Islands, and their customs and language appear to be nearly the same. I
called the whole group Howe's Islands. The islands on the larboard side
of the North entrance I distinguished by the names of Barrington[58-1]
and Sawyer, two to the starboard side with the names of Hotham[58-2] and
Jarvis.[58-3] A high island a considerable way to the North West I called
Gardener's island,[58-4] and another high island to the South West was
called Bickerton's island.[58-5] There is a small high isle about four
miles to the S.W. of this, and a small low island about five or six miles
to the S.E. by E. of Gardener's island,[58-6] and several islands to the
S.E. of the islands forming the sound and too several small islands
within it to which no names were given.
On the 20th at two in the morning, we passed within two miles of the
small island that lies to the S.E. from Gardener's island, and soon after
saw Gardener's island, on the N.W. side of which there appeared to be
tolerable good landing on shingle beach, and a little to the right of
this place, at the upper edge of the cliffs is a volcano, from which we
observed the smoke issuing. There are recent marks of convulsion having
happened in the island. Some parts of it appear to have fallen in, and
other parts to be turned upside down. This part of the island is the most
barren land we have seen in the country.[58-7] At nine o'clock thought
we saw a large island bearing N. by W. and I made sail towards it, and as
the weather was hazy we did not discover our mistake till near noon, when
I hauled the wind to the Southward. On the 23rd saw an island from the
masthead which I suppose was one of the Pylstaart islands.[59-1] On the
26th in the morning saw the island of Middleburgh and on the 27th ran in
between Middleburgh, Eooa and Tongataboo.
Several canoes came on board us from the different islands. We were then
within half a mile of the last, and equally near to the shoals of the
second, but not so near to Middleburgh, yet we were near enough to see
into English Road. At these islands we could neither see nor get any
satisfactory information relative to the objects of our search. The
natives brought in their canoes, yams, cocoanuts and a few small hogs,
and I made no doubt that I should have been able to procure plenty of
these articles had it been convenient for me to have stayed at these
islands. The difficulty in getting in and out of the harbour and the
indifferent quality of the water were alone sufficient objections against
my stopping here. The road at Annamooka was more convenient for getting
out and in, and the water, although not of the best quality, is reported
to be better than that found at Amsterdam [Tongatabu], and Annamooka
being the place I had appointed as a rendezvous for the tender I did not
hesitate in giving the preference to it, and accordingly made the best of
my way thither, and we saw the Fallafagee islands (which lie near
Annamooka) [Kotu Group?] before dark, and also Toofoa, Kaho and Hoonga
Tonga islands to the Westward, which are visible at a greater distance.
On the 28th July anchored in Annamooka Road. The person who now had the
principal authority on the shore was a young chief whom we had not seen
before. There was the same respect paid to him as was paid to Fattahfahe
and to Toobou; neither of these chiefs nor Moukahkahlah were now in the
islands, and the natives were now more daring in their thefts than ever,
and would sometimes endeavour to take things by force, and robbed and
stripped some of our people that were separated from the party. Lt.
Corner, who commanded the watering and wooding parties on shore, received
a blow on the head and was robbed of a curiosity he had bought and held
in his hand, and with which the thief was making off. Lt. Corner shot the
thief in the back, and he fell to the ground; at the same instant the
natives attempted to take axes and a saw from the wooding party, and
actually got off with two axes, one by force and the other by stealth,
but they did not succeed in getting the saw. Two muskets were fired at
the thieves, yet it was supposed that they were not hurt, but we are told
that the other man died of his wound. One of the yawls was on shore at
the time, and the long boat was landing near her with an empty cask. Lt.
Corner drew the wooding and watering parties towards the boats and then
began to load them with the wood that was cut.
A boat was sent from the ship to inquire the cause of the firing that was
heard, but before she returned a canoe came from the shore to inform the
principal chief (whom I had brought on board to dine with me) that one of
the natives had been killed by our people. The chief was very much
agitated at the information, and wanted to get out of the cabin windows
into the canoe, but I would not suffer him to do it and told him I would
go on shore with him myself in a little time in one of the ship's boats.
Our boat soon returned and gave me an account of what had passed on
shore. I told the chief that the Lieutenant had been struck, and that he
and his party had been robbed of several things, and that I was very glad
that the thief had been shot, and that I should shoot every person who
attempted to rob us, but that no other person except the thief should be
hurt by us on that account. The axes and some other things that had been
stolen before were returned and very few robbings of any consequence were
attempted and discovered until the day of our departure.
I took this opportunity of showing the chief what execution the cannon
and carronades would do by firing a six-pound shot on shore and an
eighteen-pounder carronade loaded with grape shot into the sea. I
afterwards went on shore with two boats and took with me the chief and
his attendants, and before I returned on board again told him that I
should send on shore the next morning for water and wood, and that I
should also come on shore myself in the course of the day, all which he
approved of and desired me to do, and accordingly the next morning, the
31st July the watering and wooding parties were sent on shore and carried
on their business without interruption, and in the afternoon I went on
shore myself and made a small present to the chief and to some other
people.
On the 2nd August, having completed my water, &c. and thinking it time to
return to England I did not think proper to wait any longer for the
tender, but left instructions for her commander should she happen to
arrive after my departure, and I sailed from Annamooka, attended by a
number of chiefs and canoes belonging to those and the surrounding
islands. After the ship was under way some of the natives had the address
to get in at the cabin windows and stole out of the cabin some books and
other things, and they had actually got into their canoes before they
were discovered. The thieves were allowed to make their escape, but the
canoes that had stolen these things were brought alongside and broke up
for firewood. During this transaction the other natives carried on their
traffic alongside with as much unconcern as if nothing had happened.
I made farewell presents to all the chiefs and to many others of
different descriptions, and after hauling round Annamooka shoals, passed
to the Eastward of Toofoa and Kaho, and in the morning saw Bickerton's
island and the small island to the Southward of it. On the 4th, in the
evening, saw land bearing N.N.W. At first we took it to be Keppel's and
Boscowen's islands, which I intended to visit, and by account was only a
few miles to the Westward of them. As we approached the land we perceived
that it was only one island, and as I supposed that it was a new
discovery I called it Proby's island.[62-1] The hills, of which there
are a great many of different heights and forms, are planted with
cocoanuts and other trees, and the houses of a larger size than we had
usually seen on the islands in these seas; were on the tops of hills of
moderate height. We passed from S.E. end to the East, round to the North
and N.W.
Landing appeared to be very indifferent until we came near the N.W.,
where the land formed itself into a kind of bay, and where the landing
appeared to be better. The natives brought on board cocoanuts and
plantains, all of which I bought, and made them a present of a few
articles of iron. They told us that they had water, hogs, fowls and yams
on shore and plenty of wood. They spoke nearly the same language as at
the Friendly Islands. It lies in latitude 15° 53' S. and longitude 175°
51' W. I was now convinced that I was rather further to the Westward than
I expected, and examining the island had carried me still further that
way. I therefore gave up my intention of visiting Boscowen's and Keppel's
islands,[63-1] as the regaining the Easting necessary would take up more
time than would be prudent to allow at this advanced time of the season,
and as soon as I had made the necessary inquiries, &c., after the
_Bounty_, &c., our course was shaped with a view to fall in to the
Eastward of Wallis' Island,[63-2] and the next day, the 5th, a little
before noon saw that island bearing West by South, estimated by the
master at ten leagues, but I did not myself suppose it to be more than
seven leagues from us at that time.
Canoes came off to us and brought us cocoanuts and fish, which they sold
for nails, and I also made them a present of some small articles which I
always made a rule to do to first adventurers, hoping that it might turn
out advantageous to future visitors, but they went away before I had
given them all I intended. They told us that there was running water,
hogs and fowls on shore. They spoke the language of the Friendly Islands,
and I observed that one of the men had both of his little fingers cut
off, and the flesh over his cheekbones very much bruised after the manner
of the natives of those islands.[64-1]
In the evening I bore away and made sail to the Westward intending to run
between Espiritu Santo and Santa Cruz, and to keep between the tracks of
Captain Carteret and Lt. Bligh, and on the 8th at 10 at night saw land
bearing from the W. by S. We had no ground at 110 fathoms. At daylight I
bore away and passed round the East end and ran down on the South side of
the island. There is a white beach on these parts of the island on which
there appears to be tolerable good landing, or better than is usually
seen on the islands in these seas, and there is probably anchorage in
different places on this side or under the small islands, of which there
are several near the principal island, but as I did not hoist out the
boats to sound that still remains a doubt.
There are cocoanut trees all along the shore behind the beach, and an
uncommon number of boughs amongst them. The island is rather high,
diversified with hills of different forms, some of which might obtain the
name of mountain, but they are cultivated up to their very summits with
cocoanut trees and other articles, and the island is in general as well
or better cultivated and its inhabitants more numerous for its size than
any of the islands we have hitherto seen. The principal island is about 7
miles long and three or four broad, but including the islands off its
East and West ends, and which latter are joined to it by a reef, it is
about ten miles long. I called it Grenville Island [Rotuma], supposing it
to be a new discovery. Its latitude is 12° 29' and longitude 183° 03' W.
A great number of paddling canoes came off and viewed the ship at a
distance, and I believed that their intentions were at first hostile.
They were all armed with clubs and they had a great quantity of stones in
their canoes which they use in battle, and they all occasionally joined
in a kind of war-whoop. We made signs of peace, and offered them a
variety of toys which drew them alongside, and then into the ship where
they behaved very quietly; probably the unexpected presents they got from
us, and our number and strength might operate in favour of peace.
However, they seemed to have the same propensity to thieving as the
natives of the other islands, and gave us many, some of which ludicrous,
examples.
Although at so great a distance they said that they were acquainted with
the Friendly islands, and had learned from them the use of iron.[65-1]
They were tattooed in a different manner from the natives of the other
islands we had visited, having the figure of a fish, birds and a variety
of other things marked upon their arms. Their canoes were not so
delicately formed nor so well finished as at the Friendly islands, but
more resemble those of the Duke of York's, the Duke of Clarence's and the
Navigators' islands. Neither sailing or double canoes came on board,
neither did we see any of either of these descriptions. They told us that
water and many other useful things, the usual produce of the islands in
these seas, could be procured on shore.
Their language appeared something to resemble that spoken at the Friendly
islands, and after asking them such questions as we thought necessary,
some of which probably were not understood perfectly by them, or their
answers by us, we made sail and continued our course to the Westward. No
women were seen in the canoes that visited us, which curiosity or the
hope of getting some pleasing toys usually bring to our side, but this is
another proof that their original intentions were hostile. We passed the
island in so short a time that those who neglected to come out at our
first appearance had not afterwards the opportunity to visit us.
On the 11th at eleven o'clock in the morning we struck soundings on a
bank in twelve to fourteen fathoms water and at ten minutes after eleven
had no ground in one hundred and forty fathoms. No land was then in
sight, nor did we get any soundings after in the course of the day. It
was called Pandora's Bank, its Latitude 12° 11' S. and Longitude 188° 68'
W.
On the next morning saw a small island which met in two high hummocks and
a steeple rock which lies high on the West side of the hummocks. It
obtained the name of Mitre Island. The shore appeared to be steep to, and
we had no bottom at 120 fathoms within three quarters of a mile of the
shore. There was no landing place or sign of inhabitants. The tops of the
hills were covered with wood. There was also some on the sides, but not
in so great an abundance they being too steep and too bare of soil in
some places to support it. Latitude 11° 49' S. and Longitude 190° 04'
30" W.[67-1]
By nine o'clock we had passed it and steered to the Westward, and soon
afterwards we saw another island bearing N.W. by N. We hauled up to the
N.W. to make it out more distinctly as it is of considerable height, yet
not much more than a mile long, and the top and the side of the hills
very well cultivated and a number of houses were seen near the beach in a
bay on the South side of the island. The beach from the East round to the
South of the West end is of white sand, but there was then too much surf
for the ship's boat to land upon it with safety. I called it Cherry's
Island [Native name: Anula]. Its Latitude is 11° 37' S. and Longitude
190° 19' 30" W.[67-2]
On the 13th August a little before noon we saw an island bearing about
N.W. by N. In general it is high, but to the West and North West the
mountain tapered down to a round point of moderate height. It abounds
with wood, even the summits of the mountain are covered with trees. In
the S.E. end there was the appearance of a harbour, and from that place
the reef runs along the South side to the Westernmost extremity. In some
places its distance is not much more than a mile from the shore, in other
places it is considerably more. Although we were sometimes within less
than a mile of the reef we saw neither house nor people. The haziness of
the weather prevented us from seeing objects distinctly, yet we saw smoke
very plain, from which it may be presumed that the island is inhabited.
It is six or seven leagues long and of considerable breadth. I called it
Pitt's Island. Its Latitude is 11° 50' 30" S. South point, and Longitude
193° 14' 15" W.[68-1]
At midnight between the 16th and 17th of August breakers were discovered
ahead and upon our bow, and not a mile from us. We were lying to and
heaving the lead at the time and had no ground at 120 fathoms. We wore
the ship and stood from them and in less than an hour after more breakers
were seen extending more than a point before our lee beam, but we made
more sail and so got clear of them all. At daylight we put about with the
intention of examining the breakers we had seen in the night and we made
two boards, but perceiving that I could not weather them without some
risk I bore up and ran round its N.W. end. It is a double reef enclosing
a space of deeper water like the lagoon islands so common in these seas,
and probably will become one in the course of time. The sea breaks pretty
high upon it in different parts, but there is no part of the reef
absolutely above water. It is about seven miles long in the direction of
N.W. by N. Its breadth is not so much. Called it Willis's shoal. It lies
in Latitude 12° 20' S. and Longitude 200° 2' W.[69-1]
We pursued our course to the Westward and on the 23rd saw the land
bearing from N.E. to N. by W. The Easternmost land when first seen was
ten or twelve leagues from us and it cannot be far to the Westward of the
land seen by Mons. Bougainville and called by him Louisiade, and probably
joins to it. The cape is in Latitude 10° 3' 32" S. and Longitude 212°
14' W., was called Cape Rodney and another cape in Latitude 9° 58' S. and
Longitude 212° 37' W. was called Cape Hood, and an island lying between
them was called Mount Clarence. After passing Cape Hood the land appears
lower and to branch off about N.N.W. and to form a deep and wide bay, or
perhaps a passage through, for we saw no other land, and there are doubts
whether it joins New Guinea or not.[69-2]
I pursued my course to the Westward between the Latitudes of 10° and 9°
33' S. keeping the mouth of Endeavour Straits open, by which I hoped to
avoid the difficulties and dangers experienced by Captain Cook in his
passage through the reef in a higher latitude, and also the difficulties
he met with when within in his run from thence to the Strait's
mouth.[70-1]
On the 25th August at 9 in the morning, saw breakers from the mast head
bearing from us W. by S. to W.N.W. I hauled up to the Southward and
passed to the Eastward of them. It runs in the direction of W.S.W. and
E.N.E. 4' or 5', and another side runs in the direction of N.W. the
distance unknown. The sea broke very moderately upon it, in some places
barely perceptibly. In the interior part a very small sand-bank was seen
from the mast-head, and no other part of the reef was above water. It
obtained the name of Look-Out shoal.[70-2]
Before noon we saw more breakers which proved to be one of those
half-formed islands enclosing a lagoon, the reef of which was composed
principally of very large stones, but a sandbank was seen from the mast
head extending to the Southward of it, and as I could not weather it and
seeing another opening to the Westward, I steered to the W.S.W., and a
little before two o'clock saw the island to the Westward of us, and
another reef bearing about S.W. by South and I then steered W. ½ N. until
half past five, when a reef was seen extending from the island a
considerable way to the N.W., the island bearing then about W.S.W. I
immediately hauled upon the wind in order to pass to the Southward of it,
and seeing a passage to the Northward obstructed[71-1] I stood on and
off, and was still during the night, and in the morning bore away; but as
we drew near we also saw a reef extending to the Southward from the South
end of the island. I ran to the Southward along the reef with the
intention and expectation of getting round it, and the whole day was
spent without succeeding in my purpose and without seeing the end of the
reef, or any break in it that gave the least hopes of a channel fit for a
ship.[71-2]
The islands, which I called Murray's Islands, are four in number, two of
them are of considerable height and may be seen twelve leagues. The
principal island is not more than three miles long. It is well wooded and
at the top of the highest hill the rocks have the appearance of a
fortified garrison. The other high island is only a single mountain
almost destitute of trees and verdure. The other two are only crazy
barren rocks. We saw three two mast boats under sail near the reef, which
we supposed belong to the islands. Murray Islands lie in Latitude 9° 57'
S. and Longitude 216° 43' W. We kept turning to the Southward along the
reef until the 28th in search of a channel and in the forenoon of that
day we thought we saw an opening through the reef near a white sandy
island or key, and a little before Lt. Corner was sent in the yawl to
examine it. At three quarters past four he made the signal that there was
a channel through the reef fit for a ship, and after a signal was made
and repeated for the boat to return on board, and after dark false fires
and muskets were fired from the ship, and answered with muskets by the
boat repeatedly to point out the situation of each other. We sounded
frequently but had no ground at 110 fathoms.
At about twenty minutes after seven the boat was seen close in under our
stern and at the same time we got soundings in 50 fathoms water. We
immediately made sail, but before the tacks were on board and the sails
trimmed the ship struck upon the reef when we were getting 4¼ less 2
fathoms water on the larboard side, and 3 fathoms on the starboard side.
Got out the boats with a view to carrying out an anchor, but before it
could be effected the ship struck so heavily on the reef that the
carpenters reported that she made 18 inches of water in five minutes, and
in five minutes after there was four feet of water in the hold. Finding
the leak increase so fast found it necessary to turn all hands to the
pumps and to bale at the different hatchways. She still continued to gain
upon us so much that under an hour and a half after she had struck there
was eight feet of water in the hold, and we perceived that the ship had
beat over the reef where we had 10 fathoms water. We let go the small
bower and veered away the cable and let go the best bower under foot in
15 fathoms water to steady the ship. At this time the water only gained
upon us in a small degree and we flattered ourselves for some time that
by the assistance of a top sail which we were preparing and intended to
haul under the ship's bottom we might be able to free her of water, but
these flattering hopes did not continue long, for as she settled in the
water the leaks increased and in so great a degree that there was reason
to apprehend that she would sink before daylight.
In the course of the night two of the pumps were for some time rendered
useless, one, however was repaired, and we continued baling and pumping
the remainder of the night and every effort was made to keep her
afloat.[73-1] Daylight fortunately appeared and gave us the opportunity
to see our situation and the surrounding danger. Our boats were kept
astern of the ship; a small quantity of provisions and other necessaries
were put into them, rafts were made, and all floating things upon the
deck were unlashed. At half past six the hold was filled with water, and
water was between decks and it also washed in at the upper deck ports,
and there were strong indications that the ship was upon the very point
of sinking, and we began to leap overboard and to take to the boats, and
before everybody could get out of her the ship actually sank.[73-2] The
boats continued astern on the ship in the direction of the drift of the
tide from here, and took up the people that had held on to the rafts or
other floating things that had been cast loose for the purpose of
supporting them in the water.[74-1]
We loaded two of the boats with people and sent them to the island, or
rather key, about three or four miles from the ship, and then other two
boats remained near the ship for some time and picked up all the people
that could be seen and then followed the two first boats to the key, and
after landing the people, &c. the boats were immediately sent again to
look about the wreck and the adjoining reefs for missing people, but they
returned without having found a single person. On mustering we discovered
that 89 of the ship's company and 10 of the pirates that were on board
were saved, and that 31[74-2] of the ship's company and 4 pirates were
lost with the ship. The boats were hauled up and secured to fit them for
the intended run to Timor; an account was taken of the provision and
other articles saved, and they were spread to dry, and we put ourselves
to the following allowance, to 3 ounces of bread, which was occasionally
reduced to 2 ounces, to half an ounce of portable soup, to half an ounce
of essence of malt, (but these two articles were not served until after
we left the key, and they were at other times withheld), to two small
glasses of water and one of wine.