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

chiefly beholden to the sea for their subsistence, consequently are much exposed to the sun and weather;and by that means become more dark in colour, and more hardy and robust; for there is no doubt of theirbeing of the same nation. Our people observed that they were stout, well-made men, and had the figure of afish marked on their bodies; a very good emblem of their profession.[2][2] The following remarks ought not to be omitted.--"Besides fish and vegetable food, these peoplehave dogs which live upon fish, and are reckoned excellent meat by the natives of the SocietyIslands, to whom they are known. Thus Providence, in its wise dispensations, made even thoseinsignificant narrow ledges rich enough in the productions of nature, to supply a whole race of menwith the necessaries of life. And here we cannot but express our admiration, that the minutest agentsare subservient to the purposes of the Almighty Creator. The coral is known to be the fabric of alittle worm, which enlarges its house, in proportion as its own bulk increases. This little creature,which has scarce sensation enough to distinguish it from a plant, builds up a rocky structure from thebottom of a sea too deep to be measured by human art, till it readies the surface, and offers a firmbasis for the residence of man! The number of these low islands is very great, and we are far frombeing acquainted with them all. In the whole extent of the Pacific Ocean, between the tropics, theyare to be met with; however, they are remarkably frequent for the space of ten or fifteen degrees tothe eastward of the Society Islands. Quiros, Schouten, Roggewein, Byron, Wallis, Carteret,Bougainville, and Cook, have each met with new islands in their different courses; and what is mostremarkable, they have found them inhabited at the distance of two hundred and forty leagues to theeast of Otaheite. Nothing is more probable than, that on every new track other islands of this kindwill still be met with, and particularly between the 16th and 17th degree of S. latitude, no navigatorhaving hitherto run down on that parallel towards the Society Islands. It remains a subject worthythe investigation of philosophers, to consider from what probable principles these islands are soextremely numerous, and form so great an archipelago to windward of the Society Islands, whilstthey are only scattered at considerable distances beyond that group of mountainous islands? It istrue, there is another archipelago of coral ledges far to the westward, I mean the Friendly Islands;but these are of a different nature, and appear to be of a much older date; they occupy more space,and have a greater quantity of soil, on which all the vegetable productions of the higher lands maybe raised."--G.F.How far the opinions here stated are supported by subsequent investigation, will be afterwardsconsidered.--E.On the 18th, at day-break, after having spent the night snaking short boards, we wore down to another islewe had in sight to the westward, which we reached by eight o'clock, and ranged the S.E. side at one milefrom shore. We found it to be just such another as that we had left, extending N.E. and S.W. near fourleagues, and from five to three miles broad. It lies S.W. by W., two leagues distant from the west end of Tioo-kea;and the middle is situated in the latitude of 14° 37' S., longitude 145° 10' W. These must be thesame islands to which Commodore Byron gave the name of George's Islands. Their situation in longitude,which was determined by lunar observations made near the shores, and still farther corrected by thedifference of longitude carried by the watch to Otaheite, is 3° 54' more east than he says they lie. Thiscorrection, I apprehend, may be applied to all the islands he discovered.After leaving these isles, we steered S.S.W. 1/2 W., and S.W. by S., with a fine easterly gale, having signsof the vicinity of land, particularly a smooth sea; and on the 19th, at seven in the morning, land was seen tothe westward, which we bore down to, and reached the S.E. end by nine o'clock. It proved to be another ofthese half-over-flowed or drowned islands, which are so common in this part of the ocean; that is, anumber of little isles ranged in a circular form, connected together by a reef or wall of coral rock. The seais in general, every-where, on their outside, unfathomable; all their interior parts are covered with water,