I had applied to the Chevalier de Borda, whom, as I have mentioned, I

found at Teneriffe, requesting, that if he knew any thing of the island

discovered by Monsieur de Kerguelen, between the Cape of Good Hope and

New Holland, he would be so obliging as to communicate it to me.

Accordingly, just before we sailed from Santa Cruz Bay, he sent me the

following account of it, viz. “That the pilot of the Boussole, who was

in the voyage with Monsieur de Kerguelen, had given him the latitude and

longitude of a little island, which Monsieur de Kerguelen called the

Isle of Rendezvous, and which lies not far from the great island which

he saw. Latitude of the little isle, by seven observations, 48° 26ʹ

south; longitude, by seven observations of the distance of the sun and

moon, 64° 57ʹ east from Paris.” I was very sorry I had not sooner known

that there was on board the frigate at Teneriffe an officer who had been

with Monsieur de Kerguelen, especially the pilot; because from him I

might have obtained more interesting information about this land than

the situation alone, of which I was not before entirely ignorant.[108]

My instructions directing me to examine it, with a view to discover a

good harbour, I proceeded in the search; and on the 16th, being then in

the latitude of 48° 45ʹ and in the longitude of 52° E., we saw penguins

and divers, and rock-weed floating in the sea. We continued to meet with

more or less of these every day, as we proceeded to the eastward; and on

the 21st, in the latitude of 48° 27ʹ S., and in the longitude of 65° E.,

a very large seal was seen. We had now much foggy weather, and, as we

expected to fall in with the land every hour, our navigation became both

tedious and dangerous.

At length, on the 24th, at six o’clock in the morning, as we were

steering to the eastward, the fog clearing away a little, we saw

land[113], bearing S. S. E., which, upon a nearer approach, we found to

be an island of considerable height, and about three leagues in

circuit.[114] Soon after, we saw another of the same magnitude, one

league to the eastward[115], and between these two, in the direction of

S. E., some smaller ones.[116] In the direction of S. by E. 1/2 E., from

the E. end of the first island, a third[117] high island was seen. At

times, as the fog broke away, we had the appearance of land over the

small islands; and I had thoughts of steering for it, by running in

between them. But, on drawing near, I found this would be a dangerous

attempt, while the weather continued foggy. For, if there should be no

passage, or if we should meet with any sudden danger, it would have been

impossible for us to get off; the wind being right astern, and a

prodigious sea running, that broke on all the shores in a frightful

surf. At the same time, seeing another island in the N. E. direction,

and not knowing but that there might be more, I judged it prudent to

haul off, and wait for clearer weather, lest we should get intangled

amongst unknown lands in a thick fog.

We did but just weather the island last mentioned. It is a high round

rock, which was named Bligh’s Cap. Perhaps this is the same that

Monsieur de Kerguelen called the Isle of Rendezvous[118]; but I know

nothing that can rendezvous at it, but fowls of the air; for it is

certainly inaccessible to every other animal.

At eleven o’clock the weather began to clear up, and we immediately

tacked, and steered in for the land. At noon we had a pretty good

observation, which enabled us to determine the latitude of Bligh’s Cap,

which is the northermost island, to be 48° 29ʹ S., and its longitude 68°

40ʹ E.[119] We passed it at three o’clock, standing to the S. S. E.,

with a fresh gale at W.

Soon after we saw the land, of which we had a faint view in the morning;

and at four o’clock it extended from S. E. 1/2 E., to S. W. by S.,

distant about four miles. The left extreme, which I judged to be the

northeren point of this land called, in the French chart of the southern

hemisphere, Cape St. Louis[120], terminated in a perpendicular rock of a

considerable height; and the right one (near which is a detached rock)

in a high indented point.[121] From this point the coast seemed to turn

short round to the southward; for we could see no land to the westward

of the direction in which it now bore to us, but the islands we had

observed in the morning; the most southerly[122] of them lying nearly W.

from the point, about two or three leagues distant.

About the middle of the land there appeared to be an inlet, for which we

steered; but, on approaching, found it was only a bending on the coast,

and therefore bore up, to go round Cape St. Louis.[123] Soon after, land

opened off the Cape, in the direction of S. 53° E., and appeared to be a

point at a considerable distance; for the trending of the coast from the

Cape was more southerly. We also saw several rocks and islands to the

eastward of the above directions, the most distant of which was about

seven leagues from the Cape, bearing S. 88° E.[124]

We had no sooner got off the Cape, than we observed the coast, to the

southward, to be much indented by projecting points and bays; so that we

now made sure of soon finding a good harbour. Accordingly, we had not

run a mile farther, before we discovered one behind the Cape, into which

we began to ply; but after making one board, it fell calm, and we

anchored at the entrance, in forty-five fathoms water, the bottom black

sand; as did the Discovery soon after. I immediately dispatched Mr.

Bligh, the master, in a boat to sound the harbour; who, on his return,

reported it to be safe and commodious, with good anchorage in every

part; and great plenty of fresh water, seals, penguins, and other birds,

on the shore; but not a stick of wood. While we lay at anchor, we

observed that the flood-tide came from the south-east, running two

knots, at least, in an hour.

At day-break, in the morning of the 25th, we weighed with a gentle

breeze at west; and having wrought into the harbour, to within a quarter

of a mile of the sandy beach at its head, we anchored in eight fathoms’

water, the bottom a fine dark sand. The Discovery did not get in till

two o’clock in the afternoon; when Captain Clerke informed me, that he

had narrowly escaped being driven on the south point of the harbour, his

anchor having started before they had time to shorten in the cable. This

obliged them to set sail, and drag the anchor after them, till they had

room to heave it up; and then they found one of its palms was broken

off.

As soon as we had anchored, I ordered all the boats to be hoisted out;

the ship to be moored with a kedge-anchor; and the water-casks to be got

ready to send on shore. In the mean time I landed, to look for the most

convenient spot where they might be filled, and to see what else the

place afforded.

I found the shore, in a manner, covered with penguins and other birds,

and seals. These latter were not numerous, but so insensible of fear

(which plainly indicated that they were unaccustomed to such visitors),

that we killed as many as we chose, for the sake of their fat or

blubber, to make oil for our lamps, and other uses. Fresh water was in

no less plenty than were birds; for every gully afforded a large stream.

But not a single tree or shrub, nor the least sign of any, was to be

discovered, and but very little herbage of any sort. The appearances, as

we sailed into the harbour, had flattered us with the hope of meeting

with something considerable growing here, as we observed the sides of

many of the hills to be of a lively green. But I now found that this was

occasioned by a single plant, which, with the other natural productions,

shall be described in another place. Before I returned to my ship, I

ascended the first ridge of rocks, which rise in a kind of amphitheatre

above one another. I was in hopes, by this means, of obtaining a view of

the country; but before I reached the top, there came on so thick a fog,

that I could hardly find my way down again. In the evening, we hauled

the seine at the head of the harbour, but caught only half-a-dozen small

fish. We had no better success next day, when we tried with hook and

line. So that our only resource here, for fresh provisions, were birds,

of which there was an inexhaustible store.

The morning of the 26th proved foggy, with rain. However, we went to

work to fill water, and to cut grass for our cattle, which we found in

small spots near the head of the harbour. The rain which fell swelled

all the rivulets to such a degree, that the sides of the hills, bounding

the harbour, seemed to be covered with a sheet of water. For the rain,

as it fell, ran into the fissures and crags of the rocks that composed

the interior parts of the hills, and was precipitated down their sides

in prodigious torrents.

The people having wrought hard the two preceding days, and nearly

completed our water, which we filled from a brook at the left corner of

the beach, I allowed them the 27th, as a day of rest, to celebrate

Christmas. Upon this indulgence, many of them went on shore, and made

excursions, in different directions, into the country, which they found

barren and desolate in the highest degree. In the evening, one of them

brought to me a quart-bottle which he had found, fastened with some wire

to a projecting rock on the north side of the harbour. This bottle

contained apiece of parchment, on which was written the following

inscription:

_Ludovico XV. Galliarum

rege, et d.[125] de Boynes

regi a Secretis ad res

maritimas annis 1772 et

1773._

From this inscription, it is clear, that we were not the first Europeans

who had been in this harbour. I supposed it to be left by Monsieur de

Boisguehenneu, who went on shore in a boat, on the 13th of February,

1772, the same day that Monsieur de Kerguelen discovered this land; as

appears by a note in the French chart of the southern hemisphere,

published the following year.[126]

As a memorial of our having been in this harbour, I wrote on the other

side of the parchment,

_Naves Resolution

et Discovery

de Rege Magnæ Britanniæ,

Decembris, 1776_.

I then put it again into a bottle, together with a silver two-penny

piece of 1772; and having covered the mouth of the bottle with a leaden

cap, I placed it, the next morning, in a pile of stones erected for the

purpose, upon a little eminence on the north shore of the harbour, and

near to the place where it was first found; in which position it cannot

escape the notice of any European, whom chance or design may bring into

this port. Here I displayed the British flag, and named the place

_Christmas Harbour_, from our having arrived in it on that festival.

It is the first, or northernmost inlet that we meet with on the

south-east side of Cape St. Louis[127], which forms the north side of

the harbour, and is also the northern point of this land. The situation

alone is sufficient to distinguish it from any of the other inlets; and,

to make it more remarkable, its south point terminates in a high rock,

which is perforated quite through, so as to appear like the arch of a

bridge. We saw none like this upon the whole coast.[128] The harbour has

another distinguishing mark within, from a single stone or rock, of a

vast size, which lies on the top of a hill on the south side, near its

bottom; and opposite this, on the north side, there is another hill,

much like it, but smaller. There is a small beach at its bottom, where

we commonly landed; and, behind it, some gently rising ground, on the

top of which is a large pool of fresh water. The land on both sides of

the inlet is high, and it runs in west, and W. N. W., about two miles.

Its breadth is one mile and a quarter, for more than half its length;

above which, it is only half a mile. The depth of water, which is

forty-five fathoms at the entrance, varies, as we proceed farther in,

from thirty to five and four fathoms, as marked upon the plan. The

shores are steep; and the bottom is every where a fine dark sand, except

in some places close to the shore, where there are beds of sea-weed,

which always grows on rocky ground. The head of the harbour lies open

only to two points of the compass; and even these are covered by islands

in the offing, so that no sea can fall in to hurt a ship. The

appearances on shore confirmed this; for we found grass growing close to

high-water mark, which is a sure sign of a pacific harbour.[129] It is

high water here, at the full and change days, about ten o’clock; and the

tide rises and falls about four feet.

After I had finished this business of the inscription, I went, in my

boat, round the harbour, and landed in several places, to examine what

the shore afforded; and, particularly, to look for drift wood. For,

although the land here was totally destitute of trees, this might not be

the case in other parts; and if there were any, the torrents would force

some, or, at least, some branches, into the sea, which would afterward

throw them upon the shores; as in all other countries where there is

wood, and in many where there is none: but, throughout the whole extent

of the harbour, I found not a single piece.

In the afternoon, I went upon Cape St. Louis[130], accompanied by Mr.

King, my second lieutenant. I was in hopes, from this elevation, to have

had a view of the sea-coast, and of the islands lying off it. But, when

I got up, I found every distant object below me hid in a thick fog. The

land on the same plain, or of a greater height, was visible enough, and

appeared naked and desolate in the highest degree; except some hills to

the southward, which were covered with snow.

When I got on board, I found the launch hoisted in, the ships unmoored,

and ready to put to sea; but our sailing was deferred till five o’clock

the next morning, when we weighed anchor.

CHAP. V.

DEPARTURE FROM CHRISTMAS HARBOUR.—RANGE ALONG THE COAST, TO DISCOVER ITS

POSITION AND EXTENT.—SEVERAL PROMONTORIES AND BAYS, AND A PENINSULA,

DESCRIBED AND NAMED.—DANGER FROM SHOALS.—ANOTHER HARBOUR AND A SOUND.—

MR. ANDERSON’S OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURAL PRODUCTIONS, ANIMALS, SOIL,

&C. OF KERGUELEN’S LAND.

As soon as the ships were out of Christmas Harbour, we steered S. E. 1/2

S., along the coast, with a fine breeze at N. N. W., and clear weather.

This we thought the more fortunate, as, for some time past, fogs had

prevailed, more or less, every day; and the continuance of them would

have defeated our plan of extending Kerguelen’s discovery. We kept the

lead constantly going; but seldom struck ground with a line of fifty or

sixty fathoms.

About seven or eight o’clock, we were off a promontory, which I called

Cape Cumberland. It lies a league and a half from the south point of

Christmas Harbour, in the direction of S. E. 1/2 S. Between them is a

bay with two arms, both of which seemed to afford good shelter for

shipping. Off Cape Cumberland is a small but pretty high island, on the

summit of which is a rock like a sentry-box, which occasioned our giving

that name to the island. Two miles farther to the eastward, lies a

groupe of small islands and rocks, with broken ground about them; we

sailed between these and Sentry-Box Island, the channel being a full

mile broad, and more than forty fathoms deep; for we found no bottom

with that length of line.

Being through this channel, we discovered, on the south side of Cape

Cumberland, a bay, running in three leagues to the westward. It is

formed by this Cape to the N., and by a promontory to the S., which I

named Point Pringle, after my good friend Sir John Pringle, President of

the Royal Society. The bottom of this bay was called Cumberland Bay; and

it seemed to be disjoined from the sea, which washes the N. W. coast of

this country, by a narrow neck of land. Appearances, at least, favoured

such a conjecture.

To the southward of Point Pringle, the coast is formed into a fifth bay;

of which this point is the northern extreme; and from it, to the

southern extreme, is about four miles in the direction of S. S. E. 1/2

E. In this bay, which obtained the name of White Bay, on account of some

white spots of land or rocks in the bottom of it, are several lesser

bays or coves, which seemed to be sheltered from all winds. Off the S.

point are several rocks which raise their heads above water, and,

probably, many more that do not.

Thus far our course was in a direction parallel to the coast, and not

more than two miles from it. Thither our glasses were continually

pointed; and we could easily see that, except the bottoms of the bays

and coves, which, for the most part, terminated in sandy beaches, the

shores were rocky, and, in many places, swarmed with birds; but the

country had the same barren and naked appearance as in the neighbourhood

of Christmas Harbour.

We had kept on our larboard bow the land which first opened off Cape St.

Louis[131], in the direction of S. 53° E., thinking that it was an

island, and that we should find a passage between it and the main. We

now discovered this to be a mistake; and found that it was a peninsula,

joined to the rest of the coast by a low isthmus. I called the bay,

formed by this peninsula, Repulse Bay; and a branch of it seemed to run

a good way inland towards the S. S. W. Leaving this, we steered for the

northern point of the peninsula, which we named Howe’s Foreland, in

honour of Admiral Lord Howe.

As we drew near it, we perceived some rocks and breakers near the N. W.

part; and two islands a league and a half to the eastward of it, which,

at first, appeared as one. I steered between them and the Foreland[132],

and was in the middle of the channel by noon. At that time our latitude,

by observation, was 48° 51ʹ S., and we had made twenty-six miles of E.

longitude from Cape St. Louis.[133]

From this situation, the most advanced land to the southward bore S. E.;

but the trending of the coast from the foreland was more southerly. The

islands which lie off Christmas Harbour bore N.; and the N. point of the

foreland, N. 60° W., distant three miles. The land of this peninsula, or

foreland, is of a moderate height, and of a hilly and rocky substance.

The coast is low, with rocky points shooting out from it; between which

points are little coves, with sandy beaches; and these, at this time,

were mostly covered with sea birds. We also saw upon them some seals.

As soon as we were clear of the rocks and islands before mentioned, I

gave orders to steer S. E. by S., along the coast. But before these

orders could be carried into execution, we discovered the whole sea

before us to be chequered with large beds of rock-weed, which we knew to

be fast to the bottom, and to grow on rocky shoals. I had often found a

great depth of water on such shoals; and I had as often found rocks that

have raised their heads nearly to the surface of the water. It is always

dangerous, therefore, to sail over them before they are well examined;

but more especially, when there is no surge of the sea to discover the

danger. This was the case at present, for the sea was as smooth as a

mill-pond. Consequently we endeavoured to avoid them, by steering

through the winding channels by which they were separated. We kept the

lead continually going; but never struck ground with a line of sixty

fathoms. This circumstance increased the danger, as we could not anchor,

whatever necessity there might be for it. After running in this manner

above an hour, we discovered a lurking rock, just even with the surface

of the sea. It bore N. E. 1/2 E., distant three or four miles, and lay

in the middle of one of these large beds of weeds. This was a sufficient

warning to make us use every precaution to prevent our coming upon them.

We were now across the mouth of a large bay, that lies about eight miles

to the southward of Howe’s Foreland. In and before the entrance of this

bay are several low islands, rocks, and those beds of sea-weed. But

there seemed to be winding channels between them. After continuing our

course half an hour longer, we were so much embarrassed with these

shoals, that I resolved to haul off to the eastward, as the likeliest

means of extricating ourselves from the danger that threatened us. But

so far was this from answering the intended purpose, that it brought us

into more. I therefore found it absolutely necessary to secure the

ships, if possible, in some place before night, especially as the

weather had now become hazy, and a fog was apprehended. And seeing some

inlets to the south-west of us, I ordered Captain Clerke, as the

Discovery drew less water than the Resolution, to lead in for the shore;

which was accordingly done.

In standing in, it was not possible to avoid running over the edges of

some of the shoals, on which we found from ten to twenty fathoms’ water;

and the moment we were over, had no ground at the depth of fifty

fathoms. After making a few boards to weather a spit that run out from

an island on our lee, Captain Clerke made the signal for having

discovered an harbour; in which, about five o’clock, we anchored in

fifteen fathoms’ water, over a bottom of fine dark sand, about three

quarters of a mile from the shore; the north point of the harbour

bearing N. by E. 1/2 E. one mile distant; and the small islands in the

entrance, within which we anchored, extending from E. to S. E.

Scarcely were the ships secured, when it began to blow very strong; so

that we thought it prudent to strike top-gallant yards. The weather,

however, continued fair; and the wind dispersing the fog that had

settled on the hills, it was tolerably clear also. The moment,

therefore, we had anchored, I hoisted out two boats; in one of which I

sent Mr. Bligh, the master, to survey the upper part of the harbour, and

look for wood; for not a shrub was to be seen from the ship. I also

desired Captain Clerke to send his master to sound the channel that is

on the south side of the small isles, between them and a pretty large

island which lies near the south point of the harbour. Having given

these directions, I went myself, in my other boat, accompanied by Mr.

Gore, my first lieutenant, and Mr. Bailey, and landed on the north

point, to see what I could discover from thence.

From the highest hill over the point, we had a pretty good view of the

sea-coast, as far as Howe’s Foreland. It is much indented, and several

rocky points seemed to shoot out from it, with coves and inlets of

unequal extent. One of the latter, the end of which I could not see, was

disjoined from that in which the ships were at anchor, by the point we

then stood upon. A great many small islands, rocks, and breakers

appeared scattered along the coast, as well to the southward as

northward; and I saw no better channel to get out of the harbour than by

the one through which we had entered it.

While Mr. Bailey and I were making the observations, Mr. Gore

encompassed the hill; and joined us by a different route, at the place

where I had ordered the boat to wait for us. Except the craggy

precipices, we met with nothing to obstruct our walk. For the country

was, if possible, more barren and desolate than about Christmas Harbour.

And yet, if there be the least fertility in any part of this land, we

ought to have found it in this, which is completely sheltered from the

predominating bleak southerly and westerly winds. I observed, with

regret, that there was neither food nor covering for cattle of any sort;

and that, if I left any, they must inevitably perish. In the little cove

where the boat waited for us (which I called Penguin Cove, as the beach

was covered with these birds,) is a fine rivulet of fresh water, that

may be easily come at. Here were also some large seals, shags, and a few

ducks; and Mr. Baily had a transient sight of a very small land bird;

but it flew amongst the rocks, and we lost it. About nine o’clock we got

on board.

Soon after, Mr. Bligh returned, and reported that he had been four miles

up the harbour, and, as he judged, not far from the head of it. He found

that its direction was W. S. W.; and that its breadth, a little above

the ships, did not exceed a mile; but grew narrower towards the head.

The soundings were very irregular, being from thirty-seven to ten

fathoms; and, except under the beds of sea-weed, which in many places

extended from the shore near half channel over, the bottom was a fine

sand. He landed on both shores, which he found barren and rocky, without

the least signs of tree or shrub, and with very little verdure of any

kind. Penguins, and other oceanic birds and seals, occupied part of the

coast; but not in such numbers as at Christmas Harbour.

Finding no encouragement to continue our researches, and the next

morning both wind and weather being favourable, I weighed anchor and put

to sea. To this harbour I gave the name of Port Palliser, in honour of

my worthy friend Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser. It is situated in the

latitude of 49° 3ʹ S. in the longitude of 69° 37ʹ E., and five leagues

from Howe’s Foreland, in the direction of S. 25° E. There are several

islands, rocks, and breakers lying in and without the entrance, for

which the annexed chart of the coast, and sketch of the harbour, may be

consulted. We went in and out between them and the north head; but I

have no doubt that there are other channels.

As we were standing out of Port Palliser, we discovered a round hill,

like a sugar-loaf, in the direction of S. 72° E., about nine leagues

distant. It had the appearance of an island lying at some distance from

the coast; but we afterwards found it was upon the main land. In getting

out to sea, we had to steer through the winding channels amongst the

shoals. However, we ventured to run over some of them, on which we never

found less than eighteen fathoms, and often did not strike ground with

twenty-four; so that, had it not been for the sea-weed growing upon all

of them, they would not have been discovered.

After we had got about three or four leagues from the coast, we found a

clear sea, and then steered east till nine o’clock, when the Sugar-loaf

hill, above mentioned, which I named Mount Campbell, bore S. E., and a

small island that lies to the northward of it, S. S. E., distant four

leagues. I now steered more southerly, in order to get in with the land.

At noon, the latitude by double altitudes was 49° 8ʹ S.; and we had made

eighty miles of E. longitude from Cape St. Louis.[134] Mount Campbell

bore S. 47° W., distant about four leagues; a low point, beyond which no

land was to be seen, bore S. S. E., at the distance of about twenty

miles; and we were about two leagues from the shore.

The land here is low and level.[135] The mountains ending about five

leagues from the low point, a great extent of low land is left, on which

Mount Campbell is situated, about four miles from the foot of the

mountains, and one from the sea-coast. These mountains have a

considerable elevation, as also most of the inland ones. They seemed to

be composed of naked rocks, whose summits were capt with snow. Nor did

the valleys appear to greater advantage. To whatever quarter we directed

our glasses, nothing but sterility was to be seen.

We had scarcely finished taking the bearings at noon, before we observed

low land opening off the low point just mentioned, in the direction of

S. S. E., and eight miles beyond it. This new point proved to be the

very eastern extremity of this land, and it was named Cape Digby. It is

situated in the latitude of 49° 23ʹ S., and in the longitude of 70° 34ʹ

E.

Between Howe’s Foreland and Cape Digby, the shore forms (besides the

several lesser bays and harbours) one great bay that extends several

leagues to the south-west, where it seemed to lose itself in various

arms running in between the mountains. A prodigious quantity of sea-weed

grows all over it, which seemed to be the same sort of weed that Mr.

Banks distinguished by the name of _fucus giganteus_.[136] Some of this

weed is of a most enormous length, though the stem is not much thicker

than a man’s thumb. I have mentioned, that on some of the shoals upon

which it grows, we did not strike ground with a line of twenty-four

fathoms. The depth of water, therefore, must have been greater. And as

this weed does not grow in a perpendicular direction, but makes a very

acute angle with the bottom, and much of it afterwards spreads many

fathoms on the surface of the sea, I am well warranted to say, that some

of it grows to the length of sixty fathoms and upward.

At one o’clock (having run two leagues upon a S. E. 1/2 E. course, from

noon) we sounded, and found eighteen fathoms’ water, and a bottom of

fine sand. Seeing a small bending in the coast, on the north side of

Cape Digby, I steered for it. It was my intention to anchor there, if I

should find it might be done with safety, and to land on the Cape, to

examine what the low land within it produced. After running in one

league, we sounded again, and found thirteen fathoms; and, immediately

after, saw a shoal right before us, that seemed to extend off from the

shore, from which we were distant about two miles. This discovery

obliged us to haul off, E. by S., one league, where our depth of water

encreased to twenty-five fathoms. We then steered along shore, and

continued in the same depth, over a bottom of fine sand, till Cape Digby

bore west, two leagues distant, when we found twenty-six fathoms.

After this we did not strike ground, though we tried several times; but

the ship having a good deal of way, ran the line out before the lead

could reach the bottom; and being disappointed in my views both of

anchoring and of landing, I would not shorten sail, but pushed forward,

in order to see as much of the coast as possible before night. From Cape

Digby, it trends nearly S. W. by S. for about four or five leagues, or

to a low point, to which, in honour of her Majesty, I gave the name of

Point Charlotte; and it is the southernmost on the low coast.

Six leagues from Cape Digby, in the direction of S. S. W. 1/2 W., is a

pretty high projecting point, which was called Prince of Wales’s

Foreland; and six leagues beyond that, in the same direction, and in the

latitude of 49° 54ʹ S., and the longitude of 70° 13ʹ E., is the most

southerly point of the whole coast, which I distinguished by the name of

Cape George, in honour of his Majesty.

Between Point Charlotte and Prince of Wales’s Foreland, where the

country to the south-west began again to be hilly, is a deep inlet,

which was called Royal Sound. It runs in west, quite to the foot of the

mountains which bound it on the south-west, as the low land before

mentioned does on the north. There are islands lying in the entrance,

and others higher up, as far as we could distinguish. As we advanced to

the south, we observed, on the south-west side of Prince of Wales’s

Foreland, another inlet into Royal Sound; and it then appeared, that the

Foreland was the east point of a large island lying in the mouth of it.

There are several small islands in this inlet; and one about a league to

the southward of Prince of Wales’s Foreland.

All the land on the south-west side of Royal Sound, quite to Cape

George, is composed of elevated hills, that rise directly from the sea,

one behind another, to a considerable height. Most of the summits were

capt with snow, and they appeared as naked and barren as any we had

seen. The smallest vestige of a tree or shrub was not discoverable,

either inland or on the coast; and, I think, I may venture to pronounce

that the country produces none. The low land about Cape Digby, when

examined through our glasses, resembled the rest of the low land we had

before met with; that is, it appeared to be partly naked, and partly

covered with a green turf; a description of which shall be given in its

proper place. The shore is composed of sandy beaches, on which were many

penguins and other oceanic birds; and an immense number of shags kept

perpetually flying about the ships as we sailed along.

Being desirous of getting the length of Cape George, to be assured

whether or no it was the most southerly point of the whole land, I

continued to stretch to the south, under all the sail we could carry,

till half an hour past seven o’clock; when, seeing no likelihood of

accomplishing my design, as the wind had, by this time, shifted to W. S.

W., the very direction in which we wanted to go, I took the advantage of

the shifting of the wind, and stood away from the coast.

At this time Cape George bore south 53° W. distant about seven leagues.

A small island that lies off the pitch of the Cape, was the only land we

could see to the south of it; and we were farther confirmed that there

was no more in that quarter, by a south-west swell which we met as soon

as we brought the Cape to bear in this direction.

But we have still a stronger proof that no part of this land can extend

much, if at all, to the southward of Cape George; and that is, Captain

Furneaux’s tract in February 1773, after his separation from me during

my late voyage. His log-book is now lying before me; and I find from it,

that he crossed the meridian of this land only about seventeen leagues

to the southward of Cape George; a distance at which it may very well be

seen in clear weather. This seems to have been the case when Captain

Furneaux passed it. For his log-book makes no mention of fogs or hazy

weather; on the contrary, it expressly tells us, that, when in this

situation, they had it in their power to make observations, both for

latitude and longitude, on board his ship; so that, if this land extends

farther south than Cape George, it would have been scarcely possible

that he should have passed without seeing it.

From these circumstances we are able to determine, within a very few

miles, the quantity of latitude that this land occupies; which does not

much exceed one degree and a quarter. As to its extent from east to

west, that still remains undecided. We only know, that no part of it can

reach so far to the west as the meridian of 65°; because, in 1773, under

that meridian, I searched for it in vain.[137]

The French discoverers, with some reason, imagined Cape St. Louis[138]

to be the projecting point of a southern continent. The English have

since proved that no such continent exists; and that the land in

question is an island of no great extent[139]; which, from its

sterility, I should, with great propriety, call the Island of

Desolation, but that I would not rob Monsieur de Kerguelen of the honour

of its bearing his name.[140]

Mr. Anderson, my surgeon, who, as I have already mentioned, had made

natural history a part of his studies, lost no opportunity, during the

short time we lay in Christmas Harbour, of searching the country in

every direction. He afterwards communicated to me the observations he

made on its natural productions; and I shall insert them here in his own

words.

“Perhaps no place, hitherto discovered in either hemisphere, under the

same parallel of latitude, affords so scanty a field for the naturalist

as this barren spot. The verdure which appears, when at a little

distance from the shore, would flatter one with the expectation of

meeting with some herbage; but in this we were much deceived. For on

landing, we saw that this lively colour was occasioned only by one small

plant, not much unlike some sorts of _saxifrage_, which grows in large

spreading tufts, to a considerable way up the hills. It forms a surface

of a pretty large texture, and grows on a kind of rotten turf, into

which one sinks a foot or two at every step. This turf, dried, might, in

cases of necessity, serve for fuel, and is the only thing we met with

here that could possibly be applied to this use.

“There is another plant, plentifully enough scattered about the boggy

declivities, which grows to near the height of two feet, and not much

unlike a small cabbage, when it has shot into seeds. The leaves about

the root are numerous, large, and rounded; narrower at the base, and

ending in a small point. Those on the stalks are much smaller, oblong,

and pointed. The stalks, which are often three or four, all rise

separately from the root, and run into long cylindrical heads, composed

of small flowers. It has not only the appearance, but the watery acrid

taste of the antiscorbutic plants, and yet differs materially from the

whole tribe; so that we looked upon it as a production entirely peculiar

to the place. We ate it frequently raw, and found it almost like the New

Zealand scurvy-grass. But it seemed to acquire a rank flavour by being

boiled; which, however, some of our people did not perceive, and

esteemed it good. If it could be introduced into our kitchen-gardens, it

would, in all probability, improve so far by cultivation, as to be an

excellent pot-herb. At this time, none of its seeds were ripe enough to

be preserved, and brought home, to try the experiment.

“Two other small plants were found near the brooks and boggy places,

which were eaten as sallad; the one almost like garden cresses, and very

fiery; and the other very mild. This last, though but small, is in

itself a curiosity; having not only male and female, but what the

botanists call _androgynous_ plants.

“A coarse grass, which we cut down for the cattle, grows pretty

plentifully in a few small spots about the sides of the harbour, with a

smaller sort which is rarer; and, upon the flat ground, a sort of

goose-grass, and another small plant much like it. In short, the whole

catalogue of plants does not exceed sixteen or eighteen, including some

sorts of moss, and a beautiful species of _lichen_, which grows upon the

rocks, higher up than the rest of the vegetable productions. Nor is

there even the least appearance of a shrub in the whole country.

“Nature has rather been more bountiful in furnishing it with animals;

though, strictly speaking, they are not inhabitants of the place, being

all of the marine kind; and, in general, only using the land for

breeding, and for a resting-place. The most considerable are seals, or

(as we used to call them) sea-bears; being that sort called the ursine

seal. These come ashore to rest or breed; but they were not very

numerous, which is not to be wondered at, as it is known that these

animals rather frequent out-rocks, and little islands lying off coasts,

than bays or inlets. They were, at this time, shedding their hair, and

so tame, that we killed what number we chose.

“No other quadruped, either of the sea or of the land kind, was seen;

but a great number of birds, _viz._ ducks, petrels, albatrosses, shags,

gulls, and sea-swallows.

“The ducks are about the size of a teal or widgeon; but somewhat

different in colour from either. They were in tolerable plenty about the

sides of the hills, or even lower; and we killed a considerable number,

which were good, and without the least fishy taste. We met with some of

the same sort at the island of Georgia, in our late voyage.

“The Cape petrel, or Pintado bird; the small blue one, which is always

seen at sea; and the small black one, or Mother Carey’s chicken, are not

here in great numbers. But we found a nest of the first with an egg in

it, about the size of a pullet’s; and the second, though scarce, was met

with in some holes like rabbit-burrows.

“Another sort, which is the largest of all the petrels, and called by

the seamen Mother Carey’s goose, is in greater numbers; and so tame,

that at first we could kill them with a stick upon the beach. They are

not inferior in size to an albatross, and are carnivorous, feeding on

the dead carcasses of seals or birds that were thrown into the sea.

Their colour is a sootty brown, with a greenish bill and feet; and,

doubtless, they are the same that the Spaniards call _quebrantahuessos_,

whose head is figured in Pernetty’s Voyage to Falkland Islands.

“Of the albatrosses, none were found on shore except the grey one, which

is commonly met with at sea in the higher southern latitudes. Once I saw

one of these sitting in the cliff of a rock, but they were frequently

flying about the harbour; and the common large sort, as well as a

smaller with a black face, were seen farther out.

“Penguins form, by far, the greatest number of birds here; and are of

three sorts: The first, or largest, I have seen formerly at the island

of Georgia.[141] It is also mentioned by Bougainville[142]; but it does

not seem to be so solitary as he represents it, for we found

considerable numbers flocking together. The head is black, the upper

part of the body a leaden grey, and the under part white, with black

feet. It has two broad stripes of fine yellow, that begin on the sides

of the head, and descending by each side of the neck, meet above its

breast. The bill is partly reddish, and longer than in the other sorts.

“The second sort of penguin scarcely exceeds half the size of the

former. The upper part of the body is a blackish grey, with a white spot

on the upper part of the head, growing broader at each side. The bill

and feet are yellowish. A very accurate figure and description, both of

this and of the preceding, is given by Mr. Sonnerat.[143]

“The third sort of penguin met with here, had never been seen by any of

us before. Its length is twenty-four inches, and its breadth twenty. The

upper part of the body and throat are black; the rest white, except the

upper part of the head, which has a fine yellow arch, looking backward,

and ending on each side in long soft feathers, which it can erect as two

crests.

“The two first sorts were found together on the beach; the large ones

keeping by themselves, and walking in small flocks amongst the others,

which were more numerous, and were sometimes seen a considerable way up

the sides of the hills. The third sort were only found by themselves,

but in great numbers, on the outer shores of the harbour. They were

breeding at this time; and they lay, on the bare stones, only one white

egg, larger than that of a duck. All the three sorts of penguins were so

tame, that we took as many as we pleased with our hands.

“The shags of this place are of two sorts; the lesser corvorant or

water-crow, and another, which is black above, with a white belly; the

same that is found in New Zealand, Terra del Fuego, and the island of

Georgia.

“We also met with here the common sea-gull, sea-swallow, tern, and

Port-Egmont hen; the last of which were tame and numerous.

“Another sort of white bird, flocks of which flew about the bay, is very

singular; having the base of the bill covered with a horny crust.[144]

It is larger than a pigeon, with the bill black and the feet white, made

like those of a curlew. Some of our people put it in competition with

the duck as food.

“The seine was hauled once; but we found only a few fish about the size

of a small haddock; though quite different from any we knew. The snout

is lengthened; the head armed with some strong spines; the rays of the

back-fin long, and very strong; the belly is large; and the body without

scales. The only shell fish are a few limpets and muscles; and, amongst

the stones, a few small star-fish, and sea-anemonies, were found.

“The hills are of a moderate height; yet many of their tops were covered

with snow at this time, though answering to our June. Some of them have

large quantities of stones, irregularly heaped together at their foot,

or on their sides. The sides of others, which form steep cliffs towards

the sea, are rent from the top downward, and seem ready to fall off,

having stones of a considerable size lying in the fissures. Some were of

opinion that frost might be the cause of these fissures, which I shall

not dispute; but how others of the appearances could be effected, but by

earthquakes, or some such severe shocks, I cannot say.

“It appears that rain must be almost constant here, not only from the

marks of large torrents having rushed down, but from the disposition of

the country, which, even on the hills, is almost an entire bog or swamp,

the ground sinking at every step.

“The rocks, or foundations of the hills, are composed chiefly of a dark

blue, and very hard stone, intermixed with small particles of glimmer or

quartz. This seems to be one of the most universal productions of

nature, as it constitutes whole mountains in Sweden, in Scotland, at the

Canary Islands, the Cape of Good Hope, and at this place. Another

brownish brittle stone forms here some considerable rocks; and one which

is blacker, and found in detached pieces, incloses bits of coarse

quartz. A red, a dull yellow, and a purplish sand-stone, are also found

in small pieces; and pretty large lumps of semi-transparent quartz,

disposed irregularly in polyedral pyramidal crystals of long shining

fibres. Some small pieces of the common sort are met with in the brooks,

made round by attrition; but none hard enough to resist a file. Nor were

any of the other stones acted on by aqua fortis, or attracted by the

magnet.

“Nothing that had the least appearance of an ore or metal was seen.”

CHAP. VI.

PASSAGE FROM KERGUELEN’S TO VAN DIEMEN’S LAND.—ARRIVAL IN ADVENTURE

BAY.—INCIDENTS THERE.—INTERVIEWS WITH THE NATIVES.—THEIR PERSONS AND

DRESS DESCRIBED.—ACCOUNT OF THEIR BEHAVIOUR.—TABLE OF THE LONGITUDE,

LATITUDE, AND VARIATION.—MR. ANDERSON’S OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURAL

PRODUCTIONS OF THE COUNTRY, ON THE INHABITANTS, AND THEIR LANGUAGE.

After leaving Kerguelen’s Land, I steered E. by N., intending, in

obedience to my instructions, to touch next at New Zealand, to recruit

our water, to take in wood, and to make hay for the cattle. Their

number, by this time, had been considerably diminished; two young bulls,

one of the heifers, two rams, and several of the goats, having of late

died, while we were employed in exploring this desolate coast.

The 31st, in the morning, being the day after we stood out to sea, we

had several observations of the sun and moon. Their results gave the

longitude 72° 33ʹ 36ʺ E. The time-keeper, in this situation, gave 72°

38ʹ 15ʺ. These observations were the more useful, as we had not been

able to get any for some time before, and they now served to assure us

that no material error had crept into the time-keeper.

On the 1st of January, being then in the latitude of 48° 41ʹ S.

longitude 76° 50ʹ E. the variation was 30° 39ʹ W. and the next day, in

the latitude of 48° 22ʹ S., longitude 80° 22ʹ E., it was 30° 47ʹ 18ʺ W.

This was the greatest variation we found in this passage; for afterward

it began to decrease, but so slowly, that, on the 3d, in the evening,

being then in the latitude of 48° 16ʹ S. longitude 85° E. it was 29° 38ʹ

W.

Thus far we had fresh gales from the W. and S. W. and tolerably clear

weather. But now the wind veered to the N. where it continued eight

days, and was attended with a thick fog. During this time, we ran above

three hundred leagues in the dark. Now and then the weather would clear

up, and give us a sight of the sun; but this happened very seldom, and

was always of short continuance. On the 7th, I hoisted out a boat, and

sent an order to Captain Clerke, appointing Adventure Bay, in Van

Diemen’s Land, as our place of rendezvous, in case of separation before

we arrived in the meridian of that land. But we were fortunate enough,

amidst all this foggy weather, by frequently firing guns as signals,

though we seldom saw each other, not to lose company.

On the 12th, being in the latitude of 48° 40ʹ S., longitude 110° 26ʹ E.,

the northerly winds ended in a calm; which, after a few hours, was

succeeded by a wind from the southward. This, with rain, continued for

twenty-four hours; when it freshened, and veered to the west and

north-west, and brought on fair and clear weather.

We continued our course to the eastward, without meeting with any thing

worthy of notice, till four o’clock in the morning of the 19th; when, in

a sudden squall of wind, though the Discovery received no damage, our

fore-top-mast went by the board, and carried the main-top-gallant-mast

with it. This occasioned some delay, as it took us up the whole day to

clear the wreck, and to fit another top-mast. The former was

accomplished without losing any part of it, except a few fathoms of

small rope. Not having a spare main-top-gallant-mast on board, the

fore-top-gallant-mast was converted into one for our immediate use.

The wind continued westerly, blew a fresh gale, and was attended with

clear weather; so that scarcely a day passed without being able to get

observations for fixing the longitude, and the variation of the compass.

The latter decreased in such a manner, that in the latitude of 44° 18ʹ

S., longitude 132° 2ʹ E., it was no more than 5° 34ʹ 18ʺ W.; and on the

22d, being then in the latitude of 43° 27ʹ S., longitude 141° 50ʹ E., it

was 1° 24ʹ 15ʺ E. So that we had crossed the line where the compass has

no variation.

On the 24th, at three o’clock in the morning, we discovered the coast of

Van Diemen’s Land, bearing N. 1/2 W. At four o’clock, the south-west

Cape bore N. N. W. 1/2 W.; and the Mewstone, N. E. by E. three leagues

distant. There are several islands and high rocks lying scattered along

this part of the coast, the southernmost of which is the Mewstone. It is

a round elevated rock, five or six leagues distant from the south-west

Cape, in the direction of S. 55° E.

At noon, our latitude was 43° 47ʹ S., longitude 147° E; and the

situation of the lands round us, as follows: An elevated round-topped

hill bore N. 17° W.; the south-west Cape N. 74° W.; the Mewstone, W. 1/2

N.; Swilly Isle or Rock, S. 49° E.; and the south-east or South Cape, N.

40° E. distant near three leagues. The land between the south-west and

the south capes is broken and hilly, the coast winding, with points

shooting out from it; but we were too far off; to be able to judge

whether the bays formed by these points were sheltered from the

sea-winds. The bay which appeared to be the largest and deepest, lies to

the westward of the peaked hill above-mentioned. The variation of the

compass here, was 5° 15ʹ E.

At six o’clock in the afternoon we sounded, and found sixty fathoms’

water, over a bottom of broken coral and shells. The South Cape then

bore N. 75° W., two or three leagues distant; Tasman’s Head N. E.; and

Swilly Rock S. by W. 1/2 W. About a league to the eastward of Swilly, is

another elevated rock, that is not taken notice of by Captain Furneaux.

I called it the Eddystone, from its very great resemblance to that

light-house. Nature seems to have left these two rocks here, for the

same purpose that the Eddystone light-house was built by man, viz. to

give navigators notice of the dangers around them. For they are the

conspicuous summits of a ledge of rocks under water, on which the sea,

in many places, breaks very high. Their surface is white with the dung

of sea-fowls; so that they may be seen at some distance, even in the

night. On the north-east side of Storm Bay, which lies between the South

Cape and Tasman’s Head, there are some coves or creeks, that seemed to

be sheltered from the sea-winds: and I am of opinion, that were this

coast examined, there would be found some good harbours.

Soon after we had sight of land, the westerly winds left us, and were

succeeded by variable light airs and alternate calms, till the 26th at

noon. At that time a breeze sprung up and freshened at south-east, which

put it in my power to carry into execution the design I had, upon due

consideration, formed, of carrying the ships into Adventure Bay, where I

might expect to get a supply of wood, and of grass for the cattle; of

both which articles we should, as I now found, have been in great want,

if I had waited till our arrival in New Zealand. We therefore stood for

the bay, and anchored in it at four o’clock in the afternoon, in twelve

fathoms’ water, over a bottom of sand and ouse. Penguin Island, which

lies close to the east point of the bay, bore N. 84° E.; the

southernmost point of Maria’s Islands bore N. 76° 1/2 E.; and Cape

Frederic Henry, or the north point of the bay, bore N. 33° E. Our

distance from the nearest shore was about three quarters of a mile.

As soon as we had anchored, I ordered the boats to be hoisted out. In

one of them I went myself, to look for the most commodious place for

furnishing ourselves with the necessary supplies; and Captain Clerke

went in his boat upon the same service. Wood and water we found in

plenty, and in situations convenient enough, especially the first. But

grass, of which we stood most in need, was scarce, and also very coarse.

Necessity, however, obliged us to take such as we could get.

Next morning early, I sent Lieutenant King to the east side of the bay,

with two parties; one to cut wood, and the other to cut grass, under the

protection of the marines, whom I judged it prudent to land as a guard.

For although, as yet, none of the natives had appeared, there could be

no doubt that some were in our neighbourhood, as we had seen columns of

smoke, from the time of our approaching the coast; and some now was

observed, at no great distance up in the woods. I also sent the launch

for water; and afterwards visited all the parties myself. In the

evening, we drew the seine at the head of the bay, and, at one haul,

caught a great quantity of fish. We should have got many more, had not

the net broken in drawing it ashore. Most of them were of that sort

known to seamen by the name of elephant fish. After this every one

repaired on board with what wood and grass we had cut, that we might be

ready to sail whenever the wind should serve.

This not happening next morning, the people were sent on shore again, on

the same duty as the day before. I also employed the carpenter, with

part of his crew, to cut some spars for the use of the ship; and

dispatched Mr. Roberts, one of the mates, in a small boat, to survey the

bay.

In the afternoon, we were agreeably surprised, at the place where we

were cutting wood, with a visit from some of the natives; eight men and

a boy. They approached us from the woods, without betraying any marks of

fear, or rather with the greatest confidence imaginable; for none of

them had any weapons, except one, who held in his hand a stick about two

feet long, and pointed at one end.

They were quite naked, and wore no ornaments; unless we consider as

such, and as a proof of their love of finery, some large punctures or

ridges raised on different parts of their bodies, some in straight, and

others in curved lines.

They were of the common stature, but rather slender. Their skin was

black, and also their hair, which was as woolly as that of any native of

Guinea; but they were not distinguished by remarkably thick lips, nor

flat noses. On the contrary, their features were far from being

disagreeable. They had pretty good eyes; and their teeth were tolerably

even, but very dirty. Most of them had their hair and beards smeared

with a red ointment; and some had their faces also painted with the same

composition.

They received every present we made to them without the least appearance

of satisfaction. When some bread was given, as soon as they understood

that it was to be eaten, they either returned it, or threw it away,

without even tasting it. They also refused some elephant fish, both raw

and dressed, which we offered to them. But upon giving some birds to

them, they did not return these, and easily made us comprehend that they

were fond of such food. I had brought two pigs ashore, with a view to

leave them in the woods. The instant these came within their reach, they

seized them, as a dog would have done, by the ears, and were for

carrying them off immediately; with no other intention, as we could

perceive, but to kill them.

Being desirous of knowing the use of the stick which one of our visitors

carried in his hand, I made signs to them to shew me; and so far

succeeded, that one of them set up a piece of wood as a mark, and threw

at it, at the distance of about twenty yards. But we had little reason

to commend his dexterity; for after repeated trials, he was still very

wide from the object. Omai, to shew them how much superior our weapons

were to their’s, then fired his musket at it; which alarmed them so

much, that notwithstanding all we could do or say, they ran instantly

into the woods. One of them was so frightened, that he let drop an axe

and two knives, that had been given to him. From us, however, they went

to the place where some of the Discovery’s people were employed in

taking water into their boat. The officer of that party, not knowing

that they had paid us so friendly a visit, nor what their intent might

be, fired a musket in the air, which sent them off with the greatest

precipitation.

Thus ended our first interview with the natives. Immediately after their

final retreat, judging that their fears would prevent their remaining

near enough to observe what was passing, I ordered the two pigs, being a

boar and sow, to be carried about a mile within the woods, at the head

of the bay. I saw them left there, by the side of a fresh-water brook. A

young bull and a cow, and some sheep and goats, were also, at first,

intended to have been left by me, as an additional present to Van

Diemen’s Land. But I soon laid aside all thoughts of this, from a

persuasion that the natives, incapable of entering into my views of

improving their country, would destroy them. If ever they should meet

with the pigs, I have no doubt this will be their fate. But as that race

of animals soon becomes wild, and is fond of the thickest cover of the

woods, there is great probability of their being preserved. An open

place must have been chosen for the accommodation of the other cattle;

and in such a situation, they could not possibly have remained concealed

many days.

The morning of the 29th was ushered in with a dead calm, which continued

all day, and effectually prevented our sailing. I therefore sent a party

over to the east point of the bay to cut grass; having been informed

that some of a superior quality grew there. Another party, to cut wood,

was ordered to go to the usual place, and I accompanied them myself. We

had observed several of the natives, this morning, sauntering along the

shore, which assured us, that though their consternation had made them

leave us so abruptly the day before, they were convinced that we

intended them no mischief, and were desirous of renewing the

intercourse. It was natural that I should wish to be present on the

occasion.

We had not been long landed, before about twenty of them, men and boys,

joined us, without expressing the least sign of fear or distrust. There

was one of this company conspicuously deformed; and who was not more

distinguishable by the hump upon his back, than by the drollery of his

gestures, and the seeming humour of his speeches; which he was very fond

of exhibiting, as we supposed, for our entertainment. But,

unfortunately, we could not understand him; the language spoken here

being wholly unintelligible to us. It appeared to me to be different

from that spoken by the inhabitants of the more northern parts of this

country, whom I met with in my first voyage; which is not extraordinary,

since those we now saw, and those we then visited, differ in many other

respects.[145] Nor did they seem to be such miserable wretches as the

natives whom Dampier mentions to have seen on its western coast.[146]

Some of our present groupe wore loose round their necks three or four

folds of small cord, made of the fur of some animal; and others of them

had a narrow slip of the _kangooroo_ skin tied round their ancles. I

gave to each of them a string of beads, and a medal; which I thought

they received with some satisfaction. They seemed to set no value on

iron, or on iron tools. They were even ignorant of the use of

fish-hooks, if we might judge from their manner of looking at some of

our’s which we shewed to them.

We cannot, however, suppose it to be possible that a people who inhabit

a sea-coast, and who seem to derive no part of their sustenance from the

productions of the ground, should not be acquainted with some mode of

catching fish, although we did not happen to see any of them thus

employed; nor observe any canoe or vessel, in which they could go upon

the water. Though they absolutely rejected the sort of fish that we

offered to them, it was evident that shell-fish, at least, made a part

of their food, from the many heaps of muscle-shells we saw in different

parts near the shore, and about some deserted habitations near the head

of the bay. These were little sheds or hovels built of sticks, and

covered with bark. We could also perceive evident signs of their

sometimes taking up their abode in the trunks of large trees, which had

been hollowed out by fire, most probably for this very purpose. In or

near all these habitations, and wherever there was a heap of shells,

there remained the marks of fire; an indubitable proof that they do not

eat their food raw.

After staying about an hour with the wooding party and the natives, as I

could now be pretty confident that the latter were not likely to give

the former any disturbance, I left them, and went over to the

grass-cutters on the east point of the bay, and found that they had met

with a fine patch. Having seen the boats loaded, I left that party, and

returned on board to dinner; where, some time after, Lieutenant King

arrived.

From him I learnt, that I had but just left the shore, when several

women and children made their appearance, and were introduced to him by

some of the men who attended them. He gave presents to all of them, of

such trifles as he had about him. These females wore a _kangooroo_ skin

(in the same shape as it came from the animal) tied over the shoulders,

and round the waist. But its only use seemed to be, to support their

children when carried on their backs; for it did not cover those parts

which most nations conceal; being, in all other respects, as naked as

the men, and as black, and their bodies marked with scars in the same

manner. But in this they differed from the men, that though their hair

was of the same colour and texture, some of them had their heads

completely shorn or shaved; in others this operation had been performed

only on one side, while the rest of them had all the upper part of the

head shorn close, leaving a circle of hair all round, somewhat like the

tonsure of the Romish ecclesiastics.[147] Many of the children had fine

features, and were thought pretty; but of the persons of the women,

especially those advanced in years, a less favourable report was made.

However, some of the gentlemen belonging to the Discovery, I was told,

paid their addresses, and made liberal offers of presents, which were

rejected with great disdain; whether from a sense of virtue, or the fear

of displeasing their men, I shall not pretend to determine. That this

gallantry was not very agreeable to the latter, is certain: for an

elderly man, as soon as he observed it, ordered all the women and

children to retire, which they obeyed, though some of them shewed a

little reluctance.

This conduct of Europeans amongst savages to their women, is highly

blameable; as it creates a jealousy in their men, that may be attended

with consequences fatal to the success of the common enterprize, and to

the whole body of adventurers, without advancing the private purpose of

the individual, or enabling him to gain the object of his wishes. I

believe it has been generally found amongst uncivilized people, that

where the women are easy of access, the men are the first to offer them

to strangers; and that, where this is not the case, neither the

allurement of presents, nor the opportunity of privacy, will be likely

to have the desired effect. This observation, I am sure, will hold good

throughout all the parts of the South Sea where I have been. Why then

should men act so absurd a part, as to risk their own safety, and that

of all their companions, in pursuit of a gratification which they have

no probability of obtaining?

In the afternoon I went again to the grass-cutters, to forward their

work. I found them then upon Penguin Island, where they had met with a

plentiful crop of excellent grass. We laboured hard till sunset, and

then repaired on board, satisfied with the quantity we had collected,

and which I judged sufficient to last till our arrival in New Zealand.

During our whole stay, we had either calms or light airs from the

eastward. Little or no time, therefore, was lost by my putting in at

this place. For if I had kept the sea, we should not have been twenty

leagues advanced farther on our voyage. And, short as our continuance

was here, it has enabled me to add somewhat to the imperfect

acquaintance that hath hitherto been acquired with this part of the

globe.

Van Diemen’s Land has been twice visited before. It was so named by

Tasman, who discovered it in November 1642. From that time it had

escaped all farther notice by European navigators, till Captain Furneaux

touched at it in March 1773. I hardly need say, that it is the southern

point of New Holland, which, if it doth not deserve the name of a

continent, is by far the largest island in the world.

The land is, for the most part, of a good height, diversified with hills

and valleys, and every where of a greenish hue. It is well wooded; and

if one may judge from appearances, and from what we met with in

Adventure Bay, is not ill supplied with water. We found plenty of it in

three or four places in this bay. The best, or what is most convenient

for ships that touch here, is a rivulet, which is one of several that

fall into a pond that lies behind the beach at the head of the bay. It

there mixes with the sea-water; so that it must be taken up above this

pond, which may be done without any great trouble. Fire-wood is to be

got with great ease in several places.

The only wind to which this bay is exposed, is the N. E. But as this

wind blows from Maria’s islands, it can bring no very great sea along

with it; and, therefore, upon the whole, this may be accounted a very

safe road. The bottom is clean, good holding ground; and the depth of

water from twelve to five and four fathoms. But the annexed chart will

convey a better idea of every thing necessary to be known about

Adventure Bay, than any description.

Captain Furneaux’s sketch of Van Diemen’s Land, published with the

Narrative of my last Voyage[148], appears to me to be without any

material error, except with regard to Maria’s Islands, which have a

different situation from what is there represented. What my idea of them

is, will be seen in the sketch of that coast here inserted; and I insert

it, not as the result of a more faithful, but merely of a second

examination. The longitude was determined by a great number of lunar

observations which we had before we made the land, while we were in

sight of it, and after we had left it; and reduced to Adventure Bay, and

the several principal points, by the time-keeper. The following Table

will exhibit both the longitude and latitude at one view:

Latitude south. Longitude east.

Adventure Bay, 43° 21ʹ 20ʺ 147° 29ʹ 0ʺ

Tasman’s Head, 43 33 0 147 28 0

South Cape, 43 42 0 146 56 0

South-west Cape, 43 37 0 146 7 0

Swilly Isle, 43 55 0 147 6 0

Adventure Bay, Variation of the compass 5° 15ʹ

east. Dip of the south-end of

the needle 70° 15-1/2ʹ.

We had high-water on the 29th, being two days before the last quarter of

the moon, at nine in the morning. The perpendicular rise then was

eighteen inches; and there was no appearance of its having ever exceeded

two feet and a half. These are all the memorials useful to navigation,

which my short stay has enabled me to preserve, with respect to Van

Diemen’s Land.

Mr. Anderson, my surgeon, with his usual diligence, spent the few days

we remained in Adventure Bay, in examining the country. His account of

its natural productions, with which he favoured me, will more than

compensate for my silence about them: some of his remarks on the

inhabitants will supply what I may have omitted or represented

imperfectly; and his specimen of their language, however short, will be

thought worth attending to, by those who wish to collect materials for

tracing the origin of nations. I shall only premise, that the tall

straight forest trees which Mr. Anderson describes in the following

account, are of a different sort from those which are found in the more

northern parts of this coast. The wood is very long and close-grained;

extremely tough; fit for spars, oars, and many other uses; and would, on

occasion, make good masts (perhaps none better), if a method could be

found to lighten it.

“At the bottom of Adventure Bay is a beautiful sandy beach, which seems

to be wholly formed by the particles washed by the sea from a very fine

white sand-stone, that in many places bounds the shore, and of which

Fluted Cape, in the neighbourhood, from its appearance, seems to be

composed. This beach is about two miles long, and is excellently adapted

for hauling a seine, which both ships did repeatedly with success.

Behind this, is a plain or flat, with a salt, or rather brackish lake

(running in length parallel with the beach), out of which we caught,

with angling rods, many whitish bream, and some small trout. The other

parts of the country adjoining the bay are quite hilly; and both those

and the flat are an entire forest of very tall trees, rendered almost

impassible by shrubs, brakes of fern, and fallen trees; except on the

sides of some of the hills, where the trees are but thin, and a coarse

grass is the only interruption.

“To the northward of the bay, there is low land, stretching farther than

the eye can reach, which is only covered with wood in certain spots; but

we had no opportunity to examine in what respects it differed from the

hilly country. The soil on the flat land is either sandy, or consists of

a yellowish mould, and, in some places, of a reddish clay. The same is

found on the lower part of the hills; but farther up, especially where

there are few trees, it is of a gray tough cast, to appearance very

poor.

“In the valleys between the hills, the water drains down from their

sides; and at last, in some places, forms small brooks; such indeed as

were sufficient to supply us with water, but by no means of that size we

might expect in so extensive a country, especially as it is both hilly

and well wooded. Upon the whole, it has many marks of being naturally a

very dry country; and perhaps might (independent of its wood) be

compared to Africa, about the Cape of Good Hope, though that lies ten

degrees farther northward, rather than to New Zealand, on its other

side, in the same latitude, where we find every valley, however small,

furnished with a considerable stream of water. The heat too appears to

be great, as the thermometer stood at 64, 70, and once at 74. And it was

remarked, that birds were seldom killed an hour or two, before they were

almost covered with small maggots, which I would rather attribute merely

to the heat; as we had not any reason to suppose there is a peculiar

disposition in the climate to render substances soon putrid.

“No mineral bodies, nor indeed stones of any other sort, but the white

sand one already mentioned, were observed.

“Amongst the vegetable productions, there is not one, that we could

find, which afforded the smallest subsistence for man.

“The forest trees are all of one sort, growing to a great height, and in

general quite straight, branching but little, till towards the top. The

bark is white, which makes them appear, at a distance, as if they had

been peeled; it is also thick; and within it are sometimes collected,

pieces of a reddish transparent gum or resin, which has an astringent

taste. The leaves of this tree are long, narrow, and pointed; and it

bears clusters of small white flowers, whose cups were, at this time,

plentifully scattered about the ground, with another sort resembling

them somewhat in shape, but much larger; which makes it probable that

there are two _species_ of this tree. The bark of the smaller branches,

fruit, and leaves, have an agreeable pungent taste, and aromatic smell,

not unlike peppermint; and in its nature, it has some affinity to the

_myrtus_ of botanists.

“The most common tree, next to this, is a small one about ten feet high,

branching pretty much, with narrow leaves, and a large, yellow,

cylindrical flower, consisting only of a vast number of filaments;

which, being shed, leave a fruit like a pine-top. Both the

above-mentioned trees are unknown in Europe.

“The underwood consists chiefly of a shrub somewhat resembling a myrtle,

and which seems to be the _leptospermum scoparium_, mentioned in Dr.

Forster’s _Char. Gen. Plant._; and, in some places, of another, rather

smaller, which is a new _species_ of the _melaleuca_ of Linnæus.

“Of other plants, which are by no means numerous, there is a _species_

of _gladiolus_, rush, bell-flower, samphire, a small sort of

wood-sorrel, milk-wort, cudweed, and Job’s tears; with a few others,

peculiar to the place. There are several kinds of fern, as polypody,

spleenwort, female fern, and some mosses; but the _species_ are either

common, or at least found in some other countries, especially New

Zealand.

“The only animal of the quadruped kind we got, was a sort of _opossum_,

about twice the size of a large rat; and is, most probably, the male of

that _species_ found at Endeavour River, as mentioned in Hawkesworth’s

Collection of Voyages.[149] It is of a dusky colour above, tinged with a

brown or rusty cast, and whitish below. About a third of the tail,

towards its tip, is white, and bare underneath; by which it probably

hangs on the branches of trees, as it climbs these, and lives on

berries. The _kangooroo_, another animal found farther northward in New

Holland, as described in the same Voyage[150], without all doubt also

inhabits here, as the natives we met with had some pieces of their

skins; and we several times saw animals, though indistinctly, run from

the thickets when we walked in the woods, which, from the size, could be

no other. It should seem also, that they are in considerable numbers,

from the dung we saw almost every where, and from the narrow tracks or

paths they have made amongst the shrubbery.

“There are several sorts of birds, but all so scarce and shy, that they

are evidently harassed by the natives, who, perhaps, draw much of their

subsistence from them. In the woods, the principal sorts are large brown

hawks or eagles; crows, nearly the same as ours in England; yellowish

paroquets; and large pigeons. There are also three or four small birds,

one of which is of the thrush kind; and another small one, with a pretty

long tail, has part of the head and neck of a most beautiful azure

colour; from whence we named it _motacilla cyanea_. On the shore were

several common and sea gulls; a few black oyster catchers, or sea pies;

and a pretty plover of a stone colour, with a black hood. About the pond

or lake behind the beach, a few wild ducks were seen; and some shags

used to perch upon the high leafless trees near the shore.

“Some pretty large blackish snakes were seen in the woods; and we killed

a large, hitherto unknown, lizard, fifteen inches long and six round,

elegantly clouded with black and yellow; besides a small sort, of a

brown gilded colour above, and rusty below.

“The sea affords a much greater plenty, and at least as great a variety

as the land. Of these the elephant fish, or _pejegallo_, mentioned in

Frezier’s Voyage[151], are the most numerous; and though inferior to

many other fish, were very palatable food. Several large rays, nurses,

and small leather-jackets, were caught; with some small white bream,

which were firmer and better than those caught in the lake. We likewise

got a few soles and flounders; two sorts of gurnards, one of them a new

_species_; some small spotted mullet; and, very unexpectedly, the small

fish with a silver band on its side, called _atherina hepsetus_ by

Hasselquist.[152]

“But that next in number, and superior in goodness, to the elephant

fish, was a sort none of us recollected to have seen before. It partakes

of the nature both of a round and of a flat fish, having the eyes placed

very near each other; the fore-part of the body much flattened or

depressed, and the rest rounded. It is of a brownish sandy colour, with

rusty spots on the upper part, and whitish below. From the quantity of

slime it was always covered with, it seems to live after the manner of

flat fish, at the bottom.

“Upon the rocks are plenty of muscles, and some other small shell-fish.

There are also great numbers of sea-stars; some small limpets; and large

quantities of sponge; one sort of which, that is thrown on shore by the

sea, but not very common, has a most delicate texture; and another, is

the _spongia dichotoma_.

“Many pretty _Medusa’s heads_ were found upon the beach; and the

stinking _laplysia_, or sea-hare, which, as mentioned by some authors,

has the property of taking off the hair by the acrimony of its juice;

but this sort was deficient in this respect.

“Insects, though not numerous, are here in considerable variety. Amongst

them are grashoppers, butterflies, and several sorts of small moths,

finely variegated. There are two sorts of dragon-flies, gad-flies,

camel-flies; several sorts of spiders; and some scorpions; but the last

are rather rare. The most troublesome, though not very numerous tribe of

insects, are the musquitoes; and a large black ant, the pain of whose

bite is almost intolerable, during the short time it lasts. The

musquitoes, also, make up the deficiency of their number, by the

severity of their venemous _proboscis_.

“The inhabitants whom we met with here, had little of that fierce or

wild appearance common to people in their situation; but, on the

contrary, seemed mild and cheerful, without reserve or jealousy of

strangers. This, however, may arise from their having little to lose or

care for.

“With respect to personal activity or genius, we can say but little of

either. They do not seem to possess the first in any remarkable degree;

and as for the last, they have, to appearance, less than even the

half-animated inhabitants of Terra del Fuego, who have not invention

sufficient to make clothing for defending themselves from the rigor of

their climate, though furnished with the materials. The small stick,

rudely pointed, which one of them carried in his hand, was the only

thing we saw that required any mechanical exertion, if we except the

fixing on the feet of some of them pieces of _kangooroo_ skin, tied with

thongs; though it could not be learnt whether these were in use as

shoes, or only to defend some sore. It must be owned, however, they are

masters of some contrivance, in the manner of cutting their arms and

bodies in lines of different lengths and directions, which are raised

considerably above the surface of the skin, so that it is difficult to

guess the method they use in executing this embroidery of their persons.

Their not expressing that surprize which one might have expected from

their seeing men so much unlike themselves, and things to which, we were

well assured, they had been hitherto utter strangers, their indifference

for our presents, and their general inattention, were sufficient proofs

of their not possessing any acuteness of understanding.

“Their colour is a dull black, and not quite so deep as that of the

African Negroes. It should seem also, that they sometimes heightened

their black colour, by smutting their bodies; as a mark was left behind

on any clean substance, such as white paper, when they handled it. Their

hair, however, is perfectly woolly, and it is clotted or divided into

small parcels, like that of the Hottentots, with the use of some sort of

grass, mixed with a red paint or ochre, which they smear in great

abundance over their heads. This practice, as some might imagine, has

not the effect of changing their hair into the frizzling texture we

observed; for, on examining the head of a boy, which appeared never to

have been smeared, I found the hair to be of the same kind. Their noses,

though not flat, are broad and full. The lower part of the face projects

a good deal, as is the case of most Indians I have seen; so that a line

let fall from the forehead, would cut off a much larger portion than it

would in Europeans. Their eyes are of a middling size, with the white

less clear than in us; and though not remarkably quick or piercing, such

as give a frank cheerful cast to the whole countenance. Their teeth are

broad, but not equal, nor well set; and either from nature or from dirt,

not of so true a white as is usual among people of a black colour. Their

mouths are rather wide; but this appearance seems heightened by wearing

their beards long, and clotted with paint, in the same manner as the

hair on their heads. In other respects, they are well-proportioned;

though the belly seems rather projecting. This may be owing to the want

of compression there, which few nations do not use, more or less. The

posture of which they seem fondest, is to stand with one side forward,

or the upper part of the body gently reclined, and one hand grasping

(across the back) the opposite arm, which hangs down by the projecting

side.

“What the ancient poets tell us of _Fauns_ and _Satyrs_ living in hollow

trees, is here realized. Some wretched constructions of sticks, covered

with bark, which do not even deserve the name of huts, were indeed found

near the shore in the bay; but these seemed only to have been erected

for temporary purposes; and many of their largest trees were converted

into more comfortable habitations. These had their trunks hollowed out

by fire, to the height of six or seven feet; and that they take up their

abode in them sometimes, was evident from the hearths, made of clay, to

contain the fire in the middle, leaving room for four or five persons to

sit round it.[153] At the same time, these places of shelter are

durable; for they take care to leave one side of the tree sound, which

is sufficient to keep it growing as luxuriantly as those which remain

untouched.