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

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abounding, I have been told, with fish and turtle, on which the inhabitants subsist, and sometimes exchangethe latter with the high islanders for cloth, &c. These inland seas would be excellent harbours, were theynot shut up from the access of shipping, which is the case with most of them, if we can believe the reportof the inhabitants of the other isles. Indeed, few of them have been well searched by Europeans; the littleprospect of meeting with fresh water having generally discouraged every attempt of this kind. I, who haveseen a great many, have not yet seen an inlet into one.[3][3] "The lagoon within this island was very spacious, and several canoes sailed about upon it. Itappears to me, that the most elevated and richest spots on the coral ledges, are generally to leeward,sheltered from the violence of the surf. In this sea, however, there are seldom such violent storms, asmight make these isles uncomfortable places of abode; and when the weather is fair, it must be verypleasant sailing on the smooth water in the lagoon, whilst the ocean without is disagreeablyagitated."--G.F.This island is situated in the latitude of 15° 26', longitude 146° 20'. It is five leagues long in the direction ofN.N.E. and S.S.W. and about three leagues broad. As we drew near the south end, we saw from the masthead,another of these low isles bearing S.E., distant about four or five leagues, but being to windward wecould not fetch it. Soon after a third appeared, bearing S.W. by S., for which we steered; and at two o'clockp.m. reached the east end, which is situated in latitude 15° 47' S., longitude 146° 30' W. This island extendsW.N.W. and E.S.E., and is seven leagues long in that direction; but its breadth is not above two. It is, in allrespects, like the rest; only here are fewer islets, and less firm land on the reef which incloses the lake. Aswe ranged the north coast, at the distance of half a mile, we saw people, huts, canoes, and places built,seemingly for drying of fish. They seemed to be the same sort of people as on Ti-oo-kea, and were armedwith long spikes like them. Drawing near the west end, we discovered another or fourth island, bearing N.N.E. It seemed to be low, like the others, and lies west from the first isle, distant six leagues. These fourisles I called Palliser's Isles, in honour of my worthy friend Sir Hugh Palliser, at this time comptroller ofthe navy.Not chusing to run farther in the dark, we spent the night making short boards under the top-sail; and onthe 20th, at day-break, hauled round the west end of the third isle, which was no sooner done than wefound a great swell rolling in from the south; a sure sign that we were clear of these low islands; and as wesaw no more land, I steered S.W. 1/2 S. for Otaheite, having the advantage of a stout gale at east, attendedwith showers of rain. It cannot be determined with any degree of certainty whether the group of isles wehad lately seen, be any of those discovered by the Dutch navigators, or no; the situation of their discoveriesnot being handed down to us with sufficient accuracy. It is, however, necessary to observe, that this part ofthe ocean, that is, from the latitude of 20° down to 14° or 12°, and from the meridian of 138° to 148° or150° W., is so strewed with these low isles, that a navigator cannot proceed with too much caution.We made the high land of Otaheite on the 21st, and at noon were about thirteen leagues E. of Point Venus,for which we steered, and got pretty well in with it by sun set, when we shortened sail; and having spentthe night, which was squally with rain, standing on and off, at eight o'clock the next morning anchored inMatavai Bay in seven fathoms water. This was no sooner known to the natives, than many of them made usa visit, and expressed not a little joy at seeing us again.[4][4] The following passage both strikingly expresses the satisfaction experienced on again visitingOtaheite, and affords a lively idea of its peerless beauty. "Every person on board gazed continuallyat this species of tropical islands; and though I was extremely ill of my bilious disorder, I crawled ondeck, and fixed my eyes with great eagerness upon it, as upon a place where I hoped my pains would
cease. Early in the morning I awoke, and was as much surprised at the beauty of the prospect, as if Ihad never beheld it before. It was, indeed, infinitely more beautiful at present, than it had been eightmonths ago, owing to the difference of the season. The forests on the mountains were all clad infresh foliage, and glowed in many variegated hues; and even the lower hills were not entirelydestitute of pleasing spots, and covered with herbage. But the plains, above all, shone forth in thegreatest luxuriance of colours, the brightest tints of verdure being profusely lavished upon theirfertile groves; in short, the whole called to our mind the description of Calypso's enchanted island."--G.F.As my chief reason for putting in at this place was to give Mr Wales an opportunity to know the error ofthe watch by the known longitude, and to determine anew her rate of going, the first thing we did was toland his instruments, and to erect tents for the reception of a guard and such other people as it wasnecessary to have on shore. Sick we had none; the refreshments we had got at the Marquesas had removedevery complaint of that kind.On the 23d, showery weather. Our very good friends the natives supplied us with fruit and fish sufficientfor the whole crew.On the 24th, Otoo the king, and several other chiefs, with a train of attendants, paid us a visit, and broughtas presents ten or a dozen large hogs, besides fruits, which made them exceedingly welcome. I wasadvertised of the king's coming, and looked upon it as a good omen. Knowing how much it was my interestto make this man my friend, I met him at the tents, and conducted him and his friends on board, in myboat, where they staid dinner; after which they were dismissed with suitable presents, and highly pleasedwith the reception they had met with.Next day we had much thunder, lightning, and rain. This did not hinder the king from making me anothervisit, and a present of a large quantity of refreshments. It hath been already mentioned, that when we wereat the island of Amsterdam we had collected, amongst other curiosities, some red parrot feathers. Whenthis was known here, all the principal people of both sexes endeavoured to ingratiate themselves into ourfavour by bringing us hogs, fruit, and every other thing the island afforded, in order to obtain thesevaluable jewels. Our having these feathers was a fortunate circumstance, for as they were valuable to thenatives, they became so to us; but more especially as my stock of trade was by this time greatly exhausted;so that, if it had not been for the feathers, I should have found it difficult to have supplied the ship with thenecessary refreshments.When I put in at this island, I intended to stay no longer than till Mr Wales had made the necessaryobservations for the purposes already mentioned, thinking we should meet with no better success than wedid the last time we were here. But the reception we had already met with, and the few excursions we hadmade, which did not exceed the plains of Matavai and Oparree, convinced us of our error. We found atthese two places, built and building, a great number of large canoes, and houses of every kind; peopleliving in spacious habitations who had not a place to shelter themselves in eight months before; severallarge hogs about every house; and every other sign of a rising state.[5][5] "The difference between the present opulence of these islanders, and their situation eight monthsbefore, was very astonishing to us. It was with the utmost difficulty that we had been able topurchase a few hogs during our first stay, having been obliged to look upon it as a great favour,when the king or chief parted with one of these animals. At present our decks were so crowded withthem, that we were obliged to make a hog-stye on shore. We concluded, therefore, that they were
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AGENERALHISTORY AND COLLECTIONOFVOY
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Produce, and Inhabitants: Astronomi
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SECTION I. Passage from Ulietea to
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First Voyage, &c., second edition.
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After leaving these islands, Quiros
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of his instructions, he did not fin
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had been well ascertained, and foun
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[14] Till the discovery of what has
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third lieutenants, the lieutenant o
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have made, would have done honour t
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learning from his voyage; that he w
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long as the condition of the ships,
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occasional use of fires to destroy
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To record incidents such as these,
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on this occasion, was not omitted.T
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At two in the afternoon on the 29th
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[10] Mr G.F. speaks with much more
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steering directly for, till we were
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ears; they immediately rowed toward
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On the 24th, the wind blew from N.W
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This longitude is nearly the same t
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Myself, being the mean of six dista
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land.At nine o'clock, the wind veer
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elieve that land of any extent lay
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seen in the heavens, similar to tho
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and dashing of the waves into the c
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longitude was 121° 9'. At three o'
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We continued to advance to the N.E.
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come nearer. After dinner I took tw
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discover himself, had taken some li
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These he never would suffer to go o
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continued without intermission till
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emote from the present trading part
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which is not more remarkable for th
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clouds, and seemed to forebode much
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which appears supernatural, and wil
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hills; plenty of water which falls
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and with much difficulty we saved h
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myself the morning after my arrival
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lioness. It certainly bore much res
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me before that time, he was then to
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their existence. But nature, we may
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subject, this disease was indigenou
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and seldom higher than 54, at the s
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the time, blew from different direc
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inhabiting the lithophytes. They ra
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were striking, and left us a little
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After the first salutation was over
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presented the king with two fine go
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former. I told them to return me th
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the harbour, I chose to turn in by
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going. As his intention in coming i
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which taught him to avoid the socie
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On the 11th, early in the morning,
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one; at last, all my enquiries gave
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disease existed at Otaheite previou
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is soft and pulpy, then they spit i
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many parts of England."-G.F.After r
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they did not seem willing to part w
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extraordinary value at Otaheite and
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After we had done examining this pl
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The officer informed me that the na
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ass kettle, a saw, two large spikes
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[1] This subject is resumed in the
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desirous of those we had on board.
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Their ornaments are amulets, neckla
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wants the common necessaries of lif
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common features, and cannot, theref
Page 138 and 139: "Though we were situated under the
Page 140 and 141: six o'clock, being off Cloudy Bay,
Page 142 and 143: eing persuaded they would take prop
Page 144 and 145: we embarked, in order to return on
Page 146 and 147: youth under twenty.[8][7] An instan
Page 148 and 149: in the history of almost all nation
Page 150 and 151: for Cape Teerawhitte, and afterward
Page 152 and 153: The Sun himselfe cannot forgetHis f
Page 154 and 155: place where they are formed.[3][3]
Page 156 and 157: manner, covered with ice; a hard ga
Page 158 and 159: improvement of discipline, the incr
Page 160 and 161: [10] A few days before, according t
Page 162 and 163: pintadoe peterel, some blue peterel
Page 164 and 165: south, which soon after freshened,
Page 166 and 167: Endeavour; so that this can hardly
Page 168 and 169: stocked with abundance of fowls and
Page 170 and 171: lackish brown cavernous and brittle
Page 172 and 173: passed along, they observed on a hi
Page 174 and 175: fresh water worth taking on board.
Page 176 and 177: towards each end. To these are tied
Page 178 and 179: perseverance of these islanders in
Page 180 and 181: I continued to steer to the west ti
Page 182 and 183: ut could not prevail on the chief t
Page 184 and 185: are a mile from each other, in the
Page 186 and 187: grounds, for such an inference.--E.
Page 190 and 191: now entirely recovered from the blo
Page 192 and 193: come forwards in a curve. This fron
Page 194 and 195: Next day we had a present of a hog
Page 196 and 197: dinner; after which I went down to
Page 198 and 199: more proper for me to go. All his a
Page 200 and 201: end; and all I could expect, after
Page 202 and 203: We had no sooner dispatched our fri
Page 204 and 205: send him red feathers in abundance.
Page 206 and 207: hundred and ten, besides smaller ca
Page 208 and 209: especially by the ladies; as many o
Page 210 and 211: went on shore with a boat's crew, a
Page 212 and 213: in the neighbourhood; but they were
Page 214 and 215: which, according to the simplicity
Page 216 and 217: their religion, customs, traditions
Page 218 and 219: Before I finish this account of the
Page 220 and 221: heights; and only myself, and four
Page 222 and 223: the same that Tasman watered at. In
Page 224 and 225: officer. One time, after he had bee
Page 226 and 227: uncultivated. There is, however, fa
Page 228 and 229: the 9th, when we had for a few hour
Page 230 and 231: small shot, I gave him the contents
Page 232 and 233: of a negroe. Their beards are very
Page 234 and 235: view of plying up to the eastward o
Page 236 and 237: acceptable entertainment, and were
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then, to pop out and throw a dart.
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SECTION V.An Intercourse establishe
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troublesome to the eyes.Early in th
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island. Hence, that gentleman infer
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expeditious as it can well be. They
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observed, were planted as thick as
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that were prevailed on to stay, ran
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We understood that the little isle
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weapons; almost every one of them c
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appeared over the west end of Tanna
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it. The wind being at south, we wer
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[6] "Quiros had great reason to ext
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went; and the middle of it is in la
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untoward circumstances of the world
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weather side of it, we stood in wit
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appearance of the country.--"We wal
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after my return on board.It was of
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Accordingly I ordered them to be ta
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of it. A nation of women, we may co
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I have before observed, that the co
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in their country, and the scanty su
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hoisted in the boats, and made sail
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leagues. In the afternoon, with a f
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e done. We had from the top-mast-he
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in a space of two hundred leagues;
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eighteen fathoms water close to the
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[3] "They continued from time to ti
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A little within the entrance on the
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then squatted herself down, on her
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longitude 166° 15' W.On the 20th,
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Two hours after, we made the land,
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inlet was another, with several isl
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harbour is not quite free from this
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enough to spoil the appetite of any
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which we called EMBOTHRIUM coccineu
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