_Transactions at Queen Charlotte's Sound; with an Account of the
Inhabitants being Cannibals; and various other Incidents.--Departure from
the Sound, and our Endeavours to find the Adventure; with some Description
of the Coast._
The first thing we did after mooring the ship, was to unbend all the sails;
there not being one but what wanted repair. Indeed, both our sails and
rigging had sustained much damage in beating off the Strait's mouth.
We had no sooner anchored than we were visited by the natives, several of
whom I remembered to have seen when I was here in the Endeavour,
particularly an old man named Goubiah.[1] In the afternoon, I gave orders
for all the empty water casks to be landed, in order to be repaired,
cleaned, and filled, tents to be set up for the sail-makers, coopers, and
others, whose business made it necessary for them to be on shore. The next
day we began to caulk the ship's sides and decks, to overhaul her rigging,
repair the sails, cut wood for fuel, and set up the smith's forge to repair
the iron-work; all of which were absolutely necessary. We also made some
hauls with the seine, but caught no fish; which deficiency the natives in
some measure, made up, by bringing us a good quantity, and exchanging them
for pieces of Otaheitean cloth, &c.
On the 5th, the most part of our bread being in casks, I ordered some to be
opened, when, to our mortification, we found a good deal of it damaged. To
repair this loss in the best manner we could, all the casks were opened;
the bread was picked, and the copper oven set up, to bake such parcels of
it, as, by that means, could be recovered. Some time this morning, the
natives stole, out of one of the tents, a bag of clothes belonging to one
of the seamen. As soon as I was informed of it, I went to them in an
adjoining cove, demanded the clothes again, and, after some time spent in
friendly application, recovered them. Since we were among thieves, and had
come off so well, I was not sorry for what had happened, as it taught our
people to keep a better lookout for the future.
With these people I saw the youngest of the two sows Captain Furneaux had
put on shore in Cannibal Cove, when we were last here: It was lame of one
of its hind legs; otherwise in good case, and very tame. If we understood
these people right, the boar and other sow were also taken away and
separated, but not killed. We were likewise told, that the two goats I had
put on shore up the Sound, had been killed by that old rascal Goubiah. Thus
all our endeavours to stock this country with useful animals were likely to
be frustrated, by the very people we meant to serve. Our gardens had fared
somewhat better. Every thing in them, except the potatoes, they had left
entirely to nature, who had acted her part so well, that we found most
articles in a flourishing state: A proof that the winter must have been
mild. The potatoes had most of them been dug up; some, however, still
remained, and were growing, though I think it is probable they will never
be got out of the ground.[2]
Next morning I sent over to the cove, where the natives reside, to haul the
seine; and took with me a boar, and a young sow, two cocks, and two hens,
we had brought from the isles. These I gave to the natives, being persuaded
they would take proper care of them, by their keeping Captain Furneaux's
sow near five months; for I am to suppose it was caught soon after we
sailed. We had no better success with the seine than before; nevertheless
we did not return on board quite empty, having purchased a large quantity
from the natives. When we were upon this traffic, they shewed a great
inclination to pick my pockets, and to take away the fish with one hand,
which they had just given me with the other. This evil one of the chiefs
undertook to remove, and with fury in his eyes made a shew of keeping the
people at a proper distance. I applauded his conduct, but at the same time
kept so good a look-out, as to detect him in picking my pocket of an
handkerchief; which I suffered him to put in his bosom before I seemed to
know any thing of the matter, and then told him what I had lost. He seemed
quite ignorant and innocent, till I took it from him; and then he put it
off with a laugh, acting his part with so much address, that it was hardly
possible for me to be angry with him; so that we remained good friends, and
he accompanied me on board to dinner. About that time, we were visited by
several strangers, in four or five canoes, who brought with them fish, and
other articles, which they exchanged for cloth, &c. These newcomers took up
their quarters in a cove near us; but very early the next morning moved off
with six of our small water casks; and with them all the people we found
here on our arrival. This precipitate retreat of these last, we supposed
was owing to the theft the others had committed. They left behind them some
of their dogs, and the boar I had given them the day before, which I now
took back again as I had not another. Our casks were the least loss we felt
by these people leaving us: While they remained, we were generally well
supplied with fish at a small expence.
We had fair weather, with the wind at N.E., on the 9th, which gave us some
hopes of seeing the Adventure; but these hopes vanished in the afternoon,
when the wind shifted to the westward.[3]
The next morning, our friends the natives returned again, and brought with
them a quantity of fish, which they exchanged for two hatchets.
Fair weather on the 12th, enabled us to finish picking, airing, and baking
our biscuit; four thousand two hundred and ninety-two pounds of which we
found totally unfit to eat; and about three thousand pounds more could only
be eaten by people in our situation.[4]
On the 13th, clear and pleasant weather. Early in the morning the natives
brought us a quantity of fish, which they exchanged as usual. But their
greatest branch of trade was the green talc or stone, called by them
Poenammoo, a thing of no great value; nevertheless it was so much sought
after by our people, that there was hardly a thing they would not give for
a piece of it.[5]
The 15th being a pleasant morning, a party of us went over to the East Bay,
and climbed one of the hills which overlooked the eastern part of the
Strait, in order to look for the Adventure. We had a fatiguing walk to
little purpose; for when we came to the summit, we found the eastern
horizon so foggy, that we could not see above two miles. Mr Forster, who
was one of the party, profited by this excursion, in collecting some new
plants. I now began to despair of seeing the Adventure any more; but was
totally at a loss to conceive what was become of her. Till now, I thought
she had put into some port in the Strait, when the wind came to N.W., the
day we anchored in the Cove, and waited to complete her water. This
conjecture was reasonable enough at first, but it was now hardly probable
she could be twelve days in our neighbourhood, without our either hearing
or seeing something of her.
The hill we now mounted is the same that I was upon in 1770, when I had the
second view of the Strait: We then built a tower, with the stones we found
there, which we now saw had been levelled to the ground; no doubt by the
natives, with a view of finding something hid in it. When we returned from
the hill, we found a number of them collected round our boat. After some
exchanges, and making them some presents, we embarked, in order to return
on board; and, in our way, visited others of the inhabitants, by whom we
were kindly received.
Our friends, the natives, employed themselves on the 17th in fishing in our
neighbourhood; and, as fast as they caught the fish, came and disposed of
them to us; insomuch that we had more than we could make use of. From this
day to the 22d nothing remarkable happened, and we were occupied in getting
every thing in readiness to put to sea, being resolved to wait no longer
than the assigned time for the Adventure.
The winds were between the south and west, stormy with rain till the 23d,
when the weather became settled, clear, and pleasant. Very early in the
morning, we were visited by a number of the natives, in four or five
canoes, very few of whom we had seen before. They brought with them various
articles (curiosities), which they exchanged for Otaheitean cloth, &c. At
first, the exchanges were very much in our favour, till an old man, who was
no stranger to us, came and assisted his countrymen with his advice; which,
in a moment, turned the trade above a thousand per cent, against us.[6]
After these people were gone, I took four hogs (that is, three sows and one
boar), two cocks and two hens, which I landed in the bottom of the West
Bay; carrying them a little way into the woods, where we left them with as
much food as would serve them ten or twelve days. This was done with a view
of keeping them in the woods, lest they should come down to the shore in
search of food, and be discovered by the natives; which, however, seemed
not probable, as this place had never been frequented by them; nor were any
traces of them to be seen near it. We also left some cocks and hens in the
woods in Ship Cove; but these will have a chance of falling into the hands
of the natives, whose wandering way of life will hinder them from breeding,
even suppose they should be taken proper care of. Indeed, they took rather
too much care of those which I had already given them, by keeping them
continually confined, for fear of losing them in the woods. The sow pig we
had not seen since the day they had her from me; but we were now told she
was still living, as also the old boar and sow given them by Captain
Furneaux; so that there is reason to hope they may succeed. It will be
unfortunate, indeed, if every method I have taken, to provide this country
with useful animals, should be frustrated. We were likewise told, that the
two goats were still alive, and running about; but I gave more credit to
the first story than this. I should have replaced them, by leaving behind
the only two I had left, but had the misfortune to lose the ram soon after
our arrival here, in a manner we could hardly account for. They were both
put ashore at the tents, where they seemed to thrive very well; at last,
the ram was taken with fits bordering on madness. We were at a loss to tell
whether it was occasioned by any thing he had eaten, or by being stung with
nettles, which were in plenty about the place; but supposed it to be the
latter, and therefore did not take the care of him we ought to have done.
One night, while he was lying by the centinel, he was seized with one of
these fits, and ran headlong into the sea; but soon came out again, and
seemed quite easy. Presently after, he was seized with another fit, and ran
along the beach, with the she-goat after him. Some time after she returned,
but the other was never seen more. Diligent search was made for him in the
woods to no purpose; we therefore supposed he had run into the sea a second
time, and had been drowned. After this accident, it would have been in vain
to leave the she-goat, as she was not with kid; having kidded but a few
days before we arrived, and the kids dead. Thus the reader will see how
every method I have taken to stock this country with sheep and goats has
proved ineffectual.
When I returned on board in the evening, I found our good friends the
natives had brought us a large supply of fish. Some of the officers
visiting them at their habitations, saw, among them, some human thigh-
bones, from which the flesh had been but lately picked. This, and other
circumstances, led us to believe that the people, whom we took for
strangers this morning, were of the same tribe; that they had been out on
some war expedition; and that those things they sold us, were the spoils of
their enemies. Indeed, we had some information of this sort the day before;
for a number of women and children came off to us in a canoe, from whom we
learnt that a party of men were then out, for whose safety they were under
some apprehension; but this report found little credit with us, as we soon
after saw some canoes come in from fishing, which we judged to be them.
Having now got the ship in a condition for sea, and to encounter the
southern latitudes, I ordered the tents to be struck, and every thing to be
got on board.
The boatswain, with a party of men, being in the woods cutting broom, some
of them found a private hut of the natives, in which was deposited most of
the treasure they had received from us, as well as some other articles of
their own. It is very probable some were set to watch this hut; as, soon
after it was discovered, they came and took all away. But missing some
things, they told our people they had stolen them; and in the evening, came
and made their complaint to me, pitching upon one of the party as the
person who had committed the theft. Having ordered this man to be punished
before them, they went away seemingly satisfied; although they did not
recover any of the things they had lost, nor could I by any means find out
what had become of them; though nothing was more certain, than that
something had been stolen by some of the party, if not by the very man the
natives had pitched upon. It was ever a maxim with me, to punish the least
crimes any of my people committed against these uncivilized nations. Their
robbing us with impunity is, by no means, a sufficient reason why we should
treat them in the same manner, a conduct, we see, they themselves cannot
justify: They found themselves injured, and sought for redress in a legal
way. The best method, in my opinion, to preserve a good understanding with
such people, is, first, by shewing them the use of firearms, to convince
them of the superiority they give you over them, and then to be always upon
your guard. When once they are sensible of these things, a regard for their
own safety will deter them from disturbing you, or from being unanimous in
forming any plan to attack you; and strict honesty, and gentle treatment on
your part, will make it their interest not to do it.
Calm or light airs from the north all day on the 23d, hindered us from
putting to sea as intended.[7] In the afternoon, some of the officers went
on shore to amuse themselves among the natives, where they saw the head and
bowels of a youth, who had lately been killed, lying on the beach; and the
heart stuck on a forked stick, which was fixed to the head of one of the
largest canoes. One of the gentlemen bought the head, and brought it on
board, where a piece of the flesh was broiled and eaten by one of the
natives, before all the officers and most of the men. I was on shore at
this time, but soon after returning on board, was informed of the above
circumstances; and found the quarter-deck crowded with the natives, and the
mangled head, or rather part of it, (for the under-jaw and lip were
wanting) lying on the tafferal. The skull had been broken on the left
side, just above the temples; and the remains of the face had all the
appearance of a youth under twenty.[8]
The sight of the head, and the relation of the above circumstances, struck
me with horror, and filled my mind with indignation against these
cannibals. Curiosity, however, got the better of my indignation, especially
when I considered that it would avail but little; and being desirous of
becoming an eye-witness of a fact which many doubted, I ordered a piece of
the flesh to be broiled and brought to the quarter-deck, where one of these
cannibals eat it with surprising avidity. This had such an effect on some
of our people as to make them sick. Oedidee (who came on board with me) was
so affected with the sight as to become perfectly motionless, and seemed as
if metamorphosed into the statue of horror. It is utterly impossible for
art to describe that passion with half the force that it appeared in his
countenance. When roused from this state by some of us, he burst into
tears; continued to weep and scold by turns; told them they were vile men;
and that he neither was, nor would be any longer their friend. He even
would not suffer them to touch him; he used the same language to one of the
gentlemen who cut off the flesh; and refused to accept, or even touch the
knife with which it was done. Such was Oedidee's indignation against the
vile custom; and worthy of imitation by every rational being.
I was not able to find out the reason for their undertaking this
expedition; all I could understand for certain was, that they went from
hence into Admiralty Bay (the next inlet to the west), and there fought
with their enemies, many of whom they killed. They counted to me fifty; a
number which exceeded probability, as they were not more, if so many,
themselves. I think I understood them clearly, that this youth was killed
there; and not brought away prisoner, and afterwards killed. Nor could I
learn that they had brought away any more than this one; which increased
the improbability of their having killed so many. We had also reason to
think that they did not come off without loss; for a young woman was seen,
more than once, to cut herself, as is the custom when they lose a friend or
relation.
That the New Zealanders are cannibals, can now no longer be doubted. The
account given of this in my former voyage, being partly founded on
circumstances, was, as I afterwards understood, discredited by many
persons. Few consider what a savage man is in his natural state, and even
after he is, in some degree, civilized. The New Zealanders are certainly in
some state of civilization; their behaviour to us was manly and mild,
shewing, on all occasions, a readiness to oblige. They have some arts among
them which they execute with great judgment and unwearied patience; they
are far less addicted to thieving than the other islanders of the South
Sea; and I believe those in the same tribe, or such as are at peace one
with another, are strictly honest among themselves. This custom of eating
their enemies slain in battle (for I firmly believe they eat the flesh of
no others) has undoubtedly been handed down to them from the earliest
times; and we know it is not an easy matter to wean a nation from their
ancient customs, let them be ever so inhuman and savage; especially if that
nation has no manner of connexion or commerce with strangers. For it is by
this that the greatest part of the human race has been civilized; an
advantage which the New Zealanders, from their situation, never had. An
intercourse with foreigners would reform their manners, and polish their
savage minds. Or, were they more united under a settled form of government,
they would have fewer enemies, consequently this custom would be less in
use, and might in time be in a manner forgotten. At present, they have but
little idea of treating others as themselves would _wish_ to be
treated, but treat them as they _expect_ to be treated. If I remember
right, one of the arguments they made use of to Tupia, who frequently
expostulated with them against this custom, was, that there could be no
harm in killing and eating the man who would do the same by them if it was
in his power. "For," said they, "can there be any harm in eating our
enemies, whom we have killed in battle? Would not those very enemies have
done the same to us?" I have often seen them listen to Tupia with great
attention; but I never found his arguments have any weight with them, or
that with all his rhetoric, he could persuade any one of them that this
custom was wrong. And when Oedidee, and several of our people, shewed their
abhorrence of it, they only laughed at them.
Among many reasons which I have heard assigned for the prevalence of this
horrid custom, the want of animal food has been one; but how far this is
deducible either from facts or circumstances, I shall leave those to find
out who advanced it. In every part of New Zealand where I have been, fish
was in such plenty, that the natives generally caught as much as served
both themselves and us. They have also plenty of dogs; nor is there any
want of wild fowl, which they know very well how to kill. So that neither
this, nor the want of food of any kind, can, in my opinion, be the reason.
But, whatever it may be, I think it was but too evident, that they have a
great liking for this kind of food.[9]
I must here observe, that Oedidee soon learnt to converse with these
people, as I am persuaded, he would have done with the people of Amsterdam,
had he been a little longer with them; for he did not understand the New
Zealanders, at first, any more, or not so much, as he understood the people
of Amsterdam.
At four o'clock in the morning, on the 24th, we unmoored with an intent to
put to sea; but the wind being at N. and N.E. without, and blowing strong
puffs into the cove, made it necessary for us to lie fast. While we were
unmooring, some of our old friends came on board to take their leave of us,
and afterwards left the cove with all their effects; but those who had been
out on the late expedition remained; and some of the gentlemen having
visited them, found the heart still sticking on the canoe, and the
intestines lying on the beach; but the liver and lungs were now wanting.
Probably they had eaten them, after the carcase was all gone.
On the 25th, early in the morning, we weighed, with a small, breeze out of
the cove, which carried us no farther than between Motuara and Long Island,
where we were obliged to anchor; but presently after a breeze springing up
at north, we weighed again, turned out of the Sound, and stood over for
Cape Teerawhitte.
During our stay in the Sound, we were plentifully supplied with fish,
procured from the natives at a very easy rate; and, besides the vegetables
our own gardens afforded, we found every where plenty of scurvy grass and
cellery, which I caused to be dressed every day for all hands. By this
means, they had been mostly on a fresh diet for the three preceding months;
and at this time, we had neither a sick nor scorbutic man on board. It is
necessary to mention, for the information of others, that we had now some
pork on board, salted at Ulietea, and as good as any I ever eat. The manner
in which we cured it, was this: In the cool of the evening the hogs were
killed, dressed, cut up, the bones cut out, and the flesh salted while it
was yet hot. The next morning we gave it a second salting, packed it into a
cask, and put to it a sufficient quantity of strong pickle. Great care is
to be taken that the meat be well covered with pickle, otherwise it will
soon spoil.
The morning before we sailed, I wrote a memorandum, setting forth the time
we last arrived, the day we sailed, the route I intended to take, and such
other information as I thought necessary for Captain Furneaux, in case he
should put into the Sound; and buried it in a bottle under the root of a
tree in the garden, which is in the bottom of the cove, in such a manner as
must be found by him or any other European who might put into the cove. I,
however, had little reason to hope it would fall into the hands of the
person for whom it was intended, thinking it hardly possible that the
Adventure could be in any port in New Zealand, as we had not heard of her
all this time. Nevertheless I was resolved not to leave the coast without
looking for her, where I thought it most likely for her to be. It was with
this view that I stood over for Cape Teerawhitte, and afterwards ran along-
shore, from point to point, to Cape Palliser, firing guns every half hour;
but all to no effect. At eight o'clock we brought-to for the night, Cape
Palliser bearing S.E. by E. distant three leagues; in which situation we
had fifty fathoms water.
I had now an opportunity of making the following remarks on the coast
between Cape Teerawhitte and Cape Palliser: The bay which lies on the west
side of the last Cape, does not appear to run so far inland to the
northward as I at first thought; the deception being caused by the land in
the bottom of it being low: It is, however, at least five leagues deep, and
full as wide at the entrance. Though it seems to be exposed to southerly
and S.W. winds, it is probable there may be places in the bottom of it
sheltered even from these. The bay or inlet, on the east side of Cape
Teerawhitte, before which we anchored, lies in north, inclining to the
west, and seemed to be sheltered from all winds. The middle cape, or point
of land that disjoins these two bays, rises to a considerable height,
especially inland; for close to the sea is a skirt of low land, off which
lie some pointed rocks, but so near to the shore as to be noways dangerous.
Indeed, the navigation of this side of the Strait seems much safer than the
other, because the tides here are not near so strong. Cape Teerawhitte and
Cape Palliser lie in the direction of N. 69° W., and S. 69° east, from each
other distant ten leagues. The cape which disjoins the two bays above-
mentioned lies within, or north of this direction. All the land near the
coast, between and about these capes, is exceedingly barren; probably owing
to its being so much exposed to the cold southerly winds. From Cape
Teerawhitte to the Two Brothers, which lie off Cape Koamoroo, the course is
nearly N.W. by N. distant sixteen miles. North of Cape Teerawhitte, between
it and Entry Island, is an island lying pretty near the shore. I judged
this to be an island when I saw it in my former voyage, but not being
certain, left it undetermined in my chart of the Strait, which is the
reason of my taking notice of it now, as also of the bays, &c. above-
mentioned.
At day-light in the morning on the 26th, we made sail round Cape Palliser,
firing guns as usual, as we ran along the shore. In this manner we
proceeded till we were three or four leagues to the N.E. of the Cape; when
the wind shifted to N.E., we bore away for Cape Campbell on the other side
of the Strait. Soon after, seeing a smoke ascend, at some distance inland,
away to the N.E, we hauled the wind, and continued to ply till six o'clock
in the evening; which was several hours after the smoke disappeared, and
left us not the least signs of people.
Every one being unanimously of opinion that the Adventure could neither be
stranded on the coast, nor be in any of the harbours thereof, I gave up
looking for her, and all thoughts of seeing her any more during the voyage,
as no rendezvous was absolutely fixed upon after leaving New Zealand.
Nevertheless, this did not discourage me from fully exploring the southern
parts of the Pacific Ocean, in the doing of which I intended to employ the
whole of the ensuing season.
On our quitting the coast, and consequently all hopes of being joined by
our consort, I had the satisfaction to find that not a man was dejected, or
thought the dangers we had yet to go through, were in the least increased
by being alone; but as cheerfully proceeding to the south, or wherever I
might think proper to lead them, as if the Adventure, or even more ships,
had been in our company.[10]
[1] "They expressed great satisfaction at our calling them by their
names, doubtless because it served to persuade them that we were
particularly concerned for their welfare, by retaining them in memory.
The weather was fair and warm, considering the season, but our New
Zealanders were all covered with shaggy cloaks, which are their winter
dresses."--G.F.
[2] "We found almost all the radishes and turnips shot into seed, the
cabbages and carrots very fine, and abundance of onions and parsley in
good order; the pease and beans were almost entirely lost, and seemed
to have been destroyed by rats. The potatoes were likewise all
extirpated; but, from appearances, we guessed this to have been the
work of the natives. The thriving state of our European pot-herbs,
gave us a strong and convincing proof of the mildness of the winter in
this part of New Zealand, where it seems it had never frozen hard
enough to kill these plants, which perish in our winters. The
indigenous plants of this country were not yet so forward; the
deciduous trees and shrubs, in particular, were but just beginning to
look green, and the vivid colour of their fresh leaves well contrasted
with the dark wintery hue of the evergreens. The flag, of which the
natives prepare their hemp, was, however, in flower, together with
some other early species."--G.F.
[3] "The weather, during this time, was as boisterous and inconstant,
as that which had so long kept us out of this harbour. Scarce a day
passed without heavy squalls of wind, which hurried down with
redoubled velocity from the mountains, and strong showers of rain,
which retarded all our occupations. The air was commonly cold and raw,
vegetation made slow advances, and the birds were only found in
vallies sheltered from the chilling southern blast. This kind of
weather, in all likelihood, prevails throughout the winter, and
likewise far into the midst of summer, without a much greater degree
of cold in the former, or of warmth in the latter season. Islands far
remote from any continent, or at least not situated near a cold one,
seem in general to have an uniform temperature of air, owing, perhaps,
to the nature of the ocean, which every where surrounds them. It
appears from the meteorological journals, kept at Port Egmont, on the
Falkland Islands, (inserted in Mr Dalrymple's collection) that the
extremes of the greatest cold, and the greatest heat, observed there
throughout the year, do not exceed thirty degrees on Fahrenheit's
scale. The latitude of that port is 51° 25' S.; and that of Ship Cove,
in Queen Charlotte's Sound, only 41° 5'. This considerable difference
of site will naturally make the climate of New Zealand much milder
than that of Falkland's Islands, but cannot affect the general
hypothesis concerning the temperature of all islands; and the immense
height of the mountains in New Zealand, some of which are covered with
snow throughout the year, doubtless contributes to refrigerate the
air, so as to assimilate it to that of the Falkland's Islands, which
are not so high."--G.F.
[4] "In the morning, the weather being clear again, Dr Sparrman, my
father, and myself, went to the Indian Cove, which we found
uninhabited. A path, made by the natives, led through the forest a
considerable way up the steep mountain, which separates this cove from
Shag Cove. The only motive which could induce the New Zealanders to
make this path, appeared to be the abundance of ferns towards the
summit of the mountain, the roots of that plant being an article of
their diet. The steepest part of the path was cut in steps, paved with
shingle or slate, but beyond that the climbers impeded our progress
considerably. About half way up, the forest ended, and the rest was
covered with various shrubs and ferns, though it appeared to be naked
and barren from the ship. At the summit we met with many plants which
grow in the vallies, and by the sea-side, at Dusky Bay, owing to the
difference of the climate, which is so much more vigorous in that
southern extremity of New Zealand. The whole to the very top consists
of the same talcous clay, which is universal all over the island, and
of a talcous stone, which, when exposed to the sun and air, crumbles
in pieces, and dissolves into lamellae. Its colour is whitish,
greyish, and sometimes tinged with a dirty yellowish-red, perhaps
owing to irony particles. The south side of the mountain is clad in
forests, almost to the summit. The view from hence was very extensive
and pleasing: We looked into East Bay as into a fish-pond, and saw
Cape Tera-wittee beyond the Strait. The mountains in the south arose
to a vast height, and were capt with snow; and the whole prospect on
that side was wild and chaotic."--G.F.
[5] "Our sailors carried on their former amours with the women,
amongst whom there was but one who had tolerable features, and
something soft and humane in her looks. She was regularly given in
marriage by her parents to one of our ship-mates, who was particularly
beloved by this nation, for devoting much of his time to them, and
treating them with those marks of affection, which, even among a
savage race, endear mankind to one another. Togheeree, for so the girl
was called, proved as faithful to her husband as if he had been a New
Zealander, and constantly rejected the addresses of other seamen,
professing herself a married woman, (_tirratane_.) Whatever attachment
the Englishman had to his New Zealand wife, he never attempted to take
her on board, foreseeing that it would be highly inconvenient to lodge
the numerous retinue which crowded in her garments, and weighed down
the hair of her head. He, therefore, visited her on shore, and only
day by day, treating her with plenty of the rotten part of our
biscuit, which we rejected, But which she and all her countrymen
eagerly devoured."--G.F.
[6] "They were more dressed than we had commonly seen any, during this
second stay, at Queen Charlotte's Sound; their hair was tied up, and
their cheeks painted red. All these circumstances conspired to confirm
the account which the women had given us the day before, that their
husbands were gone to fight, as it is usual for them to put on their
best apparel on those occasions. I am much afraid that their unhappy
differences with other tribes, were revived on our account. Our
people, not satisfied with purchasing all the hatchets of stone, &c.
&c. of which the natives of our acquaintance were possessed,
continually enquired for more, and shewed them such large and valuable
pieces of Otaheite cloth, as would not fail to excite their desires.
It is not improbable, that as soon as this appetite prevailed among
the New Zealanders, they would reflect that the shortest way to
gratify it, would be to rob their neighbours of such goods, as the
Europeans coveted. The great store of arms, ornaments, and clothes,
which they produced at this time, seemed to prove, that such a daring
and villainous design had really been put in execution; nor was it to
be supposed that this could have been accomplished without
bloodshed."--G.F.
[7] An instance of the ferocity of manners of this savage nation, was
presented this day. A boy, about six or seven years old, demanded a
piece of broiled penguin, which his mother held in her hands. As she
did not immediately comply with his demand, he took up a large stone
and threw it at her. The woman, incensed at this action, ran to punish
him, but she had scarcely given him a single blow, when her husband
came forward, beat her unmercifully, and dashed her against the
ground, for attempting to correct her unnatural child. Our people, who
were employed in filling water, told my father they had frequently
seen similar instances of cruelty among them, and particularly, that
the boys had actually struck their unhappy mother, whilst the father
looked on lest she should attempt to retaliate. Among all savage
nations the weaker sex is ill-treated, and the law of the strongest is
put in force. Their women are mere drudges, who prepare raiment and
provide dwellings, who cook and frequently collect their food, and are
requited by blows, and all kinds of severity. At New Zealand, it seems
they carry this tyranny to excess, and the males are taught, from
their earliest age, to hold their mothers in contempt, contrary to all
our principles of morality."--G.F.
Mr Forster immediately goes on to relate the remainder of this day's
occurrences, so painfully pregnant in discoveries relative to this
savage people. The reader, it is believed, will think the account in
the text abundantly minute, without any addition. What a fine specimen
to prove the accuracy of Rousseau's delineation of our species, in its
uncontaminated state!--E.
[8] Mr G. Forster informs us, that Mr Pickersgill purchased the head
from the savages for a nail, and that it was afterwards deposited in
the collection of Mr John Hunter. He adds, that some of these people
expressed an ardent desire of repossessing it, signifying, by the most
intelligible gestures, that it was delicious to the taste. This
strongly corroborates what Captain Cook afterwards states, of their
really relishing such kind of food.--E.
[9] This distressing subject has, perhaps, already too much engrossed
the reader's attention and feelings; and, unfortunately, it must again
be brought before him, when we treat of the third voyage of Cook. He
might think then, that at present, he ought to be spared farther
comment on what is so odious; but neither the apprehension, nor the
experience of the unpleasant impressions it produces, is sufficient
reason for declining the consideration of the atrocities of which
human nature is capable. Self-conceit, indeed, may be mortified at the
unavoidable thought of identity of species, which it may seek many
imaginary devices to conceal; and feverish sensibility may be wrought
up to indignant discontent, at the power which placed it amid such
profligacy. But the humble philosopher, on the other hand, will
investigate the causes, without ceasing to deplore the effects, and
will rejoice in the belief, that there are any means by which mankind
may be redeemed from the condemnation which his judgment cannot fail
to award. To him, accordingly, the following observations of Mr G.
Forster are addressed, as preparatory to the farther consideration of
the subject, in which he will afterwards be engaged. "Philosophers,
who have only contemplated mankind in their closets, have strenuously
maintained, that all the assertions of authors, ancient and modern, of
the existence of men-eaters, are not to be credited; and there have
not been wanting persons amongst ourselves who were sceptical enough
to refuse belief to the concurrent testimonies, in the history of
almost all nations, in this particular. But Captain Cook had already,
in his former voyage, received strong proof that the practice of
eating human flesh existed in New Zealand; and as now we have with our
own eyes seen the inhabitants devouring human flesh, all controversy
on that point must be at an end. The opinions of authors on the origin
of this custom, are infinitely various, and have lately been collected
by the very learned canon, Pauw, at Xanten, in his _Recherches
Philosophiques sur les Americains_, vol. i, p. 207. He seems to think
that men were first tempted to devour each other from real want of
food, and cruel necessity. His sentiments are copied by Dr
Hawkesworth, who has disingenuously concealed their author. Many
weighty objections, however, may be made against this hypothesis;
amongst which the following is one of the greatest. There are very few
countries in the world so miserably barren as not to afford their
inhabitants sufficient nourishment, and those, in particular, where
anthropophagi still exist, do not come under that description. The
northern isle of New Zealand, on a coast of near four hundred leagues,
contains scarcely one hundred thousand inhabitants, according to the
most probable guess which can be made; a number inconsiderable for
that vast space of country, even allowing the settlements to be
confined only to the sea-shore. The great abundance of fish, and the
beginnings of agriculture in the Bay of Plenty, and other parts of the
Northern Isle, are more than sufficient to maintain this number,
because they have always had enough to supply strangers with what was
deemed superfluous. It is true, before the dawn of the arts among
them, before the invention of nets, and before the cultivation of
potatoes, the means of subsistence may have been more difficult, but
then the number of inhabitants must likewise have been infinitely
smaller. Single instances are not conclusive in this case, though they
prove how far the wants cf the body may stimulate mankind to
extraordinary actions. In 1772, during a famine which happened
throughout all Germany, a herdsman was taken on the manor of Baron
Boineburg, in Hessia, who had been urged by hunger to kill and devour
a boy, and afterwards to make a practice of it for several months.
From his confession, it appeared, that he looked upon the flesh of
young children as a very delicious food; and the gestures of the New
Zealanders indicated exactly the same thing. An old woman, in the
province of Matogrosso, in Brazil, declared to the Portuguese
governor, M. de Pinto, afterwards ambassador at the British court,
that she had eaten human flesh several times, liked it very much, and
should be very glad to feast upon it again, especially if it was part
of a little boy. But it would be absurd to suppose from such
circumstances, that killing men for the sake of feasting upon them,
has ever been the spirit of a whole nation; because it is utterly
incompatible with the existence of society. Slight causes have ever
produced the most remarkable events among mankind, and the most
trifling quarrels have fired their minds with incredible inveteracy
against each other. Revenge has always been a strong passion among
barbarians, who are less subject to the sway of reason, than civilized
people, and has stimulated them to a degree of madness, which is
capable of all kinds of excesses. The people who first consumed the
body of their enemies, seem to have been bent upon exterminating their
very inanimate remains, from an excess of passion; but, by degrees,
finding the meat wholesome and palatable, it is not to be wondered at
that they should make a practice of eating their enemies as often as
they killed any, since the action of eating human flesh, whatever our
education may teach us to the contrary, is certainly neither unnatural
nor criminal in itself. It can only become dangerous as far as it
steels the mind against that compassionate fellow-feeling, which is
the great basis of society; and for this reason, we find it naturally
banished from every people as soon as civilization has made any
progress among them. But though we are too much polished to be
cannibals, we do not find it unnaturally and savagely cruel to take
the field, and to cut one another's throats by thousands, without a
single motive, besides the ambition of a prince, or the caprice of his
mistress! Is it not from prejudice that we are disgusted with the idea
of eating a dead man, when we feel no remorse in depriving him of
life? If the practice of eating human flesh makes men unfeeling and
brutal, we have instances that civilized people, who would, perhaps,
like some of our sailors, have turned sick at the thought of eating
human flesh, have committed barbarities, without example, amongst
cannibals. A New Zealander, who kills and eats his enemy, is a very
different being from an European, who, for his amusement, tears an
infant from the mother's breast, in cool blood, and throws it on the
earth, to feed his hounds,--an atrocious crime, which Bishop Las Casas
says, he saw committed in America by Spanish soldiers. The New
Zealanders never eat their adversaries unless they are killed in
battle; they never kill their relations for the purpose of eating
them; they do not even eat them if they die of a natural death, and
they take no prisoners with a view to fatten them for their repast;
though these circumstances have been related, with more or less truth,
of the American Indians. It is therefore not improbable, that in
process of time, they will entirely lay aside this custom; and the
introduction of new domestic animals into their country might hasten
that period, since greater affluence would tend to make them more
sociable. Their religion does not seem likely to be an obstacle,
because from what we could judge, they are not remarkably
superstitious, and it is only among very bigotted nations that the
custom of offering human flesh to the gods, has prevailed after
civilization."--These are evidently hasty speculations, and by no
means conclusive, but they point with tolerable clearness to some
principle of human nature adequate, independent of necessity, to
account for the practice, and shew in what manner the investigation
into its nature, causes, and remedy, ought to be carried on.--E.
[10] "The officers and passengers entered upon this second cruise
under several difficulties, which did not exist before. They had now
no livestock to be compared to that which they took from the Cape of
Good Hope; and the little store of provisions, which had supplied
their table with variety in preference to that of the common sailor,
was now so far consumed, that they were nearly upon a level,
especially as the seamen were inured to that way of life, by constant
habit, almost from their infancy; and the others had never experienced
it before. The hope of meeting with new lands was vanished, the topics
of common conversation were exhausted, the cruise to the south could
not present any thing new, but appeared in all its chilling horrors
before us, and the absence of our consort doubled every danger. We had
enjoyed a few agreeable days between the tropics, we had feasted as
well as the produce of various islands would permit, and we had been
entertained with the novelty of many objects among different nations;
but according to the common vicissitudes of fortune, this agreeable
moment was to be replaced by a long period of fogs and frosty weather,
of fasting, and of tedious uniformity. If any thing alleviated the
dreariness of the prospect, with a great part of our shipmates, it was
the hope of completing the circle round the South Pole, in a high
latitude, during the next inhospitable summer, and of returning to
England within the space of eight months. This hope contributed to
animate the spirits of our people during the greatest part of our
continuance in bad weather; but in the end it vanished like a dream,
and the only thought which could make them amends, was the certainty
of passing another season among the happy islands in the torrid
zone."--G.F.