In the evening we had three islands of ice in sight, all of them large;

especially one, which was larger than any we had yet seen. The side

opposed to us seemed to be a mile in extent; if so, it could not be less

than three in circuit. As we passed it in the night, a continual

cracking was heard, occasioned, no doubt, by pieces breaking from it.

For, in the morning of the 6th, the sea, for some distance round it, was

covered with large and small pieces; and the island itself did not

appear so large as it had done the evening before. It could not be less

than 100 feet high; yet such was the impetuous force and height of the

waves, which were broken against it, by meeting with such a sudden

resistance, that they rose considerably higher. In the evening, we were

in the latitude 59° 58ʹ south, longitude 118° 39ʹ east. The 7th, the

wind was variable in the N. E. and S. E. quarters, attended with snow

and sleet, till the evening. Then the weather became fair, the sky

cleared up, and the night was remarkably pleasant, as well as the

morning of the next day; which, for the brightness of the sky, and

serenity and mildness of the weather, gave place to none we had seen

since we left the Cape of Good Hope. It was such as is little known in

this sea; and, to make it still more agreeable, we had not one island of

ice in sight. The mercury in the thermometer rose to 40. Mr. Wales and

the master made some observations of the moon and stars, which satisfied

us that, when our latitude was 59° 44ʹ, our longitude was 121° 9ʹ. At

three o’clock in the afternoon, the calm was succeeded by a breeze at

S. E. The sky, at the same time, was suddenly obscured, and seemed to

presage an approaching storm, which accordingly happened; for, in the

evening, the wind shifted to south, blew in squalls, attended with sleet

and rain, and a prodigious high sea. Having nothing to take care of but

ourselves, we kept two or three points from the wind, and ran at a good

rate to the E. N. E. under our two courses, and close-reefed top-sails.

The gale continued till the evening of the 10th; then it abated; the

wind shifted to the westward; and we had fair weather, and but little

wind, during the night, attended with a sharp frost. The next morning,

being in the latitude of 57° 56ʹ, longitude 130°, the wind shifted to

N. E. and blew a fresh gale, with which we stood S. E., having frequent

showers of snow and sleet, and a long hollow swell from S. S. E. and

S. E. by S. This swell did not go down till two days after the wind

which raised it had not only ceased to blow, but had shifted, and blown

fresh at opposite points, good part of the time. Whoever attentively

considers this, must conclude, that there can be no land to the south,

but what must be at a great distance.

Notwithstanding so little was to be expected in that quarter, we

continued to stand to the south till three o’clock in the morning of the

12th, when we were stopped by a calm; being then in the latitude of 58°

56ʹ south, longitude 131° 26ʹ east. After a few hours’ calm, a breeze

sprung up at west, with which we steered east. The S. S. E. swell having

gone down, was succeeded by another from N. W. by W. The weather

continued mild all this day, and the mercury rose to 39-1/2. In the

evening it fell calm, and continued so till three o’clock in the morning

of the 13th, when we got the wind at E. and S. E., a fresh breeze,

attended with snow and sleet. In the afternoon it became fair, and the

wind veered to S. and S. S. W. In the evening, being then in the

latitude of 58° 59ʹ, longitude 134°, the weather was so clear in the

horizon, that we could see many leagues round us. We had but little wind

during the night, some showers of snow, and a very sharp frost. As the

day broke, the wind freshened at S. E. and S. S. E., and soon after, the

sky cleared up, and the weather became clear and serene; but the air

continued cold, and the mercury in the thermometer rose only one degree

above the freezing point.

The clear weather gave Mr. Wales an opportunity to get some observations

of the sun and moon. Their results reduced to noon, when the latitude

was 58° 22ʹ south, gave us 136° 22ʹ east longitude. Mr. Kendal’s watch,

at the same time, gave 134° 42ʹ; and that of Mr. Arnold, the same. This

was the first and only time they pointed out the same longitude, since

we left England. The greatest difference, however, between them, since

we left the cape, had not much exceeded two degrees.

The moderate, and I might almost say the pleasant weather we had, at

times, for the last two or three days, made me wish I had been a few

degrees of latitude farther south; and even tempted me to incline our

course that way. But we soon had weather which convinced us that we were

full far enough; and that the time was approaching, when these seas were

not to be navigated without enduring intense cold; which, by the bye, we

were pretty well used to. In the afternoon, the serenity of the sky was

presently obscured; the wind veered round by the S. W. to W., and blew

in hard squalls, attended with thick and heavy showers of hail and snow,

which continually covered our decks, sails, and rigging, till five

o’clock in the evening of the 15th. At this time the wind abated and

shifted to S. E., the sky cleared up; and the evening was so serene and

clear, that we could see many leagues round us; the horizon being the

only boundary to our sight.

We were now in the latitude of 59° 17ʹ south, longitude 140° 12ʹ east,

and had such a large hollow swell from W. S. W. as assured us that we

had left no land behind us in that direction. I was also well assured

that no land lay to the south on this side 60° of latitude. We had a

smart frost during the night, which was curiously illuminated with the

southern lights.

At ten o’clock in the morning of the 16th, (which was as soon as the sun

appeared,) in the latitude of 58° 51ʹ south, our longitude was 143° 10ʹ

east. This good weather was, as usual, of short duration. In the

afternoon of this day, we had again thick snow showers; but at intervals

it was tolerably clear; and in the evening, being in the latitude of 58°

58ʹ south, longitude 144° 37ʹ east, I found the variation by several

azimuths, to be 31ʹ east.

I was not a little pleased with being able to determine with so much

precision, this point of the line, in which the compass has no

variation. For I look upon half a degree as next to nothing; so that the

intersection of the latitude and longitude just mentioned, may be

reckoned the point, without any sensible error. At any rate the line can

only pass a very small matter west of it.

I continued to steer to the east, inclining to the south, with a fresh

gale at S. W. till five o’clock the next morning, when, being in the

latitude of 59° 7ʹ S. longitude 146° 53ʹ E. I bore away N. E. and at

noon north, having come to a resolution to quit the high southern

latitudes, and to proceed to New Zealand, to look for the Adventure, and

to refresh my people. I had also some thoughts, and even a desire, to

visit the east coast of Van Diemen’s Land, in order to satisfy myself if

it joined the coast of New South Wales.

In the night of the 17th, the wind shifted to N. W. and blew in squalls,

attended with thick hazy weather and rain. This continued all the 18th,

in the evening of which day, being in the latitude of 56° 15ʹ S.

longitude 150°, the sky cleared up, and we found the variation by

several azimuths to be 13° 30ʹ E. Soon after, we hauled up with the log

a piece of rock-weed, which was in a state of decay, and covered with

barnacles. In the night the southern lights were very bright.

The next morning we saw a seal, and towards noon some penguins, and more

rock-weed, being at this time in the latitude of 55° 1ʹ, longitude 152°

1ʹ E. In the latitude of 54° 4ʹ, we also saw a Port-Egmont hen, and some

weed. Navigators have generally looked upon all these to be certain

signs of the vicinity of land; I cannot, however, support this opinion.

At this time we knew of no land, nor is it even probable that there is

any, nearer than New Holland, or Van Diemen’s Land, from which we were

distant 260 leagues. We had, at the same time, several porpuses playing

about us; into one of which Mr. Cooper struck a harpoon; but, as the

ship was running seven knots, it broke its hold, after towing it some

minutes, and before we could deaden the ship’s way.

As the wind, which continued between the north and the west, would not

permit me to touch at Van Diemen’s Land, I shaped my course to New

Zealand; and, being under no apprehensions of meeting with any danger, I

was not backward in carrying sail, as well by night as day, having the

advantage of a very strong gale, which was attended with hazy rainy

weather, and a very large swell from the W. and W. S. W. We continued to

meet with, now and then, a seal, Port-Egmont hens, and sea-weed.

On the morning of the 22d, the wind shifted to south, and brought with

it fair weather. At noon, we found ourselves in the latitude of 49° 55ʹ,

longitude 159° 28ʹ, having a very large swell out of the S. W. For the

three days past the mercury in the thermometer had risen to 46, and the

weather was quite mild. Seven or eight degrees of latitude had made a

surprising difference in the temperature of the air, which we felt with

an agreeable satisfaction.

We continued to advance to the N. E. at a good rate, having a brisk gale

between the south and east; meeting with seals, Port-Egmont hens,

egg-birds, sea-weed, &c. and having constantly a very large swell from

the S. W. At ten o’clock in the morning of the 25th, the land of New

Zealand was seen from the mast head; and, at noon, from the deck;

extending from N. E. by E. to east, distant ten leagues. As I intended

to put into Dusky Bay, or any other port I could find, on the southern

part of TAVAI POENAMMOO, we steered in for the land, under all the sail

we could carry, having the advantage of a fresh gale at west, and

tolerably clear weather. This last was not of long duration; for, at

half an hour after four o’clock, the land, which was not above four

miles distant, was in a manner wholly obscured in a thick haze. At this

time, we were before the entrance of a bay, which I had mistaken for

Dusky Bay, being deceived by some islands that lay in the mouth of it.

Fearing to run, in thick weather, into a place to which we were all

strangers, and seeing some breakers and broken ground a-head, I tacked

in twenty-five fathom water, and stood out to sea with the wind at N. W.

This bay lies on the S. E. side of Cape West, and may be known by a

white cliff on one of the isles which lies in the entrance of the bay.

This part of the coast I did not see but at a great distance, in my

former voyage; and we now saw it under so many disadvantageous

circumstances, that the less I say about it, the fewer mistakes I shall

make. We stood out to sea, under close-reefed top-sails and courses,

till eleven o’clock at night; when we wore and stood to the northward,

having a very high and irregular sea. At five o’clock next morning, the

gale abated, and we bore up for the land; at eight o’clock, the West

Cape bore E. by N. 1/2 N. for which we steered, and entered Dusky Bay

about noon. In the entrance of it, we found 44 fathoms water, a sandy

bottom, the West Cape bearing S. S. E. and Five Fingers Point, or the

north point of the bay, north. Here we had a great swell rolling in from

S. W. The depth of water decreased to 40 fathoms; afterwards we had no

ground with 60. We were, however, too far advanced to return; and

therefore stood on, not doubting but that we should find anchorage. For

in this bay we were all strangers; in my former voyage, having done no

more than discover, and name it.

After running about two leagues up the bay, and passing several of the

isles which lay in it, I brought to, and hoisted out two boats; one of

which I sent away with an officer round a point on the larboard hand, to

look for anchorage. This he found, and signified the same by signal. We

then followed with the ship, and anchored in 50 fathoms water, so near

the shore as to reach it with an hawser. This was on Friday the 26th of

March, at three in the afternoon, after having been 117 days at sea; in

which time we had sailed 3660 leagues, without having once sight of

land.

After such a long continuance at sea, in a high southern latitude, it is

but reasonable to think that many of my people must be ill of the

scurvy. The contrary, however, happened. Mention hath already been made

of sweet wort being given to such as were scorbutic. This had so far the

desired effect, that we had only one man on board that could be called

very ill of this disease; occasioned, chiefly, by a bad habit of body,

and a complication of other disorders. We did not attribute the general

good state of health in the crew, wholly to the sweet wort, but to the

frequent airing and sweetening the ship by fires, &c. We must also allow

portable broth, and sour krout to have had some share in it. This last

can never be enough recommended.

My first care, after the ship was moored, was to send a boat and people

a fishing; in the mean time, some of the gentlemen killed a seal (out of

many that were upon a rock), which made us a fresh meal.

CHAP. IV.

TRANSACTIONS IN DUSKY BAY, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF SEVERAL INTERVIEWS WITH

THE INHABITANTS.

As I did not like the place we had anchored in, I sent Lieutenant

Pickersgill over to the S. E. side of the bay, to search for a better;

and I went myself to the other side, for the same purpose, where I met

with an exceedingly snug harbour, but nothing else worthy of notice. Mr.

Pickersgill reported, upon his return, that he had found a good harbour,

with every conveniency. As I liked the situation of this, better than

the other of my own finding, I determined to go there in the morning.

The fishing-boat was very successful; returning with fish sufficient for

all hands for supper, and, in a few hours in the morning, caught as many

as served for dinner. This gave us certain hopes of being plentifully

supplied with this article. Nor did the shores and woods appear less

destitute of wild fowl; so that we hoped to enjoy with ease, what in our

situation might be called the luxuries of life. This determined me to

stay some time in this bay, in order to examine it thoroughly; as no one

had ever landed before, on any of the southern parts of this country.

On the 27th, at nine o’clock in the morning, we got under sail with a

light breeze at S. W. and working over to Pickersgill Harbour, entered

it by a channel scarcely twice the width of the ship; and, in a small

creek, moored head and stern, so near the shore as to reach it with a

brow or stage, which nature had in a manner prepared for us in a large

tree, whose end or top reached our gunwale. Wood, for fuel and other

purposes, was here so convenient, that our yards were locked in the

branches of the trees; and, about 100 yards from our stern, was a fine

stream of fresh water. Thus situated, we began to clear places in the

woods, in order to set up the astronomer’s observatory, the forge to

repair our iron work, tents for the sail-makers and coopers to repair

the sails and casks in; to land our empty casks, to fill water, and to

cut down wood for fuel; all of which were absolutely necessary

occupations. We also began to brew beer from the branches or leaves of a

tree, which much resembles the American black spruce. From the knowledge

I had of this tree, and the similarity it bore to the spruce, I judged

that with the addition of inspissated juice of wort and molasses, it

would make a very wholesome beer, and supply the want of vegetables,

which this place did not afford; and the event proved that I was not

mistaken.

Now I have mentioned the inspissated juice of wort, it will not be

amiss, in this place, to inform the reader that I had made several

trials of it since I left the Cape of Good Hope, and found it to answer

in a cold climate, beyond all expectation. The juice, diluted in warm

water, in the proportion of twelve parts water to one part juice, made a

very good and well-tasted small beer. Some juice which I had of Mr.

Pelham’s own preparing, would bear sixteen parts water. By making use of

warm water, (which I think ought always to be done,) and keeping it in a

warm place, if the weather be cold, no difficulty will be found in

fermenting it. A little grounds of either small or strong beer will

answer as well as yeast.

The few sheep and goats we had left, were not likely to fare quite so

well as ourselves; there being no grass here, but what was coarse and

harsh. It was, however, not so bad, but that we expected they would

devour it with great greediness, and were the more surprised to find

that they would not taste it; nor did they seem over-fond of the leaves

of more tender plants. Upon examination, we found their teeth loose; and

that many of them had every other symptom of an inveterate sea-scurvy.

Out of four ewes and two rams which I brought from the Cape, with an

intent to put ashore in this country, I had only been able to preserve

one of each; and even these were in so bad a state, that it was doubtful

if they could recover; notwithstanding all the care possible had been

taken of them.

Some of the officers, on the 28th, went up the bay in a small boat on a

shooting party; but discovering inhabitants, they returned before noon,

to acquaint me therewith; for hitherto we had not seen the least vestige

of any. They had but just got aboard, when a canoe appeared off a point

about a mile from us, and soon after, returned behind the point out of

sight, probably owing to a shower of rain which then fell: for it was no

sooner over, than the canoe again appeared, and came within musket-shot

of the ship. There were in it seven or eight people. They remained

looking at us for some time, and then returned; all the signs of

friendship we could make, did not prevail on them to come nearer. After

dinner I took two boats and went in search of them, in the cove where

they were first seen, accompanied by several of the officers and

gentlemen. We found the canoe (at least a canoe) hauled upon the shore

near to two small huts, where were several fire-places, some fishing

nets, a few fish lying on the shore, and some in the canoe. But we saw

no people; they, probably, had retired into the woods. After a short

stay, and leaving in the canoe some medals, looking-glasses, beads, &c.,

we embarked and rowed to the head of the cove, where we found nothing

remarkable. In returning back we put ashore at the same place as before;

but still saw no people. However, they could not be far off, as we

smelled the smoke of fire, though we did not see it. But I did not care

to search farther, or to force an interview which they seemed to avoid;

well knowing that the way to obtain this, was to leave the time and

place to themselves. It did not appear that any thing I had left had

been touched; however, I now added a hatchet, and with the night

returned on board.

On the 29th, were showers till the afternoon; when a party of the

officers made an excursion up the bay; and Mr. Forster and his party

were out botanizing. Both parties returned in the evening without

meeting with any thing worthy of notice; and the two following days,

every one was confined to the ship on account of rainy stormy weather.

In the afternoon of the 1st of April, accompanied by several of the

gentlemen, I went to see if any of the articles I had left for the

Indians were taken away. We found every thing remaining in the canoe;

nor did it appear that any body had been there since. After shooting

some birds, one of which was a duck, with a blue-grey plumage and soft

bill, we, in the evening, returned on board.

The 2d, being a pleasant morning, Lieutenants Clerke and Edgcumbe, and

the two Mr. Forsters, went in a boat up the bay to search for the

productions of nature; and myself, Lieutenant Pickersgill, and Mr.

Hodges, went to take a view of the N. W. side. In our way, we touched at

the seal rock, and killed three seals, one of which afforded us much

sport. After passing several isles, we at length came to the most

northern and western arms of the bay; the same as is formed by the land

of Five Fingers Point. In the bottom of this arm or cove we found many

ducks, wood-hens, and other wild fowl, some of which we killed, and

returned on board at ten o’clock in the evening; where the other party

had arrived several hours before us, after having had but indifferent

sport. They took with them a black dog we had got at the Cape, who, at

the first musket they fired, ran into the woods, from whence he would

not return. The three following days were rainy, so that no excursions

were made.

Early in the morning on the 6th, a shooting party, made up of the

officers, went to Goose Cove, the place where I was the 2d; and myself,

accompanied by the two Mr. Forsters and Mr. Hodges, set out to continue

the survey of the bay. My attention was directed to the north side,

where I discovered a fine capacious cove, in the bottom of which is a

fresh water river; on the west side several beautiful small cascades;

and the shores are so steep that a ship might lie near enough to convey

the water into her by a hose. In this cove we shot fourteen ducks,

beside other birds, which occasioned my calling it Duck Cove.

As we returned in the evening, we had a short interview with three of

the natives, one man and two women. They were the first that discovered

themselves on the N. E. point of Indian Island, named so on this

occasion. We should have passed without seeing them, had not the man

hallooed to us. He stood with his club in his hand upon the point of a

rock, and behind him, at the skirts of the wood, stood the two women,

with each of them a spear. The man could not help discovering great

signs of fear when we approached the rock with our boat. He, however,

stood firm; nor did he move to take up some things we threw him ashore.

At length I landed, went up, and embraced him; and presented him with

such articles as I had about me, which at once dissipated his fears.

Presently after, we were joined by the two women, the gentlemen that

were with me, and some of the seamen. After this, we spent about half an

hour in chit-chat, little understood on either side, in which the

youngest of the two women bore by far the greatest share. This

occasioned one of the seamen to say, that women did not want tongue in

any part of the world. We presented them with fish and fowl which we had

in our boat; but these they threw into the boat again, giving us to

understand that such things they wanted not. Night approaching, obliged

us to take leave of them; when the youngest of the two women, whose

volubility of tongue exceeded every thing I ever met with, gave us a

dance; but the man viewed us with great attention. Some hours after we

got on board, the other party returned, having had but indifferent

sport.

Next morning, I made the natives another visit, accompanied by Mr.

Forster and Mr. Hodges, carrying with me various articles which I

presented them with, and which they received with a great deal of

indifference, except hatchets and spike-nails; these they most esteemed.

This interview was at the same place as last night; and now we saw the

whole family. It consisted of the man, his two wives (as we supposed),

the young woman before mentioned, a boy about fourteen years old, and

three small children, the youngest of which was at the breast. They were

all well-looking, except one woman, who had a large wen on her upper

lip, which made her look disagreeable; and she seemed, on that account,

to be in a great measure neglected by the man. They conducted us to

their habitation, which was but a little way within the skirts of the

wood, and consisted of two mean huts made of the bark of trees. Their

canoe, which was a small double one, just large enough to transport the

whole family from place to place, lay in a small creek near the huts.

During our stay, Mr. Hodges made drawings of most of them; this

occasioned them to give him the name of _Toe-toe_, which word, we

supposed, signifies marking or painting. When we took leave, the chief

presented me with a piece of cloth or garment of their own

manufacturing, and some other trifles. I at first thought it was meant

as a return for the presents I had made him; but he soon undeceived me,

by expressing a desire for one of our boat cloaks. I took the hint, and

ordered one to be made for him of red baize, as soon as I got aboard;

where rainy weather detained me the following day.

The 9th, being fair weather, we paid the natives another visit, and made

known our approach by hallooing to them; but they neither answered us,

nor met us at the shore as usual. The reason of this we soon saw; for we

found them at their habitations, all dressed and dressing, in their very

best, with their hair combed and oiled, tied up upon the crowns of their

heads, and stuck with white feathers. Some wore a fillet of feathers

round their heads; and all of them had bunches of white feathers stuck

in their ears: thus dressed, and all standing, they received us with

great courtesy. I presented the chief with the cloak I had got made for

him, with which he seemed so well pleased, that he took his pattapattou

from his girdle, and gave it me. After a short stay, we took leave; and

having spent the remainder of the day in continuing my survey of the

bay, with the night returned on board.

Very heavy rains falling on the two following days, no work was done;

but the 12th proved clear and serene, and afforded us an opportunity to

dry our sails and linen, two things very much wanted, not having had

fair weather enough for this purpose since we put into this bay. Mr.

Forster and his party also profited by the day in botanizing.

About ten o’clock the family of the natives paid us a visit. Seeing that

they approached the ship with great caution, I met them in a boat, which

I quitted when I got to them, and went into their canoe. Yet, after all,

I could not prevail on them to put along-side the ship, and at last was

obliged to leave them to follow their own inclination. At length they

put ashore in a little creek hard by us, and afterwards came and sat

down on the shore abreast of the ship, near enough to speak with us. I

now caused the bagpipes and fife to play, and the drum to beat. The two

first they did not regard, but the latter caused some little attention

in them; nothing, however, could induce them to come on board. But they

entered, with great familiarity, into conversation (little understood)

with such of the officers and seamen as went to them, paying much

greater regard to some than to others, and these we had reason to

believe they took for women. To one man, in particular, the young woman

showed an extraordinary fondness until she discovered his sex, after

which she would not suffer him to come near her. Whether it was that she

before took him for one of her own sex; or that the man, in order to

discover himself, had taken some liberties with her which she thus

resented, I know not.

In the afternoon, I took Mr. Hodges to a large cascade, which falls from

a high mountain on the south-side of the bay, about a league above the

place where we lay. He took a drawing of it on paper, and afterwards

painted it in oil-colours; which exhibits, at once, a better description

of it than any I can give. Huge heaps of stones lay at the foot of this

cascade, which had been broken off and brought by the stream from the

adjacent mountains. These stones were of different sorts; none, however,

according to Mr. Forster’s opinion (who I believe to be a judge),

contains either minerals or metals. Nevertheless I brought away

specimens of every sort, as the whole country, that is, the rocky part

of it, seemed to consist of those stones and no other. This cascade is

at the east point of a cove, lying in S. W. two miles, which I named

Cascade Cove. In it is good anchorage and other necessaries. At the

entrance, lies an island, on each side of which is a passage; that on

the east side is much the widest. A little above the isle, and near the

S. E. shore, are two rocks, which are covered at high water. It was in

this cove we first saw the natives.

When I returned aboard in the evening I found our friends the natives

had taken up their quarters about 100 yards from our watering-place; a

very great mark of the confidence they placed in us. This evening a

shooting party of the officers went over to the north side of the bay,

having with them a small cutter to convey them from place to place.

Next morning, accompanied by Mr. Forster, I went in the pinnace to

survey the isles and rocks which lie in the mouth of the bay. I began

first with those which lie on the S. E. side of Anchor Isle. I found

here a very snug cove sheltered from all winds, which we called Luncheon

Cove, because here we dined on cray-fish, on the side of a pleasant

brook, shaded by the trees from both wind and sun. After dinner we

proceeded, by rowing, out to the outermost isles, where we saw many

seals, fourteen of which we killed and brought away with us; and might

have got many more, would the surf have permitted us to land with

safety, on all the rocks. The next morning, I went out again to continue

the survey, accompanied by Mr. Forster. I intended to have landed again

on the seal isles; but there ran such a high sea that I could not come

near them. With some difficulty we rowed out to sea, and round the S. W.

point of Anchor Isle. It happened very fortunately that chance directed

me to take this course, in which we found the sportsmen’s boat adrift,

and laid hold of her the very moment she would have been dashed against

the rocks. I was not long at a loss to guess how she came there, nor was

I under any apprehensions for the gentlemen that had been in her; and,

after refreshing ourselves with such as we had to eat and drink, and

securing the boat in a small creek, we proceeded to the place where we

supposed them to be. This we reached about seven or eight o’clock in the

evening, and found them upon a small isle in Goose Cove, where, as it

was low water, we could not come with our boat until the return of the

tide. As this did not happen till three o’clock in the morning, we

landed on a naked beach, not knowing where to find a better place, and,

after some time, having got a fire and broiled some fish, we made a

hearty supper, having for sauce a good appetite. This done, we lay down

to sleep, having a stony beach for a bed, and the canopy of heaven for a

covering. At length the tide permitted us to take off the sportsmen; and

with them we embarked, and proceeded for the place where we had left

their boat, which we soon reached, having a fresh breeze of wind in our

favour, attended with rain. When we came to the creek, which was on the

N. W. side of Anchor Isle, we found there an immense number of blue

peterels, some on the wing, others in the woods, in holes in the ground,

under the roots of trees, and in the crevices of rocks, where there was

no getting them, and where we supposed their young were deposited. As

not one was to be seen in the day, the old ones were probably, at that

time out at sea searching for food, which in the evening they bring to

their young. The noise they made was like the croaking of many frogs.

They were, I believe, of the broad bill kind, which are not so commonly

seen at sea as the others. Here, however, they are in great numbers; and

flying much about in the night, some of our gentlemen at first took them

for bats. After restoring the sportsmen to their boat, we all proceeded

for the ship, which we reached by seven o’clock in the morning, not a

little fatigued with our expedition. I now learned that our friends the

natives returned to their habitation at night, probably foreseeing that

rain was at hand; which sort of weather continued the whole of this day.

On the morning of the 15th, the weather having cleared up and become

fair, I set out with two boats to continue the survey of the N. W. side

of the bay, accompanied by the two Mr. Forsters and several of the

officers, whom I detached in one boat to Goose Cove, where we intended

to lodge the night, while I proceeded in the other, examining the

harbours and isles which lay in my way. In the doing of this, I picked

up about a score of wild fowl, and caught fish sufficient to serve the

whole party; and, reaching the place of rendezvous a little before dark,

I found all the gentlemen out duck-shooting. They, however, soon

returned, not overloaded with game. By this time, the cooks had done

their parts, in which little art was required; and after a hearty repast

on what the day had produced, we lay down to rest; but took care to rise

early the next morning, in order to have the other bout among the ducks,

before we left the cove.

Accordingly, at day-light, we prepared for the attack. Those who had

reconnoitered the place before, chose their stations accordingly; whilst

myself and another remained in the boat, and rowed to the head of the

cove to start the game; which we did so effectually, that, out of some

scores of ducks, we only detained one to ourselves, sending all the rest

down to those stationed below. After this, I landed at the head of the

cove and walked cross the narrow isthmus that disjoins it from the sea,

or rather from another cove which runs in from the sea about one mile,

and lies open to the north winds. It, however, had all the appearance of

a good harbour and safe anchorage. At the head is a fine sandy beach,

where I found an immense number of wood-hens, and brought away ten

couple of them, which recompensed me for the trouble of crossing the

isthmus, through the wet woods, up to the middle in water. About nine

o’clock, we all got collected together, when the success of every one

was known; which was by no means answerable to our expectations. The

morning, indeed, was very unfavourable for shooting, being rainy the

most of the time we were out. After breakfast, we set out on our return

to the ship, which we reached by seven o’clock in the evening; with

about seven dozen of wild-fowl, and two seals; the most of them shot

while I was rowing about, exploring the harbours and coves which I found

in my way; every place affording something; especially to us, to whom

nothing came amiss.

It rained all the 17th; but the 18th bringing fair and clear weather, in

the evening, our friends the natives before mentioned paid us another

visit; and the next morning, the chief and his daughter were induced to

come on board, while the others went out in the canoe fishing. Before

they came on board I showed them our goats and sheep that were on shore;

which they viewed, for a moment, with a kind of stupid insensibility.

After this, I conducted them to the brow; but before the chief set his

foot upon it to come into the ship, he took a small green branch in his

hand, with which he struck the ship’s side several times, repeating a

speech or prayer. When this was over, he threw the branch into the main

chains, and came on board. This custom and manner of making peace, as it

were, is practised by all the nations in the South Seas that I have

seen.

I took them both down into the cabin, where we were to breakfast. They

sat at table with us, but would not taste any of our victuals. The chief

wanted to know where we slept, and indeed to pry into every corner of

the cabin, every part of which he viewed with some surprise. But it was

not possible to fix his attention to any one thing a single moment. The

works of art appeared to him in the same light as those of nature, and

were as far removed beyond his comprehension. What seemed to strike them

most was the number and strength of our decks, and other parts of the

ship. The chief, before he came aboard, presented me with a piece of

cloth and a green talk hatchet; to Mr. Forster he also gave a piece of

cloth; and the girl gave another to Mr. Hodges. This custom of making

presents, before they receive any, is common with the natives of the

South Sea isles; but I never saw it practised in New Zealand before. Of

all the various articles I gave my guest, hatchets and spike-nails were

the most valuable in his eyes. These he never would suffer to go out of

his hands after he had once laid hold of them; whereas many other

articles he would lay carelessly down any where, and at last leave them

behind him.

As soon as I could get quit of them, they were conducted into the

gun-room, where I left them, and set out with two boats to examine the

head of the bay; myself in one, accompanied by Mr. Forster and Mr.

Hodges; and Lieutenant Cooper in the other. We proceeded up the south

side; and, without meeting with any thing remarkable, got to the head of

the bay by sun-set; where we took up our lodging for the night at the

first place we could land upon; for the flats hindered us from getting

quite to the head.

At day-light in the morning, I took two men in the small boat, and, with

Mr. Forster, went to take a view of the flat land at the head of the

bay, near to where we spent the night. We landed on one side, and

ordered the boat to meet us on the other side; but had not been long on

shore before we saw some ducks, which, by their creeping through the

bushes, we got a shot at, and killed one. The moment we had fired, the

natives, whom we had not discovered before, set up a most hideous noise

in two or three places close by us. We hallooed in our turn; and, at the

same time, retired to our boat, which was full half a mile off. The

natives kept up their clamouring noise, but did not follow us. Indeed we

found, afterwards, that they could not, because of a branch of the river

between us and them; nor did we find their numbers answerable to the

noise they made. As soon as we got to our boat, and found that there was

a river that would admit us, I rowed in, and was soon after joined by

Mr. Cooper, in the other boat. With this reinforcement I proceeded up

the river, shooting wild ducks, of which there were great numbers; as we

went along, now and then, hearing the natives in the woods. At length

two appeared on the banks of the river, a man and a woman; and the

latter kept waving something white in her hand, as a sign of friendship.

Mr. Cooper being near them, I called to him to land, as I wanted to take

the advantage of the tide to get as high up as possible, which did not

much exceed half a mile, when I was stopped by the strength of the

stream and great stones which lay in the bed of the river.

On my return, I found that, as Mr. Cooper did not land when the natives

expected him, they had retired into the woods; but two others now

appeared on the opposite bank. I endeavoured to have an interview with

them; but this I could not effect. For, as I approached the shore, they

always retired farther into the woods, which were so thick as to cover

them from our sight. The falling tide obliged me to retire out of the

river, to the place where we had spent the night. There we breakfasted,

and afterwards embarked, in order to return on board; but, just as we

were going, we saw two men, on the opposite shore, hallooing to us,

which induced me to row over to them. I landed, with two others,

unarmed; the two natives standing about 100 yards from the water side,

with each a spear in his hand. When we three advanced, they retired; but

stood when I advanced alone.

It was some little time before I could prevail upon them to lay down

their spears: this, at last, one of them did, and met me with a grass

plant in his hand, one end of which he gave me to hold, while he held

the other: standing in this manner, he began a speech, not one word of

which I understood; and made some long pauses; waiting, as I thought,

for me to answer; for when I spoke, he proceeded. As soon as this

ceremony was over, which was not long, we saluted each other. He then

took his hahou, or coat, from off his own back, and put it upon mine;

after which, peace seemed firmly established. More people joining us did

not in the least alarm them; on the contrary, they saluted every one as

he came up.

I gave to each a hatchet and a knife, having nothing else with me:

perhaps these were the most valuable things I could give them; at least

they were the most useful. They wanted us to go to their habitation,

telling us they would give us something to eat; and I was sorry that the

tide, and other circumstances, would not permit me to accept of their

invitation. More people were seen in the skirts of the wood, but none of

them joined us; probably these were their wives and children. When we

took leave they followed us to our boat, and seeing the muskets lying

across the stern, they made signs for them to be taken away; which being

done, they came along side, and assisted us to launch her. At this time,

it was necessary for us to look well after them, for they wanted to take

away every thing they could lay their hands upon, except the muskets;

these they took care not to touch, being taught by the slaughter they

had seen us make among the wild fowl, to look upon them as instruments

of death.

We saw no canoes or other boats with them; two or three logs of wood

tied together served the same purpose; and were indeed sufficient for

the navigation of the river, on the banks of which they lived. There

fish and fowl were in such plenty, that they had no occasion to go far

for food; and they have but few neighbours to disturb them. The whole

number at this place, I believe, does not exceed three families.

It was noon when we took leave of these two men, and proceeded down the

north side of the bay; which I explored in my way, and the isles that

lie in the middle; night, however, overtook us, and obliged me to leave

one arm unlooked into, and hasten to the ship, which we reached by eight

o’clock. I then learnt that the man and his daughter stayed on board the

day before till noon; and that, having understood from our people what

things were left in Cascade Cove, the place where they were first seen,

he sent and took them away. He and his family remained near us till

to-day, when they all went away, and we saw them no more; which was the

more extraordinary, as he never left us empty-handed. From one or

another he did not get less than nine or ten hatchets, three or four

times that number of large spike nails, besides many other articles. So

far as these things may be counted riches in New Zealand, he exceeds

every man there; being at this time possessed of more hatchets and axes

than are in the whole country besides.

In the afternoon of the 21st, I went with a party out to the isles on

seal-hunting. The surf ran so high that we could only land in one place,

where we killed ten. These animals served us for three purposes; the

skins we made use of for our rigging; the fat gave oil for our lamps;

and the flesh we ate. Their harslets are equal to that of a hog, and the

flesh of some of them eats little inferior to beef steaks. The following

day nothing worthy of notice was done.

In the morning of the 23d, Mr. Pickersgill, Mr. Gilbert, and two others,

went to the Cascade Cove, in order to ascend one of the mountains, the

summit of which they reached by two o’clock in the afternoon, as we

could see by the fire they made. In the evening they returned on board,

and reported, that inland nothing was to be seen but barren mountains,

with huge craggy precipices, disjoined by valleys, or rather chasms,

frightful to behold. On the S. E. side of Cape West, four miles out at

sea, they discovered a ridge of rocks, on which the waves broke very

high. I believe these rocks to be the same we saw the evening we first

fell in with the land.

Having five geese left out of those we brought from the Cape of Good

Hope, I went with them next morning to Goose Cove (named so on this

account), where I left them. I chose this place for two reasons; first,

here are no inhabitants to disturb them; and secondly, here being the

most food. I make no doubt but that they will breed, and may in time

spread over the whole country, and fully answer my intention in leaving

them. We spent the day shooting in and about the Cove, and returned

aboard about ten o’clock in the evening. One of the party shot a white

hern, which agreed exactly with Mr. Pennant’s description, in his

British Zoology, of the white herns that either now are, or were

formerly, in England.

The 25th was the eighth fair day we had had successively; a

circumstance, I believe, very uncommon in this place, especially at this

season of the year. This fair weather gave us an opportunity to complete

our wood and water, to overhaul the rigging, calk the ship, and put her

in a condition for sea. Fair weather was, however, now at an end; for it

began to rain this evening, and continued, without intermission, till

noon the next day, when we cast off the shore fasts, hove the ship out

of the creek to her anchor, and steadied her with an hawser to the

shore.

On the 27th, hazy weather, with showers of rain. In the morning I set

out, accompanied by Mr. Pickersgill and the two Mr. Forsters, to explore

the arm or inlet I discovered the day I returned from the head of the

bay. After rowing about two leagues up it, or rather down, I found it to

communicate with the sea, and to afford a better outlet for ships bound

to the north, than the one I came in by. After making this discovery,

and refreshing ourselves on broiled fish and wild fowl, we set out for

the ship, and got on board at eleven o’clock at night; leaving two arms

we had discovered, and which run in the east, unexplored. In this

expedition we shot forty-four birds, sea-pies, ducks, &c., without going

one foot out of our way, or causing any other delay than picking them

up.

Having got the tents and every other article on board on the 28th, we

only now waited for a wind to carry us out of the harbour, and through

New Passage, the way I proposed to go to sea. Every thing being removed

from the shore, I set fire to the top-wood, &c., in order to dry a piece

of the ground we had occupied, which, next morning, I dug up, and sowed

with several sorts of garden seeds. The soil was such as did not promise

success to the planter; it was, however, the best we could find. At two

o’clock in the afternoon, we weighed with a light breeze, at S. W., and

stood up the bay for the new passage. Soon after we had got through,

between the east end of Indian Island and the west end of Long Island,

it fell calm, which obliged us to anchor in forty-three fathom water,

under the north side of the latter island.

In the morning of the 30th we weighed again with a light breeze at west,

which, together with all our boats a-head towing, was hardly sufficient

to stem the current; for, after struggling till six o’clock in the

evening, and not getting more than five miles from our last anchoring

place, we anchored under the north side of Long Island, not more than

one hundred yards from the shore, to which we fastened a hawser.

At day-light next morning, May 1st, we got again under sail, and

attempted to work to windward, having a light breeze down the bay. At

first we gained ground; but at last the breeze died away; when we soon

lost more than we had got, and were obliged to bear up for a cove on the

north side of Long Island, where we anchored in nineteen fathom water, a

muddy bottom; in this cove we found two huts not long since inhabited;

and near them two very large fire-places or ovens, such as they have in

the Society Isles. In this cove we were detained by calms, attended with

continual rain, till the 4th, in the afternoon, when, with the

assistance of a small breeze at S. W., we got the length of the reach or

passage leading to sea. The breeze then left us, and we anchored under

the east point, before a sandy beach, in thirty fathoms’ water; but this

anchoring place hath nothing to recommend it like the one we came from,

which hath every thing in its favour.

In the night we had some very heavy squalls of wind, attended with rain,

hail, and snow, and some thunder. Day-light exhibited to our view all

the hills and mountains covered with snow. At two o’clock in the

afternoon, a light breeze sprung up at S. S. W., which, with the help of

our boats, carried us down the passage to our intended anchoring place,

where, at eight o’clock, we anchored in sixteen fathoms’ water, and

moored, with a hawser to the shore, under the first point on the

starboard side, as you come in from sea; from which we were covered by

the point.

In the morning of the 6th, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill, accompanied by

the two Mr. Forsters, to explore the second arm which turns into the

east, myself being confined on board by a cold. At the same time, I had

every thing got up from between decks, the decks well cleaned and well

aired with fires; a thing that ought never to be long neglected in wet

moist weather. The fair weather which had continued all this day, was

succeeded in the night by a storm from N. W., which blew in hard

squalls, attended with rain, and obliged us to strike top-gallant and

lower yards, and to carry out another hawser to the shore. The bad

weather continued the whole day and the succeeding night, after which it

fell calm with fair weather.

At seven in the morning, on the 8th, Mr. Pickersgill returned, together

with his companions, in no very good plight; having been at the head of

the arm he was sent to explore, which he judged to extend into the

eastward about eight miles; in it is a good anchoring-place, wood, fresh

water, wild fowl, and fish. At nine o’clock I set out to explore the

other inlet, or the one next the sea; and ordered Mr. Gilbert, the

master, to go and examine the passage out to sea, while those on board

were getting every thing in readiness to depart. I proceeded up the

inlet till five o’clock in the afternoon, when bad weather obliged me to

return, before I had seen the end of it. As this inlet lay nearly

parallel with the sea-coast, I was of opinion that it might communicate

with Doubtful Harbour, or some other inlet to the northward; appearances

were, however, against this opinion, and the bad weather hindered me

from determining the point, although a few hours would have done it: I

was about ten miles up, and thought I saw the end of it: I found on the

north side three coves, in which, as also on the south side, between the

main and the isles that lie about four miles up the inlet, is good

anchorage, wood, water, and what else can be expected, such as fish and

wild fowl; of the latter we killed, in this excursion, three dozen.

After a very hard row, against both wind and rain, we got on board about

nine o’clock at night, without a dry thread on our backs.

This bad weather continued no longer than till the next morning, when it

became fair, and the sky cleared up; but as we had not wind to carry us

to sea, we made up two shooting parties; myself, accompanied by the two

Mr. Forsters and some others, went to the arm I was in the day before;

and the other party to the coves and isles Mr. Gilbert had discovered,

when he was out, and where he found many wild fowl. We had a pleasant

day, and the evening brought us all on board; myself and party met with

good sport; but the other party found little.

All the forenoon of the 10th, we had strong gales from the west,

attended with heavy showers of rain, and blowing in such flurries over

high land, as made it unsafe for us to get under sail. The afternoon was

more moderate, and became fair; when myself, Mr. Cooper, and some

others, went out in the boats to the rocks, which lie at this entrance

of the bay, to kill seals: the weather was rather unfavourable for this

sport, and the sea ran high, so as to make landing difficult; we,

however, killed ten; but could only wait to bring away five, with which

we returned on board.

In the morning of the 11th, while we were getting under sail, I sent a

boat for the other five seals. At nine o’clock we weighed, with a light

breeze at S. E., and stood out to sea, taking up the boat in our way. It

was noon before we got clear of the land; at which time we observed in

45° 34ʹ 30ʺ south; the entrance of the bay bore S. E. by E., and

Break-sea isles (the outermost isles that lie at the south point of the

entrance of the bay) bore S. S. E. distant three miles; the southernmost

point, or that of Five Fingers’ Point, bore south 42° west; and the

northernmost land N. N. E.; in this situation we had a prodigious swell

from S. W., which broke with great violence on all the shores that were

exposed to it.

CHAP. V.

DIRECTIONS FOR SAILING IN AND OUT OF DUSKY BAY, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE

ADJACENT COUNTRY, ITS PRODUCE, AND INHABITANTS: ASTRONOMICAL AND

NAUTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

As there are few places where I have been in New Zealand that afford the

necessary refreshments in such plenty as Dusky Bay, a short description

of it, and of the adjacent country, may prove of use to some future

navigators, as well as acceptable to the curious reader. For although

this country be far remote from the present trading part of the world,

we can by no means tell what use future ages may make of the discoveries

made in the present. The reader of this journal must already know that

there are two entrances to this bay. The south entrance is situated on

the north side of Cape West, in latitude 45° 48ʹ south. It is formed by

the land of the Cape to the south, and Five Fingers’ Point to the north.

This point is made remarkable by several pointed rocks lying off it,

which when viewed from certain situations, have some resemblance to the

five fingers of a man’s hand; from whence it takes its name. The land of

this point is still more remarkable by the little similarity it bears to

any other of the lands adjacent; being a narrow peninsula lying north

and south, of a moderate and equal height, and all covered with wood.

To sail into the bay by this entrance is by no means difficult, as I

know of no danger but what shows itself. The worst that attends it, is

the depth of water, which is too great to admit of anchorage, except in

the coves and harbours, and very near the shores; and even, in many

places, this last cannot be done. The anchoring-places are, however,

numerous enough, and equally safe and commodious. Pickersgill Harbour,

where we lay, is not inferior to any other bay, for two or three ships;

it is situated on the south shore abreast of the west end of Indian

Island; which island may be known from the others by its greater

proximity to that shore. There is a passage into the harbour on both

sides of the isle, which lies before it. The most room is on the upper

or east side, having regard to a sunken rock near the main, abreast this

end of the isle. Keep the isle close aboard, and you will not only avoid

the rock, but keep in anchoring ground. The next place, on this side, is

Cascade Cove; where there is room for a fleet of ships, and also a

passage in on either side of the isle which lies in the entrance; taking

care to avoid a sunken rock which lies near the S. E. shore, a little

above the isle. This rock, as well as the one in Pickersgill Harbour,

may be seen at half ebb.

It must be needless to enumerate all the anchoring-places in this

capacious bay; one or two, on each side, will be quite sufficient. Those

who want to be acquainted with more, need only consult the annexed

chart; which they may depend upon as being without any material error.

To such as put into this bay, and are afterwards bound to the south, I

would recommend Facile Harbour. To sail into this harbour, keep the

inside of the land of Five Fingers’ Point aboard, until you are the

length of the isles, which lie abreast the middle of that land. Haul

round the north point of these isles, and you will have the harbour

before you bearing east. But the chart will be a sufficient guide, not

only to sail into this, but into all the other anchoring places, as well

as to sail quite through, from the south to the north entrance. However,

I shall give some directions for this navigation. In coming in at the

south entrance keep the south shore aboard, until you approach the west

end of Indian Island, which you will know not only by its apparent, but

real nearness to the shore. From this situation, it will appear as a

point dividing the bay into two arms. Leave this isle on your starboard

side, and continue your course up the bay, which is E. by N. 1/2 N.

without turning either to the right or left. When you are abreast, or

above the east end of this isle, you will find the bay of a considerable

breadth; and, higher up, to be contracted by two projecting points.

Three miles above the one, on the north side, and abreast of two small

isles, is the passage out to sea, or to the north entrance; and this

lies nearly in the direction of N. by W. and S. by E.

The north entrance lies in the latitude of 45° 38ʹ south, and five

leagues to the north of Five Fingers’ Point. To make this entrance

plain, it will be necessary to approach the shore within a few miles; as

all the land within, and on each side, is of considerable height. Its

situation may, however, be known at a greater distance; as it lies under

the first craggy mountains which rise to the north of the land of Five

Fingers’ Point. The southernmost of these mountains is remarkable;

having at its summit two small hillocks. When this mountain bears

S. S. E. you will be before the entrance, on the south side of which are

several isles. The westernmost and outermost is the most considerable,

both for height and circuit; and this I have called Break-sea Isle,

because it effectually covers this entrance from the violence of the

S. W. swell, which the other entrance is so much exposed to. In sailing

in you leave this isle, as well as all the others, to the south. The

best anchorage is in the first or north arm, which is on the larboard

hand going in, either in one of the coves, or behind the isles that lie

under the S. E. shore.

The country is exceedingly mountainous; not only about Dusky Bay, but

through all the southern part of this western coast of Tavia Poenammoo.

A prospect more rude and craggy is rarely to be met with; for inland

appears nothing but the summits of mountains of a stupendous height, and

consisting of rocks that are totally barren and naked, except where they

are covered with snow. But the land bordering on the sea coast, and all

the islands, are thickly clothed with wood, almost down to the water’s

edge. The trees are of various kinds, such as are common to other parts

of this country, and are fit for the shipwright, house-carpenter,

cabinet-maker, and many other uses. Except in the river Thames I have

not seen finer timber in all New Zealand: both here and in that river,

the most considerable for size is the spruce tree, as we called it, from

the similarity of its foliage to the American spruce, though the wood is

more ponderous and bears a greater resemblance to the pitch pine. Many

of these trees are from six to eight, and ten feet in girt, and from

sixty to eighty or one hundred feet in length; large enough to make a

main-mast for a fifty-gun ship.

Here are, as well as in all other parts of New Zealand, a great number

of aromatic trees and shrubs, most of the myrtle kind; but amidst all

this variety we met with none which bore fruit fit to eat.

In many parts the woods are so over-run with supple-jacks, that it is

scarcely possible to force one’s way amongst them. I have seen several

which were fifty or sixty fathoms long.

The soil is a deep black mould, evidently composed of decayed

vegetables, and so loose that it sinks under you at every step; and this

may be the reason why we meet with so many large trees as we do, blown

down by the wind, even in the thickest part of the woods. All the ground

amongst the trees is covered with moss and fern, of both which there is

great variety; but except the flax or hemp plant, and a few other

plants, there is very little herbage of any sort, and none that was

eatable that we found, except about a handful of water-cresses, and

about the same quantity of cellery. What Dusky Bay most abounds with is

fish: a boat with six or eight men with hooks and lines, caught daily

sufficient to serve the whole ship’s company: of this article the

variety is almost equal to the plenty; and of such kinds as are common

to the more northern coast; but some are superior; and in particular the

cole fish, as we called it, which is both larger and finer flavoured

than any I had seen before, and was, in the opinion of most on board,

the highest luxury the sea afforded us. The shell-fish are muscles,

cockles, scallops, cray-fish, and many other sorts; all such as are to

be found in every other part of the coast. The only amphibious animals

are seals; these are to be found in great numbers about this bay, on the

small rocks and isles near the sea coast.

We found here five different kinds of ducks, some of which I do not

recollect to have any where seen before; the largest are as big as a

Muscovy duck, with a very beautiful variegated plumage, on which account

we called it the painted duck: both male and female have a large white

spot on each wing; the head and neck of the latter is white, but all the

other feathers, as well as those on the head and neck of the drake, are

of a dark variegated colour. The second sort have a brown plumage, with

bright green feathers in their wings, and are about the size of an

English tame duck. The third sort is the blue-grey duck before

mentioned, or the whistling duck, as some called them, from the

whistling noise they made. What is most remarkable in these is, that the

end of their beaks is soft, and of a skinny, or more properly,

cartilaginous substance. The fourth sort is something bigger than teal,

and all black except the drake, which has some white feathers in his

wing. There are but few of this sort; and we saw them no where but in

the river at the head of the bay. The last sort is a good deal like a

teal, and very common I am told in England. The other fowls, whether

belonging to the sea or land, are the same that are to be found in

common in other parts of this country, except the blue peterel, before

mentioned, and the water or wood hens: these last, although they are

numerous enough here, are so scarce in other parts, that I never saw but

one. The reason may be, that, as they cannot fly, they inhabit the

skirts of the woods, and feed on the sea beach; and are so very tame or

foolish, as to stand and stare at us till we knocked them down with a

stick. The natives may have in a manner wholly destroyed them; they are

a sort of rail, about the size, and a good deal like a common dunghill

hen; most of them are of a dirty black or dark brown colour, and eat

very well in a pie or fricassee. Amongst the small birds I must not omit

to particularise the wattle-bird, poy-bird, and fan-tail, on account of

their singularity, especially as I find they are not mentioned in the

narrative of my former voyage.

The wattle-bird, so called because it has two wattles under its beak, as

large as those of a small dunghill cock, is larger, particularly in

length, than an English black-bird; its bill is short and thick, and its

feathers of a dark lead colour; the colour of its wattles is a dull

yellow, almost an orange colour.

The poy-bird is less than the wattle-bird; the feathers of a fine

mazarine blue, except those of its neck, which are of a most beautiful

silver-grey, and two or three short white ones, which are on the

pinion-joint of the wing; under its throat hang two little tufts of

curled snow-white feathers, called its _poies_, which being the

Otaheitean word for ear-rings, occasioned our giving that name to the

bird; which is not more remarkable for the beauty of its plumage than

for the sweetness of its note; the flesh is also most delicious, and was

the greatest luxury the woods afforded us.

Of the fan-tail, there are different sorts, but the body of the most

remarkable one is scarcely larger than a good filbert, yet it spreads a

tail of most beautiful plumage, full three-quarters of a semicircle, of

at least four or five inches radius.

For three or four days after we arrived in Pickersgill Harbour, and as

we were clearing the woods to set up our tents, &c., a four-footed

animal was seen by three or four of our people; but as no two gave the

same description of it, I cannot say of what kind it is; all, however,

agreed, that it was about the size of a cat, with short legs, and of

mouse colour: one of the seamen, and he who had the best view of it,

said it had a bushy tail, and was the most like a jackall of any animal

he knew. The most probable conjecture is, that it is of a new species;

be this as it may, we are now certain, that this country is not so

destitute of quadrupeds as was once thought.

The most mischievous animals here, are the small black sand flies, which

are very numerous, and so troublesome, that they exceed every thing of

the kind I ever met with; wherever they bite they cause a swelling, and

such an intolerable itching, that it is not possible to refrain from

scratching, which at last brings on ulcers like the small-pox.

The almost continual rains may be reckoned another evil attending this

bay; though, perhaps, this may only happen at this season of the year.

Nevertheless, the situation of the country, the vast height, and

nearness of the mountains, seem to subject it to much rain at all times.

Our people, who were daily exposed to the rain, felt no ill effects from

it; on the contrary, such as were sick and ailing when we came in,

recovered daily, and the whole crew soon became strong and vigorous;

which can only be attributed to the healthiness of the place, and the

fresh provisions it afforded. The beer certainly contributed not a

little: as I have already observed, we at first made it of a decoction

of the spruce leaves; but finding that this alone made the beer too

astringent, we afterwards mixed with it an equal quantity of the tea

plant (a name it obtained in my former voyage, from our using it as tea

then, as we also did now,) which partly destroyed the astringency of the

other, and made the beer exceedingly palatable, and esteemed by every

one on board. We brewed it in the same manner as spruce beer, and the

process is as follows: first make a strong decoction of the small

branches of the spruce and tea plants, by boiling them three or four

hours, or until the bark will strip with ease from off the branches;

then take them out of the copper, and put in the proper quantity of

melasses; ten gallons of which is sufficient to make a ton or two

hundred and forty gallons of beer; let this mixture just boil; then put

it into the casks; and, to it, add an equal quantity of cold water, more

or less according to the strength of the decoction, or your taste: when

the whole is milk-warm, put in a little grounds of beer, or yeast, if

you have it, or any thing else that will cause fermentation, and in a

few days the beer will be fit to drink. After the casks have been brewed

in two or three times, the beer will generally ferment itself,

especially if the weather is warm. As I had inspissated juice of wort on

board, and could not apply it to a better purpose, we used it together

with melasses or sugar, to make these two articles go farther; for of

the former I had but one cask, and of the latter little to spare for

this brewing. Had I known how well this beer would have succeeded, and

the great use it was of to the people, I should have come better

provided; indeed I was partly discouraged by an experiment made during

my former voyage; which did not succeed, then, owing, as I now believe,

to some mismanagement.

Any one who is in the least acquainted with spruce pines, will find the

tree which I have distinguished by that name. There are three sorts of

it; that which has the smallest leaves and deepest colour, is the sort

we brewed with, but doubtless all three might safely serve that purpose.

The tea plant is a small tree or shrub, with five white petals, or

flower-leaves, shaped like those of a rose, having smaller ones of the

same figure in the intermediate spaces, and twenty or more filaments or

threads. The tree sometimes grows to a moderate height, and is generally

bare on the lower part, with a number of small branches growing close

together towards the top. The leaves are small and pointed, like those

of the myrtle; it bears a dry roundish seed-case, and grows commonly in

dry places near the shores. The leaves, as I have already observed, were

used by many of us as tea, which has a very agreeable bitter and

flavour, when they are recent, but loses some of both when they are

dried. When the infusion was made strong, it proved emetic to some, in

the same manner as green tea.

The inhabitants of this bay are of the same race of people with those in

the other parts of this country, speak the same language, and observe

nearly the same customs. These, indeed, seem to have a custom of making

presents before they receive any, in which they come nearer to the

Otaheiteans than the rest of their countrymen. What could induce three

or four families (for I believe there are not more) to separate

themselves so far from the society of the rest of their

fellow-creatures, is not easy to guess. By our meeting with inhabitants

in this place, it seems probable, that there are people scattered over

all this southern island. But the many vestiges of them in different

parts of this bay, compared with the number that we actually saw,

indicates that they live a wandering life; and, if one may judge from

appearances and circumstances, few as they are, they live not in perfect

amity one family with another. For, if they did, why do they not form

themselves into some society? a thing not only natural to man, but

observed even by the brute creation.

I shall conclude this account of Dusky Bay with some observations made

and communicated to me by Mr. Wales. He found, by a great variety of

observations, that the latitude of his observatory at Pickersgill

Harbour, was 45° 47ʹ 26-1/2ʺ south; and by the mean of several distances

of the moon from the sun, that its longitude was 166° 18ʹ east; which is

about half a degree less than it is laid down in my chart constructed in

my former voyage. He found the variation of the needle or compass by the

mean of three different needles, to be 13° 49ʹ east, and the dip of the

south end 70° 5-3/4ʹ. The times of high water on the full and change

days, he found to be at 10^h 57ʹ, and the tide to rise and fall at the

former eight feet, at the latter five feet eight inches. This difference

in the rise of the tides between the new and full moon is a little

extraordinary, and was probably occasioned, at this time, by some

accidental cause, such as winds, &c. but be it as it will, I am well

assured there was no error in the observations.

Supposing the longitude of the observatory to be as above, the error of

Mr. Kendal’s watch, in longitude, will be 1° 48ʹ, minus, and that of Mr.

Arnold’s 39° 25ʺ. The former was found to be gaining 6ʺ, 461 a-day, on

mean time, and the latter losing 99ʺ, 361. Agreeably to these rates, the

longitude by them was not to be determined until an opportunity of

trying them again.

I must observe, that in finding the longitude by Mr. Kendal’s watch, we

supposed it to have gone mean time from the Cape of Good Hope. Had its

Cape rate been allowed, the error would not have been so great.

CHAP. VI.

PASSAGE FROM DUSKY BAY TO QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S SOUND, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF

SOME WATER-SPOUTS, AND OF OUR JOINING THE ADVENTURE.

After leaving Dusky Bay, as hath been already mentioned, I directed my

course along shore for Queen Charlotte’s Sound, where I expected to find

the Adventure. In this passage we met with nothing remarkable or worthy

of notice till the 17th, at four o’clock in the afternoon. Being then

about three leagues to the westward of Cape Stephens, having a gentle

gale at west by south, and clear weather, the wind at once flattened to

a calm, the sky became suddenly obscured by dark, dense clouds, and

seemed to forebode much wind. This occasioned us to clew up all our

sails, and presently after six water-spouts were seen. Four rose and

spent themselves between us and the land; that is to the S. W. of us;

the fifth was without us; the sixth first appeared in the S. W. at the

distance of two or three miles at least from us. Its progressive motion

was to the N. E. not in a strait, but in a crooked line, and passed

within fifty yards of our stern, without our feeling any of its effects.

The diameter of the base of this spout I judged to be about fifty or

sixty feet; that is, the sea within this space was much agitated, and

foamed up to a great height. From this a tube or round body was formed,

by which the water or air, or both, was carried in a spiral stream up to

the clouds. Some of our people said they saw a bird in the one near us;

which was whirled round like the fly of a jack as it was carried

upwards. During the time these spouts lasted, we had, now and then,

light puffs of wind from all points of the compass; with some few slight

showers of rain, which generally fell in large drops; and the weather

continued thick and hazy, for some hours after, with variable light

breezes of wind. At length the wind fixed in its old point, and the sky

resumed its former serenity. Some of these spouts appeared, at times, to

be stationary; and, at other times, to have a quick, but very unequal,

progressive motion, and always in a crooked line, sometimes one way, and

sometimes another; so that, once or twice, we observed them to cross one

another. From the ascending motion of the bird, and several other

circumstances, it was very plain to us that these spouts were caused by

whirlwinds, and that the water in them was violently hurried upwards,

and did not descend from the clouds, as I have heard some assert. The

first appearance of them is by the violent agitation and rising up of

the water; and, presently after, you see a round column or tube forming

from the clouds above, which apparently descends till it joins the

agitated water below. I say apparently, because I believe it not to be

so in reality, but that the tube is already formed from the agitated

water below, and ascends, though at first it is either too small or too

thin to be seen. When the tube is formed, or becomes visible, its

apparent diameter increaseth, until it is pretty large; after that, it

decreaseth, and, at last, it breaks or becomes invisible towards the

lower part. Soon after the sea below resumes its natural state, and the

tube is drawn, by little and little, up to the clouds, where it is

dissipated. The same tube would sometimes have a vertical, and sometimes

a crooked or inclined direction. The most rational account I have read

of water-spouts is in Mr. Falconer’s Marine Dictionary, which is chiefly

collected from the philosophical writings of the ingenious Dr. Franklin.

I have been told that the firing of a gun will dissipate them, and I am

very sorry I did not try the experiment, as we were near enough, and had

a gun ready for the purpose; but, as soon as the danger was past, I

thought no more about it, being too attentive in viewing these

extraordinary meteors. At the time this happened the barometer stood at

29, 75, and the thermometer at 56.

In coming from Cape Farewell to Cape Stephens, I had a better view of

the coast than I had when I passed in my former voyage, and observed

that, about six leagues to the east of the first-mentioned cape, is a

spacious bay, which is covered from the sea by a low point of land. This

is, I believe, the same that Captain Tasman anchored in on the 18th of

December 1642, and by him called Murderer’s Bay, by reason of some of

his men being killed by the natives. Blind Bay, so named by me in my

former voyage, lies to the S. E. of this, and seems to run a long way

in-land to the south; the sight in this direction, not being bounded by

any land. The wind having returned to the west, as already mentioned, we

resumed our course to the east; and at day-light the next morning,

(being the 18th) we appeared off Queen Charlotte’s Sound, where we

discovered our consort the Adventure, by the signals which she made to

us; an event which every one felt with an agreeable satisfaction. The

fresh westerly wind now died away, and was succeeded by light airs from

the south and S. W. so that we had to work in, with our boats a-head

towing. In the doing of this, we discovered a rock, which we did not see

in my former voyage. It lies in the direction of S. by E. 1/2 E. distant

four miles from the outermost of the Two Brothers, and in a line with

the White Rocks, on with the middle of Long Island. It is just even with

the surface of the sea, and hath deep water all round it. At noon,

Lieutenant Kempe of the Adventure came on board; from whom I learnt that

their ship had been here about six weeks. With the assistance of a light

breeze, our boats, and the tides, we, at six o’clock in the evening, got

to an anchor in Ship Cove near the Adventure; when Captain Furneaux came

on board, and gave me the following account of his proceedings, from the

time we parted, to my arrival here.

CHAP. VII.

CAPTAIN FURNEAUX’S NARRATIVE, FROM THE TIME THE TWO SHIPS WERE

SEPARATED, TO THEIR JOINING AGAIN IN QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S SOUND, WITH SOME

ACCOUNT OF VAN DIEMEN’S LAND.

On the 7th of February, 1773, in the morning, the Resolution being then

about two miles a head, the wind shifting then to the westward, brought

on a very thick fog, so that we lost sight of her. We soon after heard a

gun, the report of which we imagined to be on the larboard beam; we then

hauled up S. E. and kept firing a four pounder every half hour; but had

no answer, nor further sight of her; then we kept the course we steered

on before the fog came on. In the evening it began to blow hard, and

was, at intervals, more clear; but could see nothing of her, which gave

us much uneasiness. We then tacked and stood to the westward, to cruize

in the place where we last saw her, according to agreement in case of

separation; but, next day, came on a very heavy gale of wind and thick

weather, that obliged us to bring to, and thereby prevented us reaching

the intended spot. However, the wind coming more moderate, and the fog

in some measure clearing away, we cruized as near the place as we could

get, for three days; when giving over all hopes of joining company

again, we bore away for winter quarters, distant fourteen hundred

leagues, through a sea entirely unknown, and reduced the allowance of

water to one quart per day.

We kept between the latitude of 52 and 53 south; had much westerly wind,

hard gales with squalls, snow and sleet, with a long hollow sea from the

S. W. so that we judged there is no land in that quarter. After we

reached the longitude of 95° east, we found the variation decrease very

fast; but for a more perfect account, I refer you to the table at the

end of this book.

On the 26th at night, we saw a meteor of uncommon brightness in the

N. N. W. It directed its course to the S. W. with a very great light in

the southern sky, such as is known to the northward by the name of

Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. We saw the light for several nights

running; and, what is remarkable, we saw but one ice island after we

parted company with the Resolution, till our making land, though we were

most of the time two or three degrees to the southward of the latitude

we first saw it in. We were daily attended by great numbers of sea

birds, and frequently saw porpoises curiously spotted white and black.

On the first of March we were alarmed with the cry of land by the man at

the mast head, on the larboard beam; which gave us great joy. We

immediately hauled our wind and stood for it, but to our mortification

were disappointed in a few hours; for what we took to be land, proved no

more than clouds, which disappeared as we sailed towards them. We then

bore away and directed our course toward the land laid down in the

charts by the name of Van Diemen’s Land, discovered by Tasman in 1642,

and laid down in the latitude 44° south, and longitude 140° east, and

supposed to join to New Holland.

On the 9th of March, having little wind and pleasant weather, about nine

A. M. being then in the latitude 43° 37ʹ south longitude, by lunar

observation, 145° 36ʹ east, and by account, 143° 10ʹ east, from

Greenwich, we saw the land bearing N. N. E. about eight or nine leagues

distance. It appeared moderately high, and uneven near the sea; the

hills further back formed a double land and much higher. There seemed to

be several islands, or broken land, to the N. W. as the shore trenched;

but by reason of clouds that hung over them, we could not be certain

whether they did not join to the main. We hauled immediately up for it,

and by noon were within three or four leagues of it. A point, much like

the Ramhead, off Plymouth, which I take to be the same that Tasman calls

South Cape, bore north four leagues off us. The land from this cape runs

directly to the eastward; about four leagues along shore are three

islands about two miles long, and several rocks, resembling the Mewstone

(particularly one which we so named) about four or five leagues E. S. E.

1/2 E. off the above Cape, which Tasman has not mentioned, or laid down

in his drafts. After you pass these islands the land lies E. by N. and

W. by S. by the compass nearly. It is a bold shore, and seems to afford

several bays or anchoring places, but believe deep water. From the S. W.

cape, which is in the latitude of 43° 39ʹ south, and longitude 145° 50ʹ

east, to the S. E. cape, in the latitude 43° 36ʹ south, longitude 147°

east, is nearly sixteen leagues, and sounding from forty-eight to

seventy fathoms, sand and broken shells, three or four leagues off

shore. Here the country is hilly and full of trees, the shore rocky and

difficult landing, occasioned by the wind blowing here continually from

the westward, which occasions such a surf that the sand cannot lie on

the shore. We saw no inhabitants here.

The morning on the 10th of March being calm, the ship then about four

miles from the land, sent the great cutter on shore with the second

lieutenant, to find if there was any harbour or good bay. Soon after, it

beginning to blow very hard, made the signal for the boat to return

several times, but they did not see or hear any thing of it; the ship

then three or four leagues off, that we could not see any thing of the

boat, which gave us great uneasiness, as there was a very great sea. At

half past one P. M. to our great satisfaction, the boat returned on

board safe. They landed, but with much difficulty, and saw several

places where the Indians had been, and one they lately had left, where

they had a fire, with a great number of pearl scallop shells round it,

which shells they brought on board, with some burnt sticks and green

boughs. There was a path from this place, through the woods, which in

all probability leads to their habitations; but, by reason of the

weather, had not time to pursue it. The soil seems to be very rich; the

country well clothed with wood, particularly on the lee side of the

hills; plenty of water, which falls from the rocks in beautiful cascades

for two or three hundred feet perpendicular into the sea; but they did

not see the least sign of any place to anchor in with safety. Hoisted in

the boat, and made sail for Frederick Henry Bay. From noon to three

P. M. running along shore E. by N. at which time we were abreast of the

westernmost point of a very deep bay, called by Tasman, Stormy Bay. From

the west to the east point of this bay, there are several small islands,

and black rocks which we called the Fryars. While crossing this bay we

had very heavy squalls and thick weather; at times, when it cleared up,

I saw several fires in the bottom of the bay, which is near two or three

leagues deep, and has, I doubt not, good places for anchoring, but the

weather being so bad, did not think it safe to stand into it. From the

Fryars the land trenches away about N. by E. four leagues. We had smooth

water, and kept in shore, having regular soundings from twenty to

fifteen fathoms’ water. At half past six we hauled round a high bluff

point, the rocks whereof were like so many fluted pillars, and had ten

fathoms water, fine sand, within half a mile of the shore. At seven,

being abreast of a fine bay, and having little wind, we came to, with

the small bower, in twenty-four fathoms, sandy bottom. Just after we

anchored, being a fine clear evening, had a good observation of the star

Antares and the moon, which gave the longitude of 147° 34ʹ east, being

in the latitude of 43° 20ʹ south. We first took this bay to be that

which Tasman called Frederick Henry Bay; but afterwards found that his

is laid down five leagues to the northward of this.

At day-break the next morning, I sent the master in shore to sound the

bay, and to find out a watering place; at eight he returned, having

found a most excellent harbour, clear ground from side to side, from

eighteen to five fathom water all over the bay, gradually decreasing as

you go in shore. We weighed and turned up into the bay; the wind being

westerly, and very little of it, which baffled us much in getting in. At

seven o’clock in the evening, we anchored in seven fathoms water, with

the small bower, and moored with the coasting anchor to the westward,

the north point of the bay N. N. E. 1/2 E. (which we take to be Tasman’s

Head,) and the easternmost point (which we named Penguin Island, from a

curious one we caught there) N. E. by E. 3/4 E. the watering place W.

1/2 N. about one mile from the shore on each side; Maria’s Island, which

is about five or six leagues off, shut in with both points; so that you

are quite land-locked in a most spacious harbour.

We lay here five days, which time was employed in wooding and watering

(which is easily got), and overhauling the rigging. We found the country

very pleasant; the soil a black, rich, though thin one; the sides of the

hills covered with large trees, and very thick, growing to a great

height before they branch off. They are, all of them, of the Evergreen

kind, different from any I ever saw; the wood is very brittle and easily

split; there is very little variety of sorts, having seen but two. The

leaves of one are long and narrow; and the seed (of which I got a few)

is in the shape of a button, and has a very agreeable smell. The leaves

of the other are like the bay, and it has a seed like the white thorn,

with an agreeable spicy taste and smell. Out of the trees we cut down

for fire-wood, there issued some gum, which the surgeon called gumlac.

The trees are mostly burnt, or scorched near the ground, occasioned by

the natives setting fire to the under-wood in the most frequented

places; and by these means they have rendered it easy walking. The land

birds we saw, are a bird like a raven; some of the crow kind, black,

with the tips of the feathers of the tail and wings white, their bill

long and very sharp; some paroquets; and several kinds of small birds.

The sea-fowl are ducks, teal, and the sheldrake. I forgot to mention a

large white bird, that one of the gentlemen shot, about the size of a

large kite of the eagle kind. As for beasts, we saw but one, which was

an _opossum_; but we observed the dung of some, which we judged to be of

the deer kind. The fish in the bay are scarce; those we caught were

mostly sharks, dog fish, and a fish called by the seamen nurses, like

the dog fish, only full of small white spots; and some small fish not

unlike sprats. The lagoons (which are brackish) abound with trout, and

several other sorts of fish, of which we caught a few with lines, but

being much encumbered with stumps of trees, we could not haul the seine.

While we lay here, we saw several smokes and large fires, about eight or

ten miles in shore to the northward, but did not see any of the natives;

though they frequently come into this bay, as there were several wigwams

or huts, where we found some bags and nets made of grass, in which I

imagine they carry their provisions and other necessaries. In one of

them there was the stone they strike fire with, and tinder made of bark,

but of what tree could not be distinguished. We found in one of their

huts, one of their spears, which was made sharp at one end, I suppose,

with a shell or stone. Those things we brought away, leaving in the room

of them, medals, gun-flints, a few nails, and an old empty barrel with

the iron hoops on it. They seem to be quite ignorant of every sort of

metal. The boughs, of which their huts are made, are either broken or

split, and tied together with grass in a circular form, the largest end

stuck in the ground, and the smaller parts meeting in a point at the

top, and covered with fern and bark; so poorly done that they will

hardly keep out a shower of rain. In the middle is the fire-place,

surrounded with heaps of muscle, pearl scallop, and cray-fish shells;

which I believe to be their chief food, though we could not find any of

them. They lie on the ground, on dried grass, round the fire; and, I

believe, they have no settled place of habitation (as their houses

seemed built only for a few days), but wander about in small parties

from place to place in search of food, and are actuated by no other

motive. We never found more than three or four huts in a place, capable

of containing three or four persons each only; and what is remarkable,

we never saw the least marks either of canoe or boat, and it is

generally thought they have none; being altogether, from what we could

judge, a very ignorant and wretched set of people, though natives of a

country capable of producing every necessary of life, and a climate the

finest in the world. We found not the least signs of any minerals or

metals.

Having completed our wood and water, we sailed from Adventure Bay,

intending to coast it up along shore, till we should fall in with the

land seen by Captain Cook, and discover whether Van Diemen’s Land joins

with New Holland. On the 16th we passed Maria’s Islands, so named by

Tasman; they appear to be the same as the main land. On the 17th, having

passed Schouten’s Islands, we hauled in for the main land, and stood

along shore at the distance of two or three leagues off. The country

here appears to be very thickly inhabited, as there was a continual fire

along shore as we sailed. The land hereabouts is much pleasanter, low

and even; but no signs of a harbour or bay, where a ship might anchor

with safety. The weather being bad, and blowing hard at S. S. E., we

could not send a boat on shore to have any intercourse with the

inhabitants. In the latitude of 40° 50ʹ south, the land trenches away to

the westward, which I believe forms a deep bay, as we saw from the deck

several smokes arising a-back of the islands that lay before it, when we

could not see the least signs of land from the mast head.

From the latitude of 40° 50ʹ south, to the latitude of 39° 50ʹ south, is

nothing but islands and shoals; the land high, rocky, and barren. On the

19th, in the latitude of 40° 30ʹ south, observing breakers about half a

mile within shore of us, we sounded, and finding but eight fathoms,

immediately hauled off, deepened our water to fifteen fathoms, then bore

away, and kept along shore again. From the latitude of 39° 50ʹ to 39° S.

we saw no land, but had regular soundings from fifteen to thirty

fathoms. As we stood on to the northward, we made land again in about

39°; after which we discontinued our northerly course, as we found the

ground very uneven, and shoal water some distance off. I think it a very

dangerous shore to fall in with.

The coast, from Adventure Bay to the place where we stood away for New

Zealand, lies in the direction S. 1/2 W. and N. 1/2 E. about

seventy-five leagues; and it is my opinion that there is no straits

between New Holland and Van Diemen’s Land, but a very deep bay. I should

have stood farther to the northward, but the wind blowing strong at

S. S. E., and looking likely to haul round to the eastward, which would

have blown right on the land, I therefore thought it more proper to

leave the coast, and steer for New Zealand.

After we left Van Diemen’s Land, we had very uncertain weather, with

rain and very heavy gusts of wind. On the 24th, we were surprised with a

very severe squall, that reduced us from top-gallant sails to reefed

courses, in the space of an hour. The sea rising equally quick, we

shipped many waves, one of which stove the large cutter, and drove the

small one from her lashing into the waist; and with much difficulty we

saved her from being washed over-board. This gale lasted twelve hours,

after which we had more moderate weather, intermixed with calms. We

frequently hoisted out the boats to try the currents, and in general

found a small drift to the W. S. W. We shot many birds; and had upon the

whole good weather; but as we got near to the land, it came on thick and

dirty for several days, till we made the coast of New Zealand in 40° 30ʹ

S. having made twenty-four degrees of longitude, from Adventure Bay,

after a passage of fifteen days.

We had the winds much southerly in this passage, and I was under some

apprehensions of not being able to fetch the Straits, which would have

obliged us to steer away for George’s Island; I would therefore advise

any who sail to this part, to keep to the southward; particularly in the

fall of the year, when the S. and S. E. winds prevail.

The land, when we first made it, appeared high, and formed a confused

jumble of hills and mountains. We steered along shore to the northward,

but were much retarded in our course by reason of the swell from the

N. E. At noon on the 3d of April, Cape Farewell, which is the south

point of the entrance of the west side of the Straits, bore E. by N. 1/2

N. by the compass, three or four leagues distant. About eight o’clock we

entered the Straits, and steered N. E. till midnight; then brought to

till day-light, and had soundings from forty-five to fifty-eight

fathoms, sand and broken shells. At day-light, made sail and steered

S. E. by E.; had light airs; Mount Egmont N. N. E. eleven or twelve

leagues, and Point Stephens S. E. 1/2 E. seven leagues. At noon, Mount

Egmont N. by E. twelve leagues; Stephens’ Island S. E. five leagues. In

the afternoon we put the dredge over-board in sixty-five fathoms; but

caught nothing except a few small scallops, two or three oysters, and

broken shells.

Standing to the eastward for Charlotte’s Sound, with a light breeze at

N. W. in the morning on the 5th, Stephens’ Island bearing S. W. by W.

four leagues, we were taken a-back with a strong easterly gale, which

obliged us to haul our wind to the S. E. and work to windward up under

Point Jackson. The course from Stephens’ Island to Point Jackson is

nearly S. E. by the compass, eleven leagues distant, depth of water from

forty to thirty-two fathoms, sandy ground. As we stood off and on, we

fired several guns, but saw no signs of any inhabitants. In the

afternoon, at half past two o’clock, finding the tide set the ship to

the westward, we anchored with the coasting anchor in thirty-nine

fathoms’ water, muddy ground; Point Jackson S. E. 1/2 E. three leagues;

the east point of an inlet (about four leagues to the westward of Point

Jackson, and which appears to be a good harbour) S. W. by W. 1/2 W. At

eight P. M. the tide slackening, we weighed and made sail (having while

at anchor caught several fish with hook and line), and found the tide to

run to the westward at the rate of two and a half knots per hour.

Standing to the east, we found no ground at seventy fathoms, off Point

Jackson N. N. W. two leagues. At eight the next morning, had the sound

open, but the wind being down it, obliged us to work up under the

western shore, as the tide sets up strong there, when it runs down in

mid channel. At ten, the tide being done, was obliged to come to with

the best bower in thirty-eight fathoms, close to some white rocks, Point

Jackson bearing N. W. 1/2 N. the northermost of the Brothers E. by S.

and the middle of Entry Island, (which lies on the north side of the

Straits,) N. E. We made 15° 30ʹ E. variation in the Straits. As we

sailed up the sound, we saw the tops of high mountains covered with

snow, which remains all the year. When the tide slackened, we weighed

and sailed up the sound; and about five o’clock on the 7th, anchored in

Ship Cove, in ten fathoms’ water, muddy ground, and moored the best

bower to the N. N. E. and small to S. S. W. In the night, we heard the

howling of dogs, and people hallooing on the east shore.

The two following days were employed in clearing a place on Motuara

Island for erecting our tents for the sick (having then several on board

much afflicted with the scurvy), the sailmakers and coopers. On the top

of the island was a post, erected by the Endeavour’s people, with her

name and time of departure on it.

On the 9th, we were visited by three canoes with about sixteen of the

natives: and to induce them to bring us fish and other provisions, we

gave them several things, with which they seemed highly pleased. One of

our young gentlemen seeing something wrapt up in a better manner than

common, had the curiosity to examine what it was; and to his great

surprise found it to be the head of a man lately killed. They were very

apprehensive of its being forced from them; and particularly the man who

seemed most interested in it, whose very flesh crept on his bones, for

fear of being punished by us, as Captain Cook had expressed his great

abhorrence of this unnatural act. They used every method to conceal the

head, by shifting it from one to another; and by signs endeavouring to

convince us, that there was no such thing amongst them, though we had

seen it but a few minutes before. They then took their leave of us, and

went on shore.

They frequently mentioned Tupia, which was the name of the native of

George’s Island (or Otaheite,) brought here by the Endeavour, and who

died at Batavia; and when we told them he was dead, some of them seemed

to be very much concerned, and as well as we could understand them,

wanted to know whether we killed him, or if he died a natural death. By

these questions, they are the same tribe Captain Cook saw. In the

afternoon, they returned again with fish and fern roots, which they sold

for nails and other trifles; though the nails are what they set the most

value on. The man and woman who had the head, did not come off again.

Having a catalogue of words in their language, we called several things

by name, which surprised them greatly. They wanted it much, and offered

a great quantity of fish for it.

Next morning they returned again, to the number of fifty or sixty, with

their chief at their head, as we supposed, in five double canoes. They

gave us their implements of war, stone hatchets, and clothes, &c. for

nails and old bottles, which they put a great value on. A number of the

head men came on board us, and it was with some difficulty we got them

out of the ship by fair means; but on the appearance of a musket with a

fixed bayonet, they all went into their canoes very quickly. We were

daily visited by more or less, who brought us fish in great plenty for

nails, beads, and other trifles, and behaved very peaceably.

We settled the astronomer with his instruments, and a sufficient guard,

on a small island, that is joined to Motuara at low water, called the

Hippa, where there was an old fortified town that the natives had

forsaken. Their houses served our people to live in; and by sinking them

about a foot inside, we made them very comfortable. Having done this, we

struck our tents on the Motuara, and having removed the ship farther

into the cove, on the west shore, moored her for the winter. We then

erected our tents near the river or watering place, and sent ashore all

the spars and lumber off the decks, that they might be calked; and gave

her a winter coat to preserve the hull and rigging. On the 11th of May,

we felt two severe shocks of an earthquake, but received no kind of

damage. On the 17th we were surprised by the people firing guns on the

Hippa, and having sent the boat, as soon as she opened the sound, had

the pleasure of seeing the Resolution off the mouth of it. We

immediately sent out the boats to her assistance to tow her in, it being

calm. In the evening she anchored about a mile without us; and next

morning weighed and warped within us. Both ships felt an uncommon joy at

our meeting, after an absence of fourteen weeks.

CHAP. VIII.

TRANSACTIONS IN QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S SOUND, WITH SOME REMARKS ON THE

INHABITANTS.

Knowing that scurvy-grass, celery, and other vegetables were to be found

in this sound, I went myself the morning after my arrival, at day-break,

to look for some, and returned on board at breakfast with a boat load.

Being now satisfied, that enough was to be got for the crews of both

ships, I gave orders that they should be boiled, with wheat and portable

broth, every morning for breakfast; and with pease and broth for dinner;

knowing from experience, that these vegetables, thus dressed, are

extremely beneficial in removing all manner of scorbutic complaints.

I have already mentioned a desire I had of visiting Van Diemen’s Land,

in order to inform myself if it made a part of New Holland; and I

certainly should have done this, had the winds proved favourable. But as

Captain Furneaux had now, in a great measure, cleared up that point, I

could have no business there: and therefore came to a resolution to

continue our researches to the east between the latitudes of 41° and

46°. I acquainted Captain Furneaux therewith, and ordered him to get his

ship in readiness to put to sea as soon as possible.

In the morning of the 20th, I sent ashore to the watering-place, near

the Adventure’s tent, the only ewe and ram remaining of those which I

brought from the Cape of Good Hope, with an intent to leave in this

country. Soon after I visited the several gardens Captain Furneaux had

caused to be made and planted with various articles; all of which were

in a flourishing state, and, if attended to by the natives, may prove of

great utility to them. The next day I set some men to work to make a

garden on Long Island, which I planted with garden seeds, roots, &c.

On the 23d in the morning, the ewe and ram I had with so much care and

trouble brought to this place, were both found dead; occasioned, as was

supposed, by eating some poisonous plant. Thus my hopes of stocking this

country with a breed of sheep were blasted in a moment. About noon, we

were visited, for the first time since I arrived, by some of the

natives, who dined with us; and it was not a little they devoured. In

the evening, they were dismissed with presents.

Early in the morning of the 24th, I sent Mr. Gilbert the master to sound

about the rock we had discovered in the entrance of the sound. Myself,

accompanied by Captain Furneaux and Mr. Forster, went in a boat to the

west bay on a shooting-party. In our way, we met a large canoe, in which

were fourteen or fifteen people. One of the first questions they asked

was for Tupia, the person I brought from Otaheite on my former voyage;

and they seemed to express some concern, when we told them he was dead.

These people made the same enquiry of Captain Furneaux when he first

arrived; and, on my return to the ship in the evening, I was told that a

canoe had been along-side, the people in which seemed to be strangers,

and who also enquired for Tupia. Late in the evening Mr. Gilbert

returned, having sounded all round the rock, which he found to be very

small and steep.

Nothing worthy of notice happened till the 29th, when several of the

natives made us a visit, and brought with them a quantity of fish, which

they exchanged for nails, &c. One of these people I took over to

Motuara, and showed him some potatoes planted there by Mr. Fannen,

master of the Adventure. There seemed to be no doubt of their

succeeding; and the man was so well pleased with them, that he, of his

own accord, began to hoe the earth up about the plants. We next took him

to the other gardens, and showed him the turnips, carrots, and parsnips;

roots which, together with the potatoes, will be of more real use to

them than all the other articles we had planted. It was easy to give

them an idea of these roots, by comparing them with such as they knew.

Two or three families of these people now took up their abode near us,

employing themselves daily in fishing, and supplying us with the fruits

of their labour; the good effects of which we soon felt. For we were by

no means such expert fishers as they are; nor were any of our methods of

fishing equal to theirs.

On the 2d of June, the ships being nearly ready to put to sea, I sent on

shore, on the east side of the sound, two goats, male and female. The

former was something more than a year old; but the latter was much

older. She had two fine kids, some time before we arrived in Dusky Bay,

which were killed by cold, as hath been already mentioned. Captain

Furneaux also put on shore, in Cannibal Cove, a boar and two breeding

sows; so that we have reason to hope this country will, in time, be

stocked with these animals, if they are not destroyed by the natives

before they become wild; for, afterwards, they will be in no danger. But

as the natives knew nothing of their being left behind, it may be some

time before they are discovered.

In our excursion to the east, we met with the largest seal I had ever

seen. It was swimming on the surface of the water, and suffered us to

come near enough to fire at it, but without effect; for, after a chase

of near an hour, we were obliged to leave it. By the size of this

animal, it probably was a sea lioness. It certainly bore much

resemblance to the drawing in Lord Anson’s voyage; our seeing a sea lion

when we entered this sound, in my former voyage, increaseth the

probability; and I am of opinion, they have their abode on some of the

rocks, which lie in the strait, or off Admiralty Bay.

On the 3d, I sent a boat with the carpenter over to the east side of the

sound, to cut down some spars, which we were in want of. As she was

returning, she was chased by a large double canoe full of people; but

with what intent, is not known. Early the next morning some of our

friends brought us a large supply of fish. One of them agreed to go away

with us; but, afterwards, that is when it came to the point, he changed

his mind; as did some others who had promised to go with the Adventure.

It was even said, that some of them offered their children to sale. I

however found that this was a mistake. The report first took its rise on

board the Adventure, where they were utter strangers to their language

and customs. It was very common for these people to bring their children

with them, and present them to us, in expectation that we would make

them presents; this happened to me the preceding morning. A man brought

his son, a boy about nine or ten years of age, and presented him to me.

As the report of selling their children was then current, I thought at

first that he wanted me to buy the boy. But at last I found that he

wanted me to give him a white shirt, which I accordingly did. The boy

was so fond of his new dress that he went all over the ship presenting

himself before every one that came in his way. This freedom used by him,

offended Old Will, the ram goat, who gave him a butt with his horns, and

knocked him backward on the deck. Will would have repeated his blow, had

not some of the people come to the boy’s assistance. The misfortune,

however, seemed to him irreparable. The shirt was dirtied, and he was

afraid to appear in the cabin before his father, until brought in by Mr.

Forster; when he told a very lamentable story against Goury, the great

dog, (for so they call all the quadrupeds we had aboard), nor could he

be reconciled, till his shirt was washed and dried. This story, though

extremely trifling in itself, will show how liable we are to mistake

these people’s meaning, and to ascribe to them customs which they never

knew even in thought.