_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._
1774 October
The wind continuing at S.W., W.S.W., and W., blowing a fresh gale, and now
and then squalls, with showers of rain, we steered to S.S.E, without
meeting with any remarkable occurrence till near noon on the 6th, when it
fell calm. At this time we were in the latitude of 27° 50' S., longitude
171° 43' E. The calm continued till noon the next day, during which time we
observed the variation to be 10° 33' E. I now ordered the carpenters to
work to caulk the decks. As we had neither pitch, tar, nor rosin, left to
pay the seams, this was done with varnish of pine, and afterwards covered
with coral sand, which made a cement far exceeding my expectation. In the
afternoon, we had a boat in the water, and shot two albatrosses, which were
geese to us. We had seen one of this kind of birds the day before, which
was the first we observed since we had been within the tropic. On the 7th,
at one p.m. a breeze sprung up at south; soon after it veered to, and fixed
at S.E. by S., and blew a gentle gale, attended with pleasant weather.
We stretched to W.S.W., and next day at noon were in the latitude of 28°
25', longitude 170° 26' E. In the evening, Mr Cooper haying struck a
porpoise with a harpoon, it was necessary to bring-to, and have two boats
out, before we could kill it, and get it on board. It was six feet long; a
female of that kind, which naturalists call dolphin of the ancients, and
which differs from the other kind of porpoise in the head and jaw, having
them long and pointed. This had eighty-eight teeth in each jaw. The haslet
and lean flesh were to us a feast. The latter was a little liverish, but
had not the least fishy taste. It was eaten roasted, broiled, and fried,
first soaking it in warm water. Indeed, little art was wanting to make any
thing fresh, palatable to those who had been living so long on salt
meat.
We continued to stretch to W.S.W. till the 10th, when at day-break we
discovered land, bearing S.W., which on a nearer approach we found to be an
island of good height, and five leagues in circuit. I named it Norfolk
Isle, in honour of the noble family of Howard. It is situated in the
latitude of 29° 2' 30" S. and longitude 168° 16' E. The latter was
determined by lunar observations made on this, the preceding, and following
days; and the former by a good observation at noon, when we were about
three miles from the isle. Soon after we discovered the isle, we sounded in
twenty-two fathoms on a bank of coral sand; after this we continued to
sound, and found not less than twenty-two; or more than twenty-four fathoms
(except near the shore), and the same bottom mixed with broken shells.
After dinner a party of us embarked in two boats, and landed on the island,
without any difficulty, behind some large rocks, which lined part of the
coast on the N.E. side.
We found it uninhabited, and were undoubtedly the first that ever set foot
on it. We observed many trees and plants common at New Zealand; and, in
particular, the flax-plant, which is rather more luxuriant here than in any
part of that country; but the chief produce is a sort of spruce-pine, which
grows in great abundance, and to a large size, many of the trees being as
thick, breast high, as two men could fathom, and exceedingly straight and
tall. This pine is a sort between that which grows in New Zealand, and that
in New Caledonia; the foliage differing something from both, and the wood
not so heavy as the former, nor so light and close-grained as the latter.
It is a good deal like the Quebec pine. For about two hundred yards from
the shore, the ground is covered so thick with shrubs and plants, as hardly
to be penetrated farther inland. The woods were perfectly clear and free
from underwood, and the soil seemed rich and deep.
We found the same kind of pigeons, parrots, and parroquets as in New
Zealand, rails, and some small birds. The sea-fowl are, white boobies,
gulls, tern, etc. which breed undisturbed on the shores, and in the cliffs
of the rocks.
On the isle is fresh water; and cabbage-palm, wood-sorrel, sow-thistle, and
samphire, abounding in some places on the shore, we brought on board as
much of each sort as the time we had to gather them would admit. These
cabbage-trees or palms were not thicker than a man's leg, and from ten to
twenty feet high. They are of the same genus with the cocoa-nut tree; like
it they have large pinnated leaves, and are the same as the second sort
found in the northern parts of New South Wales*. The cabbage is, properly
speaking, the bud of the tree; each tree producing but one cabbage, which
is at the crown, where the leaves spring out, and is inclosed in the stem.
The cutting off the cabbage effectually destroys the tree; so that no more
than one can be had from the same stem. The cocoa-nut tree, and some others
of the palm kind, produce cabbage as well as these. This vegetable is not
only wholesome, but exceedingly palatable, and proved the most agreeable
repast we had for some time.
[Vide Hawkesworth's Voyages, Vol III, Page 624.]
The coast does not want fish. While we were on shore, the people in the
boats caught some which were excellent. I judged that it was high water at
the full and change, about one o'clock; and that the tide rises and falls
upon a perpendicular about four or five feet.
The approach of night brought us all on board, when we hoisted in the
boats, and stretched to E.N.E. (with the wind at S.E.) till midnight, when
we tacked, and spent the remainder of the night making short boards.
Next morning at sun-rise, we made sail, stretching to S.S.W., and weathered
the island; on the south side of which lie two isles, that serve as
roosting and breeding-places for birds. On this, as also on the S.E. side,
is a sandy beach; whereas most of the other shores are bounded by rocky
cliffs, which have twenty and eighteen fathoms water close to them: At
least so we found it on the N.E. side, and with good anchorage. A bank of
coral sand, mixed with shells, on which we found from nineteen to thirty-five
or forty fathoms water, surrounds the isle, and extends, especially to
the south, seven leagues off. The morning we discovered the island, the
variation was found to be 13° 9' E.; but I think this observation gave too
much, as others which we had, both before and after, gave 2° less.
After leaving Norfolk Isle, I steered for New Zealand, my intention being
to touch at Queen Charlotte's Sound, to refresh my crew, and put the ship
in a condition to encounter the southern latitudes.
On the 17th, at day-break, we saw Mount Egmont, which was covered with
everlasting snow, bearing S.E. 1/2 E. Our distance from the shore was about
eight leagues, and, on sounding, we found seventy fathoms water, a muddy
bottom. The wind soon fixed in the western board, and blew a fresh gale,
with which we steered S.S.E. for Queen Charlotte's Sound, with a view of
falling in with Cape Stephens. At noon Cape Egmont bore E.N.E. distant
three or four leagues; and though the mount was hid in the clouds, we
judged it to be in the same direction as the Cape; latitude observed 39°
24'. The wind increased in such a manner as to oblige us to close-reef our
top-sails, and strike top-gallant yards. At last we could bear no more sail
than the two courses, and two close-reefed top-sails; and under them we
stretched for Cape Stephens, which we made at eleven o'clock at night.
At midnight we tacked and made a trip to the north till three o'clock next
morning, when we bore away for the sound. At nine we hauled round Point
Jackson through a sea which looked terrible, occasioned by a rapid tide,
and a high wind; but as we knew the coast, it did not alarm us. At eleven
o'clock we anchored before Ship Cove; the strong flurries from off the land
not permitting us to get in.
In the afternoon, as we could not move the ship, I went into the Cove, with
the seine, to try to catch some fish. The first thing I did after landing,
was to look for the bottle I left hid when last there, in which was the
memorandum. It was taken away, but by whom it did not appear. Two hauls
with the seine producing only four small fish, we, in some measure, made up
for this deficiency, by shooting several birds, which the flowers in the
garden had drawn thither, as also some old shags, and by robbing the nests
of some young ones.
Being little wind next morning, we weighed and warped the ship into the
Cove, and there moored with the two bowers. We unbent the sails to repair
them; several having been split, and otherwise damaged in the late gale.
The main and fore courses, already worn to the very utmost, were condemned
as useless. I ordered the top-masts to be struck and unrigged, in order to
fix to them moveable chocks or knees, for want of which the trestle-trees
were continually breaking; the forge to be set up, to make bolts and repair
our iron-work; and tents to be erected on shore for the reception of a
guard, coopers, sail-makers, etc. I likewise gave orders that vegetables (of
which there were plenty) should be boiled every morning with oatmeal and
portable broth for breakfast, and with pease and broth every day for dinner
for the whole crew, over and above their usual allowance of salt meat.
In the afternoon, as Mr Wales was setting up his observatory, he discovered
that several trees, which were standing when we last sailed from this
place, had been cut down with saws and axes; and a few days after, the
place where an observatory, clock, etc. had been set up, was also found, in
a spot different from that where Mr Wales had placed his. It was,
therefore, now no longer to be doubted, that the Adventure had been in this
cove after we had left it.
Next day, wind southerly; hazy clouded weather. Every body went to work at
their respective employments, one of which was to caulk the ship's sides, a
thing much wanted. The seams were paid with putty, made with cook's fat and
chalk; the gunner happening to have a quantity of the latter on board.
The 21st, wind southerly, with continual rains.
The weather being fair in the afternoon of the 22d, accompanied by the
botanists, I visited our gardens on Motuara, which we found almost in a
state of nature, having been wholly neglected by the inhabitants.
Nevertheless, many articles were in a flourishing condition, and shewed how
well they liked the soil in which they were planted. None of the natives
having yet made their appearance, we made a fire on the point of the
island, in hopes, if they saw the smoke, they might be induced to come to
us.
Nothing remarkable happened till the 24th, when, in the morning, two canoes
were seen coming down the sound; but as soon as they perceived the ship,
they retired behind a point on the west side. After breakfast I went in a
boat to look for them; and as we proceeded along the shore, we shot several
birds. The report of the muskets gave notice of our approach, and the
natives discovered themselves in Shag Cove by hallooing to us; but as we
drew near to their habitations, they all fled to the woods, except two or
three men, who stood on a rising ground near the shore, with their arms in
their hands. The moment we landed, they knew us. Joy then took place of
fear; and the rest of the natives hurried out of the woods, and embraced us
over and over again; leaping and skipping about like madmen, but I observed
that they would not suffer some women, whom we saw at a distance, to come
near us. After we had made them presents of hatchets, knives, and what else
we had with us, they gave us in return a large quantity of fish, which they
had just caught. There were only a few amongst them whose faces we could
recognise, and on our asking why they were afraid of us, and enquiring for
some of our old acquaintances by name, they talked much about killing,
which was so variously understood by us, that we could gather nothing from
it, so that, after a short stay, we took leave, and went on board.
Next morning early, our friends, according to a promise they had made us
the preceding evening, paying us a visit, brought with them a quantity of
fine fish, which they exchanged for Otaheitean cloth, etc. and then returned
to their habitations.
On the 26th, we got into the after-hold four boat-load of shingle ballast,
and struck down six guns, keeping only six on deck. Our good friends the
natives, having brought us a plentiful supply of fish, afterwards went on
shore to the tents, and informed our people there, that a ship like ours
had been lately lost in the strait; that some of the people got on shore;
and that the natives stole their clothes, etc. for which several were shot;
and afterwards, when they could fire no longer, the natives having got the
better, killed them with their patapatoos, and eat them, but that they
themselves had no hand in the affair, which, they said, happened at Vanna
Aroa, near Terrawhitte, on the other side of the strait. One man said it
was two moons ago: But another contradicted him, and counted on his fingers
about twenty or thirty days. They described by actions how the ship was
beat to pieces by going up and down against the rocks, till at last it was
all scattered abroad.
The next day some others told the same story, or nearly to the same
purport, and pointed over the east bay, which is on the east side of the
sound, as to the place where it happened. These stories making me very
uneasy about the Adventure, I desired Mr Wales, and those on shore, to let
me know if any of the natives should mention it again, or to send them to
me; for I had not heard any thing from them myself. When Mr Wales came on
board to dinner he found the very people who had told him the story on
shore, and pointed them out to me. I enquired about the affair, and
endeavoured to come at the truth by every method I could think of. All I
could get from them was, "Caurey," (no); and they not only denied every
syllable of what they had said on shore, but seemed wholly ignorant of the
matter; so that I began to think our people had misunderstood them, and
that the story referred to some of their own people and boats.
On the 28th, fresh gales westerly, and fair weather. We rigged and fitted
the top-masts. Having gone on a shooting-party to West Bay, we went to the
place where I left the hogs and fowls; but saw no vestiges of them, nor of
any body having been there since. In our return, having visited the
natives, we got some fish in exchange for trifles which we gave them. As we
were coming away, Mr Forster thought be heard the squeaking of a pig in the
woods, close by their habitations; probably they may have those I left with
them when last here. In the evening we got on board, with about a dozen and
a half of wild fowl, shags, and sea-pies. The sportsmen who had been out in
the woods near the ship were more successful among the small birds.
On the 29th and 30th nothing remarkable happened, except that in the
evening of the latter all the natives left us.
The 31st being a fine pleasant day, our botanists went over to Long Island,
where one of the party saw a large black boar. As it was described to me, I
thought it might be one of those which Captain Furneaux left behind, and
had been brought over to this isle by those who had it in keeping. Since
they did not destroy those hogs when first in their possession, we cannot
suppose they will do it now; so that there is little fear but that this
country will in time be stocked with these animals, both in a wild and
domestic state.
1774 November
Next day we were visited by a number of strangers who came up from the
sound, and brought with them but little fish. Their chief commodity was
green stone or talc, an article which never came to a bad market; and some
of the largest pieces of it I had ever seen were got this day.
On the 2d I went over to the east side of the sound, and, without meeting
any thing remarkable, returned on board in the evening, when I learnt that
the same people who visited us the preceding day, had been on board most of
this, with their usual article of trade.
On the 3d, Mr Pickersgill met with some of the natives, who related to him
the story of a ship being lost, and the people being killed; but added,
with great earnestness, it was not done by them.
On the 4th, fine pleasant weather. Most of the natives now retired up the
sound. Indeed, I had taken every gentle method, to oblige them to be gone,
for since these newcomers had been with us, our old friends had
disappeared, and we had been without fish. Having gone over to Long Island,
to look for the hog which had been seen there, I found it to be one of the
sows left by Captain Furneaux; the same that was in the possession of the
natives when we were last here. From the supposition of its being a boar, I
had carried over a sow to leave with him; but on seeing my mistake, brought
her back, as the leaving her there would answer no end.
Early in the morning of the 5th, our old friends made us a visit, and
brought a seasonable supply of fish. At the same time I embarked in the
pinnace, with Messrs Forsters and Sparrman, in order to proceed up the
sound. I was desirous of finding the termination of it; or rather of seeing
if I could find any passage out to sea by the S.E., as I suspected from
some discoveries I had made when first here. In our way up, we met with
some fishers, of whom we made the necessary enquiry; and they all agreed
that there was no passage to the sea by the head of the sound. As we
proceeded, we, some time after, met a canoe conducted by four men coming
down the sound. These confirmed what the others had said, in regard to
there being no passage to the sea the way we were going; but gave us to
understand that there was one to the east, in the very place where I
expected to find it. I now laid aside the scheme of going to the head of
the sound, and proceeded to this arm, which is on the S.E. side, about four
or five leagues above the isle of Motuara.
A little within the entrance on the S.E. side, at a place called
Kotieghenooee, we found a large settlement of the natives., The chief,
whose name was Tringo-boohee, and his people, whom we found to be some of
those who had lately been on board the ship, received us with great
courtesy. They seemed to be pretty numerous both here and in the
neighbourhood. Our stay with them was short, as the information they gave
us encouraged us to pursue the object we had in view. Accordingly, we
proceeded down the arm E.N.E. and E. by N., leaving several fine coves on
both sides, and at last found it to open into the strait by a channel about
a mile wide, in which ran out a strong tide; having also observed one
setting down the arm, all the time we had been in it. It was now about four
o'clock in the afternoon, and in less than an hour after, this tide ceased,
and was succeeded by the flood, which came in with equal strength.
The outlet lies S.E. by E. and N.W. by W. and nearly in the direction of
E.S.E. and W.N.W. from Cape Terrawhitte. We found thirteen fathoms water a
little within the entrance, clear ground. It seemed to me that a leading
wind was necessary to go in and out of this passage, on account of the
rapidity of the tides. I, however, had but little time to make observations
of this nature, as night was at hand, and I had resolved to return on
board. On that account I omitted visiting a large _hippa_, or strong-hold,
built on an elevation on the north side, and about a mile or two
within the entrance, The inhabitants of it, by signs, invited us to go to
them; but, without paying any regard to them, we proceeded directly for the
ship, which we reached by ten o'clock, bringing with us some fish we had
got from the natives, and a few birds we had shot. Amongst the latter were
some of the same kinds of ducks we found in Dusky Bay, and we have reason
to believe that they are all to be met with here. For the natives knew them
all by the drawings, and had a particular name for each.
On the 6th, wind at N.E., gloomy weather with rain. Our old friends having
taken up their abode near us, one of them, whose name was Pedero, (a man of
some note,) made me a present of a staff of honour, such as the chiefs
generally carry. In return, I dressed him in a suit of old clothes, of
which he was not a little proud. He had a fine person, and a good presence,
and nothing but his colour distinguished him from an European. Having got
him, and another, into a communicative mood, we began to enquire of them if
the Adventure had been there during my absence; and they gave us to
understand, in a manner which admitted of no doubt, that, soon after we
were gone, she arrived; that she staid between ten and twenty days, and had
been gone ten months. They likewise asserted that neither she, nor any
other ship, had been stranded on the coast, as had been reported. This
assertion, and the manner in which they related the coming and going of the
Adventure, made me easy about her; but did not wholly set aside our
suspicions of a disaster having happened to some other strangers. Besides
what has been already related, we had been told that a ship had lately been
here, and was gone to a place called Terato, which is on the north side of
the strait. Whether this story related to the former or no, I cannot say.
Whenever I questioned the natives about it, they always denied all
knowledge of it, and for some time past, had avoided mentioning it. It was
but a few days before, that one man received a box on the ear for naming it
to some of our people.
After breakfast I took a number of hands over to Long Island, in order to
catch the sow, to put her to the boar and remove her to some other place;
but we returned without seeing her. Some of the natives had been there not
long before us, as their fires were yet burning; and they had undoubtedly
taken her away. Pedero dined with us, eat of every thing at table, and
drank more wine than any one of us, without being in the least affected by
it.
The 7th, fresh gales at N.E. with continual rain.
The 8th, fore-part rain, remainder fair weather. We put two pigs, a boar,
and a sow, on shore, in the cove next without Cannibal Cove; so that it is
hardly possible all the methods I have taken to stock this country with
these animals should fail. We had also reason to believe that some of the
cocks and hens which I left here still existed, although we had not seen
any of them; for an hen's egg was, some days before, found in the woods
almost new laid.
On the 9th, wind westerly or N.W., squally with rain. In the morning we
unmoored, and shifted our birth farther out of the cove, for the more ready
getting to sea the next morning; for at present the caulkers had not
finished the sides, and till this work was done we could not sail. Our
friends having brought us a very large and seasonable supply of fish, I
bestowed on Pedero a present of an empty oil-jar, which made him as happy
as a prince. Soon after, he and his party left the cove, and retired to
their proper place of abode, with all the treasure they had received from
us. I believe that they gave away many of the things they, at different
times, got from us, to their friends and neighbours, or else parted with
them to purchase peace of their more powerful enemies; for we never saw any
of our presents after they were once in their possession: And every time we
visited them they were as much in want of hatchets, nails, etc. to all
appearance, as if they never had had any among them.
I am satisfied that the people in this sound, who are, upon the whole,
pretty numerous, are under no regular form of government, or so united as
to form one body politic. The head of each tribe, or family, seems to be
respected; and that respect may, on some occasions, command obedience; but
I doubt if any amongst them have either a right or power to enforce it. The
day we were with Tringo-boohee, the people came from all parts to see us,
which he endeavoured to prevent. But though he went so far as to throw
stones at some, I observed that very few paid any regard either to his
words or actions; and yet this man was spoken of as a chief of some note. I
have, before, made some remarks on the evils attending these people for
want of union among themselves; and the more I was acquainted with them,
the more I found it to be so. Notwithstanding they are cannibals, they are
naturally of a good disposition, and have not a little humanity.
In the afternoon a party of us went ashore into one of the coves, where
were two families of the natives variously employed; some sleeping, some
making mats, others roasting fish and fir roots, and one girl, I observed,
was heating of stones. Curious to know what they were for, I remained near
her. As soon as the stones were made hot, she took them out of the fire,
and gave them to an old woman, who was sitting in the hut. She placed them
in a heap, laid over them a handful of green celery, and over that a coarse
mat, and then squatted herself down, on her heels, on the top of all; thus
making a kind of Dutch warming-pan, on which she sat as close as a hare on
her seat. I should hardly have mentioned this operation, if I had thought
it had no other view than to warm the old woman's backside. I rather
suppose it was intended to cure some disorder she might have on her, which
the steams arising from the green celery might be a specific for. I was led
to think so by there being hardly any celery in the place, we having
gathered it long before; and grass, of which there was great plenty, would
have kept the stones from burning the mat full as well, if that had been
all that was meant. Besides, the woman looked to me sickly, and not in a
good state of health.
Mr Wales, from time to time, communicated to me the observations he had
made in this Sound for determining the longitude, the mean results of which
give 174° 25' 7" 1/2 east, for the bottom of Ship Cove, where the
observations were made; and the latitude of it is 41° 5' 50" 1/2 south. In
my chart, constituted in my former voyage, this place is laid down in 184°
54' 30" west, equal to 175° 5' 30" east. The error of the chart is
therefore 0° 40' 0", and nearly equal to what was found at Dusky Bay; by
which it appears that the whole of Tavai-poenamoo is laid down 40' too far
east in the said chart, as well as in the journal of the voyage. But the
error in Eaheino-mauwe, is not more than half a degree, or thirty minutes;
because the distance between. Queen Charlotte's Sound and Cape Palliser has
been found to be greater by 10' of longitude than it is laid down in the
chart. I mention these errors, not from a fear that they will affect either
navigation or geography, but because I have no doubt of their existence;
for, from the multitude of observations which Mr Wales took, the situation
of few parts of the world is better ascertained than Queen Charlotte's
Sound. Indeed, I might, with equal truth, say the same of all the other
places where we made any stay; for Mr Wales, whose abilities are equal to
his assiduity, lost no one observation that could possibly be obtained.
Even the situation of those islands, which we passed without touching at
them, is, by means of Kendal's watch, determined with almost equal
accuracy. The error of the watch from Otaheite to this place was only 43'
39" 1/2 in longitude, reckoning at the rate it was found to go at, at that
island and at Tanna; but by reckoning at the rate it was going when last at
Queen Charlotte's Sound, and from the time of our leaving it, to our return
to it again, which was near a year, the error was 19' 31", 25 in time, or
4° 52' 48" 1/4 in longitude. This error cannot be thought great, if we
consider the length of time, and that we had gone over a space equal to
upwards of three-fourths of the equatorial circumference of the earth, and
through all the climates and latitudes from 9° to 71°. Mr Wales found its
rate of going here to be that of gaining 12",576, on mean time, per day.
The mean result of all the observations he made for ascertaining the
variation of the compass and the dip of the south end of the needle, the
three several times we had been here, gave 14° 9' 1/5 east for the former;
and 64° 36" 2/3 for the latter. He also found, from very accurate
observations, that the time of high-water preceded the moon's southing, on
the full and change days, by three hours; and that the greatest rise and
fall of the water was five feet ten inches, and a half; but there were
evident tokens on the beach, of its having risen two feet higher than ever
it did in the course of his experiments.
A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD.
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._
1774 November
At day-break on the 10th, with a fine breeze at W.N.W., we weighed and
stood out of the Sound; and, after getting round the Two Brothers, steered
for Cape Campbell, which is at the S.W. entrance of the Strait, all sails
set, with a fine breeze at north. At four in the afternoon, we passed the
Cape, at the distance of four or five leagues, and then steered S.S.E. 1/2
E. with the wind at N.W., a gentle gale, and cloudy weather.
Next morning the wind veered round by the west to south, and forced us more
to the east than I intended. At seven o'clock in the evening, the snowy
mountains bore W. by S., and Cape Palliser N. 1/2 W., distant sixteen or
seventeen leagues; from which cape I, for the third time, took my
departure. After a few hours calm, a breeze springing up at north, we
steered S. by E. all sails set, with a view of getting into the latitude of
54° or 55°; my intention being to cross this vast ocean nearly in these
parallels, and so as to pass over those parts which were left unexplored
the preceding summer.
In the morning of the 12th, the wind increased to a fine gale: At noon we
observed in latitude 43° 13' 30" S., longitude 176° 41' E.; an
extraordinary fish of the whale kind was seen, which some called a sea
monster. I did not see it myself. In the afternoon, our old companions the
pintado peterels began to appear.
On the 13th, in the morning, the wind veered to W.S.W. At seven, seeing the
appearance of land to S.W., we hauled up towards it, and soon found it to
be a fog-bank. Afterwards we steered S.E. by S., and soon after saw a seal.
At noon, latitude, by account, 44° 25', longitude 177° 31' E. Foggy
weather, which continued all the afternoon. At six in the evening, the wind
veered to N.E. by N., and increased to a fresh gale, attended with thick
hazy weather; course steered S.E. 1/4 S.
On the 14th, a.m. saw another seal. At noon, latitude 45° 54', longitude
179° 29' E.
On the 15th, a.m. the wind veered to the westward; the fog cleared away,
but the weather continued cloudy. At noon, latitude 47° 30', longitude 178°
19' W.; for, having passed the meridian of 180° E., I now reckon my
longitude west of the first meridian, viz. Greenwich. In the evening heard
penguins, and the next morning saw some sea or rock weed. At noon a fresh
gale from the west and fine weather. Latitude observed 49° 33', longitude
175° 31' W.
Next morning fresh gales and hazy weather; saw a seal and several pieces of
weed. At noon, latitude 51° 12', longitude 173° 17' W. The wind veered to
the N. and N.E. by N., blew a strong gale by squalls, which split an old
topgallant sail, and obliged us to double-reef the top-sails; but in the
evening the wind moderated, and veered to W.N.W., when we loosed a reef out
of each top-sail; and found the variation of the compass to be 9° 52' E.,
being then in the latitude 51° 47', longitude 172° 21' W., and the next
morning, the 18th, in the latitude of 52° 25', longitude 170° 45' W., it
was 10° 26' E. Towards noon, had moderate but cloudy weather, and a great
swell from the west: Some penguins and pieces of sea-weed seen.
On the 19th, steered E.S.E, with a very fresh gale at north, hazy dirty
weather. At noon, latitude 53° 43', longitude 166° 15' W.
On the 20th, steered E. by S., with a moderate breeze at north, attended
with thick hazy weather. At noon, latitude 54° 8', longitude 162° 18' W.
On the 21st, winds mostly from the N.E., a fresh gale attended with thick,
hazy, dirty weather. Course S.E. by S.; latitude, at noon, 55° 31',
longitude 160° 29'; abundance of blue peterels and some penguins seen.
Fresh gales at N.W. by N. and N. by W., and hazy till towards noon of the
22d, when the weather cleared up, and we observed in latitude 55° 48' S.,
longitude 156° 56' W. In the afternoon had a few hours calm; after that,
the wind came at S.S.E. and S.E. by S. a light breeze, with which we
steered east northerly. In the night the aurora australis was visible, but
very faint, and no ways remarkable.
On the 23d, in the latitude of 55° 46' S., longitude 156° 13' W., the
variation was 9° 42' E. We had a calm from ten in the morning till six in
the evening, when a breeze sprung up at west; at first it blew a gentle
gale, but afterwards freshened. Our course was now E. 1/2 N.
On the 24th, a fresh breeze at N.W. by W. and N. by W. At noon, in latitude
55° 38' S., longitude 153° 37' W., foggy in the night, but next day had a
fine gale at N.W., attended with clear pleasant weather; course steered E.
by N. In the evening, being in the latitude of 55° 8' S., longitude 148°
10' W., the variation, by the mean of two compasses, was 6° 35' E.
Having a steady fresh gale at N.N.W. on the 26th and 27th, we steered east;
and at noon on the latter were in latitude 55° 6' S., longitude 138° 56' W.
I now gave up all hopes of finding any more land in this ocean, and came to
a resolution to steer directly for the west entrance of the Straits of
Magalhaeus, with a view of coasting the out, or south side of Terra del
Fuego round Cape Horn to the strait Le Maire. As the world has but a very
imperfect knowledge of this shore, I thought the coasting of it would be of
more advantage, both to navigation and to geography, than any thing I could
expect to find in a higher latitude. In the afternoon of this day, the wind
blew in squalls, and carried away the main top-gallant mast.
A very strong gale northerly, with hazy rainy weather, on the 28th, obliged
us to double-reef the fore and main top-sail to hand the mizen top-sail,
and get down the fore top-gallant yard. In the morning, the bolt rope of
the main top-sail broke, and occasioned the sail to be split. I have
observed that the ropes to all our sails, the square sails especially, are
not of a size and strength sufficient to wear out the canvass. At noon,
latitude 55° 20' S., longitude 134° 16' W., a great swell from N.W.:
Albatrosses and blue peterels seen.
Next day towards noon, the wind abating, we loosed all the reefs out of the
top-sails, rigged another top-gallant mast, and got the yards across. P.M.
little wind, and hazy weather; at midnight calm, that continued till noon
the next day, when a breeze sprung up at east, with which we stretched to
the northward. At this time we were in the latitude 55° 32' S., longitude
128° 45' W.; some albatrosses and peterels seen. At eight, p.m., the wind
veering to N.E., we tacked and stood to E.S.E.
1774 December
On the 1st of December, thick hazy weather, with drizzling rain, and a
moderate breeze of wind, which, at three o'clock p.m. fell to a calm; at
this time in latitude 55° 41' S., longitude 127° 5' W. After four hours
calm, the fog cleared away, and we got a wind at S.E. with which we stood
N.E.
Next day, a fresh breeze at S.E. and hazy foggy weather, except a few hours
in the morning, when we found the variation to be 1° 28' E. Latitude 55°
17', longitude 125° 41' W. The variation after this was supposed to
increase; for on the 4th, in the morning, being in latitude 53° 31',
longitude 121° 31' W., it was 3° 16' E.; in the evening, in latitude 53°
13', longitude 119° 46' W., it was 3° 28' E.; and on the 5th, at six
o'clock in the evening, in latitude 53° 8', longitude 115° 58' W., it was
4° 1' E.
For more than twenty-four hours, having had a fine gale at south, this
enabled us to steer east, with very little deviation to the north; and the
wind now altering to S.W. and blowing a steady fresh breeze, we continued
to steer east, inclining a little to south.
On the 6th, had some snow-showers. In the evening, being in latitude 53°
13', longitude 111° 12', the variation was 4° 58' E.; and the next morning,
being in latitude 58° 16', longitude 109° 33', it was 5° 1' E.
The wind was now at west, a fine pleasant gale, sometimes with showers of
rain. Nothing remarkable happened, till the 9th, at noon, when being in the
latitude of 53° 37', longitude 103° 44' W., the wind veered to N.E., and
afterwards came insensibly round to the south, by the E. and S.E., attended
with cloudy hazy weather, and some showers of rain.
On the 10th, a little before noon, latitude 54°, longitude 102° 7' west,
passed a small bed of sea-weed. In the afternoon the wind veered to S.W.,
blew a fresh gale, attended with dark cloudy weather. We steered east half
a point north; and the next day, at six in the evening, being in latitude
53° 35', longitude 95° 52' west, the variation was 9° 58' east. Many and
various sorts of albatrosses about the ship.
On the 12th, the wind veered to the west, N.W.; and in the evening to
north; and, at last, left us to a calm; that continued till midnight, when
we got a breeze at south; which, soon after, veering to, and fixing at,
west, we steered east; and on the 14th, in the morning, found the variation
to be 13° 25' east, latitude 53° 25', longitude 87° 53' west; and in the
afternoon, being in the same latitude, and the longitude of 86° 2' west, it
was 15° 3' east, and increased in such a manner, that on the 15th, in the
latitude of 53° 30', longitude 82° 23' west, it was 17° east; and the next
evening, in the latitude of 53° 25', longitude 78° 40', it was 17° 38'
east. About this time, we saw a penguin and a piece of weed; and the next
morning, a seal and some diving peterels. For the three last days, the wind
had been at west, a steady fresh gale, attended, now and then, with showers
of rain or hail.
At six in the morning of the 17th, being nearly in the same latitude as
above, and in the longitude of 77° 10' west, the variation was 18° 33'
east; and in the afternoon it was 21° 38, being at that time in latitude
53° 16' S., longitude 75° 9' west. In the morning, as well as in the
afternoon, I took some observations to determine the longitude by the
watch; and the results, reduced to noon, gave 76° 18' 30" west. At the same
time, the longitude, by my reckoning, was 76° 17' west. But I have reason
to think, that we were about half a degree more to the west than either the
one or the other; our latitude, at the same time, was 53° 21' S.
We steered E. by N. and E. 1/2 N. all this day, under all the sail we could
carry, with a fine fresh gale at N.W. by W. in expectation of seeing the
land before night; but not making it till ten o'clock, we took in the
studding-sails, top-gallant sails, and a reef in each top-sail, and steered
E.N.E., in order to make sure of falling in with Cape Deseada.
Two hours after, we made the land, extending from N.E. by N. to E. by S.
about six leagues distant. On this discovery, we wore and brought-to, with
the ship's head to the south; and having sounded, found seventy-five
fathoms water, the bottom stone and shells. The land now before us could be
no other than the west coast of Terra del Fuego, and near the west entrance
to the Straits of Magalhaens.
As this was the first run that had been made directly across this ocean, in
a high southern latitude*, I have been a little particular in noting
every circumstance that appeared in the least material: and, after all, I
must observe, that I never made a passage any where of such length, or even
much shorter, where so few interesting circumstances occurred. For, if I
except the variation of the compass, I know of nothing else worth notice.
The weather had been neither unusually stormy nor cold. Before we arrived
in the latitude of 50°, the mercury in the thermometer fell gradually from
sixty to fifty; and after we arrived in the latitude of 55°, it was
generally between forty-seven and forty-five; once or twice it fell to
forty-three. These observations were made at noon.
[It is not to be supposed that I could known at this time, that the
Adventure had made the passage before me.]
I have now done with the southern Pacific Ocean; and flatter myself that no
one will think that I have left it unexplored; or that more could have been
done, in one voyage, towards obtaining that end, than has been done in
this.
Soon after we left New Zealand, Mr Wales contrived, and fixed up, an
instrument, which very accurately measured the angle the ship rolled, when
sailing large and in a great sea; and that in which she lay down, when
sailing upon a wind. The greatest angle he observed her to roll was 38°.
This was on the 6th of this month, when the sea was not unusually high; so
that it cannot be reckoned the greatest roll she had made. The most he
observed her to heel or lie down, when sailing upon a wind, was 18°; and
this was under double-reefed top-sails and courses.
On the 18th, at three in the morning, we sounded again, and found one
hundred and ten fathoms, the same bottom as before. We now made sail with a
fresh gale at N.W., and steered S.E. by E. along the coast. It extended
from Cape Deseada, which bore north 7° east, to E S.E.; a pretty high
ragged isle, which lies near a league from the main, and S., 18° E. six
leagues E. from Cape Deseada, bore N. 49° E. distant four leagues; and it
obtained the name of Landfall. At four o'clock, we were north and south of
the high land of Cape Deseada, distant about nine leagues; so that we saw
none of the low rocks said to lie off it. The latitude of this Cape is
about 53° S., longitude 74° 40' west.
Continuing to range the coast, at about two leagues distance, at eleven
o'clock we passed a projecting point, which I called Cape Gloucester. It
shews a round surface of considerable height, and has much the appearance
of being an island. It lies S.S.E. 1/2 E. distant seventeen leagues from
the isle of Landfall. The coast between them forms two bays, strewed with
rocky islets, rocks, and breakers. The coast appeared very broken with many
inlets; or rather it seemed to be composed of a number of islands. The land
is very mountainous, rocky, and barren, spotted here and there with tufts
of wood, and patches of snow. At noon Cape Gloucester bore north, distant
eight miles, and the most advanced point of land to the S.E., which we
judged to be Cape Noir, bore S.E. by S., distant seven or eight leagues.
Latitude observed 54° 13' S. Longitude, made from Cape Deseada, 54' E. From
Cape Gloucester, off which lies a small rocky island, the direction of the
coast is nearly S.E.; but to Cape Noir, for which we steered, the course is
S.S.E., distant about ten leagues.
At three o'clock we passed Cape Noir, which is a steep rock of considerable
height, and the S.W. point of a large island that seemed to lie detached, a
league, or a league and a half, from the main land. The land of the cape,
when at a distance from it, appeared to be an island disjoined from the
other; but, on a nearer approach, we found it connected by a low neck of
land. At the point of the cape are two rocks; the one peaked like a
sugar- loaf, the other not so high, and shewing a rounder surface; and S.
by E., two leagues from the cape, are two other rocky islets. This cape is
situated in the latitude of 54° 30' S., longitude 73° 33' W.
After passing the two islets, we steered E.S.E., crossing the great bay of
St Barbara. We but just saw the land in the bottom of it, which could not
be less than seven or eight leagues from us. There was a space, lying in
the direction of E.N.E. from Cape Noir, where no land was to be seen: this
may be the channel of St Barbara, which opens into the straits of
Magalhaens, as mentioned by Frezier. We found the cape to agree very well
with his description, which shews that he laid down the channel from good
memoirs. At ten o'clock, drawing near the S.E. point of the bay, which,
lies nearly in the direction of S. 60° E. from Cape Noir, eighteen leagues
distant, we shortened sail, and spent the night standing off and on.
At two o'clock in the morning of the 19th, having made sail, we steered
S.E. by E. along the coast, and soon passed the S.E. point of the bay of St
Barbara, which I called Cape Desolation, because near it commenced the most
desolate and barren country I ever saw. It is situated in the latitude of
54° 55' S., longitude 72° 12' W. About four leagues to the east of this
cape is a deep inlet, at the entrance of which lies a pretty large island,
and some others of less note. Nearly in this situation some charts place a
channel leading into the straits of Magalhaens, under the name of straits
of Jelouzel. At ten o'clock, being about a league and a half from the land,
we sounded, and found sixty fathoms water, a bottom of small stones and
shells.
The wind, which had been fresh at N. by W., began to abate, and at noon it
fell calm, when we observed in latitude 55° 20' S., longitude made from
Cape Deseada 3° 24' E. In this situation we were about three leagues from
the nearest shore, which was that of an island. This I named Gilbert Isle,
after my master. It is nearly of the same height with the rest of the
coast, and shews a surface composed of several peaked rocks unequally high.
A little to the S.E. of it are some smaller islands, and, without them,
breakers.
I have before observed that this is the most desolate coast I ever saw. It
seems entirely composed of rocky mountains without the least appearance of
vegetation. These mountains terminate in horrible precipices, whose craggy
summits spire up to a vast height, so that hardly any thing in nature can
appear with a more barren and savage aspect than the whole of this country.
The inland mountains were covered with snow, but those on the sea-coast
were not. We judged the former to belong to the main of Terra del Fuego,
and the latter to be islands, so ranged as apparently to form a coast.
After three hours calm we got a breeze at S.E. by E., and having made a
short trip to south, stood in for the land; the most advanced point of
which, that we had in sight, bore east, distant ten leagues. This is a
lofty promontory, lying E.S.E, nineteen leagues from Gilbert isle, and
situated in latitude 55° 26' S, longitude 70° 25' W. Viewed from the
situation we now were in, it terminated in two high towers; and, within
them, a hill shaped like a sugar-loaf. This wild rock, therefore, obtained
the name of York Minster. Two leagues to the westward of this head appeared
a large inlet, the west point of which we fetched in with by nine o'clock,
when we tacked in forty-one fathoms water, half a league from the shore; to
the westward of this inlet was another, with several islands lying in the
entrance.
During the night between the 19th and 20th we had little wind easterly,
which in the morning veered to N.E. and N.N.E., but it was too faint to be
of use; and at ten we had a calm, when we observed the ship to drive from
off the shore out to sea. We had made the same observation the day before.
This must have been occasioned by a current; and the melting of the snow
increasing, the inland waters will cause a stream to run out of most of
these inlets. At noon we observed in latitude 55° 39' 30" S., York Minster
then bearing N. 15° E., distant five leagues; and Round-hill, just peeping
above the horizon, which we judged to belong to the isles of St Ildefonso,
E. 25° S., ten or eleven leagues distant. At ten o'clock, a breeze
springing up at E. by S., I took this opportunity to stand in for the land,
being desirous of going into one of the many ports which seemed open to
receive us, in order to take a view of the country, and to recruit our
stock of wood and water.
In standing in for an opening, which appeared on the east side of York
Minster, we had forty, thirty-seven, fifty, and sixty fathoms water, a
bottom of small stones and shells. When we had the last soundings, we were
nearly in the middle between the two points that form the entrance to the
inlet, which we observed to branch into two arms, both of them lying in
nearly north, and disjoined by an high rocky point. We stood for the
eastern branch as being clear of islets; and after passing a black rocky
one, lying without the point just mentioned, we sounded, and found no
bottom with a line of an hundred and seventy fathoms. This was altogether
unexpected, and a circumstance that would not have been regarded if the
breeze had continued; but at this time it fell calm, so that it was not
possible to extricate ourselves from this disagreeable situation. Two boats
were hoisted out, and sent a-head to tow; but they would have availed
little, had not a breeze sprung up about eight o'clock at S.W., which put
it in my power either to stand out to sea, or up the inlet. Prudence seemed
to point out the former, but the desire of finding a good port, and of
learning something of the country, getting the better of every other
consideration, I resolved to stand in; and, as night was approaching, our
safety depended on getting to an anchor. With this view we continued to
sound, but always had an unfathomable depth.
Hauling up under the east side of the land which divided the two arms, and
seeing a small cove ahead, I sent a boat to sound; and we kept as near the
shore as the flurries from the land would permit, in order to be able to
get into this place, if there should be anchorage. The boat soon returned,
and informed us that there was thirty and twenty-five fathoms water, a full
cable's length from the shore; here we anchored in thirty fathoms, the
bottom sand and broken shells; and carried out a kedge and hawser to steady
the ship for the night.
CHAPTER II.
_Transactions in Christmas Sound, with an Account of the Country and its
Inhabitants._
1774 December
The morning of the 21st was calm and pleasant. After breakfast I set out
with two boats to look for a more secure station. We no sooner got round,
or above the point, under which the ship lay, than we found a cove in which
was anchorage in thirty, twenty, and fifteen fathoms, the bottom stones and
sand. At the head of the cove was a stony beach, a valley covered with
wood, and a stream of fresh water, so that there was every thing we could
expect to find in such a place, or rather more; for we shot three geese out
of four that we saw, and caught some young ones, which we afterwards let
go.
After discovering and sounding this cove, I sent Lieutenant Clerke, who
commanded the other boat, on board, with orders to remove the ship into
this place, while I proceeded farther up the inlet. I presently saw that
the land we were under, which disjoined the two arms, as mentioned before,
was an island, at the north end of which the two channels united. After
this I hastened on board, and found every thing in readiness to weigh,
which was accordingly done, and all the boats sent ahead to tow the ship
round the point. But at that moment a light breeze came in from the sea too
scant to fill our sails, so that we were obliged to drop the anchor again,
for fear of falling upon the point, and to carry out a kedge to windward.
That being done, we hove up the anchor, warped up to, and weighed the
kedge, and proceeding round the point under our stay-sails; there anchored
with the best bower in twenty fathoms; and moored with the other bower,
which lay to the north, in thirteen fathoms. In this position we were shut
in from the sea by the point above-mentioned, which was in one with the
extremity of the inlet to the east. Some islets, off the next point above
us, covered us from the N.W., from which quarter the wind had the greatest
fetch, and our distance from the shore was about one-third of a mile.
Thus situated we went to work, to clear a place to fill water, to cut wood,
and to set up a tent for the reception of a guard, which was thought
necessary, as we had already discovered that, barren as this country is, it
was not without people, though we had not yet seen any. Mr Wales also got
his observatory and instruments on shore; but it was with the greatest
difficulty he could find a place of sufficient stability, and clear of the
mountains, which every where surrounded us, to set them up in; and at last
he was obliged to content himself with the top of a rock not more than nine
feet over.
Next day I sent Lieutenants Clerke and Pickersgill, accompanied by some of
the other officers, to examine and draw a sketch of the channel on the
other side of the island; and I went myself in another boat, accompanied by
the botanists, to survey the northern parts of the sound. In my way I
landed on the point of a low isle covered with herbage, part of which had
been lately burnt: We likewise saw a hut, signs sufficient that people were
in the neighbourhood. After I had taken the necessary bearings, we
proceeded round the east end of Burnt Island, and over to what we judged to
be the main of Terra del Fuego, where we found a very fine harbour
encompassed by steep rocks of vast height, down which ran many limpid
streams of water; and at the foot of the rocks some tufts of trees, fit for
little else but fuel.
This harbour, which I shall distinguish by the name of the Devil's Bason,
is divided, as it were, into two, an inner and an outer one; and the
communication between them is by a narrow channel five fathoms deep. In the
outer bason I found thirteen and seventeen fathoms water, and in the inner
seventeen and twenty-three. This last is as secure a place as can be, but
nothing can be more gloomy. The vast height of the savage rocks which
encompass it, deprived great part of it, even on this day, of the meridian
sun. The outer harbour is not quite free from this inconvenience, but far
more so than the other; it is also rather more commodious, and equally
safe. It lies in the direction of north, a mile and a half distant from
the east end of Burnt Island. I likewise found a good anchoring-place a
little to the west of this harbour, before a stream of water, that comes
out of a lake or large reservoir, which is continually supplied by a
cascade falling into it.
Leaving this place, we proceeded along the shore to the westward, and found
other harbours which I had not time to look into. In all of them is fresh
water, and wood for fuel; but, except these little tufts of bushes, the
whole country is a barren rock, doomed by nature to everlasting sterility.
The low islands, and even some of the higher, which lie scattered up and
down the sound, are indeed mostly covered with shrubs and herbage, the soil
a black rotten turf, evidently composed, by length of time, of decayed
vegetables.
I had an opportunity to verify what we had observed at sea, that the sea-coast
is composed of a number of large and small islands, and that the
numerous inlets are formed by the junction of several channels; at least so
it is here. On one of these low islands we found several huts, which had
lately been inhabited; and near them was a good deal of celery, with which
we loaded our boat, and returned on board at seven o'clock in the evening.
In this expedition we met with little game; one duck, three or four shags,
and about that number of rails or sea-pies, being all we got. The other
boat returned on board some hours before, having found two harbours on the
west side of the other channel; the one large, and the other small, but
both of them safe and commodious; though, by the sketch Mr Pickersgill had
taken of them, the access to both appeared rather intricate.
I was now told of a melancholy accident which had befallen one of our
marines. He had not been seen since eleven or twelve o'clock the preceding
night. It was supposed that he had fallen overboard, out of the head, where
he had been last seen, and was drowned.
Having fine pleasant weather on the 23d, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill in
the cutter to explore the east side of the sound, and went myself in the
pinnace to the west side, with an intent to go round the island, under
which we were at anchor (and which I shall distinguish by the name of Shag
Island), in order to view the passage leading to the harbours Mr
Pickersgill had discovered the day before, on which I made the following
observations. In coming from sea, leave all the rocks and islands, lying
off and within York Minster, on your larboard side; and the black rock,
which lies off the south end of Shag Island, on your starboard; and when
abreast of the south end of that island, haul over for the west shore,
taking care to avoid the beds of weeds you will see before you, as they
always grow on rocks; some of which I have found twelve fathoms under
water; but it is always best to keep clear of them. The entrance to the
large harbour, or Port Clerke, is just to the north of some low rocks lying
off a point on Shag Island. This harbour lies in W. by S., a mile and a
half, and hath in it from twelve to twenty-four fathoms depth, wood and
fresh water. About a mile without, or to the southward of Port Clerke, is,
or seemed to be, another which I did not examine. It is formed by a large
island which covers it from the south and east winds. Without this island,
that is, between it and York Minster, the sea seemed strewed with islets,
rocks, and breakers. In proceeding round the south end of Shag Island, we
observed the shags to breed in vast numbers in the cliffs of the rock. Some
of the old ones we shot, but could not come at the young ones, which are by
far the best eating. On the east side of the island we saw some geese; and
having with difficulty landed, we killed three, which, at this time, was a
valuable acquisition.
About seven, in the evening, we got on board, where Mr Pickersgill had
arrived but just before. He informed me that the land opposite to our
station was an island, which he had been round; that on another, more to
the north, be found many _terns_ eggs; and that without the great
island, between it and the east-head, lay a cove in which were many geese;
one only of which he got, beside some young goslings.
This information of Mr Pickersgill's induced me to make up two shooting
parties next day; Mr Pickersgill and his associates going in the cutter,
and myself and the botanists in the pinnace. Mr Pickersgill went by the
N.E. side of the large island above-mentioned, which obtained the name of
Goose Island; and I went by the S.W. side. As soon as we got under the
island we found plenty of shags in the cliffs, but, without staying to
spend our time and shot upon these, we proceeded on, and presently found
sport enough, for in the south side of the island were abundance of geese.
It happened to be the moulting season; and most of them were on shore for
that purpose, and could not fly. There being a great surf, we found great
difficulty in landing, and very bad climbing over the rocks when we were
landed; so that hundreds of the geese escaped us, some into the sea, and
others up into the island. We, however, by one means or other, got sixty-two,
with which we returned on board all heartily tired; but the
acquisition we had made overbalanced every other consideration, and we sat
down with a good appetite to supper on part of what the preceding day had
produced. Mr Pickersgill and his associates had got on board some time
before us with fourteen geese; so that I was able to make distribution to
the whole crew, which was the more acceptable on account of the approaching
festival. For had not Providence thus singularly provided for us, our
Christmas cheer must have been salt beef and pork.
I now learnt that a number of the natives, in nine canoes, had been
alongside the ship, and some on board. Little address was required to
persuade them to either; for they seemed to be well enough acquainted with
Europeans, and had, amongst them, some of their knives.
The next morning, the 25th, they made us another visit. I found them to be
of the same nation I had formerly seen in Success Bay, and the same which
M. de Bougainville distinguishes by the name of Pecheras; a word which
these had, on every occasion, in their mouths. They are a little, ugly,
half-starved, beardless race. I saw not a tall person amongst them. They
are almost naked; their clothing was a seal-skin; some had two or three
sewed together, so as to make a cloak which reached to the knees; but the
most of them had only one skin, hardly large enough to cover their
shoulders, and all their lower parts were quite naked. The women, I was
told, cover their nakedness with the flap of a seal-skin, but in other
respects are clothed like the men. They, as well as the children, remained
in the canoes. I saw two young children at the breast entirely naked; thus
they are inured from their infancy to cold and hardships. They had with
them bows and arrows, and darts, or rather harpoons, made of bone, and
fitted to a staff. I suppose they were intended to kill seals and fish;
they may also kill whales with them, as the Esquimaux do. I know not if
they resemble them in their love of train-oil; but they and every thing
they had smelt most intolerably of it. I ordered them some biscuit, but did
not observe them so fond of it as I had been told. They were much better
pleased when I gave them some medals, knives, etc.
The women and children, as before observed, remained in their canoes. These
were made of bark; and in each was a fire, over which the poor creatures
huddled themselves. I cannot suppose that they carry a fire in their canoes
for this purpose only, but rather that it may be always ready to remove
ashore wherever they land; for let their method of obtaining fire be what
it may, they cannot be always sure of finding dry fuel that will kindle
from a spark. They likewise carry in their canoes large seal hides, which I
judged were to shelter them when at sea, and to serve as covering to their
huts on shore, and occasionally to be used for sails.
They all retired before dinner, and did not wait to partake of our
Christmas cheer. Indeed I believe no one invited them, and for good
reasons; for their dirty persons, and the stench they carried about them,
were enough to spoil the appetite of any European; and that would have been
a real disappointment, as we had not experienced such fare for some time.
Roast and boiled geese, goose-pye, etc. was a treat little known to us; and
we had yet some Madeira wine left, which was the only article of our
provision that was mended by keeping. So that our friends in England did
not, perhaps, celebrate Christmas more cheerfully than we did.
On the 26th, little wind next to a calm, and fair weather, except in the
morning, when we had some showers of rain. In the evening, when it was
cold, the natives made us another visit; and it being distressing to see
them stand trembling and naked on the deck, I could not do less than give
them some baize and old canvas to cover themselves.
Having already completed our water, on the 27th I ordered the wood, tent,
and observatory to be got on board; and, as this was work for the day, a
party of us went in two boats to shoot geese, the weather being fine and
pleasant. We proceeded round by the south side of Goose Island, and picked
up in all thirty-one. On the east side of the island, to the north of the
east point, is good anchorage, in seventeen fathoms water, where it is
entirely land-locked. This is a good place for ships to lie in that are
bound to the west. On the north side of this isle I observed three fine
coves, in which were both wood and water; but it being near night, I had no
time to sound them, though I doubt not there is anchorage. The way to come
at them is by the west end of the island.
When I returned on board I found every thing got off the shore, and the
launch in; so that we now only waited for a wind to put to sea. The
festival, which we celebrated at this place, occasioned my giving it the
name of Christmas Sound. The entrance, which is three leagues wide, is
situated in the latitude of 55° 27' S., longitude 70° 16' W.; and in the
direction of N. 37° W. from St Ildefonso Isles, distant ten leagues. These
isles are the best landmark for finding the sound. York Minster, which is
the only remarkable land about it, will hardly be known by a stranger, from
any description that can be given of it, because it alters its appearance
according to the different situations it is viewed from. Besides the black
rock, which lies off the end of Shag Island, there is another about midway
between this and the east shore. A copious description of this sound is
unnecessary, as few would be benefited by it. Anchorage, tufts of wood, and
fresh-water, will be found in all the coves and harbours. I would advise no
one to anchor very near the shore for the sake of having a moderate depth
of water, because there I generally found a rocky bottom.
The refreshments to be got here are precarious, as they consist chiefly of
wild fowl, and may probably never be found in such plenty as to supply the
crew of a ship; and fish, so far as we can judge, are scarce. Indeed the
plenty of wild-fowl made us pay less attention to fishing. Here are,
however, plenty of muscles, not very large, but well tasted; and very good
celery is to be met with on several of the low islets, and where the
natives have their habitations. The wild-fowl are geese, ducks, sea-pies,
shags, and that kind of gull so often mentioned in this journal under the
name of Port Egmont hen. Here is a kind of duck, called by our people
race-horses, on account of the great swiftness with which they run on the
water; for they cannot fly, the wings being too short to support the body in
the air. This bird is at the Falkland Islands, as appears by Pernety's
Journal*. The geese too are there, and seem to be very well described under
the name of bustards. They are much smaller than our English tame geese,
but eat as well as any I ever tasted. They have short black bills and yellow
feet. The gander is all white; the female is spotted black and white, or grey,
with a large white spot on each wing. Besides the bird above-mentioned, here
are several other aquatic, and some land ones; but of the latter not many.
[* See Pernety's Journal, p.244 and p.213.]
From the knowledge which the inhabitants seem to have of Europeans, we may
suppose that they do not live here continually, but retire to the north
during the winter. I have often wondered that these people do not clothe
themselves better, since Nature has certainly provided materials. They
might line their seal-skin cloaks with the skins and feathers of aquatic
birds; they might make their cloaks larger, and employ the same skins for
other parts of clothing, for I cannot suppose they are scarce with them.
They were ready enough to part with those they had to our people, which
they hardly would have done, had they not known where to have got more. In
short, of all the nations I have seen, the Pecheras are the most wretched.
They are doomed to live in one of the most inhospitable climates in the
world, without having sagacity enough to provide themselves with such
conveniences as may render life in some measure more comfortable.
Barren as this country is, it abounds with a variety of unknown plants, and
gave sufficient employment to Mr Forster and his party. The tree, which
produceth the winter's bark; is found here in the woods, as is the
holy-leaved barberry; and some other sorts, which I know not, but I believe
are common in the straits of Magalhaens. We found plenty of a berry, which we
called the cranberry, because they are nearly of the same colour, size, and
shape. It grows on a bushy plant, has a bitterish taste, rather insipid;
but may he eaten either raw or in tarts, and is used as food by the
natives.
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._
1774 December
At four o'clock in the morning on the 28th, we began to unmoor, and at
eight weighed, and stood out to sea, with a light breeze at N.W., which
afterwards freshened, and was attended with rain. At noon, the east
point of the sound (Point Nativity) bore N. 1/2 W., distant one and a
half leagues, and St Ildefonzo Isles S.E. 1/2 S., distant seven leagues.
The coast seemed to trend in the direction of E. by S.; but the weather
being very hazy, nothing appeared distinct.
We continued to steer S.E. by E. and E.S.E.; with a fresh breeze at
W.N.W., till four o'clock p.m., when we hauled to the south, in order to
have a nearer view of St Ildefonzo Isles. At this time we were abreast
of an inlet, which lies E.S.E, about seven leagues from the sound; but
it must be observed that there are some isles without this distinction.
At the west point of the inlet are two high peaked hills, and below
them, to the east, two round hills, or isles, which lie in the direction
of N.E. and S.W. of each other. An island, or what appeared to be an
island, lay in the entrance; and another but smaller inlet appeared to
the west of this: Indeed the coast appeared indented and broken as
usual.
At half past five o'clock, the weather clearing up, gave us a good sight
of Ildefonzo Isles. They are a group of islands and rocks above water,
situated about six leagues from the main, and in the latitude of 55° 53'
S., longitude 69° 41' W.
We now resumed our course to the east, and, at sun-set, the most
advanced land bore S.E. by E. 3/4 E.; and a point, which I judged to be
the west point of Nassau Bay, discovered by the Dutch fleet under the
command of Admiral Hermite in 1624, bore N. 80° E., six leagues distant.
In some charts this point is called False Cape Horn, as being the
southern point of Terra del Fuego. It is situated in latitude 55° 39' S.
From the inlet above-mentioned to this false cape, the direction of the
coast is nearly east, half a point south, distant fourteen or fifteen
leagues.
At ten o'clock, having shortened sail, we spent the night in making
short boards under the top-sails, and at three next morning made sail,
and steered S.E. by S., with a fresh breeze at W.S.W., the weather
somewhat hazy. At this time the west entrance to Nassau Bay extended
from N. by E. to N.E. 1/2 E., and the south side of Hermite's Isles, E.
by S. At four, Cape Horn, for which we now steered, bore E. by S. It is
known, at a distance, by a high round hill over it. A point to the
W.N.W. shews a surface not unlike this; but their situations alone will
always distinguish the one from the other.
At half past seven, we passed this famous _cape_, and entered the
southern Atlantic ocean. It is the very same point of land I took for
the cape, when I passed it in 1769, which at that time I was doubtful
of. It is the most southern extremity on a group of islands of unequal
extent, lying before Nassau Bay, known by the name of Hermite Islands,
and is situated in the latitude of 55° 58', and in the longitude of 68°
13' W.; according to the observations made of it in 1769. But the
observations which we had in Christmas Sound, and reduced to the cape by
the watch, and others which we had afterwards, and reduced back to it by
the same means, place it in 67° 19'. It is most probable that a mean
between the two, viz. 67° 46', will be nearest the truth. On the N.W.
side of the cape are two peaked rocks, like sugar-loaves: They lie N.W.
by N., and S.E. by S., by compass, of each other. Some other straggling
low rocks lie west of the cape, and one south of it; but they are all
near the shore. From Christmas Sound to Cape Horn the course is E.S.E
1/4 E., distant thirty-one leagues. In the direction of E.N.E., three
leagues from Cape Horn, is a rocky point, which I called Mistaken Cape,
and is the southern point of the easternmost of Hermite Isles. Between
these two capes there seemed to be a passage directly into Nassau Bay;
some small isles were seen in the passage; and the coast, on the west
side, had the appearance of forming good bays or harbours. In some
charts, Cape Horn is laid down as belonging to a small island. This was
neither confirmed, nor can it be contradicted by us; for several
breakers appeared on the coast, both to the east and west of it; and the
hazy weather rendered every object indistinct. The summits of some of
the hills were rocky, but the sides and vallies seemed covered with a
green turf, and wooded in tufts.
From Cape Horn we steered E. by N. 1/2 N., which direction carried us
without the rocks that lie off Mistaken Cape. These rocks are white with
the dung of fowls, and vast numbers were seen about them. After passing
them we steered N.E. 1/2 E. and N.E., for Strait Le Maire, with a view
of looking into Success Bay, to see if there were any traces of the
Adventure having been there. At eight o'clock in the evening, drawing
near the strait, we shortened sail, and hauled the wind. At this time
the Sugar-loaf on Terra del Fuego bore N. 33° W.; the point of Success
Bay, just open of the cape of the same name, bearing N. 20° E.; and
Staten Land, extending from N. 53° E. to 67° E. Soon after the wind
died away, and we had light airs and calms by turns till near noon the
next day, during which time we were driven by the current over to Staten
Land.
The calm being succeeded by a light breeze at N.N.W., we stood over for
Success Bay, assisted by the currents, which set to the north. Before
this we had hoisted our colours, and fired two guns; and soon after saw
a smoke rise out of the woods, above the south point of the bay, which I
judged was made by the natives, as it was at the place where they
resided when I was here in 1769. As soon as we got off the bay, I sent
Lieutenant Pickersgill to see if any traces remained of the Adventure
having been there lately; and in the mean time we stood on and off with
the ship. At two o'clock, the current turned and set to the south; and
Mr Pickersgill informed me, when he returned, that it was falling water
on shore, which was contrary to what I had observed when I was here
before, for I thought then that the flood came from the north. Mr
Pickersgill saw not the least signs of any ship having been there
lately. I had inscribed our ship's name on a card, which he nailed to a
tree at the place where the Endeavour watered. This was done with a view
of giving Captain Furneaux some information, in case he should be behind
us and put in here.
On Mr Pickersgill's landing he was courteously received by several of
the natives, who were clothed in guanicoe and seal skins, and had on
their arms bracelets, made of silver wire, and wrought not unlike the
hilt of a sword, being no doubt the manufacture of some Europeans. They
were the same kind of people we had seen in Christmas Sound, and, like
them, repeated the word pechera on every occasion. One man spoke much to
Mr Pickersgill, pointing first to the ship and then to the bay, as if he
wanted her to come in. Mr Pickersgill said the bay was full of whales
and seals; and we had observed the same in the strait, especially on the
Terra del Fuego side, where the whales, in particular, are exceedingly
numerous.
As soon as the boat was hoisted in, which, was not till near six
o'clock, we made sail to the east, with a fine breeze at north. For
since we had explored the south coast of Terra del Fuego, I resolved to
do the same by Staten Land, which I believed to have been as little
known as the former. At nine o'clock the wind freshening, and veering to
N.W., we tacked, and stood to S.W., in order to spend the night; which
proved none of the best, being stormy and hazy, with rain.
Next morning, at three o'clock, we bore up for the east end of Staten
Land, which, at half past four, bore S. 60° E., the west end S. 2° E.,
and the land of Terra del Fuego S. 40° W. Soon after I had taken these
bearings, the land was again obscured in a thick haze, and we were
obliged to make way, as it were, in the dark; for it was but now and
then we got a sight of the coast. As we advanced to the east, we
perceived several islands, of unequal extent, lying off the land. There
seemed to be a clear passage between the easternmost, and the one next
to it, to the west. I would gladly have gone through this passage, and
anchored under one of the islands, to have waited for better weather,
for on sounding we found only twenty-nine fathoms water; but when I
considered that this was running to leeward in the dark, I chose to keep
without the islands, and accordingly hauled off to the north. At eight
o'clock we were abreast of the most eastern isle, distant from it about
two miles, and had the same depth of water as before. I now shortened
sail to the three top-sails, to wait for clear weather; for the fog was
so thick that we could see no other land than this island. After waiting
an hour, and the weather not clearing, we bore up and hauled round the
east end of the island, for the sake of smooth water and anchorage, if
it should be necessary. In hauling round, we found a strong race of a
current, like unto broken water; but we had no less than nineteen
fathoms. We also saw on the island abundance of seals and birds. This
was a temptation too great for people in our situation to withstand, to
whom fresh provisions of any kind were acceptable; and determined me to
anchor, in order that we might taste of what we now only saw at a
distance. At length, after making a few boards, fishing, as it were, for
the best ground, we anchored in twenty-one fathoms water, a stony
bottom, about a mile from the island, which extended from N. 18° E. to
N. 55° 1/2 W.; and soon after, the weather clearing up, we saw Cape St
John, or the east end of Staten Land, bearing S. 76° E., distant four
leagues. We were sheltered from the south wind by Staten Land, and from
the north wind by the island; the other isles lay to the west, and
secured us from that wind; but beside being open to the N.E. and E., we
also lay exposed to the N.N.W. winds. This might have been avoided by
anchoring more to the west, but I made choice of my situation for two
reasons; first, to be near the island we intended to land upon, and,
secondly, to be able to get to sea with any wind.
After dinner we hoisted out three boats, and landed with a large party
of men; some to kill seals, others to catch or kill birds, fish, or what
came in our way. To find the former it mattered not where we landed, for
the whole shore was covered with them; and by the noise they made one
would have thought the island was stocked with cows and calves. On
landing we found they were a different animal from seals, but in shape
and motion exactly resembling them. We called them lions, on account of
the great resemblance the male has to that beast. Here were also the
same kind of seals which we found in New Zealand, generally known by the
name of sea-bears; at least we gave them that name.
They were, in general, so tame, or rather stupid, as to suffer us to
come near enough to knock them down with sticks; but the large ones we
shot, not thinking it safe to approach them. We also found on the island
abundance of penguins and shags; and the latter had young ones almost
fledged, and just to our taste. Here were geese and ducks, but not many;
birds of prey, and a few small birds. In the evening we returned on
board, our boats well laden with one thing or other.
1775 January
Next day, being January the 1st, 1775, finding that nothing was wanting
but a good harbour to make this a tolerable place for ships to refresh
at, whom chance or design, might bring hither, I sent Mr Gilbert over to
Staten Land in the cutter to look for one. Appearances promised success
in a place opposite the ship. I also sent two other boats for the lions,
etc. we had killed the preceding day; and soon after I went myself, and
observed the sun's meridian altitude at the N.E. end of the island,
which gave the latitude 54° 40' 5" S. After shooting a few geese, some
other birds, and plentifully supplying ourselves with young shags, we
returned on board, laden with sea-lions, sea-bears, etc. The old lions
and bears were killed chiefly for the sake of their blubber, or fat, to
make oil of; for, except their haslets, which were tolerable, the flesh
was too rank to be eaten with any degree of relish. But the young cubs
were very palateable, and even the flesh of some of the old lionesses
was not much amiss, but that of the old males was abominable. In the
afternoon I sent some people on shore to skin and cut off the fat of
those which yet remained dead on shore, for we had already more carcases
on board than necessary; and I went myself, in another boat, to collect
birds. About ten o'clock Mr Gilbert returned from Staten Land, where he
found a good port, situated three leagues to the westward of Cape St
John, and in the direction of north, a little easterly, from the N.E.
end of the eastern island. It may be known by some small islands lying
in the entrance. The channel, which is on the east side of these
islands, is half a mile broad. The course is in S.W. by S., turning
gradually to W. by S. and W. The harbour lies nearly in this last
direction; is almost two miles in length; in some places near a mile
broad; and hath in it from fifty to ten fathoms water, a bottom of mud
and sand. Its shores are covered with wood fit for fuel; and in it are
several streams of fresh water. On the islands were sea-lions, etc. and
such an innumerable quantity of gulls as to darken the air when
disturbed, and almost to suffocate our people with their dung. This they
seemed to void in a way of defence, and it stunk worse than assafoetida,
or what is commonly called devil's dung. Our people saw several geese,
ducks, and race-horses, which is also a kind of duck. The day on which
this port was discovered occasioned my calling it New-Year's Harbour. It
would be more convenient for ships bound to the west, or round Cape
Horn, if its situation would permit them to put to sea with an easterly
and northerly wind. This inconvenience, however, is of little
consequence, since these winds are never known to be of long duration.
The southerly and westerly are the prevailing winds, so that a ship
never can be detained long in this port.
As we could not sail in the morning of the 2d for want of wind, I sent a
party of men on shore to the island, on the same duty as before. Towards
noon we got a fresh breeze at west; but it came too late, and I resolved
to wait till the next morning, when, at four o'clock, we weighed, with a
fresh gale at N.W. by W., and stood for Cape St John, which, at half
past six, bore N. by E., distant four or five miles. This cape, being
the eastern point of Staten Land, a description of it is unnecessary. It
may, however, not be amiss to say, that it is a rock of a considerable
height, situated in the latitude of 54° 46' S., longitude 63° 47' W.,
with a rocky islet lying close under the north part of it. To the
westward of the cape, about five or six miles, is an inlet, which seemed
to divide the land, that is, to communicate with the sea to the south;
and between this inlet and the cape is a bay, but I cannot say of what
depth. In sailing round the cape we met with a very strong current from
the south: It made a race which looked like breakers; and it was as much
as we could do, with a strong gale, to make head against it.
After getting round the cape, I hauled up along the south coast, and as
soon as we had brought the wind to blow off the land, it came upon us in
such heavy squalls as obliged us to double-reef our top-sails. It
afterwards fell, by little and little, and at noon ended in a calm. At
this time Cape St John bore N. 20° E., distant three and a half leagues;
Cape St Bartholomew, or the S.W. point of Staten Land, S. 83° W.; two
high detached rocks N. 80° W.; and the place where the land seemed to be
divided, which had the same appearance on this side, bore N. 15° W.
three leagues distant. Latitude observed 54° 56'. In this situation we
sounded, but had no bottom with a line of 120 fathoms. The calm was of
very short duration, a breeze presently springing up at N.W.; but it was
too faint to make head against the current, and we drove with it back to
the N.N.E. At four o'clock the wind veered, at once, to S. by E., and
blew in squalls attended with rain. Two hours after, the squalls and
rain subsided, and the wind returning back to the west, blew a gentle
gale. All this time the current set us to the north, so that, at eight
o'clock, Cape St John bore W.N.W., distant about seven leagues. I now
gave over plying, and steered S.E., with a resolution to leave the land;
judging it to be sufficiently explored to answer the most general
purposes of navigation and geography.
CHAPTER IV.
_Observations, geographical and nautical, with an Account of the Islands
near Staten Land, and the Animals found in them_.
1775 January
The annexed chart will very accurately shew the direction, extent, and
position of the coast, along which I have sailed, either in this or my
former voyage. The latitudes have been determined by the sun's meridian
altitude, which we were so fortunate as to obtain every day, except the
one we sailed from Christmas Sound, which was of no consequence, as its
latitude was known before. The longitudes have been settled by lunar
observations, as is already mentioned. I have taken 67° 46' for the
longitude of Cape Horn. From this meridian the longitudes of all the
other parts are deduced by the watch, by which the extent of the whole
mast be determined to a few miles; and whatever errors there may be in
longitude, must be general. But I think it highly probable that the
longitude is determined to within a quarter of a degree. Thus the extent
of Terra del Fuego from east to west, and consequently that of the
straits of Magalhaens, will be found less than most navigators have made
it.
In order to illustrate this and to shew the situations of the
neighbouring lands, and, by this means, make the chart of more general
use, I have extended it down to 47° of latitude. But I am only
answerable for the accuracy of such parts as I have explored myself. In
laying down the rest I had recourse to the following authorities.
The longitude of Cape Virgin Mary, which is the most essential point, as
it determines the length of the straits of Magalhaens, is deduced from
Lord Anson, who made 2° 30' difference of longitude between it and the
Strait Le Maire. Now as the latter lies in 65° 22', Cape Virgin-Mary
must lie in: 67° 52', which is the longitude I have assigned to it, and
which, I have reason to think, cannot be far from the truth.
The strait of Magalhaens, and the east coast of Patagonia, are laid down
from the observations made by the late English and French navigators.
The position of the west coast of America, from Cape Victory northward,
I have taken from the discoveries of _Sarmiento_, a Spanish navigator,
communicated to me by Mr Stuart, F.R.S.
Falkland Islands are copied from a sketch taken from Captain M'Bride,
who circumnavigated them some years ago in his majesty's ship Jason; and
their distance from the main is agreeable to the run of the Dolphin,
under the command of Commodore Byron, from Cape Virgin Mary to Port
Egmont, and from Port Egmont to Port Desire, both of which runs were
made in a few days; consequently no material errors could happen.
The S.W. coast of Terra del Fuego, with respect to inlets, islands, etc.
may be compared to the coast of Norway; for I doubt if there be an
extent of three leagues where there is not an inlet or harbour which
will receive and shelter the largest shipping. The worst is, that till
these inlets are better known, one has, as it were, to fish for
anchorage. There are several lurking rocks on the coast, but happily
none of them lie far from land, the approach to which may be known by
sounding, supposing the weather so obscure that you cannot see it. For
to judge of the whole by the parts we have sounded, it is more than
probable that there are soundings all along the coast, and for several
leagues out to sea. Upon the whole, this is by no means the dangerous
coast it has been represented.
Staten Land lies near E. by N. and W. by S., and is ten leagues long in
that direction, and no where above three or four leagues broad. The
coast is rocky, much indented, and seemed to form several bays or
inlets. It shews a surface of craggy hills which spire up to a vast
height, especially near the west end. Except the craggy summits of the
hills, the greatest part was covered with trees and shrubs, or some sort
of herbage, and there was little or no snow on it. The currents between
Cape Deseada and Cape Horn set from west to east, that is, in the same
direction as the coast; but they are by no means considerable. To the
east of the cape their strength is much increased, and their direction
is N.E. towards Staten Land. They are rapid in Strait Le Maire and along
the south coast of Staten Land, and set like a torrent round Cape St
John; where they take a N.W. direction, and continue to run very strong
both within and without New Year's Isles. While we lay at anchor within
this island, I observed that the current was strongest during the flood;
and that on the ebb its strength was so much impaired, that the ship
would sometimes ride head to the wind when it was at W. and W.N.W. This
is only to be understood of the place where the ship lay at anchor, for
at the very time we had a strong current setting to the westward, Mr
Gilbert found one of equal strength near the coast of Staten Land
setting to the eastward, though probably this was an eddy current or
tide.
If the tides are regulated by the moon, it is high-water by the shore at
this place on the days of the new and full moon, about four o'clock. The
perpendicular rise and fall is very inconsiderable, not exceeding four
feet at most. In Christmas Sound it is high-water at half past two
o'clock on the days of the full and change, and Mr Wales observed it to
rise and fall on a perpendicular three feet six inches; but this was
during the neap tides, consequently the spring tides must rise higher.
To give such an account of the tides and currents on these coasts as
navigators might depend on, would require a multitude of observations,
and in different places, the making of which would be a work of time. I
confess myself unprovided with materials for such a task; and believe
that the less I say on this subject the fewer mistakes I shall make. But
I think I have been able to observe, that in Strait Le Maire the
southerly tide or current, be it flood or ebb, begins to act on the days
of new and full moon about four o'clock, which remark may be of use to
ships who pass the strait.
Were I bound round Cape Horn to the west, and not in want of wood or
water, or any other thing that might make it necessary to put into port,
I would not come near the land at all. For by keeping out at sea you
avoid the currents, which, I am satisfied, lose their force at ten or
twelve leagues from land; and at a greater distance, there is none.
During the time we were upon the coast we had more calms than storms,
and the winds so variable, that I question if a passage might not have
been made from east to west in as short a time as from west to east; nor
did we experience any cold weather. The mercury in the thermometer at
noon was never below 46°; and while we lay in Christmas Sound it was
generally above temperate. At this place the variation was 23° 30' E.; a
few leagues to the S. W. of Strait Le Maire it was 24°; and at anchor,
within New Year's Isles, it was 24° 20' E.
These isles are, in general, so unlike Staten Land, especially the one
on which we landed, that it deserves a particular description. It shews
a surface of equal height, and elevated about thirty or forty feet above
the sea, from which it is defended by a rocky coast. The inner part of
the isle is covered with a sort of sword-grass, very green, and of a
great length. It grows on little hillocks of two or three feet in
diameter, and as many or more in height, in large tufts, which seemed to
be composed of the roots of the plant matted together. Among these
hillocks are a vast number of paths made by sea-bears and penguins, by
which they retire into the centre of the isle. It is, nevertheless,
exceedingly bad travelling; for these paths are so dirty that one is
sometimes up to the knees in mire. Besides this plant, there are a few
other grasses, a kind of heath, and some celery. The whole surface is
moist and wet, and on the coast are several small streams of water. The
sword-grass, as I call it, seems to be the same that grows in Falkland
Isles, described by Bougainville as a kind of _gladiolus_, or rather a
species of _gramen_* and named by Pernety corn-flags.
[See English translation of Bougainville, p.51.]
The animals found on this little spot are sea-lions, sea-bears, a
variety of oceanic, and some land-birds. The sea-lion is pretty well
described by Pernety, though those we saw here have not such fore-feet
or fins as that he has given a plate of, but such fins as that which he
calls the sea-wolf. Nor did we see any of the size he speaks of; the
largest not being more than twelve or fourteen feet in length, and
perhaps eight or ten in circumference. They are not of that kind
described under the same name by Lord Anson; but, for aught I know,
these would more properly deserve that appellation: The long hair, with
which the back of the head, the neck and shoulders, are covered, giving
them greatly the air and appearance of a lion. The other part of the
body is covered with short hair, little longer than that of a cow or a
horse, and the whole is a dark-brown. The female is not half so big as
the male, and is covered with a short hair of an ash or light-dun
colour. They live, as it were, in herds, on the rocks, and near the
sea-shore. As this was the time for engendering as well as bringing
forth their young, we have seen a male with twenty or thirty females
about him, and always very attentive to keep them all to himself, and
beating off every other male who attempted to come into his flock.
Others again had a less number; some no more than one or two; and here
and there we have seen one lying growling in a retired, place, alone,
and suffering neither males nor females to approach him: We judged these
were old and superannuated.
The sea-bears are not so large, by far, as the lions, but rather larger
than a common seal. They have none of that long hair which distinguishes
the lion. Theirs is all of an equal length, and finer than that of the
lion, something like an otter's, and the general colour is that of an
iron-grey. This is the kind which the French call sea-wolfs, and the
English seals; they are, however, different from the seals we have in
Europe and North America. The lions may, too, without any great
impropriety, be called over-grown seals; for they are all of the same
species. It was not at all dangerous to go among them, for they either
fled or lay still. The only danger was in going between them and the
sea; for if they took fright at any thing, they would come down in such
numbers, that, if you could not get out of their way, you would be run
over. Sometimes, when we came suddenly upon them, or waked them out of
their sleep, (for they are a sluggish sleepy animal), they would raise
up their heads; snort and snarl, and look as fierce as if they meant to
devour us; but as we advanced upon them they always run away, so that
they are downright bullies.
The penguin is an amphibious bird, so well known to most people, that I
shall only observe, they are here in prodigious numbers, so that we
could knock down as many as we pleased with a stick. I cannot say they
are good eating. I have indeed made several good meals of them, but it
was for want of better victuals. They either do not breed here, or else
this was not the season; for we saw neither eggs nor young ones.
Shags breed here in vast numbers; and we carried on board not a few, as
they are very good eating. They take certain spots to themselves, and
build their nests near the edge of the cliffs on little hillocks, which
are either those of the sword-grass, or else they are made by the shags
building on them from year to year. There is another sort rather smaller
than these, which breed in the cliffs of rocks.
The geese are of the same sort we found in Christmas Sound; we saw but
few, and some had young ones. Mr Forster shot one which was different
from these, being larger, with a grey plumage, and black feet. The
others make a noise exactly like a duck. Here were ducks, but not many;
and several of that sort which we called race-horses. We shot some, and
found them to weigh twenty-nine or thirty pounds; those who eat of them
said they were very good.
The oceanic birds were gulls, terns, Port Egmont hens, and a large brown
bird, of the size of an albatross, which Pernety calls quebrantahuessas.
We called them Mother Carey's geese, and found them pretty good eating;
The land-birds were eagles, or hawks, bald-headed vultures, or what our
seamen called turkey-buzzards, thrushes, and a few other small birds.
Our naturalists found two new species of birds. The one is about the
size of a pigeon, the plumage as white as milk. They feed along-shore,
probably on shell-fish and carrion, for they have a very disagreeable
smell. When we first saw these birds we thought they were the
snow-peterel, but the moment they were in our possession the mistake was
discovered; for they resemble them in nothing but size and colour. These
are not webb-footed. The other sort is a species of curlews nearly as
big as a heron. It has a variegated plumage, the principal colours
whereof are light-grey, and a long crooked bill.
I had almost forgot to mention that there are sea-pies, or what we
called, when in New Zealand, curlews; but we only saw a few straggling
pairs. It may not be amiss to observe, that the shags are the same bird
which Bougainville calls saw-bills; but he is mistaken in saying that
the quebrantahuessas are their enemies; for this bird is of the peterel
tribe, feeds wholly on fish, and is to be found in all the high southern
latitudes.
It is amazing to see how the different animals which inhabit this little
spot are mutually reconciled. They seem to have entered into a league
not to disturb each other's tranquillity. The sea-lions occupy most of
the sea-coast; the sea-bears take up their abode in the isle; the shags
have post in the highest cliffs; the penguins fix their quarters where
there is the most easy communication to and from the sea; and the other
birds choose more retired places. We have seen all these animals mix
together, like domestic cattle and poultry in a farm-yard, without one
attempting to molest the other. Nay, I have often observed the eagles
and vultures sitting on the hillocks among the shags, without the
latter, either young or old, being disturbed at their presence. It may
be asked how these birds of prey live? I suppose on the carcases of
seals and birds which die by various causes; and probably not few, as
they are so numerous.
This very imperfect account is written more with a view to assist my own
memory than to give information to others. I am neither a botanist nor a
naturalist; and have not words to describe the productions of nature,
either in the one branch of knowledge or the other.
CHAPTER V.
_Proceedings after leaving Staten Island, with an Account of the
Discovery of the Isle of Georgia, and a Description of it._
1775 January
Having left the land in the evening of the 3d, as before mentioned, we
saw it again next morning, at three o'clock, bearing west. Wind
continued to blow a steady fresh breeze till six p.m., when it shifted
in a heavy squall to S.W., which came so suddenly upon us, that we had
not time to take in the sails, and was the occasion of carrying away a
top-gallant mast, a studding-sail boom, and a fore studding-sail. The
squall ended in a heavy shower of rain, but the wind remained at S.W.
Our course was S.E., with a view of discovering that extensive coast
laid down by Mr Dalrymple in his chart, in which is the gulph of St
Sebastian. I designed to make the western point of that gulph, in order
to have all the other parts before me. Indeed I had some doubt of the
existence of such a coast; and this appeared to me the best route for
clearing it up, and for exploring the southern part of this ocean.
On the 5th, fresh gales, and wet and cloudy weather. At noon observed in
57° 9', latitude made from Cape St John, 5° 2' E. At six o'clock p.m.,
being in the latitude 57° 21', and in longitude 57° 45' W., the
variation was 21° 28' E.
At eight o'clock in the evening of the 6th, being then in the latitude
of 58° 9' S., longitude 53° 14' W., we close-reefed our top-sails, and
hauled to the north, with a very strong gale at west, attended with a
thick haze and sleet. The situation just mentioned is nearly the same
that Mr Dalrymple assigns for the S.W. point of the gulph of St
Sebastian. But as we saw neither land, nor signs of land, I was the more
doubtful of its existence, and was fearful that, by keeping to the
south, I might miss the land said to be discovered by La Roche in 1675,
and by the ship Lion in 1756, which Mr Dalrymple places in 54° 30'
latitude, and 45° of longitude; but on looking over D'Anville's chart, I
found it laid down 9° or 10° more to the west; this difference of
situation being to me a sign of the uncertainty of both accounts,
determined me to get into the parallel as soon as possible, and was the
reason of my hauling to the north at this time.
Towards the morning of the 7th the gale abated, the weather cleared up,
and the wind veered to the W.S.W., where it continued till midnight,
after which it veered to N.W. Being at this time in the latitude of 56°
4' S., longitude 53° 36' W., we sounded, but found no bottom with a line
of one hundred and thirty fathoms. I still kept the wind on the
larboard-tack, having a gentle breeze and pleasant weather. On the 8th,
at noon, a bed of sea-weed passed the ship. In the afternoon, in
latitude 55° 4', longitude 51° 43' W., the variation was 20° 4' E.
On the 9th, wind at N.E., attended with thick hazy weather; saw a seal,
and a piece of sea-weed. At noon, latitude 55° 12' S., longitude 50° 15'
W., the wind and weather continuing the same till towards midnight, when
the latter cleared up, and the former veered to west, and blew a gentle
gale. We continued to ply till two o'clock the next morning, when we
bore away east, and at eight E.N.E.; at noon, observed in latitude 54°
35' S., longitude 47° 56' W., a great many albatrosses and blue peterels
about the ship. I now steered east, and the next morning, in the
latitude of 54° 38', longitude 45° 10' W., the variation was 19° 25' E.
In the afternoon saw several penguins, and some pieces of weed.
Having spent the night lying-to, on the 12th, at day-break, we bore
away, and steered east northerly, with a fine fresh breeze at W.S.W.; at
noon observed in latitude 54° 28' S., longitude in 42° 8' W.; that is,
near 3° E. of the situation in which Mr Dalrymple places the N.E. point
of the gulph of St Sebastian; but we had no other signs of land than
seeing a seal and a few penguins; on the contrary, we had a swell from
E.S.E., which would hardly have been, if any extensive track of land lay
in that direction. In the evening the gale abated, and at midnight it
fell calm.
The calm, attended by a thick fog, continued till six next morning, when
we got a wind at east, but the fog still prevailed. We stood to the
south till noon, when, being in the latitude of 55° 7', we tacked and
stretched to the north with a fresh breeze at E. by S. and E.S.E.,
cloudy weather; saw several penguins and a snow-peterel, which we looked
on to be signs of the vicinity of ice. The air too was much colder than
we had felt it since we left New Zealand. In the afternoon the wind
veered to the S.E., and in the night to S.S.E., and blew fresh, with
which we stood to the N.E.
At nine o'clock the next morning we saw an island of ice, as we then
thought, but at noon were doubtful whether it was ice or land. At this
time it bore E. 3/4 S., distant thirteen leagues; our latitude was 53°
56' 1/2, longitude 39° 24' W.; several penguins, small divers, a
snow-peterel, and a vast number of blue peterels about the ship. We had
but little wind all the morning, and at two p.m. it fell calm. It was
now no longer doubted that it was land, and not ice, which we had in
sight. It was, however, in a manner wholly covered with snow. We were
farther confirmed in our judgement of its being land, by finding
soundings at one hundred and seventy-five fathoms, a muddy bottom. The
land at this time bore E. by S., about twelve leagues distant. At six
o'clock the calm was succeeded by a breeze at N.E., with which we stood
to S.E. At first it blew a gentle gale; but afterwards increased so as
to bring us under double-reefed top-sails, and was attended with snow
and sleet.
We continued to stand to the S.E. till seven in the morning on the
15th, when the wind veering to the S.E., we tacked and stood to the
north. A little before we tacked, we saw the land bearing E. by N. At
noon the mercury in the thermometer was at 35° 1/4. The wind blew in
squalls, attended with snow and sleet, and we had a great sea to
encounter. At a lee-lurch which the ship took, Mr Wales observed her to
lie down 42°. At half past four p.m. we took in the top-sails, got down
top-gallant yards, wore the ship, and stood to the S.W., under two
courses. At midnight the storm abated, so that we could carry the
top-sails double-reefed.
At four in the morning of the 16th we wore and stood to the east, with
the wind at S.S.E., a moderate breeze, and fair; at eight o'clock saw
the land extending from E. by N. to N.E. by N.; loosed a reef out of
each top-sail, got top-gallant yards across, and set the sails. At noon
observed in latitude 54° 25' 1/2, longitude 38° 18' W. In this situation
we had one hundred and ten fathoms water; and the land extended from N.
1/2 W. to E., eight leagues distant. The northern extreme was the same
that we first discovered, and it proved to be an island, which obtained
the name of Willis's Island, after the person who first saw it.
At this time we had a great swell from the south, an indication that no
land was near us in that direction; nevertheless the vast quantity of
snow on that in sight induced us to think it was extensive, and I chose
to begin with exploring the northern coast. With this view we bore up
for Willis's Island, all sails set, having a fine gale at S.S.W. As we
advanced to the north, we perceived another isle lying east of Willis's,
and between it and the main. Seeing there was a clear passage between
the two isles, we steered for it, and at five o'clock, being in the
middle of it, we found it about two miles broad.
Willis's Isle is an high rock of no great extent, near to which are some
rocky islets. It is situated in the latitude of 54° S., longitude 38°
23' W. The other isle, which obtained the name of Bird Isle, on account
of the vast number that were upon it, is not so high, but of greater
extent, and is close to the N.E. point of the main land, which I called
Cape North.
The S.E. coast of this land, as far as we saw it, lies in the direction
of S. 50° E., and N. 50° W. It seemed to form several bays or inlets;
and we observed huge masses of snow, or ice, in the bottoms of them,
especially in one which lies ten miles to the S.S.E. of Bird Isle.
After getting through the passage, we found the north coast trended E.
by N., for about nine miles; and then east and east-southerly to Cape
Buller, which is eleven miles more. We ranged the coast, at one league
distance, till near ten o'clock, when we brought-to for the night, and
on sounding found fifty fathoms, a muddy bottom.
At two o'clock in the morning of the 17th we made sail in for the land,
with a fine breeze at S.W.; at four, Willis's Isle bore W. by S.,
distant thirty-two miles; Cape Buller, to the west of which lie some
rocky islets, bore S.W. by W.; and the most advanced point of land to
the east, S. 63° E. We now steered along shore, at the distance of four
or five miles, till seven o'clock, when, seeing the appearance of an
inlet, we hauled in for it. As soon as we drew near the shore, having
hoisted out a boat, I embarked in it, accompanied by Mr Forster and his
party, with a view of reconnoitring the bay before we ventured in with
the ship. When we put off from her, which was about four miles from the
shore, we had forty fathoms water. I continued to sound as I went
farther in, but found no bottom with a line of thirty-four fathoms,
which was the length of that I had in the boat, and which also proved
too short to sound the bay, so far as I went up it. I observed it to lie
in S.W. by S. about two leagues, about two miles broad, well sheltered
from all winds; and I judged there might be good anchorage before some
sandy beaches which are on each side, and likewise near a low flat isle,
towards the head of the bay. As I had come to a resolution not to bring
the ship in, I did not think it worth my while to go and examine these
places; for it did not seem probable that any one would ever be
benefited by the discovery. I landed at three different places,
displayed our colours, and took possession of the country in his
majesty's name, under a discharge of small arms.
I judged that the tide rises about four or five feet, and that it is
high water on the full and change days about eleven o'clock.
The head of the bay, as well as two places on each side, was terminated
by perpendicular ice-cliffs of considerable height. Pieces were
continually breaking off, and floating out to sea; and a great fall
happened while we were in the bay, which made a noise like cannon.
The inner parts of the country were not less savage and horrible. The
wild rocks raised their lofty summits till they were lost in the clouds,
and the valleys lay covered with everlasting snow. Not a tree was to be
seen, nor a shrub even big enough to make a toothpick. The only
vegetation we met with was a coarse strong-bladed grass growing in
tufts, wild burnet, and a plant like moss, which sprung from the rocks.
Seals, or sea-bears, were pretty numerous. They were smaller than those
at Staten Land: Perhaps the most of those we saw were females, for the
shores swarmed with young cubs. We saw none of that sort which we call
lions; but there were some of those which the writer of Lord Anson's
voyage describes under that name; at least they appeared to us to be of
the same sort; and are, in my opinion, very improperly called lions, for
I could not see any grounds for the comparison.
Here were several flocks of penguins, the largest I ever saw; some which
we brought on board weighed from twenty-nine to thirty-eight pounds. It
appears by Bougainville's account of the animals of Falkland Islands,
that this penguin is there; and I think it is very well described by him
under the name of first class of penguins*. The oceanic birds were
albatrosses, common gulls, and that sort which I call Port Egmont hens,
terns, shags, divers, the new white bird, and a small bird like those of
the Cape of Good Hope, called yellow birds; which, having shot two, we
found most delicious food.
[* See Bougainville, English translation p.64.]
All the land birds we saw consisted of a few small larks, nor did we
meet with any quadrupeds. Mr Forster indeed observed some dung, which he
judged to come from a fox, or some such animal. The lands, or rather
rocks, bordering on the sea-coast, were not covered with snow like the
inland parts; but all the vegetation we could see on the clear places
was the grass above-mentioned. The rocks seemed to contain iron. Having
made the above observations, we set out for the ship, and got on board a
little after twelve o'clock, with a quantity of seals and penguins, an
acceptable present to the crew.
It must not, however, be understood that we were in want of provisions:
we had yet plenty of every kind; and since we had been on this coast, I
had ordered, in addition to the common allowance, wheat to be boiled
every morning for breakfast; but any kind of fresh meat was preferred by
most on board to salt. For my own part, I was now, for the first time,
heartily tired of salt meat of every kind; and though the flesh of the
penguins could scarcely vie with bullock's liver, its being fresh was
sufficient to make it go down. I called the bay we had been in,
Possession Bay. It is situated in the latitude of 54° 5' S., longitude
37° 18' W., and eleven leagues to the east of Cape North. A few miles to
the west of Possession Bay, between it and Cape Buller, lies the Bay of
Isles, so named on account of several small isles lying in and before it.
As soon as the boat was hoisted in, we made sail along the coast to the
east, with a fine breeze at W.S.W. From Cape Buller the direction of the
coast is S. 72° 30' E., for the space of eleven or twelve leagues, to a
projecting point, which obtained the name of Cape Saunders. Beyond this
cape is a pretty large bay, which I named Cumberland Bay. In several
parts in the bottom of it, as also in some others of less extent, lying
between Cape Saunders and Possession Bay, were vast tracks of frozen
snow, or ice, not yet broken loose. At eight o'clock, being just past
Cumberland Bay, and falling little wind, we hauled off the coast, from
which we were distant about four miles, and found one hundred and ten
fathoms water.
We had variable light airs and calms till six o'clock the next morning,
when the wind fixed at north, and blew a gentle breeze; but it lasted no
longer than ten o'clock, when it fell almost to a calm. At noon,
observed in latitude 54° 30' S., being then about two or three leagues
from the coast, which extended from N. 59° W. to S. 13° W. The land in
this last direction was an isle, which seemed to be the extremity of the
coast to the east. The nearest land to us being a projecting point which
terminated in a round hillock, was, on account of the day, named Cape
Charlotte. On the west side of Cape Charlotte lies a bay which obtained
the name of Royal Bay, and the west point of it was named Cape George.
It is the east point of Cumberland Bay, and lies in the direction of
S.E. by E. from Cape Saunders, distant seven leagues. Cape George and
Cape Charlotte lie in the direction of S. 37° E. and N. 37° W., distant
six leagues from each other. The isle above-mentioned, which was called
Cooper's Isle, after my first lieutenant, lies in the direction of S. by
E., distant eight leagues from Cape Charlotte. The coast between them
forms a large bay, to which I gave the name of Sandwich. The wind being
variable all the afternoon we advanced but little; in the night it fixed
at S. and S.S.W., and blew a gentle gale, attended with showers of snow.
The 19th was wholly spent in plying, the wind continuing at S. and
S.S.W., clear pleasant weather, but cold. At sunrise a new land was
seen, bearing S.E. 1/2 E. It first appeared in a single hill, like a
sugar-loaf; some time after other detached pieces appeared above the
horizon near the hill. At noon, observed in the latitude 54° 42' 30" S.,
Cape Charlotte bearing N. 38° W., distant four leagues; and Cooper's
Isle S. 31° W. In this situation a lurking rock, which lies off Sandwich
Bay, five miles from the land, bore W. 1/2 N., distant one mile, and
near this rock were several breakers. In the afternoon we had a prospect
of a ridge of mountains behind Sandwich Bay, whose lofty and icy summits
were elevated high above the clouds. The wind continued at S.S.W. till
six o'clock, when it fell to a calm. At this time Cape Charlotte bore N.
31° W., and Cooper's Island W.S.W. In this situation we found the
variation, by the azimuths, to be 11° 39', and by the amplitude, 11° 12'
E. At ten o'clock, a light breeze springing up at north, we steered to
the south till twelve, and then brought-to for the night.
At two o'clock in the morning of the 20th we made sail to S.W. round
Cooper's Island. It is a rock of considerable height, about five miles
in circuit, and one mile from the main. At this isle the main coast
takes a S.W. direction for the space of four or five leagues to a point,
which I called Cape Disappointment. Off that are three small isles, the
southernmost of which is green, low, and flat, and lies one league from
the cape.
As we advanced to S.W. land opened, off this point, in the direction of
N. 60° W., and nine leagues beyond it. It proved an island quite
detached from the main, and obtained the name of Pickersgill Island,
after my third officer. Soon after a point of the main, beyond this
island, came in sight, in the direction of N. 55° W., which exactly
united the coast at the very point we had seen, and taken the bearing
of, the day we first came in with it, and proved to a demonstration that
this land, which we had taken for part of a great continent, was no more
than an island of seventy leagues in circuit.
Who would have thought that an island of no greater extent than this,
situated between the latitude of 54° and 55°, should, in the very height
of summer, be in a manner wholly covered, many fathoms deep, with frozen
snow, but more especially the S.W. coast? The very sides and craggy
summits of the lofty mountains were cased with snow and ice; but the
quantity which lay in the valleys is incredible; and at the bottom of
the bays the coast was terminated by a wall of ice of considerable
height. It can hardly be doubted that a great deal of ice is formed here
in the water, which in the spring is broken off, and dispersed over the
sea; but this island cannot produce the ten-thousandth part of what we
saw; so that either there must be more land, or the ice is formed
without it. These reflections led me to think that the land we had seen
the preceding day might belong to an extensive track, and I still had
hopes of discovering a continent. I must confess the disappointment I
now met with did not affect me much; for, to judge of the bulk by the
sample, it would not be worth the discovery.
I called this island the isle of Georgia, in honour of his majesty. It
is situated, between the latitudes of 53° 57' and 54° 57' S.; and
between 38° 13' and 35° 34' west longitude. It extends S.E. by E. and
N.W. by W., and is thirty-one leagues long in that direction; and its
greatest breadth is about ten leagues. It seems to abound with bays and
harbours, the N.E. coast especially; but the vast quantity of ice must
render them inaccessible the greatest part of the year; or, at least, it
must be dangerous lying in them, on account of the breaking up of the
ice cliffs.
It is remarkable that we did not see a river, or stream of fresh water,
on the whole coast. I think it highly probable that there are no
perennial springs in the country; and that the interior parts, as being
much elevated, never enjoy heat enough to melt the snow in such
quantities as to produce a river, or stream, of water. The coast alone
receives warmth sufficient to melt the snow, and this only on the N.E.
side; for the other, besides being exposed to the cold south winds, is,
in a great degree, deprived of the sun's rays, by the uncommon height of
the mountains.
It was from a persuasion that the sea-coast of a land situated in the
latitude of 54°, could not, in the very height of summer, be wholly
covered with snow, that I supposed Bouvet's discovery to be large
islands of ice. But after I had seen this land, I no longer hesitated
about the existence of Cape Circumcision; nor did I doubt that I should
find more land than I should have time to explore. With these ideas I
quitted this coast, and directed my course to the E.S.E. for the land we
had seen the preceding day.
The wind was very variable till noon, when it fixed at N.N.E., and blew
a gentle gale; but it increased in such a manner, that, before three
o'clock, we were reduced to our two courses, and obliged to strike
top-gallant yards. We were very fortunate in getting clear of the land,
before this gale overtook us; it being hard to say what might have been
the consequence had it come on while we were on the north coast. This
storm was of short duration; for, at eight o'clock it began to abate;
and at midnight it was little wind. We then took the opportunity to
sound, but found no bottom with a line of an hundred and eighty fathoms.
Next day the storm was succeeded by a thick fog, attended with rain; the
wind veered to N.W., and, at five in the morning, it fell calm, which
continued till eight; and then we got a breeze southerly, with which we
stood to the east till three in the afternoon. The weather then coming
somewhat clear, we made sail, and steered north in search of land; but,
at half-past six, we were again involved in a thick mist, which made it
necessary to haul the wind, and spend the night in making short boards.
We had variable light airs next to a calm, and thick foggy weather, till
half-past seven o'clock in the evening of the 22d, when we got a fine
breeze at north, and the weather was so clear that we could see two or
three leagues round us. We seized the opportunity, and steered to west;
judging we were to the east of the land. After running ten miles to the
west, the weather again became foggy, and we hauled the wind, and spent
the night under top-sails.
Next morning at six o'clock, the fog clearing away, so that we could see
three or four miles, I took the opportunity to steer again to the west,
with the wind at east, a fresh breeze; but two hours after, a thick fog
once more obliged us to haul the wind to the south. At eleven o'clock, a
short interval of clear weather gave us view of three or four rocky
islets extending from S.E. to E.N.E., two or three miles distant; but
we did not see the Sugar-Loaf Peak beforementioned. Indeed, two or three
miles was the extent of our horizon.
We were well assured that this was the land we had seen before, which we
had now been quite round; and therefore it could be no more than a few
detached rocks, receptacles for birds, of which we now saw vast numbers,
especially shags, who gave us notice of the vicinity of land before we
saw it. These rocks lie in the latitude of 55° S., and S. 75° E.,
distant twelve leagues from Cooper's Isle.
The interval of clear weather was of very short duration, before we had
as thick a fog as ever, attended with rain, on which we tacked in sixty
fathoms water, and stood to the north. Thus we spent our time, involved
in a continual thick mist; and, for aught we knew, surrounded by
dangerous rocks. The shags and soundings were our best pilots; for after
we had stood a few miles to the north, we got out of soundings, and saw
no more shags. The succeeding day and night we spent in making short
boards; and at eight o'clock on the 24th, judging ourselves not far from
the rocks by some straggling shags which came about us, we sounded in
sixty fathoms water, the bottom stones and broken shells. Soon after, we
saw the rocks bearing S.S.W. 1/2 W., four miles distant, but still we
did not see the peak. It was, no doubt, beyond our horizon, which was
limited to a short distance; and, indeed, we had but a transient sight
of the other rocks, before they were again lost in the fog.
With a light air of wind at north, and a great swell from N.E., we were
able to clear the rocks to the west; and, at four in the p.m., judging
ourselves to be three or four leagues east and west of them, I steered
south, being quite tired with cruizing about them in a thick fog; nor
was it worth my while to spend any more time in waiting for clear
weather, only for the sake of having a good sight of a few straggling
rocks. At seven o'clock, we had at intervals a clear sky to the west,
which gave us a sight of the mountains of the isle of Georgia, bearing
W.N.W., about eight leagues distant. At eight o'clock we steered S.E. by
S., and at ten S.E. by E., with a fresh breeze at north, attended with a
very thick fog; but we were, in some measure, acquainted with the sea
over which we were running. The rocks above-mentioned obtained the name
of Clerke's Rocks, after my second officer, he being the first who saw
them.
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_.
1775 January
On the 25th, we steered E.S.E., with a fresh gale at N.N.E., attended
with foggy weather, till towards the evening, when the sky becoming
clear, we found the variation to be 9° 26' E., being at this time in the
latitude of 56° 16' S., longitude 32° 9' W.
Having continued to steer E.S.E., with a fine gale at N.N.W., till
day-light next morning, on seeing no land to the east, I gave orders to
steer south, being at this time in the latitude of 56° 33' S., longitude
31° 10' W. The weather continued clear, and gave us an opportunity to
observe several distances of the sun and moon for the correcting our
longitude, which at noon was 31° 4' W., the latitude observed 57° 38' S.
We continued to steer to the south till the 27th, at noon, at which time
we were in the latitude of 59° 46' S., and had so thick a fog that we
could not see a ship's length. It being no longer safe to sail before
the wind, as we were to expect soon to fall in with ice, I therefore
hauled to the east, having a gentle breeze at N.N.E. Soon after the fog
clearing away, we resumed our course to the south till four o'clock,
when it returned again as thick as ever, and made it necessary for us to
haul upon a wind.
I now reckoned we were in latitude 60° S., and farther I did not intend
to go, unless I observed some certain signs of soon meeting with land.
For it would not have been prudent in me to have spent my time in
penetrating to the south, when it was at least as probable that a large
tract of land might be found near Cape Circumcision. Besides, I was
tired of these high southern latitudes, where nothing was to be found
but ice and thick fogs. We had now a long hollow swell from the west, a
strong indication that there was no land in that direction; so that I
think I may venture to assert that the extensive coast, laid down in Mr
Dalrymple's chart of the ocean between Africa and America, and the Gulph
of St Sebastian, do not exist.
At seven o'clock in the evening, the fog receding from us a little, gave
us a sight of an ice island, several penguins and some snow peterels; we
sounded, but found no ground at one hundred and forty fathoms. The fog
soon returning, we spent the night in making boards over that space
which we had, in some degree, made ourselves acquainted with in the day.
At eight in the morning of the 28th, we stood to the east, with a gentle
gale at north; the weather began to clear up; and we found the sea
strewed with large and small ice; several penguins, snow peterels, and
other birds were seen, and some whales. Soon after we had sun-shine, but
the air was cold; the mercury in the thermometer stood generally at
thirty-five, but at noon it was 37°; the latitude by observation was 60°
4' S., longitude 29° 23' W.
We continued to stand to the east till half-past two o'clock, p.m., when
we fell in, all at once, with a vast number of large ice-islands, and a
sea strewed with loose ice. The weather too was become thick and hazy,
attended with drizzling rain and sleet, which made it the more dangerous
to stand in among the ice. For this reason we tacked and stood back to
the west, with the wind at north. The ice-islands, which at this time
surrounded us, were nearly all of equal height, and shewed a flat even
surface; but they were of various extent, some being two or three miles
in circuit. The loose ice was what had broken from these isles.
Next morning, the wind falling and veering to S.W., we steered N.E.; but
this coarse was soon intercepted by numerous ice-islands; and, having
but very little wind, we were obliged to steer such courses as carried
us the clearest of them; so that we hardly made any advance, one way or
other, during the whole day. Abundance of whales and penguins were about
us all the time; and the weather fair, but dark and gloomy.
At midnight the wind began to freshen at N.N.E., with which we stood to
the N.W., till six in the morning of the 30th, when the wind veering to
N.N.W., we tacked and stood to N.E., and soon after sailed through a
good deal of loose ice, and passed two large islands. Except a short
interval of clear weather about nine o'clock, it was continually foggy,
with either sleet or snow. At noon we were, by our reckoning, in the
latitude of 59° 3O' S., longitude 29° 24' W.
Continuing to stand to N.E. with a fresh breeze at N.N.W., at two
o'clock, we passed one of the largest ice-islands we had seen in the
voyage, and some time after passed two others, which were much smaller;
Weather still foggy, with sleet: And the wind continued at N. by W.,
with which we stood to N.E., over a sea strewed with ice.
At half an hour past six next morning, as we were standing N.N.E. with
the wind at west, the fog very fortunately clearing away a little, we
discovered land ahead, three or four miles distant. On this we hauled
the wind to the north; but finding we could not weather the land on this
tack, we soon after tacked in one hundred and seventy-five fathoms
water, three miles from the shore, and about half a league from some
breakers. The weather then cleared up a little more, and gave us a
tolerably good sight of the land. That which we had fallen in with
proved three rocky islets of considerable height. The outermost
terminated in a lofty peak like a sugar-loaf, and obtained the name of
Freezeland Peak, after the man who first discovered it. Latitude 59° S.,
longitude 27° W. Behind this peak, that is to the east of it, appeared
an elevated coast, whose lofty snow-clad summits were seen above the
clouds. It extended from N. by E. to E.S.E., and I called it Cape
Bristol, in honour of the noble family of Hervey. At the same time
another elevated coast appeared in sight, bearing S.W. by S., and at
noon it extended from S.E. to S.S.W., from four to eight leagues
distant; at this time the observed latitude was 59° 13' 30" S.,
longitude 27° 45' W. I called this land Southern Thule, because it is
the most southern land that has ever yet been discovered. It shews a
surface of vast height, and is every where covered with snow. Some
thought they saw land in the space between Thule and Cape Bristol. It is
more than probable that these two lands are connected, and that this
space is a deep bay, which I called Forster's Bay.