Rocky Islands discovered.
See the Island Maitea and arrive at Otaheite.
Ship crowded by the Natives.
1788. September.
Being clear of the land we steered towards the east-south-east, it being
my intention to pass to the southward of New Zealand, as I expected in
that route to meet with constant westerly winds; in which however I was
disappointed, for they proved variable and frequently from the eastward
blowing strong, with thick misty weather. The thermometer varied from 41
to 46 degrees.
Sunday 14.
On the 14th at noon we were in 49 degrees 24 minutes south latitude and
in 168 degrees 3 minutes east longitude, which is on the same meridian
with the south end of New Zealand. We altered our course, steering to the
northward of east, and frequently saw rock-weed which I supposed to have
drifted from New Zealand. The sea now became rougher from our being
exposed to a long swell which came from the north-east.
Friday 19.
On the 19th at daylight we discovered a cluster of small rocky islands
bearing east by north four leagues distant from us. We had seen no birds
or anything to indicate the nearness of land except patches of rock-weed,
for which the vicinity of New Zealand sufficiently accounted. The wind
being at north-east prevented our near approach to these isles; so that
we were not less than three leagues distant in passing to the southward
of them. The weather was too thick to see distinctly: their extent was
only 3 1/2 miles from east to west and about half a league from north to
south: their number including the smaller ones was thirteen. I could not
observe any verdure on any of them: there were white spots like patches
of snow but, as Captain Cook, in describing the land of New Zealand, near
Cape South, says, in many places there are patches like white marble, it
is probable that what we saw might be of the same kind as what he had
observed. The westernmost of these islands is the largest; they are of
sufficient height to be seen at the distance of seven leagues from a
ship's deck. When the easternmost bore north I tried for soundings, being
then 10 miles distant from the nearest of them, and found bottom at 75
fathoms, a fine white sand: and again at noon, having run six leagues
more to the east-south-east, we had soundings at 104 fathoms, a fine
brimstone-coloured sand. The latitude of these islands is 47 degrees 44
minutes south; their longitude 179 degrees 7 minutes east, which is about
145 leagues to the east of the Traps, near the south end of New Zealand.
Variation of the compass here 17 degrees east. While in sight of the
islands we saw some penguins, and a white kind of gull with a forked
tail. Captain Cook's track in 1773 was near this spot, but he did not see
the islands: he saw seals and penguins hereabouts, but considered New
Zealand to be the nearest land. I have named them after the ship the
Bounty Isles.
Sunday 21.
This day we saw a seal, some rock-weed, and a great many albatrosses. I
tried for soundings but found no bottom at 230 fathoms depth. Our
latitude 47 degrees 32 minutes south, longitude 182 degrees 36 minutes
east.
October. Thursday 2.
Were in 40 degrees 27 minutes south latitude and 214 degrees 4 minutes
east longitude. It being calm, and a number of small blubbers about the
ship, I took up some in a bucket, but I saw no difference between them
and the common blubbers in the West Indies. We frequently in the
night-time observed the sea to be covered with luminous spots caused by
prodigious quantities of small blubbers that, from the strings which
extend from them, emit a light like the blaze of a candle, while the body
continues perfectly dark.
Friday 3.
The 3rd in the morning we saw a seal. Captain Cook has remarked seeing
seaweed when nearly in the same place. Our latitude 40 degrees 21 minutes
south, longitude 215 degrees east. Variation of the compass 7 degrees 45
minutes east. Being now well to the eastward of the Society Islands I
steered more to the northward.
We continued to have the southern oceanic birds accompany us and a few
whales. The people caught albatrosses and fattened them in the same
manner which they had done when off Cape Horn. Some of these measured
near eight feet between the tips of the wings when spread.
Thursday 9.
On Thursday the 9th we had the misfortune to lose one of our seamen,
James Valentine, who died in the night of an asthmatic complaint. This
poor man had been one of the most robust people on board until our
arrival at Adventure Bay, where he first complained of some slight
indisposition for which he was bled, and got better. Some time afterwards
the arm in which he had been bled became painful and inflamed: the
inflammation increased, with a hollow cough, and extreme difficulty of
breathing, to his death.
Monday 13.
The 13th in the afternoon we saw two land birds like what are called
sand-larks. Our latitude at this time was 28 degrees 3 minutes south and
longitude 223 degrees 26 minutes east.
Tuesday 14.
The next morning we saw a tropic bird and some fish. The winds were light
and variable with calms from this time to the 19th, when a breeze sprang
up from the north-east, which gradually came round to the eastward and
proved to be the tradewind. Our latitude on the 19th at noon was 24
degrees 13 minutes south, longitude 222 degrees 17 minutes east.
Variation of the compass 5 degrees 19 minutes east.
Saturday 25.
On the 25th at half-past seven in the morning we saw the Island Maitea,
called Osnaburg by Captain Wallis, who first discovered it. At noon it
bore south-west by west one-quarter west, six miles distant. Our latitude
17 degrees 50 minutes south, longitude 212 degrees 24 minutes east.
Variation five degrees east. As Captain Wallis and Captain Cook had both
passed near the south side, I ran along the north side, which is
remarkably steep. The island is high and round and not more than three
miles in its greatest extent. The south side, where the declivity from
the hill is more gradual, is the chief place of residence of the natives;
but the north side, from the very summit down to the sea, is so steep
that it can afford no support to the inhabitants. We steered pretty close
in to the northward of the east end, where we saw but few habitations: a
very neat house on a small eminence, delightfully situated in a grove of
coconut-trees, particularly attracted our notice. About twenty of the
natives followed us along shore, waving and showing large pieces of
cloth; but the surf on the shore was too high to think of having any
communication with them. I observed a great number of coconut-trees but
did not see one plantain-tree. There were other trees but of what kind we
could not distinguish: near the east end are two remarkable rocks, and a
reef runs off to the eastward about half a league.
The latitude of Maitea is 17 degrees 53 minutes south; and by our
timekeeper its longitude is 1 degree 24 minutes east from Point Venus.
Variation of the compass 5 degrees 36 minutes east.
We continued our course to the westward, and at six in the evening saw
Otaheite bearing west three-quarters south; the island Maitea, then in
sight, bearing east half south, eight leagues distant. As there was great
probability that we should remain a considerable time at Otaheite, it
could not be expected that the intercourse of my people with the natives
should be of a very reserved nature: I therefore ordered that every
person should be examined by the surgeon, and had the satisfaction to
learn from his report that they were all perfectly free from any venereal
complaint.
Sunday 26.
On the 26th at four o'clock in the morning, having run twenty-five
leagues from Maitea, we brought to till daylight, when we saw Point Venus
bearing south-west by west, distant about four leagues. As we drew near a
great number of canoes came off to us. Their first enquiries were if we
were tyos, which signifies friends; and whether we came from Pretanie
(their pronunciation of Britain) or from Lima: they were no sooner
satisfied in this than they crowded on board in vast numbers,
notwithstanding our endeavours to prevent it, as we were working the ship
in; and in less than ten minutes the deck was so full that I could scarce
find my own people. At nine in the forenoon we were obliged to anchor in
the outer part of Matavai Bay, in thirteen fathoms, being prevented by
light variable winds from placing the ship in a proper berth. In this
station the west part of One-tree hill bore south by east half east one
mile distant.
This passage of fifty-two days from Van Diemen's Land may be rated as
moderate sailing. We passed New Zealand with the spring equinox and the
winds, though strong, were at no time violent. To the southward of 40
degrees 0 minutes south they were variable; between the latitudes of 40
and 33 degrees south the wind kept in the north-west quarter; afterwards
till we got into the trade the winds were variable, mostly from the
eastward, but light and inclinable to calms. The ship was 3 degrees 22
minutes in longitude to the eastward of the dead reckoning, which the
timekeeper almost invariably proved to be owing to a current giving us
more easting than the log. Our track was as distant from any course of
former ships as I could conveniently make it and, though we made no new
discoveries, except the small cluster of islands near New Zealand, yet in
other parts of the track, as has been noticed, we met with signs of being
in the neighbourhood of land.
It may not be unworthy of remark that the whole distance which the ship
had run by the log, in direct and contrary courses, from leaving England
to our anchoring at Otaheite, was twenty-seven thousand and eighty-six
miles which, on an average, is at the rate of a hundred and eight miles
each twenty-four hours.