's +mouth.[70-1] + +On the 25th August at 9 in the morning, saw breakers from the mast head +bearing from us W. by S. to W.N.W. I hauled up to the Southward and +passed to the Eastward of them. It runs in the direction of W.S.W. and +E.N.E. 4' or 5', and another side runs in the direction of N.W. the +distance unknown. The sea broke very moderately upon it, in some places +barely perceptibly. In the interior part a very small sand-bank was seen +from the mast-head, and no other part of the reef was above water. It +obtained the name of Look-Out shoal.[70-2] + +Before noon we saw more breakers which proved to be one of those +half-formed islands enclosing a lagoon, the reef of which was composed +principally of very large stones, but a sandbank was seen from the mast +head extending to the Southward of it, and as I could not weather it and +seeing another opening to the Westward, I steered to the W.S.W., and a +little before two o'clock saw the island to the Westward of us, and +another reef bearing about S.W. by South and I then steered W. 1/2 N. until +half past five, when a reef was seen extending from the island a +considerable way to the N.W., the island bearing then about W.S.W. I +immediately hauled upon the wind in order to pass to the Southward of it, +and seeing a passage to the Northward obstructed[71-1] I stood on and +off, and was still during the night, and in the morning bore away; but as +we drew near we also saw a reef extending to the Southward from the South +end of the island. I ran to the Southward along the reef with the +intention and expectation of getting round it, and the whole day was +spent without succeeding in my purpose and without seeing the end of the +reef, or any break in it that gave the least hopes of a channel fit for a +ship.[71-2] + +The islands, which I called Murray's Islands, are four in number, two of +them are of considerable height and may be seen twelve leagues. The +principal island is not more than three miles long. It is well wooded and +at the top of the highest hill the rocks have the appearance of a +fortified garrison. The other high island is only a single mountain +almost destitute of trees and verdure. The other two are only crazy +barren rocks. We saw three two mast boats under sail near the reef, which +we supposed belong to the islands. Murray Islands lie in Latitude 9 deg. 57' +S. and Longitude 216 deg. 43' W. We kept turning to the Southward along the +reef until the 28th in search of a channel and in the forenoon of that +day we thought we saw an opening through the reef near a white sandy +island or key, and a little before Lt. Corner was sent in the yawl to +examine it. At three quarters past four he made the signal that there was +a channel through the reef fit for a ship, and after a signal was made +and repeated for the boat to return on board, and after dark false fires +and muskets were fired from the ship, and answered with muskets by the +boat repeatedly to point out the situation of each other. We sounded +frequently but had no ground at 110 fathoms. + +At about twenty minutes after seven the boat was seen close in under our +stern and at the same time we got soundings in 50 fathoms water. We +immediately made sail, but before the tacks were on board and the sails +trimmed the ship struck upon the reef when we were getting 41/4 less 2 +fathoms water on the larboard side, and 3 fathoms on the starboard side. +Got out the boats with a view to carrying out an anchor, but before it +could be effected the ship struck so heavily on the reef that the +carpenters reported that she made 18 inches of water in five minutes, and +in five minutes after there was four feet of water in the hold. Finding +the leak increase so fast found it necessary to turn all hands to the +pumps and to bale at the different hatchways. She still continued to gain +upon us so much that under an hour and a half after she had struck there +was eight feet of water in the hold, and we perceived that the ship had +beat over the reef where we had 10 fathoms water. We let go the small +bower and veered away the cable and let go the best bower under foot in +15 fathoms water to steady the ship. At this time the water only gained +upon us in a small degree and we flattered ourselves for some time that +by the assistance of a top sail which we were preparing and intended to +haul under the ship's bottom we might be able to free her of water, but +these flattering hopes did not continue long, for as she settled in the +water the leaks increased and in so great a degree that there was reason +to apprehend that she would sink before daylight. + +In the course of the night two of the pumps were for some time rendered +useless, one, however was repaired, and we continued baling and pumping +the remainder of the night and every effort was made to keep her +afloat.[73-1] Daylight fortunately appeared and gave us the opportunity +to see our situation and the surrounding danger. Our boats were kept +astern of the ship; a small quantity of provisions and other necessaries +were put into them, rafts were made, and all floating things upon the +deck were unlashed. At half past six the hold was filled with water, and +water was between decks and it also washed in at the upper deck ports, +and there were strong indications that the ship was upon the very point +of sinking, and we began to leap overboard and to take to the boats, and +before everybody could get out of her the ship actually sank.[73-2] The +boats continued astern on the ship in the direction of the drift of the +tide from here, and took up the people that had held on to the rafts or +other floating things that had been cast loose for the purpose of +supporting them in the water.[74-1] + +We loaded two of the boats with people and sent them to the island, or +rather key, about three or four miles from the ship, and then other two +boats remained near the ship for some time and picked up all the people +that could be seen and then followed the two first boats to the key, and +after landing the people, &c. the boats were immediately sent again to +look about the wreck and the adjoining reefs for missing people, but they +returned without having found a single person. On mustering we discovered +that 89 of the ship's company and 10 of the pirates that were on board +were saved, and that 31[74-2] of the ship's company and 4 pirates were +lost with the ship. The boats were hauled up and secured to fit them for +the intended run to Timor; an account was taken of the provision and +other articles saved, and they were spread to dry, and we put ourselves +to the following allowance, to 3 ounces of bread, which was occasionally +reduced to 2 ounces, to half an ounce of portable soup, to half an ounce +of essence of malt, (but these two articles were not served until after +we left the key, and they were at other times withheld), to two small +glasses of water and one of wine. + +On the afternoon of the 30th sent a boat to the wreck to see if anything +could be procured. She returned with the head of the T.G. mast, a little +of the T.G. rigging, and part of the chain of the lightning conductor, +but without a single article of provision. The boat was also sent to +examine the channel through the reef &c. and was afterwards sent +a-fishing. She lost her grapnel, but no fish were caught. + +On the 31st the boats were completed and were launched, and we put +everything we had saved on board of them and at half past ten in the +forenoon we embarked, 30 on board the launch, 25 in the pinnace, 23 in +one yawl and 21 in the other yawl.[75-1] We steered N.W. by W. and W.N.W. +within the reef. This channel through the reef is better than any +hitherto known, besides the advantage it has of being situated further +to the North, by which many difficulties would be avoided when within the +reef. In the run from thence to the entrance of Endeavour Straits there +is a small white island or key on the larboard end of the channel, which +lies in Latitude 11 deg. 23' S., the sides are strong and irregular. + +On the 1st September in the morning saw land, which probably was the +continent of New South Wales. The yawls were sent on shore to ground and +look out. They saw a run of water, landed and filled their two barricois, +which were the only vessels of consequence they had with them, and I +steered for an island called by Lt. Bligh Mountainous Island, and when +joined by the boats ran into a bay of that island where we saw Indians on +the beach. The water was shoal and the Indians waded off to the boats. I +gave them some presents and made them sensible that we were in want of +water. They brought us a vessel filled with water which we had given them +for the purpose, and they returned to fill it again. They used many signs +to signify that they wished us to land, but we declined their invitation +from motives of prudence. + +Just as a person was entering the water with the second vessel of fresh +water, an arrow was discharged at us by another person, which struck my +boat on the quarter, and perceiving that they were collecting bows and +arrows a volley of small arms was fired at them which put them to flight. +I did not think proper to land and get water by force as land was seen at +that time in different directions, which by appearance was likely to +produce that article, and which I flattered myself we might be able to +procure without being drove to that extremity. I therefore ran close +along the shore of this island and landed at different places at some +distance from the former situation. I also landed at another island near +it which I called Plum Island[77-1] from its producing a species of that +fruit, but we were unsuccessful in finding the article we were in search +of, and in so much want of. + +In the evening we steered for the islands which we supposed were those +called by Captain Cook the Prince of Wales' Islands, and before midnight +came to a grapnel with the boats near one of these islands, in a large +sound formed by several of the surrounding islands, to several of which +we gave names, and called the sound Sandwich Sound.[77-2] It is fit for +the reception of ships, having from five to seven fathoms of water. There +is plenty of wood on most of the islands, and by digging we found very +good water. On the flat part of a large island which I called Lafory's +Island,[77-3] situated on the larboard hand as we entered the sound from +the Eastward we saw a burying place and several wolves[77-4] near the +watering place, but we saw no natives. Here we filled our vessels with +water and made two canvas bags in which we also put water, but with this +assistance we had barely the means to take a gallon of water for each man +in the boats. We sent our kettles on shore and made tea and portable +broth, and a few oysters were picked off the rocks with which we made a +comfortable meal, indeed the only one we had made since the day before we +left the ship. + +On the 2nd September at half past three in the afternoon we stood out of +the North entrance of the sound. Before five we saw a reef extending from +the North to the W.N.W. and which appeared to run in the latter direction +or more to the Westward.[77-5] On the edge of this reef we had 31/4 fathoms +of water and after hauling to the S.W. we soon deepened our water to 5 +fathoms. Besides Mountainous and West Islands seen by Lt. Bligh we saw +several other islands between the North and the West, one of which I +called Hawkesbury Island. We saw several large turtle. + +In the evening we saw the Northernmost extremity of New South Wales, +which forms the South side of Endeavour Straits. At night the boats took +each other in tow and we steered to the Westward. + +It is unnecessary to retail our particular sufferings in the boats during +our run to Timor and it is sufficient to observe that we suffered more +from heat and thirst than from hunger, and that our strength was greatly +decreased.[78-1] We fortunately had good weather, and the sea was +generally not very rough, and the boats were more buoyant and lively in +the water that we reasonably could have expected considering the weight +and numbers we had in them. + +At seven o'clock in the morning of the 13th September we saw the island +of Timor bearing N.W. We continued our course to the W.N.W. till noon, +but the other boats hauled for the land and we separated from them. At +one o'clock we were well in with the land and a party was sent on shore +in search of water, but none was found here, nor at several other places +we examined as we passed along the coast, until the next morning, when +good water was found. We also bought a few small fish, which when divided +afforded some two or three ounces per man. Here the launch joined us +again. They informed us that they had got a supply of water the evening +before. + +On the 15th in the morning saw the island of Rotte. At half past three in +the afternoon entered the Straits of Samoa. Before midnight we came to a +grapnel off the float or Coopang and found here one ship, a ketch and two +or three small craft. The launch separated from us soon after dark to get +up to Coopang the next day in the forenoon. On the morning of the 16th by +our account (which was the 17th in this country) at daylight we hailed +the fort and informed them whom we were. A small boat was sent to us, and +myself and Lt. Hayward landed at the usual place near the Chinese Temple +where we were received by the Lt. Governor, Mr. Fruy and Mr. Bouberg, +Capt. Lieutenant of a Company ship that lay in the road, and conducted by +them to Governor Wanjon, who received us with great humanity and goodness +of heart. Refreshments were immediately prepared for myself and the +lieutenant. Provision was provided, the people ordered to land, and they +all dined in the Governor's own house, and an arrangement was made for +the reception and accommodation of the whole party as they arrived. + +The church and the church-yard was assigned for the use of the private +seamen, a house was hired for the warrant and petty officers. The people +that were ill were put under the care of Mr. Zimers, the Surgeon-General. +Governor Wanjon did me and Lt. Hayward the honour of lodging and +entertaining us in his own house. Mr. Corner, the second Lieutenant and +Mr. Bentham, the Purser, were received in the house of Mr. Fruy, the +Lieutenant-Governor. Lt. Larkin and Mr. Passmore were taken into the +house of Mr. Brouberg, the Captain-Lieutenant of the Company ship, and +Mr. Hamilton, the surgeon, was accommodated in the house of Mr. Zimers, +the Surgeon-General, and Governor Wanjon did everything in his power to +supply our present wants, or that would contribute to the +re-establishment of our health and strength and even to our amusement, +and this benevolent example was followed by Mr. Fruy, the +Lieutenant-Governor and the other gentlemen of the place. Two months' +provision was provided for the ship's company and put on board the +_Remberg_ [_Rembang_], a Dutch East India Company ship, and we embarked +on board the same ship for Batavia on the 6th October, 1791.[80-1] + +Before we sailed Governor Wanjon delivered to me eight men, one woman and +two children who came to Coopang in June last in a six-oared cutter. They +are supposed to be late deserters from the colony at Port Jackson. Food +bills were given on the different departments of the Navy for the +provisions and other necessaries we were supplied with at Coopang and +also for the maintenance and cloathing of the convicts. I sold one of the +yawls to the Lieutenant-Governor and the longboat and the other yawl to +the Commander of the _Remberg_, the ship in which we embarked. The latter +was not to be delivered up until I left Batavia, and I shall make myself +accountable to the Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy for the amount. As +I could take no more boats with me and the pinnace being out of repair, I +left her with the Governor Wanjon with permission to do with her what he +thought proper. + +We stopped at Samarang, being an island of Java, where we had the good +fortune to be joined by our tender that had separated from us off the +island of Oattoah. She had all her people on board except one man, whom +they had buried a few days before. She had been stopped at Java on +suspicion, and they were going to send her to Batavia. Mr. Overstratin, +the Governor of the place, delivered her up to me. The tender had +contracted a small debt for provisions &c. at Java, which I shall +discharge. She fell in to the Westward of Annamooka, the island I had +appointed to rendezvous on, without seeing it, and then steered two days +to the Westward nearly in its latitude and fell in with an island which I +suppose must be one of the Fiji Islands, where they had waited for me +five weeks, and then proceeded through Endeavour Straits and intended to +stop at Batavia. With the iron and salt I had provided them with they +were enabled to procure and preserve sufficient provision for their run +to Java. + +I arrived at Batavia on the 7th November and on application to the +Governor and Council my people were put on board a Dutch East India +Company's ship that was lying in the Road to be kept there until they +could be sent to Europe, and the sick were ordered to be received by the +Company's hospital at Batavia, and I have since agreed with the Dutch +East India Company to divide my ship's company into four parts, and to +embark them on board four of their ships for Holland at no expense to the +Government further than for the officers and prisoners, which appeared to +me to be the most eligible and least expensive way of getting to England. +Lt. Larkin, two petty officers, and eighteen seamen embarked on the +_Zwan_, a Dutch East India ship on the 19th November and are sailing for +Europe, and myself and the remainder of the _Pandora's_ company and the +prisoners are to embark as soon as their ships are manned. Myself and the +pirates are to embark on board the _Vreedenberg_, Captain Christian and I +have stipulated that myself and the prisoners may be at liberty to go on +board any of His Majesty's ships, or other vessels we may meet with on +mine or my officer's application for the purpose. + +Enclosed is the latitudes and longitudes of several islands, &c. we +discovered during our voyage, the state of the _Pandora's_ company, a +list of pirates belonging to the _Bounty_, taken at Otaheite and a list +of convicts, deserters from the colony at Port Jackson. It may be +necessary to observe that these last have several names, and that William +Bryant and James Cox pretend that their time of transportation has +expired, but these two then found a boat and money to procure necessaries +to enable themselves and others to escape, for which I presume they are +liable to punishment, and think it my duty to give information. + +Although I have not had the good fortune to fully accomplish the object +of my voyage, and that it has in other respects been strongly marked with +great misfortunes, I hope it will be thought that the first is not for +want of perseverence, or the latter for want of the care and attention of +myself and those under my command, but that the disappointment and +misfortune arose from the difficulties and peculiar circumstances of the +service we were upon; that those of my orders I have been able to fulfil, +with the discoveries that have been made will be some compensation for +the disappointment and misfortunes that have attended us, and should +their Lordships upon the whole think that the voyage will be profitable +to our country it will be a great consolation to, + +Sir, +Your most humble and obedient servant, +EDW. EDWARDS. +Philip Stevens Esq." + + +"Cape of Good Hope, +19th March, 1792. + +SIR, + +Agreeable to my intentions which I did myself the honour to signify to +you in a letter addressed from Batavia and sent by a Dutch packet bound +to Europe, I embarked the remainder of the Company of His Majesty's ship +_Pandora_, pirates late belonging to the _Bounty_ and the convicts +deserters from Port Jackson, on board three Dutch East India ships as +follows:-- + +Myself, the master, Purser, Gunner, Clerk, two midshipmen, twentyone +seamen, and ten pirates on board the _Vreedenburg_, bound to Amsterdam. + +Lt. Corner, the surgeon, three midshipmen, fourteen seamen, and half the +convicts on board the _Horssen_, bound to Rotterdam, and Lt. Hayward, the +boatswain, surgeon's mate, three midshipmen, fifteen seamen and the other +half of the convicts on board the _Hoornwey_, bound to Rotterdam. + +Lt. Larkin with two petty officers and eighteen seamen were embarked on +board the _Zwan_ and sailed from Batavia previous to the date of my +former letter, and I am now informed that she has been at this port and +sailed from hence for Europe more than a month before my arrival. + +I found His Majesty's Ship _Gorgon_ here on her return from Port Jackson, +and on account both of expedition and greater security I intend to avail +myself of the opportunity to embark on board of her with the ten pirates +for England, and I request that you will be pleased to communicate the +circumstances to My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, +Your most obedient and humble servant, +EDW. EDWARDS." + + +"Admiralty Office, +June, 19th 1792. + +SIR, + +I beg leave to inform you that I found His Majesty's Ship _Gorgon_ at the +Cape of Good Hope on my arrival there in the _Vreedenburg_, a Dutch East +India Company's ship, from Batavia, and I thought it proper to remove the +pirates late belonging to His Majesty's armed vessel, the _Bounty_, and +the convicts, deserters from Port Jackson (whom I had under my charge on +board the Dutch East India Company's ships) into His Majesty's said ship, +for their greater security, and I took the same opportunity myself to +embark on board on her for England and I hope that these steps will be +approved of by their Lordships. + +I gave you an account of my arrival at the Cape of Good Hope and of my +intentions to embark on board the _Gorgon_ with the pirates, convicts, +&c. in a letter which I did myself the honour to address to you from +thence and sent by the _Baring_, Thomas Fingey, Master, an American ship +bound to Ostend. + +Inclosed is the state of the company of His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_ at +the time I left the Cape of Good Hope, and the manner in which they were +disposed of on board Dutch East India Company's ships in order to be +brought to Europe and also a list of the pirates late belonging to the +_Bounty_, and of the convicts, deserters from Port Jackson, delivered to +me by Mr. Wanjon, the Governor of the Dutch settlements in the island of +Timor, now on board His Majesty's Ship _Gorgon_. + +I arrived yesterday evening at St. Helens, left the _Gorgon_, and landed +at Portsmouth last night and I am now at this office awaiting their +Lordships' Commands. + +And I have the honour to be, Sir, +Your most obedient and humble servant, +EDW. EDWARDS. +Philip Stevens, Esq." + + +A LIST of convicts, deserters from Port Jackson, delivered to Captain +Edward Edwards of His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_ by Timotheus Wanjon, +Governor of the Dutch Settlements at Timor, 5th October, 1791. + +William Allen, } +John Butcher, } +Nathaniel Lilley, } +James Martin, } On board H.M.S. _Gorgon_. +Mary Bryant. Transported } + by the name of Mary } + Broad. } +William Morton, Dd on board Dutch East India Co.'s ship, _Hoornwey_. +William Bryant, Dd 22nd December 1791, Hospital Batavia. +James Cox, Dd, fell overboard Straits of Sunda. +John Simms, Dd on board Dutch East India Co.'s ship _Hoornwey_. +Emanuel Bryant, Dd 1st } + December 1791, } + Batavia. } Children of the above +Charlotte Bryant, Dd 6th } William and Mary Bryant. + May 1792 on board } + H.M.S. _Gorgon_. } + +EDW. EDWARDS. + + +A LIST of one Petty Officer and four Seamen lost in a cutter belonging to +His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_, at Palmerston's Island on the 24th May, +1791. + +John Sival, Midshipman. +James Good, } +William Wasdel, } Seamen. +James Scott, } +Joseph Cunningham, } + +EDW. EDWARDS. + + +LIST of Pirates late belonging to His Majesty's ship _Bounty_ taken by +His Majesty's Ship _Pandora_, Captain Edward Edwards, at Otaheite. + +Joseph Coleman, } +Peter Haywood, } +Michael Burn, } +James Morrison, } +Charles Norman, } On Board H.M.S. _Gorgon_. +Thomas Ellison, } +Thomas MacIntosh, } +William Muspratt, } +Thomas Burkitt, } +John Millward, } + +George Stewart, } +Richard Skinner, } +Henry Heilbrant, } 29th August 1791, lost with ship. +John Sumner. } + +(Signed) EDWARD EDWARDS. + + +STATE of the Company of H.M.S. _Pandora_, Captain Edward Edwards: and the +manner disposed of on board Dutch East India Company's Ships for their +voyage to Europe. + + Com. Off. Warrant Petty Seamen. + & Master. Officers. Officers. + +Zwan, Lt. John Larkan, 1 2 17 +Horssen, Lt. Robert Corner, 1 1 2 13 +Mr. George Hamilton Surgeon. +Hornwey, Lt. Thos. Hayward, +John Cunningham, Boatswain, 1 1 2 14 +Vreedenberg, Mr. G. Passmore, Master, +Mr. Gregory Bentham, Purser, + Mr. Jos. 1 2 1 18 +Parker gunner and 1 Supernumary + belonging to H.M. + armed vessel _Supply_. +Hospital at Batavia, 1 +H.M.S. _Gorgon_, Captain + Edwards, 1 2 1 +______________________________________________________________________ + 5 4 9 64 + +Whole Number borne, 82 +Died since ship was lost, 16 +Discharged, 1 + ____ + +Whole number Ship's company +saved in ship and tender 99 +Supernumaries. +Do. Pirates, 10 +Convicts, 4 men and 1 woman 5 + +EDWARD EDWARDS. + + +"No. 8, Craven Street, +Strand, +9th July, 1792. + +SIR, + +I beg leave to acquaint you that I have information that the +_Vreedenburg_ and the _Horssen_, two Dutch East India Company's ships, on +board of which part of the company of His Majesty's ship _Pandora_ are +embarked, were off the Start on the 5th of this month, on their way to +Holland, and that the _Hoornwey_, the ship on board which the remainder +of the company of the _Pandora_ were embarked, was expected to sail from +the Cape of Good Hope in about three weeks after the two former ships +left that place, but the account does not mention the day they left the +Cape themselves. + +I have the honour to be, Sir, +Your most obedient and humble servant, +EDWARD EDWARDS." + + +LIST of islands and places discovered by H.M.S. _Pandora_, with their +latitudes and longitudes. + + Names of Islands. Lat. S. Long. W. +Ducie Island, 24 deg. 40' 30" 124 deg. 40' 30" +Lord Hood's Island, 21 deg. 31' 00" 135 deg. 32' 30" +Carysfort Island, 20 deg. 49' 00" 138 deg. 33' 00" +Duke of Clarence Island, 9 deg. 09' 30" 171 deg. 30' 46" +Otewhy or Chatham, 13 deg. 32' 30" 172 deg. 18' 25" +Howe's Isles, 18 deg. 32' 30" 173 deg. 53' 00" +Gardener's Isles, 17 deg. 57' 00" 175 deg. 16' 54" +Bickerton's Isle, 18 deg. 47' 40" 174 deg. 48' 00" +Onooafow or Probys Isle, 15 deg. 53' 00" 175 deg. 51' 00" +Rotumah or Grenville Isles, 12 deg. 29' 00" 183 deg. 03' 00" +Pandora's Bank, 12 deg. 11' 00" 188 deg. 08' 00" +Mitre Island, 11 deg. 49' 00" 190 deg. 04' 30" +Cherry Island, 11 deg. 37' 30" 190 deg. 19' 30" +Pitt's Isle (South Point), 11 deg. 50' 30" 193 deg. 14' 05" +Wells Shoal on reef, 12 deg. 20' 00" 202 deg. 02' 00" +Cape Rodney, 10 deg. 03' 32" 212 deg. 14' 05" +Mount Clarence between the two Orayas. +Cape Hood, 9 deg. 58' 06" 212 deg. 37' 10" +Look Out Shoal. +Stoney Reef Islands. +Murray's Islands, 9 deg. 57' 00" 216 deg. 43' 00" +Wreck Reef. +Escape Key, 11 deg. 23' 00" +Entrance Key, 11 deg. 23' 00" + +EDWARD EDWARDS. + + +A LIST of 14 pirates, belonging to H.M.S. late ship _Bounty_, taken at +Otaheite. + +Joseph Coleman. +Peter Haywood. +Michael Byrne. +James Morrison. +Charles Norman. +Thomas Ellison. +Thomas M'Intosh. +William Muspratt. +Thomas Burkitt. +John Millward. + +George Stewart, } +Richard Skinner, } D/d drowned August 29th 1791. +Henry Hillbrant, } +John Sumner. } + +EDWARD EDWARDS. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[30-1] They sighted Easter Island on March 4th, 1791, Ducie's Island on +the 16th, Hoods' Island on the 17th, and Carysfort on the 19th. The +latitude and description of Ducie's Island leaves little doubt that it +was the first island discovered by Quiros on January 26th, 1606 and +called by him Luna Puesta. It appears as Encarnacion in Espinosa's chart. +Quiros thus describes it: "A buen juzgar dista de Lima ochocientas +leguas: tiene cinco de boj, mucha arboleda y playas de arena, y junto a +tierra fondo de ochenta brazas." Had Edwards but sailed due west from +Ducie Island he must have sighted Pitcairn and discovered the +hiding-place of Fletcher Christian's ill-fated colony. + +[31-1] An American vessel. + +[33-1] Morrison was Boatswain's Mate of the _Bounty_. He had previously +served as midshipman in the navy, and by talent and education he was far +above the station he held in Bligh's ship. It was he who planned and +directed the building of the fast-sailing little schooner which acted as +the _Pandora's_ tender, was the first vessel to anchor in Fiji, and made +the record passage from China to the Sandwich Islands. Morrison was +chaplain as well as foreman to the little band of shipwrights. On Sundays +he hoisted the English colours on a staff and read the Church Service to +them. He kept a journal, not only throughout the _Bounty's_ cruise, but +during his sojourn with the mutineers in Tahiti, and, though it is not +explained how he contrived to preserve it through the wreck of the +_Pandora_ and the boat voyage, there can be no doubt that it was a +genuine document. At Captain Heywood's death it passed with his other +papers to his daughters. This journal has been annotated and corrected by +another hand, probably Heywood's own, but without material alteration of +the sense. It is filled with acrimony against Bligh from the outset of +the _Bounty's_ cruise, and the form of the entries shows that it was +intended to be the basis for laying serious charges against him when the +ship was paid off. It is needless to add that it does not spare Edwards +in respect of his treatment of his prisoners. + +[36-1] The _Pandora_ found one of them at Palmerston Island. + +[37-1] Executed at Portsmouth. + +[37-2] Pardoned. + +[37-3] Acquitted. + +[37-4] Drowned in the wreck of the _Pandora_. + +[37-5] Morrison said that his plan was to reach Batavia in time to secure +a passage home in the next fleet bound to Holland, and that the return to +Tahiti was occasioned, not by any distrust of his talents, but by the +refusal of the natives, who were anxious to keep them in Tahiti, to +victual the ship for so long a voyage. There were no casks on the +schooner for storing water. Morrison, Heywood and Stewart had planned an +escape from Tubuai in the _Bounty's_ boat, but, fortunately for +them--since the attempt would have been certain death--their plan was +discovered and frustrated by the other mutineers. + +[38-1] Oliver, master's mate; Renouard, midshipman; James Dodds, +quartermaster; and six seamen. + +[40-1] Oatafu, one of the Union Group, discovered by Commodore Byron in +1765. If the mutineers had settled there they would have starved, for +there is neither food nor water. Since Byron's discovery a native +settlement has been made from Bowditch Island (Fakaago), and the people, +about 100 in number, live on fish, pandanus, and water caught in holes +cut on the lee side of the cocoa-palms. + +[40-2] The northernmost island of the Cook Group, discovered by Bligh, +April 11, 1798, a few days before the mutiny. In 1823 John Williams, the +missionary, heard at Rarotonga a native tradition of Bligh's visit. The +natives heard the first rumours of a world beyond their own from two +Tahitian castaways who had seen Captain Cook, and had with them an iron +hatchet obtained from the _Resolution_. They represented the strange +beings who traversed the ocean in vast canoes, not lashed with sinnet nor +furnished with outriggers, as impious people who laughed at the tabu, and +even ate of the consecrated food from the Maraes. They were like the +gods; if they were attacked they blew at their assailants with long +blow-pipes (pupuhi) from which flames and stones were belched. Such were +the Tute (Cooks). Thereafter, having need of iron (kurima) and other +wonders current in Tahiti the men of Aitutaki prayed to their gods to +send the Tute to their island with axes and nails and _pupuhi_, and this, +according to an old priest, was their prayer. "O great Tangaroa, send +your large ship to our land: let us see the Cookees. Great Tangiia, send +us a dead sea, send us a propitious gale, to bring the far-famed Cookees +to our land, to give us nails and iron and axes; let us see these +outriggerless canoes." And with the feast presented with the prayer were +promises of greater feasts so soon as their prayer was answered. The gods +heard them. A few months later the Cookees came. The great ship did not +anchor, but one of the natives took his courage in both hands, and went +off in his canoe. He brought back strange tales of what he had seen. It +was a floating island; there were two rivers flowing on it (the pumps), +and two plantations in which grew taro and sugar-cane and bread-fruit, +and the keel scraped the bottom of the sea, for he dived as deep as he +could go without finding it. + +Williams has fallen into two errors in his account (p. 171). In the same +breath he claims for himself the discovery of Rarotonga, in 1823, and +announces this to have been a visit of the _Bounty_ after she was taken +by the mutineers, _i.e._ in April, 1789. Rarotonga was, in fact, +discovered by the ship _Seringapatam_ in 1814, though Williams may have +been the first to land. The tradition must have referred to Bligh's visit +to Aitutaki before the mutiny when the decks were encumbered with +bread-fruit, for we know that the first thing the mutineers did after +setting their captain adrift was to throw all the bread-fruit plants +overboard, and that they steered direct for Tahiti. + +[42-1] Discovered by Cook in his second voyage. There are nine small +islands connected by a reef, covered with trees, but destitute of water. + +[43-1] Sufficient for thirty days at most. In the face of the danger of +parting company, with the _Pandora_ overloaded with stores, and the +tender too feebly manned to wait at so dangerous a rendezvous as the +Friendly Islands, Edwards showed very little foresight in neglecting to +provision the tender for an independent voyage. His neglect nearly cost +the crew their lives. + +[44-1] See p. 126. + +[46-1] Fakaafo or Bowditch Island, whence the present permanent +inhabitants migrated. + +[46-2] Nukunono, a new discovery, another of the Union Group. It was +surveyed by the American Exploring Expedition in 1840, and was found to +be 7-2/10 miles long, N. and S., and 5 miles E. and W. + +[48-1] The actual position is 9.5' S. Latitude and 171.38' W. Longitude. + +[49-1] Savaii in the Samoa Group. If not the 'Beauman' Islands seen by +Roggewein in 1721, they were discovered by Bougainville in 1768 and +visited by La Perouse in 1787. Freycinet also visited them before +Edwards. + +[49-2] Mata-atua Harbour. There is no river there except after heavy +rain. + +[49-3] He had a finger cut off in mourning for Finau Ulukalala, who must +have died in 1790. + +[50-1] La Perouse and Kotzebue call it Pola. + +[50-2] Upolu on which is Apia, the present capital of Samoa. + +[50-3] Upolu is the native name, but it has been called Ojalava, +Oahtooha, Ojatava, and Opoloo by different navigators, who may have taken +the names of villages or districts to mean the whole island. The +population exceeded 20,000 at the beginning of last century. + +[50-4] Turmeric powder, never a mark of distinction, was besmeared over +nursing mothers, chief women at the feasts connected with puberty, and +persons concerned in certain other ceremonies. + +[51-1] Bougainville sighted Upolu on May 5th, 1760. A thick fog which +came on that afternoon, and lasted all the following day, prevented him +from approaching it, and from seeing Savaii, which he would have seen on +May 7th in clear weather. La Perouse coasted along its southern shore on +December 17th, 1789. Unfortunately, smarting from the massacre of de +Langle and his boat's crew at Tutuila, he was in no mood for +communicating with the natives, and he did not anchor. + +[51-2] See p. 12. + +[52-1] Fatafehi is the hereditary title of one of the spiritual chiefs of +Tonga. He had no executive authority, but his wealth, derived from his +lands and the offerings to which he was entitled, gave him considerable +influence. The complicated hierarchy of spiritual chiefs in Tonga was a +continual puzzle to Cook. Fatafehi at this time was an ornamental +personage, inferior in dignity to the Tui Tonga, and in power to Tukuaho, +who wielded the authority of his father Mumui, the Tui Kanakubolu. The +Toobou (Tubou) mentioned here was the deputy of the tyrant Tukuaho, who, +eight years later, was to pay the penalty of his crimes in the Revolution +of 1799. Hamilton mentions that the tradition of Tasman's visit in 1642 +was still preserved. + +[54-1] Among the people who boarded the ship from Tofoa Lieut. Hayward +recognized some of those who attacked Bligh's boat four days after the +mutiny, and murdered Quartermaster Norton, but solicitude for the crew of +the tender, which might call there, prevented Edwards from punishing them +as they deserved. No doubt, both at Tofoa and Namuka, the natives would +have attempted to take the ship had they thought success possible as, we +now know, they had planned to capture Cook's ships, and as they actually +did capture the privateer _Port-au-Prince_ in 1806 at Haapai. In 1808 +William Mariner, one of the survivors of that ill-fated ship, who has +left behind him the best account of a native race that exists probably in +any language, was led by the strange native account of Norton's murder, +to visit his grave. The natives asserted that Norton was killed by a +carpenter for the sake of an axe which he was carrying; that his body was +stripped and dragged some distance inland to a _Malae_ where it lay +exposed for three days before burial; and that the grass had never since +grown upon the track of the body nor upon its resting-place on the +_Malae_. Mariner found a bare track leading inland from the beach and +terminating in a bare patch, lying transversely, about the length and +breadth of a man. It did not appear to be a beaten path, nor were there +people enough in the neighbourhood to make such a path. Probably it was +an old track, long disused and forgotten, for by such natural causes is +man's belief in the supernatural fed. + +[55-1] The Vavau Group, called by the natives Haafuluhao, which then as +now, owed spiritual allegiance to Tonga. + +[55-2] Manua, the most Easterly of the Samoa Group, called Opoun by La +Perouse. + +[55-3] Tutuila, discovered by Roggewein in 1721, visited by Bougainville +4th May, 1768, and by La Perouse 10th December, 1787. On the day before +his murder by the natives, Comte de Langle, La Perouse's second in +command, discovered Pangopango harbour while on a walk through the +island, but neither Bougainville nor La Perouse seems to have discerned +the masked fissure in the cliff which forms its entrance. Edwards must +have had a copy of Bougainville on board, but no record of La Perouse's +visit four years before, or he would have shown greater caution in +communicating with the natives. That he had heard something of La +Perouse's voyage, and had some ground for suspicion is shown by Hamilton. +A detailed account of de Langle's murder is to be found in "La Perouse's +Voyage," vol. ii. + +[56-1] Vavau. + +[57-1] He might have added "in the Pacific," for it is a magnificent +land-locked harbour, a little narrow for sailing ships to beat out of in +a southerly wind, but excellent for steamships. + +[57-2] This was Finau Ulukalala, one of the most notable men in Tongan +history. He had just succeeded his elder brother, the Finau (Feenow) of +Captain Cook's visit in 1777. On April 21st, 1799, he conspired against +Tukuaho, the temporal sovereign of Tonga and assassinated him, plunging +Tonga into a civil anarchy which lasted twenty years. He was Mariner's +patron and protector until his death in 1809. "The great master of Greek +drama," says a writer in the "Quarterly Review," "could have desired no +better elements than are to be found in the history of this remarkable +man; his remorseless ambition and his natural affections--his contempt +for the fables and ceremonies of his country when in prosperity--his +patient submission to them when in distress--his strong intellects--his +evil deeds--and the death which was believed to be inflicted on him in +vengeance by the over-ruling divinities whom he defied." + +[58-1] Hunga. + +[58-2] Niuababu. + +[58-3] Falevai. + +[58-4] Fonua Lei (Land of Whales' teeth). + +[58-5] Late. + +[58-6] Toku. + +[58-7] These islands had already been twice visited and named, and Cook, +though he did not visit them, gives all their native names in his list of +the islands composing the Friendly or Tonga Group. The honour of their +discovery belongs to the Spanish pilot Maurelle, who sailed from Manila +in 1781, without proper charts or instruments and almost without +provisions for his long voyage to America. Reduced to desperate straits +by famine, he sighted Fonua Lei, the northernmost of the Tonga Group, +which he called Margoura, believing it to be one of the Solomon Islands. +At Vavau he was liberally entertained by Bau or Poulaho, the Tui Tonga of +Cook's visit four years before. La Perouse passed close to the islands in +December, 1787, but, consistent with his determination to hold no further +intercourse with natives after the murder of M. de Langle, did not enter +the harbour of Neiafu. Edwards had no account of either of these voyages. +La Perouse's journals were not published until 1797. + +Fonua Lei was again destroyed by an eruption in 1846. The inhabitants who +had plantations on it were removed to Vavau just in time. + +[59-1] There is only one. It was so named by Tasman 1642. Maurelle called +it Sola. But Edwards probably mistook the twin islets of Hunga Tonga and +Hunga Haapai for Pylstaart. + +[62-1] Niua-fo'ou (New Niua), discovered by W. Cornelis Schouten in the +Dutch ship _Eendracht_ (Unity) on May 14th, 1616, and named by him "Good +Hope" Island. Twelve canoes came off, and some of them attempted to take +the boat that he had sent ashore for water, but desisted on discharge of +a volley which killed two men. He wrote: "The island was full of black +cliffs, green on the top, and black, and was full of coco-trees and black +earth. There was a large village, and several other houses on the +seashore: the land was undulating, but not very high." No ship is known +to have visited the island from 1614 to this visit in 1791. + +The cocoanuts grown here are the largest in the world, but the specimens +planted in other islands do not appear to maintain their abnormal size. +The island is further remarkable from the fact that the Megapodius, or +Scrub hen, is plentiful there, and nowhere else in the Pacific further +east than the New Hebrides. The natives have no traditions of its +introduction. The eggs have been prized as a delicacy in Tonga for +centuries, and are exported thither by every canoe going southward during +the breeding season. It is said that they are sometimes hatched +artificially, but the young _malao_ does not take kindly to the bush in +Tonga, although the vegetation is much the same. Why should the bird be +found in Polynesia, having skipped all the intermediate islands of +Melanesia? To what story of the migration of races is it the only clue? + +[63-1] Niuatobutabu, like Niuafoou, subject to the King of Tonga. + +[63-2] Uea, discovered by Wallis in 1767, and visited by Maurelle on +April 22nd, 1781. It has 3000 inhabitants who are said by the French +missionaries to be increasing. Uea is nominally independent under its own +queen, but the French priests wield the real power in so spirited a +fashion that the natives frequently attempt to escape from the island as +stowaways. + +[64-1] Mourning for the death of a chief or near relation. + +[65-1] This confirms the story of Kau Moala, a Tongan navigator, who +returned to his native land in 1807 and related his adventures to +Mariner. He had visited Futuna, Rotuma and Fiji in a double canoe, and, +in describing Rotuma, he related the legend of two giants who had +migrated from Tonga to Rotuma in legendary times. He was shown gigantic +bones in proof of the story, the bones, no doubt, of some marine monster. +Mention is made of Rotuma in a Tongan saga of the early sixteenth +century, and there can be no doubt that there was occasional intercourse +between these distant islands during the period when the Tongans were the +Norsemen of the Pacific. + +Kau Moala heard nothing of Edwards' visit, though he brought news of the +visit of a ship to Futuna, and of an ineffectual attempt to take +her--perhaps the visit of Schouten, whose account of the affray tallies +closely with theirs even to the killing of six natives. The tradition was +still fresh after 190 years. Edwards' visit, having brought no disasters +on the natives, escaped the attention of the native poets and was +forgotten. + +[67-1] Native name Fataka. The Russian Captain Kroutcheff, who landed +upon it in 1822, found it uninhabited. + +[67-2] Kroutcheff placed it 41 minutes further west. + +[68-1] This was Vanikoro in the Santa Cruz Group. It was probably seen by +Mendana in 1595, and again by Carteret in 1767, but the interest attached +to it by Europeans, and particularly to Edwards' visit, lies in the +undoubted fact that at that very time there were survivors of La +Perouse's ill-fated expedition upon it. If his search for the mutineers +had been as keen at this part of his voyage as it was in the earlier +portion, he would have been the means of rescuing them. The smoke he saw +may well have been signal fires lighted by the castaways to attract his +attention. + +La Perouse's ships were cast away in 1788, just three years before, +shortly after the Commander had delivered his journals to Governor +Phillip in Botany Bay for transmission to Europe. Their fate was unknown +until Peter Dillon chanced upon a French swordhilt in Tucopia +thirty-eight years later in 1826. Satisfying himself that they had been +brought from Vanikoro, he persuaded the East India Company to place him +in command of a search expedition. In 1827 he made a thorough examination +of the island, and found the remains of the _Boussole_; the _Astrolabe_, +according to the native account, having foundered in deep water. He found +the clearing where the survivors had felled timber to build themselves a +brig in which they sailed to meet a second shipwreck elsewhere, perhaps +on the Great Barrier reef of Queensland. But two had been left, and of +these one had died shortly before his visit, and the other had gone with +the natives to another island leaving no trace behind him. + +D'Entrecasteaux, when in search of La Perouse in 1793, also passed within +sight of the castaways. + +D'Urville made a thorough examination of the island both in 1828 and +1838. The relics brought home by Dillon may be seen in the Gallerie de la +Marine in the Louvre. + +[69-1] This was the dangerous reef now known as Indispensable Reef, after +the ship _Indispensable_ commanded by Captain Wilkinson, who discovered +it in 1790. + +[69-2] It was, in fact, the mainland of New Guinea. The land East of Cape +Rodney, comprising Orangerie, Table, and Cloudy Bays, lies so low and is +so generally obscured with haze that on a dull day Edwards would not have +seen it. + +It is doubtful whether Edwards' Capes Rodney and Hood, are correctly +placed in the modern charts. Our Cape Rodney is not a conspicuous +headland, and it lies half a degree eastward of 212.14 W. Longitude, and +9' South of 10^{6}.3 deg. S. Latitude. Edwards' positions are usually so +accurate that I cannot see why they should have been departed from. Our +Cape Hood, on the other hand, is exactly in the position of his Cape +Rodney, and is besides a very conspicuous wooded tongue of land. Beyond +is another conspicuous point. Round Head, which corresponds in position +with Edwards' Cape Hood. Mount Clarence, moreover, would not appear to +lie between Capes Rodney and Hood until the former was out of sight +astern. I think that Mount Clarence must have been hidden by clouds, and +that Edwards' Mount Clarence was in reality the high cone in the Saroa +district, which is a conspicuous feature on the coast line. A further +indication that the day was hazy lies in the fact that Edwards did not +see the great Owen Stanley Range which towers up 13,000 feet behind. Had +he done so he would not have mistaken the mainland for a group of +scattered islands. Hamilton does not call Mount Clarence an "island," but +a "mountain." A further proof that Edwards' "Cape Hood" was Round Head is +found in the remark "After passing Cape Hood the land appears lower, and +to branch off about N.N.W., . . . for we saw no other land." This applies +to Round Head, and to no other part of the coast. + +[70-1] If he had kept this course he would have struck the New Guinea +Coast again a little East of the Maikasa River. + +[70-2] East Bay. + +[71-1] It is difficult to understand how Edwards failed to see Flinders +Passage, which, while not free from obstructions to the westward, would +have admitted him to a safe anchorage at the Murray Islands, inside the +Barrier Reef. + +[71-2] It was an unfortunate choice. Had he steered north on first +encountering the reefs he would have made the coast which he might have +followed in safety, as Bligh did in his boat voyage after the mutiny, by +what is now known as the Great North-East Channel. He was led Southward +by his plan of using the Endeavour Straits. See Hamilton's account, pp. +141-2. + +[73-1] Two men were crushed to death; one by a gun that had broken loose, +and the other by a falling spar. The whole ship's company seems to have +behaved splendidly, working at the pumps and at the sail they were +preparing to haul under the ship's bottom until they could scarcely stand +for fatigue, with nothing to replenish their strength but "a cask of +excellent strong ale which we brewed at Anamooka" (Hamilton). + +[73-2] Every reader must be struck by the fact that in his description of +this disaster, Edwards never once speaks of the prisoners. Hamilton, it +is true, does say "The prisoners were ordered to be let out of irons," +but another account, ascribed to Lieutenant Corner, second lieutenant of +the _Pandora_, throws a sinister light on this part of the narrative. +"Three of the _Bounty's_ people, Coleman, Norman, and M'Intosh, were now +let out of irons, and sent to work at the pumps. The others offered their +assistance, and begged to be allowed a chance of saving their lives; +instead of which, two additional sentinels were placed over them, with +orders to shoot any who should attempt to get rid of their fetters. +Seeing no prospect of escape, they betook themselves to prayer, and +prepared to meet their fate, everyone expecting that the ship would soon +go to pieces, her rudder and part of the sternpost being already beat +away. No notice was taken of the prisoners, as is falsely stated by the +author of the 'Pandora's Voyage,' although Captain Edwards was entreated +by Mr. Heywood to have mercy upon them, when he passed over their prison +to make his own escape, the ship then lying on her broadside, with the +larboard bow completely under water. Fortunately the master-at-arms, +either by accident or design, when slipping from the roof of 'Pandora's +Box' into the sea, let the keys of the irons fall through the scuttle or +entrance, which he had just before opened, and thus enabled them to +commence their own liberation, in which they were generously assisted, at +the imminent risk of his own life, by William Moulter, a boatswain's mate +who clung to the coamings, and pulled the long bars through the shackles, +saying he would set them free, or go to the bottom with them. Scarcely +was this effected when the ship went down. The master-at-arms and all the +sentinels sunk to rise no more. Among the drowned were Mr. Stewart, John +Sumner, Richard Skinner, and Henry Hillbrandt, the whole of whom perished +with their hands still in manacles." + +Some allowance is to be made both for the confusion of a shipwreck, and +for the natural fear of the commander that in the loosening of the ties +of authority natural to such a moment, the liberation among his crew of a +number of men who had already mutinied successfully, and were going home +with a rope about their necks, would be an act of merciful folly. This, +however, does not excuse him for refusing his prisoners the shelter of an +old sail on the sand cay, and so obliging them to get shelter from the +sun by burying themselves neck-deep in the sand, as Heywood afterwards +stated. Heywood further asserted that after the vessel struck the +prisoners, having wrenched themselves out of their irons, implored +Edwards to let them out of "Pandora's Box," but that he had them all +ironed again. + +[74-1] In his evidence before the court-martial Edwards said: "The double +canoe, that was able to support a considerable number of men, broke +adrift with only one man, and was bulged upon a reef, and afforded us no +help when she was so much wanted." + +[74-2] Hamilton says 34. + +[75-1] Each boat was supplied with the latitude and longitude of Timor, +1100 miles distant. As soon as they embarked the oars were laid athwart +the boat so that they could stow two tiers of men. The men were +distributed as follows: + +_Pinnace_--Capt. Edwards; Lieut. Hayward; Rickards, Master's Mate; +Packer, Gunner; Edmonds, Captain's Clerk; 3 prisoners, 16 privates. + +_Red Yawl_--Lieut. Larkan; Surgeon Hamilton; Reynolds, Master's Mate; +Matson, Midshipman; 2 prisoners; 18 privates. + +_Launch_--Lieutenant Corner; Bentham, Purser; Montgomery; Carpen Bowling, +Master's Mate; Mackendrick, Midshipman; 2 prisoners; 24 privates. + +_Blue Yawl_--George Passmore, Master; Cunningham, Boatswain; Innes, +Surgeon's Mate; Fenwick, Midshipman; Pycroft, Midshipman; 3 prisoners; 15 +privates. + +[77-1] Tree Island. + +[77-2] Now called Prince of Wales' Channel or Flinders Channel. It is the +best Channel through Torres Straits, and, if Edwards' narrative had been +published his discovery would doubtless have been perpetuated in his +name. + +[77-3] Horn Island. + +[77-4] Dingoes. + +[77-5] North West Reef. + +[78-1] Like Bligh's men, they wetted their shirts in salt water to cool +themselves by evaporation, but found that the absorption through the skin +tainted the fluids of the body with salt so that the saliva became +intolerable in the mouth. The young bore the want of water better than +the old, but all alike became excessively irritable. + +[80-1] This hospitality was not extended to the prisoners, who were +confined in irons in the castle, and fed on bad provisions. But on the +passage to Batavia in the _Rembang_ they had worse in store, for the ship +was partially dismasted in a cyclone, and would certainly have gone +ashore but for the exertions of the English passengers. The prisoners +took their turn at the pumps with the rest, and when their strength gave +out, they were put in irons and allowed to rest upon a wet sail soaked +with the drainings of a pig-stye under which it was spread. At Batavia +Edwards distributed the purchase-money of the tender among his people to +enable them to buy clothes, and the prisoners, having their hands at +liberty, made suits and hats for the _Pandora's_ crew, and so were able +to buy clothes of their own. + + + + +A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.[91-1] + +BY GEORGE HAMILTON, SURGEON OF THE _PANDORA_. + + +GOVERNMENT having resolved to bring to punishment the mutineers of His +Majesty's late ship _Bounty_, and to survey the Straits of Endeavour, to +facilitate a passage to Botany Bay, on the 10th of August 1790, appointed +Captain Edward Edwards to put in commission at Chatham, and take command +of the _Pandora_ Frigate of twenty-four guns, and a hundred and sixty +men. + +A great naval armament then equipping retarded our progress, and +prevented that particular attention to the choice of men which their +Lordships so much wished; as contagion here crept amongst us from +infected clothing, the fatal effects of which we discovered, and severely +experienced, in the commencement of the voyage. + +Every thing necessary being completed, and an additional complement of +naval stores, received for the refitment of the _Bounty_; dropped down to +Sheerness, saluted Admiral Dalrymple, payed the same compliments to Sir +Richard King, in passing the Downs, arrived at Portsmouth, and found +there Lord Howe with the Union Flag at the main, and the proudest navy +that ever graced the British seas under his command. + +Here the officers and men received six months pay in advance, and after +receiving their final orders, got the time-keeper on board, weighed +anchor, and proceeded to sea. + +As the white cliffs of Albion receded from our view alternate hopes and +fears took possession of our minds, wafting the last kind adieu to our +native soil. + +We pursued our voyage with a favourable breeze; but _Pandora_ now seemed +inclined to shed her baneful influence among us, and a malignant fever +threatened much havoc, as in a few days thirty-five men were confined to +their beds, and unfortunately Mr. Innes, the Surgeon's only mate, was +among the first taken ill; what rendered our situation still more +distressing, was the crowded state of the ship being filled to the +hatchways with stores and provisions, for, like weevils, we had to eat a +hole in our bread, before we had a place to lay down in; every officer's +cabin, the Captain's not excepted, being filled with provisions and +stores. Our sufferings were much encreased, for want of room to +accommodate our sick, notwithstanding every effort of the Captain that +humanity could suggest. + +In this sickly lumbered state, near the latitude of Madeira, we observed +a sail bearing down upon us: from her appearance and manoeuvres, we had +every reason to believe she was a ship of war; and a rumour of a Spanish +war prevailing when we left England, rendered it necessary to clear ship +for action; as soon as our guns were run out, and all hands at quarters, +got along side of her, when she proved His Majesty's Ship, _Shark_, sent +out with orders of recall to Admiral Cornish, who had sailed for the West +Indies a few days before we left Spithead. + +This little disaster deranged us much, having at the same time bad +weather, attended with heavy thunder squals. The Peek of Teneriff now +began to shew his venerable crest, towering above the clouds; and in two +days more came to an anchor in the road of Santa Cruz, but did not +salute, as the Commandant had not authority to return it. + +Immediately on our arrival we were boarded by the Port-master, by whom we +learnt they had been in much apprehension of a disagreeable visit from +the English, but were happy to hear that matters were amicably settled +between the Courts of Madrid and St. James's. + +With respect to site nothing can be more beautifully picturesque than the +town of Santa Cruz. It stands in the centre of a spacious bay, on a +gentle acclivity surrounded with retiring hills, and the noble promontory +of the Peek rising majestically behind it, dignifies the scene beyond +description, being continually diversified with every vicissitude of the +surrounding atmosphere, emerging and retiring thro' the fleecy clouds, +from the bottom of the mountain to its summit. + +All the circumjacent hills on the margin of the beach are tufted with +little forts, and barbett batteries, forming an Esplanade round the bay, +affords a most agreeable landscape. The houses being all painted white, +pretty regularly built, and standing on a rising ground, raises one +street above another, and heightens the scene from the water; to which +the Governor's garden contributes much to beautify the town. + +In the centre of the principal square, is a well built fountain, +continually playing, which, in a warm climate, has a desirable cooling +effect. There is but one church, which contains a few indifferent +paintings. + +The inhabitants are civil, but reserved, and the inquisition being on the +island, spreads a gloomy distrust on the countenance of the people. + +The troops are miserably cloathed, and poverty and superstition lord it +wide. The wines of this place, from a late improvement in the vines, are +equal to the second kind of Madeira, and I cannot pass over this subject +without making honourable mention of the candour of Mr. Rooney our wine +merchant. + +Here we completed our water from an acqueduct admirably constructed for +the convenience of the shipping, and after receiving on board lemons, +oranges, pomegranates, and bananas, with every variety of fruits and +other refreshments with which this island most plentifully abounds, +proceeded again on our voyage. + +The fever that prevailed on our leaving England became now pretty +general, and almost every man had it in turn, and as we approached the +line many of the convalescents had a relapse, but the Lords of the +Admirality, previous to our sailing, had supplied us with such unbounded +liberality in every thing necessary for the preservation of the seamens' +health, that I may venture to say many lives were saved from their +bounty, and I should be wanting in my duty to their Lordships, as well as +the community, was I to pass over in silence the uncommon good effects we +experienced from supplying the sick and convalescent with tea and sugar; +this being the first time it has ever been introduced into his Majesty's +service; but it is an article in life that has crept into such universal +use, in all orders of society, that it needs no comment of mine to +recommend it. It may, however, be easily conceived that it will be sought +with more avidity by those whose aliment consists chiefly in animal food, +and that always salt, and often of the worst kind. Their bread too is +generally mixed with oatmeal, and of a hot drying nature. Scarcity of +water is a calamity to which seafaring people are always subject; and it +is an established fact, that a pint of tea will satiate thirst more than +a quart of water. But when sickness takes place, a loathing of all animal +food follows; then tea becomes their sole existence, and that which can +be conveyed to them as natural food will be taken with pleasure, when +any slip slop, given as drink, will be rejected with disgust. Suffice it +to say, that Quarter-masters, and real good seamen have ever been +observed to be regular in cooking their little pot of tea or coffee, and +in America seamen going long voyages, always make it an article in their +agreement to be supplied with tea and sugar. + +The air now becoming intolerably hot, and to evacuate the foul air from +below where the people slept, had recourse to Mr. White's new ventilator, +but found little benefit from it; not from any fault in the machine, but +from the crowded state of the ship, it was impossible to throw a current +of air into those places where it was most wanted, but by the addition of +a flexible leather tube, like a water engine, it might be rendered of the +utmost importance to the service, as in tenders' press-holds, and in +line-of-battle ships at sea, when the lower deck ports cannot be opened; +where often the jail fever, and all the calamities that attend human +nature in crowded situations, are engendered, that might be entirely +obviated by Mr. White's ingenious machine. I should beg to recommend +wheels to be substituted for legs to it, for its easier conveyance from +one part of the ship to the other, and that he would sacrifice beauty to +strength, as a slight mahogany jim crack is not well calculated to the +severity of heat we are exposed to, in climates where it is most wanted. + +There were now many water spouts about the ship, at which we fired +several guns: the thermometer fluctuated between seventy-nine and eighty, +and without any thing worthy of remark, in the common occurrence of +things at sea, on the twenty-eight of December saw the land of the +Brazils, and in two days saluted the fort at Rio Janiero with fifteen +guns, which was immediately returned. + +On our coming to anchor, an officer came to acquaint the Captain, that a +party of soldiers should be sent on board of us, agreeable to their +custom, which was most peremptorily denied as inadmissable with the +dignity of the British flag, nor would Captain Edwards go on shore to pay +his respects to the Vice Roy, till that etiquete was settled, that his +boat should not be boarded. + +After the usual compliments were paid the Vice Roy, his suit of carriages +were ordered to attend the British officers, and Monsieur le Font, the +Surgeon-General, who spoke English with ease and fluency, shewed us every +mark of politeness and attention on the occasion, in carrying us through +the principal streets, then visited the public gardens, built by the late +Vice Roy, and laid out with much taste and expence. All the extremity of +the garden is a fine terrace which commands a view of the water, and is +frequented by people of fashion, as their Grand Mall: at each end of the +terrace there is an octagonal built room, superbly furnished, where +merendas[96-1] are sometimes given. On the pannels are painted the +various productions and commerce of South America, representing the +diamond fishery, the process of the indigo trade. The rice grounds and +harvest, sugar plantation, South Sea whale fishery, &c. these were +interspersed with views of the country, and the quadrupedes that inhabit +those parts. The ceilings contained all the variety, the one of the fish, +the other of the fowl of that continent. The copartments of the ceiling +of the one room was enriched in shell work, with all the variegated +shells of that country, and in the copartments are delineated all the +variety of fish that the coast of South America produces. The other +copartment is enriched with feathers and so inimitably blended as to +produce the happiest effect. In this ceiling is painted all the birds +and fowls of the country, in all their splendid elegance of plumage. The +sofas and furniture are rich in the extreme: and in this elegant recess, +an idle traveller may have an agreeable lounge, and at one view +comprehend the whole natural history of this vast continent. In the +centre of the terrace there is a Jet d'eau, in form of a large palm-tree, +made of copper, which at pleasure may be made to spout water from the +extremity of all the leaves. This tree stands on a well disposed grotto, +which rises from the gravel walk below to the level of the terrace, and +terminates the view of the principal walk. Near the foot of the grotto +two large aligators, made of copper, are continually discharging water +into a handsome bason of white marble, filled with gold and silver +fishes. + +There are fine orangeries, and lofty covered arbours in different parts +of the garden, capable of containing a thousand people. Here the cyprian +nymphs hold their nocturnal revels; but intrigue is attended with great +danger, as the stilletto is in general use, and assassination frequent, +the men being of a jealous sanguinary turn, and the women fond of +gallantry, who never appear in public unveiled. When Bougainville, the +French circumnavigator called here, his chaplain was assassinated in an +affray of that kind; but since that accident, orders were given that a +commissioned officer should attend all foreign officers, and a soldier +the privates; and all strangers, on landing, are conducted to the main +guard for their escort. This answers a double purpose, as they are much +afraid of strangers smuggling or carrying money out of the country, under +the mask of personal protection, every motion is watched and scrutinized, +nor can you purchase any thing of a merchant, till he has settled with +the officer of the police how much he shall exact for his goods; so you +have always the satisfaction of being rob'd as the act directs. + +The trade of this country is much cramped by the improper policy of the +mother country; for although it abounds with every thing that the earth +produces, wealth is far from being diffusive, and a spirit for revolt +seems to prevail amongst them; but they were rather premature in +business, a conspiracy being detected whilst we were there, many of the +first people in the country thrown into dungeons, a strong guard put over +them, and all intercourse denied them. But in order to check that spirit +of rebellion among the colonists, a regiment of black slaves is now +embodied, who will be very ready to bear arms against their oppressive +masters; but should a revolution in South America take place, which +sooner or later must eventually happen, some of our South Sea discoveries +would then prove an advantageous situation for a little British colony. + +All public works are done here by slaves in chains, who perform a kind of +plaintive melancholy dirge in recitative, to sooth their unavailing toil, +which, with the accompanyment of the clanking of their irons, is the real +voice of wo, and attunes the soul to sympathy and compassion, more than +the most elaborate piece of music. + +The troops are remarkably well cloathed, and in fine order, both infantry +and cavalry; the horses are small, but spirited, and tournaments +frequently performed as the favourite amusement of the inhabitants, at +which the cavaliers display a wonderful share of address. + +The town is large, built of stone, and the streets very regular; there +are several handsome churches, monasteries, and nunneries, and contains +about forty thousand inhabitants; but, like the old town of Edinburgh, +each floor contains a distinct family, and of course liable to the same +inconveniencies, cleanliness being none of its most shining virtues. + +The officers of the army shewed us uncommon kindness, and made us some +presents of red bird skins for the savages we were going amongst. + +I cannot, in words, bestow sufficient panegyric on the laudable exertions +of my worthy messmates, Lieutenants Corner and Hayward, for their +unremitting zeal in procuring and nursing such plants as might be useful +at Otaheitee or the islands we might discover. + +We now took leave of our friends here, and it was with some regret, as it +was bidding adieu to civilized life, for a very undetermined space of +time. Lieutenant Hayward having finished his astronomical observations on +shore, came on board with the time-keeper and instruments, and again +proceeded on our voyage, on the morning of January 8, 1791. In running +down the coast of the Brazils, saw several spermacaeti whales, and vessels +employed on that fishery. Could it have been accomplished in the month of +January, it was intended to take in a supply of water at New-Year's +harbour, but the season was too far advanced. The weather now became +cold, and the health of the people mended apace: passed by the straits of +Magellan, and on the 31st of January saw Cape St. Juan, Staten Island, +and New-Year's Island. The thermometer was at 48 degrees. We were +fortunate enough to weather the tempestuous regions of Cape Horn, without +any thing remarkable happening, although late in the season. + +The weather, as we advanced, became now exceedingly pleasant, and the +many good things with which we were supplied, began to have a wonderful +good effect on the strength of our convalescents. I here beg the reader's +indulgence for a small digression on the health of the seamen, as it is a +subject of much national importance, and those voyages the only test of +what is found to succeed best, my duty leads me to the attempt, however +unequal to the task: + +It may be remarked, the sour Crout kept during the voyage, in the highest +perfection, and was often eat as a sallad with vinegar, in preference to +recent, cut vegetables from the shore. A cask of this grand antiscorbutic +was kept open for the crew to eat as much of as they pleased; and I will +venture to affirm, that it will answer every purpose that can be expected +from the vegetable kingdom. + +The Essence of Malt afforded a most delightful beverage, and, with the +addition of a little hops, in the warmest climates, made as good strong +beer as we could in England. We were likewise supplied with malt in +grain, but should prefer the essence, as it is less liable to decay, and +stows in much less room, which is a very valuable consideration in long +voyages. + +Cocoa we found great benefit from; it is much relished by the men, stows +in little room, and affords great nourishment. At the close of the war in +1783, in the West Indies, men that had been the whole war on salt +provisions, from a liberal use of the cocoa, got fat and strong, and in +the _Agamemnon_ we had five hundred men who had served most of the war on +salt provisions; but after the cocoa was introduced, we had not a sick +man on board till the day she was paid off. Indeed it is the only article +of nourishment in sea victualling; for what can in reason be expected +from beef or pork after it has been salted a year or two? + +Wheat we found answer extremely well, rough ground in a mill occasionally +as we wanted it, and with the addition of a little brown sugar, it made a +pleasant nourishing diet, of which the men were extremely fond. Another +great advantage attending it, that it does not require half the quantity +of water that pease do. + +Soft bread was found extremely beneficial to the sick and convalescent, +and we availed ourselves of every opportunity of baking for half the +complement at a time. As the flour keeps so much longer sound than +biscuit, it may be needless to remark its superior advantages; besides, +it is not liable to be damaged by water or otherwise, so much as bread, +as a crust forms outside, which protects the rest. In point of stowage it +likewise is preferable. + +As the fate of every expedition of this kind depends much on the exertion +of the subordinate departments of office, the thanks of every individual +in the _Pandora_ is due to Mr. Cherry, for his uncommon attention to the +victualling. + +The dividing the people into three watches had a double good effect as it +gave them longer time to sleep, and dry themselves before they turned in; +and as most of our crew consisted of landsmen, the fewer people being on +deck at a time, rendered it necessary to exert themselves more in +learning their duty. + +The air became now temperate, mild, and agreeable; but unfortunately we +sprung a leak in the after part of the ship, which reached the bread +room, and damaged much of it, as one thousand five hundred and fifteen +pounds were thrown over-board, and a great deal much injured, that we +kept for feeding the cattle. Many blue Peterals were seen flying about, +and on the 4th of March saw Easter Island. We now set the forge to work, +and the armourers were busily employed in making knives and iron work to +trade with the savages. On the 16th we discovered a Lagoon Island of +about three or four miles extent; it was well wooded, but had no +inhabitants, and was named Ducie's Island, in honour of Lord Ducie. + +On the 17th we discovered another Island, about five or six miles long, +with a great many trees on it, but was not inhabited: this was called +Lord Hood's Island. + +On the 19th we discovered an Island of the same description as the +former, which was named Carrisfort Island, in honour of Lord Carrisfort. + +On the 22nd passed Maitea, and on the morning of the 23rd of March +anchored in Matavy bay, in the Island of Otaheitee. In the dawn of the +morning, a native immediately on seeing us, paddled off in his canoe, and +came on board, who shewed expressions of joy to a degree of madness, on +embracing and saluting us, by whom we learnt that several of the +mutineers were on the island; but that Mr. Christian and nine men had +left Otaheitee long since in the _Bounty_, and amused the natives, by +telling them Captain Bligh had gone to settle at Whytutakee, and that +Captain Cook was living there. Language cannot express his surprise on +Lieutenant Hayward's being introduced to him, who had been purposely +concealed. + +At eleven in the forenoon the Launch and Pinnance was dispatched with +Lieutenants Corner and Hayward and twenty-six men, to the north west part +of the island, in quest of mutineers. Immediately on our arrival, Joseph +Coleman, the armourer of the _Bounty_, came on board, and a little after +the two midshipmen belonging to the _Bounty_; at three Richard Skinner +came off, and on the 25th the boats returned, after chasing the mutineers +on shore, and taking possession of their boat. As they had taken to the +heights, and claimed the protection of Tamarrah, a great chief in Papara, +who was the proper king of Otaheitee, the present family of Ottoo being +usurpers, and who intended, had we not arrived with the assistance of the +_Bounty's_ people, to have disputed the point with Ottoo. + +On the twenty-seventh we sent the Pinnace with a present of a bottle of +rum to king Ottoo, who was with his two queens at Tiaraboo, requesting +the honour of his company, but the bottle of rum removed all scruples, +and next day the royal family paid us a visit, and in his suit came +Oedidy, a chief particularly noticed by Captain Cook. + +On the first visit they make it a point of honour of accepting of no +present; but they make sufficient amends for that, by introducing a +numerous train of dependents afterwards, to obtain presents. + +The King is a tall handsome looking man, about six feet three inches +high, good natured, and affable in his manners. His principal queen, +Edea, is a robust looking, course woman, about thirty, and was extremely +solicitous in learning and adopting our customs, and on hearing our +English ladies drank tea, became very fond of it. The other queen, or +concubine, named Aeredy, is a pretty young creature, about sixteen years +of age: they all three sleep together, and live in the most perfect +harmony. + +A detachment of men were immediately ordered, under the command of +Lieutenant Corner, to march across the country, and if possible to get +between the mountains and the mutineers; this gentleman was extremely +well calculated for an expedition of this kind, having, in the early part +of his life, bore a commission in the land service, and next morning they +landed on Point Venus, attended by the principal chiefs as conductors, +and a number of the common people to assist in carrying the ammunition +over the heights: what rendered their assistance more necessary, was +their having to cross a rapid cataract, or river, which came down from +the mountains, and formed so many curves. They had to ford it sixteen +times in the course of their journey, which gave evident proofs of the +superior strength of the natives over the English seamen. The former went +over with ease, where the sailors could not stem the rapidity of the +torrent without their help. They were, however, forced to send to the +ship for ropes and tackles to gain some heights which were otherwise +inaccessible. + +On the party coming to a rest, the Lieutenant expressed a wish to one of +the natives for something to eat, who told him he might be supplied with +plenty of victuals ready dressed; he immediately ran to a temple, or +place of worship, where meat was regularly served to their god, and came +running with a roasted pig, that had been presented that day. This +striking instance of impiety rather startled the Lieutenant, which the +other easily got over, by saying there was more left than the god could +eat. + +It was with much difficulty they could restrain the natives from +committing depredations on the Cava grounds of the upper districts, as +they were on the eve of a war with them respecting the hereditary right +of the crown. + +The party now arrived at the residence of a great chief, who received +them with much hospitality and kindness; and after refreshing them with +plenty of meat and drink, carried the officer to visit the Morai of the +dead chief, his father. Mr. Corner judging it necessary, by every mark of +attention, to gain the good graces of this great man, ordered his party +to draw up, and fire three vollies over the deceased, who was brought out +in his best new cloaths, on the occasion; but the burning cartridge from +one of the muskets, unfortunately set fire to the paper cloaths of the +dead chief. This unlucky disaster threw the son into the greatest +perplexity, as agreeable to their laws, should the corpse of his father +be stolen away, or otherwise destroyed, he forfeits his title and estate, +and it descends to the next heir. + +There was at the same time a party embarked by water, under the command +of Lieutenant Hayward, who took with him some of the principal chiefs, +amongst whom was Oedidy, before mentioned by Captain Cook, who went a +voyage with him, but fell into disrepute amongst them, from affirming he +had seen water in a solid form; alluding to the ice. He also took with +him one Brown, an Englishman, that had been left on shore by an American +vessel that had called there, for being troublesome on board: but +otherwise a keen, penetrating, active fellow, who rendered many eminent +services, both in this expedition and the subsequent part of the voyage. +He had lived upwards of twelve months amongst the natives, adopted +perfectly their manners and customs, even to the eating of raw fish, and +dipping his roast pork into a cocoa nut shell of salt water, according to +their manner, as substitute for salt. He likewise avoided all intercourse +and communication with the _Bounty's_ people, by which means necessity +forced him to gain a pretty competent knowledge of their language; and +from natural complexion was much darker than any of the natives. + +Captain Edwards had taken every possible means of gaining the friendship +of Tamarrah, the great prince of the upper district, by sending him very +liberal presents, which effectually brought him over to our interest. The +mutineers were now cut off from every hope of resource; the natives were +harrassing them behind, and Mr. Hayward and his party advancing in front; +under cover of night they had taken shelter in a hut in the woods, but +were discovered by Brown, who creeping up to the place where they were +asleep, distinguished them from the natives by feeling their toes; as +people unaccustomed to wear shoes are easily discovered from the spread +of their toes. Next day Mr. Hayward attacked them, but they grounded +their arms without opposition; their hands were bound behind their back +and sent down to the boat under a strong guard. + +During the whole business there was only two natives killed; one was shot +in the dusk of the evening, two nights before the people surrendered, by +one of the centinels, who had his musket twice beat out of his hand from +the natives pelting our party with large stones; but the instant he was +shot, some of his friends rushed in and carried off the corpse. + +The other native was shot by the mutineers; when attacked by the natives +they took to a river; a stone being thrown by one of the natives at the +wife, or woman, of one of the mutineers, enraged him so much, that he +immediately shot the offender. + +A prison was built for their accommodation on the quarter deck, that they +might be secure, and apart from our ship's company; and that it might +have every advantage of a free circulation of air, which rendered it the +most desirable place in the ship. Orders were likewise given that they +should be victualled, in every respect in the same as the ship's company, +both in meat, liquor, and all the extra indulgencies with which we were +so liberally supplied, notwithstanding the established laws of the +service, which restricts prisoners to two-thirds allowance: but Captain +Edwards very humanely commiserated with their unhappy and inevitable +length of confinement. Oripai, the king's brother, a discerning, +sensible, and intelligent chief, discovered a conspiracy amongst the +natives on shore to cut our cables should it come to blow hard from the +sea. This was more to be dreaded, as many of the prisoners were married +to the most respectable chiefs' daughters in the district opposite to +where we lay at anchor; in particular one, who took the name of Stewart, +a man of great possession in landed property, near Matavy Bay: a +gentleman of that name belonging to the _Bounty_ having married his +daughter, and he, as his friend and father-in law, agreeable to their +custom, took his name. + +Ottoo the king, his two brothers, and all the principal chiefs, appeared +extremely anxious for our safety; and after the prisoners were on board, +kept watch during the night; were always keeping a sharp look out upon +our cables, and continually spurring the centinels to be careful in their +duty. The prisoners' wives visited the ship daily and brought their +children, who were permitted to be carried to their unhappy fathers. To +see the poor captives in irons, weeping over their tender offspring, was +too moving a scene for any feeling heart. Their wives brought them ample +supplies of every delicacy that the country afforded while we lay there, +and behaved with the greatest fidelity and affection to them. + +Next day the king, his two queens, and retinue, came on board to pay us a +formal visit, preceded by a band of music. The ladies had about sixty or +seventy yards of Otaheitee cloth wrapt round them, and were so bulky and +unwieldy with it, they were obliged to be hoisted on board like horn +cattle: hogs, cocoa-nuts, bananas, a rich sort of peach, and a variety of +ready dressed puddings and victuals, composed their present to the +Captain. + +As soon as they were on board, the Captain debarassoit the ladies, by +rolling their linen round his middle; an indispensable ceremony here in +receiving a present of cloth: and Medua, wife to Oripai, the king's +brother, took a great liking to the Captain's laced coat, which he +immediately put on her with much gallantry; and that beautiful princess +seemed much elated with her new finery. I cannot ommit a circumstance of +this lady's attachment to dress. There was a custom which had prevailed +for a long time, to present the god with all red feathers that could be +procured; but thinking she would become red feathers full as well as his +godship, immediately employed all her domestics making them up into fly +flaps, and other personal ornaments, to prevent the altar making a +monopoly of all the good things, in this, as well as in other countries. + +A grand Haeva was next day ordered for our entertainment ashore, on Point +Venus, and on our landing we were preceded by a band of music, and led to +where the king and his levee were in waiting to receive us. The course +was soon cleared by the chiefs, and the entertainment began by two men, +who vied with each other in filthy lascivious attitudes, and frightful +distortions of their mouths. These having performed their part, two +ladies, pretty fancifully dressed, as described in Captain Cook's +Voyages, were introduced after a little ceremony. Something resembling a +turkey-cock's tail, and stuck on their rumps in a fan kind of fashion, +about five feet in diameter, had a very good effect while the ladies kept +their faces to us; but when in a bending attitude, they presented their +rumps, to shew the wonderful agility of their loins; the effect is better +conceived than described. After half an hour's hard exercise, the dear +creatures had remuee themselves into a perfect fureur, and the piece +concluded by the ladies exposing that which is better felt than seen; +and, in that state of nature, walked from the bottom of the theatre to +the top where we were sitting on the grass, till they approached just by +us, and then we complimented them in bowing, with all the honours of war. + +These accomplishments are so much prized amongst them that girls come +from the interior parts of the country to the court residence, for +improvement in the Haeva, just as country gentlemen send their daughters +to London boarding-schools. + +This may well be called the Cytheria of the southern hemisphere, not only +from the beauty and elegance of the women, but their being so deeply +versed in, and so passionately fond of the Eleusinian mysteries; and what +poetic fiction has painted of Eden, or Arcadia, is here realized, where +the earth without tillage produces both food and cloathing, the trees +loaded with the richest of fruit, the carpet of nature spread with the +most odoriferous flowers, and the fair ones ever willing to fill your +arms with love. + +It affords a happy instance of contradicting an opinion propagated by +philosophers of a less bountiful soil, who maintain that every virtuous +or charitable act a man commits, is from selfish and interrested views. +Here human nature appears in more amiable colours, and the soul of man, +free from the gripping hand of want, acts with a liberality and bounty +that does honour to his God. + +A native of this country divides every thing in common with his friend, +and the extent of the word friend, by them, is only bounded by the +universe, and was he reduced to his last morsel of bread, he cheerfully +halves it with him; the next that comes has the same claim, if he wants +it, and so in succession to the last mouthful he has. Rank makes no +distinction in hospitality; for the king and beggar relieve each other in +common. + +The English are allowed by the rest of the world, and I believe with some +degree of justice, to be a generous, charitable people; but the +Otaheiteans could not help bestowing the most contemptuous word in their +language upon us, which is, Peery Peery, or Stingy. + +In becoming the Tyo, or friend of a man, it is expected you pay him a +compliment, by cherishing his wife; but, being ignorant of that ceremony, +I very innocently gave high offence to Matuara, the king of York Island, +to whom I was introduced as his friend: a shyness took place on the side +of his Majesty, from my neglect to his wife; but, through the medium of +Brown the interpreter, he put me in mind of my duty, and on my promising +my endeavours, matters were for that time made up. It was to me, however, +a very serious inauguration: I was, in the first place, not a young man, +and had been on shore a whole week; the lady was a woman of rank, being +sister to Ottoo, the king of Otaheitee, and had in her youth been +beautiful, and named Peggy Ottoo. She is the right hand dancing figure so +elegantly delineated in Cook's Voyages. But Peggy had seen much service, +and bore away many honourable scars in the fields of Venus. However, his +Majesty's service must be done, and Matuara and I were again friends. He +was a domesticated man, and passionately fond of his wife and children; +but now became pensive and melancholy, dreading the child should be +Piebald; though the lady was six months advanced in her pregnancy before +we came to the island. + +The force of friendship amongst those good creatures, will be more fully +understood from the following circumstance: Churchhill, the principal +ringleader of the mutineers, on his landing, became the Tyo, or friend, +of a great chief in the upper districts. Some time after the chief +happening to die without issue, his title and estate, agreeable to their +law from Tyoship, devolved on Churchhill, who having some dispute with +one Thomson of the _Bounty_, was shot by him. The natives immediately +rose, and revenged the death of Churchhill their chief, by killing +Thomson, whose skull was afterwards shown to us, which bore evident marks +of fracture. + +Oedidy, although perfectly devoted to our interest, on being appointed +one of the guides in the expedition against the mutineers, expressed +great horror at the act he was going to commit, in betraying his friend, +being Tyo to one of them. + +They are much less addicted to thieving than when Capt. Cook visited +them; and when things were stolen, by applying to the magistrate of the +district, the goods were immediately returned; for, like every other well +regulated police, the thief and justice were of one gang. + +Sometimes we slightly punished the offenders, by cutting off their hair. +A beautiful young creature, who lived at the Observatory with one of our +young gentlemen, slipped out of bed from him in the night, and stole all +his linen. She was punished for the theft, by shaving one of her +eye-brows, and half of the hair off her head. She immediately run into +the woods, and used to come once or twice a day to the tent, to request +looking at herself in the glass; but the grotesque figure she cut, with +one side entirely bald, made her shriek out, and run into the woods to +shun society. + +With respect to agriculture, in a soil where nature has done so much, +little is left to human industry; but had there been occasion for it, +abilities would not be wanting. It is much to be lamented, that the +endeavours of the philanthropic Sir Joseph Banks were frustrated, by +their razing of every thing which he took so much pains to rear amongst +them, a few shaddocks excepted. Tobacco and cotton have escaped their +ravage; and they are much mortified that they cannot eradicate it from +their grounds: but were a handloom on a simple construction, as used by +the natives of Java, introduced amongst them, they could soon turn their +cotton to good account. An instance of their ingenuity and imitative +powers in matting, was a thing perfectly unknown amongst them till +Captain Cook introduced it from Anamooka, one of the Friendly Isles: but +in that branch of manufacture they now far surpass their original. They +have likewise abundance of fine sugarcanes, growing spontaneously all +over the island, from which rum and sugar might be extracted. Indeed an +attempt was made by Coleman, the armourer of the _Bounty_, who made a +still, and succeeded; but, dreading the effects of intoxication, both +amongst themselves and the natives, very wisely put an end to his labours +by breaking the still. + +Captain Bligh has likewise planted Indian corn, from which much may be +expected. On our landing, as soon as public business of more importance +would permit, our gentlemen were indefatigable in laying out a piece of +garden ground, and ditching it round. Lemons, oranges, limes, +pine-apples, plants of the coffee tree, with all the lesser class of +things, as onions, lettuces, peas, cabbages, and every thing necessary +for culinary purposes, were planted. + +In order that they might not meet the same fate of the things planted by +Sir Joseph Banks, Captain Edwards made use of every stratagem to make the +chiefs fond of the oranges and limes, by dipping them in sugar, to cover +the acid before it be presented to them to eat. Messrs. Corner and +Hayward were equally zealous in using the most persuasive arguments with +the chiefs to take care of our garden, and rear and propagate the plants +when we were gone; to all which they lent a deaf ear, and treated the +subject with much levity, saying, they might be very good to us, but that +they were already plentifully supplied with every thing they wished or +wanted, and had not occasion for more. But on the Lieutenant's +representing, that if, on our return, they could supply us with plenty of +such articles as we left with them, they in exchange would receive +hatchets, knives, and red cloth, they seemed more favourably inclined to +our project; and I have no doubt but that some after navigators will reap +the benefit of their industry. + +The Bread-fruit, although the most delicate and nourishing food upon +earth, is, with people like them, liable to inconveniencies; for in such +a group or Archipelago of islands, whose inhabitants are in such various +gradations of refinement, from the gentle and polished Otaheitean, to the +savage and cannibal Feegee, a war amongst them is often attended with +devastation as well as famine. By cutting round the bark of the +Bread-fruit tree, a whole country may be laid waste for four or five +years, young trees not bearing in less time. Crops, such as Indian corn, +English wheat and peas, that have been left amongst them, can in time of +war be stored in granaries on the top of their almost inaccessible +mountains. + +While speaking of the Bread-fruit tree, I can exemplify my subject from +what happened to an island contiguous to Otaheite, whose coast abounded +with fine fish; and the Otaheitans, being themselves too lazy to catch +them, destroyed all the Bread-fruit trees on this little island; by which +act of policy, they are obliged to send over boats with fish regularly to +market, to be supplied with bread in barter from Otaheite. To this island +they likewise send their wives, thinking they become fair by living on +fish, and low diet. They also send boys for the same reason, whom they +keep for abominable purposes. + +As to the religion of this country, it is difficult for me to define it. +Their tenets, although equally ignorant of heathen mythology or +theological intricacies, seem to partake of both; and, like other nations +in the early ages of society, are rendered subservient to political +purposes, as by the machinery of deification the person of the king is +sacred and inviolable. Notwithstanding the king be a broad shouldered +strapping fellow, three sturdy stallions of _cecisbeos_, or lords in +waiting, are kept for the particular amusement of the queen, when his +majesty is in his cups. Yet the royal issue is always declared to be +sprung from the immortal Gods; and the heir-apparent, during his +minority, is put under the tuition of the high priest. Their God is +supposed to be omnipresent, and is worshipped in spirit, idolatry not +being known amongst them. The sacred mysteries are only known to the +priests or augurs, the king, princes, and great chiefs, the common people +only serving as victims, or to fill up the pageantry of a religious +procession. One of our gentlemen expressing a wish to the high priest, +of carrying from amongst them that God whose altars craved so much human +blood, he, like a true priest, had his subterfuge ready, by saying, there +were more of the same family in the other islands, from whence they could +easily be supplied. On all great occasions, each district sends a male +victim; and the island containing forty districts, it may be presumed the +mortality is great. Between the sacrifices and the ravages of war, a +preponderating number of females must have taken place; to counteract +which, a law passed, that every other female child should be put to death +at birth; and the husband always officiating as acoucheur to his wife, +the child is destroyed as soon as the sex is discovered. + +The absurdity of this inhuman law is now pretty evident. Women are become +more scarce, and set a higher value on their charms, which occasions many +desperate battles amongst them. Some with fractured skulls were sent on +board of us, which had been got in amorous affrays of that kind. + +It may naturally be supposed, that people of such gentle natures make no +conspicuous figure in the theatre of war. + +Their war-canoes are very large, on which a platform is placed, capable +of containing from a hundred and fifty to two hundred men. But their +taste in decorating the prow of their men of war, plainly indicates they +are more versed in the fields of Venus than Mars, every man of war having +a figure head of the god Priapus, with a preposterous insignia of his +order; the sight of which never fails to excite great glee and good +humour amongst the ladies. + +It is customary with those nations at war, that the treaty of peace be +confirmed by the conquerors sending a certain number of their women to +cohabit with the nation that is vanquished, in order to conciliate their +affection by a bond more lasting than wax and parchment. It was the +unhappy lot of Otaheite to be overcome by a nation whose women were too +masculine for them; they being accustomed to the amorous dalliance of +their own beautiful females, were averse to familiar intercourse with +strangers. The ladies returned with all the rage of disappointed women, +and the war was renewed with all its horrors. + +They are well acquainted with the bow and arrow, but use it as an +amusement. The only missive weapons they use are the sling and spear. +They have now amongst them about twenty stand of arms, and two hundred +rounds of powder and ball. They can take a musket to pieces, and put it +up again; are good marksmen, take proper care of their arms and +ammunition; and are highly sensible of the superior advantage it gives +them over the neighbouring nations. + +In the preparing and printing their cloth, the women display a great +share of ingenuity and good taste. Many of their figures were exactly the +patterns which prevailed, as fashionable, when we left England, both +striped and figured. They print their figured cloth by dipping the leaves +in dye-stuffs of different colours, placing them as their fancy directs. +Their cloth is of different texture of fineness, from a stuff of the same +nature in quality as the slightest India paper, to a kind as durable as +some of our cottons; but they will not bear water, and of course become +troublesome and expensive. They are generally made up in bales, running +about two yards broad, and twenty or thirty yards long. We had some +thousands of yards of it sent on board as presents. + +Their sumptuary laws, at first sight, may appear severe towards the fair +sex, who are not permitted to eat butchermeat, nor to eat at all, in the +presence of their husbands. It certainly does not convey the most +delicate ideas, to a mind impressed with much sensibility, to see a fine +woman devouring a piece of beef; and those voluptuaries, who may be said +to exist only by their women, would naturally endeavour to remove the +possibility of presupposing a disgusting idea in that object in which all +their happiness centres. + +Every woman, the queen and royal family excepted, on the approach of the +king, is denuded down to the waist, and continues so whilst his majesty +is in sight. Should the king enter a woman's house, it is immediately +pulled down. The king is never permitted to help himself with meat or +drink, which makes him a very troublesome visitor, as he is never quiet +whilst a bottle is in sight till he has had the last drop of it. + +Their houses are well adapted to the temperate climate they inhabit, and +generally consist of three chambers, the interior one of which the chief +retires to, after he has drank his cava. A profound silence is observed +during his repose; for should they be suddenly awaked, it produces +violent vomiting, and a train of uneasy sensations; but, otherwise, if +undisturbed, it proves a safe anodyne, creates amorous dreams, and a +powerful excitement to venery. In the adjoining chamber, his fair spouse +waits, with eager expectation, to avail herself of the happy moment when +her lord should awake, which is by slow degrees; and he is roused from +Elysium, by her gentle offices, in tenderly embracing every part of his +body, until his ideal scenes of bliss are realised; and when fully sated +with the luscious banquet, they retire to the bath, to gather fresh +vigour for a renewal of similar joys. In this mazy round of chaste +dissipation, the hours glide gently on, and the evening is spent in +dancing to the music of Pan's pipes, the flute, and haeva drum. They then +go to the bath again, and the festivity of the evening is concluded with +a repast of fruit, and young cocoanut milk. The whole village +indiscriminately join the feast; and the demon of rank and precedence, +with their appendages malevolence and envy, has never yet disturbed their +happy board. + +Happy would it have been for those people had they never been visited by +Europeans; for, to our shame be it spoken, disease and gunpowder is all +the benefit they have ever received from us, in return for their +hospitality and kindness. The ravages of the venereal disease is evident, +from the mutilated objects so frequent amongst them, where death has not +thrown a charitable veil over their misery, by putting a period to their +existence. + +A disease of the consumptive kind has of late made great havoc amongst +them; this they call the British disease, as they have only had it since +their intercourse with the English. + +In this complaint they are avoided by society, from a supposition of its +being contagious; and in every old out-house, you will find miserable +objects, for want of medical assistance, abandoned to their wretched +fate. From what we could learn, it generally terminates fatally in ten or +twelve months; but I am led to believe, that in many cases it originates +from the venereal disease.[117-1] + +The voice of humanity honour, and justice, calls upon us as a nation to +remedy those evils, by sending some intelligent surgeon to live amongst +them. They at present pant for the pruning-hand of civilization and the +arts; love and adore us as beings of a superior nature, but gently +upbraid us with having left them in the same abject state they were at +first discovered. + +We had buoyed many of them up with the hopes of carrying them to England +with us, in order to secure their fidelity and honesty, especially those +who were most useful in our domestic concerns; but on explaining to them +that even bread was not to be obtained in England without labour, they +lost hopes of their favourite voyage. + +Large presents were now brought us for our sea-store; and notwithstanding +Mr. Bentham our purser having most liberally supplied the ship with four +pounds of fresh pork per man each day, it made no apparent scarcity; +beside salting some thousand weight, and a prodigious number of goats, +fowls, and other things. Could we have made it convenient to have staid +another week, some cows were promised to have been sent us from a +neighbouring island. Capt. Cook had left with them a horse and mare, a +cow with calf, and a bull; but, from some mistake, they killed a horse +instead of one of the cows, and found it very tough, disagreeable eating, +by which means they were disgusted with all the horned cattle, and drew +an unfavourable conclusion that their meat was all of the same texture. +Had some pains been taken with them, to get the better of a dislike they +have to milk, and explained to them how variously it might be employed as +food, I have no doubt but they would have paid more attention to the +horned cattle. They used to persist in saying that milk was urine; but on +pointing to a woman that was suckling her child, and pushing their own +argument, they seemed convinced of their error. We have left them a goose +and a gander, which they take a great delight in. + +Edea, the Queen, endeavoured to conquer that absurd dislike, and at last +became fond of milk in her tea. + +A painting of Capt. Cook, done in oil by Webber, which had been delivered +to Capt. Edwards on his first landing, was now returned to them. It is +held by them in the greatest veneration; and I should not be surprised +if, one day or other, divine honours should be paid to it. They still +believe Capt. Cook is living; and their seeing Mr. Bentham our purser, +whom they perfectly recollected as having been the voyage with him, and +spoke their language, will confirm them in that opinion. + +The harbour was surveyed by Mr. Geo. Passmore, the master, an able and +experienced officer. + +Our officers here, as at Rio Janeiro, showed the most manly and +philanthropic disposition, by giving up their cabins, and sacrificing +every comfort and convenience for the good of mankind, in accommodating +boxes with plants of the Bread-fruit tree, that the laudable intentions +of government might not be frustrated from the loss of his majesty's ship +_Bounty_. + +We had now completed our water from an excellent spring, out of a rock +close to the water's edge, at Offaree. + +King Ottoo, and his queen Edea, came on board, and were very importunate +in their solicitations to Capt. Edwards, requesting him to take them to +England with him. Aeredy, the concubine, likewise requested the same +favour; but she more generously begged they might all three go together. +But Oripai, and the other chiefs, remonstrated against his going, as they +were on the eve of a war. + +We were now perfectly ready for sea; and as Capt. Cook's picture is +presented to all strangers, it is customary for navigators to write their +observations on the back of it; so our arrival and departure was notified +upon it. + +The ship was filled with cocoa-nuts and fruit, as many pigs, goats, and +fowls, as the decks and boats would hold. The dismal day of our departure +now arrived. This I believe was the first time that an Englishman got up +his anchor, at the remotest part of the globe, with a heavy heart, to go +home to his own country. Every canoe almost in the island was hovering +round the ship; and they began to mourn, as is customary for the death of +a near relation. They bared their bodies, cut their heads with shells, +and smeared their breasts and shoulders with the warm blood, as it +streamed down; and as the blood ceased flowing, they renewed the wounds +in their head, attended with a dismal yell. + +Ottoo now took leave of us; and, with the tears trickling down his +cheeks, begged to be remembered to King George. The tender was put in +commission, and the command of her given to Mr. Oliver the master's mate, +Mr. Renouard a midshipman, James Dodds a quartermaster; and six privates +were put on board of her. She was decked, beautifully built, and the size +of a Gravesend boat. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[91-1] First printed at Berwick in 1793. + +[96-1] Afternoon entertainments. + +[117-1] Compare the ravages of the great Lila (wasting sickness) in Fiji, +and the accounts of similar visitations following on the first visit of +an European ship to an insular people. (The Fijians, p. 243). + + + + +CHAP. II. + +VOYAGE FROM OTAHEITE TO ANAMOOKA. + + +WITH a pleasant breeze, on the evening of the 8th of May, passed Emea or +York Island, contiguous to, and in sight of Otaheite. It is governed by +Matuara, brother-in-law to Ottoo. It is a pleasant romantic looking spot, +with very high hills upon it, and about twelve miles in circumference. +They were lately attacked by some neighbouring power, and Matuara +requested the lend of a musket from his friend and ally. When peace was +restored, Ottoo sent for his musket. Matuara represented, that as a man, +from a sense of honour, he wished to return it; but that as a king, the +love he bore his subjects prevented him complying with the request. That +single musket, and a few cartridges, gives him no small degree of +consequence, and are retained as the royal dower of his wife. + +Next morning we reached Huaheine, and sent the boats on shore in Owharre +Bay. As Oedidy the chief requested to go with us to Whytutakee, he went +on shore with the officers, in their search for intelligence of the +mutineers; but they returned without success. + +Here we learned the fate of Omai, the native of Otaheite, whom Captain +Cook brought from England. On his return here he had wealth enough to +obtain every fine woman on the island; and at last fell a martyr to +Venus, having finished his career by the venereal disease, two years +after his landing. His house and garden are still standing; but his +musket occasioned a war after his death, and was found in the possession +of a native of Ulitea. His servant was on board of us, but had not +retained a single article of his property. + +On the 10th, we examined Ulitea and Otaha, interchanged presents with the +natives, and landed in Chamanen's Bay; but got no information. + +We examined Bolobola on the 11th; and Tatahu, the king, honoured us with +a visit. The people of this island are of a more warlike disposition than +any other of the Society Islands; and on account of that national +ferocity of character, are much caressed by the Otaheitans and +neighbouring islands. They are sensible of their pre-eminence, and boast +of their country, in whatever island you meet them. They are tatooed in a +particular manner; and whether they may have spread their conquests, or +other nations imitated them, I could not learn; but a prodigious number, +in islands we afterwards visited, were tatooed in their fashion. What was +most singular, we saw some with the glans of the penis entirely tatooed; +and our men, from being tatooed in the legs, arms, and breast, places of +much less sensation, were often lame for a week, from the excruciating +torture of the operation. Tatahu likewise informed us there were no white +men on Tubai, a small island to the northward of Bolobola, and under his +jurisdiction; nor upon Mauruah, another island in sight, and to the +westward of Bolobola. He also mentioned another island, which he called +Mopehah. Here Oedidy went on shore; but getting drunk in meeting some of +his old friends, he fell asleep, and lost his passage. On the 12th we +left Mauruah, and on the 13th lost sight of the Society Islands. + +Here one of the prisoners begged to speak with the Captain, and gave +information of Mr. Christian's intended rout. + +We now shaped our course to fall in to the eastward of Whytutakee, an +island discovered by Capt. Bligh, and on the 19th made the island. We +sent the boat on shore, covered by the tender, to examine it; but found +it a thing impossible for the _Bounty_ to have been there; and the +natives said they had seen no white people. They were very shy, and we +could not coax them on board. One of them recollected having seen Lieut. +Hayward on board the _Bounty_. Here we purchased from the natives a spear +of most exquisite workmanship. It was nine feet long, and cut in the form +of a Gothic spire, all its ornaments being executed in a kind of alto +relievo; which, from the slow progress they made with stone tools, must +have been the labour of a man's whole life. + +Here nature begins to assume a ruder aspect; and the silken bands of love +gives way to the rustic garniture of war. The natives of either sex wear +no cloathing, but a girdle of stained leaves round their middle, and the +men a gorget, of the exact shape and size as at present wore by officers +in our service. It is made of the pearl oyster-shell. The centre is +black, and the transparent part of the shell is left as an edge or border +to it, which gives it a very fine effect. It is slung round their neck +with a band of human hair, or the fibres of cocoa nut-shell, of admirable +texture, and a rose worked at each corner of the gorget, the same as the +military jemmy of the present day. + +We now began to discover, that the ladies of Otaheite had left us many +warm tokens of their affection. + +Instructions were given to the commander of the tender to be particular +in guarding against surprise, and a rendezvous established, in case of +separation; and on Sunday, the 22nd of May, made Palmerston's Islands. + +The tender's signal was made to cover the boats in landing; and some +natives were seen rowing across the lagoon to a considerable distance. +Soon after their landing, Lieut. Corner and his party discovered a yard +and some spars marked _Bounty_, and the broad arrow upon them. When this +intelligence was communicated to the ship, a signal was made to the party +on shore to advance with great circumspection, and to guard against +surprise. Mr. Rickards, the master's mate, went in the cutter, and made a +circuit of the island. + +Lieuts. Corner and Hayward landed on the different isles with +cork-jackets; but the surf running very high all round, rendered it +exceedingly dangerous, and in many places impracticable. Had they not +been expert swimmers, in duty of this kind, they must have certainly been +drowned, as they had not only themselves and the party to take care of, +but the arms and ammunition to land dry. + +About four o'clock in the afternoon, Mr. Sival the midshipman came on +board in the jolly-boat, and brought with him several very curious +stained canoes, representing the figure of men, fishes, and beasts. He +had committed some mistake in the orders he was sent to execute, and was +ordered to return immediately to rectify it; but the boat did not come +back again. A few minutes after she left the ship, the weather became +thick and hazy, and began to blow fresh; so that, even with the +assistance of glasses, they could not see whether she made the shore or +not. It continued to blow during the night, so as to prevent the party on +shore from coming on board. They had been employed during the day in +searching all the islands with particular attention, having every reason +to suspect the mutineers were there, from finding the _Bounty's_ yard and +spars. But at last, wore out with fatigue in marching, and swimming +through so many reefs, and having no victuals the whole day, in the +evening they began to forage for something to eat. The gigantic cockle +was the only thing that presented. Of the shell of one they made a +kettle, to boil some junks of it in. (It may be necessary here to remark, +for the information of those who are not acquainted with it, that there +are some of them larger than three men can carry.) Of this coarse fare, +and some cocoa-nuts, they made shift, with the assistance of a good +appetite, to make a tolerable hearty supper; they then set the watch, and +went to sleep. They had thrown a large nut on the fire before they lay +down, and forgot it; but in the middle of the night, the milk of the +cocoa-nut became so expanded with the heat, that it burst with a great +explosion. Their minds had been so much engaged in the course of the day +with the enterprise they were employed in, expecting muskets to be fired +at them from every bush, that they all jumped up, seized their arms, and +were some time before they could undeceive themselves that they were +really not attacked. + +In the morning the boats returned; and we were much concerned to hear +that they had seen nothing of the jolly-boat. The tender received a fresh +supply of provisions and ammunition; at the same time they had orders to +cruise in a certain direction, to look for the jolly-boat; and +Palmerston's Isles was appointed as a rendezvous to meet again. Lieut. +Corner now came on board, in a canoe not much bigger than a butcher's +tray. The cutter was sent a second time to search the reefs, but returned +without success. We then run down with the ship in the direction the wind +had blown the preceding day, in hopes of finding the boat; but after a +whole day's run to leeward, and working up again by traverses to the +isles, saw nothing of her. The tender hove in sight in the evening, and +we again searched the isles without success. All further hopes of seeing +her were given up, and we proceeded on our voyage. It may be difficult to +surmise what has been the fate of these unfortunate men. They had a +piece of salt-beef thrown into the boat to them on leaving the ship; and +it rained a good deal that night and the following day, which might +satiate their thirst. It is by these accidents the Divine Ruler of the +universe has peopled the southern hemisphere.[126-1] + +Here are innumerable islands in perpetual growth. The coral, a marine +vegetable, with which the South Seas in every part abounds, is +continually shooting up from the bottom to the surface, which at first +forms lagoon islands; and the water in the centre is evaporated by the +heat of the sun, till at last a terra firma is completed. In this state +it would for ever remain a barren sand, had not Divine Providence given +birth to the cocoa-nut tree, whose fruit is so protected with a hard +shell, that after floating about for a twelve-month in the sea, it will +vegetate, take root, and grow in those salt marshes, lagoons, incipient +islands, or what you please to call them. Their roots serve to bind the +surface of the coral; and the annual shedding of their leaves, in time +creates a soil which produces a verdure or undergrowth. This affords a +favourite resting-place to sea-fowls, and the whole feathered race, who +in their dung drop the seeds of shrubs, fruits, and plants; by which +means all the variety of the vegetable kingdom is disseminated. At last +the variegated landscape rises to the view; and when the divine +Architect has finished his work, it becomes then a residence for man. + +From the various accidents incident to man in the early stages of +society, their wants, and the restless spirit inherent in their natures, +they are tempted to dare the elements, either in fishing, commerce, or +war; and from their temerity are often blown to remote and uninhabited +islands. Distressing accidents of this nature often happening to +inhabitants of the South Seas, they now seldom undertake any hazardous +enterprise by water without a woman, and a sow with pig, being in the +canoe with them; by which means, if they are cast on any of those +uninhabited islands, they fix their abode. + +Their remote situation from European powers has deprived them of the +culture of civilised life, as they neither serve to swell the ambitious +views of conquest, nor the avarice of commerce. Here the sacred finger of +Omnipotence has interposed, and rendered our vices the instruments of +virtue; and although that unfortunate man Christian has, in a rash +unguarded moment, been tempted to swerve from his duty to his king and +country, as he is in other respects of an amiable character and +respectable abilities, should he elude the hand of justice, it may be +hoped he will employ his talents in humanizing the rude savages; so that, +at some future period, a British Ilion may blaze forth in the south with +all the characteristic virtues of the English nation, and complete the +great prophecy, by propagating the Christian knowledge amongst the +infidels. As Christian has taken fourteen beautiful women with him from +Otaheite, there is little doubt of his intention of colonising some +undiscovered island. + +On the 6th day of June, we discovered an island, which was named the Duke +of York's island. Lieuts. Corner and Hayward were sent out to examine it +in the two yauls, covered by the tender. Some huts being discovered by +the ship, a signal was immediately made for the party on shore to be on +their guard, and to advance with caution. + +Soon after their arrival on shore, a ship's wooden buoy was discovered. +On searching the huts, nets of different sizes were found hanging in +them, and a variety of fishing utensils. Stages and wharfs were likewise +discovered in different parts of the creek, which led us to imagine it +was only an island resorted to in the fishing season by some neighbouring +nation. The skeleton of a very large fish, supposed to be a whale, was +found near the beach; and a place of venerable aspect, formed entirely by +the hand of Nature, and resembling a Druidical temple, commanded their +attention. The falling of a very large old tree, formed an arch, through +which the interior part of the temple was seen, which heightened the +perspective, and gave a romantic solemn dignity to the scene. At the +extreme end of the temple, three altars were placed, the centre one +higher than the other two, on which some white shells were piled in +regular order.[128-1] + +After traversing the island, they returned to the huts, and hung up a few +knives, looking-glasses, and some little articles of European +manufacture, that the natives, on their return, might know the island had +been visited. + +On the 12th, we discovered another island, which was named the Duke of +Clarence's island. In running along the land, we saw several canoes +crossing the lagoons. The tender's signal was made, to cover the boats in +landing, and Lieuts. Corner and Hayward sent to reconnoitre the beach, to +discover a landing-place. In this duty they came pretty near some of the +natives in their canoes, who made signs of peace to them; but, either +from fear or business, avoided having any intercourse with us. Morais, +or burying-places, were likewise found here, which indicated it to be a +principal residence. Here they find some old cocoa trees hollowed +longitudinally, as tanks or reservoirs for the rain water. + +On the 18th, we discovered an island of more considerable extent than any +island that has hitherto been discovered in the south; and as there were +many collateral circumstances which might hereafter promise it to be a +discovery of national importance, in honour of the first lord of the +admiralty, it was called Chatham's Island. It is beautifully diversified +with hills and dales, of twice the extent of Otaheite, and a hardy +warlike race of people. The natives described a large river to us, which +disembogued itself into a spacious bay, that promises excellent +anchorage.[129-1] Here we learned the death of Fenow, king of Anamooka, +from one of his family of the same name, who had a finger cut off in +mourning for him. After trading a whole day with the natives, who seemed +fair and honourable in their dealings, we examined it without success, +and proceeded on our voyage. + +On the 21st we discovered a very considerable island, of about forty +miles long. It was named by the natives Otutuelah. Capt. Edwards gave no +name to it; but should posterity derive the advantages from it which it +at present promises, I presume it may hereafter be called Edwards's +island.[129-2] + +It is well wooded with immense large trees, whose foliage spreads like +the oak; and there is a deal of shrubbery on it, bearing a yellow flower. +The natives are remarkably handsome. Some of them had their skins tinged +with yellow, as a mark of distinction, which at first led us to imagine +they were diseased. Neither sex wear any cloathing but a girdle of +leaves round their middle, stained with different colours. The women +adorn their hair with chaplets of sweet-smelling flowers and bracelets, +and necklaces of flowers round their wrists and neck. + +On their first coming on board, they trembled for fear. They were +perfectly ignorant of fire-arms, never having seen a European ship +before. They made many gestures of submission, and were struck with +wonder and surprise at every thing they saw. Amongst other things, they +brought us some most remarkable fine puddings, which abounded with +aromatic spiceries, that excelled in taste and flavour the most delicate +seed-cake. As we have never hitherto known of spices or aromatics being +in the South Seas, it is certainly a matter worthy the investigation of +some future circumnavigators. We traded with them the whole day, and got +many curiosities. Birds and fowls, of the most splendid plumage, were +brought on board, some resembling the peacock, and a great variety of the +parrot kind. + +One woman amongst many others came on board. She was six feet high, of +exquisite beauty, and exact symmetry, being naked, and unconscious of her +being so, added a lustre to her charms; for, in the words of the poet, +"She needed not the foreign ornaments of dress; careless of beauty, she +was beauty's self." + +Many mouths were watering for her; but Capt. Edwards, with great humanity +and prudence, had given previous orders, that no woman should be +permitted to go below, as our health had not quite recovered the shock it +received at Otaheite; and the lady was obliged to be contented with +viewing the great cabin, where she was shewn the wonders of the Lord on +the face of the mighty deep. Before evening, the women went all on shore, +and the men began to be troublesome and pilfering. The third lieutenant +had a new coat stole out of his cabin; and they were making off with +every bit of iron they could lay hands on. + +It now came on to blow fresh, and we were obliged to make off from the +land. Those who were engaged in trade on board were so anxious, that we +had got almost out of sight of their canoes before they perceived the +ship's motion, when they all jumped into the water like a flock of wild +geese; but one fellow, more earnest than the rest, hung by the rudder +chains for a mile or two, thinking to detain her. + +This evening, at five o'clock, we unfortunately parted company, and lost +sight of our tender. False fires were burnt, and great guns and small +arms were fired without success, as it came on thick blowing weather. + +We cruised for her all the 23rd and 24th, near where we parted company, +which was off a piece of remarkable high land. What was most unfortunate, +water and provisions were then on deck for her, which were intended to +have been put on board of her in the morning. She had the day before +received orders, in case of separation, to rendezvous at Anamooka, and to +wait there for us. A small cag of salt, and another of nails and +iron-ware, were likewise put on board of her, to traffic with the +Indians, and the latitudes and longitudes of the places we would touch +at, in our intended rout. She had a boarding netting fixed, to prevent +her being boarded, and several seven-barrelled pieces and blunderbusses +put on board of her. + +As we proceeded to the eastward, we saw another island, which we knew to +be one of the navigator's isles, discovered by Mons. Bougainville. On the +28th, in the morning, saw the Happai Islands, discovered by Capt. Cook, +and before noon, the group of islands to the eastward of Anamooka, and +sailed down between Little Anamooka and the Fallafagee Island. + +On the 29th, we anchored in the road of Anamooka. Immediately on our +arrival, a large sailing canoe was hired, and Lieut. Hayward and one +private sent to the Happai and Feegee Islands,[132-1] to make inquiry +after the _Bounty_ and our tender; but received no intelligence. Here +they found an axe, which had been left by Capt. Cook, and bartered with +the natives of the different islands for hogs, yams, &c. + +The people of Anamooka are the most daring set of robbers in the South +Seas; and, with the greatest deference and submission to Capt. Cook, I +think the name of Friendly Isles is a perfect misnomer, as their +behaviour to himself, to us, and to Capt. Bligh's unfortunate boat at +Murderer's Cove, pretty clearly evinces. Indeed Murderer's Cove, in the +Friendly Isles, is saying a volume on the subject. + +Two or three of the officers were taking a walk on shore one evening, who +had the precaution to take their pistols with them. They seemed to crowd +round us with more than idle curiosity; but, on presenting the pistols to +them, they sheered off. The Captain soon joined us, and brought his +servant with him, carrying a bag of nails, and some trifling presents, +which he meant to distribute amongst them; but he took the bag from him, +and dispatched him with a message to the boat, on which the crowd +followed him. As soon as he got out of our sight, they stripped him +naked, and robbed him of his cloaths, and every article he had, but one +shoe, which he used for concealing his nakedness. At this juncture Lieut. +Hayward arrived from his expedition, and called the assistance of the +guard in searching for the robbers. We saw the natives all running, and +dodging behind the trees, which led us to suspect there was some mischief +brewing; but we soon discovered the great Irishman, with his shoe full +in one hand, and a bayonet in the other, naked and foaming mad with +revenge on the natives, for the treatment he had received. Night coming +on, we went on board, without recovering the poor fellow's cloathes. + +Next day we were honoured with a visit from Tatafee, king of Anamooka, +who was of lineal descent from the same family that reigned in the island +when discovered by Tasman, the Dutch circumnavigator; and the story of +his landing and supplying them with dogs and hogs, is handed down, by +oral tradition, to this day.[133-1] + +Here society may be said to exist in the second stage with respect to +Otaheite. As land is scarcer, private property is more exactly +ascertained, and each man's possession fenced in with a beautiful Chinese +railing. Highways, and roads leading to public places, are neatly fenced +in on each side, and a handsome approach to their houses by a +gravel-walk, with shubbery planted with some degree of taste on each side +of it. Many of them had rows of pine apples on each side of the avenue. +Messrs. Hayward and Corner, with their usual benevolence, took much pains +in teaching them the manner of transplanting their pine-apples; which +hint they immediately adopted, and were very thankful for any advice, +either in rearing their fruit, or cultivating their ground. The shaddocks +are superior in flavour to those of the West Indies; and they will soon +have oranges from what we have left amongst them. + +The women here are extremely beautiful; and although they want that +feminine softness of manners which the Otaheite women possess in so +eminent a degree, their matchless vivacity, and fine animated +countenances, compensate the want of the softer blandishments of their +sister island. + +There is a favourite amusement of the ladies here, (the cup and ball), +such as children play at in England. It serves to give them a degage kind +of air, by which means you have a more elegant display of their charms. +They are well aware of their fascinating powers, and use them with as +much address as our fine women do notting, and other acts of industry. +Trade went briskly on. They brought abundance of hogs, and several ton +weight of very excellent yams. We found that the pork took salt, and was +cured much better here than at Otaheite. + +Many beautiful girls were brought on board for sale by their mothers, who +were very exorbitant in their demands, as nothing less than a broad axe +would satisfy them; but after standing their market three days, _la +pucelage_ fell to an old razor, a pair of scissors, or a very large nail. +Indeed this trade was pushed to so great a height, that the quarter-deck +became the scene of the most indelicate familiarities. Nor did the +unfeeling mothers commiserate with the pain and suffering of the poor +girls, but seemed to enjoy it as a monstrous good thing. It is customary +here, when girls meet with an accident of this kind, that a council of +matrons is held, and the noviciate has a gash made in her fore finger. We +soon observed a number of cut fingers amongst them; and had the razors +held out, I believe all the girls in the island would have undergone the +same operation. + +A party was sent on shore to cut wood for fuel, and grass for the sheep; +but they would not permit a blade of grass to be cut till they were paid +for it. + +The watering party shared the same fate; and notwithstanding a guard of +armed men were sent to protect the others whilst on that duty, the +natives were continually harassing them, and commiting depredations. One +of them came behind Lieut. Corner, and made a blow at him with his club, +which luckily missed his head, and only stunned him in the back of the +neck; and, while in that state, snatched his handkerchief from him; but +Mr. Corner recovering before the thief got out of sight, levelled his +piece and shot him dead. + +Tatafee[135-1] the king was going to collect tribute from the islands +under his jurisdiction, and went in the frigate to Tofoa; but previous to +our sailing, a letter was left to Mr. Oliver, the commander of the +tender, should he chance to arrive before our return, with Macaucala, a +principal chief. In the night, the burning mountain on Tofoa exhibited a +very grand spectacle; and in the morning two canoes were sent on shore, +to announce the arrival of those two great personages, Tatafee and +Toobou, who went on shore in the _Pandora's_ barge, to give them more +consequence; but the tributary princes came off in canoes, to do homage +to Tatafee before he reached the shore. They came alongside the barge, +lowered their heads over the side of the canoe, and Tatafee, agreeable to +their custom, put his foot upon their heads. When on shore, what presents +he had received from us, he distributed amongst his subjects, with a +liberality worthy of a great prince. + +Some of the people were here who behaved with such savage barbarity to +Capt. Bligh's boat at Murderer's Cove. They perfectly recollected Mr. +Hayward, and seemed to shrink from him. Captain Edwards took much pains +with Tatafee, the king, to make him sensible of his disapprobation of +their conduct to Capt. Bligh's boat. But conciliatory and gentle means +were all that could be enjoined at present, lest our tender should fall +in amongst them. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[126-1] This gives occasion for a splenetic and unjust tirade from an +anonymous writer in the _United Service Journal_ for 1831: "When this +boat with a midshipman and several men (four) had been inhumanely ordered +from alongside, it was known that there was nothing in her but one piece +of salt beef, compassionately thrown in by a seaman; and horrid as must +have been their fate, the flippant surgeon, after detailing the +disgraceful fact, adds 'that this is the way the world was peopled,' or +words to that effect, for we quote only from memory." With a fresh E.S.E. +breeze and no provisions there can be little doubt that Midshipman Sival +perished at sea, but neither Edwards nor Hamilton are to be censured, the +former for despatching a boat on ordinary duty, the latter for penning a +platitude. + +[128-1] This suggests the Fijian _Nanga_, or 'bed of the ancestors,' a +cult introduced by native castaways many generations ago. These castaways +may have been Polynesians. + +[129-1] Savaii in the Samoa group. See p. 49 _ante_. + +[129-2] It is known by its native name, Tutuila. + +[132-1] A mistake. Hayward visited Huapai only. + +[133-1] Tasman visited Namuka in 1642. + +[135-1] Fatafehi. + + + + +CHAP. III. + +VOYAGE FROM ANAMOOKA, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE LOSS OF THE _PANDORA_. + + +THE wind not permitting us to visit Tongataboo, we proceeded to Catooa +and Navigator's Isles, the loss of our tender having prevented us from +doing it before, and endeavoured to fall in with the eastermost of these +islands. + +On the morning of the 12th of July, we discovered a cluster of islands in +the N.W. quarter; but the wind being favourable for us, left examining of +them till our return to the Friendly Isles.[136-1] On the 14th, in the +forenoon, saw three isles, supposed to be the cluster of isles called by +Bougainville Navigator's Isles. The largest the natives called +Tumaluah.[136-2] We passed them at a little distance, and found much +intreaty necessary to bring them on board. + +On the 15th, we saw another island, which proved to be Otutuelah,[136-3] +which has been already described. Here we found some of the French +navigator's cloathing and buttons; and there is little doubt but they +have murdered them.[136-4] + +On the 18th, saw the group of islands we discovered on our way here; and +on the 19th, ran down the north side till we came to an opening, where we +saw the sea on the other side. A sound is formed here by some islands to +the south east and north west, and interior bays, which promises better +anchorage than any other place in the Friendly Isles. The natives told us +there were excellent watering-places in several different parts within +the sound. The country is well wooded. Several of the inferior chiefs +were on board, one of the Tatafee, and one of the Toobou family; but the +principal chief was not on board. We supposed he was coming off just as +we sailed.[137-1] The natives in general were very fair and honourable in +their dealings. They were more inoffensive and better behaved than any we +had seen for some time. They have frequent intercourse with Anamooka, and +their religion, customs, and language, are the same. + +A number of beautiful paroquets were brought off by the natives, all +remarkable for the richness and variety of their plumage. + +The group of islands was called Howe's Islands, but were particularly +distinguished by the names of Barrington's, Sawyer's, Hotham's, and +Jarvis's Islands. The sound itself was called Curtis's Sound. Under the +general denomination of Howe's Islands, were included several islands to +the south east, to which we gave no particular name, and two more islands +to the westward, called Bickerton's Islands, including two small islands +near the above. There seems to be a tolerable landing-place on the +north-west side of Gardner's Island. All this part of the island has a +most barren aspect. There were evident marks of volcanic eruptions having +happened. The very singular appearance which this part of the island +presented, I cannot omit mentioning; it bore the figure of a piece of +flat table-land, without the slightest eminence or indentation, and smoke +was issuing from the edges, round its whole circumference. + +On the 23rd, we passed an inhabited island, which we supposed to be the +Pylestaart island. It has two remarkable high peaks upon it. + +On the 26th, we saw Middleburg Island, and run down between it and Euah; +examined it without success; passed Tongatabu; got some provisions here, +but found the water brackish. + +On the 29th, we anchored again in the road of Anamooka. We were sorry to +hear the tender had not been there. On the 5th of August, we again +proceeded on our voyage. As the occurrences at this time bore some +semblance to the transactions in our last visit, to avoid wounding the +delicate, or satiating the licentious, we shall conclude in the torpid +phraseology of the log, with ditto repeated. + +Every thing being ready for sea on the 3d day of August, we sailed from +Anamooka; and on the 5th, discovered an island of some considerable +extent, called by the natives Onooafow,[138-1] which we called Proby's +Island, in honour of Commissioner Proby. We traded with the inhabitants +for some hours. The land was hilly, and the houses of much larger +construction than we had observed in those seas. + +We were now convinced that we were further to the westward than we +imagined, and therefore shaped a course to fall in to the eastward of +Wallis's Island; and next day fell in with it. We gave presents, as +customary, to the first boat; who, from a theft they committed, were +afraid to return. Their cheek-bones were much bruised and flattened, and +some had both their little fingers cut off.[138-2] + +We bore away, intending to steer in the track of Carteret and Bligh, +between Spirito Santo and Santa Cruz; and on the 8th saw land to the +westward. We sounded, but found no bottom. We run down the island, and +saw a vast number of houses amongst the trees. It is very hilly, and, +from the great height of some of them, may be called mountains. They are +cultivated to the top; the reason of which, I presume, is from its being +so full of inhabitants. It is about seven miles long; and being a new +discovery, we called it Grenville's Island, in honour of Lord Grenville. +The name the natives gave it is Rotumah. They came off in a fleet of +canoes, rested on their paddles, and gave the war-hoop at stated periods. +They were all armed with clubs, and meant to attack us; but the magnitude +and novelty of such an object as a man of war, struck them with a mixture +of wonder and fear. They were, however, perfectly ignorant of fire-arms, +and seemed much startled at the report of a musket, were too shy to stand +the experiment of a great gun. As they came off with hostile intentions, +they brought no women with them. + +They wore necklaces, bracelets, and girdles of white shells. Their bodies +were curiously marked with the figures of men, dogs, fishes, and birds, +upon every part of them; so that every man was a moving landscape. These +marks were all raised, and done, I suppose, by pinching up the skin. + +They were great adepts in thieving, and uncommonly athletic and strong. +One fellow was making off with some booty, but was detected; and although +five of the stoutest men in the ship were hanging upon him, and had fast +hold of his long flowing black hair, he overpowered them all, and jumped +overboard with his prize. There is a high promontory on this island, +which we named Mount Temple. + +On the 11th, no land being then in sight, we run over a reef of coral, in +eleven fathom water. We were much alarmed, but passed it in five minutes; +and on sounding immediately afterwards, found no bottom. This was called +Pandora's Reef. + +On the 12th, in the morning, we discovered an island well wooded, but not +inhabited. It had two remarkable promontories on it, one resembling a +mitre, and the other a steeple; from whence we called it Mitre Island. We +passed it, and stood to the westward; and at ten, the same morning, +discovered another island to the north west. It is entirely cultivated, +and a vast number of inhabitants, though only a mile in length. The beach +from the east, round by the south, is a white sand, but too much surf for +a boat to attempt to land. In gratitude for the many good things we had +on board, and the very high state of preservation in which they kept, we +called this Cherry's Island, in honour of ---- Cherry, Esq; Commissioner +of the Victualling-office.[140-1] + +On the 13th of August, we discovered another island to the north west. It +is mountainous, and covered with wood to the very summit. We saw no +inhabitants, but smoke in many different parts of it, from which it may +be presumed it is inhabited. This we called Pitt's Island.[140-2] + +On the 17th, at midnight, we discovered breakers on each bow. We had just +room to wear ship; and as this merciful escape was from the vigilance of +one Wells, who was looking out ahead, it was called Wells's Shoals. Those +hair-breadth escapes may point out the propriety of a consort. In the +morning, at day-light, we put about, to examine the danger we were in, +and found we had got embayed in a double reef, which will very soon be an +island. We run round its north west end, and on the 23d saw land, which +we supposed to be the Luisiade, a cape bearing north east and by east. We +called it Cape Rodney. Another contiguous to it was called Cape Hood; +and a mountain between them, we named Mount Clarence. + +After passing Cape Hood, the land appears lower, and to trench away about +north west, forming a deep bay; and it may be doubted whether it joins +New Guinea or not. + +We pursued our course to the westward, keeping Endeavour Straits open, by +which means we hoped to avoid the dangers Capt. Cook met with in higher +latitudes. + +On the 25th, saw breakers; hauled up, and passed to the westward of them; +the sea broke very gently on them. To these we gave the name of Look-out +Shoals. Before noon we saw more breakers, the reef of which was composed +of very large stones, and called it Stony-reef Island. + +On seeing obstruction to the southward, stood to the westward, where +there appeared to be an opening. We saw an island in that direction, and +a reef extending a considerable way to the north west. Hauled upon the +wind, seeing our passage obstructed, and stood off and on, under an easy +sail in the night, till daylight; and in the morning bore away, and +discovered four islands, to which the name of Murray's Islands was given. +On the top of the largest, there was something resembling a +fortification. We saw at the same time three two-masted boats. We kept +running along the reef, and in the forenoon thought we saw an opening. +Lieut. Corner was immediately ordered to get ready, to discover if there +was a passage for the ship, and went to the topmasthead, to look well +round him before he left us. It was judged necessary that he should take +with him an axe, some fuel, provisions, a little water, and a compass, +previous to his departure. + +It was now the 28th of August. It had lately been our custom to lay to in +the night, M. Bougainville having represented this part of the ocean as +exceedingly dangerous; and it certainly is the boldest piece of +navigation that has ever yet been attempted. We would gladly have +continued the same custom; but the great length of the voyage would not +permit it, as, after we had passed to the wastward of Bougainville's +track, the ocean was perfectly unexplored. + +At five in the afternoon, a signal was made from the boat, that a passage +through the reef was discovered for the ship; but wishing to be well +informed in so intricate a business, and the day being far spent, we +waited the boats coming on board, made a signal to expedite her, and +afterwards repeated it. Night closing fast upon us, and considering our +former misfortunes of losing the tender and jolly-boat, rendered it +necessary, both for the preservation of the boat, and the success of the +voyage, to endeavour, by every possible means, to get hold of her. + +False fires were burnt, and muskets fired from the ship, and answered by +the boat reciprocally; and as the flashes from their muskets were +distinctly seen by us, she was reasonably soon expected on board. We now +sounded, but had no bottom with a hundred and ten fathom line, till past +seven o'clock, when we got ground in fifty fathom. The boat was now seen +close under the stern; we were at the same time lying to, to prevent the +ship fore-reaching. Immediately on sounding this last time, the topsails +were filled; but before the tacks were hauled on board, and the sails +trimmed, she struck on a reef of rocks, and at that instant the boat got +on board. Every possible effort was attempted to get her off by the +sails; but that failing, they were furled, and the boats hoisted out with +a view to carry out an anchor. Before that was accomplished, the +carpenter reported she made eighteen inches water in five minutes; and in +a quarter of an hour more, she had nine feet water in the hold. + +The hands were immediately turned to the pumps, and to bale at the +different hatchways. Some of the prisoners were let out of irons, and +turned to the pumps. At this dreadful crisis, it blew very violently; and +she beat so hard upon the rocks, that we expected her, every minute, to +go to pieces. It was an exceeding dark, stormy night; and the gloomy +horrors of death presented us all round, being every where encompassed +with rocks, shoals, and broken water. About ten she beat over the reef; +and we let go the anchor in fifteen fathom water. + +The guns were ordered to be thrown overboard; and what hands could be +spared from the pumps, were employed thrumbing a topsail to haul under +her bottom, to endeavour to fodder her. To add to our distress, at this +juncture one of the chain-pumps gave way; and she gained fast upon us. +The scheme of the topsail was now laid aside, and every soul fell to +baling and pumping. All the boats, excepting one, were obliged to keep a +long distance off on account of the broken water, and the very high surf +that was running near us. We baled between life and death; for had she +gone down before day-light, every soul must have perished. She now took a +heel, and some of the guns they were endeavouring to throw over board run +down to leeward, which crushed one man to death; about the same time, a +spare topmast came down from the booms, and killed another man. + +The people now became faint at the pumps, and it was necessary to give +them some refreshment. We had luckily between decks a cask of excellent +strong ale, which we brewed at Anamooka. This was tapped, and served +regularly to all hands, which was much preferable to spirits, as it gave +them strength without intoxication. During this trying occasion, the men +behaved with the utmost intrepidity and obedience, not a man flinching +from his post. We continually cheered them at the pumps with the delusive +hopes of its being soon day-light. + +About half an hour before day-break, a council of war was held amongst +the officers; and as she was then settling fast down in the water, it was +their unanimous opinion, that nothing further could be done for the +preservation of his Majesty's ship; and it was their next care to save +the lives of the crew. To effect which, spars, booms, hen-coops, and +every thing buoyant was cut loose, that when she went down, they might +chance to get hold of something. The prisoners were ordered to be let out +of irons. The water was now coming faster in at the gun-ports than the +pumps could discharge; and to this minute the men never swerved from +their duty. She now took a very heavy heel, so much that she lay quite +down on one side. + +One of the officers now told the Captain, who was standing aft, that the +anchor on our bow was under water; that she was then going; and, bidding +him farewell, jumped over the quarter into the water. The Captain then +followed his example, and jumped after him. At that instant she took her +last heel; and, while every one were scrambling to windward, she sunk in +an instant. The crew had just time to leap over board, accompanying it +with a most dreadful yell. The cries of the men drowning in the water was +at first awful in the extreme; but as they sunk, and became faint, it +died away by degrees. The boats, who were at some considerable distance +in the drift of the tide, in about half an hour, or little better, picked +up the remainder of our wretched crew. + +Morning now dawned, and the sun shone out. A sandy key, four miles off, +and about thirty paces long, afforded us a resting place; and when all +the boats arrived, we mustered our remains, and found that thirty-five +men and four prisoners were drowned. + +After we had a little recovered our strength, the first care was to haul +up the boats. A guard was placed over the prisoners. Providentially a +small barrel of water, a cag of wine, some biscuit, and a few muskets and +cartouch boxes, had been thrown into the boat. The heat of the sun, and +the reflection from the sand, was now excruciating; and our stomachs +being filled with salt water, from the great length of time we were +swimming before we were picked up, rendered our thirst most intolerable; +and no water was allowed to be served out the first day. By a calculation +which we made, by filling the compass boxes, and every utensil we had, we +could admit an allowance of two small wine glasses of water a-day to each +man for sixteen days. + +A saw and hammer had fortunately been in one of the boats, which enabled +us, with the greater expedition, to make preparations for our voyage, by +repairing one of the boats, which was in a very bad state, and cutting up +the floor-boards of all the boats into uprights, round which we stretched +canvas, to keep the water from breaking into the boats at sea. We made +tents of the boats' sails; and when it was dark, we set the watch, and +went to sleep. In the night we were disturbed by the irregular behaviour +of one Connell, which led us to suspect he had stole our wine, and got +drunk; but, on further inquiry, we found that the excruciating torture he +suffered from thirst led him to drink salt water; by which means he went +mad, and died in the sequel of the voyage. + +Next morning Mr. George Passmore, the master, was dispatched in one of +the boats to visit the wreck, to see if any thing floated round her that +might be useful to us in our present distressed state. He returned in two +hours, and brought with him a cat, which he found clinging to the +top-gallant-mast-head; a piece of the top-gallant-mast, which he cut +away; and about fifteen feet of the lightning chain; which being copper, +we cut up, and converted into nails for fitting out the boats. Some of +the gigantic cockle was boiled, and cut into junks, lest any one should +be inclined to eat. But our thirst was too excessive to bear any thing +which would increase it. This evening a wine glass of water was served to +each man. A paper-parcel of tea having been thrown into the boat, the +officers joined all their allowance, and had tea in the Captain's tent +with him. When it was boiled, every one took a salt-cellar spoonful, and +passed it to his neighbour; by which means we moistened our mouths by +slow degrees, and received much refreshment from it. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[136-1] Vavau. + +[136-2] Manua. + +[136-3] Tutuila. + +[136-4] De Langle's boat had been cut off on 10 Dec. 1787. + +[137-1] Finau Ulukalala. + +[138-1] Niuafoou. + +[138-2] A sign of mourning. + +[140-1] Anula. + +[140-2] Vanikoro. + + + + +CHAP. IV. + +VOYAGE FROM THE WRECK TO THE ISLAND OF TIMOR. + + +EVERY thing being ready on the following day, at twelve o'clock, we +embarked in our little squadron, each boat having been previously +supplied with the latitude and longitude of the island of Timor, eleven +hundred miles from this place. + +Our order of sailing was as follows. + + +In the Pinnace: + +Capt. Edwards, +Lieut. Hayward, +Mr. Rickards, Master's Mate, +Mr. Packer, Gunner, +Mr. Edmonds, Captain's Clerk, + Three Prisoners, + Sixteen Privates. + + +In the Red Yaul: + +Lieut. Larkan, +Mr. Geo. Hamilton, Surgeon, +Mr. Reynolds, Master's Mate, +Mr. Matson, Midshipman, + Two Prisoners, + Eighteen Privates. + + +In the Launch: + +Lieut. Corner, +Mr. Gregory Bentham, Purser, +Mr. Montgomery, Carpenter, +Mr. Bowling, Master's Mate, +Mr. M'Kendrick, Midshipman, + Two Prisoners, + Twenty-four Privates. + + +In the Blue Yaul: + +Mr. Geo. Passmore, Master, +Mr. Cunningham, Boatswain, +Mr. James Innes, Surgeon's Mate, +Mr. Fenwick, Midshipman, +Mr. Pycroft, Midshipman, + Three Prisoners, + Fifteen Privates. + + +As soon as embarked, we laid the oars upon the thwarts, which formed a +platform, by which means we stowed two tier of men. A pair of wooden +scales was made in each boat, and a musket-ball weight of bread served to +each man. At meridian we saw a key, bounded with large craggy rocks. As +the principal part of our subsistence was in the launch, it was necessary +to keep together, both for our defence and support. We towed each other +during the night, and at day-break cast off the tow-line. + +At eight in the morning, the red and blue yauls were sent ahead, to sound +and investigate the coast of New South Wales, and to search for a +watering-place. The country had been described as very destitute of the +article of water; but on entering a very fine bay, we found most +excellent water rushing from a spring at the very edge of the beach. Here +we filled our bellies, a tea-kettle, and two quart bottles. The pinnace +and launch had gone too far ahead to observe any signal of our success; +and immediately we made sail after them. The coast has a very barren +aspect; and, from the appearance of the soil and land, looks like a +country abounding with minerals. + +As we passed round the bay, two canoes, with three black men in each, put +off, and paddled very hard to get near us. They stood up in the canoes, +waved, and made many signs for us to come to them. But as they were +perfectly naked, had a very savage aspect, and having heard an +indifferent account of the natives of that country, we judged it prudent +to avoid them. + +In two hours we joined the pinnace and launch, who were lying to for us. +At ten at night we were alarmed with the dreadful cry of breakers ahead. +We had got amongst a reef of rocks; and in our present state, being worn +out and fatigued, it is difficult to say how we got out of them, as the +place was fraught with danger all round; for in standing clear of Scylla, +we might fall foul of Charybdis; the horror of which, considering our +present situation, may be better understood than expressed. After running +along, we came to an inhabited island, from which we promised ourselves a +supply of water. On our approach, the natives flocked down to the beach +in crowds. They were jet black, and neither sex had either covering or +girdle. We made signals of distress to them for something to drink, which +they understood; and on receiving some trifling presents of knives, and +some buttons cut off our coats, they brought us a cag of good water, +which we emptied in a minute, and then sent it back to be filled again. +They, however, would not bring it the second time, but put it down on the +beach, and made signs to us to come on shore for it. This we declined, as +we observed the women and children running, and supplying the men with +bows and arrows. In a few minutes, they let fly a shower of arrows +amongst the thick of us. Luckily we had not a man wounded; but an arrow +fell between the Captain and Third Lieutenant, and went through the boats +thwart, and stuck in it. It was an oak-plank inch thick. We immediately +discharged a volley of muskets at them, which put them to flight. There +were, however, none of them killed. We now abandoned all hopes of +refreshment here. This island lies contiguous to Mountainous Island. + +It may be observed, that the channel throughout the reef is better than +any hitherto known. We ascertained the latitudes with the greatest +accuracy and exactness; and should government be inclined to plant trees +on those sandy keys, particularly the outermost one, it would be a good +distinguishing mark; and many difficulties which Capt. Cook experienced +to the southward would also be avoided. The cocoa-nut tree, on account of +its hardy nature, and the Norfolk and common pines, might be preferred, +from their height rendering the place more conspicuous. The tides or +currents are strong and irregular here, as may be expected, from the +extending reefs, shoals, and keys, and its vicinity to Endeavour Straits. + +We steered from these hostile savages to other islands in sight, and sent +some armed men on shore, with orders to keep pretty near us, and to run +close along shore in the boats. But they returned without success. This +island we called Plumb Island, from its bearing an austere, astringent +kind of fruit, resembling plumbs, but not fit to eat. + +In the evening, we steered for those islands which we supposed were +called the Prince of Wales's Islands; and about two o'clock in the +morning, came to an anchor with a grappling, along side of an island, +which we called Laforey's Island. As the night was very dark, and this +was the last land that could afford us relief, all hands went to sleep, +to refresh our woe-worn spirits. + +The morning was ushered in with the howling of wolves, who had smelt us +in the night, when prowling for food. Lieut. Corner and a party were sent +at day-light, to search again for water; and, as we approached, the wild +beasts retired, and filled the woods with their hideous growling. As soon +as we landed, we discovered a foot-path which led down into a hollow, +where we were led to suspect that water might be found; and on digging +four or five feet, we had the ecstatic pleasure to see a spring rush out. +A glad messenger was immediately dispatched to the beach, to make a +signal to the boats of our success. On traversing the shore, we +discovered a morai, or rather a heap of bones. There were amongst them +two human skulls, the bones of some large animals, and some turtle-bones. +They were heaped together in the form of a grave, and a very long paddle, +supported at each end by a bifurcated branch of a tree, was laid +horizontally alongst it. + +Near to this, there were marks of a fire having been recently made. The +ground about was much footed and wore; whence it may be presumed feasts +or sacrifices had been frequently held, as there were several foot-paths +which led to this spot. After having gorged our parched bodies with +water, till we were perfectly water-logged, we began to feel the cravings +of hunger; a new sensation of misery we had hitherto been strangers to, +from the excess of thirst predominating. Some of our stragglers were +lucky enough to find a few small oysters on the shore. A harsh, austere, +astringent kind of fruit, resembling a plumb, was found in some places. +As I discovered some to be pecked at by the birds, we permitted the men +to fill their bellies with them. There was a small berry, of a similar +taste to the plumb, which was found by some of the party. On observing +the dung of some of the larger animals, many of them were found in it, in +an undigested state; we therefore concluded we might venture upon them +with safety. We carefully avoided shooting at any bird, lest the report +of the muskets should alarm the natives, whom we had every reason to +suspect were at no great distance, from the number of foot paths that led +over the hill, and the noise we heard at intervals. Centinels were placed +to prevent stragglers of our party from exceeding the proper bounds; and +when every other thing was filled with water, the carpenter's boots were +also filled. The water in them was first served out, on account of +leakage. + +There is a large sound formed here, to which we gave the name of +Sandwich's Sound, and commodious anchorage for shipping in the bay, to +which we gave the name of Wolf's Bay, in which there is from five to +seven fathom water all round. This is extremely well situated for a +rendezvous in surveying Endeavour Straits; and were a little colony +settled here, a concatenation of Christian settlements would enchain the +world, and be useful to any unfortunate ship of whatever nation, that +might be wrecked in these seas; or, should a rupture take place in South +America, a great vein of commerce might find its way through this +channel. + +Hammond's Island lies north west and by west, Parker's Island from north +and by west to north and by east, and an island seen to the north +entrance north west. We supposed it to be an island called by Captain +Bligh Mountainous Island, laid down in latitude 10.16 South. + +Sandwich's Sound is formed by Hammond's, Parker's, and a cluster of small +islands on the starboard hand, at its eastern entrance. We also called a +back land behind Hammond's Island, and the other islands to the southward +of it, Cornwallis's Land. The uppermost part of the mountain was +separated from the main by a large gap. Under the gap, low land was seen; +but whether that was a continuation of the main or not, we could not +determine. Near the centre of the sound is a small dark-coloured, rocky +island. + +This afternoon, at three o'clock, being the 2d of September, our little +squadron sailed again, and in the evening saw a high peaked island lying +north west, which we called Hawkesbury's Island. The passage through the +north entrance is about two miles wide. After passing through it, saw a +reef. As we approached it, we shallowed our water to three fathom; but on +hauling up more to the south west, we deepened it again to six fathom. +Saw several very large turtle, but could not catch any of them. After +clearing the reef, stood to the westward. Mountainous Island bore N. half +E.; Capt. Bligh's west island, which appears in Three Hummocks, N.N.W.; a +rock N.W. at the S.W. extreme of the main land, S. and by E.; and the +northernmost cape of New South Wales, S.S.E.; and to the extreme of the +land in sight, the eastward E. half N. a small distance from the nearest +of the Prince of Wales's Islands, we discovered another island, and which +we called Christian's Island. Saw Two Hummock between Hawkesbury's Island +and Mountainous Island; but could not be certain whether it was one or +two islands. + +We now entered the great Indian ocean, and had a voyage of a thousand +miles to undertake in our open boats. As soon as we cleared the land, we +found a very heavy swell running, which threatened destruction to our +little fleet; for should we have separated, we must inevitably perish for +want of water, as we had not utensils to divide our slender stock. For +our mutual preservation, we took each other in tow again; but the sea was +so rough, and the swell running so high, we towed very hard, and broke a +new tow-line. This put us in the utmost confusion, being afraid of +dashing to pieces upon each other, as it was a very dark night. We again +made fast to each other; but the tow-line breaking a second time, we +were obliged to trust ourselves to the mercy of the waves. At five in +the morning, the pinnace lay to, as the other boats had passed her under +a dark cloud; but on the signal being made for the boats to join, we +again met at day-light. At meridian, we passed some remarkable black and +yellow striped sea snakes. On the afternoon of the 4th of September, gave +out the exact latitude of our rendezvous in writing; also the longitude +by the time-keeper at this present time, in case of unavoidable +separation. + +On the night between the 5th and 6th, the sea running very cross and +high, the tow-line broke several times; the boats strained, and made much +water; and we were obliged to leave off towing the rest of the voyage, or +it would have dragged the boats asunder. On the 7th, the Captain's boat +caught a booby. They sucked his blood, and divided him into twenty-four +shares. + +The men who were employed steering the boats, were often subject to a +_coup de soleil_, as every one else were continually wetting their shirts +overboard, and putting it upon their head, which alleviated the scorching +heat of the sun, to which we were entirely exposed, most of us having +lost our hats while swimming at the time the ship was wrecked. It may be +observed, that this method of wetting our bodies with salt water is not +advisable, if the misery is protracted beyond three or four days, as, +after that time, the great absorption from the skin that takes place from +the increased heat and fever, makes the fluids become tainted with the +bittern of the salt water; so much so, that the saliva became intolerable +in the mouth. It may likewise be worthy of remark, that those who drank +their own urine died in the sequel of the voyage. + +We now neglected weighing our slender allowance of bread, our mouths +becoming so parched, that few attempted to eat; and what was not claimed +was thrown into the general stock. We found old people suffer much more +than those that were young. A particular instance of that we observed in +one young boy, a midshipman, who sold his allowance of water two days for +one allowance of bread. As their sufferings continued, they became very +cross and savage in their temper. In the Captain's boat, one of the +prisoners took to praying, and they gathered round him with much +attention and seeming devotion. But the Captain suspecting the purity of +his doctrines, and unwilling he should make a monopoly of the business, +gave prayers himself. On the 9th, we passed a great many of the Nautilus +fish, the shell of which served us to put our glass of water into; by +which means we had more time granted to dip our finger in it, and wet our +mouths by slow degrees. There were several flocks of birds seen flying in +a direction for the land. + +On the 13th, in the morning, we saw the land, and the discoverer was +immediately rewarded with a glass of water; but, as if our cup of misery +was not completely full, it fell a dead calm. The boats now all +separated, every one pushing to make the land. Next day we got pretty +near it; but there was a prodigious surf running. Two of our men slung a +bottle about their necks, jumped overboard, and swam through the surf. +They traversed over a good many miles, till a creek intercepted them; +when they came down to the beach, and made signs to us of their not +having succeeded. We then brought the boat as near the surf as we durst +venture, and picked them up. In running along the coast, about twelve +o'clock, we had the pleasure to see the red yaul get into a creek. She +had hoisted an English jack at her mast-head, that we might observe her +in running down the coast. There was a prodigious surf, and many +dangerous shoals, between us and the mouth of the creek; we, however, +began to share the remains of our water, and about half a bottle came to +each man's share, which we dispatched in an instant. + +We now gained fresh spirits, and hazarded every thing in gaining our so +much wished for haven. It is but justice here to acknowledge how much we +were indebted to the intrepidity, courage, and seaman-like behaviour of +Mr. Reynolds the master's mate, who fairly beat her over all the reefs, +and brought us safe on shore. The crew of the blue yaul, who had been two +or three hours landed, assisted in landing our party. A fine spring of +water near to the creek afforded us immediate relief. As soon as we had +filled our belly, a guard was placed over the prisoners, and we went to +sleep for a few hours on the grass. + +In the afternoon, a Chinese chief came down the creek in a canoe, +attended by some of the natives, to wait upon us. He was a venerable +looking old man; we endeavoured to walk down to the water-side, to +receive him, and acquaint him with the nature of our distress. + +We addressed him in French and in English, neither of which he +understood; but misery was so strongly depicted in our countenances, that +language was superfluous. The tears trickling down his venerable cheeks +convinced us he saw and felt our misfortunes; and silence was eloquence +on the subject. + +He made us understand by signs, that without fee or reward we should be +supplied with horses, and conducted to Coupang, a Dutch East-India +settlement, about seventy miles distant, the place of our rendezvous. +This we politely declined, as the nature of our duty in the charge of the +prisoners would not admit of it. We took leave of him for the present, +after receiving promises of refreshment. + +Soon after, crowds of the natives came down with fowls, pigs, milk, and +bread. Mr. Innes, the surgeon's mate, happened luckily to have some +silver in his pocket, to which they applied the touchstone, but would not +give us any thing for guineas. However, anchor-buttons answered the +purpose, as they gave us provision for a few buttons, which they refused +the same number of guineas for; till a hungry dog, one of the carpenter's +crew, happening to pick up an officer's jacket, spoiled the market, by +giving it, buttons and all, for a pair of fowls, which a few buttons +might have purchased. + +All hands were busied in roasting the fowls, and boiling the pork; in the +evening we made a very hearty supper. While we were regaling ourselves +round a large fire, some wild beast gave a roar in the bushes. Some who +had been in India before, declared it was the jackall; we therefore, +concluded the lion could not be far off. Some were jocularly observing +what a glorious supper the lord of the forest would make of us; but +others were rather troubled with the dismaloes. This gave a gloomy turn +to the conversation; and our minds having been previously much engaged +with savages and wild beasts, and our bodies worn out through famine and +watching, I believe the contagious effects of fear became pretty general. +From Bligh's narrative, and others, we had been warned of the danger of +landing in any other part of the island of Timor but Coupang, the Dutch +settlement, as they were represented hostile and savage. + +It is customary with those people, as we afterwards learnt, to do their +hard work, such as beating out their rice at night, to avoid the +scorching heat of the sun; and the whole village, which was about two +miles off, joined in the general song, which every where chears and +accompanies labour. As they had made us great offers for some cartridges +of powder, which our duty could not suffer us to part with, we +immediately interpreted this song into the war-hoop, and concluded, that +they were going to take by force what they could not gain by entreaty. +Nature, however, at last worn out, inclined to rest. The First Lieutenant +and Master went on board of the boats, which were at anchor in the middle +of the river, for the better security of the prisoners; and, ranging +ourselves round, with our feet to the fire, went to sleep. + +At dawn of day, the master gave the huntsman's hollow, which some, from +being suddenly awaked, thought they were attacked by the Indians. We were +all panic struck, and could not get thoroughly awaked, being so +exhausted, and overpowered with sleep. Most of us were scrambling upon +all fours down to the river, and crying for Christ's sake to have mercy +upon them, till those who were foremost in the scramble, in crawling into +the creek, got recovered from their plight by their hands being immersed +in water; yet those who were foremost in running away, were not last in +upbraiding the rest with cowardice, notwithstanding there were pretty +evident marks upon some of them, of the cold water having produced its +usual effects of micturition. + +Next day we went up the creek, in one of the boats, about four miles, to +one of their towns, with an intention of purchasing provisions for our +sea-store. As we entered the town, the king was riding out, attended by +twenty carabineers or body-guards, well mounted, and respectably armed. +He passed us with all the _sang froid_ imaginable, scarce deigning to +glance at us. + +In purchasing a pig, the man finding a good price for it, offered to +traffic with us for the charms of his daughter, a very pretty young girl. +But none of us seemed inclined that way, as there were many good things +we stood much more in need of. + +At one o'clock, being high water, we embarked again in our boats for +Coupang. We sailed along the coast all day till it was dark; and, fearful +lest we should over-shoot our port in the night, put into a bay. After +laying some time, we observed a light; and after hallooing and making a +noise, the natives came down with torches in their hands, waded up +alongside of us, and offered their assistance, which we accepted of, in +lighting fires, and dressing the victuals we had brought with us, that no +time might be lost in landing or cooking the next day. + +At day break, we again proceeded on our voyage, and at five in the +afternoon we landed at Coupang. The Governor, Mynheer Vanion, received us +with the utmost politeness, kindness, and hospitality. The +Lieutenant-Governor, Mynheer Fry, was likewise extremely kind and +attentive, in rendering every assistance possible, and in giving the +necessary orders for our support and relief in our present distressed +state. + +Next morning being Sunday, as we supposed, the 17th of September, we were +preparing for Church, to return thanks to Almighty God, for his divine +interposition in our miraculous preservation; but were disappointed in +our pious intentions; for we found it was Monday, the 18th, having lost a +day by performing a circuit of the globe to the westward. + + + + +CHAP. V. + +OCCURRENCES AT COUPANG; VOYAGE TO BATAVIA, &c.; ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND. + + +THIS is the Montpelier of the East to the Dutch and Portuguese +settlements in India; and, from the salubrity of its air, is the +favourite resort of valetudinarians and invalids from Batavia and other +places. This island is fertile, variegated with hill and dale, and +equally beautiful as diversified with Rotti, and its appendant isles. It +is as large as the island of Great Britain. Its principal trade is wax, +honey, and sandlewood; but the whole of its revenues do not defray the +expence of the settlement to the Company; but from the locality of its +situation, it is convenient for their other islands. They had the +monopoly of the sandlewood trade, which is used in all temples, mosques, +and places of worship in the East, every Chinese having a sprig of it +burning day and night near their household-gods. + +The exclusive trade of sandlewood was valuable and convenient to the +Dutch; but, from the vast extent of territory lately acquired in India, +we have plenty of that commodity without going to the Dutch market. Close +to the Dutch town is a Chinese town and temple. They have a governor of +their own nation, but pay large tribute to the Dutch. Notwithstanding +their trade is under very severe restrictions, they soon make rich; and, +as soon as they become independent, return to their own country. For +European and India goods the natives barter their produce, and sell their +prisoners of war, who are carried to Batavia as slaves, and the natives +of Java sent from Batavia to this place in return. As they hold their +tenure more from policy than strength, it would be impolitic to irritate +them, by exposing their countrymen, subjugated to the lash of slavery and +oppression. + +An instance of this soul-couping business fell under our inspection while +here. One of the petty princes, in settling his account with a merchant +of this place, was some dollars short of cash. He just stepped to the +door, and casting his eye on an elderly man who was near him, he laid +hold of him; and, with the assistance of some of his myrmidons, gave him +up as a slave, and so settled his account. We felt more interested in the +fate of this poor wretch, on account of his having been a prince himself, +but never before saw the face of his oppressor. He went passenger in the +ship with us to Batavia. + +It was a pleasing and flattering sight to an Englishman, at this remotest +corner of the globe, to see that Wedgewood's stoneware, and Birmingham +goods, had found their way into the shops of Coupang. + +During our five weeks stay here, the Governor, Mynheer Vanion, by every +act of politeness and attention endeavoured to make us spend our time +agreeably. We were sumptuously regaled at his table every day, and the +evening was spent with cards and concerts. I could dwell with pleasure +for an age in praise of this honest Dutchman; it is the tribute of a +grateful heart, and his due. This is the third time he has had an +opportunity of extending his hospitality to shipwrecked Englishmen. + +About a fortnight before we arrived, a boat, with eight men, a woman, and +two children, came on shore here, who told him they were the supercargo, +part of the crew, and passengers of an English brig, wrecked in these +seas. His house, which has ever been the asylum of the distressed, was +open for their reception. They drew bills on the British government, and +were supplied with every necessary they stood in need of. + +The captain of a Dutch East Indiaman, who spoke English, hearing of the +arrival of Capt. Edwards, and our unfortunate boat, run to them with the +glad tidings of their Captain having arrived; but one of them, starting +up in surprise, said, "What Captain! dam'me, we have no Captain;" for +they had reported, that the Captain and remainder of the crew had +separated from them at sea in another boat. This immediately led to a +suspicion of their being impostors; and they were ordered to be +apprehended, and put into the castle. One of the men, and the woman, fled +into the woods; but were soon taken. They confessed they were English +convicts, and that they had made their escape from Botany Bay. They had +been supplied with a quadrant, a compass, a chart, and some small arms +and ammunition, from a Dutch ship that lay there; and the expedition was +conducted by the Governor's fisherman, whose time of transportation was +expired. He was a good seaman, and a tolerable navigator. They dragged +along the coast of New South Wales; and as often as the hostile nature of +the savage natives would permit, hauled their boat up at night, and slept +on shore. They met with several curious and interesting anecdotes in this +voyage. In many places of the coast of South Wales, they found very good +coal; a circumstance that was not before known. Our men were now +beginning to regain their strength; and Captain Dadleberg of the Rembang +Indiaman was making every possible dispatch with his ship to carry us to +Batavia. + +During this time, the interment of Balthazar, King of Coupang, was +performed with much funeral pomp. The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and +all the Europeans were invited. Six months had been spent in preparations +for this fete, at which an emperor and twenty-five kings assisted and +attended in person with all their body-guards, standards, and +standard-bearers, were present. When the corpse was deposited in the +sepulchre, the Company's troops fired three vollies, and victuals and +drink were immediately served to four thousand people. + +The Dutch and English officers were invited to a very sumptuous dinner, +at a table provided for the emperor and all the kings. The first toast +after dinner was the dead king's health. Next they drank Mynheer +Company's health, which was accompanied with a volley of small arms and +paterreros. The singularity of Mynheer Company's health, led us to +request an explanation; when we were informed, they found it necessary to +make them believe that Mynheer Company was a great and powerful king, +lest they should not be inclined to pay that submission to a company of +merchants. + +The inaugural ceremony at the installation of the young king, was +performed by his drinking a bumper of brandy and gunpowder, stirred round +with the point of a sword. After being invested with the regal dignity, +he came down in state, to pay his respects to the governor. As he was +preceded by music, and colours flying, every one turned out to see him. +Amongst the rest was a captive king in chains, who was employed blowing +the bellows to our armourer, whilst he was forging bolts and fetters for +our prisoners and convicts. Here the sunshine of prosperity, and the +mutability of human greatness, were excellently pourtrayed. + +By a policy in the Dutch, in supplying the petty princes with ammunition +and warlike stores, feuds and dissentions are kindled amongst them; and +they are kept so completely engaged in civil war, that they have no time +to observe the encroachments of strangers. That domestic strife serves +likewise amply to supply the slave trade from the prisoners of both +parties. They, however, some time since, made head against the common +enemy, and forced the Dutch to retire within their trenches. + +It is the custom, in this climate, to bathe morning and evening. A fine +river, which runs in the centre of the town, is conveniently situated for +that purpose; and we availed ourselves of it when our strength would +permit. Nature has been profusely lavish, in producing, in the +neighbourhood of this place, all the varied powers of landscape that the +most luxuriant fancy can suggest. But, while enjoying the picturesque +beauties of the scene, or sheltering in the translucent stream from the +fervour of meridian heat, you are suddenly chilled with fear, from the +terrific aspect of the alligator, or crested snake, and a number of +venomous reptiles, with which this country abounds. There is one in +particular called the cowk cowk; it is the most disgusting looking animal +that creeps the ground, and its bite is mortal. It is about a foot and a +half long, and seems a production between the toad and lizard. At stated +periods it makes a noise exactly like a cuckoo clock. Even the natives +fly from it with the utmost horror. The alligators are daring and +numerous. There are instances of their devouring men and children when +bathing in the shallow part of the river above the town. + +The Governor, Mynheer Vanion, relates a circumstance that happened to him +while hunting. In crossing a shallow part of the river, his black boy was +snapped up by an alligator; but the Governor immediately dismounted, +rescued the boy out of his mouth, and slew him. + +The natives of Timor are subject to a cutaneous disease during their +infancy, something similar to the small pox, but of longer duration. It +seldom terminates fatally, and only seizes them once in their +lives.[165-1] + +On the 6th of October, we embarked on board the Rembang Dutch Indiaman, +taking with us the prisoners and convicts. Our crew became very sickly in +passing the Straits of Alice [Allas]. We had frequent calms and sultry +weather until the 12th. In passing the island of Flores, a most +tremendous storm arose. In a few minutes every sail of the ship was +shivered to pieces; the pumps all choaked, and useless; the leak gaining +fast upon us; and she was driving down, with all the impetuosity +imaginable, on a savage shore, about seven miles under our lee. This +storm was attended with the most dreadful thunder and lightning we had +ever experienced. The Dutch seamen were struck with horror, and went +below; and the ship was preserved from destruction by the manly exertion +of our English tars, whose souls seemed to catch redoubled ardour from +the tempest's rage. Indeed it is only in these trying moments of +distress, when the abyss of destruction is yawning to receive them, that +the transcendent worth of a British seaman is most conspicuous. Nor would +I wish, from what I have observed above, to throw any stigma on the +Dutch, who I believe would fight the devil, should he appear in any other +shape to them but that of thunder and lightning. + +It may be remarked, that the Straits of Alice are not so dangerous as +those of Sapy [Sapi], and are for many reasons preferable; but it is so +intricate a navigation that a Dutchman bound from Timor to Batavia, +after beating about for twelve months, found himself exactly where he +first started from. + +On the 21st, we got through Alice, and saw three prow-vessels, who are a +very daring set of pirates that infest those seas. On the 22nd, saw the +islands of Kangajunk and Ulk, and run through the channel that is between +them. Next day we saw the island of Madura. + +On the 26th, saw the island of Java; and on the 30th, anchored at +Samarang. + +Immediately on our coming to anchor, we were agreeably surprised to find +our tender here which we had so long given up for lost. Never was social +affection more eminently pourtrayed than in the meeting of these poor +fellows; and from excess of joy, and a recital of their mutual +sufferings, from pestilence, famine, and shipwreck, a flood of tears +filled every man's breast. + +They informed us, the night they parted company with us, the savages +attacked them in a regular and powerful body in their canoes; and their +never having seen a European ship before, nor being able to conceive any +idea of fire-arms, made the conflict last longer than it otherwise would; +for, seeing no missive weapon made use of, when their companions were +killed, they did not suspect any thing to be the matter with them, as +they tumbled into the water. Our seven-barrelled pieces made great havoc +amongst them. One fellow had agility enough to spring over their +boarding-netting, and was levelling a blow with his war-club at Mr. +Oliver, the commanding-officer, who had the good fortune to shoot him. + +On not finding the ship next day, they gave up all further hopes of her, +and steered for Anamooka, the rendezvous Captain Edwards had appointed. +Their distress for want of water, if possible, surpassed that of our own, +and had so strong an effect on one of the young gentlemen, that the day +following he became delirious, and continued so for some months after it. + +They at last made the island of Tofoa, near to Anamooka, which they +mistook for it. After trading with the natives for provisions and water, +they made an attempt to take the vessel from them, which they always will +to a small vessel, when alone; but they were soon overpowered with the +fire arms. They were, however, obliged to be much on their guard +afterwards, at those islands which were inhabited. + +After much diversity of distress, and similar encounters, they at last +made the reef that runs between New Guinea and New Holland, where the +_Pandora_ met her unhappy fate; and after traversing from shore to shore, +without finding an opening, this intrepid young seaman boldly gave it the +stem, and beat over the reef. The alternative was dreadful, as famine +presented them on the one hand, and shipwreck on the other. Soon after +they had passed Endeavour Straits, they fell in with a small Dutch +vessel, who shewed them every tenderness that the nature of their +distress required. + +They were soon landed at a small Dutch settlement; but the governor +having a description of the _Bounty's_ pirates from our court, and their +vessel being built of foreign timber, served to confirm them in their +suspicions; and as no officer in the British navy bears a commission or +warrant under the rank of lieutenant, where, by seal of office, their +person or quality may be identified, they had only their bare _ipse +dixit_ to depend on. They, however, behaved to them with great precaution +and humanity. Although they kept a strict guard over them, nothing was +withheld to render their situation agreeable; and they were sent, under a +proper escort, to this place. + +This settlement is reckoned next to Batavia, and is so lucrative, that +the governor is changed every five years. The present governor's name is +Overstraaten, a gentleman of splendid taste and unbounded hospitality, +who lives in a princely style; and to the _otium dignitate_ of Asiatic +luxury, has the happiness to join an honest hearty Dutch welcome. + +A regiment of the Duke of Wirtemburg is doing duty here, amongst whom +were several men of rank and fashion, who shewed us much civility and +politeness. + +The town is regular and beautiful, and the houses are built in a style of +architecture, which has given loose to the most sportive fancy. Each +street is terminated with some public building, such as a great marine +school, for the education of young officers and seamen; an hospital for +decayed officers in the Company's service; churches; the Governor's +palace, &c. &c. Here the _utile dulce_ has not been neglected, and those +objects of national importance are placed in a proper point of view, as +the just pride and ornament of a great commercial people. + +Such is the effect of early prejudices, that, under the muzle of the sun, +a Dutchman cannot exist without snuffing the putrid exhalations from +stagnant water, to which they have been accustomed from their infancy. +They are intersecting it so fast with canals, that in a year or two this +beautiful town will be completely dammed. + +In a few days, we arrived at Batavia, the emporeum of the Dutch in the +East; and our first care was employed in sending to the hospital the +sickly remains of our unfortunate crew. Some dead bodies floating down +the canal struck our boat, which had a very disagreeable effect on the +minds of our brave fellows, whose nerves were reduced to a very weak +state from sickness. This was a _coup de grace_ to a sick man on his +_premier entree_ into this painted sepulchre, this golgotha of Europe, +which buries the whole settlement every five years. + +It is not the climate I am inveighing against; it is the Gothic, +diabolical ideas of the people I indite. + +Were they only Dutchmen who supplied the ravenous maw of death, it would +be impertinence in me to make any comment on it; but when the whole globe +lends its aid to supply this destructive settlement, and its baneful +effects arising more from the letch a Dutchman has for stagnant mud than +from climate, I hope the indulgent reader will pardon my spleen, when I +tell them professionally that all the mortality of that place originates +from marsh effluvia, arising from their stagnant canals and +pleasure-grounds. + +The Chinese are here the Jews of the East, and as soon as they make their +fortune, they go home. Let the amateurs of the Republican system read and +learn. Be not surprised when it is observed, that these little great men, +those vile hawkers of spice and nutmegs, exact a submission that the most +absolute and tyrannical monarch who ever swayed a sceptre would be +ashamed of. The compass of my work will not allow me to be particular; +but I must instance one among many others. When an edilleer, or one of +the supreme council, meets a carriage, the gentleman who meets him must +alight, and make him a perfect bow in spirit; not one of Bunburry's long +bows, but that bow which carries humility and submission in it, that sort +of bow which every vertebrae in an English back is anchylosed against. + +In our passage from this to the Cape, before we left Java, one of the +convicts had jumped over board in the night, and swam to the Dutch +arsenal at Honroost. In passing Bantan, we viewed the relics of Lord +Cathcart. We met nothing particular in passing the island of Sumatra, but +experienced great death and sickness in going through the Straits of +Sunda; and after a tedious passage, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope. + +Here we met with many civilities from Colonel Gordon; a gentleman no less +eminent for his private virtues than his extraordinary military and +literary accomplishments. From his labours, all the host of voyagers and +historians of that part of the globe have been purloining; but it is to +be hoped the world will, at some future period, be favoured with his +works unmutilated. + +The town is gay, and from length of habit, the inhabitants partake much +of the manners of Bath; and, for a short season, behave with the utmost +attention and tenderness. Their dress and customs are more characteristic +of the English than Dutch. An uncommon rage for building has lately +prevailed; and although they cannot boast of that chastity of style in +which Samarang is built it is gaudy, and calculated to please the +generality of observers. + +Allow me to mention the singular manner in which the monkeys make +depredations on the gardens here. They place a proper piquet, or advanced +guard, as sentinels, when a party is drawn up in a line, who hand the +fruit from one to another; and when the alarm is given by the +piquet-guard, they all take flight, making sure that by that time the +booty is conveyed to a considerable distance. But should the piquet be +negligent in their duty, and suffer the main body to be surprised, the +delinquents are severely punished. + +The same ill-fated rage for canalling-murder prevails here. They have +even contrived to carry canals to the top of a mountain. The boors, or +country-farmers, are a species of the human race, so gigantic and +superior to the rest of mankind, in point of size and constitution, that +they may be called nondescripts. + +Their hospital, as to scite, surpasses any in the world. It may be +observed, however, that the architect, by the smallness of the windows, +which only serve to exclude the light and air, seems to have studied, +with much ingenuity, to render it a cadaverous stinking prison. + +After being refreshed at the Cape, we passed St. Helena, the island of +Ascension, and arrived at Holland; and had the happiness, through the +interposition of divine Providence, to be again landed on our native +shore. + +The Latitudes and Longitudes of the different places touched at or +discovered by his Majesty's ship _Pandora_, taken with the greatest +accuracy from the centre of the islands. + +Names of Places. Latitudes. Longitudes. + +Gomera, | 28 5 N | 17 8 W +Canary, N.E. point, | 28 13 N | 15 38 W +Teneriffe, Santa Cruz, | 28 27 N | 16 16 W +Palma, | 28 36 N | 17 45 W +St. Antonio, Cape de Verd Islands, + crossing the Line, | 17 0 N | 25 2 W +Rio Janeiro, | 22 54 S +Patagonia, Straits of Magellan, +Cape Julian, Staten Island, | 54 47 30 S | 63 58 27 W +Cape Horn, | 55 59 S | 67 21 W +Diego Ramarez, +Easter Island, | 27 7 S | 109 42 W +Ducie's Island, | 24 40 30 S | 124 40 30 W +Lord Hood's Island, | 21 31 S | 135 32 30 W +Carysfort Island, | 20 49 S | 138 33 W +Maitea, | 17 52 S | 148 6 W +Otaheite, Matavy Bay, | 17 29 S | 149 35 W +Huaheine, Owharre Bay, | 16 44 S | 151 3 W +Ulitea and Otaha, | 16 46 S | 151 33 W +Bolobola, | 16 33 S | 151 52 W +Mauruah, | 16 26 S | 152 33 W +Whytutakee, | 18 52 S | 159 41 W +Palmerston's Isles, | 18 0 S | 162 57 W +Duke of York's Island, | 8 33 30 S | 172 4 3 W +Duke of Clarence's Island, | 9 9 30 S | 171 30 46 W +Chatham's Island, | 13 32 20 S | 172 18 20 W +Ohatooah, | 13 50 S | 171 30 6 W +Anamooka, | 20 16 S | 174 30 W +Toomanuah, | 14 15 S | 169 43 W +Otutuelah, | 14 30 S | 170 41 W +Howe's Island, | 18 32 30 S | 173 53 W +Bickerton's Island, | 18 47 40 S | 174 48 W +Gardner's Island, | 17 57 S | 175 16 54 W +Pylestaart, | 22 23 S | 175 39 W +Eoah or Middleburgh, | 21 21 S | 174 34 W +Tongataboo, | 21 9 S | 174 41 W +Proby's Island, | 15 53 S | 175 51 W +Wallis's Island, | 13 22 S | 176 15 45 W +Grenville Island, | 12 29 S | 183 3 \ W + | | 176 57 / E +Pandora's Reef, | 12 11 S | 188 8 \ W + | | 171 52 / E +Mitre Island, | 11 49 S | 190 4 30 \ W + | | 169 55 30 / E +Cherry Island, | 11 37 30 S | 190 19 30 \ W + | | 169 55 30 / E +Pitt's Island, | 11 50 30 S | 193 14 15 \ W + | | 166 45 45 / E +Wells's Shoal, | 12 20 S | 202 2 \ W + | | 157 58 / E +Cape Rodney, \ Point of | 10 3 32 S | 212 14 5 \ W +M. Clarence in shore, | | | 147 45 45 / E +Cape Hood, / New Guinea | 9 58 6 S | 212 37 10 \ W + | | 147 22 50 / E +Murray's Isles, | 9 57 S | 216 43 \ W + | | 143 17 / E +Wreck Reef, | 11 22 S | 216 22 \ W + | | 143 38 / E +Batavia, | 6 10 S | 106 51 E +Straits of Sunda, | 6 36 15 S | 105 17 30 E +Cape of Good Hope, | 34 29 S | 18 23 E +St. Helena, | 15 55 S | 5 49 W +Ascension Island, | 7 56 S | 14 32 W + + +FINIS. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[165-1] This seems to be the earliest description of Yaws (_Framboesia_) +in these islands. Originating in Africa this contagious disease is +believed to have been disseminated by the slave trade. The Dutch or +Portuguese traders carried it from Madagascar and East Africa to Ceylon, +where it still bears the name of _Parangi Lede_, or Foreigners' Evil. +Though Hamilton did not observe it in the South Sea Islands the disease +was probably there, for Mariner, who was in Tonga in 1810, described it +as a well-established disease under the name of _Tona_. + + + + +INDEX + + +A. + + Aitutaki Island, + visit to, 10, 40 _note_, 123; + Bligh supposed to be there, 102 + Ale brewed at Namuka, 73 + Anti-scorbutics, 100 + Apia, 50 _note_ + _Astrolabe_, + Perouse's ship, 19; + relics of, 68 _note_ + Australia, Northern, + sighted, 76; + landing on, 149 + +B. + + Banks, Sir Joseph, 2, 112 + Baring, carries letters to England, 84 + Bark cloth, 115 + Batavia, arrival at, 81 + Beads found in Samoa, 56 + Becke, Louis, + _The Mutineers_, 1; + _First Fleet Family_, 24 + Bentham, Mr., Purser, 79, 118, 119 + Blacks attack boats, 66, 149 + _Blenheim_, wreck of, 3 + Bligh, Captain, 1; + his character, 2; + boat voyage of, 2; + public sympathy with, 3; + supposed to be in Aitutaki, 102 + Boat lost at Palmerston Island, 86, 126 + Boat voyage + of Bligh, 2; + of Pereira, 3; + of Edwards, 22, 75, 147, 154 + Bolabola visited, 39, 122 + Bougainville, + warning, 20; + discovery of Samoa, 51, 56 + _Bounty_, + fitting out, 2; + mutiny of, 2; + driver yard found, 9, 124; + anchor found, 34 + _Boussole_, + Perouse's ship, 19; + relics of, 68 _note_ + Bread fruit, + plan to acclimatize, 1; + its uses, 112 + Brewing ale at Namuka, 143 + Broad, Mary, 23 + Brown, John, 31; + his character, 105; + identifies mutineers, 105 + Bryant, William, 23, 82 + Bull taken by Mutineers, 36 + Burkitt, + trial of, 25; + arrest of, 34; + executed, 37 + Burn, Michael, acquitted, 37 + Butcher, Convict, 24 + Byron, _The Island_, 1 + Byron, Captain, 40 + +C. + + Canoes, + war, 114; + sailing, 53 + Capetown, description of, 170 + Carteret visits Vanikoro, 68 _note_ + Carysfort Island, discovered, 30, 102 + Cattle, 118 + Cherry's Island, sighted, 67 + Christian, Fletcher, 2, 102, 127; + his plan of forming settlement, 38 + Churchill, murder of, 30, 70, 110 + Cloudy Bay, 69 _note_ + Coal found in Australia, 162 + Cockle, gigantic, 125, 146 + Cocoa, as anti-scorbutic, 100 + Coleman, Joseph, + surrenders, 30, 102; + works pump, 73 _note_; + acquitted, 37 + Consumption, 117 + Convict jumps overboard, 169 + Convicts, + escaped, at Timor, 23, 80, 161; + list of, 85; + find coal in Australia, 162 + Cook, portrait of, 118 + Coral Islands, how formed, 126 + Corner, Lieut., + character of, 5; + blames Edwards, 22; + pursues mutineers, 31, 103; + examines sand key, 72; + voyage home, 83; + ships plants, 99; + eats food from native temple, 104; + robbed by natives, 60, 134 + Coupang, + arrival at, 79, 159; + funeral of king, 163 + Court martial on mutineers, 24 + Cox, Captain, 31 + Cox, James, escaped convict, 82 + +D. + + Dances at Tahiti, 108 + d'Entrecasteaux, + voyage, 19; + sights Vanikoro, 68 _note_ + de Langle, massacre of, 51 _note_, 56 _note_ + Diet + for long voyages, 6; + in the _Pandora_, 7 + Dillon, Peter, discovers relics of La Perouse, 68 _note_ + Dingoes seen, 77, 151 + Distilling spirits, 111 + Drums, 116 + Ducie Island, 7, 29; + identical with Encarnacion, 30 _note_, 101 + Duke of Clarence Island, 40, 128 + _Duke of Portland_, taken by natives, 13 + Duke of York Island, 48, 128 + D'Urville explores Vanikoro, 68 _note_ + +E. + + East Bay, 70 _note_ + Easter Island, sighted, 30 _note_, 101 + Edea, Queen of Tahiti, 118 + Edwards, Captain, + selected, 3; + orders to, 4; + character of, 4; + charged with inhumanity, 21; + touches at N. Australia, 22, 149; + recklessness in sailing at night, 142; + reproves mutineer for praying, 155 + Eimeo, 121 + Ellison, + trial of, 25; + arrest of, 33; + execution, 37 + Endeavour Straits, 20 + Eua visited, 17, 138 + +F. + + Fatafehi + at Tofoa, 13, 135; + at Namuka, 52 + Fataka, or Mitre Island, 67 _note_ + Female infanticide, 114 + Fiji, + visited by Kau Moala, 65 _note_; + discovery of, 81 + Finau, Chief of Vavau, 49 _note_; 13, 57 _note_ + Fire-arms + in Tahiti, 115; + in Eimeo, 121 + Flinders' Passage, 22, 77 + Fruy, Mr., Lieut.-Governor of Timor, 79 + Fulanga Inland, lack of water, 14 + Futuna Island, visited by Kau Moala, 64, 65 _note_ + +G. + + Geese, left in Tahiti, 118 + Geographical position of islands, 88, 89 + Gordon, Colonel, 170 + _Gorgon_, H.M.S., 23, 24, 83 + Governor of Timor, 79, 159, 161 + +H. + + Haapai, visited, 51, 131 + Haeva dance, 108 + Hamilton, Dr., + his character, 5; + account of voyage, 6, 91; + on health of seamen, 100 + Hayward, Lieut., + his character, 5; + recognizes natives of Tofoa, 13, 54 _note_; + pursues mutineers, 31; + lands at Aitutaki, 41; + ships plants, 99; + recognized at Aitutaki, 123; + at Tofoa, 135 + Health of seamen, 99, 100 + _Hector_, H.M.S., 24 + Hervey Islands, 42 + Heywood's + account of "Pandora's Box," 9; + trial of, 25; + pardoned, 37 + Hillbrandt, Henry, + arrest of, 33; 74 _note_; + gives information, 40, 123; + drowned, 37 + Hood, Cape, 19, 69 _note_ + Hood, Lord, Island, 29, 101 + _Hoornwey_, voyage home, 83 + Horn Island, visited, 22, 77 + _Horssen_, voyage of, 83, 88 + Houses, Tahitian, 116 + Howe, Lord, 91 + Huahaine visited, 39, 121 + Human sacrifices, 114 + +I. + + Indispensable Reef, 19, 69 _note_ + Infanticide, 114 + Innes, Mr., Surgeon's mate, 92, 157 + Islands, list of, 88, 171 + + +J. + + Java, arrival at, 166 + +K. + + Kao Island, 53, 60 + Kandavu Island, why not visited, 15 + Kau Moala, his voyage, 17, 65 _note_ + Kava-drinking, 116 + Kroutcheff, Captain, visited Mitre Island, 67 _note_ + +L. + + Larkin, Lieut., 5; + at Timor, 79 + _Lila_ sickness, 11, 117 + Look-out Shoal, 70 _note_ + Louisiades, 20; + named by Bougainville, 69 _note_ + +M. + + Mackintosh, + arrest of, 33; + acquitted, 37; + works pumps, 73 _note_ + Maikasa River, 70 _note_ + Malt, as anti-scorbutic, 100 + Mangaia Island, 42 + Manua visited, 16, 136 + Mariner, William, + narrative, 17; + account of Norton's murder, 54 _note_; 57 _note_ + Mata-atua Harbour, 49 _note_ + Matavai Bay, 102 + Matuku Island, + visited by tender, 14, 16; + native traditions, 15 + Maurelle discovers Vavau, 16 + Maurua Island, 39, 122 + _Megapodius_ at Niuafoou, 62 + Mendana visits Vanikoro, 68 _note_ + Millward, + trial of, 25; + arrest of, 34; + executed, 37 + Milk, dislike of, 118 + Mitre Island, visited, 66 + Moemoe ceremony, 135 + Morrison, + character of, 9; + trial of, 25; + arrest of, 33; + his journal, 33; + pardoned, 37; + plan of escape, 37 _note_ + Mourning + in Tonga, 49; + in Wallis Island, 64 + Moulter, William, tries to save mutineers, 74 _note_ + Mountainous Island, 152 + Murray Islands, 71, 141 + Musical Instruments, 116 + Muspratt, + trial of, 25; + arrest of, 34; + executed, 37 + Mutineers, + fate of, 3; + retire to mountains, 7; + their diet, 8; + build schooner, 9; + adventures at Tubuai, 35, 36; + take Tahitian women in _Bounty_, 38; + neglected at Timor, 30; + list of, 86, 89; + capture of, 105; + let out of irons, 144 + +N. + + Namuka, + a rendezvous for tender, 12; + visited, 17, 52, 131, 138; + native shot, 60; + cannon fired, 61; + thefts by natives, 62 + Nanga Cult, 128 _note_ + Neiafu Harbour, Vavau, 57 + New Year's Island, sighted, 99 + Niuafoou + visited, 17, 62, 138; + large cocoanuts, 62; + _Megapodius_, 62 + Norman, + arrest of, 33; + acquitted, 37; + works pumps, 73 _note_ + North-West Reef, 77 + Norton, his murderers recognized, 13, 54 _note_ + Nukunono Island, visit to, 10, 46 _note_ + +O. + + Oatafu Island, 40 _note_, 45 + Odiddee (Titi) native of Bolabola, 31, 39 + Oliver + commands tender, 12, 120; + discovers Fiji, 12, 166; + his log lost, 15; + encounters Dutch vessel, 16, 167 + Omai, fate of, 39, 121 + Ongea Island, lack of water, 14 + Orangerie Bay, 69 _note_ + Orissia, Tahitian chief, 33 + Otaka Island, 39 + Otoo, king of Tahiti, 31, 102, 107, 119 + Overstratin, Governor of Java, 81, 168 + +P. + + Palmerston Island, + list of crew lost at, 86; + visited, 42, 123; + _Bounty's_ yard found at, 44 + _Pandora_, + fitted out, 3; + her ill luck, 6; + wrecked, 21, 142; + state of crew, 87; + disease on board, 91, 94; + patent ventilator, 95 + Pandora's Bank, 66 + Pandora's box, + excuse for, 7, 8; + cruelty of, 9, 34; + men drowned in, 74 _note_ + Pan-pipes, 116 + Papara district, 31, 33 + Parrots, 130, 137 + Passmore, Lieut., 5; + at Timor, 79; + surveys harbour, 119; + explores wreck, 145 + Pearl shell ornaments, 123 + "Peggy" Otoo, 110 + Perouse, de la, of, 18, 68 + Pitcairn Island, 1; + arrival at, 3; + why chosen by mutineers, 10 + Plot to take _Pandora_, 7, 106 + Point Venus, water bad, 34 + _Port-au-Prince_, taken by natives, 13 + Providential Channel, 20 + Pylstaart Island sighted, 16, 138 + +R. + + Rarotonga, discovery of, 41 _note_ + Reef Indispensable, 19 + Religion of the Tahitians, 113 + _Rembang_, voyage of, 24, 80, 165 + Renouard, Midshipman, + his suffering, 12; + appointed to tender, 120 + Rio di Janeiro, + arrival at, 28, 95; + life at, 96, 97; + slaves, 97; + probabilities of revolution, 97 + Rodney Cape, 19, 69 _note_ + Rotte Island, 78 + Rotuma Island + discovered, 17, 56, 139; + incidents at, 18, 65, 139; + giants, 65 _note_; + Tongan language spoken, 66 + Round Head, 70 _note_ + +S. + + Samarang Island, 80, 166; + description of, 166 + Samoa, + appearance of, 66, 129; + return to, 136 + Samoans + attack tender, 12; + use turmeric, 129; + thefts by, 130 + Saroa district, New Guinea, 19, 70 _note_ + Saurkraut, as diet, 100 + Savaii, sighted, 49, 129 + Schouten, + visits Futuna, 65 _note_; + visits Niuafoou, 62 + Scurvy, precautions against, 7 + Sea-snakes, 155 + _Seringapatam_, discovers Rarotonga, 41 + _Shark_, H.M.S., encountered, 27 + Sickness follows island discoveries, 11 + Sival, Midshipman, + at Palmerston Island, 124; + lost, 126 + Skinner, Richard, 30, 102; + drowned, 37, 74 _note_ + Slave trade in Timor, 161 + South Sea Islands, their value to England, 98 + Spices in Samoa, 130 + Staten Island sighted, 99 + Stewart, Midshipman, 8; + surrenders, 30; + drowned, 37, 74 _note_ + Stewart, "Peggy," 8, 106 + "Strangers' Cold," 11 + Sugar, first issued to Navy, 94 + Sumner, John, + arrest of, 34; + drowned, 37 + +T. + + Tahiti, arrival at, 29 + Tahitians, + their religion, 113; + weapons, 115; + cloth, 115; + women, 116; + houses, 116 + Tamarie, chief of Tahiti, 32, 105 + Tattooing, 122 + Tea and sugar, first used in Navy, 94 + Temple, native, food taken from, 104 + Teneriffe, + arrival at, 27, 92; + inhabitants of, 93 + Tender + built by mutineers, 37; + commissioned, 9, 38, 120; + attacked by Samoans, 12, 166; + sale of, 16; + joins company, 80; + her adventures, 81, 166; + parts company, 51, 131; + her after-history, 33 _note_ + Theft, punishment for, 111 + Thompson, Matthew, killed, 30, 37, 110 + Timor Island, + arrival at, 22, 78, 155; + governor of, 79; + description of, 160, 164; + yaws observed at, 164, 165 _note_ + _Tofoa_, + visit of tender to, 13; + _Pandora_ visits, 132, 135, 160 + Tongans + misnamed Friendly Islanders, 132; + remember Tasman, 133; + their women, 133; + mercenary character of, 134 + _Tongatabu_ + visited, 17; + seeds left, 133 + Torres Straits, 20 + Tree Island, 77, 150 + Tubai, 122 + Tubuai, 34, 53 + Tubou of Tonga, 135 + Tucopia, discovery of La Perouse's relics, 68 _note_ + Tukuaho, temporal king of Tonga, 52 _note_ + Turmeric, used by Samoans, 50 129 + _Tutuila_ visited, 16, 51, 55, 129, 136 + +U. + + Ulietea Island, 39 + Ulukalala, Finau, letter left with, 52 + Union Group, visit to, 11, 40 + Upolu visited, 16, 50, 129 + +V. + + Vanikoro sighted, 18, 68 _note_ + Vanion, Mynheer, Governor of Timor, 159, 161 + Vatoa, discovered by Cook, 14 + Vavau visited, 16, 55, 57, 136 + Victoria, Mount, 20 + Victualling of Navy, 94, 100 + Volcanic disturbance in Vavau, 59 + _Vreedemberg_, voyage of, 24, 81, 83, 88 + +W. + + Wallis Island visited, 17, 63 _note_ + Wanjon, Governor of Timor, 79 + War canoes, 114 + Weapons of Tahitians, 115 + Williams, Rev. John, 41 _note_ + Whales, sperm, 99 + Wheat, as anti-scorbutic, 100 + White's patent ventilator, 95 + Women, status of, 116 + Wreck of _Pandora_, 21, 72; + casualties at, 73 _note_; 142 + +Y. + + Yaws, 165 _note_ + +Z. + + Zimers, Surgeon-General, of Timor, 79 + _Zwan_, voyage home, 83 + + +GLASGOW: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE AND CO. LTD + + +Transcriber's Notes + +1. This text contains inconsistencies in spelling, accented characters and +hyphenated words. They have been left as printed unless otherwise marked. + +2. On page 142, a word, 'wastward' appears as printed as either 'eastward' +or 'westward' could be correct. + +3. Obvious punctuation errors have been repaired. + +4. Noted corrections: +Page 13, "Tofua" changed to "Tofoa" +Page 50, "one one" changed to "one" +Page 51, "Annanooka" changed to "Annamooka" +Page 63, "Boscawen's" changed to "Boscowen's" +Page 72, "threequarters" changed to "three quarters" +Page 79, "Surgeon General" changed to "Surgeon-General" +Page 89, "Astrotabe" changed to "Astrolabe" +Page 97, "Bouganvile" changed to "Bougainville" +Page 102, "Otaheety" changed to "Otaheitee" +Page 103, "Alredy" changed to "Aeredy" +Page 107, "unweildy" changed to "unwieldy" +Page 131, "Falafagee" changed to "Fallafagee" +Page 153, "untensils" changed to "utensils" +Page 159, "and and" changed to "and" +Page 175, "Macintosh" changed to "Mackintosh", + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyage of H.M.S. Pandora, by +Edward Edwards and George Hamilton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE OF H.M.S. 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