In 1766, Capt. Wallis, of London, having been appointed to command the
ship Dolphin, destined for a voyage round the world, received orders
to take under his command the Swallow sloop, and Prince Frederick
store-ship. They sailed on the 22d of August, and, on the 7th of
September, came to anchor in the road of Maderia.
On the 12th, they sailed thence, and by the 12th of November, were in
30 degrees of south latitude, when they found the weather so cold as
to have recourse to their thick jackets. On the 16th of December,
being very near Cape Virgin Mary, they saw several men riding on the
shore. The captain went ashore, and gave them combs, buttons, knives,
scissors, beads, etc., and pleased the women greatly by the
distribution of some ribbons. The tallest among these people was six
feet seven inches; but the general height was from five feet ten to
six feet. They were muscular and well made, but their hands and feet
very small, in proportion to the rest of their bodies. The captain
took eight of them into the boats: when they came into the ship, they
expressed no surprise at the novelties which they beheld, till a
looking-glass being observed, they acted many antic gestures before
it. The marines being exercised before them, they were terrified at
the firing of the muskets, and one of them falling down, shut his
eyes, and lay without motion, as if to intimate that he knew the
destructive nature of these weapons.
On the 21st, they turned into the Strait of Magellan, and on the 26th,
anchored in Port Famine Bay; and the sick were sent on shore. On the
28th, the empty water-casks were landed. When they arrived here, many
of the people were very sick with the scurvy; but, by the plentiful
use of vegetables, and bathing in the sea, they all recovered in a
short time.
They sailed on the 18th, and on the 3d of February came to anchor in
York Road. The next day, Captain Wallis, with a party, went on shore
near Bachelor’s River. There is a cataract near this river, the noise
of which is tremendous, as it falls more than four hundred yards,
partly over a very steep descent, and partly in a perpendicular line.
On the 1st of March sailed again, and anchored in a place called
Swallow harbor, whence they sailed the next morning; and, on the
following day, the Swallow, being driven among breakers, made signals
of distress; but was happily relieved by a breeze from the shore. On
the 10th of April the two ships sailed in company; and, on the 11th,
lost sight of each other, and did not meet again during the whole
voyage.
This day the Dolphin cleared the Strait of Magellan, in which she had
labored with innumerable difficulties, and escaped most imminent
dangers, in a passage of almost four months, viz: from December the
17th, 1776, to the 11th of April following. The Spaniards, it seems,
built a town here in 1581, which they named Phillipville, and left in
it a colony of four hundred persons. They were all starved to death
except twenty-four; and the place was called Port Famine, from the
melancholy fate of these unfortunate men.
The long wished for relief was now fast approaching, for on Saturday,
the 6th, the man at the mast-head cried, ‘Land in the west-north-west.’
As no anchorage was to be found, the captain steered for the other
island, giving the name of Whitsun Island to this, because it was
discovered on the eve of Whitsunday. Having approached the second, the
lieutenant was sent on shore, with two boats, to take possession of
the island and to call it Queen Charlotte’s Island. The boats returned
loaded with cocoa-nuts and scurvy-grass, after having found two wells
of excellent water. Provisions for a week were now allotted for an
officer and twenty men, who were left on shore to take in water; the
sick were landed for the benefit of the air; and a number of hands
were appointed to climb the cocoa-trees, and gather the nuts.
An adjoining island, lying in nineteen degrees twenty minutes south
latitude, and one hundred thirty-eight degrees thirty minutes west
longitude, received the name of Egmont Island. On the 11th, they
observed about sixteen persons on an island, which was called
Gloucester Island. This day they likewise discovered another, which
was called Cumberland Island; and on the day following, a third, which
received the name of Prince William Henry’s Island. On the 17th, again
discovered land, but could find no place in which the ship might
anchor. This was named Osnaburgh Island, and having soon discovered
high land, they came to anchor because the weather was foggy; but it
no sooner cleared away, than they found the ship encompassed by
hundreds of people. They sailed along the shore, while the canoes made
towards the land. On the 21st, the ship came to anchor.
The boats having been sent to sound along the coast, were followed by
large double canoes, three of which ran at the cutter, staved in her
quarter, and otherwise damaged her; the Indians, at the same time,
armed with clubs, endeavoring to board her. The crew now fired; and
wounding one man dangerously, and killing another, they both fell into
the sea. The ship made sail the following day, and was piloted round a
reef, into a harbor, where she was moored. On the 24th, she sailed
further up the harbor, followed by many canoes. In the evening, a
number of very large canoes advanced, laden with stones; on which the
captain ordered the strictest watch to be kept. Soon after a large
canoe advanced, in which was an awning, on the top of which sat one of
the natives, holding some yellow and red feathers in his hand. He
delivered the feathers; and, while a present was preparing, he put
back from the ship, and threw the branch of a cocoa-nut tree in the
air. This appeared the signal for an onset, for the canoes,
approaching the ship, threw volleys of stones into every part of her.
On this two guns, loaded with small shot, were fired, and the people
on guard discharged their muskets. The number of Indians now round the
ships was full two thousand; and though they were at first
disconcerted, they soon recovered their spirits, and renewed the
attack. Thousands were observed on shore, embarking as fast as the
canoes could bring them off; orders were therefore given for firing
the cannon, some of which were brought to bear upon the shore. The
scattered canoes soon got together again, and threw stones of two
pounds weight from slings by which a number of seamen were wounded. At
this time several canoes approached the bow of the ship, in one of
which was an Indian, who appeared to have an authority over the rest;
a gun was therefore leveled at his canoe, the shot of which split it
in two pieces, which put an end to the contest; the canoes rowed off
with the utmost speed, and the people on shore ran and concealed
themselves behind the hills. Next day a lieutenant was despatched,
with all the boats manned and armed, and having hoisted a pennant on a
staff, he took possession of the place by the name of King George the
Third’s Island.
Three days after this, the gunner conducted to the ship a lady of a
portly figure and agreeable face, whose age seemed to be upwards of
forty. Her whole behavior indicated the woman of superior rank. The
captain presented her with a looking-glass and some toys, and gave her
a handsome blue mantle, which he tied round her with ribbands. Having
intimated that she would be glad to see the Captain on shore, on
Sunday, the 12th, he landed, and was met by his fair friend, who was
attended by a numerous retinue. As they advanced, great numbers of
Indians crowded to meet them. Many advanced to meet her, whom she
caused to kiss the captain’s hand, while she signified that they were
related to her. Her house was above three hundred and twenty feet in
length, and about forty in breadth. The captain, lieutenant, and
purser, who had been ill, being seated, the lady helped four of her
female attendants to pull of their coats, shoes and stockings; which
being performed, the girls smoothed down the skin, and rubbed it
lightly with their hands for more than half an hour; and the gentleman
received great benefit from the operation. Orders had been given that
the captain should be carried; but as he chose to walk, she took hold
of his arm, and when they came near any wet or dirty place, she lifted
him over, with as much ease as a man would a child. On the 15th, a
large party in all the boats rowed round the island. The island was
found to be every where very pleasant, and to abound with various
necessaries of life. On the 17th, Captain Wallis received another
visit from the lady whom he called his queen. On the 21st, she
repeated the visit, and presented him with some hogs. The captain
having sent a party on shore on the 25th, to examine the country
minutely, caused a tent to be erected to observe an eclipse of the
sun, and when it was ended, took his telescope to the queen’s house to
show her the use of it; and her surprise is not to be expressed, on
beholding several objects which she was very familiar with, but which
were too distant to be seen by the naked eye. She made signs to be
informed if he held his resolution as to the time of his departure,
and being answered in the affirmative, her tears witnessed the
agitation of her mind. The captain presented her with several articles
of use and ornament, which she received in silent sorrow. After some
time a breeze springing up, the queen and her attendants took their
final leave, with many tears.
The place where the ship had lain was called Port Royal Harbor, and is
situated in 17 degrees 30 minutes south latitude, and 150 degrees west
longitude. The Dolphin sailed from Otaheite on the 27th of July, 1767,
and passed the Duke of York’s Island. On the 28th, they discovered
land, which was called Sir Charles Saunder’s Island. On the 30th again
made land, which received the name of Lord How’s Island, on which
smoke was seen, but no inhabitants. Their next discovery was some
dangerous shoals, to which Captain Wallis gave the name of the Scilla
Islands. They now steered westward till the 13th of August, when they
saw two small islands, one of which was named Keppel’s Isle, and the
other Boscawen’s Island. On the 16th they again discovered land, to
which the officers gave the name of Wallis’ Island.
On the 18th of September they discovered the island of Saypan, and
soon afterwards that of Tinian, off which they anchored on the day
following. Tents were erected for the sick, who were sent on shore
with all expedition. By the 15th of October the fruit and water were
carried on board, and all the sick being recovered, on the next day
they left the bay, and sailed to the west.
On the 3d of November they discovered three islands, which were named
Sandy Isle, Small Key, and Long Island; which islands are in 19
degrees 20 minutes north latitude, and 247 degrees 20 minutes west
longitude. They now altered their course, and, on the 13th, saw the
island of Timoun, Aros, and Pesang. On the 16th they crossed the
equinoctial line, and came again into south latitude. The next day
they saw the islands of Pulo Totè, and Pulo Weste, and the Seven
Islands. On the 22d saw the coast of Sumatra; and came to an anchor in
the road of Batavia, on the 30th of November, 1767. From this place
they sailed on the 8th of December, without losing a single man, and
having only two on the sick list.
On the 24th of January they encountered a dreadful storm, which tore
the sails to pieces, broke a rudder-chain, and carried several of the
booms overboard; yet during this storm they observed a number of birds
and butterflies. On the 30th they saw land; and came to anchor in
Table Bay, at the Cape of Good Hope, on the 4th of February. Sailed on
the 17th of March, anchored in the bay of St. Helena. On the 28th
crossed the equinoctial line, and on the 24th of next month saw the
Cape of Pico.
No material incident happened from this time to the end of the voyage;
and on the 20th of May, 1768, the Dolphin came to anchor in the Downs.