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| author | www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> | 2026-03-03 05:50:03 -0800 |
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| committer | www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> | 2026-03-03 05:50:03 -0800 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/78104-0.txt b/78104-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c07472f --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11071 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78104 *** + + + + +Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is enclosed in _underscores_. +Superscript characters are preceded by ^. Small capital text has been +changed to all capital. Additional notes will be found near the end of +this ebook. + + + + + AN + HISTORICAL ACCOUNT + OF ALL THE + VOYAGES ROUND THE WORLD, + PERFORMED BY + ENGLISH NAVIGATORS; + INCLUDING THOSE LATELY UNDERTAKEN + By ORDER of his PRESENT MAJESTY. + + THE WHOLE + Faithfully Extracted from the JOURNALS of the + VOYAGERS. + + DRAKE, undertaken in 1577-80 + CAVENDISH, 1586-88 + COWLEY, 1683-86 + DAMPIER, 1689-96 + COOKE, 1708-11 + ROGERS, 1708-11 + CLIPPERTON and SHELVOCKE, 1719-22 + ANSON, 1740-44 + BYRON, 1764-66 + WALLIS, 1766-68 + CARTERET, 1766-69 + COOK, 1768-71 + + TOGETHER WITH + + That of SYDNEY PARKINSON, Draftsman to JOSEPH BANKS, Esq; who + circumnavigated the Globe with Capt. COOK, in his Majesty’s Ship the + ENDEAVOUR. + AND + + The Voyage of Mons. BOUGAINVILLE round the World, Performed by Order of + the French King. + + Illustrated with Maps, Charts, and Historical Prints. + + IN FOUR VOLUMES. + + To which is added, + + An APPENDIX. Containing the JOURNAL of a VOYAGE to the NORTH POLE, by + the Hon. Commodore PHIPPS, and Captain LUTWIDGE. + ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── + VOLUME THE FOURTH. + ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ + LONDON: + Printed for F. NEWBERY, the Corner of St. Paul’s Church-Yard. + ───────────── + M DCC LXXIII. + + + + + CAPTAIN + COOK’s + VOYAGE + ROUND THE WORLD. + In 1768, 1769, 1770 and 1771. + + +The short intercourse which the English gentlemen had with the +inhabitants of New Holland, prevented them from obtaining so perfect a +knowledge of the language of these people as could have been wished; +but, as it is an object too curious to be passed over in silence, we +shall give our readers the most particular account that could be +procured. They articulated their words very distinctly, though they made +a great motion with their lips when they were speaking, and their +utterance was rather vociferous, particularly when they intended to shew +their disapprobation of any thing. When they were pleased, they would +manifest their satisfaction by saying _hee_, with a long flexion of the +voice, in a loud and shril tone. They frequently repeated the word +_tut_, when in company with the English, several times together, which +was supposed to be an expression of astonishment and admiration; upon +the whole, their language was neither harsh nor inharmonious, as will +appear from the following vocabulary. + + A VOCABULARY of the language of the inhabitants of NEW HOLLAND. + + Wageegee, _The head_. + Eiyamoac, _The crown of the head_. + Moree, _The hair of the head_. + Walloo, _The temples_. + Peete, _The forehead_. + Meul, _The eyes_. + Garbar, _The eye-brows_. + Melea, _The ears_. + Bonjoo, _The nose_. + Yembe, _The lips_. + Mulere, _The teeth_. + Unjar, _The tongue_. + Tacal, _The chin_. + Waller, _The beard_. + Doomboo, _The neck_. + Morcol, _The throat_. + Coyor, _The breast_. + Gippa, _The belly_. + Mocoo, _The back_. + Aco, _The arms_. + Mangal, _The hands_. + Eboorbalga, _The thumb_. + Nakil, _The little finger_. + Pongo, _The knees_. + Peegoorga, _The legs_. + Edamal, _The feet_. + Kolke, _The nails_. + Bamma, _A man_. + Mootjel, _A woman_. + Dunjo, _A father_. + Tumurree, _A son_. + Tennapuke, _The hole made in the nostrils for the reception of + the bone ornament_. + Cotta, _A dog_. + Poteea, _Fish_. + Putai, _A turtle_. + Tabugga, _A fly_. + Walboolbool, _A butterfly_. + Zoocoo, _Wood_. + Maianang, _Fire_. + Poorai, _Water_. + Poapoa, _Earth_. + Galan, _The sun_. + Wulgar, _The clouds_. + Kere, _The sky_. + Boota, _To eat_. + Chucula, _To drink_. + Marra, _To go_. + Mingoore, _To dance_. + Mailelel, _To swim_. + Aibudje, _To yawn_. + Poona, _To sleep_. + Wonananio, _Asleep_. + Tocaya, _Sit down_. + Eya & ba, _That or this_. + Te, _A_, _or the_. + +We shall now proceed to give an account of their passage from New South +Wales to New Guinea, with a recital of the incidents which happened on +their landing on the last mentioned country.----Early in the morning of +the 24th of August 1770, the cable broke near the ring, in the attempt +to weigh the anchor; on which another anchor was dropped, which +prevented the ship’s driving. As the loss of an anchor might have been +attended with future ill consequences, the boats were sent to sweep for +it; but their first attempt being unsuccessful, they were dispatched +again in the afternoon, when it was found, and the ship being brought up +to it, they weighed it; yet, unfortunately, just as they were going to +ship it, the hawser slipped, and all their labour was frustrated. +Determined, however, not to lose the anchor, they re-applied their +endeavours on the following morning, when they were attended with +success. + +Soon after the anchor was weighed, the ship got under sail, steering +north-west, and in a few hours one of the boats, which was a-head, made +the signal for shoal-water. The ship instantly brought to, with all her +sails standing, and a survey being taken of the sea around her, it was +found that she had met with another narrow escape, as she was almost +encompassed with shoals; and was likewise so situated between them, that +she must have struck before the boat’s crew had made the signal, if she +had been half the length of a cable on either side. In the afternoon she +made sail with the ebb tide, and got out of danger before sun-set, when +she brought to for the night. + +The meeting with these shoals having determined the Captain to alter his +intended course, he sailed again the next morning (Sunday the 26th) and +soon got into deep water. They now steered a westward course, and, as no +land was within sight, held it on till the dusk of the evening, when +they shortened sail, and made opposite tacks during the night. The next +morning they pursued their voyage, again shortening sail at night, and +tacking till day-break of the 28th, when they steered due north, in +search of New Guinea. + +They now observed many parts of the sea covered with a kind of brown +scum, to which the sailors gave the name of Spawn. It is formed of an +incredible number of minute particles, each of which, when seen through +the microscope, was found to consist of a considerable number of tubes, +and these tubes were subdivided into little cells. The scum being burnt, +and yeilding no smell like what is produced by animal substances, it was +concluded that it was of the vegetable kind. This scum, which has been +often seen on the coast of Brazil, generally makes its appearance near +the land.--A bird, which is called the Noddy, was found this evening +among the rigging of the ship. Land having been seen this day from the +mast-head, they stood off and on all night, and at day-break they sailed +towards it with a brisk gale. + +Between six and seven o’clock they had sight of a small island, distant +about three miles from the main land, which has already been +distinguished by the names of St. Bartholomew, and Whermoysen. It is a +very flat island, clothed with trees, among which is the cocoa-nut; and +was judged to be inhabited, by the smoke of fires which were seen on +several parts of it. The boats were now sent out to sound, as the water +was shallow; but as the ship, in sailing two leagues, had found no +increase in its depth, signals were made for the boats to return on +board, and the vessel stood out to sea till midnight, and then tacked, +and stood in for land till the morning. When they were about four +leagues distant from it, they had sight of it from the deck, and its +appearance was still flat and woody. Abundance of the brown scum was +still seen on the surface of the sea, and the Tars, convinced that it +was not spawn, gave it the whimsical name of Sea-saw-dust. + +The ship now held a northward course, barely within sight of land, till +the 3d of September; and as the water was but just deep enough to +navigate the vessel, many unsuccessful attempts were made to bring her +near enough to get on shore: it was therefore determined to land in one +of the boats, while the ship kept plying off and on. + +In consequence of this resolution, on the 3d of September, the Captain, +accompanied by Messrs. Banks and Solander, and attended by the boat’s +crew and Mr. Banks’s servants, set out in the pinnace; but when they +came within two hundred yards of the shore the water was so shallow, +that they were obliged to leave the boat, in the care of two of the +sailors, and wade to land. They were no sooner clear of the water, than +they saw several prints of human feet on the sand, below +high-water-mark, from whence it was evident, that the natives had been +very lately there. About one hundred yards from the water there was a +thick wood, along the borders of which they walked till they arrived on +the banks of a brook of water, on which was situated a fine grove of +cocoa-nut trees, which abounded with fruit. + +At a small distance from the trees stood an Indian hut, which had been +thatched with their leaves, of which some yet remained; and round the +hut were scattered many cocoa-nut-shells, the fruit of which seemed to +have been lately gathered. Not far from this grew the bread-fruit tree, +and a number of plantains. + +Our adventurers were now near a quarter of a mile from the pinnace, when +three of the natives ran out of the woods, about one hundred yards +beyond them, shouting in the most violent manner. They instantly ran +towards our countrymen, the first of the three throwing something out of +his hand, which flew on one side of him, burning in the same manner as +gunpowder, but making no noise, while the other two threw their lances. +The English now fired; when the natives stopped, and cast another lance, +on which the muskets were loaded with ball, and again fired.--The poor +Indians now ran off with expedition, having, most probably, been wounded +in the unequal conflict. Captain Cook and his companions, unwilling +farther to injure those who could not originally have intended them any +harm, retreated hastily to the boat, while the men, that had been left +in the care of her, made signals that more of the natives were advancing +towards the coast; several of these were soon seen, and stood still, as +if waiting for the main body of their companions. Captain Cook and the +party having reached the boat, rowed a-breast of the natives, who by +this time were assembled to the number of about eighty. Their stature +was nearly the same with that of the inhabitants of New South Wales, but +their colour was not quite so dark: but, like them, they wore their hair +cropped short. During the survey that was taken of them, they continued +letting off their fires, a few at a time, in a kind of regular platoons; +they were discharged by means of a piece of stick, almost like a hollow +cane, which being swung sideways, produced fire and smoke exactly like +that occasioned by the firing of small arms. The crew on board the ship +saw this strange phenomenon, and thought the natives had fire-arms. The +gentlemen having satisfied their curiosity by attentively looking at +these people, fired some musquets above their heads, the balls from +which being heard to rattle among the trees, the natives deliberately +retired. The lances which had been thrown soon after the gentlemen +landed were made of a reed or bamboo cane, and the points were made of +hard wood, barbed in several places; it is imagined, that these lances +were discharged by means of a throwing stick, as they flew with great +swiftness above sixty yards. + +When this party returned to the ship, some of the officers entreated the +Captain to send men on shore to cut down the cocoa-nut trees, in order +to procure the nuts; but this, with equal wisdom and humanity, he +refused; sensible that the poor Indians, who could ill brook even the +landing of a small party, on their coast, would risk their lives, and of +course sacrifice them, in defence of their property. The whole coast of +this country is low-land, but cloathed with a richness of trees and +herbage, which exceeds all description. + +On Monday, the 3d of September, 1770, the ship got under sail, and early +in the morning of the 6th passed two small islands, on the latter of +which Captain Cook would have landed, but as they had then only ten +fathom water, and as the ground was rocky and the wind blew fresh, he +might have endangered the safety of the ship. They now sailed at a +moderate rate, with various soundings, till three o’clock the next +morning, after which they had no ground with one hundred and twenty +fathom. Before noon they had sight of land, which was conjectured to be +either the Arrou Islands, or Timor Laoet; but they are not accurately +laid down in any of the charts hitherto published. + +On the evening of the 9th they saw what had the appearance of land, and +the next morning were convinced that the first land they had seen was +Timor, and the last Timor Laoet. The ship stood off and on during the +night, when a number of fires were seen on the island, and the next +morning smoke was seen in several places, from whence it was conjectured +that the place was well peopled. The land near the shore was covered +with high trees, not unlike pines; farther back were cocoa-trees and +mangroves: there were many salt-water creeks, and several spots of +ground which appeared to have been cleared by art; and the whole country +rose, by gradual slopes, into hills of a very considerable height. + +As the land and sea breezes were now very slight, they continued in +sight of the island for two days, when it was observed that the hills +reached, in many places, quite to the sea coast, and where that was not +the case, there were large and noble groves of the cocoa-nut tree, which +ran about a mile up the country, at which distance great numbers of +houses and plantations were seen: the plantations were surrounded with +fences, and extended nearly to the summits of the most lofty hills, yet +neither the natives nor cattle were seen on any of them, which was +thought a very extraordinary circumstance. Fine groves of the fan-palm +shaded the houses from the rays of the sun. + +On the 16th they had sight of the little island called ROTTE; and the +same day saw the island SEMAU, at a distance to the southward of Timor. +The island of Rotte is chiefly covered with brushy wood without leaves; +but there are a number of fan-palm trees on it, growing near the sandy +beaches; and the whole consists of alternate hills and vallies. The +island of Semau is not so hilly as Timor, but resembles it greatly in +other respects. + +At ten o’clock this night a dull reddish light was seen in the air, many +parts of which emitted rays of a brighter colour, which soon vanished, +and were succeeded by others of the same kind. This phenomenon, which +reached about ten degrees above the horizon, bore a considerable +resemblance to the Aurora Borealis, only that the rays of light which it +emitted had no tremulous motion. It was surveyed for two hours, during +which time its brightness continued undiminished. + +As the ship was now clear of all the islands which had been laid down in +such maps as were on board, they made sail during the night, and were +surprized the next morning at the sight of an island to the west +south-west, which they flattered themselves was a new discovery. Before +noon they had sight of houses, groves of cocoa-nut trees, and large +flocks of sheep. This was a welcome sight to people whose health was +declining for want of refreshments; and it was instantly resolved to +attempt the purchase of what they stood so much in need of. The second +Lieutenant was immediately dispatched in the pinnace, in search of a +landing-place; and he took with him such things as it was thought might +be acceptable to the natives. + +During Mr. Gore’s absence, the people on board saw two men on horseback +upon the hills, who frequently stopped to take a view of the vessel. The +Lieutenant soon returned, with an account that he had entered a little +cove, near which stood a few houses: that several men advanced, and +invited him to land; and that they conversed together as well as they +could by signs. He reported that these people were very like the Malays, +both in person and dress; that they had no other arms but a knife, which +each of them wore stuck in his girdle. + +As the Lieutenant could not find any place in which the ship might come +to an anchor, he was dispatched again with money and goods, to buy such +necessaries as were immediately wanted for those who were sick. Dr. +Solander attended the Lieutenant, and, during their absence, the ship +stood on and off the shore. Soon after the boat had put off, two other +horsemen were seen from the ship, one of whom had a laced hat on, and +was dressed in a coat and waistcoat, of the fashion of Europe. These men +rode about on shore, taking little notice of the boat, but regarding the +ship with the utmost attention. As soon as the boat reached the shore, +some other persons on horseback, and many on foot, hastened to the spot, +and it was observed that some cocoa-nuts were put into the boat, from +whence it was concluded, that a traffick had commenced with the natives. +A signal being made from the boat, that the ship might anchor in a bay +at some distance, she immediately bore away for it. + +When the Lieutenant came on board, he reported that he could not +purchase any cocoa-nuts, as the owner of them was absent, and that what +he had brought were given him; in return for which he had presented the +natives with some linen. The method by which he learnt that there was a +harbour in the neighbourhood, was by the natives drawing a kind of rude +map on the sand, in which the harbour, and a town near it were +represented; it was likewise hinted to him that fruit, fowls, hogs, and +sheep, might be there obtained in great abundance. He saw several of the +principal inhabitants of the island, who wore chains of gold about their +necks, and were dressed in fine linen. The word _Portuguese_ being +frequently repeated by the Indians, it was conjectured, that some +natives of Portugal were on the island, and one of the boat’s crew being +of that kingdom, he spoke to the islanders in his own language, but he +soon found that they had only learnt a few words, of which they did not +know the meaning. While the natives were endeavouring to represent the +situation of the town near the harbour, one of them, in order to be more +particular in directions, informed the English that they would see +something, which he endeavoured to describe by placing his fingers +across each other; and the Portuguese sailor took it for granted, that +he could mean nothing but a cross. When the boat’s crew were on the +point of returning to the ship, the gentleman who had been seen on +horseback in the dress of Europe came down to the beach; but the +Lieutenant did not think it proper to hold a conference with him, +because he had left his commission on board the ship. + +In the evening, when the ship had entered the bay to which they had been +recommended, an Indian town was seen at a small distance; upon which a +jack was hoisted on the fore-top-mast head: presently afterwards three +guns were fired, and Dutch colours were hoisted in the town: the ship, +however, held on her way, and came to an anchor at seven in the evening. + +The colours being seen hoisted on the beach the next morning, the +Captain concluded, that the Dutch had a settlement on the island: he +therefore dispatched the second Lieutenant, to acquaint the Governor, or +other principal resident, who they were, and that the ship had put in +for necessary refreshments. The Lieutenant having landed, he was +received by a kind of guard of something more than twenty Indians, armed +with muskets, who having taken down the colours from the beach, +proceeded without the least military order; and thus escorted him to the +town where the colours had been hoisted the preceding evening. + +The Lieutenant was now conducted to the Raja, or King of the island, to +whom, by means of a Portuguese interpreter, he made known his business. +The Raja said, he was ready to supply the ship with the necessary +refreshments; but that he could not trade with any other people but the +Dutch, with whom he was in alliance, without having first obtained their +consent; but that he would make application to the Dutch Agent, who was +the only white man among them. To this Agent, whose name was Lange, and +who proved to be the person that was seen from the ship in the European +dress, a letter was dispatched; and in a few hours he came to the town, +behaved politely to the Lieutenant, and told him, he might buy what he +thought proper of the inhabitants of the island. + +This offer being freely made, and readily accepted, the Raja and Mr. +Lange intimated their wishes to go on board the ship, and that two of +the boat’s crew might be left as hostages for their safe return. The +Lieutenant gratified both these requests, and took them on board just +before dinner was served. It was thought that they would have sat down +without ceremony; but, after some hesitation, the Raja intimated his +doubts, whether, being a black, they would permit him to sit down with +them. The politeness of the officers soon removed his scruples, and the +greatest good humour and festivity prevailed among them. As Dr. +Solander, and another gentleman on board, were tolerable proficients in +Dutch, they acted as interpreters between Mr. Lange and the officers, +while some of the sailors, who understood Portuguese, conversed with +such of the Raja’s attendants as spoke that language. The chief part of +the dinner was mutton, which the Raja having tasted, he begged an +English sheep, and the only one which they had left was given him: he +then asked for a dog, and Mr. Banks gave him his grey-hound; and a +spying-glass was presented to him, on Mr. Lange’s intimating that it +would be acceptable. + +The visitors now told Captain Cook, that there was great plenty of +fowls, hogs, sheep and buffaloes on the island, numbers of which should +be conveyed to the sea shore on the following day, that he might +purchase what was necessary for the recovery of the sick, and for sea +stores. This welcome news gave great spirits to the company, and the +bottle went so briskly round, that Mr. Lange and his companions became +almost intoxicated: they had, however, the resolution to express a +desire to depart, before they were quite drunk. When they came upon +deck, the marines were under arms to receive them; and the Raja +intimating, that he should be glad to see them exercise, the Captain +gave orders that he should be indulged, and three rounds were fired: he +was equally pleased and surprized at their manœuvres, and particularly +charmed when they cocked their firelocks, exclaiming violently, “that +all the locks made but one click.” This being ended, Messrs. Solander +and Banks went ashore with the visitors, who were saluted at their +departure with nine guns, which they returned with three cheers. + +When they came to the town, the English gentlemen tasted their palm +wine, which was sweet, and not unpleasant: it is made of the fresh juice +of the tree, without being fermented. The houses of the natives +consisted of nothing more than a floor of boards, over which was a roof +of thatch, supported by pillars about four feet in height. + +On the following day the Captain, attended by several gentlemen, went on +shore to return the Raja’s visit; but their principal intention was, to +buy the refreshments which had been mentioned the preceding day. When +they landed, they were chagrined to find, that the cattle had not been +driven down to the beach. They went on to the town, where they observed, +that the house of assembly, and some few other houses which had been +built by the Dutch East India Company, were distinguished from the +houses of the natives by having a piece of wood, almost in the shape of +cows horns, fixed at each end of the roof; and these they concluded were +what the Portuguese sailor had imagined to be crosses, from the Indian +having crossed his fingers when he was describing the town. + +The Raja was at the house of assembly, surrounded by many of his +principal subjects; and Mr. Lange also attended. Captain Cook having +informed them, that he had loaded his boat with goods, which he wished +to exchange for necessary refreshments, permission was given him to land +his effects. The Captain now endeavoured to make an agreement for the +hogs, sheep, and buffaloes, which were to be paid for in cash; but this +business was no sooner hinted at than Mr. Lange took his leave, having +first told the Captain, that he must make his agreement with the +natives; and adding, that he had received a letter from the Governor of +Concordia, in Timor, the contents of which should be disclosed at his +return. + +As they had now no fresh provisions on board, the gentlemen were +unwilling to return to the ship before they had dined; they therefore +requested the Raja’s permission to buy a small hog and some rice, and +hoped he would order his people to dress the dinner. To this the Raja +very obligingly replied, that if the gentlemen had stomachs to eat of +Indian cookery, he would have the honour of considering them as his +guests. A dinner being thus procured, the Captain sent off the boat to +bring liquors from the ship. + +Late in the afternoon the company sat down on mats, which had been +spread for them on the floor, having been first conducted to a servant, +who had a vessel made of the leaves of the fan-palm, containing water to +wash their hands, in which the Indian assisted them. Having waited some +time for the Raja, they enquired the reason of his absence, and were +informed, that the person who gave the entertainment never partook of +it; but that the Raja was ready to come and taste of what was provided, +if the gentlemen entertained any idea that the meat was unwholesome: +having assured the natives, that they did not harbour any such +suspicion, they began their dinner, which consisted of pork and rice, +very excellent of their kinds, served up in thirty-six dishes, and three +earthen bowls filled with a kind of broth, in which the pork had been +boiled: the spoons were formed of leaves, but were so small, that the +hunger of the guests would scarcely allow them patience to use them. + +When dinner was ended, the Captain invited the Raja to drink wine with +him; but this he declined, saying, that the man who entertained company +should never get drunk with his guests, and that the only certain way to +avoid drunkenness, was to refrain from tasting the liquor. The gentlemen +left the remains of their dinner to their servants and the boat’s crew, +who not being able to eat it all, the Raja’s female servants, who came +to take away the utensils, insisted that they should take with them all +that remained. + +When the bottle had circulated some time, Captain Cook began to enquire +after the cattle that were promised to be driven down to the beach; when +Mr. Lange informed him, that in the letter which he had received from +the Governor of Concordia, instructions were given, that if the ship +should touch at the island, and be in want of provisions, she should be +supplied; but that he was not to permit her to remain longer than was +absolutely necessary: that no presents were to be made to the natives of +low rank, nor even left with their superiors to be divided among them +after the ship had sailed: but, he added, that any trifling civilities +received from the Indians, might be acknowledged by a present of beads, +or other articles of very small value. It is a very probable conjecture, +that the whole of this story was of Mr. Lange’s own manufacture, and +solely calculated to draw all the presents of any value into his own +pocket. + +Soon after this the Captain was informed, that some sheep had been +driven down to the beach; but had been conveyed away before the men +could get money from the ship to pay for them; and that not a single hog +or buffaloe had been driven down: but that a small number of fowls, and +a quantity of the palm-syrup had been bought. Heartily vexed to be thus +disappointed of the chief articles which were wanted, the Captain +remonstrated with Mr. Lange, who told him, that if he and his officers +had gone to the spot, they might have purchased any thing they pleased; +but that the Indians imagined, the seamen would impose on them with +counterfeit money. + +This story was no more credited than the former; but not to lose more +time in a case of such urgency, the Captain instantly repaired to the +beach; but there were no cattle to be bought. During his absence Lange +informed Mr. Banks, that the Indians were offended, that the seamen had +not offered gold for what they had to sell, and that no other metal +would purchase their commodities: but Mr. Banks, disdaining to hold +farther conversation with a man who had been guilty of such repeated +subterfuges, left him abruptly. Some hours before this, the Raja had +assigned a much more probable reason for the cattle not being brought to +the beach, saying, that the buffaloes were too far up the country to be +driven thither in the time. In the evening the gentlemen returned to the +ship, not a little displeased at their disappointment. + +On the 20th the Captain and doctor Solander went again on shore, and +while the latter proceeded to the town in search of Lange, the Captain +staid on the beach, with a view to buy cattle. At this place was an old +man, who had been distinguished by the name of the prime minister, +because he appeared to be invested with considerable authority; and the +Captain now presented him with a spying-glass, in order to make a friend +of him. At present there was nothing brought for sale but a small +buffaloe, for which five guineas were demanded. Tho’ the Captain knew +that this was double its value, yet he bid three guineas, as he was +willing to begin dealing at any rate: the person who had it to sell +said, he could not take the money till the Raja had been informed what +was offered; on which a man was sent to him, who soon came back with a +message, that five guineas would be the lowest price: this the Captain +refused to give; on which a second messenger was dispatched, who staying +a long time, Captain Cook was anxiously expecting his return, when he +saw Dr. Solander coming towards the beach, escorted by more than a +hundred persons, some of whom had lances in their hands, and the rest +were armed with muskets. When the Doctor arrived at the marketing-place, +he informed the Captain, that Lange had interpreted to him a message +from the Raja, the substance of which was, that the natives were averse +to all traffick with the English, because they would not give above half +the real worth of the things which were offered for sale; and that all +trading whatever should be prohibited after that day. + +A native of Timor, whose parents were Portuguese, came down with this +party, and delivered to the Captain what was pretended to be the order +of the Raja, and which was in substance the same as what Lange had told +Dr. Solander; but it was afterwards discovered, that this man was a +confederate of Lange’s, in the scheme of extortion. The English +gentlemen had at the same time no doubt, but that the supposed order of +the Raja was a contrivance of these men; and while they were debating +how they should act in this critical conjuncture, anxious to bring the +affair to a speedy issue, the Portuguese began to drive away such of the +natives as had brought palm-syrup and fowls to sell, and others who were +now bringing sheep and buffaloes to the market. + +Just at this juncture Captain Cook happening to look at the old man who +had been distinguished by the name of prime minister, imagined that he +saw in his features a disapprobation of the present proceedings; and, +willing to improve the advantage, he grasped the Indian’s hand, and gave +him an old broad sword. This well-timed present produced all the good +effects that could be wished: the prime minister was enraptured at so +honourable a mark of distinction, and, brandishing his sword over the +head of the impertinent Portuguese, he made both him, and a man who +commanded the party, sit down behind him on the ground. The whole +business was now accomplished: the natives, eager to supply whatever was +wanted, brought their cattle in for sale, and the market was soon +stocked. For the first two buffaloes Captain Cook gave ten guineas; but +he afterwards purchased them by way of exchange, giving a musket for +each; and at this rate he might have bought any number he thought +proper. There seems to be no doubt but that Lange had a profit out of +the first two that were sold, and that his reason for having said that +the natives would take nothing but gold for their cattle, was, that he +might the more easily share in the produce. Captain Cook purchased of +the natives of this island some hundred gallons of palm-syrup, a small +quantity of garlick, a large number of eggs, some limes and cocoa-nuts, +thirty dozen of fowls, three hogs, six sheep, and nine buffaloes. + +Having at length obtained these necessary refreshments, Captain Cook +prepared for sailing from this place; but before we attend him on his +voyage, it may be proper to give a description of the island, with an +account of its produce, and the customs and manners of its inhabitants. + +The island of SAVU is situated in 10 degrees 35 minutes south latitude, +and 237 degrees 30 minutes west longitude, and has hitherto been very +little known, or very imperfectly described. Its length is between +twenty and thirty miles; but its breadth could not be ascertained by +Captain Cook, who saw only the north side of it. The harbour in which +the ship lay was called Seba, from a district of the country so +denominated; and there are two other bays on different parts of the +island. At the time the Endeavour lay there it was near the end of the +dry season, when it had not rained for almost seven months, nor was +there a running stream of fresh water to be seen, and the natives were +supplied only by small springs, situated at a distance up the country: +yet even in this dry season the appearance of the island was enchanting +beyond description. Near the coast the land is level, and well clothed +with the palm, called _Arecas_, and cocoa-nut trees: farther off the +ground rises in the most gradual ascent, and is covered with fan +palm-trees even to the tops of the hills, so as to present a regular +grove to the eye. The rains in this country cease in March or April, and +fall again in October or November: and these rains produce abundance of +indico, millet, and maize, which grow beneath the noblest trees in the +universe. + +Besides these articles, the island produces tobacco, cotton, betle, +tamarinds, limes, oranges, mangoes, Guinea corn, rice, callevances, and +water melons. A trifling quantity of cinnamon was seen, and some +European herbs, such as garlic, fennel, cellery and marjoram: besides +which, there are fruits of various kinds, and particularly the _blimbi_, +which has a sharp taste, and is said to be a very fine pickle, but it is +not eaten raw; its length is from three to four inches, it is nearly as +thick as a man’s thumb, of an oval form, covered with a very thin skin +of a light green, and contains a number of seeds ranged in the shape of +a star. + +Several buffaloes were seen on this island, which were almost as large +as an ox; and from a pair of enormous horns of this animal which Mr. +Banks saw, it was conjectured, that some of them were much larger; yet +they did not weigh more than half as much as an ox of the same apparent +size, having lost the greater part of their flesh through the late dry +weather; the meat however was juicy, and of a delicate flavour. The +horns of these animals bend backwards, they have no dewlaps, nor scarce +any hair on their skins, and their ears are remarkably large. The other +tame animals on the island are dogs, cats, pigeons, fowls, hogs, goats, +sheep, asses and horses. + +Few of the horses are above twelve hands high, yet they are full of +mettle, and pace naturally in an expeditious manner: the natives ride +them with a halter only. The hogs of this country, are fed on the hulks +of rice, and palm-syrup mixed with water, and are remarkably fine and +fat. The sheep are not unlike a goat, and are therefore called cabritos; +their ears, which are long, hang down under their horns; their noses are +arched, and their bodies are covered with hair. The fowls are of the +game kind, and though they are rather large, the hen lays a very small +egg. The sea-coast furnishes the inhabitants with turtle, but not in any +great abundance. + +The natives of the island of Savu are rather below the middle stature; +their hair is black and strait, and persons of all ranks, as well those +that are exposed to the weather, as those that are not, have one general +complexion, which is the dark brown. The men are well formed and +sprightly, and their features differ much from each other: the women, on +the contrary, have all one set of features, and are very short and broad +built. + +The men have silver pincers hanging by strings round their necks, with +which they pluck out the hair of their beards; and both men and women +root out the hair that grows under the arms: the hair of the women’s +heads is tied in a club behind, while that of the men is fastened by a +comb to the top of the head: the men wear a kind of turban on the head, +formed of muslin, cotton, or even silk handkerchiefs; but the heads of +the women have no covering. + +The dress of the men consists of two pieces of cotton cloth, one of +which is bound round the middle, and the lower edge of it being drawn +pretty tight between the legs, the upper edge is left loose, so as to +form a kind of pocket, in which they carry their knives and other +things: the other piece being passed under the former, on the back of +the wearer, the ends of it are carried over the shoulders, and tucked +into the pocket before. The women draw the upper edge of the piece round +the waist tight, while the lower edge, dropping to the knees, makes a +kind of petticoat: the other piece of cloth is fastened across the +breast, and under the arms. This cloth, which is manufactured by the +natives, is died blue while in the yarn; and, as it is of various +shades, its look when it comes to be worn is very beautiful. + +The ornaments of the natives of Savu are very numerous, and consist of +rings, beads worn round the neck and on the wrists, and chains of +plaited gold wire, likewise worn round the neck: these things were worn +by both sexes; but the women had likewise girdles of beads round their +waists, which helped to keep up the petticoat. Many of the boys wore +brass wire passed several times round the arms, above the elbow: and +some of the men, who were said to be the sons of the Rajas, wore rings +of ivory, above an inch thick, and two inches broad, on the same part of +the arm. One man possessed a silver-headed cane, supposed to have been a +present from the Dutch East India Company, as their mark was engraven on +the silver. The Raja, and the principal officer of his houshold, were +commonly habited in night gowns of ordinary chintz; but one time, when +Captain Cook waited on the Raja, he was dressed in a black stuff robe. + +Most of the men had their names marked on their arms, and the women a +black ornament just under the bend of the elbow, impressed so that it +could not be rubbed out. On enquiry it was found, that this practice had +been common among the Indians long before they were visited by any +Europeans; and it was said, that the necks and breasts of the +inhabitants of the adjacent islands were marked with circles. + +It could not be certainly known how these black marks were impressed; +but the following extract from M. Bossu’s account of some Indians who +dwell on the banks of the Akanza, a river in North America, will afford +a very probable conjecture how the operation is performed.--“The Akanzas +(says this writer) have adopted me, and, as a mark of my privilege, have +imprinted the figure of a roe-buck upon my thigh, which was done in this +manner: an Indian having burnt some straw, diluted the ashes with water, +and, with this mixture, drew the figure upon my skin; he then retraced +it by pricking the lines with needles, so as at every juncture just to +draw the blood, and the blood mixing with the ashes of the straw, forms +a figure which can never be effaced.” + +The houses on the island of Savu are of different lengths, from twenty +feet to four hundred, according to the rank of the inhabitant, and are +fixed on posts about four or five feet from the ground. The houses are +generally divided into three rooms of equal size, the center room being +set apart for the use of the women; and sometimes smaller rooms are +enclosed from the sides of the building, the whole of which is thatched +with the leaves of the palm-tree. + +The natives eat of all the tame animals which the island produces, but +they prefer the hog to all the rest; next to hogs flesh they admire that +of the horse, to which succeeds the Buffalo, and then the poultry; and +they like the flesh of cats and dogs much better than that of goats and +sheep. Fish is not eaten but by the poorer people, nor even by them, but +when some business demands their attendance near the sea-coast; and then +each man has a small casting net, which he wears tied round his body +when he has not occasion to use it. + +The fan-palm is the most remarkable, and most useful tree that grows on +the island, its uses being equally great and various: soon after the +buds put forth the natives cut them, and tying under them little baskets +formed of the leaves of the tree, a liquor drops into them, which has +the taste of a light wine, and is the common liquor of all the +inhabitants. The men climb the trees twice a day to bring down this +liquor; but as a great deal more is thus obtained than can be consumed +by drinking, a part of the remainder is made into coarse sugar, very +excellent of its kind; and the rest is boiled in earthen pots, till it +is reduced to a syrup, resembling treacle, but of a much finer flavour; +and with this syrup the natives fatten their hogs and dogs. The leaves +of the tree are applied to the various uses of making tobacco pipes, +umbrellas, cups, baskets, and the thatching of houses. The fruit of this +tree is nearly of the size of a full grown turnip; but the natives are +not fond of it, nor do they suffer much of it to come to perfection, as +they wound the blossoms for the sake of the liquor that distils from +them; the kernels of the fruit must be eaten before it is ripe, +otherwise they are so hard, that the teeth will not penetrate them. + +As wood for firing is very scarce on the island, the natives, by the +following method, make a very little of it answer the ends of cookery +and distillation. A hollow is dug under ground, in a direct line, about +two yards long, with a hole at each end, one of which is large and the +other small; the fire is put in at the largest hole, while the smaller +one serves for a draught. Circular holes are made through the earth, +which covers this cavity; and on these holes are set earthen pots, which +being large in the middle, and smaller towards the bottom, the fire acts +upon a considerable part of their surface. These pots contain, most +commonly, about eight or nine gallons each, and they are kept +continually boiling, with a very trifling quantity of fuel, such as a +palm-leaf, or a dry stalk; in this manner all their victuals are boiled, +as well as their syrup and sugar. + +Both the men and women chew betle and areca, mixed with a sort of lime, +composed of shells and coral stones; and as they frequently add tobacco +to the other ingredients, and acquire this disgustful practice almost in +their infancy, there is not a sweet breath, or a sound set of teeth in +the whole island. They sometimes smoke tobacco, and the women, +particularly, swallow the smoke. Their pipes are made of the palm-leaf, +about the size of a goose quill, and half a foot long, in one end of +which they put the tobacco designed for smoking. + +The island consists of five divisions, each of which has a Raja, or +chief Governor, of its own. These divisions are called TIMO, MASSARA, +REGEEUA, LAAI, and SEBA. It was on this last division that our English +adventurers went on shore: the Raja of which was between thirty and +forty years of age, and remarkable for his corpulency. He governs his +people with the most absolute authority, but takes on him very little of +the parade, or pomp of royalty. The prime minister, who has been +heretofore mentioned, appeared to be invested with great power, and +almost wholly to direct the actions of the Raja; yet, such were the +abilities and integrity of this man, that the people universally adored +him. When any dispute happens among the natives, it is instantly settled +by the Raja and his counsellors, in the most equitable and satisfactory +manner. + +The history of this island depends chiefly on the authority of Mr. +Lange, the Dutch factor, who informed Captain Cook, that it was able to +raise seven thousand three hundred fighting men, on the shortest notice. +These are armed with lances, spears, muskets, targets, and pole-axes, +which last are not unlike a wood-bill, only that they are much heavier, +and have strait edges. The natives are so expert in the use of their +lances, that they will throw them with such force and exactness, as to +pierce a man through the heart at the distance of sixty or seventy +yards. Notwithstanding this skill and disposition for war, it is said, +that the Rajas have lived in the most perfect harmony for several ages. + +While Captain Cook was on the island he saw a great gun before the +town-house, and some swivels and pateraroes; but the great gun, which +was almost consumed by rust, lay with the touch-hole to the ground, and +the swivels and pateraroes were not in their carriages. In the +town-house were a number of spears and targets, of as many different +sizes as there were weapons; and with these the natives were armed when +they came down with Dr. Solander, with a view to influence the market. +The insides of the muskets were almost destroyed by rust, though their +outsides were kept clean and bright: the men had very little, if any, +powder or ball in their cartridge-boxes; but a piece of paper was put +into each hole, as if they had been properly furnished. It has been +already mentioned, that they marched in the most irregular manner; and +each man brought with him a little tobacco, a fowl, or some other +trifle, for sale. + +The inhabitants of Savu are divided into five ranks; the Rajas, the +land-owners, manufacturers, labourers, and slaves. The land-owners are +respected in proportion to the extent of their lands, and the number of +their slaves, which last are bought and sold with the estates to which +they belong; but when a slave is bought separately, a fat hog is the +price of the purchase. Though a man may sell his slave in this manner, +or convey him with his lands, yet his power over him extends no farther, +for he must not even strike him without the Raja’s permission. The +estates of these land-owners are of very different extent; for some of +them possess not above five slaves, and some five hundred. When a man of +rank goes abroad, one of his slaves follows him, with a silver hilted +sword or hanger, ornamented with horse hair tassels; while another is +furnished with a little bag, containing tobacco, betle, areca, and lime; +and even the Rajas themselves take no farther state upon them. + +The natives of Savu entertain a veneration for antiquity, superior, +perhaps, to that of any other people in the world. Their principal boast +is a long line of venerable ancestors: the houses that have been well +tenanted for successive generations are held in the highest esteem; and +even the stones, which are worn smooth by having been sat upon for ages, +become valuable from that very circumstance: the man whose progenitors +have bequeathed him any of these stones, or whose opulence has enabled +him to purchase them, causes them to be ranged round his habitation, for +his servants and slaves to sit upon. + +In the chief town of each district the Raja causes a huge stone to be +set up, as a monument of his reign. Thirteen such stones were seen in +the province of Seba, and the remains of many others, that have suffered +greatly by the wasting hand of time. These stones are all placed on the +top of a hill, and some of them are so enormously large, that it is +impossible to conceive by what contrivance they could have been placed +in such a situation, nor could any information in this respect be +obtained from the natives. From these monuments it is evident, that the +island has been regularly governed for a series of ages past. + +On the death of a Raja, proclamation is made that all his subjects shall +hold a solemn festival; on which they proceed to the hill where these +stones are erected, and feast for several weeks or months, killing every +animal that can be found, to furnish out the treat, which is daily +served upon the monumental stones. When the whole stock is exhausted, +they are compelled to a severe fast; and when it happens that the feast +ends in the dry season, when they cannot get vegetables to eat, they +have no other subsistance than the palm syrup and water, till the few +animals that escape the general massacre have bred a sufficient number +for a fresh supply; except indeed that the adjacent districts may afford +some relief. The natives of Savu have an instrument with which they +clear the cotton of its seeds, which is only about seven inches in +height, and fourteen in length; but is constructed on common mechanical +principles. They have likewise a machine, with which they spin by hand, +in the same manner as the women of England did, before the use of +spinning-wheels was known. The yarn they make is dyed as +before-mentioned, and they were once observed to be dying some girdles +for the women, of a deep red colour. + +The natives in general are robust and healthy, and had the appearance of +being long-lived. The small-pox has found its way to this island, and is +as much dreaded as the pestilence: when this disorder attacks any +person, he is carried to some spot at a great distance from any house, +where his food is conveyed to him by means of a long stick, for no one +will venture very near the invalid, who is thus left to take his chance +of life or death. + +The island of Savu having been visited by the Portuguese almost at their +first sailing into this part of the world, they established a settlement +upon it; but in a little time they were succeeded by the Dutch, who, +though they did not formally possess themselves of the island, sent a +number of trading vessels to establish a commerce with the natives. It +is thought that the Dutch purchases are chiefly confined to provisions +for the supply of the Spice Islands, the inhabitants of which, +cultivating almost every spot of ground for the spice trade, breed but a +small number of cattle. A few years ago the Dutch East India Company +made an agreement with the several Rajas of the island, by which it was +covenanted, that a quantity of rice, maize, and calevances should be +annually furnished to the Dutch, who, in return, supply the Rajas with +arrack, cutlery wares, linen, silk, and some other things. Small +vessels, each of which is manned by ten Indians, are sent from Timor, to +bring away the maize and calevances, and a ship which brings the +articles which are furnished by the Dutch, receives the rice on board +once a year: and there being three bays on the coast, this vessel +anchors in each of them in its turn. The Rajas accept the Dutch articles +of commerce as a present; and they and their chief attendants drink +incessantly of the arrack till it is all gone. In the agreement +abovementioned, the Rajas stipulated, that a Dutch resident should be +constantly on the island, to observe that their part of the contract was +fulfilled. + +The Dutch having thus concluded the treaty, sent Mr. Lange to act as +their resident, and a kind of assistant to him, whose father was a +Portuguese, and his mother a native of Timor, with one Frederick Craig, +whose father was a Dutchman, and his mother an Indian. Once every two +months Lange is attended by fifty slaves on horse-back, and in this +state visits each of the Rajas, and, if the crops are ripe, orders +vessels to convey them immediately to Timor, so that they are not even +housed on the island. It is a part of Lange’s business to persuade the +land-owners to plant, if he sees that there has been any neglect on +their part. He constantly takes with him a quantity of arrack, by the +help of which he does not fail of making advantageous bargains with the +Rajas. + +Lange had been on this island ten years, during all which time he had +not seen a white person, except those who came annually in the Dutch +ship to carry off the rice. He is married to an Indian woman, a native +of the island of Timor, and he lives in the same manner as the +inhabitants of Savu, whose language he speaks better than any other; +like them too he sits on the ground and chews betle, and has so +perfectly adopted their manners, that he is an absolute Indian, except +in dress and complexion. + +Mr. Craig is employed in teaching the children to write and read, and +instructing them in the principles of Christianity. The new testament, a +catechism, and some other small books of divinity, have been printed in +the language of Savu, and the adjacent islands, at the expence of the +Dutch. Mr. Craig said, there were six hundred Christians in the township +of Seba only; yet there is neither a church nor a clergyman throughout +the island. + +The religion of such of the natives of Savu as have not embraced +Christianity, is a singular sort of Paganism, as every man makes choice +of his own God, and worships him according to his own fancy; so that the +variety of Deities, and the methods of adoring them, are scarcely fewer +than the number of inhabitants. The morality of these people, however, +is of the purest kind. A robbery is scarce ever committed, and a murder +is never perpetrated. When any disputes arise between the natives, they +instantly submit the point in debate to the decision of the Raja, and +rest perfectly satisfied with his determination. No man is permitted to +marry more than one wife; yet a violation of the marriage bed, or even +the crime of simple fornication, is almost wholly unknown among them. +Happy people! the purity of whose morals renders them fit objects of the +envy and emulation of the Christian world. + +Of the islands in the neighbourhood of Savu, the principal is Timor, +which is annually visited by the Dutch residents on the other islands, +in order to make up their accounts. Some of the towns on the north side +of Timor are in the hands of the Portuguese; but the Dutch possess the +far greater proportion of the island, on which they have built a fort, +and erected several store-houses. + +There are three small islands, called the Solars, which produce a great +abundance of the various necessaries of life, that are carried in small +vessels to the Dutch settlement on the island of Timor: these islands +are low and flat, and one of them has a commodious harbour. + +Westward from the Solars lies the little island of Ende, which is yet in +the possession of the Portuguese, who have built a considerable town, +called Larntuca, on the north east point of it; and close to the town is +an harbour where ships may ride in safety. + +The island of Rotte has a Dutch resident on it, whose business is +similar to that of Mr. Lange on the island of Savu: Rotte produces, +besides such things as are common to the other islands, a considerable +quantity of sugar, which is now made to a great degree of perfection. + +There is likewise a small island lying to the westward of Savu, the +chief produce of which is areca-nuts, of which the Dutch receive, in +exchange for European commodities, as large a quantity every year as +will load two vessels. + +A French ship was wrecked on the coast of Timor, about two years before +the Endeavour was in these seas. She had been lodged on the rock several +days, when the wind tore her to pieces in an instant, and the Captain, +with the greater number of the seamen, were drowned; but a Lieutenant +and about eighty men having reached the shore, travelled across the +country of Concordia, where their immediate necessities were relieved, +after which they returned to the wreck, in company with some Dutch and +Indians, who assisted them in recovering all their chests of bullion, +some of their guns, and other effects: which being done, they returned +to Concordia, where they remained several weeks; but, in this interval, +death made such havock among them, that not above half their number +remained to be sent to their native country, which was done as soon as a +vessel could be fitted out for that purpose. + +To close the account of the island of Savu, it now only remains to give +the following specimen of the language of its inhabitants. + + Specimen of the language of the inhabitants of the island of SAVU. + + Momonne, _A man_. + Monama, _An old man_. + Monecopai, _A boy_. + Anawuneekee, _A child_. + Madda, _The eyes_. + Otaile, _The temples_. + Sivanga, _The nose_. + Tangarei, _The forehead_. + Cavarànga, _The cheeks_. + Vaio, _The tongue_. + Lacoco, _The neck_. + Dùloo, _The belly_. + Pagàvee, _The chin_. + Càmaccoò, _The arms_. + Wùlalea, _The hand_. + Roòtoo, _The knees_. + Baibo, _The legs_. + Duneeala, _The feet_. + Row, _Hair_. + Gnaca, _A dog_. + Vavee, _A hog_. + Doomba, _A sheep_. + Maio, _A cat_. + Doleela, _A bird_. + Dulloo, _An egg_. + Nudoo, _A fish_. + Unjoo, _A turtle_. + Vooe, _Fruit_. + Nai, _Tobacco_. + Yirroo, _Oranges_. + Arre, _Rice_. + Lodo, _The sun_. + Wurroo, _The moon_. + Booro, _Bread_. + Cova, _A coat_. + Capa, _A ship_. + Sooree, _Red_. + Bulla, _Black_. + Sao-lodo, _The morning_. + Munda-lodo, _The evening_. + O, _Yes_. + Gnaa, _To eat_. + Neenawei, _To drink_. + Ta eaco, _To walk_. + Ta rai, _To run_. + Ta mudje, _To talk_. + Ta bunge, _To sneeze_. + Isse, or usse, _One_. + Rooe, _Two_. + Tulloo, _Three_. + Uppa, _Four_. + Lumee, _Five_. + Unna, _Six_. + Petoo, _Seven_. + Aroo, _Eight_. + Saio, _Nine_. + Singooroo, _Ten_. + Singooroo isse, _Eleven_. + +The Endeavour sailed from the island of Savu on the 21st of September +1770, and bent her course westward. In the afternoon of this day a +little flat island was discovered in 10 degrees 47 minutes south +latitude, and 238 degrees 28 minutes west longitude, which has not been +laid down in any of the charts hitherto published. + +When the ship got clear of the several islands before-mentioned, there +was a continual swell of the sea from the south, which Captain Cook +imputed to the position of the coast of New South Wales, imagining it to +have determined the sea in that direction. + +On the 28th they steered north-west the whole day, in order to get sight +of the land of Java; and on the 30th the Captain received from most of +the officers and seamen their respective journals of the voyage, +regarding which he advised them to observe the most profound secrecy: +and he likewise possessed himself of the log-book. In the night +following there was a storm of thunder and lightning, when the land of +Java was seen to the eastward by the brightness of the lightning. In the +morning they had sight of the island of Cracatoa, which is singular for +the height of its peak. + +Early in the morning of the 2d of October, when the ship was in fifteen +fathom water, she was close in with the coast of Java, along which they +now steered. As their faithful Indian friend Tupia was at this time +extremely ill, the Captain dispatched a boat to the shore, to endeavour +to bring him some refreshing fruits, and likewise to procure grass for +the buffaloes. As soon as the boat landed, the inhabitants assisted the +seamen in cutting grass for the cattle, and in gathering a bunch of +plantains and a few cocoa-nuts, for which they received a shilling, and +which were brought off to the ship. The land of Java had a delightful +appearance, being every where well covered with trees. + +This day they had sight of two Dutch vessels, and an officer being +dispatched to one of them, to learn any interesting intelligence, he +brought word back, that the Swallow had reached the English channel in +safety, that disputes were carried to great lengths at home, in regard +to the ministers, and in America, on account of taxes; and that the +Russians, Poles and Turks, were embroiled in a war. The officer said, +that the vessels were Dutch East Indiamen, bound from Batavia, one of +them to the coast of Malabar, and the other to the island of Ceylon: he +said likewise, that there was a kind of packet-boat, which he had been +told, was appointed to carry letters from such Dutch ships as came +thither to Batavia; but Captain Cook conjectured, that her business was +to examine such ships as should pass the Streight. + +The ship had now been some hours at anchor; but a light breeze springing +up in the evening, they got under sail, and continued to proceed at a +slow rate during the night. On the 3d, in the morning, the Dutch +packet-boat was observed sailing after the Endeavour; but she bore away +again on the shifting of the wind. + +This changing of the wind obliging the Endeavour to come to an anchor, +the master of the packet-boat came along-side of her, in one of the +boats belonging to the country, bringing with him rice-birds, monkies, +parrots, parroquets, ducks, fowls, turtle, and other things, with an +intention to sell them; but as the stock which had been laid in at Savu +was not yet consumed, and he had fixed very high prices on his +commodities, very few articles were purchased: the Captain, however, +bought twenty or thirty fowls, and a small turtle. + +The master of the packet-boat had brought with him two books, in one of +which he wrote down the Captain’s name, and that of the vessel, to be +sent to the Governor and Council of the Indies; and in the other book he +requested that some of the gentlemen on board would likewise write down +the name of the vessel, with that of the Captain; where she came from, +to what port she was bound, and as many particulars respecting any +person on board, as themselves might think necessary, to satisfy the +curiosity of any of their friends who might afterwards enquire for them. +In this book many Portuguese vessels, and some of other countries had +made entries of the same kind; but a Lieutenant on board the Endeavour +having written the ship’s name, added only the words, “from Europe;” yet +of this the master of the packet took no other notice, than by saying he +was content with whatever they were pleased to write, which was intended +solely for the information of their friends. + +They now weighed the anchor, and made repeated attempts to sail; but the +wind not blowing so as to enable the vessel to stem the current, she lay +to till the morning of the 5th, when a Dutch officer came along-side the +ship, and sent a printed paper to the Captain, in exceeding bad English; +the contents of which were to enquire, + +1st, The ship’s name, and to what nation she belonged? + +2d, Whether she came from Europe, or any other place? + +3d, What place she had last departed from? + +4th, To what place she was bound? + +5th, How many ships belonging to the Dutch Company had been seen at the +last coast the ship had left, and their names? + +6th, If one or more of these ships had been in company with the +Endeavour, and was or were sailed for that, or any other place? + +7th, If, during the voyage, any thing remarkable had happened, or been +seen? + +8th, If any ships had been seen and hailed at sea, or in the streight of +Sunda, and what they were? + +9th, If they had brought any other news worthy of attention, from the +place whence the ship took her last departure; or if any thing else had +happened during the voyage, that was worth communicating. + +These questions were undersigned, “Batavia, in the castle. By order of +the Governor General, and the Counsellors of India, J. BRANDER BUNGL, +Sec.” + +It was observed, that the officer had many other papers of the same +kind, in French, Dutch, and other languages. Captain Cook did not think +proper to answer any of the above questions, except the first and the +fourth. When the Dutchman observed this, he said, that answers to the +other questions were not material; yet he seemed to contradict what he +had just advanced, by saying, that he must dispatch the paper to +Batavia, and that it would reach that place by noon on the following +day. This incident is particularly recorded, because the examining the +ships which sail through the streight, is said to be a piece of Dutch +policy of very modern date. + +As soon as the Dutch officer was departed, the anchor was weighed; but +the ship was obliged to come to an anchor again in about four hours, for +want of wind to enable her properly to stem the current. A breeze soon +springing up, the vessel held on her way till the following morning, +when she was again obliged to be brought to an anchor, owing to the +rapidity of the current. This day and the next they weighed the anchor, +and brought to several times. On the 8th they weighed, and stood clear +of a large ledge of rocks, which they had been near running fowl of the +preceding day; but before noon this day they were once more obliged to +anchor near a little island, which was not laid down in any chart that +they had on board. It is one of those that bear the name of the Milles +isles; and Messrs Solander and Banks having landed upon it, collected a +few plants, and shot a bat which was a yard long, being measured from +the extreme points of the wings; they also killed a few plovers, in all +respects like the English golden plover. On this island, the breadth of +which does not exceed one hundred yards, and the length five hundred, +they found a house, and a little spot of cultivated ground, and on it +grew the _Palma Christi_, from which the West Indians make the castor +oil. + +In a little time after the gentlemen came back to the snip, some Malays +came along-side, in a boat, bringing with them some pumpkins, dried +fish, and turtle for sale: one of the turtles, which weighed near one +hundred and fifty pounds, they sold for a dollar, and seemed to expect +the same piece of money for their pumpkins; but it being hinted to them +that a dollar was too much, they desired that one might be cut, and a +piece of it given to them: but this not being complied with, they at +length sold six and twenty pumpkins for a Portuguese petacka. When they +departed they intimated their wishes, that this transaction might not be +mentioned at Batavia. + +The ship now made but slow way till night, when the land breeze +springing up, they sailed to the east south-east, and on the following +day, by the assistance of the sea breeze, they came to an anchor in the +road of Batavia. At this place they found a number of large Dutch +vessels, the Harcourt East Indiaman from England, which had lost her +passage to China, and two ships belonging to the private trade of our +India Company. + +The Endeavour had no sooner anchored, than a ship was observed, with a +broad pendant flying, from which a boat was dispatched to demand the +name of the vessel, with that of the Commander, &c. To these enquiries +Captain Cook gave such answers as he thought proper, and the officer who +commanded the boat departed. This gentleman and the crew that attended +him were so worn down by the unhealthiness of the climate, that they +appeared but as the shadows of men; which the Captain deemed a sad +presage of the havock which death would soon make among his crew; yet at +present there was not one invalid on board, except the Indian Tupia: the +English tars, whose want of foresight and defiance of danger is +notorious, seemed not to entertain the least idea that even sickness +would attack a set of men so hardened as they were by different +climates; but alas! they had very little idea of the fatal contagion +which impregnates the air of Batavia. + +The Captain now dispatched an officer to the Governor of the town, to +apologize for the Endeavour’s not saluting; for he had but three guns +proper for the purpose, except swivels, and he was apprehensive that +they would not be heard. + +The ship was at this time so leaky, that she made about nine inches +water an hour, on the average; part of her false keel was gone; one of +her pumps was totally useless, and the rest so very much decayed, that +they could not last long. The officers and seamen concurring in opinion, +that the ship could not safely put to sea again in this condition, the +Captain resolved to solicit permission to heave her down; but as he had +learnt that this must be done in writing, he drew up a petition, and had +it translated into Dutch. + +On Wednesday the 10th of October 1770, the Captain and the rest of the +gentlemen went on shore, and applied to the only English gentleman then +resident at Batavia: this gentleman, whose name was Leith, received his +countrymen in the politest manner, and entertained them at dinner with +great hospitality. Mr. Leith informed them, that a public hotel was kept +in the town, by order of the Dutch government, at which place merchants +and other strangers were obliged to lodge, and that the landlord of the +hotel was bound to find them warehouses for their goods, on the +condition of his receiving ten shillings on every hundred pounds of +their value; but that as the Endeavour was a King’s ship, her officers, +and the other gentlemen, might reside where they thought proper, only +asking leave of the Governor, whose permission would be instantly +obtained. Mr. Leith added, that they might live cheaper in this way than +at the hotel, if they had any person who spoke the Malay tongue, on whom +they could rely in the purchase of their provisions: but as there was no +such person among the whole ship’s crew, the gentlemen immediately +bespoke beds at the hotel. + +In the afternoon Captain Cook attended the Governor General, who +received him politely, and told him to wait on the Council the next +morning, when his petition should be laid before them, and every thing +he solicited would be readily granted. + +Late in the evening of this day there happened a most terrible storm of +thunder and lightning, accompanied with very heavy rain. In this storm +the main-mast of a Dutch East Indiaman was split and carried away by the +deck; and the main-top-mast and top-gallant-mast were torn to pieces; it +is supposed, that the lightning was attracted by an iron spindle at the +main-top-gallant-mast-head. The Endeavour, which was at a small distance +from the Dutch ship, escaped without damage, owing, in Captain Cook’s +opinion, to an electrical chain, which conducted the lightning over the +side of the vessel: and he recommends chains of the same kind to be +taken on board all ships, to whatever part of the globe they may be +bound. A centinel on board the Endeavour, who was charging his musket at +the time of the storm, had it shaken out of his hand, and the rammer-rod +was broken in pieces: the electrical chain looked like a stream of fire, +and the ship sustained a very violent shock. + +On Tuesday the 11th Captain Cook waited on the gentlemen of the Council, +who informed him, that all his requests should be complied with. In the +interim, the other gentlemen made a contract with the master of the +hotel, to furnish them and their friends with as much tea, coffee, punch +and tobacco, as they might have occasion for, and to keep them a +separate table, for nine shillings a day, English money; but on the +condition that every person who should visit them, should pay at the +rate of four shillings and six pence for his dinner, and the same sum +for his supper and bed, if he chose to sleep at the hotel: they were +likewise to pay for every servant that attended them fifteen pence a +day. + +It was soon discovered, that they had been vilely imposed on; for these +charges were above twice as much as would have been demanded at a +private house. They appeared to live elegantly, but at the same time +were but ill supplied. Their dinner consisted of fifteen dishes, all +served up at once; and their supper of thirteen; but of these, nine or +ten were of the most ordinary, because the cheapest, poultry, that could +be purchased; and even some of these dishes were observed to be served +up four times successively: a duck, which was hot at dinner, brought +cold in the evening; the next day it appeared in the form of a fricasee, +and was converted to forced meat at night. Our countrymen, however, only +fared as others had done before them: it was the constant custom of the +conscientious master of the hotel, to treat all his guests in the same +manner, when they first took up their residence at his house: if they +took no notice of it, all was well, for the landlord had the better +customers of them; if they remonstrated against such treatment, the +table was better and better supplied from time to time, till, in the +end, they had no reason to complain. + +The gentlemen having found fault with their fare, were afterwards +supplied in a better manner; but Mr. Banks, not approving the conduct of +the master of the hotel, he hired lodgings for himself and his +attendants at the adjoining house, for which he agreed to pay five and +forty shillings a month: but here Mr. Banks was disappointed in the hope +he had formed of living retired; for scarce a Dutchman had occasion to +pass by the house, but he ran in without ceremony, to enquire what was +to be sold; for it is a very unusual thing at Batavia, for strangers who +are in a private capacity not to be furnished with some articles of +traffick. In this house no person was permitted to sleep, as a guest of +Mr. Banks, without his bed being separately paid for. It is the +universal custom here to hire a carriage; and Mr. Banks engaged two, for +which he paid eighteen shillings a day: these carriages are open +chaises, in which two persons sit commodiously, and are driven by a man +sitting on a kind of coach-box. + +Their Indian friend Tupia had been till this time on board very +dangerously ill, yet persisted to refuse every medicine that was offered +him: Mr. Banks now sent for him to his house, in the hope that he might +recover his health. While he was in the ship, and even after he was put +into the boat, he was indisposed, and low spirited, in the utmost +degree; but the moment he came into the town, his whole frame appeared +as if re-animated. The houses, the carriages, the people, and many other +objects, were totally new to him and astonishment took possession of his +features at sights so wonderful: but if Tupia was astonished at the +scene, his boy, Tayota, was perfectly enraptured, dancing along the +streets in an extacy of joy, and examining the several objects as they +presented themselves, with the most earnest inquisitiveness and +curiosity. + +Of all the circumstances which engaged the attention of Tupia, nothing +struck him so much as the vast variety of dresses worn by the +inhabitants of Batavia: he enquired the reason of what appeared so very +extraordinary in his eyes, and being informed that the people were of a +variety of nations, and that all were dressed according to the mode of +their own country, he requested permission to follow the fashion: this +request being readily complied with, a person was dispatched to the ship +for some South Sea cloth, with which he soon clothed himself in the +dress of the inhabitants of Otaheite. The people of Batavia, who had +seen an Indian, brought thither in M. Bougainville’s ship, named +Otourou, mistook Tupia for that man, and frequently enquired if he was +not the same. + +As the necessary repairs of the ship were to be made at Ourust, Captain +Cook obtained an order to the superintendant of that island to receive +her; and he wrote to the Secretary of the Admiralty, an account of the +safe arrival of the Endeavour in the road of Batavia, and dispatched his +letter by a Dutch ship that was bound to Europe. + +Captain Cook now applied to several persons to advance him money +sufficient to defray the expence of repairing the ship; but not one +could be found in the whole town who had the requisite sum in his +possession, or, if he had, was willing to advance it: he therefore made +application to the Governor, who issued his orders, that he should be +supplied out of the treasury of the Dutch East India Company. + +Early in the morning of the 18th of October 1770, the ship got under +sail, and proceeded to Ourust; and, in a day or two, the crew began to +take out her stores, which were deposited in the wharf on Cooper’s +Island; but this business was rendered unavoidably tedious, by several +Dutch ships being at the same wharf, taking in their ladings of pepper. + +After little more than a week spent at Batavia, the ill effects of the +climate began to be severely felt. Dr. Solander and Mr. Banks were +indisposed with fevers; Mr. Banks’s two servants were exceedingly ill; +the Indian boy, Tayota, had an inflammation on his lungs; and Tupia was +so bad, that his life was despaired of. Their indisposition was +attributed partly to the heat of the climate, and partly to the swampy +situation of the town, and the stench of the dirty canals with which it +abounds. + +By the 26th of the month, very few of the crew were well enough to do +duty; and on this day a tent was erected for their reception. Tupia now +requested to be conveyed to the ship, in the hope of breathing a purer +air than in the town; but his request could not be granted, as she was +unrigged, and preparations were making to lay her down, in order that +she might undergo a thorough repair: on the 28th, however, Mr. Banks +attended Tupia to Cooper’s Island, where a tent was pitched for him, in +such a situation, where he was alternately refreshed by the land and sea +breezes; and the poor creature was extremely thankful that he was so +agreeably lodged. By this time the Surgeon was so ill, that he could not +leave his bed; Mr. Banks’s fever was greatly encreased, and Dr. Solander +grew worse every day. + +The ship was at length laid down on the 5th of November, on which day +died Mr. Monkhouse, the Surgeon, whose loss was the more severely felt, +as he was a man of skill in his profession, and fell a sacrifice to the +pestiferous air of the country, at a time when his abilities were most +wanted. Dr. Solander, though extremely ill, had strength sufficient to +see his remains committed to the ground, but Mr. Banks was unable even +to pay this last sad duty to a worthy man. + +Death now advanced with hasty strides among our adventrous countrymen, +who were equally unable to resist his power, or shun his embraces. +Several Malay servants were engaged, to wait on those who were ill; but +these people were so remiss in their duty, that it was no uncommon thing +for the sick man to leave his bed in search of his attendant. The Indian +boy, Tayota, paid the debt of Nature on the 9th of this month, and +Tupia, whose tender affection for the youth can be equalled only by that +of a parent for a favourite child, was so shocked at the loss, that it +was evident he could not long survive him. + +By this time the ship’s bottom having been carefully surveyed, our +countrymen had ample reason to be grateful to that Providence, by which +they had been preserved during a passage of several hundred miles, +through the most dangerous seas on the face of the globe: for the +sheathing in several places was torn from the vessel, the false keel was +in a great measure gone, the main keel was damaged in many parts, +several of the planks had received great injury, and a part of three of +them was thinner than the sole of a shoe! + +Messrs. Solander and Banks were now so worn down by their disorders, +that the Physician, who attended them, recommended the country air, as +the only thing that could possibly restore them to the wishes of their +friends. In consequence of this advice, they hired a country-house of +the master of the hotel, who engaged to supply them with slaves, and to +furnish their table; but as they had sufficiently experienced the +worthlessness of these slaves, they bought two Malay women, who soon +became excellent nurses, from that tenderness of Nature which does so +much honour to the sex. While these gentlemen were taking measures for +the recovery of their health, poor Tupia fell a victim to the ravages of +his disorder, and to his grief for the deceased Tayota. When Tayota was +first seized with the fatal disorder, he seemed sensible of his +approaching end, and frequently said to those that were about him, Tyau +mate see, “My friends, I am dying:” he was very tractable, and took any +medicines that were offered to him; they were both buried in the island +of Edam. + +Captain Cook bestows great encomiums on the officers and workmen of the +Marine Yard at Ourust, by whose skill and diligence the bottom of the +ship was perfectly repaired by the 14th of the month; and he warmly +recommends the heaving down with two masts, instead of one, which, he +says, is undoubtedly the more expeditious, as well as the safer method. + +By this time not above ten men, out of the whole ship’s crew, were able +to do duty, and these were employed in getting the water and stores +aboard, and in putting up the rigging: the water was purchased at +Batavia, at the rate of one hundred and fifty gallons for six shillings +and eight pence. + +Captain Cook was now taken ill, and Mr. Sporing and a sailor, who +attended Messrs. Banks and Solander at their country-house, were +attacked with intermitting fevers; but those two gentlemen grew +something better, though their recovery was very slow. Their house was +situated on the borders of a rivulet, which, of course, assisted the +circulation of the air; and it was likewise open to the sea breeze. + +In the night of the 25th there fell such a shower of rain, for the space +of four hours, as even our voyagers had scarce ever remembered. The +water poured through every part of Mr. Banks’s house; and the lower +apartments admitted a stream sufficient to have turned a mill. As this +gentleman was now greatly restored in health, he went to Batavia the +following day, and was surprized to see, that the inhabitants had hung +out their bedding to dry. The westerly monsoon set in about the 26th of +this month: it blows in the day-time from the north, or north-west, and +from the south-west during the night: previous to this, there had been +violent thunder, and hard showers of rain for several nights. + +The musquitos and gnats, whose company had been sufficiently +disagreeable in the dry weather, now began to swarm in immense numbers, +rising from the puddles of water like bees from a hive: they were +extremely troublesome during the night, but the pain arising from their +sting, though very severe, seldom lasted more than half an hour; and in +the day-time they seldom made their attacks. The frogs kept a perpetual +croaking in the ditches; a certain sign that the wet season was +commenced, and that daily rain might be expected. + +The ship being repaired, the sick people being received on board her, +and the greater part of her water and stores taken in, she sailed from +Ourust on the 8th of December, and anchored in the road of Batavia. +Twelve days were employed in receiving the remainder of her provisions, +water, and other necessaries; though this business would have been done +in much less time, but that some of the crew died, and the majority of +the survivors were so ill, as to be unable to give their assistance. + +On the 24th Captain Cook took leave of the Governor, and some other +gentlemen, who had distinguished themselves by the civilities they +shewed him: but at this juncture an incident occurred, that might have +produced consequences by no means desirable. A sailor belonging to one +of the Dutch snips in the road of Batavia, deserted from that vessel, +and entered himself on board the Endeavour. The Captain of the Dutch +ship having made application to the Governor, claiming the delinquent as +a subject of the States General, the Governor issued his order for the +restoration of the man: Captain Cook had but just taken a formal leave +of the Governor when this order was delivered to him; and he said, that +the man should be given up, if it appeared that he was a Dutchman. As +the Captain was at this time on shore, and did not intend going on board +till the following day, he gave the Dutch officer a note to the +Lieutenant, who commanded on board the Endeavour, to deliver the +deserter on the condition above-mentioned. On the following day the +Dutchman waited on Captain Cook, informing him, that the Lieutenant had +absolutely refused to give up the seaman; saying, that he was an +Irishman, and of course a subject of his Britannick Majesty. Captain +Cook applauded the conduct of his officer, and added, that it could not +be expected, that he should deliver up an English subject. The Dutch +officer then said, he was authorized, by the Governor, to demand the +fugitive as a Danish subject, adding, that his name was entered in the +ship’s books, as having been born at Elsineur: to this Captain Cook very +properly replied, that the Governor must have been mistaken, when he +gave this order for delivering the deserter, who had his option whether +he would serve the Dutch or the English; but that in compliment to the +Governor, the man should be given up, as a favour, if he appeared to be +a Dane; but that, in this case, he should by no means be demanded as a +right, and that he would certainly keep him, if he appeared to be a +subject of the crown of Great Britain. The Dutchman now took his leave, +and he had not been long gone, before the Captain received a letter from +the commanding officer on board, containing full proof, that the man was +an English subject. This letter the Captain carried to the Shebander, +desiring him to lay it before the Governor, and to inform him, that the +man should not be delivered up on any terms whatever. This spirited +conduct on the part of Captain Cook had the proper effect; and thus the +matter ended. + +This day the Captain, attended by Mr. Banks and the other gentlemen who +had hitherto lived in the town, repaired on board the ship, which got +under sail the next morning. The Endeavour was saluted by the fort, and +by the Elgin East Indiaman, which then lay in the road; but soon after +these compliments were returned, the sea breeze setting in, they were +obliged to come to an anchor. Since the arrival of the ship in Batavia +road, every person belonging to her had been ill, except the sail-maker, +who was more than seventy years old, yet this man got drunk every day +while they remained there. The Endeavour buried seven of her people at +Batavia, viz. Tupia and his boy, three of the sailors, the servant of +Mr. Green, the astronomer, and the Surgeon: and at the time of the +vessel’s sailing, forty of the crew were sick, and the rest so enfeebled +by their late illness, as to be scarcely able to do their duty. + +The town of Batavia is situated in six degrees ten minutes south +latitude, and one hundred and six degrees fifty minutes east longitude, +from the meridian of Greenwich. It is built on the bank of a large bay, +something more than twenty miles from the Streight of Sunda, on the +north side of the island of Java, in low boggy ground. Several small +rivers, which rise forty miles up the country, in the mountains of +Blaeuwen Berg, discharge themselves into the sea at this place, having +first intersected the town in different directions. There are wide +canals of nearly stagnated water in almost every street, and as the +banks of these canals are planted with rows of trees, the effect is very +agreeable; but these trees and canals combine to render the air +pestilential. Some of the rivers are navigable, more than thirty miles +up the country; and, indeed, the Dutch appear to have chosen this spot +to build the town on, for the sake of water-carriage, in which +convenience Batavia exceeds every place in the world, except the towns +of Holland. + +A writer, who published an account of this place near fifty years ago, +makes the number of houses at that time 4760, viz. 1242 Dutch houses, +and 1200 Chinese houses, within the walls; and 1066 Dutch houses, and +1240 Chinese houses, without the walls, with twelve houses for the +vending of arrack. The streets of Batavia being wide, and the houses +large, it stands on more ground than any other place that has only an +equal number of houses. + +In dry weather a most horrid stench arises from the canals, and taint +the air to a great degree; and when the rains have so swelled the canals +that they overflow their banks, the ground-floors of the houses, in the +lower parts of the town, are filled with stinking water, that leaves +behind it dirt and slime in amazing quantities. The running streams are +sometimes as offensive as the stagnant canals; for the bodies of dead +animals are frequently lodged on the shallow parts, where they are left +to putrify, and corrupt the air, except a flood happens to carry them +away: this was the case with a dead buffaloe, while the crew of the +Endeavour were there, which lay stinking on the shoal of a river, in one +of the chief streets, for several days. + +They sometimes clean the canals; but this business is performed in such +a manner, as scarcely to make them less a nuisance than before; for the +bottom being cleared of its black mud, it is left on the side of the +canal till it is hard enough to be taken away in boats; and as there are +no houses for necessary retirement in the whole town, the filth is +thrown into the canals regularly once a day, so that this mud is a +compound of every thing that can be imagined disagreeable and offensive. + +There is a new church in Batavia, which is a fine piece of building, and +the dome of it may be seen far off at sea. This church is illuminated by +chandeliers of the most superb workmanship, and has a fine organ: most +of the other public buildings are ancient, constructed in an ill taste, +and give a very compleat idea of Dutch clumsiness. + +Their method of building their houses seems to have been taught them by +the climate. On the ground-floor there is no room but a large hall, a +corner of which is parted off for the transaction of business: the hall +has two doors, which are commonly left open, and are opposite each +other, so that the air passes freely through the room, in the middle of +which there is a court, which at once encreases the draft of air, and +affords light to the hall: the stairs, which are at one corner, lead to +large and lofty apartments above. The female slaves are not permitted to +sit in any place, but in the alcove formed by the court; and this is the +usual dining-place of the family. + +The town of Batavia is encompassed by a river of shallow water, the +stream of which is very rapid: within this river, which is of different +widths in various places, is an old stone wall, much decayed in many +places, and within the wall is a canal that is likewise much wider in +some places than in others: so that there is no entering the gates of +the town but by crossing two draw-bridges: there are but few guns on the +ramparts, and no persons are permitted to walk there. There is a kind of +citadel, or castle, in the north-east corner of the town, the walls of +which are both broader and higher than they are in other parts; it is +furnished with a number of large guns, which command the landing-place. + +Apartments are provided in this castle for the Governor General and all +the Council; and in case of a siege they have orders to retire thither. + +In the castle are likewise a number of store-houses, in which the +effects belonging to the Company are deposited. The Company have in +their possession large quantities of gun-powder, which is kept in +different places, that the lightning may not destroy the whole stock at +once; a great number of cannon are likewise laid up within the castle. + +There are a great many forts built in different parts of the country, +several miles distant from Batavia, most probably erected to keep the +natives in submission; and besides these there are a number of fortified +houses, each mounting eight guns, and these are so stationed as to +command the canals, and the roads on their borders. There are houses of +this kind in many parts of the island of Java, and the other islands in +its neighbourhood, of which the Dutch have obtained the possession. The +Chinese having rebelled against the Dutch in the year 1740, all their +principal houses were demolished by the cannon of one of these fortified +houses, which is in the town of Batavia, where, likewise, there are a +few more of them. + +The roads of this country are simply banks between the ditches and +canals; and the fortified houses being erected among the morasses near +these roads, nothing is easier than to destroy them, and consequently to +prevent an enemy from bringing any heavy artillery near the town; if, +indeed, an enemy be only hindered a short time in his approach, he is +effectually ruined, for the climate will preclude the necessity of the +use of weapons for his destruction. Before the Endeavour had been a week +at Batavia they began to feel the ill effects of the climate; half the +crew were rendered incapable of doing their duty before the expiration +of a month. They were informed, that it was a very uncommon thing for +fifty soldiers, out of a hundred brought from Europe, to be alive at the +expiration of the first year, and that of the fifty who might happen to +be alive, not ten of those would be in sound health, and, probably, not +less than half of them in the hospital. One would imagine that no man of +common sense would be tempted to reside at Batavia, for any +consideration of interest whatever; yet such is the insatiable thirst of +gold, that men will voluntarily risk the loss of life to obtain it, and +even ensure the loss of that health, without which the most splendid +fortune cannot be enjoyed. + +All the white inhabitants of Batavia are soldiers, and, at the +expiration of five years service, they are bound to hold themselves in +readiness to go to war, if they should be wanted; and the younger +inhabitants are frequently mustered; but as they are neither trained nor +exercised after the expiration of the five years above-mentioned, the +little they have learnt is soon forgotten, and they would probably, if +called to action, make as _good soldiers as the militia of the city of +London_. The Portuguese, who live in this country, employ themselves +very much in shooting the deer, and the wild hog, whence they become +excellent marksmen. The Indians, of whatever nation, who reside here, +and have either been made free, or were born so, are called Mardykers; +but neither these nor the Chinese are acquainted with the use of +fire-arms; yet, as these people are said to possess great personal +bravery, much might be expected from their expert use of their daggers, +swords and lances. + +From what has been above written it is evident, that it would be a +laborious task to attack Batavia by land; and it is not possible to make +any attack at all by sea, for the shallowness of the water would hinder +any vessels from advancing within cannon shot of the walls; indeed there +is barely depth of water for a ship’s long-boat, excepting a narrow +channel, called the river, which extends about half a mile into the +harbour, and is strongly bounded on each side with piers the other end +of it being directly under the fire of the castle; while its +communication with the canals of the town is prevented by a boom of +wood, which is every night shut precisely at six o’clock, and never +opened till the following day. + +Any number of ships may anchor in the harbour of Batavia, the ground of +which is so excellent, that the anchor will never quit its hold. This +harbour is sometimes dangerous for boats, when the sea breeze blows +fresh; but, upon the whole, it is deemed the best and most commodious in +all India. + +There are a considerable number of islands which are situated round the +outside of the harbour, and all these are in the possession of the +Dutch, who destine them to different purposes. On one of them, which is +called Purmerent, an hospital is erected, on account of the air being +purer than it is at Batavia. In a second, the name of which is Kuyper, +are erected a number of warehouses, in which are lodged the rice, and +some other commodities, the property of the Dutch East India Company: at +this island those ships belonging to different nations, which are to be +repaired at Ourust, unlade their cargoes; and it was here that the +stores of the Falmouth Man of War were laid up, when she was condemned, +on her return from Manilla; her warrant officers, of whom mention has +been made in the account of Captain Wallis’s voyage, were sent to Europe +in Dutch ships, about half a year before the Endeavour anchored in the +road of Batavia. A third of these islands, the name of which is Edam, is +appropriated to the reception of such offenders, whose crimes are not +deemed worthy of death, and hither they are transported from Holland, +and detained from five to forty years, in proportion to the turpitude of +the offence they have committed; the making of ropes is the principal +part of the employment of these criminals. + +The environs of Batavia have a very pleasing appearance, and would, in +almost any other country, be an enviable situation. Gardens and houses +occupy the country for several miles; but the gardens are so covered +with trees, that the advantage of the land having been cleared of the +wood that originally covered it, is almost wholly lost; while these +gardens, and the fields adjacent to them are surrounded by ditches which +yield not the most fragrant smell; and the bogs and morasses in the +adjacent fields are still more offensive. + +For the space of more than thirty miles beyond the town the land is +totally flat, except in two places, on one of which the Governor’s +country-seat is built, and on the other they hold a large market but +neither of these places are higher than ten yards from the level of the +plain. At near forty miles from the town, the land rises into hills, and +the air is purified in a great degree; to this distance the invalids are +sent by their physicians, when every other prospect of their recovery +has failed, and the experiment succeeds in almost every instance, for +the sick are soon restored to health; but they no sooner return to the +town, than their former disorders visit them. On these hills the most +opulent of the inhabitants have country-seats, to which they pay an +annual visit. Those who reside constantly on the hills enjoy an almost +perpetual flow of health; and most of the vegetables of Europe grow as +freely here as in their native ground: the strawberry, in particular, +flourishes greatly, which is a sufficient proof of the coolness of the +air. + +The rice of this country is very plentiful, and, in order to be brought +to perfection, should lie under water more than half the time it is +growing: but they have a sort which grows on the sides of the hills, +which is unknown in the West India Islands; this sort is planted when +the wet season commences, and the crop is gathered in soon after the +rains are over. + +The maize which grows near Batavia is gathered while young, and toasted +in the ear. The land likewise produces carrots, pigeon-peas, celery, +parsley, asparagus, onions, rhadishes, cabbages, lettuces, cucumbers, +lentiles, kidney-beans, hysop, sage, rue, Chinese white rhadishes, +which, when boiled, are not unlike a parsnip, common potatoes, sweet +potatoes, wet and dry yams, millet, and the egg plant, the fruit of +which, when broiled and eaten with salt and pepper, is most exquisite +food. + +Amazing quantities of sugar are produced here, and, while the quantity +is beyond comparison greater, the care of cultivation is inconceivably +less than in the West India Islands. White sugar is retailed at +two-pence and two-pence half-penny the pound, and arrack is made of the +molasses, with a small addition of rice, and the wine of the cocoa-nut. +The inhabitants likewise raise a little indigo for their own use, but do +not export it. + +The fruits of this country are near forty in number, and of some of +these there are several kinds. Pine apples grow in such abundance that +they may be purchased, at the first hand, for the value of an English +farthing; and they bought some very large ones for a half-penny a piece +at the fruit shops, though they are excellent eating, it is imagined +they are reared to equal perfection in the hot-houses of England. They +grow so luxuriantly, that seven or eight suckers have been seen adhering +to one stem. + +The sweet oranges of Batavia are good of their kind, but very dear at +particular times. The shaddocks of the West Indies, called here +Pumplemoeses, have an agreeable flavour. Lemons were very scarce when +the Endeavour lay in the harbour, but limes were altogether as +plentiful, and sold at little more than two-pence the score. There are +many kinds of oranges and lemons, but none of them excellent. Of mangos +there are plenty, but their taste is far inferior to that of the +melting-peach of England, to which they have been compared. It is said +that the heat, and extreme dampness of the climate, does not agree with +them; yet there are many different kinds of them. Of bananes there is an +amazing variety of sorts, some of which, being boiled, are eaten as +bread, while others are fried in batter, and are a nutrimental food: +but, of the numerous sorts of this fruit, three only are fit to be +eaten: one, indeed, is remarkable, because it is filled with seeds, +which are not common to the rest. Grapes are sold from one shilling to +eighteen-pence the pound, though they are far from being good. + +The tamarinds are equally cheap and plentiful; but as the method of +preserving them, which is in salt, renders them a mere black lump, they +are equally nauseating to the sight and the palate. The water melons are +excellent of their kind, and are produced in great abundance. The +pumpkins are boiled as turneps, and eaten with salt and pepper. This +fruit is admirably adapted to the use of voyagers, as it will keep many +months without care, and makes an excellent pye, when mixed with the +juice of lemons and sugar. The papaws of this country are superior to +turneps, if the cores are extracted, after paring them when they are +green. The guava has a strong smell, and a taste not less disagreeable: +it is probable, that the guava of the West Indies, which many writers +have distinguished by their praises, has a very different flavour. The +sweet sop is a fruit that has but little flavour: it abounds in large +kernels, from which the pulp is sucked. The taste of the custard-apple +very much resembles the dish from which its name is taken. The +cashew-apple produces a nut which is not unknown in England; but the +fruit has such an astringent quality, that the Batavians seldom eat of +it: the nut grows on the top of the apple. The cocoa-nut is plentiful in +this country, and there are several kinds of this fruit, the best of +which is very red between the shell and the skin. The jamboo is a fruit +that has but little taste, but is of a cooling nature: it is +considerably less than a common sized apple, and those that have grown +to their full size are always the best; its shape is oval, and its +colour the deep red. Of the jambu-eyer, there are two kinds, the white +and the red: they are shaped like a bell, and are something bigger than +a cherry: they have no kind of taste but that of a watery acid. The +jambu-eyer mauwar smells like a rose, and its taste is not unlike that +of conserve of roses. The mangostan is of a dark red colour, and not +larger than a small apple; to the bottom of this fruit adhere several +little leaves of the blossom, while on its top are a number of triangles +combined in a circle: it contains several kernels ranged in a circular +form, within which is the pulp, a fruit of most exquisite taste: it is +equally nutritious and agreeable, and is constantly given to persons who +are troubled with inflammatory or putrid fevers. The sweet orange of +this country is likewise given in the same disorders. The pomgranate of +these parts differs in nothing from that generally well known in +England. The durion takes its name from the word _dure_, which, in the +language of the country, means prickle; and this name is well adapted to +the fruit, the shell of which is covered with sharp points shaped like a +sugar-loaf: its contents are nuts, not much smaller than chesnuts, which +are surrounded with a kind of juice resembling cream; and of this the +inhabitants eat with great avidity: the smell of this fruit is more like +that of onions, than any other European vegetable, and its taste is like +that of onions, sugar, and cream intermixed: the inside of the durion, +when ripe, is parted, lengthways, into several divisions. The nanca is a +fruit which smells like garlic and apples mixed together: its size, in +the gardens of Batavia, is not greater than that of a middling sized +pumpkin, and its shape is nearly the same: it is covered with prickles +of an angular form. They were informed that, at a place called Madura, +it has been known to grow to such an enormous size, as to require the +strength of two men to carry it. The champada is in all respects like +the nanca, only that it is not so large. The rambutan contains a fruit, +within which is a stone, that is, perhaps, the finest acid in the world: +this fruit is not unlike a chesnut with its husk on; and it is covered +with small prickles of a dark red colour, and so soft as to yield to the +slightest impression. The jambolan resembles a damascen, both in colour +and size; and is of a very astringent nature. The boa bidarra tastes +like an apple, but is likewise extremely astringent; its size is that of +a gooseberry, its form round, and its colour yellow. The nam nam makes +an excellent fritter, if fried in batter, but is not esteemed when raw: +the rind of it is rough, its length is about three inches, and its shape +not unlike that of a kidney. The catappa and the canare are two species +of nuts, the kernels of which are like those of an almond, but so hard, +that it is almost impossible to break them. The madja contains a pulp of +a sharp taste, which is eaten with sugar: this fruit is covered with a +very hard shell. The suntal is a fruit scarcely fit to be eaten, being +at once astringent, acid, and of a most unpleasant taste, yet it is +publickly sold in the streets of Batavia: it contains a number of +kernels, which are inclosed in a thick skin. The salack is nearly of the +size of a small golden pippin, and contains a few kernels of a yellow +colour, the taste of which is not unlike that of a strawberry; but the +covering of this fruit is very remarkable, as it consists of a number of +scales resembling those of a fish. The cherrema and the blimbing are two +sour fruits, exceedingly well adapted to make sour sauce and pickles. +The blimbing besse is another fruit of the same kind, but considerably +sweeter. + +Of the fruits not in season when Captain Cook was at Batavia, he +mentions the boa atap, and the kimkit, which he saw preserved in sugar; +and there are several other sorts which the Batavians are fond of, but +they are never eaten by strangers, among those are the moringa, the +guilindina, the kellor, and the soccum, this last has the appearance of +the bread-fruit, which is produced in the islands of the South Seas, but +it is not near so good; tho’ the tree on which it grows is also exactly +like the bread fruit tree. + +The fruit sold at the common shops is generally too ripe; but in a +street, named Passar Pissang, which is inhabited by Chinese fruiterers +only, that which is very good may be obtained, but at a price greatly +exceeding its value. The gardens of gentlemen near the town furnish +these Chinese fruit-sellers; but the other dealers are supplied from a +greater distance up the country, where the inhabitants live by the +cultivation of large tracts of land, for the sole purpose of raising +fruit. + +It is astonishing to conceive what quantities of fruit are eaten at +Batavia. Two large markets are held weekly, at distant places, for the +accommodation of persons residing in different parts of the country; and +at these markets the fruit-sellers of the town meet the gardeners, and +purchase their goods at very low rates: but as the markets are held on +Mondays and Saturdays, those who wish to be supplied with what is fresh, +in the middle of the week, must apply to the Chinese dealers above +mentioned, as the heat of the climate renders it unfit for eating in a +few days. At these markets it is common to see “fifty or sixty +cart-loads of the finest pine-apples carelessly tumbled together.” + +The Batavians, and the natives of other parts of the island of Java, +strew an immense number of flowers about their houses, and are almost +always burning aromatic woods and gums; which, it is imagined, is done +by way of purifying the air; the stench that arises from the canals and +ditches being exceeding nauseous and disagreeable. + +The sweet scented flowers of this country are very numerous, many of +which being totally unknown in England, we shall mention a few of the +most remarkable.--The combang tonquin, and combang caracnassi, are very +fragrant flowers, but unlike any thing seen in the gardens of Europe: +they are very small, seem to be of the dog’s-bane kind, and both in +smell and shape are very much alike.--The cananga looks more like a +bunch of leaves than a flower; its smell is singular, but extremely +pleasant.--The bonja tanjong is of a pale yellow colour, and delightful +smell; it is about an inch and a half in circumference, and consists of +pointed leaves, which give it the form of a star.--The champacka smells +somewhat like a jonquil, and is otherwise not unlike it, though rather +of a deeper yellow: this flower is produced by a large tree. + +The sundal malam is only mentioned on account of its name, which +implies, “the intriguer of the night.” This flower has no kind of smell +during the day-time, but on the approach of the night its sweets begin +to disclose themselves, and its fragrancy is almost unequalled: in other +respects it is the same as the tuberose of England. + +All the above-mentioned kinds of flowers being made into nosegays of +various shapes, or strung on a piece of thread, are carried through the +streets of an evening for sale. The gardens of the gentlemen afford many +flowers besides those above-mentioned, but they do not grow in numbers +sufficient to be offered to sale. + +This country produces a plant, called pandang, the leaves of which being +shred small, and mixed with a variety of flowers, the natives, both men +and women, fill their clothes and hair with this fragrant mixture, which +they likewise sprinkle on their beds, and sleep beneath a profusion of +sweets; a single sheet of fine chintz being all the other covering of +the bed. + +Formerly the island of Java produced no kind of spices but pepper, and +the quantity which the Dutch bring annually from thence is very +considerable; but the quantity that is made use of in the country is +very small, as the people there give the preference to Cayan pepper. The +inhabitants are extremely fond of nutmegs and cloves, but they bear too +high a price to be much in use, as the trees which produce them are all +become Dutch property. + +Cloves are now grown no where but on the island of Amboina, and some +little islands near it; the artful Hollanders having possessed +themselves of all the trees, in consequence of several subsequent +treaties of peace, with the several kings of the other islands; for at +the conclusion of every war, the conquerors left the poor Indians still +fewer trees, by way of punishment for their opposition, till, in the +end, they have destroyed them all. + +There are scarce any nutmegs, except on the island of Banda, where they +originally grew; this island, however, produces a plenty, equal to the +demand of all the world. On the coast of New Guinea there are a small +number of nutmeg-trees. + +The island of Java produces goats, sheep, hogs, buffaloes, and horses. +The horse, which is said to have been met with here when the country was +originally discovered, is a small, but nimble animal, being seldom above +thirteen hands high. The horned cattle of this country are different +from those of Europe: the flesh is extremely lean, but of a very fine +grain. Both the Chinese and the natives of the island feed on the +buffaloe; but the Dutch will neither taste the flesh nor the milk, from +a ridiculous idea, that they are productive of fevers. The sheep are +tough and ill-tasted; their skins are hairy, and they have long +hanging-ears. A few sheep from the Cape of Good Hope being at Batavia, +Captain Cook bought some of them at the rate of a shilling a pound. + +The hogs, especially those of the Chinese breed, are exquisitely fine +food, but so extravagantly fat, that the lean is always sold separately. +The butchers, who are Chinese, have no kind of objection to taking off +the fat, which they melt, and sell to their countrymen, who eat it with +their rice: though these hogs are such fine food, yet the Dutch prefer +the breed of Holland, which are consequently sold at extravagant rates. + + [Illustration: _The hooded Serpent._ _An Ape of Java._] + +The Portuguese make a practice of shooting the wild hog, and deer of two +kinds, with which the neighbourhood of Batavia abounds: these are all +good eating, and are purchased at very moderate prices. The goats of +this country are as bad food as the sheep. Dogs and cats abound on the +island, and wild horses and other cattle are found on the mountains at a +considerable distance from Batavia. + +Few monkies are seen near the town, but there are many of them on the +mountains and desart places, where also are a few rhinoceroses, and +great numbers of tygers. + +The quantity of fish taken here is astonishingly great, and all the +kinds of them are fine food, except a few which are very scarce; yet +such is the false pride of the inhabitants, that these few scarce sorts +are sold at very high rates, while those that are good are sold for a +mere trifle, nor are they eaten but by the slaves. A gentleman with whom +Captain Cook dined told him, he could have bought a finer dish of fish +for a shilling, than what he had given ten for; but that he should have +been the ridicule of all the politer people, if he had gone to so good a +market. + +The Dutch will not taste of the turtle which are taken here: Captain +Cook acknowledges that they are fine eating, though not equal to those +catched in the West Indies, even when they are dressed in London. Mr. +Banks shot a lizard five feet in length, which was extremely well +tasted: our adventurers were informed, that some of these animals had +been seen, which were full as thick as the thigh of a man. + +This country produces an abundance of poultry, as excellent of their +kinds as those of England. The turkies are immoderately dear, and the +pigeons not much less so; but the geese, ducks, and fine large fowls are +altogether as cheap. + +The neighbourhood of Batavia produces snipes of two kinds, one of which +was the same as the English: of the Portuguese, who appear to be the +only dealers in wild fowl, any number of thrushes might have been +purchased. Our adventurers once, and once only, saw a wild duck in the +fields, but never observed any of these birds exposed to sale; and, +indeed, wild fowl in general are far from being plentiful at Batavia. +Captain Cook observes, as a singularity respecting the snipe, that he is +to be met with in all the quarters of the globe, and is seen in a +greater variety of places than any other of the whole feathered +creation. + +The liquors of the island of Java, are palm-wine and arrack; of the +former they have three sorts, the first of which is drank within a few +hours after it is drawn from the tree, and almost in its original state, +when it has a moderate sweetness: the second and third sorts are made by +fermenting it, and putting various herbs and roots into it: the first of +these liquors will not occasion drunkenness, but the two latter will. +The arrack is so generally known, as not to demand any description. + +The natives of Java profess the religion of Mahomet, and of course do +not indulge in wine, at least publickly; but not to be exceeded in the +vice of drunkenness by their christian neighbours, they are almost +constantly chewing opium, which is well known to intoxicate in a high +degree. + +Exclusive of the Chinese, and the Indians of many different nations, who +inhabit the town of Batavia, and the country in its neighbourhood, the +inhabitants are, proportionably, a very small number; and even of these +not a fifth part are Dutch, or descended from natives of Holland: the +Portuguese are more in number than all the other Europeans. + +The troops in the Dutch service are composed of the natives of almost +all the kingdoms of Europe; but of these the Germans out-number all the +others. When a person of any country goes to reside at Batavia, it is +necessary that he first enter as a soldier in the service of the Dutch +East India Company, binding himself to serve five years, which being +done, he applies to the Council for leave of absence, which being +granted of course, he then engages in any business he thinks proper: +thus the Dutch have always an army ready to be called forth on any +emergency. No foreigner, of whatever nation, has any share in the +management of public affairs, all places of power, trust and profit, +being held by the Dutch. + +Though the men of other countries are bound to the observation of the +above-mentioned conditions, women, from any part of the globe, may +reside and traffick at Batavia unmolested. Captain Cook was informed +that, at the time he was there, the whole place could not furnish fifty +women who were natives of Europe, yet the town abounded with white +women, who were descended from Europeans, who had settled there at +different times, all the men having paid the debt of nature; for so it +is, that the climate of Batavia destroys the men much faster than the +women. These women follow the delicate custom of chewing betel, after +the example of the native Javanese, whose dress they imitate, and whose +manners they copy, in all other respects. + +Mercantile business is conducted at Batavia with the slightest trouble +imaginable: when a merchant receives an order for goods of any kind, he +communicates the contents of it to the Chinese, who are the universal +manufacturers. The Chinese Agent delivers the effects on board the ship, +for which they are bespoke, and taking a receipt for them from the +master of the vessel, he delivers it to the merchant, who pays the +Chinese for the goods, and reserves a considerable profit, without the +least trouble, risk, or anxiety. But when a merchant imports goods of +any kind, he receives them himself, and lodges them in his own +warehouses. It may be wondered, that the Chinese do not ship the goods +on their own account; but from this they are restricted, and compelled +to sell them to the merchants only. + +The inhabitants of Java distinguish the Portuguese by the name of +_Oranserane_, that is, Nazareen men; but they use the general term of +_Caper_, or _Casir_, respecting all who do not profess the religion of +Mahomet; and in this they include the Portuguese. But the Portuguese of +Batavia are so only in name; for they have neither any connection with, +or knowledge of, the kingdom of Portugal, and they have changed the +religion of the church of Rome, for that of Luther. With the manners of +the Javanese, they are wholly familiarized, and they commonly speak +their language, though they are able to converse in a corrupt kind of +Portuguese. They dress in the habit of the country, with a difference +only in the manner of wearing their hair: their noses are more peaked, +and their skin of a deeper cast than that of the natives. Some of them +are mechanics and artificers, others subsist by washing of linen, and +the rest procure a maintenance by hunting. + +The Indian inhabitants of Batavia, and the country in its neighbourhood, +are not native Javanese, but are either born on the several islands from +whence the Dutch bring their slaves, or the offspring of such as have +been born on those islands: and these having been made free, either in +their own persons, or in the persons of their ancestors, enjoy all the +privileges of freemen. They receive the general appellation of Oranslam, +which implies, “Believers of the true faith.” + +The various other Indian inhabitants of this country attach themselves +each to the original customs of that, in which either themselves or +their ancestors were born; keeping themselves apart from those of other +nations, and practising both the virtues and vices peculiar to their own +countries. The cultivation of gardens, and the consequent sale of +flowers and fruit, afford subsistence to great numbers of them: these +are the people who raise the betel and areca, which being mixed with +lime, and a substance which is called _gambir_, the produce of the +Indian continent, is chewed by persons of all ranks, women as well as +men: indeed some of the politer ladies make an addition of cardamum, and +other aromatics, to take off the disagreeable smell with which the +breath would be otherwise tainted. Some of the Indians are very rich, +keep a great number of slaves, and live, in all respects, according to +the customs of their respective countries; while others are employed to +convey goods by water; and others again subsist by fishing. + +The Oranslams feed principally on boiled rice, mixed with a small +quantity of dried shrimps and other fish, which are imported from China, +and a little of the flesh of buffaloes and chicken: they are fond of +fruit, of which they eat large quantities; and with the flower of the +rice they make several sorts of pastry. They sometimes make very superb +entertainments, after the fashion of their respective countries; but, in +general, they are a very temperate people: of wine they drink very +little, if any, as the religion of Mahomet, which they profess, forbids +the use of it. + +When a marriage is to be solemnized among the Oranslams, all the gold +and silver ornaments that can be procured, are borrowed to deck out the +young couple, who on these occasions never fail to make the most +splendid appearance. Sumptuous entertainments are given by those who can +afford them, which continue twelve or fourteen days, and frequently +more, during all which time the women take care that the bridegroom +shall not visit his wife privately, though the wedding takes place +previous to the festival. + +All these Indians, though they come from different countries, speak the +Malay language, if it deserves that name. On the island of Java there +are two or three different dialects; and there is a language peculiar to +every small island; it is conjectured, that the Malay tongue is a +corruption of the language of Malacca. + +The hair of the people, which is black, without a single exception, +grows in great abundance: yet the women make use of oils and other +ingredients, to increase the quantity of it: they fasten it to the crown +of the head with a bodkin, having first twisted it into a circle, round +which circle they place an elegant wreath of flowers, so that the whole +head-dress has the most beautiful appearence that imagination can form +an idea of. + +It is the universal custom, both with the men and women, to bathe in a +river once every day, and sometimes oftener, which not only promotes +health, but prevents that contraction of filth, which would be otherwise +unavoidable in so hot a climate. + +The teeth of the Oranslams have some particularities in them well worthy +of notice. With a kind of whetstone they rub the ends of them till they +are quite flat and even; they then make a deep groove in the teeth of +the upper jaw, in the centre between the bottom of each tooth and the +gum, and horizontally with the latter; this groove is equal in depth to +a quarter of the thickness of the teeth; yet none of these people have a +rotten tooth, though, according to the dentists of England and France, +such a thing must be unavoidable, as the tooth is pierced much deeper +than what we call the enamel. The teeth of these people become very +black by the chewing of betel, yet a slight washing will take off this +blackness, and the teeth are then perfectly white; but they are very +seldom washed, as the depth of the colour is very far from being thought +disagreeable. + +Almost every person has read or heard of the Mohawks; and these are the +people who are so denominated, from a corruption of the word Amock, +which will be well explained by the following story and observations. To +run a muck is to get drunk with opium, and then seizing some offensive +weapon, to sally forth from the house, kill the person or persons +supposed to have injured the Amock, and any other person that attempts +to impede his passage, till he himself is taken prisoner, or killed on +the spot.--While Captain Cook was at Batavia, a person whose +circumstances in life were independent becoming jealous of his brother, +intoxicated himself with opium, and then murdered his brother, and two +other men, who endeavoured to seize him. This man, contrary to the usual +custom, did not leave his own house, but made his resistance from within +it; yet he had taken such a quantity of the opium, that he was totally +delirious, which appeared from his attempting to fire three muskets, +neither of which had been loaded, or even primed. + +During the time that Captain Cook was at Batavia, several instances of +the like kind occurred, and he was informed by an officer, whose duty it +was to take such offenders into custody, that hardly a week passed in +the year in which he was not obliged to exercise his authority: the +Captain was also told, that jealousy of the women is the usual reason of +these poor creatures running a muck, and that the first object of their +vengeance is always the person whom they suppose to have injured them. +The officer, whose business it is to apprehend these unhappy wretches, +is furnished with a long pair of tongs, in order to take hold of them at +such a distance from the point of their weapons, as to insure his +personal safety. When he takes one of them alive he is amply rewarded; +but this is not often the case, as they are so desperate as not to be +easily apprehended: when they are killed in the attempt to take them, +the officer has only the customary gratification. Those who are taken +alive are broken on the wheel, as near as possible to the place where +the first murder was perpetrated; and, as they are seldom apprehended +without being previously wounded, the time of their execution is sooner +or later, according to the opinions of the physicians, whether the +wounds are, or are not mortal. + +The Oranslams believe that the Devil is the author of sickness, and +other misfortunes, on which account they make an oblation of meat, +money, and other things, to him, when they are either sick or in +trouble. When they dream successively for several nights, they have no +doubt but that the Devil has enjoined the performance of some act, to +discover which they torture their brains in vain, and then apply to the +priest, who never fails to interpret the dream in a satisfactory manner. +In consequence of this interpretation, by which it appears that the +Devil is in want of money and food, a quantity of each is placed in the +leaves of the cocoa-nut tree, and being hung on the bough of a tree by +the side of a river, is left till some passenger shall find, and take +away the money, which is considered not so much an offering to the +Devil, as a fine due for some crime committed; with regard to the food, +they imagine that the Devil comes and sucks out the nutritious parts of +it, without moving it out of its place. From this part of the story it +seems reasonable to conclude, that the priest, having previous knowledge +where the oblation is to be made, takes the money, and leaves the +victuals. + +This instance of the superstition of these people may be thought very +extraordinary; but the following will appear much more so. They are +possessed with an idea, that when one of their wives is brought to bed, +a crocodile is born, as a brother to the infant; and they imagine that +the midwife conveys the young crocodile to an adjacent river, into which +she puts it, with the utmost care and tenderness. Those who suppose +themselves honoured by the birth of this new relation, fail not to put +food in the river for his subsistence; but this is the peculiar duty of +the twin brother, who performs this service regularly, at fixed periods, +during the whole course of his life; firmly believing at the same time, +that sickness or death would be the consequence of an omission on his +part. + +In the islands of Boutou and Celebes the natives keep crocodiles in +their families; and it is conjectured, that the strange idea of the twin +crocodile was first conceived in one of those islands: it extends, +however, to Java and Sumatra westward, and among the islands to the +eastward as far as Ceram and Timor. It is a matter of perfect +astonishment, how even the most ignorant and credulous of the human +race, should firmly believe an utter impossibility to occur daily; yet +it is certain, that not one of the Indians whom Captain Cook questioned +on the subject, entertained the least doubt about the matter. The +crocodiles supposed to be thus born are distinguished by the name of +_Sudaras_; and our readers cannot fail of being entertained with the +following story respecting them, which Mr. Banks heard from a young +woman who was born at Bencoolen, and having lived among the English at +that place, had learnt to speak as much of our language as was +sufficient to make her story intelligible. + +She said that, when her father was on his death-bed, he laid the +strongest injunctions on her to feed a crocodile that was his _Sudara_; +that he told her the name by which he might be called up, and the +particular part of the river where she would find him. Soon after the +death of her father, she hastened to the river, and calling _Radja +Pouti_ (which signifies white king) the Sudara crocodile made his +appearance, and she fed him with her own hands. She described him as +being more beautiful than crocodiles are in general, for he had a red +nose, and spots on his body; his ears were adorned with rings, and his +feet with ornaments of gold. This story will appear the more +extravagantly ridiculous, when it is recollected that crocodiles have +not any ears. + +A man whose mother was a native of the island of Java, and whose father +was a Dutchman, was engaged in the service of Mr. Banks during his +residence at Batavia. This man told his master that several Dutchmen, +and many Javanese, as well as himself, had seen such a crocodile as was +described by the girl who told the preceding story, and that, like +her’s, its feet were adorned with gold. On Mr. Banks’s remarking the +absurdity of these tales, and saying that crocodiles had not ears, he +replied, that the Sudaras differed considerably from other crocodiles; +that they had ears, though he acknowledged they were small, that their +tongues filled their mouths, and that on each foot they had five toes. + +There are three tribes of Indians on the island of Batavia, who are +called Boetons, Macassars, and Bougis. These people are firm believers +in the existence of the Sudara crocodiles; and they have a custom among +them, which, however ridiculous in itself, seems to do honour to their +filial and fraternal affections. At fixed periods they assemble +together, and having laden a large boat with various sorts of +provisions, they launch her at a spot most likely to be frequented by +crocodiles; here they row about, sometimes singing and sometimes +weeping, while a variety of musical instruments are played on, till they +get sight of a crocodile. The moment this happens they throw tobacco, +betel and victuals of several sorts, over the side of the boat, as a +friendly offering to the Sudara crocodiles of their own country; +imagining, that by this means they conciliate the affections and good +will of their relations, whom they fail not to invoke during the whole +of the ceremony. + +The Chinese inhabitants of Batavia are, like those of their own country, +some of the most industrious people on the face of the earth. They act +as embroiderers, dyers of cotton, taylors, carpenters, joiners, smiths, +and makers of slippers: some of them are shop-keepers, and deal largely +in the manufactures of Europe and China. A few of these people live +within the walls of the town; but the majority of them take up their +residence in a district, named Campang China, which is situated without +the walls. Those of the Chinese, who live in the country, either keep +buffaloes and other cattle, the milk of which they sell daily at +Batavia, or they procure a subsistence by the raising of rice and sugar +canes, and the cultivation of gardens. + +Captain Cook observes, that the danger of being hanged for any crime +being excepted, there is nothing, however infamous, which a Chinese will +refuse to do for gain; and in this opinion he concurs with every +preceding writer; so that these people must have taken no small pains to +establish their reputation for knavery. They labour with unwearied +diligence, but the moment they have compleated their work they sit down +to dice, cards, or some other of the very numerous games which they are +expert at; and they follow their sports with such eagerness, that the +business of eating and sleeping is frequently suspended. + +The cloaths of the Chinese, whether rich or poor, are singularly clean +and decent. Their behaviour is civil even to humility. They are such +temperate eaters, that gluttony is unknown among them; but as their +religion does not command them to refrain from any particular food, they +eat a variety of things which are denied to those Indians who profess +the Mahometan faith. Exclusive of vegetables and fish of various kinds, +their principal food consists of dogs, cats, lizards, frogs, serpents of +several sorts, and hogs. + +The Chinese have purchased of the Dutch, at a very large expence, +several hundred acres of land in the vicinity of Batavia, for the +interment of their dead; for it is a rule, from which they never depart, +not to open a grave which has once received the body of one of their +countrymen: and hence arises an enormous expence in the purchase of +land, which greatly distresses the living, to pay an imaginary honour to +the dead. In order to preserve the body as long as possible from decay, +the coffin consists of a piece of solid timber hollowed out: and this +being covered with a kind of mortar several inches thick, petrifies in +the ground till it is as hard as a flint. The funeral is attended by the +near relations of the deceased, and by a train of women, who are paid +for making lamentations. + +In these expensive customs, absurd as they are, the Chinese are equalled +by the rest of their Batavian neighbours; for every person is buried +with a degree of splendour proportioned to the rank he has held in life, +and there is a positive law which enjoins the observance of this custom; +in consequence of which it frequently happens, that those who have not +money sufficient to pay the just demands on them, are buried in a +pompous manner, merely because they have lived elegantly. In this case +persons are employed to take an account of what the man died worth, and, +when the funeral expences are defrayed, the surplus is divided among the +creditors. + +The various inhabitants of the island of Java, whether Dutch, Portuguese +or Indians, are all waited on by slaves, whose number is proportioned to +the circumstances of the master; but there are laws in force, that no +native of the island shall serve as a slave. These people, the number of +which is very great, are bought at Sumatra, and the other eastern +islands, at various prices, from ten to twenty pounds; but there have +been instances of very beautiful girls being sold at above five times +the common market price. They are fed on boiled rice, and such fish as +can be purchased at the lowest rates; a little of which satisfies them, +nor indeed do they deserve even the little they eat, for they are idle +and sluggish in the highest degree. + +The negroes of Africa are purchased at a lower price than any other +slaves, and indeed any price whatever exceeds their merit, for they are +of the most obstinate dispositions, and thieves, without a single +exception. Those slaves which are purchased from the island of Celebes +are most intolerably lazy, and of so ferocious a disposition, that their +employers run the hazard of their personal safety. The island of Bali +furnishes the most useful slaves; and the little island Nias, near +Sumatra, supplies female slaves of exquisite beauty; but to these +ill-fated women death is the almost certain consequence of even a short +residence at Batavia. + +The masters of any of these slaves may punish them in whatever way they +chuse, so as not to deprive them of life; but when it happens that a +slave dies of the punishment he has received, the master is tried, and +commonly suffers as a murderer. From this circumstance it is reasonable +to suppose, that the masters are cautious how they beat the slaves with +undue severity: it is not indeed very common for them to strike them at +all, but they pay an officer, who is called the Marineu, for inflicting +the punishment. The Marineu having heard what is alledged against the +delinquent, determines how many stripes he shall receive, and these are +given by slaves, whose particular business it is to obey the commands of +the Marineu: these strokes are laid on with rods made of rattans split +very small. For a severe whipping the Marineu receives a ducatoon, and a +rixdollar for a slighter punishment. The women slaves are whipped in the +house of the master, but the men publickly in the streets. In order that +these slaves may not be under too great temptations to steal, their +masters are compelled to allow them seven pence half-penny weekly for +pocket-money. + +There is something singular in the subordination observed among the +inhabitants of Batavia and the adjacent country. The man who has been +longest in the Dutch East India Company’s service is permitted to gild +his coach, while others are allowed to ride in coaches differently +painted, according to the length of their services, and others again +ride in those that are quite plain. In like manner the coachmen are +dressed in liveries, that have a greater or less quantity of lace on +them, or without any lace at all. + +The lawyers of Batavia are partial in their administration of justice, +to a very reprehensible degree. When an Indian has committed any crime +deemed worthy of death, he is impaled, hanged, or broken on the wheel, +without ceremony: on the contrary, if a Christian is capitally +convicted, execution very seldom follows the sentence: and, what is more +extraordinary, no pains are taken to apprehend the offender, till time +enough has been allowed him to run away, if he thinks proper. + +The civil officers of justice among the Chinese and Malays are called +Captains and Lieutenants, but their decisions are not final, if the +party against whom they may decide, thinking himself aggrieved, should +appeal to the Dutch lawyers, in which case the decision of the latter +must be abided by. + +The Dutch have laid considerable taxes on these people, among which is +one for the permission to wear their hair. When these taxes become due, +which is once a month, they hoist a flag on the top of a house, nearly +in the center of Batavia, and the man who does not speedily go and pay +his money, has reason to repent the omission. + +The current money of this country is of different value, from a Dutch +doit to a ducat. When Captain Cook was at Batavia, Spanish dollars sold +at five shillings and five-pence each, and the price is seldom much +lower. The Chinese would give only the value of twenty shillings for an +English guinea that was almost new, and for those that were old, and +much worn, only seventeen shillings. + +The milled ducatoons of Batavia are valued at eighty stivers; those that +are unmilled at seventy-two; the ducat at one hundred and thirty-two; +the imperial rixdollars at sixty; the rupees at thirty; the schellings +at six; the double cheys at two and a half; and the doits at a quarter +of a stiver. + +We shall now proceed to a recital of the incidents which occurred during +their passage from Batavia to the Cape of Good Hope; in which we shall +trace them with the utmost fidelity, omitting not a single circumstance +that may either entertain or instruct the reader. + +Early in the morning of the 27th of December 1770, the Endeavour left +the road of Batavia, and, after several hindrances, occasioned by the +wind being contrary, she stood over for the shore of Java, on the first +day of January 1771. As many of the ship’s crew, who had been very ill +while at Batavia, were now become much worse, the vessel was brought to +an anchor in the afternoon of the 5th near Princes Island, with a view +to get some necessary refreshments, and likewise to take in wood and +water. + +Messieurs Solander and Banks now went ashore with the Captain, and they +were no sooner landed, than some of the natives conducted them to the +King of the island, with whom they endeavoured to make a bargain for +some turtle, but the price could not be agreed on. As our adventurers +had no doubt but that they should purchase on their own terms the +following day, they left the Indians, and proceeded in search of a +proper place to fill water, which was soon found. As they were about to +embark for the ship, they purchased three turtle from some of the +natives, but with the strictest injunction, that their Sovereign should +not be informed of the transaction. + +On Sunday the 6th of January they purchased, at very moderate prices, as +many turtle as they had occasion for, and the whole ship’s company fed +on this delicious fish. The King was at this time at a house situated in +a rice field, where Mr. Banks waited on him, and found him cooking his +own victuals. + +On Monday the inhabitants brought vegetables, deer, fish, fowls and +monkies, for sale; and on the following day they brought down a farther +number of turtle. + +A servant that Mr. Banks had hired at Batavia having acquainted him, +that there was a town on the island, his curiosity determined him to +have a view of it, and one of the officers of the ship accompanied him +on his visit. As he was apprehensive that the natives would not be +pleased at his going to the town, he told such of them as he met, that +he was seeking for plants, which, in fact, was a part of the business of +the day. Having come to a kind of village, consisting of a very few +houses, they asked an Indian the way to the town, and some other +particulars respecting it; but he endeavoured to prevent their +proceeding, by representing it as at a very great distance. When he saw +they were resolved to go forward, he proceeded with them, making +frequent attempts to mislead them. When they were within sight of the +town, the Indian changed his behaviour at once, and led the way to it. + +This place, which contains between three and four hundred houses, is +called Samadang, and is parted by a river into the old and the new town. +Some of the natives, whom the gentlemen remembered to have seen among +those who had brought provisions for sale, agreed to carry them from the +old town to the new for a trifling gratification. This was done by means +of two little canoes, which were lashed together; and they had no sooner +reached the opposite shore, than the Indians shewed them the houses of +their Chiefs, and behaved otherwise in the most friendly manner; but as +this was the season when the natives live in their rice-grounds, to save +their corn from the depredations of the monkies and birds, most of the +houses were shut. When the gentlemen had seen every thing that they +thought worthy of notice, they hired a sailing-boat, which conveyed them +to the ship time enough for dinner; for the town of Samadang, though at +a considerable distance from the place where the Endeavour lay at +anchor, is situated at only a small distance from the sea-coast. + +On the 12th, while the Captain was on shore giving orders to the people +who were cutting wood and filling water, he was told, that one of the +natives had stolen an ax. The thief was unknown; but the Captain, +resolved not to pave the way for future depredations of this kind, by +taking no notice of the first offence, immediately applied to the King; +and in consequence of this application, the ax was brought down to the +watering-place the next day. The Indian who brought it back said, it was +left at his house in the night; but it was suspected, that himself was +the thief. + +Mr. Banks having several times visited on the King of the island, and +given him some trifles that were very acceptable, he waited on him for +the last time on the 13th of January, and gratified him very much by a +present of a small quantity of paper. The King asked the reason why the +English ships did not touch at the island, as was formerly their custom; +when Mr. Banks attributed the omission to the scarcity of turtle, and +advised the King to breed buffaloes, sheep and cattle, for the +accommodation of his future visitants. + +After a stay of ten days at Princes Island, during which they purchased +vegetables of various kinds, fowls, deer, turtle, &c. the anchor was +weighed, and the vessel once more put to sea. + +We shall now proceed to a description of the island, which lies in the +western mouth of the Streight of Sunda. It is a small woody island, and +has been cleared only in very few places. Our India ships used to touch +at Princes Island to take in water, but they have omitted this practice +for some years since, on account, as it is said, of the water being +brackish; yet Captain Cook says it is exceeding good, if filled towards +the head of the brook. + +The fowls which were purchased at this place cost about five-pence each; +the turtle three-farthings a pound, and other fish were proportionably +cheap; one hundred of the best cocoa-nuts cost only a dollar, and +pumpkins, pine-apples and other fruits, were equally cheap and plenty. + +The natives profess the religion of Mahomet, and are so strict in the +observance of the feast called _Ramadan_, that they not only abstain +from food till the sun is down, but even from the chewing of betel. The +manners of these people are not unlike those of the Javanese; but they +are much more jealous of their wives: during the ten days that the +Endeavour lay here, only one woman was seen, and she ran away the moment +she was discovered. + +The houses are constructed in the form of an oblong square: they are +built on pillars four feet above the ground, and well thatched with +palm-leaves, as a defence from the sun and rain: the flooring is of +bamboo canes, placed at a distance from each other, to admit the air: +these houses consist of four rooms, one of which is destined for the +reception of visitants, the children sleep in a second, and the two +others are allotted, the one for the purpose of cookery, and the other +for the bed-chamber of the owner and his wife. The residence of the King +of the island, and that of another person of great authority, has boards +on the sides, while the houses of all the inferior people have walls +made of the bamboo cane, slit into small sticks, and wrought across the +beams of the building, in the manner of a hurdle. The King of the island +is subject to the Sultan of Bantam. + +Captain Cook represents the natives as very honest in their dealings, +with the single exception, of demanding more than double the sum they +intended to sell for: the goods of each sort which different persons +brought to market were all sold together, and the purchase-money divided +among the several contributors, in proportion to the quantity that each +had given in to the general stock. When they changed money, they gave +two hundred and forty Dutch doits for a Spanish dollar. + +The natives speak a language which they call _Catta Gunung_, that is, +the language of the mountains, and they say, that their ancestors came +from the mountains of Java, where this language is spoken; that they +first settled at New Bay, where the tygers were so numerous, that they +could not live in safety, and therefore took up their residence on +Prince’s Island: all these people, however, are capable of conversing in +the Malay language. + +At the time the Endeavour left Princes Island, her crew began to feel, +in all its force, the ill effects of the putrid air of Batavia; and soon +afterwards the ship was a mere hospital, filled with unhappy wretches, +sinking under the rage of fevers and dysenteries. In the space of six +weeks twenty-three persons died, exclusive of the seven which had been +buried at Batavia: these were nine seamen, the Corporal of the marines, +the ship’s Cook, two of the Carpenter’s crew, the Carpenter and his +Mate, a Midshipman, the old sail-maker, who was in perfect health when +all the rest were ill at Batavia, and his Mate, the Boatswain, Mr. +Monkhouse, a Midshipman, Mr. Sporing, who accompanied Mr. Banks, Mr. +Parkinson, draughtsman to that gentleman, and Mr. Green, the Astronomer. + +After a passage in which nothing remarkable occurred, the ship was +brought to an anchor off the Cape of Good Hope, on the 15th of March +1771. The Captain repaired instantly to the Governor, who said, that +such refreshments as the country supplied, should be chearfully granted +him; on which a house was hired for the sick, who were to have their +board and lodging, on the payment of two shillings a day for each man. + +At the time the Endeavour lay at anchor here, an English East Indiaman +sailed for the port of London, who had buried above thirty of her crew +while she was in India; and at that time had many others severely +afflicted with the scurvy; so that the sufferings of the crew of the +Endeavour, considering her long absence from England, is a circumstance +not at all to be wondered at. + +We shall now proceed to a description of the Cape of Good Hope, in which +we shall only mention such particulars as are either wholly new, or such +as have been mis-represented by other writers. The land over the Cape is +mountainous, and totally barren; beyond these mountains the country is +covered with a light sand, which will not admit of cultivation: there +are indeed a few cultivated spots, but they are hardly more than a +thousandth part of the whole country. Provisions are brought to the Cape +from a distance nine hundred miles up the country, which is an evident +proof of its extreme sterility, notwithstanding what has been heretofore +written to the contrary. While Captain Cook lay here, a farmer came to +the Cape, bringing his young children with him, from a distance that +took him fifteen days journey; and on his being asked why he had not +left his children with some neighbour, he said, there was no inhabitant +within five days journey of his farm. There are no trees that are even +two yards in height, except in some plantations in the vicinity of Cape +town. + +This town consists of near a thousand brick houses, the outsides of +which being generally plaistered, they have a very pleasing appearance. +There is a canal in the main street, with two rows of oak-trees on its +borders, which are in a more flourishing state than the other trees of +this country: the streets, which cross each other at right angles, are +very spacious and handsome. The inhabitants are chiefly Dutch, or of +Dutch extraction: the women are beautiful in a high degree, and possess +those blooming countenances which denote the most perfect health: they +are most of them mothers of many children, and Captain Cook says, they +are the best wives in the world. + +The air of the Cape of Good Hope is so pure and salubrious, that a sick +person, who goes thither from Europe, whatever be his disorder, almost +always recovers his health in a little time; but those who bring +diseases with them from the East Indies, have not an equal chance of +recovery. + +Although this country is naturally so barren, as scarcely to produce any +thing, yet the unceasing industry of its inhabitants has so effectually +combated the sparing hand of Nature, that there are few places where the +necessaries of life are more plentiful, and even what are generally +deemed luxuries, are by no means scarce. The constantia wine is known to +be excellent, but the genuine sort is made only at one particular +vineyard a few miles from the town. The gardens produce many sorts of +European and Indian fruits, and almost all the common kinds of +vegetables. The cultivated fields yield wheat and barley of equal +quality with that of the growth of England. The sheep of this country +have tails of a very extraordinary size, many of which weigh upwards of +a dozen pounds; the meat of this animal as well as of the ox, is very +fine food: the wool of the sheep is rather of the hairy kind, and the +horns of the black cattle spread much wider than those of England, while +the beast himself is handsomer and lighter made. The cheese has a very +indifferent flavour, but the butter is extremely good. The pork of this +country is nearly the same as that of Europe, and there are abundance of +goats, but the inhabitants do not eat their flesh. The country abounds +in hares, altogether like those of England; there are several species of +the antelope, a plenty of bustards, and two kinds of quails. + +When a stranger arrives at the Cape, it is customary for him to board in +a private house, and he pays from two shillings to a crown a day, +according to the accommodations he expects. If he appears and behaves as +a gentleman, he is invited to the private entertainments which are given +by the more opulent of the inhabitants; and this cannot fail of being +the more acceptable, as there are no places of public diversion in the +country. Horses are here let to hire at six shillings a day, and coaches +at one pound four. + +The Dutch company have a garden at the extremity of the high street, +which is more than half a mile in length, in the center walk of which +are a number of fine oak trees. A small part of this garden is covered +with botanical plants, but all the rest is allotted to the production of +the common vegetables for the kitchen: the whole is divided into squares +by the form of its walks, and each square is fenced in by oaks cut into +small hedges. There is a menagerie of beasts and birds, many of them +known in Europe, at the upper end of this garden; and among the rest is +the _Coe Doe_, a beast not less than a horse, which has those curious +spiral horns that have frequently found a place in the cabinets of the +curious. + +The native inhabitants of this country are usually dressed in a sheep +skin thrown across the shoulders, and a little pouch before them, to +which is fixed a kind of belt, ornamented with little bits of copper, +and beads: round the waists of the women is a broad piece of leather, +and rings of the same round their ancles, to protect them from the +thorns, which grow in abundance all over the country; a few of them wear +a kind of shoe, made of the bark of a tree, but the major part of them +go barefooted: both sexes adorn themselves with bracelets and necklaces, +made of beads. None of these people reside at a less distance than four +days journey from Cape Town, except a number of the poorer sort, who +look after the cattle belonging to the Dutch farmers, and are employed +in various other menial offices. Their stature is about the same as that +of the people of England, from five to six feet in height; but scarce +any of them are corpulent: their skins are dark, but this is in a great +degree owing to their extreme indelicacy: their hair curls naturally, +and falls in ringlets of above six inches in length: they are singular +for their strength and agility. + +Most of the Hottentots speak the Dutch language, without any thing +remarkable in their manner; yet, when they converse in their native +language, they frequently stop, and make a clucking with their tongues, +which has a most singular and ridiculous effect to the ears of a +stranger; and, exclusive of this clucking, their language itself is +scarcely sounded articulately. + +These people are modest to the utmost degree of bashfulness, and, though +they are fond of singing and dancing, can hardly be prevailed on to +divert themselves with their favourite amusements before strangers: both +their singing and dancing are alternately quick and slow in the utmost +extreme. + +Some of the Hottentots understand the art of melting and preparing +copper, with which they make plates, and wear them on their foreheads, +as an article of finery. They are also capable of making knives, +superior to those they can purchase of the Dutch, from whom they procure +the iron. + +They have the art of making butter by shaking milk in the skin of a +beast: with this butter they anoint their skins; or, when they cannot +procure butter, they use the fat of the sheep. The principal people are +owners of immense herds of cattle; and these clothe themselves with the +skins of lions and other beasts, which are adorned with fringes, +elegantly designed. + +The Hottentots are so dextrous in throwing stones, that they will hit a +mark not larger than a crown piece, at the distance of an hundred yards. +They are likewise expert in the use of arrows, and of the lance called +an Assagay, the points of which they poison, sometimes with the venom of +a serpent, and sometimes with the juice of particular herbs; so that a +wound received from either of these weapons is almost always mortal. + +Exclusive of what is above recited, they met with nothing respecting +these people, but such particulars as have been previously mentioned by +various other voyagers, and which will of course be found in the +preceding volumes: we shall therefore accompany the ship in her voyage +to England. + +On the 14th of April, 1771, the anchor of the Endeavour was weighed, and +she once more put to sea, but came to an anchor again before night near +Robin island. As a few vegetables were wanted, which they had neglected +to take in at the Cape, the Captain sent off a boat to the island; but, +when she reached the shore, some Dutch soldiers forbad her crew landing, +at the hazard of their lives; and the officer who commanded very +prudently returned to the ship. For some time they were puzzled to +account for this behaviour on the part of the Dutch; but it was at +length recollected, that the Dutch government at the Cape of Good Hope +had assigned this island for the reception of such offenders whose +crimes were not deemed worthy of death, where their slavery consists in +digging lime-stone, for such a number of years as are thought +proportionable to the heinousness of their offences: and that a ship +belonging to Denmark, which had buried most of her hands, had called at +this island, and taken on board a number of these criminals, in order to +navigate the vessel to Europe: hence the conduct of the Dutch soldiers +was easily accounted for. + +The ship sailed again on the following day, when the master of her died, +having hastened his death by hard drinking, though, in other respects, +he left behind him an excellent character. + +On Monday, May-day, they came to an anchor off the island of St. Helena, +and, as they proposed to remain three days, Mr. Banks employed the +interval in surveying every object that was thought worthy of notice. + +The island of St. Helena rises out of the immense Atlantic ocean, is +about eighteen hundred miles from the coast of America, and twelve +hundred from that of Africa. It has the appearance of a huge mountain, +the foundation of which is probably at the center of the globe. It had +formerly volcanoes in several parts of it, as is evident from the +appearance of the earth and stones in many places; and it looks like a +cluster of rocks, bounded by precipices of immense height: as a vessel +sails along the coast, the cliffs perpend over her head so as to +threaten her instant destruction, and nothing in nature can be conceived +more awful than their appearance. + +Close to the sea side stands the town, which had formerly a church of +very indifferent architecture, but it is now little better than a heap +of ruins, nor is the market house in a much better condition: most of +the houses are also constructed in a vile taste. + +As this island is the property of the English East India Company, the +inhabitants are not suffered to carry on any trade for their own +emolument, but get their livelihood by selling the productions of the +island to the crews of the vessels which anchor there for a supply of +refreshments. + +St. Helena is so happily situated, with regard to climate, that it +would, if properly cultivated, produce the trees, fruits, plants and +flowers, of all the different parts of the world. On the summit of the +highest ridges the cabbage-tree flourishes; in the parts below these +grow the gum-wood and red-wood, and in the vallies many of the plants of +the Indies, and almost all those of Europe; yet these several +productions will not grow but on the spots of ground peculiarly adapted +to each. + +The only white inhabitants of the island are subjects of the King of +Great Britain: these employ slaves, who transport goods of all kinds +from place to place on their heads; and we are sorry to say, that the +inhumanity of our countrymen to these slaves is a disgrace to those who +profess the christian faith. There are a small number of horses at St. +Helena, but they are never employed in draught, there being no such +thing as a waggon or cart on the island, though in many places the land +is not so steep, but that such carriages might easily be drawn. + +Ebony-trees are a natural production of the island of St. Helena, but +there have not been many of them within the memory of any person now +living there. Snails are found in abundance on the summits of the +highest mountains; but the other insects of the island are very few in +number. + +On Saturday the 4th of May 1771, the Endeavour sailed from the road of +St. Helena, together with the Portland man of war, and several sail of +Indiamen. They kept company with the man of war and Indiamen till Friday +the 10th. But Captain Cook observing, that they were out-sailed by all +the other ships, and consequently imagining that some of them would +reach England before him, made signals to speak with the Portland, when +the Captain of that vessel came on board, and received from Captain Cook +a letter to the Lords of the Admiralty, together with a box, in which +were deposited the journals of many of the officers, and the ship’s log +books. + +On the 23d they lost sight of all the ships they sailed in company with +from St. Helena, and in the afternoon of the same day, Mr. Hicks, the +first Lieutenant, died of a consumption, with which he had been +afflicted during the whole voyage. + +No single occurrence worth recording happened from this time, till the +ship came to an anchor in the Downs, which was on the 12th of June +following. + +Whoever has carefully read, and duly considered the wonderful protection +of this ship, in cases of danger the most imminent and astonishing, +particularly when encircled in the wide ocean with rocks of coral, her +sheathing beaten off, and her false-keel floating by her side, a hole in +her bottom, and the men alternately fainting at the pumps, and will yet +deny the existence of a _particular Providence_, and the most gracious +and merciful interposition of the Deity, in behalf of our adventrous +countrymen, will deserve some share of that censure, which the thinking +part of mankind have so liberally and justly bestowed on the Compiler of +the account of the Voyage of the ENDEAVOUR. There is a comfort in the +reflection that God is good, which can be felt only by those who +acknowledge his mercy, and adore his power. + + + + + ACCOUNT OF + MONS. DE BOUGAINVILLE’s + VOYAGE + ROUND THE WORLD. + PERFORMED BY + ORDER OF THE FRENCH KING, + In the years 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769. + + +A settlement having been commenced for the French King, on Falkland’s +Islands[1], in the month of February 1764, the Spaniards demanded them +as their right, as an appendage to the continent of South America; and +France having allowed the propriety of the demand, Mons. Bougainville +was ordered to yield possession of the islands to the Spaniards. + + [1] M. Bougainville every where calls these islands the _Isles + Malouines_; but we shall call them by the name of Falkland’s Islands, + which was given them by our countryman, Strong, in 1689. + +In consequence of the orders he had received, he sailed from the port of +Mindin on the 15th of November 1766, having under his command the +frigate la Boudeuse--la Esmeralda, and la Liebre; two frigates belonging +to Spain, were to join him in the river de la Plata, to the commanding +officer of which he was to deliver the settlement; and the l’Etoile, a +French store-ship, was to carry him such provisions as were necessary +for the long voyage on which he was bound, and to meet him at Falkland’s +Islands: but the voyage was necessarily several months longer in +compleating than it might have been, on account, as will appear +hereafter, of the delay which prevented the l’Etoile from joining Mons. +Bougainville. + +The Boudeuse had been at sea only two days when she encountered such a +violent storm of wind, as carried away the clue of the fore-sail, broke +the top-mast, and main-top-mast, and took off the head of the main-mast. +Thus situated, Mons. Bougainville found it necessary to put into Brest +to refit, and to make some necessary alterations in the stowage of his +ship, which was ill calculated, for withstanding the fury of those seas +he was to pass, and particularly so for the navigation of the seas round +Cape Horn. + +And here a reflection will naturally arise, on that fatality, by which +those who have the appointment of naval equipments, almost always +destine for services of the most imminent danger, vessels totally +inadequate for the purpose. Hence arise orders and counter-orders, till +the proper season for performing the most hazardous parts of the voyage, +is lost in the necessary preparation for making it. + +On the 5th of December Mons. Bougainville sailed from the harbour of +Brest, having on board the Prince of Nassau-Seighen, three gentlemen who +went as volunteers, eleven officers in commission; and warrant-officers, +seamen, soldiers, servants and boys, to the number of two hundred. + +On the 17th they were in sight of the Salvages, a small flat island, +which at each end rises into a hillock: the next day they saw the Island +of Palma, and that of Ferro on the 19th. Mons. Bougainville was now +convinced of a great error in his reckoning, which he attributes to the +rapidity of the currents opposite the Streights of Gibraltar. Having +corrected his reckoning, he took a fresh departure, and arrived at Rio +de la Plata, without meeting with any thing worthy of notice. + +On the evening of the 29th of January they had sight of Rio de la Plata, +but as the night was dark and tempestuous, they lay to, with the head of +the vessel towards the offing. The next morning they had a view of the +mountains of Maldonado, which, after a ship enters the Rio de la Plata, +are the first high lands seen to the north. At the Maldonados the +Spaniards have a small garrisoned town, in the vicinity of which are +picked up some beautiful transparent stones; and there is likewise a +gold mine near it, which has been worked for a few years past, but has +yielded little profit. + +On the morning of the 31st the Boudeuse came to an anchor in the Bay of +Montevideo, where the two Spanish ships, which were to take possession +of Falkland’s Islands, had been at anchor for some weeks. + +Don Philip Ruis Puente, the principal in command of the Spanish vessels, +having been appointed Governor of the islands which were to be +surrendered by the French, he accompanied Mons. Bougainville to Buenos +Ayres, to settle, with the Governor-general, the mode of making the +cession: and the Prince of Nassau-Sieghen attended them in this +expedition. + +The gentlemen made the voyage in a schooner, but a contrary wind +preventing their passage by sea, they went on shore above the colony of +San Sacramento, and travelled over a prodigious extent of country, in +which there were no roads, and where the eye was their only guide. +During this expedition they slept in little hovels constructed with +leather, while the tygers howled round them on every side. Mons. +Bougainville particularly mentions the manner and the danger of their +passing the river St. Lucia, which is wide and deep, yet amazingly +rapid:--being placed in a long narrow canoe, one side of which was +beyond all proportion higher than the other, a horse was fastened on +each side the vessel, the master of which pulling off all his cloaths, +got into it, and supporting the heads of the horses above the surface of +the stream, drove them across it, in the best manner he was able, and, +with some difficulty, they stemmed the rapidity of the torrent. It is +necessary for travellers who pass this wild and extensive country to be +very careful in finding the fordable parts of the rivers; they usually +drive before them a considerable number of horses, in order to take +fresh ones as often as those they ride on are jaded. + + [Illustration: _Monsieur de Bougainville Crossing the River S^t. Lucia + in a Canoe drawn by Horses_] + +Monsieur Bougainville having transacted his business at Buenos Ayres, +returned to Montevideo on the 16th of February, and was followed in a +few days by the Spanish Governor, Don Puente. Some necessaries of +various kinds being taken on board, the vessels were prepared for +sailing to Falkland’s Islands. + +Our author now gives a long account of the establishment of the +Spaniards in Rio de la Plata, of which we shall take no notice, because +similar accounts are to be found in a great number of volumes, some or +other of which are in the hands of almost every reader. + +Our voyagers having caused a small vessel to be laden with cattle for +the use of the ship’s companies, they sailed in company, on the 28th of +February 1767, a pilot, acquainted with the coast of Falkland’s Islands, +having been previously put on board each of the Spanish ships; but this +day they were obliged to bring their vessels to an anchor, on account of +the thickness of a fog, which prevented their seeing land. + +The winds now proving contrary, the ships remained at anchor the +following day; but as the current of the river ran strongly in their +favour, Mons. Bougainville sent to acquaint the Spanish commander, that +his vessel being too near the English sand-bank, off the isle of Flores, +he thought it would be proper to sail on the following day, even if the +wind should not change in their favour. To this the Spanish officer +replied, that his pilot refused to weigh the anchor till the wind became +fair and blew steady: on which Don Puente was acquainted, that the +anchor of the Boudeuse would certainly be weighed early the next +morning, and that she would either anchor more to the north, or ply to +the windward, waiting for the Spanish ships, unless they should be +unavoidably separated by the violence of the wind. + +The small vessel laden with cattle had not come to an anchor during the +preceding night, nor was she seen any more during the voyage; but it was +afterwards learnt that she went back to Montevideo, after an absence of +three weeks from that place. The night had been so tempestuous, that all +the ships dragged their anchors, and in the morning the Spanish vessels +were observed with their main-yards lowered, and their top-masts handed: +the Boudeuse, however, got under sail, and got out of the river before +night, leaving the Spaniards still at anchor. Mons. Bougainville had +variable, but chiefly bad, weather till the 23d of the month, when he +came to an anchor in the Bay of Falkland’s islands, where the Spanish +vessels also anchored, on the day following. These last had suffered +extremely through the inclemency of the weather; the cabbin windows of +Don Puente’s ship had been broke by the violence of the waves, so that +the sea for some time poured into her in torrents; and a number of +cattle, destined for the use of the colony at Falkland’s Island, died on +the passage. + +On the 1st of April Mons. Bougainville, in the name of the French king, +surrendered the island to Don Puente, who received it for his most +catholic Majesty, with the ceremony of hoisting the Spanish colours, and +the firing of guns from the ships and on shore: Mons. Bougainville then +read a letter, in which his sovereign granted leave to such of the +inhabitants as chose to continue their residence, to be under the +dominion of Spain: this offer was accepted by some, while others +embarked with the garrison, and were conveyed to Montevideo in the +Spanish ships. The whole expence of the French settlement, to the time +of its being delivered to the Spaniards, was six hundred and three +thousand livres; but as his most Catholic Majesty took the ships, +provisions, and all the stores of every kind, he reimbursed this sum to +France. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to make some historical remarks +respecting Falkland’s Islands, in which we shall trace him with all +possible fidelity. He says that, in the year 1502, when Americo +Vespucius was on his third voyage for the discovery of America, he +sailed along the northern coasts of the islands, and to him, therefore, +he allows the honour of being the first discoverer; yet he says that +Vespucious knew not whether what he saw was an island, or a part of the +main land. Gouin, a French commander, came to an anchor on these +islands, in the year 1700, as he was returning from a voyage into the +South Seas; but Gouin mistook them for Sebald’s isles, which lie very +near them, Falkland’s Islands being between those, and the island of +Beauchesne; so that a ship at anchor on the east side of Sebald’s isles, +is within sight of Falkland’s;--Besides Beauchesne’s description of what +he took to be Sebald’s, exactly answers to these; for he says there are +no woods, that the country is swampy, that there are many fresh-water +lakes and marshes on it, and that it abounds in ducks, snipes, wild +geese, and teals. + +Mons. Bougainville justly observes, that Falkland’s islands have been +but little known, and ill described, till within a few years past. They +are commonly represented as being covered with woods; but this mistake +might very well happen in the accounts of those who only saw them from +on board a ship for what are taken for woods are tall rushes, which grow +very close together, and the stalk being dry to the height of five feet +from the ground, a large tuft springs from the top of it, so that their +number, and the manner in which they grow, form no ill resemblance of a +wood. Great part of the hills on the island are covered with heath, +while the rushes grow only on some small isles, and near the sea coast. + +In the year 1594 Sir Richard Hawkins had sight of these islands, and +called them Hawkins’s Maiden-Land: he says he saw fires on them, and +that they were then inhabited: about the commencement of the present +century, a French ship, called the St. Louis, came to an anchor on this +coast, under the shelter of the isles of Anican, which are some small +islands, so called after the privateer of that name; but the commander +of the St. Louis did not think it worth his while to examine the +country: yet, Mons. Bougainville observes, that the navigators of all +nations have remarked how conveniently they are situated for affording +shelter and refreshment to vessels bound to the South-Seas. + +France having come to a resolution of sending a colony to settle on +Falkland’s islands, Mons. Bougainville, towards the beginning of the +year 1763, made an offer to establish the settlement at his own expence, +with the assistance of two of his near relations, Mons. de Arboulin, and +Mons. de Nerville. This offer being accepted, the adventrous Frenchman +gave orders for the building and equipment of a vessel of twenty, and +another of twelve guns, the former of which was called the Eagle, and +the latter the Sphinx: and as soon as these vessels had taken in such +stores as were necessary for the voyage, and for making the settlement, +Mons. Bougainville, having previously engaged some acadian families, +embarked his officers, seamen and settlers, and sailed from the Port of +St. Malo, on the 15th of September, 1763. + +In the course of the voyage he touched on the coast of Brazil, and at +Montevideo, at which last place he took a number of horned cattle and +horses on board, in order to stock the island to which he was destined. +On the 31st of January, 1764, Mons. Bougainville was within sight of +Sebald’s isles, and came to an anchor in a large bay on the eastermost +point of Falkland’s islands, on the third of February. + +It was soon resolved to form the settlement on the coast of this Bay; +and Mons. Bougainville immediately began to take a survey of the island, +to learn what it produced, for the support and convenience of life. He +observes, that various kinds of water and land-fowl, and fish, were all +its edible productions: and that the reader already knows that there +grows no wood, either for firing, or other purposes; but this +deficiency, in Mons. Bougainville’s opinion, might be tolerably well +supplied by an excellent kind of turf, which was almost every where to +be found in great abundance. + +On the first arrival of our adventurers, it was a sight not less +pleasing than astonishing, to behold the birds flock round them, with +evident curiosity, but without the least signs of timidity: these +harmless animals used to perch on those who were standing still, and +would at all times submit to be taken with the hand: but they very soon +learnt to be shy of the company of those who sought only their +destruction. + +The colony consisted of nineteen men, five women, and three children; +and Mons. Bougainville having fixed on the spot for their residence, +they lost no time in erecting huts, which they covered with rushes, to +protect them from the inclemency of the weather. They likewise built a +magazine, and erected a small fort, in the center of which they raised +an obelisk, under which they had placed several pieces of money, and a +medal, on one side of which was the head of the French king, with the +following motto; _Tibi serviat ultima thule_; and on the other side of +the medal was an inscription, of which the following is a +translation.--“Settlement of the Isles Malouines, situated in 51 degrees +30 minutes of south latitude, 60 degrees 50 minutes west longitude, from +the meridian of Paris, by the Eagle frigate, Captain P. Duclos Guyot, +Captain of a fire-ship, and the Sphinx sloop; Captain F. Chenard de la +Giraudais, Lieutenant of a frigate, equipped by Louis Antoine de +Bougainville, Colonel of infantry, Captain of a ship, chief of the +expedition, G. de Nerville, Captain of infantry, and P. d’ Arboulin, +postmaster general of France: construction of a fort, and an obelisk, +decorated with a medallion of his Majesty Louis XV. after the plans of +A. L’Huillier, engineer and geographer of the field and army, serving on +this expedition; during the administration of E’. de Choiseul, Duke of +Stainville, in February 1764.” + +Mons. de Bougainville having promised the settlers, that he would soon +bring them more companions, and give them farther assistance, his +relation, Mons. de Nerville, agreed to stay till his return from France, +as well to be an hostage for the performance of de Bougainville’s +promise, as to encourage the young colonists, by participating in every +hardship and danger to which they might be exposed, in a station so far +removed from all communication with the rest of mankind. In return for +Mons. de Nerville’s kind compliance with the wish of the settlers, he +was to be considered as their Governor. + +On the 8th of April 1764, Mons. Bougainville weighed his anchor, and +sailed for Europe, having first taken possession of the islands, in the +name, and for the use of his most Christian Majesty. + +In the month of January 1765, Mons. Bougainville again visited +Falkland’s Islands, where he found the settlers in good health, and +pleased with their situation. After he had debarked the stores which he +had brought for their use, he sailed to the Streights of Magellan, where +he took in timber and pallisadoes, and a number of young trees for +planting on Falkland’s Islands; which place he again left on the 27th of +April, when the whole number of colonists was only twenty-four. + +While Monsieur de Bougainville was on the above mentioned expedition in +the Streights of Magellan, he saw the ships under Commodore Byron’s +command; the reader will recollect this circumstance, in the account of +Mr. Byron’s Voyage, related in the twenty-first page of the preceding +volume. + +The colonists on Falkland’s Islands were encreased to about one hundred +and fifty, by a number of fresh settlers, which sailed from France in +the Eagle, in the year 1765. This ship was accompanied by the Etoile +store-ship, which carried provisions to the island. By this time the +Governor, and an officer who took care of the stores, had good houses +built of stone, and the rest of the colonists were lodged in commodious +huts, having walls composed of sods of earth. With the wood which Mons. +Bougainville had brought from the Streights of Magellan, they had built +several small vessels, adapted to examine the coasts of the island; and +three magazines were by this time erected, in which to deposit the +public and private stores; several kinds of grain which had been brought +from France grew very well, and promised a sufficient encrease; and some +train-oil had been made, and seals-skins turned, by the settlers, with +which the Eagle was loaded, and returned to France. + +In the year 1766, when an English colony had settled at Port Egmont, +Captain Macbride, of the Jason frigate, visited the French settlement, +and, to use Mons. Bougainville’s own words, “pretended that those parts +belonged to his Britannic Majesty, threatened to land by force, if he +should be any longer denied that liberty, visited the Governor, and +sailed away again the same day.” + +The above, according to Bougainville’s account, was the state of +Falkland’s islands, when the French surrendered them to Spain; and he +pretends, that the prior claim of Spain was confirmed by such surrender +of those who had made the first settlement: and perhaps there might be +some force in this reckoning, if the prior claim of Spain was founded in +justice, and warranted by the laws which have hitherto directed the +discoverers of unknown countries. An Englishman, however, will be glad +to see this argument stated in its proper light, by which it will +appear, that the right to the possession of these islands, is +undoubtedly vested in the Crown of these realms. + +The plain state of facts, then, is as follows: as early as the voyage +under Sir Thomas Cavendish, in the year 1592, Captain Davis had sight of +these islands: they were seen a second time, in 1594, as +before-mentioned by Sir Richard Hawkins, who gave them the name of +Hawkins’s Maiden Land: the third person who saw them was the Dutch +voyager Sebald de Waert, who called them Sebald’s Isles, and under this +name they are laid down in the Dutch charts. In the year 1683 they were +seen by Dampier, and, in 1689, by Strong, who gave them their present +English name of Falkland Islands, which Dr. Halley, the celebrated +astronomer, adopting, they are now so called in all the maps and charts +of this country. During the reign of William and Mary, the English +privateers often saw these islands, whereas, according to Mons. +Bougainville’s own account, the first Frenchman who ever saw them was +Gouin, no longer ago than the year 1700. From this state of the evidence +it does not appear, that the Spaniards visited them at all, and that the +French were the last visitors; yet would Mons. Bougainville have his +readers believe, that the Spaniards have the prior claim to their +possession, and that this claim has been ratified by the French!--This +reasoning may sound admirably well in the ears of the slaves of two +arbitrary monarchs, but will be equally ridiculed and contemned by every +sensible subject of our happier, because limited, monarchy. + +Monsieur Bougainville now proceeds to give an account of the natural +history of, and other particulars respecting, Falkland’s Islands, which, +he says, are the result of the observations of his kinsman, Mons. de +Nerville, who resided at the settlement three years. The picture our +ingenious voyager gives of the first appearance of the islands is very +striking, and his arguments for and against settling them are very +conclusive. On their first arrival not an object struck their view, +except the commodiousness of the port in which the ship lay, which could +tempt them to take up their residence on so inhospitable a shore. The +land was in many places broke in upon by the sea; the mountains, +unclothed with wood, had the most barren appearance; the fields looked +dreary for want of houses and inhabitants; an universal silence reigned, +except when the howling of some sea-monster disturbed the solemn +stillness; while a dull and gloomy sameness of appearance added horror +to the whole picture. + +Discouraging as this scene appeared, our adventurers knew that all would +yield to time and diligence, and that the labour of the industrious +would not go unrequited: indeed some consolation arose in their breasts, +on viewing the place in a more favourable light. The climate had that +kind of temperature likely to afford health, strength, and long life, +and was therefore preferable to the noxious air of those regions where +the sickening inhabitant faints under the scorching heat of the vertical +sun: the island produced a number of plants, admirable in the cure of +the scurvy, and other disorders incident to the sailor’s life. The fish +and the birds were most exquisitely delicious, and there were amphibious +animals in immense numbers, while there were none of the fierce or the +poisonous kind. Cascades and rivulets fell from the mountains, which at +the same time sheltered the fisherman from the violence of the winds, so +that he could sport or labour in the spacious bay, in perfect security: +meadows of an immense extent promised constant pasturage for any number +of flocks and herds, which might feed at pleasure, undisturbed by any +tyrant lord of the soil. These various advantages, in the opinion of our +adventurers, were sufficient to recompence them for the dangers and +fatigue of the voyage, and a pledge for the full reward of their future +labours. + +The situation of Falkland’s Islands is between fifty-one and fifty-two +degrees and a half of south latitude, and sixty-five degrees and a half +of west longitude from Paris. From the entrance of the Streights of +Magellan, and from the coast of Patagonia, their distance is about 250 +miles. + +The harbours are large, and well defended by small islands most happily +disposed; and even the smallest vessels may ride in safety in the +creeks: while fresh water is easily to be obtained, as the small rivers +which descend from the mountains discharge themselves into the sea. The +tides do not rise and fall at any stated times, but depend on the force +with which the wind agitates the waves of the sea; it was, however, +observed, that just before high water, the sea rises and subsides, with +a quick motion, three times within the space of fifteen minutes and that +at the full of the moon, and during the equinoxes and solstices, this +motion is much greater than at any other time. + +Those winds that blow from between the south and west, and the north and +west points, prevail more than others but in general the winds vary as +in most other countries. In summer time the winds usually blow from some +point between the north-west and south-west. It is remarkable, that +these winds rise with the rising sun, encrease in force as the sun +advances to the meridian, blow most violently just at noon, decrease +again with the declining sun, and totally cease about the time of its +setting. The tides also frequently add to the violence of these winds, +and not unfrequently change their direction. + +The blowing of the winds in winter is a certain indication of the +weather. If they come from the south-east, they are not so violent as +the summer winds from the same quarter; but they are accompanied with +slight fogs. When they blow between the south and west points, hoar +frost, hail and snow, are the certain consequences; and the weather is +wet and foggy, when they come from the points between the north and the +west. The snow which comes with the south and west winds is but small in +quantity, and commonly disappears from the ground in a day or two, +except what lodges on the summits of the high mountains, where it will +remain about two months. The running streams are never frozen, and the +lakes and stagnate pools have seldom been covered with ice strong enough +to bear the weight of a man two days together. In the spring and autumn +there are slight hoar frosts, which being changed to a kind of dew by +the warmth of the sun, are rather nutrimental than prejudicial to the +vegetable productions. There is seldom any thunder or lightning, nor is +the climate hot or cold in any extraordinary degree. Throughout the year +the nights are, in general, star-light, serene, and fair; and, upon the +whole, the climate is very favourable to the constitution. + +The fresh water of these islands is extremely good, and in great plenty: +the beds of some of the rivers are a kind of tuft, which gives a +yellowish cast to the water, yet does not affect its taste; but the +bottom of most of the rivers is either sand or gravel. + +The depth of the soil in the vallies is more than sufficient for the +purposes of plowing; but, before our adventurers could proceed to +cultivation, they were obliged to extract the roots of plants, which +every where interfered and choaked up the ground for near a foot deep: +these roots they dried and burnt, and they then made a rich manure for +the ground from which they had been cleared. Under the first land is a +layer of black earth, ten inches or more in depth; under that again a +yellow soil, beneath which are stones and slate; but these stones are +not found on the little adjacent islands. The sea-coast is, in most +places, composed of stones, which are very fit for the purposes of +building; and there are beds of a hard fine grained stone, in several +spots on the island; likewise another kind of stones, in which are +particles of talc. Our settlers found a kind of stone which split in +pieces easily, and with which they made grind-stones, to give an edge to +their instruments. In the quarries they met with a stone of a yellowish +hue, which, when first taken out, was so soft as to be cut with a knife; +but it soon grew hard when exposed to the open air. The island likewise +yeilded earth fit for making bricks and potters-ware, and plenty of sand +and clay. + +In many parts of the country there are marshy places, which produce a +sort of rushes with sharp points, the remains of the roots of which +being continually wasting, form the turf that was used for firing, which +burnt exceeding well, and had nothing offensive in its smell. + +A plant of the gramen kind grows on a stalk which has a sweetish +flavour, and is extremely nutrimental for cattle, who like it better +than any other kind of pasturage. This plant flourishes on the +sea-coasts, and on the little isles, where it bends till the stalks +unite, forming a kind of harbour, to which the sea-lions and the seals +occasionally retreat. Our adventurers, in several excursions, found +these natural built houses, a very agreeable defence against the +inclemency of the weather, and the more so, as the dry leaves which had +fallen off formed a bed, by no means to be despised. + +The above-mentioned plant is the largest that grows on the island, which +likewise produces many shrubs that were very useful in heating ovens, +and other purposes of firing. A kind of heath, which grows in great +plenty, bears a red fruit, which is eaten by the fowls and birds. + +A plant was discovered which resembles a shrub, but having been tasted, +it was thought fit for the brewing of beer: happily our colonists were +supplied with malt and molasses, to which they added the beer-plant, and +were enabled at all times to brew a very wholesome kind of spruce beer, +which was an admirable specific for the scurvy. This plant was likewise +infused in water, in which those who had contracted any illness, while +out at sea, bathed themselves, and it was found to be a fine +restorative: when pressed, it yeilded a mealy substance, of a fragrant +smell, and a glutinous nature: the leaves of this plant are small, of a +clear bright green, and dentated. + +Other vegetables in abundance were found, which were used as +antiscorbutics; particularly water-cresses, sorrel, wild parsley, a kind +of maiden-hair, and a species of celery. + +But the most extraordinary vegetable production of Falkland’s Islands, +is a kind of resinous gum-plant, of which we shall speak more +particularly, as it is wholly unknown in these parts of the globe. +Though this is called a plant, it is without leaves, branches, or any +apparent stalk and, except in colour, which is that of a bright green, +it more resembles a lump of earth rising from the common surface of the +ground. It does not grow to the height of more than eighteen inches, and +its breadth in different plants is from two feet to two yards and +upwards: the smaller plants have the form of an hemisphere, and their +circumference is regular; but when they come to the full size, they +terminate in irregular bunches and hollows: there are drops of a tough +yellow matter, as big as a pea, on different parts of its surface, which +smell like turpentine. Mons. Bougainville having cut this plant close to +the ground, found that it arose from a stalk, from which grew an immense +number of shoots, consisting of leaves resembling stars, laying one +within the other. The outsides of these shoots, which are exposed to the +air, are green, and the insides white: they contain a viscid milky +juice, which is likewise found in the roots and the stalk. The roots +extending horizontally, frequently produce fresh shoots at a distance, +so that there is no instance of one of these plants being found alone. +The resin of this plant was found to be a good medicine for the cure of +slight wounds; but this resin was often washed away by the rains, or +wasted by the influence of the air; yet, however contradictory it may +appear, it would not dissolve except in spirits: some of the seeds were +brought to Europe, in order to attempt the cultivation of so singular a +curiosity in the vegetable world. + +The island on which our colonists had taken up their residence is +divided from east to west by a chain of hills, to the south of which +they found another plant, not unlike the resinous gum-plant, which, +however, did not yield any resin, but produced beautiful yellow flowers; +neither was it of so firm a texture, nor was its green of the same +shade; yet, in other respects, the resemblance was very strong. On the +hills was found a species of Maiden-hair, which grew to a great height, +and the leaves of it were shaped like the blade of a sword. The hills +likewise abounded with various kinds of plants, which had the appearance +of holding a middle station between stones and vegetables. It was +apprehended, that these might have been successfully used in dying, and +our colonists proposed to have made the experiment if they had remained +longer on the island. + +The place produces flowers in a considerable variety, but only one of +them has any smell, which is like that of a tuberose; this flower is +perfectly white. A true violet was seen, which was of a regular light +yellow colour. + +A fruit was found, of the size of a pea, which received the name of the +lucet, from its resemblance to the North American fruit of that name: +its colour is white, but the side which is exposed to the sun changes to +a red: it has the smell of orange blossoms, and a very agreeable +flavour: its branches, which creep along the ground, produce leaves of +dark green, which are round and shining, and these leaves infused into +milk give it a delicious taste: the flowers grow in large numbers on the +borders of lakes, and the plant delights in a moist soil. Besides the +lucet only one other fruit was found, which grows on long branches, in +the same manner as the strawberry, but it has the appearance of a +mulberry, which name it received, and its leaves are like those of the +hornbeam. + +Our colonists found but few sea-plants which they could apply to any +use; but all the coast of the harbour was lined with sea-weeds, which +were serviceable in breaking the force of the waves in stormy weather. +Many kinds of coralines, of various beautiful colours, and a great +number of curious shells and spunges were washed on shore by the force +of the tides. Among the shells were the smooth and striated muscle, +scallops, whelks, and a bivalve shell, of a very singular kind, named +_la Poulette_. + +Sea lions and seals are the only amphibious animals found in these +parts; but there are great varieties of fish on the coasts, scarce any +of which are known in Europe. It sometimes happens that the whales, +getting too near the shore, are stranded in the bays, where their +remains have been seen. Bones of great magnitude have been found far up +the country, where the force of the waters could not have conveyed them, +which Mons. Bougainville deems a proof that the soil is encreased, or +the sea diminished. + +The only quadruped found on Falkland’s island is of a species between +the fox and the wolf, and our author therefore calls him the wolf-fox: +the tail of this animal is more bushy than that of the wolf, and he +lives in a kennel which he digs in the ground, on the downs by the +sea-side. At one time of the year the wolf-fox is so lean as to appear +almost starved, from whence it is imagined that he fasts for a +considerable time: he is about as large as a sheep-dog, and barks very +much like one, only that his yelp is not so loud. He subsists +principally on wild fowl, in search of which he travels in such a direct +line from one day to another, that when our adventurers first beheld his +track, they imagined that the island was inhabited, and that the natives +had made the path. Mons. Bougainville makes it a matter of wonder how +the wolf-fox can have been conveyed to these islands, without +considering, that land-animals having got on large pieces of ice, which +being broken by the sea, they have frequently been conveyed to places +very remote from those of their first residence. The circumstance of ice +so broken from the shore is not uncommon on the coast of Greenland. + +These islands and their coasts produce land and water-fowls in +incredible numbers, many of which are the prey of falcons, hawks, eagles +and owls; while the eggs and the young birds are destroyed by the +wolf-fox.--The smaller fish are destroyed by the whales, the amphibious +animals, and the voracious birds, some of which are constantly flying +close over the surface of the waters, while others perch themselves on +the rocks to watch the event. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a description of such birds as were +found on the islands, which could be applied to any kind of use; +omitting those that could not be rendered serviceable to the colonists. + +The swan is perfectly white, except its feet and its neck, the former of +which are of a flesh-colour, and the latter as black as jet. + +Of wild geese there are four kinds, only one of which feeds on dry +ground. It has very high legs, and a neck of great length: its flight is +much more free than that of the English goose; it walks with equal ease, +and does not cackle like the common goose. The feathers of the male are +white except on the wings, which have a mixture of ash-colour and black: +the wings of the female are of various colours; and its body is yellow. +It seldom lays more than six eggs. The flavour of these birds is +agreeable, and they were found to be very nutritious: exclusive of those +which are hatched on the island, large flocks fly thither with a +westerly wind which blows in the autumn, so that they were generally to +be taken in great abundance, and formed a principal part of the +subsistence of the settlers. Those which came in the autumn were easily +known from those resident on the island, by their not being shy. + +The other three kinds are of various colours; yellow, white, black, and +ash-colour; they are not by far so beautiful as those above described: +and as they live entirely on fish, their flesh acquires a disagreeable +taste; one of these three species seldom rises from the surface of the +water, and is almost constantly making a very disagreeable noise. A soft +thick down, either grey or white, grows under the feathers of all these +geese, as it does likewise under those of the swan. + +The rivers and ponds of Falkland’s islands abound in teals of two +species, and two of wild ducks: of the latter some are perfectly white, +and others totally black, but in other respects they resemble those of +England and France. These birds are all exquisite fine food, and to be +procured in any numbers. One kind of the teal is very small; but the +other is as large as the duck, and its bill is blue. The bellies of some +of them are also covered with feathers of a flesh-colour. + +The island produces a bird which Mons. Bougainville calls the Diver, +but, from the description he gives of it, it is conjectured to be the +Grebe, which abounds on the lake of Geneva, and of the skin of which the +most elegant muffs and tippets are made. Of these Divers there are two +kinds, of which the most plentiful has brown feathers, with no other +variation than that the feathers on the belly are of a somewhat lighter +colour than those on the back. The belly of the other kind is white, and +the back grey; and the feathers on the belly are very thick, shining and +soft. The eyes of these birds are as bright as rubies, and are encircled +with a ring of white feathers. The female hatches only two young birds +at a time, which she carries on her back, not subjecting them to the +coldness of the water, till feathers have taken place of the down with +which they are hatched. The toes of this bird are thin, and of a green +colour, and being round towards the claw, they are not unlike the leaves +of some plants: their feet are not webbed, as is common among +water-fowl, but their toes are separate, having a strong membrane on +each side. + +The colonists gave the name of Saw-bills to two kinds of birds which +bore a great similitude to each other, the chief difference consisting +in their size, and in the bellies of most of them being white, while a +few were observed to have brown feathers on the belly: the feathers on +the rest of the body are of a dark blue, as soft as silk, and grow very +close together. Their feet are webbed and flesh coloured, and their +bills pointed: they lay their eggs on the rocks, where great numbers of +them live together; and they subsist on fish, thousands of which they +destroy. Our settlers not only ate the eggs of these birds, but +frequently killed many scores of them at a time, and their flesh was +found to be excellent food. They had so little apprehension of being +catched, that it was an easy matter to knock them down with a stick, and +in this manner they were usually taken. A bird called by the Spaniards +_Quebrantahuessos_, which measures more than two yards from the +extremity of its wings, destroys the saw-bills. This bird of prey has a +long bill, with two hollow tubes of the same kind of substance as the +bill, and its feet are webbed: some of the seamen called this bird the +Albatross, but it differs considerably from the common bird of that +name, nor is it an easy matter to determine precisely on its species, +from the imperfect account which Mons. Bougainville has given of it. + +Gulls, mews, and terns, of different beautiful plumage, served to direct +our colonists what was the proper time for taking of pilchards. These +birds, flying in large flocks over the surface of the water, dart on the +pilchard and swallow it; presently they catch another of these fish, and +then they disgorge the one which had been previously swallowed, and so +on. When the pilchards are not in season, they feed on various other +sorts of small fish. The eggs of these birds were found in great +abundance upon the leaves of a plant, on the borders of the marshes, and +they proved to be very good eating. + +Three kinds of penguins breed on the island, one of these is a +remarkably grand and elegant bird, the belly of which is a clear white, +the back a kind of blue, and it has a ruff round its neck near the head, +of a bright yellow, which descending towards the belly, separates the +white feathers from the blue ones; these birds do not live together in +numbers, but seek the most quiet and retired places of abode. One of +them being caught, with an intention of being brought to France, soon +grew so tame, that it followed the person who fed it; its food was +bread, fish and flesh; but there was something more wanting for its +sustenance, for it gradually lost its fatness till it died. The second +kind of penguin answers to the description of that bird in Anson’s +voyage[2]. The third kind of penguins lay their eggs among the high +cliffs of the rocks, where they reside together in immense numbers, +never seeking that solitude of which the first kind are so fond. They +are much smaller than the others, and were named hopping penguins, from +their method of moving, which is very much like hopping; they have +gold-coloured feathers, which form a kind of eye-brows, and a tuft of +the same colour, which they raise when they are displeased. This bird +has a very chearful look, and its general colour is a deep yellow. + + [2] This description will, of course, be found when we come to give an + account of that voyage. + +At different times, but not frequently, three kinds of petrels were seen +by our adventurers. These birds build their nests on the sea-coasts, +where their young were sometimes found, covered with down. One sort of +them is quite white, their bills red, and not unlike a pigeon; a second +sort is larger, and the third smaller than the pigeon; and these two +sorts have white feathers on the belly, while every other part of the +body is black. + +Eagles were also seen of three different species, two of which are +black, with white and yellow feet, and the other is of a dull white: all +these subsist on snipes, and other small birds, which they seize every +opportunity to destroy. + +Egrets, a species of the heron, were frequently seen on the island: they +make a disagreeable noise, not much unlike the barking of a little dog; +and they never take any food till towards the evening. + +Two kinds of the thrush came regularly to the island in the autumnal +months, one of which was of the same colour as the European thrush; and +the other yellow, except on the belly, which was spotted with black. +There was a third kind of thrush, which lived on the island throughout +the year, the feathers on the belly of which are of a bright red: this +was called the Red-bird, and though Mons. Bougainville ranks it among +the thrushes, it is probably no other than the red-breast of America. + +A bird which they called the Sea-pie, was constantly seen on the coasts, +the feet of which were white, the bill red, and the feathers black and +white. This bird whistles a kind of note, which the colonists found it +easy to imitate, and by that means they came near enough to catch them +without much trouble: they subsist on shrimps, which they pick up after +the ebbing of the tide.--Such is Mons. Bougainville’s description of the +sea-pie; but if it be the true bird of that kind, oysters form a part of +its subsistence; for when the tide is out, these fish are left on the +sand, and the sea-pie, forcing open the shell with his bill, swallows +the oyster; whence he is also called oyster-catcher. + +Great numbers of curlews, the same as those of Europe, were constantly +seen in the summer; and snipes of the European kind were found in +abundance. It is easy to shoot these birds, as they fly in a regular +manner. At the time when they are breeding, they ascend to a great +height, and having sung some time in the air, they drop at once into +their nests, which are built on the ground, in the open field, where it +is most free from grass or other herbage, so that these nests are very +easily found: the snipes are excellent food if dressed towards the +decline of the year; but in the breeding season they are lean, and not +so fit to eat. + +The amphibious animals of Falkland’s islands are seals and sea-lions, +which having been before-mentioned, and being described in many books of +voyages, we shall only add, that they frequently travel in very numerous +companies three or four miles up the country, to feast on the herbs, and +repose themselves in the warmth of the sun. + +Of the fish which were found on the coasts of Falkland’s islands, one +that was taken in the greatest plenty was called the Mullet, from the +likeness it bears to the European fish of that name: the colonists dried +many of these, which were full a yard in length: the seals prey on these +fish whenever they can catch them; but, by a natural instinct, they are +taught to avoid these voracious enemies, by sheltering themselves in +holes, among slimy ground, on the banks of the rivers, and in these +places they were frequently taken. A fish called the _gradeau_, about +twelve inches in length, was found in great abundance; and another, +named the _sardine_, was found only at the commencement of the winter +season. Some white porpoises were taken in the bays, when the weather +was fair, and some eels in those cavities of the rocks which were filled +with water. A fresh water fish was found, about the size of a trout, +without scales, the colour of which was green. Many smaller fish were +catched with the hook and line, among them was one species, the head of +which resembled that of a pike, and it had no scales: a few soals were +found; and Mons. Bougainville is of opinion, that a greater number of +those, and many other different kinds of fish, might have been procured, +if there had been hands sufficient to have constantly spared a proper +number to attend the sea-fishery. The shell-fish found at this place +were muscles, a very small kind of shrimp, a crab, the feet of which +were blue, and a kind of cray-fish, or prawn, the colour of which was +naturally red, without boiling: but our author says, these were only +taken through curiosity, as their taste was much inferior to those +European fish which are nearly of the same species. + +The above is a faithful detail of the natural history of Falkland’s +islands, as far as it could be learnt by the French settlers, during a +residence of three years; if they had continued longer in the country, +there is no doubt but that their discoveries would have been greater, +and their account more accurate: from such as it is, however, it will +probably be thought, by the English reader, that these islands are by no +means so barren and inhospitable a spot, as our ministerial writers took +the pains to represent them, as soon as it was known, that our people in +power had formed the disgraceful resolution of permitting the prior +claim of England to this extensive country, to yeild to the imperious +demand of the haughty Spaniards. + +It must, indeed, appear evident to the unprejudiced view of the +intelligent reader, that these islands might, in the course of a few +years, be made a very valuable possession: as they abound in fowl and +fish of various useful kinds, while their amphibious animals, the +sea-lions and seals, would yeild a quantity of grease and train-oil, +which might make no inconsiderable articles of commerce; and what +astonishing crops of wheat, barley, and every kind of European grain +might not be raised on a tract of land that is many hundred miles in +extent! It is true the islands do not naturally produce any trees; but +it would be easy to carry thither the seeds of some, and young trees of +other kinds; and there is no doubt, but that they would flourish in a +country situated, with regard to the south pole, nearly as Ireland is +with regard to the north. + +As true Englishmen, we cannot help expressing a wish that the day may +yet arrive, when some Statesman of sense and spirit may re-urge and +insist on the right of Great Britain, to the possession of Falkland’s +islands; The reader will excuse this digression, and prepare to attend +Mons. Bougainville in the course of his voyage. + +After waiting at these islands till the 2d of June 1767, in expectation +of the Etoile store-ship, and finding that she did not arrive, Mons. +Bougainville considered, that as his vessel would hold no more than six +months provisions, and that he had only two on board, it would be an act +of rashness to attempt the crossing the great pacific ocean alone; he +therefore resolved to steer to Rio Janeiro, at which place he had +appointed the Etoile to join him, in case any unforeseen accident should +prevent her reaching Falkland’s islands before he left the harbour of +that place. + +They had fine weather from the 2d till the 20th of June, on which day +they had sight of the mountains on the main land of Brasil; and they saw +the entrance of Rio Janeiro on the day following. A number of +fishing-boats being observed near the shore, Mons. Bougainville hoisted +Portuguese colours, and ordered a cannon to be fired; on which a boat +put off to the ship, and a pilot was engaged to conduct her into the +road. + +The coast of this country is broken by a number of small hills, which +serve to give an agreeable variety to the prospect. The country is +rather mountainous, and well clothed with woods. + +The ship having arrived off the Port of Santa Cruz, a Portuguese officer +was sent to enquire the reason of her sailing into it; on which Mons. +Bougainville sent one of his officers to acquaint the Viceroy of the +Brasils, with the motives for his touching there, and to enquire whether +if he should salute the fort, the compliment would be returned. + +The answer which the French officer received from Count d’Acunha, marks +that singular haughtiness and arrogance, for which some of the +Portuguese Governors are not a little famous:--the Count said, that when +a person bowed to another whom he might casually meet in the street, he +was not previously certain that his compliment would be returned, and +that if Mons. Bougainville should fire his guns by way of salute, he +(the Viceroy) had then to consider what was proper to be done. As this +answer was by no means satisfactory to Mons. Bougainville, he, with that +spirit of pride becoming a gentleman and an officer, disdained to fire a +single gun. + +About the same time a canoe was dispatched from the Captain of the +Etoile, to inform Mons. Bougainville of the safe arrival of that vessel, +which now lay in the port. The Commander, Mons. de la Giraudais, sent +word, that instead of leaving France in the month of December, various +accidents had combined to detain him two months beyond that time: that +when he had been three months at sea, his rigging was so greatly +damaged, and his vessel admitted so much water, that he was obliged to +make the harbour of Montevideo, whence he sailed for his present +station, and had come to an anchor but a few days before Mons. +Bougainville’s arrival. + +The Etoile had at this time salt provisions sufficient to supply both +the vessels for almost a year and a half; but as her stock of bread and +legumes was insufficient for the consumption of more than seven weeks, +Mons. Bougainville resolved on sailing to Rio de la Plata, to take in a +stock of those articles, as neither flour, wheat, nor biscuit could be +purchased at Rio Janeiro. + +On the 22d of June 1767, Mons. Bougainville and his officers paid a +visit to the Viceroy of the Brasils, which was returned three days +afterwards on board the Boudeuse; when the Viceroy gave permission for +the purchase of a sloop, which our adventurers imagined might be very +serviceable during the long voyage they proposed to make. The Chaplain +of the Etoile having been murdered, some days before the arrival of the +Boudeuse, under the windows of the Viceroy’s palace, that gentleman +promised that he would endeavour to find out, and severely punish, the +perpetrators of the horrid deed; but Mons. Bougainville complains much +of his remissness in the execution of this necessary piece of justice. + +The Viceroy, contrary to his usual custom, continued to behave with +politeness to the French officers, for several days after this visit; +and acquainted them, that he proposed to honour them with an elegant +collation in bowers of orange-trees and jasmine, on the banks of the +river; and he actually gave orders, that a box at the opera should be +assigned for their reception. Here, says our author, a band of mulatoes +performed the best pieces of metastasio, while the compositions of the +greatest geniuses Italy ever produced, were “executed by an Orchestra, +which was under the direction of a hump-backed Priest, in his +canonicals.” + +We cannot avoid making a remark on the illiberal and ungentleman-like +manner in which Monsieur Bougainville recites this part of his +narrative; for it would be in a high degree ridiculous to suppose that +the Priest, because he had the misfortune to be crooked, should be, by +that circumstance, the less qualified to conduct a band; nor can we see, +if the works represented were, as our author calls them, _divine_, the +great impropriety of their being under the direction of a Priest, nor of +that Priest’s being dressed in the habit of his order. The French are +ambitious of being accounted the best bred people in the world; they +claim a kind of exclusive right to politeness; but they are only the +smugglers and monopolizers of that commodity, to the injury of the fair +traders, the English, the Scots, the Hibernians, whose open sincerity, +and manly freedom of behaviour, gives the lie to the French assumption +of a superior gentility. It is evident, from many instances in Mons. +Bougainville’s voyage, that a Frenchman can, when he pleases, be guilty +of a savage illiberality of conduct, that would disgrace the untutored +boor of the wilds of Siberia, or the still more uncultivated savage of +the uncivilized parts of America. + +At this time there lay in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, a French ship, +called the Morning Star, and a Spanish man of war, named the Diligent; +and, while the Viceroy behaved with all imaginable politeness to the +Frenchman, he had artfully protracted the stay of the Spaniard no less +than eight months, during all which time her Commander had not been able +to procure the articles necessary for the repair of his vessel, and +without which she could not proceed on her voyage. In this dilemma, Don +Francesco de Medina, Captain of the Diligent, applied to Mons. +Bougainville, for the assistance of his carpenters and caulkers, who +were immediately sent, both from the Boudeuse and the Etoile. + +The complaisance with which the Viceroy treated the gentlemen on board +the French vessels, surprised the Spaniards, who told them, that they +must not long expect so great a share of his favour; and they had soon +reason to be convinced, that the prediction was founded in truth; for +though the Viceroy had permitted Mons. Bougainville to purchase a sloop, +and he had actually agreed for one, his Excellency thought proper to +forbid the delivery of it; and notwithstanding they had contracted with +this tyrannical Viceroy for the purchase of some timber from the royal +Dock-yards, he afterwards changed his mind, and would not let them have +it. He even went so far as to refuse Mons. Bougainville, and the +gentlemen on board his ships, permission to lodge in a house near the +town, while the Boudeuse was repairing, notwithstanding the owner of the +house had consented to accommodate the French officers. + +Mons. Bougainville, piqued at these repeated instances of the Viceroy’s +want of good manners, and his total inattention to the common rights of +humanity, determined to pay him a visit, to remonstrate with him on the +glaring impropriety of his conduct: taking with him therefore two of his +officers, he repaired to the house of the Viceroy, who was agitated with +the most furious passion the moment Mons. Bougainville began to speak, +and commanded him to leave the house; this, however, he refused to do, +but kept his seat for some time, even after the Viceroy had called his +guards, who, with more prudence than their master had shewn, neglected +to obey his summons, and the French gentlemen left the house, without +seeming to have caused any disturbance. Not long after their departure, +an additional number of guards were placed round the palace, and orders +were issued, that if any Frenchman should be seen in the streets after +the sun was down, he should be taken into custody. The Viceroy likewise +commanded the Captain of the French ship named the Morning Star, to quit +his present situation, and anchor his vessel under the fort of +Villagahon, which order was complied with on the following day. + +One of the Portuguese officers was exiled, and another imprisoned, +because they had behaved with civility to Mons. Bougainville; and it was +easy to foresee, that such of the inhabitants of the place as traded +with the French, would experience the consequences of the Viceroy’s +indignation; every preparation was therefore made to quit a place, which +the tyranny of the count de Acunha had rendered so disagreeable. The +Captain of the Spanish man of war supplied Mons. Bougainville with +timber proper for the repair of his ship, and an inhabitant of Rio +Janeiro privately sold him a number of planks, which he was in great +want of; and, indeed, the inhabitants in general behaved with a kindness +and civility, which fully proved the sense they entertained of the +impropriety of the Viceroy’s conduct. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to give an account of the riches of Rio +Janeiro, and the amount of the revenues arising to the King of Portugal, +from the mines of Brasil; these mines we have already given some account +of in the former part of this work, but as Mons. Bougainville’s account +is very interesting, and contains many particulars there unnoticed, we +make no doubt but the reader will approve our tracing him with the pen +of accuracy and fidelity. + +The mines which lie nearest to the city of Rio Janeiro are not less +distant than two hundred and twenty miles, and are called the _General +mines_. His most faithful majesty, having a fifth part of the produce of +these mines, seldom receives less than one hundred and twelve arobas of +gold from their annual produce, and sometimes considerably more. + +There are mines at Sero-frio, Sabara, and Rio des Mortes, which are +under the jurisdiction of the managers of the general mines. Near +Sero-frio is a river, the stream of which being turned out of its usual +channel, diamonds, topazes, chrysolites, and other valuable stones, are +found among the pebbles in the bed of the river; nor are any diamonds +brought from the Brasils but what are found in this particular spot. + +The stones thus found are deemed the property of the owners of the +mines; but the King of Portugal has appointed a surveyor, to whom they +must give in an account of what diamonds are found with the utmost +exactness. These the surveyor puts into a casket which has three locks, +and is enclosed in iron plates; the Viceroy keeping one of the keys, the +_Provador de Hazienda Reale_ the second, and the surveyor the third. +This casket, and the keys with which it is locked, are then enclosed in +a second casket, on which these three gentlemen affix their seals; and +this again is placed in a third, on which the Viceroy puts his seal, and +thus ships the treasure for Portugal, where the coffers are opened in +the presence of his most faithful majesty, who having selected such of +the diamonds as he pleases, the owners of the mines are paid for them, +at a rate stipulated by a previous agreement. + +The number of slaves employed in searching for diamonds is about eight +hundred, and for every day’s labour of each of these slaves the King of +Portugal receives a Spanish dollar from the proprietors of the mines. + +It is extremely dangerous for any person to secrete a diamond; yet the +practice is very common, as the smuggled goods can be so easily hidden. +When a person is detected in this illicit trade, if he is rich he is +sentenced to deliver up the diamonds, pay twice their value, suffer one +year’s imprisonment, and then be banished to the coast of Africa for +life: but if the offender be poor, he is generally doomed to suffer +capitally. + +In every district of the Brasils where gold is found, a house is +erected, to which it must be carried, and the King’s share paid, the +rest is sent to Rio Janeiro, where it is melted into wedges, and in that +state returned to the owners: these wedges being numbered, and stamped +with the King’s arms, the weight is marked on each wedge: the gold is +likewise assayed, and the alloy stamped on it, for the greater +expedition when it comes to be coined. + +About ninety miles from Rio Janeiro is a place called _Praybuna_, where +there is an office for the registering the ingots which are the property +of private people; and as all persons coming from the mines must +necessarily pass this place, two military officers are stationed here, +who have fifty men under their command, whose business it is strictly to +examine, that no illicit trade is carried on; so that every one who +passes is obliged to submit to the strictest search. At this place, +exclusive of the tax to the King, men and beasts of burden are taxed +with a farther toll of a real and a half each, the half of which becomes +the property of the officers and soldiers, and the other half goes to +his Portuguese Majesty. + +The ingots of gold which belong to private people having been registered +at Praybuna, are then carried to Rio Janeiro, where the proprietors are +paid their value in demi-doubloons, which are worth about thirty +shillings each of English money; but there is a profit to the King for +alloy, and for coining these demi-doubloons, of about four shillings and +six-pence on each. The mint at Rio Janeiro is a most noble building, +admirably adapted for the purpose of coining money, which is performed +with the most astonishing expedition; and this, indeed, is rendered +necessary, because two Portuguese fleets usually arrive nearly at the +same time that the gold is brought from the mines. + +The fleet which arrives from Porto brings coarse cloth, several articles +of food, with brandy, wines, and vinegar; and this, with the fleet which +comes from Lisbon, occasions Rio Janeiro to be a place of very +considerable trade; the effects on being landed, are charged with a duty +of ten per cent. to his Portuguese Majesty. + +Soon after the earthquake at Lisbon, in the year 1755, an impost of two +and a half per cent. under the denomination of a free gift to the King, +was laid on all goods landed at Rio Janeiro, so that the whole duty paid +is no less than twelve and a half per cent. The latter duty is instantly +paid on the goods being brought on shore, but the officers of the +custom-house will take security for the payment of the former at the +expiration of half a year. + +There are two districts, named Pratacon and Quiaba, the mines of which +produce diamonds; but no person is permitted to seek for them, that the +market may not be overstocked; for it is evident that, to make diamonds +plentiful, would be to render them of little value. + +His Portuguese Majesty is at an expence of about one hundred and +forty-five thousand pounds sterling, annually, for repairing of the +ships and public buildings, working the mines, and paying all his +servants, civil and military. + +The following account will shew what value, in sterling money, arises +annually to his most faithful Majesty, from the royal revenues of Rio de +Janeiro. + + DOLLARS. + The King’s fifths are generally, one year with another, + about one hundred and fifty arobas of gold, which make, + in Spanish dollars, 1,125,000 + The duty on diamonds amounts to 240,000 + The profit arising from the coinage of money is 400,000 + The duty of ten per cent. paid at the custom house is 350,000 + The free gift of two and a half per cent. amounts to about 87,000 + Various produces of the mines, with the poll-tax, and + monies arising from the sale of offices and employments, 225,000 + A duty laid on negro slaves, produces 110,000 + A tenth on all the food of the country, and the taxes on + soap, salt and train-oil, bring in a revenue of 130,000 + ───────── + Total value in dollars 2,667,000 + ───────── + +Hence it will appear, that the revenues arising to the King of Portugal +from Rio Janeiro are something more, annually, than four hundred and +fifty thousand pounds sterling, reckoning the dollars at four shillings +and six-pence each. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to give an account of his leaving Rio +Janeiro, and his second voyage to Montevideo; of which we shall +carefully select as many particulars as may afford either instruction or +entertainment to the reader. + +On the 14th of July 1767, the anchors of the Boudeuse and Etoile were +weighed; but as the wind abated soon afterwards, they were obliged again +to bring to, before they could get out of the harbour. They sailed, +however, on the following day; and in the night of the 19th, the +main-top-sail of the Boudeuse was carried away by the violence of the +wind. + +On board of Mons. Bougainville’s ship was a professor of astronomy, who +had made the expedition with a view of discovering the longitude at sea; +and as an eclipse of the sun was to happen on the 25th of the month, +great hopes were formed, that an opportunity would thereby be obtained +of making the wished-for discovery: but it happened, that these sanguine +hopes were all frustrated, by the intervention of clouds, which obscured +the face of the sun almost during the whole time of the eclipse. + +On the morning of the 28th our adventurers had sight of the Castilles, +at the distance of something more than thirty miles. They saw the +entrance of a bay, which Mons. Bougainville conjectures to be the same +on the banks of which the Spaniards have erected a fort. The vessels +sailed into the Rio de la Plata, and were within sight of the Maldonados +on the 29th; early in the morning of the 31st, they had a view of the +Isle of Lobos, and before night came to an anchor in the Bay of +Montevideo. + +The ships were no sooner anchored, than the Governor sent a gentleman on +board Mons. Bougainville’s vessel, who acquainted him, that most of the +Jesuits in those parts had been lately seized, and their estates +confiscated, in consequence of an order received from the Court of +Spain: that these devoted victims of superior power had scarcely made +the least resistance; that they bore their misfortunes with a degree of +patience and calm submission that did them honour; and that no less than +forty of them had been taken away in the vessel which brought the orders +for their disgrace. + +As it was necessary that Mons. Bougainville should remain in his present +station till the equinox was passed, his first care was to build an +hospital for the sick, and to take lodgings at Montevideo. This being +done, he repaired to Buenos Ayres, in order to hasten the provision of +such necessaries as he wanted, for which he was to pay the same price as +the King of Spain usually gave for the same commodities. + +Mons. Bougainville was also desirous of conversing with the +Governor-general Don Francisco Buccarelli, on the behaviour of the +Governor of Rio Janeiro and he soon learnt, that Don Buccarelli, instead +of making reprisals on the Viceroy of the Brasils, which he could have +done, very much to the prejudice of Portugal, had, more prudently, only +sent a narrative of his proceedings to the Court of Spain. + +Don Buccarelli was so obligingly ready to supply Mons. Bougainville with +such articles as he stood in need of, that in less than three weeks two +small vessels sailed for Montevideo, with ladings of flour and biscuit +for the use of the French ships. Mons. Bougainville also sailed to +Montevideo, leaving an inferior officer at Buenos Ayres, to see the +remainder of their provisions shipped. + +They now expected to sail in a short time, when an accident happened +that detained them some weeks beyond the intended period. A Spanish +register-ship being at anchor, a violent hurricane arose in the night, +and driving her against the Etoile, carried away part of the head of +that vessel, and broke her bowsprit on a level with the deck. + +The leaks of the Etoile being encreased by this accident, it was +absolutely necessary that she should undergo a thorough repair; but as +there was not timber enough at Montevideo for this purpose, Mons. +Bougainville obtained Don Buccarelli’s permission, that she might sail +up the river, to the Encenada de Baragan, which is a little bay formed +by its mouth; and in this bay, by the 21st of October, she was put in a +condition proper for sailing, and began to take in the necessary +provisions. + +In the road of Encenada Mons. Bougainville found a frigate and several +merchant-ships which were bound for Europe, and two Spanish vessels, +which having taken in a store of ammunition and provisions, were bound +to Falkland’s islands; and from thence to the South Seas, to take on +board the Jesuits of Peru and Chili. Two Xebecks likewise lay here, one +of which was loaded with presents from his most Catholic Majesty, to the +inhabitants of Terra del Fuego, in grateful testimony of his sense of +their generous conduct towards the crew of the ship Conception, which +was wrecked on their coasts about two years before. + +The inhabitants of the country on the banks of the Encenada de Baragan +live in poor mean huts, which are constructed with rushes, having a +covering of leather. These are built in a very irregular manner, on a +miserably barren soil, and the country around them is so poor, that the +people find it very difficult to procure the necessaries of life. + +From the road of Encenada de Baragan five ships sailed for Spain, having +on board most of the French families which had quitted Falkland’s +islands, and two hundred and fifty Jesuits. About this time two Spanish +register ships arrived, one of them had been no less than seven months +in her passage from Europe, above six weeks of which were expended in +the doubling of Cape Horn, where the fury of the winds was such as to +carry away her rudder, and lay her under the necessity of seeking +shelter in this port. When she arrived she had buried no less than +thirty-nine of her men, and almost all the rest were so enfeebled by the +scurvy, that only a few of the officers, and three of the fore mast-men +were able to do their duty towards navigating the vessel. Mons. +Bougainville, with the greatest humanity, sent a number of his crew on +board her, by which she was enabled to reach the harbour of Montevideo. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to give an account of his sailing from +Montevideo to the island of St. Elizabeth, which includes a narrative of +what passed on his interview with the Patagonians, and several other +interesting particulars till he reached the isle of St. Elizabeth. + +The Etoile sailed from the Encenada on the 30th of October, and the +Boudeuse on the day following, having on board provisions for ten +months, and soon reached Montevideo, having lost three men in that short +passage, by a boat, in which they were sitting running fowl under the +ship at a time when she was wearing; two other men who were in the boat +were with much difficulty saved, and the boat was recovered. + +Early in the morning of the 14th of November, 1767, they sailed from +Montevideo, with a fine gale of wind at north, being in sight of land +till the evening. On the 16th and the five following days, the sea ran +high, and the wind was contrary, so that they were obliged to reef their +top-sails. On the 22d the wind blew a perfect storm, which continued all +the succeeding night in squalls, attended with rain; the Etoile made a +signal of distress, but the violence of the gale would not admit of any +assistance being given them. As the waves became less mountainous, by +the abating of the wind in the morning, Mons. Bougainville hailed the +Etoile, to make enquiry into what damage she had sustained in the late +violent storm; when he learnt that several of her chain plates, and her +fore-top-sail-yard had been carried away, and that she had lost almost +all the cattle which had been purchased at Montevideo: the Boudeuse had +likewise lost most of her cattle, but had sustained no other damage. + +The winds were at this time very uncertain, frequently changing during +the remainder of the month, and the currents were so violent, as to +drive the vessels as far as the forty-fifth degree of south latitude. +They now concluded, that they were between thirty and forty degrees from +the coast of Patagonia; and, at length, when they had soundings with a +line of forty fathom, they had sight of Cape Virgins; the same land +which Sir John Narborough and Commodore Anson have distinguished by the +name of Cape Virgin Mary. + +As Mons. Bougainville had, during a former voyage, discovered a sunken +rock in forty-eight degrees and a half of south latitude, he avoided +coming too near the shore till he was in forty-nine degrees; the person +who had formerly first seen this rock, imagined it had been a grampus, +and the ship had sailed within considerably less than a mile of it. + +It was on the 2d of December that they had sight of Cape Virgins, about +which time they made all the sail possible, as the wind was in their +favour. They now saw a number of Albatrosses, and petrels, the last of +which Mons. Bougainville says are a sign of bad weather, whenever they +are seen. They also beheld penguins, seals, and whales in considerable +numbers. He says, that the skins of the whale appeared to be covered +with small worms, very much like those which are observed to adhere to +the bottoms of old vessels which lie rotting in harbour. Some white +birds, not unlike pigeons, but of a larger size, now perched on the +yards of the Boudeuse. + +Soon after they had sight of Cape Virgins they made the land of Terra +del Fuego, and for several successive days, they contended with tempests +and contrary winds. On the 3d of December, the wind blowing favourable +for a short time, they made their best efforts to reach the entrance of +the streights of Magellan; but the wind soon fell to a dead calm, and +thick fogs clouded the whole coast of the country: in a few hours the +breeze again sprang up, but, as by this time night came on, they were +obliged to ply to the windward. + +Early in the morning of the 4th the wind being favourable, they again +stood in for land, when hazy weather and rain preventing their having +sight of the coast, they were obliged to keep the open sea; it cleared +up, however, in a short time, when they made another attempt to enter +the streight; but the wind changing, the fog growing thicker, and a +storm ensuing, they were compelled to lay to, between the main land, and +the two shores of Terra del Fuego. + +On the 4th of December the fore-sail of the Boudeuse was split by the +fury of the winds, and as at this time they were in no deeper water than +twenty fathom, they determined to scud under their bare poles, lest they +should run fowl of some breakers which lie off Cape Virgins, to the +south south-east. + +They now made other fruitless attempts to enter the streight, sometimes +being within sight of the Cape, and at other times at a considerable +distance from it. Mons. Bougainville says that the view of this Cape, as +given in Anson’s voyage, is exact in every respect. + +The night of the 5th was spent in standing off and on; and early in the +morning of the sixth they were in sight of Cape Possession, and likewise +of Terra del Fuego. They now took the advantage of a westerly tide, and +tried to get close to the coast of Patagonia. They kept sounding all the +night between the sixth and seventh, not sailing to a greater distance +from the coast than three leagues. What they had gained by plying to the +windward, they lost by the opposition of the currents, and about noon on +the 7th were back in their former station.--What man in his senses, who +reads accounts like these, would hazard the imminent dangers of such +seas, for the honour of having made a new discovery, or the pride of +saying, that he had circumnavigated the globe! + +This day they had sight of Cape Orange, which forms the first narrow +pass in the streights. This narrow pass Mons. Bougainville called +_goulet_, which is not improperly translated _gut_. It is rather more +than forty miles from Cape Virgins to this first gut, and the streights, +for this distance, are of different breadths, of seldom less than five, +or more than seven leagues. On the north coast the land is high and +healthy, and has a regular appearance, as far as Cape Possession, in the +bays of which there are several dangerous rocks, opposite to the two +hillocks, to which Sir John Narborough gave the name of the Asses Ears. + +In the afternoon, when they had reached the entrance of the gut, though +the wind blew fresh, and all their sails were set, the tide ran with so +great force, that they were driven backwards, instead of advancing in +their voyage. + +In the evening the ships were anchored in Possession Bay, and on the +eighth, by the assistance of a strong breeze, they stemmed the tide; and +afterwards, by making different tacks, they got through the first narrow +entrance of the gut, with the wind right against them. + +During the preceding night they had observed fires on the shore, and +this morning they discovered a white flag, which the Patagonians had +erected on a rising ground; on which a white flag was likewise hoisted +at the mast-head of each vessel. The flag which these Patagonians had +put up, was one given to them by the Commander of the Etoile, when that +ship lay in Boucault’s Bay, in the month of June 1766, so that it is +pretty evident, that the people were the same. Mons. Bougainville speaks +in very grateful terms of the care these Indians had taken to preserve +the flag. + +While the ships were passing the above-mentioned gut, a number of men, +clothed in the skins of beasts, were observed on Terra del Fuego, who +ran along the shore with their utmost expedition, in order to keep pace +with the vessels: they likewise frequently beckoned with their hands, as +if they wished our voyagers to land. The Spaniards say, that the +inhabitants of that part of Terra del Fuego, are less savage in their +manners than most other native Indians. When Mons. Bougainville sailed +from Rio de la Plata, a Spanish ship was on the point of sailing thence, +to convey some Priests, to instruct these people in the doctrines of +Christianity. + +The ships having come to an anchor in the afternoon, in Boucault’s Bay, +several officers from each vessel, having fire-arms with them, embarked +in boats, and went ashore at the bottom of the bay. The common sailors +were ordered to remain in the boats, and to keep them afloat: the +gentlemen were no sooner landed, than half a dozen of the natives came +riding up to them, on the full speed. When they were advanced within +fifty yards of the French, they dismounted, and came forward, +pronouncing the word _Shawa_. Having come up quite close, they held out +their arms, and laid them on those of the officers, whom they shook +hands with, and embraced, repeatedly saying _Shawa_, which word was +repeated by Mons. Bougainville and his officers. + +An Englishman, on reading the above passage, may be allowed to make a +remark on the singular politeness of these savages, manifested by the +circumstance of _embracing_; but he will not pay so vile a compliment to +the delicacy of the uninstructed Patagonian, as to suppose, that he made +the first advance towards a salute: on the contrary, it is but a piece +of justice due to the superior good-breeding of the French, to conclude, +that they taught the savages that worst rudiment of all politeness, that +most filthy deviation from all decent and manly behaviour, the shocking +custom of men kissing each other! An Englishman of virtuous principles +and refined ideas, would scorn to kiss his own son, whom he had not seen +for a twelvemonth, if the boy but approached to his teens: no! let the +manly shake of the hand, and the generous effusion of the heart from the +lips, be the only expressions of affection, duty or politeness, between +man and man. Let our _embraces_ be reserved for those amiable creatures, +to whom God and Nature have taught us they are due. + +The Patagonians appeared to be much pleased with the company of their +new friends; but it was observed, that some of them had a mixture of +fear imprinted on their countenances: this, however, was soon removed by +the hospitality of the officers, who sent to the boats for bread and +cakes, which were as readily devoured as they were chearfully given. +More of the Indians soon approached, among whom were some children. They +expressed no kind of surprise at the sight of their visitants, and +seemed not to be unacquainted with the use of fire-arms, as appeared by +their making a noise which resembled the report of a gun. The good +nature of these people was expressed in all their actions: some of the +French gentlemen being engaged in collecting plants, the Patagonians no +sooner saw what kinds they collected, than they immediately began to +pull up and bring the same sorts. One of them seeing an officer engaged +in this employment, went to him, and pointing to his eye, which had +received an injury, intimated his wish, that some herb might be shewn +him, the virtues of which would cure the disorder: and this was deemed +to be a conclusive proof, that they had an idea of the medicinal virtues +of herbs. + +Mons. Bougainville received from these Patagonians a number of skins of +the guanacoe and other beasts, in exchange for a few trinkets, on which +they seemed to set a great value. Some of the gentlemen having red +cloaths on, the natives advanced, and stroked them with their hands, +seeming highly delighted with every thing of that colour; they also made +signs for some tobacco, and as often as any thing was given them, they +cried out _shawa_, in a very loud and disagreeable tone. + +A small quantity of brandy being given to each of the Patagonians, they +had no sooner drank it, than they struck their hands repeatedly against +their throats, and blew with their mouths, so as to produce a kind of +trembling sound, at the conclusion of which they had a singular +quivering of the lips. + +The evening now advanced, and the gentlemen prepared to return to their +ships, which was no sooner observed by the Indians, than their +uneasiness was expressed in their countenances, and they intimated, by +signs, that they wished them to remain longer, as they expected more of +their brethren. The French, on the contrary, made signs that they would +come again the next day, and bring such articles as the natives had +requested of them. + +Mons. Bougainville and his party now walked towards their boats, +accompanied by the Indians, one of whom sung songs till they reached the +coast, and several of them went into the water as far as where the boats +lay, where they seized on all the articles they could put their hands +on; but when they saw they were observed, they made no scruple to return +them. + +As the boats were rowing off, many more Patagonians were observed +galloping down to their countrymen; and the crews of the boats now cried +out _Shawa_, so loud that the people on shore could not fail to hear +them. + +Mons. Bougainville says, that these Indians were the same which were +seen by the crew of the Etoile, in the year 1765, for one of the seamen +recollected a person among them whom he had before seen. These people +are well made, and appear to be about the height described by other +voyagers. Our author says, that it is the thickness of their limbs, the +largeness of their heads, and the extraordinary breadth of their +shoulders, that make them appear to be of a gigantic race. + +The colour of the Patagonians is brown, as is that of all the native +Americans, in whatever climate they are born. Their muscles are strong, +and their nerves well braced; and as their food abounds in juices proper +for the nourishment of the human frame, it is no wonder that they arrive +at their full growth. Their eyes are sparkling, their teeth extremely +white, and their faces round, but rather flat; and many of them are very +comely men. Some of them have whiskers, which grow long, but are very +thin; and they all tie their hair, which is long and black, on the top +of the head; the cheeks of some of them are painted red. Their language +has an agreeable and melodious sound. Our voyagers did not see any of +the Patagonian women; though it was conjectured, that the men intended +to have brought them from a kind of camp, which appeared to be about +three miles distant. + +These people wear a piece of leather round the waist, and a kind of +cloak made of skins, which descends to the bottom of the leg, and is +girt round the body; the part which would otherwise cover the shoulders, +is permitted to fall back, so that the greater part of the body is left +naked, though the climate is so cold as, apparently, to require more +covering than the whole which they wear; but custom will harden the +human frame, so as to defy the rigour of the most inclement seasons. + +It was in the summer when Mons. Bougainville was on the coast of +Patagonia, yet, he says, there was only a single day on which the +thermometer was observed to rise to ten degrees higher than the freezing +point. + +The rest of the dress of the Patagonians consisted of a sort of +half-boots, made of the skin of the horse, and left open at the back +part of the leg. A few of them wore on the thigh a ring made of copper, +two inches in breadth; and the necks of two very young men were adorned +with beads. + +Some small knives, of the manufacture of England, were seen in their +possession; which our author very properly concludes were the gift of +Commodore Byron; and their only arms consisted of a twisted gut, in the +two ends of which were enclosed a round pebble; and weapons of that +kind, he says, are used in all that part of the American continent. + +Their horses are very poor, and of a small size; and the saddles and +bridles were such as are used by the natives of Rio de la Plata. One of +these people was observed to have gilt nails on his saddle, stirrups +made of wood, enclosed with copper, a bridle made of leather, twisted, +and a compleat Spanish harness. + +Their food consists chiefly of guanacoes and vicunnas, and they eat both +the flesh and marrow of those animals. They devour this meat raw, with +great avidity, and carry it with them on their horses. Fresh water being +very scarce in this country, the horses drink the sea water, as do +likewise their dogs, which are both small and ugly. + +It was observed, that some of them pronounced _capitan_, _chico_, +_bueno_, and other Spanish words. Mons. Bougainville concludes, that the +Patagonians lead the same kind of life as the Tartars, as they are +always on horseback, traversing immense plains, in pursuit of wild +beasts and game; and he imagines that they also, like the Tartars, +plunder the caravans of travellers; but this remark seems equally cruel +and unjust, from his own account of the singular friendship and kindness +with which they treated himself and his fellow-voyagers. Our author +concludes this part of his narrative by saying, that he has “since found +a nation in the south pacific ocean, which is taller than the +Patagonians.” + +Mons. Bougainville tells us, that the soil of this country is extremely +dry, and very much like that of Falkland’s islands: the coast, likewise, +exhibits the same kind of sea-weeds, and shells of similar sorts are +strewed upon the beach. The country produces shrubs, but affords no +woods for shelter. + +On the 9th of December, 1767, all the sails of the vessels were set, to +make head against the fury of the tide; but they were obliged again to +come to an anchor, after sailing only three miles. During two whole days +the weather was so tempestuous, that not a boat could put off from the +ships, which was a mortifying circumstance, as great numbers of the +Patagonians were by this time got together, on the spot where they had +conversed with the officers, who were concerned that they were not able +to keep their promise with these friendly people, whose little wants +might have been easily supplied. It appeared, by the help of glasses, +that they had built several huts on the shore, and it was observed, that +some of them were constantly galloping backwards and forwards from this +place to a spot, where it was supposed the main body of them lay. + +Early on the morning of the 12th the Boudeuse lost an anchor, by the +parting of the cable; soon after which they set all their sails, and by +the assistance of the ebb-tide, and a favourable wind, they got through +the second gut in the afternoon, and anchored on the north-side of the +isle of Elizabeth. + +As they were detained here two days, by tempestuous weather, and +contrary winds, Mons. Bougainville resolved to land on the isle of +Elizabeth, where he met with a few bustards, that were at this time +hatching their eggs, but these birds were so intimidated at the sight of +our adventurers, that they could not approach near enough to have even a +single shot at them. The island produces no wood, but only a kind of +heath, which might supply its place as fuel for the fire. The water of +this place is brackish, and the soil extremely dry. Several places were +likewise observed, which had been marshes, but had become dry, and the +ground on some parts of them were covered with a thin crust of salt. It +was evident that this island was occasionally visited by the Indians, as +the shells of some fish they had eaten were found, near where a dead dog +was lying, and where it was plain that fires had been made. + +Our adventurers were now on the point of entering that part of the +streights of Magellan which abounds in woods, and the principal +difficulties were already overcome. + +On the afternoon of the 30th the anchors were weighed, and they sailed, +with a violent wind, in a channel between the islands of St. Barthelemi +and Lions, and that of Elizabeth. They were now obliged to coast the +last named island, to steer clear of a number of breakers, with which +the other islands are encompassed. Having sailed beyond Cape Noir, they +observed that the country had a pleasant appearance, being almost every +where covered with woods, which afforded a most delightful prospect to +the eye. + +In the evening the weather became suddenly calm and pleasant, so that +Mons. Bougainville pleased himself with the hope of being able to double +Cape Round before the morning; but in this climate the most flattering +appearances are by no means to be relied on; a truth that was fully +evinced in the present instance: for soon after twelve at night the wind +suddenly shifted, and blew most violently, bringing with it storms of +hail, and deluges of rain, while a fog, apparently impenetrable, covered +the whole coast. + +The main-sail of the Boudeuse being split by this storm, they +endeavoured to make Port Famine, where they hoped to be sheltered from +the tempest; but this attempt was fruitless; for the violence of the +current was such, that they lost nine miles in as many hours, and were +hurried with amazing rapidity into a large bay, formed by part of the +coast of Terra del Fuego, which Mons. Bougainville called Bay Duelos, +from the name of the officer who was next in command under the Commodore +of the expedition, and whose knowledge and experience are mentioned as +circumstances highly advantageous to the enterprize. + +This Bay is described as being very convenient for ships to anchor in, +on account of the westerly winds blowing over the coast. Two small +rivers discharge their streams into the bay, the water of which is +excellent at about a quarter of a mile from the sea coast, though nearer +than that distance it is impregnated with saline particles. The +landing-place is a sandy beach, above which a pleasant meadow stretches +itself to a considerable distance. Behind this meadow the woods raise +their lofty heads, and form a kind of amphitheatre. Our adventurers +traversed a considerable tract of the country, without meeting with any +living animal, except a very few parroquets, bustards, ducks, teals, and +two or three snipes. + +Several huts were seen at the mouth of a river, which had been +constructed by twisting branches of trees into the form of an oven. In +these huts were found large numbers of limpets, muscles, and calcined +shells; and the huts themselves appeared to have been recently made. Our +adventurers going some miles up the river, observed the track of human +creatures, and remarked, that the flood came from the east at the rising +of the tide, which they had not before observed in any other part of the +streights. + +The seamen were now engaged in cutting wood till the 16th, when the +vessels sailed with a favourable wind, and passed Point St. Anne, which +covers Port Famine, a bay so called, on account of the disastrous fate +of the colony formerly established on its borders by the too adventrous +Spaniards. + +Mons. Bougainville observes, that the shores of this country are covered +with wood, and are remarkably steep: those of Terra del Fuego, he says, +are horrible to behold; and that “mountains there are covered with a +blueish snow as old as the creation:”--These are his own words; but with +all submission to the learning and penetration of our ingenious voyager, +we cannot conceive by what kind of intuition, he came to know that the +snow had lain on these mountains more than five thousand years; or even +that it had not fallen within five days of the time he saw it. It is no +breach of Christian charity to observe, that these Frenchmen are as +finished coxcombs in their writings, as they are in every part of their +dress and behaviour. It is hoped that Englishmen will be cautious how +they imitate them in either particular. + +There are four bays proper for the anchoring of vessels, between Cape +Forward and Cape Round; and two of these bays are separated by a Cape of +a most singular kind, which consists of petrified shells, laying +horizontally, and rising more than fifty yards above the level of the +sea. Mons. Bougainville took soundings at the foot of this Cape, but a +line of an hundred fathom would not reach the bottom. + +As the ships were now becalmed for two hours, our Commodore took this +opportunity of taking the soundings near, and the bearings of Cape +Forward, which he mentions as the most southerly point of land, on the +continent, in the known world, and he fixes its latitude at fifty-four +degrees, five minutes, and forty-five seconds, south. Its surface +consists of two hills, something more than two miles in extent, one of +which is considerably higher than the other. The tops of these hills are +covered with snow, which gradually melting by the warmth of the sun, +supply with perpetual moisture the roots of trees which are fixed in the +crevices of the rock. + +Mons. Bougainville and his party landed on a small rock, which barely +afforded room for four persons to stand on, and here they hoisted the +colours of the boat, and repeatedly shouted _Vive le Roi_. Our author +mentions it with an air of triumph, that these rocks now resounded _for +the first time_, with this compliment to the grand Monarche. A striking +instance of the vanity by which the French nation is distinguished! + + [Illustration: _Monsieur Bougainville Hoisting the French Colours, on a + small Rock near Cape Forward in the Streights of Magellan._] + +Having returned to the ship, and the wind coming about favourable, Mons. +Bougainville sailed in search of a harbour, which received the name of +_French Bay_, where he resolved to take in a quantity of wood and water, +as a supply during their voyage across the great South-Sea. In +consequence of this resolution all the boats were instantly hoisted out, +with a view to begin this necessary business the next morning. + +The night proving excessively stormy and tempestuous, it was passed in +fears and apprehensions which baffle all description. + +Early in the morning a boat was sent out to sound the mouth of a river +which had been previously denominated _Gennes’ River_, from the name of +a gentleman who was a partaker in the dangers and hardships of this +expedition. As it was low water when the boat reached the shore, her +crew could not land without running her a-ground on a sand; and it was +evident, that the larger boats could only make the shore at high water, +so that their wood and water could be brought on board only once a day. +For these reasons Mons. Bougainville determined to anchor in a small bay +about three miles distant, called after his own name, where he had, in +the year 1765, taken in a loading of wood for Falkland’s islands. + +Bougainville bay, to which they now sailed, is surrounded by high +mountains, which secure it from the winds blowing from every point of +the compass, so that the surface of the water is unruffled even by a +single breeze. + +Having cast their anchors in this bay, and made fast the vessels by +means of hawsers tied to some trees on the coast, they landed, and found +two Indian huts, constructed of the branches of trees, but they did not +appear to have been lately inhabited. In the year 1765 Mons. +Bougainville had caused a hut of bark to be erected on this spot, in +which he left some trifles, by way of present to such of the natives as +might happen to wander that way; on this hut he had put up a white flag; +but both the presents and the flag had been taken away, and the hut +levelled with the ground. + +On the morning of the 18th of December a kind of camp was formed on +shore, by way of guarding the effects which were landed, and protecting +the men who were to be employed in taking in wood and water. Small ponds +were now dug, for the accommodation of those destined to wash the linen, +and the water casks were sent on shore to be repaired. The crew of the +Eagle having, in 1765, cut down many more trees than were wanted for +that vessel, the labour of this task was saved to our present +adventurers, who were likewise happy in finding roads ready made through +the woods, for the convenience of bringing down the timber to the +sea-shore. At this place the remainder of the month was spent in the +necessary employment above-mentioned, and in repairing the ships, +particularly the Etoile, which had so large a leak in her stern, that +most of the hands on board her were fatigued beyond expression, by +standing at the pumps, alternately, night and day. + +The astronomer, Mons. Verron, now landed on a little island, which was +denominated the _Isle of Observatory_, from its being a place admirably +calculated for the making astronomical observations; but his labours +were fruitless, owing to the cloudiness of the weather, which is almost +perpetual in this country. At some periods, however, the sun appeared +free from clouds, and melted a part of the snow which had lodged on the +mountains of the main land. Whenever this fine weather happened, the +prince of Nassau, attended by Mons. de Commerçon, a celebrated botanist, +went in search of plants and herbs, and they were very successful in +their researches: but the gentlemen who endeavoured to fish, or to hunt +for animals, met with no such good fortune, for they never catched even +a single fish, nor ever saw any quadruped but one fox, which was killed +by the party employed in collecting the stores. + +Mons. Bougainville having formed a resolution of taking a survey of the +coasts of the main land, and likewise of those of Terra del Fuego, he +embarked in his boat, early in the morning of the 22d, accompanied by +two gentlemen, who proposed to sail with him as far as Cape Holland. The +weather was calm and serene at their first setting out; but the wind +soon varied to different points of the compass, and blew a hurricane, +which obliged our adventurers to take shelter in the mouth of a small +river. Having gained the desired port, they waited in the hope that the +storm would abate, till they were almost benumbed with the cold, and wet +to the skin with the rain; they therefore landed, and cutting down some +branches of trees, erected a kind of hut, in order to shelter them +during the night. “These huts (says Mons. Bougainville) serve as palaces +to the natives of these climates; but we had not yet learnt their custom +of living in them.” + +It continued to rain incessantly, and was at the same time so cold, that +the gentlemen found their present situation untenable; they therefore +sheltered themselves as well as they could under the sail of the boat, +and kept up a large fire all night, which was tempestuous in a very high +degree. In the morning they hastened to their boat, and returned to the +ship, happy, by that means, to avoid the effects of the growing tempest, +which soon became so violent, that it would have prevented their +returning at all. For two days after this it snowed continually, so that +the mountains were covered, notwithstanding it was now midsummer, and +the sun appeared almost eighteen hours in the four and twenty. + +When the storm had subsided, Mons. Bougainville formed the resolution of +going on a second expedition, which he flattered himself would be +attended with more success. Accordingly, early in the morning of the +27th (the barge of the Etoile, and the long-boat of the Boudeuse, having +been armed with swivel guns and muskets) our adventurers embarked with +the prince of Nassau, and two other gentlemen, and sailed for the coast +of Terra del Fuego, where they arrived in about six hours; and finding a +number of huts, which the natives had left in a delightful wood on the +sea-coast, they there sat down, and made a most agreeable repast. + +After dinner they coasted the country for a considerable time, and then +crossed an inlet, which Mons. Bougainville conjectures to be a streight +which leads to the sea, at no great distance from Cape Horn. This +conjecture is founded partly on the width of the inlet, which is not +less than six miles, and partly on the observing a prodigious number of +whales in that part of the sea. + +When our adventurers had almost reached the opposite side of the inlet, +they saw a number of fires on the coast, and soon afterwards discovered +several of the inhabitants on the point of a bay. Towards this place +they immediately steered; and they had no sooner landed, than Mons. +Bougainville recollected, that these Indians were the same people whom +he had seen on his former voyage in the streights, and whom he had then +distinguished by the name of _Pecherais_, because these savages were +perpetually making use of that word, in the same manner as the +Patagonians did that of _Shawa_. + +The number of the Pecherais that had thus assembled was about forty, of +both sexes, and all ages, and they had several canoes in an adjacent +creek. As the evening advanced, Mons. Bougainville could not stay long +with his old acquaintance, but left them, in order to reach an inlet, +where he proposed to spend the night; but as the time would not permit +the accomplishing his wish, he landed on the banks of a river, and +having caused tents to be made of the sails of the boats, and a large +fire to be made, the party spent the night in perfect safety, and much +to their satisfaction. + +On the following day it was found that the inlet above-mentioned was an +excellent port, wherein ships might be sheltered against every dangerous +wind; and in which the ground is admirably calculated to afford the best +and safest anchorage. From the elegance and convenience of this bay and +port it received the name of _Beaubassin_ [the beautiful harbour.] Mons. +Bougainville mentions this place as equally convenient for the careening +of ships, and for the taking in wood and water. + +That no necessary information respecting so commodious a harbour might +be lost, the Commodore left Mons. Bournard there, to take the most exact +account of every thing that might be thought worthy of notice, and he +was then to return, in the long-boat, to the ships. In the mean time +Mons. Bougainville and a part of his company embarked in the barge, and +rowing to the westward, discovered an island, on the coast of which +several of the natives were employed in fishing. Before the evening our +voyagers arrived at a bay, which received the name of _de la +Cormorandiere_; from a rock which appeared at about a mile distant from +it. + +Early in the morning of the 29th Mons. Bougainville departed from this +bay, and sailed between two islands, to which he gave the name of the +_two Sisters_, they are situated about nine miles from Cape Forward. +Soon after this they discovered a mountain, of a conical form, which +they called the _Sugar Loaf_; and, in the course of the day they arrived +at a commodious bay, at the bottom of it there is a most excellent port, +into which falls a very singular cascade. For these reasons the place +received the name of the _Bay and Port of the Cascade_. It is +represented as a place highly proper for taking in wood and water, and +very safe to anchor in. + + [Illustration: _A Prospective View of the great Cascade in Cascade + Bay._ + _J. June Sc._] + +The stream of a small river which seeks its way between a number of +lofty hills, forms this water-fall, which descends perpendicularly down +the side of the rock above a hundred yards. Mons. Bougainville went to +the top of the cascade, and made his remarks on the appearance of the +adjacent country, in some parts of which there are small plains which +produce a kind of spungy moss, and in others the ground is covered with +thickets of wood. The plants and trees are of the same kind as those +which the coast of Patagonia produces; and the whole face of the country +has much the appearance of Falkland’s islands, except the want of trees +at the latter place. On the whole, our author says, that all that part +of Terra del Fuego, from the present spot, to that which lies opposite +Elizabeth island, consists only of large and mountainous islands, the +summits of which are clothed with perpetual snow. Mons. Bougainville +searched in this place to find the traces of inhabitants, but he did not +succeed; and he is of opinion, that the natives of Terra del Fuego +seldom, if ever, depart from the sea-shores, because on those they +obtain the necessaries of life. + +Our adventurers remained at Port Cascade, during the night of the 29th, +which was rendered highly disagreeable by incessant rain, and intense +cold; and on the morning of the following day they crossed the streight +with a boisterous wind and a rough sea, which rendered the navigation +dangerous to so small a vessel. The rain kept pouring down almost the +whole of this day, which was employed in viewing the coast, and making +such remarks as may be useful to future navigators. Our voyagers had now +a very narrow escape with their lives, the boat having been nearly +overset in crossing a bay, owing to a mistake of the steersman in the +management of the helm. At length, however, they got safe on board the +Boudeuse, and as the commanding officer, during Mons. Bougainville’s +absence, had shipped every thing that was necessary, preparations were +immediately made for sailing. + +They departed from Bougainville Bay in the afternoon of the 31st of +December, 1767, and in the evening came to an anchor in the road of Port +Galant, which is situated at the bottom of Fortescue Bay, where they +were detained no less than three weeks, by such bad weather, as the +inhabitants of these milder climes cannot form an adequate idea of. + +On the first of January, 1768, Mons. Bougainville dispatched a party in +a boat, to make remarks on the coast, as far as Elizabeth Bay; and to +take a view of the numerous islands with which this part of the +streights of Magellan abounds. Two of these islands, to which Sir John +Narborough formerly gave the names of Charles and Monmouth, were +distinctly seen from the place where the ships lay at anchor; but those +which he has denominated the Royal Isles, and Rupert Island, were at too +great a distance to be viewed from Mons. Bougainville’s present station. + +Notwithstanding the severity of the weather, and the almost incessant +rains, the crew which had been sent out landed on different places, at +one of which it was evident, that some English ships had lately touched; +for on several trees they saw initial letters, and even whole names, cut +in the wood: they also saw many spice-laurel-trees, the bark of which +had been lately taken off, with other plain indications who they were +that had visited the spot, but what put the matter beyond all doubt, +were the words, _Chatham, March, 1766_, which were very legible on a +piece of wood, of that kind which is frequently affixed to pieces of +cloth in the royal marine warehouses of Great Britain. + +The astronomer, Mons. Verron, in the mean time, had his astronomical +instruments conveyed to a peninsula, by which the harbour is formed, in +order to make observations, for ascertaining the bearing and distances +of particular capes: but the result of his observations would afford +neither instruction nor entertainment to any but the mere nautical +reader; nor would they be of the least use even to him, unless he was +bound on a voyage to the South Seas, through the streights of Magellan. + +The weather was so exquisitely severe on the fourth and fifth of +January, that no pen can describe it, nor any imagination conceive an +idea of it. A violent storm of wind was attended with incessant rain or +snow, and the keenest biting coldness in the air. Mons. Bougainville +informs us that, during this severe weather, he sent out a boat to +search for a convenient anchoring-place on the coast of Terra del Fuego, +and an excellent one was found to the south-west of Charles and Monmouth +islands. + +On the 6th the weather was more moderate than it had been for some days +past. In the morning of this day four small boats, with Indians on board +them, were observed at the point of Cape Galant, one of which advanced +towards Mons. Bougainville’s ship, while the rest rowed towards the +bottom of the bay. In the boat which approached the Boudeuse were a man, +his wife, and two children, the former of whom went on board, without +the least apparent sign of fear, leaving the woman and children in the +boat. Soon after this man had gone on board, two Indians from the other +boats followed his example, bringing their children with them. + +These people seemed not to express the least surprize either at the +structure of the ship, or at any thing they saw on board her, which our +author deems a proof that, “in order to be capable of being surprized at +the work of art, one must have some fundamental ideas of it.”--There may +be some truth in this observation; but we cannot help resolving the +apparent want of curiosity in these savages into another, and a very +different cause; namely, their having seen the English, or other +vessels, which had visited the streights of Magellan. + +The Commodore prevailed on these people to dance and sing, and treated +them with a kind of concert of music. He likewise gave them bread, and +different kinds of meat, all of which they devoured with avidity, +seeming equally pleased with every thing that was given them, and with +every occurrence that passed; nor could they be persuaded to quit the +ship, till several pieces of salt meat had been put into their boats. + +Our author calls these happy Indians “troublesome and disgusting +guests.”--One would wonder on what authority he has adopted these +epithets, or how the company of the _savages_, as he calls them, could +be troublesome or disgusting, when they sang and danced, only on being +asked to do so; received with gratitude whatever was given them, and +applied it to the purpose for which it was given.--Mons. Bougainville +calls them “unpolished men;” as if the frippery complaisance of the +court of Versailles could have been expected from these honest tenants +of the woods; whose instructors are plain sense and nature, and whose +God is the God of the Europeans.--In a word, our author writes with an +affected consciousness of superiority, and in the pert restlessness of +stile, that is almost peculiar to the French novelist who would be +thought a philosopher. + +The people are clothed with seal-skins, which are by far too small to +cover the whole of the body; and with these skins they make the sails of +their boats, and the coverings of their huts. They are likewise +possessed of a few of the skins of the guanacoe, but our author does not +mention to what use they apply them; though it should seem probable that +they form a part of their clothing. + +Mons. Bougainville describes these Indians as thin, short, and ugly; and +that a most offensive smell is the consequence of keeping them company. +The women are still more disagreeable than the men, who do not appear by +any means fond of them. It is the duty of the females to steer the +boats, and to repair any damage that may happen to them; and they are +often obliged to swim after them through the sea-weeds; nor are even +women who have sucking children excused this duty: the child is carried +on the mother’s back, enclosed in the seal-skin that forms her dress. +When the women are on shore their business is to collect shells and +wood; nor do the men even share with them in this employment. + +The boats are constructed of the bark of trees, fastened together with +rushes, and the seams are caulked with moss. A fire is constantly kept +in the middle of the boat, on a heap of sand, which is placed to prevent +the burning of the vessel. Their arms consist of bows and arrows formed +of the branches of the berberry bush, which grows plentifully in these +parts. The arrows are pointed with sharp stones, and the string of the +bow is made of the gut of some animal; but they use not these weapons +against an enemy; they are destined only for the destruction of birds, +or other animals proper for the support of life. + +Mons. Bougainville says, that these Indians use a kind of harpoon, for +the purpose of striking fish, which is made of bones, it is about twelve +inches in length, pointed at the end, and indented on one of its sides. + +The principal subsistence of these people is fish; but it is supposed +that they sometimes catch game, as they have dogs of the sporting kind, +and springes, or nooses, adapted for the snaring of quadrupeds. The +teeth of all the natives are very bad, which our author attributes to +their eating fish when boiling hot, though they do not half boil it +before it is so eaten. They live in huts which have no partition of +rooms, in the middle of which a fire is lighted, that serves the whole +family. + +The disposition of these people is of the amiable kind; but their +extreme good nature borders on weakness; they believe in evil genii, and +have priests and physicians, whom they suppose capable of deprecating +the vengeance of their aerial enemies. Mons. Bougainville observes, that +these _Pecherais_ have the fewest conveniences of life of any people he +has ever known; yet they do not repine at their situation, but appear to +be contented with the lot which providence hath assigned them; tho’ they +live in the most inclement climate hitherto discovered in the habitable +globe. Exclusive of the other peculiarities of their fate, they are +fewer in number than any other known race of men; yet this little +society, cut off as it is from all intercourse with the rest of mankind, +is not totally free from the vices common to larger states, as a contest +for dominion exists even among them, and the more powerful are +perpetually labouring to distress the weaker. Thus it is with the poor +_Pecherais_, as with every other community in the universe, that those +who cannot make head against tyranny, must submit to the arbitrary +command, the _sic voleo, sic jubeo_ of the tyrant. + +The inclemency of the weather, during the 7th and 8th of the month, was +such, that the crews of the ships could not venture on shore; and though +it was even now the summer-time, the adjacent country was covered with +snow, which also laid on the ship to the depth of several inches. + +On the ninth the Indians, who had previously painted their bodies with +red and white streaks, advanced towards the ships; but seeing the boats +go off towards their habitations, all of them, except one, followed the +ships boats, and that went on board the Etoile, where she remained but a +little while, and then followed the others. + +The crews of the boats having landed, went to the huts of the Indians, +who seemed by no means to relish this unexpected visit; which was +particularly evinced by the women having all retreated to one hut. The +men invited the French sailors into those huts where the women were not +to be found; and the Frenchmen having accepted the invitation, were +treated with shell fish, which the Indians shucked before they delivered +them to their visitors. The behaviour of the natives was lively, and +they entertained their guests with dancing and singing: they revelled +with uncontrolled delight, when, alas! their mirth was interrupted by an +accident as fatal as unexpected! + +A boy, the son of one of the Indians, was suddenly seized with a +disorder which occasioned the most violent convulsions, and spitting of +blood. This child had been on board the Etoile, where the seamen had +presented him with some pieces of glass; and as these Indians are +accustomed to put things of this kind up their nostrils, and into their +throats, it is supposed this youth had taken the same measure, and that +the fatal effects which followed were the consequence of his having +swallowed the glass. It is here proper to remark, that the _Pecherais_ +consider the swallowing of substances which resemble glass, as a +preventive remedy against certain disorders to which they are liable. + +The lips, palate, and gums of the boy were cut; and as he bled freely, +the Indians conceived an idea that the Frenchmen had violated the rights +of hospitality, and injured him, whom, by all the laws of honour, they +were bound to treat with civility. + +This circumstance gave rise to a jealousy and distrust no way favourable +to their European visitors; indeed it appeared, that the Indians +suspected the French to have caused the child’s illness. A linen jacket +having been given to this child by the French, he was stript of it, and +it was thrown at their feet; but it was instantly seized by an Indian, +who did not seem to dread the powers of enchantment. + +The child being laid on his back, a conjurer knelt between his legs, and +pressing the body forcibly with his hands and head, uttered a number of +inarticulate vociferations. At repeated intervals during this ceremony +he arose, and opening his hands, which had been before grasped, he blew +in the air with his mouth, as if desirous of driving away some evil +genius. While this business was transacting, an ancient woman bawled in +the ears of the child, so as almost to deafen him with her noise; and +indeed the remedy seemed to be, in the literal phrase, worse than the +disease. The conjurer having retired for some time, returned in a new +dress, and, with an air of triumph, renewed his incantations, but with +no better success than before. His hair had been powdered, and his head +was distinguished by two wings, similar to those with which Mercury is +represented by the painters. The life of the child now appearing to be +even in more danger than before, the French Chaplain hastily baptized +him, unobserved by the Indians. + +What a strange medley of ignorance and superstition was all this!--Mons. +Bougainville laughs at the folly of the Indian juggler, while he seems +to speak in an applausive strain of the conduct of the French priest, +which was certainly equally ridiculous with that of the Indian! + +Some officers having repaired on board the ship, and acquainted the +Commodore with what was transacting, he went on shore with the Surgeon, +who took some gruel and milk with him. When they came to the spot, they +found that the juggler was assisted by another person habited like +himself, and that the patient had suffered much from their absurd +attempts to relieve him; yet were these attempts continued, without any +complaint on the part of the poor boy. + +The affection of the parents, and indeed of the whole company of +Indians, was manifested by floods of tears, and by many other +expressions of grief; and when it was observed, that the Frenchmen +seemed to share in their misfortune, they appeared to be less diffident +of the conduct of the strangers; and at length they permitted the +Surgeon to examine the mouth of the sick youth, which being bloody, had +been repeatedly sucked by his father and another man. + +After some time the father accepted the gruel, and permitted his son to +drink some milk, but not till the French gentlemen had repeatedly tasted +it in his presence. The conjurers appeared to be jealous of the Surgeon, +but they could not help confessing the superiority of his abilities. It +was remarked, that while one of these Indian physicians was endeavouring +to drive away the disorder, the other was busily employed in deprecating +that vengeance, which they supposed the visit of the strangers had +occasioned. + +In the evening the child appeared to be less pained; but, from many +circumstances, it was thought, that he had swallowed some pieces of +glass. Mons. Bougainville and the Surgeon now went on board, and it is +conjectured, that the boy died about two o’clock the next morning; for +soon after that time loud cries were heard, and, at day-break, the +Indians departed from a place which had been so peculiarly fatal to +them; for the loss of even one member of so small a community, could not +but be an object of great and public concern. + +On the 13th and 14th the weather was so bad, that it was impossible to +think of sailing, and on the 15th the vessels were detained by a strong +contrary wind; but on the following day they sailed, with a favourable +breeze, which, however, soon shifted, and prevented their reaching +Rupert island, off which it was Mons. Bougainville’s intention to have +anchored. After a whole day of fatigue and danger they returned to Port +Galant, and anchored again near their former station. + +On the seventeenth the storms were more violent than they had ever yet +been; the sea ran to a mountainous height, and the wind blew in such +contrary directions, that the opposing waves destroyed each other. The +storm having in some degree subsided before noon, a loud peal of thunder +was presently heard, after which the winds blew with increasing +violence, and all the elements waged a still more furious war. The +anchors of the ships having dragged, the top-masts and lower-yards were +struck, to avoid the dreadful consequences of the storm. At this time, +however, the shrubs and plants were in bloom, and the trees were covered +with a luxuriance of verdure. + +On the 21st and the two following days the weather was extremely windy, +while it rained and snowed incessantly. The night of the 21st indeed was +moderately calm; but this calm served only as the prelude to a storm, +which descended with aggravated fury; such a storm as the oldest sailor +on board had never remembered; but its continuance was by no means +proportioned to its violence. + +On the 24th the weather being fine and serene, preparations were made +for sailing, and on the following day the anchors were weighed, and the +vessels got under way. Having arrived off Cape Quod, our Commodore stops +a moment to describe it. Its figure, he says, is very singular, +consisting of craggy rocks, the most elevated of which bear a strong +resemblance to the ruins of ancient buildings. From Bay Galant to this +cape the verdant appearance of the trees takes off, in some degree, that +horror, which would otherwise arise in the mind from the constant sight +of the summits of mountains which are always frozen. After passing Cape +Quod, the face of the country is totally changed, both sides of the +streight exhibiting a prospect of rocks, which are uncovered even with +the slighted layer of earth. The tops of these rocks are cloathed with +eternal snow, while the vallies between them are choaked up with +prodigious quantities of ice, which have the appearance of having been +congealed for a long series of years. So dreadful is the appearance of +this part of the streight, that Sir John Narborough gave it the name of +_Desolation of the South_; and, in fact, it is desolate and dreary +beyond all description. + +When Mons. Bougainville’s ship was opposite Cape Quod, the coast of +Terra del Fuego, distant upwards of forty miles, appeared as if +terminated by a projecting cape. There are three capes on the continent, +which our adventurers called _Etoile Cape_, _Boudeuse Cape_, and _Split +Cape_[3], the last of which is so denominated from its figure. The +streight, which in this part is about six miles wide, received the name +of Long Reach[4]. + + [3] _Cape Fendu_, in the original. + + [4] _Longue Rue._ + +As the evening of the 26th was very fine, Mons. Bougainville determined +to continue his way under an easy sail; but about two hours before +midnight a thick fog came on, the wind arose, and the rain poured down +in torrents, while it became so excessive dark, that no land could be +seen. The situation of the ships was now supposed to be opposite Cape +Monday; and the night was spent in standing off and on shore, in +momentary expectation of some fatal accident. + +The land being seen at day-break, they hoisted additional sails, and +proceeded with rapidity, till they reached Cape Pillar, when they had +sight of the main ocean, into which they arrived under a full sail, on +the evening of the same day; having, by the advantage of thirty six +hours fair wind, sailed from port Galant into the great South Sea, +without once coming to an anchor. + +Mons. Bougainville was seven weeks and three days in passing the +streights of Magellan, the whole length of which, from Cape Virgin Mary +to Cape Pillar, he computes at about three hundred and forty miles. + +Though the passing the streights is a work of some difficulty and +danger, our author recommends it as more safe than the doubling of Cape +Horn, if undertaken between the months of September and April; but, +during the rest of the year, he advises the passing through the open +sea; and he observes, that the lost time in sailing through the +Magellanic Streights, is amply repaid by the conveniences of taking in +wood and water, and the chance there is of the scurvy making less havock +among a crew, when they have repeated opportunities of landing. He adds, +that when he left the streights he had not a single invalid on board +either of his vessels. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a recital of the several +circumstances which arose, and the adventures he met with, from this +period till his return to Europe; in which we shall trace him with the +utmost fidelity of the historian; presuming to differ from him whenever +he appears to be mistaken as a writer, or to act on wrong principles as +a man. + +Our Commodore now sailed nearly a westerly course, having previously +agreed with the Captain of the Etoile, that he should keep company with +the Boudeuse during the nights, and in the morning of each day should +sail as far as he could to the southward, without losing sight of the +other vessel, in order that the ships might command as extensive a +prospect as possible, by which means it was hoped that some new +discoveries might be made. + +On the 30th of January, while the sea ran very high, one of the crew of +the Boudeuse fell over board, and was drowned, notwithstanding every +endeavour to preserve his life.--From this time till the 17th of +February, Mons. Bougainville sailed in search of what is called Davis’s +Land, which was discovered by our countryman of that name in the year +1686; and he says, that if he had followed the directions laid down in +Mons. de Bellin’s chart, he must have sailed over this land. + +On the 17th sea gulls were seen; and as these birds do not go above +eighty leagues from land, it was resolved not to alter the course of the +ships for three days; but within this period no land was discovered. + +The westerly wind, with a slight variation to the north and south, +prevailed from the 23d of February to the 3d of March, during which time +they had rain and thunder every day, immediately before, or soon after +the sun had reached the meridian. This variation of the wind, from what +is commonly called the Trade-wind, is mentioned by Mons. Bougainville as +an extraordinary circumstance. + +Soon after the ships had got clear of the streights of Magellan, an +epidemical sore throat attacked almost every man on board, which was +cured by putting vinegar and red hot bullets into the water-casks, so +that by the end of March, the whole crew were recovered. For several +days after this period such a quantity of bonitos and other fish was +catched, as afforded one meal daily to every man on board. + +On the 21st a tunny fish was taken, in the belly of which were a number +of small fish of such kinds, as are known not to swim far out to sea; +whence it was concluded, that land could not be at any great distance; +and on the following day this conjecture appeared to be well founded, +for four very small islands were then discovered, to which Mons. +Bougainville gave the name of _les quatre Facardins_; but as these were +too much to the windward of the ships, they held on their way, steering +for another island, which was almost right a head. + +As the vessels advanced towards this latter island, it was observed, +that it abounded with cocoa-nut trees, the fruit of which had a very +tempting appearance. These trees grew on plats of grass, strewed with an +abundance of beautiful flowers; and the rest of the island was clothed +with trees of various kinds. Immense numbers of birds were seen on the +coast, which was therefore supposed to afford a plenty of fish: but the +sea running high, and no harbour being discovered, in which our voyagers +might hope for protection from the fury of its waves, they were +prevented from landing: when they had coasted the island for about two +miles, they had sight of three men, who advanced hastily towards the +shore. + +Mons. Bougainville at first imagined that these people were part of the +crew of some European ship, which had been wrecked on the coast; and, +impressed with this idea he gave, the necessary orders for affording +them the wished for relief: but he soon discovered that his conjecture +was ill-founded; for the people retired to the woods, from whence, in a +short time, issued a number of them, supposed to be near twenty, with +long staves in their hands, which they held up with an air of +threatening and defiance. This being done, they retreated to the woods, +in which, by the help of glasses, their habitations were plainly seen. +These islanders were of a copper complexion, and very tall. + +Mons. Bougainville makes it a matter of wonder by what means these +people were conveyed to this solitary island, and how they are disposed +of when their increasing numbers render their support impossible on a +spot, the circumference of which, he apprehends, does not exceed nine +miles:--but our philosopher seems to forget that he has but just left +four other small islands; nor did he recollect, when he wrote his +volume, that he was, in a subsequent page, to tell us that he had soon +afterwards discovered a larger island, the inhabitants of which, for any +thing he could tell, might have intercourse with those on the +before-mentioned island. He seems equally ignorant, whether the people +of these islands are or are not possessed of vessels proper for +conveying them from one to the other; and he has forgot likewise, which +appears to be the greatest blunder of all, that there may probably be, +in this neighbourhood, some large continent, hitherto unknown to all our +European navigators. It is possible our remarks may be as absurd as +Mons. Bougainville’s appear to be; but they seem to arise naturally from +the subject. Be this as it may; our Commodore named the above-mentioned +place the _Isle of Lance-bearers_, from the staves, or lances, which the +inhabitants brandished. + +During the night between the 22d and 23d they had much rain, accompanied +with violent thunder, while the wind blew almost a tempest. At the dawn +of the morning land was discovered, which appeared to be a regular +level, sufficiently clothed with verdure. Breakers being observed on the +coast, the ships stood out to sea, till the weather becoming more calm, +they might approach the shore with greater safety, which happening +before noon, they then coasted the island, which is shaped like a +horse-shoe, and its inside is filled by the sea. + +Some parts of this island produce cocoa-nut and other trees, which +afford a very agreeable shade, but the greater part of it is only a +sand, on which grows no kind of verdure. A number of Indians were +observed in boats, some of them rowing, and others sailing, on the lake +formed by the shape of the island. These people were all naked; and in +the evening large numbers of them were seen on the sea-shore, with pikes +in their hands, like those with which the inhabitants of the Isle of +Lance-bearers were armed. + +Night advanced before any proper place was found for the ship’s boats to +land; nor were they more successful in their researches in the morning; +wherefore they held on their course, Mons. Bougainville having called +the place _Harp Island_; the inhabitants of which had the appearance of +being tall, and genteelly made. + +Our flippant Frenchman professes to admire the courage of these +islanders, “if they live unconcerned on these little slips of sand,” +which are every moment liable to be sunk in the abyss of an enormous +ocean. He might as well admire the courage of the inhabitants of France, +the redoubted vassals of _Louis le Grand_; who are not less liable to +fall victims to a convulsion of nature, nor under the more immediate +protection of the Almighty, than these harmless tenants of a solitary +island; happily cut off, as they are, from an intercourse with the more +polished barbarians of Europe! + +In the evening of the day on which Harp Island was discovered, they had +sight of other land, at the distance of something more than twenty +miles, which had the appearance of being, what it afterwards was found +to be, a cluster of islands, eleven of which were seen, and received the +name of the _Dangerous Archipelago_. Our author conjectures, that they +are more numerous, and observes, that it is dangerous sailing among +them, as they are encompassed with shoals and breakers, through which a +vessel ought to steer with peculiar care. + +The ships now stood to the south, and by the 28th of the month were out +of sight of all land. The cluster of islands above-mentioned were first +discovered by _Quirôs_, in the year 1606, and were again visited by +_Roggewein_, in the year 1722, who gave them the name of the +_Labyrinth_. + +Nothing material happened from this time till towards the end of March, +when the weather was boisterous and stormy, to a very great degree, for +several days successively; and the scurvy now began to attack several of +the crew. To combat the ill effects of this disorder, every invalid +received, daily, a pint of lemonade, in which was infused a powder, +which had been frequently used with success during the voyage. About +this time they were much in want of fresh water, which was procured by +the distillation of sea-water, according to a process invented by Mons. +Poissonier; and the water thus procured was used in boiling meat, and +making broth. The bread was kneaded with salt-water. + +A steep mountain, which appeared to be encompassed by the sea, was +discovered on the second of April, and received the name of the +_Boudoir_, or _Boudeuse Peak_, from that of Mons. Bougainville’s +ship.--Bearing to the northward of this peak, they had sight of land, +which extended farther than the eye could reach. + +By this time it was become highly necessary for the ships to put in at +some port, where they might obtain refreshments, and take in a supply of +wood. For the greater part of this day the weather was wholly calm; but +in the evening a breeze sprung up, which conveyed the ships near the +newly-discovered land; but it was thought prudent to stand off and on +for the night. + +In the morning they had sight of more land to the northward, but were +not able to distinguish whether it was another island, or a part of that +which they had before seen. + +In the night between the 3d and 4th of the month fires were observed on +several places, from whence it was conjectured, that the country +abounded with inhabitants. Just before sunrising on the 4th, it was +discovered that the two lands, which had been supposed to be separate +islands, were connected by a flat country, bending like a bow, and +forming a fine bay. While the ships were standing in towards the land, a +boat was seen coming from the offing, which soon afterwards crossed a +head of the ship, and joined a number of other boats, which had +assembled from various parts of the island. This assemblage of boats was +preceded by one which was rowed by twelve Indians, quite naked, who +advanced towards the side of the ship, and held up some boughs of the +banana tree. Considering this as a token of friendship, our adventurers, +in their turn, endeavoured to express a reciprocal regard. + +This being done, the natives rowed alongside the Boudeuse, and a rope +being lowered into the boat, one of them affixed to his branch of the +banana tree, a quantity of the fruit of that tree, and a small pig. This +present was accepted, and, in return for it, Mons. Bougainville gave +them some handkerchiefs and caps; and thus was a friendly intercourse +established with these people. + +In a short time upwards of a hundred boats surrounded the French ships, +which were laden with bananas, cocoa-nuts, and various other kinds of +fruit, highly acceptable to the French, who gave in exchange for them a +number of toys, which proved equally acceptable to the Indians.--In +order to carry on this traffic, our voyagers held up such articles as +they meant to give for the fruit, and when the natives were satisfied +with the quantity which was offered, it was let down by the ship’s side +in a net or basket, and the Indians having taken it out, returned their +commodities by the same conveyance; but sometimes the basket was lowered +when empty, and the natives put their effects in it before they had +received the European goods, without seeming to harbour the least +distrust or jealousy of those with whom they dealt; thereby giving the +best proof of the integrity of their own hearts. + +When the evening advanced, the ships stood out farther from the coast, +and the natives rowed back to the shore. During the night a number of +fires were seen on the island, at small, and nearly equal distances from +each other, which the French imagining to be illuminations in honour of +themselves, a number of sky-rockets were fired from both the ships, to +return the compliment. + +On the morning of the fifth the boats were sent in search of an +anchoring-place, while the day was spent in plying to windward of the +island. + +The description which Mons. Bougainville gives of the appearance of this +place, as seen from the ships, is very beautiful. The mountains, though +of great height, are every where clothed with the finest verdure, even +to the extreme point of their most lofty summits: one peak, in +particular, runs up to a most enormous height, tapering gradually as it +rises; yet is it every where clothed with the most beautiful foliage, +forming the appearance of a pyramid adorned with garlands, and carved by +the hand of an ingenious sculptor. The lower lands consist of an +intermixture of woods and meadows, while the coast is a level ground, +sheltered by the mountains, and abounding in cocoa-nut and other trees, +beneath the agreeable shade of which are situated the houses of the +inhabitants. + +As Mons. Bougainville coasted the island, he was charmed with the +appearance of a noble cascade, which, falling immediately from the +summit of a mountain, into the sea, produced a most elegant effect. On +the shore, very near to the fall of this cascade, was a little town, and +the coast appeared to be free from breakers. It was the wish of our +adventurers to have cast their anchors within view of such an enchanting +prospect; but, after repeated soundings, they found that the bottom +consisted only of rocks; and they were therefore under a necessity of +seeking another anchoring-place. + +Soon after the dawn of day the natives rowed along-side the ships, +bringing with them fowls, pigeons, cloth, shells, chissels, and other +things, which they bartered for ear-rings, and pieces of iron. Both +parties dealt with the same ease and mutual confidence as they had done +on the preceding day; and among the number of visitors were several +women, whose cloaths barely sufficed to hide those charms which could +not fail of attracting the ravished eyes of the seamen. One of the +Indians slept all night on board the Etoile, and seemed not to entertain +a shadow of fear. + +The ships plied to windward during the night, and by the morning of the +6th they had nearly reached its most northern extremity, when they +discovered another island; but as the passage between the two islands +appeared to be rendered dangerous by a number of breakers, Mons. +Bougainville came to a resolution of returning to the bay which they had +seen when they first discovered land, where he hoped to find a +convenient anchoring-place, and where, after different soundings, the +ships were at length safely moored. + +The natives now put off in their boats, and surrounded the ships in +greater numbers than they had yet done, exhibiting many tokens of +regard, and perpetually crying out _Taio_, which was afterwards found to +signify _Friend_. The strangers were much pleased with some nails and +toys which the officers and sailors gave them. These boats were crouded +with women, whose beauty of face was at least equal to that of the +ladies of Europe, and their symmetry of body much superior. Almost all +of them were naked, the old men and women having taken previous care to +divest them of those coverings, which might otherwise have prevented +their charms from taking the wished effect. + +These lovely lasses eyed the sailors with looks the most emphatically +expressive, yet with a degree of timidity, which is at once the +characteristic and the ornament of the sex. It was not, however, +necessary, that these females should give any very plain indications of +their meaning:--the Indian men saved them this trouble, intimating, that +the favours of the ladies might be purchased on easy terms: they even +urged many of the seamen respectively to make choice of a Dulcinea, with +whom he would chuse to retire to the shore; and their gestures appeared +not less extravagant than those of the same people, as recited by Dr. +Hawkesworth, in his account of Captain Cook’s Voyage, of which +circumstance the readers of these volumes is already apprised:--but +Mons. Bougainville goes beyond the Doctor, in the colouring of this +scene. He says that, “even in those countries where the ease of the +golden age is still in use, women seem least to desire what they most +wish for.” + +Be this as it may, the sight of these enchanting damsels operated very +powerfully on the passions of the seamen; and, thus situated, it was no +easy matter to keep to their duty, four hundred young fellows, who had +not seen a woman for half a year before. + +Mons. Bougainville and his officers did all in their power to preserve +order and decorum, and to prevent any of these tempting creatures from +coming into the ship; but their efforts were unsuccessful:--one of them, +notwithstanding every precaution, got on board, and took her seat on the +quarter-deck, near a hatchway, which was open to give air to some of the +crew who were heaving the capstern. She had scarcely seated herself, +when she let fall a cloth that covered her, with an air of negligence; +and appeared at once the Cyprian goddess, to the ravished eyes of the +spectators. Both seamen and marines now eagerly crouded to the hatchway; +and the capstern was heaved with a chearfulness and expedition never +known on any former occasion. + +After some time the officers succeeded in bringing the crew into some +kind of order; though, as Mons. Bougainville confesses, they found it +equally difficult to restrain the ardor of their own passions.--The +Commodore’s Cook, having eluded the vigilance of the officers, got from +the ship, and having selected a mistress from one of the boats, went on +shore with her; where he had no sooner arrived, than the natives crouded +about him, and pulled off all his cloaths. They now examined, with +curious attention, every part of his body, while he stood trembling +under their hands, in continual apprehension of being murdered, or +otherwise abused: but his fears were ill-founded; for they had no sooner +finished the examination, than they gave him back his cloaths, put into +his pockets several things which they had taken out of them, and then +introduced his girl to him, urging, that he would gratify those passions +which had impelled him to come on shore: but alas! their persuasions, +their warmest intreaties, were thrown away;--his fears had destroyed all +ideas of love, nor could even the enchanting beauty of his mistress +recal them: the natives were obliged to take him back to the ship, where +he told Mons. Bougainville, that he had nothing to fear from his anger, +for he had lately suffered such exquisite misery, that all other +punishment would be comparatively light. + +Mons. Bougainville and some of his officers now went on shore to take a +view of the watering-place, and were no sooner landed, than the natives +flocked around them in prodigious numbers, regarding them with looks of +inexpressible curiosity: some of them, bolder than the rest, came and +touched the French, and put aside their cloaths, to find if they were +formed like themselves. The happy islanders, who wore no kind of arms, +testified great pleasure at this visit of our voyagers. + +A person, who appeared to be the principal man among the Indians, took +Mons. Bougainville’s party to his house, where they found an old man, +the father of the Chief, and several women. These last paid their +compliments to the strangers, by placing their hands on their breasts, +and frequently repeating the word _Tayo_. The old man was a truly +venerable figure, whose long white beard and hair added dignity to his +person, which was exceedingly graceful and well formed. He had none of +the decrepitude of age, no wrinkles on his face, and his body was +nervous and fleshy.--The behaviour of this man was wholly different from +that of all the rest of his countrymen; for he expressed no sign of +admiration or curiosity, left the room without returning the compliments +of his visitors, and with an air that testified his uneasiness at their +arrival. Mons. Bougainville even imagines, that he feared that a new +race of men coming to settle on the island, might disturb that happy +repose in which its inhabitants had hitherto lived. + +The house of the Chief was about twenty feet in width, and eighty in +length, and covered with thatch, from which hung a cylinder, above a +yard long, formed of the twigs of the ozier, and adorned with black +feathers. Two wooden figures were observed, which Mons. Bougainville +says were idols, and that one of them was the god of the natives; but in +this he must be certainly mistaken, as it appears from the account since +published, that the inhabitants of Otaheite are not idolaters:--but from +almost every part of his volume it is evident, that he has made his +observations very hastily, and given a decisive opinion on subjects +which he did not understand, and which he took very little pains to +examine. + +The figure which our author took for the god, was fixed upright against +one of the pillars of the house, and over against it stood the other, +which he calls the goddess, leaning against, and fastened to the reeds +which form the walls of the house. These figures stood on pedestals of +hard, black wood, about two yards high, one yard in circumference, +shaped like a tower, hollowed out, and carved. + +The Chief having directed his guests to seat themselves on a grass-plat +in the front of his house, he presented them with a collation, +consisting of broiled fish, water, and fruit. While they were regaling +themselves he produced two collars, formed of oziers, and adorned with +shark’s teeth, and black feathers. These collars, which resembled the +prodigious large ruffs worn by the French in the reign of Francis the +First, were put on the necks of Mons. Bougainville, and a gentleman of +his party. The Chief having likewise presented our author with some +pieces of cloth, the French were about to take their leave of this +hospitable Indian, when one of them found that his pocket had been +picked of his pistol; on which a complaint was made to the Chief, who +immediately reprimanded several of his houshold, and would have searched +them all; but this the Commodore would not permit, contenting himself +with intimating to the Chief, that the weapon which had been stolen +would kill the thief. + +Mons. Bougainville was attended to the coast by the Chief and his whole +family. As the company passed along, they observed an Indian, remarkable +for the fine proportion and symmetry of his figure, reclined at the foot +of a tree, who prevailed on the French to sit down by him, and sung them +an excellent song, to the slow music of a flute, which the other Indian +blew with his nose. Our author says this song was, doubtless, of the +anacreontic kind, but he assigns no reason for this opinion. This is +described as a most delightful scene, and well worthy the pencil of the +limner. + +The company now proceeded to their boats, in which a few of the Indians +embarked, and went to spend the evening and sleep on board. The +islanders seemed to be under no kind of restraint, but to have the +fullest confidence in the hospitality of the French, who treated them in +a very elegant manner, and concluded the evening with a band of music, +and a display of fire-works; at which, however, the Indians, seemed more +terrified than delighted. + +The Chief went on board Mons. Bougainville’s ship the following day, and +took with him a present of some fowls and a hog: he likewise gave a full +proof of the integrity of his heart, by returning the stolen pistol; but +this is no wonder; it may hold as an almost unfailing maxim, that “the +generous are always just; that the knavish part of mankind are to be +found among the sordid and avaricious.” The generous soul disdains every +act of meanness; and it is certainly an act of meanness to detain the +property of another. Doubtless, the history of mankind will afford some +instances which militate very strongly against this argument; but it +will usually be found, that when the man of liberal sentiments has +detained what he knew to be the property of another, such detention has +arisen from the extreme penury of his own circumstances.--We have +instances of robberies being committed on the highway, and the money +returned, years after the perpetration of the fact. In such a case, +surely, the robber must be allowed to have possessed an honest heart, +even while he was violating the laws of his country; that his principles +were just and generous; and that what he conceived to be a case of +extreme necessity; the support of his sinking credit, and the preserving +a beloved, an amiable woman, and the dear pledges of her love, from +inevitable poverty and ruin, was the occasion of his taking so +unwarrantable a step. The reader will excuse this digression, in favour +to the writer, who conceived that it arose naturally from the subject. + +The name of the Chief, whose conduct gave rise to the above reflections, +was ERETI, who remained on board several hours, and then went on shore +with Mons. Bougainville, who by this time had made the necessary +preparations for landing the sick, and filling the water casks. + +As soon as the boats had landed, the Commodore fixed on a spot on the +borders of a rivulet, where he gave orders for the forming of a camp, +for the protection as well of the sick men and their attendants, as of +the waterers, and others, whose business might call them on shore. + +For some time Ereti beheld the marines under arms, and regarded the +preparations which were making to form the camp, without any apparent +signs of uneasiness, and then took his leave. In a few hours, however, +he returned, bringing with him his father, and some others of the most +eminent men on that part of the island, who remonstrated with Mons. +Bougainville on the impropriety and injustice of his taking possession +of their country; at the same time intimating, that his people were +welcome to be on the island during the day, for any period of time he +might think proper, but insisting, that the party should return on board +every night. The Commodore, on the contrary, as peremptorily insisted +that he would form the encampment, and endeavoured to convince the +Indians how necessary it was that he should do so, in order to procure +wood and water, and to have the better opportunity of trafficking with +the islanders. + +The Indians now retired, and held a conference on the occasion, at the +close of which Ereti came to Mons. Bougainville, and desired to know +whether the French proposed to take up their residence on the island for +life; and, if not, how long they intended to stay.--In answer to this, +the Commodore put eighteen small stones into his hands, intimating, that +he should remain there only so many days. Hereupon a third council was +held, the result of which was, that an elderly man, of great authority, +was deputed to wait on the Commodore, and endeavour to prevail on him to +depart in nine days; which however he positively refused to do, and thus +the matter ended. + +From this period the islanders became again easy and happy. Ereti +complimented Mons. Bougainville with the use of a large building, that +had been erected on the side of the rivulet, for the purpose of laying +up the Indian boats, which were instantly removed, at the command of the +Chief. Under this building tents were put up for the accommodation of +the sick, and other tents for various uses. A sufficient number of +muskets were carried on shore, to arm thirty marines, all the workmen, +and even the invalids, in case of necessity. + +Mons. Bougainville passed the first night on shore, in company with +Ereti, who added his supper to that of the Commodore, invited a few +select friends to partake of the repast, and gave orders that a croud of +Indians, whose curiosity had brought them to the spot, should be +dispersed. He then desired to see some fire-works, which he beheld with +a mixture of pleasure and astonishment. Late in the evening he sent for +one of his wives, who slept in the tent allotted to the use of the +Prince of Nassau. Mons. Bougainville says, that this woman was ugly and +old; but how does he know that she was not the only wife of Ereti? It +does not follow, because a number of women were seen on the first visit +at the house of this Chief, that he was married to them all. They might +be daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces, or cousins, for any thing that +could be known to the contrary, by people who had not learnt three words +of the language of the natives. + +The camp was compleated on the following day, and the building entirely +enclosed, except at one entrance, where a guard was constantly +stationed. None of the Indians were admitted into this building but +Ereti, and his friends of both sexes. A croud of people were constantly +about the place, but they made way for any one who had permission to +enter, on the motion of a small stick which a Frenchman held in his +hand. To this place the natives assembled from all quarters, bringing +poultry, hogs, fish, fruit, and cloth; in exchange for which they +received buttons, beads, tools, nails, and trinkets of various kinds, on +which they appeared to set a high value. + +These benevolent islanders vied with each other which should oblige +their visitors most; and when the French were observed collecting +shells, and gathering plants, a number of women and children instantly +employed themselves in the same manner, bringing the same plants, in +great abundance, and variety of fine shells. + +Mons. Bougainville now applied to Ereti, for information where he might +cut wood, and was directed to the mountains, where the hard wood grows, +the low lands producing only a gum-tree, and fruit-trees of various +kinds. The Chief even marked the trees which were proper for cutting, +and pointed out the side on which they should be felled. + +The islanders assisted our adventurers in cutting the wood, and carrying +it down to the boats, and likewise helped them to fill water, and roll +the casks to the coast. For these services they received a number of +nails, proportioned to the industry they had exerted: but it was +necessary for the French to be constantly on their guard, to prevent +their thieving the articles which were brought on shore; nor were even +their pockets safe from the depredations of these people, who, Mons. +Bougainville says, are as ingenious in the art, as the pick-pockets of +Europe; which is certainly no great compliment to the people of +Otaheite. + +Mons. Bougainville supposes, that these islanders do not rob each other, +as none of their effects were kept under locks and keys; and he +attributes their frequent attempts to rob the French to an insatiable +curiosity for articles which they had never before seen. Guards were +stationed, and patroles appointed, to protect the French property +notwithstanding which, the islanders found means to steal several +things, and they even pelted the guards with stones. These free-booters +hid themselves in a marsh behind the camp, which was overgrown with +reeds: but a part of this marsh was cleared, by order of the Commodore, +who directed, that when any more thieves were seen, they should be fired +at. Ereti even hinted, that this measure was necessary; but, pointing to +his own house, seemed very solicitous that Mons. Bougainville would not +fire that way. Orders were now given for some of the ships boats to +anchor before the camp, and point their swivel guns so as to protect it. + +The article of thieving excepted, every other intercourse between the +French and Indians was carried on in the most harmonious manner. The +seamen made several incursions into the island, unarmed, sometimes in +small parties, and sometimes singly: when the natives invited them into +their houses, gave them provisions, and presented the young damsels to +their embraces. On these occasions the hut was instantly crouded with +numbers of both sexes, who surrounded the young lovers, and eyed them +with looks of the most intense curiosity. Leaves and flowers were +immediately strewed on the ground, and while some played on flutes, +others sang a kind of song sacred to the Cyprian goddess. + +Mons. Bougainville’s picture of these scenes is rather over-charged; but +the pen of the historian should be guided by truth. “Here Venus (says +he) is the goddess of hospitality; her worship does not admit of any +mysteries, and every tribute paid to her is a feast for the whole +nation.” + +The people of Otaheite seemed astonished at the embarrassment of some of +the Frenchmen on these occasions: but Mons. Bougainville is of opinion, +that there was not a man of the whole crew who had not got the better of +the European delicacy, by making a public sacrifice at the altar of +Venus. If this opinion be well founded, the poor Cook, whose case has +been related, must have wonderfully recovered of his fright, before the +Commodore left the island.--Surely these intrepid subjects of Louis the +Fifteenth must have been blest with the most vigorous constitutions in +the universe, or have been cursed with the most unblushing impudence of +face! That many of the crew should have got the better of all regard for +decency, is not to be wondered at; but that there should not be one +Frenchman out of four hundred who could resist the temptation of thus +publickly prostituting himself, is very astonishing. But vanity is +constitutional in a Parisian, and rather than not sacrifice at her +shrine, he will be content to rob himself of his own good name. + +It may fairly be concluded, that if _every_ man gave these public proofs +of his prowess, the Commodore himself made _one_ of the number, a naked +spectacle to the laughing Indians! But perhaps Mons. Bougainville was +honoured in the embraces of one of Ereti’s wives; in which case it is +presumed, that the fond couple were surrounded only by the royal family, +and the lords and ladies of the Court. Doubtless, an extraordinary band +of music must have been provided on these solemn occasions, and the best +nose-flute-players on the island must have been engaged as performers. +What pity it is that our gallant philosophical, nautical, warlike +Amoroso, has omitted a description of one of these charming scenes! A +print of it, too, would have done honour to some ingenious engraver of +Paris, and it would doubtless have promoted the sale of a work so +admirably calculated for the meridian of Versailles. The doating monarch +would have subscribed liberally, while the lascivious Barré would have +extolled to the very skies the writer’s happy talent at description. Who +knows too, but that the French Ambassador might have introduced the work +among the circle at St. James’s; and thus have promoted the cause of +libertinism so far, that not one of the nobility of the succeeding +generation should be the real child of his reputed father. + +To be serious; this is strange stuff, even for a French historian to +write; nor would we have copied it, but that our engagements to the +public compelled us to give Mons. Bougainville’s Voyage; and Mons. +Bougainville must be answerable for all its faults. + +Happy ought Englishmen to think themselves; particularly those of the +middling and lower classes, among whom marriage is still held in some +sort of esteem. Long may it be so held, for the honour of legal love, +the security of property, and the sake of those tender ties, by which +relations are held in the bond of friendship! + + Hail wedded love, mysterious law, true source + Of human offspring, sole propriety + In Paradise of all things common else. + By thee adult’rous lust was driven from men, + Among the bestial herds to range; by thee + Founded in reason, loyal, just, and pure, + Relations dear, and all the charities + Of father, son, and brother, first were known. + + MILTON. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a description of the beauties of the +interior parts of the island. He has often walked out, with only a few +attendants, and arrived at places enchanting beyond the power of pen or +pencil to paint. Trees abounding with fruit of the most delicious kinds, +were frequently found on meadows intersected by rivulets, which gave an +agreeable coolness to the air. On these enchanting spots numbers of the +natives revel in the profusive gifts of nature, unincumbered with the +cares of the busy world. Our author met with many little societies, +reposing at their ease, under the shade of trees, who welcomed the +strangers in the most friendly manner. Those he saw on his way made room +for his passage, with a degree of civility that would have done honour +to the most polished European; and in every place he found evident marks +of the content and happiness of the people; while he was treated with +the utmost hospitality. + +Mons. Bougainville gave Ereti some ducks and geese, and a couple of +turkies, that he might raise a breed of those birds. He likewise +presented him with some garden seeds, and advised him to cultivate some +ground in the European manner; and a spot being fixed on by the French, +it was enclosed, and several of the crew employed in digging it. The +natives were much pleased with the implements of gardening, and happy in +having wheat, barley, oats, rice, &c. put into the ground; as were +likewise onions, and a variety of pot-herbs. The Commodore is of +opinion, that his generosity in this particular will not be thrown away, +as the people of Otaheite seem to have a taste for agriculture; and he +thinks they might soon be brought to cultivate, in a proper manner the +finest soil in the world: they have indeed a sort of kitchen gardens +near their huts, which produce yams, potatoes, and other edible roots. + +Soon after the camp was formed, the Commodore was visited on board the +ship by _Toutaa_, the Chief of a district near that of Ereti, who was a +very tall man, and most admirably well made, he was attended by several +gentlemen, hardly one of whom was less than six feet in height. Toutaa +brought with him cloth, hogs, fowls and fruit, which he presented to +Mons. Bougainville, who complimented him with some silk stuffs, +trinkets, nails, &c. + +Toutaa invited Mons. Bougainville to his house, where, in the midst of a +large assembly, he presented him with a fine young girl, whom the +Commodore conjectures to have been one of his wives; and the musicians +instantly began the bridal hymn:--but our author does not say what +farther passed on the occasion. + +One of the Indians happening to be killed, his countrymen complained to +Mons. Bougainville of this violation of the rights of hospitality. The +dead body being conveyed to one of the huts, some persons were sent to +examine it, when it appeared, that he had fell by a gun-shot wound; on +which all possible enquiry was made after the offender, but he could not +be discovered; and how he came to be shot remained a mystery; for Mons. +Bougainville says, that none of the crew had that day left the ship with +fire-arms, nor had any of those on shore been permitted to leave the +camp. It was evident, however, that the natives in general conceived +their countryman to have been the aggressor; for their dealings with the +Europeans were not intermitted; but some few of them moved off their +furniture to the mountains, and even the house of Ereti was stripped; +but a few presents from the Commodore regained his friendship and +esteem. + +Early in the morning of the 12th the cable of the Boudeuse parting, that +ship ran foul of the Etoile, but the vessels were happily got clear of +each other, before any damage had been sustained. A boat was now sent to +sound for some convenient passage, as the ships were in evident danger +of being driven on shore: and at this unfortunate juncture news arrived, +that three of the Indians had been either murdered or wounded in their +huts; and that, in consequence of this unhappy circumstance, a general +terror had seized the inhabitants. The women, children, and old men, had +fled up the country, taking their effects with them, and even carrying +off the bodies of the deceased. The Commodore, on receiving this +intelligence, went on shore, and selecting four marines, on whom rested +the suspicion of having perpetrated this foul deed, he ordered them to +be put into irons in the presence of Ereti, a circumstance that +re-conciliated the affection of the Indians. + +Mons. Bougainville, apprehensive that the natives might revenge the +injury they had sustained in the persons of their countrymen, spent a +considerable part of the night at the camp, and gave orders for a +reinforcement of the guards. It is true, that the situation of the +French was every way so advantageous, that, in all probability, they +might have been an over-match for the united forces of the natives. The +night, however, was spent in perfect repose, except some slight alarms, +occasioned by thieving interlopers. + +The Commodore’s concern arose more from the apprehended loss of his +ships, than from any hostile efforts that might be made by the Indians. +After ten at night the wind blew violently; the sea swelled to an +enormous height; the rain descended in torrents, and the whole scene was +tempestuous in a high degree. + +Mons. Bougainville went on board soon after midnight, when a violent +squall of wind was driving the ships towards the shore. Providentially +the storm was soon over, and a breeze from the shore prevented the +vessels being stranded. + +About day-break another cable, and the hawser of the Boudeuse parted, +when she was almost close on the shore, on which the surges beat with +unremitting fury. At this time too, as an aggravation of their +misfortunes, the buoys of the anchors were missing; but it is doubtful +whether the natives had stolen them, or whether they had sunk. + +Some little time before noon another cable parted, and the Boudeuse +drove towards the shore. They now let go their sheet anchor, but it +could be of no service to them, as they were so near the breakers, that +the ship must have stranded before a sufficient length of cable could +have been veered out, to have given the anchor time to reach the bottom. +Thus situated, within a moment of despair, a wind off shore operated in +their favour; yet this wind soon changed, though not till it had enabled +them to get at a distance from the shore, by the help of a hawser, from +a stream-anchor of the Etoile, which ship happening to be anchored in +firmer ground than the Boudeuse, was, under providence, the great means +of saving that vessel and her crew from destruction. On occasion of this +singular escape, Mons. Bougainville pays a grateful compliment to Mons. +de la Giraudais, the Commander of the Etoile, to whose friendship and +abilities he deems himself greatly indebted for the preservation of the +Boudeuse. + +Soon after day-light it was observed, that the camp was totally +destitute of its usual visitors: not an Indian was to be seen near it, +nor even a single boat sailing on the river. The natives had quitted +their houses, and the whole country appeared to be depopulated. The +prince of Nassau now went on shore with a small party, and, at about +three miles from the camp, found Ereti, with a considerable number of +his subjects. When the Chief recollected the Prince, he advanced towards +him with a mixed countenance, expressive of hope and terror. + +Many women were now with Ereti, who dropping on their knees at the feet +of the Prince kissed his hands, and, bathed in tears, exclaimed, _Tayo, +maté_? + +You are our friends, and you kill us!-- + +The Prince succeeded in his endeavours to inspire them with fresh +confidence; and Mons. Bougainville had the pleasure of observing, from +on board, by the help of his glasses, that the natives hastened to the +camp, carrying with them fowls, fruits, &c. so that there could be no +doubt but that peace was re-established. + +The Commodore instantly left the ship, and taking with him a quantity of +silk stuffs, and a variety of other articles, he presented them to the +principal persons, intimating how unhappy he was on account of the +misfortune which had happened, and assuring them, that the perpetrators +of so foul a deed should not escape unpunished.--The grateful Indians +caressed the Commander; the natives in general were happy that peace was +restored, and the market soon became more crouded than ever; so that, in +two days only, more refreshments were brought in than had been before, +and the whole place had the appearance of a fair. The Indians now +requested to see some muskets fired; but were not a little alarmed, when +they found that the animals fired at were instantly killed. + +The boat which the Commodore had sent to sound having found an excellent +passage to the northward, the Etoile sailed on the 14th, and being got +safe without the reef, her Commander sent the boat to the Boudeuse, in +which was an officer, who having surveyed the passage, and conducted the +Etoile to a place of safety, returned to take the same care of Mons. +Bougainville’s ship. + +The crew of the Boudeuse now laboured incessantly in compleating her +stock of water, and in bringing her effects on board. The Commodore took +possession of the island, for his Sovereign, by an inscription carved on +an oak plank, and burying in a bottle, near the building they had +occupied, a writing, containing the names of the several officers +concerned in this expedition: and this method he followed invariably, at +all the places he discovered in the course of his voyage. + +The Boudeuse set sail early in the morning of the 15th, and the +Commodore congratulated himself on having got clear of the reefs, when +the wind suddenly dying away, the tide, and a swelling sea drove the +ship violently towards the rocks, on which she must have been instantly +dashed in pieces, and every man on board have perished, except the few +who could swim remarkably well. At this moment, when she was ready to +strike on the rocks, providentially a western breeze sprang up, and, in +about two hours, conveyed our voyagers clear of all those dangers they +had dreaded. + +Mons. Bougainville joined the Etoile before the evening, and a strong +gale springing up about midnight, they set all their sails, and soon got +perfectly clear of the coast. + +Our author now describes, in very affecting terms, what passed at his +taking leave of the people of Otaheite; and we shall endeavour not to +fall short of the original, in the tenderness of the description; +convinced that the English language is at least as well adapted for the +pathetic, as the French, or any other European tongue. + +Soon after the dawn of the morning, when the Indians observed that their +visitors were making preparations for their departure, Ereti came +hastily on board, in the first boat that was ready. He now clasped in +his arms, embraced, and wept over those new-made acquaintance, whom he +was about to part with for ever.--This scene was scarcely ended, when a +larger boat, in which were the wives of this generous Chief, came +along-side the ship, laden with a variety of refreshments. + +This vessel likewise brought off the Indian, who, on their first +arrival, had slept on board the Etoile. This man was called AOTOUROU. +Ereti presented him to Mons. Bougainville, intimating his determined +resolution to sail with the strangers, and intreating permission that he +might do so. This request being complied with, Ereti presented him to +the officers respectively, saying, that he trusted a well-beloved +friend, to the care and protection of friends equally beloved. + +Ereti having accepted some presents, returned to the boat, in which were +a number of weeping beauties, made still more lovely by their +tears.--With him went Aotourou, to take a melancholy leave of a lovely +damsel, the dear object of his regard. He took three pearls from his +ears, which he delivered as a love-token to the desponding beauty; +embraced her affectionately, tore himself from her arms, and left it to +time and tears, to restore her serenity of mind.--Who that reads this +narrative can suppose, that an Indian has less dignity of soul than an +European! + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a description of the island of +Otaheite, with an account of the manners and characters of its +inhabitants; and in this part of his history we shall trace him with the +pen of accuracy. + +There is a fine bay, about ten miles in depth, between a cape, which +advances to the north, and the south-east point of the island. Towards +the bottom of this bay the coast is almost level, and this part appears +to be the best peopled, as well as the most agreeable part of the +country. In a passage between the two most northerly islands, there is +good anchorage for thirty vessels. The rest of the coast is mountainous +land, and in most places is encompassed by reefs of rocks, some of which +are almost covered by the sea, while others are left sufficiently +destitute of water to be considered as islands. On these the natives +kindle fires every night, that the crews of their boats may fish in +safety. Between these rocks are spaces, through which a ship may enter, +but will find it difficult to get anchorage. + +The mountains at a distance from the coast are much higher than it is +usual for hills to be in countries of no greater extent. These, being +covered with verdure and fruits of various beautiful and delicious +kinds, afford the richest prospect that the imagination can form an idea +of. Springs, issuing from the mountains, form themselves into rivulets, +which meandring through the country, serve at once to fertilize and +adorn it. + +On the level parts of the island the houses are erected, under the shade +of fruit trees; not in regular towns or villages, but separately, and +where the fancy of the owner shall fix the spot. Public walks, kept in +the neatest order, lead from one residence to another, throughout the +island, so that the whole appears one scene of enchanted ground. + +The principal fruits of the island are plantains, cocoa-nuts, yams, +curassol okras, and the bread-fruit. Indico and sugar-canes grow wild; +and two substances proper for dying, one red and the other yellow, was +found among the natives; but Mons. Bougainville could not learn from +what vegetable they were produced. + +While Aotourou was on board the Boudeuse, it appeared, that he was +acquainted with many of the plants and fruits in the possession of the +French, which he called by their Indian names. Indeed, the same +productions are common to most countries within the tropics. + +The natives use the cedar-wood, which grows on the mountains, for the +construction of the largest boats; and they make a sort of pikes, of a +very heavy black wood. Their smaller boats are made of the wood of the +bread-fruit tree, which is extremely soft, and full of gum. + +The island of Otaheite produces very rich pearls, which are worn by the +women and children; but these were secreted almost as soon as the French +landed, and were seen no more during their stay. A sort of castanets, +instruments used by the Indian dancers, are formed out of the shells of +the pearl-oysters. + +The only quadrupedes seen on the island were hogs, small but handsome +dogs; and rats; the last of which are very numerous. Of winged animals +there are parroquets of exquisite beauty, the feathers of which are red +and blue, most happily blended: pidgeons, rather larger than ours, of a +deep blue colour, and most delicate taste: and common domestic poultry, +differing in no respect from those of Europe. The hogs and fowls feed on +plantains only, so that the purity of their food must ensure the +goodness of the meat. + +Mons. Bougainville obtained, by his traffick with the natives, about 140 +hogs, and more than eight hundred fowls; and he might have procured much +larger numbers, if his stay had been longer. + +No venomous animals were seen on this island, nor any of those noxious +insects, which are common to, and are the greatest curse of, hot +climates. + +There can remain no doubt of the salubrity of the air of Otaheite; for +though the French laboured hard all day in the heat of the sun, and were +frequently in the water, and slept all night in the open air, on the +bare ground, not a single person contracted any disorder; while those +who were landed for the cure of the scurvy recovered very fast, and many +of them acquired so much strength, that their cure was perfected on +board the ships. + +Our author mentions, as an undoubted proof of the healthiness of the +climate, the strength of its inhabitants, who grow to an extreme old +age, without feeling any of its inconveniences, though they sleep only +on a few leaves, strewed on the ground, in huts ill adapted to defend +them from the inclemencies of the weather. + +The chief articles of food among the natives are fish and vegetables. +Flesh is seldom eaten even by grown persons; and by the young women and +children never. Their drink is pure water; and from this temperance +doubtless arises, in a great measure, that freedom from disease, which +is one of their greatest blessings. These people were averse to the +taste and smell of every thing strong; particularly tobacco, spices, +brandy and wine. + +The natives of Otaheite are of two distinct tribes, having no personal +resemblance, yet practising the same customs, associating together in +the most friendly manner, and conversing in the same dialect. The first +race of these people are much taller, larger, and better proportioned +than the other. Few of these are less than six feet high, and so +extremely well made, that, as our author says, “in order to paint a +Hercules or a Mars, one could no where find such beautiful models.” +Their features are perfectly like those of the inhabitants of Europe: +their hair is black, and their skins rather brown; but this is +attributed to their being so much exposed to the sun and air. Mons. +Bougainville does not say which of the European nations they resemble, +and therefore it must be concluded, that he means the French; in which +case an English lady would scarcely give him credit for the extravagant +encomiums which he lavishes on the beauty of the Otaheiteans; on the +contrary, she will be apt to conclude, that better models for a Hercules +or a Mars may be found between Berwick upon Tweed, and the lands-end in +Cornwall. + +The other tribe of these Indians are about the middle stature, have +almost the features and complexion of Mulattoes, and rough, curled hair, +as strong as the bristles of a hog. Aotourou was of this tribe, and the +son of one of the Chiefs of the island. + +Our author says that this Indian’s want of personal beauty, was amply +recompensed by the goodness of his understanding; but this assertion has +been flatly contradicted by the testimony of several English gentlemen, +who saw Aotourou, during his residence at Paris, and who represent him +as one of the most ignorant blockheads they had ever known. Hence it +should seem, that English and French ideas are extremely at variance, +respecting Indian abilities and attainments. + +Both the tribes shave the upper part of the face, permitting the beard +on the chin to grow, and a whisker on each lip. Some of them bind the +hair on the top of the head, while others cut it short, but all of them +rub the oil of the cocoa-nut into the hair and beard. They permit all +their nails to grow to a great length, except that of the middle finger +of the right hand. Among these people one cripple only was seen; and it +was supposed that he got his hurt by a fall. The Surgeon informed Mons. +Bougainville, that many of the natives were marked with the small pox: +and he says, he took every precaution that the venereal disorder should +not be communicated to these happy, unoffending people; but it appears +from Captain Cook’s account, that some ungenerous Frenchman was base +enough to plant this dreadful malady, in a country where, from Mons. +Bougainville’s own account, it is more likely to spread than in any +other part of the world, on account of the extreme attachment of the +inhabitants to the Cytherean sports.--Aotourou is probably arrived at +his native country before this time, and has informed the islanders that +their late visitors were Frenchmen; in which case the poor Indians will +have ample reason to call the disorder by its genuine name, the FRENCH +disease. + +The ladies and gentlemen of Otaheite stain the lower parts of their +backs, and their thighs, with a deep blue; the method of doing which +having been already mentioned in our account of Captain Cook’s voyage, +need not be here repeated. Mons. Bougainville mentions it as a singular +circumstance, that the practice of painting the body has always +prevailed among the people of all countries, at the time when they +bordered on a state of nature: it is, indeed, a well known fact, that +the ancient Britons were found stained with wood, when Julius Cæsar made +his first descent on this island. + +The natives of Otaheite wear pearls, and flowers of different kinds, in +their ears. They likewise make a frequent practice of bathing their +bodies, constantly washing themselves before they either eat or drink; +so that they are to be ranked among the most cleanly people in the +universe. + +Our author represents these islanders as good-natured and benevolent in +a high degree. He says, that, though the several districts are governed +each by its own Chief, public war, or private animosity seemed to be +equally unknown on the island. The natives seem not to entertain even +the slightest doubt of the integrity of each other, and appear to enjoy, +in common, whatever is necessary to the support of life. Their houses +are always open night and day, and whoever enters may freely eat of +whatever he finds. In like manner they gather fruit from every tree; and +all the level country being a kind of continued orchard, seems to be but +one common property. + +Yet were these people, with such exalted ideas of general benevolence, +most dextrous in stealing the property of the French. The Chiefs, +however, did not encourage their inferiors in these depredations; on the +contrary, they requested the officers to kill those who should be +detected in an act of theft: but they would never take this disagreeable +talk on themselves.--When a thief was pointed out to Ereti, he would run +after till he had overtaken him, and then compelling him to restore the +stolen goods, he punished the offence by a number of stripes. + +Mons. Bougainville says, he had conceived an idea, that these people had +no severer punishment among them than this kind of whipping; for they +seemed to commiserate the fate of some of the French seamen, whom they +saw put in irons; but our author has been since informed, that they have +a custom of punishing theft, by hanging the felon on a tree. + +Although the inhabitants of Otaheite maintain perpetual peace among +themselves; yet it seldom happens, but that they are engaged in war with +the natives of the adjacent islands. + +They have large vessels, called Periaguas, in which they descend on the +enemies country, and even engage in sea-fights. A pike and a bow with a +sling are all their arms. + +If Aotourou’s information is to be depended on, the consequences of +their battles are very fatal to the vanquished. The men and boys who are +made prisoners, are stripped of their skins, and the beards of the men +are taken off, and carried away in triumph, as ensigns of the victory. +The conquerors take with them the women and girls, with whom they +frequently cohabit--Aotourou declared himself the son of one of these +unnatural alliances, his mother being a native of OOPOA, an island not +far distant from Otaheite, with the inhabitants of which they are +frequently at war. Mons. Bougainville ascribes the difference observed +between the two races of people, to this intercourse with the captive +women of the adjacent islands. + +The principal people on the island have a number of servants, who submit +to their orders with the most unreserved obedience; and, in each +district, the will of the Chief is a law, from the authority of which +there is no appeal; but the Chief himself does not come to any +resolution respecting matters of great importance, till he has +previously consulted with the principal inhabitants. The reader will +recollect, that the truth of this circumstance is evinced, by the +repeated counsels which were held on occasion of the French having +determined to take up their residence on shore. + +When an inhabitant of Otaheite dies, his body is deposited on a kind of +bier, placed under a shed, to which the women resort daily, and anoint +the corpse with the oil of the cocoa-nut. In these places they are left, +till all the flesh is wasted from the bones, and then the skeleton is +conveyed to the hut of his relations, where a person, who appears to +have great authority, attends, and being dressed in a habit peculiar to +the occasion, he performs some solemn ceremonies: but how long the +skeletons are kept in the houses, our author had no opportunity of +knowing. + +Mons. Bougainville endeavoured to learn of Aotourou the religious +ceremonies of his countrymen; and, if they mutually understood each +other, it will appear, that the people of Otaheite are superstitious in +a high degree; that the supreme authority is vested in the priests; that +their principal Deity is called ERI-T-ERA, that is, _King of Light_, or +_of the Sun_; besides whom they acknowledge a number of inferior +divinities, some of whom produce evil, and others good: that the general +name of these ministering spirits is EATOUA; and that the natives +suppose two of these divinities attend each affair of consequence in +human life, determining its fate either advantageously or otherwise. + +To one circumstance our author speaks in decisive terms. He says, that +when the moon exhibits a certain aspect, which bears the name of _Malama +Tamai_, [the moon in a state of war] the natives offer up human +sacrifices. + +Mons. Bougainville mentions one circumstance, as a proof that these +people originated on the continent, from whence their ancestors must +have emigrated. When any one sneezes, his companions cry out, +_Evaroua-t-eatoua_; “that is, may the good genius awaken thee;” or, “may +not the evil genius lull thee asleep.” + +The principal people on the island appear to have many wives; and our +author thinks polygamy is common among them all. The rich are chiefly +distinguished from the poor by keeping a greater number of the fair sex; +for universal love is the characteristic of the inhabitants of Otaheite. +Both the parents seem equally fond of nursing their infants. The men +employ themselves principally in war, fishing, and agriculture, while +the women have little to do, but to render themselves agreeable by their +assiduity to please: they submit implicitly to the will of the men, and +the woman who should prostitute herself without the permission of her +husband, would atone for her infidelity with her life. Yet is the +permission of the husband to gratify her passions, in what way she +please, so easily obtained, that these fair ones are not under the least +temptation to disobedience: in fact, the wife generally yields her +person at the solicitation of her husband; jealousy, therefore, one +would imagine, must be a passion quite unknown among them. + +The single woman follows, implicitly, the dictates of her heart, and +yields her person at her own discretion; and, the more numerous the +favours she has granted, the better her chance of obtaining a husband. +The examples perpetually before her eyes, the hymeneal songs of the +natives, their dances, and their attitudes, added to the seductive +warmth of the climate, all conspire to render that circumstance no vice +at Otaheite, which would be deemed so in England. Love is at once the +business and the pleasure of the natives of this island; and at his +shrine, all its inhabitants bend with the most fervent devotion. They +dance to the music of a drum, and sing to the flute blown with the nose. +They likewise divert themselves, occasionally, with a kind of wrestling, +which at once braces the nerves, and relaxes the mind; though in this +place, of all parts of the world, the mind seems to require the least +relaxation, for almost the whole business of the islanders consists in +pleasure. + +Our author says, that the inhabitants of Otaheite are a witty and +humorous people, which he attributes to their living in ease and +jollity.--That ease may make a man happy, we will readily allow; but +that it can create humour, or inspire wit, we must beg leave to +deny:--perhaps the dullest fellows this day to be found on the habitable +globe, are among those who are easy and independant in point of fortune, +and perhaps, too, some of the most humorous and witty may be found among +those who know not where to obtain a second shilling when the present is +expended. This, at least, is the case in London: it may, possibly, fare +differently with the Parisians, almost all of whom being poor and merry, +may fancy themselves wits and humourists. In a word, wit and humour are +not the gifts of fortune, but of Nature. + +Mons. Bougainville charges the people of Otaheite with a fickleness of +disposition, which was deemed astonishing. Every new object struck their +attention, but nothing engaged it for more than a few minutes. To +reflect was, to them, a work of labour, and they seemed to prefer bodily +to mental exercises.--This, with our ingenious author’s permission, is a +proof of their good sense: every man, who can think at all, must know, +that the labour of the mind exceeds that of the limbs, in proportion as +the soul is superior to the body! For this reason we pay not an artist +as we pay a porter; the one will earn an hundred pounds, while the other +is drudging for as many shillings: but the porter can drudge on for +life, while the artist, if he acquire not sufficient to retire with +decency at an early period, will pine away a wretched old age in +unmerited penury! + +The natives of Otaheite are ingenious, beyond description, in the +construction of their fishing-tackle, the hooks of which are of mother +of pearl, and wrought as nicely as if with European tools. With threads +drawn from the American aloe they form their nets, which are made like +those of France, and other nations of Europe. Their houses, too, are +exceedingly well built, and the palm-leaves, with which they are +thatched, are laid on with great skill and taste. + +The boats (or periaguas) of these people are of two kinds. The former +very large, hollowed out of huge trees, and finished with much taste, +parts of other trees being added as ornaments:--the latter small, and of +much ruder construction.--But these kinds of boats having been +repeatedly described in this and other books of voyages, it is +unnecessary to say more of them. + +In order to convey themselves from one island to another, they fix beams +of wood from the starboard side of one vessel to the larboard of the +other, leaving an intermediate space of something more than a yard; and +over the stern of both the boats they erect a kind of hut, lightly +built, and covered with reeds, which serves as a repository for their +provisions, and a shelter against the inclemency of the weather. + +Two boats thus lashed together never overset; and are therefore much in +use among the people of superior rank: the sails of these vessels are +nearly square, and consist of mats, stretched out by means of pieces of +cane. + +The only tools in use among the natives of Otaheite are pieces of shells +made sharp, for boring holes in wood, and a chissel, in the European +make, the blade of which is formed of a hard black stone. + +The natives manufacture that remarkable kind of cloth which forms their +dress: a shrub is cultivated near all the Indian huts, from the rind of +which this cloth is made, by beating it on a smooth board, and +occasionally sprinkling it with water, till it is as thin as paper, and +something like it, only much more pliable. Thus they make cloth of +different thickness, which they afterwards dye; but their process in the +dying it Mons. Bougainville had no opportunity of seeing. + +Our author now employs two or three pages in defence of his conduct in +bringing Aotourou from his native island, in answer to some illiberal +reflections which had been cast on him; and then he proceeds to describe +some particulars of the Indian’s behaviour during his residence. This +account should certainly have appeared as a supplement to the Volume; +but we take it as it stands. + +Mons. Bougainville says he endeavoured, at a great trouble and expence, +to render Aotourou’s residence at Paris both improving and entertaining +to him. The curiosity of the public to view this stranger was +insatiable; and the foolish Parisians were astonished to learn, that +there was any country on the face of the earth, where neither French, +English, nor Spanish was spoken. Mons. Bougainville happily ridicules +this strange kind of ignorance; but he does not seem to wonder, that it +should prevail among those who had never been without the walls of the +city which gave them birth. + +Our author is likewise very severe on a set of critics, who seemed to +wonder that Aotourou could live among Frenchmen almost two years, and +yet learn only a very few words of their language. To account for this, +Mons. Bougainville mentions a physical obstruction in the organs of his +speech; his age, which rather exceeded thirty years; the deficiency of a +memory never exercised by study; and the possessing only a very limited +number of ideas, relative to the trifling wants of the natives of his +happy island. Hence our author concludes, that he must first of all have +created “a world of previous ideas, in a mind as indolent as his body”, +before he could adapt them to the French words proper to express them. + +Though Aotourou was thus deficient in the language of France, yet the +streets of Paris were quite familiar to him. He went out daily without +attendants, and found his way readily through the whole city. He +frequently bought things, and was seldom defrauded in the purchase. None +of the public diversions had any charms for him but the opera, to which +he went regularly: for he knew the nights on which it was to be +performed, and paid the same for admittance as other people: his great +fondness for dancing was what rendered the opera so agreeable to him. + +He was exceedingly grateful to those who conferred any obligations on +him, nor did he ever forget their persons or their favours. The Dutchess +of Choiseul stood foremost in the list of his friends, and he expressed +more gratitude for the polite attention with which she treated him, than +even for the numerous presents which he received at her hands: and as +often as he heard of that lady’s being arrived from her country-seat, he +would immediately go and visit her. + +After a residence of eleven months at Paris, Aotourou was put on board +the Brisson, at Rochelle, which ship was destined to convey him to the +isle of France, whither orders were sent to the Governor and intendant, +to transport him thence to his own country. Mons. Bougainville gave +about 1500 l. sterling, towards the fitting out the Brisson for this +voyage; and the Dutchess of Choiseul ordered a considerable sum to be +expended in cattle, seeds, implements of husbandry, &c. which were +shipped for the use of the natives of Otaheite. Mons. Bougainville +concludes this part of his narrative with the following very humane and +equally political wish. “O may Aotourou soon see his countrymen again!” + +Our author now proceeds to inform us of several particulars, with which +his conversation with this adventrous islander had made him acquainted. +If Mons. Bougainville be not misled in his information, the state of +facts will appear to be, that the inhabitants of Otaheite pay their +devotions to the Deity, at the rising and setting of the sun; that their +supreme God is incapable of representation; but that they have two +classes of inferior deities, who are represented by figures carved in +wood. Exclusive of these regular devotions, the natives of Otaheite +practice a number of superstitious ceremonies, in order to avert the +influence of the evil genii. + +While Aotourou was at Paris, in 1769, a comet appeared, which furnished +Mons. Bougainville with an opportunity of knowing that these kind of +stars had been frequently observed at Otaheite; but that the natives do +not suppose that they are portentous of any evil consequence; on the +contrary, what we call shooting stars, are, by these people, deemed evil +genii.--How far it was possible for Aotourou to explain himself to Mons. +Bougainville, on astronomical subjects, is left to the reader’s +reflection. + +The more enlightened people of Otaheite have names for the sun, moon, +and stars; by which, without the assistance of the needle or compass, +they steer their course night and day, sailing, at some times, not less +than eight hundred miles from island to island. In the daytime they are +guided by the sun, and by the stars in the night. + +Mons. Bougainville learnt from Aotourou the names of several islands, in +the seas near Otaheite, the natives of some of which were in friendship, +and those of others at war, with his countrymen. Of the former are +Tapouamassou, Oumaitia, Aca, Maoroua, and Aimeo; of the latter, Oopoa, +Toumaraa, Otaa, Aiatea, and Papara; all which are represented as about +equal in extent with Otaheite. + +There is an island, called Pare, the inhabitants of which are +alternately at war and in friendship with the natives of Otaheite. In +these seas are likewise two small islands, called Toupai, and +Enoua-Motou, which are not inhabited, but yield abundance of fruit, +fowls, and hogs, while their coasts abound with turtle, and other fish; +but the people of Otaheite conceiving these islands to be the residence +of evil genii, deem it a certain sign of misfortune, if either curiosity +or chance should lead any boat to their coasts; and it is supposed, that +those who endeavour to land there will perish in the attempt. + +The most distant of all the islands above-mentioned is not more than +about fifteen days sail from Otaheite, even with the boats of that +island; and Mons. Bougainville conjectures, that Aotourou had no idea of +going farther when he embarked on board the Boudeuse.--If this +conjecture be well founded, there certainly was not so much magnanimity +in this Indian’s behaviour as we have been hitherto taught to +believe:--but there are great inconsistencies in the writings of our +voyager, which the reader will pardon, in favour of his vanity. It is +our duty to correct and amend as we proceed. + +Mons. Bougainville at first imagined, that the inhabitants of Otaheite +were nearly equal in point of rank, and that their happiness was to be +envied, from their supposed equality: but he now, from the information +of Aotourou, corrects that error, and confesses that, “the distinction +of ranks is very great,” and “the disproportion very tyrannical.”--The +Chiefs, and other men in power, dispose of the lives of their dependants +at their pleasure; and our author thinks, that they have the power of +exerting this cruel prerogative over the common people, who are not +immediately dependant on them. The vulgar are distinguished by the +appellation of _Tata-einow_, that is, vile men; and it is mentioned, as +an indubitable fact, that those doomed for sacrifices are selected from +the Plebeian race. The Grandees only eat fish and flesh, while the +common people subsist entirely on pulse and fruits. Indeed the +distinction of rank appears to be very great; for persons of eminence +are lighted from place to place in the night, with a wood of superior +quality to that which the vulgar are allowed to burn. The tree called +the weeping willow is planted only before the houses of the Chiefs or +Kings, and their public dinners are held beneath its shade. + +The servants of the great men are distinguished by a kind of sash, worn +round the body, which is placed across the loins, or higher up, till it +comes close under the arm-pits, in proportion to the rank of the master. + +The natives of Otaheite make two regular meals daily, one just after +noon, and the other as soon as the sun is gone down. The servants cook +the victuals, which are served up by the wives, who eat after their +husbands have done. + +When the men die, the women go into mourning for them; but this +compliment is not returned on the part of the men. The children wear +mourning a long time after the death of the father, and on the decease +of a king, the whole nation is in sables. The mourning consists of a +head-dress of black feathers, and a veil drawn over the face. + +Aotourou informed Mons. Bougainville, that this veil was very favourable +to the wishes of those women whose husbands were not so complaisant as +his countrymen in general are. This arises from the following +circumstance. When the mourners go out, a number of slaves walk before +them, beating the castanets to a solemn melancholy tune, which is +considered as a notice for all persons to keep at a distance from the +afflicted: thus, the veil over the face, and the sound of an instrument +from which every one flies, cannot but be auspicious to the wishes of +the enraptured lovers. + +When any person is dangerously ill, all his relations repair to his +house, and remain there till he is either dead or out of danger, each, +in his turn, attending the sick man. Their method of bleeding is very +singular. An inferior priest, called _Taoua_, is the physician, who +strikes the cranium with a piece of sharp wood, which opens the sagittal +vein; and when he deems the patient to have bled sufficiently, he ties +on a bandage, which closes the orifice; the day following he washes the +wound, and no ill consequence ensues. + +Mons. Bougainville says, that the preceding account contains every thing +he could learn respecting the customs of Otaheite, either on the island, +or from the information of Aotourou. Our author remarks, that some words +spoken by the natives of Otaheite, are to be found in a vocabulary at +the end of La Maire’s voyage, under the title of the “Vocabulary of +Cocos island”, which being mentioned as lying nearly in the same +latitude with Otaheite, is conjectured to be one of those islands, the +names of which were recited by Aotourou. + +The language of the people of Otaheite is described by Mons. +Bougainville as extremely harmonious, and easy of pronunciation, +consisting chiefly of vowels, and having no aspirates. He says also that +it has no nasal, mute, or half syllables; nor “that quantity of +consonants and articulations, which render some languages so difficult.” +Hence, he concludes, arose the difficulty of teaching Aotourou the +French tongue; but he thinks it would have been a work of much less +labour to have taught him the Italian or Spanish. + +How far our author is right in his conjectures, it would be no easy task +to determine; for the direct contrary of what he says of the language of +these islanders has been observed by the English navigators. As we have +already given some vocabularies, we shall, at the conclusion of this +narrative, give that of Mons. Bougainville, that the reader may +determine whether the English or the French voyagers have the best +pretensions to credibility. + +Mons. Bougainville informs us, that a gentleman of Paris, distinguished +by his skill in teaching the art of speech to persons born deaf and +dumb, repeatedly examined Aotourou, and found that he could not +naturally pronounce any of the French nasal vowels, and but very few of +the consonants. + +Our author is of opinion, that the language of Otaheite is sufficiently +copious, and he grounds this opinion on the following circumstances. +Whenever, during the voyage, Aotourou was struck with any new object, he +immediately expressed his sentiments in a kind of extempore blank verse; +and he also repeated daily a long prayer, which he called “the prayer of +the Kings,” not a dozen words of which Mons. Bougainville understood, or +heard him repeat on any other occasion. + +Aotourou informed the Commodore, that an English ship had arrived at +Otaheite about eight months before the French touched at that island. +This (says our author) was the vessel commanded by Captain Wallace; and +he ascribes the knowledge of iron, which was observed among the natives, +to this visit of the English, especially as they call it _Aouri_, which +is not very unlike our word _iron_. Our Frenchman likewise gives a very +ungenteel hint, that the poor Indians were indebted to the English for +the venereal disease; but the contrary of this is known to be the fact. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to give an account of his departure from +Otaheite, and his discovery of other islands in the southern pacific +ocean. On the morning of the 16th of April, 1768, he discovered what he +thought to be three other islands; but it was afterwards found to be +only one, the high lands of which had, at a distance, given it the +appearance of separate islands. At a considerable distance beyond this +island, they saw another, which Aotourou told them was called +_Oumaitia_; that the natives of it were in alliance with the people of +Otaheite; that there was a girl on the island to whom he had a strong +attachment; and that if the Commodore would touch there, he would meet +with the same kind of necessaries, and the same hospitable treatment, as +he had experienced among his countrymen. + +Our circumnavigator, however, deaf to all these persuasive arguments, +held on his way, and lost sight of the island the same day. The +succeeding night proving remarkably fair, and the stars appearing with +unclouded lustre, Aotourou pointed out a constellation in the shoulder +of Orion, and expressed a wish, that the ship’s course might be directed +by it, in consequence of which they would, in two days time, arrive at a +fine island where he had a numerous acquaintance; and it was +conjectured, from his hints, that he had also a child there. As Mons. +Bougainville persisted in his resolution not to alter the ship’s course, +Aotourou became very uneasy, and endeavoured to persuade him to steer +for the desired port, by assuring him, that the island abounded in hogs, +fowls, fruits, and, what he seemed to think would be the most prevailing +argument, fine women, who were abundantly liberal of their favours. + +Mortified in a high degree that his reasons did not operate with the +Commodore, he ran to the steerage, and seizing the wheel of the helm, +tried to steer for his favourite isle, nor was it without great +difficulty on the part of the helm’s-man, and equal vexation on that of +the poor Indian, that he was prevented from carrying his design into +execution. + +Early on the following morning he climbed to the mast-head, where he +remained several hours, anxiously looking out for the spot which had so +much attracted his regard. + +On the preceding night he pointed out a great number of stars, and +informed Mons. Bougainville of their names in the language of Otaheite; +and it was afterwards certainly known, that this islander was not +unacquainted with the phases of the moon, and that he was learned in +those prognosticks, which evince an approaching change of the weather. +It likewise appeared, that his countrymen were not uninformed in this +kind of knowledge, so useful to people whose wants or curiosity +frequently carry them to sea, where they have no compass to direct their +course, except their own judgment, and the sight of the cœlestial +constellations. + +Mons. Bougainville confesses, that the natives of Otaheite are fully +convinced that the sun and moon are peopled; and he asks, “What +Fontenelle taught them the plurality of worlds?”--We will answer +him.--The omnipotent Creator of all worlds, who fills all space; whose +power gave birth, and whose presence gives life to nature, and who has +poured his bounties, with unsparing hand, on every part of his creation. + +Our historian having acknowledged, that these islanders are possessed of +such great and superior talents, has certainly no right to call, or to +deem, them _savages_. Is a man a savage because he happens to be born in +a different part of the world from us; because he is unacquainted with +the languages of Europe, and untaught in customs, which he could never, +from the locality of his situation, have an opportunity of learning? The +historians, and particularly the navigators of this quarter of the +globe, are very censurably fond of distinguishing, by the title of +savages, all those who are happy enough to be born in milder climates, +and to live and die, uninstructed in those arts of refinement, and +unskilled in that baseness of insincerity, which are at once the +characteristick, the boast, and the disgrace of the Christian world. + +The weather continued fine till the end of April, at which time the +principal pilot on board the Boudeuse died of an apoplectic fit. In the +beginning of the month of May, three islands were discovered at the +distance of ten or twelve leagues to the north-west; but these were +unknown to Aotourou, who imagined that it was Mons. Bougainville’s +country. The moon shone bright in the night, during which they kept +sight of the islands, and in the morning steered for the largest, the +eastern shore of which they coasted, and found it about nine miles in +length. + +The coasts of this island are remarkably steep, and, in fact, the whole +of it is little else than an enormous hill, cloathed with trees. Several +fires were seen on shore, a small number of houses covered with reeds, +under the shade of cocoa-nut trees, and more than twenty of the natives +running hastily along the coast. + +The two smaller islands were each about a mile and a half in length, and +separated from the larger one by an arm of the sea; in shape and +appearance they are very much like the former. + +The Commodore had given directions to steer between the islands, when a +boat, with five Indians in her, was observed coming off towards the +ship. She advanced very near, but, though every sign of friendly +invitation was made, not one of the natives would venture on board. They +had no kind of cloathing but a bandage round the waist; and as they +could not be prevailed on to come up the ship’s side, Aotourou stripped +himself, leaving on nothing more than what they wore, and addressed them +in the language of Otaheite; but they understood not a word of what he +said. + +As they held up some cocoa-nuts, and other vegetables, and seemed to +wish to barter them for some trinkets which were shewn them, Mons. +Bougainville ordered out one of the ship’s boats, with a view to visit +the strangers; but they no sooner learnt his intention, than they rowed +off with all possible expedition, and he did not think proper to follow +them. + +In a little time many other boats advanced towards the ships, some of +them rowed, and others sailing. These, less diffident than the former, +came close under the ship’s side, but none of the islanders would +venture on board. They exchanged pieces of an exquisitely fine shell, +yams, cocoa-nuts, and a water hen of most beautiful plumage, for small +pieces of red stuff; but they did not seem fond of earrings, knives, +nails, nor iron of any kind; which had been so eagerly coveted by the +inhabitants of Otaheite. One of these Indians brought a cock with him, +but he would not part with it on any terms. They had also some pieces of +cloth, of the same kind as that manufactured at Otaheite, but not of so +fine a fabrick, and died black, brown and red, but none of the colours +were good of their kinds. They were likewise possessed of a kind of wood +hardened by fire, lances, mats, and fish-hooks made of bones. + +Mons. Bougainville conjectures, from the features of these islanders, +that they are not of so amiable a disposition as the natives of +Otaheite; and he represents them as such dextrous thieves, that it was +almost impossible to guard against their depredations. + +These people are of the middle size, and exceedingly alert; they are of +a deep brown complexion, but one was seen among them who was much fairer +than any of the others; they had no beards, so that it was supposed they +were plucked out by the roots, and their hair, which was universally +black, stood almost erect on their heads; their thighs and breasts were +painted with a deep blue. + +Their boats are built in a most ingenious taste, and furnished with +out-riggers. The head and stern of the vessel are equally flat with its +sides, and over each is a small deck, in the center of which is a row of +wooden pegs, the tops of which are enclosed in a shell of the purest +white: the sail is formed of matting, and its shape triangular, being +extended by means of sticks. + +In these boats the islanders followed the French vessels to a +considerable distance out to sea, while several others, from the smaller +islands, joined the naval procession, and produced an effect that was +highly agreeable. In one of these last mentioned boats was an old woman, +remarkably distinguished by the singular ugliness of her features. + +As the weather now fell calm, the Commodore gave up, from an +apprehension of danger, his project of sailing between the islands, +though the breadth of the channel was more than four miles. They now +sailed, therefore, in the open sea, and on the evening of the same day, +the man at the mast-head had sight of other land, even while they were +yet in view, by the aid of a bright moon, of the islands they had lately +left. + +On the morning of the 5th it appeared, that the newly discovered land +was a most beautiful island, consisting of alternate mountains and +vallies, clothed with the richest verdure, and finely shadowed by the +spreading branches of the cocoa-nut, and a variety of other trees. Near +the westermost point of this island is a ledge of rocks, and the sea +breaks with violence on many parts of the coast, so that it would be +difficult to land, except in very few places. + +Many boats put off from the island, and sailed round the ships, though +they were then going at the rate of at least seven knots an hour. These +boats, however, one only excepted, would not venture near the ships; but +_that one_ went along-side, and her crew made signs for the French to +land, which they would have done, but the breakers rendered it +impossible. At this time the man at the mast-head observed a number of +the Indian boats sailing to the southward. + +On the following day another island was seen to the westward of the +ship’s course, in the neighbourhood of which were two smaller islands; +but none of these could be distinctly beheld, on account of some thick +fogs, which intercepted the view. + +The last mentioned islands are situated nearly where Tasman, the Dutch +navigator, has placed a number of islands which he discovered, and to +which he gave the names of Heemskirk, Prince William, Pylstaart, +Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The longitude of these islands corresponds +likewise, very nearly, with those which navigators have called Solomon’s +Isles; so that it is most probable they are the same. + +Mons. Bougainville conjectures, that the number of boats which were +observed sailing to the southward, is a vindication that there are other +islands at no great distance; and, indeed, this opinion seems to be +well-grounded. To all these lands the Commodore gave the general name of +the _Archipelago of the Navigators_. + +The writer of this work must be indulged for giving a hint, which +springs from the noblest of motives, the love of his country. It is +surely well worthy the consideration of the British ministry, whether it +might not be proper to send a fleet to discover and settle some of these +islands.--Who knows what future benefit might, from such a circumstance, +accrue to the first maritime and commercial state in the universe?--The +American colonies form the brightest gem in the British crown. The +colonies in the southern pacific ocean might, not improbably, constitute +a diadem of still superior lustre! + +On the morning of the 11th another island was discovered, which received +the name of the _Forlorn Hope_; but for what reason it is impossible to +guess. At a distance it had the appearance of two islands, but this +deception was occasioned by its shape, for it consisted of two hills, +joined by a low land, which could not be seen far out at sea. + +At this period, and for some days before and afterwards, the weather was +extremely unfavourable, the winds being adverse, and the rains and calms +alternate. Mons. Bougainville (on this circumstance) observes, that in +the ocean which has obtained the name of PACIFIC, the approach to land +is generally announced by violent tempests, which become still more +violent, in proportion as the moon decreases. The vicinity of islands is +generally foreboded by thick clouds at the horizon, and squally weather; +and the precautions necessary to be taken to prevent a vessel’s running +fowl of shoals, may be more easily conceived than described. In the +present instance it was impossible to proceed with the necessary degree +of caution; for the crew were in want of provisions, and water, in +particular, grew very scarce; so that they were obliged to take +advantage of every breeze of wind, both by night and day, and run all +hazards, for fear of starving. + +Thus situated, it may be presumed, that they thought themselves +sufficiently unhappy; but their distresses were aggravated by the +greater number of the crew of each ship being attacked by the scurvy, +which inflamed their mouths to such a degree, that they could scarcely +have swallowed those refreshments of which they stood much in need. Salt +beef, pork, and dried pulse, constituted the whole fare of those who +remained in health; for the sick, however, there were yet some few +articles of fresh provisions remaining. + +At this unfortunate juncture the disease, consequent on an illicit +commerce between the sexes, made its appearance, attended by all its +most disagreeable symptoms. Aotourou was so extremely ill of it, that +though seeming to despise its progress and its effects, he was obliged +to submit himself to the care of the Surgeons. Mons. Bougainville’s +words, on this occasion, are very remarkable. “In his (Aotourou’s) +country, this disease is but little minded. Columbus brought it from +America; here it is in an isle in the midst of the greatest ocean. Have +the English brought it thither? Or ought the physician to win, who laid +a wager, that if four healthy stout men were shut up with one healthy +woman, the venereal complaint would be the consequence of their +commerce?” + +Ungenerous Frenchman! Why this unjustifiable attack on the English? At +the time Mons. Bougainville wrote the narrative of his voyage, he knew +that some of his crew were infected with the malady in question, when +they landed at Otaheite; for, in a former part of his volume he has +said, that he did all in his power to prevent their communicating it to +the poor islanders. What becomes, too, of his wonder, how a disorder +should find its way to a little island in the pacific ocean, when he +knew that his own ship had carried it thither!--Whether Columbus brought +this pestilence from America or not, is, perhaps a question not easily +determined; nor, at this period, is it at all material: but one fact is +well known; that the French have plentifully distributed the contagion +through Europe, and it is not improbable, that they have likewise +carried it to every other quarter of the globe. + +This subject is rather of the indelicate kind; but we are necessarily +led into it; and may be indulged in one remark, that seems to arise +naturally from the preceding circumstances, and will, we trust, militate +on the side of virtue.--Providence, we conceive, wisely intended one man +for the associate of one woman, who should be the companion of his life, +the friend of his bosom, the partaker of his joys, the sharer of his +griefs, whose love for him should excite all his tenderness, and repay, +with interest, those toils and cares it gave rise to. Thus paired, thus +mutually giving and receiving happiness, the married state is indeed a +heaven on earth. Wedded love, the chaste, the holy, the conjugal tie, +will ensure as much happiness as is to be found in this sublunary world; +and trust, O reader, in the goodness of God for the future. To sum up +this remark, marriages are made in heaven; choose, ye ladies, with +prudence choose, the heart paired with your own; select ye, generous +youths, the amiable fair, whose eyes beam the gentle influence of love, +and whose heart feels the solid force of virtue; then be true to each +other, and bid defiance to contagion: so shall your days be happy, and +your children bless the parents to whom they owe the first of human +blessings, health of body, and of mind. + +The ships now steered a westerly course, and early on the morning of the +22d two islands were discovered, one of which received the name of +Aurora, from the early hour on which it was first seen, and the other +that of Whitsuntide Isle, from the day which gave birth to its being so +named. + +The track of the vessels was now so directed, as that they might have +passed between the two islands, but an unexpected calm prevented this +manœuvre. Proceeding to the northward of the first discovered island, a +rising land, in a conical form, was observed to bear north by west, +which received the name of the Peak of the Etoile. + +In the afternoon, mountainous lands, at thirty miles distance, were +seen, appearing, as it were, over and beyond the island of Aurora. + +On the twenty-third it was discovered, that the land last seen was a +separate island; the appearance of which was lofty, its descent steep, +and the whole cloathed with trees. A number of boats were seen coasting +the shore, but none of them approached the ships; smoke was seen issuing +from among the woods, but no habitation was observed. + +In the morning the Commodore dispatched three boats, well manned and +armed, to take in wood, and to learn the necessary particulars +respecting the country, while the ships guns were brought to bear on the +island, in order to protect the boats crews from any insult that might +be offered them by the natives. + +Mons. Bougainville himself went on shore in the afternoon, where he +found the good natured Indians assisting the French in carrying to the +boats a quantity of wood which had been cut. + +The information obtained from the officer commanding the boat’s crew +was, that on his first landing, the natives assembled on the shore, +armed with bows and arrows, intimating, by signs, that the strangers +must retreat. The French officer, however, gave directions for landing, +and while his people advanced, the islanders retreated, but with their +bows bent, and in an attitude of self-defence. At length, the crew were +ordered to halt, while the Prince of Nassau approached the Indians, who +no longer retreated when they saw only one person advancing. The Prince +having given them some remnants of red cloth, their esteem appeared to +be at once conciliated. + +The commanding officer now stationed himself at the entrance of a wood, +and sent out a party in search of refreshments, while another was +deputed to cut fire-wood. The natives now came forward, with an +appearance of friendship, and distributed some fruit among the seamen, +to whom they likewise gave some arrows, but refused to accept any thing +in exchange. Their numbers were considerable, and those who were not +armed with bows and arrows had provided themselves with stones, as +instruments of defence. + +These people intimated, that they were at war with the natives of a +different district on the island, and even while they were hinting this +circumstance, an armed party of Indians approached from the westward, +while the former appeared determined not to retreat from their enemies; +but the valour of the latter was rendered unnecessary to be exerted by +the want of present courage in the former. + +Matters were in this situation when Mons. Bougainville landed on the +island, where he remained till his boats were laden with the articles he +wanted. + +This being done, he took possession of the island, by the act of burying +at the foot of a tree an inscription, carved on an oak-plank; and then +he retreated to the ship. + +It was imagined, that this early retreat of the French prevented an +attack, which the islanders had meditated, as they seemed to be making +preparations for what they had not yet in their power to carry into +execution; but no sooner had the boats put off, than the islanders +hastened to the beach, and complimented them with a shower of arrows, +and a volley of stones; some of them even plunged into the waves, aiming +their fury at the supposed invaders, and hurling their vengeance on the +insolent strangers. When, at length, one of the seamen had been wounded +by a stone, a discharge of muskets drove the poor islanders to their +native woods, evidently wounded, from their cries and exclamations. + +Mons. Bougainville gives the following description of the natives of +this island, which he called the _Isle of Lepers_, from observing, that +many of the inhabitants were afflicted with the leprosy. Some of them +are mulatto’s, and others perfect negroes; their hair is woolly, and +generally black, but in some instances of a very light brown, +approaching to a yellow. Few women were seen among them, but those few +were equally disagreeable with the men, who are represented as low in +stature, ill-favoured, and disproportionably made. + +We will not deny the veracity of our historian; the works of Nature and +of Providence are astonishing. The God of creation is equally wise and +wonderful in all his works; but we must own, that it appears to be a +phenomenon, the existence of which surpasses the credulity of an English +reader, that black men should have (to use Mons. Bougainville’s own +words) hair “of a yellowish colour.” Of all historians, the +circumnavigators are fond of dealing in the marvellous. Our Commodore, +presuming that he had visited an island unapproached by any other +European Commander, has told us just what he pleased of the natives of +that island, and it is not in our power to contradict him. It would have +given weight to the testimony of our flippant French historian, if he +had brought to Paris one of these curious _Lusus Naturæ_, these +yellow-pated negroes. + +The ladies of this singular country carry their children in a bag of +cloth, slung at their backs. On these cloths there are elegant drawings +in a fine dye of crimson. The noses of the men are pierced and hung with +ornaments; and it is presumed, that they pluck their beards, as none of +them were observed to have any. They wear a bracelet on the arm, which +had the appearance of ivory, and pieces of tortoishells round their +necks. + +Clubs, stones, bows and arrows form the armour of these people; the +arrows are made of reeds pointed with bone. On the points of these bones +are inverted darts, which prevent the arrow being drawn without tearing +the flesh of the wounded person. The boats of these islanders bore a +strong resemblance to those of the Indians of the isle of Navigators; +but these vessels did not approach the ships so near, as to furnish the +French with an opportunity of giving a particular description of their +construction. + +Near the beach on which Mons. Bougainville landed, is a lofty hill, +extremely steep, yet cloathed with a super-abundance of verdure. The +vegetable productions of the Isle of Lepers, are far inferior to those +of Otaheite, owing, as is supposed, to the lightness of the soil, and +its want of depth. + +Figs, of a species not before known, were found in this country; and +several paths were seen cut through the woods, and inclosed by +pallisadoes about a yard in height. It was conjectured, that these +enclosures marked the boundaries of the landed property of different +persons. Half a dozen hovels only were seen, into which no person could +enter but on his hands and knees; yet the inhabitants were very +numerous, and it is supposed they must be very miserable, from the +perpetual wars among the natives of different districts on the island. + +Mons. Bougainville says, that the sound of a drum, harsh and dissonant +to the ear, was frequently heard in the wood near the top of the +above-mentioned hill; and this he imagines to have been a signal for the +Indians to rally their forces; for no sooner had the discharge of the +fire-arms dispersed the multitude, than this drum was immediately heard; +and when the islanders in enmity with the others appeared, the drum was +beat with suspended violence. + +Aotourou formed a very contemptible opinion of the inhabitants of the +Isle of Lepers, whose persons appeared indescribably odious in his eyes; +and of whose language he had not the slightest idea. + +On the 23d more land was discovered, which, on the 25th, was observed to +enclose almost all the horizon, so that the ships were surrounded in one +extensive gulph, while the coast of the newly-discovered country +contained many other gulphs, or large inlets, across which several boats +were observed rowing, from one shore to the other. + +The night of the 25th was spent in tacking, and in the morning it was +observed, that the currents had carried the ships several miles more to +the south than their reckoning. The number of isles now seen was so +great, that they could not be counted, nor could the end of these +extensive countries be discerned. + +Steering north-west by west, the land had a very beautiful aspect, being +diversified with fine trees, between spots of land that had the +appearance of being cultivated. Some parts of the mountains being +barren, and spotted in different places with a red earth, Mons. +Bougainville conjectures from that circumstance, that they contained +some mineral substances. + +A great inlet to the westward having been seen on the preceding day, the +ships now arrived in it, and saw a number of negro Indians on the south +coast of it, while others approached the vessels in their boats, but +when they came to about the distance of a musket shot, they would +advance no nearer, nor could any sign of invitation from the French +induce them to alter their resolution. + +The land on the north shore is of a moderate height, and cloathed with +trees. On this shore many negroes were seen, and several boats put off +towards the ships; but these, like the former, refused to come to board. + +At the distance of about eight miles from this spot, two islands were +seen, which formed the entrance of a fine bay, which the boats were sent +to examine, and after they had been gone a few hours, the sound of +muskets were heard, which made the Commodore very uneasy. On their +return in the evening it appeared, that one of them, in disobedience to +the orders of the Commander, had left her consort, and going near in +shore, the Indians discharged two arrows at the crew, which was returned +by the musquetry, and some larger guns. A projecting point of land +prevented the boat being seen from the ships; but the incessant firing +induced the Commodore to imagine, that she was engaged with a very large +number of the enemies boats, two of which she had certainly encountered. + +Preparations were making for dispatching the long-boat to her +assistance, when she was descried, coming round the above-mentioned +point of land. + +The lamentable cries of the poor Indians were now heard in the woods, to +which they had fled, from the rage of their enemies, and their drums +were incessantly beating.--We must now transcribe one passage from Mons. +Bougainville, because it is the _most humane_, and consequently _the +noblest_, in his whole narrative: “I immediately made signal to the boat +to come on board, and I took my measures to prevent our being +dishonoured for the future, by such an abuse of the superiority of our +power.” + +The country last mentioned consisted of a number of small islands, off +which there is tolerable good anchorage, but at such a distance from the +coast, that a ship could not cover any boats which should land, which, +as the islands are cloathed with thick woods, would be the more +necessary. + +These Indians went naked, and, except a bandage round the waist, wore +the same kind of ornaments as those on the island of Lepers, whom they +resembled in all respects, except not being quite so black; and the +productions of the island were likewise the same.--The Commodore very +properly declined any attempt to trade with these people, whom he could +not suppose would barter their effects with those, from whom they had +received such essential injuries. + +On the morning of the 27th they again sailed, and, in a few hours, had +sight of a fine plantation of trees, between which there were regular +walks, resembling those of an European garden. Many of the natives were +seen near this spot, and as an inlet was observed at no small distance, +the Commodore ordered the boats to be hoisted out but they found that it +was impracticable to land. + +The ships now quitted the great cluster of islands they had lately +visited, which received the general name of _Archipelago of the great +Cyclades_, which, it is conjectured, occupies no less than three degrees +of latitude, and five of longitude. Mons. Bougainville says, that these +islands are not the same that Quiros called _Tierra Austral del Espiritu +Santo_; but that Roggewein saw the northern extremity of them, which he +denominated _Groningen_, and _Thienhoven_. + +Our author now recites a very singular fact. On board the store-ship was +a person reported to be a woman, which was almost confirmed by her want +of beard, her voice, and her shape. The Commodore going on board the +Etoile, enquired into the fact; when the party confessed her sex, while +floods of tears streamed down her face. + +Her story is extraordinary.--Born in Burgundy, and left an Orphan, she +was ruined by the fatal issue of a law-suit: on which she resolved to +drop the habit of her sex, and served a gentleman at Paris; but hearing +of Mons. Bougainville’s intended expedition round the world, she +repaired to Rochefort, where, just before the ships embarked, she +entered into the service of Mons. de Commerçon, who went out with a view +of encreasing his botanical knowledge. She followed her master, with +astonishing courage and resolution, through deep snows, to the hoary +tops of the mountains in the streight of Magellan, carrying loads of +herbs, plants, arms and provisions, with unspeakable courage, and +unwearied toil. + +While our adventurers were at Otaheite, the men of that island flocked +round our heroine, and exclaiming, “this is a woman!” would certainly +have treated her as such, but that an officer rescued her from their +hands, and ordered her to be delivered, unviolated on board the ship. + +Mons. Bougainville observes, that this is the first woman that ever +circumnavigated the globe, and remarks on the singularity of her +situation, if the ships should have been wrecked on some desert isle in +the great ocean. The name of this extraordinary woman is Baré; and she +is as celebrated for her chastity as her courage. + +On the night between the fourth and fifth of June some breakers were +seen at half a league’s distance, by the light of the moon. In the +morning it appeared to be a low flat sandy isle, abounding in birds, +which received the name of the _Shoal of Diana_. + +About this period several species of fruit, and some pieces of wood, +floated by the ship; and a kind of flying fish was seen, larger than the +common sort, the body of which was black, and the wings red. + +A sand bank was discovered on the 6th, on which the sea broke violently, +and the tops of rocks were seen at intermediate spaces. “This last +discovery (says our author) was the voice of God, and we were obedient +to it.”--They therefore spent the night in making short tacks in that +part of the sea with which they were previously acquainted. + +At this time the salt provisions on board were become so putrid, that it +was almost impossible for men, even on the point of starving, to swallow +them; and therefore the rats were industriously sought after, and eaten +in preference to it. The remaining peas would serve only forty days, and +the bread two months; so that it became highly necessary to think of +steering to the northward. + +On the 10th, before day-break, an agreeable fragrancy impregnated the +air, announcing that land was near; and it was accordingly discovered +before sun-rising. This is described as a most delicious country, +divided, near the sea coast, into groves and plains, behind which the +land rises, in the form of amphitheatre, till the tops of the mountains +are lost in the clouds. The most lofty of three chain of mountains was +seen above seventy miles in-land. The whole country appeared to be rich +and fertile, but the deplorable situation to which the ship’s companies +were reduced, would not admit of their staying to take a more accurate +survey of it. + +On the 10th a prodigious swell from the south-east drove the ships +violently towards land, and they were soon within about two miles of it; +and the night was passed in this dangerous situation, taking advantage +of every slight breeze to clear the shore. A number of boats were now +seen coasting the island, on many parts of which fires were observed. A +turtle was found here in the belly of a shark. + +For several successive days there was so thick a fog, that the Boudeuse +was obliged to fire frequent guns to keep company with the Etoile, on +board of which were a part of their provisions. + +Several shell fish, called cornets, leaped into the ship in the night, +and as it is known of these fish, that they are accustomed to keep at +the bottom of the sea, it is evident, that the ships must have been in +very shallow water. + +On the 16th the weather became fine, and on the following day several +islands were discovered, one of which was called Ushant, from its +similitude to the island of that name. + +By this time our voyagers were reduced to very great extremities. The +allowance of bread and pease was considerably reduced; and a fear of the +consequences that might arise, obliged the Commodore to forbid the +eating of leather. There was yet on board a she-goat, which had been +brought from Falkland’s Islands; she yielded milk daily, but this was +insufficient to save her life: the starving crew demanded the victim, +and the butcher, who had hitherto been her feeder, wept as he plunged +the murderous knife in the breast of his favourite. Soon after this a +dog, which had been put on board at the streights of Magellan, fell a +sacrifice to the dire demands of hunger. + +On the 18th not less than nine or ten islands were discovered, and on +the 20th a still farther number. Our navigators now struggled at once +with a variety of inconveniences, occasioned by foul ships, damaged +rigging, crazy masts, and tempestuous weather. + +On the 25th high land was discovered, which appeared to terminate in a +cape, which they doubled with a degree of transport that may be more +easily conceived than described, as it was the point they had wished for +a sight of, from a certainty that it would enable them to quit for ever +the archipelago of islands, amidst which they had been so long in hourly +danger of shipwreck or starving. This cape was called _Cape +Deliverance_, and the name of the _Gulph of the Louisiade_, was given to +a bay, of which the Cape forms the eastermost point. + +North of Cape Deliverance about sixty leagues land was discovered, which +proved to be two small islands; and, two days afterwards, an officer was +sent to examine several creeks, in the hope of finding anchorage, while +the ships sailed slowly after the boats, ready to join them on the first +signal. + +The natives now advanced towards the ship in several boats, carrying +from two or three, to upwards of twenty men each. + +These boats had no outriggers, and their crews were as black as the +negroes on the coast of Guinea. Some of them had reddish hair, and that +of all of them was long and curled. They wore white ornaments on their +foreheads and necks, and were armed with lances and bows; they kept an +almost continual shouting, and seemed rather inclined for war than +peace. + +When the boats returned on board, the officer reported, that the sea +broke on all parts of the coast, that he had found only one small river, +that the land is every where covered with wood, and that the mountains +run down close to the sea-shore. + +The natives dwell on the mountains, but they have a few huts on the +banks of some of the small creeks.--Some of them followed one of the +ship’s boats, and seemed almost resolved on an attack; and one of the +Indians repeatedly put himself in an attitude to have thrown his lance; +but he desisted from his purpose, and no mischief was done. + +Mons. Bougainville says, that he was now advanced too far to return; but +that he hoped to find a passage, though the weather was so foggy that he +could not discern any object at the distance of more than two leagues. + +In the morning of the 1st of July, the ships were just in the station +they had quitted the preceding night, having been impelled forward, and +driven back, by the tides. + +Nothing remarkable happened but the discovery of a _Race_, in the middle +of a passage, to which was given the name of _Dennis’s Race_, from that +of the master of the Boudeuse. + +A race is a part of any channel or streight, where there are opposing +tides, or a rapid and dangerous current; and such are even sometimes met +with in the open seas. + +Boats were now sent to find anchorage in a fine bay; and the account of +their expedition is as follows.--That a number of Indian boats, in which +were a hundred and fifty of the natives, armed with shields, lances, and +bows, came from the banks of a rivulet on which their habitations were +situated, and rowed hastily towards the French boats, which they +surrounded, and, with hideous outcries, began the attack with their bows +and lances. The French discharged their muskets; but the natives +covering themselves with their shields, the fight continued, till a +second firing terrified them so, that they made a hasty retreat, some of +them swimming on shore. + +Two of their boats were taken, on the stern of which was the figure of a +man’s head with a long beard, the eyes being mother-of-pearl, the ears +tortoiseshell, and the lips were dyed a bright red. Exclusive of their +weapons and utensils, there were found in their boats cocoa-nuts, and +several fruits, the species of which were not known, the jaw of a man, +half broiled, and various other things. + +The natives of this coast are negroes, whose hair curls naturally, and +they have a method of colouring it yellow, red, and white. Their +cloathing consists only of a piece of matting round the waist. This +river received the name of _Warrior’s River_, and the whole spot, that +of the _Isle and Bay of Choiseul_. + +Two days afterwards a cape was discovered, which was called _Cape +L’Averdi_, on which were mountains of an astonishing height. On the 4th +other mountainous land was discovered, from which came off five or six +Indians, and, after lying on their oars some time, they accepted some +trifles which were thrown to them. They now exhibited some cocoa-nuts, +saying, _bouca, bouca, onelle!_ and seemed greatly pleased when the +French repeated them. They then intimated, that they would fetch some +cocoa-nuts, but they had scarcely left the ship’s side, when one of them +discharged an arrow, by which, however, no person was wounded. + +The people were altogether naked, had long ears, bored, and curled short +hair, which some of them had dyed red, and they had also white spots on +their bodies. Their teeth were red, probably from the chewing of betel. + +This island, which was named _Bouka_, appeared to be cultivated, and, +from the number of huts that were seen, it probably abounds with +inhabitants.--The cocoa-nut, and other trees, dispersed over a beautiful +plain, was a sufficient temptation for landing; but the rapidity of the +current prevented the possibility of it. + +Two more islands were seen on the 5th, and, as the wood and water were +expended, and disease reigning aboard, the Commodore resolved to land +here, and, on the following afternoon, the ships came to an anchor. The +casks were sent on shore, and tents erected for the sick, on a +commodious spot, where there were four rivulets near together, and where +wood for the carpenters and joiners use, as well as for burning, was +very plenty; there were no inhabitants near the place, so that the sick +had an opportunity of ranging the woods, fearless of any attack from the +natives, and every thing seemed to conspire to render this spot the most +eligible imaginable; but there was one great inconvenience, no fruit +could be found. + +Two huts were discovered on the bank of a rivulet, not far from the +encampment, and a boat, near which were seen the remains of fires, some +calcined shells, and the skeletons of some animals heads, which were +taken for those of the wild boar. Some fresh bananas were found, which +proves, that the natives had but lately left the place. + +This island produces a large, blue crested pigeon, which has so +plaintive a note, that the seamen mistook it for the cries of men +towards the mountains. + +Mons. Bougainville now relates an extraordinary incident. A seaman being +looking for shells, found a plate of lead buried in the sand, on which +the following letters were very visible. + + HOR’D HERE + ICK MAJESTY’s + +The mark of the nails with which the lead had been fastened appeared; +and it is plain, that the natives must have torn off the plate and +broken it. + +This circumstance gave rise to a diligent search, and, at about six +miles from the watering-place, the very spot was found where the English +had formed their encampment. Several trees were seen which had been +felled, and others which were sawn in pieces. A very large and +conspicuous tree was found, on which the inscription had been nailed; it +stood in the midst of a spacious place, and it appeared, that the plate +had been pulled down but a very short time. There were other trees, to +which the ends of ropes were fastened. One of the trees which had been +cut down had put forth fresh twigs, apparently of the growth of four +months. Mons. Bougainville mentions it as a very singular circumstance, +that, amidst so many islands, he should happen to land on that so lately +visited by a rival nation! + +Diligent search was now made for food and refreshments, but almost in +vain; for nothing could be found but a few cabbage-trees, and +thatch-palms. No fish could be catched, and, though a few wild boars +were seen, not one of them was taken. A small number of pigeons were +indeed shot, the feathers of which were of green and gold. + +It will be needless to mention the other products of this island, as the +reader has already had an account of them in the narrative of the +English voyages. + +No time was now lost in the necessary repairs of the ships; and an equal +division was made of the provisions, which now began to run extremely +short. A third part of the late allowance of pease was taken off. From +the Commodore to the lowest person on board, all fared alike: their +situation, like death, banished all distinction. + +On the 13th there was an eclipse of the sun, which was clearly seen, and +the proper astronomical and nautical remarks made on it. The name of +_Port Praslin_ was given to this harbour, an inscription having been +first buried under the spot where the eclipse had been observed. + +The Etoile being a light vessel, and there being no stones to ballast +her, after the provisions had been taken out, this important business +was necessarily performed with wood; a fatiguing and unwholesome task, +in so damp a country. + +An insect of a most wonderful texture was found on this island, the body +and wings of which appeared so much like the leaf of a tree, as scarcely +to be distinguished from it, even on a nice inspection. When the wings +are extended, each forms the half of a leaf, and when they are closed it +is entire. The upper side of the body is of a brighter hue than the +under parts; and it has six legs, the upper joints of which resemble +parts of leaves. This curiosity was preserved in spirits, and is in the +cabinet of the French King. + +A sailor who was hauling the fishing-net, in search of a scarce fish +called the hammer-oyster, having been bit by a snake, whose bite is +poisonous, was cured in a few hours by a profuse perspiration, produced +by taking flower-de-luce water and treacle. + +Aotourou having remarked the progress of the cure, intimated, that at +Otaheite there were sea-snakes, whose bite is mortal in every instance. + +On the 22d repeated shocks of an earthquake were felt for about two +minutes. The sea rose and fell several times, so that the concussions +were felt on board the ships. + +Notwithstanding the extreme bad weather which prevailed, the crews, +divided into separate parties, went to the woods every day, in hopes to +shoot some turtle-doves, and gather cabbage-trees and thatch-palms; but +it generally happened, that they returned without any success, and wet +to the skin. At length, however, they found some mangle apples, and a +kind of pruens; but too late to be of much service, as they were now on +the point of departure. A kind of ivy was successfully applied in the +cure of the scurvy. + +An immense cascade was seen, falling from numerous rocks into a hundred +basons of water, and at once shaded and adorned by stately trees, some +of which grow even in the reservoirs, is recommended by Mons. +Bougainville as a subject fit to exercise the fancy of the boldest +painter--Why did not his limner make a drawing of it? + +The situation of the ships companies now became so dreadful, that no +more time could be lost.--In the afternoon of the 24th a favourable +breeze enabled the ships to get out to sea. + +Mons. Bougainville remarks, that this country must be NEW BRITAIN, and +that the great bay must be the same which Dampier calls St. George’s +Bay; but that he had the happiness to land on a part of it where his +wants could be supplied by the inhabitants. + +A succession of islands having been seen in the offing, Mons. +Bougainville named them after the officers.--The field-tents were now +cut up, to make trowsers for the seamen, who had been repeatedly clothed +during the voyage, to enable them to sustain the inclemencies of so many +different climates. But the last change of cloathing was now delivered +out, and at this period an ounce of bread was deducted from their scanty +allowance. Their salt provisions were now so bad, as to be nauseous in a +high degree; yet their starving situation impelled them to feed on them; +but even at this melancholy period, no one yielded himself a prey to +melancholy. The sailors, influenced by the example of the officers, +employed every evening in dancing, dispelling, by their mirth, some of +the pangs of hunger.--Happy Frenchmen! who could be thus mirthful, in +the jaws of apparent destruction! + +New Britain continued in sight till the beginning of August, when the +ships being nearer the land than they had been before, several Indian +boats came off, the crews of which were negroes, with woolly heads, +which they had covered with white powder. They are tall and active, and +wore no other cloaths than leaves round the middle. They held out +something that had the appearance of bread, and invited the French to +land; but they refused to enter the ships, though an attempt was made to +conciliate their friendship, by presents of some pieces of stuff. They +accepted what was given, and threw a stone from a sling in return; +instantly retreating, with loud vociferations. + +On the following day a larger number assembled along side the Boudeuse; +a person, who had the appearance of authority, carried a red staff, +knobbed at each end, in his hand. On approaching the ship, he held his +hands over his head for a considerable time. The hair of these negroes +was painted red; some of them were adorned with feathers, ear-rings made +of the seed of some herb, or circular plates depending from their necks; +others had the nose pierced, and rings ran through it; but the general +ornament was a bracelet made of the half of a shell. The French were +anxious to conciliate the esteem of these people, but in vain; they +eagerly grasped at whatever was given them, but would make no present in +return. The roots of a few yams were all that could be obtained from +them. Two of their boats being observed approaching in the night, a +rocket was fired, on which they instantly rowed off. + +On the 31st a number of Indian boats attacked the Etoile with a volley +of stones and arrows; but a single discharge of the musquetry got rid +for ever of these troublesome companions. + +On the 4th of August two islands were seen, which are conjectured to be +the same which Dampier distinguishes by the name of _Matthias_ and +_Stormy_, or _Squally_, Island. On the 5th a third island was seen, and +then the northern point of New Britain, which lies only forty one +minutes south of the land. + +On the 7th a flat island was seen, covered with trees, abounding with +cocoa-nuts, and certainly well inhabited, as appeared from the great +number of houses that were seen on the shore. Fishing-boats in +multitudes surrounded the island; but the fishermen took no notice of +the ships. This received the name of the _Isle of Anchorets_. On the +following day a prodigious number of small islands was seen, when Mons. +Bougainville having escaped the most imminent dangers, in the endeavour +to double this chain of islands, at length happily effected his point, +in consequence of a breeze which still freshened with the rising sun. + +He now continued to range the coast till he came within sight of two +lofty peaks, to which he gave the name of the two Cyclops. On the 15th +two high mountains were discovered on the continent, and two small +islands near them. + +On the 23d two other islands being discovered, an attempt was made to +land, in the hope of obtaining refreshments; but this was found +impracticable, but by the boats, the Commanding officer of which +reported, that the islands were totally uninhabited, and that no fruits +grew which were fit to be eaten. + +This day the ships crews were twice alarmed; the first time with a +report from aloft, that a range of breakers were seen a-head; but this +proved to be only the rippling of a strong tide; the second alarm was +from the fore-castle, where it was declared, that the bottom of the sea +was visible under the ship’s way. This shoal was perceived by the crew +of the Etoile, but was easily escaped by both the ships. Monsieur Denys, +first Master of the Boudeuse, died this day of the scurvy, to the +infinite regret of the whole ship’s company. At this time upwards of +forty persons were ill of the same disorder, the progress of which was +stopped by the plentiful use of wine and lemonade. + +It was now thought necessary to stear a southerly course, in order to +get clear of the islands by which they were surrounded. None of these +islands appeared to be inhabited, though all of them were cloathed with +verdure. During the following night they sailed out of this labyrinth, +through a channel about three leagues in breadth. Early in the morning +they doubled the southernmost of a number of small islands on each side +of this channel, which was denominated the _French Passage_. On the +26th, in the morning, they passed the meridian for the fifth time, and +early the next day had sight of a small island to the south-east; they +likewise saw a steep hill, remarkably high, to which they gave the name +of _Big Thomas_; near which are three small islands. + +They had sight of several islands on the 27th and 28th, when Mons. +Bougainville gave orders for a boat belonging to the Etoile to steer to +the south-westernmost of these isles in search of anchorage, and to +enquire if they produced any thing worthy of notice. The boat having +landed on two islands, which neither produced any fruits, nor appeared +to be cultivated, and indicated no signs of being inhabited, the ship +was on the point of returning, when an Indian rowed up to the ship’s +boat, without expressing the least sign of fear or astonishment. The +Frenchmen intimated, that they wanted food and liquor; on which he +presented them with a kind of meal, and some water; in return for which +they gave him a looking-glass, a handkerchief, and some other trifles, +which he received with indifference, and laughed at the donors. It was +conjectured, that this negroe had deserted from one of the adjacent +islands which have been settled by the Dutch. The number of them were +formerly seven, but they are now reduced to five by earthquakes. The +crew of the Boudeuse took a turtle on this spot of not less than two +hundred weight. + +Early in the morning of the 31st our voyagers had sight of the island of +Ceram, which runs in a parallel east and west, abounds in lofty +mountains, and is partly cleared, and partly in its original state. A +great number of fires were seen on this island, which seem to intimate +that it is well peopled. Early in the morning, on the first of +September, our adventurers found themselves at the entrance of a bay, on +the banks of which they beheld a number of fires; they soon observed two +boats under sail, constructed on the plan of those of Malay. A Dutch +pendant was now hoisted, and a gun fired but the Commodore confesses his +error in this procedure, as the people at Ceram are at variance with the +Dutch, whom they have almost totally routed from their island. Mons. +Bougainville having been thus unsuccessful, through mistake, returned +from the bay, and employed the rest of the day in plying between the +islands _Bonao_, _Kelang_, and _Manepo_. + +Some time before midnight, a number of fires attracted their attention +to the island of Boero, where there is a Dutch factory, well provided +with the necessary refreshments. + +The above-mentioned Dutch factory is at the entrance of the Gulph of +_Cajeli_, which the French had sight of at day-break. Their joy on this +occasion is not to be expressed; for at this time not half of the seamen +were able to perform any duty; and the scurvy had raged so violently, +that no man on board was perfectly clear of it. What few provisions were +on board were absolutely rotten, and stunk intolerably. + +Thus circumstanced, their change of situation must have been rapturous +indeed! From midnight the fragrant breeze had wafted the aromatic +flavour of the plants, which abound in the Moluccas. “The aspect (says +our author) of a pretty large town, situated in the bottom of a gulph, +of ships at anchor there, and cattle rambling through the meadows, +caused transports which I have doubtless felt, but which I cannot here +describe.” Our Commodore hoisted Dutch colours, and fired a gun; but +though several boats were sailing in the bay, none of them came +along-side. In a few hours a periagua, rowed by Indians, advanced +towards the ship, and the commanding officer enquired in Dutch who they +were; but refused to go on board. Mons. Bougainville, however, proceeded +under all his sails, and in the afternoon came to an anchor opposite the +factory. + +Two Dutch soldiers, one of whom spoke French, now came on board the +Boudeuse, demanding the reason of the Commodore’s entering that port, +when he must know that the ships of the Dutch East India Company had an +exclusive right to that privilege. He was answered, in brief, that +necessity was the motive; that hunger must preclude the force of +treaties, and that they would depart as soon as their wants were +supplied. + +The soldiers soon returned with the copy of an order from the Governor +of Amboyna, who presides over the Resident at Boero, forbidding him to +admit foreign ships into that port. The Resident, therefore, entreated +Mons. Bougainville to declare, in writing, the cause of his putting in +there; that he might transmit such declaration to the Governor of +Amboyna, in justification of his own conduct. + +This request being complied with, all difficulties were at an end; the +Resident having performed his duty as a servant of the Company, was +anxious to discharge the superior duties of humanity. The Commodore and +his Officers visited him on shore, were received in the most friendly +manner, and accepted his invitation to supper. + +The Resident and his company beheld with equal pleasure and surprize the +effects that hunger had on the appetites of the guests; nor were they +willing to eat themselves, least they should deprive their now too happy +visitants of their full share of their repast. Mons. Bougainville +confesses, that he was supremely happy, because he had previously sent +on board what would be an equal feast to both the ships companies. A +contract was now made, that, while the ships should remain in that +harbour, venison should be daily supplied to the crews, that eighteen +oxen, a number of sheep and poultry, and a quantity of rice (to supply +the place of bread) should be put on board. The Resident was likewise +obliging enough to furnish the sick with a quantity of pulse from the +Company’s garden; but much could not be obtained, as it is not generally +cultivated on the island. + +The sick were now brought on shore, and the majority of the seamen were +likewise indulged in walking about for their health and pleasure. The +Commodore hired the slaves belonging to the Company to fill the water +casks, and to carry the several necessaries on board. + +Mons. Bougainville and his officers were gratified with the pleasure of +stag hunting, and he mentions the deer of this country as most exquisite +food. The Dutch originally transported them hither. This island is +described as a delightful composition of woods, hills, plains, and +well-watered vallies. + +The town of Cajeli, and about fourteen Indian dwellings, formed the +Dutch settlement. A stone fort, which the Dutch had originally erected, +was accidentally blown up in the year 1689; since which time it has no +enclosure but that of palisadoes, with a battery of six small cannons. +About fifty white people are all that reside on the island, of whom a +Serjeant and twenty-five men, commanded by the Resident, form a part. +The negroes who reside in the interior parts of the country subsist by +the cultivation of rice. + +The _Moors_ and the _Alfourians_ are the genuine natives of this +country; the former are protected by the Dutch factory, who endeavour to +inspire them with the dread of all foreigners. These people are +principally kept in awe by the influence of their own Chiefs, for whom +the Dutch Resident professes a sincere regard. Dutch policy, in this, as +in all their other settlements, is the same; by fomenting a jealousy +among the Chiefs of their respective dependants, a plot is no sooner +formed by one Chief, than it is revealed by another. The natives of +Boero are not treated as slaves by the Dutch; their slaves being +procured from the islands of Ceram, or Celebes. + +Unlimited freedom and independence appear to reign among the Alfourians, +who, residing on the mountains in the interior parts of the island +subsist on the produce of their hunting, with fruits and sago. It is +presumed they are not Mahometans, because they eat swines flesh. The +principal people among the Alfourians pay occasional visits to the Dutch +Resident; “they would do as well (says our author) to stay at home.” + +The chief products of this island are various kinds of wood, +particularly black and white ebony; and there is a fine plantation of +pepper. The fruits are pine-apples, citrons, lemons, bitter oranges, +shaddocks, bananas and cocoa-nuts. Very good barley is likewise a +produce of this country. + +Parrots, and a variety of other birds, many of them extremely beautiful, +abound in the woods. There is likewise the wild cat, whose bag under the +belly serves for the conveyance of its young. Bats, and serpents of an +enormous size, the latter of which are said to have a swallow capacious +enough for the reception of a whole sheep. There is a snake too, which, +posting itself on the trees, darts into the eye of the passenger who +happens to look up, and the bite of this animal is certain death. + +Crocodiles of an astonishing size reside on the banks of the rivers, +devouring such beasts as fall in their way; and men are only protected +from their fury by carrying torches in their hands. Mons. Bougainville +asserts, that these crocodiles, which roam for prey in the night, have +been even known to seize people in their boats. + +The name of the Resident at Buero is Ouman; he is by birth a Batavian, +and is married to a native of Amboyna. He lives in great elegance and +splendour, and is attended by no less than a hundred slaves. Mons. +Bougainville speaks of his politeness and hospitality in very high +terms. After having twice regaled the French Officers in the ceremonious +way, he bid adieu to all set forms, but his house was constantly open to +them, as their own; they always found good viands and liquors, and our +author thinks this was no inconsiderable degree of civility to persons +who had so lately been on the point of starving. + +The Resident’s house is constructed in the Chinese taste, in the middle +of a garden, which is intersected by a river: the house itself is a +handsome building, and it is elegantly furnished. Its approach is +through an avenue of trees, which are planted down to the sea-side. The +wife and daughter were habited in the Chinese manner, and were no way +deficient in the essential requisites of good breeding. Their chief +employment consists in making nosegays, and selecting flowers proper for +distillation. + +The astonishment of Aotourou, at this first sight of an European +settlement, may be more easily conceived than described. He regarded +every object with an intenseness of curiosity scarcely to be satisfied; +but he was particularly charmed with the hospitality of the Dutch. He +supposed every thing freely given, as he did not see any thing returned +by way of barter. Mons. Bougainville says, that he behaved sensibly with +respect to the Dutch, to whom he intimated the consequence he was of in +his own country, and that his present voyage was merely pleasurable with +friends whom he esteemed. His constant practice was to imitate the +manners of the French, both in their visits, and in their rural +amusements. The knees of this Indian being distorted, he attributed, to +that circumstance, his not being taken with the Commodore on his first +visit to the Resident, and actually desired some of the seamen to press +their weight on his knees, to make them strait.--This, surely, is no +great proof of that good sense which Mons. Bougainville has frequently +hinted that Aotourou was possessed of!--This islander would frequently +enquire if Paris was as grand a place as Boero. + +Though the French were only six days on shore, the healthful air of the +place had so far recovered the sick, that, by the help of the +refreshments now ready to be put on board, it was very possible to +perfect the cure at sea. + +The sick people were conveyed to the ships in the morning of the 7th, +and before evening every one was on board, in expectation of the land +breeze, by which, after much difficulty in weighing the anchor, they +were enabled to sail about an hour before midnight, and got clear of the +gulph of Cajeli before morning. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a recital of the incidents which +occurred during his passage from Boero to Batavia, in which we shall +trace him with all necessary exactness. + +Having coasted the island of Boero, the isles of Manipa and Kilang were +seen on the morning of the 8th, and on the 9th they had sight of the +island of Xullabessic, where the Dutch have a factory, named +_Cleverblad_, that is, the Clover-leaf. There is a garrison, consisting +of twenty-five men, under the discipline of a Serjeant, and commanded by +a person who holds no higher rank than book-keeper to the Dutch East +India Company. + +On the 10th the Commodore buried his taylor, who fell a sacrifice to the +scurvy, encreased, when on the point of cure, by an excessive drinking +of brandy. + +On the morning of the 11th they had sight of the island of Wawoni, and +in a few hours saw that of Button, the streights of which they entered +on the following day, and observed a vessel of a square form, ranging +the shore, and towing a periagua. The French ships were no sooner +observed by this vessel, than she furled her sail, and concealed herself +behind a small island. A French seaman, whom Mons. Bougainville had +engaged at Boero, said, that the vessel in question was manned by a set +of Indian pirates, who made a practice of taking prisoners, in order to +sell them. + +In the afternoon the ships sailed by a beautiful port on the coast of +Celebes, the view of which land is delightfully variegated by mountains, +hills, and vallies, and clothed with an exuberance of verdure. In a few +hours afterwards the island of Pangasani was in sight, to the northward +of which appeared the highest mountains of Celebes. Pangasani is a flat +island, abounding in trees, and our author conjectures, that it produces +spices; it is, however, certain, that it is well inhabited, from the +number of fires that were seen on it during the night. + +On the morning of the 13th the ships were surrounded with Indian boats, +bringing parroquets, cockatoes, fowls, eggs, and bananas, which the +natives sold for Dutch money, or exchanged for knives. These people were +inhabitants of a considerable district on the mountains of Button, +opposite the place where the ships lay at anchor. On this spot the land +is cleared and cultivated, the property of different persons, being +divided by ditches. Some of the fields are enclosed by hedges, and there +are houses in these fields; besides which there are several villages. + +The produce of the country consists in potatoes, yams, rice, maize, &c. +and the bananas are deemed as good as in any part of the world. +Pine-apples, mangle apples, cocoa-nuts, and citrons, are very plentiful. +The natives are of a brown complexion, ordinary features, and of low +stature. They profess the Mahometan faith, and speak the language common +in the Molucca isles. They are very honest, though expert traders.--They +offered Mons. Bougainville some pieces of coarse cotton cloth; but he +does not say whether he dealt with them or not; he asked them for some +nutmegs, which they said they procured from the island of Ceram, and in +the neighbourhood of Banda; and his remark is, that the Dutch cannot +supply them from those places. + +Our author describes the coast of Pangasani as rising in the form of an +amphitheatre, from the level of the coast, which he imagines is +frequently overflowed, because the dwellings of the natives were +observed to be situated on the slope of the hills. The people of Button +consider the inhabitants of Pangasani as pirates, and each party is +provided against the attacks of the other by a dagger, which is always +worn, stuck in the girdle. + +The ships sailed on the morning of the 14th, but coming to an anchor in +a few hours afterwards, a number of periaguas surrounded the Boudeuse, +one of which hoisting Dutch colours, the rest retreated, that she might +come along side. It appeared, that in this boat was one of the Chiefs of +the country, to whom alone the Dutch permit the distinction of carrying +their colours. + +Our Commodore sailed again on the 15th, and in the afternoon of that day +dispatched his barge after a boat which was seen in a large bay, with a +view to procure a pilot; and the boat readily came, having an Indian on +board, who, for thirteen shillings, readily engaged in the pilotage: but +his intended services were rendered unnecessary, by the sun happening to +shine with great lustre on a spot which directed their passing out of +the channel. + +As opposing winds and tides now obliged the ships to come to an anchor, +the periaguas came off in great numbers, bringing pieces of cotton, +articles of curiosity, and variety of refreshments. At the approach of +evening the ships got clear of the narrow pass, and anchored in Bouton +Bay. + +Mons. Bougainville gives an animated description of the passage he had +just cleared. The coast of Button abounds in enclosures proper for the +catching fish, while the rising grounds are bespread with habitations. +The opposite shore is perpendicular; and after passing the galley, both +sides are steep, hanging in some places over the channel. “One would +think (says our author,) that the god of the sea had opened a passage +here for the swelled waters, by a stroke of his trident.”--Might he not +as well have said, that the great God of Nature is equally wise and +wonderful in all his works?--The coast of Pangasani has two or three +houses on it, though it is little else than a solid rock, yet well +cloathed with trees. + +The Indian pilot above-mentioned gave the best instructions in his +power, respecting the mode of passing this gut; but he appeared totally +unskilled in the European art of navigation. Another Indian, supposed to +be the pilot’s father, went on board the Boudeuse in the morning, and +remained till the evening. They both drank plentifully of brandy, but +would eat only bananas and chew betel, absolutely refusing to taste of +the ship’s provisions. + +On the morning of the 17th, while the ships were under sail, the Indians +came off in great numbers, bringing fruit, poultry, and eggs, which they +sold so reasonably, that even the common seamen could possess themselves +of those refreshments, in very great abundance, so that both the ships +had the appearance of large poulterers shops, and capital fruiterers +warehouses on a market day. + +This morning five of the _Orencaies_, or Chiefs of Button, came off in a +boat of the European form, with Dutch colours hoisted at its poop. These +people were dressed in jackets and long breeches, with turbans, and each +of them had a silver-headed cane, with the Company’s marks on it. They +gave Mons. Bougainville a Roe-buck, and received in return, each a +quantity of silk stuffs. They paid many compliments to the French +nation, freely drinking the health of his most Christian Majesty, and +the king of Button, so freely, indeed, that they were, at length, +obliged to be helped down the ship’s side into their boats. + +The Commodore enquired of the Orencaies, whether any spices grew on the +island of Button; to which they replied in the negative, and were easily +credited, on account of the weakness of the Dutch settlement, which is +nothing more than a few huts, built of the Bamboo cane, and enclosed +with pallisadoes. The whole guard, on the part of the company, consists +only of a Serjeant and three men. The coast opposite Button is enclosed, +cultivated, and well-peopled; nor is the island itself less populous, or +less fruitful. + +In the morning the Indian pilot visited the Commodore, and informed him, +that the south-east wind would blow freshest exactly at noon. This +proved to be strictly true, and was a circumstance so well known to the +natives, that all the boats which had surrounded the ship retired before +the sun had gained his meridian altitude. + +Mons. Bougainville, taking advantage of the pilot’s advice, got out to +sea with a fair wind, steering for the island of Saleyor, which he +discovered on the 18th.--On this island the Dutch have a small +settlement, the principal Resident at which is the book-keeper. This day +at noon three islands were discovered, which were called _North Island_, +_South Island_, and _Isle of Passage_; which last was so denominated +from the ships passing near it, for the advantage of a safe navigation. + +By day-light on the 19th they were within about a league of the coast of +Celebes, which, in this part is described as one of the finest countries +in the world. Immense herds of cattle graze on the plains, which are +adorned with groves, while the coast is one continued plantation of the +cocoa-nut tree. The plains are in most places cultivated and covered +with houses, while the mountains behind them add dignity and ornament to +the whole picture. + +On this day Mons. Bougainville chased a Malayan boat, in the hope of +obtaining a pilot acquainted with the coast; but she fled at his +approach, nor even brought to, after he had fired several guns at her. +He conjectures, that the Boudeuse was mistaken for a Dutch ship, and +observes, that the generality of people on this coast are pirates, who +are always made slaves of when they are taken by the Dutch. + +The ships having, during the evening, steered between an island named +Tanakeka, and three smaller isles, orders were given at midnight to +carry all the sail possible, in order to come within sight of the isles +of Alambai. + +At midnight, between the 21st and 22d, a boat was observed advancing +towards the ships; but, though guns were repeatedly fired she bore off, +in the apprehension, as conjectured, that they were Dutch +vessels.--Mons. Bougainville’s observation is, that “these people are +more afraid of the Dutch, than of the firing of guns.”--And, indeed, +this observation seems to be verified by another boat being equally +studious to avoid them, a few hours afterwards. + +In the afternoon of the 22d the north coast of Madura was seen from the +mast-head, and a number of fishing boats were observed, some at anchor, +and some employed in their business.--On the following morning four +ships were seen, two of which hoisted Dutch colours, and one of them was +spoke with by the Boudeuse, which proved to be a snow from Malacca, +bound for Japara. + +Mons. Bougainville now coasted the land of Java, the shore of which is +level, but the interior country abounds in lofty mountains. + +On the morning of the 26th the coast of Java appeared with the rising +sun. In the afternoon the Commodore spoke with a Dutchman, who commanded +a boat bound for the isles of Amboina and Ternate, who said that, +according to his reckoning, he was then twenty-six leagues from Batavia. + +Having come to an anchor for the night, the ships sailed early in the +morning of the 27th, and, on the following night, came to an anchor, in +the fear of having even past the port of Batavia; but having sight of +the church of that town in the morning, they sailed into, and soon +anchored in the road, happy to have, after so many toils, difficulties +and dangers, reached a spot which they conceived would soon put a period +to all their misfortunes, by ensuring them a safe arrival in Europe. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to recite such incidents as happened +during the time he was at Batavia, and gives some particulars respecting +the Molucca islands. + +We scarce know how to treat this subject with the delicacy with which it +ought to be touched, as the readers of these volumes are already +apprized of almost every interesting particular respecting Batavia; but +we shall, with the utmost diligence, select such circumstances as our +French historian has recorded, which have been either unknown to, or not +treated of by the English navigators. + +Mons. Bougainville, for reasons which would operate on every prudent +Commander, resolved to make his stay at Batavia as short as possible; +but the want of biscuit, a sufficient quantity of which was not baked, +compelled him to stay longer than he had intended. + +A Dutch officer came on board with a written paper, of which our +Frenchman understood not a word: but the Cockswain having enquired who +their visitants were, demanded a certificate, written and signed by the +commanding officer. Mons. Bougainville, who had sent an officer on shore +to wait on the Governor, declined to give any answer till his return. +This Officer came back late in the evening with an account, that his +Excellency was at his country-house, but that he had been with the +_Shebander_, who promised to introduce the Commodore to the Dutch +General, on the following day. + +The heat of this climate requires, that visits should be made early in +the morning: Mons. Bougainville therefore set out soon after day-break, +and, after waiting on the Shebander, was by him conducted to the +Governor General, who was then at one of his country residences about +nine miles from the town. + +The behaviour of this Chief of an important district was equally sincere +and obliging: he approved of the conduct of the Resident at Boero, in +his treatment of the French during the hour of their distress. He gave +permission for the sick to be lodged in the hospital, and issued the +proper orders for their being received. The furnishing of the necessary +supplies was left to the Shebander, and when all matters of business +were ended, the Governor asked the Commodore if he would salute the +citadel. To this it was answered in the affirmative, on the condition +that the salute should be properly returned. These preliminaries being +adjusted, Mons. Bougainville went on board his ship, saluted with +fifteen guns, and was complimented with the same number. + +Considering the matter seriously, is not all this most egregious +nonsense?--A Frenchman agrees to waste a certain quantity of his +Master’s powder, provided a Dutchman will blow into the air, an equal +quantity of the powder of their High Mightinesses, the States General! + +The sick people were now sent to the hospital, twenty-eight in number, +most of whom were troubled with the bloody flux, and the rest with the +scurvy. + +The officers having taken lodgings in the town, fixed a day for paying a +visit of ceremony to the Governor, at his country-seat, called Jacatra; +after which they visited, in form, an officer called _Schout-by-Nacht_, +or _Rear Admiral_, who is a member of the Regency, and has a vote in +every matter respecting maritime affairs. This gentleman lives with a +degree of splendor that would not disgrace a Prince. + +Mons. Bougainville mentions the theatre of Batavia, as an elegant +building; but of the performances he was not qualified to judge, from a +total ignorance of the language. His curiosity impelled him to take a +view of the Chinese comedies, but of these, also, he could form no +judgment but from sight. Exclusive of the exhibitions on the regular +theatres, he says, that a kind of pantomine is daily performed, on +scaffolds erected in the Chinese quarter of the city. It is a +singularity of the Chinese comedy, that the characters of men are +represented by women; nor is it unfrequent to see the actors entertain +the spectators with a boxing-match. + +Our ingenious voyager represents the neighbourhood of Batavia as elegant +beyond description.--The neatness is all Dutch; the magnificence truly +Parisian.--A clergyman of Batavia, Mr. Mohr, distinguished for his +immense riches, and his extensive knowledge, has erected, in the garden +of one of his country-houses, one of the most superb observatories in +the world, and has furnished it with great variety of instruments of the +construction of European artists. Our author observes, that he “is +doubtless the richest of all the children of Urania.” + +The water of Batavia is of so bad a quality, that the people of fortune +import Seltzer water from Holland, for their common drinking, at a most +enormous expence. The houses of this city are built only one story high, +on account of the frequent earthquakes, which would be of pernicious +consequence to buildings of a lofty construction. + +The riches of the Batavians are marked by the magnificent taste in which +their houses are furnished; yet is the city said to be much inferior to +what it was some years ago; and it is certain, that the rent of houses +is not half as much as it was: yet will this place always be rich, +through the refined policy of the Dutch, which makes it difficult for +any man, after he has amassed a fortune, to transmit it to Europe: for +any money intended to be sent to Holland, must pass through the hands of +the Company, who charge eight per cent. for the care of sending it to +Europe; exclusive of which, the current-money of Batavia would sustain a +loss of no less than twenty-eight per cent. even if it could be smuggled +out of the country. + +The distinction of rank is observed in the strictest degree at Batavia. +What the French call the _Etiquette_ is never dispensed with. The +gradation of rank is as follows, viz. the high Regency, the Court of +Justice, the Ecclesiastics, the Company’s servants, the sea officers, +and those of the military. + +There is no appeal from the decisions of the Court of Justice. This +court, about twenty years since, sentenced to death the Governor of +Ceylon, who had been convicted of most infamous oppressions in his +government; and he was executed opposite the citadel at Batavia. + +If any of the respective sovereigns of the island of Java offend against +the established Dutch policy, they are put to death in the most inhuman +manner. On these melancholy occasions, the unhappy sufferers are dressed +in white drawers, and are never beheaded, from a conviction prevalent +among them, that appearing in any other dress, or visiting the other +world without their heads, would be productive of the most fatal +consequences: nor do the Dutch dare to controvert these opinions, as the +immediate consequence of such a procedure on their part would be a +revolt of that of the Javanese. + +The Dutch Company have an exclusive right to a large part of the island +of Java.--The island of Madura did formerly belong to them, but the +Chief of it revolted from their authority, and the son of this revolting +king is at present the Governor of that very island, of which his father +had been the Sovereign. + +The Dutch, equally deep in every stroke of their politics, have seized +the province of Balimburan, in consequence of the Sovereign of that +district having revolted from their authority. It is asserted, that the +English erected him a fort, and supplied him with arms and ammunition to +combat that slavery, which he thought the more an indignity, because it +was impelled by the mercantile world. After a war of two years, and +after repeated battles, in the last of which the Javanese Prince and his +family were made prisoners, the Dutch became final conquerors, and the +routed Sovereign being lodged in the citadel of Batavia, soon fell a +sacrifice to the grief that preyed on his mind. When Mons. Bougainville +arrived at Batavia, it was in agitation to send the son and the other +branches of this unhappy family to the Cape of Good Hope, in order that +they might spend the remains of a wretched existence on the island of +Roben. The several Chiefs of the different districts of the island of +Java are surrounded with Dutch guards, so that they are Kings only in +name. From these, however, the Dutch receive arrac, rice, sugar, coffee +and tin; in return for which they supply opium, the sale of which is +very profitable, from the great quantities consumed by the Javanese. + +Our Commodore now proceeds to a description of the commerce of Batavia, +and a recital of many particulars respecting the Molucca islands; but +these particulars, or others so exceedingly resembling them, being +recorded in many volumes of voyages, we shall pass them over in search +of something really new, and respecting which our author appears to have +been well informed. + +Before the crews of the Boudeuse and Etoile had been ten days at +Batavia, the diseases common to that climate began to attack them with +all their fury. From a vigorous state of health the people were, in a +few days, reduced to the brink of the grave; nor could the Commodore’s +utmost diligence enable him to transact his affairs with a proper degree +of dispatch, as the illness of the Shebander himself prevented the +acceleration of his business. + +Every officer on board the Boudeuse began to feel the fatal effects of +the climate; and, at length, Aotourou felt the direful influence of this +pestiferous clime; and it is supposed, that nothing but the readiness +with which he took the prescriptions offered him, could have saved him +from the most fatal consequences of the contagion. For a long time after +he left Batavia, he distinguished it by the name of _Enoua Matè_, the +land which kills. + +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a description of his leaving Batavia, +his touching at the isle of France, and his return to his native +country, of which we shall have occasion to say but little, as the run +from Batavia to Europe is universally well known, and has been +previously described in the course of these volumes. + +The ships sailed on the 16th of October, 1768, and cleared the streights +of Sunda on the 19th in the afternoon. By this time the crew were all +perfectly recovered of the scurvy, but a few of them remained ill of the +bloody-flux. On the 20th the ships were in sight of the isle of France, +and on the 8th of November, the Boudeuse anchored in the port of that +island; the Etoile, which had been unavoidably left behind, anchoring in +the same port on the following day. + +At this place the ships were repaired, and the Commodore left behind him +on the island several persons, who desired to add to the numbers already +in that colony. + +The Commodore expresses his happiness that he was enabled, after so +tedious a voyage, to enrich this colony with inhabitants and +necessaries; but he laments in the most pathetic terms the death of the +Chevalier du Bouchage, an Ensign on board the King’s ship, whose +abilities as an officer could be surpassed only by his virtues and +accomplishments as a man. + +Our author speaks, in the most lavish terms, of the forges for making +iron, which are established on this island, and he even prefers them to +those of Europe; how far he is justified in this preference, must be +left to future navigators, or future artificers to determine. + +Mons. Bougainville sailed from this place the 12th of December, 1768, +leaving the Etoile behind him, to undergo some necessary repairs; and +this ship did not arrive in France till a month after the Boudeuse. +Without encountering any singular accident, our adventurers had sight of +the Cape of Good Hope on the 18th of January, and came to an anchor in +Table Bay on the following morning. + +Our author very judiciously omits a description of the Cape, which has +been so often and so accurately described by our circumnavigators, and +other voyagers: one circumstance, however, he fails not to mention, that +they killed a quadrupede, named the _Giraffe_, which was seventeen feet +in height, and that they took the young one alive, which measured seven +feet. “None of these (says our author) had been seen after that which +was brought to Rome in the time of Cæsar, and shewn there in the +amphitheatre.” + +Mons. Bougainville sailed from the Cape on the 17th, and came to an +anchor off the island of St. Helena on the 4th of February, where he +remained till the 6th, and then got under sail in pursuance of his +voyage to France. + +On the 25th of this month the Commodore joined the Swallow, commanded by +Captain Carteret: what passed in consequence of this junction the +readers of these volumes are already acquainted with. + +Nothing material happened from this time till they had sight of the isle +of Ushant, when a violent squall of wind had nearly blasted all the +blooming hopes of so fine a voyage. On the 15th the Commodore bore away +for St. Maloes, which he entered on the following day, after an absence +of two years and four months from his native country; during all which +time he had buried only seven of his crew, a circumstance that will be +deemed truly astonishing, when we reflect on the variety of dangers they +had encountered; the amazing changes of climate they had experienced; +the _hair breadth_ perils they had escaped, and the estimated proportion +of time that any man may be supposed to live, at any given age, when in +full health, and breathing his native air. To what then shall we ascribe +the unexampled success of Mons. Bougainville’s circumnavigation, but to +the benevolent interposition of that _particular providence_, the +existence of which hath been lately so boldly, and with such apparent +weight of argument, denied. + +Thus have we traced, with the pen of fidelity, this ingenious historian, +from the milder climate of France to the frozen regions of the +Magellanic streights; and from those streights through the intense +burnings of the torrid zone, back again to the benevolent influence of +the European sun; and abating that vanity peculiar to the French, and +that nationality, which, if criminal, is a crime arising from a noble +and praise-worthy cause, we must confess, that his narrative is as much +more philosophical and ingenious, as it is more pert and flippant than +the narratives of our English adventurers! Mons. Bougainville has +introduced, in the body of his volume, a narrative of the establishment +of the Spaniards in Rio de la Plata; and also an account of the missions +in Paraguay, and the expulsion of the Jesuits from that province: but as +these recitals seemed to have no immediate connection with the +Commodore’s circumnavigation, we have not interrupted the narrative, +thinking they would come in with more propriety immediately after the +close of the voyage. + +The river de la Plata takes a southerly course to the 34th degree +latitude, where it is united with the river Uraguai, making one stream, +which runs still southerly to the ocean. The Jesuits have advanced a +false principle of geography, and other authors have fell into their +errors, by supposing the river de la Plata to spring from the lake of +Xaragés. This lake, which has been the subject of much enquiry, is now +supposed to have no existence. + +By order of the courts of Spain and Portugal, the Marquis of Valdelirais +and Don George Menezés, undertook to determine the limits of possession +of these two powers; and accordingly several Spanish and Portuguese +officers, traveled this large district of America between the years 1751 +and 1755. The Spaniards embarked on the river Paraguai, and the +Portuguese proceeded from a settlement belonging to the Crown of +Portugal, called Maragosso, situated on the interior boundaries of the +Brazils, at about 12 degrees south latitude, and proceeded up the river +Caourou, which, according to the maps of the Jesuits, is described as +falling into the lake Xaragés. But how great was their surprize and +disappointment at meeting in the 14th degree of south latitude, in the +river Paraguai, without finding any thing to justify the supposition of +the existence of the lake! Hence it was concluded, that the periodical +inundations of the river over a considerable tract of the adjacent +country, having been received in the low grounds, formed a body of +water, which, by former navigators, was taken for the ideal lake. + +The source of the Paraguai, or Rio de la Plata, is among the mountains, +between the two oceans, and between five and six degrees south latitude, +and it empties itself into the river of Amazons. The Uraguai arises in +the Captainship of St. Vincent’s, in the Brazils; and the Parana in the +mountains to the east north-east of Rio Janeiro, whence it flows to the +westward, and then changes its course to the south. + +It appears, from the account of the Abbé Prevost, that Diaz de Solis +first discovered the Parana in 1515, and called it after himself, but +that in 1526 Sebastian Cabot named it la Plata, or of silver, on account +of the many pieces of silver which he observed in the possession of the +natives of the adjacent country. The fort of Espirutu Santo was erected +by Cabot, who had scarcely time to see it completed before it was +levelled with the earth. + +In 1535, Don Pedro de Mendoza, great Cup-bearer to the Emperor, sailed +for the river de la Plata, and founded Buenos Ayres; but this +undertaking proved extremely unsuccessful; and after Mendoza’s death, +the inhabitants of Buenos Ayres, unable to defend themselves against the +depredations of the Indians, and living in perpetual dread of famine, +fled for sanctuary to Assumption, now the capital of Paraguai, which was +built by the followers of Mendoza, soon became well inhabited, and, of +course, considerably enlarged. Don Pedro Artiz de Zarara, Governor of +Paraguai, rebuilt Buenos Ayres, upon an improved plan, in the year 1580, +and it soon became the principal resort of ships navigating the South +Seas; soon after which it was an episcopal see, and the place of +residence of the chief magistrate. The situation of Buenos Ayres is +computed to be in 34 deg. 55 min. south latitude, and 61 deg. 5 min. +west longitude from Paris. The inhabitants, including negroes, do not +exceed twenty thousand, notwithstanding which, the town covers a very +large space of ground, owing to the generality of the habitations having +no more than a ground floor, with spacious courtyards and extensive +gardens. The public market is held in a grand square, the angles of +which are formed by the Governor’s palace, the town hall, the cathedral +and the episcopal palace. There is no harbour at Buenos Ayres, so that +ships of any considerable burden are obliged to sail to Encenada de +Baragon, about ten leagues east south-east of the town, or else receive +and deliver their freights by means of small boats. + +Adjoining to the Jesuit’s convent, there is a building, called the house +for the exercises of women, where married and unmarried people, without +the consent of their husbands or friends, sequester themselves for the +space of twelve days, during which time various religious exercises are +practiced, almost without intermission. There are holy ceremonies +appointed for the slaves; and such of the negroes, as pay four reals per +annum to the Dominicans, are admitted members of some religious +community, are intitled to certain holidays, to hear mass, and a decent +interment at the expence of the friars. + +This community of negroes acknowledge St. Benedict of Palermo, and the +Virgin for their patrons; and on the days dedicated to these saints they +select two persons to represent the kings of Spain and Portugal, who are +followed by all the negroes of the order, parading through the streets +from the rising to the sitting of the sun, singing, dancing, +representing battles, and repeating religious incantations. + +The grounds near Buenos Ayres are extremely fruitful, producing all the +real necessaries of life; but it is entirely uncultivated at only three +leagues distance; and in crossing the plains scarce a hovel is to be met +with; so that passengers are frequently under the necessity of sleeping +in their carriages, and those who go on horseback are often, for many +successive nights, exposed to the inclemency of the weather. Horses and +black cattle abound in these plains, and the latter are frequently +killed by travellers, who take away sufficient for a few meals, and +leave the rest for the birds and beasts of prey. The only furious +animals known here are wild dogs and tygers: the former, which are said +to have been originally brought from Europe, are both fierce and +numerous; and perhaps owing to their food, and the climate seem, as it +were, greatly to have altered their species; the latter are of the usual +kind, but are not very frequently met with. + +In the neighbourhood of Buenos Ayres wood is so extremely scarce, that +very little is to be found that will even serve for fuel, and what is +used in erecting and repairing houses, or in refitting vessels, is +transported from Paraguai. + +The Indians inhabiting this part of America are of a copper complexion, +seldom exceeding five feet in stature, and of a very forbidding aspect. +Their Chief is distinguished by a thong of leather tied round his +forehead, to which are fastened several plates of copper. The arms they +use are bows and arrows, nooses and balls. These balls are about the +circumference of a two pound cannon ball, and being received in leathern +cups at the end of cords of about six or seven feet long, they throw +them when on horseback, with such amazing force and dexterity, as to be +almost at a certainty of killing an animal at the distance of three +hundred yards. + +Some years ago a number of delinquents, escaping the punishment they +were sentenced to, retreated to the north of the Maldonadoes, where +being joined by some deserters and Indian women, they have formed a +community of desperadoes. They frequently plunder the Spanish +settlements, and carry their spoils to the boundaries of the Brazils, +where they receive, in exchange for them, fire-arms and clothes, from +the Paulists, another desperate race of robbers, supposed to be between +six and seven hundred in number, who removed from Brazil farther to the +north-west about the sixteenth century; since which time they have +continually traversed the adjacent country in parties; and such +travellers as are so unfortunate as to meet with them, generally fall +victims to their cruelty and rapine. + +The governments of Tucuman and Paraguai, with the missions of the +Jesuits, are dependent upon the Governor-general of la Plata, who, in +all matters relating to the silver mines of Potosi, is under the +jurisdiction of the Viceroy of Peru. A mint having been lately +established at Potosi, the silver will not in future be brought from +thence in the ore, but refined on the spot. + +Two hundred carts, attended by three hundred men, go annually from +Buenos Ayres to fetch salt from the lakes adjacent to the sea in +forty-three degrees latitude; and the necessity of obtaining salt is the +only motive that induces the Spaniards to travel so far south of Buenos +Ayres, where the country exhibits a melancholy prospect of dreary and +uncultivated wilds. + +The principal commerce of Buenos Ayres is with Peru and Chili, to which +province they send cotton, mules, some skins, and about four hundred +thousand Spanish pounds weight of the Paraguai herb, or South Sea tea +every year; great part of this last article is consumed by the labourers +in the Peruvian mines; it being esteemed a most excellent preventative +against the effects of the noxious vapours arising from those +inexhaustible funds of treasure. + +Notwithstanding there is but little trade at Buenos Ayres, it is a place +of such great riches, that the register ships frequently carry away a +million of dollars each; and if they were inclined to extend their skin +and fur trade, those articles alone would, undoubtedly, acquire them +immense wealth. + +Montevideo was built between forty and fifty years since, upon a +peninsula, to the north of the river, and about ninety miles above its +mouth. The town has a bay, affording safe anchorage, but in boisterous +weather some skill must be exerted, to keep clear of a chain of hidden +rocks off the east point of the bay, which are called Punta de las +Carretas. The town of Montevideo affords every refreshment; and the air +being particularly salubrious, renders it still more inviting to the +sons of Neptune, who here find a happy renewal of that health and +vigour, which, from various causes, must inevitably be impaired by a +long residence on the stormy element. + +The Jesuits took up their residence at Paraguay in the year 1580, and in +the time of Philip the Third founded their celebrated missions, called +indifferently by the Europeans Paraguai or Uraguai. These missions are +thirty-seven in number; twenty-nine being on one side of the river +Uraguai, and eight on the opposite shore. + +The Jesuits undertook to convert the natives of this tract of America to +the Roman Catholic religion, and in order to encourage them to pursue +this very difficult task with a proper degree of spirit, they were +rendered independent of the Governor’s authority, and allowed an annual +stipend of sixty thousand piastres for their necessary expences. And in +order to indemnify the Crown for this expence, a tax of one piastre per +head was levied upon all the Indians between the age of eighteen and +sixty. + +Notwithstanding the many and great obstacles which would have dispirited +less determined men, the Jesuits, by a steady perseverance, the most +ardent zeal, and a strict attention to the genius and disposition of +these savages, at length, civilized their manners, implanted in their +minds the principles of the Christian religion, and made them happy +within themselves and useful to the community. + +In the year 1757 the Spanish monarch having given up the colonies on the +left shore of the river to the Portuguese, in exchange for Santo +Sacramento, with a view to suppress the smuggling trade, the Indians of +the ceded colonies, disgusted at being driven from their cultivated +lands, took up arms against the Spaniards. Don Joseph Andonaighi, +Governor-general of the province de la Plata, and Don Joachim de Viana, +Governor of Montevideo, marched against, and entirely defeated them. +Soon after this battle the insurrections being quelled, Viana left +Buenos Ayres, and was accompanied as far as the Maldonados by seven +Indian families, where they settled, leading a life of exemplary +prudence and industry. The situation of these reclaimed people gives an +idea of what the poets call the golden age: they knew no distinction of +rank, were neither incumbered with riches, nor oppressed with poverty; +and as all their wants were supplied from the warehouses appointed to +receive the produce of the common labour, they had no incitement to use +sinister and clandestine means to obtain private property. + +The country in which the missions are situated, reaches about four +hundred and fifty miles east and west, and about six hundred miles north +and south; and the number of the inhabitants is computed to be three +hundred thousand. There are immense forests of all kinds of wood, and +extensive meadows, watered by innumerable small rivers and brooks, which +produce pasture sufficient for upwards of two millions of cattle. + +The country was divided into districts, over each of which two Jesuits +were appointed to preside; one of whom acted as Rector, and the other as +his Curate. The Indians lived in the most abject state of submission to +their Rectors, who severely chastised them for misdemeanours, and +annually appointed a number of inferior officers, called Corregidors, to +take cognizance of petty offences. + +Near the church are two large buildings; one of which was inhabited by a +great number of girls, who were instructed in various occupations. The +other building was occupied by young negroe men, who were brought up to +various handicraft professions; and one department of this building was +appointed to the teaching of music, sculpture, architecture, &c. The +Rector’s house stood between these buildings, and had communications +with each, which he visited every day to see the provisions justly +distributed, and the proper decorum in other respects strictly observed. + +The entire expulsion of the Jesuits from the Spanish dominions having +been resolved upon, Don Francis Buccarelli was appointed to carry this +design into execution; and he accordingly sailed for Buenos Ayres, +arrived there in the beginning of 1767, and immediately sent the +dispatches with which he was charged, to the Governors of Peru and +Chili, and the commanders of Cordoua, Mendoza, Corrientes, Santa-Fe, +Salta, Montevideo, and Paraguay. These dispatches were accompanied by +letters, strictly enjoining the persons, to whom the dispatches from the +Court were directed, not to open them till an appointed day. As it was a +matter of doubt, whether the Indians would tamely submit to see Jesuits +arrested in the colonies, all the preparations for carrying the King’s +orders into execution were conducted with the most profound secrecy. The +time for accomplishing this grand design at length arrived, and the +different Governors being previously instructed to open their letters, +and to proceed according to their contents, with all imaginable +dispatch. + +The general execution began about two o’clock in the morning, when the +Jesuits, with equal horror and astonishment, found their habitations +invested by the Spanish troops. + +They evinced a high degree of philosophical resignation and humility in +quietly submitting to their fate, which they confessed was not so severe +as their crimes deserved. + +On the thirteenth of September a Cacique belonging to each colony, and +all the corregidors, arrived at Buenos Ayres. These people were +politically detached from their companions by the following stratagem, +with a design of securing them as hostages, in case any resistance had +been made. The Governor-general sent for them, under pretence of +communicating the substance of the King’s letters; and these deluded +people were not informed of the events that had happened, till they +received the account from the mouth of the Governor, who gave them a +general audience, immediately upon their arrival; when the Governor +informed them, that he came to free them from the slavery they had long +groaned under, and directing them to one of the houses formerly occupied +by the Jesuits, they were there properly provided for at the King’s +expence. The Jesuits had established other missions than those +abovementioned to the south of Uraguay, and were making great progress +southward of Chili, towards the island of Chiloé; but the unexpected +turn of affairs in Europe utterly destroyed the work, the completion of +which had been an object of great attention for a long series of years. + + + VOCABULARY of the Language of TAITI ISLAND. + + Abobo, _To-morrow_. + Aibou, _Come_. + Ainé, _Girl_ (_fille_) + Aiouta, _There is some_. + Aouererê, _Black_. + Aouero, _Egg_. + Aouri, _Iron, gold, silver, every metal, or instrument of + metal_. + Aoutti, _Flying fish_. + Aouira, _Lightning_. + Apalari, _To break or destroy_. + Ari, _Cocoa-nut_. + Ateatea, _White_. + Ea, _Root_. + Eai, _Fire_. + Eame, _Drink made of cocoa-nuts_. + Eani, _All manner of fighting_. + Eivi, _Little_. + Eite, _To understand_. + Elao, _A fly_. + Emaa, _A sling_. + Emeitai, _To give_. + Emoe, _To sleep_. + Enapo, _Yesterday_. + Enoanoa, _To smell well_. + Enoo-te-papa, _Sit down_. + Enoua-Taiti, _The country of Taiti_. + Enoua-Paris, _The country of Paris_. + Eo, _To sweat_. + Eoe-tea, _An arrow_. + Eoe-pai, _A paddle or oar_. + Eonou, _Turtle_. + Eouai, _Rain_. + Eouri, _A dancer_. + Eouriaye, _A dancing-girl_. + Epouré, _To pray_. + Era, _The sun_. + Eraï, _Heaven_. + Ero, _Ant_. + Eri, _King_. + Erie, _Royal_. + Etai, _Sea_. + Eteina, _Elder brother or sister_. + Etouana, _Younger brother or sister_. + Etio, _Oyster_. + Etoi, _A butcher_. + + + + + THE BOOKSELLER’S ADVERTISEMENT. + TO THE READER. + + +Having in the former part of this Collection given an authentic account +of the proceedings and discoveries of the English navigators who have +lately surrounded the globe; and also a copious detail of the voyage of +a cotemporary navigator of another nation, who, jealous of the English +designs, was commissioned to follow the same track. That the present +undertaking may not want novelty to recommend it, I have procured, at a +considerable expence, the journal of a new voyage to the northern part +of the globe; a voyage which his Majesty, in a particular manner, has +thought fit to patronize, and which was equipped with such care and +circumspection, that nothing was found wanting during the course of it. + +This voyage I have added by way of Supplement, without any additional +expence to the subscribers; and have prefixed to it a brief +recapitulation of the many attempts that have been made for the +discovery of a north-east passage to China and Japan, and also have +subjoined a like summary of the enterprizes set on foot by government, +or undertaken by private adventurers, for discovering a communication +with the great pacific ocean by a passage from the north-west. + +These accounts are full of astonishing events, and wonderful +descriptions of uncommon phenomena. In them we read of rivers and lakes +of ice, bursting with imprisoned vapours; and of rocks, forests, beams +of houses and buildings, splitting with a noise not less terrible than +the loudest thunder.--Of brandy, Brine, and even spirits of wine, +exposed to the open air, only for a few hours, freezing into a solid +mass.--Of mountains of ice frozen in the sea one hundred fathom +deep.--Of snow hills that never thaw.--And of winds that blister the +flesh, and shrivel the skin like red-hot iron. + +In this Supplement the distresses, dangers, providential deliverances, +and unspeakable sufferings of those who have wintered in the dark and +dreary regions of the north, are recounted with clearness and brevity; +and, in the small compass of a few sheets, the contents of many volumes +are comprized. + + + + + SUPPLEMENT, + CONTAINING THE + JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE + UNDERTAKEN BY ORDER OF + HIS PRESENT MAJESTY, + For making DISCOVERIES towards the + NORTH POLE, + BY THE + HON. COMMODORE PHIPPS, + AND + CAPTAIN LUTWIDGE, + IN HIS + MAJESTY’s SLOOPS + RACEHORSE AND CARCASE. + + To which is prefixed, + + An Account of the several VOYAGES undertaken for the Discovery of a + North-East Passage to China and Japan. + + + + + [Illustration: _A Map_ of the ICY SEA in which the several + Communications with the _Land Waters_ and other new _Discoveries_ are + exhibited. + _J. Gibson Sculp._] + + + + + THE + INTRODUCTION. + + +It is fortunate for commerce, and the intercourse of nations, that there +is implanted in man’s nature a desire of novelty, which no present +gratification can satisfy; that when he has visited one region of the +earth, he is still, like Alexander, sighing for another to explore; and +that, after having escaped one danger in his progress, he is no less +eager to encounter others, that may chance to obstruct him in the course +of his pursuits. + +If the history of former hardships could have deterred men from engaging +in new adventures, the Voyage, the particulars of which we are now about +to relate, would probably never have been undertaken. The dreary regions +that surround the poles are so little accustomed to feel the kindly +influences of the enlivening sun, and are so destitute of the ordinary +productions of the earth in happier climates, that little less than one +whole quarter of the globe is, by its sterility, rendered uninhabitable +by human beings, and but thinly occupied by a very inconsiderable number +of the race of quadrupedes. The many and almost insuperable difficulties +that must therefore be expected in traversing these forlorn desarts, +where no relief is to be expected, but from the favourable interposition +of that power, whose merciful providence extends to the remotest corners +of the earth, are, upon reflection, enough to cool the ardour of the +most enterprising, and to stagger the resolution of the most intrepid. + +In the contention between powers, equally formed by nature to meet an +opposition, it may be glorious to overcome; but to encounter raging +seas, tremendous rocks, and bulwarks of solid ice, and desperately to +persist in attempts to prevail against such formidable enemies; as the +conflict is hopeless, so the event is certain. The hardiest and most +skilful navigator, after exposing himself and his companions to the most +perilous dangers, and suffering in proportion to his hardiness the most +complicated distresses, must at last submit to return home without +success, or perish by his perseverance. + +This observation will be sufficiently justified, by a brief +recapitulation of the Voyages that have been undertaken, with a view to +the discovery of a North-east Passage to China and Japan. + +The first who attempted this discovery was Sir Hugh Willoughby, with +three ships, so early as the year 1553, the æra of perilous enterprizes. +This gentleman sailed to the latitude of 75 degrees north, within sight, +as it is imagined, of New Greenland, now called Spitsbergen; but by a +storm was driven back, and obliged to winter in the river Arzena, in +Lapland, where he was frozen to death with all his company. He left upon +his table a concise account of all his discoveries, in which he +mentions, having sailed within sight of a country in a very high +latitude, about which geographers are divided; some affirming, as has +been said, that it could be no other than New Greenland, afterwards +discovered, and named by the Dutch Spitsbergen; others, that what he saw +was only a fog-bank; and of this latter opinion is Capt. Wood, an able +navigator, of whom we shall have occasion to speak hereafter. + +To Sir Hugh Willoughby succeeded Capt. Burroughs, afterwards Comptroller +of the Navy to Queen Elizabeth. This gentleman attempted the passage +with better fortune, and returned full of hope, but without success. He +passed the North cape in 1556, advanced as far north as the 78th degree, +discovered the Wygate, or strait that divides Nova Zembla from the +country of the Sammoyds, now subject to Russia: and having passed the +easternmost point of that strait, arrived at an open sea, from whence he +returned, having, as he imagined, discovered the passage so painfully +sought, and so ardently desired. Some affirm, his discoveries extended +beyond the 80th degree of latitude, to a country altogether desolate, +where the mountains were blue and the valleys snow. + +Be that as it may, the favourable report of Capt. Burroughs encouraged +Queen Elizabeth to fit out two stout vessels to perfect the discovery. +The command of these ships was given to the Captains Jackman and Pett, +who, in 1580, sailed through the same strait, that had been discovered +by Burroughs, and entered the eastern sea; where the ice poured in so +fast upon them, and the weather became so tempestuous, that after +enduring incredible hardships, and sustaining the most dreadful shocks +of ice and seas, terrible even in the relation, they were driven back +and separated; and neither Pett nor his ship or crew were ever heard of +afterwards. + +After this disaster and disappointment, the desire of visiting the +frozen seas to the north-east began to abate among the English, but was +assumed by the Dutch with an obstinate perseverance, peculiar to that +phlegmatic nation. The first Dutchman we read of who made the attempt +was John Cornelius, of whose voyage, in 1595, we have but a very +imperfect account; he was followed however in 1606 by William Barrans, +or, as some write, Barents, an able and experienced seaman and +mathematician, who being supplied with every necessary for so hazardous +a voyage, by the generosity and patronage of Prince Maurice, proceeded +in the same course which had been pointed out to him by the English +navigators; but having passed the Wygate, found the like incumbrances, +and the like tempests which the English had experienced; and not being +able to bear up against them, returned thoroughly convinced, that the +wished-for passage was not to be attained in that direction. However, he +traversed the coast of Nova Zembla, gave names to several promontories +and head-lands, and planned to himself a new course to steer, by which +he hoped to accomplish what he had failed in discovering, by following +the steps of those who had gone before him. + +In 1607, animated rather than discouraged by disappointment, he entered +upon his second voyage, with the spirit of a man fully prepossessed with +success. He had heard, that some of the whalers, who had now begun to +frequent the North Seas, had, either by design or accident, advanced +much farther to the northward than those who had been purposely fitted +out upon discoveries; he therefore determined to steer to the northward +of Nova Zembla, till he should arrive at the height of the pole, under +which he was persuaded he should find an open sea; and, by changing his +course to the southward, avoid those obstructions which had retarded his +passage to the north-east. + +In this hope he continued till he arrived on the coast of Nova Zembla, +where, before he had reached the 77th degree, he was so rudely attacked +by the mountains of ice, that every where assailed him, that not being +able to withstand their fury, he was driven against the rocks, and his +ship dashed to pieces. Barents and the greatest part of his crew got +safe to land, but it was to experience greater misery than those +underwent who perished in the attempt. They were obliged to winter in a +country, where no living creature besides themselves appeared to have +existence; and where, notwithstanding their utmost efforts to preserve +their bodies from the cold, the flesh perished upon the bones of some of +them, and others died of the most excruciating pains. + +In this extremity, and notwithstanding the anguish they endured, those +who survived had still the fortitude and ingenuity to frame a pinnace +from the wreck of their broken ship, in which, at the approach of +summer, they made sail for Lapland; but before they arrived at Colu, +their Captain died, and with him the hopes of perfecting his discovery. + +It was now the active season for naval enterprizes. Private adventurers +began to fit out ships for the North Seas. Innumerable sea animals had +been observed to bask upon the ice; the tusks of whose jaws were found +to excel, in whiteness, the finest ivory, and their carcases to yield +plenty of excellent oil. In the infancy of the whale fishery, these were +pursued with the same eagerness, with which both the English and Dutch +endeavour at this day to make the whales their prey, and perhaps with no +less profit. In following these, many islands were discovered to which +they resorted, and, in course of time, the seas that were so formidable +to the first discoverers, became frequented at the proper seasons by the +ships of every nation. + +Foreign navigators, however, were more sanguine in their notions of a +north-west passage, than of the existence of a passage to the +north-east; and it was not till many unsuccessful trials had been made +to discover the former, that the latter was again attempted. The +celebrated Hudson, who discovered the straits that leads to the great +western bay, which still bears his name; after he had exerted his skill +in vain to find a passage westward, was persuaded at last to undertake a +voyage in search of a passage to the north-east. This he performed in +1610, but being discouraged by the miscarriages of others, and the fatal +issue that had attended their obstinate perseverance, on viewing the +face of the country, examining the currents, and traversing an immense +continent of ice, that stretched along the ocean, in a direction from +east south-east to west north-west, he concluded, that no passage could +be practicable in that direction, and therefore returned without making +any other material discovery. + +From this time till the year 1676, the prosecution of this discovery was +totally neglected by the English; and though the Dutch whalers amused +the world with wonderful relations of their near approach to the pole, +yet little credit was given to their reports till the arrival of one +John Wood, who had accompanied Sir John Narborough in his voyage to the +South Sea, with a view to establish a new trade with the Chilians, and +natives of that vast tract of country, reaching from the Straits of +Magellan to the confines of Peru. + +This able and enterprizing navigator, being himself an excellent +mathematician and geographer, and reading in the Philosophical +Transactions a paper, by which the existence of a north-east passage to +the eastern or Indian ocean was plausibly asserted, and this exactly +coinciding with his own notions of the construction of the globe, he was +induced, by this and other reasons, to apply to King Charles the Second +for a commission to prosecute the discovery; the accomplishment whereof, +it was said, would add to the glory of his Majesty’s reign, and +immensely to the wealth and prosperity of his kingdoms. + +Many about the Court of that needy Prince, hoping to share in the +profits of the voyage, were earnest in prevailing with his Majesty to +forward the design, who being himself fond of novelty, ordered the +Speedwell Frigate to be fitted out at his own charge, manned, +victualled, and provided with every necessary; while the Duke, his +brother, and seven other courtiers, joined in the purchase of a Pink of +one hundred and twenty tons, to accompany her, which they likewise +manned and victualled, and furnished with merchandizes, such as were +thought marketable on the coasts of Tartary or Japan; the countries they +most probably would first fall in with after their passage through the +North Sea. + +These ships being in readiness, and commissions made out for their +Commanders, Captain Wood was appointed to direct the expedition, on +board the Speedwell, and Captain Flawes to bear him company on board the +Prosperous. + +On the 28th of May 1676, they sailed from the Buoy of the Nore, with the +wind at south-west; and on the 4th of June cast anchor off Lerwick, in +Brassey Sound, where they continued six days, to take in water and +recruit their stores. + +On Saturday the 10th they weighed anchor and continued their voyage; and +on the 15th they entered the Polar circle, where the sun at that season +of the year never sets. At noon the Speedwell broke her +main-top-sail-yard in the slings, the first disaster that had happened, +which, however, was easily repaired. The weather now began to grow +hazey, a circumstance that frequently happens in the Polar regions, and +darkens the air with the obscurity of night. + +From this time till June 22, when they fell in with the ice in latitude +75 degrees 59 minutes north, nothing material occurred. On that day, at +noon, they observed a continent of ice stretching to an imperceptible +distance, in a direction from east-south-east and west-north-west. They +bore away along the ice till the 28th, when they found it join to the +land of Nova Zembla. + +On the 29th they stood away to the south, to get clear of the ice; but +unfortunately found themselves embayed in it. At 11 at night the +Prosperous bore down upon the Speedwell, crying out, ice upon the +weather-bow, on which the Speedwell clapt the helm hard a weather, and +veered out the main-sail to ware the ship; but before she could be +brought too on the other tack, she struck on a ledge of rocks, and stuck +fast. They fired guns of distress, but were not heard, and the fog being +so thick, that land could not be discerned, though close to the stern of +their ship; no relief was now to be expected, but from Providence and +their own endeavours. In such a situation, no description can equal the +relation of the Captain himself, who, in the language of the times, has +given the following full and pathetic account. + +“Here, says he, we lay beating upon the rock in a most frightful manner, +for the space of three or four hours, using all possible means to save +the ship, but in vain; for it blew so hard, that it was wholly out of +our power to carry out an anchor capable to do us any service. At length +we saw land close under our stern, to the great amazement of us all, +which before we could not see for the foggy weather; so I commanded the +men to get out the boats before our mast came by the board, which was +done. I sent the boatswain towards the shore in the pinnace, to see if +there was any possibility of landing, which I much feared, because the +sea ran so high. In half an hour he returned with this answer, that it +was impossible to land a man, the snow being in high cliffs, the shore +was inaccessible. This was bad tidings; so then it was high time to +think on the safety of our souls, and we went all together to prayers, +to beseech God to have mercy on us, for now nothing but individual ruin +appeared before our eyes. After prayers, the weather cleared up a +little, and looking over the stern, I saw a small beach directly with +the stern of the ship, where I thought there might be some chance of +getting on shore. I therefore sent off the pinnace a second time, with +some men in her to be first landed, but she durst not venture to attempt +the beach. I then ordered out the long-boat with twenty men to land, who +attempted it, and got safe on shore. They in the pinnace seeing that, +followed, and landed their men likewise, and both vessels returned to +the ship without any accident. The men on shore desired some fire-arms +and ammunition, for there were many bears in sight. I therefore ordered +two barrels of powder, some small arms, some provisions, with my own +papers and money, to be put on board the pinnace; but as she put off +from the ship’s side, a sea overset her, so that all was lost, with the +life of one man, and several others taken up for dead. The pinnace +likewise was dashed to pieces, to our great sorrow, as by that disaster, +one means of escaping from this dismal country, in case the Prosperous +deserted us was cut off. The long-boat being on board, and the sea +running high, the boatswain and some others would compel me and the +Lieutenant to leave the ship, saying it was impossible for her to live +long in that sea, and that they had rather be drowned than I; but +desiring me when I came on shore, if it were possible, to send the boat +again for them. Before we got half way to shore the ship overset, so +making all possible haste to land the men we had on board, I went off to +the ship again, to save those poor men who had been so kind to me +before. With great hazard I got to the quarter of the ship, and they +came down the ladder into the boat, only one man was left behind for +dead, who had before been cast away in the pinnace; so I returned to the +shore, though very wet and cold. We then hauled up the boat, and went up +the land about a flight shot, where our men were making a fire and a +tent with canvass and oars, which we had saved for that purpose, in +which we all lay that night wet and weary. The next morning the man we +left on board having recovered, got upon the mizzen-mast, and prayed to +be taken on shore, but it blew so hard, and the sea ran so high, that +tho’ he was a very pretty sailor, none would venture to bring him off. + +The weather continuing blowing with extreme fogs, and with frost and +snow, and all the ill-compacted weather that could be imagined put +together, we built more tents to preserve ourselves; and the ship +breaking in pieces, came all on shore to the same place where we landed, +which served us for shelter and firing. Besides, there came to us some +hogsheads of flour, and brandy in good store, which was no little +comfort in our great extremity. We now lay between hope and despair, +praying for fair weather, that Captain Flawes might find us, which it +was impossible for him ever to do while the weather continued foggy; but +fearing at the same time that he might be cast away as well as we. + +But supposing we never were to see him again, I was resolved to try the +utmost to save as many as I could in the long-boat. In order thereunto +we raised her two feet, and laid a deck upon her to keep the sea out as +much as possible; and with this boat, and thirty men, for she would +carry no more, I intended to row and sail to Russia, but the crew not +being satisfied who should be the men, began to be very unruly in their +mind and behaviour, every one having as much reason to save himself as +another, some holding consultation to save the boat, and all to run the +like fortune; but here brandy was our best friend, for it kept the men +always fox’d, so that in all their designs I could prevent them. Some +were in the mind to go by land, but that I knew was impossible to any +man; neither had we provisions nor ammunition to defend us from the wild +beasts; so the passage by land being impracticable, and no passage by +sea to be attempted till forty men were destroyed, I will leave it to +the consideration of any, whether we were not in a most deplorable +condition, without the interposition of divine providence. + +The weather continued still very bad, with fogs, snow, rain, and frost, +till the 9th day of our being on shore, which was the 8th day of July, +when in the morning it cleared up, and to our great joy one of our +people cried out a sail, which proved Captain Flawes; so we set fire to +our town, that he might see where we were, which he presently +discovered, so came up, and sent his boat to us; but before I went off, +I wrote a brief relation of the intention of the voyage, with the +accident that had befallen us, and put it into a glass bottle, and left +it in the fortification I had there built; so by twelve o’clock we all +got safe on board, but left all on shore that we had saved from the +ship; for we much feared it would prove foggy again, and that we should +be driven once more on this miserable country; a country, for the most +part, covered perpetually with snow, and what is bare being like bogs, +on whose surface grows a kind of moss, bearing a blue and yellow flour, +the whole product of the earth in this desolate region. Under the +surface, about two feet deep, we came to a firm body of ice, a thing +never heard of before; and against the ice-cliffs, which are as high as +either of the forelands in Kent, the sea has washed underneath, and the +arch overhanging, most fearful to behold, supports mountains of snow, +which, I believe, hath lain there ever since the creation.” + +Thus far in Captain Wood’s own words. He adds, that by the tides setting +directly in upon the shore, it may be affirmed with certainty, that +there is no passage to the northward. One thing remarkable in his +relation, and which seems to contradict the report of former navigators, +is, that the sea is there salter than he had yet tasted it elsewhere, +and the clearest in the world, for that he could see the shells at the +bottom, though the sea was four hundred and eighty feet deep. + +Being all embarked on board the Prosperous, on the 9th of July they +changed their course, and steered for England; and, on the 23d of +August, they arrived safe in the Thames, without any remarkable accident +intervening. + +After the miscarriage of this voyage, on which the highest expectations +had been formed, the most experienced navigators in England seemed to +agree, that a passage by the north, or north-east, had no existence. +They were the more confirmed in this error, for an error it is, by the +reasons assigned by Capt. Wood, for changing his opinion on this matter; +for, before he went upon the discovery, he was fully persuaded himself, +and likewise persuaded many others, that nothing was more certain. When, +however, he first saw the ice, he imagined it was only that which joined +to Greenland, and that no solid body of ice extended farther from land +than twenty leagues; in this persuasion he altered his course, and +coasted along in the direction in which the ice lay, expecting, at every +cape or head-land of ice, after running a certain distance, to find an +opening into the Polar ocean; but after running two or three glasses to +the northward in one bay, he found himself entangled in another; and +thus it continued till his ship was wrecked. By this experiment, he +found the opinion of Barents confuted, namely, “that by stearing the +middle course between Spitsbergen and Nova Zembla, an open sea might be +attained, in which a ship might safely sail as far as the pole.” From +his own experience, he therefore pronounced, that all the Dutch +relations were forgeries which asserted, that any man had ever been +under the pole; verily believing, that if there be no land to the +northward of 80 degrees, that the sea is there frozen, and always +continues so; and grounding his opinion upon this remark, that if the +body of ice which he saw were to be conveyed ten degrees more to the +southward, many centuries of years would elapse before it would be +melted. + +To this positive assertion, however, may be opposed, the testimony of +many credible persons, some of whom have themselves sailed beyond the +80th degree of north latitude, and others, upon evidence, whose veracity +there is no reasonable cause to bring in question. + +Among the latter, the testimony of Mr. Joseph Moxon, member of the Royal +Society of London, must have considerable weight. In a paper which this +gentleman caused to be printed in the Philosophical Transactions, is +this remarkable relation. + +“Being about twenty years ago in Amsterdam, I went into a public house +to drink a cup of beer for my thirst; and sitting by the public fire, +among several people, there happened a seaman to come in, who seeing a +friend of his there, who he knew went the Greenland voyage, wondered to +see him, because it was not yet time for the Greenland fleet to come +home, and asked him, what accident had brought him home so soon? His +friend (who was the steersman) answered, that their ships went not out +to fish, but only to take in the lading of the fleet, to bring it to an +early market. But, said he, before the fleet had caught fish enough to +lade us, we, by order of the Greenland Company, sailed unto the north +pole, and came back again. Whereupon, says Moxon, I entered into +discourse with him, and seemed to question the truth of what he said; +but he did assure me it was true, and that the ship was then in +Amsterdam, and many of the seamen belonging to her ready to justify the +truth of it; and told me, moreover, that they had sailed two degrees +beyond the pole. I asked him, if they found no land or islands about the +pole? He answered, no; there was a free and open sea. I asked him, if +they did not meet with a great deal of ice? He told me, no; they saw no +ice about the pole. I asked him, what weather they had there? He told +me, fine warm weather, such as was at Amsterdam in the summer-time, and +as hot. I should have asked him more questions, but that he was engaged +in discourse with his friend, and I could not, in modesty, interrupt +them longer. But I believe the steersman spoke truth; for he seemed a +plain, honest, and unaffectatious person, and one who could have no +design upon me.” + +To authenticate this relation it has been observed, that under the +poles, the sun in June being 23 degrees high, and having little or no +depression towards the horizon, always, as it were, swimming about in +the same elevation, might invigorate that part of the hemisphere with +more heat than he does our climate; when he is, in the winter, no more +than 15 degrees at the highest, and but eight hours above the horizon; +in which space the earth has time to cool, and to lose, in the night, +the influences of heat which it receives in the day. + +Another report upon like evidence was made to King Charles the Second, +by Capt. Goulden, who being a Greenland whaler himself, spoke with two +Hollanders in the North Seas, that had sailed within one degree of the +pole, where they met with no ice, but a hollow grown sea, like that in +the Bay of Biscay. + +A still more credible testimony is, that about the year 1670, +application being made to the States General for a charter to +incorporate a company of merchants to trade to Japan and China, by a new +passage to the north east; the then East India Company opposed it, and +that so effectually, that their High Mightinesses refused to grant what +the merchants requested. + +At that time it was talked of in Holland, as a matter of no difficulty +to sail to Japan by the way of Greenland; and it was publickly asserted +and believed, that several Dutch ships had actually done it. The +merchants being required to verify this fact, desired that the journals +of the Greenland squadron of 1655 might be produced; in seven of which +there was notice taken of a ship which that year had sailed as high as +the latitude of 89; and three journals of that ship being produced, they +all agreed, as to one observation taken by the master, August 1, 1655, +in 88 degrees 56 minutes north. + +But a proof incontestible, is the testimony of Captain Hudson, who +sailed in 1607 to the latitude of 81 degrees 30 minutes north, where he +arrived on the 16th of July, the weather being then pretty warm. + +Add to all these, that the Dutch, who were employed in 1670, in +endeavouring to find a north-east passage, advanced within a very few +degrees of that open sea, which is now commonly navigated by the +Russians, and which would infallibly have brought them to the coasts of +China and Japan, had they persevered in the course they were pursuing. + +It does not appear, however, from any authentic accounts that we can +collect, that any voyage, professedly for the discovery of a north-east +passage, has been undertaken by either public or private adventurers in +England, since that of Capt. Wood in the year 1670, till the present +year: and it is more than probable, that if the Russian discoveries on +the north of Asia had never taken place, the thoughts of finding a +practicable passage from Europe in that direction, would have lain +dormant for ever. + +But the vast and enterprizing genius of Peter the Great, in forcing his +subjects out of that obscurity in which they had long been involved, has +opened to the maritime powers new sources of commerce, and furnished +fresh motives for new enterprizes. From a people unacquainted with a +vessel bigger than a bark, and who knew no navigation but that of their +own rivers, that wonderful Prince not only taught them the use of ships, +but instructed them in the true principles of building and equipping +them. Nay, he did more; for after making himself known and admired +throughout Europe, he conceived the design of opening a communication +with the remotest parts of the globe, and discovering to the world new +countries which no European nation had ever yet explored. + +With this design, he planned one of the boldest enterprizes that ever +entered into the heart of man; and though he did not survive to see it +executed, the glory of the atchievement is wholly his. + +The country of Kamschatka was as much unknown to his predecessors, as it +was to the rest of the civilized nations of the earth; yet he formed the +design of making that savage country the centre of the most glorious +atchievements. + +It was in the last year of this great Monarch’s life, that he +commissioned Capt. Behring to traverse the wild, and then almost +desolate, country of Siberia, and to continue his route to Kamtschatka, +where he was to build one or more vessels, in order to discover whether +the country towards the north, of which at that time they had no +distinct knowledge, was a part of America, or not; and if it was, his +instructions authorized him to endeavour, by every possible means, to +seek and cultivate the acquaintance of some European people, and to +learn from them the state of the country at which he should arrive. If +he failed in this, he was to make such discoveries as circumstances +should present, and commit to writing the result of his observations for +the use of his Imperial master. + +To enter minutely into the particulars of Capt. Behring’s journey and +voyage, would carry us beyond the limits prescribed for this +Introduction: let it suffice to say, that after surmounting incredible +difficulties, and suffering hardships which none but a Russian could +have survived, he executed his commission successfully, and returned to +Petersburg in safety, after an absence of five years, in which time, +besides his voyage by sea, he had travelled, in going and returning, +eighteen thousand miles by land. + +It is from the second enterprizes of this astonishing man, and from the +subsequent voyages of the Russians, that we are able to ascertain the +existence of a north-east passage; and it is from thence, and from the +late voyage of Capt. Phipps, that, we think, we may fairly infer the +practicability of it. + +It was some time about the year 1740, that Capt. Behring embarked on his +second voyage from Kamtschatka, of which all that we know is, that he +sailed southward to the isles of Japan, and from thence eastward about +80 leagues. At that distance from Japan he discovered land, which he +coasted north-west, still approaching to the north-east cape of Asia, +which he doubled, and named Cape Shelvghenski, not daring to land till +he arrived at the mouth of a great river, where, sending his boats with +most of his crew on shore, they never more returned, being either killed +or detained by the inhabitants, which made his discovery incompleat; for +not having men sufficient left to navigate the ship, she went on shore +on an uninhabited island, where the Captain unfortunately died. + +From this voyage, however, we learn that the sea, from the north-east +cape of Kamtschatka, is open to the isles of Japan, and from a +subsequent account of Russian voyages, published in the Philosophical +Transactions, from a paper communicated by the celebrated Euler, it +appears, that they passed along in small vessels, coasting between Nova +Zembla and the continent, at divers times in the middle of summer, when +those seas were open. The first expedition was from the river Oby, +latitude 66 degrees north, longitude 65 degrees east from London, and at +the approach of winter, the vessels sheltered themselves by going up the +Janiska, the mouth of which is marked in our maps in latitude 70 degrees +north, and in longitude 82 degrees east; from whence the next summer +they proceeded to the mouth of the Lena in latitude 72 degrees north, +and in longitude 115 degrees, into which they again retired for the +winter season. The third expedition was from the month of this river, to +the farthest north cape of Asia, in 72 degrees of north latitude, and in +172 degrees of east longitude from London. Thus the Russians having +passed between the continent and Nova Zembla, and sailed as far as the +easternmost north cape, and the English and Dutch having repeatedly +sailed through the straits that divide Nova Zembla from the continent, +nothing can be a plainer demonstration of the reality of a north-east +passage, than the sum of the voyages here enumerated, when added +together. The English and Dutch sail to Wygatz, or the strait of Nova +Zembla; the Russians sail from Wygatz to the north cape of Asia; and +Behring from the north cape to Japan. This is an incontrovertible +demonstration; yet it is obvious, that this course can never be +practicable to ships employed in trade. The Russians, by taking the +advantage of an open sea and mild weather, in three years time +accomplished but part of a voyage, which, by the Cape of Good Hope, may +be made in less than one. Who therefore would run the hazard of so +desperate a passage, for the sake of reaping imaginary advantages by an +intercourse with savages, who, for aught we know, have nothing to +exchange for European commodities, but the skins of bears, or the bones +of monsters. + +But tho’ the passage to the northern countries of the east was known to +be impracticable to European navigators in this direction, it was worthy +the greatness of a maritime people, to endeavour to determine the +possibility of attaining the same end by another course. + +The miscarriage and death of Barentz, and the shipwreck of Capt. Wood, +had left the question undetermined, whether the regions adjoining to the +pole are land or water, frozen or open sea. The advantages from this +discovery, besides the glory resulting from it, had the decision +terminated in favour of navigation, would have been immensely great. To +have opened a new channel of commerce at a time when our trade is +languishing, would have revived the drooping hopes of our manufacturers, +and retained at home the numerous emigrants, who, for want of employment +in their own country, are seeking new habitations, and new means of +living in remote settlements, of the certainty of which they have no +experience. + +It must be acknowledged to the lasting honour of the noble Lord who +presides at the head of the admiralty board, and who patronized the +undertaking, that the means to render it successful, was in every +respect proportioned to the importance of the discovery. + +The vessels that were made choice of were the properest that could be +devised. Bomb ketches are in the first instance stoutly built, and not +being over large, are best adapted for navigating seas that are known to +abound with shoals and covered rocks: these vessels, besides their +natural strength, were sheathed with plank of seasoned oak three inches +thick, to fortify them against the shocks and pressure of the ice, that, +in their progress, they must infallibly encounter. They were, besides, +furnished with a double set of ice poles, anchors, cables, sails and +rigging, to provide against the terrible effects of the severe and +tempestuous weather, that frequently happens in high latitudes, even in +the middle of the most temperate seasons. + +Nor was his Lordship less careful to provide for the comfortable +subsistance of the men, than for the preservation of their lives, by his +wise directions in equipping their ships. His first care was, to issue +orders for killing and curing a sufficient quantity of beef and pork in +the best manner possible, that their provisions might be good and fresh; +and his next, to cause one hundred buts of porter to be brewed with the +best malt and hops, that they might have proper drink to fortify them +against the rigour of the climate they were about to pass. Their pease, +oatmeal, rice and molossus, were all provided with equal care, and when +all things were in readiness, the beer was stowed in the holds, and the +vacancies filled up with coals, which served as ballast, that firing +might not be wanting to warm and dry them when cold, or wet with labour, +or with watching. Add to this, that a double quantity of spirits were +put on board, with a large proportion of wine, vinegar, mustard, &c. &c. +and what, we believe, was never before thought of in the fitting out of +any King’s ships, a considerable quantity of tea and sugar for the sick, +in case any should be seized with that dreadful disorder, which rendered +ship provisions loathsome to Capt. James’s men, who were constrained to +winter in Charlton Island in 1632. These men fell sick and had sore +mouths, and could neither eat beef, pork, fish, nor potage; the Surgeon +was every morning and evening obliged to pick their teeth, and cut away +the pieces of rotten flesh from their gums, yet they could eat nothing +but bread pounded in a mortar, and fried in oil, on which they subsisted +for several months. In case of accidents of this kind, and that tea +should fail to answer the purposes of nourishment, a quantity of +portable soup was likewise provided. And to compleat the whole, a stock +of warm cloathing was laid in, consisting of six fearnought jackets for +each man, two milled caps, two pair of fearnought trowsers, four pair of +milled stockings, and an excellent pair of boots, with a dozen pair of +milled mitts, two cotton shirts, and two handkerchiefs. + +Thus equipped and provided, the command of the Race Horse was given to +the Hon. Constantine Phipps, as Commodore, and that of the Carcarse to +Capt. Skiffington Lutwych; the first mounting eight six pounders and +fourteen swivels, burthen three hundred and fifty tons; the latter four +six pounders and fourteen swivels, burthen three hundred tons. + +Thus being premised, let us now proceed to the Journal of the Voyage. + + + + + JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE + TO DISCOVER THE + NORTH EAST PASSAGE; + UNDER THE COMMAND OF + THE HON. COMMODORE PHIPPS, + AND + CAPT. SKIFFINGTON LUTWYCH, + IN HIS + MAJESTY’S SHIPS RACE HORSE AND CARCASE BOMBS. + + +All things being now in readiness, the officers on board, and the men +paid their bounty-money of three pounds per man, according to his +Majesty’s royal proclamation, for the encouragement of those who should +voluntarily enter to undertake the voyage. On the 3d of June 1773, the +Commodore made the signal to weigh; but previous to their departure, the +Carcase having been judged too deep to navigate those heavy seas through +which she was to pass, the Captain obtained leave from the board of +Admiralty to re-land ten of her compliment of men, and to put ashore six +of the eight six-pounders with which she was equipped, with a quantity +of provisions, proportioned to the number of men that it had been +thought proper to discharge. + +On Friday the 4th being off Sheerness, the wind west by north, and a +fresh breeze, they took their departure, and continued their voyage +without any material occurrence happening till Tuesday the 15th, when +the Commodore made the signal to lie to. They were then off Brassey +Island, and many fishing-boats from Shetland being in sight, the men +were invited on board, and some fish purchased of them at a cheap rate. + +On the 17th they took a new departure from Shetland, but the day +following the fog thickened so much, that it almost approached to total +darkness. During the continuance of the fog, the Commodore kept firing +guns and beating drums, to prevent the Carcase from losing company. As +it was impossible that one could see the other at a ship’s length, it +was found the more necessary to repeat and return the firing, lest they +should run foul of each other before they could be apprized of their +danger. About five in the morning the mist cleared up, and about nine +the Commodore being in sight, made the signal to the Carcase to steer +north-east. They were then in latitude 60 degrees 52 minutes north by +observation; the north end of Shetland Island bearing north by west one +half west, seven or eight leagues. + +On the 17th they observed a sail to the north-east, which the Commodore +brought to, and spoke with. The breeze fresh, the weather hazy, and the +wind variable, the Carcase carried away her main-top-mast studding sail +yard; which, however, was very soon supplied. Latitude this day by +observation 62 degrees 53 minutes north. + +Friday the 18th, being in the latitude of 65 degrees 9 minutes north, +the cloathing allowed by the Government, of which notice has already +been taken in the Introduction, was delivered out, and officers as well +as men received their full proportion. This day the weather continued as +before. + +Saturday the 19th the weather varied to every point of the compass, the +Commodore brought to, and spoke with the Carcase. Made sail about three +in the morning, and at nine a large swell. Tacked and stood to the +eastward. Latitude 66 degrees 1 minute north; longitude from London 33 +minutes west. + +Sunday the 20th they pursued their course to the eastward, with the wind +north-west, but variable; high breezes and clear air. They were now +within the Polar circle, and at midnight had an observation of the sun, +and found their latitude 66 degrees 52 minutes north. Sounded on board +the Commodore with a lead of one hundred weight, and a line of seven +hundred and eighty fathom, to which was fastened a thermometer of Lord +George Cavendish’s construction. They found no bottom, but the water was +eleven degrees colder at that depth than on the surface. The Carcase +sounded with four hundred and fifty fathoms only. + +Monday 21, light breezes and cloudy weather. They observed a whale on +the north-east quarter, the first they had yet seen in the north seas. +The weather now began to set in severe; the nights cold and the days +cloudy. The Commodore observing a whaling snow with Hamborough colours +flying, fired a shot, and brought her to. She happened to be homeward +bound with seals, and Mr. Wyndham, a gentleman of fortune, who had +embarked on board the Commodore, with a view to prosecute the voyage, +finding nothing but foul weather and heavy seas, to gratify his +curiosity, and being withal unable to endure the sea sickness, took +passage on board the Hamburgher, in order to return home; and having +taken leave of his friends, by wishing them a happy voyage, the Snow’s +boat took him on board, about seven in the morning, and at eight the +Commodore and Carcase pursued their voyage. + +Tuesday 22, the articles of war were read on board the Carcase. The +weather began to be piercing cold; they had reached the 70th degree of +north latitude, in a course nearly north, being only 14 minutes to the +eastward of London; and from their leaving Shetland to this day, they +had seen nothing remarkable; nor had any accident befallen either of the +ships worth relating, except that of now and then snapping a rope, or +breaking a yard; incidents easily repaired. This day it poured with +rain; the air was thick, and the rain froze as it fell. Saw a large ship +to the north-west, standing southward, but wanting no information that +she could give, they pursued their voyage without speaking to her. + + [Illustration: SPITSBERGEN or NEW GREENLAND.] + +Wednesday 23, the rain continued; the weather hazy; heard three guns +fire at a distance, but saw no ship or other object. The whales are here +in no great plenty, and few ships appear in the open sea in pursuit of +them. They generally at this season frequent the bays and creeks near +the shore, and only break away when they are pursued or wounded. + +On Thursday the 24th, the Commodore changed his course to east +north-east; and on the 25th they were in latitude 74 degrees 7 minutes +north, and in 8 degrees 32 minutes east longitude from London. Served +out to the ship’s company plenty of mustard, pepper, vinegar, &c. The +weather extremely cold and variable. At eight in the evening thick fog; +at two in the morning fresh breezes; at eight clear weather; at eleven +squally; and at noon calm, with sleet and snow. + +On Saturday the 26th, at midnight, they had an observation, and found +themselves in latitude 74 degrees 17 minutes north; fresh gales, +sometimes rain, sleet, and snow; at seven in the morning clear weather +and an open sea. + +Sunday 27, light airs from the southward, and cloudy weather; much +warmer than the preceding day. It is remarkable, that the vicissitudes +of heat and cold are more frequent here than in the more southerly +latitudes. It often changes from temperate to extreme cold; and that +suddenly. + +It should seem likewise, that the ice frequently changes its place in +this latitude; or that it is more solid near land than in the open sea; +for, on the 23d of June 1676, Capt. Wood, being more to the eastward, +fell in with ice right a-head, not more than a league distant. He +steered along it, thinking it had openings, but found them to be bays. +He sounded, and found ground at one hundred and fifty-eight fathom, soft +green oar. In some places he found pieces of ice driving off a mile from +the main body in strange shapes, resembling ships, trees, buildings, +beasts, fishes, and even men. The main body of ice being low and craggy, +he could see hills of a blue colour at a distance, and valleys that were +white as snow. In some places he observed drift wood among the ice. Some +of the ice he melted, and found it fresh and good. This navigator never +could advance farther to the north; but in seeking to penetrate the ice +was ship-wrecked, as has been already related in the Introduction. He +therefore judged the ice impenetrable, and that land or ice surrounded +the pole. Our navigators found also much wood in this latitude floating +about the ships, and saw great flocks of birds. + +Monday 28, the weather altered; the wind west. Fresh breezes, with rain +and sleet. Latter part thick fog. + +Tuesday 29, being in latitude 78 degrees north, and in longitude 6 +degrees 29 minutes east from London, came in sight of land, when the +ships brought to, and the Captains held a consultation concerning their +future course. The appearance of the land lay from east south-east to +north-east; and this day they spoke with the Marquis of Rockingham, +Greenlandman, who, by their reckoning, were then in latitude 79 degrees +40 minutes north, though by that of the Commodore, their latitude was +only 78 degrees 3 minutes. This difference, it is probable, arises from +not making the proper allowance for refraction in this high latitude. +The Greenlandman presented each of the Commanders with a deer and a +half, which they found well-flavoured venison, though not over fat. He +likewise informed, that he had just come from the ice, and that the day +before, three whalers had been crushed to pieces by its closing upon +them suddenly. + +Wednesday 30, pursued their course. Cloudy weather. Half past four in +the morning sounded, one hundred and twelve fathoms soft blue mud. At +this time Black Point, so called from its dark appearance, bore +north-east by east three quarters east, at the distance of seven or +eight leagues. At half past seven, in the morning, saw two sail in the +north-west quarter. At half past twelve tacked and stood to the east. +Sounded, and found ground at one hundred and fifteen fathom. + +Thursday July 1, light breezes and clear weather at midnight: the sun as +bright as at noon day. Black Point east one half south, distant seven +leagues. At three in the morning made Charles’s Island, and at nine saw +a sail to the westward whaleing; they were then in latitude 78 degrees +18 minutes north, by observation. Sounded, and found the same depth as +before. + +Friday 2, light airs and moderate weather. Lay to and took the altitude +of a mountain, which they named Mount Parnassus; found it from the level +of the sea to be three thousand nine hundred and sixty feet high, +covered with snow, and at a distance resembling an ancient building, +with something like a turret a-top. The foot of this mountain, with the +hills adjoining, have sometimes a very fiery appearance, and the ice and +snow on their sides resembling trees and shrubs, glissen with a +brilliancy that exceed the splendor of the brightest gems. When this +happens, a violent storm generally succeeds. Here they shot some sea +fowl, but of an oily taste. + +Saturday 3, proved a perfect calm. They spoke with a Hollander, who +foretold, that a degree or two farther north was the utmost extent of +their progress this season. Having doubled Cape Cold, they anchored in +fifteen fathom water, about three miles from the land, and sent the +boats ashore for water, which they found in abundance, pouring down in +little streams from the rocks. At five in the afternoon, by the mean of +four azimuths, the variation was found to be 18 degrees 36 minutes west. +Sounded, and found only sixty-five fathoms, soft brown mud. Mount +Parnassus east-north-east three or four leagues.--Among other reasons +which Capt. Wood gave for wishing to be employed on the discovery of the +north-east passage, one was, that he might have an opportunity of +approaching the pole, in order to settle an hypothesis, which he had +long framed, whereby the inclination of the magnetical needle under the +horizon, in all latitudes and in all longitudes, with the variation of +the compass, might be exactly determined. This navigator imagined two +magnetical poles to exist; and that, by approaching the one, he should +be able to determine the action of the other. It does not appear, that +he ever explained his hypothesis; and there never has been but one man, +whose name was Williams, since his time, who pretended to know any thing +of the matter. + +Saturday 4, light breezes and hazey weather. Sounded, and only twenty +fathoms deep; rocky ground. Hacluit’s Headland, or the northernmost +point of Spitsbergen, bearing north by east seven leagues. Many whalers +in sight. Latitude by observation 79 degrees 34 minutes north, longitude +from London 8 degrees 10 minutes east. Thermometer forty-seven. + +Monday 5, at two in the afternoon sounded, and only fifteen fathom +water; rocky ground. Thick fog. The Race Horse fired guns as signals to +keep company, which were answered by the Carcase. A dreadful crackling +was heard at a distance, which proved the dashing and grinding of the +loose pieces of ice against each other, which is heard at many leagues +distance. Hacluit’s Headland south-east by south, distance six or seven +leagues. + +Tuesday 6, proved very foggy, the breezes slight, and islands of ice +beginning to appear. At three in the afternoon the Commodore hauled up +from a large body of packed ice, and the fog thickening, both ships kept +firing volleys of small arms, to prevent their losing company. At half +past ten in the evening, the extremes of the ice stretching from +north-west to east-north-east, the Commodore bore away; and at half past +twelve lost sight of it. At half past one in the morning heard a violent +surf to the south-east. At two tacked and stood to the westward. At half +past five the fog gathering, they began firing volleys of small arms. At +six saw the ice stretching from east by south, to north by east; and at +seven was within sight of land. At ten Cloven Cliff stood +east-south-east, distant about five or six leagues. + +Wednesday the 7th, the weather cloudy. They found themselves beset among +the loose ice, which increasing continually, gave them incredible +trouble. Observing that it thickened to the eastward, they hauled up, +and stood to the westward; but in tacking, they were in danger of +running foul. It was with difficulty they could keep any course, for the +driffs of ice came so thick, as to whirl the ships about, as if in a +whirl-pool. + +Thursday 8, the weather still remaining cloudy, and the wind variable, +both ships still were entangled in the ice; and the Carcase being driven +to leeward, hoisted out her long-boat to tow up with the Commodore. But +the ice closing very fast, it was impossible for the boats to live. +Orders were then given to tack and stand to the southward; but the ships +not being able to make head against the accumulation of ice that +continually gathered round them, were under a necessity of applying to +their ice-anchors and poles, in order to warp through it. At half past +eight in the evening, the ice beginning to open, they again hoisted out +their boats, and with difficulty towed the ships round a cape of ice +projecting from the main body, and at last got clear. At ten the boats +were hoisted on board. In extricating themselves from this dangerous +situation, the Race Horse had her best bower-anchor snapt in the shank, +close to the stock, and the Carcase lost her starboard bumpkin and +head-rails. + +It frequently happens, that ships beset among the ice in the manner +above related, perish by being dashed to pieces against the solid fields +of ice, or crushed by the broken pieces crowding upon one another, and +rising so fast about the ship, as to exceed the height of her sides, and +then there is no escaping. They were told by some experienced seamen, +that the ice rises out of the sea as high sometimes as mountains; and +that several of these mountains, by striking together and coalescing, +form these islands of ice that are frequently seen in the lower +latitudes, driving up and down the sea as the wind and tides direct +them. + +The greatest danger to be apprehended, is, however, from the loose ice; +for the whalers often moor their ships to the solid fields of ice, that +at certain seasons seem to rest upon the earth, and appear fixed to it, +and there find the best fishing. In such situations it often happens, +that little or no loose ice is to be seen; yet presently upon a change +of wind, or the blowing of a storm, it shall pour in upon them so +suddenly, that they sometimes perish in it. It is not possible to +account for the astonishing quantity that will gather in this manner in +less than an hour’s time. + + [Illustration: _A View of the Whale Fishery._] + +Though it seems to be agreed, that many of the largest fields of ice are +frozen to the depth of the sea in which they are found, and that they +are bedded on the solid earth, yet it is equally certain, that they are +often rent asunder by the raging billows; and that in breaking, they +produce the most terrifying noise in nature; nay, it is asserted, that +the clashing of the pieces of loose ice against each other, on any +extraordinary agitation of the waves, is attended with a roaring so +loud, that a man who is near it can hardly hear the sound of his own +voice. + +Friday the 9th, they hauled up to the westward, and lost sight one of +the other; but about nine next morning they came in sight, and joined +company. The weather being now piercing cold, the people had an +additional quantity of porter and brandy delivered to them; two quarts +of porter and a pint of brandy being now every man’s daily allowance. + +Saturday July the 10th, the breeze fresh, and the weather cloudy. They +sailed between numberless pieces of ice, among which they saw several +whales, but none of the whalers in pursuit of them. The ice now becoming +solid and compact, they found it impracticable to continue their course. +And the discovery of a passage to the pole in that direction (upon +holding a consultation) appearing impracticable to every officer on +board of both ships, the Commodore, at seven in the evening, hauled +close to the wind; and the Carcase, as soon as she could extricate +herself, followed his example. The weather continuing foggy, with rain +and snow, the sailors were almost worn out with turning and winding; and +although they used the utmost precaution in working through the narrows, +yet they could not always avoid striking against the mountains that +every where surrounded them. During this night’s work, they steered a +hundred different courses, to follow the channels. + +Sunday 11, having worked out of the ice, they sailed along the main +body, which appeared perfectly solid and compact, without any passage or +inlet. This immense mass of ice extended north-east, as far as they +could see from the mast-head; and, no doubt, might be a continuation of +that in which they were engaged a few days before. The sea was now +tolerably clear, for they met with no more fields, and only a few +detached islands. At half past one in the morning they saw the land from +south by west, to south-south-east. At three in the morning they tacked; +Cloven Cliff bearing south-south-east six miles. At seven tacked again. +At eight the Commodore bore away, and the Carcase stood after him. +Cloven Cliff south one half west, two or three leagues, latitude 79 +degrees 56 minutes north. + +Monday 12, at eight in the evening Cloven Cliff bearing west-south-west +four or five miles, they sounded in fifteen fathoms water, and found a +rocky bottom. Saw several English and Dutch Greenlanders at anchor in +the Norways: That being their rendezvous to the northward, they never +chuse to proceed farther. Here they found the current setting so fast to +eastward, that they were forced to come to an anchor to keep from +drifting on the ice; the swell from westward being so great, that had +that happened, it would of consequence have staved the ships. At five in +the morning a breeze from north-north-east springing up, they weighed, +and made sail. At eight Hacluit’s Headland west-south-west one half +west, six or seven leagues, at noon latitude 80 degrees 2 minutes north. + +Tuesday 13, the weather being clear and calm, and a strong easterly +current setting in, at eight in the evening they came to with their +stream anchors and hausers in forty fathoms water but at nine a breeze +springing up from the eastward, they weighed, and next day came to an +anchor in Smearingburgh Harbour. Cloven Cliff east one half south one +mile. West point of Voogle land north-north-west one half west, distant +one mile and a half; soundings fifteen fathom sandy bottom. + +Here they remained between five and six days to take in fresh water, +during which time our journalist was employed in surveying the country, +which to a stranger had a very awful and romantic appearance. + +The country is stoney, and as far as can be seen full of mountains, +precipices and rocks. Between these are hills of ice, generated, as it +should seem, by the torrents that flow from the melting of the snow on +the sides of those towering elevations, which being once congealed, are +continually increased by the snow in winter, and the rain in summer, +which often freezes as soon as it falls. By looking on these hills, a +stranger may fancy a thousand different shapes of trees, castles, +churches, ruins, ships, whales, monsters, and all the various forms that +fill the universe. Of the ice-hills there are seven, that more +particularly attract the notice of a stranger. These are known by the +name of the seven iceburgs, and are thought to be the highest of the +kind in that country. When the air is clear, and the sun shines full +upon these mountains, the prospect is inconceivably brilliant. They +sometimes put on the bright glow of the evening rays of the setting sun, +when reflected upon glass, at his going down; sometimes they appear of a +bright blue, like sapphire, and sometimes like the variable colours of a +prism, exceeding in lustre the richest gems in the world, disposed in +shapes wonderful to behold, all glittering with a lustre that dazzles +the eye, and fills the air with astonishing brightness. + +Smearingburgh harbour, where they landed, was first discovered by the +Dutch. Here they erected sheds and conveniences for boiling the oil from +the fat of the whales, instead of barrelling it up to be boiled at home. +Here also, allured by the hope of gain, they built a village, and +endeavoured to fix a colony: but the first settlers all perished in the +ensuing winter. The remains of the village may be traced to this day; +and their stoves, kettles, kardels, troughs, ovens, and other +implements, remained in the shape of solid ice long after the utensils +themselves were decayed. Our voyagers were told, that the Russians have +lately attempted the same thing, and that ten out of fifteen perished +last winter in this second attempt. + +Where every object is new, it is not easy for a stranger to fix which +first to admire. The rocks are striking objects: before a storm they +exhibit a fiery appearance, and the sun looks pale upon them, the snow +giving the air a bright reflection. Their summits are almost always +involved in clouds, so that it is but just possible to see the tops of +them. Some of these rocks are but one stone from bottom to top, +appearing like an old decayed ruin. Others consist of huge masses, +veined differently, like marble, with red, white, and yellow, and +probably, were they to be sawed and polished, would equal, if not excel, +the finest Egyptian marble we now so much admire. Perhaps the distance +and danger of carrying large blocks of stones, may be the reason that no +trials have been made to manufacture them. On the southerly and westerly +sides of these rocks grow all the plants, herbs, and mosses peculiar to +this country; on the northerly and easterly sides the wind strikes so +cold when it blows from these quarters, that it perishes every kind of +vegetable. These plants grow to perfection in a very short time. Till +the middle of May the whole country is locked up in ice; about the +beginning of July the plants are in flower, and about the latter end of +the same month, or beginning of August, they have perfected their seed. +The earth owes its fertility, in a great measure, to the dung of birds, +who build and breed their young here in the summer, and in the winter +repair to more favourable climates. + +The plants that are most common in Spitsbergen are scurvy-grass and +crows-foot; there are besides small house-leak, and a plant with +aloe-leaves; an herb like stone-crop; some small snake-weed; mouse-ear; +wood-strawbery; periwinkle; and a herb peculiar to the country which +they call the rock-plant. The leaves of this plant are in shape like a +man’s tongue, above six feet long, of a dull yellow colour. The stalk is +round and smooth, and of the same colour with the leaf; it rises +tapering, and smells like muscles. It is an aquatic, and rises in height +in proportion to the depth of water in which it is found. There are +other plants and herbs, but these are the chief. Of flowers, the white +poppy seems the principal. + +The rocks and precipices are full of fissures and clefts, which afford +convenient harbour for birds to lay their eggs, and breed their young in +safety. Most of these birds are water-fowl, and seek their food in the +sea. Some, indeed, are birds of prey; and pursue and kill others for +their own sustenance, but these are rare. The water-fowl eat strong and +fishy, and their fat is not to be endured. They are so numerous about +the rocks, as sometimes to darken the air when they rise in flocks; and +they scream so horribly, that the rocks ring with their noise. + +There are a few small birds like our snipes, and a kind of snow-bird, +but different from that found about Hudson’s bay. The gentlemen shot +some of the water-fowl, but they were strong and ill-tasted. + +The ice-bird is a very beautiful little bird, but very rare. He is in +size and shape like a turtle-dove, but his plumage, when the sun shines +upon him, is of a bright yellow, like the golden ring in the peacock’s +tail, and almost dazzles the eye to look upon it. + +The other inhabitants of this forlorn country are white bears, deer, and +foxes. How these creatures can subsist in the winter, when the whole +earth is covered with snow, and the sea locked up in ice, is hardly to +be conceived. It has been said, indeed, that when the ocean is all +frozen over, and no sustenance to be procured in this country, they +travel southerly to the warmer climates, where food proper for them +abounds in the immense forests of the northern continent. But whoever +considers the vast distance between Spitsbergen and the nearest parts of +the northern continent, will be as much at a loss to account for the +subsistence of these creatures in their journey, as in the desolate +region where they undoubtedly remain. The bear is by far the best +accommodated to the climate of which he is an inhabitant. He is equally +at home on land and water, and hunts diligently for his prey in both. In +summer he finds plenty of food from the refuse of the whales, sea-horses +and seals, which is thrown into the sea by the whalers, and cover the +shores during the time of whaling; and they have besides a wonderful +sagacity in smelling out the carcases of the dead, let them be ever so +deeply buried in the earth, or covered with stones. The dead therefore +that annually are buried here may contribute, in some degree, to the +subsistence of a few of these creatures in winter; but the question will +still recur, how the race of them subsisted before the whale-fishery had +existence, and before men found the way to this inhospitable shore. +Disquisitions of this kind, as they are beyond the reach of human +comprehension, serve only to raise our admiration of that omnipotent +Being to whom nothing is impossible. + +These creatures, as they differ in nothing but their colour and size +from those commonly shewn in England, need no description. + +The foxes differ little in shape from those we are acquainted with, but +in colour there is no similitude. Their heads are black, and their +bodies white. As they are beasts of prey, if they do not provide in +summer for the long recess of winter, it were, one would think, almost +impossible for them to survive; yet they are seen in plenty, though, by +their subtlety and swiftness, they are not easy to be catched. + +The Dutch seamen report, that when they are hungry they will feign +themselves dead, and when the ravenous birds come to feed upon them, +they rise and make them their prey. + +But the most wonderful thing of all is, how the deer can survive an +eight months famine. Like ours they feed upon nothing that can be +perceived, but the vegetables which the earth spontaneously produces; +and yet for eight months in the year, the earth produces neither plant, +herb, shrub, or blade of any kind of grass whatever. They are, besides, +but thinly cloathed for so severe a climate, and what seems still worse, +there is not a bush to be seen to shelter them, within the distance that +any man has yet discovered. The means of their subsistence must +therefore remain among the secrets of nature, never to be disclosed, as +no human being can ever live here, so as to be able to trace these +creatures to their winter’s residence. + +Amphibious creatures abound the most about the sounds and bays of +Spitsbergen, and they seem best adapted to endure the climate. These are +the seals, or sea dogs, and morses, or sea horses; of which the whalers +avail themselves, when disappointed in compleating their lading with the +fat of whales. + +The seal is sufficiently known; but the sea-horse, as it is a creature +peculiar to high latitudes, is therefore more rare. It is not easy to +say how he came by his name; for there is no more likeness between a +sea-horse and a land-horse, than there is between a whale and an +elephant. The sea-horse is not unlike the seal in shape. He has a large +round head, larger than that of a bull, but shaped more like that of a +pug-dog without ears, than any other animal we are acquainted with. He +tapers all the way down to the tail, like the fish we call a lump, and +his size is equal to that of the largest sized ox. His tusks close over +his under jaw, like those of a very old boar, and are in length from one +foot to two or more, in proportion to the size and age of the animal +that breeds them. His skin is thicker than that of a bull, and covered +with short mouse-coloured hair, which is sleeker and thicker, just as he +happens to be in or out of season when he is caught. His paws, before +and behind, are like those of a mole, and serve him for oars when he +swims, and for legs to crawl when he goes upon the ice, or on shore. He +is a fierce animal, but being unweildy when on land, or on the ice, is +easily overcome. + +These animals are always found in herds, sometimes of many hundreds +together, and if one is attacked, the rest make a common cause, and +stand by one another till the last gasp. If they are attacked in the +water, they will fight desperately, and will even attempt the boats of +their pursuers, if any of them are wounded, and not mortally. Some of +them have been known to make holes in the bottom of the boat with their +tusks, in defence of their young. Their eyes are large, and they have +two holes in the upper part of the neck, out of which they eject the +water, in like manner as it is ejected by whales. + +Though the sea about Spitsbergen is full of fish, yet they rather appear +to be designed by Providence for the sustenance of one another, than for +the food of man. The mackarel, of which there are no great plenty, seem +not only to be the most wholesome, and the most palatable, but also the +most beautiful. They seem to be a different species to those caught upon +our coasts. The upper part of the back is of a vivid blue; the other +part as low as the belly of a gem-like green on an azure ground. +Underneath the belly the colour is a transparent white, and the fins +shine like polished silver. All the colours glow when alive in the sea +with such a richness, that fancy can hardly form to itself any thing in +nature more beautiful. Almost all the other fish on this coast are of an +oily nature, and of a very indifferent flavour. + +The saw, or sword fish, is remarkable not only for the oddity of his +shape, but also for his enmity to the whale. This fish takes his name +from a broad flat bone, in length from two to four feet, which projects +from his nose, and tapers to a point. On each side, it has teeth like a +comb, at the distance of a finger’s breadth asunder. He is also +furnished with a double row of fins, and is of astonishing strength in +the water. His length from ten to twenty feet. He seems to be formed for +war, and war is his profession. The conflict betwixt him and the whale +is dreadful, yet he never gives over till his sword is broken, or he +comes off victorious. + +The whale is a harmless fish, and is never known to fight but in his own +defence. Yet when he is exasperated, he rages dreadfully. Though from +his magnitude, he may be called the sovereign of the seas; yet, like +other sovereigns, he is liable to be vexed and hurt by the meanest +reptiles. The whale’s louse is a most tormenting little animal. Its +scales are as hard as those of our prawns; its head is like the louse’s +head, with four horns, two that serve as feelers, the other two are +hard, and curved, and serve as clenchers to fix him to the whale. On his +chest, underneath, he has two carvers, like scythes, with which he +collects his food, and behind these are four feet, that serve him for +oars. He has, moreover, six other clenchers behind, with which he can +rivet himself so closely to his prey, that he can no otherwise be +disengaged, but by cutting out the whole piece to which he is joined. He +is jointed on the back like the tail of a lobster, and his tail covers +him like a shield when he is feeding. He fixes himself on the tenderest +parts of the whale’s body, between his fins, on his sheath, and on his +lips, and eats pieces out of his flesh, as if eaten by vultures. + +They found no springs of fresh-water in Spitsbergen; but in the valleys, +between the mountains, are many little rills caused by the rain and +melting of the snow in summer; and from these rills the ships are +supplied. Some are of opinion, that this water is unwholesome, but they +are more nice than wise. The whaling people have drank of it for ages, +and have found no ill effects from the use of it. Ice taken up in the +middle of these seas and thawed, yields also good fresh water. + +On board the Race Horse, Dr. Irvine, the gentleman who received the +premium by a grant of parliament, for his discovery of an easy process +for making salt-water fresh at sea, tried many experiments at +Spitsbergen, and in the course of the voyage; the result of which will +appear at a proper time. That gentleman had formed a project for +preserving flesh meat fresh and sweet in long voyages, but it did not +answer in this. + +In calm weather they remarked, that the sea about the islands appeared +uncommonly still and smooth; that it was not suddenly moved at the first +approach of blowing weather; but that when the storm continued, the +waves swelled gradually, and rose to an incredible height.--These +swelling waves successively follow one another, and roll along before +the wind, foaming and raging in a frightful manner, yet they are thought +less dangerous than those that break short, and are less mountainous. + +They observed likewise, that the ice that rested on the ground was not +stationary, but that it changed place; and they learnt also, that in +some seasons there was no ice, where this season they were in danger of +being embayed. There does not, however, from thence appear the least +reason to conclude, that any practicable passage to the Indian ocean can +ever be found in this direction; for were it certain that the seas were +always open under the pole, yet great bulwarks of ice evidently surround +it, sometimes at a less, and sometimes at a greater distance. Moreover, +were it possible that chance should direct some fortunate adventurer to +an opening at one time, it would be more than a million to one, if the +same opening were passable to the next who should attempt it. + +There are many harbours about Spitsbergen, besides that of Smearingburg, +where ships employed in the whale fishery take shelter in stormy +weather; and there are some islands, such as Charles’s Island, the +Clifted Rock, Red-Hill, Hacluit’s Headland, &c. that serve as landmarks, +by which seamen direct their course. These islands are full of the nests +of birds; but their eggs are as nauseous as the flesh of the fowls that +lay them. The sailors sometimes eat them, but they are filthy food. Even +the geese and ducks on the neighbouring islands eat fishy and strong. + +The air about Spitsbergen is never free from icicles. If you look +through the sun-beams transversely as you sit in the shade, or where you +see the rays confined in a body, instead of dark motes, as are seen +here, you see myriads of shining particles that sparkle like diamonds; +and when the sun shines hot, as it sometimes does, so as to melt the tar +in the seams of ships when they lie sheltered from the wind, these +shining atoms seem to melt away, and descend like dew. + +It is seldom that the air continues clear for many days together in this +climate; when that happens, the whalers are generally successful. There +is no difference between night and day in the appearance of the +atmosphere about Spitsbergen, one being as light as the other, only when +the sun is to the northward, you may look at him with the naked eye, as +at the moon, without dazzling. The fogs here come on so suddenly, that +from bright sun-shine, you are presently involved in such obscurity, +that you can hardly see from one end of the ship to the other. + +While our journalist was busy in making his observations, all belonging +to the ships were differently engaged in one employment or other; some +in taking in water, some in fishing, some in hunting, some in handing +the sails, and spreading them out to dry, some in scrubbing the ship, +and some in viewing the country. The Commanders and officers, with Mr. +Lyon, Mr. Robinson, &c. busied themselves in making observations, being +furnished with an apparatus, that is said to have cost at least one +thousand five hundred pounds. From such a set of instruments, in the +hands of the ablest observers, the nation can boast, some very +considerable discoveries in the phenomena of the polar regions may be +expected. They landed their instruments in a small island, in Vogle +Sound, and had several opportunities during their stay of using them to +advantage. Having erected two tents, the Captains from the fishery +frequently visited the observers, and expressed their admiration not +only at the perfection of the instruments, but likewise at the dexterity +with which they were accommodated. + +The ice began to set in a-pace, yet the weather was hot. The thermometer +from fifty-six in the cabin rose to ninety in the open air. It was still +ten degrees higher on the top of a mountain to which it was carried. The +island on which the experiments were made, they called Marble Island, +from the rock by which it is formed. Having watered, and finished their +observations, the ships prepared to depart. + +Monday July the 19th, the Commodore made the signal to weigh; at two in +the afternoon the ships were under sail, and as soon as they had made +their offing, stood to the eastward. At three they tacked and steered +northward; and before four were again entangled among the loose ice, +through which they sailed, directing their course along the main body, +which lay from north-west to south-south-east. + +Tuesday the 20th, they continued their course along the ice, but could +discover no opening, though they searched every creek, and left no bay +or turning unexamined. This day they observed what the sailors call a +mock-sun, a phænomenon well enough known in this climate. Hacluit’s +Headland bore south-west one half south forty-six leagues; the weather +cloudy, with rain; excessive cold. Thermometer 37 degrees 46 minutes. + +Wednesday the 21st, the severity of the weather increasing, an +additional quantity of brandy was served out to the people, and every +comfortable refreshment afforded them, that they themselves could wish +or require. The course of the ice lay this day north-east. + +Thursday 22, nothing remarkable. + +Friday the 23d, they saw land from east by south, to south-east by +south. At four in the morning, Hacluit’s Headland bore south-east ten +leagues; the wind variable, and the weather cold, with sleet and snow. +Thermometer 40 degrees. + +Sunday 25, they had gentle breezes, with cloudy weather, and were +engaged among some pieces of ice, separated from the main body, which +kept them continually tacking and luffing. At length they entered among +mountains and islands of ice, which came upon them so fast, that it was +with the utmost difficulty they could proceed; the Carcase having +several times struck against them with such violence, as to raise her +head four feet out of the water. They now imagined, from the solidity +and extent of these islands, that the late strong gales had caused a +separation from the main body, the Commodore therefore changed his +course with a strong gale to the eastward; in the morning the weather +became moderate. + +Monday 26, at seven in the morning, they came in sight of Red-hill, a +small mount which commands an open plain, known by the name of +Deers-field, by reason of its fertile appearance, it being the only spot +on which they saw no drifts of snow. To the eastward lies Muffin’s +Island. Here they sounded, and found forty-five fathom water; rocky +ground. Capt. Lutwich sent out the long-boat, with orders to sound along +the shore, and to examine the soil. This island is about a mile long, +very low, and looks at a distance like a black speck. Though the soil is +mostly sand and loose stones, and hardly so much as a green weed upon +it, yet it is remarkable for the number of birds that resort to it in +summer to lay their eggs, and breed their young; and these not of one +kind only, but of many different sorts, as geese, ducks, burgomasters, +ice-birds, malamucks, kirmews, rotgers, and almost every other species +of birds peculiar to the climate; insomuch, that the eggs were so +numerous, and lay so thick upon the ground, that the men who landed +found it difficult to walk without filling their shoes. + +While the crew of the boat, ten in number, with their valiant officer at +their head, were examining the island, after having sounded the shores, +they observed two white bears making towards them, one upon the ice, the +other in the water. Major Buz, for that was their officer’s travelling +title, like Falstaff, was always the boldest man in company over a cup +of sack, and minded killing a bear no more than killing a gnat; but +seeing the bears approach very fast, especially that which came in the +water, he ordered his men to fire while yet the enemy was at a distance, +as he did not think it prudent to hazard the lives of his little company +in close fight. All of them pointed their muskets, and some of the party +obeyed orders; but the greater part judging it safer to depend upon a +reserved fire, when they had seemingly discharged their pieces, +pretended to retreat. The Major, a full fathom in the belly, endeavoured +to waddle after his companions; but being soon out of breath, and seeing +the bear that came in the water had just reached the shore, thought of +nothing now but falling the first sacrifice. His hair already stood an +end; and looking behind him, he saw the bear at no great distance, with +his nose in the air snuffing the scent. He had all the reason in the +world to believe it was him that he scented, and he had scarce breath +enough left to call to his men to halt. In this critical situation he +unfortunately dropt his gun, and in stooping to recover it stumbled +against a goose-nest, fell squash upon his belly into it, and had very +nigh smothered the dam upon her eggs. The old saying is, misfortunes +seldom come alone. Before he could well rise, the enraged gander came +flying to the assistance of his half-smothered consort, and making a +dart at the eye of the assailant, very narrowly missed his mark, but +discharged his fury plump upon his nose. The danger now being pressing, +and the battle serious, the bear near, and the gander ready for a second +attack, the men, who had not fled far, thought it high time to return to +the relief of their leader. Overjoyed to see them about him, but +frighted at the bear just behind him, he had forgot the gander that was +over his head, against which one of the men having levelled his piece, +fired and he fell dead at the Major’s feet. Animated now by the death of +one enemy, he recovered his gun, and faced about to assist in the attack +of the second. By this time the bear was scarce ten yards from him, and +beginning to growl, the Major just in the instant was seized with a +looseness, dropt his accoutrements, and fell back, that he might not be +in the way of his party, to impede the engagement. In the hurry he was +in, for in a man of such valour we must not say the fright, he entangled +his buttons, and not being able to hold any longer, he filled his +breeches. The crew in an instant had brought down the bear, and now it +was time for their leader to do something great. Having recovered his +arms, and seeing the poor beast groveling on the ground, and growling +out his last, like a ram in a pinfold, making a short race backwards in +order to redouble his force, he came with nine long strides forwards, +and with the strength and fierceness of an enraged bull, thrust his +lance full four feet deep in the dying bear’s belly. And now, says the +Major, cocking his hat, have not I done for the bear bravely! The +sailors, who are always in a good humour upon such occasions; but +Captain, said they, you have but half done your work, you have another +bear to kill yet. The Major, whose situation began to be troublesome, +content with the honour he had already acquired, my lads, said he, as I +have been the death of one bear, sure six of you may kill the other; so +ordering four of them to row him on board, he left the remaining six to +kill the other bear. + +On this island two bears were killed, and a sea-horse. The sea-horse +made a desperate defence, being attacked in the water; and had there +been only one boat engaged in the combat, he certainly would have come +off victorious; but the crew of the Race-horse having learnt that there +were bears and sea-horses on this little spot, were willing to share in +the sport of hunting them, as well as in the pleasure of tasting their +flesh. They accordingly landed in their boats, and came in good time to +assist in pursuing the conquest. It happened, however, that their +ammunition, being almost spent, one great bear came up to revenge the +death of his fellows, and advanced so furiously, growling and barking, +that he put the whole company to flight, and some of them, it is said, +had no great reason to laugh at the Major. + +On sounding the shores they remarked, that when the north islands bear +north forty-five east, seven or eight leagues, and Red-hill east by +south five miles, there is generally from twenty-five to thirty fathom +hard ground; but that closer on shore, when Red-hill bears east +one-fourth south about one mile, it increases to one hundred and fifteen +fathom, with soft black mud. The current about one mile an hour to the +north-east. + +Tuesday 27, the air being perfectly serene, and the weather moderate, +the fishes seemed to enjoy the temperature, and to express it by their +sporting. The whales were seen spouting their fountains towards the +skies, and the fin fish following their example. They likewise this day +saw dolphins; the whole prospect in short was more pleasing and +picturesque than they had yet beheld in this remote region. The very ice +in which they were beset looked beautiful, and put forth a thousand +glittering forms, and the tops of the mountains, which they could see +like sparkling gems at a vast distance, had the appearance of so many +silver stars illuminating a new firmament. But this flattering prospect +did not continue long. By an accurate observation, they were now in +latitude 80 deg. 47 min. north; and in longitude 21 deg. 10 min. east +from London; and in sight of seven islands to the north, to which they +directed their course. + +Wednesday 28, they had fresh easterly breezes, which, from moderate +weather the day before, changed to piercing cold. At midnight the west +end of Weygate straits bore south by east, so that they were now in the +very spot where Barentz had supposed an opening would be found into the +polar sea. Yet so far from it, they could discover nothing from the +mast-head, but a continued continent of solid ice, except the islands +already mentioned. On this ice, however, there were many bears, some of +which came so near the ships as to be shot dead with small arms. These +bears are very good eating, and where no better is to be purchased, the +whalers account them as good as beef. They are many of them larger than +the largest oxen, and weigh heavier. In many parts of their body they +are musket proof, and unless they are hit on the open chest, or on the +flank, a blow with a musket ball will hardly make them turn their backs. +Some of the bears killed in these encounters weighed from seven to eight +hundred weight; and it was thought, that the bear that routed the +sailors on Muffin’s Island, could not weigh less than a thousand weight. +He was, indeed, a very monster! + +Thursday 29, sailing among innumerable islands of ice, they found the +main body too solid for the ships to make the least impression upon it, +and finding no opening, the Commodore resolved to send a party under the +command of the first Lieutenant to examine the land, which at a distance +appeared like a plain, diversified with hills and mountains, and +exhibited in their situation a tolerable landskip. + +On trying the water, it was less salt than any sea water they had ever +tasted and they found likewise, that the ice was no other than a body of +congealed fresh water, which they imagined had been frozen in the +infancy of the earth. + +Tuesday 30, the weather being clear, they ran close to the main body of +the ice, and the sun continuing to shine, made them almost forget the +climate they were sailing in, but it was not long before they had reason +for severe recollection. In coasting along, they observed many openings, +and were in hopes, from their distant appearance, that a passage might +be made between them; but, upon trial it was found, as the Dutch +fishermen had foretold, that these appearances were deceitful. At one in +the morning fine clear sun-shine, they sounded in sixteen fathom water, +and found small stones at bottom. They were then about four miles from +the north-east part of the northernmost land; the easternmost land in +sight, distant about five or six leagues. + +Saturday 31, at midnight, the easternmost land in sight lay +east-north-east one half east, which they could not make out to be an +island. They rather judged it to be a continent, but found it impossible +to determine with certainty, as it lay beyond their reach. At nine in +the morning the Carcase hoisted out her cutter, and filled her empty +water-casks with water from the ice. On this ice lie great quantities of +snow, and as soon as a pit is dug, it fills with fine soft clear water, +not inferior to that of many land springs. At noon they sounded in +ninety five fathoms, the ground soft mud. This day a bear came over the +ice to visit them, the first they had seen since they left Muffin’s +Island. They saluted him with a volley of small arms, and he returned +the compliment, by turning his back upon them. Their longitude was this +day 21 degrees 26 minutes east, by time-keeper. Thermometer forty-five. + +Sunday August 1, proved a day of trial. Lying too among the close ice, +with the loose ice driving fast to shore, the Commodore was desirous of +surveying the westernmost of the seven islands, which appeared the +highest, in order to judge, from the prospect on the hills, of the +possibility of proceeding farther on the discovery. With this view they +carried out their ice-anchors, and made both ships fast to the main +body, a practice very common with the fishing ships that annually +frequent those seas. Of the reconnoitring party, were the Captains, the +second Lieutenants, one of the mathematicians, the pilots, and some +chosen sailors, selected from both ships. They set out about two in the +morning, and sometimes sailing, sometimes drawing their boats over the +ice, they with difficulty reached the shore, where the first objects +they saw were a herd of deer, so very tame, that they seemed as curious +to gaze at the strangers, as the strangers were pleased to see them; for +they came five or six together so near, that they might have been killed +with the thrust of a bayonet; a proof that animals are not naturally +afraid of man, till, by the fate of their associates, they are taught +the danger of approaching them; a proof too, that animals are not +destitute of reflection, otherwise how should they conclude, that what +has befallen their fellow animals, will certainly happen to them, if +they run the like risque. The gentlemen, however, suffered only one of +these fearless innocents to be fired at, and that was done by a sailor +when they were absent on observation. + +On this island they gathered some scurvy-grass, and in many places they +could perceive the sides of the hills covered with the verdure on which +these deer undoubtedly fed. + +After having ascended the highest hills on the sea-coast, and taken a +view of the country and the ocean all round, the gentlemen descended, +and about five in the afternoon embarked again on their return to the +ships, at which they arrived safe about ten, after an absence of twenty +hours. They were greatly disappointed by the haziness of the weather on +the tops of the mountains, which confined the prospect, and prevented +their taking an observation with the instruments they had carried with +them for that purpose. + +There is here a small variation in the journals of the two ships; that +kept on board the Commodore making the distance between the island and +the ships near twenty miles; the other only five leagues, which might +easily happen, as the ships shifted their stations with the main body of +ice, sometimes driving north-west, sometimes the contrary course, as the +wind and tides happened to sit. + +Their situation now began to be serious, and it was discovered too late, +that by grappling to the ice, as practised by the Greenlandmen, they had +endangered the loss of the ships, the loose ice closing so fast about +them, that they found it absolutely impossible to get them disengaged; +and there was, besides, great reason to fear, that one or both would +soon be crushed to pieces. Great minds are ever most distinguished by +their expedients on the most alarming occasions. The Commodore set all +hands to work to form a dock in the solid ice, large enough to moor both +ships; and by the alacrity with which that service was performed, the +ships were preserved from the danger of immediate destruction. + +The ships being thus far secured, the officers, pilots, and masters, +were all summoned on board the Commodore, to consult on what further was +to be done in their present unpromising situation; when it was +unanimously agreed, that their deliverance was hopeless; and that they +must either provide to winter upon the adjacent islands, or attempt to +launch their boats into the open sea, which was already at a +considerable distance; for the loose ice had poured into the bay in +which they were at anchor with so much rapidity, and in such astonishing +quantities, that the open sea was already far out of sight. Before any +thing farther was undertaken, the men were ordered to their quarters, +that they might refresh themselves with sleep. + +While their Commanders preserve their fortitude, the sailors never lose +their courage. They rose in the morning with as much alacrity and +unconcern, as if they had been sailing with a fine breeze in the British +Channel. + +August 2, it was now thought adviseable to make one desperate attempt to +extricate the ships, by cutting a channel to the westward into the open +sea. The scooping out the dock with so much expedition, by a party only +of one ship, raised high expectations of what might be performed by the +united labours of both the crews. No body of men ever undertook a work +of such difficulty with so much chearfulness and confidence of success, +as the sailors observed on this occasion. Their ice-saws, axes, sledges, +poles, and the whole group of sea-tools, were in an instant all employed +in facilitating the work; but after cutting through blocks of solid ice +from eight to fifteen feet deep, and coming to others of many fathoms, +that exceeded the powers of man to separate, that was laid aside as a +hopeless project; and another more promising, though not less laborious, +adopted in its room. + +On the 3d of August, after the men had again refreshed themselves with +sleep, it was resolved to fit up the boats belonging to both the ships +with such coverings as were most easy to be accommodated, and of +lightest conveyance; and by skating them over the ice, endeavour to +launch them in the open sea. Could this be effected, they hoped, that by +sailing and rowing to the northernmost harbour of Spitsbergen, they +might arrive at that island, before the departure of the last ships +belonging to the fishery for Europe. + +While the boats were getting ready for this expedition, a second party +were dispatched to the island, with orders to take the distance as exact +as it was possible to the nearest open sea. As all the people belonging +to the ships were not to be engaged in these services, those who were +unemployed diverted themselves in hunting and killing the bears, that +now, attracted perhaps by the savory smell of the provisions dressed on +board the ships, came every day over the ice to repeat their visits. +Several of these were killed occasionally, and this day they fought a +sea-horse, in which engagement the second Lieutenant of the Carcase +signalized his courage in a most desperate rencounter, in which, +however, he succeeded, though his life was in imminent danger. + +On the 4th the carpenters, &c. were still employed in fitting up the +boats. The pilots, who the day before had been sent to make observations +on the islands already mentioned, made their report, that the nearest +water they had seen was about ten leagues to the westward; that in their +passage they had met with great numbers of spars or pine trees, floating +about the island, some of them of considerable size, with the bark +rotted off, and the bodies much worm-eaten; that there was neither tree +nor shrub to be seen growing on any of the seven islands, nor upon any +land that they had yet discovered in that latitude, nor for ten degrees +farther south, and that the trees they had seen must therefore have come +from a great distance. + +Though there is nothing now in this observation, the like being annually +observed by all the navigators who frequent those seas in the summer, +and who collect their wood from those drifts, yet the country from +whence they proceed has hitherto been thought a mystery. But it being +now certain, that many of the great rivers that flow through the +northernmost parts of Russia, empty themselves into this sea; and that +there is an open communication throughout the different parts of it at +different seasons of the year, there seems very little reason to doubt, +but that those trees are torn up by land floods, and are precipitated +into the sea by the rapidity of the streams. + +It has indeed been objected, that all the wood that is found floating in +this manner about the islands in high latitudes, is to a piece barked +and worm-eaten; and that if these trees were torn up and precipitated +into the sea in the manner above supposed, some of it would appear sound +and unbarked, as in its first state. To this it may be answered, that +were the course of the tides to run as constantly to the northward, as +the course of the rivers runs into the sea, this objection would be +unanswerable. But the very reverse is known to be the fact; and that +neither the winds nor the tides tend to the northwards for any +considerable part of the year; so that from the time these trees enter +the ocean, it must, in the ordinary course of things, be many ages +before they can reach the latitudes in which they are now found. +Because, if they are driven northwards by the strength of a storm from +the south, they will be driven in another direction by the next storm +that happens from another quarter; and all the while the calm continues, +they will be driven to and fro by the tides, which, as has been +observed, seldom set long to the north, therefore, being in continual +motion for ages, or being cast upon the shore by tempests, or high +tides, and lying there exposed to the air, till tempests or high tides +return them again to the ocean, they will, in a long progression of +time, be reduced to the state in which they are constantly found. This +solution is, however, offered with diffidence. The fact is certain, of +much wood being annually found about the islands in question; and it is +now of little importance from whence it proceeds, as a passage by the +north east to China will probably never more be sought. + +On the 5th they had gentle breezes; but about four in the morning small +sleet. The ice still surrounding them, and appearing to grow more and +more solid and fixed, those who had till now retained hopes that the +south-east wind would again disunite its substance, and open a passage +for their deliverance, began to despair, as the wind had blown for +twenty-four hours from that quarter, from which alone they could have +relief, and not the least alteration to be perceived. The men, however, +were as joyous as ever, and shewed not the least concern about the +danger of their situation. + +Early in the morning, the man at the mast-head of the Carcase gave +notice, that three bears were making their way very fast over the ice, +and that they were directing their course towards the ship. They had, +without question, been invited by the scent of the blubber of the +sea-horse killed a few days before, which the men had let on fire, and +which was burning on the ice at the time of their approach. They proved +to be a she-bear and her two cubbs; but the cubbs were nearly as large +as the dam. They ran eagerly to the fire, and drew out from the flames +part of the flesh of the sea-horse that remained unconsumed, and eat it +voraciously. The crew from the ship, by way of diversion, threw great +lumps of the flesh of the sea-horse which they had still left, out upon +the ice, which the old bear fetched away singly, laid each lump before +her cubbs as she brought it, and dividing it, gave each a share, +reserving but a small portion to herself. As she was fetching away the +last piece they had to bestow, they levelled their muskets at the cubbs, +and shot them both dead; and in her retreat, they also wounded the dam, +but not mortally. It would have drawn tears of pity from any but +unfeeling minds, to have marked the affectionate concern expressed by +this poor beast, in the dying moments of her expiring young. Tho’ she +was sorely wounded, and could but just crawl to the place where they +lay, she carried the lump of flesh she had fetched away, as she had done +the others before, tore it in pieces, and laid it down before them, and +when she saw that they refused to eat, she laid her paws first upon one, +and then upon the other, and endeavoured to raise them up. All this +while it was pitiful to hear her moan. When she found she could not stir +them, she went off, and when she had got at some distance, looked back +and moaned; and that not availing her to entice them away, she returned, +and smelling round them, began to lick their wounds. She went off a +second time, as before, and having crawled a few paces, looked again +behind her, and for some time stood moaning. But still her cubbs not +rising to follow her, she returned to them again, and with signs of +inexpressible fondness, went round one and round the other, pawing them, +and moaning. Finding at last that they were cold and lifeless, she +raised her head towards the ship, and, like Caliban in the tempest, +growled a curse upon the murderers, which they returned with a volley of +musket-balls. She fell between her cubbs, and died licking their wounds. +If what is related by a voyager of credit in the last century be true, +the filial fondness of these animals is no less remarkable than the +maternal. The young ones, says he, keep constantly close to the old +ones. We observed that two young ones and an old one would not leave one +another, for if one ran away, it turned back again immediately, as soon +as it did hear the others in danger, as if it would come to help them. +The old one ran to the young one, and the young one to the old one; and +rather than they would leave one another, they would suffer themselves +to be all killed. + +Friday the 6th, the weather calm, but foggy, and the winds variable; +they discovered that the drift of the ship, with the whole body of ice, +inclined fast to the eastward; and that they were already embayed in the +very middle of the seven islands. They therefore sent off the pilots of +both ships, with a party of sailors, to the northernmost island, to see +what discoveries could be made from the promontories there. They +returned at night, after a fatiguing journey, with a dismal account, +that nothing was to be seen from thence but a vast continent of ice, of +which there was no end; and that the thought of wintering in such a +situation was more dreadful, than that of perishing by instant death. + +Saturday 7, the wind set in north-north-east, veered to the north; to +the north-east and east, piercing cold. This day the boats were all +brought in readiness on the ice, fitted with weather cloaths about +thirteen inches above the gunnels, in order to keep off the cold as much +as possible, if by good fortune they should be enabled to launch them in +an open sea. This day was employed chiefly in boiling provisions to put +in the boats for the intended voyage; in delivering out bags to the men +to carry their bread, and in packing up such necessaries as every one +could take along with him, for now every man was to be his own porter, +the necessary provisions and liquors being found load enough for the +boats, and twenty-five days bread load enough for each man. This being +adjusted, when night approached they were all ordered on board to sleep. + +Thursday 8, at six in the morning all hands were ordered to turn out, +and a detachment of fifty men from each ship, headed by their respective +officers, were appointed to begin the hard task of hawling the launces +along the ice. The bravest and gallantest actions performed in war, do +not so strikingly mark the true character of a sea Commander, as the +readiness and alacrity with which his orders are obeyed in times of +imminent danger. Every one now strove who should have the honour to be +listed in the band of haulers, of whom the Commodore took the direction, +leaving Capt. Lutwych to take care of both the ships, that if any +favourable turn should happen in the disposition of the ice, he might +make use of the remaining part of both the crews to improve it. Upon a +general consultation of officers, previous to this undertaking, it had +been agreed, and an order issued accordingly, that no person on board, +of whatever rank, should encumber himself with more cloaths than what he +wore upon his back. Upon this occasion, therefore, the officers dressed +themselves in flannels, and the common men put on the cloaths which the +officers had thrown off. It was inconceivably laughable to see these +motley bands yoked in their new harness; and, to say the truth, there +was not one solemn face among the two companies. That headed by the +Commodore drew stoutly for the honour of their leader, and that headed +by their Lieutenants had their music to play to them, that they might +dance it away, and keep pace with the Commander in chief. Indeed the +officers who headed them were deservedly beloved as well as their +Commanders, particularly Lieutenant Beard, whose steady and uniform +conduct in times of the greatest danger, cannot be sufficiently admired +or applauded. Neither swayed by passion, nor disconcerted by the sudden +embarrassments that often intervened, his conduct was always calm, and +his orders resolute. He never was heard, during the whole voyage on the +most pressing emergencies, to enforce his commands with an oath, or to +call a sailor by any other than his usual name; and so sensible were +they of his manly behaviour, that, when the ship was paid off at +Deptford, they were only prevented by his most earnest request from +stripping themselves to their shirts, to cover the streets with their +cloaths, that he might not tread in the dirt in going to take coach. + +In six hours, with the utmost efforts of human labour, they had only +proceeded a single mile; and now it was time for them to dine, and +recruit their almost exhausted spirits. As the Commodore had laboured +with them, it was in character that he should dine with them also; and +an accident happened that made it necessary for him so to do. The Cook, +with his mates, (who were bringing the Commodore and the officers their +dinners under covers) to keep out the cold after coming from a warm +fire-side, had made a little too free with the brandy bottle before they +set out, and before they had got half way to the lances, the liquor +began to operate; the Cooks were sometimes very near boarding each +other, sometimes they hauled off, and sometimes steered right a-head. At +length coming to a chasm, or parting of the ice, which they were obliged +to leap, down came the master Cook, with dish, cover, meat and all; and +what was still worse, though it was not then thought of much value, the +Commodore’s common service of plate, which the Cook carried for the +officers to dine on, fell in the chasm, and instantly sunk to the +bottom. This accident brought the Cook a little to himself, and he now +stood pausing whether he should jump down the gulph after the plate, or +proceed to the Commodore to beg mercy and make his apology. His mates +persuaded him to the latter, as the Commodore was a kind-hearted gemman, +and would never take a man’s life away for a slip on the ice. Besides, +it was a great jump for a fat man, and Commodore, they were sure, had +rather lose all the plate in the great cabin, than lose Cookie. +Comforted a little by this speech, the Cook proceeded, but let his mates +go on first with what remained, to carry the tidings of what befell the +rest. When the Commodore had heard the story, he judged how it was with +them all. But where is the Cook, said he to the mates? He’s crying +behind, an please your Honour. In the mean time the Cook came up. Cook, +said the Commodore, bring me your dinner. I will dine to-day with my +comrades. My dinner! Ay, a pound of the flesh next my heart, if your +Honour likes it. The promptness of the reply shewed the sincerity of the +Cook’s good-will, and pleased the Commodore better than a feast upon +turtle. He dismissed him with a smile, and partook with the officers in +what was left, who made up their dinners with a mess from the common +men. + +They had just begun to renew their labour, when word was brought, that +the whole body of ice had changed its situation, and was moving to the +westward; that the ships were both a-float; and that the ice was +parting. The joy which this news diffused through the two companies of +hawlers is easier to conceive than express. They instantly shook off +their harness, ran to assist in working the ships, and once more to +resume their proper employments. When they arrived at the ships, Captain +Lutwych, who was no less beloved by his men than the Commodore, had by +his example and his judicious directions done wonders. Both ships were +not only a-float, with their sails set, but actually cut and warped +through the ice near half a mile. This ray of hope, however, was soon +darkened; the body of ice suddenly assumed its former direction to the +eastward, and closed upon them again as fast as ever. While the ships +remained in the ice-dock, they were lashed together for their greater +security, but now being launched and a-float, the ice pressed upon them +with such weight, that it was every moment expected that the hawser +would break that held them together; orders were therefore given, that +the hawser should be slackened, and the ships released. + +For the remainder of the evening, and till two in the morning, the drift +continued eastward, and all that while the ships were in danger of being +crushed by the closing of the channel in which they rode. They had now +drifted two miles to the eastward; the men were worn out with fatigue in +defending the ships with their ice-poles from being engulphed; and now +nothing but scenes of horror and perdition appeared before their eyes. +But the Omnipotent, in the very moment, when every hope of deliverance +from their own united endeavours had relinquished them, interposed in +their favours, and caused the winds to blow, and the ice to part in an +astonishing manner, rending and cracking with a tremendous noise, +surpassing that of the loudest thunder. At this very instant the whole +continent of ice, which before was extended beyond the reach of sight +from the highest mountains, moved together in various directions, +splitting and dividing into vast bodies, and forming hills and plains of +various figures and dimensions. All hearts were now again revived, and +the prospect of being once more released from the frozen chains of the +north inspired the men with fresh vigour. Every officer and every idler +on board laboured now for life. The sails were all spread, that the +ships might have the full advantage of the breeze to force them through +the channels that were already opened, and to help them, like wedges, to +rend the clefts that were but just cracking. + +While the major part of the crews were employed in warping the ships +with ice-anchors, axes, saws and poles, a party from both ships were +dispatched to launch the boats. This was no easy task to accomplish. The +ice, though split in many thousand pieces, was yet frozen like an island +round the lances, and though it was of no great extent, yet the boats +were of a weight hardly to be moved by the small force that could be +spared to launch them. They were besides, by the driving of the ice, at +more than five miles distance from the ships; and at this time no +channels of communication were yet opened. But Providence was manifest +even on this occasion; for the island on which the lances stood, parted +while the men were hauling them, and by that lucky circumstance they +were launched with great facility, without the loss of a man, though the +ice cracked, as it were, under their feet. + +The people on board had not been able to force their way with the ships +much more than a mile, when the party in the lances joined them. And +now, excited by what curiosity or instinct is not easy to determine, +several bears came posting over the ice to be spectators of their +departure, and advanced so near the ships, that they might have been +easily mastered, had not the men been more seriously employed. + +This day they altered their soundings from thirty to fifty fathoms, and +from fifty to eighty and eighty-five fathoms. + +The breeze continuing fresh from east-south-east and east, the ice +seemed to open as fast as it had before closed when the wind blew +westerly, and from the north; a strong presumptive proof of land to the +eastward, which stopping the current of the loose ice in driving from +the north and west, closes it in course, and renders it compact. On the +contrary, when the wind blows off the land, and the current sets to the +sea, the loose ice being no longer opposed, disperses itself again in +the ocean, where it again floats, till the same cause produces the same +effect. If therefore the land which our voyagers saw on the 30th, and +which they could not determine with certainty to be an island, should, +upon some future occasion, be discovered to be a continent, then the +closing of the loose ice so suddenly about the _seven islands_, and its +crouding one piece upon another to a great height, when violently +agitated by tempests from the north or west, will be fully and naturally +accounted for. + +Tuesday the 10th, about two in the morning, the fog being thick, and the +weather calm, and the men very much fatigued, they were ordered to their +quarters, to refresh themselves with sleep. It was, besides, very cold, +and much rain fell; and as the wind was variable, they could make but +little progress. The ice, in the morning early, seemed rather to close +upon them, than to divide; and being apprehensive for their boats, they +attempted to hoist the lances on board, but that belonging to the +Carcase, being either too unweildy, or the men too much fatigued to +effect it, they slung her to the ship’s side. + +About eight the breeze sprung up fresh from the north-east, exceedingly +cold, but opening the ice to the westward. They then made all the sail +they could, driving with the loosening ice, and parting it wherever it +was moveable with their whole force. Towards noon they lost sight of the +_Seven Islands_. And in a very little while after, to their great joy, +Spitsbergen was seen from the mast-head. + +Wednesday 11, the men who, with hard labour, cold and watching, were +much dispirited, on the prospect of a speedy deliverance, and seeing the +ice no longer adhere in immoveable bodies, began, after a little +refreshment, to resume their wonted chearfulness. They had not till the +second closing of the ice, after the attempt to dig a passage through it +had proved ineffectual, and that the hauling the lances had been tried +with little better success, discovered the least despondency. But when +they had exerted their utmost efforts, and Providence, which at first +seemed to second their endeavours, appeared to have forsaken them; when +their pilots had filled their minds with the terrors of their situation; +and their officers had given the ships and their most valuable effects +over for lost, the men then began to reflect on the hardships they were +likely to suffer, and to be impressed with the sense of their common +danger. Their apprehensions, however, were but temporary, and the moment +they were released from their icey prison, and that they were within +sight of a clear sea, their sorrow was changed to mirth, and their +melancholy to rejoicing. Festivity and jolity took place of abstinence +and gloomy apprehensions; and before they arrived at Spitsbergen, there +was not a sailor on board with a serious face. + +The ice that had parted from the main body, they had now time to admire. +As it no longer obstructed their course, the various shapes in which the +broken fragments appeared, were indeed very curious and amusing. One +remarkable piece described a magnificent arch so large and compleatly +formed, that a sloop of considerable burden might have sailed through it +without lowering her mast; another represented a church with windows and +pillars, and domes; and a third, a table with icicles hanging round it +like the fringes of a damask cloth. A fertile imagination might here +find entertainment enough for, as has already been observed, the +similitude of all that art or nature has ever yet produced, might here +be fancied. + +They continued working all this day through the loose ice. Hacluit’s +Headland bearing south thirty-nine west, and in their course saw a Dutch +Greenlandman in the south-west quarter. + +Thursday the 12th, they cleared the ice, and bore away with all sails +set for the harbour of Smearingburg, in which they had before cast +anchor. At two in the afternoon they anchored in North Bay, the north +part of Vogle Sound bearing north forty-five east, distance about four +miles. At half after four the Commodore made the signal to weigh; and at +half past nine, came to an anchor in their former station, where they +found four Dutch Greenlandmen lying in readiness to depart. These +Dutchmen acquainted the Commodore, that all the English fishing ships +set sail on the 10th of July, the day to which they are obliged by +contract, to stay to entitle their owners to receive the bounty-money, +allowed by Parliament for the encouragement of that fishery. + +About the same time the greatest part of the Dutch set sail likewise +from Spitsbergen, on their voyage home; but it is a practice with these +last, to take it by turns to wait till the severity of the weather +obliges them to leave the coast, in order to pick up such men as may by +accident have lost their ships in the ice; and who, notwithstanding, may +have had the good fortune to save their lives by means of their boats. +This is a very humane institution, and does credit to the Dutch +Government. Did the British Government bear an equal regard for +individuals, so many valuable subjects would never be suffered to +migrate, as now annually hire ships to convey themselves to seek their +fortunes in new settlements. It is estimated, that twelve thousand at +least are yearly shipt off from Ireland, and not many less from England +and Scotland, yet no measures are thought necessary to be taken to +retain them at home. + +The turn of waiting at Spitsbergen falls annually to the lot of about +five Dutch ships, who are obliged to send out their boats daily in +search of their unfortunate fellow subjects; some of these boats have +themselves suffered severely, and have been detained seven or eight days +by severe weather in these excursions, to the great anxiety of their +friends. + +The day of our voyagers return to Smearingburg Harbour being fine, the +Commodore ordered a tent to be raised on the lower point to the +south-west, where there was a level plain for the space of two miles, +and where all the mathematical apparatus were again taken on shore for a +second trial. + +They found, on the examination of the vibration of the pendulum, that it +differed from that at Greenwich by Harrison’s time-keeper, only two +seconds in forty-eight hours; which time-keeper, at their arrival at +Greenwich, varied only one second and a half from the time-pieces at the +observatory there. Mr. Robinson, who was articled to Commodore Phipps, +from Christ’s Hospital, and who does honour to that noble foundation, +was particularly careful to note the result of all the observations that +were made in this high latitude. + +The ovens were also here taken on shore, and a considerable quantity of +good soft bread baked for the refreshment of the men. + +Hacluit’s Headland, of which mention has been frequently made in the +course of this voyage, is an island on the north-west point of +Spitsbergen, about fifteen miles in circumference, on which is found +plenty of scurvy-grass; and in the valleys, some of which extend from +two to three miles, there is store of other grass in summer, on which +the deer is supposed to feed. + +The people were now fully employed in overhauling the rigging, tarring +the ships sides, taking in water, peying and securing the masts, and in +preparing the ships for pursuing their voyage upon discovery; or, if +that was found impracticable, for returning home. + +On the 16th, two of the Dutch ships weighed anchor, and sailed away in +company. + +On the 17th, vast pieces of broken ice, supposed to have fallen from the +Icebergs, came floating into harbour. When these pieces, which are +undermined by the continual agitation of the sea in stormy weather, lose +their support, they tumble with a crack that surpasses the loudest +thunder; but they were told, that no other thunder was ever heard in +this latitude. + +The activity and enterprizing spirit of the Russians already noticed, +begin to manifest itself every where, and it is not improbable, but that +the maritime powers may one day or other have cause to repent their +emulation in contributing to aggrandize the naval power of that +increasing people. The dominions of the Russian empire, are situated to +command the trade of the universe; they are now actually erecting a yard +for building ships at Kampschatka, to improve their discoveries from +that quarter, and to open a trade from thence to China. They have +attempted to settle colonies, as our voyagers were told, on the +southernmost districts of Spitsbergen, and those of the new settlers, +who survived the first winter, were preparing to encounter the rigour of +the climate in a second. This can only be done by way of experiment, to +try if a settlement is practicable, for those now sent are said to be +criminals. + +During the six days which the ships anchored here to make observations, +take in water, refresh the men, and refit, our journalist made several +excursions to the adjoining islands, where the birds appeared in +astonishing numbers; it being the season for bringing forth their young, +and teaching them to fly, and to dive. + +Of all the birds that breed in these islands, the burgermaster is the +largest, and the most ravenous; he is so called by the Dutch, from his +size and his authority, as he holds all the other birds in subjection. +His bill is long and crooked, rather like that of the stork, than that +of the hawk, and is of a yellow colour. He has a red ring about his +eyes; is web footed, but has but three claws on each foot. His wings are +of a beautiful pearl colour, edged with white; his back a silver grey; +his body white as snow, and his tail of the same colour, which when he +flies he spreads like a fan. He builds his nest very high in the rocks, +inaccessible either to bears or foxes. He preys upon all the other +birds, and eats the carrion of fish or flesh, or whatever comes in his +way. His cry is horrible, and when he screams, the mallemuch, a bird as +large as a duck, is so much intimidated, that she will sink down, and +suffer him to devour her without opposition. + +Our journalist found it very dangerous to pursue his way over the hills +and precipices in this rugged country. The clefts on the mountains are +like those in the ice frequently impassable; but they are abundantly +more hazardous, being sometimes concealed under the snow, so that a +traveller is engulphed before he is aware. Many have been entombed in +these clefts; and perished in the hearing of their companions, without a +possibility of relief. To a contemplative mind, however, even the +deformities of nature, are not unpleasing, the wisdom of the Creator +being manifest in all his works. + +On the 19th of August the ships unmoored, and on the twentieth they +cleared the harbour. They found the tide to flow north-east and +south-west, and to rise three feet seven inches perpendicular height. + +On the 22d they again found themselves beset with loose ice. They were +then in latitude 80 degrees 14 minutes north, longitude 5 degrees 44 +minutes east. + +On the 22d they had a heavy sea from the south-west quarter. + +On the 23d the Carcase, being a heavier sailer than the Race Horse, lost +sight of the Commodore, and fired a six-pounder, which was answered. In +the evening they came in sight, and pursued their course with favourable +weather, and without any thing worthy of notice happening till + +September 5, when, being clear and calm weather, the Commodore sounded, +and found ground with seven hundred fathoms, very soft mud. The people +were employed eight hours in heaving up the lead with the capstan. At +three in the morning the sun risen, took the amplitude, and found the +variation to be 22 degrees 53 minutes west. + +September 7, at five in the afternoon, they had heavy squalls, with +rain; at seven in the morning moderate weather. This day, in 60 degrees +15 minutes west, they found their longitude, corrected by observation of +sun and moon, to be 5 degrees 59 minutes east. Longitude by time-keeper +4 degrees 45 minutes east; a very remarkable difference. + +The ships pursued their course home in company together, with high seas +and variable weather, till + +Sept. 11, when, at half after ten, the night dark, and the weather +moderate, the wind all at once veered to the southward, and a strong +gale with a great sea came on. The ships parted, and never more came in +sight till they met off Harwich, on the English coast. + +Our journalist being on board the Carcase, can now only relate what +happened to that sloop, till her arrival in the River Thames. + +When the gale came on, the Commodore’s lights not appearing, the Carcase +fired a six-pounder, but that shot not being returned by the Race Horse, +it was concluded, that the Commodore was at too great a distance to hear +the signal. At four in the morning the gale increasing, they close +reefed the top-sails, and employed all hands in lashing and securing the +boats and booms, and preparing to withstand the threatening storm. At +this time they were in lat. 57 deg. 44 min. north; the Naze of Norway +bearing south eighty-eight east, distant thirty-one leagues. + +Sunday, September 12, fresh gales, with frequent showers of rain; handed +gib and stay-sail; at two in the afternoon hard squalls and violent +showers of rain; handed fore and mizen top-sail; saw a sail to southward +standing to eastward; cloudy and obscure sky at ten at night came on +suddenly a very heavy squall; handed all the top-sails; strong gale, +with severe showers of rain. At midnight blowing a violent storm of +wind, reefed and handed the main-sail and fore-sail; lowered down the +lower yards, balanced the mizen, and laid the ship too under it, with +her head to the westward; the sea making a free passage over the ship. +Shipped such heavy seas, washed all the provisions and casks that were +lashed on the deck, over board; kept two pumps continually going; +obliged to skuttle the boats, to prevent their being washed over-board. +At four in the morning shipped such heavy seas, as washed all the booms +and spars that had been with all possible care secured on the deck, +over-board. The ship mostly under water. No sight of the Commodore; +under great apprehensions for his safety, as his vessel laboured much +more than ours. At this time one of the mates, the carpenter, and a +fore-mast-man, were washed over-board. The carpenter, a very careful +sober man, who was in the waste, securing the hatches and stores, was +washed in and out at the ports three times, before he could secure +himself. At ten in the morning rather moderate. Set the mizen-stay-sail; +swayed the lower yards up, and set the courses. At half past eleven, +strong squalls and heavy gusts; handed both courses; and settled the +lower yards. + +September 13, strong gales and squally. Continually shipping heavy seas. +At three in the afternoon rather more moderate; set reef courses; swayed +up the lower yards, and set the main-top-sail. The ship now making no +water; at seven in the evening set fore-top-sail and gib; very heavy sea +from south-west quarter. At eight in the evening moderate and cloudy; +let the third reef out of the main-top-sail; sounded thirty-five fathoms +fine brown sand. At one in the morning light airs, hazey weather, and +great sea. Wore ship, and stood to westward. At four fresh breezes, with +rain. At half past eight saw a sail to eastward; supposing it the +Commodore, made the private signal, and fired a six-pounder. At nine +bore down upon her, and brought her to. She proved a Hollander from +Archangel, bound to Bremen. Course south forty-two west, latitude +fifty-six deg. four min. north. + +September 14, strong gales, and cloudy; under reef courses. At two in +the afternoon moderate; set main-top-sail. At three set fore-top-sail; a +great sea from westward. At seven in the evening moderate and cloudy. +Out the third reef of the main-top-sail; uncertain weather; squally, and +at times much rain; at three great fog. This day, at noon, +Flamborough-head south forty-six west, distance thirty leagues. + +September 15, light breezes, and clear weather; out all reefs, and +swayed up the lower yards. At four in the afternoon saw a sail to +south-east; bore down, and brought her to. She proved to be a Prussian +fisherman, had been ten days from Edinburgh; hoisted out the small +cutter; the second Lieutenant went on board of her, and bought a fine +cargo of fish. At five the boat returned; we hoisted her on board, with +plenty of mackarel and herrings. Made sail, and stood to south-west; +sounded every half hour; found from thirteen to fifteen, and eighteen +fathoms, fine brown sand, mixed with black shells. At seven in the +evening took the first reef, and hauled in the top-sails; fresh gales, +and cloudy. At two in the morning deepened in water to twenty fathom. +Took in second reef of the top-sails; tacked ship, and stood to +north-west. At five in the morning got into fifteen fathom; and at seven +into ten. At nine in the morning close reefed the top-sails, and at ten +handed them; very fresh gale, and violent rain. + +September 16, rather more moderate; set the main-top-sail; squally, with +rain; a confused sea from west-north-west. At five in the afternoon +soundings from five to twelve, from twenty-seven to thirty-two and +thirty-four fathoms, fine brown sand, black specks, fresh gales, and +cloudy. At eight took in first and second reefs of top-sails; at eleven +at night close reefed the main and fore-top-sail, and handed the mizen; +fresh gales, and cloudy weather. At four in the morning shoaled water to +twenty-two fathoms; brown sand and broken shells. At five saw several +sail to north-west; fired, and brought one of them to. At eight shook +the first and second reefs out of the top-sail; hove down upon a sloop, +which came from Gravesend; took on board the master, as a pilot to carry +the ship through Yarmouth Roads; put on board one man in his room, and +ordered his vessel to follow us. Stood to the southward. + +September 17, fresh breezes, and cloudy weather; kept the lead going +every half hour; found our sounding from ten to twelve fathoms, fine +brown sand. At six in the afternoon fresh gales; close reefed the +main-top-sail; soundings from ten to sixteen fathom; broken shells and +large stones. At seven close reefed the main-top-sail; kept a light in +the poop-lanthorn for the sloop. At ten strong gales; handed the +top-sails; laid her to under the main-sail; handed the fore-sail. At +eleven at night got into five fathom; but deepened to eight, nine, and +ten fathom, brown sand. Lost sight of the fishing vessel; fired several +guns, and made a signal in the mizen-shroud. On setting the +fore-top-sail stacil, it blew to pieces; bent a new one. A violent gale +of wind; shipped a great quantity of water. At four rather moderate; set +the fore-sail. At midnight set close; reefed top-sails. At half past six +tacked; at seven saw the fishing vessel; bore down and spoke with her, +who had split her main-sail in the night. At ten saw the land bearing +south-west by west, and south and by west. At eleven being clear and +moderate weather, shook all the reefs out of the top-sails, and set the +top-gallant-sail; saw Cromer light-house, bearing south 55 degrees west, +distance five leagues. + +September 19, fresh breezes and clear weather; bent the sheet-cable, and +hauled a range of the best and small bower-cables; bent both buoy ropes +and buoys to the anchor. At five light breezes and fair; tacked and +stood to the southward. At six tacked and stood to the north-west. +Cramer north-west and by north four miles; light breezes, and pleasant +weather; handed in top-gallant-sails, and handed the main-sail. At seven +in the evening, to our great joy, saw Yarmouth Church, bearing +south-west. At ten at night came to anchor with the best bower in twelve +fathom, fine sand and clay; veered out to half a cable, and handed all +the sails. Winterstone Ness lights bore south and by west four miles. At +two in the morning fresh breezes and cloudy. At half past four weighed, +and made sail. Employed in working from Winterstone Ness lights, to +Yarmouth Roads, making several tacks. At seven in the morning set +top-gallant-sails; at nine came to an anchor in Yarmouth Road, with best +bower in seven fathoms water; sand and clay. Yarmouth church south +fifteen west, distance two miles. Came on board a pilot to carry the +ship to the Nore. + +September 20, fresh breezes and clear weather; sent down +top-gallant-yards, and got every thing clear for striking tokens. At +five in the afternoon moored the ship. Yarmouth church west-south-west +two miles. + +September 21, fresh gales and cloudy, with frequent rain. At four in the +afternoon sent down top-gallant-mast. At eight in the morning sent the +long-boat on shore for water. We were this day visited by several of the +inhabitants of Norwich and Yarmouth, who were genteelly entertained by +the officers, but we could get no intelligence of the Commodore. + +September 23, dark cloudy weather. At six in the evening swayed up the +top-mast, and lower yards; the wind veered to north-west, we prepared to +unmoor. Fresh gales, with frequent flashes of lightning. At seven in the +morning set on top-gallant-mast, and began to unmoor. At eight veered +away upon the best bower, and took up the small bower-anchor. At nine +weighed and made sail. At ten got up the top-gallant-yards, in company +with several ships. + +Saturday 25, at five came to an anchor in eleven fathoms. Orford +light-house east by south four miles. This day some religious books were +distributed among the sailors, which had been sent on board by some +pious person for their particular perusal. + +Sunday 26. At six in the evening came to with the best bower in seven +fathoms water; Balsey church west by south. At two in the morning +weighed, and came to sail; Harwich lights north-west by west. To their +great surprise, saw the Race Horse at anchor. Hoisted out the cutter, +and Capt. Lutwidge waited on the Commodore, from whom he learnt, that in +the storm of the twelfth they had all their boats washed over-board; +and, to ease the ship, were obliged to heave all their guns over-board, +except two. Came to anchor; Harwich church north-west. + +Monday 27, at two in the afternoon weighed, and came to sail in company +with the Race Horse. At eight in the evening came to in the Swin. At +five in the morning weighed, in company as before. Turning up the Swin +at half past nine, came to; Whitaker Beacon north-north-east one mile. + +Tuesday 28, fresh breezes and cloudy weather. At half past three +weighed, and came to sail. At half past six came to with the best bower +in six fathom water; Shoe Beacon north-west. At half past five weighed, +and came to sail. Working to windward at eleven in the forenoon, the +Commodore’s boat came on board, with orders to proceed to Deptford. At +noon came to at the Nore with the best bower. + +Wednesday 29, light breezes and fair weather. At half past five weighed, +and made sail. Employed in working up the river. At half past ten came +to with the best bower in the gallions, in three fathoms water. Woolwich +church north by south one half east. At noon a hoy came along-side for +the gunner’s stores. + +Thursday 30, employed most of the afternoon in getting out the guns, and +gunner’s stores. At nine in the evening weighed, and came to sail. At +ten run foul of a large transport, and carried away the lar-board +mizen-shrouds, and part of the channel. At one in the morning came to +anchor at Deptford. Warped along-side the Bedford Hulk, and moored. At +six unbent the sails, and began to unrig. + +Thus ended a voyage, which seems to have determined the question so much +agitated concerning the navigation to the north pole, and proved what +Captain Wood had before asserted, that no passage would ever be found +practicable in that direction. + +From the quantities of ice which that navigator met with in latitude 76 +north, longitude [missing number] east, he concluded indeed erroneously, +that the 80th degree would bound the passage towards the poles, and that +from thence the polar region was either a continued continent of solid +ice, or that land filled up the intermediate space. + +It has been found, however, that those seas are navigable as far as +between the eighty-first and eighty-second degrees of latitude; and it +may possibly happen, that in some future years, they may be found +navigable a degree or two farther: but it may now with certainty be +concluded, that a course under the pole can never be pursued for the +purpose of commerce. + +We have already shewn incontestibly, that the north sea communicates +with the eastern sea, and that the passage to China and Japan may be +performed with difficulty by a north-east course, by watching the +opportunity, when a few days in the year the north sea is open. But who +would think of exposing a ship’s company to the hazard of being frozen +to death in a tedious, uncertain, and dangerous passage, when a safe, +certain, and, one may say, speedy passage at all times lies open before +them. + +From Behring’s discoveries to the east of Japan, and from the continent +he there met with, there seems reason to believe, that the land seen by +Commodore Phipps to the eastward of the Seven Islands, might be a +continuation of that continent. In that case it is not improbable, but +that either that continent may join to the western part of America, or +that it may extend southward, and form a part of that continent so much +sought after in the southern hemisphere. + +A small premium of two or three thousand pounds secured by Parliament, +to be paid to the owner or owners of any Greenland fishing ship, that +should be fortunate enough to discover such a continent to the eastward +or northward of the _Seven Islands_, might possibly have a better +effect, than many expensive expeditions fitted out solely for the +purposes of such discovery. This, by a trading nation, were it only to +improve the science of geography, would surely be well bestowed. + +It is true, indeed, that the reward secured by parliament for the +discovery of a north-west passage, has not yet been attended with that +success, with which the promoters of the bill had flattered themselves +and the public, from the liberal spirit with which it was granted. + +The Hudson’s Bay Company, though bound by their charter to further and +promote the discovery, were generally suspected, from interested +motives, to oppose and discourage every attempt to accomplish it. And +Captain Middleton, who in 1740 was sent in a king’s ship upon that +service, returning without success, was publicly charged with having +received a bribe of five thousand pounds to defeat the undertaking, and +by his report to discourage any farther attempts in pursuit of it. This +charge was strongly supported, and generally credited. And Mr. Dobbs, by +whose interest Captain Middleton was employed, had the address to +prevail with the then ministry, to preclude any future scheme of private +corruption, by promoting the public reward already mentioned. + +The preamble to the act will state this matter in the true light it lets +forth, “That whereas the discovery of a north-west passage through +Hudson’s Streight to the western ocean would be of great benefit and +advantage to this kingdom, and that it would be of great advantage to +the adventurers to attempt the same, if a public reward was given to +such persons as should make a perfect discovery of the said passage; it +is therefore enacted, that if any ships or vessels belonging to his +majesty’s subjects shall find out and sail through any passage by sea +between Hudson’s bay and the western ocean of America, the owners of +such ships or vessels shall be entitled to receive as a reward for such +discovery the sum of TWENTY-THOUSAND POUNDS.” And as a farther +encouragement to prosecute this discovery, and to prevent obstructions +from interested persons, it was enacted, “that all persons, subjects of +his Majesty, residing in any place where the said adventurers may come +in the prosecution of this discovery, shall give the said adventurers +all assistance, and shall no way obstruct, molest, or refuse the said +adventurers reasonable succour in any distress they may fall into in the +prosecution of this discovery.” + +Such was the encouragement, and such the liberal reward that was and is +secured by parliament to the fortunate discoverers of a north-west +passage to the great pacific ocean; a passage which, it is generally +believed, would open a trade with nations on the northern continent of +America, wholly unknown to the maritime powers of Europe, and supposed, +from their situation, to abound in commodities equally rare and precious +with those of any other country under the sun. + +The fair prospect of acquiring fame by enlarging commerce, the hope of +obtaining the parliamentary reward, and the desire of exposing the +dis-ingenuity of Captain Middleton, were incitements sufficient to +prevail with Mr. Dobbs to sollicit the equipment of two ships for +another voyage, which he made not the least doubt would find out the +passage so long sought for in vain, and by the advantages attending the +discovery, exceed the most sanguine expectations of the adventurers. + +The command of this expedition was given to Captain Ellis, who, on the +31st of May, 1746, passed Yarmouth in the Dobb’s Galley, accompanied by +the California Sloop, and convoyed to the north sea by the Loo man of +war. But in proportion as Mr. Dobbs had flattered the avarice of the +adventurers who were to share in the reward, and had elated himself with +the thoughts of triumphing over the disgrace of Captain Middleton, so it +happened, that when the ships returned without having effected any one +thing of consequence, the chagrin of the former for having advanced +their money on a visionary project, and the mortification of the latter +in not being able to support his charge, were increased by every +circumstance that could aggravate the disappointment. Captain Middleton +now triumphed in his turn, and no ship from England has since been +induced to undertake the voyage, notwithstanding the greatness of the +reward. + +It is now, however, believed, that Government have in contemplation +another voyage to the north, to which that of Captain Phipps was only +the prelude; but there is reason to conclude, from what has already been +said of these latter attempts, and from the ill success of former +undertakings, that the discovery of a north-west passage is not the sole +object in view. The figure of the earth, the phenomena of the winds, the +variation of the compass, and the attraction of the magnet, are points +yet unsettled, of infinite importance to navigation; and it is not +impossible, but that a more careful examination of the polar regions may +lead to the solution of problems, that have hitherto baffled the +enquiries of the ablest navigators. + +A very slender acquaintance with the difficulties and hardships +attending northern discoveries, will fully account for our knowledge of +the countries surrounding the pole being still very imperfect. A brief +recapitulation of the sufferings of those to whom we are most indebted +for our information, will not, we hope, be thought an improper +conclusion to a voyage solely undertaken with a view to enlarge it. + +The first who conceived the idea of exploring the northern regions was +Sebastian Cabbot. That enterprizing navigator, long before Magellan +thought of a passage to the pacific ocean by the south-west, had made +two voyages, with a view to direct his course to the same sea by the +north-west. In these voyages, he discovered Newfoundland, the coast of +the Esquimeaux Indians, and had penetrated as far as the 64th degree of +latitude, when a mutiny among his men, or rather an obstinate refusal to +proceed any further, obliged him to return; yet he died in the +persuasion that a passage in that direction certainly existed, and that +he should have found it but for the opposition of his crew. + +The next, who, prepossessed with the same notion, undertook a voyage for +discoveries towards the north, was Sir Martin Forbisher. He discovered +Greenland, and in the latitude of 62 deg. north, passed a streight, +which, though it still holds a place in our maps, has never been found +navigable since. He made two other voyages, discovered many bays and +capes, to which he gave names, but returned without attaining the +principal object of his voyage, though, like his predecessor, he +asserted the certainty of its existence to his latest hour. + +To him succeeded Sir Humphry Gilbert, who in 1583 traversed the coast of +Labradore, entered the mouth of the great river St. Laurence, and, +surrounding the island of Newfoundland, laid the foundation of the cod +fishery, which has been prosecuted with immense advantage to his country +ever since. + +The rapid progress of discoveries in the southern hemisphere, which +about this time were attended with vast profit to the adventurers, +re-animated cotemporary navigators to prosecute, with more ardour than +ever, their enterprizes towards the north. The more the pacific ocean +became known, the firmer the belief prevailed, that a passage into it by +way of the north must certainly exist, and that whoever could discover +it, would not only immortalize his name, but enrich his country. + +The merchants of that time were no less eager to embark their money, +than the navigators were to hazard their persons in any new project, +where the hope of gain appeared to be well founded. A company therefore +of wealthy persons in London agreed to join a company of merchants in +the west, and to fit out two ships for the discovery of a passage, which +all agreed was practicable, though none could tell readily where to find +it. To the command of this expedition Captain John Davis was strongly +recommended as an able navigator, and of a bold and enterprising spirit. +Accordingly, on the 7th of June, 1585, he set sail from Dartmouth, in +the Sunshine of fifty tons, and accompanied by the Moonshine of +thirty-five tons, having on board both vessels forty-two hardy seamen. +On the 19th of July they were alarmed by a mighty roaring, which was the +more terrible, as the fog was so thick, that they could not see each +other at a ship’s length. It proved only the crackling of the islands of +ice, which was not then very well understood. On the breaking up of the +fog they discovered land, which, from its horrid appearance, they named +_the land of desolation_. On the 24th they were in 64 deg. 15 min. +north, the sea open and the weather moderate. In this latitude they +discovered land, and conversed with the natives, who appeared to be a +harmless hospitable people, polite in their manners, neatly habited, and +not ill-favoured. These friendly people, observing that the English +admired their furs, went up in the country to bring down more, with +which they traded with much simplicity. To an adjoining hill Davis gave +the name of Mount Raleigh, from which he took his departure on the 8th +of August, and on the 11th doubled the southernmost cape in view, to +which he gave the name of the _Cape of God’s Mercy_, and entered a +streight, which bears the name of the Discoverer to this day. In this +streight he sailed sixty leagues, and on the 14th went on shore, and +found evident signs of human inhabitants, being met by a pack of dogs +(twenty in number) that expressed their joy, as if their masters had +been returned after an interval of absence. One of those had on a +leathern collar. The Captain was highly pleased with the promising +appearance of the new streights, and consulting with the master, agreed +to report, upon their return home, that they had found the wished-for +passage to the western sea. + +The weather changing from temperate to excessive cold, on the 20th it +was resolved to set sail for England. On the 12th of September they fell +in with the land of Desolation, and on the 30th of the same month +entered the port of Dartmouth, without the loss of a man. + +The account Captain Davis gave to his owners was so well received, that +other merchants were desirous of joining in a second expedition, and +accordingly he was again employed, and furnished with a much greater +force. + +On the 7th of May he sailed from Dartmouth in the Mermaid, of 120 tons, +in company with the Sunshine and Moonshine as before, and an additional +pinnace of thirteen tons, called the North Star. + +In the latitude of 60 degrees north Captain Davis divided his force, +ordering the Sunshine and North Star to seek a passage between Greenland +and Iceland, while the Mermaid and Moonshine continued their course to +the streight as before. In the latitude of 64 degrees, and longitude 58 +deg. 30 min. north from London, they fell again in with the land, and +met the same people with whom they had traded the former year. Overjoyed +to meet, they renewed their acquaintance, and while the English was +preparing a pinnace to facilitate their discoveries, the natives came in +numbers to carry on trade. As soon as the pinnace was fitted for sea, +Captain Davis dispatched her to examine the inlets on the coast, and to +trace their course up the main land; but that was productive of no +essential discovery. + +Though the natives attended them with an obsequious diligence, yet on +their kindling a fire in their manner, and using some strange +ceremonies, Captain Davis supposing them to be using idolatrous +sorceries, first thrust the priest into the smoke, and then encouraged +his men to tread out the flame, and to spurn the reeking coals into the +sea. Unable to bear the insult, the natives for the first time began to +shew resentment. They seized the boat from the stern of the Moonshine, +cut the cable belonging to the Mermaid, made prize of the implements +that lay upon the shore, and, in short, declared open hostilities +against the aggressors, who in return discharged their artillery among +them, which instantly dispersed them. + +No civilities, however, that could be shewn them, after the indignity +offered to their priest, could ever after reconcile them, and the year +following they found an opportunity to take a severe revenge. In the +mean time one of them being made prisoner, was taken on board the +Mermaid; who, after recovering his fright, trimmed up his darts, +repaired his fishing tackle, picked okam, and set his hand to any thing +he was set about; and, after a time, became a very pleasant companion on +board. + +On the 17th of July, in latitude 63 degrees 8 min. north, they fell in +with a continent of ice, very high, like land, with bays and capes, and, +till they examined it closely, could not be convinced that it was a mere +congelation. They coasted it till the 30th, when the weather became so +tempestuous and foggy, and withal so cold, that the shrouds, ropes, and +sails were frozen and glazed with ice; and the men, who the year before +found the sea open and the weather temperate, became so dispirited, that +in an orderly manner they addressed their Commander, and intreated him +to consider their present situation, to have regard to his own life, and +the preservation of theirs; and not, through boldness and an indiscreet +zeal for a hopeless discovery, leave their widows and fatherless +children to blacken his memory with bitter curses. Moved with their +pitiable representation, he discharged the Mermaid with those who were +most desirous of returning home, and proceeded in the Moonshine to +prosecute his voyage. Changing his course to recover the opposite shore +on the 1st of August, in latitude 66 deg. 33 min. north, and longitude +70 degrees west, he discovered land, without either ice or snow. On the +2d they cast anchor in a fine road, and in a day or two were visited by +the natives, who came to traffic. On the 14th they set sail to the +westward, and on the 16th changed their course to the southward. On the +18th they discovered a high promontory to the north-west, which having +no land to the south, recovered their hopes of a free passage. + +On doubling the Cape, they found the land trending away to the south in +broken islands, and coasting along till they arrived at a fine opening, +in latitude 57 degrees, they sailed ten leagues, with woods and lawns on +each side, abounding with deer and game of every kind. Here they staid +till the 1st of September, and then set sail, coasting along to the +northward, where they were again flattered with the hopes of a passage, +by observing a strong current rushing in between two lands to the +westward, which they were very desirous of approaching, but the wind +blew directly against them. + +On the 6th, returning to their former station, five of the crew fell +into an ambuscade; for having ventured on shore unarmed in their boat, +they were suddenly assaulted from the woods, two of them killed upon the +spot, two grievously wounded, and the fifth made his escape by swimming, +with an arrow sticking in his arm. The same evening a furious storm +arose, which lasted till the 10th, in which time they in a manner +unrigged their ship, and were about to cut away her masts by the board, +the cable of their sheet anchor parted, and they every moment expected +to be dashed upon the rocks, and to be made a prey by the savage +cannibals of the country; but the storm abating, and the sea growing +calm, they recovered their anchor on the 11th, and made sail for +England. + +About the beginning of October they arrived at Dartmouth, where they +found the Sunshine, but the North Star having parted company in a hard +gale on the coast of Greenland, was never more heard of. + +This undaunted mariner had yet the courage to undertake a third voyage, +and then sailed as far as the 73d degree of north latitude, but being +deserted by his companions, was forced to return in great distress to +his old port. Upon his return he wrote a letter to his patron, assuring +him, that he had found an open sea in latitude 73 degrees north, and a +streight forty leagues broad, and concluded from thence that the passage +was most certain. + +From this period till the year 1610 we find no farther attempts made to +revive this discovery; but in that year Mr. Henry Hudson, one of the +most celebrated mariners of his time, was prevailed upon to undertake a +voyage that was purposely set on foot to make trial of his skill. He +sailed April the 7th, 1610, steering directly to Davis’s Streights, he +there changed his course to the westward, and struck out a new track +that no mariner had ever sailed before, which led him through the +streight that still bears his name into the great bay that bounds the +American continent on the north-east, and seems to communicate by +various openings with the north sea. Here he continued traversing for +almost three months in search of a passage to the westward, but finding +himself embayed, he stood to the south, intending to winter in the +mildest latitude the Bay would admit; accordingly, he is said to have +wintered in latitude 52 degrees north, longitude 80 degrees west, where +on the 1st of November his ship was frozen in, and being scantily +provided with provisions, the crew mutinied, and in the end most +barbarously contrived, as the writer expresses it, to turn the Captain, +the carpenter, and all the sick men out of the ship, who were never more +heard of. After which the leaders of the mutiny determined to make the +best of their way for England; but in their passage home not a few +perished, and those who survived suffered unspeakable misery. + +But notwithstanding this disaster, and that it was certainly known that +the Captain and all who were left behind were either drowned, starved, +or murdered, the progress he had made in the discovery encouraged others +to follow his track. + +The next who adventured was Captain Button, a man of great abilities, +courage, and experience. Patronized by Henry, Prince of Wales, he sailed +in 1611, and having passed Hudson’s Streights, pursued a different track +from that of Captain Hudson, leaving his discoveries to the south, and +shaping his course to the north-west. + +After sailing more then two hundred leagues, he fell in with a large +continent, which, from its mountainous appearance, he named New Wales; +but finding no passage to the westward, he followed the direction of the +land to the southward, till he arrived at Port Nelson, where he wintered +in 63 deg. 30 min. north; but, though he kept three fires in his ship +constantly burning, and his company killed incredible numbers of white +partridges and other wild fowl, yet many of his men perished by the +severity of the cold, which in that climate was almost insupportable. + +In 1615 Captain William Baffin undertook the examination of the +extremity of that sea into which Davis’s Streights opened a passage, and +he so far succeeded, as to determine its extent, and to discover an +outlet marked in our maps, by the name of Sir Thomas Smith’s Sound, +which is probably the only communication between our northern bays and +the great pacific ocean, which nature has provided, in order to maintain +a general circulation, without which it is hardly possible to conceive, +that the equipoise of the globe could for a moment be preserved. + +In 1619 Captain John Munk, at the instance of his Danish Majesty, +undertook this discovery, and arrived safe at Cape Farewell, where, +though the tackle of the ship was so frozen and full of isicles, that +the mariners could not handle the ropes, yet next day it was so hot, +that they were forced to work in their shirts. He entered Hudson’s +Streight in the month of July, and was forced to winter in latitude 63 +degrees 20 min. north, on an island that still retains his name; but the +hardships he endured almost exceed belief. In May, 1620, he found +himself alone in a cave dug in the earth, scarce alive, and almost +morally certain, that all his mariners were dead. As soon as the weather +would permit he crawled forth, and found, of all his crew, only two +left. By removing the snow, they found some fresh herbs underneath, and +by eating them, recovered from the scurvy. Unable to navigate their +ships, they abandoned her to the savages, and, by a wonderful +providence, got safe to Norway in the Pinnace. Being a man of uncommon +resolution, he was still sollicitous to perfect a discovery, which had +baffled the researches of so many able navigators, and to acquire glory, +by accomplishing that which they had failed to attain. He asserted the +existence of such a passage so confidently, and laid down the method of +finding it so plausibly, that he had persuaded the merchants of Norway +to raise a joint stock to defray the expences of a second voyage; but +applying to the King for his permission and protection, and relating to +him his own sufferings, and those of his companions in his former +voyage, his Majesty told him, he had already been the death of too many +of his subjects, and wondered at his presumption to seek to murder more. +To which Monk gave a quick reply, which provoked the King to strike him +over his stomach with his cane. Whether the severity of the blow, or the +sense of the indignity was the occasion, is not certain; but he quitted +the royal presence with marks of strong resentment, and returning to his +chamber, refused assistance, and three days after breathed his last. + +Capt. Luke Fox and Capt. James were the next who professedly engaged in +this discovery; the first in a King’s frigate, victualled for eighteen +months; the other in a small vessel of seventy tons, built at Bristol on +purpose; victualled and equipped by private adventurers. + +Captain Fox departed in the spring of 1631, traced all the western bays +discovered by former navigators, examined the westermost part of +Hudson’s Bay, and returned in 1632. He published a pompous account of +his discoveries, which, however, was never much regarded. + +On the 3d of May, 1631, Captain James set sail from the Severn’s mouth, +and on the 29th of June cleared Hudson’s Streights, where he found +himself so pestered with broken ice, as to put it out of his power to +prosecute his discoveries to the north-westward, as he had intended; he +therefore ordered his master to steer west south-west, and on the 27th +of July, after sustaining most dreadful shocks, found his ship enclosed +so fast among the ice, that notwithstanding it blew a hard gale, and all +sails set, she stirred no more than if she had been in a dry dock. It +was now that the men first began to murmur, and the Captain himself was +not without his fears, lest they should here be frozen up and obliged to +winter in the middle of the sea. By an observation which they made upon +the ice, they found that they were in latitude 58 deg. 54 min. north. + +On the 5th of next month to their great joy the ice opened, and on the +6th they were again in a clear sea. On the 13th, seeing some breakers +a-head, and looffing to clear them, the ship suddenly struck upon the +rocks, and received three dreadful shocks, but the swell heaved her +over, and on pumping she made no water. + +They were now encumbered with rocks, as before they had been with ice, +and in the most perilous situation that can be conceived, and so +continued two nights and two days, every moment expecting to be dashed +to pieces. On the fog’s clearing up they saw land from the north-west to +the south-east by east, with rocks and breakers. On the 16th they +weighed and made sail, when a storm arose and drove them within sight of +Port Nelson. On the 17th they stood to the southward. On the 20th they +made land, in latitude 57 degrees north, where they cast anchor, call’d +it the Principality of South Wales. + +Having weighed, on the 27th they set sail, and in the evening came in +sight of higher land. + +On the 29th they saw a sail, which proved to be Captain Fox, already +mentioned. They spoke together, and, after exchanging mutual civilities, +parted. + +Captain James kept coasting along the shore to make discoveries, and +Captain Fox made the best of his way for England. + +The Captain now began to think of a convenient place to winter in. In +this attempt they met with so many disasters, that at last having no +hope left, they began to prepare themselves to make a good end of a +miserable life. On the 19th they lost their shallop, tho’ lashed to the +ship by two hawsers, and to their inexpressible grief their boat was +almost rendered irreparable. + +Winter now began to set in a-pace, the nights long, the days close and +foggy, the seas rough, and nothing but shoals and broken land to +navigate. Added to all these the men began to sicken, an universal +dejection to prevail, and in proportion as their distresses increased, +their strength to bear up against them grew less every day. + +On the 4th of November, being in latitude 52 degrees north, they fell in +with an island, from which they found it impossible to depart. The men +were quite worn down with fatigue, the sails so frozen as not to be +unfurled, the ropes congealed in the blocks, and the deck knee-deep in +snow. In this forlorn condition they built a tent on shore for the sick, +and in this tent they kept fires continually burning night and day, but +the cold increased so fast, that beer, and even spirits, froze by the +fire-side. + +The sufferings of the Captain and crew from the latter end of October +when they landed, till the 2d of July, when they departed, are hardly to +be parelleled. + +This was the last voyage that was undertaken for the discovery of a +north-west passage, till that of Captain Middleton, already related. +From all which, and the opinion of Captain James after his return, there +is great reason to conclude, that what we have said of a north-east +passage is likewise true of a passage by the north-west, that it most +certainly exists, but will never be found practicable for mercantile +purposes. + + + FINIS. + + + + + Transcriber’s notes + + +New original cover art included with this ebook is granted to the public +domain. + +The illustrations have been moved to appropriate paragraph breaks. + +The original text used the long s. This has been changed to the regular +s. + +The page numbers in the original jump from 272 to 281. There is no text +missing. + +On supplement page 101 the longitude number is missing in the original. + +On supplement page 108 the year in which Captain John Davis set sail +from Dartmouth has been corrected from 1685 to 1585. + +Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. + +Archaic and inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have been retained +except for: + +(Ship named) Moon-shine or Moonshine, regularised to Moonshine. + +(Ship named) Sun-shine or Sunshine, regularised to Sunshine. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78104 *** diff --git a/78104-h/78104-h.htm b/78104-h/78104-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a299455 --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-h/78104-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,17673 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> +<meta charset="UTF-8"> +<title>An historical account of all the voyages round the world, performed by English navigators. 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margin-right: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .lspc {letter-spacing: 0; margin-right: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .lspd {letter-spacing: 0; margin-right: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .lspe {letter-spacing: 0; margin-right: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .lspp {letter-spacing: 0; margin-right: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .lspz {letter-spacing: 0; margin-right: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .toupper {text-transform: none;} +.x-ebookmaker .ip2 {margin-left: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .ip5 {margin-left: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .chapter {padding-top: 0; page-break-before: always;} +td.al {text-align: left;} +td.ar {text-align: right;} +td.ph {padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;} +td.vt {vertical-align: top;} +td.vb {vertical-align: bottom;} +td.pl {padding-left: 0.5em;} +td.pi {padding-left: 1.5em; text-indent: -1em;} +td.bt {border-top: 1px solid black;} +td.bb {border-bottom: 1px solid black;} +th.al {text-align: left;} +th.ar {text-align: right;} +th.vt {vertical-align: top;} +th.vb {vertical-align: bottom;} +th.ph {padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;} +th.pr {padding-right: 0.5em;} +h2 {line-height: 2;} +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78104 ***</div> +<h1 class="align_c"> +<span class='lspp'>AN</span><br> +<span class='l13'><span class='lspa'>HISTORICAL ACCOUNT</span></span><br> +<span class='lspp'>OF ALL THE</span><br> +<span class='l15'><span class='lspa'>VOYAGES ROUND THE WORLD</span>,</span><br> +<span class='lspp'>PERFORMED BY</span><br> +<span class='l13'><span class='lspp'>ENGLISH NAVIGATORS</span>;</span> +</h1> +<p class="align_c"> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspa'>INCLUDING THOSE LATELY UNDERTAKEN</span></span><br> +<span class='l13'>By <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspp'>Order</span></span> of his <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspp'>Present </span></span><span class='lspp'>MAJESTY</span>.</span> +</p> +<p class="align_c top_space"> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspp'>THE WHOLE</span></span><br> +Faithfully Extracted from the <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspa'>Journals</span></span> of the<br> +<span class='l13'><span class='lspp'>VOYAGERS</span>.</span> +</p> +<table class='fontp9 center lh1p1 margetb'> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Drake</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">undertaken in 1577-80</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Cavendish</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1586-88</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Cowley</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1683-86</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Dampier</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1689-96</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Cooke</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1708-11</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Rogers</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1708-11</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Clipperton</span></span> and <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Shelvocke</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1719-22</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Anson</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1740-44</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Byron</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1764-66</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Wallis</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1766-68</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Carteret</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1766-69</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Cook</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1768-71</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p class='align_c'> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspp'>TOGETHER WITH</span></span></p> +<p class='hang_indent'> +That of <span class="small-caps">Sydney Parkinson</span>, Draftsman to <span class="small-caps">Joseph Banks</span>, Esq; who circumnavigated the Globe with +Capt. <span class="small-caps">Cook</span>, in his Majesty’s Ship the <span class="small-caps">Endeavour</span>.</p> +<p class="align_c"> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspp'>AND</span></span> +</p> +<p class='align_c'> +The Voyage of Mons. <span class="small-caps">Bougainville</span> round the World, +Performed by Order of the French King.</p> +<p class="align_c top_space"> +Illustrated with Maps, Charts, and Historical Prints. +</p> +<p class="align_c top_space"> +<span class="small-caps"><span class='lspp'>In Four Volumes</span></span>. +</p> +<p class="l75 top_space align_c"> +To which is added, +</p> +<p class='hang_indent'> +An <span class='lspp'>APPENDIX</span>. Containing the <span class="small-caps">Journal</span> of +a <span class="small-caps">Voyage</span> to the <span class="small-caps">North Pole</span>, by the Hon. Commodore +PHIPPS, and Captain LUTWIDGE.</p> +<p class="align_c lined"> +<span class='lspb'>VOLUME THE FOURTH</span>. +</p> +<p class="align_c"> +<span class='lspb'>LONDON</span>: +</p> +<p class="align_c fontp9"> +Printed for <span class="small-caps">F. <span class='lspp'>Newbery</span></span>, the Corner of St. Paul’s Church-Yard. +</p> +<p class='align_c one_space'> +<span class="topline">M DCC LXXIII.</span></p> +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class='lspc'>CAPTAIN</span><br> +<span class='l15'><span class='lspe'>COOK</span>’s</span><br> +<span class='font2p'><span class='lspd'>VOYAGE</span></span><br> +<span class='lspc'>ROUND THE WORLD</span>.<br> +In 1768, 1769, 1770 and 1771. +</h2></div> +<p class='two_space drop-cap'> +T<span class='toupper lspz ip2'>he</span> short intercourse which the English +gentlemen had with the inhabitants of +New Holland, prevented them from obtaining +so perfect a knowledge of the language of +these people as could have been wished; but, as +it is an object too curious to be passed over in +silence, we shall give our readers the most +particular account that could be procured. +They articulated their words very distinctly, +though they made a great motion with their +lips when they were speaking, and their utterance +was rather vociferous, particularly when +they intended to shew their disapprobation of +any thing. When they were pleased, they +would manifest their satisfaction by saying <i>hee</i>, +with a long flexion of the voice, in a loud and +shril tone. They frequently repeated the word +<i>tut</i>, when in company with the English, several +times together, which was supposed to be an +expression of astonishment and admiration; +upon the whole, their language was neither harsh +nor inharmonious, as will appear from the following +vocabulary. +</p> +<p class="align_c one_space"> +<span class='pagenum'>2</span>A <span class="small-caps">Vocabulary</span> of the language of the inhabitants of <span class="small-caps">New Holland</span>. +</p> +<table class='center margetb'> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Wageegee,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The head</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Eiyamoac,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The crown of the head</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Moree,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The hair of the head</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Walloo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The temples</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Peete,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The forehead</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Meul,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The eyes</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Garbar,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The eye-brows</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Melea,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The ears</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Bonjoo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The nose</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Yembe,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The lips</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Mulere,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The teeth</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Unjar,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The tongue</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Tacal,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The chin</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Waller,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The beard</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Doomboo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The neck</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Morcol,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The throat</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Coyor,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The breast</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Gippa,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The belly</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Mocoo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The back</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Aco,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The arms</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Mangal,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The hands</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Eboorbalga,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The thumb</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Nakil,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The little finger</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Pongo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The knees</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Peegoorga,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The legs</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Edamal,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The feet</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Kolke,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The nails</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Bamma,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A man</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt"><span class='pagenum'>3</span>Mootjel,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A woman</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Dunjo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A father</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Tumurree,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A son</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Tennapuke,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The hole made in the nostrils for the reception of the bone ornament</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Cotta,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A dog</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Poteea,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Fish</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Putai,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A turtle</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Tabugga,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A fly</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Walboolbool,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A butterfly</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Zoocoo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Wood</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Maianang,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Fire</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Poorai,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Water</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Poapoa,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Earth</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Galan,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The sun</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Wulgar,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The clouds</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Kere,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The sky</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Boota,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To eat</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Chucula,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To drink</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Marra,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To go</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Mingoore,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To dance</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Mailelel,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To swim</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Aibudje,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To yawn</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Poona,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To sleep</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Wonananio,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Asleep</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Tocaya,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Sit down</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Eya & ba,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>That or this</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl vt">Te,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A</i>, <i>or the</i>.</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>4</span>We shall now proceed to give an account +of their passage from New South Wales to New +Guinea, with a recital of the incidents which +happened on their landing on the last mentioned +country.⁠⸺Early in the morning of +the 24th of August 1770, the cable broke near +the ring, in the attempt to weigh the anchor; +on which another anchor was dropped, which +prevented the ship’s driving. As the loss of +an anchor might have been attended with future +ill consequences, the boats were sent to +sweep for it; but their first attempt being unsuccessful, +they were dispatched again in the +afternoon, when it was found, and the ship +being brought up to it, they weighed it; yet, +unfortunately, just as they were going to ship +it, the hawser slipped, and all their labour was +frustrated. Determined, however, not to lose +the anchor, they re-applied their endeavours +on the following morning, when they were attended +with success. +</p> +<p> +Soon after the anchor was weighed, the ship +got under sail, steering north-west, and in a +few hours one of the boats, which was a-head, +made the signal for shoal-water. The ship instantly +brought to, with all her sails standing, +and a survey being taken of the sea around her, +it was found that she had met with another +narrow escape, as she was almost encompassed +with shoals; and was likewise so situated between +them, that she must have struck before +<span class='pagenum'>5</span>the boat’s crew had made the signal, if she had +been half the length of a cable on either side. +In the afternoon she made sail with the ebb +tide, and got out of danger before sun-set, +when she brought to for the night. +</p> +<p> +The meeting with these shoals having determined +the Captain to alter his intended course, +he sailed again the next morning (Sunday the +26th) and soon got into deep water. They +now steered a westward course, and, as no land +was within sight, held it on till the dusk of the +evening, when they shortened sail, and made +opposite tacks during the night. The next +morning they pursued their voyage, again +shortening sail at night, and tacking till day-break +of the 28th, when they steered due +north, in search of New Guinea. +</p> +<p> +They now observed many parts of the sea +covered with a kind of brown scum, to which +the sailors gave the name of Spawn. It is +formed of an incredible number of minute +particles, each of which, when seen through +the microscope, was found to consist of a considerable +number of tubes, and these tubes were +subdivided into little cells. The scum being +burnt, and yeilding no smell like what is produced +by animal substances, it was concluded +that it was of the vegetable kind. This scum, +which has been often seen on the coast of Brazil, +generally makes its appearance near the +land.⁠—A bird, which is called the Noddy, +<span class='pagenum'>6</span>was found this evening among the rigging of the +ship. Land having been seen this day from the +mast-head, they stood off and on all night, and +at day-break they sailed towards it with a brisk +gale. +</p> +<p> +Between six and seven o’clock they had sight +of a small island, distant about three miles from +the main land, which has already been distinguished +by the names of St. Bartholomew, and +Whermoysen. It is a very flat island, clothed +with trees, among which is the cocoa-nut; and +was judged to be inhabited, by the smoke of +fires which were seen on several parts of it. The +boats were now sent out to sound, as the water +was shallow; but as the ship, in sailing two +leagues, had found no increase in its depth, signals +were made for the boats to return on board, +and the vessel stood out to sea till midnight, +and then tacked, and stood in for land till the +morning. When they were about four leagues +distant from it, they had sight of it from the +deck, and its appearance was still flat and woody. +Abundance of the brown scum was still seen on +the surface of the sea, and the Tars, convinced +that it was not spawn, gave it the whimsical +name of Sea-saw-dust. +</p> +<p> +The ship now held a northward course, barely +within sight of land, till the 3d of September; +and as the water was but just deep enough +to navigate the vessel, many unsuccessful attempts +were made to bring her near enough to +<span class='pagenum'>7</span>get on shore: it was therefore determined to +land in one of the boats, while the ship kept +plying off and on. +</p> +<p> +In consequence of this resolution, on the 3d +of September, the Captain, accompanied by +Messrs. Banks and Solander, and attended by +the boat’s crew and Mr. Banks’s servants, set +out in the pinnace; but when they came within +two hundred yards of the shore the water was +so shallow, that they were obliged to leave the +boat, in the care of two of the sailors, and wade +to land. They were no sooner clear of the water, +than they saw several prints of human +feet on the sand, below high-water-mark, from +whence it was evident, that the natives had been +very lately there. About one hundred yards +from the water there was a thick wood, along +the borders of which they walked till they arrived +on the banks of a brook of water, on +which was situated a fine grove of cocoa-nut +trees, which abounded with fruit. +</p> +<p> +At a small distance from the trees stood an +Indian hut, which had been thatched with their +leaves, of which some yet remained; and round +the hut were scattered many cocoa-nut-shells, +the fruit of which seemed to have been lately +gathered. Not far from this grew the bread-fruit +tree, and a number of plantains. +</p> +<p> +Our adventurers were now near a quarter of +a mile from the pinnace, when three of the natives +ran out of the woods, about one hundred +<span class='pagenum'>8</span>yards beyond them, shouting in the most violent +manner. They instantly ran towards our +countrymen, the first of the three throwing +something out of his hand, which flew on one +side of him, burning in the same manner as +gunpowder, but making no noise, while the +other two threw their lances. The English +now fired; when the natives stopped, and cast +another lance, on which the muskets were loaded +with ball, and again fired.⁠—The poor Indians +now ran off with expedition, having, most probably, +been wounded in the unequal conflict. +Captain Cook and his companions, unwilling farther +to injure those who could not originally have +intended them any harm, retreated hastily to the +boat, while the men, that had been left in the +care of her, made signals that more of the natives +were advancing towards the coast; several +of these were soon seen, and stood still, as if +waiting for the main body of their companions. +Captain Cook and the party having reached the +boat, rowed a-breast of the natives, who by +this time were assembled to the number of about +eighty. Their stature was nearly the same with +that of the inhabitants of New South Wales, +but their colour was not quite so dark: but, +like them, they wore their hair cropped short. +During the survey that was taken of them, they +continued letting off their fires, a few at a time, +in a kind of regular platoons; they were discharged +by means of a piece of stick, almost +<span class='pagenum'>9</span>like a hollow cane, which being swung sideways, +produced fire and smoke exactly like +that occasioned by the firing of small arms. +The crew on board the ship saw this strange +phenomenon, and thought the natives had fire-arms. +The gentlemen having satisfied their +curiosity by attentively looking at these people, +fired some musquets above their heads, the +balls from which being heard to rattle among +the trees, the natives deliberately retired. The +lances which had been thrown soon after the gentlemen +landed were made of a reed or bamboo +cane, and the points were made of hard wood, +barbed in several places; it is imagined, that +these lances were discharged by means of a +throwing stick, as they flew with great swiftness +above sixty yards. +</p> +<p> +When this party returned to the ship, some +of the officers entreated the Captain to send +men on shore to cut down the cocoa-nut trees, +in order to procure the nuts; but this, with +equal wisdom and humanity, he refused; sensible +that the poor Indians, who could ill brook +even the landing of a small party, on their +coast, would risk their lives, and of course sacrifice +them, in defence of their property. +The whole coast of this country is low-land, +but cloathed with a richness of trees and herbage, +which exceeds all description. +</p> +<p> +On Monday, the 3d of September, 1770, the +ship got under sail, and early in the morning +<span class='pagenum'>10</span>of the 6th passed two small islands, on the latter +of which Captain Cook would have landed, +but as they had then only ten fathom water, +and as the ground was rocky and the wind blew +fresh, he might have endangered the safety of +the ship. They now sailed at a moderate rate, +with various soundings, till three o’clock the +next morning, after which they had no ground +with one hundred and twenty fathom. Before +noon they had sight of land, which was conjectured +to be either the Arrou Islands, or Timor +Laoet; but they are not accurately laid +down in any of the charts hitherto published. +</p> +<p> +On the evening of the 9th they saw what +had the appearance of land, and the next morning +were convinced that the first land they had +seen was Timor, and the last Timor Laoet. +The ship stood off and on during the night, +when a number of fires were seen on the island, +and the next morning smoke was seen in several +places, from whence it was conjectured that +the place was well peopled. The land near the +shore was covered with high trees, not unlike +pines; farther back were cocoa-trees and mangroves: +there were many salt-water creeks, and +several spots of ground which appeared to have +been cleared by art; and the whole country +rose, by gradual slopes, into hills of a very considerable +height. +</p> +<p> +As the land and sea breezes were now very +slight, they continued in sight of the island for +<span class='pagenum'>11</span>two days, when it was observed that the hills +reached, in many places, quite to the sea coast, +and where that was not the case, there were large +and noble groves of the cocoa-nut tree, which +ran about a mile up the country, at which distance +great numbers of houses and plantations +were seen: the plantations were surrounded +with fences, and extended nearly to the summits +of the most lofty hills, yet neither the +natives nor cattle were seen on any of them, +which was thought a very extraordinary circumstance. +Fine groves of the fan-palm shaded +the houses from the rays of the sun. +</p> +<p> +On the 16th they had sight of the little island +called <span class="small-caps">Rotte</span>; and the same day saw the island +<span class="small-caps">Semau</span>, at a distance to the southward of Timor. +The island of Rotte is chiefly covered +with brushy wood without leaves; but there +are a number of fan-palm trees on it, growing +near the sandy beaches; and the whole consists +of alternate hills and vallies. The island of +Semau is not so hilly as Timor, but resembles +it greatly in other respects. +</p> +<p> +At ten o’clock this night a dull reddish light +was seen in the air, many parts of which emitted +rays of a brighter colour, which soon vanished, +and were succeeded by others of the +same kind. This phenomenon, which reached +about ten degrees above the horizon, bore a +considerable resemblance to the Aurora Borealis, +only that the rays of light which it emitted had +<span class='pagenum'>12</span>no tremulous motion. It was surveyed for two +hours, during which time its brightness continued +undiminished. +</p> +<p> +As the ship was now clear of all the islands +which had been laid down in such maps as were +on board, they made sail during the night, and +were surprized the next morning at the sight of +an island to the west south-west, which they +flattered themselves was a new discovery. Before +noon they had sight of houses, groves of +cocoa-nut trees, and large flocks of sheep. +This was a welcome sight to people whose +health was declining for want of refreshments; +and it was instantly resolved to attempt the +purchase of what they stood so much in need +of. The second Lieutenant was immediately +dispatched in the pinnace, in search of a landing-place; +and he took with him such things +as it was thought might be acceptable to the +natives. +</p> +<p> +During Mr. Gore’s absence, the people on +board saw two men on horseback upon the +hills, who frequently stopped to take a view of +the vessel. The Lieutenant soon returned, +with an account that he had entered a little cove, +near which stood a few houses: that several +men advanced, and invited him to land; and +that they conversed together as well as they +could by signs. He reported that these people +were very like the Malays, both in person and +<span class='pagenum'>13</span>dress; that they had no other arms but a knife, +which each of them wore stuck in his girdle. +</p> +<p> +As the Lieutenant could not find any +place in which the ship might come to an anchor, +he was dispatched again with money and +goods, to buy such necessaries as were immediately +wanted for those who were sick. Dr. +Solander attended the Lieutenant, and, during +their absence, the ship stood on and off the +shore. Soon after the boat had put off, two +other horsemen were seen from the ship, one of +whom had a laced hat on, and was dressed in a +coat and waistcoat, of the fashion of Europe. +These men rode about on shore, taking little +notice of the boat, but regarding the ship with +the utmost attention. As soon as the boat +reached the shore, some other persons on horseback, +and many on foot, hastened to the spot, +and it was observed that some cocoa-nuts were +put into the boat, from whence it was concluded, +that a traffick had commenced with +the natives. A signal being made from the +boat, that the ship might anchor in a bay at +some distance, she immediately bore away for +it. +</p> +<p> +When the Lieutenant came on board, he reported +that he could not purchase any cocoa-nuts, +as the owner of them was absent, and +that what he had brought were given him; in +return for which he had presented the natives +with some linen. The method by which he +<span class='pagenum'>14</span>learnt that there was a harbour in the neighbourhood, +was by the natives drawing a kind of +rude map on the sand, in which the harbour, +and a town near it were represented; it was +likewise hinted to him that fruit, fowls, hogs, +and sheep, might be there obtained in great +abundance. He saw several of the principal +inhabitants of the island, who wore chains of +gold about their necks, and were dressed in fine +linen. The word <i>Portuguese</i> being frequently +repeated by the Indians, it was conjectured, that +some natives of Portugal were on the island, +and one of the boat’s crew being of that kingdom, +he spoke to the islanders in his own language, +but he soon found that they had only +learnt a few words, of which they did not +know the meaning. While the natives were +endeavouring to represent the situation of the +town near the harbour, one of them, in order +to be more particular in directions, informed +the English that they would see something, +which he endeavoured to describe by placing +his fingers across each other; and the Portuguese +sailor took it for granted, that he could +mean nothing but a cross. When the boat’s crew +were on the point of returning to the ship, the +gentleman who had been seen on horseback in +the dress of Europe came down to the beach; +but the Lieutenant did not think it proper to +hold a conference with him, because he had +left his commission on board the ship. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>15</span>In the evening, when the ship had entered +the bay to which they had been recommended, +an Indian town was seen at a small distance; +upon which a jack was hoisted on the fore-top-mast +head: presently afterwards three guns +were fired, and Dutch colours were hoisted in +the town: the ship, however, held on her way, +and came to an anchor at seven in the evening. +</p> +<p> +The colours being seen hoisted on the beach +the next morning, the Captain concluded, that +the Dutch had a settlement on the island: he +therefore dispatched the second Lieutenant, to +acquaint the Governor, or other principal resident, +who they were, and that the ship had +put in for necessary refreshments. The Lieutenant +having landed, he was received by a kind +of guard of something more than twenty Indians, +armed with muskets, who having taken +down the colours from the beach, proceeded +without the least military order; and thus escorted +him to the town where the colours had +been hoisted the preceding evening. +</p> +<p> +The Lieutenant was now conducted to the +Raja, or King of the island, to whom, by +means of a Portuguese interpreter, he made +known his business. The Raja said, he was ready +to supply the ship with the necessary refreshments; +but that he could not trade with any +other people but the Dutch, with whom he was +in alliance, without having first obtained their +consent; but that he would make application +<span class='pagenum'>16</span>to the Dutch Agent, who was the only white +man among them. To this Agent, whose +name was Lange, and who proved to be the +person that was seen from the ship in the European +dress, a letter was dispatched; and in a +few hours he came to the town, behaved politely +to the Lieutenant, and told him, he +might buy what he thought proper of the inhabitants +of the island. +</p> +<p> +This offer being freely made, and readily accepted, +the Raja and Mr. Lange intimated their +wishes to go on board the ship, and that two of +the boat’s crew might be left as hostages for +their safe return. The Lieutenant gratified +both these requests, and took them on board +just before dinner was served. It was thought +that they would have sat down without ceremony; +but, after some hesitation, the Raja intimated +his doubts, whether, being a black, they +would permit him to sit down with them. The +politeness of the officers soon removed his +scruples, and the greatest good humour and festivity +prevailed among them. As Dr. Solander, +and another gentleman on board, were tolerable +proficients in Dutch, they acted as interpreters +between Mr. Lange and the officers, +while some of the sailors, who understood Portuguese, +conversed with such of the Raja’s attendants +as spoke that language. The chief +part of the dinner was mutton, which the Raja +having tasted, he begged an English sheep, and +<span class='pagenum'>17</span>the only one which they had left was given him: +he then asked for a dog, and Mr. Banks gave +him his grey-hound; and a spying-glass was +presented to him, on Mr. Lange’s intimating +that it would be acceptable. +</p> +<p> +The visitors now told Captain Cook, that +there was great plenty of fowls, hogs, sheep +and buffaloes on the island, numbers of which +should be conveyed to the sea shore on the following +day, that he might purchase what was +necessary for the recovery of the sick, and for +sea stores. This welcome news gave great spirits +to the company, and the bottle went so +briskly round, that Mr. Lange and his companions +became almost intoxicated: they had, +however, the resolution to express a desire to +depart, before they were quite drunk. When +they came upon deck, the marines were under +arms to receive them; and the Raja intimating, +that he should be glad to see them exercise, the +Captain gave orders that he should be indulged, +and three rounds were fired: he was equally +pleased and surprized at their manœuvres, and +particularly charmed when they cocked their +firelocks, exclaiming violently, “that all the +locks made but one click.” This being ended, +Messrs. Solander and Banks went ashore with +the visitors, who were saluted at their departure +with nine guns, which they returned with +three cheers. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>18</span>When they came to the town, the English +gentlemen tasted their palm wine, which was +sweet, and not unpleasant: it is made of the +fresh juice of the tree, without being fermented. +The houses of the natives consisted of nothing +more than a floor of boards, over which +was a roof of thatch, supported by pillars +about four feet in height. +</p> +<p> +On the following day the Captain, attended +by several gentlemen, went on shore to return +the Raja’s visit; but their principal intention +was, to buy the refreshments which had been +mentioned the preceding day. When they +landed, they were chagrined to find, that the +cattle had not been driven down to the beach. +They went on to the town, where they observed, +that the house of assembly, and some few other +houses which had been built by the Dutch East +India Company, were distinguished from the +houses of the natives by having a piece of +wood, almost in the shape of cows horns, fixed +at each end of the roof; and these they concluded +were what the Portuguese sailor had imagined +to be crosses, from the Indian having +crossed his fingers when he was describing the +town. +</p> +<p> +The Raja was at the house of assembly, surrounded +by many of his principal subjects; and +Mr. Lange also attended. Captain Cook +having informed them, that he had loaded +his boat with goods, which he wished to exchange +<span class='pagenum'>19</span>for necessary refreshments, permission +was given him to land his effects. The +Captain now endeavoured to make an agreement +for the hogs, sheep, and buffaloes, which +were to be paid for in cash; but this business +was no sooner hinted at than Mr. Lange took +his leave, having first told the Captain, that he +must make his agreement with the natives; +and adding, that he had received a letter from +the Governor of Concordia, in Timor, the contents +of which should be disclosed at his return. +</p> +<p> +As they had now no fresh provisions on +board, the gentlemen were unwilling to return +to the ship before they had dined; they therefore +requested the Raja’s permission to buy a +small hog and some rice, and hoped he would +order his people to dress the dinner. To this +the Raja very obligingly replied, that if the +gentlemen had stomachs to eat of Indian cookery, +he would have the honour of considering +them as his guests. A dinner being thus procured, +the Captain sent off the boat to bring liquors +from the ship. +</p> +<p> +Late in the afternoon the company sat down +on mats, which had been spread for them on +the floor, having been first conducted to a servant, +who had a vessel made of the leaves of +the fan-palm, containing water to wash their +hands, in which the Indian assisted them. Having +waited some time for the Raja, they enquired +the reason of his absence, and were informed, +<span class='pagenum'>20</span>that the person who gave the entertainment +never partook of it; but that the Raja was ready +to come and taste of what was provided, if +the gentlemen entertained any idea that the meat +was unwholesome: having assured the natives, +that they did not harbour any such suspicion, +they began their dinner, which consisted of +pork and rice, very excellent of their kinds, +served up in thirty-six dishes, and three earthen +bowls filled with a kind of broth, in which the +pork had been boiled: the spoons were formed +of leaves, but were so small, that the hunger +of the guests would scarcely allow them patience +to use them. +</p> +<p> +When dinner was ended, the Captain invited +the Raja to drink wine with him; but this he +declined, saying, that the man who entertained +company should never get drunk with his guests, +and that the only certain way to avoid drunkenness, +was to refrain from tasting the liquor. +The gentlemen left the remains of their dinner +to their servants and the boat’s crew, who +not being able to eat it all, the Raja’s female +servants, who came to take away the utensils, +insisted that they should take with them all that +remained. +</p> +<p> +When the bottle had circulated some time, +Captain Cook began to enquire after the cattle +that were promised to be driven down to the +beach; when Mr. Lange informed him, that +in the letter which he had received from the +<span class='pagenum'>21</span>Governor of Concordia, instructions were given, +that if the ship should touch at the island, and +be in want of provisions, she should be supplied; +but that he was not to permit her to remain +longer than was absolutely necessary: that no +presents were to be made to the natives of low +rank, nor even left with their superiors to be +divided among them after the ship had sailed: +but, he added, that any trifling civilities received +from the Indians, might be acknowledged +by a present of beads, or other articles of very +small value. It is a very probable conjecture, +that the whole of this story was of Mr. Lange’s +own manufacture, and solely calculated to draw +all the presents of any value into his own pocket. +</p> +<p> +Soon after this the Captain was informed, +that some sheep had been driven down to the +beach; but had been conveyed away before the +men could get money from the ship to pay for +them; and that not a single hog or buffaloe had +been driven down: but that a small number of +fowls, and a quantity of the palm-syrup had +been bought. Heartily vexed to be thus disappointed +of the chief articles which were +wanted, the Captain remonstrated with Mr. +Lange, who told him, that if he and his officers +had gone to the spot, they might have purchased +any thing they pleased; but that the Indians +imagined, the seamen would impose on +them with counterfeit money. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>22</span>This story was no more credited than the +former; but not to lose more time in a case of +such urgency, the Captain instantly repaired to +the beach; but there were no cattle to be +bought. During his absence Lange informed +Mr. Banks, that the Indians were offended, that +the seamen had not offered gold for what they +had to sell, and that no other metal would purchase +their commodities: but Mr. Banks, disdaining +to hold farther conversation with a man +who had been guilty of such repeated subterfuges, +left him abruptly. Some hours before +this, the Raja had assigned a much more probable +reason for the cattle not being brought to +the beach, saying, that the buffaloes were too +far up the country to be driven thither in the +time. In the evening the gentlemen returned +to the ship, not a little displeased at their disappointment. +</p> +<p> +On the 20th the Captain and doctor Solander +went again on shore, and while the latter proceeded +to the town in search of Lange, the +Captain staid on the beach, with a view to buy +cattle. At this place was an old man, who had +been distinguished by the name of the prime +minister, because he appeared to be invested +with considerable authority; and the Captain +now presented him with a spying-glass, in order +to make a friend of him. At present there was +nothing brought for sale but a small buffaloe, +for which five guineas were demanded. Tho’ +<span class='pagenum'>23</span>the Captain knew that this was double its value, +yet he bid three guineas, as he was willing to +begin dealing at any rate: the person who had +it to sell said, he could not take the money till +the Raja had been informed what was offered; +on which a man was sent to him, who soon +came back with a message, that five guineas +would be the lowest price: this the Captain refused +to give; on which a second messenger was +dispatched, who staying a long time, Captain +Cook was anxiously expecting his return, when +he saw Dr. Solander coming towards the beach, +escorted by more than a hundred persons, some +of whom had lances in their hands, and the rest +were armed with muskets. When the Doctor +arrived at the marketing-place, he informed the +Captain, that Lange had interpreted to him a +message from the Raja, the substance of which +was, that the natives were averse to all traffick +with the English, because they would not give +above half the real worth of the things which +were offered for sale; and that all trading whatever +should be prohibited after that day. +</p> +<p> +A native of Timor, whose parents were Portuguese, +came down with this party, and delivered +to the Captain what was pretended to be +the order of the Raja, and which was in substance +the same as what Lange had told Dr. Solander; +but it was afterwards discovered, that +this man was a confederate of Lange’s, in the +scheme of extortion. The English gentlemen +<span class='pagenum'>24</span>had at the same time no doubt, but that the +supposed order of the Raja was a contrivance of +these men; and while they were debating how +they should act in this critical conjuncture, anxious +to bring the affair to a speedy issue, the +Portuguese began to drive away such of the natives +as had brought palm-syrup and fowls to +sell, and others who were now bringing sheep +and buffaloes to the market. +</p> +<p> +Just at this juncture Captain Cook happening +to look at the old man who had been distinguished +by the name of prime minister, imagined +that he saw in his features a disapprobation +of the present proceedings; and, willing +to improve the advantage, he grasped the Indian’s +hand, and gave him an old broad sword. +This well-timed present produced all the good +effects that could be wished: the prime minister +was enraptured at so honourable a mark of distinction, +and, brandishing his sword over the +head of the impertinent Portuguese, he made +both him, and a man who commanded the party, +sit down behind him on the ground. The +whole business was now accomplished: the natives, +eager to supply whatever was wanted, +brought their cattle in for sale, and the market +was soon stocked. For the first two buffaloes +Captain Cook gave ten guineas; but he afterwards +purchased them by way of exchange, +giving a musket for each; and at this rate he +might have bought any number he thought proper. +<span class='pagenum'>25</span>There seems to be no doubt but that +Lange had a profit out of the first two that +were sold, and that his reason for having said +that the natives would take nothing but gold +for their cattle, was, that he might the more +easily share in the produce. Captain Cook purchased +of the natives of this island some hundred +gallons of palm-syrup, a small quantity of +garlick, a large number of eggs, some limes +and cocoa-nuts, thirty dozen of fowls, three +hogs, six sheep, and nine buffaloes. +</p> +<p> +Having at length obtained these necessary refreshments, +Captain Cook prepared for sailing +from this place; but before we attend him on +his voyage, it may be proper to give a description +of the island, with an account of its produce, +and the customs and manners of its inhabitants. +</p> +<p> +The island of <span class="small-caps">Savu</span> is situated in 10 degrees +35 minutes south latitude, and 237 degrees 30 +minutes west longitude, and has hitherto been +very little known, or very imperfectly described. +Its length is between twenty and thirty +miles; but its breadth could not be ascertained +by Captain Cook, who saw only the north side +of it. The harbour in which the ship lay was +called Seba, from a district of the country so +denominated; and there are two other bays on +different parts of the island. At the time +the Endeavour lay there it was near the end of +the dry season, when it had not rained for almost +<span class='pagenum'>26</span>seven months, nor was there a running +stream of fresh water to be seen, and the natives +were supplied only by small springs, situated +at a distance up the country: yet even in +this dry season the appearance of the island was +enchanting beyond description. Near the coast +the land is level, and well clothed with the +palm, called <i>Arecas</i>, and cocoa-nut trees: farther +off the ground rises in the most gradual +ascent, and is covered with fan palm-trees even +to the tops of the hills, so as to present a regular +grove to the eye. The rains in this country +cease in March or April, and fall again in October +or November: and these rains produce +abundance of indico, millet, and maize, which +grow beneath the noblest trees in the universe. +</p> +<p> +Besides these articles, the island produces tobacco, +cotton, betle, tamarinds, limes, oranges, +mangoes, Guinea corn, rice, callevances, +and water melons. A trifling quantity of cinnamon +was seen, and some European herbs, such +as garlic, fennel, cellery and marjoram: besides +which, there are fruits of various kinds, +and particularly the <i>blimbi</i>, which has a sharp +taste, and is said to be a very fine pickle, but it +is not eaten raw; its length is from three to four +inches, it is nearly as thick as a man’s thumb, +of an oval form, covered with a very thin skin +of a light green, and contains a number of seeds +ranged in the shape of a star. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>27</span>Several buffaloes were seen on this island, +which were almost as large as an ox; and from +a pair of enormous horns of this animal which +Mr. Banks saw, it was conjectured, that some +of them were much larger; yet they did not +weigh more than half as much as an ox of the +same apparent size, having lost the greater part +of their flesh through the late dry weather; +the meat however was juicy, and of a delicate +flavour. The horns of these animals bend +backwards, they have no dewlaps, nor scarce +any hair on their skins, and their ears are remarkably +large. The other tame animals on +the island are dogs, cats, pigeons, fowls, hogs, +goats, sheep, asses and horses. +</p> +<p> +Few of the horses are above twelve hands +high, yet they are full of mettle, and pace naturally +in an expeditious manner: the natives +ride them with a halter only. The hogs of this +country, are fed on the hulks of rice, and palm-syrup +mixed with water, and are remarkably +fine and fat. The sheep are not unlike a goat, +and are therefore called cabritos; their ears, +which are long, hang down under their horns; +their noses are arched, and their bodies are covered +with hair. The fowls are of the game +kind, and though they are rather large, the hen +lays a very small egg. The sea-coast furnishes +the inhabitants with turtle, but not in any great +abundance. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>28</span>The natives of the island of Savu are rather +below the middle stature; their hair is +black and strait, and persons of all ranks, as +well those that are exposed to the weather, as +those that are not, have one general complexion, +which is the dark brown. The men are well +formed and sprightly, and their features differ +much from each other: the women, on the contrary, +have all one set of features, and are very +short and broad built. +</p> +<p> +The men have silver pincers hanging by +strings round their necks, with which they pluck +out the hair of their beards; and both men and +women root out the hair that grows under the +arms: the hair of the women’s heads is tied in +a club behind, while that of the men is fastened +by a comb to the top of the head: the men +wear a kind of turban on the head, formed of +muslin, cotton, or even silk handkerchiefs; but +the heads of the women have no covering. +</p> +<p> +The dress of the men consists of two pieces +of cotton cloth, one of which is bound round +the middle, and the lower edge of it being drawn +pretty tight between the legs, the upper edge +is left loose, so as to form a kind of pocket, in +which they carry their knives and other things: +the other piece being passed under the former, +on the back of the wearer, the ends of it are +carried over the shoulders, and tucked into the +pocket before. The women draw the upper +edge of the piece round the waist tight, while +<span class='pagenum'>29</span>the lower edge, dropping to the knees, makes +a kind of petticoat: the other piece of cloth is +fastened across the breast, and under the arms. +This cloth, which is manufactured by the natives, +is died blue while in the yarn; and, as it +is of various shades, its look when it comes to +be worn is very beautiful. +</p> +<p> +The ornaments of the natives of Savu are +very numerous, and consist of rings, beads +worn round the neck and on the wrists, and +chains of plaited gold wire, likewise worn round +the neck: these things were worn by both +sexes; but the women had likewise girdles of +beads round their waists, which helped to keep +up the petticoat. Many of the boys wore brass +wire passed several times round the arms, above +the elbow: and some of the men, who were said +to be the sons of the Rajas, wore rings of ivory, +above an inch thick, and two inches broad, on +the same part of the arm. One man possessed +a silver-headed cane, supposed to have been a +present from the Dutch East India Company, +as their mark was engraven on the silver. The +Raja, and the principal officer of his houshold, +were commonly habited in night gowns of ordinary +chintz; but one time, when Captain +Cook waited on the Raja, he was dressed in a +black stuff robe. +</p> +<p> +Most of the men had their names marked on +their arms, and the women a black ornament +just under the bend of the elbow, impressed so +<span class='pagenum'>30</span>that it could not be rubbed out. On enquiry +it was found, that this practice had been common +among the Indians long before they were visited +by any Europeans; and it was said, +that the necks and breasts of the inhabitants +of the adjacent islands were marked with +circles. +</p> +<p> +It could not be certainly known how these +black marks were impressed; but the following +extract from M. Bossu’s account of some Indians +who dwell on the banks of the Akanza, a +river in North America, will afford a very probable +conjecture how the operation is performed.⁠—“The +Akanzas (says this writer) have +adopted me, and, as a mark of my privilege, +have imprinted the figure of a roe-buck upon +my thigh, which was done in this manner: +an Indian having burnt some straw, diluted the +ashes with water, and, with this mixture, drew +the figure upon my skin; he then retraced it +by pricking the lines with needles, so as at +every juncture just to draw the blood, and +the blood mixing with the ashes of the straw, +forms a figure which can never be effaced.” +</p> +<p> +The houses on the island of Savu are of different +lengths, from twenty feet to four hundred, +according to the rank of the inhabitant, +and are fixed on posts about four or five feet +from the ground. The houses are generally divided +into three rooms of equal size, the center +room being set apart for the use of the women; +<span class='pagenum'>31</span>and sometimes smaller rooms are enclosed from +the sides of the building, the whole of which +is thatched with the leaves of the palm-tree. +</p> +<p> +The natives eat of all the tame animals which +the island produces, but they prefer the hog to +all the rest; next to hogs flesh they admire +that of the horse, to which succeeds the Buffalo, +and then the poultry; and they like the flesh +of cats and dogs much better than that of goats +and sheep. Fish is not eaten but by the poorer +people, nor even by them, but when some business +demands their attendance near the sea-coast; +and then each man has a small casting +net, which he wears tied round his body when +he has not occasion to use it. +</p> +<p> +The fan-palm is the most remarkable, and +most useful tree that grows on the island, its +uses being equally great and various: soon after +the buds put forth the natives cut them, and +tying under them little baskets formed of the +leaves of the tree, a liquor drops into them, +which has the taste of a light wine, and is the +common liquor of all the inhabitants. The +men climb the trees twice a day to bring down +this liquor; but as a great deal more is thus +obtained than can be consumed by drinking, a +part of the remainder is made into coarse sugar, +very excellent of its kind; and the rest is +boiled in earthen pots, till it is reduced to a +syrup, resembling treacle, but of a much finer +flavour; and with this syrup the natives fatten +<span class='pagenum'>32</span>their hogs and dogs. The leaves of the tree +are applied to the various uses of making tobacco +pipes, umbrellas, cups, baskets, and +the thatching of houses. The fruit of this +tree is nearly of the size of a full grown turnip; +but the natives are not fond of it, nor do they +suffer much of it to come to perfection, as they +wound the blossoms for the sake of the liquor +that distils from them; the kernels of the fruit +must be eaten before it is ripe, otherwise they +are so hard, that the teeth will not penetrate +them. +</p> +<p> +As wood for firing is very scarce on the island, +the natives, by the following method, make a +very little of it answer the ends of cookery and +distillation. A hollow is dug under ground, +in a direct line, about two yards long, with +a hole at each end, one of which is large and +the other small; the fire is put in at the +largest hole, while the smaller one serves for +a draught. Circular holes are made through +the earth, which covers this cavity; and on +these holes are set earthen pots, which +being large in the middle, and smaller towards +the bottom, the fire acts upon a considerable +part of their surface. These pots +contain, most commonly, about eight or nine +gallons each, and they are kept continually +boiling, with a very trifling quantity of fuel, +such as a palm-leaf, or a dry stalk; in this +<span class='pagenum'>33</span>manner all their victuals are boiled, as well +as their syrup and sugar. +</p> +<p> +Both the men and women chew betle and +areca, mixed with a sort of lime, composed +of shells and coral stones; and as they frequently +add tobacco to the other ingredients, +and acquire this disgustful practice almost in +their infancy, there is not a sweet breath, or a +sound set of teeth in the whole island. They +sometimes smoke tobacco, and the women, particularly, +swallow the smoke. Their pipes are +made of the palm-leaf, about the size of a +goose quill, and half a foot long, in one end of +which they put the tobacco designed for smoking. +</p> +<p> +The island consists of five divisions, each of +which has a Raja, or chief Governor, of its own. +These divisions are called <span class="small-caps">Timo</span>, <span class="small-caps">Massara</span>, +<span class="small-caps">Regeeua</span>, <span class="small-caps">Laai</span>, and <span class="small-caps">Seba</span>. It was on this +last division that our English adventurers went +on shore: the Raja of which was between thirty +and forty years of age, and remarkable for his +corpulency. He governs his people with the +most absolute authority, but takes on him very +little of the parade, or pomp of royalty. The +prime minister, who has been heretofore mentioned, +appeared to be invested with great power, +and almost wholly to direct the actions of +the Raja; yet, such were the abilities and integrity +of this man, that the people universally +adored him. When any dispute happens among +<span class='pagenum'>34</span>the natives, it is instantly settled by the Raja +and his counsellors, in the most equitable and +satisfactory manner. +</p> +<p> +The history of this island depends chiefly on +the authority of Mr. Lange, the Dutch factor, +who informed Captain Cook, that it was able +to raise seven thousand three hundred fighting +men, on the shortest notice. These are armed +with lances, spears, muskets, targets, and pole-axes, +which last are not unlike a wood-bill, +only that they are much heavier, and have +strait edges. The natives are so expert in the +use of their lances, that they will throw +them with such force and exactness, as to pierce +a man through the heart at the distance of sixty +or seventy yards. Notwithstanding this skill +and disposition for war, it is said, that the Rajas +have lived in the most perfect harmony for several +ages. +</p> +<p> +While Captain Cook was on the island he saw +a great gun before the town-house, and some +swivels and pateraroes; but the great gun, which +was almost consumed by rust, lay with the touch-hole +to the ground, and the swivels and pateraroes +were not in their carriages. In the town-house +were a number of spears and targets, of +as many different sizes as there were weapons; +and with these the natives were armed when +they came down with Dr. Solander, with a view +to influence the market. The insides of the +muskets were almost destroyed by rust, though +<span class='pagenum'>35</span>their outsides were kept clean and bright: the +men had very little, if any, powder or ball in +their cartridge-boxes; but a piece of paper was +put into each hole, as if they had been properly +furnished. It has been already mentioned, +that they marched in the most irregular +manner; and each man brought with him a little +tobacco, a fowl, or some other trifle, for +sale. +</p> +<p> +The inhabitants of Savu are divided into +five ranks; the Rajas, the land-owners, manufacturers, +labourers, and slaves. The land-owners +are respected in proportion to the extent +of their lands, and the number of their slaves, +which last are bought and sold with the estates +to which they belong; but when a slave is +bought separately, a fat hog is the price of the +purchase. Though a man may sell his slave in +this manner, or convey him with his lands, yet +his power over him extends no farther, for he +must not even strike him without the Raja’s +permission. The estates of these land-owners +are of very different extent; for some of them +possess not above five slaves, and some five hundred. +When a man of rank goes abroad, one +of his slaves follows him, with a silver hilted +sword or hanger, ornamented with horse hair +tassels; while another is furnished with a little +bag, containing tobacco, betle, areca, and lime; +and even the Rajas themselves take no farther +state upon them. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>36</span>The natives of Savu entertain a veneration +for antiquity, superior, perhaps, to that of any +other people in the world. Their principal +boast is a long line of venerable ancestors: the +houses that have been well tenanted for successive +generations are held in the highest esteem; +and even the stones, which are worn smooth by +having been sat upon for ages, become valuable +from that very circumstance: the man +whose progenitors have bequeathed him any of +these stones, or whose opulence has enabled +him to purchase them, causes them to be ranged +round his habitation, for his servants and +slaves to sit upon. +</p> +<p> +In the chief town of each district the Raja +causes a huge stone to be set up, as a monument +of his reign. Thirteen such stones were seen +in the province of Seba, and the remains of +many others, that have suffered greatly by the +wasting hand of time. These stones are all +placed on the top of a hill, and some of them +are so enormously large, that it is impossible to +conceive by what contrivance they could have +been placed in such a situation, nor could any +information in this respect be obtained from the +natives. From these monuments it is evident, +that the island has been regularly governed for +a series of ages past. +</p> +<p> +On the death of a Raja, proclamation is made +that all his subjects shall hold a solemn festival; +on which they proceed to the hill where these +<span class='pagenum'>37</span>stones are erected, and feast for several weeks +or months, killing every animal that can be +found, to furnish out the treat, which is daily +served upon the monumental stones. When the +whole stock is exhausted, they are compelled +to a severe fast; and when it happens that the +feast ends in the dry season, when they cannot +get vegetables to eat, they have no other subsistance +than the palm syrup and water, till the +few animals that escape the general massacre +have bred a sufficient number for a fresh supply; +except indeed that the adjacent districts may +afford some relief. The natives of Savu have an +instrument with which they clear the cotton of +its seeds, which is only about seven inches in +height, and fourteen in length; but is constructed +on common mechanical principles. They +have likewise a machine, with which they spin +by hand, in the same manner as the women of +England did, before the use of spinning-wheels +was known. The yarn they make is dyed as +before-mentioned, and they were once observed +to be dying some girdles for the women, of a +deep red colour. +</p> +<p> +The natives in general are robust and healthy, +and had the appearance of being long-lived. +The small-pox has found its way to this island, +and is as much dreaded as the pestilence: when +this disorder attacks any person, he is carried +to some spot at a great distance from any house, +where his food is conveyed to him by means +<span class='pagenum'>38</span>of a long stick, for no one will venture very +near the invalid, who is thus left to take his +chance of life or death. +</p> +<p> +The island of Savu having been visited by +the Portuguese almost at their first sailing into +this part of the world, they established a settlement +upon it; but in a little time they were +succeeded by the Dutch, who, though they did +not formally possess themselves of the island, +sent a number of trading vessels to establish a +commerce with the natives. It is thought that +the Dutch purchases are chiefly confined to +provisions for the supply of the Spice Islands, +the inhabitants of which, cultivating almost +every spot of ground for the spice trade, breed +but a small number of cattle. A few years +ago the Dutch East India Company made an +agreement with the several Rajas of the island, +by which it was covenanted, that a quantity of +rice, maize, and calevances should be annually +furnished to the Dutch, who, in return, supply +the Rajas with arrack, cutlery wares, linen, +silk, and some other things. Small vessels, +each of which is manned by ten Indians, are +sent from Timor, to bring away the maize and +calevances, and a ship which brings the articles +which are furnished by the Dutch, receives the +rice on board once a year: and there being +three bays on the coast, this vessel anchors in +each of them in its turn. The Rajas accept the +Dutch articles of commerce as a present; and +<span class='pagenum'>39</span>they and their chief attendants drink incessantly +of the arrack till it is all gone. In the agreement +abovementioned, the Rajas stipulated, +that a Dutch resident should be constantly on +the island, to observe that their part of the contract +was fulfilled. +</p> +<p> +The Dutch having thus concluded the treaty, +sent Mr. Lange to act as their resident, and a +kind of assistant to him, whose father was a Portuguese, +and his mother a native of Timor, +with one Frederick Craig, whose father was a +Dutchman, and his mother an Indian. Once +every two months Lange is attended by fifty +slaves on horse-back, and in this state visits each +of the Rajas, and, if the crops are ripe, orders +vessels to convey them immediately to Timor, +so that they are not even housed on the +island. It is a part of Lange’s business to persuade +the land-owners to plant, if he sees that +there has been any neglect on their part. He +constantly takes with him a quantity of arrack, +by the help of which he does not fail of making +advantageous bargains with the Rajas. +</p> +<p> +Lange had been on this island ten years, during +all which time he had not seen a white person, +except those who came annually in the +Dutch ship to carry off the rice. He is married +to an Indian woman, a native of the island +of Timor, and he lives in the same manner as +the inhabitants of Savu, whose language he +speaks better than any other; like them too he +<span class='pagenum'>40</span>sits on the ground and chews betle, and has so +perfectly adopted their manners, that he is an +absolute Indian, except in dress and complexion. +</p> +<p> +Mr. Craig is employed in teaching the children +to write and read, and instructing them in +the principles of Christianity. The new testament, +a catechism, and some other small books +of divinity, have been printed in the language +of Savu, and the adjacent islands, at the expence +of the Dutch. Mr. Craig said, there +were six hundred Christians in the township of +Seba only; yet there is neither a church nor a +clergyman throughout the island. +</p> +<p> +The religion of such of the natives of Savu +as have not embraced Christianity, is a singular +sort of Paganism, as every man makes choice +of his own God, and worships him according +to his own fancy; so that the variety of Deities, +and the methods of adoring them, are +scarcely fewer than the number of inhabitants. +The morality of these people, however, is of +the purest kind. A robbery is scarce ever committed, +and a murder is never perpetrated. +When any disputes arise between the natives, +they instantly submit the point in debate to the +decision of the Raja, and rest perfectly satisfied +with his determination. No man is permitted +to marry more than one wife; yet a violation of +the marriage bed, or even the crime of simple +fornication, is almost wholly unknown among +them. Happy people! the purity of whose +<span class='pagenum'>41</span>morals renders them fit objects of the envy and +emulation of the Christian world. +</p> +<p> +Of the islands in the neighbourhood of Savu, +the principal is Timor, which is annually +visited by the Dutch residents on the other +islands, in order to make up their accounts. +Some of the towns on the north side of Timor +are in the hands of the Portuguese; but the +Dutch possess the far greater proportion of the +island, on which they have built a fort, and +erected several store-houses. +</p> +<p> +There are three small islands, called the Solars, +which produce a great abundance of the +various necessaries of life, that are carried in +small vessels to the Dutch settlement on the +island of Timor: these islands are low and flat, +and one of them has a commodious harbour. +</p> +<p> +Westward from the Solars lies the little island +of Ende, which is yet in the possession of the +Portuguese, who have built a considerable town, +called Larntuca, on the north east point of it; +and close to the town is an harbour where ships +may ride in safety. +</p> +<p> +The island of Rotte has a Dutch resident on +it, whose business is similar to that of Mr. +Lange on the island of Savu: Rotte produces, +besides such things as are common to the other +islands, a considerable quantity of sugar, which +is now made to a great degree of perfection. +</p> +<p> +There is likewise a small island lying to the +westward of Savu, the chief produce of which +<span class='pagenum'>42</span>is areca-nuts, of which the Dutch receive, in +exchange for European commodities, as large +a quantity every year as will load two vessels. +</p> +<p> +A French ship was wrecked on the coast of +Timor, about two years before the Endeavour +was in these seas. She had been lodged on the +rock several days, when the wind tore her to +pieces in an instant, and the Captain, with the +greater number of the seamen, were drowned; +but a Lieutenant and about eighty men having +reached the shore, travelled across the country +of Concordia, where their immediate necessities +were relieved, after which they returned to the +wreck, in company with some Dutch and Indians, +who assisted them in recovering all their +chests of bullion, some of their guns, and other +effects: which being done, they returned to +Concordia, where they remained several weeks; +but, in this interval, death made such havock +among them, that not above half their number +remained to be sent to their native country, +which was done as soon as a vessel could be fitted +out for that purpose. +</p> +<p> +To close the account of the island of Savu, +it now only remains to give the following specimen +of the language of its inhabitants. +</p> +<p class="align_c one_space"> +Specimen of the language of the inhabitants of the island of <span class="small-caps">Savu</span>. +</p> +<table class='center margetb'> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Momonne,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A man</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Monama,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>An old man</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl"><span class='pagenum'>43</span>Monecopai,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A boy</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Anawuneekee,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A child</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Madda,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The eyes</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Otaile,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The temples</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Sivanga,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The nose</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Tangarei,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The forehead</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Cavarànga,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The cheeks</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Vaio,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The tongue</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Lacoco,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The neck</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Dùloo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The belly</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Pagàvee,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The chin</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Càmaccoò,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The arms</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Wùlalea,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The hand</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Roòtoo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The knees</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Baibo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The legs</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Duneeala,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The feet</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Row,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Hair</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Gnaca,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A dog</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Vavee,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A hog</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Doomba,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A sheep</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Maio,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A cat</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Doleela,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A bird</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Dulloo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>An egg</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Nudoo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A fish</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Unjoo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A turtle</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Vooe,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Fruit</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Nai,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Tobacco</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Yirroo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Oranges</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Arre,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Rice</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Lodo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The sun</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Wurroo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The moon</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl"><span class='pagenum'>44</span>Booro,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Bread</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Cova,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A coat</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Capa,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>A ship</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Sooree,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Red</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Bulla,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Black</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Sao-lodo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The morning</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Munda-lodo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>The evening</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">O,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Yes</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Gnaa,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>To eat</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Neenawei,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>To drink</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Ta eaco,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>To walk</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Ta rai,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>To run</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Ta mudje,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>To talk</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Ta bunge,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>To sneeze</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Isse, or usse,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>One</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Rooe,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Two</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Tulloo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Three</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Uppa,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Four</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Lumee,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Five</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Unna,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Six</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Petoo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Seven</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Aroo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Eight</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Saio,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Nine</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Singooroo,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Ten</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pl">Singooroo isse,</td> +<td class="al pl"><i>Eleven</i>.</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p> +The Endeavour sailed from the island of Savu +on the 21st of September 1770, and bent +her course westward. In the afternoon of this +day a little flat island was discovered in 10 degrees +47 minutes south latitude, and 238 degrees +<span class='pagenum'>45</span>28 minutes west longitude, which has not +been laid down in any of the charts hitherto +published. +</p> +<p> +When the ship got clear of the several islands +before-mentioned, there was a continual swell +of the sea from the south, which Captain Cook +imputed to the position of the coast of New +South Wales, imagining it to have determined +the sea in that direction. +</p> +<p> +On the 28th they steered north-west the whole +day, in order to get sight of the land of Java; +and on the 30th the Captain received from most +of the officers and seamen their respective journals +of the voyage, regarding which he advised +them to observe the most profound secrecy: and +he likewise possessed himself of the log-book. +In the night following there was a storm of +thunder and lightning, when the land of Java +was seen to the eastward by the brightness of the +lightning. In the morning they had sight of +the island of Cracatoa, which is singular for the +height of its peak. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning of the 2d of October, +when the ship was in fifteen fathom water, she +was close in with the coast of Java, along which +they now steered. As their faithful Indian +friend Tupia was at this time extremely ill, the +Captain dispatched a boat to the shore, to endeavour +to bring him some refreshing fruits, and +likewise to procure grass for the buffaloes. As +soon as the boat landed, the inhabitants assisted +<span class='pagenum'>46</span>the seamen in cutting grass for the cattle, and +in gathering a bunch of plantains and a few cocoa-nuts, +for which they received a shilling, and +which were brought off to the ship. The land +of Java had a delightful appearance, being +every where well covered with trees. +</p> +<p> +This day they had sight of two Dutch vessels, +and an officer being dispatched to one of them, +to learn any interesting intelligence, he brought +word back, that the Swallow had reached the +English channel in safety, that disputes were +carried to great lengths at home, in regard to +the ministers, and in America, on account of +taxes; and that the Russians, Poles and Turks, +were embroiled in a war. The officer said, that +the vessels were Dutch East Indiamen, bound +from Batavia, one of them to the coast of Malabar, +and the other to the island of Ceylon: +he said likewise, that there was a kind of packet-boat, +which he had been told, was appointed +to carry letters from such Dutch ships as came +thither to Batavia; but Captain Cook conjectured, +that her business was to examine such +ships as should pass the Streight. +</p> +<p> +The ship had now been some hours at anchor; +but a light breeze springing up in the +evening, they got under sail, and continued to +proceed at a slow rate during the night. On +the 3d, in the morning, the Dutch packet-boat +was observed sailing after the Endeavour; but +she bore away again on the shifting of the wind. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>47</span>This changing of the wind obliging the Endeavour +to come to an anchor, the master of +the packet-boat came along-side of her, in one +of the boats belonging to the country, bringing +with him rice-birds, monkies, parrots, parroquets, +ducks, fowls, turtle, and other things, +with an intention to sell them; but as the stock +which had been laid in at Savu was not yet consumed, +and he had fixed very high prices on +his commodities, very few articles were purchased: +the Captain, however, bought twenty +or thirty fowls, and a small turtle. +</p> +<p> +The master of the packet-boat had brought +with him two books, in one of which he wrote +down the Captain’s name, and that of the vessel, +to be sent to the Governor and Council of +the Indies; and in the other book he requested +that some of the gentlemen on board would +likewise write down the name of the vessel, with +that of the Captain; where she came from, to +what port she was bound, and as many particulars +respecting any person on board, as themselves +might think necessary, to satisfy the curiosity +of any of their friends who might afterwards +enquire for them. In this book many Portuguese +vessels, and some of other countries +had made entries of the same kind; but a Lieutenant +on board the Endeavour having written +the ship’s name, added only the words, “from +Europe;” yet of this the master of the packet +took no other notice, than by saying he was +<span class='pagenum'>48</span>content with whatever they were pleased to +write, which was intended solely for the information +of their friends. +</p> +<p> +They now weighed the anchor, and made +repeated attempts to sail; but the wind not +blowing so as to enable the vessel to stem the +current, she lay to till the morning of the 5th, +when a Dutch officer came along-side the ship, +and sent a printed paper to the Captain, in exceeding +bad English; the contents of which +were to enquire, +</p> +<p> +1st, The ship’s name, and to what nation she +belonged? +</p> +<p> +2d, Whether she came from Europe, or any +other place? +</p> +<p> +3d, What place she had last departed from? +</p> +<p> +4th, To what place she was bound? +</p> +<p> +5th, How many ships belonging to the Dutch +Company had been seen at the last coast the ship +had left, and their names? +</p> +<p> +6th, If one or more of these ships had been +in company with the Endeavour, and was or +were sailed for that, or any other place? +</p> +<p> +7th, If, during the voyage, any thing remarkable +had happened, or been seen? +</p> +<p> +8th, If any ships had been seen and hailed +at sea, or in the streight of Sunda, and what +they were? +</p> +<p> +9th, If they had brought any other news worthy +of attention, from the place whence the +ship took her last departure; or if any thing +<span class='pagenum'>49</span>else had happened during the voyage, that was +worth communicating. +</p> +<p> +These questions were undersigned, “Batavia, +in the castle. By order of the Governor General, +and the Counsellors of India, <span class="small-caps">J. Brander +Bungl</span>, Sec.” +</p> +<p> +It was observed, that the officer had many +other papers of the same kind, in French, Dutch, +and other languages. Captain Cook did not +think proper to answer any of the above questions, +except the first and the fourth. When +the Dutchman observed this, he said, that answers +to the other questions were not material; +yet he seemed to contradict what he had just +advanced, by saying, that he must dispatch the +paper to Batavia, and that it would reach that +place by noon on the following day. This incident +is particularly recorded, because the examining +the ships which sail through the +streight, is said to be a piece of Dutch policy +of very modern date. +</p> +<p> +As soon as the Dutch officer was departed, +the anchor was weighed; but the ship was +obliged to come to an anchor again in about four +hours, for want of wind to enable her properly +to stem the current. A breeze soon springing up, +the vessel held on her way till the following +morning, when she was again obliged to be +brought to an anchor, owing to the rapidity of +the current. This day and the next they +weighed the anchor, and brought to several +<span class='pagenum'>50</span>times. On the 8th they weighed, and stood +clear of a large ledge of rocks, which they +had been near running fowl of the preceding +day; but before noon this day they were once +more obliged to anchor near a little island, +which was not laid down in any chart that +they had on board. It is one of those that bear +the name of the Milles isles; and Messrs Solander +and Banks having landed upon it, collected +a few plants, and shot a bat which was +a yard long, being measured from the extreme +points of the wings; they also killed a few +plovers, in all respects like the English golden +plover. On this island, the breadth of which +does not exceed one hundred yards, and the +length five hundred, they found a house, and +a little spot of cultivated ground, and on it +grew the <i>Palma Christi</i>, from which the West +Indians make the castor oil. +</p> +<p> +In a little time after the gentlemen came +back to the snip, some Malays came along-side, +in a boat, bringing with them some +pumpkins, dried fish, and turtle for sale: one +of the turtles, which weighed near one hundred +and fifty pounds, they sold for a dollar, and +seemed to expect the same piece of money for +their pumpkins; but it being hinted to them +that a dollar was too much, they desired that +one might be cut, and a piece of it given to +them: but this not being complied with, they +at length sold six and twenty pumpkins for a +<span class='pagenum'>51</span>Portuguese petacka. When they departed they +intimated their wishes, that this transaction +might not be mentioned at Batavia. +</p> +<p> +The ship now made but slow way till night, +when the land breeze springing up, they sailed +to the east south-east, and on the following day, +by the assistance of the sea breeze, they came +to an anchor in the road of Batavia. At this +place they found a number of large Dutch +vessels, the Harcourt East Indiaman from England, +which had lost her passage to China, and +two ships belonging to the private trade of our +India Company. +</p> +<p> +The Endeavour had no sooner anchored, +than a ship was observed, with a broad pendant +flying, from which a boat was dispatched to +demand the name of the vessel, with that of +the Commander, &c. To these enquiries Captain +Cook gave such answers as he thought +proper, and the officer who commanded the boat +departed. This gentleman and the crew that +attended him were so worn down by the unhealthiness +of the climate, that they appeared +but as the shadows of men; which the Captain +deemed a sad presage of the havock which death +would soon make among his crew; yet at present +there was not one invalid on board, except +the Indian Tupia: the English tars, whose want +of foresight and defiance of danger is notorious, +seemed not to entertain the least idea that even +sickness would attack a set of men so hardened +<span class='pagenum'>52</span>as they were by different climates; but alas! +they had very little idea of the fatal contagion +which impregnates the air of Batavia. +</p> +<p> +The Captain now dispatched an officer to the +Governor of the town, to apologize for the Endeavour’s +not saluting; for he had but three +guns proper for the purpose, except swivels, and +he was apprehensive that they would not be +heard. +</p> +<p> +The ship was at this time so leaky, that she +made about nine inches water an hour, on the +average; part of her false keel was gone; one +of her pumps was totally useless, and the rest +so very much decayed, that they could not last +long. The officers and seamen concurring in +opinion, that the ship could not safely put to +sea again in this condition, the Captain resolved +to solicit permission to heave her down; but as +he had learnt that this must be done in writing, +he drew up a petition, and had it translated into +Dutch. +</p> +<p> +On Wednesday the 10th of October 1770, +the Captain and the rest of the gentlemen went +on shore, and applied to the only English gentleman +then resident at Batavia: this gentleman, +whose name was Leith, received his countrymen +in the politest manner, and entertained +them at dinner with great hospitality. Mr. +Leith informed them, that a public hotel was +kept in the town, by order of the Dutch government, +at which place merchants and other +<span class='pagenum'>53</span>strangers were obliged to lodge, and that the +landlord of the hotel was bound to find them +warehouses for their goods, on the condition of +his receiving ten shillings on every hundred +pounds of their value; but that as the Endeavour +was a King’s ship, her officers, and the +other gentlemen, might reside where they +thought proper, only asking leave of the Governor, +whose permission would be instantly +obtained. Mr. Leith added, that they might +live cheaper in this way than at the hotel, if +they had any person who spoke the Malay +tongue, on whom they could rely in the purchase +of their provisions: but as there was no +such person among the whole ship’s crew, the +gentlemen immediately bespoke beds at the hotel. +</p> +<p> +In the afternoon Captain Cook attended the +Governor General, who received him politely, +and told him to wait on the Council the next +morning, when his petition should be laid before +them, and every thing he solicited would be +readily granted. +</p> +<p> +Late in the evening of this day there happened +a most terrible storm of thunder and lightning, +accompanied with very heavy rain. In +this storm the main-mast of a Dutch East Indiaman +was split and carried away by the deck; +and the main-top-mast and top-gallant-mast +were torn to pieces; it is supposed, that the +lightning was attracted by an iron spindle at the +main-top-gallant-mast-head. The Endeavour, +<span class='pagenum'>54</span>which was at a small distance from the Dutch +ship, escaped without damage, owing, in Captain +Cook’s opinion, to an electrical chain, +which conducted the lightning over the side of +the vessel: and he recommends chains of the +same kind to be taken on board all ships, to +whatever part of the globe they may be bound. +A centinel on board the Endeavour, who was +charging his musket at the time of the storm, +had it shaken out of his hand, and the rammer-rod +was broken in pieces: the electrical chain +looked like a stream of fire, and the ship sustained +a very violent shock. +</p> +<p> +On Tuesday the 11th Captain Cook waited +on the gentlemen of the Council, who informed +him, that all his requests should be complied +with. In the interim, the other gentlemen +made a contract with the master of the hotel, +to furnish them and their friends with as much +tea, coffee, punch and tobacco, as they might +have occasion for, and to keep them a separate +table, for nine shillings a day, English money; +but on the condition that every person who +should visit them, should pay at the rate of four +shillings and six pence for his dinner, and the +same sum for his supper and bed, if he chose to +sleep at the hotel: they were likewise to pay for +every servant that attended them fifteen pence +a day. +</p> +<p> +It was soon discovered, that they had been +vilely imposed on; for these charges were above +<span class='pagenum'>55</span>twice as much as would have been demanded at +a private house. They appeared to live elegantly, +but at the same time were but ill supplied. +Their dinner consisted of fifteen dishes, +all served up at once; and their supper of thirteen; +but of these, nine or ten were of the +most ordinary, because the cheapest, poultry, +that could be purchased; and even some of +these dishes were observed to be served up four +times successively: a duck, which was hot at +dinner, brought cold in the evening; the +next day it appeared in the form of a fricasee, +and was converted to forced meat at night. Our +countrymen, however, only fared as others had +done before them: it was the constant custom +of the conscientious master of the hotel, to +treat all his guests in the same manner, when +they first took up their residence at his house: +if they took no notice of it, all was well, for +the landlord had the better customers of them; +if they remonstrated against such treatment, the +table was better and better supplied from time +to time, till, in the end, they had no reason to +complain. +</p> +<p> +The gentlemen having found fault with their +fare, were afterwards supplied in a better manner; +but Mr. Banks, not approving the conduct +of the master of the hotel, he hired lodgings +for himself and his attendants at the adjoining +house, for which he agreed to pay five +and forty shillings a month: but here Mr. +<span class='pagenum'>56</span>Banks was disappointed in the hope he had +formed of living retired; for scarce a Dutchman +had occasion to pass by the house, but he +ran in without ceremony, to enquire what was +to be sold; for it is a very unusual thing at Batavia, +for strangers who are in a private capacity +not to be furnished with some articles of +traffick. In this house no person was permitted +to sleep, as a guest of Mr. Banks, without his +bed being separately paid for. It is the universal +custom here to hire a carriage; and Mr. +Banks engaged two, for which he paid eighteen +shillings a day: these carriages are open chaises, +in which two persons sit commodiously, and are +driven by a man sitting on a kind of coach-box. +</p> +<p> +Their Indian friend Tupia had been till this +time on board very dangerously ill, yet persisted +to refuse every medicine that was offered +him: Mr. Banks now sent for him to his house, +in the hope that he might recover his health. +While he was in the ship, and even after he was +put into the boat, he was indisposed, and low +spirited, in the utmost degree; but the moment +he came into the town, his whole frame +appeared as if re-animated. The houses, the +carriages, the people, and many other objects, +were totally new to him and astonishment took +possession of his features at sights so wonderful: +but if Tupia was astonished at the scene, his +boy, Tayota, was perfectly enraptured, dancing +along the streets in an extacy of joy, and +<span class='pagenum'>57</span>examining the several objects as they presented +themselves, with the most earnest inquisitiveness +and curiosity. +</p> +<p> +Of all the circumstances which engaged the +attention of Tupia, nothing struck him so much +as the vast variety of dresses worn by the inhabitants +of Batavia: he enquired the reason of +what appeared so very extraordinary in his eyes, +and being informed that the people were of a +variety of nations, and that all were dressed +according to the mode of their own country, he +requested permission to follow the fashion: this +request being readily complied with, a person +was dispatched to the ship for some South Sea +cloth, with which he soon clothed himself in +the dress of the inhabitants of Otaheite. The +people of Batavia, who had seen an Indian, +brought thither in M. Bougainville’s ship, +named Otourou, mistook Tupia for that man, +and frequently enquired if he was not the same. +</p> +<p> +As the necessary repairs of the ship were to +be made at Ourust, Captain Cook obtained +an order to the superintendant of that island to +receive her; and he wrote to the Secretary of +the Admiralty, an account of the safe arrival of +the Endeavour in the road of Batavia, and dispatched +his letter by a Dutch ship that was +bound to Europe. +</p> +<p> +Captain Cook now applied to several persons +to advance him money sufficient to defray the +<span class='pagenum'>58</span>expence of repairing the ship; but not one +could be found in the whole town who had the +requisite sum in his possession, or, if he had, +was willing to advance it: he therefore made +application to the Governor, who issued his orders, +that he should be supplied out of the treasury +of the Dutch East India Company. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning of the 18th of October +1770, the ship got under sail, and proceeded +to Ourust; and, in a day or two, the crew +began to take out her stores, which were deposited +in the wharf on Cooper’s Island; but this +business was rendered unavoidably tedious, by +several Dutch ships being at the same wharf, +taking in their ladings of pepper. +</p> +<p> +After little more than a week spent at Batavia, +the ill effects of the climate began to be +severely felt. Dr. Solander and Mr. Banks +were indisposed with fevers; Mr. Banks’s two +servants were exceedingly ill; the Indian boy, +Tayota, had an inflammation on his lungs; and +Tupia was so bad, that his life was despaired +of. Their indisposition was attributed partly +to the heat of the climate, and partly to the +swampy situation of the town, and the stench +of the dirty canals with which it abounds. +</p> +<p> +By the 26th of the month, very few of the +crew were well enough to do duty; and on this +day a tent was erected for their reception. Tupia +now requested to be conveyed to the ship, +in the hope of breathing a purer air than in the +<span class='pagenum'>59</span>town; but his request could not be granted, as +she was unrigged, and preparations were making +to lay her down, in order that she might +undergo a thorough repair: on the 28th, however, +Mr. Banks attended Tupia to Cooper’s +Island, where a tent was pitched for him, in such +a situation, where he was alternately refreshed +by the land and sea breezes; and the poor creature +was extremely thankful that he was so +agreeably lodged. By this time the Surgeon +was so ill, that he could not leave his bed; Mr. +Banks’s fever was greatly encreased, and Dr. Solander +grew worse every day. +</p> +<p> +The ship was at length laid down on the 5th +of November, on which day died Mr. Monkhouse, +the Surgeon, whose loss was the more +severely felt, as he was a man of skill in his +profession, and fell a sacrifice to the pestiferous +air of the country, at a time when his abilities +were most wanted. Dr. Solander, though extremely +ill, had strength sufficient to see his remains +committed to the ground, but Mr. Banks +was unable even to pay this last sad duty to a +worthy man. +</p> +<p> +Death now advanced with hasty strides among +our adventrous countrymen, who were equally +unable to resist his power, or shun his embraces. +Several Malay servants were engaged, to wait +on those who were ill; but these people were +so remiss in their duty, that it was no uncommon +thing for the sick man to leave his bed in +<span class='pagenum'>60</span>search of his attendant. The Indian boy, +Tayota, paid the debt of Nature on the 9th of +this month, and Tupia, whose tender affection +for the youth can be equalled only by that of +a parent for a favourite child, was so shocked at +the loss, that it was evident he could not long +survive him. +</p> +<p> +By this time the ship’s bottom having been +carefully surveyed, our countrymen had ample +reason to be grateful to that Providence, by which +they had been preserved during a passage of several +hundred miles, through the most dangerous +seas on the face of the globe: for the sheathing +in several places was torn from the vessel, +the false keel was in a great measure gone, the +main keel was damaged in many parts, several +of the planks had received great injury, and a +part of three of them was thinner than the sole +of a shoe! +</p> +<p> +Messrs. Solander and Banks were now so worn +down by their disorders, that the Physician, +who attended them, recommended the country +air, as the only thing that could possibly restore +them to the wishes of their friends. In consequence +of this advice, they hired a country-house +of the master of the hotel, who engaged +to supply them with slaves, and to furnish their +table; but as they had sufficiently experienced +the worthlessness of these slaves, they bought +two Malay women, who soon became excellent +nurses, from that tenderness of Nature which +<span class='pagenum'>61</span>does so much honour to the sex. While these +gentlemen were taking measures for the recovery +of their health, poor Tupia fell a victim +to the ravages of his disorder, and to his grief +for the deceased Tayota. When Tayota was +first seized with the fatal disorder, he seemed +sensible of his approaching end, and frequently +said to those that were about him, Tyau mate +see, “My friends, I am dying:” he was very +tractable, and took any medicines that were offered +to him; they were both buried in the +island of Edam. +</p> +<p> +Captain Cook bestows great encomiums on +the officers and workmen of the Marine Yard +at Ourust, by whose skill and diligence the bottom +of the ship was perfectly repaired by the +14th of the month; and he warmly recommends +the heaving down with two masts, instead +of one, which, he says, is undoubtedly +the more expeditious, as well as the safer method. +</p> +<p> +By this time not above ten men, out of the +whole ship’s crew, were able to do duty, and +these were employed in getting the water and +stores aboard, and in putting up the rigging: +the water was purchased at Batavia, at the rate +of one hundred and fifty gallons for six shillings +and eight pence. +</p> +<p> +Captain Cook was now taken ill, and Mr. +Sporing and a sailor, who attended Messrs. +Banks and Solander at their country-house, were +<span class='pagenum'>62</span>attacked with intermitting fevers; but those +two gentlemen grew something better, though +their recovery was very slow. Their house was +situated on the borders of a rivulet, which, of +course, assisted the circulation of the air; and +it was likewise open to the sea breeze. +</p> +<p> +In the night of the 25th there fell such a +shower of rain, for the space of four hours, as +even our voyagers had scarce ever remembered. +The water poured through every part of Mr. +Banks’s house; and the lower apartments admitted +a stream sufficient to have turned a mill. +As this gentleman was now greatly restored in +health, he went to Batavia the following day, +and was surprized to see, that the inhabitants +had hung out their bedding to dry. The westerly +monsoon set in about the 26th of this +month: it blows in the day-time from the +north, or north-west, and from the south-west +during the night: previous to this, there had +been violent thunder, and hard showers of rain +for several nights. +</p> +<p> +The musquitos and gnats, whose company +had been sufficiently disagreeable in the dry weather, +now began to swarm in immense numbers, +rising from the puddles of water like bees from +a hive: they were extremely troublesome during +the night, but the pain arising from their sting, +though very severe, seldom lasted more than +half an hour; and in the day-time they seldom +made their attacks. The frogs kept a perpetual +<span class='pagenum'>63</span>croaking in the ditches; a certain sign that +the wet season was commenced, and that daily +rain might be expected. +</p> +<p> +The ship being repaired, the sick people being +received on board her, and the greater part +of her water and stores taken in, she sailed from +Ourust on the 8th of December, and anchored +in the road of Batavia. Twelve days were employed +in receiving the remainder of her provisions, +water, and other necessaries; though +this business would have been done in much less +time, but that some of the crew died, and the +majority of the survivors were so ill, as to be +unable to give their assistance. +</p> +<p> +On the 24th Captain Cook took leave of the +Governor, and some other gentlemen, who had +distinguished themselves by the civilities they +shewed him: but at this juncture an incident +occurred, that might have produced consequences +by no means desirable. A sailor belonging +to one of the Dutch snips in the road +of Batavia, deserted from that vessel, and entered +himself on board the Endeavour. The +Captain of the Dutch ship having made application +to the Governor, claiming the delinquent +as a subject of the States General, the +Governor issued his order for the restoration of +the man: Captain Cook had but just taken a +formal leave of the Governor when this order +was delivered to him; and he said, that the +man should be given up, if it appeared that he +<span class='pagenum'>64</span>was a Dutchman. As the Captain was at this +time on shore, and did not intend going on +board till the following day, he gave the Dutch +officer a note to the Lieutenant, who commanded +on board the Endeavour, to deliver the deserter +on the condition above-mentioned. On +the following day the Dutchman waited on Captain +Cook, informing him, that the Lieutenant +had absolutely refused to give up the seaman; +saying, that he was an Irishman, and of course a +subject of his Britannick Majesty. Captain +Cook applauded the conduct of his officer, and +added, that it could not be expected, that he +should deliver up an English subject. The +Dutch officer then said, he was authorized, by +the Governor, to demand the fugitive as a Danish +subject, adding, that his name was entered +in the ship’s books, as having been born at Elsineur: +to this Captain Cook very properly replied, +that the Governor must have been mistaken, +when he gave this order for delivering +the deserter, who had his option whether he +would serve the Dutch or the English; but +that in compliment to the Governor, the man +should be given up, as a favour, if he appeared +to be a Dane; but that, in this case, he +should by no means be demanded as a right, +and that he would certainly keep him, if he +appeared to be a subject of the crown of Great +Britain. The Dutchman now took his leave, +and he had not been long gone, before the +<span class='pagenum'>65</span>Captain received a letter from the commanding +officer on board, containing full proof, that the +man was an English subject. This letter the +Captain carried to the Shebander, desiring him +to lay it before the Governor, and to inform +him, that the man should not be delivered up +on any terms whatever. This spirited conduct +on the part of Captain Cook had the proper effect; +and thus the matter ended. +</p> +<p> +This day the Captain, attended by Mr. Banks +and the other gentlemen who had hitherto lived +in the town, repaired on board the ship, which +got under sail the next morning. The Endeavour +was saluted by the fort, and by the Elgin +East Indiaman, which then lay in the road; but +soon after these compliments were returned, +the sea breeze setting in, they were obliged to +come to an anchor. Since the arrival of the +ship in Batavia road, every person belonging to +her had been ill, except the sail-maker, who +was more than seventy years old, yet this man +got drunk every day while they remained there. +The Endeavour buried seven of her people at +Batavia, viz. Tupia and his boy, three of the +sailors, the servant of Mr. Green, the astronomer, +and the Surgeon: and at the time of the +vessel’s sailing, forty of the crew were sick, and +the rest so enfeebled by their late illness, as to +be scarcely able to do their duty. +</p> +<p> +The town of Batavia is situated in six degrees +ten minutes south latitude, and one hundred +<span class='pagenum'>66</span>and six degrees fifty minutes east longitude, +from the meridian of Greenwich. It is built on +the bank of a large bay, something more than +twenty miles from the Streight of Sunda, on +the north side of the island of Java, in low +boggy ground. Several small rivers, which +rise forty miles up the country, in the mountains +of Blaeuwen Berg, discharge themselves +into the sea at this place, having first intersected +the town in different directions. There are +wide canals of nearly stagnated water in almost +every street, and as the banks of these canals +are planted with rows of trees, the effect is very +agreeable; but these trees and canals combine +to render the air pestilential. Some of the rivers +are navigable, more than thirty miles up +the country; and, indeed, the Dutch appear +to have chosen this spot to build the town on, +for the sake of water-carriage, in which convenience +Batavia exceeds every place in the world, +except the towns of Holland. +</p> +<p> +A writer, who published an account of this +place near fifty years ago, makes the number +of houses at that time 4760, viz. 1242 Dutch +houses, and 1200 Chinese houses, within the +walls; and 1066 Dutch houses, and 1240 +Chinese houses, without the walls, with twelve +houses for the vending of arrack. The streets +of Batavia being wide, and the houses large, it +stands on more ground than any other place that +has only an equal number of houses. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>67</span>In dry weather a most horrid stench arises +from the canals, and taint the air to a great degree; +and when the rains have so swelled the +canals that they overflow their banks, the ground-floors +of the houses, in the lower parts of the +town, are filled with stinking water, that leaves +behind it dirt and slime in amazing quantities. +The running streams are sometimes as offensive +as the stagnant canals; for the bodies of dead +animals are frequently lodged on the shallow +parts, where they are left to putrify, and corrupt +the air, except a flood happens to carry +them away: this was the case with a dead buffaloe, +while the crew of the Endeavour were +there, which lay stinking on the shoal of a river, +in one of the chief streets, for several +days. +</p> +<p> +They sometimes clean the canals; but this +business is performed in such a manner, as +scarcely to make them less a nuisance than before; +for the bottom being cleared of its black +mud, it is left on the side of the canal till it is +hard enough to be taken away in boats; and +as there are no houses for necessary retirement +in the whole town, the filth is thrown into the +canals regularly once a day, so that this mud is +a compound of every thing that can be imagined +disagreeable and offensive. +</p> +<p> +There is a new church in Batavia, which is +a fine piece of building, and the dome of it +may be seen far off at sea. This church is illuminated +<span class='pagenum'>68</span>by chandeliers of the most superb +workmanship, and has a fine organ: most of +the other public buildings are ancient, constructed +in an ill taste, and give a very compleat +idea of Dutch clumsiness. +</p> +<p> +Their method of building their houses seems +to have been taught them by the climate. On +the ground-floor there is no room but a large +hall, a corner of which is parted off for the +transaction of business: the hall has two doors, +which are commonly left open, and are opposite +each other, so that the air passes freely +through the room, in the middle of which there +is a court, which at once encreases the draft of +air, and affords light to the hall: the stairs, +which are at one corner, lead to large and lofty +apartments above. The female slaves are not +permitted to sit in any place, but in the alcove +formed by the court; and this is the usual dining-place +of the family. +</p> +<p> +The town of Batavia is encompassed by a river +of shallow water, the stream of which is +very rapid: within this river, which is of different +widths in various places, is an old stone +wall, much decayed in many places, and within +the wall is a canal that is likewise much wider in +some places than in others: so that there is no +entering the gates of the town but by crossing +two draw-bridges: there are but few guns on +the ramparts, and no persons are permitted to +walk there. There is a kind of citadel, or +<span class='pagenum'>69</span>castle, in the north-east corner of the town, the +walls of which are both broader and higher +than they are in other parts; it is furnished with +a number of large guns, which command the +landing-place. +</p> +<p> +Apartments are provided in this castle for the +Governor General and all the Council; and in +case of a siege they have orders to retire thither. +</p> +<p> +In the castle are likewise a number of store-houses, +in which the effects belonging to the +Company are deposited. The Company have +in their possession large quantities of gun-powder, +which is kept in different places, that the +lightning may not destroy the whole stock at +once; a great number of cannon are likewise +laid up within the castle. +</p> +<p> +There are a great many forts built in +different parts of the country, several miles distant +from Batavia, most probably erected to +keep the natives in submission; and besides these +there are a number of fortified houses, each +mounting eight guns, and these are so stationed +as to command the canals, and the roads on +their borders. There are houses of this kind +in many parts of the island of Java, and the +other islands in its neighbourhood, of which the +Dutch have obtained the possession. The Chinese +having rebelled against the Dutch in the +year 1740, all their principal houses were demolished +by the cannon of one of these fortified +<span class='pagenum'>70</span>houses, which is in the town of Batavia, +where, likewise, there are a few more of them. +</p> +<p> +The roads of this country are simply banks +between the ditches and canals; and the fortified +houses being erected among the morasses +near these roads, nothing is easier than to destroy +them, and consequently to prevent an enemy +from bringing any heavy artillery near the town; +if, indeed, an enemy be only hindered a short +time in his approach, he is effectually ruined, +for the climate will preclude the necessity of +the use of weapons for his destruction. Before +the Endeavour had been a week at Batavia they +began to feel the ill effects of the climate; +half the crew were rendered incapable of doing +their duty before the expiration of a month. +They were informed, that it was a very uncommon +thing for fifty soldiers, out of a hundred +brought from Europe, to be alive at the expiration +of the first year, and that of the fifty +who might happen to be alive, not ten of those +would be in sound health, and, probably, not +less than half of them in the hospital. One +would imagine that no man of common sense +would be tempted to reside at Batavia, for any +consideration of interest whatever; yet such is +the insatiable thirst of gold, that men will voluntarily +risk the loss of life to obtain it, and +even ensure the loss of that health, without +which the most splendid fortune cannot be enjoyed. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>71</span>All the white inhabitants of Batavia are soldiers, +and, at the expiration of five years service, +they are bound to hold themselves in +readiness to go to war, if they should be wanted; +and the younger inhabitants are frequently mustered; +but as they are neither trained nor exercised +after the expiration of the five years above-mentioned, +the little they have learnt is soon +forgotten, and they would probably, if called +to action, make as <em>good soldiers as the militia +of the city of London</em>. The Portuguese, who +live in this country, employ themselves very +much in shooting the deer, and the wild hog, +whence they become excellent marksmen. The +Indians, of whatever nation, who reside here, +and have either been made free, or were born +so, are called Mardykers; but neither these +nor the Chinese are acquainted with the use of +fire-arms; yet, as these people are said to possess +great personal bravery, much might be expected +from their expert use of their daggers, +swords and lances. +</p> +<p> +From what has been above written it is evident, +that it would be a laborious task to attack +Batavia by land; and it is not possible to make +any attack at all by sea, for the shallowness of +the water would hinder any vessels from advancing +within cannon shot of the walls; indeed +there is barely depth of water for a ship’s long-boat, +excepting a narrow channel, called the +river, which extends about half a mile into the +<span class='pagenum'>72</span>harbour, and is strongly bounded on each side +with piers the other end of it being directly +under the fire of the castle; while its communication +with the canals of the town is prevented +by a boom of wood, which is every night shut +precisely at six o’clock, and never opened till +the following day. +</p> +<p> +Any number of ships may anchor in the harbour +of Batavia, the ground of which is so +excellent, that the anchor will never quit its +hold. This harbour is sometimes dangerous +for boats, when the sea breeze blows fresh; +but, upon the whole, it is deemed the best and +most commodious in all India. +</p> +<p> +There are a considerable number of islands +which are situated round the outside of the +harbour, and all these are in the possession of +the Dutch, who destine them to different purposes. +On one of them, which is called Purmerent, +an hospital is erected, on account of +the air being purer than it is at Batavia. In a +second, the name of which is Kuyper, are +erected a number of warehouses, in which are +lodged the rice, and some other commodities, +the property of the Dutch East India Company: +at this island those ships belonging to different +nations, which are to be repaired at Ourust, +unlade their cargoes; and it was here that the +stores of the Falmouth Man of War were laid +up, when she was condemned, on her return +from Manilla; her warrant officers, of whom +<span class='pagenum'>73</span>mention has been made in the account of Captain +Wallis’s voyage, were sent to Europe in +Dutch ships, about half a year before the Endeavour +anchored in the road of Batavia. A +third of these islands, the name of which is +Edam, is appropriated to the reception of such +offenders, whose crimes are not deemed worthy +of death, and hither they are transported from +Holland, and detained from five to forty years, +in proportion to the turpitude of the offence +they have committed; the making of ropes is +the principal part of the employment of these +criminals. +</p> +<p> +The environs of Batavia have a very pleasing +appearance, and would, in almost any other country, +be an enviable situation. Gardens and houses +occupy the country for several miles; but the +gardens are so covered with trees, that the advantage +of the land having been cleared of the +wood that originally covered it, is almost +wholly lost; while these gardens, and the fields +adjacent to them are surrounded by ditches +which yield not the most fragrant smell; and +the bogs and morasses in the adjacent fields are +still more offensive. +</p> +<p> +For the space of more than thirty miles beyond +the town the land is totally flat, except +in two places, on one of which the Governor’s +country-seat is built, and on the other they hold +a large market but neither of these places are +higher than ten yards from the level of the +<span class='pagenum'>74</span>plain. At near forty miles from the town, the +land rises into hills, and the air is purified in a +great degree; to this distance the invalids are +sent by their physicians, when every other prospect +of their recovery has failed, and the experiment +succeeds in almost every instance, +for the sick are soon restored to health; but +they no sooner return to the town, than their +former disorders visit them. On these hills the +most opulent of the inhabitants have country-seats, +to which they pay an annual visit. Those +who reside constantly on the hills enjoy an almost +perpetual flow of health; and most of the +vegetables of Europe grow as freely here as in +their native ground: the strawberry, in particular, +flourishes greatly, which is a sufficient +proof of the coolness of the air. +</p> +<p> +The rice of this country is very plentiful, +and, in order to be brought to perfection, should +lie under water more than half the time it is +growing: but they have a sort which grows on +the sides of the hills, which is unknown in the +West India Islands; this sort is planted when +the wet season commences, and the crop is gathered +in soon after the rains are over. +</p> +<p> +The maize which grows near Batavia is gathered +while young, and toasted in the ear. +The land likewise produces carrots, pigeon-peas, +celery, parsley, asparagus, onions, rhadishes, +cabbages, lettuces, cucumbers, lentiles, +kidney-beans, hysop, sage, rue, Chinese white +<span class='pagenum'>75</span>rhadishes, which, when boiled, are not unlike a +parsnip, common potatoes, sweet potatoes, +wet and dry yams, millet, and the egg plant, +the fruit of which, when broiled and eaten with +salt and pepper, is most exquisite food. +</p> +<p> +Amazing quantities of sugar are produced +here, and, while the quantity is beyond comparison +greater, the care of cultivation is inconceivably +less than in the West India Islands. +White sugar is retailed at two-pence and two-pence +half-penny the pound, and arrack is +made of the molasses, with a small addition of +rice, and the wine of the cocoa-nut. The inhabitants +likewise raise a little indigo for their +own use, but do not export it. +</p> +<p> +The fruits of this country are near forty in +number, and of some of these there are several +kinds. Pine apples grow in such abundance +that they may be purchased, at the first hand, +for the value of an English farthing; and they +bought some very large ones for a half-penny a +piece at the fruit shops, though they are excellent +eating, it is imagined they are reared to +equal perfection in the hot-houses of England. +They grow so luxuriantly, that seven or eight +suckers have been seen adhering to one stem. +</p> +<p> +The sweet oranges of Batavia are good of +their kind, but very dear at particular times. +The shaddocks of the West Indies, called here +Pumplemoeses, have an agreeable flavour. +Lemons were very scarce when the Endeavour +<span class='pagenum'>76</span>lay in the harbour, but limes were altogether +as plentiful, and sold at little more than two-pence +the score. There are many kinds of +oranges and lemons, but none of them excellent. +Of mangos there are plenty, but their +taste is far inferior to that of the melting-peach +of England, to which they have been compared. +It is said that the heat, and extreme dampness +of the climate, does not agree with them; +yet there are many different kinds of them. Of +bananes there is an amazing variety of sorts, +some of which, being boiled, are eaten as +bread, while others are fried in batter, and are +a nutrimental food: but, of the numerous sorts +of this fruit, three only are fit to be eaten: one, +indeed, is remarkable, because it is filled with +seeds, which are not common to the rest. Grapes +are sold from one shilling to eighteen-pence +the pound, though they are far from being good. +</p> +<p> +The tamarinds are equally cheap and plentiful; +but as the method of preserving them, +which is in salt, renders them a mere black +lump, they are equally nauseating to the sight +and the palate. The water melons are excellent +of their kind, and are produced in great abundance. +The pumpkins are boiled as turneps, +and eaten with salt and pepper. This fruit is +admirably adapted to the use of voyagers, as it +will keep many months without care, and makes +an excellent pye, when mixed with the juice of +lemons and sugar. The papaws of this country +<span class='pagenum'>77</span>are superior to turneps, if the cores are extracted, +after paring them when they are green. The +guava has a strong smell, and a taste not less +disagreeable: it is probable, that the guava of +the West Indies, which many writers have distinguished +by their praises, has a very different +flavour. The sweet sop is a fruit that has but +little flavour: it abounds in large kernels, from +which the pulp is sucked. The taste of the +custard-apple very much resembles the dish +from which its name is taken. The cashew-apple +produces a nut which is not unknown in +England; but the fruit has such an astringent +quality, that the Batavians seldom eat of it: +the nut grows on the top of the apple. The +cocoa-nut is plentiful in this country, and there +are several kinds of this fruit, the best of which +is very red between the shell and the skin. The +jamboo is a fruit that has but little taste, but is +of a cooling nature: it is considerably less than +a common sized apple, and those that have +grown to their full size are always the best; its +shape is oval, and its colour the deep red. Of +the jambu-eyer, there are two kinds, the white +and the red: they are shaped like a bell, and +are something bigger than a cherry: they have +no kind of taste but that of a watery acid. +The jambu-eyer mauwar smells like a rose, and +its taste is not unlike that of conserve of roses. +The mangostan is of a dark red colour, and +not larger than a small apple; to the bottom of +<span class='pagenum'>78</span>this fruit adhere several little leaves of the +blossom, while on its top are a number of +triangles combined in a circle: it contains several +kernels ranged in a circular form, within +which is the pulp, a fruit of most exquisite +taste: it is equally nutritious and agreeable, +and is constantly given to persons who are troubled +with inflammatory or putrid fevers. The +sweet orange of this country is likewise given in +the same disorders. The pomgranate of these +parts differs in nothing from that generally well +known in England. The durion takes its name +from the word <i>dure</i>, which, in the language of +the country, means prickle; and this name is +well adapted to the fruit, the shell of which is +covered with sharp points shaped like a sugar-loaf: +its contents are nuts, not much smaller +than chesnuts, which are surrounded with a kind +of juice resembling cream; and of this the inhabitants +eat with great avidity: the smell of +this fruit is more like that of onions, than any +other European vegetable, and its taste is like +that of onions, sugar, and cream intermixed: +the inside of the durion, when ripe, is parted, +lengthways, into several divisions. The nanca +is a fruit which smells like garlic and apples +mixed together: its size, in the gardens of Batavia, +is not greater than that of a middling +sized pumpkin, and its shape is nearly the +same: it is covered with prickles of an angular +form. They were informed that, at a +<span class='pagenum'>79</span>place called Madura, it has been known to grow +to such an enormous size, as to require the +strength of two men to carry it. The champada +is in all respects like the nanca, only that +it is not so large. The rambutan contains a +fruit, within which is a stone, that is, perhaps, +the finest acid in the world: this fruit is not unlike +a chesnut with its husk on; and it is covered +with small prickles of a dark red colour, +and so soft as to yield to the slightest impression. +The jambolan resembles a damascen, both +in colour and size; and is of a very astringent +nature. The boa bidarra tastes like an apple, +but is likewise extremely astringent; its size is +that of a gooseberry, its form round, and its +colour yellow. The nam nam makes an excellent +fritter, if fried in batter, but is not esteemed +when raw: the rind of it is rough, its length +is about three inches, and its shape not unlike +that of a kidney. The catappa and the canare +are two species of nuts, the kernels of which +are like those of an almond, but so hard, that +it is almost impossible to break them. The +madja contains a pulp of a sharp taste, which is +eaten with sugar: this fruit is covered with a +very hard shell. The suntal is a fruit scarcely +fit to be eaten, being at once astringent, acid, +and of a most unpleasant taste, yet it is publickly +sold in the streets of Batavia: it contains +a number of kernels, which are inclosed in a +thick skin. The salack is nearly of the size of +<span class='pagenum'>80</span>a small golden pippin, and contains a few kernels +of a yellow colour, the taste of which is +not unlike that of a strawberry; but the covering +of this fruit is very remarkable, as it +consists of a number of scales resembling those +of a fish. The cherrema and the blimbing +are two sour fruits, exceedingly well adapted to +make sour sauce and pickles. The blimbing +besse is another fruit of the same kind, but +considerably sweeter. +</p> +<p> +Of the fruits not in season when Captain +Cook was at Batavia, he mentions the boa atap, +and the kimkit, which he saw preserved in sugar; +and there are several other sorts which the +Batavians are fond of, but they are never +eaten by strangers, among those are the moringa, +the guilindina, the kellor, and the soccum, +this last has the appearance of the +bread-fruit, which is produced in the islands of +the South Seas, but it is not near so good; tho’ +the tree on which it grows is also exactly like the +bread fruit tree. +</p> +<p> +The fruit sold at the common shops is generally +too ripe; but in a street, named Passar +Pissang, which is inhabited by Chinese fruiterers +only, that which is very good may be obtained, +but at a price greatly exceeding its value. +The gardens of gentlemen near the town +furnish these Chinese fruit-sellers; but the other +dealers are supplied from a greater distance up +the country, where the inhabitants live by the +<span class='pagenum'>81</span>cultivation of large tracts of land, for the sole +purpose of raising fruit. +</p> +<p> +It is astonishing to conceive what quantities of +fruit are eaten at Batavia. Two large markets +are held weekly, at distant places, for the accommodation +of persons residing in different +parts of the country; and at these markets the +fruit-sellers of the town meet the gardeners, +and purchase their goods at very low rates: but +as the markets are held on Mondays and Saturdays, +those who wish to be supplied with +what is fresh, in the middle of the week, must +apply to the Chinese dealers above mentioned, +as the heat of the climate renders it unfit for +eating in a few days. At these markets it is +common to see “fifty or sixty cart-loads of the +finest pine-apples carelessly tumbled together.” +</p> +<p> +The Batavians, and the natives of other parts +of the island of Java, strew an immense number +of flowers about their houses, and are almost +always burning aromatic woods and gums; +which, it is imagined, is done by way of purifying +the air; the stench that arises from the +canals and ditches being exceeding nauseous and +disagreeable. +</p> +<p> +The sweet scented flowers of this country are +very numerous, many of which being totally +unknown in England, we shall mention a few +of the most remarkable.⁠—The combang tonquin, +and combang caracnassi, are very fragrant +<span class='pagenum'>82</span>flowers, but unlike any thing seen in the +gardens of Europe: they are very small, seem +to be of the dog’s-bane kind, and both in smell +and shape are very much alike.⁠—The cananga +looks more like a bunch of leaves than a flower; +its smell is singular, but extremely pleasant.⁠—The +bonja tanjong is of a pale yellow colour, and +delightful smell; it is about an inch and a half +in circumference, and consists of pointed leaves, +which give it the form of a star.⁠—The champacka +smells somewhat like a jonquil, and is +otherwise not unlike it, though rather of a +deeper yellow: this flower is produced by a +large tree. +</p> +<p> +The sundal malam is only mentioned on account +of its name, which implies, “the intriguer +of the night.” This flower has no +kind of smell during the day-time, but on the +approach of the night its sweets begin to disclose +themselves, and its fragrancy is almost +unequalled: in other respects it is the same as +the tuberose of England. +</p> +<p> +All the above-mentioned kinds of flowers +being made into nosegays of various shapes, or +strung on a piece of thread, are carried through +the streets of an evening for sale. The gardens +of the gentlemen afford many flowers besides +those above-mentioned, but they do not +grow in numbers sufficient to be offered to sale. +</p> +<p> +This country produces a plant, called pandang, +the leaves of which being shred small, +<span class='pagenum'>83</span>and mixed with a variety of flowers, the natives, +both men and women, fill their clothes +and hair with this fragrant mixture, which they +likewise sprinkle on their beds, and sleep beneath +a profusion of sweets; a single sheet of +fine chintz being all the other covering of the +bed. +</p> +<p> +Formerly the island of Java produced no +kind of spices but pepper, and the quantity +which the Dutch bring annually from thence is +very considerable; but the quantity that is made +use of in the country is very small, as the people +there give the preference to Cayan pepper. +The inhabitants are extremely fond of nutmegs +and cloves, but they bear too high a price to +be much in use, as the trees which produce +them are all become Dutch property. +</p> +<p> +Cloves are now grown no where but on the +island of Amboina, and some little islands near +it; the artful Hollanders having possessed themselves +of all the trees, in consequence of several +subsequent treaties of peace, with the several +kings of the other islands; for at the conclusion +of every war, the conquerors left the +poor Indians still fewer trees, by way of punishment +for their opposition, till, in the end, +they have destroyed them all. +</p> +<p> +There are scarce any nutmegs, except on +the island of Banda, where they originally +grew; this island, however, produces a plenty, +equal to the demand of all the world. On the +<span class='pagenum'>84</span>coast of New Guinea there are a small number +of nutmeg-trees. +</p> +<p> +The island of Java produces goats, sheep, +hogs, buffaloes, and horses. The horse, +which is said to have been met with here +when the country was originally discovered, +is a small, but nimble animal, being seldom +above thirteen hands high. The horned cattle +of this country are different from those +of Europe: the flesh is extremely lean, but +of a very fine grain. Both the Chinese and +the natives of the island feed on the buffaloe; +but the Dutch will neither taste the flesh +nor the milk, from a ridiculous idea, that +they are productive of fevers. The sheep +are tough and ill-tasted; their skins are hairy, +and they have long hanging-ears. A few sheep +from the Cape of Good Hope being at Batavia, +Captain Cook bought some of them at the rate +of a shilling a pound. +</p> +<p> +The hogs, especially those of the Chinese +breed, are exquisitely fine food, but so extravagantly +fat, that the lean is always sold separately. +The butchers, who are Chinese, have +no kind of objection to taking off the fat, +which they melt, and sell to their countrymen, +who eat it with their rice: though these hogs +are such fine food, yet the Dutch prefer the +breed of Holland, which are consequently sold +at extravagant rates. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/illu_088.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>The hooded Serpent.</i> <i>An Ape of Java.</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>85</span>The Portuguese make a practice of shooting +the wild hog, and deer of two kinds, with +which the neighbourhood of Batavia abounds: +these are all good eating, and are purchased at +very moderate prices. The goats of this country +are as bad food as the sheep. Dogs and +cats abound on the island, and wild horses and +other cattle are found on the mountains at a +considerable distance from Batavia. +</p> +<p> +Few monkies are seen near the town, but +there are many of them on the mountains and +desart places, where also are a few rhinoceroses, +and great numbers of tygers. +</p> +<p> +The quantity of fish taken here is astonishingly +great, and all the kinds of them are fine +food, except a few which are very scarce; yet +such is the false pride of the inhabitants, that +these few scarce sorts are sold at very high rates, +while those that are good are sold for a mere trifle, +nor are they eaten but by the slaves. A +gentleman with whom Captain Cook dined +told him, he could have bought a finer dish of +fish for a shilling, than what he had given ten +for; but that he should have been the ridicule +of all the politer people, if he had gone to so +good a market. +</p> +<p> +The Dutch will not taste of the turtle which +are taken here: Captain Cook acknowledges +that they are fine eating, though not equal to +those catched in the West Indies, even when +they are dressed in London. Mr. Banks shot a +<span class='pagenum'>86</span>lizard five feet in length, which was extremely +well tasted: our adventurers were informed, +that some of these animals had been seen, which +were full as thick as the thigh of a man. +</p> +<p> +This country produces an abundance of poultry, +as excellent of their kinds as those of England. +The turkies are immoderately dear, and +the pigeons not much less so; but the geese, +ducks, and fine large fowls are altogether as +cheap. +</p> +<p> +The neighbourhood of Batavia produces +snipes of two kinds, one of which was the same +as the English: of the Portuguese, who appear +to be the only dealers in wild fowl, any +number of thrushes might have been purchased. +Our adventurers once, and once only, saw a +wild duck in the fields, but never observed any +of these birds exposed to sale; and, indeed, +wild fowl in general are far from being plentiful +at Batavia. Captain Cook observes, as a +singularity respecting the snipe, that he is to be +met with in all the quarters of the globe, and +is seen in a greater variety of places than any +other of the whole feathered creation. +</p> +<p> +The liquors of the island of Java, are palm-wine +and arrack; of the former they have three +sorts, the first of which is drank within a few +hours after it is drawn from the tree, and almost +in its original state, when it has a moderate +sweetness: the second and third sorts are +made by fermenting it, and putting various +<span class='pagenum'>87</span>herbs and roots into it: the first of these liquors +will not occasion drunkenness, but the two latter +will. The arrack is so generally known, as +not to demand any description. +</p> +<p> +The natives of Java profess the religion of +Mahomet, and of course do not indulge in +wine, at least publickly; but not to be exceeded +in the vice of drunkenness by their christian +neighbours, they are almost constantly chewing +opium, which is well known to intoxicate in a +high degree. +</p> +<p> +Exclusive of the Chinese, and the Indians of +many different nations, who inhabit the town of +Batavia, and the country in its neighbourhood, +the inhabitants are, proportionably, a very small +number; and even of these not a fifth part are +Dutch, or descended from natives of Holland: +the Portuguese are more in number than all the +other Europeans. +</p> +<p> +The troops in the Dutch service are composed +of the natives of almost all the kingdoms of +Europe; but of these the Germans out-number +all the others. When a person of any country +goes to reside at Batavia, it is necessary that he +first enter as a soldier in the service of the +Dutch East India Company, binding himself to +serve five years, which being done, he applies +to the Council for leave of absence, which being +granted of course, he then engages in any +business he thinks proper: thus the Dutch have +always an army ready to be called forth on any +<span class='pagenum'>88</span>emergency. No foreigner, of whatever nation, +has any share in the management of public +affairs, all places of power, trust and profit, +being held by the Dutch. +</p> +<p> +Though the men of other countries are +bound to the observation of the above-mentioned +conditions, women, from any part of the +globe, may reside and traffick at Batavia unmolested. +Captain Cook was informed that, +at the time he was there, the whole place could +not furnish fifty women who were natives of +Europe, yet the town abounded with white women, +who were descended from Europeans, who +had settled there at different times, all the men +having paid the debt of nature; for so it is, that +the climate of Batavia destroys the men much +faster than the women. These women follow +the delicate custom of chewing betel, after the +example of the native Javanese, whose dress +they imitate, and whose manners they copy, in +all other respects. +</p> +<p> +Mercantile business is conducted at Batavia +with the slightest trouble imaginable: when a +merchant receives an order for goods of any +kind, he communicates the contents of it to the +Chinese, who are the universal manufacturers. +The Chinese Agent delivers the effects on board +the ship, for which they are bespoke, and taking +a receipt for them from the master of the +vessel, he delivers it to the merchant, who pays +the Chinese for the goods, and reserves a considerable +<span class='pagenum'>89</span>profit, without the least trouble, risk, +or anxiety. But when a merchant imports goods +of any kind, he receives them himself, and +lodges them in his own warehouses. It may be +wondered, that the Chinese do not ship the +goods on their own account; but from this they +are restricted, and compelled to sell them to the +merchants only. +</p> +<p> +The inhabitants of Java distinguish the Portuguese +by the name of <i>Oranserane</i>, that is, Nazareen +men; but they use the general term of +<i>Caper</i>, or <i>Casir</i>, respecting all who do not profess +the religion of Mahomet; and in this they +include the Portuguese. But the Portuguese of +Batavia are so only in name; for they have neither +any connection with, or knowledge of, the +kingdom of Portugal, and they have changed +the religion of the church of Rome, for that +of Luther. With the manners of the Javanese, +they are wholly familiarized, and they +commonly speak their language, though they +are able to converse in a corrupt kind of Portuguese. +They dress in the habit of the country, +with a difference only in the manner of +wearing their hair: their noses are more peaked, +and their skin of a deeper cast than that of the +natives. Some of them are mechanics and +artificers, others subsist by washing of linen, and +the rest procure a maintenance by hunting. +</p> +<p> +The Indian inhabitants of Batavia, and the +country in its neighbourhood, are not native Javanese, +<span class='pagenum'>90</span>but are either born on the several islands +from whence the Dutch bring their slaves, or +the offspring of such as have been born on those +islands: and these having been made free, either +in their own persons, or in the persons of +their ancestors, enjoy all the privileges of freemen. +They receive the general appellation of +Oranslam, which implies, “Believers of the +true faith.” +</p> +<p> +The various other Indian inhabitants of this +country attach themselves each to the original +customs of that, in which either themselves or +their ancestors were born; keeping themselves +apart from those of other nations, and practising +both the virtues and vices peculiar to their own +countries. The cultivation of gardens, and the +consequent sale of flowers and fruit, afford subsistence +to great numbers of them: these are +the people who raise the betel and areca, which +being mixed with lime, and a substance which +is called <i>gambir</i>, the produce of the Indian continent, +is chewed by persons of all ranks, women +as well as men: indeed some of the politer +ladies make an addition of cardamum, and +other aromatics, to take off the disagreeable +smell with which the breath would be otherwise +tainted. Some of the Indians are very rich, +keep a great number of slaves, and live, in all +respects, according to the customs of their respective +countries; while others are employed +<span class='pagenum'>91</span>to convey goods by water; and others again +subsist by fishing. +</p> +<p> +The Oranslams feed principally on boiled +rice, mixed with a small quantity of dried +shrimps and other fish, which are imported from +China, and a little of the flesh of buffaloes and +chicken: they are fond of fruit, of which they +eat large quantities; and with the flower of the +rice they make several sorts of pastry. They +sometimes make very superb entertainments, +after the fashion of their respective countries; +but, in general, they are a very temperate +people: of wine they drink very little, if any, +as the religion of Mahomet, which they profess, +forbids the use of it. +</p> +<p> +When a marriage is to be solemnized among +the Oranslams, all the gold and silver ornaments +that can be procured, are borrowed to deck out +the young couple, who on these occasions never +fail to make the most splendid appearance. +Sumptuous entertainments are given by those +who can afford them, which continue twelve or +fourteen days, and frequently more, during all +which time the women take care that the bridegroom +shall not visit his wife privately, though +the wedding takes place previous to the festival. +</p> +<p> +All these Indians, though they come from +different countries, speak the Malay language, +if it deserves that name. On the island of +Java there are two or three different dialects; +and there is a language peculiar to every small +<span class='pagenum'>92</span>island; it is conjectured, that the Malay tongue +is a corruption of the language of Malacca. +</p> +<p> +The hair of the people, which is black, +without a single exception, grows in great abundance: +yet the women make use of oils and +other ingredients, to increase the quantity of +it: they fasten it to the crown of the head with +a bodkin, having first twisted it into a circle, +round which circle they place an elegant +wreath of flowers, so that the whole head-dress +has the most beautiful appearence that +imagination can form an idea of. +</p> +<p> +It is the universal custom, both with the men +and women, to bathe in a river once every day, +and sometimes oftener, which not only promotes +health, but prevents that contraction +of filth, which would be otherwise unavoidable +in so hot a climate. +</p> +<p> +The teeth of the Oranslams have some particularities +in them well worthy of notice. +With a kind of whetstone they rub the ends of +them till they are quite flat and even; they +then make a deep groove in the teeth of the upper +jaw, in the centre between the bottom of +each tooth and the gum, and horizontally with +the latter; this groove is equal in depth to a +quarter of the thickness of the teeth; yet none +of these people have a rotten tooth, though, +according to the dentists of England and +France, such a thing must be unavoidable, +as the tooth is pierced much deeper than +<span class='pagenum'>93</span>what we call the enamel. The teeth of these +people become very black by the chewing of +betel, yet a slight washing will take off this +blackness, and the teeth are then perfectly +white; but they are very seldom washed, as +the depth of the colour is very far from being +thought disagreeable. +</p> +<p> +Almost every person has read or heard of +the Mohawks; and these are the people who +are so denominated, from a corruption of the +word Amock, which will be well explained by +the following story and observations. To run +a muck is to get drunk with opium, and then +seizing some offensive weapon, to sally forth +from the house, kill the person or persons supposed +to have injured the Amock, and any other +person that attempts to impede his passage, till +he himself is taken prisoner, or killed on the +spot.⁠—While Captain Cook was at Batavia, a +person whose circumstances in life were independent +becoming jealous of his brother, intoxicated +himself with opium, and then murdered +his brother, and two other men, who endeavoured +to seize him. This man, contrary +to the usual custom, did not leave his own +house, but made his resistance from within it; +yet he had taken such a quantity of the opium, +that he was totally delirious, which appeared +from his attempting to fire three muskets, neither +of which had been loaded, or even +primed. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>94</span>During the time that Captain Cook was at +Batavia, several instances of the like kind occurred, +and he was informed by an officer, +whose duty it was to take such offenders into +custody, that hardly a week passed in the year +in which he was not obliged to exercise his authority: +the Captain was also told, that jealousy +of the women is the usual reason of these +poor creatures running a muck, and that the +first object of their vengeance is always the +person whom they suppose to have injured them. +The officer, whose business it is to apprehend +these unhappy wretches, is furnished with a long +pair of tongs, in order to take hold of +them at such a distance from the point of their +weapons, as to insure his personal safety. +When he takes one of them alive he is amply +rewarded; but this is not often the case, as they +are so desperate as not to be easily apprehended: +when they are killed in the attempt to take +them, the officer has only the customary gratification. +Those who are taken alive are broken +on the wheel, as near as possible to the place +where the first murder was perpetrated; and, +as they are seldom apprehended without being +previously wounded, the time of their execution +is sooner or later, according to the opinions +of the physicians, whether the wounds +are, or are not mortal. +</p> +<p> +The Oranslams believe that the Devil is the +author of sickness, and other misfortunes, on +<span class='pagenum'>95</span>which account they make an oblation of meat, +money, and other things, to him, when they +are either sick or in trouble. When they dream +successively for several nights, they have no +doubt but that the Devil has enjoined the performance +of some act, to discover which they +torture their brains in vain, and then apply to +the priest, who never fails to interpret the dream +in a satisfactory manner. In consequence of +this interpretation, by which it appears that the +Devil is in want of money and food, a quantity +of each is placed in the leaves of the cocoa-nut +tree, and being hung on the bough of a tree +by the side of a river, is left till some passenger +shall find, and take away the money, which +is considered not so much an offering to the +Devil, as a fine due for some crime committed; +with regard to the food, they imagine that the +Devil comes and sucks out the nutritious parts +of it, without moving it out of its place. From +this part of the story it seems reasonable to conclude, +that the priest, having previous knowledge +where the oblation is to be made, takes +the money, and leaves the victuals. +</p> +<p> +This instance of the superstition of these +people may be thought very extraordinary; +but the following will appear much more so. +They are possessed with an idea, that when one +of their wives is brought to bed, a crocodile is +born, as a brother to the infant; and they +imagine that the midwife conveys the young +<span class='pagenum'>96</span>crocodile to an adjacent river, into which she +puts it, with the utmost care and tenderness. +Those who suppose themselves honoured by the +birth of this new relation, fail not to put food +in the river for his subsistence; but this is the +peculiar duty of the twin brother, who performs +this service regularly, at fixed periods, +during the whole course of his life; firmly believing +at the same time, that sickness or death +would be the consequence of an omission on his +part. +</p> +<p> +In the islands of Boutou and Celebes the natives +keep crocodiles in their families; and it +is conjectured, that the strange idea of the twin +crocodile was first conceived in one of those +islands: it extends, however, to Java and Sumatra +westward, and among the islands to the +eastward as far as Ceram and Timor. It is a +matter of perfect astonishment, how even the +most ignorant and credulous of the human +race, should firmly believe an utter impossibility +to occur daily; yet it is certain, that not one +of the Indians whom Captain Cook questioned +on the subject, entertained the least doubt +about the matter. The crocodiles supposed to +be thus born are distinguished by the name of +<i>Sudaras</i>; and our readers cannot fail of being +entertained with the following story respecting +them, which Mr. Banks heard from a young +woman who was born at Bencoolen, and having +lived among the English at that place, had +<span class='pagenum'>97</span>learnt to speak as much of our language as +was sufficient to make her story intelligible. +</p> +<p> +She said that, when her father was on his +death-bed, he laid the strongest injunctions on +her to feed a crocodile that was his <i>Sudara</i>; +that he told her the name by which he might +be called up, and the particular part of the river +where she would find him. Soon after the +death of her father, she hastened to the river, +and calling <i>Radja Pouti</i> (which signifies white +king) the Sudara crocodile made his appearance, +and she fed him with her own hands. She +described him as being more beautiful than +crocodiles are in general, for he had a red +nose, and spots on his body; his ears were +adorned with rings, and his feet with ornaments +of gold. This story will appear the +more extravagantly ridiculous, when it is recollected +that crocodiles have not any ears. +</p> +<p> +A man whose mother was a native of the +island of Java, and whose father was a Dutchman, +was engaged in the service of Mr. Banks +during his residence at Batavia. This man +told his master that several Dutchmen, and +many Javanese, as well as himself, had seen +such a crocodile as was described by the girl +who told the preceding story, and that, like +her’s, its feet were adorned with gold. On +Mr. Banks’s remarking the absurdity of these +tales, and saying that crocodiles had not ears, +he replied, that the Sudaras differed considerably +<span class='pagenum'>98</span>from other crocodiles; that they had ears, +though he acknowledged they were small, that +their tongues filled their mouths, and that on +each foot they had five toes. +</p> +<p> +There are three tribes of Indians on the island +of Batavia, who are called Boetons, Macassars, +and Bougis. These people are firm believers +in the existence of the Sudara crocodiles; +and they have a custom among them, +which, however ridiculous in itself, seems to +do honour to their filial and fraternal affections. +At fixed periods they assemble together, and +having laden a large boat with various sorts of +provisions, they launch her at a spot most likely +to be frequented by crocodiles; here they row +about, sometimes singing and sometimes weeping, +while a variety of musical instruments are +played on, till they get sight of a crocodile. +The moment this happens they throw tobacco, +betel and victuals of several sorts, over the side +of the boat, as a friendly offering to the Sudara +crocodiles of their own country; imagining, +that by this means they conciliate the +affections and good will of their relations, +whom they fail not to invoke during the whole +of the ceremony. +</p> +<p> +The Chinese inhabitants of Batavia are, like +those of their own country, some of the most +industrious people on the face of the earth. +They act as embroiderers, dyers of cotton, taylors, +carpenters, joiners, smiths, and makers +<span class='pagenum'>99</span>of slippers: some of them are shop-keepers, +and deal largely in the manufactures of Europe +and China. A few of these people live within +the walls of the town; but the majority of +them take up their residence in a district, named +Campang China, which is situated without the +walls. Those of the Chinese, who live in the +country, either keep buffaloes and other cattle, +the milk of which they sell daily at Batavia, or +they procure a subsistence by the raising of rice +and sugar canes, and the cultivation of gardens. +</p> +<p> +Captain Cook observes, that the danger of +being hanged for any crime being excepted, +there is nothing, however infamous, which a +Chinese will refuse to do for gain; and in this +opinion he concurs with every preceding writer; +so that these people must have taken no +small pains to establish their reputation for +knavery. They labour with unwearied diligence, +but the moment they have compleated +their work they sit down to dice, cards, or +some other of the very numerous games which +they are expert at; and they follow their sports +with such eagerness, that the business of eating +and sleeping is frequently suspended. +</p> +<p> +The cloaths of the Chinese, whether rich or +poor, are singularly clean and decent. Their +behaviour is civil even to humility. They are +such temperate eaters, that gluttony is unknown +among them; but as their religion does not +command them to refrain from any particular +<span class='pagenum'>100</span>food, they eat a variety of things which are +denied to those Indians who profess the Mahometan +faith. Exclusive of vegetables and fish +of various kinds, their principal food consists +of dogs, cats, lizards, frogs, serpents of several +sorts, and hogs. +</p> +<p> +The Chinese have purchased of the Dutch, at +a very large expence, several hundred acres of +land in the vicinity of Batavia, for the interment +of their dead; for it is a rule, from which +they never depart, not to open a grave which +has once received the body of one of their +countrymen: and hence arises an enormous expence +in the purchase of land, which greatly +distresses the living, to pay an imaginary honour +to the dead. In order to preserve the +body as long as possible from decay, the coffin +consists of a piece of solid timber hollowed +out: and this being covered with a kind of +mortar several inches thick, petrifies in the +ground till it is as hard as a flint. The funeral +is attended by the near relations of the deceased, +and by a train of women, who are paid for making +lamentations. +</p> +<p> +In these expensive customs, absurd as they +are, the Chinese are equalled by the rest of +their Batavian neighbours; for every person is +buried with a degree of splendour proportioned +to the rank he has held in life, and there is a +positive law which enjoins the observance of this +custom; in consequence of which it frequently +<span class='pagenum'>101</span>happens, that those who have not money sufficient +to pay the just demands on them, are +buried in a pompous manner, merely because +they have lived elegantly. In this case persons +are employed to take an account of what the +man died worth, and, when the funeral expences +are defrayed, the surplus is divided among +the creditors. +</p> +<p> +The various inhabitants of the island of Java, +whether Dutch, Portuguese or Indians, are +all waited on by slaves, whose number is proportioned +to the circumstances of the master; +but there are laws in force, that no native of +the island shall serve as a slave. These people, +the number of which is very great, are bought +at Sumatra, and the other eastern islands, at +various prices, from ten to twenty pounds; +but there have been instances of very beautiful +girls being sold at above five times the common +market price. They are fed on boiled rice, +and such fish as can be purchased at the lowest +rates; a little of which satisfies them, nor indeed +do they deserve even the little they eat, +for they are idle and sluggish in the highest +degree. +</p> +<p> +The negroes of Africa are purchased at a +lower price than any other slaves, and indeed +any price whatever exceeds their merit, for they +are of the most obstinate dispositions, and +thieves, without a single exception. Those +slaves which are purchased from the island of +<span class='pagenum'>102</span>Celebes are most intolerably lazy, and of so +ferocious a disposition, that their employers +run the hazard of their personal safety. The +island of Bali furnishes the most useful slaves; +and the little island Nias, near Sumatra, supplies +female slaves of exquisite beauty; but to +these ill-fated women death is the almost certain +consequence of even a short residence at +Batavia. +</p> +<p> +The masters of any of these slaves may punish +them in whatever way they chuse, so as +not to deprive them of life; but when it happens +that a slave dies of the punishment he has +received, the master is tried, and commonly +suffers as a murderer. From this circumstance +it is reasonable to suppose, that the masters are +cautious how they beat the slaves with undue +severity: it is not indeed very common for them +to strike them at all, but they pay an officer, +who is called the Marineu, for inflicting the +punishment. The Marineu having heard what +is alledged against the delinquent, determines +how many stripes he shall receive, and these +are given by slaves, whose particular business +it is to obey the commands of the Marineu: +these strokes are laid on with rods made of rattans +split very small. For a severe whipping +the Marineu receives a ducatoon, and a rixdollar +for a slighter punishment. The women +slaves are whipped in the house of the master, +but the men publickly in the streets. In +<span class='pagenum'>103</span>order that these slaves may not be under too +great temptations to steal, their masters are +compelled to allow them seven pence half-penny +weekly for pocket-money. +</p> +<p> +There is something singular in the subordination +observed among the inhabitants of Batavia +and the adjacent country. The man who +has been longest in the Dutch East India Company’s +service is permitted to gild his coach, +while others are allowed to ride in coaches differently +painted, according to the length of +their services, and others again ride in those +that are quite plain. In like manner the coachmen +are dressed in liveries, that have a greater +or less quantity of lace on them, or without +any lace at all. +</p> +<p> +The lawyers of Batavia are partial in their +administration of justice, to a very reprehensible +degree. When an Indian has committed +any crime deemed worthy of death, he is impaled, +hanged, or broken on the wheel, without +ceremony: on the contrary, if a Christian +is capitally convicted, execution very seldom +follows the sentence: and, what is more extraordinary, +no pains are taken to apprehend the +offender, till time enough has been allowed +him to run away, if he thinks proper. +</p> +<p> +The civil officers of justice among the Chinese +and Malays are called Captains and Lieutenants, +but their decisions are not final, if the +party against whom they may decide, thinking +<span class='pagenum'>104</span>himself aggrieved, should appeal to the Dutch +lawyers, in which case the decision of the latter +must be abided by. +</p> +<p> +The Dutch have laid considerable taxes on +these people, among which is one for the permission +to wear their hair. When these taxes +become due, which is once a month, they hoist +a flag on the top of a house, nearly in the center +of Batavia, and the man who does not +speedily go and pay his money, has reason to +repent the omission. +</p> +<p> +The current money of this country is of different +value, from a Dutch doit to a ducat. +When Captain Cook was at Batavia, Spanish +dollars sold at five shillings and five-pence each, +and the price is seldom much lower. The Chinese +would give only the value of twenty shillings +for an English guinea that was almost +new, and for those that were old, and much +worn, only seventeen shillings. +</p> +<p> +The milled ducatoons of Batavia are valued +at eighty stivers; those that are unmilled at seventy-two; +the ducat at one hundred and +thirty-two; the imperial rixdollars at sixty; +the rupees at thirty; the schellings at six; the +double cheys at two and a half; and the doits +at a quarter of a stiver. +</p> +<p> +We shall now proceed to a recital of the incidents +which occurred during their passage +from Batavia to the Cape of Good Hope; in +which we shall trace them with the utmost fidelity, +<span class='pagenum'>105</span>omitting not a single circumstance that +may either entertain or instruct the reader. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning of the 27th of December +1770, the Endeavour left the road of Batavia, +and, after several hindrances, occasioned +by the wind being contrary, she stood over for +the shore of Java, on the first day of January +1771. As many of the ship’s crew, who had +been very ill while at Batavia, were now become +much worse, the vessel was brought to an +anchor in the afternoon of the 5th near Princes +Island, with a view to get some necessary refreshments, +and likewise to take in wood and +water. +</p> +<p> +Messieurs Solander and Banks now went ashore +with the Captain, and they were no sooner +landed, than some of the natives conducted +them to the King of the island, with whom they +endeavoured to make a bargain for some turtle, +but the price could not be agreed on. As our +adventurers had no doubt but that they should +purchase on their own terms the following day, +they left the Indians, and proceeded in search +of a proper place to fill water, which was soon +found. As they were about to embark for +the ship, they purchased three turtle from some +of the natives, but with the strictest injunction, +that their Sovereign should not be informed of +the transaction. +</p> +<p> +On Sunday the 6th of January they purchased, +at very moderate prices, as many turtle +<span class='pagenum'>106</span>as they had occasion for, and the whole ship’s +company fed on this delicious fish. The King +was at this time at a house situated in a rice field, +where Mr. Banks waited on him, and found +him cooking his own victuals. +</p> +<p> +On Monday the inhabitants brought vegetables, +deer, fish, fowls and monkies, for sale; +and on the following day they brought down a +farther number of turtle. +</p> +<p> +A servant that Mr. Banks had hired at Batavia +having acquainted him, that there was a town +on the island, his curiosity determined him to +have a view of it, and one of the officers of the +ship accompanied him on his visit. As he was +apprehensive that the natives would not be +pleased at his going to the town, he told such +of them as he met, that he was seeking for +plants, which, in fact, was a part of the business +of the day. Having come to a kind of +village, consisting of a very few houses, they +asked an Indian the way to the town, and some +other particulars respecting it; but he endeavoured +to prevent their proceeding, by representing +it as at a very great distance. When he +saw they were resolved to go forward, he proceeded +with them, making frequent attempts +to mislead them. When they were within sight +of the town, the Indian changed his behaviour +at once, and led the way to it. +</p> +<p> +This place, which contains between three and +four hundred houses, is called Samadang, and +<span class='pagenum'>107</span>is parted by a river into the old and the new +town. Some of the natives, whom the gentlemen +remembered to have seen among those +who had brought provisions for sale, agreed to +carry them from the old town to the new for a +trifling gratification. This was done by means +of two little canoes, which were lashed together; +and they had no sooner reached the opposite +shore, than the Indians shewed them the +houses of their Chiefs, and behaved otherwise +in the most friendly manner; but as this was +the season when the natives live in their rice-grounds, +to save their corn from the depredations +of the monkies and birds, most of the +houses were shut. When the gentlemen had +seen every thing that they thought worthy of +notice, they hired a sailing-boat, which conveyed +them to the ship time enough for dinner; +for the town of Samadang, though at a considerable +distance from the place where the Endeavour +lay at anchor, is situated at only a small +distance from the sea-coast. +</p> +<p> +On the 12th, while the Captain was on shore +giving orders to the people who were cutting +wood and filling water, he was told, that one +of the natives had stolen an ax. The thief +was unknown; but the Captain, resolved not +to pave the way for future depredations of this +kind, by taking no notice of the first offence, +immediately applied to the King; and in consequence +of this application, the ax was brought +<span class='pagenum'>108</span>down to the watering-place the next day. The +Indian who brought it back said, it was left at +his house in the night; but it was suspected, +that himself was the thief. +</p> +<p> +Mr. Banks having several times visited on the +King of the island, and given him some trifles +that were very acceptable, he waited on him +for the last time on the 13th of January, and +gratified him very much by a present of a small +quantity of paper. The King asked the reason +why the English ships did not touch at the +island, as was formerly their custom; when +Mr. Banks attributed the omission to the scarcity +of turtle, and advised the King to breed +buffaloes, sheep and cattle, for the accommodation +of his future visitants. +</p> +<p> +After a stay of ten days at Princes Island, +during which they purchased vegetables of various +kinds, fowls, deer, turtle, &c. the anchor +was weighed, and the vessel once more put +to sea. +</p> +<p> +We shall now proceed to a description of the +island, which lies in the western mouth of the +Streight of Sunda. It is a small woody island, +and has been cleared only in very few places. +Our India ships used to touch at Princes Island +to take in water, but they have omitted this +practice for some years since, on account, as it +is said, of the water being brackish; yet Captain +Cook says it is exceeding good, if filled towards +the head of the brook. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>109</span>The fowls which were purchased at this place +cost about five-pence each; the turtle three-farthings +a pound, and other fish were proportionably +cheap; one hundred of the best cocoa-nuts +cost only a dollar, and pumpkins, pine-apples +and other fruits, were equally cheap and +plenty. +</p> +<p> +The natives profess the religion of Mahomet, +and are so strict in the observance of the +feast called <i>Ramadan</i>, that they not only abstain +from food till the sun is down, but even from +the chewing of betel. The manners of these +people are not unlike those of the Javanese; +but they are much more jealous of their wives: +during the ten days that the Endeavour lay here, +only one woman was seen, and she ran away the +moment she was discovered. +</p> +<p> +The houses are constructed in the form of an +oblong square: they are built on pillars four +feet above the ground, and well thatched with +palm-leaves, as a defence from the sun and +rain: the flooring is of bamboo canes, placed +at a distance from each other, to admit the air: +these houses consist of four rooms, one of which +is destined for the reception of visitants, the +children sleep in a second, and the two others +are allotted, the one for the purpose of cookery, +and the other for the bed-chamber of the +owner and his wife. The residence of the King +of the island, and that of another person of +great authority, has boards on the sides, while +<span class='pagenum'>110</span>the houses of all the inferior people have walls +made of the bamboo cane, slit into small sticks, +and wrought across the beams of the building, +in the manner of a hurdle. The King of the +island is subject to the Sultan of Bantam. +</p> +<p> +Captain Cook represents the natives as very +honest in their dealings, with the single exception, +of demanding more than double the +sum they intended to sell for: the goods of +each sort which different persons brought to +market were all sold together, and the purchase-money +divided among the several contributors, +in proportion to the quantity that each had +given in to the general stock. When they +changed money, they gave two hundred and +forty Dutch doits for a Spanish dollar. +</p> +<p> +The natives speak a language which they call +<i>Catta Gunung</i>, that is, the language of the +mountains, and they say, that their ancestors +came from the mountains of Java, where this +language is spoken; that they first settled at +New Bay, where the tygers were so numerous, +that they could not live in safety, and therefore +took up their residence on Prince’s Island: all +these people, however, are capable of conversing +in the Malay language. +</p> +<p> +At the time the Endeavour left Princes Island, +her crew began to feel, in all its force, the ill +effects of the putrid air of Batavia; and soon +afterwards the ship was a mere hospital, filled +with unhappy wretches, sinking under the rage +<span class='pagenum'>111</span>of fevers and dysenteries. In the space of six +weeks twenty-three persons died, exclusive of +the seven which had been buried at Batavia: +these were nine seamen, the Corporal of the +marines, the ship’s Cook, two of the Carpenter’s +crew, the Carpenter and his Mate, a Midshipman, +the old sail-maker, who was in perfect +health when all the rest were ill at Batavia, and +his Mate, the Boatswain, Mr. Monkhouse, a +Midshipman, Mr. Sporing, who accompanied +Mr. Banks, Mr. Parkinson, draughtsman to +that gentleman, and Mr. Green, the Astronomer. +</p> +<p> +After a passage in which nothing remarkable +occurred, the ship was brought to an anchor off +the Cape of Good Hope, on the 15th of March +1771. The Captain repaired instantly to the +Governor, who said, that such refreshments as +the country supplied, should be chearfully +granted him; on which a house was hired for +the sick, who were to have their board and +lodging, on the payment of two shillings a day +for each man. +</p> +<p> +At the time the Endeavour lay at anchor +here, an English East Indiaman sailed for the +port of London, who had buried above thirty +of her crew while she was in India; and at that +time had many others severely afflicted with the +scurvy; so that the sufferings of the crew of the +Endeavour, considering her long absence from +<span class='pagenum'>112</span>England, is a circumstance not at all to be wondered +at. +</p> +<p> +We shall now proceed to a description of the +Cape of Good Hope, in which we shall only +mention such particulars as are either wholly +new, or such as have been mis-represented by +other writers. The land over the Cape is +mountainous, and totally barren; beyond these +mountains the country is covered with a light +sand, which will not admit of cultivation: +there are indeed a few cultivated spots, but they +are hardly more than a thousandth part of the +whole country. Provisions are brought to the +Cape from a distance nine hundred miles up the +country, which is an evident proof of its extreme +sterility, notwithstanding what has been +heretofore written to the contrary. While Captain +Cook lay here, a farmer came to the Cape, +bringing his young children with him, from a +distance that took him fifteen days journey; +and on his being asked why he had not left his +children with some neighbour, he said, there +was no inhabitant within five days journey of +his farm. There are no trees that are even two +yards in height, except in some plantations in +the vicinity of Cape town. +</p> +<p> +This town consists of near a thousand brick +houses, the outsides of which being generally +plaistered, they have a very pleasing appearance. +There is a canal in the main street, with +two rows of oak-trees on its borders, which are +<span class='pagenum'>113</span>in a more flourishing state than the other trees +of this country: the streets, which cross each +other at right angles, are very spacious and +handsome. The inhabitants are chiefly Dutch, +or of Dutch extraction: the women are beautiful +in a high degree, and possess those blooming +countenances which denote the most perfect +health: they are most of them mothers of many +children, and Captain Cook says, they are the +best wives in the world. +</p> +<p> +The air of the Cape of Good Hope is so pure +and salubrious, that a sick person, who goes +thither from Europe, whatever be his disorder, +almost always recovers his health in a little +time; but those who bring diseases with them +from the East Indies, have not an equal chance +of recovery. +</p> +<p> +Although this country is naturally so barren, +as scarcely to produce any thing, yet the unceasing +industry of its inhabitants has so effectually +combated the sparing hand of Nature, +that there are few places where the necessaries +of life are more plentiful, and even what are +generally deemed luxuries, are by no means +scarce. The constantia wine is known to be +excellent, but the genuine sort is made only at +one particular vineyard a few miles from the +town. The gardens produce many sorts of +European and Indian fruits, and almost all the +common kinds of vegetables. The cultivated +fields yield wheat and barley of equal quality +<span class='pagenum'>114</span>with that of the growth of England. The +sheep of this country have tails of a very extraordinary +size, many of which weigh upwards +of a dozen pounds; the meat of this animal +as well as of the ox, is very fine food: the +wool of the sheep is rather of the hairy kind, +and the horns of the black cattle spread much +wider than those of England, while the beast +himself is handsomer and lighter made. The +cheese has a very indifferent flavour, but the +butter is extremely good. The pork of this +country is nearly the same as that of Europe, +and there are abundance of goats, but the inhabitants +do not eat their flesh. The country +abounds in hares, altogether like those of England; +there are several species of the antelope, +a plenty of bustards, and two kinds of quails. +</p> +<p> +When a stranger arrives at the Cape, it is +customary for him to board in a private house, +and he pays from two shillings to a crown a +day, according to the accommodations he expects. +If he appears and behaves as a gentleman, +he is invited to the private entertainments +which are given by the more opulent of the inhabitants; +and this cannot fail of being the +more acceptable, as there are no places of public +diversion in the country. Horses are here +let to hire at six shillings a day, and coaches at +one pound four. +</p> +<p> +The Dutch company have a garden at the +extremity of the high street, which is more +<span class='pagenum'>115</span>than half a mile in length, in the center walk +of which are a number of fine oak trees. A +small part of this garden is covered with botanical +plants, but all the rest is allotted to the +production of the common vegetables for the +kitchen: the whole is divided into squares by +the form of its walks, and each square is fenced +in by oaks cut into small hedges. There is +a menagerie of beasts and birds, many of them +known in Europe, at the upper end of this +garden; and among the rest is the <i>Coe Doe</i>, a +beast not less than a horse, which has those curious +spiral horns that have frequently found a +place in the cabinets of the curious. +</p> +<p> +The native inhabitants of this country are +usually dressed in a sheep skin thrown across the +shoulders, and a little pouch before them, to +which is fixed a kind of belt, ornamented with +little bits of copper, and beads: round the +waists of the women is a broad piece of leather, +and rings of the same round their ancles, +to protect them from the thorns, which grow +in abundance all over the country; a few of +them wear a kind of shoe, made of the bark +of a tree, but the major part of them go barefooted: +both sexes adorn themselves with bracelets +and necklaces, made of beads. None of +these people reside at a less distance than four +days journey from Cape Town, except a number +of the poorer sort, who look after the cattle +belonging to the Dutch farmers, and are +<span class='pagenum'>116</span>employed in various other menial offices. Their +stature is about the same as that of the people +of England, from five to six feet in height; +but scarce any of them are corpulent: their +skins are dark, but this is in a great degree owing +to their extreme indelicacy: their hair curls +naturally, and falls in ringlets of above six +inches in length: they are singular for their +strength and agility. +</p> +<p> +Most of the Hottentots speak the Dutch +language, without any thing remarkable in +their manner; yet, when they converse in their +native language, they frequently stop, and +make a clucking with their tongues, which has +a most singular and ridiculous effect to the ears +of a stranger; and, exclusive of this clucking, +their language itself is scarcely sounded articulately. +</p> +<p> +These people are modest to the utmost degree +of bashfulness, and, though they are fond +of singing and dancing, can hardly be prevailed +on to divert themselves with their favourite +amusements before strangers: both +their singing and dancing are alternately quick +and slow in the utmost extreme. +</p> +<p> +Some of the Hottentots understand the art +of melting and preparing copper, with which +they make plates, and wear them on their foreheads, +as an article of finery. They are also +capable of making knives, superior to those +<span class='pagenum'>117</span>they can purchase of the Dutch, from whom +they procure the iron. +</p> +<p> +They have the art of making butter by +shaking milk in the skin of a beast: with this +butter they anoint their skins; or, when they +cannot procure butter, they use the fat of the +sheep. The principal people are owners of immense +herds of cattle; and these clothe themselves +with the skins of lions and other beasts, +which are adorned with fringes, elegantly designed. +</p> +<p> +The Hottentots are so dextrous in throwing +stones, that they will hit a mark not larger than +a crown piece, at the distance of an hundred +yards. They are likewise expert in the use of +arrows, and of the lance called an Assagay, +the points of which they poison, sometimes +with the venom of a serpent, and sometimes +with the juice of particular herbs; so that a +wound received from either of these weapons +is almost always mortal. +</p> +<p> +Exclusive of what is above recited, they met +with nothing respecting these people, but such +particulars as have been previously mentioned +by various other voyagers, and which will of +course be found in the preceding volumes: we +shall therefore accompany the ship in her voyage +to England. +</p> +<p> +On the 14th of April, 1771, the anchor of +the Endeavour was weighed, and she once +more put to sea, but came to an anchor again +<span class='pagenum'>118</span>before night near Robin island. As a few vegetables +were wanted, which they had neglected +to take in at the Cape, the Captain sent off a +boat to the island; but, when she reached the +shore, some Dutch soldiers forbad her crew +landing, at the hazard of their lives; and the +officer who commanded very prudently returned +to the ship. For some time they were puzzled +to account for this behaviour on the part +of the Dutch; but it was at length recollected, +that the Dutch government at the Cape of Good +Hope had assigned this island for the reception +of such offenders whose crimes were not +deemed worthy of death, where their slavery +consists in digging lime-stone, for such a number +of years as are thought proportionable to +the heinousness of their offences: and that a +ship belonging to Denmark, which had buried +most of her hands, had called at this island, +and taken on board a number of these criminals, +in order to navigate the vessel to Europe: +hence the conduct of the Dutch soldiers was +easily accounted for. +</p> +<p> +The ship sailed again on the following day, +when the master of her died, having hastened +his death by hard drinking, though, in other +respects, he left behind him an excellent character. +</p> +<p> +On Monday, May-day, they came to an anchor +off the island of St. Helena, and, as they +proposed to remain three days, Mr. Banks employed +<span class='pagenum'>119</span>the interval in surveying every object +that was thought worthy of notice. +</p> +<p> +The island of St. Helena rises out of the +immense Atlantic ocean, is about eighteen hundred +miles from the coast of America, and +twelve hundred from that of Africa. It has +the appearance of a huge mountain, the foundation +of which is probably at the center of the +globe. It had formerly volcanoes in several +parts of it, as is evident from the appearance +of the earth and stones in many places; and it +looks like a cluster of rocks, bounded by precipices +of immense height: as a vessel sails along +the coast, the cliffs perpend over her head so as +to threaten her instant destruction, and nothing +in nature can be conceived more awful than their +appearance. +</p> +<p> +Close to the sea side stands the town, which +had formerly a church of very indifferent architecture, +but it is now little better than a heap +of ruins, nor is the market house in a much +better condition: most of the houses are also +constructed in a vile taste. +</p> +<p> +As this island is the property of the English +East India Company, the inhabitants are not +suffered to carry on any trade for their own +emolument, but get their livelihood by selling +the productions of the island to the crews of the +vessels which anchor there for a supply of refreshments. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>120</span>St. Helena is so happily situated, with regard +to climate, that it would, if properly cultivated, +produce the trees, fruits, plants and flowers, +of all the different parts of the world. On +the summit of the highest ridges the cabbage-tree +flourishes; in the parts below these grow the +gum-wood and red-wood, and in the vallies +many of the plants of the Indies, and almost +all those of Europe; yet these several productions +will not grow but on the spots of ground +peculiarly adapted to each. +</p> +<p> +The only white inhabitants of the island are +subjects of the King of Great Britain: these +employ slaves, who transport goods of all kinds +from place to place on their heads; and we are +sorry to say, that the inhumanity of our countrymen +to these slaves is a disgrace to those who +profess the christian faith. There are a small +number of horses at St. Helena, but they are +never employed in draught, there being no such +thing as a waggon or cart on the island, though +in many places the land is not so steep, but that +such carriages might easily be drawn. +</p> +<p> +Ebony-trees are a natural production of the +island of St. Helena, but there have not been +many of them within the memory of any person +now living there. Snails are found in abundance +on the summits of the highest mountains; +but the other insects of the island are very +few in number. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>121</span>On Saturday the 4th of May 1771, the Endeavour +sailed from the road of St. Helena, together +with the Portland man of war, and several +sail of Indiamen. They kept company +with the man of war and Indiamen till Friday +the 10th. But Captain Cook observing, that +they were out-sailed by all the other ships, and +consequently imagining that some of them +would reach England before him, made signals +to speak with the Portland, when the Captain +of that vessel came on board, and received from +Captain Cook a letter to the Lords of the +Admiralty, together with a box, in which were +deposited the journals of many of the officers, +and the ship’s log books. +</p> +<p> +On the 23d they lost sight of all the ships +they sailed in company with from St. Helena, +and in the afternoon of the same day, Mr. +Hicks, the first Lieutenant, died of a consumption, +with which he had been afflicted during +the whole voyage. +</p> +<p> +No single occurrence worth recording happened +from this time, till the ship came to an +anchor in the Downs, which was on the 12th of +June following. +</p> +<p> +Whoever has carefully read, and duly considered +the wonderful protection of this ship, +in cases of danger the most imminent and astonishing, +particularly when encircled in the wide +ocean with rocks of coral, her sheathing beaten +off, and her false-keel floating by her side, a hole +<span class='pagenum'>122</span>in her bottom, and the men alternately fainting +at the pumps, and will yet deny the existence of a +<em>particular Providence</em>, and the most gracious and +merciful interposition of the Deity, in behalf +of our adventrous countrymen, will deserve +some share of that censure, which the thinking +part of mankind have so liberally and justly +bestowed on the Compiler of the account of +the Voyage of the <span class="small-caps">Endeavour</span>. There is a +comfort in the reflection that God is good, +which can be felt only by those who acknowledge +his mercy, and adore his power. +</p> +<div class="chapter"><span class='pagenum'>123</span> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspc'>ACCOUNT OF</span></span><br> +<span class='lspa'>MONS. DE BOUGAINVILLE</span>’s<br> +<span class='font2p'><span class='lspd'>VOYAGE</span></span><br> +<span class='lspc'>ROUND THE WORLD</span>.<br> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspc'>PERFORMED BY</span></span><br> +<span class='lspa'>ORDER OF THE FRENCH KING</span>,<br> +In the years 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769. +</h2></div> +<p class='two_space drop-cap'> +A <span class='toupper lspz ip2'>settlement</span> having been commenced +for the French King, on Falkland’s +Islands<a href='#fn_1' id='fnb_1' class='fn_anchor'>[1]</a>, in the month of February 1764, +the Spaniards demanded them as their right, as +an appendage to the continent of South America; +and France having allowed the propriety of +the demand, Mons. Bougainville was ordered +to yield possession of the islands to the Spaniards. +</p> +<div class='footnote' id='fn_1'> +<p> +<a href='#fnb_1'>[1]</a> M. Bougainville every where calls these islands the +<i>Isles Malouines</i>; but we shall call them by the name of +Falkland’s Islands, which was given them by our countryman, +Strong, in 1689. +</p> +</div> +<p> +In consequence of the orders he had received, +he sailed from the port of Mindin on the 15th +of November 1766, having under his command +the frigate la Boudeuse⁠—la Esmeralda, +<span class='pagenum'>124</span>and la Liebre; two frigates belonging to Spain, +were to join him in the river de la Plata, to +the commanding officer of which he was to deliver +the settlement; and the l’Etoile, a French +store-ship, was to carry him such provisions as +were necessary for the long voyage on which he +was bound, and to meet him at Falkland’s +Islands: but the voyage was necessarily several +months longer in compleating than it might +have been, on account, as will appear hereafter, +of the delay which prevented the l’Etoile from +joining Mons. Bougainville. +</p> +<p> +The Boudeuse had been at sea only two days +when she encountered such a violent storm of +wind, as carried away the clue of the fore-sail, +broke the top-mast, and main-top-mast, and +took off the head of the main-mast. Thus situated, +Mons. Bougainville found it necessary to +put into Brest to refit, and to make some necessary +alterations in the stowage of his ship, +which was ill calculated, for withstanding the +fury of those seas he was to pass, and particularly +so for the navigation of the seas round +Cape Horn. +</p> +<p> +And here a reflection will naturally arise, on +that fatality, by which those who have the appointment +of naval equipments, almost always +destine for services of the most imminent danger, +vessels totally inadequate for the purpose. +Hence arise orders and counter-orders, till the +proper season for performing the most hazardous +<span class='pagenum'>125</span>parts of the voyage, is lost in the necessary +preparation for making it. +</p> +<p> +On the 5th of December Mons. Bougainville +sailed from the harbour of Brest, having +on board the Prince of Nassau-Seighen, three +gentlemen who went as volunteers, eleven officers +in commission; and warrant-officers, seamen, +soldiers, servants and boys, to the number +of two hundred. +</p> +<p> +On the 17th they were in sight of the Salvages, +a small flat island, which at each end +rises into a hillock: the next day they saw the +Island of Palma, and that of Ferro on the 19th. +Mons. Bougainville was now convinced of a +great error in his reckoning, which he attributes +to the rapidity of the currents opposite +the Streights of Gibraltar. Having corrected +his reckoning, he took a fresh departure, and +arrived at Rio de la Plata, without meeting +with any thing worthy of notice. +</p> +<p> +On the evening of the 29th of January they +had sight of Rio de la Plata, but as the night +was dark and tempestuous, they lay to, with +the head of the vessel towards the offing. The +next morning they had a view of the mountains +of Maldonado, which, after a ship enters +the Rio de la Plata, are the first high lands seen +to the north. At the Maldonados the Spaniards +have a small garrisoned town, in the vicinity +of which are picked up some beautiful +transparent stones; and there is likewise a gold +<span class='pagenum'>126</span>mine near it, which has been worked for a few +years past, but has yielded little profit. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 31st the Boudeuse +came to an anchor in the Bay of Montevideo, +where the two Spanish ships, which were to take +possession of Falkland’s Islands, had been at anchor +for some weeks. +</p> +<p> +Don Philip Ruis Puente, the principal in +command of the Spanish vessels, having been +appointed Governor of the islands which were +to be surrendered by the French, he accompanied +Mons. Bougainville to Buenos Ayres, to +settle, with the Governor-general, the mode of +making the cession: and the Prince of Nassau-Sieghen +attended them in this expedition. +</p> +<p> +The gentlemen made the voyage in a schooner, +but a contrary wind preventing their passage by +sea, they went on shore above the colony of +San Sacramento, and travelled over a prodigious +extent of country, in which there were no +roads, and where the eye was their only guide. +During this expedition they slept in little hovels +constructed with leather, while the tygers howled +round them on every side. Mons. Bougainville +particularly mentions the manner and the +danger of their passing the river St. Lucia, +which is wide and deep, yet amazingly rapid:⁠—being +placed in a long narrow canoe, one side +of which was beyond all proportion higher +than the other, a horse was fastened on each +side the vessel, the master of which pulling off +<span class='pagenum'>127</span>all his cloaths, got into it, and supporting the +heads of the horses above the surface of the +stream, drove them across it, in the best manner +he was able, and, with some difficulty, +they stemmed the rapidity of the torrent. It +is necessary for travellers who pass this wild and +extensive country to be very careful in finding +the fordable parts of the rivers; they usually +drive before them a considerable number of +horses, in order to take fresh ones as often as +those they ride on are jaded. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/illu_131.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>Monsieur de Bougainville Crossing the River S<sup>t</sup>. Lucia in a Canoe drawn by Horses</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +Monsieur Bougainville having transacted his +business at Buenos Ayres, returned to Montevideo +on the 16th of February, and was followed +in a few days by the Spanish Governor, +Don Puente. Some necessaries of various +kinds being taken on board, the vessels were +prepared for sailing to Falkland’s Islands. +</p> +<p> +Our author now gives a long account of the +establishment of the Spaniards in Rio de la +Plata, of which we shall take no notice, because +similar accounts are to be found in a great +number of volumes, some or other of which +are in the hands of almost every reader. +</p> +<p> +Our voyagers having caused a small vessel to +be laden with cattle for the use of the ship’s +companies, they sailed in company, on the 28th +of February 1767, a pilot, acquainted with +the coast of Falkland’s Islands, having been +previously put on board each of the Spanish +ships; but this day they were obliged to bring +<span class='pagenum'>128</span>their vessels to an anchor, on account of the +thickness of a fog, which prevented their seeing +land. +</p> +<p> +The winds now proving contrary, the ships +remained at anchor the following day; but as +the current of the river ran strongly in their +favour, Mons. Bougainville sent to acquaint +the Spanish commander, that his vessel being +too near the English sand-bank, off the isle +of Flores, he thought it would be proper to +sail on the following day, even if the wind +should not change in their favour. To this +the Spanish officer replied, that his pilot refused +to weigh the anchor till the wind became +fair and blew steady: on which Don Puente +was acquainted, that the anchor of the Boudeuse +would certainly be weighed early the next +morning, and that she would either anchor +more to the north, or ply to the windward, +waiting for the Spanish ships, unless they +should be unavoidably separated by the violence +of the wind. +</p> +<p> +The small vessel laden with cattle had not +come to an anchor during the preceding night, +nor was she seen any more during the voyage; +but it was afterwards learnt that she went back +to Montevideo, after an absence of three weeks +from that place. The night had been so tempestuous, +that all the ships dragged their anchors, +and in the morning the Spanish vessels +were observed with their main-yards lowered, +<span class='pagenum'>129</span>and their top-masts handed: the Boudeuse, +however, got under sail, and got out of the +river before night, leaving the Spaniards still +at anchor. Mons. Bougainville had variable, +but chiefly bad, weather till the 23d of the +month, when he came to an anchor in the Bay +of Falkland’s islands, where the Spanish vessels +also anchored, on the day following. +These last had suffered extremely through the +inclemency of the weather; the cabbin windows +of Don Puente’s ship had been broke by +the violence of the waves, so that the sea for +some time poured into her in torrents; and a +number of cattle, destined for the use of the +colony at Falkland’s Island, died on the passage. +</p> +<p> +On the 1st of April Mons. Bougainville, in +the name of the French king, surrendered the +island to Don Puente, who received it for his +most catholic Majesty, with the ceremony of +hoisting the Spanish colours, and the firing of +guns from the ships and on shore: Mons. Bougainville +then read a letter, in which his sovereign +granted leave to such of the inhabitants +as chose to continue their residence, to be under +the dominion of Spain: this offer was accepted +by some, while others embarked with the +garrison, and were conveyed to Montevideo +in the Spanish ships. The whole expence of +the French settlement, to the time of its being +delivered to the Spaniards, was six hundred and +three thousand livres; but as his most Catholic +<span class='pagenum'>130</span>Majesty took the ships, provisions, and all the +stores of every kind, he reimbursed this sum +to France. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to make +some historical remarks respecting Falkland’s +Islands, in which we shall trace him with all +possible fidelity. He says that, in the year +1502, when Americo Vespucius was on his +third voyage for the discovery of America, he +sailed along the northern coasts of the islands, +and to him, therefore, he allows the honour of +being the first discoverer; yet he says that Vespucious +knew not whether what he saw was +an island, or a part of the main land. Gouin, +a French commander, came to an anchor on +these islands, in the year 1700, as he was returning +from a voyage into the South Seas; +but Gouin mistook them for Sebald’s isles, +which lie very near them, Falkland’s Islands +being between those, and the island of Beauchesne; +so that a ship at anchor on the east side +of Sebald’s isles, is within sight of Falkland’s;⁠—Besides +Beauchesne’s description of what he +took to be Sebald’s, exactly answers to these; +for he says there are no woods, that the country +is swampy, that there are many fresh-water +lakes and marshes on it, and that it abounds +in ducks, snipes, wild geese, and teals. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville justly observes, that +Falkland’s islands have been but little known, +and ill described, till within a few years past. +<span class='pagenum'>131</span>They are commonly represented as being covered +with woods; but this mistake might very +well happen in the accounts of those who only +saw them from on board a ship for what are +taken for woods are tall rushes, which grow +very close together, and the stalk being dry to +the height of five feet from the ground, a large +tuft springs from the top of it, so that their +number, and the manner in which they grow, +form no ill resemblance of a wood. Great +part of the hills on the island are covered with +heath, while the rushes grow only on some +small isles, and near the sea coast. +</p> +<p> +In the year 1594 Sir Richard Hawkins had +sight of these islands, and called them Hawkins’s +Maiden-Land: he says he saw fires on +them, and that they were then inhabited: about +the commencement of the present century, a +French ship, called the St. Louis, came to an +anchor on this coast, under the shelter of the +isles of Anican, which are some small islands, +so called after the privateer of that name; but +the commander of the St. Louis did not think +it worth his while to examine the country: yet, +Mons. Bougainville observes, that the navigators +of all nations have remarked how conveniently +they are situated for affording shelter +and refreshment to vessels bound to the South-Seas. +</p> +<p> +France having come to a resolution of sending +a colony to settle on Falkland’s islands, +<span class='pagenum'>132</span>Mons. Bougainville, towards the beginning of +the year 1763, made an offer to establish the +settlement at his own expence, with the assistance +of two of his near relations, Mons. +de Arboulin, and Mons. de Nerville. This +offer being accepted, the adventrous Frenchman +gave orders for the building and equipment +of a vessel of twenty, and another of +twelve guns, the former of which was called +the Eagle, and the latter the Sphinx: and as +soon as these vessels had taken in such stores +as were necessary for the voyage, and for making +the settlement, Mons. Bougainville, having +previously engaged some acadian families, embarked +his officers, seamen and settlers, and +sailed from the Port of St. Malo, on the 15th +of September, 1763. +</p> +<p> +In the course of the voyage he touched on +the coast of Brazil, and at Montevideo, at +which last place he took a number of horned +cattle and horses on board, in order to stock +the island to which he was destined. On the +31st of January, 1764, Mons. Bougainville +was within sight of Sebald’s isles, and came to +an anchor in a large bay on the eastermost point +of Falkland’s islands, on the third of February. +</p> +<p> +It was soon resolved to form the settlement +on the coast of this Bay; and Mons. Bougainville +immediately began to take a survey of +the island, to learn what it produced, for the +support and convenience of life. He observes, +<span class='pagenum'>133</span>that various kinds of water and land-fowl, and +fish, were all its edible productions: and that +the reader already knows that there grows no +wood, either for firing, or other purposes; +but this deficiency, in Mons. Bougainville’s +opinion, might be tolerably well supplied by +an excellent kind of turf, which was almost +every where to be found in great abundance. +</p> +<p> +On the first arrival of our adventurers, it was +a sight not less pleasing than astonishing, to +behold the birds flock round them, with +evident curiosity, but without the least +signs of timidity: these harmless animals used +to perch on those who were standing still, and +would at all times submit to be taken with the +hand: but they very soon learnt to be shy of +the company of those who sought only their +destruction. +</p> +<p> +The colony consisted of nineteen men, five +women, and three children; and Mons. Bougainville +having fixed on the spot for their residence, +they lost no time in erecting huts, +which they covered with rushes, to protect them +from the inclemency of the weather. They +likewise built a magazine, and erected a small +fort, in the center of which they raised an obelisk, +under which they had placed several +pieces of money, and a medal, on one side of +which was the head of the French king, with +the following motto; <i>Tibi serviat ultima thule</i>; +and on the other side of the medal was an inscription, +<span class='pagenum'>134</span>of which the following is a translation.⁠—“Settlement +of the Isles Malouines, +situated in 51 degrees 30 minutes of south +latitude, 60 degrees 50 minutes west longitude, +from the meridian of Paris, by the +Eagle frigate, Captain P. Duclos Guyot, +Captain of a fire-ship, and the Sphinx sloop; +Captain F. Chenard de la Giraudais, Lieutenant +of a frigate, equipped by Louis Antoine +de Bougainville, Colonel of infantry, +Captain of a ship, chief of the expedition, +G. de Nerville, Captain of infantry, and P. +d’ Arboulin, postmaster general of France: +construction of a fort, and an obelisk, decorated +with a medallion of his Majesty Louis +XV. after the plans of A. L’Huillier, engineer +and geographer of the field and army, +serving on this expedition; during the +administration of E’. de Choiseul, Duke of +Stainville, in February 1764.” +</p> +<p> +Mons. de Bougainville having promised the +settlers, that he would soon bring them more +companions, and give them farther assistance, +his relation, Mons. de Nerville, agreed to stay +till his return from France, as well to be an +hostage for the performance of de Bougainville’s +promise, as to encourage the young colonists, +by participating in every hardship and +danger to which they might be exposed, in a +station so far removed from all communication +with the rest of mankind. In return for Mons. +<span class='pagenum'>135</span>de Nerville’s kind compliance with the wish of +the settlers, he was to be considered as their +Governor. +</p> +<p> +On the 8th of April 1764, Mons. Bougainville +weighed his anchor, and sailed for Europe, +having first taken possession of the islands, +in the name, and for the use of his most Christian +Majesty. +</p> +<p> +In the month of January 1765, Mons. Bougainville +again visited Falkland’s Islands, where +he found the settlers in good health, and pleased +with their situation. After he had debarked +the stores which he had brought for their use, +he sailed to the Streights of Magellan, where he +took in timber and pallisadoes, and a number +of young trees for planting on Falkland’s +Islands; which place he again left on the 27th +of April, when the whole number of colonists +was only twenty-four. +</p> +<p> +While Monsieur de Bougainville was on the +above mentioned expedition in the Streights of +Magellan, he saw the ships under Commodore +Byron’s command; the reader will recollect +this circumstance, in the account of Mr. +Byron’s Voyage, related in the twenty-first page +of the preceding volume. +</p> +<p> +The colonists on Falkland’s Islands were encreased +to about one hundred and fifty, by a +number of fresh settlers, which sailed from +France in the Eagle, in the year 1765. This +ship was accompanied by the Etoile store-ship, +<span class='pagenum'>136</span>which carried provisions to the island. By this +time the Governor, and an officer who took care +of the stores, had good houses built of stone, +and the rest of the colonists were lodged in +commodious huts, having walls composed of +sods of earth. With the wood which Mons. +Bougainville had brought from the Streights of +Magellan, they had built several small vessels, +adapted to examine the coasts of the island; +and three magazines were by this time erected, +in which to deposit the public and private +stores; several kinds of grain which had been +brought from France grew very well, and promised +a sufficient encrease; and some train-oil +had been made, and seals-skins turned, by the +settlers, with which the Eagle was loaded, and +returned to France. +</p> +<p> +In the year 1766, when an English colony +had settled at Port Egmont, Captain Macbride, +of the Jason frigate, visited the French settlement, +and, to use Mons. Bougainville’s own +words, “pretended that those parts belonged +to his Britannic Majesty, threatened to land +by force, if he should be any longer denied +that liberty, visited the Governor, and sailed +away again the same day.” +</p> +<p> +The above, according to Bougainville’s account, +was the state of Falkland’s islands, when +the French surrendered them to Spain; and he +pretends, that the prior claim of Spain was confirmed +by such surrender of those who had made +<span class='pagenum'>137</span>the first settlement: and perhaps there might +be some force in this reckoning, if the prior +claim of Spain was founded in justice, and +warranted by the laws which have hitherto directed +the discoverers of unknown countries. +An Englishman, however, will be glad to see +this argument stated in its proper light, by +which it will appear, that the right to the possession +of these islands, is undoubtedly vested +in the Crown of these realms. +</p> +<p> +The plain state of facts, then, is as follows: +as early as the voyage under Sir Thomas Cavendish, +in the year 1592, Captain Davis had +sight of these islands: they were seen a second +time, in 1594, as before-mentioned by Sir Richard +Hawkins, who gave them the name of +Hawkins’s Maiden Land: the third person who +saw them was the Dutch voyager Sebald de +Waert, who called them Sebald’s Isles, and +under this name they are laid down in the +Dutch charts. In the year 1683 they were seen +by Dampier, and, in 1689, by Strong, who +gave them their present English name of Falkland +Islands, which Dr. Halley, the celebrated +astronomer, adopting, they are now so called in +all the maps and charts of this country. During +the reign of William and Mary, the English +privateers often saw these islands, whereas, +according to Mons. Bougainville’s own account, +the first Frenchman who ever saw them was +Gouin, no longer ago than the year 1700. +<span class='pagenum'>138</span>From this state of the evidence it does not appear, +that the Spaniards visited them at all, and +that the French were the last visitors; yet +would Mons. Bougainville have his readers believe, +that the Spaniards have the prior claim +to their possession, and that this claim has been +ratified by the French!⁠—This reasoning may +sound admirably well in the ears of the slaves +of two arbitrary monarchs, but will be equally +ridiculed and contemned by every sensible subject +of our happier, because limited, monarchy. +</p> +<p> +Monsieur Bougainville now proceeds to give +an account of the natural history of, and other +particulars respecting, Falkland’s Islands, which, +he says, are the result of the observations of +his kinsman, Mons. de Nerville, who resided +at the settlement three years. The picture our +ingenious voyager gives of the first appearance +of the islands is very striking, and his arguments +for and against settling them are very +conclusive. On their first arrival not an object +struck their view, except the commodiousness +of the port in which the ship lay, which could +tempt them to take up their residence on so inhospitable +a shore. The land was in many +places broke in upon by the sea; the mountains, +unclothed with wood, had the most barren appearance; +the fields looked dreary for want of +houses and inhabitants; an universal silence +reigned, except when the howling of some +sea-monster disturbed the solemn stillness; while +<span class='pagenum'>139</span>a dull and gloomy sameness of appearance added +horror to the whole picture. +</p> +<p> +Discouraging as this scene appeared, our adventurers +knew that all would yield to time and +diligence, and that the labour of the industrious +would not go unrequited: indeed some consolation +arose in their breasts, on viewing the +place in a more favourable light. The climate +had that kind of temperature likely to afford +health, strength, and long life, and was therefore +preferable to the noxious air of those regions +where the sickening inhabitant faints under +the scorching heat of the vertical sun: the +island produced a number of plants, admirable +in the cure of the scurvy, and other disorders +incident to the sailor’s life. The fish and the +birds were most exquisitely delicious, and there +were amphibious animals in immense numbers, +while there were none of the fierce or the poisonous +kind. Cascades and rivulets fell from +the mountains, which at the same time sheltered +the fisherman from the violence of the winds, +so that he could sport or labour in the spacious +bay, in perfect security: meadows of an immense +extent promised constant pasturage for +any number of flocks and herds, which might +feed at pleasure, undisturbed by any tyrant lord +of the soil. These various advantages, in the +opinion of our adventurers, were sufficient to +recompence them for the dangers and fatigue +<span class='pagenum'>140</span>of the voyage, and a pledge for the full reward +of their future labours. +</p> +<p> +The situation of Falkland’s Islands is between +fifty-one and fifty-two degrees and a half of +south latitude, and sixty-five degrees and a half +of west longitude from Paris. From the entrance +of the Streights of Magellan, and from +the coast of Patagonia, their distance is about +250 miles. +</p> +<p> +The harbours are large, and well defended +by small islands most happily disposed; and +even the smallest vessels may ride in safety in +the creeks: while fresh water is easily to be +obtained, as the small rivers which descend +from the mountains discharge themselves into +the sea. The tides do not rise and fall at any +stated times, but depend on the force with +which the wind agitates the waves of the sea; +it was, however, observed, that just before high +water, the sea rises and subsides, with a quick +motion, three times within the space of fifteen +minutes and that at the full of the moon, +and during the equinoxes and solstices, this motion +is much greater than at any other time. +</p> +<p> +Those winds that blow from between the +south and west, and the north and west points, +prevail more than others but in general the +winds vary as in most other countries. In summer +time the winds usually blow from some +point between the north-west and south-west. +It is remarkable, that these winds rise with the +<span class='pagenum'>141</span>rising sun, encrease in force as the sun advances +to the meridian, blow most violently just at +noon, decrease again with the declining sun, +and totally cease about the time of its setting. +The tides also frequently add to the violence of +these winds, and not unfrequently change their +direction. +</p> +<p> +The blowing of the winds in winter is a certain +indication of the weather. If they come +from the south-east, they are not so violent as +the summer winds from the same quarter; but +they are accompanied with slight fogs. When +they blow between the south and west points, +hoar frost, hail and snow, are the certain consequences; +and the weather is wet and foggy, +when they come from the points between the +north and the west. The snow which comes +with the south and west winds is but small in +quantity, and commonly disappears from the +ground in a day or two, except what lodges on +the summits of the high mountains, where it +will remain about two months. The running +streams are never frozen, and the lakes and +stagnate pools have seldom been covered with +ice strong enough to bear the weight of a man +two days together. In the spring and autumn +there are slight hoar frosts, which being changed +to a kind of dew by the warmth of the sun, +are rather nutrimental than prejudicial to the +vegetable productions. There is seldom any +thunder or lightning, nor is the climate hot or +<span class='pagenum'>142</span>cold in any extraordinary degree. Throughout +the year the nights are, in general, star-light, +serene, and fair; and, upon the whole, the +climate is very favourable to the constitution. +</p> +<p> +The fresh water of these islands is extremely +good, and in great plenty: the beds of some of +the rivers are a kind of tuft, which gives a yellowish +cast to the water, yet does not affect its +taste; but the bottom of most of the rivers is +either sand or gravel. +</p> +<p> +The depth of the soil in the vallies is more +than sufficient for the purposes of plowing; but, +before our adventurers could proceed to cultivation, +they were obliged to extract the roots of +plants, which every where interfered and choaked +up the ground for near a foot deep: these +roots they dried and burnt, and they then made +a rich manure for the ground from which they +had been cleared. Under the first land is a +layer of black earth, ten inches or more in +depth; under that again a yellow soil, beneath +which are stones and slate; but these stones are +not found on the little adjacent islands. The +sea-coast is, in most places, composed of stones, +which are very fit for the purposes of building; +and there are beds of a hard fine grained stone, +in several spots on the island; likewise another +kind of stones, in which are particles of talc. +Our settlers found a kind of stone which split +in pieces easily, and with which they made +grind-stones, to give an edge to their instruments. +<span class='pagenum'>143</span>In the quarries they met with a stone +of a yellowish hue, which, when first taken out, +was so soft as to be cut with a knife; but it +soon grew hard when exposed to the open air. +The island likewise yeilded earth fit for making +bricks and potters-ware, and plenty of sand +and clay. +</p> +<p> +In many parts of the country there are marshy +places, which produce a sort of rushes with +sharp points, the remains of the roots of which +being continually wasting, form the turf that +was used for firing, which burnt exceeding +well, and had nothing offensive in its smell. +</p> +<p> +A plant of the gramen kind grows on a stalk +which has a sweetish flavour, and is extremely +nutrimental for cattle, who like it better than any +other kind of pasturage. This plant flourishes +on the sea-coasts, and on the little isles, where +it bends till the stalks unite, forming a kind of +harbour, to which the sea-lions and the seals occasionally +retreat. Our adventurers, in several +excursions, found these natural built houses, a +very agreeable defence against the inclemency +of the weather, and the more so, as the dry +leaves which had fallen off formed a bed, by no +means to be despised. +</p> +<p> +The above-mentioned plant is the largest +that grows on the island, which likewise produces +many shrubs that were very useful in +heating ovens, and other purposes of firing. +A kind of heath, which grows in great plenty, +<span class='pagenum'>144</span>bears a red fruit, which is eaten by the fowls +and birds. +</p> +<p> +A plant was discovered which resembles a +shrub, but having been tasted, it was thought +fit for the brewing of beer: happily our colonists +were supplied with malt and molasses, to +which they added the beer-plant, and were enabled +at all times to brew a very wholesome +kind of spruce beer, which was an admirable +specific for the scurvy. This plant was likewise +infused in water, in which those who had contracted +any illness, while out at sea, bathed +themselves, and it was found to be a fine restorative: +when pressed, it yeilded a mealy substance, +of a fragrant smell, and a glutinous nature: +the leaves of this plant are small, of a +clear bright green, and dentated. +</p> +<p> +Other vegetables in abundance were found, +which were used as antiscorbutics; particularly +water-cresses, sorrel, wild parsley, a kind of +maiden-hair, and a species of celery. +</p> +<p> +But the most extraordinary vegetable production +of Falkland’s Islands, is a kind of resinous +gum-plant, of which we shall speak +more particularly, as it is wholly unknown in +these parts of the globe. Though this is called +a plant, it is without leaves, branches, or any +apparent stalk and, except in colour, which is +that of a bright green, it more resembles a lump +of earth rising from the common surface of the +ground. It does not grow to the height of +<span class='pagenum'>145</span>more than eighteen inches, and its breadth in +different plants is from two feet to two yards +and upwards: the smaller plants have the form +of an hemisphere, and their circumference is +regular; but when they come to the full size, +they terminate in irregular bunches and hollows: +there are drops of a tough yellow matter, as +big as a pea, on different parts of its surface, +which smell like turpentine. Mons. Bougainville +having cut this plant close to the ground, +found that it arose from a stalk, from which +grew an immense number of shoots, consisting +of leaves resembling stars, laying one +within the other. The outsides of these shoots, +which are exposed to the air, are green, and the +insides white: they contain a viscid milky juice, +which is likewise found in the roots and the +stalk. The roots extending horizontally, frequently +produce fresh shoots at a distance, so +that there is no instance of one of these plants +being found alone. The resin of this plant +was found to be a good medicine for the cure +of slight wounds; but this resin was often +washed away by the rains, or wasted by the influence +of the air; yet, however contradictory +it may appear, it would not dissolve except in +spirits: some of the seeds were brought to Europe, +in order to attempt the cultivation of so +singular a curiosity in the vegetable world. +</p> +<p> +The island on which our colonists had taken +up their residence is divided from east to west +<span class='pagenum'>146</span>by a chain of hills, to the south of which they +found another plant, not unlike the resinous +gum-plant, which, however, did not yield any +resin, but produced beautiful yellow flowers; +neither was it of so firm a texture, nor was its +green of the same shade; yet, in other respects, +the resemblance was very strong. On the hills +was found a species of Maiden-hair, which +grew to a great height, and the leaves of it were +shaped like the blade of a sword. The hills likewise +abounded with various kinds of plants, which +had the appearance of holding a middle station +between stones and vegetables. It was apprehended, +that these might have been successfully +used in dying, and our colonists proposed +to have made the experiment if they had remained +longer on the island. +</p> +<p> +The place produces flowers in a considerable +variety, but only one of them has any smell, +which is like that of a tuberose; this flower is +perfectly white. A true violet was seen, +which was of a regular light yellow colour. +</p> +<p> +A fruit was found, of the size of a pea, +which received the name of the lucet, from +its resemblance to the North American fruit of +that name: its colour is white, but the side +which is exposed to the sun changes to a red: +it has the smell of orange blossoms, and a very +agreeable flavour: its branches, which creep +along the ground, produce leaves of dark +green, which are round and shining, and these +<span class='pagenum'>147</span>leaves infused into milk give it a delicious taste: +the flowers grow in large numbers on the borders +of lakes, and the plant delights in a moist +soil. Besides the lucet only one other fruit was +found, which grows on long branches, in the +same manner as the strawberry, but it has the +appearance of a mulberry, which name it received, +and its leaves are like those of the +hornbeam. +</p> +<p> +Our colonists found but few sea-plants which +they could apply to any use; but all the coast +of the harbour was lined with sea-weeds, which +were serviceable in breaking the force of the +waves in stormy weather. Many kinds of coralines, +of various beautiful colours, and a +great number of curious shells and spunges +were washed on shore by the force of the tides. +Among the shells were the smooth and striated +muscle, scallops, whelks, and a bivalve shell, +of a very singular kind, named <i>la Poulette</i>. +</p> +<p> +Sea lions and seals are the only amphibious +animals found in these parts; but there are +great varieties of fish on the coasts, scarce any +of which are known in Europe. It sometimes +happens that the whales, getting too near the +shore, are stranded in the bays, where their remains +have been seen. Bones of great magnitude +have been found far up the country, +where the force of the waters could not have +conveyed them, which Mons. Bougainville +<span class='pagenum'>148</span>deems a proof that the soil is encreased, or the +sea diminished. +</p> +<p> +The only quadruped found on Falkland’s +island is of a species between the fox and the +wolf, and our author therefore calls him the +wolf-fox: the tail of this animal is more bushy +than that of the wolf, and he lives in a kennel +which he digs in the ground, on the downs by +the sea-side. At one time of the year the wolf-fox +is so lean as to appear almost starved, from +whence it is imagined that he fasts for a considerable +time: he is about as large as a sheep-dog, +and barks very much like one, only that his yelp +is not so loud. He subsists principally on wild +fowl, in search of which he travels in such a +direct line from one day to another, that when +our adventurers first beheld his track, they imagined +that the island was inhabited, and that the +natives had made the path. Mons. Bougainville +makes it a matter of wonder how the +wolf-fox can have been conveyed to these +islands, without considering, that land-animals +having got on large pieces of ice, which being +broken by the sea, they have frequently been +conveyed to places very remote from those of +their first residence. The circumstance of ice +so broken from the shore is not uncommon on +the coast of Greenland. +</p> +<p> +These islands and their coasts produce land +and water-fowls in incredible numbers, many +of which are the prey of falcons, hawks, eagles +<span class='pagenum'>149</span>and owls; while the eggs and the young +birds are destroyed by the wolf-fox.⁠—The smaller +fish are destroyed by the whales, the amphibious +animals, and the voracious birds, +some of which are constantly flying close over +the surface of the waters, while others perch +themselves on the rocks to watch the event. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a description +of such birds as were found on the +islands, which could be applied to any kind of +use; omitting those that could not be rendered +serviceable to the colonists. +</p> +<p> +The swan is perfectly white, except its feet +and its neck, the former of which are of a +flesh-colour, and the latter as black as jet. +</p> +<p> +Of wild geese there are four kinds, only one +of which feeds on dry ground. It has very +high legs, and a neck of great length: its flight +is much more free than that of the English +goose; it walks with equal ease, and does not +cackle like the common goose. The feathers +of the male are white except on the wings, +which have a mixture of ash-colour and black: +the wings of the female are of various colours; +and its body is yellow. It seldom lays more +than six eggs. The flavour of these birds is +agreeable, and they were found to be very nutritious: +exclusive of those which are hatched +on the island, large flocks fly thither with a +westerly wind which blows in the autumn, so +that they were generally to be taken in great +<span class='pagenum'>150</span>abundance, and formed a principal part of the +subsistence of the settlers. Those which came +in the autumn were easily known from those +resident on the island, by their not being shy. +</p> +<p> +The other three kinds are of various colours; +yellow, white, black, and ash-colour; they +are not by far so beautiful as those above described: +and as they live entirely on fish, their +flesh acquires a disagreeable taste; one of these +three species seldom rises from the surface of +the water, and is almost constantly making a +very disagreeable noise. A soft thick down, +either grey or white, grows under the feathers +of all these geese, as it does likewise under those +of the swan. +</p> +<p> +The rivers and ponds of Falkland’s islands +abound in teals of two species, and two of wild +ducks: of the latter some are perfectly white, +and others totally black, but in other respects +they resemble those of England and France. +These birds are all exquisite fine food, and to +be procured in any numbers. One kind of the +teal is very small; but the other is as large as +the duck, and its bill is blue. The bellies of +some of them are also covered with feathers +of a flesh-colour. +</p> +<p> +The island produces a bird which Mons. +Bougainville calls the Diver, but, from the +description he gives of it, it is conjectured to +be the Grebe, which abounds on the lake of +Geneva, and of the skin of which the most +<span class='pagenum'>151</span>elegant muffs and tippets are made. Of these +Divers there are two kinds, of which the most +plentiful has brown feathers, with no other +variation than that the feathers on the belly are +of a somewhat lighter colour than those on the +back. The belly of the other kind is white, +and the back grey; and the feathers on the +belly are very thick, shining and soft. The +eyes of these birds are as bright as rubies, and +are encircled with a ring of white feathers. +The female hatches only two young birds at a +time, which she carries on her back, not subjecting +them to the coldness of the water, till +feathers have taken place of the down with +which they are hatched. The toes of this bird +are thin, and of a green colour, and being +round towards the claw, they are not unlike +the leaves of some plants: their feet are not +webbed, as is common among water-fowl, but +their toes are separate, having a strong membrane +on each side. +</p> +<p> +The colonists gave the name of Saw-bills to +two kinds of birds which bore a great similitude +to each other, the chief difference consisting +in their size, and in the bellies of most of them +being white, while a few were observed to have +brown feathers on the belly: the feathers on +the rest of the body are of a dark blue, as soft +as silk, and grow very close together. Their +feet are webbed and flesh coloured, and their +bills pointed: they lay their eggs on the rocks, +<span class='pagenum'>152</span>where great numbers of them live together; +and they subsist on fish, thousands of which +they destroy. Our settlers not only ate the +eggs of these birds, but frequently killed many +scores of them at a time, and their flesh was +found to be excellent food. They had so little +apprehension of being catched, that it was an +easy matter to knock them down with a stick, +and in this manner they were usually taken. +A bird called by the Spaniards <i>Quebrantahuessos</i>, +which measures more than two yards from +the extremity of its wings, destroys the saw-bills. +This bird of prey has a long bill, with +two hollow tubes of the same kind of substance +as the bill, and its feet are webbed: some of +the seamen called this bird the Albatross, but +it differs considerably from the common bird +of that name, nor is it an easy matter to determine +precisely on its species, from the imperfect +account which Mons. Bougainville has +given of it. +</p> +<p> +Gulls, mews, and terns, of different beautiful +plumage, served to direct our colonists +what was the proper time for taking of pilchards. +These birds, flying in large flocks over +the surface of the water, dart on the pilchard +and swallow it; presently they catch another of +these fish, and then they disgorge the one which +had been previously swallowed, and so on. +When the pilchards are not in season, they feed +on various other sorts of small fish. The eggs +<span class='pagenum'>153</span>of these birds were found in great abundance +upon the leaves of a plant, on the borders of +the marshes, and they proved to be very good +eating. +</p> +<p> +Three kinds of penguins breed on the island, +one of these is a remarkably grand and elegant +bird, the belly of which is a clear white, the +back a kind of blue, and it has a ruff round its +neck near the head, of a bright yellow, which +descending towards the belly, separates the +white feathers from the blue ones; these birds +do not live together in numbers, but seek the +most quiet and retired places of abode. One +of them being caught, with an intention of +being brought to France, soon grew so tame, +that it followed the person who fed it; its food +was bread, fish and flesh; but there was something +more wanting for its sustenance, for it +gradually lost its fatness till it died. The second +kind of penguin answers to the description +of that bird in Anson’s voyage<a href='#fn_2' id='fnb_2' class='fn_anchor'>[2]</a>. The +third kind of penguins lay their eggs among +the high cliffs of the rocks, where they reside +together in immense numbers, never seeking +that solitude of which the first kind are so fond. +They are much smaller than the others, and +were named hopping penguins, from their +method of moving, which is very much like +<span class='pagenum'>154</span>hopping; they have gold-coloured feathers, +which form a kind of eye-brows, and a tuft +of the same colour, which they raise when they +are displeased. This bird has a very chearful +look, and its general colour is a deep yellow. +</p> +<div class='footnote' id='fn_2'> +<p> +<a href='#fnb_2'>[2]</a> This description will, of course, be found when +we come to give an account of that voyage. +</p> +</div> +<p> +At different times, but not frequently, three +kinds of petrels were seen by our adventurers. +These birds build their nests on the sea-coasts, +where their young were sometimes found, covered +with down. One sort of them is quite +white, their bills red, and not unlike a pigeon; +a second sort is larger, and the third smaller +than the pigeon; and these two sorts have white +feathers on the belly, while every other part of +the body is black. +</p> +<p> +Eagles were also seen of three different species, +two of which are black, with white and +yellow feet, and the other is of a dull white: +all these subsist on snipes, and other small birds, +which they seize every opportunity to destroy. +</p> +<p> +Egrets, a species of the heron, were frequently +seen on the island: they make a disagreeable +noise, not much unlike the barking of +a little dog; and they never take any food till +towards the evening. +</p> +<p> +Two kinds of the thrush came regularly to +the island in the autumnal months, one of +which was of the same colour as the European +thrush; and the other yellow, except on +the belly, which was spotted with black. +There was a third kind of thrush, which lived +<span class='pagenum'>155</span>on the island throughout the year, the feathers +on the belly of which are of a bright red: this +was called the Red-bird, and though Mons. +Bougainville ranks it among the thrushes, it is +probably no other than the red-breast of America. +</p> +<p> +A bird which they called the Sea-pie, was +constantly seen on the coasts, the feet of which +were white, the bill red, and the feathers black +and white. This bird whistles a kind of note, +which the colonists found it easy to imitate, +and by that means they came near enough to +catch them without much trouble: they subsist +on shrimps, which they pick up after the ebbing +of the tide.⁠—Such is Mons. Bougainville’s +description of the sea-pie; but if it be the true +bird of that kind, oysters form a part of its +subsistence; for when the tide is out, these fish +are left on the sand, and the sea-pie, forcing +open the shell with his bill, swallows the oyster; +whence he is also called oyster-catcher. +</p> +<p> +Great numbers of curlews, the same as those +of Europe, were constantly seen in the summer; +and snipes of the European kind were +found in abundance. It is easy to shoot these +birds, as they fly in a regular manner. At the +time when they are breeding, they ascend to a +great height, and having sung some time in the +air, they drop at once into their nests, which +are built on the ground, in the open field, +where it is most free from grass or other herbage, +<span class='pagenum'>156</span>so that these nests are very easily found: +the snipes are excellent food if dressed towards +the decline of the year; but in the breeding +season they are lean, and not so fit to eat. +</p> +<p> +The amphibious animals of Falkland’s islands +are seals and sea-lions, which having been before-mentioned, +and being described in many +books of voyages, we shall only add, that they +frequently travel in very numerous companies +three or four miles up the country, to feast on +the herbs, and repose themselves in the warmth +of the sun. +</p> +<p> +Of the fish which were found on the coasts of +Falkland’s islands, one that was taken in the +greatest plenty was called the Mullet, from the +likeness it bears to the European fish of that +name: the colonists dried many of these, which +were full a yard in length: the seals prey on +these fish whenever they can catch them; but, +by a natural instinct, they are taught to avoid +these voracious enemies, by sheltering themselves +in holes, among slimy ground, on the +banks of the rivers, and in these places they +were frequently taken. A fish called the <i>gradeau</i>, +about twelve inches in length, was found +in great abundance; and another, named the +<i>sardine</i>, was found only at the commencement +of the winter season. Some white porpoises +were taken in the bays, when the weather was +fair, and some eels in those cavities of the +rocks which were filled with water. A fresh +<span class='pagenum'>157</span>water fish was found, about the size of a +trout, without scales, the colour of which was +green. Many smaller fish were catched with +the hook and line, among them was one species, +the head of which resembled that of a pike, +and it had no scales: a few soals were found; +and Mons. Bougainville is of opinion, that a +greater number of those, and many other different +kinds of fish, might have been procured, +if there had been hands sufficient to have constantly +spared a proper number to attend the +sea-fishery. The shell-fish found at this place +were muscles, a very small kind of shrimp, a +crab, the feet of which were blue, and a kind +of cray-fish, or prawn, the colour of which was +naturally red, without boiling: but our author +says, these were only taken through curiosity, +as their taste was much inferior to those +European fish which are nearly of the same +species. +</p> +<p> +The above is a faithful detail of the natural +history of Falkland’s islands, as far as it could +be learnt by the French settlers, during a residence +of three years; if they had continued +longer in the country, there is no doubt but +that their discoveries would have been greater, +and their account more accurate: from such as +it is, however, it will probably be thought, by +the English reader, that these islands are by no +means so barren and inhospitable a spot, as our +ministerial writers took the pains to represent +<span class='pagenum'>158</span>them, as soon as it was known, that our people +in power had formed the disgraceful resolution +of permitting the prior claim of England to this +extensive country, to yeild to the imperious demand +of the haughty Spaniards. +</p> +<p> +It must, indeed, appear evident to the unprejudiced +view of the intelligent reader, that +these islands might, in the course of a few +years, be made a very valuable possession: as +they abound in fowl and fish of various useful +kinds, while their amphibious animals, the sea-lions +and seals, would yeild a quantity of grease +and train-oil, which might make no inconsiderable +articles of commerce; and what astonishing +crops of wheat, barley, and every kind of +European grain might not be raised on a tract +of land that is many hundred miles in extent! +It is true the islands do not naturally produce +any trees; but it would be easy to carry thither +the seeds of some, and young trees of other +kinds; and there is no doubt, but that they +would flourish in a country situated, with regard +to the south pole, nearly as Ireland is with regard +to the north. +</p> +<p> +As true Englishmen, we cannot help expressing +a wish that the day may yet arrive, when +some Statesman of sense and spirit may re-urge +and insist on the right of Great Britain, to the +possession of Falkland’s islands; The reader +will excuse this digression, and prepare to attend +<span class='pagenum'>159</span>Mons. Bougainville in the course of his +voyage. +</p> +<p> +After waiting at these islands till the 2d of +June 1767, in expectation of the Etoile store-ship, +and finding that she did not arrive, Mons. +Bougainville considered, that as his vessel would +hold no more than six months provisions, and +that he had only two on board, it would be an +act of rashness to attempt the crossing the great +pacific ocean alone; he therefore resolved to +steer to Rio Janeiro, at which place he had appointed +the Etoile to join him, in case any unforeseen +accident should prevent her reaching +Falkland’s islands before he left the harbour of +that place. +</p> +<p> +They had fine weather from the 2d till the +20th of June, on which day they had sight of +the mountains on the main land of Brasil; and +they saw the entrance of Rio Janeiro on the +day following. A number of fishing-boats being +observed near the shore, Mons. Bougainville +hoisted Portuguese colours, and ordered a +cannon to be fired; on which a boat put off to +the ship, and a pilot was engaged to conduct +her into the road. +</p> +<p> +The coast of this country is broken by a +number of small hills, which serve to give +an agreeable variety to the prospect. The +country is rather mountainous, and well clothed +with woods. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>160</span>The ship having arrived off the Port of Santa +Cruz, a Portuguese officer was sent to enquire +the reason of her sailing into it; on which +Mons. Bougainville sent one of his officers to +acquaint the Viceroy of the Brasils, with the +motives for his touching there, and to enquire +whether if he should salute the fort, the compliment +would be returned. +</p> +<p> +The answer which the French officer received +from Count d’Acunha, marks that singular +haughtiness and arrogance, for which some of +the Portuguese Governors are not a little famous:⁠—the +Count said, that when a person +bowed to another whom he might casually meet +in the street, he was not previously certain +that his compliment would be returned, and +that if Mons. Bougainville should fire his guns +by way of salute, he (the Viceroy) had then +to consider what was proper to be done. As +this answer was by no means satisfactory to +Mons. Bougainville, he, with that spirit of pride +becoming a gentleman and an officer, disdained +to fire a single gun. +</p> +<p> +About the same time a canoe was dispatched +from the Captain of the Etoile, to inform +Mons. Bougainville of the safe arrival of that +vessel, which now lay in the port. The Commander, +Mons. de la Giraudais, sent word, that +instead of leaving France in the month of December, +various accidents had combined to detain +him two months beyond that time: that +<span class='pagenum'>161</span>when he had been three months at sea, his +rigging was so greatly damaged, and his vessel +admitted so much water, that he was obliged to +make the harbour of Montevideo, whence he +sailed for his present station, and had come +to an anchor but a few days before Mons. +Bougainville’s arrival. +</p> +<p> +The Etoile had at this time salt provisions +sufficient to supply both the vessels for almost a +year and a half; but as her stock of bread and +legumes was insufficient for the consumption of +more than seven weeks, Mons. Bougainville resolved +on sailing to Rio de la Plata, to take in +a stock of those articles, as neither flour, wheat, +nor biscuit could be purchased at Rio Janeiro. +</p> +<p> +On the 22d of June 1767, Mons. Bougainville +and his officers paid a visit to the Viceroy +of the Brasils, which was returned three days +afterwards on board the Boudeuse; when the +Viceroy gave permission for the purchase of a +sloop, which our adventurers imagined might +be very serviceable during the long voyage +they proposed to make. The Chaplain of the +Etoile having been murdered, some days before +the arrival of the Boudeuse, under the windows +of the Viceroy’s palace, that gentleman promised +that he would endeavour to find out, and +severely punish, the perpetrators of the horrid +deed; but Mons. Bougainville complains much +of his remissness in the execution of this necessary +piece of justice. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>162</span>The Viceroy, contrary to his usual custom, +continued to behave with politeness to the French +officers, for several days after this visit; and +acquainted them, that he proposed to honour +them with an elegant collation in bowers of +orange-trees and jasmine, on the banks of the +river; and he actually gave orders, that a box +at the opera should be assigned for their reception. +Here, says our author, a band of mulatoes +performed the best pieces of metastasio, +while the compositions of the greatest geniuses +Italy ever produced, were “executed by an +Orchestra, which was under the direction of +a hump-backed Priest, in his canonicals.” +</p> +<p> +We cannot avoid making a remark on the illiberal +and ungentleman-like manner in which +Monsieur Bougainville recites this part of his +narrative; for it would be in a high degree ridiculous +to suppose that the Priest, because he +had the misfortune to be crooked, should +be, by that circumstance, the less qualified to +conduct a band; nor can we see, if the works +represented were, as our author calls them, <em>divine</em>, +the great impropriety of their being under +the direction of a Priest, nor of that Priest’s +being dressed in the habit of his order. The +French are ambitious of being accounted the +best bred people in the world; they claim a +kind of exclusive right to politeness; but they +are only the smugglers and monopolizers of +that commodity, to the injury of the fair +<span class='pagenum'>163</span>traders, the English, the Scots, the Hibernians, +whose open sincerity, and manly freedom of +behaviour, gives the lie to the French assumption +of a superior gentility. It is evident, from +many instances in Mons. Bougainville’s voyage, +that a Frenchman can, when he pleases, be +guilty of a savage illiberality of conduct, that +would disgrace the untutored boor of the wilds +of Siberia, or the still more uncultivated savage +of the uncivilized parts of America. +</p> +<p> +At this time there lay in the harbour of Rio +de Janeiro, a French ship, called the Morning +Star, and a Spanish man of war, named the Diligent; +and, while the Viceroy behaved with +all imaginable politeness to the Frenchman, he +had artfully protracted the stay of the Spaniard +no less than eight months, during all which +time her Commander had not been able to procure +the articles necessary for the repair of his +vessel, and without which she could not proceed +on her voyage. In this dilemma, Don Francesco +de Medina, Captain of the Diligent, applied +to Mons. Bougainville, for the assistance +of his carpenters and caulkers, who were immediately +sent, both from the Boudeuse and the +Etoile. +</p> +<p> +The complaisance with which the Viceroy +treated the gentlemen on board the French +vessels, surprised the Spaniards, who told them, +that they must not long expect so great a share +of his favour; and they had soon reason to be +<span class='pagenum'>164</span>convinced, that the prediction was founded in +truth; for though the Viceroy had permitted +Mons. Bougainville to purchase a sloop, and +he had actually agreed for one, his Excellency +thought proper to forbid the delivery of it; +and notwithstanding they had contracted with +this tyrannical Viceroy for the purchase of +some timber from the royal Dock-yards, he afterwards +changed his mind, and would not let +them have it. He even went so far as to refuse +Mons. Bougainville, and the gentlemen on board +his ships, permission to lodge in a house near +the town, while the Boudeuse was repairing, +notwithstanding the owner of the house had +consented to accommodate the French officers. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville, piqued at these repeated +instances of the Viceroy’s want of good manners, +and his total inattention to the common +rights of humanity, determined to pay him a +visit, to remonstrate with him on the glaring +impropriety of his conduct: taking with him +therefore two of his officers, he repaired to the +house of the Viceroy, who was agitated with +the most furious passion the moment Mons. +Bougainville began to speak, and commanded +him to leave the house; this, however, he refused +to do, but kept his seat for some time, +even after the Viceroy had called his guards, +who, with more prudence than their master had +shewn, neglected to obey his summons, and the +French gentlemen left the house, without seeming +<span class='pagenum'>165</span>to have caused any disturbance. Not long +after their departure, an additional number of +guards were placed round the palace, and orders +were issued, that if any Frenchman should +be seen in the streets after the sun was down, +he should be taken into custody. The Viceroy +likewise commanded the Captain of the French +ship named the Morning Star, to quit his present +situation, and anchor his vessel under the +fort of Villagahon, which order was complied +with on the following day. +</p> +<p> +One of the Portuguese officers was exiled, +and another imprisoned, because they had behaved +with civility to Mons. Bougainville; and +it was easy to foresee, that such of the inhabitants +of the place as traded with the French, +would experience the consequences of the Viceroy’s +indignation; every preparation was therefore +made to quit a place, which the tyranny of +the count de Acunha had rendered so disagreeable. +The Captain of the Spanish man of +war supplied Mons. Bougainville with timber +proper for the repair of his ship, and an inhabitant +of Rio Janeiro privately sold him a number +of planks, which he was in great want of; +and, indeed, the inhabitants in general behaved +with a kindness and civility, which fully +proved the sense they entertained of the impropriety +of the Viceroy’s conduct. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to give an +account of the riches of Rio Janeiro, and the +<span class='pagenum'>166</span>amount of the revenues arising to the King of +Portugal, from the mines of Brasil; these +mines we have already given some account of +in the former part of this work, but as Mons. +Bougainville’s account is very interesting, and +contains many particulars there unnoticed, we +make no doubt but the reader will approve our +tracing him with the pen of accuracy and fidelity. +</p> +<p> +The mines which lie nearest to the city of +Rio Janeiro are not less distant than two hundred +and twenty miles, and are called the +<i>General mines</i>. His most faithful majesty, having +a fifth part of the produce of these mines, seldom +receives less than one hundred and twelve +arobas of gold from their annual produce, and +sometimes considerably more. +</p> +<p> +There are mines at Sero-frio, Sabara, and +Rio des Mortes, which are under the jurisdiction +of the managers of the general mines. Near +Sero-frio is a river, the stream of which being turned +out of its usual channel, diamonds, topazes, +chrysolites, and other valuable stones, are found +among the pebbles in the bed of the river; nor +are any diamonds brought from the Brasils but +what are found in this particular spot. +</p> +<p> +The stones thus found are deemed the property +of the owners of the mines; but the King +of Portugal has appointed a surveyor, to whom +they must give in an account of what diamonds +are found with the utmost exactness. These +the surveyor puts into a casket which has three +<span class='pagenum'>167</span>locks, and is enclosed in iron plates; the Viceroy +keeping one of the keys, the <i>Provador de +Hazienda Reale</i> the second, and the surveyor +the third. This casket, and the keys with which +it is locked, are then enclosed in a second +casket, on which these three gentlemen affix +their seals; and this again is placed in a third, +on which the Viceroy puts his seal, and thus +ships the treasure for Portugal, where the coffers +are opened in the presence of his most faithful +majesty, who having selected such of the diamonds +as he pleases, the owners of the mines +are paid for them, at a rate stipulated by a previous +agreement. +</p> +<p> +The number of slaves employed in searching +for diamonds is about eight hundred, and for +every day’s labour of each of these slaves the +King of Portugal receives a Spanish dollar from +the proprietors of the mines. +</p> +<p> +It is extremely dangerous for any person to +secrete a diamond; yet the practice is very +common, as the smuggled goods can be so easily +hidden. When a person is detected in this illicit +trade, if he is rich he is sentenced to deliver +up the diamonds, pay twice their value, +suffer one year’s imprisonment, and then be +banished to the coast of Africa for life: but if +the offender be poor, he is generally doomed +to suffer capitally. +</p> +<p> +In every district of the Brasils where gold is +found, a house is erected, to which it must be +<span class='pagenum'>168</span>carried, and the King’s share paid, the rest is +sent to Rio Janeiro, where it is melted into +wedges, and in that state returned to the +owners: these wedges being numbered, and +stamped with the King’s arms, the weight is +marked on each wedge: the gold is likewise +assayed, and the alloy stamped on it, for the +greater expedition when it comes to be coined. +</p> +<p> +About ninety miles from Rio Janeiro is a +place called <i>Praybuna</i>, where there is an office +for the registering the ingots which are the property +of private people; and as all persons +coming from the mines must necessarily pass this +place, two military officers are stationed here, +who have fifty men under their command, +whose business it is strictly to examine, that no +illicit trade is carried on; so that every one who +passes is obliged to submit to the strictest search. +At this place, exclusive of the tax to the King, +men and beasts of burden are taxed with a farther +toll of a real and a half each, the half of +which becomes the property of the officers and +soldiers, and the other half goes to his Portuguese +Majesty. +</p> +<p> +The ingots of gold which belong to private +people having been registered at Praybuna, are +then carried to Rio Janeiro, where the proprietors +are paid their value in demi-doubloons, +which are worth about thirty shillings each of +English money; but there is a profit to the +King for alloy, and for coining these demi-doubloons, +<span class='pagenum'>169</span>of about four shillings and six-pence on +each. The mint at Rio Janeiro is a most noble +building, admirably adapted for the purpose of +coining money, which is performed with the +most astonishing expedition; and this, indeed, +is rendered necessary, because two Portuguese +fleets usually arrive nearly at the same time that +the gold is brought from the mines. +</p> +<p> +The fleet which arrives from Porto brings +coarse cloth, several articles of food, with brandy, +wines, and vinegar; and this, with the +fleet which comes from Lisbon, occasions Rio +Janeiro to be a place of very considerable trade; +the effects on being landed, are charged with +a duty of ten per cent. to his Portuguese +Majesty. +</p> +<p> +Soon after the earthquake at Lisbon, in the +year 1755, an impost of two and a half per +cent. under the denomination of a free gift to +the King, was laid on all goods landed at Rio +Janeiro, so that the whole duty paid is no less +than twelve and a half per cent. The latter +duty is instantly paid on the goods being brought +on shore, but the officers of the custom-house +will take security for the payment of the former +at the expiration of half a year. +</p> +<p> +There are two districts, named Pratacon and +Quiaba, the mines of which produce diamonds; +but no person is permitted to seek for them, +that the market may not be overstocked; for it +<span class='pagenum'>170</span>is evident that, to make diamonds plentiful, +would be to render them of little value. +</p> +<p> +His Portuguese Majesty is at an expence of +about one hundred and forty-five thousand +pounds sterling, annually, for repairing of the +ships and public buildings, working the mines, +and paying all his servants, civil and military. +</p> +<p> +The following account will shew what value, +in sterling money, arises annually to his most +faithful Majesty, from the royal revenues of +Rio de Janeiro. +</p> +<table class='center margetb'> +<tr> +<th class="al ph pr vt"></th> +<th class="ar vb"><span class="small-caps">Dollars.</span></th> +</tr> +<tr> +<th class="al ph pr vt">The King’s fifths are generally, one year with another, about one hundred and fifty arobas of gold, which make, in Spanish dollars,</th> +<td class="ar vb">1,125,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<th class="al ph pr vt">The duty on diamonds amounts to</th> +<td class="ar vb">240,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<th class="al ph pr vt">The profit arising from the coinage of money is</th> +<td class="ar vb">400,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<th class="al ph pr vt">The duty of ten per cent. paid at the custom house is</th> +<td class="ar vb">350,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<th class="al ph pr vt">The free gift of two and a half per cent. amounts to about</th> +<td class="ar vb">87,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<th class="al ph pr vt">Various produces of the mines, with the poll-tax, and monies arising from the sale of offices and employments,</th> +<td class="ar vb">225,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<th class="al ph pr vt"><span class='pagenum'>171</span>A duty laid on negro slaves, produces</th> +<td class="ar vb">110,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<th class="al ph pr vt">A tenth on all the food of the country, and the taxes on soap, salt and train-oil, bring in a revenue of</th> +<td class="ar vb">130,000</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<th class="ar ph pr vt">Total value in dollars</th> +<td class="ar bt bb vb">2,667,000</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p> +Hence it will appear, that the revenues arising +to the King of Portugal from Rio Janeiro +are something more, annually, than four hundred +and fifty thousand pounds sterling, reckoning +the dollars at four shillings and six-pence +each. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to give an +account of his leaving Rio Janeiro, and his second +voyage to Montevideo; of which we shall +carefully select as many particulars as may afford +either instruction or entertainment to the +reader. +</p> +<p> +On the 14th of July 1767, the anchors of +the Boudeuse and Etoile were weighed; but as +the wind abated soon afterwards, they were +obliged again to bring to, before they could get +out of the harbour. They sailed, however, on +the following day; and in the night of the 19th, +the main-top-sail of the Boudeuse was carried +away by the violence of the wind. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>172</span>On board of Mons. Bougainville’s ship was a +professor of astronomy, who had made the expedition +with a view of discovering the longitude +at sea; and as an eclipse of the sun was +to happen on the 25th of the month, great +hopes were formed, that an opportunity would +thereby be obtained of making the wished-for +discovery: but it happened, that these sanguine +hopes were all frustrated, by the intervention +of clouds, which obscured the face of the sun +almost during the whole time of the eclipse. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 28th our adventurers +had sight of the Castilles, at the distance of +something more than thirty miles. They saw +the entrance of a bay, which Mons. Bougainville +conjectures to be the same on the banks of +which the Spaniards have erected a fort. The +vessels sailed into the Rio de la Plata, and were +within sight of the Maldonados on the 29th; +early in the morning of the 31st, they had a +view of the Isle of Lobos, and before night +came to an anchor in the Bay of Montevideo. +</p> +<p> +The ships were no sooner anchored, than the +Governor sent a gentleman on board Mons. +Bougainville’s vessel, who acquainted him, that +most of the Jesuits in those parts had been lately +seized, and their estates confiscated, in consequence +of an order received from the Court +of Spain: that these devoted victims of superior +power had scarcely made the least resistance; +that they bore their misfortunes with a +<span class='pagenum'>173</span>degree of patience and calm submission that did +them honour; and that no less than forty of +them had been taken away in the vessel which +brought the orders for their disgrace. +</p> +<p> +As it was necessary that Mons. Bougainville +should remain in his present station till the equinox +was passed, his first care was to build an +hospital for the sick, and to take lodgings at +Montevideo. This being done, he repaired to +Buenos Ayres, in order to hasten the provision +of such necessaries as he wanted, for which he +was to pay the same price as the King of Spain +usually gave for the same commodities. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville was also desirous of conversing +with the Governor-general Don Francisco +Buccarelli, on the behaviour of the Governor of +Rio Janeiro and he soon learnt, that Don Buccarelli, +instead of making reprisals on the Viceroy +of the Brasils, which he could have done, very +much to the prejudice of Portugal, had, more +prudently, only sent a narrative of his proceedings +to the Court of Spain. +</p> +<p> +Don Buccarelli was so obligingly ready to +supply Mons. Bougainville with such articles +as he stood in need of, that in less than three +weeks two small vessels sailed for Montevideo, +with ladings of flour and biscuit for the use of +the French ships. Mons. Bougainville also sailed +to Montevideo, leaving an inferior officer at +Buenos Ayres, to see the remainder of their +provisions shipped. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>174</span>They now expected to sail in a short time, +when an accident happened that detained them +some weeks beyond the intended period. A +Spanish register-ship being at anchor, a violent +hurricane arose in the night, and driving her +against the Etoile, carried away part of the +head of that vessel, and broke her bowsprit on a +level with the deck. +</p> +<p> +The leaks of the Etoile being encreased by +this accident, it was absolutely necessary that +she should undergo a thorough repair; but as +there was not timber enough at Montevideo +for this purpose, Mons. Bougainville obtained +Don Buccarelli’s permission, that she might +sail up the river, to the Encenada de Baragan, +which is a little bay formed by its mouth; and +in this bay, by the 21st of October, she was +put in a condition proper for sailing, and began +to take in the necessary provisions. +</p> +<p> +In the road of Encenada Mons. Bougainville +found a frigate and several merchant-ships +which were bound for Europe, and two Spanish +vessels, which having taken in a store of ammunition +and provisions, were bound to Falkland’s +islands; and from thence to the South Seas, +to take on board the Jesuits of Peru and Chili. +Two Xebecks likewise lay here, one of which +was loaded with presents from his most Catholic +Majesty, to the inhabitants of Terra del Fuego, +in grateful testimony of his sense of their +generous conduct towards the crew of the ship +<span class='pagenum'>175</span>Conception, which was wrecked on their coasts +about two years before. +</p> +<p> +The inhabitants of the country on the banks +of the Encenada de Baragan live in poor mean +huts, which are constructed with rushes, having +a covering of leather. These are built in a +very irregular manner, on a miserably barren +soil, and the country around them is so poor, +that the people find it very difficult to procure +the necessaries of life. +</p> +<p> +From the road of Encenada de Baragan five +ships sailed for Spain, having on board most of +the French families which had quitted Falkland’s +islands, and two hundred and fifty Jesuits. +About this time two Spanish register ships arrived, +one of them had been no less than seven +months in her passage from Europe, above six +weeks of which were expended in the doubling +of Cape Horn, where the fury of the winds was +such as to carry away her rudder, and lay her +under the necessity of seeking shelter in this +port. When she arrived she had buried no less +than thirty-nine of her men, and almost all the +rest were so enfeebled by the scurvy, that only +a few of the officers, and three of the fore mast-men +were able to do their duty towards navigating +the vessel. Mons. Bougainville, with +the greatest humanity, sent a number of his +crew on board her, by which she was enabled +to reach the harbour of Montevideo. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>176</span>Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to give an +account of his sailing from Montevideo to the +island of St. Elizabeth, which includes a narrative +of what passed on his interview with the +Patagonians, and several other interesting particulars +till he reached the isle of St. Elizabeth. +</p> +<p> +The Etoile sailed from the Encenada on the +30th of October, and the Boudeuse on the day +following, having on board provisions for ten +months, and soon reached Montevideo, having +lost three men in that short passage, by a boat, +in which they were sitting running fowl under the +ship at a time when she was wearing; two other +men who were in the boat were with much difficulty +saved, and the boat was recovered. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning of the 14th of November, +1767, they sailed from Montevideo, with +a fine gale of wind at north, being in sight of +land till the evening. On the 16th and the five +following days, the sea ran high, and the wind +was contrary, so that they were obliged to reef +their top-sails. On the 22d the wind blew a +perfect storm, which continued all the succeeding +night in squalls, attended with rain; the +Etoile made a signal of distress, but the violence +of the gale would not admit of any assistance +being given them. As the waves became less +mountainous, by the abating of the wind in the +morning, Mons. Bougainville hailed the Etoile, +to make enquiry into what damage she had sustained +in the late violent storm; when he learnt +<span class='pagenum'>177</span>that several of her chain plates, and her fore-top-sail-yard +had been carried away, and that +she had lost almost all the cattle which had been +purchased at Montevideo: the Boudeuse had +likewise lost most of her cattle, but had sustained +no other damage. +</p> +<p> +The winds were at this time very uncertain, +frequently changing during the remainder of the +month, and the currents were so violent, as to +drive the vessels as far as the forty-fifth degree +of south latitude. They now concluded, that +they were between thirty and forty degrees from +the coast of Patagonia; and, at length, when +they had soundings with a line of forty fathom, +they had sight of Cape Virgins; the same +land which Sir John Narborough and Commodore +Anson have distinguished by the name +of Cape Virgin Mary. +</p> +<p> +As Mons. Bougainville had, during a former +voyage, discovered a sunken rock in forty-eight +degrees and a half of south latitude, he +avoided coming too near the shore till he was +in forty-nine degrees; the person who had formerly +first seen this rock, imagined it had been +a grampus, and the ship had sailed within considerably +less than a mile of it. +</p> +<p> +It was on the 2d of December that they had +sight of Cape Virgins, about which time they +made all the sail possible, as the wind was in +their favour. They now saw a number of Albatrosses, +and petrels, the last of which Mons. +<span class='pagenum'>178</span>Bougainville says are a sign of bad weather, +whenever they are seen. They also beheld penguins, +seals, and whales in considerable numbers. +He says, that the skins of the whale appeared +to be covered with small worms, very +much like those which are observed to adhere +to the bottoms of old vessels which lie rotting +in harbour. Some white birds, not unlike +pigeons, but of a larger size, now perched +on the yards of the Boudeuse. +</p> +<p> +Soon after they had sight of Cape Virgins +they made the land of Terra del Fuego, and +for several successive days, they contended +with tempests and contrary winds. On the 3d +of December, the wind blowing favourable for +a short time, they made their best efforts to +reach the entrance of the streights of Magellan; +but the wind soon fell to a dead calm, and +thick fogs clouded the whole coast of the country: +in a few hours the breeze again sprang up, +but, as by this time night came on, they were +obliged to ply to the windward. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning of the 4th the wind +being favourable, they again stood in for land, +when hazy weather and rain preventing their +having sight of the coast, they were obliged +to keep the open sea; it cleared up, however, +in a short time, when they made another +attempt to enter the streight; but the wind +changing, the fog growing thicker, and a storm +ensuing, they were compelled to lay to, between +<span class='pagenum'>179</span>the main land, and the two shores of Terra +del Fuego. +</p> +<p> +On the 4th of December the fore-sail of the +Boudeuse was split by the fury of the winds, +and as at this time they were in no deeper water +than twenty fathom, they determined to scud +under their bare poles, lest they should run +fowl of some breakers which lie off Cape Virgins, +to the south south-east. +</p> +<p> +They now made other fruitless attempts to +enter the streight, sometimes being within sight +of the Cape, and at other times at a considerable +distance from it. Mons. Bougainville says +that the view of this Cape, as given in Anson’s +voyage, is exact in every respect. +</p> +<p> +The night of the 5th was spent in standing +off and on; and early in the morning of the +sixth they were in sight of Cape Possession, and +likewise of Terra del Fuego. They now took +the advantage of a westerly tide, and tried to +get close to the coast of Patagonia. They kept +sounding all the night between the sixth and +seventh, not sailing to a greater distance from +the coast than three leagues. What they had +gained by plying to the windward, they lost by +the opposition of the currents, and about noon +on the 7th were back in their former station.⁠—What +man in his senses, who reads accounts +like these, would hazard the imminent dangers +of such seas, for the honour of having made a +<span class='pagenum'>180</span>new discovery, or the pride of saying, that he +had circumnavigated the globe! +</p> +<p> +This day they had sight of Cape Orange, +which forms the first narrow pass in the streights. +This narrow pass Mons. Bougainville called +<i>goulet</i>, which is not improperly translated <i>gut</i>. +It is rather more than forty miles from Cape +Virgins to this first gut, and the streights, for +this distance, are of different breadths, of seldom +less than five, or more than seven leagues. +On the north coast the land is high and healthy, +and has a regular appearance, as far as +Cape Possession, in the bays of which there are +several dangerous rocks, opposite to the two +hillocks, to which Sir John Narborough gave +the name of the Asses Ears. +</p> +<p> +In the afternoon, when they had reached the +entrance of the gut, though the wind blew +fresh, and all their sails were set, the tide ran +with so great force, that they were driven backwards, +instead of advancing in their voyage. +</p> +<p> +In the evening the ships were anchored in +Possession Bay, and on the eighth, by the assistance +of a strong breeze, they stemmed the tide; +and afterwards, by making different tacks, they +got through the first narrow entrance of the +gut, with the wind right against them. +</p> +<p> +During the preceding night they had observed +fires on the shore, and this morning they +discovered a white flag, which the Patagonians +had erected on a rising ground; on which a +<span class='pagenum'>181</span>white flag was likewise hoisted at the mast-head +of each vessel. The flag which these Patagonians +had put up, was one given to them by the +Commander of the Etoile, when that ship lay +in Boucault’s Bay, in the month of June 1766, +so that it is pretty evident, that the people +were the same. Mons. Bougainville speaks in +very grateful terms of the care these Indians +had taken to preserve the flag. +</p> +<p> +While the ships were passing the above-mentioned +gut, a number of men, clothed in +the skins of beasts, were observed on Terra del +Fuego, who ran along the shore with their utmost +expedition, in order to keep pace with the +vessels: they likewise frequently beckoned with +their hands, as if they wished our voyagers +to land. The Spaniards say, that the inhabitants +of that part of Terra del Fuego, are +less savage in their manners than most other +native Indians. When Mons. Bougainville +sailed from Rio de la Plata, a Spanish ship was +on the point of sailing thence, to convey some +Priests, to instruct these people in the doctrines +of Christianity. +</p> +<p> +The ships having come to an anchor in the +afternoon, in Boucault’s Bay, several officers +from each vessel, having fire-arms with them, +embarked in boats, and went ashore at the bottom +of the bay. The common sailors were ordered +to remain in the boats, and to keep them +afloat: the gentlemen were no sooner landed, +<span class='pagenum'>182</span>than half a dozen of the natives came riding +up to them, on the full speed. When they +were advanced within fifty yards of the French, +they dismounted, and came forward, pronouncing +the word <i>Shawa</i>. Having come up quite +close, they held out their arms, and laid them +on those of the officers, whom they shook +hands with, and embraced, repeatedly saying +<i>Shawa</i>, which word was repeated by Mons. +Bougainville and his officers. +</p> +<p> +An Englishman, on reading the above passage, +may be allowed to make a remark on the +singular politeness of these savages, manifested +by the circumstance of <em>embracing</em>; but he will +not pay so vile a compliment to the delicacy of +the uninstructed Patagonian, as to suppose, that +he made the first advance towards a salute: on +the contrary, it is but a piece of justice due to +the superior good-breeding of the French, to +conclude, that they taught the savages that +worst rudiment of all politeness, that most filthy +deviation from all decent and manly behaviour, +the shocking custom of men kissing each +other! An Englishman of virtuous principles +and refined ideas, would scorn to kiss his own +son, whom he had not seen for a twelvemonth, +if the boy but approached to his teens: no! +let the manly shake of the hand, and the generous +effusion of the heart from the lips, be the +only expressions of affection, duty or politeness, +between man and man. Let our <em>embraces</em> +<span class='pagenum'>183</span>be reserved for those amiable creatures, to +whom God and Nature have taught us they +are due. +</p> +<p> +The Patagonians appeared to be much pleased +with the company of their new friends; but +it was observed, that some of them had a mixture +of fear imprinted on their countenances: +this, however, was soon removed by the hospitality +of the officers, who sent to the boats for +bread and cakes, which were as readily devoured +as they were chearfully given. More of the +Indians soon approached, among whom were +some children. They expressed no kind of +surprise at the sight of their visitants, and seemed +not to be unacquainted with the use of fire-arms, +as appeared by their making a noise +which resembled the report of a gun. The +good nature of these people was expressed in all +their actions: some of the French gentlemen +being engaged in collecting plants, the Patagonians +no sooner saw what kinds they collected, +than they immediately began to pull up and +bring the same sorts. One of them seeing an +officer engaged in this employment, went to +him, and pointing to his eye, which had received +an injury, intimated his wish, that some +herb might be shewn him, the virtues of which +would cure the disorder: and this was deemed +to be a conclusive proof, that they had an idea +of the medicinal virtues of herbs. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>184</span>Mons. Bougainville received from these Patagonians +a number of skins of the guanacoe +and other beasts, in exchange for a few trinkets, +on which they seemed to set a great value. +Some of the gentlemen having red cloaths on, +the natives advanced, and stroked them with +their hands, seeming highly delighted with +every thing of that colour; they also made +signs for some tobacco, and as often as any thing +was given them, they cried out <i>shawa</i>, in a +very loud and disagreeable tone. +</p> +<p> +A small quantity of brandy being given to +each of the Patagonians, they had no sooner +drank it, than they struck their hands repeatedly +against their throats, and blew with their +mouths, so as to produce a kind of trembling +sound, at the conclusion of which they had a +singular quivering of the lips. +</p> +<p> +The evening now advanced, and the gentlemen +prepared to return to their ships, which +was no sooner observed by the Indians, than +their uneasiness was expressed in their countenances, +and they intimated, by signs, that they +wished them to remain longer, as they expected +more of their brethren. The French, on the +contrary, made signs that they would come +again the next day, and bring such articles as +the natives had requested of them. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville and his party now walked +towards their boats, accompanied by the Indians, +one of whom sung songs till they reached +<span class='pagenum'>185</span>the coast, and several of them went into the +water as far as where the boats lay, where they +seized on all the articles they could put their +hands on; but when they saw they were observed, +they made no scruple to return them. +</p> +<p> +As the boats were rowing off, many more +Patagonians were observed galloping down to +their countrymen; and the crews of the boats +now cried out <i>Shawa</i>, so loud that the people +on shore could not fail to hear them. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville says, that these Indians +were the same which were seen by the crew of +the Etoile, in the year 1765, for one of the +seamen recollected a person among them whom +he had before seen. These people are well +made, and appear to be about the height described +by other voyagers. Our author says, +that it is the thickness of their limbs, the +largeness of their heads, and the extraordinary +breadth of their shoulders, that make them +appear to be of a gigantic race. +</p> +<p> +The colour of the Patagonians is brown, as +is that of all the native Americans, in whatever +climate they are born. Their muscles are +strong, and their nerves well braced; and as +their food abounds in juices proper for the +nourishment of the human frame, it is no wonder +that they arrive at their full growth. Their +eyes are sparkling, their teeth extremely white, +and their faces round, but rather flat; and many +of them are very comely men. Some of them +<span class='pagenum'>186</span>have whiskers, which grow long, but are very +thin; and they all tie their hair, which is long +and black, on the top of the head; the cheeks +of some of them are painted red. Their language +has an agreeable and melodious sound. +Our voyagers did not see any of the Patagonian +women; though it was conjectured, that +the men intended to have brought them from +a kind of camp, which appeared to be about +three miles distant. +</p> +<p> +These people wear a piece of leather round the +waist, and a kind of cloak made of skins, which +descends to the bottom of the leg, and is girt round +the body; the part which would otherwise cover +the shoulders, is permitted to fall back, so that +the greater part of the body is left naked, +though the climate is so cold as, apparently, to +require more covering than the whole which +they wear; but custom will harden the human +frame, so as to defy the rigour of the most inclement +seasons. +</p> +<p> +It was in the summer when Mons. Bougainville +was on the coast of Patagonia, yet, he +says, there was only a single day on which the +thermometer was observed to rise to ten degrees +higher than the freezing point. +</p> +<p> +The rest of the dress of the Patagonians consisted +of a sort of half-boots, made of the skin +of the horse, and left open at the back part of +the leg. A few of them wore on the thigh a +ring made of copper, two inches in breadth; +<span class='pagenum'>187</span>and the necks of two very young men were +adorned with beads. +</p> +<p> +Some small knives, of the manufacture of +England, were seen in their possession; which +our author very properly concludes were the +gift of Commodore Byron; and their only +arms consisted of a twisted gut, in the two ends +of which were enclosed a round pebble; and +weapons of that kind, he says, are used in all +that part of the American continent. +</p> +<p> +Their horses are very poor, and of a small +size; and the saddles and bridles were such as +are used by the natives of Rio de la Plata. +One of these people was observed to have gilt +nails on his saddle, stirrups made of wood, +enclosed with copper, a bridle made of leather, +twisted, and a compleat Spanish harness. +</p> +<p> +Their food consists chiefly of guanacoes and +vicunnas, and they eat both the flesh and marrow +of those animals. They devour this meat +raw, with great avidity, and carry it with them +on their horses. Fresh water being very scarce +in this country, the horses drink the sea water, +as do likewise their dogs, which are both small +and ugly. +</p> +<p> +It was observed, that some of them pronounced +<i>capitan</i>, <i>chico</i>, <i>bueno</i>, and other Spanish +words. Mons. Bougainville concludes, +that the Patagonians lead the same kind of life +as the Tartars, as they are always on horseback, +traversing immense plains, in pursuit of wild +<span class='pagenum'>188</span>beasts and game; and he imagines that they +also, like the Tartars, plunder the caravans of +travellers; but this remark seems equally cruel +and unjust, from his own account of the singular +friendship and kindness with which they +treated himself and his fellow-voyagers. Our +author concludes this part of his narrative by +saying, that he has “since found a nation in +the south pacific ocean, which is taller than the +Patagonians.” +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville tells us, that the soil of +this country is extremely dry, and very much +like that of Falkland’s islands: the coast, likewise, +exhibits the same kind of sea-weeds, +and shells of similar sorts are strewed upon the +beach. The country produces shrubs, but affords +no woods for shelter. +</p> +<p> +On the 9th of December, 1767, all the sails +of the vessels were set, to make head against +the fury of the tide; but they were obliged +again to come to an anchor, after sailing only +three miles. During two whole days the weather +was so tempestuous, that not a boat could +put off from the ships, which was a mortifying +circumstance, as great numbers of the Patagonians +were by this time got together, on the +spot where they had conversed with the officers, +who were concerned that they were not able to +keep their promise with these friendly people, +whose little wants might have been easily supplied. +It appeared, by the help of glasses, that +<span class='pagenum'>189</span>they had built several huts on the shore, and it +was observed, that some of them were constantly +galloping backwards and forwards from this +place to a spot, where it was supposed the main +body of them lay. +</p> +<p> +Early on the morning of the 12th the Boudeuse +lost an anchor, by the parting of the +cable; soon after which they set all their sails, +and by the assistance of the ebb-tide, and a favourable +wind, they got through the second +gut in the afternoon, and anchored on the +north-side of the isle of Elizabeth. +</p> +<p> +As they were detained here two days, by +tempestuous weather, and contrary winds, +Mons. Bougainville resolved to land on the isle +of Elizabeth, where he met with a few bustards, +that were at this time hatching their eggs, but +these birds were so intimidated at the sight of +our adventurers, that they could not approach +near enough to have even a single shot at them. +The island produces no wood, but only a kind +of heath, which might supply its place as fuel +for the fire. The water of this place is brackish, +and the soil extremely dry. Several places +were likewise observed, which had been marshes, +but had become dry, and the ground on some +parts of them were covered with a thin crust of +salt. It was evident that this island was occasionally +visited by the Indians, as the shells of +some fish they had eaten were found, near +<span class='pagenum'>190</span>where a dead dog was lying, and where it was +plain that fires had been made. +</p> +<p> +Our adventurers were now on the point of +entering that part of the streights of Magellan +which abounds in woods, and the principal difficulties +were already overcome. +</p> +<p> +On the afternoon of the 30th the anchors +were weighed, and they sailed, with a violent +wind, in a channel between the islands of St. +Barthelemi and Lions, and that of Elizabeth. +They were now obliged to coast the last named +island, to steer clear of a number of breakers, +with which the other islands are encompassed. +Having sailed beyond Cape Noir, they observed +that the country had a pleasant appearance, +being almost every where covered with woods, +which afforded a most delightful prospect to +the eye. +</p> +<p> +In the evening the weather became suddenly +calm and pleasant, so that Mons. Bougainville +pleased himself with the hope of being able to +double Cape Round before the morning; but +in this climate the most flattering appearances +are by no means to be relied on; a truth that +was fully evinced in the present instance: for +soon after twelve at night the wind suddenly +shifted, and blew most violently, bringing with +it storms of hail, and deluges of rain, while a +fog, apparently impenetrable, covered the whole +coast. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>191</span>The main-sail of the Boudeuse being split by +this storm, they endeavoured to make Port +Famine, where they hoped to be sheltered from +the tempest; but this attempt was fruitless; +for the violence of the current was such, that +they lost nine miles in as many hours, and +were hurried with amazing rapidity into a large +bay, formed by part of the coast of Terra del +Fuego, which Mons. Bougainville called Bay +Duelos, from the name of the officer who was +next in command under the Commodore of the +expedition, and whose knowledge and experience +are mentioned as circumstances highly +advantageous to the enterprize. +</p> +<p> +This Bay is described as being very convenient +for ships to anchor in, on account of the +westerly winds blowing over the coast. Two +small rivers discharge their streams into the +bay, the water of which is excellent at about a +quarter of a mile from the sea coast, though +nearer than that distance it is impregnated with +saline particles. The landing-place is a sandy +beach, above which a pleasant meadow stretches +itself to a considerable distance. Behind this +meadow the woods raise their lofty heads, and +form a kind of amphitheatre. Our adventurers +traversed a considerable tract of the country, +without meeting with any living animal, except +a very few parroquets, bustards, ducks, teals, +and two or three snipes. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>192</span>Several huts were seen at the mouth of a +river, which had been constructed by twisting +branches of trees into the form of an oven. +In these huts were found large numbers of limpets, +muscles, and calcined shells; and the +huts themselves appeared to have been recently +made. Our adventurers going some miles up +the river, observed the track of human creatures, +and remarked, that the flood came from +the east at the rising of the tide, which they +had not before observed in any other part of the +streights. +</p> +<p> +The seamen were now engaged in cutting +wood till the 16th, when the vessels sailed with +a favourable wind, and passed Point St. Anne, +which covers Port Famine, a bay so called, on +account of the disastrous fate of the colony +formerly established on its borders by the too +adventrous Spaniards. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville observes, that the shores +of this country are covered with wood, and are +remarkably steep: those of Terra del Fuego, +he says, are horrible to behold; and that +“mountains there are covered with a blueish +snow as old as the creation:”⁠—These are his +own words; but with all submission to the +learning and penetration of our ingenious +voyager, we cannot conceive by what kind of +intuition, he came to know that the snow had +lain on these mountains more than five thousand +years; or even that it had not fallen within +<span class='pagenum'>193</span>five days of the time he saw it. It is no breach +of Christian charity to observe, that these Frenchmen +are as finished coxcombs in their writings, +as they are in every part of their dress and behaviour. +It is hoped that Englishmen will be +cautious how they imitate them in either particular. +</p> +<p> +There are four bays proper for the anchoring +of vessels, between Cape Forward and Cape +Round; and two of these bays are separated +by a Cape of a most singular kind, which consists +of petrified shells, laying horizontally, and +rising more than fifty yards above the level of +the sea. Mons. Bougainville took soundings +at the foot of this Cape, but a line of an hundred +fathom would not reach the bottom. +</p> +<p> +As the ships were now becalmed for two +hours, our Commodore took this opportunity +of taking the soundings near, and the bearings +of Cape Forward, which he mentions as the +most southerly point of land, on the continent, +in the known world, and he fixes its latitude +at fifty-four degrees, five minutes, and forty-five +seconds, south. Its surface consists of two +hills, something more than two miles in extent, +one of which is considerably higher than +the other. The tops of these hills are covered +with snow, which gradually melting by the +warmth of the sun, supply with perpetual +moisture the roots of trees which are fixed in +the crevices of the rock. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>194</span>Mons. Bougainville and his party landed on +a small rock, which barely afforded room for +four persons to stand on, and here they hoisted +the colours of the boat, and repeatedly shouted +<i>Vive le Roi</i>. Our author mentions it with an +air of triumph, that these rocks now resounded +<em>for the first time</em>, with this compliment to the +grand Monarche. A striking instance of the +vanity by which the French nation is distinguished! +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/illu_201.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>Monsieur Bougainville Hoisting the French Colours, on a small Rock near Cape Forward in the Streights of Magellan.</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +Having returned to the ship, and the wind +coming about favourable, Mons. Bougainville +sailed in search of a harbour, which received +the name of <i>French Bay</i>, where he resolved to +take in a quantity of wood and water, as a supply +during their voyage across the great South-Sea. +In consequence of this resolution all the +boats were instantly hoisted out, with a view to +begin this necessary business the next morning. +</p> +<p> +The night proving excessively stormy and +tempestuous, it was passed in fears and apprehensions +which baffle all description. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning a boat was sent out to +sound the mouth of a river which had been +previously denominated <i>Gennes’ River</i>, from the +name of a gentleman who was a partaker in the +dangers and hardships of this expedition. As +it was low water when the boat reached the +shore, her crew could not land without running +her a-ground on a sand; and it was evident, +that the larger boats could only make the shore +<span class='pagenum'>195</span>at high water, so that their wood and water +could be brought on board only once a day. +For these reasons Mons. Bougainville determined +to anchor in a small bay about three miles distant, +called after his own name, where he had, +in the year 1765, taken in a loading of wood +for Falkland’s islands. +</p> +<p> +Bougainville bay, to which they now sailed, +is surrounded by high mountains, which secure +it from the winds blowing from every point of +the compass, so that the surface of the water +is unruffled even by a single breeze. +</p> +<p> +Having cast their anchors in this bay, and +made fast the vessels by means of hawsers tied +to some trees on the coast, they landed, and +found two Indian huts, constructed of the branches +of trees, but they did not appear to have +been lately inhabited. In the year 1765 Mons. +Bougainville had caused a hut of bark to be +erected on this spot, in which he left some trifles, +by way of present to such of the natives as +might happen to wander that way; on this hut +he had put up a white flag; but both the presents +and the flag had been taken away, and +the hut levelled with the ground. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 18th of December a +kind of camp was formed on shore, by way of +guarding the effects which were landed, and +protecting the men who were to be employed +in taking in wood and water. Small ponds +were now dug, for the accommodation of those +<span class='pagenum'>196</span>destined to wash the linen, and the water casks +were sent on shore to be repaired. The crew of +the Eagle having, in 1765, cut down many +more trees than were wanted for that vessel, +the labour of this task was saved to our present +adventurers, who were likewise happy in finding +roads ready made through the woods, for the +convenience of bringing down the timber to the +sea-shore. At this place the remainder of the +month was spent in the necessary employment +above-mentioned, and in repairing the ships, +particularly the Etoile, which had so large a +leak in her stern, that most of the hands on +board her were fatigued beyond expression, by +standing at the pumps, alternately, night and +day. +</p> +<p> +The astronomer, Mons. Verron, now landed +on a little island, which was denominated the +<i>Isle of Observatory</i>, from its being a place admirably +calculated for the making astronomical +observations; but his labours were fruitless, +owing to the cloudiness of the weather, which +is almost perpetual in this country. At some +periods, however, the sun appeared free from +clouds, and melted a part of the snow which +had lodged on the mountains of the main land. +Whenever this fine weather happened, the +prince of Nassau, attended by Mons. de Commerçon, +a celebrated botanist, went in search of +plants and herbs, and they were very successful +in their researches: but the gentlemen who endeavoured +<span class='pagenum'>197</span>to fish, or to hunt for animals, met +with no such good fortune, for they never catched +even a single fish, nor ever saw any quadruped +but one fox, which was killed by the party +employed in collecting the stores. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville having formed a resolution +of taking a survey of the coasts of the +main land, and likewise of those of Terra del +Fuego, he embarked in his boat, early in the +morning of the 22d, accompanied by two gentlemen, +who proposed to sail with him as far +as Cape Holland. The weather was calm and +serene at their first setting out; but the wind +soon varied to different points of the compass, +and blew a hurricane, which obliged our adventurers +to take shelter in the mouth of a small +river. Having gained the desired port, they +waited in the hope that the storm would abate, +till they were almost benumbed with the cold, +and wet to the skin with the rain; they therefore +landed, and cutting down some branches of +trees, erected a kind of hut, in order to shelter +them during the night. “These huts (says +Mons. Bougainville) serve as palaces to the +natives of these climates; but we had not +yet learnt their custom of living in them.” +</p> +<p> +It continued to rain incessantly, and was at +the same time so cold, that the gentlemen found +their present situation untenable; they therefore +sheltered themselves as well as they could under +the sail of the boat, and kept up a large fire all +<span class='pagenum'>198</span>night, which was tempestuous in a very high +degree. In the morning they hastened to their +boat, and returned to the ship, happy, by that +means, to avoid the effects of the growing tempest, +which soon became so violent, that it +would have prevented their returning at all. +For two days after this it snowed continually, +so that the mountains were covered, notwithstanding +it was now midsummer, and the sun +appeared almost eighteen hours in the four and +twenty. +</p> +<p> +When the storm had subsided, Mons. Bougainville +formed the resolution of going on a +second expedition, which he flattered himself +would be attended with more success. Accordingly, +early in the morning of the 27th (the +barge of the Etoile, and the long-boat of the +Boudeuse, having been armed with swivel guns +and muskets) our adventurers embarked with +the prince of Nassau, and two other gentlemen, +and sailed for the coast of Terra del Fuego, +where they arrived in about six hours; and +finding a number of huts, which the natives +had left in a delightful wood on the sea-coast, +they there sat down, and made a most agreeable +repast. +</p> +<p> +After dinner they coasted the country for a +considerable time, and then crossed an inlet, +which Mons. Bougainville conjectures to be a +streight which leads to the sea, at no great distance +from Cape Horn. This conjecture is +<span class='pagenum'>199</span>founded partly on the width of the inlet, which +is not less than six miles, and partly on the observing +a prodigious number of whales in that +part of the sea. +</p> +<p> +When our adventurers had almost reached +the opposite side of the inlet, they saw a number +of fires on the coast, and soon afterwards +discovered several of the inhabitants on the point +of a bay. Towards this place they immediately +steered; and they had no sooner landed, than +Mons. Bougainville recollected, that these Indians +were the same people whom he had seen on his +former voyage in the streights, and whom he +had then distinguished by the name of <i>Pecherais</i>, +because these savages were perpetually making +use of that word, in the same manner as the +Patagonians did that of <i>Shawa</i>. +</p> +<p> +The number of the Pecherais that had thus +assembled was about forty, of both sexes, and +all ages, and they had several canoes in an adjacent +creek. As the evening advanced, Mons. +Bougainville could not stay long with his old +acquaintance, but left them, in order to reach +an inlet, where he proposed to spend the night; +but as the time would not permit the accomplishing +his wish, he landed on the banks of a +river, and having caused tents to be made of +the sails of the boats, and a large fire to be +made, the party spent the night in perfect safety, +and much to their satisfaction. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>200</span>On the following day it was found that the +inlet above-mentioned was an excellent port, +wherein ships might be sheltered against every +dangerous wind; and in which the ground is +admirably calculated to afford the best and +safest anchorage. From the elegance and convenience +of this bay and port it received the +name of <i>Beaubassin</i> [the beautiful harbour.] +Mons. Bougainville mentions this place as +equally convenient for the careening of ships, +and for the taking in wood and water. +</p> +<p> +That no necessary information respecting so +commodious a harbour might be lost, the Commodore +left Mons. Bournard there, to take the +most exact account of every thing that might +be thought worthy of notice, and he was then +to return, in the long-boat, to the ships. In +the mean time Mons. Bougainville and a part +of his company embarked in the barge, and +rowing to the westward, discovered an island, +on the coast of which several of the natives +were employed in fishing. Before the evening +our voyagers arrived at a bay, which received +the name of <i>de la Cormorandiere</i>; from a rock +which appeared at about a mile distant from it. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning of the 29th Mons. Bougainville +departed from this bay, and sailed between +two islands, to which he gave the name +of the <i>two Sisters</i>, they are situated about +nine miles from Cape Forward. Soon after +this they discovered a mountain, of a conical +<span class='pagenum'>201</span>form, which they called the <i>Sugar Loaf</i>; and, +in the course of the day they arrived at a commodious +bay, at the bottom of it there is a +most excellent port, into which falls a very singular +cascade. For these reasons the place received +the name of the <i>Bay and Port of the Cascade</i>. +It is represented as a place highly proper +for taking in wood and water, and very safe to +anchor in. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/illu_210.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>A Prospective View of the great Cascade in Cascade Bay.</i><br> +<span class='fontp67'><i>J. June Sc.</i></span></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +The stream of a small river which seeks its +way between a number of lofty hills, forms this +water-fall, which descends perpendicularly down +the side of the rock above a hundred yards. +Mons. Bougainville went to the top of the cascade, +and made his remarks on the appearance +of the adjacent country, in some parts of which +there are small plains which produce a kind of +spungy moss, and in others the ground is covered +with thickets of wood. The plants and +trees are of the same kind as those which the +coast of Patagonia produces; and the whole face +of the country has much the appearance of +Falkland’s islands, except the want of trees at +the latter place. On the whole, our author +says, that all that part of Terra del Fuego, from +the present spot, to that which lies opposite +Elizabeth island, consists only of large and +mountainous islands, the summits of which are +clothed with perpetual snow. Mons. Bougainville +searched in this place to find the traces of +inhabitants, but he did not succeed; and he is +<span class='pagenum'>202</span>of opinion, that the natives of Terra del Fuego +seldom, if ever, depart from the sea-shores, because +on those they obtain the necessaries of life. +</p> +<p> +Our adventurers remained at Port Cascade, +during the night of the 29th, which was rendered +highly disagreeable by incessant rain, and +intense cold; and on the morning of the following +day they crossed the streight with a boisterous +wind and a rough sea, which rendered +the navigation dangerous to so small a vessel. +The rain kept pouring down almost the +whole of this day, which was employed in +viewing the coast, and making such remarks +as may be useful to future navigators. Our +voyagers had now a very narrow escape with +their lives, the boat having been nearly overset +in crossing a bay, owing to a mistake of the +steersman in the management of the helm. At +length, however, they got safe on board the +Boudeuse, and as the commanding officer, +during Mons. Bougainville’s absence, had shipped +every thing that was necessary, preparations +were immediately made for sailing. +</p> +<p> +They departed from Bougainville Bay in the +afternoon of the 31st of December, 1767, and +in the evening came to an anchor in the road +of Port Galant, which is situated at the bottom +of Fortescue Bay, where they were detained +no less than three weeks, by such bad weather, +as the inhabitants of these milder climes cannot +form an adequate idea of. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>203</span>On the first of January, 1768, Mons. Bougainville +dispatched a party in a boat, to make +remarks on the coast, as far as Elizabeth Bay; +and to take a view of the numerous islands +with which this part of the streights of Magellan +abounds. Two of these islands, to +which Sir John Narborough formerly gave +the names of Charles and Monmouth, were distinctly +seen from the place where the ships lay +at anchor; but those which he has denominated +the Royal Isles, and Rupert Island, were at too +great a distance to be viewed from Mons. Bougainville’s +present station. +</p> +<p> +Notwithstanding the severity of the weather, +and the almost incessant rains, the crew which +had been sent out landed on different places, at +one of which it was evident, that some English +ships had lately touched; for on several trees +they saw initial letters, and even whole names, +cut in the wood: they also saw many spice-laurel-trees, +the bark of which had been lately +taken off, with other plain indications who they +were that had visited the spot, but what put +the matter beyond all doubt, were the words, +<i>Chatham, March, 1766</i>, which were very legible +on a piece of wood, of that kind which is +frequently affixed to pieces of cloth in the +royal marine warehouses of Great Britain. +</p> +<p> +The astronomer, Mons. Verron, in the mean +time, had his astronomical instruments conveyed +to a peninsula, by which the harbour is +<span class='pagenum'>204</span>formed, in order to make observations, for ascertaining +the bearing and distances of particular +capes: but the result of his observations +would afford neither instruction nor entertainment +to any but the mere nautical reader; +nor would they be of the least use even to him, +unless he was bound on a voyage to the South +Seas, through the streights of Magellan. +</p> +<p> +The weather was so exquisitely severe on the +fourth and fifth of January, that no pen can +describe it, nor any imagination conceive an +idea of it. A violent storm of wind was attended +with incessant rain or snow, and the +keenest biting coldness in the air. Mons. Bougainville +informs us that, during this severe +weather, he sent out a boat to search for a convenient +anchoring-place on the coast of Terra del +Fuego, and an excellent one was found to the +south-west of Charles and Monmouth islands. +</p> +<p> +On the 6th the weather was more moderate +than it had been for some days past. In the +morning of this day four small boats, with Indians +on board them, were observed at the +point of Cape Galant, one of which advanced +towards Mons. Bougainville’s ship, while the +rest rowed towards the bottom of the bay. In +the boat which approached the Boudeuse were +a man, his wife, and two children, the former +of whom went on board, without the least apparent +sign of fear, leaving the woman and +children in the boat. Soon after this man had +<span class='pagenum'>205</span>gone on board, two Indians from the other +boats followed his example, bringing their +children with them. +</p> +<p> +These people seemed not to express the least +surprize either at the structure of the ship, or +at any thing they saw on board her, which our +author deems a proof that, “in order to be +capable of being surprized at the work of art, +one must have some fundamental ideas of it.”⁠—There +may be some truth in this observation; +but we cannot help resolving the apparent want +of curiosity in these savages into another, and a +very different cause; namely, their having seen +the English, or other vessels, which had visited +the streights of Magellan. +</p> +<p> +The Commodore prevailed on these people +to dance and sing, and treated them with a kind +of concert of music. He likewise gave them +bread, and different kinds of meat, all of which +they devoured with avidity, seeming equally +pleased with every thing that was given them, +and with every occurrence that passed; nor +could they be persuaded to quit the ship, till +several pieces of salt meat had been put into +their boats. +</p> +<p> +Our author calls these happy Indians “troublesome +and disgusting guests.”⁠—One would +wonder on what authority he has adopted these +epithets, or how the company of the <em>savages</em>, +as he calls them, could be troublesome or disgusting, +when they sang and danced, only on +<span class='pagenum'>206</span>being asked to do so; received with gratitude +whatever was given them, and applied it to the +purpose for which it was given.⁠—Mons. +Bougainville calls them “unpolished men;” +as if the frippery complaisance of the court of +Versailles could have been expected from these +honest tenants of the woods; whose instructors +are plain sense and nature, and whose God is +the God of the Europeans.⁠—In a word, our +author writes with an affected consciousness of +superiority, and in the pert restlessness of stile, +that is almost peculiar to the French novelist +who would be thought a philosopher. +</p> +<p> +The people are clothed with seal-skins, which +are by far too small to cover the whole of the +body; and with these skins they make the sails +of their boats, and the coverings of their huts. +They are likewise possessed of a few of the +skins of the guanacoe, but our author does +not mention to what use they apply them; +though it should seem probable that they form +a part of their clothing. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville describes these Indians as +thin, short, and ugly; and that a most offensive +smell is the consequence of keeping them +company. The women are still more disagreeable +than the men, who do not appear by any +means fond of them. It is the duty of the females +to steer the boats, and to repair any damage +that may happen to them; and they are +often obliged to swim after them through the +<span class='pagenum'>207</span>sea-weeds; nor are even women who have sucking +children excused this duty: the child is carried +on the mother’s back, enclosed in the seal-skin +that forms her dress. When the women +are on shore their business is to collect shells and +wood; nor do the men even share with them +in this employment. +</p> +<p> +The boats are constructed of the bark of trees, +fastened together with rushes, and the seams are +caulked with moss. A fire is constantly kept +in the middle of the boat, on a heap of sand, +which is placed to prevent the burning of the +vessel. Their arms consist of bows and arrows +formed of the branches of the berberry bush, +which grows plentifully in these parts. The +arrows are pointed with sharp stones, and the +string of the bow is made of the gut of some +animal; but they use not these weapons against +an enemy; they are destined only for the destruction +of birds, or other animals proper for +the support of life. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville says, that these Indians +use a kind of harpoon, for the purpose of +striking fish, which is made of bones, it is about +twelve inches in length, pointed at the end, and +indented on one of its sides. +</p> +<p> +The principal subsistence of these people is +fish; but it is supposed that they sometimes +catch game, as they have dogs of the sporting +kind, and springes, or nooses, adapted for the +snaring of quadrupeds. The teeth of all the +<span class='pagenum'>208</span>natives are very bad, which our author attributes +to their eating fish when boiling hot, though +they do not half boil it before it is so eaten. +They live in huts which have no partition of +rooms, in the middle of which a fire is lighted, +that serves the whole family. +</p> +<p> +The disposition of these people is of the amiable +kind; but their extreme good nature borders +on weakness; they believe in evil genii, +and have priests and physicians, whom they suppose +capable of deprecating the vengeance of +their aerial enemies. Mons. Bougainville observes, +that these <i>Pecherais</i> have the fewest conveniences +of life of any people he has ever +known; yet they do not repine at their situation, +but appear to be contented with the lot +which providence hath assigned them; tho’ they +live in the most inclement climate hitherto discovered +in the habitable globe. Exclusive of +the other peculiarities of their fate, they are +fewer in number than any other known race of +men; yet this little society, cut off as it is +from all intercourse with the rest of mankind, +is not totally free from the vices common to +larger states, as a contest for dominion exists +even among them, and the more powerful are +perpetually labouring to distress the weaker. +Thus it is with the poor <i>Pecherais</i>, as with every +other community in the universe, that those who +cannot make head against tyranny, must submit +<span class='pagenum'>209</span>to the arbitrary command, the <i>sic voleo, sic jubeo</i> +of the tyrant. +</p> +<p> +The inclemency of the weather, during the +7th and 8th of the month, was such, that the +crews of the ships could not venture on shore; +and though it was even now the summer-time, +the adjacent country was covered with snow, +which also laid on the ship to the depth of several +inches. +</p> +<p> +On the ninth the Indians, who had previously +painted their bodies with red and white streaks, +advanced towards the ships; but seeing the +boats go off towards their habitations, all of +them, except one, followed the ships boats, +and that went on board the Etoile, where she +remained but a little while, and then followed +the others. +</p> +<p> +The crews of the boats having landed, went +to the huts of the Indians, who seemed by no +means to relish this unexpected visit; which was +particularly evinced by the women having all +retreated to one hut. The men invited the +French sailors into those huts where the women +were not to be found; and the Frenchmen +having accepted the invitation, were treated +with shell fish, which the Indians shucked before +they delivered them to their visitors. The behaviour +of the natives was lively, and they entertained +their guests with dancing and singing: +they revelled with uncontrolled delight, when, +<span class='pagenum'>210</span>alas! their mirth was interrupted by an accident +as fatal as unexpected! +</p> +<p> +A boy, the son of one of the Indians, was +suddenly seized with a disorder which occasioned +the most violent convulsions, and spitting of +blood. This child had been on board the +Etoile, where the seamen had presented him +with some pieces of glass; and as these Indians +are accustomed to put things of this kind up +their nostrils, and into their throats, it is supposed +this youth had taken the same measure, +and that the fatal effects which followed were +the consequence of his having swallowed the +glass. It is here proper to remark, that the +<i>Pecherais</i> consider the swallowing of substances +which resemble glass, as a preventive remedy +against certain disorders to which they are liable. +</p> +<p> +The lips, palate, and gums of the boy were +cut; and as he bled freely, the Indians conceived +an idea that the Frenchmen had violated the +rights of hospitality, and injured him, whom, +by all the laws of honour, they were bound to +treat with civility. +</p> +<p> +This circumstance gave rise to a jealousy and +distrust no way favourable to their European visitors; +indeed it appeared, that the Indians suspected +the French to have caused the child’s +illness. A linen jacket having been given to +this child by the French, he was stript of it, +and it was thrown at their feet; but it was instantly +<span class='pagenum'>211</span>seized by an Indian, who did not seem +to dread the powers of enchantment. +</p> +<p> +The child being laid on his back, a conjurer +knelt between his legs, and pressing the body +forcibly with his hands and head, uttered a number +of inarticulate vociferations. At repeated +intervals during this ceremony he arose, and +opening his hands, which had been before +grasped, he blew in the air with his mouth, as +if desirous of driving away some evil genius. +While this business was transacting, an ancient +woman bawled in the ears of the child, so as +almost to deafen him with her noise; and indeed +the remedy seemed to be, in the literal +phrase, worse than the disease. The conjurer +having retired for some time, returned in a new +dress, and, with an air of triumph, renewed +his incantations, but with no better success than +before. His hair had been powdered, and his +head was distinguished by two wings, similar to +those with which Mercury is represented by the +painters. The life of the child now appearing +to be even in more danger than before, the +French Chaplain hastily baptized him, unobserved +by the Indians. +</p> +<p> +What a strange medley of ignorance and superstition +was all this!⁠—Mons. Bougainville +laughs at the folly of the Indian juggler, while +he seems to speak in an applausive strain of the +conduct of the French priest, which was +<span class='pagenum'>212</span>certainly equally ridiculous with that of the +Indian! +</p> +<p> +Some officers having repaired on board the +ship, and acquainted the Commodore with what +was transacting, he went on shore with the Surgeon, +who took some gruel and milk with him. +When they came to the spot, they found that +the juggler was assisted by another person habited +like himself, and that the patient had suffered +much from their absurd attempts to relieve +him; yet were these attempts continued, without +any complaint on the part of the poor boy. +</p> +<p> +The affection of the parents, and indeed of +the whole company of Indians, was manifested +by floods of tears, and by many other expressions +of grief; and when it was observed, +that the Frenchmen seemed to share in their misfortune, +they appeared to be less diffident of +the conduct of the strangers; and at length +they permitted the Surgeon to examine the +mouth of the sick youth, which being bloody, +had been repeatedly sucked by his father and +another man. +</p> +<p> +After some time the father accepted the gruel, +and permitted his son to drink some milk, but +not till the French gentlemen had repeatedly +tasted it in his presence. The conjurers appeared +to be jealous of the Surgeon, but they +could not help confessing the superiority of his +abilities. It was remarked, that while one of +these Indian physicians was endeavouring to +<span class='pagenum'>213</span>drive away the disorder, the other was busily +employed in deprecating that vengeance, which +they supposed the visit of the strangers had occasioned. +</p> +<p> +In the evening the child appeared to be less +pained; but, from many circumstances, it was +thought, that he had swallowed some pieces of +glass. Mons. Bougainville and the Surgeon now +went on board, and it is conjectured, that the +boy died about two o’clock the next morning; +for soon after that time loud cries were heard, +and, at day-break, the Indians departed from +a place which had been so peculiarly fatal to +them; for the loss of even one member of so +small a community, could not but be an object +of great and public concern. +</p> +<p> +On the 13th and 14th the weather was so +bad, that it was impossible to think of sailing, +and on the 15th the vessels were detained by a +strong contrary wind; but on the following day +they sailed, with a favourable breeze, which, +however, soon shifted, and prevented their +reaching Rupert island, off which it was Mons. +Bougainville’s intention to have anchored. After +a whole day of fatigue and danger they returned +to Port Galant, and anchored again near +their former station. +</p> +<p> +On the seventeenth the storms were more +violent than they had ever yet been; the sea +ran to a mountainous height, and the wind +blew in such contrary directions, that the opposing +<span class='pagenum'>214</span>waves destroyed each other. The storm +having in some degree subsided before noon, a +loud peal of thunder was presently heard, after +which the winds blew with increasing violence, +and all the elements waged a still more furious +war. The anchors of the ships having dragged, +the top-masts and lower-yards were struck, to +avoid the dreadful consequences of the storm. +At this time, however, the shrubs and plants +were in bloom, and the trees were covered +with a luxuriance of verdure. +</p> +<p> +On the 21st and the two following days the +weather was extremely windy, while it rained +and snowed incessantly. The night of the 21st +indeed was moderately calm; but this calm +served only as the prelude to a storm, which +descended with aggravated fury; such a storm +as the oldest sailor on board had never remembered; +but its continuance was by no means proportioned +to its violence. +</p> +<p> +On the 24th the weather being fine and serene, +preparations were made for sailing, and +on the following day the anchors were weighed, +and the vessels got under way. Having arrived +off Cape Quod, our Commodore stops a moment +to describe it. Its figure, he says, is very +singular, consisting of craggy rocks, the most +elevated of which bear a strong resemblance +to the ruins of ancient buildings. From Bay +Galant to this cape the verdant appearance of +the trees takes off, in some degree, that horror, +<span class='pagenum'>215</span>which would otherwise arise in the mind from +the constant sight of the summits of mountains +which are always frozen. After passing Cape +Quod, the face of the country is totally changed, +both sides of the streight exhibiting a prospect +of rocks, which are uncovered even with the +slighted layer of earth. The tops of these +rocks are cloathed with eternal snow, while the +vallies between them are choaked up with prodigious +quantities of ice, which have the appearance +of having been congealed for a long +series of years. So dreadful is the appearance +of this part of the streight, that Sir John Narborough +gave it the name of <i>Desolation of the +South</i>; and, in fact, it is desolate and dreary +beyond all description. +</p> +<p> +When Mons. Bougainville’s ship was opposite +Cape Quod, the coast of Terra del Fuego, +distant upwards of forty miles, appeared as if +terminated by a projecting cape. There are +three capes on the continent, which our adventurers +called <i>Etoile Cape</i>, <i>Boudeuse Cape</i>, and +<i>Split Cape</i><a href='#fn_3' id='fnb_3' class='fn_anchor'>[3]</a>, the last of which is so denominated +from its figure. The streight, which in +this part is about six miles wide, received the +name of Long Reach<a href='#fn_4' id='fnb_4' class='fn_anchor'>[4]</a>. +</p> +<div class='footnote' id='fn_3'> +<p> +<a href='#fnb_3'>[3]</a> <i>Cape Fendu</i>, in the original. +</p> +</div> +<div class='footnote' id='fn_4'> +<p> +<a href='#fnb_4'>[4]</a> <i>Longue Rue.</i> +</p> +</div> +<p> +As the evening of the 26th was very fine, +Mons. Bougainville determined to continue his +way under an easy sail; but about two hours +<span class='pagenum'>216</span>before midnight a thick fog came on, the wind +arose, and the rain poured down in torrents, +while it became so excessive dark, that no land +could be seen. The situation of the ships was +now supposed to be opposite Cape Monday; +and the night was spent in standing off and on +shore, in momentary expectation of some fatal +accident. +</p> +<p> +The land being seen at day-break, they +hoisted additional sails, and proceeded with rapidity, +till they reached Cape Pillar, when +they had sight of the main ocean, into which +they arrived under a full sail, on the evening +of the same day; having, by the advantage +of thirty six hours fair wind, sailed from port +Galant into the great South Sea, without once +coming to an anchor. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville was seven weeks and +three days in passing the streights of Magellan, +the whole length of which, from Cape Virgin +Mary to Cape Pillar, he computes at about +three hundred and forty miles. +</p> +<p> +Though the passing the streights is a work of +some difficulty and danger, our author recommends +it as more safe than the doubling of Cape +Horn, if undertaken between the months of +September and April; but, during the rest of +the year, he advises the passing through the +open sea; and he observes, that the lost time +in sailing through the Magellanic Streights, is +amply repaid by the conveniences of taking in +<span class='pagenum'>217</span>wood and water, and the chance there is of the +scurvy making less havock among a crew, when +they have repeated opportunities of landing. +He adds, that when he left the streights he had +not a single invalid on board either of his vessels. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a recital +of the several circumstances which arose, and +the adventures he met with, from this period +till his return to Europe; in which we shall +trace him with the utmost fidelity of the historian; +presuming to differ from him whenever +he appears to be mistaken as a writer, or to act +on wrong principles as a man. +</p> +<p> +Our Commodore now sailed nearly a westerly +course, having previously agreed with the Captain +of the Etoile, that he should keep company +with the Boudeuse during the nights, and in +the morning of each day should sail as far as +he could to the southward, without losing sight +of the other vessel, in order that the ships might +command as extensive a prospect as possible, by +which means it was hoped that some new discoveries +might be made. +</p> +<p> +On the 30th of January, while the sea ran +very high, one of the crew of the Boudeuse +fell over board, and was drowned, notwithstanding +every endeavour to preserve his life.⁠—From +this time till the 17th of February, Mons. +Bougainville sailed in search of what is called +<span class='pagenum'>218</span>Davis’s Land, which was discovered by our +countryman of that name in the year 1686; +and he says, that if he had followed the directions +laid down in Mons. de Bellin’s chart, he +must have sailed over this land. +</p> +<p> +On the 17th sea gulls were seen; and as these +birds do not go above eighty leagues from land, +it was resolved not to alter the course of the ships +for three days; but within this period no land +was discovered. +</p> +<p> +The westerly wind, with a slight variation to +the north and south, prevailed from the 23d of +February to the 3d of March, during which +time they had rain and thunder every day, immediately +before, or soon after the sun had +reached the meridian. This variation of the +wind, from what is commonly called the Trade-wind, +is mentioned by Mons. Bougainville as +an extraordinary circumstance. +</p> +<p> +Soon after the ships had got clear of the +streights of Magellan, an epidemical sore throat +attacked almost every man on board, which +was cured by putting vinegar and red hot bullets +into the water-casks, so that by the end +of March, the whole crew were recovered. +For several days after this period such a quantity +of bonitos and other fish was catched, as +afforded one meal daily to every man on board. +</p> +<p> +On the 21st a tunny fish was taken, in the +belly of which were a number of small fish of +<span class='pagenum'>219</span>such kinds, as are known not to swim far out +to sea; whence it was concluded, that land +could not be at any great distance; and on the +following day this conjecture appeared to be +well founded, for four very small islands were +then discovered, to which Mons. Bougainville +gave the name of <i>les quatre Facardins</i>; but as +these were too much to the windward of the +ships, they held on their way, steering for another +island, which was almost right a head. +</p> +<p> +As the vessels advanced towards this latter +island, it was observed, that it abounded with +cocoa-nut trees, the fruit of which had a very +tempting appearance. These trees grew on +plats of grass, strewed with an abundance of +beautiful flowers; and the rest of the island was +clothed with trees of various kinds. Immense +numbers of birds were seen on the coast, which +was therefore supposed to afford a plenty of +fish: but the sea running high, and no harbour +being discovered, in which our voyagers might +hope for protection from the fury of its waves, +they were prevented from landing: when they +had coasted the island for about two miles, they +had sight of three men, who advanced hastily +towards the shore. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville at first imagined that +these people were part of the crew of some +European ship, which had been wrecked on the +coast; and, impressed with this idea he gave, +the necessary orders for affording them the +<span class='pagenum'>220</span>wished for relief: but he soon discovered that +his conjecture was ill-founded; for the people +retired to the woods, from whence, in a short +time, issued a number of them, supposed to be +near twenty, with long staves in their hands, +which they held up with an air of threatening +and defiance. This being done, they retreated +to the woods, in which, by the help of glasses, +their habitations were plainly seen. These +islanders were of a copper complexion, and +very tall. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville makes it a matter of wonder +by what means these people were conveyed +to this solitary island, and how they are disposed +of when their increasing numbers render their +support impossible on a spot, the circumference +of which, he apprehends, does not exceed nine +miles:⁠—but our philosopher seems to forget +that he has but just left four other small islands; +nor did he recollect, when he wrote his volume, +that he was, in a subsequent page, to tell us +that he had soon afterwards discovered a larger +island, the inhabitants of which, for any thing +he could tell, might have intercourse with those +on the before-mentioned island. He seems +equally ignorant, whether the people of these +islands are or are not possessed of vessels proper +for conveying them from one to the other; and +he has forgot likewise, which appears to be the +greatest blunder of all, that there may probably +be, in this neighbourhood, some large continent, +<span class='pagenum'>221</span>hitherto unknown to all our European navigators. +It is possible our remarks may be as absurd +as Mons. Bougainville’s appear to be; but +they seem to arise naturally from the subject. +Be this as it may; our Commodore named the +above-mentioned place the <i>Isle of Lance-bearers</i>, +from the staves, or lances, which the inhabitants +brandished. +</p> +<p> +During the night between the 22d and 23d +they had much rain, accompanied with violent +thunder, while the wind blew almost a tempest. +At the dawn of the morning land was discovered, +which appeared to be a regular level, +sufficiently clothed with verdure. Breakers being +observed on the coast, the ships stood out to +sea, till the weather becoming more calm, they +might approach the shore with greater safety, +which happening before noon, they then coasted +the island, which is shaped like a horse-shoe, +and its inside is filled by the sea. +</p> +<p> +Some parts of this island produce cocoa-nut +and other trees, which afford a very agreeable +shade, but the greater part of it is only a sand, +on which grows no kind of verdure. A number +of Indians were observed in boats, some of +them rowing, and others sailing, on the lake +formed by the shape of the island. These people +were all naked; and in the evening large +numbers of them were seen on the sea-shore, +with pikes in their hands, like those with which +<span class='pagenum'>222</span>the inhabitants of the Isle of Lance-bearers were +armed. +</p> +<p> +Night advanced before any proper place was +found for the ship’s boats to land; nor were +they more successful in their researches in the +morning; wherefore they held on their course, +Mons. Bougainville having called the place <i>Harp +Island</i>; the inhabitants of which had the appearance +of being tall, and genteelly made. +</p> +<p> +Our flippant Frenchman professes to admire +the courage of these islanders, “if they live +unconcerned on these little slips of sand,” +which are every moment liable to be sunk in +the abyss of an enormous ocean. He might as +well admire the courage of the inhabitants of +France, the redoubted vassals of <i>Louis le Grand</i>; +who are not less liable to fall victims to a convulsion +of nature, nor under the more immediate +protection of the Almighty, than these +harmless tenants of a solitary island; happily +cut off, as they are, from an intercourse with +the more polished barbarians of Europe! +</p> +<p> +In the evening of the day on which Harp +Island was discovered, they had sight of other +land, at the distance of something more than +twenty miles, which had the appearance of being, +what it afterwards was found to be, a +cluster of islands, eleven of which were seen, +and received the name of the <i>Dangerous Archipelago</i>. +Our author conjectures, that they are +more numerous, and observes, that it is dangerous +<span class='pagenum'>223</span>sailing among them, as they are encompassed +with shoals and breakers, through which +a vessel ought to steer with peculiar care. +</p> +<p> +The ships now stood to the south, and by the +28th of the month were out of sight of all land. +The cluster of islands above-mentioned were first +discovered by <i>Quirôs</i>, in the year 1606, and +were again visited by <i>Roggewein</i>, in the year +1722, who gave them the name of the <i>Labyrinth</i>. +</p> +<p> +Nothing material happened from this time +till towards the end of March, when the weather +was boisterous and stormy, to a very great +degree, for several days successively; and the +scurvy now began to attack several of the crew. +To combat the ill effects of this disorder, every +invalid received, daily, a pint of lemonade, +in which was infused a powder, which had been +frequently used with success during the voyage. +About this time they were much in want of +fresh water, which was procured by the distillation +of sea-water, according to a process invented +by Mons. Poissonier; and the water +thus procured was used in boiling meat, and +making broth. The bread was kneaded with +salt-water. +</p> +<p> +A steep mountain, which appeared to be encompassed +by the sea, was discovered on the second +of April, and received the name of the +<i>Boudoir</i>, or <i>Boudeuse Peak</i>, from that of Mons. +Bougainville’s ship.⁠—Bearing to the northward +<span class='pagenum'>224</span>of this peak, they had sight of land, which extended +farther than the eye could reach. +</p> +<p> +By this time it was become highly necessary +for the ships to put in at some port, where they +might obtain refreshments, and take in a supply +of wood. For the greater part of this +day the weather was wholly calm; but in the +evening a breeze sprung up, which conveyed +the ships near the newly-discovered land; but +it was thought prudent to stand off and on for +the night. +</p> +<p> +In the morning they had sight of more land +to the northward, but were not able to distinguish +whether it was another island, or a part +of that which they had before seen. +</p> +<p> +In the night between the 3d and 4th of the +month fires were observed on several places, +from whence it was conjectured, that the country +abounded with inhabitants. Just before sunrising +on the 4th, it was discovered that the two +lands, which had been supposed to be separate +islands, were connected by a flat country, bending +like a bow, and forming a fine bay. While +the ships were standing in towards the land, a +boat was seen coming from the offing, which +soon afterwards crossed a head of the ship, and +joined a number of other boats, which had assembled +from various parts of the island. This +assemblage of boats was preceded by one which +was rowed by twelve Indians, quite naked, who +advanced towards the side of the ship, and held +<span class='pagenum'>225</span>up some boughs of the banana tree. Considering +this as a token of friendship, our adventurers, +in their turn, endeavoured to express a reciprocal +regard. +</p> +<p> +This being done, the natives rowed alongside +the Boudeuse, and a rope being lowered +into the boat, one of them affixed to his branch +of the banana tree, a quantity of the fruit of +that tree, and a small pig. This present was +accepted, and, in return for it, Mons. Bougainville +gave them some handkerchiefs and caps; +and thus was a friendly intercourse established +with these people. +</p> +<p> +In a short time upwards of a hundred boats +surrounded the French ships, which were laden +with bananas, cocoa-nuts, and various other +kinds of fruit, highly acceptable to the French, +who gave in exchange for them a number of +toys, which proved equally acceptable to the +Indians.⁠—In order to carry on this traffic, our +voyagers held up such articles as they meant to +give for the fruit, and when the natives were +satisfied with the quantity which was offered, +it was let down by the ship’s side in a net or +basket, and the Indians having taken it out, +returned their commodities by the same conveyance; +but sometimes the basket was lowered +when empty, and the natives put their effects in +it before they had received the European goods, +without seeming to harbour the least distrust +or jealousy of those with whom they dealt; +<span class='pagenum'>226</span>thereby giving the best proof of the integrity +of their own hearts. +</p> +<p> +When the evening advanced, the ships stood +out farther from the coast, and the natives +rowed back to the shore. During the night a +number of fires were seen on the island, at small, +and nearly equal distances from each other, +which the French imagining to be illuminations +in honour of themselves, a number of sky-rockets +were fired from both the ships, to return +the compliment. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the fifth the boats were +sent in search of an anchoring-place, while the +day was spent in plying to windward of the +island. +</p> +<p> +The description which Mons. Bougainville +gives of the appearance of this place, as seen +from the ships, is very beautiful. The mountains, +though of great height, are every where +clothed with the finest verdure, even to the +extreme point of their most lofty summits: one +peak, in particular, runs up to a most enormous +height, tapering gradually as it rises; yet is it +every where clothed with the most beautiful +foliage, forming the appearance of a pyramid +adorned with garlands, and carved by the hand +of an ingenious sculptor. The lower lands +consist of an intermixture of woods and meadows, +while the coast is a level ground, sheltered +by the mountains, and abounding in cocoa-nut +and other trees, beneath the agreeable +<span class='pagenum'>227</span>shade of which are situated the houses of the +inhabitants. +</p> +<p> +As Mons. Bougainville coasted the island, he +was charmed with the appearance of a noble +cascade, which, falling immediately from the +summit of a mountain, into the sea, produced +a most elegant effect. On the shore, very near +to the fall of this cascade, was a little town, +and the coast appeared to be free from breakers. +It was the wish of our adventurers to have +cast their anchors within view of such an enchanting +prospect; but, after repeated soundings, +they found that the bottom consisted only +of rocks; and they were therefore under a necessity +of seeking another anchoring-place. +</p> +<p> +Soon after the dawn of day the natives rowed +along-side the ships, bringing with them +fowls, pigeons, cloth, shells, chissels, and +other things, which they bartered for ear-rings, +and pieces of iron. Both parties dealt with +the same ease and mutual confidence as they had +done on the preceding day; and among the +number of visitors were several women, whose +cloaths barely sufficed to hide those charms +which could not fail of attracting the ravished +eyes of the seamen. One of the Indians slept +all night on board the Etoile, and seemed not +to entertain a shadow of fear. +</p> +<p> +The ships plied to windward during the night, +and by the morning of the 6th they had nearly +reached its most northern extremity, when they +<span class='pagenum'>228</span>discovered another island; but as the passage +between the two islands appeared to be rendered +dangerous by a number of breakers, Mons. +Bougainville came to a resolution of returning +to the bay which they had seen when they first +discovered land, where he hoped to find a convenient +anchoring-place, and where, after different +soundings, the ships were at length safely +moored. +</p> +<p> +The natives now put off in their boats, and +surrounded the ships in greater numbers than +they had yet done, exhibiting many tokens of +regard, and perpetually crying out <i>Taio</i>, which +was afterwards found to signify <i>Friend</i>. The +strangers were much pleased with some nails and +toys which the officers and sailors gave them. +These boats were crouded with women, whose +beauty of face was at least equal to that of the +ladies of Europe, and their symmetry of body +much superior. Almost all of them were +naked, the old men and women having taken +previous care to divest them of those coverings, +which might otherwise have prevented their +charms from taking the wished effect. +</p> +<p> +These lovely lasses eyed the sailors with looks +the most emphatically expressive, yet with a +degree of timidity, which is at once the characteristic +and the ornament of the sex. It was +not, however, necessary, that these females +should give any very plain indications of their +meaning:⁠—the Indian men saved them this +<span class='pagenum'>229</span>trouble, intimating, that the favours of the ladies +might be purchased on easy terms: they +even urged many of the seamen respectively to +make choice of a Dulcinea, with whom he +would chuse to retire to the shore; and their gestures +appeared not less extravagant than those +of the same people, as recited by Dr. Hawkesworth, +in his account of Captain Cook’s Voyage, +of which circumstance the readers of these +volumes is already apprised:⁠—but Mons. Bougainville +goes beyond the Doctor, in the colouring +of this scene. He says that, “even +in those countries where the ease of the golden +age is still in use, women seem least to +desire what they most wish for.” +</p> +<p> +Be this as it may, the sight of these enchanting +damsels operated very powerfully on the passions +of the seamen; and, thus situated, it was +no easy matter to keep to their duty, four hundred +young fellows, who had not seen a woman +for half a year before. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville and his officers did all in +their power to preserve order and decorum, +and to prevent any of these tempting creatures +from coming into the ship; but their efforts +were unsuccessful:⁠—one of them, notwithstanding +every precaution, got on board, and +took her seat on the quarter-deck, near a hatchway, +which was open to give air to some of the +crew who were heaving the capstern. She had +scarcely seated herself, when she let fall a cloth +<span class='pagenum'>230</span>that covered her, with an air of negligence; +and appeared at once the Cyprian goddess, to +the ravished eyes of the spectators. Both seamen +and marines now eagerly crouded to the +hatchway; and the capstern was heaved with a +chearfulness and expedition never known on any +former occasion. +</p> +<p> +After some time the officers succeeded in +bringing the crew into some kind of order; +though, as Mons. Bougainville confesses, they +found it equally difficult to restrain the ardor of +their own passions.⁠—The Commodore’s Cook, +having eluded the vigilance of the officers, got +from the ship, and having selected a mistress +from one of the boats, went on shore with her; +where he had no sooner arrived, than the natives +crouded about him, and pulled off all his +cloaths. They now examined, with curious attention, +every part of his body, while he stood +trembling under their hands, in continual apprehension +of being murdered, or otherwise +abused: but his fears were ill-founded; for they +had no sooner finished the examination, than +they gave him back his cloaths, put into his +pockets several things which they had taken out +of them, and then introduced his girl to him, +urging, that he would gratify those passions +which had impelled him to come on shore: but +alas! their persuasions, their warmest intreaties, +were thrown away;⁠—his fears had destroyed all +ideas of love, nor could even the enchanting +<span class='pagenum'>231</span>beauty of his mistress recal them: the natives +were obliged to take him back to the ship, +where he told Mons. Bougainville, that he had +nothing to fear from his anger, for he had lately +suffered such exquisite misery, that all other +punishment would be comparatively light. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville and some of his officers +now went on shore to take a view of the watering-place, +and were no sooner landed, than the +natives flocked around them in prodigious numbers, +regarding them with looks of inexpressible +curiosity: some of them, bolder than the +rest, came and touched the French, and put +aside their cloaths, to find if they were formed +like themselves. The happy islanders, who +wore no kind of arms, testified great pleasure +at this visit of our voyagers. +</p> +<p> +A person, who appeared to be the principal +man among the Indians, took Mons. Bougainville’s +party to his house, where they found an +old man, the father of the Chief, and several +women. These last paid their compliments to +the strangers, by placing their hands on their +breasts, and frequently repeating the word +<i>Tayo</i>. The old man was a truly venerable figure, +whose long white beard and hair added +dignity to his person, which was exceedingly +graceful and well formed. He had none of the +decrepitude of age, no wrinkles on his face, +and his body was nervous and fleshy.⁠—The behaviour +of this man was wholly different from +<span class='pagenum'>232</span>that of all the rest of his countrymen; for he +expressed no sign of admiration or curiosity, +left the room without returning the compliments +of his visitors, and with an air that testified +his uneasiness at their arrival. Mons. +Bougainville even imagines, that he feared that +a new race of men coming to settle on the island, +might disturb that happy repose in which its inhabitants +had hitherto lived. +</p> +<p> +The house of the Chief was about twenty +feet in width, and eighty in length, and covered +with thatch, from which hung a cylinder, +above a yard long, formed of the twigs of the +ozier, and adorned with black feathers. Two +wooden figures were observed, which Mons. +Bougainville says were idols, and that one of +them was the god of the natives; but in this +he must be certainly mistaken, as it appears +from the account since published, that the inhabitants +of Otaheite are not idolaters:⁠—but +from almost every part of his volume it is evident, +that he has made his observations very +hastily, and given a decisive opinion on subjects +which he did not understand, and which he took +very little pains to examine. +</p> +<p> +The figure which our author took for the +god, was fixed upright against one of the pillars +of the house, and over against it stood the +other, which he calls the goddess, leaning against, +and fastened to the reeds which form +the walls of the house. These figures stood on +<span class='pagenum'>233</span>pedestals of hard, black wood, about two yards +high, one yard in circumference, shaped like a +tower, hollowed out, and carved. +</p> +<p> +The Chief having directed his guests to seat +themselves on a grass-plat in the front of his +house, he presented them with a collation, consisting +of broiled fish, water, and fruit. While +they were regaling themselves he produced two +collars, formed of oziers, and adorned with +shark’s teeth, and black feathers. These collars, +which resembled the prodigious large ruffs +worn by the French in the reign of Francis the +First, were put on the necks of Mons. Bougainville, +and a gentleman of his party. The Chief +having likewise presented our author with some +pieces of cloth, the French were about to take +their leave of this hospitable Indian, when one +of them found that his pocket had been picked +of his pistol; on which a complaint was made +to the Chief, who immediately reprimanded +several of his houshold, and would have searched +them all; but this the Commodore would not +permit, contenting himself with intimating to +the Chief, that the weapon which had been +stolen would kill the thief. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville was attended to the coast +by the Chief and his whole family. As the +company passed along, they observed an Indian, +remarkable for the fine proportion and symmetry +of his figure, reclined at the foot of a tree, +who prevailed on the French to sit down by +<span class='pagenum'>234</span>him, and sung them an excellent song, to the +slow music of a flute, which the other Indian +blew with his nose. Our author says this song +was, doubtless, of the anacreontic kind, but +he assigns no reason for this opinion. This is +described as a most delightful scene, and well +worthy the pencil of the limner. +</p> +<p> +The company now proceeded to their boats, +in which a few of the Indians embarked, and +went to spend the evening and sleep on board. +The islanders seemed to be under no kind of +restraint, but to have the fullest confidence in +the hospitality of the French, who treated them +in a very elegant manner, and concluded the +evening with a band of music, and a display of +fire-works; at which, however, the Indians, +seemed more terrified than delighted. +</p> +<p> +The Chief went on board Mons. Bougainville’s +ship the following day, and took with +him a present of some fowls and a hog: he +likewise gave a full proof of the integrity of +his heart, by returning the stolen pistol; but +this is no wonder; it may hold as an almost unfailing +maxim, that “the generous are always +just; that the knavish part of mankind are to +be found among the sordid and avaricious.” +The generous soul disdains every act of meanness; +and it is certainly an act of meanness to +detain the property of another. Doubtless, +the history of mankind will afford some instances +which militate very strongly against this argument; +<span class='pagenum'>235</span>but it will usually be found, that +when the man of liberal sentiments has detained +what he knew to be the property of another, +such detention has arisen from the extreme penury +of his own circumstances.⁠—We have instances +of robberies being committed on the +highway, and the money returned, years after +the perpetration of the fact. In such a case, +surely, the robber must be allowed to have possessed +an honest heart, even while he was violating +the laws of his country; that his principles +were just and generous; and that what +he conceived to be a case of extreme necessity; +the support of his sinking credit, and the preserving +a beloved, an amiable woman, and the +dear pledges of her love, from inevitable poverty +and ruin, was the occasion of his taking +so unwarrantable a step. The reader will excuse +this digression, in favour to the writer, +who conceived that it arose naturally from the +subject. +</p> +<p> +The name of the Chief, whose conduct gave +rise to the above reflections, was <span class="small-caps">Ereti</span>, who +remained on board several hours, and then went +on shore with Mons. Bougainville, who by this +time had made the necessary preparations for +landing the sick, and filling the water casks. +</p> +<p> +As soon as the boats had landed, the Commodore +fixed on a spot on the borders of a rivulet, +where he gave orders for the forming of +a camp, for the protection as well of the sick +<span class='pagenum'>236</span>men and their attendants, as of the waterers, +and others, whose business might call them on +shore. +</p> +<p> +For some time Ereti beheld the marines under +arms, and regarded the preparations which +were making to form the camp, without any +apparent signs of uneasiness, and then took his +leave. In a few hours, however, he returned, +bringing with him his father, and some others +of the most eminent men on that part of the +island, who remonstrated with Mons. Bougainville +on the impropriety and injustice of his +taking possession of their country; at the same +time intimating, that his people were welcome +to be on the island during the day, for any period +of time he might think proper, but insisting, +that the party should return on board +every night. The Commodore, on the contrary, +as peremptorily insisted that he would +form the encampment, and endeavoured to +convince the Indians how necessary it was that +he should do so, in order to procure wood and +water, and to have the better opportunity of +trafficking with the islanders. +</p> +<p> +The Indians now retired, and held a conference +on the occasion, at the close of which +Ereti came to Mons. Bougainville, and desired +to know whether the French proposed to take +up their residence on the island for life; and, if +not, how long they intended to stay.⁠—In answer +to this, the Commodore put eighteen small +<span class='pagenum'>237</span>stones into his hands, intimating, that he should +remain there only so many days. Hereupon a +third council was held, the result of which was, +that an elderly man, of great authority, was +deputed to wait on the Commodore, and endeavour +to prevail on him to depart in nine +days; which however he positively refused to +do, and thus the matter ended. +</p> +<p> +From this period the islanders became again +easy and happy. Ereti complimented Mons. +Bougainville with the use of a large building, +that had been erected on the side of the rivulet, +for the purpose of laying up the Indian +boats, which were instantly removed, at the +command of the Chief. Under this building +tents were put up for the accommodation of +the sick, and other tents for various uses. A +sufficient number of muskets were carried on +shore, to arm thirty marines, all the workmen, +and even the invalids, in case of necessity. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville passed the first night on +shore, in company with Ereti, who added his +supper to that of the Commodore, invited a +few select friends to partake of the repast, and +gave orders that a croud of Indians, whose +curiosity had brought them to the spot, should +be dispersed. He then desired to see some +fire-works, which he beheld with a mixture of +pleasure and astonishment. Late in the evening +he sent for one of his wives, who slept in the +tent allotted to the use of the Prince of Nassau. +<span class='pagenum'>238</span>Mons. Bougainville says, that this woman was +ugly and old; but how does he know that she +was not the only wife of Ereti? It does not follow, +because a number of women were seen +on the first visit at the house of this Chief, that +he was married to them all. They might be +daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces, or cousins, +for any thing that could be known to the contrary, +by people who had not learnt three words +of the language of the natives. +</p> +<p> +The camp was compleated on the following +day, and the building entirely enclosed, except +at one entrance, where a guard was constantly +stationed. None of the Indians were admitted +into this building but Ereti, and his friends of +both sexes. A croud of people were constantly +about the place, but they made way for any one +who had permission to enter, on the motion of +a small stick which a Frenchman held in his +hand. To this place the natives assembled +from all quarters, bringing poultry, hogs, fish, +fruit, and cloth; in exchange for which they +received buttons, beads, tools, nails, and trinkets +of various kinds, on which they appeared +to set a high value. +</p> +<p> +These benevolent islanders vied with each +other which should oblige their visitors most; +and when the French were observed collecting +shells, and gathering plants, a number of women +and children instantly employed themselves +<span class='pagenum'>239</span>in the same manner, bringing the same plants, +in great abundance, and variety of fine shells. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now applied to Ereti, +for information where he might cut wood, and +was directed to the mountains, where the hard +wood grows, the low lands producing only a +gum-tree, and fruit-trees of various kinds. +The Chief even marked the trees which were +proper for cutting, and pointed out the side on +which they should be felled. +</p> +<p> +The islanders assisted our adventurers in cutting +the wood, and carrying it down to the +boats, and likewise helped them to fill water, +and roll the casks to the coast. For these services +they received a number of nails, proportioned +to the industry they had exerted: but +it was necessary for the French to be constantly +on their guard, to prevent their thieving the articles +which were brought on shore; nor were +even their pockets safe from the depredations of +these people, who, Mons. Bougainville says, +are as ingenious in the art, as the pick-pockets +of Europe; which is certainly no great compliment +to the people of Otaheite. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville supposes, that these +islanders do not rob each other, as none of their +effects were kept under locks and keys; and he +attributes their frequent attempts to rob the +French to an insatiable curiosity for articles which +they had never before seen. Guards were stationed, +and patroles appointed, to protect the +<span class='pagenum'>240</span>French property notwithstanding which, the +islanders found means to steal several things, +and they even pelted the guards with stones. +These free-booters hid themselves in a marsh behind +the camp, which was overgrown with +reeds: but a part of this marsh was cleared, +by order of the Commodore, who directed, that +when any more thieves were seen, they should +be fired at. Ereti even hinted, that this measure +was necessary; but, pointing to his own +house, seemed very solicitous that Mons. Bougainville +would not fire that way. Orders were +now given for some of the ships boats to anchor +before the camp, and point their swivel +guns so as to protect it. +</p> +<p> +The article of thieving excepted, every other +intercourse between the French and Indians was +carried on in the most harmonious manner. The +seamen made several incursions into the island, +unarmed, sometimes in small parties, and sometimes +singly: when the natives invited them +into their houses, gave them provisions, and presented +the young damsels to their embraces. On +these occasions the hut was instantly crouded +with numbers of both sexes, who surrounded +the young lovers, and eyed them with looks of +the most intense curiosity. Leaves and flowers +were immediately strewed on the ground, and +while some played on flutes, others sang a kind +of song sacred to the Cyprian goddess. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>241</span>Mons. Bougainville’s picture of these scenes +is rather over-charged; but the pen of the historian +should be guided by truth. “Here +Venus (says he) is the goddess of hospitality; +her worship does not admit of any mysteries, +and every tribute paid to her is a feast for the +whole nation.” +</p> +<p> +The people of Otaheite seemed astonished at +the embarrassment of some of the Frenchmen +on these occasions: but Mons. Bougainville is +of opinion, that there was not a man of the +whole crew who had not got the better of the +European delicacy, by making a public sacrifice +at the altar of Venus. If this opinion be +well founded, the poor Cook, whose case has +been related, must have wonderfully recovered +of his fright, before the Commodore left the +island.⁠—Surely these intrepid subjects of Louis +the Fifteenth must have been blest with the +most vigorous constitutions in the universe, or +have been cursed with the most unblushing impudence +of face! That many of the crew +should have got the better of all regard for decency, +is not to be wondered at; but that there +should not be one Frenchman out of four hundred +who could resist the temptation of thus +publickly prostituting himself, is very astonishing. +But vanity is constitutional in a Parisian, +and rather than not sacrifice at her shrine, he +will be content to rob himself of his own +good name. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>242</span>It may fairly be concluded, that if <em>every</em> man +gave these public proofs of his prowess, the +Commodore himself made <em>one</em> of the number, +a naked spectacle to the laughing Indians! But +perhaps Mons. Bougainville was honoured in +the embraces of one of Ereti’s wives; in which +case it is presumed, that the fond couple were +surrounded only by the royal family, and the +lords and ladies of the Court. Doubtless, an +extraordinary band of music must have been +provided on these solemn occasions, and the +best nose-flute-players on the island must have +been engaged as performers. What pity it is +that our gallant philosophical, nautical, warlike +Amoroso, has omitted a description of one +of these charming scenes! A print of it, too, +would have done honour to some ingenious engraver +of Paris, and it would doubtless have +promoted the sale of a work so admirably calculated +for the meridian of Versailles. The +doating monarch would have subscribed liberally, +while the lascivious Barré would have extolled +to the very skies the writer’s happy talent +at description. Who knows too, but that the +French Ambassador might have introduced the +work among the circle at St. James’s; and thus +have promoted the cause of libertinism so far, +that not one of the nobility of the succeeding +generation should be the real child of his reputed +father. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>243</span>To be serious; this is strange stuff, even for +a French historian to write; nor would we have +copied it, but that our engagements to the public +compelled us to give Mons. Bougainville’s +Voyage; and Mons. Bougainville must be answerable +for all its faults. +</p> +<p> +Happy ought Englishmen to think themselves; +particularly those of the middling and +lower classes, among whom marriage is still +held in some sort of esteem. Long may it be +so held, for the honour of legal love, the security +of property, and the sake of those tender +ties, by which relations are held in the bond of +friendship! +</p> +<div class='stanza'> +<p class='verse'>Hail wedded love, mysterious law, true source</p> +<p class='verse'>Of human offspring, sole propriety</p> +<p class='verse'>In Paradise of all things common else.</p> +<p class='verse'>By thee adult’rous lust was driven from men,</p> +<p class='verse'>Among the bestial herds to range; by thee</p> +<p class='verse'>Founded in reason, loyal, just, and pure,</p> +<p class='verse'>Relations dear, and all the charities</p> +<p class='verse'>Of father, son, and brother, first were known.</p> +</div> +<p class='sig'> +<span class="small-caps">Milton.</span></p> +<p class='top_space'> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a description +of the beauties of the interior parts of +the island. He has often walked out, with only +a few attendants, and arrived at places enchanting +beyond the power of pen or pencil to +paint. Trees abounding with fruit of the most +<span class='pagenum'>244</span>delicious kinds, were frequently found on meadows +intersected by rivulets, which gave an +agreeable coolness to the air. On these enchanting +spots numbers of the natives revel in the +profusive gifts of nature, unincumbered with +the cares of the busy world. Our author met +with many little societies, reposing at their ease, +under the shade of trees, who welcomed the +strangers in the most friendly manner. Those +he saw on his way made room for his passage, +with a degree of civility that would have done +honour to the most polished European; and in +every place he found evident marks of the content +and happiness of the people; while he was +treated with the utmost hospitality.</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville gave Ereti some ducks +and geese, and a couple of turkies, that he +might raise a breed of those birds. He likewise +presented him with some garden seeds, and advised +him to cultivate some ground in the European +manner; and a spot being fixed on by +the French, it was enclosed, and several of the +crew employed in digging it. The natives +were much pleased with the implements of gardening, +and happy in having wheat, barley, +oats, rice, &c. put into the ground; as were +likewise onions, and a variety of pot-herbs. +The Commodore is of opinion, that his generosity +in this particular will not be thrown away, +as the people of Otaheite seem to have a taste +for agriculture; and he thinks they might soon +<span class='pagenum'>245</span>be brought to cultivate, in a proper manner +the finest soil in the world: they have indeed a +sort of kitchen gardens near their huts, which +produce yams, potatoes, and other edible roots. +</p> +<p> +Soon after the camp was formed, the Commodore +was visited on board the ship by <i>Toutaa</i>, +the Chief of a district near that of Ereti, who +was a very tall man, and most admirably well +made, he was attended by several gentlemen, +hardly one of whom was less than six feet in +height. Toutaa brought with him cloth, hogs, +fowls and fruit, which he presented to Mons. +Bougainville, who complimented him with +some silk stuffs, trinkets, nails, &c. +</p> +<p> +Toutaa invited Mons. Bougainville to his +house, where, in the midst of a large assembly, +he presented him with a fine young girl, +whom the Commodore conjectures to have been +one of his wives; and the musicians instantly +began the bridal hymn:⁠—but our author does +not say what farther passed on the occasion. +</p> +<p> +One of the Indians happening to be killed, +his countrymen complained to Mons. +Bougainville of this violation of the rights +of hospitality. The dead body being conveyed +to one of the huts, some persons were +sent to examine it, when it appeared, that +he had fell by a gun-shot wound; on which all +possible enquiry was made after the offender, +but he could not be discovered; and how he +came to be shot remained a mystery; for Mons. +Bougainville says, that none of the crew had +<span class='pagenum'>246</span>that day left the ship with fire-arms, nor had +any of those on shore been permitted to leave +the camp. It was evident, however, that the +natives in general conceived their countryman +to have been the aggressor; for their dealings +with the Europeans were not intermitted; but +some few of them moved off their furniture +to the mountains, and even the house of Ereti +was stripped; but a few presents from the Commodore +regained his friendship and esteem. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning of the 12th the cable +of the Boudeuse parting, that ship ran foul of +the Etoile, but the vessels were happily got +clear of each other, before any damage had +been sustained. A boat was now sent to sound +for some convenient passage, as the ships were +in evident danger of being driven on shore: +and at this unfortunate juncture news arrived, +that three of the Indians had been either murdered +or wounded in their huts; and that, in +consequence of this unhappy circumstance, a +general terror had seized the inhabitants. The +women, children, and old men, had fled up the +country, taking their effects with them, and +even carrying off the bodies of the deceased. +The Commodore, on receiving this intelligence, +went on shore, and selecting four marines, on +whom rested the suspicion of having perpetrated +this foul deed, he ordered them to be put +into irons in the presence of Ereti, a circumstance +that re-conciliated the affection of the Indians. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>247</span>Mons. Bougainville, apprehensive that the natives +might revenge the injury they had sustained +in the persons of their countrymen, spent a considerable +part of the night at the camp, and +gave orders for a reinforcement of the guards. +It is true, that the situation of the French was +every way so advantageous, that, in all probability, +they might have been an over-match +for the united forces of the natives. The night, +however, was spent in perfect repose, except +some slight alarms, occasioned by thieving interlopers. +</p> +<p> +The Commodore’s concern arose more from +the apprehended loss of his ships, than from +any hostile efforts that might be made by the +Indians. After ten at night the wind blew violently; +the sea swelled to an enormous height; +the rain descended in torrents, and the whole +scene was tempestuous in a high degree. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville went on board soon after +midnight, when a violent squall of wind was +driving the ships towards the shore. Providentially +the storm was soon over, and a breeze from +the shore prevented the vessels being stranded. +</p> +<p> +About day-break another cable, and the hawser +of the Boudeuse parted, when she was almost +close on the shore, on which the surges beat +with unremitting fury. At this time too, as +an aggravation of their misfortunes, the buoys +of the anchors were missing; but it is doubtful +<span class='pagenum'>248</span>whether the natives had stolen them, or +whether they had sunk. +</p> +<p> +Some little time before noon another cable +parted, and the Boudeuse drove towards the +shore. They now let go their sheet anchor, +but it could be of no service to them, as they +were so near the breakers, that the ship must +have stranded before a sufficient length of cable +could have been veered out, to have given +the anchor time to reach the bottom. Thus +situated, within a moment of despair, a wind +off shore operated in their favour; yet this +wind soon changed, though not till it had enabled +them to get at a distance from the shore, +by the help of a hawser, from a stream-anchor +of the Etoile, which ship happening to be anchored +in firmer ground than the Boudeuse, +was, under providence, the great means of +saving that vessel and her crew from destruction. +On occasion of this singular escape, Mons. +Bougainville pays a grateful compliment to +Mons. de la Giraudais, the Commander of the +Etoile, to whose friendship and abilities he +deems himself greatly indebted for the preservation +of the Boudeuse. +</p> +<p> +Soon after day-light it was observed, that the +camp was totally destitute of its usual visitors: +not an Indian was to be seen near it, nor even +a single boat sailing on the river. The natives +had quitted their houses, and the whole country +appeared to be depopulated. The prince +<span class='pagenum'>249</span>of Nassau now went on shore with a small +party, and, at about three miles from the camp, +found Ereti, with a considerable number of +his subjects. When the Chief recollected the +Prince, he advanced towards him with a mixed +countenance, expressive of hope and terror. +</p> +<p> +Many women were now with Ereti, who +dropping on their knees at the feet of the Prince +kissed his hands, and, bathed in tears, exclaimed, +<i>Tayo, maté</i>? +</p> +<p> +You are our friends, and you kill us!⁠— +</p> +<p> +The Prince succeeded in his endeavours to +inspire them with fresh confidence; and Mons. +Bougainville had the pleasure of observing, +from on board, by the help of his glasses, that +the natives hastened to the camp, carrying with +them fowls, fruits, &c. so that there could be +no doubt but that peace was re-established. +</p> +<p> +The Commodore instantly left the ship, and +taking with him a quantity of silk stuffs, and a +variety of other articles, he presented them to +the principal persons, intimating how unhappy +he was on account of the misfortune which had +happened, and assuring them, that the perpetrators +of so foul a deed should not escape unpunished.⁠—The +grateful Indians caressed the +Commander; the natives in general were happy +that peace was restored, and the market soon +became more crouded than ever; so that, in +two days only, more refreshments were brought +in than had been before, and the whole place +<span class='pagenum'>250</span>had the appearance of a fair. The Indians +now requested to see some muskets fired; but +were not a little alarmed, when they found +that the animals fired at were instantly killed. +</p> +<p> +The boat which the Commodore had sent to +sound having found an excellent passage to the +northward, the Etoile sailed on the 14th, and +being got safe without the reef, her Commander +sent the boat to the Boudeuse, in which was an +officer, who having surveyed the passage, and +conducted the Etoile to a place of safety, returned +to take the same care of Mons. Bougainville’s +ship. +</p> +<p> +The crew of the Boudeuse now laboured +incessantly in compleating her stock of water, +and in bringing her effects on board. The +Commodore took possession of the island, for +his Sovereign, by an inscription carved on an +oak plank, and burying in a bottle, near the +building they had occupied, a writing, containing +the names of the several officers concerned +in this expedition: and this method he +followed invariably, at all the places he discovered +in the course of his voyage. +</p> +<p> +The Boudeuse set sail early in the morning +of the 15th, and the Commodore congratulated +himself on having got clear of the reefs, when +the wind suddenly dying away, the tide, and a +swelling sea drove the ship violently towards +the rocks, on which she must have been instantly +dashed in pieces, and every man on +<span class='pagenum'>251</span>board have perished, except the few who could +swim remarkably well. At this moment, when +she was ready to strike on the rocks, providentially +a western breeze sprang up, and, in +about two hours, conveyed our voyagers clear +of all those dangers they had dreaded. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville joined the Etoile before +the evening, and a strong gale springing up +about midnight, they set all their sails, and soon +got perfectly clear of the coast. +</p> +<p> +Our author now describes, in very affecting +terms, what passed at his taking leave of the +people of Otaheite; and we shall endeavour +not to fall short of the original, in the tenderness +of the description; convinced that the +English language is at least as well adapted for +the pathetic, as the French, or any other European +tongue. +</p> +<p> +Soon after the dawn of the morning, when +the Indians observed that their visitors were +making preparations for their departure, Ereti +came hastily on board, in the first boat that +was ready. He now clasped in his arms, embraced, +and wept over those new-made acquaintance, +whom he was about to part with +for ever.⁠—This scene was scarcely ended, when +a larger boat, in which were the wives of this +generous Chief, came along-side the ship, laden +with a variety of refreshments. +</p> +<p> +This vessel likewise brought off the Indian, +who, on their first arrival, had slept on board +<span class='pagenum'>252</span>the Etoile. This man was called <span class="small-caps">Aotourou</span>. +Ereti presented him to Mons. Bougainville, intimating +his determined resolution to sail with +the strangers, and intreating permission that he +might do so. This request being complied with, +Ereti presented him to the officers respectively, +saying, that he trusted a well-beloved friend, to +the care and protection of friends equally beloved. +</p> +<p> +Ereti having accepted some presents, returned +to the boat, in which were a number of +weeping beauties, made still more lovely by +their tears.⁠—With him went Aotourou, to +take a melancholy leave of a lovely damsel, the +dear object of his regard. He took three pearls +from his ears, which he delivered as a love-token +to the desponding beauty; embraced her +affectionately, tore himself from her arms, and +left it to time and tears, to restore her serenity +of mind.⁠—Who that reads this narrative can +suppose, that an Indian has less dignity of soul +than an European! +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a description +of the island of Otaheite, with an account +of the manners and characters of its inhabitants; +and in this part of his history we shall +trace him with the pen of accuracy. +</p> +<p> +There is a fine bay, about ten miles in depth, +between a cape, which advances to the north, +and the south-east point of the island. Towards +the bottom of this bay the coast is almost level, +<span class='pagenum'>253</span>and this part appears to be the best peopled, as +well as the most agreeable part of the country. +In a passage between the two most northerly +islands, there is good anchorage for thirty vessels. +The rest of the coast is mountainous land, +and in most places is encompassed by reefs of +rocks, some of which are almost covered by +the sea, while others are left sufficiently destitute +of water to be considered as islands. On these +the natives kindle fires every night, that the +crews of their boats may fish in safety. Between +these rocks are spaces, through which a ship +may enter, but will find it difficult to get anchorage. +</p> +<p> +The mountains at a distance from the coast +are much higher than it is usual for hills to be +in countries of no greater extent. These, being +covered with verdure and fruits of various +beautiful and delicious kinds, afford the richest +prospect that the imagination can form an idea +of. Springs, issuing from the mountains, form +themselves into rivulets, which meandring +through the country, serve at once to fertilize +and adorn it. +</p> +<p> +On the level parts of the island the houses +are erected, under the shade of fruit trees; not +in regular towns or villages, but separately, and +where the fancy of the owner shall fix the spot. +Public walks, kept in the neatest order, lead +from one residence to another, throughout the +<span class='pagenum'>254</span>island, so that the whole appears one scene of +enchanted ground. +</p> +<p> +The principal fruits of the island are plantains, +cocoa-nuts, yams, curassol okras, and +the bread-fruit. Indico and sugar-canes grow +wild; and two substances proper for dying, one +red and the other yellow, was found among +the natives; but Mons. Bougainville could +not learn from what vegetable they were produced. +</p> +<p> +While Aotourou was on board the Boudeuse, +it appeared, that he was acquainted with many +of the plants and fruits in the possession of the +French, which he called by their Indian names. +Indeed, the same productions are common to +most countries within the tropics. +</p> +<p> +The natives use the cedar-wood, which grows +on the mountains, for the construction of the +largest boats; and they make a sort of pikes, +of a very heavy black wood. Their smaller +boats are made of the wood of the bread-fruit +tree, which is extremely soft, and full of gum. +</p> +<p> +The island of Otaheite produces very rich +pearls, which are worn by the women and children; +but these were secreted almost as soon +as the French landed, and were seen no more +during their stay. A sort of castanets, instruments +used by the Indian dancers, are formed +out of the shells of the pearl-oysters. +</p> +<p> +The only quadrupedes seen on the island +were hogs, small but handsome dogs; and +<span class='pagenum'>255</span>rats; the last of which are very numerous. +Of winged animals there are parroquets of +exquisite beauty, the feathers of which are red +and blue, most happily blended: pidgeons, +rather larger than ours, of a deep blue colour, +and most delicate taste: and common domestic +poultry, differing in no respect from those of +Europe. The hogs and fowls feed on plantains +only, so that the purity of their food must ensure +the goodness of the meat. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville obtained, by his traffick +with the natives, about 140 hogs, and more +than eight hundred fowls; and he might have +procured much larger numbers, if his stay had +been longer. +</p> +<p> +No venomous animals were seen on this island, +nor any of those noxious insects, which are +common to, and are the greatest curse of, hot +climates. +</p> +<p> +There can remain no doubt of the salubrity +of the air of Otaheite; for though the French +laboured hard all day in the heat of the sun, +and were frequently in the water, and slept +all night in the open air, on the bare ground, +not a single person contracted any disorder; +while those who were landed for the cure +of the scurvy recovered very fast, and +many of them acquired so much strength, +that their cure was perfected on board the +ships. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>256</span>Our author mentions, as an undoubted proof +of the healthiness of the climate, the strength +of its inhabitants, who grow to an extreme +old age, without feeling any of its inconveniences, +though they sleep only on a few leaves, +strewed on the ground, in huts ill adapted to +defend them from the inclemencies of the +weather. +</p> +<p> +The chief articles of food among the natives +are fish and vegetables. Flesh is seldom eaten +even by grown persons; and by the young women +and children never. Their drink is pure water; +and from this temperance doubtless arises, in a +great measure, that freedom from disease, which +is one of their greatest blessings. These people +were averse to the taste and smell of every +thing strong; particularly tobacco, spices, +brandy and wine. +</p> +<p> +The natives of Otaheite are of two distinct +tribes, having no personal resemblance, yet +practising the same customs, associating together +in the most friendly manner, and conversing in +the same dialect. The first race of these people +are much taller, larger, and better proportioned +than the other. Few of these are +less than six feet high, and so extremely well +made, that, as our author says, “in order to +paint a Hercules or a Mars, one could no +where find such beautiful models.” Their +features are perfectly like those of the inhabitants +of Europe: their hair is black, and their +<span class='pagenum'>257</span>skins rather brown; but this is attributed to +their being so much exposed to the sun and air. +Mons. Bougainville does not say which of the +European nations they resemble, and therefore +it must be concluded, that he means the French; +in which case an English lady would scarcely give +him credit for the extravagant encomiums +which he lavishes on the beauty of the Otaheiteans; +on the contrary, she will be apt to conclude, +that better models for a Hercules or a +Mars may be found between Berwick upon +Tweed, and the lands-end in Cornwall. +</p> +<p> +The other tribe of these Indians are about +the middle stature, have almost the features and +complexion of Mulattoes, and rough, curled +hair, as strong as the bristles of a hog. Aotourou +was of this tribe, and the son of one of +the Chiefs of the island. +</p> +<p> +Our author says that this Indian’s want of personal +beauty, was amply recompensed by the +goodness of his understanding; but this assertion +has been flatly contradicted by the testimony +of several English gentlemen, who saw +Aotourou, during his residence at Paris, and +who represent him as one of the most ignorant +blockheads they had ever known. Hence +it should seem, that English and French ideas +are extremely at variance, respecting Indian +abilities and attainments. +</p> +<p> +Both the tribes shave the upper part of the +face, permitting the beard on the chin to grow, +<span class='pagenum'>258</span>and a whisker on each lip. Some of them +bind the hair on the top of the head, while +others cut it short, but all of them rub the oil +of the cocoa-nut into the hair and beard. +They permit all their nails to grow to a great +length, except that of the middle finger of the +right hand. Among these people one cripple +only was seen; and it was supposed that he got +his hurt by a fall. The Surgeon informed +Mons. Bougainville, that many of the natives +were marked with the small pox: and he says, +he took every precaution that the venereal disorder +should not be communicated to these +happy, unoffending people; but it appears from +Captain Cook’s account, that some ungenerous +Frenchman was base enough to plant +this dreadful malady, in a country where, from +Mons. Bougainville’s own account, it is more +likely to spread than in any other part of the +world, on account of the extreme attachment +of the inhabitants to the Cytherean sports.⁠—Aotourou +is probably arrived at his native +country before this time, and has informed the +islanders that their late visitors were Frenchmen; +in which case the poor Indians will have +ample reason to call the disorder by its genuine +name, the <span class="small-caps">French</span> disease. +</p> +<p> +The ladies and gentlemen of Otaheite stain +the lower parts of their backs, and their thighs, +with a deep blue; the method of doing which +having been already mentioned in our account +<span class='pagenum'>259</span>of Captain Cook’s voyage, need not be here +repeated. Mons. Bougainville mentions it as a +singular circumstance, that the practice of +painting the body has always prevailed among +the people of all countries, at the time when +they bordered on a state of nature: it is, indeed, +a well known fact, that the ancient Britons +were found stained with wood, when Julius +Cæsar made his first descent on this island. +</p> +<p> +The natives of Otaheite wear pearls, and +flowers of different kinds, in their ears. They +likewise make a frequent practice of bathing +their bodies, constantly washing themselves before +they either eat or drink; so that they are +to be ranked among the most cleanly people in +the universe. +</p> +<p> +Our author represents these islanders as good-natured +and benevolent in a high degree. He +says, that, though the several districts are governed +each by its own Chief, public war, or +private animosity seemed to be equally unknown +on the island. The natives seem not to entertain +even the slightest doubt of the integrity of +each other, and appear to enjoy, in common, +whatever is necessary to the support of life. +Their houses are always open night and day, +and whoever enters may freely eat of whatever +he finds. In like manner they gather fruit +from every tree; and all the level country being +a kind of continued orchard, seems to be but +one common property. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>260</span>Yet were these people, with such exalted +ideas of general benevolence, most dextrous in +stealing the property of the French. The +Chiefs, however, did not encourage their inferiors +in these depredations; on the contrary, +they requested the officers to kill those who +should be detected in an act of theft: but they +would never take this disagreeable talk on themselves.⁠—When +a thief was pointed out to +Ereti, he would run after till he had overtaken +him, and then compelling him to restore the +stolen goods, he punished the offence by a number +of stripes. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville says, he had conceived +an idea, that these people had no severer punishment +among them than this kind of whipping; +for they seemed to commiserate the fate +of some of the French seamen, whom they +saw put in irons; but our author has been since +informed, that they have a custom of punishing +theft, by hanging the felon on a tree. +</p> +<p> +Although the inhabitants of Otaheite maintain +perpetual peace among themselves; yet +it seldom happens, but that they are engaged in +war with the natives of the adjacent islands. +</p> +<p> +They have large vessels, called Periaguas, +in which they descend on the enemies country, +and even engage in sea-fights. A pike and a +bow with a sling are all their arms. +</p> +<p> +If Aotourou’s information is to be depended +on, the consequences of their battles are very +<span class='pagenum'>261</span>fatal to the vanquished. The men and boys +who are made prisoners, are stripped of their +skins, and the beards of the men are taken off, +and carried away in triumph, as ensigns of the +victory. The conquerors take with them the +women and girls, with whom they frequently +cohabit⁠—Aotourou declared himself the son of +one of these unnatural alliances, his mother +being a native of <span class="small-caps">Oopoa</span>, an island not far distant +from Otaheite, with the inhabitants of +which they are frequently at war. Mons. Bougainville +ascribes the difference observed between +the two races of people, to this intercourse +with the captive women of the adjacent +islands. +</p> +<p> +The principal people on the island have a +number of servants, who submit to their orders +with the most unreserved obedience; and, +in each district, the will of the Chief is a law, +from the authority of which there is no appeal; +but the Chief himself does not come to any +resolution respecting matters of great importance, +till he has previously consulted with the +principal inhabitants. The reader will recollect, +that the truth of this circumstance is +evinced, by the repeated counsels which were +held on occasion of the French having determined +to take up their residence on shore. +</p> +<p> +When an inhabitant of Otaheite dies, his +body is deposited on a kind of bier, placed under +a shed, to which the women resort daily, +<span class='pagenum'>262</span>and anoint the corpse with the oil of the cocoa-nut. +In these places they are left, till all the +flesh is wasted from the bones, and then the +skeleton is conveyed to the hut of his relations, +where a person, who appears to have great authority, +attends, and being dressed in a habit +peculiar to the occasion, he performs some solemn +ceremonies: but how long the skeletons +are kept in the houses, our author had no opportunity +of knowing. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville endeavoured to learn of +Aotourou the religious ceremonies of his countrymen; +and, if they mutually understood +each other, it will appear, that the people of +Otaheite are superstitious in a high degree; +that the supreme authority is vested in the +priests; that their principal Deity is called +<span class="small-caps">Eri-t-Era</span>, that is, <i>King of Light</i>, or <i>of the +Sun</i>; besides whom they acknowledge a number +of inferior divinities, some of whom produce +evil, and others good: that the general name +of these ministering spirits is <span class="small-caps">Eatoua</span>; and that +the natives suppose two of these divinities attend +each affair of consequence in human life, determining +its fate either advantageously or otherwise. +</p> +<p> +To one circumstance our author speaks in +decisive terms. He says, that when the moon +exhibits a certain aspect, which bears the name +of <i>Malama Tamai</i>, [the moon in a state of war] +the natives offer up human sacrifices. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>263</span>Mons. Bougainville mentions one circumstance, +as a proof that these people originated +on the continent, from whence their ancestors +must have emigrated. When any one sneezes, his +companions cry out, <i>Evaroua-t-eatoua</i>; “that +is, may the good genius awaken thee;” or, +“may not the evil genius lull thee asleep.” +</p> +<p> +The principal people on the island appear +to have many wives; and our author thinks +polygamy is common among them all. The +rich are chiefly distinguished from the poor by +keeping a greater number of the fair sex; for +universal love is the characteristic of the inhabitants +of Otaheite. Both the parents seem +equally fond of nursing their infants. The men +employ themselves principally in war, fishing, +and agriculture, while the women have little to +do, but to render themselves agreeable by their +assiduity to please: they submit implicitly to the +will of the men, and the woman who should +prostitute herself without the permission of her +husband, would atone for her infidelity with +her life. Yet is the permission of the husband +to gratify her passions, in what way she please, +so easily obtained, that these fair ones are not +under the least temptation to disobedience: in +fact, the wife generally yields her person at the +solicitation of her husband; jealousy, therefore, +one would imagine, must be a passion quite unknown +among them. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>264</span>The single woman follows, implicitly, the +dictates of her heart, and yields her person at +her own discretion; and, the more numerous the +favours she has granted, the better her chance +of obtaining a husband. The examples perpetually +before her eyes, the hymeneal songs of +the natives, their dances, and their attitudes, +added to the seductive warmth of the climate, +all conspire to render that circumstance no vice +at Otaheite, which would be deemed so in England. +Love is at once the business and the +pleasure of the natives of this island; and at +his shrine, all its inhabitants bend with the most +fervent devotion. They dance to the music of +a drum, and sing to the flute blown with the +nose. They likewise divert themselves, occasionally, +with a kind of wrestling, which at +once braces the nerves, and relaxes the mind; +though in this place, of all parts of the world, +the mind seems to require the least relaxation, +for almost the whole business of the islanders +consists in pleasure. +</p> +<p> +Our author says, that the inhabitants of +Otaheite are a witty and humorous people, which +he attributes to their living in ease and jollity.⁠—That +ease may make a man happy, we will +readily allow; but that it can create humour, or +inspire wit, we must beg leave to deny:⁠—perhaps +the dullest fellows this day to be found on +the habitable globe, are among those who are +easy and independant in point of fortune, and +<span class='pagenum'>265</span>perhaps, too, some of the most humorous and +witty may be found among those who know +not where to obtain a second shilling when the +present is expended. This, at least, is the case +in London: it may, possibly, fare differently +with the Parisians, almost all of whom being +poor and merry, may fancy themselves wits +and humourists. In a word, wit and humour +are not the gifts of fortune, but of Nature. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville charges the people of +Otaheite with a fickleness of disposition, which +was deemed astonishing. Every new object +struck their attention, but nothing engaged it +for more than a few minutes. To reflect was, +to them, a work of labour, and they seemed +to prefer bodily to mental exercises.⁠—This, +with our ingenious author’s permission, is a proof +of their good sense: every man, who can think +at all, must know, that the labour of the mind +exceeds that of the limbs, in proportion as the +soul is superior to the body! For this reason we +pay not an artist as we pay a porter; the one +will earn an hundred pounds, while the other is +drudging for as many shillings: but the porter +can drudge on for life, while the artist, if he +acquire not sufficient to retire with decency at +an early period, will pine away a wretched old +age in unmerited penury! +</p> +<p> +The natives of Otaheite are ingenious, beyond +description, in the construction of their +fishing-tackle, the hooks of which are of mother +<span class='pagenum'>266</span>of pearl, and wrought as nicely as if with +European tools. With threads drawn from the +American aloe they form their nets, which are +made like those of France, and other nations of +Europe. Their houses, too, are exceedingly +well built, and the palm-leaves, with which they +are thatched, are laid on with great skill and +taste. +</p> +<p> +The boats (or periaguas) of these people are +of two kinds. The former very large, hollowed +out of huge trees, and finished with much +taste, parts of other trees being added as ornaments:⁠—the +latter small, and of much ruder +construction.⁠—But these kinds of boats having +been repeatedly described in this and other books +of voyages, it is unnecessary to say more of +them. +</p> +<p> +In order to convey themselves from one island +to another, they fix beams of wood from the +starboard side of one vessel to the larboard of +the other, leaving an intermediate space of +something more than a yard; and over the +stern of both the boats they erect a kind of +hut, lightly built, and covered with reeds, +which serves as a repository for their provisions, +and a shelter against the inclemency of the +weather. +</p> +<p> +Two boats thus lashed together never overset; +and are therefore much in use among the +people of superior rank: the sails of these vessels +<span class='pagenum'>267</span>are nearly square, and consist of mats, +stretched out by means of pieces of cane. +</p> +<p> +The only tools in use among the natives of +Otaheite are pieces of shells made sharp, for +boring holes in wood, and a chissel, in the European +make, the blade of which is formed of +a hard black stone. +</p> +<p> +The natives manufacture that remarkable +kind of cloth which forms their dress: a shrub +is cultivated near all the Indian huts, from the +rind of which this cloth is made, by beating it +on a smooth board, and occasionally sprinkling +it with water, till it is as thin as paper, and +something like it, only much more pliable. +Thus they make cloth of different thickness, +which they afterwards dye; but their process +in the dying it Mons. Bougainville had no opportunity +of seeing. +</p> +<p> +Our author now employs two or three pages +in defence of his conduct in bringing Aotourou +from his native island, in answer to some illiberal +reflections which had been cast on him; and +then he proceeds to describe some particulars of +the Indian’s behaviour during his residence. +This account should certainly have appeared +as a supplement to the Volume; but we take it +as it stands. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville says he endeavoured, at +a great trouble and expence, to render Aotourou’s +residence at Paris both improving and entertaining +to him. The curiosity of the public +<span class='pagenum'>268</span>to view this stranger was insatiable; and the +foolish Parisians were astonished to learn, that +there was any country on the face of the earth, +where neither French, English, nor Spanish +was spoken. Mons. Bougainville happily ridicules +this strange kind of ignorance; but he +does not seem to wonder, that it should prevail +among those who had never been without the +walls of the city which gave them birth. +</p> +<p> +Our author is likewise very severe on a set of +critics, who seemed to wonder that Aotourou +could live among Frenchmen almost two years, +and yet learn only a very few words of their +language. To account for this, Mons. Bougainville +mentions a physical obstruction in the +organs of his speech; his age, which rather +exceeded thirty years; the deficiency of a memory +never exercised by study; and the possessing +only a very limited number of ideas, +relative to the trifling wants of the natives of +his happy island. Hence our author concludes, +that he must first of all have created “a world +of previous ideas, in a mind as indolent as +his body”, before he could adapt them to +the French words proper to express them. +</p> +<p> +Though Aotourou was thus deficient in the +language of France, yet the streets of Paris +were quite familiar to him. He went out daily +without attendants, and found his way readily +through the whole city. He frequently bought +things, and was seldom defrauded in the purchase. +<span class='pagenum'>269</span>None of the public diversions had any +charms for him but the opera, to which he went +regularly: for he knew the nights on which it +was to be performed, and paid the same for admittance +as other people: his great fondness +for dancing was what rendered the opera so agreeable +to him. +</p> +<p> +He was exceedingly grateful to those who +conferred any obligations on him, nor did he +ever forget their persons or their favours. The +Dutchess of Choiseul stood foremost in the list +of his friends, and he expressed more gratitude +for the polite attention with which she treated +him, than even for the numerous presents which +he received at her hands: and as often as he +heard of that lady’s being arrived from her +country-seat, he would immediately go and visit +her. +</p> +<p> +After a residence of eleven months at Paris, +Aotourou was put on board the Brisson, at Rochelle, +which ship was destined to convey him +to the isle of France, whither orders were sent to +the Governor and intendant, to transport him +thence to his own country. Mons. Bougainville +gave about 1500 l. sterling, towards the fitting +out the Brisson for this voyage; and the Dutchess +of Choiseul ordered a considerable sum to +be expended in cattle, seeds, implements of +husbandry, &c. which were shipped for the +use of the natives of Otaheite. Mons. Bougainville +concludes this part of his narrative +<span class='pagenum'>270</span>with the following very humane and equally +political wish. “O may Aotourou soon see +his countrymen again!” +</p> +<p> +Our author now proceeds to inform us of +several particulars, with which his conversation +with this adventrous islander had made him +acquainted. If Mons. Bougainville be not +misled in his information, the state of facts +will appear to be, that the inhabitants of Otaheite +pay their devotions to the Deity, at the +rising and setting of the sun; that their supreme +God is incapable of representation; but that +they have two classes of inferior deities, who +are represented by figures carved in wood. +Exclusive of these regular devotions, the natives +of Otaheite practice a number of superstitious +ceremonies, in order to avert the influence +of the evil genii. +</p> +<p> +While Aotourou was at Paris, in 1769, a +comet appeared, which furnished Mons. Bougainville +with an opportunity of knowing that +these kind of stars had been frequently observed +at Otaheite; but that the natives do not suppose +that they are portentous of any evil consequence; +on the contrary, what we call shooting +stars, are, by these people, deemed evil +genii.⁠—How far it was possible for Aotourou +to explain himself to Mons. Bougainville, on +astronomical subjects, is left to the reader’s reflection. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>271</span>The more enlightened people of Otaheite +have names for the sun, moon, and stars; by +which, without the assistance of the needle or +compass, they steer their course night and day, +sailing, at some times, not less than eight hundred +miles from island to island. In the daytime +they are guided by the sun, and by the +stars in the night. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville learnt from Aotourou +the names of several islands, in the seas near +Otaheite, the natives of some of which were +in friendship, and those of others at war, with +his countrymen. Of the former are Tapouamassou, +Oumaitia, Aca, Maoroua, and Aimeo; +of the latter, Oopoa, Toumaraa, Otaa, +Aiatea, and Papara; all which are represented as +about equal in extent with Otaheite. +</p> +<p> +There is an island, called Pare, the inhabitants +of which are alternately at war and in +friendship with the natives of Otaheite. In +these seas are likewise two small islands, called +Toupai, and Enoua-Motou, which are not inhabited, +but yield abundance of fruit, fowls, +and hogs, while their coasts abound with turtle, +and other fish; but the people of Otaheite +conceiving these islands to be the residence +of evil genii, deem it a certain sign of misfortune, +if either curiosity or chance should +lead any boat to their coasts; and it is supposed, +that those who endeavour to land there will +perish in the attempt. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>272</span>The most distant of all the islands above-mentioned +is not more than about fifteen days +sail from Otaheite, even with the boats of that +island; and Mons. Bougainville conjectures, +that Aotourou had no idea of going farther +when he embarked on board the Boudeuse.⁠—If +this conjecture be well founded, there certainly +was not so much magnanimity in this Indian’s +behaviour as we have been hitherto taught +to believe:⁠—but there are great inconsistencies +in the writings of our voyager, which the reader +will pardon, in favour of his vanity. It is +our duty to correct and amend as we proceed. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville at first imagined, that the +inhabitants of Otaheite were nearly equal in +point of rank, and that their happiness was to +be envied, from their supposed equality: but +he now, from the information of Aotourou, +corrects that error, and confesses that, “the +distinction of ranks is very great,” and “the +disproportion very tyrannical.”⁠—The Chiefs, +and other men in power, dispose of the lives +of their dependants at their pleasure; and our +author thinks, that they have the power of exerting +this cruel prerogative over the common +people, who are not immediately dependant on +them. The vulgar are distinguished by the +appellation of <i>Tata-einow</i>, that is, vile men; +and it is mentioned, as an indubitable fact, +that those doomed for sacrifices are selected from +the Plebeian race. The Grandees only eat fish +<span class='pagenum'>281</span>and flesh, while the common people subsist +entirely on pulse and fruits. Indeed the distinction +of rank appears to be very great; for +persons of eminence are lighted from place to +place in the night, with a wood of superior +quality to that which the vulgar are allowed to +burn. The tree called the weeping willow is +planted only before the houses of the Chiefs or +Kings, and their public dinners are held beneath +its shade. +</p> +<p> +The servants of the great men are distinguished +by a kind of sash, worn round the +body, which is placed across the loins, or higher +up, till it comes close under the arm-pits, +in proportion to the rank of the master. +</p> +<p> +The natives of Otaheite make two regular +meals daily, one just after noon, and the other +as soon as the sun is gone down. The servants +cook the victuals, which are served up by the +wives, who eat after their husbands have done. +</p> +<p> +When the men die, the women go into +mourning for them; but this compliment is +not returned on the part of the men. The children +wear mourning a long time after the death +of the father, and on the decease of a king, +the whole nation is in sables. The mourning +consists of a head-dress of black feathers, and +a veil drawn over the face. +</p> +<p> +Aotourou informed Mons. Bougainville, that +this veil was very favourable to the wishes of +those women whose husbands were not so complaisant +<span class='pagenum'>282</span>as his countrymen in general are. This +arises from the following circumstance. When +the mourners go out, a number of slaves walk +before them, beating the castanets to a solemn +melancholy tune, which is considered as a notice +for all persons to keep at a distance from the +afflicted: thus, the veil over the face, and +the sound of an instrument from which every +one flies, cannot but be auspicious to the wishes +of the enraptured lovers. +</p> +<p> +When any person is dangerously ill, all his +relations repair to his house, and remain there +till he is either dead or out of danger, each, in +his turn, attending the sick man. Their method +of bleeding is very singular. An inferior +priest, called <i>Taoua</i>, is the physician, who +strikes the cranium with a piece of sharp +wood, which opens the sagittal vein; and when he +deems the patient to have bled sufficiently, he +ties on a bandage, which closes the orifice; the +day following he washes the wound, and no +ill consequence ensues. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville says, that the preceding +account contains every thing he could learn respecting +the customs of Otaheite, either on the +island, or from the information of Aotourou. +Our author remarks, that some words spoken +by the natives of Otaheite, are to be found in +a vocabulary at the end of La Maire’s voyage, +under the title of the “Vocabulary of Cocos +island”, which being mentioned as lying +<span class='pagenum'>283</span>nearly in the same latitude with Otaheite, is +conjectured to be one of those islands, the names +of which were recited by Aotourou. +</p> +<p> +The language of the people of Otaheite is +described by Mons. Bougainville as extremely +harmonious, and easy of pronunciation, consisting +chiefly of vowels, and having no aspirates. +He says also that it has no nasal, mute, +or half syllables; nor “that quantity of consonants +and articulations, which render some +languages so difficult.” Hence, he concludes, +arose the difficulty of teaching Aotourou the +French tongue; but he thinks it would have +been a work of much less labour to have taught +him the Italian or Spanish. +</p> +<p> +How far our author is right in his conjectures, +it would be no easy task to determine; for the +direct contrary of what he says of the language +of these islanders has been observed by the +English navigators. As we have already given +some vocabularies, we shall, at the conclusion +of this narrative, give that of Mons. Bougainville, +that the reader may determine whether +the English or the French voyagers have the +best pretensions to credibility. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville informs us, that a gentleman +of Paris, distinguished by his skill in +teaching the art of speech to persons born deaf +and dumb, repeatedly examined Aotourou, +and found that he could not naturally pronounce +<span class='pagenum'>284</span>any of the French nasal vowels, and but very +few of the consonants. +</p> +<p> +Our author is of opinion, that the language +of Otaheite is sufficiently copious, and he +grounds this opinion on the following circumstances. +Whenever, during the voyage, Aotourou +was struck with any new object, he immediately +expressed his sentiments in a kind of +extempore blank verse; and he also repeated +daily a long prayer, which he called “the +prayer of the Kings,” not a dozen words of +which Mons. Bougainville understood, or heard +him repeat on any other occasion. +</p> +<p> +Aotourou informed the Commodore, that an +English ship had arrived at Otaheite about eight +months before the French touched at that island. +This (says our author) was the vessel commanded +by Captain Wallace; and he ascribes the +knowledge of iron, which was observed among +the natives, to this visit of the English, especially +as they call it <i>Aouri</i>, which is not very +unlike our word <i>iron</i>. Our Frenchman likewise +gives a very ungenteel hint, that the poor Indians +were indebted to the English for the venereal +disease; but the contrary of this is known +to be the fact. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to give an +account of his departure from Otaheite, and +his discovery of other islands in the southern +pacific ocean. On the morning of the 16th of +April, 1768, he discovered what he thought to +<span class='pagenum'>285</span>be three other islands; but it was afterwards +found to be only one, the high lands of which +had, at a distance, given it the appearance of +separate islands. At a considerable distance beyond +this island, they saw another, which Aotourou +told them was called <i>Oumaitia</i>; that the +natives of it were in alliance with the people +of Otaheite; that there was a girl on the island +to whom he had a strong attachment; and that +if the Commodore would touch there, he would +meet with the same kind of necessaries, and the +same hospitable treatment, as he had experienced +among his countrymen. +</p> +<p> +Our circumnavigator, however, deaf to all +these persuasive arguments, held on his way, +and lost sight of the island the same day. The +succeeding night proving remarkably fair, and +the stars appearing with unclouded lustre, +Aotourou pointed out a constellation in the +shoulder of Orion, and expressed a wish, that +the ship’s course might be directed by it, in +consequence of which they would, in two +days time, arrive at a fine island where he had +a numerous acquaintance; and it was conjectured, +from his hints, that he had also a child +there. As Mons. Bougainville persisted in his +resolution not to alter the ship’s course, Aotourou +became very uneasy, and endeavoured +to persuade him to steer for the desired port, +by assuring him, that the island abounded in +hogs, fowls, fruits, and, what he seemed to +<span class='pagenum'>286</span>think would be the most prevailing argument, +fine women, who were abundantly liberal of +their favours. +</p> +<p> +Mortified in a high degree that his reasons +did not operate with the Commodore, he ran +to the steerage, and seizing the wheel of the +helm, tried to steer for his favourite isle, nor +was it without great difficulty on the part of +the helm’s-man, and equal vexation on that +of the poor Indian, that he was prevented from +carrying his design into execution. +</p> +<p> +Early on the following morning he climbed +to the mast-head, where he remained several +hours, anxiously looking out for the spot which +had so much attracted his regard. +</p> +<p> +On the preceding night he pointed out a +great number of stars, and informed Mons. +Bougainville of their names in the language of +Otaheite; and it was afterwards certainly known, +that this islander was not unacquainted with +the phases of the moon, and that he was +learned in those prognosticks, which evince an +approaching change of the weather. It likewise +appeared, that his countrymen were not +uninformed in this kind of knowledge, so useful +to people whose wants or curiosity frequently +carry them to sea, where they have no compass +to direct their course, except their own +judgment, and the sight of the cœlestial constellations. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>287</span>Mons. Bougainville confesses, that the natives +of Otaheite are fully convinced that the +sun and moon are peopled; and he asks, +“What Fontenelle taught them the plurality +of worlds?”⁠—We will answer him.⁠—The +omnipotent Creator of all worlds, who fills all +space; whose power gave birth, and whose +presence gives life to nature, and who has poured +his bounties, with unsparing hand, on every +part of his creation. +</p> +<p> +Our historian having acknowledged, that these +islanders are possessed of such great and superior +talents, has certainly no right to call, or +to deem, them <em>savages</em>. Is a man a savage because +he happens to be born in a different +part of the world from us; because he is unacquainted +with the languages of Europe, and +untaught in customs, which he could never, +from the locality of his situation, have an opportunity +of learning? The historians, and particularly +the navigators of this quarter of the +globe, are very censurably fond of distinguishing, +by the title of savages, all those who are +happy enough to be born in milder climates, +and to live and die, uninstructed in those arts +of refinement, and unskilled in that baseness of +insincerity, which are at once the characteristick, +the boast, and the disgrace of the Christian +world. +</p> +<p> +The weather continued fine till the end of +April, at which time the principal pilot on board +<span class='pagenum'>288</span>the Boudeuse died of an apoplectic fit. In +the beginning of the month of May, three islands +were discovered at the distance of ten or twelve +leagues to the north-west; but these were unknown +to Aotourou, who imagined that it was +Mons. Bougainville’s country. The moon +shone bright in the night, during which they +kept sight of the islands, and in the morning +steered for the largest, the eastern shore of which +they coasted, and found it about nine miles in +length. +</p> +<p> +The coasts of this island are remarkably +steep, and, in fact, the whole of it is little else +than an enormous hill, cloathed with trees. +Several fires were seen on shore, a small number +of houses covered with reeds, under the +shade of cocoa-nut trees, and more than twenty +of the natives running hastily along the coast. +</p> +<p> +The two smaller islands were each about a +mile and a half in length, and separated from +the larger one by an arm of the sea; in shape +and appearance they are very much like the +former. +</p> +<p> +The Commodore had given directions to +steer between the islands, when a boat, with +five Indians in her, was observed coming off +towards the ship. She advanced very near, +but, though every sign of friendly invitation +was made, not one of the natives would venture +on board. They had no kind of cloathing +but a bandage round the waist; and as they +<span class='pagenum'>289</span>could not be prevailed on to come up the +ship’s side, Aotourou stripped himself, leaving +on nothing more than what they wore, and addressed +them in the language of Otaheite; but +they understood not a word of what he said. +</p> +<p> +As they held up some cocoa-nuts, and other +vegetables, and seemed to wish to barter them +for some trinkets which were shewn them, +Mons. Bougainville ordered out one of the +ship’s boats, with a view to visit the strangers; +but they no sooner learnt his intention, than +they rowed off with all possible expedition, and +he did not think proper to follow them. +</p> +<p> +In a little time many other boats advanced +towards the ships, some of them rowed, and +others sailing. These, less diffident than the +former, came close under the ship’s side, but +none of the islanders would venture on board. +They exchanged pieces of an exquisitely fine +shell, yams, cocoa-nuts, and a water hen of +most beautiful plumage, for small pieces of +red stuff; but they did not seem fond of earrings, +knives, nails, nor iron of any kind; +which had been so eagerly coveted by the inhabitants +of Otaheite. One of these Indians +brought a cock with him, but he would not part +with it on any terms. They had also some +pieces of cloth, of the same kind as that manufactured +at Otaheite, but not of so fine a +fabrick, and died black, brown and red, but +none of the colours were good of their kinds. +<span class='pagenum'>290</span>They were likewise possessed of a kind of wood +hardened by fire, lances, mats, and fish-hooks +made of bones. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville conjectures, from the +features of these islanders, that they are not of +so amiable a disposition as the natives of Otaheite; +and he represents them as such dextrous +thieves, that it was almost impossible to guard +against their depredations. +</p> +<p> +These people are of the middle size, and exceedingly +alert; they are of a deep brown +complexion, but one was seen among them who +was much fairer than any of the others; they +had no beards, so that it was supposed they +were plucked out by the roots, and their hair, +which was universally black, stood almost erect +on their heads; their thighs and breasts were +painted with a deep blue. +</p> +<p> +Their boats are built in a most ingenious +taste, and furnished with out-riggers. The +head and stern of the vessel are equally flat with +its sides, and over each is a small deck, in the +center of which is a row of wooden pegs, the +tops of which are enclosed in a shell of the +purest white: the sail is formed of matting, +and its shape triangular, being extended by +means of sticks. +</p> +<p> +In these boats the islanders followed the +French vessels to a considerable distance out to +sea, while several others, from the smaller +islands, joined the naval procession, and produced +<span class='pagenum'>291</span>an effect that was highly agreeable. In one +of these last mentioned boats was an old woman, +remarkably distinguished by the singular +ugliness of her features. +</p> +<p> +As the weather now fell calm, the Commodore +gave up, from an apprehension of danger, +his project of sailing between the islands, though +the breadth of the channel was more than four +miles. They now sailed, therefore, in the open +sea, and on the evening of the same day, the +man at the mast-head had sight of other land, +even while they were yet in view, by the aid of +a bright moon, of the islands they had lately +left. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 5th it appeared, that +the newly discovered land was a most beautiful +island, consisting of alternate mountains and +vallies, clothed with the richest verdure, and +finely shadowed by the spreading branches of +the cocoa-nut, and a variety of other trees. +Near the westermost point of this island is a +ledge of rocks, and the sea breaks with violence +on many parts of the coast, so that it +would be difficult to land, except in very few +places. +</p> +<p> +Many boats put off from the island, and +sailed round the ships, though they were then +going at the rate of at least seven knots an +hour. These boats, however, one only excepted, +would not venture near the ships; but +<em>that one</em> went along-side, and her crew made +<span class='pagenum'>292</span>signs for the French to land, which they would +have done, but the breakers rendered it impossible. +At this time the man at the mast-head +observed a number of the Indian boats sailing +to the southward. +</p> +<p> +On the following day another island was seen +to the westward of the ship’s course, in the +neighbourhood of which were two smaller +islands; but none of these could be distinctly +beheld, on account of some thick fogs, which +intercepted the view. +</p> +<p> +The last mentioned islands are situated nearly +where Tasman, the Dutch navigator, has placed +a number of islands which he discovered, and +to which he gave the names of Heemskirk, +Prince William, Pylstaart, Amsterdam and +Rotterdam. The longitude of these islands +corresponds likewise, very nearly, with those +which navigators have called Solomon’s Isles; +so that it is most probable they are the same. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville conjectures, that the +number of boats which were observed sailing +to the southward, is a vindication that there +are other islands at no great distance; and, indeed, +this opinion seems to be well-grounded. +To all these lands the Commodore gave the +general name of the <i>Archipelago of the Navigators</i>. +</p> +<p> +The writer of this work must be indulged +for giving a hint, which springs from the noblest +of motives, the love of his country. It is +<span class='pagenum'>293</span>surely well worthy the consideration of the +British ministry, whether it might not be proper +to send a fleet to discover and settle some of +these islands.⁠—Who knows what future benefit +might, from such a circumstance, accrue to the +first maritime and commercial state in the universe?⁠—The +American colonies form the +brightest gem in the British crown. The colonies +in the southern pacific ocean might, not +improbably, constitute a diadem of still superior +lustre! +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 11th another island +was discovered, which received the name of +the <i>Forlorn Hope</i>; but for what reason it is impossible +to guess. At a distance it had the appearance +of two islands, but this deception was +occasioned by its shape, for it consisted of two +hills, joined by a low land, which could not +be seen far out at sea. +</p> +<p> +At this period, and for some days before and +afterwards, the weather was extremely unfavourable, +the winds being adverse, and the +rains and calms alternate. Mons. Bougainville +(on this circumstance) observes, that in the +ocean which has obtained the name of <span class="small-caps">Pacific</span>, +the approach to land is generally announced +by violent tempests, which become still +more violent, in proportion as the moon decreases. +The vicinity of islands is generally +foreboded by thick clouds at the horizon, and +squally weather; and the precautions necessary +<span class='pagenum'>294</span>to be taken to prevent a vessel’s running fowl +of shoals, may be more easily conceived than +described. In the present instance it was impossible +to proceed with the necessary degree of +caution; for the crew were in want of provisions, +and water, in particular, grew very +scarce; so that they were obliged to take advantage +of every breeze of wind, both by +night and day, and run all hazards, for fear +of starving. +</p> +<p> +Thus situated, it may be presumed, that they +thought themselves sufficiently unhappy; but +their distresses were aggravated by the greater +number of the crew of each ship being attacked +by the scurvy, which inflamed their mouths +to such a degree, that they could scarcely have +swallowed those refreshments of which they +stood much in need. Salt beef, pork, and +dried pulse, constituted the whole fare of those +who remained in health; for the sick, however, +there were yet some few articles of fresh +provisions remaining. +</p> +<p> +At this unfortunate juncture the disease, consequent +on an illicit commerce between the +sexes, made its appearance, attended by all its +most disagreeable symptoms. Aotourou was +so extremely ill of it, that though seeming to +despise its progress and its effects, he was obliged +to submit himself to the care of the Surgeons. +Mons. Bougainville’s words, on this +occasion, are very remarkable. “In his (Aotourou’s) +<span class='pagenum'>295</span>country, this disease is but little +minded. Columbus brought it from America; +here it is in an isle in the midst of the +greatest ocean. Have the English brought +it thither? Or ought the physician to win, +who laid a wager, that if four healthy stout +men were shut up with one healthy woman, +the venereal complaint would be the consequence +of their commerce?” +</p> +<p> +Ungenerous Frenchman! Why this unjustifiable +attack on the English? At the time +Mons. Bougainville wrote the narrative of his +voyage, he knew that some of his crew were +infected with the malady in question, when they +landed at Otaheite; for, in a former part of his +volume he has said, that he did all in his power +to prevent their communicating it to the poor +islanders. What becomes, too, of his wonder, +how a disorder should find its way to a little +island in the pacific ocean, when he knew that +his own ship had carried it thither!⁠—Whether +Columbus brought this pestilence from America +or not, is, perhaps a question not easily +determined; nor, at this period, is it at all +material: but one fact is well known; that the +French have plentifully distributed the contagion +through Europe, and it is not improbable, +that they have likewise carried it to every other +quarter of the globe. +</p> +<p> +This subject is rather of the indelicate kind; +but we are necessarily led into it; and may be +<span class='pagenum'>296</span>indulged in one remark, that seems to arise naturally +from the preceding circumstances, and +will, we trust, militate on the side of virtue.⁠—Providence, +we conceive, wisely intended one +man for the associate of one woman, who should +be the companion of his life, the friend of his +bosom, the partaker of his joys, the sharer of +his griefs, whose love for him should excite all +his tenderness, and repay, with interest, those +toils and cares it gave rise to. Thus paired, thus +mutually giving and receiving happiness, the +married state is indeed a heaven on earth. +Wedded love, the chaste, the holy, the conjugal +tie, will ensure as much happiness as is to +be found in this sublunary world; and trust, +O reader, in the goodness of God for the future. +To sum up this remark, marriages are +made in heaven; choose, ye ladies, with prudence +choose, the heart paired with your own; +select ye, generous youths, the amiable fair, +whose eyes beam the gentle influence of love, +and whose heart feels the solid force of virtue; +then be true to each other, and bid defiance to +contagion: so shall your days be happy, and +your children bless the parents to whom they +owe the first of human blessings, health of body, +and of mind. +</p> +<p> +The ships now steered a westerly course, and +early on the morning of the 22d two islands +were discovered, one of which received the +name of Aurora, from the early hour on which +<span class='pagenum'>297</span>it was first seen, and the other that of Whitsuntide +Isle, from the day which gave birth to +its being so named. +</p> +<p> +The track of the vessels was now so directed, +as that they might have passed between the +two islands, but an unexpected calm prevented +this manœuvre. Proceeding to the northward +of the first discovered island, a rising land, in +a conical form, was observed to bear north by +west, which received the name of the Peak of +the Etoile. +</p> +<p> +In the afternoon, mountainous lands, at +thirty miles distance, were seen, appearing, as +it were, over and beyond the island of Aurora. +</p> +<p> +On the twenty-third it was discovered, that +the land last seen was a separate island; the appearance +of which was lofty, its descent steep, +and the whole cloathed with trees. A number +of boats were seen coasting the shore, but none +of them approached the ships; smoke was seen +issuing from among the woods, but no habitation +was observed. +</p> +<p> +In the morning the Commodore dispatched +three boats, well manned and armed, to take +in wood, and to learn the necessary particulars +respecting the country, while the ships guns +were brought to bear on the island, in order to +protect the boats crews from any insult that +might be offered them by the natives. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville himself went on shore +in the afternoon, where he found the good natured +<span class='pagenum'>298</span>Indians assisting the French in carrying to +the boats a quantity of wood which had been +cut. +</p> +<p> +The information obtained from the officer +commanding the boat’s crew was, that on his +first landing, the natives assembled on the shore, +armed with bows and arrows, intimating, by +signs, that the strangers must retreat. The +French officer, however, gave directions for +landing, and while his people advanced, the +islanders retreated, but with their bows bent, +and in an attitude of self-defence. At length, +the crew were ordered to halt, while the +Prince of Nassau approached the Indians, who +no longer retreated when they saw only one +person advancing. The Prince having given +them some remnants of red cloth, their esteem +appeared to be at once conciliated. +</p> +<p> +The commanding officer now stationed himself +at the entrance of a wood, and sent out a +party in search of refreshments, while another +was deputed to cut fire-wood. The natives +now came forward, with an appearance of +friendship, and distributed some fruit among +the seamen, to whom they likewise gave some +arrows, but refused to accept any thing in exchange. +Their numbers were considerable, and +those who were not armed with bows and arrows +had provided themselves with stones, as +instruments of defence. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>299</span>These people intimated, that they were at +war with the natives of a different district on +the island, and even while they were hinting this +circumstance, an armed party of Indians approached +from the westward, while the former +appeared determined not to retreat from their +enemies; but the valour of the latter was rendered +unnecessary to be exerted by the want of +present courage in the former. +</p> +<p> +Matters were in this situation when Mons. +Bougainville landed on the island, where he remained +till his boats were laden with the articles +he wanted. +</p> +<p> +This being done, he took possession of the +island, by the act of burying at the foot of a +tree an inscription, carved on an oak-plank; +and then he retreated to the ship. +</p> +<p> +It was imagined, that this early retreat of the +French prevented an attack, which the islanders +had meditated, as they seemed to be making +preparations for what they had not yet in their +power to carry into execution; but no sooner +had the boats put off, than the islanders hastened +to the beach, and complimented them with a +shower of arrows, and a volley of stones; some +of them even plunged into the waves, aiming +their fury at the supposed invaders, and hurling +their vengeance on the insolent strangers. +When, at length, one of the seamen had been +wounded by a stone, a discharge of muskets +drove the poor islanders to their native woods, +<span class='pagenum'>300</span>evidently wounded, from their cries and exclamations. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville gives the following description +of the natives of this island, which he called +the <i>Isle of Lepers</i>, from observing, that many +of the inhabitants were afflicted with the leprosy. +Some of them are mulatto’s, and others +perfect negroes; their hair is woolly, and generally +black, but in some instances of a very +light brown, approaching to a yellow. Few +women were seen among them, but those few +were equally disagreeable with the men, who +are represented as low in stature, ill-favoured, +and disproportionably made. +</p> +<p> +We will not deny the veracity of our historian; +the works of Nature and of Providence +are astonishing. The God of creation is equally +wise and wonderful in all his works; but we +must own, that it appears to be a phenomenon, +the existence of which surpasses the credulity +of an English reader, that black men should +have (to use Mons. Bougainville’s own words) +hair “of a yellowish colour.” Of all historians, +the circumnavigators are fond of dealing in the +marvellous. Our Commodore, presuming that +he had visited an island unapproached by any +other European Commander, has told us just +what he pleased of the natives of that island, +and it is not in our power to contradict him. +It would have given weight to the testimony +<span class='pagenum'>301</span>of our flippant French historian, if he had +brought to Paris one of these curious <i>Lusus +Naturæ</i>, these yellow-pated negroes. +</p> +<p> +The ladies of this singular country carry their +children in a bag of cloth, slung at their backs. +On these cloths there are elegant drawings in a +fine dye of crimson. The noses of the men +are pierced and hung with ornaments; and it +is presumed, that they pluck their beards, as +none of them were observed to have any. +They wear a bracelet on the arm, which had +the appearance of ivory, and pieces of tortoishells +round their necks. +</p> +<p> +Clubs, stones, bows and arrows form the +armour of these people; the arrows are made +of reeds pointed with bone. On the points of +these bones are inverted darts, which prevent +the arrow being drawn without tearing the flesh +of the wounded person. The boats of these +islanders bore a strong resemblance to those of +the Indians of the isle of Navigators; but these +vessels did not approach the ships so near, as to +furnish the French with an opportunity of giving +a particular description of their construction. +</p> +<p> +Near the beach on which Mons. Bougainville +landed, is a lofty hill, extremely steep, yet +cloathed with a super-abundance of verdure. +The vegetable productions of the Isle of Lepers, +are far inferior to those of Otaheite, owing, +as is supposed, to the lightness of the soil, +and its want of depth. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>302</span>Figs, of a species not before known, were +found in this country; and several paths were +seen cut through the woods, and inclosed by +pallisadoes about a yard in height. It was +conjectured, that these enclosures marked the +boundaries of the landed property of different +persons. Half a dozen hovels only were seen, +into which no person could enter but on his +hands and knees; yet the inhabitants were very +numerous, and it is supposed they must be very +miserable, from the perpetual wars among the +natives of different districts on the island. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville says, that the sound of a +drum, harsh and dissonant to the ear, was frequently +heard in the wood near the top of the +above-mentioned hill; and this he imagines to +have been a signal for the Indians to rally their +forces; for no sooner had the discharge of the +fire-arms dispersed the multitude, than this +drum was immediately heard; and when the +islanders in enmity with the others appeared, +the drum was beat with suspended violence. +</p> +<p> +Aotourou formed a very contemptible opinion +of the inhabitants of the Isle of Lepers, +whose persons appeared indescribably odious in +his eyes; and of whose language he had not the +slightest idea. +</p> +<p> +On the 23d more land was discovered, which, +on the 25th, was observed to enclose almost all +the horizon, so that the ships were surrounded +in one extensive gulph, while the coast of the +<span class='pagenum'>303</span>newly-discovered country contained many other +gulphs, or large inlets, across which several +boats were observed rowing, from one shore to +the other. +</p> +<p> +The night of the 25th was spent in tacking, +and in the morning it was observed, that the +currents had carried the ships several miles +more to the south than their reckoning. The +number of isles now seen was so great, that +they could not be counted, nor could the end +of these extensive countries be discerned. +</p> +<p> +Steering north-west by west, the land had a +very beautiful aspect, being diversified with fine +trees, between spots of land that had the appearance +of being cultivated. Some parts of +the mountains being barren, and spotted in different +places with a red earth, Mons. Bougainville +conjectures from that circumstance, that +they contained some mineral substances. +</p> +<p> +A great inlet to the westward having been +seen on the preceding day, the ships now arrived +in it, and saw a number of negro Indians on +the south coast of it, while others approached +the vessels in their boats, but when they came +to about the distance of a musket shot, they +would advance no nearer, nor could any sign of +invitation from the French induce them to alter +their resolution. +</p> +<p> +The land on the north shore is of a moderate +height, and cloathed with trees. On this shore +many negroes were seen, and several boats put +<span class='pagenum'>304</span>off towards the ships; but these, like the former, +refused to come to board. +</p> +<p> +At the distance of about eight miles from +this spot, two islands were seen, which formed +the entrance of a fine bay, which the boats +were sent to examine, and after they had been +gone a few hours, the sound of muskets were +heard, which made the Commodore very uneasy. +On their return in the evening it appeared, that +one of them, in disobedience to the orders of +the Commander, had left her consort, and going +near in shore, the Indians discharged two +arrows at the crew, which was returned by +the musquetry, and some larger guns. A projecting +point of land prevented the boat being +seen from the ships; but the incessant firing +induced the Commodore to imagine, that she +was engaged with a very large number of the +enemies boats, two of which she had certainly +encountered. +</p> +<p> +Preparations were making for dispatching the +long-boat to her assistance, when she was descried, +coming round the above-mentioned point +of land. +</p> +<p> +The lamentable cries of the poor Indians +were now heard in the woods, to which they +had fled, from the rage of their enemies, and +their drums were incessantly beating.⁠—We must +now transcribe one passage from Mons. Bougainville, +because it is the <em>most humane</em>, and +consequently <em>the noblest</em>, in his whole narrative: +<span class='pagenum'>305</span>“I immediately made signal to the boat to +come on board, and I took my measures to +prevent our being dishonoured for the future, +by such an abuse of the superiority of our +power.” +</p> +<p> +The country last mentioned consisted of a +number of small islands, off which there is tolerable +good anchorage, but at such a distance +from the coast, that a ship could not cover any +boats which should land, which, as the islands +are cloathed with thick woods, would be the +more necessary. +</p> +<p> +These Indians went naked, and, except a +bandage round the waist, wore the same kind +of ornaments as those on the island of Lepers, +whom they resembled in all respects, except not +being quite so black; and the productions of +the island were likewise the same.⁠—The Commodore +very properly declined any attempt to +trade with these people, whom he could not +suppose would barter their effects with those, +from whom they had received such essential +injuries. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 27th they again sailed, +and, in a few hours, had sight of a fine +plantation of trees, between which there were +regular walks, resembling those of an European +garden. Many of the natives were seen +near this spot, and as an inlet was observed at +no small distance, the Commodore ordered the +<span class='pagenum'>306</span>boats to be hoisted out but they found that it +was impracticable to land. +</p> +<p> +The ships now quitted the great cluster +of islands they had lately visited, which received +the general name of <i>Archipelago of the +great Cyclades</i>, which, it is conjectured, occupies +no less than three degrees of latitude, and +five of longitude. Mons. Bougainville says, +that these islands are not the same that Quiros +called <i>Tierra Austral del Espiritu Santo</i>; but +that Roggewein saw the northern extremity of +them, which he denominated <i>Groningen</i>, and +<i>Thienhoven</i>. +</p> +<p> +Our author now recites a very singular fact. +On board the store-ship was a person reported +to be a woman, which was almost confirmed by +her want of beard, her voice, and her shape. +The Commodore going on board the Etoile, +enquired into the fact; when the party confessed +her sex, while floods of tears streamed down +her face. +</p> +<p> +Her story is extraordinary.⁠—Born in Burgundy, +and left an Orphan, she was ruined by +the fatal issue of a law-suit: on which she resolved +to drop the habit of her sex, and served +a gentleman at Paris; but hearing of Mons. +Bougainville’s intended expedition round the +world, she repaired to Rochefort, where, just +before the ships embarked, she entered into the +service of Mons. de Commerçon, who went out +with a view of encreasing his botanical knowledge. +<span class='pagenum'>307</span>She followed her master, with astonishing +courage and resolution, through deep snows, +to the hoary tops of the mountains in the +streight of Magellan, carrying loads of herbs, +plants, arms and provisions, with unspeakable +courage, and unwearied toil. +</p> +<p> +While our adventurers were at Otaheite, the +men of that island flocked round our heroine, +and exclaiming, “this is a woman!” would +certainly have treated her as such, but that an +officer rescued her from their hands, and ordered +her to be delivered, unviolated on board +the ship. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville observes, that this is the +first woman that ever circumnavigated the +globe, and remarks on the singularity of her +situation, if the ships should have been wrecked +on some desert isle in the great ocean. The +name of this extraordinary woman is Baré; +and she is as celebrated for her chastity as her +courage. +</p> +<p> +On the night between the fourth and fifth of +June some breakers were seen at half a league’s +distance, by the light of the moon. In the +morning it appeared to be a low flat sandy isle, +abounding in birds, which received the name +of the <i>Shoal of Diana</i>. +</p> +<p> +About this period several species of fruit, and +some pieces of wood, floated by the ship; and +a kind of flying fish was seen, larger than the +<span class='pagenum'>308</span>common sort, the body of which was black, +and the wings red. +</p> +<p> +A sand bank was discovered on the 6th, on +which the sea broke violently, and the tops of +rocks were seen at intermediate spaces. “This +last discovery (says our author) was the voice +of God, and we were obedient to it.”⁠—They +therefore spent the night in making short tacks +in that part of the sea with which they were +previously acquainted. +</p> +<p> +At this time the salt provisions on board were +become so putrid, that it was almost impossible +for men, even on the point of starving, to swallow +them; and therefore the rats were industriously +sought after, and eaten in preference +to it. The remaining peas would serve only +forty days, and the bread two months; so that +it became highly necessary to think of steering +to the northward. +</p> +<p> +On the 10th, before day-break, an agreeable +fragrancy impregnated the air, announcing that +land was near; and it was accordingly discovered +before sun-rising. This is described +as a most delicious country, divided, near the +sea coast, into groves and plains, behind which +the land rises, in the form of amphitheatre, +till the tops of the mountains are lost in the +clouds. The most lofty of three chain of +mountains was seen above seventy miles in-land. +The whole country appeared to be rich and fertile, +but the deplorable situation to which the +<span class='pagenum'>309</span>ship’s companies were reduced, would not admit +of their staying to take a more accurate +survey of it. +</p> +<p> +On the 10th a prodigious swell from the +south-east drove the ships violently towards +land, and they were soon within about two miles +of it; and the night was passed in this dangerous +situation, taking advantage of every +slight breeze to clear the shore. A number of +boats were now seen coasting the island, on many +parts of which fires were observed. A turtle +was found here in the belly of a shark. +</p> +<p> +For several successive days there was so thick +a fog, that the Boudeuse was obliged to fire +frequent guns to keep company with the Etoile, +on board of which were a part of their provisions. +</p> +<p> +Several shell fish, called cornets, leaped into +the ship in the night, and as it is known of +these fish, that they are accustomed to keep at the +bottom of the sea, it is evident, that the ships +must have been in very shallow water. +</p> +<p> +On the 16th the weather became fine, and +on the following day several islands were discovered, +one of which was called Ushant, from +its similitude to the island of that name. +</p> +<p> +By this time our voyagers were reduced to +very great extremities. The allowance of +bread and pease was considerably reduced; and +a fear of the consequences that might arise, +obliged the Commodore to forbid the eating of +<span class='pagenum'>310</span>leather. There was yet on board a she-goat, +which had been brought from Falkland’s +Islands; she yielded milk daily, but this was +insufficient to save her life: the starving crew +demanded the victim, and the butcher, who +had hitherto been her feeder, wept as he plunged +the murderous knife in the breast of his +favourite. Soon after this a dog, which had +been put on board at the streights of Magellan, +fell a sacrifice to the dire demands of hunger. +</p> +<p> +On the 18th not less than nine or ten islands +were discovered, and on the 20th a still farther +number. Our navigators now struggled at once +with a variety of inconveniences, occasioned +by foul ships, damaged rigging, crazy masts, +and tempestuous weather. +</p> +<p> +On the 25th high land was discovered, which +appeared to terminate in a cape, which they +doubled with a degree of transport that may +be more easily conceived than described, as it +was the point they had wished for a sight of, +from a certainty that it would enable them to +quit for ever the archipelago of islands, amidst +which they had been so long in hourly danger +of shipwreck or starving. This cape was called +<i>Cape Deliverance</i>, and the name of the <i>Gulph +of the Louisiade</i>, was given to a bay, of which +the Cape forms the eastermost point. +</p> +<p> +North of Cape Deliverance about sixty +leagues land was discovered, which proved to +be two small islands; and, two days afterwards, +<span class='pagenum'>311</span>an officer was sent to examine several creeks, in +the hope of finding anchorage, while the ships +sailed slowly after the boats, ready to join them +on the first signal. +</p> +<p> +The natives now advanced towards the ship +in several boats, carrying from two or three, +to upwards of twenty men each. +</p> +<p> +These boats had no outriggers, and their +crews were as black as the negroes on the coast +of Guinea. Some of them had reddish hair, +and that of all of them was long and curled. +They wore white ornaments on their foreheads +and necks, and were armed with lances and +bows; they kept an almost continual shouting, +and seemed rather inclined for war than peace. +</p> +<p> +When the boats returned on board, the officer +reported, that the sea broke on all parts of the +coast, that he had found only one small river, +that the land is every where covered with wood, +and that the mountains run down close to the +sea-shore. +</p> +<p> +The natives dwell on the mountains, but +they have a few huts on the banks of some of +the small creeks.⁠—Some of them followed one +of the ship’s boats, and seemed almost resolved +on an attack; and one of the Indians repeatedly +put himself in an attitude to have thrown +his lance; but he desisted from his purpose, and +no mischief was done. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville says, that he was now +advanced too far to return; but that he hoped +<span class='pagenum'>312</span>to find a passage, though the weather was so +foggy that he could not discern any object at +the distance of more than two leagues. +</p> +<p> +In the morning of the 1st of July, the ships +were just in the station they had quitted the preceding +night, having been impelled forward, +and driven back, by the tides. +</p> +<p> +Nothing remarkable happened but the discovery +of a <i>Race</i>, in the middle of a passage, +to which was given the name of <i>Dennis’s Race</i>, +from that of the master of the Boudeuse. +</p> +<p> +A race is a part of any channel or streight, +where there are opposing tides, or a rapid and +dangerous current; and such are even sometimes +met with in the open seas. +</p> +<p> +Boats were now sent to find anchorage in a +fine bay; and the account of their expedition +is as follows.⁠—That a number of Indian boats, +in which were a hundred and fifty of the natives, +armed with shields, lances, and bows, +came from the banks of a rivulet on which +their habitations were situated, and rowed hastily +towards the French boats, which they surrounded, +and, with hideous outcries, began +the attack with their bows and lances. The +French discharged their muskets; but the natives +covering themselves with their shields, the +fight continued, till a second firing terrified them +so, that they made a hasty retreat, some of +them swimming on shore. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>313</span>Two of their boats were taken, on the stern +of which was the figure of a man’s head +with a long beard, the eyes being mother-of-pearl, +the ears tortoiseshell, and the lips were +dyed a bright red. Exclusive of their weapons +and utensils, there were found in their +boats cocoa-nuts, and several fruits, the species +of which were not known, the jaw of a +man, half broiled, and various other things. +</p> +<p> +The natives of this coast are negroes, whose +hair curls naturally, and they have a method of +colouring it yellow, red, and white. Their +cloathing consists only of a piece of matting +round the waist. This river received the name +of <i>Warrior’s River</i>, and the whole spot, that +of the <i>Isle and Bay of Choiseul</i>. +</p> +<p> +Two days afterwards a cape was discovered, +which was called <i>Cape L’Averdi</i>, on which were +mountains of an astonishing height. On the +4th other mountainous land was discovered, +from which came off five or six Indians, and, +after lying on their oars some time, they accepted +some trifles which were thrown to them. +They now exhibited some cocoa-nuts, saying, +<i>bouca, bouca, onelle!</i> and seemed greatly pleased +when the French repeated them. They then +intimated, that they would fetch some cocoa-nuts, +but they had scarcely left the ship’s side, +when one of them discharged an arrow, by +which, however, no person was wounded. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>314</span>The people were altogether naked, had long +ears, bored, and curled short hair, which some +of them had dyed red, and they had also white +spots on their bodies. Their teeth were red, +probably from the chewing of betel. +</p> +<p> +This island, which was named <i>Bouka</i>, appeared +to be cultivated, and, from the number +of huts that were seen, it probably abounds +with inhabitants.⁠—The cocoa-nut, and other +trees, dispersed over a beautiful plain, was a +sufficient temptation for landing; but the +rapidity of the current prevented the possibility +of it. +</p> +<p> +Two more islands were seen on the 5th, +and, as the wood and water were expended, and +disease reigning aboard, the Commodore resolved +to land here, and, on the following afternoon, +the ships came to an anchor. The +casks were sent on shore, and tents erected for +the sick, on a commodious spot, where there +were four rivulets near together, and where +wood for the carpenters and joiners use, as well +as for burning, was very plenty; there were no +inhabitants near the place, so that the sick had +an opportunity of ranging the woods, fearless +of any attack from the natives, and every thing +seemed to conspire to render this spot the most +eligible imaginable; but there was one great +inconvenience, no fruit could be found. +</p> +<p> +Two huts were discovered on the bank of a +rivulet, not far from the encampment, and a +<span class='pagenum'>315</span>boat, near which were seen the remains of +fires, some calcined shells, and the skeletons +of some animals heads, which were taken for +those of the wild boar. Some fresh bananas +were found, which proves, that the natives had +but lately left the place. +</p> +<p> +This island produces a large, blue crested +pigeon, which has so plaintive a note, that the +seamen mistook it for the cries of men towards +the mountains. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now relates an extraordinary +incident. A seaman being looking for +shells, found a plate of lead buried in the sand, +on which the following letters were very visible. +</p> +<div class='poetry_container'> +<div class='poetry'> +<div class='stanza'> +<p class='verse'>HOR’D HERE</p> +<p class='verse'>ICK MAJESTY’s</p> +</div> +</div></div> +<p> +The mark of the nails with which the lead had +been fastened appeared; and it is plain, that +the natives must have torn off the plate and +broken it. +</p> +<p> +This circumstance gave rise to a diligent +search, and, at about six miles from the watering-place, +the very spot was found where the +English had formed their encampment. Several +trees were seen which had been felled, and +others which were sawn in pieces. A very large +and conspicuous tree was found, on which the +inscription had been nailed; it stood in the +midst of a spacious place, and it appeared, that +the plate had been pulled down but a very +short time. There were other trees, to which +<span class='pagenum'>316</span>the ends of ropes were fastened. One of the +trees which had been cut down had put forth +fresh twigs, apparently of the growth of four +months. Mons. Bougainville mentions it as a +very singular circumstance, that, amidst so many +islands, he should happen to land on that so +lately visited by a rival nation! +</p> +<p> +Diligent search was now made for food and +refreshments, but almost in vain; for nothing +could be found but a few cabbage-trees, and +thatch-palms. No fish could be catched, and, +though a few wild boars were seen, not one of +them was taken. A small number of pigeons +were indeed shot, the feathers of which were +of green and gold. +</p> +<p> +It will be needless to mention the other products +of this island, as the reader has already +had an account of them in the narrative of the +English voyages. +</p> +<p> +No time was now lost in the necessary repairs +of the ships; and an equal division was made +of the provisions, which now began to run extremely +short. A third part of the late allowance +of pease was taken off. From the Commodore +to the lowest person on board, all +fared alike: their situation, like death, banished +all distinction. +</p> +<p> +On the 13th there was an eclipse of the sun, +which was clearly seen, and the proper astronomical +and nautical remarks made on it. The +name of <i>Port Praslin</i> was given to this harbour, +<span class='pagenum'>317</span>an inscription having been first buried under +the spot where the eclipse had been observed. +</p> +<p> +The Etoile being a light vessel, and there +being no stones to ballast her, after the provisions +had been taken out, this important business +was necessarily performed with wood; a fatiguing +and unwholesome task, in so damp a +country. +</p> +<p> +An insect of a most wonderful texture was +found on this island, the body and wings of +which appeared so much like the leaf of a tree, +as scarcely to be distinguished from it, even on +a nice inspection. When the wings are extended, +each forms the half of a leaf, and when +they are closed it is entire. The upper side of +the body is of a brighter hue than the under +parts; and it has six legs, the upper joints of +which resemble parts of leaves. This curiosity +was preserved in spirits, and is in the cabinet of +the French King. +</p> +<p> +A sailor who was hauling the fishing-net, in +search of a scarce fish called the hammer-oyster, +having been bit by a snake, whose bite is poisonous, +was cured in a few hours by a profuse +perspiration, produced by taking flower-de-luce +water and treacle. +</p> +<p> +Aotourou having remarked the progress of +the cure, intimated, that at Otaheite there were +sea-snakes, whose bite is mortal in every instance. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>318</span>On the 22d repeated shocks of an earthquake +were felt for about two minutes. The +sea rose and fell several times, so that the concussions +were felt on board the ships. +</p> +<p> +Notwithstanding the extreme bad weather +which prevailed, the crews, divided into separate +parties, went to the woods every day, in +hopes to shoot some turtle-doves, and gather +cabbage-trees and thatch-palms; but it generally +happened, that they returned without any +success, and wet to the skin. At length, however, +they found some mangle apples, and a +kind of pruens; but too late to be of much +service, as they were now on the point of departure. +A kind of ivy was successfully applied +in the cure of the scurvy. +</p> +<p> +An immense cascade was seen, falling from +numerous rocks into a hundred basons of water, +and at once shaded and adorned by stately trees, +some of which grow even in the reservoirs, is +recommended by Mons. Bougainville as a subject +fit to exercise the fancy of the boldest +painter⁠—Why did not his limner make a drawing +of it? +</p> +<p> +The situation of the ships companies now +became so dreadful, that no more time could be +lost.⁠—In the afternoon of the 24th a favourable +breeze enabled the ships to get out to sea. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville remarks, that this country +must be <span class="small-caps">New Britain</span>, and that the great +bay must be the same which Dampier calls St. +<span class='pagenum'>319</span>George’s Bay; but that he had the happiness to +land on a part of it where his wants could be +supplied by the inhabitants. +</p> +<p> +A succession of islands having been seen in +the offing, Mons. Bougainville named them after +the officers.⁠—The field-tents were now cut +up, to make trowsers for the seamen, who had +been repeatedly clothed during the voyage, to +enable them to sustain the inclemencies of so many +different climates. But the last change of +cloathing was now delivered out, and at this +period an ounce of bread was deducted from +their scanty allowance. Their salt provisions +were now so bad, as to be nauseous in a high +degree; yet their starving situation impelled +them to feed on them; but even at this melancholy +period, no one yielded himself a prey to +melancholy. The sailors, influenced by the +example of the officers, employed every evening +in dancing, dispelling, by their mirth, some +of the pangs of hunger.⁠—Happy Frenchmen! +who could be thus mirthful, in the jaws of apparent +destruction! +</p> +<p> +New Britain continued in sight till the beginning +of August, when the ships being nearer +the land than they had been before, several Indian +boats came off, the crews of which were +negroes, with woolly heads, which they had +covered with white powder. They are tall and +active, and wore no other cloaths than leaves +round the middle. They held out something +<span class='pagenum'>320</span>that had the appearance of bread, and invited +the French to land; but they refused to enter +the ships, though an attempt was made to conciliate +their friendship, by presents of some +pieces of stuff. They accepted what was given, +and threw a stone from a sling in return; instantly +retreating, with loud vociferations. +</p> +<p> +On the following day a larger number assembled +along side the Boudeuse; a person, who +had the appearance of authority, carried a red +staff, knobbed at each end, in his hand. On +approaching the ship, he held his hands over +his head for a considerable time. The hair of +these negroes was painted red; some of them +were adorned with feathers, ear-rings made of the +seed of some herb, or circular plates depending +from their necks; others had the nose pierced, +and rings ran through it; but the general ornament +was a bracelet made of the half of a shell. +The French were anxious to conciliate the +esteem of these people, but in vain; they eagerly +grasped at whatever was given them, but +would make no present in return. The roots +of a few yams were all that could be obtained +from them. Two of their boats being observed +approaching in the night, a rocket was fired, +on which they instantly rowed off. +</p> +<p> +On the 31st a number of Indian boats attacked +the Etoile with a volley of stones and arrows; +but a single discharge of the musquetry +<span class='pagenum'>321</span>got rid for ever of these troublesome companions. +</p> +<p> +On the 4th of August two islands were seen, +which are conjectured to be the same which +Dampier distinguishes by the name of <i>Matthias</i> +and <i>Stormy</i>, or <i>Squally</i>, Island. On the 5th a +third island was seen, and then the northern +point of New Britain, which lies only forty one +minutes south of the land. +</p> +<p> +On the 7th a flat island was seen, covered +with trees, abounding with cocoa-nuts, and +certainly well inhabited, as appeared from +the great number of houses that were seen on +the shore. Fishing-boats in multitudes surrounded +the island; but the fishermen took no notice +of the ships. This received the name of the +<i>Isle of Anchorets</i>. On the following day a prodigious +number of small islands was seen, +when Mons. Bougainville having escaped the +most imminent dangers, in the endeavour to double +this chain of islands, at length happily +effected his point, in consequence of a breeze +which still freshened with the rising sun. +</p> +<p> +He now continued to range the coast till he +came within sight of two lofty peaks, to which +he gave the name of the two Cyclops. On the +15th two high mountains were discovered on +the continent, and two small islands near them. +</p> +<p> +On the 23d two other islands being discovered, +an attempt was made to land, in the hope +of obtaining refreshments; but this was found +<span class='pagenum'>322</span>impracticable, but by the boats, the Commanding +officer of which reported, that the +islands were totally uninhabited, and that no +fruits grew which were fit to be eaten. +</p> +<p> +This day the ships crews were twice alarmed; +the first time with a report from aloft, that a +range of breakers were seen a-head; but this +proved to be only the rippling of a strong tide; +the second alarm was from the fore-castle, +where it was declared, that the bottom of the +sea was visible under the ship’s way. This +shoal was perceived by the crew of the Etoile, +but was easily escaped by both the ships. Monsieur +Denys, first Master of the Boudeuse, died +this day of the scurvy, to the infinite regret of +the whole ship’s company. At this time upwards +of forty persons were ill of the same disorder, +the progress of which was stopped by the +plentiful use of wine and lemonade. +</p> +<p> +It was now thought necessary to stear a southerly +course, in order to get clear of the islands +by which they were surrounded. None of these +islands appeared to be inhabited, though all of +them were cloathed with verdure. During the +following night they sailed out of this labyrinth, +through a channel about three leagues in breadth. +Early in the morning they doubled the southernmost +of a number of small islands on each side +of this channel, which was denominated the +<i>French Passage</i>. On the 26th, in the morning, +they passed the meridian for the fifth time, and +<span class='pagenum'>323</span>early the next day had sight of a small island to +the south-east; they likewise saw a steep hill, +remarkably high, to which they gave the name +of <i>Big Thomas</i>; near which are three small +islands. +</p> +<p> +They had sight of several islands on the 27th +and 28th, when Mons. Bougainville gave orders +for a boat belonging to the Etoile to steer +to the south-westernmost of these isles in search +of anchorage, and to enquire if they produced +any thing worthy of notice. The boat having +landed on two islands, which neither produced +any fruits, nor appeared to be cultivated, and +indicated no signs of being inhabited, the ship +was on the point of returning, when an Indian +rowed up to the ship’s boat, without expressing +the least sign of fear or astonishment. The +Frenchmen intimated, that they wanted food +and liquor; on which he presented them with +a kind of meal, and some water; in return for +which they gave him a looking-glass, a handkerchief, +and some other trifles, which he received +with indifference, and laughed at the +donors. It was conjectured, that this negroe +had deserted from one of the adjacent islands +which have been settled by the Dutch. The +number of them were formerly seven, but they +are now reduced to five by earthquakes. The +crew of the Boudeuse took a turtle on this spot +of not less than two hundred weight. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>324</span>Early in the morning of the 31st our voyagers +had sight of the island of Ceram, which +runs in a parallel east and west, abounds in lofty +mountains, and is partly cleared, and partly in +its original state. A great number of fires +were seen on this island, which seem to intimate +that it is well peopled. Early in the morning, +on the first of September, our adventurers +found themselves at the entrance of a bay, on +the banks of which they beheld a number of +fires; they soon observed two boats under sail, +constructed on the plan of those of Malay. A +Dutch pendant was now hoisted, and a gun +fired but the Commodore confesses his error in +this procedure, as the people at Ceram are at +variance with the Dutch, whom they have almost +totally routed from their island. Mons. +Bougainville having been thus unsuccessful, +through mistake, returned from the bay, and +employed the rest of the day in plying between +the islands <i>Bonao</i>, <i>Kelang</i>, and <i>Manepo</i>. +</p> +<p> +Some time before midnight, a number of +fires attracted their attention to the island of +Boero, where there is a Dutch factory, well +provided with the necessary refreshments. +</p> +<p> +The above-mentioned Dutch factory is at the +entrance of the Gulph of <i>Cajeli</i>, which the +French had sight of at day-break. Their joy +on this occasion is not to be expressed; for at +this time not half of the seamen were able to +perform any duty; and the scurvy had raged +<span class='pagenum'>325</span>so violently, that no man on board was perfectly +clear of it. What few provisions were on +board were absolutely rotten, and stunk intolerably. +</p> +<p> +Thus circumstanced, their change of situation +must have been rapturous indeed! From +midnight the fragrant breeze had wafted the +aromatic flavour of the plants, which abound +in the Moluccas. “The aspect (says our author) +of a pretty large town, situated in the +bottom of a gulph, of ships at anchor there, +and cattle rambling through the meadows, +caused transports which I have doubtless felt, +but which I cannot here describe.” Our +Commodore hoisted Dutch colours, and fired a +gun; but though several boats were sailing in +the bay, none of them came along-side. In a +few hours a periagua, rowed by Indians, advanced +towards the ship, and the commanding +officer enquired in Dutch who they were; but +refused to go on board. Mons. Bougainville, +however, proceeded under all his sails, and in +the afternoon came to an anchor opposite the +factory. +</p> +<p> +Two Dutch soldiers, one of whom spoke +French, now came on board the Boudeuse, +demanding the reason of the Commodore’s entering +that port, when he must know that the +ships of the Dutch East India Company had +an exclusive right to that privilege. He was +answered, in brief, that necessity was the motive; +<span class='pagenum'>326</span>that hunger must preclude the force of +treaties, and that they would depart as soon as +their wants were supplied. +</p> +<p> +The soldiers soon returned with the copy of +an order from the Governor of Amboyna, +who presides over the Resident at Boero, forbidding +him to admit foreign ships into that +port. The Resident, therefore, entreated +Mons. Bougainville to declare, in writing, the +cause of his putting in there; that he might +transmit such declaration to the Governor of +Amboyna, in justification of his own conduct. +</p> +<p> +This request being complied with, all difficulties +were at an end; the Resident having +performed his duty as a servant of the Company, +was anxious to discharge the superior +duties of humanity. The Commodore and his +Officers visited him on shore, were received in +the most friendly manner, and accepted his +invitation to supper. +</p> +<p> +The Resident and his company beheld with +equal pleasure and surprize the effects that hunger +had on the appetites of the guests; nor +were they willing to eat themselves, least they +should deprive their now too happy visitants +of their full share of their repast. Mons. Bougainville +confesses, that he was supremely happy, +because he had previously sent on board +what would be an equal feast to both the ships +companies. A contract was now made, that, +while the ships should remain in that harbour, +<span class='pagenum'>327</span>venison should be daily supplied to the crews, +that eighteen oxen, a number of sheep and +poultry, and a quantity of rice (to supply the +place of bread) should be put on board. The +Resident was likewise obliging enough to furnish +the sick with a quantity of pulse from the Company’s +garden; but much could not be obtained, +as it is not generally cultivated on the +island. +</p> +<p> +The sick were now brought on shore, and +the majority of the seamen were likewise indulged +in walking about for their health and pleasure. +The Commodore hired the slaves belonging +to the Company to fill the water casks, +and to carry the several necessaries on board. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville and his officers were gratified +with the pleasure of stag hunting, and he +mentions the deer of this country as most exquisite +food. The Dutch originally transported +them hither. This island is described as a delightful +composition of woods, hills, plains, +and well-watered vallies. +</p> +<p> +The town of Cajeli, and about fourteen +Indian dwellings, formed the Dutch settlement. +A stone fort, which the Dutch had originally +erected, was accidentally blown up in the year +1689; since which time it has no enclosure +but that of palisadoes, with a battery of six +small cannons. About fifty white people are +all that reside on the island, of whom a Serjeant +and twenty-five men, commanded by the Resident, +<span class='pagenum'>328</span>form a part. The negroes who reside +in the interior parts of the country subsist by +the cultivation of rice. +</p> +<p> +The <i>Moors</i> and the <i>Alfourians</i> are the genuine +natives of this country; the former are protected +by the Dutch factory, who endeavour +to inspire them with the dread of all foreigners. +These people are principally kept in awe +by the influence of their own Chiefs, for whom +the Dutch Resident professes a sincere regard. +Dutch policy, in this, as in all their other +settlements, is the same; by fomenting a jealousy +among the Chiefs of their respective dependants, +a plot is no sooner formed by one +Chief, than it is revealed by another. The natives +of Boero are not treated as slaves by the +Dutch; their slaves being procured from the +islands of Ceram, or Celebes. +</p> +<p> +Unlimited freedom and independence appear +to reign among the Alfourians, who, residing +on the mountains in the interior parts of the +island subsist on the produce of their hunting, +with fruits and sago. It is presumed they are not +Mahometans, because they eat swines flesh. +The principal people among the Alfourians +pay occasional visits to the Dutch Resident; +“they would do as well (says our author) to +stay at home.” +</p> +<p> +The chief products of this island are various +kinds of wood, particularly black and white +ebony; and there is a fine plantation of pepper. +<span class='pagenum'>329</span>The fruits are pine-apples, citrons, lemons, +bitter oranges, shaddocks, bananas and cocoa-nuts. +Very good barley is likewise a produce +of this country. +</p> +<p> +Parrots, and a variety of other birds, many +of them extremely beautiful, abound in the +woods. There is likewise the wild cat, whose +bag under the belly serves for the conveyance +of its young. Bats, and serpents of an enormous +size, the latter of which are said to have +a swallow capacious enough for the reception of +a whole sheep. There is a snake too, which, +posting itself on the trees, darts into the eye of +the passenger who happens to look up, and +the bite of this animal is certain death. +</p> +<p> +Crocodiles of an astonishing size reside on +the banks of the rivers, devouring such beasts as +fall in their way; and men are only protected +from their fury by carrying torches in their +hands. Mons. Bougainville asserts, that these +crocodiles, which roam for prey in the night, +have been even known to seize people in their +boats. +</p> +<p> +The name of the Resident at Buero is Ouman; +he is by birth a Batavian, and is married +to a native of Amboyna. He lives in great +elegance and splendour, and is attended by no +less than a hundred slaves. Mons. Bougainville +speaks of his politeness and hospitality in +very high terms. After having twice regaled +the French Officers in the ceremonious way, he +<span class='pagenum'>330</span>bid adieu to all set forms, but his house was +constantly open to them, as their own; they always +found good viands and liquors, and our +author thinks this was no inconsiderable degree +of civility to persons who had so lately been on +the point of starving. +</p> +<p> +The Resident’s house is constructed in the +Chinese taste, in the middle of a garden, which +is intersected by a river: the house itself is a +handsome building, and it is elegantly furnished. +Its approach is through an avenue of +trees, which are planted down to the sea-side. +The wife and daughter were habited in the Chinese +manner, and were no way deficient in the +essential requisites of good breeding. Their +chief employment consists in making nosegays, +and selecting flowers proper for distillation. +</p> +<p> +The astonishment of Aotourou, at this first +sight of an European settlement, may be more +easily conceived than described. He regarded +every object with an intenseness of curiosity +scarcely to be satisfied; but he was particularly +charmed with the hospitality of the Dutch. +He supposed every thing freely given, as he +did not see any thing returned by way of barter. +Mons. Bougainville says, that he behaved +sensibly with respect to the Dutch, to whom he +intimated the consequence he was of in his own +country, and that his present voyage was merely +pleasurable with friends whom he esteemed. +His constant practice was to imitate the manners +<span class='pagenum'>331</span>of the French, both in their visits, and in +their rural amusements. The knees of this +Indian being distorted, he attributed, to that +circumstance, his not being taken with the Commodore +on his first visit to the Resident, +and actually desired some of the seamen to +press their weight on his knees, to make them +strait.⁠—This, surely, is no great proof of that +good sense which Mons. Bougainville has frequently +hinted that Aotourou was possessed +of!⁠—This islander would frequently enquire if +Paris was as grand a place as Boero. +</p> +<p> +Though the French were only six days on +shore, the healthful air of the place had so far +recovered the sick, that, by the help of the +refreshments now ready to be put on board, it +was very possible to perfect the cure at sea. +</p> +<p> +The sick people were conveyed to the ships +in the morning of the 7th, and before evening +every one was on board, in expectation of the +land breeze, by which, after much difficulty +in weighing the anchor, they were enabled to +sail about an hour before midnight, and got +clear of the gulph of Cajeli before morning. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a recital +of the incidents which occurred during his passage +from Boero to Batavia, in which we shall +trace him with all necessary exactness. +</p> +<p> +Having coasted the island of Boero, the isles +of Manipa and Kilang were seen on the morning +of the 8th, and on the 9th they had sight +<span class='pagenum'>332</span>of the island of Xullabessic, where the Dutch +have a factory, named <i>Cleverblad</i>, that is, the +Clover-leaf. There is a garrison, consisting of +twenty-five men, under the discipline of a Serjeant, +and commanded by a person who holds +no higher rank than book-keeper to the Dutch +East India Company. +</p> +<p> +On the 10th the Commodore buried his taylor, +who fell a sacrifice to the scurvy, encreased, +when on the point of cure, by an excessive +drinking of brandy. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 11th they had sight +of the island of Wawoni, and in a few hours +saw that of Button, the streights of which they +entered on the following day, and observed a +vessel of a square form, ranging the shore, and +towing a periagua. The French ships were no +sooner observed by this vessel, than she furled +her sail, and concealed herself behind a small +island. A French seaman, whom Mons. Bougainville +had engaged at Boero, said, that the +vessel in question was manned by a set of Indian +pirates, who made a practice of taking prisoners, +in order to sell them. +</p> +<p> +In the afternoon the ships sailed by a beautiful +port on the coast of Celebes, the view of +which land is delightfully variegated by mountains, +hills, and vallies, and clothed with an +exuberance of verdure. In a few hours afterwards +the island of Pangasani was in sight, to +the northward of which appeared the highest +<span class='pagenum'>333</span>mountains of Celebes. Pangasani is a flat +island, abounding in trees, and our author conjectures, +that it produces spices; it is, however, +certain, that it is well inhabited, from +the number of fires that were seen on it during +the night. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 13th the ships were +surrounded with Indian boats, bringing parroquets, +cockatoes, fowls, eggs, and bananas, +which the natives sold for Dutch money, or exchanged +for knives. These people were inhabitants +of a considerable district on the mountains +of Button, opposite the place where the +ships lay at anchor. On this spot the land is +cleared and cultivated, the property of different +persons, being divided by ditches. Some of +the fields are enclosed by hedges, and there are +houses in these fields; besides which there are +several villages. +</p> +<p> +The produce of the country consists in potatoes, +yams, rice, maize, &c. and the bananas +are deemed as good as in any part of the +world. Pine-apples, mangle apples, cocoa-nuts, +and citrons, are very plentiful. The +natives are of a brown complexion, ordinary +features, and of low stature. They profess +the Mahometan faith, and speak the language +common in the Molucca isles. They are very +honest, though expert traders.⁠—They offered +Mons. Bougainville some pieces of coarse cotton +cloth; but he does not say whether he dealt +<span class='pagenum'>334</span>with them or not; he asked them for some nutmegs, +which they said they procured from the +island of Ceram, and in the neighbourhood of +Banda; and his remark is, that the Dutch +cannot supply them from those places. +</p> +<p> +Our author describes the coast of Pangasani +as rising in the form of an amphitheatre, from +the level of the coast, which he imagines is +frequently overflowed, because the dwellings +of the natives were observed to be situated on +the slope of the hills. The people of Button +consider the inhabitants of Pangasani as pirates, +and each party is provided against the +attacks of the other by a dagger, which is always +worn, stuck in the girdle. +</p> +<p> +The ships sailed on the morning of the 14th, +but coming to an anchor in a few hours afterwards, +a number of periaguas surrounded the +Boudeuse, one of which hoisting Dutch colours, +the rest retreated, that she might come +along side. It appeared, that in this boat was +one of the Chiefs of the country, to whom +alone the Dutch permit the distinction of carrying +their colours. +</p> +<p> +Our Commodore sailed again on the 15th, +and in the afternoon of that day dispatched his +barge after a boat which was seen in a large +bay, with a view to procure a pilot; and the +boat readily came, having an Indian on board, +who, for thirteen shillings, readily engaged in +the pilotage: but his intended services were rendered +<span class='pagenum'>335</span>unnecessary, by the sun happening to +shine with great lustre on a spot which directed +their passing out of the channel. +</p> +<p> +As opposing winds and tides now obliged +the ships to come to an anchor, the periaguas +came off in great numbers, bringing pieces of +cotton, articles of curiosity, and variety of refreshments. +At the approach of evening the +ships got clear of the narrow pass, and anchored +in Bouton Bay. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville gives an animated description +of the passage he had just cleared. +The coast of Button abounds in enclosures +proper for the catching fish, while the rising +grounds are bespread with habitations. The +opposite shore is perpendicular; and after passing +the galley, both sides are steep, hanging +in some places over the channel. “One would +think (says our author,) that the god of the +sea had opened a passage here for the swelled +waters, by a stroke of his trident.”⁠—Might +he not as well have said, that the great God of +Nature is equally wise and wonderful in all his +works?⁠—The coast of Pangasani has two or +three houses on it, though it is little else than a +solid rock, yet well cloathed with trees. +</p> +<p> +The Indian pilot above-mentioned gave the +best instructions in his power, respecting the +mode of passing this gut; but he appeared +totally unskilled in the European art of navigation. +Another Indian, supposed to be the +<span class='pagenum'>336</span>pilot’s father, went on board the Boudeuse in +the morning, and remained till the evening. +They both drank plentifully of brandy, but +would eat only bananas and chew betel, absolutely +refusing to taste of the ship’s provisions. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 17th, while the ships +were under sail, the Indians came off in great +numbers, bringing fruit, poultry, and eggs, +which they sold so reasonably, that even the +common seamen could possess themselves of +those refreshments, in very great abundance, so +that both the ships had the appearance of large +poulterers shops, and capital fruiterers warehouses +on a market day. +</p> +<p> +This morning five of the <i>Orencaies</i>, or Chiefs +of Button, came off in a boat of the European +form, with Dutch colours hoisted at its poop. +These people were dressed in jackets and long +breeches, with turbans, and each of them had +a silver-headed cane, with the Company’s +marks on it. They gave Mons. Bougainville a +Roe-buck, and received in return, each a quantity +of silk stuffs. They paid many compliments +to the French nation, freely drinking +the health of his most Christian Majesty, and +the king of Button, so freely, indeed, that +they were, at length, obliged to be helped +down the ship’s side into their boats. +</p> +<p> +The Commodore enquired of the Orencaies, +whether any spices grew on the island of Button; +to which they replied in the negative, and were +<span class='pagenum'>337</span>easily credited, on account of the weakness of +the Dutch settlement, which is nothing more +than a few huts, built of the Bamboo cane, +and enclosed with pallisadoes. The whole +guard, on the part of the company, consists +only of a Serjeant and three men. The coast +opposite Button is enclosed, cultivated, and +well-peopled; nor is the island itself less populous, +or less fruitful. +</p> +<p> +In the morning the Indian pilot visited the +Commodore, and informed him, that the south-east +wind would blow freshest exactly at noon. +This proved to be strictly true, and was a circumstance +so well known to the natives, that +all the boats which had surrounded the ship retired +before the sun had gained his meridian +altitude. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville, taking advantage of the +pilot’s advice, got out to sea with a fair wind, +steering for the island of Saleyor, which he discovered +on the 18th.⁠—On this island the Dutch +have a small settlement, the principal Resident +at which is the book-keeper. This day at noon +three islands were discovered, which were called +<i>North Island</i>, <i>South Island</i>, and <i>Isle of Passage</i>; +which last was so denominated from the ships +passing near it, for the advantage of a safe navigation. +</p> +<p> +By day-light on the 19th they were within +about a league of the coast of Celebes, which, +in this part is described as one of the finest +<span class='pagenum'>338</span>countries in the world. Immense herds of +cattle graze on the plains, which are adorned +with groves, while the coast is one continued +plantation of the cocoa-nut tree. The plains +are in most places cultivated and covered with +houses, while the mountains behind them add +dignity and ornament to the whole picture. +</p> +<p> +On this day Mons. Bougainville chased a +Malayan boat, in the hope of obtaining a pilot +acquainted with the coast; but she fled at +his approach, nor even brought to, after he +had fired several guns at her. He conjectures, +that the Boudeuse was mistaken for a Dutch +ship, and observes, that the generality of people +on this coast are pirates, who are always +made slaves of when they are taken by the +Dutch. +</p> +<p> +The ships having, during the evening, steered +between an island named Tanakeka, and +three smaller isles, orders were given at midnight +to carry all the sail possible, in order to +come within sight of the isles of Alambai. +</p> +<p> +At midnight, between the 21st and 22d, +a boat was observed advancing towards the +ships; but, though guns were repeatedly fired +she bore off, in the apprehension, as conjectured, +that they were Dutch vessels.⁠—Mons. +Bougainville’s observation is, that “these people +are more afraid of the Dutch, than of +the firing of guns.”⁠—And, indeed, this observation +seems to be verified by another boat +<span class='pagenum'>339</span>being equally studious to avoid them, a few +hours afterwards. +</p> +<p> +In the afternoon of the 22d the north coast +of Madura was seen from the mast-head, and +a number of fishing boats were observed, some +at anchor, and some employed in their business.⁠—On +the following morning four ships +were seen, two of which hoisted Dutch colours, +and one of them was spoke with by the Boudeuse, +which proved to be a snow from Malacca, +bound for Japara. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now coasted the land of +Java, the shore of which is level, but the interior +country abounds in lofty mountains. +</p> +<p> +On the morning of the 26th the coast of +Java appeared with the rising sun. In the afternoon +the Commodore spoke with a Dutchman, +who commanded a boat bound for the +isles of Amboina and Ternate, who said that, +according to his reckoning, he was then twenty-six +leagues from Batavia. +</p> +<p> +Having come to an anchor for the night, the +ships sailed early in the morning of the 27th, +and, on the following night, came to an anchor, +in the fear of having even past the port +of Batavia; but having sight of the church of +that town in the morning, they sailed into, and +soon anchored in the road, happy to have, after +so many toils, difficulties and dangers, +reached a spot which they conceived would soon +<span class='pagenum'>340</span>put a period to all their misfortunes, by ensuring +them a safe arrival in Europe. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to recite +such incidents as happened during the time he +was at Batavia, and gives some particulars respecting +the Molucca islands. +</p> +<p> +We scarce know how to treat this subject +with the delicacy with which it ought to be +touched, as the readers of these volumes are +already apprized of almost every interesting +particular respecting Batavia; but we shall, +with the utmost diligence, select such circumstances +as our French historian has recorded, +which have been either unknown to, or not +treated of by the English navigators. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville, for reasons which would +operate on every prudent Commander, resolved +to make his stay at Batavia as short as possible; +but the want of biscuit, a sufficient +quantity of which was not baked, compelled +him to stay longer than he had intended. +</p> +<p> +A Dutch officer came on board with a written +paper, of which our Frenchman understood +not a word: but the Cockswain having enquired +who their visitants were, demanded a +certificate, written and signed by the commanding +officer. Mons. Bougainville, who had +sent an officer on shore to wait on the Governor, +declined to give any answer till his return. +This Officer came back late in the evening +with an account, that his Excellency was at his +<span class='pagenum'>341</span>country-house, but that he had been with the +<i>Shebander</i>, who promised to introduce the Commodore +to the Dutch General, on the following +day. +</p> +<p> +The heat of this climate requires, that visits +should be made early in the morning: Mons. +Bougainville therefore set out soon after day-break, +and, after waiting on the Shebander, +was by him conducted to the Governor General, +who was then at one of his country residences +about nine miles from the town. +</p> +<p> +The behaviour of this Chief of an important +district was equally sincere and obliging: +he approved of the conduct of the Resident at +Boero, in his treatment of the French during +the hour of their distress. He gave permission +for the sick to be lodged in the hospital, and +issued the proper orders for their being received. +The furnishing of the necessary supplies +was left to the Shebander, and when all matters +of business were ended, the Governor +asked the Commodore if he would salute the +citadel. To this it was answered in the affirmative, +on the condition that the salute should be +properly returned. These preliminaries being +adjusted, Mons. Bougainville went on board +his ship, saluted with fifteen guns, and was +complimented with the same number. +</p> +<p> +Considering the matter seriously, is not all +this most egregious nonsense?⁠—A Frenchman +agrees to waste a certain quantity of his Master’s +<span class='pagenum'>342</span>powder, provided a Dutchman will blow +into the air, an equal quantity of the powder +of their High Mightinesses, the States General! +</p> +<p> +The sick people were now sent to the hospital, +twenty-eight in number, most of whom +were troubled with the bloody flux, and the rest +with the scurvy. +</p> +<p> +The officers having taken lodgings in the +town, fixed a day for paying a visit of ceremony +to the Governor, at his country-seat, +called Jacatra; after which they visited, in +form, an officer called <i>Schout-by-Nacht</i>, or +<i>Rear Admiral</i>, who is a member of the Regency, +and has a vote in every matter respecting +maritime affairs. This gentleman lives with a +degree of splendor that would not disgrace a +Prince. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville mentions the theatre of +Batavia, as an elegant building; but of the +performances he was not qualified to judge, +from a total ignorance of the language. His +curiosity impelled him to take a view of the +Chinese comedies, but of these, also, he could +form no judgment but from sight. Exclusive +of the exhibitions on the regular theatres, he +says, that a kind of pantomine is daily performed, +on scaffolds erected in the Chinese +quarter of the city. It is a singularity of the +Chinese comedy, that the characters of men +are represented by women; nor is it unfrequent +<span class='pagenum'>343</span>to see the actors entertain the spectators with a +boxing-match. +</p> +<p> +Our ingenious voyager represents the neighbourhood +of Batavia as elegant beyond description.⁠—The +neatness is all Dutch; the +magnificence truly Parisian.⁠—A clergyman of +Batavia, Mr. Mohr, distinguished for his immense +riches, and his extensive knowledge, has +erected, in the garden of one of his country-houses, +one of the most superb observatories in +the world, and has furnished it with great variety +of instruments of the construction of European +artists. Our author observes, that he +“is doubtless the richest of all the children of +Urania.” +</p> +<p> +The water of Batavia is of so bad a quality, +that the people of fortune import Seltzer water +from Holland, for their common drinking, at +a most enormous expence. The houses of this +city are built only one story high, on account +of the frequent earthquakes, which would be +of pernicious consequence to buildings of a +lofty construction. +</p> +<p> +The riches of the Batavians are marked by +the magnificent taste in which their houses are +furnished; yet is the city said to be much inferior +to what it was some years ago; and it is +certain, that the rent of houses is not half as +much as it was: yet will this place always be +rich, through the refined policy of the Dutch, +which makes it difficult for any man, after he +<span class='pagenum'>344</span>has amassed a fortune, to transmit it to Europe: +for any money intended to be sent to Holland, +must pass through the hands of the Company, +who charge eight per cent. for the care of +sending it to Europe; exclusive of which, the +current-money of Batavia would sustain a loss +of no less than twenty-eight per cent. even if +it could be smuggled out of the country. +</p> +<p> +The distinction of rank is observed in the +strictest degree at Batavia. What the French +call the <i>Etiquette</i> is never dispensed with. The +gradation of rank is as follows, viz. the high Regency, +the Court of Justice, the Ecclesiastics, +the Company’s servants, the sea officers, and +those of the military. +</p> +<p> +There is no appeal from the decisions of the +Court of Justice. This court, about twenty +years since, sentenced to death the Governor of +Ceylon, who had been convicted of most infamous +oppressions in his government; and he +was executed opposite the citadel at Batavia. +</p> +<p> +If any of the respective sovereigns of the +island of Java offend against the established +Dutch policy, they are put to death in the most +inhuman manner. On these melancholy occasions, +the unhappy sufferers are dressed in +white drawers, and are never beheaded, from +a conviction prevalent among them, that appearing +in any other dress, or visiting the other +world without their heads, would be productive +of the most fatal consequences: nor do the +<span class='pagenum'>345</span>Dutch dare to controvert these opinions, as the +immediate consequence of such a procedure on +their part would be a revolt of that of the Javanese. +</p> +<p> +The Dutch Company have an exclusive +right to a large part of the island of Java.⁠—The +island of Madura did formerly belong to +them, but the Chief of it revolted from their +authority, and the son of this revolting king +is at present the Governor of that very island, +of which his father had been the Sovereign. +</p> +<p> +The Dutch, equally deep in every stroke of +their politics, have seized the province of Balimburan, +in consequence of the Sovereign of +that district having revolted from their authority. +It is asserted, that the English erected +him a fort, and supplied him with arms and +ammunition to combat that slavery, which he +thought the more an indignity, because it was +impelled by the mercantile world. After a +war of two years, and after repeated battles, +in the last of which the Javanese Prince and +his family were made prisoners, the Dutch became +final conquerors, and the routed Sovereign +being lodged in the citadel of Batavia, +soon fell a sacrifice to the grief that preyed on +his mind. When Mons. Bougainville arrived +at Batavia, it was in agitation to send the son +and the other branches of this unhappy family +to the Cape of Good Hope, in order that they +might spend the remains of a wretched existence +on the island of Roben. The several +<span class='pagenum'>346</span>Chiefs of the different districts of the island of +Java are surrounded with Dutch guards, so +that they are Kings only in name. From these, +however, the Dutch receive arrac, rice, sugar, +coffee and tin; in return for which they supply +opium, the sale of which is very profitable, +from the great quantities consumed by the Javanese. +</p> +<p> +Our Commodore now proceeds to a description +of the commerce of Batavia, and a recital +of many particulars respecting the Molucca +islands; but these particulars, or others so exceedingly +resembling them, being recorded in +many volumes of voyages, we shall pass them +over in search of something really new, and respecting +which our author appears to have +been well informed. +</p> +<p> +Before the crews of the Boudeuse and Etoile +had been ten days at Batavia, the diseases common +to that climate began to attack them with +all their fury. From a vigorous state of health +the people were, in a few days, reduced to the +brink of the grave; nor could the Commodore’s +utmost diligence enable him to transact +his affairs with a proper degree of dispatch, as +the illness of the Shebander himself prevented +the acceleration of his business. +</p> +<p> +Every officer on board the Boudeuse began +to feel the fatal effects of the climate; and, at +length, Aotourou felt the direful influence of +this pestiferous clime; and it is supposed, that +<span class='pagenum'>347</span>nothing but the readiness with which he took +the prescriptions offered him, could have saved +him from the most fatal consequences of the +contagion. For a long time after he left Batavia, +he distinguished it by the name of <i>Enoua +Matè</i>, the land which kills. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville now proceeds to a description +of his leaving Batavia, his touching +at the isle of France, and his return to his native +country, of which we shall have occasion +to say but little, as the run from Batavia to +Europe is universally well known, and has been +previously described in the course of these +volumes. +</p> +<p> +The ships sailed on the 16th of October, +1768, and cleared the streights of Sunda on +the 19th in the afternoon. By this time the +crew were all perfectly recovered of the scurvy, +but a few of them remained ill of the bloody-flux. +On the 20th the ships were in sight of +the isle of France, and on the 8th of November, +the Boudeuse anchored in the port of that +island; the Etoile, which had been unavoidably +left behind, anchoring in the same port on +the following day. +</p> +<p> +At this place the ships were repaired, and +the Commodore left behind him on the island +several persons, who desired to add to the +numbers already in that colony. +</p> +<p> +The Commodore expresses his happiness that +he was enabled, after so tedious a voyage, to +<span class='pagenum'>348</span>enrich this colony with inhabitants and necessaries; +but he laments in the most pathetic +terms the death of the Chevalier du Bouchage, +an Ensign on board the King’s ship, whose +abilities as an officer could be surpassed only +by his virtues and accomplishments as a man. +</p> +<p> +Our author speaks, in the most lavish terms, +of the forges for making iron, which are established +on this island, and he even prefers them +to those of Europe; how far he is justified in +this preference, must be left to future navigators, +or future artificers to determine. +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville sailed from this place the +12th of December, 1768, leaving the Etoile +behind him, to undergo some necessary repairs; +and this ship did not arrive in France till a +month after the Boudeuse. Without encountering +any singular accident, our adventurers +had sight of the Cape of Good Hope on the +18th of January, and came to an anchor in +Table Bay on the following morning. +</p> +<p> +Our author very judiciously omits a description +of the Cape, which has been so often +and so accurately described by our circumnavigators, +and other voyagers: one circumstance, +however, he fails not to mention, that +they killed a quadrupede, named the <i>Giraffe</i>, +which was seventeen feet in height, and that +they took the young one alive, which measured +seven feet. “None of these (says our +author) had been seen after that which was +<span class='pagenum'>349</span>brought to Rome in the time of Cæsar, and +shewn there in the amphitheatre.” +</p> +<p> +Mons. Bougainville sailed from the Cape on +the 17th, and came to an anchor off the island +of St. Helena on the 4th of February, where +he remained till the 6th, and then got under +sail in pursuance of his voyage to France. +</p> +<p> +On the 25th of this month the Commodore +joined the Swallow, commanded by Captain +Carteret: what passed in consequence of this +junction the readers of these volumes are already +acquainted with. +</p> +<p> +Nothing material happened from this time +till they had sight of the isle of Ushant, when +a violent squall of wind had nearly blasted all +the blooming hopes of so fine a voyage. On +the 15th the Commodore bore away for St. +Maloes, which he entered on the following day, +after an absence of two years and four months +from his native country; during all which +time he had buried only seven of his crew, a +circumstance that will be deemed truly astonishing, +when we reflect on the variety of dangers +they had encountered; the amazing changes of +climate they had experienced; the <em>hair breadth</em> +perils they had escaped, and the estimated proportion +of time that any man may be supposed +to live, at any given age, when in full health, +and breathing his native air. To what then +shall we ascribe the unexampled success of Mons. +Bougainville’s circumnavigation, but to the benevolent +<span class='pagenum'>350</span>interposition of that <em>particular providence</em>, +the existence of which hath been lately +so boldly, and with such apparent weight of argument, +denied. +</p> +<p> +Thus have we traced, with the pen of fidelity, +this ingenious historian, from the milder +climate of France to the frozen regions of the +Magellanic streights; and from those streights +through the intense burnings of the torrid zone, +back again to the benevolent influence of the +European sun; and abating that vanity peculiar +to the French, and that nationality, which, +if criminal, is a crime arising from a noble and +praise-worthy cause, we must confess, that his +narrative is as much more philosophical and +ingenious, as it is more pert and flippant than +the narratives of our English adventurers! +Mons. Bougainville has introduced, in the body +of his volume, a narrative of the establishment +of the Spaniards in Rio de la Plata; and also +an account of the missions in Paraguay, and +the expulsion of the Jesuits from that province: +but as these recitals seemed to have no immediate +connection with the Commodore’s circumnavigation, +we have not interrupted the narrative, +thinking they would come in with more +propriety immediately after the close of the +voyage. +</p> +<p> +The river de la Plata takes a southerly +course to the 34th degree latitude, where it is +united with the river Uraguai, making one +<span class='pagenum'>351</span>stream, which runs still southerly to the ocean. +The Jesuits have advanced a false principle of +geography, and other authors have fell into +their errors, by supposing the river de la Plata +to spring from the lake of Xaragés. This lake, +which has been the subject of much enquiry, +is now supposed to have no existence. +</p> +<p> +By order of the courts of Spain and Portugal, +the Marquis of Valdelirais and Don George +Menezés, undertook to determine the limits of +possession of these two powers; and accordingly +several Spanish and Portuguese officers, traveled +this large district of America between +the years 1751 and 1755. The Spaniards embarked +on the river Paraguai, and the Portuguese +proceeded from a settlement belonging to +the Crown of Portugal, called Maragosso, +situated on the interior boundaries of the Brazils, +at about 12 degrees south latitude, and +proceeded up the river Caourou, which, according +to the maps of the Jesuits, is described +as falling into the lake Xaragés. But how +great was their surprize and disappointment at +meeting in the 14th degree of south latitude, +in the river Paraguai, without finding any thing +to justify the supposition of the existence of +the lake! Hence it was concluded, that the +periodical inundations of the river over a considerable +tract of the adjacent country, having +been received in the low grounds, formed a +<span class='pagenum'>352</span>body of water, which, by former navigators, +was taken for the ideal lake. +</p> +<p> +The source of the Paraguai, or Rio de la +Plata, is among the mountains, between the +two oceans, and between five and six degrees +south latitude, and it empties itself into the river +of Amazons. The Uraguai arises in the Captainship +of St. Vincent’s, in the Brazils; and +the Parana in the mountains to the east north-east +of Rio Janeiro, whence it flows to the westward, +and then changes its course to the south. +</p> +<p> +It appears, from the account of the Abbé +Prevost, that Diaz de Solis first discovered the +Parana in 1515, and called it after himself, but +that in 1526 Sebastian Cabot named it la Plata, +or of silver, on account of the many pieces of +silver which he observed in the possession of the +natives of the adjacent country. The fort of +Espirutu Santo was erected by Cabot, who had +scarcely time to see it completed before it was +levelled with the earth. +</p> +<p> +In 1535, Don Pedro de Mendoza, great Cup-bearer +to the Emperor, sailed for the river de +la Plata, and founded Buenos Ayres; but this +undertaking proved extremely unsuccessful; and +after Mendoza’s death, the inhabitants of +Buenos Ayres, unable to defend themselves +against the depredations of the Indians, and +living in perpetual dread of famine, fled for +sanctuary to Assumption, now the capital of +Paraguai, which was built by the followers of +<span class='pagenum'>353</span>Mendoza, soon became well inhabited, and, +of course, considerably enlarged. Don Pedro +Artiz de Zarara, Governor of Paraguai, rebuilt +Buenos Ayres, upon an improved plan, in the +year 1580, and it soon became the principal +resort of ships navigating the South Seas; soon +after which it was an episcopal see, and the +place of residence of the chief magistrate. +The situation of Buenos Ayres is computed to +be in 34 deg. 55 min. south latitude, and +61 deg. 5 min. west longitude from Paris. +The inhabitants, including negroes, do not +exceed twenty thousand, notwithstanding which, +the town covers a very large space of ground, owing +to the generality of the habitations having no +more than a ground floor, with spacious courtyards +and extensive gardens. The public market +is held in a grand square, the angles of +which are formed by the Governor’s palace, +the town hall, the cathedral and the episcopal +palace. There is no harbour at Buenos Ayres, +so that ships of any considerable burden are +obliged to sail to Encenada de Baragon, about +ten leagues east south-east of the town, or else +receive and deliver their freights by means of +small boats. +</p> +<p> +Adjoining to the Jesuit’s convent, there is a +building, called the house for the exercises of +women, where married and unmarried people, +without the consent of their husbands or friends, +sequester themselves for the space of twelve +<span class='pagenum'>354</span>days, during which time various religious exercises +are practiced, almost without intermission. +There are holy ceremonies appointed +for the slaves; and such of the negroes, as pay +four reals per annum to the Dominicans, are +admitted members of some religious community, +are intitled to certain holidays, to hear +mass, and a decent interment at the expence +of the friars. +</p> +<p> +This community of negroes acknowledge +St. Benedict of Palermo, and the Virgin for +their patrons; and on the days dedicated to +these saints they select two persons to represent +the kings of Spain and Portugal, who are followed +by all the negroes of the order, parading +through the streets from the rising to the sitting +of the sun, singing, dancing, representing battles, +and repeating religious incantations. +</p> +<p> +The grounds near Buenos Ayres are extremely +fruitful, producing all the real necessaries of +life; but it is entirely uncultivated at only +three leagues distance; and in crossing the plains +scarce a hovel is to be met with; so that passengers +are frequently under the necessity of +sleeping in their carriages, and those who go +on horseback are often, for many successive +nights, exposed to the inclemency of the weather. +Horses and black cattle abound in these +plains, and the latter are frequently killed by +travellers, who take away sufficient for a few +meals, and leave the rest for the birds and +<span class='pagenum'>355</span>beasts of prey. The only furious animals +known here are wild dogs and tygers: the former, +which are said to have been originally +brought from Europe, are both fierce and numerous; +and perhaps owing to their food, and +the climate seem, as it were, greatly to have +altered their species; the latter are of the usual +kind, but are not very frequently met with. +</p> +<p> +In the neighbourhood of Buenos Ayres +wood is so extremely scarce, that very little is to +be found that will even serve for fuel, and what +is used in erecting and repairing houses, or in +refitting vessels, is transported from Paraguai. +</p> +<p> +The Indians inhabiting this part of America +are of a copper complexion, seldom exceeding +five feet in stature, and of a very forbidding +aspect. Their Chief is distinguished by a thong +of leather tied round his forehead, to which +are fastened several plates of copper. The +arms they use are bows and arrows, nooses and +balls. These balls are about the circumference +of a two pound cannon ball, and being received +in leathern cups at the end of cords of +about six or seven feet long, they throw them +when on horseback, with such amazing force +and dexterity, as to be almost at a certainty of +killing an animal at the distance of three hundred +yards. +</p> +<p> +Some years ago a number of delinquents, +escaping the punishment they were sentenced to, +retreated to the north of the Maldonadoes, +<span class='pagenum'>356</span>where being joined by some deserters and Indian +women, they have formed a community of +desperadoes. They frequently plunder the +Spanish settlements, and carry their spoils to +the boundaries of the Brazils, where they receive, +in exchange for them, fire-arms and +clothes, from the Paulists, another desperate +race of robbers, supposed to be between six +and seven hundred in number, who removed +from Brazil farther to the north-west about the +sixteenth century; since which time they have +continually traversed the adjacent country in +parties; and such travellers as are so unfortunate +as to meet with them, generally fall +victims to their cruelty and rapine. +</p> +<p> +The governments of Tucuman and Paraguai, +with the missions of the Jesuits, are dependent +upon the Governor-general of la Plata, +who, in all matters relating to the silver mines +of Potosi, is under the jurisdiction of the Viceroy +of Peru. A mint having been lately established +at Potosi, the silver will not in future +be brought from thence in the ore, but refined +on the spot. +</p> +<p> +Two hundred carts, attended by three hundred +men, go annually from Buenos Ayres to +fetch salt from the lakes adjacent to the sea in +forty-three degrees latitude; and the necessity +of obtaining salt is the only motive that induces +the Spaniards to travel so far south of Buenos +Ayres, where the country exhibits a melancholy +<span class='pagenum'>357</span>prospect of dreary and uncultivated +wilds. +</p> +<p> +The principal commerce of Buenos Ayres +is with Peru and Chili, to which province they +send cotton, mules, some skins, and about four +hundred thousand Spanish pounds weight of +the Paraguai herb, or South Sea tea every year; +great part of this last article is consumed by the +labourers in the Peruvian mines; it being esteemed +a most excellent preventative against +the effects of the noxious vapours arising from +those inexhaustible funds of treasure. +</p> +<p> +Notwithstanding there is but little trade at +Buenos Ayres, it is a place of such great +riches, that the register ships frequently carry +away a million of dollars each; and if they +were inclined to extend their skin and fur trade, +those articles alone would, undoubtedly, acquire +them immense wealth. +</p> +<p> +Montevideo was built between forty and +fifty years since, upon a peninsula, to the north +of the river, and about ninety miles above its +mouth. The town has a bay, affording safe +anchorage, but in boisterous weather some skill +must be exerted, to keep clear of a chain of +hidden rocks off the east point of the bay, which +are called Punta de las Carretas. The town of +Montevideo affords every refreshment; and the +air being particularly salubrious, renders it still +more inviting to the sons of Neptune, who +here find a happy renewal of that health and +<span class='pagenum'>358</span>vigour, which, from various causes, must inevitably +be impaired by a long residence on the +stormy element. +</p> +<p class='top_space'> +The Jesuits took up their residence at Paraguay +in the year 1580, and in the time of +Philip the Third founded their celebrated +missions, called indifferently by the Europeans +Paraguai or Uraguai. These missions are thirty-seven +in number; twenty-nine being on one +side of the river Uraguai, and eight on the opposite +shore.</p> +<p> +The Jesuits undertook to convert the natives +of this tract of America to the Roman Catholic +religion, and in order to encourage them to +pursue this very difficult task with a proper degree +of spirit, they were rendered independent +of the Governor’s authority, and allowed an +annual stipend of sixty thousand piastres for +their necessary expences. And in order to indemnify +the Crown for this expence, a tax of +one piastre per head was levied upon all the Indians +between the age of eighteen and sixty. +</p> +<p> +Notwithstanding the many and great obstacles +which would have dispirited less determined +men, the Jesuits, by a steady perseverance, +the most ardent zeal, and a strict attention to +the genius and disposition of these savages, at +length, civilized their manners, implanted in +their minds the principles of the Christian religion, +<span class='pagenum'>359</span>and made them happy within themselves +and useful to the community. +</p> +<p> +In the year 1757 the Spanish monarch having +given up the colonies on the left shore of +the river to the Portuguese, in exchange for +Santo Sacramento, with a view to suppress the +smuggling trade, the Indians of the ceded colonies, +disgusted at being driven from their +cultivated lands, took up arms against the Spaniards. +Don Joseph Andonaighi, Governor-general +of the province de la Plata, and Don +Joachim de Viana, Governor of Montevideo, +marched against, and entirely defeated them. +Soon after this battle the insurrections being +quelled, Viana left Buenos Ayres, and was accompanied +as far as the Maldonados by seven +Indian families, where they settled, leading a +life of exemplary prudence and industry. The +situation of these reclaimed people gives an +idea of what the poets call the golden age: +they knew no distinction of rank, were neither incumbered +with riches, nor oppressed with poverty; +and as all their wants were supplied +from the warehouses appointed to receive the +produce of the common labour, they had no +incitement to use sinister and clandestine means +to obtain private property. +</p> +<p> +The country in which the missions are situated, +reaches about four hundred and fifty +miles east and west, and about six hundred miles +north and south; and the number of the inhabitants +<span class='pagenum'>360</span>is computed to be three hundred thousand. +There are immense forests of all kinds +of wood, and extensive meadows, watered by +innumerable small rivers and brooks, which +produce pasture sufficient for upwards of two +millions of cattle. +</p> +<p> +The country was divided into districts, over +each of which two Jesuits were appointed to +preside; one of whom acted as Rector, and +the other as his Curate. The Indians lived in +the most abject state of submission to their Rectors, +who severely chastised them for misdemeanours, +and annually appointed a number +of inferior officers, called Corregidors, to take +cognizance of petty offences. +</p> +<p> +Near the church are two large buildings; one +of which was inhabited by a great number of +girls, who were instructed in various occupations. +The other building was occupied by +young negroe men, who were brought up to +various handicraft professions; and one department +of this building was appointed to the +teaching of music, sculpture, architecture, &c. +The Rector’s house stood between these buildings, +and had communications with each, which +he visited every day to see the provisions justly +distributed, and the proper decorum in other +respects strictly observed. +</p> +<p> +The entire expulsion of the Jesuits from the +Spanish dominions having been resolved upon, +Don Francis Buccarelli was appointed to carry +<span class='pagenum'>361</span>this design into execution; and he accordingly +sailed for Buenos Ayres, arrived there in the +beginning of 1767, and immediately sent the +dispatches with which he was charged, to the +Governors of Peru and Chili, and the commanders +of Cordoua, Mendoza, Corrientes, +Santa-Fe, Salta, Montevideo, and Paraguay. +These dispatches were accompanied by letters, +strictly enjoining the persons, to whom the dispatches +from the Court were directed, not to +open them till an appointed day. As it was a +matter of doubt, whether the Indians would +tamely submit to see Jesuits arrested in the colonies, +all the preparations for carrying the +King’s orders into execution were conducted with +the most profound secrecy. The time for accomplishing +this grand design at length arrived, +and the different Governors being previously +instructed to open their letters, and to proceed +according to their contents, with all imaginable +dispatch. +</p> +<p> +The general execution began about two +o’clock in the morning, when the Jesuits, with +equal horror and astonishment, found their habitations +invested by the Spanish troops. +</p> +<p> +They evinced a high degree of philosophical +resignation and humility in quietly submitting +to their fate, which they confessed was not so +severe as their crimes deserved. +</p> +<p> +On the thirteenth of September a Cacique +belonging to each colony, and all the corregidors, +<span class='pagenum'>362</span>arrived at Buenos Ayres. These people +were politically detached from their companions +by the following stratagem, with a design of +securing them as hostages, in case any resistance +had been made. The Governor-general sent +for them, under pretence of communicating +the substance of the King’s letters; and these +deluded people were not informed of the events +that had happened, till they received the account +from the mouth of the Governor, who +gave them a general audience, immediately +upon their arrival; when the Governor informed +them, that he came to free them from the +slavery they had long groaned under, and directing +them to one of the houses formerly occupied +by the Jesuits, they were there properly +provided for at the King’s expence. +The Jesuits had established other missions than +those abovementioned to the south of Uraguay, +and were making great progress southward +of Chili, towards the island of Chiloé; +but the unexpected turn of affairs in Europe +utterly destroyed the work, the completion of +which had been an object of great attention for +a long series of years. +</p> +<p class="align_c two_space"> +<span class='pagenum'>363</span><span class="small-caps">Vocabulary</span> of the Language of <span class="small-caps">Taiti Island</span>. +</p> +<table class='center margetb'> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Abobo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To-morrow</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Aibou,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Come</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Ainé,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Girl</i> (<i>fille</i>)</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Aiouta,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>There is some</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Aouererê,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Black</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Aouero,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Egg</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Aouri,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Iron, gold, silver, every metal, or instrument of metal</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Aoutti,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Flying fish</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Aouira,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Lightning</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Apalari,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To break or destroy</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Ari,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Cocoa-nut</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Ateatea,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>White</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Ea,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Root</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eai,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Fire</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eame,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Drink made of cocoa-nuts</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eani,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>All manner of fighting</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eivi,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Little</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eite,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To understand</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Elao,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A fly</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Emaa,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A sling</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Emeitai,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To give</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Emoe,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To sleep</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Enapo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Yesterday</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Enoanoa,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To smell well</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Enoo-te-papa,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Sit down</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Enoua-Taiti,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The country of Taiti</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Enoua-Paris,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The country of Paris</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eo,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To sweat</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt"><span class='pagenum'>364</span>Eoe-tea,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>An arrow</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eoe-pai,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A paddle or oar</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eonou,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Turtle</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eouai,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Rain</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eouri,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A dancer</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eouriaye,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A dancing-girl</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Epouré,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>To pray</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Era,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>The sun</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eraï,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Heaven</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Ero,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Ant</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eri,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>King</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Erie,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Royal</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Etai,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Sea</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Eteina,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Elder brother or sister</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Etouana,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Younger brother or sister</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Etio,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>Oyster</i>.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al pi vt">Etoi,</td> +<td class="al pi vb"><i>A butcher</i>.</td> +</tr> +</table> +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>The</span><span class='lspp'> BOOKSELLER</span>’s<span class='lspz'> Advertisement</span>.</span><br> +<span class="small-caps"><span class='lspc'>To the READER</span></span>. +</h2></div> +<p class='two_space drop-cap'> +H<span class='toupper lspz ip2'>aving</span> in the former part of this Collection +given an authentic account of the proceedings +and discoveries of the English navigators +who have lately surrounded the globe; and +also a copious detail of the voyage of a cotemporary +navigator of another nation, who, jealous of +the English designs, was commissioned to follow +the same track. That the present undertaking +may not want novelty to recommend it, I have +procured, at a considerable expence, the journal +of a new voyage to the northern part of +the globe; a voyage which his Majesty, in a +particular manner, has thought fit to patronize, +and which was equipped with such care and +circumspection, that nothing was found wanting +during the course of it. +</p> +<p> +This voyage I have added by way of Supplement, +without any additional expence to +the subscribers; and have prefixed to it a brief +recapitulation of the many attempts that have +been made for the discovery of a north-east passage +to China and Japan, and also have subjoined +a like summary of the enterprizes set on +foot by government, or undertaken by private +adventurers, for discovering a communication +with the great pacific ocean by a passage from +the north-west. +</p> +<p> +These accounts are full of astonishing events, +and wonderful descriptions of uncommon phenomena. +In them we read of rivers and lakes +of ice, bursting with imprisoned vapours; and +of rocks, forests, beams of houses and buildings, +splitting with a noise not less terrible than +the loudest thunder.⁠—Of brandy, Brine, and +even spirits of wine, exposed to the open air, +only for a few hours, freezing into a solid +mass.⁠—Of mountains of ice frozen in the sea +one hundred fathom deep.⁠—Of snow hills that +never thaw.⁠—And of winds that blister the +flesh, and shrivel the skin like red-hot iron. +</p> +<p> +In this Supplement the distresses, dangers, +providential deliverances, and unspeakable sufferings +of those who have wintered in the dark +and dreary regions of the north, are recounted +with clearness and brevity; and, in the small +compass of a few sheets, the contents of many +volumes are comprized. +</p> +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class='l13'><span class='lspb'>SUPPLEMENT</span>,</span><br> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspp'>CONTAINING THE</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspc'>JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE</span></span><br> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspp'>UNDERTAKEN BY ORDER OF</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspp'>HIS PRESENT MAJESTY</span>,</span><br> +For making <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspa'>Discoveries</span></span> towards the<br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspb'>NORTH POLE</span>,</span><br> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspp'>BY THE</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspp'><span class="small-caps">Hon.</span> COMMODORE PHIPPS</span>,</span><br> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspp'>AND</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspp'><span class="small-caps">Captain</span> LUTWIDGE</span>,</span><br> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspp'>IN HIS</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspc'>MAJESTY</span>’s<span class='lspc'> SLOOPS</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspp'>RACEHORSE</span> <span class="small-caps">and</span> <span class='lspp'>CARCASE</span>.</span> +</h2></div> +<p class="align_c top_space fontp9"> +To which is prefixed, +</p> +<p class='hang_indent'> +An Account of the several <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspp'>Voyages</span></span> undertaken for +the Discovery of a North-East Passage to China +and Japan.</p> +<figure class='break_before max100' style='width: 59em;'> +<img src="images/illu_373.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>A Map</i> of the <span class="small-caps">Icy Sea</span> in which the several Communications with the <i>Land Waters</i> and other new <i>Discoveries</i> are exhibited.<br> +<span class='fontp67'><i>J. Gibson Sculp.</i></span></figcaption> +</figure> +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class='lspc'>THE</span><br> +<span class='l15'><span class='lspc'>INTRODUCTION</span>.</span> +</h2></div> +<p class='two_space drop-cap'> +I<span class='toupper ip2'>t</span> is fortunate for commerce, and the intercourse +of nations, that there is implanted in +man’s nature a desire of novelty, which no present +gratification can satisfy; that when he has +visited one region of the earth, he is still, like +Alexander, sighing for another to explore; and +that, after having escaped one danger in his +progress, he is no less eager to encounter others, +that may chance to obstruct him in the course +of his pursuits. +</p> +<p> +If the history of former hardships could have +deterred men from engaging in new adventures, +the Voyage, the particulars of which we are +now about to relate, would probably never have +been undertaken. The dreary regions that surround +the poles are so little accustomed to feel +the kindly influences of the enlivening sun, and +are so destitute of the ordinary productions of +the earth in happier climates, that little less +than one whole quarter of the globe is, by its +sterility, rendered uninhabitable by human +beings, and but thinly occupied by a very inconsiderable +number of the race of quadrupedes. +The many and almost insuperable difficulties +that must therefore be expected in traversing +these forlorn desarts, where no relief is to be +<span class='pagenum'>ii</span>expected, but from the favourable interposition +of that power, whose merciful providence extends +to the remotest corners of the earth, are, +upon reflection, enough to cool the ardour of +the most enterprising, and to stagger the resolution +of the most intrepid. +</p> +<p> +In the contention between powers, equally +formed by nature to meet an opposition, it may +be glorious to overcome; but to encounter +raging seas, tremendous rocks, and bulwarks +of solid ice, and desperately to persist in attempts +to prevail against such formidable enemies; as +the conflict is hopeless, so the event is certain. +The hardiest and most skilful navigator, after +exposing himself and his companions to the +most perilous dangers, and suffering in proportion +to his hardiness the most complicated distresses, +must at last submit to return home without +success, or perish by his perseverance. +</p> +<p> +This observation will be sufficiently justified, +by a brief recapitulation of the Voyages that +have been undertaken, with a view to the discovery +of a North-east Passage to China and +Japan. +</p> +<p> +The first who attempted this discovery was +Sir Hugh Willoughby, with three ships, so +early as the year 1553, the æra of perilous +enterprizes. This gentleman sailed to the latitude +of 75 degrees north, within sight, as it +is imagined, of New Greenland, now called +Spitsbergen; but by a storm was driven back, +<span class='pagenum'>iii</span>and obliged to winter in the river Arzena, in +Lapland, where he was frozen to death with all +his company. He left upon his table a concise +account of all his discoveries, in which he +mentions, having sailed within sight of a country +in a very high latitude, about which geographers +are divided; some affirming, as has +been said, that it could be no other than New +Greenland, afterwards discovered, and named +by the Dutch Spitsbergen; others, that what he +saw was only a fog-bank; and of this latter +opinion is Capt. Wood, an able navigator, of +whom we shall have occasion to speak hereafter. +</p> +<p> +To Sir Hugh Willoughby succeeded Capt. +Burroughs, afterwards Comptroller of the Navy +to Queen Elizabeth. This gentleman attempted +the passage with better fortune, and +returned full of hope, but without success. +He passed the North cape in 1556, advanced +as far north as the 78th degree, discovered the +Wygate, or strait that divides Nova Zembla +from the country of the Sammoyds, now subject +to Russia: and having passed the easternmost +point of that strait, arrived at an open +sea, from whence he returned, having, as he +imagined, discovered the passage so painfully +sought, and so ardently desired. Some affirm, +his discoveries extended beyond the 80th degree +of latitude, to a country altogether desolate, +where the mountains were blue and the +valleys snow. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>iv</span>Be that as it may, the favourable report of +Capt. Burroughs encouraged Queen Elizabeth +to fit out two stout vessels to perfect the discovery. +The command of these ships was +given to the Captains Jackman and Pett, who, +in 1580, sailed through the same strait, that +had been discovered by Burroughs, and entered +the eastern sea; where the ice poured in so +fast upon them, and the weather became so +tempestuous, that after enduring incredible +hardships, and sustaining the most dreadful +shocks of ice and seas, terrible even in the relation, +they were driven back and separated; and +neither Pett nor his ship or crew were ever heard +of afterwards. +</p> +<p> +After this disaster and disappointment, the +desire of visiting the frozen seas to the north-east +began to abate among the English, but +was assumed by the Dutch with an obstinate perseverance, +peculiar to that phlegmatic nation. +The first Dutchman we read of who made the +attempt was John Cornelius, of whose voyage, +in 1595, we have but a very imperfect account; +he was followed however in 1606 by William +Barrans, or, as some write, Barents, an able +and experienced seaman and mathematician, +who being supplied with every necessary for so +hazardous a voyage, by the generosity and patronage +of Prince Maurice, proceeded in the +same course which had been pointed out to him +by the English navigators; but having passed +<span class='pagenum'>v</span>the Wygate, found the like incumbrances, and +the like tempests which the English had experienced; +and not being able to bear up against +them, returned thoroughly convinced, that the +wished-for passage was not to be attained in +that direction. However, he traversed the +coast of Nova Zembla, gave names to several +promontories and head-lands, and planned to +himself a new course to steer, by which he +hoped to accomplish what he had failed in discovering, +by following the steps of those who +had gone before him. +</p> +<p> +In 1607, animated rather than discouraged +by disappointment, he entered upon his second +voyage, with the spirit of a man fully prepossessed +with success. He had heard, that some +of the whalers, who had now begun to frequent +the North Seas, had, either by design +or accident, advanced much farther to the +northward than those who had been purposely +fitted out upon discoveries; he therefore determined +to steer to the northward of Nova Zembla, +till he should arrive at the height of the +pole, under which he was persuaded he should +find an open sea; and, by changing his course +to the southward, avoid those obstructions which +had retarded his passage to the north-east. +</p> +<p> +In this hope he continued till he arrived on +the coast of Nova Zembla, where, before he +had reached the 77th degree, he was so rudely +attacked by the mountains of ice, that every +<span class='pagenum'>vi</span>where assailed him, that not being able to withstand +their fury, he was driven against the rocks, +and his ship dashed to pieces. Barents and the +greatest part of his crew got safe to land, but +it was to experience greater misery than those +underwent who perished in the attempt. They +were obliged to winter in a country, where no +living creature besides themselves appeared to +have existence; and where, notwithstanding +their utmost efforts to preserve their bodies from +the cold, the flesh perished upon the bones of +some of them, and others died of the most excruciating +pains. +</p> +<p> +In this extremity, and notwithstanding the +anguish they endured, those who survived had +still the fortitude and ingenuity to frame a pinnace +from the wreck of their broken ship, in +which, at the approach of summer, they made +sail for Lapland; but before they arrived at +Colu, their Captain died, and with him the +hopes of perfecting his discovery. +</p> +<p> +It was now the active season for naval enterprizes. +Private adventurers began to fit out +ships for the North Seas. Innumerable sea animals +had been observed to bask upon the ice; +the tusks of whose jaws were found to excel, +in whiteness, the finest ivory, and their carcases +to yield plenty of excellent oil. In the infancy +of the whale fishery, these were pursued with the +same eagerness, with which both the English and +Dutch endeavour at this day to make the whales +<span class='pagenum'>vii</span>their prey, and perhaps with no less profit. In +following these, many islands were discovered +to which they resorted, and, in course of time, +the seas that were so formidable to the first discoverers, +became frequented at the proper seasons +by the ships of every nation. +</p> +<p> +Foreign navigators, however, were more +sanguine in their notions of a north-west passage, +than of the existence of a passage to the north-east; +and it was not till many unsuccessful trials +had been made to discover the former, that +the latter was again attempted. The celebrated +Hudson, who discovered the straits that leads +to the great western bay, which still bears his +name; after he had exerted his skill in vain to +find a passage westward, was persuaded at last +to undertake a voyage in search of a passage to +the north-east. This he performed in 1610, +but being discouraged by the miscarriages of +others, and the fatal issue that had attended +their obstinate perseverance, on viewing the +face of the country, examining the currents, +and traversing an immense continent of ice, +that stretched along the ocean, in a direction +from east south-east to west north-west, he +concluded, that no passage could be practicable +in that direction, and therefore returned +without making any other material discovery. +</p> +<p> +From this time till the year 1676, the prosecution +of this discovery was totally neglected +by the English; and though the Dutch whalers +<span class='pagenum'>viii</span>amused the world with wonderful relations of +their near approach to the pole, yet little credit +was given to their reports till the arrival of +one John Wood, who had accompanied Sir +John Narborough in his voyage to the South +Sea, with a view to establish a new trade with +the Chilians, and natives of that vast tract of +country, reaching from the Straits of Magellan +to the confines of Peru. +</p> +<p> +This able and enterprizing navigator, being +himself an excellent mathematician and geographer, +and reading in the Philosophical +Transactions a paper, by which the existence +of a north-east passage to the eastern or Indian +ocean was plausibly asserted, and this exactly +coinciding with his own notions of the construction +of the globe, he was induced, by this +and other reasons, to apply to King Charles the +Second for a commission to prosecute the discovery; +the accomplishment whereof, it was said, +would add to the glory of his Majesty’s reign, +and immensely to the wealth and prosperity of +his kingdoms. +</p> +<p> +Many about the Court of that needy Prince, +hoping to share in the profits of the voyage, +were earnest in prevailing with his Majesty to +forward the design, who being himself fond of +novelty, ordered the Speedwell Frigate to be +fitted out at his own charge, manned, victualled, +and provided with every necessary; while +the Duke, his brother, and seven other courtiers, +<span class='pagenum'>ix</span>joined in the purchase of a Pink of one hundred +and twenty tons, to accompany her, which +they likewise manned and victualled, and furnished +with merchandizes, such as were thought marketable +on the coasts of Tartary or Japan; the +countries they most probably would first fall in +with after their passage through the North Sea. +</p> +<p> +These ships being in readiness, and commissions +made out for their Commanders, Captain +Wood was appointed to direct the expedition, +on board the Speedwell, and Captain Flawes to +bear him company on board the Prosperous. +</p> +<p> +On the 28th of May 1676, they sailed from +the Buoy of the Nore, with the wind at south-west; +and on the 4th of June cast anchor off +Lerwick, in Brassey Sound, where they continued +six days, to take in water and recruit their +stores. +</p> +<p> +On Saturday the 10th they weighed anchor +and continued their voyage; and on the 15th +they entered the Polar circle, where the sun +at that season of the year never sets. At noon +the Speedwell broke her main-top-sail-yard in +the slings, the first disaster that had happened, +which, however, was easily repaired. The +weather now began to grow hazey, a circumstance +that frequently happens in the Polar regions, +and darkens the air with the obscurity +of night. +</p> +<p> +From this time till June 22, when they fell +in with the ice in latitude 75 degrees 59 minutes +<span class='pagenum'>x</span>north, nothing material occurred. On +that day, at noon, they observed a continent +of ice stretching to an imperceptible distance, +in a direction from east-south-east and west-north-west. +They bore away along the ice till +the 28th, when they found it join to the land of +Nova Zembla. +</p> +<p> +On the 29th they stood away to the south, +to get clear of the ice; but unfortunately found +themselves embayed in it. At 11 at night the +Prosperous bore down upon the Speedwell, +crying out, ice upon the weather-bow, on +which the Speedwell clapt the helm hard a weather, +and veered out the main-sail to ware the +ship; but before she could be brought too on +the other tack, she struck on a ledge of rocks, +and stuck fast. They fired guns of distress, +but were not heard, and the fog being so thick, +that land could not be discerned, though close +to the stern of their ship; no relief was now to +be expected, but from Providence and their +own endeavours. In such a situation, no description +can equal the relation of the Captain +himself, who, in the language of the times, +has given the following full and pathetic account. +</p> +<p> +“Here, says he, we lay beating upon the +rock in a most frightful manner, for the space +of three or four hours, using all possible means +to save the ship, but in vain; for it blew so +hard, that it was wholly out of our power to +<span class='pagenum'>xi</span>carry out an anchor capable to do us any service. +At length we saw land close under our +stern, to the great amazement of us all, which +before we could not see for the foggy weather; +so I commanded the men to get out the boats +before our mast came by the board, which was +done. I sent the boatswain towards the shore +in the pinnace, to see if there was any possibility +of landing, which I much feared, because +the sea ran so high. In half an hour he returned +with this answer, that it was impossible +to land a man, the snow being in high cliffs, +the shore was inaccessible. This was bad tidings; +so then it was high time to think on the +safety of our souls, and we went all together to +prayers, to beseech God to have mercy on us, +for now nothing but individual ruin appeared +before our eyes. After prayers, the weather +cleared up a little, and looking over the stern, +I saw a small beach directly with the stern of +the ship, where I thought there might be some +chance of getting on shore. I therefore sent +off the pinnace a second time, with some men +in her to be first landed, but she durst not venture +to attempt the beach. I then ordered out +the long-boat with twenty men to land, who +attempted it, and got safe on shore. They +in the pinnace seeing that, followed, and landed +their men likewise, and both vessels returned +to the ship without any accident. The men on +<span class='pagenum'>xii</span>shore desired some fire-arms and ammunition, +for there were many bears in sight. I +therefore ordered two barrels of powder, +some small arms, some provisions, with my +own papers and money, to be put on board the +pinnace; but as she put off from the ship’s +side, a sea overset her, so that all was lost, with +the life of one man, and several others taken +up for dead. The pinnace likewise was dashed +to pieces, to our great sorrow, as by that disaster, +one means of escaping from this dismal +country, in case the Prosperous deserted us was +cut off. The long-boat being on board, and the +sea running high, the boatswain and some +others would compel me and the Lieutenant to +leave the ship, saying it was impossible for her +to live long in that sea, and that they had rather +be drowned than I; but desiring me when +I came on shore, if it were possible, to send the +boat again for them. Before we got half way +to shore the ship overset, so making all possible +haste to land the men we had on board, I went +off to the ship again, to save those poor men +who had been so kind to me before. With great +hazard I got to the quarter of the ship, and +they came down the ladder into the boat, only +one man was left behind for dead, who had +before been cast away in the pinnace; so I returned +to the shore, though very wet and cold. +We then hauled up the boat, and went up the +land about a flight shot, where our men were +<span class='pagenum'>xiii</span>making a fire and a tent with canvass and oars, +which we had saved for that purpose, in which +we all lay that night wet and weary. The next +morning the man we left on board having recovered, +got upon the mizzen-mast, and prayed +to be taken on shore, but it blew so hard, and +the sea ran so high, that tho’ he was a very pretty +sailor, none would venture to bring him off. +</p> +<p> +The weather continuing blowing with extreme +fogs, and with frost and snow, and all +the ill-compacted weather that could be imagined +put together, we built more tents to preserve +ourselves; and the ship breaking in pieces, +came all on shore to the same place where we +landed, which served us for shelter and firing. +Besides, there came to us some hogsheads of +flour, and brandy in good store, which was no +little comfort in our great extremity. We now +lay between hope and despair, praying for fair +weather, that Captain Flawes might find us, +which it was impossible for him ever to do while +the weather continued foggy; but fearing at +the same time that he might be cast away as well +as we. +</p> +<p> +But supposing we never were to see him +again, I was resolved to try the utmost to save +as many as I could in the long-boat. In order +thereunto we raised her two feet, and laid a +deck upon her to keep the sea out as much as +possible; and with this boat, and thirty men, +for she would carry no more, I intended to row +<span class='pagenum'>xiv</span>and sail to Russia, but the crew not being satisfied +who should be the men, began to be very +unruly in their mind and behaviour, every one +having as much reason to save himself as another, +some holding consultation to save the +boat, and all to run the like fortune; but here +brandy was our best friend, for it kept the men +always fox’d, so that in all their designs I could +prevent them. Some were in the mind to go +by land, but that I knew was impossible to any +man; neither had we provisions nor ammunition +to defend us from the wild beasts; so the passage +by land being impracticable, and no passage +by sea to be attempted till forty men were +destroyed, I will leave it to the consideration of +any, whether we were not in a most deplorable +condition, without the interposition of divine +providence. +</p> +<p> +The weather continued still very bad, with +fogs, snow, rain, and frost, till the 9th day of +our being on shore, which was the 8th day of +July, when in the morning it cleared up, and +to our great joy one of our people cried out a +sail, which proved Captain Flawes; so we set +fire to our town, that he might see where we +were, which he presently discovered, so came +up, and sent his boat to us; but before I went +off, I wrote a brief relation of the intention of +the voyage, with the accident that had befallen +us, and put it into a glass bottle, and left it in +the fortification I had there built; so by twelve +<span class='pagenum'>xv</span>o’clock we all got safe on board, but left all +on shore that we had saved from the ship; for +we much feared it would prove foggy again, +and that we should be driven once more on this +miserable country; a country, for the most +part, covered perpetually with snow, and what +is bare being like bogs, on whose surface grows +a kind of moss, bearing a blue and yellow +flour, the whole product of the earth in this +desolate region. Under the surface, about two +feet deep, we came to a firm body of ice, a +thing never heard of before; and against the +ice-cliffs, which are as high as either of the forelands +in Kent, the sea has washed underneath, +and the arch overhanging, most fearful to behold, +supports mountains of snow, which, I +believe, hath lain there ever since the creation.” +</p> +<p> +Thus far in Captain Wood’s own words. +He adds, that by the tides setting directly in +upon the shore, it may be affirmed with certainty, +that there is no passage to the northward. +One thing remarkable in his relation, +and which seems to contradict the report of +former navigators, is, that the sea is there salter +than he had yet tasted it elsewhere, and the +clearest in the world, for that he could see the +shells at the bottom, though the sea was four +hundred and eighty feet deep. +</p> +<p> +Being all embarked on board the Prosperous, +on the 9th of July they changed their course, +and steered for England; and, on the 23d of +<span class='pagenum'>xvi</span>August, they arrived safe in the Thames, +without any remarkable accident intervening. +</p> +<p> +After the miscarriage of this voyage, on +which the highest expectations had been formed, +the most experienced navigators in England +seemed to agree, that a passage by the north, or +north-east, had no existence. They were the +more confirmed in this error, for an error it is, +by the reasons assigned by Capt. Wood, for +changing his opinion on this matter; for, before +he went upon the discovery, he was fully +persuaded himself, and likewise persuaded many +others, that nothing was more certain. +When, however, he first saw the ice, he imagined +it was only that which joined to Greenland, +and that no solid body of ice extended +farther from land than twenty leagues; in this +persuasion he altered his course, and coasted +along in the direction in which the ice lay, expecting, +at every cape or head-land of ice, after +running a certain distance, to find an opening +into the Polar ocean; but after running +two or three glasses to the northward in one +bay, he found himself entangled in another; +and thus it continued till his ship was wrecked. +By this experiment, he found the opinion of +Barents confuted, namely, “that by stearing +the middle course between Spitsbergen and +Nova Zembla, an open sea might be attained, +in which a ship might safely sail as +far as the pole.” From his own experience, +<span class='pagenum'>xvii</span>he therefore pronounced, that all the Dutch +relations were forgeries which asserted, that any +man had ever been under the pole; verily believing, +that if there be no land to the northward +of 80 degrees, that the sea is there frozen, +and always continues so; and grounding his +opinion upon this remark, that if the body of +ice which he saw were to be conveyed ten degrees +more to the southward, many centuries +of years would elapse before it would be +melted. +</p> +<p> +To this positive assertion, however, may be +opposed, the testimony of many credible persons, +some of whom have themselves sailed beyond +the 80th degree of north latitude, and +others, upon evidence, whose veracity there is +no reasonable cause to bring in question. +</p> +<p> +Among the latter, the testimony of Mr. +Joseph Moxon, member of the Royal Society +of London, must have considerable weight. +In a paper which this gentleman caused to be +printed in the Philosophical Transactions, is +this remarkable relation. +</p> +<p> +“Being about twenty years ago in Amsterdam, +I went into a public house to drink a +cup of beer for my thirst; and sitting by +the public fire, among several people, there +happened a seaman to come in, who seeing a +friend of his there, who he knew went the +Greenland voyage, wondered to see him, +because it was not yet time for the Greenland +<span class='pagenum'>xviii</span>fleet to come home, and asked him, +what accident had brought him home so +soon? His friend (who was the steersman) +answered, that their ships went not out to +fish, but only to take in the lading of the +fleet, to bring it to an early market. But, +said he, before the fleet had caught fish +enough to lade us, we, by order of the +Greenland Company, sailed unto the north +pole, and came back again. Whereupon, +says Moxon, I entered into discourse with +him, and seemed to question the truth of +what he said; but he did assure me it was +true, and that the ship was then in Amsterdam, +and many of the seamen belonging to +her ready to justify the truth of it; and told +me, moreover, that they had sailed two +degrees beyond the pole. I asked him, +if they found no land or islands about the +pole? He answered, no; there was a free +and open sea. I asked him, if they did not +meet with a great deal of ice? He told me, +no; they saw no ice about the pole. I asked +him, what weather they had there? He told +me, fine warm weather, such as was at Amsterdam +in the summer-time, and as hot. I +should have asked him more questions, but +that he was engaged in discourse with his +friend, and I could not, in modesty, interrupt +them longer. But I believe the steersman +spoke truth; for he seemed a plain, honest, +<span class='pagenum'>xix</span>and unaffectatious person, and one who +could have no design upon me.” +</p> +<p> +To authenticate this relation it has been +observed, that under the poles, the sun in +June being 23 degrees high, and having little +or no depression towards the horizon, always, +as it were, swimming about in the same elevation, +might invigorate that part of the hemisphere +with more heat than he does our climate; +when he is, in the winter, no more than 15 +degrees at the highest, and but eight hours +above the horizon; in which space the earth has +time to cool, and to lose, in the night, the influences +of heat which it receives in the day. +</p> +<p> +Another report upon like evidence was made +to King Charles the Second, by Capt. Goulden, +who being a Greenland whaler himself, +spoke with two Hollanders in the North Seas, +that had sailed within one degree of the pole, +where they met with no ice, but a hollow grown +sea, like that in the Bay of Biscay. +</p> +<p> +A still more credible testimony is, that +about the year 1670, application being made +to the States General for a charter to incorporate +a company of merchants to trade to Japan +and China, by a new passage to the north east; +the then East India Company opposed it, and +that so effectually, that their High Mightinesses +refused to grant what the merchants requested. +</p> +<p> +At that time it was talked of in Holland, as +a matter of no difficulty to sail to Japan by the +<span class='pagenum'>xx</span>way of Greenland; and it was publickly asserted +and believed, that several Dutch ships +had actually done it. The merchants being required +to verify this fact, desired that the journals +of the Greenland squadron of 1655 might +be produced; in seven of which there was +notice taken of a ship which that year had +sailed as high as the latitude of 89; and three +journals of that ship being produced, they all +agreed, as to one observation taken by the +master, August 1, 1655, in 88 degrees 56 minutes +north. +</p> +<p> +But a proof incontestible, is the testimony of +Captain Hudson, who sailed in 1607 to the latitude +of 81 degrees 30 minutes north, where +he arrived on the 16th of July, the weather being +then pretty warm. +</p> +<p> +Add to all these, that the Dutch, who were +employed in 1670, in endeavouring to find a +north-east passage, advanced within a very few +degrees of that open sea, which is now commonly +navigated by the Russians, and which +would infallibly have brought them to the coasts +of China and Japan, had they persevered in the +course they were pursuing. +</p> +<p> +It does not appear, however, from any authentic +accounts that we can collect, that any +voyage, professedly for the discovery of a north-east +passage, has been undertaken by either +public or private adventurers in England, since +that of Capt. Wood in the year 1670, till the +<span class='pagenum'>xxi</span>present year: and it is more than probable, +that if the Russian discoveries on the north of +Asia had never taken place, the thoughts of +finding a practicable passage from Europe in +that direction, would have lain dormant for +ever. +</p> +<p> +But the vast and enterprizing genius of Peter +the Great, in forcing his subjects out of that +obscurity in which they had long been involved, +has opened to the maritime powers new sources +of commerce, and furnished fresh motives for +new enterprizes. From a people unacquainted +with a vessel bigger than a bark, and who knew +no navigation but that of their own rivers, that +wonderful Prince not only taught them the use +of ships, but instructed them in the true principles +of building and equipping them. Nay, +he did more; for after making himself known +and admired throughout Europe, he conceived +the design of opening a communication with +the remotest parts of the globe, and discovering +to the world new countries which no European +nation had ever yet explored. +</p> +<p> +With this design, he planned one of the +boldest enterprizes that ever entered into the +heart of man; and though he did not survive +to see it executed, the glory of the atchievement +is wholly his. +</p> +<p> +The country of Kamschatka was as much +unknown to his predecessors, as it was to the +rest of the civilized nations of the earth; yet +<span class='pagenum'>xxii</span>he formed the design of making that savage +country the centre of the most glorious atchievements. +</p> +<p> +It was in the last year of this great Monarch’s +life, that he commissioned Capt. Behring to +traverse the wild, and then almost desolate, +country of Siberia, and to continue his route +to Kamtschatka, where he was to build one or +more vessels, in order to discover whether the +country towards the north, of which at that +time they had no distinct knowledge, was a part +of America, or not; and if it was, his instructions +authorized him to endeavour, by every +possible means, to seek and cultivate the acquaintance +of some European people, and to +learn from them the state of the country at +which he should arrive. If he failed in this, he +was to make such discoveries as circumstances +should present, and commit to writing the result +of his observations for the use of his Imperial +master. +</p> +<p> +To enter minutely into the particulars of +Capt. Behring’s journey and voyage, would carry +us beyond the limits prescribed for this Introduction: +let it suffice to say, that after surmounting +incredible difficulties, and suffering +hardships which none but a Russian could have +survived, he executed his commission successfully, +and returned to Petersburg in safety, after +an absence of five years, in which time, besides +his voyage by sea, he had travelled, in going +<span class='pagenum'>xxiii</span>and returning, eighteen thousand miles by +land. +</p> +<p> +It is from the second enterprizes of this astonishing +man, and from the subsequent voyages +of the Russians, that we are able to ascertain +the existence of a north-east passage; and it is +from thence, and from the late voyage of Capt. +Phipps, that, we think, we may fairly infer the +practicability of it. +</p> +<p> +It was some time about the year 1740, that +Capt. Behring embarked on his second voyage +from Kamtschatka, of which all that we know +is, that he sailed southward to the isles of +Japan, and from thence eastward about 80 +leagues. At that distance from Japan he discovered +land, which he coasted north-west, still +approaching to the north-east cape of Asia, +which he doubled, and named Cape Shelvghenski, +not daring to land till he arrived at the +mouth of a great river, where, sending his +boats with most of his crew on shore, they never +more returned, being either killed or detained +by the inhabitants, which made his discovery +incompleat; for not having men sufficient left +to navigate the ship, she went on shore on an +uninhabited island, where the Captain unfortunately +died. +</p> +<p> +From this voyage, however, we learn that +the sea, from the north-east cape of Kamtschatka, +is open to the isles of Japan, and from +a subsequent account of Russian voyages, published +<span class='pagenum'>xxiv</span>in the Philosophical Transactions, from a +paper communicated by the celebrated Euler, +it appears, that they passed along in small vessels, +coasting between Nova Zembla and the +continent, at divers times in the middle of +summer, when those seas were open. The first +expedition was from the river Oby, latitude 66 +degrees north, longitude 65 degrees east from +London, and at the approach of winter, the +vessels sheltered themselves by going up the Janiska, +the mouth of which is marked in our +maps in latitude 70 degrees north, and in longitude +82 degrees east; from whence the next +summer they proceeded to the mouth of the +Lena in latitude 72 degrees north, and in longitude +115 degrees, into which they again retired +for the winter season. The third expedition +was from the month of this river, to the +farthest north cape of Asia, in 72 degrees of +north latitude, and in 172 degrees of east longitude +from London. Thus the Russians having +passed between the continent and Nova +Zembla, and sailed as far as the easternmost +north cape, and the English and Dutch having +repeatedly sailed through the straits that divide +Nova Zembla from the continent, nothing can +be a plainer demonstration of the reality of a +north-east passage, than the sum of the voyages +here enumerated, when added together. The +English and Dutch sail to Wygatz, or the +strait of Nova Zembla; the Russians sail from +<span class='pagenum'>xxv</span>Wygatz to the north cape of Asia; and Behring +from the north cape to Japan. This is an incontrovertible +demonstration; yet it is obvious, +that this course can never be practicable to ships +employed in trade. The Russians, by taking +the advantage of an open sea and mild weather, +in three years time accomplished but part +of a voyage, which, by the Cape of Good +Hope, may be made in less than one. Who +therefore would run the hazard of so desperate +a passage, for the sake of reaping imaginary advantages +by an intercourse with savages, who, +for aught we know, have nothing to exchange +for European commodities, but the skins of +bears, or the bones of monsters. +</p> +<p> +But tho’ the passage to the northern countries +of the east was known to be impracticable +to European navigators in this direction, it was +worthy the greatness of a maritime people, to +endeavour to determine the possibility of attaining +the same end by another course. +</p> +<p> +The miscarriage and death of Barentz, and +the shipwreck of Capt. Wood, had left the +question undetermined, whether the regions adjoining +to the pole are land or water, frozen or +open sea. The advantages from this discovery, +besides the glory resulting from it, had the decision +terminated in favour of navigation, would +have been immensely great. To have opened +a new channel of commerce at a time when our +trade is languishing, would have revived the +<span class='pagenum'>xxvi</span>drooping hopes of our manufacturers, and retained +at home the numerous emigrants, who, +for want of employment in their own country, +are seeking new habitations, and new means of +living in remote settlements, of the certainty of +which they have no experience. +</p> +<p> +It must be acknowledged to the lasting honour +of the noble Lord who presides at the +head of the admiralty board, and who patronized +the undertaking, that the means to render +it successful, was in every respect proportioned +to the importance of the discovery. +</p> +<p> +The vessels that were made choice of were +the properest that could be devised. Bomb +ketches are in the first instance stoutly built, +and not being over large, are best adapted for +navigating seas that are known to abound with +shoals and covered rocks: these vessels, besides +their natural strength, were sheathed with plank +of seasoned oak three inches thick, to fortify +them against the shocks and pressure of the ice, +that, in their progress, they must infallibly encounter. +They were, besides, furnished with a +double set of ice poles, anchors, cables, sails +and rigging, to provide against the terrible effects +of the severe and tempestuous weather, +that frequently happens in high latitudes, even +in the middle of the most temperate seasons. +</p> +<p> +Nor was his Lordship less careful to provide +for the comfortable subsistance of the men, +than for the preservation of their lives, by his +<span class='pagenum'>xxvii</span>wise directions in equipping their ships. His +first care was, to issue orders for killing and +curing a sufficient quantity of beef and pork +in the best manner possible, that their provisions +might be good and fresh; and his next, to +cause one hundred buts of porter to be brewed +with the best malt and hops, that they might +have proper drink to fortify them against the +rigour of the climate they were about to pass. +Their pease, oatmeal, rice and molossus, were +all provided with equal care, and when all +things were in readiness, the beer was stowed +in the holds, and the vacancies filled up with +coals, which served as ballast, that firing might +not be wanting to warm and dry them when +cold, or wet with labour, or with watching. +Add to this, that a double quantity of spirits +were put on board, with a large proportion of +wine, vinegar, mustard, &c. &c. and what, we +believe, was never before thought of in the +fitting out of any King’s ships, a considerable +quantity of tea and sugar for the sick, in case +any should be seized with that dreadful disorder, +which rendered ship provisions loathsome to +Capt. James’s men, who were constrained to +winter in Charlton Island in 1632. These men +fell sick and had sore mouths, and could neither +eat beef, pork, fish, nor potage; the Surgeon +was every morning and evening obliged to +pick their teeth, and cut away the pieces of +rotten flesh from their gums, yet they could eat +<span class='pagenum'>xxviii</span>nothing but bread pounded in a mortar, and +fried in oil, on which they subsisted for several +months. In case of accidents of this kind, and +that tea should fail to answer the purposes of nourishment, +a quantity of portable soup was likewise +provided. And to compleat the whole, a +stock of warm cloathing was laid in, consisting +of six fearnought jackets for each man, two +milled caps, two pair of fearnought trowsers, +four pair of milled stockings, and an excellent +pair of boots, with a dozen pair of milled +mitts, two cotton shirts, and two handkerchiefs. +</p> +<p> +Thus equipped and provided, the command +of the Race Horse was given to the Hon. +Constantine Phipps, as Commodore, and that +of the Carcarse to Capt. Skiffington Lutwych; +the first mounting eight six pounders and fourteen +swivels, burthen three hundred and fifty +tons; the latter four six pounders and fourteen +swivels, burthen three hundred tons. +</p> +<p> +Thus being premised, let us now proceed to +the Journal of the Voyage. +</p> +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class='l15'><span class='lspp'>JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE</span></span><br> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspp'>TO DISCOVER THE</span></span><br> +<span class='l13'><span class='lspp'>NORTH EAST PASSAGE;</span></span><br> +<span class='fontp9'>UNDER THE COMMAND OF</span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspz'>THE HON. COMMODORE PHIPPS</span>,</span><br> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspp'>AND</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class="small-caps">Capt.</span> SKIFFINGTON LUTWYCH,</span><br> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspp'>IN HIS</span></span><br> +<span class='l12 ib1'><span class="small-caps">Majesty’s Ships</span> <span class='lspp'>RACE HORSE</span> <span class="small-caps">and</span> <span class='lspp'>CARCASE BOMBS</span>.</span> +</h2></div> +<p class='two_space drop-cap'> +A<span class='toupper lspz ip5'>ll</span> things being now in readiness, the officers +on board, and the men paid their +bounty-money of three pounds per man, according +to his Majesty’s royal proclamation, for +the encouragement of those who should voluntarily +enter to undertake the voyage. On the +3d of June 1773, the Commodore made the +signal to weigh; but previous to their departure, +the Carcase having been judged too deep +to navigate those heavy seas through which she +was to pass, the Captain obtained leave from +the board of Admiralty to re-land ten of her +compliment of men, and to put ashore six of +the eight six-pounders with which she was +equipped, with a quantity of provisions, proportioned +<span class='pagenum'>30</span>to the number of men that it had +been thought proper to discharge. +</p> +<p> +On Friday the 4th being off Sheerness, the +wind west by north, and a fresh breeze, they +took their departure, and continued their voyage +without any material occurrence happening till +Tuesday the 15th, when the Commodore made +the signal to lie to. They were then off Brassey +Island, and many fishing-boats from Shetland +being in sight, the men were invited on board, +and some fish purchased of them at a cheap rate. +</p> +<p> +On the 17th they took a new departure from +Shetland, but the day following the fog thickened +so much, that it almost approached to total +darkness. During the continuance of the +fog, the Commodore kept firing guns and beating +drums, to prevent the Carcase from losing +company. As it was impossible that one could +see the other at a ship’s length, it was found the +more necessary to repeat and return the firing, +lest they should run foul of each other before +they could be apprized of their danger. About +five in the morning the mist cleared up, and +about nine the Commodore being in sight, made +the signal to the Carcase to steer north-east. +They were then in latitude 60 degrees 52 minutes +north by observation; the north end of +Shetland Island bearing north by west one half +west, seven or eight leagues. +</p> +<p> +On the 17th they observed a sail to the north-east, +which the Commodore brought to, and +<span class='pagenum'>31</span>spoke with. The breeze fresh, the weather +hazy, and the wind variable, the Carcase carried +away her main-top-mast studding sail yard; +which, however, was very soon supplied. Latitude +this day by observation 62 degrees 53 minutes +north. +</p> +<p> +Friday the 18th, being in the latitude of 65 +degrees 9 minutes north, the cloathing allowed +by the Government, of which notice has already +been taken in the Introduction, was delivered +out, and officers as well as men received their +full proportion. This day the weather continued +as before. +</p> +<p> +Saturday the 19th the weather varied to every +point of the compass, the Commodore brought +to, and spoke with the Carcase. Made sail +about three in the morning, and at nine a large +swell. Tacked and stood to the eastward. Latitude +66 degrees 1 minute north; longitude +from London 33 minutes west. +</p> +<p> +Sunday the 20th they pursued their course to +the eastward, with the wind north-west, but +variable; high breezes and clear air. They +were now within the Polar circle, and at midnight +had an observation of the sun, and found +their latitude 66 degrees 52 minutes north. +Sounded on board the Commodore with a lead +of one hundred weight, and a line of seven +hundred and eighty fathom, to which was fastened +a thermometer of Lord George Cavendish’s +construction. They found no bottom, +<span class='pagenum'>32</span>but the water was eleven degrees colder at that +depth than on the surface. The Carcase sounded +with four hundred and fifty fathoms only. +</p> +<p> +Monday 21, light breezes and cloudy weather. +They observed a whale on the north-east +quarter, the first they had yet seen in the north +seas. The weather now began to set in severe; +the nights cold and the days cloudy. The +Commodore observing a whaling snow with +Hamborough colours flying, fired a shot, and +brought her to. She happened to be homeward +bound with seals, and Mr. Wyndham, a gentleman +of fortune, who had embarked on board +the Commodore, with a view to prosecute the +voyage, finding nothing but foul weather and +heavy seas, to gratify his curiosity, and being +withal unable to endure the sea sickness, took +passage on board the Hamburgher, in order to +return home; and having taken leave of his +friends, by wishing them a happy voyage, the +Snow’s boat took him on board, about seven in +the morning, and at eight the Commodore and +Carcase pursued their voyage. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 22, the articles of war were read +on board the Carcase. The weather began to +be piercing cold; they had reached the 70th +degree of north latitude, in a course nearly +north, being only 14 minutes to the eastward +of London; and from their leaving Shetland +to this day, they had seen nothing remarkable; +nor had any accident befallen either of the +<span class='pagenum'>33</span>ships worth relating, except that of now and +then snapping a rope, or breaking a yard; incidents +easily repaired. This day it poured with +rain; the air was thick, and the rain froze as it +fell. Saw a large ship to the north-west, standing +southward, but wanting no information that +she could give, they pursued their voyage without +speaking to her. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 57em;'> +<img src="images/illu_407.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><span class="small-caps">Spitsbergen</span> or <span class="small-caps">New Greenland</span>.</figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +Wednesday 23, the rain continued; the +weather hazy; heard three guns fire at a distance, +but saw no ship or other object. The +whales are here in no great plenty, and few +ships appear in the open sea in pursuit of them. +They generally at this season frequent the bays +and creeks near the shore, and only break +away when they are pursued or wounded. +</p> +<p> +On Thursday the 24th, the Commodore changed +his course to east north-east; and on the +25th they were in latitude 74 degrees 7 minutes +north, and in 8 degrees 32 minutes east longitude +from London. Served out to the ship’s +company plenty of mustard, pepper, vinegar, +&c. The weather extremely cold and variable. +At eight in the evening thick fog; at two in +the morning fresh breezes; at eight clear weather; +at eleven squally; and at noon calm, +with sleet and snow. +</p> +<p> +On Saturday the 26th, at midnight, they had +an observation, and found themselves in latitude +74 degrees 17 minutes north; fresh gales, +<span class='pagenum'>34</span>sometimes rain, sleet, and snow; at seven in +the morning clear weather and an open sea. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 27, light airs from the southward, +and cloudy weather; much warmer than the +preceding day. It is remarkable, that the vicissitudes +of heat and cold are more frequent +here than in the more southerly latitudes. It +often changes from temperate to extreme cold; +and that suddenly. +</p> +<p> +It should seem likewise, that the ice frequently +changes its place in this latitude; or that it is +more solid near land than in the open sea; for, on +the 23d of June 1676, Capt. Wood, being more +to the eastward, fell in with ice right a-head, +not more than a league distant. He steered +along it, thinking it had openings, but found +them to be bays. He sounded, and found +ground at one hundred and fifty-eight fathom, +soft green oar. In some places he found pieces +of ice driving off a mile from the main body in +strange shapes, resembling ships, trees, buildings, +beasts, fishes, and even men. The main +body of ice being low and craggy, he could +see hills of a blue colour at a distance, and +valleys that were white as snow. In some places +he observed drift wood among the ice. Some +of the ice he melted, and found it fresh and +good. This navigator never could advance farther +to the north; but in seeking to penetrate +the ice was ship-wrecked, as has been already +related in the Introduction. He therefore judged +<span class='pagenum'>35</span>the ice impenetrable, and that land or ice surrounded +the pole. Our navigators found also +much wood in this latitude floating about the +ships, and saw great flocks of birds. +</p> +<p> +Monday 28, the weather altered; the wind +west. Fresh breezes, with rain and sleet. Latter +part thick fog. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 29, being in latitude 78 degrees +north, and in longitude 6 degrees 29 minutes +east from London, came in sight of land, when +the ships brought to, and the Captains held a +consultation concerning their future course. +The appearance of the land lay from east south-east +to north-east; and this day they spoke +with the Marquis of Rockingham, Greenlandman, +who, by their reckoning, were then in +latitude 79 degrees 40 minutes north, though +by that of the Commodore, their latitude was +only 78 degrees 3 minutes. This difference, it +is probable, arises from not making the proper +allowance for refraction in this high latitude. +The Greenlandman presented each of the Commanders +with a deer and a half, which they +found well-flavoured venison, though not over +fat. He likewise informed, that he had just +come from the ice, and that the day before, +three whalers had been crushed to pieces by its +closing upon them suddenly. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday 30, pursued their course. Cloudy +weather. Half past four in the morning +sounded, one hundred and twelve fathoms soft +<span class='pagenum'>36</span>blue mud. At this time Black Point, so called +from its dark appearance, bore north-east by east +three quarters east, at the distance of seven or +eight leagues. At half past seven, in the +morning, saw two sail in the north-west quarter. +At half past twelve tacked and stood to the +east. Sounded, and found ground at one hundred +and fifteen fathom. +</p> +<p> +Thursday July 1, light breezes and clear +weather at midnight: the sun as bright as at +noon day. Black Point east one half south, +distant seven leagues. At three in the morning +made Charles’s Island, and at nine saw a +sail to the westward whaleing; they were then +in latitude 78 degrees 18 minutes north, by observation. +Sounded, and found the same depth +as before. +</p> +<p> +Friday 2, light airs and moderate weather. +Lay to and took the altitude of a mountain, +which they named Mount Parnassus; found it +from the level of the sea to be three thousand +nine hundred and sixty feet high, covered with +snow, and at a distance resembling an ancient +building, with something like a turret a-top. +The foot of this mountain, with the hills adjoining, +have sometimes a very fiery appearance, +and the ice and snow on their sides resembling +trees and shrubs, glissen with a brilliancy +that exceed the splendor of the brightest gems. +When this happens, a violent storm generally +<span class='pagenum'>37</span>succeeds. Here they shot some sea fowl, but +of an oily taste. +</p> +<p> +Saturday 3, proved a perfect calm. They +spoke with a Hollander, who foretold, that a +degree or two farther north was the utmost +extent of their progress this season. Having +doubled Cape Cold, they anchored in fifteen +fathom water, about three miles from the land, +and sent the boats ashore for water, which they +found in abundance, pouring down in little +streams from the rocks. At five in the afternoon, +by the mean of four azimuths, the variation +was found to be 18 degrees 36 minutes +west. Sounded, and found only sixty-five fathoms, +soft brown mud. Mount Parnassus +east-north-east three or four leagues.⁠—Among +other reasons which Capt. Wood gave for wishing +to be employed on the discovery of the +north-east passage, one was, that he might have +an opportunity of approaching the pole, in order +to settle an hypothesis, which he had long +framed, whereby the inclination of the magnetical +needle under the horizon, in all latitudes +and in all longitudes, with the variation of the +compass, might be exactly determined. This navigator +imagined two magnetical poles to exist; +and that, by approaching the one, he should +be able to determine the action of the other. +It does not appear, that he ever explained his +hypothesis; and there never has been but one +man, whose name was Williams, since his +<span class='pagenum'>38</span>time, who pretended to know any thing of the +matter. +</p> +<p> +Saturday 4, light breezes and hazey weather. +Sounded, and only twenty fathoms deep; rocky +ground. Hacluit’s Headland, or the northernmost +point of Spitsbergen, bearing north +by east seven leagues. Many whalers in sight. +Latitude by observation 79 degrees 34 minutes +north, longitude from London 8 degrees 10 +minutes east. Thermometer forty-seven. +</p> +<p> +Monday 5, at two in the afternoon sounded, +and only fifteen fathom water; rocky ground. +Thick fog. The Race Horse fired guns as signals +to keep company, which were answered by +the Carcase. A dreadful crackling was heard +at a distance, which proved the dashing and +grinding of the loose pieces of ice against each +other, which is heard at many leagues distance. +Hacluit’s Headland south-east by south, +distance six or seven leagues. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 6, proved very foggy, the breezes +slight, and islands of ice beginning to appear. +At three in the afternoon the Commodore +hauled up from a large body of packed ice, +and the fog thickening, both ships kept firing +volleys of small arms, to prevent their losing +company. At half past ten in the evening, the +extremes of the ice stretching from north-west +to east-north-east, the Commodore bore away; +and at half past twelve lost sight of it. At +half past one in the morning heard a violent +<span class='pagenum'>39</span>surf to the south-east. At two tacked and stood +to the westward. At half past five the fog gathering, +they began firing volleys of small +arms. At six saw the ice stretching from east +by south, to north by east; and at seven was +within sight of land. At ten Cloven Cliff +stood east-south-east, distant about five or six +leagues. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday the 7th, the weather cloudy. +They found themselves beset among the loose +ice, which increasing continually, gave them +incredible trouble. Observing that it thickened +to the eastward, they hauled up, and stood to +the westward; but in tacking, they were in +danger of running foul. It was with difficulty +they could keep any course, for the driffs of +ice came so thick, as to whirl the ships about, as +if in a whirl-pool. +</p> +<p> +Thursday 8, the weather still remaining cloudy, +and the wind variable, both ships still were +entangled in the ice; and the Carcase being +driven to leeward, hoisted out her long-boat to +tow up with the Commodore. But the ice +closing very fast, it was impossible for the boats +to live. Orders were then given to tack and +stand to the southward; but the ships not being +able to make head against the accumulation of +ice that continually gathered round them, were +under a necessity of applying to their ice-anchors +and poles, in order to warp through it. +At half past eight in the evening, the ice beginning +<span class='pagenum'>40</span>to open, they again hoisted out their +boats, and with difficulty towed the ships round +a cape of ice projecting from the main body, +and at last got clear. At ten the boats were +hoisted on board. In extricating themselves +from this dangerous situation, the Race Horse +had her best bower-anchor snapt in the shank, +close to the stock, and the Carcase lost her starboard +bumpkin and head-rails. +</p> +<p> +It frequently happens, that ships beset among +the ice in the manner above related, perish +by being dashed to pieces against the solid fields +of ice, or crushed by the broken pieces crowding +upon one another, and rising so fast about +the ship, as to exceed the height of her sides, +and then there is no escaping. They were told +by some experienced seamen, that the ice rises +out of the sea as high sometimes as mountains; +and that several of these mountains, by striking +together and coalescing, form these islands +of ice that are frequently seen in the lower latitudes, +driving up and down the sea as the wind +and tides direct them. +</p> +<p> +The greatest danger to be apprehended, is, +however, from the loose ice; for the whalers +often moor their ships to the solid fields of ice, +that at certain seasons seem to rest upon the +earth, and appear fixed to it, and there find +the best fishing. In such situations it often +happens, that little or no loose ice is to be +seen; yet presently upon a change of wind, or +<span class='pagenum'>41</span>the blowing of a storm, it shall pour in upon +them so suddenly, that they sometimes perish in +it. It is not possible to account for the astonishing +quantity that will gather in this manner +in less than an hour’s time. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/illu_417.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>A View of the Whale Fishery.</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +Though it seems to be agreed, that many of +the largest fields of ice are frozen to the depth +of the sea in which they are found, and that +they are bedded on the solid earth, yet it is +equally certain, that they are often rent asunder +by the raging billows; and that in breaking, +they produce the most terrifying noise in +nature; nay, it is asserted, that the clashing +of the pieces of loose ice against each other, +on any extraordinary agitation of the waves, +is attended with a roaring so loud, that a man +who is near it can hardly hear the sound of his +own voice. +</p> +<p> +Friday the 9th, they hauled up to the westward, +and lost sight one of the other; but +about nine next morning they came in sight, +and joined company. The weather being now +piercing cold, the people had an additional +quantity of porter and brandy delivered to +them; two quarts of porter and a pint of brandy +being now every man’s daily allowance. +</p> +<p> +Saturday July the 10th, the breeze fresh, and +the weather cloudy. They sailed between numberless +pieces of ice, among which they saw several +whales, but none of the whalers in pursuit +of them. The ice now becoming solid and +<span class='pagenum'>42</span>compact, they found it impracticable to continue +their course. And the discovery of a passage +to the pole in that direction (upon holding +a consultation) appearing impracticable to every +officer on board of both ships, the Commodore, +at seven in the evening, hauled close to +the wind; and the Carcase, as soon as she could +extricate herself, followed his example. The +weather continuing foggy, with rain and snow, +the sailors were almost worn out with turning +and winding; and although they used the utmost +precaution in working through the narrows, +yet they could not always avoid striking +against the mountains that every where surrounded +them. During this night’s work, they +steered a hundred different courses, to follow +the channels. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 11, having worked out of the ice, +they sailed along the main body, which appeared +perfectly solid and compact, without +any passage or inlet. This immense mass of +ice extended north-east, as far as they could see +from the mast-head; and, no doubt, might be +a continuation of that in which they were engaged +a few days before. The sea was now tolerably +clear, for they met with no more fields, +and only a few detached islands. At half past +one in the morning they saw the land from +south by west, to south-south-east. At three +in the morning they tacked; Cloven Cliff +bearing south-south-east six miles. At seven +<span class='pagenum'>43</span>tacked again. At eight the Commodore bore +away, and the Carcase stood after him. Cloven +Cliff south one half west, two or three leagues, +latitude 79 degrees 56 minutes north. +</p> +<p> +Monday 12, at eight in the evening Cloven +Cliff bearing west-south-west four or five miles, +they sounded in fifteen fathoms water, and +found a rocky bottom. Saw several English +and Dutch Greenlanders at anchor in the Norways: +That being their rendezvous to the northward, +they never chuse to proceed farther. +Here they found the current setting so fast to +eastward, that they were forced to come to an +anchor to keep from drifting on the ice; the +swell from westward being so great, that had that +happened, it would of consequence have staved +the ships. At five in the morning a breeze from +north-north-east springing up, they weighed, +and made sail. At eight Hacluit’s Headland +west-south-west one half west, six or seven +leagues, at noon latitude 80 degrees 2 minutes +north. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 13, the weather being clear and +calm, and a strong easterly current setting in, +at eight in the evening they came to with their +stream anchors and hausers in forty fathoms +water but at nine a breeze springing up from +the eastward, they weighed, and next day came +to an anchor in Smearingburgh Harbour. Cloven +Cliff east one half south one mile. West +<span class='pagenum'>44</span>point of Voogle land north-north-west one half +west, distant one mile and a half; soundings fifteen +fathom sandy bottom. +</p> +<p> +Here they remained between five and six +days to take in fresh water, during which time +our journalist was employed in surveying the +country, which to a stranger had a very awful +and romantic appearance. +</p> +<p> +The country is stoney, and as far as can be +seen full of mountains, precipices and rocks. +Between these are hills of ice, generated, as it +should seem, by the torrents that flow from the +melting of the snow on the sides of those towering +elevations, which being once congealed, +are continually increased by the snow in winter, +and the rain in summer, which often freezes as +soon as it falls. By looking on these hills, a +stranger may fancy a thousand different shapes +of trees, castles, churches, ruins, ships, whales, +monsters, and all the various forms that fill the +universe. Of the ice-hills there are seven, that +more particularly attract the notice of a stranger. +These are known by the name of the seven iceburgs, +and are thought to be the highest of the +kind in that country. When the air is clear, and +the sun shines full upon these mountains, the +prospect is inconceivably brilliant. They sometimes +put on the bright glow of the evening rays +of the setting sun, when reflected upon glass, at his +going down; sometimes they appear of a bright +blue, like sapphire, and sometimes like the variable +<span class='pagenum'>45</span>colours of a prism, exceeding in lustre +the richest gems in the world, disposed in shapes +wonderful to behold, all glittering with a lustre +that dazzles the eye, and fills the air with astonishing +brightness. +</p> +<p> +Smearingburgh harbour, where they landed, +was first discovered by the Dutch. Here they +erected sheds and conveniences for boiling the +oil from the fat of the whales, instead of barrelling +it up to be boiled at home. Here also, +allured by the hope of gain, they built a village, +and endeavoured to fix a colony: but the +first settlers all perished in the ensuing winter. +The remains of the village may be traced to +this day; and their stoves, kettles, kardels, +troughs, ovens, and other implements, remained +in the shape of solid ice long after the utensils +themselves were decayed. Our voyagers were +told, that the Russians have lately attempted +the same thing, and that ten out of fifteen perished +last winter in this second attempt. +</p> +<p> +Where every object is new, it is not easy for +a stranger to fix which first to admire. The +rocks are striking objects: before a storm they +exhibit a fiery appearance, and the sun looks +pale upon them, the snow giving the air a bright +reflection. Their summits are almost always +involved in clouds, so that it is but just possible +to see the tops of them. Some of these +rocks are but one stone from bottom to top, +appearing like an old decayed ruin. Others +<span class='pagenum'>46</span>consist of huge masses, veined differently, like +marble, with red, white, and yellow, and probably, +were they to be sawed and polished, +would equal, if not excel, the finest Egyptian +marble we now so much admire. Perhaps the +distance and danger of carrying large blocks of +stones, may be the reason that no trials have been +made to manufacture them. On the southerly +and westerly sides of these rocks grow all the +plants, herbs, and mosses peculiar to this country; +on the northerly and easterly sides the +wind strikes so cold when it blows from these +quarters, that it perishes every kind of vegetable. +These plants grow to perfection in a +very short time. Till the middle of May the +whole country is locked up in ice; about the +beginning of July the plants are in flower, +and about the latter end of the same month, +or beginning of August, they have perfected +their seed. The earth owes its fertility, in a +great measure, to the dung of birds, who build +and breed their young here in the summer, and +in the winter repair to more favourable climates. +</p> +<p> +The plants that are most common in Spitsbergen +are scurvy-grass and crows-foot; there +are besides small house-leak, and a plant with +aloe-leaves; an herb like stone-crop; some +small snake-weed; mouse-ear; wood-strawbery; +periwinkle; and a herb peculiar to the +country which they call the rock-plant. The +leaves of this plant are in shape like a +<span class='pagenum'>47</span>man’s tongue, above six feet long, of a dull +yellow colour. The stalk is round and smooth, +and of the same colour with the leaf; it rises +tapering, and smells like muscles. It is an +aquatic, and rises in height in proportion to the +depth of water in which it is found. There +are other plants and herbs, but these are the +chief. Of flowers, the white poppy seems the +principal. +</p> +<p> +The rocks and precipices are full of fissures +and clefts, which afford convenient harbour +for birds to lay their eggs, and breed their +young in safety. Most of these birds are water-fowl, +and seek their food in the sea. Some, +indeed, are birds of prey; and pursue and kill +others for their own sustenance, but these are +rare. The water-fowl eat strong and fishy, and +their fat is not to be endured. They are so +numerous about the rocks, as sometimes to +darken the air when they rise in flocks; and they +scream so horribly, that the rocks ring with their +noise. +</p> +<p> +There are a few small birds like our snipes, +and a kind of snow-bird, but different from +that found about Hudson’s bay. The gentlemen +shot some of the water-fowl, but they +were strong and ill-tasted. +</p> +<p> +The ice-bird is a very beautiful little bird, +but very rare. He is in size and shape like a +turtle-dove, but his plumage, when the sun +shines upon him, is of a bright yellow, like +<span class='pagenum'>48</span>the golden ring in the peacock’s tail, and almost +dazzles the eye to look upon it. +</p> +<p> +The other inhabitants of this forlorn country +are white bears, deer, and foxes. How +these creatures can subsist in the winter, when +the whole earth is covered with snow, and the +sea locked up in ice, is hardly to be conceived. +It has been said, indeed, that when the ocean +is all frozen over, and no sustenance to be procured +in this country, they travel southerly to +the warmer climates, where food proper for +them abounds in the immense forests of the +northern continent. But whoever considers +the vast distance between Spitsbergen and the +nearest parts of the northern continent, will be +as much at a loss to account for the subsistence +of these creatures in their journey, as in the desolate +region where they undoubtedly remain. +The bear is by far the best accommodated to +the climate of which he is an inhabitant. He +is equally at home on land and water, and +hunts diligently for his prey in both. In summer +he finds plenty of food from the refuse of the +whales, sea-horses and seals, which is thrown +into the sea by the whalers, and cover the shores +during the time of whaling; and they have +besides a wonderful sagacity in smelling out +the carcases of the dead, let them be ever so +deeply buried in the earth, or covered with +stones. The dead therefore that annually are +buried here may contribute, in some degree, +<span class='pagenum'>49</span>to the subsistence of a few of these creatures in +winter; but the question will still recur, how +the race of them subsisted before the whale-fishery +had existence, and before men found +the way to this inhospitable shore. Disquisitions +of this kind, as they are beyond the reach +of human comprehension, serve only to raise +our admiration of that omnipotent Being to +whom nothing is impossible. +</p> +<p> +These creatures, as they differ in nothing +but their colour and size from those commonly +shewn in England, need no description. +</p> +<p> +The foxes differ little in shape from those +we are acquainted with, but in colour there is +no similitude. Their heads are black, and +their bodies white. As they are beasts of prey, +if they do not provide in summer for the long +recess of winter, it were, one would think, +almost impossible for them to survive; yet they +are seen in plenty, though, by their subtlety +and swiftness, they are not easy to be catched. +</p> +<p> +The Dutch seamen report, that when they +are hungry they will feign themselves dead, and +when the ravenous birds come to feed upon +them, they rise and make them their prey. +</p> +<p> +But the most wonderful thing of all is, how +the deer can survive an eight months famine. +Like ours they feed upon nothing that can be +perceived, but the vegetables which the earth +spontaneously produces; and yet for eight +months in the year, the earth produces neither +<span class='pagenum'>50</span>plant, herb, shrub, or blade of any kind of +grass whatever. They are, besides, but thinly +cloathed for so severe a climate, and what seems +still worse, there is not a bush to be seen to +shelter them, within the distance that any man +has yet discovered. The means of their subsistence +must therefore remain among the secrets +of nature, never to be disclosed, as no human +being can ever live here, so as to be able to trace +these creatures to their winter’s residence. +</p> +<p> +Amphibious creatures abound the most about +the sounds and bays of Spitsbergen, and they +seem best adapted to endure the climate. These +are the seals, or sea dogs, and morses, or sea +horses; of which the whalers avail themselves, +when disappointed in compleating their lading +with the fat of whales. +</p> +<p> +The seal is sufficiently known; but the sea-horse, +as it is a creature peculiar to high latitudes, +is therefore more rare. It is not easy to +say how he came by his name; for there is no +more likeness between a sea-horse and a land-horse, +than there is between a whale and an elephant. +The sea-horse is not unlike the seal in +shape. He has a large round head, larger than +that of a bull, but shaped more like that of a +pug-dog without ears, than any other animal +we are acquainted with. He tapers all the way +down to the tail, like the fish we call a lump, +and his size is equal to that of the largest sized +ox. His tusks close over his under jaw, like +<span class='pagenum'>51</span>those of a very old boar, and are in length +from one foot to two or more, in proportion to +the size and age of the animal that breeds them. +His skin is thicker than that of a bull, and +covered with short mouse-coloured hair, which +is sleeker and thicker, just as he happens to be in +or out of season when he is caught. His paws, +before and behind, are like those of a mole, +and serve him for oars when he swims, and +for legs to crawl when he goes upon the ice, or +on shore. He is a fierce animal, but being unweildy +when on land, or on the ice, is easily +overcome. +</p> +<p> +These animals are always found in herds, +sometimes of many hundreds together, and if +one is attacked, the rest make a common cause, +and stand by one another till the last gasp. If +they are attacked in the water, they will fight +desperately, and will even attempt the boats of +their pursuers, if any of them are wounded, +and not mortally. Some of them have been +known to make holes in the bottom of the +boat with their tusks, in defence of their +young. Their eyes are large, and they have +two holes in the upper part of the neck, out +of which they eject the water, in like manner as +it is ejected by whales. +</p> +<p> +Though the sea about Spitsbergen is full of +fish, yet they rather appear to be designed by +Providence for the sustenance of one another, +than for the food of man. The mackarel, of +<span class='pagenum'>52</span>which there are no great plenty, seem not only +to be the most wholesome, and the most palatable, +but also the most beautiful. They seem +to be a different species to those caught upon +our coasts. The upper part of the back is of +a vivid blue; the other part as low as the belly +of a gem-like green on an azure ground. Underneath +the belly the colour is a transparent +white, and the fins shine like polished silver. +All the colours glow when alive in the sea with +such a richness, that fancy can hardly form to +itself any thing in nature more beautiful. Almost +all the other fish on this coast are of an +oily nature, and of a very indifferent flavour. +</p> +<p> +The saw, or sword fish, is remarkable not +only for the oddity of his shape, but also for +his enmity to the whale. This fish takes his +name from a broad flat bone, in length from +two to four feet, which projects from his nose, +and tapers to a point. On each side, it has +teeth like a comb, at the distance of a finger’s +breadth asunder. He is also furnished with a +double row of fins, and is of astonishing +strength in the water. His length from ten +to twenty feet. He seems to be formed for war, +and war is his profession. The conflict betwixt +him and the whale is dreadful, yet he never +gives over till his sword is broken, or he comes +off victorious. +</p> +<p> +The whale is a harmless fish, and is never +known to fight but in his own defence. Yet +<span class='pagenum'>53</span>when he is exasperated, he rages dreadfully. +Though from his magnitude, he may be called +the sovereign of the seas; yet, like other sovereigns, +he is liable to be vexed and hurt by +the meanest reptiles. The whale’s louse is a +most tormenting little animal. Its scales are as +hard as those of our prawns; its head is like +the louse’s head, with four horns, two that +serve as feelers, the other two are hard, and +curved, and serve as clenchers to fix him to the +whale. On his chest, underneath, he has two +carvers, like scythes, with which he collects his +food, and behind these are four feet, that serve +him for oars. He has, moreover, six other +clenchers behind, with which he can rivet himself +so closely to his prey, that he can no otherwise +be disengaged, but by cutting out the +whole piece to which he is joined. He is jointed +on the back like the tail of a lobster, and +his tail covers him like a shield when he is +feeding. He fixes himself on the tenderest +parts of the whale’s body, between his fins, on +his sheath, and on his lips, and eats pieces out +of his flesh, as if eaten by vultures. +</p> +<p> +They found no springs of fresh-water in +Spitsbergen; but in the valleys, between the +mountains, are many little rills caused by +the rain and melting of the snow in summer; +and from these rills the ships are supplied. +Some are of opinion, that this water is +<span class='pagenum'>54</span>unwholesome, but they are more nice than wise. +The whaling people have drank of it for ages, +and have found no ill effects from the use of it. +Ice taken up in the middle of these seas and +thawed, yields also good fresh water. +</p> +<p> +On board the Race Horse, Dr. Irvine, the +gentleman who received the premium by a grant +of parliament, for his discovery of an easy process +for making salt-water fresh at sea, tried many +experiments at Spitsbergen, and in the course +of the voyage; the result of which will appear +at a proper time. That gentleman had formed +a project for preserving flesh meat fresh and +sweet in long voyages, but it did not answer +in this. +</p> +<p> +In calm weather they remarked, that the sea +about the islands appeared uncommonly still and +smooth; that it was not suddenly moved at the +first approach of blowing weather; but that +when the storm continued, the waves swelled +gradually, and rose to an incredible height.⁠—These +swelling waves successively follow one +another, and roll along before the wind, foaming +and raging in a frightful manner, yet they +are thought less dangerous than those that break +short, and are less mountainous. +</p> +<p> +They observed likewise, that the ice that +rested on the ground was not stationary, but +that it changed place; and they learnt also, +that in some seasons there was no ice, where this +season they were in danger of being embayed. +<span class='pagenum'>55</span>There does not, however, from thence appear +the least reason to conclude, that any practicable +passage to the Indian ocean can ever be +found in this direction; for were it certain that +the seas were always open under the pole, yet +great bulwarks of ice evidently surround it, +sometimes at a less, and sometimes at a greater +distance. Moreover, were it possible that chance +should direct some fortunate adventurer to an +opening at one time, it would be more than a +million to one, if the same opening were passable +to the next who should attempt it. +</p> +<p> +There are many harbours about Spitsbergen, +besides that of Smearingburg, where ships employed +in the whale fishery take shelter in stormy +weather; and there are some islands, such +as Charles’s Island, the Clifted Rock, Red-Hill, +Hacluit’s Headland, &c. that serve as landmarks, +by which seamen direct their course. +These islands are full of the nests of birds; but +their eggs are as nauseous as the flesh of the +fowls that lay them. The sailors sometimes +eat them, but they are filthy food. Even the +geese and ducks on the neighbouring islands eat +fishy and strong. +</p> +<p> +The air about Spitsbergen is never free from +icicles. If you look through the sun-beams +transversely as you sit in the shade, or where you +see the rays confined in a body, instead of dark +motes, as are seen here, you see myriads of +shining particles that sparkle like diamonds; +<span class='pagenum'>56</span>and when the sun shines hot, as it sometimes +does, so as to melt the tar in the seams of ships +when they lie sheltered from the wind, these +shining atoms seem to melt away, and descend +like dew. +</p> +<p> +It is seldom that the air continues clear for +many days together in this climate; when that +happens, the whalers are generally successful. +There is no difference between night and day +in the appearance of the atmosphere about +Spitsbergen, one being as light as the other, +only when the sun is to the northward, you may +look at him with the naked eye, as at the moon, +without dazzling. The fogs here come on so +suddenly, that from bright sun-shine, you are +presently involved in such obscurity, that you +can hardly see from one end of the ship to the +other. +</p> +<p> +While our journalist was busy in making +his observations, all belonging to the ships +were differently engaged in one employment or +other; some in taking in water, some in fishing, +some in hunting, some in handing the sails, +and spreading them out to dry, some in scrubbing +the ship, and some in viewing the country. +The Commanders and officers, with Mr. +Lyon, Mr. Robinson, &c. busied themselves +in making observations, being furnished with +an apparatus, that is said to have cost at least +one thousand five hundred pounds. From such +a set of instruments, in the hands of the ablest +<span class='pagenum'>57</span>observers, the nation can boast, some very considerable +discoveries in the phenomena of the +polar regions may be expected. They landed +their instruments in a small island, in Vogle +Sound, and had several opportunities during +their stay of using them to advantage. Having +erected two tents, the Captains from the fishery +frequently visited the observers, and expressed +their admiration not only at the perfection of +the instruments, but likewise at the dexterity +with which they were accommodated. +</p> +<p> +The ice began to set in a-pace, yet the weather +was hot. The thermometer from fifty-six +in the cabin rose to ninety in the open air. It +was still ten degrees higher on the top of a +mountain to which it was carried. The island +on which the experiments were made, they called +Marble Island, from the rock by which it +is formed. Having watered, and finished their +observations, the ships prepared to depart. +</p> +<p> +Monday July the 19th, the Commodore made +the signal to weigh; at two in the afternoon +the ships were under sail, and as soon as they +had made their offing, stood to the eastward. +At three they tacked and steered northward; +and before four were again entangled among +the loose ice, through which they sailed, directing +their course along the main body, which +lay from north-west to south-south-east. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday the 20th, they continued their course +along the ice, but could discover no opening, +<span class='pagenum'>58</span>though they searched every creek, and left no +bay or turning unexamined. This day they +observed what the sailors call a mock-sun, a +phænomenon well enough known in this climate. +Hacluit’s Headland bore south-west one half +south forty-six leagues; the weather cloudy, +with rain; excessive cold. Thermometer 37 +degrees 46 minutes. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday the 21st, the severity of the weather +increasing, an additional quantity of brandy +was served out to the people, and every comfortable +refreshment afforded them, that they +themselves could wish or require. The course +of the ice lay this day north-east. +</p> +<p> +Thursday 22, nothing remarkable. +</p> +<p> +Friday the 23d, they saw land from east by +south, to south-east by south. At four in the +morning, Hacluit’s Headland bore south-east +ten leagues; the wind variable, and the weather +cold, with sleet and snow. Thermometer 40 +degrees. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 25, they had gentle breezes, with +cloudy weather, and were engaged among some +pieces of ice, separated from the main body, +which kept them continually tacking and luffing. +At length they entered among mountains and +islands of ice, which came upon them so fast, +that it was with the utmost difficulty they could +proceed; the Carcase having several times +struck against them with such violence, as to +raise her head four feet out of the water. They +<span class='pagenum'>59</span>now imagined, from the solidity and extent of +these islands, that the late strong gales had +caused a separation from the main body, the +Commodore therefore changed his course with +a strong gale to the eastward; in the morning +the weather became moderate. +</p> +<p> +Monday 26, at seven in the morning, they +came in sight of Red-hill, a small mount +which commands an open plain, known by the +name of Deers-field, by reason of its fertile +appearance, it being the only spot on which +they saw no drifts of snow. To the eastward +lies Muffin’s Island. Here they sounded, and +found forty-five fathom water; rocky ground. +Capt. Lutwich sent out the long-boat, with orders +to sound along the shore, and to examine +the soil. This island is about a mile long, very +low, and looks at a distance like a black +speck. Though the soil is mostly sand and +loose stones, and hardly so much as a green +weed upon it, yet it is remarkable for the number +of birds that resort to it in summer to lay +their eggs, and breed their young; and these +not of one kind only, but of many different +sorts, as geese, ducks, burgomasters, ice-birds, +malamucks, kirmews, rotgers, and almost every +other species of birds peculiar to the climate; +insomuch, that the eggs were so numerous, and +lay so thick upon the ground, that the men +who landed found it difficult to walk without +filling their shoes. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>60</span>While the crew of the boat, ten in number, +with their valiant officer at their head, were +examining the island, after having sounded the +shores, they observed two white bears making +towards them, one upon the ice, the other in +the water. Major Buz, for that was their officer’s +travelling title, like Falstaff, was always +the boldest man in company over a cup of sack, +and minded killing a bear no more than killing +a gnat; but seeing the bears approach very fast, +especially that which came in the water, he ordered +his men to fire while yet the enemy was +at a distance, as he did not think it prudent to +hazard the lives of his little company in close +fight. All of them pointed their muskets, and +some of the party obeyed orders; but the +greater part judging it safer to depend upon a +reserved fire, when they had seemingly discharged +their pieces, pretended to retreat. The Major, +a full fathom in the belly, endeavoured to waddle +after his companions; but being soon out +of breath, and seeing the bear that came in +the water had just reached the shore, thought +of nothing now but falling the first sacrifice. +His hair already stood an end; and looking +behind him, he saw the bear at no great distance, +with his nose in the air snuffing the scent. He +had all the reason in the world to believe it was +him that he scented, and he had scarce breath +enough left to call to his men to halt. In this +critical situation he unfortunately dropt his gun, +<span class='pagenum'>61</span>and in stooping to recover it stumbled against +a goose-nest, fell squash upon his belly into it, +and had very nigh smothered the dam upon her +eggs. The old saying is, misfortunes seldom +come alone. Before he could well rise, the enraged +gander came flying to the assistance of +his half-smothered consort, and making a dart +at the eye of the assailant, very narrowly missed +his mark, but discharged his fury plump upon +his nose. The danger now being pressing, and +the battle serious, the bear near, and the gander +ready for a second attack, the men, who +had not fled far, thought it high time to return +to the relief of their leader. Overjoyed to see +them about him, but frighted at the bear just +behind him, he had forgot the gander that was +over his head, against which one of the men +having levelled his piece, fired and he fell dead +at the Major’s feet. Animated now by the +death of one enemy, he recovered his gun, and +faced about to assist in the attack of the second. +By this time the bear was scarce ten yards from +him, and beginning to growl, the Major just +in the instant was seized with a looseness, dropt +his accoutrements, and fell back, that he might +not be in the way of his party, to impede the +engagement. In the hurry he was in, for in a +man of such valour we must not say the fright, +he entangled his buttons, and not being able +to hold any longer, he filled his breeches. The +crew in an instant had brought down the bear, +<span class='pagenum'>62</span>and now it was time for their leader to do something +great. Having recovered his arms, and +seeing the poor beast groveling on the ground, +and growling out his last, like a ram in a pinfold, +making a short race backwards in order +to redouble his force, he came with nine long +strides forwards, and with the strength and +fierceness of an enraged bull, thrust his lance +full four feet deep in the dying bear’s belly. +And now, says the Major, cocking his hat, +have not I done for the bear bravely! The +sailors, who are always in a good humour +upon such occasions; but Captain, said they, +you have but half done your work, you have +another bear to kill yet. The Major, whose +situation began to be troublesome, content with +the honour he had already acquired, my lads, +said he, as I have been the death of one bear, sure +six of you may kill the other; so ordering four +of them to row him on board, he left the remaining +six to kill the other bear. +</p> +<p> +On this island two bears were killed, and a +sea-horse. The sea-horse made a desperate defence, +being attacked in the water; and had +there been only one boat engaged in the combat, +he certainly would have come off victorious; +but the crew of the Race-horse having +learnt that there were bears and sea-horses on +this little spot, were willing to share in the +sport of hunting them, as well as in the pleasure +of tasting their flesh. They accordingly +<span class='pagenum'>63</span>landed in their boats, and came in good time +to assist in pursuing the conquest. It happened, +however, that their ammunition, being almost +spent, one great bear came up to revenge the +death of his fellows, and advanced so furiously, +growling and barking, that he put the whole +company to flight, and some of them, it is +said, had no great reason to laugh at the Major. +</p> +<p> +On sounding the shores they remarked, that +when the north islands bear north forty-five east, +seven or eight leagues, and Red-hill east by +south five miles, there is generally from twenty-five +to thirty fathom hard ground; but that +closer on shore, when Red-hill bears east one-fourth +south about one mile, it increases to +one hundred and fifteen fathom, with soft black +mud. The current about one mile an hour to +the north-east. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 27, the air being perfectly serene, +and the weather moderate, the fishes seemed to +enjoy the temperature, and to express it by their +sporting. The whales were seen spouting their +fountains towards the skies, and the fin fish +following their example. They likewise this +day saw dolphins; the whole prospect in short +was more pleasing and picturesque than they +had yet beheld in this remote region. The +very ice in which they were beset looked beautiful, +and put forth a thousand glittering forms, +and the tops of the mountains, which they could +see like sparkling gems at a vast distance, had +<span class='pagenum'>64</span>the appearance of so many silver stars illuminating +a new firmament. But this flattering +prospect did not continue long. By an accurate +observation, they were now in latitude +80 deg. 47 min. north; and in longitude +21 deg. 10 min. east from London; and in +sight of seven islands to the north, to which +they directed their course. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday 28, they had fresh easterly +breezes, which, from moderate weather the day +before, changed to piercing cold. At midnight +the west end of Weygate straits bore south by +east, so that they were now in the very spot +where Barentz had supposed an opening would +be found into the polar sea. Yet so far from +it, they could discover nothing from the mast-head, +but a continued continent of solid ice, +except the islands already mentioned. On this +ice, however, there were many bears, some of +which came so near the ships as to be shot dead +with small arms. These bears are very good +eating, and where no better is to be purchased, +the whalers account them as good as beef. They +are many of them larger than the largest oxen, +and weigh heavier. In many parts of their +body they are musket proof, and unless they +are hit on the open chest, or on the flank, a +blow with a musket ball will hardly make them +turn their backs. Some of the bears killed in +these encounters weighed from seven to eight +hundred weight; and it was thought, that the +<span class='pagenum'>65</span>bear that routed the sailors on Muffin’s Island, +could not weigh less than a thousand weight. +He was, indeed, a very monster! +</p> +<p> +Thursday 29, sailing among innumerable +islands of ice, they found the main body too +solid for the ships to make the least impression +upon it, and finding no opening, the Commodore +resolved to send a party under the command +of the first Lieutenant to examine the +land, which at a distance appeared like a plain, +diversified with hills and mountains, and exhibited +in their situation a tolerable landskip. +</p> +<p> +On trying the water, it was less salt than any +sea water they had ever tasted and they found +likewise, that the ice was no other than a body +of congealed fresh water, which they imagined +had been frozen in the infancy of the earth. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 30, the weather being clear, they +ran close to the main body of the ice, and the +sun continuing to shine, made them almost forget +the climate they were sailing in, but it was +not long before they had reason for severe recollection. +In coasting along, they observed +many openings, and were in hopes, from their +distant appearance, that a passage might be +made between them; but, upon trial it was +found, as the Dutch fishermen had foretold, +that these appearances were deceitful. At one +in the morning fine clear sun-shine, they sounded +in sixteen fathom water, and found small +stones at bottom. They were then about four +<span class='pagenum'>66</span>miles from the north-east part of the northernmost +land; the easternmost land in sight, distant +about five or six leagues. +</p> +<p> +Saturday 31, at midnight, the easternmost +land in sight lay east-north-east one half east, +which they could not make out to be an island. +They rather judged it to be a continent, but +found it impossible to determine with certainty, +as it lay beyond their reach. At nine in the +morning the Carcase hoisted out her cutter, and +filled her empty water-casks with water from +the ice. On this ice lie great quantities of +snow, and as soon as a pit is dug, it fills with +fine soft clear water, not inferior to that of many +land springs. At noon they sounded in +ninety five fathoms, the ground soft mud. This +day a bear came over the ice to visit them, the +first they had seen since they left Muffin’s +Island. They saluted him with a volley of +small arms, and he returned the compliment, +by turning his back upon them. Their longitude +was this day 21 degrees 26 minutes east, +by time-keeper. Thermometer forty-five. +</p> +<p> +Sunday August 1, proved a day of trial. +Lying too among the close ice, with the loose +ice driving fast to shore, the Commodore was +desirous of surveying the westernmost of the +seven islands, which appeared the highest, in +order to judge, from the prospect on the hills, +of the possibility of proceeding farther on the +discovery. With this view they carried out +<span class='pagenum'>67</span>their ice-anchors, and made both ships fast to +the main body, a practice very common with +the fishing ships that annually frequent those +seas. Of the reconnoitring party, were the +Captains, the second Lieutenants, one of the +mathematicians, the pilots, and some chosen +sailors, selected from both ships. They set out +about two in the morning, and sometimes sailing, +sometimes drawing their boats over the +ice, they with difficulty reached the shore, +where the first objects they saw were a herd +of deer, so very tame, that they seemed as +curious to gaze at the strangers, as the strangers +were pleased to see them; for they came five +or six together so near, that they might have +been killed with the thrust of a bayonet; a +proof that animals are not naturally afraid of +man, till, by the fate of their associates, they +are taught the danger of approaching them; +a proof too, that animals are not destitute of +reflection, otherwise how should they conclude, +that what has befallen their fellow animals, +will certainly happen to them, if they run the +like risque. The gentlemen, however, suffered +only one of these fearless innocents to be fired +at, and that was done by a sailor when they +were absent on observation. +</p> +<p> +On this island they gathered some scurvy-grass, +and in many places they could perceive +the sides of the hills covered with the verdure +on which these deer undoubtedly fed. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>68</span>After having ascended the highest hills on +the sea-coast, and taken a view of the country +and the ocean all round, the gentlemen descended, +and about five in the afternoon embarked +again on their return to the ships, at +which they arrived safe about ten, after an absence +of twenty hours. They were greatly +disappointed by the haziness of the weather on +the tops of the mountains, which confined the +prospect, and prevented their taking an observation +with the instruments they had carried +with them for that purpose. +</p> +<p> +There is here a small variation in the journals +of the two ships; that kept on board the Commodore +making the distance between the island +and the ships near twenty miles; the other only +five leagues, which might easily happen, as the +ships shifted their stations with the main body +of ice, sometimes driving north-west, sometimes +the contrary course, as the wind and tides +happened to sit. +</p> +<p> +Their situation now began to be serious, and +it was discovered too late, that by grappling to +the ice, as practised by the Greenlandmen, they +had endangered the loss of the ships, the loose +ice closing so fast about them, that they found +it absolutely impossible to get them disengaged; +and there was, besides, great reason to fear, +that one or both would soon be crushed to +pieces. Great minds are ever most distinguished +by their expedients on the most alarming +<span class='pagenum'>69</span>occasions. The Commodore set all hands to +work to form a dock in the solid ice, large +enough to moor both ships; and by the alacrity +with which that service was performed, the +ships were preserved from the danger of immediate +destruction. +</p> +<p> +The ships being thus far secured, the officers, +pilots, and masters, were all summoned +on board the Commodore, to consult on what +further was to be done in their present unpromising +situation; when it was unanimously +agreed, that their deliverance was hopeless; +and that they must either provide to winter +upon the adjacent islands, or attempt to launch +their boats into the open sea, which was already +at a considerable distance; for the loose ice had +poured into the bay in which they were at anchor +with so much rapidity, and in such astonishing +quantities, that the open sea was already +far out of sight. Before any thing farther +was undertaken, the men were ordered to their +quarters, that they might refresh themselves +with sleep. +</p> +<p> +While their Commanders preserve their fortitude, +the sailors never lose their courage. +They rose in the morning with as much alacrity +and unconcern, as if they had been sailing with +a fine breeze in the British Channel. +</p> +<p> +August 2, it was now thought adviseable to +make one desperate attempt to extricate the +ships, by cutting a channel to the westward into +<span class='pagenum'>70</span>the open sea. The scooping out the dock with +so much expedition, by a party only of one +ship, raised high expectations of what might be +performed by the united labours of both the +crews. No body of men ever undertook a +work of such difficulty with so much chearfulness +and confidence of success, as the sailors +observed on this occasion. Their ice-saws, axes, +sledges, poles, and the whole group of sea-tools, +were in an instant all employed in facilitating +the work; but after cutting through blocks of +solid ice from eight to fifteen feet deep, and +coming to others of many fathoms, that exceeded +the powers of man to separate, that was +laid aside as a hopeless project; and another +more promising, though not less laborious, adopted +in its room. +</p> +<p> +On the 3d of August, after the men had +again refreshed themselves with sleep, it was +resolved to fit up the boats belonging to both +the ships with such coverings as were most easy +to be accommodated, and of lightest conveyance; +and by skating them over the ice, endeavour +to launch them in the open sea. Could +this be effected, they hoped, that by sailing and +rowing to the northernmost harbour of Spitsbergen, +they might arrive at that island, before +the departure of the last ships belonging to the +fishery for Europe. +</p> +<p> +While the boats were getting ready for this +expedition, a second party were dispatched to +<span class='pagenum'>71</span>the island, with orders to take the distance as +exact as it was possible to the nearest open sea. +As all the people belonging to the ships were +not to be engaged in these services, those who +were unemployed diverted themselves in hunting +and killing the bears, that now, attracted perhaps +by the savory smell of the provisions +dressed on board the ships, came every day over +the ice to repeat their visits. Several of these +were killed occasionally, and this day they +fought a sea-horse, in which engagement the +second Lieutenant of the Carcase signalized his +courage in a most desperate rencounter, in +which, however, he succeeded, though his life +was in imminent danger. +</p> +<p> +On the 4th the carpenters, &c. were still employed +in fitting up the boats. The pilots, +who the day before had been sent to make observations +on the islands already mentioned, +made their report, that the nearest water they +had seen was about ten leagues to the westward; +that in their passage they had met with great +numbers of spars or pine trees, floating about +the island, some of them of considerable size, +with the bark rotted off, and the bodies much +worm-eaten; that there was neither tree nor +shrub to be seen growing on any of the seven +islands, nor upon any land that they had yet +discovered in that latitude, nor for ten degrees +farther south, and that the trees they had seen +must therefore have come from a great distance. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>72</span>Though there is nothing now in this observation, +the like being annually observed by all +the navigators who frequent those seas in the +summer, and who collect their wood from those +drifts, yet the country from whence they proceed +has hitherto been thought a mystery. +But it being now certain, that many of the +great rivers that flow through the northernmost +parts of Russia, empty themselves into this sea; +and that there is an open communication +throughout the different parts of it at different +seasons of the year, there seems very little reason +to doubt, but that those trees are torn up by +land floods, and are precipitated into the sea by +the rapidity of the streams. +</p> +<p> +It has indeed been objected, that all the wood +that is found floating in this manner about the +islands in high latitudes, is to a piece barked and +worm-eaten; and that if these trees were torn +up and precipitated into the sea in the manner +above supposed, some of it would appear sound +and unbarked, as in its first state. To this it +may be answered, that were the course of the +tides to run as constantly to the northward, as +the course of the rivers runs into the sea, this +objection would be unanswerable. But the very +reverse is known to be the fact; and that neither +the winds nor the tides tend to the northwards +for any considerable part of the year; so that +from the time these trees enter the ocean, it +must, in the ordinary course of things, be many +<span class='pagenum'>73</span>ages before they can reach the latitudes in which +they are now found. Because, if they are +driven northwards by the strength of a storm +from the south, they will be driven in another +direction by the next storm that happens from +another quarter; and all the while the calm continues, +they will be driven to and fro by the tides, +which, as has been observed, seldom set long to +the north, therefore, being in continual motion +for ages, or being cast upon the shore by tempests, +or high tides, and lying there exposed to the +air, till tempests or high tides return them again +to the ocean, they will, in a long progression of +time, be reduced to the state in which they are +constantly found. This solution is, however, +offered with diffidence. The fact is certain, of +much wood being annually found about the +islands in question; and it is now of little importance +from whence it proceeds, as a passage +by the north east to China will probably never +more be sought. +</p> +<p> +On the 5th they had gentle breezes; but +about four in the morning small sleet. The ice +still surrounding them, and appearing to grow +more and more solid and fixed, those who had +till now retained hopes that the south-east wind +would again disunite its substance, and open a +passage for their deliverance, began to despair, +as the wind had blown for twenty-four hours +from that quarter, from which alone they could +have relief, and not the least alteration to be +<span class='pagenum'>74</span>perceived. The men, however, were as joyous +as ever, and shewed not the least concern about +the danger of their situation. +</p> +<p> +Early in the morning, the man at the mast-head +of the Carcase gave notice, that three +bears were making their way very fast over the +ice, and that they were directing their course +towards the ship. They had, without question, +been invited by the scent of the blubber of the +sea-horse killed a few days before, which the +men had let on fire, and which was burning on +the ice at the time of their approach. They +proved to be a she-bear and her two cubbs; +but the cubbs were nearly as large as the dam. +They ran eagerly to the fire, and drew out +from the flames part of the flesh of the sea-horse +that remained unconsumed, and eat it +voraciously. The crew from the ship, by way +of diversion, threw great lumps of the flesh of +the sea-horse which they had still left, out upon +the ice, which the old bear fetched away singly, +laid each lump before her cubbs as she +brought it, and dividing it, gave each a share, +reserving but a small portion to herself. As she +was fetching away the last piece they had to bestow, +they levelled their muskets at the cubbs, +and shot them both dead; and in her retreat, +they also wounded the dam, but not mortally. +It would have drawn tears of pity from any but +unfeeling minds, to have marked the affectionate +concern expressed by this poor beast, in the +<span class='pagenum'>75</span>dying moments of her expiring young. Tho’ +she was sorely wounded, and could but just +crawl to the place where they lay, she carried +the lump of flesh she had fetched away, as she +had done the others before, tore it in pieces, +and laid it down before them, and when she +saw that they refused to eat, she laid her paws +first upon one, and then upon the other, and +endeavoured to raise them up. All this while +it was pitiful to hear her moan. When she +found she could not stir them, she went off, and +when she had got at some distance, looked back +and moaned; and that not availing her to entice +them away, she returned, and smelling +round them, began to lick their wounds. She +went off a second time, as before, and having +crawled a few paces, looked again behind her, +and for some time stood moaning. But still her +cubbs not rising to follow her, she returned to +them again, and with signs of inexpressible +fondness, went round one and round the other, +pawing them, and moaning. Finding at last +that they were cold and lifeless, she raised her +head towards the ship, and, like Caliban in the +tempest, growled a curse upon the murderers, +which they returned with a volley of musket-balls. +She fell between her cubbs, and died +licking their wounds. If what is related by a +voyager of credit in the last century be true, +the filial fondness of these animals is no less remarkable +than the maternal. The young ones, +<span class='pagenum'>76</span>says he, keep constantly close to the old ones. +We observed that two young ones and an old +one would not leave one another, for if one ran +away, it turned back again immediately, as +soon as it did hear the others in danger, as if it +would come to help them. The old one ran to +the young one, and the young one to the old +one; and rather than they would leave one +another, they would suffer themselves to be +all killed. +</p> +<p> +Friday the 6th, the weather calm, but foggy, +and the winds variable; they discovered +that the drift of the ship, with the whole body +of ice, inclined fast to the eastward; and that +they were already embayed in the very middle +of the seven islands. They therefore sent off +the pilots of both ships, with a party of sailors, +to the northernmost island, to see what discoveries +could be made from the promontories +there. They returned at night, after a fatiguing +journey, with a dismal account, that +nothing was to be seen from thence but a vast +continent of ice, of which there was no end; +and that the thought of wintering in such a +situation was more dreadful, than that of perishing +by instant death. +</p> +<p> +Saturday 7, the wind set in north-north-east, +veered to the north; to the north-east and east, +piercing cold. This day the boats were all +brought in readiness on the ice, fitted with +weather cloaths about thirteen inches above the +<span class='pagenum'>77</span>gunnels, in order to keep off the cold as much +as possible, if by good fortune they should be +enabled to launch them in an open sea. This +day was employed chiefly in boiling provisions +to put in the boats for the intended voyage; in +delivering out bags to the men to carry their +bread, and in packing up such necessaries as +every one could take along with him, for now +every man was to be his own porter, the necessary +provisions and liquors being found load +enough for the boats, and twenty-five days +bread load enough for each man. This being +adjusted, when night approached they were all +ordered on board to sleep. +</p> +<p> +Thursday 8, at six in the morning all hands +were ordered to turn out, and a detachment of +fifty men from each ship, headed by their respective +officers, were appointed to begin the +hard task of hawling the launces along the ice. +The bravest and gallantest actions performed +in war, do not so strikingly mark the true character +of a sea Commander, as the readiness and +alacrity with which his orders are obeyed in +times of imminent danger. Every one now +strove who should have the honour to be listed +in the band of haulers, of whom the Commodore +took the direction, leaving Capt. Lutwych +to take care of both the ships, that if any +favourable turn should happen in the disposition +of the ice, he might make use of the +remaining part of both the crews to improve it. +<span class='pagenum'>78</span>Upon a general consultation of officers, previous +to this undertaking, it had been agreed, +and an order issued accordingly, that no person +on board, of whatever rank, should encumber +himself with more cloaths than what he wore +upon his back. Upon this occasion, therefore, +the officers dressed themselves in flannels, and +the common men put on the cloaths which +the officers had thrown off. It was inconceivably +laughable to see these motley bands yoked +in their new harness; and, to say the truth, +there was not one solemn face among the two +companies. That headed by the Commodore +drew stoutly for the honour of their leader, and +that headed by their Lieutenants had their music +to play to them, that they might dance it +away, and keep pace with the Commander in +chief. Indeed the officers who headed them +were deservedly beloved as well as their Commanders, +particularly Lieutenant Beard, whose +steady and uniform conduct in times of the +greatest danger, cannot be sufficiently admired +or applauded. Neither swayed by passion, nor +disconcerted by the sudden embarrassments that +often intervened, his conduct was always calm, +and his orders resolute. He never was heard, +during the whole voyage on the most pressing +emergencies, to enforce his commands with an +oath, or to call a sailor by any other than his +usual name; and so sensible were they of his +manly behaviour, that, when the ship was paid +<span class='pagenum'>79</span>off at Deptford, they were only prevented by +his most earnest request from stripping themselves +to their shirts, to cover the streets with +their cloaths, that he might not tread in the +dirt in going to take coach. +</p> +<p> +In six hours, with the utmost efforts of human +labour, they had only proceeded a single +mile; and now it was time for them to dine, +and recruit their almost exhausted spirits. As +the Commodore had laboured with them, it +was in character that he should dine with them +also; and an accident happened that made it +necessary for him so to do. The Cook, with +his mates, (who were bringing the Commodore +and the officers their dinners under covers) to +keep out the cold after coming from a warm +fire-side, had made a little too free with the +brandy bottle before they set out, and before +they had got half way to the lances, the liquor +began to operate; the Cooks were sometimes +very near boarding each other, sometimes they +hauled off, and sometimes steered right a-head. +At length coming to a chasm, or parting of the +ice, which they were obliged to leap, down came +the master Cook, with dish, cover, meat and all; +and what was still worse, though it was not then +thought of much value, the Commodore’s +common service of plate, which the Cook carried +for the officers to dine on, fell in the chasm, +and instantly sunk to the bottom. This accident +brought the Cook a little to himself, and +<span class='pagenum'>80</span>he now stood pausing whether he should jump +down the gulph after the plate, or proceed to +the Commodore to beg mercy and make his +apology. His mates persuaded him to the latter, +as the Commodore was a kind-hearted +gemman, and would never take a man’s life +away for a slip on the ice. Besides, it was a +great jump for a fat man, and Commodore, +they were sure, had rather lose all the plate in +the great cabin, than lose Cookie. Comforted +a little by this speech, the Cook proceeded, +but let his mates go on first with what remained, +to carry the tidings of what befell the rest. +When the Commodore had heard the story, he +judged how it was with them all. But where +is the Cook, said he to the mates? He’s crying +behind, an please your Honour. In the mean +time the Cook came up. Cook, said the Commodore, +bring me your dinner. I will dine +to-day with my comrades. My dinner! Ay, +a pound of the flesh next my heart, if your +Honour likes it. The promptness of the reply +shewed the sincerity of the Cook’s good-will, +and pleased the Commodore better than a feast +upon turtle. He dismissed him with a smile, +and partook with the officers in what was left, +who made up their dinners with a mess from +the common men. +</p> +<p> +They had just begun to renew their labour, +when word was brought, that the whole body +of ice had changed its situation, and was moving +<span class='pagenum'>81</span>to the westward; that the ships were both +a-float; and that the ice was parting. The joy +which this news diffused through the two companies +of hawlers is easier to conceive than express. +They instantly shook off their harness, +ran to assist in working the ships, and once +more to resume their proper employments. +When they arrived at the ships, Captain Lutwych, +who was no less beloved by his men than +the Commodore, had by his example and his +judicious directions done wonders. Both ships +were not only a-float, with their sails set, but +actually cut and warped through the ice near +half a mile. This ray of hope, however, was +soon darkened; the body of ice suddenly assumed +its former direction to the eastward, and +closed upon them again as fast as ever. While +the ships remained in the ice-dock, they were +lashed together for their greater security, but +now being launched and a-float, the ice pressed +upon them with such weight, that it was every +moment expected that the hawser would break +that held them together; orders were therefore +given, that the hawser should be slackened, and +the ships released. +</p> +<p> +For the remainder of the evening, and till +two in the morning, the drift continued eastward, +and all that while the ships were in danger +of being crushed by the closing of the +channel in which they rode. They had now +drifted two miles to the eastward; the men were +<span class='pagenum'>82</span>worn out with fatigue in defending the ships +with their ice-poles from being engulphed; and +now nothing but scenes of horror and perdition +appeared before their eyes. But the Omnipotent, +in the very moment, when every hope of +deliverance from their own united endeavours +had relinquished them, interposed in their favours, +and caused the winds to blow, and the +ice to part in an astonishing manner, rending +and cracking with a tremendous noise, surpassing +that of the loudest thunder. At this very instant +the whole continent of ice, which before +was extended beyond the reach of sight from +the highest mountains, moved together in various +directions, splitting and dividing into vast +bodies, and forming hills and plains of various +figures and dimensions. All hearts were now +again revived, and the prospect of being once +more released from the frozen chains of the +north inspired the men with fresh vigour. +Every officer and every idler on board laboured +now for life. The sails were all spread, that +the ships might have the full advantage of the +breeze to force them through the channels that +were already opened, and to help them, like +wedges, to rend the clefts that were but just +cracking. +</p> +<p> +While the major part of the crews were employed +in warping the ships with ice-anchors, +axes, saws and poles, a party from both ships +were dispatched to launch the boats. This was +<span class='pagenum'>83</span>no easy task to accomplish. The ice, though +split in many thousand pieces, was yet frozen +like an island round the lances, and though it +was of no great extent, yet the boats were of a +weight hardly to be moved by the small force +that could be spared to launch them. They +were besides, by the driving of the ice, at more +than five miles distance from the ships; and at +this time no channels of communication were +yet opened. But Providence was manifest even +on this occasion; for the island on which the lances +stood, parted while the men were hauling +them, and by that lucky circumstance they +were launched with great facility, without the +loss of a man, though the ice cracked, as it +were, under their feet. +</p> +<p> +The people on board had not been able to +force their way with the ships much more than +a mile, when the party in the lances joined +them. And now, excited by what curiosity or +instinct is not easy to determine, several bears +came posting over the ice to be spectators of +their departure, and advanced so near the ships, +that they might have been easily mastered, had +not the men been more seriously employed. +</p> +<p> +This day they altered their soundings from +thirty to fifty fathoms, and from fifty to eighty +and eighty-five fathoms. +</p> +<p> +The breeze continuing fresh from east-south-east +and east, the ice seemed to open as +fast as it had before closed when the wind blew +<span class='pagenum'>84</span>westerly, and from the north; a strong presumptive +proof of land to the eastward, which +stopping the current of the loose ice in driving +from the north and west, closes it in course, and +renders it compact. On the contrary, when +the wind blows off the land, and the current +sets to the sea, the loose ice being no longer opposed, +disperses itself again in the ocean, where +it again floats, till the same cause produces the +same effect. If therefore the land which our +voyagers saw on the 30th, and which they +could not determine with certainty to be an +island, should, upon some future occasion, be +discovered to be a continent, then the closing +of the loose ice so suddenly about the <i>seven +islands</i>, and its crouding one piece upon another +to a great height, when violently agitated +by tempests from the north or west, will be fully +and naturally accounted for. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday the 10th, about two in the morning, +the fog being thick, and the weather +calm, and the men very much fatigued, they +were ordered to their quarters, to refresh themselves +with sleep. It was, besides, very cold, +and much rain fell; and as the wind was variable, +they could make but little progress. +The ice, in the morning early, seemed rather to +close upon them, than to divide; and being +apprehensive for their boats, they attempted to +hoist the lances on board, but that belonging +to the Carcase, being either too unweildy, or +<span class='pagenum'>85</span>the men too much fatigued to effect it, they +slung her to the ship’s side. +</p> +<p> +About eight the breeze sprung up fresh from +the north-east, exceedingly cold, but opening +the ice to the westward. They then made all +the sail they could, driving with the loosening +ice, and parting it wherever it was moveable +with their whole force. Towards noon they lost +sight of the <i>Seven Islands</i>. And in a very little +while after, to their great joy, Spitsbergen was +seen from the mast-head. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday 11, the men who, with hard +labour, cold and watching, were much dispirited, +on the prospect of a speedy deliverance, +and seeing the ice no longer adhere in immoveable +bodies, began, after a little refreshment, +to resume their wonted chearfulness. They had +not till the second closing of the ice, after the +attempt to dig a passage through it had proved +ineffectual, and that the hauling the lances +had been tried with little better success, discovered +the least despondency. But when they +had exerted their utmost efforts, and Providence, +which at first seemed to second their endeavours, +appeared to have forsaken them; +when their pilots had filled their minds with +the terrors of their situation; and their officers +had given the ships and their most valuable +effects over for lost, the men then began to reflect +on the hardships they were likely to suffer, +and to be impressed with the sense of their common +<span class='pagenum'>86</span>danger. Their apprehensions, however, +were but temporary, and the moment they +were released from their icey prison, and that +they were within sight of a clear sea, their sorrow +was changed to mirth, and their melancholy +to rejoicing. Festivity and jolity took +place of abstinence and gloomy apprehensions; +and before they arrived at Spitsbergen, there +was not a sailor on board with a serious face. +</p> +<p> +The ice that had parted from the main body, +they had now time to admire. As it no longer +obstructed their course, the various shapes in +which the broken fragments appeared, were +indeed very curious and amusing. One remarkable +piece described a magnificent arch so +large and compleatly formed, that a sloop of +considerable burden might have sailed through +it without lowering her mast; another represented +a church with windows and pillars, and +domes; and a third, a table with icicles hanging +round it like the fringes of a damask cloth. +A fertile imagination might here find entertainment +enough for, as has already been observed, +the similitude of all that art or nature +has ever yet produced, might here be fancied. +</p> +<p> +They continued working all this day through +the loose ice. Hacluit’s Headland bearing +south thirty-nine west, and in their course saw a +Dutch Greenlandman in the south-west quarter. +</p> +<p> +Thursday the 12th, they cleared the ice, and +bore away with all sails set for the harbour of +<span class='pagenum'>87</span>Smearingburg, in which they had before cast +anchor. At two in the afternoon they anchored +in North Bay, the north part of Vogle +Sound bearing north forty-five east, distance +about four miles. At half after four the Commodore +made the signal to weigh; and at half +past nine, came to an anchor in their former station, +where they found four Dutch Greenlandmen +lying in readiness to depart. These Dutchmen +acquainted the Commodore, that all the +English fishing ships set sail on the 10th of +July, the day to which they are obliged by contract, +to stay to entitle their owners to receive +the bounty-money, allowed by Parliament for +the encouragement of that fishery. +</p> +<p> +About the same time the greatest part of the +Dutch set sail likewise from Spitsbergen, on +their voyage home; but it is a practice with +these last, to take it by turns to wait till the severity +of the weather obliges them to leave the +coast, in order to pick up such men as may by +accident have lost their ships in the ice; and +who, notwithstanding, may have had the good +fortune to save their lives by means of their +boats. This is a very humane institution, and +does credit to the Dutch Government. Did +the British Government bear an equal regard for +individuals, so many valuable subjects would +never be suffered to migrate, as now annually +hire ships to convey themselves to seek their +fortunes in new settlements. It is estimated, +<span class='pagenum'>88</span>that twelve thousand at least are yearly shipt +off from Ireland, and not many less from England +and Scotland, yet no measures are thought +necessary to be taken to retain them at home. +</p> +<p> +The turn of waiting at Spitsbergen falls annually +to the lot of about five Dutch ships, +who are obliged to send out their boats daily in +search of their unfortunate fellow subjects; +some of these boats have themselves suffered +severely, and have been detained seven or eight +days by severe weather in these excursions, to +the great anxiety of their friends. +</p> +<p> +The day of our voyagers return to Smearingburg +Harbour being fine, the Commodore ordered +a tent to be raised on the lower point to +the south-west, where there was a level plain +for the space of two miles, and where all the +mathematical apparatus were again taken on +shore for a second trial. +</p> +<p> +They found, on the examination of the vibration +of the pendulum, that it differed from +that at Greenwich by Harrison’s time-keeper, +only two seconds in forty-eight hours; which +time-keeper, at their arrival at Greenwich, varied +only one second and a half from the time-pieces +at the observatory there. Mr. Robinson, who +was articled to Commodore Phipps, from Christ’s +Hospital, and who does honour to that noble +foundation, was particularly careful to note the +result of all the observations that were made in +this high latitude. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>89</span>The ovens were also here taken on shore, +and a considerable quantity of good soft bread +baked for the refreshment of the men. +</p> +<p> +Hacluit’s Headland, of which mention has +been frequently made in the course of this voyage, +is an island on the north-west point of +Spitsbergen, about fifteen miles in circumference, +on which is found plenty of scurvy-grass; +and in the valleys, some of which extend from +two to three miles, there is store of other grass in +summer, on which the deer is supposed to feed. +</p> +<p> +The people were now fully employed in overhauling +the rigging, tarring the ships sides, +taking in water, peying and securing the masts, +and in preparing the ships for pursuing their +voyage upon discovery; or, if that was found +impracticable, for returning home. +</p> +<p> +On the 16th, two of the Dutch ships weighed +anchor, and sailed away in company. +</p> +<p> +On the 17th, vast pieces of broken ice, supposed +to have fallen from the Icebergs, came +floating into harbour. When these pieces, +which are undermined by the continual agitation +of the sea in stormy weather, lose their +support, they tumble with a crack that surpasses +the loudest thunder; but they were told, +that no other thunder was ever heard in this +latitude. +</p> +<p> +The activity and enterprizing spirit of the +Russians already noticed, begin to manifest itself +every where, and it is not improbable, but +<span class='pagenum'>90</span>that the maritime powers may one day or other +have cause to repent their emulation in contributing +to aggrandize the naval power of that +increasing people. The dominions of the Russian +empire, are situated to command the trade +of the universe; they are now actually erecting +a yard for building ships at Kampschatka, to +improve their discoveries from that quarter, and +to open a trade from thence to China. They +have attempted to settle colonies, as our voyagers +were told, on the southernmost districts +of Spitsbergen, and those of the new settlers, +who survived the first winter, were preparing +to encounter the rigour of the climate in a second. +This can only be done by way of experiment, +to try if a settlement is practicable, for +those now sent are said to be criminals. +</p> +<p> +During the six days which the ships anchored +here to make observations, take in water, refresh +the men, and refit, our journalist made +several excursions to the adjoining islands, where +the birds appeared in astonishing numbers; it +being the season for bringing forth their young, +and teaching them to fly, and to dive. +</p> +<p> +Of all the birds that breed in these islands, +the burgermaster is the largest, and the most +ravenous; he is so called by the Dutch, from +his size and his authority, as he holds all the +other birds in subjection. His bill is long and +crooked, rather like that of the stork, than +that of the hawk, and is of a yellow colour. +<span class='pagenum'>91</span>He has a red ring about his eyes; is web footed, +but has but three claws on each foot. His +wings are of a beautiful pearl colour, edged +with white; his back a silver grey; his body +white as snow, and his tail of the same colour, +which when he flies he spreads like a fan. He +builds his nest very high in the rocks, inaccessible +either to bears or foxes. He preys upon +all the other birds, and eats the carrion of fish +or flesh, or whatever comes in his way. His +cry is horrible, and when he screams, the mallemuch, +a bird as large as a duck, is so much +intimidated, that she will sink down, and suffer +him to devour her without opposition. +</p> +<p> +Our journalist found it very dangerous to +pursue his way over the hills and precipices in +this rugged country. The clefts on the mountains +are like those in the ice frequently impassable; +but they are abundantly more hazardous, +being sometimes concealed under the +snow, so that a traveller is engulphed before he is +aware. Many have been entombed in these clefts; +and perished in the hearing of their companions, +without a possibility of relief. To a +contemplative mind, however, even the deformities +of nature, are not unpleasing, the wisdom +of the Creator being manifest in all his +works. +</p> +<p> +On the 19th of August the ships unmoored, +and on the twentieth they cleared the harbour. +They found the tide to flow north-east and +<span class='pagenum'>92</span>south-west, and to rise three feet seven inches +perpendicular height. +</p> +<p> +On the 22d they again found themselves beset +with loose ice. They were then in latitude +80 degrees 14 minutes north, longitude 5 degrees +44 minutes east. +</p> +<p> +On the 22d they had a heavy sea from the +south-west quarter. +</p> +<p> +On the 23d the Carcase, being a heavier +sailer than the Race Horse, lost sight of the +Commodore, and fired a six-pounder, which +was answered. In the evening they came in +sight, and pursued their course with favourable +weather, and without any thing worthy of notice +happening till +</p> +<p> +September 5, when, being clear and calm +weather, the Commodore sounded, and found +ground with seven hundred fathoms, very soft +mud. The people were employed eight hours in +heaving up the lead with the capstan. At three +in the morning the sun risen, took the amplitude, +and found the variation to be 22 degrees +53 minutes west. +</p> +<p> +September 7, at five in the afternoon, they +had heavy squalls, with rain; at seven in the +morning moderate weather. This day, in 60 +degrees 15 minutes west, they found their longitude, +corrected by observation of sun and +moon, to be 5 degrees 59 minutes east. Longitude +by time-keeper 4 degrees 45 minutes +east; a very remarkable difference. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>93</span>The ships pursued their course home in company +together, with high seas and variable weather, +till +</p> +<p> +Sept. 11, when, at half after ten, the night +dark, and the weather moderate, the wind all +at once veered to the southward, and a strong +gale with a great sea came on. The ships +parted, and never more came in sight till they +met off Harwich, on the English coast. +</p> +<p> +Our journalist being on board the Carcase, +can now only relate what happened to that +sloop, till her arrival in the River Thames. +</p> +<p> +When the gale came on, the Commodore’s +lights not appearing, the Carcase fired a six-pounder, +but that shot not being returned by +the Race Horse, it was concluded, that the +Commodore was at too great a distance to hear +the signal. At four in the morning the gale increasing, +they close reefed the top-sails, and +employed all hands in lashing and securing the +boats and booms, and preparing to withstand +the threatening storm. At this time they were +in lat. 57 deg. 44 min. north; the Naze of +Norway bearing south eighty-eight east, distant +thirty-one leagues. +</p> +<p> +Sunday, September 12, fresh gales, with frequent +showers of rain; handed gib and stay-sail; +at two in the afternoon hard squalls and +violent showers of rain; handed fore and mizen +top-sail; saw a sail to southward standing to +eastward; cloudy and obscure sky at ten at +<span class='pagenum'>94</span>night came on suddenly a very heavy squall; +handed all the top-sails; strong gale, with severe +showers of rain. At midnight blowing a +violent storm of wind, reefed and handed the +main-sail and fore-sail; lowered down the lower +yards, balanced the mizen, and laid the ship +too under it, with her head to the westward; +the sea making a free passage over the ship. +Shipped such heavy seas, washed all the provisions +and casks that were lashed on the deck, +over board; kept two pumps continually going; +obliged to skuttle the boats, to prevent +their being washed over-board. At four in the +morning shipped such heavy seas, as washed all +the booms and spars that had been with all +possible care secured on the deck, over-board. +The ship mostly under water. No sight of the +Commodore; under great apprehensions for +his safety, as his vessel laboured much more +than ours. At this time one of the mates, the +carpenter, and a fore-mast-man, were washed +over-board. The carpenter, a very careful +sober man, who was in the waste, securing the +hatches and stores, was washed in and out at +the ports three times, before he could secure +himself. At ten in the morning rather +moderate. Set the mizen-stay-sail; swayed +the lower yards up, and set the courses. At +half past eleven, strong squalls and heavy +gusts; handed both courses; and settled the +lower yards. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>95</span>September 13, strong gales and squally. Continually +shipping heavy seas. At three in the +afternoon rather more moderate; set reef courses; +swayed up the lower yards, and set the +main-top-sail. The ship now making no water; +at seven in the evening set fore-top-sail +and gib; very heavy sea from south-west +quarter. At eight in the evening moderate and +cloudy; let the third reef out of the main-top-sail; +sounded thirty-five fathoms fine brown +sand. At one in the morning light airs, hazey +weather, and great sea. Wore ship, and stood +to westward. At four fresh breezes, with rain. +At half past eight saw a sail to eastward; supposing +it the Commodore, made the private +signal, and fired a six-pounder. At nine bore +down upon her, and brought her to. She +proved a Hollander from Archangel, bound to +Bremen. Course south forty-two west, latitude +fifty-six deg. four min. north. +</p> +<p> +September 14, strong gales, and cloudy; +under reef courses. At two in the afternoon +moderate; set main-top-sail. At three set fore-top-sail; +a great sea from westward. At seven +in the evening moderate and cloudy. Out the +third reef of the main-top-sail; uncertain weather; +squally, and at times much rain; at +three great fog. This day, at noon, Flamborough-head +south forty-six west, distance thirty +leagues. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>96</span>September 15, light breezes, and clear +weather; out all reefs, and swayed up the +lower yards. At four in the afternoon saw a +sail to south-east; bore down, and brought her +to. She proved to be a Prussian fisherman, +had been ten days from Edinburgh; hoisted +out the small cutter; the second Lieutenant +went on board of her, and bought a fine cargo +of fish. At five the boat returned; we hoisted +her on board, with plenty of mackarel and +herrings. Made sail, and stood to south-west; +sounded every half hour; found from thirteen +to fifteen, and eighteen fathoms, fine brown +sand, mixed with black shells. At seven in +the evening took the first reef, and hauled in the +top-sails; fresh gales, and cloudy. At two in the +morning deepened in water to twenty fathom. +Took in second reef of the top-sails; tacked +ship, and stood to north-west. At five in the +morning got into fifteen fathom; and at seven +into ten. At nine in the morning close reefed +the top-sails, and at ten handed them; very +fresh gale, and violent rain. +</p> +<p> +September 16, rather more moderate; set +the main-top-sail; squally, with rain; a confused +sea from west-north-west. At five in the +afternoon soundings from five to twelve, from +twenty-seven to thirty-two and thirty-four fathoms, +fine brown sand, black specks, fresh +gales, and cloudy. At eight took in first and +second reefs of top-sails; at eleven at night +<span class='pagenum'>97</span>close reefed the main and fore-top-sail, and +handed the mizen; fresh gales, and cloudy +weather. At four in the morning shoaled water +to twenty-two fathoms; brown sand and broken +shells. At five saw several sail to north-west; +fired, and brought one of them to. At eight +shook the first and second reefs out of the top-sail; +hove down upon a sloop, which came +from Gravesend; took on board the master, as +a pilot to carry the ship through Yarmouth +Roads; put on board one man in his room, +and ordered his vessel to follow us. Stood to +the southward. +</p> +<p> +September 17, fresh breezes, and cloudy +weather; kept the lead going every half hour; +found our sounding from ten to twelve fathoms, +fine brown sand. At six in the afternoon fresh +gales; close reefed the main-top-sail; soundings +from ten to sixteen fathom; broken shells +and large stones. At seven close reefed the +main-top-sail; kept a light in the poop-lanthorn +for the sloop. At ten strong gales; handed +the top-sails; laid her to under the main-sail; +handed the fore-sail. At eleven at night +got into five fathom; but deepened to eight, +nine, and ten fathom, brown sand. Lost sight +of the fishing vessel; fired several guns, and +made a signal in the mizen-shroud. On setting +the fore-top-sail stacil, it blew to pieces; bent +a new one. A violent gale of wind; shipped +a great quantity of water. At four rather moderate; +<span class='pagenum'>98</span>set the fore-sail. At midnight set close; +reefed top-sails. At half past six tacked; at +seven saw the fishing vessel; bore down and +spoke with her, who had split her main-sail in +the night. At ten saw the land bearing south-west +by west, and south and by west. At eleven +being clear and moderate weather, shook all +the reefs out of the top-sails, and set the top-gallant-sail; +saw Cromer light-house, bearing +south 55 degrees west, distance five leagues. +</p> +<p> +September 19, fresh breezes and clear weather; +bent the sheet-cable, and hauled a range +of the best and small bower-cables; bent both +buoy ropes and buoys to the anchor. At five +light breezes and fair; tacked and stood to the +southward. At six tacked and stood to the +north-west. Cramer north-west and by north +four miles; light breezes, and pleasant weather; +handed in top-gallant-sails, and handed +the main-sail. At seven in the evening, to our +great joy, saw Yarmouth Church, bearing +south-west. At ten at night came to anchor +with the best bower in twelve fathom, fine sand +and clay; veered out to half a cable, and handed +all the sails. Winterstone Ness lights bore +south and by west four miles. At two in the +morning fresh breezes and cloudy. At half +past four weighed, and made sail. Employed +in working from Winterstone Ness lights, to +Yarmouth Roads, making several tacks. At +<span class='pagenum'>99</span>seven in the morning set top-gallant-sails; at +nine came to an anchor in Yarmouth Road, with +best bower in seven fathoms water; sand and +clay. Yarmouth church south fifteen west, +distance two miles. Came on board a pilot to +carry the ship to the Nore. +</p> +<p> +September 20, fresh breezes and clear weather; +sent down top-gallant-yards, and got +every thing clear for striking tokens. At five +in the afternoon moored the ship. Yarmouth +church west-south-west two miles. +</p> +<p> +September 21, fresh gales and cloudy, with +frequent rain. At four in the afternoon sent +down top-gallant-mast. At eight in the morning +sent the long-boat on shore for water. We +were this day visited by several of the inhabitants +of Norwich and Yarmouth, who were +genteelly entertained by the officers, but we +could get no intelligence of the Commodore. +</p> +<p> +September 23, dark cloudy weather. At +six in the evening swayed up the top-mast, and +lower yards; the wind veered to north-west, +we prepared to unmoor. Fresh gales, with +frequent flashes of lightning. At seven in the +morning set on top-gallant-mast, and began to +unmoor. At eight veered away upon the best +bower, and took up the small bower-anchor. +At nine weighed and made sail. At ten got +up the top-gallant-yards, in company with several +ships. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>100</span>Saturday 25, at five came to an anchor in +eleven fathoms. Orford light-house east by +south four miles. This day some religious +books were distributed among the sailors, which +had been sent on board by some pious person +for their particular perusal. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 26. At six in the evening came to +with the best bower in seven fathoms water; +Balsey church west by south. At two in the +morning weighed, and came to sail; Harwich +lights north-west by west. To their great surprise, +saw the Race Horse at anchor. Hoisted +out the cutter, and Capt. Lutwidge waited on +the Commodore, from whom he learnt, that +in the storm of the twelfth they had all +their boats washed over-board; and, to ease +the ship, were obliged to heave all their guns +over-board, except two. Came to anchor; +Harwich church north-west. +</p> +<p> +Monday 27, at two in the afternoon weighed, +and came to sail in company with the Race +Horse. At eight in the evening came to in the +Swin. At five in the morning weighed, in +company as before. Turning up the Swin at +half past nine, came to; Whitaker Beacon +north-north-east one mile. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 28, fresh breezes and cloudy weather. +At half past three weighed, and came +to sail. At half past six came to with the best +bower in six fathom water; Shoe Beacon north-west. +At half past five weighed, and came to +<span class='pagenum'>101</span>sail. Working to windward at eleven in the +forenoon, the Commodore’s boat came on board, +with orders to proceed to Deptford. At noon +came to at the Nore with the best bower. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday 29, light breezes and fair weather. +At half past five weighed, and made +sail. Employed in working up the river. At +half past ten came to with the best bower in +the gallions, in three fathoms water. Woolwich +church north by south one half east. At +noon a hoy came along-side for the gunner’s +stores. +</p> +<p> +Thursday 30, employed most of the afternoon +in getting out the guns, and gunner’s +stores. At nine in the evening weighed, and +came to sail. At ten run foul of a large transport, +and carried away the lar-board mizen-shrouds, +and part of the channel. At one in +the morning came to anchor at Deptford. +Warped along-side the Bedford Hulk, and +moored. At six unbent the sails, and began +to unrig. +</p> +<p> +Thus ended a voyage, which seems to have +determined the question so much agitated concerning +the navigation to the north pole, and +proved what Captain Wood had before asserted, +that no passage would ever be found practicable +in that direction. +</p> +<p> +From the quantities of ice which that navigator +met with in latitude 76 north, longitude +<a href='#tgb_1' id='tg_1'>[missing number]</a> east, he concluded indeed erroneously, that +<span class='pagenum'>102</span>the 80th degree would bound the passage towards +the poles, and that from thence the polar +region was either a continued continent of solid +ice, or that land filled up the intermediate space. +</p> +<p> +It has been found, however, that those seas +are navigable as far as between the eighty-first +and eighty-second degrees of latitude; and it +may possibly happen, that in some future years, +they may be found navigable a degree or two +farther: but it may now with certainty be concluded, +that a course under the pole can never +be pursued for the purpose of commerce. +</p> +<p> +We have already shewn incontestibly, that +the north sea communicates with the eastern +sea, and that the passage to China and Japan +may be performed with difficulty by a north-east +course, by watching the opportunity, when +a few days in the year the north sea is open. +But who would think of exposing a ship’s company +to the hazard of being frozen to death in +a tedious, uncertain, and dangerous passage, +when a safe, certain, and, one may say, speedy +passage at all times lies open before them. +</p> +<p> +From Behring’s discoveries to the east of Japan, +and from the continent he there met with, +there seems reason to believe, that the land seen +by Commodore Phipps to the eastward of the Seven +Islands, might be a continuation of that continent. +In that case it is not improbable, but +that either that continent may join to the western +part of America, or that it may extend southward, +<span class='pagenum'>103</span>and form a part of that continent so +much sought after in the southern hemisphere. +</p> +<p> +A small premium of two or three thousand +pounds secured by Parliament, to be paid to +the owner or owners of any Greenland fishing +ship, that should be fortunate enough to discover +such a continent to the eastward or northward +of the <i>Seven Islands</i>, might possibly have +a better effect, than many expensive expeditions +fitted out solely for the purposes of such discovery. +This, by a trading nation, were it only +to improve the science of geography, would +surely be well bestowed. +</p> +<p> +It is true, indeed, that the reward secured +by parliament for the discovery of a north-west +passage, has not yet been attended with that success, +with which the promoters of the bill had +flattered themselves and the public, from the liberal +spirit with which it was granted. +</p> +<p> +The Hudson’s Bay Company, though bound +by their charter to further and promote the discovery, +were generally suspected, from interested +motives, to oppose and discourage every attempt +to accomplish it. And Captain Middleton, +who in 1740 was sent in a king’s ship +upon that service, returning without success, +was publicly charged with having received a +bribe of five thousand pounds to defeat the +undertaking, and by his report to discourage +any farther attempts in pursuit of it. This +charge was strongly supported, and generally +<span class='pagenum'>104</span>credited. And Mr. Dobbs, by whose interest +Captain Middleton was employed, had the address +to prevail with the then ministry, to preclude +any future scheme of private corruption, +by promoting the public reward already mentioned. +</p> +<p> +The preamble to the act will state this matter +in the true light it lets forth, “That +whereas the discovery of a north-west passage +through Hudson’s Streight to the western +ocean would be of great benefit and advantage +to this kingdom, and that it would be +of great advantage to the adventurers to attempt +the same, if a public reward was given +to such persons as should make a perfect discovery +of the said passage; it is therefore +enacted, that if any ships or vessels belonging +to his majesty’s subjects shall find out and +sail through any passage by sea between +Hudson’s bay and the western ocean of America, +the owners of such ships or vessels shall +be entitled to receive as a reward for such +discovery the sum of <span class="small-caps">Twenty-thousand +Pounds</span>.” And as a farther encouragement +to prosecute this discovery, and to prevent obstructions +from interested persons, it was enacted, +“that all persons, subjects of his Majesty, +residing in any place where the said +adventurers may come in the prosecution of +this discovery, shall give the said adventurers +all assistance, and shall no way obstruct, +<span class='pagenum'>105</span>molest, or refuse the said adventurers reasonable +succour in any distress they may fall +into in the prosecution of this discovery.” +</p> +<p> +Such was the encouragement, and such the +liberal reward that was and is secured by parliament +to the fortunate discoverers of a north-west +passage to the great pacific ocean; a passage +which, it is generally believed, would open +a trade with nations on the northern continent +of America, wholly unknown to the maritime +powers of Europe, and supposed, from their +situation, to abound in commodities equally +rare and precious with those of any other country +under the sun. +</p> +<p> +The fair prospect of acquiring fame by enlarging +commerce, the hope of obtaining the +parliamentary reward, and the desire of exposing +the dis-ingenuity of Captain Middleton, +were incitements sufficient to prevail with Mr. +Dobbs to sollicit the equipment of two ships +for another voyage, which he made not the +least doubt would find out the passage so long +sought for in vain, and by the advantages attending +the discovery, exceed the most sanguine +expectations of the adventurers. +</p> +<p> +The command of this expedition was given to +Captain Ellis, who, on the 31st of May, 1746, +passed Yarmouth in the Dobb’s Galley, accompanied +by the California Sloop, and convoyed +to the north sea by the Loo man of war. +But in proportion as Mr. Dobbs had flattered +the avarice of the adventurers who were +to share in the reward, and had elated himself +with the thoughts of triumphing over the disgrace +of Captain Middleton, so it happened, +that when the ships returned without having +effected any one thing of consequence, the chagrin +of the former for having advanced their +<span class='pagenum'>106</span>money on a visionary project, and the mortification +of the latter in not being able to support +his charge, were increased by every circumstance +that could aggravate the disappointment. +Captain Middleton now triumphed in +his turn, and no ship from England has since +been induced to undertake the voyage, notwithstanding +the greatness of the reward. +</p> +<p> +It is now, however, believed, that Government +have in contemplation another voyage to +the north, to which that of Captain Phipps +was only the prelude; but there is reason to +conclude, from what has already been said of +these latter attempts, and from the ill success +of former undertakings, that the discovery of a +north-west passage is not the sole object in view. +The figure of the earth, the phenomena of +the winds, the variation of the compass, and +the attraction of the magnet, are points yet +unsettled, of infinite importance to navigation; +and it is not impossible, but that a more careful +examination of the polar regions may lead to +the solution of problems, that have hitherto +baffled the enquiries of the ablest navigators. +</p> +<p> +A very slender acquaintance with the difficulties +and hardships attending northern discoveries, +will fully account for our knowledge +of the countries surrounding the pole being +still very imperfect. A brief recapitulation of +the sufferings of those to whom we are most +indebted for our information, will not, we +hope, be thought an improper conclusion to a +voyage solely undertaken with a view to enlarge +it. +</p> +<p> +The first who conceived the idea of exploring +the northern regions was Sebastian Cabbot. +That enterprizing navigator, long before Magellan +thought of a passage to the pacific ocean +<span class='pagenum'>107</span>by the south-west, had made two voyages, with +a view to direct his course to the same sea by +the north-west. In these voyages, he discovered +Newfoundland, the coast of the Esquimeaux +Indians, and had penetrated as far as the +64th degree of latitude, when a mutiny among +his men, or rather an obstinate refusal to proceed +any further, obliged him to return; yet +he died in the persuasion that a passage in that +direction certainly existed, and that he should +have found it but for the opposition of his +crew. +</p> +<p> +The next, who, prepossessed with the same +notion, undertook a voyage for discoveries towards +the north, was Sir Martin Forbisher. +He discovered Greenland, and in the latitude +of 62 deg. north, passed a streight, which, +though it still holds a place in our maps, has +never been found navigable since. He made +two other voyages, discovered many bays and +capes, to which he gave names, but returned +without attaining the principal object of his +voyage, though, like his predecessor, he asserted +the certainty of its existence to his latest +hour. +</p> +<p> +To him succeeded Sir Humphry Gilbert, +who in 1583 traversed the coast of Labradore, +entered the mouth of the great river St. Laurence, +and, surrounding the island of Newfoundland, +laid the foundation of the cod fishery, +which has been prosecuted with immense advantage +to his country ever since. +</p> +<p> +The rapid progress of discoveries in the +southern hemisphere, which about this time +were attended with vast profit to the adventurers, +re-animated cotemporary navigators to +prosecute, with more ardour than ever, their +enterprizes towards the north. The more the +<span class='pagenum'>108</span>pacific ocean became known, the firmer the +belief prevailed, that a passage into it by way +of the north must certainly exist, and that whoever +could discover it, would not only immortalize +his name, but enrich his country. +</p> +<p> +The merchants of that time were no less +eager to embark their money, than the navigators +were to hazard their persons in any new +project, where the hope of gain appeared to +be well founded. A company therefore of +wealthy persons in London agreed to join a +company of merchants in the west, and to fit +out two ships for the discovery of a passage, +which all agreed was practicable, though none +could tell readily where to find it. To the +command of this expedition Captain John Davis +was strongly recommended as an able navigator, +and of a bold and enterprising spirit. +Accordingly, on the 7th of June, <a href='#tgb_2' id='tg_2'>1585</a>, he +set sail from Dartmouth, in the Sunshine of +fifty tons, and accompanied by the Moonshine +of thirty-five tons, having on board both vessels +forty-two hardy seamen. On the 19th of July +they were alarmed by a mighty roaring, which +was the more terrible, as the fog was so thick, +that they could not see each other at a ship’s +length. It proved only the crackling of the +islands of ice, which was not then very well +understood. On the breaking up of the fog +they discovered land, which, from its horrid +appearance, they named <i>the land of desolation</i>. +On the 24th they were in 64 deg. 15 min. +north, the sea open and the weather moderate. +In this latitude they discovered land, and conversed +with the natives, who appeared to be a +harmless hospitable people, polite in their manners, +neatly habited, and not ill-favoured. +These friendly people, observing that the English +<span class='pagenum'>109</span>admired their furs, went up in the country +to bring down more, with which they traded +with much simplicity. To an adjoining hill +Davis gave the name of Mount Raleigh, from +which he took his departure on the 8th of August, +and on the 11th doubled the southernmost +cape in view, to which he gave the name of +the <i>Cape of God’s Mercy</i>, and entered a streight, +which bears the name of the Discoverer to this +day. In this streight he sailed sixty leagues, +and on the 14th went on shore, and found +evident signs of human inhabitants, being met +by a pack of dogs (twenty in number) that expressed +their joy, as if their masters had been returned +after an interval of absence. One of +those had on a leathern collar. The Captain +was highly pleased with the promising appearance +of the new streights, and consulting with +the master, agreed to report, upon their return +home, that they had found the wished-for passage +to the western sea. +</p> +<p> +The weather changing from temperate to excessive +cold, on the 20th it was resolved to set +sail for England. On the 12th of September +they fell in with the land of Desolation, and +on the 30th of the same month entered the +port of Dartmouth, without the loss of a man. +</p> +<p> +The account Captain Davis gave to his +owners was so well received, that other merchants +were desirous of joining in a second +expedition, and accordingly he was again employed, +and furnished with a much greater +force. +</p> +<p> +On the 7th of May he sailed from Dartmouth +in the Mermaid, of 120 tons, in company +with the Sunshine and Moonshine as before, +and an additional pinnace of thirteen +tons, called the North Star. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>110</span>In the latitude of 60 degrees north Captain +Davis divided his force, ordering the Sunshine +and North Star to seek a passage between Greenland +and Iceland, while the Mermaid and Moonshine +continued their course to the streight as +before. In the latitude of 64 degrees, and +longitude 58 deg. 30 min. north from London, +they fell again in with the land, and met the +same people with whom they had traded the +former year. Overjoyed to meet, they renewed +their acquaintance, and while the English +was preparing a pinnace to facilitate their +discoveries, the natives came in numbers to +carry on trade. As soon as the pinnace was +fitted for sea, Captain Davis dispatched her +to examine the inlets on the coast, and to trace +their course up the main land; but that was +productive of no essential discovery. +</p> +<p> +Though the natives attended them with an +obsequious diligence, yet on their kindling a fire +in their manner, and using some strange ceremonies, +Captain Davis supposing them to be +using idolatrous sorceries, first thrust the priest +into the smoke, and then encouraged his men +to tread out the flame, and to spurn the reeking +coals into the sea. Unable to bear the insult, +the natives for the first time began to shew resentment. +They seized the boat from the stern +of the Moonshine, cut the cable belonging +to the Mermaid, made prize of the implements +that lay upon the shore, and, in short, declared +open hostilities against the aggressors, who in +return discharged their artillery among them, +which instantly dispersed them. +</p> +<p> +No civilities, however, that could be shewn +them, after the indignity offered to their priest, +could ever after reconcile them, and the year +following they found an opportunity to take a +<span class='pagenum'>111</span>severe revenge. In the mean time one of them +being made prisoner, was taken on board the +Mermaid; who, after recovering his fright, +trimmed up his darts, repaired his fishing tackle, +picked okam, and set his hand to any thing he +was set about; and, after a time, became a very +pleasant companion on board. +</p> +<p> +On the 17th of July, in latitude 63 degrees +8 min. north, they fell in with a continent of +ice, very high, like land, with bays and capes, +and, till they examined it closely, could not be +convinced that it was a mere congelation. +They coasted it till the 30th, when the weather +became so tempestuous and foggy, and withal +so cold, that the shrouds, ropes, and sails were +frozen and glazed with ice; and the men, who +the year before found the sea open and the weather +temperate, became so dispirited, that in +an orderly manner they addressed their Commander, +and intreated him to consider their +present situation, to have regard to his own +life, and the preservation of theirs; and not, +through boldness and an indiscreet zeal for a +hopeless discovery, leave their widows and fatherless +children to blacken his memory with +bitter curses. Moved with their pitiable representation, +he discharged the Mermaid with +those who were most desirous of returning +home, and proceeded in the Moonshine to prosecute +his voyage. Changing his course to recover +the opposite shore on the 1st of August, in +latitude 66 deg. 33 min. north, and longitude +70 degrees west, he discovered land, without +either ice or snow. On the 2d they cast anchor +in a fine road, and in a day or two were visited +by the natives, who came to traffic. On +the 14th they set sail to the westward, and on +the 16th changed their course to the southward. +<span class='pagenum'>112</span>On the 18th they discovered a high promontory +to the north-west, which having no land to the +south, recovered their hopes of a free passage. +</p> +<p> +On doubling the Cape, they found the land +trending away to the south in broken islands, +and coasting along till they arrived at a fine +opening, in latitude 57 degrees, they sailed +ten leagues, with woods and lawns on each +side, abounding with deer and game of every +kind. Here they staid till the 1st of September, +and then set sail, coasting along to the +northward, where they were again flattered with +the hopes of a passage, by observing a strong +current rushing in between two lands to the westward, +which they were very desirous of approaching, +but the wind blew directly against them. +</p> +<p> +On the 6th, returning to their former station, +five of the crew fell into an ambuscade; +for having ventured on shore unarmed in their +boat, they were suddenly assaulted from the +woods, two of them killed upon the spot, two +grievously wounded, and the fifth made his +escape by swimming, with an arrow sticking +in his arm. The same evening a furious storm +arose, which lasted till the 10th, in which time +they in a manner unrigged their ship, and were +about to cut away her masts by the board, the +cable of their sheet anchor parted, and they +every moment expected to be dashed upon the +rocks, and to be made a prey by the savage cannibals +of the country; but the storm abating, +and the sea growing calm, they recovered their +anchor on the 11th, and made sail for England. +</p> +<p> +About the beginning of October they arrived +at Dartmouth, where they found the Sunshine, +but the North Star having parted company in a +hard gale on the coast of Greenland, was never +more heard of. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>113</span>This undaunted mariner had yet the courage +to undertake a third voyage, and then sailed as far +as the 73d degree of north latitude, but being +deserted by his companions, was forced to return +in great distress to his old port. Upon his +return he wrote a letter to his patron, assuring +him, that he had found an open sea in latitude +73 degrees north, and a streight forty leagues +broad, and concluded from thence that the +passage was most certain. +</p> +<p> +From this period till the year 1610 we find +no farther attempts made to revive this discovery; +but in that year Mr. Henry Hudson, one +of the most celebrated mariners of his time, was +prevailed upon to undertake a voyage that was +purposely set on foot to make trial of his skill. +He sailed April the 7th, 1610, steering directly +to Davis’s Streights, he there changed his course +to the westward, and struck out a new track that +no mariner had ever sailed before, which led +him through the streight that still bears his +name into the great bay that bounds the American +continent on the north-east, and seems to +communicate by various openings with the +north sea. Here he continued traversing for +almost three months in search of a passage to the +westward, but finding himself embayed, he +stood to the south, intending to winter in the +mildest latitude the Bay would admit; accordingly, +he is said to have wintered in latitude +52 degrees north, longitude 80 degrees west, +where on the 1st of November his ship was +frozen in, and being scantily provided with +provisions, the crew mutinied, and in the end +most barbarously contrived, as the writer expresses +it, to turn the Captain, the carpenter, +and all the sick men out of the ship, who were +never more heard of. After which the leaders +<span class='pagenum'>114</span>of the mutiny determined to make the best of +their way for England; but in their passage +home not a few perished, and those who survived +suffered unspeakable misery. +</p> +<p> +But notwithstanding this disaster, and that it +was certainly known that the Captain and all +who were left behind were either drowned, +starved, or murdered, the progress he had +made in the discovery encouraged others to follow +his track. +</p> +<p> +The next who adventured was Captain Button, +a man of great abilities, courage, and experience. +Patronized by Henry, Prince of +Wales, he sailed in 1611, and having passed +Hudson’s Streights, pursued a different track +from that of Captain Hudson, leaving his discoveries +to the south, and shaping his course +to the north-west. +</p> +<p> +After sailing more then two hundred leagues, +he fell in with a large continent, which, from +its mountainous appearance, he named New +Wales; but finding no passage to the westward, +he followed the direction of the land to the +southward, till he arrived at Port Nelson, where +he wintered in 63 deg. 30 min. north; but, +though he kept three fires in his ship constantly +burning, and his company killed incredible +numbers of white partridges and other wild +fowl, yet many of his men perished by the severity +of the cold, which in that climate was +almost insupportable. +</p> +<p> +In 1615 Captain William Baffin undertook +the examination of the extremity of that sea +into which Davis’s Streights opened a passage, +and he so far succeeded, as to determine its extent, +and to discover an outlet marked in our +maps, by the name of Sir Thomas Smith’s Sound, +which is probably the only communication between +<span class='pagenum'>115</span>our northern bays and the great pacific +ocean, which nature has provided, in order to +maintain a general circulation, without which +it is hardly possible to conceive, that the equipoise +of the globe could for a moment be preserved. +</p> +<p> +In 1619 Captain John Munk, at the instance +of his Danish Majesty, undertook this discovery, +and arrived safe at Cape Farewell, where, +though the tackle of the ship was so frozen and +full of isicles, that the mariners could not handle +the ropes, yet next day it was so hot, that +they were forced to work in their shirts. He +entered Hudson’s Streight in the month of July, +and was forced to winter in latitude 63 degrees +20 min. north, on an island that still retains his +name; but the hardships he endured almost +exceed belief. In May, 1620, he found himself +alone in a cave dug in the earth, scarce +alive, and almost morally certain, that all his +mariners were dead. As soon as the weather +would permit he crawled forth, and found, of +all his crew, only two left. By removing the +snow, they found some fresh herbs underneath, +and by eating them, recovered from the scurvy. +Unable to navigate their ships, they abandoned +her to the savages, and, by a wonderful providence, +got safe to Norway in the Pinnace. +Being a man of uncommon resolution, he was still +sollicitous to perfect a discovery, which had +baffled the researches of so many able navigators, +and to acquire glory, by accomplishing +that which they had failed to attain. He asserted +the existence of such a passage so confidently, +and laid down the method of finding +it so plausibly, that he had persuaded the merchants +of Norway to raise a joint stock to defray +the expences of a second voyage; but applying +<span class='pagenum'>116</span>to the King for his permission and protection, +and relating to him his own sufferings, +and those of his companions in his former voyage, +his Majesty told him, he had already been +the death of too many of his subjects, and +wondered at his presumption to seek to murder +more. To which Monk gave a quick reply, +which provoked the King to strike him over his +stomach with his cane. Whether the severity +of the blow, or the sense of the indignity was +the occasion, is not certain; but he quitted the +royal presence with marks of strong resentment, +and returning to his chamber, refused assistance, +and three days after breathed his last. +</p> +<p> +Capt. Luke Fox and Capt. James were the +next who professedly engaged in this discovery; +the first in a King’s frigate, victualled for eighteen +months; the other in a small vessel of seventy +tons, built at Bristol on purpose; victualled +and equipped by private adventurers. +</p> +<p> +Captain Fox departed in the spring of 1631, +traced all the western bays discovered by former +navigators, examined the westermost part +of Hudson’s Bay, and returned in 1632. He +published a pompous account of his discoveries, +which, however, was never much regarded. +</p> +<p> +On the 3d of May, 1631, Captain James +set sail from the Severn’s mouth, and on the +29th of June cleared Hudson’s Streights, +where he found himself so pestered with broken +ice, as to put it out of his power to prosecute +his discoveries to the north-westward, as he had +intended; he therefore ordered his master to +steer west south-west, and on the 27th of July, +after sustaining most dreadful shocks, found +his ship enclosed so fast among the ice, that +notwithstanding it blew a hard gale, and all +sails set, she stirred no more than if she had +<span class='pagenum'>117</span>been in a dry dock. It was now that the men first +began to murmur, and the Captain himself was not +without his fears, lest they should here be frozen +up and obliged to winter in the middle of the +sea. By an observation which they made upon +the ice, they found that they were in latitude +58 deg. 54 min. north. +</p> +<p> +On the 5th of next month to their great joy +the ice opened, and on the 6th they were again +in a clear sea. On the 13th, seeing some breakers +a-head, and looffing to clear them, the ship +suddenly struck upon the rocks, and received +three dreadful shocks, but the swell heaved her +over, and on pumping she made no water. +</p> +<p> +They were now encumbered with rocks, as +before they had been with ice, and in the most +perilous situation that can be conceived, and so +continued two nights and two days, every moment +expecting to be dashed to pieces. On the +fog’s clearing up they saw land from the north-west +to the south-east by east, with rocks and +breakers. On the 16th they weighed and made +sail, when a storm arose and drove them within +sight of Port Nelson. On the 17th they stood +to the southward. On the 20th they made land, +in latitude 57 degrees north, where they cast anchor, +call’d it the Principality of South Wales. +</p> +<p> +Having weighed, on the 27th they set sail, +and in the evening came in sight of higher land. +</p> +<p> +On the 29th they saw a sail, which proved +to be Captain Fox, already mentioned. They +spoke together, and, after exchanging mutual +civilities, parted. +</p> +<p> +Captain James kept coasting along the shore +to make discoveries, and Captain Fox made the +best of his way for England. +</p> +<p> +The Captain now began to think of a convenient +place to winter in. In this attempt +<span class='pagenum'>118</span>they met with so many disasters, that at last +having no hope left, they began to prepare +themselves to make a good end of a miserable +life. On the 19th they lost their shallop, tho’ +lashed to the ship by two hawsers, and to their +inexpressible grief their boat was almost rendered +irreparable. +</p> +<p> +Winter now began to set in a-pace, the nights +long, the days close and foggy, the seas rough, +and nothing but shoals and broken land to navigate. +Added to all these the men began to +sicken, an universal dejection to prevail, and in +proportion as their distresses increased, their +strength to bear up against them grew less +every day. +</p> +<p> +On the 4th of November, being in latitude +52 degrees north, they fell in with an island, from +which they found it impossible to depart. The +men were quite worn down with fatigue, the +sails so frozen as not to be unfurled, the ropes +congealed in the blocks, and the deck knee-deep +in snow. In this forlorn condition they built a +tent on shore for the sick, and in this tent they +kept fires continually burning night and day, +but the cold increased so fast, that beer, and +even spirits, froze by the fire-side. +</p> +<p> +The sufferings of the Captain and crew from +the latter end of October when they landed, +till the 2d of July, when they departed, are +hardly to be parelleled. +</p> +<p> +This was the last voyage that was undertaken +for the discovery of a north-west passage, till +that of Captain Middleton, already related. +From all which, and the opinion of Captain +James after his return, there is great reason to +conclude, that what we have said of a north-east +passage is likewise true of a passage by the north-west, +that it most certainly exists, but will never +be found practicable for mercantile purposes. +</p> +<p class='two_space align_c'> +<span class='lspd'>FINIS</span>.</p> +<div class='tnote section'> +<p class="align_c space_after"> +Transcriber’s notes +</p> +<p> +New original cover art included with this ebook is granted to the public domain. +</p> +<p> +The illustrations have been moved to appropriate paragraph breaks. +</p> +<p> +The original text used the long s. This has been changed to the regular s. +</p> +<p> +The page numbers in the original jump from 272 to 281. There is no text missing. +</p> +<p> +On <a href='#tg_1' id='tgb_1'>supplement page 101</a> the longitude number is missing in the original. +</p> +<p> +On <a href='#tg_2' id='tgb_2'>supplement page 108</a> the year in which Captain John Davis set sail from Dartmouth has been corrected from 1685 to 1585. +</p> +<p> +Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. +</p> +<p> +Archaic and inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have been retained except for: +</p> +<p> +(Ship named) Moon-shine or Moonshine, regularised to Moonshine. +</p> +<p> +(Ship named) Sun-shine or Sunshine, regularised to Sunshine. +</p> +</div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78104 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/78104-h/images/cover.jpg b/78104-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..590ba3c --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/78104-h/images/illu_088.jpg b/78104-h/images/illu_088.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..704f789 --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-h/images/illu_088.jpg diff --git a/78104-h/images/illu_131.jpg b/78104-h/images/illu_131.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b12cbcf --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-h/images/illu_131.jpg diff --git a/78104-h/images/illu_201.jpg b/78104-h/images/illu_201.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..909afdb --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-h/images/illu_201.jpg diff --git a/78104-h/images/illu_210.jpg b/78104-h/images/illu_210.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..80afc2a --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-h/images/illu_210.jpg diff --git a/78104-h/images/illu_373.jpg b/78104-h/images/illu_373.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..14b6c8e --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-h/images/illu_373.jpg diff --git a/78104-h/images/illu_407.jpg b/78104-h/images/illu_407.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..870e147 --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-h/images/illu_407.jpg diff --git a/78104-h/images/illu_417.jpg b/78104-h/images/illu_417.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4f40bab --- /dev/null +++ b/78104-h/images/illu_417.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c72794 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..89643e9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for eBook #78104 +(https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/78104) |
