not see the isle of Bourbon. As we got further from the land, the
weather cleared up by degrees. The wind was fair and blew fresh; but our
new main-mast soon caused us as much anxiety as the first. It described
so considerable an arch at the head, that I durst not make use of the
top gallant-sail, nor carry the top-sails hoisted up.
[Sidenote: Bad weather which we meet with.]
From the 22d of December to the 8th of January, we had a constant
head-wind, bad weather, or calms. I was told, that these west winds were
quite without example at this season. They however retarded us for a
fortnight successively, during which we kept trying or beating to
windward with a very great sea. We got sight of the coast of Africa
before we had any soundings. When we first saw this land, which we took
to be the Cape of Shoals, (_Cabo dos Baxos_) we had no bottom. On the
30th we sounded 78 fathom, and from that day we kept on Bank Aguilhas,
being almost constantly in sight of the land. [Sidenote: 1768. January.]
We soon fell in with several Dutch ships, of the Batavia fleet; their
fore-runner set sail from thence on the 20th of October, and the fleet
the 6th of November; the Dutch were still more surprised than we were at
the westerly winds blowing so much out of season.
At last, on the 18th of January in the morning, we had sight of Cape
False, and soon after of the land of the Cape of Good Hope. [Sidenote:
Nautical advice.] I must here observe, that five leagues E. S. E. of
Cape False, there is a very dangerous rock under the water; that to the
eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, there is a reef extending about one
third of a league to the offing, and that at the foot of the Cape itself
there is a rock running out to sea to the same distance. I was come up
with a Dutch ship, which I had perceived in the morning, and I had
shortened sail, in order not to pass by her, but to follow her if she
intended to enter in the night-time. At seven o’clock in the evening,
she took in her top-gallant-sails, studding-sails, and even top-sails; I
then stood out to sea, and plyed all night, with a very fresh southerly
wind, varying from S. S. E. to S. S. W.
At day-break, the currents had set us near nine leagues to the W. N. W.
the Dutch ship was above four leagues to the leeward of us, and we were
obliged to croud sail, in order to make good again what we had lost.
Therefore those who must pass the night on their boards, with the
intention of entering the bay of the Cape in the morning, would do well
to bring-to at the eastern point of the Cape of Good Hope, keeping about
three leagues off shore; being in this position, the currents will set
them in a good situation for entering early in the morning. At nine
o’clock in the morning we anchored in Table-bay, at the Cape, at the
head of the road, and we moored N. N. E. and S. S. W. Here were fourteen
ships of several nations, and several others arrived during our stay.
Captain Carteret had sailed from hence on Epiphany-day. We saluted the
town with fifteen guns, and they returned the salute with an equal
number.
[Sidenote: We touch at the Cape of Good Hope.]
We had all possible reasons to be content with the governor and
inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope; they were desirous of procuring us
all that is useful and agreeable. I shall not stop to describe this
place, which every body knows. The Cape immediately depends upon Europe,
and not upon Batavia, neither with regard to its civil and military
administration, nor to the appointment of persons to places. It is even
sufficient to have had an employment at the Cape, to exclude one from
obtaining one at Batavia. However, the council of the Cape corresponds
with that of Batavia, with regard to commercial affairs. It consists of
eight persons, among which is the governor, who is the president. The
governor does not belong to the court of justice, where the second in
command presides; he only signs the sentences of death.
There is a military station at False Bay, and one at the bay of
Saldagna. The latter, which forms an excellent harbour, sheltered from
all winds, could not be made the chief place, because it has no water.
They are now working to encrease the settlement at False Bay; there the
ships anchor in winter, when they are forbid lying in the bay of the
Cape. There you find the same assistance, and every thing as cheap as at
the Cape itself. The distance over land of these two places, is eight
leagues, and the road very bad.
[Sidenote: Particulars concerning the vineyards at Constantia.]
Nearly half way between them both is the district of Constantia, which
produces the famous wine of that name. This vineyard, where they
cultivate the Spanish muscade vines, is very small, but it is not true
that it belongs to the company, or that it is surrounded, as people
believe here, by walls, and watched. It is distinguished into High and
Little Constantia, separated by a hedge, and belonging to two different
proprietors. The wine which is made there is nearly alike in quality,
though each of the two Constantias has its partisans. In common years
they make a hundred and twenty or a hundred and thirty _barriques_ of
this wine, of which the company takes a third at a stated price, and the
rest is sold to every buyer that offers. The price at present is thirty
piastres or dollars the barrel of seventy bottles of white wine, and
thirty-five piastres for the same quantity of red wine. My officers and
myself went to dine with M. Vanderspie, the proprietor of High
Constantia. He treated us in the best manner possible, and we there
drank a good deal of his wine, both at dinner, and in tasting the
different sorts, in order to make our provision of them.
The soil of Constantia is a sandy gravel, lying on a gentle slope. They
cultivate the vines without props, and leave only a small number of buds
when they cut them. They make the wine by putting the grapes without
their grains into the vessel. The full casks are kept in a cellar level
with the ground, in which the air has a free circulation. As we returned
from Constantia, we visited two country-houses belonging to the
governor. The largest, named Newland, has a garden which is much larger
than the company’s, at the Cape. This last we have found much inferior
to the reputation it has acquired. Some long walks of very high
horn-beams, give it the appearance of a garden for fryars, and it is
planted with oaks, which thrive very ill there.
[Sidenote: Situation of the Dutch at the Cape.]
The Dutch plantations have spread very much on the whole coast, and
plenty is every where the consequence of cultivation, because the
cultivator is free, subject to the laws only, and sure of his property.
There are inhabitants almost a hundred and fifty leagues off the
capital; they have no other enemies to fear than the wild beasts; for
the Hottentots do not molest them. One of the finest parts of the Cape
is the colony, which has been called Little Rochelle. This is a
settlement of French, driven out of France by the repeal of the edict of
Nantes. It surpasses all the rest in the fertility of the soil, and the
industry of the colonists. They have given this adopted mother the name
of their old country, which they still love, though it has treated them
so hardly.
The government sends caravans, out from time to time to search the
interior parts of the country. One was out for eight months in 1763.
This detachment advanced to the northward, and made, as I was told, some
important discoveries; however, this journey had not the success which
one might have expected; discontent and discord got amongst them, and
forced the chief to return home, leaving his discoveries imperfect. The
Dutch got sight of a yellow nation, with long hair, and seeming very
ferocious to them.
On this journey they found a quadruped of seventeen feet high, of which
I have given the drawing to M. de Buffon; it was a female suckling a
young one, (fawn) which was only seven feet high. They killed the
mother, and took the fawn alive, but it died after a few days march. M.
de Buffon assured me that this is the animal which naturalists call the
_giraffe_. None of them had been seen after that which was brought to
Rome in the time of Cæsar, and shewn there in the amphitheatre. About
three years ago they have likewise found and brought to the Cape, a
quadruped of great beauty, which is related to the ox, horse, and stag,
and of which the genus is entirely new. It only lived two months at the
Cape; I have likewise given M. de Buffon an exact drawing of this
animal, whose strength and fleetness equal its beauty. It is not without
reason that Africa has been named the mother of monsters.
[Sidenote: Departure from the Cape.]
Being provided with good provisions, wines, and refreshments of all
sorts, we set sail from the road of the Cape the 17th in the afternoon.
We passed between the isle of Roben and the coast; at six o’clock in the
evening, the middle of that isle bore S. by E. ½ E. about four leagues
distant, from whence I took my departure in 33° 40′ south latitude, and
15° 48′ east longitude from Paris. I wanted to join M. Carteret, over
whom I had certainly a great advantage in sailing; but he was still
eleven days before me.
I directed my course so as to get sight of St. Helena, in order to make
sure of putting in at Ascension island, an anchorage which I intended to
make beneficial to my crew. [Sidenote: Sight of St. Helena.]Indeed we
got sight of it the 29th, at two o’clock after noon, and the bearings
which we set of it gave us no more than eight or ten leagues difference
in our reckoning. [Sidenote: 1769. February.] In the night between the
3d to the 4th of February, being in the latitude of Ascension island,
and being about eighteen leagues from it by my reckoning, I went only
under the two top-sails. At day-break we saw the isle nearly nine
leagues distant, and at eleven o’clock we anchored in the north west
creek, or Creek of the Mountain of the Cross, in twelve fathoms, bottom
of sand and coral. According to the Abbé la Caille’s observations, this
anchorage is in 7° 54′ south latitude, and 16° 19′ west longitude from
Paris.
[Sidenote: Stopping at Ascension.]
We had hardly cast anchor, when I hoisted out the boats, and sent out
three detachments to catch turtle; the first in the N. E. creek, the
second in the N. W. creek, opposite which we were; and the third in the
English creek, which is in the S. W. of the island. Every thing promised
a favourable capture; there was no other ship than ours, the season was
advantageous, and we entered with the new moon. As soon as the
detachments, were set off, I made every thing ready for fishing my two
greater masts under the rigging, viz. the main mast with a
fore-top-mast, the heel upwards; and the fore-mast which was split
horizontally between the cheeks, with an oak fish.
In the afternoon the bottle was brought to me which contains the paper
whereon the ships of every nation generally write their name, when they
touch at Ascension island. This bottle is deposited in a cavity of the
rocks of this bay, where it is equally sheltered from rain and the spray
of the sea. In it I found written the Swallow, that English ship which
captain Carteret commanded, and which I was desirous of joining. He
arrived here the 31st of January, and set sail again on the first of
February; thus we had already gained six days upon him, after leaving
the cape of Good Hope. I inscribed the Boudeuse, and sent back the
bottle.
The 5th was spent in fishing our masts under the rigging, which is a
very nice operation in a road where the sea is rough; in over-hauling
our rigging, and embarking the turtle. The fishery was abundant; seventy
turtle had been turned in the night, but we could only take on board
fifty-six, the others were set at liberty again. We observed at our
anchorage 9° 45′, variation N. W. [Sidenote: Departure from Ascension.]
The 6th, at three o’clock in the morning, the turtle being got on board,
and the boats hoisted in, we began to weigh our anchors; at five o’clock
we were under sail, happy on account of our capture, and of the hope
that our next anchorage would be in our own country. Indeed, we had had
a great many since our departure from Brest.
In leaving Ascension isle, I kept my wind in order to range the Cape
Verd isles as close as possible. [Sidenote: Passing of the line.] The
11th in the morning we passed the line for the sixth time on this
voyage, in 20° of estimated longitude. Some days after, when,
notwithstanding the fish with which we had strengthened our fore-mast,
it cut a very bad figure, we were obliged to support it by
preventer-shrouds, getting down the fore-top-gallant-mast, and almost
always keeping the fore-top-sail close reefed, and sometimes handed.
[Sidenote: Meeting with the Swallow.]
The 25th in the evening we perceived a ship to windward, and a-head of
us; we kept sight of her during the night, and joined her the next
morning; it was the Swallow. I offered captain Carteret all the services
that one may render to another at sea. He wanted nothing, but upon his
telling me that they had given him letters for France at the Cape, I
sent on board for them. He presented me with an arrow which he had got
in one of the isles he had found on his voyage round the world, a voyage
that he was far from suspecting we had likewise made. His ship was very
small, went very ill, and when we took leave of him, he remained as it
were at anchor. How much he must have suffered in so bad a vessel, may
well be conceived. There were eight leagues difference between his
estimated longitude and ours; he reckoned himself so much more to the
westward.
[Sidenote: Error in the reckoning of our course.]
We expected to pass to the eastward of the Açores, when the 4th of March
in the morning we had sight of the Isle of Tercera, which we doubled in
day-time, ranging very close along it. [Sidenote: 1769. March.] The
sight of this isle, supposing it well placed on M. Bellin’s great chart,
would give us about sixty-seven leagues of error to the westward, in the
reckoning of our run; which indeed is a considerable error on so short a
track as that from Ascension to the Açores. It is true that the position
of these isles in longitude, is still uncertain. But I believe, that in
the neighbourhood of the Cape Verd islands, there are very strong
currents. However, it was essential to us to determine the longitude of
the Açores by good astronomical observations, and to settle their
distances and bearings among themselves. Nothing of all this is accurate
on the charts of any nation. They only differ by a greater or lesser
degree of error. This important task has just been executed by M. de
Fleurieu, ensign of the king’s ships.
I corrected my longitude in leaving the Isle of Tercera, by that which
M. de Bellin’s great chart assigns to it. [Sidenote: Sight of Ushant.]
We had soundings the 13th in the afternoon, and the 14th in the morning
we had sight of Ushant. As the wind was scant, and the tide contrary to
double this island, we were forced to stand off, the wind blowing very
fresh at west, and a very great sea. [Sidenote: Squall which damaged our
rigging.] About ten o’clock in the morning, in a violent squall, the
fore-yard broke between the two jear-blocks, and the main-sail at the
same instant was blown out of the bolt-rope from clue to ear-ring. We
immediately brought to under our main, fore, and mizen-stay-sails, and
we set about repairing the damage; we bent a new main-sail, made a
fore-yard with a mizen-yard, a main-top sail-yard, and a
studding-sail-boom, and at four o’clock we were again enabled to make
sail. We had lost sight of Ushant, and whilst we lay-to, the wind and
sea drove us into the channel.
[Sidenote: Arrival at St. Maloes.]
Being determined to put into Brest, I resolved to ply with variable
winds, from S. W. to N. W. when the 15th in the morning our people came
to inform me, that our fore-mast was near being carried away under the
rigging. The shock it had received when its yard broke, had made it
worse; and though we had eased its head by lowering the yard, taking in
the reefs in the fore-sail, and keeping, the fore-top-sail upon the cap
close reefed, yet we found, after an attentive examination, that this
mast could not long resist the pitching caused by the great sea, we
being close-hauled; besides this, all our rigging and blocks were
rotten, and we had none to replace them; then how was it possible in
such a condition to combat the bad weather of the equinoxes between two
coasts? I therefore resolved to bear away, and conduct the frigate to
St. Maloes. That was then the nearest port, which could serve us as an
asylum. I entered it on the 16th in the afternoon, having lost only
seven men, during two years and four months, which were expired since we
had left Nantes.
Puppibus & læti Nautæ imposuere Coronas. VIRG. Æneid. Lib. iv.
VOCABULARY
OF THE LANGUAGE OF
TAI TI ISLAND.
A.
Abobo[136] _Tomorrow._
Aibou _Come._
Ainé _Girl, (fille)._
Aiouta _There is some._
Aipa _The term of negation, there is
none._
Aneania _Importune, tedious._
Aouaou _Fy; term of contempt, and of
displeasure._
Aouereré _Black._
Aouero _Egg._
Aouri _Iron, gold, silver, every metal, or
instrument of metal._
Aoutti _Flying fish._
Aouira _Lightning._
Apalari _To break or destroy._,
Ari _Cocoa-nut._
Arioi _Bachelor, and a man without
children._
Ateatea _White._
_I know of no word that begins with these consonants of
ours, B, C, D._
E.
Ea _Root._
Eaï _Fire._
Eaia _Parroquet._
Eaiabou _Vase._
Eaiabou-maa _Vase which is used to put their
victuals in._
Eame _Drink made of cocoa nuts._
Eani _All manner of fighting._
Eao _Clouds, also a flower in bud,
before it opens._
Eatoua _Divinity. The same word likewise
expresses his ministers, and also
the subordinate good or evil
genii._
Eeva _Mourning._
Eie _Sail of a periagua._
Eiva-eoura _Dance or festival of the Taitians._
Eivi _Little._
Eite _To understand._
Elao _A fly._
Emaa _A sling._
Emao _A shark; it likewise signifies to
bite._
Emeitai _To give._
Emoé _To sleep._
Enapo _Yesterday._
Enene _To discharge._
Enia _In, upon._
Enninnito _To stretch one’s self yawning._
Enoanoa _To smell well._
Enomoi _Term to call, come hither._
Enoo-te-papa _Sit down._
Enoua _The earth and its different parts
(a country)._
Enoua-Taiti _The country of Taiti._
Enoua-Paris _The country of Paris._
Eo _To sweat._
Eoe-tea _An arrow._
Eoe-pai _A paddle or oar._
Emoure-papa _The tree from which they get the
cotton, or substance for their
stuffs, the cloth-tree._
Eone _Sand, dust._
Eonou _Turtle._
Eote _To kiss (baiser)._
Eouai _Rain._
Eonao _To steal or rob._
Eououa _Pimples in the face._
Eoui _To belch or eruct._
Eounoa _Daughter-in-law._
Eouramaï _Light (not darkness)._
Eouri _A dancer._
Eouriaye _A dancing girl._
Epao _Luminous vapour in the atmosphere,
called a_ shooting-star. _At Taiti
they are looked upon as evil
genii._
Epata _Exclamation to call one’s wife._
Epepe _Butterfly._
Epija _Onion._
Epoumaa _Whistle; they make use of it to
call the people to their meals._
Epouponi _To blow the fire._
Epouré _To pray._
Epouta _A wound; this
word likewise signifies the scar._
Era _The sun._
Era-ouao _Rising sun._
Era-ouopo _Setting sun._
Era-ouavatea _Noon sun._
Eraï _Heaven._
Erepo _Dirty, unclean._
Ero _Ant._
Eri _King._
Erie _Royal._
Eroï _To wash, to cleanse._
Eroleva _Slate._
Eroua _A hole._
Erouai _To vomit._
Eroupe _Very large species of blue pigeon,
like those which are in the
possession of marshal Soubise._
Etai _Sea._
Etao _To dart, or throw._
Etaye _To weep._
Eteina _Elder brother or sister._
Etouana _Younger brother
or sister._
Etere _To go._
Etere-maine _To come back._
Etio _Oyster._
Etipi _To cut, cut (particip.)_
Etoi _A hatchet._
Etoumou _A turtle-dove._
Etouna _An eel._
Etooua _To grate._
Evaï _The water._
Evaie _Moist._
Evaine _A woman._
Evana _A bow._
Evare _A house._
Evaroua-t-eatoua _A wish to persons when they sneeze,
meaning that the evil genius may
not lull thee asleep, or that the
good genius may awaken thee._
Evero _A lance._
Evetou _A star._
Evetou-eave _A comet._
Evi _An acid fruit, like a pear, and
peculiar to Taiti._
Evuvo _A flute._
_The following words are pronounced with a long_ e, _like
the Greek_ η.
ηti _Wooden figures representing
subordinate genii, and called_
ηti-tane, _or_ ηti-aine,
_according as they, are of the
masculine or feminine gender.
These figures are employed in
religious ceremonies, and the
people of Taiti have several of
them in their houses._
ηieie _Basket._
ηou _A fart. They detest it, and burn
every thing in a house where one
has farted._
ηouou _A muscle-shell (moule.)_
ηreou-tataou _Colour for marking the body; with
it they make indelible impressions
on different parts of the body._
ηriri, _and
likewise_
ouariri _To be vexed, to be angry._
_I know of no word beginning with the consonants F, G._
H.
Horreo _A kind of instrument for sounding,
made of the heaviest shells._
I.
Ióre _A rat._
Ioiroi _To fatigue._
Iroto _In._
Ivera _Hot._
_I do not know any of their words beginning with the
consonant L._
M.
Maa _Eating._
Maea _Twin children._
Maeo _To scratch one’s self, to itch._
Maï _More, is likewise said_ maine; _it
is an adverb of repetition_ etere,
_to go_, etere-maï _or_
etere-maine, _to go once more, to
go and come again._
Maglli _Cold._
Mala _More._
Malama _The moon._
Malou _Considerable, great._
Mama _Light, not heavy._
Mamaï _Sick._
Manoa _Good-day, your servant; expression
of politeness or friendship._
Manou _A bird, swift_ (_leger._)
Mao _Hawk for fishing._
Mataï _Wind._
Mataï-malac _East or S. E. wind._
Mataï-aoueraï _West or S. W. wind._
Matao _Fish-hook._
Matapo _One-eyed, squinting._
Matari _The_ Pleïades.
Matïe _Grass-herbage._
Mato _Mountain._
Mate _To kill._
Mea _A thing_ (_chose._)
Meia _Banana-tree, bananas._
Metoua _Parents._ Metouatane, _or_ eoure,
_father_; Metouaaine, _or_ erao,
_mother_.
Mimi _To make water, to piss._
Móa _Cock, hen._
Moea _Mat._
Mona _Fine, good._
Moreou _A calm._
Motoua _Grand-son._
N.
Nate _To give._
Nie _A sail of a boat._
Niouniou _A jonquil._
O.
Oaï _Walls and stones._
Oaite _To open._
Oorah _The piece of cloth which they wrap
themselves in._
Ooróa _Generous, he that gives._
Opoupoui _To drink._
Oualilo _To steal, to rob._
Ouaouara, _Aigret of feathers._
Ouaora _To cure, or cured._
Ouanao _To ly in._
Ouare _To spit._
Ouatere _The helm’s-man._
Ouera _Hot._
Oueneo _That does not smell well, it
infects._
Ouetopa _To lose, lost._
Ouhi _Ho! ah!_ (_hé._)
Ouopé _Ripe._
Oupani _Window._
Oura _Red._
Ouri _Dog and quadrupeds._
P.
Pai _Periagua._
Paia _Enough._
Papa _Wood, chair, end every piece of
furniture of wood._
Papanit _To shut, to stop up._
Paoro _A shell, mother-of-pearl._
Parouai _Dress, cloth._
Patara _Grandfather._
Patiri _Thunder._
Picha _Coffer, trunk._
Pirara _Fish._
Piropiro _Stink of a fart, or of excrements._
Pirioi _Lame._
Piripiri _A negative, signifying a covetous
man, who gives nothing._
Po _Day_, (_light_.)
Póe _Pearl, ornament for the ears._
Poi _For, to._
Poiri _Obscure._
Poria _Fat, lusty, of a good stature._
Porotata _Dog-kennel._
Pouaa _Hog, boar._
Pouerata _Flowers._
Poupoui _Under sail._
Pouta _Wound._
Poto _Little, minute._
_I know no word that begins with Q._
R.
Rai _Great, big, considerable._
Ratira _Old, aged._
Roa _Big, very fat._
Roea _Thread._
_No word is come to my knowledge beginning with S._
T.