-
A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD; PERFORMED IN
HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS THE RESOLUTION AND ADVENTURE, IN THE YEARS
1772, 3, 4, AND 5. WRITTEN BY JAMES COOK, COMMANDER OF THE RESOLUTION.
IN WHICH IS INCLUDED CAPTAIN FURNEAUX'S NARRATIVE OF HIS PROCEEDINGS
IN THE ADVENTURE DURING THE SEPARATION OF THE SHIPS. IN TWO VOLUMES.
ILLUSTRATED WITH MAPS AND CHARTS, AND A VARIETY OF PORTRAITS OF
PERSONS AND VIEWS AND PLACES, DRAWN DURING THE VOYAGE BY MR. HODGES,
AND ENGRAVED BY THE MOST EMINENT MASTERS.
VOLUME II
* * *
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR W STRAHAN AND T CADELL IN THE STRAND.
MDCCLXXVII
(1777)
* * *
CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME.
BOOK III.
From Ulietea to New Zealand.
CHAPTER I. Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Isles, with a Description
of several Islands that were discovered, and the Incidents which happened
in that Track.
CHAPTER II. Reception at Anamocka; a Robbery and its Consequences, with a
Variety of other Incidents. Departure from the Island. A sailing Canoe
described. Some Observations on the Navigation of these Islanders. A
Description of the Island, and of those in the Neighbourhood, with
some Account of the Inhabitants, and nautical Remarks.
CHAPTER III. The Passage from the Friendly Isles to the New Hebrides, with
an Account of the Discovery of Turtle Island, and a Variety of Incidents
which happened, both before and after the Ship arrived in Port
Sandwich, in the Island of Mallicollo. A Description of the Port, the
adjacent Country, its Inhabitants, and many other Particulars.
CHAPTER IV. An Account of the Discovery of several Islands, and an
Interview and Skirmish with the Inhabitants upon one of them. The Arrival
of the Ship at Tanna, and the Reception we met with there.
CHAPTER V. An Intercourse established with the Natives; some Account of
the Island, and a Variety of Incidents that happened during our Stay at it.
CHAPTER VI. Departure from Tanna; with some Account of its Inhabitants,
their Manners and Arts.
CHAPTER VII. The survey of the Islands continued, and a more particular
Description of them.
CHAPTER VIII. An Account of the Discovery of New Caledonia, and the
Incidents that happened while the Ship lay in Balade.
CHAPTER IX. A Description of the Country and its Inhabitants; their
Manners, Customs, and Arts.
CHAPTER X. Proceedings on the Coast of New Caledonia, with Geographical
and Nautical Observations.
CHAPTER XI. Sequel of the Passage from New Caledonia to New Zealand,
with an Account of the Discovery of Norfolk Island; and the Incidents that
happened while the Ship lay in Queen Charlotte's Sound.
BOOK IV.
From leaving New Zealand to our Return to England.
CHAPTER I. The Run from New Zealand to Terra del Fuego, with the Range
from Cape Deseada to Christmas Sound, and Description of that Part of the
Coast.
CHAPTER II. Transactions in Christmas Sound, with an Account of the
Country and its Inhabitants.
CHAPTER III. Range from Christmas Sound, round Cape Horn, through Strait
Le Maire, and round Staten Land; with an Account of the Discovery of a
Harbour in that Island, and a Description of the Coasts,
CHAPTER IV. Observations, geographical and nautical, with an Account of
the Islands near Staten Land, and the Animals found in them,
CHAPTER V. Proceedings after leaving Staten Island, with an Account of
the Discovery of the Isle of Georgia, and a Description of it,
CHAPTER VI. Proceedings after leaving the Isle of Georgia, with an Account
of the Discovery of Sandwich Land; with some Reasons for there being Land
about the South Pole,
CHAPTER VII. Heads of what has been done in the Voyage; with some
Conjectures concerning the Formation of Ice-Islands; and an Account of
our Proceedings till our Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope,
CHAPTER VIII. Captain Furneaux's Narrative of his Proceedings, in the
Adventure, from the Time he was separated from the Resolution, to his
Arrival in England; including Lieutenant Burney's Report concerning the
Boat's Crew who were murdered by the Inhabitants of Queen Charlotte's
Sound,
CHAPTER IX. Transactions at the Cape of Good Hope; with an Account of
some Discoveries made by the French; and the Arrival of the Ship at St
Helena,
CHAPTER X. Passage from St Helena to the Western Islands, with a
Description of the Island of Ascension and Fernando Noronha,
CHAPTER XI. Arrival of the Ship at the Island of Fayal, a Description
of the Place, and the Return of the Resolution to England.
Tables of the route of the Resolution and the Adventure, the variation
of the compass and meteorological observations during the voyage.
A Vocabulary of the Language of the Society Isles.
A table, exhibiting at one view, specimens of different languages spoken
in the South Sea, from Easter Island, westward to New Caledonia, as
observed in the voyage.
Letter from John Ibbetson Esq., secretary to the Commissioners of
Longitude, to Sir John Pringle, Baronet, P.R.S.
A discourse upon some late improvementsof the means for preserving
the health of mariners, delivered at the anniversary meeting of the
Royal Society, Nov. 30, 1776. By Sir John Pringle, Bart. President.
* * * * *
A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD.
BOOK III.
FROM ULIETEA TO NEW ZEALAND.
CHAPTER I.
_Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Isles, with a Description of
several Islands that were discovered, and the Incidents which happened in
that Track._
1774 June
On the 6th, being the day after leaving Ulietea, at eleven o'clock a.m., we
saw land bearing N.W., which, upon a nearer approach, we found to be a low
reef island about four leagues in compass, and of a circular form. It is
composed of several small patches connected together by breakers, the
largest lying on the N.E. part. This is Howe Island, discovered by Captain
Wallis, who, I think, sent his boat to examine it; and, if I have not been
misinformed, found a channel through, within the reef, near the N.W. part.
The inhabitants of Ulietea speak of an uninhabited island about this
situation, called by them Mopeha, to which they go at certain seasons for
turtle. Perhaps, this may be the same; as we saw no signs of inhabitants
upon it. Its latitude is 16° 46' S. longitude 154° 8' W.
From this day to the 16th, we met nothing remarkable, and our course was
west southerly; the winds variable from north round by the east to S.W.,
attended with cloudy, rainy, unsettled weather, and a southerly swell. We
generally brought-to, or stood upon a wind during night; and in the day
made all the sail we could. About half an hour after sun-rise this morning,
land was seen from the top-mast head, bearing N.N.E. We immediately altered
the course, and steering for it, found it to be another reef island,
composed of five or six woody islets, connected together by sand-banks and
breakers inclosing a lake, into which we could see no entrance. We ranged
the west and N.W. coasts, from its southern to its northern-extremity,
which is about two leagues, and so near the shore, that at one time we
could see the rocks under us; yet we found no anchorage, nor saw we any
signs of inhabitants. There were plenty of various kinds of birds, and the
coast seemed to abound with fish. The situation of this isle is not very
distant from that assigned by Mr Dalrymple for La Sagitaria, discovered by
Quiros; but, by the description the discoverer has given of it, it cannot
be the same. For this reason, I looked upon it as a new discovery, and
named it Palmerston Island, in honour of Lord Palmerston, one of the lords
of the Admiralty. It is situated in latitude 18° 4' S. longitude 163° 10'
W.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, we left this isle, and resumed our course
to the W. by S. with a fine steady gale easterly, till noon on the 20th, at
which time, being in latitude 18° 50', longitude 168° 52, we thought we saw
land to S.S.W. and hauled up for it accordingly. But two hours after, we
discovered our mistake, and resumed our course W. by S. Soon after, we saw
land from the mast-head in the same direction; and, as we drew nearer,
found it to be an island, which, at five o'clock, bore west, distant five
leagues. Here we spent the night plying under the topsails; and at day-break
next morning, bore away, steering to the northern point, and ranging
the west coast at the distance of one mile, till near noon. Then perceiving
some people on the shore, and landing seeming to be easy, we brought-to,
and hoisted out two boats, with which I put off to the land, accompanied by
some of the officers and gentlemen. As we drew near the shore, some of the
inhabitants, who were on the rocks, retired to the woods, to meet us, as we
supposed; and we afterwards found our conjectures right. We landed with
ease in a small creek, and took post on a high rock to prevent a surprise.
Here we displayed our colours, and Mr Forster and his party began to
collect plants, etc. The coast was so over-run with woods, bushes, plants,
stones, etc. that we could not see forty yards round us. I took two men, and
with them entered a kind of chasm, which opened a way into the woods. We
had not gone far before we heard the natives approaching; upon which I
called to Mr Forster to retire to the party, as I did likewise. We had no
sooner joined than the islanders appeared at the entrance of a chasm not a
stone's throw from us. We began to speak, and make all the friendly signs
we could think of, to them, which they answered by menaces; and one of two
men, who were advanced before the rest, threw a stone, which struck Mr
Sparrman on the arm. Upon this two muskets were fired, without order, which
made them all retire under cover of the woods; and we saw them no more.
After waiting for some little time, and till we were satisfied nothing was
to be done here, the country being so overrun with bushes, that it was
hardly possible to come to parley with them, we embarked and proceeded down
along shore, in hopes of meeting with better success in another place.
After ranging the coast for some miles, without seeing a living soul, or
any convenient landing-place, we at length came before a small beach, on
which lay four canoes. Here we landed by means of a little creek, formed by
the flat rocks before it, with a view of just looking at the canoes, and to
leave some medals, nails, etc. in them; for not a soul was to be seen. The
situation of this place was to us worse than the former. A flat rock lay
next the sea; behind it a narrow stone beach; this was bounded by a
perpendicular rocky cliff of unequal height, whose top was covered with
shrubs; two deep and narrow chasms in the cliff seemed to open a
communication into the country. In or before one of these lay the four
canoes which we were going to look at; but in the doing of this, I saw we
should be exposed to an attack from the natives, if there were any, without
being in a situation proper for defence. To prevent this, as much as could
be, and to secure a retreat in case of an attack, I ordered the men to be
drawn up upon the rock, from whence they had a view of the heights; and
only myself, and four of the gentlemen, went up to the canoes. We had been
there but a few minutes, before the natives, I cannot say how many, rushed
down the chasm out of the wood upon us. The endeavours we used to bring
them to a parley, were to no purpose; for they came with the ferocity of
wild boars, and threw their darts. Two or three muskets, discharged in the
air did not hinder one of them from advancing still farther, and throwing
another dart, or rather a spear, which passed close over my shoulder. His
courage would have cost him his life, had not my musket missed fire; for I
was not five paces from him when he threw his spear, and had resolved to
shoot him to save myself. I was glad afterwards that it happened as it did.
At this instant, our men on the rock began to fire at others who appeared
on the heights, which abated the ardour of the party we were engaged with,
and gave us time to join our people, when I caused the firing to cease. The
last discharge sent all the islanders to the woods, from whence they did
not return so long as we remained. We did not know that any were hurt. It
was remarkable, that when I joined our party, I tried my musket in the air,
and it went off as well as a piece could do. Seeing no good was to be got
with these people, or at the isle, as having no port, we returned on board,
and having hoisted in the boats, made sail to the W.S.W. I had forgot to
mention in its proper order, that having put ashore a little before we came
to this last place, three or four of us went upon the cliffs, where we
found the country, as before, nothing but coral rocks, all over-run with
bushes, so that it was hardly possible to penetrate into it; and we
embarked again with intent to return directly on board, till we saw the
canoes; being directed to the place by the opinion of some of us, who
thought they heard some people.
The conduct and aspect of these islanders occasioned my naming it Savage
Island. It is situated in the latitude 19° 1' S. longitude 169° 37' W. It
is about eleven leagues in circuit; of a round form, and good height; and
hath deep waters close to its shores. All the sea-coast, and as far inland
as we could see, is wholly covered with trees, shrubs, etc.; amongst which
were some cocoa-nut trees; but what the interior parts may produce we know
not. To judge of the whole garment by the skirts, it cannot produce much;
for so much as we saw of it consisted wholly of coral rocks, all over-run
with woods and bushes. Not a bit of soil was to be seen; the rocks alone
supplying the trees with humidity. If these coral rocks were first formed
in the sea by animals, how came they thrown up to such an height? Has this
island been raised by an earthquake? Or has the sea receded from it? Some
philosophers have attempted to account for the formation of low isles, such
as are in the sea; but I do not know that any thing has been said of high
islands, or such as I have been speaking of. In this island, not only the
loose rocks which cover the surface, but the cliffs which bound the shores,
are of coral stone, which the continual beating of the sea has formed into
a variety of curious caverns, some of them very large: The roof or rock
over them being supported by pillars, which the foaming waves have formed
into a multitude of shapes, and made more curious than the caverns
themselves. In one we saw light was admitted through a hole at the top; in
another place, we observed that the whole roof of one of these caverns had
sunk in, and formed a kind of valley above, which lay considerably below
the circumjacent rocks.
I can say but little of the inhabitants, who, I believe, are not numerous.
They seemed to be stout well-made men, were naked except round the waists,
and some of them had their faces, breasts, and thighs painted black. The
canoes were precisely like those of Amsterdam; with the addition of a
little rising like a gunwale on each side of the open part; and had some
carving about them, which shewed that these people are full as ingenious.
Both these islanders and their canoes agree very well with the description
M. de Bougainville has given of those he saw off the Isle of Navigators,
which lies nearly under the same meridian.
After leaving Savage Island, we continued to steer W.S.W. with a fine
easterly trade-wind, till the 24th in the evening, when, judging ourselves
not far from Rotterdam, we brought-to, and spent the night plying under the
top-sails. At daybreak next morning, we bore away west; and soon after, saw
a string of islands extending from S.S.W. by the west to N.N.W. The wind
being at N.E., we hauled to N.W., with a view of discovering more
distinctly the isles in that quarter; but, presently after, we discovered a
reef of rocks a-head, extending on each bow farther than we could see. As
we could not weather them, it became necessary to tack and bear up to the
south, to look for a passage that way. At noon the southernmost island bore
S.W., distant four miles. North of this isle were three others, all
connected by breakers, which we were not sure did not join to those we had
seen in the morning, as some were observed in the intermediate space. Some
islands were also seen to the west of those four; but Rotterdam was not yet
in sight. Latitude 20° 23' S. longitude 174° 6' W. During the whole
afternoon, we had little wind; so that at sunset, the southernmost isle
bore W.N.W., distant five miles; and some breakers, we had seen to the
south, bore now S.S.W. 1/2 W. Soon after it fell calm, and we were left to
the mercy of a great easterly swell; which, however, happened to have no
great effect upon the ship. The calm continued till four o'clock the next
morning, when it was succeeded by a breeze from the south. At day-light,
perceiving a likelihood of a passage between the islands to the north and
the breakers to the south, we stretched in west, and soon after saw more
islands, both to the S.W. and N.W., but the passage seemed open and clear.
Upon drawing near the islands, we sounded, and found forty-five and forty
fathoms, a clear sandy bottom. I was now quite easy, since it was in our
power to anchor, in case of a calm; or to spend the night, if we found no
passage. Towards noon some canoes came off to us from one of the isles,
having two or three people in each; who advanced boldly alongside, and
exchanged some cocoa-nuts, and shaddocks, for small nails. They pointed out
to us Anamocka, or Rotterdam; an advantage we derived from knowing the
proper names. They likewise gave us the names of some of the other isles,
and invited us much to go to theirs, which they called Cornango. The breeze
freshening, we left them astern, and steered for Anamocka; meeting with a
clear passage, in which we found unequal sounding, from forty to nine
fathoms, depending, I believe, in a great measure, on our distance from the
islands which form it.
As we drew near the south end of Rotterdam, or Anamocka, we were met by a
number of canoes, laden with fruit and roots; but as I did not shorten
sail, we had but little traffic with them. The people in one canoe enquired
for me by name; a proof that these people have an intercourse with those of
Amsterdam. They importuned us much to go towards their coast, letting us
know, as we understood them, that we might anchor there. This was on the
S.W. side of the island, where the coast seemed to be sheltered from the S.
and S.E. winds; but as the day was far spent, I could not attempt to go in
there, as it would have been necessary to have sent first a boat to examine
it. I therefore stood for the north side of the island, where we anchored
about three-fourths of a mile from shore; the extremes of it bearing south,
88° E. to S.W.; a cove with a sandy beach at the bottom of it S. 50° E.