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

the time, blew from different directions. This was a strong indication that there was no land betweenus and my track to the west in 1769. After this, we had, as is usual in all great oceans, large billowsfrom every direction in which the wind blew a fresh gale, but more especially from the S.W. Thesebillows never ceased with the cause that first put them in motion; a sure indication that we were notnear any large land, and that there is no continent to the south, unless in a very high latitude. But thiswas too important a point to be left to opinions and conjectures. Facts were to determine it, and thesecould only be obtained by visiting the southern parts; which was to be the work of the ensuingsummer, agreeable to the plan I had laid down. As the winds continued to blow from the N.W. andW., we had no other choice but to stand to the north, inclining more or less every day to the east. Inthe latitude of 21° we saw flying-fish, gannets, and egg-birds. On the sixth, I hoisted a boat out, andsent for Captain Furneaux to dinner, from whom I learnt that his people were much better, the fluxhaving left them, and the scurvy was at a stand. Some cyder which he happened to have, and whichhe gave to the scorbutic people, contributed not a little to this happy change. The weather to-day wascloudy, and the wind very unsettled. This seemed to announce the approach of the so-much-wishedfortrade-wind; which, at eight o'clock in the evening, after two hours calm, and some heavy showersof rain, we actually got at S.E. We were, at this time, in the latitude of 19° 36' S., longitude 131° 32"W. The not meeting with the S.E. trade-wind sooner, is no new thing in this sea. As we had now gotit, I directed my course to the W.N.W., as well to keep in the strength of it, as to get to the north ofthe islands discovered in my former voyage; that if any other islands lay in the way, I might have achance to discover them.[7] During the day-time we made all the sail we could; but, in the night,either run an easy sail, or lay-to. We daily saw flying-fish, albacores, dolphins, &c., but neither bystriking, nor with hook and line, could we catch any of them. This required some art, which none ofmy people were masters of.[7] "After many wishes, and long expectation, we this day, (6th August,) got the S.E. tradewind.Its manner of coming on was rather remarkable. About ten o'clock in the morning, athick haze began to rise in the eastern quarter, which by noon was become so thick, andhad spread so far, that it was with difficulty we got the sun's meridian altitude; but the N.W. wind, which we had had for about a fortnight, during which time the weather wasgenerally fine and pleasant, still continued to blow. In the afternoon we had some prettybrisk showers, with which the N.W. wind died away, and it was calm till eight o'clock inthe evening, when a brisk steady gale sprung up at S.E., and proved permanent."--W.Mr F. has given some very valuable remarks respecting the trade-winds but they are toolong for this place.--E.On the 11th at day-break, land was seen to the south. This, upon a nearer approach, we found to bean island of about two leagues in extent, in the direction of N.W. and S.E., and clothed with wood,above which the cocoa- nut trees shewed their lofty heads. I judged it to be one of those islesdiscovered by Mr Bougainville. It lies in the latitude of 17° 24', longitude 141° 39' W., and I called itafter the name of the ship, Resolution Island. The sickly state of the Adventure's crew made itnecessary for me to make the best of my way to Otaheite, where I was sure of finding refreshments.Consequently I did not wait to examine this island, which appeared too small to supply our wants,but continued our course to the west, and at six o'clock in the evening, land was seen from the masthead,bearing W. by S. Probably this was another of Bougainville's discoveries. I named it DoubtfulIsland, and it lies in the latitude of 17° 20', longitude 141° 38' W. I was sorry I could not spare timeto haul to the north of Mr Bougainville's track; but the getting to a place where we could procurerefreshments, was more an object at this time than discovery.[8][8] "Our thermometer was now constantly between 70 and 80 degrees in the morning; butthe heat was far from being troublesome, as the fair weather was accompanied by a strongpleasant trade-wind,"--G.F.