well armed, under the command of the ensign[118] chevalier d’Oraison, to
sound and visit the bay; and during this operation, we endeavoured to
keep near enough to follow his signals. The weather was fair, but almost
calm. At three o’clock we saw the rocky bottom under us, in ten and in
eight fathoms. At four our boats made signal of a good anchorage, and we
immediately worked with all sails set to gain it. It blew very little,
and the tide set against us. At five we repassed the rocky bank in ten,
nine, eight, seven and six fathoms. We likewise saw an eddy within a
cable’s length to the S. S. E. seeming to indicate that there was no
more than two or three fathoms of water. By steering to N. W. and N. W.
by N. we deepened our water. I made signal to the Etoile to bear away,
in order to avoid this bank, and I sent her boat to her to guide her to
the anchorage. However, we did not advance, the wind being too weak to
assist us in stemming the tide, and night coming on very fast. In two
full hours we did not gain half a league, and we were obliged to give up
all thoughts of coming to this anchorage, as we could not go in search
of it in the dark, being surrounded by shoals, reefs, and rapid and
irregular currents. Accordingly we stood W. by N. and W. N. W. in order
to get off shore again, sounding frequently. Having made the north point
of the N. E. land, we bore away N. W. afterwards N. N. W. and then
north. I now resume the account of the expedition of our boats.
[Sidenote: The islanders attack our boats.]
Before they entered the bay, they had ranged its north point, which is
formed by a peninsula, along which they found from nine to thirteen
fathoms, sand and coral bottom. They then entered into the bay, and
about a quarter of a league from the entrance, found a very good
anchorage, in nine and twelve fathoms, bottom of grey sand and gravel,
sheltered from S. E. to S. W. by the east and north. They were just
taking soundings, when they all at once saw ten periaguas appear at the
entrance of the bay, having on board about one hundred and fifty men,
armed with bows, lances, and shields. They came out of a creek, at the
bottom of which is a little river, whose banks are covered with huts.
These periaguas advanced in good order, and as fast as possible towards
our boats; and when they thought they were near enough, they divided
very dexterously into two squadrons to surround them. The Indians then
made horrible cries, and taking their bows and lances, they began an
attack, which they must have thought would be a mere play to them,
against such a handful of people. Our people discharged their arms at
them; but this did not stop them. They continued to shoot their arrows
and throw their lances, covering themselves with their shields, which
they looked upon as a defensive weapon. A second discharge put them to
flight; several of them leaped into the sea in order to swim on shore.
[Sidenote: Description of their boats.] Our people took two of their
periaguas: they are long, well wrought, their head and stern very much
raised, to shelter the people against arrows, by turning either end of
the boat towards the enemy. On the head of one of these periaguas, they
had carved the head of a man; the eyes were of mother of pearl; the ears
of tortoise-shell, and the whole figure resembled a mask with a long
beard. The lips were dyed of a bright red. In their periaguas our people
found bows, arrows in great quantity, lances, shields, cocoa-nuts, and
several other fruits, of what species we could not tell, arecca, several
little utensils employed by the Indians for various purposes, some nets
with very fine meshes, very well knit, and the jaw of a man, half
broiled. [Sidenote: Description of the islanders.] These islanders are
black, and have curled hair, which they dye white, yellow or red. Their
audacity in attacking us, their custom of bearing offensive and
defensive arms, and their dexterous management of them, prove that they
are almost constantly at war. We have in general observed in the course
of this voyage, that the black men are much more ill-natured than those
whose colour comes near to white. These islanders are naked, excepting
their privy parts, which are covered by a piece of mat. Their shields
are oval, and made of rushes, twisted above each other, and very well
connected. They must be impenetrable by arrows. We called the river and
creek from when these brave islanders came, the Warriors River (_Riviere
aux Guerriers_). The whole isle and the bay obtained the name of Isle
and Bay Choiseul. The peninsula on the north side of the bay is covered
all over with cocoa-nut trees.
[Sidenote: Farther discoveries which we made.]
It blew very little the two following days. After leaving the passage,
we discovered to the westward a long hilly coast, the tops of whose
mountains were covered with clouds. The 2d in the evening we still saw
part of the Isle of Choiseul. The 3d in the morning we saw nothing but
the new coast, which is of a surprising height, and which lies N. W. by
W. Its north part then appeared terminated by a point which insensibly
grows lower, and forms a remarkable cape. I gave it the name of Cape
_l’Averdi_. On the 3d at noon it bore about twelve leagues W. ½ N. and
as we observed the sun’s meridian altitude, we were enabled to determine
the latitude of this cape with precision. The clouds which lay on the
heights of the land dispersed at sun-setting, and shewed us mountains of
a prodigious height. On the 4th, when the first rays of the sun
appeared, we got sight of some lands to the westward of Cape l’Averdi.
It was a new coast, less elevated than the former, lying N. N. W.
Between the S. S. E. point of this land and Cape l’Averdi, there remains
a great gap, forming either a passage or a considerable gulph. At a
great distance we saw some hillocks on it. Behind, this new coast we
perceived a much higher one, lying in the same direction. We stood as
near as possible to come near the low lands. At noon we were about five
leagues distant from it, and set its N. N. W. point bearing S. W. by W.
In the afternoon three periaguas, in each of which were five or six
negroes, came from the shore to view our ships. They stopped within
musket shot, and continued at that distance near an hour, when our
repeated invitations at last determined them to come nearer. Some
trifles which were thrown to them, fastened on pieces of planks,
inspired them with some confidence. They came along-side of the ships,
shewing cocoa-nuts, and crying _bouca, bouca, onelle!_ They repeated
these words incessantly, and we afterwards pronounced them as they did,
which seemed to give them much pleasure. [Sidenote: Description of some
islanders who come near the ship.] They did not long keep along-side of
the vessel. They made signs that they were going to fetch us cocoa-nuts.
We applauded their resolution; but they were hardly gone twenty yards,
when one of these perfidious fellows let fly an arrow, which happily hit
nobody. After that, they fled as fast as they could row: our superior
strength set us above punishing them.
These negroes are quite naked; they have curled short hair, and very
long ears, which are bored through. Several had dyed their wool red, and
had white spots on different parts of the body. It seems they chew
_betel_, as their teeth are red. We found that the inhabitants of the
Isle of Choiseul likewise make use of it; for in their periaguas we
found little bags, containing the leaves, with areka and lime. From
these negroes we got bows of six feet long, and arrows armed with points
of a very hard wood. Their periaguas are less than those from the
Warriors Creek; and we were surprised to find no resemblance in their
construction. This last kind of periaguas had no great elevation at the
head and stern; they were without any out-rigger, but broad enough for
two men to work at the oar in one row. This isle, which we named
_Bouka_, seems to be extremely well peopled, if we may judge so by the
great number of huts upon it, and by the appearance of cultivation which
it has. A fine plain, about the middle of the coast, all over planted
with cocoa-nut trees, and other trees, offered a most agreeable
prospect, and made me very desirous of finding an anchorage on it; but
the contrary wind, and a rapid current, which carried to the N. W.
visibly brought us further from it. During night we stood as close as
possible, steering S. by W. and S. S. W. and the next morning the Isle
of Bouka was already very far from us to the east and S. E. The evening
before, we had perceived a little isle, bearing N. W. and N. W. by W. We
could not, upon the whole, be far from New Britain, where we hoped to
take shelter at.
[Sidenote: Anchorage on the coast of New Britain.]
On the 5th, in the afternoon, we got sight of two little isles to the N.
and N. N. W. ten or twelve leagues distant, and almost at the same
instant another more considerable one between N. W. and W. Of this last,
the nearest lands at half past five o’clock in the evening, bore N. W.
by W. about seven leagues distant. The coast was high, and seemed to
form several bays. As we had neither water nor wood left, and our sick
were growing worse, I resolved to stop here, and we made all night the
most advantageous boards to keep this land under our lee. The 6th, at
day-break, we were five or six leagues distant from it, and bore away
for it, at the same moment when we discovered another new land, which
was high, and in appearance very fine, bearing W. S. W. of the former,
from eighteen to twelve, and to ten leagues distance. At eight o’clock,
being about three leagues from the first land, I sent the chevalier du
Bouchage with two armed boats to view it, and see whether there was an
anchorage. At one o’clock in the afternoon he made signal of having
found one; and I immediately gave order to fill the sails, and bore down
for a boat, which he sent to meet us; at three o’clock we came to an
anchor in 33 fathom, bottom of fine white sand, and ooze. The Etoile
anchored nearer the shore than we did, in 21 fathom, same bottom.
[Sidenote: Qualities and marks of the anchorage.]
In entering, you have a little isle and a key to the westward, on the
larboard side; they are about half a league off shore. A point,
advancing opposite the key, forms within a true port, sheltered against
all the winds; the bottom being, in every part of it, a fine white sand,
from 35 to 15 fathom. On the eastern point there is a visible ledge,
which does not extend out to sea. You likewise see, to the northward of
the bay, two small ledges, which appear at low water. Close to the reefs
there is 12 fathom of water. The entrance to this port is very easy; the
only precaution which must be taken, is to range the eastern point very
near, and to carry much sail; for as soon as you have doubled it, you
are becalmed, and can enter only by the head-way, which the ship makes.
Our bearings, when at an anchor, were as follows: The key, at the
entrance, bore W. 9° 45′ S. the eastern point of the entrance, W. 10° S.
the western point, W. by N. the bottom of the harbour, S. E. by E. We
moored east and west, spending the rest of the day with those manœuvres,
and with striking yards and top-masts, hoisting out our boats, and
visiting the whole circuit of the harbour.
[Sidenote: Description of the port and its environs.]
It rained all the next night, and almost the whole day of the 7th. We
sent all our water-casks on shore, pitched some tents, and began to fill
water, take in wood, and make lies for washing, all which were
absolutely necessary occupations. The landing-place was handsome, on a
fine sand, without any rocks or surf; in the bottom of the port, in the
space of four hundred yards, we found four brooks. We took three for our
use; the one for the Boudeuse, and the other for the Etoile to water at,
and the third for washing. The wood was near the sea-side, and there
were several sorts of it, all very good fuel; some excellent for
carpenters, joiners, and even for veneering. The two ships were within
hail of each other, and of the shore. Besides this, the harbour and its
environs were not inhabited within a great distance, by which means we
enjoyed a very precious and undisturbed liberty. Thus we could not wish
for a safer anchorage, a more convenient place for taking in water and
wood, making those repairs which the ships most urgently wanted, and
letting our people, who were sick of the scurvy, ramble about the woods
at their ease.
Such were the advantages of this harbour; but it likewise had its
inconveniencies. Notwithstanding all our searches, we could neither find
cocoa-nut trees and bananas, nor had we any other resources, which by
good-will, or by force could have been obtained in an inhabited country.
If the fishery should not happen to be abundant, we could expect nothing
else here than safety and the mere necessaries. We had therefore great
reason to fear, that our sick would not recover. It is true, we had none
that were very ill, but many were infected; and if they did not mend,
the progress of the disease must of course become more rapid.
[Sidenote: Extraordinary adventure.]
On the first day we found a periagua, as it were deposited, and two
huts, on the banks of a rivulet, at a mile’s distance from our camp. The
periagua had an out-rigger, was very light, and in good order. Near it
there were the remains of several fires, some great calcined shells, and
some skeletons of the heads of animals, which M. de Commerçon said were
wild boars. The savages had but lately been in this place; for some
bananas were found quite fresh in the huts. Some of our people really
thought they heard the cries of men towards the mountains; but we have
since verified, that they have mistaken for such the plaintive notes of
a large crested pigeon, of an azure plumage, and which has the name of
_crowned bird_[119] in the Moluccas. We found something still more
extraordinary on the banks of this river. A sailor, belonging to my
barge, being in search of shells, found buried in the sand, a piece of a
plate of lead, on which we read these remains of English words,
HOR’D HERE
ICK MAJESTY’s
There yet remained the mark of the nails, with which they had fastened
this inscription, that did not seem to be of any ancient date. The
savages had, doubtless, torn off the plate, and broke it in pieces.
[Sidenote: Marks of an English camp.]
This adventure engaged us carefully to examine all the neighbourhood of
our anchorage. We therefore ran along the coast within the isle which
covers the bay; we followed it for about two leagues, and came to a deep
bay of very little breadth, open to the S. W. at the bottom of which we
landed, near a fine river. Some trees sawed in pieces, or cut down with
hatchets, immediately struck our eyes, and shewed us that this was the
place where the English put in at. We now had little trouble to find the
spot where the inscription had been placed. It was a very large, and
very apparent tree, on the right hand shore of the river, in the middle
of a great place, where we concluded that the English had pitched their
tents; for we still saw several ends of rope fastened to the trees; the
nails stuck in the tree; and the plate had been torn off but a few days
before; for the marks of it appeared quite fresh. In the tree itself,
there were notches cut, either by the English or the islanders. Some
fresh shoots, coming up from one of the trees which was cut down, gave
us an opportunity of concluding, that the English had anchored in this
bay but about four months ago. The rope, which we found, likewise
sufficiently indicated it; for though it lay in a very wet place, it was
not rotten. I make no doubt, but that the ship which touched here, was
the Swallow; a vessel of fourteen guns, commanded by captain Carteret,
and which sailed from Europe in August 1766, with the Dolphin, captain
Wallace. We have since heard of this ship at Batavia, where I shall
speak of her; and where it will appear, that we from thence followed her
track to Europe. This is a very strange chance, by which we, among so
many lands, come to the very spot where this rival nation had left a
monument of an enterprise similar to our’s.
[Sidenote: Productions of the country.]
The rain was almost continual to the 11th. There seemed to be a very
high wind out at sea; but the port is sheltered on all sides, by the
high mountains which surround it. We accelerated our works, as much as
the bad weather would permit. I likewise ordered our longboat to
under-run the cables, and to weigh an anchor, in order to be better
assured concerning the nature of the bottom; we could not wish for a
better. One of our first cares had been to search, (and certainly it was
our interest to do so) whether the country could furnish any
refreshments to our sick, and some solid food to the healthy. Our
searches were fruitless. The fishery was entirely unsuccessful; and we
only found in the woods a few thatch-palms, and cabbage-trees in very
small number; and even these we were obliged to dispute with enormous
ants, of which innumerable swarms forced us to abandon several of these
trees, already cut down by us. It is true, we saw five or six wild
boars; and, since that time, some huntsmen were always out in search of
them; but they never killed one. They were the only quadrupeds we saw
here.
Some people likewise thought they had seen the footsteps of a tyger-cat.
We have killed some large pigeons of great beauty. Their plumage was
green-gold; their neck and belly of a greyish-white; and they have a
little crest on the head. Here are likewise turtle-doves, some
widow-birds larger than those of the Brasils, parrots, crown-birds; and
another kind, whose cry so well resembles the barking of a dog, that
every one who hears it for the first time, must be deceived by it. We
have likewise seen turtle in different parts of the channel; but this
was not the season when they lay eggs. In this bay are fine sandy
creeks, where I believe a good number of turtle could be caught at the
proper time.
All the country is mountainous; the soil is very light, and the rocks
are hardly covered with it. However, the trees are very tall, and there
are several species of very fine wood. There we find the Betel, the
Areca, and the fine Indian-reed, which we get from the Malays. It grows
here in marshy places; but whether it requires a peculiar culture, or
whether the trees, which entirely overshadow the earth, hinder its
growth, and change its quality, or whether we were not here at the
proper season when it is in maturity, so much is certain, that we never
found any fine ones here. The pepper-tree is likewise common to this
country; but it had neither fruit nor. flowers at this season. The
country, upon the whole, is not very rich for a botanist. There remain
no marks in it of any fixed habitation: it is certain that the Indians
come this way from time to time; we frequently found places upon the
sea-shore, where they had stopped; the remnants of their meals easily
betrayed them.
[Sidenote: Cruel famine
which we suffer.]
On the 10th, a sailor died on board the Etoile, of a complication of
disorders, without any mixture of the scurvy. The three following days
were fine, and we made good use of them. We refitted the heel of our
mizen-mast, which was worm-eaten in the step; and the Etoile shortened
hers, the head of it being sprung. We likewise took in, from on board
the store-ship, the flour and biscuit which still belonged to us, in
proportion to our number. There were fewer pulse than we at first
thought, and I was obliged to cut off above a third part of the
allowance of the (_gourganes_) pease or caravanses for our soup: I say
ours, for every thing was equally distributed. The officers and the
sailors had the same nourishment; our situation, like death, rendered
all ranks of men equal. We likewise profited of the fair weather, to
make good observations.
[Sidenote: Observation of longitude.]
On the 11th, in the morning, M. Verron brought his quadrant and pendulum
on shore, and employed them the same day, to take the sun’s altitude at
noon. The motion of the pendulum was exactly determined by several
corresponding altitudes, taken for two days consecutively. On the 13th,
there was an eclipse of the sun visible to us, and we got every thing in
readiness to observe it, if the weather permitted. It was very fair; and
we saw both the moment of immersion, and that of emersion. M. Verron
observed with a telescope of nine feet; the chevalier du Bouchage with
one of Dollond’s acromatic telescopes, four feet long; my place was at
the pendulum. The beginning of the eclipse was to us, on the 13th, at
10h. 5′ 45″ in the morning, the end at 00 h. 28′ 16″ true time, and its
magnitude 3′ 22″. We have buried an inscription under the very spot
where the pendulum had been; and we called this harbour _Port Praslin_.
This observation is so much the more important, as it was now possible,
by its means, and by the astronomical observations, made upon the coast
of Peru, to determine, in a certain fixed manner, the extent of
longitude of the vast Pacific Ocean, which, till now, had been so
uncertain. Our good fortune, in having fair weather at the time of the
eclipse, was so much the greater, as from that day to our departure
there was not a single day but what was dreadful. The continued rains,
together with the suffocating heat, rendered our stay here very
pernicious to us. On the 16th, the frigate had completed her works, and
we employed all our boats to finish those of the Etoile. This store-ship
was quite light, and as there were no stones proper for ballast, we were
obliged to make use of wood for that purpose; this was a long
troublesome labour, which in these forests, where an eternal humidity
prevails, is likewise unwholesome.
[Sidenote: Description of two insects.]
Here we daily killed snakes, scorpions, and great numbers of insects, of
a singular sort. They are three or four inches long, and covered over
with a kind of armour; they have six legs, projecting points on the
sides, and a very long tail. Our people likewise brought me another
creature, which appeared extraordinary to us all. It is an insect about
three inches long, and belongs to the Mantis genus. Almost every part of
its body is of such a texture, as one would take for a leaf, even when
one looks closely at it. Each of its wings is one half of a leaf, which
is entire when the two wings are closed together; the under side of its
body resembles a leaf, of a more dead colour than the upper one. The
creature has two antennæ and six legs, of which the upper joints are
likewise similar to parts of leaves. M. de Commerçon has described this
singular insect; and I placed it in the king’s cabinet, preserved in
spirits.
Here we found abundance of shells, many of them very fine. The shoals
offered treasures for the study of Conchology. We met with ten
hammer-oysters in one place, and they are said to be a scarce
species[120]. The curiosity of some of our people was accordingly raised
to a great pitch; but an accident happening to one of our sailors abated
their zeal. [Sidenote: Sailor bit by a water-snake.] He was bit in the
water by a kind of snake as he was hauling the seine. The poisonous
effects of the bite appeared in half an hour’s time. The sailor felt an
excessive pain all over his body. The spot where he had been bit, which
was on the left side, became livid, and swelled visibly. Four or five
scarifications extracted a quantity of blood, which was already
dissolved. Our people were obliged to lead the patient walking, to
prevent his getting convulsions. He suffered greatly for five or six
hours together. At last the treacle (_theriaque_) and flower de luce
water which had been given him, brought on an abundant perspiration, and
cured him.
This accident made every one more circumspect and careful in going into
the water. Our Taiti-man curiously observed the patient during the whole
course of his sickness. He let us know that in his country were snakes
along the sea-shore, which bit the people in the sea, and that every one
who was thus bit died of the wound. They have a kind of medicinal
knowledge, but I do not believe it is extensive at all. The Taiti-man
was surprised to see the sailor return to his work, four or five days
after the accident had happened to him. When he examined the productions
of our arts, and the various means by which they augment our faculties,
and multiply our forces, this islander would often fall into an extatic
fit, and blush for his own country, saying with grief, _aouaou Taiti, fy
upon Taiti_. However, he did not like to express that he felt our
superiority over his nation. It is incredible how far his haughtiness
went. We have observed that he was as supple as he was proud; and this
character at once shews that he lives in a country where there is an
inequality of ranks, and points out what rank he holds there.
[Sidenote: Bad weather which persecutes us.]