After mooring the ship, by four anchors, with her broadside to the

landing-place, hardly a musket-shot off, and placing our artillery in

such a manner as to command the whole harbour, I embarked with the

marines, and a party of seamen, in three boats, and rowed in for the

shore. It hath been already mentioned, that the two divisions of the

natives were drawn up on each side the landing-place. They had left a

space between them of about thirty or forty yards, in which were laid,

to the most advantage, a few small bunches of plantains, a yam, and two

or three roots. Between these and the water were stuck upright in the

sand, for what purpose I never could learn, four small reeds, about two

feet from each other, in a line at right angles to the shore, where they

remained for two or three days after. The old man before mentioned, and

two more, stood by these things, inviting us, by signs, to land; but I

had not forgot the trap I was so near being caught in at the last

island; and this looked something like it. We answered, by making signs

for the two divisions to retire farther back, and give us more room. The

old man seemed to desire them so to do, but no more regard was paid to

him than to us. More were continually joining them, and, except two or

three old men, not one unarmed. In short, every thing conspired to make

us believe they meant to attack us as soon as we should be on shore; the

consequence of which was easily supposed; many of them must have been

killed and wounded, and we should hardly have escaped unhurt; two things

I equally wished to prevent. Since, therefore, they would not give us

the room we required, I thought it was better to frighten them into it,

than to oblige them by the deadly effect of our fire-arms. I accordingly

ordered a musket to be fired over the party on our right, which was by

far the strongest body; but the alarm it gave them was momentary. In an

instant they recovered themselves, and began to display their weapons.

One fellow showed us his backside, in a manner which plainly conveyed

his meaning. After this I ordered three or four muskets to be fired.

This was the signal for the ship to fire a few great guns, which

presently dispersed them; and then we landed, and marked out the limits,

on the right and left, by a line. Our old friend stood his ground,

though deserted by his two companions, and I rewarded his confidence

with a present. The natives came gradually to us, seemingly in a more

friendly manner; some even without their weapons, but by far the

greatest part brought them; and when we made signs to lay them down,

they gave us to understand that we must lay down ours first. Thus all

parties stood armed. The presents I made to the old people, and to such

as seemed to be of consequence, had little effect on their conduct. They

indeed climbed the cocoa-nut trees, and threw us down the nuts, without

requiring any thing for them; but I took care that they should always

have somewhat in return. I observed that many were afraid to touch what

belonged to us; and they seemed to have no notion of exchanging one

thing for another. I took the old man, whose name we now found to be

Paowang, to the woods, and made him understand, I wanted to cut down

some trees to take on board the ship; cutting some down at the same

time, which we put into one of our boats, together with a few small

casks of water, with a view of letting the people see what it was we

chiefly wanted. Paowang very readily gave his consent to cut wood; nor

was there any one who made the least objection. He only desired the

cocoa-nut trees might not be cut down. Matters being thus settled, we

embarked and returned on board to dinner, and, immediately after, they

all dispersed. I never learnt that any one was hurt by our shot, either

on this or the preceding day; which was a very happy circumstance. In

the afternoon, having landed again, we loaded the launch with water, and

having made three hauls with the seine, caught upwards of three hundred

pounds of mullet and other fish. It was some time before any of the

natives appeared, and not above twenty or thirty at last, amongst whom

was our trusty friend Paowang, who made us a present of a small pig,

which was the only one we got at this isle, or that was offered us.

During the night, the volcano, which was about four miles to the west of

us, vomited up vast quantities of fire and smoke, as it had also done

the night before; and the flames were seen to rise above the hill which

lay between us and it. At every eruption, it made a long rumbling noise

like that of thunder, or the blowing up of large mines. A heavy shower

of rain, which fell at this time, seemed to increase it; and the wind

blowing from the same quarter, the air was loaded with its ashes, which

fell so thick, that every thing was covered with the dust. It was a kind

of fine sand or stone, ground or burnt to powder, and was exceedingly

troublesome to the eyes.

Early in the morning of the 7th, the natives began again to assemble

near the watering-place, armed as usual, but not in such numbers as at

first. After breakfast we landed, in order to cut wood and fill water. I

found many of the islanders much inclined to be friends with us,

especially the old people; on the other hand, most of the younger were

daring and insolent, and obliged us to keep to our arms. I staid till I

saw no disturbance was like to happen, and then returned to the ship,

leaving the party under the command of Lieutenants Clerke and Edgcumbe.

When they came on board to dinner, they informed me that the people

continued to behave in the same inconsistent manner as in the morning;

but more especially one man, whom Mr. Edgcumbe was obliged to fire at,

and believed he had struck with a swan-shot. After that, the others

behaved with more discretion; and as soon as our people embarked, they

all retired. While we were sitting at dinner, an old man came on board,

looked into many parts of the ship, and then went ashore again.

In the afternoon, only a few of those who lived in the neighbourhood,

with whom we were now upon a tolerable footing, made their appearance at

the watering-place. Paowang brought us an axe which had been left by our

people, either in the woods or on the beach, and found by some of the

natives. A few other articles were afterwards returned to us, which

either they had stolen, or we had lost by our negligence. So careful

were they now not to offend us in this respect.

Early the next morning, I sent the launch, protected by a party of

marines in another boat, to take in ballast, which we wanted. This work

was done before breakfast; and after it, she was sent for wood and

water, and with her the people employed in this service under the

protection of a serjeant’s guard, which was now thought sufficient, as

the natives seemed to be pretty well reconciled to us. I was told, that

they asked our people to go home with them, on condition they stripped

naked as they were. This shows that they had no design to rob them,

whatever other they might have.

On the 9th, I sent the launch for more ballast, and the guard and

wooders to the usual place. With these I went myself, and found a good

many of the natives collected together, whose behaviour, though armed,

was courteous and obliging; so that there was no longer any occasion to

mark out the limits by a line; they observed them without this

precaution. As it was necessary for Mr. Wales’s instruments to remain on

shore all the middle of the day, the guard did not return to dinner, as

they had done before, till relieved by others. When I came off, I

prevailed on a young man, whose name was Wha-a-gou, to accompany me.

Before dinner I showed him every part of the ship; but did not observe

that any one thing fixed his attention a moment, or caused in him the

least surprise. He had no knowledge of goats, dogs, or cats, calling

them all hogs (_Booga_ or _Boogas_). I made him a present of a dog and a

bitch, as he showed a liking to that kind of animal. Soon after he came

on board, some of his friends followed in a canoe, and enquired for him,

probably doubtful of his safety. He looked out of the quarter-gallery,

and having spoken to them, they went ashore, and quickly returned with a

cock, a little sugar-cane, and a few cocoa-nuts, as a present to me.

Though he sat down with us, he did but just taste our salt pork, but eat

pretty heartily of yam, and drank a glass of wine. After dinner I made

him presents, and then conducted him ashore.

As soon as we landed, the youth and some of his friends took me by the

hand, with a view, as I understood, to conduct me to their habitations.

We had not gone far, before some of them, for what reason I know not,

were unwilling I should proceed; in consequence of which the whole

company stopped; and, if I was not mistaken, a person was dispatched for

something or other to give me; for I was desired to sit down and wait,

which I accordingly did. During this interval, several of our gentlemen

passed us, at which they showed great uneasiness, and importuned me so

much to order them back, that I was at last obliged to comply. They were

jealous of our going up the country, or even along the shore of the

harbour. While I was waiting here, our friend Paowang came with a

present of fruit and roots, carried by about twenty men; in order, as I

supposed, to make it appear the greater. One had a small bunch of

plantains, another a yam, a third a cocoa-nut, &c.: but two men might

have carried the whole with ease. This present was in return for

something I had given him in the morning; however, I thought the least I

could do now, was to pay the porters.

After I had dispatched Paowang, I returned to Wha-a-gou and his friends,

who were still for detaining me. They seemed to wait with great

impatience for something, and to be unwilling and ashamed to take away

the two dogs, without making me a return. As night was approaching, I

pressed to be gone; with which they complied, and so we parted.

The preceding day, Mr. Forster learnt from the people the proper name of

the island, which they call Tanna; and this day I learnt from them the

names of those in the neighbourhood. The one we touched at last is

called Erromango; the small isle, which we discovered the morning we

landed here, Immer; the Table Island to the east, discovered at the same

time, Erronan or Foottoona; and an island which lies to the S. E.

Annattom. All these islands are to be seen from Tanna.

They gave us to understand, in a manner which I thought admitted of no

doubt, that they eat human flesh, and that circumcision was practised

among them. They began the subject of eating human flesh of their own

accord, by asking us if we did; otherwise I should never have thought of

asking them such a question. I have heard people argue, that no nation

could be cannibals, if they had other flesh to eat, or did not want

food; thus deriving the custom from necessity. The people of this island

can be under no such necessity; they have fine pork and fowls, and

plenty of roots and fruits. But since we have not actually seen them eat

human flesh, it will admit of doubt with some, whether they are

cannibals.

When I got on board, I learnt that, when the launch was on the west side

of the harbour taking in ballast, one of the men employed on this work

had scalded his fingers in taking a stone up out of some water. This

circumstance produced the discovery of several hot springs at the foot

of the cliff, and rather below high water mark.

This day Mr. Wales and two or three of the officers advanced a little,

for the first time, into the island. They met with a straggling village,

the inhabitants of which treated them with great civility; and the next

morning, Mr. Forster and his party, and some others, made another

excursion inland. They met with several fine plantations of plantains,

sugar-canes, yams, &c.; and the natives were courteous and civil.

Indeed, by this time, the people, especially those in our neighbourhood,

were so well reconciled to us, that they showed not the least dislike at

our rambling about in the skirts of the woods, shooting, &c. In the

afternoon, some boys having got behind thickets, and having thrown two

or three stones at our people, who were cutting wood, they were fired at

by the petty officers present on duty. Being ashore at the time, I was

alarmed at hearing the report of the muskets, and seeing two or three

boys run out of the wood. When I knew the cause, I was much displeased

at so wanton an use being made of our fire-arms, and took measures to

prevent it for the future. Wind southerly, with heavy showers of rain.

During the night, and also all the 11th, the volcano was exceedingly

troublesome, and made a terrible noise, throwing up prodigious columns

of fire and smoke at each explosion, which happened every three or four

minutes; and, at one time, great stones were seen high in the air.

Besides the necessary work of wooding and watering, we struck the

main-top-mast to fix new trestle-trees and back-stays. Mr. Forster and

his party went up the hill on the west side of the harbour, where he

found three places from whence smoke of a sulphureous smell issued,

through cracks or fissures in the earth. The ground about these was

exceedingly hot, and parched or burnt, and they seemed to keep pace with

the volcano, for at every explosion of the latter, the quantity of smoke

or steam in these was greatly increased, and forced out so as to rise in

small columns, which we saw from the ship, and had taken for common

fires made by the natives. At the foot of this hill are the hot springs

before mentioned.

In the afternoon Mr. Forster, having begun his botanical researches on

the other side of the harbour, fell in with our friend Paowang’s house,

where he saw most of the articles I had given him, hanging on the

adjoining trees and bushes, as if they were not worthy of being under

his roof.

On the 12th, some of the officers accompanied Mr. Forster to the hot

places he had been at the preceding day. A thermometer placed in a

little hole made in one of them, rose from 80, at which it stood in the

open air, to 170. Several other parts of the hill emitted smoke or steam

all the day, and the volcano was unusually furious, insomuch, that the

air was loaded with its ashes. The rain which fell at this time, was a

compound of water, sand, and earth; so that it properly might be called

showers of mire. Whichever way the wind was, we were plagued with the

ashes; unless it blew very strong indeed from the opposite direction.

Notwithstanding the natives seemed well enough satisfied with the few

expeditions we had made in the neighbourhood; they were unwilling we

should extend them farther. As a proof of this, some undertook to guide

the gentlemen when they were in the country, to a place where they might

see the mouth of the volcano. They very readily embraced the offer; and

were conducted down to the harbour, before they perceived the cheat.

The 13th, wind at N. E., gloomy weather. The only thing worthy of note

this day was, that Paowang being at dinner with us on board, I took the

opportunity to show him several parts of the ship, and various articles,

in hopes of finding out something which they might value, and be induced

to take from us in exchange for refreshments; for what we got of this

kind was trifling. But he looked on every thing that was shown him with

the utmost indifference; nor did he take notice of any one thing except

a wooden sand-box, which he seemed to admire, and turned two or three

times over in his hand.

Next morning, after breakfast, a party of us set out for the country, to

try if we could not get a nearer and better view of the volcano. We went

by the way of one of those hot smoking places before mentioned, and dug

a hole in the hottest part, into which a thermometer of Fahrenheit’s

construction was put; and the mercury presently rose to 100°. It

remained in the hole two minutes and a half without either rising or

falling. The earth about this place was a kind of white clay, had a

sulphureous smell, and was soft and wet, the surface only excepted, over

which was spread a thin dry crust, that had upon it some sulphur, and a

vitriolic substance, tasting like alum. The place affected by the heat

was not above eight or ten yards square; and near it were some

fig-trees, which spread their branches over a part of it, and seemed to

like their situation. We thought that this extraordinary heat was caused

by the steam of boiling water, strongly impregnated with sulphur. I was

told that some of the other places were larger than this; though we did

not go out of the road to look at them, but proceeded up the hill

through a country so covered with trees, shrubs, and plants, that the

bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees, which seem to have been planted here by

nature, were in a manner choked up. Here and there we met with a house,

some few people, and plantations. These latter we found in different

states; some of long standing; others lately cleared; and some only

clearing, and before any thing had been planted. The clearing a piece of

ground for a plantation seemed to be a work of much labour, considering

the tools they had to work with, which, though much inferior to those at

the Society Isles, are of the same kind. Their method is, however,

judicious, and as expeditious as it can well be. They lop off the small

branches of the large trees, dig under the roots, and there burn the

branches and small shrubs and plants which they root up. The soil, in

some parts, is a rich black mould; in other parts, it seemed to be

composed of decayed vegetables, and of the ashes the volcano sends forth

throughout all its neighbourhood. Happening to turn out of the common

path, we came into a plantation, where we found a man at work, who,

either out of good-nature, or to get us the sooner out of his

territories, undertook to be our guide. We followed him accordingly, but

had not gone far before we came to the junction of two roads, in one of

which stood another man with a sling and a stone, which he thought

proper to lay down when a musket was pointed at him. The attitude in

which we found him, the ferocity appearing in his looks, and his

behaviour after, convinced us that he meant to defend the path he stood

in. He, in some measure, gained his point; for our guide took the other

road, and we followed; but not without suspecting he was leading us out

of the common way. The other man went with us likewise, counting us

several times over, and hallooing, as we judged, for assistance; for we

were presently joined by two or three more, among whom was a young woman

with a club in her hand. By these people we were conducted to the brow

of a hill, and shown a road leading down to the harbour, which they

wanted us to take. Not choosing to comply, we returned to that we had

left, which we pursued alone, our guide refusing to go with us. After

ascending another ridge, as thickly covered with wood as those we had

come over, we saw yet other hills between us and the volcano, which

seemed as far off as at our first setting out. This discouraged us from

proceeding farther, especially as we could get no one to be our guide.

We therefore came to a resolution to return; and had but just put this

in execution, when we met between twenty and thirty people, whom the

fellow before mentioned had collected together, with a design, as we

judged, to oppose our advancing into the country; but as they saw us

returning, they suffered us to pass unmolested. Some of them put us into

the right road, accompanied us down the hill, made us stop by the way to

entertain us with cocoa-nuts, plantains, and sugar-cane; and what we did

not eat on the spot, they brought down the hill with us. Thus, we found

these people hospitable, civil, and good-natured, when not prompted to a

contrary conduct by jealousy; a conduct I cannot tell how to blame them

for, especially when I consider the light in which they must view us. It

was impossible for them to know our real design; we enter their ports

without their daring to oppose; we endeavour to land in their country as

friends, and it is well if this succeeds; we land, nevertheless, and

maintain the footing we have got, by the superiority of our fire-arms.

Under such circumstances, what opinion are they to form of us? Is it not

as reasonable for them to think that we come to invade their country, as

to pay them a friendly visit? Time, and some acquaintance with us, can

only convince them of the latter. These people are yet in a rude state;

and, if we may judge from circumstances and appearances, are frequently

at war, not only with their neighbours, but among themselves;

consequently must be jealous of every new face. I will allow there are

some exceptions to this rule to be found in this sea; but there are few

nations who would willingly suffer visitors like us to advance far into

their country.

Before this excursion, some of us had been of opinion, that these people

were addicted to an unnatural passion, because they had endeavoured to

entice some of our men into the woods; and, in particular, I was told,

that one who had the care of Mr. Forster’s plant bag, had been, once or

twice, attempted. As the carrying of bundles, &c. is the office of the

women in this country, it had occurred to me, and I was not singular in

this, that the natives might mistake him, and some others, for women. My

conjecture was fully verified this day: for this man, who was one of the

party, and carried the bag as usual, following me down the hill, by the

words which I understood of the conversation of the natives, and by

their actions, I was well assured that they considered him as a female;

till, by some means, they discovered their mistake, on which they cried

out, _Erramange! Erramange!_ It’s a man! It’s a man! The thing was so

palpable that every one was obliged to acknowledge, that they had before

mistaken his sex; and that, after they were undeceived, they seemed not

to have the least notion of what we had suspected. This circumstance

will show how liable we are to form wrong conjectures of things, among

people whose language we are ignorant of. Had it not been for this

discovery, I make no doubt that these people would have been charged

with this vile custom.

In the evening I took a walk, with some of the gentlemen, into the

country on the other side of the harbour, where we had very different

treatment from what we had met with in the morning. The people we now

visited, among whom was our friend Paowang, being better acquainted with

us, showed a readiness to oblige us in every thing in their power. We

came to the village which had been visited on the 9th. It consisted of

about twenty houses, the most of which need no other description than

comparing them to the roof of a thatched house in England taken off the

walls and placed on the ground. Some were open at both ends; others

partly closed with reeds; and all were covered with palm thatch. A few

of them were thirty or forty feet long, and fourteen or sixteen broad.

Besides these, they have other mean hovels, which, I conceived, were

only to sleep in. Some of these stood in a plantation, and I was given

to understand, that in one of them lay a dead corpse. They made signs

that described sleep, or death; and circumstances pointed out the

latter. Curious to see all I could, I prevailed on an elderly man to go

with me to the hut, which was separated from the others by a reed fence,

built quite round it, at the distance of four or five feet. The entrance

was by a space in the fence, made so low as to admit one to step over.

The two sides and one end of the hut were closed or built up in the same

manner, and with the same materials, as the roof. The other end had been

open, but was now well closed up with mats, which I could not prevail on

the man to remove, or suffer me to do it. There hung at this end of the

hut a matted bag or basket, in which was a piece of roasted yam, and

some sort of leaves, all quite fresh. I had a strong desire to see the

inside of the hut, but the man was peremptory in refusing this, and even

showed an unwillingness to permit me to look into the basket. He wore

round his neck, fastened to a string, two or three locks of human hair;

and a woman present had several about her neck. I offered something in

exchange for them; but they gave me to understand they could not part

with them, as it was the hair of the person who lay in the hut. Thus I

was led to believe, that these people dispose of their dead in a manner

similar to that of Otaheite. The same custom of wearing the hair is

observed by the people of that island, and also by the New Zealanders.

The former make _Tamau_ of the hair of their deceased friends, and the

latter make ear-rings and necklaces of their teeth.

Near most of their large houses were fixed upright in the ground the

stems of four cocoa-nut trees, in a square position, about three feet

from each other. Some of our gentlemen, who first saw them, were

inclined to believe they were thus placed on a religious account; but I

was now satisfied that it was for no other purpose but to hang

cocoa-nuts on to dry. For when I asked, as well as I could, the use of

them, a man took me to one, loaded with cocoa-nuts from the bottom to

the top; and no words could have informed me better. Their situation is

well chosen for this use, as most of their large houses are built in an

open airy place, or where the wind has a free passage, from whatever

direction it blows. Near most, if not all of them, is a large tree, or

two, whose spreading branches afford an agreeable retreat from the

scorching sun. This part of the island was well cultivated, open and

airy; the plantations were laid out by line, abounding with plantains,

sugar-canes, yams, and other roots, and stocked with fruit trees. In our

walk we met with our old friend Paowang, who, with some others,

accompanied us to the water-side, and brought with them, as a present, a

few yams and cocoa-nuts.

On the 15th, having finished wooding and watering, a few hands only were

on shore making brooms, the rest being employed on board, setting up the

rigging, and putting the ship in a condition for sea. Mr. Forster, in

his botanical excursion this day, shot a pigeon, in the craw of which

was a wild nutmeg. He took some pains to find the tree, but his

endeavours were without success. In the evening a party of us walked to

the eastern sea-shore, in order to take the bearing of Annattom, and

Erronan or Foottoona. The horizon proved so hazy that I could see

neither; but one of the natives gave me, as I afterwards found, the true

direction of them. We observed that in all, or most of their sugar

plantations, were dug holes or pits, four feet deep, and five or six in

diameter, and on our inquiring their use, we were given to understand,

that they caught rats in them. These animals, which are very destructive

to the canes, are here in great plenty. The canes, I observed, were

planted as thick as possible round the edge of these pits, so that the

rats in coming at them are the more liable to tumble in.

Next morning we found the tiller sprung in the rudder-head, and by some

strange neglect, we had not a spare one on board, which we were ignorant

of till now it was wanting. I knew but of one tree in the neighbourhood

fit for this purpose, which I sent the carpenter on shore to look at,

and an officer, with a party of men, to cut it down, provided he could

obtain leave of the natives; if not, he was ordered to acquaint me. He

understood that no one had any objection, and set the people to work

accordingly. But as the tree was large, this required some time; and,

before it was down, word was brought me that our friend Paowang was not

pleased. Upon this I gave orders to desist, as we found that, by

scarfing a piece to the inner end of the tiller, and letting it farther

into the rudder-head, it would still perform its office. But, as it was

necessary to have a spare one on board, I went on shore, sent for

Paowang, made him a present of a dog and a piece of cloth, and then

explained to him that our great steering paddle was broken, and that I

wanted that tree to make a new one. It was easy to see how well pleased

every one present was with the means I took to obtain it. With one voice

they gave their consent, Paowang joining his also, which he perhaps

could not have done without the others; for I do not know that he had

either more property or more authority than the rest. This point being

obtained, I took our friend on board to dinner, and after it was over

went with him on ashore, to pay a visit to an old chief, who was said to

be king of the island, which was a doubt with me. Paowang took little or

no notice of him. I made him a present, after which he immediately went

away, as if he had got all he came for. His name was Geogy, and they

gave him the title of _Areeke_. He was very old, but had a merry open

countenance. He wore round his waist a broad red and white checquered

belt, the materials and manufacture of which seemed the same as that of

Otaheite cloth; but this was hardly a mark of distinction. He had with

him a son, not less than forty-five or fifty years of age. A great

number of people were at this time at the landing-place; most of them

from distant parts. The behaviour of many was friendly, while others

were daring and insolent, which I thought proper to put up with, as our

stay was nearly at an end.

On the 17th, about ten o’clock, I went ashore, and found in the crowd

old Geogy and his son, who soon made me understand that they wanted to

dine with me; and accordingly I brought them, and two more on board.

They all called them _Areekees_ (or kings); but I doubt if any of them

had the least pretensions to that title over the whole island. It had

been remarked that one of these kings had not authority enough to order

one of the people up into a cocoa-nut tree to bring him down some nuts.

Although he spoke to several, he was at last obliged to go himself, and

by way of revenge, as it was thought, left not a nut on the tree, taking

what he wanted himself, and giving the rest to some of our people.

When I got them on board, I went with them all over the ship, which they

viewed with uncommon surprise and attention. We happened to have for

their entertainment a kind of pie or pudding made of plantains, and some

sort of greens which we had got from one of the natives. On this, and on

yams, they made a hearty dinner; for, as to the salt beef and pork, they

would hardly taste them. In the afternoon, having made each of them a

present of a hatchet, a spike-nail, and some medals, I conducted them

ashore.

Mr. Forster and I then went over to the other side of the harbour, and

having tried, with Fahrenheit’s thermometer, the head of one of the hot

springs, we found that the mercury rose to 191°. At this time the tide

was up within two or three feet of the spring, so that we judged it

might, in some degree, be cooled by it. We were mistaken, however; for,

on repeating the experiment next morning, when the tide was out, the

mercury rose no higher than 187°; but, at another spring, where the

water bubbled out of the sand from under the rock at the S. W. corner of

the harbour, the mercury, in the same thermometer, rose to 202° 1/2,

which is but little colder than boiling water. The hot places before

mentioned are from about three to four hundred feet perpendicular above

these springs, and on the slope of the same ridge with the volcano; that

is, there are no vallies between them but such as are formed in the

ridge itself; nor is the volcano on the highest part of the ridge, but

on the S. E. side of it. This is, I have been told, contrary to the

general opinion of philosophers, who say that volcanos must be on the

summits of the highest hills. So far is this from being the case on this

island, that some of its hills are more than double the height of that

on which the volcano is, and close to it. To these remarks I must add,

that, in wet or moist weather, the volcano was most violent. There seems

to be room for some philosophical reasoning on these phænomena of

nature; but not having any talent that way, I must content myself with

stating facts as I found them, and leave the causes to men of more

abilities.

The tiller was now finished; but as the wind was unfavourable for

sailing, the guard was sent on shore on the 19th, as before, and a party

of men to cut up and bring off the remainder of the tree from which we

had got the tiller. Having nothing else to do, I went on shore with

them, and finding a good number of the natives collected about the

landing-place as usual, I distributed among them all the articles I had

with me, and then went on board for more. In less than an hour I

returned, just as our people were getting some large logs into the boat.

At the same time four or five of the natives stepped forward to see what

we were about, and as we did not allow them to come within certain

limits, unless to pass along the beach, the sentry ordered them back,

which they readily complied with. At this time, having my eyes fixed on

them, I observed the sentry present his piece (as I thought at these

men), and was just going to reprove him for it, because I had observed

that, whenever this was done, some of the natives would hold up their

arms, to let us see they were equally ready. But I was astonished beyond

measure when the sentry fired, for I saw not the least cause. At this

outrage most of the people fled: it was only a few I could prevail on to

remain. As they ran off, I observed one man to fall; and he was

immediately lifted up by two others who took him into the water, washed

his wound, and then led him off. Presently after, some came and

described to me the nature of his wound; and, as I found he was not

carried far, I sent for the surgeon. As soon as he arrived, I went with

him to the man, whom we found expiring. The ball had struck his left

arm, which was much shattered, and then entered his body by the

short-ribs, one of which was broken. The rascal who fired pretended that

a man had laid an arrow across his bow, and was going to shoot at him,

so that he apprehended himself in danger. But this was no more than they

had always done, and with no other view than to show they were armed as

well as we; at least I have reason to think so, as they never went

farther. What made this incident the more unfortunate, was, it not

appearing to be the man who bent the bow that was shot, but one who

stood by him. This affair threw the natives into the utmost

consternation; and the few that were prevailed on to stay ran to the

plantations and brought cocoa-nuts, &c. which they laid down at our

feet. So soon were these daring people humbled! When I went on board to

dinner they all retired, and only a few appeared in the afternoon,

amongst whom were Paowang and Wha-a-gou. I had not seen this young man

since the day he dined on board. Both he and Paowang promised to bring

me fruit, &c. the next morning, but our early departure put it out of

their power.

CHAP. VI.

DEPARTURE FROM TANNA; WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF ITS INHABITANTS, THEIR

MANNERS AND ARTS.

During the night the wind had veered round to S. E. As this was

favourable for getting out of the harbour, at four o’clock in the

morning of the 20th, we began to unmoor, and at eight, having weighed

our last anchor, put to sea. As soon as we were clear of the land, I

brought to, waiting for the launch which was left behind to take up a

kedge-anchor and hawser we had out, to cast by. About day-break a noise

was heard in the woods, nearly abreast of us, on the east side of the

harbour, not unlike singing of psalms. I was told that the like had been

heard at the same time every morning, but it never came to my knowledge

till now, when it was too late to learn the occasion of it. Some were of

opinion, that at the east point of the harbour (where we observed, in

coming in, some houses, boats, &c.) was something sacred to religion,

because some of our people had attempted to go to this point, and were

prevented by the natives. I thought, and do still think, it was only

owing to a desire they showed, on every occasion, of fixing bounds to

our excursions. So far as we had once been, we might go again; but not

farther with their consent. But by encroaching a little every time, our

country expeditions were insensibly extended without giving the least

umbrage. Besides, these morning ceremonies, whether religious or not,

were not performed down at that point, but in a part where some of our

people had been daily.

I cannot say what might be the true cause of these people showing such

dislike to our going up into their country. It might be owing to a

naturally jealous disposition, or perhaps to their being accustomed to

hostile visits from their neighbours, or quarrels among themselves.

Circumstances seemed to show that such must frequently happen; for we

observed them very expert in arms, and well accustomed to them; seldom

or never travelling without them. It is possible all this might be on

our account; but I hardly think it. We never gave them the least

molestation, nor did we touch any part of their property, not even the

wood and water, without first having obtained their consent. The very

cocoa-nuts, hanging over the heads of the workmen, were as safe as those

in the middle of the island. It happened, rather fortunately, that there

were so many cocoa-nut trees near the skirts of the harbour, which

seemed not to be private property; so that we could generally prevail on

the natives to bring us some of these nuts, when nothing would induce

them to bring any out of the country.

We were not wholly without refreshments; for besides the fish, which our

seine now and then provided us with, we procured daily some fruits or

roots from the natives, though but little in proportion to what we could

consume. The reason why we got no more might be our having nothing to

give them in exchange, which they thought valuable. They had not the

least knowledge of iron; consequently, nails and iron tools, beads, &c.

which had so great a run at the more eastern isles, were of no

consideration here; and cloth can be of no use to people who go naked.

The produce of this island is bread-fruit, plantains, cocoa-nuts, a

fruit like a nectarine, yams, terra, a sort of potatoe, sugar-cane, wild

figs, a fruit like an orange, which is not eatable, and some other fruit

and nuts whose names I have not. Nor have I any doubt that the nutmeg

before mentioned was the produce of this island. The bread-fruit,

cocoa-nuts, and plantains, are neither so plentiful nor so good as at

Otaheite; on the other hand, sugar-canes and yams are not only in

greater plenty, but of superior quality, and much larger. We got one of

the latter which weighed fifty-six pounds, every ounce of which was

good. Hogs did not seem to be scarce; but we saw not many fowls. These

are the only domestic animals they have. Land birds are not more

numerous than at Otaheite, and the other islands; but we met with some

small birds, with a very beautiful plumage, which we had never seen

before. There is as great a variety of trees and plants here as at any

island we touched at, where our botanists had time to examine. I believe

these people live chiefly on the produce of the land, and that the sea

contributes but little to their subsistence. Whether this arises from

the coast not abounding with fish, or from their being bad fishermen, I

know not; both causes perhaps concur. I never saw any sort of

fishing-tackle amongst them, nor any one out fishing, except on the

shoals, or along the shores of the harbour, where they would watch to

strike with a dart such fish as came within their reach; and in this

they were expert. They seemed much to admire our catching fish with the

seine; and, I believe, were not well pleased with it at last. I doubt

not they have other methods of catching fish besides striking them.

We understood that the little isle of Immer was chiefly inhabited by

fishermen, and that the canoes we frequently saw pass, to and from that

isle and the east point of the harbour, were fishing canoes. These

canoes were of unequal sizes, some thirty feet long, two broad, and

three deep, and they are composed of several pieces of wood clumsily

sewed together with bandages. The joints are covered on the outside by a

thin batten champhered off at the edges, over which the bandages pass.

They are navigated either by paddles or sails. The sail is latteen,

extended to a yard and boom, and hoisted to a short mast. Some of the

large canoes have two sails, and all of them outriggers.

At first we thought the people of this island, as well as those of

Erromango, were a race between the natives of the Friendly Islands and

those of Mallicollo; but a little acquaintance with them convinced us

that they had little or no affinity to either, except it be in their

hair, which is much like what the people of the latter island have. The

general colours of it are black and brown, growing to a tolerable

length, and very crisp and curly. They separate it into small locks,

which they woold or cue round with the rind of a slender plant, down to

about an inch of the ends; and, as the hair grows, the woolding is

continued. Each of these cues or locks is somewhat thicker than common

whipcord; and they look like a parcel of small strings hanging down from

the crown of their heads. Their beards, which are strong and bushy, are

generally short. The women do not wear their hair so, but cropped; nor

do the boys, till they approach manhood. Some few men, women, and

children, were seen, who had hair like ours; but it was obvious that

these were of another nation; and I think we understood they came from

Erronan. It is to this island they ascribe one of the two languages

which they speak, and which is nearly, if not exactly, the same as that

spoken at the Friendly Isles. It is therefore more than probable that

Erronan was peopled from that nation, and that, by long intercourse with

Tanna and the other neighbouring islands, each hath learnt the other’s

language, which they use indiscriminately.

The other language which the people of Tanna speak, and, as we

understood, those of Erromango and Annattom, is properly their own. It

is different from any we had before met with, and bears no affinity to

that of Mallicollo; so that, it should seem, the people of these islands

are a distinct nation of themselves. Mallicollo, Apee, &c. were names

entirely unknown to them; they even knew nothing of Sandwich Island,

which is much the nearer. I took no small pains to know how far their

geographical knowledge extended; and did not find that it exceeded the

limits of their horizon.

These people are of the middle size, rather slender than otherwise; many

are little, but few tall or stout; the most of them have good features,

and agreeable countenances; are, like all the tropical race, active and

nimble; and seem to excel in the use of arms, but not to be fond of

labour. They never would put a hand to assist in any work we were

carrying on, which the people of the other islands used to delight in.

But what I judge most from, is their making the females do the most

laborious work, as if they were pack-horses. I have seen a woman

carrying a large bundle on her back, or a child on her back and a bundle

under her arm, and a fellow strutting before her with nothing but a club

or spear, or some such thing. We have frequently observed little troops

of women pass, to and fro, along the beach, laden with fruit and roots,

escorted by a party of men under arms; though, now and then, we have

seen a man carry a burden at the same time, but not often. I know not on

what account this was done, nor that an armed troop was necessary. At

first, we thought they were moving out of the neighbourhood with their

effects; but we afterwards saw them both carry out and bring in every

day.

I cannot say the women are beauties; but I think them handsome enough

for the men, and too handsome for the use that is made of them. Both

sexes are of a very dark colour, but not black; nor have they the least

characteristic of the negro about them. They make themselves blacker

than they really are, by painting their faces with a pigment of the

colour of black lead. They also use another sort which is red, and a

third sort brown, or a colour between red and black. All these, but

especially the first, they lay on, with a liberal hand, not only on the

face, but on the neck, shoulders, and breast. The men wear nothing but a

belt, and the wrapping leaf as at Mallicollo.[6] The women have a kind

of petticoat made of the filaments of the plantain tree, flags, or some

such thing, which reaches below the knee. Both sexes wear ornaments,

such as bracelets, ear-rings, necklaces, and amulets. The bracelets are

chiefly worn by the men; some made of sea-shells, and others of those of

the cocoa-nut. The men also wear amulets; and those of most value being

made of a greenish stone, the green stone of New Zealand is valued by

them for this purpose. Necklaces are chiefly used by the women, and made

mostly of shells. Ear-rings are common to both sexes, and those valued

most are made of tortoise-shell. Some of our people having got some at

the Friendly Islands, brought it to a good market here, where it was of

more value than any thing we had besides; from which I conclude that

these people catch but few turtle, though I saw one in the harbour, just

as we were getting under sail. I observed that, towards the latter end

of our stay, they began to ask for hatchets, and large nails; so that it

is likely they had found that iron is more serviceable than stone, or

shells, of which all their tools I have seen are made. Their stone

hatchets, at least all those I saw, are not in the shape of adzes, as at

the other islands, but more like an axe, in this form. [Illustration] In

the helve, which is pretty thick, is made a hole into which the stone is

fixed.

These people, besides the cultivation of ground, have few other arts

worth mentioning. They know how to make a coarse kind of matting, and a

coarse cloth of the bark of a tree, which is used chiefly for belts. The

workmanship of their canoes, I have before observed, is very rude; and

their arms, with which they take the most pains in point of neatness,

come far short of some others we had seen. Their weapons are clubs,

spears, or darts, bows and arrows, and stones. The clubs are of three or

four kinds, and from three to five feet long. They seem to place most

dependence on the darts, which are pointed with three bearded edges. In

throwing them they make use of a becket, that is, a piece of stiff

plaited cord about six inches long, with an eye in one end and a knot at

the other. The eye is fixed on the fore-finger of the right hand, and

the other end is hitched round the dart, where it is nearly on an

equipoise. They hold the dart between the thumb and remaining fingers,

which serve only to give it direction, the velocity being communicated

by the becket and fore-finger. The former flies off from the dart the

instant its velocity becomes greater than that of the hand, but it

remains on the finger ready to be used again. With darts they kill both

birds and fish, and are sure of hitting a mark, within the compass of

the crown of a hat, at the distance of eight or ten yards; but, at

double that distance, it is chance if they hit a mark the size of a

man’s body, though they will throw the weapon sixty or seventy yards.

They always throw with all their might, let the distance be what it

will. Darts, bows and arrows, are to them what muskets are to us. The

arrows are made of reeds pointed with hard wood: some are bearded and

some not, and those for shooting birds have two, three, and sometimes

four points. The stones they use are, in general, the branches of coral

rocks from eight to fourteen inches long, and from an inch to an inch

and a half in diameter. I know not if they employ them as missive

weapons; almost every one of them carries a club, and besides that,

either darts, or a bow and arrows, but never both: those who had stones

kept them generally in their belts.

I cannot conclude this account of their arms without adding an entire

passage out of Mr. Wales’s journal. As this gentleman was continually on

shore amongst them, he had a better opportunity of seeing what they

could perform than any of us. The passage is as follows: “I must confess

I have been often led to think the feats which Homer represents his

heroes as performing with their spears a little too much of the

marvellous to be admitted into an heroic poem; I mean when confined

within the streight stays of Aristotle. Nay, even so great an advocate

for him as Mr. Pope acknowledges them to be _surprising_. But since I

have seen what these people can do with their wooden spears, and them

badly pointed, and not of a very hard nature, I have not the least

exception to any one passage in that great poet on this account. But, if

I see fewer exceptions, I can find infinitely more beauties in him; as

he has, I think, scarce an action, circumstance, or description of any

kind whatever, relating to a spear, which I have not seen and recognised

among these people; as their whirling motion, and whistling noise, as

they fly; their quivering motion, as they stick in the ground when they

fall; their meditating their aim, when they are going to throw; and

their shaking them in their hand as they go along, &c. &c.”

I know no more of their cookery, than that it consists of roasting and

baking; for they have no vessel in which water can be boiled. Nor do I

know that they have any other liquor but water and the juice of the

cocoa-nut.

We are utter strangers to their religion; and but little acquainted with

their government. They seem to have chiefs among them; at least some

were pointed out to us by that title; but, as I before observed, they

appeared to have very little authority over the rest of the people. Old

Geogy was the only one the people were ever seen to take the least

notice of; but whether this was owing to high rank or old age I cannot

say. On several occasions I have seen the old men respected and obeyed.

Our friend Paowang was so; and yet I never heard him called chief, and

have many reasons to believe that he had not a right to any more

authority than many of his neighbours, and few, if any, were bound to

obey him, or any other person in our neighbourhood; for if there had

been such a one, we certainly should, by some means, have known it. I

named the harbour Port Resolution, after the ship, she being the first

which ever entered it. It is situated on the north side of the most

eastern point of the island, and about E. N. E. from the volcano; in the

latitude of 19° 32ʹ 25ʺ 1/2 South, and in the longitude of 169° 44ʹ 35ʺ

East. It is no more than a little creek running in S. by W. 1/2 W. three

quarters of a mile, and is about half that in breadth. A shoal of sand

and rocks lying on the east side makes it still narrower. The depth of

water in the harbour is from six to three fathoms, and the bottom is

sand and mud. No place can be more convenient for taking in wood and

water; for both are close to the shore. The water stunk a little after

it had been a few days on board, but it afterwards turned sweet; and,

even when it was at the worst, the tin machine would, in a few hours,

recover a whole cask. This is an excellent contrivance for sweetening

water at sea, and is well known in the navy.

Mr. Wales, from whom I had the latitude and longitude, found the

variation of the needle to be 7° 14ʹ 12ʺ East, and the dip of its south

end 45° 2-1/3ʹ. He also observed the time of high water, on the full and

change days; to be about 5 h. 45m., and the tide to rise and fall three

feet.

CHAP. VII.

THE SURVEY OF THE ISLANDS CONTINUED, AND A MORE PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION

OF THEM.

As soon as the boats were hoisted in, we made sail, and stretched to the

eastward, with a fresh gale at S. E., in order to have a nearer view of

Erronan, and to see if there was any land in its neighbourhood. We stood

on till midnight, when, having passed the island, we tacked, and spent

the remainder of the night making two boards. At sunrise on the 21st, we

stood to S. W. in order to get to the south of Tanna, and nearer to

Annattom, to observe if any more land lay in that direction; for an

extraordinary clear morning had produced no discovery of any to the

east. At noon having observed in latitude 20° 33ʹ 30ʺ, the situation of

the lands around us was as follows. Port Resolution bore 86° West,

distant six and a half leagues; the island of Tanna extended from S. 88°

West, to N. 64° West; Traitor’s Head N. 58° West, distant twenty

leagues; the island of Erronan N. 86° East, distant five leagues; and

Annattom from S. 1/2 E. to S 1/2 W. distant ten leagues. We continued to

stretch to the south till two o’clock P. M. when, seeing no more land

before us, we bore up round the S. E. end of Tanna; and, with a fine

gale at E. S. E. ran along the south coast at one league from shore. It

seemed a bold one, without the guard of any rocks; and the country full

as fertile as in the neighbourhood of the harbour, and making a fine

appearance. At six o’clock the high land of Erromango appeared over the

west end of Tanna in the direction of N. 16° West; at eight o’clock we

were past the island, and steered N. N. W. for Sandwich Island, in order

to finish the survey[7] of it, and of the isles to the N. W. On the 22d,

at four o’clock P. M., we drew near the S. E. end, and ranging the south

coast, found it to trend in the direction of West and W. N. W. for about

nine leagues. Near the middle of this length, and close to the shore,

are three or four small isles, behind which seemed to be a safe

anchorage. But not thinking I had any time to spare to visit this fine

island, I continued to range the coast to its western extremity, and

then steered N. N. W. for the S. E. end of Mallicollo, which, at half

past six o’clock next morning, bore N. 14° East, distant seven or eight

leagues, and Three-Hills Island S. 82° East. Soon after, we saw the

islands Apee, Paoom, and Ambrym. What we had comprehended under the name

of Paoom appeared now to be two isles, something like a separation being

seen between the hill and the land to the west of it. We approached the

S. W. side of Mallicollo to within half a league, and ranged it at that

distance. From the S. E. point, the direction of the land is west, a

little southerly, for six or seven leagues, and then N. W. by W. three

leagues, to a pretty high point or head-land, situated in latitude 16°

29ʹ, and which obtained the name of South-West Cape. The coast, which is

low, seemed to be indented into creeks and projecting points; or else,

these points were small isles lying under the shore. We were sure of

one, which lies between two and three leagues east of the Cape. Close to

the west side or point of the Cape lies, connected with it by breakers,

a round rock or islet, which helps to shelter a fine bay, formed by an

elbow in the coast, from the reigning winds.

The natives appeared in troops on many parts of the shore, and some

seemed desirous to come off to us in canoes; but they did not; and,

probably, our not shortening sail was the reason. From the South-West

Cape, the direction of the coast is N. by W., but the most advanced land

bore from it N. W. by N. at which the land seemed to terminate.

Continuing to follow the direction of the coast, at noon it was two

miles from us; and our latitude, by observation, was 16° 22ʹ 30ʺ South.

This is nearly the parallel to Port Sandwich, and our never-failing

guide, the watch, showed that we were 26ʹ W. of it; a distance which the

breadth of Mallicollo cannot exceed in this parallel. The South-West

Cape bore S. 26° East, distant seven miles; and the most advanced point

of land, for which we steered, bore N. W. by N. At three o’clock, we

were the length of it, and found the land continued, and trending more

and more to the north. We coasted it to its northern extremity, which we

did not reach till after dark, at which time we were near enough the

shore to hear the voices of people, who were assembled round a fire they

had made on the beach. There we sounded, and found twenty fathoms and a

bottom of sand; but, on edging off from the shore, we soon got out of

sounding, and then made a trip back to the south till the moon got up.

After this we stood again to the north, hauled round the point, and

spent the night in Bougainville’s passage; being assured of our

situation before sunset, by seeing the land, on the north side of the

passage, extending as far as N. W. 1/2 W.

The south coast of Mallicollo, from the S. E. end to the S. W. Cape, is

luxuriantly clothed with wood, and other productions of nature, from the

sea-shore to the very summits of the hills. To the N. W. of the Cape the

country is less woody, but more agreeably interspersed with lawns, some

of which appeared to be cultivated. The summits of the hills seemed

barren; and the highest lies between Port Sandwich and the S. W. Cape.

Farther north, the land falls insensibly lower, and is less covered with

wood. I believe it is a very fertile island, and well inhabited; for we

saw smoke by day, and fire by night, in all parts of it.

Next morning at sunrise, we found ourselves nearly in the middle of the

passage, the N. W. end of Mallicollo extending from S. 30° East, to S.

58° West; the land to the north from N. 70° West, to N. 4° East; and the

Isle of Lepers bearing N. 30° East, distant eleven or twelve leagues. We

now made sail, and steered N. by E., and afterwards north, along the

east coast of the northern land, with a fine breeze at S. E. We found

that this coast, which at first appeared to be continued, was composed

of several low woody isles, the most of them of small extent, except the

southernmost, which, on account of the day, I named St. Bartholomew. It

is six or seven leagues in circuit, and makes the N. E. point of

Bougainville’s Passage. At noon the breeze began to slacken. We were, at

this time, between two and three miles from the land, and observed, in

latitude 15° 23ʹ, the Isle of Lepers bearing from E. by N. to E. by S.,

distant seven leagues; and an high bluff-head, at which the coast we

were upon seemed to terminate, N. N. W. 1/2 W., distant ten or eleven

leagues; but from the mast-head we could see land to the east. This we

judged to be an island, and it bore N. by W. 1/2 W.

As we advanced to N. N. W. along a fine coast, covered with woods, we

perceived low land that extended off from the bluff-head towards the

island above mentioned, but did not seem to join it. It was my intention

to have gone through the channel, but the approach of night made me lay

it aside, and steer without the island. During the afternoon we passed

some small isles lying under the shore; and observed some projecting

points of unequal height, but were not able to determine whether or no

they were connected with the main land. Behind them was a ridge of hills

which terminated at the bluff-head. There were cliffs, in some places of

the coast, and white patches, which we judged to be chalk. At ten

o’clock, being the length of the isle which lies off the head, we

shortened sail, and spent the night making short boards.

At day-break, on the 25th, we were on the north side of the island

(which is of a moderate height, and three leagues in circuit), and

steered west for the bluff-head along the low land under it. At sun-rise

an elevated coast came in sight beyond the bluff-head, extending to the

north as far as N. W. by W. After doubling the head we found the land to

trend south, a little easterly, and to form a large, deep bay, bounded

on the west by the coast just mentioned.

Every thing conspired to make us believe this was the bay of St. Philip

and St. Jago, discovered by Quiros in 1606. To determine this point it

was necessary to proceed farther up; for at this time we saw no end to

it. The wind being at south, we were obliged to ply, and first stretched

over for the west shore, from which we were three miles at noon, when

our latitude was 14° 55ʹ 30ʺ South, longitude 167° 3ʹ East; the mouth of

the bay extending from N. 64° West to S. 86° East, which last direction

was the bluff-head, distant three leagues. In the afternoon, the wind

veering to E. S. E., we could look up to the head of the bay; but as the

breeze was faint, a N. E. swell hurled us over to the west shore; so

that, at half past four o’clock P. M, we were no more than two miles

from it, and tacked in one hundred and twenty fathoms water, a soft

muddy bottom. The bluff-head, or east point of the bay, bore N. 53°

East.

We had no sooner tacked than it fell calm, and we were left to the mercy

of the swell, which continued to hurtle us towards the shore, where

large troops of people were assembled. Some ventured off in two canoes;

but all the signs of friendship we could make, did not induce them to

come along-side, or near enough to receive any present from us. At last

they took sudden fright at something, and returned ashore. They were

naked, except having some long grass, like flags, fastened to a belt,

and hanging down before and behind, nearly as low as the knee. Their

colour was very dark, and their hair woolly; or cut short, which made it

seem so. The canoes were small, and had out-riggers. The calm continued

till near eight o’clock, in which time we drove into eighty-five fathoms

water, and so near the shore, that I expected we should be obliged to

anchor. A breeze of wind sprung up at E. S. E., and first took us on the

wrong side; but, contrary to all our expectations, and when we had

hardly room to veer, the ship came about, and having filled on the

starboard tack, we stood off N. E. Thus we were relieved from the

apprehensions of being forced to anchor in a great depth, on a lee

shore, and in a dark and obscure night.

We continued to ply upwards, with variable light breezes between

E. S. E. and S., till ten next morning, when it fell calm. We were, at

this time, about seven or eight miles from the head of the bay, which is

terminated by a low beach; and behind that is an extensive flat covered

with wood, and bounded on each side by a ridge of mountains. At noon we

found the latitude to be 15° 5ʹ South, and were detained here by the

calm till one o’clock P. M., when we got a breeze at N. by W., with

which we steered up to within two miles of the head of the bay; and then

I sent Mr. Cooper and Mr. Gilbert to sound and reconnoitre the coast,

while we stood to and fro with the ship. This gave time to three sailing

canoes, which had been following us some time, to come up. There were

five or six men in each; and they approached near enough to receive such

things as were thrown to them fastened to a rope, but would not advance

along-side. They were the same sort of people as those we had seen the

preceding evening; indeed we thought they came from the same place. They

seemed to be stouter and better shaped men than those of Mallicollo; and

several circumstances concurred to make us think they were of another

nation. They named the numerals as far as five or six, in the language

of Anamocka, and understood us when we asked the names of the adjacent

lands in that language. Some, indeed, had black short frizzled hair,

like the natives of Mallicollo; but others had it long, tied up on the

crown of the head, and ornamented with feathers, like the New

Zealanders. Their other ornaments were bracelets and necklaces; one man

had something like a white shell on his forehead; and some were painted

with a blackish pigment. I did not see that they had any other weapon

but darts and gigs, intended only for striking of fish. Their canoes

were much like those of Tanna, and navigated in the same manner, or

nearly so. They readily gave us the names of such parts as we pointed

to: but we could not obtain from them the name of the island. At length,

seeing our boats coming, they paddled in for the shore, notwithstanding

all we could say or do to detain them.

When the boats returned, Mr. Cooper informed me, that they had landed on

the beach which is at the head of the bay, near a fine river, or stream

of fresh water, so large and deep, that they judged boats might enter it

at high water. They found three fathoms depth close to the beach, and

fifty-five and fifty, two cables’ length off. Farther out they did not

sound; and where we were with the ship we had no soundings with an

hundred and seventy fathoms line. Before the boats got on board, the

wind had shifted to S. S. E. As we were in want of nothing, and had no

time to spare, I took the advantage of this shift of wind, and steered

down the bay. During the fore-part of the night, the country was

illuminated with fires, from the sea-shore to the summits of the

mountains; but this was only on the west side of the shore. I cannot

pretend to say what was the occasion of these fires, but have no idea of

their being on our account. Probably they were burning or clearing the

ground for new plantations. At day-break, on the 27th, we found

ourselves two-thirds down the bay; and, as we had but little wind, it

was noon before we were the length of the N. W. point, which at this

time bore N. 82° West, distant five miles. Latitude observed, 14° 39ʹ

30ʺ.

Some of our gentlemen were doubtful of this being the bay of St. Philip

and St. Jago, as there was no place which they thought could mean the

port of Vera Cruz. For my part, I found general points to agree so well

with Quiros’s description, that I had not the least doubt about it. As

to what he calls the port of Vera Cruz, I understand that to be the

anchorage at the head of the bay, which in some places may extend

farther off than where our boats landed. There is nothing in his account

of the port which contradicts this supposition.[8] It was but natural

for his people to give a name to the place, independent of so large a

bay, where they lay so long at anchor. A port is a vague term, like many

others in geography, and has been very often applied to places far less

sheltered than this.

Our officers observed that grass and other plants grew on the beach

close to high-water mark; which is always a sure sign of pacific

anchorage, and an undeniable proof that there never is a great surf on

the shore. They judged that the tide rose about four or five feet, and

that boats and such craft might, at high water, enter the river, which

seemed to be pretty deep and broad within; so that this, probably, is

one of those mentioned by Quiros; and, if we were not deceived, we saw

the other.

The bay hath twenty leagues sea-coast; six on the east side, which lies

in the direction of S. 1/2 West and N. 1/2 East; two at the head, and

twelve on the west side, the direction of which is S. by E. and N. by W.

from the head down to two-thirds of its length, and then N. W. by N. to

the N. W. point. The two points which form the entrance lie in the

direction of S. 53° East, and N. 53° West, from each other distant ten

leagues. The bay is every where free from danger, and of unfathomable

depth, except near the shores, which are for the most part low. This,

however, is only a very narrow strip between the sea-shore and the foot

of the hills; for the bay, as well as the flat land at the head of it,

is bounded on each side by a ridge of hills, one of which, that to the

west, is very high and double, extending the whole length of the island.

An uncommonly luxuriant vegetation was every where to be seen; the sides

of the hills were chequered with plantations, and every valley watered

by a stream. Of all the productions of nature this country was adorned

with, the cocoa-nut trees were the most conspicuous. The columns of

smoke we saw by day, and the fires by night, all over the country, led

us to believe that it is well inhabited and very fertile. The east point

of this bay, which I name Cape Quiros, in memory of its first

discoverer, is situated in latitude 14° 56ʹ South, longitude 167° 13ʹ

East. The N. W. point, which I named Cape Cumberland, in honour of his

Royal Highness the Duke, lies in the latitude of 14° 38ʹ 45ʺ South,

longitude 166° 49-1/2ʹ East, and is the N. W. extremity of this

archipelago; for, after doubling it, we found the coast to trend

gradually round to the S. and S. S. E.

On the 28th and 29th we had light airs and calms, so that we advanced

but little. In this time we took every opportunity, when the horizon was

clearer than usual, to look out for more land; but none was seen. By

Quiros’s track to the north, after leaving the bay above mentioned, it

seems probable that there is none nearer than Queen Charlotte’s Island,

discovered by Captain Carteret, which lies about ninety leagues N. N. W.

from Cape Cumberland, and I take to be the same with Quiros’s Santa

Cruz.

On the 30th the calm was succeeded by a fresh breeze at S. S. E., which

enabled us to ply up the coast. At noon we observed in 15° 20ʹ;

afterwards we stretched in east, to within a mile of the shore, and then

tacked, in seventy-five fathoms, before a sandy flat, on which several

of the natives made their appearance. We observed, on the sides of the

hills, several plantations that were laid out by line, and fenced round.

On the 31st, at noon, the S. or S. W. point of the island bore N. 62°

East, distant four leagues. This forms the N. W. point of what I call

Bougainville’s Passage; the N. E. point, at this time, bore N. 85° East,

and the N. W. end of Mollicollo from S. 54° East to S. 72° East.

Latitude observed, 15° 45ʹ S. In the afternoon, in stretching to the

east, we weathered the S. W. point of the island, from which the coast

trends east northerly. It is low, and seemed to form some creeks or

coves; and, as we got farther into the passage, we perceived some small

low isles lying along it, which seemed to extend behind St. Bartholomew

Island.

Having now finished the survey of the whole archipelago, the season of

the year made it necessary for me to return to the south, while I had

yet some time left to explore any land I might meet with between this

and New Zealand; where I intended to touch, that I might refresh my

people, and recruit our stock of wood and water for another southern

course. With this view, at five P. M. we tacked, and hauled to the

southward, with a fresh gale at S. E. At this time the N. W. point of

the passage, or the S. W. point of the island Tierra del Espiritu Santo,

the only remains of Quiros’s continent, bore N. 82° West, distant three

leagues. I named it Cape Lisburne, and its situation is in latitude 15°

40ʹ, longitude 165° 59ʹ East.

The foregoing account of these islands, in the order in which we

explored them, not being particular enough either as to situation or

description, it may not be improper now to give a more accurate view of

them, which, with the annexed chart, will convey to the reader a better

idea of the whole group.

The northern islands of this archipelago were first discovered by that

great navigator, Quiros, in 1606; and, not without reason, were

considered as part of the southern continent, which, at that time, and

until very lately, was supposed to exist. They were next visited by M.

de Bougainville, in 1768; who, besides landing on the Isle of Lepers,

did no more than discover that the land was not connected, but composed

of islands, which he called the Great Cyclades. But as, besides

ascertaining the extent and situation of these islands, we added to them

several new ones which were not known before, and explored the whole, I

think we have obtained a right to name them; and shall in future

distinguish them by the name of the New Hebrides. They are situated

between the latitude of 14° 29ʹ and 20° 4ʹ South, and between 166° 41ʹ

and 170° 21ʹ East longitude, and extend an hundred and twenty-five

leagues in the direction of N. N. W. 1/2 West, and S. S. E. 1/2 East.

The most northern island is that called by M. de Bougainville Peak of

the Etoile. It is situated, according to his account, in latitude 14°

29ʹ, longitude 168° 9ʹ; and, N. by W., eight leagues from Aurora.

The next island, which lies farthest north, is that of Tierra del

Espiritu Santo. It is the most western and largest of all the Hebrides,

being twenty-two leagues long, in the direction of N. N. W. 1/2 West,

and S. S. E. 1/2 East, twelve in breadth, and sixty in circuit. We have

obtained the true figure of this island very accurately. The land of it,

especially the west side, is exceedingly high and mountainous; and, in

many places, the hills rise directly from the sea. Except the cliffs and

beaches, every other part is covered with wood, or laid out in

plantations. Besides the bay of St. Philip and St. Jago, the isles which

lie along the south and east coast, cannot, in my opinion, fail of

forming some good bays or harbours.

The next considerable island is that of Mallicollo, to the S. E. It

extends N. W. and S. E., and is eighteen leagues long in that direction.

Its greatest breadth, which is at the S. E. end, is eight leagues. The

N. W. end is two-thirds this breadth; and nearer the middle, one-third.

This contraction is occasioned by a wide and pretty deep bay on the

S. W. side. To judge of this island from what we saw of it, it must be

very fertile and well inhabited. The land on the sea-coast is rather

low, and lies with a gentle slope from the hills which are in the middle

of the island. Two-thirds of the N. E. coast was only seen at a great

distance; therefore the delineations of it on the chart can have no

pretensions to accuracy; but the other parts, I apprehend, are without

any material errors.

St. Bartholomew lies between the S. E. end of Tierra del Espiritu Santo,

and the north end of Mallicollo; and the distance between it and the

latter is eight miles. This is the passage through which M. de

Bougainville went; and the middle of it is in latitude 15° 48ʹ.

The Isle of Lepers lies between Espiritu Santo and Aurora Island, eight

leagues from the former, and three from the latter, in latitude 15° 22ʹ,

and nearly under the same meridian as the S. E. end of Mallicollo. It is

of an egg-like figure, very high, and eighteen or twenty leagues in

circuit. Its limits were determined by several bearings; but the lines

of the shore were traced out by guess, except the N. E. part, where is

anchorage half a mile from the land.

Aurora, Whitsuntide, Ambrym, Paoom, and its neighbour Apee, Threehills,

and Sandwich Islands, lie all nearly under the meridian of 167° 29ʹ or

30ʹ East, extending from the latitude of 14° 51ʹ 30ʺ, to 17° 53ʹ 30ʺ.

The island of Aurora lies N. by W. and S. by E., and is eleven leagues

long in that direction; but I believe it hardly any where exceeds two or

two and a half in breadth. It hath a good height, its surface hilly, and

every where covered with wood, except where the natives have their

dwellings and plantations.

Whitsuntide Isle, which is one league and a half to the south of Aurora,

is of the same length, and lies in the direction of north and south, but

is something broader than Aurora Island. It is considerably high, and

clothed with wood, except such parts as seemed to be cultivated, which

were pretty numerous.

From the south end of Whitsuntide Island to the north side of Ambrym is

two leagues and an half. This is about seventeen leagues in circuit; its

shores are rather low, but the land rises with an unequal ascent to a

tolerably high mountain in the middle of the island, from which ascended

great columns of smoke; but we were not able to determine whether this

was occasioned by a volcano or not. That it is fertile and well

inhabited seems probable from the quantities of smoke which we saw rise

out of the woods, in such parts of the island as came within the compass

of our sight; for it must be observed, that we did not see the whole of

it.

We saw still much less of Paoom, and its neighbourhood. I can say no

more of this island than that it towers up to a great height, in the

form of a round hay-stack; and the extent of it, and of the adjoining

isle (if there are two) cannot exceed three or four leagues in any

direction; for the distance between Ambrym and Apee is hardly five; and

they lie in this space, and east from Port Sandwich, distant about seven

or eight leagues.

The island of Apee is not less than twenty leagues in circuit; its

longest direction is about eight leagues N. W. and S. E.; it is of

considerable height, and hath a hilly surface, diversified with woods

and lawns, the west and south parts especially; for the others we did

not see.

Shepherd’s Isles are a group of small ones of unequal size, extending

off from the S. E. point of Apee about five leagues, in the direction of

S. E.

The island Threehills lies south four leagues from the coast of Apee,

and S. E. 1/2 S., distant seventeen leagues, from Port Sandwich: to

this, and what has been already said of it, I shall only add, that W. by

N., five miles from the west point, is a reef of rocks on which the sea

continually breaks.

Nine leagues, in the direction of south, from Threehills, lies Sandwich

Island. Twohills, the Monument, and Montagu Islands, lie to the east of

this line, and Hinchinbrook to the west, as also two or three small

isles which lie between it and Sandwich Island, to which they are

connected by breakers.

Sandwich Island is twenty-five leagues in circuit; its greatest extent

is ten leagues; and it lies in the direction of N. W. by W. and S. E. by

E. The N. W. coast of this island we only viewed at a distance;

therefore the chart in this part may be faulty, so far as it regards the

line of the coast, but no farther. The distance from the south end of

Mallicollo to the N. W. end of Sandwich Island is twenty-two leagues in

the direction of S. S. E. 1/2 E.

In the same direction lie Erromango, Tanna, and Annattom. The first is

18 leagues from Sandwich Island, and is twenty-four or twenty-five

leagues in circuit. The middle of it lies in the latitude of 18° 54ʹ,

longitude 169° 19ʹ E., and it is of a good height, as may be gathered

from the distance we were off when we first saw it.

Tanna lies six leagues from the south side of Erromango, extending S. E.

by S. and N. W. by N. about eight leagues long in that direction, and

every where about three or four leagues broad.

The Isle of Immer lies in the direction of N. by E. 1/2 E., four leagues

from Port Resolution in Tanna; and the island of Erronan or Footoona

east, in the same direction, distant eleven leagues. This, which is the

most eastern island of all the Hebrides, did not appear to be above five

leagues in circuit, but of a considerable height, and flat at top. On

the N. E. side is a little peak, seemingly disjoined from the isle, but

we thought it was connected by low land.

Annattom, which is the southernmost island, is situated in the latitude

of 20° 3ʹ, longitude 170° 4ʹ, and S. 30° East, eleven or twelve leagues

from Port Resolution. It is of a good height, with an hilly surface; and

more I must not say of it.

Here follows the lunar observations by Mr. Wales, for ascertaining the

longitude of these islands, reduced by the watch to Port Sandwich in

Mallicollo, and Port Resolution in Tanna.

{Mean of 10 sets of observ. before 167° 56ʹ 33ʺ 3/4 } E. Long.

{ 2 Ditto, at 168 2 37 1/2 }

PORT { 20 Ditto, after 167 52 57 }

SANDWICH, { ------------------

{Mean of those means, 167 57 22-3/4

------------------

{Mean of 20 sets of observ. before 169 37 35 } E. Long.

PORT { 5 Ditto, at 169 48 48 }

RESOLUTION, { 20 Ditto, after 169 47 22-1/2 }

{ ------------------

{Mean of those means, 169 44 35

------------------

It is necessary to observe, that each set of observations, consisting of

between six and ten observed distances of the sun and moon, or moon and

stars, the whole number amounts to several hundreds; and these have been

reduced, by means of the watch, to all the islands; so that the

longitude of each is as well ascertained as that of the two ports

above-mentioned. As a proof of this I shall only observe, that the

longitude of the two ports, as pointed out by the watch and by the

observations, did not differ two miles. This also shows what degree of

accuracy these observations are capable of, when multiplied to a

considerable number, made with different instruments, and with the sun

and stars, or both sides of the moon. By this last method, the errors

which may be either in the instruments or lunar tables, destroy one

another, and likewise those which may arise from the observer himself;

for some men may observe closer than others. If we consider the number

of observations that may be obtained in the course of a month (if the

weather is favourable) we shall perhaps find this method of finding the

longitude of places as accurate as most others; at least it is the most

easy, and attended with the least expense to the observer. Every ship

that goes to foreign parts is, or may be, supplied with a sufficient

number of quadrants at a small expense; I mean good ones, proper for

making these observations. For the difference of the price between a

good and bad one, I apprehend, can never be an object with an officer.

The most expensive article, and what is in some measure necessary in

order to arrive at the utmost accuracy, is a good watch; but for common

use, and where that strict accuracy is not required, this may be

dispensed with. I have observed before, in this journal, that this

method of finding the longitude is not so difficult but that any man,

with proper application, and a little practice, may soon learn to make

these observations as well as the astronomers themselves. I have seldom

known any material difference between the observations made by Mr.

Wales, and those made by the officers at the same time.[9]

In observing the variation of the magnetic needle, we found, as usual,

our compasses differ among themselves, sometimes near 2°; the same

compass, too, would sometimes make nearly this difference in the

variation on different days, and even between the morning and evening of

the same day, when our change of situation has been but very little. By

the mean of the observations which I made about Erromango, and the S. E.

part of these islands, the variation of the compass was 10° 5ʹ 48ʺ East;

and the mean of those made about Tierra del Espiritu Santo, gave 10° 5ʹ

30ʺ East. This is considerably more than Mr. Wales found it to be at

Tanna. I cannot say what might occasion this difference in the variation

observed at sea and on shore, unless it be influenced by the land; for I

must give the preference to that found at sea, as it is agreeable to

what we observed before we made the islands, and after we left them.

CHAP. VIII.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF NEW CALEDONIA, AND THE INCIDENTS THAT

HAPPENED WHILE THE SHIP LAY IN BALADE.

At sun-rise on the 1st of September, after having stood to S. W. all

night, no more land was to be seen. The wind remaining in the S. E.

quarter, we continued to stand to S. W. On the 2d, at five o’clock

P. M., being in the latitude 18° 22ʹ, longitude 165° 26ʹ, the variation

was 10° 50ʹ East; and at the same hour on the 3d, it was 10° 51ʹ,

latitude at that time 19° 14ʹ, longitude 165° East. The next morning, in

the latitude of 19° 49ʹ, longitude 164° 53ʹ, the amplitude gave 10° 21ʹ,

and the azimuths 10° 7ʹ East. At eight o’clock, as we were steering to

the south, land was discovered bearing S. S. W., and at noon it extended

from S. S. E. to W. by S., distant about six leagues. We continued to

steer for it with a light breeze at east, till five in the evening, when

we were stopped by a calm. At this time we were three leagues from the

land, which extended from S. E. by S. to W. by N. round by the S. W.

Some openings appeared in the west, so that we could not tell whether it

was one connected land or a group of islands. To the S. E. the coast

seemed to terminate in a high promontory, which I named Cape Colnett,

after one of my midshipmen, who first discovered this land. Breakers

were seen about half-way between us and the shore; and, behind them, two

or three canoes under sail, standing out to sea, as if their design had

been to come off to us; but a little before sun-set they struck their

sails, and we saw them no more. After a few hours’ calm, we got a breeze

at S. E., and spent the night standing off and on.

On the 5th, at sun-rise, the horizon being clear, we could see the coast

extend to the S. E. of Cape Colnett, and round by the S. W. to N. W. by

W. Some gaps or openings were yet to be seen to the west; and a reef, or

breakers, seemed to lie all along the coast, connected with those we

discovered the preceding night. It was a matter of indifference to me

whether we plied up the coast to the S. E. or bore down to N. W. I chose

the latter; and after running two leagues down the outside of the reef

(for such it proved), we came before an opening that had the appearance

of a good channel, through which we might go in for the land. I wanted

to get at it, not only to visit it, but also to have an opportunity to

observe an eclipse of the sun which was soon to happen. With this view

we brought to, hoisted out two armed boats, and sent them to sound the

channel, ten or twelve large sailing canoes being then near us. We had

observed them coming off from the shore, all the morning, from different

parts; and some were lying on the reef, fishing as we supposed. As soon

as they all got together, they came down to us in a body, and were

pretty near when we were hoisting out our boats, which probably gave

them some alarm; for, without stopping, they hauled in for the reef, and

our boats followed them. We now saw that what we had taken for openings

in the coast was low land, and that it was all connected, except the

western extremity, which was an island, known by the name of Balabea, as

we afterwards learnt.

The boats having made a signal for a channel, and one of them being

placed on the point of the reef, on the weather side of it, we stood in

with the ship, and took up the other boat in our way, when the officer

informed me, that where we were to pass, was sixteen and fourteen

fathoms water, a fine sandy bottom, and that, having put along-side two

canoes, he found the people very obliging and civil. They gave him some

fish; and, in return, he presented them with medals, &c. In one was a

stout robust young man, whom they understood to be a chief. After

getting within the reef, we hauled up S. 1/2 E. for a small low sandy

isle that we observed lying under the shore, being followed by all the

canoes. Our sounding, in standing in, was from fifteen to twelve

fathoms, (a pretty even fine sandy bottom,) for about two miles; then we

had six, five, and four fathoms. This was on the tail of a shoal which

lies a little without the small isle to the N. E. Being over it, we

found seven and eight fathoms water, which shallowed gradually, as we

approached the shore, to three fathoms, when we tacked, stood off a

little, and then anchored in five fathoms, the bottom a fine sand mixed

with mud. The little sandy isle bore E. by S. three quarters of a mile

distant; and we were one mile from the shore of the main, which extended

from S. E. by E. round by the south to W. N. W. The island of Balabea

bore N. W. by N., and the channel, through which we came, north, four

miles distant. In this situation we were extremely well sheltered from

the reigning winds, by the sandy isle and its shoals, and by the shoal

without them.

We had hardly got to an anchor before we were surrounded by a great

number of the natives, in sixteen or eighteen canoes, the most of whom

were without any sort of weapons. At first they were shy of coming near

the ship; but in a short time we prevailed on the people in one boat to

get close enough to receive some presents. These we lowered down to them

by a rope; to which, in return, they tied two fish that stunk

intolerably, as did those they gave us in the morning. These mutual

exchanges bringing on a kind of confidence, two ventured on board the

ship; and presently after she was filled with them, and we had the

company of several at dinner in the cabin. Our pea-soup, salt-beef, and

pork, they had no curiosity to taste; but they eat of some yams, which

we happened to have yet left, calling them _Oobee_. This name is not

unlike _Oofee_, as they are called at most of the islands, except

Mallicollo; nevertheless, we found these people spoke a language new to

us. Like all the nations we had lately seen, the men were almost naked,

having hardly any other covering but such a wrapper as is used at

Mallicollo.[10] They were curious in examining every part of the ship,

which they viewed with uncommon attention. They had not the least

knowledge of goats, hogs, dogs, or cats, and had not even a name for one

of them. They seemed fond of large spike-nails, and pieces of red cloth,

or indeed of any other colour; but red was their favourite.

[Illustration: _View in the Island of New Caledonia._]

After dinner I went on shore with two armed boats, having with us one of

the natives who had attached himself to me. We landed on a sandy beach

before a vast number of people, who had got together with no other

intent than to see us; for many of them had not a stick in their hands;

consequently we were received with great courtesy, and with the surprise

natural for people to express at seeing men and things so new to them as

we must be. I made presents to all those my friend pointed out, who were

either old men, or such as seemed to be of some note; but he took not

the least notice of some women who stood behind the crowd, holding my

hand when I was going to give them some beads and medals. Here we found

the same chief who had been seen in one of the canoes in the morning.

His name, we now learnt, was Teabooma; and we had not been on shore

above ten minutes, before he called for silence. Being instantly obeyed

by every individual present, he made a short speech; and soon after

another chief having called for silence, made a speech also. It was

pleasing to see with what attention they were heard. Their speeches were

composed of short sentences; to each of which two or three old men

answered, by nodding their heads, and giving a kind of grunt,

significant, as I thought, of approbation. It was impossible for us to

know the purport of these speeches; but we had reason to think they were

favourable to us, on whose account they doubtless were made. I kept my

eyes fixed on the people all the time, and saw nothing to induce me to

think otherwise. While we were with them, having inquired, by signs, for

fresh water, some pointed to the east, and others to the west. My friend

undertook to conduct us to it, and embarked with us for that purpose. We

rowed about two miles up the coast to the east, where the shore was

mostly covered with mangrove trees; and entering amongst them, by a

narrow creek or river, which brought us to a little straggling village

above all the mangroves, there we landed, and were shown fresh water.

The ground near this village was finely cultivated, being laid out in

plantations of sugar-canes, plantains, yams, and other roots; and

watered by little rills, conducted by art from the main stream, whose

source was in the hills. Here were some cocoa-nut trees, which did not

seem burdened with fruit. We heard the crowing of cocks, but saw none.

Some roots were baking on a fire, in an earthen jar, which would have

held six or eight gallons; nor did we doubt its being their own

manufacture. As we proceeded up the creek, Mr. Forster having shot a

duck flying over our heads, which was the first use these people saw

made of our fire-arms, my friend begged to have it; and when he landed,

told his countrymen in what manner it was killed. The day being far

spent, and the tide not permitting us to stay longer in the creek, we

took leave of the people, and got on board a little after sunset. From

this little excursion, I found that we were to expect nothing from these

people but the privilege of visiting their country undisturbed. For it

was easy to see they had little else than good-nature to bestow. In this

they exceeded all the nations we had yet met with; and, although it did

not satisfy the demands of nature, it at once pleased and left our minds

at ease.

Next morning we were visited by some hundreds of the natives; some

coming in canoes, and others swimming off; so that before ten o’clock,

our decks, and all other parts of the ship, were quite full with them.

My friend, who was of the number, brought me a few roots, but all the

others came empty in respect to eatables. Some few had with them their

arms, such as clubs and darts, which they exchanged for nails, pieces of

cloth, &c. After breakfast, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill with two armed

boats to look for fresh water; for what we found the day before was by

no means convenient for us to get on board. At the same time, Mr. Wales,

accompanied by Lieutenant Clerke, went to the little isle to make

preparations for observing the eclipse of the sun, which was to be in

the afternoon. Mr. Pickersgill soon returning, informed me that he had

found a stream of fresh water, pretty convenient to come at. I therefore

ordered the launch to be hoisted out to complete our water, and then

went to the isle to assist in the observation.

About one P. M. the eclipse came on. Clouds interposed, and we lost the

first contact, but were more fortunate in the end, which was observed as

follows: