_A Description of Poverty Bay, and the Face of the adjacent Country. The
Range from thence to Cape Turnagain, and back to Tolaga, with some
Account of the People and the Country, and several Incidents that
happened on that Part of the Coast_.
The next morning, at six o'clock, we weighed, and stood away from this
unfortunate and inhospitable place, to which I gave the name of _Poverty
Bay_, and which by the natives is called _Taoneroa_, or Long Sand, as it
did not afford us a single article that we wanted except a little wood.
It lies in latitude 38° 42' S. and longitude 181° 36' W.; it is in the
form of an horse-shoe, and is known by an island lying close under the
north-east point: The two points which form the entrance are high, with
steep white cliffs, and lie a league and a half, or two leagues, from
each other, N.E. by E. and S.W. by W.; the depth of water in the bay is
from twelve to five fathom, with a sandy bottom and good anchorage; but
the situation is open to the wind between the south and east: Boats can
go in and out of the river at any time of the tide in fine weather; but
as there is a bar at the entrance, no boat can go either in or out when
the sea runs high: The best place to attempt it, is on the north-east
side, and it is there practicable when it is not so in any other part.
The shore of the bay, a little within its entrance, is a low flat sand;
behind which, at a small distance, the face of the country is finely
diversified by hills and valleys, all clothed with wood, and covered
with verdure. The country also appears to be well inhabited, especially
in the valleys leading up from the bay, where we daily saw smoke rising
in clouds one behind another to a great distance, till the view
terminated in mountains of a stupendous height.
The south-west point of the bay I named _Young Nick's Head_, after
Nicholas Young, the boy who first saw the land; at noon, it bore N.W. by
W. distant about three or four leagues, and we were then about three
miles from the shore. The main-land extended from N.E. by N; to south,
and I proposed to follow the direction of the coast to the southward as
far as the latitude of 40 or 41; and then, if I met with no
encouragement to proceed farther, to return to the northward.
In the afternoon we lay becalmed, which the people on shore perceiving,
several canoes put off, and came within less than a quarter of a mile of
the vessel; but could not be persuaded to come nearer, though Tupia
exerted all the powers of his lungs and his eloquence upon the occasion,
shouting, and promising that they should not be hurt. Another canoe was
now seen coming from Poverty Bay, with only four people on board, one of
whom we well remembered to have seen in our first interview upon the
rock. This canoe, without stopping or taking the least notice of the
others, came directly alongside of the ship, and with very little
persuasion, we got the Indians on board. Their example was soon followed
by the rest, and we had about us seven canoes, and about fifty men. We
made them all presents with a liberal hand; notwithstanding which, they
were so desirous to have more of our commodities, that they sold us
every thing they had, even the clothes from their backs, and the paddles
from their boats. There were but two weapons among them, these were the
instruments of green talc, which were shaped somewhat like a pointed
battledore, with a short handle and sharp edges; they were called
_Patoo-Patoo_, and were well contrived for close-fighting, as they would
certainly split the thickest scull at a single blow.
When these people had recovered from the first impressions of fear,
which, notwithstanding their resolution in coming on board, had
manifestly thrown them into some confusion, we enquired after our poor
boys. The man who first came on board immediately answered, that they
were unhurt and at home; adding, that he had been induced to venture on
board by the account which they had given him of the kindness with which
they had been treated, and the wonders that were contained in the ship.
While they were on board they shewed every sign of friendship, and
invited us very cordially to go back to our old bay, or to a small cove
which they pointed out, that was not quite so far off; but I chose
rather to prosecute my discoveries than go back, having reason to hope
that I should find a better harbour than any I had yet seen.
About an hour before sun-set, the canoes put off from the ship with the
few paddles they had reserved, which were scarcely sufficient to set
them on shore; but by some means or other three of their people were
left behind: As soon as we discovered it, we hailed them; but not one of
them would return to take them on board: This greatly surprised us; but
we were surprised still more to observe that the deserted Indians did
not seem at all uneasy at their situation, but entertained us with
dancing and singing after their manner, eat their suppers, and went
quietly to bed.
A light breeze springing up soon after it was dark, we steered along the
shore under an easy sail till midnight, and then brought-to, soon after
which it fell calm; we were now some leagues distant from the place
where the canoes had left us, and at day-break, when the Indians
perceived it, they were seized with consternation and terror, and
lamented their situation in loud complaints, with gestures of despair
and many tears. Tupia, with great difficulty, pacified them; and about
seven o'clock in the morning, a light breeze springing up, we continued
to stand south-west along the shore. Fortunately for our poor Indians,
two canoes came off about this time, and made towards the ship: They
stopped, however, at a little distance, and seemed unwilling to trust
themselves nearer. Our Indians were greatly agitated in this state of
uncertainty, and urged their fellows to come alongside of the ship, both
by their voice and gestures, with the utmost eagerness and impatience.
Tupia interpreted what they said, and we were much surprised to find,
that, among other arguments, they assured the people in the canoes, we
did not eat men. We now began seriously to believe that this horrid
custom prevailed among them; for what the boys had said, we considered
as a mere hyperbolical expression of their fear.[51] One of the canoes,
at length, ventured to come under the ship's side; and an old man came
on board, who seemed to be a chief from the finery of his garment, and
the superiority of his weapon, which was a Patoo-Patoo, made of bone,
that, as he said, had belonged to a whale. He staid on board but a
short time, and when he went away, he took with him our guests, very
much to the satisfaction both of them and us.
[Footnote 51: It is remarked in the account of Tasman's voyage, that the
people of this island had very hoarse, rough, strong voices.--E.]
At the time when we sailed, we were abreast of a point, from which the
land trends S.S.W. and which, on account of its figure, I called _Cape
Table_. This point lies seven leagues to the southward of Poverty Bay,
in latitude 39° 7' S. and longitude 181° 36' W.; it is of a considerable
height, makes in a sharp angle, and appears to be quite flat at the top.
In steering along the shore to the southward of the Cape, at the
distance of two or three miles, our soundings were from twenty to thirty
fathom, having a chain of rocks between us and the shore, which appeared
at different heights above the water.
At noon, Cape Table bore N. 20 E. distant about four leagues, and a
small island, which was the southernmost land in sight, bore S. 70 W. at
the distance of about three miles. This island, which the natives call
_Teahowray_, I named the _Island of Portland_, from its very great
resemblance to Portland in the English Channel: It lies about a mile
from a point on the main; but there appears to be a ridge of rocks,
extending nearly, if not quite, from one to the other. N. 57 E. two
miles from the south point of Portland, lies a sunken rock, upon which
the sea breaks with great violence. We passed between this rock and the
land, having from seventeen to twenty fathom.
In sailing along the shore, we saw the natives assembled in great
numbers as well upon Portland Island as the main: We could also
distinguish several spots of ground that were cultivated; some seemed to
be fresh turned up, and lay in furrows like ploughed land, and some had
plants upon them in different stages of their growth. We saw also in two
places, high rails upon the ridges of hills, like what we had seen upon
the peninsula at the north-east head of Poverty Bay: As they were ranged
in lines only, and not so as to inclose an area, we could not guess at
their use, and therefore supposed they might be the work of
superstition.
About noon another canoe appeared, in which were four men; she came
within about a quarter of a mile of us, where the people on board seemed
to perform divers ceremonies: One of them, who was in the bow, sometimes
seemed to ask and to offer peace, and sometimes to threaten war, by
brandishing a weapon that he held in his hand: Sometimes also he danced,
and sometimes he sung. Tupia talked much to him, but could not persuade
him to come to the ship.
Between one and two o'clock we discovered land to the westward of
Portland; extending to the southward as far as we could see; and as the
ship was hauling round the south end of the island, she suddenly fell
into shoal water and broken ground: We had indeed always seven fathom or
more, but the soundings were never twice the same, jumping at once from
seven fathom to eleven; in a short time, however, we got clear of all
danger, and had again deep water under us.
At this time the island lay within a mile of us, making in white cliffs,
and a long spit of low land running from it towards the main. On the
sides of these cliffs sat vast numbers of people, looking at us with a
fixed attention, and it is probable that they perceived some appearance
of hurry and confusion on board, and some irregularity in the working of
the ship, while we were getting clear of the shallow water and broken
ground, from which they might infer that we were alarmed or in distress;
we thought that they wished to take advantage of our situation, for five
canoes were put off with the utmost expedition, full of men, and well
armed: They came so near, and shewed so hostile a disposition by
shouting, brandishing their lances, and using threatening gestures, that
we were in some pain for our small boat, which was still employed in
sounding: A musket was therefore fired over them, but finding it did
them no harm, they seemed rather to be provoked than intimidated, and I
therefore fired a four-pounder, charged with grape-shot, wide of them:
This had a better effect; upon the report of the piece they all rose up
and shouted, but instead of continuing the chace, drew altogether, and
after a short consultation, went quietly away.
Having got round Portland, we hauled in for the land N.W. having a
gentle breeze at N.E. which about five o'clock died away, and obliged us
to anchor; we had one-and-twenty fathom, with a fine sandy bottom: The
south point of Portland bore S.E. 1/2 S. distant about two leagues, and
a low point on the main bore N. 1/2 E. In the same direction with this
low point, there runs a deep bay, behind the land of which Cape Table is
the extremity, so as to make this land a peninsula, leaving only a low
narrow neck between that and the main. Of this peninsula, which the
natives call _Terakaca_, Cape Table is the north point, and Portland the
south.
While we lay at anchor, two more canoes came off to us, one armed, and
the other a small fishing-boat, with only four men in her; they came so
near that they entered into conversation with Tupia; they answered all
the questions that he asked them with great civility, but could not be
persuaded to come on board; they came near enough, however, to receive
several presents that were thrown to them from the ship, with which they
seemed much pleased, and went away. During the night many fires were
kept upon shore, probably to shew us that the inhabitants were too much
upon their guard to be surprised.
About five o'clock in the morning of the 13th, a breeze springing up
northerly we weighed, and steered in for the land. The shore here forms
a large bay, of which Portland is the north-east point, and the bay,
that runs behind Cape Table, an arm. This arm I had a great inclination
to examine, because there appeared to be safe anchorage in it, but not
being sure of that, and the wind being right an end, I was unwilling to
spare the time. Four-and-twenty fathom was the greatest depth within
Portland, but the ground was every where clear. The land near the shore
is of a moderate height, with white cliffs and sandy beaches; within, it
rises into mountains, and upon the whole the surface is hilly, for the
most part covered with wood, and to appearance pleasant and fertile. In
the morning nine canoes came after the ship, but whether with peaceable
or hostile intentions we could not tell, for we soon left them behind
us.
In the evening we stood in for a place that had the appearance of an
opening, but found no harbour; we therefore stood out again, and were
soon followed by a large canoe, with eighteen or twenty men, all armed,
who, though they could not reach us, shouted defiance, and brandished
their weapons, with many gestures of menace and insult.
In the morning we had a view of the mountains inland, upon which the
snow was still lying: The country near the shore was low and unfit for
culture, but in one place we perceived a patch of somewhat yellow, which
had greatly the appearance of a corn field, yet was probably nothing
more than some dead flags, which are not uncommon in swampy places:[52]
At some distance we saw groves of trees, which appeared high and
tapering, and being not above two leagues from the south-west cod of the
great bay, in which we had been coasting for the two last days, I
hoisted out the pinnace and long-boat to search for fresh water; but
just as they were about to put off, we saw several boats full of people
coming from the shore, and therefore I did not think it safe for them to
leave the ship. About ten o'clock, five of these boats having drawn
together, as if to hold a consultation, made towards the ship, having on
board between eighty and ninety men, and four more followed at some
distance, as if to sustain the attack: When the first five came within
about a hundred yards of the ship, they began to sing their war-song,
and brandishing their pikes, prepared for an engagement. We had now no
time to lose, for if we could not prevent the attack, we should come
under the unhappy necessity of using our fire-arms against them, which
we were very desirous to avoid. Tupia was therefore ordered to acquaint
them that we had weapons which, like thunder, would destroy them in a
moment; that we would immediately convince them of their power by
directing their effect so that they should not be hurt; but that if they
persisted in any hostile attempt, we should be obliged to use them for
our defence: A four-pounder, loaded with grape-shot, was then discharged
wide of them, which produced the desired effect; the report, the flash,
and above all, the shot, which spread very far in the water, so
intimidated them, that they began to paddle away with all their might:
Tupia, however, calling after them, and assuring them that if they would
come unarmed, they should be kindly received, the people in one of the
boats put their arms on board of another, and came under the ship's
stern: We made them several presents, and should certainly have
prevailed upon them to come on board, if the other canoes had not, come
up, and again threatened us, by shouting and brandishing their weapons:
At this the people who had come to the ship unarmed, expressed great
displeasure, and soon after they all went away.
[Footnote 52: The natives cultivate a plant much resembling flag. It is
their substitute for hemp and flax; and by their ingenuity of
management, yield them excellent clothing, and lines and cordage for
their fishing-nets and other useful purposes.--E.]
In the afternoon we stood over to the south point of the bay, but not
reaching it before it was dark, we stood off and on all night. At eight
the next morning, being a-breast of the point, several fishing-boats
came off to us, and sold us some stinking fish: It was the best they
had, and we were willing to trade with them upon any terms: These people
behaved very well, and we should have parted good friends if it had not
been for a large canoe, with two-and-twenty armed men on board, which
came boldly up alongside of the ship. We soon saw that this boat had
nothing for traffic, yet we gave them two or three pieces of cloth, an
article which they seemed very fond of. I observed that one man had a
black skin thrown over him, somewhat resembling that of a bear, and
being desirous to know what animal was its first owner, I offered him
for it a piece of red baize, and he seemed greatly pleased with the
bargain, immediately pulling off the skin, and holding it up in the
boat;[53] he would not, however, part with it till he had the cloth in
his possession, and as there could be no transfer of property, if with
equal caution I had insisted upon the same condition, I ordered the
cloth to be handed down to him, upon which, with amazing coolness,
instead of sending up the skin, he began to pack up both that, and the
baize, which he had received as the purchase of it, in a basket, without
paying the least regard to my demand or remonstrances, and soon after,
with the fishing-boats, put off from the-ship; when they were at some
distance, they drew together, and after a short-consultation returned;
the fishermen offered more fish, which, though good for nothing, was
purchased, and trade was again renewed. Among others who were placed
over the ship's side to hand up what we bought, was little Tayeto,
Tupia's boy; and one of the Indians, watching his opportunity, suddenly
seized him, and dragged him down into the canoe; two of them held him
down in the fore-part of it, and the others, with great activity,
paddled her off, the rest of the canoes following as fast as they could;
upon this the marines, who were under arms upon deck, were ordered to
fire. The shot was directed to that part of the canoe which was farthest
from the boy, and rather wide of her, being willing rather to miss the
rowers than to hurt him: It happened, however, that one man dropped,
upon which the others quitted their hold of the boy, who instantly
leaped into the water, and swam towards the ship; the large canoe
immediately pulled round and followed him, but some muskets, and a great
gun being fired at her, she desisted from the pursuit. The ship being
brought-to, a boat was lowered, and the poor boy taken up unhurt, though
so terrified, that for a time he seemed to be deprived of his senses.
Some of the gentlemen, who traced the canoes to shore with their
glasses, said, that they saw three men carried up the beach, who
appeared to be either dead, or wholly disabled by their wounds.
[Footnote 53: The principal clothing of these people is prepared from
the flag, as has been mentioned; but they greatly esteem the skins of
such animals as they can procure. These, however, are neither very
numerous nor valuable. They will be mentioned hereafter.--E.]
To the cape off which this unhappy transaction happened, I gave the name
of _Cape Kidnappers_. It lies in latitude 39° 43', and longitude 182°
24' W. and is rendered remarkable by two white rocks like hay-stacks,
and the high white cliffs on each side. It lies S.W. by W. distant
thirteen leagues from the isle of Portland; and between them is the bay
of which it is the south point, and which, in honour of Sir Edward
Hawke, then First Lord of the Admiralty, I called _Hawke's Bay_. We
found in it from twenty-four to seven fathom, and good anchorage. From
Cape Kidnappers the land trends S.S.W. and in this direction we made our
run along the shore, keeping at about a league distance, with a steady
breeze and clear weather.
As soon as Tayeto recovered from his fright, he brought a fish to Tupia,
and told him that he intended it as an offering to his Eatua, or god, in
gratitude for his escape; Tupia commended his piety, and ordered him to
throw the fish into the sea, which was accordingly done.[54]
[Footnote 54: This may be held as no small evidence that the Otaheitans
are not so disinterested in their devotion as Dr Hawkesworth imagined,
according to an assertion of his already commented on. Gratitude implies
the reception of a favour, and prayer the expectation of one. Religion
without interest is both unnatural and absurd. The very notion of
religion is humble reliance upon God. "Take this away," says Dr Magee
very justly, "and we become a race of independent beings, claiming as a
debt the reward of our good works; a sort of contracting party with the
Almighty, contributing nought to his glory, but anxious to maintain our
own independence, and our own rights." The lips of uninspired man never
spake more truth in one sentence. Let the aspiring moralist consider it
in its nature and consequences. If he obtain humility by the meditation,
he will feel the blessedness of a grateful heart.--E.]
About two o'clock in the afternoon, we passed a small but high white
island lying close to the shore, upon which we saw many houses, boats,
and people. The people we concluded to be fishers, because the island
was totally barren; we saw several people also on shore, in a small bay
upon the main, within the island. At eleven, we brought-to till
day-light, and then made sail to the southward, along the shore. About
seven o'clock we passed a high point of land, which lies S.S.W. twelve
leagues from Cape Kidnappers: From this point the land trends
three-fourths of a point more to the westward; at ten, we saw more land
open to the southward, and at noon, the southermost land that was in
sight bore S. 39° W. distant eight or ten leagues, and a high bluff
head, with yellowish cliffs, bore W. distant about two miles: The depth
of water was thirty-two fathom.
In the afternoon we had a fresh breeze at west, and during the night
variable light airs and calms: In the morning a gentle breeze sprung up
between the N.W. and N.E. and having till now stood to the southward,
without seeing any probability of meeting with a harbour, and the
country manifestly altering for the worse, I thought that standing
farther in that direction would be attended with no advantage, but on
the contrary would be a loss of time that might be employed with a
better prospect of success in examining the coast to the northward;
about one, therefore, in the afternoon, I tacked, and stood north, with
a fresh breeze at west. The high bluff head, with yellowish cliffs,
which we were a-breast of at noon, I called Cape Turnagain, because here
we turned back. It lies in latitude 40° 34' S. longitude 182° 55' W.,
distant eighteen leagues S.S.W. and S.S.W. 1/2 W. from Cape Kidnappers.
The land between them is of a very unequal height; in some places it is
lofty next the sea with white cliffs, in others low, with sandy beaches:
The face of the country is not so well clothed with wood as it is about
Hawke's bay, but looks more like our high downs in England: It is,
however, to all appearance, well inhabited, for as we stood along the
shore, we saw several villages, not only in the vallies, but on the tops
and sides of the hills, and smoke in many other places. The ridge of
mountains, which has been mentioned before, extends to the southward
farther than we could see, and was then every where chequered with snow.
At night we saw two fires inland, so very large, that we concluded they
must have been made to clear the land for tillage; but however that be,
they are a demonstration that the part of the country where they
appeared is inhabited.
On the 18th, at four o'clock in the morning, Cape Kidnappers bore N. 32
W. distant two leagues: In this situation we had sixty-two fathom, and
when the Cape bore W. by N. distant three or four leagues, we had
forty-five fathom: In the mid-way between the isle of Portland and the
Cape we had sixty-five fathom. In the evening, being abreast of the
peninsula, within Portland island, called Terakako, a canoe came off
from that shore, and with much difficulty overtook the ship; there were
on board five people, two of whom appeared to be chiefs, and the other
three servants: The chiefs, with very little invitation, came on board,
and ordered the rest to remain in their canoe. We treated them with
great kindness, and they were not backward in expressing their
satisfaction; they went down into the cabin, and after a short time told
us that they had determined not to go on shore till the next morning. As
the sleeping on board was an honour which we neither expected nor
desired, I remonstrated strongly against it, and told them, that on
their account it would not be proper, as the ship would probably be at a
great distance from where she was then, the next morning: They
persisted, however, in their resolution, and as I found it impossible to
get rid of them without turning them by force out of the ship, I
complied: As a proper precaution, however, I proposed to take their
servants also on board, and hoist their canoe into the ship; they made
no objection, and this was accordingly done. The countenance of one of
these chiefs was the most open and ingenuous of all I have ever seen,
and I very soon gave up every suspicion of his having any sinister
design: They both examined every thing they saw with great curiosity and
attention, and received very thankfully such little presents as we made
them; neither of them, however, could be persuaded either to eat or
drink, but their servants devoured every thing they could get with great
voracity. We found that these men had heard of our kindness and
liberality to the natives who had been on board before, yet we thought
the confidence they placed in us an extraordinary instance of their
fortitude. At night I brought-to till day-light, and then made sail; at
seven in the morning, I brought-to again under Cape Table, and sent away
our guests with their canoe, who expressed some surprise at seeing
themselves so far from home, but landed a-breast of the ship. At this
time I saw other canoes putting off from the shore, but I stood away to
the northward without waiting for their coming up.
About three, I passed a remarkable head-land, which I called
Gable-End-Foreland, from the very great likeness of the white cliff at
the point to the gable-end of a house: It is not more remarkable for its
figure, than for a rock which rises like a spire at a little distance.
It lies from Cape Table N. 24 E. distant about twelve leagues. The shore
between them forms a bay, within which lies Poverty Bay, at the distance
of four leagues from the head-land, and eight from the Cape. At this
place three canoes came off to us, and one man came on board; we gave
him some trifles, and he soon returned to his boat, which, with all the
rest, dropped a-stern.
In the morning I made sail in shore, in order to look into two bays,
which appeared about two leagues to the northward of the Foreland; the
southernmost I could not fetch, but I anchored in the other about eleven
o'clock.
Into this bay we were invited by the people on board many canoes, who
pointed to a place where they said there was plenty of fresh water: I
did not find so good a shelter from the sea as I expected, but the
natives who came about us appearing to be of a friendly disposition, I
was determined to try whether I could not get some knowledge of the
country here before I proceeded farther to the northward.
In one of the canoes that came about us as soon as we anchored, we saw
two men, who by their habits appeared to be chiefs: One of them was
dressed in a jacket, which was ornamented after their manner, with dog's
skin; the jacket of the other was almost covered with small tufts of red
feathers. These men I invited on board, and they entered the ship with
very little hesitation: I gave each of them about four yards of linen,
and a spike nail; with the linen they were much pleased, but seemed to
set no value upon the nail. We perceived that they knew what had
happened in Poverty Bay, and we had therefore no reason to doubt but
they would behave peaceably; however, for further security, Tupia was
ordered to tell them for what purpose we came thither, and to assure
them that we would offer them no injury, if they offered none to us. In
the mean time those who remained in the canoes traded with our people
very fairly for what they happened to have with them: The chiefs, who
were old men, staid with us till we had dined, and about two o'clock I
put off with the boats, manned and armed, in order to go on shore in
search of water, and the two chiefs went into the boat with me. The
afternoon was tempestuous, with much rain, and the surf every where ran
so high, that although we rowed almost round the bay, we found no place
where we could land: I determined therefore to return to the ship, which
being intimated to the chiefs, they called to the people on shore, and
ordered a canoe to be sent off for themselves; this was accordingly
done, and they left us, promising to come on board again in the morning,
and bring us some fish and sweet-potatoes.
In the evening, the weather having become fair and moderate, the boats
were again ordered out, and I landed, accompanied by Mr Banks and Dr
Solander. We were received with great expressions of friendship by the
natives, who behaved with a scrupulous attention not to give offence. In
particular, they took care not to appear in great bodies: One family, or
the inhabitants of two or three houses only, were generally placed
together, to the number of fifteen or twenty, consisting of men, women,
and children. These little companies sat upon the ground, not advancing
towards us, but inviting us to them, by a kind of beckon, moving one
hand towards the breast. We made them several little presents; and in
our walk round the bay found two small streams of fresh water. This
convenience, and the friendly behaviour of the people, determined me to
stay at least a day, that I might fill some of my empty casks, and give
Mr Banks an opportunity of examining the natural produce of the country.
In the morning of the 21st, I sent Lieutenant Gore on shore, to
superintend the watering, with a strong party of men; and they were soon
followed by Mr Banks and Dr Solander, with Tupia, Tayeto, and four
others.
The natives sat by our people, and seemed pleased to observe them; but
did not intermix with them: They traded, however, chiefly for cloth, and
after a short time applied to their ordinary occupations, as if no
stranger had been among them. In the forenoon, several of their boats
went out a-fishing, and at dinner time every one repaired to his
respective dwelling; from which, after a certain time, he returned.
These fair appearances encouraged Mr Banks and Dr Solander to range the
bay with very little precaution, where they found many plants, and shot
some birds of exquisite beauty. In their walk, they visited several
houses of the natives, and saw something of their manner of life; for
they showed, without any reserve, every thing which the gentlemen
desired to see. They were sometimes found at their meals, which the
approach of the strangers never interrupted. Their food at this season
consisted of fish, with which, instead of bread, they eat the root of a
kind of fern, very like that which grows upon our commons in England.
These roots they scorch over the fire, and then beat with a stick, till
the bark and dry outside fall off; what remains is a soft substance,
somewhat clammy and sweet, not unpleasing to the taste, but mixed with
three or four times its quantity of strings and fibres, which are very
disagreeable; these were swallowed by some, but spit out by the far
greater number, who had baskets under them to receive the rejected part
of what had been chewed, which had an appearance very like that of
tobacco in the same state. In other seasons they have certainly plenty
of excellent vegetables; but no tame animals were seen among them except
dogs, which were very small and ugly. Mr Banks saw some of their
plantations, where the ground was as well broken down and tilled as even
in the gardens of the most curious people among us: In these spots were
sweet potatoes, coccos or eddas, which are well known and much esteemed
both in the East and West Indies, and some gourds: The sweet potatoes
were planted in small hills, some ranged in rows, and others in
quincunx, all laid by a line with the greatest regularity: The coccos
were planted upon flat land, but none of them yet appeared above ground;
and the gourds were set in small hollows, or dishes, much as in England.
These plantations were of different extent, from one or two acres to
ten: Taken together, there appeared to be from 150 to 200 acres in
cultivation in the whole bay, though we never saw an hundred people.
Each district was fenced in, generally with reeds, which were placed so
close together that there was scarcely room for a mouse to creep
between.
The women were plain, and made themselves more so by painting their
faces with red ochre and oil, which being generally fresh and wet upon
their cheeks and foreheads, was easily transferred to the noses of those
who thought fit to salute them; and that they were not wholly averse to
such familiarity, the noses of several of our people strongly testified:
They were, however, as great coquets as any of the most fashionable
ladies in Europe, and the young ones as skittish as an unbroken filly:
Each of them wore a petticoat, under which there was a girdle, made of
the blades of grass highly perfumed, and to the girdle was fastened a
small bunch of the leaves of some fragrant plant, which served their
modesty as its innermost veil.[55] The faces of the men were not so
generally painted, yet we saw one whose whole body, and even his
garments, were rubbed over with dry ochre, of which he kept a piece
constantly in his hand, and was every minute renewing the decoration in
one part or another, where he supposed it was become deficient.[56] In
personal delicacy they were not equal to our friends at Otaheite, for
the coldness of the climate did not invite them so often to bathe; but
we saw among them one instance of cleanliness in which they exceeded
them, and of which perhaps there is no example in any other Indian
nation. Every house, or every little cluster of three or four houses,
was furnished with a privy, so that the ground was every where clean.
The offals of their food, and other litter, were also piled up in
regular dunghills, which probably they made use of at a proper time for
manure.
[Footnote 55: It is elsewhere said of these women, that, contrary to the
custom of the sex in general, they affected dress rather less than the
men. As to their modesty, let one fact related in the same place, be
allowed its legal influence.--Their innermost veil, as our author will
have it, was always bound fast round them, except when they went into
the water to catch lobsters, and then great care was taken that they
should not be seen by the other sex. "Some of us happening one day to
land upon a small island in Tolaga Bay, we surprised several of them at
this employment; and the chaste Diana, with her nymphs, could not have
discovered more confusion and distress at the sight of Actæon, than
these women expressed on our approach. Some of them hid themselves among
the rocks, and the rest crouched down in the sea till they had made
themselves a girdle and apron of such weeds as they could find, and when
they came out, even with this veil, we could perceive that their modesty
suffered much pain by our presence!" One fact of this kind speaks
volumes. The reader may glance over them at his leisure.--E.]
[Footnote 56: It is elsewhere remarked, that the bodies of both sexes
are marked with the black stains called Amoco, like the tattowing of the
Otaheitans, but that the women are not so lavish in the decoration as
the men, and that whereas at Otaheite the breech is the choice spot for
the display of their beautifying ingenuity, in New Zealand, on the
contrary, it is almost entirely neglected as unworthy of embellishment.
So much for the capricious partiality of dame Fashion.--E.]
In this decent article of civil oeconomy they were beforehand with one
of the most considerable nations of Europe, for I am credibly informed,
that, till the year 1760, there was no such thing as a privy in Madrid,
the metropolis of Spain, though it is plentifully supplied with water.
Before that time it was the universal practice to throw the ordure out
of the windows, during the night, into the street, where numbers of men
were employed to remove it, with shovels, from the upper parts of the
city to the lower, where it lay till it was dry, and was then carried
away in carts, and deposited without the gates. His catholic majesty,
having determined to free his capital from so gross a nuisance, ordered,
by proclamation, that the proprietor of every house should build a
privy, and that sinks, drains, and common-sewers should he made at the
public expence. The Spaniards, though long accustomed to an arbitrary
government; resented this proclamation with great spirit, as an
infringement of the common rights of mankind, and made a vigorous
struggle against its being carried into execution. Every class devised
some objection against it, but the physicians bade the fairest to
interest the king in the preservation of the ancient privileges of his
people; for they remonstrated, that if the filth was not, as usual,
thrown into the streets, a fatal sickness would probably ensue, because
the putrescent particles of the air, which such filth attracted, would
then be imbibed by the human body. But this expedient, with every other
that could be thought of, proved unsuccessful, and the popular
discontent then ran so high that it was very near producing an
insurrection; his majesty, however, at length prevailed, and Madrid is
now as clear as most of the considerable cities in Europe. But many of
the citizens, probably upon the principles advanced by their physicians,
that heaps of filth prevent deleterious particles of air from fixing
upon neighbouring substances, have, to keep their food wholesome,
constructed their privies by the kitchen fire.[57]
[Footnote 57: It is a little singular, that Dr Hawkesworth did not
adduce a similar instance of negligence, in a certain Northern Capital.
The English, not much averse, at the time of the publication, to
depreciate and despise their neighbours, would certainly have relished
it vastly--for, as Swift somewhere wittily observes, your men of nice
taste have very filthy ideas. That the city alluded to has improved
much, within the last half century, is but to lump it with almost all
the other cities and towns in Britain, of which the same thing may be
predicated. Still, however, it is chargeable with glaring sins of both
omission and commission; and it is certain, that the vigilance of its
police has hitherto been insufficient to vindicate its cleanliness. One
might incline to think, that the prejudice in favour of bad smells had
not quite abandoned the inhabitants, who could allow for months, and
that even in the consummating fervour of the summer sun, and in open
despite of his face too, of putrifying dunghills within the precincts of
their city. It is a certain fact that such a receptacle of filth, of the
largest size, is established in all its amplitude of abomination on the
west side of it, and often emits its pestilential spirit on the whole
track of one of its _principal_ streets. Such things ought not to be,
and would not, if people used their heads as well as their noses.--E.]
In the evening, all our boats being employed in carrying the water, on
board, and Mr Banks and his company finding it probable that they should
be left on shore after it was dark, by which much time would be lost,
which they were impatient to employ in putting the plants they had
gathered in order, they applied to the Indians for a passage in one of
their canoes: They immediately consented, and a canoe was launched for
their use. They went all on board, being eight in number, but not being
used to a vessel that required so even a balance, they unfortunately
overset her in the surf: No life however was lost, but it was thought
advisable that half of them should wait for another turn. Mr Banks, Dr
Solander, Tupia, and Tayeto embarked again, and without any farther
accident arrived safely at the ship, well pleased with the good nature
of their Indian friends, who cheerfully undertook to carry them a second
time, after having experienced how unfit a freight they were for such a
vessel.
While these gentlemen were on shore, several of the natives went off to
the ship, and trafficked, by exchanging their cloth for that of
Otaheite: Of this barter they were for some time very fond, preferring
the Indian cloth to that of Europe: But before night it decreased in its
value five hundred per cent. Many of these Indians I took on board, and
shewed them the ship and her apparatus, at which they expressed equal
satisfaction and astonishment.
As I found it exceedingly difficult to get water on board on account of
the surf, I determined to stay no longer at this place; on the next
morning, therefore, about five o'clock, I weighed anchor and put to sea.
This bay, which is called by the natives _Tegadoo_, lies in the latitude
of 38° 10' S.; but as it has nothing to recommend it, a description of
it is unnecessary.
From this bay I intended to stand on to the northward, but the wind
being right against me, I could make no way. While I was beating about
to windward, some of the natives came on board, and told me, that in a
bay which lay a little to the southward, being the same that I could not
fetch the day I put into Tegadoo, there was excellent water, where the
boats might land without a surf. I thought it better therefore to put
into this bay, where I might complete my water, and form farther
connections with the Indians, than to keep the sea. With this view I
bore up for it, and sent in two boats, manned and armed, to examine the
watering place, who, confirming the report of the Indians at their
return, I came to an anchor about one o'clock, in eleven fathom water,
with a fine sandy bottom, the north point of the bay N. by E. and the
south point S.E. The watering-place, which was in a small cove a little
within the south point of the bay, bore S. by E. distant about a mile,
many canoes came immediately off from the shore, and all traded very
honestly for Otaheite cloth and glass bottles, of which they were
immoderately fond.
In the afternoon of the 23d, as soon as the ship was moored, I went on
shore to examine the watering-place, accompanied by Mr Banks and Dr
Solander: The boat landed in the cove, without the least surf; the water
was excellent, and conveniently situated; there was plenty of wood close
to high-water mark, and the disposition of the people was in every
respect such as we could wish.
Having, with Mr Green, taken several observations of the sun and moon,
the mean result of them gave 180° 47' W. longitude; but, as all the
observations made before exceeded these, I have laid down the coast from
the mean of the whole. At noon, I took the sun's meridian altitude with
an astronomical quadrant, which was set up at the watering-place, and
found the latitude to be 38° 22' 24".
On the 24th, early in the morning, I sent Lieutenant Gore on shore, to
superintend the cutting of wood and filling of water, with a sufficient
number of men for both purposes, and all the marines as a guard. After
breakfast, I went on shore myself, and continued there the whole day.
Mr Banks and Dr Solander also went on shore to gather plants, and in
their walks saw several things worthy of notice. They met with many
houses in the vallies that seemed to be wholly deserted, the people
living on the ridges of the hills in a kind of sheds very slightly
built. As they were advancing in one of these vallies, the hills on each
side of which were very steep, they were suddenly struck with the sight
of a very extraordinary natural curiosity. It was a rock, perforated
through its whole substance, so as to form a rude but stupendous arch or
cavern, opening directly to the sea; this aperture was seventy-five feet
long, twenty-seven broad, and five-and-forty high, commanding a view of
the bay and the hills on the other side, which were seen through it,
and, opening at once upon the view, produced an effect far superior to
any of the contrivances of art.
As they were returning to the watering-place in the evening, they met an
old man, who detained them some time by shewing them the military
exercises of the country with the lance and Patoo-Patoo, which are all
the weapons in use. The lance is from ten to fourteen feet long, made of
a very hard wood, and sharp at both ends: The Patoo-Patoo has been
described already, it is about a foot long, made of talc or bone, with
sharp edges, and used as a battle-axe. A post or stake was set up as his
enemy, to which he advanced with a must furious aspect, brandishing his
lance, which he grasped with great firmness; when it was supposed to
have been pierced by his lance, he ran at it with his Patoo-Patoo, and
falling upon the upper end of it, which was to represent his adversary's
head, he laid on with great vehemence, striking many blows, any one of
which would probably have split the skull of an ox. From our champion's
falling upon his mock enemy with the Patoo-Patoo, after he was supposed
to have been pierced with the lance, our gentlemen inferred, that in the
battles of this country there is no quarter.
This afternoon, we set up the armourer's forge, to repair the braces of
the tiller which had been broken, and went on getting our wood and
water, without suffering the least molestation from the natives; who
came down with different sorts of fish, which we purchased with cloth,
beads, and glass bottles, as usual.
On the 25th, Mr Banks and Dr Solander went again on shore; and while
they were searching for plants, Tupia staid with the waterers: Among
other Indians who came down to them was a priest, with whom Tupia
entered into a very learned conversation. In their notions of religion
they seemed to agree very well, which is not often the case between
learned divines on our side of the ocean: Tupia, however, seemed to have
the most knowledge, and he was listened to with great deference and
attention by the other. In the course of this conversation, after the
important points of divinity had been settled, Tupia enquired if it was
their practice to eat men, to which they answered in the affirmative;
but said that they eat only their enemies who were slain in battle.[58]
[Footnote 58: There is some reason, however, to believe that they make
battle in order that they may have enemies to eat. It is something like
the plea of the slave-dealers. They took those only who had been made
prisoners in war, and who would be butchered if not thus disposed of.
But who occasioned the wars which brought these miserable beings into
the hands of their enemies? There's the rub.--E.]
On the 26th, it rained all day, so that none of us could go ashore; and
very few of the Indians came either to the watering-place or the ship.
On the 27th, I went with Dr Solander to examine the bottom of the bay;
but though we went ashore at two places, we met with little worth
notice. The people behaved very civilly, shewing us every thing that we
expressed a desire to see. Among other trifling curiosities which Dr
Solander purchased of them, was a boy's top, shaped exactly like those
which children play with in England; and they made signs, that to make
it spin it was to be whipped. Mr Banks in the mean time went ashore at
the watering-place, and climbed a hill which stood at a little distance
to see a fence of poles, which we had observed from the ship, and which
had been much the subject of speculation. The hill was extremely steep,
and rendered almost inaccessible by wood; yet he reached the place, near
which he found many houses that for some reason had been deserted by
their inhabitants. The poles appeared to be about sixteen feet high;
they were placed in two rows, with a space of about six feet between
them, and the poles in each row were about ten feet distant from each
other. The lane between them was covered by sticks, that were set up
sloping towards each other from the top of the poles on each side, like
the roof of a house. This rail-work, with a ditch that was parallel to
it, was carried about a hundred yards down the hill in a kind of curve;
but for what purpose we could not guess.
The Indians, at the watering-place, at our request, entertained us with
their war-song, in which the women joined, with the most horrid
distortions of countenance, rolling their eyes, thrusting out their
tongues, and often heaving loud and deep sighs; though all was done in
very good time.
On the 28th, we went ashore upon an island that lies to the left hand of
the entrance of the bay, where we saw the largest canoe that we had yet
met with: She was sixty-eight feet and a half long, five broad, and
three feet six high; she had a sharp bottom, consisting of three trunks
of trees hollowed, of which that in the middle was the longest: The
side-planks were sixty-two feet long in one piece, and were not
despicably carved in bas relief; the head also was adorned with carving
still more richly. Upon this island there was a larger house than any we
had yet seen; but it seemed unfinished and was full of chips. The wood
work was squared so even and smooth, that we made no doubt of their
having among them very sharp tools. The sides of the posts were carved
in a masterly style, though after their whimsical taste, which seems to
prefer spiral lines and distorted faces: As these carved posts appeared
to have been brought from some other place, such work is probably of
great value among them.
At four o'clock in the morning of the 29th, having got on board our wood
and water, and a large supply of excellent celery, with which the
country abounds, and which proved a powerful antiscorbutic, I unmoored
and put to sea.
This bay is called by the natives Tolaga; it is moderately large, and
has from seven to thirteen fathom, with a clean sandy bottom and good
anchorage; and is sheltered from all winds except the north-east. It
lies in latitude 38° 22' S. and four leagues and a half to the north of
Gable-end Foreland. On the south point lies a small but high island, so
near the main as not to be distinguished from it. Close to the north end
of the island, at the entrance into the bay, are two high rocks; one is
round like a corn-stack, but the other is long, and perforated in
several places, so that the openings appear like the arches of a bridge.
Within these rocks is the cove where we cut wood, and filled our
water-casks. Off the north point of the bay is a pretty high rocky
island; and about a mile without it, are some rocks and breakers. The
variation of the compass here is 14° 31' E., and the tide flows at the
full and change of the moon, about six o'clock, and rises and falls
perpendicularly from five to six feet: Whether the flood comes from the
southward or the northward I have not been able to determine.
We got nothing here by traffic but a few fish, and some sweet potatoes,
except a few trifles, which we considered merely as curiosities. We saw
no four-footed animals, not the appearance of any, either tame or wild,
except dogs and rats, and these were very scarce: The people eat the
dogs, like our friends at Otaheite; and adorn their garments with the
skins, as we do ours with fur and ermine. I climbed many of the hills,
hoping to get a view of the country, but I could see nothing from the
top except higher hills, in a boundless succession. The ridges of these
hills produce little besides fern; but the sides are most luxuriantly
clothed with wood, and verdure of various kinds, with little plantations
intermixed. In the woods, we found trees of above twenty different
sorts, and carried specimens of each on board; but there was nobody
among us to whom they were not altogether unknown. The tree which we cut
for firing was somewhat like our maple, and yielded a whitish gum. We
found another sort of it of a deep yellow, which we thought might be
useful in dying. We found also one cabbage tree, which we cut down for
the cabbages. The country abounds with plants, and the woods with birds,
in an endless variety, exquisitely beautiful, and of which none of us
had the least knowledge. The soil, both of the hills and vallies, is
light and sandy, and very fit for the production of all kinds of roots;
though we saw none except sweet potatoes and yams.