Passage towards the Cape of Good Hope and Search after Tristan da Cunha.
Arrival at False Bay.
Occurrences there.
Reports concerning the Grosvenor's People.
Departure from the Cape.
1788. April. Friday 25.
The westerly winds and stormy weather continuing gave me no reason to
repent of my determination. On the 25th at noon we were in latitude 54
degrees 16 minutes south and longitude 57 degrees 4 minutes west. The
nearest of the Falkland Islands by my reckoning then bore north 13
degrees west; distance 23 leagues. Our stock of water being sufficient to
serve us to the Cape of Good Hope I did not think it worth while to stop
at these islands as the refreshment we might obtain there would scarce
repay us for the expense of time: we therefore continued our course
towards the north-east and east-north-east.
May. Friday 9.
On the 9th of May at eight o'clock in the evening we were near the
situation of Tristan da Cunha, our latitude being 37 degrees 7 minutes
south and longitude 15 degrees 26 minutes west. All the afternoon the
weather had been clear enough for land of a moderate height to be seen at
least seven leagues; I therefore concluded that we had not yet passed the
meridian of the island; for the most western position given to it from
any authority is 15 degrees 0 minutes west.
As I wished to make this island we kept our wind on different tacks
during the night, that we might be nearly in the same place at daylight
in the morning as on the preceding evening: in the morning no land being
in sight we continued to steer to the eastward.
Saturday 10.
We ran on all day having clear weather but without seeing anything to
indicate our being near land. At noon our latitude observed was 37
degrees 27 minutes south which, being more to the southward than we had
reason to expect, I altered the course to the northward and steered
north-east all the afternoon. At six o'clock in the evening we were in
latitude 37 degrees 0 minutes south and longitude 12 degrees 42 minutes
west, having a clear horizon but not the least sign of being in the
neighbourhood of land. With the night came thick rainy weather and we
were now to the eastward of the situation ascribed to Tristan da Cunha; I
therefore determined to give over the search and to resume our course
towards the Cape of Good Hope.
The island of Tristan da Cunha, by Robertson's Elements, is laid down in
37 degrees 12 minutes south latitude and 13 degrees 23 minutes west
longitude. In Captain Cook's general map, prefixed to his last voyage, it
is placed in the same latitude but in 15 degrees west longitude. From our
track and the clearness of the weather I am convinced, if the latitude
ascribed to it as above is correct, that it is not to be found between
the meridians of 16 degrees 30 minutes west and 12 degrees 30 minutes
west. On the 13th I had a number of lunar observations for the longitude,
the mean of which agreed exactly with the timekeeper.*
(*Footnote. In Mr. Dalrymple's Collection of Plans which I had not with
me the northernmost of the Islands of Tristan d'Acunha is placed in
latitude 37 degrees 22 minutes south and longitude 13 degrees 17 minutes
west. I think it probable we missed them by being too much to the
northward.)
In this passage the weather was generally so cloudy that I had few
opportunities to make observations of any kind except for the noon
latitudes. I could not determine when we crossed the line of no
variation. The two nearest observations to it were: the first in 39
degrees 51 minutes south latitude and 26 degrees 11 minutes west
longitude, where the variation of the compass was found to be 3 degrees
17 minutes east; and the other in latitude 35 degrees 30 minutes south
and longitude 5 degrees 21 minutes west, where I observed the variation
11 degrees 35 minutes west; between these we had no intermediate
observation for the variation.
Thursday 22.
At two in the afternoon we saw the Table Mountain of the Cape of Good
Hope. As it is reckoned unsafe riding in Table Bay at this time of year I
steered for False Bay. The next evening we anchored in the outer part.
Saturday 24.
And on the forenoon of the 24th got the ship secured in Simon's Bay,
which is in the inner part of False Bay. When moored, Noah's ark bore
south 35 degrees east three-quarters of a mile, and the hospital south 72
west. We found lying here one outward bound Dutch Indiaman, five other
Dutch ships, and a French ship.
After saluting the fort, which was returned by an equal number of guns, I
went on shore and dispatches were sent away to Cape Town to acquaint the
governor of our arrival. A Dutch ship at this time lying in Table Bay
bound for Europe, I sent letters by her to the Admiralty. It is very
unusual for ships to be in Table Bay so late in the year, on account of
the strong north-west winds. April is the time limited.
I gave the necessary directions for getting our wants supplied. The ship
required to be caulked in every part for she was become so leaky that we
had been obliged to pump every hour in our passage from Cape Horn. This
we immediately set about, as well as repairing our sails and rigging. The
severe weather we had met with and the leakiness of the ship made it
necessary to examine into the state of all the stores and provisions. Of
the latter a good deal was found damaged, particularly the bread. The
timekeeper I took on shore to ascertain its rate, and other instruments
to make the necessary astronomical observations. Fresh meat, with soft
bread and plenty of vegetables, were issued daily to the ship's company
the whole time we remained here. A few days after our arrival I went over
to Cape Town and waited on his excellency M. Vander Graaf, the governor,
who obligingly arranged matters so much to our advantage that we scarcely
felt the inconvenience of being at a distance from the Cape Town, whence
we received all our supplies.
The Cape Town is considerably increased within the last eight years. Its
respectability with regard to strength has kept pace with its other
enlargements and rendered it very secure against any attempt which is not
made with considerable force. Great attention is paid to military order
and discipline; and monthly signals are established to communicate with
their shipping as they arrive near the coast that they may not run
unawares into the hands of an enemy. I found everything much dearer than
when I was here in 1780. Sheep cost four Spanish dollars each and were so
small that it answered better to purchase the mutton for the ship's daily
use at fourpence per pound.
During our stay here I took care to procure seeds and plants that would
be valuable at Otaheite and the different places we might touch at in our
way thither. In this I was greatly assisted by colonel Gordon, the
commander of the troops. In company with this gentleman the loss of the
Grosvenor East Indiaman was mentioned: on this subject colonel Gordon
expressed great concern that from anything he had said hopes were still
entertained to flatter the affectionate wishes of the surviving friends
of those unfortunate people. He said that in his travels into the Caffre
country he had met with a native who described to him that there was a
white woman among his countrymen who had a child, and that she frequently
embraced the child and cried most violently. This was all he (the
colonel) could understand and, being then on his return home with his
health much impaired by fatigue, the only thing that he could do was to
make a friend of the native by presents and promises of reward on
condition that he would take a letter to this woman and bring him back an
answer. Accordingly he wrote letters in English, French, and Dutch
desiring that some sign or mark might be returned, either by writing with
a burnt stick or by any means she should be able to devise, to satisfy
him that she was there; and that on receiving such token from her every
effort should be made to ensure her safety and escape. But the Caffre,
although apparently delighted with the commission which he had
undertaken, never returned, nor has the colonel ever heard anything more
of him, though he had been instructed in methods of conveying information
through the Hottentot country.
To this account, that I may not again have occasion to introduce so
melancholy a subject, I shall add the little information I received
respecting it when I revisited the Cape in my return towards Europe. A
reputable farmer of the name of Holhousen, who lives at Swellendam, eight
days journey from the Cape, had information from some Caffre Hottentots
that at a kraal or village in their country there were white men and
women. On this intelligence Mr. Holhousen asked permission of the
governor to make an expedition with some of the farmers into the country,
requiring a thousand rix-dollars to bear his expenses. The governor
referred him to Mr. Wocke, the Landros of Graaf Rienet, a new colony in
his way. But from the place where Mr. Holhousen lives to the Landros, Mr.
Wocke's residence, is a month's journey, which he did not choose to
undertake at an uncertainty, as Mr. Wocke might have disapproved of the
enterprise. It was in October last that Mr. Holhousen offered to go on
this service. He was one of the party who went along the sea-coast in
search of these unfortunate people when a few of them first made their
appearance at the Cape. I am however informed that the Dutch farmers are
fond of making expeditions into the country, that they may have
opportunities of taking away cattle; and this I apprehend to be one of
the chief reasons why undertakings of this kind are not encouraged.
On the 13th of June the Dublin East Indiaman arrived from England, on
board of which ship was a party of the 77th regiment under the command of
colonel Balfour.
The result of my lunar observations gave for the longitude of Simon's Bay
18 degrees 48 minutes 34 seconds east; the latitude 34 degrees 11 minutes
34 seconds south. The timekeeper likewise made the longitude 18 degrees
47 minutes east. The longitude as established by former observations is
18 degrees 33 minutes east. The variation of the compass on shore was 24
degrees 4 minutes west; but on board of the ship it was only 22 degrees
28 minutes west. The time of high-water was three-quarters past two on
the full and change and it then flowed six feet.
With respect to the Cape Promontory it lies about three miles east of the
meridian of Simon's Town. All the tables of latitude and longitude place
the Cape in 34 degrees 29 minutes south latitude; but from many
observations off it with good instruments I make it to lie in 34 degrees
23 minutes south, which agrees with its situation as laid down in major
Rennel's map. The part which I call the Cape is the southernmost point of
the land between Table Bay and False Bay; but the Dutch consider the
westernmost part of the coast to be the Cape.
Sunday 29.
On the 29th, being ready for sea, I took the timekeeper and instruments
on board. The error of the timekeeper was 3 minutes 33 seconds, 2 too slow for
the mean time at Greenwich, and its rate of going 3 seconds per day,
losing. The thermometer during our stay here was from 51 to 66 degrees.
July. Tuesday 1.
We had been thirty-eight days at this place, and my people had received
all the advantage that could be derived from the refreshments of every
kind that are here to be met with. We sailed at four o'clock this
afternoon, and saluted the platform with thirteen guns as we ran out of
the bay, which were returned.