Departure from Pulo Condore.--Passs the Straits of Banca.--View of the
Island of Sumatra.--Straits of Sunda.--Occurrences there.--Description of
the Island of Cracatoa.--Prince's Island.--Effects of the Climate of
Java.--Run to the Cape of Good Hope,--Transactions there.--Description of
False Bay.--Passage to the Orkneys.--General Reflections.
On the 28th day of January, 1780, we unmoored; and, as soon as we were
clear of the harbour, steered S.S.W. for Pulo Timoan. On the 30th, at noon,
the latitude by observation, being 5° 0' N., and longitude 104° 45' E., we
altered our course to S. 3/4 W., having a moderate breeze from the N.E.,
accompanied by fair weather. At two in the morning of the 31st, we had
soundings of forty-five fathoms, over a bottom of fine white sand; at which
time our latitude was 4° 4' N., longitude 104° 29' E., and the variation of
the compass 0° 31' E.
At one in the afternoon, we saw Pulo Timoan; and, at three, it bore S.S.W.
3/4 W., distant ten miles. This island is high and woody, and has several
small ones lying off to the westward. At five, Pulo Puissang was seen
bearing S. by E. 3/4 E.; and, at nine, the weather being thick and hazy,
and having out-run our reckoning from the effect of some current, we were
close upon Pulo Aor, in latitude 2° 46' N., longitude 104° 37' E., before
we were well aware of it, which obliged us to haul the wind to the E.S.E.
We kept this course till midnight, and then bore away S.S.E. for the Strait
of Banca.
On the 1st of February, at noon, our latitude by observation was 1° 20' N.,
and the longitude, deduced from a great number of lunar observations taken
in the course of the preceding twelve hours, 105° E. At the same time, the
longitude, by Mr Bayley's time-keeper corrected, was 105° 15' E. We now
steered S. by E.; and, at sun-set, having fine clear weather, saw Pulo
Panjung; the body of the island bearing W.N.W., and the small islands,
lying on the S.E. of it, W. 1/2 S., seven leagues distant. Our latitude, at
this time, was 0° 53' N.
On the 2d, at eight in the morning, we tried for soundings, continuing to
do the same every hour, till we passed the Strait of Sunda, and found the
bottom with twenty-three fathoms of line. At noon, being in latitude, by
observation, 0° 22' S., longitude 105° 14' E., and our soundings twenty
fathoms, we came in sight of the little islands called Dominis, which lie
off the eastern part of Lingen; and which bore from N. 62° W. to N. 80° W.,
five leagues distant. At this time we passed a great deal of wood drifting
on the sea; and, at one o'clock, we saw Pulo Taya, bearing S.W. by W.,
distant seven leagues. It is a small high island, with two round peaks, and
two detached rocks lying off to the northward. When abreast of this island,
we had soundings of fifteen fathoms. During this and the preceding day, we
saw great quantities of a reddish-coloured scum or spawn, floating on the
water, in a southerly direction.
At day-light, on the 3d, we came in sight of the Three Islands; and, soon
after, of Monopin Hill, on the island of Banca. At noon, this hill, which
forms the N.E. point of the entrance of the Straits, bore S.E. 1/2 S.
distant six leagues; our latitude, by observation, being 1° 48' S., and
longitude 105° 3' E., the soundings seventeen fathoms, and no perceivable
variation in the compass.
Having got to the westward of the shoal, called Frederick Endric, at half-
past two we entered the Straits, and bore away to the southward; and, in
the afternoon, Monopin Hill bearing due E., we determined its latitude to
be 2° 3' S., the same as in Mons. D'Apres' map, and its longitude 105° 18'
E. At nine, a boat came off from the Banca shore, and having rowed round
the ships, went away again. We hailed her in the Malaye tongue to come on
board, but received no answer. At midnight, finding a strong tide against
us, we anchored in twelve fathoms, Monopin Hill bearing N. 29° W.
On the 4th, in the morning, after experiencing some difficulty in weighing
our anchors, owing to the stiff tenacious quality of the ground, we
proceeded with the tide down the Straits; the little wind we had from the
northward dying away as the day advanced. At noon, there being a perfect
calm, and the tide making against us, we dropt our anchor in thirteen
fathoms water, about three miles from what is called the Third Point, on
the Sumatra shore, Monopin Hill bearing N. 54° W. The latitude, by
observation, was 2° 22' S., longitude 105° 38' E. At three in the afternoon
we weighed, and stood on through the Straits with a light breeze; and at
eight, were abreast of the Second Point, and passed it within two miles, in
seventeen fathoms water; a sufficient proof that this Point may be bordered
upon with safety. At midnight, we again came to anchor, on account of the
tide, in thirteen fathoms, Mount Permissang, on the island of Banca,
bearing N. 7° E, and the First Point S. 54° E., distant about three
leagues.
In the morning of the 5th, we weighed, and kept on to the S E; and at ten,
passed a small shoal, lying in a line with Lusepara and the First Point, at
the distance of five miles from the latter. At noon, the island of Lusepara
bearing S., 57° 1/2 E., four miles distant, we determined its latitude to
be 3° 10' 1/2 S., and its longitude 106" 15' E. The difference of longitude
between the island Lusepara, which lies in the S. entrance of the Strait of
Banca and Monopin Hill, which forms one side of the entrance from the N.,
we found to be 55', which is only two miles less than what is given in
D'Apres' chart.
In passing this Strait, the coast of Sumatra may be approached somewhat
closer than that of Banca. At the distance of two or three miles from the
shore, there are ten, eleven, twelve, or thirteen fathoms, free from rocks
or shoals; however the lead is the surest guide. The country is covered
with wood down to the water's edge, and the shores are so low, that the sea
overflows the land, and washes the trunks of the trees. To this flat and
marshy situation of the shore, we may attribute those thick fogs and
vapours, which we perceived every morning, not without dread and horror,
hanging over the island, till they were dispersed by the rays of the sun.
The shores of Banca are much bolder, and the country inland rises to a
moderate height, and appears to be well wooded throughout. We often saw
fires on this island during the night-time; but none on the opposite shore.
The tide runs through the Strait at the rate of between two and three knots
an hour.
In the morning of the 6th, we passed to the westward of Lusepara, at the
distance of four or five miles; generally carrying soundings of five or six
fathoms water, and never less than four. We afterward steered S. by E.; and
having brought Lusepara to bear due N., and deepened our water to seven
fathoms, we altered our course to S. by W., keeping the lead going, and
hauling out a little, whenever we shoaled our water. The soundings on the
Sumatra side we still found to be regular, and gradually shoaling as we
approached the shore. At five in the afternoon we saw the Two Sisters,
bearing S. by W. 1/2 W.; and at seven, we came to an anchor in ten fathoms,
about eight miles to the N. of the islands. The weather was close and
sultry, with, light winds, generally from the N.W.; but sometimes varying
round as far as the N.E.; and, during the night, we observed much lightning
over Sumatra.
We weighed the next morning at five, and at eight were close in with the
Sisters. These are two very small islands, well covered with wood, lying in
latitude 5° 0' 1/2 S., longitude 106° 12' E., nearly N. and S. from each
other, and surrounded by a reef of coral rocks; the whole circumference of
which is about four or five miles. At noon we got sight of the island of
Java to the southward; the N.W. extremity of which (Cape St Nicholas) bore
S.; North Island on Sumatra shore, S., 27° W., and the Sisters N., 27° E.,
distant four leagues; our latitude was 5° 21' S., longitude 105° 57' E.
At four in the afternoon we saw two sail in the Strait of Sunda; one lying
at anchor near the Mid-channel Island, the other nearer the Java shore. Not
knowing to what nation they might belong, we cleared our ships for action;
and at six came to an anchor in twenty-five fathoms, four miles E. by S.
from North Island. Here we lay all night, and had very heavy thunder and
lightning to the N.W.; from which quarter the wind blew in light breezes,
accompanied with hard rain.
At eight o'clock the next morning we weighed, and proceeded through the
Strait, the tide setting to the southward, as it had done all night; but
about ten, the breeze failing, we came to again in thirty-five fathoms; a
high, island, or rather rock, called the Grand Toque, bearing S. by E. We
were at this time not more than two miles from the ships, which now
hoisting Dutch colours, Captain Gore sent a boat on board for intelligence.
The rain still continued, with thunder and lightning.
Early in the afternoon the boat returned, with an account that the large
ship was a Dutch East Indiaman, bound for Europe; and the other a packet
from Batavia, with orders for the several ships lying in the Strait. It is
the custom for the Dutch ships, as soon as their lading is nearly
completed, to leave Batavia on account of its extreme unwholesomeness, and
proceed to some of the more healthy islands in the Strait, where they wait
for the remainder of their cargo and their dispatches. Notwithstanding this
precaution, the Indiaman had lost, since her departure from Batavia, four
men, and had as many more whose recovery was despaired of. She had lain
here a fortnight, and was now about to proceed to Cracatoa, having just
received final orders by the packet.
At seven in the morning of the 9th we weighed, and stood on through the
Strait to the S.W., keeping pretty close in with the islands on the Sumatra
shore, in order to avoid a rock near Mid-channel Island, which lay on our
left. At half after ten, I received orders from Captain Gore to make sail
toward a Dutch ship, which now hove in sight to the southward, and which we
supposed to be from Europe; and, according to the nature of the
intelligence we could procure from her, either to join him at Cracatoa,
where he intended to stop, for the purpose of supplying the ships with
arrack, or to proceed to the S.E. end of Prince's Island, and there take in
our water and wait for him.
I accordingly bore down toward the Dutch ship, which, soon after, came to
an anchor to the eastward; when the wind slackening, and the current still
setting very strong through the Strait to the S.W., we found it impossible
to fetch her, and having therefore got as near her as the tide would
permit, we also dropt anchor. I immediately dispatched Mr Williamson in the
cutter with orders to get on board her, if possible; but as she lay near a
mile off, and, the tide ran with great rapidity, we soon perceived that the
boat was dropping fast astern. We therefore made the signal to return, and
immediately began to veer away the cable, and sent out a buoy astern, in
order to assist him in getting on board again. Our poverty, in the article
of cordage, was here very conspicuous; for we had not a single coil of rope
in the store-room to fix the buoy, but were obliged to set about unreeving
the studding-sail geer, the topsail-halliards and tackle-falls for that
purpose; and the boat was at this time driving to the southward so fast,
that it was not before we had veered away two cables, and almost all our
running-rigging, that she could fetch the buoy.
I was under the necessity of waiting till the strength of the tide should
abate, which did not happen till the next morning, when Mr Williamson got
on board the ship, and learnt that she had been seven months from Europe,
and three from the Cape of Good Hope; that before she sailed, France and
Spain had declared war against Great Britain; and that she left Sir Edward
Hughes, with a squadron of men of war, and a fleet of East India ships, at
the Cape. Mr Williamson having at the same time been informed, that the
water at Cracatoa was very good, and always preferred by the Dutch ships to
that of Prince's Island, I resolved to rejoin the Resolution at the former
place; and a fair breeze springing up, we weighed and stood over toward the
island, where we soon after saw her at anchor; but the wind falling, and
the tide setting strong against us, I was obliged to drop anchor, at the
distance of about five miles from the Resolution, and immediately sent a
boat on board, to acquaint Captain Gore with the intelligence we had
received.
As soon as the Resolution saw us preparing to come to, she fired her guns,
and hoisted an English jack at the ensign staff, the signal at sea to lead
a-head. This we afterward understood was intended to prevent our anchoring,
on account of the foul ground, which the maps she had on board placed here.
However, as we found none, having a muddy bottom, and good holding ground,
in sixty fathoms water, we kept fast till the return of the boat, which
brought orders to proceed the next morning to Prince's Island. We were at
this time two miles distant from the shore; the Peak of Cracatoa bore N.W.
by N.; Bantam Point E.N.E. 1/2 E.; Prince's Island S.W. by W.
The island of Cracatoa is the southernmost of a group situated in the
entrance of the Strait of Sunda. It has a high peaked hill on the S.
end,[113] which lies in the latitude 6° 9' S., and longitude 105° 15' E.;
the whole circuit of the island is not more than three leagues. Off the
N.E. end lies a small island, which forms the road where the Resolution
anchored; and within a reef that runs off the S. end of the latter, there
is good shelter against all northerly winds, with eighteen fathoms water
near the reef, and twenty-seven in the mid-channel. To the N.W. there is a
narrow pass for boats between the two islands.
The shore, which forms the western side of the road, is in a N.W.
direction, and has a bank of coral stretching into the sea, about one-third
of a cable's length, which makes the landing difficult for boats, except at
high water; but the anchoring-ground is very good, and free from rocks. The
place where the Resolution watered is a small spring, situated abreast of
the S. end of the small island, at a short distance from the water-side. A
little to the southward there is a very hot spring, which is used by the
natives as a bath. Whilst we were lying off the S. end of this island, we
sent a boat with the master, on shore, to look for water; but, after having
landed with some difficulty, he returned unsuccessful.
Cracatoa is esteemed very healthy, in comparison of the neighbouring
countries. It consists of high land, rising gradually on all sides from the
sea; and the whole is covered with trees, except a few spots which the
natives have cleared for rice-fields. The number of people on the island is
very inconsiderable. Their chief, as are those of all the other islands in
the Strait, is subject to the king of Bantam. The coral reefs afford plenty
of small turtles, but other refreshments are very scarce, and sold at an
enormous price.
Latitude of the road where the Resolution
anchored 8° 6' south.
Longitude, by Mr Bayley's timekeeper 104 48 east.
Ditto, by observation 105 36 east.
Dip of the south end of the magnetic
needle 26 3
Variation of the compass 1 0 west.
On the full and change days, it is high-water at 7h in the morning. The
water rises three feet two inches perpendicular.
At eight o'clock in the evening, it began to blow afresh from the westward,
with violent thunder, lightning, and rain; and at three the next morning,
we weighed and stood over for Prince's Island, but the westerly wind dying
away, was succeeded by a breeze from the S.E., and at the same time a
strong tide setting to the S.W., prevented our fetching the island, and
obliged us, at two in the afternoon, to drop anchor in sixty-five fathoms,
over a muddy bottom, at three leagues distance from it; the high hill
bearing S.W. by S., and the peak on Cracatoa N. by E. We had light airs and
calms till six next morning, when we weighed and made sail, having, in our
endeavours to heave the anchor out of the ground, twice broken the old
messenger, and afterwards a new one, cut out of our best hawser. This,
however, was entirely owing to the wretched state of our cordage; as the
strain was not very considerable, and we had besides assisted the cable in
coming in, by clapping the cat-tackle on it. The wind continuing fair, at
noon we came to an anchor off the S.E. end of Prince's Island, in twenty-
six fathoms, over a sandy bottom; the east end of the island bearing
N.N.E., the southernmost point in sight S.W. by S., the high peak N.W. 1/2
W., distant from the nearest shore half a mile.
As soon as we had come to anchor, Lieutenant Lannyon, who had been here
before with Captain Cook, in the year 1770, was sent, along with the
master, to look for the watering-place. The brook from which, according to
the best of his recollection, the Endeavour had been supplied, was found
quite salt. Further inland, they saw a dry bed, where the water seemed to
have lodged in rainy seasons; and, about a cable's length below, another
run, supplied from an extensive pool, the bottom of which, as well, as the
surface, was covered with dead leaves. This, though a little brackish,
being much preferable to the other, we began watering here early the next
morning, and finished the same day.
The natives, who came to us soon after we anchored, brought a plentiful
supply of large fowls, and some turtles; but the last were, for the most
part, very small. In the course of the night we had heavy rain; and on the
14th, at daylight, we saw the Resolution to the northward, standing toward
the island; and at two in the afternoon, she dropped anchor close to us. In
the course of the day we heeled the ship, and scrubbed and hogged her
bottom, which was very foul; and got ready for sea.
The next day, Captain Gore not having completed his stock of water at
Cracatoa, sent his men on shore, who now found the brook that was first
mentioned rendered perfectly sweet by the rain, and flowing in great
abundance. This being too valuable a treasure to be neglected, I gave
orders, that the casks we had filled before should be started, and
replenished with the fresh water, which was accordingly done before noon
the next day; and in the evening we cleared the decks, and both ships were
ready for sea.
In the forenoon of the 18th we had heavy rains and variable winds, which
prevented our getting under way till two in the afternoon, when a light
wind sprung up from the northward; but this soon after leaving us, we were
obliged to drop our anchor again, at eight o'clock that night, in fifty
fathoms water, and wait till the same hour the next morning. At that time,
being favoured by a breeze from the N.W., we broke ground, to our
inexpressible satisfaction, for the last time in the Strait of Sunda, and
the next day had entirely lost sight of Prince's Island,
This island having been already described by Captain Cook, in the history
of a former voyage, I shall only add, that we were exceedingly struck with
the great general resemblance of the natives, both in figure, colour,
manners, and even language, to the nations we had been so much conversant
with in the South Seas. The effects of the Javanese climate, and I did not
escape without my full share of it, made me incapable of pursuing the
comparison so minutely as I could have wished.
The country abounds with wood to such a degree, that, notwithstanding the
quantity cut down every year by the ships which put into the road, there is
no appearance of its diminution. We were well supplied with small turtle,
and fowls of a moderate size; the last were sold at the rate of ten for a
Spanish dollar. The natives also brought us many hog-deer, and a prodigious
number of monkeys, to our great annoyance, as most of our sailors provided
themselves with one, if not two, of these troublesome animals.
As we should have met with some difficulty in finding the watering-place,
if Mr Lannyon had not been with us, it may be worth while, for the use of
future navigators, to describe its situation more particularly. The peaked
hill on the island bears from it N.W. by N.; a remarkable tree, growing
upon a coral reef, and quite detached from the neighbouring shrubs, stands
just to the northward; and close by it there is a small plot of reedy
grass, the only piece of the kind that can be seen hereabout. These marks
will shew the place where the pool empties itself into the sea; but the
water here is generally salt, as well as that which is in the pool. The
casks must therefore be filled about fifty yards higher up; where, in dry
seasons, the fresh water that comes down from the hills is lost among the
leaves, and must be searched for by clearing them away.
The latitude of the anchoring-place
at Prince's Island was 6° 36' 15" south.
Longitude 105 17 30 east.
Dip of the south pole of the magnetic
needle 28 15 0
Variation of the compass 0 54 0 west.
Mean of the thermometer 83 1/2
From the time of our entering the Strait of Banca, we began to experience
the powerful effects of this pestilential climate. Two of our people fell
dangerously ill of malignant putrid fevers; which, however, we prevented
from spreading, by putting the patients apart from the rest in the most
airy births. Many were attacked with teazing coughs; others complained of
violent pains in the head; and even the healthiest among us felt a
sensation of suffocating heat, attended by an insufferable languor, and a
total loss of appetite. But though our situation was for a time thus uneasy
and alarming, we had at last the singular satisfaction of escaping from
these fatal seas, without the loss of a single life; A circumstance which
was probably owing in part to the vigorous health of the crews, when we
first arrived here, as well as to the strict attention, now become habitual
in our men, to the salutary regulations introduced amongst us by Captain
Cook.
On our leaving Prince's Island, and during the whole time of our run from
thence to the Cape of Good Hope, the crew of the Resolution was in a much
more sickly state than that of the Discovery; for though many of us
continued for some time complaining of the effects of the noxious climate
we had left, yet happily we all recovered from them. Of the two who had
been ill of fevers, one, after being seized with violent convulsions, on
the 12th of February, which made us despair of his life, was relieved by
the application of blisters, and was soon after out of danger. The other
recovered, but more slowly. On board the Resolution, besides the obstinate
coughs and fevers under which they very generally laboured, a great many
were afflicted with fluxes, the number of whom, contrary to our
expectations, continued increasmg till our arrival at the Cape.
Captain Gore attributed this difference in part, and probably with some
reason, to the Discovery having her fire-place between decks; the heat and
smoke of which, he conceived, might help to mitigate the bad effects of the
damp night air. But I am rather inclined to believe, that we escaped the
flux by the precautions that were taken to prevent our catching it from
others. For if some kinds of fluxes be, as I apprehend there is no doubt
they are, contagious, it is not improbable, that the Resolution caught this
disorder from the Dutch ships at Cracatoa. In order to avoid this danger,
when Mr Williamson was sent to the Indiaman in the entrance of the Strait
of Sunda, he had the strictest orders not to suffer any of our people, on
any account whatever, to go on board; and whenever we had afterward
occasion to have any communication with the Resolution, the same caution
was constantly observed.
We were no sooner clear of Prince's Island, than we had a gentle breeze
from the W.N.W.; but this did not last long; for the following day the wind
became again variable, and continued so till the noon of the 25th, when it
grew squally, and blew fresh from the north.
On the 22d at noon, being in latitude 10° 28' S., and longitude 104° 14',
we saw great quantities of boobies, and other fowls, that seldom go far
from land; from which we conjectured, that we were near some small unknown
island.
In the evening of the 25th, the wind changed suddenly to the southward,
accompanied with heavy rains, and began to blow with great violence. During
the night, almost every sail we had bent gave way, and most of them were
split to rags; our rigging also suffered materially, and we were, the next
day, obliged to bend our last suit of sails, and to knot and splice the
rigging, our cordage being all expended. This sudden storm, we attributed
to the change from the monsoon to the regular trade-wind; our latitude was
about 13° 10' S., and we had made by our reckoning about 4-1/2° of
longitude west from Java head.
From the 26th of this month to the 28th of March, we had a regular trade-
wind from the S.E. to E. by S., with fine weather; and being in an old
beaten track, met no occurrence that deserved the smallest notice.
In the morning of the 28th of March, being in latitude 31° 42' S., and
longitude 35° 26' E., the trade-wind left us in a violent thunder-storm.
From this time to the 3d of April, when our latitude was 35° 1' S., and
longitude 26° 3' E., the winds were moderate, and generally from the south
quarter. A fresh breeze then sprung up from the eastward, which continued
till the afternoon of the 4th; after which we had a calm that lasted the
two following days.
It had hitherto been Captain Gore's intention to proceed directly to St
Helena, without stopping at the Cape; but the rudder of the Resolution
having been, for some time, complaining, and, on being examined, reported
to be in a dangerous state, he resolved to steer immediately for the Cape,
as the most eligible place, both for the recovery of his sick, and for
procuring a new main-piece to the rudder.
From the 21st of March, when we were in latitude 27° 22' S., longitude 52°
25' E., to the 5th of April, when we had got into latitude 36° 12' S.,
longitude 22° 7' E., we were strongly affected by the currents, which set
to the S.S.W., and S.W. by W., sometimes at the rate of eighty knots a day.
On the 6th, having got under the lee of the African coast, we lost them
entirely.
In the morning of the 6th, a sail was seen to the S.W. standing toward us;
and, as the wind soon after rose from the same quarter, we cleared our
ships for action. We now discovered, from the mast-head, five sail more on
our lee-bow, standing to the eastward; but the weather coming on hazy, we
lost sight of them all in an hour's time. Our latitude at noon was 35° 49'
S., longitude 21° 32' E. At seven o'clock the next morning (the 7th), we
made the land to the northward at a considerable distance.
On the 8th, the weather was squally, and blew fresh from the N.W.; the
following day it settled to the W., and we passed pretty close to the sail
seen on the 6th, but did not hail her. She was clumsy in figure, and, to
appearance, unskilfully managed; yet she outsailed us exceedingly. The
colours which she hoisted were different from any we had seen; some
supposed them to be Portugueze, others Imperial.
At day-light, the next morning, the land again appeared to the N.N.W.; and
in the forenoon, a snow was seen bearing down to us, which proved to be an
English East India packet, that had left Table Bay three days before, and
was cruising with orders for the China fleet, and other India ships. She
told us, that, about three weeks before, Mons. Trongoller's squadron,
consisting of six ships, had sailed from the Cape, and was gone to cruise
off St Helena, for our East India fleet. This intelligence made us
conjecture, that the five sail we had seen standing to the eastward must
have been the French squadron, who, in that case, had given over their
cruise, and were probably proceeding to the Mauritius. Having informed the
packet of our conjectures, and also of the time we understood the China
ships were to sail from Canton, we left them, and proceeded toward the
Cape.
In the evening of the 10th, the Gunner's Quoin bore N. by E., and False
Cape, E.N.E.; but the wind being at S.W., and variable, prevented our
getting into False Bay, till the evening of the 12th, when we dropt anchor
abreast of Simon's Bay. We found a strong current setting to the westward,
round the Cape, which, for some time, we could but just stem, with a breeze
that would have carried us four knots an hour. The next morning we stood
into Simon's Bay; and at eight came to anchor, and moored a cable each way;
the best bower to the E.S.E., and small bower, W.N.W.; the S.E. point of
the bay bearing S. by E., Table Mountain, N.E. 1/2 N.; distant from the
nearest shore one-third of a mile. We found lying here, the Nassau and
Southampton East-Indiamen, waiting for convoy for Europe. The Resolution
saluted the fort with eleven guns, and the same number was returned.
Mr Brandt, the governor of this place, came to visit us, as soon as we had
anchored. This gentleman had conceived a great affection for Captain Cook,
who had been his constant guest, the many times he had visited the Cape;
and though he had received the news of his melancholy fate some time
before, he was exceedingly affected at the sight of our ships returning
without their old commander. He appeared much surprised to see our crew in
so stout and healthy a condition, as the Dutch ship that had left Macao, on
our arrival there, and had touched at the Cape some time before, reported,
that we were in a most wretched state, having only fourteen hands left on
board the Resolution, and seven on board the Discovery. It is not easy to
conceive the motive these people could have had for propagating so wanton
and malicious a falsehood.
On the 15th, I accompanied Captain Gore to Cape Town; and, the next
morning, we waited on Baron Plettenberg, the governor, by whom we were
received with every possible attention and civility. He had also conceived
a great personal affection for Captain Cook, as well as the highest
admiration of his character, and heard the recital of his misfortune, with
many expressions of unaffected sorrow. In one of the principal apartments
of the governor's house, he shewed us two pictures, of Van Trump and de
Ruyter, with a vacant space left between them, which he said he meant to
fill up with the portrait of Captain Cook; and, for that purpose, he
requested our assistance when we should arrive in England, in purchasing
one for him, at any price.
We were afterward informed by the governor, that all the powers at this
time at war with England had given orders to their cruisers to let us pass
unmolested. This, as far as related to the French, we had sufficient reason
to think true; as Mr Brandt had already delivered to Captain Gore, a letter
from Mr Stephens, inclosing a copy of Mons. de Sartine's orders, taken on
board the Licorne. With respect to the Americans, the matter still rested
on report; but Baron Plettenberg assured us, that he had been expressly
told, by the commander of a Spanish ship, which had touched at the Cape,
that he, and all the officers of his nation, had received orders to the
same effect. These assurances confirmed Captain Gore in the resolution he
had taken of maintaining, on his part, a neutral conduct; and accordingly,
when on the arrival of the Sybil, to convoy the India ships home, it was
proposed to him to accompany them on their passage, he thought proper to
decline an offer, the acceptance of which might, in case we had fallen in
with any of the enemy's ships, have brought him into a very difficult and
embarrassing situation.
During our stay at the Cape, we met with every proof of the most friendly
disposition toward us, both in the governor and principal persons of the
place, as well Africans as Europeans. At our first arrival, Colonel Gordon,
the commander of the Dutch forces, with whom I had the happiness of being
on a footing of intimacy and friendship, was absent on a journey into the
interior parts of Africa, but returned before our departure. He had, on
this occasion, penetrated farther up the country than any other traveller
had done before him, and made great additions to the valuable collection of
natural curiosities with which he has enriched the museum of the Prince of
Orange. Indeed, a long residence at the Cape, and the powerful assistance
he has derived from his rank and situation there, joined to an active and
indefatigable spirit, and an eager thirst after knowledge, have enabled him
to acquire a more intimate and perfect knowledge of this part of Africa,
than could have fallen to the lot of any other person; and it is with great
pleasure I can congratulate the public on the information I have received
of his intentions to give the world, from his own-hand, a history of his
travels.[114]
False Bay, situated to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, is frequented
by shipping during the prevalence of the N.W. winds, which begin to blow in
May, and make it dangerous to lie in Table Bay. It is terminated on the
west by the Cape of Good Hope, and on the eastward by False Cape.
The entrance of the bay is six leagues wide, the two capes bearing from
each other due east and west. About eleven miles from the Cape of Good
Hope, on the west side, is situated Simon's Bay, the only convenient
station for ships to lie in; for although the road without it affords good
anchorage, it is too open, and but ill circumstanced for procuring
necessaries, the town being small, and supplied with provisions from Cape
Town, which is about twenty-four miles distant. To the N.N.E. of Simon's
Bay, there are several others, from which it may be easily distinguished,
by a remarkable sandy way to the northward of the town, which makes a
striking object. In steering for the harbour, along the west shore, there
is a small flat rock, called Noah's Ark, and about a mile to the north-east
of it, several others, called the Roman Rocks. These lie one mile and a
half from the anchoring-place; and either between them, or to the northward
of the Roman Rocks, there is a safe passage into the bay. When the north-
west gales are set in, the following bearings will direct the mariner to a
safe and commodious berth: Noah's Ark, S. 51° E., and the centre of the
hospital, S. 53° W., in seven fathoms. But if the south-east winds have not
done blowing, it is better to stay further out in eight or nine fathoms.
The bottom is sandy, and the anchors settle considerably before they get
hold. All the north part of the bay is low sandy land, but the east side is
very high. About six miles east of Noah's Ark lies Seal Island, the south
part of which is said to be dangerous, and not to be approached, with
safety, nearer than in twenty-two fathoms. Off the Cape of Good Hope are
many sunk rocks, some of which appear at low water; and others have
breakers constantly on them.
The latitude of the anchoring-place in Simon's
Bay, by observation 34°20'S.
The longitude 18 29 E.
Dip of the south end of the magnetic needle 46 47
Variation of the compass 22 16 W.
On the full and change days, it was high-water at 5^h 55^m apparent time;
the tide rose and fell five feet five inches; at the neap tides, it rose
four feet one inch.
From the observations taken by Mr Bayley and myself, on the 11th of this
month, when the Cape of Good Hope bore due west, we found its latitude to
be 34° 23' S., which is 4' to the northward of its position, as determined
by the Abbé de la Caille.
Having completed our victualling, and furnished ourselves with the
necessary supply of naval stores, we sailed out of the bay on the 9th of
May, and on the 14th, we got into the south-east trade-wind, and steered to
the westward of the islands of St Helena and Ascension. On the 31st, being
in latitude 12° 48' S., longitude 15° 40' W., the magnetic needle was found
to have no dip.
On the 12th of June, we passed the equator for the fourth time during this
voyage, in longitude 26° 16' W. We now began to perceive the effects of a
current setting N. by E., half a knot an hour. It continued in this
direction till the middle of July, when it began to set a little to the
southward of the west.
On the 12th of August, we made the western coast of Ireland, and after a
fruitless attempt to get into Port Galway, from whence it was Captain
Gore's intentions to have sent the journals and maps of our voyage to
London, we were obliged, by strong southerly winds, to steer to the
northward. Our next object was to put into Lough Swilly; but the wind
continuing in the same quarter, we stood on to the northward of Lewis
Island; and on the 22d of August, at eleven in the morning, both ships came
to an anchor at Stromness. From hence, I was dispatched by Captain Gore, to
acquaint the Board of Admiralty with our arrival; and on the 4th day of
October the ships arrived safe at the Nore, after an absence of four years,
two months, and twenty-two days.
On quitting the Discovery at Stromness, I had the satisfaction of leaving
the whole crew in perfect health; and at the same time, the number of
convalescents on board the Resolution did not exceed two or three, of whom
only one was incapable of service. In the course of our voyage, the
Resolution lost but five men by sickness, three of whom were in a
precarious state of health at our departure from England; the Discovery did
not lose a man. An unremitting attention to the regulations established by
Captain Cook, with which the world is already acquainted, may be justly
considered as the principal cause, under the blessing of Divine Providence,
of this singular success. But the baneful effects of salt provisions might
perhaps, in the end, have been felt, notwithstanding these salutary
precautions, if we had not assisted them, by availing ourselves of every
substitute, our situation at various times afforded. These frequently
consisting of articles, which our people had not been used to consider as
food for men, and being sometimes exceedingly nauseous, it required the
joint aid of persuasion, authority, and example, to conquer their
prejudices and disgusts.
The preventives we principally relied on were sour krout and portable soup.
As to the antiscorbutic remedies, with which we were amply supplied, we had
no opportunity of trying their effects, as there did not appear the
slightest symptoms of the scurvy, in either ship, during the whole voyage.
Our malt and hops had also been kept as a resource, in case of actual
sickness; and on examination at the Cape of Good Hope, were found entirely
spoiled. About the same time, were opened some casks of biscuit, flour,
malt, pease, oatmeal, and groats, which, by way of experiment, had been put
up in small casks, lined with tin-trail, and found all, except the pease,
in a much better state, than could have been expected in the usual manner
of package.
I cannot neglect this opportunity of recommending to the consideration of
government, the necessity of allowing a sufficient quantity of Peruvian
bark, to such of his majesty's ships as may be exposed to the influence of
unwholesome climates. It happened very fortunately in the Discovery, that
only one of the men that had fevers in the Straits of Sunda, stood in need
of this medicine, as he alone consumed the whole quantity usually carried
out by surgeons, in such vessels as ours. Had more been affected in the
same manner, they would probably all have perished, from the want of the
only remedy capable of affording them effectual relief.
Another circumstance attending this voyage, which, if we consider its
duration, and the nature of the service in which we were engaged, will
appear scarcely less singular than the extraordinary healthiness of the
crews, was, that the two ships never lost sight of each other for a day
together, except twice; which was owing, the first time, to an accident
that happened to the Discovery off the coast of Owhyhee; and the second, to
the fogs we met with at the entrance of Awatska Bay. A stronger proof
cannot be given of the skill and vigilance of our subaltern officers, to
whom this share of merit almost entirely belongs.
VOCABULARY OF THE LANGUAGE OF NOOTKA, OR KING GEORGE'S SOUND.
_April_, 1778.
_Nootka_. English.
Opulszthl, _The sun_.
Onulszthl, _The moon_.
Nas, _or_ eenaeehl nas, _The sky_.
Noohchai, _A mountain_, or _hill_.
Mooksee, _Rocks_, or _the shore_.
Tanass, _or_ tanas, _A man_.
Oonook, _A song_.
Eeneek, _or_ eleek, _Fire_.
Nuhchee, _or_ nookchee _The land; a country_.
Koassama, _The ground_.
Mahtai, _A house_.
Neit, _or_ neet, _A candle_, or _lamp light_.
Neetopok, _The smoke of a lamp_.
Tassyai, _A door_.
Ai, _and_ aio, _Yes_.
Wook, _or_ Wik, _No_.
Wik ait, _None, not any_.
Macook, _To barter_.
Kaeeemai, _or_ kyomai _Give me some more of it_.
Kootche, _or_ kotche _To paddle_.
Aook, _or_ chiamis, _To eat, to chew_.
Topalszthl, _or_ _The sea_.
toopilszthl,
Oowhabbe, _A paddle_.
Shapata, _or_ shapitz, _A canoe_.
_or_ chapas,
Tawailuck, _White bugle beads_.
Seekemaile, _Iron_, or _metal of any sort_.
Ahkoo, _or_ ahko, _This_.
Kaa, _or_ kaa chelle, _Give it me, let me look at it_,
or _examine it_?
Wook hak _Will he not do it_?
Ma, _or_ maa, _Take it_.
Chakeuk, _A hatchet_, or _hacking tool_.
Eetche, _or_ abeesh, _Displeasure_.
Hahoome, _or_ haooma, _Food_.
Takho, _Bad. This iron is bad_, takho seekemaile.
Chelle, _I, me_.
Kaeeo, _Broken_.
Alle, _or_ alla, (Speaking to one) _Friend; hark ye_.
Klao appe, _or_ klao, _Keep it; I'll not have it_.
Asko, _Long_, or _large_.
Iakooeshmaish, _Clothing in general_.
Tahquoe, _or_ toohquoe, _A metal button_, or _ear-ring_.
Wae, (Calling to one, perhaps) _you_!
Weekeetateesh, _Sparkling sand, which they
sprinkle on their faces_.
Chauk, _Water_.
Pacheetl, _or_ pachatl, _To give; give me_.
Haweelsth, _or_ hawalth, _Friendship; friend_.
Kleeseetl, _To paint_, or _mark with a pencil_.
Abeetzle, _To go away_, or _depart_.
Sheesookto, _To remain_, or _abide_.
Seeaik, _A stone weapon, with a square point_.
Suhyaik, _A spear, pointed with bone_.
Taak, _The wood of the depending pine_.
Luksheer, _or_ luksheetl, _To drink_.
Soochis, _A tree, a wood_.
Haieeaipt, _A broad leaf, shrub_, or _underwood_.
Tohumbeet, _Variegated pine; silver pine_.
Atheu, _The depending pine_; or _cypress_.
Koeeklipt, _The Canadian pine_.
Cho, _Go_.
Sateu, _A pine-top_.
Kleeteenek, _The little cloak that they wear_.
Kleethak, _A bear's skin_.
Klochimme, _Muscles_.
Ohkullik, _A wooden box they hold things in_.
Hislaiakasl, _or_ _Coarse mats of bark_.
slaikalzth,
Eesee, _An instrument of bone to beat bark_.
Chapuz koole, _The model of a canoe_.
Klapatuketeel, _A bag made of mat_.
Tahmis, _To spit; spittle_.
Wasuksheet, _To cough_.
Poop, _Common moss_.
Okumha, _The wind_.
Chutzquabeelsl, _A bag made of seal skin_.
Konneeemis, _A kind of sea weed_.
Quaookl, _or_ _To sit down_.
tookpeetl,
Klukeeszthl, _or_ _To rise up_.
quoeelszlhl,
Tsookeeats, _To walk_.
Kummutchchutl, _To run_.
Klutsklaee, _To strike, or beat_.
Teeshcheetl, _To throw a stone_.
Teelszhtee, _To rub_, or _sharpen metal_.
Tsook, _To cleave_, or _strike hard_.
Mahkatte, _A small liliaceous root, which they eat_.
Eumahtame, _Fur of a sea-otter_.
Cheemaine, _Their largest fishing-hooks_.
Moostatte, _A bow_.
Kahsheetl, _Dead_.
Kleeshsheetl, _To shoot with a bow_.
Tseehattee, _An arrow_.
Katshak, _A flaxen garment, worn as their common
dress_.
Heshcheene, _A plain_ Venus _shell_.
Koohminne, _A bag rattle_.
Akeeuk, _A plain bone point for striking
seals with_.
Kaheita, _A barbed bone point for ditto_.
Cheetakulheiwha, _Bracelets of white bugle beads_.
Mittemulszth, _Thongs of skin worn about the
wrist and neck_.
Iaiopox, _Pieces of copper worn in the ear_.
Neesksheetl, _To sneeze_.
Suchkas, _A comb_.
Seehl, _Small feathers which they strew
on their heads_.
Wamuhte, _Twisted thongs and sinews,
worn about their ankles_.
Kutseeoataia, _Veins under the skin_.
Tookquuk, _The skin_.
Muszthsle, _Pain_.
Waeetch, _To sleep_.
Siksaimaha, _To breathe_, or _pant_.
Tuhsheetl, _To weep_.
Matskoot, _A fly_.
Matook, _To fly_.
Kooees; _or_ _Snow_, or _hail_.
quoees,
Aopk, _To whistle_.
Asheeatksheetl, _To yawn_.
Elsthltleek, _An instrument of two sticks standing
from each other with barbs_.
Cheeeeakis, _A scar of a wound_.
Tchoo, _Throw it down_, or _to me_.
Cheetkoohekai, _or_ _A wooden instrument, with many bone teeth,
Cheetkoaik, to catch small fish with_.
Kaenne, _or_ Koenai, _A crow; a bird_.
Keesapa, _A fish; a white bream_.
Klaamoo, _A bream striped with blue and gold
colours_.
Taaweesh, _or_ _A stone-weapon_, or _tomahawk,
Tsuskeeah, with a wooden handle_.
Kamaisthlik, _A kind of snare to catch fish, or other
animals with_.
Klahma, _Wing feathers of a red bird_.
Seetsaennuk, _Anger; scolding_.
Heeeai, _or_ Heeeee, _A brown streaked snake_.
Klapissime, _A racoon_.
Owatinne, _A white-headed eagle_.
Kluhmiss, _Train oil; a bladder filled with it_.
Oukkooma, _Large carved wooden-faces_.
Kotyook, _or_ Hotyok, _A knife_.
See eema, _A fishing net_.
Weena, _A stranger_.
Quahmiss, _Fish-roe strewed upon pine-branches and
sea-weed_.
Kaatl, _Give me_.
Hooksquaboolsthl, _A whale-harpoon and rope_.
Komook, _Chimæra monstrosa_.
Quotluk, _or_ _A sea-otter's skin_.
Quotlukac,
Maasenusthl, _An oblong wooden weapon, two feet long_.
Hokooma, _A wooden mask of the human face_.
Tooquacumilsthl, _A seal-skin_.
Cha, _Let me see it_.
Sooma, _A kind of haddock, of a reddish brown
colour_.
Aeea, _A sardine_.
Koeetsak, _A wolf-skin dress_.
Keepsleetokszl, _A woollen garment_.
Isseu, _Pine-bark_.
Wanshee, _Wildcat skin_(lynx brunneus).
Chastimmetz, _A common, and also pine-martin_.
Ookoomillszthl, _A little round wooden cup_.
Koomitz, _A human skull_.
Keehlwahmoot, _A skin-bladder used in fishing_.
Tseeapoox, _A conic cap made of mat, worn on the head_.
Summeto, _A squirrel; they also called a rat by this
name_.
Maalszthl, _A deer's horn_.
Jakops, _A man, or male_.
Kolsheetl, _or_ Kolsheat, _To sup with a spoon_.
Achatla, _or_ Achaklak, _What is your name_?
Achatlaha, _What is his name_?
Akassheha, _or_ Akassche, _What is the name of that_?
Haismussik, _A wooden sabre_.
Maeetsalulsthl, _A bone weapon, like the Patoo_.
Kookelixo, _A fish fin; the hand_.
Natcha, _A fish tail_.
Klihkleek, _The hoof of an animal_.
Klaklasm, _A bracelet_.
Ko, _An article, to give strength of expression
to another word_.
Nahei, _or_ Naheis, _Friendship_.
Teelsthoop, _A large cuttle fish_.
Pachas, _He gave it me_.
Quaeeaitsaak, _A yellow, or red fox_.
Atchakoe, _A limpet_.
Aheita, _A sweet fern root they eat_.
Kishkilltup, _The strawberry plant_.
Akhmupt, _A narrow grass that grows on the rocks_.
Klaiwahmiss, _A cloud_.
Mollsthapait, _A feather_.
Taeetcha, _Full, satisfied with eating_.
Kaaitz, _A necklace of small volute shells_.
Tahooquossim, _A carved human head of wood, decorated with
hair_.
Moowatche, _A caned wooden vizor, like the head of a
Quebrentahuessos_.
Mamat, _A black linnet with a white bill_.
Klaokotl, _Give me something_.
Pallszthpatl, _Glimmer (sheet)_.
Pineetl, _The name they apply to a goat; probably of
a deer_.
Seeta, _The tail of an animal_.
Seehsheetl, _To kill_.
Ooolszth, _A sandpiper_.
Saeemitz, _Chequered straw-baskets_.
Chookwak, _To go up_, or _away_.
Kloosasht, _Smoked herrings_.
Keetsma, _Puncturation_.
Mikeellzyth, _To fasten_, or _tie a thing_.
Cheeteeakamilzsth, _White beads_.
Kakkumipt, _A sea-weed_, or _grass, on which they
strew fish-roe_.
Eissuk, _A sort of leek_; allium triquetrum.
Kutskushilzsth, _To tear a thing_.
Mitzsleo, _A knot_.
Mamakeeo, _To tie a knot_.
Kluksilzsth, _To loosen_, or _untie_.
Klakaikom, _The leaf of a plant_.
Sasinne, _or_ sasin, _A humming-bird_.
Koohquoppa, _A granulated lily-root they eat_.
Seeweebt, _Alder-tree_.
Kaweebt, _Raspberry-bush_.
Kleehseep, _The flower of a plant_.
Klumma, _Large wooden images placed at one end of
their houses_.
Aiahtoop, _or_ _A porpoise_.
Aiahtoopsh,
Toshko, _A small brown spotted cod_.
Aszlimupt, _or_ _Flaxen stuff, of which they make their
Ulszthimipt, garments_.
Wakash, _An expression of approbation_, or
_friendship_.
Kullekeea, _Troughs out of which they eat_.
Kaots, _A twig-basket_.
Sllook, _The roof of a house; boards_.
Eilszthmukt, _Nettles_.
Koeeklass, _A wooden stage_, or _frame, on which the
fish-roe is dried_.
Matlieu, _A withe of bark for fastening planks_.
Nahass, _A circular hole that serves as a window_.
Neetsoanimme, _Large planks of which their houses are
built_.
Chaipma, _Straw_.
Haquanuk, _A chest, or large box_.
Chahkots, _A square wooden bucket, to hold water_.
Chahquanna, _A square wooden drinking-cup_.
Klennut, _A wooden wedge_.
Kolkolsainum, _A large chest_.
Klieutsunnim, _A board to kneel on when they paddle_.
Tseelszthook, _A frame of square poles_.
Aminulszth, _A fish_.
Natckkoa _and_ _The particular names of two of the
Matseeta, monstrous images called Klumma_.
Houa, _To go that way_.
Achichil, _What does he say_?
Aeek, _The oval part of a whale dart_.
Aptsheetl, _To steal_.
Quoeeup, _To break_.
Uhshsapai, _To pull_.
Tseehka, _A general song_.
Apte, _or_ appe, _You_.
Kai, _Thanks_
Kotl, _Me; I_.
Punihpunih, _A black beating-stone_.
Nootka, _The name of the bay or sound_.
Yatseenequoppe,
Kakallakeeheelook, _The names of three men_.
Nololokum,
Satsuhcheek, _The name of a woman_.
* * * * * *
NAMES OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY.
Ooomitz, _The head_.
Apsoop, _The hair of the head_.
Uhpeukel, _or_ upuppea, _The forehead_.
Cheecheetsh, _The teeth_.
Choop, _The tongue_.
Kussee, _or_ kassee, _The eye_.
Neets, _The nose_.
Papai, _The ear_.
Aamiss, _The cheek_.
Eehthlux, _The chin_.
Apuxim, _The beard_.
Tseekoomitz, _The neck_.
Seekutz, _The throat_.
Eslulszth, _The face_.
Eethluxooth, _The lips_.
Klooshkcoah, klah, tamai, _The nostrils_.
Aeetchse, _The eye-brows_.
Aapso, _The arm_.
Aapsoonilk, _The arm-pit_.
Eneema, _The nipple_.
Kooquainux, _or_ _The fingers_.
Kooquainuxoo,
Chushehuh, _Nail of the finger_.
Kleashklinno, _The thighs and leg_.
Klahtimme, _The foot_.
Alahkomeetz, _The thumb_.
Kopeeak, _The fore finger_.
Taeeai, _The middle finger_.
Oatso, _or_ akhukluc, _The ring finger_.
Kasleka, _The little finger_.
TABLE to shew the Affinity between the Languages spoken at Oonalashka and
Norton Sound, and those of the Green landers and Esquimaux.
_Greenland_.
English. _Oonalashka. Norton Sound. From Grants. Esquimaux_.
_A man_ Chengan Angut.
_A woman_ Anagogenach.
_The head_ Kameak Ne-aw-cock.
_The hair_ Emelach Nooit Newrock.
_The eye-brow_ Kamlik Kameluk Coup-loot.
_The eye_ Dhac Enga Ehich.
_The nose_ Anosche Ngha Cring yauk.
_The cheek_ Oolooeik Oollooak Ou-lu uck-cur.
_The ear_ Tootoosh Shudeka Se-u-teck.
_The lip_ Adhee Hashlaw.
_The teeth_ Agaloo.
_The tongue_ Agonoc.
_The beard_ Engelagoong Oongai.
_The chin_ Ismaloch Tamluk Taplou.
_The neck_ Ooioc Coon-e-soke.
_The breast_ Shimsen Suk-ke-uck.
_The arm_ Toolak Dallek Telluck.
_The hand_ Kedhachoonge Aishet Alguit.
_The finger_ Atooch.
_The nails_ Cagelch Shetooe.
_The thigh_ Cachemac Kookdoshac.
_The leg_ Ketac Kanaiak Ki-naw-auk.
_The foot_ Ooleac Etscheak E-te-ket.
_The sun_ Agadac Maje Suck-ki much.
_The moon_ Toogedha. Tac-cock.
_The sky_ Enacac.
_A cloud_ Aiengich.
_The wind_ Caitchee.
_The sea_ Alaooch Emai Ut-koo-tuk-
les.
_Water_ Tangch Mooe.
_Fire_ Keiganach E-ko-ma.
_Wood_ Hearach.
_A knife_ Kamelac.
_A house_ Oolac Iglo Tope-uck.
_A canoe_ Eakeac Caiac Kaiak Kirock.
_A paddle_ Chasec Pangehon Pautik Pow.
_Iron_ Comeleuch Shawik. Shaveck.
_A bow_ Seiech. Petick sic.
_Arrows_ Agadhok. Caukjuck.
_Darts_ Ogwalook Aglikak.
_A fish-hook_ Oochtac.
_No_ Net Ena Nag.
_Yes_, or _yea_ Ah Eh Illisve.
_One_ Taradac Adowjak Attousek Attouset.
_Two_ Alac Aiba Arlak Mardluk.
_Three_ Canoogn Pingashook Pingaguah Pingasut.
_Four_ Sechn Shetamik Sissamat Sissamat.
_Five_ Chang Dallamix Tellimat Tellimat.
_Six_ Atoo In counting Arbanget.
more than
five, they
_Seven_ Ooloo repeat the / Arbanget.
same words \ Attausek.
over again.
_Eight_ Kamching Arbanget
mardik.
_Nine_ Seching Kollin illoet.
_Ten_ Haso Kollit.
[113] The island of Tamarin, or Sambouricon, which lies about four leagues
to the north of Cracatoa, may be easily mistaken for the latter,
having a hill of nearly the same size and form, situated also near its
southern extremity.
[114] Query, Was this intention ever realized? The work, supposing it to
have been published, was never heard of or seen by the writer.--E.
APPENDIX TO THE CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS.
No. I.
NARRATIVE OF THE HON. JOHN BYRON; BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE SHIPWRECK OF THE
WAGER; AND THE SUBSEQUENT ADVENTURES OF HER CREW.
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
APPENDIX TO THE CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS.
No. I.
THE NARRATIVE OF THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
As the greatest pain I feel in committing the following sheets to the
press, arises from an apprehension that many of my readers will accuse me
of egotism, I will not incur that charge in my preface, by detaining them
with the reasons which have induced me, at this time, to yield to the
desire of my friends. It is equally indifferent to the public to be told
how it happened, that nothing should have got the better of my indolence
and reluctance to comply with the same requests, for the space of twenty
years.
I will employ these few introductory pages merely to shew what pretensions
this work may have to the notice of the world, after those publications
which have preceded it.
It is well known that the Wager, one of Lord Anson's squadron, was cast
away upon a desolate island in the South-seas. The subject of this book is
a relation of the extraordinary difficulties and hardships through which,
by the assistance of Divine Providence, a small part of her crew escaped to
their native land; and a very small proportion of those made their way, in
a new and unheard-of manner, over a large and desert tract of land, between
the western mouth of Magellanic Streight and the capital of Chili; a
country scarce to be paralleled in any part of the globe, in that it
affords neither fruits, grain, nor even roots proper for the sustenance of
man; and, what is still more rare, the very sea, which yields a plentiful
support to many a barren coast, on this tempestuous and inhospitable shore
is found to be almost as barren as the land; and it must be confessed, that
to those who cannot interest themselves with seeing human nature labouring,
from day to day, to preserve its existence under the continual want of such
real necessaries, as food and shelter from the most rigorous climate, the
following sheets will afford but little entertainment.
Yet, after all, it must be allowed there can be no other way of
ascertaining the geography and natural history of a country, which is
altogether morass and a rock, incapable of products or culture, than by
setting down every minute circumstance which was observed in traversing it.
The same may be said of the inhabitants, their manners, religion, and
language. What fruits could an European reap from a more intimate
acquaintance with them, than what he will find in the following accidental
observations? We saw the most unprofitable spot on the globe of the earth,
and such it is described and ascertained to be.
It is to be hoped, some little amends may be made by such an insight as is
given into the interior part of the Country; and I find what I have put
down has had the good fortune to be pleasing to some of my friends;
insomuch, that the only fault I have yet had laid to my papers is, that of
being too short in the article of the Spanish settlements. But here I must
say, I have been dubious of the partiality of my friends; and, as I think,
justly fearful lest the world in general, who may perhaps find compassion
and indulgence for a protracted tale of distress, may not give the same
allowance to a luxurious imagination triumphing in a change of fortune, and
sudden transition from the most dismal to the gayest scenes in the
universe, and thereby indulging an egotism equally offensive to the envious
and censorious.
I speak as briefly as possible of matters previous to our final separation
from the rest of Lord Anson's squadron; for it is from this epocha that the
train of our misfortunes properly commences: and though Mr Bulkeley, one of
the warrant officers of the Wager, has, long since, published a Journal and
Account of the return of that part of the ship's company, which, dissenting
from Captain Cheap's propoposal of endeavouring to regain their native
country by way of the great continent of South America, took their passage
home in the long-boat, through the Streights of Magellan, our transactions
during our abode on the island have been related by him in so concise a
manner, as to leave many particulars unnoticed, and others touched so
slightly, that they appear evidently to have been put together with the
purpose of justifying those proceedings which could not be considered in
any other light than that of direct mutiny. Accordingly, we find that the
main substance of his Journal is employed in scrutinizing the conduct of
Captain Cheap, and setting forth the conferences which passed between him
and the seceders, relative to the way and measures they were to take for
their return home. I have, therefore, taken some pains to review those
early passages of the unfortunate scene I am to represent, and to enter
into a detail, without which no sound judgment can be formed of any
disputed point, especially when it has been carried so far as to end in
personal resentment. When contests and dissensions shall be found to have
gone that length, it will be obvious to every reader, why a licentious crew
should hearken to any factious leader, rather than to the solidity of their
captain's advice, who made it evident to every unprejudiced understanding,
that their fairest chance for safety and a better fortune, was to proceed
with the long-boat till they should make prize of some vessel of the enemy,
and thereby be enabled to bring to the commodore a supply of stout fellows
to assist in his conquests, and share in the honour and rewards.
And yet it is but justice, even to this ungovernable herd, to explain, that
though, as I have said above, they appeared in the light of mutineers, they
were not actually such in the eye of the law; for, till a subsequent act,
made indeed on this occasion, the pay of a ship's crew ceased immediately
upon her wreck, and consequently the officers' authority and command.
Having explained the foregoing particulars, I hope I may flatter myself,
there are few things in the following sheets which will not be readily
understood by the greatest part of my readers; therefore I will not detain
them any longer.[115]
[115] Bulkeley's narrative above referred to, and which certainly deserves
to be better known than it now is, will be found in this Appendix, No.
2. The impartial reader, it is believed, will hesitate to join with
Byron in opinion as to the motives which occasioned its publication;
nor is it unimportant for him to recollect, that Byron himself at one
time sanctioned the chief measures and sentiments which Bulkeley and
his associates adopted.--E.
CHAPTER I.
Account of the Wager and her Equipment.--Captain Kid's Death.--Succeeded by
Captain Cheap.--Our Disasters commence with our Voyage.--We lose Sight of
our Squadron in a Gale of Wind.--Dreadful Storm.--Ship strikes.
The equipment and destination of the squadron fitted out in the year 1740,
of which Commodore Anson had the command, being sufficiently known from the
ample and well-penned relation of it under his direction, I shall recite no
particulars that are to be found in that work. But it may be necessary, for
the better understanding the disastrous fate of the Wager, the subject of
the following sheets, to repeat the remark, that a strange infatuation
seemed to prevail in the whole conduct of this embarkation: For though it
was unaccountably detained till the season for its sailing was past, no
proper use was made of that time, which should have been employed in
providing a suitable force of sailors and soldiery; nor was there a due
attention given to other requisites for so peculiar and extensive a
destination.
This neglect not only rendered the expedition abortive in its principal
object, but most materially affected the condition of each particular ship,
and none so fatally as the Wager, who being an old Indiaman, bought into
the service upon this occasion, was now fitted out as a man of war: But
being made to serve as a store-ship, was deeply laden with all kinds of
careening geer, military, and other stores, for the use of the other ships;
and what is more, crowded, with bale-goods, and incumbered with
merchandize. A ship of this quality and condition could not be expected to
work with that readiness and ease which was necessary for her security and
preservation in those heavy seas which she was to encounter. Her crew
consisted of men pressed from long voyages to be sent upon a distant and
hazardous service; on the other hand, all her land-forces were no more than
a poor detachment of infirm and decrepid invalids from Chelsea hospital,
desponding under the apprehensions of a long voyage. It is not then to be
wondered, that Captain Kid, under whose command this ship sailed out of the
port, should in his last moments presage her ill success, though nothing
very material happened during his command.
At his death he was succeeded by Captain Cheap, who still, without any
accident, kept company with the squadron till we had almost gained the
southernmost mouth of Straits Le Maire; when, being the sternmost ship, we
were, by the sudden shifting of the wind to the southward, and the turn of
the tide, very near being wrecked upon the rocks of Staten Land; which,
notwithstanding, having weathered, contrary to the expectation of the rest
of the squadron, we endeavoured all in our power to make up our lost way,
and regain our station. This we effected, and proceeded in our voyage,
keeping company with the rest of the ships for some time, when by a great
roll of a hollow sea we carried away our mizen-mast, all the chain-plates
to windward being broken. Soon after, hard gales at west coming on with a
prodigious swell, there broke a heavy sea in upon the ship, which stove our
boats, and filled us for some time.
These accidents were the more disheartening, as our carpenter was on board
the Gloucester, and detained there by the incessant tempestuous weather,
and a sea impracticable for boats. In a few days he returned, and supplied
the loss of a mizen-mast by a lower studding-sail boom; but this expedient,
together with the patching up of our rigging, was a poor temporary relief
to us. We were soon obliged to cut away our best bower-anchor to ease the
fore-mast, the shrouds and chain-plates of which were all broken, and the
ship in all parts in a most crazy condition.
Thus shattered and disabled, a single ship, (for we had now lost sight of
our squadron) we had the additional mortification to find ourselves bearing
for the land on our lee-shore, having thus far persevered in the course we
held, from an error in conjecture: For the weather was unfavourable for
observation, and there are no charts of that part of the coast. When those
officers who first perceived their mistake endeavoured to persuade the
captain to alter his course, and bear away, for the greater surety, to the
westward, he persisted in making directly, as he thought, for the island of
Socoro; and to such as dared from time to time to deliver their doubts of
being entangled with the land stretching to the westward, he replied, That
he thought himself in no case at liberty to deviate from his orders, and
that the absence of his ship from the first place of rendezvous would
entirely frustrate the whole squadron in the first object of their attack,
and possibly decide upon the fortune of the whole expedition. For the
better understanding the force of his reasoning, it is necessary to
explain, that the island of Socoro is in the neighbourhood of Baldivia, the
capture of which place could not be effected without the junction of that
ship, which carried the ordnance and military stores.
The knowledge of the great importance of giving so early and unexpected a
blow to the Spaniards, determined the captain to make the shortest way to
the point in view; and that rigid adherence to orders, from which he
thought himself in no case at liberty to depart, begot in him a stubborn
defiance of all difficulties, and took away from him those apprehensions
which so justly alarmed all such as, from ignorance of the orders, had
nothing present to their minds but the dangers of a lee-shore.[116]
We had for some time been sensible of our approach to the land, from no
other token than those of weeds and birds, which are the usual indications
of nearing the coast; but at length we had an imperfect view of an
eminence, which we conjectured to be one of the mountains of the
Cordilleras. This, however, was not so distinctly seen, but that many
conceived it to be the effect of imagination; but if the captain was
persuaded of the nearness of our danger, it was now too late to remedy it;
for at this time the straps of the fore jeer blocks breaking, the fore-yard
came down, and the greatest part of the men being disabled through fatigue
and sickness, it was some time before it could be got up again. The few
hands who were employed in this business now plainly saw the land on the
larboard beam, bearing N, W., upon which the ship was driving bodily.
Orders were then given immediately by the captain to sway the fore-yard up,
and set the foresail; which done, we wore ship with her head to the
southward, and endeavoured to crowd her off from the land; but the weather,
from being exceedingly tempestuous, blowing now a perfect hurricane, and
right in upon the shore, rendered our endeavours (for we were now only
twelve hands fit for duty) entirely fruitless. The night came on, dreadful
beyond description, in which, attempting to throw out our topsails to claw
off the shore, they were immediately blown from the yards.
In the morning, about four o'clock, the ship struck. The shock we received
upon this occasion, though very great, being not unlike a blow of a heavy
sea, such as in the series of preceding storms we had often experienced,
was taken for the same; but we were soon undeceived by her striking more
violently than before, which laid her upon her beam-ends, the sea making a
fair breach over her. Every person that now could stir was presently upon
the quarter-deck; and many even of those were alert upon this occasion that
had not shewed their faces upon deck for above two months before: Several
poor wretches, who were in the last stage of the scurvy, and who could not
get out of their hammocks, were immediately drowned.
In this dreadful situation she lay for some little time, every soul on
board looking upon the present minute as his last, for there was nothing to
be seen but breakers all around us. However, a mountainous sea hove her off
from thence; but she presently struck again, and broke her tiller. In this
terrifying and critical juncture, to have observed all the various modes of
horror operating according to the several characters and complexions
amongst us, it was necessary that the observer himself should have been
free from all impressions of danger. Instances there were, however, of
behaviour so very remarkable, they could not escape the notice of any one
who was not entirely bereaved of his senses; for some were in this
condition to all intents and purposes; particularly one, in the ravings
despair brought upon him, was seen stalking about the deck flourishing a
cutlass over his head, and calling himself king of the country, and
striking every body he came near, till his companions, seeing no other
security against his tyranny, knocked him down. Some, reduced before by
long sickness and the scurvy, became on this occasion, as it were,
petrified and bereaved of all sense, like inanimate logs, and were bandied
to and fro by the jerks and rolls of the ship, without exerting any efforts
to help themselves. So terrible was the scene of foaming breakers around
us, that one of the bravest men we had could not help expressing his dismay
at it, saying, it was too shocking a sight to bear; and would have thrown
himself over the rails of the quarterdeck into the sea had he not been
prevented; but at the same time there were not wanting those who preserved
a presence of mind truly heroic. The man at the helm, though both rudder
and tiller were gone, kept his station; and being asked by one of the
officers if the ship would steer or not, first took his time to make trial
by the wheel, and then answered with as much respect and coolness as if the
ship had been in the greatest safety, and immediately after applied himself
with his usual serenity to his duty, persuaded it did not become him to
desert it as long as the ship kept together. Mr Jones, mate, who now
survives not only this wreck, but that of the Litchfield man of war upon
the coast of Barbary, at the time when the ship was in the most imminent
danger, not only shewed himself undaunted, but endeavoured to inspire the
same resolution in the men, saying, "My friends, let us not be discouraged,
did you never see a ship amongst breakers before? Let us endeavour to pass
her through them. Come, lend a hand: here is a sheet, and here is a brace,
lay hold: I don't doubt but we may stick her yet near enough to the land to
save our lives." This had so good an effect, that many who before were half
dead, seemed active again, and now went to work in earnest. This Mr Jones
did purely to keep up the spirits of the people as long as possible; for he
often said afterwards, he thought there was not the least chance of a
single man's being saved. We now run in between an opening of the breakers,
steering by the sheets and braces, when providentially we stuck fast
between two great rocks; that to windward sheltered us in some measure from
the violence of the sea. We immediately cut away the main and fore-mast,
but the ship kept beating in such a manner, that we imagined she could not
hold together but a very little while. The day now broke, and the weather,
that had been extremely thick, cleared away for a few moments, and gave us
a glimpse of the land not far from us. We now thought of nothing but saving
our lives. To get the boats out, as our masts were gone, was a work of some
time, which when accomplished, many were ready to jump into the first, by
which means they narrowly escaped perishing before they reached the shore.
I now went to Captain Cheap, (who had the misfortune to dislocate his
shoulder by a fall the day before, as he was going forward to get the fore-
yard swayed up) and asked him if he would not go on shore; but he told me,
as he had done before, that he would be the last to leave the ship; and he
ordered me to assist in getting the men out as soon as possible. I had been
with him very often from the time the ship first struck, as he desired I
would, to acquaint him with every thing that passed; and I particularly
remarked, that he gave his orders at that time with as much coolness as
ever he had done during the former part of the voyage.
The scene was now greatly changed, for many who but a few minutes before
had shewn the strongest signs of despair, and were on their knees praying
for mercy, imagining they were now not in that immediate danger, grew very
riotous, broke open every chest and box that was at hand, stove in the
heads of casks of brandy and wine as they were borne up to the hatch-way,
and got so drunk, that some of them were drowned on board, and lay floating
about the decks for some days after. Before I left the ship, I went down to
my chest, which was at the bulk-head of the ward-room, in order to save
some little matters if possible; but whilst I was there the ship thumped
with such violence, and the water came in so fast, that I was forced to get
upon the quarter-deck again without saving a single rag but what was upon
my back. The boatswain and some of the people would not leave the ship so
long as there was any liquor to be got at; upon which Captain Cheap
suffered himself to be helped out of his bed, put into the boat, and
carried on shore.
[116] Captain Cheap has been suspected of a design of going on the Spanish
coast without the commodore; but no part of his conduct seems to
authorize, in the least, such a suspicion. The author who brings this
heavy charge against him, is equally mistaken in imagining that
Captain Cheap had not instructions to sail to this island, and that
the commodore did neither go nor send thither to inform himself if any
of the squadron were there. This appears from the orders delivered to
the captains of the squadron the day before they sailed from St
Catherine's (L. Anson's Voyage, vol. xi, p. 267,); from the orders of
the council on board the Centurion in the bay of St Julian, (p. 276,)
and from the conduct of the commodore, (p. 305,) who cruized (with the
utmost hazard) more than a fortnight off the island of Socoro, and
along the coast in its neighbourhood. It was the second rendezvous at
Baldivia, and not that at Socoro, that the commodore was forced by
necessity to neglect.
CHAPTER II.
We land on a wild Shore.--No Appearance of Inhabitants.--One of our
Lieutenants dies.--Conduct of a Part of the Crew who remained on the
Wreck.--We name the Place of our Residence Mount Misery.--Narrative of
Transactions there.--Indians appear in Canoes off the Coast.--Description
of them.--Discontents amongst our People.
It is natural to think, that to men thus upon the point of perishing by
shipwreck, the getting to land was the highest attainment of their wishes;
undoubtedly it was a desirable event; yet, all things considered, our
condition was but little mended by the change. Which ever way we looked, a
scene of horror presented itself; on one side the wreck, (in which was all
that we had in the world, to support and subsist us) together with a
boisterous sea, presented us with the most dreary prospect; on the other,
the land did not wear a much more favourable appearance: desolate and
barren, without sign of culture, we could hope to receive little other
benefit from it than the preservation it afforded us from the sea. It must
be confessed this was a great and merciful deliverance from immediate
destruction; but then we had wet, cold, and hunger to struggle with, and no
visible remedy against any of those evils. Exerting ourselves, however,
though faint, benumbed, and almost helpless, to find some wretched covert
against the extreme inclemency of the weather, we discovered an Indian hut
at a small distance from the beach, within a wood, in which as many as
possible, without distinction, crowded themselves, the night coming on
exceedingly tempestuous and rainy. But here our situation was such as to
exclude all rest and refreshment by sleep from most of us, for, besides
that we pressed upon one another extremely, we were not without our alarms
and apprehensions of being attacked by the Indians, from a discovery we
made of some of their lances and other arms in our hut; and our uncertainty
of their strength and disposition gave alarm to our imagination, and kept
us in continual anxiety.
In this miserable hovel, one of our company, a lieutenant of invalids, died
this night; and of those who for want of room took shelter under a great
tree, which stood them in very little stead, two more perished by the
severity of that cold and rainy night. In the morning, the calls of hunger,
which had been hitherto suppressed by our attention to more immediate
dangers and difficulties, were now become too importunate to be resisted.
We had most of us fasted eight-and-forty hours, some more; it was time
therefore to make enquiry among ourselves what store of sustenance had been
brought from the wreck by dire providence of some, and what could be
procured on the island by the industry of others; but the produce of the
one amounted to no more than two or three pounds of biscuit-dust preserved
in a bag; and all the success of those who ventured abroad, the weather
being still exceedingly bad, was to kill one sea-gull and pick some wild
sellery. These, therefore, were immediately put into a pot, with the
addition of a large quantity of water, and made into a kind of soup, of
which each partook as far as it would go; but we had no sooner thrown this
down than we were seized with the most painful sickness at our stomachs,
violent reachings, swoonings, and other symptoms of being poisoned. This
was imputed to various causes, but in general to the herbs we made use of,
in the nature and quality of which we fancied ourselves mistaken; but a
little farther enquiry let us into the real occasion of it, which was no
other than this: the biscuit-dust was the sweepings of the bread-room, but
the bag in which they were put had been a tobacco-bag, the contents of
which not being entirely taken out, what remained mixed with the biscuit-
dust, and proved a strong emetic.
We were in all about a hundred and forty who had got to shore, but some few
remained still on board, detained either by drunkenness or a view of
pillaging the wreck, among whom was the boatswain. These were visited by an
officer in the yawl, who was to endeavour to prevail upon them to join the
rest; but finding them in the greatest disorder and disposed to mutiny, he
was obliged to desist from his purpose and return without them. Though we
were very desirous, and our necessities required that we should take some
survey of the land we were upon, yet being strongly prepossessed that the
savages were retired but some little distance from us, and waited to see us
divided, our parties did not make this day any great excursions from the
hut; but as far as we went, we found it very morassy and unpromising. The
spot which we occupied was a bay formed by hilly promontories; that to the
north so exceeding steep, that in order to ascend it (for there was no
going round, the bottom being washed by the sea) we were at the labour of
cutting steps. This, which we call Mount Misery, was of use to us in taking
some observations afterwards when the weather would permit: the southern
promontory was not so inaccessible. Beyond this, I, with some others,
having reached another bay, found driven ashore some parts of the wreck,
but no kind of provision; nor did we meet with any shell-fish, which we
were chiefly in search of. We therefore returned to the rest, and for that
day made no other repast than what the wild sellery afforded us. The
ensuing night proved exceedingly tempestuous; and, the sea running very
high, threatened those on board with immediate destruction by the parting
of the wreck. They then were as solicitous to get ashore as they were
before obstinate in refusing the assistance we sent them; and when they
found the boat did not come to their relief at the instant they expected
it, without considering how impracticable a thing it was to send it them in
such a sea, they fired one of the quarter-deck guns at the hut, the ball of
which did but just pass over the covering of it, and was plainly heard by
the captain and us who were within. Another attempt, therefore, was made to
bring these madmen to land; which, however, by the violence of the sea and
other impediments, occasioned by the mast that lay alongside, proved
ineffectual. This unavoidable delay made the people on board outrageous;
they fell to beating every thing to pieces that fell in the way; and,
carrying their intemperance to the greatest excess, broke open chests and
cabins for plunder that could be of no use to them; and so earnest were
they in this wantonness of theft, that one man had evidently been murdered
on account of some division of the spoil, or for the sake of the share that
fell to him, having all the marks of a strangled corpse. One thing in this
outrage they seemed particularly attentive to, which was, to provide
themselves with arms and ammunition, in order to support them in putting
their mutinous designs in execution, and asserting their claim to a lawless
exemption from the authority of their officers, which they pretended must
cease with the loss of the ship. But of these arms, which we stood in great
need of, they were soon bereaved upon coming ashore, by the resolution of
Captain Cheap and Lieutenant Hamilton of the marines. Among these mutineers
who had been left on board, as I observed before, was the boatswain, who,
instead of exerting the authority he had over the rest, to keep them within
bounds as much as possible, was himself a ringleader in their riot; him,
without respect to the figure he then made, for he was in laced clothes,
Captain Cheap, by a blow well laid on with his cane, felled to the ground.
It was scarce possible to refrain from laughter at the whimsical appearance
these fellows made, who, having rifled the chests of the officers best
suits, had put them on over their greasy trowsers and dirty checked shirts.
They were soon stripped of their finery, as they had before been obliged to
resign their arms.
The incessant rains and exceeding cold weather in this climate, rendered it
impossible for us to subsist long without shelter; and the hut being much
too little to receive us all, it was necessary to fall upon some expedient,
without delay, which might serve our purpose: accordingly the gunner,
carpenter, and some more, turning the cutter keel upwards, and fixing it
upon props, made no despicable habitation. Having thus established some
sort of settlement, we had the more leisure to look about us, and to make
our researches with greater accuracy than we had before, after such
supplies as the most desolate coasts are seldom unfurnished with.
Accordingly we soon provided ourselves with some sea-fowl, and found
limpets, mussels, and other shellfish in tolerable abundance; but this
rummaging of the shore was now becoming extremely irksome to those who had
any feeling, by the bodies of our drowned people thrown among the rocks,
some of which were hideous spectacles, from the mangled condition they were
in by the violent surf that drove in upon the coast. These horrors were
overcome by the distresses of our people, who were even glad of the
occasion of killing the gallinazo (the carrion crow of that country) while
preying on these carcases, in order to make a meal of them. But a provision
by no means proportionable to the number of mouths to be fed, could, by our
utmost industry, be acquired from that part of the island we had hitherto
traversed; therefore, till we were in a capacity of making more distant
excursions, the wreck was to be applied to, as often as possible, for such
supplies as could be got out of her. But as this was a very precarious fund
in its present situation, and at best could not last us long; considering
too that it was very uncertain how long we might be detained upon this
island; the stores and provisions we were so fortunate as to retrieve, were
not only to be dealt out with the most frugal economy, but a sufficient
quantity, if possible, laid by, to fit us out, whenever we could agree upon
any method of transporting ourselves from this dreary spot. The
difficulties we had to encounter in these visits to the wreck, cannot be
easily described; for no part of it being above water except the quarter-
deck and part of the fore-castle, we were usually obliged to purchase such
things as were within reach, by means of large hooks fastened to poles, in
which business we were much incommoded by the dead bodies floating between
decks.
In order to secure what we thus got in a manner to answer the ends and
purposes above-mentioned, Captain Cheap ordered a store-tent to be erected
near his hut, as a repository, from which nothing was to be dealt out but
in the measure and proportion agreed upon by the officers; and though it
was very hard upon us petty officers, who were fatigued with hunting all
day in quest of food, to defend this tent from invasion by night, no other
means could be devised for this purpose so effectual as the committing this
charge to our care; and we were accordingly ordered to divide the task
equally between us. Yet, notwithstanding our utmost vigilance and care,
frequent robberies were committed upon our trust, the tent being accessible
in more than one place. And one night when I had the watch, hearing a stir
within, I came unawares upon the thief and presenting a pistol to his
breast, obliged him to submit to be tied up to a post till I had an
opportunity of securing him more effectually. Depredations continued to be
made on our reserved stock, notwithstanding the great hazard attending such
attempts; for our common safety made it necessary to punish them with the
utmost rigour. This will not be wondered at, when it is known how little
the allowance which might consistently be dispensed from thence was
proportionable to our common exigencies, so that our daily and nightly task
of roving after food was not in the least relaxed thereby; and all put
together was so far from answering our necessities, that many at this time
perished with hunger. A boy, when no other eatables could be found, having
picked up the liver of one of the drowned men, (whose carcase had been torn
to pieces by the force with which the sea drove it among the rocks) was
with difficulty withheld from making a meal of it. The men were so
assiduous in their research after the few things which drove from the
wreck, that in order to have no sharers of their good fortune, they
examined the shore no less by night than by day; so that many of them who
were less alert, or not so fortunate as their neighbours, perished with
hunger, or were driven to the last extremity. It must be observed, that on
the 14th of May we were cast away, and it was not till the twenty-fifth of
this month that provision was served regularly from the store-tent.
The land we were now settled upon was about 90 leagues to the northward of
the western mouth of the Straits of Magellan, in the latitude of between 47
and 48° south, from whence we could plainly see the Cordilleras; and by two
lagoons on the north and south of us, stretching towards those mountains,
we conjectured it was an island. But as yet we had no means of informing
ourselves perfectly whether it was an island or the main; for besides that
the inland parts at little distance from us seemed impracticable, from the
exceeding great thickness of the wood, we had hitherto been in such
confusion and want, (each finding full employment for his time, in scraping
together a wretched subsistence, and providing shelter against the cold and
rain) that no party could be formed to go upon discoveries. The climate and
season too were utterly unfavourable to adventurers; and the coast, as far
as our eye could stretch seaward, a scene of such dismal breakers as would
discourage the most daring from making attempts in small boats. Nor were we
assisted in our enquiries by any observation that could be made from that
eminence we called Mount Misery, toward land, our prospect that way being
intercepted by still higher hills and lofty woods: we had therefore no
other expedient by means of which to come at this knowledge, but by fitting
out one of our ship's boats upon some discovery, to inform us of our
situation. Our long-boat was still on board the wreck; therefore a number
of hands were now dispatched to cut the gunwale of the ship in order to get
her out. Whilst we were employed in this business, there appeared three
canoes of Indians paddling towards us: they had come round the point from
the southern lagoons. It was some time before we could prevail upon them to
lay aside their fears and approach us, which at length they were induced to
do by the signs of friendship we made them, and by shewing some bale-goods,
which they accepted, and suffered themselves to be conducted to the
captain, who made them likewise some presents. They were strangely affected
with the novelty thereof, but chiefly when shewn the looking-glass, in
which the beholder could not conceive it to be his own face that was
represented, but that of some other behind it, which he therefore went
round to the back of the glass to find out.
These people were of a small stature, very swarthy, having long black
coarse hair hanging over their faces. It was evident, from their great
surprise and every part of their behaviour, as well as their not having one
thing in their possession which could be derived from white people, that
they had never seen such. Their clothing was nothing but a bit of some
beast's skin about their waists, and something woven from feathers over
their shoulders; and as they uttered no word of any language we had ever
heard, nor had any method of making themselves understood, we presumed they
could have had no intercourse with Europeans. These savages, who upon their
departure left us a few mussels, returned in two days, and surprised us by
bringing three sheep. From whence they could procure these animals in a
part of the world so distant from any Spanish settlement, cut off from all
communication with the Spaniards by an inaccessible coast and unprofitable
country, is difficult to conceive. Certain it is, that we saw no such
creatures, nor ever heard of any such, from the Straits of Magellan till we
got into the neighbourhood of Chiloe; it must be by some strange accident
that these creatures came into their possession, but what that was we never
could learn from them. At this interview we bartered with them for a dog or
two, which we roasted and eat. In a few days after they made us another
visit, and, bringing their wives with them, took up their abode with us for
some days, then left us again.
Whenever the weather permitted, which was now grown something drier, but
exceeding cold, we employed ourselves about the wreck, from which we had,
at sundry times, recovered several articles of provision and liquor: these
were deposited in the store-tent. Ill humour and discontent, from the
difficulties we laboured under in procuring subsistence, and the little
prospect there was of any amendment in our condition, was now breaking out
apace. In some it shewed itself by a separation of settlement and
habitation; in others, by a resolution of leaving the captain entirely, and
making a wild journey by themselves, without determining upon any plan
whatever. For my own part, seeing it was the fashion, and liking none of
their parties, I built a little hut just big enough for myself and a poor
Indian dog I found in the woods, who could shift for himself along shore at
low water, by getting limpets. This creature grew so fond of me and
faithful, that he would suffer nobody to come near the hut without biting
them. Besides those seceders I mentioned, some laid a scheme of deserting
us entirely; these were in number ten, the greatest part of them a most
desperate and abandoned crew, who, to strike a notable stroke before they
went off, placed half a barrel of gunpowder close to the captain's hut,
laid a train to it, and were just preparing to perpetrate their wicked
design of blowing up their commander, when they were with difficulty
dissuaded from it by one who had some bowels and remorse of conscience left
in him. These wretches, after rambling some time in the woods, and finding
it impracticable to get off, for they were then convinced that we were not
upon the main, as they had imagined when they first left us, but upon an
island within four or five leagues of it, returned and settled about a
league from us; however, they were still determined, as soon as they could
procure craft fit for their purpose, to get to the main. But before they
could effect this, we found means to prevail upon the armourer and one of
the carpenter's crew, two very useful men to us, who had imprudently joined
them, to come over again to their duty. The rest, (one or two excepted)
having built a punt, and converted the hull of one of the ship's masts into
a canoe, went away up one of the lagoons, and never were heard of more.
CHAPTER III.
Unfortunate Death of Mr Cozens.--Improper Conduct of Captain Cheap.--The
Indians join us in a friendly Manner, but depart presently on account of
the Misconduct of our Men.--Our Number dreadfully reduced by Famine.--
Description of the various Contrivances used for procuring Food.--Further
Transactions.--Departure from the Island.