monsoon continued favourable: on the 9th of September, therefore, the
anchor was weighed, and when they were about four leagues from land, the
wind and current being both against them, they steered round the coast
into a channel between two islands, which channel was divided by another
island, to which Captain Carteret gave the name of the DUKE OF YORK’S
ISLAND, and near which are several smaller islands. To the south of the
largest island are three hills of singular form, which were called the
MOTHER AND DAUGHTERS, one of which was supposed to be a volcano, from
the large clouds of smoke that were seen issuing from it. A point they
called CAPE PALLISER, lies to the east of these hills, and CAPE STEPHENS
to the west; north of which last lies an island, which took the name of
the ISLE OF MAN. The country in general is mountainous and woody, and
was supposed to be inhabited, from the number of fires seen on it in the
night. On the Duke of York’s Island the houses are situated among groves
of the cocoa-nut tree, and form the most enchanting prospect.
Having brought to for the night, they sailed again in the morning, when
some of the Indians put off in canoes towards the ship; but the wind
being fair and blowing fresh, it was not thought prudent to wait for
them. Steering north-west by west, they lost sight of New Britain on the
11th, and it being now found, that what had been taken for a bay was a
streight, it was called ST. GEORGE’S CHANNEL, and the island on the
north of it received the name of NEW IRELAND. In the evening they
discovered a large island, well clothed with verdure, which was
denominated SANDWICH ISLAND, off this island the ship lay great part of
the night, during which time a perpetual noise was heard, resembling the
sound of a drum. When they had almost cleared the Streight, the weather
falling calm, a number of canoes approached the ship, and, though they
could not be prevailed on to go on board, they exchanged some little
matters with the crew, receiving nails and bits of iron, which they
preferred to every thing else that was offered them. Though the canoes
of these people were formed out of single trees, they were between 80
and 100 feet in length. The natives are negroes, and their hair is of
the woolly kind, but they have neither thick lips nor flat noses. They
wore shell-work on their legs and arms, but were otherwise naked, except
that their hair and beards were powdered with white powder, and a
feather was stuck into the head above the ear. Their arms consisted of a
long stick and a spear; and it was observed, that they had fishing-nets
and cordage.
They now sailed west, and coming in sight of the south-west point of the
island, it was called CAPE BYRON; near which is an island of
considerable extent, which received the name of NEW HANOVER. The
Streight they had now passed was called BYRON’S STREIGHT, one of the
largest islands they had seen, BYRON’S ISLAND; and the south west point
of New Hanover, QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S FORELAND. On the following day they
saw several small islands, which received the name of the DUKE OF
PORTLAND’S ISLANDS.
When they had compleatly navigated St. George’s Channel, the whole
length of which is about one hundred leagues; they sailed a westward
course, and on the 14th of September discovered several islands. The
next morning some hundreds of the natives came off in canoes towards the
ship, and were invited on board by every token of friendship and good
will; notwithstanding which, when they came within reach, they threw
several lances at the seamen on the deck. A great gun and several
muskets were now fired at them, by which some were killed or wounded; on
which they rowed towards the shore; and after they had got to a
distance, a shot was fired so as to fall beyond them, to convince them
that they were not out of the reach of the guns.
In a short time other canoes advanced hastily from a distant part of the
island; and one of them coming nearer than the rest, the people in it
were invited on board the ship; but instead of complying with the
invitation, they threw in a number of darts and lances. This assault was
returned by the firing of several muskets, whereby one of the Indians
was killed; on which his companions jumped overboard, and swam to the
other canoes, all of which rowed to the shore. This canoe being taken on
board, was found to contain a turtle, some other fish, and a fruit
between the apple and plumb, of a species hitherto unknown to Europeans.
These people were almost negroes, with woolly hair, which they powdered;
and they went naked, except the ornaments of shells round their arms and
legs.
Captain Carteret now coasted along the islands, to which he gave the
general name of the ADMIRALTY ISLANDS. He describes them as having a
most enchanting appearance, being covered with woods, groves of
cocoa-nut trees, and the houses of the natives. The largest of these
islands is computed to be above 50 miles in length; and he supposes that
they produce many valuable articles, particularly spices.
They discovered two small verdant islands on the 19th, which were called
DUROUR’S ISLAND, and MATTY’S ISLAND, the inhabitants of which last ran
along the coast with lights during the night. They had sight of two
other small islands on the 24th, which were called STEPHENS’S ISLANDS,
and which abounded with beautiful trees.
On the evening of the 25th they had sight of three islands, the natives
of which came off in canoes, and went on board the ship. They bartered
cocoa-nuts for some bits of iron, with which metal they did not seem
unacquainted, and appeared extravagantly fond of it. They called it
_parram_, and intimated, that a ship sometimes touched at their islands.
These people were of the copper colour, and had fine black hair; but
their beards were very small, as they were continually plucking the hair
from their faces. Their teeth were even and white, and their
countenances agreeable; their activity was such, that they ran to the
mast-head even quicker than the seamen. They ate and drank any thing
that was given them; and had not the least degree of reserve in their
behaviour. Their dress consisted only of a piece of fine matting round
the waist.--As the current carried the ship at a great rate, the Captain
had no opportunity of landing, though the Indians offered, that some of
their people should remain on board, as a security for the safe return
of such of the seamen as might be sent on shore. One of the Indians, on
finding that none of the crew were to land, absolutely refused to leave
the ship, and was therefore carried to the island of Celebes, where he
died. This man was named Joseph Freewill, and the largest of the islands
was called FREEWILL ISLAND; but the natives called it Pegan; and the
names of the other two are Onata and Onello.
On the evening of the 28th they discovered an island from the mast-head;
but they neither visited nor gave name to it. On the 12th of October
they got sight of a small island, which was named CURRENT ISLAND, from
the great strength of the southerly current; and on the following day
they discovered two more small islands, which were called ST. ANDREW’S
ISLANDS.
On the 26th they had sight of land, which, on the day following, they
knew to be the Island of Mindanao, and coasted the south-east part of
it, in search of a bay described in Dampier’s Voyages; but they could
not find it. A boat being sent out, found a little nook at the southern
extremity of the island, near which was a town and a fort. The boat
being seen from the shore, a gun was fired, and some canoes came out
after it; on which the Lieutenant retreated towards the ship, and, when
the canoes came in sight of her, they retired in their turn.
They now sailed eastward, and, on the 2d of November, anchored in a bay
near the shore, whither the boats immediately went, and took in water;
they saw no signs of that part of the island being inhabited, but a
canoe being observed to come round a point of the bay, as if to watch
their motions, the Captain hoisted English colours, in the hope of
tempting her crew on board; but they only took a survey of the ship, and
rowed off.
In the night a loud noise was heard from the shore, very much like the
war-whoop of the savages of America; which, inducing Captain Carteret to
think that the intentions of the islanders were hostile, he ordered up
his guns from the hold, and made all preparations to repress force with
force. The next morning one of the boats was sent on shore for water,
while the other was held in readiness to assist in case of danger. As
soon as the crew had landed, many armed men advanced from the woods, one
of whom holding up something white, the Captain, who had no white flag
on board, sent the Lieutenant on shore, with orders to display a
table-cloth as a signal of peace. This being done, two Indians came down
to the Lieutenant, one of whom addressed him first in Dutch, and then in
Spanish, in which latter tongue he was with difficulty understood. His
enquiries were, if the ship was a Dutch vessel; what number of men and
guns she carried; if she had been to Batavia, or was bound thither; and
whether she was designed for war or trade.
These questions being answered, he said they might go to the town, and
he would introduce them to the Governor. The Lieutenant now desired that
some armed Indians might retreat, and that the seamen might be permitted
to fill water; which was readily granted. This being done, the
Lieutenant presented the Indian with a silk handkerchief, and received a
coarse neckcloth in return. The boats soon returned to the ship, with a
good supply of water; and Captain Carteret was congratulating himself on
the prospect which these amicable appearances promised, when he observed
some hundreds of Indians, armed with targets, hangers, broadswords,
pikes, bows, arrows and muskets, range themselves opposite the
ship:--they brandished their swords, and held up their targets, in token
of defiance, at the same time discharging their lances and arrows
towards the ship.
Captain Carteret, still resolved to avoid coming to extremities if it
were possible, and sent the Lieutenant again on shore, to display the
table-cloth, as an ensign of peace. The natives seeing that the boat had
reached the shore, yet that no person landed, one of them advanced, and
beckoned them to come to the spot near where he stood; which the
Lieutenant declined doing, as he would then have been within reach of
their arrows.
The Captain having formed a resolution of visiting the town, sailed from
hence the next morning, after having called the place DECEITFUL BAY: but
the wind soon blowing violently in shore, he altered his resolution, and
steered for Batavia.
The south of Mindanao is a fine country, interspersed with woods, lawns
and plantations; and abounds with inhabitants, as do likewise its
neighbouring islands. Captain Carteret was of opinion, that there were
Dutchmen in the town, or persons in the Dutch interest, who, finding the
Swallow to be an English vessel, had irritated the inhabitants against
the crew.
On the 14th of November, 1767, they reached the Streight of Macassar,
situate between the islands of Borneo and Celebes, to a point of which
latter island they gave the name of HUMMOCK POINT; to the westward of
which a number of boats were seen fishing on the shoals. They were in
sight of two very small islands on the 21st, which are well clothed with
verdure, and deemed by Captain Carteret to be the same that are called
Taba Islands in the French charts.
On the 27th they crossed the equinoctial line, and got into southern
latitude, at which time they found the current setting against them, and
the tornadoes became violent. The crew was now diminishing by death, and
weakened daily by sickness; so that there were hardly hands sufficient
to navigate the vessel. On the 3d of December they had sight of the
islands called the Little Pater-nosters, which lie something more than
two degrees south of the line; but it was out of their power to land any
where for refreshment, as the winds and currents were against them. Not
a man on board was now free from the scurvy and when it was imagined
that nothing could have aggravated their distress, they were attacked by
a pirate in the middle of the night of the 10th of December. It was so
very dark that they could not see their enemy, who attacked them with
swivel guns and small arms but they returned the salute so warmly, that
the pirate was sunk, and all her crew perished, after having wounded two
persons on board the Swallow, and done some very trifling damage to the
ship. The pirate had been seen in the dusk of the evening; and Captain
Carteret afterwards heard that she belonged to a Freebooter, who had
upwards of thirty vessels engaged in the dangerous business of piracy.
By the 12th of this month they had lost thirteen of the crew; and the
death of thirty others was hourly dreaded. At this time too the westerly
monsoon was set in, so that it was impossible to reach Batavia; and as
they must speedily make some land, or inevitably perish, it was resolved
to attempt the getting to Macassar, a Dutch settlement on the island of
Celebes. On the 13th they saw several trees floating, and birds sitting
on them: and two days afterwards they came to an anchor, at little more
than a league from Macassar.
Late that night the Governor sent a Dutchman on board the Swallow, who
was greatly alarmed to find that she was an English man of war, no such
vessel having ever anchored there before; and so apprehensive of danger
was the Dutchman, that he would not venture to enter the cabin. Very
early the next day the Captain sent a letter to the Governor, requesting
permission to buy provisions, and asking shelter for the ship, till the
proper season returned for sailing to the westward. When the boat
arrived at the wharf, not one of her crew was permitted to land; and on
the Lieutenant’s refusing to deliver the letter, except to the Governor
himself, the Shebander and the Fiscal (two officers of the town) came to
him, and said that the Governor was sick, and that they came for the
letter by his command. Though this sickness was believed to be mere
pretence, the Lieutenant at length delivered the letter, which they took
with them. When the boat’s crew had waited several hours in the burning
heat of the sun, and without the least refreshment, the Lieutenant was
informed, that the Governor had given orders to two gentlemen to wait on
Captain Carteret, with an answer to his letter. While the boat lay off
the wharf, it was observed that there was a great hurry on shore, all
hands being engaged in fitting out such vessels as were proper for war.
Soon after the boat came back, Mess. Le Cerf and Douglas brought a
letter, intimating, that “the ship should instantly depart from the
port, without coming any nearer to the town; that she should not anchor
on any part of the coast, and that the Captain should not permit any of
his people to land on any place that was under the Governor’s
jurisdiction.”
As the most forcible answer to this letter, the Captain shewed his dying
men to the gentlemen, and again pleaded the urgent necessity of the
case. They could not but see and feel the propriety of granting
refreshments and shelter to persons in such a situation; but still, they
said, their orders were absolute, and must be obeyed. Provoked at this
treatment, the Captain declared he would anchor close to the town; and
if they then refused him necessaries, that he would run the ship
a-ground, and himself and his crew would sell their lives as dearly as
possible. Alarmed at this declaration, they begged the Captain to remain
in his present station, till the Governor should give further orders;
and this he promised, provided that he had an answer before the sea
breeze set in on the day following.
Early in the morning a sloop of war, and another vessel, with many
soldiers on board, came and anchored under the ship’s bows. The Captain
sent to speak with them, but they would not answer a single question:
and as the sea-breeze set in at noon, he then sailed towards the town,
the other vessels weighing anchor, and keeping even pace with him.
A vessel now approached from the town, in which were several gentlemen,
among whom was the Mr. Douglas above-mentioned; but none of them would
go on board till the Swallow had dropped her anchor. On their expressing
some surprize that the Swallow had sailed from her former station,
Captain Carteret told them, that he had only acted agreeable to his
declaration to them the preceding day, in which he was fully justified
by his present situation. These gentlemen brought with them two sheep,
some fowls, fruit, and other provisions, which were highly acceptable.
After they had made several propositions, which Captain Carteret could
not but reject, he again declared his resolution of putting his threats
in execution, and to convince them that he was in earnest, shewed them
the body of a man who had expired within a few hours; but who would
probably have been then alive, if the refreshments had been brought in
time. They now enquired if the ship had touched at the Spice Islands;
and being answered in the negative, it was at length agreed, that she
should sail to a bay at a small distance, where an hospital might be
built for the sick, and where provisions were plenty, and that if any
thing farther was wanted, it should be sent from Macassar.
This proposal was readily embraced, on the condition that the Governor
and Council should ratify it, which they afterwards did. The Captain now
enquiring why the two vessels had anchored under the ship’s bows, was
told, that it was only to protect her from any outrages on the part of
the natives of the country. Mr. Carteret had nothing to treat his guests
with, but bad salt meat and rotten bread: but, during their treaty, a
very elegant dinner having been dressed in the gentlemen’s vessel, it
was served up on board the ship; after which they parted good friends.
An officer from the town coming on board the next day, the Captain
applied to him to procure money for his bills on the English government.
This he promised to attempt, and went on shore for that purpose, but,
returning in the evening, brought word, that there was not a person in
the town, who wanted to remit any money to Europe; and that the
Company’s chest was totally drained: but this difficulty was at length
surmounted, by an order to the Resident at Bonthain, who had money to
remit to Europe, to take the Captain’s bills for any thing he should
want.
On the day following Mons. Le Cerf, who was an Ensign, brought a pilot
on board, to carry the ship round to Bonthain; and Le Cerf had the
command of some soldiers, who were on board two guard-boats that
attended the ship: and he was likewise to act as a check on the
Resident.
All things being thus settled, they sailed early on the 20th of
December, 1767, and anchored in the road of Bonthain on the following
day. The guard-boats were now moored close to the shore, to prevent all
communication between the ship’s boats and those of the country. Captain
Carteret having attended the Resident, to settle the price and mode of
procuring provisions, a house was appropriated to his use, situated near
a small fort. This being fitted up as an hospital, the sick were landed
and placed under a guard, which was commanded by M. Le Cerf, who would
not permit them to go above thirty yards from the hospital, nor the
natives to traffic with the seamen; so that the profits of traffic fell
into the hands of the Dutch soldiers, whose gains were immoderate; so
great, indeed, that some of them sold at a profit of more than a
thousand per cent. after having extorted the provisions from the natives
at what price they pleased. Captain Carteret having remonstrated with
the Resident on the injustice of this procedure, he spoke to the
soldiers on the subject; but this produced no good effect; and it was
known that, after this, Le Cerf’s wife sold provisions at more than
double the prime cost, while it was suspected that he sold arrack to the
seamen.
On the 26th and 27th three vessels arrived, one of which had troops on
board, destined for the Banda Islands; but their boats not being allowed
to go on board the ship, the Captain prevailed on the Resident to
purchase, for his use, four casks of salt provisions. Above one hundred
sail of proas arrived at Bonthain Bay on the 28th.--These vessels, which
fish round the island, carry Dutch colours, and send the produce of
their labours to China for sale.
On the 18th of January a letter from Macassar informed Captain Carteret,
that the Dolphin, his old consort, had arrived at Batavia. Ten days
after this the Secretary, who had been sent with Le Cerf, had orders to
return to Macassar; on the 19th of February, Le Cerf himself was
recalled; and on the 7th of March the largest of the guard-boats was
likewise ordered back. On the 9th the Resident received a letter from
the Governor of Macassar, enquiring when Captain Carteret would sail for
Batavia, though he must know it could not be before the eastern monsoon
set in, which would not be till May. All these were suspicious
circumstances; and toward the end of the month it was observed, that a
canoe frequently paddled round the ship several times in the night, and
retired as soon as she was seen.
While every one was speculating on these matters, the Captain received a
letter, informing him that a design was formed for his destruction; that
the Dutch were at the bottom of this affair; but that the ostensible
person was to be the son of the King of Bony, who was on terms of
friendship with the Dutch, as they had often assisted him in attempts to
reduce the inhabitants of the other parts of the island of Celebes, and
had been as often repulsed. The pretended grounds for this proceeding
were, that the English might form connections with these unsubdued
natives of the island.
Whether the information contained in this letter was true or false,
Captain Carteret put his ship in the best posture of defence possible.
He even suspected that the Resident was privy to the horrid scheme; but
he had afterwards reason to be convinced to the contrary: though it
appeared that one of the Princes subject to the King of Bony, and a
minister of that monarch, had been privately at Bonthain; but of eight
hundred men, who were said to be there, no traces could be found.
On the 7th of May the Captain received, through the hands of the
Resident, a letter from the Governor of Macassar, denying his having any
knowledge of the above-mentioned project, and requiring that the writer
of the letter might be given up; but this requisition was not complied
with, as the Captain knew he would be equally punished, whether his
information was or was not true.
At this place they purchased plenty of fresh provisions at moderate
prices; and, among the rest, beef of an excellent quality. The bullocks
of this place are those that have the bunch on the back; and it likewise
abounds in buffaloes, horses, sheep, deer, and goats. The natives
neither eat pork nor turtle; but they sold the latter, as well as other
fish, to Captain Carteret.
Having taken in wood and water, they sailed hence on the 22d of May,
and, steering along the shore, came to an anchor the same evening,
between the islands of Celebes and Tonikaky. They sailed again in the
morning, and at night saw the southernmost of the islands of Salombo. On
the 26th they saw the island of Luback; and on the 29th a number of
small islands called Carimon-Java.
On the 2d of June they had sight of the land of Java, and on the
following day came to an anchor in the road of Batavia, after having
with difficulty prevented the ship from sinking, by the constant working
of the pumps, during her whole passage from Celebes. Having fired guns
of salutation, the Captain attended the Governor, requesting permission
to repair the defects of the ship; but he was directed to petition the
Council.
The Council met on the Monday following, when the Captain sent a letter,
stating the defects of the ship, and requesting permission to repair
her. The time from this day till the 18th of the month was lost in
altercations respecting the affair at Bonthain Bay; the Governor and
Council insisting, that Captain Carteret should sign a formal
declaration, that he believed the report of an intention formed at
Celebes, for cutting off the ship, was false and malicious; and the
Captain on his part resolutely persisting in his refusal to sign any
such paper.