A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, ARRANGED INSYSTEMATIC ORDER:

FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF NAVIGATION, DISCOVERY, AND COMMERCE, BY SEA AND LAND, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THEPRESENT TIME. 

 * * * * *BY

ROBERT KERR, F. R. S. & F. A. S. EDIN. 

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ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND CHARTS. 

VOL. XII. 

WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH: AND T. CADELL, LONDON. 

MDCCCXXIV. 

CONTENTS OF VOL. XII. 

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PART III. 

_General Voyages and Travels of Discovery, &c. _

BOOK I. An Account of the Voyages undertaken by order of his Majesty, George III, for making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere; andsuccessively performed, by Commodore Byron, Captains Wallis andCarteret, and Lieutenant Cook. 

General Introduction. 

CHAP I. An Account of Commodore Byron's Voyage, in 1764, 5, and 6 in HisMajesty's ship the Dolphin. 

SECT. I. The Passage from the Downs to Rio de Janeiro. 

II. Passage from Rio de Janeiro to Port Desire; with some Description ofthat Place. 

III. Course from Port Desire, in search of Pepy's Island, and afterwardsto the Coast of Patagonia, with a Description of the Inhabitants. 

IV. Passage up the Streight of Magellan, to Port Famine; with someAccount of that Harbour, and the adjacent Coast. 

V. The Course back from Port Famine to Falkland's Islands, with someAccount of the Country. 

VI. The Passage through the Strait of Magellan as far as Cape Monday, with a Description of several Bays and Harbours, formed by the Coast oneach Side. 

VII. The Passage from Cape Monday, in the Strait of Magellan, into theSouth Seas; with some general Remarks on the Navigation of that Strait. 

SECT. VIII. The Run from the Western Entrance of the Strait of Magellanto the Islands of Disappointment. 

IX. The Discovery of King George's Islands, with a Description of them, and an Account of several Incidents that happened there. 

X. The Run from King George's Islands to the Islands of Saypan, Tinian, and Aguigan; with an Account of several Islands that were discovered inthat Track. 

XI. The Arrival of the Dolphin and Tamar at Tinian, a Description of thepresent Condition of that Island, and an Account of the Transactionsthere. 

XII. The Run from Tinian to Pulo Timoan, with some Account of thatIsland, its Inhabitants and Productions, and thence to Batavia. 

XIII. Transactions at Batavia, and Departure from that Place. 

XIV. The Passage from Batavia to the Cape of Good Hope, and from thenceto England. 

CHAP. II. An Account of Captain Wallis's Voyage in 1766, 7, and 8, inhis Majesty's ship the Dolphin. 

SECT. I. The Passage to the Coast of Patagonia, with some Account of theNatives. 

II. The Passage through the Strait of Magellan, with some furtherAccount of the Patagonian's, and a Description of the Coast on eachSide, and its Inhabitants. 

III. A particular Account of the Places in which we anchored during ourPassage through the Strait, and of the Shoals and Rocks that lie nearthem. 

IV. The Passage from the Strait of Magellan, to King George the Third'sIsland, called Otaheite, in the South Sea, with an Account of theDiscovery; of several other Islands, and a Description of theirInhabitants. 

V. An Account of the Discovery of King George the Third's Island, orOtaheite, and of several Incidents which happened both on board the Shipand on Shore. 

SECT. VI. The Sick sent on Shore, and a regular Trade established withthe Natives; some Account of their Character and Manners, of theirVisits on board the Ship, and a Variety of Incidents that happenedduring this Intercourse. 

VII. An Account of an Expedition to discover the Inland Part of theCountry, and our other Transactions, till we quitted the Island tocontinue our Voyage. 

VIII. A more particular Account of the Inhabitants of Otaheite, and oftheir domestic life, Manners, and Arts. 

IX. Passage from Otaheite to Tinian, with some Account of several otherIslands that were discovered in the South Seas. 

X. Some Account of the present State of the Island of Tinian, and ourEmployment there; with what happened in the Run from thence to Batavia. 

XI. Transactions at Batavia, and an Account of the Passage from thenceto the Cape of Good Hope. 

XII. An Account of our Transactions at the Cape of Good Hope, and of theReturn of the Dolphin to England. 

A Table of the Latitudes and Longitudes West of London, with theVariation of the Needle at several Ports, and Situations at Sea, fromObservations made on board his Majesty's Ship the Dolphin; also herNautical Beckoning during the Voyage. 

CHAP. III. An Account of Captain Carteret's Voyage, in 1766, 7, 8, and9, in his Majesty's Sloop the Swallow. 

SECT. I. The Run from Plymouth to Madeira, and from thence through theStrait of Magellan. 

II. The passage from Cape Pillar, at the Western entrance of the Straitof Magellan, to Masafuero; with some Account of that Island. 

III. The Passage from Masafuero to Queen Charlotte's Islands; severalMistakes corrected concerning Davis's Land, and an Account of some smallIslands, supposed to be the same that were seen by Quiros. 

SECT. IV. An Account of the Discovery of Queen Charlotte's Islands, with a Description of them and their Inhabitants, and of what happenedat Egmont Island. 

V. Departure from Egmont Island, and Passage to Nova Britannia; with aDescription of several other Islands, and their Inhabitants. 

VI. Discovery of a Strait dividing the Land called Nova Britannia intotwo Islands, with a Description of several small Islands that lie in thePassage, and the Land on each side, with the Inhabitants. 

VII. The Passage from Saint George's Channel to the Island of Mindanao, with an Account of many Islands that were seen, and Incidents thathappened by the Way. 

VIII. Some Account of the Coast of Mindanao, and the Islands near it, inwhich several Mistakes of Dampier are corrected. 

IX. The Passage from Mindanao, to the Island of Celebes, with aparticular Account of the Strait of Macassar, in which many Errors arecorrected. 

X. Transactions off Macassar, and the Passage thence to Bonthain

XI. Transactions at Bonthain, while the vessel was waiting for a Wind tocarry her to Batavia, with some Account of the Place, the Town ofMacassar, and the adjacent Country. 

XII. Passage from Bonthain Bay, in the Island of Celebes, to Batavia. Transactions there, and the Voyage round the Cape of Good Hope toEngland. 

A Table of the Variation of the Compass as observed on board of theSwallow. 

CHAP. IV. An Account of Lieutenant Cook's Voyage, in 1768, 1769, and1770, in his Majesty's Bark the Endeavour. 

SECT. I. The Passage from Plymouth to Madeira, with some Account of thatIsland. 

II. The Passage from Madeira to Rio de Janeiro, with some Account of theCountry, and the Incidents that happened there. 

SECT. III. The Passage from Rio de Janeiro to the Entrance of theStrait of Le Maire, with a Description of some of the Inhabitants ofTerra del Fuego. 

IV. An Account of what happened in ascending a Mountain to search forPlants. 

V. The Passage through the Strait of Le Maire, and a farther Descriptionof the Inhabitants of Terra del Fuego, and its Productions. 

VI. A general Description of the south-east part of Terra del Fuego, andthe Strait of Le Maire; with some Remarks on Lord Anson's Account ofthem, and Directions for the Passage Westward, round this Part ofAmerica, into the South Seas. 

VII. The Sequel of the Passage from Cape Horn to the newly discoveredIslands in the South Seas, with a Description of their Figure, andAppearance; some Account of the Inhabitants, and several Incidents thathappened during the Course, and at the Ship's Arrival among them. 

VIII. The Arrival of the Endeavour at Otaheite, called by CaptainWallis, King George the III. 's Island. Rules established for Trafficwith the Natives, and an Account of several Incidents which happened ina Visit to Tootahah and Toubourai Tamaide, two Chiefs. 

IX. A Place fixed upon for an Observatory and Fort: an Excursion intothe Woods, and its Consequences. The Fort erected; a Visit from severalChiefs on Board and at the Fort, with some Account of the Music of theNatives, and the Manner in which they dispose of their Dead. 

X. An Excursion to the Eastward, an Account of several Incidents thathappened both on Board and on Shore, and of the first Interview withOberea, the Person, who, when the Dolphin was here, was supposed to beQueen of the Island, with a Description of the Fort. 

SECT. XI. The Observatory set up; the Quadrant stolen, and Consequencesof the Theft: A Visit to Tootahah: Description of a Wrestling match:European Seeds sown: Names given to our People by the Indians. 

XII. Some Ladies visit the fort with very uncommon Ceremonies: TheIndians attend Divine Service, and in the Evening exhibit a mostextraordinary Spectacle: Toubourai Tamaide falls into Temptation. 

XIII. Another Visit to Tootabah, with various Adventures: ExtraordinaryAmusement of the Indians, with Remarks upon it: Preparations to observethe Transit of Venus, and what happened in the mean Time at the Fort. 

XIV. The Ceremonies of an Indian Funeral particularly described: GeneralObservations on the Subject: A Character found among the Indians towhich the Ancients paid great Veneration: A Robbery at the Fort, and itsConsequences; with a Specimen of Indian Cookery, and various incidents. 

XV. An Account of the Circumnavigation of the island, and variousIncidents that happened during the Expedition; with a Description of aBurying-place and Place of Worship, called a Morai. 

XVI. An Expedition of Mr Banks to trace the River: Marks ofsubterraneous Fire: Preparations for leaving the Island: An Account ofTupia. 

A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION. OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. 

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PART III. 

[Illustration]

A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. 

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PART III. BOOK I. 

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CHAPTER I. 

AN ACCOUNT OF THE VOYAGES UNDERTAKEN BY THE ORDER OF HIS MAJESTY GEORGEIII. FOR MAKING DISCOVERIES IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE; AND SUCCESSIVELYPERFORMED BY COMMODORE BYRON, CAPTAIN WALLIS, CAPTAIN CARTERET, ANDCAPTAIN COOK, IN THE DOLPHIN, THE SWALLOW, AND THE ENDEAVOUR: DRAWN UPFROM THE JOURNALS WHICH WERE KEPT BY THE SEVERAL COMMANDERS, AND FROMTHE PAPERS OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS, BART. BY JOHN HAWKESWORTH, LL. D. [TAKENFROM THE THIRD EDITION, LONDON 1785, VARIOUSLY MODIFIED TO ANSWER THEPURPOSES OF THIS COLLECTION, AS ELSEWHERE EXPLAINED. ]

GENERAL INTRODUCTION. 

His majesty, soon after his accession to the crown, formed a design ofsending out vessels for making discoveries of countries hithertounknown; and, in the year 1764, the kingdom being then in a state ofprofound peace, he proceeded to put it into execution. [1] The Dolphinand the Tamar were dispatched under the command of Commodore Byron. 

[Illustration: Tracks of ANSON, BYRON, WALLIS & CHARTERET; with COOK'Sin 1769. ]

[Footnote 1: In the reign of George II, two voyages of discovery wereperformed, viz, by Captain Middleton in 1741, and Captains Smith andMoore in 1746. They were in search of a north-west passage throughHudson's Bay. Of these notice will be taken elsewhere. --E. ]

The Dolphin was a man-of-war of the sixth rate, mounting twenty-fourguns; her complement was 150 men, with three lieutenants, andthirty-seven petty officers. 

The Tamar was a sloop, mounting sixteen guns; her complement was ninetymen, with three lieutenants, and two-and-twenty petty officers, and thecommand of her was given to Captain Mouat. 

Commodore Byron returned in the month of May in the year 1766, and inthe month of August following the Dolphin was again sent out, under thecommand of Captain Wallis, with the Swallow, commanded by CaptainCarteret. The equipment of the Dolphin was the same as before. TheSwallow was a sloop mounting fourteen guns; her complement was ninetymen, with one lieutenant and twenty-two petty officers. 

These vessels proceeded together till they came within sight of theSouth Sea, at the western entrance of the Strait of Magellan, and fromthence returned by different routes to England. 

In the latter part of the year 1767, it was resolved by the RoyalSociety, that it would be proper to send persons into some part of theSouth Sea to observe a transit of the planet Venus over the sun's disc, which, according to astronomical calculation, would happen in the year1769; and that the islands called Marquesas de Mendoza, or those ofRotterdam or Amsterdam, [2] were the properest places then known formaking such observation. 

[Footnote 2: So called by Tasman, but by the natives Anamooka andTongataboo; they belong to that large cluster which Cook named theFriendly Isles. --E. ]

In consequence of these resolutions, it was recommended to his majesty, in a memorial from the Society, dated February, 1768, that he would bepleased to order such an observation to be made; upon which his majestysignified to the lords commissioners of the Admiralty his pleasure thata ship should be provided to carry such observers as the society shouldthink fit to the South Seas; and, in the beginning of April following, the society received a letter from the secretary of the Admiralty, informing them that a bark of three hundred and seventy tons had beentaken up for that purpose. This vessel was called the Endeavour, and thecommand of her given to Lieutenant James Cook, [3] a gentleman ofundoubted abilities in astronomy and navigation, who was soon after, bythe Royal Society, appointed, with Mr Charles Green, a gentleman who hadlong been assistant to Dr Bradley at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, to observe the transit. [4]

[Footnote 3: The gentleman first proposed for this command was MrAlexander Dalrymple, a member of the Royal Society, and author orpublisher of several works in geography. He was anxious for theundertaking, but apprehending that difficulties might arise during thevoyage from the circumstance of the crew not being subjected to ordinarynaval discipline under him, he made it a condition that he should hold abrevet commission as captain. Sir Edward Hawke, at that time at the headof the Admiralty, did not give his consent to this demand, saying, thathis conscience would not permit him to entrust any of his majesty'sships to a person not educated as a seaman; and declaring, inconsequence, that he would rather have his right hand cut off than signany commission to that effect. This brave and spirited man, it isprobable, feared the degradation of his profession by such a measure;but, besides this, he knew that in a similar case, where a commissionwas given to Dr Halley, very serious evils had been occasioned by thesailors refusing to acknowledge the authority thus communicated. MrDalrymple remaining equally tenacious of his own opinion, it becamenecessary either to abandon the undertaking, or to procure anotherperson to command it. Mr Stephens, Secretary to the Admiralty, mademention of our great navigator, as well known to him; and very fit forthe office, having been regularly bred in the navy, in which he was thattime a master, and having, as marine surveyor of Newfoundland andLabradore, and on several occasions, exhibited very singular marks ofgood understanding and abilities. Sir Hugh Palliser, applied to by theBoard for his opinion on the matter, most warmly, from his ownknowledge, espoused Mr Stephens's recommendation of Cook, who wasaccordingly appointed to the command, and promoted to the rank oflieutenant in the navy, by a commission bearing date 25th of May, 1768. Mr Dalrymple, it may be remarked, took his disappointment very badly. Hepublished a petulant letter to Dr Hawkesworth, complaining, among otherthings, of the ill treatment he had received. Dr H. Replied in thesecond edition of this work, but the controversy betwixt these twogentlemen is unworthy of the reader's patience. --E. ]

[Footnote 4: Joseph Banks, Esq. Afterwards Sir Joseph Banks, Bart, andDr Solander, accompanied Cook in this voyage. --E. ]

While this vessel was getting ready for her expedition, Captain Wallisreturned; and it having been recommended to him by Lord Morton, when hewent out, to fix on a proper place for this astronomical observation, he, by letter, dated on board the Dolphin the 18th of May, 1768, the daybefore he landed at Hastings, mentioned Port Royal harbour, in an islandwhich he had discovered, then, called George's island, and sinceOtaheite: the Royal Society, therefore, by letter, dated the beginningof June, in answer to an application from the admiralty to be informedwhither they would have their observers sent, made choice of that place. 

The Endeavour had been built for the coal trade, and a vessel of thatconstruction was preferred for many reasons, particularly because shewas what the sailors called a good sea-boat, was more roomy, would takeand lie on the ground better, and might be navigated by fewer men thanother vessels of the same burden. 

Her complement of officers and men was Lieutenant Cook the commander, with two lieutenants under him, a master and boatswain, with each twomates, a surgeon and carpenter, with each one mate, a gunner, a cook, aclerk and steward, two quarter-masters, an armourer, a sail-maker, threemidshipmen, forty-one able seamen, twelve marines, and nine servants, inall eighty-four persons, besides the commander: she was victualled foreighteen months, and took on board ten carriage and twelve swivel guns, with good store of ammunition and other necessaries. The Endeavour also, after the astronomical observation should be made, was ordered toprosecute the design of making discoveries in the South Seas. What waseffected by these vessels in their several voyages, will appear in thecourse of this work, of which it is now necessary to give some account. 

It is drawn up from the journals that were kept by the commanders of theseveral ships, which were put into my hands by the lords commissionersof the admiralty for that purpose: and, with respect to the voyage ofthe Endeavour, from other papers equally authentic; an assistance whichI have acknowledged in an introduction to the account of her voyage. 

When I first undertook the work, it was debated, whether it should bewritten in the first or third person; it was readily acknowledged on allhands, that a narrative in the first person would, by bringing theadventurer and the reader nearer together, without the intervention of astranger, more strongly excite an interest, and consequently afford moreentertainment; but it was objected, that if it was written in the nameof the several commanders, I could exhibit only a naked narrative, without any opinion or sentiment of my own, however fair the occasion, and without noting the similitude or dissimilitude between theopinions, customs, or manners of the people now first discovered, andthose of nations that have been long known, or remarking on any otherincident or particular that might occur. In answer to this objection, however, it was said, that as the manuscript would be submitted to thegentlemen in whose names it would be written, supposing the narrative tobe in the first person, and nothing published without their approbation, it would signify little who conceived the sentiments that should beexpressed, and therefore I might still be at liberty to express my own. In this opinion all parties acquiesced, and it was determined that thenarrative should be written in the first person, and that I might, notwithstanding, intersperse such sentiments and observations as mysubject should suggest: they are not indeed numerous, and when theyoccur, are always cursory and short; for nothing would have been moreabsurd than to interrupt an interesting narrative, or new descriptions, by hypothesis and dissertation. [5] They will, however, be found mostfrequent in the account of the voyage of the Endeavour; and theprincipal reason is, that although it stands last in the series, greatpart of it was printed before the others were written, so that severalremarks, which would naturally have been suggested by the incidents anddescriptions that would have occurred in the preceding voyages, wereanticipated by similar incidents and descriptions which occurred inthis. 

[Footnote 5: It is highly questionable if this substitution of writerfor adventurer have the efficiency ascribed to it, when the reader knowsbefore hand, and cannot but remember, that it is artificial, andavowedly intended for effect. This is so obvious, that one cannot helpwondering how the parties concerned in the publication of these Voyagesshould have acquiesced in the mode of their appearance. The only way ofaccounting for it, perhaps, is this; it was imagined that no one but anauthor by profession was competent to fulfil the expectations that hadbeen formed in the public mind. The opinion generally entertained thatMr Robins was the author of the Account of Anson's Voyage, might havecontributed to this very groundless notion; and the parties might havehoped, that a person of Dr Hawkesworth's reputation in the literaryworld, would not fail to fabricate a work that should at least rivalthat excellent production. It would be unfair not to apprise the reader, that this hope was not altogether realised. Public opinion hasunquestionably ranked it as inferior, but has not however been niggardin its praise. The work is read, and always will be read, with highinterest. This, perhaps, is capable of augmentation; and the Editor muchdeceives himself if he has not accomplished this effect by his labours, as well in pruning off the redundant moralizings and cumbrousratiocinations of Dr Hawkesworth, as in contributing new but relevantmatter to the mass of amusing and instructive information which thatgentleman has recorded. He confesses that he has far less delicacy indoing either of these offices in the present case, than he would chuseto avow, had the account emanated purely and directly from the pens ofthose who performed the voyages; nor can he help feeling a regret, thatsuch persons as Byron and Cook, both of whom have given mostsatisfactory proofs of their possessing every literary requisite, werenot permitted to edify the public as they thought good, without theofficious instrumentality of an editor. These men needed no suchinterference, though their modesty and good sense availed them, undoubtedly, in profiting by the merely verbal corrections offriendship; and their own productions have the charm of simplicity andgenuineness of narrative, which, it is certain, the ability acquired bymere drudgery in composition is by no means adequate to produce. --E. ]

Some particulars that are related in one voyage will perhaps appear tobe repeated in another, as they would necessarily have been if theseveral commanders had written the account of their voyages themselves;for a digest could not have been made of the whole, without invading theright of each navigator to appropriate the relation of what he had seen:these repetitions, however, taken together, will be found to fill but afew pages of the book. [6]

[Footnote 6: These repetitions have been studiously avoided in thiswork, wherever omission could be practised, or reference to differentparts of the collection seemed unembarrassing. --E. ]

That no doubt might remain of the fidelity with which I have related theevents recorded in my materials, the manuscript account of each voyagewas read to the respective commanders at the Admiralty, by theappointment of Lord Sandwich, who was himself present during much thegreatest part of the time. The account of the voyage of the Endeavourwas also read to Mr Banks and Dr Solander, in whose hands, as well as inthose of Captain Cook, the manuscript was left for a considerable timeafter the reading. Commodore Byron also, Captain Wallis, and CaptainCarteret, had the manuscripts of their respective voyages to peruse, after they had been read at the Admiralty in their presence, and suchemendations as they suggested were made. In order thus to authenticatethe voyage of Captain Cook, the account of it was first written, becauseit was expected when his journal was put into my hand, that he wouldhave sailed on his second voyage in less than five months. 

[Some paragraphs, containing reasons or apologies for certain minutespecifications of courses, bearings, &c. &c. Are here omitted, asunnecessary where the things themselves, to which objections wereanticipated, are not given. Some cuts also alluded to are of courseunsuitable to this work, and the references to them are in consequenceleft out. Dr Hawkesworth occupies the remainder of this introduction indiscussing two subjects, about which it is thought unadvisable to takeup the reader's attention at present--the controversy respecting theexistence of giants in Patagonia, asserted by Byron, Wallis, andCarteret; and the justifiableness of attempting discoveries, where, inprosecution of them, the lives of human beings in a savage state are ofnecessity sacrificed. ]

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AN ACCOUNT OF A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, IN THE YEARS 1764, 1765, AND1766, BY THE HONOURABLE COMMODORE BYRON, IN HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP THEDOLPHIN. 

SECTION I. 

_The Passage from the Downs to Rio de Janeiro. _

[The longitude in this voyage is reckoned from the meridian of London, west to 180 degrees, and east afterwards. ]

On the 21st of June, 1764, I sailed from the Downs, with his majesty'sship the Dolphin, and the Tamar frigate, under my command. In comingdown the river, the Dolphin got a-ground; I therefore put into Plymouth, where she was docked, but did not appear to have received any damage. [7]At this place, having changed some of our men, and paid the people twomonths wages in advance, I hoisted the broad pendant, and sailed againon the 3d of July; on the 4th we were off the Lizard, and made the bestof our way with a fine breeze, but had the mortification to find theTamar a very heavy sailer. In the night of Friday the 6th, the officerof the first watch saw either a ship on fire, or an extraordinaryphenomenon which greatly resembled it, at some distance: It continued toblaze for about half an hour, and then disappeared. In the evening ofJuly the 12th, we saw the rocks near the island of Madeira, which ourpeople call the Deserters, from Desertes, a name which has been giventhem from their barren and desolate appearance: The next day we stood infor the road of Funchiale, where, about three o'clock in the afternoon, we came to an anchor. In the morning of the 14th, I waited upon thegovernor, who received me with great politeness, and saluted me witheleven guns, which I returned from the ship. The next day, he returnedmy visit at the house of the consul, upon which I saluted him witheleven guns, which he returned from the fort. I found here his majesty'sship the Crown, and the Ferret sloop, who also saluted the broadpendant. 

[Footnote 7: In a well-drawn-up account of this voyage, published 1767, by an officer of the Dolphin, it is said that "her bottom was sheathedwith copper, as were likewise the braces and pintles for the use of therudder, which was the first experiment of the kind that had ever beenmade on any vessel. " This work will be referred to occasionally, and iscertainly deserving of that notice. --E. ]

Having completed our water, and procured all the refreshment I was ablefor the companies of both the ships, every man having twenty poundsweight of onions for his sea-stock, we weighed anchor on Thursday the19th, and proceeded on our voyage. On the 21st, we made the island ofPalma, one of the Canaries, and soon after examining our water, we foundit would be necessary to touch at one of the Cape de Verd islands for afresh supply. During the whole of our course from the Lizard, weobserved that no fish followed the ship, which I judged to be owing toher being sheathed with copper. By the 26th, our water was become foul, and stunk intolerably, but we purified it with a machine, which had beenput on board for that purpose: It was a kind of ventilator, by which airwas forced through the water in a continual stream, as long as it wasnecessary. 

In the morning of the 27th, we made the island of Sal, one of the Capede Verds, and seeing several turtle upon the water, we hoisted out ourjolly-boat, and attempted to strike them, but they all went down beforeour people could come within reach of them. On Monday the 30th, we cameto an anchor in Port Praya bay, the principal harbour in St Jago, thelargest of the Cape de Verd Islands. The rainy season was already setin, which renders this place very unsafe; a large swell that rolls infrom the southward, makes a frightful surf upon the shore, and there isreason every hour to expect a tornado, of which, as it is very violent, and blows directly in, the consequences are likely to be fatal; so thatafter the 15th of August no ship comes hither till the rainy season isover, which happens in November; for this reason I made all possiblehaste to fill my water and get away. I procured three bullocks for thepeople, but they were little better than carrion, and the weather was sohot, that the flesh stunk in a few hours after they were killed. 

On Thursday the 2d of August, we got again under sail, with a largecargo of fowls, lean goats, and monkies, which the people contrived toprocure for old shirts, jackets, and other articles of the like kind. [8]The intolerable heat, and almost incessant rain, very soon affected ourhealth, and the men began to fall down in fevers, notwithstanding all myattention and diligence to make them shift themselves before they slept, when they were wet. 

[Footnote 8: "Clothes, particularly those that are black, however mean, are here an object of ambition and vanity, rendered less necessary bythe warmth of the climate. "]

On Wednesday the 8th, the Tamar fired a gun, upon which we shortenedsail till she came up: We found that she had suffered no damage but thecarrying away of her topsail-yard; however, as we were obliged to makean easy sail till she had got up another, and the wind seemed to becoming again to the southward, we lost a good deal of way. We continued, to our great mortification, to observe that no fish would come nearenough to our copper bottom for us to strike, though we saw the sea asit were quickened with them at a little distance. Ships in these hotlatitudes generally take fish in plenty, but, except sharks, we were notable to catch one. 

On the 11th of September, we made the coast of Brazil; and on the 13th, anchored in eighteen fathom, in the great road of Rio de Janeiro. Thecity, which is large, and makes a handsome appearance, is governed bythe viceroy of Brazil, who is perhaps, in fact, as absolute a sovereignas any upon earth. When I visited him, he received me in great form;above sixty officers were drawn up before the palace, as well as acaptain's guard, who were men of a good appearance, and extremely wellclothed: His excellency, with a number of persons of the firstdistinction, belonging to the place, met me at the head of the stairs, upon which fifteen guns were fired from the nearest port: We thenentered the room of state, and, after conversing about a quarter of anhour in French, I took my leave, and was dismissed with the same formthat had been used at my reception. He offered to return my visit at ahouse which I had hired on shore, but this I declined, and soon after hereturned it on board. 

The people in my own ship, who had as much fresh meat and greens as theycould eat every day, were very healthy, but there being many sick onboard the Tamar, I procured a place for them on shore, where they soonrecovered. As the seams of both the ships were very open, somePortuguese caulkers were engaged, who, after having worked some time, rendered them perfectly tight. [9] While we lay here, Lord Clive, in theKent Indiaman, came to the port. This ship had sailed from England amonth before us, and had not touched any where, yet she came in a monthafter us; so that her passage was just two months longer than ours, notwithstanding the time we lost in waiting for the Tamar, which, thoughthe Dolphin was by no means a good sailer, sailed so much worse, that weseldom spread more than half our canvas. The Kent had many of her peopledown in the scurvy. 

[Footnote 9: "We had six, who were paid at the rate of six shillingssterling a day; though it is certain that one of our English caulkerswould do as much in one day as they could in three; but though they areslow and inactive, they perform their work very completely, or elsetheir vessels could not run so many voyages in a shattered condition asthey frequently do. "]

On Tuesday the 16th of October, we weighed anchor, being impatient toget to sea for the heat here was intolerable; but we lay four or fivedays above the bar, waiting for the land-breeze to carry us out, forthere is no getting out with the sea-breeze, and the entrance betweenthe two first forts is so narrow, and so great a sea breaks in uponthem, that it was not without much danger, and difficulty we got out atlast, and if we had followed the advice of the Portuguese pilot, we hadcertainly lost the ship. [10] As this narrative is published for theadvantage of future navigators, particularly those of our own nation, itis also necessary I should observe, that the Portuguese here, carryingon a great trade, make it their business to attend every time a boatcomes on shore, and practise every artifice in their power to enticeaway the crew: if other methods do not succeed, they make them drunk, and immediately send them up the country, taking effectual care toprevent their return, till the ship to which they belong has left theplace; by this practice I lost five of my men, and the Tamar nine: MineI never recovered, but the Tamar had the good fortune to learn whereher's were detained, and by sending out a party in the night, surprisedthem, and brought them back. 

[Footnote 10: The harbour of Rio de Janeiro is uncommonly good, andspacious enough for a large fleet, but the entrance is very narrow, andrequires to be entered with the assistance of a sea-breeze, whichfortunately blows daily from before noon till sun-set. According toCaptain Krusenstern, the harbour of St Catharines in the island of thatname near the Brazil coast, is "infinitely preferable to Rio Janeiro, "for ships going round Cape Horn. --See his reasons in the account of hisvoyage p. 76. --E. ]

SECTION II. 

_Passage from Rio de Janeiro to Port Desire; with some Description ofthat Place. _

On Monday the 22d, being now once more at sea, I called all hands upondeck, and informed them, that I was not, as they imagined, boundimmediately to the East Indies, but upon certain discoveries, which itwas thought might be of great importance to our country; inconsideration of which, the lords commissioners of the Admiralty hadbeen pleased to promise them double pay, and several other advantages, if during the voyage they should behave to my satisfaction. They allexpressed the greatest joy imaginable upon the occasion, and assured me, that there was no danger or difficulty that they would not with theutmost cheerfulness undergo in the service of their country, nor anyorder that I could give them which they would not implicitly andzealously obey. [11]

[Footnote 11: "We had all the reason possible to believe that we werebound to the East Indies, and that we should now steer to the Cape ofGood Hope, the scheme being so well concerted by our commodore, as evento deceive Lord Clive, who pressed him with great importunity to allowhim to take his passage in the Dolphin, we being in much greaterreadiness for sea than the Kent; but to this the commodore could notconsent; but flattered his lordship with the hopes of his taking him onboard on their meeting at the Cape. "]

We continued our course till Monday the 20th, having frequently hardgales with sudden gusts, which obliged us to strike ourtop-gallant-masts, and get up our stumps; but this day it blew a storm, with a terrible sea, and the ship laboured so much, that, to ease her, Iordered the two foremost and two aftermost guns to be thrown overboard:The gale continued with nearly equal violence all the rest of the day, and all night, so that we were obliged to lie-to under a double-reefedmain-sail; but in the morning, it being more moderate, and veering fromN. W. To S. By W. We made sail again, and stood to the westward. We werenow in latitude 35°50'S. And found the weather as cold as it is at thesame season in England, although the month of November here is a springmonth, answering to our May, and we were near twenty degrees neater theLine: To us, who within little more than a week had suffered intolerableheat, this change was most severely felt: And the men who, supposingthey were to continue in a hot climate during the whole voyage, hadcontrived to sell not only all their warm clothes, but their bedding, atthe different ports where we had touched, now applied in great distressfor slops, and were all furnished for the climate. 

On Friday the 2d of November, after administering the proper oaths tothe lieutenants of both ships, I delivered them their commissions; fortill this time they acted only under verbal orders from me, and expectedto receive their commissions in India, whither they imagined we werebound. We now began to see a great number of birds about the ship, manyof them very large, of which some were brown and white, and some black:There were among them large flocks of pintadoes, which are somewhatlarger than a pigeon, and spotted with black and white. On the 4th, wesaw a great quantity of rock weed, and several seals: The prevailingwinds were westerly, so that being continually driven to the eastward, we foresaw that it would not be easy to get in with the coast ofPatagonia. On the 10th, we observed the water to change colour, but wehad no ground with one hundred and forty fathom. The next day we stoodin for the land till eight in the evening, when we had ground of redsand with forty-five fathom. We steered S. W. By W. All night, and thenext morning had fifty-two fathom with the same ground: Our latitude nowbeing 42°34' S. , longitude 58°17' W. , the variation 11°1/4 E. 

On Monday the 12th, about four o'clock in the afternoon, as I waswalking on the quarter-deck, all the people upon the forecastle calledout at once, "Land right a-head;" it was then very black almost roundthe horizon, and we had had much thunder and lightning; I looked forwardunder the fore-sail, and upon the lee-bow, and saw what at firstappeared to be an island, rising in two rude craggy hills, but uponlooking to leeward I saw land joining to it, and running a long way tothe south-east: We were then steering S. W. And I sent officers to themast-head to look out upon the weather-beam, and they called out thatthey saw land also a great way to the windward. I immediately broughtto, and sounded; we had still fifty-two fathom, but I thought that wewere embayed, and rather wished than hoped that we should get clearbefore night. We made sail and steered E. S. E. The land still having thesame appearance, and the hills looking blue, as they generally do at alittle distance in dark rainy weather, and now many of the people saidthat they saw the sea break upon the sandy beaches; but having steeredout for about an hour, what we had taken for land vanished all at once, and to our astonishment appeared to have been a fog-bank. Though I hadbeen almost continually at sea for seven-and-twenty years, I had neverseen such a deception before; others, however, have been equallydeceived; for the master of a ship not long since made oath, that he hadseen an island between the west end of Ireland and Newfoundland, andeven distinguished the trees that grew upon it Yet it is certain that nosuch island exists, at least it could never be found, though severalships were afterwards sent out on purpose to seek it. And I am sure, that if the weather had not cleared up soon enough for us to see what wehad taken for land disappear, every man on board would freely have madeoath, that land had been discovered in this situation. 

The next day, at four o'clock in the afternoon, the weather beingextremely fine, the wind shifted at once to the S. W. And began to blowfresh, the sky at the same time becoming black to windward: In a fewminutes all the people that were upon the deck were alarmed with asudden and unusual noise, like the breaking of the sea upon the shore. Iordered the top-sails to be handed immediately; but before it could bedone, I saw the sea approaching at some distance, in vast billowscovered with foam; I called to the people to haul up the fore-sail, andlet go the main-sheet instantly; for I was persuaded that if we had anysail out when the gust reached us, we should either be overset, or loseall our masts. It reached us, however, before we could raise the maintack, and laid us upon our beam-ends; the main tack was then cut for itwas become impossible to cast it off; and the main sheet struck down thefirst lieutenant, bruised him dreadfully, and beat out three of histeeth: the main-topsail, which was not quite handed, was split topieces. If this squall, which came on with less warning and moreviolence than any I had ever seen, had taken us in the night, I thinkthe ship must have been lost. When it came on we observed severalhundred of birds flying before it, which expressed their terror by loudshrieks; it lasted about twenty minutes, and then gradually subsided. The Tamar split her main-sail, but as she was to leeward of us, she hadmore time to prepare. In a short time it began to blow very hard again, so that we reefed our main-sail, and lay-to all night. As morningapproached the gale became more moderate, but we had still a great sea, and the wind shifting to S. By W. We stood to the westward under ourcourses. Soon after it was light, the sea appeared as red as blood, being covered with a small shell-fish of that colour, somewhatresembling our cray-fish, but less, of which we took up great quantitiesin baskets. 

At half an hour past four in the morning of the 15th of November, we sawland, which had the appearance of an island about eight or nine leagueslong, there being no land in sight either to the northward or southward, though by the charts it should be Cape Saint Helena, which projects fromthe coast to a considerable distance, and forms two bays, one to thenorth, and the other to the south. As the weather was very fine, Itacked and stood in for it about ten o'clock; but as there were manysunken rocks at about two leagues distance from it, upon which the seabroke very high, and the wind seemed to be gradually dying away, Itacked again and stood off. The land appeared to be barren and rocky, without either tree or bush: When I was nearest to it I sounded, and hadforty-five fathom, with black muddy ground. To my great misfortune, mythree lieutenants and the master were at this time so ill as to beincapable of duty, though the rest of the ship's company were in goodhealth. 

The next day I shaped my course by the chart in the account of LordAnson's voyage, for Cape Blanco. In the evening it blew extremely hardat S. W. By S. So that we brought to for the night under our main-sail. In the morning we made sail again, but we had a great sea; and although, it was now almost Midsummer in these parts, the weather was, in everyrespect, much worse than it is in the Bay of Biscay at the depth ofwinter. About six in the evening, having carried all the sail I could, we made land, bearing about S. S. W. Which, as we had a good observationof the sun, we knew to be Cape Blanco; but it now began to blow withmore violence than ever, and the storm continued all night, with a seathat was continually breaking over us, so that the ship laboured verymuch. At four in the morning, we sounded and had forty fathom, withrocky ground; having stood off in the night, we now wore and stood inagain, the storm still continuing with hail and snow; and about sixo'clock we saw the land again, bearing S. W. By W. The ship was now solight, that in a gale of wind she drove bodily to leeward; so that I wasvery solicitous to get into Port Desire, [12] that I might put her holdin order, and take in sufficient ballast, to avoid the danger of beingcaught upon a lee-shore in her present trim. We steered in for the landwith the wind at N. E. And in the evening brought to; but the wind comingto the westward, we were driven off in the night. At seven the nextmorning, we stood in again, steering S. W. By S. By the compass, and soonperceived the sea to break right a-head of us; we immediately sounded, and shoaled our water from thirteen to seven fathom, soon afterdeepening it again from seventeen to forty-two; so that we went over theend of a shoal, which a little farther to the northward might have beenfatal to us. Cape Blanco at this time bore W. S. W. 1/2 S. Distant fourleagues: But we were still at a loss for Port Desire, it beingimpossible that any description should be more confused than that whichSir John Narborough has given of this harbour. I stood into a bay to thesouthward of the cape, as he directs, but could find no such place; Itherefore stood along the shore to the southward, the wind blowing offthe land very hard, and saw several large columns of smoke rising inmany places, but no tree or bush, the country resembling in appearancethe barren downs of England. We observed also that the water wasfrequently very shallow at the distance of seven or eight miles from theshore, for we had many times not more than ten fathom. 

[Footnote 12: So called after the name of his ship, the Desire, by SirThomas Candish, or Cavendish, who put in there on the 27th of November, 1586. See vol. X. P. 70--E. ]

We continued to stand along the shore all day as near as possible, andin the evening we saw an island at the distance of about six leagues; inthe morning we stood in for it, and found that it corresponded withNarborough's description of Penguin Island. As Port Desire is said tolie about three leagues north-west of this island, I sent the boat tolook for it, and when she returned, having found it, I stood in for theland. There were thousands of seals and penguins about the ship, andnear Penguin Island several smaller islands, or rather rocks. In theevening we saw a remarkable rock, rising from the water like a steeple, on the south side of the entrance of Port Desire; this rock is anexcellent mark to know the harbour, which it would otherwise bedifficult to find. At night, there being little wind, we anchored at thedistance of four or five miles from the shore; and in the morning, witha breeze from the land, we turned up the harbour's mouth; we found itvery narrow, with many rocks and shoals about it, and the most rapidtide I had ever known. I came to an anchor off the harbour in ninefathom, the entrance of the river being open, and bearing W. S. W. PenguinIsland S. E. 1/2 E. Distant about three leagues; the Steeple Rock S. W. By. W. The northermost land N. N. W. And two rocks, which are covered athalf tide, and lie at the southermost extremity of a reef which runsfrom the same land, N. E. By N. I mention all these bearingsparticularly, because I think it may be of importance to futurenavigators, especially as the descriptions that have been given of thisplace by the few who have already visited it, are extremely defective. The wind blew very hard the greater part of this day, and there ran anugly sea where we were stationed, yet I ordered our two boats to soundthe harbour, and attended in my own boat myself. We found it very narrowfor near two miles, with a tide running at the rate of eight miles anhour; we found also many rocks and shoals, but all the danger showsitself above water. When we came to the shore I landed, and walked alittle way into the country, which as far as I could see was all downs, without a single tree or shrub. We saw the dung of many beasts, and hada glimpse of four, which ran away as soon as we came in sight, so thatwe could not certainly determine what they were; but we believed them tobe guanicoes, many of which we afterwards saw come down to thewater-side; they resemble our deer, but are much larger, the height ofsome being not less than thirteen hands; they are very shy and veryswift. After I returned to my boat, I went farther up the harbour, andlanded upon an island that was covered with seals, of which we killedabove fifty, and among them many that were larger than a bullock, havingbefore half-loaded our boat with different kinds of birds, of which, andseals, there are enough to supply the navy of England. Among the birdsone was very remarkable; the head resembled that of an eagle, exceptthat it had a large comb upon it; round the neck there was a white ruff, exactly resembling a lady's tippet; the feathers on the back were asblack as jet, and as bright as the finest polish could render thatmineral; the legs were remarkably strong and large, the talons were likethose of an eagle, except that they were not so sharp, and the wings, when they were extended, measured from point to point no less thantwelve feet. 

The Tamar worked into the harbour with the tide of flood, but I kept mystation with the Dolphin till I should have a leading wind, and the windshifting to the eastward, I weighed about five o'clock in the afternoon, intending to go up with the evening flood: Before I could get undersail, however, the wind shifted again to N. W. By N. And it being lowwater, the ship lying but just within the harbour, and there being notide to assist us, we were obliged to anchor near the south shore. Thewind came off the land in very hard flaws, and in a short time ouranchor coming home, the ship tailed on shore against a steep gravellybeach. The anchoring ground, indeed, as far as we had yet sounded, wasbad, being very hard; so that, in this situation, if the wind blowsfresh, there is always the greatest reason to fear that the anchorshould come home before the ship can be brought up. While we were onshore, it began to blow very hard, and the tide running like a sluice, it was with the utmost difficulty that we could carry an anchor to heaveus off; however, after about four hours hard labour, this was effected, and the ship floated in the stream. As there was only about six or sevenfeet of the after-part of her that touched the ground, there was reasonto hope that she had suffered no damage; however, I determined to unhangthe rudder, that it might be examined. 

During all this night and the next morning the wind blew with greatviolence, and we had let go our best bower anchor when we were near theshore, in hopes it would have brought us up, and had not yet been ableto weigh it. We now rode in a very disagreeable situation with our smallbower, and that unfortunately came home again; we therefore got a hawserout of the Tamar, who lay in the stream, and after weighing the smallbower, we got out by her assistance, and then dropped it again, mostardently wishing for fair weather, that we might get the ship properlymoored. 

The next day we sounded the harbour higher up, and found the groundsofter, and the water not so deep; yet the wind continued to blow sohard that we could not venture to change our station. We had found asmall spring of water about half a mile inland, upon the north side ofthe bay, but it had a brackish taste; I had also made another excursionof several miles into the country, which I found barren and desolate, in every direction, as far as the eye could reach. We had seen manyguanicoes at a distance, but we could not get near enough to have a shotat them; we tracked beasts of several kinds in the soil, near a pond ofsalt water, and among them a very large tyger: We found also a nest ofostrich's eggs, which we eat, and thought very good. It is probable thatall the animals which had left marks of their feet near the salt pond, drank the water, and indeed we saw no fresh water for them. The springthat we had found, which was not perfectly fresh, was the only one ofthe kind that we had been able to discover; and for that we had beenobliged to dig, there being no appearance of it except a slight moistureof the ground. 

On the 24th, upon slack water, we carried both the ships higher up andmoored them: The extreme points of the harbour's mouth at low water borefrom E. By S. 1/4 S. To E. ; and the Steeple rock S. E. 1/4 E. We had here, atlow water, but six fathom; but at spring tides the water rises no lessthan four fathom and a half, which is seven-and-twenty feet. The tideindeed in this place is such as perhaps it is not in any other. [13] Ithappened by some accident that one of our men fell overboard; the boatswere all alongside, and the man was an exceeding good swimmer, yetbefore any assistance could be sent after him, the rapidity of thestream, had hurried him almost out of sight; we had however at last thegood fortune to save him. This day I was again on shore, and walked sixor seven miles up the country: I saw several hares as large as a fawn; Ishot one of them, which weighed more than six and twenty pounds, and ifI had had a good greyhound, I dare say the ship's company might havelived upon hare two days in the week. In the mean time the people onboard were busy in getting up all the cables upon deck, and clearing thehold, that a proper quantity of ballast might be taken in, and the gunslowered into it, except a few which it might be thought necessary tokeep above. 

[Footnote 13: "The harbour itself is not much more than half a mileover. On the south shore is a remarkable rock in the form of a tower, which appears on entering the harbour's mouth. Abreast of this rock welay at anchor in seven or eight fathom water, moored to the east andwest, with both bowers, which we found extremely necessary, on accountof the strong tide that regularly ebbs and flows every twelve hours. Indeed the ebb is so rapid, that we found by our log-line it continuedto run five or six knots an hour; and in ten minutes after the ebb ispast, the flood returns with equal velocity; besides, the wind generallyblows during the whole night out of the harbour. "]

On the 25th, I went a good way up the harbour in the boat, and havinglanded on the north side, we soon after found an old oar of a verysingular make, and the barrel of a musket, with the king's broad arrowupon it. The musket-barrel had suffered so much from the weather, thatit might be crumbled to dust between the fingers: I imagined it had beenleft there by the Wager's people, or perhaps by Sir John Narborough. Hitherto we had found no kind of vegetables except a species of wildpeas; but though we had seen no inhabitants, we saw places where theyhad made their fires, which however did not appear to be recent. Whilewe were on shore we shot some wild ducks and a hare; the hare ran twomiles after he was wounded, though it appeared when he was taken up thata ball had passed quite through his body. I went this day many miles upthe country, and had a long chace after one of the guanicoes, which wasthe largest we had seen: He frequently stopped to look at us, when hehad left us at a good distance behind, and made a noise that resembledthe neighing of a horse; but when we came pretty near him he set outagain, and at last, my dog being so tired that he could not run him anylonger, he got quite away from us, and we saw him no more. We shot ahare however, and a little ugly animal which stunk so intolerably thatnone of us could go near him. The flesh of the hares here is as white assnow, and nothing can be better tasted. A serjeant of marines, and someothers who were on shore at another part of the bay, had better successthan fell to our share, for they killed two old guanicoes and a fawn;they were however obliged to leave them where they fell, not being ableto bring them down to the water side, near six miles, without fartherassistance, though they were but half the weight of those that arementioned by Sir John Narborough; some however I saw, which could notweigh less than seven or eight and thirty stone, which is about threehundred pounds. When we returned in the evening it blew very hard, andthe deck being so full of lumber that we could not hoist the boats in, we moored them astern. About midnight, the storm continuing, oursix-oared cutter filled with water and broke adrift; the boat-keeper, bywhose neglect this accident happened, being on board her, very narrowlyescaped drowning by catching hold of the stern ladder. As it was tideof flood when she went from the ship, we knew that she must drive up theharbour; yet as the loss of her would be an irremediable misfortune, Isuffered much anxiety till I could send after her in the morning, and itwas then some hours before she was brought back, having driven manymiles with the stream. In the mean time, I sent another party to fetchthe guanicoes which our people had shot the night before; but they foundnothing left except the bones, the tygers having eaten the flesh, andeven cracked the bones of the limbs to come at the marrow. Several ofour people had been fifteen miles up the country in search of freshwater, but could not find the least rill: We had sunk several wells to aconsiderable depth where the ground appeared moist, but upon visitingthem, I had the mortification to find that, altogether, they would notyield more than thirty gallons in twenty-four hours: This was adiscouraging circumstance, especially as our people, among otherexpedients, had watched the guanicoes, and seen them drink at the saltponds. I therefore determined to leave the place as soon as the shipcould be got into a little order, and the six-oared cutter repaired, which had been hauled up upon the beach for that purpose. 

On the 27th, some of our people, who had been ashore on the north sideof the bay to try for more guanicoes, found the skull and bones of aman, which they brought off with them, and one young guanicoe alive, which we all agreed was one of the most beautiful creatures we had everseen: It soon grew very tame, and would suck our fingers like a calf;but, notwithstanding all our care and contrivances to feed it, it diedin a few days. In the afternoon of this day it blew so hard that I wasobliged to keep a considerable number of hands continually by thesheet-anchor, as there was too much reason to fear that our cables wouldpart, which however did not happen. In the mean time, some of our peoplethat were on shore with the carpenters, who were repairing the cutter onthe south side of the bay, found two more springs of tolerable waterabout two miles from the beach, in a direct line from the ship'sstation. To these springs I sent twenty hands early in the morning withsome small casks, called barecas, and in a few turns they brought onboard a tun of water, of which we began to be in great want. In the meantime, I went myself about twelve miles up the river in my boat, and theweather then growing bad, I went on shore: The river, as far as I couldsee, was very broad; there were in it a number of islands, some of whichwere very large, and I make no doubt but that it penetrates the countryfor some hundreds of miles. It was upon one of the islands that I wenton shore, and I found there such a number of birds, that when they rosethey literally darkened the sky, and we could not walk a step withouttreading upon their eggs. As they kept hovering over our heads at alittle distance, the men knocked down many of them with stones andsticks, and carried off several hundreds of their eggs. After some timeI left the island and landed upon the main, where our men dressed andeat their eggs, though there were young birds in most of them. I saw notraces of inhabitants on either side of the river, but great numbers ofguanicoes, in herds of sixty or seventy together: They would not howeversuffer us to approach them, but stood and gazed at us from the hills, inthis excursion the surgeon, who was of my party, shot a tyger cat, asmall but very fierce animal; for, though it was much wounded, itmaintained a very sharp contest with my dog for a considerable timebefore it was killed. [14]

[Footnote 14: "On the south shore the rocks are not so numerous as onthe north side; and there are more hills and deep vallies; but they arecovered only by high grass and a few small shrubs. Hence this is but abad place to touch at, by any ship that is under the necessity ofwooding and watering. Our commodore, in order to clear the ground of theovergrown grass, which grew in some places in great quantities, and alsoto improve the soil, which appeared to be of a barren sandy nature, gaveorders for the grass to be set on fire in different places, which was nosooner done, than the flames ran so fast, that in less than half an hourthey spread several miles round. "]

On the 29th, we completed our ballast, which the strength of the tide, and the constant gales of wind, rendered a very difficult and laborioustask; we also got on board another tun of water. On the morning of the30th, the weather was so bad that we could not send a boat on shore; butemployed all hands on board in setting up the rigging. It grew moremoderate however about noon, and I then sent a boat to procure morewater. The two men who first came up to the well found there a largetyger lying upon the ground; having gazed at each other some time, themen, who had no fire-arms, seeing the beast treat them with as muchcontemptuous neglect as the lion did the knight of La Mancha, begun tothrow stones at him: Of this insult, however, he did not deign to takethe least notice, but continued stretched upon the ground in greattranquillity till the rest of the party came up, and then he veryleisurely rose and walked away. 

On the first of December, our cutter being thoroughly repaired, we tookher on board, but the weather was so bad that we could not get off anywater: The next day we struck the tents which had been set up at thewatering-place, and got all ready for sea. The two wells from which, wegot our water bear about S. S. E. Of the Steeple rock, from which they aredistant about two miles and a half; but I fixed a mark near them, thatthey might be still more easily found than by their bearings. During ourstay in this harbour, we sounded every part of it with great care, ashigh as a ship could go, and found that there is no danger but what maybe seen at low water; so that now fresh water is found, though at somedistance from the beach, it would be a very convenient place for shipsto touch at, if it were not for the rapidity of the tide. The countryabout the bay abounds with guanicoes, and a great variety of wild fowl, particularly ducks, geese, widgeon, and sea-pies, besides many othersfor which we have no name. Here is also such plenty of excellentmussels, that a boat may be loaded with them every time it is low water. Wood indeed is scarce; however in some parts of this coast there arebushes, which in a case of necessity might produce a tolerable supply offuel. 

On Wednesday the 5th of December, I unmoored, in order to get out, butthe best bower came up foul, and before we could heave short upon thesmall bower, the tide of ebb made strong; for at this place slack waterscarcely continues ten minutes; so that we were obliged to wait till itshould be low water. Between five and six in the evening, we weighed, and steered out E. N. E. With a fresh gale at N. N. W. 

SECTION III. 

_Course from Port Desire, in search of Pepys' Island, and afterwards tothe Coast of Patagonia, with a Description of the Inhabitants. _

As soon as we were out of the bay, we steered for Pepys' Island, whichis said to lie in latitude 47°S. Our latitude was now 47°22'S. Longitude65°49' W. ; Port Desire bore S. 66° W. Distant twenty-three leagues; andPepys' Island, according to Halley's chart, E. 3/4 N. Distant thirty-fourleagues. The variation here was 19°E. 

We continued our course the next day with a pleasant gale and fineweather, so that we began to think that this part of the world was notwholly without a summer. On the 7th, I found myself much farther to thenorthward than I expected, and therefore supposed the ship's way hadbeen influenced by a current. I had now made eighty degrees easting, which is the distance from the main at which Pepys' Island is placed inHalley's chart, but unhappily we have no certain account of the place. The only person who pretends to have seen it, is Cowley, [15] the accountof whose voyage is now before me; and all he says of its situation is, that it lies in latitude 47°S. ; for he says nothing of its longitude: Hesays, indeed, that it has a fine harbour; but he adds, that the windblew so hard he could not get into it, and that he therefore stood awayto the southward. At this time I also was steering southward; for theweather being extremely fine, I could see very far to the northward ofthe situation in which it is laid down. As I supposed it must lie to theeastward of us, if indeed it had any existence, I made the Tamar signalto spread early in the afternoon; and as the weather continued to bevery clear, we could see, between us, at least twenty leagues. Westeered S. E. By the compass, and at night brought-to, being, by myaccount, in latitude 47°18'S. The next morning it blew very hard at N. W. By N. And I still thought the island might lie to the eastward; Itherefore intended to stand about thirty leagues that way, and if Ifound no island, to return into the latitude of 47° again. But a hardgale coming on, with a great sea, I brought-to about six o'clock in theevening under the main-sail; and at six o'clock the next morning, thewind being at W. S. W. We made sail again under our courses to thenorthward. I now judged myself to be about sixteen leagues to theeastward of the track I had run before: Port Desire bore S. 80°53'W. Distant ninety-four leagues; and in this situation I saw a greatquantity of rock-weed, and many birds. We continued to stand to thenorthward the next day under our courses, with a hard gale from S. W. ToN. W. And a great sea. At night, being in latitude 46° 50' S. I woreship, and stood in to the westward again, our ships having spread everyday as far as they could be seen by each other: And on the 11th at noon, being now certain that there could be no such island as is mentioned byCowley, and laid down by Halley under the name of Pepys' Island, Iresolved to stand in for the main, and take in wood and water, of whichboth ships were in great want, at the first convenient place I couldfind, especially as the season was advancing very fast, and we had notime to lose. From this time we continued to haul in for the land as thewinds would permit, and kept a look-out for the islands of Sebald deWert, [16] which, by all the charts we had on board, could not be farfrom our track: A great number of birds were every day about the ship, and large whales were continually swimming by her. The weather ingeneral was fine, but very cold, and we all agreed notwithstanding thehope we had once formed, that the only difference between the middle ofsummer here, and the middle of winter in England, lies in the length ofthe days. On Saturday the 15th, being in latitude 50°33'S. Longitude66°59'W. We were overtaken about six in the evening by the hardest galeat S. W. That I was ever in, with a sea still higher than any I had seenin going round Cape Horn with Lord Anson: I expected every moment thatit would fill us, our ship being much too deep-waisted for such avoyage: It would have been safest to put before it under our bare poles, but our stock of fresh water was not sufficient, and I was afraid ofbeing driven so far off the land as not to be able to recover it beforethe whole was exhausted; we therefore lay-to under a balanced mizen, andshipped many heavy seas, though we found our skreen bulk-heads ofinfinite service. 

[Footnote 15: For an account of his voyage, and of his supposeddiscovery, see vol. X. Page 217. It seems impossible to reconcile theveracity of his narration with the non-existence of the island herespoken of, which is not now allowed to hold a place in our maps. But thereader will be better able to form a correct opinion on this subject, after he has read the 5th Section, where the discovery of Cowley ispretty fully discussed. --E. ]

[Footnote 16: These may be considered the same as what are now calledFalkland's Islands, the name said to have been given them by CaptainStrong, in 1639; but they had been frequently seen before that period, as by Sir Richard Hawkins in 1594, and Davis in 1592. They have variousother names, and are pretty well known. --E. ]

The storm continued with unabated violence the whole night, but abouteight in the morning began to subside. At ten, we made sail under ourcourses, and continued to steer for the land till Tuesday the 18th, when, at four in the morning, we saw it from the mast-head. Our latitudewas now 51°8'S. Our longitude 71°4'W. And Cape Virgin Mary, the northentrance of the Streights of Magellan, bore S. 19°50'W. Distant nineteenleagues. As we had little or no wind, we could not get in with the landthis day; the next morning, however, it being northerly, I stood in to adeep bay, at the bottom of which there appeared to be a harbour, but Ifound it barred, the sea breaking quite from one side of it to theother; and at low water I could perceive that it was rocky, and almostall dry: The water was shoal at a good distance from it, and I was insix fathom before I stood out again. In this place there seemed to beplenty of fish, and we saw many porpoises swimming after them, that wereas white as snow, with black spots; a very uncommon and beautiful sight. The land here has the same appearance as about Port Desire, all downs, without a single tree. 

At break of day, on the 20th, we were off Cape Fairweather, which boreabout west at the distance of four leagues, and we had here but thirteenfathom water, so that it appears necessary to give that cape a goodbirth. From this place I ran close on shore to Cape Virgin Mary, but Ifound the coast to lie S. S. E. Very different from Sir John Narborough'sdescription, and a long spit of sand running to the southward of thecape for above a league: In the evening I worked up close to this spitof sand, having seen many guanicoes feeding in the vallies as we wentalong, and a great smoke all the afternoon, about four or five leaguesup the strait, upon the north shore. [17] At this place I came to ananchor in fifteen fathom water, but the Tamar was so far to leeward, that she could not fetch the anchoring ground, and therefore kept underway all night. 

[Footnote 17: "At eight we discovered a good deal of smoke issuing fromdifferent quarters, and on our nearer approach, could plainly perceive anumber of people on horseback. "]

The next morning, at day-break, I got again under sail, and seeing thesame smoke that I had observed the day before, I stood in for it, andanchored about two miles from the shore. This is the place where thecrew of the Wager, as they were passing the strait in their boat, afterthe loss of the vessel, saw a number of horsemen, who waved whatappeared to be white handkerchiefs, inviting them to come on shore, which they were very desirous to have done, but it blew so hard thatthey were obliged to stand out to sea. Bulkeley, the gunner of theWager, who has published some account of her voyage, says, that theywere in doubt whether these people were Europeans who had beenshipwrecked upon the coast, or native inhabitants of the country aboutthe river Gallagoes. Just as we came to an anchor, I saw with my glassexactly what was seen by the people in the Wager, a number of horsemenriding backward and forward, directly abreast of the ship, and wavingsomewhat white, as an invitation for us to come on shore. As I was verydesirous to know what these people were, I ordered out my twelve-oaredboat, and went towards the beach, with Mr Marshall, my secondlieutenant, and a party of men, very well armed; Mr Cumming, my firstlieutenant, following in the six-oared cutter. [18] When we came within alittle distance of the shore, we saw, as near as I can guess, about fivehundred people, some on foot, but the greater part on horseback: Theydrew up upon a stony spit, which ran a good way into the sea, and uponwhich it was very bad landing, for the water was shallow, and the stonesvery large. The people on shore kept waving and hallooing, which, as weunderstood, were invitations to land; I could not perceive that they hadany weapons among them, however I made signs that they should retire toa little distance, with which they immediately complied: They continuedto shout with great vociferation, and in a short time we landed, thoughnot without great difficulty, most of the boat's crew being up to themiddle in water. I drew up my people upon the beach, with my officers attheir head, and gave orders that none of them should move from thatstation, till I should either call or beckon to them. I then wentforward alone, towards the Indians, but perceiving that they retired asI advanced, I made signs that one of them should come near: As ithappened, my signals were understood, and one of them, who afterwardsappeared to be a chief, came towards me: He was of a gigantic stature, and seemed to realize the tales of monsters in a human shape: He had theskin of some wild beast thrown over his shoulders, as a ScotchHighlander wears his plaid, and was painted so as to make the mosthideous appearance I ever beheld: Round one eye was a large circle ofwhite, a circle of black surrounded the other, and the rest of his facewas streaked with paint of different colours: I did not measure him, butif I may judge of his height by the proportion of his stature to my own, it could not be much less than seven feet. When this frightful Colossuscame up, we muttered somewhat to each other as a salutation, and I thenwalked with him towards his companions, to whom, as I advanced, I madesigns that they should sit down, and they all readily complied: Therewere among them many women, who seemed to be proportionably large; andfew of the men were less than the chief who had come forward to meet me. I had heard their voices very loud at a distance, and when I came near, I perceived a good number of very old men, who were chanting someunintelligible words in the most doleful cadence I ever heard, with anair of serious solemnity, which inclined me to think that it was areligious ceremony: They were all painted and clothed nearly in the samemanner; the circles round the two eyes were in no instance of onecolour, but they were not universally black and white, some being whiteand red, and some red and black: Their teeth were as white as ivory, remarkably even and well set; but except the skins, which they wore withthe hair inwards, most of them were naked, a few only having upon theirlegs a kind of boot, with a short pointed stick fastened to each heel, which served as a spur. Having looked round upon these enormous goblinswith no small astonishment, and with some difficulty made those thatwere still galloping up sit down with the rest, I took out a quantity ofyellow and white beads, which I distributed among them, and which theyreceived with very strong expressions of pleasure: I then took out awhole piece of green silk ribband, and giving the end of it into thehands of one of them, I made the person that sat next take hold of it, and so on as far as it would reach: All this while they sat veryquietly, nor did any of those that held the ribband attempt to pull itfrom the rest, though I perceived that they were still more delightedwith it than with the beads. While the ribband was thus extended, I tookout a pair of scissars, and cut it between each two of the Indians thatheld it, so that I left about a yard in the possession of every one, which I afterwards tied about their heads, where they suffered it toremain without so much as touching it while I was with them. Theirpeaceable and orderly behaviour on this occasion certainly did themhonour, especially as my presents could not extend to the whole company:Neither impatience to share the new finery, nor curiosity to gain anearer view of me and what I was doing, brought any one of them from thestation that I had allotted him. 

[Footnote 18: Now for the goblins, the giants of Patagonia! Some accountof the controversy about them is reserved for another place. In the meantime the reader may amuse himself with the following notices in additionto the substance of the text; they are extracted from the account ofthis voyage, already referred to in the preceding notes. "On our firstapproaching the coast, evident signs of fear appeared among those in theboat, on seeing men of such enormous size, while some, perhaps toencourage the rest, observed that these gigantic people were as muchsurprised at the sight of our muskets, as we were at seeing them, thoughit is highly probable they did not know their use, and had never heardthe report of a gun. But this was sufficient to remind us, that ourfire-arms gave us an advantage much superior to that derived fromheight of stature and personal strength. "--"The commodore and chiefofficers entered upon a short consultation on the propriety of landing. The first officer, fired with the thoughts of making a full discovery inregard to these Indians, who have been so much the subject ofconversation among the English, made a motion to approach nearer andjump on shore; but the commodore objected to it, and would not sufferany man to go before himself. "--"Immediately on our landing, they cameabout us to the number of two hundred or more, looking at us withevident marks of surprise, and smiling, as it should seem, at the greatdisproportion of our stature. "--"They were so delighted with thedifferent trinkets, which they had an opportunity of viewing, as theyhung round their necks, and fell down before their bosoms, that thecommodore could scarcely restrain them from caressing him, particularlythe women, whose large and masculine features corresponded with theenormous size of their bodies. _Their middle stature seemed to be about8 feet; their extreme 9 and upwards_; though he did not measure them by_any standard_, and had reason to believe them rather more thanless. "--"The commodore himself measures full six feet, and though hestood on tip-toe, he could but just reach the crown of one of theIndians' heads, who was not, _by far_, the tallest among them. "--"Theyseemed particularly pleased with Lieutenant Cumming, on account of hisstature he being 6 feet 2 inches high, and some of them patted him onthe shoulder, but their hands fell with such force, that it affected hiswhole frame. " The two last paragraphs, with more to the same effect, aregiven in a note, and are said to have been communicated by gentlemen whowere present on this occasion. It is right to add that their names arenot mentioned. So much at present for these monsters. --E. ]

These people, however, were not wholly strangers to Europeancommodities, for upon a closer attention, I perceived among them onewoman who had bracelets either of brass, or very pale gold, upon herarms, and some beads of blue glass, strung upon two long queues of hair, which being parted at the top, hung down over each shoulder before her:She was of a most enormous size, and her face was, if possible, morefrightfully painted than the rest. I had a great desire to learn whereshe got her beads and bracelets, and enquired by all the signs I coulddevise, but found it impossible to make myself understood. One of themen shewed me the bowl of a tobacco-pipe, which was made of a red earth, but I soon found that they had no tobacco among them; and this personmade me understand that he wanted some: Upon this I beckoned to mypeople, who remained upon the beach, drawn up as I had left them, and, three or four of them ran forward, imagining that I wanted them. TheIndians, who, as I had observed, kept their eyes almost continually uponthem, no sooner saw some of them advance, than they all rose up with agreat clamour, and were leaving the place, as I supposed to get theirarms, which were probably left at a little distance: To preventmischief, therefore, and put an end to the alarm, which had thusaccidentally been spread among them, I ran to meet the people who were, in consequence of my signal, coming from the beach, and as soon as I waswithin hearing I hallooed to them, and told them that I would have onlyone come up with all the tobacco that he could collect from the rest. Assoon as the Indians saw this, they recovered from their surprise, andevery one returned to his station, except a very old man, who came up tome, and sung a long song, which I much regretted my not being able tounderstand: Before the song was well finished, Mr Cumming came up withthe tobacco, and I could not but smile at the astonishment which I sawexpressed in his countenance, upon perceiving himself, though six feettwo inches high, become at once a pigmy among giants; for these peoplemay indeed more properly be called giants than tall men. Of the fewamong us who are full six feet high, scarcely any are broad and muscularin proportion to their stature, but look rather like men of the commonbulk, run up accidentally to an unusual height; and a man who shouldmeasure only six feet two inches, and equally exceed a stout well-setman of the common stature in breadth and muscle, would strike us ratheras being of a gigantic race, than as an individual accidentallyanomalous; our sensations therefore, upon seeing five hundred people, the shortest of whom were at least four inches taller, and bulky inproportion, may be easily imagined. After I had presented the tobacco, four or five of the chief men came up to me, and, as I understood by thesigns they made, wanted me to mount one of the horses, and go with themto their habitations, but as it would upon every account have beenimprudent to comply, I made signs in return that I must go back to theship; at this they expressed great concern, and sat down in theirstations again. During our pantomimical conference, an old man oftenlaid his head down upon the stones, and shutting his eyes for about halfa minute, afterwards pointed first to his mouth, and then to the hills, meaning, as I imagined, that if I would stay with them till the morningthey would furnish me with some provisions, but this offer I wasobliged to decline. When I left them, not one of them offered to followus, but as long as I could see them continued to sit quietly in theirplaces. I observed that they had with them a great number of dogs, withwhich I suppose they chase the wild animals which serve them for food. The horses were not large, nor in good case, yet they appeared to benimble and well broken. The bridle was a leathern thong, with a smallpiece of wood that served for a bit, and the saddles resembled the padsthat are in use among the country people in England. The women rodeastride, and both men and women without stirrups; yet they gallopedfearlessly over the spit upon which we landed, the stones of which werelarge, loose, and slippery. 

SECTION IV. 

_Passage up the Strait of Magellan to Port Famine; with some Account ofthat Harbour, and the adjacent Coast. _

Soon after I returned on board I got under way, and worked up thestrait, which is here about nine leagues broad, with the flood, not witha view to pass through it, but in search of some place where I might geta supply of wood and water, not chasing to trust wholly to the findingof Falkland's Islands, which I determined afterwards to seek. Abouteight in the evening, the tide of ebb beginning to make, I anchored infive-and-twenty fathoms. Point Possession bore N. N. E. At about threemiles distance, and some remarkable hummocks on the north, whichBulkeley, from their appearance, has called the Asses Ears, W. 1/2 N. 

At three in the morning of the 22d we weighed with the wind at E. Andsteered S. W. By W. About twelve miles. During this course we went over abank, of which no notice has hitherto been taken: At one time we had butsix fathoms and a half, but in two or three casts we had thirteen. Whenour water, was shallowest, the Asses Ears bore N. W. By W. 1/2 W. Distantthree leagues, and the north point of the first narrow W. By S. Distantbetween five and six miles. We then steered S. W. By S. Near six milesto the entrance of the first narrow, and afterwards S. S. W. About sixmiles, which brought us through: The tide here was so strong that thepassage was very rapid. [19] During this course we saw a single Indianupon the south shore, who kept waving to us as long as we were in sight;we saw also some guanicoes upon the hills, though Wood, in the accountof his voyage, says there were none upon that shore. As soon as we hadpassed the first narrow we entered a little sea, for we did not come insight of the entrance of the second narrow till we had run two leagues. The distance from the first to the second narrow is about eight leagues, and the course S. W. By W. [20] The land is very high on the north side ofthe second narrow, which continues for about five leagues, and westeered through it S. W. 1/2 W. With soundings from twenty tofive-and-twenty fathoms: We went out of the west end of this narrowabout noon, and steered south about three leagues for Elizabeth'sisland; but the wind then coming right against us, we anchored in sevenfathoms. The island bore S. S. E. Distant about a mile, and Bartholomew'sisland bore E. S. E. In the evening, six Indians upon the island came downto the water side, and continued waving and hallooing to us for a longtime; but as my people wanted rest, I was unwilling to employ them inhoisting out a boat, and the Indians, seeing their labour fruitless, atlength went away. While we were steering from Point Possession to thefirst narrow, the flood set to the southward, but as soon as we enteredthe narrow, it set strongly over to the north shore: It flows here atthe full and change of the moon about ten o'clock. Between the first andthe second narrow the flood sets to the S. W. And the ebb to the N. E. ;after the west end of the second narrow is past, the course, with aleading wind, is S. By E. Three leagues. Between the islands ofElizabeth and Saint Bartholomew the channel is about half a mileover, [21] and the water is deep. We found the flood set very strongly tothe southward, with a great rippling, but round the islands the tidesset many different ways. 

[Footnote 19: "This narrow is about three miles over, and is thenarrowest part of the straits. " Wallis agrees as to the formerremark--E. ]

[Footnote 20: "At the entrance, or east end of the second narrow, liesCope Gregory, which is a white cliff of a moderate height, and a littleto the northward of it is a sandy bay, in which you may ride in eightfathoms water, with very good anchorage. " "At the west end of the secondnarrow on the south shore, is a white headland, called SweepstakesForeland. " See also Wallis. --E. ]

[Footnote 21: The other work says a mile and a half. --E. ]

In the morning of the 23d we weighed with the wind at S. By W. And workedbetween Elizabeth and Bartholomew's island: Before the tide was spent wegot over upon the north shore, and anchored in ten fathom. SaintGeorge's island then bore N. E. By N. Distant three leagues; a point ofland, which I called _Porpois Point_, N. By W, distant about five miles;and the southermost land S. By E. Distant about two miles. In theevening we weighed and steered S. By E. About five miles along the northshore, at about one mile's distance, with regular soundings, from sevento thirteen fathom, and every where good ground. At ten o'clock at nightwe anchored in thirteen fathom; Sandy Point then bearing S. By E. Distant four miles; Porpois Point W. N. W. Three leagues; and SaintGeorge's island N. E. Four leagues. All along this shore the flood setsto the southward; at the full and change of the moon it flows abouteleven o'clock, and the water rises about fifteen feet. 

The next morning I went out in my boat in search of Fresh Water Bay; Ilanded with my second lieutenant upon Sandy Point, and having sent theboat along the shore, we walked abreast of her. [22] Upon the point wefound plenty of wood, and very good water, and for four or five milesthe shore was exceedingly pleasant. Over the point there is a fine levelcountry, with a soil that, to all appearance, is extremely rich; for theground was covered with flowers of various kinds, that perfumed the airwith their fragrance; and among them there were berries, almostinnumerable, where the blossoms had been shed: we observed that thegrass was very good, and that it was intermixed with a great number ofpeas in blossom. Among this luxuriance of herbage we saw many hundredsof birds feeding, which, from their form, and the uncommon beauty oftheir plumage, we called painted geese. We walked more than twelvemiles, and found great plenty of fine fresh water, but not the bay thatwe sought; for we saw no part of the shore, in all our walk from SandyPoint, where a boat could land without the utmost hazard, the waterbeing very shoal, and the sea breaking very high. We fell in with agreat number of the huts or wigwams of the Indians, which appeared tohave been very lately deserted, for in some of them the fires which theyhad kindled were scarcely extinguished; they were in little recesses ofthe woods, and always close to fresh water. In many places we foundplenty of wild celery, and a variety of plants, which probably would beof great benefit to seamen after a long voyage. In the evening we walkedback again, and found the ships at anchor in Sandy Point Bay, at thedistance of about half a mile from the shore. The keen air of this placemade our people so voraciously hungry that they could have eaten threetimes their allowance; I was therefore very glad to find some of thememployed in hauling the seine, and others on shore with their guns;sixty very large mullets were just taken with the seine as I came up;and the gunners had good sport, for the place abounded with geese, teale, snipes, and other birds, that were excellent food. 

[Footnote 22: "We sent the boat to sound between Elizabeth's and StBartholomew's Islands, and found it a very good channel, with very deepwater. On this occasion we saw a number of Indians, that hallooed to usfrom Elizabeth's Island. Both the men and the women were of the middlesize, well-made, and with smooth black hair; they appear to be of anolive-coloured complexion, but rendered more red than they arenaturally, by rubbing a red earth mixed with grease all over theirbodies. They are very active and swift of foot, " &c. ]

On the 25th, Christmas day, we observed by two altitudes, and found thelatitude of Sandy Point to be 58° 10' S. At eight in the morning weweighed, and having sailed five leagues from Sandy Point, in thedirection of S. By E. 1/2 E. We anchored again in thirty-two fathom, about a mile from the shore; the south point of the Fresh Water Bay thenbearing N. N. W. Distant about four miles; and the southernmost land S. E. By S. As we sailed along the shore, at about two miles distance, we hadno ground with sixty fathom; but at the distance of one mile we had fromtwenty to thirty-two fathom. At the full and change of the moon, thetide flows off Fresh Water Bay at twelve o'clock; it runs but little, yet flows very much by the shore. 

On the 26th, at eight o'clock in the morning, we weighed, with the windat E. N. E. And steered S. S. E. For Port Famine. At noon, St Anne's Point, which is the northermost point of that port, bore S. By E. 1/2 E, distant three leagues. Along this shore, at the distance of two or threemiles, we had very deep water; but within a mile had ground withtwenty-five or thirty fathom. From St Anne's Point a reef of rocks runsout S. E. By E. About two miles; and at the distance of two cables'length from this reef the water will suddenly shoal from sixty-five tothirty-five and twenty fathom. The point itself is very steep, so thatthere is no sounding till it is approached very near, and great caremust be taken in standing into Port Famine, especially if the ship is asfar southward as Sedger river, for the water will shoal at once fromthirty to twenty, fifteen, and twelve fathom; and at about two cables'length farther in, at more than a mile from the shore, there is but ninefeet water when the tide is out. By hauling close round St Anne's Point, soundings will soon be got; and as the water shoals very fast, it is notsafe to go farther in, when there is no more than seven fathom; thestrait here is not more than four leagues wide. 

The next day at noon, having had little wind and calms, we anchored atPort Famine, close to the shore, and found our situation very safe andconvenient; we had shelter from all winds except the S. E. Which seldomblows, and if a ship should be driven ashore in the bottom of the bay, she could receive no damage, for it is all fine soft ground. We founddrift-wood here sufficient to have furnished a thousand sail, so that wehad no need to take the trouble of cutting green. The water of Sedgerriver is excellent, but the boats cannot get in till about two hoursflood, because at low water it is very shallow for about three quartersof a mile. I went up it about four miles in my boat, and the fallentrees then rendered it impossible to go farther: I found it, indeed, notonly difficult but dangerous to get up thus far. The stream is veryrapid, and many stumps of trees lie hidden under it: One of these madeits way through the bottom of my boat, and in an instant she was full ofwater. We got on shore as well as we could; and afterwards, with greatdifficulty, hauled her up upon the side of the river: Here we contrivedto stop the hole in her bottom, so as that we made a shift to get herdown to the river's mouth, where she was soon properly repaired by thecarpenter. On each side of this river there are the finest trees I eversaw, and I make no doubt but that they would supply the British navywith the best masts in the world. Some of them are of a great height, and more than eight feet in diameter, which is proportionably more thaneight yards in circumference; so that four men, joining hand in hand, could not compass them: Among others, we found the pepper tree, orWinter's bark, in great plenty. [23] Among these woods, notwithstandingthe coldness of the climate, there are innumerable parrots, and other birdsof the most beautiful plumage. I shot every day geese and ducks enoughto serve my own table and several others, and every body on board mighthave done the same: We had, indeed, great plenty of fresh provisions ofall kinds, for we caught as much fish every day as served the companiesof both ships. As I was much on shore here, I tracked many wild beastsin the sand, but never saw one; we also found many huts or wigwams, butnever met with an Indian. The country between this port and CapeForward, which is distant about four leagues, is extremely fine, thesoil appears to be very good, and there are no less than three prettylarge rivers, besides several brooks. [24]

[Footnote 23: "In this part may be found a considerable quantity ofexcellent wood, either green or dry, the latter lying along the shore onboth sides the straits, which are almost covered with the trees, that, having grown on the banks, have been blown down by the high winds. Thesetrees are somewhat like our birch, but are of so considerable a size, that the trunks of some of them are two feet (surely an error, yardsmust be intended) and a half in diameter, and sixty feet in length. Manyof these we cut down for our carpenters use, and found that, whenproperly dried, they were very serviceable, though not fit for masts. "The bark named Winter's in the text, is so called after Captain Winter, who discovered it in 1567. It was long held a specific for scurvy, andis now commended in certain cases as an article in diet-drinks. According to the work just now quoted, the sailors often used it in piesinstead of spice, and found it palateable. --E. ]

[Footnote 24: The other account gives a very spirited description of thescenery of this agreeable spot--but it is too long for insertionhere. --E. ]

While we lay here, I went one day to Cape Forward, and when I set out Iintended to have gone farther; but the weather became so bad, with heavyrain, that we were glad to stop there, and make a great fire to dry ourclothes, which were wet through. From the place where we stopped, theIndians had been gone so lately, that the wood, which lay half burnt, where they had made their fire, was still warm; and soon after our firewas kindled, we perceived that another was kindled directly opposite toit, on the Terra del Fuego shore; probably as a signal, which, if we hadbeen Indians, we should have understood. After we were dried andrefreshed at our fire, the rain having abated, I walked cross the Cape, to see how the Streight ran, which I found to be about W. N. W. The hills, as far as I could see, were of an immense height, very craggy, andcovered with snow quite from the summit to the base. I made also anotherexcursion along the shore to the northward, and found the country formany miles exceedingly pleasant, the ground being, in many places, covered with flowers, which were not inferior to those that are commonlyfound in our gardens, either in beauty or fragrance; and if it were notfor the severity of the cold in winter, this country might, in myopinion, be made, by cultivation, one of the finest in the world. I hadset up a small tent at the bottom of this bay, close to a littlerivulet, and just at the skirts of a wood, soon after the ship came toan anchor, where three men were employed in washing: They slept onshore; but soon after sunset were awakened out of their first sleep bythe roaring of some wild beasts, which the darkness of the night, andthe solitariness of their situation in this pathless desert, renderedhorrid beyond imagination: the tone was hollow and deep, so that thebeasts, of whatever kind, were certainly large, and the poor fellowsperceived that they drew nearer and nearer, as the sound every minutebecame more loud. From this time sleep was renounced for the night, alarge fire was immediately kindled, and a constant blaze kept up: Thisprevented the beasts from invading the tent; but they continued to prowlround it at a little distance, with incessant howlings, till the daybroke, and then, to the great comfort of the affrighted sailors, theydisappeared. 

At this place, not far from where the ship lay, there is a hill that hasbeen cleared of wood, and we supposed this to be the spot where theSpaniards formerly had a settlement. [25] One of the men, as he waspassing over this hill, perceived that, in a particular part, the groundreturned the sound of his foot, as if it was hollow: He thereforerepassed it several times, and finding the effect still the same, heconceived a strong notion that something was buried there; when he cameon board, he related what he had remarked to me, and I went myself tothe spot, with a small party, furnished with spades and pickaxes, andsaw the spot opened to a considerable depth, but we found nothing, nordid there appear to be any hollow or vault as was expected. As we werereturning through the woods, we found two very large skulls, which, bythe teeth, appeared to have belonged to some beasts of prey, but of whatkind we could not guess. 

[Footnote 25: See some account of this settlement in the Voyage ofCaptain Wallis, Section iii. ]

Having continued here till Friday the 4th of January, and completed thewood and water of both ships, for which purpose I had entered thestreight, I determined to steer back again in search of Falkland'sIslands. 

SECTION V. 

_The Course back from Port Famine to Falkland's Islands, with someAccount of the Country. _

We weighed anchor at four o'clock in the morning, and worked to windwardout of the harbour: The wind continued contrary at N. N. E. Till about oneo'clock the next day, when it shifted to W. S. W. And blew a fresh gale. We steered N. W. By N. Four leagues, and then three leagues north, between Elizabeth and Bartholomew Islands: We then steered from theislands N. By E. Three leagues, to the second narrow; and steeredthrough N. E. E. Continuing the same course from the second narrow to thefirst, which was a run of eight leagues. As the wind still continued toblow fresh, we steered through the first narrow against the flood, inthe direction of N. N. E. ; but about ten o'clock at night, the wind dyingaway, the flood set us back again into the entrance of the first narrow, where we were obliged to anchor, in forty fathom, within two cables'length of the shore. The tide flows here, at the full and change of themoon, about two o'clock, and runs full six knots an hour. 

At one o'clock the next morning, we weighed, with a light northerlybreeze; and about three, we passed the first narrow a second time. Having now seen the ship safe through, and being quite exhausted withfatigue, as I had been upon the deck all the preceding day, and allnight, I went into my cabin to get some rest. I lay down, and soon fellasleep; but in less than half an hour, I was awakened by the beating ofthe ship upon a bank: I instantly started up, and ran upon the deck, where I soon found that we had grounded upon a hard sand. It was happyfor us, that at this time it was stark calm; and I immediately orderedout the boats to carry an anchor astern, where the water was deepest:The anchor took the ground, but before we could work the capstern, inorder to heave the ship off to it, she went off, by the mere rising ofthe tide. It happened fortunately to be just low water when she wentaground, and there was fifteen feet forward, and six fathom a verylittle way astern. The master told me, that at the last cast of thelead, before we were aground, he had thirteen fathom; so that the watershoaled at once no less than sixty-three feet. 

This bank, which has not been mentioned by any navigator who has passedthe streight, is extremely dangerous; especially as it lies directly inthe fair way between Cape Virgin Mary and the first narrow, and just inthe middle between the south and north shores. It is more than twoleagues long, and full as broad; in many places also it is very steep. When we were upon it, Point Possession bore N. E. Distant three leagues;and the entrance of the narrow S. W. Distant two leagues. I afterwardssaw many parts of it dry, and the sea breaking very high over otherparts of it, where the water was shallow. A ship that should ground uponthis shoal in a gale of wind, would probably be very soon beaten topieces. 

About six o'clock in the morning, we anchored in fifteen fathom, theshoal bearing N. N. W. 1/2 W. At the distance of about half a mile. At noon, we weighed with a light breeze at N. E. And worked with the ebb tide tilltwo; but finding the water shoal, we anchored again in six fathom and ahalf, at about the distance of half a mile from the south side of theshoal; the Asses' Ears then bearing N. W. By W. Distant four leagues, andthe south point of the entrance of the first Narrow W. S. W. Distant aboutthree leagues. At this time the opening of the narrow was shut in, andupon sending out the boats to sound, they discovered a channel betweenthe shoal and the south shore of the streight. The Tamar in the meantime, as she was endeavouring to come near us, was very near going onshore, having once got into three fathom, but soon after came to ananchor in the channel between the shoal and the north shore. 

The next morning, about eight o'clock, we weighed, with little wind atW. S. W. And steered about half a mile S. E. By E. When, having deepenedour water to thirteen fathom, we steered between the E. And E. N. E. Alongthe south side of the shoal, at the distance of about seven miles fromthe south shore, keeping two boats at some distance, one on each bow, tosound. The depth of water was very irregular, varying continuallybetween nine and fifteen fathom; and upon hauling nearer to the shoal, we had very soon no more than seven fathom: The boats went over a bank, upon which they had six fathom and a half; it being then low water, butwithin the bank, they had thirteen fathom. At noon, we were to theeastward of the shoal, and as we hauled over to the north shore, we soondeepened our water to twenty fathom. Point Possession at this time boreN. N. W. Distant between four and five leagues, the Asses' Ears W. N. W. Distant six leagues, and Cape Virgin Mary N. E. 1/2 E. Distant about sevenleagues. From this situation we steered N. E. By E. For the south end ofthe spit which runs to the southward of the Cape, and had no soundingswith five and twenty fathom. At four in the afternoon, Cape Virgin Marybore N. E. And the south end of the spit N. E. By E. Distant threeleagues. At eight the next morning, the Cape bore N. By W. Distant twoleagues. Our latitude was 51° 50', and our soundings were eleven andtwelve fathom. We now brought-to for the Tamar, who had come through thenorth channel, and was some leagues astern of us, and while we werewaiting for her coming up, the officer of the watch informed me that thehead of the main-mast was sprung: I immediately went up to look at itmyself, and found it split almost in a straight line perpendicularly fora considerable length, but I could not discover exactly how far thefissure went, for the cheeks that were upon the mast. We imagined thisto have happened in the very hard gale that had overtaken us some timebefore; but as it was of more importance to contrive how to repair thedamage, than discover how it happened, we immediately put on a strongfish, and woolded it so well, that we had reason to hope the mast wouldbe as serviceable as ever. Cape Virgin Mary now bore S. 62° W. Distanttwenty-one leagues, and our latitude was 51° 50' S. Longitude 69° 56'W. ; the variation 20° E. 

On the 9th, having sailed S. 67° E. Our latitude was 52° 8' S. Ourlongitude 68° 31' W. And Cape Virgin Mary bore S. 83° W. Distantthirty-three leagues. 

On the 10th, there having been little wind for the last twenty-fourhours, between the north and east, with thick foggy weather, our coursewas N. 18° W. For thirty-nine miles. Our latitude was 51° 31' S. Longitude 68° 44' W. ; variation 20° E. And Cape Virgin Mary bore S. 60°W. Distant thirty-three leagues. 

On the 11th, we had strong gales at S. W. With a great sea: Our coursewas N. 87° E. For ninety-nine miles. Our latitude was 51° 24' S. Longitude 66° 10' W. Cape Virgin Mary bore S. 75° 8' W. Distantsixty-five leagues, and Cape Fair-weather W. 2° S. Distant seventyleagues; the variation was now 19° E. About seven in the evening, Ithought I saw land a-head of us, but the Tamar being some leaguesastern, I wore ship, and made an easy sail off: The next morning, atbreak of day, I stood in again, the wind having shifted in the night toN. W. And about four o'clock I recovered sight of the land a-head, whichhad the appearance of three islands: I imagined they might be theislands of Sebald de Wert, but intending to stand between them, I foundthat the land which had appeared to be separated, was joined by somevery low ground, which formed a deep bay. As soon as I had made thisdiscovery, I tacked and stood out again, and at the same time saw land agreat way to the southward, which I made no doubt was the same that ismentioned in the charts by the name of the New Islands. As I washauling out of this bay, I saw a long, low shoal of rocks, stretchingout for more than a league to the northward of us, and another of thesame kind lying between that and what we had taken for the northermostof De Wert's Islands. This land, except the low part, which is not seentill it is approached near, consists of high, craggy, barren rocks, which in appearance very much resemble Staten Land. When I had got sonear as to discover the low land, I was quite embayed, and if it hadblown hard at S. W. So great a sea must have rolled in here as would haverendered it almost impossible to claw off the shore; all ships, therefore, that may hereafter navigate these parts, should avoid fallingin with it. The seals and birds here are innumerable; we saw also manywhales spouting about us, several of which were of an enormous size. Ourlatitude now was 51° 27' S. Longitude 63° 54' W. ; the variation was 23°30' E. In the evening we brought-to, and at day-break the next morning, stood in for the north part of the island by the coast of which we hadbeen embayed: When we had got about four miles to the eastward, it fellcalm, and rained with great violence, during which there arose such aswell as I never remember to have seen: It came from the westward, andran so quick and so high, that I expected every moment it would break:It set us very fast towards the shore, which is as dangerous as any inthe world, and I could see the surge breaking at some distance from it, mountains high: Happily for us a fresh gale sprang up at south-east, with which, to our great joy, we were able to stand off; and if behoveswhoever shall afterwards come this way, to give the north part of thisisland a good birth. After I had got to some distance, the weather beingthick, and it raining very hard, I brought-to. Our latitude was now51°S. And longitude 63° 22' W. 

On Monday the 14th, the weather having cleared up, and the wind shiftedto the S. S. W. We steered along the short S. E. By E. Four miles, and sawa low flat island full of high tufts of grass, resembling bushes, bearing south, at the distance of two or three leagues, the northernmostland at the same time bearing west, distant about six leagues: We hadhere thirty-eight fathom, with rocky ground. We continued our coursealong the shore six leagues farther, and then saw a low rocky islandhearing S. E. By E. Distant about five miles: Here we brought-to, andhaving sounded, we had forty fathom water, with a bottom of white sand. This island is about three leagues distant from the land we werecoasting, which here forms a very deep bay, and beats E. By N. Of theother island on which we had seen the long tufts of grass: We saw thesea break at a good distance from the shore, and during the night stoodoff and on. The next morning at three o'clock we made sail, and stood infor the land to look for a harbour. At six, the east end of the rockyisland bore W. S. W. Distant about three miles, and our soundings thenwere sixteen fathom, with rocky ground; but when we got within theisland we had twenty fathom, with fine white sand. The coast from thisrocky island lies E. By S. Distant about seven or eight leagues, wherethere are two low islands, which make the easternmost land in sight. Ateight o'clock we saw an opening, which had the appearance of an harbour, bearing E. S. E. And being between two and three leagues distant. Uponthis discovery we brought to, and sent a boat from each of the ships toexamine the opening; but it beginning to blow very hard soon after, andthe weather growing thick, with heavy rain, we were obliged to stand outto sea with both the ships, and it was not without great difficulty thatwe cleared the two rocky islands which were to the eastward of us. Wehad now a great sea, and I began to be under much concern lest we shouldbe blown off, and our people in the boats left behind: However, aboutthree in the afternoon, the weather clearing up, I tacked and stood inagain, and presently after had the satisfaction to see one of the boats, though it was a long way to leeward of us. I immediately bore down toher, and found her to be the Tamar's boat, with Mr Hindman, the secondlieutenant, on board, who having been on shore in the opening, hadventured off, notwithstanding the great sea and bad weather, to informme that he had found a fine harbour: We immediately stood in for it, andfound it equally beyond his report and our expectations; the entrance isabout a mile over, and every part of it is perfectly safe, the depth ofwater, close to the shore, being from ten to seven fathom. We found thisharbour to consist of two little bays on the starboard side, where shipsmay anchor in great safety, and in each of which there is a fine rivuletof fresh water. Soon after we entered an harbour of much greater extent, which I called Port Egmont, in honour of the earl, who was then firstlord of the Admiralty; and I think it is one of the finest harbours inthe world. The mouth of it is S. E. Distant seven leagues from the lowrocky island, which is a good mark to know it by: Within the island, andat the distance of about two miles from the shore, there is betweenseventeen and eighteen fathom water; and about three leagues to thewestward of the harbour, there is a remarkable white sandy beach, offwhich a ship may anchor till there is an opportunity to run in. Instanding in for this sandy beach, the two low rocky islands, which wefound it difficult to clear when the weather obliged us to stand off, appear to the eastward, and Port Egmont is about sixteen leagues fromthe north end of these islands. We moored in ten fathom, with fineholding ground. The northermost point of the western shore was distanttwo miles and a half, the watering-place on that shore bore W. N. W. 1/2 W. And was distant half a mile, and the islands on the east side bore E. ByS. And were distant four miles. The whole navy of England might ridehere in perfect security from all winds. Soon after the ship came to ananchor, the other boat which had remained on shore when Mr Hindman putoff, came on board. In the southermost part of the harbour there areseveral islands, but there is no passage out for a ship; I went, however, through in my boat, about seven leagues distant from where theship lay, and entered a large sound, which is too much exposed to awesterly wind for ships to lie in it safely; and the master, of theTamar, who had been round in her boat, and entered this sound fromwithout, reported that many shoals lay off it, so that if the harbourwas ever so good, it would not be prudent to attempt getting in. Inevery part of Port Egmont there is fresh water in the greatest plenty, and geese, ducks, snipes, and other birds are so numerous, that ourpeople grew tired of them: It was a common thing for a boat to bring offsixty or seventy fine geese, without expending a single charge of powderand shot, for the men knocked down as many as they pleased with stones:Wood, however, is wanting here, except a little that is found adriftalong the shore, which I imagined came from the Straits of Magellan. Among other refreshments, which are in the highest degree salutary tothose who have contracted scorbutic disorders, during a long voyage, here are wild celery, and wood sorrel, in the greatest abundance; nor isthere any want of mussels, clams, cockles, and limpets: The seals andpenguins are innumerable, so that it is impossible to walk upon thebeach without first driving them away: And the coast abounds withsea-lions, many of which are of an enormous size. We found this animalvery formidable; I was once attacked by one of them very unexpectedly, and it was with the utmost difficulty that I could disengage myself fromhim: At other times we had many battles with them, and it has sometimesafforded a dozen of us an hour's work to dispatch one of them: I hadwith me a very fine mastiff dog, and a bite of one of these creaturesalmost tore him to pieces. Nor were these the only dangerous animalsthat we found here, for the master having been sent out one day to soundthe coast upon the south shore, reported, at his return, that fourcreatures of great fierceness, resembling wolves, ran up to theirbellies in the water to attack the people in his boat, and that as theyhappened to have no fire-arms with them, they had immediately put theboat off into deep water. The next morning after this happened, I wentupon the southern shore myself, where we found one of the largestsea-lions I had ever seen: As the boat's crew were now well armed, theyimmediately engaged him, and during the contest one of the other animalswas seen running towards us: He was tired out before he came up, and waspresently killed, though I afterwards wished that we had endeavoured totake him alive, which, if we had been aware of his attack, I daresaymight easily have been done. When any of these creatures got sight ofour people, though at ever so great a distance, they ran directly atthem; and no less than five of them were killed this day. They werealways called wolves by the ship's company, but, except in their size, and the shape of the tail, I think they bore a greater resemblance to afox. They are as big as a middle-sized mastiff, and their fangs areremarkably long and sharp. There are great numbers of them upon thiscoast, though it is not perhaps easy to guess how they first camehither, for these islands are at least one hundred leagues distant fromthe main: They burrow in the ground like a fox, and we have frequentlyseen pieces of seal which they have mangled, and the skins of penguins, lie scattered about the mouth of their holes. To get rid of thesecreatures, our people set fire to the grass, so that the country was ina blaze as far as the eye could reach, for several days, and we couldsee them running in great numbers to seek other quarters. I dug holes inmany places, about two feet deep, to examine the soil, which I foundfirst a black mold, and then a light clay. While we lay here, we set upthe armourer's forge on shore, and completed a great deal of iron-workthat was much wanted. Our people had every morning an excellentbreakfast made of portable soup, and wild celery, thickened withoatmeal: Neither was our attention confined wholly to ourselves, for thesurgeon of the Tamar surrounded a piece of ground near thewatering-place with a fence of turf, and planted it with many esculentvegetables as a garden, for the benefit of those who might hereaftercome to this place. [26] Of this harbour, and all the neighbouringislands, I took possession for his majesty King George the Third ofGreat Britain, by the name of _Falkland's Islands_; and there is, Ithink, little reason to doubt that they are the same land to whichCowley gave the name of Pepys's Island. 

[Footnote 26: "Many of them began to spring up very fast, and we havesince heard, that some persons who arrived there after our departure, eat of those roots and sallad. "]

In the printed account of Cowley's voyage, he says, "we held our courseS. W. Till we came into the latitude of forty-seven degrees, where we sawland, the same being an island, not before known, lying to the westwardof us: It was not inhabited, and I gave it the name of Pepys's Island. We found it a very commodious place for ships to water at, and take inwood, and it has a very good harbour, where a thousand sail of ships maysafely ride. Here is great plenty of fowls; and, we judge, abundance offish, by reason of the ground's being nothing but rocks and sands. "

To this account there is annexed a representation of Pepys's Island, inwhich names are given to several points and head-lands, and the harbouris called Admiralty Bay; yet it appears that Cowley had only a distantview of it, for he immediately adds, "the wind being so extraordinaryhigh that we could not get into it to water, we stood to the southward, shaping our course S. S. W. Till we came into the latitude of 53°;" andthough he says that "it was commodious to take in wood, " and it is knownthat there is no wood on Falkland's Islands, Pepys's Island andFalkland's Islands may notwithstanding be the same; for upon Falkland'sIslands there are immense quantities of flags with narrow leaves, reedsand rushes which grow in clusters, so as to form bushes about three feethigh, and then shoot about six or seven feet higher: These at a distancehave greatly the appearance of wood, and were taken for wood by theFrench, who landed there in the year 1764, as appears by Pernetty'saccount of their voyage. [27] It has been suggested that the latitude ofPepys's Island might, in the MS. From which the account of Cowley'svoyage was printed, be expressed in figures, which, if ill made, mightequally resemble forty-seven, and fifty-one; and therefore as there isno island in these seas in latitude forty-seven, and as Falkland'sIslands lie nearly in fifty-one, that fifty-one might reasonably beconcluded to be the number for which the figures were intended to stand:Recourse therefore was had to the British Museum, and a manuscriptjournal of Cowley's was there found. In this manuscript no mention ismade of an island not before known, to which he gave the name of Pepys'sIsland, but land is mentioned in latitude forty-seven degrees fortyminutes, expressed in words at length, which exactly answers to thedescription of what is called Pepys's Island in the printed account, andwhich here, he says, he supposed to be the islands of Sebald de Wert. This part of the manuscript is in the following words: "January, 1683, This month we were in the latitude of forty-seven degrees and fortyminutes, where we espied an island bearing west from us; we having thewind at east north-east, we bore away for it; it being too late for usto go on shore, we lay by all night. The island seemed very pleasant tothe eye, with many woods, I may as well say the whole land was woods. There being a rock lying above water to the eastward of it, where aninnumerable company of fowls, being of the bigness of a small goose, which fowls would strike at our men as they were aloft: Some of them wekilled and eat: They seemed to us very good, only tasted somewhatfishly. I sailed along that island to the southward, and about thesouth-west side of the island there seemed to me to be a good place forships to ride; I would have had the boat out to have gone into theharbour, but the wind blew fresh, and they would not agree to go withit. Sailing a little further, keeping the lead, and having sixand-twenty and seven-and-twenty fathoms water, until we came to a placewhere we saw the weeds ride, heaving the lead again, found but sevenfathoms water. Fearing danger went about the ship there; were thenfearfull to stay by the land any longer, it being all rocky ground, butthe harbour seemed to be a good place for shipps to ride there; in theisland, seeming likewise to have water enough, there seemed to me to beharbour for five hundred sail of ships. The going in but narrow, and thenorth side of the entrance shallow water that I could see, but I verilybelieve that there is water enough for any ship to go in on the southside, for there cannot be so great a lack of water, but must needsscoure a channel away at the ebb deep enough for shipping to go in. Iwould have had them stood upon a wind all night, but they told me theywere not come out to go upon discovery. We saw likewise another islandby this that night, which made me think them to be the Sibble D'wards. "

[Footnote 27: Bougainville, who had the command of the expedition herereferred to, says, "The same illusion which made Hawkins, Woods Rogers, and others believe that these isles were covered with wood, actedlikewise upon my fellow voyagers. We were surprised when we landed, tosee that what we took for woods as we sailed along the coast, wasnothing but bushes of a tall rush, standing very close together. Thebottom of its stalks being dried, got the colour of a dead leaf to theheight of about five feet; and from thence springs the tuft of rushes, which crown this stalk; so that at a distance, these stalks togetherhave the appearance of a wood of middling height. These rushes only grownear the sea side, and on little isles; the mountains on the main landare, in some parts, covered all over with heath, which are easilymistaken for bushes. "--Forster's Translation, where a pretty interestingaccount of these islands (called Malouines) is to be found. --E. ]

"The same night we steered our course againe west south west, which wasbut our south west, the compasse having two and twenty degrees variationeastwardly, keeping that course till we came in the latitude of threeand fifty degrees. "

In both the printed and manuscript account, this land is said to lie inlatitude forty-seven, to be situated to the westward of the ship whenfirst discovered, to appear woody, to have an harbour where a greatnumber of ships might ride in safety, and to be frequented byinnumerable birds. It appears also by both accounts, that the weatherprevented his going on shore, and that he steered from it W. S. W. Till hecame into latitude fifty-three: There can therefore be little doubt butthat Cowley gave the name of Pepys's Island after he came home, to whathe really supposed to be the island of Sebald de Wert, for which it isnot difficult to assign several reasons; and though the supposition of amistake of the figures does not appear to be well grounded, yet, therebeing no land in forty-seven, the evidence that what Cowley saw wasFalkland's Islands is very strong. The description of the country agreesin almost every particular, and even the map is of the same generalfigure, with a strait running up the middle. The chart of Falkland'sthat accompanies my narrative, was laid down from the journals anddrawings of Captain Macbride, who was dispatched thither after myreturn, and circumnavigated the whole coast: The two principal islandswere probably called Falkland's Islands by Strong, about the year 1689, as he is known to have given the name of Falkland's Sound to part of thestrait which divides them. The journal of this navigator is stillunprinted in the British Museum. The first who saw these islands issupposed to be Captain Davies, the associate of Cavendish, in 1692. In1594, Sir Richard Hawkins saw land, supposed to be the same, and inhonour of his mistress, Queen Elizabeth, called them Hawkins's MaidenLand. Long afterwards, they were seen by some French ships from SaintMaloes, and Frezier, probably for that reason, called them the Malouins, a name which has been since adopted by the Spaniards. 

Having continued in the harbour which I had called Port Egmont tillSunday the 27th of January, we sailed again at eight o'clock in themorning with the wind at S. S. W. ; but we were scarcely got out of theport before it began to blow very hard, and the weather became so thickthat we could not see the rocky islands. I now most heartily wishedmyself again at anchor in the harbour we had quitted; but in a shorttime we had the satisfaction to see the weather become clear, though itcontinued to blow very hard the whole day. At nine the entrance of PortEgmont harbour bore E. S. E. Distant two leagues; the two low islands tothe northward E. By N. Distant between three and four miles; and therocky island W. 1/2 N. Distant four leagues. At ten the two low islandsbore S. S. E. Distant four or five miles; and we then steered along theshore east by the compass, and after having run about five leagues, wesaw a remarkable head-land, with a rock at a little distance from it, bearing E. S. E. 1/2 E. Distant three leagues. This head-land I called_Cape Tamar_. Having continued the same course five leagues farther, wesaw a rock about five miles from the main bearing N. E. At the distanceof four or five leagues: This rock I called the _Edistone_, and thensteered between it and a remarkable head-land which I called _CapeDolphin_, in the direction of E. N. E. Five leagues farther. From CapeTamar to Cape Dolphin, a distance of about eight leagues, the landforms, what I thought, a deep sound, and called it _Carlisle Sound_, butwhat has since appeared to be the northern entrance of the straitbetween the two principal islands. In the part that I supposed to be thebottom of the sound, we saw an opening, which had the appearance of aharbour. From Cape Dolphin we steered along the shore E. 1/2 N. Sixteenleagues, to a low flat cape or headland, and then brought-to. In thisday's run the land, for the most part, resembled the east side of thecoast of Patagonia, not having so much as a single tree, or even a bush, being all downs, with here and there a few of the high tufts of grassthat we had seen at Port Egmont; and in this account I am sure I am notmistaken, for I frequently sailed within two miles of the shore; so thatif there had been a shrub as big as a gooseberry hush, I should haveseen it. During the night we had forty fathom, water with rocky ground. 

The next morning, at four o'clock, we made sail, the low flat cape thenbearing S. E. By E. Distant five leagues: At half an hour after five itbore S. S. E. Distant two leagues and we then steered from it E. S. E. Fiveleagues, to three low rocky islands, which, lie about two miles from themain. From these islands we steered S. S. E. Four leagues, to two otherlow islands, which lie at a distance of about one mile from the main. Between these islands the land forms a very deep sound, which I called_Berkeley's Sound_. In the south part of this sound there is an opening, which has the appearance of a harbour; and about three or four miles tothe southward of the south point of it, at the distance of about fourmiles from the main, some rocks appear above the water, upon which thesea breaks very high, there being here a great swell from the southward. When we were abreast of these breakers, we steered S. W. By S. About twoleagues, when the southernmost land in sight, which I took to be thesouthermost part of Falkland's Islands, bore W. S. W. Distant fiveleagues. The coast now began to be very dangerous, there being, in alldirections, rocks and breakers at a great distance from the shore. Thecountry also inland had a more rude and desolate appearance; the highground, as far as we could see, being all barren, craggy rocks, verymuch resembling that part of Terra del Fuego which lies near Cape Horn. As the sea now rose every moment, I was afraid or being caught here upona lee-shore, in which case there would have been very little chance ofmy getting off, and therefore I tacked, and stood to the northward; thelatitude of the southermost point in sight being about 52°3' S. As wehad now run no less than seventy leagues along the coast of this island, it must certainly be of very considerable extent. It has been said bysome former navigators to be about two hundred miles in circumference, but I made no doubt of its being nearer seven. Having hauled the wind, Istood to the northward about noon; the entrance of Berkeley's Sound atthree o'clock bore S. W. By W. Distant about six leagues. At eight in theevening, the wind shifting to the S. W. We stood to the westward. 

SECTION VI. 

_The Passage through the Strait of Magellan as far as Cape Monday, witha Description of several Bays and Harbours, formed by the Coast on eachSide. _

We continued to make sail for Port Desire till Wednesday the 6th ofFebruary, when about one o'clock in the afternoon we saw land, and stoodin for the port. During the run from Falkland's Islands to this place, the number of whales about the ship was so great as to render thenavigation dangerous; we were very near striking upon one, and anotherblew the water in upon the quarter-deck; they were much larger than anywe had seen. As we were standing in for Port Desire, we saw the Florida, a store-ship that we expected from England; and at four we came to ananchor off the harbour's mouth. 

The next morning, Mr Dean, the master of the store-ship, came on board;and finding from his report that his foremast was sprung, and his shiplittle better than a wreck, I determined to go into the harbour, and tryto unload her there, although the narrowness of the place, and therapidity of the tides, render it a very dangerous situation. We got inin the evening, but it blowing very hard in the night, both the Tamarand the store-ship made signals of distress; I immediately sent my boatsto their assistance, who found that; notwithstanding they were moored, they had been driven up the harbour, and were in the greatest danger ofbeing on shore. They were brought back, not without great difficulty, and the very next night they drove again, and were again saved by thesame efforts, from the same danger. As I now found that the store-shipwas continually driving about the harbour, and every moment in danger ofbeing lost, I gave up, with whatever reluctance, my design of taking theprovisions out of her, and sent all our carpenters on board, to fish themast, and make such other repairs as they could. I also lent her myforge to complete such iron-work as they wanted, and determined, themoment she was in a condition to put to sea, to take her with us intothe strait of Magellan, and unload her there. While this was doing, Captain Mouat, who commanded the Tamar, informed me that his rudder wassprung, and that he had reason to fear it would in a short time becomewholly unserviceable. Upon this I ordered the carpenter of the Dolphinon board the Tamar, to examine the rudder, and he reported it to be sobad, that in his opinion the vessel could not proceed on her voyagewithout a new one. A new one, however, it was not in our power toprocure at this place, and I therefore desired Captain Mouat to get hisforge on shore, and secure his rudder with iron clamps in the bestmanner, he could, hoping that in the strait a piece of timber might befound which would furnish him with a better. 

On Wednesday the 13th, the store-ship being ready for sea, I put onboard of her one of my petty officers, who was well acquainted with thestrait, and three or four of my seamen to assist in navigating her; Ialso lent her two of my boats, and took those belonging to her, whichwere staved, on board to get them repaired, and then I ordered hermaster to put to sea directly, and make the best of his way to PortFamine; though I did not doubt but that I should come up with her longbefore she got thither, as I intended to follow her as soon as the Tamarwas ready, and Captain Mouat had told me that the rudder having beenpatched together by the joint labour and skill of the carpenter andsmith, he should be in a condition to proceed with me the next morning. 

The next morning we accordingly put to sea, and a few hours afterwardsbeing abreast of Penguin island, we saw the store-ship a long way to theeastward. 

On Saturday the 16th, about six o'clock in the morning, we saw CapeFair-weather, bearing W. S. W. At the distance of five or six leagues; andat nine, we saw a strange sail to the N. W. Standing after us. 

On the 17th, at six in the morning, Cape Virgin Mary bearing south, distant five miles, we hauled in for the strait, and the strange shipstill followed us. 

On the 18th we passed the first narrow, and as I perceived the strangeship to have shaped the same course that we had, from the time she hadfirst seen us, shortening or making sail as we did, she became thesubject of much speculation; and as I was obliged, after I had gotthrough the first narrow, to bring-to for the store-ship, which was agreat way astern, I imagined she would speak with us, and therefore Iput the ship in the best order I could. As soon as he had passed thenarrow, and saw me lying-to, he did the same about four miles towindward of me. In this situation we remained till night came on, andthe tide setting us over to the south shore, we came to an anchor; thewind however shifted before morning, and at day-break I saw oursatellite at anchor about three leagues to leeward of us. As it was thentide of flood, I thought of working through the second narrow; butseeing the stranger get underway, and work up towards us, I ran directlyover into Gregory Bay, and brought the ship to an anchor, with a springupon our cable: I also got eight of our guns, which were all we couldget at, out of the hold, and brought them over on one side. In the meantime, the ship continued to work up towards us, and various were ourconjectures about her, for she shewed no colours, neither did we. Ithappened about this time that the store-ship, as she was endeavouring tocome to an anchor near us, ran aground; upon which the stranger came toan anchor a little way astern, at the same time hoisting French colours, and sending his launch, and another boat, with an anchor to assist her. Still, however, I showed no colours, but sent my own boats, and a boatof the Tamar's, to assist the store-ship, giving orders at the same timeto the officers, not to suffer the French boats to come on board her, but to thank them in polite terms for the assistance they intended. These orders were punctually obeyed, and with the assistance of our ownboats only, the store-ship was soon after got off: My people reportedthat the French ship was full of men, and seemed to have a great numberof officers on board. 

At six o'clock in the evening, I made the signal and weighed; we workedthrough the second narrow, and at ten o'clock passed the west end of it:at eleven we anchored in seven fathom off Elizabeth's Island, and theFrench ship at the same time anchored in a bad situation, to thesouthward of Saint Bartholomew's Island, which convinced me that she wasnot acquainted with the channel. 

At six o'clock the next morning, I weighed and sailed between Elizabethand Bartholomew Islands, with the wind at N. W. And after steering S. S. W. Five or six miles, we crossed a bank, where among the weeds we had sevenfathom water. This bank lies W. S. W. Five or six miles from the middle ofGeorge's Island, and it is said in some former accounts that in manyplaces there is not three fathom water upon it; the danger heretherefore is considerable, and to avoid it, it is necessary to keep nearElizabeth's Island, till the western shore is but at a short distance, and then a southern course may be steered with great safety, till thereef, which lies about four miles to the northward of Saint Anne'sPoint, is in sight. At noon this day, the north point of Fresh Water Baybore W. By N. And Saint Anne's Point S. By E. 1/2 E. The French shipstill steered after us, and we imagined that she was either fromFalkland's Islands, where the French had then a settlement, to get wood, or upon a survey of the strait. The remaining part of this day, and thenext morning, we had variable winds with calms; in the afternoontherefore I hoisted out the boats, and towed round Saint Anne's Pointinto Port Famine; at six in the evening we anchored, and soon after theFrench ship passed by us to the southward. 

Here we continued till Monday the 25th, when both the Dolphin and Tamarhaving taken out of the store-ship as much provision as they could stow, I gave the master of her orders to return to England as soon as he couldget ready, and with the Tamar sailed from Port Famine, intending to pushthrough the streight before the season should be too far advanced. [28]At noon we were three leagues distant from Saint Anne's Point, whichbore N. W. And three or four miles distant from Point Shutup, which boreS. S. W. Point Shutup bears from Saint Anne's Point S. 1/2 E. By thecompass, and they are about four or five leagues asunder. Between thesetwo points there is a flat shoal, which runs from Port Famine beforeSedger river, and three or four miles to the southward. 

[Footnote 28: "At taking our leave of the store-ship, our boatswain, andall that were sick on board the Dolphin and Tamar, obtained leave toreturn in her to England; the commodore in the mean time openlydeclaring to the men in general, that if any of them were averse toproceeding on the voyage, they had free liberty to return; an offerwhich only one of our men accepted. "]

We steered S. S. W. With little wind along the shore, from Point Shutuptowards Cape Forward; and about three o'clock in the afternoon we passedby the French ship, which, we saw in a little cove, about two leagues tothe southward of Point Shutup. She had hauled her stern close into thewoods, and we could see large piles of the wood which she had cut down, lying on each side of her; so that I made no doubt of her having beensent out to procure that necessary for their new settlement, though Icould not conceive why they should have come so far into the strait forthat purpose. After my return to England, I learnt that this vessel wasthe Eagle, commanded by M. Bougainville, and that her business in thestrait was, as I conjectured, to cut wood for the French settlement inthe Falkland's Islands. From Cape Shutup to Cape Forward, the course bycompass is S. W. By S. And the distance is seven leagues. At eighto'clock in the evening, Cape Forward bore N. W. 1/2 W. And was distantabout a mile, and we brought-to for the night. This part of the straitis about eight miles over, and off the cape we had forty fathom withinhalf a cable's length of the shore. About four o'clock in the morning wemade sail, and at eight, having had light airs almost quite round thecompass, Cape Forward bore N. E. By E. Distant about four miles; and CapeHolland W. N. W. 1/2 W. Distant about five leagues. At ten we had freshgales at W. N. W. And at intervals sudden squalls, so violent as to obligeus to clue all up every time they came on. We kept, however, working towindward, and looking out for an anchoring-place, endeavouring at thesame time to reach a bay about two leagues to the westward of CapeForward. At five o'clock I sent a boat with an officer into this bay tosound, who finding it fit for our purpose, we entered it, and about sixo'clock anchored in nine fathom: Cape Forward bore E. 1/2 S. Distant fivemiles; a small island which lies in the middle of the bay, and is abouta mile distant from the shore, W. By S. Distant about half a mile; and arivulet of fresh water N. W. By W. Distant three quarters of a mile. 

At six o'clock the next morning, we weighed and continued our coursethrough the strait; from Cape Holland to Cape Gallant, which are distantabout eight leagues, the coast lies W. 1/2 S. By the compass: CapeGallant is very high and steep, and between this and Cape Holland lies areach about three leagues over, called English Reach. About five milessouth of Cape Gallant lies a large island, called Charles's Island, which it is necessary to keep to the northward of: We sailed along thenorth shore of it, at about two miles distance, and sometimes much less. A little to the eastward of Cape Holland is a fair sandy bay, calledWood's Bay, in which there is good anchoring. The mountains on each sidethe strait are, I think, higher, and of a more desolate appearance, thanany other, in the world, except perhaps the Cordeliers, both being rude, craggy, and steep, and covered with snow from the top to the bottom. 

From Cape Gallant to Passage Point, which are distant about threeleagues, the coast lies W. By N. By compass. Passage Point is the eastpoint of Elizabeth's Bay, and is low land, with a rock lying off it. Between this and Cape Gallant there are several islands. Some of themare very small; but the eastermost, which is Charles's Island, that hasbeen just mentioned, is two leagues long; the next is called Monmouth'sIsland, and the westermost Rupert's Island: Rupert's Island lies S. ByE. Of Point Passage. These islands make the strait narrow; betweenPoint Passage and Rupert's Island it is not more than two miles over, and it is necessary to go to the northward of them all, keeping thenorth shore on board: We sailed within two cables' length of it, and hadno ground with forty fathom. At six in the evening the wind shifted tothe westward, upon which we stood in for Elizabeth's Bay, and anchoredin ten fathom with very good ground: the best anchoring, however, is inthirteen fathom, for there was but three or four fathom about a cable'slength within us. In this bay there is a good rivulet of fresh water. Wefound the flood here set very strong to the eastward; and according toour calculation, it flows at the full and change of the moon abouttwelve o'clock. We found the variation two points easterly. 

At two o'clock in the afternoon, on Thursday the 28th, the wind beingbetween the N. W. And W. With fresh gales and squalls, we made the signalto weigh, and just as we had got the ship over the anchor, a violentgust brought it home; the ship immediately drove into shoal water, within two cables' length of the shore, upon which we let go the smallbower in four fathom, and had but three fathom under our stern: Thestream anchor was carried out with all possible expedition, and byapplying a purchase to the capstern, the ship was drawn towards it; wethen heaved up both the bower anchors, slipt the stream cable, and withthe jib and stay-sails ran out into ten fathom, and anchored with thebest bower exactly in the situation from which we had been driven. 

At five o'clock the next morning, the wind being northerly, and theweather moderate, we weighed again, and at seven passed Muscle Bay, which lies on the southern shore, about a league to the westward ofElizabeth's Bay. At eight we were abreast of Bachelor's River, which ison the north shore, about two leagues W. By N. From Elizabeth's Bay. Atnine we passed St Jerom's Sound, the entrance of which is about a leaguefrom Bachelor's River: When St Jerom's Sound was open, it bore N. W. Wethen steered W. S. W. By the compass for Cape Quod, which is three leaguesdistant from the southermost point of the sound. Between Elizabeth Bayand Cape Quod is a reach about four miles over, called Crooked Reach. Atthe entrance of Jerom's Sound, on the north side, we saw three or fourfires, and soon afterwards perceived two or three canoes paddling afterus. At noon Cape Quod bore W. S. W. 1/2 W. Distant four or five miles, andsoon after having light airs and calms, we drove to the eastward withthe flood tide; in the mean time the canoes came up, and after havingpaddled about us some time, one of them had the resolution to come onboard. The canoe was of bark, very ill made, and the people on board, which were four men, two women, and a boy, were the poorest wretches Ihad ever seen. They were all naked, except a stinking seal skin that wasthrown loosely over their shoulders; they were armed, however, with bowsand arrows, which they readily gave me in return for a few beads, andother trifles. The arrows were made of a reed, and pointed with a greenstone; they were about two feet long, and the bows were three feet; thecord of the bow was the dried gut of some animal. [29] In the evening weanchored abreast of Bachelor's River, in fourteen fathom. The entranceof the river bore N. By E. Distant one mile, and the northermost pointof Saint Jerom's Sound W. N. W. Distant three miles. About three quartersof a mile eastward of Bachelor's River, is a shoal, upon which there isnot more than six feet water when the tide is out: it is distant abouthalf a mile from the shore, and may be known by the weeds that are uponit. The tide flows here, at the full and change of the moon, about oneo'clock. Soon after we were at anchor, several Indians came on board us, and I made them all presents of beads, ribbands, and other trifles, withwhich they appeared to be greatly delighted. This visit I returned bygoing on shore among them, taking only a few people with me in my jollyboat, that I might not alarm them by numbers. They received us withgreat expressions of kindness, and to make us welcome, they brought ussome berries which they had gathered for that purpose, and which, with afew muscles, seem to be a principal part, if not the whole of theirsubsistence. 

[Footnote 29: "They have also javelins. These people seem to be verypoor and perfectly harmless, coming forth to their respective callings, as soon, as the morning dawns, and as soon as the sun sets retiring totheir different habitations. "--"They are very dexterous in striking thefish with their javelins, though they lie some feet under water. Inthese instances they seem to shew the utmost extent of their ingenuity;for we found them incapable of understanding things the most obvious totheir senses. For instance, on their first coming on board, amongst thetrinkets we presented them were some knives and scissars, and in givingthem these, we tried to make them sensible of their use; but after ourrepeated endeavours, by shewing the manner of using them, they continuedas inflexible as at first, and could not learn to distinguish the bladesfrom the handles. "]

At five o'clock in the morning of the 2d, we weighed and towed with thetide, but at ten, having no wind, and finding that we drove again to theeastward, we anchored with the stream anchor in fifteen fathom, upon abank which lies about half a mile from the north shore; after veeringabout two-thirds of a cable, we had five-and-forty fathom along-side andstill deeper water at a little distance. The south point of SaintJerom's Sound bore N. N. E. Distant two miles, and Cape Quod W. S. W. Distant about eight miles. From the south point of Saint Jerom's Soundto Cape Quod is three leagues, in the direction of S. W. By W. The tidesin this reach are exceedingly strong, though very irregular; we foundthem set to the eastward from nine o'clock in the morning till fiveo'clock the next morning, and the other four hours, from five to nine, they set to the westward. [30] At twelve o'clock at night, it began toblow very hard at W. N. W. And at two in the morning the ship drove offthe bank: We immediately hove the anchor up, and found both the flukesbroken off; till three o'clock we had no ground, and then we drove intosixteen fathom, at the entrance of Saint Jerom's Sound; as it still blewa storm, we immediately let go the best bower, and veered to half acable. The anchor brought the ship up at so critical a moment, that wehad but five fathom, and even that depth was among breakers. We let gothe small bower under foot, and at five, finding the tide set to thewestward, and the weather more moderate, we got up both the anchors, andkept working to windward. At ten we found the tide setting againstrongly to the eastward, and we therefore sent the boat back to seekfor an anchoring-place, which she found in a bay on the north shore, about four miles to the eastward of Cape Quod, and a little way withinsome small islands: We endeavoured to get into this bay, but the tiderushed out of it with such violence, that we found it impossible, and atnoon bore away for York Road, at the entrance of Bachelor's River, wherewe anchored about an hour afterwards. 

[Footnote 30: "The streights are here four leagues over, and it isdifficult to get any anchorage, on account of the unevenness andirregularity of the bottom, which in several places close to the shorehas from twenty to fifty fathoms water, and in other parts no ground isto be found with a line of a hundred and fifty fathoms. "]

At six o'clock the next morning, we weighed and worked with the tide, which set the same as the day before, but we could not gain ananchoring-place, so that at noon we bore away for York Road again. Itook this opportunity to go up Bachelor's River in my jolly-boat, ashigh as I could, which was about four miles: In some places I found itvery wide and deep, and the water was good, but near the mouth it is soshallow at low water, that even a small boat cannot get into it. 

At six o'clock on the 5th we weighed again, and at eight, it being starkcalm, we sent the boats a-head to tow; at eleven, however, the tide setso strong from the westward, that we could not gain the bay on the northshore, which the boat had found for us on the 4th, and which was anexcellent harbour, fit to receive five or six sail: We were thereforeobliged to anchor upon a bank, in forty-five fathom, with the streamanchor, Cape Quod bearing W. S. W. Distant five or six miles, the southpoint of the island that lies to the east of the cape, being just in onewith the pitch of it, and a remarkable stone patch on the north shore, bearing N. 1/2 W. Distant half a mile. Close to the shore here, the depthof water was seventy-five fathom. As soon as we were at anchor, I sentan officer to the westward to look out for a harbour, but he did notsucceed. It was calm the rest of the day, and all night, the tidesetting to the eastward from the time we anchored till six o'clock thenext morning, when we weighed, and were towed by the boats to thewestward. At eight a fresh breeze sprung up at W. S. W. And W. And at noonCape Quod bore E. By S. At the distance of about five miles. In thissituation I sent the boats out again to look for an anchoring-place, andabout noon, by their direction, we anchored in a little bay on the southshore, opposite to Cape Quod, in five and twenty fathom, with very goodground. [31] A small rocky island bore W. By N. At the distance of abouttwo cables' length, the eastermost point E. 1/2 S. And Cape Quod N. E. ByN. Distant about three miles: In this place we had shell-fish of variouskinds in great plenty. The Tamar not being able to work up to us, anchored about two o'clock in the bay on the north shore, about sixmiles to the eastward of Cape Quod, which has been mentioned already. During the night it was stark calm, but in the morning, having littleairs of wind westerly, I weighed about eight o'clock, and worked withthe tide. At noon Cape Quod bore E. By S. Distant between two and threeleagues, and Cape Monday, which is the westermost land in sight on thesouth shore, W. By N. Distant about ten or eleven leagues. This part ofthe strait lies W. N. W. 1/2 W. By the compass, and is about four milesover; so that the craggy mountains which bound it on each side, toweringabove the clouds, and covered with everlasting snow, give it the mostdreary and desolate appearance that can be imagined. The tides here arenot very strong; the ebb sets to the westward, but with an irregularityfor which it is very difficult to account. About one o'clock, the Tamaranchored in the bay on the south shore, opposite to Cape Quod, which wehad just left, and we continued working to windward till seven in theevening, when we anchored in a small bay on the north shore, about fiveleagues to the westward of Cape Quod, with very good ground. This baymay be known by two large rocks that appear above water, and a low pointwhich makes the east part of the bay. The anchoring-place is between thetwo rocks, the eastermost bearing N. E. 1/2 E. Distant about two cables'length, and the westermost, which is near the point, W. N. W. 1/2 W. Atabout the same distance: There is also a small rock which shows itselfamong the weeds at low water, and bears E. 1/2 N. Distant about twocables' length. If there are more ships than one, they may anchorfarther out in deeper water. During the night it was calm, and theweather became very foggy; but about ten in the morning it cleared up, and I went on shore. I found abundance of shell-fish, but saw no tracesof people. In the afternoon, while the people were filling water, I wentup a deep lagoon, which lies just round the westermost rock: At the headof it I found a very fine fall of water, and on the east side severallittle coves, where ships of the greatest draught may lie in perfectsecurity. We saw nothing else worthy of notice, and therefore havingfilled our boat with very large muscles, we returned. 

[Footnote 31: "We here saw a great number of islands, and many Indiansdispersed in several quarters, amongst whom we found a family whichstruck our attention. It was composed of a decrepid old man, his wife, two sons, and a daughter. The latter appeared to have tolerablefeatures, and an English face, which they seemed to be desirous ofletting us know; they making a long harangue, not a syllable of which weunderstood, though we plainly, perceived it was in relation to thiswoman, whose age did not exceed thirty, by their pointing first at her, and then at themselves. Various were the conjectures we formed in regardto this circumstance, though we generally agreed, that their signsplainly shewed that they offered her to us, as being of the samecountry. " It is scarcely uncharitable to imagine that this young lady'smother had once been unfaithful to her lord and master, preferring theaddresses of some favoured European. A little of our northern pridewould have concealed this family disgrace. But in those distant regions, where such occurrences must have been rare, perhaps vanity would gratifyitself by transmuting it into an honour. After all, however, it is verydifficult to divine who was or could be the "gay deceiver. " A fancifulreader, indeed, who was acquainted with Byron's narrative of the loss ofthe Wager, might be tempted to conjecture that the good mother, being onan expedition to the northward of the straits, was one of the wiveswhom, as he says, the crew, at that time subject to no controul, endeavoured to seduce, a conduct which gave the Indians great offence. There are undoubtedly some strong marks of identity, betwixt the Indiansdescribed in that narrative and the inhabitants found in the straits. They resembled in stature, in complexion, in hair, in dress, viz. Theskin of some unknown beast; they used the same diet, living principallyon fish, (muscles are particularly mentioned in both accounts;) theywere both very dexterous in the management of the javelin; and theformer, it is clear from Byron's words, came from the south. Theircanoes also, it may be added, were of very similar materials andstructure. Of the jealousy of these Indians, Byron relates some strikingevidences, from what he himself had the unhappiness to experience. Whoknows what some waggish spectator of the young lady might surmise abouther English features, if he had ever heard of the gallant commodore'sadventure in the wigwam, &c. , so feelingly introduced and dilated in hisinteresting narrative!--E. ]

At seven o'clock the next morning, we weighed and towed out of the bay, and at eight saw the Tamar very far astern, steering after us. At noonwe had little wind at E. N. E. But at five o'clock it shifted to W. N. W. And blew fresh. At six we were abreast of Cape Monday, and at six thenext morning, Cape Upright bore E. By S. Distant three leagues. FromCape Monday to Cape Upright, which are both on the south shore, anddistant from each other about five leagues, the course is W. By N. Bythe compass: The shore on each side is rocky, with broken ground. Atabout half an hour after seven, we had a very hard squall, and theweather being then exceedingly thick, we suddenly perceived a reef ofrocks close under our lee-bow, upon which the sea broke very high: Wehad but just time to tack clear of them, and if the ship had missedstays, every soul on board must inevitably have perished. These rockslie at a great distance from the south shore, and are about threeleagues to the north of Cape Upright. At nine the weather cleared alittle, and we saw the entrance of Long Reach, upon which we bore away, keeping nearest the south shore, in hopes of finding an anchoring-place. At ten we had strong gales and thick weather, with hard rain, and atnoon we were again abreast of Cape Monday, but could find noanchoring-place, which, however, we continued to seek, still steeringalong the south shore, and were soon after joined by the Tamar, who hadbeen six or seven leagues to the eastward of us all night. At six in theevening we anchored in a deep bay, about three leagues to the eastwardof Cape Monday: We let go the anchor in five-and-twenty fathom, near anisland in the bottom of the bay; but before we could bring up the ship, we were driven off, and the anchor took the ground in about fiftyfathom. The extreme points of the bay bore from N. W. To N. E. By E. Andthe island W. 1/2 S. We veered to a whole cable, and the anchor wasabout a cable's length from the nearest shore. In the night we had freshgales westerly, with sudden squalls and hard rain; but in the morningthe weather became more moderate, though it was still thick, and therain continued. As a great swell set into this place, and broke veryhigh upon the rocks, near which we lay, I got up the anchor, and warpedthe ship to a bank where the Tamar was riding: We let go our anchor infourteen fathom, and moored with the stream anchor to the eastward, inforty-five fathom. In the bottom of this bay there is a bason, at theentrance of which there is but three fathom and a half at low water, butwithin there is ten fathom, and room enough for six or seven sail to liewhere no wind can hurt them. 

We continued here till Friday the 15th, and during all that time had onecontinued storm, with impenetrable fogs, and incessant rain. On the12th, I sent out the boat, with an officer to look for harbours on thesouthern shore: The boat was absent till the 14th, and then returned, with an account that there were five bays between the ship's station andCape Upright, where we might anchor in great safety. The officer toldme, that near Cape Upright he had fallen in with a few Indians, who hadgiven him a dog, and that; one of the women had offered him a childwhich was sucking at her breast. It is scarcely necessary to say that herefused it, but the offer seems to degrade these poor forlorn savagesmore than any thing in their appearance or manner of life: It must be astrange depravity of nature that leaves them destitute of affection fortheir offspring, or a most deplorable situation that impressesnecessities upon them by which it is surmounted. Some hills, which, when, we first came to this place, had no snow upon them, were nowcovered, and the winter of this dreary and inhospitable region seemed tohave set in at once: The poor seamen not only suffered much by the cold, but had scarcely ever a dry thread about them: I therefore distributedamong the crews of both the ships, not excepting the officers, two balesof a thick woollen stuff, called Fearnought, which is provided by thegovernment, so that every body on board had now a warm jacket, which atthis time was found both comfortable and salutary. 

At eight o'clock in the morning of the 15th, we weighed and made sail, and at three o'clock in the afternoon, we were once more abreast of CapeMonday, and at five we anchored in a bay on the east side of it. Thepitch of the cape bore N. W. Distant half a mile, and the extreme pointsof the bay from E. To N. By W. We lay at about half a cable's lengthfrom the nearest shore, which was a low island between the ship and thecape. 

At six o'clock the next morning we weighed, and found that the palm wasgone from the small bower anchor. The wind was at W. N. W. With hard rain:At eight o'clock we found a strong current setting us to the eastward, and at noon, Cape Monday bore W. N. W. Distant two miles. The Tamar beingto windward of us, fetched into the bay, and anchored again. Wecontinued to lose ground upon every tack, and therefore, at two o'clock, anchored upon the southern shore in sixteen fathom, about five miles tothe eastward of Cape Monday. At three, however, I weighed again, for theboat having sounded round the ship, found the ground rocky. The wind wasN. W. With hard rain, and we continued working all the rest of the day, and all night, every man on board being upon deck the whole time, andevery one wet to the skin; for the rain, or rather sheets of water, thatcame down, did not cease a moment. 

In the morning, we had again the mortification to find that, notwithstanding all our labour, we had lost ground upon every tack, inconsequence of the current, which continued to set with great force tothe eastward. At eight o'clock we bore away, and at nine anchored in thesame bay from which we sailed on the 15th. 

The wind continued W. And W. N. W. Without any tide to the westward, allthe 18th and 19th, and the weather was exceedingly bad, with hardsqualls and heavy rain. In the mean time I had sent an officer with aboat to sound a bay on the north shore, but he found no anchorage in it. On the 20th, at six o'clock in the morning, a hard squall coming on, theship drove, and brought the anchor off the bank into forty fathom, butby heaving up the bower, and carrying out the kedge anchor, we got theship on the bank again. At eight the day following, though the wind wasfrom W. N. W. To S. W. We weighed, and once more stood out of the bay; thecurrent still set very strongly to the eastward, but at noon we foundthat we had gained about a mile and a half in a contrary direction. Thewind now became variable, from S. W. To N. W. And at five in theafternoon, the ship had gained about four miles to the westward; but notbeing able to find an anchoring-place, and the wind dying away, we droveagain very fast to the eastward with the current. At six however, weanchored in forty fathom, with very good ground, in a bay about twomiles to the westward of that from which we sailed in the morning. Aswell rolled in here all night, so that our situation was by no meansdesirable, and therefore, although the wind was still at W. S. W. Weweighed and made sail about eight o'clock the next day: We had likewiseincessant rain, so that the people were continually wet, which was agreat aggravation of their fatigue; yet they were still cheerful, and, what was yet less to be expected, still healthy. This day, to our greatjoy, we found the current setting to the westward, and we gained groundvery fast. At six in the evening, we anchored in the bay on the eastside of Cape Monday, where the Tamar lay in eighteen fathom, the pitchof the cape bearing W. By N. Distant half a mile. We found this placevery safe, the ground being excellent, and there being room enough fortwo or three ships of the line to moor. 

SECTION VII

_The Passage from Cape Monday, in the Streight of Magellan, into theSouth Seas; with some general Remarks on the Navigation of thatStrait. _

AT eight the next morning we weighed, and soon after we made sail openedthe South Sea, from which such a swell rolled in upon us as I haveseldom seen. At four o'clock in the afternoon, we anchored in a verygood bay, with a deep sound at the bottom of it, by which it may beknown, about a league to the eastward of Cape Upright, in fourteenfathom. The extreme point of the bay bore from N. W. To N. E. By E. AndCape Upright W. N. W. About a cable's length to the eastward of a lowisland which makes the bay. 

At three o'clock in the morning of the 24th, I sent a boat with anofficer from each ship, to look for anchoring-places to the westward;but at four in the afternoon, they returned without having been able toget round Cape Upright. 

The next morning I sent the boats again to the westward, and about sixin the evening they returned, having been about four leagues, and foundtwo anchoring-places, but neither of them were very good. We made sail, however, about eight in the forenoon of the next day, and at three, CapeUpright bore E. S. E. Distant about three leagues, a remarkable cape onthe north shore at the same time bearing N. E. Distant four or fivemiles. This cape, which is very lofty and steep, lies N. N. W. By compassfrom Cape Upright, at the distance of about three leagues. The southshore in this place had a very bad appearance, many sunken rocks lyingabout it to a considerable distance, upon which the sea breaks veryhigh. At four the weather became very thick, and in less than half anhour we saw the south shore at the distance of about a mile, but couldget no anchoring-place; we therefore tacked, and stood over to the northshore. At half an hour after six, I made the Tamar signal to come underour stern, and ordered her to keep a-head of us all night, and to showlights, and fire a gun every time she changed her tack. At seven itcleared up for a moment just to show us the north shore, bearing W. ByN. We tacked immediately, and at eight the wind shifted from N. N. W. ToW. N. W. And blew with great violence. Our situation was now veryalarming; the storm increased every minute, the weather was extremelythick, the rain seemed to threaten another deluge, we had a long darknight before us, we were in a narrow channel, and surrounded on everyside by rocks and breakers. We attempted to clue up the mizen top-sail, but before this service could be done it was blown all to rags: We thenbrought-to, with the main and fore-topsail close-reefed, and upon thecap, keeping the ship's head to the southwest; but there being aprodigious sea, it broke over us so often that the whole deck was almostcontinually under water. At nine, by an accidental breaking of the fog, we saw the high cape on the north shore that has been just mentioned, bearing east, at about a mile distance; but we had entirely lost sightof the Tamar. At half an hour after three in the morning, we suddenlyperceived ourselves close to a high land on the south shore, upon whichwe wore, and brought to the northward. The gale still continued, ifpossible, with increasing violence, and the rain poured down intorrents, so that we were in a manner immersed in water, and expectedevery moment to be among the breakers. The long-wished-for day at lengthbroke, but the weather was still so thick that no land was to be seen, though we knew it could not be far distant, till after six, when we sawthe south shore at about the distance of two miles; and soon after, toour great satisfaction, we saw the Tamar: At this time Cape Monday boreS. E. Distant about four miles, and the violence of the gale not abating, we bore away. About seven, both ships came to an anchor in the bay whichlies to the eastward of Cape Monday, notwithstanding the sea that rolledin; for we were glad to get anchorage any where[32] We had now beentwice within four leagues of Tuesday's Bay, at the western entrance ofthe streight, and had been twice driven back ten or twelve leagues bysuch storms as we had now just experienced. When the season is so faradvanced as it was when we attempted the passage of this streight, it isa most difficult and dangerous undertaking, as it blows a hurricaneincessantly night and day, and the rain is as violent and constant asthe wind, with such fogs as often render it impossible to discover anyobject at the distance of twice the ship's length. This day our bestbower cable being quite rubbed to pieces, we cut it into junk, and benta new one, which we rounded with old rigging, eight fathom from theanchor. 

[Footnote 32: "The straits are here four or five leagues over, and themountains seem to be ten times as high as the mast-head of our ships;but not much covered with snow; or encompassed with trees. "]

In the afternoon of the day following, the Tamar parted a new bestbower cable, it being cut by the rock, and drove over to the east sideof the bay, where she was brought up at a very little distance from somerocks, against which she must otherwise have been dashed to pieces. 

At seven o'clock in the morning of the 29th, we weighed, and found oursmall bower-cable very much rubbed by the foul ground, so that we wereobliged to cut no less than six-and-twenty fathom of it off, and bend itagain. In about half an hour, the Tamar, being very near the rocks, andnot being able to purchase her anchor, made signals of distress. I wastherefore obliged to stand into the bay again, and having anchored, Isent hawsers on board the Tamar, and heaved her up while she purchasedher anchor, after which we heaved her to windward, and at noon, beinggot into a proper birth, she anchored again. We continued in our stationall night, and the next morning a gale came on at W. N. W. Which was stillmore violent than any that had preceded it; the water was torn up allaround us, and carried much higher than the mast heads, a dreadful seaat the same time rolling in; so that, knowing the ground to be foul, wewere in constant apprehension of parting our cables, in which case wemust have been almost instantly dashed to atoms against the rocks thatwere just to leeward of us, and upon which the sea broke withinconceivable fury, and a noise not less loud than thunder. We loweredall the main and fore-yards, let go the small bower, veered a cable anda half on the best bower, and having bent the sheet-cable, stood by theanchor all the rest of the day, and till midnight, the sea oftenbreaking half way up our main shrouds. About one in the morning, theweather became somewhat more moderate, but continued to be very dark, rainy, and tempestuous, till midnight, when the wind shifted to the S. W. And soon afterwards it became comparatively calm and clear. 

The next morning, which was the first of April, we had a stark calm, with now and then some light airs from the eastward; but the weather wasagain, thick with hard rain, and we found a current setting strongly tothe eastward. At four o'clock we got up the lower yards, unbent thesheet-cable, and weighed the small bower; at eight we weighed the bestbower, and found the cable very much rubbed in several places, which weconsidered as a great misfortune, it being a fine new cable, whichnever had been wet before. At eleven, we hove short on thestream-anchor; but soon after, it being calm, and a thick fog coming onwith hard rain, we veered away the stream-cable, and with a warp to theTamar, heaved the ship upon the bank again, and let go the small bowerin two-and-twenty fathom. 

At six in the evening, we had strong gales at W. N. W. With violentsqualls and much rain, and continued in our station till the morning ofthe 3d, when I sent the Tamar's boat, with an officer from each ship, tothe westward, in search of anchoring-places on the south shore; and atthe same time I sent my own cutter with an officer to seekanchoring-places on the north shore. 

The cutter returned the next morning, at six o'clock, having been aboutfive leagues to the westward upon the north shore, and found twoanchoring-places. The officer reported, that having been on shore, hehad fallen in with some Indians, who had with them a canoe of aconstruction very different from any that they had seen in the straitbefore: This vessel consisted of planks sewed together, but all theothers were nothing more than the bark of large trees, tied together atthe ends, and kept open by short pieces of wood, which were thrust intransversely between the two sides, like the boats which children makeof a bean-shell. The people, he said, were the nearest to brutes intheir manner and appearance of any he had seen: They were, like somewhich we had met with before, quite naked, notwithstanding the severityof the weather, except part of a seal-skin which was thrown over theirshoulders; and they eat their food, which was such as no other animalbut a hog would touch, without any dressing: They had with them a largepiece of whale blubber, which stunk intolerably, and one of them tore itto pieces with his teeth, and gave it about to the rest, who devoured itwith the voracity of a wild beast. They did not, however, look upon whatthey saw in the possession of our people with indifference; for whileone of them was asleep, they cut off the hinder part of his jacket witha sharp flint which they use as a knife. 

About eight o'clock, we made sail, and found little or no current. Atnoon, Cape Upright bore W. S. W. Distant three leagues; and at six in theevening, we anchored in the bay, on the southern shore, which lies abouta league to the eastward of the cape, and had fifteen fathom water. 

While we were lying here, and taking in wood and water, seven or eightIndians in a canoe came round the western point of the bay, and havinglanded opposite to the ship, made a fire. We invited them to come onboard by all the signs we could devise, but without success; I thereforetook the jolly-boat, and went on shore to them. I introduced myself bymaking them presents of several trifles, with which they seemed to bemuch gratified, and we became very intimate in a few minutes: After wehad spent some time together, I sent away my people, in the boat, forsome bread, and remained on shore with them alone. When the boatreturned with the bread, I divided it among them, and I remarked withequal pleasure and surprise, that if a bit of the biscuit happened tofall, not one of them offered to touch it till I gave my consent. In themean time some of my people were cutting a little grass for two or threesheep which I had still left on board, and at length the Indiansperceiving what they were doing, ran immediately, and tearing up all theweeds they could get, carried them to the boat, which in a very shorttime was filled almost up to her gunwale. I was much gratified by thistoken of their good-will, and I could perceive that they were pleasedwith the pleasure that I expressed upon the occasion: They had indeedtaken such a fancy to us, that when I returned on board the boat, theyall got into their canoe, and followed me. When we came near the ship, however, they stopped, and gazed at her as if held in surprise by amixture of astonishment and terror; but at last, though not without somedifficulty, I prevailed upon four or five of them to venture on board. As soon as they entered the ship I made them several, presents, and in avery little time they appeared to be perfectly at ease. As I was verydesirous to entertain them, one of the midshipmen played upon theviolin, and some of my people danced; at this they were so muchdelighted, and so impatient to show their gratitude, that one of themwent over the ship's side into the canoe, and fetched up a seal-skin bagof red paint, and immediately smeared the fiddler's face all over withit: He was very desirous to pay me the same compliment, which, however, I thought fit to decline; but he made many very vigorous efforts to getthe better of my modesty, and it was not without some difficulty that Idefended myself from receiving the honour he designed me in my owndespight. After having diverted and entertained them several hours, Iintimated to them that it would be proper for them to go on shore; buttheir attachment was such, that it was by no means an easy matter to getthem out of the ship. Their canoe was not of bark, but of planks sewedtogether. 

On Sunday the 7th, at six o'clock in the morning, we weighed, with amoderate breeze at E. N. E. And fine weather. At seven, we were abreast ofCape Upright; and at noon, it bore E. S. E. Distant four leagues: Soonafter we tried the current, and found it set to the eastward at the rateof a knot and a half an hour. At three it fell calm, and the currentdriving us to the eastward very fast, we dropped an anchor, which beforeit took the ground was in one hundred and twenty fathom. 

This day, and not before, the Tamar's boat returned from the westward:She had been within two or three leagues of Cape Pillar, and had foundseveral very good anchoring-places on the south shore. 

At one o'clock the next morning, having a fresh gale at west, weweighed, notwithstanding the weather was thick, and made sail; at elevenit blew very hard, with violent rain and a great sea, and as weperceived that we rather lost than gained ground, we stood in for a bayon the south shore, about four leagues to the westward of Cape Upright, and anchored in twenty fathom: The ground was not good, but in otherrespects this was one of the best harbours that we had met with in thestreight, for it was impossible that any wind should hurt us. Therebeing less wind in the afternoon, and it inclining a little towards thesouth, we unmoored at two, and at four, the wind having then come roundto the S. S. E. And being a moderate breeze, we weighed and steered to thewestward: We made about two leagues and a half, but night then comingon, we anchored, not without great difficulty, in a very good bay on thesouth shore in twenty fathom. As very violent gusts came from the land, we were very near being driven off before we could let go an anchor, andif we had not at last succeeded we must have passed a dreadful night inthe strait; for it blew a hurricane from the time we came to an anchortill the morning, with violent rain, which was sometimes intermingledwith snow. 

At six o'clock, the wind being still fresh and squally at S. S. E. Weweighed and steered W. By N. Along the south shore. At eleven, we wereabreast of Cape Pillar, which by compass is about fourteen leaguesW. 1/2 N. From Cape Upright. Cape Pillar may be known by a large gap uponthe top, and when it bears W. S. W. An island appears off it which has anappearance somewhat like a hay-stack, and about which lie several rocks. The strait to the eastward of the cape is between seven and eightleagues over; the land on each side is of a moderate height, but it islowest on the north shore, the south shore being much the boldest, though both are craggy and broken. Westminster Island is nearer to thenorth than the south shore; and, by the compass, lies N. E. From CapePillar. The land on the north shore, near the west end of the strait, makes in many islands and rocks, upon which the sea breaks in atremendous manner. The land about Cape Victory is distant from CapePillar about ten or eleven leagues, in the direction of N. W. By N. Fromthe cape westward, the coast trends S. S. W. 1/2 W. To Cape Deseada, a lowpoint, off which lie innumerable rocks and breakers. About four leaguesW. S. W. From Cape Deseada, lie some dangerous rocks, called by Sir JohnNarborough the Judges, upon which a mountainous surf always breaks withinconceivable fury. Four small islands, called the Islands of Direction, are distant from Cape Pillar about eight leagues, in the direction ofN. W. By W. When we were off this cape it was stark calm; but I never sawsuch a swell as rolled in here, nor such a surge as broke on each shore. I expected every moment that the wind would spring up from its usualquarter, and that the best which could happen to us would be to bedriven many leagues up the streight again. Contrary, however, to allexpectation, a fine steady gale sprung up at S. E. To which I spread allthe sail that it was possible for the ship to bear, and ran off fromthis frightful and desolate coast at the rate of nine miles an hour; sothat by eight o'clock in the evening we had left it twenty leaguesbehind us. And now, to make the ship as stiff as possible, I knockeddown our after bulk-head, and got two of the boats under the half-deck;I also placed my twelve-oared cutter under the boom; so that we hadnothing upon the skids but the jolly-boat; and the alteration which thismade in the vessel is inconceivable: For the weight of the boats upon, the skids made her crank, and in a great sea they were also in dangerof being lost. 

It is probable, that whoever shall read this account of the difficultiesand dangers which attended our passage through the Streight of Magellan, will conclude, that it ought never to be attempted again; but that allships which shall hereafter sail a western course from Europe into theSouth Seas ought to go round Cape Horn. I, however, who have been twiceround Cape Horn, am of a different opinion. I think that at a properseason of the year, not only a single vessel, but a large squadron mightpass the streight in less than three weeks; and I think, to take theproper season, they should be at the eastern entrance some time in themonth of December. [33] One great advantage of this passage, is thefacility with which fish is almost every where to be procured, with wildcelery, scurvy-grass, berries, and many other vegetables in greatabundance; for to this I impute the healthiness of my ship's company, not a single man being affected with the scurvy in the slightest degree, nor upon the sick list for any other disorder, notwithstanding thehardship and labour which they endured in the passage, which cost usseven weeks and two days, as we entered the streight on Sunday the 17thof February, and quitted it on Tuesday the 9th of April. Wood and waterare also to be procured almost at every anchoring-place beyondFreshwater Bay. Our sufferings I impute wholly to our passing thestreight just as the sun approached the equinox, when, in this highlatitude, the worst weather was to be expected; and indeed the weatherwe had was dreadful beyond all description. 

[Footnote 33: Bougainville gives the same advice as to preferring thepassage through the streights, from the month of September till the endof March, but at all other periods he recommends to go round Cape Horn. He was 52 days in going the whole length of the streights, reckoningfrom Cape Virgin Mary to Cape Pillar, a distance of 342 miles, and hesays that 36 hours of fair wind were sufficient to carry him from PortGallant to the Pacific Ocean. Captain Wallis, we shall see, did notrealize this opinion, or the hopes formed on it--he was almost fourmonths in getting through the streights, although he attempted thepassage at the very time recommended by Byron. On the other hand, Captain Krusenstern doubled the cape in four weeks only, after hisleaving St Catharine's Island, which the reader will observe isconsiderably northward of the river La Plata, "a voyage, " says he, "which perhaps was never made in a shorter time. " In weathering thecape, he took the advice of Cook, not to approach the land nearer than30 or 36 miles, by which means he avoided the strong currents which, according to our great navigator's assertion, seem to lose all theirforce at that distance. --E. ]

SECTION VIII. 

_The Run from the Western Entrance of the Streight of Magellan to theIslands of Disappointment. _

Having cleared the streight, we pursued our course to the westward, tillFriday, April the 26th, when we discovered the island of Massafuero, bearing W. N. W. 1/2 W. Distant about sixteen leagues; but as to thenorthward it was hazy, the island of Don Juan Fernandez was not insight. During this run, the variation had gradually decreased from 22°to 9° 36'. E. 

We bore away for Masafuero, [34] and at sun-set, being within about sevenleagues of it, we brought-to, and afterwards kept the wind all night. Atday-break the next day, we bore away again for the island, at the sametime sending an officer, with a boat from each ship, to sound theeastern side of it. About noon, the middle of the island bore W. Distantabout three miles, and as I saw the boats run along the shore, withoutbeing able to land any where for the surf, I bore down to the north partof the island, off which a reef runs for the distance of about twomiles, and lay by for them. This island is very high, and the greaterpart of it is covered with wood; but towards the north end, where I lay, some spots seemed to have been cleared, upon which great numbers ofgoats were feeding, and they had a green and pleasant appearance. Whenthe boats returned, the officer informed me that he had found a bank, onthe east side of the island nearest to the south point, at aconsiderable distance from the shore, where we might anchor, andopposite to which there was a fine fall of fresh water; but near thenorth point, he said, he could find no anchorage. The boats brought offa great quantity of very fine fish, which they had caught with hook andline near the shore; and as soon as we had taken them on board, whichwas late in the afternoon, we made sail, and worked to windward in thenight. 

[Footnote 34: "The commodore thought it more advisable to touch at thisisland than at Juan Fernandez; it being rather more secure than thelatter, from any discoveries which the Spaniards might make of ourdesigns; in consequence of which our voyage, and all our fartherdiscoveries; might have been prevented. "]

At seven o'clock in the morning, we anchored with the small bower, onthe bank which the boats had discovered, in twenty-four fathom, withblack sandy ground. The extreme points bore from S. To N. W. And the fallof water bore S. S. W. Distant about a mile from the ship's station. Thispart of the island lies north and south, and is about four miles long:The soundings are very regular, from twenty to fifteen fathom, withintwo cables' length of the shore. Soon after we were come to an anchor, Isent out the boats to endeavour to get some wood and water, but as Iobserved the shore to be rocky, and a surf to break with great violenceupon it, I ordered all the men to put on cork-jackets, which had beensent with us to be made use of upon such occasions. By the help of thesejackets, which not only assisted the men in swimming, but preventedtheir being bruised against the rocks, we got off a considerablequantity of water and wood, which, without such assistance, we could nothave done: There was, however, another species of danger here, againstwhich cork-jackets afforded no defence, for the sea abounded with sharksof an enormous, size, which, when they saw a man in the water, woulddart into the very surf to seize him: Our people, however, happilyescaped them, though they were many times very near: One of them, whichwas upwards of twenty feet-long, came close to one of the boats that waswatering, and having seized a large seal, instantly devoured it at onemouthful; and I myself saw another of nearly the same size do the samething under the ship's stern. Our people killed and sent off several ofthe goats, which we thought as good as the best venison in England; andI observed, that one of them appeared to have been caught and marked, its right ear being slit in a manner that could not have happened byaccident. [35] We had also fish in such plenty, that one boat would, withhooks and lines, catch, in a few hours, as much as would serve a largeship's company two days: They were of various sorts, all excellent intheir kind, and many of them weighed from twenty to thirty pounds. 

[Footnote 35: The other account says the same of two of the goats caughthere, and conjectures, as no traces of inhabitants were then to bediscovered in the island, that "some solitary Selkirk had dwelt there, who, like his namesake at Juan Fernandez, when he caught more than hewanted, marked them and let them go. " Captain Carteret gives someparticulars respecting this island, to which the reader isreferred. --E. ]

This evening, the surf running very high, the gunner and one of theseamen who were on shore with the waterers, were afraid to venture off, and the boat therefore, when she came on board the last time, left thembehind her. 

The next day we found a more convenient watering-place about a mile anda half to the northward of the ship, and about the middle-way betweenthe north and south points of the island, there being at this place lesssurf than where the boats first went on shore. The tide here set twelvehours to the northward, and twelve to the southward, which we found veryconvenient, for as the wind was southerly, with a great swell, the boatscould not otherwise have got on board with their water. We got off tentons of water from the new watering-place this day, and in the afternoonI sent a boat to fetch off the gunner and seaman, who had been left onshore at the old watering-place the night before; but the surf was stillso great, that the seaman, who could not swim, was afraid to venture: Hewas therefore again, left behind, and the gunner stayed with him. 

As soon as this was reported to me, I sent another boat to inform them, that as, by the appearances of the weather, there was reason to believeit would soon blow hard, I was afraid I might be driven off the bank inthe night, the consequence of which would be that they must be leftbehind upon the island. When the boat came to the surf, the people onboard delivered my message, upon which the gunner swam through the surf, and got on board her; but the seaman, though he had a cork-jacket on, said he was sure he should be drowned if he attempted to get off to theboat, and that, chusing rather to die a natural death, he was determinedat all events to remain upon the island: He then took an affectionateleave of the people, wishing them all happiness, and the people on boardreturned his good wishes. One of the midshipmen, however, just as theboat was about to return, took the end of a rope in his hand, jumpedinto the sea, and swam through the surf to the beach, where poor Johnstill continued ruminating upon his situation, in a dejected attitude, and with a most disconsolate length of countenance. The midshipman beganto expostulate with him upon the strange resolution he had taken, and inthe mean time having made a running knot in his rope, he dexterouslycontrived to throw it round his body, calling out to his companions inthe boat, who had hold of the other end of it, to haul away; theyinstantly took the hint, and the poor seceder was very soon draggedthrough the surf into the boat: He had, however, swallowed so great aquantity of water that he was to all appearance dead, but, being held upby the heels, he soon recovered his speech and motion, and was perfectlywell the next day. In the evening I removed Captain Mouat from theTamar, and appointed him captain of the Dolphin under me; Mr Cumming, myfirst lieutenant, I appointed captain of the Tamar, taking Mr Carteret, her first lieutenant, on board in his room, and gave Mr Kendal, one ofthe mates of the Dolphin, a commission as second lieutenant of theTamar. 

On the 30th, at seven o'clock in the morning, we weighed, and steered, to the northward, along the east and northeast side of the island, butcould find no anchoring-place; we bore away, therefore, with a freshgale at S. E. And hazy weather, and at noon, the middle of the island wasdistant eight leagues, in the direction of S. S. E. I continued to steerN. 3°W. The next day, and at noon on the 2d of May I changed my course, and steered W. Intending, if possible, to make the land, which is calledDavis's Land in the charts, and is laid down in latitude 27°30'S. Andabout 500 leagues west of Copiapo in Chili; but on the 9th, findinglittle prospect of getting to the westward, in the latitude which I atfirst proposed, being then in latitude 26°46'S. Longitude 94°45'W. Andhaving a great run to make, I determined to steer a north-west coursetill I got the true trade-wind, and then to stand to the westward till Ishould fall in with Solomon's Islands, if any such there were, or makesome new discovery. 

On the 10th we saw several dolphins and bonnettas about the ship, andthe next day some straggling birds, which were brown on the back and theupper part of their wings, and white on the rest of the body, with ashort beak, and a short pointed tail. The variation was now decreased to4° 43' E. Our latitude was 24° 30' S. Our longitude 97° 45' W. 

On the 14th we saw several grampuses, and more of the birds which havejust been described, so that, imagining we might be near some land, wekept a good look-out, but saw nothing. In latitude 23° 2' S. Longitude101° 28' W. The variation, by azimuth, was 3° 20' E. 

On the morning of the 16th we saw two very remarkable birds; they flewvery high, were as large as geese, and all over as white as snow, excepttheir legs, which were black: I now began to imagine that I had passedsome land, or islands, which lay to the southward of us, for the lastnight we observed, that, although we had generally a great swell fromthat quarter, the water became quite smooth for a few hours, after whichthe swell returned. 

On the 22d, being in latitude 20° 52' S. Longitude 115° 38' W. With afaint breeze at E. S. E. We had so great a swell from the southward, thatwe were in perpetual danger of our masts rolling over the ship's side, so that I was obliged to haul more to the northward, as well to ease theship, as in hopes of getting the true trade-wind, which we had not yet;and now, to my great concern, some of my best men began to complain ofthe scurvy. This day, for the first time, we caught two bonnettas; wealso saw several tropic birds about the ship, and observed that theywere larger than any we had seen before; their whole plumage was white, and they had two long feathers in the tail. The variation now hadchanged its direction, and was 19' W. 

On the 26th we saw two large birds about the ship, which were all black, except the neck and the beak, which were white; they had long wings, andlong feathers in their tails, yet we observed that they flew heavily, and therefore imagined that they were of a species which did not usuallyfly far from the shore. I had flattered myself, that, before we had runsix degrees to the northward of Masafuero, we should have found asettled trade-wind to the S. E. But the winds still continued to thenorth, though we had a mountainous swell, from the S. W. Our latitude wasnow 16° 55' S. Longitude 127° 55' W. And here the needle, at this time, had no variation. 

On the 28th we saw two fine large birds about the ship, one of which wasbrown and white, and the other black and white; they wanted much tosettle upon the yards, but the working of the ship frighted them. 

On the 31st the wind shifted from N. By W. To N. W. By W. And the numberof birds that were now about the ship was very great; from thesecircumstances, and our having lost the great south-west swell, Iimagined some land to be near, and we looked out for it with greatdiligence, for our people began now to fall down with the scurvy veryfast. 

We saw no land, however, till one o'clock in the morning of Friday the7th of June, when we were in latitude 14° 5' S. Longitude 144° 58' W. And observed the variation to be 4° 30' E. After making the land, Ihauled upon a wind under an easy sail till the morning, and then a lowsmall island bore from us W. S. W. At the distance of about two leagues. In a very short time we saw another island to windward of us, bearingE. S. E. Distant between three and four leagues: This appeared to be muchlarger than that which we first discovered, and we must have passed verynear it in the night. 

I stood for the small island, which, as we drew near it, had a mostbeautiful appearance; it was surrounded by a beach of the finest whitesand, and within, it was covered with tall trees, which extended theirshade to a great distance, and formed the most delightful groves thatcan be imagined, without underwood. We judged this island to be aboutfive miles in circumference, and from each end of it we saw a spitrunning out into the sea, upon which the surge broke with great fury;there was also a great surf all round it. We soon perceived that it wasinhabited, for many of the natives appeared upon the beach, with spearsin their hands that were at least sixteen feet long. They presently madeseveral large fires, which we supposed to be a signal; for weimmediately perceived several fires upon the larger island that was towindward of us, by which we knew that also to be inhabited. I sent theboat with an officer to look for an anchoring-place, who, to our greatregret and disappointment, returned with an account that he had been allround the island, and that no bottom could be found within less than acable's length of the shore, which was surrounded close to the beachwith a steep coral rock. [36] The scurvy by this time had made dreadfulhavock among us, many of my best men being now confined to theirhammocks; the poor wretches who were able to crawl upon the deck, stoodgazing at this little paradise, which Nature had forbidden them toenter, with sensations which cannot easily be conceived; they sawcocoa-nuts in great abundance, the milk of which is, perhaps, the mostpowerful antiscorbutic in the world: They had reason to suppose thatthere were limes, bananas, and other fruits which are generally foundbetween the tropics; and, to increase their mortification, they saw theshells of many turtle scattered about the shore. When I knew thesoundings; I could not forbear standing close round the island with theship, though I also knew it was impossible to procure any of therefreshments which it produced. The natives ran along the shore abreastof the ship, shouting and dancing; they also frequently brandishedtheir long spears, and then threw themselves backward, and lay a fewminutes motionless, as if they had been dead: This we understood as amenace that they would kill us, if we ventured to go on shore. As wewere sailing along the coast, we took notice that in one place thenatives had fixed upright in the sand two spears, to the top of whichthey had fastened several things that fluttered in the air, and thatsome of them were every moment kneeling down before them, as we supposedinvoking the assistance of some invisible being to defend them againstus. While I was thus circumnavigating the island with the ship, I sentthe boats out again to sound, and when they came near the shore, theIndians set up one of the most hideous yells I had ever heard, pointingat the same time to their spears, and poising in their hands largestones which they took up from the beach. Our men on the contrary madeall the signs of amity and good-will that they could devise, and at thesame time threw them bread and many other things, none of which theyvouchsafed so much as to touch, but with great expedition hauled five orsix large canoes, which we saw lying upon the beach, up into the wood. When this was done, they waded into the water, and seemed to watch foran opportunity of laying hold of the boat, that they might drag her onshore: The people on board her, apprehending that this was their design, and that if they got them on shore they would certainly put them todeath, were very impatient to be before-hand with them, and would fainhave fired upon them; but the officer on board, having no permissionfrom me to commit any hostilities, restrained them. I should indeed havethought myself at liberty to have obtained by force the refreshments, for want of which our people were dying, if it had been possible to havecome to an anchor, supposing we could not have made these poor savagesour friends; but nothing could justify the taking away their lives for amere imaginary or intentional injury, without procuring the leastadvantage to ourselves. They were of a deep copper colour, exceedinglystout and well-limbed, and remarkably nimble and active, for I never sawmen run so fast in my life. This island lies in latitude 14° 5'S. , longitude 145°4'W. From the meridian of London. As the boats reported asecond time that there was no anchoring ground about this island, Idetermined to work up to the other, which was accordingly done all therest of the day and the following night. 

[Footnote 36: "Other objections stood also in our way: for the Indianshad surrounded the shore with staves and javelins 16 feet long, with apiece of bone at the end in the form of a harpoon, in their hands, hallooing and shouting in the most hideous manner, at the same timemaking signs with their hands for us to be gone; always taking care, asthe boat sailed along the shore, to move in the same direction andaccompany it; and though the men saw some turtle at a distance, theycould get at none, as those Indians still kept opposite to them. "--"Theyaltogether amounted to about 50 in number, including women and children;and to the south-west we could perceive their huts, under the shade ofthe most lovely grove we ever saw. "]

At six o'clock in the morning of the 8th, we brought-to on the west sideof it, at the distance of about three quarters of a mile from the shore, but we had no soundings with one hundred and forty fathom of line. Wenow perceived several other low islands, or rather peninsulas, most ofthem being joined one to the other by a neck of land, very narrow, andalmost level with the surface of the water, which breaks high over it. In approaching these islands the cocoa-nut trees are first discovered, as they are higher than any part of the surface. I sent a boat with anofficer from each ship to sound the lee-side of these islands for ananchoring-place; and as soon as they left the ship, I saw the Indiansrun down to the beach in great numbers, armed with long spears andclubs; they kept abreast of the boats as they went sounding along theshore, and used many threatening gestures to prevent their landing; Itherefore fired a nine-pound shot from the ship over their heads, uponwhich they ran into the woods with great precipitation. [37] At teno'clock the boats returned, but could get no soundings close in with thesurf, which broke very high upon the shore. The middle of this clusterof islands lies in latitude 14°10'S. , longitude 144°52'W. ; the variationof the compass was here 4°30'E. 

At half an hour after ten, we bore away and made sail to the westward, finding it impossible to procure at these islands any refreshment forour sick, whose situation was becoming more deplorable every hour, and Itherefore called them the _Islands of Disappointment. _

SECTION IX. 

_The Discovery of King George's Islands, with a Description of them, and an Account of several Incidents that happened there. _

At half an hour after five o'clock in the afternoon of the 9th, we sawland again, bearing W. S. W. At the distance of six or seven leagues; andat seven we brought-to for the night. In the morning, being within threemiles of the shore, we discovered it to be a long low island, with awhite beach, of a pleasant appearance, full of cocoa-nut and othertrees, and surrounded with a rock of red coral. We stood along thenorth-east side of it, within half a mile of the shore; and the savages, as soon as they saw us, made great fires, as we supposed, to alarm thedistant inhabitants of the island, and ran along the beach, abreast ofthe ship, in great numbers, armed in the same manner as the natives ofthe Islands of Disappointment. Over the land on this side of the islandwe could see a large lake of salt water, or lagoon, which appeared to betwo or three leagues wide, and to reach within a small distance of theopposite shore. Into this lagoon we saw a small inlet about a leaguefrom the south-west point, off which we brought-to. At this place thenatives have built a little town, under the shade of a fine grove ofcocoa-nut trees. I immediately sent off the boats, with an officer ineach, to sound; but they could find no anchorage, the shore being everywhere as steep as a wall, except at the very mouth of the inlet, whichwas scarcely a ship's length wide, and there they had thirteen fathom, with a bottom of coral rock. We stood close in with the ships, and sawhundreds of the savages, ranged in very good order, and standing up totheir waists in water; they were all armed in the same manner as thosethat we had seen at the other islands, and one of them carried a pieceof mat fastened to the top of a pole which we imagined was an ensign. They made a most hideous and incessant noise, and in a short time manylarge canoes came down the lake to join them. Our boats were still out, and the people on board them made all the signs of friendship that theycould invent, upon which some of the canoes came through the inlet anddrew near them. We now began to hope that a friendly intercourse mightbe established; but we soon discovered that the Indians had no otherdesign than to haul the boats on shore: Many of them leaped off therocks, and swam to them; and one of them got into that which belonged tothe Tamar, and in the twinkling of an eye seized a seaman's jacket, andjumping over board with it, never once appeared above water till he wasclose in shore among his companions. Another of them got hold of amidshipman's hat, but not knowing how to take it off, he pulled itdownward instead of lifting it up so that the owner had time to preventits being taken away, otherwise it would probably have disappeared assuddenly as the jacket. Our men bore all this with much patience, andthe Indians seemed to triumph in their impunity. 

[Footnote 37: "They were in much greater number than at the otherisland, and followed us in the same manner, several hundreds of themrunning along the coast in great disorder. "--"They had many canoes, which, on our approaching the shore, they dragged into the woods, and atthe same time, the women came with great stones in their hands to assistthe men in preventing our landing. "--"We had now 50 sick on board, towhom the land air, the fruit and vegetables, that appeared so beautifuland attractive, would doubtless have afforded immediate relief. " Itseems very probable, from the conduct of these islanders, and of theothers mentioned in the next section, that some former visitants hadused them so ill, as to unite them in determined opposition to theentrance of all strangers. Would it be unfair to imagine, from acircumstance afterwards narrated, that these visitants were Dutch? Allthe seafaring nations of Europe, alas! are too deeply implicated in theanimosities and miseries of the South Sea inhabitants. --E. ]

About noon, finding there was no anchorage here, I bore away and steeredalong the shore to the westermost point of the island: The boatsimmediately followed us, and kept sounding close to the beach, but couldget no ground. 

When we came to the westermost point of this island, we saw another, bearing S. W. By W. About four leagues distant. We were at this timeabout a league beyond the inlet where we had left the natives, but theywere not satisfied with having got rid of us quietly; for I nowperceived two large double canoes sailing after the ship, with aboutthirty men in each, all armed after the manner of their country. Theboats were a good way to leeward of us, and the canoes passing betweenthe ship and the shore, seemed very eagerly to give them chace. Uponthis I made the signal for the boats to speak with the canoes, and assoon as they perceived it, they turned, and made towards the Indians, who, seeing this, were seized with a sudden panic, and immediatelyhauling down their sails, paddled back again at a surprising rate. Ourboats however came up with them; but notwithstanding the dreadful surfthat broke upon the shore, the canoes pushed through it, and the Indiansimmediately hauled them up upon the beach. Our boats followed them, andthe Indians, dreading an invasion of their coast, prepared to defend itwith clubs and stones, upon which our men fired, and killed two or threeof them: One of them received three balls which went quite through hisbody; yet he afterwards took up a large stone, and died in the action ofthrowing it against his enemy. This man fell close to our boats, so thatthe Indians who remained unhurt did not dare to attempt the carrying offhis body, which gave us an opportunity to examine it; but they carriedoff the rest of their dead, and made the best of their way back to theircompanions at the inlet. Our boats then returned, and brought off thetwo canoes, which they had pursued. One of them was thirty-two feetlong, and the other somewhat less, but they were both of a very curiousconstruction, and must have cost those who made them infinite labour. They consisted of planks exceedingly well wrought, and in many placesadorned with carving; these planks were sewed together, and over everyseam there was a stripe of tortoise-shell, very artificially fastened, to keep out the weather: Their bottoms were as sharp as a wedge, andthey were very narrow; and therefore two of them were joined laterallytogether by a couple of strong spars, so that there was a space of aboutsix or eight feet between them: A mast was hoisted in each of them, andthe sail was spread between the masts: The sail, which I preserved, andwhich is now in my possession, is made of matting, and is as neat apiece of work as ever I saw: their paddles were very curious, and theircordage was as good and as well laid as any in England, though itappeared to be made of the outer covering of the cocoa-nut. When thesevessels sail, several men sit upon the spars which hold the canoestogether. 

As the surf, which broke very high upon the shore, rendered itimpossible to procure refreshments for the sick in this part of theisland, I hauled the wind, and worked back to the inlet, beingdetermined to try once more what could be done there. 

I recovered that station in the afternoon, and immediately sent theboats to sound the inlet again, but they confirmed the account which hadbeen made before, that it afforded no anchorage for a ship. While theboats were absent, I observed a great number of the natives upon thepoint near the spot where we had left them in the morning, and theyseemed to be very busy in loading a great number of large canoes whichlay close to the beach. As I thought they might be troublesome, and wasunwilling that they should suffer by another unequal contest with ourpeople, I fired a shot over their heads, which produced the effect Iintended, for they all disappeared in a moment. 

Just before the evening closed in, our boats landed, and got a fewcocoa-nuts, which they brought off, and saw none of the inhabitants. Inthe night, during which we had rain and hard squalls, I stood off and onwith the ships, and at seven o'clock in the morning brought-to off theinlet. I immediately sent the boats on shore in search of refreshments, and made all the men who were not so ill of the scurvy as to be laid up, go in them; I also went on shore myself, and continued there the wholeday. We saw many houses or wigwams of the natives, but they were totallydeserted, except by the dogs, who kept an incessant howling from thetime we came on shore till we returned to the ship: They were low meanhovels, thatched with cocoa-nut branches; but they were mostdelightfully situated in a fine grove of stately trees, many of whichwere the cocoa-nut, and many such as we were utterly unacquainted with. The cocoa-nut trees seem to furnish them with almost all the necessariesof life; particularly food, sails, cordage; timber, and vessels to holdwater; so that probably these people always fix their habitations wherethe trees abound. We observed the shore to be covered with coral, andthe shells of very large pearl oysters; so that I make no doubt but thatas profitable a pearl fishery might be established here as any in theworld. We saw but little of the people, except at a distance; we couldhowever perceive that the women had a piece of cloth of some kind, probably fabricated of the same stuff as their sail, hanging from thewaist as low as the knee; the men were naked. 

Our people, in rummaging some of the huts, found the carved head of arudder, which--had manifestly belonged to a Dutch long-boat, and wasvery old and worm-eaten. They found also a piece of hammered iron, apiece of brass, and some small iron tools, which the ancestors of thepresent inhabitants of this place probably obtained from the Dutch shipto which the long-boat had belonged, all which I brought away with me. Whether these people found means to cut off the ship, or whether she waslost upon the island, or after she left it, cannot be known; but thereis reason to believe that she never returned to Europe, because noaccount of her voyage, or of any discoveries that she made, is extant. If the ship sailed from this place in safety, it is not perhaps easy toaccount for her leaving the rudder of her long-boat behind her: And ifshe was cut off by the natives, there must be much more considerableremains of her in the island, especially of her iron-work, upon whichall Indian nations, who have no metal, set the highest value; we had noopportunities however to examine this matter farther. The hammered-iron, brass, and iron tools, I brought away with me; but we found a toolexactly in the form of a carpenter's adze, the blade of which was apearl oyster-shell; possibly this might have been made in imitation ofan adze which had belonged to the carpenter of the Dutch ship, for amongthe tools that I brought away there was one which seemed to be theremains of such an implement, though it was worn away almost to nothing. 

Close to the houses of these people, we saw buildings of another kind, which appeared to be burying-places, and from which we judged that theyhad great veneration for their dead. They were situated under loftytrees, that gave a thick shade; the sides and tops were of stone; and intheir figure they somewhat resembled the square tombs, with a flat top, which are always to be found in our country church-yards. Near thesebuildings we found many neat boxes full of human bones, and upon thebranches of the trees which shaded them, hung a great number of theheads and bones of turtle, and a variety of fish, inclosed in a kind ofbasket-work of reeds: Some of the fish we took down, and found thatnothing remained but the skin and the teeth; the bones and entrailsseemed to have been extracted, and the muscular flesh dried away. 

We sent off several boat-loads of cocoa-nuts, and a great quantity ofscurvy-grass, with which the island is covered; refreshments which wereof infinite service to us, as by this time I believe there was not a manamong us wholly untouched by the scurvy. 

The fresh water here is very good, but it is scarce; the wells whichsupply the natives are so small, that when two or three cocoa-nut shellshave been filled from them, they are dry for a few minutes; but as theypresently fill again, if a little pains were taken to enlarge them, theywould abundantly supply any ship with water. 

We saw no venomous creature here; but the flies were an intolerabletorment, they covered us from head to foot, and filled not only theboat, but the ships. We saw great numbers of parrots and paroquets, andseveral other birds which were altogether unknown to us; we saw also abeautiful kind of dove, so tame that some of them frequently came closeto us, and even followed us into the Indian huts. 

All this day the natives kept themselves closely concealed, and did noteven make a smoke upon any part of the islands as far as we could see;probably fearing that a smoke might discover the place of their retreat. In the evening, we all returned on board the ship. 

This part of the island lies in latitude 14° 29' S. , longitude 148° 50'W. And after I got on board, I hauled a little way farther from theshore, intending to visit the other island in the morning, which hadbeen seen to the westward of that before which the ship lay, and whichis distant about sixty-nine leagues from the Islands of Disappointment, in the direction of W. 1/2 S. 

The next morning at six o'clock, I made sail for the island which Iintended to visit, and when I reached it, I steered S. W. By W. Closealong the north-east side of it, but could get no soundings: This sideis about six or seven leagues long, and the whole makes much the sameappearance as the other, having a large salt-water lake in the middle ofit. As soon as the ship came in sight, the natives ran down to the beachin great numbers: They were armed in the same manner as those that wehad seen upon the other island, and kept abreast of the ship for severalleagues. As the heat of this climate is very great, they seemed tosuffer much by running so far in the sun, for they sometimes plungedinto the sea, and sometimes fell flat upon the sand, that the surf mightbreak over them, after which they renewed the race with great vigour. Our boats were at this time sounding along the shore, as usual, but Ihad given strict orders to the officers who commanded them never tomolest the natives, except it should become absolutely necessary fortheir own defence, but to try all possible means to obtain theirconfidence and good will: Our people therefore went as near to the shoreas they durst for the surf, and made signs that they wanted water; theIndians readily understood them, and directed them to run down fartheralong the shore, which they did, till they came abreast of such acluster of houses as we had just left upon the other island; to thisplace the Indians still followed them, and were there joined by manyothers: The boats immediately hauled close into the surf, and webrought-to, with the ships, at a little distance from the shore, uponwhich a stout old man, with a long white beard, that gave him a veryvenerable appearance, came down from the houses to the beach. He wasattended by a young man, and appeared to have the authority of a chiefor king: The rest of the Indians, at a signal which he made, retired toa little distance, and he then advanced quite to the water's edge; inone hand he held the green branch of a tree, and in the other he graspedhis beard, which he pressed to his bosom; in this attitude he made along oration, or rather song, for it had a musical cadence which was byno means disagreeable. We regretted infinitely that we could notunderstand what he said to us, and not less that he could not understandany thing which we should say to him; to shew our good-will, however, wethrew him some trifling presents, while he was yet speaking, but hewould neither touch them himself, nor suffer them to be touched byothers till he had done: He then walked into the water, and threw ourpeople the green branch, after which he took up the things which hadbeen thrown from the boats. Every thing now having a friendlyappearance, our people made signs that they should lay down their arms, and most of them having complied, one of the midshipmen, encouraged bythis testimony of confidence and friendship, leaped out of the boat withhis clothes on, and swam through the surf to shore. The Indiansimmediately gathered round him, and began to examine his clothes withgreat curiosity; they seemed particularly to admire his waistcoat, andbeing willing to gratify his new friends, he took it off, and presentedit to them; this courtesy, however, produced a disagreeable effect, forhe had no sooner given away his waistcoat; than one of the Indians veryingeniously untied his cravat, and the next moment snatched it from hisneck, and ran away with it. Our adventurer, therefore, to prevent hisbeing stripped by piece-meal, made the best of his way back again to theboat: Still, however, we were upon good terms, and several of theIndians swam off to our people, some of them bringing a cocoa-nut, andothers a little fresh water in a cocoa-nut shell. But the principalobject of our boats was to obtain some pearls; and the men, to assistthem in explaining their meaning, had taken with them some of the pearloyster-shells which they had found in great numbers upon the coast; butall their endeavours were ineffectual, for they could not, even withthis assistance, at all make themselves understood. It is indeedprobable that we should have succeeded better, if an intercourse of anykind could have been established between us, but it was our misfortunethat no anchorage could be found for the ships. As all Indians are fondof beads, it can scarcely be supposed that the pearls, which the oystersat this place contained, were overlooked by the natives, and it is morethan probable that if we could have continued here a few weeks, we mighthave obtained some of great value in exchange for nails, hatchets, andbillhooks, upon which the natives, with more reason, set a much highervalue. We observed, that in the lake, or lagoon, there were two or threevery large vessels, one of which had two masts, and some cordage aloftto support them. 

To these two islands, I gave the name of King George's Islands, inhonour of his majesty. That which we last visited, lies in latitude14°41'S. , longitude 149°15'W; the variation of the compass here was 5°E. 

SECTION X. 

_The Run from King George's Islands to the Islands of Saypan, Tinian, and Aguigan; with an Account of several Islands that were discovered inthat Track. _

We pursued our course to the westward the same day, and the next, aboutthree o'clock in the afternoon, we saw land again, bearing S. S. W. Distant about six leagues. We immediately stood for it, and found it tobe a low and very narrow island, lying east and west: we ran along thesouth side of it, which had a green and pleasant appearance, but adreadful surf breaks upon every part of it, with foul ground at somedistance, and many rocks and small islands scattered at about threeleagues from the shore. We found it about twenty leagues in length, andit appeared to abound with inhabitants, though we could only get atransient glance of them as we passed along. To this place I gave thename of the _Prince of Wales's Island. _ It lies in latitude 15°S. Andthe westermost end of it in longitude 151°53' W. It is distant from KingGeorge's Islands about eight-and-forty leagues, in the direction ofS. 80 W. The variation here was 5°30'E. 

From the western extremity of this island, we steered N. 82 W. And atnoon on the 16th, were in latitude 14°28'S. Longitude 156°23'W. Thevariation being 7°40'E. The wind was now easterly, and we had again thesame mountainous swell from the southward that we had before we made theIslands of Direction, and which, from that time to this day, we hadlost: When we lost that swell, and for some days before, we saw vastflocks of birds, which we observed always took their flight to thesouthward when evening was coming on. [38] These appearances persuaded methat there was land in the same direction, and I am of opinion, that ifthe winds had not failed me in the higher latitudes, I should havefallen in with it: I would indeed at this time have hauled away to thesouthward, and attempted the discovery, if our people had been healthy, for having observed that all the islands we had seen were full ofinhabitants, I was still more confirmed in my opinion; as I couldaccount for their being peopled only by supposing a chain of islandsreaching to a continent; but the sickness of the crews, in both ships, was an insuperable impediment. 

[Footnote 38: No doubt to the Navigators' Islands, so called byBougainville. Captain Wallis touched at one of them, and named themBoscawen's and Keppel's Islands. Peyrouse has given a very curious, butnot a pleasing account of their inhabitants. To the south of them againare the Friendly Islands. --E. ]

The next day we again saw many birds of various sorts about the ship, and therefore supposed that some other island was not far distant, forthe swell continuing, I concluded that the land was not of very greatextent: I proceeded, however, with caution, for the islands in this partof the ocean render the navigation very dangerous, they being so low, that a ship may be close in with them before they are seen. We sawnothing, however, on the 18th, the 19th, nor the 20th, during which wecontinued to steer the same course, though the birds still continuedabout the vessel in great numbers. Our latitude was now 12°33'S. Longitude 167°47'W. The Prince of Wales's Island was distant, 313leagues, and the variation of the needle was 9°15'E. The next morningabout seven o'clock, we discovered a most dangerous reef of breakers, bearing S. S. W. And not farther distant than a single league. In abouthalf an hour afterwards, land was seen from the mast-head, bearingW. N. W. And distant about eight leagues; it had the appearance of threeislands, with rocks and broken ground between them. The south-east sideof these islands lies N. E. By N. And S. W. By S. And is about threeleagues in length between the extreme points, from both which a reefruns out, upon which the sea breaks to a tremendous height. We sailedround the north end, and upon the north-west and west side, sawinnumerable rocks and shoals, which stretched near two leagues into thesea, and were extremely dangerous. The islands themselves had a morefertile and beautiful appearance than any we had seen before, and, likethe rest, swarmed with people, whose habitations we saw standing inclusters all along the coast. We saw also a large vessel under sail, ata little distance from the shore; but to our unspeakable regret we wereobliged to leave the place without farther examination, for it wassurrounded in every direction by rocks and breakers, which rendered thehazard more than equivalent to every advantage we might procure. At thistime I took these for part of the islands called Solomon's Islands, andwas in hopes that I should fall in with others of them, in some of whichwe might find an harbour. 

The reef of rocks which we first saw as we approached these islands, lies in latitude 10°15'S. Longitude 169°28' W. And it bears from Princeof Wales's Island N. 76°48' W. Distant 352 leagues. The islands bear fromthe reef W. N. W. Distant nine leagues: I called them the _Islands ofDanger_, and steered from them N. W. By W. Allowing for the variation. 

After having seen the breakers soon after it was light in the morning, Itold my officers that I apprehended we should have frequent alarms inthe night; at night, therefore, every body was upon the watch, which avery hard squall of wind, with rain, rendered the more necessary. Aboutnine o'clock, having just gone down into my cabin, I heard a great noiseabove, and when I enquired what was the matter, I was told that theTamar, who was a-head, had fired a gun, and that our people saw breakersto leeward: I ran instantly upon deck, and soon perceived that what hadbeen taken for breakers was nothing more than the undulating reflectionof the moon, which was going down, and shone faintly from behind a cloudin the horizon; we therefore bore away after the Tamar, but did not getsight of her till an hour afterwards. 

Nothing worthy of notice happened till Monday the 24th when, about teno'clock in the morning, we discovered another island, bearing S. S. W. Distant about seven or eight leagues: We steered for it, and found it tobe low, but covered with wood, among which were cocoa-nut trees in greatabundance. It had a pleasant appearance, and a large lake in the middle, like King George's Island: It is near thirty miles in circumference, adreadful sea breaks upon almost every part of the coast, and a greatdeal of foul ground lies about it. We sailed quite round it, and when wewere on the lee-side, sent out boats to sound, in hopes of findinganchorage: No soundings, however, were to be got near the shore, but Isent the boats out a second time, with orders to land, if it werepossible, and procure some refreshments for the sick: they landed withgreat difficulty, and brought off about two hundred cocoa-nuts, which, to persons in our circumstances, were an inestimable treasure. Thepeople who were on shore, reported that there were no signs of itshaving ever been inhabited, but that they found thousands of sea fowlsitting upon their nests, which were built in high trees: These birdswere so tame that they suffered themselves to be knocked down withoutleaving their nests: The ground was covered with land crabs, but ourpeople saw no other animal. At first I was inclined to believe that thisisland was the same that in the Neptune François is called Maluita, andlaid down about a degree to the eastward of the great island of SaintElizabeth, which is the principal of the Solomon's Islands; but beingafterwards convinced to the contrary, I called it the _Duke of York'sIsland_, in honour of his late royal highness, and I am of opinion thatwe were the first human beings who ever saw it. There is indeed greatreason to believe that there is no good authority for laying downSolomon's Islands in the situation that is assigned to them by theFrench: The only person who has pretended to have seen them is Quiros, and I doubt whether he left behind him any account of them by which theymight be found by future navigators. [39]

[Footnote 39: The opinion here stated is now pretty generally confidedin. Byron we see sailed over the northern, and Captain Carteret (as weshall find) the southern limits of these supposed islands, but couldnot find them. The name is now given to a cluster of islands tyingbetwixt the north of Queen Charlotte's Archipelago, discovered byCarteret, and the south-east coast of New Britain, &c. --E. ]

We continued our course till the 29th, in the track of these islands, and being then ten degrees to the westward of their situation in thechart, without having seen any thing of them, I hauled to the northward, in order to cross the equinoxial, and afterwards shape my course for theLadrone Islands, which, though a long run, I hoped to accomplish beforeI should be distressed for water, notwithstanding it now began to fallshort. Our latitude, this day, was 8°13'S. , longitude 176°20'E. And thevariation was 10°10'E. 

On Tuesday the 2d of July, we again saw many birds about the ship, andat four o'clock in the afternoon, discovered an island bearing north, and distant about six leagues: We stood for it till sun-set, when it wasdistant about four leagues, and then kept off and on for the night. Inthe morning, we found it a low flat island, of a most delightfulappearance, and full of wood, among which the cocoa-nut tree was veryconspicuous: We saw, however, to our great regret, much foul groundabout it, upon which the sea broke with a dreadful surf. We steeredalong the southwest side of it, which we judged to be about four leaguesin length, and soon perceived not only that it was inhabited, but verypopulous; for presently after the ship came in sight, we saw at least athousand of the natives assembled upon the beach, and in a very shorttime more than sixty canoes, or rather proas, put off from the shore, and made towards us. We lay by to receive them, and they were very soonranged in a circle round us. These vessels were very neatly made, and soclean that they appeared to be quite new: None of them had fewer thanthree persons on board, nor any of them more than six. [40] After theseIndians had gazed at us some time, one of them suddenly jumped out ofhis proa, swam to the ship, and ran up the side like a cat: As soon ashe had stepped over the gunwale, he sat down upon it, and burst into aviolent fit of laughter, then started up, and ran all over the ship, attempting to steal whatever he could lay his hands upon, but withoutsuccess, for, being stark naked, it was impossible to conceal his bootyfor a moment. Our seamen put on him a jacket and trowsers, whichproduced great merriment, for he had all the gestures of a monkey newlydressed: We also gave him bread, which he eat with a voracious appetite, and after having played a thousand antic tricks, he leaped overboard, jacket and trowsers and all, and swam back again to his proa; after thisseveral others swam to the ship, ran up the side of the gun-room ports, and having crept in, snatched up whatever lay in their reach, andimmediately leaped again into the sea, and swam away at a great rate, though some of them, having both hands full, held up their arms quiteout of the water, to prevent their plunder from being spoiled. Thesepeople are tall, well-proportioned, and clean-limbed; Their skin is abright copper-colour, their features are extremely good, and there is amixture of intrepidity and cheerfulness in their countenances that isvery striking. They have long black hair, which some of them wore tiedup behind in a great bunch, others in three knots: Some of them had longbeards, some only whiskers, and some nothing more than a small tuft atthe point of the chin. They were all of them stark naked, except theirornaments, which consisted of shells, very prettily disposed and strungtogether, and were worn round their necks, wrists, and waists: All theirears were bored, but they had no ornaments in them when we saw them:Such ornaments as they wear, when they wear any, are probably veryheavy, for their ears hang down almost to their shoulders, and some ofthem were quite split through. [41] One of these men, who appeared to bea person of some consequence, had a string of human teeth about hiswaist, which was probably a trophy of his military prowess, for he wouldnot part with it in exchange for any thing I could offer him. Some ofthem were unarmed, but others had one of the most dangerous weapons Ihad ever seen: It was a kind of spear, very broad at the end, and stuckfull of sharks' teeth, which are as sharp as a lancet, at the sides, forabout three feet of its length. We shewed them some cocoa-nuts, and madesigns that we wanted more; but instead of giving any intimation thatthey could supply us, they endeavoured to take away those we had. 

[Footnote 40: "These have some resemblance to the proas used by theIndians of the Ladrone Islands, they having what is termed an outrigger, that is, a frame laid out to the windward, to balance this littlevessel, and prevent its oversetting, which would otherwise infalliblyhappen, from its small breadth in proportion to its length. "]

[Footnote 41: "Though we saw upwards of a hundred of them in theirproas, there was but one woman among them, and of her they seemed totake great notice; she was distinguished by wearing something about herwaist. "]

I sent out the boats to sound soon after we brought-to off the island, and when they came back, they reported that there was ground at thedepth of thirty fathom, within two cables' length of the shore; but asthe bottom was coral rock, and the soundings much too near the breakersfor a ship to lie in safety, I was obliged again to make sail withoutprocuring any refreshments for the sick. This island, to which myofficers gave the name of Byron's Island, lies in latitude 1°18'S. , longitude 173°46'E. , the variation of the compass here was one point E. 

In our course from this place, we saw, for several days, abundance offish, but we could take only sharks, which were become a good dish evenat my own table. Many of the people now began to fall down with fluxes;which the surgeon imputed to the excessive heat and almost perpetualrains. 

By the 21st, all our cocoa-nuts being expended, our people began to falldown again with the scurvy. The effect of these nuts alone, in checkingthis disease, is astonishing: Many whose limbs were become as black asink, who could not move without the assistance of two men, and who, besides total debility, suffered excruciating pain, were in a few days, by eating these nuts, although at sea, so far recovered as to do theirduty, and could even go aloft as well as they did before the distemperseized them. For several days about this time, we had only faintbreezes, with smooth water, so that we made but little way, and as wewere now not far from the Ladrone Islands, where we hoped somerefreshments might be procured; we most ardently wished for a freshgale, especially as the heat was still intolerable, the glass for a longtime having never been lower than eighty-one, but often up toeighty-four; and I am of opinion that this is the hottest, the longest, and most dangerous run that ever was made. 

On the 18th, we were in latitude 13°9'N. , longitude 158°50'E. , and onthe 22d, in latitude 14°25'N. , longitude 153°11'E, during which time wehad a northerly current. Being now nearly in the latitude of Tinian, Ishaped my course for that island. 

SECTION XI

_The Arrival of the Dolphin and Tamar at Tinian, a Description of thepresent Condition of that Island, and an Account of the Transactionsthere. _

On the 28th, we saw a great number of birds about the ship, whichcontinued till the 30th, when about two o'clock in the afternoon we sawland, bearing W. 1\2 N. Which proved to be the islands Saypan, Tinian, andAiguigan. At sun-set, the extremes of them bore from N. W. 1/2 N. Westwardto S. W. ; and the three islands had the appearance of one. At seven, wehauled the wind, and stood off and on all night; and at six the nextmorning, the extremes of the islands, which still made in one, bore fromN. W. By N. To S. W. By S. Distant five leagues. The east side of theseislands lies N. E. By N. And S. W. By S. Saypan is the northermost; andfrom the north-east point of that island to the south-west point ofAiguigan, the distance is about seventeen leagues. These three islandsare between two and three leagues distant from each other; Saypan is thelargest, and Aguigan, which is high and round, the smallest. We steeredalong the east side of them, and at noon hauled round the south point ofTinian, between that island and Aiguigan, and anchored at the south-westend of it, in sixteen fathom water, with a bottom of hard sand and coralrock, opposite to a white sandy bay, about a mile and a quarter from theshore, and about three quarters of a mile from a reef of rocks that liesat a good distance from the shore, in the very spot where Lord Anson layin the Centurion. The water at this place is so very clear that thebottom is plainly to be seen at the depth of four-and-twenty fathom, which is no less than one hundred and forty-four feet. 

As soon as the ship was secured, I went on shore, to fix upon a placewhere tents might be erected for the sick, which were now very numerous;not a single man being wholly free from the scurvy, and many in the laststage of it. We found several huts which had been left by the Spaniardsand Indians the year before; for this year none of them had as yet beenat the place, nor was it probable that they should come for some months, the sun being now almost vertical, and the rainy season set in. After Ihad fixed upon a spot for the tents, six or seven of us endeavoured topush through the woods, that we might come at the beautiful lawns andmeadows of which there is so luxuriant a description in the Account ofLord Anson's Voyage, and if possible kill some cattle. The trees stoodso thick, and the place was so overgrown with underwood, that we couldnot see three yards before us, we therefore were obliged to keepcontinually hallooing to each other, to prevent our being separatelylost in this trackless wilderness. As the weather was intolerably hot, we had nothing on besides our shoes, except our shirts and trowsers, andthese were in a very short time torn all to rags by the bushes andbrambles; at last however, with incredible difficulty and labour, we gotthrough; but, to our great surprise and disappointment, we found thecountry very different from the account, we had read of it: The landswere entirely overgrown with a stubborn kind of reed or brush, in manyplaces higher than our heads, and no where lower than our middles, whichcontinually entangled our legs, and cut us like whipcord; our stockingsperhaps might have suffered still more, but we wore none. During this, march we were also covered with flies from head to foot, and whenever weoffered to speak we were sure of having a mouthful, many of which neverfailed to get down our throats. After we had walked about three or fourmiles, we got sight of a bull, which we killed, and a little beforenight got back to the beach, as wet as if we had been dipt in water, andso fatigued that we were scarcely able to stand. We immediately sent outa party to fetch the bull, and found that during our excursion sometents had been got up, and the sick brought on shore. 

The next day our people were employed in setting up more tents, gettingthe water-casks on shore, and clearing the well at which they were to befilled. This well I imagined to be the same that the Centurion wateredat; but it was the worst that we had met with during the voyage, for thewater was not only brackish, but full of worms. The road also where theships lay was a dangerous situation at this season, for the bottom ishard sand and large coral rocks, and the anchor having no hold in thesand, the cable is in perpetual danger of being cut to pieces by thecoral; to prevent which as much as possible, I rounded the cables, andbuoyed them up with empty water-casks. Another precaution also wastaught me by experience, for at first I moored, but finding the cablesmuch damaged, I resolved to lie single for the future, that by veeringaway or heaving in, as we should have more or less wind, we might alwayskeep them from being slack, and consequently from rubbing, and thisexpedient succeeded to my wish. At the full and change of the moon, aprodigious swell tumbles in here, so that I never saw ships at anchorroll so much as ours did while we lay here; and it once drove in fromthe westward with such violence, and broke so high upon the reef, that Iwas obliged to put to sea for a week; for if our cable had parted in thenight, and the wind had been upon the shore, which sometimes, happensfor two or three days together, the ship must have inevitably been lostupon the rocks. 

As I was myself very ill with the scurvy, I ordered a tent to be pitchedfor me, and took up my residence on shore; where we also erected thearmourer's forge, and began to repair the iron-work of both the ships. Isoon found that the island produced limes, sour oranges, cocoa-nuts, breadfruit, [42] guavas, and paupas in great abundance; but we found nowater-melons, scurvy-grass, or sorrel. 

[Footnote 42: See a particular description of the bread-fruit, in the8th chapter of Lieut. Cook's voyage. ]

Notwithstanding the fatigue and distress that we had endured, and thevarious climates we had passed through, neither of the ships had yetlost a single man since their sailing from England; but while we layhere two died of fevers, a disease with which many were seized, thoughwe all recovered very fast from the scurvy. I am indeed of opinion thatthis is one of the most unhealthy spots in the world, at least duringthe season in which we were here. The rains were violent, and almostincessant, and the heat was so great as to threaten us with suffocation. The thermometer, which was kept on board the ship, generally stood ateighty-six, which is but nine degrees less than the heat of the blood atthe heart; and if it had been on shore it would have risen much higher. I had been upon the coast of Guinea, in the West Indies, and upon theisland of Saint Thomas, which is under the Line, but I had never feltany such heat as I felt here. Besides the inconvenience which wesuffered from the weather, we were incessantly tormented by the flies inthe day, and by the musquitos in the night. The island also swarms withcentipedes and scorpions, and a large black ant, scarcely inferior toeither in the malignity of its bite. Besides these, there were venomousinsects without number, altogether unknown to us, by which many of ussuffered so severely, that we were afraid to lie down in our beds; norwere those on board in a much better situation than those on shore, forgreat numbers of these creatures being carried into the ship with thewood, they took possession of every birth, and left the poor seamen noplace of rest either below or upon the deck. 

As soon as we were settled in our new habitations, I sent out parties todiscover the haunts of the cattle, some of which were found, but at agreat distance from the tents, and the beasts were so shy that it wasvery difficult to get a shot at them. Some of the parties which, whentheir haunts had been discovered, were sent out to kill them, wereabsent three days and nights before they could succeed; and when abullock had been dragged seven or eight miles through such woods andlawns as have just been described, to the tents, it was generally fullof flyblows, and stunk so as to be unfit for use: Nor was this theworst, for the fatigue of the men in bringing down the carcase, and theintolerable heat they suffered from the climate and the labour, frequently brought on fevers which laid them up. [43] Poultry however weprocured upon easier terms: There was great plenty of birds, and theywere easily killed; but the flesh of the best of them was veryill-tasted, and such was the heat of the climate that within an hourafter they were killed it was as green as grass, and swarmed withmaggots. Our principal resource for fresh meat was the wild hog, withwhich the island abounds. These creatures are very fierce, and some ofthem so large that a carcase frequently weighed two hundred pounds. Wekilled them without much difficulty, but a black belonging to the Tamarcontrived a method to snare them, so that we took great numbers of themalive, which was an unspeakable advantage; for it not only ensured oureating the flesh while it was sweet, but enabled us to send a goodnumber of them on board as sea-stores. 

[Footnote 43: "But we had cast anchor on the wrong side of the island, and, to our great disappointment, found cattle very scarce, " &c. &c. ]

In the mean time we were very desirous of procuring some beef in aneatable state, with less risk and labour, and Mr Gore, one of our mates, at last discovered a pleasant spot upon the north-west part of theisland, where cattle were in great plenty, and whence they might bebrought to the tents by sea. To this place, therefore, I dispatched aparty, with a tent for their accommodation, and sent the boats every dayto fetch what they should kill; sometimes however there broke such a seaupon the rocks, that it was impossible to approach them, and the Tamar'sboat unhappily lost three of her best men by attempting it. We were now, upon the whole, pretty well supplied with provisions; especially as webaked fresh bread every day for the sick and the fatigue of our peoplebeing less, there were fewer ill with the fever; But several of themwere so much disordered by eating of a very fine-looking fish which wecaught here, that their recovery was for a long time doubtful. Theauthor of the Account of Lord Anson's Voyage says, [44] that the peopleon board the Centurion thought it prudent to abstain from fish, as thefew which they caught at their first arrival surfeited those who eat ofthem. But not attending sufficiently to this caution, and too hastilytaking the word _surfeit_ in its literal and common acceptation, weimagined that those who tasted the fish when Lord Anson first camehither, were made sick merely by eating too much; whereas, if that hadbeen the case, there would have been no reason for totally abstainingafterwards, but only eating temperately. We however bought our knowledgeby experience, which we might have had cheaper; for though all ourpeople who tasted this fish, eat sparingly, they were all soonafterwards dangerously ill. 

[Footnote 44: The other account indicates a little more gratitude:--"Ourpeople had as much good beef and broth as we could possibly expend; withguavas, oranges, lemons, limes, plenty of excellent cabbages, which growon the cocoa-trees, and the bread-fruit, for which these islands arejustly famous; and not only poultry like those in England, but wild fowlof various sorts, "]

Besides the fruit that has been mentioned already, this island producescotton and indigo in abundance, and would certainly be of great value ifit were situated in the West Indies. The surgeon of the Tamar enclosed alarge spot of ground here, and made a very pretty garden; but we didnot stay long enough to derive any advantage from it. [45]

[Footnote 45: The descriptions of this island given by the author ofAnson's Voyage, and in the other account of this one, so often referredto, are both more favourable than Byron's; a circumstance which may, perhaps, be accounted for on very common principles, without anyimpeachment of the respective authorities. The former description waspurposely omitted in our 10th volume, as it was judged advisable tointroduce it in this place, so that the reader might directly compare itwith that which is given in the text. Here it follows entire:--

"Its length is about twelve miles, and its breadth about half as much;it extending from the S. S. W to N. N. E. The soil is every where dry andhealthy, and somewhat sandy, which being less disposed than other soilsto a rank and over luxuriant vegetation, occasions the meadows and thebottoms of the woods to be much neater and smoother than is customary'in hot climates. The land rises by easy slopes, from the very beachwhere we watered to the middle of the island; though the general courseof its ascent is often interrupted and traversed by gentle descents andvalleys; and the inequalities that are formed by the differentcombinations of these gradual swellings of the ground; are mostbeautifully diversified with large lawns, which are covered with a veryfine trefoil, intermixed with a variety of flowers, and are skirted bywoods of tall and well-spread trees, most of them celebrated either fortheir aspect or their fruit. The turf of the lawns is quite clean andeven, and the bottoms of the woods in many places clear of all bushesand underwoods; and the woods themselves usually terminate on the lawnswith a regular outline, not broken, nor confused with straggling trees, but appearing uniform as if laid out by art. Hence across a greatvariety of the most elegant and entertaining prospects formed by themixture of these woods and lawns, and their various intersections witheach other, as they spread themselves differently through the valliesand over the slopes and declivities with which the place abounds. Thefortunate animals too, which for the greatest part of the year are thesole lords of this happy soil, partake in some measure of the romanticcast of the island, and are no small addition to its wonderful scenery:For the cattle, of which it is not uncommon to see herds of somethousands feeding together in a large meadow, are certainly the mostremarkable in the world; for they are all of them milk-white, excepttheir ears, which are generally black. And though there are noinhabitants here, yet the clamour and frequent parading of domesticpoultry, which range the woods in great numbers, perpetually excite theideas of the neighbourhood of farms and villages, and greatly contributeto the cheerfulness and beauty of the place. The cattle on the island wecomputed were at least ten thousand; and we had no difficulty in gettingnear them, as they were not shy of us. Our first method of killing themwas shooting them; but at last, when by accidents to be hereafterrecited, we were obliged to husband our ammunition, our men ran themdown with ease. Their flesh was extremely well tasted, and was believedby us to be much more easily digested, than any we had ever met with. The fowls too were exceeding good, and were likewise run down withlittle trouble; for they could scarce fly further than an hundred yardsat a flight, and even that fatigued them so much, that they could notreadily rise again; so that, aided by the openness of the woods, wecould at all times furnish ourselves with whatever number we wanted. Besides the cattle and the poultry, we found here abundance of wildhogs: These were most excellent food; but as they were a very fierceanimal, we were obliged either to shoot them, or to hunt them with largedogs, which we found upon the place at our landing, and which belongedto the detachment which was then upon the island amassing provisions forthe garrison of Guam. As these dogs had been purposely trained to thekilling of the wild hogs, they followed us very readily, and banted forus; but though they were a large bold breed, the hogs fought with somuch fury, that they frequently destroyed them, so that we by degreeslost the greatest part of them. "

"But this place was not only extremely grateful to us from the plentyand excellency of its fresh provisions, but was as much perhaps to beadmired for its fruits and vegetable productions, which were mostfortunately adapted to the cure of the sea scurvy, which had so terriblyreduced us. For in the woods there were inconceivable quantities ofcocoa-nuts, with the cabbages growing on the same tree; There werebesides guavoes, limes, sweet and sour oranges, and a kind of fruitpeculiar to these islands, called by the Indians _Rima_, but by us the_Bread-fruit_, for it was constantly eaten by us during our stay uponthe island instead of bread, and so universally preferred to it, that noship's bread was expended during that whole interval. It grew upon atree which is somewhat lofty, and which, towards the top, divides intolarge and spreading branches. The leaves of this tree are of aremarkable deep green, are notched about the edges, and are generallyfrom a foot to eighteen inches in length. The fruit itself growsindifferently on all parts of the branches; it is in shape ratherelliptical than round, is covered with a rough rind, and is usuallyseven or eight inches long; each of them grows singly and not inclusters. This fruit is fittest to be used when it is full grown, but isstill green; in which state its taste has some distant resemblance tothat of an artichoke bottom, and its texture is not very different, forit is soft and spungy. As it ripens it grows softer and of a yellowcolour, and then contracts a luscious taste, and an agreeable smell, notunlike a ripe peach; but then it is esteemed, unwholesome, and is saidto produce fluxes. Besides the fruits already enumerated, there weremany other vegetables extremely conducive to the cure of the malady wehad long laboured under, such as water-melons, dandelion, creepingpurslain, mint, scurvy-grass, and sorrel; all which, together with thefresh meats of the place, we devoured with great eagerness, promptedthereto by the strong inclination which nature never fails of excitingin scorbutic disorders for these powerful specifics. It will easily beconceived from what hath been already said, that our cheer upon thisisland was in some degree luxurious, but I have not yet recited all thevarieties of provision which we here indulged in. Indeed we thought itprudent totally to abstain from fish, the few we caught at our firstarrival having surfeited those who eat of them; but considering how muchwe had been inured to that species of food, we did not regard thiscircumstance as a disadvantage, especially as the defect was so amplysupplied by the beef, pork, and fowls already mentioned, and by greatplenty of wild fowl; for I must observe, that near the centre of theisland there were two considerable pieces of fresh water, which aboundedwith duck, teal, and curlew: Not to mention the whistling plover, whichwe found there in prodigious plenty. "

"And now perhaps it may be wondered at, that an island so exquisitelyfurnished with the conveniences of life, and so well adapted, not onlyto the subsistence, but likewise to the enjoyment of mankind, should beentirely destitute of inhabitants, especially as it is in theneighbourhood of other islands, which in some measure depend upon thisfor their support. To obviate this difficulty, I must observe, that itis not fifty years since the island was depopulated. The Indians we hadin our custody assured us, that formerly the three islands of Tinian, Rota, and Guam, were all full of inhabitants; and that Tinian alonecontained thirty thousand souls: But a sickness raging amongst theseislands, which destroyed multitudes of the people, the Spaniards, torecruit their numbers at Guam, which were greatly diminished by thismortality, ordered all the inhabitants of Tinian thither; where, languishing for their former habitations, and their customary method oflife, the greatest part of them in a few years died of grief. Indeed, independent of that attachment which all mankind have ever shown to theplaces of their birth and bringing up, it should seem from what has beenalready said, that there were few countries more worthy to be regrettedthan this of Tinian. "

"These poor Indians might reasonably have expected, at the greatdistance from Spain, where they were placed, to have escaped theviolence and cruelty of that haughty nation, so fatal to a largeproportion of the whole human race: But it seems their remote situationcould not protect them from sharing in the common destruction of thewestern world, all the advantage they received from their distance beingonly to perish an age or two later. It may perhaps be doubted, if thenumber of the inhabitants of Tinian, who were banished to Guam, and whodied there pining for their native home, was so great, as what we haverelated above; but, not to mention the concurrent assertion of ourprisoners, and the commodiousness of the island, and its greatfertility, there are still remains to be met with on the place, whichevince it to have been once extremely populous: For there are, in allparts of the island, a great number of ruins of a very particular kind;they usually consist of two rows of square pyramidal pillars, eachpillar being about six feet from the next, and the distance between therows being about twelve feet; the pillars themselves are about five feetsquare at the base, and about thirteen feet high; and on the top of eachof them there is a semi-globe, with the flat part upwards; the whole ofthe pillars and semi-globe is solid, being composed of sand and stonecemented together, and plastered over. If the account our prisoners gaveus of these structures was true, the island must indeed have beenextremely populous; for they assured us that they were the foundationsof particular buildings set apart for those Indians only, who hadengaged in some religious vow; and monastic institutions are often to bemet with in many Pagan nations. However, if these ruins were originallythe bases of the common dwelling-houses of the natives, their numbersmust have been considerable; for in many parts of the island they areextremely thick planted, and sufficiently evince the great plenty offormer inhabitants. But to return to the present state of the island. "

"Having mentioned the conveniences of this place, the excellency andquantity of its fruits and provisions, the neatness of its lawns, thestateliness, freshness, and fragrance of its woods, the happy inequalityof its surface, and the variety and elegance of the views it afforded, Imost now observe, that all these advantages were greatly enhanced by thehealthiness of its climate, by the almost constant breezes which prevailthere, and by the frequent showers which fall, and which, though of avery short and almost momentary duration, are extremely grateful andrefreshing, and are perhaps one cause of the salubrity of the air, andof the extraordinary influence it was observed to have upon us, inincreasing and invigorating our appetites and digestion. This was soremarkable, that those amongst our officers, who were at all other timesspare and temperate eaters, who, besides a slight breakfast, made butone moderate repast a day, were here, in appearance, transformed intogluttons; for instead of one reasonable flesh meal, they were nowscarcely satisfied with three, and each of them so prodigious inquantity, as would at another time have produced a fever or a surfeit:And yet our digestion so well corresponded with the keenness of ourappetites, that we were neither disordered nor even loaded by thisrepletion; for after having, according to the custom of the island, madea large beef breakfast, it was not long before we began to consider theapproach of dinner as a very desirable, though somewhat tardy incident. "

"And now having been thus large in my encomiums on this island, inwhich, however, I conceive I have not done it justice, it is necessary Ishould speak of those circumstances in which it is defective, whether inpoint of beauty or utility. "

"And first, with respect to its water. I must own, that before I hadseen this spot, I did not conceive that the absence of running water, ofwhich it is entirely destitute, could have been so well replaced by anyother means, as it is in this island; for though there are no streams, yet the water of the wells and springs, which are to be met with everywhere near the surface, is extremely good; and in the midst of theisland there are two or three considerable pieces of excellent water, whose edges are as neat and even, as if they had been basons purposelymade for the decoration of the place. It must, however, be confessed, that with regard to the beauty of the prospects, the want of rills andstreams is a very great defect, not to be compensated either by largepieces of standing water, or by the neighbourhood of the sea, thoughthat; by reason of the smallness of the island, generally makes a partof every extensive view. "

"As to the residence upon the island, the principal inconvenienceattending it is the vast numbers of musquitoes, and various otherspecies of flies, together with an insect called a tick, which, thoughprincipally attached to the cattle, would yet frequently fasten upon ourlimbs and bodies, and if not perceived and removed in time, would buryits head under the skin, and raise a painful inflammation. We foundhere, too, centipedes and scorpions, which we supposed were venomous, but none of us ever received any injury from them. "]

While we lay here, I sent the Tamar to examine the island of Saypan, Which is much larger than Tinian, rises higher, and, in my opinion, hasa much pleasanter appearance. She anchored to the leeward of it, at thedistance of a mile from the shore, and in about ten fathom water, withmuch the same kind of ground as we had in the road of Tinian. 

Her people landed upon a fine sandy beach which is six or seven mileslong, and walked up into the woods, where they saw many trees which werefit for top-masts. 

They saw no fowls, nor any tracks of cattle; but of hogs and guanicoesthere was plenty. They found no fresh water near the beach, but saw alarge pond inland, which they did not examine. They saw large heaps ofpearl oyster-shells thrown up together, and other signs of people havingbeen there not long before: Possibly the Spaniards may go thither atsome season of the years, and carry on a pearl fishery. They also sawmany of those, square pyramidal pillars which are to be found at Tinian, and which are particularly described in the account of Lord Anson'svoyage. 

On Monday the 30th of September, having now been here nine weeks, andour sick being pretty well recovered, I ordered, the tents to be struck, and with the forge and oven carried back to the ship; I also laid inabout two thousand cocoa-nuts, which I had experienced to be so powerfula remedy for the scurvy, and the next day I weighed, hoping, that beforewe should get the length of the Bashé Island, the N. E. Monsoon would beset in. I stood along the shore to take in the beef-hunters; but we hadvery little wind this day and the next till the evening, when it came tothe westward and blew fresh: I then stood to the northward till themorning of the 3d, when we made Anatacan, an island that is remarkablyhigh, and the same that was first fallen in with by Lord Anson. 

SECTION XII. 

_The Run from Tinian to Pulo Timoan, with some Account of that Island, its Inhabitants and Productions, and thence to Batavia. _

We continued our course till Thursday the 10th, when being in latitude18°33'N. Longitude 136°50'E. We found the ship two-and-twenty miles tothe southward of her account, which must have been the effect of astrong current in that direction. The variation here was 5°10'E. And forsome time we found it regularly decreasing, so that on the 19th, beingin latitude 21°10'N. Longitude 124°17'E. The needle pointed due north. 

On the 18th, we had found the ship eighteen miles to the northward ofher account, and saw several land-birds about the ship, which appearedto be very much tired: We caught one as it was resting upon the booms, and found it very remarkable. It was about as big as a goose, and allover as white as snow, except the legs and beak which were black; thebeak was curved, and of so great a length and thickness, that it is noteasy to conceive now the muscles of the neck, which was about a footlong, and as small as that of a crane, could support it. We kept itabout four months upon biscuit and water, but it then died, apparentlyfor want of nourishment, being almost as light as a bladder. It was verydifferent from every species of the toucan that is represented byEdwards, and I believe has never been described. These birds appeared tohave been blown off some island to the northward of us, that is not laiddown in the charts. 

The needle continued to point due north till the 22d, when, at sixo'clock in the morning, Grafton's Island, the northermost of the BasheeIslands, bore south, distant six leagues. As I had designed to touch atthese islands, I stood for that in sight; but as the navigation fromhence to the strait of Banca is very dangerous, and we had now both afine morning and a fine gale, I thought it best to proceed on our way, and therefore steered westward again. The principal of these islands arefive in number, and by a good observation Grafton's Island lies inlatitude 21°8'N. Longitude 118°14'E. The variation of the compass wasnow 1° 20'W. 

On the 24th, being in latitude 16°59'N. Longitude 115° 1'E. We kept agood look-out for the Triangles, which lie without the north end of thePrasil, and form a most dangerous shoal. [46] On the 30th we saw severaltrees and large bamboos floating about the ship, and upon sounding hadthree-and-twenty fathom, with dark brown sand, and small pieces ofshells. Our latitude was now 7°17'N. Longitude 104°21'E, the variationwas 30°W. The next day we found the ship thirteen miles to the northwardof her account, which we judged to be the effect of a current; and onthe 2d of November, we found her thirty-eight miles to the southward ofher account. Our latitude by observation was 3°54'N. Longitude 103°20'E. We had here soundings at forty-two and forty-three fathom, with softmud. 

[Footnote 46: The Prasil, or Pracels, is a congeries of rocks and smallislands, about sixty miles eastward of the coast of Cochin China, andreckoned very dangerous to navigators, on account of breakers andcounter currents. --E. ]

At seven o'clock the next morning, we saw the island of Timoan, bearingS. W. By W. Distant about twelve leagues. As Dampier has mentioned PuloTimoan as a place where some refreshments are to be procured, Iendeavoured to touch there, having lived upon salt provisions, whichwere now become bad, ever since we were at Tinian; but light airs, calms, and a southerly current, prevented our coming to an anchor tilllate in the evening of the 5th. We had sixteen fathom at about thedistance of two miles from the shore, on a bay on the east side of theisland. 

The next day I landed to see what was to be got, and found theinhabitants, who are Malays, a surly insolent set of people. As soon asthey saw us approaching the shore, they came down to the beach in greatnumbers, having a long knife in one hand, a spear headed with iron inthe other, and a cressit or dagger by their side. We went on shore, however, notwithstanding these hostile appearances, and a treaty sooncommenced between us; but all we could procure, was about a dozen offowls, and a goat and kid. We had offered them knives, hatchets, bill-hooks, and other things of the same kind; but these they refusedwith great contempt, and demanded rupees: As we had no rupees, we wereat first much at a loss how to pay for our purchase; but at last webethought ourselves of some pocket-handkerchiefs, and these theyvouchsafed to accept, though they would take only the best. 

These people were of a small stature; but extremely well made, and of adark copper-colour. We saw among them one old man who was dressedsomewhat in the manner of the Persians; but all the rest were naked, except a handkerchief, which they wore as a kind of turban upon theirheads, and some pieces of cloth which were fastened with a silver plateor clasp round their middles. We saw none of their women, and probablysome care was taken to keep them out of our sight. The habitations arevery neatly built of slit bamboo, and are raised upon posts about eightfeet from the ground. Their boats are also well made, and we saw some ofa large size, in which we supposed that they carried on a trade toMalacca. 

The island is mountainous and woody, but we found it pleasant when wewere ashore; it produces the cabbage and cocoa-nut tree in great plenty, but the natives did not chuse to let us have any of the fruit. We sawalso some rice grounds, but what other vegetable productions Nature hasfavoured them with, we had no opportunity to learn, as we stayed herebut two nights and one day. In the bay where the ship rode, there isexcellent fishing, though the surf runs very high: We hauled our seinewith great success, but could easily perceive that it gave umbrage tothe inhabitants, who consider all the fish about these islands as theirown. There are two fine rivers that run into this bay, and the water isexcellent: It was indeed so much better than what we had on board, thatI filled as many casks with it as loaded the boat twice. While we layhere, some of the natives brought down an animal which had the body of ahare, and the legs of a deer; one of our officers bought it, and weshould have been glad to have kept it alive, but it was impossible forus to procure for it such food as it would eat; it was therefore killed, and we found it very good food. All the while we lay here, we had themost violent thunder, lightning, and rain, that I had ever known; and, finding that nothing more was to be procured, we sailed again onThursday morning, with a fine breeze off the land. In the afternoon, wetried the current, and found it set S. E. At the rate of a mile an hour. The variation here was 38' W. We certainly made this passage at animproper season of the year; for after we came into the latitude of PuloCondore, we had nothing but light airs, calms, and tornadoes, withviolent rain, thunder, and lightning. 

At seven o'clock in the morning of Sunday the 10th, we saw the east endof the island of Lingen, bearing S. W. By W. Distant eleven or twelveleagues. The current set E. S. E. At the rate of a mile an hour. At noonit fell calm, and I anchored with the kedge in twenty fathom. At oneo'clock, the weather having cleared up, we saw a small island bearingS. W. 1/2 S. Distant ten or eleven leagues. 

At one o'clock the next morning, we weighed and made sail; and at sixthe small island bore W. S. W. Distant about seven leagues, and some verysmall islands, which we supposed to be Domines Islands, W. 1/2 N. Distant about seven or eight leagues, a remarkable double peak on theisland of Lingen, bearing at same time W. By N. Distant about ten ortwelve leagues. Our latitude by observation was now 18'S. The latitudeof the east end of Lingen is 10' S. Longitude 105° 15' E. Pulo Tayabears from it nearly S. By W. And is distant about twelve leagues. 

At ten o'clock in the morning of Tuesday the 12th, we, saw a smallChinese junk to the north-east; and at seven the next morning a smallisland, called Pulo Toté, bearing S. E. By E. Distant about twelveleagues. A little to the northward of Pulo Taya, is a very small island, called Pulo Toupoa. 

The next day, at four in the afternoon, there being no wind, we came toan anchor in fourteen fathom with soft ground, Palo Taya bearing N. W. Distant about seven leagues. We tried the current, and found it set E. By S. At the rate of two knots two fathoms an hour. We saw a sloop atanchor about four miles from us, which hoisted Dutch colours. In thenight we had violent rain, with hard squalls, during one of which weparted the stream cable, and therefore let go the small bower. At eightin the morning, the wind became moderate and variable, from N. N. W. ToW. S. W. We got out our long-boat and weighed the stream anchor, and atnine made sail. We found the current still very strong to the eastward;and at two we anchored again in fourteen fathom, Palo Taya bearing N. W. 1/2 N. Distant between seven and eight leagues. The vessel which we hadseen the day before under Dutch colours, still lying at anchor in thesame place, I sent a boat with an officer to speak with her: The officerwas received on board with great civility; but was extremely surprisedto find that he could not make himself understood, for the people onboard were Malays, without a single white man among them: They made teafor our men immediately, and behaved with great cheerfulness andhospitality. The vessel was of a very singular construction; her deckwas of slit bamboo, and she was steered, not by a rudder, but by twolarge pieces of timber, one upon each quarter. 

The next morning, at six o'clock, we weighed and made sail; at twoMonopin Hill bore S. By E. Distant about ten or eleven leagues, and hadthe appearance of a small island. It bears S. By W. From the SevenIslands, and is distant from them about twelve leagues: Its latitude is2° S. From the Seven Islands we steered S. W. By S. And had regularsoundings from twelve to seven fathom, and soon after saw the coast ofSumatra, bearing from W. S. W. To W. By N. At the distance of about sevenleagues. In the evening, we anchored in seven fathom; and the nextmorning at four we made sail again, and continued our course S. By E. Till the peak of Monopin Hill bore east, and Batacarang Point, on theSumatra shore, S. W. To avoid a shoal, called Frederick Hendrick, whichis about midway between the Banca and Sumatra shore: The soundings werethirteen and fourteen fathom. We then steered E. S. E. And kept midchannel to avoid the banks of Palambam river, and that which lies offthe westernmost point of Banca. When we were abreast of Patambam river, we regularly shoaled our water from fourteen to seven fathom; and whenwe had passed it, we deepened it again to fifteen and sixteen fathom. Wecontinued to steer E. S. E. Between the third and fourth points ofSumatra, which are about ten leagues distant from each other: Thesoundings, nearest to the Sumatra shore, were all along from eleven tothirteen fathom; and the high land of Queda Banca appeared over thethird point of Sumatra, bearing E. S. E. From the third point to theSecond, the course is S. E. By S. At the distance of about eleven ortwelve leagues. The high land of Queda Banca, and the second point ofSumatra, bear E. N. E. And W. S. W. Of each other. The strait is about fiveleagues over, and in the mid-channel there is twenty-four fathom. At sixo'clock in the evening we anchored in thirteen fathom, Monopin Hillbearing N. 1/2 W. And the third point of Sumatra, S. E. By E. Distantbetween two and three leagues. Many small vessels were in sight, andmost of them hoisted Dutch colours. In the night we had fresh gales andsqualls, with thunder and lightning, and hard rain; but as our cableswere good, we were in no danger, for in this place the anchor is buriedin a stiff clay. 

In the morning the current or tide set to the S. E. At the rate of threeknots; at five we weighed, with a moderate gale at west and hazyweather, and in the night the tide shifted, and ran as strongly to theN. W. So that it ebbs and flows here twelve hours. 

On the 19th we spoke with an English snow, belonging to the East Indiacompany, which was bound from Bencoolen to Malacca and Bengal. We hadnow nothing to eat but the ship's provisions, which were become verybad, for all our beef and pork stunk intolerably, and our bread wasrotten and full of worms; but as soon as the master of this snow learntour situation, he generously sent me a sheep, a dozen fowls, and aturtle, which I verily believe was half his stock, besides two gallonsof arrack, and would accept nothing but our thanks in return. It is withgreat pleasure that I pay this tribute to his liberality, and am verysorry that I cannot recollect his name, or the name of his vessel. Inthe afternoon we worked round the first point of Sumatra, and oursoundings on the north side, at the distance of about a mile and a halffrom the shore, were fourteen fathom. At half an hour after three weanchored, and sent a boat to sound for the shoals which lie to thenorthward of the island called Lasipara, which bore from us S. E. By S. Distant about six leagues. Little wind, and a strong tide of flood tothe northward, prevented our working between these shoals and the coastof Sumatra till the afternoon of the 20th; the soundings were veryregular, being nine or ten fathom as we stood over to the island, andfive or six when we stood over to Sumatra. As this strait has been oftennavigated, and is well known, it is not necessary to insert all theparticulars of our passage through it; I shall therefore only say, thatat six o'clock in the evening of Tuesday the 27th, we steered betweenthe islands Edam and Horn, and entered the road of Batavia. At eight weanchored without the ships, Onrust bearing W. N. W. Distant five or sixmiles. 

SECTION XIII. 

_Transactions at Batavia, and Departure from that Place. _

The next day, which by our account was the 28th, but by the account ofthe Dutch at this place; was the 29th, we having lost a day by havingsteered westward a year, we anchored nearer to the town, and saluted thewater-fort with eleven guns, which were returned. We found here above ahundred sail great and small, and among others, a large English shipbelonging to Bombay, which saluted us with thirteen guns. 

There is always lying here a Dutch commodore belonging to the company, who, among his countrymen, is a person of very great consequence. Thisgentleman thought fit to send his boat on board of me, with only thecockswain, in her, who was a very dirty ragged fellow: As soon as he wasbrought to me, he asked whence I came, whither I was bound, and manyother questions, which I thought equally impertinent, at the same timepulling out a book, and pen and ink, that he might set down the answers;but as I was impatient to save him this trouble, he was desiredimmediately to walk over the ship's side, and put off his boat, withwhich he was graciously pleased to comply. 

When we came to this place, we had not one man sick in either of theships; but as I knew it to be more unhealthy than any other part of theEast Indies, as the rainy season was at hand, and arrack was to beprocured in great plenty, I determined to make my stay here as short aspossible. I went on shore to wait upon the Dutch governor, but was toldthat he was at his country-house, about four miles distant from thetown. I met however with an officer, called a shebander, who is a kindof master of the ceremonies, and he acquainted me, that if I chose to goto the governor immediately, rather than wait for his coming to town, hewould attend me; I accepted his offer, and we set out together in hischariot. The governor received me with great politeness, and told me, that I might either take a house in any part of the city that I shouldlike, or be provided with lodgings at the hotel. This hotel is alicensed lodging-house, the only one in the place, and kept by aFrenchman, an artful fellow, who is put in by the governor himself. Ithas indeed more the appearance of a palace than a house ofentertainment, being the most magnificent building in Batavia; nor woulda small edifice answer the purpose, for as there is a penalty of fivehundred dollars upon any person in the city who shall suffer a strangerto sleep a single night at his house, the strangers who make it theirresidence are never few: All the houses indeed have a stately appearanceon the outside, and are elegantly fitted up within, and we were toldthat the Chinese, of whom there are great numbers at this place, werethe architects. The city is large, and the streets well laid out, butthey have greatly the appearance of those in the cities of Holland, fora canal runs through most of them, with a row of trees planted on eachside: This is convenient for the merchants, who have every thing broughtup to their own doors by water, but it probably contributes to theunhealthiness of the place; the canal, indeed, as the city is built in aswamp, might be necessary as a drain, but the trees, though they have apleasant appearance, must certainly prevent the noxious vapours that areperpetually arising, from being dispersed, by obstructing thecirculation of the air. The number of people here is incredible, andthey are of almost every nation in the world, Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Persians, Moors, Malays, Javanese, and many others: TheChinese, however, have a large town to themselves, without the walls, and carry on a considerable trade, for they have annually ten or twelvelarge junks from China; and to these the opulence of the Dutch atBatavia is in a great measure owing. The beef here is bad, and themutton scarce, but the poultry and fish are excellent and in greatplenty. Here are also the greatest variety and abundance of the finestfruit in the world, but the musquitos, centipedes, scorpions, and othernoxious vermin, which are innumerable, are extremely troublesome, especially to strangers. The roads, for many miles about the city, areas good as any in England: They are very broad, and by the side of themruns a canal, shaded by tall trees, which, is navigable for vessels of avery large size: On the other side of the canal are gardens of a verypleasant appearance, and country-houses of the citizens, where theyspend as much of their time as possible, the situation being lessunwholesome than the city; and there are so few of them who do not keepa carriage, that it is almost a disgrace to be seen on foot. 

At this place I continued from the 28th of November to the 10th ofDecember, when, having procured what refreshments I could for my people, and taken on board a sufficient quantity of rice and arrack, to servefor the rest of the voyage, I weighed anchor and made sail. The fortsaluted me with eleven guns, and the Dutch commodore with thirteen, which I returned; we were saluted also by the English ship. We workeddown to Prince's Island, in the strait of Sunda, and came to an anchorthere on the 14th. In this passage, the boats came off to us from theJava shore, and supplied us with turtle in such plenty, that neither ofthe ship's companies eat any thing else. We lay at Prince's Island tillthe 19th, and during all that time we subsisted wholly upon the samefood, which was procured from the inhabitants at a very reasonable rate. Having now taken on board as much wood and water as we could stow, weweighed, and got without Java Head before night: But by this time adangerous putrid fever had broken out among us; three of my people haddied, and many others now lay in so dangerous a condition that therewere little hopes of their recovery: We did not, however, bury one atBatavia, which, notwithstanding our stay was so short, was thought to bea very extraordinary instance of good fortune; and our sick graduallyrecovered after we had been a week or two at sea. 

SECTION XIV. 

_The Passage from Batavia to the Cape of Good Hope, and from thence toEngland_. 

We continued our course, without any event worthy of notice, (exceptthat one of my best men unhappily fell overboard and was drowned, ) tillMonday the 10th of February, when, at six o'clock in the morning, we sawthe coast of Africa, bearing from N. N. W. To N. E. Distant about sevenleagues: It made in several high hills, and white sandy cliffs, and itslatitude was 34° 15' S. Longitude 21° 45' E. ; the variation here was 22°W. And our depth of water fifty-three fathom, with a bottom of coarsebrown sand. 

I stood in for the land, and when I was within about two leagues of it, I saw a great smoke rising from a sandy beach. I imagined the smoke tobe made by the Hottentots; yet I was astonished at their chusing thispart of the coast for their residence, for it consisted of nothing butsand-banks as far as we could see, without the least bush or a singleblade of verdure, and so heavy a sea broke upon the coast, that it wasimpossible to catch any fish. 

On Wednesday the 12th, at three o'clock in the afternoon, we wereabreast of Cape Lagullas, from which the coast lies W. N. W. To the Capeof Good Hope, which is distant about thirty leagues. The next day wepassed between Penguin Island and Green Point, and worked into Table Baywith our top-sails close reefed, there being a strong gale, with hardsqualls, at S. S. E. At three o'clock in the afternoon, we anchored, andsaluted the fort, which was returned. The Dutch told me, that none oftheir ships could have worked in such a gale of wind, and that we seemedto come in faster than they were generally able to do when the wind wasfair. 

The next morning, I waited upon the governor, who had sent his coachand six to the water-side for me. He was an old man, but a favouritewith all ranks of people: He received me with the greatest politeness, and not only offered me the company s house in the garden for myresidence while I should continue at the Cape, but his coach whenever Ishould think fit to use it. As I was one day at dinner with him, andsome other gentlemen, I took occasion to mention the smoke that I hadseen upon one of the sandy beaches on a desolate part of the coast, andthe surprise with which it had struck me: They then told me that anothership, some time before, had fallen in with that part of the coast, andhad seen large smokes as I had done, although the place was uninhabited, and supposed to be an island: To account for the smokes, however, theytold me also, that two Dutch East Indiamen had, about two years before, sailed from Batavia for the Cape, and had never afterwards been heardof; and it was supposed that one or both of them had been shipwreckedthere, and that the smokes which had been seen were made by some of theunfortunate crew: They added, that they had more than once sent outvessels to look for them, but that there broke so dreadful a sea uponthe coast, they were obliged to return without attempting to go onshore. When I heard this melancholy account, I could only regret that Ihad not known it before, for I would then certainly have made everyeffort in my power to have found these unhappy wretches, and taken themfrom a place where, in all probability, they would miserably perish. 

The cape is certainly a most excellent place for ships to touch at; itis a healthy climate, a fine country, and abounds with refreshments ofevery kind. The company's garden is a delightful spot, and at the end ofit there is a paddock belonging to the governor, in which are kept agreat number of rare and curious animals, and among others, when I wasthere, there were three fine ostriches, and four zebras of an uncommonsize. I gave all the people leave to go on shore by turns, and theyalways contrived to get very drunk with cape wine before they came back. Many ships came in while we lay here; some were Dutch, some French, someDanes, but all were outward-bound. 

Having continued here three weeks, and during that time refreshed ourmen, and completed our water, I took leave of the good old governor onthe 6th of March, and on the 7th, sailed out of the bay, with a finebreeze at S. E. 

On Sunday the 16th, at six in the morning, we saw the island of StHelena, bearing W. By N. At the distance of about sixteen leagues, andabout noon, a large ship, which shewed French colours. We pursued ourcourse, and a few days afterwards, as we were sailing with a fine gale, and at a great distance from land, the ship suddenly received a rudeshock, as if she had struck the ground: This instantly brought all whowere below upon the deck in great consternation, and upon looking out wesaw the water to a very large extent, tinged with blood; this put an endto our fears, and we concluded that we must have struck either a whaleor a grampus, from which the ship was not likely to receive much damage, nor in fact did she receive any. About this time also we had themisfortune to bury our carpenter's mate, a very ingenious and diligentyoung man, who had never been well after our leaving Batavia. [47]

[Footnote 47: "By the tenderness and care of the Honourable Mr Byron, our excellent commodore, in causing the crews to be served with portablesoup, and with the greatest humanity distributing provisions to the sickfrom his own table, that dreadful disease the sea-scurvy was renderedless inveterate and fatal, and we lost a less number of men, than anyother ship in such a voyage: For, to the honour of that humanecommander, let it be known to posterity, that under him the Dolphin andTamar encompassed the earth, and in so long a voyage through variousseas and climates, and after sailing several thousand leagues under thetorrid zone, lost six men only out of each ship, including those thatwere drowned: A number so inconsiderable, that it is highly probablemore of them would have died had they staid on shore. "]

On the 25th, we crossed the equator, in longitude 17° 10' W. And thenext morning, Captain Cumming came on board, and informed me that theTamer's three lower rudder-braces on the stem were broken off, whichrendered the rudder unserviceable. I immediately sent the carpenter onboard, who found the condition of the braces even worse than had beenreported, so that the rudder could not possibly be new hung; hetherefore went to work upon a machine, like that which had been fixed tothe Ipswich, and by which she was steered home: This machine in aboutfive days he completed, and with some little alterations of his own, itwas an excellent piece of work. The Tamar steered very well with it, butthinking that it might not be sufficient to secure her in bad weather, or upon a lee-shore, I ordered Captain Cumming to run down to Antigua, that he might there heave the ship down, and get the rudder new hung, with a fresh set of braces which he had with him for that purpose; forthe braces with which the ship went out, being of iron, were notexpected to last as long as ours, the lower ones, with the sheathing, being of copper. 

Pursuant to these orders, the Tamar parted company with us on the 1st ofApril, and steered for the Caribbee Islands. When we came into latitude34° N. Longitude 35° W. We had strong gales from W. S. W to W. N. W. With agreat sea, which broke over us continually for six days successively, and run us into latitude 48° N. Longitude 14°, W. On the 7th of May, atseven o'clock in the morning, we made the islands of Scilly, having beenjust nine weeks coming from the Cape of Good Hope, and somewhat morethan two-and-twenty months upon the voyage; the 9th, the ship came toanchor in the Downs, and on the same day I landed at Deal, and set outfor London. 

 * * * * *

[The reader will find a short but interesting memoir of Byron prefixed, for the first time, to the Narrative of the Shipwreck of the Wager, published at Edinburgh by Ballantyne, 1812. All that it is thoughtnecessary to quote from it here is, that in 1769, about three yearsafter his return from this circumnavigation, he was appointed governorof Newfoundland, which office he held till 1775; that then he waspromoted to the rank of rear-admiral of the blue, and successively tothat of rear-admiral of the white and red; that he was appointed tocommand the squadron directed to watch and oppose the French fleet underCount d'Estaign, over which, however, owing to circumstances no prudenceor bravery could control, he obtained no decisive advantages; that in1779, he was promoted to the rank of vice-admiral of the white; and thathe died in 1786, at the age of 73, generally respected and beloved forhis eminent professional and moral qualities. --E. ]

CHAPTER II. 

AN ACCOUNT or A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, IN THE YEARS 1766, 1767, AND1768, BY SAMUEL WALLIS, ESQ. COMMANDER OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP THEDOLPHIN. 

SECTION II. 

_The Passage to the Coast of Patagonia, with some Account of theNatives. _

[The longitude in this voyage is reckoned from the meridian of London. ]

Having received my commission, which was dated the 19th of June 1766, Iwent on board the same day, hoisted the pendant, and began to enterseamen, but, according to my orders, took no boys either for myself orany of the officers. 

The ship was fitted for the sea with all possible expedition, duringwhich the articles of war and the act of parliament were read to theship's company: On the 26th of July we sailed down the river, and on the16th of August, at eight o'clock in the morning, anchored in PlymouthSound. 

On the 19th I received my sailing orders, with directions to take theSwallow sloop, and the Prince Frederick store-ship, under my command:And this day I took on board, among other things, three thousand weightof portable soup, and a bale of cork jackets. Every part of the ship wasfilled with stores and necessaries of various kinds, even to thesteerage and state-room, which were allotted to the slops and portablesoup. The surgeon offered to purchase an extraordinary quantity ofmedicines, and medical necessaries, which, as the ship's company mightbecome sickly, he said would in that case be of great service, if roomcould be found to stow them in; I therefore gave him leave to put theminto my cabin, the only place in the ship where they could be received, as they consisted of three large boxes. 

On the 22d, at four o'clock in the morning, I weighed and made sail incompany with the Swallow and Prince Frederick, and had soon themortification to find that the Swallow was a very bad sailer. 

We proceeded in our voyage, without any remarkable incident, tillSunday the 7th of September, when, about eight o'clock in the morning, we saw the island of Porto Santo, bearing west; and about noon, saw theeast end of the island of Madeira. 

About five o'clock we ran between this end of the island and theDeserters. On the side next the Deserters is a low flat island, and nearit a needle rock; the side next to Madeira is full of broken rocks, andfor that reason it is not safe to come within less than two miles of it. 

At six in the evening we anchored in Madeira road, about two-thirds of amile from the shore, in twenty-four fathom, with a muddy bottom: Abouteight the Swallow and Prince Frederick also came to an anchor; and Isent an officer on shore to the governor, to let him know that I wouldsalute him, if he would return an equal number of guns, which hepromised to do; the next morning, therefore, at six o'clock, I salutedhim with thirteen guns, and he returned thirteen as he had promised. 

Having taken in a proper quantity of water at this place, with fourpipes and ten puncheons of wine, some fresh beef, and a large quantityof onions, we weighed anchor on the 12th, and continued our voyage. 

At six-o'clock in the morning of Tuesday the 16th, we saw the island ofPalma, and found the ship fifteen miles to the southward of herreckoning. As we were sailing along this island, at the rate of no lessthan eight miles an hour, with the wind at east, it died away at once;so that within less than two minutes the ship had no motion, though wewere at least four leagues distant from the shore. Palma lies in lat. 28° 40' N. Long. 17° 48' W. 

On the 20th we tried the current, and found it set S. W. By W. One milean hour. This day we saw two herons flying to the eastward, and a greatnumber of bonnettos about the ship, of which we caught eight. 

In the night between the 21st and 22d we lost our companion theSwallow, and about eight in the morning we saw the island of Sal, bearing S. 1/2 W. , at noon it bore S. 1/4 W. Distant eight leagues; andat noon on the 23d, the nearest land of the island of Bonavista herefrom S. To W. S. W. Distant seven or eight miles, the east end, at thesame time, bearing W. Distant two leagues. In this situation we sounded, and had only fifteen fathom, with rocky ground; at the same time we sawa very great rippling, which we supposed to be caused by a reef, stretching off the point about E. S. E. Three miles, and the breakerswithout us, distant also about three miles in the direction of S. E. Westeered between the rippling and the breakers, but after hauling theship off about half a mile, we had no soundings. The Prince Frederickpassed very near the breakers, in the S. E. , but had no soundings; yetthese breakers are supposed to be dangerous. The middle of the isle ofSal is in lat. 16° 55' N. Long. 21° 59' W. ; the middle of Bonavista isin lat. 16° 10' long. 23° W. 

On the next day, at six in the morning, the isle of May bore from W. ToS. W. Six leagues; and soon after the Swallow again joined company. Athalf an hour after ten the west end of the isle of May bore north at thedistance of five miles, and we found a current here, setting to thesouthward at the rate of twenty miles in four-and-twenty hours. Thelatitude of this island is 15° 10' N. Longitude 22° 25' W. 

At noon the south end of the island of St Iago bore S. W. By W. Distantfour leagues; and the north end N. W. Distant five leagues. At half anhour after three we anchored in Port Praya, in that island, in companywith the Swallow and Prince Frederick, in eight fathom water, upon sandyground. We had much rain and lightning in the night, and early in themorning I sent to the commanding officer at the fort, for leave to getoff some water, and other refreshments, which he granted. 

We soon learnt that this was the sickly season, and that the rains wereso great as to render it extremely difficult to get any thing down fromthe country to the ships: It happened also, unfortunately, that thesmall-pox, which is extremely fatal here, was at this time epidemic; sothat I permitted no man to go ashore who had not had that distemper, andI would not suffer even those that had to go into any house. 

We procured, however, a supply of water and some cattle from the shore, and caught abundance of fish with the seine, which was hauled twiceevery day: We found also in the valley where we got our water, a kind oflarge purslain, growing wild in amazing quantities: This was a mostwelcome refreshment both raw as a sallad, and boiled with the broth andpease; when we left the place we carried away enough of it to serve us aweek. 

On the 28th, at half an hour after twelve, we weighed and put to sea; athalf an hour after six in the evening the peak of Fuego bore W. N. W. Distant twelve leagues, and in the night the burning mountain was veryvisible. 

This day I ordered hooks and lines to be served to all the ship'scompany, that they might catch fish for themselves; but at the same timeI also ordered that no man should keep his fish more thanfour-and-twenty hours before it was eaten, for I had observed thatstale, and even dried fish, had made the people sickly, and tainted theair in the ship. 

On the first of October, in lat. 10° 37' N. We lost the true trade-wind, and had only light and variable gales; and this day we found that theship was set twelve miles to the northward by a current; on the third wefound a current run S. By E. At the rate of six fathom an hour, or abouttwenty miles and a half a day: On the seventh we found the ship nineteenmiles to the southward of her reckoning. 

On the 20th, our butter and cheese being all expended, we began to servethe ship's company with oil, and I gave orders that they should also beserved with mustard and vinegar once a fortnight during the rest of thevoyage. 

On the 22d we saw an incredible number of birds, and among the rest aman-of-war bird, which inclined us to think that some land was not morethan sixty leagues distant: This day we crossed the equator in longitude23° 40' W. 

On the 24th, I ordered the ship's company to be served with brandy, andreserved the wine for the sick and convalescent. On the 26th the PrinceFrederick made signals of distress, upon which we bore down to her, andfound that she had carried away her fore-top-sail-yard, and to supplythis loss, we gave her our sprit-sail top-sail-yard, which we couldspare, and she hoisted it immediately. 

On the 27th she again made signals of distress, upon which I brought-to, and sent the carpenter on board her, who returned with an account thatshe had sprung a leak under the larboard cheek forward, and that it wasimpossible to do any thing to it till we had better weather. Uponspeaking with Lieutenant Brine, who commanded her, he informed me thatthe crew were sickly; that the fatigue of working the pumps, andconstantly standing by the sails, had worn them down; that theirprovisions were not food, that they had nothing to drink but water, andthat he feared it would be impossible for him to keep company with meexcept I could spare him some assistance. For the badness of theirprovision I had no remedy, but I sent on board a carpenter and sixseamen to assist in pumping and working the ship. 

On the eighth of November, being in latitude 25° 52' S. Longitude 39°38', we sounded with 160 fathom, but had no ground: On the ninth, havingseen a great number of birds, called albatrosses, we sounded again with180 fathom, but had no ground. 

On the 11th, having by signal brought the store-ship under our stern, Isent the carpenter, with proper assistants, on board to stop the leak;but they found that very little could be done: We then completed ourprovisions, and those of the Swallow, from her stores, and put on boardher all our staves, iron hoops, and empty oil jars. The next day I senta carpenter and six seamen to relieve the men that had been sent toassist her on the 27th of October, who, by this time, began to suffermuch by their fatigue. Several of her crew having the appearance of thescurvy, I sent the surgeon on board her with some medicines for thesick. This day, having seen some albatrosses, turtles, and weeds, wesounded, but had no ground with 180 fathom. 

On the 12th, being now in latitude 30 south, we began to find it verycold; we therefore got up our quarter cloths, and fitted them to theirproper places, and the seamen put on their thick jackets. This day wesaw a turtle, and several albatrosses, but still had no ground with 180fathom. We continued to see weeds and birds on board the ship, but hadno ground till the 18th, when we found a soft muddy bottom at the depthof fifty-four fathom. We were now in lat. 35° 40' S. Long. 49° 54' W. ;and this was the first sounding we had after our coming upon the coastof Brazil. 

On the 19th, about eight o'clock in the evening, we saw a meteor of avery extraordinary appearance in the north-east, which, soon after wehad observed it, flew off in a horizontal line to the south-west, withamazing rapidity: It was near a minute in its progress, and it left atrain of light behind it so strong, that the deck was not lessilluminated than at noon-day. This day we saw a great number of sealsabout the ship, and had soundings at fifty-five fathom, with a muddybottom. The next day the seals continued, and we had soundings atfifty-three fathom, with a dark-coloured sand; upon which we bent ourcables. 

On the 21st we had no ground with 150 fathom. Our lat. At noon was 37°40' S. Long 51° 24' W. 

On the 22d we had soundings again at seventy fathom, with a dark brownsand, and saw many whales and seals about the ship, with a great numberof butterflies, and birds, among which were snipes and plovers. Our lat. At noon was 38° 55' long. 56° 47' W. 

Our soundings continued from forty to seventy fathom, till the eighth ofDecember, when, about six o'clock in the morning, we saw land bearingfrom S. W. To W. By S. And appearing like many small islands. At noon itbore from W. By S. To S. S. W. Distant eight leagues; our latitude thenbeing 47° 16´ S. Long. 64° 58´ W. About three o'clock Cape Blanco boreW. N. W. Distant six leagues, and a remarkable double saddle W. S. W. Distant about three leagues. We had now soundings from twenty to sixteenfathom, sometimes with coarse sand and gravel, sometimes with smallblack stones and shells. At eight in the evening the Tower rock at PortDesire bore S. W. By W. Distant about three leagues; and the extremes ofthe land from S. By E. To N. W. By N. At nine, Penguin Island bore S. W. By W. 1/2 W. Distant two leagues; and at four o'clock in the morning ofthe ninth, the land seen from the mast-head bore from S. W. To W. By N. 

At noon, Penguin island bore S. By E. Distant fifty-seven miles; ourlatitude being 48° 56' S. Longitude 65° 6' W. This day we saw such aquantity of red shrimps about the ship that the sea was coloured withthem. 

At noon the next day, Wednesday the 10th, the extremes of the land borefrom S. W. To N. W. And Wood's Mount, near the entrance of St Julian's, bore S. W. By W. Distant three or four leagues. Our latitude was 49° 16'S. Our longitude 66° 48' W. ; and our soundings were from forty toforty-five fathom, sometimes fine sand, sometimes soft mud. 

At noon, on Thursday the 11th, Penguin Island bore N. N. E. Distantfifty-eight leagues. Our latitude was 50° 48' S. Our longitude 67° 10'W. 

We continued our course till Saturday the 13th, when our latitude being50° 34' S. And our longitude 68° 15' W. The extremes of the land borefrom N. 1/2 E. To S. S. W. 1/2 W. And the ship was about five or six milesdistant from the shore. Cape Beachy-head, the northermost cape, wasfound to lie in latitude 50° 16' S. And Cape Fairweather, thesouthermost cape, in latitude 50° 50' S. 

On Sunday the 14th, at four in the morning, Cape Beachy-head bore N. W. 1/2 N. Distant about eight leagues; and at noon, our latitude being 50°52' S. And longitude 68° 10' W. Penguin island bore N. 35° E. Distant 68leagues. We were six leagues from the shore, and the extremes of theland were from N. W. To W. S. W. 

At eight o'clock in the morning of Monday the 15th, being about sixmiles from the shore, the extremes of the land bore from S. By E. To N. By E. And the entrance of the river St Croix S. W. 1/2 W. We had twentyfathom quite cross the opening, the distance from point to point beingabout seven miles, and afterwards keeping at the distance of about fourmiles from each cape, we had from twenty-two to twenty-four fathom. Theland on the north shore is high, and appears in three capes; that on thesouth shore is low and flat. At seven in the evening, Cape Fairweatherbore S. W. 1/2 S. Distant about four leagues, a low point running outfrom it S. S. W. 3/4 W. We stood off and on all night, and had from thirtyto twenty-two fathom water, with a bottom of sand and mud. At seven thenext morning, Tuesday the 16th, we shoaled gradually into twelve fathom, with a bottom of fine sand, and soon after into six; we then hauled offS. E. By S. Somewhat more than a mile: then steered east five miles, then E. By N. And deepened into twelve fathom. Cape Fairweather at thistime bore W. 1/2 S. Distant four leagues, and the northermost extremityof the land W. N. W. When we first came into shoal water, Cape Fairweatherbore W. 1/2 N. And a low point without it W. S. W. Distant about fourmiles. At noon Cape Fairweather bore W. N. W. 1/2 W. Distant six leagues, and a large hummock S. W. 1/2 W. Distant seven leagues. At this time ourlat. Was 51° 32' W. Long. 68° W. 

At one o'clock, being about two leagues distant from the shore, theextremes of three remarkable round hills bore from S. W. By W. To W. S. W. At four, Cape Virgin Mary bore S. E. By S. Distant about four leagues. Ateight, we were very near the Cape, and upon the point of it saw severalmen riding, who made signs for us to come on shore. In about half anhour we anchored in a bay, close under the south side of the Cape, inten fathom water, with a gravelly bottom. The Swallow and store-shipanchored soon after between us and the Cape, which then bore N. By W. 1/2 W. And a low sandy point like Dungeness S. By W. From the Cape thereruns a shoal, to the distance of about half a league, which may beeasily known by the weeds that are upon it. We found it high water athalf an hour after eleven, and the tide rose twenty feet. 

The natives continued abreast of the ship all night, making severalgreat fires, and frequently shouting very loud. As soon as it was light, on Wednesday morning the 17th, we saw great numbers of them in motion, who made signs for us to land. About five o'clock I made the signal forthe boats belonging to the Swallow and the Prince Frederick to come onboard, and in the meantime hoisted out our own. These boats being allmanned and armed, I took a party of marines, and rowed towards theshore, having left orders with the master to bring the ship's broad-sideto bear upon the landing place, and to keep the guns loaded with roundshot. We reached the beach about six o'clock, and before we went fromthe boat, I made signs to the natives to retire to some distance: Theyimmediately complied, and I then landed with the Captain of the Swallow, and several of the officers: The marines were drawn up, and the boatswere brought to a grappling near the shore. I then made signs to thenatives to come near, and directed them to sit down in a semicircle, which they did with great order and cheerfulness. When this was done, Idistributed among them several knives, scissars, buttons, beads, combs, and other toys, particularly some ribbands to the women, which theyreceived with a very becoming mixture of pleasure and respect. Havingdistributed my presents, I endeavoured to make them understand that Ihad other things which I would part with, but for which I expectedsomewhat in return. I shewed them some hatchets and bill-hooks, andpointed to some guanicoes, which happened to be near, and some ostricheswhich I saw dead among them; making signs at the same time I wanted toeat; but they either could not, or would not understand me: For thoughthey seemed very desirous of the hatchets and the bill-hooks, they didnot give the least intimation that they would part with any provisions;no traffic therefore was carried on between us. 

Each of these people, both men and women, had a horse, with a decentsaddle, stirrups, and bridle. The men had wooden spurs, except one, whohad a large pair of such as are worn in Spain, brass stirrups, and aSpanish scymitar, without a scabbard; but notwithstanding thesedistinctions, he did not appear to have any authority over the rest; thewomen had no spurs. The horses appeared to be well-made, and nimble, andwere about fourteen hands high. The people had also many dogs with them, which, as well as the horses, appeared to be of a Spanish breed. 

As I had two measuring rods with me, we went round and measured thosethat appeared to be tallest among them. One of these was six feet sixinches high, several more were six feet five, and six feet six inches;but the stature of the greater part of them was from five feet ten tosix feet. Their complexion is a dark copper-colour, like that of theIndians in North America; their hair is straight, and nearly as harsh ashog's bristles: It is tied back with a cotton string, but neither sexwears any head-dress. They are well-made, robust, and bony; but theirhands and feet are remarkably small. They are clothed with the skins ofthe guanico, sewed together into pieces about six feet long and fivewide: These are wrapped round the body, and fastened with a girdle, withthe hairy side inwards; some of them had also what the Spaniards havecalled a _puncho_, a square piece of cloth made of the downy hair of theguanico, through which a hole being cut for the head, the rest hangsround them about as low as the knee. The guanico is an animal that insize, make, and colour, resembles a deer, but it has a hump on its back, and no horns. These people wear also a kind of drawers, which they pullup very tight, and buskins, which reach from the mid-leg to the instepbefore, and behind are brought under the heel; the rest of the foot iswithout any covering. We observed that some of the men, had a circlepainted round the left eye, and that others were painted on their arms, and on different parts of the face; the eye-lids of all the young womenwere painted black. They talked much, and some of them called outCa-pi-ta-ne; but when they were spoken to in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Dutch, they made no reply. Of their own language we coulddistinguish only one word, which was _chevow_: We supposed it to be asalutation, as they always pronounced it when they shook hands with us, and when, by signs, they asked us to give them any thing. When they werespoken to in English, they repeated the words after us as plainly as wecould do; and they soon got by heart the words, "Englishmen come onshore. " Every one had a missile weapon of a singular kind, tucked intothe girdle. It consisted of two round stones, covered with leather, eachweighing about a pound, which were fastened to the two ends of a stringabout eight feet long. This is used as a sling, one stone being kept inthe hand, and the other whirled round the head till it is supposed tohave acquired sufficient force, and then discharged at the object. Theyare so expert in the management of this double-headed shot, that theywill hit a mark, not bigger than a shilling, with both the stones, atthe distance of fifteen yards; it is not their custom, however, tostrike either the guanico or the ostrich with them in the chase, butthey discharge them so that the cord comes against the legs of theostrich, or two of the legs of the guanico, and is twisted round them bythe force of the swing of the balls, so that the animal being unable torun, becomes an easy prey to the hunter. 

[Illustration: CHART of the SANDWICH ISLANDS]

While we stayed on shore, we saw them eat some of their flesh-meat raw, particularly the paunch of an ostrich, without any other preparation orcleaning than just turning it inside out, and shaking it. We observedamong them several beads, such as I gave them, and two pieces of redbaize, which we supposed had been left there, or in the neighbouringcountry, by Commodore Byron. 

After I had spent about four hours with these people, I made signs tothem that I was going on board, and that I would take some of them withme if they were desirous to go. As soon as I had made myself understood, above an hundred eagerly offered to visit the ship; but I did not chuseto indulge more than eight of the number. They jumped into the boatswith the joy and alacrity of children going to a fair, and, having nointention of mischief against us, had not the least suspicion that weintended any mischief against them. They sung several of their countrysongs while they were in the boat, and when they came on board did notexpress either the curiosity or wonder which the multiplicity ofobjects, to them equally strange and stupendous, that at once presentedthemselves, might be supposed to excite. I took them down into thecabin, where they looked about them with an unaccountable indifference, till one of them happened to cast his eyes upon a looking-glass: This, however, excited no more astonishment than the prodigies which offerthemselves to our imagination in a dream, when we converse with thedead, fly in the air, and walk upon the sea, without reflecting that thelaws of nature are violated; but it afforded them infinite diversion:They advanced, retreated, and played a thousand tricks before it, laughing violently, and talking with great emphasis to each other. Igave them some beef, pork, biscuit, and other articles of the ship'sprovisions: They eat indiscriminately whatever was offered to them, butthey would drink nothing but water. From the cabin I carried them allover the ship, but they looked at nothing with much attention, exceptthe animals which we had on board as live stock: They examined the hogsand sheep with some curiosity, and were exceedingly delighted with theGuinea hens and turkies; they did not seem to desire any thing that theysaw except our apparel, and only one of them, an old man, asked forthat: We gratified him with a pair of shoes and buckles, and to each ofthe others I gave a canvass bag, in which I put some needles readythreaded, a few slips of cloth, a knife, a pair of scissars, some twine, a few beads, a comb, and a looking-glass, with some new sixpences andhalf-pence, through which a hole had been drilled, that was fitted witha ribband to hang round the neck. We offered them some leaves oftobacco, rolled up into what are called segars, and they smoked alittle, but did not seem fond of it. I showed them the great guns, butthey did not appear to have any notion of their use. After I had carriedthem through the ship, I ordered the marines to be drawn up, and gothrough part of their exercise. When the first volley was fired, theywere struck with astonishment and terror; the old man, in particular, threw himself down upon the deck, pointed to the muskets, and thenstriking his breast with his hand, lay some time motionless, with hiseyes shut: By this we supposed he intended to shew us that he was notunacquainted with fire-arms, and their fatal effect. The rest, seeingour people merry, and finding themselves unhurt, soon resumed theircheerfulness and good humour, and heard the second and third volleyfired without much emotion; but the old man continued prostrate upon thedeck some time, and never recovered his spirits till the firing wasover. About noon, the tide being out, I acquainted them by signs thatthe ship was proceeding farther, and that they must go on shore: This Isoon perceived they were very unwilling to do; all, however, except theold man and one more, were got into the boat without much difficulty;but these stopped at the gang-way, where the old man turned about, andwent aft to the companion ladder, where he stood some time withoutspeaking a word; he then uttered what we supposed to be a prayer; for hemany times lifted up his hands and his eyes to the heavens, and spoke ina manner and tone very different from what we had observed in theirconversation: His orison seemed to be rather sung than said, so that wefound it impossible to distinguish one word from another. When I againintimated that it was proper for him to go into the boat, he pointed tothe sun, and then moving his hand round to the west, he paused, lookedin my face, laughed, and pointed to the shore: By this it was easy tounderstand that he wished to stay on board till sunset, and I took nolittle pains to convince him that we could not stay so long upon thatpart of the coast, before he could be prevailed upon to go into theboat; at length, however, he went over the ship's side with hiscompanion, and when the boat put off they all began to sing, andcontinued their merriment till they got on shore. When they landed, great numbers of those on shore pressed eagerly to get into the boat;but the officer on board, having positive orders to bring none of themoff, prevented them, though not without great difficulty, and apparentlyto their extreme mortification and disappointment. 

When the boat returned on board, I sent her off again with the master, to sound the shoal that runs off from the point: He found it about threemiles broad from north to south, and that to avoid it, it was necessaryto keep four miles off the cape, in twelve or thirteen fathom water. 

SECTION II. 

_The Passage through the Streight of Magellan, with some further Accountof the Patagonians, and a Description of the Coast on each side, and itsInhabitants. _

About one o'clock, on Wednesday the 17th of December, I made the signaland weighed, ordering the Swallow to go a-head, and the store-ship tobring up the rear. The wind was right against us, and blew fresh; sothat we were obliged to turn into the Streight of Magellan with theflood-tide, between Cape Virgin Mary and the Sandy Point that resemblesDungeness. When we got a-breast of this Point, we stood close into theshore, where we saw two guanicoes, and many of the natives on horseback, who seemed to be in pursuit of them: When the horsemen came near, theyran up the country at a great rate, and were pursued by the hunters, with their slings in their hands ready for the cast; but neither of themwas taken while they were within the reach of our sight. 

When we got about two leagues to the west of Dungeness, and werestanding off shore, we fell in with a shoal upon which we had but sevenfathom water at half flood; This obliged us to make short tacks, andkeep continually heaving the lead. At half an hour after eight in theevening, we anchored about three miles from the shore, in 20 fathom, with a muddy bottom: Cape Virgin Mary then bearing N. E. By E. 1/2 E. ;Point Possession W. 1/2 S. At the distance of about five leagues. 

About half an hour after we had cast anchor, the natives made severallarge fires a-breast of the ship, and at break of day we saw about fourhundred of them encamped in a fine green valley, between two hills, withtheir horses feeding beside them. About six o'clock in the morning, thetide being done, we got again under sail: Its course here is from eastto west; it rises and falls thirty feet, and its strength is equal toabout three knots an hour. About noon there being little wind, and theebb running with great force, the Swallow, which was a-head, made thesignal and came to an anchor; upon which I did the same, and so did thestore-ship that was a-stern. 

As we saw great numbers of the natives on horseback a-breast of theship, and as Captain Carteret informed me that this was the place whereCommodore Byron had the conference with the tall men, I sent thelieutenants of the Swallow and the store-ship to the shore, but withorders not to land, as the ships were at too great a distance to protectthem. When these gentlemen returned, they told me, that the boat havinglain upon her oars very near the beach, the natives came down in greatnumbers; whom they knew to be the same persons they had seen the daybefore, with many others, particularly women and children; that whenthey perceived our people had no design to land, they seemed to begreatly disappointed, and those who had been on board the ship waded offto the boat, making signs for it to advance, and pronouncing the wordsthey had been taught, "Englishmen come on shore, " very loud, many times;that when they found they could not get the people to land, they wouldfain have got into the boat, and that it was with great difficulty theywere prevented. That they presented them with some bread, tobacco, and afew toys, pointing at the same time to some guanicoes and ostriches, andmaking signs that they wanted them as provisions, but that they couldnot make themselves understood; that finding they could obtain norefreshment, they rowed along the shore in search of fresh water, butthat, seeing no appearance of a rivulet, they returned on board. 

At six o'clock the next morning, we weighed, the Swallow being stilla-head, and at noon we anchored in Possession Bay, having twelve fathom, with a clean sandy bottom. Point Possession at this time bore east, distant three leagues; the Asses Ears west, and the entrance of theNarrows S. W. 1/2 W. : The bottom of the bay, which was the nearest landto the ship, was distant about three miles. We saw a great number ofIndians upon the Point, and at night, large fires on the Terra del Fuegoshore. 

From this time, to the 22d, we had strong gales and heavy seas, so thatwe got on but slowly; and we now anchored in 18 fathom, with a muddybottom. The Asses Ears bore N. W. By W. 1/2 W. Point Possession N. E. ByE. And the point of the Narrows, on the south side, S. S. W. Distantbetween three and four leagues. In this situation, our longitude, byobservation, was 70° 20' W. Latitude 52° 30' S. The tide here sets S. E. By S. And N. E. By N. At the rate of about three knots an hour; the waterrises four-and-twenty feet, and at this time it was high water at fourin the morning. 

In the morning of the 23d, we made sail, turning to windward, but thetide was so strong, that the Swallow was set one way, the Dolphinanother, and the store-ship a third: There was a fresh breeze, but notone of the vessels would answer her helm. We had various soundings, andsaw the rippling in the middle ground: In these circumstances, sometimesbacking, sometimes filling, we entered the first Narrows. About sixo'clock in the evening, the tide being done, we anchored on the southshore, in forty fathom with a sandy bottom; the Swallow anchored on thenorth shore, and the store-ship not a cable's length from a sand-bank, about two miles to the eastward. The streight here is only three mileswide, and at midnight, the tide being slack, we weighed and towed theship through. A breeze sprung up soon afterwards, which continued tillseven in the morning, and then died away. We steered from the firstNarrows to the second S. W. And had nineteen fathom, with a muddy bottom. At eight we anchored two leagues from the shore, in 24 fathom, CapeGregory bearing W. 1/2 N. And Sweepstakes Foreland S. W. 1/2 W. The tidehere ran seven knots an hour, and such _bores_ sometimes came down, withimmense quantities of weeds, that we expected every moment to be adrift. 

The next day, being Christmas day, we sailed through the second Narrows. In turning through this part of the Streight we had twelve fathom withinhalf a mile of the shore on each side, and in the middle seventeenfathom, twenty-two fathom, and no ground. At five o'clock in theevening, the ship suddenly shoaled from seventeen fathom to five, StBartholomew's island then bearing S. 1/2 W. Distant between three andfour miles, and Elizabeth's Island S. S. W. 1/2 W. Distant five or sixmiles. About half an hour after eight o'clock, the weather being rainyand tempestuous, we anchored under Elizabeth's island in twenty-fourfathom, with hard gravelly ground. Upon this island we found greatquantities of celery, which, by the direction of the surgeon, was givento the people, with boiled wheat and portable soup, for breakfast everymorning. Some of the officers who went a-shore with their guns, saw twosmall dogs, and several places where fires had been recently made, withmany fresh shells of mussels and limpets lying about them: They sawalso several wigwams or huts, consisting of young trees, which, beingsharpened at one end, and thrust into the ground in a circular form, theother ends were brought to meet, and fastened together at the top; butthey saw none of the natives. 

From this place we saw many high mountains, bearing from S. To W. S. W. ;several parts of the summits were covered with snow, though it was themidst of summer in this part of the world: They were clothed with woodabout three parts of their height, and above with herbage, except wherethe snow was not yet melted. This was the first place where we had seenwood in all South America. 

At two o'clock in the morning of the 26th, we weighed, and, having afair wind, were a-breast of the north end of Elizabeth's Island atthree: At half an hour after five, being about mid-way betweenElizabeth's Island and St George's Island, we suddenly shoaled our waterfrom seventeen fathom to six: We struck the ground once, but the nextcast had no bottom with twenty fathom. When we were upon this shoal, Cape Porpoise bore W. S. W. 1/2 W. The south end of Elizabeth's islandW. N. W. 1/2 W. Distant three leagues; the south end of Saint George'sIsland N. E. Distant four leagues. The store-ship, which was about half aleague to the southward of us, had once no more than four fathom, andfor a considerable time not seven; the Swallow, which was three or fourmiles, to the southward, bad deep water, for she kept near to StGeorge's Island. In my opinion it is safest to run down from the northend of Elizabeth's Island, about two or three miles from the shore, andso on all the way to Port Famine. At noon a low point bore E. 1/2 N. ;Fresh-water Bay S. W. 1/2 W. At this time we were about three milesdistant from the north shore, and had no ground with eighty fathom. Ourlongitude, by observation, which was made over the shoal, was 71° 20' W. Our latitude 53° 12' S. 

About four o'clock we anchored in Port Famine Bay, in thirteen fathom, and there being little wind, sent all the boats, and towed in theSwallow and Prince Frederick. 

The next morning, the weather being squally, we warped the ship fartherinto the harbour, and moored her with a cable each way in nine fathom. Ithen sent a party of men to pitch two large tents in the bottom of thebay, for the sick, the wooders, and the sail-makers, who were soon aftersent on shore, with the surgeon, the gunner, and some midshipmen. CapeSt Anne now bore N. E. By E. Distant three quarters of a mile, and Sedgerriver S. 1/2 W. 

On the 28th we unbent all the sails, and sent them on shore to berepaired, erected tents upon the banks of Sedger river, and sent all theempty casks on shore, with the coopers to trim them, and a mate and tenmen to wash and fill them. We also hauled the seine, and caught fish ingreat plenty: Some of them resembled a mullet, but the flesh was verysoft; and among them were a few smelts, some of which were twenty incheslong, and weighed four-and-twenty ounces. 

During our whole stay in this place we caught fish enough to furnish onemeal a day both for the sick and the well: We found also great plenty ofcelery and pea-tops, which were boiled with the pease and portable soup. Besides these, we gathered great quantities of fruit that resembled thecranberry, and the leaves of a shrub somewhat like our thorn, which wereremarkably sour. When we arrived, all our people began to look pale andmeagre; many had the scurvy to a great degree, and upon others therewere manifest signs of its approach; yet in a fortnight there was not ascorbutic person in either of the ships. Their recovery was effected bytheir being on shore, eating plenty of vegetables, being obliged to washtheir apparel, and keep their persons clean by daily bathing in the sea. 

The next day we set up the forge on shore; and from this time, thearmourers, carpenters, and the rest of the people, were employed inrefitting the ship, and making her ready for the sea. 

In the mean time a considerable quantity of wood was cut, and put onboard the store-ship, to be sent to Falkland's Island; and as I wellknew there was no wood growing there, I caused some thousands of youngtrees to be carefully taken up with their roots, and a proper quantityof earth; and, packing them in the best manner I could, I put them alsoon board the store-ship, with orders to deliver them to the commandingofficer at Port Egmont, and to sail for that place with the first fairwind, putting on board two of my seamen, who, being in an ill state ofhealth when they first came on board, were now altogether unfit toproceed in the voyage. 

On Wednesday the 14th of January we got all our people and tents onboard; having taken in seventy-five tons of water from the shore, andtwelve months provisions of all kinds, at whole allowance for ourselves, and ten months for the Swallow, from on board the store-ship, I sent themaster in the cutter, which was victualled for a week, to look out foranchoring-places on the north shore of the streight. 

After several attempts to sail, the weather obliged us to continue inour old station till Saturday the 17th, when the Prince Frederickvictualler sailed for Falkland's Island, and the master returned fromhis expedition. The master reported that he had found four places inwhich there was good anchorage, between the place were we lay and CapeFroward: That he had been on shore at several places, where he had foundplenty of wood and water close to the beach, with abundance ofcranberries and wild celery. He reported also, that he had seen a greatnumber of currant bushes full of fruit, though none of it was ripe, anda great variety of beautiful shrubs in full blossom, bearing flowers ofdifferent colours, particularly red, purple, yellow, and white, besidesgreat plenty of the Winter's bark, a grateful spice which is well knownto the botanists of Europe. He shot several wild ducks, geese, gulls, ahawk, and two or three of the birds which the sailors call a race-horse. 

At five o'clock in the morning of Sunday the 18th we made sail, and atnoon, being about two miles from the shore, Cape Froward bore N. By E. Abluff point N. N. W. And Cape Holland W. 1/2 S. Our latitude at thisplace, by observation, was 54° 3' S. And we found the streight to beabout six miles wide. Soon after I sent a boat into Snug Bay, to lie atthe anchoring-place, but the wind coming from the land, I stood offagain all night; and at a mile from the shore we had no ground with 140fathom. 

In the morning of Monday the 19th, the Swallow having made the signalfor anchoring under Cape Holland, we ran in, and anchored in ten fathom, with a clear sandy bottom. Upon sending the boats out to sound, wediscovered that we were very near a reef of rocks; we therefore trippedthe anchor, and dropped farther out, where we had twelve fathom, andwere about half a mile from the shore, just opposite to a large streamof water, which falls with great rapidity from the mountains, for theland here is of a stupendous height. Cape Holland bore W. S. W. 1/2 W. Distant two miles, and Cape Froward E. Our latitude, by observation, was53° 58' S. 

The next morning we got off some water, and great plenty of wild celery, but could get no fish except a few mussels. I sent off the boats tosound, and found that there was good anchorage at about half a mile fromthe shore, quite from the cape to four miles below it; and close by thecape a good harbour, where a ship might refresh with more safety than atPort Famine, and avail herself of a large river of fresh water, withplenty of wood, celery, and berries; though the place affords no fishexcept mussels. 

Having completed our wood and water, we sailed from, this place on the22d, about three o'clock in the afternoon. At nine in the evening, theship being about two miles distant from the shore, Cape Gallant boreW. 1/2 N. Distant two leagues, Cape Holland E. By N. Distant six leagues;Cape Gallant and Cape Holland being nearly in one: A white patch inMonmouth's Island bore S. S. W. 3/4 W. Rupert's Island W. S. W. At this placethe strait is not more than five miles over; and we found a tide whichproduced a very unusual effect, for it became impossible to keep theship's head upon any point. 

At six the next morning, the Swallow made the signal for having foundanchorage; and at eight we anchored in a bay under Cape Gallant, in tenfathom, with a muddy bottom. The east point of Cape Gallant bore S. W. By1/4 W. The extreme point of the eastermost land E. By S. A point makingthe mouth of a river N. By W. And the white patch on Charles' IslandS. W. The boats being sent out to sound, found good anchorageevery-where, except within two cables' length S. W. Of the ship, where itwas coral, and deepened to sixteen fathom. In the afternoon I sent outthe master to examine the bay and a large lagoon; and he reported thatthe lagoon was the most commodious harbour we had yet seen in thestrait, having five fathom at the entrance, and from four to five in themiddle; that it was capable of receiving a great number of vessels, hadthree large fresh-water rivers, and plenty of wood and celery. We hadhere the misfortune to have a seine spoiled, by being entangled with thewood that lies sunk at the mouth of these rivers; but though we caughtbut little fish, we had an incredible number of wild ducks, which wefound a very good succedaneum. 

The mountains are here very lofty, and the master of the Swallow climbedone of the highest, hoping that from the summit he should obtain a sightof the South Sea; but he found his view intercepted by mountains stillhigher on the southern shore: Before he descended, however, he erected apyramid, within which he deposited a bottle containing a shilling, and apaper on which was written the ship's name, and the date of the year; amemorial which possibly may remain there as long as the world endures. 

In the morning of the 24th we took two boats and examined Cordes bay, which we found very much inferior to that in which the ship lay; it hadindeed a larger lagoon, but the entrance of it was very narrow, andbarred by a shoal, on which there was not sufficient depth of water fora ship of burden to float: The entrance of the bay also was rocky, andwithin it the ground was foul. 

In this place we saw an animal that resembled an ass, but it had acloven hoof, as we discovered afterwards by tracking it, and was asswift as a deer. This was the first animal we had seen in the streight, except at the entrance, where we found the guanicoes that we would fainhave trafficked for with the Indians. We shot at this creature, but wecould not hit it; probably it is altogether unknown to the naturalistsof Europe. 

The country about this place has the most dreary and forlorn appearancethat can be imagined; the mountains on each side the streight are of animmense height: About one-fourth of the ascent is covered with trees ofa considerable size; in the space from thence to the middle of themountain there is nothing but withered shrubs; above these are patchesof snow, and fragments of broken rock; and the summit is altogether rudeand naked, towering above the clouds in vast crags that are piled uponeach other, and look like the ruins of nature devoted to everlastingsterility and desolation. 

We went over in two boats to the Royal Islands, and sounded, but foundno bottom: A very rapid tide set through wherever there was an opening;and they cannot be approached by shipping without the most imminentdanger. Whoever navigates this part of the streight, should keep thenorth shore close on board all the way, and not venture more than a milefrom it till the Royal islands are passed. The current sets easterlythrough the whole four-and-twenty hours, and the indraught should byall means be avoided. The latitude of Cape Gallant road is 53° 50'S. 

We continued in this station, taking in wood and water, and gatheringmussels and herbs, till the morning of the 27th, when, a boat that hadbeen sent to try the current, returned with an account that it setnearly at the rate of two miles an hour, but that, the wind beingnortherly, we might probably get round to Elizabeth Bay or York Roadbefore night; we therefore weighed with all expedition. At noon on the28th, the west point of Cape Gallant bore W. N. W. Distant half a mile, and the white patch on Charles' Island S. E. By S. We had fresh gales andheavy flaws off the land; and at two o'clock the west point of CapeGallant bore E. Distant three leagues, and York Point W. N. W. Distantfive leagues. At five, we opened York Road, the point bearing N. W. Atthe distance of half a mile: At this time the ship was taken a-back, anda strong current with a heavy squall drove us so far to leeward, that itwas with great difficulty we got into Elizabeth Bay, and anchored intwelve fathom near a river. The Swallow being at anchor off the point ofthe bay, and very near the rocks, I sent all the boats with anchors andhausers to her assistance, and at last she was happily warped towindward into good anchorage. York Point now bore W. By N. A shoal withweeds upon it W. N. W. At the distance of a cable's length. Point PassageS. E. 1/2 E. Distant half a mile, a rock near Rupert's Isle S. 1/2 E. And arivulet on the bay N. E. By E. Distant about three cables' length. Soonafter sun-set we saw a great smoke on the southern shore, and another onPrince Rupert's Island. 

Early in the morning I sent the boats on shore for water, and soon afterour people landed, three canoes put off from the south shore, and landedsixteen of the natives on the east point of the bay. When they camewithin about a hundred yards of our people they stopt, called out, andmade signs of friendship: Our people did the same, shewing them somebeads and other toys. At this they seemed pleased, and began to shout;our people imitated the noise they made, and shouted in return: TheIndians then advanced, still shouting, and laughing very loud. When theparties met they shook hands, and our men presented the Indians withseveral of the toys which they had shewn them at a distance. They werecovered with seal-skins, which stunk abominably, and some of them wereeating the rotten flesh and blubber raw, with a keen appetite and greatseeming satisfaction. Their complexion was the same as that of thepeople we had seen before, but they were low of stature, the tallest ofthem not being more than five foot six: They appeared to be perishingwith cold, and immediately kindled several fires. How they subsist inwinter, it is not perhaps easy to guess, for the weather was at thistime so severe, that we had frequent falls of snow. They were armed withbows, arrows, and javelins; the arrows and javelins were pointed withflint, which was wrought into the shape of a serpent's tongue; and theydischarged both with great force and dexterity, scarce ever failing tohit a mark at a considerable distance. To kindle a fire they strike apebble against a piece of mundic, holding under it, to catch the sparks, some moss or down, mixed with a whitish earth, which takes fire liketinder: They then take some dry grass; of which there is every-whereplenty, and, putting the lighted moss into it, wave it to and fro, andin about a minute it blazes. 

When the boat returned she brought three of them on board the ship, butthey seemed to regard nothing with any degree of curiosity, except ourclothes and a looking-glass; the looking-glass afforded them as muchdiversion as it had done the Patagonians, and it seemed to surprise themmore: When they first peeped into it they started, back, first lookingat us, and then at each other; they then took another peep, as it wereby stealth, starting back as before; and then eagerly looking behind it:When by degrees they became familiar with it, they smiled, and seeingthe image smile in return, they were exceedingly delighted, and burstinto fits of the most violent laughter. They left this however, andevery thing else, with perfect indifference, the little they possessedbeing to all appearance equal to their desires. They eat whatever wasgiven them, but would drink nothing but water. 

When they left the ship I went on shore with them, and by this timeseveral of their wives and children were come to the watering-place. Idistributed some trinkets among them, with which they seemed pleased fora moment, and they gave us same of their arms in return; they gave usalso several pieces of mundic, such as is found in the tin mines ofCornwall: They made us understand that they found it in the mountains, where there are probably mines of tin, and perhaps of more valuablemetal. When they left us and embarked in their canoes, they hoisted asealskin for a sail, and steered for the southern shore, where we sawmany of their hovels; and we remarked that not one of them lookedbehind, either at us or at the ship, so little impression had thewonders they had seen made upon their minds, and so much did they appearto be absorbed in the present, without any habitual exercise of theirpower to reflect upon the past. 

In this station we continued till Tuesday the 3d of February. At abouthalf an hour past twelve we weighed, and in a sudden squall were takena-back, so as that both ships were in the most imminent danger of beingdriven ashore on a reef of rocks; the wind however suddenly shifted, andwe happily got off without damage. At five o'clock in the afternoon, thetide being done, and the wind coming about to the west, we bore away forYork Road, and at length anchored in it: The Swallow at the same timebeing very near Island Bay, under Cape Quod, endeavoured to get inthere, but was by the tide obliged to return to York Road. In thissituation Cape Quod bore W. 1/2 S. Distant 19 miles, York Point E. S. E. Distant one mile, Bachelor's River N. N. W. Three quarters of a mile, theentrance of Jerom's Sound N. W. By W. And a small island on the southshore W. By S. We found the tide here very rapid and uncertain; in thestream it generally set to the eastward, but it sometimes, thoughrarely, set westward six hours together. This evening we saw five Indiancanoes come out of Bachelor's River, and go up Jerom's Sound. 

In the morning, the boats which I had sent out to sound both the shoresof the streight and all parts of the bay, returned with an account thatthere was good anchorage within Jerom's Sound, and all the way thitherfrom the ship's station at the distance of about half a mile from theshore; also between Elizabeth and York Point, near York Point, at thedistance of a cable and a half's length from the weeds, in sixteenfathom, with a muddy bottom. There were also several places under theislands on the south shore where a ship might anchor; but the force anduncertainty of the tides, and the heavy gusts of wind that came off thehigh lands, by which these situations were surrounded, rendered themunsafe. Soon after the boats returned, I put fresh hands into them, andwent myself up Bachelor's River: We found a bar at the entrance, whichat certain times of the tide must be dangerous. We hauled the seine, and should have caught plenty of fish if it had not been for the weedsand stumps of trees at the bottom of the river. We then went ashore, where we saw many wigwams of the natives, and several of their dogs, who, as soon as we came in sight, ran away. We also saw some ostriches, but they were beyond the reach of our pieces: We gathered mussels, limpets, sea-eggs, celery, and nettles, in great abundance. About threemiles up this river, on the west side, between Mount Misery and anothermountain of a stupendous height, there is a cataract which has a verystriking appearance: It is precipitated from an elevation of above fourhundred yards; half the way it rolls over a very steep declivity, andthe other half is a perpendicular fall. The sound of this cataract isnot less awful than the sight. 

In this place contrary winds detained us till 10 o'clock in the morningof Saturday the 14th, when we weighed, and in half an hour the currentset the ship towards Bachelor's River: We then put her in stays, andwhile she was coming about, which she was long in doing, we drove over ashoal where we had little more than sixteen feet water with rockyground; so that our danger was very great, for the ship drew sixteenfeet nine inches aft, and fifteen feet one inch forward: As soon as theship gathered way, we happily deepened into three fathom; within twocables' length we had five, and in a very short time we got into deepwater. We continued plying to windward till four o'clock in theafternoon, and then finding that we had lost ground, we returned to ourstation, and again anchored in York Road. 

Here we remained till five o'clock in the morning of the 17th, when weweighed, and towed out of the road. At nine, though we had a fine breezeat west, the ship was carried with great violence by a current towardsthe south shore: The boats were all towing a-head, and the sails asleep, yet we drove so close to the rock, that the oars of the boats wereentangled in the weeds. In this manner we were hurried along near threequarters of an hour, expecting every moment to be dashed to piecesagainst the cliff, from which we were seldom farther than a ship'slength, and very often not half so much. We sounded on both sides, andfound that next the shore we had from fourteen to twenty fathom, and onthe other side of the ship no bottom: As all our efforts wereineffectual, we resigned ourselves to our fate, and waited the event ina state of suspense very little different from despair. At length, however, we opened Saint David's Sound, and a current that rushed out ofit set us into the mid-channel. During all this time the Swallow was onthe north shore, and consequently could know nothing of our danger tillit was past. We now sent the boats out to look for an anchoring-place;and at noon Cape Quod bore N. N. E. And Saint David's head S. E. 

About one o'clock the boats returned, having found an anchoring-place ina small bay, to which we gave the name of Butler's Bay, it having beendiscovered by Mr Butler, one of the mates. It lies to the west ofRider's Bay on the south shore of the streight, which is here about twomiles wide. We ran in with the tide which set fast to the westward, andanchored in sixteen fathom water. The extremes of the bay from W. By N. To N. 1/2 W. Are about a quarter of a mile asunder; a small rivulet, atthe distance of somewhat less than two cables' length, bore S. 1/2 W. AndCape Quod N. At the distance of four miles. At this time the Swallow wasat anchor in Island Bay on the north shore, at about six miles distance. 

I now sent all the boats out to sound round the ship and in theneighbouring bays; and they returned with an account that they couldfind no place fit to receive the ship, neither could any such place befound between Cape Quod and Cape Notch. 

In this place we remained till Friday the 20th, when about noon theclouds gathered very thick to the westward, and before one it blew astorm, with such rain and hail, as we had scarcely ever seen. Weimmediately struck the yards and top-masts, and having run out twohausers to a rock, we hove the ship up to it: We then let go the smallbower, and veered away, and brought both cables a-head; at the same timewe carried out two more hausers, and made them fast to two other rocks, making use of every expedient in our power to keep the ship steady. Thegale continued to increase till six o'clock in the evening, and to ourgreat astonishment the sea broke quite over the forecastle in upon thequarter-deck, which, considering the narrowness of the streight, and thesmallness of the bay in which we were stationed, might well have beenthought impossible. Our danger here was very great, for if the cableshad parted, as we could not run out with a sail, and as we had not roomto bring the ship up with any other anchor, we must have been dashed topieces in a few minutes, and in such a situation it is highly probablethat every soul would immediately have perished; however, by eighto'clock the gale was become somewhat more moderate, and graduallydecreasing during the night, we had tolerable weather the next morning. Upon heaving the anchor, we had the satisfaction to find that our cablewas sound, though our hawsers were much rubbed by the rocks, notwithstanding they were parcelled with old hammacoes, and otherthings. The first thing I did after performing the necessary operationsabout the ship, was to send a boat to the Swallow to enquire how she hadfared during the gale: The boat returned with an account that she hadfelt but little of the gale, but that she had been very near being lost, in pushing through the islands two days before, by the rapidity of thetide: That notwithstanding an alteration which had been made in herrudder, she steered and worked so ill, that every time they got underway they were apprehensive that she could never safely be brought to ananchor again; I was therefore requested, in the name of the captain, toconsider that she could be of very little service to the expedition, andto direct what I thought would be best for the service. I answered, thatas the Lords of the Admiralty had appointed her to accompany theDolphin, she must continue to do it as long as it was possible; that asher condition rendered her a bad sailer, I would wait her time, andattend her motions; and that if any disaster should happen to either ofus, the other should be ready to afford such assistance as might be inher power. 

We continued here eight days, during which time we completed our woodand water, dried our sails, and sent great part of the ship's company onshore, to wash their clothes and stretch their legs, which was the morenecessary, as the cold, snowy, and tempestuous weather had confined themtoo much below. We caught mussels and limpets, and gathered celery andnettles in great abundance. The mussels were the largest we had everseen, many of them being from five to six inches long: We caught alsogreat plenty of fine, firm, red fish, not unlike a gurnet, most of whichwere from four to five pounds weight. At the same time we made it partof the employment of every day to try the current, which we foundconstantly setting to the eastward. 

The master having been sent out to look for anchoring-places, returnedwith an account that he could find no shelter, except near the shore, where it should not be sought but in cases of the most pressingnecessity. He landed upon a large island on the north side of SnowSound, and being almost perished with cold, the first thing he did wasto make a large fire, with some small trees which he found upon thespot. He then climbed one of the rocky mountains, with Mr Pickersgill, amidshipman, and one of the seamen, to take a view of the streight, andthe dismal regions that surround it. He found the entrance of the soundto be full as broad as several parts of the streight, and to grow butvery little narrower, for several miles inland on the Terra del Fuegoside. The country on the south of it was still more dreary and horridthan any he had yet seen: It consisted of craggy mountains, much higherthan the clouds, that were altogether naked from the base to the summit, there not being a single shrub, nor even a blade of grass to be seenupon them; nor were the vallies between them less desolate, beingentirely covered with deep beds of snow, except here and there where ithad been washed away, or converted into ice, by the torrents which wereprecipitated from the fissures and crags of the mountain above, wherethe snow had been dissolved; and even these vallies, in the patches thatwere free from snow, were as destitute of verdure as the rocks betweenwhich they lay. 

On Sunday the first of March, at half an hour after four o'clock in themorning, we saw the Swallow under sail, on the north shore of Cape Quod. At seven we weighed, and stood out of Butler's Bay, but it falling calmsoon afterwards, the boats were obliged to take the vessel in tow, having with much difficulty kept clear of the rocks: The passage beingvery narrow, we sent the boats, about noon, to seek for anchorage on thenorth shore. At this time, Cape Notch bore W. By N. 1/2 N. Distantbetween three and four leagues, and Gape Quod E. 1/2 N. Distant threeleagues. 

About three o'clock in the afternoon, there being little wind, weanchored, with the Swallow, under the north shore, in a small bay, wherethere is a high, steep, rocky mountain, the top of which resembles thehead of a lion, for which reason we called the bay Lion's Cove. We hadhere forty fathom, with deep water close to the shore, and at half acable's length without the ship, no ground. We sent the boats to thewestward in search of anchoring-places, and at midnight they returnedwith an account that there was an indifferent bay at the distance ofabout four miles, and that Goodluck Bay was three leagues to thewestward. 

At half an hour after twelve the next day, the wind being northerly, wemade sail from Lion's Cove, and at five anchored in Goodluck Bay, at thedistance of about half-a-cable's length from the rocks, in twenty-eightfathom water. A rocky island at the west extremity of the bay bore N. W. By W. Distant about a cable's length and a half, and a low point, whichmakes the eastern extremity of the bay, bore E. S. E. Distant about amile. Between this point and the ship, there were many shoals, and inthe bottom of the bay two rocks, the largest of which bore N. E. By N. The smallest N. By E. From these rocks, shoals run out to the S. E. Whichmay be known by the weeds that are upon them; the ship was within acable's length of them: When she swung with her stern in shore, we hadsixteen fathom, with coral rock; when she swung off, we had fiftyfathom, with sandy ground. Cape Notch bore from us W. By S. 1/2 W. Distant about one league; and in the intermediate space there was alarge lagoon which we could not sound, the wind blowing too hard all thewhile we lay here. After we had moored the ship, we sent two boats toassist the Swallow, and one to look out for anchorage beyond Cape Notch. The boats that were sent to assist the Swallow, towed her into a smallbay, where, as the wind was southerly, and blew fresh, she was in greatdanger, for the cove was not only small, but full of rocks, and open tothe southeasterly winds. 

All the day following and all the night, we had hard gales, with a greatsea, and much hail and rain. The next morning, we had gusts so violent, that it was impossible to stand the deck; they brought whole sheets ofwater all the way from Cape Notch, which was a league distant, quiteover the deck. They did not last more than a minute, but were sofrequent, that the cables were kept on a constant strain, and there wasthe greatest reason to fear that they would give way. It was a generalopinion that the Swallow could not possibly ride it out, and some of themen were so strongly prepossessed with the notion of her being lost, that they fancied they saw some of her people coming over the rockstowards our ship. The weather continued so bad, till Saturday the 7th, that we could send no boat to enquire after her; but the gale being thenmore moderate, a boat was dispatched about four o'clock in the morning, which, about the same hour in the afternoon, returned with an accountthat the ship was safe, but that the fatigue of the people had beenincredible, the whole crew having been upon the deck near three days andthree nights. At midnight the gusts returned, though not with equalviolence, with hail, sleet, and snow. The weather being now extremelycold, and the people never dry, I got up, the next morning, eleven balesof thick woollen stuff, called fearnought, which is provided by thegovernment, and set all the tailors to work to make them into jackets, of which every man in the ship had one. 

I ordered these jackets to be made very large, allowing, one withanother, two yards and thirty-four inches of the cloth to each jacket. Isent also seven bales of the same cloth to the Swallow, which made everyman on board a jacket of the same kind; and I cut up three bales offiner cloth, and made jackets for the officers of both ships, which Ihad the pleasure to find were very acceptable. 

In this situation we were obliged to continue a week, during which time, I put both my own ship, and the Swallow, upon two-thirds allowance, except brandy; but continued the breakfast as long as greens and waterwere plenty. 

On Sunday the 15th, about noon, we saw the Swallow under sail, and itbeing calm, we sent our launch to assist her. In the evening the launchreturned, having towed her into a very good harbour on the south shore, opposite to where we lay. The account that we received of this harbour, determined us to get into it as soon as possible; the next morningtherefore, at eight o'clock, we sailed from Goodluck Bay, and thoughtourselves happy to get safe out of it. When we got a-breast of theharbour where the Swallow lay, we fired several guns, as signals for herboats to assist us in getting in; and in a short time the master cameon board us, and piloted us to a very commodious station, where weanchored in twenty-eight fathom, with a muddy bottom. This harbour, which is sheltered from all winds, and excellent in every respect, wecalled _Swallow Harbour_. There are two channels into it, which are bothnarrow, but not dangerous, as the rocks are easily discovered by theweeds that grow upon them. 

At nine o'clock the next morning, the wind coming easterly, we weighed, and sailed from Swallow Harbour. At noon we took the Swallow in tow, butat five, there being little wind, we cast off the tow. At eight in theevening, the boats which had been sent out to look for anchorage, returned with an account that they could find none: At nine we had freshgales, and at midnight Cape Upright bore S. S. W. 1/2 W. 

At seven, the next morning, we took the Swallow again in tow, but wereagain obliged to cast her off and tack, as the weather became verythick, with a great swell, and we saw land close under our lee. As noplace for anchorage could be found, Captain Carteret advised me to bearaway for Upright Bay, to which I consented; and as he was acquaintedwith the place, he went a-head: The boats were ordered to go between himand the shore, and we followed. At eleven o'clock, there being littlewind, we opened a large lagoon, and a current setting strongly into it, the Swallow was driven among the breakers close upon the lee-shore: Toaggravate the misfortune, the weather was very hazy, there was noanchorage, and the surf ran very high. In this dreadful situation shemade signals of distress, and we immediately sent our launch, and otherboats, to her assistance: The boats took her in tow, but their utmostefforts to save her would have been ineffectual, if a breeze had notsuddenly came down from a mountain and wafted her off. 

As a great swell came on about noon, we hauled over to the north shore. We soon found ourselves surrounded with islands, but the fog was sothick, that we knew not where we were, nor which way to steer. Amongthese islands the boats were sent to cast the lead, but no anchorage wasto be found; we then conjectured that we were in the Bay of Islands, andthat we had no chance to escape shipwreck, but by hauling directly out:This, however, was no easy task, for I was obliged to tack almostcontinually, to weather some island or rock. At four o'clock in theafternoon, it happily cleaned up for a minute, just to shew us CapeUpright, for which we directly steered, and at half an hour after fiveanchored, with the Swallow, in the bay. When we dropped the anchor, wewere in twenty-four fathom, and after we had veered away a whole cable, in forty-six, with a muddy bottom. In this situation, a high bluff onthe north shore bore N. W. 1/2 N. Distant five leagues, and a smallisland within us S. By E. 1/2 E. Soon after we had anchored, the Swallowdrove to leeward, notwithstanding she had two anchors a-head, but was atlast brought up, in seventy fathom, about a cable's length a-stern ofus. At four o'clock in the morning I sent the boats, with a considerablenumber of men, and some hawsers and anchors, on board her, to weigh heranchors, and warp her up to windward. When her best-bower anchor wasweighed, it was found entangled with the small one; I therefore found itnecessary to send the stream-cable on board, and the ship was hung up byit. To clear her anchors, and warp her into a proper birth, cost us thewhole day, and was not at last effected without the utmost difficultyand labour. 

On the 18th we had fresh breezes, and sent the boats to sound cross thestreight. Within half-a-mile of the ship, they had forty, forty-five, fifty, seventy, one hundred fathom, and then had no ground, till withina cable's length of the lee-shore, where they had ninety fathom. We nowmoored the ship in seventy-eight fathom, with the stream-anchor. 

The next morning, while our people were employed in getting wood andwater, and gathering celery and mussels, two canoes, full of Indians, came alongside of the ship. They had much the same appearance as thepoor wretches whom we had seen before in Elizabeth's Bay. They had onboard some seal's flesh, blubber, and penguins, all which they eat raw. Some of our people, who were fishing with a hook and line, gave one ofthem a fish, somewhat bigger than a herring, alive, just as it came outof the water. The Indian took it hastily, as a dog would take a bone, and instantly killed it, by giving it a bite near the gills: He thenproceeded to eat it, beginning with the head, and going on to the tail, without rejecting either the bones, fins, scales, or entrails. They eatevery thing that was given them, indifferently, whether salt or fresh, dressed or raw, but would drink nothing but water. They shivered withcold, yet had nothing to cover them but a seal-skin, thrown loosely overtheir shoulders, which did not reach to their middle; and we observed, that when they were rowing, they threw even this by, and sat starknaked. They had with them some javelins, rudely pointed with bone, withwhich they used to strike seals, fish, and penguins, and we observedthat one of them had a piece of iron, about the size of a commonchissel, which was fastened to a piece of wood, and seemed to beintended rather for a tool than a weapon. They had all sore eyes, whichwe imputed to their sitting over the smoke of their fires, and theysmelt more offensively than a fox, which perhaps was in part owing totheir diet, and in part to their nastiness. Their canoes were aboutfifteen feet long, three broad, and nearly three deep: They were made ofthe bark of trees, sewn together, either with the sinews of some beast, or thongs cut out of a hide. Some kind of rush was laid into the seams, and the outside was smeared with a resin or gum, which prevented thewater from soaking into the bark. Fifteen slender branches, bent into anarch, were sewed transversely to the bottom and sides, and some straightpieces were placed across the top, from gunwale to gunwale, and securelylashed at each end: Upon the whole, however, it was poorly made, nor hadthese people any thing among them in which there was the leastappearance of ingenuity. I gave them a hatchet or two, with some beads, and a few other toys, with which they went away to the southward, and wesaw no more of them. 

While we lay here, we sent out the boats, as usual, in search ofanchoring-places, and having been ten leagues to the westward, theyfound but two: One was to the westward of Cape Upright, in the Bay ofIslands, but was very difficult to enter and get out of; the other wascalled Dolphin Bay, at ten leagues distance, which was a good harbour, with even ground in all parts. They saw several small coves, which wereall dangerous, as in them it would be necessary to let go the anchorwithin half-a-cable's length of the lee-shore, and steady the ship withhawsers fastened to the rocks. The people belonging to one of the boatsspent a night upon an island, upon which, while they were there, sixcanoes landed about thirty Indians. The Indians ran immediately to theboat, and were carrying away every thing they found in her: Our peoplediscovered what they were doing just time enough to prevent them. Assoon as they found themselves opposed they went to their canoes, andarmed themselves with long poles, and javelins pointed with the bones offish. They did not begin an attack, but stood in a threatening manner:Our people, who were two-and-twenty in number, acted only on thedefensive, and by parting with a few trifles to them, they becamefriends, and behaved peaceably the rest of the time they staid. 

For many days we had hail, lightning, rain, and hard gales, with a heavysea, so that we thought it impossible for the ship to hold, though shehad two anchors a-head, and two cables an-end. The men, however, weresent frequently on shore for exercise, which contributed greatly totheir health, and procured an almost constant supply of mussels andgreens. Among other damages that we had sustained, our fire-place wasbroken to pieces; we therefore found it necessary to set up the forge, and employ the armourers to make a new back; we also made lime of burntshells, and once more put it into a useful condition. 

On Monday the 30th we had the first interval of moderate weather, and weimproved it in drying the sails, which, though much mildewed, we had notbefore been able to loose, for fear of setting the ship adrift: We alsoaired the spare sails, which we found much injured by the rats, andemployed the sail-makers to mend them. Captain Carteret havingrepresented that his fire-place, as well as ours, had been broken topieces, our armourers made him also a new back, and set it up with limethat we made upon the spot, in the same manner as had been done on boardour own ship. This day we saw several canoes, full of Indians, put toshore on the east side of the bay, and the next morning several of themcame on board, and proved to be the same that our people, who were outin the boat, had met with on shore. They behaved very peaceably, and wedismissed them with a few toys, as usual. 

The day following, several other Indians came off to the ship, andbrought with them some of the birds called Race-Horses. Our peoplepurchased the birds for a few trifles, and I made them a present ofseveral hatchets and knives. 

On Thursday, the 2d of April, the master of the Swallow, who had beensent out to seek for anchoring-places, returned, and reported that hehad found three on the north shore, which were very good; one about fourmiles to the eastward, of Cape Providence, another under the east-sideof Cape Tamar, and the third about four miles to the eastward of it; buthe said that he found no place to anchor under Cape Providence, theground being rocky. 

This day two canoes came on board, with four men and three youngchildren in each. The men were somewhat more decently dressed than thosethat we had seen before, but the children were stark naked. They weresomewhat fairer than the men, who seemed to pay a very tender attentionto them, especially in lifting them in and out of the canoes. To theseyoung visitors I gave necklaces and bracelets, with which they seemedmightily pleased. It happened that while some of these people were onboard, and the rest waiting in their canoes by the ship's side, the boatwas sent on shore for wood and water. The Indians who were in thecanoes, kept their eyes fixed upon the boat while she was manning, andthe moment she put off from the ship, they called out with greatvociferation to those that were on board, who seemed to be much alarmed, and hastily handing down the children, leaped into their canoes, withoututtering a word. None of us could guess at the cause of this suddenemotion, but we saw the men in the canoes pull after the boat with alltheir might, hallooing and shouting with great appearance ofperturbation and distress. The boat out-rowed them, and when she camenear the shore, the people on board discovered some women gatheringmussels among the rocks. This at once explained the mystery; the poorIndians were afraid that the strangers, either by force or favour, should violate the prerogative of a husband, of which they seemed to bemore jealous than the natives of some other countries, who in theirappearance are less savage and sordid. Our people, to make them easy, immediately lay upon their oars, and suffered the canoes to pass them. The Indians, however, still continued to call out to their women, tillthey took the alarm and ran out of sight, and as soon as they got toland, drew their canoes upon the beach, and followed them with theutmost expedition. 

We continued daily to gather mussels till the 5th, when several of thepeople being seized with fluxes, the surgeon desired that no moremussels might be brought into the ship. 

The weather being still tempestuous and unsettled, we remained at anchortill ten o'clock in the morning of Friday, the 10th, and then, incompany with the Swallow, we made sail. At noon, Cape Providence boreN. N. W. Distant four or five miles; at four in the afternoon Cape Tamarbore N. W. By W. 1/2 W. Distant three leagues, Cape Upright E. S. E. 1/2S. , distant three leagues, and Cape Pillar W. Distant ten leagues. Westeered about W. 1/2 N. All night, and at six o'clock in the morning, had run eight and thirty miles by the log. At this time Cape Pillar boreS. W. Distant half a mile, and the Swallow was about three miles a-sternof us. At this time there being but little wind, we were obliged to makeall the sail we could, to get without the streight's mouth. At eleveno'clock I would have shortened sail for the Swallow, but it was not inmy power, for as a current set us strongly down upon the Isles ofDirection, and the wind came to the west, it became absolutely necessaryfor me to carry sail, that I might clear them. Soon after we lost sightof the Swallow, and never saw her afterwards. [48] At first I wasinclined to have gone back into the streight; but a fog coming on, andthe sea rising very fast, we were all of opinion that it wasindispensably necessary to get an offing as soon as possible; for exceptwe pressed the ship with sail, before the sea rose too high, it would beimpracticable either to weather Terra del Fuego on one tack, or CapeVictory on the other. At noon, the Islands of Direction bore N. 21' W. Distant three leagues, Saint Paul's cupola and Cape Victory in one, N. Distant seven leagues, and Cape Pillar E. Distant six leagues. Ourlatitude, by observation, was 52° 33', and we computed our longitude tobe 76° W. Thus we quitted a dreary and inhospitable region, where wewere in almost perpetual danger of shipwreck for near four months, having entered the streight on the 17th of December 1766, and quitted iton the 11th of April 1767; a region where, in the midst of summer, theweather was cold, gloomy, and tempestuous, where the prospects had morethe appearance of a chaos than of nature, and where, for the most part, the vallies were without herbage, and the hills without wood. 

[Footnote 48: How very vexatious this was to the Swallow's crew, thereader has to learn from the account of Carteret's voyage. --E. ]

SECTION III. 

_A particular Account of the Places in which we anchored during ourPassage through the Streight, and of the Shoals and Rocks that lie nearthem. _

Having cleared the streight, we steered a western course. But before Icontinue the narrative of our voyage, I shall give a more particularaccount of the several places where we anchored, plans of which aredeposited in the Admiralty-office for the use of future navigators, withthe shoals and rocks that lie near them, the latitude, longitude, tides, and variation of the compass. 

I. CAPE VIRGIN MARY. The bay under this cape is a good harbour, when thewind is westerly. There is a shoal lying off the cape, but that mayeasily be known by the rock-weed that grows upon it: The cape is a steepwhite cliff, not unlike the South Foreland. Its latitude, byobservation, is 52° 24' S. And its longitude, by account, 68° 22' W. Thevariation of the needle, by the medium of five azimuths and oneamplitude, was 24° 30' E. In this place we saw no appearance either ofwood or water. We anchored in ten fathom, with coarse sandy ground, about a mile from the shore, Cape Virgin Mary bearing N. By. W. 1/2 W. Distant about two miles, and Dungeness Point S. S. W. Distant four miles. We anchored here on the 17th of December, and sailed the next day. Thereis good landing, on a fine sandy beach, all along the shore. 

II. POSSESSION BAY. In sailing into this bay, it is necessary to givethe point a good birth, because there is a reef that runs right off itabout a short mile. The soundings are very irregular all over the bay, but the ground is every where a fine soft mud and clay, so that thecables can come to no damage. The point lies in latitude 52° 23' S. Longitude, by account, 68° 57' W. : The variation is two points easterly. In the bay the tide rises and falls between four and five fathom, andruns at the rate of about a mile an hour; in the mid-channel without thebay, it runs nearly three miles an hour. In this place we saw noappearance either of wood or water. The landing appeared to be good, butwe did not go on shore. We anchored here on the 19th of December, andsailed again on the 22d. 

III. PORT FAMINE. At this place, the Spaniards, in the year 1581, builta town, which they called Phillippeville, and left in it a colony, consisting of 400 persons. When our celebrated navigator, Cavendish, arrived here in 1587, he found one of these unhappy wretches, the onlyone that remained, upon the beach: They had all perished for want ofsubsistence, except twenty-four; twenty-three of these set out for theriver Plata, and were never afterwards heard of. This man, whose namewas Hernando, was brought to England by Cavendish, who called the placewhere he had taken him up, Port Famine. It is a very fine bay, in whichthere is room and conveniency for many ships to moor in great safety. Wemoored in nine fathom, having brought Cape St Anne N. E. By E. And SedgerRiver S. 1/2 W. Which perhaps is the best situation, though the wholebay is good ground. In this place there is very good wooding andwatering; we caught many fine small fish with a hook and line off theship's side, and hauled the seine with great success, in a fine sandybay, a little to the southward of Sedger River: We also shot a greatnumber of birds, of various kinds, particularly geese, ducks, teal, snipes, plover, and race-horses, and we found wild celery in greatplenty. The latitude of this place is 53° 42' S. , longitude, byobservation, 71° 28' W. : The variation is two points easterly. Weanchored here the 27th of December 1766, and sailed again the 18th ofJanuary 1767. 

IV. CAPE HOLLAND BAY. There is no danger in sailing into this bay, andthere is good anchoring ground in every part of it. We lay at aboutthree cables' length from the shore, in ten fathom, the ground coarsesand and shells, Cape Holland bearing W. S. W. 1/2 W. Distant three miles, Cape Froward a little to the N. Of the E. Right a-breast of the shipthere was a very fine rivulet, and close under Cape Holland a largeriver, navigable for boats many miles: The shore also affords fire-woodin great plenty. We found abundance of wild celery and cranberries, mussels and limpets, but caught very little fish, either with hook andline, or the seine. We killed some geese, ducks, teal, and racehorses, but they were not plenty. This bay lies in latitude 53° 57' S. , longitude, by account, 72° 34' W. ; the variation is two points easterly. The water rose about eight feet; we found, however, no regular tide, butfor the most part a strong current setting to the eastward. We anchoredhere on the 19th of January, and sailed again on the 23d. 

V. CAPE GALLANT BAY. In this bay, which may be entered with greatsafety, there is a fine large lagoon, where a fleet of ships may moor inperfect security. There is a depth of four fathom in every part of it, with a soft muddy ground. In the bay, the best anchoring is on the eastside, where there is from six to ten fathom. Here is good watering fromtwo rivers, and plenty of wood. The lagoon abounded with wild fowl, andwe found wild celery, mussels, and limpets in plenty. We did not haulthe seine, having torn one to pieces, and the other being unpacked; butif we had, there is reason to believe that we should have been wellsupplied with fish. The landing is good. The latitude of the bay andlagoon is 53° 50'S. , longitude, by account, 73° 9' W. ; the variation istwo points easterly. I observed the water to rise and fall about ninefeet, but the tide was very irregular. We anchored here the 23d ofJanuary, and sailed again the 28th. 

VI. ELIZABETH'S BAY. At the entrance of this bay there are two smallreefs, which appear above water. The most dangerous lies off the eastpoint of the bay; but this may easily be avoided, by keeping at thedistance of about two cables' length from the point. There is goodlanding all round the bay, but it is much exposed to the westerly winds. The best place for anchoring is Passage Point, at half a mile distance, bearing S. E. And the river bearing N. E. By E. Distant three cables'length; in this situation, a bank or shoal, which may be known by theweeds, bears W. N. W. Distant a cable's length: The ground is coarse sand, with shells. 'Sufficient wood is to be procured here for the use ofships, and there is good watering at a small river. We found a littlecelery and a few cranberries, but neither fish nor fowl. The latitude ofthis place is 53° 43' S. The longitude, by account, 73° 24' W. ; thevariation is two points easterly. We anchored here the 29th of January, and sailed the 4th of February. 

VII. YORK ROAD. The only danger of sailing into the bay, that is formedby two points in this road, arises from a reef that runs off to about acable's length from the western point, which, once known, may be easilyavoided. To anchor in this bay, it is safest to bring York Point E. S. E. Bachelor's River N. By W. 1/2 W. The west point of the bay or reefN. W. 1/2 W. And St Jerom's Sound W. N. W. At the distance of half a milefrom the shore. There is good watering about a mile up Bachelor's River, and good wooding all round the bay, where the landing also is, in allparts, very good. We found plenty of celery, cranberries, mussels, andlimpets, many wild fowl, and some fish, but not enough to supply theship's company with a fresh meal. The latitude here is 53°39'S. , longitude, by account, 73°52'W. ; the variation two points easterly. Thewater rises and falls about eight feet, but the tide is irregular. Themaster, who crossed the streight many times to examine the bays, frequently found the current setting in three different directions. Weanchored here on the 4th of February, and sailed again the 11th. 

VIII. BUTLER'S BAY. This is a small bay, entirely surrounded by rocks, so that no ship should anchor here if she can possibly avoid it. Wefound, however, sufficient wood and water to keep up our stock, musselsand limpets in plenty, some good rock fish, and a few wild fowl, butcelery and cranberries were very scarce. This bay lies in latitude 53°37'S. , longitude, by account, 74°9'W. ; the variation is two pointseasterly. The water rises and falls here about four feet, but thecurrent always sets to the eastward. We anchored here the 18th ofFebruary, and sailed the 1st of March. 

IX. LION COVE. This is a small bay, and surrounded by rocks. The wateris deep, but the ground is good. It is not a bad place for one ship, nora good one for two. Here is good watering up a small creek, but no wood. There is good landing at the watering-place, but no where else. We foundno refreshment but a few mussels, limpets, and rock-fish, with a littlecelery. The latitude is 53°26'S. , longitude, by account, 74°25'W. ; thevariation was two points easterly. The water, as far as we could judgeby the appearance of the rocks, rises and falls about five feet, and thecurrent sets at the rate of about two knots an hour. We anchored here onthe 2d of March, and sailed the next day. 

X. GOOD-LUCK BAY. This is a small bay, and, like several others in thisstreight, entirely surrounded by rocks. The ground is very coarse, andthe cable of our best-bower anchor was so much rubbed, that we wereobliged to condemn it, and bend a new one. At this place there is alittle wood, and plenty of good water, but the rocks render it verydifficult of access. No man that sees this part of the coast, can expectto find any kind of refreshment upon it; and indeed we caught nothingexcept a few rock-fish, with hook and line. There may be circumstancesin which it may be good luck to get into this bay, but we thought itvery good luck to get out of it. It lies in latitude 53°23'S. , longitude, by account, 74°33'W. ; the variation is two points easterly. The water rises and falls between three and four feet, though, wheneverwe had an opportunity of trying the current, we found it run easterly. We anchored here the 3d of March, and sailed the 15th. 

XI. SWALLOW HARBOUR. This harbour, when once entered, is very safe, being sheltered from all winds, but the entrance is narrow and rocky;the rocks, however, may be easily avoided by keeping a good look-out, asthere are large bunches of rock-weed upon them all. We found here asufficient supply of wood and water, the wood however was very small. Asthe water is constantly smooth here, the landing is every where good;but we found no supply of provisions, except a few mussels androck-fish. The mountains round it have the most horrid appearance, andseem to be altogether deserted by every thing that has life. Thelatitude is 53°29'S. , the longitude, by account, 74°35'W. ; the variationis two points easterly, and the tide rises and falls between four andfive feet. We anchored here the 15th of March, and left the place thenext day. 

XII. UPRIGHT BAY. This bay may be safely entered, as there is noobstruction but what is above water. The wood here is very small, but wefound sufficient to keep up our stock. The water is excellent, and ingreat plenty. As to provisions, we got only a few wild fowl, rock-fishesand mussels. The landing is bad. The latitude of this place is 53° 8'S. , longitude 75°35 W. ; the variation two points easterly. The water risesand falls about five feet, but the tide or current is very irregular. Weanchored here on the 18th of March, and sailed again on the 10th ofApril. 

There are three very good bays a little beyond Cape Shut-up, which wecalled _River Bay, Lodging Bay_, and _Wallis's Bay_. Wallis'sBay is the best. 

About half way between Elizabeth's Bay and York Road, lies Mussel Bay, where there is very good anchorage with a westerly wind. There is also abay, with good anchorage, opposite to York Road, and another to theeastward of Cape Cross-tide, but this will hold only a single ship. Between Cape Cross and Saint David's Head, lies Saint David's Sound, onthe south side of which we found a bank of coarse sand and shells, witha depth of water from nineteen to thirty fathom, where a ship mightanchor in case of necessity; and the master of the Swallow found a verygood small bay a little to the eastward of Saint David's Head. A littleto the eastward of Cape Quod, lies Island Bay, where the Swallow laysome time, but it is by no means an eligible situation. The ground ofChance Bay is very rocky and uneven, and for that reason should beavoided. 

As all the violent gales by which we suffered in this navigation, blewfrom the westward, it is proper to stand about a hundred leagues or moreto the westward, after sailing out of the streight, that the ship maynot be endangered on a lee-shore, which at present is wholly unknown. 

The following table shews the courses and distances, from point topoint, in the streight of Magellan, by compass. [49]

[Footnote 49: Bougainville, in the account of his voyage, has given atolerably minute chart of the straight of Magellan, but the names do notcorrespond with those used here, or by the English navigators ingeneral. Perhaps the fullest and most accurate chart of this veryintricate and unsafe passage ever published, is to be found in theAmerican Atlas of Jefferys, London, 1775. It is enlarged from onepublished at Madrid in 1709, improved from the surveys and observationsof Byron, Wallis, and Carteret, and compared with those of Bougainville. Like all the works of Jefferys, the Arrowsmith of his day, it exhibitsmost commendable diligence and attention to every source of information. After all, however, it seems unlikely that this streight will everbecome well known to Europeans, the inducement to navigate it beingindeed very inconsiderable at any time, and the dangers it presentsalways highly formidable. --E. ]

_Courses and Distances from Point to Point, in the Streight of Magellanby Compass. _

Cape Virgin Mary lies in latitude 52°24'S. , and longitude 68°22'W. 

 From Courses. Miles. Latitude, Long. 

Cape Virgin Mary to Dungeness Point S. By W. 5 52°28' 68°28'Dungeness Point to Point Possession W. 3/4 S. 18 52 23 68 57Point Possession to the S. Side ofthe 1st Narrows S. W. 1/4 S. 27 52 35 69 38The N. To the S. End of the Narrows S. S. W. 9 ---- ----The S. End of the Narrows to Cape Gregory W. S. W. 1/4 W. 25 52 39 70 31Cape Gregory to Sweepstakes Foreland S. 30°W. 12-1/3 ---- ----Cape Gregory to Dolphin's Foreland S. W. 1/2 W. 14 52 43 70 53Dolphin's Foreland to the N. End of Elizabeth's Island S. 1/2 W. 14-3/4 52 56 71 6The N. End of Elizabeth's Island toSt Bartholomew's Island E. N. E. 1-1/2 52 56 71 4The N. End of Elizabeth's Island to St George's Island S. E. 8 ---- ----The N. End of Elizabeth's Island to Porpus Point S. ByW. 12 53 6 71 17Porpus Point to Fresh-water Bay S. 1/2 E. 22-2/3 ---- ----Fresh-water Bay to Cape St Ann, or Port Famine S. S. E. 1/4 E. 13-2/3 53 42 71 28Cape St Ann to the entry of a great sound on the south shore N. E. ---- ---- ----Cape St Ann to Cape Shut-up S. ByE. 12 53 54 71 32Cape Shut-up to Dolphin's Island S. S. W. 7 53 59 71 41Dolphin's Island to Cape Froward, the southermost in all America S. 47 W. 11 54 3 71 59Cape Froward to Snug Bay Point W. 1/2 N. 8 ---- ----Snug, Bay Point to Cape Holland W. ByS 13-2/3 53 57 72 34Cape Holland to Cape Gallant W. 1/4 S. 21-1/2 53 50 73 9Cape Gallant to Elizabeth's Bay W. N. W. 1/2 W 11-1/2 53 48 73 24Elizabeth's Bay to York Point W. N. W. 1/2 W. 6-1/3 53 39 73 32York Road to Cape Cross-tide W. 3/4 S. 10 ---- ----York Road to Cape Quod W. 1/2 S. 21 53 33 74 6Cape Quod to St David's Head S. E. 4-1/2 ---- ----Cape Quod to Butler's Bay S. 1/4 W. 4 53 37 74 9Cape Quod to Chance Bay S. S. W. 5 ---- ----Cape Quod to Great Mussel Bay S. W. 1/2 S. 6 ---- ----Cape Quod to Snow Sound W. S. W. 1/2 W. 10 ---- ----Cape Quod to Lion's Cove W. N. W. 3/4 W. 12 53 26 74 25Lion's Cove to Good-Luck Bay W. N. W. 3/4 W. 6 53 23 74 33Cape Quod to Cape Notch W. N. W. 3/4 W. 21 53 22 74 36Cape Notch to Swallow Harbour S. S. E. 7 53 29 74 36Cape Notch to Piss-pot Bay W. 1/4 S. 23 ---- ----Cape Notch to Cape Monday W. 28 53 12 75 26Cape Monday to Cape Upright W. ByN. 13 53° 6' 75° 38'Cape Monday to a great Sound onthe N. Shore N. 7 ---- ----Cape Upright to Cape Providence N. ByW. 1/2 W. 9 52 57 75 37Cape Upright to Cape Tamar N. W. ByW. 1/2 W 18 ---- ----Cape Upright to Cape Pillar W. 1/2 N. 50 52 43 76 52Cape Pillar to Westminster Island N. E. 1/2 N. 15 ---- ----Cape Pillar to Cape Victory N. W. 1/2 N. 28 ---- ----Cape Pillar to the Islands of W. N. W. 23 52 27 77 19Direction

SECTION IV. 

_The Passage from the Streight of Magellan to King George the Third'sIsland, called Otaheite, in the South Sea, with an Account of theDiscovery of several other Islands, and a Description of theirInhabitants. _

As we continued our course to the westward, after having cleared thestreight, we saw a great number of gannets, sheerwaters, pintado birds, and many others, about the ship, and had for the most part strong gales, hazy weather, and heavy seas, so that we were frequently brought underour courses, and there was not a dry place in the ship for some weekstogether. 

At eight in the morning of the 22d, we had an observation, by which wefound our longitude to be 95°46'W. And at noon our latitude was 42°24'S. And the variation, by azimuth, 11°6'E. 

By the 24th, the men began to fall down very fast in colds and fevers, in consequence of the upper works being open, and their clothes and bedscontinually wet. 

On the 26th, at four in the afternoon, the variation, by azimuth, was10°20'E. And at six in the morning of the next day, it was 9°8'E. Ourlatitude, on the 27th at noon, was 36°54'S. Our longitude, by account, 100°W. This day, the weather being moderate and fair, we dried all thepeople's clothes, and got the sick upon deck, to whom we gave salop, andwheat boiled with, portable soup, every morning for breakfast, and allthe ship's company had as much vinegar and mustard as they could use;portable soup was also constantly boiled in their pease and oatmeal. 

The hard gales, with frequent and violent squalls, and a heavy sea soonreturned, and continued with very little intermission. The ship pitchedso much, that we were afraid she would carry away her masts, and the menwere again wet in their beds. 

On the 30th, the variation, by azimuth, was 8°30'E. Our latitude was32°50; longitude, by account, 100 W. I began now to keep the ship to thenorthward, as we had no chance of getting westing in this latitude; andthe surgeon was of opinion, that in a little time the sick would so muchincrease, that we should want hands to work the ship, if we could notget into better weather. 

On the third of May, about four in the afternoon, we had an observationof the sun and moon, by which we found our longitude to be 96°26 W. Thevariation by the azimuth was 5°44'E. At six in the evening, and at sixthe next morning, it was 5°58'E, Our latitude, this day at noon, was28°20'S. At four in the afternoon, we had several observations for thelongitude, and found it to be 96°21' W. ; at seven in the evening, thevariation was 6°40'E. By the azimuth, and the next morning at ten itwas, by amplitude, 5°48'E. ; at three in the afternoon, the variation, byamplitude, was 7°40'E. This day we saw a tropic bird. 

At six o'clock in the morning of Friday the eighth of May, the variationof the needle, by amplitude, was 7°11' E. In the afternoon we sawseveral sheer-waters and sea-swallows. At eight in the morning of the9th, the variation, by azimuth, was 6°34'E. And in the morning of the11th, by azimuth and amplitude, it was 4°40'E. Our latitude was 27°20'S. Longitude, by account, 106°W. This day and the next we saw severalsea-swallows, sheer-waters, and porpoises, about the ship. 

On the 14th of May, the variation, by four azimuths, was 2°E. Aboutfour o'clock-in the afternoon, we saw a large flock of brown birds, flying to the eastward, and something which had the appearance of highland, in the same quarter. We bore away for it till sun-set, and itstill having the same appearance, we continued our course; but at two inthe morning, having run eighteen leagues without making it, we hauledthe wind, and at day-light nothing was to be seen. We had now thesatisfaction to find our ailing people mend apace. Our latitude was24°50'S. Our longitude, by account, 106°W. During all this time, we werelooking out for the Swallow. [50]

[Footnote 50: This is very liable to be controverted. Captain W. Wellknew the bad condition and insufficiency of that vessel, and had, inconsequence, promised to _wait_ on her. But did he so, after he clearedthe streights? Did he even appoint a rendezvous or place of meeting withher, after getting into the South Sea?--a thing so common for vesselssailing in concert. He has assigned his reasons for not doing theformer, in Section II. Of his neglect of the latter, no satisfactoryaccount perhaps can be given. The reader will have some cause of wonderand displeasure at more persons than one, when he peruses what CaptainCarteret has to say as to the propriety of sending out the Swallow onthis voyage. One can scarcely help inferring from his words, that he hadbeen intended as a mere forlorn hope, in navigating the difficult anddangerous passage betwixt the two oceans. --E. ]

At four in the afternoon of the 16th, the variation, by azimuth andamplitude, was 6°E. And at six the next morning, by four azimuths, itwas 3°20'. 

The carpenters were now employed in caulking the upper works of theship, and repairing and painting the boats, and on the 18th I gave asheep among the people that were sick and recovering. 

On Wednesday the 20th, we found our longitude, by observation, to be106°47'W. And our latitude 20°52'S. The next day we saw several flyingfish, which were the first we had seen in these seas. 

On the 22d, our longitude, by observation, was 111°W. And our latitude20°18'S. And this day we saw some bonettoes, dolphins, and tropic birds. 

The people, who had been recovering from colds and fevers, now began tofall down in the scurvy, upon which, at the surgeon's representation, wine was served to them; wort was also made for them of malt, and eachman had half a pint of pickled cabbage every day. The variation from 4to 5 E. 

On the 26th we saw two grampuses; on the 28th we saw another, and thenext day several birds, among which was one about the size of a swallow, which some of us thought was a land bird. 

Our men now began to look very pale and sickly, and to fall down veryfast in the scurvy, notwithstanding all our care and attention toprevent it. They had vinegar and mustard without limitation, wineinstead of spirits, sweet wort and salop. Portable soup was stillconstantly boiled in their peas and oatmeal; their birth and clotheswere kept perfectly clean; the hammocks were constantly brought upon thedeck at eight o'clock in the morning, and carried down at four in theafternoon. Some of the beds and hammocks were washed every day; thewater was rendered wholesome by ventilation, and every part betweendecks frequently washed with vinegar. 

On Sunday the 31st of May, our longitude, by observation, was 127°45'W. Our latitude 29°38'S. And the variation, by azimuth and amplitude, 5°9'E. 

The next day, at three in the afternoon, our longitude, by observation, was 129°15'W. And our latitude 19°34'S. We had squally weather, withmuch lightning and rain, and saw several man-of-war birds. 

On the 3d we saw several gannets, which, with the uncertainty of theweather, inclined us to hope that land was not very far distant. Thenext day a turtle swam close by the ship; on the 5th we saw many birds, which confirmed our hope that some place of refreshment was near, and ateleven o'clock in the forenoon of the 6th, Jonathan Puller, a seaman, called out from the mast-head, "Land in the W. N. W. " At noon it was seenplainly from the deck, and found to be a low island, at about five orsix leagues distance. The joy which everyone on board felt at thisdiscovery, can be conceived by those only who have experienced thedanger, sickness, and fatigue of such a voyage as we had performed. 

When we were within about five miles of this island, we saw another, bearing N. W. By W. About three o'clock in the afternoon, being very nearthe island that was first discovered, we brought-to, and I sent MrFurneaux, my second lieutenant, my first lieutenant being very ill, withthe boats manned and armed, to the shore. As he approached it, we sawtwo canoes put off, and paddle away with great expedition towards theisland that lay to leeward. At seven in the evening the boats returned, and brought with them several cocoa-nuts, and a considerable quantity ofscurvy-grass; they brought also some fishhooks, that were made ofoyster-shells, and some of the shells of which they were made. Theyreported that they had seen none of the inhabitants, but had visitedthree huts, or rather sheds, consisting only of a roof, neatly thatchedwith cocoa-nut and palm-leaves, supported upon posts, and open allround. They saw also several canoes building, but found no fresh water, nor any fruit but cocoa-nuts. They sounded, but found no anchorage, andit was with great difficulty they got on shore, as the surf ran veryhigh. Having received this account, I stood off and on all night, and, early the next morning, I sent the boats out again to sound, withorders, if possible, to find a place where the ship might come to ananchor; but at eleven o'clock they returned, with no better success thanbefore. The people told me that the whole island was surrounded by areef, and that although on the weather side of the island there was anopening through it, into a large bason, that extended to the middle ofthe island, yet they found it so full of breakers, that they could notventure in; neither indeed had they been able to land on any part of theisland, the surf running still higher than it had done the day before. As it would therefore answer no purpose to continue here, I hoisted theboats in, and stood away for the other island, which bore S. 22°E. Distant about four leagues. The island which I now quitted, having beendiscovered on Whitsun-eve, I called it _Whitsun Island_. It is aboutfour miles long, and three wide. Its latitude is 19°26'S. , and itslongitude, by observation, 157°56'W. 

When we came under the lee of the other island, I sent LieutenantFurneaux, with the boats manned and armed, to the shore, where I sawabout fifty of the natives armed with long pikes, and several of themrunning about with fire-brands in their hands. I ordered Mr Furneaux togo to that part of the beach where we saw the people, and endeavour totraffic with them for fruit and water, or whatever else might be useful;at the same time being particularly careful to give them no offence. Iordered him also to employ the boats in sounding for anchorage. Aboutseven o'clock he returned, and told me that he could find no ground withthe line, till he came within half-a-cable's length of the shore, andthat there it consisted of sharp rocks, and lay very deep. 

As the boat approached the shore, the Indians thronged down towards thebeach, and put themselves upon their guard with their long pikes, as ifto dispute landing. Our men then lay upon their oars, and made signs offriendship, shewing at the same time several strings of beads, ribbands, knives, and other trinkets. The Indians still made signs to our peoplethat they should depart, but at the same time eyed the trinkets with akind of wishful curiosity. Soon after, some of them advanced a few stepsinto the sea, and our people making signs that they wanted cocoa-nutsand water, some of them brought down a small quantity of both, andventured to hand them into the boat: the water was in cocoa-nut shells, and the fruit was stripped of its outward covering, which is probablyused for various purposes. For this supply they were paid with thetrinkets that had been shewed them, and some nails, upon which theyseemed to set a much greater value. During this traffic, one of theIndians found means to steal a silk handkerchief, in which some of oursmall merchandise was wrapped up, and carried it clear off, with itscontents, so dexterously, that nobody observed him. Our people madesigns that a handkerchief had been stolen, but they either could not orwould not understand them. The boat continued about the beach, soundingfor anchorage, till it was dark; and having many times endeavoured topersuade the natives to bring down some scurvy-grass, without success, she returned on board. 

I stood off and on with the ship all night, and as soon as the daybroke, I sent the boats again, with orders to make a landing, butwithout giving any offence to the natives, that could possibly beavoided. When our boats came near the shore, the officer was greatlysurprised to see seven large canoes, with two stout masts in each, lyingjust in the surf, with all the inhabitants upon the beach, ready toembark. They made signs to our people to go higher up; they readilycomplied, and as soon as they went ashore, all the Indians embarked, andsailed away to the westward, being joined by two other canoes at thewest end of the island. About noon, the boats returned, laden withcocoa-nuts, palm-nuts, and scurvy-grass. Mr Furneaux, who commanded theexpedition, told me that the Indians had left nothing behind them butfour or five canoes. He found a well of very good water, and describedthe island as being sandy and level, full of trees, but withoutunderwood, and abounding with scurvy-grass. The canoes, which steeredabout W. S. W. As long as they could be seen from the mast-head, appearedto be about thirty feet long, four feet broad, and three and an halfdeep. Two of these being brought along-side of each other, were fastenedtogether, at the distance of about three feet asunder, by cross beams, passing from the larboard gunwale of one, to the starboard gunwale ofthe other, in the middle and near to each end. 

The inhabitants of this island were of a middle stature, and darkcomplexion, with long black hair, which hung loose over their shoulders. The men were well made, and the women handsome. Their clothing was akind of coarse cloth or matting, which was fastened about their middle, and seemed capable of being brought up round their shoulders. 

In the afternoon, I sent Lieutenant Furneaux with the boats again onshore. He had with him a mate and twenty men, who were to make arolling-way for getting the casks down to the beach from the well. Igave orders that he should take possession of the island, in the name ofKing George the Third, and give it the name of _Queen CharlottesIsland, _ in honour of her majesty. The boats returned freighted withcocoa-nuts and scurvy-grass, and the officer told me that he had foundtwo more wells of good water, not far from the beach. I was at this timevery ill, yet I went ashore with the surgeon, and several of the people, who were enfeebled by the scurvy, to take a walk. I found the wells soconvenient, that I left the mate and twenty men on shore to fill thewater, and ordered a week's provisions to be sent them from the ship, they being already furnished with arms and ammunition. In the evening Ireturned on board, with the surgeon and the sick, leaving only thewaterers on shore. As we had not been able to find any anchorage, Istood off and on all night. 

In the morning, I sent all the empty water casks on shore: the surgeonand the sick were also sent for the benefit of another airing, but Igave them strict orders that they should keep near the water-side, andin the shade; that they should not pull down or injure any of thehouses, nor, for the sake of the fruit, destroy the cocoa-trees, which Iappointed proper persons to climb. At noon, the rolling-way being made, the cutter returned laden with water, but, it was with great difficultygot off the beach, as it is all rock, and the surf that breaks upon itis often very great. At four, I received another boat-load of water, anda fresh supply of cocoa-nuts, palm-nuts, and scurvy-grass; the surgeonalso returned with the sick men, who received much benefit from theirwalk. The next morning, as soon as it was light, I dispatched orders tothe mate, to send all the water that was filled on board, and to beready to come off with his people when the boats should return again, bringing with them as many cocoa-nuts, and as much scurvy-grass, as theycould procure. About eight o'clock, all the boats and people came onboard, with the water and refreshments, but the cutter, in coming off, shipped a sea, which almost filled her with water: The barge was happilynear enough to assist her, by taking great part of her crew on board, while the rest freed her, without any other damage than the loss of thecocoa-nuts and greens that were on board. At noon, I hoisted the boatsin, and there being a great sea, with a dreadful surf rolling in uponthe shore, and no anchorage, I thought it prudent to leave this place, with such refreshments as we had got. The people who had resided onshore, saw no appearance of metal of any kind, but several tools, whichwere made of shells and stones, sharpened and fitted into handles, likeadzes, chissels, and awls. They saw several canoes building, which wereformed of planks, sewed together, and fastened to several small timbers, that passed transversely along the bottom and up the sides. They sawseveral repositories of the dead, in which the body was left to putrefyunder a canopy, and not put into the ground. 

When we sailed, we left a union jack flying upon the island, with theship's name, the time of our being here, and an account of our takingpossession of this place, and Whitsun Island, in the name of hisBritannic Majesty, cut on a piece of wood, and in the bark of severaltrees. We also left some hatchets, nails, glass bottles, beads, shillings, sixpences, and halfpence, as presents to the natives, and anatonement for the disturbance we had given them. Queen Charlotte'sIsland is about six miles long, and one mile wide, lies in latitude19°18'S. , longitude, by observation, 138°4'W. ; and we found thevariation here to be 4°46'E. 

We made sail with a fine breeze, and, about one o'clock, saw an islandW. By S. , Queen Charlotte's Island at this time bearing E. By N. Distantfifteen miles. At half an hour after three, we were within about threequarters of a mile of the east end of the island, and ran close alongthe shore, but had no soundings. The east and west ends are joined toeach other by a reef of rocks, over which the sea breaks into a lagoon, in the middle of the island, which, therefore, had the appearance of twoislands, and seemed to be about six miles long, and four broad. Thewhole of it is low land, full of trees, but we saw not a single cocoanut, nor any huts: We found, however, at the westermost end, all thecanoes and people who had fled, at our approach, from Queen Charlotte'sIsland, and some more. We counted eight double canoes, and aboutfourscore people, women, and children. The canoes were drawn up on thebeach, the women and children were placed near them, and the menadvanced with their pikes and firebrands, making a great noise, anddancing in a strange manner. We observed that this island was sandy, andthat under the trees there was no verdure. As the shore was every whererocky, as there was no anchorage, and as we had no prospect of obtainingany refreshment here, I set sail at six o'clock in the evening, fromthis island, to which I gave the name of _Egmont Island_, in honour ofthe Earl of Egmont, who was then first Lord of the Admiralty. It lies inlatitude 19°20'S. , longitude, by observation, 138°30'W. 

At one o'clock, on the 11th, we saw an island in the W. S. W. And stood, for it. At four in the afternoon, we were within a quarter of a mile ofthe shore, and ran along it, sounding continually, but could get noground. It is surrounded on every side by rocks, on which the sea breaksvery high. It is full of trees, but not one cocoa-nut, and has much thesame appearance with Egmont Island, but is much narrower. Among therocks, at the west end, we saw about sixteen of the natives, but nocanoes: They carried long pikes or poles in their hands, and seemed tobe, in every respect, the same kind of people that we had seen before. As nothing was to be had here, and it blew very hard, I made sail tilleight in the evening, and then brought to. To this island, which isabout six miles long, and from one mile to one quarter of a mile broad, I gave the name of _Gloucester Island_, in honour of his royal highnessthe Duke. It lies in latitude 19°11'S. , and longitude, by observation, 140°4'W. 

At five o'clock in the morning, we made sail, and soon after saw anotherisland. At ten o'clock, the weather being tempestuous, with much rain, we saw a long reef, with breakers on each side of the island, andtherefore brought the ship to, with her head off the shore. To thisisland, which lies in latitude 19°18'S. , longitude, by observation, 140°36'W. , I gave the name of _Cumberland Island_, in honour of hisroyal highness the Duke. It lies low, and is about the same size asQueen Charlotte's Island. We found the variation, of the needle here tobe 7°10'E. As I had no hope of finding any refreshment here, I stood onto the westward. 

At day-break, on Saturday the 13th, we saw another small low island, inthe N. N. W. Right to windward. It had the appearance of small flat keys. This place I called _Prince William Henry's Island_, in honour of hismajesty's third son. It lies in latitude 19°S. , longitude, byobservation, 141°6' W. I made no stay here, hoping that to the westwardI should find higher land, where the ship might come to an anchor, andsuch refreshments as we wanted be procured. 

Soon after day-light, on the 17th, we saw land bearing W. By N. Andmaking in a small round hummock. At noon, when it bore N. 64° W. Distantabout five leagues, its appearance greatly resembled the Mewstone inPlymouth Sound, but it seemed to be much larger. We found the ship thisday twenty miles to the northward of her reckoning, which I imputed to agreat S. W. Swell. 

At five in the evening, this island bore N. W. Distant about eight miles. I then hauled the wind, and stood on and off all night. At ten, we saw alight upon the shore, which, though the island was small, proved that itwas inhabited, and gave us hopes that we should find anchorage near it. We observed with great pleasure, that the land was very high, andcovered with cocoa-trees; a sure sign that there was water. 

The next morning, I sent Lieutenant Furneaux to the shore, with theboats manned and armed, and all kinds of trinkets, to establish atraffic with the natives, for such refreshment as the place wouldafford. I gave him orders also to find, if possible, an anchoring-placefor the ship. While we were getting out the boats, several canoes putoff from the island, but as soon as the people on board saw them maketowards the shore, they put back. At noon, the boats returned, andbrought with them a pig and a cock, with a few plantains and cocoa-nuts. Mr Furneaux reported, that he had seen at least an hundred of theinhabitants, and believed there were many more upon the island; butthat, having been all round it, he could find no anchorage, nor scarcelya landing-place for the boat. When he reached the shore, he came to agrappling, and threw a warp to the Indians upon the beach, who caught itand held it fast. He then began to converse with them by signs, andobserved that they had no weapon among them, but that some of them hadwhite sticks, which seemed to be ensigns of authority, as the people whobore them kept the rest of the natives back. In return for the pig andthe cock, he gave them some beads, a looking-glass, a few combs, withseveral other trinkets, and a hatchet. The women, who had been kept at adistance, as soon as they saw the trinkets, ran down in a crowd to thebeach, with great eagerness, but were soon driven away by the men, atwhich they expressed much disappointment and vexation. While thistraffic was carrying on, a man came secretly round a rock, and divingdown, took up the boat's grappling, and at the same time the people onshore who held the warp, made an effort to draw her into the surf. Assoon as this was perceived by the people on board, they fired a musketover the man's head who had taken up the grappling, upon which heinstantly let it go, with marks of great terror and astonishment; thepeople on shore also let go the rope. The boats, after this, lay sometime upon their oars, but the officer, finding that he could get nothingmore, returned on board. Mr Furneanx told me, that both the men andwomen were clothed, and he brought a piece of their cloth away with him. The inhabitants appeared to him to be more numerous than the islandcould support, and for this reason, especially as he saw some largedouble canoes upon the beach, he imagined there were islands of largerextent, not far distant, where refreshments in greater plenty might beprocured, and hoped that they might be less difficult of access. As Ithought this a reasonable conjecture, I hoisted in the boats, anddetermined to run farther to the westward. To this place, which isnearly circular, and about two miles over, I gave the name of _OsnaburghIsland_, in honour of Prince Frederick, who is bishop of that see. Itlies in latitude 17°51'S. , and longitude 147°30'W. ; the variation herewas 7°10' E. [51]

[Footnote 51: The islands spoken of in this section, with several more, constitute a pretty considerable cluster, to which Bougainville gave thename of Dangerous Archipelago; and by this name they are usuallydesignated in modern maps. --E. ]

SECTION V. 

_An Account of the Discovery of King George the Third's Island, orOtaheite, and of several Incidents which happened both on board theShip, and on Shore. _

At two o'clock, the same day, we bore away, and in about half an hour, discovered very high land in the W. S. W. At seven in the evening, Osnaburgh Island bore E. N. E. And the new discovered land, from W. N. W. To W. By S. As the weather was thick and squally, we brought to for thenight, or at least till the fog should break away. At two in themorning, it being very clear, we made sail again; at day-break we sawthe land, at about five leagues distance, and steered directly for it;but at eight o'clock, when we were close under it, the fog obliged usagain to lie to, and when it cleared away, we were much surprised, tofind ourselves surrounded by some hundreds of canoes. They were ofdifferent sizes, and had on board different numbers, from one to ten, sothat in all of them together, there could not be less than eight hundredpeople. When they came within pistol-shot of the ship, they lay by, gazing at us with great astonishment, and by turns conferring with eachother. In the mean time we shewed them trinkets of various kinds, andinvited them on board. Soon after, they drew together, and held a kindof council, to determine what should be done: Then they all paddledround the ship, making signs of friendship, and one of them holding up abranch of the plantain-tree, made a speech that lasted near a quarter ofan hour, and then threw it into the sea. Soon after, as we continued tomake signs of invitation, a fine, stout, lively young man ventured onboard: He came up by the mizen chains, and jumped out of the shroudsupon the top of the awning. We made signs to him to come down upon thequarter-deck, and handed up some trinkets to him: He looked pleased, butwould accept of nothing till some of the Indians came along-side, andafter much talk, threw a few branches of plantain-tree on board theship; he then accepted our presents, and several others very soon cameon board, at different parts of the ship, not knowing the properentrance. As one of these Indians was standing near the gang-way, on thelarboard side of the quarter-deck, one of our goats butted him upon thehaunches: Being surprised at the blow, he turned hastily about, and sawthe goat raised upon his hind-legs, ready to repeat the blow. Theappearance of this animal, so different from any he had ever seen, struck him with such terror, that he instantly leaped over-board; andall the rest, upon seeing what had happened, followed his example withthe utmost precipitation: They recovered, however, in a short time, fromtheir fright, and returned on board. After having a little reconciledthem to our goats and sheep, I shewed them our hogs and poultry, andthey immediately made signs that they had such animals as these. I thendistributed trinkets and nails among them, and made signs that theyshould go on shore and bring us some of their hogs, fowls, and fruit, but they did not seem to understand my meaning: They were, in the meantime, watching an opportunity to steal some of the things that happenedto lie in their way, but we generally detected them in the attempt. Atlast, however, one of the midshipmen happened to come where they werestanding, with a new laced hat upon his head, and began to talk to oneof them by signs: While he was thus engaged, another of them came behindhim, and suddenly snatching off the hat, leaped over the taffarel intothe sea, and swam away with it. 

As we had no anchorage here, we stood along the shore, sending the boatsat the same time to sound at a less distance. As none of these canoeshad sails, they could not keep up with us, and therefore soon paddledback towards the shore. The country has the most delightful and romanticappearance that can be imagined: Towards the sea it is level, and iscovered with fruit trees of various kinds, particularly the cocoa-nut. Among these are the houses of the inhabitants, consisting only of aroof, and at a distance having greatly the appearance of a long barn. The country within, at about the distance of three miles, rises intolofty hills, that are crowned with wood, and terminate in peaks, fromwhich large rivers are precipitated into the sea. We saw no shoals, butfound the island skirted by a reef of rocks, through which there areseveral openings into deep water. About three o'clock in the afternoon, we brought-to a-breast of a large bay, where there was an appearance ofanchorage. The boats were immediately sent to sound it, and while theywere thus employed, I observed a great number of canoes gather roundthem. I suspected that the Indians had a design to attack them; and as Iwas very desirous to prevent mischief, I made the signal for the boatsto come on board, and at the same time, to intimidate the Indians, Ifired a nine-pounder over their heads. As soon as the cutter began tostand towards the ship, the Indians in their canoes, though they hadbeen startled by the thunder of our nine-pounder, endeavoured to cut heroff. The boat, however, sailing faster than the canoes could paddle, soon got clear of those that were about her; but some others, that werefull of men, way-laid her in her course, and threw several stones intoher, which wounded some of the people. Upon this, the officer on boardfired a musket, loaded with buck-shot, at the man who threw the firststone, and wounded him in the shoulder. The rest of the people in thecanoe, as soon as they perceived their companion wounded, leapt into thesea, and the other canoes paddled away in great terror and confusion. Assoon as the boats reached the ship, they were hoisted on board, and justas she was about to stand on, we observed a large canoe, under sail, making after us. As I thought she might have some chief on board, ormight have been dispatched to bring me a message from some chief, Idetermined to wait for her. She sailed very fast, and was soon alongsideof the ship, but we did not observe, among those on board, any one thatseemed to have an authority over the rest. One of them, however, stoodup, and having made a speech, which continued about five minutes, threwon board a branch of the plantain-tree. We understood this to be a tokenof peace, and we returned it, by handing over one of the branches ofplantain that had been left on board by our first visitors: With thisand some toys, that were afterwards presented to him, he appeared to bemuch gratified, and after a short time, went away. 

The officers who had been sent out with the boats, informed me that theyhad sounded close to the reef, and found as great a depth of water as atthe other islands: However, as I was now on the weather-side of theisland, I had reason to expect anchorage in running to leeward. Itherefore took this course, but finding breakers that ran off to a greatdistance from the south end of the island, I hauled the wind, andcontinued turning to windward all night, in order to run down on theeast side of the island. 

At five o'clock in the morning, we made sail, the land bearing N. W. ByW. Distant ten leagues; and there seemed to be land five leagues beyondit, to the N. E. ; a remarkable peak, like a sugar loaf, bore N. N. E. Whenwe were about two leagues from the shore, which afforded a mostdelightful prospect, and was full of houses and inhabitants. We sawseveral large canoes near the shore, under sail, but they did not steertowards the ship. At noon, we were within two or three miles of theisland, and it then bore from S. 3/4 W. To N. W. By N. We continued ourcourse along the shore, sometimes at the distance of half a mile, andsometimes at the distance of four or five miles, but hitherto had got nosoundings. At six o'clock in the evening, we were a-breast of a fineriver, and the coast having a better appearance here than in any otherpart that we had seen, I determined to stand off and on all night, andtry for anchorage in the morning. As soon as it was dark, we saw a greatnumber of lights all along the shore. At daybreak, we sent out the boatsto sound, and soon after, they made the signal for twenty fathom. Thisproduced an universal joy, which it is not easy to describe, and weimmediately ran in, and came to an anchor in seventeen fathom, with aclear sandy bottom. We lay about a mile distant from the shore, oppositeto a fine run of water; the extremes of the land bearing from E. S. E. ToN. W. By W. As soon as we had secured the ship, I sent the boats to soundalong the coast, and look at the place where we saw the water. At thistime, a considerable number of canoes came off to the ship, and broughtwith them hogs, fowls, and fruit in great plenty, which we purchased fortrinkets and nails. But when the boats made towards the shore, thecanoes, most of which were double, and very large, sailed after them. Atfirst they kept at a distance, but as the boats approached the shore, they grew bolder, and at last three of the largest ran at the cutter, staved in her quarter, and carried away her out-rigger, the Indianspreparing at the same time to board her, with their clubs and paddles intheir hands. Our people being thus pressed, were obliged to fire, bywhich one of the assailants was killed, and another much wounded. Uponreceiving the shot, they both fell overboard, and all the people whowere in the same canoe, instantly leaped into the sea after them: Theother two canoes dropped a-stern, and our boats went on without anyfarther interruption. As soon as the Indians, who were in the water, sawthat the boats stood on without attempting to do them any farther hurt, they recovered their canoe, and hauled in their wounded companions. Theyset them both upon their feet to see if they could stand, and findingthey could not, they tried whether they could sit upright: One of themcould, and him they supported in that posture, but perceiving that theother was quite dead, they laid the body along at the bottom of thecanoe. After this some of the canoes went ashore, and others returnedagain to the ship to traffic, which is a proof that our conduct hadconvinced them that while they behaved peaceably they had nothing tofear, and that they were conscious they had brought the mischief, whichhad just happened, upon themselves. 

The boats continued sounding till noon, when they returned with anaccount that the ground was very clear; that it was at the depth of fivefathom, within a quarter of a mile of the shore; but that there was avery great surf where we had seen the water. The officers told me, thatthe inhabitants swarmed upon the beach, and that many of them swam offto the boat with fruit, and bamboos filled with water. They said thatthey were very importunate with them to come on shore, particularly thewomen, who came down to the beach, and stripping themselves naked, endeavoured to allure them by many wanton gestures, the meaning of whichcould not possibly be mistaken. At this time, however, our peopleresisted the temptation. 

In the afternoon, I sent the boats again to the shore, with somebarecas, or small casks, which are filled at the head, and have a handleby which they are carried, to endeavour to procure some water, of whichwe began to be in great want. In the mean time many of the canoescontinued about the ship, but the Indians had been guilty of so manythefts, that I would not suffer any more of them to come on board. 

At five in the evening, the boats returned with only two barecas ofwater, which the natives had filled for them; and as a compensation fortheir trouble, they thought fit to detain all the rest. Our people, whodid not leave their boat, tried every expedient they could think of toinduce the Indians to return their water-vessels, but without success;and the Indians, in their turn, were very pressing for our people tocome on shore, which they thought it prudent to decline. There were manythousands of the inhabitants of both sexes, and a great number ofchildren on the beach, when our boats came away. 

The next morning, I sent the boats on shore again for water, with nails, hatchets, and such other things as I thought most likely to gain thefriendship of the inhabitants. In the mean time, a great number ofcanoes came off to the ship, with bread-fruit, plantains, a fruitresembling an apple, only better, fowls, and hogs, which we purchasedwith beads, nails, knives, and other articles of the like kind, so thatwe procured pork enough to serve the ship's company two days, at a pounda man. 

When the boats returned, they brought us only a few calibashes of water, for the number of people on the beach was so great, that they would notventure to land, though the young women repeated the allurements whichthey had practised the day before, with still more wanton, and, ifpossible, less equivocal gestures. Fruit and provisions of various kindswere brought down and ranged upon the beach, of which our people werealso invited to partake, as an additional inducement for them to leavethe boat. They continued, however, inexorable, and shewing the Indian'sthe barecas on board, made signs that they should bring down those whichhad been detained the day before: To this the Indians were inexorable intheir turn, and our people therefore weighed their grapplings, andsounded all round the place, to see whether the ship could come in nearenough to cover the waterers, in which case they might venture on shore, in defiance of the whole island. When they put off, the women peltedthem with apples and bananas, shouting, and shewing every mark ofderision and contempt that they could devise. They reported, that theship might ride in four fathom water, with sandy ground, at two cables'length from the shore, and in five fathom water at three cables' length. The wind here blew right along the shore, raising a great surf on theside of the vessel, and on the beach. 

At day-break, the next morning, we weighed, with a design to anchor offthe watering-place. As we were standing off, to get farther to windward, we discovered a bay about six or eight miles to leeward, over the land, from the mast-head, and immediately bore away for it, sending the boatsa-head to sound. At nine o'clock, the boats making the signal for twelvefathom, we hauled round a reef, and stood in, with a design to come toan anchor; but when we came near the boats, one of which was on eachbow, the ship struck. Her head continued immoveable, but her stern wasfree; and, upon casting the lead, we found the depth of water, upon thereef or shoal, to be from seventeen fathom to two and a half: We clewedall up as fast as possible, and cleared the ship of what lumber therehappened to be upon the deck, at the same time getting out thelong-boat, with the stream and kedge anchors, the stream-cable andhauser, in order to carry them without the reef, that when they hadtaken ground, the ship might be drawn off towards them, by applying agreat force to the capstern, but unhappily without the reef we had nobottom. Our condition was now very alarming, the ship continued beatingagainst the rock with great force, and we were surrounded by manyhundred canoes, full of men; they did not, however, attempt to come onboard us, but seemed to wait in expectation of our shipwreck. In theanxiety and terror of such a situation we continued near an hour, without being able to do any thing for our deliverance, except stavingsome water-casks in the fore-hold, when a breeze happily springing upfrom the shore, the ship's head swung off. We immediately pressed herwith all the sail we could make; upon which she began to move, and wasvery soon once more in deep water. 

We now stood off, and the boats being sent to leeward, found that thereef ran down to the westward about a mile and a half, and that beyondit there was a very good harbour. The master, after having placed a boatat the end of the reef, and furnished the long-boat with anchor andhausers, and a guard to defend her from an attack of the Indians, cameon board, and piloted the ship round the reef into the harbour, where, about twelve o'clock, she came to an anchor in seventeen fathom water, with a fine bottom of black sand. 

The place where the ship struck appeared, upon farther examination, tobe a reef of sharp coral rock, with very unequal soundings, from sixfathom to two; and it happened unfortunately to lie between the twoboats that were placed as a direction to the ship, the weathermost boathaving twelve fathom, and the leewardmost nine. The wind freshenedalmost as soon as we got off, and though it soon became calm again, thesurf ran so high, and broke with such violence upon the rock, that ifthe ship had continued fast half an hour longer, she must inevitablyhave been beaten to pieces. Upon examining her bottom, we could notdiscover that she had received any damage, except that a small piece wasbeaten off the bottom of her rudder. She did not appear to admit anywater, but the trussel-trees, at the head of all the masts, were brokenshort, which we supposed to have happened while she was beating againstthe rock. Our boats lost their grapplings upon the reef, but as we hadreason to hope that the ship was sound, they gave us very littleconcern. As soon as the ship was secured, I sent the master, with allthe boats manned and armed, to sound the upper part of the bay, that ifhe found good anchorage we might warp the ship up within the reef, andanchor her in safety. The weather was now very pleasant, a great numberof canoes were upon the reef, and the shore was crowded with people. 

About four in the afternoon the master returned, and reported, thatthere was every-where good anchorage; I therefore determined to warp theship up the bay early in the morning, and in the mean time, I put thepeople at four watches, one watch to be always under arms; loaded andprimed all the guns, fixed musquetoons in all the boats, and ordered allthe people who were not upon the watch, to repair to the quartersassigned them, at a moment's warning, there being a great number ofcanoes, some of them very large, and full of men, hovering upon theshore, and many smaller venturing to the ship, with hogs, fowls, andfruit, which we purchased of them, much to the satisfaction of bothparties; and at sun-set, all the canoes rowed in to the shore. 

At six o'clock the next morning, we began to warp the ship up theharbour, and soon after, a great number of canoes came under her stern. As I perceived that they had hogs, fowls, and fruit on board, I orderedthe gunner, and two midshipmen, to purchase them for knives, nails, beads, and other trinkets, at the same time prohibiting the trade to allother persons on board. By eight o'clock, the number of canoes wasgreatly increased, and those that came last up were double, of a verylarge size, with twelve or fifteen stout men in each. I observed, withsome concern, that they appeared to be furnished rather for war thantrade, having very little on board except round pebble stones; Itherefore sent for Mr Furneaux, my first lieutenant being still veryill, and ordered him to keep the fourth watch constantly at their arms, while the rest of the people were warping the ship. In the mean timemore canoes were continually coming off from the shore, which werefreighted very differently from the rest, for they had on board a numberof women, who were placed in a row, and who, when they came near theship, made all the wanton gestures that can be conceived. While theseladies were practising their allurements, the large canoes, which werefreighted with stones, drew together very close round the ship, some ofthe men on board singing in a hoarse voice, some blowing conchs, andsome playing on a flute. After some time, a man who sat upon a canopythat was fixed on one of the large double canoes, made signs that hewished to come up to the ship's side; I immediately intimated myconsent, and when he came alongside, he gave one of the men a bunch ofred and yellow feathers, making signs that he should carry it to me. Ireceived it with expressions of amity, and immediately got some trinketsto present him in return, but to my great surprise he had put off to alittle distance from the ship, and upon his throwing up the branch of acocoa-nut tree, there was an universal shout from all the canoes, whichat once moved towards the ship, and a shower of stones was poured intoher on every side. As an attack was now begun, in which our arms onlycould render us superior to the multitude that assailed us, especiallyas great part of the ship's company was in a sick and feeble condition, I ordered the guard to fire; two of the quarter-deck guns, which I hadloaded with small shot, were also fired nearly at the same time, and theIndians appeared to be thrown into some confusion: In a few minutes, however, they renewed the attack, and all our people that were able tocome upon deck, having by this time got to their quarters, I orderedthem to fire the great guns, and to play some of them constantly at aplace on shore, where a great number of canoes were still taking in men, and pushing off towards the ship with the utmost expedition. When thegreat guns began to fire, there were not less than three hundred canoesabout the ship, having on board at least two thousand men; manythousands were also upon the shore, and more canoes coming from everyquarter: The firing, however, soon drove away the canoes that were aboutthe ship, and put a stop to the coming off of others. As soon as I sawsome of them retreating, and the rest quiet, I ordered the firing tocease, hoping that they were sufficiently convinced of our superiority, not to renew the contest. In this, however, I was unhappily mistaken: Agreat number of the canoes that had been dispersed, soon drew togetheragain, and lay some time on their paddles, looking at the ship from thedistance of about a quarter of a mile, and then suddenly hoisting whitestreamers, pulled towards the ship's stern, and began again to throwstones, with great force and dexterity, by the help of slings, from aconsiderable distance: Each of these stones weighed about two pounds, and many of them wounded the people on board, who would have sufferedmuch more, if an awning had not been spread over the whole deck to keepout the sun, and the hammocks placed in the nettings. At the same timeseveral canoes, well manned, were making towards the ship's bow, havingprobably taken notice that no shot had been fired from this part: Itherefore ordered some guns forward, to be well pointed and fired atthese canoes; at the same time running out two guns abaft, and pointingthem well at the canoes that were making the attack. Among the canoesthat were coming toward the bow, there was one which appeared to havesome chief on board, as it was by signals made from her that the othershad been called together: It happened that a shot, fired from the gunsforward, hit this canoe so full as to cut it asunder. As soon as thiswas observed by the rest, they dispersed with such haste that in half anhour there was not a single canoe to be seen; the people also who hadcrowded the shore, immediately fled over the hills with the utmostprecipitation. 

Having now no reason to fear any further interruption, we warped theship up the harbour, and by noon, we were not more than half a mile fromthe upper part of the bay, within less than two cables' length of a fineriver, and about two and a half of the reef. We had here nine fathomwater, and close to the shore there were five. We moored the ship, andcarried out the stream-anchor, with the two shroud-hawsers, for aspring, to keep the ship's broadside abreast of the river; we also gotup and mounted the eight guns which had been put into the hold. As soonas this was done, the boats were employed in sounding all around thebay, and in examining the shore where any of the inhabitants appeared, in order to discover, whether it was probable that they would give usany further disturbance. All the afternoon, and part of the nextmorning, was spent in this service; and about noon, the master returned, with a tolerable survey of the place, and reported, that there were nocanoes in sight; that there was good landing on every part of the beach;that there was nothing in the bay from which danger could beapprehended, except the reef, and some rocks at the upper end, whichappeared above water; and that the river, though it emptied itself onthe other side of the point, was fresh water. 

Soon after the master had brought me this account, I sent Mr Furneauxagain, with all the boats manned and armed, the marines being also puton board, with orders to land opposite to our station, and securehimself, under cover of the boats and the ship, in the clearest groundhe could find. About two o'clock the boats landed without anyopposition, and Mr Furneaux stuck up a staff, upon which he hoisted apendant, turned a turf, and took possession of the island in hismajesty's name, in honour of whom he called it _King George the Third'sIsland_:[52] He then went to the river, and tasted the water, which hefound excellent, and, mixing some of it with rum, every man drank hismajesty's health. While he was at the river, which was about twelveyards wide, and fordable, he saw two old men on the opposite side of it, who perceiving that they were discovered, put themselves in asupplicatory posture, and seemed to be in great terror and confusion. MrFurneaux made signs that they should come over the river, and one ofthem complied. When he landed, he came forward, creeping upon his handsand knees, but Mr Furneaux raised him up, and, while he stood trembling, shewed him some of the stones that were thrown at the ship, andendeavoured to make him apprehend that if the natives attempted nomischief against us, we should do no harm to them. He ordered two of thewater-casks to be filled, to shew the Indian that we wanted water, andproduced some hatchets, and other things, to intimate that he wished totrade for provisions. The old man, during this pantomimicalconversation, in some degree recovered his spirits; and Mr Furneaux, toconfirm his professions of friendship, gave him a hatchet, some nails, beads, and other trifles; after which he re-embarked on board the boats, and left the pendant flying. As soon as the boats were put off, the oldman went up to the pendant, and danced round it a considerable time: Hethen retired, but soon after returned with some green boughs, which hethrew down, and retired a second time: It was not long, however, beforehe appeared again, with about a dozen of the inhabitants, and puttingthemselves in a supplicating posture, they all approached the pendant ina slow pace; but the wind happening to move it, when they were got closeto it, they suddenly retreated with the greatest precipitation. Afterstanding some time at a distance, and gazing at it, they went away, butin a short time came back, with two large hogs alive, which they laiddown at the foot of the staff, and at length, taking courage, they beganto dance. When they had performed this ceremony, they brought the hogsdown to the water-side, launched a canoe, and put them on board. The oldman, who had a large white beard, then embarked with them alone, andbrought them to the ship: When he came alongside, he made a set speech, and afterwards handed in several green plantain-leaves, one by one, uttering a sentence, in a solemn slow tone, with each of them as hedelivered it; after this he sent on board the two hogs, and then, turning round, pointed to the land. I ordered some presents to be givenhim, but he would accept of nothing; and soon after put off his canoe, and went on shore. 

[Footnote 52: This island is much better known by the name given it byits inhabitants--Otaheite. The reader need scarcely to be informed thata description of it, and an account of many interesting particularsrespecting it, must occupy no small place in the pages devoted to thehistory of Cook's Voyages. --E. ]

At night, soon after it was dark, we heard the noise of many drums, withconchs, and other wind-instruments, and saw a multitude of lights allalong the coast. At six in the morning, seeing none of the natives onshore, and observing that the pendant was taken away, which probablythey had learnt to despise, as the frogs in the fable did King Log, Iordered the lieutenant to take a guard on shore, and, if all was well, to send off, that we might begin watering: In a short time, I had thesatisfaction to find that he had sent off for water-casks, and by eighto'clock, we had four tons of water on board. While our people wereemployed in filling the casks, several of the natives appeared on theopposite side of the river, with the old man whom the officer had seenthe day before; and soon after he came over, and brought with him alittle fruit, and a few fowls, which were also sent off to the ship. Atthis time, having been very ill for near a fortnight, I was so weak thatI could scarcely crawl about; however, I employed my glasses to see whatwas doing on shore. At near half an hour after eight o'clock, Iperceived a multitude of the natives coming over a hill at about thedistance of a mile, and at the same time a great number of canoes makinground the western point, and keeping close along the shore. I thenlooked at the watering-place, and saw at the back of it, where it wasclear, a very numerous party of the natives creeping along behind thebushes; I saw also many thousands in the woods, pushing along towardsthe watering-place, and canoes coming very fast round the other point ofthe bay to the eastward. Being alarmed at these appearances, Idispatched a boat, to acquaint the officer on shore with what I hadseen, and order him immediately to come on board with his men, and leavethe casks behind him: He had, however, discovered his danger, andembarked before the boat reached him. Having perceived the Indians thatwere creeping towards him under shelter of the wood, he immediatelydispatched the old man to them, making signs that they should keep at adistance, and that he wanted nothing but water. As soon as theyperceived that they were discovered, they began to shout, and advancedwith greater speed. The officer immediately repaired to the boats withhis people, and the Indians, in the mean time, having crossed the river, took possession of the water-casks, with great appearance of exultationand joy. The canoes now pulled along the shore, towards the place, withthe utmost expedition, all the people on land keeping pace with them, except a multitude of women and children, who seated themselves upon ahill which overlooked the bay and the beach. The canoes from each pointof the bay, as they drew nearer to that part of it where the ship was atanchor, put on shore, and took in more men, who had great bags in theirhands, which afterwards appeared to be filled with stones. All thecanoes that had come round the points, and many others that had put offfrom the shore within the bay, now made towards the ship, so that I hadno doubt but that they intended to try their fortune in a second attack. As to shorten the contest would certainly lessen the mischief, Idetermined to make this action decisive, and put an end to hostilitiesat once; I therefore ordered the people, who were at all their quarters, to fire first upon the canoes, which were drawn together in groups:this was immediately done so effectually, that those which were to thewestward made towards the shore as fast as possible, and those to theeastward, getting round the reef, were soon beyond the reach of oarguns. I then directed the fire into the wood in different parts, whichsoon drove the Indians out of it, who ran up the hill where the womenand children had seated themselves to see the battle. Upon this billthere were now several thousands who thought themselves in perfectsecurity; but to convince them of the contrary, and hoping that whenthey saw the shot fall much farther than they could think possible, theywould suppose it could reach them at any distance, I ordered some of theguns to be let down as low as they would admit, and fired four shottowards them. Two of the balls fell close by a tree where a great numberof these people were sitting, and struck them with such terror andconsternation, that in less than two minutes not one of them was to beseen. Having thus cleared the coast, I manned and armed the boats, andputting a strong guard on board, I sent all the carpenters with theiraxes, and ordered them to destroy every canoe that had been run ashore. Before noon, this service was effectually performed, and more than fiftycanoes, many of which were sixty feet long, and three broad, and lashedtogether, were cut to pieces. Nothing was found in them but stones andslings, except a little fruit, and a few fowls and hogs, which were onboard two or three canoes of a much smaller size. 

At two o'clock in the afternoon, about ten of the natives came out ofthe wood with green boughs in their hands, which they stuck up near thewater side, and retired. After a short time, they appeared again, andbrought with them several hogs, with their legs tied, which they placednear the green boughs, and retired a second time. After this theybrought down several more hogs, and some dogs, with their fore-legs tiedover their heads, and going again into the woods, brought back severalbundles of the cloth which they use for apparel, and which has someresemblance to Indian paper. These they placed upon the beach, andcalled to us on board to fetch them away. As we were at the distance ofabout three cables' length, we could not then perfectly discover of whatthis peace-offering consisted: we guessed at the hogs and the cloth, butseeing the dogs, with their fore-legs appearing over the hinder part ofthe neck, rise up several times, and run a little way in an erectposture, we took them for some strange unknown animal, and were veryimpatient to have a nearer view of them. The boat was therefore sent onshore with all expedition, and our wonder was soon at an end. Our peoplefound nine good hogs, besides the dogs and the cloth: the hogs werebrought off, but the dogs were turned loose, and with the cloth leftbehind. In return for the hogs, our people left upon the shore somehatchets, nails, and other things, making signs to some of the Indianswho were in sight, to take them away with their cloth. Soon after theboat had come on board, the Indians brought down two more hogs, andcalled to us to fetch them; the boat therefore returned, and fetched offthe two hogs, but still left the cloth, though the Indians made signsthat we should take it. Our people reported, that they had not touchedany of the things which they had left upon the beach for them, andsomebody suggesting that they would not take our offering because we hadnot accepted their cloth, I gave orders that it should be fetched away. The event proved that the conjecture was true, for the moment the boathad taken the cloth on board, the Indians came down, and, with everypossible demonstration of joy, carried away all I had sent them into thewood. Our boats then went to the watering-place, and filled and broughtoff all the casks, to the amount of about six tons. We found that theyhad suffered no injury while they had been in the possession of theIndians, but some leathern buckets and funnels, which had been takenaway with the casks, were not returned. 

The next morning I sent the boats on shore, with a guard, to fill somemore casks with water, and soon after the people were on shore, the sameold man who had come over the river to them the first day, came again tothe farther side of it, where he made a long speech, and then crossedthe water. When he came up to the waterers, the officer shewed him thestones that were piled up like cannon balls upon the shore, and had beenbrought thither since our first landing, and some of the bags that hadbeen taken out of the canoes, which I had ordered to be destroyed, filled with stones, and endeavoured to make him understand that theIndians had been the aggressors, and that the mischief we had done themwas in our own defence. The old man seemed to apprehend his meaning, but not to admit it: he immediately made a speech to the people, pointing to the stones, slings, and bags, with great emotion, andsometimes his looks, gestures, and voice were so furious as to befrightful. His passions, however, subsided by degrees, and the officer, who, to his great regret, could not understand one word of all that hehad said, endeavoured to convince him, by all the signs he could devise, that we wished to live in friendship with them, and were disposed toshew them every mark of kindness in our power. He then shook hands withhim, and embraced him, giving him at the same time several such trinketsas he thought would be most acceptable. He contrived also to make theold man understand that we wished to traffic for provisions, that theIndians should not come down in great numbers, and that they should keepon one side of the river and we on the other. After this the old manwent away with great appearance of satisfaction, and before noon a tradewas established, which furnished us with hogs, fowls, and fruit in greatabundance, so that all the ship's company, whether sick or well, had asmuch as they could use. 

SECTION VI. 

_The Sick sent on Shore, and a regular Trade established with theNatives; some Account of their Character and Manners, of their Visits onboard the Ship, and a Variety of Incidents that happened during thisIntercourse_. 

Matters being thus happily settled, I sent the surgeon, with the secondlieutenant, to examine the country, and fix upon some place where thesick might take up their residence on shore. When they returned, theysaid, that with respect to health and convenience, all the places theyhad seen upon the island seemed to be equally proper; but that withrespect to safety, they could recommend none but the watering-place, asthey would be there under the protection of the ship and the guard, andwould easily be prevented from straggling into the country, and broughtoff to their meals. To the watering-place therefore I sent them, withthose that were employed in filling the casks, and appointed the gunnerto command the party that was to be their guard. A tent was erected forthem as a shelter both from the sun and the rain, and the surgeon wassent to superintend their conduct, and give his advice if it should bewanted. It happened that walking out with his gun, after he had seen thesick properly disposed of in the tent, a wild duck flew over his head, which he shot, and it fell dead among some of the natives who were onthe other side of the river. This threw them into a panic, and they allran away; when they got to some distance they stopped, and he made signsto them to bring the duck over: This one of them at last ventured to do, and, pale and trembling, laid it down at his feet. Several other duckshappening at the instant to fly over the spot where they were standing, he fired again, and fortunately brought down three more. This incidentgave the natives such a dread of a gun, that if a musket was pointed ata thousand of them, they would all run away like a flock of sheep; andprobably the ease with which they were afterwards kept at a distance, and their orderly behaviour in their traffic, was in a great measureowing to their having upon this occasion seen the instrument, of whichbefore they had only felt the effects. 

As I foresaw that a private traffic would probably commence between suchof our people as were on shore, and the natives, and that if it was leftto their own caprice, perpetual quarrels and mischief would ensue, Iordered that all matters of traffic should be transacted by the gunneron behalf of both parties, and I directed him to see that no injury wasdone to the natives, either by violence or fraud, and by all possiblemeans to attach the old man to his interest. This service he performedwith great diligence and fidelity, nor did he neglect to complain ofthose who transgressed my orders, which was of infinite advantage to allparties; for as I punished the first offenders with a necessaryseverity, many irregularities, that would otherwise have produced themost disagreeable consequences, were prevented: we were also indebtedfor many advantages to the old man, whose caution kept our peopleperpetually upon their guard, and soon brought back those who straggledfrom the party. The natives would indeed sometimes pilfer, but by theterror of a gun, without using it, he always found means to make thembring back what was stolen. A fellow had one day the dexterity andaddress to cross the river unperceived, and steal a hatchet; the gunner, as soon as he missed it, made the old man understand what had happened, and got his party ready, as if he would have gone into the woods afterthe thief: the old man, however, made signs that he would save him thetrouble, and, immediately setting off, returned in a very short timewith the hatchet. The gunner then insisted that the offender should bedelivered up, and with this also the old man, though not without greatreluctance, complied. When the fellow was brought down, the gunner knewhim to be an old offender, and therefore sent him prisoner on board. Ihad no intention to punish him otherwise, than by the fear ofpunishment, and therefore, after great entreaty and intercession, I gavehim his liberty, and sent him on shore. When the natives saw him returnin safety, it is hard to say whether their astonishment or joy wasgreatest; they received him with universal acclamations; and immediatelycarried him off into the woods: the next day, however, he returned, andas a propitiation to the gunner, he brought him a considerable quantityof bread-fruit, and a large hog, ready roasted. 

At this time, the people on board were employed in caulking and paintingthe weather-work, over-hauling the rigging, stowing the hold, and doingother necessary business; but my disorder, which was a bilious cholic, increased so much, that this day I was obliged to take to my bed; myfirst lieutenant also still continued very ill, and the purser wasincapable of his duty. The whole command devolved upon Mr Furneaux, thesecond lieutenant, to whom I gave general directions, and recommended aparticular attention to the people on shore. I also ordered that fruitand fresh provisions should be served to the ship's company as long asthey could be procured, and that the boats should never be absent fromthe ship after sunset. These directions were fulfilled with suchprudence and punctuality, that during all my sickness I was not troubledwith any business, nor had the mortification to hear a single complaintor appeal. The men were constantly served with fresh pork, fowls, andfruit, in such plenty, that when I left my bed, after having beenconfined to it near a fortnight, my ship's company looked so fresh andhealthy, that I could scarcely believe them to be the same people. 

Sunday the 28th was marked by no incident; but on Monday the 29th, oneof the gunner's party found a piece of saltpetre near as big as an egg. As this was an object of equal curiosity and importance, diligentenquiry was immediately made from whence it came. The surgeon, askedevery one of the people on shore, separately, whether he had brought itfrom the ship; every one on board also was asked whether he had carriedit on shore, but all declared that they had never had such a thing intheir possession. Application was then made to the natives, but themeaning of both parties was so imperfectly conveyed by signs, thatnothing could be learnt of them about it: during our whole stay here, however, we saw no more than this one piece. 

While the gunner was trafficking for provisions on shore, we sometimeshauled the seine, but we caught no fish; we also frequently trawled, butwith no better success: the disappointment, however, was not felt, forthe produce of the island enabled our people to "fare sumptuously everyday. "

All matters continued in the same situation till the 2d of July, when, our old man being absent, the supply of fresh provisions and fruit fellshort; we had, however, enough to serve most of the messes, reservingplenty for the sick and convalescent. 

On the 3d, we heeled the ship, and looked at her bottom, which we foundas clean as when she came out of dock, and, to our great satisfaction, as sound. During all this time, none of the natives came near our boats, or the ship, in their canoes. This day, about noon, we caught a verylarge shark, and when the boats went to fetch the people on board todinner, we sent it on shore. When the boats were putting off again, thegunner seeing some of the natives on the other side of the river, beckoned them to come over; they immediately complied, and he gave themthe shark, which they soon cut to pieces, and carried away with greatappearance of satisfaction. 

On Sunday the 5th, the old man returned to the market-tent, and made thegunner understand that he had been up the country, to prevail upon thepeople to bring down their hogs, poultry, and fruit, of which the partsnear the watering-place were now nearly exhausted. The good effects ofhis expedition soon appeared, for several Indians, whom our people hadnever seen before, came in with some hogs that were larger than any thathad been yet brought to market. In the mean time, the old man venturedoff in his canoe to the ship, and brought with him, as a present to me, a hog ready roasted. I was much pleased with his attention andliberality, and gave him, in return for his hog, an iron pot, alooking-glass, a drinking-glass, and several other things, which no manin the island was in possession of but himself. 

While our people were on shore, several young women were permitted tocross the river, who, though they were not averse to the granting ofpersonal favours, knew the value of them too well not to stipulate for aconsideration: The price, indeed, was not great, yet it was such as ourmen were not always able to pay, and under this temptation they stolenails and other iron from the ship. The nails that we brought fortraffic were not always in their reach, and therefore they drew severalout of different parts of the vessel, particularly those that fastenedthe cleats to the ship's side. This was productive of a double mischief;damage to the ship, and a considerable rise at market. When the gunneroffered, as usual, small nails for hogs of a middling size, the nativesrefused to take them, and produced large spikes, intimating that theyexpected such nails as these. A most diligent enquiry was set on foot todiscover the offenders, but all to no purpose; and though a large rewardwas offered to procure intelligence, none was obtained. I was mortifiedat the disappointment, but I was still more mortified at a fraud which Ifound some of our people had practised upon the natives. When no nailswere to be procured, they had stolen lead, and cut it up in the shape ofnails. Many of the natives who had been paid with, this base money, brought their leaden nails, with great simplicity, to the gunner, andrequested him to give them iron in their stead. With this request, however reasonable, he could not comply; because, by rendering leadcurrent, it would have encouraged the stealing it, and the market wouldhave been as effectually spoiled by those who could not procure nails, as by those who could; it was therefore necessary, upon every account, to render this leaden currency of no value, though for our honour Ishould have been glad to have called it in. 

On Tuesday the 7th, I sent one of the mates, with thirty men, to avillage at a little distance from the market, hoping that refreshmentsmight there be bought at the original price; but here they were obligedto give still more than at the water-side. In the mean time, being thisday able to get up for the first time, and the weather being fine, Iwent into a boat, and rowed about four miles down the coast. I found thecountry populous, and pleasant in the highest degree, and saw manycanoes on the shore; but not one came off to us, nor did the people seemto take the least notice of us as we passed along. About noon I returnedto the ship. 

The commerce which our men had found means to establish with the womenof the island, rendered them much less obedient to the orders that hadbeen given for the regulation of their conduct on shore, than they wereat first. I found it necessary therefore to read the articles of war, and I punished James Proctor, the corporal of marines, who had not onlyquitted his station, and insulted the officer, but struck the master atarms such a blow as brought him to the ground. 

The next day, I sent a party up the country to cut wood, and they metwith some of the natives, who treated them with great kindness andhospitality. Several of these friendly Indians came on board in ourboat, and seemed, both by their dress and behaviour, to be of a superiorrank. To these people I paid a particular attention, and to discoverwhat present would most gratify them, I laid down before them aJohannes, a guinea, a crown piece, a Spanish dollar, a few shillings, some new halfpence, and two large nails, making signs that they shouldtake what they liked best. The nails were first seized, with greateagerness, and then a few of the halfpence, but the silver and gold layneglected. Having presented them, therefore, with some nails andhalfpence, I sent them on shore superlatively happy. 

From this time our market was very ill supplied, the Indians refusing tosell provisions at the usual price, and making signs for large nails. Itwas now thought necessary to look more diligently about the ship, todiscover what nails had been drawn; and it was soon round that all thebelaying cleats had been ripped off, and that there was scarcely one ofthe hammock nails left. All hands were now ordered up, and I practisedevery artifice I could think of to discover the thieves, but withoutsuccess. I then told them, that till the thieves were discovered, not asingle man should go on shore: This however produced no effect, exceptthat Proctor the corporal behaved in a mutinous manner, for which he wasinstantly punished. 

On Saturday the 11th, in the afternoon, the gunner came on board with atall woman, who seemed to be about five-and-forty years of age, of apleasing countenance and majestic department. He told me that she wasbut just come into that part of the country, and that seeing greatrespect paid her by the rest of the natives, he had made her somepresents; in return for which she had invited him to her house, whichwas about two miles up the valley, and gave him some large hogs; afterwhich she returned with him to the watering-place, and expressed adesire to go on board the ship, in which he had thought it proper, onall accounts, that she should be gratified. She seemed to be under norestraint, either from diffidence or fear, when she first came into theship; and she behaved, all the while she was on board, with an easyfreedom, that always distinguishes conscious superiority and habitualcommand. I gave her a large blue mantle, that reached from her shouldersto her feet, which I threw over her, and tied on with ribbands; I gaveher also a looking-glass, beads of several sorts, and many other things, which she accepted with a very good grace, and much pleasure. She tooknotice that I had been ill, and pointed to the shore. I understood thatshe meant I should go thither to perfect my recovery, and I made signsthat I would go thither the next morning. When she intimated aninclination to return, I ordered the gunner to go with her who, havingset her on shore, attended her to her habitation, which he described asbeing very large and well built. He said, that in this house she hadmany guards and domestics, and that she had another at a littledistance, which was enclosed in lattice-work. 

The next morning I went on shore for the first time; and my princess, orrather queen, for such by her authority she appeared to be, soon aftercame to me, followed by many of her attendants. As she perceived that mydisorder had left me very weak, she ordered her people to take me intheir arms, and carry me not only over the river, but all the way toher house; and observing that some of the people who were with me, particularly the first lieutenant and purser, had also been sick, shecaused them also to be carried in the same manner, and a guard, which Ihad ordered out upon the occasion, followed. In our way, a vastmultitude crowded about us, but upon her waving her hand, withoutspeaking a word, they withdrew, and left us a free passage. When weapproached near her house, a great number of both sexes came out to meether: These she presented to me, after having intimated by signs thatthey were her relations, and taking hold of my hand, she made them kissit. We then entered the house, which covered a piece of ground 327 feetlong, and forty-two feet broad. It consisted of a roof, thatched withpalm leaves, and raised upon thirty-nine pillars on each side, andfourteen in the middle. The ridge of the thatch, on the inside, wasthirty feet high, and the sides of the house, to the edge of the roof, were twelve feet high; all below the roof being open. As soon as weentered the house, she made us sit down, and then calling four younggirls, she assisted them to take off my shoes, draw down my stockings, and pull off my coat, and then directed them to smooth down the skin, and gently chafe it with their hands: The same operation was alsoperformed upon the first lieutenant and purser, but upon none of thosewho appeared to be in health. While this was doing, our surgeon, who hadwalked till he was very warm, took off his wig to cool and refreshhimself: A sudden exclamation of one of the Indians who saw it, drew theattention of the rest, and in a moment every eye was fixed upon theprodigy, and every operation was suspended: the whole assembly stoodsome time motionless, in silent astonishment, which could not have beenmore strongly expressed if they had discovered that our friend's limbshad been screwed on to the trunk; in a short time, however, the youngwomen who were chafing us, resumed their employment, and havingcontinued it for about half an hour, they dressed us again, but in thisthey were, as may easily be imagined, very awkward; I found greatbenefit however, from the chafing, and so did the lieutenant and purser. After a little time, our generous benefactress ordered some bales ofIndian cloth to be brought out, with which she clothed me, and all thatwere with me, according to the fashion of the country. At first Ideclined the acceptance of this favour, but being unwilling not to seempleased with what was intended to please me, I acquiesced. When we wentaway, she ordered a very large sow, big with young, to be taken down tothe boat, and accompanied us thither herself. She had given directionsto her people to carry me, as they had done when I came, but as I choserather to walk, she took me by the arm, and whenever we came to a plashof water or dirt, she lifted me over with as little trouble as it wouldhave cost me to have lifted over a child if I had been well. 

The next morning I sent her by the gunner, six hatchets, six bill-hooks, and several other things; and when he returned, he told me, that hefound her giving an entertainment to a great number of people, which, hesupposed, could not be less than a thousand. The messes were all broughtto her by the servants that prepared them, the meat being put into theshells of cocoa-nuts, and the shells into wooden trays, somewhat likethose used by our butchers, and she distributed them with her own handsto the guests, who were seated in rows round the great house. When thiswas done, she sat down herself, upon a place somewhat elevated above therest, and two women, placing themselves one on each side of her, fedher, she opening her mouth as they brought their hands up with the food. When she saw the gunner, she ordered a mess for him; he could notcertainly tell what it was, but he believed it to be fowl picked small, with apples cut among it, and seasoned with salt water; it was, however, very well tasted. She accepted the things that I sent her, and seemed tobe much pleased with them. After this correspondence was establishedwith the queen, provisions of every kind became much more plenty atmarket; but though fowls and hogs were every day brought in, we werestill obliged to pay more for them than at the first, the market havingbeen spoiled by the nails which our men had stolen and given to thewomen; I therefore gave orders that every man should be searched beforehe went on shore, and that no woman should be suffered to cross theriver. 

On the 14th, the gunner being onshore to trade, perceived an old womanon the other side of the river, weeping bitterly: When she saw that shehad drawn his attention upon her, she sent a young man, who stood byher, over the river to him, with a branch of the plantain tree in hishand. When he came up, he made a long speech, and then laid down hisbough at the gunner's feet: After this he went back and brought over theold woman, another man at the same time bringing over two large fathogs. The woman looked round upon our people with great attention, fixing her eyes sometimes upon one, and sometimes upon another, and atlast burst into tears. The young man who brought her over the river, perceiving the gunner's concern and astonishment, made another speech, longer than the first: Still, however, the woman's distress was amystery; but at length she made him understand that her husband, andthree of her sons, had been killed in the attack of the ship. Duringthis explanation, she was so affected, that at last she sunk down unableto speak, and the two young men who endeavoured to support her, appearedto be nearly in the same condition? They were probably two more of hersons, or some very near relations. The gunner did all in his power tosooth and comfort her, and when she had in some measure recovered herrecollection, she ordered the two hogs to be delivered to him, and gavehim her hand in token of friendship, but would accept nothing in return, though he offered her ten times as much as would have purchased the hogsat market. 

The next morning, I sent the second lieutenant, with all the boats, andsixty men, to the westward, to look at the country, and try what was tobe got. About noon he returned, having marched along the shore near sixmiles. He found the country very pleasant and populous, and abounding aswell with hogs and fowls, as fruit, and other vegetables of variouskinds. The inhabitants offered him no molestation, but did not seemwilling to part with any of the provisions which our people were mostdesirous to purchase: They gave them, however, a few cocoa-nuts andplantains, and at length sold them nine hogs and a few fowls. Thelieutenant was of opinion, that they might be brought to trade freely bydegrees, but the distance from the ship was so great, that too many menwould be necessary for a guard. He saw a great number of very largecanoes upon the beach, and some that were building. He observed that alltheir tools were made of stone, shells, and bone, and very justlyinferred, that they had no metal of any kind. He found no quadrupedsamong them, besides hogs and dogs, nor any earthen vessel, so that alltheir food is either baked or roasted. Having no vessel in which watercould be subjected to the action of fire, they had no more idea that itcould be made hot, than that it could be made solid. As the queen wasone morning at breakfast with us on board the ship, one of herattendants, a man of some note, and one of those that we thought werepriests, saw the surgeon fill the tea-pot by turning the cock of an urnthat stood upon the table: Having remarked this with great curiosity andattention, he presently turned the cock, and received the water upon hishand: As soon as he felt himself scalded, he roared out, and began todance about the cabin with the most extravagant and ridiculousexpressions of pain and astonishment: The other Indians not being ableto conceive what was the matter with him, stood staring at him in amaze, and not without some mixture of terror. The surgeon, however, who hadinnocently been the cause of the mischief, applied a remedy, though itwas some time before the poor fellow was easy. 

On Thursday the 16th, Mr Furneaux, my second lieutenant, was taken veryill, which distressed me greatly, as the first lieutenant was not yetrecovered, and I was still in a very weak state myself: I was this dayalso obliged once more to punish Proctor, the corporal of marines, formutinous behaviour. The queen had now been absent several days, but thenatives made us understand, by signs, that the next day she would bewith us again. 

Accordingly the next morning she came down to the beach, and soon aftera great number of people, whom we had never seen before, brought tomarket provisions of every kind; and the gunner sent off fourteen hogs, and fruit in great plenty. 

In the afternoon of the next day, the queen came on, board, with apresent of two large hogs, for she never condescended to barter, and inthe evening she returned on shore. I sent a present with her, by themaster, and as soon as they landed, she took him by the hand, and havingmade a long speech to the people that flocked round them, she led him toher house, where she clothed him, as she had before done me, accordingto the fashion of the country. 

The next morning he sent off a greater quantity of stock than we hadever procured in one day before; it consisted of forty-eight hogs andpigs, four dozen of fowls, with bread-fruit, bananas, apples, andcocoa-nuts, almost without number. 

On the 20th, we continued to trade with good success, but in theafternoon it was discovered that Francis Pinckney, one of the seamen, had drawn the cleats to which the main sheet was belayed, and, afterstealing the spikes, thrown them overboard. Having secured the offender, I called all the people together upon the deck, and after taking somepains to explain his crime, with all its aggravations, I ordered that heshould be whipt with nettles, while he ran the gauntlet thrice round thedeck: My rhetoric, however, had very little effect, for most of the crewbeing equally criminal with himself, he was handled so tenderly, thatothers were rather encouraged to repeat the offence by the hope ofimpunity, than deterred by the fear of punishment. To preserve the ship, therefore, from being pulled to pieces, and the price of refreshmentsfrom being raised so high as soon to exhaust our articles of trade, Iordered that no man except the wooders and waterers, with their guard, should be permitted to go on shore. 

On the 21st, the queen came again on board, and brought several largehogs as a present, for which, as usual, she would accept of no return. When she was about to leave the ship, she expressed a desire that Ishould go on shore with her, to which I consented, taking several of theofficers with me. When we arrived at her house, she made us all sitdown, and taking off my hat, she tied to it a bunch or tuft of feathersof various colours, such as I had seen no person on shore wear butherself, which produced by no means a disagreeable effect. She also tiedround my hat, and the hats of those who were with me, wreaths of braidedor plaited hair, and gave us to understand that both the hair andworkmanship were her own: She also presented us with some matts, thatwere very curiously wrought. In the evening she accompanied us back tothe beach, and when we were getting into the boat, she put on board afine large sow, big with young, and a great quantity of fruit. As wewere parting, I made signs that I should quit the island in seven days:She immediately comprehended my meaning, and made signs that I shouldstay twenty days; that I should go two days journey into the country, stay there a few days, bring down plenty of hogs and poultry, and afterthat leave the island. I again made signs, that I must go in seven days;upon which she burst into tears, and it was not without greatdifficulty that she was pacified. 

The next morning, the gunner sent off no less than twenty hogs, withgreat plenty of fruit. Our decks were now quite full of hogs andpoultry, of which we killed only the small ones, and kept the other forsea-stores; we found, however, to our great mortification, that neitherthe fowls nor the hogs could, without great difficulty, be brought toeat any thing but fruit, which made it necessary to kill them fasterthan we should otherwise have done; two, however, a boar and a sow, werebrought alive to England, of which I made a present to Mr Stephens, secretary to the Admiralty; the sow afterwards died in pigging, but theboar was alive at the date of this publication. 

On the 23d, we had very heavy rain, with a storm of wind that blew downseveral trees on shore, though very little of it was felt where the shiplay. 

The next day, I sent the old man, who had been of great service to thegunner at the market-tent, another iron pot, some hatchets and bills, and a piece of cloth. I also sent the queen two turkies, two geese, three Guinea hens, a cat big with kitten, some china, looking-glasses, glass-bottles, shirts, needles, thread, cloth, ribbands, pease, somesmall white kidney beans, called callivances, and about sixteendifferent sorts of garden seeds, and a shovel, besides a considerablequantity of cutlery wares, consisting of knives, scissars, billhooks, and other things. We had already planted several sorts of the gardenseeds, and some pease in several places, and had the pleasure to seethem come up in a very flourishing state, yet there were no remains ofthem when Captain Cook left the island. I sent her also two iron pots, and a few spoons. In return for these things, the gunner brought offeighteen hogs, and some fruit. 

In the morning of the 25th, I ordered Mr Gore, one of the mates, withall the marines, forty seamen, and four midshipmen, to go up the valleyby the river as high as they could, and examine the soil and produce ofthe country, noting the trees and plants which they should find, andwhen they saw any stream from the mountains, to trace it to its source, and observe whether it was tinctured with any mineral or ore. Icautioned them also to keep continually upon their guard against thenatives, and directed them to make a fire, as a signal, if they shouldbe attacked. At the same time I took a guard on shore, and erected atent on a point of land, to observe an eclipse of the sun, which, themorning being very clear, was done with great accuracy. 

 Hours. Min. Sec. The immersion began, by true time, at-- 6 51 50 The emersion, by true time, was at- - - 8 1 O The duration of the eclipse was- - - - 1 9 10

The latitude of the point, on which the observation was made, was 17°30'S. , the sun's declination was 19° 40'N. , and the variation of theneedle 5° 36' E. 

After the observation was taken, I went to the queen's house, and shewedher the telescope, which was a reflector. After she had admired itsstructure, I endeavoured to make her comprehend its use, and fixing itso as to command several distant objects, with which she was wellacquainted, but which could not be distinguished with the naked eye, Imade her look through it. As soon as she saw them, she started back withastonishment, and, directing her eye as the glass was pointed, stoodsome time motionless and silent; she then looked through the glassagain, and again sought in vain, with the naked eye, for the objectswhich it discovered. As they by turns vanished and re-appeared, hercountenance and gestures expressed a mixture of wonder and delight whichno language can describe. When the glass was removed, I invited her, andseveral of the chiefs that were with her, to go with me on board theship, in which I had a view to the security of the party that I had sentout; for I thought that while the queen and the principal people wereknown to be in my power, nothing would be attempted against any personbelonging to the ship on shore. When we got on board, I ordered a gooddinner for their entertainment, but the queen would neither eat nordrink; the people that were with her eat very heartily of whatever wasset before them, but would drink only plain water. 

In the evening our people returned from their excursion, and came downto the beach, upon which I put the queen and her attendants into theboats, and sent them on shore. As she was going over the ship's side, she asked, by signs, whether I still persisted in my resolution ofleaving the island at the time I had fixed; and when I made herunderstand that it was impossible I should stay longer, she expressedher regret by a flood of tears, which for a while took away her speech. As soon as her passion subsided, she told me that she would come onboard again the next day; and thus we parted. 

SECTION VII. 

_An Account of an Expedition to discover the Inland Part of the Country, and our other Transactions, till we quitted the Island to continue ourVoyage_. 

After the mate came on board, he gave me a written account of hisexpedition, to the following effect:

"At four o'clock in the morning of Saturday the 25th of June, I landed, with four midshipmen, a Serjeant and twelve marines, and twenty-fourseamen, all armed, besides four, who carried hatchets and other articlesof traffic, and four who were loaded with ammunition and provisions, therest being left with the boat: Every man had his day's allowance ofbrandy, and the hatchet-men two small kegs, to give out when I shouldthink proper. "

"As soon as I got on shore, I called upon our old man, and took him withus: We then followed the course of the river in two parties, onemarching on each side. For the first two miles it flowed through avalley of considerable width, in which were many habitations, withgardens walled in, and abundance of hogs, poultry, and fruit; the soilhere seemed to be a rich fat earth, and was of a blackish colour. Afterthis the valley became very narrow, and the ground rising abruptly onone side of the river, we were all obliged to march on the other. Wherethe stream was precipitated from the hills, channels had been cut tolead the water into gardens and plantations of fruit-trees: In thesegardens we found an herb which had never been brought down to thewater-side, and which we perceived the inhabitants eat raw. I tasted it, and found it pleasant, its flavour somewhat resembling that of the WestIndian spinnage, called _Calleloor_, though its leaf was very different. The ground was fenced off so as to make a very pretty appearance; thebread-fruit and apple-trees were planted in rows on the declivity of thehills, and the cocoa-nut and plantain, which require more moisture, onthe level ground: Under the trees, both on the sides and at the foot ofthe hills, there was very good grass, but no underwood. As we advanced, the windings of the stream became innumerable, the hills on each sideswelled into mountains, and vast crags every where projected over ourheads. Travelling now became difficult, and when we had proceeded aboutfour miles, the road for the last mile having been very bad, we sat downto rest ourselves, and take the refreshment of our breakfast; we rangedourselves upon the ground under a large apple tree, in a very pleasantspot; but just as we were about to begin our repast, we were suddenlyalarmed by a confused sound of many voices, and a great shouting, andpresently, afterwards saw a multitude of men, women, and children, uponthe hill above us; our old man seeing us rise hastily, and look to ourarms, beckoned to us to sit still, and immediately went up to the peoplethat had surprised us. As soon as he joined them they were silent, andsoon after disappeared; in a short time, however, they returned, andbrought with them a large hog ready roasted, with plenty of bread-fruit, yams, and other refreshments, which they gave to the old man, whodistributed them among our people. In return for this treat, I gave themsome nails, buttons, and other things, with which they were greatlydelighted. After this we proceeded up the valley as far as we could, searching all the runs of water, and all the places where water had run, for appearances of metal or ore, but could find none, except what I havebrought back with me. I shewed all the people that we met with, thepiece of saltpetre which had been picked up in the island, and which Ihad taken with me for that purpose, but none of them took any notice ofit, nor could I learn from them any thing about it. The old man begannow to be weary, and there being a mountain before us, he made signsthat he would go home: Before he left us, however, he made the peoplewho had so liberally supplied us with provisions, take the baggage, withthe fruit that had not been eaten, and some cocoa-nut shells full offresh water, and made signs that they should follow us up the side ofthe mountain. As soon as he was gone, they gathered green branches fromthe neighbouring trees, and with many ceremonies, of which we did notknow the meaning, laid them down before us: After this they took somesmall berries with which they painted themselves red, and the bark of atree that contained a yellow juice, with which they stained theirgarments in different parts. We began to climb the mountain while ourold man was still in sight, and he, perceiving that we made our way withdifficulty through the weeds and brush-wood, which grew very thick, turned back, and said something to the natives in a firm loud tone; uponwhich twenty or thirty of the men went before us, and cleared us a verygood path; they also refreshed us with water and fruit as we went along, and assisted us to climb the most difficult places, which we shouldotherwise have found altogether impracticable. We began to ascend thishill at the distance of about six miles from the place where we landed, and I reckoned the top of it to be near a mile above the river that runsthrough the valley below. When we arrived at the summit, we again satdown to rest and refresh ourselves. While we were climbing we flatteredourselves that from the top we should command the whole island, but wenow saw mountains before us so much higher than our situation, that withrespect to them we appeared to be in a valley; towards the ship indeedthe view was enchanting: The sides of the hills were beautifuly clothedwith wood, villages were every where interspersed, and the valliesbetween them afforded a still richer prospect; the houses stood thicker, and the verdure was more luxuriant. We saw very few habitations aboveus, but discovered smoke in many places ascending from between thehighest hills that were in sight, and therefore I conjectured that themost elevated parts of the country are by no means without inhabitants. As we ascended the mountain, we saw many springs gush from fissures onthe side of it, and when we had reached the summit, we found many housesthat we did not discover as we passed them. No part of these mountainsis naked; the summits of the highest that we could see were crowned withwood, but of what kind I know not: Those that were of the same heightwith that which we had climbed, were woody on the sides, but on thesummit were rocky and covered with fern. Upon the flats that appearedbelow these, there grew a sedgy kind of grass and weeds: In general thesoil here, as well as in the valley, seemed to be rich. We saw severalbushes of sugar-cane, which was very large and very good, growing wild, without the least culture. I likewise found ginger and turmerick, andhave brought samples of both, but could not procure seeds of any tree, most of them being in blossom. After traversing the top of this mountainto a good distance, I found a tree exactly like a fern, except that itwas 14 or 15 feet high. This tree I cut down, and found the inside of italso like a fern: I would have brought a piece of it with me, but foundit too cumbersome, and I knew not what difficulties we might meet withbefore we got back to the ship, which we judged to be now at a greatdistance. After having recruited our strength by refreshment and rest, we began to descend the mountain, being still attended by the people towhose care we had been recommended by our old man. We kept our generaldirection towards the ship, but sometimes deviated a little to the rightand left in the plains and vallies, when we saw any houses that werepleasantly situated, the inhabitants being every where ready toaccommodate us with whatever they had. We saw no beasts except a fewhogs, nor any birds, except parrots, parroquets, and green doves; by theriver, however, there was plenty of ducks, and every place that wasplanted and cultivated, appeared to flourish with great luxuriance, though in the midst of what had the appearance of barren ground. Iplanted the stones of peaches, cherries, and plumbs, with a greatvariety of garden: seeds, where I thought it was most probable theywould thrive, and limes, lemons, and oranges, in situations whichresembled those in which they are found in the West Indies. In theafternoon, we arrived at a very pleasant spot, within about three milesof the ship, where we procured two hogs and some fowls, which thenatives dressed for us very well, and with great expedition. Here wecontinued till the cool of the evening, and then made the best of ourway for the ship, having liberally rewarded our guides, and the peoplewho had provided us so good a dinner. Our men behaved through the wholeday with the greatest decency and order, and we parted with our Indianfriends in perfect good humour with each other. "

About 10 o'clock the next morning, the queen came on board according toher promise, with a present of hogs and fowls, but went on shore againsoon afterwards. This day, the gunner sent off near thirty hogs, withgreat plenty of fowls and fruit. We completed our wood and water, andgot all ready for sea. More inhabitants came down to the beach, from theinland country, than we had seen before, and many of them appeared, bythe respect that was paid them, to be of a superior rank. About threeo'clock in the afternoon, the queen came again down to the beach, verywell dressed, and followed by a great number of people. Having crossedthe river with her attendants and our old man, she came once more onboard the ship. She brought with her some very fine fruit, and renewedher solicitation, that I would stay ten days longer, with greatearnestness, intimating that she would go into the country and bring meplenty of hogs, fowls, and fruit. I endeavoured to express a propersense of her kindness and bounty, but assured her that I shouldcertainly sail the next morning. This, as usual, threw her into tears, and after she recovered, she enquired by signs when I should return: Iendeavoured to express fifty days, and she made signs for thirty: Butthe sign for fifty being constantly repeated, she seemed satisfied. Shestayed on board till night, and it was then with the greatest difficultythat she could be prevailed upon to go on shore. When she was told thatthe boat was ready, she threw herself down upon the arm-chest, and wepta long time with an excess of passion that could not be pacified; atlast, however, though with great reluctance, she went into the boat, andwas followed by her attendants and the old man. The old man had oftenintimated that his son, a lad about fourteen years of age, should gowith us, and the boy seemed to be willing: He had, however, nowdisappeared for two days; I enquired after him when I first missed him, and the old man gave me to understand that he was gone into the countryto see his friends, and would return time enough to go with us; but Ihave reason to think that, when the time drew near, the father's couragefailed, and that to keep his child he secreted him till the ship wasgone, for we never saw him afterwards. 

At break of day, on Monday the 27th, we unmoored, and at the same time Isent the barge and cutter to fill the few water-casks that were nowempty. When they came near the shore, they saw, to their great surprise, the whole beach covered with inhabitants, and having some doubt whetherit would be prudent to venture themselves among such a multitude, theywere about to pull back again for the ship. As soon as this wasperceived from the shore, the queen came forward, and beckoned them; atthe same time guessing the reason of what had happened, she made thenatives retire to the other side of the river; the boats then proceededto the shore, and filled the casks; in the mean time she put some hogsand fruit on hoard, and when they were putting off would fain havereturned with them to the ship. The officer, however, who had receivedorders to bring off none of the natives, would not permit her; uponwhich she presently launched a double canoe, and was rowed off by herown people. Her canoe was immediately followed by fifteen or sixteenmore, and all of them came up to the ship. The queen came on board, butnot being able to speak, she sat down and gave vent to her passion byweeping. After she had been on board about an hour, a breeze springingup, we weighed anchor and made sail. Finding it now necessary to returninto her canoe, she embraced us all in the most affectionate manner, andwith many tears; all her attendants also expressed great sorrow at ourdeparture. Soon after it fell calm, and I sent the boats a-head to tow, upon which all the canoes returned to the ship, and that which had thequeen on board came up to the gunroom port, where her people made itfast. In a few minutes she came into the bow of her canoe, where she satweeping with inconsolable sorrow. I gave her many things which I thoughtwould be of great use to her, and some for ornament; she silentlyaccepted of all, but took little notice of any thing. About 10 o'clockwe were got without the reef, and a fresh breeze springing up, ourIndian friends, and particularly the queen, once more bade us farewell, with such tenderness of affection and grief, as filled both my heart andmy eyes. [53]

At noon, the harbour from which we sailed bore S. E. 1/2 E. Distant abouttwelve miles. It lies in latitude 17° 30' S. , longitude 150° W. , and Igave it the name of Port Royal Harbour. 

[Footnote 53 1: Of this queen, as Captain W. Calls her, the reader willsee more particulars in the account of Cook's visit to this island. Hername was Oberea. She was wife to Oammo, who governed the greater part ofOtaheite in behalf of his son, according to the custom of the place; butat the time of Wallis's arrival, she cohabited with Toopäea, a native ofUlietëa, and remarkable among these islanders for his wisdom andinformation. --E. ]

SECTION VIII. 

_A more particular Account of the Inhabitants of Otaheite, and of theirdomestic Life, Manners, and Arts_. 

Having lain off this island from the 24th of June to the 27th of July, Ishall now give the best account of its inhabitants, with their mannersand arts, that I can; but having been in a very bad state of health thewhole time, and for great part of it confined to my bed, it will ofnecessity be much less accurate and particular than I might otherwisehave made it. 

The inhabitants of this island are a stout, well-made, active, andcomely people. The stature of the men, in general, is from five feelseven to five feet ten inches, though a few individuals are taller, anda few shorter; that of the women from five feet to five feet six. Thecomplexion of the men is tawney, but those that go upon the water aremuch redder than those who live on shore. Their hair in general isblack, but in some it is brown, in some red, and in others flaxen, whichis remarkable, because the hair of all other natives of Asia, Africa, and America, is black, without a single exception. It is generally tiedup, either in one bunch, in the middle of the head, or in two, one oneach side, but some wear it loose, and it then curls very strongly: Inthe children of both sexes it is generally flaxen. They have no combs, yet their hair is very neatly dressed, and those who had combs from us, made good use of them. It is a universal custom to anoint the head withcocoa-nut oil, in which a root has been scraped that smells somethinglike roses. The women are all handsome, and some of them extremelybeautiful. Chastity does not seem to be considered as a virtue amongthem, for they not only readily and openly trafficked with our peoplefor personal favours, but were brought down by their fathers andbrothers for that purpose: They were, however, conscious of the value ofbeauty, and the size of the nail that was demanded for the enjoyment ofthe lady, was always in proportion to her charms. The men who came downto the side of the river, at the same time that they presented the girl, shewed a stick of the size of the nail that was to be her price, and ifour people agreed, she was sent over to them, for the men were notpermitted to cross the river. This commerce was carried on aconsiderable time before the officers discovered it, for while somestraggled a little way to receive the lady, the others kept a look-out. When I was acquainted with it, I no longer wondered that the ship was indanger of being pulled to pieces for the nails and iron that held hertogether, which I had before puzzled myself to account for in vain, thewhole ship's company having daily as much fresh provision and fruit asthey could eat. Both men and women are not only decently but gracefullyclothed, in a kind of white cloth, that is made of the bark of a shrub, and very much resembles coarse China paper. Their dress consists of twopieces of this cloth: One of them, a hole having been made in the middleto put the head through hangs down from the shoulders to the mid legbefore and behind; another piece, which is between four and five yardslong, and about one yard broad, they wrap round the body in a very easymanner. This cloth is not woven, but is made, like paper, of themacerated fibres of an inner bark spread out and beaten together. Theirornaments are feathers, flowers, pieces of shells, and pearls: Thepearls are worn chiefly by the women, from whom I purchased about twodozen of a small size: They were of a good colour, but were all spoiledby boring. Mr Furneaux saw several in his excursion to the west, but hecould purchase none with any thing he had to offer. I observed, that itwas here a universal custom both for men and women to have the hinderpart of their thighs and loins marked very thick with black lines invarious forms. These marks were made by striking the teeth of aninstrument, somewhat like a comb, just through the skin, and rubbinginto the punctures a kind of paste made of soot and oil, which leaves anindelible stain. The boys and girls under twelve years of age are notmarked: But we observed a few of the men whose legs were marked inchequers by the same method, and they appeared to be persons of superiorrank and authority. One of the principal attendants upon the queenappeared much more disposed to imitate our manners than the rest; andour people, with whom he soon became a favourite, distinguished him bythe name of Jonathan. This man, Mr Furneaux clothed completely in anEnglish dress, and it sat very easy upon him. Our officers were alwayscarried on shore, it being shoal water where we landed, and Jonathan, assuming new state with his new finery, made some of his people carryhim on shore in the same manner. He very soon attempted to use a knifeand fork at his meals, but at first, when he had stuck a morsel upon hisfork, and tried to feed himself with that instrument, he could not guideit, but by the mere force of habit his hand came to his mouth, and thevictuals at the end of the fork went away to his ear. 

Their food consists of pork, poultry, dog's flesh, and fish, bread-fruit, bananas, plantains, yams, apples, and a sour fruit, which, though not pleasant by itself, gives an agreeable relish to roastedbread-fruit, with which it is frequently beaten up. They have abundanceof rats, but, as far as I could discover, these make no part of theirfood. The river affords them good mullet, but they are neither large norin plenty. They find conchs, mussels, and other shellfish on the reef, which they gather at low-water, and eat raw with bread-fruit before theycome on shore. They have also very fine cray-fish, and they catch withlines, and hooks of mother-of-pearl, at a little distance from theshore, parrrot-fish, groopers, and many other sorts, of which they areso fond that we could seldom prevail upon them to sell us a few at anyprice. They have also nets of an enormous size, with very small meshes, and with these they catch abundance of small fish about the size ofsardines; but while they were using both nets and lines with greatsuccess, We could not catch a single fish with either. We procured someof their hooks and lines, but for want of their art we were stilldisappointed. 

The manner in which they dress their food is this: They kindle a fire byrubbing the end of one piece of dry wood, upon the side of another, inthe same manner as our carpenters whet a chissel; then they dig a pitabout half a foot deep, and two or three yards in circumference: Theypave the bottom with large pebble stones, which they lay down verysmooth and even, and then kindle a fire in it with dry wood, leaves, andthe husks of the cocoa-nut. When the stones are sufficiently heated, they take out the embers, and rake up the ashes on every side; then theycover the stones with a layer of green cocoa-nut tree leaves, and wrapup the animal that is to be dressed in the leaves of the plantain; if itis a small hog they wrap it up whole; if a large one they split it. Whenit is placed in the pit, they cover it with the hot embers, and lay uponthem bread-fruit and yams, which are also wrapped up in the leaves ofthe plantain: Over these they spread the remainder of the embers, mixingamong them some of the hot stones, with more cocoa-nut tree leaves uponthem, and then close all up with earth, so that the heat is kept in. After a time proportioned to the size of what is dressing, the oven isopened, and the meat taken out, which is tender, full of gravy, and, inmy opinion, better in every respect than when it is dressed any otherway. Excepting the fruit, they have no sauce but salt water, nor anyknives but shells, with which they carve very dexterously, alwayscutting from them. It is impossible to describe the astonishment theyexpressed when they saw the gunner, who, while he kept the market, usedto dine on shore, dress his pork and poultry by boiling them in a pot. Having, as I have before observed, no vessel that would bear the fire, they had no idea of hot water or its effects: But from the time that theold man was in possession of an iron pot, he and his friends eat boiledmeat every day. The iron pots which I afterwards gave to the queen andseveral of the chiefs, were also in constant use, and brought as manypeople together, as a monster or a puppet-show in a country fair. Theyappeared to have no liquor for drinking but water, and to be happilyignorant of the art of fermenting the juice of any vegetable, so as togive it an intoxicating quality: They have, as has been alreadyobserved, the sugar-cane, but they seemed to make no other use of itthan to chew, which they do not do habitually, but only break a pieceoff when they happen to pass by a place where it is growing. 

Of their domestic life and amusements, we had not sufficient opportunityto obtain much knowledge; but they appear sometimes to have wars witheach other, not only from their weapons, but the scars with which manyof them were marked, and some of which appeared to be the remains ofvery considerable wounds, made with stones, bludgeons, or some otherobtuse weapon: By these scars also they appear to be no inconsiderableproficients in surgery, of which indeed we happened to have more directevidence. One of our seamen, when he was on shore, run a large splinterinto his foot, and the surgeon being on board, one of his comradesendeavoured to take it out with a penknife; but after putting the poorfellow to a good deal of pain, was obliged to give it over. Our good oldIndian, who happened to be present, then called over one of hiscountrymen that was standing on the opposite side of the river, who, having looked at the seaman's foot, went immediately down to the beach, and, taking up a shell, broke it to a point with his teeth; with thisinstrument, in little more than a minute, he laid open the place, andextracted the splinter; in the mean time the old man, who, as soon as hehad called the other over, went a little way into the wood, returnedwith some gum, which he applied to the wound upon a piece of the cloththat was wrapped round him, and in two days time it was perfectlyhealed. We afterward learned that this gum was produced by the appletree, and our surgeon procured some of it, and used it as a vulnerarybalsam with great success. 

The habitations of these happy people I have described already; andbesides these, we saw several sheds inclosed within a wall, on theoutside of which there were several uncouth figures of men, women, hogs, and dogs, carved on posts, that were driven into the ground. Several ofthe natives were from time to time seen to enter these places, with aslow pace and dejected countenance, from which we conjectured that theywere repositories of the dead. The area within the walls of these placeswas generally well paved with large round stones, but it appeared not tobe much trodden, for the grass every where grew up between them. Iendeavoured with particular attention to discover whether they had areligious worship among them, but never could find the least traces ofany. 

The boats or canoes of these people are of three different sorts. Someare made out of a single tree, and carry from two to six men: These areused chiefly for fishing, and we constantly saw many of them busy uponthe reef: Some were constructed of planks, very dexterously sewedtogether: These were of different sizes, and would carry from ten toforty men. Two of them were generally lashed together, and two masts setup between them; if they were single, they had an out-rigger on oneside, and only one mast in the middle. With these vessels they sail farbeyond the sight of land, probably to other islands, and bring homeplantains, bananas, and yams, which seem also to be more plenty uponother parts of this island, than that off which the ship lay. A thirdsort seem to be intended principally for pleasure and show: They arevery large, but have no sail, and in shape resemble the gondolas ofVenice: The middle is covered with a large awning, and some of thepeople sit upon it, some under it. None of these vessels came near theship, except on the first and second day after our arrival; but we saw, three or four times a week, a procession of eight or ten of them passingat a distance, with streamers flying, and a great number of small canoesattending them, while many hundreds of people run a-breast of them alongthe shore. They generally rowed to the outward point of a reef whichlay about four miles to the westward of us, where they stayed about anhour, and then returned. These processions, however, are never made butin fine weather, and all the people on board are dressed; though in theother canoes they have only a piece of cloth wrapped round their middle. Those who rowed and steered were dressed in white; those who sat uponthe awning and under it in white and red, and two men who were mountedon the prow of each vessel were dressed in red only. We sometimes wentout to observe them in our boats, and though we were never nearer than amile, we saw them with our glasses as distinctly us if we had been uponthe spot. 

The plank of which these vessels are constructed, is made by splitting atree, with the grain, into as many thin pieces us they can. They firstfell the tree with a kind of hatchet, or adze, made of a tough greenishkind of stone, very dexterously fitted into a handle; it is then cutinto such lengths as are required for the plank, one end of which isheated till it begins to crack, and then with wedges of hard wood theysplit it down: Some of these planks are two feet broad, and from fifteento twenty feet long. The sides are smoothed with adzes of the samematerials and construction, but of a smaller size. Six or eight men aresometimes at work upon the same plank together, and, as their toolspresently lose their edge, every man has by him a cocoa-nut shell filledwith water, and a flat stone, with which he sharpens his adze almostevery minute. These planks are generally brought to the thickness ofabout an inch, and are afterwards fitted to the boat with the sameexactness that would be expected from an expert joiner. To fasten theseplanks together, holes are bored with a piece of bone that is fixed intoa slick for that purpose, a use to which our nails were afterwardsapplied with great advantage, and through these holes a kind of plaitedcordage is passed, so as to hold the planks strongly together: The seamsare caulked with dried rushes, and the whole outside of the vessel ispaid with a gummy juice, which some of their trees produce in greatplenty, and which is a very good succedaneum for pitch. 

The wood which they use for their large canoes, is that of theapple-tree, which grows very tall and straight. Several of them thatwere measured, were near eight feet in the girth, and from twenty toforty to the branches, with very little diminution in the size. Ourcarpenter said, that in other respects it was not a good wood for thepurpose, being very light. The small canoes are nothing more than thehollow trunk of the bread-fruit tree, which is still more light andspongy. The trunk of the bread-fruit tree is six feet in girth, andabout twenty feet to the branches. 

Their principal weapons are stones, thrown either with the hand orsling, and bludgeons; for though they have bows and arrows, the arrowsare only fit to knock down a bird, none of them being pointed, butheaded only with a round stone. 

I did not see one turtle all the while I lay off this island; but, uponshewing some small ones which I brought from Queen Charlotte's Island, to the inhabitants, they made signs that they had them of a much largersize. I very much regretted my having lost our he-goat, which died soonafter we left St Iago, and that neither of our she-goats, of which wehad two, were with kid. If the he-goat had lived, I would have put themall on shore at this place, and I would have left a she-goat here ifeither of them had been with kid; and I doubt not, but that in a fewyears they would have stocked the island. 

The climate here appears to be very good, and the island to be one ofthe most healthy as well as delightful spots in the world. We saw noappearance of disease among the inhabitants. The hills are covered withwood, and the vallies with herbage; and the air in general is so pure, that, notwithstanding the heat, our flesh meat kept very well two days, and our fish one. We met with no frog, toad, scorpion, centipied, orserpent of any kind: And the only troublesome insects that we saw wereants, of which there were but few. 

The south-east part of the island seems to be better cultivated andinhabited than where we lay, for we saw every day boats come round fromthence laden with plantains and other fruit, and we always found greaterplenty, and a lower price, soon after their arrival, than before. 

The tide rises and falls very little, and, being governed by the winds, is very uncertain; though they generally blow from the E. To the S. E. , and for the most part a pleasant breeze. 

The benefit that we received while we lay off this island, with respectto the health of the ship's company, was beyond our most sanguineexpectations, for we had not now an invalid on board, except the twolieutenants and myself, and we were recovering, though still in a veryfeeble condition. 

It is certain that none of our people contracted the venereal diseasehere, and therefore, as they had free commerce with great numbers of thewomen, there is the greatest probability that it was not then known inthe country. It was, however, found here by Captain Cook, in theEndeavour, and as no European vessel is known to have visited thisisland before Captain Cook's arrival, but the Dolphin, and the Boudeuseand Etoil, commanded by M. Bougainville, the reproach of havingcontaminated, with that dreadful pest, a race of happy people, to whomits miseries had till then been unknown, most be due either to him or tome, to England or to France; and I think myself happy to be able toexculpate myself and my country beyond the possibility of doubt. 

It is well known that the surgeon on board his majesty's ships keeps alist of the persons who are sick on board, specifying their diseases, and the times when they came under his care, and when they weredischarged. It happened that I was once at the pay-table on board aship, when several sailors objected to the payment of the surgeon, alleging, that although he had discharged them from the list, andreported them to be cured, yet their cure was incomplete. From thistime, it has been my constant practice when the surgeon reported a manto be cured, who had been upon the sick-list, to call the man before me, and ask him whether the report was true: If he alleged that any symptomsof his complaint remained, I continued him upon the list; if not, Irequired him, as a confirmation of the surgeon's report, to sign thebook, which was always done in my presence. A copy of the sick-list onboard the Dolphin, during this voyage, signed by every man in mypresence, when he was discharged well, in confirmation of the surgeon'sreport, written in my own hand, and confirmed by my affidavit, I havedeposited in the Admiralty; by which it appears, that the last man onboard the ship, in her voyage outward, who was upon the sick-list forthe venereal disease, except one who was sent to England in thestore-ship, was discharged cured, and signed the book on the 27th ofDecember, 1766, near six months before our arrival at Otaheite, whichwas on the 19th of June, 1767; and that the first man who was upon thelist for that disease, in our return home, was entered on the 26th ofFebruary, 1768, six months after we left the island, which was on the26th of July, 1767; so that the ship's company was entirely freefourteen months within one day, the very middle of which time we spentat Otaheite; and the man who was first entered as a venereal patient, onour return home, was known to have contracted the disease at the Cape ofGood Hope, where we then lay. 

SECTION IX. 

_Passage from Otaheite to Tinian, with some Account of several otherIslands that were discovered in the South Seas. _

Having made sail from King George the Third's Island, we proceeded alongthe shore of the Duke of York's Island, at the distance of about twomiles. There appeared to be good bays in every part of it, and in themiddle a fine harbour; but I did not think it worth while to go onshore. The middle and west end is very mountainous, the east end islower, and the coast, just within the beach, is covered with cocoa-nut, bread-fruit, apple, and plantain trees. 

At daylight, the next morning, we saw land, for which we made sail, andran along the lee-side of it. On the weather-side there were very greatbreakers, and the lee-side was rocky, but in many places there appearedto be good anchorage. We saw but few inhabitants, and they appeared tolive in a manner very different from those of King George's Island, their habitations being only small huts. We saw many cocoa-nut and othertrees upon the shore; but all of than had their heads blown away, probably in a hurricane. This island is about six miles long, and has amountain of considerable height in the middle, which seems to befertile. It lies in latitude 17° 28' S. , and longitude, by our lastobservation, 151° 4' W. And I called it _Sir Charles Saunders's Island_. 

On the 29th, the variation of the compass, by azimuth, was 7° 52' E. ;and early the next morning, at day-break, we saw land bearing from N. ByE. To N. W. We stood for it, but could find no anchorage, the wholeisland being surrounded by breakers. We saw smoke in two places, but noinhabitants. A few cocoa-nut trees were growing on the lee-part of it, and I called it _Lord Howe's Island_. It is about ten miles long, andfour broad, and lies in latitude 16° 46' S. , longitude, by observation, 154° 13' W. 

In the afternoon, we saw land bearing W. By N. And stood for it. At fiveo'clock, we saw breakers running a great way out to the southward, andsoon after, low land to the S. W. And breakers all about it in everydirection. 

We turned to windward all night, and as soon as it was light, crowdedsail to get round these shoals. At nine we got round them, and namedthem _Scilly Islands_. They are a group of islands or shoals extremelydangerous; for in the night, however clear the weather, and by day, ifit is hazy, a ship may run upon them without seeing land. They lie inlatitude 16° 28' S. Longitude 155° 30' W. 

We continued to steer our course westward, till daybreak on the 13th ofAugust, when we saw land bearing W. By S. And hauled towards it. Ateleven o'clock in the forenoon, we saw more land in the W. S. W. At noon, the first land that we saw, which proved to be an island, bore W. 1/2 S. Distant about five leagues, and had the appearance of a sugar-loaf; themiddle of the other land, which was also an island, and appeared in apeak, bore W. S. W. Distant six leagues. To the first, which is nearlycircular, and three miles over, I gave the name of _Boscawen's Island_;and the other, which is three miles and a half long, and two broad, Icalled _Keppel's Isle_. Port Royal at this time bore E. 4° 10' S. Distant 478 leagues. 

At two o'clock, being about two miles distant from Boscawen's Island, wesaw several of the inhabitants; but Keppel's Isle being to windward, andappearing more likely to afford us anchorage, we hauled up for it. Atsix, it was not more than a mile and a half distant, and, with ourglasses, we saw many of the inhabitants upon the beach; but there beingbreakers at a considerable distance from the shore, we stood off and onall night. 

At four o'clock the next morning, we sent off the boats to sound, andvisit the island; and as soon as it was light, we ran down and layover-against the middle of it. At noon, the boats returned, and reportedthat they had run within a cable's length of the island, but could findno ground: That seeing a reef of rocks lie off it, they had hauled roundit, and got into a large, deep bay which was full of rocks: That theythen sounded without the bay, and found anchorage from fourteen totwenty fathom, with a bottom of sand and coral: That afterwards theywent again into the bay, and found a rivulet of good water, but theshore being rocky, went in search of a better landing-place, which theyfound about half a mile farther, and went ashore. They reported also, that from the water to this landing-place, a good rolling-way might bemade for supplying the ship, but that a strong guard would be necessary, to prevent molestation from the inhabitants. They saw no hogs, butbrought off two fowls and some cocoa-nuts, plantains, and bananas. Whilethe boats were on shore, two canoes came up to them with six men: Theyseemed to be peaceably inclined, and were much the same kind of peopleas the inhabitants of King George's Island, but they were clothed in akind of matting, and the first joint of their little fingers had beentaken off; at the same time about fifty more came down from the country, to within about an hundred yards of them, but would advance no farther. When our people had made what observations they could, they put off, andthree of the natives from the canoes came into one of the boats, butwhen she got about half a mile from the shore, they all suddenly jumpedoverboard, and swam back again. 

Having received this account, I considered that the watering here wouldbe tedious, and attended with great fatigue: That it was now the depthof winter in the southern hemisphere, that the ship was leaky, that therudder shook the stern very much, and that what other damage she mighthave received in her bottom could not be known. That for these reasons, she was very unfit for the bad weather which she would certainly meetwith either in going round Cape Horn, or through the streight ofMagellan: That if she should get safely through the streight, or roundthe cape, it would be absolutely necessary for her to refresh in someport, but in that case no port would be in her reach; I thereforedetermined to make the best of my way to Tinian, Batavia, and so toEurope by the Cape of Good Hope. By this route, as far as we couldjudge, we should sooner be at home; and if the ship should prove not tobe in a condition to make the whole voyage, we should still save ourlives, as from this place to Batavia we should probably have a calm sea, and be not far from a port. 

In consequence of this resolution, at noon I bore away, and passedBoscawen's Island without visiting it. It is a high round island, abounding in wood, and full of people; but Keppel's Isle is by far thelargest and the best of the two. 

Boscawen's Island lies in latitude 15° 50' S. Longitude 175° W. AndKeppel's Isle in latitude 15° 55' S. Longitude 175° 3' W. 

We continued a W. N. W. Course till ten o'clock in the morning of Sundaythe 16th, when we saw land bearing N. By E. And hauled up for it. Atnoon, we were within three leagues of it: The land within shore appearedto be high, but at the water-side it was low, and had a pleasantappearance; the whole seemed to be surrounded by reefs, that ran two orthree miles into the sea. As we sailed along the shore, which wascovered with cocoa-nut trees, we saw a few huts, and smoke in severalparts up the country. Soon after we hauled without a reef of rocks, toget round the lee-side of the island, and at the same time sent out theboats to sound, and examine the coast. 

The boats rowed close along the shore, and found it rocky, with treesgrowing close down to the water-side. These trees were of differentsorts, many of them very large; but had no fruit: On the lee-side, however, there were a few cocoa-nuts, but not a single habitation was tobe seen. They discovered several small rills of water, which, byclearing, might have been made to run in a larger stream. Soon afterthey had got close to the shore, several canoes came up to them, eachhaving six or eight men on board. They appeared to be a robust, activepeople, and were quite naked, except a kind of mat that was wrappedround their middle. They were armed with large maces or clubs, such asHercules is represented with, two of which they sold to the master for anail or two, and some trinkets. As our people had seen no animal, eitherbird or beast, except sea-fowl, they were very desirous to learn of thenatives whether they had either, but could not make themselvesunderstood. It appears, that during this conference, a design was formedto seize our cutter, for one of the Indians suddenly laid hold of herpainter, and hauled her upon the rocks. Our people endeavoured, invain, to make them desist, till they fired a musket cross the nose ofthe man that was most active in the mischief. No hurt was done; but thefire and report so affrighted them, that they made off with greatprecipitation. Both our boats then put off, but the water had fallen sosuddenly that they found it very difficult to get back to the ship; forwhen they came into deep water they found the points of rocks standingup, and the whole reef, except in one part, was now dry, and a great seabroke over it. The Indians probably perceived their distress, for theyturned back, and followed them in their canoes all along the reef tillthey got to the breach, and then seeing them clear, and making way fasttowards the ship, they returned. 

About six in the evening, it being then dark, the boats returned, andthe master told me, that all within the reef was rocky, but that in twoor three places, at about two cables' length without it, there wasanchorage in eighteen, fourteen, and twelve fathom, upon sand and coral. The breach in the reef he found to be about sixty fathom broad, andhere, if pressed by necessity, he said a ship might anchor or moor ineight fathom; but that it would not be safe to moor with a greaterlength than half a cable. 

When I had hoisted the boats in, I ran down four miles to leeward, wherewe lay till the morning; and then, finding that the current had set usout of sight of the island, I made sail. The officers did me the honourto call this island after my name. _Wallis's Island_ lies in latitude13° 18' S. Longitude 177° W. 

As the latitudes and longitudes of all these islands are accurately laiddown, and plans of them delivered in to the Admiralty, it will be easyfor any ship, that shall hereafter navigate these seas, to find any ofthem, either to refresh or to make farther discoveries of their produce. 

I thought it very remarkable, that although we found no kind of metal inany of these islands, yet, the inhabitants of all of them, the momentthey got a piece of iron in their possession, began to sharpen it, butmade no such attempt on brass or copper. 

We continued to steer N. Westerly, and many birds were from time totime seen about the ship, till the 28th, when her longitude being, byobservation, 187°24'W. We crossed the Line into north latitude. Amongthe birds that came about the ship, one which we caught exactlyresembled a dove in size, shape, and colour. It had red legs, and wasweb-footed. We also saw several plantain leaves and cocoa-nuts pass bythe ship. 

On Saturday the 29th, about two o'clock in the afternoon, being inlatitude 2°50'N. Longitude 188°W. We crossed a great rippling, whichstretched from the N. E. To the S. W. As far as the eye could reach fromthe mast-head. We sounded, but had no bottom with a line of two hundredfathoms. 

On Thursday the 3d of September, at five o'clock in the morning, we sawland bearing E. N. E. Distant about five miles: In about half an hour wesaw more land in the N. W. And at six, saw in the N. E. An Indian proa, such as is described in the account of Lord Anson's voyage. Perceivingthat she stood towards us, we hoisted Spanish colours; but when she camewithin about two miles of us, she tacked, and stood from us to theN. N. W. And in a short time was out of sight. 

At eight o'clock, the islands which I judged to be two of thePiscadores, bore from S. W. By W. To W. And to windward, from N. By E. ToN. E. And had the appearance of small flat keys. They were distant aboutthree leagues; but many others, much farther off, were in sight. Thelatitude of one of those islands is 11°N. Longitude 192°30' W. ; and theother 11°20'N. , longitude 192°58'W. 

On the 7th, we saw a curlieu and a pewit, and on the 9th we caught aland-bird, very much resembling a starling. 

On the 17th, we saw two gannets, and judged the island of Tinian to bearwest, at about one-and-thirty leagues distance; our latitude being15°N. , and our longitude 212° 30'W. At six o'clock the next morning, wesaw the island of Saypan, bearing W. By N. Distant about ten leagues. Inthe afternoon, we saw Tinian, and made sail for the road; where, at nineo'clock in the morning, of Saturday the 19th, we came to an anchor intwo-and-twenty fathom, sandy ground, at about a mile distant from theshore, and half a mile from the reef. 

SECTION X. 

_Some Account of the present State of the Island of Tinian, and ourEmployment there; with what happened in the Run from thence to Batavia. _

As soon as the ship was secured, I sent the boats on shore to erecttents, and bring off some refreshments; and about noon they returned, with some cocoa-nuts, limes, and oranges. 

In the evening, the tents being erected, I sent the surgeon and all theinvalids on shore, with two months provisions, of every kind, for fortymen, the smith's forge, and a chest of carpenter's tools. I then landedmyself, with the first lieutenant, both of us being in a very sicklycondition, taking with us also a mate, and twelve men, to go up thecountry and hunt for cattle. 

When we first came to an anchor, the north part of the bay bore N. 39°W. Cocoa point N. 7° W. The landing-place N. E. By N. And the south endof the island S. 28° E. ; but next morning, the master having sounded allthe bay, and being of opinion that there was a better situation to thesouthward, we warped the ship a little way up, and moored with a cableeach way. 

At six in the evening, the hunters brought in a fine young bull, of nearfour hundred weight: Part of it we kept on shore, and sent the rest onboard with bread-fruit, limes, and oranges. 

Early the next morning, the carpenters were set at work to caulk theship all over, and put every thing in repair as far as possible. All thesails were also got on shore, and the sail-makers employed to mend them:The armourers at the same time were busy in repairing the iron-work, andmaking new chains for the rudder. The number of the people now on shore, sick and well, was fifty-three. 

In this place we got beef, pork, poultry, papaw apples, bread-fruit, limes, oranges, and every refreshment that is mentioned in the accountof Lord Anson's voyage. The sick began to recover from the day theyfirst went on shore: The air, however, was so different here from whatwe found it in King George's Island, that flesh meat, which there keptsweet two days, could here be scarcely kept sweet one. There had beenmany cocoa-nut trees near the landing-place, but they had been allwastefully cut down for the fruit, and none being grown up in theirstead, we were forced to go three miles into the country before a singlenut could be procured. The hunters also suffered incredible fatigue, forthey were frequently obliged to go ten or twelve miles through onecontinued thicket, and the cattle were so wild that it was verydifficult to come near them, so that I was obliged to relieve one partyby another; and it being reported that cattle were more plenty at thenorth end of the island, but that the hunters being quite exhausted withfatigue when they got thither, were not able to kill them, much less tobring them down, I sent Mr Gore, with fourteen men, to establishthemselves in that part of the island, and ordered that a boat should goevery morning, at day-break, to bring in what they should kill. In themean time the ship was laid by the stern to get at some of the coppersheathing which had been much torn; and in repairing the copper, thecarpenter discovered and stopped a large leak under the lining of theknee of the head, by which we had reason to hope most of the water thatthe vessel had lately admitted in bad weather, came in. During our stayhere, I ordered all the people on shore by turns, and by the 15th ofOctober, all the sick being recovered, our wood and water completed, andthe ship made fit for the sea, we got every thing off the shore, andembarked all our men from the watering-place, each having, at least, five hundred limes, and there being several tubs full on thequarter-deck, for every one to squeeze into his water as he should thinkfit. 

At break of day, on Friday the 16th, we weighed, and, sailed out of thebay, sending the boats at the same time to the north end of the island, to bring off Mr Gore and his hunters. At noon, we received them andtheir tents on board, with a fine large bull, which they had justkilled. 

While we lay at anchor in this place, we had many observations for thelatitude and longitude, from which we drew up the following table:

 Latitude of the ship, as she lay at anchor 14° 55'N. Long. 214°15'W. Latitude of the watering-place 14 59 N. Longitude of the body of Tinian 24 W. Longitude of the Tinian Road 214 8 W. Medium of Longitude, observed at Tinian 214 7

We continued a westerly course, inclining somewhat to the north, tillthe 21st, when Tinian bearing S. 71°40'E. Distant 277 leagues, we sawmany birds; and the next day, saw three, resembling gannets, of the samekind that we had seen when we were within about thirty leagues ofTinian. 

On the 23d, we had much thunder, lightning, and rain, with strong gales, and a great sea. The ship laboured very much, and the rudder being looseagain, shook the stern as much as ever. The next day, we saw severalsmall land birds, and the gales continuing, we split the gib andmain-top-mast-stay-sail; the wind increased all the remainder of theday, and all night, and on Sunday it blew a storm. The fore-sail andmizen-sail were torn to pieces, and lost; and having bent others, wewore and stood under a reefed fore-sail, and balanced mizen. We had themortification to find the ship admit more water than usual. We got thetop-gallant masts down upon the deck, and took the gib-boom in; soonafter which a sea struck the ship upon the bow, and washed away theround houses, with all the rails of the head, and every thing that wasupon the fore-castle: We were, however, obliged to carry as much sail asthe ship would bear, being, by Lord Anson's account, very near theBashee Islands, and, by Mr Byron's, not more than thirty leagues, with alee-shore. 

The next morning, we saw several ducks and shags, some small land birds, and a great number of horse-flies about the ship; but had no ground with160 fathom. The incessant and heavy rain had kept every man on boardconstantly wet to the skin for more than two days and two nights; theweather was still very dark, and the sea was continually breaking overthe ship. 

On the 27th, the darkness, rain, and tempest continuing, a mountainoussea that broke over us, staved all the half-ports to pieces on thestarboard side, broke all the iron stanchions on the gunwale, washed theboat off the skids, and carried many things overboard. We had, however, this day, a gleam of sunshine, sufficient to determine our latitude, which we found to be 20°50'N. , and the ship appeared to be fifty minutesnorth of her reckoning. 

The weather now became more moderate. At noon, on the 28th, we alteredour course, steering S. By W. ; and at half an hour after one, we saw theBashee Islands bearing from S. By E. To S. S. E. Distant about sixleagues. These islands are all high, but the northermost is higher thanthe rest. By an observation made this day, we found Grafton Island tolie in the longitude of 239° W. And in latitude of 21° 4' N. Atmidnight, the weather being very dark, with sudden gusts of wind, wemissed Edmund Morgan, a marine tailor, whom we supposed to have fallenoverboard, having reason to fear that he had drunk more than hisallowance. 

From this time, to the 3d of November, we found the ship every day fromten to fifteen miles north of her reckoning. The day before we had seenseveral gannets; but upon sounding many times during the day and thenext night, we had no ground with 160 fathom. This morning, at seveno'clock, we saw a ledge of breakers bearing S. W. At the distance ofabout three miles: We hauled off from them, and at eleven saw morebreakers bearing S. W. By S. Distant about five miles. At noon, we hauledoff the east end of them, from which we were not distant more than aquarter of a mile. 

The first shoal lies in latitude 11° 8' N. ; longitude, from BasheeIslands, 8° W. 

The second shoal lies in latitude 10° 46' N. ; longitude of the N. E. End, from Bashee Islands, 8° 13' W. 

We saw much foul ground to the S. And S. S. E. But had no bottom with 150fathom. Before one, however, we saw shoal water on the larboard bow, andstanding from it, passed another ledge at two. At three, we saw a lowsandy point, which I called _Sandy Isle_, bearing N. 1/2 E. Distantabout two miles. At five, we saw a small island, which I called _SmallKey_, bearing N. By E. Distant about five miles; and soon after, anotherlarger, which I called _Long Island_, beyond it. At six in the evening, the largest island being distant between two and three leagues, webrought-to, and stood off and on from mid-night till break of day, continually sounding, but having no ground. 

At seven in the morning, of Wednesday the 4th, we saw another island, which I called _New Island_, bearing S. E. By E. , and a large reef ofrocks, bearing S. 1/2 W. Distant six miles. At ten, we saw breakers fromW. S. W. To W. By N. At noon, the north end of the great reef bore S. E. ByE. Distant two leagues, and another reef bore W. N. W. At about the samedistance. 

The latitudes and longitudes of these islands and shoals, appear by thefollowing table:

 Lat. N. Long. W. Sandy Isle - 10° 40' 247° 12' Small Key - - 10 37 247 16 Long Island - - 10 20 247 24 New Island - - 10 10 247 40 First Shoal - - 10 14 247 36 Second Shoal - - 10 4 247 45 Third Shoal - - 10 5 247 50

Soon after, we saw another reef in latitude 10° 15', longitude 248°. 

The next day we found the ship, which had for some time been to thenorthward of her reckoning, eight miles to the southward. 

We continued our course, often sounding, but finding no bottom. On the7th, we passed through several ripplings of a current, and saw greatquantities of drift-wood, cocoa-nut leaves, things like cones of firs, and weed, which swam in a stream N. E. And S. W. We had now soundings atsixty-five fathom, with brown sand, small shells, and stones; and atnoon, found the ship again to the northward of her reckoning ten miles, and had decreased our soundings to twenty-eight fathom, with the sameground. Our latitude was 8° 36' N. ; longitude 253° W. At two o'clock, wesaw the island of Condore, from the mast-head, bearing W. 1/2 N. Atfour, we had ground with twenty fathom; the island bearing from W. ToN. W. By W. Distant about thirteen leagues, and having the appearance ofhigh hummocks. The latitude of this island is 8° 40' N. ; longitude, byour reckoning, 254° 15'. 

We now altered our course; and the next morning, I took from the pettyofficers and seamen, all the log and journal books relative to thevoyage. 

On the 10th, being in latitude 5° 20' N. , longitude 255° W. We found acurrent setting four fathom an hour S. By W. ; and during our course tothe islands Timoun, Aros, and Pesang, which we saw about six in theafternoon of the 13th, we were every day from ten to twenty milessouthward of our reckoning. 

On the 16th, at ten in the morning, we crossed the Line again intosouth latitude, in longitude 255°; and soon after we saw two islands, one bearing S. By E. Distant five leagues, and the other S. By W. Distant seven leagues. 

The next morning, the weather became very dark and tempestuous, withheavy rain; we therefore clewed all up, and lay by till we could seeabout us. The two islands proved to be Pulo Toté, and Pulo Weste; andhaving made sail till one o'clock, we saw the Seven Islands. Wecontinued our course till two the next morning, the weather being verydark, with heavy squalls of wind, and much lightning and rain. While oneof these blasts was blowing with all its violence, and the darkness wasso thick that we could not see from one part of the ship to the other, we suddenly discovered, by a flash of lightning, a large vessel closeaboard of us. The steersman instantly put the helm a-lee, and the shipanswering her rudder, we just cleared each, other. This was the firstship we had seen since we parted with the Swallow; and it blew so hard, that not being able to understand any thing that was said, we could notlearn to what nation she belonged. 

At six, the weather having cleared up, we saw a sail at anchor in theE. S. E. ; and at noon, we saw land in the W. N. W. Which proved, to be PuloTaya, Pulo Toté bearing S. 35°E. Pulo Weste S. 13°E. At six in theevening, we anchored in fifteen fathom, with sandy ground; and observeda current running E. N. E. At the rate of five fathom an hour. 

At six in the morning, we weighed and made sail, and soon after saw twovessels a-head; but at six in the evening, finding that we lost muchground, we came again to an anchor in fifteen fathom, with a fine sandybottom. 

At six o'clock the next morning, the current being slack, we hove shorton the small bower, which soon after parted at a third from the clench. We immediately took in the cable, and perceived that, although we hadsounded with great care, before we anchored, and found the bottom clear, it had been cut through by the rocks. After some time, the currentbecoming strong, a fresh gale springing up, and the ship being a greatway to the leeward, I made sail, in hopes to get up and recover theanchor; but I found at last that it was impossible, without anchoringagain; and being afraid of the consequences of doing that in foulground, I determined to stand on, especially as the weather was becomesqually. 

We were, however, able to make very little way till the next day, when, about three in the afternoon, we saw Monopin Hill bearing S. 3/4 E. Andadvancing very little, saw the coast of Sumatra at half an hour aftersix the next morning. We continued to suffer great delay by currents andcalms, but on Monday the 30th of November, we anchored in Batavia Road. 

SECTION XI. 

_Transactions at Batavia, and an Account of the Passage from thence tothe Cape of Good Hope_. 

We found here fourteen sail of Dutch East-India ships, a great number ofsmall vessels, and his majesty's ship the Falmouth, lying upon the mudin a rotten condition. 

I sent an officer on shore, to acquaint the governor of our arrival, toobtain his permission to purchase refreshments, and to tell him that Iwould salute him, if he would engage to return an equal number of guns. The governor readily agreed; and at sun-rise, on Tuesday the 1st ofDecember, I saluted him with thirteen guns, which he returned withfourteen from the fort. Soon after, the purser sent off some fresh beef, and plenty of vegetables, which I ordered to be served immediately; atthe same time I called the ship's company together, and told them that Iwould not suffer any liquor to come on board, and would severely punishthose who should attempt to bring any: And I took some pains toreconcile them to this regulation, by assuring them that in thiscountry, intemperance would inevitably destroy them. As a furtherpreservative, I suffered not a man to go on shore, except those who wereupon duty; and took care that none even of these straggled into thetown. 

On the 2d, I sent the boatswain and the carpenter, with the carpenter ofthe Falmouth, to look at such of her stores as had been landed atOnrust, with orders, that if any were fit for our use they should bebought. At their return, they informed me that all the stores they hadseen were rotten, and unfit for use, except one pair of tacks, whichthey brought with them: The masts, yards, and cables were all droppingto pieces, and even the iron work was so rusty that it was worthnothing. They also went on board the Falmouth to examine her hulk, andfound her in so shattered a condition, that in their opinion she couldnot be kept together during the next monsoon. Many of her ports werewashed into one, the stern-post was quite decayed, and there was noplace in her where a man could be sheltered from the weather. The fewpeople who belonged to her were in as bad a state as their vessel, beingquite broken and worn down, and expecting to be drowned as soon as themonsoon should set in. 

Among other necessaries, we were in want of an anchor, having lost two, and of three-inch rope for rounding the cables; but the officers whom Ihad sent to procure these articles, reported, that the price which hadbeen demanded for them was so exorbitant, that they had not agreed togive it. On Saturday the 5th, therefore, I went on shore myself, for thefirst time, and visited the different storehouses and arsenals, butfound it impossible to make a better bargain than my officers. Isuspected that the dealers took advantage of our apparent necessity, andsupposing that we could not sail without what we had offered topurchase, determined to extort from us more than four times its value. Iwas, however, resolved to make any shift rather than submit to what Ithought a shameful imposition, and therefore told them that I shouldcertainly sail on the next Tuesday; that if they would agree to my termsin the mean time, I would take the things I had treated for; if not, that I would sail without them. 

Soon after I returned on board, I received a petition from thewarrant-officers of the Falmouth, representing, that there was nothingfor them to look after: That the gunner had been long dead, and hisstores spoiled, particularly the powder, which, by order of the Dutch, had been thrown into the sea: That the boatswain, by vexation anddistress, had lost his senses, and was then a deplorable object in aDutch hospital: That all his stores had been long spoiled and rotten, the roof of the storehouse having fallen in during a wet monsoon, andleft them exposed many months, all endeavours to procure another placeto put them in being ineffectual: That the carpenter was in a dyingcondition, and the cook a wounded cripple. For these reasons theyrequested that I would take them home, or at least dismiss them fromtheir charge. It was with the greatest regret and compassion that I toldthese unhappy people it was not in my power to relieve them, and that asthey had received charge of stores, they must wait orders from home. They replied, that they had never received a single order from Englandsince they had been left here, and earnestly entreated that I wouldmake their distress known, that it might be relieved. They had, theysaid, ten years' pay due, in the expectation of which they were grownold, and which now they would be content to forfeit, and go homesweepers, rather than continue to suffer the miseries of their presentsituation, which were indeed very great. They were not suffered to spenda single night on shore, whatever was their condition, and when theywere sick, no one visited them on board; they were, besides, robbed bythe Malays, and in perpetual dread of being destroyed by them, as theyhad a short time before burnt the Siam prize. I assured them that Iwould do my utmost to procure them relief, and they left me with tearsin their eyes. 

As I heard nothing more of the anchor and rope for which I had been intreaty, I made all ready for sea. The ship's company had continuedhealthy and sober, and been served with fresh beef every day, from thetime of our first coming to an anchor in the Road; we had also somebeef, and a live ox, to carry out with us. We had now only one man uponthe sick list, except a seaman, who had been afflicted with rheumaticpains ever since our leaving the Streight of Magellan: And at sixo'clock in the morning, of Tuesday the 8th of December, after a stay ofjust one week, we set sail. 

On the 11th, at noon, we were off a small island called the Cap, betweenthe coasts of Sumatra and Java, and several of our people fell down withcolds and fluxes. The next day, a Dutch boat came on board, and sold ussome turtle, which was served to the ship's company. At night, being atthe distance of about two miles from the Java shore, we saw anincredible number of lights upon the beach, which we supposed wereintended to draw the fish near it, as we had seen the same appearance atother places. 

On Monday the 14th, we anchored off Prince's Island, and began to takein wood and water. The next morning, the natives came in with turtle, poultry, and hog-deer, which we bought at a reasonable price. Wecontinued here, fitting the ship for the sea, till the 19th, duringwhich time many of the people began to complain of intermittingdisorders, something like an ague. At six o'clock the next morning, having completed our wood, and taken on board seventy-six tons of water, we made sail. 

While we lay here, one of the seamen fell from the mainyard into thebarge, which lay along-side the ship. His body was dreadfully bruised, and many of his bones were broken: It happened also, that in his fallhe struck two other men, one of whom was so much hurt that he continuedspeechless till the 24th, and then died, though the other had only oneof his toes broken. We had now no less than sixteen upon the sick list, and by the 1st of January, the number was increased to forty; we hadburied three, among whom was the quarter-master, George Lewis, who was adiligent, sober man, and the more useful, as he spoke both the Spanishand Portuguese languages. The diseases by which we suffered, werefluxes, and fevers of the putrid kind, which are always contagious, and, for that reason alone, would be more fatal on board a ship than anyother. The surgeon's mate was very soon laid up, and those who wereappointed to attend the sick, were always taken ill in a day or twoafter they had been upon that service. To remedy this evil, as much asit was in my power, I made a very large birth for the sick, by removinga great number of people from below to the half deck, which I hung withpainted canvas, keeping it constantly clean, and directing it to bewashed with vinegar, and fumigated once or twice a day. Our water waswell tasted, and was kept constantly ventilated; a large piece of iron, also, used for the melting of tar, and called a loggerhead, was heatedred-hot, and quenched in it before it was given out to be drank. Thesick had also wine instead of grog, and salep or sago every morning forbreakfast: Two days in a week they had mutton broth, and had a fowl ortwo given them on the intermediate days; they had, besides, plenty ofrice and sugar, and frequently malt meshed; so that perhaps people in asickly ship had never so many refreshments before: The surgeon also wasindefatigable; yet, with all these advantages, the sickness on boardgained ground. In the mean time, to aggravate our misfortune, the shipmade more than three feet water in a watch; and all her upper works werevery open and loose. 

By the 10th of January, the sickness began, in some degree, to abate, but more than half the company were so feeble, that they could scarcelycrawl about. On this day, being in latitude 22° 41' S. , longitude, byaccount, 300° 47' W. We saw many tropic birds about the ship. 

On the 17th, being in latitude 27° 32' S. , longitude 310° 36' W. , we sawseveral albatrosses, and caught some bonettas. The ship was this day tenmiles to the southward of her account. 

On the 24th, in latitude 33° 40' S. , longitude, by account, 328° 17' W. , we met with a violent gale, which split the main-top-sail and themain-top-mast-stay-sail all to pieces. The sea broke over the ship in adreadful manner, the starboard rudder chain was broken, and many of thebooms were washed overboard. During the storm we saw several birds andbutterflies; and our first attention, after it was subsided, was to drythe bedding of the sick: At the same time, every one on board who couldhandle a needle was employed in repairing the sails, which were now in ashattered condition. 

On the 26th and 27th, being in latitude 34° 16', and becalmed, we hadseveral observations, by which we determined the longitude of the shipto be 323° 30'; and it appeared that we were several degrees to theeastward of our reckoning. 

At six in the evening, of the 30th of January, we saw land, and on the4th of February, we anchored in Table Bay, at the Cape of Good Hope. 

Our run from Prince's Island to the Cape was, by our reckoning, 89degrees longitude, which makes the longitude of the Cape 345° W. ; butthe longitude of the Cape being, by observation, 342° 4', it appearedthat the ship was three degrees to the eastward of her reckoning. 

SECTION XII. 

_An Account of our Transactions at the Cape of Good Hope, and of theReturn of the Dolphin to England_. 

As soon as the ship was at anchor, I sent an officer on shore, with theusual compliments to the governor, who received him with great civility, telling him that we were welcome to all the refreshments and assistancethat the Cape afforded, and that he would return our salute with thesame number of guns. 

We found riding here a Dutch commodore, with sixteen sail of Dutch EastIndiamen, a French East India ship, and the Admiral Watson, CaptainGriffin, an East India packet-boat, for Bengal. We saluted the governorwith thirteen guns, and he returned the same number; the Admiral Watsonsaluted us with eleven guns, and we returned nine; the French shipafterwards saluted us with nine guns, and we returned seven. 

Having got off some mutton for the ship's company, with plenty ofgreens, I sent the surgeon on shore to hire quarters for the sick, buthe could procure none for less than two shillings a day, and astipulation to pay more, if any of them should take the small-pox, whichwas then in almost every house, in proportion to the malignity of thedisease. The first expence being great, and it appearing, upon enquiry, that many of our people had never had the small-pox, so that theincrease was likely to be considerable, besides the danger, I requestedthe governor's permission to erect a tent upon a spacious plain, atabout two miles distance from the town, called Green Point, and to sendmy people on shore thither during the day, under the care of an officer, to prevent their straggling. This permission the governor immediatelygranted, and gave orders that they should suffer no molestation. 

In this place, therefore, I ordered tents to be erected, and the surgeonand his mate, with proper officers, to attend; at the same time strictlycharging that no man should be suffered to go into the town, and that noliquor should be brought to the tents. All the sick, except two, leftthe ship early in the morning, with their provisions and firing; and forthose that were reduced to great weakness, I ordered the surgeon toprocure such extraordinary provisions as he should think proper, particularly milk, though it was sold at an excessive price. About sixin the evening they returned on board, and seemed to be greatlyrefreshed. At the same time, being extremely ill myself, I was obligedto be put on shore, and carried about eight miles up the country, whereI continued all the time the ship lay here; and when she was ready tosail, returned on board without having received the least benefit. 

No time, however, was lost in refitting the vessel: The sails were allunbent, the yards and top-masts struck, the forge was set up, thecarpenters were employed in caulking, the sail-makers in mending thesails, the cooper in repairing the casks, the people in overhauling therigging, and the boats in filling water. 

By the 10th of February, the heavy work being nearly dispatched, twentyof the men who had had the small-pox, were permitted to go ashore at thetown, and others, who were still liable to the distemper, were landed atsome distance, with orders to go into the country, and return in theevening, which they punctually obeyed: This liberty, therefore, wascontinued to them all the while the vessel lay at this port, whichproduced so good an effect, that the ship's company, except the sick, who recovered very fast, had a more healthy and vigorous appearance thanwhen they left England. We purchased here the necessaries that weendeavoured to procure at Batavia, at a reasonable price, besidescanvass and other stores; we also procured fresh water by distillation, principally to shew the captains of the Indiamen, and their officers, that, upon an emergency, wholesome water might be procured at sea. Atfive o'clock in the morning, we put fifty-six gallons of salt water intothe still, at seven it began to run, and in about five hours and aquarter afforded us two-and-forty gallons of fresh water, at an expenceof nine pounds of wood, and sixty-nine pounds of coals. Thirteen gallonsand two quarts remained in the still, and that which came off had no illtaste, nor, as we had often experienced, any hurtful quality. I thoughtthe shewing this experiment of the more consequence, as the being ableto allow plenty of water not only for drink, but for boiling any kind ofprovision, and even for making tea and coffee, especially during longvoyages, and in hot climates, conduces greatly to health, and is themeans of saving many lives. I never once put my people to an allowanceof water during this whole voyage, always using the still when we werereduced to five-and-forty tons, and preserving the rain water with theutmost diligence. I did not, however, allow water to be fetched away atpleasure, but the officer of the watch had orders to give such asbrought provisions of any kind, water sufficient to dress it, and aproper quantity also to such as brought tea and coffee. 

On the 25th, the wood and water being nearly completed, and the shipalmost ready for sea, I ordered everybody to go on board, and the sicktents to be brought off; the people being so well recovered, that in thewhole ship's company there were but three men unable to do duty, andhappily, since our leaving Batavia, we had lost but three. The next day, and the day following, the carpenters finished caulking all theout-works, the fore-castle, and the main-deck; we got all our bread onboard from the shore, with a considerable quantity of straw, andthirty-four sheep for sea-stores. In the mean time I came on board, andhaving unmoored, lay waiting for a wind till the evening of Thursday the3d of March, when a breeze springing up, we got under sail. While wewere on shore at Green Point, we had an opportunity of making manycelestial observations, by which we determined Table Bay to lie inlatitude 34° 2' S. , longitude, from Greenwich, 18° 8' E. The variationof the needle, at this place, was 19° 30' W. 

On the 7th, being in latitude 29° 33' S. , longitude, by account, 347°38', the ship was eight miles to the northward of her dead reckoning. 

On the 13th, having sailed westward 360 degrees from the meridian ofLondon, we had lost a day; I therefore called the latter part of thisday Monday, March 14th. 

At six o'clock in the evening, of Wednesday the 16th, we saw the islandof St Helena, at the distance of about fourteen leagues; and at one thenext morning, brought-to. At break of day, we made sail for the island, and at nine, anchored in the bay. The fort saluted us with thirteenguns, and we returned the same number. We found riding here theNorthumberland Indiaman, Captain Milford, who saluted us with elevenguns, and we returned nine. We got out all the boats as soon aspossible, and sent the empty casks to be filled with water; at the sametime several of the people were employed to gather purslain, which growshere in great plenty. About two o'clock, I went on shore myself and wassaluted by the fort with thirteen guns, which I returned. The governorand the principal gentlemen of the island did me the honour to meet meat the water-side, and having conducted me to the fort, told me, that itwas expected I should make it my home during my stay. 

By noon the next day, our water was completed, and the ship was madeready for sea; soon after, she was unmoored, to take advantage of thefirst breeze, and at five in the afternoon, I returned onboard. Upon myleaving the shore, I was saluted with thirteen guns, and soon after, upon getting under way, I was saluted with thirteen more, both which Ireturned; the Northumberland Indiaman then saluted me with thirteenguns, so did the Osterley, which arrived here the evening before I madesail, and I returned the compliment with the same number. 

On the 21st, in the evening, we saw several men of war birds; and atmidnight, heard many birds about the ship. At five o'clock in themorning of the 23d, we saw the Island of Ascension; and at eight, discovered a ship to the eastward, who brought-to, and hoisted a jack ather main-topmast-head, upon which we shewed our colours, and she thenstood in for the land again. We ran down close along the north-east sideof the island, and looked into the bay, but seeing no ship there, and itblowing a stiff gale, I made the best of my way. 

On Monday the 28th, we crossed the equator, and got again into northlatitude. 

On Wednesday, the 13th of April, we passed a great quantity of gulphweed; and on the 17th, we passed a great deal more. On the 19th, we sawtwo flocks of birds, and observing the water to be discoloured, wethought the ground might be reached, but, upon sounding, could find nobottom. 

At five o'clock in the morning of Sunday the 24th, we saw the peak ofthe island of Pico bearing N. N. E. At the distance of about eighteenleagues. We found, by observation, that Fyal lies in latitude 38° 20'N. , longitude 28° 30' W. From London. 

No incident worth recording happened till about noon on the 11th of May, when, being in latitude 48° 44' N. , longitude 7° 16' W. We saw a ship inchace of a sloop, at which she fired several guns. We bore away, and atthree, fired a gun at the chace, and brought her to; the ship towindward, being near the chace, immediately sent a boat on board her, and soon after, Captain Hammond, of his majesty's sloop the Savage, cameon board of me, and told me, that the vessel he had chaced, when hefirst saw her, was in company with an Irish wherry, and that as soon asthey discovered him to be a man of war, they took different ways; thewherry hauled the wind, and the other vessel bore away. That he at firsthauled the wind, and stood after the wherry, but finding that he gainedno ground, he bore away after the other vessel, which probably wouldalso have escaped, if I had not stopped her, for that he gained verylittle ground in the chace. She appeared to be laden with tea, brandy, and other goods, from Roscoe in France; and though she was steering asouth-west course, pretended to be bound to Bergen in Norway. Shebelonged to Liverpool, was called the Jenny, and commanded by one RobertChristian. Her brandy and tea were in small kegs and bags; and allappearances being strongly against her, I detained her, in order to besent to England. 

At half an hour after five, on the 13th, we saw the islands of Scilly;on the 19th, I landed at Hastings in Sussex; and at four the nextmorning, the ship anchored safely in the Downs, it being just 637 dayssince her weighing anchor in Plymouth Sound. To this narrative, I haveonly to add, that the object of the voyage being discovery, it was myconstant practice, during the whole time of my navigating those parts ofthe sea which are not perfectly known, to lie-to every night, and makesail only in the day, that nothing might escape me. 

 * * * * *

_A Table of the Latitudes and the Longitudes West of London, with theVariation of the Needle, at several Ports, and Situations at Sea, fromObservations made on board his Majesty's Ship the Dolphin; and herNautical Reckoning during the Voyage which she made round the World inthe Years 1766, 1767, 1768, under the Command of Captain Samuel Wallis_. 

 Long. Time Latitude Longitude observed by VariNames of Places. When. In. Supposed. Dr Maskeline's -ation. Method. 1766. Lizard Aug. 22. 50 0 N. 5° 14' W. ------- 21° O' W. Funchall R. Madeira Sept. 8. 32 35 N. 18 0 W. 16 40' W. 14 10 W. Port Praja St Jaga Sept. 24. 14 53 N. 23 50 W. ---------- 8 20 W. Port Desire Dec. 8. 47 56 S. 67 20 W. 66 24 W. 23 15 E. Cape Virgin Mary Dec. 17. 52 24 S. 70 4 W. 69 6 W. 23 0 E. 1766. Point Possessum Dec. 23. 54 30 S. 70 11 W. 69 50 W. 22 40 E. Point Porpass Dec. 26. 53 8 S. 71 0 W. 71 30 W. 22 50 E. Port Famine Dec. 27. 53 43 S. 71 0 W. 71 32 W. 22 30 E. 1767. Cape Froward Jan. 19. 54 3 S. -------- -------- 22 40 E. Cape Holland Jan. 20. 53 58 S. -------- -------- 22 40 E. Cape Gallant Jan. 23. 53 50 S. -------- -------- 22 40 E. York Road Feb. 4. 53 40 S. -------- -------- 22 30 E. Cape Quod Feb. 17. 53 33 S. -------- -------- 32 35 E. Cape Notch Mar. 4. 43 22 S. -------- -------- 23 0 E. Cape Upright Mar. 18. 53 5 S. -------- -------- 22 40 E. Cape Pillar April 11. 52 46 S. 76 0 W. -------- 13 0 E. At Sea April 21. 12 30 S. 96 30 W. 95 46 W. 12 0 E. At Sea May 4. 28 12 S. 99 0 W. 96 30 W. 6 0 E. At Sea May 20. 21 0 S. 99 0 W. 106 47 W. 5 0 E. At Sea May 23. 20 20 S. 116 54 W. 112 64 W. 5 0 E. At Sea June 1. 10 38 S. 132 0 W. 127 45 W. 5 9 E. At Sea June 3. 19 30 S. 132 30 W. 129 50 W. 5 40 E. Whitsunday Island June 7. 19 26 S. 141 0 W. 137 56 W. 6 0 E. Q. Charlottes's Isl. June 8. 19 18 S. 141 4 W. 138 4 W. 5 20 E. Egmont Island June 11. 19 20 S. 141 27 W. 138 30 W. 6 0 E. D. Of Glouces. Isl. June 12. 19 11 S. 143 8 W. 140 6 W. 7 10 E. D. Of Cumtberl. Isl. June 13. 19 18 S. 143 44 W. 140 34 W. 7 0 E. Pr. Wm. Henry's Isl. June 15. 19 0 S. 144 4 W. 141 6 W. 7 0 E. Osnaburgh Island June 17. 17 51 S. 150 27 W. 147 30 W. 6 0 E. K. Geo. } S. E. End June 19. 17 48 S. 151 30 W. 148 15 W. 6 0 E. III's Isl. } N. W. End July 4. 17 30 S. 152 0 W. 150 0 W. 5 50 E. D. Of York's Island July 27. 17 28 S. 152 12 W. 150 16 W. 6 0 E. Sir C. Saunders's IslJuly 28. 17 28 S. 153 2 W. 151 4 W. 6 30 E. Lord Howe's Island July 30. 16 46 S. 156 38 W. 154 15 W. 7 40 E. Solly Island July 31. 16 28 S. 157 22 W. 155 30 W. 8 0 E. Boscawen's Island Aug. 13. 15 50 S. 177 20 W. 175 10 W. 9 0 E. Aug. Keppel's Island Aug. 13. 15 53 S. 177 23 W. 175 13 W. 10 0 E. Wallis's Island Aug. 17. 13 18 S. 180 0 W. 177 0 W. 10 0 E. Piscadores } S. End Sept. 3. 1 0 N. 195 0 W. 192 30 W. 10 0 E. Islands } N. End 11 20 N. 195 25 W. 193 0 W. 10 0 E. Pinias Sept. 30. 14 58 N. 215 40 W. 214 10 W. 6 20 E. At Sea Oct. 17. 16 10 N. 218 0 W. 216 25 W. 5 15 E. Grafton's Island Oct. 29. 21 4 N. 241 0 W. 239 0 W. 1 3 W. Pulo Aroe Nov. 15. 2 28 N. 258 0 W. 255 0 W. 1 0 W. Lucipara Nov. 25. 4 10 S. 254 46 W. None. Batavia Dec. 1. 6 8 S. 254 30 W. 2 25 W. Prince's Island Dec. 16. 6 41 S. 256 0 W. 256 30 W. 3 0 W. 1768At Sea Jan. 26. 34 24 S. 328 0 W. 323 30 W. 24 0 W. At Sea Jan. 27. 34 14 S. 324 0 W. 323 13 W. 24 0 W. Cape of Good Hope Feb. 11. 34 0 S 345 0 W. 342 0 W. 19 30W. At Sea Mar. 15. 16 44 S. 3 0 W. 2 0 W. 13 0W. At Sea Mar. 15. 16 36 S. 2 0 W. 2 5 W. 12 50W. St Helena Mar. 19. 15 57 S. 5 49W. 5 40W. 12 47W. Ascension Mar. 23. 7 28 S. 14 18W. 14 4W. 9 53W. At Sea Mar. 24. 7 58 S. 14 30W. 14 38W. 10 0W. At Sea April 8. 15 4 N. 30 0W. 34 30W. 4 48W. At Sea April 11. 21 28 N. 36 0W. 36 37W. 4 30W. At Sea April 21. 33 55 N. 32 0W. 33 0W. 11 34W. At Sea April 23. 36 15 N. 30 0W. 29 31W. 14 30W. At Sea May 10. 49 43 N. 6 0W. 7 52W. 22 30W. At Sea May 11. 48 48 N. 7 30W. 8 19W. ----St Agnus's Light-h. May 13. 19 58 N. 7 14W. 7 8W. 20 0W. 

CHAPTER III. 

AN ACCOUNT OF A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, IN THE YEARS 1766, 1767, 1768, AND 1769, BY PHILIP CARTERET, ESQ. COMMANDER OF HIS MAJESTY'S SLOOP THESWALLOW. 

SECTION I. 

_The Run from Plymouth to Madeira, and from thence through the Streightof Magellan. _

[The longitude of this voyage is reckoned from London westward to 180, and eastward afterwards. ]

Soon after I returned from a voyage round the world with the HonourableCommodore Byron, I was appointed to the command of his majesty's sloopthe Swallow, by a commission bearing date the first of July, 1766; theSwallow then lay at Chatham, and I was ordered to fit her out with allpossible expedition. She was an old ship, having been in the servicethirty years, and was, in my opinion, by no means fit for a long voyage, having only a slight thin, sheathing upon her bottom, which was not evenfilled with nails to supply the want of a covering that would moreeffectually keep out the worm. I had been given to understand that I wasto go out with the Dolphin; but the disparity of the two ships, and thedifference in their equipment, made me think that they could not beintended for the same duty; the Dolphin, which was sheathed with copper, being supplied with every thing that was requisite for a long anddangerous navigation; and the Swallow having only a scanty supply ofcommon necessaries. However, I ventured to apply for a forge, some iron, a small skiff, and several other things which I knew by experience wouldbe of the utmost importance, if it was intended that I should makeanother voyage round the world; but I was told that the vessel, and herequipment were very fit for the service she was to perform, and none ofthe requisites for which I applied were allowed me. I was thereforeconfirmed in my opinion, that, if the Dolphin was to go round the world, it could never be intended that I should go farther than Falkland'sislands, where the Jason, a fine frigate, which was, like the Dolphin, sheathed with copper, and amply equipped, would supply my place. I was, however, deficient in junk, an article which is essentially necessary inevery voyage, and for this I applied when I got to Plymouth, but I wastold that a quantity sufficient for both the ships had been put on boardthe Dolphin. 

On Friday the 22d of August, 1766, the ship's company having the eveningbefore received two months pay, I weighed, and made sail from PlymouthSound in company with the Dolphin, under the command of Captain Wallis, and the Prince Frederick store-ship, commanded by Lieutenant JamesBrine. We proceeded together without any remarkable incident till the7th of September, when we came to an anchor in Madeira road. 

While I lay at this place, not being yet acquainted with my destination, I represented my want of junk, and the reply that had been made to myapplication for a supply by the commissioner at Plymouth, in a letter toCaptain Wallis, who sent me five hundred weight. This quantity howeverwas so inadequate to my wants, that I was soon afterwards reduced to thedisagreeable necessity of cutting off some of my cables to save myrigging. 

On the 9th, very early in the morning, the lieutenant acquainted methat, in the night, nine of my best men had secretly set off from theship to swim on shore, having stripped themselves naked and left alltheir clothes behind them, taking only their money, which they hadsecured in a handkerchief that was tied round their waist; that theyproceeded together till they came very near the surf, which breaks highupon the shore, and that one of them, being then terrified at the sound, had swum back again to the ship, and been taken on board, but that therest had ventured through. As the loss of these men would have been veryseverely felt, I immediately sat down to write a letter to the consul, entreating his assistance to recover them; but, before I had finishedit, he sent me word, that all of them having, to the great astonishmentof the natives, been found naked on the beach, they had been taken intocustody, and would be delivered up to my order. The boat was dispatchedimmediately, and as soon as I heard they were on board, I went upon thedeck. I was greatly pleased to see a contrition in their countenances, which at once secretly determined me not to inflict the punishment bywhich they seemed most heartily willing to expiate their fault; but Iasked them what could have induced them to quit the ship, and desert theservice of their country, at the risk of being devoured by sharks, ordashed to pieces by the surf against the shore. They answered, thatthough they had indeed, at such risks, ventured to swim on shore, theynever had any intention of deserting the ship, which they weredetermined to stand by as long as she could swim; but that being wellassured they were going a long voyage, and none being able to tell whomight live, or who might die, they thought it hard not to have anopportunity of spending their own money, and therefore determined, asthey said; once more to get a skinful of liquor, and then swim back tothe ship, which they hoped to have done before they were missed. As Ihad resolved to remit their punishment, I did not too severelyscrutinize their apology, which the rest of the ship's company, whostood round them, seemed very much to approve; but, observing that witha skinful of liquor they would have been in a very unfit condition toswim through the surf to the ship, I told them that, hoping they wouldfor the future expose their lives only upon more important occasions, and that their conduct would thenceforward give me no cause ofcomplaint, I would for this time be satisfied with the shame and regretwhich I perceived they suffered from a sense of their misbehaviour: Ithen admonished them to put on their clothes, and lie down, as I wasconfident they wanted rest; and added, that as I might possibly duringthe course of the voyage have occasion for good swimmers, I was veryglad that I knew to whom I might apply. Having thus dismissed thesehonest fellows from their fears, I was infinitely gratified by themurmur of satisfaction which instantly ran through the ship's company;and was afterwards amply rewarded for my lenity, there being no serviceduring all the toils and dangers of the voyage which they did notperform with a zeal and alacrity that were much to their honour and myadvantage, as an example to the rest. 

We sailed again on the 12th, and I was then first acquainted with theparticulars of our voyage by Captain Wallis, who gave me a copy of hisinstructions, and appointed Port Famine, in the Streight of Magellan, tobe the place of rendezvous, if we should happen to be separated. 

I was now convinced that I had been sent upon a service to which myvessel and her equipment were by no means equal, but I determined at allevents to perform it in the best manner I was able. 

We proceeded on our voyage without any remarkable event till weanchored off Cape Virgin Mary, where we saw the Patagonians, of which Ihave given some account in a letter to Dr Matty, which was published inthe sixtieth volume of the Transactions of the Royal Society, and whichit is not necessary here to repeat, as it is in general the same asthose which have been given by Commodore Byron and Captain Wallis. 

When we entered the Streight, I was ordered to keep ahead of the Dolphinand the store-ship, to pilot them through the shoals; but my ship workedso ill, that we could but very seldom make her tack without the help ofa boat to tow her round: However, with much labour, and at noinconsiderable risk, we anchored in Port Famine, on Friday the 26th ofDecember. At this place we unhung our rudder, and added a piece of woodto it, in hopes that by making it broader, we should obtain someadvantage in working the ship; in which, however, we were altogetherdisappointed. 

After many difficulties and dangers, we got into Island Bay on the 17thof February; and before we made sail again, I represented the conditionof my ship by letter to Captain Wallis, and requested him to considerwhat was best for his majesty's service, whether she should bedismissed, or continue the voyage. Captain Wallis replied, that as thelords of the Admiralty had ordered the Swallow on this service, with thenature of which I was well acquainted, he did not think himself atliberty to alter her destination. [54]

[Footnote 54: This seems quite irrational. Would Captain W. Have thoughthimself bound "to his destination, " in circumstances, which, to thejudgment of his own mind, and in the unanimous opinion of his officers, rendered success beyond the accomplishment of human agents? Surelynot--Then why judge by any other rule than that of practicability, whenanother person, one under his command, was concerned? Some discretionarypower is obviously implied in every system of orders intended forrational and accountable beings. The use made of it is one of the data, on which the determination of the degrees of merit or demerit as toconduct, must be founded. On no other principle than one involving someliberty, nay some duty of judging, can the intelligence of mankind beavailing in the execution of projects. Divine authority alone, unequivocally made known, can dispense with acquiescence to the demandsof reason, or render inefficient the most glaringly insuperabledifficulties. How even the _Lords_ of the Admiralty, or their delegate, Capt W. Should assume such dispensing prerogatives, it is impossible tocomprehend. They relied, it is probable, on the honour, as it is called, of their subject. This alters the case entirely no doubt. A mightyconvenient thing this _honour_ in all well-established monarchies! Onecannot help desiring, nevertheless, that _men of honour_ should have themanagement of it. Were they men of _humane feeling_ too, it would be somuch the better. Is it possible to predicate these things of the personswho gave poor Carteret his orders? Is it possible to believe he wasexpected to circumnavigate the world in the Swallow? An opinion hasalready been hazarded on this nice point. --E. ]

We continued therefore for some time to navigate the Streight together, and as I had passed it before, I was ordered to keep a-head and lead theway, with liberty to anchor and weigh when I thought proper; but, perceiving that the bad sailing of the Swallow would so much retard theDolphin as probably to make her lose the season for getting into highsouthern latitudes, and defeat the intention of the voyage, I proposedto Captain Wallis that he should lay the Swallow up in some cove or bay, and that I should attend and assist him with her boats till the Streightshould be passed, which would probably be in much less time than if hecontinued to be retarded by my ship; and I urged, as an additionaladvantage, that he might complete, not only his stock of provisions andstores, but his company, out of her, and then send her back to England, with such of his crew as sickness had rendered unfit for the voyage:Proposing also, that in my way home I would examine the eastern coast ofPatagonia, or attempt such other discoveries as he should think proper. If this was not approved, and my knowledge of the South Seas was thoughtnecessary to the success of the voyage, I offered to go with him onboard the Dolphin, and give up the Swallow to be commanded by his firstlieutenant, whose duty I would perform during the rest of the voyage, orto make the voyage myself with only the Dolphin, if he would take theSwallow back to Europe; but Captain Wallis was still of opinion, thatthe voyage should be prosecuted by the two ships jointly, pursuant tothe orders that had been given. 

The Swallow was now become so foul, that with all the sail she couldset, she could not make so much way as the Dolphin, with only hertop-sails and a reef in them: We continued in company, however, tillFriday the 10th of April, when the western entrance of the Straight wasopen, and the Great South Sea in sight. Hitherto I had, pursuant to mydirections, kept a-head, but now the Dolphin being nearly a-breast ofus, set her foresail, which soon carried her a-head of us; and beforenine o'clock in the evening, as she shewed no lights, we lost sight ofher. We had a fine eastern breeze, of which we made the best use wecould during the night, carrying all our small sails even to thetop-gallant studding sails, notwithstanding the danger to which itexposed us; but at day-break the next morning, we could but just see theDolphin's top-sails above the horizon: we could perceive, however, thatshe had studding-sails set, and at nine o'clock we had entirely lostsight of her; we judged that she was then clear of the Straight's mouth, but we, who were still under the land, had but light and variable airs. From this time, I gave up all hope of seeing the Dolphin again till weshould arrive in England, no plan of operation having been settled, norany place of rendezvous appointed, as had been done from England to theStreight. I thought myself the more unfortunate in this separation, asno part of the woollen cloth, linen, beads, scissars, knives, and othercutlery-ware, and toys, which were intended for the use of both ships, and were so necessary to obtain refreshments from Indians, had, duringthe nine months we had sailed together, been put on board the Swallow, and as we were not provided either with a forge or iron, which manycircumstances might render absolutely necessary to the preservation ofthe ship: I had the satisfaction, however, to see no marks ofdespondency among my people, whom I encouraged, by telling them, thatalthough the Dolphin was the best ship, I did not doubt but that Ishould find more than equivalent advantages in their courage, ability, and good conduct. 

At noon, this day, we were abreast of Cape Pillar, when, a galespringing up at S. W. , we were obliged to take down our small sails, reefour top-sails, and haul close to the wind: Soon after it freshened tothe W. S. W. Blowing right in from the sea, and after making two boards, we had the mortification to find that we could not weather the land oneither tack. It was now almost dark, the gale increased, driving beforeit a hollow swell, and a fog came on, with violent rain; we thereforegot close under the south shore, and sent our boat a-head to find outTuesday's Bay, which is said by Sir John Narborough to lie about fourleagues within the Streight; or to find out any other place in which wemight come to an anchor. At five o'clock, we could not see the land, notwithstanding its extreme height, though we were within less than halfa mile of it, and at six, the thickness of the weather having renderedthe night so dark that we could not see half the ship's length, Ibrought-to for the boat, and was indeed, with good reason, under greatconcern for her safety: We hoisted lights, and every now and then made afalse fire, but still doubting whether they could be seen through thefog and rain, I fired a gun every half hour, and at last had thesatisfaction to take her on board, though she had made no discovery, either of Tuesday's Bay, or any other anchoring-place. We made sail therest of the night, endeavouring to keep near the south shore, and ourground to the westward as much as possible; and as soon as it was lightthe next morning, I sent the master again, out in the cutter, in searchof an anchorage on the south shore. I waited in a state of the mostpainful suspense for her return, till five o'clock in the afternoon, fearing that we should be obliged to keep out in this dangerous passanother night, but I then saw her sounding a bay, and immediately stoodin after her: In a short time the master came on board, and to ourunspeakable comfort, reported that we might here come safely to ananchor; this, with the help of our boat, was effected about six o'clock, and I went down into my cabin to take some rest: I had, however, scarcely lain down, before I was alarmed with a universal shout andtumult among the people, all that were below running hastily upon thedeck, and joining the clamour of those above: I instantly started up, imagining that a gust had forced the ship from her anchor, and that shewas driving out of the bay, but when I came upon the deck, I heard thepeople cry out, The Dolphin! the Dolphin! in a transport of surprise andjoy which appeared to be little short of distraction: A few minutes, however, convinced us, that what had been taken for a sail was nothingmore than the water which had been forced up, and whirled about in theair, by one of the violent gusts that were continually coming off thehigh land, and which, through the haze, had a most deceitful appearance. The people were for a few minutes somewhat dejected by theirdisappointment, but before I went down, I had the pleasure to see theirusual fortitude and cheerfulness return. 

The little bay where we were now at anchor, lies about three leagues E. By S. From Cape Pillar: It is the first place which has any appearanceof a bay within that Cape, and bears S. By E. , about four leagues fromthe island which Sir John Narborough called Westminster Hall, from itsresemblance to that building in a distant view. The western point ofthis bay makes a very remarkable appearance, being a perpendicular planelike the wall of a house. There are three islands about two cables'length within its entrance, and within those islands a very goodharbour, with anchorage in between twenty-five and thirty fathom, witha bottom of soft mud. We anchored without the islands, the passage oneach side of them being not more than one-fourth of a cable's lengthwide. Our little bay is about two cables' length broad, the pointsbearing east and west of each other: In the inner part there is fromsixteen to eighteen fathom, but where we lay it is deeper; we had oneanchor in seventeen fathom, and the other in forty-five, with greatover-falls between them, and rocks in several places. Here we rode out avery hard gale, and the ground being extremely uneven, we expected ourcables to be cut in two every minute, yet when we weighed, to our greatsurprise, they did not appear to have been rubbed in any part, though wefound it very difficult to heave them clear of the rocks. The land roundthis bay and harbour is all high, and as the current sets continuallyinto it, I doubt not but it has another communication with the sea tothe south of Cape Deseada. The master said he went up it four miles in aboat, and could not then be above four miles from the Western Ocean, yethe still saw a wide entrance to the S. W. The landing is every wheregood, there is plenty of wood and water, and mussels and wild geese inabundance. 

From the north shore of the western end of the Streight of Magellan, which lies in about latitude 52°1/2 S. To latitude 48°, the land which isthe western coast of Patagonia runs nearly north and south, and consistswholly of broken islands, among which are those that Sharp has laid bythe name of the Duke of York's Islands; he has indeed placed them at aconsiderable distance from the coast, but if there had been many islandsin that situation, it is impossible but that the Dolphin, the Tamar, orthe Swallow, must have seen them, as we ran near their supposedmeridian, and so did the Dolphin and the Tamar the last voyage. Till wecame into this latitude, we had tolerable weather, and little or nocurrent in any direction, but when we came to the northward of 48°, wefound a current setting strongly to the north, so that probably we thenopened the great bay, which is said to be ninety leagues deep. We foundhere a vast swell from the N. W. And the winds generally blew from thesame quarter; yet we were set every day twelve or fifteen miles to thenorthward of our account. 

On Wednesday the 15th, at about four o'clock in the morning, aftersurmounting many dangers and difficulties, we once more got abreast ofCape Pillar, with a light breeze at S. E. And a great swell. Between fiveand six o'clock, just as we opened Cape Deseada, the wind suddenlyshifted to S. And S. By W. And blew so hard that it was with greatdifficulty we could carry the reefed top-sails: The sudden changing ofthe wind, and its excessive violence, produced a sea so dreadfullyhollow, that great quantities of water were thrown in upon our deck, sothat we were in the utmost danger of foundering; yet we did not dare toshorten sail, it being necessary to carry all we could spread, in orderto weather the rocky islands, which Sir John Narborough has called theIslands of Direction, for we could not now run back again into theStreight, without falling down among the broken land, and incurring thedangers of the northern shore, which was to leeward; towards this brokenland, however, and lee-shore, the ship settled very fast, notwithstanding our utmost efforts: In this pressing emergency we wereobliged to stave all the water-casks upon the deck, and between decks, to clear the vessel, and to make her carry better sail, and at length, happily escaped the danger which threatened us. After we got clear ofthose islands, and drew off from the Streight's mouth and the land, wefound the sea run more regularly from the S. W. And the wind soon aftercoming from S. S. W. To S. S. E. We had by noon got a pretty good offing, about nine leagues from Cape Victory, which is on the north shore. Thuswe cleared the western entrance of the Streight, which, in my opinion, is too dangerous for navigation; a deliverance which happened in thevery crisis of our fate, for almost immediately afterwards, the windcame again to the S. W. , and if it had continued in that quarter, ourdestruction would have been inevitable. 

SECTION II. 

_The Passage from Cape Pillar, at the Western Entrance of the Streightof Magellan, to Masafuero; with some Account of that Island. _

I took my departure from Cape Pillar, which I make to lie in thelatitude of 52°45'S. , and in the longitude 75° 10'W. Of the meridian ofLondon, and as soon as I got clear of the streight, steered to thenorthward along the coast of Chili. Upon examining what quantity offresh water we had now on board, I found that it amounted only tobetween four and five and twenty tons, which I thought not sufficientfor so long a voyage as was probably before us; I therefore hauled tothe northward, intending to make the island of Juan Fernandes, orMasafuero, that we might increase our stock before we sailed to thewestward. 

In the middle of the night of the 16th, we had the wind first to theS. S. E. And then to the S. E. With which we kept away N. W. And N. N. W. Inhigh spirits, hoping that in a short time we should be in a moretemperate climate: We had the misfortune, however, very soon to findourselves disappointed, for on the 18th, the wind came to the N. N. W. Andblew directly from the point upon which we were steering. We had now gotabout a hundred leagues from the streight's mouth; our latitude was48°39'S. , and we were, by account, 4°33'W. Of Cape Pillar; but from thistime, till the 8th of May, the wind continued unfavourable, and blew acontinued storm, with sudden gusts still more violent, and much rain andhail, or rather fragments of half-melted ice: At intervals also we hadthunder and lightning, more dreadful than all the past, and a sea whichfrequently laid the whole vessel under water. 

From the time of our clearing the streight, and during our passage alongthis coast, we saw a great number of sea-birds, particularlyalbatrosses, gannets, sheerwaters, and a thick lumpish bird, about asbig as a large pigeon, which the sailors call a Cape-of-Good-Hope hen:They are of a dark-brown or blackish colour, and are therefore sometimescalled the black gull: We saw also a great many pintado birds, of nearlythe same size, which are prettily spotted with black and white, andconstantly on the wing, though they frequently appear as if they werewalking upon the water, like the peterels, to which sailors have giventhe name of Mother Carey's chickens; and we saw also many of these. 

In the evening of Monday the 27th, which was very dark, as we werestanding to the westward under our courses, and a close-reefedtop-sail, the wind, in a hard squall, suddenly shifted, and took thevessel right a-head; the violent jerk with which the sails wereinstantly thrown a-back, was very near carrying the masts away by theboard, and oversetting the ship; the sails being at this time extremelywet, and the gale in the highest degree violent, they clung so fast tothe masts and rigging, that it was scarcely possible to get them eitherup or down; yet by the dexterous activity of our people, we got themainsail up, clewed up the main top-sail, and got the ship's head roundwithout receiving much damage. The violence of the wind continuedseveral hours, but before morning it veered again to the N. W. Andcontinued in that quarter till the afternoon of the 29th, when it diedaway, and we had a dead calm for six hours. During this time we had ahigh sea, which ran in great confusion from all quarters and brokeagainst the ship in a strange manner, making her roll with so violentand sudden a motion, that I expected every moment to lose our masts. Thewind afterwards sprung up at W. S. W. Which was fair, and we carried allthe sail we could set to make the most of it. It blew very hard in thisdirection, with heavy rain for a few hours, but by noon on the 30th, itreturned to its usual quarter the N. W. , and was so violent as to bringus again under our courses, there being at the same time a prodigiousswell, which frequently broke over us. At five o'clock the next morning, as we were lying-to under the reefed main-sail and balanced mizen, avast sea broke over the quarter where the ship's oars were lashed, andcarried away six of them, with the weather-cloth; it also broke themizen-gaff close where the sail was reeled, and the iron-strap of one ofthe main dead eyes, laying the whole vessel for some time under water:We were however fortunate enough to haul up the main-sail withoutsplitting, though it blew a hurricane, and a deluge of rain, or ratherof half-melted ice, at the same time poured down upon us. The wind soonafter shifted again from N. W. To S. W. And for about an hour blew, ifpossible, stronger than ever. This wind made the ship come up with herhead right against the vast sea which the north-west wind had raised, and at every pitch which she made against it, the end of the bowspritwas under water, and the surge broke over the forecastle as far aft asthe main-mast, in the same manner as it would have broke over a rock, sothat there was the greatest reason to apprehend she would founder. Withall her defects she was indeed a good sea-boat, and if she had not, itwould have been impossible for her to have outlived this storm, inwhich, as well as on several other occasions; we experienced the benefitof the bulk-heads which we had fixed on the fore-part of the half-deck, and to the after-part of the fore-castle. 

Notwithstanding this wind was fair, we durst not venture to put the shipbefore it, for if in wearing, any of these enormous seas had broken onher side, it would inevitably have carried away all before it. Aftersome time, however, it became more moderate, and we then got up ouryards and made sail, steering N. By W. ; and now the men having been upall night, and being wet to the skin, I ordered every one of them adram. 

By the next morning, the 2d of May, the wind came again to the N. W. AndN. N. W. But by this time we had got down the broken mizen-gaff, repairedit as well as we could, got it up again in its place, and bent the sailto it; but we now most sensibly felt the want of a forge and iron. 

On the 3d, at day-break, we found the rudder-chain broken, and upon thisoccasion we again most feelingly regretted the want of a forge; we made, however, the best shift we could, and the next day, the weather beingmore moderate, though the wind was still contrary, we repaired ourrigging, and the carpenters fixed a new dead eye where the old one hadbeen broken; the sail-maker also was busy in mending the sails that hadbeen split. 

On the 5th, we were again brought under our courses by a hurricane fromthe N. By W. And N. N. W. And the ship was tossed about with such violencethat we had no command of her. During this storm, two of ourchain-plates were broken, and we continued toiling in a confused hollowsea till midnight, when a light gale sprung up at N. W. Which soon blewvery hard; but at two in the morning, we were again taken right a-headby a sudden and violent squall at west, which at once threw all oursails aback, and before we could get the ship round, was very nearcarrying all by the board. With this gale we stood north, and in theforenoon the carpenters fixed new chain-plates to the main shrouds, andone to the fore shrouds, in the place of those which had been broken inthe squall during the night. This was another occasion on which it wasimpossible not to regret the want of a forge and iron. 

The gale continued in this direction till eight in the morning of the7th, when it returned to the N. W. With unsettled weather. On the 8th, itcame to south, and this was a fine day, the first we had seen after ourleaving the Streight of Magellan. Our latitude at noon was 36°39'S. Andwe were about five degrees to the westward of Cape Pillar. The next daywe made the island of Masafuero, and on the 10th, the island of JuanFernandes: In the afternoon we got close to the eastermost part of it, and soon after hauled round the north end, and opened Cumberland Bay. AsI did not know that the Spaniards had fortified this island, I wasgreatly surprised to see a considerable number of men about the beach, with a house and four pieces of cannon near the water-side, and a fortabout three hundred yards farther from the sea, just upon the rising ofthe hill, with Spanish colours flying on the top of it. This fort, whichis faced with stone, has eighteen or twenty embrasures, and within it along house, which I supposed to be barracks for the garrison:Five-and-twenty or thirty houses of different kinds are scattered roundit, and we saw much cattle feeding on the brow of the hills, whichseemed to be cultivated, as many spots were divided by enclosures fromeach other; we saw also two large boats lying, on the beach. The gustsof wind which came right out of this bay, prevented my going so near asI intended, for they were so violent as to oblige us many times to letfly our top-sail sheets, though the sails were close reefed; and I thinkit is impossible to work a ship into this bay when the wind blows hardfrom the southward. As we stood cross the bay to the westward, one ofthe boats put off from the shore, and rowed towards us; but perceivingthat the gusts or flaws made us lie at a considerable distance from theland, she went in again. We then opened West Bay, on the east part ofwhich, close to the sea side, is a small house, which I took for aguard-house, and two pieces of cannon mounted upon their carriages, without any works about them. We now wore, and stood again forCumberland Bay, but as soon as we opened it, the boat again put off, andmade towards us: As the hard gusts would not permit us to come anynearer to the land than before, we stood along it to the eastward, theboat still making after us till she was very far out of the bay: Atlength it grew dark, and we lost sight of her, upon which we made allthe sail we could to the eastward. 

During all this time I hoisted no colours, having none but English onboard, which at this time I did not think it proper to shew. 

As I was disappointed of wood and water at this place, and of therefreshments, of which, after the dangers and fatigue of our voyagethrough the Streight, and our passage from it, we stood in the mostpressing need, I made all the sail I could for the island of Masafuero. On the 12th of May we arrived off the south eastermost part of it, butit blowing hard, with a great sea, we did not dare to come near it onthis side, and therefore went round to the west side, where, in theevening, we cast anchor upon an excellent bank, fit to receive a fleetof ships, which, in the summer, might ride here with great advantage. Isent out both the boats to endeavour to get some water, but they foundit impossible to land, for the beach is rocky, and the surf at this timewas so great, that the swimmers could not get through the breakers: Thiswas the more mortifying, as we saw a fine run of fresh water from theship, with plenty of trees fit for fire-wood, and a great number ofgoats upon the hills. 

The next morning, as soon as it was light, I sent the boats out again, to examine any place where they could get on shore. They returned with afew casks of water, which they had filled at a small rill, and reported, that the wind being at S. E. Blew so strong on the east side of theisland, and raised so great a sea, that they could not come near theshore. 

We continued here till the 15th, at day-break, and then, the weatherbecoming more moderate, we weighed, and in the evening, just at sun-set, we anchored on the east side of the island, in the same place whereCommodore Byron had anchored about two years before. We lost no time, but immediately got off fifteen casks of water, and sent a number of menon shore with others, that were empty, to be filled against the nextmorning, and a strong party to cut wood: But it happened that about twoo'clock in the morning a hard gale of wind came on from the N. W. Withviolent gusts from the shore, which drove us off the bank, though we hadtwo anchors a-head, which were in the utmost danger of being lost; wegot them up, however, with great difficulty, and immediately set thesails, and worked under the lee of the island, keeping as near theshore as we could; the weather soon afterwards became more moderate, sothat we could carry double-reefed sails; we had also very smooth water, yet we could not make the ship tack, and were forced to wear her everytime we wanted to go about. 

At day-break, though we were at a good distance from the shore, I sentthe cutter to get off a load of water, before the surf should be sogreat upon the beach as to prevent her landing. About ten o'clock, thewind came to the N. N. E. Which enabled us to get within a little distanceof the watering-place, and we might have recovered our anchoring groundupon the bank from which we had been driven, but the weather had so badan appearance, and the gale freshened so fast, that we did not think itprudent to venture: We brought-to, however, as near the shore aspossible, for the advantage of smooth water to unload the cutter, whichsoon after came alongside with twelve casks of water. As soon as we hadtaken these on board, I sent the cutter again for another freight, andas we were at a very little distance from land, I ventured to send ourlong-boat, a clumsy, heavy, four-oared vessel, with provisions for thepeople on shore, and orders to bring back a load of water, if she couldget it: As soon as these boats were dispatched, we made a tack off tokeep our ground. At noon it blew hard with heavy rain and thick weather;and at one, as we were standing in again, we saw the boats running alongthe shore, for the lee-part of the island, this side being open to thewind; we therefore followed them, and brought-to as near the shore aspossible, to favour their coming on board: They presently made towardsus, and we hoisted them in, but the sea was now risen so high, that indoing it they received considerable damage, and we soon learnt that theyfound the surf so great as not to be able even to land their emptywater-casks. We continued to lie-to, under a balanced mizen, off thelee-part of the island all the afternoon, and although all hands hadbeen constantly employed ever since the ship had been driven off heranchoring-ground, the carpenters worked all night in repairing theboats. 

At four o'clock in the morning, the island bore west of us, being fourleagues distant, and right to windward: We had now a fine gale andsmooth water, and about ten o'clock we fetched very near to the southpart of it, and with the help of the boat made the ship tack. As it wasnot probable that with such a vessel we could regain theanchoring-ground, I took advantage of our being so near the shore, though at a good distance from the watering-place, to send the cutterfor another load. In the mean time I stood on and off with the ship, andabout four o'clock in the afternoon the cutter brought her freight ofwater on board. I enquired of the lieutenant after the people on shore, and he told me, that the violent rain which had fallen in the night, hadsuddenly brought down such torrents of water through the hollow orgulley where they had taken up their station, that they were in theutmost danger of being swept away before it, and though with greatdifficulty they saved themselves, several of the casks were entirelylost. It was now too late for the boat to make another turn to the placewhere we had hitherto got our water; but Mr Erasmus Gower, thelieutenant, whose diligence and ability in all our dangers and distressI cannot sufficiently commend, having, as he returned with the cutter, observed that many runs of water had been made by the night's rain, onthat part of the island which was nearest to us, and knowing howimpatient I was of delay, offered to go thither with the boat, and fillas many casks as she could bring back. I gladly accepted this offer; MrGower went away in the boat, and in the mean time I made a tack off withthe ship; but before they had been gone an hour, the weather began togrow gloomy, and the wind to freshen, a heavy black cloud at the sametime settled over the island so as to hide the tops of the hills, andsoon after it began to thunder and lighten at a dreadful rate: As theseappearances were very threatening, I stood in again towards the islandin hopes of meeting with the boat; but though we ran in as close as wedared, we saw nothing of her. In the mean time night came on, which thethickness of the weather rendered extremely dark, the gale increased, and it began to rain with great violence: In this situation I lay tounder a balanced mizen, firing guns, and burning false fires, as a guideto the boat; and not being able to account for her delay, I suffered themost distressful anxiety, and had indeed but too much reason to fearthat she was lost. About seven o'clock, however, to my unspeakablesatisfaction, she came safe alongside, and as I had long seen a stormgathering, which I expected every moment to burst upon us, we got her inwith all possible expedition. It was indeed happy for us all that notime was lost; for before she could be got into her place the squallcame on, which in a moment laid the ship down in a surprising manner, and broke the mizen gaff just where the sail was reefed; so that ifanother minute had passed before the boat had been got in, we mustinevitably have lost her, and every soul on board would have perished. This wind and weather continued till midnight, when it became somewhatmore moderate, so that we were able to set our courses and top-sails. Inthe mean time I had enquired of Mr Gower how it came to be so longbefore he returned to the ship, and he told me, that after he had got tothe place where he intended to fill the casks, three of the boat's crewhad swam ashore with them for that purpose; but that within a fewminutes the surf had risen so high, and broke with such fury on theshore, that it was impossible for them to get back to the boat; thatbeing unwilling to leave them behind, especially as they were starknaked, he had waited in hopes that an opportunity might be found fortheir coming on board; but that, being intimidated by the appearance ofthe weather, and the uncommon darkness of the night, he had at last, with whatever reluctance, been obliged to come on board without them. The situation of these poor fellows now furnished another subject ofsolicitude and anxiety; they were naked, upon a desolate island, at agreat distance from the watering-place where their shipmates had a tent, without food and without shelter, in a night of violent and incessantrain, with such thunder and lightning as in Europe is altogetherunknown. In the evening of the 19th, however, I had the satisfaction toreceive them on board, and to hear an account of their adventures fromtheir own lips. As long as it was light, they flattered themselves, liketheir friends in the boat, that they should find an opportunity toreturn on board her; but afterwards, when the darkness of the night wasbroken only by the flashes of lightning, and the tempest became everymoment more violent, they knew that to reach the boat was impossible, ifit still remained in its station; and that most probably the people onboard had provided for their own safety, by returning on board the ship:To reach the tent of their shipmates, during the darkness and tempest, was equally beyond their power, and they were reduced to the necessityof passing such a night, in such a place, without the least defenceagainst either the rain or the cold, which now began to be severelyfelt. Necessity is said to be ingenious; and they contrived to procurea temporary succedaneum both for apparel and a shed, by lying one uponanother, each man alternately placing himself between the other two; inthis situation it may easily be believed that they longed most ardentlyfor the dawn, and as soon as it appeared they set out for the tent: Theywere obliged, however, to make their way along the seashore, for theinland country was impassable; nor was this the worst, for they werefrequently stopped by high steep bluff points, which they were obligedto swim round at a considerable distance; for if they had not taken acompass, they would have been dashed to pieces against the rocks by thesurf, and as it was, they were every moment in danger of being devouredby a shark. About ten o'clock in the morning, however, they reached thetents, almost perished with hunger and cold, and were received withequal surprise and joy by their shipmates, who immediately shared withthem such provisions and clothes as they had. When they came on board, Igave orders that they should have such refreshments as were proper, andremain in their hammocks the whole night. The next day they were ashearty as if nothing had happened, nor did they suffer any fartherinconvenience from the accident. These were three of the honest fellowswho had swam naked from the ship at the island of Madeira to get askinful of liquor. I now return to my narrative in the order of time. 

On the 18th, the weather was moderate, and in the evening we were withinhalf a mile of the anchoring-ground, from which we had been driven; butthe wind suddenly failing, and a current making against us, we could notreach it: We took advantage, however, of being so near the waterers'tent to send a boat on shore to enquire after the three men whoseadventure has been just related, and soon after she brought them onboard. The carpenters were all this time employed in making a newmizen-gaff, out of a gib-boom, and in the mean while we were obliged tomakeshift with the old one, keeping the sail balanced. It continued astark calm all the night, so that in the morning we found the currentand the swell had driven us no less than nine miles from the land: Theweather, however, being good, I sent the cutter for a load of water, which she brought on board about one o'clock. Soon after a breeze sprungup at N. N. W. And as we now approached the land very fast, I sent theboat on shore again for water; it happened, however, that before wecould reach our anchoring-ground, it again fell calm, and we were againkept off by the current: The boat in the meantime, as she rowed alongthe shore, caught as much fish with hook and line as served all theship's company, which was some alleviation of our disappointment. Ateight o'clock in the evening, it began again to blow hard with suddensqualls, so that we passed another toilsome and dangerous night. In themorning, having a stiff gale at N. W. We made towards ouranchoring-ground with all the sail we could spread, and happily regainedit about four o'clock in the afternoon, when we anchored, at two cables'length from the beach, in eighteen fathom, with a bottom of fine sand, and moored with a small anchor in shore. By the time the ship wasproperly secured, it was too late to proceed with our watering; thelong-boat however was sent along the shore to fish, and though beforeseven o'clock it blew so hard that she was obliged to return, shebrought fish enough on board to serve all the people. In the night wehad foul weather, with hard squalls and much rain; and in the morning, the wind blowing with great violence along the shore, we frequentlydrove, though we had not less than two hundred fathom of cable out; forthe bank is a loose fine sand that easily gives way. We rode out thestorm, however, without damage, but the rain was so violent, and the searan so high, that nothing could be done with the boats, which was themore mortifying, as it was for the sake of completing our watering thatwe had endured almost incessant labour for five days and nights toregain the situation in which we now lay. About eight in the evening, the wind became more moderate, and though it was then too late to fetchoff any water, we got out one of the boats, and sent three men on shore, right abreast of the ship, to kill seals, and make oil of their fat, forburning in lamps and other uses on board the ship. 

The wind blew very hard the next morning, as it had done all night, butbeing at W. N. W. Which was off the land, we sent the boats away soonafter it was light, and about ten, they returned with each of them aload of water, and a great number of pintado birds: These birds they gotfrom the people on shore, who told them, that when a gale of windhappened in the night they flew faster into their fire than they couldwell take them out, so that during the gale of the last night, they gotno less than seven hundred of them. The boats were employed in gettingwater on board all this day, although the surf was so great that severalof the casks were staved and lost: They were sent out again a littlebefore it was light the next day, and by seven o'clock a few casks onlywere wanting to complete our stock. The threatening appearances of theweather made me now very impatient to get the people on board, with thecasks that were still at the watering-place; as soon, therefore, as theboats were cleared of their loading, I dispatched them again, withorders to bring off all the hands, with the tent, and every thing elsethat was on shore, with all possible expedition. From this time the windincreased very fast, and by eleven o'clock it blew so hard, with violentgusts from the land, that the ship began to drive off the bank: Weheaved the small anchor up, and got it in out of the way of the other;the gale still increased, but as it was right off the land, I was in nopain about the ship, which continued to drive, still dragging the anchorthrough the sand, with two hundred fathom of cable out; being verysolicitous to give the boats time to bring all on board before we werequit of the bank, I would not weigh. At two o'clock, however, the anchorwas quite off the ground, and the ship was in deep water; we were nowtherefore obliged to bring the cable to the capstern, and with greatdifficulty we got the anchor up. The gusts off the land were so violent, that, not daring to show any canvas, we lay-to under our bare poles, andthe water was frequently torn up, and whirled round in the air muchhigher than our mast heads. As the ship now drove from the island at agreat rate, and night was coming on, I began to be in great pain for theboats, in which, besides my lieutenant, there were eight-and-twenty ofmy best men; but just in the dusk of the evening, I perceived one ofthem scudding before the seas, and making towards the ship: This provedto be the long-boat, which, in spite of all the efforts of those onboard, had been forced from her grappling, and driven off the land. Wetook the best opportunity that offered to get her on board, butnotwithstanding all our care, she received considerable damage as wewere hoisting her in. She had on board ten of my people, who informedme, that when they were first driven from the shore, they had somefire-wood on board, but that they were obliged to throw that, and everything else, into the sea, to lighten the boat. As we had yet seennothing of the cutter, and had reason to fear that she also, with thetents, and the other eighteen people, besides the lieutenant, had beendriven off the island, I gave her up for lost; knowing that if thenight, which was now at hand, should overtake her in such a storm, shemust inevitably perish. It was however possible that the people might beashore, and therefore that, if the boat should be lost, they might stillbe preserved; for this reason I determined to regain the land as soon aspossible. At midnight the weather became more moderate, so that we couldcarry our courses and topsails, and at four o'clock in the morning wecrowded all the sail we could make. At ten o'clock, we were very nearthe shore; to our great concern, we saw nothing of the cutter, yet wecontinued to stand on till about noon, when we happily discovered her ata grappling, close under the land: We immediately ran to our glasses, bythe help of which we saw the people getting into her; and about threeo'clock, to our mutual and inexpressible joy, she came safe on boardwith all her people: They were however so exhausted with fatigue, thatthey could scarcely get up the ship's side. The lieutenant told me, thatthe night before he had attempted to come off, but that as soon as hehad left the shore, a sudden squall so nearly filled the boat withwater, that she was very near going to the bottom; but that all handsbailing with the utmost diligence and activity, they happily clearedher: That he then made for the land again, which, with the utmostdifficulty, he regained, and having left a sufficient number on boardthe boat, to watch her, and keep her free from water, he with the restof the people went on shore. That having passed the night in a state ofinexpressible anxiety and distress, they looked out for the ship withthe first dawn of the morning, and seeing nothing of her, concluded thatshe had perished in the storm, which they had never seen exceeded. Theydid not, however, sit down torpid in despair, but began immediately toclear the ground near the beach of brushes and weeds, and cut downseveral trees of which they made rollers to assist them in hauling upthe boat, in order to secure her; intending, as they had no hope of theship's return, to wait till the summer season and then attempt to makethe island of Juan Fernandes. They had now better hopes, and all senseof the dangers that were before us was for a while obliterated by thejoy of our escape from those that were past. 

From the 16th, when we were first driven from our anchoring-ground, tothis time, we suffered an uninterrupted series of danger, fatigue, andmisfortunes. The ship worked and sailed very ill, the weather was darkand tempestuous, with thunder, lightning, and rain, and the boats, whichI was obliged to keep always employed, even when we were under sail, toprocure us water, were in continual danger of being lost, as well by thehard gales which constantly blew, as by the sudden gusts whichfrequently rushed upon us with a violence that is scarcely to beconceived. This distress was the more severe as it was unexpected, for Ihad experienced very different weather in these parts about two yearsbefore with Commodore Byron. It has generally been thought, that uponthis coast the winds are constantly from the S. To the S. W. , thoughFrezier mentions his having had strong gales and high seas from theN. N. W. And N. W. Quarter, which was unhappily my case. 

Having once more got my people and boats safe on board, I made sail fromthis turbulent climate, and thought myself fortunate not to have leftany thing behind me except the wood, which our people had cut forfiring. 

The island of Masafuero lies in latitude 33°45'S. , longitude 80°46'W. OfLondon. Its situation is west of Juan Fernandes, both being nearly inthe same latitude, and by the globe, it is distant about thirty-oneleagues. It is very high and mountainous, and at a distance appears likeone hill or rock: It is of a triangular form, and about seven or eightleagues in circumference. The south part, which we saw when we firstmade the island, at a distance of three-and-twenty leagues, is much thehighest: On the north end there are several spots of clear ground, whichperhaps might admit of cultivation. 

The author of the account of Lord Anson's voyage mentions only one partof this island as affording anchorage, which is on the north side, andin deep water, but we saw no part where there was not anchorage: On thewest side in particular, there is anchorage at about a mile from theshore in twenty fathom, and at about two miles and a half in forty andforty-five fathom, with a fine black sand at the bottom. This authoralso says, that "there is a reef of rocks running off the eastern pointof the island about two miles in length, which may be seen by the sea'sbreaking over them;" but in this he is mistaken, there is no reef ofrocks, or shoal running off the eastern point, but there is a reef ofrocks and sand running off the western side, near the south end of it. He is also mistaken as to the distance of this island from JuanFernandes, and its direction, for he says the distance is twenty-twoleagues, and the direction W. By S. , but we found the distance nearlyone-third more, and the direction is due west, for, as I have beforeobserved, the latitude of both islands is nearly the same. The goatsthat he mentions we found upon it in the same abundance, and equallyeasy to be caught. 

On the south-west point of the island there is a remarkable rock with ahole in it, which is a good mark to come to an anchor on the westernside, where there is the best bank of any about the place. About a mileand a half to the northward of this hole, there is a low point of land, and from this point runs the reef that has been just mentioned, in thedirection of W. By S. To the distance of about three quarters of a mile, where the sea continually breaks upon it. To anchor, run in till thehole in the rock is shut in, about a cable's length upon this low pointof land, then bearing S. By E. 1/2 E. And anchor in twenty andtwenty-two fathom, fine black sand and shells: There is anchorage alsoat several places on the other sides of the island, particularly off thenorth point, in fourteen and fifteen fathom, with fine sand. 

There is plenty of wood and water all round the island, but they are notto be procured without much difficulty. A great quantity of stones, andlarge fragments of the rock, have fallen from the high land all roundthe island, and upon these there breaks such a surf that a boat cannotsafely come within a cable's length of the shore; there is therefore nolanding here but by swimming from the boat, and then mooring her withoutthe rocks, nor is there any method of getting off the wood and water butby hauling them to the boat with ropes: There are, however, many placeswhere it would be very easy to make a commodious landing by building awharf, which it would be worth while even for a single ship to do ifshe was to continue any time at the island. 

This part of Masafuero is a very good place for refreshment, especiallyin the summer season: The goats have been mentioned already, and thereis all round the island such plenty of fish, that a boat may, with threehooks and lines, catch as much as will serve an hundred people: Amongothers we caught excellent coal-fish, cavallies, cod, hallibut, andcray-fish. We took a king-fisher that weighed eighty-seven pounds, andwas five feet and a half long, and the sharks were so ravenous, thatwhen we were sounding one of them swallowed the lead, by which we hauledhim above water, but as he then disgorged it, we lost him. The sealswere so numerous, that I verily think if many thousands of them werekilled in a night, they would not be missed in the morning: We wereobliged to kill great numbers of them, as, when we walked the shore, they were continually running against us, making at the same time a mosthorrible noise. These animals yield excellent train oil, and theirhearts and plucks are very good eating, being in taste something likethose of a hog, and their skins are covered with the finest fur I eversaw of the kind. There are many birds here, and among others some verylarge hawks. Of the pintado birds, our people, as I have beforeobserved, caught no less than seven hundred in one night. We had notmuch opportunity to examine the place for vegetable productions, but wesaw several leaves of the mountain cabbage, which is a proof that thetree grows here. 

SECTION III

_The Passage from Masafuero to Queen Charlotte's Islands; severalMistakes corrected concerning Davis's Land, and an Account of some smallIslands, supposed to be the same that were seen by Quiros. _

When we took our departure from Masafuero, we had a great sea from theN. W. With a swell of long billows from the southward, and the wind, which was from the S. W. To the W. N. W. , obliged me to stand to thenorthward, in hope of getting the south-east trade-wind, for the shipwas so dull a sailer, that there was no making her go without a strongwind in her favour. Having thus run farther to the northward than atfirst I intended, and finding myself not far from the parallel oflatitude which has been assigned to two islands called Saint Ambrose, and Saint Felix or Saint Paul, I thought I should perform an acceptableservice by examining if they were fit for shipping to refresh at, especially as the Spaniards having fortified Juan Fernandes, they mightbe found convenient for Great Britain, if she should hereafter beengaged in a Spanish war. These islands are laid down in Green's charts, which were published in the year 1753, from latitude 26° 20' to 27° S. , and from 1°1/4 to 2°1/2 W. Of Masafuero; I therefore hauled up with adesign to keep in that latitude, but soon afterwards, consultingRobertson's Elements of Navigation, I found the island of Saint Ambrosethere laid down in latitude 25° 50' S. , and 82° 20' longitude west ofLondon, and supposing that islands of so small an extent might be laiddown with more exactness in this work than in the chart, I bore awaymore northward for that latitude; the event, however, proved that Ishould not have trusted him so far: I missed the islands, and as I sawgreat numbers of birds and fish, which are certain indications of landnot far off, there is the greatest reason to conclude that I went to thenorthward of them. I am sorry to say that upon a farther examination ofRobertson's tables of latitudes and longitudes, I found them erroneousin many particulars: This censure, however, if I had not thought itnecessary to prevent future mischief, should have been suppressed. 

Upon examining the account that is given by Wafer, who was surgeon onboard Captain Davis's ship, I think it is probable that these twoislands are the land that Davis fell in with in his way to the southwardfrom the Gallapago islands, and that the land laid down in all the seacharts under the name of Davis's Land, has no existence, notwithstandingwhat is said in the account of Roggewein's voyage, which was made in1722, of land that they called Eastern Island, which some have imaginedto be a confirmation of Davis's discovery, and the same land to whichhis name has been given. 

It is manifest from Wafer's narrative, that little credit is due to theaccount kept on board Davis's ship, except with respect to the latitude, for he acknowledges that they had like to have perished by their makingan allowance for the variation of the needle westward, instead ofeastward: He tells us also that they steered S. By E. 1/2 E. From theGallapagos, till they made land in latitude 27° 20' S. , but it isevident that such a course would carry them not to the westward but tothe eastward of the Gallapagos, and set them at about the distance oftwo hundred leagues from Capiapo, and not five hundred leagues, as hehas alleged; for the variation here is not more than half a point to theeastward now, and it must have been still less then, it having beenincreasing to the eastward on all this coast. The course that Davissteered therefore, if the distance between the islands of St Ambrose andSt Felix, and the Gallapagos, as laid down in all our sea charts, isright, must have brought him within sight of St Ambrose and St Felix, when he had run the distance he mentions. The truth is, that if therehad been any such place as Davis's Land in the situation which has beenallotted to it in our sea charts, I must have sailed over it, or atleast have seen it, as will appear in the course of this narrative. 

I kept between the latitude 25° 50' and 25° 30', in search of theislands I intended to examine, till I got five degrees to the westwardof our departure, and then seeing no land, and the birds having left us, I hauled more to the southward, and got into latitude 27° 20' S. Where Icontinued till we got between seventeen and eighteen degrees to thewestward of our departure. In this parallel we had light airs and foulwinds, with a strong northerly current, which made me conjecture that wewere near this Davis's Land, for which we looked out with greatdiligence, but a fair wind springing up again, we steered west by south, which gradually brought us into the latitude of 28° 1/2 S. , so that itis evident I must have sailed over this land, or at least have seen itif there had been any such place. I afterwards kept in the latitude of28° for forty degrees to the westward of my departure, or, according tomy account, 121 degrees west of London, this being the highest southlatitude the winds and weather would permit me to keep, so that I musthave gone to the southward of the situation assigned to the supposedcontinent called Davis's Land in all our charts. [55]

[Footnote 55: This was really the case, as will be seen in the accountof one of Cook's Voyages: For there seems reason to believe, that theisland called Easter Island, and sometimes Teapy, is the land whichCaptain Davis saw in 1686, and Roggewein visited in 1722. See what issaid on this subject in vol. Xi, p. 90, of this collection. --E. ]

We continued our search till Wednesday the 17th of June, when, inlatitude 28° S. , longitude 112° W. , we saw many sea-birds, which flew inflocks, and some rock-weed, which made me conjecture that we wereapproaching, or had passed by, some land. At this time the wind blewhard from the northward, which made a great sea, but we hadnotwithstanding long rolling billows from the southward so that whateverland was in that quarter, could be only small rocky islands; and I aminclined to believe that if there was land at all it was to thenorthward, possibly it might be Roggewein's eastern island, which he hasplaced in latitude 27° S. , and which some geographers have supposed tobe about seven hundred leagues distant from the continent of SouthAmerica, if indeed any credit is to be given to his account. 

It was now the depth of winter in these parts, and we had hard gales andhigh seas that frequently brought us under our courses and low sails:The winds were also variable, and though we were near the tropic, theweather was dark, hazy, and cold, with frequent thunder and lightning, sleet and rain. The sun was above the horizon about ten hours in thefour-and-twenty, but we frequently passed many days together withoutseeing him; and the weather was so thick, that when he was below thehorizon the darkness was dreadful: The gloominess of the weather wasindeed not only a disagreeable, but a most dangerous circumstance, as wewere often long without being able to make an observation, and were, notwithstanding, obliged to carry all the sail we could spread, day andnight, our ship being so bad a sailer, and our voyage so long, toprevent our perishing by hunger, which, with all its concomitanthorrors, would otherwise be inevitable. 

We continued our course westward till the evening of Thursday the 2d ofJuly, when we discovered land, to the northward of us. Upon approachingit the next day, it appeared like a great rock rising out of the sea: Itwas not more than five miles in circumference, and seemed to beuninhabited; it was, however, covered with trees, and we saw a smallstream of fresh water running down one side of it. I would have landedupon it, but the surf, which, at this season broke upon it with greatviolence, rendered it impossible. I got soundings on the west side of itat somewhat less than a mile from the shore, in twenty-five fathom, witha bottom of coral and sand; and it is probable that in fine summerweather landing here may not only be practicable but easy. We saw agreat number of sea-birds hovering about it, at somewhat less than amile from the shore, and the sea here seemed to have fish. It lies in, latitude 25° 2' S. , longitude 133° 21' W. , and about a thousand leaguesto the westward of the continent of America. It is so high that we sawit at the distance of more than fifteen leagues, and it having beendiscovered by a young gentleman, son to Major Pitcairn of the marines, who was unfortunately lost in the Aurora, we called it PITCAIRNS ISLAND. 

While we were in the neighbourhood of this island, the weather wasextremely tempestuous, with long rolling billows from the southward, larger and higher than any I had seen before. The winds were variable, but blew chiefly from the S. S. W. W. And W. N. W. We had very seldom a galeto the eastward, so that we were prevented from keeping in a high southlatitude, and were continually driving to the northward. 

On the 4th, we found that the ship made a good deal of water, for havingbeen so long labouring in high and turbulent seas, she was become verycrazy; our sails also being much worn, were continually splitting, sothat it was become necessary to keep the sail-maker constantly at work. The people had hitherto enjoyed good health, but they now began to beaffected with the scurvy. While we were in the Strait of Magellan, Icaused a little awning to be made, which I covered with a clean paintedcanvas, that had been allowed me for a floor-cloth to my cabin, and withthis we caught so much rain-water, with but little trouble orattendance, that the people were never put to a short allowance of thisimportant article: The awning also afforded shelter from the inclemencyof the weather, and to these precautions I imputed our having escapedthe scurvy so long, though perhaps it was in some measure owing to themixture of spirit of vitriol with the water that was thus preserved, oursurgeon putting a small quantity into every cask when it was filled up. 

On Saturday the 11th, we discovered a small, low, flat island, whichappeared to be almost level with the water's edge, and was covered withgreen trees: As it was to the south and directly to windward of us, wecould not fetch it. It lies in latitude 22°S. , and longitude 141° 34'W. ;and we called it the Bishop of Osnaburgh's Island, in honour of hismajesty's second son. [56]

[Footnote 56: There is another island of this name, among these thatwere discovered by Captain Wallis. ]

On the 12th, we fell in with two more small islands, which were coveredwith green trees, but appeared to be uninhabited. We were close in withthe southermost, which proved to be a slip of land in the form of ahalf-moon, low, flat, and sandy: From the south end of it a reef runsout to the distance of about half a mile, on which the sea breaks withgreat fury. We found no anchorage, but the boat landed. It had apleasant appearance, but afforded neither vegetables nor water; therewere however many birds upon it, so tame that they suffered themselvesto be taken by hand. The other island very much resembles this, and isdistant from it about five or six leagues: They lie W. N. W. And E. S. E. Ofeach other. One of them is in latitude 20° 38'S. , longitude 146°W. ; theother 20°34'S. , longitude 146° 15' W. , and we called them the Duke ofGloucester's Islands; the variation here is five degrees east. Theseislands are probably the land seen by Quiros, as the situation is nearlythe same; but if not, the land he saw could not be more considerable:Whatever it was, he went to the southward of it, and the long billows wehad here, convinced us that there was no land near us in that direction. The wind here being to the eastward, I hauled to the southward again, and the next day, Monday the 13th, in the evening, as we were steeringW. S. W. We observed that we lost the long southerly billows, and that wegot them again at seven o'clock the next day. When we lost them we werein latitude 21°7'S. , longitude 147°4' W. ; and when we got them again wewere in latitude 21° 43 S. , longitude 149°48'W; so that I imagine therewas some land to the southward, not far distant. [57]

[Footnote 57: The Islands called Oheteroa, Toobouai, Vabouai, Vavitoo, lie a little to the south of this part of Carteret's track. --E. ]

From this time to the 16th, the winds were variable from N. E. Round bythe N. The N. W. And S. W. And blew very hard, with violent gusts, one ofwhich was very near being fatal to us, with thick weather and hard rain. We were then in latitude 22° S. , and 70°30'W. Of our departure, where wefound the variation 6°30'E. And the tempestuous gales were succeeded bya dead calm. After some time, however, the wind sprung up again at west, and at length settled in the W. S. W. Which soon drove us again to thenorthward, so that on the 20th we were in latitude 19° S. , longitude75°30'W. Of our departure: The variation was here 6°E. 

On the 22d, we were got into latitude 18°S. , longitude 161°W. , which wasabout one thousand eight hundred leagues to the westward of thecontinent of America, and in all this track we had no indication of acontinent. The men now began to be very sickly, the scurvy having madegreat progress among them, and as I found that all my endeavours to keepin a high southern latitude at this time were ineffectual, and that thebadness of the weather, the variableness of the winds, and above all, the defects of the ship, rendered our progress slow, I thought itabsolutely necessary to fix upon that course which was most likely topreserve the vessel and the crew; instead therefore of attempting toreturn back by the south-east, in which, considering our condition, andthe advanced season of the year, it was scarcely possible that we shouldsucceed, I bore away to the northward, that I might get into thetrade-wind, keeping still in such a track, as if the charts were to betrusted, was most likely to bring me to some island, where therefreshments of which we stood so much in need might be procuredintending then, if the ship could be put in a proper condition, to havepursued the voyage to the southward, when the fit season should return, to have attempted farther discoveries in this track; and, if I shoulddiscover a continent, and procure a sufficient supply of provisionsthere, to keep along the coast to the southward till the sun had crossedthe equinoctial, and then, getting into a high southern latitude, eitherhave gone west about to the Cape of Good Hope, or returned to theeastward, and having touched at Falkland's Islands, if necessary, madethe best of my way from thence back to Europe. 

When I got into latitude 16° S. And not before, I found the truetrade-wind; and as we proceeded to the north-west, and the northward, wefound the variation increase very fast; for when we had advanced tolatitude 18° 15' S. And were in longitude 80° 1/4 W. Of our departure, it was 7° 30' E. We had bad weather, with hard gales, and a great seafrom the eastward till the 25th, when, being in latitude 12° 15' S. , wesaw many birds flying in flocks, and supposed ourselves to be near someland, particularly several islands that are laid down in the charts, andone which was seen by Commodore Byron in 1765, and called the Island ofDanger; none of these islands, however, could we see. At this time itblew so hard, that, although we went before the wind, we were obliged toreef our top-sails, and the weather was still very thick and rainy. Thenext morning, being in latitude 10° S. , longitude 167° W. , we keptnearly in the same parallel, in hopes to have fallen in with some of theislands called Solomon's Islands, this being the latitude in which thesouthermost of them is laid down. We had here the trade-wind strong, with violent squalls and much rain, and continuing our course tillMonday the 3d of August, we were then in latitude 10° 18' S. Longitude, by account, 177° 1/2 E. ; our distance west from the continent of Americaabout twenty-one hundred leagues, and we were five degrees to thewestward of the situation of those islands in the charts. It was not ourgood fortune, however, to fall in with any land; probably we might passnear some, which the thick weather prevented our seeing; for in this rungreat numbers of sea birds were often about the ship: However, asCommodore Byron in his last voyage sailed over the northern limits ofthat part of the ocean in which the Islands of Solomon are said to lie, and as I sailed over the southern limits without seeing them, there isgreat reason to conclude, that, if there are any such islands, theirsituation in all our charts is erroneously laid down. [58]

[Footnote 58: See what is said on this subject in the account of Byron'svoyage. It will be resumed when we come to speak of some of Cook'sdiscoveries--E. ]

From the latitude 14° S. , longitude 163° 46' W. , we had a strong galefrom the S. E. Which made a great sea after us, and from that time I didnot observe the long billows from the southward till we got intolatitude 10° 18' S. , longitude 177° 30' E. , and then it returned fromthe S. W. And S. S. W. , and we found a current setting to the southward, although a current in the contrary direction had attended us almost allthe way from the Streight of Magellan; I conjectured therefore that herethe passage opened between New Zealand and New Holland. The variationhere was 11° 14' E. On the 5th, being in latitude 10° 1/2 S. , longitude175° 44' E. , the variation was 11° 15' E. ; and on the 8th, in latitude11° S. , longitude 171° 14' E. It was 14° 1/2 E. 

About this time we found our stock of log-lines nearly expended, thoughwe had already converted all our fishing lines to the same use. I wassome time in great perplexity how to supply this defect, but, upon avery diligent enquiry, found that we had, by chance, a few fathom ofthick untarred rope. This, which in our situation was an inestimabletreasure, I ordered to be untwisted; but as the yarns were found to betoo thick for our purpose, it became necessary to pick them into oakham;and when this was done, the most difficult part of the work remained;for this oakham could not be spun into yarn, till, by combing, it wasbrought into hemp, its original state. This was not seamen's work, andif it had, we should have been at a loss how to perform it for want ofcombs; one difficulty therefore arose upon another, and it was necessaryto make combs, before we could try our skill in making hemp. Upon thistrying occasion we were again sensible of the danger to which we wereexposed by the want of a forge: Necessity, however, the fruitful motherof invention, suggested an expedient. The armourer was set to work tofile nails down to a smooth point, with which we produced a tolerablesuccedaneum for a comb; and one of the quarter-masters was foundsufficiently skilled in the use of this instrument to render the oakhamso smooth and even, that we contrived to spin it into yarn, as fine asour coarse implements would admit; and thus we made tolerable log-lines, although we found it much more difficult than to make cordage of our oldcables, after they had been converted into junk, which was an expedientthat we had been obliged to practise long before. We had also longbefore used all our sewing sail-twine, and if, knowing that the quantitywith which I had been supplied was altogether inadequate to the wants ofsuch a voyage, I had not taken the whole quantity that had been put onboard to repair the seine into my own custody, this deficiency mighthave been fatal to us all. 

SECTION IV. 

_An Account of the Discovery of Queen Charlotte's Islands, with aDescription of them and their Inhabitants, and of what happened atEgmont Island. _

The scurvy still continued to make great progress among us, and thosehands that were not rendered useless by disease, were worn down byexcessive labour; our vessel, which at best was a dull sailer, had beenlong in so bad a condition that she would not work; and on the 10th, torender our condition still more distressful and alarming, she sprung aleak in the bows, which being under water, it was impossible to get atwhile we were at sea. Such was our situation, when, on the 12th, atbreak of day, we discovered land: The sudden transport of hope and joywhich this inspired, can perhaps be equalled only by that which acriminal feels who bears the cry of a reprieve at the place ofexecution. The land proved to be a cluster of islands, of which Icounted seven, and believe there were many more. We kept on for two ofthem, which were right a-head when land was first discovered, and seemedto lie close together; in the evening we anchored on the north-east sideof one of them, which was the largest and the highest of the two, inabout thirty fathom, with a good bottom, and at the distance of aboutthree cables' length from the shore. We soon after saw two of thenatives, who were black, with woolly heads, and stark naked; Iimmediately sent the master out with the boat to fix upon awatering-place, and speak to them, but they disappeared before she couldreach the shore. The boat soon after returned with an account that therewas a fine run of fresh water a-breast of the ship and close to thebeach, but that the whole country in that part being an almostimpenetrable forest quite to the water's edge, the watering would bevery difficult, and even dangerous, if the natives should come down toprevent it: That there were no esculent vegetables, for the refreshmentof the sick, nor any habitations as far as the country had beenexamined, which was wild, forlorn, and mountainous. 

Having considered this account, and finding that a swell, which cameround the eastern part of the bay, would render watering troublesome andinconvenient, exclusive of the danger that might be apprehended from thenatives, if they should attack us from ambushes in the wood, Idetermined to try whether a better situation could not be found. 

The next morning, therefore, as soon as it was light, I dispatched themaster, with fifteen men in the cutter, well armed and provided, toexamine the coast to the westward, our present situation being on thelee of the island, for a place where we might more conveniently besupplied with wood and water, and at the same time procure somerefreshments for the sick, and lay the ship by the stern to examine andstop the leak. I gave him some beads, ribbons, and other trifles, whichby chance I happened to have on board, to conciliate the good-will ofthe natives, if he should happen to meet with any of them; but at thesame time enjoined him to run no risk, and gave him particular ordersimmediately to return to the ship, if any number of canoes shouldapproach him which might bring on hostilities; and if he should meet theIndians in small parties, either at sea or upon shore, to treat themwith all possible kindness, so as to establish a friendly intercoursewith them; charging him on no account to leave the boat himself, nor tosuffer more than two men to go on shore at a time, while the rest stoodready for their defence; recommending to him, in the strongest terms; anapplication to his duty, without regarding any other object, as thefinding a proper place for the ship was of the utmost importance to usall; and conjuring him to return as soon as this service should beperformed, with all possible speed. 

Soon after I had dispatched the cutter on this expedition, I sent thelong-boat with ten men on board well armed to the shore, who beforeeight o'clock brought off a ton of water. About nine, I sent her offagain, but soon after seeing some of the natives advancing along theshore towards the place where the men landed, I made the signal for themto return, not knowing to what number they would be exposed, and havingno boat to send off with assistance if they should be attacked. 

Our men had not long returned on board, when we saw three of the nativessit down under the trees a-breast of the ship. As they continued theregazing at us till the afternoon, as soon as the cutter came in sight, not caring that both the boats should be absent at the same time, I sentmy lieutenant in the long-boat, with a few beads, ribbons, and trinkets, to endeavour to establish some kind of intercourse with them, and bytheir means, with the rest of the inhabitants; these men, however, before the boat could reach the shore, quitted their station, andproceeded along the beach. As the trees would soon prevent their beingseen by our people, who were making towards the land, we kept our eyesfixed upon them from the ship, and very soon perceived that they weremet by three others. After some conversation, the first three went on, and, those who met them proceeded towards the boat with a hasty pace. Upon this, I made the signal to the lieutenant to be upon his guard, andas soon as he saw the Indians, observing that there were no more thanthree, he backed the boat into the shore, and making signs offriendship, held up to them the beads and ribbons which I had given himas presents, our people at the same time carefully concealing theirarms. The Indians, however, taking no notice of the beads and ribbons, resolutely advanced within bow-shot, and then suddenly discharged theirarrows, which happily went over the boat without doing any mischief;they did not prepare for a second discharge, but instantly ran away intothe woods, and our people discharged some musquets after them, but noneof them were wounded by the shot. Soon after this happened, the cuttercame under the ship's side, and the first person that I particularlynoticed was the master, with three arrows sticking in his body. No otherevidence was necessary to convict him of having acted contrary to myorders, which appeared indeed more fully from his own account of thematter, which it is reasonable to suppose was as favourable to himselfas he could make it. He said, that having seen some Indian houses withonly five or six of the inhabitants, at a place about fourteen orfifteen miles to the westward of the ship's station, where he hadsounded some bays, he came to a grappling, and veered the boat to thebeach, where he landed with four men, armed with musquets and pistols;that the Indians at first were afraid of him, and retired, but that soonafter they came down to him, and he gave them some beads and othertrifles, with which they seemed to be much pleased: That he then madesigns to them for some cocoa-nuts, which they brought him, and withgreat appearance of friendship and hospitality, gave him a broiled fishand some boiled yams: That he then proceeded with his party to thehouses, which, he said, were not more than fifteen or twenty yards fromthe water-side, and soon after saw a great number of canoes coming roundthe western point of the bay, and many Indians among the trees: Thatbeing alarmed at these appearances, he hastily left the house wherethey had been received, and with the men, made the best of his waytowards the boat; but that, before he could get on board, the Indiansattacked as well those that were with him as those that were in theboat, both from the canoes and the shore. Their number, he said, wasbetween three and four hundred: Their weapons were bows and arrows, thebows were six feet five inches long, and the arrows four feet four, which they discharged in platoons, as regularly as the best disciplinedtroops in Europe: That it being necessary to defend himself and hispeople when they were thus attacked, they fired among the Indians tofavour their getting into their boat, and did great execution, killingmany and wounding more: That they were not however discouraged, butcontinued to press forward, still discharging their arrows by platoonsin almost one continued flight: That the grappling being foul, occasioned a delay in hauling off the boat, during which time he, andhalf of the boat's crew, were desperately wounded: That at last they cutthe rope, and ran off under their foresail, still keeping up their firewith blunderbusses, each loaded with eight or ten pistol balls, whichthe Indians returned with their arrows, those on shore wading after thembreast-high into the sea: When they had got clear of these, the canoespursued them with great fortitude and vigour, till one of them was sunk, and the numbers on board the rest greatly reduced by the fire, and thenthey returned to the shore. 

Such was the story of the master, who, with three of my best seamen, died some time afterwards of the wounds they had received; but culpableas he appears to have been by his own account, he appears to have beenstill more so by the testimony of those who survived him. They said, that the Indians behaved with the greatest confidence and friendshiptill he gave them just cause of offence, by ordering the people thatwere with him, who had been regaled in one of their houses, to cut downa cocoa-nut tree; and insisting upon the execution of his order, notwithstanding the displeasure which the Indians strongly expressedupon the occasion: As soon as the tree fell, all of them except one, whoseemed to be a person of authority, went away; and in a short time agreat number of them were observed to draw together into a body amongthe trees, by a midshipman who was one of the party that were on shore, and who immediately acquainted the master with what he had seen, andtold him, that from the behaviour of the people he imagined an attackwas intended: That the master made light of the intelligence, andinstead of repairing immediately to the boat, as he was urged to do, fired one of his pistols at a mark: That the Indian who had till thattime continued with them left them abruptly, and joined the body in thewood: That the master, even after this, by an infatuation that isaltogether unaccountable, continued to trifle away his time on shore, and did not attempt to recover the boat till the attack was begun. 

As the expedition to find a better place for the ship had issued thusunhappily, I determined to try what could be done where we lay; the nextday, therefore, the ship was brought down by the stern, as far as wecould effect it, and the carpenter, the only one of the crew who was intolerable health, caulked the bows, as far down as he could come at thebottom; and though he did not quite stop the leak, he very much reducedit. In the afternoon a fresh gale set right into the bay, which made theship ride with her stern very near the shore, and we observed a greatnumber of the natives sculking among the trees upon the beach, whoprobably expected that the wind would have forced the ship on shore. 

The next morning, the weather being fine, we veered the ship close inshore, with a spring upon our cable, so that we brought our broadside tobear upon the watering-place, for the protection of the boats that wereto be employed there. As there was reason to suppose that the nativeswhom we had seen among the trees the night before, were not now fardistant, I fired a couple of shot into the wood, before I sent thewaterers ashore; I also sent the lieutenant in the cutter, well mannedand armed, with the boat that carried them, and ordered him and hispeople to keep on board, and lie close to the beach, to cover thewatering-boat while she was loading, and to keep discharging musketsinto the wood on each side of the party that were filling the water. These orders were well executed, the beach was steep, so that the boatscould lie close to the people that were at work, and the lieutenant fromthe cutter fired three or four vollies of small arms into the woodsbefore any of the men went on shore, and none of the natives appearing, the waterers landed and went to work. But notwithstanding all theseprecautions, before they had been on shore a quarter of an hour, aflight of arrows was discharged among them, one of which dangerouslywounded a man that was filling water in the breast, and another stuckinto a bareca on which Mr Pitcairn was sitting. The people on board thecutter immediately fired several vollies of small arms into that part ofthe wood from which the arrows came, and I recalled the boats that Imight more effectually drive the Indians from their ambuscades withgrape-shot from the ship's guns. When the boats and people were onboard, we began to fire, and soon after saw about two hundred men rushout of the woods, and run along the beach with the utmost precipitation. We judged the coast to be now effectually cleared, but in a little timewe perceived that a great number had got together on the westermostpoint of the bay, where they probably thought themselves beyond ourreach: To convince them therefore of the contrary, I ordered a gun to befired at them with round shot; the ball just grazing the water roseagain, and fell in the middle of them, upon which they dispersed withgreat hurry and confusion, and we saw no more of them. After this wewatered without any farther molestation, but all the while our boatswere on shore, we had the precaution to keep firing the ship's guns intothe wood on both sides of them, and the cutter, which lay close to thebeach, as she did before, kept up a constant fire of small arms inplatoons, at the same time. As we saw none of the natives daring allthis firing, we should have thought that none of them had ventured backinto the wood, if our people had not reported that they heard groansfrom several parts of it, like those of dying men. 

Hitherto, though I had been long ill of an inflammatory and biliousdisorder, I had been able to keep the deck; but this evening thesymptoms became so much more threatening that I could keep up no longer, and I was for some time afterwards confined to my bed. The master wasdying of the wounds he received in his quarrel with the Indians, thelieutenant also was very ill, the gunner and thirty of my men incapableof duty, among whom were seven of the most vigorous and healthy, thathad been wounded with the master, and three of them mortally, and therewas no hope of obtaining such refreshments as we most needed in thisplace. These were discouraging circumstances, and not only put an end tomy hopes of prosecuting the voyage farther to southward, but greatlydispirited the people; except myself, the master, and the lieutenant, there was nobody on board capable of navigating the ship home; themaster was known to be a dying man, and the recovery of myself and thelieutenant was very doubtful. I would however have made a further effortto obtain refreshments here, if I had been furnished with any toys, irontools, or cutlery-ware, which might have enabled me to recover thegoodwill of the natives, and establish a traffic with them for suchnecessaries as they could have furnished us with; but I had no sucharticles, and but very few others fit for an Indian trade; and not beingin a condition to risk the loss of any more of the few men who werecapable of doing duty, I weighed anchor at day-break on Monday the 17th, and stood along the shore for that part of the island to which I hadsent the cutter. To the island I had given the name of _Egmont Island_, in honour of the Earl: It certainly is the same to which the Spaniardshave given the name of Santa Cruz, as appears by the accounts whichtheir writers have given of it, and I called the place in which we hadlain, _Swallow Bay_. From the eastermost point of this bay, which Icalled _Swallow Point_, to the north-east point of the island, which Icalled _Cape Byron_, is about seven miles east, and from the westermostpoint of the bay, which I called _Hanway's Point_, to Cape Byron, isabout ten or eleven miles. Between Swallow Point and Hanway's Point, inthe bottom of the bay, there is a third point, which does not run out sofar; and a little to the westward of this point is the bestanchoring-place, but it is necessary to give it birth, as the groundnear it is shoaly. When we were at anchor in this bay, Swallow Pointbore E. By N. And Hanway's Point W. N. W. From this Point there runs areef, on which the sea breaks very high: The outer part of this reefbore N. W. By W. And an island which has the appearance of a volcano, wasjust over the breakers. Soon after we had passed Hanway's Point, we sawa small village, which stands upon the beach, and is surrounded bycocoa-nut trees. It is situated in a bay between Hanway's Point andanother, to which I gave the name of _Howe's Point_. The distance fromHanway's Point to Howe's Point is between four and five miles. Close tothe shore there is about thirty fathom of water; but in crossing thebay, at the distance of about two miles, we had no bottom. Having passedHowe's Point, we opened another bay or harbour, which had the appearanceof a deep lagoon, and which we called _Carlisle Harbour_. Over-againstthe entrance of Carlisle Harbour, and north of the coast, we found asmall island, which we called _Portland's Island_. On the west side ofthis island there is a reef of rocks that runs to the main; the passageinto the harbour, therefore, is on the east side of it, and runs in andout E. N. E. And W. S. W. It is about two cables' length wide, and has abouteight fathom water. I believe the harbour within it to be good; but aship would be obliged to warp both in and out, and would after all be indanger of an attack by the natives, who are bold even to temerity, andhave a perseverance which is not common among undisciplined savages. When the ship was a mile from the shore, we had no ground with fiftyfathom. About four or five miles west from Portland's Island, is a fine, small, round harbour, just big enough to receive three ships, which wecalled _Byron's Harbour_. When we were abreast of the entrance of it, itbore from us S. By E. 1/2 E. And the Volcano Island bore N. W. 1/2 W. Ourboat entered it, and found two runs of water, one fresh and the othersalt; by the run of salt water we judged that it had a communicationwith Carlisle Harbour. When we had proceeded about three leagues fromthe harbour, we opened the bay where the cutter had been attacked by theIndians, to which, for that reason, we gave the name of _Bloody Bay_. Inthis bay is a small rivulet of fresh water, and here we saw many housesregularly built: Close to the water-side stood one much longer than anyof the rest, which seemed to be a kind of common-hall, or council-house, and was neatly built and thatched. This was the building in which ourpeople had been received who were on shore here with the master; andthey told me that both the sides and floor were lined with a kind offine matting, and a great number of arrows, made up into bundles, werehung up in it ready for use. They told me also, that at this place therewere many gardens, or plantations, which are enclosed by a fence ofstone, and planted with cocoa-nut trees, bananas, plantains, yams, andother vegetables. The cocoa-nut trees we saw from the ship in greatnumbers, among the houses of the village. About three miles to thewestward of this town we saw another of considerable extent; in thefront of which, next to the water-side, there was a breast-work ofstone, about four feet six inches high, not in a straight line, but inangles, like a fortification; and there is great reason to suppose, from the weapons of these people, and their military courage, whichmust in great measure be the effect of habit, that they have frequentwars among themselves. As we proceeded westward from this place, wefound, at the distance of two or three miles, a small bight, forming akind of bay, in which a river empties itself. Upon taking a view of thisriver from the mast-head, it appeared to run very far into the country, and at the entrance, at least, to be navigable for small vessels. Thisriver we called _Granville's River_, and to the westward of it is apoint, to which we gave the name of _Ferrer's Point_. From this pointthe land forms a large bay, and near it is a town of great extent, whichseemed to swarm like a bee-hive: An incredible multitude came out of itas the ship passed by, holding something in their hands which lookedlike a wisp of green grass, with which they seemed to stroke each other, at the same time dancing, or running in a ring. About seven miles to thewestward of Point Ferrers, is another that was called _Carteret Point_, from which a reef of rocks, that appears above water, runs out to thedistance of about a cable's length. Upon this point we saw a largecanoe, with an awning or shade built over it; and a little to thewestward, another large town, fronted, and probably surrounded, with abreastwork of stone, like the last. Here also the people thronged to thebeach as the ship was passing, and performed the same kind of circulardance. After a little time they launched several canoes, and madetowards us; upon which we lay-to, that they might have time to come up, and we conceived great hopes that we should prevail upon them to come onboard; but when they came near enough to have a more distinct view ofus, they lay upon their paddles and gazed at us, but seemed to have nodesign of advancing farther; and therefore we made sail and left thembehind us. About half a mile from Carteret Point, we had sixty fathom, with a bottom of sand and coral. From this point the land trends awayW. S. W. And S. W. Forming a deep lagoon, at the mouth of which lies anisland, that with the main forms two entrances into it. The island wecalled _Trevanion's Island_. This entrance is about two miles wide, andthe lagoon, if there is anchorage in it, is certainly a fine harbour forshipping. After crossing the first entrance, and coming off thenorth-west part of Trevanion's Island, which we called _Cape Trevanion_, we saw a great rippling, and therefore sent the boat off to sound. Wehad, however, no bottom with fifty fathom; the rippling being causedonly by the meeting of the tides. Having hauled round this cape, wefound the land trend to the southward; and we continued to stand alongthe shore till we opened the western passage into the lagoon betweenTrevanion's Island and the main. In this place, both the main and theisland appeared to be one continued town, and the inhabitants wereinnumerable. We sent a boat to examine this entrance or passage, andfound the bottom to be coral and rock, with very irregular soundingsover it. As soon as the natives saw the boat leave the ship, they sentoff several armed canoes to attack her. The first that came withinbow-shot discharged her arrows at the people on board, who, being ready, fired a volley, by which one of the Indians was killed, and anotherwounded; at the same time we fired a great gun from the ship, loadedwith grape-shot, among them; upon which they all pulled back to theshore with great precipitation, except the canoe which began the attack;and that being secured by the boat's crew, with the wounded man in her, was brought to the ship. I immediately ordered the Indian to be taken onboard, and the surgeon to examine his wounds. It appeared that one shothad gone through his head, and that his arm was broken by another: Thesurgeon was of opinion that the wound in his head was mortal; Itherefore ordered him to be put again into his canoe, and, notwithstanding his condition, he paddled away towards the shore. He wasa young man, with a woolly head, like that of the negroes, and a smallbeard, but he was well-featured, and not so black as the natives ofGuinea. He was of the common stature, and, like all the rest of thepeople whom we had seen upon this island, quite naked. His canoe wasvery small, and of rude workmanship, being nothing more than part of thetrunk of a tree made hollow; it had, however, an outrigger, but none ofthem had sails. 

We found this place to be the western extremity of the island on thenorth side, and that it lay in exactly the same latitude as the easternextremity on the same side. The distance between them is about fiftymiles due east and west, and a strong current sets westward along theshore. 

I was still confined to my bed, and it was with infinite regret that Igave up the hopes of obtaining refreshments at this place, especiallyas our people told me they saw hogs and poultry in great plenty as wesailed along the shore, with cocoa-nut trees, plantains, bananas, and avariety of other vegetable productions, which would soon have restoredto us the health and vigour we had lost, by the fatigue and hardships ofa long voyage; but no friendly intercourse with the natives could now beexpected, and I was not in a situation to obtain what I wanted by force. I was myself dangerously ill, great part of my crew, as I have alreadyobserved, was disabled, and the rest dispirited by disappointment andvexation, and if the men had been all in health and spirits, I had notofficers to lead them on or direct them in any enterprise, nor even tosuperintend the duties that were to be performed on board the ship. These disadvantages, which prevented my obtaining refreshments at thisisland, prevented me also from examining the rest that were near it. Ourlittle strength was every minute becoming less; I was not in a conditionto pursue the voyage to the southward, and was in danger of losing themonsoon, so that no time was now to be lost; I therefore gave orders tosteer northward, hoping to refresh at the country which Dampier hascalled _Nora Britannia_. I shall, however, give the best account I canof the appearance and situation of the islands that I left behind me. 

I gave the general name of _Queen Charlotte's Islands_ to the wholecluster, as well to those I did not see distinctly, as to those that Idid; and I gave several of them particular names as I approached them. 

To the southermost of the two, which when we first discovered land wereright a-head, I gave the name of _Lord Howe's Island_, and the other wasEgmont Island, of which some account has already been given. Thelatitude of Lord Howe's Island is 11° 10' S. Longitude 164° 43' E. Thelatitude of Cape Byron, the north-east point of Egmont Island, is 10°40' S. Longitude 164° 49' E. The east sides of these two islands, whichlie exactly in a line with each other, about N. By W. And S. By E. Including the passage between them, extend about eleven leagues, and thepassage is about four miles broad; both of them appear to be fertile, and have a pleasant appearance, being covered with tall trees, of abeautiful verdure. Lord Howe's Island, though more flat and even thanthe other, is notwithstanding high land. About thirteen leagues W. N. W. 1/2 N. By compass, from Cape Byron, there is an island of a stupendousheight, and a conical figure. The top of it is shaped like a funnel, from which we saw smoke issue, though no flame; it is, however, certainly a volcano, and therefore I called it _Volcano Island_. To along flat island that, when Howe's and Egmont's islands were righta-head, bore N. W. I gave the name of _Keppel's Island_. It lies inlatitude 10° 15' S. Longitude, by account, 165° 4' E. The largest of twoothers to the S. E. I called _Lord Edgcumb's Island_. The small one Icalled _Ourry's Island_. Edgcumb's Island has a fine, pleasantappearance, and lies in latitude 11° 10' S. Longitude 163° 14' E. Thelatitude of Ourry's Island is 11° 10' S. Longitude 165° 19' E. The otherislands, of which there were several, I did not particularly name. 

The inhabitants of Egmont island, whose persons have been describedalready, are extremely nimble, vigorous, and active, and seem to bealmost as well qualified to live in the water as upon the land, for theywere in and out of their canoes almost every minute. The canoes thatcame out against us from the west end of the island, were all like thatwhich our people brought on board, and might probably, upon occasion, carry about a dozen men, though three or four manage them with amazingdexterity: We saw, however, others of a large size upon the beach, withawnings or shades over them. 

We got two of their bows, and a bundle of their arrows, from the canoethat was taken with the wounded man; and with these weapons they doexecution at an incredible distance. One of them went through the boat'swashboard, and dangerously wounded a midshipman in the thigh. Theirarrows were pointed with flint, and we saw among them no appearance ofany metal. The country in general is woody and mountainous, with manyvallies intermixed; several small rivers flow from the interior part ofthe country into the sea, and there are many harbours upon the coast. The variation here was about 11° 15' E. 

SECTION V. 

_Departure from Egmont Island, and Passage to Nova Britannia; with aDescription of several other Islands, and their Inhabitants. _

We made sail from this island in the evening of Tuesday the 18th ofAugust, with a fresh trade-wind from the eastward, and a few squalls attimes. Al first we only hauled up W. N. W. For I was not without hope offalling in with some other islands, where we might be more fortunatethan we had been at those we left, before we got the length of NovaBritannia. 

On the 20th, we discovered a small, flat, low island, and got up with itin the evening. It lies in latitude 7° 56' S. Longitude 138° 56' E. AndI gave it the name of _Gower's Island_. To our great mortification wefound no anchorage here, and could procure only a few cocoa-nuts fromthe inhabitants, (who were much the same kind of people that we had seenat Isle Egmont, ) in exchange for nails, and such trifles as we had; theypromised, by signs, to bring us more the next day, and we kept off andon all night. The night was extremely dark; and the next morning atday-break, we found that a current had set us considerably to thesouthward of the island, and brought us within sight of two more. Theywere situated nearly east and west of each other, and were distant abouttwo miles. That to the eastward is much the smallest, and this we called_Simpson's Island_; to the other, which is lofty, and has a statelyappearance, we gave the name of _Carteret's Island_. The east end of itbears about south from Gower's island, and the distance between them isabout ten or eleven leagues. Carteret's Island lies in about thelatitude of 8° 26' S. Longitude 159° 14' E. And its length from east towest is about six leagues. We found the variation here 8° 30' E. Boththese islands were right to windward of us, and we bore down to Gower'sIsland. It is about two leagues and a half long on the western side, which makes in bays: The whole is well wooded, and many of the trees arecocoa-nut. We found here a considerable number of the Indians, with twoboats or canoes, which we supposed to belong to Carteret's Island, andto have brought the people hither only to fish. We sent the boat onshore, which the natives endeavoured to cut off; and hostilities beingthus commenced, we seized their canoe, in which we found about anhundred cocoa-nuts, which were very acceptable. We saw some turtle nearthe beach, but were not fortunate enough to take any of them. The canoe, or boat, was large enough to carry eight or ten men, and was very neatlybuilt, with planks well jointed; it was adorned with shell-work, andfigures rudely painted, and the seams were covered with a substancesomewhat like our black putty, but it appeared to me to be of a betterconsistence. The people were armed with bows, arrows, and spears; thespears and arrows were pointed with flint. By some signs which theymade, pointing to our muskets, we imagined they were not whollyunacquainted with fire-arms. They are much the same kind of people as wehad seen at Egmont island, and, like them, were quite naked; but theircanoes were of a very different structure, and a much larger size, though we did not discover that any of them had sails. The cocoa-nutswhich we got here, and at Egmont island, were of infinite advantage tothe sick. 

From the time of our leaving Egmont island, we had observed a currentsetting strongly to the southward, and in the neighbourhood of theseislands we found its force greatly increased: This determined me, when Isailed from Gower's island, to steer N. W. Fearing we might otherwisefall in with the main land too far to the southward; for if we had gotinto any gulph or deep bay, our crew was so sickly, and our ship so bad, that it would have been impossible for us to have got out again. 

About eight o'clock in the morning of the 22d, as we were continuing ourcourse with a fine fresh gale, Patrick Dwyer, one of the marines, whowas doing something over the ship's quarter, by some accident missed hishold and fell into the sea; we instantly threw overboard the canoe whichwe had seized at Gower's island, brought the ship to, and hoisted outthe cutter with all possible expedition; but the poor fellow, thoughremarkably strong and healthy, sunk at once, and we saw him no more. Wetook the canoe on board again; but she had received so much damage bystriking against one of the guns, as the people were hoisting heroverboard, that we were obliged to cut her up. 

In the night of Monday the 24th, we fell in with nine islands. Theystretch nearly N. W. By W. And S. E. By E. About fifteen leagues, and liein latitude 4° 36' S. Longitude 154° 17' E. According to the ship'saccount. I imagine these to be the islands which are called Ohang Java, and were discovered by Tasman; for the situation answers very nearly totheir place in the French chart, which in the year 1756 was correctedfor the king's ships. The other islands, Carteret's, Gower's, andSimpson's, I believe had never been seen by an European navigatorbefore. There is certainly much land in this part of the ocean not yetknown. 

One of these islands is of considerable extent, the other eight arescarcely better than large rocks; but though they are low and flat, theyare well covered with wood, and abound with inhabitants. The people areblack, and woolly-headed, like the negroes of Africa: Their weapons arebows and arrows; and they have large canoes which they navigate with asail, one of which came near us, but would not venture on board. 

We went to the northward of these islands, and steered W. By S. With astrong south-westerly current. At eleven o'clock at night, we fell inwith another island of a considerable extent, flat, green, and of apleasant appearance. We saw none of its inhabitants; but it appeared bythe many fires which we saw in the night to be well peopled. It lies inlatitude 4° 50' S. And bears west fifteen leagues from the northermostof the Nine Islands, and we called it _Sir Charles Hardy's Island_. 

At day-break the next morning, we discovered another large high island, which, rising in three considerable hills, had, at a distance, theappearance of three islands. We gave it the name of _Winchelsea'sIsland_; it is distant from Sir Charles Hardy's island about tenleagues, in the direction of S. By E. We had here the wind squally, withunsettled weather, and a very strong westerly current. 

About ten o'clock in the morning of the 26th, we saw another largeisland to the northward, which I supposed to be the same that wasdiscovered by Schouten, and called the island of Saint John. Soon afterwe saw high land to the westward, which proved to be Nova Britannia; andas we approached it we found a very strong S. S. Westerly current, setting at the rate of no less than thirty-two miles a-day. The nextday, having only light winds, a north-westerly current set us into adeep bay or gulph, which proved to be that which Dampier hasdistinguished by the name of Saint George's Bay. 

On the 28th, we anchored in a bay near a little island at the distanceof about three leagues to the N. W. Of Cape Saint George, which wascalled _Wallis's Island_. I found the latitude of this Cape to be about5° S. And its longitude by account 152° 19' E. Which is about twothousand five hundred leagues due west from the continent of America, and about one degree and a half more to the eastward than its place inthe French chart which has been just mentioned. In the afternoon I sentthe cutter to examine the coast, and the other boat to get somecocoa-nuts, and haul the seine. The people in this boat caught no fish, but they brought on board about an hundred and fifty cocoa-nuts, whichwere distributed to the men at the surgeon's discretion. We had seensome turtle as we were coming into the bay, and hoping that some of themmight repair to the island in the night, especially as it was sandy, barren, and uninhabited, like the places these animals most frequent, Isent a few men on shore to watch for them, but they returned in themorning without success. 

We anchored here only to wait till the boats could find a fit place forour purpose; and several very good harbours being discovered not fardistant, we now endeavoured to weigh anchor, but, with the unitedstrength of our whole company, were not able: This was an alarming proofof our debility, and with heavy hearts we had recourse to an additionalpurchase; with this assistance, and our utmost efforts, we got theanchor just clear of the bottom, but the ship casting in shore, italmost immediately hooked again in foul ground. Our task was now tobegin again; and though all hands that were able to move applied theirutmost force, the whole remaining part of the day, with the greatestpurchase we could make, we were not able to stir it: We were veryunwilling to cut the cable, for though it was much worn, we could atthis time ill sustain the loss of it, as we intended to make small cord, which we much, wanted, of the best part of it. We therefore, withwhatever reluctance, desisted for the night; and the next day, having alittle recruited our strength, we were more successful. We got theanchor up; but we found it so much injured as to be whollyunserviceable, the palm being broken. 

From this place we sailed to a little cove about three of four milesdistant, to which we gave the name of _English Cove_. Here we anchored, and immediately began to get wood and water, which we found in greatplenty, besides ballast. I also sent the boat out every day to differentplaces with the seine; but though there was plenty of fish, we were ableto catch very little, --a misfortune which was probably owing in part tothe clearness of the water, in part to the rockiness of the beach, andperhaps in some degree also to our want of skill. We plied this labourday and night, notwithstanding the want of success, and at the same timehad recourse to the hook and line, but, to our great mortification, nota single fish would take the bait. We saw a few turtle, but they were soshy that we could not catch one of them: Here, therefore, we werecondemned to the curse of Tantalus, perpetually in sight of what ourappetites most importunately craved, and perpetually disappointed in ourattempts to reach it. We got, however, from the rocks, at low water, afew rock-oysters, and cockles of a very large size; and from the shoresome cocoa-nuts, and the upper part of the tree that bears them, whichis called the cabbage: This cabbage is a white, crisp, juicy substance, which, eaten raw, tastes somewhat like a chesnut, but when boiled issuperior to the best parsnip; we cut it small into the broth that wemade of our portable soup, which was afterwards thickened with oatmeal, and made a most comfortable mess: For each of these cabbages, however, we were forced to cut down a tree; and it was with great regret that wedestroyed, in the parent stock, so much fruit, which perhaps is the mostpowerful antiscorbutic in the world; but necessity has no law. Thissupply of fresh vegetable, and especially the milk, or rather the waterof the nut, recovered our sick very fast. They also received greatbenefit and pleasure from the fruit of a tall tree, that resembles aplum, and particularly that which in the West Indies is called theJamaica Plum. Our men gave it the same name; it has a pleasant tartishtaste, but is a little woody, probably only for want of culture: Theseplums were not plenty; so that having the two qualities of a dainty, scarcity and excellence, it is no wonder that they were held in thehighest estimation. 

The shore about this place is rocky, and the country high andmountainous, but covered with trees of various kinds, some of which areof an enormous growth, and probably would be useful for many purposes. Among others, we found the nutmeg tree in great plenty; and I gathered afew of the nuts, but they were not ripe: They did not indeed appear tobe the best sort, but perhaps that is owing partly to their growingwild, and partly to their being too much in the shade of taller trees. The cocoa-nut tree is in great perfection, but does not abound. Hereare, I believe, all the different kinds of palm, with the beetle-nuttree, various species of the aloe, canes, bamboos, and rattans, withmany trees, shrubs, and plants, altogether unknown to me; but noesculent vegetable of any kind. The woods abound with pigeons, doves, rooks, parrots, and a large bird with black plumage, that makes a noisesomewhat like the barking of a dog, with many others which I can neithername nor describe. Our people saw no quadruped but two of a small sizethat they took for dogs; the carpenter and another man got a transientglimpse of them in the woods as they were cutting spars for the ship'suse, and said they were very wild, and ran away the moment they saw themwith great swiftness. We saw centipieds, scorpions, and a few serpentsof different kinds, but no inhabitants. We fell in, however, withseveral deserted habitations; and by the shells that were scatteredabout them, and seemed not long to have been taken out of the water, andsome sticks half burnt, the remains of a fire, there is reason toconclude that the people had but just left the place when we arrived. Ifwe may judge of the people by that which had been their dwelling, theymust stand low even in the scale of savage life: For it was the mostmiserable hovel we had ever seen. 

While we lay here, having cleared and lightened the ship, we heeled herso as to come at her leak, which the carpenter stopped as well as hecould; we found the sheathing greatly decayed, and the bottom much eatenby the worms, but we payed it as far as we could get at it with amixture of hot pitch and tar boiled together. The carpenter also cutdown many spars, for studding-sail booms, having but few left of thosewhich he had brought from England. 

English Cove lies N. E. 1/2 N. Three or four miles from Wallis's Island;there is a small shoal on the starboard hand going in, which will beeasily seen by the seas breaking upon it. The water ebbs and flows oncein four-and-twenty hours; the flood came in about nine or ten o'clock, and it was high water between three and four in the afternoon, afterwhich it ebbed all night, and was low water about six in the morning. The water rises and falls between eight and nine feet, sometimes more, sometimes less; but I doubt whether this fluctuation is not rather theeffect of the sea and land-breeze, than of a regular tide. We anchoredhere with our best bower in twenty-seven fathom water, with a bottom ofsand and mud; we veered into the cove a cable and a half from theanchor, moored head and stern with the stream anchor, and steadied withhawsers on each bow; the ship then lay in ten fathom, at the distance ofa cable's length from the shore at the bottom of the cove, Wallis'spoint bearing S. W. 1/2 S. , distant about three or four miles. At thisplace there is plenty of excellent wood and water, and good shingleballast. The variation was 6° 1/2 E. 

On Monday the 7th of September, I weighed anchor, but before I sailed, Itook possession of this country, with all its islands, bays, ports, andharbours, for his majesty George the Third, king of Great Britain; andwe nailed upon a high tree a piece of board, faced with lead, on whichwas engraved the English union, with the name of the ship, and hercommander, the name of the cove, and the time of her coming in andsailing out of it. [59] While we lay here, I sent the boat out to examinethe harbours upon the coast, from one of which expeditions she returnedwith a load of cocoa-nuts, which she procured in a fine little harbour, about four leagues W. N. W. From the station we were in. The officer onboard reported that the trees grew where he had gathered the fruit ingreat plenty; but as he had observed that several of them were marked, and that there were many huts of the natives near them; I did not thinkit proper that the boat should return: But the refreshment which nowoffered was of such importance to the sick, that I determined to go intothe harbour with the ship, and place her so as to protect the men whoshould be employed to fell the trees, and cut off the cabbages and thefruit. We sailed from English Cove with the land-breeze early in themorning, and in the evening secured the ship a-breast of the grove, where the cocoa-nuts had been gathered, and at very little distance fromthe shore. Here we procured above a thousand cocoa-nuts, and as many ofthe cabbages as we could use while they were good, and I would havestaid long enough to have given my people all the refreshments theywanted, but the season of the year made the shortest delay dangerous. There was too much reason to suppose that the lives of all on boarddepended upon our getting to Batavia while the monsoon continued toblow from the eastward; there was indeed time enough for any other shipto have gone three times the distance, but I knew it was scarcelysufficient for the Swallow in her present condition: And that if weshould be obliged to continue here another season, it would probablybecome impossible to navigate her at all, especially as she had but asingle sheathing, and her bottom was not filled with nails, so that theworms would have eaten through it; besides that our provision would longbefore that time have been totally exhausted. I therefore weighed anchorand quitted this station, which was much the best that had been our lotduring the whole run from the Strait of Magellan, on the 9th in themorning, at break of day, with a light breeze from the land. 

[Footnote 59: The following quotation from the account of Bougainville'svoyage may interest the reader:--"A sailor, belonging to my barge, beingin search of shells, found buried in the sand, a piece of a plate oflead, on which we read these remains of English words, HOR'D HERE ICKMAJESTY. There yet remained the mark of the nails, with which they hadfastened this inscription, that did not seem to be of any ancient date. The savages had, doubtless, torn off the plate, and broken it in pieces. This adventure engaged us carefully to examine all the neighbourhood ofour anchorage. We therefore ran along the coast within the isle whichcovers the bay; we followed it for about two leagues, and came to a deepbay of very little breadth, open to the S. W. At the bottom of which welanded, near a fine river. Some trees sawed in pieces, or cut down withhatchets, immediately struck our eyes, and shewed us that this was theplace where the English put in at. We now had little trouble to find thespot where the inscription had been placed. It was a very large and veryapparent tree, on the right-hand shore of the river, in the middle of agreat place, where we concluded that the English had pitched theirtents; for we still saw several ends of ropes fastened to the trees, thenails stuck in the tree; and the plate had been torn off but a few daysbefore; for the marks of it appeared quite fresh. In the tree itself, there were notches cut, either by the English or the islanders. Somefresh shoots coming up from one of the trees which was cut down, gave usan opportunity of concluding, that the English had anchored in this baybut about four months ago. The rope which we found, likewisesufficiently indicated it; for though it lay in a very wet place, it wasnot rotten. I make no doubt but that the ship which touched here was theSwallow, a vessel of 14 guns, commanded by Captain Carteret, and whichsailed from Europe in August 1766, with the Dolphin, Captain Wallis. This is a very strange chance, by which we, among so many lands, cometo the very spot where this rival nation had left a monument of anenterprize similar to ours. " The name which B. Gave to this harbour wasPort Praslin. --E. ]

To this place we gave the name of _Carteret's Harbour_; It is aboutW. N. W. Four leagues from English Cove, and formed by two islands and themain; the largest, which is to the N. W. We called _Cocoa-nut Island_, and the other, which is to the S. E. We called _Leigh's Island_. Betweenthese two islands there is shoal water, and each of them forms anentrance into the harbour; the south-east or weather entrance is formedby Leigh's Island, and in this there is a rock that appears above water, to which we gave the name of _Booby Rock_; the passage is between therock and the island, nor is the rock dangerous; there being deep waterclose to it. The north-west, or lee entrance, is formed by Cocoa-nutIsland, and this is the best, because there is good anchorage in it, thewater in the other being too deep: We entered the harbour by thesouth-east passage, and went out of it by the north-west. At thesouth-east end of the harbour there is a large cove, which is securefrom all winds, and fit to haul a ship into. Into this cove a riverseemed to empty itself, but our boats did not examine it. In thenorth-west part of the harbour there is another cove, which our boat didexamine, and from which she brought us very good water; this also is fitfor a ship to haul into, and very convenient for wooding and watering:She may lie in any depth from thirty to five fathom, and at any distancefrom the shore, with a bottom of soft mud. The harbour runs about S. E. By S. And N. W. By N. And is about three miles long, and four cables'length broad. We anchored in thirty fathom, near the north-westentrance, and a-breast of the trees on Cocoa-nut Island. 

SECTION VI. 

_Discovery of a Strait dividing the Land called Nova Britannia into twoIslands, with a Description of several small Islands that lie in thePassage, and the Land on each Side, with the Inhabitants. _

When we got about four leagues off the land, after leaving this harbour, we met with a strong gale at E. S. E. A direction just contrary to thatwhich would have favoured our getting round the land, and doubling CapeSaint Maria. We found at the same time a strong current, setting us tothe N. W. Into a deep bay or gulph, which Dumpier calls St George's Bay, and which lies between Cape St George and Cape Orford. As it wasimpossible to get round the land, against both the wind and current, andfollow the track of Dampier, I was under the necessity of attempting apassage to the westward by this gulph, and the current gave me hopesthat I should succeed. When I had got, therefore, about five miles tothe south-west of Cocoa-nut Island, I steered to the N. W. And the N. N. W. As the land trends, and had soon good reason to believe that what hasbeen called St George's Bay, and thought to be formed by two points ofthe same island, was indeed a channel between two islands, and so theevent proved it to be. 

Before it was dark, we found this channel divided by a pretty largeisland which I called the _Duke of York's Island_, and some smallerislands that were scattered about it. On the southermost side of themain, or the largest of the two islands that are divided by the channelor strait, which I left in possession of its ancient name, New Britain, there is some high land, and three remarkable hills close to each other, which I called the _Mother and Daughters_. The Mother is the middlemostand largest, and behind them we saw a vast column of smoke, so thatprobably one of them is a volcano: They are easily seen in clear weatherat the distance of twenty leagues, and will then, by those who do notknow them, be taken for islands; they seem to lie far inland, and theMother bears about west from the Duke of York's Island. To the east ofthese hills there is a point making like a cape land, which I called_Cape Palliser_; and another to the westward, which I called _CapeStephens_. Cape Stephens is the northernmost part of New Britain. Northof this Cape is an island, which I called the _Isle of Man_. CapePalliser and Cape Stephens bear about N. W. And S. E. Of each other; andbetween them is a bay, the land of which near the water-side is low, pleasant, and level, and gradually rises, as it retires towards theMother and Daughters, into very lofty hills, in general covered withvast woods, but having many clear spots like plantations intermixed. Upon this part of the country we saw many fires in the night, and havetherefore reason to suppose that it is well inhabited. The Duke ofYork's Island lies between the two points, Cape Palliser and CapeStephens. As it was not safe to attempt either of the passages intowhich the strait was divided by this island in the dark, we brought tofor the night, and kept sounding, but had no ground with one hundred andforty fathom. The strait here, including the two passages, is aboutfifteen leagues broad. The land of the Duke of York's Island is level, and has a delightful appearance: Inland it is covered with lofty woods, and near the water-side are the houses of the natives, which stand notfar from each other, among groves of cocoa-nut trees, so that the wholeforms a prospect the most beautiful and romantic that can be imagined. We saw many of their canoes, which are very neatly made, and in themorning, soon after I made sail, some of them came off towards the ship;but as we had a fresh gale at that time, we could not stay for them. Thelatitude of this island is 4° 9' S. , longitude 151° 20' E. ; and it isfive-and-twenty leagues distant from Cape George. As I coasted not NewBritain, but the northermost coast of the strait, I passed through thepassage that is formed by that coast, and the corresponding side of theDuke of York's Island, which is about eight leagues broad, and may beconsidered as the first narrow of the strait, and then steering N. W. ByW. All night, we found at day-break that we had lost sight of thesouthermost island, or New Britain, and having now ascertained thesupposed bay to be a strait, I called it _St George's Channel_, and tothe northern island I gave the name of _Nova Hibernia_, or _NewIreland_. The weather being hazy, with a strong gale and sudden gusts, Icontinued to steer, along the coast of New Ireland at about thedistance of six leagues from the shore, till I came off the west end ofit, and then, altering our course, I steered W. N. W. I could plainlyperceive, that we were set along the shore by a strong westerly current. At noon, we found, by observation, that we were much to the northward ofthe log; but as it was impossible the current could set due north, asthat would be right against the land, I was obliged, for the correctionof my account, to allow no less than four-and-twenty miles W. N. W. Whichis nearly as the land lies along the shore. At this time we had abouthalf a point east variation; and at night we discovered a fine largeisland, forming a strait or passage with New Ireland. As it was verydark and squally, with rain, we brought-to, not knowing to what dangerthe navigation of this strait might expose us. The night wastempestuous, with much thunder and lightning, but about two in themorning the weather cleared; the gusts settled into a little breeze, andthe moon shone very bright. At this time therefore we made sail again, and found a strong current setting us to the westward, through thepassage of the second narrow, which is about five leagues wide. Theisland, which has a pleasant appearance, and is very populous, I called_Sandwich Island_, in honour of the earl, then first lord of theadmiralty: It is larger than the Duke of York's Island, and there seemsto be some good bays and harbours upon the coast. On the north part ofit there is a remarkable peak, like a sugar-loaf; and opposite to it, upon the coast of New Ireland, there is just such another: They aredistant about five leagues, in the direction of S. By E. 1/2 E. And N. By W. 1/2 W. All the while we lay-to off this island, we heard anincessant noise in the night, like the beating of a drum: And beingbecalmed just as we got through the strait, ten canoes put off from NewIreland, with about one hundred and fifty men on board, and rowedtowards the ship; they came near enough to exchange some trifles withus, which were conveyed at the end of a long stick, but none of themwould venture on board. They seemed to prefer such iron as we gave themto every thing else, though none of it was manufactured except nails;for, as I observed before, we had no cutlery ware on board. The canoeswere very long and very narrow, with an outrigger, and some of them werevery neatly made: One of them could not be less than ninety feet long, for it was very little shorter than the ship; it was, notwithstanding, formed of a single tree; it had some carved ornaments about it, and wasrowed or paddled by three-and-thirty men: We saw no appearance of sails. The people are black, and woolly-headed, like Negroes, but have not theflat nose and thick lips; and we thought them much the same people asthe inhabitants of Egmont's Island: Like them, they were all starknaked, except a few ornaments made of shells upon their arms and legs. They had, however, adopted a practice without which none of our bellesand beaux are supposed to be completely drest, for the hair, or ratherthe wool, upon their heads, was very abundantly powdered with whitepowder; the fashion of wearing powder, therefore, is probably of higherantiquity than it is generally supposed to be, as well as of moreextensive influence; it is indeed carried farther among these peoplethan among any of the inhabitants of Europe, for they powder not onlytheir heads but their beards too. Their heads however were decoratedwith more showy ornaments, for I observed that most of them had, justabove one ear, stuck a feather, which appeared to have been taken fromthe tail of the common dunghill cock; so that these gentlemen are notwithout poultry for their table. They were armed with spears, and longsticks or poles, like the quarter-staff; but we did not see any bows andarrows among them: Possibly they might have them on board, and thinkproper to keep them out of sight. On my part, I kept every body at theirquarters while they were hovering about the ship, and I observed thatthey had a very watchful eye upon our guns, as if they apprehendeddanger from them; so that possibly they are not wholly unacquainted withthe effect of firearms. They had fishing nets with them, which, as wellas their cordage, seemed to be very well made. After they had been sometime with us, a breeze sprung up, and they returned to the shore. 

The peak upon Sandwich Island lies in latitude 2° 53' S. , longitude 149°17' E. After the Indians had left us, we steered nearly west, and soonafter saw a point of land, which proved to be the south-west extremityof New Ireland, to which I gave the name of _Cape Byron_: It lies inlatitude 2° 30' S. , longitude 149° 2' E. Over-against the coast of NewIreland, to the westward of Cape Byron, lies a fine, large island, towhich I gave the name of _New Hanover_. Between this island and NewIreland, there is a strait or passage, which turns away to the N. E. Inthis passage lie several small islands, upon one of which there is aremarkable peak: This island I called _Byron's Island_, and the passage, or strait, I called _Byron's Strait_. The land of New Hanover is high;it is finely covered with trees, among which are many plantations, andthe whole has a most beautiful appearance. The south-west point of it, which is a high bluff point, I called _Queen Charlotte's Foreland_, inhonour of her majesty. This foreland, and the land about it, isremarkable for a great number of little hummocks or hills, but nightcoming on, with thick weather, hard squalls, and much rain, we could notsee more of it distinctly enough to describe its appearance. 

We steered westward all night, and in the morning, the weather beingstill thick, our view of New Hanover was very imperfect; but we saw, about eight leagues to the westward of it, six or seven small islands, which I called the _Duke of Portland's Islands_, two of which are prettylarge. I now perceived by the swell of the sea that we were clear of allthe land, and I found Saint George's Channel to be a much better andshorter passage, whether from the eastward or the westward, than roundall the land and islands to the northward; the distress, therefore, which pushed me upon this discovery, may probably be, in itsconsequences, of great advantage to future navigators, especially asthere can be no doubt but that refreshments of every kind may easily beprocured from the natives who inhabit either of the coasts of thechannel, or the islands that lie near them, for beads, ribbands, looking-glasses, and especially iron tools and cutlery-ware, of whichthey are immoderately fond, and with which, to our great misfortune, wewere not furnished. 

Queen Charlotte's Foreland, the south-west part of New Hanover, lies inlatitude 2° 29' S. , longitude 148° 27' E. ; and the middle of Portland'sIslands in latitude 2° 27' S. , longitude 148° 3' E. The length of this, streight or channel, from Cape Saint George to Cape Byron, the southwestextremity of New Ireland, is above eighty leagues; the distance fromCape Byron to Queen Charlotte's Foreland is about twelve leagues, andfrom the foreland to Portland's Islands about eight leagues; so that thewhole length of Saint George's Channel is about one hundred leagues, orthree hundred miles. 

Though we cleared the streight in the morning of Sunday the 13th ofSeptember, we had no observation of the sun till the 15th, which I couldnot but greatly regret, as it prevented my being so exact in my latitudeand longitude as might be expected. The description also of the country, its productions and people, would have been much more full andcircumstantial, if I had not been so much enfeebled and dispirited bysickness, as almost to sink under the duty that for want of officersdevolved upon me, being obliged, when I was scarcely able to crawl, tokeep watch and watch, and share other duties with my lieutenant, whosehealth also was, greatly impaired. 

SECTION VII. 

_The Passage from Saint George's Channel to the Island of Mindanao, withan Account of many Islands that were seen, and Incidents that happenedby the Way. _

As soon as we had cleared Saint George's Channel, we steered westward, and the next day we discovered land bearing W. N. W. And hauled up for it;it proved to be an island of considerable extent, and soon afterwards wesaw another to the north-east of it, but this appeared to be little morethan a large rock above water. As I had here strong currents, and forseveral days had not been able to get an observation of the sun, Icannot so exactly ascertain the situation of these islands as I mightotherwise have done. As we proceeded to the westward, we discovered moreland, consisting of many islands lying to the southward of the large onewhich we had first discovered. As the nights were now moonlight, we kepton till eleven o'clock, and the lieutenant, who was then officer of thewatch, finding that the course we were steering would carry us amongthem, and not being willing to awaken me till it was my turn to watch, hauled off S. By E. And S. S. E. I came upon deck about midnight, and atone in the morning, perceiving that we were clear of them, I bore awayagain to the westward with an easy sail: The islands, however, were notfar distant, and about six o'clock, a considerable number of canoes, with several hundred people on board, came off, and paddled toward theship: One of them, with seven men on board, came near enough to hail us, and made us several signs which we could not perfectly understand, butrepeated, as near as we could, to shew that whatever they meant to us wemeant to them; however, the better to bespeak their good-will, andinvite them on board, we held up to them several of the few trifles wehad: Upon this they drew nearer to the ship, and I flattered myself thatthey were coming on board; but on the contrary, as soon as they camewithin reach of us they threw their lances, with great force, where westood thickest upon the deck. As I thought it better to prevent than torepress a general attack, in which as the number would be more, themischief would be greater, and having now no doubt of their hostileintentions, I fired some muskets, and one of the swivel guns, upon whichsome of them being killed or wounded, they rowed off and joined theother canoes, of which there were twelve or fourteen, with severalhundred men on board. I then brought-to, waiting for the issue, and hadthe satisfaction to see, that, after having long consulted together, they made for the shore: That I might still farther intimidate them, andmore effectually prevent their return, I fired a round shot from one ofmy six-pounders, so as to fall into the water beyond them: This seemedto have a good effect, for they not only used their paddles more nimbly, but hoisted sail, still standing towards the shore. Soon after, however, several more canoes put off from another part of the island, and cametowards us very fast: They stopped at about the same distance as theother had done, and one of them also in the same manner came forward: Tothe people on board this vessel we made all the signs of friendship wecould devise, shewing them every thing we had which we thought wouldplease them, opening our arms, and inviting them on board: But ourrhetoric was to no effect, for as soon as they came within a cast of theship, they poured in a shower of darts and lances, which, however, didus no harm. We returned the assault by firing some muskets, and one manbeing killed, the rest precipitately leaped into the sea, and swimmingto the others, who waited at a distance, all returned together fromwhence they came. As soon as the canoe was deserted, we got out our boatand brought it on board: It was full fifty feet long, though one of thesmallest that came against us; it was very rudely made out of one tree, but had an out-rigger. We found in it six fine fish, and a turtle, someyams, one cocoa-nut, and a bag full of a small kind of apple or plum, ofa sweetish taste and farinaceous substance; it had a flatfish kernel, and was wholly different from every thing we have seen either before orsince; it was eatable raw, but much better boiled, or roasted in theembers: We found also two large earthen pots, shaped somewhat like ajug, with a wide mouth, but without handles, and a considerable quantityof matting, which these people use both for sails and awning, spreadingit over bent sticks, much in the same manner as the tilts of the Londonwherries. From the contents of this vessel we judged that it had beenfishing, and we observed that the people had a fire on board, with oneof their pots on it, in which they were boiling their provision. When wehad satisfied our curiosity by examining it, we cut it up for fire-wood. 

These Indians were the same kind of people that we had seen before onthe coast of New Ireland, and at Egmont Island: They were of a very darkcopper colour, nearly black, with woolly heads. They chew beetle-nut, and go quite naked, except the rude ornaments of shells strung together, which they wear round their legs and arms: They were also powdered likeour last visitors, and had, besides, their faces painted with whitestreaks: But I did not observe that they had any beards. Their lanceswere pointed with a kind of bluish flint. 

Having disengaged ourselves from this fierce and unfriendly people, wepursued our course along the other islands, which are between twenty andthirty in number, and of considerable extent; one in particular wouldalone make a large kingdom. I called them the _Admiralty Islands_, andshould have been glad to have examined them, if my ship had been in abetter condition, and I had been provided with such articles as areproper for an Indian trade, especially as their appearance is veryinviting: They are clothed with the most beautiful verdure; the woodsare lofty and luxuriant, interspersed with spots that have been clearedfor plantations, groves of cocoa-nut trees, and houses of the natives, who seem to be very numerous. Nothing would be more easy than toestablish an amicable intercourse with them, as they would soon besensible that our superiority would render contest vain, and trafficadvantageous. I judge the middle of the largest to lie in latitude 2°18' S. , longitude 146° 44' E. And at the distance of five-and-thirtyleagues from Queen Charlotte's Foreland in New Hanover, in the directionof W. 1/2 N. On the south side of this island, there is a small one, which rises conically in a high peak. The latitude of this peak is 2°27' S. , and it lies five degrees and a half westward of Cape SaintGeorge in New Ireland. As we ran along the south side of the largeisland, we found it to be eighteen leagues long, in the direction, ofeast and west; how far it runs to the northward, I do not know, but byits appearance there is reason to suppose a very considerable distance. I think it probable, in the highest degree, that these islands producemany valuable articles of trade, particularly spices, especially as theylie in the same climate and latitude as the Malaccas, and as I found thenutmeg-tree in a soil comparatively rocky and barren upon the coast ofNew Ireland. 

Having passed these islands, we continued our course W. By N. With afine eastern breeze, and smooth water. On the 16th in the morning, wefound the variation, by a medium of several azimuths, to be 6° 30' E. , our latitude being 2° 19' S. , and our longitude 145° 40' E. Byobservation. I was surprised to find the variation on this side theland of New Britain and New Ireland so much, as we had found itgradually decreasing daring our progress to the N. W. , but I recollectedthat about two years before I had found nearly the same variation inthis meridian, about the island of Tinian. 

On Saturday evening the 19th, we discovered two small islands, both lowland, level, and green: One of them we saw only from themain-top-gallant-mast head; this I called _Durour's Island_. Itslatitude is about 1° 14' or 16' S. , its longitude 148° 21' E. The otherisland, which I called _Maty's Island_, we coasted during the night, andsaw the inhabitants, in great numbers, run along the beach, a-breast ofthe ship, with lights: The side along which we sailed seemed to be aboutsix miles in length, E. By N. And W. By S. As it was dark we could seeno more of it, and having a fine breeze, which we could not afford tolose, we kept on. Its latitude is about 1° 45' S. , and its longitudeabout 143° 2' E. ; the variation here was 4° 4'E. And we found a strongnorth-westerly current. We had now fresh gales and squalls, with rain, the wind blowing very unsteadily from E. S. E. To E. N. E. Till the 22d, when it became variable. Our latitude was then 53' S. , longitude 140° 5'E. ; the variation was 4° 40' E. 

On the 24th, we saw two small islands to the south-west, but it beingcalm, with light airs, and a strong westerly current, we could not getnearer to them than four or five leagues: They had a green, pleasantappearance, and were well covered with trees; but whether they areinhabited I do not know. They run about N. W. By W. S. E. By E. One isabout three miles long, and the other about six: The passage betweenthem appeared to be about two miles broad. They lie in latitude 22' S. , longitude 138° 39 E. And I gave them the name of _Stephens's Islands_. We kept steering N. W. By W. With a light variable wind, and a strongnorth-west current. 

On the 25th, we saw land a-head, which proved to be three small islands;and before it was dark we got pretty near them. Several canoes soon cameoff, filled with the natives, who, after making signs of peace, came onboard without the least appearance of fear or distrust: They hadnothing with them but a few cocoa-nuts, which they sold with great joyfor a few pieces of an iron hoop. We soon found that they were notunacquainted with that metal, which they called _parram_; and they madeus understand, by signs, that a ship like ours sometimes touched attheir islands for refreshment. I gave one of them three pieces of an oldiron hoop, each about four inches long, which threw him into an extacylittle short of distinction. I could not but sympathise in his joy, norobserve, without great pleasure, the changes of countenance, andextravagance of gesture, by which it was expressed. All these people, indeed, appeared to be more fond of iron than any we had seen before;and I am sure, that for iron tools we might have purchased every thingupon the islands which we could have brought away. They are of theIndian copper colour; the first of that complexion that we had seen inthese parts, with fine long black hair, and little beards, for weobserved that they were continually plucking the hair from their chinand upper-lip by the roots. Their features are pleasing, and their teethremarkably white and even: They were of the common stature, but nimble, vigorous, and active, in a surprising degree, running up to themast-head much faster than our own people. Their disposition was freeand open; they eat and drank whatever was given them; went withouthesitation into every part of the ship, and were as familiar and merrywith the crew as if they had been of long and intimate acquaintance. They were not, like the people on all the other islands that we hadvisited, quite naked, though they had only a slight covering for thewaist, which consisted of a narrow piece of fine matting. Their canoeswere very well and neatly made, having a hollow tree for the bottom, andplanks for the sides, with a sail of fine matting, and an outrigger;their ropes and netting were also very good. They urged us strongly togo on shore, offering to leave an equal number of their own peoplebehind, as a pledge of their safe return; and indeed I would gladly haveconsented if it had been in my power; but a strong westerly currenthurried me to so great a distance, that I had no opportunity to seek foranchorage, and night coming on we pursued our course. When our visitorsperceived this, one of them insisted upon going with us, and, notwithstanding all that I and his companions could say or do, obstinately refused to go on shore. As I thought it possible that thisman might be the means of our making some useful discovery, I did notput him ashore by force, but indulged him in his desire. We learnedfrom him that there were other islands to the northward, the inhabitantsof which, he said, had iron, and always killed his countrymen when theycould catch them out at sea. It was with great concern that I perceivedthis poor fellow, whom I called Joseph Freewill, from his readiness togo with us, become gradually sickly after he had been some time at sea. He lived till I got to the island of Celebes, and there died. As theislands from which I had taken him were very small and low, the largestbeing not more than five miles in compass, I was surprised to see withhow many of the productions of Celebes he was acquainted; beside thecocoa-nut and palm, he knew the beetle-nut and the lime, and the momenthe got a bread-fruit, he went to the fire and roasted it in the embers. He made us understand also, that in his country they had plenty of fish, and turtle in their season. It is, however, very probable, notwithstanding the number of people who subsist upon these islands, that they have no fresh water but what falls in rain: How they catch andpreserve it, I had no opportunity to learn, but I never met with aspring in a spot so small and low, and in such a spot I believe nospring was ever found. The largest of these islands, which the nativescall Pegan, and to which I gave the name of _Freewill Island_, liesfifty minutes north of the Line, and in 137° 51' east longitude. Theyare all surrounded by a reef of rocks. The chart of these islands I drewfrom the Indian's description, who delineated them with chalk upon thedeck, and ascertained the depth of water by stretching-his arms as afathom. 

I now steered N. W. By N. To get from under the sun, and had light windsat E. S. E. With which almost any ship but the Swallow would have madegood way, but with every possible advantage she went at a heavy rate. Wenow found our variation begin again to decrease, as will appear by thefollowing table:

 Longitude from Queen Latitude. Charlotte's Foreland. Variation. 

 40'S. 8° 36'W. 4° 40'E. Upon the Line. 9 40 W. 4 17 E. . 30'N. 10 30 W. 3 10 E. 2° N. 11 40 W. 2 30 E. 2° 50' N. 12 10 W. 2 E. 

On the 28th, being in latitude 2° 53' N. Longitude 136° 10' E. We fellin with a very dangerous shoal, which is about eleven or twelve miles incircuit, and surrounded with small stones that just shew themselvesabove water. We found here a strong northerly current, but could notdetermine whether it inclined to the east or west. In the evening, wediscovered from the mast-head another island to the southward of us; theeast end of it seemed to rise in a peak, and had the appearance of asail, but we did not go near enough to see anything of it from the deck. I suppose its latitude to be about 2° 50' N. And its longitude east ofLondon about 136° 10' E. 

We continued to have a current to the northward till Monday the 5th ofOctober, when, being in latitude 4° 30' N. I found it southerly, andvery strong. I had, among other deficiencies and misfortunes, no smallboat on board, so that I could not try these currents, which I had agreat desire to do; but I am of opinion, that when the current setsouthward, it inclined to the east; and that when it set northward, itinclined to the west. 

On Monday the 12th, we discovered a small island, with trees upon it, though scarcely bigger than a rock; and I called it _Current Island_. Itlies in latitude 4°40'N. Longitude 14°24'W. Of Queen Charlotte'sForeland. The next day, we discovered two other small islands, which Icalled _Saint Andrew's Islands_. They lie in latitude 5°18'N. Longitude14°47'W. Of Queen Charlotte's Foreland. I called the small islandCurrent Island, because we had here a southerly current so strong thatit set us from twenty-four to thirty miles southward every day, besidesthe difference it might make in our longitude. The wind was nowvariable, blowing by turns from every point in the compass, with muchrain and hard squalls. On Tuesday the 20th, being in latitude 8°N. Itblew with such violence that we were obliged to lie-to sixty-four hours. This gale, which made a very great sea, I supposed to be the shifting ofthe monsoon; and, notwithstanding the southerly current, it drove us, while we lay-to, as far as nine degrees northward. 

SECTION VIII. 

_Some Account of the Coast of Mindanao, and the Islands near it, inwhich some Mistakes of Dampier are corrected. _

On the 26th, we discovered land again, but not being able to make anobservation, we could ascertain our latitude and longitude only by ourdead reckoning; the next day, however, was more favourable, and I thenfound the effect of the current had been so great, that I was obliged toadd to the log S. W. By S. No less than sixty-four miles for the last twodays. We now knew that the land we had seen was the north-east part ofthe island of Mindanao. [60] As I had many sick people on board, and wasin the most pressing need of refreshments, I determined to try whatcould be procured in a bay which Dampier has described as lying on thesouth-east part of the island, and which, he says, furnished him withgreat plenty of deer from a savannah. I therefore coasted that side ofthe island, and that I might be sure not to miss the bay, I sent out thelieutenant with the boat and a proper number of hands, to keep in-shorea-head of the ship. No such bay, however, was to be found; but, at thevery southernmost extremity of the island, they opened a little nook, atthe bottom of which was a town and a fort. As soon as our boat wasdiscovered by the people on shore, they fired a great gun, and sent offthree boats or canoes full of people. As the lieutenant had not asufficient force to oppose them, he immediately made towards the ship, and the canoes chaced him till they came within sight of her, and beingthen overmatched in their turn, they thought fit to go back. Being thusdisappointed in my search of Dampier's Bay and Savannah, I would haveanchored off this town, notwithstanding these hostile appearances, if ithad not been necessary first to get up some guns from the hold, and makea few necessary repairs in the rigging; this however being the case, Iran a little to the eastward, where, on the 3d of November, I came to ananchor in a little bay, having a bottom of soft mud, and seven fathom ofwater, at the distance of a cable's length from the shore. Thewestermost point of the bay bore W. S. W. Distant about three miles; theeasier-most point E. By S. Distant about one mile; a river, whichempties itself into the bay, about N. W. And the peak of an island, called Hummock Island, S. 7° E. Distant about five leagues. Before itwas dark the same day, our two boats went to the river, and brought offtheir loads of water: They saw no signs of inhabitants where they wereon shore, but we observed a canoe come round the westermost point of thebay, which we supposed had been dispatched from the town, to learn whatwe were, or at least to see what we were doing. As soon as I discoveredthis canoe, I hoisted English colours, and was not without hope that shewould come on board: but after viewing us some time, she returned. As wehad seen no inhabitants, nor any signs of inhabitants where we got ourwater, I intended to procure a further supply the next day from the sameplace, and endeavour also to recruit our wood; but about nine o'clock atnight, we were suddenly surprised by a loud noise on that part of theshore which was a-breast of the ship: It was made by a great number ofhuman voices, and very much resembled the war-whoop of the Americansavages; a hideous shout which they give at the moment of their attack, and in which all who have heard it agree there is somethinginexpressibly terrifying and horrid. 

[Footnote 60: For some particulars respecting this island, see vol. X. P. 275, &c. Playfair's and Pinkerton's Geography also may beadvantageously consulted as to Mindanao and the other eastern islandsspoken of in this voyage. Some account will be given of them when wecome to treat of Cook's discoveries. ]

As I was now farther convinced that it was necessary to dispose of ourlittle force to the greatest advantage, we began the next day by gettingthe guns up from the hold, and making the necessary repairs to ourrigging. At eleven o'clock, not having seen any thing of the people, whohad endeavoured to terrify us by their yells in the night, I sent thelong-boat on shore for more water; but as I thought it probable thatthey might have concealed themselves in the woods, I kept the cuttermanned and armed, with the lieutenant on board, that immediate succourmight be sent to the waterers, if any danger should threaten them. Itsoon appeared that my conjectures were well-founded, for our people hadno sooner left their boat, than a number of armed men rushed out of thewoods, one of whom held up somewhat white, which I took to be a signalof peace. Upon this occasion I was again sensible of the mortifyingdeficiency in the ship's equipment, which I had so often experiencedbefore. I had no white flag on board, and therefore, as the bestexpedient in my power, I ordered the lieutenant, whom I sent on shore inthe cutter, to display one of my table-cloths: As soon as the officerlanded, the standard-bearer and another came down to him unarmed, andreceived him with great appearance of friendship. One of them addressedhim in Dutch, which none of our people understood; he then spoke a fewwords in Spanish, in which one of the persons of the cutter was aconsiderable proficient: The Indian however spoke it so veryimperfectly, that it was with great difficulty, and by the help of manysigns, he made himself understood; possibly if any of our people hadspoken Dutch, he might have been found equally deficient in thatlanguage. He asked for the captain however by the name of the skipper, and enquired whether we were Hollanders; whether our ship was intendedfor merchandize or for war; how many guns and men she carried; andwhether she had been, or was going to Batavia. When we had satisfied himin all these particulars, he said that we should go to the town, andthat he would introduce us to the governor, whom he distinguished by thetitle of Raja. The lieutenant then told him, that we intended to go tothe town, but that we were in immediate want of water, and thereforedesired permission to fill some casks; he also requested that the peoplewho were armed with bows and arrows, might be ordered to a greaterdistance. With both these requisitions the Indian, who seemed to beinvested with considerable authority, complied; and as he seemed to takeparticular notice of a silk handkerchief which the lieutenant had tiedround his neck, it was immediately presented to him; in return for whichhe desired him to accept a kind of cravat, made of coarse calico, whichwas tied round his own, his dress being somewhat after the Dutchfashion. After this interchange of cravats, he enquired of the officerwhether the ship was furnished with any articles for trade; to which heanswered that she was sufficiently furnished to trade for provisions, but nothing more: The chief replied, that whatever we wanted we shouldhave. After this conference, which I considered as an earnest of everyadvantage which this place could afford us, the boats returned on boardladen with water, and we went cheerfully on with our business on boardthe ship. In about two hours, however, we saw with equal surprise andconcern, many hundreds of armed men, posting themselves in parties atdifferent places, among the trees, upon the beach, a-breast of the ship;their weapons were muskets, bows and arrows, long pikes or spears, broad-swords, a kind of hanger called a cress, and targets: We observedalso, that they hauled a canoe, which lay under a shed upon the beach, up into the woods. These were not friendly appearances, and they weresucceeded by others that were still more hostile; for these people spentall the remainder of the day in entering and rushing out of the woods, as if they had been making sallies to attack an enemy; sometimesshooting their arrows, and throwing their lances into the water towardsthe ship; and sometimes lifting their targets, and brandishing theirswords at us in a menacing manner. In the mean time we were not idle onboard: We got up our guns, repaired our rigging, and put every thing inorder before evening, and then, being ready to sail, I determined, ifpossible, to get another conference with the people on shore, and learnthe reason of so sudden and unaccountable a change of behaviour. Thelieutenant therefore was again dispatched, and as a testimony that ourdisposition was still peaceable, the table-cloth was again displayed asa flag of truce. I had the precaution, however, to order the boat to apart of the beach which was clear of wood, that the people on boardmight not be liable to mischief from enemies whom they could not see; Ialso ordered that nobody should go on shore. When the Indians saw theboat came to the beach, and observed that nobody landed, one of themcame out of the wood, with a bow and arrows in his hand, and made signsfor the boat to come to the place where he stood. This the officer veryprudently declined, as he would then have been within bow-shot of anambuscade, and after waiting some time, and finding that a conferencecould be procured upon no other terms, he returned back to the ship. Itwas certainly in my power to have destroyed many of these unfriendlypeople, by firing my great guns into the wood, but it would haveanswered no good purpose: We could not afterwards have procured wood andwater here without risking the loss of our own people, and I still hopedthat refreshment might be procured upon friendly terms at the town, which, now I was in a condition to defend myself against a suddenassault, I resolved to visit. 

The next morning, therefore, as soon as it was light, I sailed from thisplace, which I called _Deceitful Bay_, with a light land-breeze, andbetween ten and eleven o'clock we got off the bay or nook, at the bottomof which our boats had discovered the town and fort. It happened howeverthat just at this time the weather became thick, with heavy rain, and itbegan to blow hard from a quarter which made the land here a lee-shore;this obliged me to stand off, and having no time to lose, I stood awayto the westward, that I might reach Batavia before the season was past. 

I shall now give a more particular account of our navigating the seathat washes the coasts of this island, the rather as Dampier'sdescription is in several particulars erroneous. 

Having seen the north-east part of the island on the twenty-sixth ofOctober, without certainly knowing whether it was Mindanoa or SaintJohn's, we got nearer to it the next day, and made what we knew to beSaint Augustina, the south-eastermost part of the island, which rises inlittle hummocks, that run down to a low point at the water's edge; itbears N. 40 E. At the distance of two-and-twenty leagues from a littleisland, which is distinguished from the other islands that lie off thesouthernmost point of Mindanao by a hill or hummock, and which for thatreason I called _Hummock Island_. All this land is very high, one ridgeof mountains rising behind another, so that at a great distance itappears not like one island but several. After our first discovery ofthe island, we kept turning along the east side from the northward toCape Saint Augustina, nearly S. By W. 1/2 W. And N. By E. 1/2 E. Forabout twenty leagues. The wind was to the southward along the shore, andas we approached the land, we stood in for an opening, which had theappearance of a good bay, where we intended to anchor; but we found thatit was too deep for our purpose, and that some shoals rendered theentrance of it dangerous. To this bay, which lies about eight or tenleagues N. By E. From Cape Saint Augustina, the south-east extremity ofthe island, I gave the name of _Disappointment Bay_. When we were in theoffing standing in for this bay, we observed a large hummock, which hadthe appearance of an island, but which I believe to be a peninsula, joined by a Low isthmus to the main; this hummock formed thenorthernmost part of the entrance, and another high bluff point oppositeto it formed the southernmost part; between these two points are theshoals that have been mentioned; and several small islands, only one ofwhich can be seen till they are approached very near. On this part ofthe coast we saw no signs of inhabitants; the land is of a stupendousheight, with mountains piled upon mountains till the summits are hiddenin the clouds: In the offing therefore it is almost impossible toestimate its distance, for what appear then to be small hillocks, justemerging from the water, in comparison of the mountains that are seenover them, swell into high hills as they are approached, and thedistance is found to be thrice as much as it was imagined; perhaps thiswill account for the land here being so ill laid down, and in situationsso very different, as it appears to be in all our English charts. Wefound here a strong current setting to the southward along the shore, asthe land trended. The high land that is to the north of Saint Augustina, becomes gradually lower towards the Cape, a low flat point in which itterminates, and off which, at a very little distance, lie two largerocks. Its latitude is 6° 15' N. And the longitude, by. Account, 127°20' E. 

From this Cape the land trends away W. And W. By S. For six or sevenleagues, and then turns up to the N. W. Making a very deep bay, thebottom of which, as we crossed it from Saint Augustina to the high landon the other side, which is not less than twelve leagues, we could notsee. The coast on the farther side of it, coming up from the bottom, trends first to the S. And S. S. W. And then to the S. W. By W. Towards thesouth extremity of the island. 

Off this southern extremity, which Dampier calls the south-east bymistake, the south-east being Saint Augustina, at the distance of five, six, and seven leagues, lie ten or twelve islands, though Dampier saysthere are only two, and that together they are about five leagues round. The islands that I saw could not be contained in a circuit of less thanfifteen leagues, and from the number of boats that I saw among them Iimagine they are well inhabited. The largest of these lies to the S. W. Of the others, and makes in a remarkable peak, so that it is first seenin coming in with the land, and is indeed visible at a very greatdistance. Its latitude I make 5° 24' N. , and its longitude, by account, 126° 37' E. This island, which I called _Hummock Island_, bears fromSaint Augustina, S. 40 W. At the distance of between twenty andtwo-and-twenty leagues; and from the same Cape, the southermost part ofthe island Mindanao bears S. W. 3/4 W. At the distance of betweentwenty-one and twenty-three leagues. This southermost extremity consistsof three or four points, which bear east and west of each other forabout seven miles. They lie in latitude 5° 34' N. , longitude 126° 25' E. According to my account. The variation here was one point east. 

I passed between these islands and the main, and found the passage good, the current setting to the westward. Dampier has placed his bay andsavannah four leagues N. W. From the easternmost island, and there Isought it, as indeed I did on all the S. E. Part of the island till wecame to the little creek which ran up to the town. 

All the southern part of Mindanao is extremely pleasant, with many spotswhere the woods had been cleared for plantations, and fine lawns of abeautiful verdure: This part also is well inhabited, as well as theneighbouring islands. Of the town I can give no account, as the weatherwas so thick that I could not see it; neither could I sufficientlydistinguish the land to set off the points, at which I was not a littlemortified. 

When I came to open the land to the westward of the southermost point, Ifound it trend from that point W. N. W. And N. W. By W. Forming first apoint at the distance of about seven or eight leagues, and then a verydeep bay running so far into the N. And N. E. That I could not see thebottom of it. The westermost point of this bay is low, but the land soonrises again, and runs along to the N. W. By W. , which seems to be thedirection of this coast, from the southermost point of the islandtowards the city of Mindanao. 

To the westward of this deep bay, the land is all flat, and incomparison of the other parts of the island, but thinly wooded. Overthis flat appears a peak of stupendous height, which rises into theclouds like a tower. Between the entrance of this bay and the southpoint of the island there is another very high hill, the top of whichhas the funnel shape of a volcano, but I did not perceive that itemitted either fire or smoke. It is possible that this deep bay is thatwhich Dampier mentions, and that is misplaced by an error of the press;for, if, instead of saying it bore N. W. _four_ leagues from the_eastermost_ of the islands, he had said it bore N. W. _fourteen_ leaguesfrom the _westermost_ of the islands, it would correspond well with hisdescription, the bearings being the same, and the land on the east sideof it high, and low on the west: He is also nearly right in the latitudeof his islands, which he makes 5° 10' N. ; for probably some parts ofthe southermost of them may lie in that latitude; but as I did not go tothe southward of them, this is only conjecture. 

Between Hummock Island, which is the largest and westermost of them, andthe islands to the eastward of it, which are all flat and even, is apassage running north and south, which appears to be clear. Thenorth-eastermost of these islands is small, low, and flat, with a whitesandy beach all round it, and a great many trees in the middle. East, ornorth-east of this island, there are shoals and breakers; and I saw noother appearance of danger in these parts. Neither did I see any of theislands which are mentioned by Dampier, and laid down in all the charts, near Mindanao in the offing: Perhaps they are at a more remote distancethan is commonly supposed; for without great attention, navigators willbe much deceived in this particular by the height of the land, as I haveobserved already. As I coasted this island, I found the current set verystrong to the southward along the shore, till I came to the south end ofit, where I found it run N. W. And N. W. By W. Which is nearly as the landtrends. We had the winds commonly from S. W. To N. W. With light airs, frequent rain, and unsettled weather. 

We now bid farewell to Mindanao, greatly disappointed in our hope ofobtaining refreshments, which at first the inhabitants so readilypromised to furnish. We suspected that there were Dutchmen, or at leastDutch partisans in the town; and that, having discovered us to beEnglish, they had dispatched an armed party to prevent our having anyintercourse with the natives, who arrived about two hours after ourfriendly conference, and were the people that defied us from the shore. 

SECTION IX. 

_The Passage from Mindanao to the Island of Celebes, with a particularAccount of the Streight of Macassar, in which many Errors arecorrected. _

After leaving Mindanao, I stood to the westward for the passage betweenthe islands of Borneo and Celebes, called the Streight of Macassar, andmade it on Saturday the 14th. I observed, that during the whole of thisrun we had a strong north-westerly current; but that while we werenearer to Mindanao than Celebes, it ran rather towards the north thanthe west; and that when we came nearer to Celebes than we were toMindanao, it ran rather towards the west than the north. The land ofCelebes on the north end runs along to the entrance of the passage, isvery lofty, and seems to trend away about W. By S. To a remarkable pointin the passage, which makes in a hummock, and which at first we took foran island. I believe it to be the same which in the French charts iscalled Stroomen Point, but I gave it the name of _Hummock Point_. Itslatitude, according to my account, is 1° 20' N. , longitude 121° 39' E. ;and it is a good mark for those to know the passage that fall in withthe land coming from the eastward, who, if possible, should always makethis side of the passage. From Hummock Point the land trends more awayto the southward, about S. W. By W. And to the southward of it there is adeep bay, full of islands and rocks, which appeared to me to be verydangerous. Just off the point there are two rocks, which, though theyare above water, cannot be seen, from a ship till she is close to theland. To the eastward of this point, close to the shore, are twoislands, one of them very flat, long, and even, and the other swellinginto a hill; both these islands, as well as the adjacent country, arewell covered with trees: I stood close in a little to the eastward ofthem, and had no ground with an hundred fathom, within half a mile ofthe shore, which seemed to be rocky. A little to the westward of theseislands, we saw no less than sixty boats, which were fishing on someshoals that lie between them and Hammock Point. This part of the shoreappeared to be foul, and I think should not be approached without greatcaution. In this place I found the currents various and uncertain, sometimes setting to the southward, and sometimes to the northward, andsometimes there was no current at all; the weather also was veryunsettled, and so was the wind; it blew, however, chiefly to the southand south-west quarter, but we had sometimes sudden and violent gusts, and tornadoes from the N. W. With thunder, lightning, and rain: Thesegenerally lasted about an hour, when they were succeeded by a dead calm, and the wind would afterwards spring up fresh from the S. W. Or S. S. W. Which was right against us, and blow strong. From these appearances Iconjectured that the shifting season had commenced, and that the westmonsoon would soon set in. The ship sailed so ill that we made verylittle way; we frequently sounded in this passage, but could get noground. 

On the 21st of November, as we were standing towards Borneo, we made twosmall islands, which I judged to be the same that in the French chartare called Taba Islands: They are very small, and covered with trees. Bymy account, they lie in latitude 1° 44' N. , longitude 7° 32 W. Off thesouth end of Mindanao, and are distant from Hummock, or Stroomen Point, about fifty-eight leagues. The weather was now hazy, but happeningsuddenly to clear up, we saw a shoal, with breakers, at the distance ofabout five or six miles, from the south to the north-west. Off the northend of this shoal we saw four hummocks close together, which we took forsmall islands, and seven more from the S. 1/2 W. To the W. 1/2 S. :Whether these are really islands, or some hills on the island of Borneo, I could not determine. This shoal is certainly very dangerous, but maybe avoided by going to the westward of Taba Islands, where the passageis clear and broad. In the French chart of Monsieur D'Apres deMandevillette, published in 1745, two shoals are laid down, to theeastward, and a little to the north of these islands: One of them iscalled Vanloorif, and the other, on which are placed two islands, Harigs; but these shoals and islands have certainly no existence, as Iturned through this part of the passage from side to side, and sailedover the very spot where they are supposed to lie. In the same chartseven small islands are also laid down within half a degree to thenorthward of the Line, and exactly in the middle of the narrowest partof this passage; but neither have these islands any existence, exceptupon paper, though I believe there may-be some small islands close tothe main land of Borneo: We thought we had seen two, which we took to bethose that are laid down in the charts off Porto Tubo, but of this I amnot certain. The southermost and narrowest part of this passage is abouteighteen or twenty leagues broad, with high lands on each side. Wecontinued labouring in it till the 27th, before we crossed the Line, sothat we were a fortnight in sailing eight-and-twenty leagues, thedistance from the north entrance of the streight, which we made on the14th. After we got to the southward of the Line, we found a slightcurrent setting against us to the northward, which daily increased: Theweather was still unsettled, with much wet: The winds were chiefly S. W. And W. S. W. And very seldom farther to the northward than W. N. W. Exceptin the tornadoes, which grew more frequent and violent; and by them wegot nothing but hard labour, as they obliged us to hand all our sails, which indeed with our utmost effort we were scarcely able to do, ourdebility daily increasing by the falling sick of the few that were well, or the death of some among the many that were sick. Under thesecircumstances we used our utmost endeavours to get hold of the land onthe Borneo side, but were not able, and continued to struggle with ourmisfortunes till the 3d of December, when we fell in with the smallislands and shoals called the Little Pater-nosters, the southermost ofwhich, according to my account, lies in latitude 2° 31' S. And thenorthermost in 2° 15' S. The longitude of the northermost I made 117°12' E. : They bear about S. E. 1/4 S. And N. W. 1/4 N. Of each other, distant eight leagues, and between them are the others; the number ofthe whole is eight. They lie very near the Celebes side of the straight, and being unable either to weather them, or get to the westward of them, we were obliged to go between them and the island. We had heretempestuous weather and contrary winds, with sudden and impetuous gusts, which, as we had not a number of hands sufficient to bend the sails, often endangered our masts and yards, and did great damage to our sailsand rigging, especially at this time, as we were obliged to carry allthe sail we could to prevent our falling into a deep bight, on theCelebes shore. The ravages of the scurvy were now universal, there notbeing one individual among us that was free, and the winds and currentsbeing so hard against us, that we could neither get westing nor southingto reach any place of refreshment; the mind participated in thesufferings of the body, and a universal despondency was reflected fromone countenance to another, especially among those who were not able tocome upon the deck. In this deplorable situation we continued till the10th, and it is not perhaps very easy for the most fertile imaginationto conceive by what our danger and distress could possibly be increased;yet debilitated, sick, and dying as we were, in sight of land that wecould not reach, and exposed to tempests which we could not resist, wehad the additional misfortune to be attacked by a pirate: That thisunexpected mischief might lose none of its force, it happened atmidnight, when the darkness that might almost be felt, could not fail toco-operate with whatever tended to produce confusion and terror. Thissudden attack, however, rather roused than depressed us, and though ourenemy attempted to board us, before we could have the least apprehensionthat an enemy was near, we defeated his purpose: He then plied us withwhat we supposed to be swivel guns, and small arms, very briskly; butthough he had the start of us, we soon returned his salute with sucheffect, that shortly after he sunk, and all the unhappy, wretches onboard perished. It was a small vessel, but of what country, or howmanned, it was impossible for us to know. The lieutenant, and one of themen, were wounded, though not dangerously; part of our running riggingwas cut, and we received some other slight damage. We knew this pirateto be a vessel which we had seen in the dusk of the evening, and weafterwards learned that she belonged to a freebooter, who had more thanthirty such vessels under his command. The smallness of our vesselencouraged the attack, and her strength being so much more than inproportion to her size, supposing her a merchantman, rendered it fatal. 

On Saturday the 12th, we fell in with the dangerous shoals called theSpera Mondes, and had the mortification to find that the westerlymonsoon was now set in, against which, and the current, it wasimpossible for any ship to get as far westward as Batavia. As it was nownecessary to wait till the return of the eastern monsoon, and theshifting of the current; as we had buried thirteen of our crew, and noless than thirty more were at the point of death; as all the pettyofficers were among the sick, and the lieutenant and myself, who did allduties, in a feeble condition; it was impossible that we should keep thesea, and we had no chance of preserving those who were still alive, butby getting on shore at some place, where rest and refreshment might beprocured; I therefore determined that I would take advantage of ourbeing so far to the southward, and endeavour to reach Macassar, theprincipal settlement of the Dutch upon the island of Celebes. 

The next day, we made some islands which lie not far from that place, and saw, what sometimes we took for shoals, and sometimes for boats withmen on board, but what afterwards appeared to be trees, and other drift, floating about, with birds sitting upon them; we suddenly foundourselves twenty miles farther to the southward than we expected, forthe current, which had for some time set us to the northward, had set usto the southward during the night. We now hauled up east, and E. 1/2 N. Intending to have gone to the northward of a shoal, which has no name inour East India Pilot, but which the Dutch call the Thumb: By noon, however, we found ourselves upon it, our water shallowing at once tofour fathom, with rocky ground. We now hauled off to the south-west, andkeeping the boat a-head to sound, ran round the west side of the shoalin ten and twelve fathom; our water deepening when we hauled off to thewest, and shallowing when we hauled off east. Our latitude, byobservation, when we were upon the shoal, was 5° 20' S. And thenorthernmost of the islands, called the Three Brothers, then, bore S. 81E. At the distance of five or six leagues. This island is, in theEnglish Pilot, called Don Dinanga, but by the Dutch the North Brother. 

Between the Three Brothers, and the main of Celebes, there is anotherisland, much larger than either of them, called the island of Tonikiky;but none of them are inhabited, though there are a few huts belonging tofishermen upon them all. The passage between the shoal and this islandis clear and good, with from ten to thirteen fathom and a sandy bottom;but the soundings are to be kept on the side of the island in twelvefathom, and never under ten: It is, however, very difficult anddangerous for ships to fall in with the land this way without a pilot onboard, for there are many shoals and rocks under water. I ran in by achart in the English East India Pilot, which upon the whole I round agood one, though the names of the islands, points, and bays, differ verymuch from those by which they are now known. When we got near to theCelebes shore, we had land and sea-breezes, which obliged us to edgealong the coast, though our strength was so much reduced, that it waswith the utmost difficulty we could work the stream anchor. 

In the evening of Tuesday the 15th, we anchored at about the distance offour miles from the town of Macassar, which, according to my account, lies in latitude 5° 10' or 5° 12' S. , longitude 117° 28'E. Having spentno less than five and thirty weeks in out passage from the Streight ofMagellan. 

I have been the more particular in my description of as much as I sawof this streight, because all the charts, both English and French, thatI consulted, are extremely deficient and erroneous, and because an exactknowledge of it may be of great service to our China trade: The ships bywhich that trade is carried on, may pass this way with as little dangeras by the common one, which lies along the Prassel shoals; and when theymiss their passage to China, in the south-east monsoon, and lose theseason, they may be sure of a clear channel here, and fair winds atW. S. W. , W. And round to W. N. W. , in November, December, and the fourfollowing months: I am also of opinion, that it is a better and shorterway to go to the N. E. And eastward of the Philippine Islands, than tothread the Moluccas, or coast New Guinea, where there are shoals, currents, and innumerable other dangers, as they were forced to do whenthe French were cruising for them in the common passage during the lastwar. 

SECTION X. 

_Transactions off Macassar, and the Passage thence to Bonthain. _

The same night that we came to an anchor, at about eleven o'clock, aDutchman came on board, who had been dispatched by the governor, tolearn who we were. When I made him understand that the ship was anEnglish man-of-war, he seemed to be greatly alarmed, no man-of-warbelonging to the King of Great Britain having ever been there before, and I could not by any means persuade him to leave the deck, and go downinto the cabin; we parted, however, to all appearance, good friends. 

The next morning, at break of day, I sent the lieutenant to the town, with a letter to the governor, in which I acquainted him with the reasonof my coming thither, and requested the liberty of the port to procurerefreshments for my ship's company, who were in a dying condition, andshelter for the vessel against the approaching storms, till the returnof a fit season for sailing to the westward. I ordered that this lettershould, without good reason to the contrary, be delivered into thegovernor's own hand; but when my officer got to the wharf of the town, neither he nor any other person in the boat was suffered to land. Uponhis refusal to deliver the letter to a messenger, the governor was madeacquainted with it, and two officers, called the shebander and thefiscal, were sent down to him, who, as a reason why he could not deliverthe letter to the governor himself, pretended that he was sick, andsaid, that they came by his express order to fetch it; upon this theletter was at length delivered to them, and they went away. While theywere gone, the officer and men were kept on board their boat, exposed tothe burning heat of the sun, which was almost vertical at noon, and noneof the country boats were suffered to come near enough to sell them anyrefreshment. In the mean time, our people observed a great hurry andbustle on shore, and all the sloops and vessels that were proper for warwere fitted out with the utmost expedition: We should, however, Ibelieve, have been an overmatch for their whole sea force, if all ourpeople had been well. In the mean time I intended to have gone andanchored close to the town; but now the boat was absent, our unitedstrength was not sufficient to weigh the anchor though a small one. After waiting five hours in the boat, the lieutenant was told that thegovernor had ordered two gentlemen to wait upon me with an answer to myletter. Soon after he had returned, and made this report, the twogentlemen came on board, and we afterwards learned that one of them wasan ensign of the garrison, named Le Cerf, and-the other Mr Douglas, awriter of the Dutch East India company: They delivered me the governor'sletter, but it proved to be written in Dutch, a language which not asingle person on board could understand: The two gentlemen who broughtit, however, both spoke French, and one of them interpreted the contentsto me in that language. The purport of it was, "that I should instantlydepart from the port, without coming any nearer to the town; that Ishould not anchor on any part of the coast, or permit any of my peopleto land in any place that was under his jurisdiction. " Before I made anyreply to this letter, I shewed the gentlemen who brought it the numberof my sick: At the sight of so many unhappy wretches, who were dying oflanguor and disease, they seemed to be much affected; and I then urgedagain the pressing necessity I was under of procuring refreshment, towhich they had been witnesses, the cruelty and injustice of refusing tosupply me, which was not only contrary to treaty, as we were in a king'sship, but to the laws of nature, as we were human beings: They seemed toadmit the force of this reasoning, but they had a short and final answerready, "that they had absolute and indispensable orders from theirmasters, not to suffer any ship, of whatever nation, to stay at thisport, and that these orders they must implicitly obey. " To this Ireplied, that persons in our situation had nothing worse to fear thanwhat they suffered, and that therefore, if they did not immediatelyallow me the liberty of the port, to purchase refreshments, and procureshelter, I would, as soon as the wind would permit, in defiance of alltheir menaces, and all their force, go and anchor close to the town;that if at last I should find myself unable to compel them to complywith requisitions, the reasonableness of which could not becontroverted, I would run the ship a-ground under their walls, and, after selling our lives as dearly as we could, bring upon, them thedisgrace of having reduced a friend and ally to so dreadful anextremity. At this they seemed to be alarmed, as our situation alone wassufficient to convince them that I was in earnest, and urged me withgreat emotion to remain where I was, at least till I had heard againfrom the governor: To this, after some altercation, I consented, uponcondition that I heard from the governor before the sea-breeze set inthe next day. 

We passed all the remainder of this day, and all the night, in a stateof anxiety, not unmixed with indignation, that greatly aggravated ourdistress; and very early the next morning, we had the mortification tosee a sloop that mounted eight carriage guns, and one of the vessels ofthe country, fitted out for war, with a great number of soldiers onboard, come from the town, and anchor under each of our bows. Iimmediately sent my boat to speak with them, but they would make noreply to any thing that was said. About noon, the sea-breeze set in, andnot having then heard again from the governor, I got under sail, andproceeded towards the town, according to my declaration, resolving, ifthe vessels that had anchored under our bows should oppose us, torepress force with force as far as we were able: These two vessels, however, happily both for us and for them, contented themselves withweighing anchor, and attending our motions. 

Very soon after we had got under sail, a handsome vessel, with a band ofmusic, and several gentlemen on board, made up to us, and told us thatthey were sent by the governor, but could not come on board if we didnot drop our anchor again; our anchor therefore was immediately dropped, and the gentlemen came on board: They proved to be Mr Blydenbourg thefiscal, Mr Voll the shebander, an officer called the licence-master, ormaster of the port, and Mr Douglas the writer, who has been mentionedalready. They expressed some surprise at my having got under sail, andasked me what I intended to have done; I told them that I intendedneither more nor less than to fulfil the declarations I had made the daybefore; that, justified by the common rights of mankind, which weresuperior to every other law, I would, rather than have put again to sea, where our destruction, either by shipwreck, sickness, or famine, wasinevitable, have come up to their walls, and either have compelled themto furnish the necessaries we wanted, or have run the ship on shore, since it was better to perish at once in a just contest, than to sufferthe lingering misery of anticipating the perdition that we could notavoid. I observed also, that no civilized people had ever suffered eventhe captives of war to perish for want of the necessaries of life, muchless the subjects of an ally, who asked nothing but permission topurchase food with their money. They readily allowed the truth of all Ihad said, but seemed to think I had been too hasty: I then observed thatI had waited the full time of my stipulation, and they in return madesome excuse for their not having come sooner, telling me, that as aproof of their having admitted my claim, they had brought me suchprovisions as their country would afford. These were immediately takenon board, and consisted of two sheep, an elk ready hilled, and a fewfowls, with some vegetables and fruit. This most welcome supply wasdivided among the people; and that most salutary, and to us exquisitedainty, broth, made for the sick. Another letter from the governor wasthen produced, in which, to my great disappointment, I was again orderedto leave the port, and to justify the order, it was alleged, that tosuffer a ship of any nation to stay and trade, either at this port, orany other part of the island, was contrary to the agreement which hadbeen made by the East India Company with the native kings and governorsof the country, who had already expressed some displeasure on ouraccount; and for farther particulars I was referred to the gentlementhat brought the letter, whom the governor styled his commissaries. Tothese gentlemen I immediately observed, that no stipulation concerningtrade could affect us, as we were a king's ship; at the same time Iproduced my commission, it not being possible to bring under the articleof trade the selling us food and refreshments for our money, without theutmost violence to language and common sense. After this they made meseveral propositions, which I rejected, because my departure from thisplace, before the return of the season, was included in them all. I thenrecurred to my former declaration, and to enforce it, shewed them thecorpse of a man who had died that morning, and whose life would probablyhave been saved, if they had afforded us refreshments when we first cameto an anchor upon their coast. This put them to a stand, but, after ashort pause, they enquired very particularly whether I had been amongthe spice islands; I answered them in the negative, and they appeared tobe convinced that I spoke truth. After this, we came to a betterunderstanding, and they told me, that though they could not, withoutdisobedience to the most direct and positive orders of the Company, suffer us to remain here, yet that I was welcome to go to a little baynot far distant, where I should find effectual shelter from the badmonsoon, and might erect an hospital for my sick, assuring me at thesame time that provision and refreshments were more plenty there than atMacassar, from whence, whatever else I wanted should be sent me, andoffering me a good pilot to carry me to my station. To this I gladlyconsented, upon condition that what they had offered should be confirmedto me by the governor and council of Macassar, that I might beconsidered as under the protection of the Dutch nation, and that noviolence should be offered to my people: For all this they engaged theirhonour on behalf of the governor and council, promising me the assuranceI had required on the next day, and requesting that in the mean time Iwould remain where I was. I then enquired why the two vessels which wereat anchor under our bows were allotted to that station; and they toldme, for no other reason than to prevent the people of the country fromoffering us any violence. When matters were thus far settled between us, I expressed my concern that, except a glass of wine, I could presentthem with nothing better than bad salt meat, and bread full of weevils;upon which they very politely desired that I would permit theirservants to bring in the victuals which had been dressing in their ownvessel; I readily consented, and a very genteel dinner was soon servedup, consisting of fish, flesh, vegetables, and fruit. It is with thegreatest pleasure that I take this opportunity of acknowledging myobligations to these gentlemen for the politeness and humanity of theirbehaviour in their private capacity, and particularly to Mr Douglas, who, being qualified by his knowledge of the French language tointerpret between us, undertook that office, with a courtesy andpoliteness which very much increased the value of the favour. After thiswe parted, and at their leaving the ship, I saluted them with nine guns. 

The next morning the shebander was sent to acquaint me, that thegovernor and council had confirmed the engagement which had been madewith me on their behalf. Every thing was now settled much to mysatisfaction, except the procuring money for my bills upon thegovernment of Great Britain, which the shebander said he would solicit. At eight o'clock in the evening, he came on board again, to let me knowthat there was not any person in the town who had money to remit toEurope, and that there was not a dollar in the Company's chest. Ianswered, that as I was not permitted to go on shore to negociate mybills myself, I hoped they would give me credit, offering him bills forany debt I should contract, or to pay it at Batavia. To this theshebander replied, that the resident at Bonthain, the place to which Iwas going, would receive orders to supply me with whatever I shouldwant, and would be glad to take my bills in return, as he had money toremit, and was himself to go to Europe the next season. He told me also, that he had considerable property in England, being a denizen of thatcountry; "and, " said the shebander, "he has also money in my hands, withwhich I will purchase such things as you want from Macassar, and seethat they are sent after you. " Having specified what these articles wereto be, and agreed with him for the quantity and the price, we parted. 

The next day, in the afternoon, I received a letter, signed by thegovernor and council of Macassar, containing the reasons why I was sentto Bonthain, and confirming the verbal agreement which subsisted betweenus. 

Soon after, the ensign M. Le Cerf, the secretary of the council, and apilot, came on board to attend us to Bonthain. Le Cerf was to commandthe soldiers who were on board the guard boats; and the secretary, as weafterwards discovered, was to be a check upon the resident whose namewas Swellingrabel. This gentleman's father died second governor at theCape of Good Hope, where he married an English lady of the name ofFothergill. Mr Swellingrabel, the resident here, married the daughter ofCornelius Sinklaar, who had been governor of Macassar, and died sometime ago in England, having come hither to see some of his mother'srelations. 

SECTION XI

_Transactions at Bonthain, while the Vessel was waiting for a Wind tocarry her to Batavia, with some Account of the Place, the Town ofMacassar, and the adjacent Country. _

The next morning at day-break we sailed, and the day following in theafternoon we anchored in Bonthain road with our two guard-boats, whichwere immediately moored close in to the shore, to prevent the countryboats from coming near us, and our boats from going near them. As soonas I arrived at this place, I altered our reckoning. I had lost abouteighteen hours, in coming by the west, and the Europeans that we foundhere having come by the east had gained about six, so that thedifference was just a day. 

I immediately waited upon the resident, Mr Swellingrabel, who spokeEnglish but very imperfectly, and having settled with him all mattersrelating to money and provisions, a house was allotted me near thesea-side, and close to a little pallisadoed fort of eight guns, the onlyone in this place, which I converted into an hospital, under thedirection of the surgeon; to this place I immediately sent all thepeople who were thought incapable of recovering on board, and reservedthe rest as a security against accidents. As soon as our people were onshore, a guard of thirty-six private men, two serjeants, and twocorporals, all under the command of Ensign Le Cerf, was set over them;and none of them were suffered to go more than thirty yards from thehospital, nor were any of the country people allowed to come near enoughto sell them any thing; so that our men got nothing of them, but throughthe hands of the Dutch soldiers, who abused their power very shamefully. When they saw any of the country people carrying what they thought ourinvalids would purchase, they first took it away, and then asked theprice: What was demanded signified little, the soldier gave what hethought proper, which was seldom one-fourth of the value; and if thecountryman ventured to express any discontent, he gave him immediatelyan earnest of perfect satisfaction, by flourishing his broad-sword overhis head: This was always sufficient to silence complaint, and send thesufferer quietly away; after which the soldier sold what he had thusacquired for profit of sometimes more than a thousand per cent. Thisbehaviour was so cruel to the natives, and so injurious to us, that Iventured to complain of it to the resident, and the other two gentlemen, Le Cerf and the secretary. The resident, with becoming spirit, reprimanded the soldiers; but it produced so little effect that I couldnot help entertaining suspicions that Le Cerf connived at thesepractices, and shared the advantages which they produced. I suspectedhim also of selling arrack to my people, of which I complained, butwithout redress; and I know that his slaves were employed to buy thingsat the market which his wife afterwards sold to us for more than twiceas much as they cost. The soldiers were indeed guilty of many otherirregularities: It was the duty of one of them by rotation to procurethe day's provision for the whole guard, a service which he constantlyperformed by going into the country with his musket and a bag; nor wasthe honest proveditor always content with what the bag would contain;for one of them, without any ceremony, drove down a young buffalo thatbelonged to some of the country people, and his comrades not having woodat hand to dress it when it was killed, supplied themselves by pullingdown some of the pallisadoes of the fort. When this was reported to me, I thought it so extraordinary that I went on shore to see the breach, and found the poor black people repairing it. 

On the 26th, a sloop laden with rice was sent out from this place inorder to land her cargo at Macassar; but after having attempted it threedays she was forced to return. The weather was now exceedinglytempestuous, and all navigation at an end from east to west till thereturn of the eastern monsoon. On the same day two large sloops thatwere bound to the eastward anchored here, and the next morning also alarge ship from Batavia, with troops on board for the Banda Islands; butnone of the crew of any of these vessels were suffered to speak to anyof our people, our boats being restrained from going on board them, andtheirs from coming on board us. As this was a mortifying restriction, werequested Mr Swellingrabel to buy us some salt meat from the large ship;and he was so obliging as to procure us four casks of very good Europeanmeat, two of pork, and two of beef. 

On the 28th a fleet of more than an hundred sail of the small countryvessels, called proas, anchored here; their burden is from twelve toeighteen and twenty tons, and they carry from sixteen to twenty men. Iwas told that they carried on a fishery round the island, going out withone monsoon, and coming back with the other, so as always to keep underthe lee of the land: The fish was sent to the China market, and Iobserved that all these vessels carried Dutch colours. 

No event worthy of notice happened till the 18th of January, and then Ilearnt by a letter from Macassar that the Dolphin had been at Batavia. On the 28th, the secretary of the council, who had been sent hither withLe Cerf, as we supposed to be a check upon the resident, was called toMacassar. By this time our carpenter, having in a great degree recoveredhis health, examined the state of our vessel, and to our great regretshe appeared to be very leaky: Our main yard also was found not only tobe sprung, but to be rotten and unserviceable. We got it down andpatched it up as well as we could, without either iron or a forge, sothat we hoped it would serve us till we got to Batavia, for no wood wasto be procured here of which a new one could be made. To our leaks verylittle could be done, and we were therefore reduced to an entiredependence upon our pumps. 

On Friday the 19th of February, Le Cerf, the military officer whocommanded the soldiers on shore, was recalled, as it was said, to fitout an expedition for the island of Bally; on the 7th of March, thelargest of our guard-boats, a sloop about forty-five tons, was orderedback to Macassar with part of the soldiers; and on the 9th, theresident, Mr Swellingrabel, received a letter from the governor of thatplace, enquiring when I should sail for Batavia. I must confess, that Iwas surprised at the recal of the officer, and the guard boat; but I wasmuch more surprised at the contents of the governor's letter, because heknew that it was impossible I should sail till May, as the easternmonsoon would not sooner set in. All matters, however, remained in thesame situation till near the end of the month, when some of my peopletook notice, that for a short time past a small canoe had gone round usseveral times at different hours of the night, and had disappeared assoon as those on board perceived any body stirring in the ship. On the29th, while these things were the subjects of speculation, one of myofficers who came from the shore brought me a letter, which he said hadbeen delivered to him by a black man: It was directed, "To the Commanderof the English ship at Bonthyn. " That the reader may understand thisletter, it is necessary to acquaint him, that the island of Celebes isdivided into several districts, which are distinct sovereignties of thenative princes. The town of Macassar is in a district called alsoMacassar, or Bony, the king of which is in alliance with the Dutch, whohave been many times repulsed in an attempt to reduce other parts of theisland, one of which is inhabited by a people called Buggueses, andanother is called Waggs or Tosora. The town of Tosora is fortified withcannon, for the natives had been long furnished with fire-arms fromEurope, before the Dutch settled themselves at Macassar in the room ofthe Portuguese. 

The letter acquainted me, that a design had been formed by the Dutch, inconjunction with the king of Bony, to cut us off: That the Dutch, however, were not to appear in it: That the business was to be done by ason of the king of Bony, who was, besides a gratuity from the Dutch, toreceive the plunder of the vessel for his reward, and who, with eighthundred men, was then at Bonthain for that purpose: That the motive wasjealousy of our forming a connection with the Buggueses, and otherpeople of the country, who were at enmity with the Dutch and theirallies, and driving them out of the island; or at least a suspicionthat, if we got back to England, some project of that kind might befounded upon the intelligence we should give, no English man-of-war, asI have already observed, having ever been known to have visited theisland before. 

This letter was a new subject of surprise and speculation. It wasextremely ill written with respect to the style and manner, yet it didnot therefore the less deserve notice. How far the intelligence which itcontained was true or false, I was utterly unable to determine: It waspossible that the writer might be deceived himself; it was also possiblethat he might have some view in wilfully deceiving me: The falsehoodmight procure some little reward for the kindness and zeal which itplaced to his account, or it might give him an importance which would atleast be a gratification to his vanity. It behoved me, however, to takethe same measures as if I had known it to be true; and I must confess, that I was not perfectly at ease when I recollected the recal of theSecretary and Le Cerf, with the large sloop, and part of the soldiers, who were said to have been sent hither for no other reason than to guardus against the insults of the country people; the assembling an armedforce at Macassar, as it was said, for an expedition to Bally; and thelittle canoe that we had seen rowing round us in the night, not tomention the governor's enquiry by letter, when we intended to leave theisland. However, whether either our intelligence or conjectures weretrue or false, we immediately went to work: We rigged the ship, bent thesails, unmoored, got springs upon our cables, loaded all our guns, andbarricadoed the deck. At night every body slept under arms, and the nextday we warped the vessel farther off from the bottom of the bay, towardsthe eastern shore, that we might have more room, fixed four swivel gunson the forepart of the quarter-deck, and took every other measure thatappeared to be necessary for our defence. 

The resident, Mr Swellingrabel, was at this time absent twenty miles upthe country upon the Company's business, but had told me, that he shouldcertainly return on the 1st of April, a day which I now expected withgreat impatience, especially as an old drunken serjeant was the mostrespectable person at the fort. In the evening of the 31st, a packet ofletters for him arrived here from Macassar, which I considered as agood omen, and a pledge of his return at the time appointed; but Iconceived very different sentiments when I learnt that they were sent tohim. I did not suspect that he was privy to any such design as had beenintimated to me by the letter; but I could not help doubting, whether hewas not kept in the country that he might be out of the way when itshould be executed. In this state of anxiety and suspense, I sent amessage to the fort, desiring that an express might be dispatched tohim, to acquaint him that I wished to see him immediately upon businessof great importance, which would admit of no delay. Whether my messagewas forwarded to him or not, I cannot tell; but having waited till the4th of April, without having seen him or received any answer, I wrotehim a letter, requesting to speak with him, in the most pressing terms, and the next day he came on board. A few minutes convinced me that hewas wholly a stranger to any such design as I had been made toapprehend; and he was clearly of opinion that no such design had beenformed. He said, indeed, that one Tomilaly, a counsellor or minister ofthe king of Bony, had lately paid him a visit, and had not wellaccounted for his being in this part of the country; and, at my request, he very readily undertook to make farther enquiries concerning him andhis people. The resident and his attendants took notice that the shipwas put into a state of defence, and that every thing was ready forimmediate action; and he told us, that the people on shore hadacquainted him, before he came on board, with our vigilance andactivity, and in particular, with our having exercised the ship'scompany at small arms every day. I informed him, that we should, at allevents, continue upon our guard, which he seemed to approve, and weparted with mutual protestations of friendship and good faith. After afew days, he sent me word that having made a very strict enquiry, whether any other persons belonging to the king of Bony had been atBonthain, he had been credibly informed that one of the princes of thatkingdom had been there in disguise; but that of the eight hundred menwho were said in my intelligence to be with him, he could find notraces; so that, except they too, like the troops of the king ofBrentford, were an army in disguise, I knew that no such people could bein that country. 

On the 16th, in the morning, the resident sent me word, that M. Le Cerfwas returned from Macassar with another officer, and that they wouldcome on board and dine with me. When dinner was over, I asked Le Cerf, among other conversation, while we were taking our wine, what was becomeof his expedition to Bally; to which he answered dryly, that it was laidaside, without saying any thing more upon the subject. On the 23d, hereturned to Macassar by sea, and the other officer, who was also anensign, remained to take the command of the soldiers that were stillleft at this place. 

The season now approached in which navigation to the westward would beagain practicable, which gave us all great pleasure; especially asputrid diseases had begun to make their appearance among us, and aputrid fever had carried off one of our people. 

On the 7th of May, the resident gave me a long letter from the governorof Macassar, which was written in Dutch, and of which he gave me thebest interpretation he was able; The general purport of it was, that hehad heard a letter had been sent to me, charging him, in conjunctionwith the king of Bony, with a design to cut us off: That the letter wasaltogether false, exculpating himself with the roost solemnprotestations, and requiring the letter to be delivered up, that thewriter might be brought to such punishment as he deserved. It isscarcely necessary to say, that I did not deliver up the letter, becausethe writer would certainly have been punished with equal severitywhether it was true or false; but I returned the governor a politeanswer, in which I justified the measures I had taken, without imputingany evil design to him or his allies; and indeed there is the greatestreason to believe, that there was not sufficient ground for the chargecontained in the letter, though it is not equally probable that thewriter believed it to be false. 

At day-break on Sunday the 22d of May, we sailed from this place, ofwhich, and of the town of Macassar, and the adjacent country, I shallsay but little, there being many accounts of the island of Celebes andits inhabitants already extant. The town is built upon a kind of pointor neck of land, and is watered by a river or two, which either runthrough, or very near it. It seems to be large, and there is water for aship to come within half cannon-shot of the walls: The country about itis level, and has a most beautiful appearance; it abounds withplantations, and groves of cocoa-nut trees, with a great number ofhouses interspersed, by which it appears to abound with people. At adistance inland, the country rises into hills of a great height, andbecomes rude and mountainous. The town lies in latitude 5° 10' or 5° 12'S. And longitude, by account, 117° 28' E. Of London. 

Bonthain is a large bay, where ships may lie in perfect security duringboth the monsoons: The soundings are good and regular, and the bottomsoft mud; nor is there any danger coming in, but a ledge of rocks whichare above water, and are a good mark for anchoring. The highest land insight here is called Bonthain hill, and when a ship is in the offing atthe distance of two or three miles from the land, she should bring thishill north, or N. 1/2 W. , and then run in with it and anchor. We layright under it, at the distance of about a mile from the shore. In thisbay there are several small towns; that which is called Bonthain lies inthe north-east part of the bay, and here is the small pallisadoed fortthat has been mentioned already, on which there are mounted eight gunsthat carry a ball of about eight pounds weight: It is just sufficient tokeep the country people in subjection, and is intended for no otherpurpose: It lies on the south side of a small river, and there is waterfor a ship to come close to it. The Dutch resident has the command ofthe place, and of Bullocomba, another town which lies about twenty milesfarther to the eastward, where there is such another fort, and a fewsoldiers, who at the proper season are employed in gathering the rice, which the people pay as a tax to the Dutch. 

Wood and water are to be procured here in great plenty; we cut our woodnear the river, under Bonthain hill: Our water was procured partly fromthat river, and partly from another; when from the other, our boat wentabove the fort with the casks that were to be filled, where there is agood rolling way; but as the river is small, and has a bar, the boat, after it is loaded, can come out only at high water. There are severalother small rivers in the bay, from which water may be got uponoccasion. 

We procured plenty of fresh provisions all the while we lay here at areasonable rate: The beef is excellent; but it would be difficult toprocure enough of it for a squadron. Rice may be had in any quantity, somay fowls and fruit: There are also abundance of wild hogs in the woods, which may be purchased at a low price, as the natives, being Mahometans, never eat them. Fish may be caught with the seine, and the natives, attimes, supplied us with turtle; for this, like pork, is a dainty whichthey ever touch. 

Celebes is the key of the Molucca, or Spice Islands, which, whoever isin possession of it must necessarily command: Most of the ships that arebound to them, or to Banda, touch here, and always go between thisisland and that of Solayer. The bullocks here are the breed that havethe bunch on the back, besides which the island produces horses, buffaloes, goats, sheep, and deer. The arrack and sugar that areconsumed here are brought from Batavia. 

The latitude of Bonthain hill is 5° 30' S. , longitude, by account, 117°53' E. The variation of the compass while we were here was 1° 16' W. Thetides are very irregular; commonly it is but once high water and oncelow water in four-and-twenty hours, and there is seldom six feetdifference between them. 

SECTION XII. 

_Passage from Bonthain Bay, in the Island of Celebes, to Batavia:Transactions there, and the Voyage round the Cape of Good Hope toEngland. _

When we left Bonthain Bay, we kept along the shore, at the distance oftwo or three miles, till evening, and then anchored for the night, inthe passage between the two islands of Celebes and Tonikaky, in sevenfathom and a half, with a bottom of soft mud. The next morning, we gotagain under sail, and took our departure from Tonikaky, which, accordingto my account, lies in latitude 5° 31' S. , longitude 117° 17'E. ; thevariation here was 1° W. We went to the southward of Tonikaky, and stoodto the westward. About three o'clock in the afternoon, we were abreastof the easternmost of the islands which in the Dutch charts are calledTonyn's Islands. This island bore from us about N. By W. At the distanceof four miles, and the two westernmost were in sight. These threeislands make a kind of right-angled triangle with each other, thedistance between the eastermost and westermost is about eleven miles, and their relative bearings are very nearly east and west. The distancebetween the two westermost is nearly the same, and they bear to eachother S. By E. And N. By W. About six o'clock, having just sounded, andgot no ground, we suddenly found ourselves upon a shoal, with not threefathom, and the water being smooth and clear, we could see great cragsof coral rocks under our bottom: We immediately threw all the sailsaback, and happily got off without damage: We had just passed over theeastermost edge of it, which is as steep as a wall, for we had not goneback two cables' length before we were out of soundings again. At thistime, we had the two westermost of the Tonyn Islands in one, bearing N. By W. At the distance of somewhat more than four miles from the nearest. This is a very dangerous shoal, and is not laid down in any chart that Ihave seen: It seemed to extend itself to the southward and westward, allround the two westernmost of these three islands, for near six miles, but about the eastermost island there seemed to be no danger; there wasalso a clear passage between this island and the other two. The latitudeof the eastermost and westermost of these islands is 5° 31' S. Theeastermost is distant thirty-four miles due west from Tonikaky, and thewestermost lies ten miles farther. 

In the afternoon of the 25th, we found the water much discoloured; uponwhich we sounded, and had five-and-thirty fathom, with soft mud. Soonafter we went over to the northermost part of a shoal, and had no morethan ten fathom, with soft mud. In this place, where we found the watershallowest, it was very foul; it seemed to be still shallower to thesouthward, but to the northward of us it appeared to be clear. We had noobservation this day, by which I could ascertain the latitude; but Ibelieve this to be the northermost part of the shoals that lie to theeastward of the island Madura, and in the English East-India Pilot arecalled Bralleron's Shoals, the same which in the Dutch charts are calledKalcain's Eylandens. By my reckoning, the part that we went over lies in5° 50' or 5° 52' S. And 3° 36' to the westward of the island Tonikaky, or S. 84° 27' W. Distance sixty-nine leagues. At eleven o'clock thesame night, we saw, to the northward of us, the southermost of theislands Salombo. I make its latitude to be 5° 33' S. And its longitudewest of Tonikaky 4° 4', at the distance of about eighty-two oreighty-three leagues. It bears from the last shoal N. W. By W. 3/4 W. Atthe distance of about fourteen leagues. It is to be remarked, thathereabout, off the island of Madura, the winds of the monsoons arecommonly a month later in settling than at Celebes. The variation herewas not more than half a degree west; and we found the current, whichbefore set to the southward, now setting to the N. W. 

In the afternoon of the 26th, we saw from the mast-head the island ofLuback, and had soundings from thirty-five to forty fathom, with abottom of bluish clay. The latitude of this island is 5° 43' S. Andits-longitude 5° 36' west of Tonikaky, from which it is distant aboutone hundred and twelve leagues. Its distance west from the islands ofSalombo is thirty-one leagues. We went to the northward of this island, and found a current setting to the W. N. W. 

In the evening of Sunday the 29th, we saw the cluster of small islandscalled Carimon-Java. The latitude of the eastermost, which is also thelargest, is 5° 48' S. And its longitude, west of Tonikaky, 7° 52'. Fromthis island it is distant about one hundred and fifty-eight leagues, andforty-five leagues from Luback. 

On Thursday the 2d of June, we hauled in and made the land of Java, which proved to be that part of the island which makes the eastermostpoint of the Bay of Batavia, called Carawawang Point. When we first gotsight of the land, we had gradually decreased our soundings from fortyto eight-and-twenty fathom, with a bottom of bluish mud. As we steeredalong the shore for Batavia, we decreased them gradually, still farther, to thirteen fathom, the depth in which, night coming on, we anchorednear the two small islands called Leyden and Alkmar, in sight ofBatavia; and in the afternoon of the next day, we anchored in the road, which is so good that it may well be considered as an harbour. We hadnow great reason to congratulate ourselves upon our situation; forduring the whole of our passage from Celebes, the ship admitted so muchwater by her leaks, that it was all we could do to keep her fromsinking, with two pumps constantly going. 

We found here eleven large Dutch ships, besides several that were less;one Spanish ship, a Portuguese snow, and several Chinese junks. The nextmorning we saluted the town with eleven guns, and the same number wasreturned. As this was the birth-day of his Britannic majesty, oursovereign, we afterwards fired one-and-twenty guns more on thatoccasion. We found the variation here to be less than half a degree tothe westward. 

In the afternoon, I waited upon the governor, and acquainted him withthe condition of the ship, desiring liberty to repair her defects; towhich he replied, that I must petition the council. 

On the 6th, therefore, which was council day, I addressed a letter tothe governor and council, setting forth, more particularly, thecondition of the ship; and, after requesting leave to repair her, Iadded, that I _hoped_ they would allow me the use of such wharfs andstorehouses as should be necessary. In the afternoon of the next day, the shebander, with Mr Garrison, a merchant of the place, asinterpreter, and another person, came to me. After the firstcompliments, the shebander said, that he was sent by the governor andcouncil for a letter, which they had heard I had received when I was atBonthain, acquainting me, that a design had been formed to cut off myship, that the author of it, who had injured both me and their nation inthe person of the governor of that place, might be punished. I readilyacknowledged that I had received such information, but said, that I hadnever told any body it was by letter. The shebander then asked me, if Iwould take an oath that I had received no such letter as he had beendirected to demand, to which I answered, that I was surprised at thequestion; and desired, that if the council had any such uncommonrequisition to make of me, it might be in writing; and I would give suchreply, as, upon mature consideration, I should think proper. I thendesired to know what answer he had been instructed to give to my letterconcerning the refitting of the ship? Upon which he told me, that thecouncil had taken offence at my having used the word _hope_, and notwritten in the style of request, which had been invariably adopted byall merchants upon the like occasion. I replied, that no offence wasintended on my part; and that I had used the first words which occurredto me as proper to express my meaning. Thus we parted; and I heardnothing more of them till the afternoon of the 9th, when the shebander, and the same two gentlemen, came to me a second time. The shebandersaid, that he was then commissioned from the council, to require awriting under my hand, signifying, that I believed the report of anintention formed at the island of Celebes to cut off my ship, was falseand malicious; saying, that he hoped I had a better opinion of the Dutchnation than to suppose them capable of suffering so execrable a fact tobe perpetrated under their government. Mr Garrison then read me acertificate, which, by order of the council, had been drawn up for me tosign: As, whatever was my opinion, I did not think it advisable to signsuch a certificate, especially as it appeared to be made a condition ofcomplying with my request by the delay of an answer during thissolicitation, I desired the shebander to shew me his authority for therequisition he had made. He replied, that he had no testimony ofauthority but the notoriety of his being a public officer, and theevidence of the gentlemen that were with him, confirming his owndeclaration, that he acted in this particular by the express order ofcouncil. I then repeated my request, that whatever the council requiredof me might be given me in writing, that the sense of it might be fixedand certain, and that I might have time to consider of my reply; but hegave me to understand, that he could not do this without an order fromthe council, and I then absolutely refused to sign the paper, at thesame time desiring an answer to my letter, which they not being preparedto give, we parted, not in very good humour with each other. 

After this, I waited in a fruitless expectation till the 15th, when thesame three gentlemen came to me the third time, and said, they had beensent to tell me that the council had protested against my behaviour atMacassar, and my having refused to sign the certificate which had beenrequired of me, as an insult upon them, and an act of injustice to theirnation. I replied, that I was not conscious of having in any instanceacted contrary to the treaties subsisting between the two kingdoms, unworthy of my character as an officer, honoured with a commission ofhis Britannic majesty, or unsuitable to the trust reposed in me, thoughI did not think I had been used by the governor of Macassar as thesubject of a friend and ally; desiring, that if they had any thing toallege against me, it might be reduced to writing, and laid before theking my master, to whom alone I thought myself amenable. With thisanswer they again departed; and the next day, having not yet receivedany answer to my letter, I wrote a second, directed like the first, inwhich I represented that the ship's leaks were every day increasing, andurged, in more pressing terms, my request that she might be repaired, and that the use of wharfs and store-houses might be afforded me. 

On the 18th, the shebander came again to me, and acquainted me, that thecouncil had given orders for the repair of the ship at Onrust; and asthere was no store-house empty, had appointed one of the company'svessels to attend me, and take in my stores. I enquired whether therewas not an answer to my letter in writing; to which he answered in thenegative, adding, that it was not usual, a message by him, or some otherofficer, having been always thought sufficient. 

After this I was supplied, for my money, with every thing I could desirefrom the company's stores, without any further difficulty. 

A pilot was ordered to attend me, and on the 22d we anchored at Onrust, where, having cleared the ship, and put her stores on board thecompany's vessel, we found the bowsprit and cap, as well as themain-yard, rotten, and altogether unserviceable, the sheathing everywhere eaten off by the worms, and the main planks of the ship's bottomso much damaged and decayed, that it was absolutely necessary to heaveher down, before she could be sufficiently repaired to sail for Europe;but as other ships were already heaved down, and consequently the wharfsat this time preoccupied, the carpenters could not begin their work tillthe 24th of July. 

Under the hands of these people the ship continued till Tuesday the 16thof August. When they came to examine her bottom, they found it so bad, that they were unanimously of opinion it should be shifted: This, however, I strenuously opposed. I knew she was an old ship; and I wasafraid that if her bottom was opened, it might be found still worse thanit was thought; and possibly so bad, as that, like the Falmouth, shemight be condemned; I therefore desired that a good sheathing only mightbe put over all; but the _bawse_, or master-carpenter, would notconsent, except I would certify, under my hand, that what should be doneto the ship was not according to his judgment but my own, which, hesaid, was necessary for his justification, if, after such repairs onlyas I thought fit to direct had been made, the ship should come short ofher port. As I thought this a reasonable proposition, I readilycomplied; but as I was now become answerable for the fate of the ship, Ihad her carefully examined by my own carpenter and his mate, myself andofficers always attending. The but-ends of the planks that joined to thestern were so open, that a man's hand might be thrust in between; sevenchain-plates were broken and decayed; the iron work, in general, was ina very bad state; several of the knees were loose, and some of them werebroken. 

While I remained here, two ships belonging to our India Company put intothis port; and we found, among other private ships from India, onecalled the Dudly, from Bengal, which had proved so leaky that it wasimpossible to carry her back. Application had been made to the governorand council for leave to careen her, which had been granted; but as thewharfs had been kept in continual use, she had been put off above fourmonths. The captain, not without reason, was apprehensive that he mightbe kept here till the worms had eaten through the bottom of his vessel, and knowing that I had received particular civilities from AdmiralHouting, applied to me to intercede for him, which I was very happy todo with such success, that a wharf was immediately allotted her. MrHouting was an old man, and an admiral in the service of the States, with the rank of commander-in-chief of their marine, and the shipsbelonging to the company in India. He received his first maritimeknowledge on board an English man-of-war, speaks English and Frenchextremely well, and did honour to the service both by his abilities andpoliteness: He was so obliging as to give me a general invitation to histable, in consequence of which I was often with him; and it is withpleasure that I take this opportunity of making a public acknowledgmentof the favours I received from him, and bearing this testimony to hispublic and private merit. He was indeed the only officer belonging tothe company from whom I received any civility, or with whom I had theleast communication; for I found them, in general, a reserved andsupercilious set of people. The governor, although the servant of arepublic, takes upon himself more state, in some particulars, than anysovereign prince in Europe. Whenever he goes abroad, he is attended bya party of horse-guards, and two black men go before his coach in themanner of running-footmen; each having a large cane in his hand, withwhich they not only clear the way, but severely chastise all who do notpay the homage that is expected from people of all ranks, as well thosebelonging to the country as strangers. Almost every body in this placekeeps a carriage, which is drawn by two horses, and driven by a man upona box, like our chariots, but is open in front: Whoever, in such acarriage, meets the governor, either in the town or upon the road, isexpected not only to draw it on one side, but to get out of it, and makea most respectful obeisance while his excellency's coach goes by; normust any carriage that follows him drive past on any account, but keepbehind him, however pressing be the necessity for haste. A verymortifying homage of the same kind is also exacted by the members of thecouncil, called Edele Heeren; for whoever meets them is obliged to stophis coach, and, though not to get out, to stand up in it, and make hisreverence. These Edele Heeren are preceded by one black man with astick; nor must any person presume to pass their carriage any more thanthat of the governor. These ceremonies are generally complied with bythe captains of Indiamen and other trading ships; but, having the honourto bear his majesty's commission, I did not think myself at liberty topay to a Dutch governor any homage which is not paid to my ownsovereign: It is, however, constantly required of the King's officers;and two or three days after I came hither, the landlord of the hotelwhere I lodged told me, he had been ordered by the shebander to let meknow, that my carriage, as well as others, must stop, if I should meetthe governor or any of the council; but I desired him to acquaint theshebander, that I could not consent to perform any such ceremony; andupon his intimating somewhat about the black men with sticks, I toldhim, that if any insult should be offered me, I knew how to defendmyself, and would take care to be upon my guard; at the same timepointing to my pistols, which then happened to lie upon the table. Uponthis he went away, and about three hours afterwards he returned, andtold me he had orders from the governor to acquaint me that I might doas I pleased. The hotel at which I resided is licensed by the governorand council, and all strangers are obliged to take up their abode there, except officers in his majesty's service, who are allowed privatelodgings, which, however, I did not chose. 

At this place I continued between three and four months, and during allthat time I had the honour to see the governor but twice. The first timewas at my arrival, when I waited upon him at one of his houses, a littleway in the country; the next was in town, as he was walking before hishouse there, when I addressed him upon a particular occasion. Soon afterthe news of the Prince of Orange's marriage arrived here, he gave apublic entertainment, to which I had the honour of being invited; buthaving heard that Commodore Tinker, upon a like occasion, finding thathe was to be placed below the gentlemen of the Dutch council, hadabruptly left the room, and was followed by all the captains of hissquadron; and being willing to avoid the disagreeable dilemma of eithersitting below the council, or following the commodore's example, Iapplied to the governor to know the station that would be allotted mebefore I accepted his invitation; and finding that I could not bepermitted to take place of the council, I declined it. On both theseoccasions I spoke to his excellency by an English merchant, who acted asan interpreter. The first time he had not the civility to offer me theleast refreshment, nor did he the last time so much as ask me to go intothe house. 

The defects of the ship were at length repaired, much to mysatisfaction, and I thought she might then safely proceed to Europe, though the Dutch carpenters were of a different opinion. The properseason for sailing was not yet arrived, and my worthy friend, AdmiralHouting, represented, that if I went to sea before the proper time, Ishould meet with such weather off the Cape of Good Hope as would make merepent it; but being very ill myself, and the people being sickly, Ithought it better to run the risk of a few hard gales off the Cape, thanremain longer in this unhealthy place, especially as the west monsoonwas setting in, during which the mortality here is yet greater than atother times. 

On Wednesday the 15th of September, therefore, we set sail from Onrust, where the ship had been refitted, without returning, as is usual, intoBatavia Road; and as I was not well, I sent my lieutenant to take leaveof the governor on my behalf, and offer my service, if he had anydispatches for Europe. It was happy for me that I was able to procure asupply of English seamen here, otherwise I should not at last have beenable to bring the ship home; for I had now lost no less thanfour-and-twenty of the hands I had brought out of Europe, and hadfour-and-twenty more so ill, that seven of them died in our passage tothe Cape. 

On the 20th, we anchored on the south-east side of Prince's Island, inthe Streight of Sunda, and the next morning, I sent out the boats forwood and water: Of water, however, we could not get a sufficientquantity to complete our stock, for there had not yet been rain enoughto supply the springs, the wet monsoon having but just set in. At thistime we had the wind so fresh from the south-east, which made this partof the island a lee-shore, that I could not get under sail till the25th, when, it being more moderate, we weighed and worked over to theJava shore. In the evening, we anchored in a bay called by some New Bay, and by others Canty Bay, which is formed by an island of the same name. We had fourteen fathoms water, with a fine sandy bottom. The peak ofPrince's Island bore N. 13 W. The westermost point of New Island S. 82W. And the eastermost point of Java that was in sight, N. E. Our distancefrom the Java shore was about a mile and a quarter, and from thewatering-place a mile and a half. New Bay is the best place for woodingand watering of any in these parts: The water is extremely clear, and sogood that I made my people stave all that we had taken in at Batavia andPrince's Island, and supply it from this place. It is procured from afine strong run on the Java shore, which falls down from the land intothe sea, and by means of a hoase it may be laded into the boats, and thecasks filled without putting them on shore, which renders the work veryeasy and expeditious. There is a little reef of rocks within which theboats go, and lie in as smooth water, and as effectually sheltered fromany swell, as if they were in a mill-pond; nor does the reef run out sofar as to be dangerous to shipping, though the contrary is asserted inHerbert's Directory; and if a ship, when lying there, should be drivenfrom her anchors by a wind that blows upon the shore, she may, with thegreatest ease, run up the passage between New Island and Java, wherethere is a sufficient depth of water for the largest vessel, and aharbour, in which, being landlocked, she will find perfect security. Wood may be had any where either upon Java or New Island, neither ofwhich, in this part, are inhabited. 

Having in a few days completed our wood and water, we weighed and stoodout of the Streight of Sunda, with a fine fresh gale at south-east, which did not leave us till the island of Java was seven hundred leaguesbehind us. 

On Monday the 23d of November, we discovered the coast of Africa; atday-break on the 28th we made the Table Land of the Cape of Good Hope, and the same evening anchored in the bay. We found here only a Dutchship from Europe, and a snow belonging to the place, which however wasin the Company's service, for the inhabitants are not permitted to haveany shipping. 

Table Bay is a good harbour in summer, but not in winter; so that theDutch will not permit any of their vessels to lie here longer than the15th of May, which answers to our November. After that time, all shipsgo to False Bay, which is well sheltered from the north-west winds, which blow here with great violence. 

At this place we breathed a pure air, had wholesome food, and wentfreely about the country, which is extremely pleasant, so that I beganto think myself already in Europe. We found the inhabitants open, hospitable, and polite, there being scarcely a gentleman in the place, either in a public or private station, from whom I did not receive somecivility; and I should very ill deserve the favours they bestowed, if Idid not particularly mention the first and second governor, and thefiscal. 

The recovery of my people made it necessary to continue here till the6th of January, 1769; in the evening of this day I set sail, and beforeit was dark cleared the land. 

On the 20th, after a fine and pleasant passage, we made the island of StHelena; and set sail again on the morning of the 24th. At midnight onthe 30th, we made the northeast part of the Island of Ascension, andbrought-to till daylight, when we ran in close to it. I sent a boat outto discover the anchoring-place, which is called Cross-hill bay, whilewe kept running along the north-east and north side of the island, tillwe came to the north-west extremity of it, and in the afternoon anchoredin the bay we sought. The way to find this place at once, is to bringthe largest and most conspicuous hill upon the island to bear S. E. ; whenthe ship is in this position, the bay will be open, right in the middle, between two other hills, the westermost of which is called Cross-hill, and gives name to the bay. Upon this hill there is a flag-staff, whichif a ship brings to bear S. S. E. 1/2 E. Or S. E. By E. And runs in, keeping it so till she is in ten fathom water, she will be in the bestpart of the bay. In our run along the north-east side of the island, Iobserved several other small sandy bays, in some of which my boat foundgood anchorage, and saw plenty of turtle, though they are not soconvenient as this, where we had plenty of turtle too. The beach here isa fine white sand; the landing-place is at some rocks, which lie aboutthe middle of the bay, and may be known by a ladder of ropes which hangsfrom the top to mount them by. In the evening I landed a few men to turnthe turtle that should come on shore during the night, and in themorning I found that they had thus secured no less than eighteen, fromfour hundred to six hundred weight each, and these were as many as wecould well stow on the deck. As there are no inhabitants upon thisisland, it is a custom for the ships that touch at it to leave a letterin a bottle, with their names and destination, the date, and a few otherparticulars. We complied with this custom, and in the evening of Mondaythe 1st of February, we weighed anchor and set sail. 

On Friday the 19th, we discovered a ship at a considerable distance toleeward in the south-west quarter, which hoisted French colours; shecontinued in sight all day, and the next morning we perceived that shehad greatly outsailed us during the night; she made a tack, however, inorder to get farther to windward, and as it is not usual for ships toturn to windward in these parts, it was evident that she had tacked inorder to speak with us. By noon she was near enough to hail us, and, tomy great surprise, made use both of my name and that of the ship, enquiring after my health, and telling me, that after the return of theDolphin to Europe, it was believed we had suffered shipwreck in theStreight of Magellan, and that two ships had been sent out in quest ofus. I asked, in my turn, who it was that was so well acquainted with meand my ship, and with the opinions that had been formed of us in Europeafter the return of our companion, and how this knowledge had beenacquired. I was answered, that the ship which hailed us was in theservice of the French East India Company, commanded by M. Bougainville;that she was returning to England from the Isle of France; that what wasthought of the Swallow in England, had been learnt from the FrenchGazette at the Cape of Good Hope; and that we were known to be thatvessel by the letter which had been found in the bottle at the Island ofAscension, a few days after we had left that place. An offer was thenmade of supplying me with refreshments, if I wanted any, and I was askedif I had any letters to send to France. I returned thanks for the offerof refreshments, which however was a mere verbal civility, as it wasknown that I had lately sailed from the places where M. Bougainvillehimself had been supplied; but I said that I had received letters forFrance from some gentlemen of that country at the Cape, and if he wouldsend his boat on board, they should be delivered to his messenger. Thuswas an occasion furnished for what I have reason to believe was theprincipal object of M. Bougainville in speaking with us: A boat wasimmediately sent on board, and in her a young officer, dressed in awaistcoat and trowsers; whether he was thus dressed by design I shallnot determine, but I soon perceived that his rank was much superior tohis appearance. He came down to me in my cabin, and after the usualcompliments had passed, I asked him how he came to go home so soon inthe season; to which he replied, that there had been some disagreementbetween the governor and inhabitants of the Isle of France, and that hehad been sent home in haste with dispatches: This story was the moreplausible, as I had heard of the dispute between the governor andinhabitants of the Isle of France, from a French gentleman who came fromthence, at the Cape of Good Hope; yet I was not perfectly satisfied:For, supposing M. Bougainville to have been sent in haste to Europe withdispatches, I could not account for his losing the time which it costhim to speak with me; I therefore observed to this gentleman, thatalthough he had accounted for his coming before the usual time from theIsle of France, he had not accounted for his coming at an unusual timefrom India, which must have been the case. To this, however, he readilyreplied, that they had made only a short trading voyage on the westerncoast of Sumatra. I then enquired, what commodities he had brought fromthence; and he answered, cocoa-nut oil, and rattans: But, said I, theseare commodities which it is not usual to bring into Europe: It is true, said he, but these commodities we left at the Isle of France, the oilfor the use of the island, and the rattans for ships which were to touchthere in their way to China, and in exchange we took in another freightfor Europe; this freight I think he said was pepper, and his whole talebeing at least possible, I asked him no more questions. He then told me, he had heard at the Cape, that I had been with Commodore Byron atFalkland's Islands; and, said he, I was on board the French ship thatmet you in the Streight of Magellan, which must have been true, for hementioned several incidents that it was otherwise highly improbable heshould know, particularly the store-ship's running a-ground, and many ofthe difficulties that occurred in that part of the Streight which wepassed together: By this conversation he contrived to introduce severalenquiries, concerning the western part of the Streight, the time it costme to get through, and the difficulties of the navigation; butperceiving that I declined giving any account of these particulars, hechanged his subject. He said, he had heard that we lost an officer andsome men in an engagement with the Indians; and taking notice that myship was small, and a bad sailer, he insinuated that we must havesuffered great hardship in so long a voyage; but, said he, it is thoughtto be safer and pleasanter sailing in the South Sea than any where else. As I perceived that he waited for a reply, I said, that the great ocean, called the South Sea, extended almost from one pole to the other; andtherefore, although that part of it which lay between the tropics mightjustly be called the Pacific, on account of the trade-winds that blowthere all the year, yet without the tropics, on either side, the windswere variable, and the seas turbulent. In all this he readilyacquiesced, and finding that he could not draw from me any thing tosatisfy his curiosity, by starting leading subjects of conversation, hebegan to propose his questions in direct terms, and desired to know onwhich side the equator I had crossed the South Seas. As I did not thinkproper to answer this question, and wished to prevent others of the samekind, I rose up somewhat abruptly, and I believe with some marks ofdispleasure: At this he seemed to be a little disconcerted, and Ibelieve was about to make an apology for his curiosity, but I preventedhim, by desiring that he would make my compliments to his captain, andin return for his obliging civilities presented him with one of thearrows that had wounded my men, which I immediately went into mybed-room to fetch: He followed me, looking about him with greatcuriosity, as indeed he had done from the time of his first coming onboard, and having received the arrow, he took his leave. 

After he was gone, and we had made sail, I went upon the deck, where mylieutenant asked me, if my visitor had entertained me with an account ofhis voyage. This led me to tell him the general purport of ourconversation, upon which he assured me that the tale I had heard was afiction, for, says he, the boat's crew could not keep their secret sowell as their officer, but after a little conversation told one of ourpeople who was born at Quebec, and spoke French, that they had beenround the globe as well as we. This naturally excited a generalcuriosity, and with a very little difficulty we learnt that they hadsailed from Europe in company with another ship, which, wanting somerepair, had been left at the Isle of France; that they had attempted topass the Streight of Magellan the first summer, but not being able, hadgone back, and wintered in the river de la Plata; that the summerafterwards they had been more successful, and having passed theStreight, spent two months at the island of Juan Fernandes. Mylieutenant told me also, that a boy in the French boat said he had beenupon that island two years, and that while he was there, an Englishfrigate put into the road, but did not anchor, mentioning the time aswell as he could recollect, by which it appeared that the frigate he hadseen was the Swallow. On the boy's being asked how he came to be so longupon the island of Juan Fernandes, he said that he had been taken uponthe Spanish coast in the West Indies in a smuggling party, and sentthither by the Spaniards; but that by the French ship, in whose boat hecame on board us, having touched there, he had regained his liberty. After having received this information from my lieutenant, I couldeasily account for M. Bougainville's having made a tack to speak to me, and for the conversation and behaviour of my visitor; but I was now moredispleased at the questions he had asked me than before, for if it wasimproper for him to communicate an account of his voyage to me, it wasequally improper for me to communicate an account of my voyage to him:And I thought an attempt to draw me into a breach of my obligation tosecrecy, while he imposed upon me by a fiction that he might not violatehis own, was neither liberal nor just. As what the boat's crew told mypeople, differs in several particulars from the account printed by M. Bougainville, I shall not pretend to determine how much of it is true;but I was then very sorry that the lieutenant had not communicated to methe intelligence he received, such as it was, before my guest left me, and I was now very desirous to speak with him again, but this wasimpossible; for though the French ship was foul from a long voyage, andwe had just been cleaned, she shot by us as if we had been at anchor, notwithstanding we had a fine fresh gale, and all our sails set. [61]

[Footnote 61: Bougainville passes over the circumstance of meeting withthe Swallow in a very cursory manner: "The 28th we perceived a ship towindward, and a-head of us; we kept sight of her during the night, andjoined her the next morning; it was the Swallow. I offered Capt. C. Allthe services that one may render to another at sea. He wanted nothing;but upon his telling me that they had given him letters for France atthe Cape, I sent on board for them. He presented me with an arrow whichhe had got in one of the isles he had found in his voyage round theworld, _a voyage that he was far from suspecting we had likewise made_. His ship was very small, went very ill, and when we took leave of him, he remained as it were at anchor. How much he must have suffered in sobad a vessel, may well be conceived. There were eight leagues differencebetween his estimated longitude and ours; he reckoned himself so muchmore to the westward. " A little before, he had spoken of his wishing tojoin Carteret, over whom he knew he had great advantage in sailing. Thiswas in leaving the Cape of Good Hope, at which time Carteret was elevendays gone before him. --E. ]

On the 7th of March we made the Western Islands, and went between StMichael and Tercera; in this situation we found the variation 13°36'W. , and the winds began to blow from the S. W. The gale, as we got farther tothe westward, increased, and on the 11th, having got to W. N. W. It blewvery hard, with a great sea; we scudded before it with the foresailonly, the foot-rope of which suddenly breaking, the sail blew all topieces, before we could get the yard down, though it was done instantly. This obliged us to bring the ship to, but having, with all possibleexpedition, bent a new foresail, and got the yard up, we bore awayagain; this was the last accident that happened to us during the voyage. On the 16th, being in latitude 49° 15' N. We got soundings. On the 18th, I knew by the depth of water that we were in the Channel, but the windbeing to the northward, we could not make land till the next day, whenwe saw the Star Point; and on the 20th, to our great joy, we anchored atSpithead, after a very fine passage, and a fair wind all the way fromthe Cape of Good Hope. 

_A Table of the Variation of the Compass, as observed on board theSwallow, in her Voyage round the Globe, in the Years_ 1766, 1767, 1768, _and_ 1769. 

N. B. The days of the month in this Table are not by the nauticalaccount, as is the custom, but, for the convenience of those that arenot used to that way of reckoning, are reduced to the civil account. A. M. Denotes that the observation was made in the forenoon, and P. M. Inthe afternoon of that day on the noon of which the latitude andlongitude of the ship were taken. 

 TIME. Lat. In Long. In Variation. REMARKS. At Noon at Noon from _________________________________________________________________

 North. West. West. 1766, August. English Channel 22°30' }30, P. M. 45°22 18°17' 20 25 }From the Downs toSept. 3, P. M. 38 36 13 40 19 04 } of Madeira. 4, A. M. 37 27 14 12 20 17 }

Island Madeira. 32 34 16 35 16 0017, A. M. 24 33 19 22 13 0021, A. M. 17 19 22 19 11 14 }The island of Sall }in sight, S. }by W. Ten leagues22, P. M, 16 34 22 29 8 20 }Was then between the }island of Sall }and the island of May. Porto Praya 15 00 23 00 8 00 }Island of St. Jago. 

Oct. 10, P. M. 6 34 21 41 5 36 } 11, P. M. 6 40 21 35 6 00 } South. } 22, A. M. 0 06 25 03 6 23 }On the passage from }the island 25, A. M. 4 14 27 23 4 30 }of St Jago to the 27, A. M 7 03 28 49 3 52 }Streights 28, A. M. 8 46 29 14 1 50 }of Magellan. 30, P. M. 10 57 30 09 0 30 } 31, A. M. 12 30 30 30 Novar } East. Oct. 31, P. M. 12 56 30 46 1 24 } Nov. 2, P. M. 17 22 32 09 1 40 } 7, A. M. 23 54 38 10 4 56 } P. M. - - - - 5 56 } 8, P. M. 25 49 39 21 6 45 } Coast of Patagonia. 11, A. M. 29 57 42 27 8 50 } 15, A. M. 34 12 46 41 12 00 } 16, A. M. 34 38 47 58 12 36 } 17, A. M. 34 46 48 28 13 03 } P. M. - - - - 14 20 }

Nov. 18, AM 35° 37' 49° 49' 30' }Soundings 54 fathoms of }water, with a bottom of fine }black sand, rather muddy. PM. 15 45 }Ditto depth and bottom. 20, PM. 36 57 51 48 15 33 }Ditto depth, find sand, but }not so black, with small }shells. 21, AM. 37 40 51 05 15 52 }Had no bottom with 80 fathoms }of line. 38 53 53 12 }Had soundings a 70 fathoms }water. 40 34 53 47 }No bottom with 90 fathoms of }line. 41 34 55 39 }45 fathoms, dark brown sandy }bottom. 41 57 56 06 }42 fathoms, fine grey sand. 

 41 06 57 18 }46 fathoms, fine dark brown }sand. 28, AM. 41 14 56 48 19 00 }39 fathoms ditto bottom. Here }we caught very good fish }with hooks and lines. 29, AM. 42 08 58 41 19 02 }32 fathoms of water, with }ditto bottom. PM. 19 45 }33 fathoms depth. 43 18 58 56 }Depth 45 fathoms, the same }bottom; we had here a calm, }and we caught good fish. 44 04 58 53 }52 fathoms water, the same }bottom. 45 00 59 34 }58 fathoms, fine light brown }sand. Dec, 4, PM. 47 00 60 51 20 20 47 15 61 10 }60 fathoms, fine dark sand. 5, AM. 48 01 61 28 }56 fathoms, with ditto }bottom, and grains of }sparkling sand mixed with it. 6, AM. 47 35 62 50 20 34 47 30 63 08 }45 fathoms of water, dark }sand, with small stones, and 47 30 63 08 }in going west about 10 miles }we had 52 fathoms, a bottom }of soft mud 7, AM. 47 14 63 37 }54 fathoms, soft mud, with }small stones; at this time }the land was seen from the }mastheads, somewhere about }Cape Blanco. 8, PM. 48 54 64 14 20 30 9, AM. 49 12 65 31 20 35 1766. Dec. 9, A. M. 50° 15' 66°02' - - }53 fathoms. Dark grey sand, }with small stones. 17, Cape Virgin Mary, eastermost entrance of the Streight Magellan - 52 23 68 02 22 50 Elizabeth Island 22 36 Port Famine 22 22 Off C. Forward 22 10 York Road Ditto }In the Streights Swallow Har. }of Magellan. Off C. Notch. 22 00 1767, Off C. Upr. Off C. Pillar 52 45 75 10 21 50 }Westernmost entrance of }the Streights. April 18, P. M. 49 18 79 06 17 36 20, A. M. 48 04 80 56 17 20 }Coast of Chili, in the }South Sea. 26, P. M. 45 57 81 22 16 17 28, P. M. 44 27 81 24 15 10

 33 40 78 52 11 00 }end of the islandMay }Juan Fernandes. 33 45 80 46 10 24 }Island of Massafuero. 28, P. M. 29 45 79 50 9 40 } 31, P. M. 26 26 82 15 8 10 }June 1, P. M. 25 51 84 23 8 8 } 7, P. M. 27 23 97 16 5 45 } 8. A. M. 27 20 97 51 5 45 } 10. A. M. 26 30 98 25 5 40 } 12, P. M. 26 53 100 21 4 13 }In Crossing the South Sea 16, P. M. 28 11 111 15 2 00 } 17, A. M. 28 04 112 37 1 51 } 18. P. M. 28 07 113 55 2 00 } 20. A. M. 28 04 116 29 2 09 } 30. P. M. 26 00 130 55 2 32 }

July 2. P. M. 25 02 133 38 2 46 }Off Pitcairn's Island. 

 3, 25 00 136 16 2 30 } 4, A. M. 25 24 137 18 3 43 } 5, A. M. 24 56 137 23 5 24 } 6. A. M. 24 32 138 31 4 16 } 7, A. M. 24 10 139 55 5 12 } P. M. 4 02 } 8. A. M. 23 46 139 55 5 56 } 10, P. M. 21 38 141 36 4 20 } 12, A. M. 20 36 145 39 4 40 }Crossing the South Sea. 20, 38 146 00 5 00 } 13, P. M. 21 07 147 44 5 46 } 15, A. M. 21 46 150 50 6 23 } 16, P. M. 22 02 151 09 6 34 } 19, P. M. 19 50 153 59 6 08 } 20, P. M. 19 08 156 15 7 09 } 21, P. M. 18 43 158 27 7 38 } 1767. South. West. East. July 23, P. M. 16°22' 162 32' 6 05' } 24, P. M. 14 19 163 34 6 29 } 25, A. M. 12 13 164 50 9 30 } P. M. - - - 9 40 } 26, A. M. 10 01 166 52 9 00 } 28, A. M. 9 50 171 26 9 04 } 30, A. M. 9 50 175 38 9 32 } P. M. - - - 9 00 } Crossing the South Sea. Aug. 1, A. M. 9 53 179 33 10 04 } East. } 2, A. M. 10 09 178 58 10 30 } 4, A. M. 10 22 177 10 10 54 } 5, A. M. 10 35 175 50 11 14 } P. M. - - - - 10 52 } 7, P. M. 10 52 172 23 11 17 }

 8, P. M. 11 02 171 15 10 27 9, A. M. 10 56 171 00 10 02 11, P. M. 10 49 167 00 10 38Cape Byron - 10 40 164 49 11 00 }N. E. End of Egmont, one of }the Charlotte Islands. 18, P. M. 9 58 162 57 8 30 19, P. M. 8 52 160 41 8 30 20, A. M. 7 53 158 56 8 31 7 56 158 56 8 20 }Off Carterets's and }Gowers's Isl. 22, P. M. 6 24 157 32 7 42 24, P. M. 5 07 155 08 6 25 26, P. M. 4 46 153 17 7 14In sight and on the west side of } 6 30Nova Britannia. }

C. Saint George. 5 00 152 19 5 20 }Nova Hibernia. 

 In St George's Channel 4 40 }Nova Britannia }here the land }seemed to have an }effect on the needle. Sept. 16, A. M. 2 19 145 31 6 30 }Off the Admiralty Islands. 

 19, A. M. 1 57 143 28 5 26 } 1 45 143 02 4 40 } 20, P. M. 1 33 142 22 4 40 } 21, A. M. 1 20 141 29 4 54 } 22, P. M. 0 52 139 56 4 30 } 23, P. M. 0 05 138 56 4 17 } North. - - }From the Admiralty Islands 24, P. M. 0 05 138 41 3 09 }to the island of Mindanao. 27, A. M. 2 13 136 41 2 30 } P. M. - - - - 2 09 } 2 50 136 17 2 00 } 30, A. M. 4 25 134 37 1 41 } Oct. 3, A. M. 4 41 132 51 3 09 } P. M. - - 3 14 } 5, P. M. 4 31 132 39 3 10 }1767. North. West. West. Oct. 6, A. M. 4°21' 132°45' 3°33 } 8, A. M. 3 53 134 13 3 38 } 9, A. M. 4 03 134 04 3 11 } 12, P. M. 4 49 133 42 2 19 }From the Admiralty Islands 13, P. M. 5 12 133 27 2 20 }to the island of Mindanao. 16, A. M. 5 54 133 10 2 34 } 27, P. M. 6 35 127 56 2 10 }

Caps St Aug. 6 15 127 20 1 45 }Island of Mindanao. South End 5 34 126 25 1 20 }Off the island Mindanao. 

 Nov. 6, A. M. 5 34 125 40 0 48 } P. M. - - - - 0 49 } 7, P. M. 5 37 125 23 0 39 } 8, P. M. 5 30 124 41 0 50 } 14, A. M. 1 57 122 04 0 06 }From the island of Mindanao 26, P. M. 0 04 118 15 0 19 }to the Streights of South. }Macassar. 27, A. M. 0 14 117 45 0 12 }Dec. 7. 3 26 116 45 0 27 }

Bonthain 5 30 117 53 1 16 }At the Island of Celebes. 

Island Tonikaky 5 31 117 17 1 00 }Off the S. E. End of the1768. }Island Celebes. 

 May 29, P. M. 5 29 110 23 0 56 Off Madura - 0 30 }On the N. E. Part of the Batavia - - 0 25 }island of Java. Sept. 30, P. M. 7 41 101 36 0 51 } Oct. 2, P. M. 10 37 97 19 2 06 } 4, P. M. 12 13 93 56 3 12 } 12, P. M. 19 50 76 40 3 30 } 14, P. M. 21 47 72 47 6 26 } 15, P. M. 22 53 70 47 8 09 } 17, A. M. 24 23 68 02 9 36 } P. M. - - 11 20 } 18, P. M. 25 08 67 21 11 50 } 19, P. M. 25 08 67 08 12 49 } 20, A. M. 24 59 66 35 12 54 } P. M. - - - - 11 48 } 24, A. M. 23 21 64 31 12 54 }From the Streights of Sunda 25, P. M. 23 23 63 35 12 39 }to the Cape of Good Hope. 26, A. M. 23 32 62 43 13 42 } 28, P. M. 24 52 60 14 16 10 } 30, P. M. 25 40 56 50 18 18 } 31, P. M. 26 31 54 49 18 24 } Nov. 1, A. M. 27 05 52 57 20 12 } P. M. - - - - 20 20 } 3, A. M. 27 40 50 55 20 58 } P. M. - - - - 21 23 } 4, P. M. 27 42 50 10 21 15 } 5, P. M. 27 44 49 01 21 09 } 6, P. M. 28 58 46 23 22 38 } 1768. South. East. West. Nov. 7, A. M. 29°59' 43'55 24°40 } P. M. - - - - 24 55 } 8, P. M. 30 12 42 51 25 39 } 9, A. M. 30 19 41 97 25 50 } 10, P. M. 30 37 40 48 25 32 } 11, A. M. 32 02 38 47 25 08 } 12, P. M. 32 39 37 17 25 02 }From the Streights of Sunda 13, P. M. 33 21 35 27 25 05 }toThe Cape of Good Hope. 19, P. M. 35 17 28 38 22 32 } 20, P. M. 35 42 27 22 22 46 } 21, P. M. 35 46 27 00 22 18 } 22, P. M. 35 04 26 29 22 50 } 23, P. M. 34 57 25 46 21 39 } 24, P. M. 34 52 25 28 21 44 }C. Good Hope. 34 24 18 30 19 40 } 1769. Jan. 9, P. M. 30 37 13 08 19 20 } 14, P. M. 22 16 4 52 16 19 } 15, P. M. 21 04 3 54 16 81 }From the Cape to the island 18, P. M. 17 05 0 10 14 38 }of Saint Helena. West. } 19, P. M. 16 06 1 38 13 46 }

 25, P. M. 14 22 7 04 12 30 }From the island of Saint 26, P. M. 12 54 8 05 11 47 }Helena to the island of 27, P. M. 11 36 9 25 11 40 }Ascension. 28, P. M. 10 26 10 36 10 46 }

Feb. 2, P. M. 6 45 14 42 9 34 } 3, P. M. 5 04 15 45 9 04 } 4, A. M. 3 26 16 49 9 10 } 5, P. M. 2 01 17 34 8 58 } 6, P. M. 0 20 18 27 8 32 } North. } 7, P. M. 0 58 19 24 8 37 } 8, A. M. 1 56 20 16 8 25 } 10, P. M. 2 39 28 58 7 21 } 15, P. M. 6 38 32 40 4 35 }From the island of 16, P M. 8 03 24 18 6 09 }Ascension to England. 19, P. M. 12 06 24 34 6 48 } 21, P. M. 14 39 27 15 6 12 } 26, A. M. 23 54 28 15 6 00 }March 3, P. M. 32 33 23 35 13 26 } 4, A. M. 34 02 22 32 13 43 } 5, P. M. 35. 30 21 56 14 53 } 6, A. M. 36 46 21 23 15 15 } P. M. - - - - 14 58 } etween the islands of Tercera } 13 36 } and Saint Michael. 1769. North. West. West. 

Mar. 28. P. M. 39°09' 19° 02' 16° 46' From this day till my arrival in England, the weather was so bad that we had no opportunity of making any observation of the variation. 

N. B. The ill sailing of the Swallow prevented me from getting a sufficient number of soundings to make a separate Table. 

CHAPTER IV. 

AN ACCOUNT OF A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, IN THE YEARS 1768, 1769, 1770, AND 1771, BY LIEUTENANT JAMES COOK, COMMANDER OF HIS MAJESTY'S BARK THEENDEAVOUR. 

[In addition to Cook's papers, Dr Hawkesworth had the use of a journalkept by Sir Joseph Banks, in drawing up the account of this voyage; afavour which he has not neglected to specify in his introduction. Thatintroduction, however, and several references to plates, with some othermatters deemed of little or no import, or elsewhere given, are nowomitted. ]

SECTION I. 

_The Passage from Plymouth to Madeira, with tome Account of thatIsland. _

Having received my commission, which was dated the 25th of May 1768, Iwent on board on the 27th, hoisted the pennant, and took charge, of theship, which then lay in the bason in Deptford yard. She was fitted forsea with all expedition; and stores and provisions being taken on board, sailed down the river on the 30th of July, and on the 13th of Augustanchored in Plymouth Sound. 

While we lay here waiting for a wind, the articles of war and the act ofparliament were read to the ship's company, who were paid two months'wages in advance, and told that they were to expect no additional payfor the performance of the voyage. 

On Friday the 26th of August, the wind becoming fair, we got under sail, and put to sea. On the 31st, we saw several of the birds which thesailors call Mother Carey's Chickens, and which they suppose to be theforerunners of a storm; and on the next day we had a very hard gale, which brought us under our courses, washed overboard a small boatbelonging to the boatswain, and drowned three or four dozen of ourpoultry, which we regretted still more. 

On Friday the 2d of September we saw land between Cape Finisterre andCape Ortegal, on the coast of Gallicia, in Spain; and on the 5th, by anobservation of the sun and moon, we found the latitude of CapeFinisterre to be 42° 53' north, and its longitude 8° 46' west, our firstmeridian being always supposed to pass through Greenwich; variation ofthe needle 21° 4' west. 

During this course, Mr Banks and Dr Solander had an opportunity ofobserving many marine animals, of which no naturalist has hitherto takennotice; particularly a new species of the _oniscus_, which was foundadhering to the _medusa pelagica_; and an animal of an angular figure, about three inches long, and one thick, with a hollow passing quitethrough it, and a brown spot on one end, which they conjectured might beits stomach; four of these adhered together by their sides when theywere taken, so that at first they were thought to be one animal; butupon being put into a glass of water they soon separated, and swam aboutvery briskly. These animals are of a new genus, to, which Mr Banks andDr Solander gave the name of _Dagysa_, from the likeness of one speciesof them to a gem. Several specimens of them were taken adhering togethersometimes to the length of a yard or more, and shining in the water withvery beautiful colours. Another animal of a new genus they alsodiscovered, which shone in the water with colours still more beautifuland vivid, and which indeed exceeded in variety and brightness any thingthat we had ever seen: The colouring and splendour of these animals wereequal to those of an opal, and from their resemblance to that gem, thegenus was called _Carcnium Opalinum_. One of them lived several hours ina glass of salt water, swimming about with great agility, and at everymotion displaying a change of colours almost infinitely various. Wecaught also among the rigging of the ship, when we were at the distanceof about ten leagues from Cape Finisterre; several birds which have notbeen described by Linnaeus; they were supposed to have come from Spain, and our gentlemen called the species _Motacilla velificans_, as theysaid none but sailors would venture themselves on board a ship that wasgoing round the world. One of them was so exhausted that it died in MrBanks's hand, almost as soon as it was brought to him. 

It was thought extraordinary that no naturalist had hitherto takennotice of the Dagysa, as the sea abounds with them not twenty leaguesfrom the coast of Spain; but, unfortunately for the cause of science, there are but very few of those who traverse the sea, that are eitherdisposed or qualified to remark the curiosities of which nature hasmade it the repository. 

On the 12th we discovered the islands of Porto Santo and Madeira, and onthe next day anchored in Funchiale road, and moored with thestream-anchor: But, in the night, the bend of the hawser of thestream-anchor slipped, owing to the negligence of the person who hadbeen employed to make it fast. In the morning the anchor was heaved upinto the boat, and carried out to the southward; but in heaving itagain, Mr Weir, the master's mate, was carried overboard by thebuoy-rope, and went to the bottom with the anchor; the people in theship saw the accident, and got the anchor up with all possibleexpedition; it was however too late, the body came up entangled in thebuoy-rope, but it was dead. 

When the island of Madeira is first approached from the sea, it has avery beautiful appearance; the sides of the hills being entirely coveredwith vines almost as high as the eye can distinguish; and the vines aregreen when every kind of herbage, except where they shade the ground, and here and there by the sides of a rill, is entirely burnt up, whichwas the case at this time. 

On the 13th, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, a boat, which oursailors call the product boat, came on board from the officers ofhealth, without whose permission no person is suffered to land from onboard a ship. As soon as this permission was obtained, we went on shoreat Funchiale, the capital of the island, and proceeded directly to thehouse of Mr Cheap, the English consul there, and one of the mostconsiderable merchants of the place. This gentleman received us with thekindness of a brother, and the liberality of a prince; he insisted uponour taking possession of his house, in which he famished us with everypossible accommodation during our stay upon the island: He procuredleave for Mr Banks and Dr Solander to search the island for such naturalcuriosities as they should think worth their notice; employed persons totake fish and gather shells, which time would not have permitted them tocollect for themselves; and be provided horses and guides to take themto any part of the country which they should chuse to visit. With allthese advantages, however, their excursions were seldom pushed fartherthan three miles from the town, as they were only five days on shore;one of which they spent at home, in receiving the honour of a visit fromthe governor. The season was the worst in the year for their purpose, asit was neither that of plants nor insects; a few of the plants, however, were procured in flower, by the kind attention of Dr Heberden, the chiefphysician of the island, and brother to Dr Heberden of London, who alsogave them such specimens as he had in his possession, and a copy of hisBotanical Observations; containing, among other things, a particulardescription of the trees of the island. Mr Banks enquired after the woodwhich has been imported into England for cabinet-work, and is herecalled Madeira mahogany: He learnt that no wood was exported from theisland under that name, but he found a tree called by the nativesVigniatico, the _Laurus indicus_ of Linnaeus, the wood of which cannoteasily be distinguished from mahogany. Dr Heberden had a book-case inwhich the vigniatico and mahogany were mixed, and they were nootherwise to be known from each other than by the colour, which, upon anice examination, appears to be somewhat less brown in the vigniaticothan the mahogany; it is therefore in the highest degree probable, thatthe wood known in England by the name of Madeira mahogany, is thevigniatico. 

There is great reason to suppose that this whole island was, at someremote period, thrown up by the explosion of subterraneous fire, asevery stone, whether whole or in fragments, that we saw upon it, appeared to have been burnt, and even the sand itself to be nothing morethan ashes: We did not, indeed, see much of the country, but the peopleinformed us that what we did see was a very exact specimen of therest. [62]

[Footnote 62: This opinion about the volcanic origin of the island ofMadeira, has found several advocates since the publication of this work. The following quotation from a paper by the Hon. H. G. Bennet, containedin the first volume of the Geological Society Transactions, may famishthe inquisitive reader with a short summary of the principal appearanceson which this opinion rests. "To my mind, the most interestinggeological facts, are, 1. The intersection of the lava, by dikes atright angles with the strata. --2. The rapid dips which the strata make, particularly the overlaying of that of the Brazen Head to the eastwardof Funchial, where the blue, grey, and red lavas are rolled up in onemass, as if they had slipped together from an upper stratum. --3. Thecolumnar form of the lava itself, reposing on, and covered by beds ofscoria, ashes, and pumice, which affords a strong argument for thevolcanic origin of the columns themselves. And, 4. The veins ofcarbonate of lime and zeolite, which are not found here in solitarypieces, as in the vicinity of AEtna and Vesuvius, but are amid the lavasand in the strata of pumice and tufa, and are diffused on the lavaitself, and occasionally crystallized in its cavities. "--E. ]

The only article of trade in this island is wine, and the manner inwhich it is made is so simple, that it might have been used by Noah, whois said to have planted the first vineyard after the flood: The grapesare put into a square wooden vessel, the dimensions of which areproportioned to the size of the vineyard to which it belongs; theservants then, having taken off their stockings and jackets, get intoit, and with their feet and elbows, press out as much of the juice asthey can: The stalks are afterwards collected, and being tied togetherwith a rope, are put under a square piece of wood, which is pressed downupon them by a lever with a stone tied to the end of it. 

It was with great difficulty that the people of Madeira were persuadedto engraft their vines, and some of them still obstinately refused toadopt the practice, though a whole vintage is very often spoiled by thenumber of bad grapes which are mixed in the vat, and which they will notthrow out, because they increase the quantity of the wine: An instanceof the force of habit, which is the more extraordinary, as they haveadopted the practice of engrafting with respect to their chestnut-trees, an object of much less importance, which, however, are thus brought tobear sooner than they would otherwise have done. [63]

[Footnote 63: The censure passed on the carelessness of the people ofMadeira as to the manufacture of their wine, does not now apply; for, according to Mr Barrow, who touched here in his voyage to Cochin China, (an account of which appeared in 1806) the care and pains used inchoosing the freshest and ripest grapes only for the wine-press, arealmost incredible. Madeira exports about 15, 000 pipes of wine yearly, ofwhich not one-third part comes to England--about 5500 pipes are takenout to India. --E. ]

We saw no wheel-carriages of any sort in the place, which perhaps wasnot more owing to the want of ingenuity to invent them, than to the wantof industry to mend the roads, which, at that time, it was impossiblethat any wheel-carriage should pass: The inhabitants had horses andmules indeed, excellently adapted to such ways; but their wine, notwithstanding, was brought to town from the vineyards where it wasmade, in vessels of goat-skins, which were carried by men upon theirheads. The only imitation of a carriage among these people was a board, made somewhat hollow in the middle, to one end of which a pole was tied, by a strap of whit-leather: This wretched sledge approached about astreat to an English cart, as an Indian canoe to a ship's long-boat; andeven this would probably never have been thought of, if the English hadnot introduced wine vessels, which are too big to be carried by hand, and which, therefore, were dragged about the town upon these machines. 

One reason, perhaps, why art and industry have done so little forMadeira is, nature's having done so much. The soil is very rich, andthere is such a difference of climate between the plains and the hills, that there is scarcely a single object of luxury that grows either inEurope or the Indies, that might not be produced here. When we went tovisit Dr Heberden, who lived upon a considerable ascent, about two milesfrom town, we left the thermometer at 74; and when we arrived at hishouse, we found it at 66. The hills produce, almost spontaneously, walnuts, chesnuts, and apples in great abundance; and in the town thereare many plants which are the natives both of the East and West Indies, particularly the banana, the guava, the pineapple or anana, and themango, which flourish almost without culture. The corn of this countryis of a most excellent quality, large-grained and very fine, and theisland would produce it in great plenty, yet most of what is consumed bythe inhabitants is imported. The mutton, pork, and beef are also verygood; the beef in particular, which we took on board here, wasuniversally allowed to be scarcely inferior to our own; the lean partwas very like it, both in colour and grain, though the beasts are muchsmaller, but the fat is as white as the fat of mutton. The town ofFrunchiale derives its name from _Funcho_, the Portuguese name forfennel, which grows in great plenty upon the neighbouring rocks; by theobservation of Dr Heberden, it lies in the latitude of 32° 35' 33" N. And longitude 16° 49' W. It is situated in the bottom of a bay, andthough larger than the extent of the island seems to deserve, is veryill built; the houses of the principal inhabitants are large, those ofthe common people are small, the streets are narrow, and worse pavedthan any I ever saw. The churches are loaded with ornaments, among whichare many pictures, and images of favourite saints, but the pictures arein general wretchedly painted, and the saints are dressed in lacedclothes. Some of the convents are in a better taste, especially that ofthe Franciscans, which is plain, simple and neat in the highest degree. The infirmary in particular drew our attention as a model which might beadopted in other countries with great advantage. It consists of a longroom, on one side of which are the windows, and an altar for theconvenience of administering the sacrament to the sick: The other sideis divided into wards, each of which is just big enough to contain abed, and neatly lined with gally-tiles; behind these wards, and parallelto the room in which they stand, there runs a long gallery, with whicheach ward communicates by a door, so that the sick may be separatelysupplied with whatever they want without disturbing their neighbours. Inthis convent there is also a singular curiosity of another kind; a smallchapel, the whole lining of which, both sides and ceiling, is composedof human sculls and thigh-bones; the thigh-bones are laid across eachother, and a scull is placed in each of the four angles. Among thesculls one is very remarkable; the upper and the lower jaw, on one side, perfectly and firmly cohere; how the ossification which unites them wasformed, it is not perhaps very easy to conceive, but it is certain thatthe patient must have lived some time without opening his mouth: Whatnourishment he received was conveyed through a hole which we discoveredto have been made on the other side, by forcing out some of the teeth, in doing which the jaw also seems to have been injured. 

We visited the good fathers of this convent on a Thursday day evening, just before supper-time, and they received us with great politeness: "Wewill not ask you, said they, to sup with us, because we are notprepared, but if you will come to-morrow, though it is a fast with us, we will have a turkey roasted for you. " This invitation, which shewed aliberality of sentiment not to have been expected in a convent ofPortuguese friars at this place, gratified us much, though it was not inour power to accept it. [64]

[Footnote 64: Mr Barrow is no admirer of the monks that swarm inMadeira--he represents them as a very worthless, and a very ignorantrace of beings. --E. ]

We visited also a convent of nuns, dedicated to _Santa Clara_, and theladies did us the honour to express a particular pleasure in seeing usthere: They had heard that there were great philosphers among us, andnot at all knowing what were the objects of philosophical knowledge, they asked us several questions that were absurd and extravagant in thehighest degree; one was, when it would thunder; and another, whether aspring of fresh water was to be found any where within the walls oftheir convent, of which it seems they were in great want. It willnaturally be supposed that our answers to such questions were neithersatisfactory to the ladies, nor, in their situation, honourable to us;yet their disappointment did not in the least lessen their civility, andthey talked, without ceasing, during the whole of our visit, whichlasted about half an hoar. [65]

[Footnote 65: According to Mr Barrow's account, it should seem, thatthough there are several nunneries in this island, "not a singleinstance of the veil being taken has occurred for many years past. "--E. ]

The hills of this country are very high; the highest, Pico Ruivo, rises5, 068 feet, near an English mile, perpendicularly from its base, whichis much higher than any land that has been measured in GreatBritain. [66] The sides of these hills are covered with vines to acertain height, above which there are woods of chesnut and pine ofimmense extent, and above them forests of wild timber of various kindsnot known in Europe; particularly two, called by the Portuguese_Mirmulano_ and _Paobranco_, the leaves of both which, particularly the_Paobranco_, are so beautiful, that these trees would be a greatornament to the gardens of Europe. 

[Footnote 66: In Mr Leslie's table of the heights of mountains appendedto the second edition of his Elements of Geometry, the altitude of thisremarkable peak is stated to be 5162 English feet, but on what authorityis not mentioned. That of Ben Nevis, in Inverness-shire, as ascertainedby the barometer, is 4380. --E. ]

The number of inhabitants in this island is supposed to be about 80, 000, and the custom-house duties produce a revenue to the king of Portugal of20, 000 a-year, clear of all essences, which might easily by doubled bythe product of the island, exclusive of the vines, if advantage weretaken of the excellence of the climate, and the amazing fertility of thesoil; but-this object is utterly neglected by the Portugueze. In thetrade of the inhabitants of Madeira with Lisbon the balance is againstthem, so that all the Portugueze money naturally going thither, thecurrency of the island is Spanish: there are indeed a few Portuguesepieces of copper, but they are so scarce that we did not see one ofthem: The Spanish coin, is of three denominations; Pistereens, worthabout a shilling; Bitts, worth about sixpence; and Half bitts, threepence. [67]

[Footnote 67: The reader need scarcely be apprized of the necessity ofverifying on modifying the account of some of the particulars now givenrespecting Madeira, by an appeal to more recent authorities. A hint tothis effect is sufficient, without further occupying his attention onthe subject. --E. ]

The tides at this place flow at the fall and change of the moon, northand south; the spring-tides rise seven feet perpendicular, and theneap-tides four. By Dr Heberden's observation, the variation of thecompass here is now 15° 30' west, and decreasing; but I have some doubtwhether he is not mistaken with respect to its decrease: We found thatthe north point of the dipping needle belonging to the Royal Societydipped 77° 18'. 

The refreshments to be had here, are water, wine, fruit of severalsorts, onions in plenty; and some sweetmeats; fresh-meat and poultry arenot to be had without leave from the governor, and the payment of a veryhigh price. We took in 270 lib. Of fresh, beer, and a live bullock, charged at 613 lib. 3, 032 gallons of water, and ten tons of wine; and inthe night, between Sunday the 18th and Monday the 19th of September, weset sail in prosecution of our voyage. 

When Funchiale bore north, 13 east, at the distance of seventy-sixmiles, the variation appeared by several azimuths to be 16° 30'West. 

SECTION II. 

_The Passage from Madeira to Rio de Janeiro, with some Account of theCountry, and the Incidents that happened there_. 

On the 21st of September we saw the islands called the Salvages, to thenorth of the Canaries; when, the principal of these bore S. 1/2 W. Atthe distance of about five leagues, we found the variation of thecompass by an azimuth to be 17° 50. I make these islands to lie tolatitude 80° 11' north, and distant fifty-eight leagues from Funchialein Madeira, in the direction of S. 16° E. 

On Friday the 23d we saw the Peak of Teneriffe bearing W. By. S. 1/2 S. And found the variation of the compass to be from 17° 22' to 16° 30'. The height of this mountain, from which I took a new departure, wasdetermined by Dr. Heberden, who has been upon it, to be 15, 396 feet, which is but 148 yards less than, three miles, reckoning, the mile at1760 yards. [68] Its appearance at sunset was very striking; when thesun was below the horizon, and the rest of the island appeared of a deepblack, the mountain still reflected his rays, and glowed with a warmthof colour which no painting can express. There is no eruption of visiblefire from it, but a heat issues from the chinks near the top, too strongto be borne by the hand when it is held near them. We had received fromDr Heberden, among other favours, some salt which he collected on thetop of the mountain, where it is found in large quantities, and which hesupposed to be the true _natrum_ or _nitrum_ of the ancients:He gave us also some native sulphur exceedingly pure, which he had likewisefound upon the surface in great plenty. 

[Footnote 68: It is not said by what means Dr H. Ascertained the heightof this peak, and one may safely call in question his accuracy. In thetable referred to in a former note, its height, as measured by thebarometer, is stated to be 12, 358 English feet, being nearly 10, 000 feetlower than that of Chimborazo, the highest summit of the Andes, which isestimated at 21, 440. But there is a good deal of contrariety in thestatements of the heights of mountains. The following quotations fromKrusenstern's account of his voyage will both prove this, and at thesame time give the reader some lively conception of the magnificenteffect of the Peak. "At half past six in the morning we distinctly sawthe island of Tenerifle, and at seven the pic cleared itself of theclouds in which it had been enveloped until then and appeared to us inall its majestic grandeur. As its summit was covered with snow, and wasextremely brilliant from the reflection of the sun, this contributedvery much to the beauty of the scene. On either side, to the east andwest, the mountains, which nature seems to have destined to sustain thisenormous mass, appeared gradually to decline. Every one of the mountainswhich surround the pic, would be considerable in itself: but theirheight scarcely attracts the attention of the beholder, although theycontribute to diminish the apparent size of the pic, which, if it stoodalone, would be much more striking, " "At six the next morning, (this wasthe second morning after leaving Tenerifie) we still saw the pic fromthe deck; it bore by compass, N. E. 15° 30', that is, allowing for thevariation, which is here 16° W. ; N. W. 0° 30'. At noon, we had anobservation in 26° 13' 51" latitude, and 16° 58' 25" longitude. Betweensix in the morning and noon we had lessened our latitude 21' 53", andincreased our longitude 19' 15". The ship was consequently, at the timewe saw the pic, in 26° 35' 45" lat. And 16° 39' 10" long. And as, according to Borda and Pingre, the pic lies in 28° 17' N. Lat. And 19°00' W. Long. Of Paris, or 16° 40' of Greenwich, we must have seen it atsix o'clock at the distance of 101 miles, and due north of us, in whichdirection it in fact bore. In very dear weather the pic may be seen 25miles farther off from the mast-head; but this is the greatest distancewhich it is visible even from that height, and under the most favourablecircumstances. The elevation of the pic has been determined by severalobservations. Borda's calculation, which is founded on a geometricaladmeasurement, and is conceived to be the most correct, makes it 1905toises, or 11, 430 feet. " The relations which some authors have given ofthe height of this famous pic or peak, are extravagant beyond allcredibility. The reader will meet with some of them in Crutwell'sGazeteer. --E. ]

On the next day, Saturday the 24th, we came into the north-easttrade-wind, and on Friday the 30th saw Bona Vista, one of the Cape deVerd Islands; we ranged the east side of it, at the distance of three orfour miles from the shore, till we were obliged to haul off to avoid aledge of rocks which stretch out S. W. By W. From the body, or S. E. Pointof the island, to the extent of a league and a half. Bona Vista by ourobservation lies in latitude 16° N. And longitude 21° 51' west. 

On the 1st of October, in latitude 14° 6' N. And longitude 32° 10' W. Wefound the variation by a very good azimuth to be 10° 37' W. And the nextmorning it appeared to be 10°. This day we found the ship five milesa-head of the log, and the next day seven. On the 3d, hoisted out theboat to discover whether there was a current, and found one to theeastward, at the rate of three quarters of a mile an hour. 

During our course from Teneriffe to Bona Vista we saw great numbers offlying fish, which from the cabin-windows appear beautiful beyondimagination, their sides having the colour and brightness of burnishedsilver; when they are seen from the deck they do not appear to so muchadvantage, because their backs are of a dark colour. We also took ashark, which proved to be the _Squalus Carcharias_ of Linnaeus. 

Having lost the trade-wind on the 3d, in latitude 12°14', and longitude22°10', the wind became somewhat variable, and we had light airs andcalms by turns. 

On the 7th, Mr Banks went out in the boat, and took what the seamen calla Portuguese man of war; it is the _Holuthuria Physalis_ of Linnaeus, and a species of the _Mollusca_. It consisted of a small bladder aboutseven inches long, very much resembling the air-bladder of fishes, fromthe bottom of which descended a number of strings of a bright blue andred, some of them three or four feet in length, which upon being touchedsting like a nettle, but with much more force. On the top of the bladderis a membrane which is used as a sail, and turned so as to receive thewind which way soever it blows: This membrane is marked in finepink-coloured veins, and the animal is in every respect an objectexquisitely curious and beautiful. 

We also took several of the shell-fishes, or testaceous animals, whichare always found floating upon the water, particularly the _HelixJanthina_ and _Violacea_; they are about the size of a snail, and aresupported upon the surface of the water by a small cluster of bubbles, which are filled with air, and consist of a tenacious slimy substancethat will not easily part with its contents; the animal is oviparous, and these bubbles serve also as a _nidus_ for its eggs. It is probablethat it never goes down to the bottom, nor willingly approaches anyshore; for the shell is exceedingly brittle, and that of few fresh-watersnails is so thin: Every shell contains about a tea-spoonful of liquor, which it easily discharges upon being touched, and which is of the mostbeautiful red-purple that can be conceived. It dies linen cloth, and itmay perhaps be worth enquiry, as the shell is certainly found in theMediterranean, whether it be not the _Purpura_ of the ancients. [69]

[Footnote 69: It is quite impossible to discuss this subject here. Butit may be worth while to refer the learned reader for some curiousinformation about it, to the illustrious Bochart's work entitledHierozoicon, Part II. Book V. Ch. II. There are several sorts ofsea-shells, that yield the purple-dye so much esteemed among theancients. Pliny, who has written on the subject, divides them into twoclasses, the _buccinum and purpura_, of which the latter was most inrequest. According to him, the best kinds were found in the vicinity ofTyre. That city was famous for the manufacture of purple. To be _Tyrioconspectus in ostro_, seemed, in the estimation of the Mantuan poet, essential to his due appearance in honour of Augustus, Geor. 3--17. Butseveral other places in the Mediterranean afforded this preciousarticle. Thus Horace speaks of Spartan purple, Nec _Laconicas_ mihi Trahunt honestae _purpuras_ clientae. 

Od. Lib. 2. 18. 

The English reader will be much pleased with several interesting remarksas to the purple and other colours known to the ancients, given inPresident Goguet's valuable work on the origin of laws, arts. &c. &c. Ofwhich a translation by Dr Henry was published at Edinburgh 1761. --E. ]

On the 8th, in latitude 8° 25' north, longitude 22° 4' west, we found acurrent setting to the southward, which, the next day in latitude 7°58', longitude 22° 13', shifted to the N. N. W. 1/4 W. At the rate of onemile and a furlong an hour. The variation here, by the mean of severalazimuths, appeared to be 8° 39' W. 

On the 10th, Mr Banks shot the black-toed gull, not yet describedaccording to Linnaeus's system; he gave it the name of _Laruscrepidatus_: It is remarkable that the dung of this bird is of a livelyred, somewhat like that of the liquor procured from the shells, only notso full; its principal food therefore is probably the _Helix_ justmentioned. A current to the N. W. Prevailed more or less till Monday the24th, when we were in latitude 1° 7' N. And longitude 28° 50'. 

On the 25th we crossed the Line with the usual ceremonies, in longitude29° 30', when, by the result of several very good azimuths, thevariation was 2° 24'. 

On the 28th, at noon, being in the latitude of Ferdinand Noronha, and, by the mean of several observations by Mr Green and myself, in longitude32° 5' 16" W. Which is to the westward of it by some charts, and to theeastward by others, we expected to see the island, or some of the shoalsthat are laid down in the charts between it and the main, but we sawneither one nor the other. 

In the evening of the 29th, we observed that luminous appearance of thesea which has been so often mentioned by navigators, and of which suchvarious causes have been assigned; some supposing it to be occasioned byfish, which agitated the water by darting at their prey, some by theputrefaction of fish and other marine animals, some by electricity, andothers referring it to a great variety of different causes. It appearedto emit flashes of light exactly resembling those of lightning, only notso considerable, but they were so frequent that sometimes eight or tenwere visible almost at the same moment. We were of opinion that theyproceeded from some luminous animal, and upon throwing out thecasting-net our opinion was confirmed: It brought up a species of the_Medusa_, which when it came on board had the appearance of metalviolently heated, and emitted a white light: With these animals weretaken some very small crabs, of three different species, each of whichgave as much light as a glow-worm, though the creature was not so largeby nine-tenths: Upon examination of these animals, Mr Banks had thesatisfaction to find that they were all entirely new. [70]

[Footnote 70: The reader is referred to the account of CaptainKrusenstern's circumnavigation, for a very satisfactory relation or anexperiment on this subject, which clearly proves the truth of theopinion above stated, as to the cause of the shining appearance so oftennoticed at sea. It is too long for quotation in this place. --E. ]

On Wednesday the 2d of November, about noon, being in the latitude of10° 38' S. And longitude 32° 18' 43" W. We passed the Line, in which theneedle at this time would have pointed due north and south, without anyvariation: For in the morning, having decreased gradually in itsdeviation for some days, it was no more than 18' W. And in the afternoonit was 34' east. 

On the 6th, being in latitude 19° 8' south, longitude 35° 50' west, thecolour of the water was observed to change, upon which we sounded, andfound ground at the depth of thirty-two fathoms; the lead was cast threetimes within about four hours, without a foot difference in the depth orquality of the bottom, which was coral rock, fine sand, and shells; wetherefore supposed that we had passed over the tail of the great shoalwhich is laid down in all our charts by the name of Abrothos, on whichLord Anson struck soundings in his passage outwards: At four the nextmorning we had no ground with 100 fathom. 

As several articles of our stock and provisions now began to fall short, I determined to put into Rio de Janeiro, rather than at any port inBrazil or Falkland's Islands, knowing that it could better supply aswith what we wanted, and making no doubt but that we should be wellreceived. 

On the 8th, at day-break, we saw the coast of Brazil, and about teno'clock we brought-to, and spoke with a fishing-boat; the people onboard told us that the land which we saw, lay to the southward of SantoEspirito, but belonged to the captainship of that place. 

Mr Banks and Dr Solander went on board this vessel; in which they foundeleven men, nine of whom were blacks; they all fished with lines, andtheir fresh cargo, the chief part of which Mr Banks bought, consisted ofdolphins, large pelagic scombers of two kinds, sea-bream, and some ofthe fish which in the West Indies are called Welshmen. Mr Banks hadtaken Spanish silver with him, which he imagined to be the currency ofthe continent, but to his great surprise the people asked him forEnglish shillings; he gave them two, which he happened to have abouthim, and it was not without some dispute that they took the rest of themoney in pistereens. Their business seemed to be to catch large fish ata good distance from the shore, which they salted in bulk, in a placemade for that purpose; in the middle of their boat: Of this merchandisethey had about two quintals on board, which they offered for aboutfifteen shillings, and would probably have sold for half the money. Thefresh fish, which was bought for about nineteen shillings and sixpence, served the whole ship's company; the salt was not wanted. 

The sea-provision of these fishermen consisted of nothing more than acask of water, and a bag of Cassada flour, which they called Farinha dePao, or wooden flour, which indeed is a name which very well suits itstaste and appearance. Their water-cask was large, as wide as their boat, and exactly fitted a place that was made for it in the ballast; it wasimpossible therefore to draw out any of its contents by a tap, the sidesbeing, from the bottom to the top, wholly inaccessible; neither couldany be taken out by dipping a vessel in at the head, for an openingsufficiently wide for that purpose would have endangered the loss ofgreat part of it by the rolling of the vessel: Their expedient to get attheir water, so situated, was curious; when one of them wanted to drink, he applied to his neighbour, who accompanied him to the water-cask witha hollow cane about three feet long, which was open at both ends; thishe thrust into the cask through a small hole in the top, and then, stopping the upper end with the palm of his hand, drew it out; thepressure of the air against the other end keeping in the water which itcontained; to this end the person who wanted to drink applied his mouth, and the assistant then taking his hand from the other, and admitting theair above, the cane immediately parted with its contents, which thedrinker drew off till he was satisfied. [71]

[Footnote 71: It seems pretty obvious that the form and position of thewater-cask, were accommodated to this known practicability of gettingconveniently at its contents. But how such a method should have becomefamiliar to these fishermen, it is difficult to conjecture. Someaccidental observation of a reed or similar body containing water whenone of its ends was pressed close, had, in all probability, furnishedthem or their ancestors with the hint. Man, when necessitated toexertion, is essentially a philosopher; but when his natural wants areby any means supplied, he dwindles into a fool. Hence his discoveriesare often invaluable in their consequences, whilst his reasonings inexplanation of them are absurd and childish. A contrasted collection ofboth would be a most amusing, and at the same time a humiliating pictureof the inconsistency of human nature. --E. ]

We stood off and on along the shore till the 12th, and successively sawa remarkable hill near Santo Espirito, then Cape St Thomas, and then anisland just without Cape Frio, which in some maps is called the islandof Frio, and which being high, with a hollow in the middle, has theappearance of two islands when seen at a distance. On this day we stoodalong the shore for Rio de Janeiro, and at nine the next morning madesail for the harbour. I then sent Mr Hicks, my first lieutenant, beforeus in the pinnace, up to the city, to acquaint the governor, that we putin there to procure water and refreshments; and to desire theassistance of a pilot to bring us into proper anchoring-ground. Icontinued to stand up the river, trusting to Mr Bellisle's draught, published in the _Petit Atlas Maritime_, vol. Ii. N0. 54, which we foundvery good, till five o'clock in the evening, expecting the return of mylieutenant; and just as I was about to anchor, above the island ofCobras, which lies before the city, the pinnace came back without him, having on board a Portuguese officer, but no pilot. The people in theboat told me, that my lieutenant was detained by the viceroy till Ishould go on shore. [72] We came immediately to an anchor; and, almost atthe same time, a ten-oared boat, full of soldiers, came up, and keptrowing round the ship, without exchanging a word: In less than a quarterof an hour, another boat came on board with several of the viceroy'sofficers, who asked, whence we came; what was our cargo; the number ofmen and guns on board; the object of our voyage, and several otherquestions, which we directly and truly answered: They then told me, as akind of apology for detaining my lieutenant, and putting an officer onboard my pinnace, that it was the invariable custom of the place, todetain the first officer who came on shore from any ship on her arrival, till a boat from the viceroy had visited her, and to suffer no boat togo either from or to a ship, while she lay there, without having asoldier on board. They said that I might go on shore when I pleased; butwished that every other person might remain on board till the paperwhich they should draw up had been delivered to the viceroy, promisingthat, immediately upon their return, the lieutenant should be sent onboard. 

[Footnote 72: There is no reason for supposing that this viceroy had anygreater dislike to our countrymen than to any other, or that he actedotherwise towards them than he was accustomed to do in similar cases. Bougainville complains of him much, and represents him as a turbulentill-mannered fellow. "Having, " says he, "on one occasion, upon therepeated leave of the viceroy, concluded a bargain for buying a snow, his excellency forbad the seller to deliver it to me. He likewise gaveorders, that we should not be allowed the necessary timber out of theroyal dock-yards, for which we had already agreed; he then refused methe permission of lodging with my officers (during the time that thefrigate underwent some essential repairs) in a house near the town, offered me by its proprietor, and which Commodore Byron had occupied in1765, when he touched at this port. On this account, and likewise on hisrefusing me the snow and the timber, I wanted to make some remonstrancesto him. He did not give me time to do it: And at the first words Iuttered, he rose in a furious passion, and ordered me to go out; andbeing certainly piqued, that in spite of his anger, I remained sittingwith two officers who accompanied me, he called his guards; but they, wiser than himself, did not come, and we retired, so that nobody seemedto have been disturbed. We were hardly gone, when the guards of hispalace were doubled, and orders given to arrest all the French thatshould be found in the streets after sunsetting. " According to thiswriter, it appears that neither the laws of nations, nor the rules ofgood breeding, were respected by this very important being, "vain of hisauthority. "--E. ]

This promise was performed, and on the next morning, the 14th, I went onshore, and obtained leave of the viceroy to purchase provisions andrefreshments for the ship, provided I would employ one of their ownpeople as a factor, but not otherwise. I made some objections to this, but he insisted upon it as the custom of the place. I objected alsoagainst the pulling a soldier into the boat every time she went betweenthe ship and the shore; but he told me, that this was done by theexpress orders of his court, with which he could in no case dispense. Ithen requested, that the gentlemen whom I had on board might reside onshore during our stay, and that Mr Banks might go up the country togather plants; but this he absolutely refused. I judged from his extremecaution, and the severity of these restrictions, that he suspected wewere come to trade; I therefore took some pains to convince him of thecontrary. I told him, that we were bound to the southward, by the orderof his Britannic majesty, to observe a transit of the planet Venus overthe sun, an astronomical phenomenon of great importance to navigation. Of the transit of Venus, however, he could form no other conception, than that it was the passing of the north star through the south pole;for these are the very words of his interpreter, who was a Swede, andspoke English very well. I did not think it necessary to ask permissionfor the gentlemen to come on shore during the day, or that, when I wason shore myself, I might be at liberty, taking for granted that nothingwas intended to the contrary; but in this I was unfortunately mistaken. As soon as I took leave of his excellency, I found an officer who hadorders to attend me wherever I went: Of this I desired an explanation, and was told that it was meant as a compliment; I earnestly desired tobe excused from accepting such an honour, but the good viceroy would byno means suffer it to be dispensed with. [73]

[Footnote 73: Mr Barrow notices the extreme jealousy and circumspectionof the government, as to strangers. None, he says, is permitted to walkthe streets in the day time, unless a soldier attend him. Badgovernments are usually fearful, and often expose their weakness by thevery means they employ to conceal it. On this principle, admitting itstruth, the policy of the Portuguese in general forfeits all claim toadmiration. What changes have been wrought in it, since thetransatlantic emigration of the royal family, remain to beelucidated. --E. ]

With this officer, therefore, I returned on board, about twelve o'clock, where I was impatiently expected by Mr Banks and Dr Solander, who madeno doubt but that a fair account of us having been given by the officerswho had been on board the evening before in their paper called aPractica, and every scruple of the viceroy removed in my conference withhis excellency, they should immediately be at liberty to go on shore, and dispose of themselves as they pleased. Their disappointment atreceiving my report may easily be conceived; and it was still increasedby an account, that it had been resolved, not only to prevent theirresiding on shore, and going up the country, but even their leaving theship; orders having been given, that no person except the captain, andsuch common sailors as were required to be upon duty, should bepermitted to land; and that probably there was a particular view to thepassengers in this prohibition, as they were reported to be gentlemensent abroad to make observations and discoveries, and were uncommonlyqualified for that purpose. In the evening, however, Mr Banks and DrSolander dressed themselves, and attempted to go on shore, in order tomake a visit to the viceroy; but they were stopped by the guard-boatwhich had come off with our pinnace, and which kept hovering round theship all the while she lay here, for that purpose; the officer on boardsaying, that he had particular orders, which he could not disobey, tosuffer no passenger, nor any officer, except the captain, to pass theboat. After much expostulation to no purpose, they were obliged, withwhatever reluctance and mortification, to return on board. I then wenton shore myself, but found the viceroy inflexible; he had one answerready for every thing I could say, That the restrictions under which hehad laid us, were in obedience to the king of Portugal's commands, andtherefore indispensable. 

In this situation I determined, rather than be made a prisoner in my ownboat, to go on shore no more; for the officer who, under pretence or acompliment, attended me when I was ashore, insisted also upon going withme to and from the ship: But still imagining, that the scrupulousvigilance of the viceroy must proceed from some, mistaken notion aboutus, which might more easily be removed by writing than in conversation, I drew up a memorial, and Mr Banks drew up another, which we sent onshore. These memorials were both answered, but by no means to oursatisfaction; we therefore replied: In consequence of which, severalother papers were interchanged between us and the viceroy, but stillwithout effect. However, as I thought some degree of force, on the partof the viceroy, to enforce these restrictions, necessary to justify myacquiescence in them to the Admiralty, I gave orders to my lieutenant, Mr Hicks, when I sent him with our last reply on Sunday the 20th, in theevening, not to suffer a guard to be put into his boat. When the officeron board the guard-boat found that Mr Hicks was determined to obey myorders, he did not proceed to force, but attended him to thelanding-place, and reported the matter to the viceroy. Upon this hisexcellency refused to receive the memorial, and ordered Mr Hicks toreturn to the ship; when he came back to the boat, he found that a guardhad been put on board in his absence, but he absolutely refused toreturn till the soldier was removed: The officer then proceeded toenforce the viceroy's orders; he seized all the boat's crew, and sentthem under an armed force to prison, putting Mr Hicks at the same timeinto one of their own boats, and sending him under a guard back to theship. As soon as he had reported these particulars, I wrote again to theviceroy, demanding my boat and crew, and in my letter inclosed thememorial which he had refused to receive from Mr Hicks: These papers Isent by a petty officer, that I might wave the dispute about a guard, against which I had never objected except when there was a commissionedofficer on board the boat. The petty officer was permitted to go onshore with his guard, and, having delivered his letter, was told that ananswer would be sent the next day. 

About eight o'clock this evening it began to blow very hard in suddengusts from the south, and our long-boat coming on board just at thistime with four pipes of rum, the rope which was thrown to her from theship, and which, was taken hold of by the people on board, unfortunatelybroke, and the boat, which had come to the ship before the wind, wentadrift to windward of her, with a small skiff of Mr Banks's that wasfastened to her stern. This was a great misfortune, as, the pinnacebeing detained on shore, we had no boat on board but a four-oared yawl:The yawl, however, was immediately manned and sent to her assistance;but, notwithstanding the utmost effort of the people in both boats, theywere very soon out of sight: Far indeed we could not see at that time inthe evening, but the distance was enough to convince us that they werenot under command, which gave us great uneasiness, as we knew they mustdrive directly upon a reef of rocks which ran out just to leeward ofwhere we lay: After waiting some hours in the utmost anxiety, we gavethem over for lost, but about three o'clock the next morning had thesatisfaction to see all the people come on board in the yawl. From themwe learnt, that the long-boat having filled with water, they had broughther to a grappling and left her; and that, having fallen in with thereef of rocks in their return to the ship, they had been obliged to cutMr Banks's little boat adrift. As the loss of our long-boat, which wehad now too much reason to apprehend, would have been an unspeakabledisadvantage to us, considering the nature of our expedition, I sentanother letter to the viceroy, as soon as I thought he could be seen, acquainting him with our misfortune, and, requesting the assistance of aboat from the shore for the recovery of our own; I also renewed mydemand that the pinnace and her crew should be no longer detained: Aftersome delay, his excellency thought fit to comply both with my requestand demand; and the same day we happily recovered both the long-boat andthe skiff, with the rum, but every thing else that was on board waslost. On the 23d, the viceroy, in his answer to my remonstrance againstseizing my men and detaining the boat, acknowledged that I had beentreated with some incivility, but said that the resistance of myofficers, to what he had declared to be the king's orders, made itabsolutely necessary; he also expressed some doubts whether theEndeavour, considering her structure and other circumstances, was in theservice of his majesty, though I had before shewed him my commission: Tothis I answered in writing, That to remove all scruples, I was ready toproduce my commission again. His excellency's scruples however stillremained, and in his reply to my letter he not only expressed them instill plainer terms, but accused my people of smuggling. This charge, Iam confident, was without the least foundation in truth. Mr Banks'sservants had indeed found means to go on shore on the 22d at day-break, and stay till it was dark in the evening, but they brought on board onlyplants and insects, having been sent for no other purpose. And I had thegreatest reason to believe that not a single article was smuggled by anyof our people who were admitted on shore, though many artful means wereused to tempt them, even by the very officers that were under hisexcellency's roof, which made the charge still more injurious andprovoking. I have indeed some reason to suspect that one poor fellowbought a single bottle of rum with some of the clothes upon his back;and in my answer I requested of his excellency, that, if such an attemptat illicit trade should be repeated, he would without scruple order theoffender to be taken into custody. And thus ended our altercation, bothby conference and writing, with the viceroy of Rio de Janeiro. 

A friar in the town having requested the assistance of our surgeon, DrSolander easily got admittance in that character on the 25th, andreceived many marks of civility from the people. On the 26th, beforeday-break, Mr Banks also found means to elude the vigilance of thepeople in the guard-boat, and got on shore; he did not however go intothe town, for the principal objects of his curiosity were to be found inthe fields: to him also the people behaved with great civility, many ofthem invited him to their houses, and he bought a porker and some otherthings of them for the ship's company; the porker, which was by no meanslean, cost him eleven shillings, and he paid something less than two fora Muscovy duck. 

On the 27th, when the boats returned from watering, the people told usthere was a report in town, that search was making after some personswho had been on shore from the ship without the viceroy's permission;these persons we conjectured to be Dr Solander and Mr Banks, andtherefore they determined to go on shore no more. 

On the first of December, having got our water and other necessaries onboard, I sent to the viceroy for a pilot to carry us to sea, who cameoff to us; but the wind preventing us from getting out, we took on boarda plentiful supply of fresh beef, yams, and greens for the ship'scompany. On the 2d, a Spanish packet arrived, with letters from BuenosAyres for Spain, commanded by Don Antonio de Monte Negro y Velasco, whowith great politeness offered to take our letters to Europe: I acceptedthe favour, and gave him a packet for the secretary of the Admiralty, containing copies of all the papers that had passed between me and theviceroy; leaving also duplicates with the viceroy, to be by himforwarded to Lisbon. 

On Monday the 5th, it being a dead calm, we weighed anchor and toweddown the bay; but, to our great astonishment, when we got abreast ofSanta Cruz, the principal fortification, two shot were fired at us. Weimmediately cast anchor, and sent to the fort to enquire the reason ofwhat had happened: Our people brought us word, That the commandant hadreceived no order from the viceroy to let us pass; and that, withoutsuch an order, no vessel was ever suffered to go below the fort. It wasnow, therefore, become necessary, that we should send to the viceroy, toenquire why the necessary order had not been given, as he had notice ofour departure, and had thought fit to write me a polite letter, wishing, me a good voyage. Our messenger soon returned with an account, that theorder had been written some days, but by an unaccountable negligence notsent. 

We did not get under sail till the 7th; and when we had passed the fort, the pilot desired to be discharged. As soon as he was dismissed, we wereleft by our guard-boat, which had hovered about us from the first hourof our being in this place to the last: And Mr Banks, having beenprevented from going ashore at Rio de Janeiro, availed himself of herdeparture to examine the neighbouring islands, where, particularly onone in the mouth of the harbour called Raza, he gathered many species ofplants, and caught a variety of insects. 

It is remarkable, that, during the last three or four days of ourstaying in this harbour, the air was loaded with butterflies: They werechiefly of one sort, but in such numbers that thousands were in view inevery direction, and the greatest part of them above our mast-head. 

We lay here from the 14th of November to the 7th of December, somethingmore than three weeks, during which time Mr Monkhouse, our surgeon, wason shore every day to buy our provisions; Dr Solander was on shore once;I was several times on shore myself, and Mr Banks also found means toget into the country, notwithstanding the watch that was set over us. Ishall, therefore, with the intelligence obtained from these gentlemen, and my own observations, give some account of the town, and the countryadjacent. 

Rio de Janeiro, or the river of Januarius, was probably so called fromits having been discovered on the feast-day of that saint; and the town, which is the capital of the Portuguese dominions in America, derives itsname from the river, which indeed is rather an arm of the sea, for itdid not appear to receive any considerable stream of fresh water: Itstands on a plain, close to the shore, on the west side of the bay, atthe foot of several high mountains which rise behind it. It is neitherill designed nor ill built; the houses, in general, are of stone, andtwo stories high; every house having, after the manner of thePortuguese, a little balcony before its windows, and a lattice of woodbefore the balcony. I computed its circuit to be about three miles; forit appears to be equal in size to the largest country towns in England, Bristol and Liverpool not excepted; the streets are straight, and of aconvenient breadth, intersecting each other at right angles; the greaterpart, however, lie in a line with the citadel called St Sebastian, whichstands on the top of a hill which commands the town. 

It is supplied with water from the neighbouring hills, by an aqueduct, which is raised upon two stories of arches, and is said at some placesto be at a great height from the ground, from which the water isconveyed by pipes into a fountain in the great square that exactlyfronts the viceroy's palace. At this fountain great numbers of peopleare continually waiting for their turn to draw water; and the soldiers, who are posted at the governor's door, find it very difficult tomaintain any regularity among them. The water at this fountain howeveris so bad, that we, who had been two months at sea, confined to that inour casks, which was almost always foul, could not drink it withpleasure. Water of a better quality is led into some other part of thetown, but I could not learn by what means. 

The churches are very fine, and there is more religions parade in thisplace than in any of the popish countries in Europe; there is aprocession of some parish every day, with various insignia, all splendidand costly in the highest degree: They beg money, and say prayers ingreat form, at the corner of every street. 

While we lay here, one of the churches was rebuilding; and to defray theexpence, the parish to which it belonged had leave to beg in processionthrough the whole city once it week, by which very considerable sumswere collected. At this ceremony, which was performed by night, all theboys of a certain age were obliged to assist, the sons of gentlemen notbeing excused. Each of these boys was dressed in a black cassock, with ashort red cloak, hanging about as low as the waist, and carried in hishand a pole about six or seven feet long, at the end of which was tied alantern: the number of lanterns was generally above two hundred, and thelight they gave was so great, that the people who saw it from the cabinwindows thought the town had been on fire. 

The inhabitants, however, may pay their devotions at the shrine of anysaint in the calendar, without waiting till there is a procession; forbefore almost every house there is a little cupboard, furnished with aglass window, in which one of these tutelary powers is waiting to begracious; and to prevent his being out of mind, by being out of sight, alamp is kept constantly burning before the window of his tabernacle inthe night. The people indeed are by no means remiss in their devotions, for before these saints they pray and sing hymns with such vehemence, that in the night they were very distinctly heard on board the ship, though she lay at the distance of at least half a mile from the town. 

The government here, as to its form, is mixed; it is notwithstandingvery despotic in fact. It consists of the viceroy, the governor of thetown, and a council, the number of which I could not learn: Without theconsent of this council, in which the viceroy has a casting vote, nojudicial act should be performed; yet both the viceroy and governorfrequently commit persons to prison at their own pleasure, and sometimessend them to Lisbon, without acquainting their friends or family withwhat is laid to their charge, or where they may be found. 

To restrain the people from travelling into the country, and gettinginto any district where gold or diamonds may be found, of both whichthere is much more than the government can otherwise secure, certainbounds are prescribed them, at the discretion of the viceroy, sometimesat a few, and sometimes at many miles distance from the city. On theverge of these limits a guard constantly patroles, and whoever is foundbeyond it, is immediately seized and thrown into prison: And if a manis, upon any pretence, taken up by the guard without the limits, he willbe sent to prison, though it should appear that he did not know theirextent. 

The inhabitants, which are very numerous, consist of Portuguese, negroes, and Indians, the original natives of the country. The townshipof Rio, which, as I was told, is but a small part of the capitanea, orprovince, is said to contain 37, 000 white persons, and 629, 000 blacks, many of whom are free; making together 666, 000, in the proportion ofseventeen to one. The Indians, who are employed to do the king's work inthis neighbourhood, can scarcely be considered as inhabitants; theirresidence is at a distance, from whence they come by turns to theirtask, which they are obliged to perform for a small pay. The guard-boatwas constantly rowed by these people, who are of a light copper colour, and have long black hair. [74]

[Footnote 74: Mr Barrow says, that it is with some difficulty so many astwelve Brazilians can be obtained to row the governor's barge on certainsolemn occasions. The Portuguese apostles who went over to this countryin order to convert the inhabitants to their faith, commenced theirlabours by endeavouring to reduce them as fast as possible to thecondition of slaves, as if no other promised a suitable foundation forthe fabric of superstition. These incorrigible and misguided pagans, itshould seem however, disliked the process, preferring liberty and error, darkness and death, to the whips, the chains, and torches, so kindlyheld out to them by their zealous visitants. The consequence was plainand summary: These wretched creatures were soon almost totallyextirpated, so that it became necessary to procure other beings tocultivate the soil: And who so proper a substitute, as the blackcrispy-hailed animals of the opposite continent? These, according to MrBarrow, have been comparatively well treated; but, not-withstanding, hesays, it requires an importation of no less than 20, 000 negroesannually, to supply the loss of those who are worked out in the serviceof the very devout Portuguese! In Cook's time, it is likely, from whathe mentions afterwards as to the number of negroes imported, that thingswere even worse then than they are now. It is scarcely conceivableindeed, that any people so closely connected with Europe as the lords ofBrazil, should not have acquired humanity, or at least improved in itsnotions of good policy, in half a century. --E. ]

The military establishment here consists of twelve regiments of regulartroops, six of which are Portuguese, and six Creoles; and twelve otherregiments of provincial militia. To the regulars the inhabitants behavewith the utmost humility and submission; and I was told, that if any ofthem should neglect to take off his hat upon meeting an officer, hewould immediately be knocked down. These haughty severities render thepeople extremely civil to any stranger who has the appearance of agentleman. But the subordination of the officers themselves to theviceroy is enforced with circumstances equally mortifying, for they areobliged to attend in his hall three times every day to ask his commands;the answer constantly is, "There is nothing new. " I have been told, thatthis servile attendance is exacted to prevent their going into thecountry; and if so, it effectually answers the purpose. 

It is, I believe, universally allowed, that the women, both of theSpanish and Portuguese settlements in South America, make lessdifficulty of granting personal favours, than those of any othercivilized country in the world. Of the ladies of this town, some haveformed so unfavourable an opinion as to declare, that they did notbelieve there was a modest one among them. This censure is certainly toogeneral; but what Dr Solander saw of them when he was on shore, gave himno very exalted idea of their chastity: He told me, that as soon as itwas dark, one or more of them appeared in every window, anddistinguished those whom they liked, among the gentlemen that walkedpast them, by giving them nosegays; that he, and two gentlemen who werewith him, received so many of these favours, that, at the end of theirwalk, which was not a long one, they threw whole hatfuls of them away. Great allowance must certainly be made for local customs; that which inone country would be an indecent familiarity, is a mere act of generalcourtesy in another; of the fact, therefore, which I have related, Ishall say nothing, but that I am confident it is true. [75]

[Footnote 75: Mr Barrow allows the existence of the fact here stated, but is decidedly of opinion in favour of the sex implicated by it. Inhis judgment, it is merely a harmless remnant of their earlier days. Ifso, and far be it from the writer to think otherwise, it betokens theinnocency of fancy much more than the effrontery of licentiousness. Besides, there is reason to think, that dissoluteness in the particularnow alluded to, among a civilized and luxurious people, seeksconcealment in its gratification, as congenial to its excessive andmorbid sensibility. The opposite to this condition is to be found insome of the earlier stages of society, where the climate and fertilityof the soil are naturally suitable, --as at Otaheite, when first known toEuropeans. If, however, the terrifying pages of Juvenal may be allowedauthority, there is too much ground for apprehension, that the extremityof animal indulgence is also one of the fearful symptoms of nationalcorruption in its lethalio stage. But even this indignant and mostexaltedly moral poet, in his relation of the infamous actions of nobleand royal prostitutes, does not fail to imply the advantages they soughtin deception and secrecy--the night-hood, the yellow veil, and thecunning artifices of proficient mothers. --E. ]

Neither will I take upon me to affirm, that murders are frequentlycommitted here; but the churches afford an asylum to the criminal: Andas our cockswain was one day looking at two men, who appeared to betalking together in a friendly manner, one of them suddenly drew a knifeand stabbed the other; who not instantly falling, the murderer withdrewthe weapon, and stabbed him a second time. He then ran away, and waspursued by some negroes, who were also witnesses of the fact; butwhether he escaped or was taken I never heard. 

The country, at a small distance round the town, which is all that anyof us saw, is beautiful in the highest degree; the wildest spots beingvaried with a greater luxuriance of flowers, both as to number andbeauty, than the best gardens in England. 

Upon the trees and bushes sat an almost endless variety of birds, especially small ones, many of them covered with the most elegantplumage; among which were the humming-bird. Of insects too there was agreat variety, and some of them very beautiful; but they were much morenimble than those of Europe, especially the butterflies, most of whichflew near the tops of the trees, and were therefore very difficult to becaught, except when the sea-breeze blew fresh, which kept them nearer tothe ground. The banks of the sea, and of the small brook which waterthis part of the country, are almost covered with the small crabs, called _cancer vocans_; some of these had one of the claws, called bynaturalists the hand, very large; others had them both remarkably small, and of equal size, a difference which is said to distinguish the sexes, that with the large claw being the male. 

There is the appearance of but little cultivation; the greater part ofthe land is wholly uncultivated, and very little care and labour seem tohave been bestowed upon the rest; there are indeed little patches orgardens, in which many kinds of European garden stuff are produced, particularly cabbages, pease, beans, kidney-beans, turnips, and whiteradishes, but all much inferior to our own: Watermelons and pine-applesare also produced in these spots, and they are the only fruits that wesaw cultivated, though the country produces musk, melons, oranges, limes, lemons, sweet lemons, citrons, plantains, bananas, mangos, mamane-apples, acajou or cashou apples and nuts; jamboira of two kinds, one of which bears a small black fruit; cocoa-nuts, mangos, palm nuts oftwo kinds, one long, the other round; and palm berries, all which werein season while we were there. 

Of these fruits the water-melons and oranges are the best in their kind;the pine-apples are much inferior to those that I have eaten in England;they are indeed more juicy and sweet, but have no flavour; I believethem to be natives of this country, though we heard of none that at thistime grow wild; they have, however, very little care bestowed upon them, the plants being set between beds of any kind of garden-stuff, andsuffered to take the chance of the season. The melons are still worse, at least those that we tasted, which were mealy and insipid; but thewater-melons are excellent; they have a flavour, at least a degree ofacidity, which ours have not. We saw also several species of theprickle-pear, and some European fruits, particularly the apple andpeach, both which were very mealy and insipid. In these gardens alsogrow yams, and mandihoca, which in the West Indies is called cassada orcassava, and to the flower of which the people here, as I have beforeobserved, give the name of _farinha de pao_, which may not improperly betranslated, powder of post. The soil, though it produces tobacco andsugar, will not produce bread-corn; so that the people here have nowheat-flour, but what is brought from Portugal, and sold at the rate ofa shilling a pound, though it is generally spoiled by being heated inits passage. Mr Banks is of opinion, that all the products of our WestIndian islands would grow here; notwithstanding which, the inhabitantsimport their coffee and chocolate from Lisbon. [76]

[Footnote 76: The Portuguese government, it appears, from Mr Barrow'srepresentation, have taken effectual measures to preserve this colony ina state of dependance on the mother country: "It no sooner discovered, "says that gentleman, "that sugar could be raised in any quantity, andafforded, in the markets of Europe, at reasonable prices, than itthought proper to impose on them an export duty of 20 _per cent. _ whichoperated as an immediate check on the growth of this article. When thecultivation of the indigo plant had been considerably extended, and thepreparation sufficiently understood, so as to enable the colonists tomeet their competitors in the markets of Europe, this article wasassumed as a royal monopoly. " Salt, he says, is another royal monopoly, and yields the sum of L. 15, 000 annually: But one of the immediateeffects of its being so, is the entire destruction of the valuablefisheries. Does the reader remember the fable of the hen that laidgolden eggs? Would not certain governments do well to study the moral ofit?--E. ]

Most of the land, as far as we saw of the country, is laid down ingrass, upon which cattle are pastured in great plenty; but they are solean, that an Englishman will scarcely eat of their flesh: The herbageof these pastures consists principally of cresses, and consequently isso short, that though it may afford a bite for horses and sheep, it canscarcely be grazed by horned cattle in a sufficient quantity to keepthem alive. 

This country may possibly produce many valuable drugs; but we could notfind any in the apothecaries shops, except pariera brava, and balsamcapivi; both of which were excellent in their kind, and sold at a verylow price. The drug trade is probably carried on to the northward, aswell as that of the dying woods, for we could get no intelligence ofeither of them here. 

As to manufactures, we neither saw nor heard of any except that ofcotton hammocks, in which people are carried about here, as they arewith us in sedan chairs; and these are principally, if not wholly, fabricated by the Indians. 

The riches of the place consist chiefly in the mines which we supposedto lie far up the country, though we could never learn where, or at whatdistance; for the situation is concealed as much as possible, and troopsare continually employed in guarding the roads that lead to them: It isalmost impossible for any man to get a sight of them, except those whoare employed there; and indeed the strongest curiosity would scarcelyinduce any man to attempt it, for whoever is found upon the road tothem, if he cannot give undeniable evidence of his having businessthere, is immediately hanged up upon the next tree. 

Much gold is certainly brought from these mines, but at an expence oflife that must strike every man, to whom custom has not made itfamiliar, with horror. No less than forty thousand negroes are annuallyimported, on the king's account, to dig the mines; and we were crediblyinformed, that, the last year but one before we arrived here, thisnumber fell so short, probably from some epidemic disease, that twentythousand more were draughted from the town of Rio. 

Precious stones are also found here in such plenty, that a certainquantity only is allowed to be collected in a year; to collect thisquantity, a number of people are sent into the country where they arefound, and when it is got together, which sometimes happens in a month, sometimes in less and sometimes in more, they return; and after that, whoever is found in these precious districts, on any pretence, beforethe next year, is immediately put to death. 

The jewels found here, are diamonds, topazes of several kinds, andamethysts. We did not see any of the diamonds, but were informed thatthe viceroy had a large quantity by him, which he would sell on the kingof Portugal's account, but not at a less price than they are sold for inEurope. Mr Banks bought a few topazes and amethysts as specimens: Of thetopazes there are three sorts, of very different value, which aredistinguished by the names of pinga d'agua qualidade primeiro, pingad'agua qualidade secundo, and chrystallos armerillos: They are sold, large and small, good and bad together, by octavos, or the eighth partof an ounce; the best at 4s. 9d. All dealing, however, in these stones, it prohibited to the subject under the severest penalties: There werejewellers here formerly, who purchased and worked them on their ownaccount; but about fourteen months before our arrival, orders came fromthe court of Portugal, that no more stones should be wrought here, except on the king's account: The jewellers were ordered to bring alltheir tools to the viceroy, and left without any means of subsistence. The persons employed here to work stones for the king are slaves. 

The coin that is current here, is either that of Portugal, consistingchiefly of thirty-six shillings pieces; or pieces both of gold andsilver, which are struck at this place: The pieces of silver, which arevery much debased, are called petacks, and are of different value, andeasily distinguished by the number of rees that is marked on theoutside. Here is also a copper coin, like that in Portugal, of five andten ree pieces. A ree is a nominal coin of Portugal, ten of which areequal in value to about three farthings sterling. 

The harbour of Rio de Janeiro is situated W. By N. 18 leagues from CapeFrio, and may be known by a remarkable hill, in the form of asugar-loaf, at the west point of the bay;[77] but as all the coast isvery high, and rises in many peaks, the entrance of this harbour may bemore certainly distinguished by the islands that lie before it; one ofwhich, called Rodonda, is high and round like a hay-stack, and lies atthe distance of two leagues and a half from the entrance of the bay, inthe direction of S. By W. ; but the first islands which are met with, coming from the east, or Cape Frio, are two that have a rockyappearance, lying near to each other, and at the distance of about fourmiles from the shore: There are also, at the distance of three leaguesto the westward of these, two other islands which lie near to eachother, a little without the bay on the east side, and very near theshore. This harbour is certainly a good one; the entrance indeed is notwide, but the sea-breeze, which blows every day from ten or twelveo'clock till sunset, makes it easy for any ship to go in before thewind; and it grows wider as the town is approached, so that a-breast ofit there is room for the largest fleet, in five or six fathom water, with an oozy bottom. At the narrow part, the entrance is defended by twoforts. The principal is Santa Cruz, which stands on the east point ofthe bay, and has been mentioned before; that on the west side is calledFort Lozia, and is built upon a rock that lies close to the main; thedistance between them is about three quarters of a mile, but the channelis not quite so broad, because there are sunken rocks which lie off eachfort, and in this part alone there is danger: The narrowness of thechannel causes the tides, both flood and ebb, to run with considerablestrength, so that they cannot be stemmed without a fresh breeze. Therockiness of the bottom makes it also unsafe to anchor here: Put alldanger may be avoided by keeping in the middle of the channel. Withinthe entrance, the course up the bay is first N. By W. 1/2 W. And N. N. W. Something more than a league; this will bring the vessel the length ofthe great road; and N. W. And W. N. W. One league more will carry her tothe isle dos Cobras, which lies before the city: She should then keepthe north side of this island close on board, and anchor above it, before a monastery of Benedictines which stands upon a hill at the N. W. End of the city. 

[Footnote 77: Mr Barrow, during his stay at Rio de Janeiro, had anopportunity of ascertaining the height of the Sugar-loaf, as it iscalled from its conical appearance. It is, he says, 680 feet high, abovethe surface out of which it rises, and is a solid mass of hard sparklinggranite. On the eastern side of the chasm which forms the entrance intothe bay, there is a mountain of the same material, but so far differentin form, that it slopes easily and gradually from the water's edge tothe summit, which however is about as high as the cone. This side iswell defended by forts and batteries. Mr Barrow's description of themagnificent scenery of this harbour, is perhaps somewhat poeticallyconceived, but may be advantageously consulted by the reader. --E. ]

The river, and indeed the whole coast, abounds with a greater variety offish than we had ever seen; a day seldom passed in which one or more ofa new species were not brought to Mr Banks: The bay also is as welladapted for catching these fish as can be conceived; for it is full ofsmall islands, between which there is shallow water, and proper beachesfor drawing the seine. The sea, without the bay, abounds with dolphins, and large mackerel of different kinds, which readily bite at a hook, andthe inhabitants always tow one after their boats for that purpose. 

Though the climate is hot, the situation of this place is certainlywholesome;[78] while we stayed here the thermometer never rose higherthan 83 degrees. We had frequent rains, and once a very hard gale ofwind. 

[Footnote 78: Mr Barrow seems to think otherwise; according to him, itis by no means healthy, and the interminable annoyance of the musquitoesrenders it as injurious to intellectual, as it is on other accounts tobodily welfare. Perhaps, however, he assigns too much agency to thesevery vexatious insects, when he says it is impossible for any man tothink at all profitably in their company. His description then, it maybe inferred, was written at a very respectful distance from the din andvenom of the noisome pest. --E. ]

Ships water here at the fountain in the great square, though, as I haveobserved, the water is not good; they land their casks upon a smoothsandy beach, which is not more than a hundred yards distant from thefountain, and upon application to the viceroy, a centinel will beappointed to look after them, and clear the way to the fountain wherethey are to be filled. 

Upon the whole, Rio de Janeiro is a very good place for ships to put inat that want refreshment: The harbour is safe and commodious; andprovisions, except wheaten-bread and flour, may be easily procured: As asuccedaneum for bread, there are yams and cassada in plenty; beef, bothfresh and jerked, may be bought at about two-pence farthing a pound;though, as I have before remarked, it is very lean. The people here jerktheir beef by taking out the bones, cutting it into large but thinslices, then curing it with salt, and drying it in the shade: It eatsvery well, and, if kept dry, will remain good a long time at sea. Muttonis scarcely to be procured, and hogs and poultry are dear; ofgarden-stuff and fruit-trees there is abundance, of which, however, nonecan be preserved at sea but the pumpkin; rum, sugar, and molasses, allexcellent in their kind, may be had at a reasonable price; tobacco alsois cheap, but it is not good. Here is a yard for building shipping, anda small hulk to heave down by; for, as the tide never rises above six orseven feet, there is no other way of coming at a ship's bottom. 

When the boat which had been sent on shore returned, we hoisted her onboard, and stood out to sea. 

SECTION III. 

_The Passage from Rio de Janeiro to the entrance of the Streight of LeMaire, with a Description of some of the Inhabitants of Terra delFuego. _

On the 9th of December, we observed the sea to be covered with broadstreaks of a yellowish colour, several of them a mile long, and three orfour hundred yards wide: Some of the water thus coloured was taken up, and found to be full of innumerable atoms pointed at the end, of ayellowish colour, and none more than a quarter of a line, or thefortieth part of an inch long: In the microscope they appeared to be_fasciculi_ of small fibres interwoven with each other, not unlike thenidus of some of the _phyganeas_, called caddices; but whether they wereanimal or vegetable substances, whence they came, or for what they weredesigned, neither Mr Banks nor Dr Solander could guess. The sameappearance had been observed before, when we first discovered thecontinent of South America. [79]

[Footnote 79: The Portuguese have a name for what is here spoken of. They call it the grassy sea. There is reason to think that it is avegetable, and not an animal production. But, on the whole, the subjecthas been little investigated. --E. ]

On the 11th we hooked a shark, and while we were playing it under thecabin window, it threw out, and drew in again several times whatappeared to be its stomach: It proved to be a female, and upon beingopened six young ones were taken out of it; five of them were alive, andswam briskly in a tub of water, but the sixth appeared to have been deadsome time. 

Nothing remarkable happened till the 30th, except that we prepared forthe bad weather, which we were shortly to expect, by bending a new suitof sails; but on this day we ran a course of one hundred and sixty milesby the log, through innumerable land insects of various kinds, someupon the wing, and more upon the water, many of which were alive; theyappeared to be exactly the same with the _carabi_, the _grylli_, the_phalanae_, _aranea_, and other flies that are seen in England, thoughat this time we could not be less than thirty leagues from land; andsome of these insects, particularly the _grylli aranea_, nevervoluntarily leave it at a greater distance than twenty yards. We judgedourselves to be now nearly opposite to _Baye sans fond_, where MrDalrymple supposes there is a passage quite through the continent ofAmerica; and we thought from the insects that there might be at least avery large river, and that it had overflowed its banks. [80]

[Footnote 80: The place alluded to is denominated Sin-fondo bay inJeffrey's map, which, however imperfect as to actual geography, isperhaps the best companion to the account of the voyages published aboutthe same period. Mr Dalrymple is an example of those warm-fancied menthat make discoveries with the celerity of mushroom beds, and from asunimportant materials too. Some Spanish charts, often the very worstauthority in the world, had drawn a connection betwixt the branches oftwo rivers, on opposite sides of the continent, and hence was deduced, in his lively imagination, a passage from sea to sea. See Jeffrey'sAmerican Atlas, where the imaginary communication is represented bydotted lines. --E. ]

On the 3d of January, 1769, being in latitude 47° 17' S. And longitude61° 29' 45" W. We were all looking out for Pepy's island, and for sometime an appearance was seen in the east which so much resembled land, that we bore away for it; and it was more than two hours and a halfbefore we were convinced that it was nothing but what sailors call afog-bank. 

The people now beginning to complain of cold, each of them received whatis called a Magellanic jacket, and a pair of trowsers. The jacket ismade of a thick woollen stuff, called _Fearnought_, which is provided bythe government. We saw, from time to time, a great number of penguins, albatrosses, and sheer-waters, seals, whales, and porpoises: And on the11th, having passed Falkland's islands, we discovered the coast of Terradel Fuego, at the distance of about four leagues, extending from the W*to S. E. By S. We had here five-and-thirty fathom, the ground soft, smallslate stones. As we ranged along the shore to the S. E. At the distanceof two or three leagues, we perceived smoke in several places, which wasmade by the natives, probably as a signal, for they did not continue itafter we had passed by. This day we discovered that the ship had gotnear a degree of longitude to the westward of the log, which, in thislatitude, is thirty-five minutes of a degree on the equator: Probablythere is a small current setting westward, which may be caused by thewesterly current coming round Cape Horn, and through the Streight of LeMaire, and the indraught of the Streight of Magellan. 

Having continued to range the coast on the 14th, we entered the Streightof Le Maire; but the tide turning against us, drove us out with greatviolence, and raised such a sea off Cape St Diego, that the waves hadexactly the same appearance as they would have had if they had brokeover a ledge of rocks; and when the ship was in this torrent, shefrequently pitched, so that the bowsprit was under water. About noon, wegot under the land between Cape St Diego and Cape St Vincent, where Iintended to have anchored; but finding the ground every where hard androcky, and shallowing from thirty to twelve fathoms, I sent the masterto examine a little cove, which lay at a small distance to the eastwardof Cape St Vincent. When he returned, he reported, that there wasanchorage in four fathom, and a good bottom, close to the eastward ofthe first bluff point, on the east of Cape St Vincent; at the veryentrance of the cove, to which I gave the name of VINCENT'S BAY: Beforethis anchoring ground, however, lay several rocky ledges, that werecovered with sea-weed; but I was told that there was not less than eightand nine fathom over all of them. It will probably be thought strange, that where weeds; which grow at the bottom, appear above the surface, there should be this depth of water; but the weeds which grow upon rockyground in these countries, and which always distinguish it from sand andooze, are of an enormous size. The leaves are four feet long, and someof the stalks, though not thicker than a man's thumb, above one hundredand twenty: Mr Banks and Dr Solander examined some of them, over whichwe sounded and had fourteen fathom, which is eighty-four feet; and asthey made a very acute angle with the bottom, they were thought to be atleast one-half longer: The foot-stalks were swelled into an air vessel, and Mr Banks and Dr Solander called this plant _Fucus giganteus_. Uponthe report of the master, I stood in with the ship; but not trustingimplicitly to his intelligence, I continued to sound, and found but fourfathom upon the first ledge that I went over; concluding, therefore, that I could not anchor here without risk, I determined to seek someport in the Streight, where I might get on board such wood and water aswe wanted. 

Mr Banks and Dr Solander, however, being very desirous to go on shore, Isent a boat with them and their people, while I kept plying as near aspossible with the ship. 

Having been on shore four hours, they returned about nine in theevening, with above an hundred different plants and flowers, all of themwholly unknown to the botanists of Europe. They found the country aboutthe bay to be in general flat, the bottom of it in particular was aplain, covered with grass, which might easily have been made into alarge quantity of hay; they found also abundance of good wood and water, and fowls in great plenty. Among other things, of which nature has beenliberal in this place, is Winter's bark, _Winteranea aromatica_; whichmay easily be known by its broad leaf, shaped like the laurel, of alight green colour without, and inclining to blue within; the bark iseasily stripped with a bone or a stick, and its virtues are well known:It may be used for culinary purposes as a spice, and is not lesspleasant than wholesome: Here is also plenty of wild celery andscurvy-grass. The trees are chiefly of one kind, a species of the birch, called _Betula antarctica_; the stem is from thirty to forty feet long, and from two to three feet in diameter, so that in a case of necessitythey might possibly supply a ship with top-masts: They are a light whitewood, bear a small leaf, and cleave very straight. Cranberries were alsofound here in great plenty, both white and red. 

The persons who landed saw none of the inhabitants, but fell in with twoof their deserted huts, one in a thick wood, and the other close by thebeach. 

Having taken the boat on board, I made sail into the Streight, and atthree in the morning of the 15th, I anchored in twelve fathom and ahalf, upon coral rocks, before a small cove, which we took for PortMaurice, at the distance of about half a mile from the shore. Two of thenatives came down to the beach, expecting us to land; but this spotafforded so little shelter, that I at length determined not to examineit: I therefore got under sail again about ten o'clock, and the savagesretired into the woods. 

At two o'clock, we anchored in the bay of Good Success; and after dinnerI went on shore, accompanied by Mr Banks and Dr Solander, to look for awatering-place, and speak to the Indians, several of whom had come insight. We landed on the starboard side of the bay near some rocks, whichmade smooth water and good landing; thirty or forty of the Indians soonmade their appearance at the end of a sandy beach on the other side ofthe bay, but seeing our number, which was ten or twelve, they retreated. Mr Banks and Dr Solander then advanced about one hundred yards beforeus, upon which two of the Indians returned, and, having advanced somepaces towards them, sat down; as soon as they came up, the Indians rose, and each of them having a small stick in his hand threw it away, in adirection both from themselves and the strangers, which was consideredas the renunciation of weapons in token of peace: They then walkedbriskly towards their companions, who had halted at about fifty yardsbehind them, and beckoned the gentlemen to follow, which they did. Theywere received with many uncouth signs of friendship; and, in return, they distributed among them some beads and ribbons, which had beenbrought on shore for that purpose, and with which they were greatlydelighted. A mutual confidence and good-will being thus produced, ourparties joined; the conversation, such as it was, became general; andthree of them accompanied us back to the ship. When they came on board, one of them, whom we took to be a priest, performed much the sameceremonies which M. Bougainville describes, and supposes to be anexorcism. When he was introduced into a new part of the ship, or whenany thing that he had not seen before caught his attention, he shoutedwith all his force for some minutes, without directing his voice eitherto us or his companions. [81]

[Footnote 81: The incident related by Bougainville, to which theallusion is made, is somewhat affecting. An interesting boy, one of thesavages' children, had unwarily, and from ignorance of its dangerousnature, put some bits of glass into his mouth which the sailors gavehim. His lips and palate, &c. Were cut in several places, and he soonbegan to spit blood, and to be violently convulsed. This excited themost distressing alarm and suspicion among the savages. One of them, whom Bougainville denominates a juggler, immediately had recourse tovery strange and unlikely means in order to relieve the poor child. Hefirst laid him on his back, then kneeling down between his legs, andbending himself, he pressed the child's belly as much as he could withhis head and hands, crying out continually, but with inarticulatesounds. From time to time he raised himself, and seeming to hold thedisease in his joined hands, opened them at once into the air, blowing, as if he drove away some evil spirit. During those rites, an old womanin tears howled with great violence in the child's ears. Theseceremonies, however, not proving effectual, but rather, indeed, as mighthave been expected, doing mischief, the juggler disappeared for alittle, in order, as should seem, to procure a peculiar dress, in whichhe might practise his exorcism with greater confidence of success, andto bring a brother in the trade, similarly apparelled, to aid him in hislabours. But so much the worse for the wretched patient, who was nowpummelled and squeezed all over, till his body was completely bruised. Such treatment, it is almost unnecessary to say, aggravated hissufferings, but accomplished no cure. The jugglers at last consented toallow the interference of the French surgeon, but appeared to be veryjealous of his skill. The child became somewhat easier towards night;however, from his continual sickness, there was much room to apprehendthat he had swallowed some of the glass, and died in consequence; for"about two o'clock in the morning, " says Bougainville, "we on boardheard repeated howls, and at break of day, though the weather was verydreadful, the savages went off. They doubtless fled from a place defiledby death, and by unlucky strangers, who, they thought, were come merelyto destroy them. " It is very probable that the person whom Cook supposeda priest, practised the charms spoken of, in order to destroy any illluck, and to prevent the occurrence of such like misfortunes in hisintercourse with the wonderful strangers. There is an allusion to thisincident in a following section. --E. ]

They ate some bread and some beef, but not apparently with muchpleasure, though such part of what was given them as they did not eat, they took away with them; but they would not swallow a drop either ofwine or spirits: They put the glass to their lips, but, having tastedthe liquor, they returned it with strong expressions of disgust. Curiosity seems to be one of the few passions which distinguish men frombrutes; and of this our guests appeared to have very little. They wentfrom one part of the ship to another, and looked at the vast variety ofnew objects that every moment presented themselves, without anyexpression either of wonder or pleasure, for the vociferation of ourexorcist seemed to be neither. 

After having been on board about two hours, they expressed a desire togo ashore. A boat was immediately ordered, and Mr Banks thought fit toaccompany them: He landed them in safety, and conducted them to theircompanions, among whom he remarked the same vacant indifference, as inthose who had been on board; for as on one side there appeared noeagerness to relate, so on the other there seemed to be no curiosity tohear, how they had been received, or what they had seen. In about halfan hour Mr Banks returned to the ship, and the Indians retired from theshore. 

SECTION IV. 

_An Account of what happened in ascending a Mountain to search forPlants. _

On the 16th, early in the morning, Mr Banks and Dr Solander, with theirattendants and servants, and two seamen to assist in carrying thebaggage, accompanied by Mr Monkhouse the surgeon, and Mr Green theastronomer, set out from the ship with a view to penetrate as far asthey could into the country, and return at night. The hills, when viewedat a distance, seemed to "be partly a wood, partly a plain, and abovethem a bare rock. Mr Banks hoped to get through the wood, and made nodoubt, but that, beyond it, he should, in a country which no botanisthad ever yet visited, find alpine plants which would abundantlycompensate his labour. They entered the wood at a small sandy beach, alittle to the westward of the watering-place, and continued to ascendthe hill, through the pathless wilderness, till three o'clock, beforethey got a near view of the places which they intended to visit. Soonafter they reached what they had taken for a plain; but, to their greatdisappointment, found it a swamp, covered with low bushes of birch, about three feet high, interwoven with each other, and so stubborn thatthey could not be bent out of the way; it was therefore necessary tolift the leg over them, which at every step was buried, ancle-deep, inthe soil. To aggravate the pain and difficulty of such travelling, theweather, which had hitherto been very fine, much like one of our brightdays in May, became gloomy and cold, with sudden blasts of a mostpiercing wind, accompanied with snow. They pushed forward, however, ingood spirits, notwithstanding their fatigue, hoping the worst of the waywas past, and that the bare rock which, they had seen from the tops ofthe lower hills was not more than a mile before them; but when they hadgot about two-thirds over this woody swamp, Mr Buchan, one of Mr Banks'sdraughtsmen, was unhappily seized with a fit. This made it necessary forthe whole company to halt, and as it was impossible that he should goany farther, a fire was kindled, and those who were most fatigued wereleft behind to take care of him. Mr Banks, Dr Solander, Mr Green, and MrMonkhouse, went on, and in a short time reached the summit. Asbotanists, their expectations were here abundantly gratified; for theyfound a great variety of plants, which, with respect to the alpineplants in Europe, are exactly what those plants are with respect to suchas grow in the plain. 

The cold was now become more severe, and the snow-blasts more frequent;the day also was so far spent, that it was found impossible to get backto the ship, before the next morning: To pass the night upon such amountain, in such a climate, was not only comfortless but dreadful; itwas impossible, however, to be avoided, and they were to provide for itas well as they could. 

Mr Banks and Dr Solander, while they were improving an opportunity whichthey had, with so much danger and difficulty, procured, by gathering theplants which they found upon the mountain, sent Mr Green and MrMonkhouse back to Mr Buchan and the people that were with him, withdirections to bring them to a hill, which they thought lay in a betterroute for returning to the wood, and which was therefore appointed as ageneral rendezvous. It was proposed, that from this hill they shouldpush through the swamp, which seemed by the new route not to be morethan half a mile over, into the shelter of the wood, and there buildtheir wigwam, and make a fire: This, as their way was all down hill, itseemed easy to accomplish. Their whole company assembled at therendezvous, and, though pinched with the cold, were in health andspirits, Mr Buchan himself having recovered his strength in a muchgreater degree than could have been expected. It was now near eighto'clock in the evening, but still good day-light, and they set forwardfor the nearest valley, Mr Banks himself undertaking to bring up therear, and see that no straggler was left behind: This may perhaps bethought a superfluous caution, but it will soon appear to be otherwise. Dr Solander, who had more than once crossed the mountains which divideSweden from Norway, well knew that extreme cold, especially when joinedwith fatigue, produces a torpor and sleepiness that are almostirresistible: He therefore conjured the company to keep moving, whateverpain it might cost them, and whatever relief they might be promised byan inclination to rest: Whoever sits down, says he, will sleep; andwhoever sleeps, will wake no more. Thus, at once admonished and alarmed, they set forward; but while they were still upon the naked rock, andbefore they had got among the bushes, the cold became suddenly sointense, as to produce the effects that had been most dreaded. DrSolander himself was the first who found the inclination, against whichhe had warned others, irresistible; and insisted upon being suffered tolie down. Mr Banks entreated and remonstrated in vain, down he lay uponthe ground, though it was covered with snow; and it was with greatdifficulty that his friend kept him from sleeping. Richmond also, one ofthe black servants, began to linger, having suffered from the cold inthe same manner as the doctor. Mr Banks, therefore, sent five of thecompany, among whom was Mr Buchan, forward to get a fire ready at thefirst convenient place they could find; and himself, with four others, remained with the doctor and Richmond, whom, partly by persuasion andentreaty, and partly by force, they brought on; but when they had gotthrough the greatest part of the birch and swamp, they both declaredthey could go no farther. Mr Banks had recourse again to entreaty andexpostulation, but they produced no effect: When Richmond was told, thatif he did not go on he would in a short time be frozen to death, heanswered, that he desired nothing but to lie down and die: The doctordid not so explicitly renounce his life; he said he was willing to goon, but that he must first take some sleep, though he had before toldthe company that to sleep was to perish. Mr Banks and the rest found itimpossible to carry them, and there being no remedy they were bothsuffered to sit down, being partly supported by the bushes, and in a fewminutes they fell into a profound sleep: Soon after, some of the peoplewho had been sent forward returned, with the welcome news that a firewas kindled about a quarter of a mile farther on the way. Mr Banks thenendeavoured to wake Dr Solander, and happily succeeded: But, though hehad not slept five minutes, he had almost lost the use of his limbs, andthe muscles were so shrunk that his shoes fell from his feet; heconsented to go forward with such assistance as could be given him, butno attempts to relieve poor Richmond were successful. It being foundimpossible to make him stir, after some time had been lost in theattempt, Mr Banks left his other black servant and a seaman, who seemedto have suffered least by the cold, to look after him; promising, thatas soon as two others should be sufficiently warmed, they should berelieved. Mr Banks, with much difficulty, at length got the doctor tothe fire; and soon after sent two of the people who had been refreshed, in hopes that, with the assistance of those who had been left behind, they would be able to bring Richmond, even though it should still befound impossible to wake him. In about half an hour, however, they hadthe mortification to see these two men return alone; they said, thatthey had been all round the place to which they had been directed, butcould neither find Richmond nor those who had been left with him; andthat though they had shouted many times, no voice had replied. This wasmatter of equal surprise and concern, particularly to Mr Banks, who, while he was wondering how it could happen, missed a bottle of rum, thecompany's whole stock, which they now concluded to be in the knapsack ofone of the absentees. It was conjectured, that with this Richmond hadbeen roused by the two persons who had been left with him, and that, having perhaps drank too freely of it themselves, they had all rambledfrom the place where they had been left, in search of the fire, insteadof waiting for those who should have been their assistants and guides. Another fall of snow now came on, and continued incessantly for twohours, so that all hope of seeing them again, at least alive, were givenup; but about twelve o'clock, to the great joy of those at the fire, ashouting was heard at some distance. Mr Banks, with four more, immediately went out, and found the seaman with just strength enoughleft to stagger along, and call out for assistance: Mr Banks sent himimmediately to the fire, and, by his direction, proceeded in search ofthe other two, whom he soon after found. Richmond was upon his legs, butnot able to put one before the other; his companion was lying upon theground, as insensible as a stone. All hands were now called from thefire, and an attempt was made to carry them to it; but this, notwithstanding the united efforts of the whole company, was found to beimpossible. The night was extremely dark, the snow was now very deep, and, under these additional disadvantages, they found it very difficultto make way through the bushes and the bog for themselves, all of themgetting many falls in the attempt. The only alternative was to make afire upon the spot; but the snow which had fallen, and was stillfalling, besides what was every moment shaken in flakes from the trees, rendered it equally impracticable to kindle one there, and to bring anypart of that which had been kindled in the wood thither: They were, therefore, reduced to the sad necessity of leaving the unhappy wretchesto their fate; having first made them a bed of boughs from the trees, and spread a covering of the same kind over them to a considerableheight. 

Having now been exposed to the cold and the snow near an hour and ahalf, some of the rest began to lose their sensibility; and one Briscoe, another of Mr Banks's servants, was so ill, that it was thought he mustdie before he could be got to the fire. 

At the fire, however, at length they arrived; and passed the night in asituation, which, however dreadful in itself, was rendered moreafflicting by the remembrance of what was past, and the uncertainty ofwhat was to come. Of twelve, the number that set out together in healthand spirits, two were supposed to be already dead; a third was so ill, that it was very doubtful whether he would be able to go forward in themorning; and a fourth, Mr Buchan, was in danger of a return of his fits, by fresh fatigue, after so uncomfortable a night: They were distant fromthe ship a long day's journey, through pathless woods, in which it wastoo probable they might be bewildered till they were overtaken by thenext night; and, not having prepared for a journey of more than eight orten hours, they were wholly destitute of provisions, except a vulture, which they happened to shoot while they were out, and which, if equallydivided, would not afford each of them half a meal; and they knew nothow much more they might suffer from the cold, as the snow stillcontinued to fall. A dreadful testimony of the severity of the climate, as it was now the midst of summer in this part of the world, the 21st ofDecember being here the longest day; and every thing might justly bedreaded from a phenomenon which, in the corresponding season, is unknowneven in Norway and Lapland. 

When the morning dawned, they saw nothing round them, as far as the eyecould reach, but snow, which seemed to lie as thick upon the trees asupon the ground; and the blasts returned so frequently, and with suchviolence, that they found it impossible for them to set out: How longthis might last they knew not, and they had but too much reason toapprehend that it would confine them in that desolate forest till theyperished with hunger and cold. 

After having suffered the misery and terror of this situation till sixo'clock in the morning, they conceived some hope of deliverance bydiscovering the place of the sun through the clouds, which were becomethinner, and began to break away. Their first care was to see whetherthe poor wretches whom they had been obliged to leave among the busheswere yet alive; three of the company were dispatched for that purpose, and very soon afterwards returned with the melancholy news, that theywere dead. 

Notwithstanding the flattering appearance of the sky, the snow stillcontinued to fall so thick that they could not venture out on theirjourney to the ship; but about eight o'clock a small regular breezesprung up, which, with the prevailing influence of the sun, at lengthcleared the air; and they soon after, with great joy, saw the snow fallin large flakes from the trees, a certain sign of an approaching thaw:They now examined more critically the state of their invalids; Briscoewas still very ill, but said, that he thought himself able to walk; andMr Buchan was much better than either he or his friends had any reasonto expect. They were now, however, pressed by the calls of hunger, towhich, after long fasting, every consideration of future good or evilimmediately gives way. Before they set forward, therefore, it wasunanimously agreed that they should eat their vulture; the bird wasaccordingly skinned, and, it being thought best to divide it before itwas fit to be eaten, it was cut into ten portions, and every man cookedhis own as he thought fit. After this repast, which furnished each ofthem with about three mouthfuls, they prepared to set out; but it wasten o'clock before the snow was sufficiently gone off, to render a marchpracticable. After a walk of about three hours, they were very agreeablysurprised to find themselves upon the beach, and much nearer to the shipthan they had any reason to expect. Upon reviewing their track from thevessel, they perceived, that, instead of ascending the hill in a line, so as to penetrate into the country, they had made almost a circle roundit. When they came on board, they congratulated each other upon theirsafety, with a joy that no man can feel who has not been exposed toequal danger; and as I had suffered great anxiety at their not returningin the evening of the day on which they set out, I was not whollywithout my share. 

SECTION V. 

_The Passage through the Streight of Le Maire, and a further Descriptionof the Inhabitants of Terra del Fuego and its Productions. _

On the 18th and 19th, we were delayed in getting on board our wood andwater by a swell: But on the 20th, the weather being more moderate, weagain sent the boat on shore, and Mr Banks and Dr Solander went in it. They landed in the bottom of the bay, and while my people were employedin cutting brooms, they pursued their great object, the improvement ofnatural knowledge, with success, collecting many shells and plants whichhitherto have been altogether unknown: They came on board to dinner, andafterwards went again on shore to visit an Indian town, which some ofthe people had reported to lie about two miles up the country. Theyfound the distance not more than by the account, and they approached itby what appeared to be the common road, yet they were above an hour ingetting thither, for they were frequently up to their knees in mud; whenthey got within a small distance, two of the people came out to meetthem, with such state as they could assume; when they joined them, theybegan to halloo as they had done on board the ship, without addressingthemselves either to the strangers or their companions; and havingcontinued this strange vociferation some time, they conducted them tothe town. It was situated on a dry knoll, or small hill, covered withwood, none of which seemed to have been cleared away, and consisted ofabout twelve or fourteen hovels, of the most rude and inartificialstructure that can be imagined. They were nothing more than a few polesset up so as to incline towards each other, and meet at the top, forminga kind of a cone, like some of our bee-hives: On the weather-side theywere covered with a few boughs, and a little grass; and on the lee-sideabout one-eighth of the circle was left open, both for a door and afire-place; and of this kind were the huts that had been seen in StVincent's bay, in one of which the embers of a fire were stillremaining. Furniture they had none; a little grass, which lay round theinside of the hovel, served both for chairs and beds; and of all theutensils which necessity and ingenuity have concurred to produce amongother savage nations, they saw only a basket to carry in the hand, asatchel to hang at the back, and the bladder of some beast to holdwater, which the natives drink through a hole that is made near the topfor that purpose. 

The inhabitants of this town were a small tribe, not more than fifty innumber; of both sexes and of every age. Their colour resembles that ofthe rust of iron mixed with oil, and they have long black hair: The menare large, but clumsily built; their stature is from five feet eight tofive feet ten; the women are much less, few of them being more than fivefeet high. Their whole apparel consists of the skin of a guanicoe, orseal, which is thrown over their shoulders, exactly in the state inwhich it came from the animal's back; a piece of the same skin, which isdrawn over their feet, and gathered about the ancles like a purse, and asmall flap, which is worn by the women as a succedaneum for a fig-leaf. The men wear their cloak open, the women tie it about their waist with athong. But although they are content to be naked, they are veryambitious to be fine. Their faces were painted in various forms: Theregion of the eye was in general white, and the rest of the face adornedwith horizontal streaks of red and black; yet scarcely any two wereexactly alike. This decoration seems to be more profuse and elaborateupon particular occasions, for the two gentlemen who introduced Mr Banksand the doctor into the town, were almost covered with streaks of blackin all directions, so as to make a very striking appearance. Both menand women wore bracelets of such beads as they could make themselves ofsmall shells or bones; the women both upon their wrists and ancles, themen upon their wrists only; but to compensate for the want of braceletson their legs, they wore a kind of fillet of brown worsted round theirheads. They seemed to set a particular value upon any thing that wasred, and preferred beads even to a knife or a hatchet. 

Their language in general is guttural, and they express some of theirwords by a sound exactly like that which we make to clear the throatwhen any thing happens to obstruct it; yet they have words that would bedeemed soft in the better languages of Europe. Mr Banks learned what hesupposes to be their name for beads and water. When they wanted beads, instead of ribbons or other trifles, they said _halleca_; and when theywere taken on shore from the ship, and by signs asked where water mightbe found, they made the sign of drinking, and pointing as well to thecasks as the watering-place, cried _Oodá_. 

We saw no appearance of their having any food but shellfish; for thoughseals were frequently seen near the shore, they seemed to have noimplements for taking them. The shell-fish are collected by the women, whose business it seems to be to attend at low water, with a basket inone hand, and a stick, pointed and barbed, in the other, and a satchelat their backs: They loosen the limpets, and other fish that adhere tothe rocks, with the stick, and put them into the basket; which, whenfull, they empty into the satchel. 

The only things that we found among them in which there was the leastappearance of neatness or ingenuity, were their weapons, which consistedof a bow and arrows. The bow was not inelegantly made, and the arrowswere the neatest that we had ever seen: They were of wood, polished tothe highest degree; and the point, which was of glass or flint, andbarbed, was formed and fitted with wonderful dexterity. We saw also somepieces of glass and flint among them unwrought, besides rings, buttons, cloth, and canvas, with other European commodities; they must, therefore, sometimes travel to the northward, for it was many yearssince any ship had been so far south as this part of Terra del Fuego. Weobserved also, that they shewed no surprise at our fire-arms, with theuse of which they appeared to be well acquainted; for they made signs toMr Banks to shoot a seal which followed the boat, as they were going onshore from the ship. 

M. De Bougainville, who, in January 1768, just one year before us, hadbeen on shore upon this coast in latitude 53° 40' 41", had, among otherthings, given glass to the people whom he found here; for he says, thata boy about twelve years old took it into his head to eat some of it, bywhich unhappy accident he died in great misery. These people mightprobably have some of the very glass which Bougainville left behind him, either from other natives, or perhaps from himself; for they appearedrather to be a travelling horde, than to have any fixed habitation. Their houses were built to stand but for a short time; they had noutensil or furniture but the basket and satchel, which have beenmentioned before, and which had handles adapted to the carrying themabout, in the hand and upon the back; the only clothing they had herewas scarcely sufficient to prevent their perishing with cold in thesummer of this country, much less in the extreme severity of winter; theshell-fish, which seemed to be their only food, would soon be exhaustedat any one place; and we had seen houses upon what appeared to be adeserted station in St Vincent's bay. 

It is also probable that the place where we found them was only atemporary residence, from their having here nothing like a boat orcanoe, of which it can scarcely be supposed that they were whollydestitute, especially as they were not sea-sick, or particularlyaffected, either in our boat or on board the ship. We conjectured thatthere might be a streight or inlet, running from the sea through greatpart of this island, from the Streight of Magellan, whence these peoplemight come, leaving their canoes where such inlet terminated. 

They did not appear to have among them any government or subordination:None was more respected than another; yet they seemed to live togetherin the utmost harmony and good fellowship. Neither did we discover anyappearance of religion among them, except the noises which have beenmentioned, and which we supposed to be a superstitious ceremony, merelybecause we could refer them to nothing else: They were used only by oneof those who came on board the ship, and the two who conducted Mr Banksand Dr Solander to the town, whom we therefore conjectured to bepriests. Upon the whole, these people appeared to be the most destituteand forlorn, as well as the most stupid of all human beings; theoutcasts of Nature, who spent their lives in wandering about the drearywastes, where two of our people perished with cold in the midst ofsummer; with no dwelling but a wretched hovel of sticks and grass, whichwould not only admit the wind, but the snow and the rain; almost naked, and destitute of every convenience that is furnished by the rudest art, having no implement even to dress their food: Yet they were content. They seemed to have no wish for any thing more than they possessed, nordid any thing that we offered them appear acceptable but beads. 

In this place we saw no quadruped except seals, sea-lions, and dogs; ofthe dogs it is remarkable that they bark, which those that areoriginally bred in America do not. And this is a further proof, that thepeople we saw here had, either immediately or remotely, communicatedwith the inhabitants of Europe. There are, however, other quadrupeds inthis part of the country; for when Mr Banks was at the top of thehighest hill that he ascended in his expedition through the woods, hesaw the footsteps of a large beast imprinted upon the surface of a bog, though he could not with any probability guess of what kind it might be. 

Of land-birds there are but few; Mr Banks saw none larger than anEnglish blackbird, except some hawks and a vulture; but of water-fowlthere is great plenty, particularly ducks. Of fish we saw scarce any, and with our hooks could catch none that was fit to eat; but shell-fish, limpets, clams, and mussels were to be found in abundance. 

Among the insects, which were not numerous, there was neither gnat normusquito, nor any other species that was either hurtful or troublesome, which perhaps is more than can be said of any other uncleared country. During the snow-blasts, which happened every day while we were here, they hide themselves; and the moment it is fair they appear again, asnimble and vigorous as the warmest weather could make them. 

Of plants, Mr Banks and Dr Solander found a vast variety; the fargreater part wholly different from any that have been hithertodescribed. Besides the birch and winter's bark, which have beenmentioned already, there is the beech, _Fagus antarcticus_, which, aswell as the birch, may be used for timber. The plants cannot beenumerated here; but as the scurvy-grass, _Cardamine antiscorbutica_, and the wild celery, _Apium antarcticum_, probably contain antiscorbuticqualities, which may be of great benefit to the crews of such ships asshall hereafter touch at this place, the following short description isinserted:

The scurvy-grass will be found in plenty in damp places, near springs ofwater, and in general in all places that lie near the beach, especiallyat the watering-place in the Bay of Good Success: When it is young, thestate of its greatest perfection, it lies flat upon the ground, havingmany leaves of a bright green, standing in pairs opposite to each other, with a single one at the end, which generally makes the fifth upon afoot-stalk: The plant, passing from this state, shoots up in stalks thatare sometimes two feet high, at the top of which are small whiteblossoms, and these are succeeded by long pods: The whole plant greatlyresembles that which in England is called Lady's Smock, orCuckow-flower. The wild celery is very like the celery in our gardens, the flowers are white, and stand in the same manner, in small tufts atthe top of the branches, but the leaves are of a deeper green. It growsin great abundance near the beach, and generally upon the soil that liesnext above the spring tides. It may indeed easily be known by the taste, which is between that of celery and parsley. We used the celery in largequantities, particularly in our soup, which, thus medicated, producedthe same good effects which seamen generally derive from a vegetablediet, after having been long confined to salt provisions. 

On Sunday the 22d of January, about two o'clock in the morning, havinggot our wood and water on board, we sailed out of the bay, and continuedour course through the streight. 

SECTION VI. 

_A general Description of the S. E. Part of Terra del Fuego, and theStreight of Le Maire; with some Remarks on Lord Anson's Account of them, and Directions for the Passage Westward, round this Part of America, into the South Seas_. 

Almost all writers who have mentioned the island of Terra del Fuego, describe it as destitute of wood, and covered with snow. In the winterit may possibly be covered with snow, and those who saw it at thatseason might perhaps be easily deceived, by its appearance, into anopinion that it was destitute of wood. Lord Anson was there in thebeginning of March, which answers to our September; and we were therethe beginning of January, which answers to our July, which way accountfor the difference of his description of it from ours. We fell in withit about twenty-one leagues to the westward of the streight of Le Maire, and from the time that we first saw it, trees were plainly to bedistinguished with our glasses; and as we came nearer, though here andthere we discovered patches of snow, the sides of the hills and thesea-coast appeared to be covered with a beautiful verdure. The hills arelofty, but not mountainous, though the summits of them are quite naked. The soil in the valleys is rich, and of a considerable depth; and at thefoot of almost every hill there is a brook, the water of which has areddish hue, like that which runs through our turf bogs in England, butit is by no means ill tasted, and upon the whole proved to be the bestthat we took in during our voyage. We ranged the coast to the streight, and had soundings all the way from 40 to 20 fathom, upon a gravelly andsandy bottom. The most remarkable land on Terra del Fuego is a hill, inthe form of a sugar-loaf, which stands on the west side not far from thesea; and the three hills, called the Three Brothers, about nine miles tothe westward of Cape St Diego, the low point that forms the northentrance of the streight of Le Maire. 

It is said in the account of Lord Anson's voyage, that it is difficultto determine exactly where the streight lies, though the appearance ofTerra del Fuego be well known, without knowing also the appearance ofStaten Land; and that some navigators have been deceived by three hillson Staten Land, which have been mistaken for the Three Brothers on Terradel Fuego, and so overshot the streight. But no ship can possibly missthe streight that coasts Terra del Fuego within sight of land, for itwill then, of itself, be sufficiently conspicuous; and Staten Land, which forms the east side, will be still more manifestly distinguished, for there is no land on Terra del Fuego like it. The streight of LeMaire can be missed only by standing too far to the eastward, withoutkeeping the land of Terra del Fuego in sight: If this is done, it may bemissed, however accurately the appearance of the coast of Staten Landmay have been exhibited; and if this is not done, it cannot be missed, though the appearance of that coast be not known. The entrance of thestreight should not be attempted but with a fair wind and moderateweather, and upon the very beginning of the tide of flood, which happenshere, at the full and change of the moon, about one or two o'clock; itis also best to keep as near to the Terra del Fuego shore as the windswill admit. By attending to these particulars, a ship may be got quitethrough the streight in one tide; or, at least, to the southward ofSuccess Bay, into which it will be more prudent to put, if the windshould be southerly, than to attempt the weathering of Staten Land witha lee wind and a current, which may endanger her being driven on thatisland. 

The streight itself, which is bounded on the west by Terra del Fuego, and on the east by the west end of Staten Land, is about five leagueslong, and as many broad. The Bay of Good Success lies about the middleof it, on the Terra del Fuego side, and is discovered immediately uponentering the streight from the northward; and the south head of it maybe distinguished by a mark on the land, that has the appearance of abroad road, leading up from the sea into the country: At the entrance itis half a league wide, and runs in westward about two miles and a half. There is good anchorage in every part of it, in from ten to sevenfathom, clear ground; and it affords plenty of exceeding good wood andwater. The tides flow in the bay, at the full and change of the moon, about four or five o'clock, and rise about five or six feetperpendicular. But the flood runs two or three hours longer in thestreight than in the bay; and the ebb, or northerly current, runs withnear double the strength of the flood. 

In the appearance of Staten Land, we did not discover the wildness andhorror that is ascribed to it in the account of Lord Anson's voyage. Onthe north side are the appearances of bays or harbours; and the landwhen we saw it, was neither destitute of wood nor verdure, nor coveredwith snow. The island seems to be about twelve leagues in length andfive broad. 

On the west side of the Cape of Good Success, which forms the S. W. Entrance of the streight, lies Valentine's Bay, of which we only saw theentrance; from this bay the land trends away to the W. S. W. For twenty orthirty leagues; it appears to be high and mountainous, and forms severalbays and inlets. 

At the distance of fourteen leagues from the Bay of Good Success, in thedirection of S. W. 1/2 W. And between two and three leagues from the shore, lies New Island. It is about two leagues in length from N. E. To S. W. Andterminates to the N. E. In a remarkable hillock. At the distance of sevenleagues from New Island, in the direction of S. W. Lies the isle_Evouts_; and a little to the west of the south of this island lieBarnevelt's two small flat islands, close to each other; they are partlysurrounded with rocks, which rise to different heights above the water, and lie twenty-four leagues from the streight of Le Maire. At thedistance of three leagues from Barnevelt's islands, in the direction ofS. W. By S. Lies the S. E. Point of Hermit's islands: These islands lieS. E. And N. W. And are pretty high: From most points of view they will betaken for one island, or a part of the main. 

From the S. E. Point of Hermit's islands to Cape Horn the course is S. W. By S. Distance three leagues. 

In the chart I drew of this coast, from our first making land to thecape, which includes the Streight of Le Maire, and part of Staten Land, I have laid down no land, nor traced out any shore, but what I sawmyself, and thus far it may be depended upon: The bays and inlets, ofwhich we saw only the openings, are not traced; it can, however, scarcely be doubted but that most, if not all of them, affordanchorage, wood and water. The Dutch squadron, commanded by Hermit, certainly put into some of them in the year 1624: And it was Chapenham, the vice-admiral of this squadron, who first discovered that the land ofCape Horn consisted of a number of islands. The account, however, whichthose who sailed in Hermit's fleet have given of these parts, isextremely defective; and those of Schouton and Le Maire are still worse:It is therefore no wonder that the charts hitherto published should beerroneous, not only in laying down the land, but in the latitude andlongitude of the places they contain. I will, however, venture toassert, that the longitude of few parts of the world is betterascertained than that of the Streight of Le Maire, and Cape Horn, in thechart now alluded to, as it was laid down by several observations of thesun and moon that were made both by myself and Mr Green. [82]

[Footnote 82: This chart is necessarily omitted. Krusenstern, speakingof the observations respecting the position of Cape St John, says, "There are few cities in Europe, the geographical longitude of which isdetermined with the same degree of accuracy as that of this barren rock, in one of the roughest and most inhospitable islands of the globe. Buthow infinitely important is this accuracy to the safety of shipping!" Heverified Cook's determination of the longitude of this cape. --E. ]

The variation of the compass on this coast I found to be from 23° to 25°E. Except near Barnevelt's islands and Cape Horn, where we found itless, and unsettled: Probably it is disturbed here by the land, asHermit's squadron, in this very place, found all their compasses differfrom each other. The declination of the dipping-needle, when set uponshore in Success Bay, was 68° 15' below the horizon. 

Between Streight Le Maire and Cape Horn we found a current setting, generally very strong, to the N. E. When we were in with the shore; butlost it when we were at the distance of fifteen or twenty leagues. 

On the 26th of January, we took our departure from Cape Horn, which liesin latitude 55° 53' S. Longitude 68° 13' W. The farthest southernlatitude that we made was 60° 10', our longitude was then 74° 30' W. ;and we found the variation of the compass, by the mean of eighteenazimuths, to be 27° 9' E. As the weather was frequently calm, Mr Bankswent out in a small boat to shoot birds, among which were somealbatrosses and sheer-waters. The albatrosses were observed to be largerthan those which had been taken northward of the streight; one of themmeasured ten feet two inches from the tip of one wing to that of theother, when they were extended: The sheer-water, on the contrary, isless, and darker coloured on the back. The albatrosses we skinned, andhaving soaked them in salt water till the morning, we parboiled them, then throwing away the liquor, stewed them in a very little fresh watertill they were tender, and had them served up with savoury sauce; thusdressed, the dish was universally commended, and we eat of it veryheartily even when there was fresh pork upon the table. 

From a variety of observations which were made with great care, itappeared probable in the highest degree, that, from the time of ourleaving the land to the 13th of February, when we were in latitude 49°32', and longitude 90° 37', we had no current to the west. 

At this time we had advanced about 12° to the westward, and 3 and 1/2 tothe northward of the Streight of Magellan: Having been just three andthirty days in coming round the land of Terra del Fuego, or Cape Horn, from the east entrance of the streight to this situation. And though thedoubling of Cape Horn is so much dreaded, that, in the general opinion, it is more eligible to pass through the Streight of Magellan, we werenot once brought under our close reefed top sails after we left theStreight of Le Maire. The Dolphin in her last voyage, which sheperformed at the same season of the year with ours, was three months ingetting through the Streight of Magellan, exclusive of the time thatshe lay in Port Famine; and I am persuaded, from the winds we had, thatif we had come by that passage, we should not at this time have been inthese seas; that our people would have been fatigued, and our anchors, cables, sails, and rigging much damaged; neither of which inconvenienceswe had now suffered. But supposing it more eligible to go round thecape, than through the Streight of Magellan, it may still be questioned, whether it is better to go through the Streight of Le Maire, or stand tothe eastward, and go round to Staten Land. The advice given in theaccount of Lord Anson's voyage is, "That all ships bound to the SouthSeas, instead of passing through the Streight of Le Maire, shouldconstantly pass to the eastward, of Staten Land, and should beinvariably bent on running to the southward as far as the latitude of 61or 62 degrees, before they endeavour to stand to the westward. " But, inmy opinion, different circumstances may at one time render it eligibleto pass through the streight, and to keep to the eastward of Staten Landat another. If the land is fallen in with to the westward of thestreight, and the wind is favourable for going through, I think it wouldbe very injudicious to lose time by going round Staten Land, as I amconfident that, by attending to the directions which I have given, thestreight may be passed with the utmost safety and convenience: But if, on the contrary, the land is fallen in with to the eastward of thestreight, and the wind should prove tempestuous or unfavourable, I thinkit would be best to go round Staten Land. But I cannot in any caseconcur in recommending the running into the latitude of 61 or 62, beforeany endeavour is made to stand to the westward. We found neither thecurrent nor the storms which the running so far to the southward issupposed necessary to avoid; and indeed, as the winds almost constantlyblow from that quarter, it is scarcely possible to pursue the advice. The navigator has no choice but to stand to the southward, close upon awind, and by keeping upon that tack, he will not only make southing, butwesting; and, if the wind varies towards the north or the west, hiswesting will be considerable. It will indeed be highly proper to makesure of a westing sufficient to double all the lands, before an attemptis made to stand to the northward, and to this every man's own prudencewill of necessity direct him. [83]

We now began to have strong gales and heavy seas, with irregularintervals of calm and fine weather. 

[Footnote 83: Captain Krusenstern gave the preference to weathering theisland: "Although, " says he, "the wind was very favourable for us tohave passed through Streight Le Maire, I thought it better to sail roundStaten Land, the violent currents in the streight being often verydangerous to shipping, as the experience of many navigators has shewn;and the advantages, on the contrary, but very trifling, since, the onlywind which will carry you through it, soon brings you back the shortdistance to the westward, which you lose by steering an easterly courseround Cape John. "--E. ]

SECTION VII. 

_The Sequel of the Passage from Cape Horn to the newly discoveredIslands in the South Seas, with a Description of their Figure andAppearance; some Account of the Inhabitants, and several Incidents thathappened during the Course, and at the Ship's Arrival among them_. 

On the 1st of March, we were in latitude 38° 44' S. And longitude 110°33' W. Both by observation and by the log. This agreement, after a runof 660 leagues, was thought to be very extraordinary; and is ademonstration, that after we left the land of Cape Horn we had nocurrent that affected the ship. It renders it also highly probable, thatwe had been near no land of any considerable extent; for currents arealways found when land is not remote, and sometimes, particularly on theeast side of the continent in the North Sea, when land has been distantone hundred leagues. 

Many birds, as usual, were constantly about the ship, so that Mr Bankskilled no less than sixty-two in one day; and what is more remarkable, he caught two forest flies, both of them of the same species, butdifferent from any that have hitherto been described; these probablybelonged to the birds, and came with them from the land, which we judgedto be at a great distance. Mr Banks also, about this time, found a largecuttle-fish, which had just been killed by the birds, floating in amangled condition upon the water; it is very different from thecuttle-fishes that are found in the European seas; for its arms, insteadof suckers, were furnished with a double row of very sharp talons, which resemble those of a cat, and, like them, were retractable into asheath of skin, from which they might be thrust at pleasure. Of thiscuttle-fish we made one of the best soups we had ever tasted. 

The albatrosses now began to leave us, and after the 8th there was notone to be seen. We continued our course without any memorable event tillthe 24th, when some of the people who were upon the watch in the nightreported that they saw a log of wood pass by the ship; and that the sea, which was rather rough, became suddenly as smooth as a mill-pond. It wasa general opinion, that there was land to windward; but I did not thinkmyself at liberty to search for what I was not sure to find; though Ijudged we were not far from the islands that were discovered by Quirosin 1606. Our latitude was 22° 11' S. And longitude 127° 55' W. [84]

[Footnote 84: Arrowsmith has laid down Ducies Island very near to thisposition. See his map of America. ]

On the 25th, about noon, one of the marines, a young fellow abouttwenty, was placed as sentry at the cabin-door; while he was upon thisduty, one of my servants was at the same place preparing to cut a pieceof seal-skin into tobacco-pouches: He had promised one to several of themen, but had refused one to this young fellow, though he had asked himseveral times; upon which he jocularly threatened to steal one, if itshould be in his power. It happened that the servant, being calledhastily away, gave the skin in charge to the centinel, without regardingwhat had passed between them. The centinel immediately secured a pieceof the skin, which the other missing at his return, grew angry; but, after some altercation; contented himself with taking it away, declaring, that, for so trifling an affair, he would not complain of himto the officers. But it happened that one of his fellow-soldiers, overhearing the dispute, came to the knowledge of what had happened, andtold it to the rest; who, taking it into their heads to stand up for thehonour of their corps, reproached the offender with great bitterness, and reviled him in the most opprobrious terms; they exaggerated hisoffence into a crime of the deepest dye; they said it was a theft by acentry when he was upon duty, and of a thing that had been committed tohis trust; they declared it a disgrace to associate with him; and theserjeant, in particular, said, that, if the person from whom the skinhad been stolen would not complain, he would complain himself; for thathis honour would suffer if the offender was not punished. From thescoffs and reproaches of these men of honour, the poor young fellowretired to his hammock in an agony of confusion and shame. The serjeantsoon after went to him, and ordered him to follow him to the deck. Heobeyed without reply; but it being in the dusk of the evening, heslipped from the serjeant and went forward. He was seen by some of thepeople, who thought he was gone to the head; but a search being made forhim afterwards, it was found that he had thrown himself overboard; and Iwas then first made acquainted with the theft and its circumstances. Theloss of this man was the more regretted, as he was remarkably quiet andindustrious. 

On Tuesday the 4th of April, about ten o'clock in the morning, MrBanks's servant, Peter Briscoe, discovered land, bearing south, at thedistance of about three or four leagues. I immediately hauled up for it, and found it to be an island of an oval form, with a lagoon in themiddle, which occupied much the larger part of it; the border of landwhich circumscribes the lagoon is in many places very low and narrow, particularly on the south side, where it consists principally of a beachor reef of rocks: It has the same appearance also in three places on thenorth side; so that the firm land being disjoined, the whole looks likemany islands covered with wood. On the west end of the island is a largetree, or clump of trees, that in appearance resembles a tower; and aboutthe middle are two cocoa-nut trees, which rise above all the rest, and, as we came near to the island, appeared like a flag. We approached it onthe north side, and though we came within a mile, we found no bottomwith one hundred and thirty fathom of line, nor did there appear to beany anchorage about it. The whole is covered with trees of differentverdure, but we could distinguish none, even with our glasses, exceptcocoa-nuts and palm-nuts. We saw several of the natives upon the shore, and counted four-and-twenty. They appeared to be tall, and to have headsremarkably large; perhaps they had something wound round them, which wecould not distinguish; they were of a copper colour, and had long blackhair. Eleven of them walked along the beach abreast of the ship, withpoles or pikes in their hands, which reached twice as high asthemselves. While they walked on the beach they seemed to be naked; butsoon after they retired, which they did as soon as the ship had passedthe island, they covered themselves with something that made themappear of a light colour. Their habitations were under some clumps ofpalm-nut trees, which at a distance appeared like high ground; and tous, who for a long time had seen nothing but water and sky, except thedreary hills of Terra del Fuego, these groves seemed a terrestrialparadise. To this spot, which lies in latitude 18° 47' S. And longitude139° 28' W. We gave the name of _Lagoon Island_. The variation of theneedle here is 2° 54' E. 

About one o'clock we made sail to the westward, and about half an hourafter three we saw land again to the N. W. We got up with it at sun-set;and it proved to be a low woody island, of a circular form, and not muchabove a mile in compass. We discovered no inhabitants, nor could wedistinguish any cocoa-nut trees, though we were within half a mile ofthe shore. The land, however, was covered with verdure of many hues. Itlies in latitude 18° 35' S. And longitude 139° 48' W. And is distantfrom Lagoon Island, in the direction of N. 62 W. About seven leagues. Wecalled it _Thrumb-Cap_. I discovered, by the appearance of the shore, that at this place it was low water; and I had observed at LagoonIsland, that it was either high-water, or that the sea neither ebbed norflowed. I infer, therefore, that a S. By E. Or S. Moon makes high water. 

We went on with a fine trade-wind and pleasant weather; and on the 5th, about three in the afternoon, we discovered land to the westward. Itproved to be a low island, of much greater extent than either of thosethat we had seen before, being about ten or twelve leagues in compass. Several of us remained at the mast-head the whole evening, admiring itsextraordinary figure. It was shaped exactly like a bow; the arch andcord of which were land, and the space between them water; the cord wasa flat beach, without any signs of vegetation, having nothing upon itbut heaps of sea-weed, which lay in different ridges, as higher or lowertides had left them. It appeared to be about three or four leagues long, and not more than two hundred yards wide: but as a horizontal plane isalways seen in perspective, and greatly foreshortened, it is certainlymuch wider than it appeared: The horns, or extremities of the bow, weretwo large tufts of cocoa-nut trees; and much the greater part of thearch was covered with trees of different height, figure, and hue; insome parts, however, it was naked and low like the cord. Some of usthought they discovered openings through the cord into the pool or lake, that was included between that and the bow; but whether there were orwere not such openings is uncertain. We sailed abreast of the low beachor bowstring, within less than a league of the shore, till sun-set, andwe then judged ourselves to be about half-way between the two horns. Here we brought-to, and sounded, but found no bottom with one hundredand thirty fathom; and as it is dark almost instantly after sun-set inthese latitudes, we suddenly lost sight of the land; and making sailagain, before the line was well hauled in, we steered by the sound ofthe breakers, which were distinctly heard till we got clear of thecoast. 

We knew this island to be inhabited, by smoke which we saw in differentparts of it, and we gave it the name of _Bow Island_. Mr Gore, my secondlieutenant, said, after we had sailed by the island, that he had seenseveral of the natives, under the first clump of trees, from the deck;that he had distinguished their houses, and seen several canoes hauledup under the shade; but in this he was more fortunate than any otherperson on board. The east end of this island, which, from its figure, wecalled the Bow, lies in latitude 18° 23' S. And longitude 141° 12' W. Weobserved the variation of the compass to be 5° 38' E. 

On the next day, Thursday the 6th, about noon, we saw land again to thewestward, and came up with it about three. It appeared to be twoislands, or rather groups of islands, extending from N. W. By N. To S. E. By S. About nine leagues. Of these, the two largest were separated fromeach other by a channel of about half-a-mile broad, and were severallysurrounded by smaller islands, to which they were joined by reefs thatlay under water. 

These islands were long narrow strips of land, ranging in alldirections, some of them ten miles or upwards in length, but none morethan a quarter of a mile broad, and upon all of them there were trees ofvarious kinds, particularly the cocoa-nut. The south-eastermost of themlies in the latitude of 18° 12' S. And longitude 142° 42' W. And at thedistance of twenty-five leagues in the direction of W. 1/2 N. From thewest end of Bow Island. We ranged along the S. W. Side of this island, and hauled into a bay which lies to the N. W. Of the southermost point ofthe Group, where there was a smooth sea, and the appearance ofanchorage, without much surf on the shore. We sounded, but we found nobottom with one hundred fathom, at the distance of no more than threequarters of a mile from the beach, and I did not think it prudent to gonearer. 

While this was doing, several of the inhabitants assembled upon theshore, and some came out in their canoes as far as the reefs, but wouldnot pass them: When we saw this, we ranged, with an easy sail, along theshore; but just as we were passing the end of the island, six men, whohad for some time kept abreast of the ship, suddenly launched two canoeswith great quickness and dexterity, and three of them getting into each, they put off, as we imagined, with a design to come on board us; theship was therefore brought-to, but they, like their fellows, stopped atthe reef; we did not however immediately make sail, as we observed twomessengers dispatched to them from the other canoes, which were of amuch larger size: We perceived that these messengers made greatexpedition, wading and swimming along the reef; at length they met, andthe men on board the canoes making no dispositions to pass the reef, after having received the message, we judged that they had resolved tocome no farther. After waiting, therefore, some little time longer, westood off; but when we were got about two or three miles from the shore, we perceived some of the natives following us in a canoe with a sail; wedid not, however, think it worth while to wait for her, and though shehad passed the reef, she soon after gave over the chace. 

According to the best judgment that we could form of the people, when wewere nearest the shore, they were about our size, and well-made. Theywere of a brown complexion, and appeared to be naked; their hair, whichwas black, was confined by a fillet that went round the head, and stuckout behind like a bush. The greater part of them carried in their handstwo weapons; one of them was a slender pole, from ten to fourteen feetlong, on one end of which was a small knob, not unlike the point of aspear; the other was about four feet long, and shaped like a paddle, andpossibly might be so, for some of their canoes were very small: Thosewhich we saw them launch seemed not intended to carry more than thethree men that got into them. We saw others that had on board six orseven men, and one of them hoisted a sail, which did not seem to reachmore than six feet above the gunwale of the boat, and which, upon thefalling of a slight shower, was taken down and converted into an awningor tilt. The canoe which followed us to sea hoisted a sail not unlike anEnglish log-sail, and almost as lofty as an English boat of the samesize would have carried. 

The people, who kept abreast of the ship on the beach, made manysignals; but whether they were intended to frighten us away, or inviteus on shore, it is not easy to determine. We returned them by waving ourhats and shouting, and they replied by shouting again. We did not puttheir disposition to the test by attempting to land; because, as theisland was inconsiderable, and as we wanted nothing that it couldafford, we thought it imprudent as well as cruel to risk a contest, inwhich the natives must have suffered by our superiority, merely togratify an idle curiosity; especially as we expected soon to fall inwith the island where we had been directed to make our astronomicalobservation, the inhabitants of which would probably admit us withoutopposition, as they were already acquainted with our strength, and mightalso procure us a ready and peaceable reception among the neighbouringpeople, if we should desire it. 

To these islands we gave the name of _The Groups_. 

On the 7th, about half an hour after six in the morning, being just atday-break, we discovered another island to the northward, which wejudged to be about four miles in circumference. The land lay very low, and there was a piece of water in the middle of it; there seemed to besome wood upon it, and it looked green and pleasant; but we saw neithercocoa-trees nor inhabitants: It abounded, however, with birds, and wetherefore gave it the name of _Bird-Island_. 

It lies in latitude 17° 48' S. And longitude 143° 35' W. At the distanceof ten leagues, in the direction W. 1/2 N. From the west end of theGroups. The variation here was 6° 32' E. 

On the 8th, about two o'clock in the afternoon, we saw land to thenorthward, and about sun-set came abreast of it, at about the distanceof two leagues. It appeared to be a double range of low woody islandsjoined together by reefs, so as to form one island, in the form of anellipsis or oval, with a lake in the middle of it. The small islands andreefs that circumscribe the lake have the appearance of a chain, and wetherefore gave it the name of _Chain Island_. Its length seemed to beabout five leagues, in the direction of N. W. And S. E. And its breadthabout five miles. The trees upon it appeared to be large, and we sawsmoke rising in different parts of it from among them, a certain signthat it was inhabited. The middle of it lies in latitude 17° 23' S. Andlongitude 145° 54' W. And is distant from Bird Island forty-fiveleagues, in the direction of W. By N. The variation here was, by severalazimuths, found to be 4° 54' E. 

[Illustration: THE ISLAND OF OTAHEITE]

On the 10th, having had a tempestuous night, with thunder and rain, theweather was hazy till about nine o'clock in the morning, when it clearedup, and we saw the island to which Captain Wallis, who first discoveredit, gave the name of Osnaburgh Island, called by the natives _Maitea_, bearing N. W. By W. Distant about five leagues. It is a high roundisland, not above a league in circuit; in some parts it is covered withtrees, and in others a naked rock. In this direction it looked like ahigh-crowned hat; but when it bears north, the top of it has more theappearance of the roof of a house. We made its latitude to be 17° 48' S. Its longitude 148° 10' W. And its distance from Chain Island 44 leagues, in the direction of W. By S. [85]

[Footnote 85: The islands mentioned in this section, with some otherssince discovered, constitute what has been called Dangerous Archipelago. This is the name which Bougainville gave to this cluster. --E]

SECTION VIII. 

_The Arrival of the Endeavour at Otaheite, called by Captain Wallis, King George the Third's Island. Rules established for Traffic with theNatives, and an Account of several Incidents which happened in a Visitto Tootahah and Toubourai Tamaida, two Chiefs. [86]_

[Footnote 86: It would have been easy to have contributed largely to theinformation respecting Otaheite, contained in this section and severalof the succeeding ones; but, on the whole, it did not seem eligible toanticipate the events and incidents which fall to be elsewhere related. Notes are therefore very sparingly given, and only for specificpurposes. Some modifications also, and some omissions of the text, havebeen made, in order to correspond with what has been already narrated, or what will be afterwards given in a better manner. --E. ]

About one o'clock, on Monday the 10th of April, some of the people whowere looking out for the island to which we were bound, said they sawland ahead, in that part of the horizon where it was expected to appear;but it was so faint, that, whether there was land in sight or not, remained a matter of dispute till sun-set. The next morning, however, atsix o'clock, we were convinced that those who said they had discoveredland were not mistaken; it appeared to be very high and mountainous, extending from W. By S. 1/2 S. To W. By N. 1/2 N. And we knew it to bethe same that Captain Wallis had called King George the Third's Island. We were delayed in our approach to it by light airs and calms, so thatin the morning of the 12th we were but little nearer than we had beenthe night before; but about seven a breeze sprung up, and before elevenseveral canoes were seen making towards the ship. There were but few ofthem, however, that would come near; and the people in those that did, could not be persuaded to come on board. In every canoe there were youngplantains, and branches of a tree which the Indians call _E'Midho_;these, as we afterwards learnt, were brought as tokens of peace andamity; and the people in one of the canoes handed them up the ship'sside, making signals at the same time with great earnestness, which wedid not immediately understand; at length we guessed that they wishedthese symbols should be placed in some conspicuous part of the ship; we, therefore, immediately stuck them among the rigging, at which theyexpressed the greatest satisfaction. We then purchased their cargoes, consisting of cocoa-nuts, and various kinds of fruit, which, after ourlong voyage, were very acceptable. 

We stood on with an easy sail all night, with soundings from twenty-twofathom to twelve; and about seven o'clock in the morning we came to ananchor in thirteen fathom in Port-Royal Bay, called by the nativesMatavai. We were immediately surrounded by the natives in their canoes, who gave us cocoa-nuts, fruit resembling apples, bread-fruit, and somesmall fishes, in exchange for beads and other trifles. They had withthem a pig, which they would not part with for any thing but a hatchet, and therefore we refused to purchase it; because, if we gave them ahatchet for a pig now, we knew they would never afterwards sell one forless, and we could not afford to buy as many as it was probable weshould want at that price. The bread-fruit grows on a tree that is aboutthe size of a middling oak: Its leaves are frequently a foot and an halflong, of an oblong shape, deeply sinuated like those of the fig-tree, which they resemble in consistence and colour, and in the exuding of awhite milky juice upon being broken. The fruit is about the size andshape of a child's head, and the surface is reticulated not much unlikea truffle: It is covered with a thin skin, and has a core about as bigas the handle of a small knife: The eatable part lies between the skinand the core; it is as white as snow, and somewhat of the consistence ofnew bread. It must be roasted before it is eaten, being first dividedinto three or four parts. Its taste is insipid, with a slight sweetnesssomewhat resembling that of the crumb of wheaten-bread mixed with aJerusalem artichoke. [87]

[Footnote 87: "Among all the labours of life, " says Mr Bryan Edwards, inhis History of the West Indies, "if there is one pursuit more repletethan any other with benevolence, more likely to add comforts to existingpeople, and even to augment their numbers by augmenting their means ofsubsistence, it is certainly that of spreading abroad the bounties ofcreation, by transplanting from one part of the globe to another suchnatural productions as are likely to prove beneficial to the interestsof humanity. In this generous effort, Sir Joseph Banks has employed aconsiderable part of his time, attention, and fortune; and the successwhich, in many cases, has crowned his endeavours, will be felt in theenjoyments, and rewarded by the blessing of posterity. " The reader willat once acknowledge the justice of this eulogium, when he is informed, that, to the beneficent president of the Royal Society, the inhabitantsof the West Indies are most materially indebted for the introductionamong them, of that invaluable production the bread-fruit tree heredescribed. It was principally by his warm and unwearied exertions thatthis at last was accomplished in January 1793, by the arrival at StVincent of his majesty's ship Providence, Captain Bligh, and theAssistant brig, Captain Portlocke, from the South Seas, having on boardmany hundreds of those trees, and a vast number of other plants, likelyto augment the comforts and supply the wants of the colonies. Howpleasing would be the records of discoveries, and how animating to everyhumane sentiment, if they presented us with no other pictures than ofsuch like labours in the cause of our common nature!--E. ]

Among others who came off to the ship was an elderly man, whose name, aswe learnt afterwards, was _Owhaw_, and who was immediately known to MrGore, and several others who had been here with Captain Wallis; as I wasinformed that he had been very useful to them, I took him on board theship with some others, and was particularly attentive to gratify him, asI hoped he might also be useful to us. 

As our stay here was not likely to be very short, and as it wasnecessary that the merchandise which we had brought for traffic with thenatives should not diminish in its value, which it would certainly havedone, if every person had been left at liberty to give what he pleasedfor such things as he should purchase; at the same time that confusionand quarrels must necessarily have arisen from there being no standardat market; I drew up the following rules, and ordered that they shouldbe punctually observed. 

/# _Rules to be observed by every person in or belonging to his Majesty's bark the Endeavour, for the better establishing a regular and uniform trade for provision, &c. With the inhabitants of King George's Island. _

 I. To endeavour, by every fair means, to cultivate a friendship with the natives; and to treat them with all imaginable humanity. 

 II. A proper person or persons will be appointed to trade with the natives for all manner of provisions, fruit, and other productions of the earth; and no officer or seaman, or other person belonging to the ship, excepting such as are so appointed, shall trade or offer to trade for any sort of provision, fruit, or other production of the earth, unless they have leave so to do. 

 III. Every person employed on shore, on any duty whatsoever, is strictly to attend to the same; and if by any neglect he loseth any of his arms, or working tools, or suffers them to be stolen, the full value thereof will be charged against his pay, according to the custom of the navy in such cases, and he shall receive such farther punishment as the nature of the offence may deserve. 

 IV. The same penalty will be inflicted on every person who is found to embezzle, trade, or offer to trade, with any part of the ship's stores of what nature soever. 

 V. No sort of iron, or any thing that is made of iron, or any sort of cloth, or other useful or necessary articles, are to be given in exchange for any thing but provision. 

 J. COOK. #/

As soon as the ship was properly secured, I went on shore with Mr Banksand Dr Solander, a party of men under arms, and our friend Owhaw. Wewere received from the boat by some hundreds of the inhabitants, whoselooks at least gave us welcome, though they were struck with such awe, that the first who approached us crouched so low that he almost creptupon his hands and knees. It is remarkable, that he, like the people inthe canoes, presented to us the same symbol of peace that is known tohave been in use among the ancient and mighty nations of the northernhemisphere, --the green branch of a tree. We received it with looks andgestures of kindness and satisfaction; and observing that each of themheld one in his hand, we immediately gathered every one a bough, andcarried it in our hands in the same manner. 

They marched with us about half a mile towards the place where theDolphin had watered, conducted by Owhaw; they then made a full stop, andhaving laid the ground bare, by clearing away all the plants that grewupon it, the principal persons among them threw their green branchesupon the naked spot, and made signs that we should do the same; weimmediately showed our readiness to comply, and to give a greatersolemnity to the rite, the marines were drawn up, and marching in order, each dropped his bough upon those of the Indians, and we followed theirexample. We then proceeded, and when we came to the watering-place itwas intimated to us by signs, that we might occupy that ground, but ithappened not to be fit for our purpose. During our walk they had shakenoff their first timid sense of our superiority, and were becomefamiliar: they went with us from the watering-place and took a circuitthrough the woods; as we went along, we distributed beads and othersmall presents among them, and had the satisfaction to see that theywere much gratified. Our circuit was not less than four or five miles, through groves of trees, which were loaded with cocoa-nuts andbread-fruit, and afforded the most grateful shade. Under these treeswere the habitations of the people, most of them being only a roofwithout walls, and the whole scene realized the poetical fables ofArcadia. We remarked, however; not without some regret, that in all ourwalk we had seen only two hogs, and not a single fowl. Those of ourcompany who had been here with the Dolphin told us, that none of thepeople whom we had yet seen were of the first class; they suspected thatthe chiefs had removed, and upon carrying us to the place where whatthey called the Queen's Palace had stood, we found that no traces of itwere left. We determined therefore to return in the morning, andendeavour to find out the _Noblesse_ in their retreats. 

In the morning, however, before we could leave the ship, several canoescame about us, most of them from the westward, and two of them werefilled with people, who by their dress and deportment appeared to be ofa superior rank: two of these came on board, and each singled out hisfriend; one of them, whose name we found to be _Matahah_, fixed upon MrBanks, and the other upon me: this ceremony consisted in taking offgreat part of their clothes and putting them upon us. In return forthis, we presented each of them with a hatchet and some beads. Soonafter they made signs for us to go with them to the places where theylived, pointing to the S. W. ; and as I was desirous of finding a morecommodious harbour, and making farther trial of the disposition of thepeople, I consented. 

I ordered out two boats, and with Mr Banks and Dr Solander, the othergentlemen, and our two Indian friends, we embarked for our expedition. After rowing about a league, they made signs that we should go on shore, and gave us to understand that this was the place of their residence. Weaccordingly landed, among several hundreds of the natives, who conductedus into a house of much greater length than any we had seen. When weentered, we saw a middle-aged man, whose name was afterwards discoveredto be _Tootahah_; mats were immediately spread, and we were desired tosit down over against him. Soon after we were seated, he ordered a cockand hen to be brought out, which he presented to Mr Banks and me; weaccepted the present, and in a short time each of us received a piece ofcloth, perfumed after their manner, by no means disagreeably, whichthey took great pains to make us remark. The piece presented to Mr Bankswas eleven yards long and two wide; in return for which, he gave a lacedsilk neckcloth, which he happened to have on, and a linen pockethandkerchief: Tootahah immediately dressed himself in this new finery, with an air of perfect complacency and satisfaction. But it is now timethat I should take some notice of the ladies. 

Soon after the interchanging of our presents with Tootahah, theyattended us to several large houses, in which we walked about with greatfreedom: they shewed us all the civility of which, in our situation, wecould accept; and, on their part, seemed to have no scruple that wouldhave prevented its being carried farther. The houses, which as I haveobserved before, are all open, except a roof, afforded no place ofretirement; but the ladies, by frequently pointing to the mats upon theground, and sometimes seating themselves and drawing us down upon them, left us no room to doubt of their being much less jealous of observationthan we were. 

We now took leave of our friendly chief, and directed our course alongthe shore; when we had walked about a mile, we met, at the head of agreat number of people, another chief, whose name was _ToubouraiTamaide_, with whom we were also to ratify a treaty of peace, with theceremony of which we were now become better acquainted. Having receivedthe branch which he presented to us, and given another in return, welaid our hands upon our left breasts, and pronounced the word _Taio_, which we supposed to signify friend; the chief then gave us tounderstand, that if we chose to eat, he had victuals ready for us. Weaccepted his offer, and dined very heartily upon fish, breadfruit, cocoa-nuts and plantains, dressed after their manner; they eat some oftheir fish raw, and raw fish was offered to us, but we declined thatpart of the entertainment. 

During this visit a wife of our noble host, whose name was _Tomio_, didMr Banks the honour to place herself upon the same matt, close by him. Tomio was not in the first bloom of her youth, nor did she appear tohave been ever remarkable for her beauty: he did not therefore, Ibelieve, pay her the most flattering attention: it happened too, as afarther mortification to this lady, that seeing a very pretty girl amongthe crowd, he, not adverting to the dignity of his companion, beckonedher to come to him: the girl, after some entreaty, complied, and satdown on the other side of him; he loaded her with beads, and every showytrifle that would please her: his princess, though she was somewhatmortified at the preference that was given to her rival, did notdiscontinue her civilities, but still assiduously supplied him with themilk of the cocoa-nut, and such other dainties as were in her reach. This scene might possibly have become more curious and interesting, ifit had not been suddenly interrupted by an interlude of a more seriouskind. Just at this time, Dr Solander and Mr Monkhouse complained thattheir pockets had been picked. Dr Solander had lost an opera glass in ashagreen case, and Mr Monkhouse his snuff box. This incidentunfortunately put an end to the good-humour of the company. Complaint ofthe injury was made to the chief; and, to give it weight, Mr Banksstarted up, and hastily struck the butt end of his firelock upon theground: this action, and the noise that accompanied it, struck the wholeassembly with a panic, and every one of the natives ran out of the housewith the utmost precipitation, except the chief, three women, and two orthree others, who appeared by their dress to be of a superior rank. 

The chief, with a mixture of confusion and concern, took Mr Banks by thehand, and led him to a large quantity of cloth, which lay at the otherend of the house: this he offered to him piece by piece, intimating bysigns, that if that would atone for the wrong which had been done, hemight take any part of it, or, if he pleased, the whole. Mr Banks put itby, and gave him to understand that he wanted nothing but what had beendishonestly taken away. Toubourai Tamaide then went hastily out, leavingMr Banks with his wife Tomio, who during the whole scene of terror andconfusion had kept constantly at his side, and intimating his desirethat he should wait there till his return. Mr Banks accordingly satdown, and conversed with her, as well as he could by signs, about halfan hour. The chief then came back with the snuff-box and the case of theopera glass in his hand, and, with a joy in his countenance that waspainted with a strength of expression which distinguishes these peoplefrom all others, delivered them to the owners. The case of the operaglass, however, upon being opened, was found to be empty; upon thisdiscovery, his countenance changed in a moment; and catching Mr Banksagain by the hand, he rushed out of the house, without uttering anysound, and led him along the shore, walking with great rapidity: whenthey had got about a mile from the house, a woman met him and gave him apiece of cloth, which he hastily took from her, and continued to pressforward with it in his hand. Dr Solander and Mr Monkhouse had followedthem, and they came at length to a house where they were received by awoman, to whom he gave the cloth, and intimated to the gentlemen thatthey should give her some beads. They immediately complied; and thebeads and cloth being deposited upon the floor, the woman went out, andin about half an hour returned with the opera-glass, expressing the samejoy upon the occasion that had before been expressed by the chief. Thebeads were now returned, with an inflexible resolution not to acceptthem; and the cloth was, with the same pertinacity, forced upon DrSolander, as a recompence for the injury that had been done him. Hecould not avoid accepting the cloth, but insisted in his turn upongiving a new present of beads to the woman. It will not perhaps be easyto account for all the steps that were taken in the recovery of thisglass and snuff-box; but this cannot be thought strange, consideringthat the scene of action was among a people whose language, policy, andconnections are even now but imperfectly known; upon the whole, however, they show an intelligence and influence which would do honour to anysystem of government, however regular and improved. In the evening, about six o'clock, we returned to the ship. 

SECTION IX. 

_A place fixed upon for an Observatory and Fort: an Excursion into theWoods, and its Consequences. The Fort erected: a Visit from severalChiefs on board and at the Fort, with some Account of the Music of theNatives, and the Manner in which they dispose of their Dead. _

On the next morning, Saturday the 15th, several of the chiefs whom wehad seen the day before came on board, and brought with them, hogs, bread-fruit, and other refreshments, for which we gave them hatchets andlinen, and such things as seemed to be most acceptable. As in myexcursion to the westward, I had not found any more convenient harbourthan that in which we lay, I determined to go on shore and fix upon somespot, commanded by the ship's guns, where I might throw up a small fortfor our defence, and prepare for making our astronomical observation. 

I therefore took a party of men, and landed without delay, accompaniedby Mr Banks, Dr Solander, and the astronomer, Mr Green. We soon fixedupon a part of the sandy beach, on the N. E. Point of the bay, which wasin every respect convenient for our purpose, and not near any habitationof the natives. Having marked out the ground that we intended to occupy, a small tent belonging to Mr Banks was set up, which had been brought onshore for that purpose: by this time a great number of the people hadgathered about us; but, as it appeared, only to look on, there not beinga single weapon of any kind among them. I intimated, however, that noneof them were to come within the line I had drawn, except one whoappeared to be a chief, and Owhaw. To these two persons I addressedmyself by signs, and endeavoured to make them understand, that we wantedthe ground which we had marked out to sleep upon for a certain number ofnights, and that then we should go away. Whether I was understood Icannot certainly determine; but the people behaved with a deference andrespect that at once pleased and surprised us; they sat down peaceablywithout the circle, and looked on, without giving us any interruption, till we had done, which was upwards of two hours. As we had seen nopoultry, and but two hogs, in our walk when we were last on shore atthis place, we suspected that, upon our arrival, they had been drivenfarther up the country; and the rather, as Owhaw was very importunatewith us, by signs, not to go into the woods, which, however, and partlyfor these reasons, we were determined to do. Having therefore appointedthe thirteen marines and a petty officer to guard the tent, we set out, and a great number of the natives joined our party. As we were crossinga little river that lay in our way we saw some ducks, and Mr Banks, assoon as he had got over, fired at them, and happened to kill three atone shot: this struck them with the utmost terror, so that most of themfell suddenly to the ground, as if they also had been shot at the samedischarge: it was not long, however, before they recovered from theirfright, and we continued our route; but we had not gone far before wewere alarmed by the report of two pieces, which were fired by the guardat the tent. We had then straggled a little distance from each other, but Owhaw immediately called us together, and by waving his hand, sentaway every Indian who followed us except three, each of whom, as apledge of peace on their part, and an entreaty that there might be peaceon ours, hastily broke a branch from the trees, and came to us with itin their hands. As we had too much reason to fear that some mischiefhad happened, we hasted back to the tent, which was not distant abovehalf a mile, and when we came up, we found it entirely deserted, exceptby our own people. 

It appeared, that one of the Indians who remained about the tent afterwe left it, had watched his opportunity, and, taking the centryunawares, had snatched away his musquet. Upon this, the petty officer, amidshipman, who commanded the party, perhaps from a sudden fear offarther violence, perhaps from the natural petulance of power newlyacquired, and perhaps from a brutality in his nature, ordered themarines to fire: the men, with as little consideration or humanity asthe officer, immediately discharged their pieces among the thickest ofthe flying crowd, consisting of more than a hundred; and observing thatthe thief did not fall, pursued him, and shot him dead. We afterwardslearnt, that none of the others were either killed or wounded. 

Owhaw, who had never left us, observing that we were now totallydeserted, got together a few of those who had fled, though not withoutsome difficulty, and ranged them about us; we endeavoured to justify ourpeople as well as we could, and to convince the Indians that if they didno wrong to us, we should do no wrong to them: they went away withoutany appearance of distrust or resentment; and having struck our tent, wereturned to the ship, but by no means satisfied with the transactions ofthe day. 

Upon questioning our people more particularly, whose conduct they soonperceived we could not approve, they alleged that the centinel whosemusket was taken away, was violently assaulted and thrown down, and thata push was afterwards made at him by the man who took the musket, beforeany command was given to fire. It was also suggested, that Owhaw hadsuspicions, at least, if not certain knowledge, that something would beattempted against our people at the tent, which made him so very earnestin his endeavours to prevent our leaving it; others imputed hisimportunity to his desire that we should confine ourselves to the beach:and it was remarked that neither Owhaw, nor the chiefs who remained withus after he had sent the rest of the people away, would have inferredthe breach of peace from the firing at the tent, if they had had noreason to suspect that some injury had been offered by theircountrymen; especially as Mr Banks had just fired at the ducks: And yetthat they did infer a breach of peace from that incident, was manifestfrom their waving their hands for the people to disperse, and instantlypulling green branches from the trees. But what were the realcircumstances of this unhappy affair, and whether either, and which ofthese conjectures were true, could never certainly be known. 

The next morning but few of the natives were seen upon the beach, andnot one of them came off to the ship. This convinced us that ourendeavours to quiet their apprehensions had not been effectual; and weremarked with particular regret, that we were deserted even by Owhaw, who had hitherto been so constant in his attachment, and so active inrenewing the peace that had been broken. 

Appearances being thus unfavourable, I warped the ship nearer to theshore, and moored her in such a manner as to command all the N. E. Partof the bay, particularly the place which I had marked out for thebuilding a fort. In the evening, however, I went on shore with only aboat's crew, and some of the gentlemen: The natives gathered about us, but not in the same number as before; there were I believe betweenthirty and forty, and they trafficked with us for cocoa-nuts and otherfruit, to all appearance as friendly as ever. 

On the 17th, early in the morning, we had the misfortune to lose MrBuchan, the person whom Mr Banks had brought out as a painter oflandscapes and figures. He was a sober, diligent, and ingenious youngman, and greatly regretted by Mr Banks; who hoped, by his means, to havegratified his friends in England with representations of this countryand its inhabitants, which no other person on board could delineate withthe same accuracy and elegance. He had always been subject to epilepticfits, one of which seized him on the mountains of Terra del Fuego, andthis disorder being aggravated by a bilious complaint which hecontracted on board the ship, at length put an end to his life. It wasat first proposed to bury him on shore, but Mr Banks thinking that itmight perhaps give offence to the natives, with whose customs we werethen wholly unacquainted, we committed his body to the sea, with as muchdecency and solemnity as our circumstances and situation would admit. 

In the forenoon of this day we received a visit from Tubourai Tamaide, and Tootahah, our chiefs, from the west: They brought with them, asemblems of peace, not branches of plantain, but two young trees, andwould not venture on board till these had been received, having probablybeen alarmed by the mischief which had been done at the tent. Each ofthem also brought, as propitiatory gifts, some bread-fruit, and a hogready dressed: This was a most acceptable present, as we perceived thathogs were not always to be got; and in return we gave to each of ournoble benefactors a hatchet and a nail. In the evening we went on shoreand set up a tent, in which Mr Green and myself spent the night, inorder to observe an eclipse of the first satellite of Jupiter; but theweather becoming cloudy, we were disappointed. 

On the 18th, at day-break, I went on shore, with as many people as couldpossibly be spared from the ship, and began to erect our fort. Whilesome were employed in throwing up intrenchments, others were busy incutting pickets and fascines, which the natives, who soon gathered roundus as they had been used to do, were so far from hindering, that many ofthem voluntarily assisted us, bringing the pickets and fascines from thewood where they had been cut, with great alacrity: We had indeed been soscrupulous of invading their property, that we purchased every stakewhich was used upon this occasion, and cut down no tree till we hadfirst obtained their consent. The soil where we constructed our fort wassandy, and this made it necessary to strengthen the entrenchments withwood; three sides were to be fortified in this manner; the fourth wasbounded by a river, upon the banks of which I proposed to place a propernumber of water-casks. This day we served pork to the ship's company forthe first time, and the Indians brought down so much bread-fruit andcocoa-nuts, that we found it necessary to send away part of themunbought, and to acquaint them, by signs, that we should want no morefor two days to come. Every thing was purchased this day with beads: Asingle bead, as big as a pea, being the purchase of five or sixcocoa-nuts, and as many of the bread-fruit. Mr Banks's tent was got upbefore night within the works, and he slept on shore for the first time. Proper centries were placed round it, but no Indian attempted toapproach it the whole night. 

The next morning, our friend Tubourai Tamaide made Mr Banks a visit, atthe tent, and brought with him not only his wife and family, but theroof of a house, and several materials for setting it up, with furnitureand implements of various kinds, intending, as we understood him, totake up his residence in our neighbourhood: This instance of hisconfidence and good-will gave us great pleasure, and we determined tostrengthen his attachment to us by every means in our power. Soon afterhis arrival he took Mr Banks by the hand, and leading him out of theline, signified that he should accompany him into the woods. Mr Banksreadily consented, and having walked with him about a quarter of a mile, they arrived at a kind of awning which he had already set up, and whichseemed to be his occasional habitation. Here he unfolded a bundle of hiscountry cloth, and taking out two garments, one of red cloth, and theother of very neat matting, he clothed Mr Banks in them, and without anyother ceremony immediately conducted him back to the tent. Hisattendants soon after brought him some pork and bread-fruit, which heeat, dipping his meat into salt water instead of sauce: After his mealhe retired to Mr Banks's bed, and slept about an hour. In the afternoon, his wife Tomio brought to the tent a young man about two-and-twentyyears of age, of a very comely appearance, whom they both seemed toacknowledge as their son, though we afterwards discovered that he wasnot so. In the evening, this young man and another chief, who had alsopaid us a visit, went away to the westward, but Tubourai Tamaide and hiswife returned to the awning in the skirts of the wood. 

Our surgeon, Mr Monkhouse, having walked out this evening, reported thathe had seen the body of the man who had been shot at the tents, which hesaid was wrapped in cloth, and placed on a kind of bier, supported bystakes, under a roof that seemed to have been set up for the purpose:That near it were deposited some instruments of war, and other things, which he would particularly have examined but for the stench of thebody, which was intolerable. He said, that he saw also two more sheds ofthe same kind, in one of which were the bones of a human body that hadlain till they were quite dry. We discovered afterwards, that this wasthe way in which they usually disposed of their dead. 

A kind of market now began to be kept just without the lines, and wasplentifully supplied with every thing but pork. Tubourai Tamaide was ourconstant guest, imitating our manners, even to the using of a knife andfork, which he did very handily. 

As my curiosity was excited by Mr Monkhouse's account of the situationof the man who had been shot, I took an opportunity to go with someothers to see it. I found the shed under which his body lay, close bythe house in which he resided when he was alive, some others being notmore than ten yards distant; it was about fifteen feet long, and elevenbroad, and of a proportionable height: One end was wholly open, and theother end, and the two sides, were partly inclosed with a kind of wickerwork. The bier on which the corpse was deposited, was a frame of woodlike that in which the sea-beds, called cotts, are placed, with a mattedbottom, and supported by four posts, at the height of about five feetfrom the ground. The body was covered first with a matt, and then withwhite cloth; by the side of it lay a wooden mace, one of their weaponsof war, and near the head of it, which lay next to the close end of theshed, lay two cocoa-nut shells, such as are sometimes used to carrywater in; at the other end a bunch of green leaves, with some driedtwigs, all tied together, were stuck in the ground, by which lay a stoneabout as big as a cocoa-nut: Near these lay one of the young plantaintrees, which are used for emblems of peace, and close by it a stone axe. At the open end of the shed also hung, in several strings, a greatnumber of palm-nuts, and without the shed, was stuck upright in theground, the stem of a plantain tree about five feet high, upon the topof which was placed a cocoa-nut shell full of fresh water: Against theside of one of the posts hung a small bag, containing a few pieces ofbreadfruit ready roasted, which were not all put in at the same time, for some of them were fresh, and others stale. I took notice thatseveral of the natives observed us with a mixture of solicitude andjealousy in their countenances, and by their gestures, expresseduneasiness when we went near the body, standing themselves at a littledistance while we were making our examination, and appearing to bepleased when we came away. 

Our residence on shore would by no means have been disagreeable if wehad not been incessantly tormented by the flies, which, among othermischief, made it almost impossible for Mr Parkinson, Mr Banks's naturalhistory painter, to work; for they not only covered his subject so asthat no part of its surface could be seen, but even eat the colour offthe paper as fast as he could lay it on. [88] We had recourse tomusquito-nets and fly-traps, which, though they made the inconveniencetolerable, were very far from removing it. 

[Footnote 88: Mr Sydney Parkinson, the person here mentioned, publisheda journal of this voyage at London, 1775, in 4to. Another edition of it, with the remarks of John Fothergill, appeared in 1784; and a Frenchtranslation of it, with additional matter, was printed at Paris in 1767. "Il est recommandable surtout, (says the Bibl. Univ. Des voyages) pardes details sur l'histoire naturelle, et par des vocabulaires plusetendus que ceux qui se trouvent dans le Premier Voyage de Cook. " Howfar it is entitled to this, or to any praise, the editor is unable tosay, having never been favoured with a sight of it. --E. ]

On the 22d, Tootahah gave us a specimen of the music of this country;four persons performed upon flutes, which had only two stops, andtherefore could not sound more than four notes, by half tones: They weresounded like our German flutes, except that the performer, instead ofapplying it to his mouth, blew into it with one nostril, while hestopped the other with his thumb: To these instruments four otherpersons sung, and kept very good time; but only one tune was playedduring the whole concert. 

Several of the natives brought us axes, which they had received from onboard the Dolphin, to grind and repair; but among others there was onewhich became the subject of much speculation, as it appeared to beFrench: After much enquiry, we learnt that a ship had been here betweenour arrival and the departure of the Dolphin, which we then conjecturedto have been a Spaniard, but afterwards knew to have been the Boudeuse, commanded by M. Bougainville. 

SECTION X. 

_An Excursion to the Eastward, an Account of several Incidents thathappened both on board and on shore, and of the first Interview withOberea, the Person who, when the Dolphin was here, was supposed to beQueen of the Island, with a Description of the Fort. _

On the 24th, Mr Banks and Dr Solander examined the country for severalmiles along the shore to the eastward: For about two miles it was flatand fertile; after that the hills stretched quite to the water's edge, and a little farther ran out into the sea, so that they were obliged toclimb over them. These hills, which were barren, continued for aboutthree miles more, and then terminated in a large plain, which was fullof good houses, and people who appeared to live in great affluence. Inthis place there was a river, much more considerable than that at ourfort, which issued from a deep and beautiful valley, and, where ourtravellers crossed it, though at some distance from the sea, was nearone hundred yards wide. About a mile beyond this river the countrybecame again barren, the rocks every where projecting into the sea, forwhich reason they resolved to return. Just as they had formed thisresolution, one of the natives offered them refreshment, which theyaccepted. They found this man to be of a kind that has been described byvarious authors, as mixed with many nations, but distinct from them all. His skin was of a dead white, without the least appearance of what iscalled complexion, though some parts of his body were in a small degreeless white than others: His hair, eye-brows, and beard, were as white ashis skin; his eyes appeared as if they were bloodshot, and he seemed tobe very short-sighted. [89]

[Footnote 89: Several authors have collected facts, and reasoned on thesubject of that remarkable race of beings, denominated, from theircolour, Albinos. Mention is made of some of them in the articleComplexion, in the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia, to which the reader isreferred. After all, however, it remains very doubtful whether thepeculiarity of the beings in question is to be attributed to disease, orto some distinct constitution of animal economy, which may be consideredas sufficient to characterize a species of our nature. The writer ofthis note inclines to the former opinion. This place, however, isimproper for the discussion of arguments for or against that opinion. Itmay be more satisfactory to the general reader to be informed, thatindividuals answering the usual description of the Albinos, have beenfound in all the quarters of the earth, and that some families are sopeculiarly constituted as to produce them very frequently, so that theaffection is, properly speaking, hereditary in them. Few persons any waycuriously disposed have not had it in their power to see specimens ofAlbinos, as exhibited for emolument in travelling shows. But, notwithstanding, such opportunities have not been much improved byphilosophical minds, so that the history of Albinos is still involved inconsiderable mystery. --E. ]

At their return they were met by Tubourai Tamaide, and his women, who, at seeing them, felt a joy which not being able to express, they burstinto tears, and wept some time before their passion could be restrained. 

This evening Dr Solander lent his knife to one of these women, whoneglected to return it, and the next morning Mr Banks's also wasmissing; upon this occasion I must bear my testimony, that the people ofthis country, of all ranks, men and women, are the arrantest thievesupon the face of the earth: The very day after we arrived here, whenthey came on board us, the chiefs were employed in stealing what theycould in the cabin, and their dependants were no less industrious inother parts of the ship; they snatched up every thing that it waspossible for them to secrete, till they got on shore, even to the glassports, two of which they carried off undetected. Tubourai Tamaide wasthe only one except Tootahah who had not been found guilty, and thepresumption, arising from this circumstance, that he was exempt from avice, of which the whole nation besides were guilty, could not besupposed to outweigh strong appearances to the contrary. Mr Bankstherefore, though not without some reluctance, accused him of havingstolen his knife: He solemnly and steadily denied that he knew any thingof it; upon which Mr Banks made him understand, that whoever had takenit, he was determined to have it returned: Upon this resolutedeclaration, one of the natives who was present produced a rag in whichthree knives were very carefully tied up. One was that which Dr Solanderhad lent to the woman, another was a table knife belonging to me, andthe owner of the third was not known. With these the chief immediatelyset out in order to make restitution of them to their owners at thetents. Mr Banks remained with the women, who expressed greatapprehensions that some mischief was designed against their lord. Whenhe came to the tents he restored one of the knives to Dr Solander andanother to me, the third not being owned, and then began to search forMr Banks's in all the places where he had ever seen it. After sometime, one of Mr Banks's servants, understanding what he was about, immediately fetched his master's knife, which it seems he had laid bythe day before, and till now knew nothing of its having been missed. Tubourai Tamaide, upon this demonstration of his innocence, expressedthe strongest emotions of mind, both in his looks and gestures; thetears started from his eyes, and he made signs with the knife, that, ifhe was ever guilty of such an action as had been imputed to him, hewould submit to have his throat cut. He then rushed out of the lines, and returned hastily to Mr Banks, with a countenance that severelyreproached him with his suspicions. Mr Banks soon understood that theknife had been received from his servant, and was scarcely, lessaffected at what had happened than the chief; he felt himself to be theguilty person, and was very desirous to atone for his fault. The poorIndian, however violent his passions, was a stranger to sullenresentment; and upon Mr Banks's spending a little time familiarly withhim, and making him a few trifling presents, he forgot the wrong thathad been done him, and was perfectly reconciled. 

Upon this occasion it may be observed, that these people have aknowledge of right and wrong from the mere dictates of naturalconscience; and involuntarily condemn themselves when they do that toothers, which they would condemn others for doing to them. That TubouraiTamaide felt the force of moral obligation is certain; for theimputation of an action which he considered as indifferent, would not, when it appeared to be groundless, have moved him with such excess ofpassion. We must indeed estimate the virtue of these people, by theconformity of their conduct to what in their opinion is right; but wemust not hastily conclude that theft is a testimony of the samedepravity in them that it is in us, in the instances in which our peoplewere sufferers by their dishonesty; for their temptation was such, as tosurmount would be considered as a proof of uncommon integrity amongthose who have more knowledge, better principles, and stronger motivesto resist, the temptations of illicit advantage: An Indian among pennyknives, and beads, or even nails and broken glass, is in the same stateof trial with the meanest servant in Europe among unlocked coffers ofjewels and gold. 

On the 26th, I mounted six swivel guns upon the fort, which I was sorryto see struck the natives with dread: Some fishermen who lived upon thepoint removed farther off, and Owhaw told us, by signs, that in fourdays we should fire great guns. 

On the 27th, Tabourai Tamaide, with a friend, who eat with a voracitythat I never saw before, and the three women that usually attended him, whose names were TERAPO, TIRAO, and OMIE, dined at the fort: In theevening they; took their leave, and set out for the house which TubouraiTamaide had set up in the skirts of the wood; but in less than a quarterof an hour, he returned in great emotion, and hastily seizing Mr Banks'sarm, made signs that he should follow him. Mr Banks immediatelycomplied, and they soon came up to a place where they found the ship'sbutcher, with a reaping-hook in his hand: Here the chief stopped, and, in a transport of rage which rendered his signs scarcely intelligible, intimated that the butcher had threatened, or attempted, to cut hiswife's throat with the reaping-hook. Mr Banks then signified to him, that if he could fully explain the offence, the man should be punished. Upon this he became more calm, and made Mr Banks understand that theoffender, having taken a fancy to a stone hatchet which lay in hishouse, had offered to purchase it of his wife for a nail: That shehaving refused to part with it upon any terms, he had catched it up, andthrowing down the nail, threatened to cut her throat if she made anyresistance: To prove this charge the hatchet and the nail were produced, and the butcher had so little to say in his defence that there was notthe least reason to doubt of its truth. 

Mr Banks having reported this matter to me, I took an opportunity, whenthe chief and his women, with other Indians, were on board the ship, tocall up the butcher, and after a recapitulation of the charge and theproof, I gave orders that he should be punished, as well to preventother offences of the same kind, as to acquit Mr Banks of his promise;the Indians saw him stripped and tied up to the rigging with a fixedattention, waiting in silent suspense for the event; but as soon as thefirst stroke was given, they interfered with great agitation, earnestlyentreating that the rest of the punishment might be remitted: To this, however, for many reasons, I could not consent, and when they found thatthey could not prevail by their intercession, they gave vent to theirpity by tears. 

Their tears, indeed, like those of children, were always ready toexpress any passion that was strongly excited, and, like those ofchildren, they also appeared to be forgotten as soon as shed; of whichthe following, among many others, is a remarkable instance. Very earlyin the morning of the 28th, even before it was day, a great number ofthem came down to the fort, and Terapo being observed among the women onthe outside of the gate, Mr Banks went out and brought her in; he sawthat the tears then stood in her eyes, and as soon as she entered theybegan to flow in great abundance: He enquired earnestly the cause, butinstead of answering, she took from under her garment a shark's tooth, and struck it six or seven times into her head with great force; aprofusion of blood followed, and she talked loud, but in a mostmelancholy tone, for some minutes, without at all regarding hisenquiries, which he repeated with still more impatience and concern, while the other Indians, to his great surprise, talked and laughed, without taking the least notice of her distress. But her own behaviourwas still more extraordinary. As soon as the bleeding was over, shelooked up with a smile, and began to collect some small pieces of cloth, which during her bleeding she had thrown down to catch the blood; assoon as she had picked them all up, she carried them out of the tent, and threw them into the sea, carefully dispersing them abroad, as if shewished to prevent the sight of them from reviving the remembrance ofwhat she had done. She then plunged into the river, and after havingwashed her whole body, returned to the tents with the same gaiety andcheerfulness as if nothing had happened. 

It is not indeed strange that the sorrows of these artless people shouldbe transient, any more than that their passions should be suddenly andstrongly expressed: What they feel they have never been taught either todisguise or suppress, and having no habits of thinking which perpetuallyrecal the past, and anticipate the future, they are affected by all thechanges of the passing hour, and reflect the colour of the time, howeverfrequently it may vary: They have no project which is to be pursued fromday to day, the subject of unremitted anxiety and solicitude, that firstrushes into the mind when they awake in the morning, and is lastdismissed when they sleep at night. Yet if we admit that they are uponthe whole happier than we, we must admit that the child is happier thanthe man, and that we are losers by the perfection of our nature, theincrease of our knowledge, and the enlargement of our views. 

Canoes were continually coming in during all this fore-noon, and thetents at the fort were crowded with people of both sexes from differentparts of the island. I was myself busy on board the ship, but MrMollineux, our master, who was one of those that made the last voyage inthe Dolphin, went on shore. As soon as he entered Mr Banks's tent hefixed his eyes upon one of the women, who was sitting there with greatcomposure among the rest, and immediately declared her to be the personwho at that time was supposed to be the queen of the island; she also, at the same time, acknowledging him to be one of the strangers whom shehad seen before. The attention of all present was now diverted fromevery other object, and wholly engaged in considering a person who hadmade so distinguished a figure in the accounts that had been given ofthis island by its first discoverers; and we soon learnt that her namewas OBEREA. She seemed to be about forty years of age, and was not onlytall, but of a large make; her skin was white, and there was an uncommonintelligence and sensibility in her eyes: She appeared to have beenhandsome when she was young, but at this time little more than memorialsof her beauty were left. 

As soon as her quality was known, an offer was made to conduct her tothe ship. Of this she readily accepted, and came on board with two menand several women, who seemed to be all of her family: I received herwith such marks of distinction as I thought would gratify her most, andwas not sparing of my presents, among which this august personage seemedparticularly delighted with a child's doll. After some time spent onboard, I attended her back to the shore; and as soon as we landed, shepresented me with a hog, and several bunches of plantains, which shecaused to be carried from her canoes up to the fort in a kind ofprocession, of which she and myself brought up the rear. In our way tothe fort we met Tootahah, who, though not king, appeared to be at thistime invested with the sovereign authority; he seemed not to be wellpleased with the distinction that was shewed to the lady, and became sojealous when she produced her doll, that to propitiate him it wasthought proper to compliment him with another. At this time he thoughtfit to prefer a doll to a hatchet; but this preference arose only from achildish jealousy, which could not be soothed but by a gift of exactlythe same kind with that which had been presented to Oberea; for dolls ina very short time were universally considered as trifles of no value. 

The men who had visited us from time to time had, without scruple, eatenof our provisions; but the women had never yet been prevailed upon totaste a morsel. To-day, however, though they refused the most pressingsolicitations to dine with the gentlemen, they afterwards retired to theservants' apartment, and eat of plantains very heartily; a mystery offemale oeconomy here, which none of us could explain. 

On the 29th, not very early in the forenoon, Mr Banks went to pay hiscourt to Oberea, and was told that she was still asleep under the awningof her canoe: Thither therefore he went, intending to call her up, aliberty which he thought he might take, without any danger of givingoffence: But, upon looking into her chamber, to his great astonishment, he found her in bed with a handsome young fellow about five-and-twenty, whose name was OBADEE: He retreated with some haste and confusion, butwas soon made to understand, that such amours gave no occasion toscandal, and that Obadee was universally known to have been selected byher as the object of her private favours. The lady being too polite tosuffer Mr Banks to wait long in her anti-chamber, dressed herself withmore than usual expedition, and, as a token of special grace, clothedhim in a suit of fine cloth and proceeded with him to the tents. In theevening Mr Banks paid a visit to Tubourai Tamaide, as he had often donebefore, by candle light, and was equally grieved and surprised to findhim and his family in a melancholy mood, and most of them in tears: Heendeavoured in vain to discover the cause, and therefore his stay amongthem was but short. When he reported this circumstance to the officersat the fort, they recollected that Owhaw had foretold, that in four dayswe should fire our great guns; and as this was the eve of the third day, the situation in which Tubourai Tamaide and his family had been found, alarmed them. The centries therefore were doubled at the fort, and thegentlemen slept under arms; at two in the morning, Mr Banks himself wentround the point, but found every thing so quiet, that he gave up allsuspicions of mischief intended by the natives as groundless. We had, however, another source of security; our little fortification was nowcomplete. The north and south sides consisted of a bank of earth fourfeet and a half high on the inside, and a ditch without ten feet broadand six deep; on the west side, facing the bay, there was a bank ofearth four feet high, and pallisadoes upon that, but no ditch, the workshere being at high-water mark; on the east side, upon the bank of theriver, was placed a double row of water casks, filled with water; andas this was the weakest side, the two four-pounders were planted there, and six swivel guns were mounted so as to command the only two avenuesfrom the woods. Our garrison consisted of about five-and-forty men withsmall arms, including the officers, and the gentlemen who resided onshore; and our centries were as well relieved as on the best regulatedfrontier in Europe. 

We continued our vigilance the next day, though we had no particularreason to think it necessary; but about ten o'clock in the morning, Tomio came running to the tents, with a mixture of grief and fear in hercountenance, and taking Mr Banks, to whom they applied in everyemergency and distress, by the arm, intimated that Tubourai Tamaide wasdying, in consequence of something which our people had given him toeat, and that he must instantly go with her to his house. Mr Banks setout without delay, and found his Indian friend leaning his head againsta post, in an attitude of the utmost languor and despondency; the peopleabout him intimated that he had been vomitting, and brought out a leaffolded up with great care, which they said contained some of the poison, by the deleterious effects of which he was now dying. Mr Banks hastilyopened the leaf, and upon examining its contents found them to be noother than a chew of tobacco, which the chief had begged of some of ourpeople, and which they had indiscreetly given him: He had observed thatthey kept it long in the mouth, and being desirous of doing the same, hehad chewed it to powder, and swallowed the spittle. During theexamination of the leaf and its contents, he looked up at Mr Banks withthe most piteous aspect, and intimated that he had but a very short timeto live. Mr Banks, however, being now master of his disease, directedhim to drink plentifully of cocoa-nut milk, which in a short time put anend to his sickness and apprehensions, and he spent the day at the fortwith that uncommon flow of cheerfulness and good-humour, which is alwaysproduced by a sudden and unexpected relief from pain either of body ormind. 

Captain Wallis having brought home one of the adzes, which these people, having no metal of any kind, make of stone, Mr Stevens, the secretary tothe Admiralty, procured one to be made of iron in imitation of it, whichI brought out with me, to shew how much we excelled in making toolsafter their own fashion: This I had not yet produced, as it neverhappened to come into my mind. But on the 1st of May, Tootahah coming onboard about ten o'clock in the forenoon, expressed a great curiosity tosee the contents of every chest and drawer that was in my cabin; as Ialways made a point of gratifying him, I opened them immediately, andhaving taken a fancy to many things that he saw, and collected themtogether, he at last happened to cast his eye upon this adze; heinstantly snatched it up with the greatest eagerness, and putting awayevery thing which he had before selected, he asked me whether I wouldlet him have that: I readily consented; and, as if he was afraid Ishould repent, he carried it off immediately in a transport of joy, without making any other request, which, whatever had been ourliberality, was seldom the case. 

About noon, a chief, who had dined with me a few days before, accompanied by some of his women, came on board alone: I had observedthat he was fed by his women, but I made no doubt, that upon occasion hewould condescend to feed himself: In this, however, I found myselfmistaken. When my noble guest was seated, and the dinner upon the table, I helped him to some victuals: As I observed that he did not immediatelybegin his meal, I pressed him to eat: But he still continued to sitmotionless like a statue, without attempting to put a single morsel intohis month, and would certainly have gone without his dinner, if one ofthe servants had not fed him. [90]

[Footnote 90: The great people of Otaheite, whether men or women, seemto think that the labour of eating is sufficient employment, without theadditional task of feeding, which in all probability they find can bedone more expeditiously by proxy. Nor is such a consideration entirelyunworthy of nobility, where the power of consuming food is so exorbitantas among those islanders it might be convenient, one should think, forany man of rank who was capable of swallowing enormous quantities offood every hour or two, to have an attendant properly instructed in theart of stowing the belly-timber, as honest Sancho, of eating notoriety, calls it. "Tinah, " says Captain Bligh, in the account of his voyage tothis island, &c. "was fed by one of his attendants, who sat by him forthat purpose, this being a particular custom among some of the superiorchiefs; and I must do him the justice to say, he kept his attendantconstantly employed: There was indeed little reason to complain of wantof appetite in any of my guests. As the women are not allowed to eat inpresence of the men, Iddeah dined with some of her companions about anhour afterwards, in private, except her husband, Tinah, favoured themwith his company, and seemed to have entirely forgotten that he haddined already. " The capabilities of Tinah's stomach, it seems, were ofvery common acquirement at Otaheite. "They have not always regularmeals, " says the account of the Mis. Voy. , "but usually eat as soon asthey rise at day-break. Some are very voracious, especially the chiefs. Pomarae hath eaten a couple of fowls and two pounds at least of pork, besides other things, at a meal with us on board. " Some persons mayimagine this impossible; but the fact is, the stomach, like every othermember, acquires strength by exercise, and can, by due care, if there beno disease, be made to digest quantities of food as great as itsdistended limits are capable of receiving. There cannot be a moreerroneous, or a more pernicious opinion, than what is commonlyentertained, that the keenness of the appetite, and the energy of thedigestion, are never above what the necessities of the system require. They are often enormously greater, and sometimes actually constitutemost troublesome and highly formidable symptoms in certaindiseases. --E. ]

SECTION XI. 

_The Observatory set up; the Quadrant stolen, and Consequences of theTheft: A visit to Tootohah: Description of a Wrestling-match: EuropeanSeeds sown: Names given to our People by the Indians_. 

In the afternoon of Monday the 1st of May, we set up the observatory, and took the astronomical quadrant, with some other instruments, onshore, for the first time. 

The next morning, about nine o'clock, I went on shore with Mr Green tofix the quadrant in a situation for use, when, to our inexpressiblesurprise and concern, it was not to be found. It had been deposited inthe tent which was reserved for my use, where, as I passed the night onboard, nobody slept: It had never been taken out of the packing-case;which was eighteen inches square, and the whole was of considerableweight; a centinel had been posted the whole night within five yards ofthe tent door, and none of the other instruments were missing. We atfirst suspected that it might have been stolen by some of our ownpeople, who seeing a deal box, and not knowing the contents, might thinkit contained nails, or some other subjects of traffic with the natives. A large reward was therefore offered to any one who could find it, as, without this, we could not perform the service for which our voyage wasprincipally undertaken. Our search in the mean time was not confined tothe fort and places adjacent, but as the case might possibly have beencarried back to the ship, if any of our own people had been the thieves, the most diligent search was made for it on board: All the partieshowever returned without any news of the quadrant. Mr Banks, therefore, who upon such occasions declined neither labour nor risk, and who hadmore influence over the Indians than any of us, determined to go insearch of it into the woods; he hoped, that if it had been stolen by thenatives, he should find it whereever they had opened the box, as theywould immediately discover that to them it would be wholly useless; or, if in this expectation he should be disappointed, that he might recoverit by the ascendancy he had acquired over the chiefs. He set out, accompanied by a midshipman and Mr Green, and as he was crossing theriver he was met by Tubourai Tamaide, who immediately made the figure ofa triangle with three bits of straw upon his hand. By this Mr Banks knewthat the Indians were the thieves; and that, although they had openedthe case, they were not disposed to part with the contents. No time wastherefore to be lost, and Mr Banks made Tubourai Tamaide understand, that he must instantly go with him to the place whither the quadrant hadbeen carried; he consented, and they set out together to the eastward, the chief enquiring at every house which they passed after the thief byname: The people readily told him which way he was gone, and how long itwas since he had been there: The hope which this gave them that theyshould overtake him, supported them under their fatigue, and theypressed forward, sometimes walking, sometimes running, though theweather was intolerably hot; when they had climbed a hill at thedistance of about four miles, their conductor shewed them a point fullthree miles farther, and gave them to understand that they were not toexpect the instrument till they had got thither. Here they paused; theyhad no arms, except a pair of pistols, which Mr Banks always carried inhis pocket; they were going to a place that was at least seven milesdistant from the fort, where the Indians might be less submissive thanat home, and to take from them what they had ventured their lives toget; and what, notwithstanding our conjectures, they appeared desirousto keep: These were discouraging circumstances, and their situationwould become more critical at every step. They determined, however, notto relinquish their enterprise, nor to pursue it without taking the bestmeasures for their security that were in their power. It was thereforedetermined, that Mr Banks and Mr Green should go on, and that themidshipman should return to me, and desire that I would send a party ofmen after them, acquainting me at the same time, that it was impossiblethey should return till it was dark. Upon receiving this message I setout, with such a party as I thought sufficient for the occasion; leavingorders, both at the ship and at the fort, that no canoe should besuffered to go out of the bay, but that none of the natives should beseized or detained. 

In the mean time, Mr Banks and Mr Green pursued their journey, under theauspices of Tubourai Tamaide, and in the very spot which he hadspecified, they met one of his own people, with part of the quadrant inhis hand. At this most welcome sight they stopped; and a great number ofIndians immediately came up, some of whom pressing rather rudely uponthem, Mr Banks thought it necessary to shew one of his pistols, thesight of which reduced them instantly to order: As the crowd thatgathered round them was every moment increasing, he marked out a circlein the grass, and they ranged themselves on the outside of it, to thenumber of several hundreds, with great quietness and decorum. Into themiddle of this circle, the box, which was now arrived, was ordered to bebrought, with several reading glasses, and other small matters, which intheir hurry they had put into a pistol-case, that Mr Banks knew to behis property, it having been some time before stolen from the tents, with a horse-pistol in it, which he immediately demanded, and which wasall restored. 

Mr Green was impatient to see whether all that had been taken away wasreturned, and upon examining the box found the stand, and a few smallthings of less consequence wanting; several persons were sent in searchof these, and most of the small things were returned: But it wassignified that the thief had not brought the stand so far, and that itwould be delivered to our friends as they went back; this beingconfirmed by Tubourai Tamaide they prepared to return, as nothing wouldthen be wanting but what might easily be supplied; and after they hadadvanced about two miles, I met them with my party, to our mutualsatisfaction, congratulating each other upon the recovery of thequadrant, with a pleasure proportioned to the importance of the event. 

About eight o'clock, Mr Banks, with Tubourai Tamaide, got back to thefort; when, to his great surprise, he found Tootahah in custody, andmany of the natives in the utmost terror and distress, crowding aboutthe gate. He went hastily in, some of the Indians were suffered tofollow him, and the scene was extremely affecting. Tubourai Tamaidepressing forward, ran up to Tootahah, and catching him in his arms, theyboth burst into tears, and wept over each other, without being able tospeak: The other Indians were also in tears for their chief, both he andthey being strongly possessed with the notion that he was to be put todeath. In this situation they continued till I entered the fort, whichwas about a quarter of an hour afterwards. I was equally surprised andconcerned at what had happened, the confining Tootahah being contrary tomy orders, and therefore instantly set him at liberty. Upon enquiringinto the affair, I was told, that my going into the woods with a partyof men under arms, at a time when a robbery had been committed, which itwas supposed I should resent, in proportion to our apparent injury bythe loss, had so alarmed the natives, that in the evening they began toleave the neighbourhood of the fort, with their effects: That a doublecanoe having been seen to put off from the bottom of the bay by Mr Gore, the second lieutenant, who was left in command on board the ship, andwho had received orders not to suffer any canoe to go out, he sent theboatswain with a boat after her to bring her back: That as soon, as theboat came up, the Indians being alarmed, leaped into the sea; and thatTootahah, being unfortunately one of the number, the boatswain took himup, and brought him to the ship, suffering the rest of the people toswim on shore: That Mr Gore, not sufficiently attending to the orderthat none of the people should be confined, had sent him to the fort, and Mr Hicks, the first lieutenant, who commanded there, receiving himin charge from Mr Gore, did not think himself at liberty to dismiss him. 

The notion that we intended to put him to death had possessed him sostrongly, that he could not be persuaded to the contrary till by myorders he was led out of the fort. The people received him as they wouldhave done a father in the same circumstances, and every one pressedforward to embrace him. Sudden joy is commonly liberal, without ascrupulous regard to merit; and Tootahah, in the first expansion of hisheart, upon being unexpectedly restored to liberty and life, insistedupon our receiving a present of two hogs; though, being conscious thatupon this occasion we had no claim to favours, we refused them manytimes. 

Mr Banks and Dr Solander attended the next morning in their usualcapacity of market-men, but very few Indians appeared, and those whocame brought no provisions. Tootahah, however, sent some of his peoplefor the canoe that had been detained, which they took away. A canoehaving also been detained that belonged to Oberea, Tupia, the person whomanaged her affairs when the Dolphin was here, was sent to examinewhether any thing on board had been taken away: And he was so wellsatisfied of the contrary, that he left the canoe where he found it, andjoined us at the fort, where he spent the day, and slept on board thecanoe at night. About noon, some fishing-boats came abreast of thetents, but would part with very little of what they had on board; and wefelt the want of cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit very severely. In the courseof the day, Mr Banks walked out into the woods, that by conversing withthe people he might recover their confidence and good-will: He foundthem civil, but they all complained of the ill-treatment of their chief;who, they said, had been beaten and pulled by the hair. Mr Banksendeavoured to convince them, that he had suffered no personal violence, which, to the best of our knowledge, was true; yet, perhaps, theboatswain had behaved with a brutality which he was afraid or ashamed toacknowledge. The chief himself being probably, upon recollection, ofopinion that we had ill-deserved the hogs, which he had left with us asa present, sent a messenger in the afternoon to demand an axe, and ashirt, in return; but as I was told that he did not intend to come downto the fort for ten days, I excused myself from giving them till Ishould see him, hoping that his impatience might induce him to fetchthem, and knowing that absence would probably continue the coolnessbetween us, to which the first interview might put an end. 

The next day we were still more sensible of the inconvenience we hadincurred by giving offence to the people in the person of their chief, for the market was so ill supplied that we were in want of necessaries. Mr Banks therefore went into the woods to Tubourai Tamaide, and withsome difficulty persuaded him to let us have five baskets of breadfruit;a very seasonable supply, as they contained above one hundred andtwenty. In the afternoon another messenger arrived from Tootahah forthe axe and shirt; as it was now become absolutely necessary to recoverthe friendship of this man, without which it would be scarcely possibleto procure provisions, I sent word that Mr Banks and myself would visithim on the morrow, and bring what he wanted with us. 

Early the next morning he sent again to remind me of my promise, and hispeople seemed to wait till we should set out with great impatience: Itherefore ordered the pinnace, in which I embarked with Mr Banks and DrSolander about ten o'clock: We took one of Tootahah's people in theboat with us, and in about an hour we arrived at his place of residence, which is called Eparre, and is about four miles to the westward of thetents. 

We found the people waiting for us in great numbers upon the shore, sothat it would have been impossible for us to have proceeded, if way hadnot been made for us by a tall well-looking man, who had something likea turban, about his head, and a long white stick in his hand, with whichhe laid about him at an unmerciful rate. This man conducted us to thechief, while the people shouted round us, _Taio Tootahah_, "Tootahah isyour friend. " We found him, like an ancient patriarch, sitting under atree, with a number of venerable old men standing-round him; he made asign to us to sit down, and immediately asked for his axe: This Ipresented to him, with an upper garment of broad cloth, made after thecountry fashion, and trimmed with tape, to which I also added a shirt:He received them with great satisfaction, and immediately put on thegarment; but the shirt he gave to the person who had cleared the way forus upon our landing, who was now seated by us, and of whom he seemeddesirous that we should take particular notice. In a short time, Oberea, and several other women whom we knew, came and sat down among us:Tootahah left us several times, but after a short absence returned; wethought it had been to shew himself in his new finery to the people, butwe wronged him, for it was to give directions for our refreshment andentertainment. While we were waiting for his return the last time heleft us, very impatient to be dismissed, as we were almost suffocated inthe crowd, word was brought us, that he expected us elsewhere; We foundhim sitting under the awning of our own boat, and making signs that weshould come to him: As many of us therefore went on board as the boatwould hold, and he then ordered bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts to bebrought, of both which we tasted, rather to gratify him than because wehad a desire to eat. A message was soon after brought him, upon which hewent out of the boat, and we were in a short time desired to follow. Wewere conducted to a large area or court-yard, which was railed roundwith bamboos about three feet high, on one side of his house, where anentertainment was provided for us, entirely new: This was awrestling-match. At the upper end of the area sat the chief, and severalof his principal men were ranged on, each side of him, so as to form asemicircle; these were the judges, by whom the victor was to beapplauded; seats were also left for us at each end of the line; but wechose rather to be at liberty among the rest of the spectators. 

When all was ready, ten or twelve persons, whom we understood to be thecombatants, and who were naked, except a cloth that was fastened aboutthe waist, entered the area, and walked slowly round it, in a stoopingposture, with their left hands on their right breasts, and their righthands open, with which they frequently struck the left fore-arm so as toproduce a quick smart sound: This was a general challenge to thecombatants whom they were to engage, or any other person present: Afterthese followed others in the same manner, and then a particularchallenge was given, by which each man singled out his antagonist: Thiswas done by joining the finger ends of both hands, and bringing them tothe breast, at the same time moving the elbows up and down with a quickmotion: If the person to whom this was addressed accepted the challenge, he repeated the signs, and immediately each put himself into an attitudeto engage: The next minute they closed; but, except in first seizingeach other, it was a mere contest of strength: Each endeavoured to layhold of the other, first by the thigh, and if that failed by the hand, the hair, the cloth, or elsewhere as he could: When, this was done theygrappled, without the least dexterity or skill, till one of them, byhaving a more advantageous hold, or greater muscular force, threw theother on his back. When the contest was over, the old men gave theirplaudit to the victor in a few words, which they repeated together in akind of tone: His conquest was also generally celebrated by threehuzzas. The entertainment was then suspended for a few minutes, afterwhich another couple of wrestlers came forward and engaged in the samemanner: If it happened that neither was thrown, after the contest hadcontinued about a minute, they parted, either by consent or theintervention of their friends, and in this case each slapped his arm, asa challenge; to a new engagement, either with the same antagonist orsome other. While the wrestlers were engaged, another party of menperformed a dance, which lasted also about a minute; but neither ofthese parties took the least notice of each other, their attention beingwholly fixed on what they were doing. We observed with pleasure, thatthe conqueror never exulted over the vanquished, and that the vanquishednever repined at the success of the conqueror; the whole contest wascarried on with perfect good-will and good-humour, though in thepresence of at least five hundred spectators, of whom some were women. The number of women indeed was comparatively small, none but those ofrank were present, and we had reason to believe that they would not havebeen spectators of this exercise but in compliment to us. 

This lasted about two hours; during all which time the man who had madea way for us when we landed, kept the people at a proper distance, bystriking those who pressed forward very severely with his stick: Uponenquiry we learnt that he was an officer belonging to Tootahah, actingas master of the ceremonies. 

It is scarcely possible for those who are acquainted with the athleticsports of very remote antiquity, not to remark a rude resemblance ofthem in this wrestling-match among the natives of a little island in themidst of the Pacific Ocean: And our female readers may recollect theaccount given of them by Fenelon in his Telemachus, where, though theevents are fictitious, the manners of the age are faithfully transcribedfrom authors by whom they are supposed to have been truly related. 

When the wrestling was over, we were given to understand that two hogs, and a large quantity of bread-fruit, were preparing for our dinner, which, as our appetites were now keen, was very agreeable intelligence. Our host, however, seemed to repent of his liberality; for, instead ofsetting his two hogs before us, he ordered one of them to be carriedinto our boat; at first we were not sorry for this new disposition ofmatters, thinking that we should dine more comfortably in the boat thanon shore, as the crowd would more easily be kept at a distance: But whenwe came on board, he ordered us to proceed with his hog to the ship:This was mortifying, as we were now to row four miles while our dinnerwas growing cold; however, we thought fit to comply, and were at lastgratified with the cheer that he had provided, of which he and TubouraiTamaide had a liberal share. 

Our reconciliation with this man operated upon the people like a charm;for he was no sooner known to be on board, than bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and other provisions were brought to the fort in great plenty. 

Affairs now went on in the usual channel; but pork being still a scarcecommodity, our master, Mr Mollineux, and Mr Green, went in the pinnaceto the eastward, on the 8th, early in the morning, to see whether theycould procure any hogs or poultry in that part of the country: Theyproceeded in that direction twenty miles; but though they saw many hogs, and one turtle, they could not purchase either at any price: The peopleevery where told them, that they all belonged to Tootahah, and that theycould sell none of them without his permission. We now began to thinkthat this man was indeed a great prince; for an influence so extensiveand absolute could be acquired by no other. And we afterwards found thathe administered the government of this part of the island, as sovereign, for a minor whom we never saw all the time that we were upon it. When MrGreen returned from this expedition he said he had seen a tree of a sizewhich he was afraid to relate, it being no less than sixty yards incircumference; but Mr Banks and Dr Solander soon explained to him thatit was a species of the fig, the branches of which, bending down, takefresh root in the earth, and thus form a congeries of trunks, whichbeing very close to each other, and all joined by a common vegetation, might easily be mistaken for one. 

Though the market at the fort was now tolerably supplied, provisionswere brought more slowly: A sufficient quantity used to be purchasedbetween sun-rise and eight o'clock, but it was now become necessary toattend the greatest part of the day. Mr Banks, therefore, fixed hislittle boat up before the door of the fort, which was of great use as aplace to trade in: Hitherto we had purchased cocoa-nuts and bread-fruitfor beads; but the market becoming rather slack in these articles, wewere now, for the first time, forced to bring out our nails: One of oursmallest size, which was about four inches long, procured us twentycocoa-nuts, and bread-fruit in proportion, so that in a short time ourfirst plenty was restored. 

On the 9th; soon after breakfast, we received a visit from Oberea, beingthe first that she had made us after the loss of our quadrant, and theunfortunate confinement of Tootahah; with her came her presentfavourite, Obadee, and Tupia: They brought us a hog and somebread-fruit, in return for which we gave her a hatchet. We had nowafforded our Indian friends a new and interesting object of curiosity, our forge, which, having been set up some time, was almost constantly atwork. It was now common for them to bring pieces of iron, which wesuppose they must have got from the Dolphin, to be made into tools ofvarious kinds; and as I was very desirous to gratify them, they wereindulged, except when the smith's time was too precious to be spared. Oberea having received her hatchet, produced as much old iron as wouldhave made another, with a request that another might be made of it; inthis, however, I could not gratify her upon which she brought out abroken axe, and desired it might be mended; I was glad of an opportunityto compromise the difference between us: Her axe was mended, and sheappeared to be content. They went away at night, and took with them thecanoe, which had been a considerable time at the point, but promised toreturn in three days. 

On the 10th, I put some seeds of melons and other plants into a spot ofground which had been turned up for the purpose; they had all beensealed up by the person of whom, they were bought, in small bottles, with resin; but none of them came up except mustard; even the cucumbersand melons failed, and Mr Banks is of opinion that they were spoiled bythe total exclusion of fresh air. 

This day we learned the Indian name of the island, which is _Otaheite_, and by that name I shall hereafter distinguish it: But after great painstaken we found it utterly impossible to teach the Indians to pronounceour names; we had, therefore, new names, consisting of such sounds asthey produced in the attempt. They called me _Toote_; Mr Hicks, _Hete_;Mollineux they renounced in absolute despair, and called the master_Boba_, from his Christian name Robert; Mr Gore was _Toarro_; DrSolander, _Torario_; and Mr Banks, _Tapane_; Mr Green, _Eteree_; MrParkinson, _Patini_; Mr Sporing, _Poliui_; Petersgill, _Petrodero_; andin this manner they had now formed names for almost every man in theship: In some, however, it was not easy to find any traces of theoriginal, and they were perhaps not mere arbitrary sounds, formed uponthe occasion, but significant words in their own language. Monkhouse, the midshipman, who commanded the party that killed the man for stealingthe musket, they called _Matte_; not merely by an attempt to imitate insound the first syllable of Monkhouse, but because _Matte_ signifiesdead; and this probably might be the case with others. 

SECTION XII

_Some Ladies visit the Fort with very uncommon Ceremonies: The Indiansattend Divine Service, and in the Evening exhibit a most extraordinarySpectacle: Tubourai Tamaide falls into Temptation. _

Friday, the 12th of May, was distinguished by a visit from some ladieswhom we had never seen before, and who introduced themselves with verysingular ceremonies. Mr Banks was trading in his boat at the gate of thefort as usual, in company with Tootahah, who had that morning paid him avisit, and some, other of the natives; between nine and ten o'clock, adouble canoe came to the landing-place, under the awning of which sat aman and two women: The Indians that were about Mr Banks made signs thathe should go out to meet them, which he hasted to do; but by the time hecould get out of the boat, they had advanced within ten yards of him:They then stopped, and made signs that he should do so too, laying downabout a dozen young plantain trees, and some other small plants: Hecomplied, and the people having made a lane between them, the man, whoappeared to be a servant, brought six of them to Mr Banks by one of eachat a time, passing and repassing six times, and always pronouncing ashort sentence when he delivered them. Tupia, who stood by Mr Banks, acted as his master of the ceremonies, and receiving the branches asthey were brought, laid them down in the boat. When this was doneanother man brought a large bundle of cloth, which having opened, hespread piece by piece upon the ground, in the space between Mr Banks andhis visitors; there were nine pieces, and having laid, three pieces oneupon another, the foremost of the women, who seemed to be the principal, and who was called Oorattooa, stepped upon them, and taking up hergarments all around her to the waist, turned about, with great composureand deliberation, and with an air of perfect innocence and simplicity, three times; when this was done, she dropped the veil, and stepping offthe cloth, three more pieces were laid on, and she repeated theceremony, then stepping off as before; the last three were laid on, andthe ceremony was repeated in the same manner the third time. Immediatelyafter this the cloth was rolled up, and given to Mr Banks as a presentfrom the lady, who, with her friend, came up and saluted him. He madesuch presents to them both as he thought would be most acceptable, andafter having staid about an hour they went away. In the evening thegentlemen at the fort had a visit from Oberea, and her favourite femaleattendant, whose name was Otheothea, an agreeable girl, whom they werethe more pleased to see, because, having been some days absent, it hadbeen reported she was either sick or dead. 

On the 19th, the market being over about ten o'clock; Mr Banks walkedinto the woods with his gun, as he generally did, for the benefit of theshade in the heat of the day: As he was returning back, he met TubouraiTamaide, near his occasional dwelling, and stopping to spend a littletime with him, he suddenly took the gun out of Mr Banks's hand, cockedit, and holding it up in the air, drew the trigger: Fortunately for himit flashed in the pan: Mr Banks immediately took it from him, not alittle surprised how he had acquired sufficient knowledge of a gun todischarge it, and reproved him with great severity for what he had done. As it was of infinite importance to keep the Indians totally ignorant ofthe management of fire-arms, he had taken every opportunity ofintimating that they could never offend him so highly as by eventouching his piece; it was now proper to enforce this prohibition, andhe therefore added threats to his reproof: The Indian bore allpatiently; but the moment Mr Banks crossed the river, he set off withall his family and furniture for his house at Eparre. This being quicklyknown from the Indians at the fort, and great incovenience beingapprehended from the displeasure of this man, who upon all occasions hadbeen particularly useful, Mr Banks determined to follow him withoutdelay, and solicit his return: He set out the same evening, accompaniedby Mr Mollineux, and found him sitting in the middle of a large circleof people, to whom he had probably related what had happened, and histears of the consequences; he was himself the very picture of grief anddejection, and the same passions were strongly marked in thecountenances of all the people that surrounded him. When Mr Banks and MrMollineux went into the circle, one of the women expressed her trouble, as Terapo had done upon another occasion, and struck a shark's toothinto her head several times, till it was covered with blood. Mr Bankslost no time in putting an end to this universal distress; he assuredthe chief, that every thing which had passed should be forgotten, thatthere was not the least animosity remaining on one side, nor any thingto be feared on the other. The chief was soon soothed into confidenceand complacency, a double canoe was ordered to be got ready, they allreturned together to the fort before supper, and as a pledge of perfectreconciliation, both he and his wife slept all night in Mr Banks's tent:Their presence, however, was no palladium for, between eleven and twelveo'clock, one of the natives attempted to get into the fort by scalingthe walls, with a design, no doubt, to steal whatever he should happento find; he was discovered by the centinel, who happily did not fire, and he ran away much faster than any of our people could follow him. Theiron, and iron-tools, which were in continual use at the armourer'sforge, that was set up within the works, were temptations to theft whichnone of these people could withstand. 

On the 14th, which was Sunday, I directed that divine service should beperformed at the fort: We were desirous that some of the principalIndians should be present, but when the hour came, most of them werereturned home. Mr Banks, however, crossed the river, and brought backTubourai Tamaide and his wife Tomio, hoping that it would give occasionto some enquiries on their part, and some instruction on ours: Havingseated them, he placed himself between them, and during the wholeservice, they very attentively observed his behaviour, and very exactlyimitated it; standing, sitting, or kneeling, as they saw him do: Theywere conscious that we were employed about somewhat serious andimportant, as appeared by their calling to the Indians without the fortto be silent; yet when the service was over, neither of them asked anyquestions, nor would they attend to any attempt that was made to explainwhat had been done. 

In the evening of this day, an exhibition of the grossest lewdness wasmade by a young couple, in presence of Oberea and several women ofsuperior rank, who indeed seemed to assist in it, by their advice to thefemale, a girl about eleven or twelve years of age. This was quite inconformity to the custom of the place, and did not appear to excite theleast feeling of shame in either performers or spectators. [91]

[Footnote 91: The relation of this incident is purposely varied from thecopy. It is but justice to the Otabeitans to apprize the reader, that inthe account of the missionary voyage, published in 1799, and hereafterto be noticed, this conduct as to immodesty is in no small degreeexplained, and they are acknowledged even to excel in some parts, ofdelicacy of sentiment and behaviour. The testimony of that account, itmay be remarked, is deserving the more credit, because the missionitself was avowedly founded on the conviction of the total depravity ofthese islanders, and was purposed as an attempt at reformation onreligious principles. Still, however, it is most certain that theOtabeitans were much addicted to sensual indulgences, and that Oberea, as we have already seen, was noted for libidinous propensities. How fartheir peculiar circumstances may either account for or palliate theirapparent immorality in this respect, is quite another question; one too, it is probable, which the prejudiced and erring mind of man is, ofitself, incompetent to solve. One thing, however, is most certain: TheJudge of all the earth will do what is right with his creatures, whetherhe take vengeance for transgression, or pardon in mercy, or reward inapprobation. --E. ]

On the 14th and 15th, we had another opportunity of observing thegeneral knowledge which these people had of any design that was formedamong them. In the night between the 13th and 14th, one of thewater-casks was stolen from the outside of the fort: In the morningthere was not an Indian to be seen who did not know that it was gone;yet they appeared not to have been trusted, or not to have been worthyof trust; for they seemed all of them disposed to give intelligencewhere it might be found. Mr Banks traced it to a part of the bay wherehe was told it had been put into a canoe, but as it was not of greatconsequence, he did not complete the discovery. When he returned, hewas told by Tabourai Tamaide, that another cask would be stolen beforethe morning: How he came by this knowledge it is not easy to imagine;that he was not a party in the design is certain, for he came with hiswife and his family to the place where the water-casks stood, andplacing their beds near them, he said he would himself be a pledge fortheir safety, in despight of the thief: Of this, however, we would notadmit; and making them understand that a centry would be placed to watchthe casks till the morning, he removed the beds into Mr Banks's tent, where he and his family spent the night, making signs to the sentry whenhe retired, that he should keep his eyes open. In the night thisintelligence appeared to be true; about twelve o'clock the thief came, but discovering that a watch had been set, he went away without hisbooty. 

Mr Banks's confidence in Tubourai Tamaide had greatly--increased sincethe affair of the knife, in consequence of which he was at lengthexposed to temptations which neither his integrity nor his honour wasable to resist. They had withstood many allurements, but were at lengthensnared by the fascinating charms of a basket of nails: These nailswere much larger than any that had yet been brought into trade, and had, with perhaps some degree of criminal negligence, been left in a cornerof Mr Banks's tent, to which the chief had always free access. One ofthese nails Mr Banks's servant happened to see in his possession, uponhis having inadvertently thrown back that part of his garment underwhich it was concealed. Mr Banks being told of this, and knowing that nosuch thing had been given him, either as a present or in barter, immediately examined the basket, and discovered, that out of seven nailsfive were missing. He then, though not without great reluctance, chargedhim with the fact, which he immediately confessed, and however he mightsuffer, was probably not more hurt than his accuser. A demand wasimmediately made of restitution; but this he declined, saying that thenails were at Eparre: However, Mr Banks appearing to be much in earnest, and using some threatening signs, he thought fit to produce one of them. He was then taken to the fort, to receive such judgment as should begiven against him by the general voice. 

After some deliberation, that we might not appear to think too lightlyof his offence, he was told, that if he would bring the other four nailsto the fort, it should be forgotten. To this condition he agreed; but Iam sorry to say he did not fulfil it. Instead of fetching the nails, heremoved with his family before night, and took all his furniture withhim. 

As our long-boat had appeared to be leaky, I thought it necessary toexamine her bottom, and to my great surprise, found it so much eaten bythe worms, that it was necessary to give her a new one; no such accidenthad happened to the Dolphin's boats, as I was informed by the officerson board, and therefore it was a misfortune that I did not expect: Ifeared that the pinnace also might be nearly in the same condition; but, upon examining her, I had the satisfaction to find that not a worm hadtouched her, though she was built of the same wood, and had been as muchin the water; the reason of this difference I imagine to be; that thelong-boat was paid with varnish of pine, and the pinnace painted withwhite lead and oil; the bottoms of all boats therefore which are sentinto this country should be painted like that of the pinnace, and theships should be supplied with a good stock, in order to give them a newcoating when it should be found necessary. 

Having received repeated messages from Tootahah, that if we would payhim a visit he would acknowledge the favour by a present of four hogs, Isent Mr Hicks, my first lieutenant, to try if he could not procure thehogs upon, easier terms, with orders to show him every civility in hispower. Mr Hicks found that he was removed from Eparre to a place called_Tettahah_, five miles farther to the westward. He was received withgreat cordiality; one hog was immediately produced, and he was told thatthe other three, which were at some distance, should be brought in themorning. Mr Hicks readily consented to stay; but the morning camewithout the hogs; and it not being convenient to stay longer, hereturned in the evening with the one he had got. 

On the 25th, Tubourai Tamaide and his wife Tomio made their appearanceat the tent, for the first time since he had been detected in stealingthe nails; he seemed to be under some discontent and apprehension, yethe did not think fit to purchase our countenance and good-will byrestoring the four which he had sent away. As Mr Banks and the othergentlemen treated him with a coolness and reserve which did not at alltend to restore his peace or good-humour, his stay was short, and hisdeparture abrupt. Mr Monkhouse, the surgeon, went the next morning inorder to effect a reconciliation, by persuading him to bring down thenails, but he could not succeed. 

SECTION XIII

_Another Visit to Tootahah, with various Adventures: ExtraordinaryAmusement of the Indians, with Remarks upon it: Preparations to observethe Transit of Venus, and what happened in the mean Time at the Fort. _

On the 27th, it was determined that we should pay our visit to Tootahah, though we were not very confident that we should receive the hogs forour pains. I therefore set out early in the morning, with Mr Banks andDr Solander, and three others, in the pinnace. He was now removed fromTettahah, where Mr Hicks had seen him, to a place called _Atahourou_, about six miles farther; and as we could not go above half-way thitherin the boat, it was almost evening before we arrived. We found him inhis usual state, sitting under a tree, with a great crowd about him. Wemade our presents in due form, consisting of a yellow stuff-petticoat, and some other trifling articles, which were graciously received; a hogwas immediately ordered to be killed and dressed for supper, with apromise of more in the morning. However, as we were less desirous offeasting upon our journey than of carrying back with us provisions, which would be more welcome at the fort, we procured a reprieve for thehog, and supped upon the fruits of the country. As night now came on, and the place was crowded with many more than the houses and canoeswould contain, there being Oberea with her attendants, and many othertravellers whom we knew, we began to look out for lodgings. Our partyconsisted of six: Mr Banks thought himself fortunate in being offered aplace by Oberea in her canoe, and wishing his friends a good night, took his leave. He went to rest early, according to the custom of thecountry, and taking off his clothes, as was his constant practice, thenights being hot, Oberea kindly insisted upon taking them into her owncustody, for otherwise, she said, they would certainly be stolen. MrBanks, having such a safe guard, resigned himself to sleep with allimaginable tranquillity: But waking about eleven o'clock, and wanting toget up, he searched for his clothes where he had seen them deposited byOberea when he lay down to sleep, and soon perceived that they wereamissing. He immediately awakened Oberea, who starting up, and hearinghis complaint, ordered lights, and prepared in great haste to recoverwhat he had lost. Tootahah himself slept in the next canoe, and beingsoon alarmed, he came to them, and set out with Oberea in search of thethief. Mr Banks was not in a condition to go with them, for of hisapparel scarce any thing was left him but his breeches; his coat and hiswaistcoat, with his pistols, powder-horn, and many other things thatwere in the pockets, were gone. In about half an hour his two noblefriends returned, but without having obtained any intelligence of hisclothes or of the thief. At first he began to be alarmed; his musquethad not indeed been taken away, but he had neglected to load it; where Iand Dr Solander had disposed of ourselves he did not know; andtherefore, whatever might happen, he could not have recourse to us forassistance. He thought it best, however, to express neither fear norsuspicion of those about him; and giving his musquet to Tupia, who hadbeen waked in the confusion and stood by him, with a charge not tosuffer it to be stolen, he betook himself again to rest, declaringhimself perfectly satisfied with the pains that Tootahah and Oberea hadtaken to recover his things, though they had not been successful. As itcannot be supposed that in such a situation his sleep was very sound, hesoon after heard music, and saw lights at a little distance on shore:This was a concert or assembly, which they call a _Heiva_, a common namefor every public exhibition; and as it would necessarily bring manypeople together, and there was a chance of my being among them with hisother friends, he rose, and made the best of his way towards it. He wassoon led by the lights and the sound to the hut where I lay, with threeother gentlemen of our party; and easily distinguishing us from therest, he made up to us more than half naked, and told us his melancholystory. We gave him such comfort as the unfortunate generally give toeach other, by telling him that we were fellow-sufferers; I showed himthat I was myself without stockings, they having been stolen from undermy head, though I was sure I had never been asleep, and each of myassociates convinced him, by his appearance, that he had lost a jacket. We determined, nevertheless, to hear out the concert, however deficientwe might appear in our dress; it consisted of three drums, four flutes, and several voices: When this entertainment, which lasted about an hour, was over, we retired again to our sleeping-places; having agreed thatnothing could be done toward the recovery of our things till themorning. 

We rose at day-break, according to the custom of the country; the firstman that Mr Banks saw was Tupia, faithfully attending with his musquet;and soon after, Oberea brought him some of her country clothes as asuccedaneum for his own; so that when he came to us he made a mostmotley appearance, half Indian and half English. Our party soon gottogether, except Dr Solander, whose quarters we did not know, and whohad not assisted at the concert: In a short time Tootahah made hisappearance, and we pressed him to recover our clothes; but neither henor Oberea could be persuaded to take any measure for that purpose, sothat we began to suspect that they had been parties in the theft. Abouteight o'clock, we were joined by Dr Solander, who had fallen intohonester hands, at a house about a mile distant, and had lost nothing. 

Having given up all hope of recovering our clothes, which indeed werenever afterwards heard of, we spent all the morning in soliciting thehogs which we had been promised; but in this we had no better success:We therefore, in no very good humour, set out for the boat about twelveo'clock, with only that which we had redeemed from the butcher and thecook the night before. 

As we were returning to the boat, however, we were entertained with asight that in some measure compensated for our fatigue anddisappointment. In our way we came to one of the few places where accessto the island is not guarded by a reef, and, consequently, a high surfbreaks upon the shore; a more dreadful one indeed I had seldom seen; itwas impossible for any European boat to have lived in it; and if thebest swimmer in Europe had, by any accident, been exposed to its fury, I am confident that he would not have been able to preserve himself fromdrowning, especially as the shore was covered with pebbles and largestones; yet, in the midst of these breakers, were ten or twelve Indiansswimming for their amusement: Whenever a surf broke near them, theydived under it, and, to all appearance with infinite facility, roseagain on the other side. This diversion was greatly improved by thestern of an old canoe, which they happened to find upon the spot; theytook this before them, and swam out with it as far as the outermostbreach, then two or three of them getting into it, and turning thesquare end to the breaking wave, were driven in towards the shore withincredible rapidity, sometimes almost to the beach; but generally thewave broke over them before they got half way, in which case they dived, and rose on the other side with the canoe in their hands: They then swamout with it again, and were again driven back, just as our holiday youthclimb the hill in Greenwich-park for the pleasure of rolling down it. Atthis wonderful scene we stood gazing for more than half an hour, duringwhich time none of the swimmers attempted to come on shore, but seemedto enjoy their sport in the highest degree; we then proceeded in ourjourney, and late in the evening got back to the fort. 

Upon this occasion it may be observed, that human nature is endued withpowers which are only accidentally exerted to the utmost; and that allmen are capable of what no man attains, except he is stimulated to theeffort by some uncommon circumstances or situation. These Indianseffected what to us appeared to be supernatural, merely by theapplication of such powers as they possessed in common with us, and allother men who have no particular infirmity or defect. The truth of theobservation is also manifest from more familiar instances. Therope-dancer and balance-master owe their art, not to any peculiarliberality of nature, but to an accidental improvement of her commongifts; and though equal diligence and application would not alwaysproduce equal excellence in these, any more than in other arts, yetthere is no doubt but that a certain degree of proficiency in them mightbe universally attained. Another proof of the existence of abilities inmankind, that are almost universally dormant, is furnished by theattainments of blind men. It cannot be supposed that the loss of onesense, like the amputation of a branch from a tree, gives new vigour tothose that remain. Every man's hearing and touch, therefore, are capableof the nice distinctions which astonish us in those that have losttheir sight, and if they do not give the same intelligence to the mind, it is merely because the same intelligence is not required of them: Hethat can see may do from choice what the blind do by necessity, and bythe same diligent attention to the other senses, may receive the samenotices from them; let it therefore be remembered as an encouragement topersevering diligence, and a principle of general use to mankind, thathe who does all he can, will ever effect much more than is generallythought to be possible. 

Among other Indians that had visited us, there were some from aneighbouring island which they called _Eimeo_; or _Imao_, the same towhich Captain Wallis had given the name of the Duke of York's Island, and they gave us an account of no less than two-and-twenty islands thatlay in the neighbourhood of Otaheite. 

As the day of observation now approached, I determined, in consequenceof some hints which had been given me by Lord Morton, to send out twoparties to observe the transit from other situations; hoping, that if weshould fail at Otaheite, they might have better success. We were, therefore, now busily employed in preparing our instruments, andinstructing such gentlemen in the use of them as I intended to send out. 

On Thursday the 1st of June, the Saturday following being the day of thetransit, I dispatched Mr Gore in the long boat to Imao, with MrMonkhouse and Mr Sporing, a gentleman belonging to Mr Banks, Mr Greenhaving furnished them with proper instruments. Mr Banks himself thoughtfit to go upon this expedition, and several natives, particularlyTubourai Tamaide and Tomio, were also of the party. Very early on theFriday morning, I sent Mr Hicks, with Mr Clerk and Mr Petersgill, themaster's mates, and Mr Saunders, one of the midshipmen, in the pinnaceto the eastward, with orders to fix on some convenient spot, at adistance from our principal observatory, where they also might employthe instruments with which they had been furnished for the same purpose. 

The long-boat not having been got ready till Thursday in the afternoon, though all possible expedition was used to fit her out, the people onboard after having rowed most part of the night, brought her to agrappling just under the land of Imao. Soon after day-break, they sawan Indian canoe, which they hailed, and the people on board shewed theman inlet through the reef into which they pulled, and soon fixed upon acoral rock, which rose out of the water about one hundred and fiftyyards from the shore, as a proper situation for their observatory: Itwas about eighty yards long and twenty broad, and in the middle of itwas a bed of white sand, large enough for the tents to stand upon. MrGore and his assistants immediately began to set them up, and make othernecessary preparations for the important business of the next day. Whilethis was doing, Mr Banks, with the Indians of Otaheite, and the peoplewhom they had met in the canoe went ashore upon the main island, to buyprovisions; of which he procured a sufficient supply before night. Whenhe returned to the rock, he found the observatory in order; and thetelescopes all fixed and tried. The evening was very fine, yet theirsolicitude did not permit them to take much rest in the night: One orother of them was up every half hour, who satisfied the impatience ofthe rest by reporting the changes of the sky; now encouraging their hopeby telling them that it was clear, and now alarming their fears by anaccount that it was hazy. 

At day-break they got up, and had the satisfaction to see the sun rise, without a cloud. Mr Banks then, wishing the observers, Mr Gore and MrMonkhouse, success, repaired again to the island, that he might examineits produce, and get a fresh supply of provisions: He began by tradingwith the natives, for which purpose he took his station under a tree;and to keep them from pressing upon him in a crowd, he drew a circleround him, which he suffered none of them to enter. 

About eight o'clock, he saw two canoes coming towards the place, and wasgiven to understand by the people about him, that they belonged to_Tarrao_, the king of the island, who was coming to make him a visit. Assoon as the canoes came near the shore, the people made a lane from thebeach to the trading-place, and his majesty landed, with his sister, whose name was _Nuna_; as they advanced towards the tree where Mr Banksstood, he went out to meet them, and, with great formality, introducedthem into the circle from which the other natives had been excluded. Asit is the custom of these people to sit during all their conferences, MrBanks unwrapped a kind of turban of Indian cloth, which he wore upon hishead instead of a hat, and spreading it upon the ground, they all satdown upon it together. The royal present was then brought, whichconsisted of a hog and a dog, some bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and otherarticles of the like kind. Mr Banks then dispatched a canoe to theobservatory for his present, and the messengers soon returned with anadze, a shirt, and some beads, which were presented to his majesty, andreceived with great satisfaction. 

By this time, Tubourai Tamaide and Tomio joined them, from theobservatory. Tomio said, that she was related to Tarrao; and brought hima present of a long nail, at the same time complimenting Nuna with ashirt. 

The first internal contact of the planet with the sun being over, MrBanks returned to the observatory, taking Tarrao, Nuna, and some oftheir principal attendants, among whom were three very handsome youngwomen, with him: He showed them the planet upon the sun, and endeavouredto make them understand that he and his companions had come from theirown country on purpose to see it. Soon after, Mr Banks returned withthem to the island, where he spent the rest of the day in examining itsproduce, which he found to be much the same with that of Otaheite. Thepeople whom he saw there also exactly resembled the inhabitants of thatisland, and many of them were persons whom he had seen upon it; so thatall those whom he had dealt with, knew of what his trading articlesconsisted, and the value they bore. 

The next morning having struck the tents, they set out on their return, and arrived at the fort before night. 

The observation was made with equal success by the persons whom I hadsent to the eastward, and at the fort, there not being a cloud in thesky from the rising to the setting of the sun, the whole passage of theplanet Venus over the sun's disk was observed with great advantage by MrGreen, Dr Solander, and myself: Mr Green's telescope and mine were ofthe same magnifying power, but that of Dr Solander was greater. We allsaw an atmosphere or dusky cloud round the body of the planet, whichvery much disturbed the times of contact, especially of the internalones; and we differed from each other in our accounts of the times ofthe contacts much more than might have been expected. According to MrGreen, Hours. Min. Sec. 

 The first external contact, or first appearance of Venus on the Sun, was 9 25 42 | |Morning The first internal contact, or total | emersion, was 9 44 4 |

 The second internal contact, or beginning of the emersion, 3 14 8 | |Afternoon The second external contact, or | total emersion, 3 32 10 |

The latitude of the observatory was found to be 17° 29' 15"; and thelongitude 149° 32' 30" W. Of Greenwich. A more particular account willappear by the tables, for which the reader is referred to theTransactions of the Royal Society; vol. Lxi. Part 2. P. 397 et seq. Where they are illustrated by a cut. 

But if we had reason to congratulate ourselves upon the success of ourobservation; we had scarce less cause to regret the diligence with whichthat time had been improved by some of our people to another purpose. While the attention of the officers was engrossed by the transit ofVenus, some of the ship's company broke into one of the store-rooms, andstole a quantity of spike-nails, amounting to no less than one hundredweight: This was a matter of public and serious concern; for thesenails, if circulated by the people among the Indians, would do usirreparable injury, by reducing the value of iron, our staple commodity. One of the thieves was detected, but only seven nails were found in hiscustody. He was punished with two dozen lashes, but would impeach noneof his accomplices. 

SECTION XIII. 

_The Ceremonies of an Indian Funeral particularly described: GeneralObservations on the Subject: A Character found among the Indians towhich the Ancients paid great veneration: A Robbery at the Fort, and itsConsequences; with a Specimen of Indian Cookery, and various Incidents. _

On the 5th, we kept his majesty's birth-day; for though it is the 4th, we were unwilling to celebrate it during the absence of the two partieswho had been sent out to observe the transit. We had several of theIndian chiefs at our entertainment, who drank his majesty's health bythe name of Kihiargo, which was the nearest imitation they could produceof King George. 

About this time died an old woman of some rank, who was related toTomio, which gave us an opportunity to see how they disposed of thebody, and confirmed us in our opinion that these people, contrary to thepresent custom of all other nations now known, never bury their dead. Inthe middle of a small square, neatly railed in with bamboo, the awningof a canoe was raised upon two posts, and under this the body wasdeposited upon such a frame as has before been described: It was coveredwith fine cloth, and near it was placed bread-fruit, fish, and otherprovisions: We supposed that the food was placed there for the spirit ofthe deceased, and consequently, that these Indians had some confusednotion of a separate state; but upon our applying for furtherinformation to Tubourai Tamaide, he told us, that the food was placedthere as an offering to their gods. They do not, however, suppose, thatthe gods eat, any more than the Jews supposed that Jehovah could dwellin a house: The offering is made here upon the same principle as thetemple was built at Jerusalem, as an expression of reverence andgratitude, and a solicitation of the more immediate presence of theDeity. In the front of the area was a kind of stile, where the relationsof the deceased stood to pay the tribute of their sorrow; and under theawning were innumerable small pieces of cloth, on which the tears andblood of the mourners had been shed; for in their paroxysms of grief itis a universal custom to wound themselves with the shark's tooth. Within a few yards two occasional houses were set up, in one of whichsome relations of the deceased constantly resided, and in the other thechief mourner, who is always a man, and who keeps there a very singulardress in which a ceremony is performed that will be described in itsturn. Near the place where the dead are thus set up to rot, the bonesare afterwards buried. 

What can have introduced among these people the custom of exposing theirdead above ground, till the flesh is consumed by putrefaction, and thenburying the bones, it is perhaps impossible to guess; but it isremarkable that AElian and Apollonius Rhodius impute a similar practiceto the ancient inhabitants of Colchis, a country near Pontus in Asia, now called Mingrelia; except that among them this manner of disposing ofthe dead did not extend to both sexes: The women they buried; but themen they wrapped in a hide; and hung up in the air by a chain. Thispractice among the Colchians is referred to a religious cause. Theprincipal objects of their worship were the Earth and the Air; and it issupposed that, in consequence of some superstitious notion, they devotedtheir dead to both. [92] Whether the natives of Otaheite had any notionof the same kind, we were never able certainly to determine; but we soondiscovered, that the repositories of their dead were also places ofworship. Upon this occasion it may be observed, that nothing can be moreabsurd than the notion that the happiness or misery of a future lifedepends, in any degree, upon the disposition of the body when the stateof probation is past; yet that nothing is more general than a solicitudeabout it. However cheap we may hold any funeral rites which custom hasnot familiarized, or superstition rendered sacred, most men gravelydeliberate how to prevent their body from being broken by the mattockand devoured by the worm, when it is no longer capable of sensation; andpurchase a place for it in holy ground, when they believe the lot of itsfuture existence to be irrevocably determined. So strong is theassociation of pleasing or painful ideas with certain opinions andactions which affect us while we live, that we involuntarily act as ifit was equally certain that they would affect us in the same manner whenwe are dead, though this is an opinion that nobody will maintain. Thusit happens, that the desire of preserving from reproach even the namethat we leave behind us, or of procuring it honour, is one of the mostpowerful principles of action, among the inhabitants of the mostspeculative and enlightened nations. Posthumous reputation, upon everyprinciple, must be acknowledged to have no influence upon the dead; yetthe desire or obtaining and securing it, no force of reason, no habitsof thinking can subdue, except in those whom habitual baseness and guilthave rendered indifferent to honour and shame while they lived. Thisindeed seems to be among the happy imperfections of our nature, uponwhich the general good of society in a certain measure depends; for assome crimes are supposed to be prevented by hanging the body of thecriminal in chains after he is dead, so, in consequence of the sameassociation of ideas, much good is procured to society, and much evilprevented, by a desire of preventing disgrace or procuring honour to aname, when nothing but a name remains. 

[Footnote 92: If the Colchians, according to the assertion of Herodotus, Euter. 104, are to be considered as derived from the Egyptians, whichsome circumstances of resemblance render probable, it seems notirrational to imagine, that they had acquired from that people anabhorrence to the thought of becoming food for worms. This, Herodotussays, in Thal. 16. Was the reason why they (the Egyptians) embalmed thebodies of the dead; for which the practice adopted by the Colchians, ofwrapping them in hides of oxen for the purpose of preservation, wasjudged an adequate substitute. But though this be admitted assatisfactory with respect to the origin of the usage, it affords noexplanation as to the difference observable in the treatment of thesexes after death, which must be looked for in some other circumstance, common to these two people, or peculiar to one, of them. It can scarcelybe imputed to the different estimation in which the sexes were heldwhilst living; for if any thing, at least in the opinion of DiodorusSiculus, the women were in higher authority in Egypt than the men, in sofar as civil and political rights were concerned. On the other hand, itis certain from Herodotus, that men alone could officiate in the serviceof their gods, whether male or female, and that there were nopriestesses in Egypt. No reason can be discovered for this exclusion. Itis merely credible, that the Egyptians, though ascribing greatexcellence to the female sex in various particulars, nevertheless judgedthem to be destitute of that principle which constituted the essence ofthe gods; and therefore unfit for their society. Possibly they might inconsequence imagine them to be incapable of immortality andtransmigration, a belief which they so firmly maintained, as to be ledto specify the various changes which the soul underwent for the space ofthree thousand years, when it re-assumed the human body. Now, if theColchians credited this doctrine of the immortality and transmigrationof the soul, and at the same time depreciated for any reasons whateverthe dignity of women, one may easily conceive why they should think ofa difference in the mode of disposing of male and female corpses. Afterall, however, such reasoning as this is very far from satisfactory;nevertheless, in the mind of the judicious reader, accustomed tocontemplate the minute circumstances, which, though much modified, provea connection betwixt different people, it cannot but have someweight, --E. ]

Perhaps no better use can be made of reading an account of mannersaltogether new, by which the follies and absurdities of mankind aretaken out of that particular connection in which habit has reconciledthem to us, than to consider in how many instances they are essentiallythe same. When an honest devotee of the church of Rome reads, that thereare Indians on the banks of the Ganges who believe that they shallsecure the happiness of a future state by dying with a cow's tail intheir hands, he laughs at their folly and superstition; and if theseIndians were to be told, that there are people upon the continent ofEurope, who imagine that they shall derive the same advantage from dyingwith the slipper of St Francis upon their foot, they would laugh intheir turn. But if, when the Indian heard the account of the catholic, and the catholic that of the Indian, each was to reflect, that there wasno difference between the absurdity of the slipper and of the tail, butthat the veil of prejudice and custom, which covered it in their owncase, was withdrawn in the other, they would turn their knowledge to aprofitable purpose. 

Having observed that bread-fruit had for some days been brought in lessquantities than usual, we enquired the reason, and were told, that therebeing a great shew of fruit upon the trees, they had been thinned all atonce, in order to make a kind of sour paste, which the natives call_Mahie_, and which, in consequence of having undergone a fermentation, will keep a considerable time, and supply them with food when no ripefruit is to be had. 

On the 10th, the ceremony was to be performed, in honour of the oldwoman whose sepulchral tabernacle has just been described, by the chiefmourner; and Mr Banks had so great a curiosity to see all the mysteriesof the solemnity, that he determined to take a part in it, being told, that he could be present upon no other condition. In the evening, therefore, he repaired to the place where the body lay, and was receivedby the daughter of the deceased, and several other persons, among whomwas a boy about fourteen years old, who were to assist in the ceremony. Tubourai Tamaide was to be the principal mourner; and his dress wasextremely fantastical, though not unbecoming. Mr Banks was stripped ofhis European clothes, and a small piece of cloth being tied round hismiddle, his body was smeared with charcoal and water, as low as theshoulders, till it was as black as that of a negro: The same operationwas performed upon several others, among whom were some women, who werereduced to a state as near to nakedness as himself; the boy was blackedall over, and then the procession set forward. Tubourai Tamaide utteredsomething, which was supposed to be a prayer, near the body; and did thesame when he came up to his own house: When this was done, theprocession was continued towards the fort, permission having beenobtained to approach it upon this occasion. It is the custom of theIndians to fly from these processions with the utmost precipitation, sothat as soon as those who were about the fort, saw it at a distance, they hid themselves in the woods. It proceeded from the fort along theshore, and put to flight another body of Indians, consisting of morethan an hundred, every one hiding himself under the first shelter thathe could find: It then crossed the river, and entered the woods, passingseveral houses, all which were deserted, and not a single Indian couldbe seen during the rest of the procession, which continued more thanhalf an hour. The office that Mr Banks performed was called that of the_Nineveh_, of which there were two besides himself; and the nativeshaving all disappeared, they came to the chief mourner, and said_imitata_, there are no people, after which the company was dismissed towash themselves in the river, and put on their customary apparel. 

On the 12th, complaint being made to me, by some of the natives, thattwo of the seamen had taken from them several bows and arrows, and somestrings of plaited hair, I examined the matter, and finding the chargewell supported, I punished each of the criminals with two dozen lashes. 

Their bows and arrows have not been mentioned before, nor were theyoften brought down to the fort: This day, however, Tubourai Tamaidebrought down his, in consequence of a challenge which he had receivedfrom Mr Gore. The chief supposed it was to try who could send the arrowfarthest; Mr Gore, who best could hit a mark; and as Mr Gore did notvalue himself upon shooting to a great distance, nor the chief uponhitting a mark, there was no trial of skill between them. TubouraiTamaide, however, to shew us what he could do, drew his bow, and sent anarrow, none of which are feathered, two hundred and seventy-four yards, which is something more than a seventh, and something less than a sixthpart of a mile. Their manner of shooting is somewhat singular; theykneel down, and the moment the arrow is discharged, drop the bow. 

Mr Banks, in his morning walk this day, met a number of the natives, whom, upon enquiry, he found to be travelling musicians; and havinglearnt where they were to be at night, we all repaired to the place. Theband consisted of two flutes and three drums, and we found a greatnumber of people assembled upon the occasion; The drummers accompaniedthe music with their voices, and, to our great surprise, we discoveredthat we were generally the subject of the song. We did not expect tohave found among the uncivilized inhabitants of this sequestered spot, acharacter, which has been the subject of such praise and venerationwhere genius and knowledge have been most conspicuous; yet these werethe bards or minstrels of Otaheite. Their song was unpremeditated, andaccompanied with music; they were continually going about from place toplace, and they were rewarded by the master of the house, and theaudience, with such things as one wanted and the other could spare. 

On the 14th, we were brought into new difficulties and inconvenience byanother robbery at the fort. In the middle of the night, one of thenatives contrived to steal an iron coal-rake, that was made use of forthe oven. It happened to be set up against the inside of the wall, sothat the top of the handle was visible from without; and we wereinformed that the thief, who had been seen lurking there in the evening, came secretly about three o'clock in the morning, and, watching hisopportunity when the centinel's back was turned, very dexterously laidhold of it with a long crooked stick, and drew it over the wall. Ithought it of some consequence, if possible, to put an end to thesepractices at once, by doing something that should make it the commoninterest of the natives themselves to prevent them. I had given strictorders that they should not be fired upon, even when detected in theseattempts, for which, I had many reasons: The common centinels were by nomeans fit to be entrusted with a power of life and death, to be exertedwhenever they should think fit, and I had already experienced that theywere ready to take away the lives that were in their power, upon theslightest occasion; neither indeed did I think that the thefts whichthese people committed against us, were, in them, crimes worthy ofdeath: That thieves are hanged in England, I thought no reason why theyshould be shot in Otaheite; because with respect to the natives, itwould have been an execution by a law _ex post facto_: They had no suchlaw among themselves, and it did not appear to me that we had any rightto make such a law for them. That they should abstain from theft, or bepunished with death, was not one of the conditions under which theyclaimed the advantages of civil society, as it is among us; and I wasnot willing to expose them to fire-arms, loaded with shot, neither couldI perfectly approve of firing only with powder: At first, indeed, thenoise and the smoke would alarm them, but when they found that nomischief followed, they would be led to despise the weapons themselves, and proceed to insults, which would make it necessary to put them to thetest, and from which they would be deterred by the very sight of a gunif it was never used but with effect. At this time, an accidentfurnished me with what I thought a happy expedient. It happened thatabove twenty of their sailing canoes were just come in with a supply offish: Upon these I immediately seized, and bringing them into the riverbehind the fort, gave public notice, that except the rake, and all therest of the things which from time to time had been stolen, werereturned, the canoes should be burnt. This menace I ventured to publish, though I had no design to put it into execution, making no doubt butthat it was well known in whose possession the stolen goods were, andthat as restitution was thus made a common cause, they would all of themin a short time be brought back. A list of the things was made out, consisting principally of the rake, the musket which had been taken fromthe marine when the Indian was shot; the pistols which Mr Banks lostwith his clothes at Atahourou; a sword belonging to one of the pettyofficers, and the water cask. About noon, the rake was restored, andgreat solicitation was made for the release of the canoes; but I stillinsisted upon my original, condition. The next day came, and nothingfarther was restored, at which I was much surprised, for the people werein the utmost distress for the fish, which in a short time would bespoilt; I was, therefore, reduced to a disagreeable situation, either ofreleasing the canoes, contrary to what I had solemnly and publiclydeclared, or to detain them, to the great injury of those who wereinnocent, without answering any good purpose to ourselves: As atemporary expedient, I permitted them to take the fish; but stilldetained the canoes. This very licence, however, was productive of newconfusion and injury; for, it not being easy at once to distinguish towhat particular persons the several lots of fish belonged, the canoeswere plundered, under favour of this circumstance, by those who had noright to any part of their cargo. Most pressing instances were stillmade that the canoes might be restored, and I having now the greatestreason to believe, either that the things for which I detained them werenot in the island, or that those who suffered by their detention had notsufficient influence over the thieves to prevail upon them torelinquish, their booty, determined at length to give them up, not alittle mortified at the bad success of my project. 

Another accident also about this time was, notwithstanding all ourcaution, very near embroiling us with the Indians. I sent the boat onshore with an officer to get ballast for the ship, and not immediatelyfinding stones convenient for the purpose, he began to pull down somepart of an enclosure where they deposited the bones of their dead: Thisthe Indians violently opposed, and a messenger came down to the tents toacquaint the officers that they would not suffer it. Mr Banksimmediately repaired to the place, and an amicable end was soon put tothe dispute, by sending the boat's crew to the river, where stonesenough were to be gathered without a possibility of giving offence. Itis very remarkable, that these Indians appeared to be much more jealousof what was done to the dead than the living. This was the only measurein which they ventured to oppose us, and the only insult that wasoffered to any individual among us was upon a similar occasion. MrMonkhouse happening one day to pull a flower from a tree which grew inone of their sepulchral enclosures, an Indian, whose jealousy hadprobably been upon the watch, came suddenly behind him, and struck him:Mr Monkhouse laid hold of him, but he was instantly rescued by two more, who took hold of Mr Monkhouse's hair, and forced him to quit his hold oftheir companion, and then ran away without offering him any fartherviolence. 

In the evening of the 19th, while the canoes were still detained, wereceived a visit from Oberea, which surprised us not a little, as shebrought with her none of the things that had been stolen, and knew thatshe was suspected of having some of them in her custody. She saidindeed, that her favourite Obadee, whom she had beaten and dismissed, had taken them away; but she seemed conscious, that she had no right tobe believed: She discovered the strongest signs of fear, yet shesurmounted it with astonishing resolution; and was very pressing tosleep with her attendants in Mr Banks's tent. In this, however, she wasnot gratified; the affair of the jacket was too recent, and the tent wasbesides filled with other people. Nobody else seemed willing toentertain her, and she therefore, with great appearance of mortificationand disappointment, spent the night in her canoe. 

The next morning early, she returned to the fort, with her canoe andevery thing that it contained, putting herself wholly into our power, with something like greatness of mind, which excited our wonder andadmiration. As the most effectual means to bring about a reconciliation, she presented us with a hog, and several other things, among which was adog. We had lately learnt, that these animals were esteemed by theIndians as more delicate food than their pork; and upon this occasion wedetermined to try the experiment: The dog, which was very fat, weconsigned over to Tupia, who undertook to perform the double office ofbutcher and cook. He killed him by holding his hands close over hismouth and nose, an operation which continued above a quarter of an hour. While this was doing, a hole was made in the ground about a foot deep, in which a fire was kindled, and some small stones placed in layersalternately with the wood to heat; the dog was then singed, by holdinghim over the tire, and, by scraping him with a shell, the hair taken offas clean as if he had been scalded in hot water: He was then cut up withthe same instrument, and his entrails being taken out, were sent to thesea, where being carefully washed, they were put into cocoa-nut shells, with what blood had come from the body: When the hole was sufficientlyheated, the fire was taken out, and some of the stones, which were notso hot as to discolour any thing that they touched, being placed at thebottom, were covered with green leaves: The dog, with the entrails, wasthen placed upon the leaves, and other leaves being laid upon them, thewhole was covered with the rest of the hot stones, and the mouth of thehole close stopped with mould: In somewhat less than four hours it wasagain opened, and the dog taken out excellently baked, and we all agreedthat he made a very good dish. The dogs which are here bred to be eaten, taste no animal food, but are kept wholly upon bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, yams, and other vegetables of the like kind: All the flesh and fisheaten by the inhabitants is dressed in the same way. 

On the 21st, we were visited at the fort by a chief, called _Oamo_, whom we had never seen before, and who was treated by the natives withuncommon respect; he brought with him a boy about seven years old, and ayoung woman about sixteen: The boy was carried upon a man's back, whichwe considered as a piece of state, for he was as well able to walk asany present. As soon as they were in sight, Oberea, and several othernatives who were in the fort, went out to meet them, having firstuncovered their heads and bodies as low as the waist: As they came on, the same ceremony was performed by all the natives who were without thefort. Uncovering the body, therefore, is in this country probably a markof respect; and as all parts are here exposed with equal indifference, the ceremony of uncovering it from the waist downwards, which wasperformed by Oorattooa, might be nothing more than a different mode ofcompliment, adapted to persons of a different rank. The chief came intothe tent, but no entreaty could prevail upon the young woman to followhim, though she seemed to refuse contrary to her inclination: Thenatives without were indeed all very solicitous to prevent her;sometimes, when her resolution seemed to fail, almost using force: Theboy also they restrained in the same manner; but Dr Solander happeningto meet him at the gate, took him by the hand, and led him in before thepeople were aware of it: As soon, however, as those that were within sawhim, they took care to have him sent out. 

These circumstances having strongly excited our curiosity, we enquiredwho they were, and were informed, that Oamo was the husband of Oberea, though they had been a long time separated by mutual consent; and thatthe young woman and the boy were their children. We learnt also, thatthe boy, whose name was _Terridiri_, was heir-apparent to thesovereignty of the island, and that his sister was intended for hiswife, the marriage being deferred only till he should arrive at a properage. The sovereign at this time was a son of _Whappai_, whose name was_Outou_, and who, as before has been observed, was a minor. Whappai, Oamo, and Tootahah, were brothers: Whappai was the eldest, and Oamo thesecond; so that, Whappai having no child but Outon, Terridiri, the sonof his next brother Oamo, was heir to the sovereignty. It will, perhaps, seem strange that a boy should be sovereign during the life of hisfather; but, according to the custom of the country, a child succeedsto a fathers title and authority as soon as it is born: A regent is thenelected, and the father of the new sovereign is generally continued inhis authority, under that title, till his child is of age; but, at thistime, the choice had fallen upon Tootahah, the uncle, in consequence ofhis having distinguished himself in a war. Oamo asked many questionsconcerning England and its inhabitants, by which he appeared to havegreat shrewdness and understanding. 

SECTION XIV. 

_An Account of the Circumnavigation of the Island, and various Incidentsthat happened during the Expedition; with a Description of aBurying-place and Place of Worship, called, a Morai. _

On Monday the 26th, about three o'clock in the morning, I set out in thepinnace, accompanied by Mr Banks, to make the circuit of the island, with a view to sketch out the coast and harbours. We took our route tothe eastward, and about eight in the forenoon we went on shore, in adistrict called _Oahounue_, which is governed by _Ahio_, a young chief, whom we had often seen at the tents, and who favoured us with hiscompany to breakfast. Here also we found two other natives of our oldacquaintance, _Tituboalo_ and _Hoona_, who carried us to their houses, near which we saw the body of the old woman, at whose funeral rites MrBanks had assisted, and which had been removed hither from the spotwhere it was first deposited, this place having descended from her byinheritance to Hoona, and it being necessary on that account that itshould lie here. We then proceeded on foot, the boat attending withincall, to the harbour in which Mr Bougainville lay, called _Ohidea_, where the natives shewed us the ground upon which his people pitchedtheir tent, and the brook at which they watered, though no trace of themremained, except the holes where the poles of the tent had been fixed, and a small piece of potsheard, which Mr Banks found in lookingnarrowly about the spot. We met, however, with _Orette_, a chief whowas their principal friend, and whose brother _Outorrou_ went away withthem. 

This harbour lies on the west side of a great bay, under shelter of asmall island called _Boourou_, near which is another called _Taawirrii_;the breach in the reefs is here very large, but the shelter for theships is not the best. 

Soon after we had examined this place, we took boat, and asked Tituboaloto go with us to the other side of the bay; but he refused, and advisedus not to go, for he said the country there was inhabited by people whowere not subject to Tootahah, and who would kill both him and us. Uponreceiving this intelligence, we did not, as may be imagined, relinquishour enterprise; but we immediately loaded our pieces with ball: This wasso well understood by Tituboalo as a precaution which rendered usformidable, that he now consented to be of our party. 

Having rowed till it was dark, we reached a low neck of land, oristhmus, at the bottom of the bay, that divides the island into twopeninsulas, each of which is a district or government wholly independentof the other. From Port Royal, where the ship was at anchor, the coasttrends E. By S. And E. S. E. Ten miles, then S. By E. And S. Eleven milesto the isthmus. In the first direction, the shore is in general open tothe sea, but in the last it is covered by reefs of rocks, which formseveral good harbours, with safe anchorage, in 16, 18, 20, and 24 fathomof water, with other conveniences. As we had not yet got into ourenemy's country, we determined to sleep on shore: We landed, and thoughwe found but few houses, we saw several double canoes, whose owners werewell known to us, and who provided us with supper and lodging; of whichMr Banks was indebted for his share to Ooratooa, the lady who had paidhim her compliments in so singular a manner at the fort. 

In the morning, we looked about the country, and found it to be a marshyflat, about two miles over, across which the natives haul their canoesto the corresponding bay on the other side. We then prepared to continueour route for what Tituboalo called the other kingdom; he said that thename of it was _Tiarrabou_, or _Otaheite Ete_; and that of the chiefwho governed it, _Waheatua_: Upon this occasion also, we learnt that thename of the peninsula where we had taken our station was _Opoureonu_, or_Otaheite Nue_. Our new associate seemed to be now in better spiritsthan he had been the day before; the people in Tiarrabou would not killus, he said, but he assured us that we should be able to procure novictuals among them; and indeed we had seen no bread-fruit since we setout. 

After rowing a few miles, we landed in a district, which was thedominion of a chief called _Maraitata_, the burying-place of men, whosefather's name was _Pahairedo_, the stealer of boats. Though these namesseemed to favour the account that had been given by Tituboalo, we soonfound that it was not true. Both the father and the son received us withthe greatest civility, gave us provisions, and, after some delay, soldus a very large hog for a hatchet A crowd soon gathered round us, but wesaw only two people that we knew; neither did we observe a single beador ornament among them that had come from our ship, though we sawseveral things which had been brought from Europe: In one of the houseslay two twelve-pound shot, one of which was marked with the broad arrowof England, though the people said they had them from the ships that layin Bougainville's harbour. 

We proceeded on foot till we came to the district which was immediatelyunder the government of the principal chief, or king of the peninsula, Waheatua. Waheatua had a son, but whether, according to the custom ofOpoureonu, he administered the government as regent, or in his ownright, is uncertain. This district consists of a large and fertileplain, watered by a river so wide, that we were obliged to ferry over itin a canoe; our Indian train, however, chose to swim, and took to thewater with the same facility as a pack of hounds. In this place we sawno house that appeared to be inhabited, but the ruins of many, that hadbeen very large. We proceeded along the shore; which forms a bay, called_Oaitipeha_, and at last we found the chief sitting near some prettycanoe awnings, under which, we supposed, he and his attendants slept. Hewas a thin old man, with a very white head and beard, and had with him acomely woman, about five-and-twenty years old, whose name was_Toudidde_. We had often heard the name of this woman, and, from reportand observation, we had reason to think that she was the _Oberea_ ofthis peninsula. From this place, between which and the isthmus there areother harbours, formed by the reefs that lie along the shore, whereshipping may lie in perfect security, and from whence the land trendsS. S. E. And S. To the S. E. Part of the island, we were accompanied by_Tearee_, the son of Waheatua, of whom we had purchased a hog, and thecountry we passed through appeared to be more cultivated than any we hadseen in other parts of the island: The brooks were every where bankedinto narrow channels with stone, and the shore had also a facing ofstone, where it was washed by the sea. The houses were neither large nornumerous, but the canoes that were hauled up along the shore were almostinnumerable, and superior to any that we had seen before, both in sizeand make; they were longer, the sterns were higher, and the awnings weresupported by pillars. At almost every point there was a sepulchralbuilding, and there were many of them also in land. They were of thesame figure as those in Opoureonu, but they were cleaner and betterkept, and decorated with many carved boards, which were set upright, andon the top of which were various figures of birds and men: On one inparticular, there was the representation of a cock, which was paintedred and yellow, to imitate the feathers of that animal, and rude imagesof men were, in some of them, placed one upon the head of another. Butin this part of the country, however fertile and cultivated, we did notsee a single bread-fruit; the trees were entirely bare, and theinhabitants seemed to subsist principally upon nuts, which are notunlike a chesnut, and which they call _Ahee_. 

When we had walked till we were weary, we called up the boat, but bothour Indians, Tituboalo and Tuahow, were missing: They had, it seems, stayed behind at Waheatua's, expecting us to return thither, inconsequence of a promise which had been extorted from us, and which wehad it not in our power to fulfil. 

Tearee, however, and another, embarked with us, and we proceeded till wecame a-breast of a small island called _Otooareite_; it being then dark, we determined to land, and our Indians conducted us to a place wherethey said we might sleep: It was a deserted house, and near it was alittle cove, in which the boat might lie with great safety andconvenience. We were, however, in want of provisions, having been verysparingly supplied since we set out; and Mr Banks immediately went intothe woods to see whether any could be procured. As it was dark, he metwith no people, and could find but one house that was inhabited: Abread-fruit and a half, a few Ahees, and some fire, were all that itafforded; upon which, with a duck or two, and a few curlieus, we madeour supper, which, if not scanty, was disagreeable, by the want ofbread, with which we had neglected to furnish ourselves, as we dependedupon meeting with bread-fruit, and took up our lodging under the awningof a canoe belonging to Tearee, which followed us. 

The next morning, after having spent some time in another fruitlessattempt to procure a supply of provisions, we proceeded round thesouth-east point, part of which is not covered by any reef, but liesopen to the sea; and here the hill rises directly from the shore. At thesouthermost part of the island, the shore is again covered by a reef, which forms a good harbour; and the land about it is very fertile. Wemade this route partly on foot, and partly in the boat: When we hadwalked about three miles, we arrived at a place where we saw severallarge canoes, and a number of people with them, whom we were agreeablysurprised to find were of our intimate acquaintance. Here, with muchdifficulty, we procured some cocoa-nuts, and then embarked, taking withus Tuahow, one of the Indians who had waited for us at Waheatua's, andhad returned the night before, long after it was dark. 

When we came abreast of the south-east end of the island, we wentashore, by the advice of our Indian guide, who told us that the countrywas rich and good. The chief, whose name was _Mathiabo_, soon came downto us, but seemed to be a total stranger both to us and to our trade:His subjects, however, brought us plenty of cocoa-nuts, and about twentybread-fruit. The bread-fruit we bought at a very dear rate, but hisexcellency sold us a pig for a glass bottle, which he preferred to everything else that we could give him. We found in his possession a gooseand a turkey-cock, which, we were informed, had been left upon theisland by the Dolphin: They were both enormously fat, and so tame thatthey followed the Indians, who were fond of them to excess, whereverthey went. 

In a long house in this neighbourhood, we saw what was altogether new tous. At one end of it, fastened to a semicircular board, hung fifteenhuman jaw-bones; they appeared to be fresh, and there was not one ofthem that wanted a single tooth. A sight so extraordinary, stronglyexcited our curiosity, and we made many enquiries about it: But at thistime could get no information, for the people either could not, or wouldnot understand us. 

When we left this place, the chief, Mathiabo, desired leave to accompanyus, which was readily granted. He continued with us the remainder of theday, and proved very useful, by piloting us over the shoals. In theevening, we opened the bay on the north-west side of the island, whichanswered to that on the south-east, so as at the isthmus, orcarrying-place, almost to intersect the island, as I have observedbefore; and when we had coasted about two-thirds of it, we determined togo on shore for the night. We saw a large house at some distance, which, Mathiabo informed us, belonged to one of his friends; and soon afterseveral canoes came off to meet us, having on board some very handsomewomen, who, by their behaviour, seemed to have been sent to entice us onshore. As we had before resolved to take up our residence here for thenight, little invitation was necessary. We found that the house belongedto the chief of the district, whose name was _Wiverou_: He received usin a very friendly manner, and ordered his people to assist us indressing our provision, of which we had now got a tolerable stock. Whenour supper was ready, we were conducted into that part of the housewhere Wiverou was sitting, in order to eat it; Mathiabo supped with us, and Wiverou calling for his supper at the same time, we eat our mealvery sociably, and with great good humour. When it was over, we began toenquire where we were to sleep, and a part of the house was shewn us, ofwhich we were told we might take possession for that purpose. We thensent for our clokes, and Mr Banks began to undress, as his custom was, and, with a precaution which he had been taught by the loss of thejackets at Atahourou, sent his clothes aboard the boat, proposing tocover himself with a piece of Indian cloth. When Mathiabo perceived whatwas doing, he also pretended to want a cloak; and, as he had behavedvery well, and done us some service, a cloke was ordered for him. We laydown, and observed that Mathiabo was not with us; but we supposed thathe was gone to bathe, as the Indians always do before they sleep. We hadnot waited long, however, when an Indian, who was a stranger to us, cameand told Mr Banks, that the cloke and Mathiabo had disappearedtogether. This man had so far gained our confidence, that we did not atfirst believe the report; but it being soon after confirmed by Tuahow, our own Indian, we knew no time was to be lost. As it was impossible forus to pursue the thief with any hope of success, without the assistanceof the people about us, Mr Banks started up, and telling our case, required them to recover the cloak; and to enforce this requisition, shewed one of his pocket-pistols, which he always kept about him. Uponthe sight of the pistol, the whole company took the alarm, and, insteadof assisting to catch the thief, or recover what had been stolen, beganwith great precipitation to leave the place; one of them, however, wasseized, upon which he immediately offered to direct the chase: I set outtherefore with Mr Banks, and though we ran all the way, the alarm hadgot before us, for in about ten minutes we met a man bringing back thecloak, which the thief had relinquished in great terror; and as we didnot then think fit to continue the pursuit, he made his escape. When wereturned, we found the house, in which there had been between two andthree hundred people, entirely deserted. It being, however, soon knownthat we had no resentment against any body but Mathiabo, the chief, Wiverou, our host, with his wife and many others, returned, and took uptheir lodgings with us for the night. In this place, however, we weredestined to more confusion and trouble, for about five o'clock in themorning our sentry alarmed us, with an account that the boat wasmissing: He had seen her, he said, about half an hour before, at hergrappling, which was not above fifty yards from the shore; but, uponhearing the sound of oars, he had looked out again, and could seenothing of her. At this account we started up greatly alarmed, and ranto the water-side: The morning was clear and star-light, so that wecould see to a considerable distance, but there was no appearance of theboat. Our situation was now such as might justify the most terrifyingapprehensions; as it was a dead calm, and we could not therefore supposeher to have broken from her grappling, we had great reason to fear thatthe Indians had attacked her, and finding the people asleep, hadsucceeded in their enterprise: We were but four, with only one musquetand two pocket-pistols, without a spare ball or charge of powder foreither. In this state of anxiety and distress we remained a considerabletime, expecting the Indians every moment to improve their advantage, when, to our unspeakable satisfaction, we saw the boat return, whichhad been driven from her grappling by the tide; a circumstance to which, in our confusion and surprise, we did not advert. 

As soon as the boat returned, we got our breakfast, and were impatientto leave the place, lest some other vexatious accident should befall us. It is situated on the north side of Tiarrabou, the south-east peninsula, or division, of the island, and at the distance of about five milessouth east from the isthmus, having a large and commodious harbour, inferior to none in the island, about which the land is very rich inproduce. Notwithstanding we had had little communication with thisdivision, the inhabitants everywhere received us in a friendly manner;we found the whole of it fertile and populous, and to all appearance, ina more flourishing stale than Opoureonu, though it is not aboveone-fourth part as large. 

The next district in which we landed, was the last in Tiarrabou, andgoverned by a chief, whose name we understood to be _Omoe_. Omoe wasbuilding a house, and being, therefore very desirous of procuring ahatchet, he would have been glad to have purchased one with any thingthat he had in his possession; it happened, however, ratherunfortunately for him and us, that we had not one hatchet left in theboat. We offered to trade with nails, but he would not part with anything in exchange for them; we therefore re-embarked, and put off ourboat, but the chief being unwilling to relinquish all hope of obtainingsomething from us that would be of use to him, embarked in a canoe, withhis wife _Whanno-ouda_, and followed us. After some time, we took theminto the boat, and when we had rowed about a league, they desired wewould put ashore: We immediately complied with his request, and foundsome of his people, who had brought down a very large hog. We were asunwilling to lose the hog, as the chief was to part with us, and it wasindeed worth the best axe we had in the ship; we therefore hit upon anexpedient, and told him, that if he would bring his hog to the fort at_Matavai_, the Indian name for Port Royal Bay, he should have a largeaxe, and a nail into the bargain, for his trouble. To this proposal, after having consulted with his wife, he agreed, and gave us a largepiece of his country-cloth as a pledge that he would perform hisagreement, which, however, he never did. 

At this place we saw a very singular curiosity: It was the figure of aman, constructed of basket-work, rudely made, but not ill designed; itwas something more than seven feet high, and rather too bulky inproportion to its height. The wicker skeleton was completely coveredwith feathers, which were white where the skin was to appear, and blackin the parts which it is their custom to paint or stain, and upon thehead, where there was to be a representation of hair: Upon the head alsowere four protuberances, three in front and one behind, which we shouldhave called horns, but which the Indians dignified with the name of_Tate Ete_, little men. The image was called _Manioe_, and was said tobe the only one of the kind in Otaheite. They attempted to give us anexplanation of its use and design, but we had not then acquired enoughof their language to understand them. We learnt, however, afterwards, that it was a representation of Mauwe, one of their Eatuas, or gods ofthe second class. 

After having settled our affairs with Omoe, we proceeded on our return, and soon reached Opoureonu, the north-west peninsula. After rowing a fewmiles, we went on shore again, but the only thing we saw worth notice, was a repository for the dead, uncommonly decorated: The pavement wasextremely neat, and upon it was raised a pyramid, about five feet high, which was entirely covered with the fruits of two plants, peculiar tothe country. Near the pyramid was a small image of stone, of very rudeworkmanship, and the first instance of carving in stone that we had seenamong these people. They appeared to set a high value upon it, for itwas covered from the weather by a shed, that had been erected onpurpose. 

We proceeded in the boat, and passed through the only harbour, on thesouth side of Opoureonu, that is fit for shipping. It is situated aboutfive miles to the westward of the isthmus, between two small islandsthat lie near the shore, and about a mile distant from each other, andaffords good anchorage in eleven and twelve fathom water. We were nownot far from the district called _Paparra_, which belonged to ourfriends Oamo and Oberea, where we proposed to sleep. We went on shoreabout an hour before night, and found that they were both absent, havingleft their habitations to pay us a visit at Matavai: This, however, didnot alter our purpose; we took up our quarters at the house of Oberea, which, though small, was very neat, and at this time had no inhabitantbut her father, who received us with looks that bid us welcome. Havingtaken possession, we were willing to improve the little day-light thatwas left us, and therefore walked out to a point, upon which we hadseen, at a distance, trees that are here called _Etoa_, which generallydistinguish the places where these people bury the bones of their dead:Their name for such burying-grounds, which are also places of worship, is _Morai_. [93] We were soon struck with the sight of an enormous pile, which, we were told, was the Morai of Oamo and Oberea, and the principalpiece of Indian architecture in the island. It was a pile of stone-work, raised pyramidically, upon an oblong base, or square, two hundred andsixty-seven feet long, and eighty-seven wide. It was built like thesmall pyramidal mounts upon which we sometimes fix the pillar of asun-dial, where each side is a flight of steps; the steps, however, atthe sides, were broader than those at the ends, so that it terminatednot in a square of the same figure with the base, but in a ridge, likethe roof of a house: There were eleven of these steps, each of which wasfour feet high, so that the height of the pile was forty-four feet; eachstep was formed of one course of white coral-stone, which was neatlysquared and polished; the rest of the mass, for there was no hollowwithin, consisted of round pebbles, which, from the regularity of theirfigure, seemed to have been wrought. Some of the coral-stones were verylarge; we measured one of them, and found it three feet and a half bytwo feet and a half. The foundation was of rock stones, which were alsosquared; and one of them measured four feet seven inches by two feetfour. Such a structure, raised without the assistance of iron-tools toshape the stones, or mortar to join them, struck us with astonishment:It seemed to be as compact and firm as it could have been made by anyworkman in Europe, except that the steps, which range along its greatestlength, are not perfectly straight, but sink in a kind of hollow in themiddle, so that the whole surface, from end to end, is not a right line, but a curve. The quarry stones, as we saw no quarry in theneighbourhood, must have been brought from a considerable distance; andthere is no method of conveyance here but by hand: The coral must alsohave been fished from under the water, where, though it may be found inplenty, it lies at a considerable depth, never less than three feet. Both the rock-stone and the coral could be squared only by tools made ofthe same substance, which must have been a work of incredible labour;but the polishing was more easily effected by means of the sharp coralsand, which is found every-where upon the seashore in great abundance. In the middle of the top stood the image of a bird, carved in wood; andnear it lay the broken one of a fish, carved in stone. The whole of thispyramid made part of one side of a spacious area or square, nearly ofequal sides, being three hundred and sixty feet by three hundred andfifty-four, which was walled in with stone, and paved with flat stonesin its whole extent; though there were growing in it, notwithstandingthe pavement, several of the trees which they call _Etoa_, andplantains. About a hundred yards to the west of this building, wasanother paved area or court, in which were several small stages raisedon wooden pillars, about seven feet high, which are called by theIndians _Ewattus_, and seem to be a kind of altars, as upon these areplaced provisions of all kinds as offerings to their gods; we have sinceseen whole hogs placed upon them, and we found here the skulls of abovefifty, besides the skulls of a great number of dogs. [94]

[Footnote 93: "The sacred ground, around the Morais, " says themissionary account, "affords a sanctuary for criminals. Thither, on anyapprehension of danger, they flee, especially when numerous (human)sacrifices are expected, and cannot therein be taken by force, thoughthey are sometimes seduced to quit their asylum. " The reader will oftenhave to notice with surprise the remarkable resemblance in certaincustoms of a religious nature, betwixt these people and others moreknown in history. --E. ]

[Footnote 94: The liberality of these people to their gods isparticularly noticed in the missionary account. "They offer to them allthe products of their island, hogs, fowls, fish, and vegetables; and atevery feast a portion is presented to the Eatooa, before they presume totake their own repast. "--E. ]

The principal object of ambition among these people is to have amagnificent Morai, and this was a striking memorial of the rank andpower of Oberea. It has been remarked, that we did not find her investedwith the same authority that she exercised when the Dolphin was at thisplace, and we now learnt the reason of it. Our way from her house tothe Morai lay along the sea-side, and we observed every-where under ourfeet a great number of human bones, chiefly ribs and vertebrae. Uponenquiring into the cause of so singular an appearance, we were told, that in the then last month of _Owarahew_, which answered to ourDecember, 1768, about four or five months before our arrival, the peopleof Tiarrabou, the S. E. Peninsula which we had just visited, made adescent at this place, and killed a great number of people, whose boneswere those that we saw upon the shore: That, upon this occasion, Oberea, and Oamo, who then administered the government for his son, had fled tothe mountains; and that the conquerors burnt all the houses, which werevery large, and carried away the hogs, and what other animals theyfound. We learnt also, that the turkey and goose, which we had seen whenwe were with Mathiabo, the stealer of cloaks, were among the spoils;this accounted for their being found among people with whom the Dolphinhad little or no communication; and upon mentioning the jawbones, whichwe had seen hanging from a board in a long house, we were told, thatthey also had been carried away as trophies, the people here carryingaway the jaw-bones of their enemies, as the Indians of North America dothe scalps. 

After having thus gratified oar curiosity, we returned to our quarters, where we passed the night in perfect security and quiet. By the nextevening we arrived at Atahourou, the residence of our friend Tootahah, where, the last time we passed the night under his protection, we hadbeen obliged to leave the best part of our clothes behind us. Thisadventure, however, seemed now to be forgotten on both sides. Ourfriends received us with great pleasure, and gave us a good supper and agood lodging, where we suffered neither loss nor disturbance. 

The next day, Saturday, July the 1st, we got back to our fort atMatavai, having found the circuit of the island, including bothpeninsulas, to be about thirty leagues. Upon our complaining of the wantof bread-fruit, we were told, that the produce of the last season wasnearly exhausted; and that what was seen sprouting upon the trees, wouldnot be fit to use in less than three months: This accounted for ourhaving been able to procure so little of it in our route. 

While the bread-fruit is ripening upon the flats, the inhabitants aresupplied in some measure from the trees which they have planted upon thehills to preserve a succession; but the quantity is not sufficient toprevent scarcity: They live therefore upon the sour paste, which theycall _Mahie_, upon wild plantains, and ahee-nuts, which at this time arein perfection. How it happened that the Dolphin, which was here at thisseason, found such plenty of bread-fruit upon the trees, I cannot tell, except the season in which they ripen varies. 

At our return, our Indian friends crowded about us and none of them cameempty-handed. Though I had determined to restore the canoes which hadbeen detained to their owners, it had not yet been done; but I nowreleased them as they were applied for. Upon this occasion I could notbut remark with concern, that these people were capable of practisingpetty frauds against each other, with a deliberate dishonesty, whichgave me a much worse opinion of them than I had ever entertained fromthe robberies they committed, under the strong temptation to which asudden opportunity of enriching themselves with the inestimable metaland manufactures of Europe exposed them. 

Among others who applied to me for the release of a canoe, was one_Potattow_, a man of some consequence, well known to us all. Iconsented, supposing the vessel to be his own, or that he applied on thebehalf of a friend: He went immediately to the beach, and tookpossession of one of the boats, which, with the assistance of hispeople, he began to carry off. Upon this, however, it was eagerlyclaimed by the right owners, who, supported by the other Indians, clamorously reproached him for invading their property, and prepared totake the canoe from him by force. Upon this, he desired to be heard, andtold them, that the canoe did, indeed, once belong to those who claimedit; but that I, having seized it as a forfeit, had sold it to him for apig. This silenced the clamour, the owners, knowing that from my powerthere was no appeal, acquiesced; and Potattow would have carried off hisprize, if the dispute had not fortunately been overheard by some of ourpeople, who reported it to me. I gave orders immediately that theIndians should be undeceived; upon which the right owners tookpossession of their canoe, and Potattow was so conscious of his guilt, that neither he nor his wife, who was privy to his knavery, could lookus in the face for some time afterwards. 

SECTION XV. 

_An Expedition of Mr Banks to trace the River: Marks of SubterraneousFire: Preparations for leaving the Island: An Account of Tupia. _

On the 3d, Mr Banks set out early in the morning with some Indianguides, to trace our river up the valley from which it issues, andexamine how far its banks were inhabited. For about six miles they metwith houses, not far distant from each other, on each side of the river, and the valley was every where about four hundred yards wide from thefoot of the hill on one side, to the foot of that on the other; but theywere now shewn a house which they were told was the last that they wouldsee. When they came up to it, the master of it offered them refreshmentsof cocoa-nuts and other fruits, of which they accepted; after a shortstay, they walked forward for a considerable time; in bad way it is noteasy to compute distances, but they imagined that they had walked aboutsix miles farther, following the course of the river, when theyfrequently passed under vaults, formed by fragments of the rock, inwhich they were told people who were benighted frequently passed thenight. Soon after they found the river banked by steep rocks, from whicha cascade, falling with great violence, formed a pool, so steep, thatthe Indians said they could not pass it. They seemed, indeed, not muchto be acquainted with the valley beyond this place, their business lyingchiefly upon the declivity of the rocks on each side, and the plainswhich extended on their summits, where they found plenty of wildplantain, which they called _Vae_. The way up these rocks from the banksof the river, was in every respect dreadful; the sides were nearlyperpendicular, and in some places one hundred feet high; they were alsorendered exceeding slippery by the water of innumerable springs whichissued from the fissures on the surface: Yet up these precipices a waywas to be traced by a succession of long pieces of the bark of the_hibiscus tiliaceus_, which served as a rope for the climber to takehold of, and assisted him in scrambling from one ledge to another, though upon these ledges there was footing only for an Indian or a goat. One of these ropes was nearly thirty feet in length, and their guidesoffered to assist them in mounting this pass, but recommended another ata little distance lower down, as less difficult and dangerous. They tooka view of this "better way, " but found it so bad that they did not chuseto attempt it, as there was nothing at the top to reward their toil andhazard, but a grove of the wild plantain or vae tree, which they hadoften seen before. 

During this excursion, Mr Banks had an excellent opportunity to examinethe rocks, which were almost every where naked, for minerals; but hefound not the least appearance of any. The stones every where, likethose of Madeira, shewed manifest tokens of having been burnt; nor isthere a single specimen of any stone, among all those that werecollected in the island, upon which there are not manifest andindubitable marks of fire; except perhaps some small pieces of thehatchet-stone, and even of that, other fragments were collected whichwere burned almost to a pumice. Traces of fire are also manifest in thevery clay upon the hills; and it may, therefore, not unreasonably besupposed, that this, and the neighbouring islands, are either shatteredremains of a continent, which some have supposed to be necessary in thispart of the globe, to preserve an equilibrium of its parts, which wereleft behind when the rest sunk by the mining of a subterraneous fire, soas to give a passage to the sea over it; or were torn from rocks, which, from the creation of the world, had been the bed of the sea, and thrownup in heaps, to a height which the waters never reach. One or other ofthese suppositions will perhaps be thought the more probable, as thewater does not gradually grow shallow as the shore is approached, andthe islands are almost every where surrounded by reefs, which appear tobe rude and broken, as some violent concussion would naturally leave thesolid substance of the earth. 

On the 4th, Mr Banks employed himself in planting a great quantity ofthe seeds of water-melons, oranges, lemons, limes, and other plants andtrees which he had collected at Rio de Janeiro. For these he preparedground on each side of the fort, with as many varieties of soil as hecould chuse; and there is little doubt but that they will succeed. Healso gave liberally of these seeds to the Indians, and planted many ofthem in the woods: Some of the melon seeds having been planted soonafter our arrival, the natives shewed him several of the plants, whichappeared to be in the most flourishing condition, and were continuallyasking him for more. 

We now began to prepare for our departure by bending the sails, andperforming other necessary operations on board the ship, our water beingalready on board, and the provisions examined. In the mean time we hadanother visit from Oamo, Oberea, and their son and daughter; the Indiansexpressing their respect by uncovering the upper parts of their body asthey had done before. The daughter, whose name we understand to beToimata, was very desirous to see the fort, but her father would by nomeans suffer her to come in. Tearee, the son of Waheatua, the sovereignof Tiarrabou, the south-east peninsula, was also with us at this time;and we received intelligence of the landing of another guest, whosecompany was neither expected nor desired: This was no other than theingenious gentleman who contrived to steal our quadrant. We were told, that he intended to try his fortune again in the night; but the Indiansall offered zealously to assist us against him, desiring that; for thispurpose, they might be permitted to lie in the fort. This had so good oneffect, that the thief relinquished his enterprise in despair. 

On the 7th, the carpenters were employed in taking down the gates andpallisadoes of our little fortification, for firewood on board the ship;and one of the Indians had dexterity enough to steal the staple and hookupon which the gate turned: He was immediately pursued, and after achace of six miles, he appeared to have been passed, having concealedhimself among some rushes in the brook; the rushes were searched, andthough the thief had escaped, a scraper was found which had been stolenfrom the ship some time before; and soon after our old friend TubouraiTamaide brought us the staple. 

On the 8th and 9th, we continued to dismantle our fort, and our friendsstill flocked about us; some, I believe, sorry at the approach of ourdeparture, and others desirous to make as much as they could of us whilewe staid. 

We were in hopes that we should now leave the island without giving orreceiving any other offence; but it unfortunately happened otherwise. Two foreign seamen having been out with my permission, one of them wasrobbed of his knife, and endeavouring to recover it, probably withcircumstances of great provocation, the Indians attacked him, anddangerously wounded him with a stone; they wounded his companion alsoslightly in the head, and then fled into the mountains. As I should havebeen sorry to take any farther notice of the affair, I was notdispleased that the offenders had escaped; but I was immediatelyinvolved in a quarrel which I very much regretted, and which yet it wasnot possible to avoid. 

In the middle of the night between the 8th and 9th, Clement Webb andSamuel Gibson, two of the marines, both young men, went privately fromthe fort, and in the morning were not to be found. As public notice hadbeen given, that all hands were to go on board on the next day, and thatthe ship would sail on the morrow of that day or the day following, Ibegan to fear that the absentees intended to stay behind. I knew that Icould take no effectual steps to recover them, without endangering theharmony and good-will which at present subsisted among us; and thereforedetermined to wait a day for the chance of their return. 

On Monday morning the 10th, the marines, to my great concern, not beingreturned, an enquiry was made after them of the Indians, who franklytold us, that they did not intend to return, and had taken refuge in themountains, where it was impossible for our people to find them. Theywere then requested to assist in the search, and after somedeliberation, two of them undertook to conduct such persons as I shouldthink proper to send after them to the place of their retreat. As theywere known to be without arms, I thought two would be sufficient, andaccordingly dispatched a petty officer, and a corporal of the marines, with the Indian guides, to fetch them back. As the recovery of these menwas a matter of great importance, as I had no time to lose, and as theIndians spoke doubtfully of their return, telling as, that they had eachof them taken a wife, and were become inhabitants of the country, it wasintimated to several of the chiefs who were in the fort with theirwomen, among whom were Tubourai Tamaide, Tomio, and Oberea, that theywould not be permitted to leave it till our deserters were broughtback. This precaution I thought the more necessary, as, by concealingthem a few days, they might compel me to go without them; and I had thepleasure to observe, that they received the intimation with very littlesigns either of fear or discontent; assuring me that my people should besecured and sent back as soon as possible. While this was doing at thefort, I sent Mr Hicks in the pinnace to fetch Tootahah on board theship, which he did, without alarming either him or his people. If theIndian guides proved faithful and in earnest, I had reason to expect thereturn of my people with the deserters before evening. Beingdisappointed, my suspicions increased; and night coming on, I thought Iwas not safe to let the people whom I had detained as hostages continueat the fort, and I therefore ordered Tubourai Tamaide, Oberea, and someothers, to be taken on board the ship. This spread a general alarm, andseveral of them, especially the women, expressed their apprehensionswith great emotion and many tears when they were put into the boat. Iwent on board with them, and Mr Banks remained on shore, with someothers whom I thought it of less consequence to secure. 

About nine o'clock, Webb was brought back by some of the natives, whodeclared that Gibson, and the petty officer and corporal, would bedetained till Tootahah should be set at liberty. The tables were nowturned upon me, but I had proceeded too far to retreat. I immediatelydispatched Mr Hicks in the long-boat, with a strong party of men, torescue the prisoners, and told Tootahah that it behoved him to send someof his people with them, with orders to afford them effectualassistance, and to demand the release of my men in his name, for that Ishould expect him to answer for the contrary. He readily complied; thisparty recovered my men without the least opposition; and about seveno'clock in the morning, returned with them to the ship, though they hadnot been able to recover the arms which had been taken from them whenthey were seized: These, however, were brought onboard in less than halfan hour, and the chiefs were immediately set at liberty. 

When I questioned the petty officer concerning what had happened onshore, he told me, that neither the natives who went with him, nor thosewhom they met in their way, would give them any intelligence of thedeserters; but, on the contrary, became very troublesome: That, as hewas returning for further orders to the ship, he and his comrade weresuddenly seized by a number of armed men, who having learnt thatTootahah was confined, had concealed themselves in a wood for thatpurpose, and, who having taken them at a disadvantage, forced theirweapons out of their hands, and declared, that they would detain themtill their chief should be set at liberty. He said, however, that theIndians were not unanimous in this measure; that some were for settingthem at liberty, and others for detaining them: That an eager disputeensued, and that from words they came to blows, but that the party fordetaining them at length prevailed: That soon after Webb and Gibson werebrought in by a party of the natives, as prisoners, that they also mightbe secured as hostages for the chief; but that it was after some debateresolved to send Webb to inform me of their resolution, to assure methat his companions were safe, and direct me where I might send myanswer. Thus it appears that whatever were the disadvantages of seizingthe chiefs, I should never have recovered my men by any other method. When the chiefs were set on shore from the ship, those at the fort werealso set at liberty, and, after staying with Mr Banks about an hour, they all went away. Upon this occasion, as they had done upon another ofthe same kind, they expressed their joy by an undeserved liberality, strongly urging us to accept of four hogs. These we absolutely refusedas a present, and they as absolutely refusing to be paid for them, thehogs did not change masters. Upon examining the deserters, we found thatthe account which the Indians had given of them was true: They hadstrongly attached themselves to two girls, and it was their intention toconceal themselves till the ship had sailed, and take up their residenceupon the island. This night every thing was got off from the shore, andevery body slept on board. 

Among the natives who were almost constantly with us, was Tupia, whosename has been often mentioned in this narrative. He had been, as I havebefore observed, the first minister of Oberea, when she was in theheight of her power: He was also the chief tahowa or priest of theisland, consequently well acquainted with the religion of the country, as well with respect to its ceremonies as principles. He had also greatexperience and knowledge in navigation, and was particularly acquaintedwith the number and situation of the neighbouring islands. This man hadoften expressed a desire to go with us, and on the 12th in the morning, having with the other natives left us the day before, he came on boardwith a boy about thirteen years of age, his servant, and urged us to lethim proceed with us on our voyage. To have such a person on board, wascertainly desirable for many reasons; by learning his language, andteaching him ours, we should be able to acquire a much better knowledgeof the customs, policy, and religion of the people, than our short stayamong them could give us, I therefore gladly agreed to receive them onboard. As we were prevented from sailing to-day, by having found itnecessary to make new stocks to our small and best bower anchors, theold ones having been totally destroyed by the worms, Tupia said, hewould go once more on shore, and make a signal for the boat to fetch himoff in the evening. He went accordingly, and took with him a miniaturepicture of Mr Banks's, to shew his friends, and several little things togive them as parting presents. 

After dinner, Mr Banks, being desirous to procure a drawing of the Moraibelonging to Tootahah at Eparré, I attended him thither, accompanied byDr Solander, in the pinnace. As soon as we landed, many of our friendscame to meet us; though some absented themselves in resentment of whathad happened the day before. We immediately proceeded to Toolahah'shouse, where we were joined by Oberea, with several others who had notcome out to meet us, and a perfect reconciliation was soon broughtabout; in consequence of which they promised to visit us early the nextday, to take a last farewell of us, as we told them we should certainlyset sail in the afternoon. At this place also we found Tupia, whoreturned with us, and slept this night on board the ship for the firsttime. 

On the next morning, Thursday the 13th of July, the ship was very earlycrowded with our friends, and surrounded by a multitude of canoes, whichwere filled with the natives of an inferior class. Between eleven andtwelve we weighed anchor, and as soon as the ship was under sail, theIndians on board took their leaves, and wept, with a decent and silentsorrow, in which there was something very striking and tender: Thepeople in the canoes, on the contrary, seemed to vie with each other inthe loudness of their lamentations, which we considered rather asaffectation than grief. Tupia sustained himself in this scene with afirmness and resolution truly admirable: He wept indeed, but the effortthat he made to conceal his tears, concurred, with them, to do himhonour. He sent his last present, a shirt, by Otheothea, to Potomia, Tootahah's favourite mistress, and then went with Mr Banks to themast-head, waving to the canoes as long as they continued in sight. 

Thus we took leave of Otaheite, and its inhabitants, after a stay ofjust three months; for much the greater part of the time we livedtogether in the most cordial friendship, and a perpetual reciprocationof good offices. The accidental differences which now and then happenedcould not be more sincerely regretted on their part than they were onours: The principal causes were such as necessarily resulted from oursituation and circumstances, in conjunction with the infirmities ofhuman nature, from our not being able perfectly to understand eachother, and from the disposition of the inhabitants to theft, which wecould not at all times bear with or prevent. They had not, however, except in one instance, been attended with any fatal consequence; and tothat accident were owing the measures that I took to prevent others ofthe same kind. I hoped indeed to have availed myself of the impressionwhich had been made upon them by the lives that had been sacrificed intheir contest with the Dolphin, so as that the intercourse between usshould have been carried on wholly without bloodshed; and by this hopeall my measures were directed during the whole of my continuance at theisland, and I sincerely wish, that whoever shall next visit it, may bestill more fortunate. Our traffic here was carried on with as much orderas in the best regulated market in Europe. It was managed principally byMr Banks, who was indefatigable in procuring provision and refreshmentswhile they were to be had; but during the latter part of our time theybecame scarce, partly by the increased consumption at the fort and ship, and partly by the coming on of the season in which cocoa-nuts andbread-fruit fail. All kinds of fruit we purchased for beads and nails, but no nails less than forty-penny were current: After a very short timewe could never get a pig of more than ten or twelve pounds, for lessthan a hatchet; because, though these people set a high value upon spikenails, yet these being an article with which many people in the shipwere provided, the women found a much more easy way of procuring themthan by bringing down provisions. 

The best articles for traffic here are axes, hatchets, spikes, largenails, looking-glasses, knives, and beads, for some of which, everything that the natives have may be procured. They are indeed fond offine linen cloth, both white and printed; but an axe worth half-a-crownwill fetch more than a piece of cloth worth twenty shillings. 

END OF TWELFTH VOLUME.