A General History & Collection of Voyages and Travels ... - Nauticus

[1] This subject is resumed in the account of Cook's third voyage, to which we refer for additionalinformation. A few observations, however, are here given from the works already mentioned, asdeserving the reader's immediate attention.--E.These islands were first discovered by Captain Tasman, in January, 1642-3, and by him called Amsterdamand Middleburg. But the former is called by the natives Ton-ga-ta-bu, and the latter Ea-oo-wee. They aresituated between the latitude of 21° 29' and 21° 3' south, and between the longitude of 174° 40' and 175°15' west, deduced from observations made on the spot.Middleburg, or Eaoowee, which is the southernmost, is about ten leagues in circuit, and of a heightsufficient to be seen twelve leagues. The skirts of this isle are mostly taken up in the plantations; the S.W.and N.W. sides especially. The interior parts are but little cultivated, though very fit for cultivation.However, the want of it added greatly to the beauty of the isle; for here are, agreeably dispersed, groves ofcocoa-nut and other trees, lawns covered with thick grass, here and there plantations, and paths leading toevery part of the island, in such beautiful disorder, as greatly enlivens the prospect.[2][2] "Next to the Society Isles, for richness of productions, and beauty of appearance, we must placethat group discovered by the Dutch navigator Tasman, and not unaptly to be distinguished by thename of Friendly Isles, from the peaceable kind disposition of their inhabitants. They are raised sohigh above the level of the sea, that they can no longer rank with the low islands; and being destituteof mountains, they are equally distinct from the high islands. They are extremely populous, and theiruniform surface, therefore, gives the people an opportunity of carrying cultivation very far; and fromone end to the other, they are intersected by paths and fences, which divide the plantations. At first,one might be apt to think that this high cultivation would give the botanist very scanty supplies ofspontaneous plants; but it is the peculiar beauty of these elegant isles to join the useful to theagreeable in nature, by which means a variety of different wild species thrive among more that arecultivated in that pleasing disorder, which is so much admired in the gardens of this kingdom."--F.The anchorage, which I named English Road, being the first who anchored there, is on the N.W. side, inlatitude 21° 20' 30" south. The bank is a coarse sand; it extends two miles from the land, and on it there isfrom twenty to forty fathoms water. The small creek before it affords convenient landing for boats at alltimes of the tide; which here, as well as at the other islands, rises about four or five feet, and is high wateron the full and change days about seven o'clock. The island of Tongatabu is shaped something like anisosceles triangle, the longest sides whereof are seven leagues each, and the shortest four. It lies nearly inthe direction of E.S.E. and W.N.W.; is nearly all of an equal height, rather low, not exceeding sixty oreighty feet above the level of the sea. This island, and also that of Eaoowee, is guarded from the sea by areef of coral rocks, extending out from the shore one hundred fathoms more or less. On this reef the forceof the sea is spent before it reaches the land or shore. Indeed, this is in some measure the situation of all thetropical isles in this sea that I have seen; and thus nature has effectually secured them from theencroachments of the sea, though many of them are mere points when compared to this vast ocean. VanDiemen's Road, where we anchored, is under the northwest part of the island, between the most northernand western points. There lies a reef of rocks without it, bearing N.W. by W., over which the sea breakscontinually. The bank does not extend more than three cables length from the shore; without that, is anunfathomable depth. The loss of an anchor, and the damage our cables sustained, are sufficient proofs thatthe bottom is none of the best.On the east side of the north point of the island, (as Mr Gilbert, whom I sent to survey the parts, informedme) is a very snug harbour, of one mile or more in extent, wherein is seven, eight, and ten fathoms water,