From our Departure from the Society Isles, to our Return to, and
leaving them the second Time.
CHAP. I.
Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Islands; with an Account of 198
the Discovery of Hervey’s Island, and the Incidents that
happened at Middleburg
CHAP. II.
The Arrival of the Ships at Amsterdam; a Description of a Place 204
of Worship; and an Account of the Incidents which happened
while they remained at that Island
CHAP. III.
A Description of the Islands and their Produce, with the 218
Cultivation, Houses, Canoes, Navigation, Manufactures, Weapons,
Customs, Government, Religion, and Language of the Inhabitants
CHAP. IV.
Passage from Amsterdam to Queen Charlotte’s Sound; with an 231
Account of an Interview with the Inhabitants, and the final
Separation of the two Ships
CHAP. V.
Transactions in Queen Charlotte’s Sound; with an Account of the 240
Inhabitants being Cannibals; and various other Incidents.—
Departure from the Sound, and our endeavours to find the
Adventure; with some Description of the Coast
CHAP. VI.
Route of the Ship from New Zealand in Search of a Continent; with 255
an Account of the various Obstructions met with from the Ice,
and the Methods pursued to explore the Southern Pacific Ocean
CHAP. VII.
Sequel of the Passage from New Zealand to Easter Island, and 278
Transactions there; with an Account of an Expedition to
discover the Inland Part of the Country, and a Description of
some of the surprising gigantic Statues found in the Island
CHAP. VIII.
A Description of the Island, its Produce, Situation, and 288
Inhabitants; their Manners and Customs; Conjectures concerning
their Government, Religion, and other Subjects; with a more
particular Account of their gigantic Statues
CHAP. IX.
The Passage from Easter Island to the Marquesas Islands.— 297
Transactions and Incidents which happened while the Ship lay in
Madre de Dios, or Resolution Bay, in the Island of St.
Christina
CHAP. X.
Departure from the Marquesas; a Description of the Situation, 305
Extent, Figure, and Appearance of the several Islands; with
some Account of the Inhabitants, their Customs, Dress,
Habitations, Food, Weapons, and Canoes
CHAP. XI.
A Description of several Islands discovered, or seen in the 312
Passage from the Marquesas to Otaheite; with an Account of a
Naval Review
CHAP. XII.
Some Account of a Visit from Otoo, Towha, and several other 323
Chiefs; also of a Robbery committed by one of the Natives, and
its Consequences, with general Observations on the Subject
CHAP. XIII.
Preparations to leave the Island. Another Naval Review, and 337
various other Incidents; with some Account of the Island, its
Naval Force, and Number of Inhabitants
CHAP. XIV.
The Arrival of the Ship at the Island of Huaheine; with an 351
Account of an Expedition into the Island, and several other
Incidents which happened while she lay there
CHAP. XV.
Arrival at Ulietea, with an Account of the Reception we met with 360
there, and the several Incidents which happened during our
Stay.—A Report of two Ships being at Huaheine. Preparations to
leave the Island, and the Regret the Inhabitants shewed on the
occasion.—The Character of Oedidee, with some general
Observations on the Island
A
VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD,
PERFORMED IN
His Britannic Majesty’s Ships the RESOLUTION and ADVENTURE,
in the Years 1772, 1773, 1774, and 1775.
WRITTEN
By JAMES COOK, Commander of the RESOLUTION,
and GEORGE FORSTER, F.R.S.
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
TO
_THE SECOND VOYAGE_.
Whether the unexplored part of the _Southern Hemisphere_ be only an
immense mass of water, or contain another continent, as speculative
geography seemed to suggest, was a question which had long engaged the
attention, not only of learned men, but of most of the maritime powers
of Europe.
To put an end to all diversity of opinion about a matter so curious and
important, was his Majesty’s principal motive in directing this voyage
to be undertaken, the history of which is now submitted to the public.
But, in order to give the reader a clear idea of what has been done in
it, and to enable him to judge more accurately how far the great object
that was proposed has been obtained, it will be necessary to prefix a
short account of the several voyages which have been made on discoveries
to the Southern Hemisphere prior to that which I had lately the honour
to conduct, and which I am now going to relate.
The first who crossed the vast Pacific Ocean was Ferdinand Magalhaens, a
Portuguese, who, in the service of Spain, sailed from Seville, with five
ships, on the 10th of April, 1519. He discovered the Straits which bear
his name; and having passed through them on the 27th of November, 1520,
entered the South Pacific Ocean.
In this sea he discovered two uninhabited islands, whose situations are
not well known. He afterwards crossed the Line; discovered the Ladrone
islands; and then proceeded to the Philippines, in one of which he was
killed in a skirmish with the natives.
His ship, called the Victory, was the first that circumnavigated the
globe; and the only one of his squadron that surmounted the dangers and
distresses which attended his heroic enterprise.
The Spaniards, after Magalhaens had showed them the way, made several
voyages from America to the westward, previous to that of Alvaro Mendana
De Neyra in 1595, which is the first that can be traced step by step.
For the antecedent expeditions are not handed down to us with much
precision.
We know, however, in general, that in them New Guinea, the islands
called Solomon’s, and several others, were discovered.
Geographers differ greatly concerning the situation of the Solomon
islands. The most probable opinion is, that they are the cluster which
comprizes what has since been called New Britain, New Ireland, &c.
On the 9th of April, 1595, Mendana, with intention to settle these
islands, sailed from Callao, with four ships; and his discoveries in his
route to the West, were the Marquesas, in the latitude of 10° South;—the
island of St. Bernardo, which I take to be the same that Commodore Byron
calls the Island of Danger;—after that, Solitary island, in the latitude
10° 40ʹ South, longitude 178° West;—and, lastly, Santa Cruz, which is,
undoubtedly, the same that Captain Carteret calls Egmont Island.
In this last island, Mendana, with many of his companions, died; and the
shattered remains of the squadron were conducted to Manilla, by Pedro
Fernandez de Quiros, the chief pilot.
This same Quiros was the first sent out, with the sole view of
discovering a Southern Continent; and, indeed, he seems to have been the
first who had any idea of the existence of one.
He sailed from Callao the 21st of December, 1605, as pilot of the fleet,
commanded by Luis Paz de Torres, consisting of two ships and a tender;
and steering to the W. S. W. on the 26th of January, 1606, being then,
by their reckoning, a thousand Spanish leagues from the coast of
America, they discovered a small low island in latitude 25° South.—Two
days after, they discovered another that was high, with a plain on the
top. This is, probably, the same that Captain Carteret calls Pitcairn’s
Island.
After leaving these islands, Quiros seems to have directed his course to
the W. N. W. and N. W. to 10° or 11° South latitude, and then westward,
till he arrived at the Bay of St. Philip and Jago, in the island of
Tierra del Espiritu Santo. In this route he discovered several islands;
probably, some of those that have been seen by later navigators.
On leaving the Bay of St. Philip and St. Jago, the two ships were
separated. Quiros, with the Capitana, stood to the north, and returned
to New Spain, after having suffered greatly for want of provisions and
water.—Torres, with the Almiranta and the tender, steered to the west,
and seems to have been the first who sailed between New Holland and New
Guinea.
The next attempt to make discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean was
conducted by Le Maire and Schouten.—They sailed from the Texel on the
14th of June, 1615, with the ships Concord and Horn. The latter was
burnt by accident in Port Desire. With the other, they discovered the
Strait that bears the name of Le Maire, and were the first who ever
entered the Pacific Ocean, by the way of Cape Horn.
They discovered the island of Dogs, in latitude 15° 15ʹ South, longitude
136° 30ʹ West;—Sondre Grondt in 15° South latitude, and 143° 10ʹ West
longitude;—Waterland, in 14° 46ʹ South, and 144° 10ʹ West;—and,
twenty-five leagues westward of this, Fly island, in latitude 15° 20ʹ;—
Traitor’s and Cocos islands, in latitude 15° 43ʹ S. longitude 173° 13ʹ
W.—Two degrees more to the westward, the Isle of Hope;—and, in the
latitude of 14° 56ʹ South, longitude 179° 30ʹ East, Horn island.
They next coasted the north side of New Britain and New Guinea, and
arrived at Batavia in October, 1616.
Except some discoveries on the western and northern coasts of New
Holland, no important voyage to the Pacific Ocean was undertaken till
1642, when Captain Tasman sailed from Batavia, with two ships belonging
to the Dutch East India Company, and discovered Van Diemen’s Land;—a
small part of the western coast of New Zealand;—the Friendly Isles;—and
those called Prince William’s.
Thus far I have thought it best not to interrupt the progress of
discovery in the South Pacific Ocean, otherwise I should before have
mentioned, that Sir Richard Hawkins in 1594, being about fifty leagues
to the eastward of the river Plate, was driven by a storm to the
eastward of his intended course, and when the weather grew moderate,
steering towards the Straits of Magalhaens, he unexpectedly fell in with
land; about sixty leagues of which he coasted, and has very particularly
described. This he named Hawkins’s Maiden Land, in honour of his royal
mistress, Queen Elizabeth, and says it lies some threescore leagues from
the nearest part of South America.
This land was afterwards discovered to be two large islands by Captain
John Strong, of the Farewell, from London, who, in 1689, passed through
the Strait which divides the eastern from the western of those islands.
To this Strait he gave the name of Falkland’s Sound, in honour of his
patron, Lord Falkland; and the name has since been extended, through
inadvertency, to the two islands it separates.
Having mentioned these islands, I will add, that future navigators will
mispend their time, if they look for Pepys’s island in 47° South; it
being now certain, that Pepys’s island is no other than these islands of
Falkland.
In April, 1675, Anthony la Roche, an English merchant, in his return
from the South Pacific Ocean, where he had been on a trading voyage,
being carried, by the winds and currents, far to the East of Strait La
Maire, fell in with a coast, which may possibly be the same with that
which I visited during this voyage, and have called the Island of
Georgia.
Leaving this land, and sailing to the north, La Roche, in the latitude
of 45° South, discovered a large island, with a good port, towards the
eastern part, where he found wood, water, and fish.
In 1699, that celebrated astronomer Dr. Edmund Halley was appointed to
the command of his Majesty’s ship the Paramour Pink, on an expedition
for improving the knowledge of the longitude, and of the variation of
the compass; and for discovering the unknown lands supposed to lie in
the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean. In this voyage he determined
the longitude of several places; and after his return, constructed his
Variation Chart, and proposed a method of observing the longitude at
sea, by means of the appulses, and occultations of the fixed stars. But,
though he so successfully attended to the two first articles of his
instructions, he did not find any unknown southern land.
The Dutch, in 1721, fitted out three ships to make discoveries in the
South Pacific Ocean, under the command of Admiral Roggewein. He left the
Texel on the 21st of August, and arriving in that ocean, by going round
Cape Horn, discovered Easter island; probably seen before, though not
visited by Davis[1];—then, between 14° 41ʹ and 15° 47ʹ South latitude,
and between the longitude of 142° and 150° West, fell in with several
other islands, which I take to be some of those seen by the late English
navigators.—He next discovered two islands in latitude 15° South,
longitude 170° West, which he called Baumen’s islands;—and, lastly,
Single island, in latitude 13° 41ʹ South, longitude 171° 30ʹ West.—These
three islands are, undoubtedly, the same that Bougainville calls the
Isles of Navigators.
In 1738, the French East India Company sent Lozier Bouvet with two
ships, the Eagle and Mary, to make discoveries in the South Atlantic
Ocean. He sailed from Port L’Orient on the 19th of July, in that year;
touched at the island of St. Catharine; and from thence shaped his
course towards the S. E.
On the 1st of January, 1739, he discovered land, or what he judged to be
land, in the latitude 54° South, longitude 11° East. It will appear in
the course of the following narrative, that we made several attempts to
find this land without success. It is, therefore, very probable, that
what Bouvet saw was nothing more than a large ice-island. From hence he
stood to the East, in 51° of latitude, to 35° of East longitude: after
which the two ships separated; one going to the island of Mauritius, and
the other returning to France.
After this voyage of Bouvet, the spirit of discovery ceased, till his
present Majesty formed a design of making discoveries, and exploring the
Southern Hemisphere; and, in the year 1764, directed it to be put in
execution.
Accordingly, Commodore Byron, having under his command the Dolphin and
Tamer, sailed from the Downs on the 21st of June the same year; and
having visited the Falkland islands, passed through the Straits of
Magalhaens into the Pacific Ocean, where he discovered the islands of
Disappointment;—George’s;—Prince of Wales’s;—the isles of Danger;—York
island;—and Byron island.
He returned to England the 9th of May, 1766; and, in the month of August
following, the Dolphin was again sent out, under the command of Captain
Wallis, with the Swallow, commanded by Captain Carteret.
They proceeded together, till they came to the west end of the Straits
of Magalhaens, and the Great South Sea in sight, where they were
separated.
Captain Wallis directed his course more westerly than any navigator had
done before him in so high a latitude; but met with no land till he got
within the tropic, where he discovered the islands Whitsunday;—Queen
Charlotte;—Egmont;—Duke of Gloucester;—Duke of Cumberland;—Maitea;—
Otaheite;—Eimeo;—Tapamanou;—How;—Scilly;—Boscawen;—Keppel;—and Wallis;
and returned to England in May, 1768.
His companion Captain Carteret kept a different route; in which he
discovered the islands Osnaburg;—Gloucester;—Queen Charlotte’s isles;—
Carteret’s;—Gower’s;—and the Strait between New Britain and New Ireland;
and returned to England in March, 1769.
In November, 1766, Commodore Bougainville sailed from France, in the
frigate La Boudeuse, with the store-ship L’Etoile. After spending some
time on the coast of Brazil, and at Falkland islands, he got into the
Pacific Sea, by the Straits of Magalhaens, in January, 1768.
In this ocean he discovered the Four Facardines;—the Isle of Lanciers;—
and Harpe island, which I take to be the same that I afterwards named
Lagoon;—Thrum Cap, and Bow island. About twenty leagues farther to the
west, he discovered four other islands;—afterwards fell in with Maitea;—
Otaheite;—Isles of Navigators;—and Forlorn Hope; which to him were new
discoveries. He then passed through between the Hebrides;—discovered the
Shoal of Diana; and some others;—the land of Cape Deliverance;—several
islands more to the north;—passed to the north of New Ireland; touched
at Batavia; and arrived in France in March, 1769.
This year was rendered remarkable by the transit of the planet Venus
over the sun’s disc; a phænomenon of great importance to astronomy; and
which every where engaged the attention of the learned in that science.
In the beginning of the year 1768, the Royal Society presented a
memorial to his Majesty, setting forth the advantages to be derived from
accurate observations of this transit in different parts of the world;
particularly from a set of such observations made in a southern
latitude, between the 140th and 180th degrees of longitude, west from
the Royal Observatory at Greenwich; and that vessels, properly equipped,
would be necessary to convey the observers to their destined stations;
but that the Society were in no condition to defray the expence of such
an undertaking.
In consequence of this memorial, the Admiralty were directed by his
Majesty to provide proper vessels for this purpose. Accordingly, the
Endeavour bark, which had been built for the coal-trade, was purchased
and fitted out for the southern voyage; and I was honoured with the
command of her. The Royal Society, soon after appointed me, in
conjunction with Mr. Charles Green the astronomer, to make the requisite
observations on the transit.
It was at first intended to perform this great and now a principal
business of our voyage, either at the Marquesas, or else at one of those
islands which Tasman had called Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Middleburg,
now better known under the name of the Friendly Islands. But while the
Endeavour was getting ready for the expedition, Captain Wallis returned
from his voyage round the world, in the course of which he had
discovered several islands in the South Sea; and amongst others,
Otaheite. This island was preferred to any of those before mentioned, on
account of the conveniences it afforded; and because its place had been
well ascertained, and found to be extremely well suited to our purpose.
I was therefore ordered to proceed directly to Otaheite; and, after the
astronomical observations should be completed, to prosecute the design
of making discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean, by proceeding to the
south as far as the latitude of 40°; then, if I found no land, to
proceed to the west between 40° and 35°, till I fell in with New
Zealand, which I was to explore; and thence to return to England, by
such route as I should think proper.
In the prosecution of these instructions, I sailed from Deptford the
30th of July, 1768; from Plymouth the 26th of August; touched at
Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, and Straits Le Maire; and entered the South
Pacific Ocean by Cape Horn, in January the following year.
I endeavoured to make a direct course to Otaheite, and in part
succeeded; but I made no discovery till I got within the tropic, where I
fell in with Lagoon island;—Two Groups;—Bird island;—Chain island;—and
on the 13th of April arrived at Otaheite, where I remained three months,
during which time the observations on the transit were made.
I then left it; discovered, and visited the Society isles, and Oheteroa;
thence proceeded to the south till I arrived in the latitude of 40° 22ʹ,
longitude 147° 29ʹ West; and on the 6th of October fell in with the east
side of New Zealand.
I continued exploring the coast of this country till the 31st of March,
1770, when I quitted it, and proceeded to New Holland; and having
surveyed the eastern coast of that vast country, which part had not
before been visited, I passed between its northern extremity and New
Guinea; landed on the latter; touched at the island of Savu, Batavia,
the Cape of Good Hope, and St. Helena[2]; and arrived in England on the
12th of July, 1771.
In this voyage I was accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander; the
first a gentleman of ample fortune; the other an accomplished disciple
of Linnæus, and one of the librarians of the British Museum: both of
them distinguished in the learned world for their extensive and accurate
knowledge of natural history. These gentlemen, animated by the love of
science, and by a desire to pursue their enquiries in the remote regions
I was preparing to visit, desired permission to make the voyage with me.
The Admiralty readily complied with a request that promised such
advantage to the republic of letters. They accordingly embarked with me,
and participated in all the dangers and sufferings of our tedious and
fatiguing navigation.
To illustrate this short abstract of the several discoveries made in the
Southern Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, before my departure on
this second voyage, now laid before the public, I have delineated on the
general chart hereunto annexed the tracks of most of the navigators,
without which the abstract could not be so easily understood.
The voyages of Messrs. de Surville, Kerguelen, and Marion, of which some
account is given in the following work, did not come to my knowledge
time enough to afford me any advantage; and as they have not been
communicated to the world in a public way, I can say little about them,
or about two other voyages which, I am told, have been made by the
Spaniards; one to Easter island in the year 1769, and the other to
Otaheite in 1773.
Before I begin my narrative of the expedition intrusted to my care, it
will be necessary to add here some account of its equipment, and of some
other matters, equally interesting, connected with my subject.
Soon after my return home in the Endeavour, it was resolved to equip two
ships, to complete the discovery of the Southern Hemisphere. The nature
of this voyage required ships of a particular construction, and the
Endeavour being gone to Falkland Isles as a store-ship, the Navy-board
was directed to purchase two such ships as were most suitable for this
service.
At this time various opinions were espoused by different people,
touching the size and kind of vessels most proper for such a voyage.
Some were for having large ships; and proposed those of forty guns, or
East India Company’s ships. Others preferred large good sailing
frigates, or three-decked ships, employed in the Jamaica trade, fitted
with round-houses. But of all that was said and offered to the
Admiralty’s consideration on this subject, as far as has come to my
knowledge, what, in my opinion, was most to the purpose, was suggested
by the Navy-board.
As the kind of ships most proper to be employed on discoveries is a very
interesting consideration to the adventurers in such undertakings, it
may possibly be of use to those who, in future, may be so employed, to
give here the purport of the sentiments of the Navy-board theron, with
whom, after the experience of two voyages of three years each, I
perfectly agree.
The success of such undertakings as making discoveries in distant parts
of the world will principally depend on the preparations being well
adapted to what ought to be the first considerations, namely, the
preservation of the adventurers and ships; and this will ever chiefly
depend on the kind, the size, and the properties of the ships chosen for
the service.
These primary considerations will not admit of any other that may
interfere with the necessary properties of the ships. Therefore, in
choosing the ships, should any of the most advantageous properties be
wanting, and the necessary room in them be in any degree diminished, for
less important purposes, such a step would be laying a foundation for
rendering the undertaking abortive in the first instance.
As the greatest danger to be apprehended and provided against on a
voyage of discovery, especially to the most distant parts of the globe,
is that of the ship’s being liable to be run aground on an unknown
desert, or, perhaps, savage coast, so no consideration should be set in
competition with that of her being of a construction of the safest kind,
in which the officers may, with the least hazard, venture upon a strange
coast. A ship of this kind must not be of a great draught of water, yet
of a sufficient burden and capacity to carry a proper quantity of
provisions and necessaries for her complement of men, and for the time
requisite to perform the voyage.
She must also be of a construction that will bear to take the ground;
and of a size which, in case of necessity, may be safely and
conveniently laid on shore, to repair any accidental damage or defects.
These properties are not to be found in ships of war of forty guns, nor
in frigates, nor in East India Company’s ships, nor in large
three-decked West India ships, nor indeed in any other but
north-country-built ships, or such as are built for the coal-trade,
which are peculiarly adapted to this purpose.
In such a vessel an able sea-officer will be most venturesome, and
better enabled to fulfil his instructions, than he possibly can (or
indeed than would be prudent for him to attempt) in one of any other
_sort_ or _size_.
Upon the whole, I am firmly of opinion, that no ships are so proper for
discoveries in distant unknown parts as those constructed as was the
Endeavour, in which I performed my former voyage. For no ships of any
other kind can contain stores and provisions sufficient (in proportion
to the necessary number of men), considering the length of time it will
be necessary they should last. And, even if another kind of ships could
stow a sufficiency, yet, on arriving at the parts for discovery, they
would still, from the nature of their construction and size, be _less
fit_ for the purpose.
Hence, it may be concluded, so little progress had been hitherto made in
discoveries in the southern hemisphere. For all ships which attempted it
before the Endeavour were unfit for it, although the officers employed
in them had done the utmost in their power.
It was upon these considerations that the Endeavour was chosen for that
voyage. It was to these properties in her that those on board owed their
preservation; and hence we were enabled to prosecute discoveries in
those seas so much longer than any other ship ever did or could do. And,
although discovery was not the first object of that voyage, I could
venture to traverse a far greater space of sea, till then unnavigated,
to discover greater tracks of country in high and low south latitudes,
and to persevere longer in exploring and surveying more correctly the
extensive coasts of those new-discovered countries, than any former
navigator, perhaps, had done during one voyage.
In short, these properties in the ships, with perseverance and
resolution in their commanders, will enable them to execute their
orders; to go beyond former discoverers; and continue to Britain the
reputation of taking the lead of all nations in exploring the globe.
These considerations concurring with Lord Sandwich’s opinion on the same
subject, the Admiralty determined to have two such ships as are here
recommended. Accordingly, two were purchased of Captain William Hammond
of Hull. They were both built at Whitby, by the same person who built
the Endeavour, being about fourteen or sixteen months old at the time
they were purchased, and were, in my opinion, as well adapted to the
intended service as if they had been built for the purpose. The largest
of the two was four hundred and sixty-two tons burthen. She was named
Resolution, and sent to Deptford to be equipped. The other was three
hundred and thirty-six tons burthen. She was named Adventure, and sent
to be equipped at Woolwich.
It was first proposed to sheath them with copper; but, on considering
that copper corrodes the iron work, especially about the rudder, this
intention was laid aside, and the old method of sheathing and fitting
pursued, as being the most secure; for, although it is usual to make the
rudder-bands of the same composition, it is not, however, so durable as
iron, nor would it, I am well assured, last out such a voyage as the
Resolution performed.
Therefore, till a remedy is found to prevent the effect of copper upon
the iron work, it would not be advisable to use it on a voyage of this
kind, as the principal fastenings of the ship being iron, they may be
destroyed.
On the 28th of November, 1771, I was appointed to the command of the
Resolution; and Tobias Furneaux (who had been second lieutenant with
Captain Wallis) was promoted, on this occasion, to the command of the
Adventure.
Our complements of officers and men were fixed, as in the following
table:—
+-------------------+---------------------------+-----------------------+
| | RESOLUTION. | ADVENTURE. |
| OFFICERS and +----+----------------------+----+------------------+
| MEN. |N^o.| Officers’ Names. |N^o.| Officers’ Names. |
+-------------------+----+----------------------+----+------------------+
| Captain | 1 | James Cook. | 1 | Tobias Furneaux. |
| Lieutenants | 3 | Robert P. Cooper. | 2 | Joseph Shank. |
| | | Charles Clarke. | | Arthur Kempe. |
| | | Richard Pickersgill. | | |
| Master | 1 | Joseph Gilbert. | 1 | Peter Fannin. |
| Boatswain | 1 | James Gray. | 1 | Edward Johns. |
| Carpenter | 1 | James Wallis. | 1 | William Offord. |
| Gunner | 1 | Robert Anderson. | 1 | Andrew Gloag. |
| Surgeon | 1 | James Patten. | 1 | Thomas Andrews. |
| Master’s Mates | 3 | | 2 | |
| Midshipmen | 6 | | 4 | |
| Surgeon’s Mates | 2 | | 2 | |
| Captain’s Clerk | 1 | | 1 | |
| Master at Arms | 1 | | 1 | |
| Corporal | 1 | | | |
| Armourer | 1 | | 1 | |
| Ditto Mate | 1 | | 1 | |
| Sail Maker | 1 | | 1 | |
| Ditto Mate | 1 | | 1 | |
| Boatswain’s Mates | 3 | | 2 | |
| Carpenter’s Ditto | 3 | | 2 | |
| Gunner’s Ditto | 2 | | 1 | |
| Carpenter’s Crew | 4 | | 4 | |
| Cook | 1 | | 1 | |
| Ditto Mate | 1 | | | |
| Quarter Masters | 6 | | 4 | |
| Able Seamen | 45 | | 33 | |
| | | Marines. | | |
| Lieutenant | 1 | John Edgcumbe. | 1 | James Scott. |
| Serjeant | 1 | | 1 | |
| Corporals | 2 | | 1 | |
| Drummer | 1 | | 1 | |
| Privates | 15 | | 8 | |
| +----+ +----+ |
| Total |112 | | 81 | |
+-------------------+----+----------------------+----+------------------+
I had all the reason in the world to be perfectly satisfied with the
choice of the officers. The second and third lieutenants, the lieutenant
of marines, two of the warrant officers, and several of the petty
officers, had been with me during the former voyage. The others were men
of known abilities; and all of them, on every occasion, showed their
zeal for the service in which they were employed, during the whole
voyage.
In the equipping of these ships, they were not confined to ordinary
establishments, but were fitted in the most complete manner, and
supplied with every extra article that was suggested to be necessary.
Lord Sandwich paid an extraordinary attention to this equipment, by
visiting the ships from time to time, to satisfy himself that the whole
was completed to his wish, and to the satisfaction of those who were to
embark in them.
Nor were the Navy and Victualling Boards wanting in providing them with
the very best of stores and provisions, and whatever else was necessary
for so long a voyage. Some alterations were adopted in the species of
provisions usually made use of in the navy. That is, we were supplied
with wheat in lieu of so much oatmeal, and sugar in lieu of so much oil;
and when completed, each ship had two years and a half provisions on
board, of all species.
We had, besides, many extra articles, such as _malt_, _sour-krout_,
_salted cabbage_, _portable broth_, _saloup_, _mustard_, _marmalade of
carrots_, and _inspissated juice of wort and beer_. Some of these
articles had before been found to be highly antiscorbutic; and others
were now sent out on trial, or by way of experiment;—the inspissated
juice of beer and wort, and marmalade of carrots especially.—As several
of these antiscorbutic articles are not generally known, a more
particular account of them may not be amiss.
Of _malt_ is made _sweet wort_, which is given to such persons as have
got the scurvy, or whose habit of body threatens them with it, from one
to five or six pints a day, as the surgeon sees necessary.
_Sour-krout_, is cabbage cut small, to which is put a little salt,
juniper-berries, and annis-seeds; it is then fermented, and afterwards
close packed in casks: in which state it will keep good a long time.
This is a wholesome vegetable food, and a great antiscorbutic. The
allowance to each man is two pounds a week, but I increased or
diminished their allowance as I thought proper.
_Salted cabbage_ is cabbage cut to pieces, and salted down in casks,
which will preserve it a long time.
_Portable broth_ is so well known, that it needs no description. We were
supplied with it both for the sick and well, and it was exceedingly
beneficial.
_Saloup_, and _rob of lemons_ and _oranges_, were for the sick and
scorbutic only, and wholly under the surgeon’s care.
_Marmalade of carrots_ is the juice of yellow carrots inspissated till
it is of the thickness of fluid honey, or treacle, which last it
resembles both in taste and colour. It was recommended by Baron Storsch,
of Berlin, as a very great antiscorbutic; but we did not find that it
had much of this quality.
For the _inspissated juice of wort_, and _beer_, we were indebted to Mr.
Pelham, secretary to the commissioners of the Victualling Office. This
gentleman, some years ago, considered that if the juice of malt, either
as beer or wort, was inspissated by evaporation, it was probable this
inspissated juice would keep good at sea; and, if so, a supply of beer
might be had at any time, by mixing it with water. Mr. Pelham made
several experiments, which succeeded so well, that the commissioners
caused thirty-one half-barrels of this juice to be prepared, and sent
out with our ships for trial; nineteen on board the Resolution, and the
remainder on board the Adventure. The success of the experiments will be
mentioned in the narrative, in the order they were made.
The frame of a small vessel, twenty tons burthen, was properly prepared,
and put on board each of the ships, to be set up, (if found necessary,)
to serve as tenders upon any emergency, or to transport the crew in case
the ship was lost.
We were also well provided with fishing-nets, lines, and hooks of every
kind for catching of fish. And, in order to enable us to procure
refreshments in such inhabited parts of the world as we might touch at,
where money was of no value, the Admiralty caused to be put on board
both the ships, several articles of merchandize; as well to trade with
the natives for provisions, as to make them presents to gain their
friendship and esteem.
Their Lordships also caused a number of medals to be struck, the one
side representing His Majesty, and the other the two ships. These medals
were to be given to the natives of new-discovered countries, and left
there, as testimonies of our being the first discoverers.
Some additional clothing, adapted to a cold climate, was put on board;
to be given to the seamen whenever it was thought necessary. In short,
nothing was wanting that could tend to promote the success of the
undertaking, or contribute to the conveniencies and health of those who
embarked in it.
The Admiralty showed no less attention to science in general, by
engaging Mr. William Hodges, a landscape painter, to embark in this
voyage, in order to make drawings and paintings of such places, in the
countries we should touch at, as might be proper to give a more perfect
idea thereof than could be formed from written descriptions only.
And it being thought of public utility, that some person skilled in
natural history should be engaged to accompany me in this voyage, the
parliament granted an ample sum for that purpose, and Mr. John Reinhold
Forster, with his son, were pitched upon for this employment.
The Board of Longitude agreed with Mr. William Wales, and Mr. William
Bayley, to make astronomical observations; the former on board the
Resolution, the latter on board the Adventure. The great improvements
which astronomy and navigation have met with from the many interesting
observations they have made, would have done honour to any person whose
reputation for mathematical knowledge was not so well known as theirs.
The same Board furnished them with the best of instruments, for making
both astronomical and nautical observations and experiments; and
likewise with four time-pieces, or watch machines; three made by Mr.
Arnold, and one made by Mr. Kendall on Mr. Harrison’s principles. A
particular account of the going of these watches, as also the
astronomical and nautical observations made by the astronomers, will be
laid before the public by order of the Board of Longitude, under the
inspection of Mr. Wales.
Besides the obligations I was under to this gentleman for communicating
to me the observations he made, from time to time, during the voyage, I
have since been indebted to him for the perusal of his journal, with
leave to take from it whatever I thought might contribute to the
improvement of this work.
For the convenience of the generality of readers, I have reduced the
time from the nautical to the civil computation, so that whenever the
terms A. M. and P. M. are used, the former signifies the forenoon, and
the latter the afternoon of the same day.
In all the courses, bearings, &c. the variation of the compass is
allowed, unless the contrary is expressed.
And now it may be necessary to say, that, as I am on the point of
sailing on a third expedition, I leave this account of my last voyage in
the hands of some friends, who in my absence have kindly accepted the
office of correcting the press for me; who are pleased to think, that
what I have here to relate is better to be given in my own words, than
in the words of another person, especially as it is a work designed for
information, and not merely for amusement; in which it is their opinion,
that candour and fidelity will counterbalance the want of ornament.
I shall, therefore, conclude this introductory discourse with desiring
the reader to excuse the inaccuracies of style, which doubtless he will
frequently meet with in the following narrative; and that, when such
occur, he will recollect that it is the production of a man, who has not
had the advantage of much school education, but who has been constantly
at sea from his youth; and though, with the assistance of a few good
friends, he has passed through all the stations belonging to a seaman,
from an apprentice boy in the coal trade, to a post captain in the Royal
Navy, he has had no opportunity of cultivating letters. After this
account of myself, the public must not expect from me the elegance of a
fine writer, or the plausibility of a professed book-maker; but will, I
hope, consider me as a plain man, zealously exerting himself in the
service of his country, and determined to give the best account he is
able of his proceedings.
_Plymouth Sound,
July 7. 1776._
A
VOYAGE
TOWARDS
THE SOUTH POLE,
AND
ROUND THE WORLD,
IN 1772, 1773, 1774, AND 1775.