account how they had passed the melancholy interval.--While day-light
continued they hoped for an opportunity of regaining the boat; but when
the darkness and cold of the night advanced, they began to consider how
they should abide the inclemency of the weather; when necessity
suggested an expedient that ingenuity might have sought in vain:--they
laid, alternately, each between the two other, thus procuring at once
the partial comforts of a house and a fire. As soon as the day broke
they proceeded by the sea-shore towards the tent: but being repeatedly
impeded by high points of land, they swam round them, at such a
distance, to avoid the rocks, that they were scarcely in less danger
from the sharks: happily, however, they escaped every danger, and were
received at the watering-place with a degree of pleasure that does
honour to the humanity of their brother tars; part of whose cloths and
provisions were instantly appropriated to feed the hungry and clothe the
naked. When these men returned on board, they were indulged with a whole
night’s rest, and the next morning were perfectly well. The reader will
no doubt be pleased to be informed, that these were three of the nine
men who swam ashore at Madeira, for a skinful of liquor.
This day such a quantity of fish was taken by the boat, with hooks and
lines only, as was equal to the consumption of the whole crew. On the
20th the ship, which had been some time standing off and on near the
shore, came again to an anchor, when the long-boat being sent out,
procured, in a short time, an ample supply of fish. During the night,
and all the following day, they had extreme bad weather; but, as soon as
it became moderately calm, three seamen were sent on shore to kill
seals, and make oil of their fat, for the use of the lamps.
On the 22d in the morning (after a stormy night) the boats being sent on
shore, returned with a number of pintado birds, which were obtained from
the inhabitants, who said that, when the wind blew briskly in the night,
these birds flew into the fire in amazing numbers; so that they catched
several hundreds the preceding night. On the 23d as much water was got
off as the weather would permit of, but several casks were lost by the
violence of the surf. The weather now grew so bad that the Captain was
impatient to sail: he therefore gave orders for all the people on shore
to come on board. At this time the ship drove from her moorings,
dragging the anchor after her, till she got into deep water. They now
lay to under bare poles, waiting for the boats, while the violence of
the wind carried the water higher than the mast-head. In the evening the
long-boat with ten of the men were taken on board; but there yet
remained the cutter, with the Lieutenant and eighteen men. The weather
becoming more moderate about midnight, the ship stood in for land, and
at ten the next morning was near the shore, but the cutter was not to be
seen; about noon however she was discovered close under land, and in
three hours time her crew got on board. These people endeavoured to come
off in the evening, but had no sooner left the shore than their cutter
was almost filled with water, and narrowly escaped sinking: at length
she regained the shore, where she remained all night: in the morning it
was concluded, that the ship had perished in the storm, and the crew,
having taken proper methods to secure the boat, proposed to wait till
the summer, when they hoped she might be able to carry them to the
Island of Juan Fernandes:--but these thoughts were now lost in the joy
of their happy deliverance.
The island of Masafuero is of a triangular form, about 22 miles in
circumference, and, at a distance, has the appearance of a single rock;
there is good anchorage on many parts of the coast, and the island
abounds with goats. Wood and water are plenty, but difficult to be
procured, on account of the violence of the surf. Cod, hallibut,
coal-fish, and cray-fish are to be catched in great numbers; and seals
are so numerous, that Captain Carteret thinks, the killing of thousands
could make no apparent difference in their numbers. The mountain cabbage
grows on the island, which likewise abounds in birds, among which are
hawks of a very large size.
Captain Carteret having left the Island of Masafuero, sailed to the
north, with the hope of getting the south-east trade-wind; and, having
got more to the north than he first proposed, he looked out for the
Islands of St. Ambrose and St. Felix, which he missed through the
erroneous printed accounts of their latitudes and longitudes. They
likewise searched for the continent, which in the charts is called
Davis’s Land; but which Mr. Carteret gives many reasons for supposing
has no existence.
This search was continued till the 17th of June, which is the depth of
winter, when the weather was dark and cold, with sleet, rain, thunder
and lightning. The gloom was so constant, that they had seldom sun-shine
enough to make an observation, yet were necessitated to carry all the
sail possible, that they might not perish with hunger before the ship
should reach some port, where they might procure a supply of
necessaries.
On the 2d of July they discovered an island, which was well clothed with
trees, and down the side of which ran a stream of fresh water. It
appeared to be about five miles in circumference, and was called
PITCAIRN’S ISLAND, from the name of a young gentleman who first saw it.
On the 4th the ship admitted a great quantity of water, and was
otherwise in a very shattered condition, from the rough seas she had
encountered. The crew now likewise began to be much afflicted with the
scurvy; though they were, happily, well supplied with water, an
abundance of the rain-water being catched by means of an awning lined
with painted canvas.
On the 11th Captain Carteret gave the name of the BISHOP OF OSNABURGH’S
ISLAND, to a low piece of land discovered this day, which was well
cloathed with verdure. On the 12th they saw two other small islands, on
one of which the boat’s crew landed, and found birds so tame, as to be
taken without the least difficulty. The other island was about 15 miles
distance; but neither of them afforded either water or vegetables. They
were called the DUKE OF GLOUCESTER’S ISLANDS; and Captain Carteret
supposes them to be the same land which was seen by Quiros.
From this period till the 22d of the month they had alternate storms and
calms; and on this day judged themselves five thousand four hundred
miles from the continent of America; yet in all this run they had seen
no signs of a southern continent.
As the scurvy was now daily encreasing among the seamen; and as the
weather was bad, and the ship in a crazy condition, the Captain
determined to steer such a course as might most probably tend to the
preservation of the vessel and the crew. In consequence of this
resolution he stood to the northward, in the hope of having the
advantage of the trade-wind, and reaching some island, where he might be
furnished with the necessary refreshments.
On the 25th they saw great flocks of birds, which induced them to think
that they were near land, but they could not discover any. On the 3d of
August great numbers of sea-birds were seen; and on this day the current
was observed to set strongly to the southward, though it had hitherto
ran in a contrary direction; whence the Captain concluded, that the
passage between New Zealand and New Holland opened in this latitude,
which was ten degrees eighteen minutes south, and the longitude 177
degrees 30 minutes east.
On the 10th of this month the ship sprung a leak, in a part which they
could not come at to repair; so that their situation was truly alarming;
but two days afterwards they discovered land, which gave fresh spirits
to the almost desponding crew. The Captain observed seven islands, and
sailed towards two of them, which lay very near together: in the evening
they came to an anchor near the largest of them, on which were seen two
of the natives, who were negroes, with woolly heads, and wore no kind of
clothing.
A boat being sent on shore, an account was brought back that there was
fine fresh water opposite where the ship lay, but that it would be
difficult to procure it, as the whole country was covered with thick
wood quite to the sea shore. This circumstance, added to the danger
there might be of the natives attacking them from the woods, determined
the Captain to look for a more convenient anchoring-place.--On the day
following, therefore, the cutter, with the master and a party of seamen,
was sent to the westward, to search for a place to procure wood and
water, to seek for refreshments for the sick, and to discover a place
where the ship might be repaired. He received orders to be strictly on
his guard against any attack from the natives, and took with him a few
trinkets that happened to be on board, to procure their good will. The
longboat being likewise sent off, she soon returned laden with water:
she was dispatched a second time, but the people on board the ship
observing some of the natives advancing to the landing-place, a signal
was made for her to return.
Soon after this three of the Indians sat down on the shore, looking
stedfastly at the ship for several hours. The Lieutenant was now sent
towards them; but, when they saw the boat approaching, they moved along
the coast, where they were soon met by three others. When they had
conferred together, the former went on, while the latter advanced
hastily towards the boat. This being observed from the ship, a signal
was made for the boat’s crew to act with caution. The Lieutenant now
proceeded to the shore, and offered his presents to the Indians, who,
regardless of his trinkets, discharged their arrows, and immediately ran
off; though the boat’s crew received no injury, they fired at the
natives; but these, likewise, escaped unhurt.
In a short time after this the cutter came on board; the Master, who
commanded her, having three arrows sticking in his body. The account he
gave of his expedition was, in substance, as follows. Being arrived at a
place about fifteen miles from the ship, he saw some houses, but only a
very few of the natives, and landed with four of the crew well armed:
the first fears of the Indians being dispelled, they accepted his
presents with pleasure, and, in return, gave him some fish, yams, and
cocoa-nuts. He then went to the houses; but soon observing a number of
the natives among the trees, and several canoes coming round a point, he
hastened towards the boat; but before he could embark, a general attack
with bows and arrows was made, as well on those in the boat, as on those
on shore. Thus situated, the crew fired repeatedly, killing and wounding
many of the Indians: still however the latter continued the fight, some
of them running into the water as high as the breast; and when the boat
got farther off she was pursued by the canoes, which did not retreat
till one of them was sunk, and many of the people in the others were
killed.
Some of the crew gave an account of this transaction less favourable to
the Master than his own: they said, that the Indians behaved in the most
friendly manner, till he exasperated them by cutting down a cocoa-nut
tree, after they had strongly intimated their wishes that he would not
destroy it. The instant the tree fell they all left the spot but one
man, but they were soon observed to assemble in great numbers among the
trees; on which a Midshipman entreated the Master to go on board; but he
slighted the advice, nor even retired till the attack was commenced. The
Master and three of the seamen died of the wounds received from the
arrows of the Indians.
The Captain now determined to attempt the reparation of the ship in her
present situation; and succeeded so far that the leak was greatly
reduced. On the 14th the wind setting full into the bay, the ship was
driven near the shore, and many of the Indians were observed in the
woods, as if in expectation of her running a-ground.
On the 15th a party was sent on shore to get water, a shot having been
previously fired into the woods, to disperse any of the natives that
might be lurking in them. The Lieutenant was likewise dispatched in the
cutter to keep the coast clear for the waterers, by repeated firings
into the woods; yet, in spite of these precautions, a flight of arrows
was soon discharged among them, by which one of the seamen was
dangerously wounded. The crew now incessantly fired to that part of the
wood from whence the arrows came; but the Captain made a signal for the
boats to come off; and as soon as he had taken them on board, fired
several canon into the woods; on which a great number of the natives
left their retreat, and ran away along the shore.
In a short time another large party was observed on a point of the bay,
at whom a ball being fired, it fell in the midst of, and dispersed them.
The people now took in water with safety; but a constant firing was kept
up, both from the ship, and from a party on shore; and it appeared that
our countrymen had been dreadfully successful, for repeated groans, as
of dying men, were heard from several places in the woods.
As the Master was now dying of the wounds he had received by the arrows;
as the Captain and Lieutenant were so ill that their recovery was
doubtful; and as there was no chance of procuring proper refreshments at
this place, all intentions of pursuing the voyage farther to the
southward were laid aside: the Captain, therefore, having named the
place EGMONT ISLAND, and the harbour where the ship had lain SWALLOW
BAY, sailed from it on the 17th of August 1767.
On the same day an island was discovered, which received the name of
PORTLAND’S ISLAND, four miles from which they saw an harbour, which was
called BYRON’S HARBOUR. Having sailed three leagues from the harbour,
they had sight of the bay where the Indians had attacked the crew of the
cutter. This was called BLOODY BAY; on its borders were a number of
houses well constructed, and one much longer than the others, which had
the appearance of a kind of hall for the transaction of public business.
In this place, which was well built, and covered with a kind of thatch,
the Master and his party had been received by the natives, before the
wanton cutting down of the cocoa-nut tree. A large number of arrows were
hung in bundles round the room, the floor and sides of which were
covered with matting. In this neighbourhood were many gardens,
surrounded by stone walls, and planted with vegetables. Three miles from
this village a large town was seen, in the front of which, towards the
sea, was an angular kind of fortification, built of stone, and near five
feet high.
About three miles from hence they saw a bay, into which a river empties
itself, which they called GRANVILLE’S RIVER, and it appeared to be
navigable for small vessels far up the country. The point of this bay
was called FERRERS’S POINT; and from hence the land forms a large bay,
near which is a considerable town, inhabited by an incredible number of
people, who, while the ship was sailing by, came out of their houses,
holding something like a bundle of grass in their hands, with which they
appeared to stroke each other, running in rings, or dancing, all the
while.
Sailing onwards a few miles they saw another point, which was called
CARTERET POINT, on which was a large canoe, with an awning over it; at a
small distance was another town, fortified as that before-mentioned. The
inhabitants of this place likewise advanced before their houses, and
danced as the others had done. The dance being ended, many of them came
off in canoes towards the ship: but having got near enough to have a
good view of her, they would advance no farther.
They soon saw another small island, which was named TREVANION’S ISLAND,
and the north part of it was called CAPE TREVANION. Both the main land
and this island abounded with inhabitants; and a boat being sent to
sound the passage, they no sooner observed that she had left the ship,
than several canoes advanced to attack her. The Indians having let fly
their arrows, the boat’s crew fired, and killed one man, and wounded
another. A gun laden with grape shot was at the same time fired from the
ship, on which all the canoes pulled hard for the shore, except the one
with the wounded man in it, which being taken to the ship, the surgeon
was ordered to examine his wounds. One of this poor fellow’s arms was
broke, and a shot had gone through his head; and the Surgeon being of
opinion that the latter wound was mortal, he was placed in his canoe
again, and with one hand rowed towards the shore. His canoe was formed
only of the hollow trunk of a tree: he was a young fellow, almost as
black as the negroes of Guinea; his features were good, his hair woolly,
and he went quite naked.--It may be fairly asked here, if it would not
have been an act of humanity to have attempted the cure of this
unfortunate youth, if it had been only by a single dressing, before he
had been dismissed.
As they sailed along the shore they saw plantains, bananas, and
cocoa-nut trees, and observed great numbers of hogs and poultry: but the
Captain being yet very ill, and having not officers sufficient to direct
the men in the common business of the ship, he had no opportunity of
establishing a friendly traffick with the Indians; and was unable to
obtain by force those refreshments which the crew became every hour more
and more in want of.
Thus situated; unable to proceed farther to the south, and in danger of
being too late for the monsoon, he gave immediate orders to proceed
northwards, in hope of discovering the country, which Dampier has
distinguished by the name of _Nova Britannia_.
To all the islands they had now left, Captain Carteret gave the general
name of QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S ISLANDS; and, besides those already mentioned,
he saw several, which he named as follows, viz. LORD HOW’S ISLAND;
KEPPEL’S ISLAND; LORD EDGCOMBE’S ISLAND; OURRY’S ISLAND; and VOLCANO
ISLAND; this last being so denominated from a smoke that issued from its
top, which is of an amazing height, and shaped like a sugar loaf.
The canoes of the inhabitants are formed of the trunk of a tree
hollowed, are large enough to contain ten or twelve people, and are
furnished with out-riggers, but have no sails.
The people of Egmont Island are very expert at swimming and diving; and
active and vigorous in a high degree. Their arrows are so sharp, and
discharged with such strength, that one of them wounded a man in the
thigh, after passing through the wash-board of the boat. The points of
these arrows are flint, and no metal was seen among the natives. There
are good harbours on the coasts of these islands, which likewise abound
in rivers, and have some vallies, but for the most part they are
mountainous, and covered with trees.
Captain Carteret sailed on the 18th of August, and holding a
west-north-west course, he on the 20th discovered a small island, which
was called GOWER’S ISLAND, the people of which did not differ in any
thing material from those of the islands he had lately left. Some
cocoa-nuts were here procured in exchange for nails; and the inhabitants
had intimated, that they would furnish a farther supply the next morning
but it was then found, that the current had carried the ship
considerably to the south during the night, and brought them within
sight of two other islands, one of which was called SIMPSON’S ISLAND,
and the other CARTERET’S ISLAND.
As both these islands were to windward of the ship, they sailed again to
Gower’s Island, which abounds with fine trees, many of which are the
cocoa-nut. A boat being sent on shore, the Indians attempted to seize
her; and in return the crew made prize of a canoe, in which was a number
of cocoa-nuts. The arms of the natives were spears, bows and arrows.
As a strong current set to the southward, they now steered a
north-westerly course, because the bad condition of the ship, and
sickness of the crew, would have rendered it impossible for them ever to
have got to sea again, if they had been driven into any gulph or deep
bay. On the 22d one of the marines fell overboard, and was drowned,
notwithstanding every effort was used to save him.
The ship fell in with nine islands in the night of the 24th, which
Captain Carteret supposes to be the same that were discovered by Tasman,
and are named Ohang Java: eight of these are very small, but the other
is more extensive, and they are all inhabited by blacks, whose heads are
woolly, like those on the coast of Africa. The next day they had sight
of an island covered with verdure, which was called SIR CHARLES HARDY’S
ISLAND, and from the number of fires that were seen on it, they supposed
it to be inhabited. This day they likewise had sight of a large island,
formed of three high hills, which took the name of WINCHELSEA’S ISLAND.
On the 26th they saw a large island to the north, which Captain Carteret
imagines to have been the island of St. John, that was discovered by
Schouten.
This day they were within sight of Nova Britannia, and the next morning
the current drove the ship into a deep bay, which, in Dampier’s Voyages,
is called St. George’s Bay. On the 28th they gave the name of WALLIS’S
ISLAND to a small island in a bay, off which they came to an anchor, and
were now 7500 miles due west from the main land of America. The cutter
was sent out to catch fish; but not succeeding, she returned with a
considerable number of cocoa-nuts.
On the next day, after great fatigue, they weighed the anchor, and
sailed to a place which they called ENGLISH COVE, where they immediately
began to take in wood and water. They now attempted to catch fish with
hooks and lines, but none of them would bite; nor were they much more
successful with their nets: turtle likewise were very plentiful, yet
they could not take any of them; but at low water they picked up some
large cockles and rock oysters. From the shore they procured cocoa-nuts,
and the cabbage of the cocoa-tree, which is crisp and juicy; this, when
eaten raw, tastes like a chestnut; but, when boiled, has a more
agreeable flavour than the parsnip. It was found to be excellent when
boiled with portable soup and oatmeal. They likewise gathered some
plumbs, which tasted like those of the West Indies, which are called
Jamaica plumbs; and by this supply of vegetables, they had soon reason
to rejoice in the blessing of returning health.
This island seemed to have been lately inhabited, as several wretched
huts were seen, in which were the remains of fires, and the shells of
fish, which did not appear to have been long catched: they had likewise
a sight of two animals, which were supposed to be dogs. This place
produces palm-trees of various kinds; aloes, canes, bamboos, rattans,
beetle-nut, and the nutmeg-tree; with a variety of other trees, and many
shrubs and plants of which the names were not known. In the woods was a
large black-bird, whose note was not unlike the barking of a dog: there
were likewise parrots, rooks, pigeons and doves: they also saw
centipieds, serpents and scorpions.
Having taken in wood and water, and repaired the ship in the best manner
they were able, the Captain took possession of the country, with all the
neighbouring islands, for the King of Great Britain. This was done by
nailing on a lofty tree a piece of board faced with lead, on which was
engraved the name of the vessel, and of the Captain, the time of
entering and leaving the harbour, and a representation of the union flag
of England.
They left this cove on the 7th of September, and anchored on the same
day almost close to a grove of cocoa-nut trees, where they supplied
themselves with the fruit and the cabbage in very great abundance; and
called the place CARTERET’S HARBOUR, which being formed by the main and
two islands, one of them was named LEIGH’S ISLAND, and the other
COCOA-NUT ISLAND.