A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 14
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Title: A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 14
Author: Robert Kerr
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS — VOLUME 14 ***
A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS,
ARRANGED IN SYSTEMATIC ORDER:
FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF NAVIGATION,
DISCOVERY, AND COMMERCE, BY SEA AND LAND, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE
PRESENT TIME.
BY
ROBERT KERR, F.R.S. & F.A.S. EDIN.
ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND CHARTS,
VOL. XIV.
WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH:
AND T. CADELL, LONDON.
MDCCCXXIV.
CONTENTS OF VOL. XIV.
PART III.--BOOK II.
An Account of a Voyage towards the South Pole, and round the World,
performed in his Majesty's ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the Years
1772, 3, 4, and 5: Written by James Cook, Commander of the Resolution.
General Introduction
CHAP.
I. From our departure from England to leaving the Society Isles the
first time.
SECT.
I. Passage from Deptford to the Cape of Good Hope, with an Account of
several Incidents that happened by the Way, and Transactions there.
II. Departure from the Cape of Good Hope, in search of a Southern
Continent.
III. Sequel of the Search for a Southern Continent, between the
Meridian of the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand; with an Account of
the Separation of the two Ships, and the Arrival of the Resolution in
Dusky Bay.
IV. Transactions in Dusky Bay, with an Account of several Interviews
with the Inhabitants.
V. Directions for sailing in and out of Dusky Bay, with an Account of
the adjacent Country, its Produce, and Inhabitants: Astronomical and
Nautical Observations.
VI. Passage from Dusky Bay to Queen Charlotte's Sound, with an Account
of some Water Spouts, and of our joining the Adventure.
VII. Captain Furneaux's Narrative, from the Time the two Ships were
separated, to their joining again in Queen Charlotte's Sound, with
some Account of Van Diemen's Land.
VIII. Transactions in Queen Charlotte's Sound, with some Remarks on
the Inhabitants.
IX. Route from New Zealand to Otaheite, with an Account of some low
Islands, supposed to be the same that were seen by M. de Bougainville.
X. Arrival of the Ships at Otaheite, with an Account of the critical
Situation they were in, and of several Incidents that happened while
they lay in Oaiti-piha Bay.
XI. An Account of several Visits to and from Otoo; of Goats being left
on the Island; and many other Particulars which happened while the
Ships lay in Matavai Bay.
XII. An Account of the Reception we met with at Huaheine, with the
Incidents that happened while the Ships lay there; and of Omai, one of
the Natives, coming away in the Adventure,
XIII. Arrival at, and Departure of the Ships from, Ulietea: With an
Account of what happened there, and of Oedidee, one of the Natives,
coming away in the Resolution.
XIV. An Account of a Spanish Ship visiting Otaheite; the present State
of the Islands; with some Observations on the Diseases and Customs of
the Inhabitants; and some Mistakes concerning the Women corrected.
CHAP.
II. From our Departure from the Society Isles, to our Return to and leaving
them the second Time.
SECT.
I. Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Islands, with an Account of
the Discovery of Hervey's Island, and the Incidents that happened at
Middleburg.
II. The Arrival of the Ships at Amsterdam; a Description of a Place of
Worship; and an Account of the Incidents which happened while we
remained at that Island.
III. A Description of the Islands and their Produce; with the
Cultivation, Houses, Canoes, Navigation, Manufactures, Weapons,
Customs, Government, Religion, and Language of the Inhabitants.
IV. Passage from Amsterdam to Queen Charlotte's Sound, with an Account
of an Interview with the Inhabitants, and the final Separation of the
two Ships.
V. Transactions at Queen Charlotte's Sound; with an Account of the
Inhabitants being Cannibals; and various other Incidents.--Departure
from the Sound, and our Endeavours to find the Adventure; with some
Description of the Coast.
VI. Route of the Ship from New Zealand in Search of a Continent; with
an Account of the various Obstructions met with from the Ice, and the
Methods pursued to explore the Southern Pacific Ocean.
VII. Sequel of the Passage from New Zealand to Easter Island, and
Transactions there, with an Account of an Expedition to discover the
Inland Part of the Country, and a Description of some of the
surprising gigantic Statues found in the Island.
VIII. A Description of the Island, and its Produce, Situation, and
Inhabitants; their Manners, and Customs; Conjectures concerning their
Government, Religion, and other Subjects; with a more particular
Account of the gigantic Statues.
IX. The Passage from Easter Island to the Marquesas Islands.
Transactions and Incidents which happened while the Ship lay in Madre
de Dios, or Resolution Bay, in the Island of St Christina.
X. Departure from the Marquesas; a Description of the Situation,
Extent, Figure, and Appearance of the several Islands; with some
Account of the Inhabitants, their Customs, Dress, Habitations, Food,
Weapons, and Canoes.
XI. A Description of several Islands discovered, or seen in the
Passage from the Marquesas to Otaheite; with an Account of a Naval
Review.
XII. Some Account of a Visit from Otoo, Towha, and several other
Chiefs; also of a Robbery committed by one of the Natives, and its
Consequences, with general Observations on the Subject.
XIII. Preparations to leave the Island. Another Naval Review, and
various other Incidents; with some Account of the Island, its Naval
Force, and Number of Inhabitants.
XIV. The Arrival of the Ship at the Island of Huaheine; with an
Account of an Expedition into the Island, and several other Incidents
which happened while she lay there.
XV. Arrival at Ulietea; with an Account of the Reception we met with
there, and the several Incidents which happened during our Stay. A
Report of two Ships being at Huaheine. Preparations to leave the
island, and the Regret the Inhabitants shewed on the Occasion. The
Character of Oedidee; with some general Observations on the Islands.
CHAP.
III. From Ulietea to New Zealand.
SECT.
I. Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Isles, with a Description of
several Islands that were discovered, and the Incidents which happened
in that Track.
II. Reception at Anamocka; a Robbery and its Consequences, with a
Variety of other Incidents. Departure from the Island. A sailing Canoe
described. Some Observations on the Navigation of these Islanders. A
Description of the Island, and of those in the Neighbourhood, with
some Account of the Inhabitants, and nautical Remarks.
III. The Passage from the Friendly Isles to the New Hebrides, with an
Account of the Discovery of Turtle Island, and a Variety of Incidents
which happened, both before and after the Ship arrived in Port
Sandwich, in the Island of Mallicollo. A Description of the Port, the
adjacent Country, its Inhabitants, and many other Particulars.
IV. An Account of the Discovery of several Islands, and an Interview
and Skirmish with the Inhabitants upon one of them. The Arrival of the
Ship at Tanna, and the Reception we met with there.
V. An Intercourse established with the Natives; some Account of the
Island, and a Variety of Incidents that happened during our Stay at
it.
VI. Departure from Tanna; with some Account of its Inhabitants,
their Manners and Arts.
VII. The survey of the Islands continued, and a more particular
Description of them.
VIII. An Account of the Discovery of New Caledonia, and the Incidents
that happened while the Ship lay in Balade.
IX. A Description of the Country and its Inhabitants; their Manners,
Customs, and Arts.
X. Proceedings on the Coast of New Caledonia, with Geographical and
Nautical Observations.
XI. Sequel of the Passage from New Caledonia to New Zealand, with an
Account of the Discovery of Norfolk Island; and the Incidents that
happened while the Ship lay in Queen Charlotte's Sound.
CHAP.
IV. From leaving New Zealand to our Return to England.
SECT.
I. The Run from New Zealand to Terra del Fuego, with the Range from
Cape Deseada to Christmas Sound, and Description of that Part of the
Coast.
II. Transactions in Christmas Sound, with an Account of the Country
and its Inhabitants.
A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.
PART III. BOOK II.
AN ACCOUNT OF A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD;
PERFORMED IN HIS MAJESTY'S SHIPS THE RESOLUTION AND ADVENTURE, IN THE YEARS
1772, 3, 4, AND 5: WRITTEN BY JAMES COOK, COMMANDER OF THE RESOLUTION.
GENERAL INTRODUCTION.
Whether the unexplored part of the Southern Hemisphere be only an immense
mass of water, or contain another continent, as speculative geography
seemed to suggest, was a question which had long engaged the attention, not
only of learned men, but of most of the maritime powers of Europe.
To put an end to all diversity of opinion about a matter so curious and
important, was his majesty's principal motive in directing this voyage to
be undertaken, the history of which is now submitted to the public.[1]
But, in order to give the reader a clear idea of what has been done in it,
and to enable him to judge more accurately, how far the great object that
was proposed, has been obtained, it will be necessary to prefix a short
account of the several voyages which have been made on discoveries to the
Southern Hemisphere, prior to that which I had lately the honour to
conduct, and which I am now going to relate.
The first who crossed the vast Pacific Ocean, was Ferdinand Magalhaens, a
Portuguese, who, in the service of Spain, sailed from Seville, with five
ships, on the 10th of April, 1519. He discovered the straits which bear his
name; and having passed through them, on the 27th of November, 1520,
entered the South Pacific Ocean.
In this sea he discovered two uninhabited islands, whose situations are not
well known. He afterwards crossed the Line; discovered the Ladrone Islands;
and then proceeded to the Phillipines, in one of which he was killed in a
skirmish with the natives.
His ship, called the Victory, was the first that circumnavigated the globe;
and the only one of his squadron that surmounted the dangers and distresses
which attended this heroic enterprise.[2]
The Spaniards, after Magalhaens had shewed them the way, made several
voyages from America to the westward, previous to that of Alvaro Mendana De
Neyra, in 1595, which is the first that can be traced step by step. For the
antecedent expeditions are not handed down to us with much precision.
We know, however, in general, that, in them, New Guinea, the islands called
Solomon's, and several others, were discovered.
Geographers differ greatly concerning the situation of the Solomon Islands.
The most probable opinion is, that they are the cluster which comprises
what has since been called New Britain, New Ireland, &c.[3]
On the 9th of April, 1595, Mendana, with intention to settle these islands,
sailed from Callao, with four ships; and his discoveries in his route to
the west, were the Marquesas, in the latitude of 10° S.; the island of St
Bernardo, which I take to be the same that Commodore Byron calls the Island
of Danger; after that, Solitary Island, in the latitude of 10° 40' S.,
longitude 178° W.; and, lastly, Santa Cruz, which is undoubtedly the same
that Captain Carteret calls Egmont Island.
In this last island, Mendana, with many of his companions, died; and the
shattered remains of the squadron were conducted to Manilla, by Pedro
Fernandes de Quiros, the chief pilot.
This same Quiros was the first sent out, with the sole view of discovering
a southern continent, and, indeed, he seems to have been the first who had
any idea of the existence of one.
He sailed from Callao the 21st of December, 1605, as pilot of the fleet,
commanded by Luis Paz de Torres, consisting of two ships and a tender; and
steering to the W.S.W., on the 26th of January, 1606. being then, by their
reckoning, a thousand Spanish leagues from the coast of America, they
discovered a small low island in latitude 26° S. Two days after, they
discovered another that was high, with a plain on the top. This is probably
the same that Captain Carteret calls Pitcairn's Island.
After leaving these islands, Quiros seems to have directed his course to
W.N.W. and N.W. to 10° or 11° S. latitude, and then westward, till he
arrived at the Bay of St Philip and Jago, in the Island of Tierra del
Espirito Santo. In this route be discovered several islands; probably some
of those that have been seen by later navigators.
On leaving the bay of St Philip and St Jago, the two ships were separated.
Quiros, with the Capitana, stood to the north, and returned to New Spain,
after having suffered greatly for want of provisions and water. Torres,
with the Almiranta and the tender, steered to the west, and seems to have
been the first who sailed between New Holland and New Guinea.[4]
The next attempt to make discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean, was
conducted by Le Maire and Schouten. They sailed from the Texel, on the 14th
of June, 1615, with the ships Concord and Horn. The latter was burnt by
accident in Port Desire. With the other they discovered the straits that
bear the name of Le Maire, and were the first who ever entered the Pacific
Ocean, by the way of Cape Horn.
They discovered the island of Dogs, in latitude 15° 15' S., longitude 136°
30' W.; Sondre Grondt in 15° S. latitude, and 143° 10' W. longitude;
Waterland in 14° 46' S., and 144° 10' W.; and twenty-five leagues westward
of this, Fly Island, in latitude 15° 20'; Traitor's and Coco's Islands, in
latitude 15° 43' S., longitude 173° 13' W.; two degrees more to the
westward, the isle of Hope; and in the latitude of 14° 56' S., longitude
179° 30' E., Horn Island.
They next coasted the north side of New Britain and New Guinea, and arrived
at Batavia in October, 1616.[5]
Except some discoveries on the western and northern coasts of New Holland,
no important voyage to the Pacific Ocean was undertaken till 1642, when
Captain Tasman sailed from Batavia, with two ships belonging to the Dutch
East India Company, and discovered Van Diemen's Land; a small part of the
western coast of New Zealand; the Friendly Isles; and those called Prince
William's.[6]
Thus far I have thought it best not to interrupt the progress of discovery
in the South Pacific Ocean, otherwise I should before have mentioned, that
Sir Richard Hawkins in 1594, being about fifty leagues to the eastward of
the river Plate, was driven by a storm to the eastward of his intended
course, and when the weather grew moderate, steering towards the Straits of
Magalhaens, he unexpectedly fell in with land, about sixty leagues of which
he coasted, and has very particularly described. This he named Hawkins's
Maiden Land, in honour of his royal mistress, Queen Elizabeth, and says it
lies some threescore leagues from the nearest part of South America.
This land was afterwards discovered to be two large islands, by Captain
John Strong, of the Farewell, from London, who, in 1689, passed through the
strait which divides the eastern from the western of those islands. To this
strait he gave the name of Falkland's Sound, in honour of his patron Lord
Falkland; and the name has since been extended, through inadvertency, to
the two islands it separates.
Having mentioned these islands, I will add, that future navigators will
mis-spend their time, if they look for Pepy's Island in 47° S.; it being
now certain, that Pepy's Island is no other than these islands of
Falkland.[7]
In April, 1675, Anthony la Roche, an English merchant, in his return from
the South Pacific Ocean, where he had been on a trading voyage, being
carried by the winds and currents, far to the east of Strait Le Maire, fell
in with a coast, which may possibly be the same with that which I visited
during this voyage, and have called the Island of Georgia.
Leaving this land, and sailing to the north, La Roche, in the latitude of
45° S., discovered a large island, with a good port towards the eastern
part, where he found wood, water, and fish.
In 1699, that celebrated astronomer, Dr Edmund Halley, was appointed to the
command of his majesty's ship the Paramour Pink, on an expedition for
improving the knowledge of the longitude, and of the variation of the
compass; and for discovering the unknown lands supposed to lie in the
southern part of the Atlantic Ocean. In this voyage he determined the
longitude of several places; and, after his return, constructed his
variation-chart, and proposed a method of observing the longitude at sea,
by means of the appulses and occultations of the fixed stars. But, though
he so successfully attended to the two first articles of his instructions,
he did not find any unknown southern land.[8]
The Dutch, in 1721, fitted out three ships to make discoveries in the South
Pacific Ocean, under the command of Admiral Roggewein. He left the Texel on
the 21st of August, and arriving in that ocean, by going round Cape Horn,
discovered Easter Island, probably seen before, though not visited, by
Davies;[9] then between 14° 41' and 15° 47' S. latitude, and between the
longitude of 142° and 150° W., fell in with several other islands, which I
take to be some of those seen by the late English navigators. He next
discovered two islands in latitude 15° S., longitude 170° W., which he
called Baumen's Islands; and, lastly, Single Island, in latitude 13° 41'
S., longitude 171° 30' W. These three islands are, undoubtedly, the same
that Bougainville calls the Isles of Navigators.[10]
In 1738, the French East India Company sent Lozier Bouvet with two ships,
the Eagle and Mary, to make discoveries in the South Atlantic Ocean. He
sailed from Port L'Orient on the 19th of July in that year; touched at the
island of St Catherine; and from thence shaped his course towards the
south-east.
On the 1st of January, 1739, he discovered land, or what he judged to be
land, in latitude 54° S., longitude 11° E. It will appear in the course of
the following narrative, that we made several attempts to find this land
without success. It is, therefore, very probable, that what Bouvet saw was
nothing more than a large ice-island. From hence he stood to the east, in
51° of latitude to 35° of E. longitude: After which the two ships
separated, one going to the island of Mauritius, and the other returning to
France.[11]
After this voyage of Bouvet, the spirit of discovery ceased, till his
present majesty formed a design of making discoveries, and exploring the
southern hemisphere; and, in the year 1764, directed it to be put in
execution.
Accordingly Commodore Byron, having under his command the Dolphin and
Tamer, sailed from the Downs on the 21st of June the same year; and having
visited the Falkland Islands, passed through the Straits of Magalhaens into
the Pacific Ocean, where he discovered the islands of Disappointment,
George's, Prince of Wales's, the isles of Danger, York Island, and Byron
Island.
He returned to England the 9th of May, 1766, and, in the month of August
following, the Dolphin was again sent out under the command of Captain
Wallis, with the Swallow, commanded by Captain Carteret.
They proceeded together, till they came to the west end of the Straits of
Magalhaens, and the Great South Sea in sight, where they were separated.
Captain Wallis directed his course more westerly than any navigator had
done before him in so high a latitude; but met with no land till he got
within the tropic, where he discovered the islands of Whitsunday, Queen
Charlotte, Egmont, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Cumberland, Maitea,
Otaheite, Eimeo, Tapamanou, How, Scilly, Boscawen, Keppel, and Wallis; and
returned to England in May, 1768.
His companion Captain Carteret kept a different route, in which he
discovered the islands of Osnaburg, Gloucester, Queen Charlotte's Isles,
Carteret's, Gower's, and the strait between New Britain and New Ireland;
and returned to England in March, 1769.
In November, 1766, Commodore Bougainville sailed from France in the frigate
La Boudeuse, with the store-ship L'Etoile. After spending some time on the
coast of Brazil, and at Falkland's Islands, he got into the Pacific Sea by
the Straits of Magalhaens, in January, 1768.
In this ocean he discovered the Four Facardines, the isle of Lanciers, and
Harp Island, which I take to be the same that I afterwards named Lagoon,
Thrum Cap, and Bow Island. About twenty leagues farther to the west he
discovered four other islands; afterwards fell in with Maitea, Otaheite,
isles of Navigators, and Forlorn Hope, which to him were new discoveries.
He then passed through between the Hebrides, discovered the Shoal of Diana,
and some others, the land of Cape Deliverance, several islands more to the
north, passed the north of New Ireland, touched at Batavia, and arrived in
France in March, 1769.
This year was rendered remarkable by the transit of the planet Venus over
the sun's disk, a phenomenon of great importance to astronomy; and which
every-where engaged the attention of the learned in that science.
In the beginning of the 1768, the Royal Society presented a memorial to his
majesty, setting forth the advantages to be derived from accurate
observations of this transit in different parts of the world; particularly
from a set of such observations made in a southern latitude, between the
140th and 130th degrees of longitude, west from the Royal Observatory at
Greenwich; and that vessels, properly equipped, would be necessary to
convey the observers to their destined stations; but that the society were
in no condition to defray the expence of such an undertaking.
In consequence of this memorial, the Admiralty were directed by his majesty
to provide proper vessels for this purpose. Accordingly, the Endeavour
bark, which had been built for the coal-trade, was purchased and fitted out
for the southern voyage, and I was honoured with the command of her. The
Royal Society, soon after, appointed me, in conjunction with Mr Charles
Green the astronomer, to make the requisite observations on the transit.
It was at first intended to perform this great, and now a principal
business of our voyage, either at the Marquesas, or else at one of those
islands which Tasman had called Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Middleburg, now
better known under the name of the Friendly Islands. But while the
Endeavour was getting ready for the expedition, Captain Wallis returned
from his voyage round the world, in the course of which he had discovered
several islands in the South Sea; and, amongst others, Otaheite. This
island was preferred to any of those before mentioned, on account of the
conveniences it afforded; because its place had been well ascertained, and
found to be extremely well suited to our purpose.
I was therefore ordered to proceed directly to Otaheite; and after
astronomical observations should be completed, to prosecute the design of
making discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean, by proceeding to the south
as far as the latitude of 40°; then, if I found no land, to proceed to the
west between 40° and 35°, till I fell in with New Zealand, which I was to
explore; and thence to return to England by such route as I should think
proper.
In the prosecution of these instructions, I sailed from Deptford the 30th
July, 1768; from Plymouth the 26th of August, touched at Madeira, Rio de
Janeiro, and Straits Le Maire, and entered the South Pacific Ocean by Cape
Horn in January the following year.
I endeavoured to make a direct course to Otaheite, and in part succeeded;
but I made no discovery till I got within the tropic, where I fell in with
Lagoon Island, Two Groups, Bird Island, Chain Island; and on the 13th of
April arrived at Otaheite, where I remained three months, during which time
the observations on the transit were made.
I then left it; discovered and visited the Society Isles and Oheteroa;
thence proceeded to the south till I arrived in the latitude of 40° 22',
longitude 147° 29' W.; and, on the 6th of October, fell in with the east
side of New Zealand.
I continued exploring the coast of this country till the 31st of March,
1770, when I quitted it, and proceeded to New Holland; and having surveyed
the eastern coast of that vast country, which part had not before been
visited, I passed between its northern extremity and New Guinea, landed on
the latter, touched at the island of Savu, Batavia, the Cape of Good Hope,
and St Helena,[12] and arrived in England on the 12th of July, 1771.
In this voyage I was accompanied by Mr Banks and Dr Solander; the first a
gentleman of ample fortune; the other an accomplished disciple of Linnæus,
and one of the librarians of the British Museum; both of them distinguished
in the learned world, for their extensive and accurate knowledge of natural
history. These gentlemen, animated by the love of science, and by a desire
to pursue their enquiries in the remote regions I was preparing to visit,
desired permission to make a voyage with me. The Admiralty readily complied
with a request that promised such advantage to the republic of letters.
They accordingly embarked with me, and participated in all the dangers and
sufferings of our tedious and fatiguing navigation.
The voyages of Messrs de Surville, Kerguelen, and Marion, of which some
account is given in the following work, did not come to my knowledge time
enough to afford me any advantage; and as they have not been communicated
to the world in a public way, I can say little about them, or about two
other voyages, which, I am told, have been made by the Spaniards; one to
Easter Island in the year 1769, and the other to Otaheite in 1775.[13]
Before I begin my narrative of the expedition entrusted to my care, it will
be necessary to add here some account of its equipment, and of some other
matters equally interesting, connected with my subject.
Soon after my return home in the Endeavour, it was resolved to equip two
ships, to complete the discovery of the Southern Hemisphere. The nature of
this voyage required ships of a particular construction, and the Endeavour
being gone to Falkland's Isles as a store-ship, the Navy-board was directed
to purchase two such ships as were most suitable for this service.
At this time various opinions were espoused by different people, touching
the size and kind of vessels most proper for such a voyage. Some were for
having large ships, and proposed those of forty guns, or East India
Company's ships. Others preferred large good sailing frigates, or three-
decked ships, employed in the Jamaica trade, fitted with round-houses. But
of all that was said and offered to the Admiralty's consideration on this
subject, as far as has come to my knowledge, what, in my opinion, was most
to the purpose, was suggested by the Navy-board.
As the kind of ships most proper to be employed on discoveries, is a very
interesting consideration to the adventurers in such undertakings, it may
possibly be of use to those, who, in future, may be so employed, to give
here the purport of the sentiments of the Navy-board thereon, with whom,
after the experience of two voyages of three years each, I perfectly agree.
The success of such undertakings as making discoveries in distant parts of
the world, will principally depend on the preparations being well adapted
to what ought to be the first considerations, namely, the preservation of
the adventurers and ships; and this will ever chiefly depend on the kind,
the size, and the properties of the ships chosen for the service.
These primary considerations will not admit of any other that may interfere
with the necessary properties of the ships. Therefore, in choosing the
ships, should any of the most advantageous properties be wanting, and the
necessary room in them, be in any degree diminished, for less important
purposes, such a step would be laying a foundation for rendering the
undertaking abortive in the first instance.
As the greatest danger to be apprehended and provided against, on a voyage
of discovery, especially to the most distant parts of the globe, is that of
the ship's being liable to be run a-ground on an unknown, desert, or
perhaps savage coast; so no consideration should be set in competition with
that of her being of a construction of the safest kind, in which the
officers may, with the least hazard, venture upon a strange coast. A ship
of this kind must not be of a great draught of water, yet of a sufficient
burden and capacity to carry a proper quantity of provisions and
necessaries for her complement of men, and for the time requisite to
perform the voyage.
She must also be of a construction that will bear to take the ground; and
of a size, which in case of necessity, may be safely and conveniently laid
on shore, to repair any accidental damage or defect. These properties are
not to be found in ships of war of forty guns, nor in frigates, nor in East
India Company's ships, nor in large three-decked West India ships, nor
indeed in any other but North-country-built ships, or such as are built for
the coal-trade, which are peculiarly adapted to this purpose.
In such a vessel an able sea-officer will be most venturesome, and better
enabled to fulfil his instructions, than he possibly can (or indeed than
would be prudent for him to attempt) in one of any other _sort_ or _size_.
Upon the whole, I am firmly of opinion, that no ships are so proper for
discoveries in distant unknown parts, as those constructed as was the
Endeavour, in which I performed my former voyage. For no ships of any other
kind can contain stores and provisions sufficient (in proportion to the
necessary number of men,) considering the length of time it will be
necessary they should last. And, even if another kind of ships could stow a
sufficiency, yet on arriving at the parts for discovery, they would still,
from the nature of their construction and size, be _less fit_ for the
purpose.
Hence, it may be concluded, so little progress had been hitherto made in
discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere. For all ships which attempted it
before the Endeavour, were unfit for it; although the officers employed in
them had done the utmost in their power.
It was upon this consideration that the Endeavour was chosen for that
voyage. It was to those properties in her that those on board owed their
preservation; and hence we were enabled to prosecute discoveries in those
seas so much longer than any other ship ever did, or could do. And,
although discovery was not the first object of that voyage, I could venture
to traverse a far greater space of sea, til then unnavigated; to discover
greater tracts of country in high and low south latitudes, and to persevere
longer in exploring and surveying more correctly the extensive coasts of
those new-discovered countries, than any former navigator perhaps had done
during one voyage.
In short, these properties in the ships, with perseverance and resolution
in their commanders, will enable them to execute their orders; to go beyond
former discoverers; and continue to Britain the reputation of taking the
lead of nations, in exploring the globe.
These considerations concurring with Lord Sandwich's opinion on the same
subject, the Admiralty determined to have two such ships as are here
recommended. Accordingly two were purchased of Captain William Hammond of
Hull. They were both built at Whitby, by the same person who built the
Endeavour, being about fourteen or sixteen months old at the time they were
purchased, and were, in my opinion, as well adapted to the intended
service, as if they had been built for the purpose. The largest of the two
was four hundred and sixty-two tons burden. She was named Resolution, and
sent to Deptford to be equipped. The other was three hundred and thirty-six
tons burden. She was named Adventure, and sent to be equipped at Woolwich.
It was at first proposed to sheathe them with copper; but on considering
that copper corrodes the iron-work, especially about the rudder, this
intention was laid aside, and the old method of sheathing and fitting
pursued, as being the most secure; for although it is usual to make the
rudder-bands of the same composition, it is not, however, so durable as
iron, nor would it, I am well assured, last out such a voyage as the
Resolution performed.[14]
Therefore, till a remedy is found to prevent the effect of copper upon
iron-work, it would not be advisable to use it on a voyage of this kind,
as, the principal fastenings of the ship being iron, they may be destroyed.
On the 28th of November, 1771, I was appointed to the command of the
Resolution; and Tobias Furneaux (who had been second lieutenant with
Captain Wallis) was promoted, on this occasion, to the command of the
Adventure.
_Our Complements of Officers and Men were fixed, as in the following
Table._
RESOLUTION
_Officers and Men, Officers Names_
Captain (1) James Cook.
Lieutenants (3) Rob. P. Cooper, Charles Clerke, Richd. Pickersgill.
Master (1) Joseph Gilbert.
Boatswain (1) James Gray.
Carpenter (1) James Wallis.
Gunner (1) Robert Anderson.
Surgeon (1) James Patten.
Master's mates (3)
Midshipmen (6)
Surgeon's mates (2)
Captain's clerk (1)
Master at arms (1)
Corporal (1)
Armourer (1)
Ditto mate (1)
Sail-maker (1)
Boatswain's mate (3)
Carpenter's ditto (3)
Gunner's ditto (2)
Carpenter's crews (4)
Cook (1)
Ditto mate (1)
Quarter-masters (6)
Able seamen (45)
Marines
Lieutenant (1) John Edgecumbe.
Serjeant (1)
Corporals (2)
Drummer (1)
Privates (15)
Total, 112
ADVENTURE
_Officers and Men, Officers Names_
Captain (1) Tobias Furneaux.
Lieutenants (3) Joseph Shank, Arthur Kempe.
Master (1) Peter Fannin.
Boatswain (1) Edward Johns.
Carpenter (1) William Offord.
Gunner (1) Andrew Gloag.
Surgeon (1) Thos. Andrews.
Master's mate (2)
Midshipmen (4)
Surgeon's mates (2)
Captain's clerk (1)
Master at arms (1)
Ditto Mate (1)
Sail-maker (1)
Ditto Mate (1)
Boatswain's mate (1)
Carpenter's ditto (2)
Gunner's ditto (2)
Carpenter's crews (1)
Cook (4)
Ditto mate (1)
Quarter-masters (4)
Able seamen (33)
Marines
Lieutenant (1) James Scott.
Serjeant (1)
Corporals (1)
Drummer (1)
Privates (8)
Total, 81
I had all the reason in the world to be perfectly satisfied with the choice
of the officers. The second and third lieutenants, the lieutenant of
marines, two of the warrant officers, and several of the petty officers,
had been with me during the former voyage. The others were men of known
abilities; and all of them, on every occasion, shewed their zeal for the
service in which they were employed, during the whole voyage.
In the equipping of these ships, they were not confined to ordinary
establishments, but were fitted in the most complete manner, and supplied
with every extra article that was suggested to be necessary.
Lord Sandwich paid an extraordinary attention to this equipment, by
visiting the ships from time to time, to satisfy himself that the whole was
completed to his wish, and to the satisfaction of those who were to embark
in them.
Nor were the Navy and Victualling Boards wanting in providing them with the
very best of stores and provisions, and whatever else was necessary for so
long a voyage.--Some alterations were adopted in the species of provisions
usually made use of in the navy. That is, we were supplied with wheat in
lieu of so much oatmeal, and sugar in lieu of so much oil; and when
completed, each ship had two years and a half provisions on board, of all
species.
We had besides many extra articles, such as _malt, sour krout, salted
cabbage, portable broth, saloup, mustard, marmalade of carrots, and
inspissated juice of wort and beer_. Some of these articles had before
been found to be highly antiscorbutic; and others were now sent out on
trial, or by way of experiment;--the inspissated juice of beer and wort,
and marmalade of carrots especially. As several of these antiscorbutic
articles are not generally known, a more particular account of them may not
be amiss.
Of _malt_ is made _sweet wort_, which is given to such persons as
have got the scurvy, or whose habit of body threatens them with it, from
one to five or six pints a-day, as the surgeon sees necessary.
_Sour krout_ is cabbage cut small, to which is put a little salt,
juniper berries, and anniseeds; it is then fermented, and afterwards close
packed in casks; in which state it will keep good a long time. This is a
wholesome vegetable food, and a great antiscorbutic. The allowance to each
man is two pounds a week, but I increased or diminished their allowance as
I thought proper.
_Salted cabbage_ is cabbage cut to pieces, and salted down in casks,
which will preserve it a long time.
_Portable broth_ is so well known, that it needs no description. We
were supplied with it both for the sick and well, and it was exceedingly
beneficial.
_Saloup_ and _rob of lemons_ and _oranges_ were for the sick
and scorbutic only, and wholly under the surgeon's care.
_Marmalade of carrots_ is the juice of yellow carrots, inspissated
till it is of the thickness of fluid honey, or treacle, which last it
resembles both in taste and colour. It was recommended by Baron Storsch, of
Berlin, as a very great antiscorbutic; but we did not find that it had much
of this quality.
For the _inspissated juice of wort_ and _beer_ we were indebted
to Mr Pelham, secretary to the commissioners of the victualling office.
This gentleman, some years ago, considered that if the juice of malt,
either as beer or wort, was inspissated by evaporation, it was probable
this inspissated juice would keep good at sea; and, if so, a supply of beer
might be had, at any time, by mixing it with water. Mr Pelham made several
experiments, which succeeded so well, that the commissioners caused thirty-
one half barrels of this juice to be prepared, and sent out with our ships
for trial; nineteen on board the Resolution, and the remainder on board the
Adventure. The success of the experiments will be mentioned in the
narrative, in the order as they were made.
The frame of a small vessel, twenty tons burthen, was properly prepared,
and put on board each of the ships to be set up (if found necessary) to
serve as tenders upon any emergency, or to transport the crew, in case the
ship was lost.
We were also well provided with fishing-nets, lines, and hooks of every
kind for catching of fish.--And, in order to enable us to procure
refreshments, in such inhabited parts of the world as we might touch at,
where money was of no value, the Admiralty caused to be put on board both
the ships, several articles of merchandize; as well to trade with the
natives for provisions, as to make them presents to gain their friendship
and esteem.
Their lordships also caused a number of medals to be struck, the one side
representing his majesty, and the other the two ships. These medals were to
be given to the natives of new-discovered countries, and left there as
testimonies of our being the first discoverers.
Some additional clothing, adapted to a cold climate, was put on board; to
be given to the seamen whenever it was thought necessary. In short, nothing
was wanting that could tend to promote the success of the undertaking, or
contribute to the conveniences and health of those who embarked in it.
The Admiralty shewed no less attention to science in general, by engaging
Mr William Hodges, a landscape painter, to embark in this voyage, in order
to make drawings and paintings of such places in the countries we should
touch at, as might be proper to give a more perfect, idea thereof, than
could be formed from written descriptions only.
And it being thought of public utility, that some person skilled in natural
history, should be engaged to accompany me in this voyage, the parliament
granted an ample sum for the purpose, and Mr John Reinhold Forster, with
his son, were pitched upon for this employment.[15]
The Board of Longitude agreed with Mr William Wales and Mr William Bayley,
to make astronomical observations; the former on board the Resolution, and
the latter on board the Adventure. The great improvements which astronomy
and navigation have met with from the many interesting observations they
have made, would have done honour to any person whose reputation for
mathematical knowledge was not so well known as theirs.
The same Board furnished them with the best instruments, for making both
astronomical and nautical observations and experiments; and likewise with
four time-pieces, or watch machines; three made by Mr Arnold, and one made
by Mr Kendal on Mr Harrison's principles. A particular account of the going
of these watches, as also the astronomical and nautical observations made
by the astronomers, has been before the public, by order of the Board of
Longitude, under the inspection of Mr Wales.[16]
Besides the obligation I was under to this gentleman for communicating to
me the observations he made, from time to time, during the voyage, I have
since been indebted to him for the perusal of his journal, with leave to
take from it whatever I thought might contribute to the improvement of this
work.
For the convenience of the generality of readers, I have reduced the time
from the nautical to the civil computation, so that whenever the terms A.M.
and P.M. are used, the former signifies the forenoon, and the latter the
afternoon of the same day.
In all the courses, bearings, &c., the variation of the compass is allowed,
unless the contrary is expressed. And now it may be necessary to say, that,
as I am on the point of sailing on a third expedition, I leave this account
of my last voyage in the hands of some friends, who, in my absence, have
kindly accepted the office of correcting the press for me; who are pleased
to think that what I have here to relate is better to be given in my own
words, than in the words of another person; especially as it is a work
designed for information, and not merely for amusement; in which, it is
their opinion, that candour and fidelity will counter-balance the want of
ornament.[17]
I shall therefore conclude this introductory discourse with desiring the
reader to excuse the inaccuracies of style, which doubtless he will
frequently meet with in the following narrative; and that, when such occur,
he will recollect that it is the production of a man, who has not had the
advantage of much school education, but who has been constantly at sea from
his youth; and though, with the assistance of a few good friends, he has
passed through all the stations belonging to a seaman, from an apprentice
boy in the coal trade, to a post-captain in the royal navy, he has had no
opportunity of cultivating letters. After this account of myself, the
public must not expect from me the elegance of a fine writer, or the
plausibility of a professed book-maker; but will, I hope, consider me as a
plain man, zealously exerting himself in the service of his country, and
determined to give the best account he is able of his proceedings.[18]
JAMES COOK.
_Plymouth Sound, July 7, 1776._
[1] It is scarcely conceivable, that any men of science in the end of
the 18th century, should have insisted on mathematical reasons for the
supposition of a southern counterpoise; and therefore, as is mentioned
by Mr Wales, in his introduction to the account of the astronomical
observations made during this voyage, it must be held, that the
opinion which induced his majesty to order the voyage, for the purpose
of discovering a continent or large islands towards the South Pole,
was founded on mere probability. That there is no necessity for such
an existence, is very certain, for the preservation of the earth's
motion on its axis can be readily accounted for without it; yet,
reasoning from analogy, and considering the successful experiment of
Columbus, there seemed sufficient grounds, independent of the alleged
discoveries of Bouvet and others, to expect that some lands might be
found there. After this, it required little additional excitement of
fancy to believe, that if there, and if found, they might be no less
important to the discoverers, than America was judged to be to the
Spaniards. Men are not easily cured of their prejudices, when the
foundations on which they are built, derive validity from the hope of
interest. It is impossible to tell what kind and degree of advantages,
certain sanguine specialists anticipated from the Terra Australis.
Excepting the article of the prolongation of life _ad infinitum_, it is
questionable, if the philosopher's stone, when discovered, could have
accomplished more; and even with respect to that, it might have been
imagined, that the soil and climate would so materially differ from
any other before known, as to yield some sovereign elixir or plant of
life-giving efficacy. That it was charitably hoped, they would be no
less serviceable in another particular, of perhaps fully greater
consequence, may be inferred from a passage in Dr Hawkesworth's reply
to Mr Dalrymple, appended to his Account of Cook's First Voyage, &c.,
second edition. "I am very sorry," says he, "for the discontented
state of this good gentleman's mind, and most sincerely wish that a
southern continent may be found, as I am confident _nothing else can
make him happy and good-humoured!_" Mr Dalrymple seems to have set
no bounds to his expectations from the discovery, and accordingly
thought that no bounds ought to be set to the endeavours to accomplish
it. Witness the very whimsical _negative_ and _affirmative_
dedication of his Historical Collection of Voyages, &c. "Not to, &c.
&c., but to the man, who, emulous of Magalhaens and the heroes of
former times, _undeterred_ by difficulties, and _unseduced_
by pleasure, shall persist through every obstacle, and not by chance,
but by virtue and good conduct, _succeed in establishing an
intercourse_ with a southern continent, &c!", A zeal so red-hot as
this, could scarcely be cooled down to any thing like common sense, on
one of the fields of ice encountered by Cook in his second voyage; but
what a pity it is, that it should not be accompanied by as much of the
inventive faculty, as might serve to point out how impossibilities can
be performed, and insuperable obstructions removed! It is but justice
to this gentleman to say, that his willingness to undertake such a
task, was as enthusiastic as his idea of its magnitude and importance.
His industry, besides, in acquiring information in this department of
science, and his liberality in imparting it, were most exemplary. On
the whole, therefore, saving the circumstances of fortune and success,
he may be ranked with any of the heroes of former times!
It would be well to remember, that the Deity is not bound to act
according to our notions of fitness; and that though it may not always
be easiest, yet it is certainly most modest to form our theories from
a survey of his works, rather than the nursery of our own prejudices.
The following observations may be of utility to some readers. The
motion of the earth about its axis is uniform, and quite unaffected by
the irregularities on its surface or of its density. This is a fact to
be admitted, not an opinion to be proved. But in point of reasoning,
it is quite demonstrable, that the highest mountain on the surface of
the earth, bears no larger a proportion to the magnitude of the earth,
than a grain of sand does to that of one of our largest globes, and
can have no more effect on its motion: Besides, as is noticed by Mr
Wales, every body will be _in equilibrio_, however irregular, when it
is suspended or revolves on a line passing through its centre of
gravity, and will not have either its rest or motion disturbed by any
irregularities lying in the direction of that line, which may be
safely supposed the case with our earth. The simple addition of any
fluid matter to a body so circumstanced, will not cause any
aberration, as it will distribute itself in the parts nearest to the
centre of gravity, without regard to the centre of the body, which may
or may not be the same. The principal tracts of both land and sea may
be held to extend from the North towards the South Pole, and are
accordingly in the direction of the earth's axis. Obviously,
therefore, there is no necessity for a southern continent to answer as
a counterpoise; and it is even conceivable that the matter in the
regions of the South Pole, is specifically lighter than that of any
other part, in perfect consistency with what is known of the earth's
motion. The reasons of a different kind from what have now been
mentioned, for the existence of southern lands, fall to be elsewhere
considered.--E.
[2] An account of the voyage performed by Magalhaens, is given in vol.
x. of this collection. The discoveries made by that enterprising man
in the South Pacific Ocean, were far from being very important; but
the expedition in which he unfortunately lost his life, will ever be
memorable in the pages of history, as the first circumnavigation of the
world.--E.
[3] Mr Dalrymple has collected together the few existing notices of
Spanish voyages of discovery, betwixt the times of those performed by
Magalhaens and Mendana. Though by no means considerable in bulk, they
are too numerous to be detailed in this place. It is very probable,
that the Spanish government continued from mere habit to reserve the
more perfect memorials, after all the views of policy which first
occasioned their being withheld from the public, had been abandoned.
The affairs of that ill-fated kingdom have been long very unfavourable
to the investigations, which certainly unimportant curiosity might
prompt on the subject--E.
[4] Two relations have been given of Mendana's voyage; one by Quiros
above-mentioned, in a letter to Don Antonio Morga, lieutenant-general
of the Phillipines, when Quiros landed at Manila, which was inserted
in a work published at Mexico in 1609; and the other contained in
Thevenot's French collection, being, as Mr Dalrymple has remarked, a
transcript from Figueroa's history of Garcia Hurtado de Mendoça, and
of less authority. The discoveries of Quiros, real and supposed, have
attracted very peculiar notice, and deservedly so. Almost every
collection specifies them. That which the president de Brosses has
given on the authority of several Spanish works, has been generally
followed. Mr Dalrymple is earnest in securing to this _immortal_
name, the honour of discovering the southern continent. It is most
certain that he did discover something in the Pacific Ocean, but it
never yet has been shewn, that this something any way corresponds with
the wonderful description he thought proper to give of it, in his
memorial to the Spanish king. "Its longitude," says he, (we copy from
Mr Dalrymple's translation) "is as much as that of all Europe, Asia-
Minor, and to the Caspian Sea, and Persia, with all the islands of the
Mediterranean and Ocean, which are in its limits embraced, including
England and Ireland. That _unknown_ part is a quarter of the
whole globe, and so capacious, that it may contain in it double the
kingdoms and provinces of all those your majesty is at present Lord
of: And that without adjoining to Turks or Moors, or others of the
nations which are accustomed to disquiet and disturb their
neighbours!" This was a discoverer after our own heart, worth a dozen
or two of Ansons, Byrons, and Cooks! Amongst his real discoveries must
be particularly regarded the Tierra del Espirito Santo above-
mentioned, which was visited by Bougainville in 1768, and called by
him the New Cyclades, a name since supplanted by that which Cook gave,
the New Hebrides.--E.
[5] See our account of this voyage in vol. x. It was perhaps more
fruitful in discoveries of islands, than any preceding expedition, and
was remarkable, besides, for the small loss of lives during its
continuance, viz. only three men. The interesting enough discovery of
the Strait which bears the name of Le Maire, would have been
sufficient to signalize the spirited undertaking of that merchant. Nor
can it be any thing to _his_ discredit, considering his
circumstances and profession, that he had his golden dreams about a
southern counterpoise. Technical habits might readily suggest to him
the propriety of an exact balance.--E.
[6] A note has been given in vol. xiii. respecting Tasman's voyage.
His discoveries were undoubtedly of some importance, and deserve
particular notice in a collection; as such, an opportunity, it is
expected, will occur for effecting it, either entire from Valentyn's
relation, or in abstract from various authorities.--E.
[7] See what has been said on this subject in our account of Byron's
voyage, vol. xii. p. 47.--E.
[8] The results of Dr Halley's voyage were communicated to the Royal
Society of London, and constitute part, certainly an interesting part,
of their published papers. If is rather to be wondered at, that Cook
has not made mention of some other voyages of discovery about this
period, especially Dampier's, of which, as well as of some more, the
reader will find an account in our 10th volume.--E.
[9] See Waifer's description of the Isthmus of Darien.
[10] See our relation of Commodore Roggewein's voyage in the 11th vol.
of this Collection.--E.
[11] It seems impossible to doubt for a moment, the validity of Cook's
evidence against Bouvet's alleged discovery of land, above alluded to.
In the present day, there is nothing like a whisper insinuated to its
disparagement; and accordingly the name of Bouvet is never mentioned
as a discoverer. The reader need scarcely be reminded of the position
which our accounts of the following voyage occupy in this Collection,
viz. the 12th and 13th volumes.--E.
[12] Footnote in the 1st ed. In the account given of St Helena in the
narrative of my former voyage, I find two mistakes. Its inhabitants
are far from exercising a wanton cruelty over their slaves, and they
have had wheel-carriages and porters' knots for many years.
[13] A satisfactory account of Surville's Voyage is given in
Berenger's Collection, vol. vi. published at Paris, 1790, of which, if
our limits allow it, we may furnish the reader with an abstract. It is
remarkable, as being partly planned by the celebrated Law of
Lauriston. A relation of Kerguelen's voyage, which was made in 1771,
2, and 3, was published at Paris in 1781, and, according to the Bib.
Univ. des Voy. is become scarce. The writer is quite ignorant of its
value. Marion was killed by the savages of New Zealand; after his
death, the voyage was carried on by M. Ducleneur, under whom the
principal observations were made in the South Sea. The account of this
voyage was published at Paris in 1783. The reader will easily believe,
therefore, that Captain Cook could not have profited by any of these
three expeditions.--E.
[14] Till the discovery of what has been denominated Galvanism, it was
difficult, if not impossible, to explain the circumstance alluded to
in the text, that copper corrodes the iron work of vessels. Now, it is
thought there is no mystery in the matter. But, in truth, we have only
been enabled by more certain observation to classify the fact with
several others of a like nature, and all perhaps equally inexplicable.
The application of new names to old things, will scarcely pass with
any philosopher, for a discovery. On the other hand, it is certain,
that the invention of means by which new powers are produced, is
justly entitled to that distinction. It is impossible to withhold this
praise from Galvani and some of his followers.--E.
[15] Both of these gentlemen published works respecting this second
voyage of Cook, to which we shall have occasion to refer in the notes.
That of the former is entitled, "Observations made during a Voyage
round the World, on Physical Geography, Natural History, and Ethic
Philosophy, &c.," and was published at London in 1778, 4to.; that of
the latter is, properly speaking, a full relation of the voyage, and
appeared in two volumes 4to., at London, the year before. There is
good reason for saying. that no account of this voyage can be held
complete, that is not materially aided by these two productions,
which, with sundry imperfections, and perhaps _vices_, have very
great merit, and are highly interesting. They are accordingly, as well
as the work of Mr Wales, freely used for the purpose of this
collection.--E.
[16] Many readers may desire to know what kind of instruments Captain
Cook alludes to above. The following list is taken from Mr Wales's
work, which, from the nature of it, has been rarely looked into by any
but scientific men.
1. A portable observatory. 2. An astronomical clock, made by Mr
Shelton. 3. An assistant clock, made by Mr Monk. 4. A transit
instrument, made by Mr Bird. 5. An astronomical quadrant, by the same
excellent artist. 6. A reflecting telescope, of two feet focal length,
by ditto. 7. An achromatic refracting telescope, of three and a half
feet, and triple object glass, made by Mr Dollond. 8. A Hadley's
sextant, by ditto. 9. Another, by Mr Ramsden. 10. An azimuth compass,
by Mr Adams. 11. A pair of globes, by ditto. 12. A dipping needle, by
Mr Nairne. I3. A marine barometer, by ditto. 14. A wind gage, invented
by Dr Lind of Edinburgh, and made by Mr Nairne. 15. Two portable
barometers, made by Mr Burton. 16. Six thermometers, by ditto. 17. A
theodolite, with a level, and a Gunter's chain, by ditto. 18. An
apparatus for trying the heat of the sea-water at different depths.
19. Two time-keepers, one made by Mr Larcum Kendal, on Mr Harrison's
principles, and the other by Mr John Arnold.
Mr Wales has particularly described some of these instruments, and the
mode of using them. He has, besides, given a very interesting, though
short history of the application of astronomical instruments to
navigation, a summary of which, with some additional remarks, could
scarcely fail to be valued by any reader concerned for the promotion
of useful science. This, accordingly, it is purposed to insert
whenever a proper opportunity occurs. It might seem rather a hindrance
in this place.--E.
[17] The opinion stated in the memoir of Cook, in the Biographia
Britannica, as to his appearance in the character of an author,
perfectly concurs with what the writer has elsewhere said on the
subject; and it may deserve a place here, as a commendatory testimony,
which the modesty of Cook, it is probable, would scarcely have allowed
himself to expect. It is inserted, besides, with greater propriety, as
specifying one of the friends alluded to, of whom, in the capacity of
editor of Cook's third voyage, we shall have another opportunity of
speaking with the esteem due to his literary character, and his most
praise-worthy exertions in the service of both Cook and his family.
"Captain Cook was justly regarded as sufficiently qualified to relate
his own story. His journal only required to be divided into chapters,
and perhaps to be amended by a few verbal corrections. It is not
speaking extravagantly to say, that, in point of composition, his
history of his voyage reflects upon him no small degree of credit. His
style is natural, clear, and manly; being well adapted to the subject
and to his own character: and it is possible, that a pen of more
studied elegance would not have given any additional advantage to the
narration. It was not till some time after Captain Cook's leaving
England, that the work was published; but, in the meanwhile, the
superintendance of it was undertaken by his learned and valuable
friend, Dr Douglas, whose late promotion to the mitre hath afforded
pleasure to every literary man of every denomination." One cannot help
regretting, that Cook never returned to meet with the congratulations
of a highly-satisfied public, not invidiously disposed, it may readily
be imagined, and certainly having no occasion, to see any necessity
for the requested indulgences with which he concludes this
introduction.--E.
[18] Is it not both likely and somewhat allowable, that Cook should
speak of the _fine writer_ and _professed book-maker_, with
a feeling of disgust or irritation; more especially when he could not
but well remember, that his own simple personality had been made the
substratum for the flippant flourish of the one character, and the
unseemly protuberances of the other?--E.
CHAPTER I.[1]
FROM OUR DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND TO LEAVING THE SOCIETY ISLES THE FIRST
TIME.
SECTION I.
_Passage from Deptford to the Cape of Good Hope, with an Account of
several Incidents that happened by the Way, and Transactions there._
I sailed from Deptford, April 9th, 1772, but got no farther than Woolwich,
where I was detained by easterly winds till the 23d, when the ship fell
down to Long Reach, and the next day was joined by the Adventure. Here both
ships received on board their powder, guns, gunners' stores, and marines.
On the 10th of May we left Long Reach, with orders to touch at Plymouth;
but in plying down the river, the Resolution was found to be very crank,
which made it necessary to put into Sheerness in order to remove this evil,
by making some alteration in her upper works. These the officers of the
yard were ordered to take in hand immediately; and Lord Sandwich and Sir
Hugh Palliser came down to see them executed in such a manner as might
effectually answer the purpose intended.
On the 22d of June the ship was again completed for sea, when I sailed from
Sheerness; and on the 3d of July joined the Adventure in Plymouth Sound.
The evening before, we met, off the Sound, Lord Sandwich, in the Augusta
yacht, (who was on his return from visiting the several dock-yards,) with
the Glory frigate and Hazard sloop. We saluted his lordship with seventeen
guns; and soon after he and Sir Hugh Palliser gave us the last mark of the
very great attention they had paid to this equipment, by coming on board,
to satisfy themselves that every thing was done to my wish, and that the
ship was found to answer to my satisfaction.
At Plymouth I received my instructions, dated the 25th of June, directing
me to take under my command the Adventure; to make the best of my way to
the island of Madeira, there to take in a supply of wine, and then proceed
to the Cape of Good Hope, where I was to refresh the ships' companies, and
to take on board such provisions and necessaries as I might stand in need
of. After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, I was to proceed to the southward,
and endeavour to fall in with Cape Circumcision, which was said by Monsieur
Bouvet to lie in the latitude of 54° S. and in about 11° 20' E. longitude
from Greenwich. If I discovered this cape, I was to satisfy myself whether
it was a part of the continent which had so much engaged the attention of
geographers and former navigators, or a part of an island. If it proved to
be the former, I was to employ myself diligently in exploring as great an
extent of it as I could, and to make such notations thereon, and
observations of every kind, as might be useful either to navigation or
commerce, or tend to the promotion of natural knowledge. I was also
directed to observe the genius, temper, disposition, and number of the
inhabitants, if there were any, and endeavour, by all proper means, to
cultivate a friendship and alliance with them; making them presents of such
things as they might value; inviting them to traffic, and shewing them
every kind of civility and regard. I was to continue to employ myself on
this service, and making discoveries either to the eastward or westward, as
my situation might render most eligible; keeping in as high a latitude as I
could, and prosecuting my discoveries as near to the South Pole as
possible, so long as the condition of the ships, the health of their crews,
and the state of their provisions, would admit of; taking care to reserve
as much of the latter as would enable me to reach some known port, where I
was to procure a sufficiency to bring me home to England. But if Cape
Circumcision should prove to be part of an island only, or if I should not
be able to find the said Cape, I was in the first case to make the
necessary survey of the island, and then to stand on to the southward, so
long as I judged there was a likelihood of falling in with the continent,
which I was also to do in the latter case, and then to proceed to the
eastward in further search of the said continent, as well as to make
discoveries of such islands as might be situated in that unexplored part of
the southern hemisphere; keeping in high latitudes, and prosecuting my
discoveries, as above mentioned, as near the pole as possible until I had
circumnavigated the globe; after which I was to proceed to the Cape of Good
Hope, and from thence to Spithead.
In the prosecution of these discoveries, wherever the season of the year
rendered it unsafe for me to continue in high latitudes, I was to retire to
some known place to the northward, to refresh my people, and refit the
ships; and to return again to the southward as soon as the season of the
year would admit of it. In all unforeseen cases, I was authorised to
proceed according to my own discretion; and in case the Resolution should
be lost or disabled, I was to prosecute the voyage on board the Adventure.
I gave a copy of these instructions to Captain Furneaux, with an order
directing him to carry them into execution; and, in case he was separated
from me, appointed the island of Madeira for the first place of rendezvous;
Port Praya in the island of St Jago for the second; Cape of Good Hope for
the third; and New Zealand for the fourth.
During our stay at Plymouth, Messrs Wales and Bayley, the two astronomers,
made observations on Drake's Island, in order to ascertain the latitude,
longitude, and true time for putting the time-pieces and watches in motion.
The latitude was found to be 50° 21' 30" N., and the longitude 4° 20' W. of
Greenwich, which, in this voyage, is every where to be understood as the
first meridian, and from which the longitude is reckoned east and west to
180° each way. On the 10th of July the watches were set a-going in the
presence of the two astronomers, Captain Furneaux, the first lieutenants of
the ships, and myself, and put on board. The two on board the Adventure
were made by Mr Arnold, and also one of those on board the Resolution; but
the other was made by Mr Kendal, upon the same principle, in every respect,
as Mr Harrison's time-piece. The commander, first lieutenant, and
astronomer, on board each, of the ships, kept each of them keys of the
boxes which contained the watches, and were always to be present at the
winding them up, and comparing the one with the other; or some other
officer, if at any time, through indisposition, or absence upon any other
necessary duties, any of them could not conveniently attend. The same day,
according to the custom of the navy, the companies of both ships were paid
two months wages in advance, and, as a further encouragement for their
going this extraordinary voyage, they were also paid the wages due to them
to the 28th of the preceding May. This enabled them to provide necessaries
for the voyage.
On the 13th, at six o'clock in the morning, I sailed from Plymouth Sound,
with the Adventure in company; and on the evening of the 29th anchored in
Funchiale Road, in the island of Madeira. The next morning I saluted the
garrison with eleven guns; which compliment was immediately returned. Soon
after I went on shore, accompanied by Captain Furneaux, the two Mr
Forsters, and Mr Wales. At our landing, we were received by a gentleman
from the vice-consul, Mr Sills, who conducted us to the house of Mr
Loughnans, the most considerable English merchant in the place. This
gentleman not only obtained leave for Mr Forster to search the island for
plants, but procured us every other thing we wanted, and insisted on our
accommodating ourselves at his house during our stay.
The town of Funchiale, which is the capital of the island, is situated
about the middle of the south side, in the bottom of the bay of the same
name, in latitude 32° 33' 34" N., longitude 17° 12-7/8" W. The longitude
was deduced from lunar observations made by Mr Wales, and reduced to the
town by Mr Kendal's watch, which made the longitude 17° 10' 14" W. During
our stay here, the crews of both ships were supplied with fresh beef and
onions; and a quantity of the latter was distributed amongst them for a
sea-store.
Having got on board a supply of water, wine, and other necessaries, we left
Madeira on the 1st of August, and stood to the southward with a fine gale
at N.E. On the 4th we passed Palma, one of the Canary isles. It is of a
height to be seen twelve or fourteen leagues, and lies in the latitude 28°
38' N., longitude 17° 58' W. The next day we saw the isle of Ferro, and
passed it at the distance of fourteen leagues. I judged it to lie in the
latitude of 27° 42' N. and longitude 18° 9' W.[2]
I now made three puncheons of beer of the inspissated juice of malt. The
proportion I made use of was about ten of water to one of juice. Fifteen of
the nineteen half barrels of the inspissated juice which we had on board,
were produced from wort that was hopped before inspissated. The other four
were made of beer that had been both hopped and fermented before
inspissated. This last requires no other preparation to make it fit for
use, than to mix it with cold water, from one part in eight to one part in
twelve of water, (or in such other proportion as might be liked,) then stop
it down, and in a few days it will be brisk and drinkable. But the other
sort, after being mixed with water in the same manner, will require to be
fermented with yeast, in the usual way of making beer; at least it was so
thought. However, experience taught us that this will not always be
necessary: For by the heat of the weather, and the agitation of the ship,
both sorts were at this time in the highest state of fermentation, and had
hitherto evaded all our endeavours to stop it. If this juice could be kept
from fermenting, it certainly would be a most valuable article at sea.[3]
On finding that our stock of water would not last as to the Cape of Good
Hope, without putting the people to a scanty allowance, I resolved to stop
at St Jago for a supply. On the 9th, at nine o'clock in the morning, we
made the island of Bonavista, bearing S.W. The next day, we passed the isle
of Mayo on our right; and the same evening anchored in Port Praya in the
island of St Jago, in eighteen fathom water. The east point of the bay bore
E.; the west point S.W. 1/2 S.; and the fort N.W. I immediately dispatched
an officer to ask leave to water, and purchase refreshments, which was
granted. On the return of the officer, I saluted the fort with eleven guns,
on a promise of its being returned with an equal number. But by a mistake,
as they pretended, the salute was returned with only nine; for which the
governor made an excuse the next day. The 14th, in the evening, having
completed our water, and got on board a supply of refreshments, such as
hogs, goats, fowls, and fruit, we put to sea, and proceeded on our voyage.
Port Praya is a small bay, situated about the middle of the south side of
the island of St Jago, in the latitude of 14° 53' 30" N. longitude 23° 30'
W. It may be known, especially in coming from the east, by the southernmost
hill on the island, which is round, and peaked at top; and lies a little
way inland, in the direction of west from the port. This mark is the more
necessary, as there is a small cove about a league to the eastward, with a
sandy beach in the bottom of it, a valley, and cocoa-nut trees behind,
which strangers may mistake for Port Praya, as we ourselves did. The two
points which form the entrance of Port Praya Bay are rather low, and in the
direction of W.S.W. and E.N.E. half a league from each other. Close to the
west point are sunken rocks, on which the sea continually breaks. The bay
lies in N.W. near half a league; and the depth of water is from fourteen to
four fathoms. Large ships ought not to anchor in less than eight, in which
depth the south end of the Green Island (a small island lying under the
west shore) will bear W. You water at a well that is behind the beach at
the head of the bay. The water is tolerable, but scarce; and bad getting
off, on account of a great surf on the beach. The refreshments to be got
here, are bullocks, hogs, goats, sheep, poultry, and fruits. The goats are
of the antelope kind, so extraordinarily lean, that hardly any thing can
equal them; and the bullocks, hogs, and sheep, are not much better.
Bullocks must be purchased with money; the price is twelve Spanish dollars
a-head, weighing between 250 and 300 pounds. Other articles may be got from
the natives in exchange for old clothes, &c. But the sale of bullocks is
confined to a company of merchants; to whom this privilege is granted, and
who keep an agent residing upon the spot.[4] The fort above mentioned seems
wholly designed for the protection of the bay, and is well situated for
that purpose, being built on an elevation, which rises directly from the
sea on the right, at the head of the bay.
We had no sooner got clear of Port Praya, than we got a fresh gale at
N.N.E. which blew in squalls, attended with showers of rain. But the next
day the wind and showers abated, and veered to the S. It was, however,
variable and unsettled for several days, accompanied with dark gloomy
weather, and showers of rain.[5]
On the 19th, in the afternoon, one of the carpenter's mates fell overboard,
and was drowned. He was over the side, fitting in one of the scuttles, from
whence it is supposed he had fallen; for he was not seen till the very
instant he sunk under the ship's stern, when our endeavours to save him
were too late. This loss was sensibly felt during the voyage, as he was a
sober man and a good workman. About noon the next day, the rain poured down
upon us, not in drops but in streams. The wind, at the same time, was
variable and squally, which obliged the people to attend the decks, so that
few in the ships escaped a good soaking. We, however, benefited by it, as
it gave us an opportunity of filling all our empty water-casks. This heavy
rain at last brought on a dead calm, which continued twenty-four hours,
when it was succeeded by a breeze from S.W. Betwixt this point and S. it
continued for several days; and blew at times in squalls, attended with
rain and hot sultry weather. The mercury in the thermometers at noon, kept
generally from 79 to 82.[6]
On the 27th, spoke with Captain Furneaux, who informed us that one of his
petty officers was dead. At this time _we_ had not one sick on board,
although we had every thing of this kind to fear from the rain we had had,
which is a great promoter of sickness in hot climates. To prevent this, and
agreeable to some hints I had from Sir Hugh Palliser and from Captain
Campbell, I took every necessary precaution by airing and drying the ship
with fires made betwixt decks, smoaking, &c. and by obliging the people to
air their bedding, wash and dry their clothes, whenever there was an
opportunity. A neglect of these things causeth a disagreeable smell below,
affects the air, and seldom fails to bring on sickness, but more especially
in hot and wet weather.
We now began to see some of those birds which are said never to fly far
from land; that is, man-of-war and tropic birds, gannets, &c. No land,
however, that we knew of, could be nearer than eighty leagues.
On the 3Oth at noon, being in the latitude of 2° 35' N., longitude 7° 30'
W., and the wind having veered to the east of south, we tacked and
stretched to the S.W. In the latitude of 0° 52' N., longitude 9° 25' W., we
had one calm day, which gave us an opportunity of trying the current in a
boat. We found it set to the north one-third of a mile an hour. We had
reason to expect this from the difference we frequently found between the
observed latitude, and that given by the log; and Mr Kendal's watch shewed
us that it set to the east also. This was fully confirmed by the lunar
observations; when it appeared that we were 3° 0' more to the east than the
common reckoning. At the time of trying the current, the mercury in the
thermometer in the open air stood at 75-1/2; and when immerged in the
surface of the sea, at 74; but when immerged eighty fathoms deep (where it
remained fifteen minutes) when it came up, the mercury stood at 66.[7] At
the same time we sounded, without out finding the bottom, with a line of
two hundred and fifty fathoms.
The calm was succeeded by a light breeze at S.W., which kept veering by
little and little to the south, and at last to the eastward of south,
attended with clear serene weather. At length, on the 8th of September, we
crossed the Line in the longitude of 8° W.; after which, the ceremony of
ducking, &c., generally practised on this occasion, was not omitted.
The wind now veering more and more to the east, and blowing a gentle top-
gallant gale, in eight days it carried us into the latitude 9° 30' S.,
longitude 18° W. The weather was pleasant; and we daily saw some of those
birds which are looked upon as signs of the vicinity of land; such as
boobies, man of war, tropic birds, and gannets. We supposed they came from
the isle of St Matthew, or Ascension; which isles we must have passed at no
great distance.
On the 27th, in the latitude of 25° 29', longitude 24° 54', we discovered a
sail to the west standing after us. She was a snow; and the colours she
shewed, either a Portuguese or St George's ensign, the distance being too
great to distinguish the one from the other, and I did not choose to wait
to get nearer, or to speak with her.
The wind now began to be variable. It first veered to the north, where it
remained two days with fair weather. Afterwards it came round by the west
to the south, where it remained two days longer, and, after a few hours
calm, sprung up at S.W. But here it remained not long, before it veered to
S.E.E. and to the north of east; blew fresh, and by squalls, with showers
of rain.
With these winds we advanced but slowly; and, without meeting with anything
remarkable till the 11th of October, when, at 6h 24m 12s, by Mr Kendal's
watch, the moon rose about four digits eclipsed, and soon after we prepared
to observe the end of the eclipse, as follows, viz.
h. m. s.
By me at 6 53 51 with a common refractor.
By Mr Forster 6 55 23
By Mr Wales 6 54 57 quadrant telescope.
By Mr Pickersgill 6 55 30 three feet refractor.
By Mr Gilert 6 53 24 naked eye.
By Mr Hervey 6 55 34 quadrant telescope.
---------
Mean 6 54 46-1/2 by the watch.
Watch slow of apparent time 0 3 59
---------
Apparent time 6 58 45-1/2 end of the eclipse.
Ditto 7 25 0 at Greenwich.
---------
Dif. of longitude 0 26 14-1/2 == 6° 33' 30"
The longitude observed by Mr Wales, was
By the [Symbol: Moon] and Aquilae 5° 51' |
By the [Symbol: Moon] and Adebaran 6° 35 |Mean 6° 13' 0"
By Mr Kendal's watch 6° 53 7/8
The next morning, having but little wind, we hoisted a boat out, to try if
there was any current, but found none. From this time to the 16th, we had
the wind between the north and east, a gentle gale. We had for some time
ceased to see any of the birds before-mentioned; and were now accompanied
by albatrosses, pintadoes, sheerwaters, &c., and a small grey peterel, less
than a pigeon. It has a whitish belly, and grey back, with a black stroke
across from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. These birds
sometimes visited us in great flights. They are, as well as the pintadoes,
southern birds; and are, I believe, never seen within the tropics, or north
of the Line.
On the 17th, we saw a sail to the N.W., standing to the eastward, which
hoisted Dutch colours. She kept us company for two days, but the third we
outsailed her.[8]
On the 21st, at 7h. 30m. 20s. a, m., our longitude, by the mean of two
observed distances of the sun and moon, was 8° 4' 30" E., Mr Kendal's watch
at the same time gave 7° 22'. Our latitude was 35° 20' N. The wind was now
easterly, and continued so till the 23d, when it veered to N. and N.W.
after some hours calm; in which we put a boat in the water, and Mr Forster
shot some albatrosses and other birds, on which we feasted the next day,
and found them exceedingly good. At the same time we saw a seal, or, as
some thought, a sea-lion, which probably might be an inhabitant of one of
the isles of Tristian de Cunhah, being now nearly in their latitude, and
about 5° east of them.
The wind continued but two days at N.W. and S.W.; then veered to the S.E.,
where it remained two days longer; then fixed at N.W., which carried us to
our intended port. As we approached the land, the sea-fowl, which had
accompanied us hitherto, began to leave us; at least they did not come in
such numbers. Nor did we see gannets, or the black bird, commonly called
the Cape Hen, till we were nearly within sight of the Cape. Nor did we
strike sounding till Penguin Island bore N.N.E., distant two or three
leagues, where we had fifty fathom water. Not but that the soundings may
extend farther off. However, I am very sure that they do not extend very
far west from the Cape. For we could not find ground with a line of 210
fathoms, twenty-five leagues west of Table-Bay; the same at thirty-five
leagues, and at sixty-four leagues. I sounded these three times, in order
to find a bank, which, I had been told, lies to the west of the cape; but
how far I never could learn.
I was told before I left England, by some gentlemen who were well enough
acquainted with the navigation between England and the Cape of Good Hope,
that I sailed at an improper season of the year; and that I should meet
with much calm weather, near and under the Line. This probably may be the
case some years. It is, however, not general. On the contrary, we hardly
met with any calms; but a brisk S.W. wind in those very latitudes where the
calms are expected. Nor did we meet with any of those tornadoes, so much
spoken of by other navigators. However, what they have said of the current
setting towards the coast of Guinea, as you approach that shore, is true.
For, from the time of our leaving St Jago, to our arrival into the latitude
of 1-1/2° N., which was eleven days, we were carried by the current 3° of
longitude more east than our reckoning. On the other hand, after we had
crossed the Line, and got the S.E. trade-wind, we always found, by
observation, that the ship outstripped the reckoning, which we judged to be
owing to a current setting between the south and west. But, upon the whole,
the currents in this run seemed to balance each other; for upon our arrival
at the Cape, the difference of longitude by dead reckoning kept from
England, without once being corrected, was only three quarters of a degree
less than that by observation.
At two in the afternoon on the 29th, we made the land of the Cape of Good
Hope. The Table Mountain, which is over the Cape Town, bore E.S.E.,
distance twelve or fourteen leagues. At this time it was a good deal
obscured by clouds, otherwise it might, from its height, have been seen at
a much greater distance. We now crowded all the sail we could, thinking to
get into the bay before dark. But when we found this could not be
accomplished, we shortened sail, and spent the night standing off and on.
Between eight and nine o'clock, the whole sea, within the compass of our
sight, became at once, as it were illuminated; or, what the seamen call,
all on fire. This appearance of the sea, in some degree, is very common;
but the cause is not so generally known. Mr Banks and Dr Solander had
satisfied me that it was occasioned by sea-insects. Mr Forster, however,
seemed not to favour this opinion. I therefore had some buckets of water
drawn up from alongside the ship, which we found full of an innumerable
quantity of small globular insects, about the size of a common pin's-head,
and quite transparent. There was no doubt of their being living animals,
when in their own proper element, though we could not perceive any life in
them: Mr Forster, whose province it is more minutely to describe things of
this nature, was now well satisfied with the cause of the sea's
illumination.[9]
At length day-light came and brought us fair weather; and having stood into
Table Bay, with the Adventure in company, we anchored in five fathom water.
We afterwards moored N.E. and S.W., Green Point on the west point of the
bay, bearing N.W. by W., and the church, in one with the valley between the
Table Mountain and the Sugar-Loaf, or Lion's Head, bearing S.W. by S., and
distant from the landing-place near the fort, one mile.
We had no sooner anchored than we were visited by the captain of the port,
or master-attendant, some other officers belonging to the company, and Mr
Brandt. This last gentleman brought us off such things as could not fail of
being acceptable to persons coming from sea. The purport of the master
attendant's visit was, according to custom, to take an account of the
ships; to enquire into the health of the crews; and, in particular, if the
small-pox was on board; a thing they dread, above all others, at the Cape,
and for these purposes a surgeon is always one of the visitants.
My first step after anchoring, was, to send an officer to wait on Baron
Plettenberg, the governor, to acquaint him with our arrival, and the
reasons which induced me to put in there. To this the officer received a
very polite answer; and, upon his return, we saluted the garrison with
eleven guns, which compliment was returned. Soon after I went on shore
myself, and waited upon the governor, accompanied by Captain Furneaux, and
the two Mr Forsters. He received us, with very great politeness, and
promised me every assistance the place could afford. From him I learned
that two French ships from the Mauritius, about eight months before, had
discovered land, in the latitude of 48° S., and in the meridian of that
island, along which they sailed forty miles, till they came to a bay into
which they were about to enter, when they were driven off and separated in
a hard gale of wind, after having lost some of their boats and people,
which they had sent to sound the bay. One of the ships, viz. the La
Fortune, soon after arrived at the Mauritius, the captain of which was sent
home to France with an account of the discovery. The governor also informed
me, that in March last, two other French ships from the island of
Mauritius, touched at the Cape in their way to the South Pacific Ocean;
where they were going to make discoveries, under the command of M. Marion.
Aotourou, the man M. de Bougainville brought from Otaheite, was to have
returned with M. Marion, had he been living.
After having visited the governor and some other principal persons of the
place, we fixed ourselves at Mr Brandt's, the usual residence of most
officers belonging to English ships. This gentleman spares neither trouble
nor expence to make his house agreeable to those who favour him with their
company, and to accommodate them with every thing they want. With him I
concerted measures for supplying the ships with provisions, and all other
necessaries they wanted; which he set about procuring without delay, while
the seamen on board were employed in overhauling the rigging; and the
carpenters in caulking the ships' sides and decks, &c.
Messrs Wales and Bayley got all their instruments on shore, in order to
make astronomical observations for ascertaining the going of the watches,
and other purposes. The result of some of these observations shewed, that
Mr Kendal's watch had answered beyond all expectation, by pointing out the
longitude of this place to within one minute of time to what it was
observed by Messrs Mason and Dixon in 1761.
Three or four days after us, two Dutch Indiamen arrived here from Holland;
after a passage of between four and five months, in which one lost, by the
scurvy and other putrid diseases, 150 men, and the other 41. They sent, on
their arrival, great numbers to the hospital in very dreadful
circumstances. It is remarkable that one of these ships touched at Port
Praya, and left it a month before we arrived there; and yet we got here
three days before her. The Dutch at the Cape having found their hospital
too small for the reception of their sick, were going to build a new one at
the east part of the town; the foundation of which was laid with great
ceremony while we were there.
By the healthy condition of the crews of both ships at our arrival, I
thought to have made my stay at the Cape very short. But, as the bread we
wanted was unbaked, and the spirit, which I found scarce, to be collected
from different parts out of the country, it was the 18th of November before
we had got every thing on board, and the 22d before we could put to sea.
During this stay the crews of both ships were served every day with fresh
beef or mutton, new-baked bread, and as much greens as they could eat. The
ships were caulked and painted; and, in every respect, put in as good a
condition as when they left England. Some alterations in the officers took
place in the Adventure. Mr Shank the first lieutenant having been in an ill
state of health ever since we sailed from Plymouth, and not finding himself
recover here, desired my leave to quit, in order to return home for the re-
establishment of his health. As his request appeared to be well-founded, I
granted him leave accordingly, and appointed Mr Kemp, first lieutenant in
his room, and Mr Burney, one of my midshipmen, second, in the room of Mr
Kemp.
Mr Forster, whose whole time was taken up in the pursuit of natural history
and botany, met with a Swedish gentleman, one Mr Sparman, who understood
something of these sciences, having studied under Dr Linnæus. He being
willing to embark with us, Mr Forster strongly importuned me to take him on
board, thinking that he would be of great assistance to him in the course
of the voyage. I at last consented, and he embarked with us accordingly, as
an assistant to Mr Forster, who bore his expences on board, and allowed him
a yearly stipend besides.[10]
Mr Hodges employed himself here in drawing a view of the Cape, town, and
parts adjacent, in oil colours, which, was properly packed up with some
others, and left with Mr Brandt, in order to be forwarded to the Admiralty
by the first ship that should sail for England.
[1] The reader is desired to remember, that F. placed at a note refers
to Forster's Observations; G.F. to the younger Forster's Account of
the Voyage; and W. to Mr Wales' works. For notes signed E. the editor,
as formerly, must hold himself responsible. Thus much was thought
advisable to save unnecessary repetition. This opportunity is taken of
stating some circumstances respecting the two former works, of
consequence to the parties concerned, and not uninteresting to the
general reader. We are informed in the preface to G.F.'s work, that
when his father was sent out to accompany Captain Cook as a
naturalist, no particular rules were prescribed for his conduct, as
they who appointed him conceived he would certainly endeavour to
derive the greatest possible advantages to learning from his voyage;
that he was only directed therefore, to exercise all his talents, and
to extend his observations to every remarkable object; and that from
him was expected a philosophical history of the voyage, on a plan
which the learned world had not hitherto seen executed. His father,
accordingly, he says, having performed the voyage, and collected his
observations, in conformity to such opinion and expectations,
proceeded, on his return home, to accomplish the remaining task
allotted to him--writing the history of the voyage. It was first
proposed, we are told, that a single narrative should be composed from
his and Cook's papers, the important observations of each being
inserted, and ascertained by appropriate marks. Forster, in
consequence, received a part of Cook's journal, and drew up several
sheets as a specimen; but this plan was soon desisted from, as it was
thought more expedient that the two journals should be kept separate.
In fartherance, then, of this design, it is said, an agreement was
drawn up on the 13th of April, 1776, between Captain Cook and Mr
Forster, in the presence, and with the signature, of the Earl of
Sandwich, which specified the particular parts of the relations to be
prepared by each, and confirmed to both, jointly, the gift of the
valuable plates engraved at the expence of the Admiralty, and
generously bestowed on these two gentlemen in equal shares. Mr F. soon
afterwards presented a second specimen of his narrative to the Earl of
Sandwich, but was surprised to find that it was quite disapproved of,
though at last he was convinced that, as the word "narrative" had been
omitted in the above-mentioned agreement, he was not entitled to
compose a connected account of the voyage. He was, moreover, informed,
that if he chose to preserve his claim to half of the profits arising
from the plates, he must conform to the letter of that agreement. In
this he acquiesced for the benefit of his family; and accordingly,
though he had understood it was intended he should write the history
of the voyage, he found himself confined to the publication of his
unconnected philosophical observations. G. Forster adds, it hurt him
much to see the chief intent of his father's mission defeated, and the
public disappointed in their expectations of a philosophical recital
of facts; however, as he himself had been appointed his father's
assistant, and was bound by no such agreement as that which restrained
him, he thought it incumbent to attempt such a narrative as a duty to
the public, and in justice to the ample materials he had collected
during the voyage. "I was bound," he concludes, "by no agreement
whatever; and that to which my father had signed, did not make him
answerable for my actions, nor, in the most distant manner, preclude
his giving me assistance. Therefore, in every important circumstance I
had leave to consult his journals, and have been enabled to draw up my
narrative with the most scrupulous attention to historical truth."
Such is the defence which Mr G. Forster sets up in behalf of a
conduct, which it is certain was very differently construed by the
patrons of the expedition, whose indignant opinions were so far
regarded by the public, as to render the residence of both father and
son in England no longer pleasant or respectable. They left it and
went to the continent; though it is likely they were the more induced
to do so by certain family difficulties, and the ill effects of the
father's turbulent temper, which speedily lost him the friends his
uncommon abilities and erudition had procured. The reader who desires
information respecting these two singular men, and the sentiments
entertained in general as to their improper conduct in the matter of
the publication, may turn to the Supplement to the Encyclopaedia
Britannica. It is, however, but justice to inform him, that the
account there given, bears decisive indications of party bias in more
senses than one; and that the strongest assertions it contains as to
the share which Forster the father had in the publication, are not
supported on evidence sufficient for the conviction of any
unprejudiced mind. The writer of that article, as of several others in
that very valuable publication, appears to have given up his
imagination to the prevailing terrors of the times, and to have
become, at last, almost incapable of discriminating betwixt personal
delinquency and epidemic immorality--the misfortunes incident to
individuals in every age or country, and the evils arising out of the
erroneous creeds and systems of a particular time and place. A single
quotation from the article now alluded to, may be conducive to the
reader's favourable acceptance of that portion of the Forsters'
labours from which it is proposed to supply many of the succeeding
notes. "An account of the voyage was published in English and German,
by George Forster; and the language, which is correct and elegant, was
undoubtedly his; but those who knew both him and his father, are
satisfied that the matter proceeded from the joint stock of their
observations and reflections. Several parts of the work, and
particularly the elaborate investigations relative to the languages
spoken by the natives of the South Sea Islands, and the speculations
concerning their successive migrations, are thought to be strongly
impressed with the genius of the elder Forster." Before concluding
this note, it may be proper to say, that Mr Wales conceiving Mr G.
Forster had made some misrepresentations of certain facts, wrote some
remarks upon his book, to which Mr F. replied. This is said on the
authority of the Biog. Brit. for the writer himself has never seen
either of the productions alluded to. That work very candidly admits,
that the Forsters' books contain much curious and useful information.
It is probable, then, that the readers in general will concur with the
writer in discarding entirely all consideration of moral conduct as to
the agreement, and availing themselves of whatever of utility or
amusement the publication in question can afford.--E.
[2] The same day we observed several flying fishes, pursued by bonitos
and dolphins, rising out of the water in order to escape from them.
They were flying in all directions, and not against the wind only, as
Mr Kalm seems to think. Neither did they confine themselves to a
strait-lined course, but frequently were seen to describe a curve.
When they met the top of a wave as they skimmed along the surface of
the ocean, they passed through, and continued their flight beyond it.
From this time, till we left the torrid zone, we were almost daily
amused with the view of immense shoals of these fishes, and now and
then caught one upon our decks, when it had unfortunately taken its
flight too far, and was spent by its too great elevation above the
surface of the sea."--G.F.
[3] "About this time, the captain ordered the ship to be fumigated
with gunpowder and vinegar, having taken notice that all our books and
utensils became covered with mould, and all our iron and steel, though
ever so little exposed, began to rust. Nothing is more probable than
that the vapours, which now filled the air, contained some saline
particles, since moisture alone does not appear to produce such an
effect."--G.F.
There can be no doubt that the atmospherical air is capable of
sustaining marine salt in a state of solution, and of bearing it off
to great distances on land, where it serves important purposes in
animal and vegetable economy. The reader will be pleased with some
remarks on the subject in Robison's Account of Black's Lectures. The
air in the vessel, then, it will be readily imagined will contain it,
and hence, as it is known that it is gradually decomposed by iron, the
rust that was observed. The process of corroding the iron, &c. as it
is commonly called, would be much accelerated by moisture, as the
muriatic acid acts most powerfully on bodies capable of decomposing
water; and it is no less certain, that the heat of a tropical climate
would aid the operation. But it is difficult to explain how any
benefit could be derived from the fumigation said to be practised by
Cook on this occasion, otherwise than by producing dry warm air.
Indeed, many persons will imagine that the circumstances required
nothing more than free ventilation, and the occasional use of fires to
destroy moisture. Mr Forster takes particular notice of what is
mentioned in the text about the fermentation of the inspissated juice
of malt, or, as he calls it, essence of beer; and he says, that, by
the advice of his father, a vessel strongly fumigated with sulphur was
filled with it, and prevented the fermentation for a few days. He does
not explain on what principle, and perhaps was not acquainted with it.
The fact is, that sulphuric acid, which is produced by the burning of
sulphur, has the power of checking, or altogether destroying, the
fermentation of substances. In the present case, it seems, enough of
it had not been produced to answer the purpose effectually. Some other
acids have the same power. Hence the desideratum mentioned in the text
is easily supplied. The juice, it may be thought, will be changed by
the addition of a strong acid, and rendered unserviceable. There can
be no doubt, however, that when it is required for the purpose of
making beer, &c. means could be used to neutralize the acid that had
been added to it, without materially, or at all, affecting the juice
itself.--E.
[4] "When we made application to this indolent Don, by the governor's
direction, to be supplied with cattle, he indeed promised to furnish
us with as many as we wanted, but we never got more than a single lean
bullock. The company perfectly tyrannizes over the inhabitants, and
sells them wretched merchandize at exorbitant prices."--G.F.
This gentleman says there are very few white people in the Cape Verd
Islands; that he did not see more than five or six at St Jago,
including the governor, commandant, and company's agent; and that in
some of the islands even the governors and priests are taken from
among the blacks. He draws a moving picture of the wretched condition
of these forlorn islanders, under the indolent and yet oppressive
government of the court of Lisbon. Mr G.F. be it known, was peculiarly
sharp-sighted in discovering, and vehement in inveighing against,
every impolitic violation of human liberty. In the judgments of some
persons, he had imbibed too readily the intoxicating beverage of
revolutionary France. Many strong heads, it is certain, were not proof
against its effects.--E.
[5] "Before leaving Port Praya, Captain Cook invited the governor-
general and the commandant to dinner, and we staid on board in order
to act as interpreters on this occasion. The captain sent them his own
boat; but when it came on shore the governor begged to be excused,
because he was always affected with sickness on board any vessel,
whether at sea or in harbour. The commandant promised to come, but
having at first neglected to ask the governor's leave, the latter
retired to take his _siesta_, (or afternoon's repose,) and no one
ventured to disturb him."--G.F.
[6] "The heavy rains entirely soaked the plumage of a poor swallow,
which had accompanied us for several days past; it was obliged,
therefore, to settle on the railing of the quarter-deck, and suffered
itself to be caught. From the history of this bird, which was of the
common species, we may deduce the circumstances that bring solitary
land-birds a great way out to sea. It seems to be probable, that they
begin with following a ship, from the time she leaves the land; that
they are soon lost in the great ocean, and are thus obliged to
continue close to the ship, as the only solid mass in this immense
fluid expanse. If two or more ships are in company, it is also easy to
account for the expression of _meeting with_ land-birds at a great
distance from land, because they may happen to follow some other ship
from the shore, than that which carries the observer; thus they may
escape observation for a day or two, or perhaps longer, and when
noticed, are supposed to be _met with_ at sea. However, great storms
are sometimes known to have driven single birds, nay, vast flocks, out
to sea, which are obliged to seek for rest on board of ships at
considerable distances from any land. Captain Cook very obligingly
communicated to me a fact which confirms the above assertion. "Being
on board of a ship between Norway and England, he met with a violent
storm, during which a flight of several hundred birds covered the
whole rigging of the ship. Among numbers of small birds he observed
several hawks, which lived very luxuriously by preying on those poor
defenceless creatures."--G.F.
To record incidents such as these, will not seem unimportant or
injudicious to any one who knows the philosophical value of facts in
the formation of just theories.--E.
[7] "This morning, 5th September, I let down a thermometer, suspended
in the middle of a strong wooden case, of such a construction as to
let the water pass freely through it in its descent, but which shut
close the instant it began to be drawn up. By this means the
thermometer was brought up in a body of water of the same heat with
that it had been let down to. The results were as above."--W.
This opportunity may be used for introducing the following table and
remarks, which are certainly deserving attention. "To ascertain the
degree of _warmth_ of the sea-water, at a certain depth, several
experiments were made by us. The thermometer made use of, was of
Fahrenheit's construction, made by Mr Ramsden, and furnished with an
ivory scale; it was, on these occasions, always put into a cylindrical
tin case, which had at each end a valve, admitting the water as long
as the instrument was going down, and shutting while it was hauling up
again. The annexed table will at once shew the result of the
experiments.
| Degrees of Fahrenheit's | |Stay of |Time in|
| Thermometer. | |the |hauling|
|--------------------------| |Thermo- |the |
| |On the | |Depth |meter |Thermo-|
| In the |Surface |At a |in |in the |meter |
| Air. |of the |certain |Fathoms. |Deep. |up. |
Date |Latitude | |Sea. |Depth. | | | |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1772
Sept. 5 00°52'N. 75° 74° 66° 85 F. 30' 27-1/2'
Sept.27. 24°44'S. 72-1/2 70° 68° 80 F. 15' 7'
Oct. 12. 34°48'S. 60° 59° 58° 100 F. 2O' 6'
Dec. 15. 55°00'S. 30-1/2° 30° 34° 100 F. 17' 5-1/2'
Dec. 23. 55°26'S 33° 32° 34-1/2° 100 F. 16' 6-1/2'
1773
Jan. 13. 61°00'S. 37° 33-1/2° 32° 100 F. 20' 7'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From this table it appears, that under the Line and near the tropics,
the water is cooler at a great depth than at its surface. In high
latitudes, the air is cooler sometimes, sometimes very near upon a
par, and sometimes warmer than the sea-water at the depth of about 100
fathoms, according as the preceding changes of the temperature of the
air, or the direction and violence of the wind happen to fall out. For
it is to be observed, that these experiments were always made when we
had a calm, or at least very little wind; because in a gale of wind,
we could not have been able to make them in a boat. Another probable
cause of the difference in the temperature of the sea-water in the
same high latitude, undoubtedly must be sought in the ice; in a sea
covered with high and extensive ice islands, the water should be
colder than in a sea which is at a great distance from any ice."--F.
This table is evidently too confined, and made up of too few elements,
to justify almost any general inferences. The subject is certainly a
curious one, and merits full investigation, but presents very
considerable difficulties, as many circumstances, which are likely to
modify the result, may escape notice during the experiments. It has
been said, that as water is most dense at from 37 to 39 Fahrenheit,
this may be presumed to be the mean temperature at the bottom of the
sea; but such hypothetical deductions are, perhaps, entitled to little
confidence. It may however be safely enough presumed, that the
temperature of the sea is kept tolerably uniform on the well-known
principle of statics, that the heavier columns of any fluid displace
those that are lighter. The waters of the ocean, perhaps, are the
great agent by which the average temperature of our globe is preserved
almost entirely invariable. We shall have an opportunity, in the
account of another voyage, to make some remarks on this subject, and
to notice more exact experiments than those just now mentioned.--E.
[8] "On this day, we had an alarm that one of our crew was overboard,
upon which we immediately put about, but seeing nothing, the names of
all persons on board the vessel were called over, and none found
missing, to our great satisfaction. Our friends on board the
Adventure, whom we visited a few days after, told us they had indeed
suspected by our manoeuvre, the accident which we had apprehended, but
that looking out on the sea, Captain Furneaux had plainly observed a
sea-lion, that had been the cause of this false alarm."--G.F.
[9] Mr G.F. concludes his description of this well-known appearance in
the following very just remark: "There was a singularity, and a
grandeur in the display of this phenomenon, which could not fail of
giving occupation to the mind, and striking it with a reverential awe,
due to Omnipotence. The ocean covered to a great extent, with myriads
of animalcules; these little beings, organized, alive, endowed with
locomotive power, a quality of shining whenever they please, and
illuminating every body with which they come in contact, and of laying
aside their luminous appearance at pleasure; all these ideas crowded
upon us, and bade us admire the Creator, even in his minutest works."
However florid the language of this gentleman on the subject, his
account and opinions are strongly enforced by the recent discoveries
of the French naturalists related by Mr Peron, to which we shall
probably call the reader's attention hereafter.--E.
[10] Mr G.F. speaks with much more enthusiasm, as one might have
expected, of Dr Sparrman, extolling his talents and activity in the
course of science, but lamenting, at the same time, that this voyage,
on which he now set out, yielded much less matter for observation than
his ardent mind had anticipated. That gentleman's labours at the Cape,
it seems, however, especially in botany, were very successful; he and
Dr Thunberg having, it is said, gathered above a thousand species
entirely unknown before.--E.
SECTION II.
_Departure from the Cape of Good Hope, in search of a Southern
Continent._
Having at length finished my business at the Cape, and taken leave of the
governor and some others of the chief officers, who, with very obliging
readiness, had given me all the assistance I could desire, on the 22d of
November we repaired on board; and at three o'clock in the afternoon
weighed, and came to sail with the wind at N. by W. As soon as the anchor
was up, we saluted the port with fifteen guns, which was immediately
returned; and after making a few trips, got out of the bay by seven
o'clock, at which time the town bore S.E. distant four miles. After this we
stood to the westward all night, in order to get clear of the land, having
the wind at N.N.W. and N.W., blowing in squalls attended with rain, which
obliged us to reef our topsails. The sea was again illuminated for some
time, in the same manner as it was the night before we arrived in Table
Bay.
Having got clear of the land, I directed my course for Cape Circumcision.
The wind continued at N.W. a moderate gale, until the 24th, when it veered
round to the eastward. On the noon of this day, we were in the latitude of
35° 25' S., and 29' west of the Cape; and had abundance of albatrosses
about us, several of which were caught with hook and line; and were very
well relished by many of the people, notwithstanding they were at this time
served with fresh mutton. Judging that we should soon come into cold
weather, I ordered slops to be served to such as were in want; and gave to
each man the fearnought jacket and trowsers allowed them by the Admiralty.
The wind continued easterly for two days, and blew a moderate gale, which
brought us into the latitude of 39° 4', and 2° of longitude west of the
Cape, thermometer 52-1/2[1] The wind now came to W. and S.W.; and on the
29th fixed at W.N.W., and increased to a storm, which continued, with some
few intervals of moderate weather, till the 6th of December, when we were
in the latitude of 48° 41' S., and longitude 18° 24' E. This gale, which
was attended with rain and hail, blew at times with such violence that we
could carry no sails; by which means we were driven far to the eastward of
our intended course, and no hopes were left me of reaching Cape
Circumcision. But the greatest misfortune that attended us, was the loss of
great part of our live stock, which we had brought from the Cape, and which
consisted of sheep, hogs, and geese. Indeed this sudden transition from
warm, mild weather, to extreme cold and wet, made every man in the ship
feel its effects. For by this time the mercury in the thermometer had
fallen to 38; whereas at the Cape it was generally at 67 and upwards. I now
made some addition to the people's allowance of spirit, by giving them a
dram whenever I thought it necessary, and ordered Captain Furneaux to do
the same. The night proved clear and serene, and the only one that was so
since we left the Cape; and the next morning the rising sun gave us such
flattering hopes of a fine day, that we were induced to let all the reefs
out of the top-sails, and to get top-gallant yards across, in order to make
the most of a fresh gale at north. Our hopes, however, soon vanished; for
before eight o'clock, the serenity of the sky was changed into a thick
haze, accompanied with rain. The gale increasing obliged us to hand the
main-sail, close-reef our top-sails, and to strike top-gallant yards. The
barometer at this time was unusually low, which foreboded an approaching
storm, and this happened accordingly. For, by one o'clock p. m. the wind,
which was at N.W., blew with such strength as obliged us to take in all our
sails, to strike top-gallant-masts, and to get the spritsail-yard in. And I
thought proper to wear, and lie-to, under a mizzen-stay-sail, with the
ships' heads to the N.E. as they would bow the sea, which ran prodigiously
high, better on this tack.
At eight o'clock next morning, being the 8th, we wore, and lay on the other
tack; the gale was a little abated, but the sea ran too high to make sail,
any more than the fore-top-mast-stay-sail. In the evening, being in the
latitude of 49° 40 S., and 1-1/2° E. of the Cape, we saw two penguins and
some sea or rock-weed, which occasioned us to sound, without finding ground
at 100 fathoms. At eight p. m. we wore, and lay with our heads to the N.E.
till three in the morning of the 9th, then wore again to the southward, the
wind blowing in squalls attended with showers of snow. At eight, being
something more moderate, I made the Adventure signal to make sail; and soon
after made sail ourselves under the courses and close-reefed top-sails. In
the evening, took in the top-sails and main-sail, and brought-to under
fore-sail and mizzen; thermometer at 36°. The wind still at N.W. blew a
fresh gale, accompanied with a very high sea. In the night had a pretty
smart frost with snow.[2]
In the morning of the 10th we made sail under courses and top-sails close-
reefed; and made the signal for the Adventure to make sail and lead. At
eight o'clock saw an island of ice to the westward of us, being then in the
latitude of 56° 40' S. and longitude 2° 0' E. of the Cape of Good Hope.
Soon after the wind moderated, and we let all the reefs out of the top-
sails, got the spritsail-yard out, and top-gallant-mast up. The weather
coming hazy, I called the Adventure by signal under my stern, which was no
sooner done, than the haze increased so much with snow and sleet, that we
did not see an island of ice, which we were steering directly for, till we
were less than a mile from it. I judged it to be about 50 feet high, and
half a mile in circuit. It was flat at top, and its sides rose in a
perpendicular direction, against which the sea broke exceedingly high.
Captain Furneaux at first took this ice for land, and hauled off from it,
until called back by signal. As the weather was foggy, it was necessary to
proceed with caution. We therefore reefed our top-sails, and at the same
time sounded, but found no ground with 150 fathoms. We kept on to the
southward with the wind at north till night, which we spent in making short
trips, first one way and then another, under an easy sail; thermometer
these 24 hours from 36-1/2 to 31.
At day-light in the morning of the 11th, we made sail to the southward with
the wind at west, having a fresh gale, attended with sleet and snow. At
noon we were in the latitude of 51° 50' S., and longitude 21° 3' E., where
we saw some white birds about the size of pigeons, with blackish bills and
feet. I never saw any such before; and Mr Forster had no knowledge of them.
I believe them to be of the peterel tribe, and natives of these icy
seas.[3] At this time we passed between two ice islands, which lay at a
little distance from each other.
In the night the wind veered to N.W. which enabled us to steer S.W. On the
12th we had still thick hazy weather, with sleet and snow; so that we were
obliged to proceed with great caution on account of the ice islands. Six of
these we passed this day; some of them near two miles in circuit, and sixty
feet high. And yet, such was the force and height of the waves, that the
sea broke quite over them. This exhibited a view which for a few moments
was pleasing to the eye; but when we reflected on the danger, the mind was
filled with horror. For were a ship to get against the weather-side of one
of these islands when the sea runs high, she would be dashed to pieces in a
moment. Upon our getting among the ice islands, the albatrosses left us;
that is, we saw but one now and then. Nor did our other companions, the
pintadoes, sheerwaters, small grey birds, fulmars, &c., appear in such
numbers; on the other hand, penguins began to make their appearance. Two of
these birds were seen to-day.
The wind in the night veered to west, and at last fixed at S.W., a fresh
gale, with sleet and snow, which froze on our sails and rigging as it fell,
so that they were all hung with icicles. We kept on to the southward,
passed no less than eighteen ice islands, and saw more penguins. At noon on
the 13th, we were in the latitude of 54° S., which is the latitude of Cape
Circumcision, discovered by M. Bouvet in 1739; but we were ten degrees of
longitude east of it; that is, near 118 leagues in this latitude. We stood
on to the S.S.E. till eight o'clock in the evening, the weather still
continuing thick and hazy, with sleet and snow. From noon till this time,
twenty ice islands, of various extent, both for height and circuit,
presented themselves to our view. At eight o'clock we sounded, but found no
ground with 150 fathom of line.
We now tacked and made a trip to the northward till midnight, when we stood
again to the southward; and at half an hour past six o'clock in the morning
of the 14th, we were stopped by an immense field of low ice; to which we
could see no end, either to the east, west, or south. In different parts of
this field were islands or hills of ice, like those we found floating in
the sea; and some on board thought they saw land also over the ice, bearing
S.W. by S. I even thought so myself; but changed my opinion upon more
narrowly examining these ice hills, and the various appearances they made
when seen through the haze. For at this time it was both hazy and cloudy in
the horizon; so that a distant object could not be seen distinct.[4] Being
now in the latitude of 54° 50' S. and longitude 21° 34' E., and having the
wind at N.W. we bore away along the edge of the ice, steering S.S.E. and
S.E., according to the direction of the north side of it, where we saw many
whales, penguins, some white birds, pintadoes, &c.
At eight o'clock we brought-to under a point of the ice, where we had
smooth water: and I sent on board for Captain Furneaux. After we had fixed
on rendezvouses in case of separation, and some other matters for the
better keeping company, he returned on board, and we made sail again along
the ice. Some pieces we took up along-side, which yielded fresh water. At
noon we had a good observation, and found ourselves in latitude 54° 55' S.
We continued a south-east course along the edge of the ice, till one
o'clock, when we came to a point round which we hauled S.S.W., the sea
appearing to be clear of ice in that direction. But after running four
leagues upon this course, with the ice on our starboard side, we found
ourselves quite imbayed; the ice extending from N.N.E. round by the west
and south, to east, in one compact body. The weather was indifferently
clear; and yet we could see no end to it. At five o'clock we hauled up
east, wind at north, a gentle gale, in order to clear the ice. The extreme
east point of it, at eight o'clock, bore E. by S., over which appeared a
clear sea. We however spent the night in making short boards, under an easy
sail. Thermometer, these 24 hours, from 32 to 30.
Next day, the 15th, we had the wind at N.W., a small gale, thick foggy
weather, with much snow; thermometer from 32 to 27; so that our sails and
rigging were all hung with icicles. The fog was so thick at times, that we
could not see the length of the ship; and we had much difficulty to avoid
the many islands of ice that surrounded us. About noon, having but little
wind, we hoisted out a boat to try the current, which we found set S.E.
near 3/4 of a mile an hour. At the same time, a thermometer, which in the
open air was at 32°, in the surface of the sea was at 30°; and, after being
immerged 100 fathoms deep for about fifteen or twenty minutes, came up at
34°, which is only 2° above freezing.[5] Our latitude at this time was 55°
8'.
The thick fog continued till two o'clock in the afternoon of the next day,
when it cleared away a little, and we made sail to the southward, wind
still at N.W. a gentle gale. We had not run long to the southward before we
fell in with the main field of ice extending from S.S.W. to E. We now bore
away to east along the edge of it; but at night hauled off north, with the
wind at W.N.W., a gentle gale, attended with snow.
At four in the morning on the 17th, stood again to the south; but was again
obliged to bear up on account of the ice, along the side of which we
steered betwixt E. and S.S.W., hauling into every bay or opening, in hopes
of finding a passage to the south. But we found every where the ice closed.
We had a gentle gale at N.W. with showers of snow. At noon we were, by
observation, in the latitude of 55° 16' S. In the evening the weather was
clear and serene. In the course of this day we saw many whales, one seal,
penguins, some of the white birds, another sort of peterel, which is brown
and white, and not much unlike a pintado; and some other sorts already
known. We found the skirts of the loose ice to be more broken than usual;
and it extended some distance beyond the main field, insomuch that we
sailed amongst it the most part of the day; and the high ice islands
without us were innumerable. At eight o'clock we sounded, but found no
ground with 250 fathoms of line. After this we hauled close upon a wind to
the northward, as we could see the field of ice extend as far as N.E. But
this happened not to be the northern point; for at eleven o'clock we were
obliged to tack to avoid it.
At two o'clock the next morning we stood again to the northward, with the
wind at N.W. by W., thinking to weather the ice upon this tack; on which we
stood but two hours, before we found ourselves quite imbayed, being then in
latitude 55° 8', longitude 24° 3'. The wind veering more to the north, we
tacked and stood to the westward under all the sail we could carry, having
a fresh breeze and clear weather, which last was of short duration. For at
six o'clock it became hazy, and soon after there was thick fog; the wind
veered to the N.E., freshened and brought with it snow and sleet, which
froze on the rigging as it fell. We were now enabled to get clear of the
field of ice: but at the same time we were carried in amongst the ice
islands, in a manner equally dangerous, and which with much difficulty we
kept clear of.
Dangerous as it is to sail among these floating rocks (if I may be allowed
to call them so) in a thick fog, this, however, is preferable to being
entangled with immense fields of ice under the same circumstances. The
great danger to be apprehended in this latter case, is the getting fast in
the ice; a situation which would be exceedingly alarming. I had two men on
board that had been in the Greenland trade; the one of them in a ship that
lay nine weeks, and the other in one that lay six weeks, fast in this kind
of ice, which they called packed ice. What they called field ice is
thicker; and the whole field, be it ever so large, consists of one piece.
Whereas this which I call field-ice, from its immense extent, consists of
many pieces of various sizes, both in thickness and surface, from thirty or
forty feet square to three or four, packed close together, and in places
heaped one upon another. This, I am of opinion, would be found too hard for
a ship's side, that is not properly armed against it. How long it may have
lain, or will lie here, is a point not easily determined. Such ice is found
in the Greenland seas all the summer long; and I think it cannot be colder
there in the summer, than it is here. Be this as it may, we certainly had
no thaw; on the contrary, the mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer kept
generally below the freezing point, although it was the middle of summer.
It is a general opinion, that the ice I have been speaking of, is formed in
bays and rivers. Under this supposition we were led to believe that land
was not far distant; and that it even lay to the southward behind the ice,
which alone hindered us from approaching to it. Therefore, as we had now
sailed above thirty leagues along the edge of the ice, without finding a
passage to the south, I determined to run thirty or forty leagues to the
east, afterwards endeavour to get to the southward, and, if I met with no
land, or other impediment, to get behind the ice, and put the matter out of
all manner of dispute. With this view, we kept standing to the N.W., with
the wind at N.E. and N., thick foggy weather, with sleet and snow, till six
in the evening, when the wind veered to N.W., and we tacked and stood to
the eastward, meeting with many islands of ice of different magnitudes, and
some loose pieces: The thermometer from 30 to 34; weather very hazy, with
sleet and snow, and more sensibly colder than the thermometer seemed to
point out, insomuch that the whole crew complained. In order to enable them
to support this weather the better, I caused the sleeves of their jackets
(which were so short as to expose their arms) to be lengthened with baize;
and had a cap made for each man of the same stuff, together with canvas;
which proved of great service to them.
Some of our people appearing to have symptoms of the scurvy, the surgeons
began to give them fresh wort every day, made from the malt we had on board
for that purpose. One man in particular was highly scorbutic; and yet he
had been taking the rob of lemon and orange for some time, without being
benefited thereby. On the other hand, Captain Furneaux told me, that he had
two men, who, though far gone in this disease, were now in a manner
entirely cured by it.[6]
We continued standing to the eastward till eight o'clock in the morning of
the 21st; when, being in the latitude of 53° 50', and longitude 29° 24' E.,
we hauled to the south, with the wind at west, a fresh gale and hazy, with
snow. In the evening the wind fell and the weather cleared up, so as that
we could see a few leagues round us; being in the latitude of 54° 43' S.
longitude 29° 30' E.
At ten o'clock, seeing many islands of ice a-head, and the weather coming
on foggy, with snow, we wore and stood to the northward, till three in the
morning, when we stood again to the south. At eight, the weather cleared
up, and the wind came to W.S.W., with which we made all the sail we could
to the south; having never less than ten or twelve islands of ice in sight.
Next day we had the wind at S.W. and S.S.W., a gentle gale, with now and
then showers of snow and hail. In the morning, being in the latitude of 55°
20' S., and longitude 31° 30' E., we hoisted out a boat to see if there was
any current, but found none. Mr Forster, who went in the boat, shot some of
the small grey birds before-mentioned, which were of the peterel tribe, and
about the size of a small pigeon. Their back, and upper side of their
wings, their feet and bills, are of a blue-grey colour. Their bellies, and
under side of their wings are white, a little tinged with blue. The upper
side of their quill feathers is a dark-blue tinged with black. A streak is
formed by feathers nearly of this colour, along the upper parts of the
wings, and crossing the back a little above the tail. The end of the tail
feathers is also of the same colour. Their bills are much broader than any
I have seen of the same tribe; and their tongues are remarkably broad.
These blue peterels, as I shall call them, are seen no where but in the
southern hemisphere, from about the latitude of 28°, and upwards.
Thermometer at 33° in the open air, and 32° in the sea at the surface, and
at 34-1/2 when drawn, and 6-1/2 minutes in drawing up from 100 fathoms
below it, where it had been sixteen minutes.
On the 24th, the wind blew from N.W. to N.E., a gentle gale, fair and
cloudy. At noon we were by observation, in the latitude of 56° 31' S, and
longitude 31° 19' E., the thermometer at 35. And being near an island of
ice, which was about fifty feet high, and 400 fathoms in circuit, I sent
the master in the jolly-boat to see if any water run from it. He soon
returned with an account that there was not one drop, or any other
appearance of thaw. In the evening we sailed through several floats, or
fields of loose ice, lying in the direction of S.E. and N.W.; at the same
time we had continually several islands of the same composition in sight.
On the 25th, the wind veering round from the N.E., by the east to south, it
blew a gentle gale; with which we stood to the W.S.W, and at noon were in
the latitude of 57° 50' S., and longitude 29° 32' E. The weather was fair
and cloudy; the air sharp and cold, attended with a hard frost. And,
although this was the middle of summer with us, I much question if the day
was colder in any part of England. The wind continued at south, blew a
fresh gale, fair and cloudy weather, till near noon the next day, when we
had clear sun-shine, and found ourselves, by observation, in the latitude
of 58° 31' S., longitude 26° 57' E.
In the course of the last twenty-four hours we passed through several
fields of broken loose ice. They were in general narrow, but of a
considerable length, in the direction of N.W. and S.E. The ice was so close
in one, that it would hardly admit the ship through it. The pieces were
flat, from four to six or eight inches thick, and appeared of that sort of
ice which is generally formed in bays or rivers. Others again were
different; the pieces forming various honey-combed branches, exactly like
coral rocks, and exhibiting such a variety of figures as can hardly be
conceived.
We supposed this ice to have broke from the main field we had lately left;
and which I was determined to get to the south of, or behind, if possible,
in order to satisfy myself whether or not it joined to any land, as had
been conjectured. With this view I kept on to the westward, with a gentle
gale at south, and S.S.W., and soon after six o'clock in the evening, we
saw some penguins, which occasioned us to sound; but we found no ground
with 150 fathoms.
In the morning of the 27th, we saw more loose ice, but not many islands;
and those we did see were but small. The day being calm and pleasant, and
the sea smooth, we hoisted out a boat, from which Mr Forster shot a penguin
and some peterels. These penguins differ not from those seen in other parts
of the world, except in some minute particulars distinguishable only by
naturalists. Some of the peterels were of the blue sort, but differed from
those before-mentioned, in not having a broad bill; and the ends of their
tail feathers were tipped with white instead of dark-blue. But whether
these were only the distinctions betwixt the male and female, was a matter
disputed by our naturalists. We were now in the latitude of 58° 19' S.,
longitude 24° 39' E., and took the opportunity of the calm, to sound; but
found no ground with a line of 220 fathoms. The calm continued till six in
the evening, when it was succeeded by a light breeze from the east, which
afterwards increased to a fresh gale.
In the morning of the 28th I made the signal to the Adventure to spread
four miles on my starboard beam; and in this position we continued sailing
W.S.W., until four o'clock in the afternoon, when the hazy weather,
attended with snow showers, made it necessary for us to join. Soon after we
reefed our top-sails, being surrounded on all sides with islands of ice. In
the morning of the 29th we let them out again, and set top-gallant-sails;
still continuing our course to the westward, and meeting with several
penguins. At noon we were by observation in the latitude of 59° 12',
longitude 19° 1' E., which is 3° more to the west than we were when we
first fell in with the field of ice; so that it is pretty clear that it
joined to no land, as we conjectured.
Having come to a resolution to run as far west as the meridian of Cape
Circumcision, provided we met with no impediment, as the distance was not
more than eighty leagues, the wind favourable, and the sea seemed to be
pretty clear of ice, I sent on board for Captain Furneaux, to make him
acquainted therewith, and after dinner he returned to his ship. At one
o'clock we steered for an island of ice, thinking if there were any loose
ice round it, to take some on board, and convert it into fresh water. At
four we brought-to, close under the lee of the island, where we did not
find what we wanted, but saw upon it eighty-six penguins. This piece of ice
was about half a mile in circuit, and one hundred feet high and upwards,
for we lay for some minutes with every sail becalmed under it. The side on
which the penguins were, rose sloping from the sea, so as to admit them to
creep up it.
It is a received opinion, that penguins never go far from land, and that
the sight of them is a sure indication of its vicinity. The opinion may
hold good where there are no ice islands; but where such are, these birds,
as well as many others which usually keep near the shores, finding a
roosting-place upon these islands, may be brought by them a great distance
from any land. It will, however, be said, that they must go on shore to
breed, that probably the females were there, and that these are only the
males which we saw. Be this as it may, I shall continue to take notice of
these birds whenever we see them, and leave every one to judge for himself.
We continued our course to the westward, with a gentle gale at E.N.E., the
weather being sometimes tolerably clear, and at other times thick and hazy,
with snow. The thermometer for a few days past was from 31 to 36. At nine
o'clock the next morning, being the 30th, we shot one of the white birds,
upon which we lowered a boat into the water to take it up, and by that
means killed a penguin which weighed eleven pounds and a half. The white
bird was of the peterel tribe; the bill, which is rather short, is of a
colour between black and dark blue, and their legs and feet are blue. I
believe them to be the same sort of birds that Bouvet mentions to have seen
when he was off Cape Circumcision.
We continued our westerly course till eight o'clock in the evening, when we
steered N.W., the point on which I reckoned the above-mentioned cape to
bear. At midnight we fell in with loose ice, which soon after obliged us to
tack, and stretch to the southward. At half an hour past two o'clock in the
morning of the 31st, we stood for it again, thinking to take some on board,
but this was found impracticable; for the wind, which had been at N.E, now
veered to S.E., and increasing to a fresh gale, brought with it such a sea
as made it very dangerous for the ships to remain among the ice. The danger
was yet farther increased by discovering an immense field to the north,
extending from N.E. by E. to S.W. by W. farther than the eye could reach.
As we were not above two or three miles from this, and surrounded by loose
ice, there was no time to deliberate. We presently wore; got our tacks on
board; hauled to the south, and soon got clear; but not before we had
received several hard knocks from the loose pieces, which were of the
largest sort, and among which we saw a seal. In the afternoon the wind
increased in such a manner, as to oblige us to hand the top-sails, and
strike top-gallant-yards. At eight o'clock we tacked and stood to the east
till midnight; when being in the latitude of 60° 21' S., longitude 13° 32'
E, we stood again to the west.
Next day, towards noon, the gale abated, so that we could carry close-
reefed top-sails. But the weather continued thick and hazy, with sleet and
snow, which froze on the rigging as it fell, and ornamented the whole with
icicles; the mercury in the thermometer being generally below the freezing
point. This weather continued till near noon the next day; at which time we
were in the latitude of 59° 12' S.; longitude 9° 45' E.; and here we saw
some penguins.
The wind had now veered to the west, and was so moderate, that we could
bear two reefs out of the top-sails. In the afternoon, we were favoured
with a sight of the moon, whose face we had seen but once since we left the
Cape of Good Hope. By this a judgment may be formed of the sort of weather
we had since we left that place. We did not fail to seize the opportunity
to make several observations of the sun and moon. The longitude deduced
from it was 9° 34' 30" E. Mr Kendal's watch, at the same time, giving 10°
6' E., and the latitude was 58° 53' 30" S.
This longitude is nearly the same that is assigned to Cape Circumcision;
and at the going down of the sun we were about ninety-five leagues to the
south of the latitude it is said to lie in. At this time the weather was so
clear, that we might have seen land at fourteen or fifteen leagues
distance. It is, therefore very probable, that what Bouvet took for land,
was nothing but mountains of ice, surrounded by loose or field-ice. We
ourselves were undoubtedly deceived by the ice-hills, the day we first fell
in with the field-ice. Nor was it an improbable conjecture, that that ice
joined to land. The probability was however now greatly lessened, if not
entirely set aside; for the space between the northern edge of the ice,
along which we sailed, and our route to the west, when south of it, no
where exceeded 100 leagues, and in some places not 60. The clear weather
continued no longer than three o'clock the next morning, when it was
succeeded by a thick fog, sleet, and snow. The wind also veered to N.E. and
blew a fresh gale, with which we stood to S.E. It increased in such a
manner, that before noon we were brought under close-reefed top-sails. The
wind continued to veer to the north, at last fixed at N.W., and was
attended with intervals of clear weather.
Our course was E. 1/4 N., till noon the next day, when we were in the
latitude of 59° 2' S., and nearly under the same meridian as we were when
we fell in with the last field of ice, five days before; so that had it
remained in the same situation, we must now have been in the middle of it,
whereas we did not so much as see any. We cannot suppose that so large a
float of ice as this was, could be destroyed in so short a time. It
therefore must have drifted to the northward: and this makes it probable
that there is no land under this meridian, between the latitude of 55° and
59°, where we had supposed some to lie, as mentioned above.
As we were now only sailing over a part of the sea where we had been
before, I directed the course E.S.E. in order to get more to the south. We
had the advantage of a fresh gale, and the disadvantage of a thick fog;
much snow and sleet, which, as usual, froze on our rigging as it fell; so
that every rope was covered with the finest transparent ice I ever saw.
This afforded an agreeable sight enough to the eye, but conveyed to the
mind an idea of coldness, much greater than it really was; for the weather
was rather milder then it had been for some time past, and the sea less
encumbered with ice. But the worst was, the ice so clogged the rigging,
sails, and blocks, as to make them exceedingly bad to handle. Our people,
however, surmounted those difficulties with a steady perseverance, and
withstood this intense cold much better than I expected.
We continued to steer to the E.S.E. with a fresh gale at N.W. attended with
snow and sleet, till the 8th, when we were in the latitude of 61° 12' S.,
longitude 31° 47' E. In the afternoon we passed more ice islands than we
had seen for several days. Indeed they were now so familiar to us, that
they were often passed unnoticed; but more generally unseen on account of
the thick weather. At nine o'clock in the evening, we came to one, which
had a quantity of loose ice about it. As the wind was moderate, and the
weather tolerably fair, we shortened sail, and stood on and off, with a
view of taking some on board on the return of light. But at four o'clock in
the morning, finding ourselves to leeward of this ice, we bore down to an
island to leeward of us; there being about it some loose ice, part of which
we saw break off. There we brought-to; hoisted out three boats; and in
about five or six hours, took up as much ice as yielded fifteen tons of
good fresh water. The pieces we took up were hard, and solid as a rock;
some of them were so large, that we were obliged to break them with pick-
axes before they could be taken into the boats.
The salt water which adhered to the ice, was so trifling as not to be
tasted, and, after it had lain on deck for a short time, entirely drained
off; and the water which the ice yielded, was perfectly sweet and well-
tasted. Part of the ice we broke in pieces, and put into casks; some we
melted in the coppers, and filled up the casks with the water; and some we
kept on deck for present use. The melting and stowing away the ice is a
little tedious, and takes up some time; otherwise this is the most
expeditious way of watering I ever met with.[7]
Having got on board this supply of water, and the Adventure about two-
thirds as much (of which we stood in great need,) as we had once broke the
ice, I did not doubt of getting more whenever we were in want. I therefore
without hesitation directed our course more to the south, with a gentle
gale at N.W., attended, as usual, with snow showers. In the morning of the
11th, being then in the latitude of 62° 44' S., longitude 37° E., the
variation of the compass was 24° 10' W., and the following morning in the
latitude of 64° 12' S., longitude 38° 14' E., by the mean of three
compasses, it was no more than 23° 52' W. In this situation we saw some
penguins; and being near an island of ice from which several pieces had
broken, we hoisted out two boats, and took on board as much as filled all
our empty casks, and the Adventure did the same. While this was doing, Mr
Forster shot an albatross, whose plumage was of a colour between brown and
dark-grey, the head and upper side of the wings rather inclining to black,
and it had white eye-brows. We began to see these birds about the time of
our first falling in with the ice islands; and some have accompanied us
ever since. These, and the dark-brown sort with a yellow bill, were the
only albatrosses that had not now forsaken us.
At four o'clock p.m. we hoisted in the boats, and made sail to the S.E.,
with a gentle breeze at S. by W., attended with showers of snow.
On the 13th, at two o'clock a. m. it fell calm. Of this we took the
opportunity to hoist out a boat, to try the current, which we found to set
N.W. near one-third of a mile an hour. At the time of trying the current, a
Fahrenheit's thermometer was immerged in the sea 100 fathoms below its
surface, where it remained twenty minutes. When it came up, the mercury
stood at 32, which is the freezing point. Some little time after, being
exposed to the surface of the sea, it rose to 33-1/2, and in the open air
to 36. The calm continued till five o'clock in the evening, when it was
succeeded by a light breeze from the S. and S.E., with which we stood to
the N.E. with all our sails set.
Though the weather continued fair, the sky, as usual, was clouded. However,
at nine o'clock the next morning, it was clear; and we were enabled to
observe several distances between the sun and moon. The mean result of
which gave 39° 30' 30" E. longitude. Mr Kendal's watch at the same time
gave 38° 27' 45" which is 1° 2' 45" W. of the observations; whereas, on the
3d instant, it was half a degree E. of them.
In the evening I found the variation by the
mean of azimuths taken with Gregory's
compass to be 28° 14' 0"
By the mean of six azimuths by one of Dr
Knight's 28 32 0
And by another of Dr Knight's 28 34 0
Our latitude at this time was 63° 57', longitude 39° 38-1/2"
The succeeding morning, the 15th, being then in latitude 63° 33' S., the
longitude was observed by the following persons, viz.
Myself, being the mean of six distances of
the sun and moon 40° 1' 45" E.
Mr Wales, ditto 39 29 45
Ditto, ditto 39 56 45
Lieutenant Clerke, ditto 39 38 0
Mr Gilbert, ditto 39 48 45
Mr Smith, ditto 39 18 15
----------
Mean 39 42 12
Mr Kendal's watch made 38 41 30
which is nearly the same difference as the day before. But Mr Wales and I
took each of us six distances of the sun and moon, with the telescopes
fixed to our sextants, which brought out the longitude nearly the same as
the watch.
The results were as follows:--By Mr Wales, 38° 35' 30", and by me, 38° 36'
45".
It is impossible for me to say whether these or the former are the nearest
to the truth; nor can I assign any probable reason for so great a
disagreement. We certainly can observe with greater accuracy through the
telescope, than with the common sight, when the ship is sufficiently
steady. The use of the telescope is found difficult at first, but a little
practice will make it familiar. By the assistance of the watch, we shall be
able to discover the greatest error this method of observing the longitude
at sea is liable to; which at the greatest does not exceed a degree and a
half, and in general will be found to be much less. Such is the improvement
navigation has received by the astronomers and mathematical instrument-
makers of this age; by the former from the valuable tables they have
communicated to the public, under the direction of the Board of Longitude,
and contained in the astronomical ephemeris; and by the latter, from the
great accuracy they observe in making instruments, without which the tables
would, in a great measure, lose their effect. The preceding observations
were made by four different sextants, of different workmen. Mine was by Mr
Bird; one of Mr Wales's by Mr Dollond; the other and Mr Clerke's by Mr
Ramsden; as also Mr Gilbert's and Smith's, who observed with the same
instrument.
Five tolerably fine days had now succeeded one another. This, besides
giving us an opportunity to make the preceding observations, was very
serviceable to us on many other accounts, and came at a very seasonable
time. For, having on board a good quantity of fresh water, or ice, which
was the same thing, the people were enabled to wash and dry their clothes
and linen; a care that can never be enough attended to in all long voyages.
The winds during this time blew in gentle gales, and the weather was mild.
Yet the mercury in the thermometer never rose above 36; and was frequently
as low as the freezing point.
In the afternoon having but little wind, I brought-to under an island of
ice, and sent a boat to take up some. In the evening the wind freshened at
east, and was attended with snow showers and thick hazy weather, which
continued great part of the 16th. As we met with little ice, I stood to the
south, close hauled; and at six o'clock in the evening, being in the
latitude of 64° 56' S., longitude 39° 35' E. I found the variation by
Gregory's compass to be 26° 41' W. At this time the motion of the ship was
so great that I could by no means observe with any of Dr Knight's
compasses.
As the wind remained invariably fixed at E. and E. by S., I continued to
stand to the south; and on the 17th, between eleven and twelve o'clock, we
crossed the Antarctic Circle in the longitude of 39° 35' E., for at noon we
were by observation in the latitude of 66° 36' 30" S. The weather was now
become tolerably clear, so that we could see several leagues round us; and
yet we had only seen one island of ice since the morning. But about four
p.m. as we were steering to the south, we observed the whole sea in a
manner covered with ice, from the direction of S.E., round by the S. to W.
In this space, thirty-eight ice islands, great and small, were seen,
besides loose ice in abundance, so that we were obliged to luff for one
piece, and bear up for another, and as we continued to advance to the
south, it increased in such a manner, that at three quarters past six
o'clock, being then in the latitude of 67° 15' S., we could proceed no
farther; the ice being entirely closed to the south, in the whole extent
from E. to W.S.W., without the least appearance of any opening. This
immense field was composed of different kinds of ice; such as high hills,
loose or broken pieces packed close together, and what, I think,
Greenlandmen call field-ice. A float of this kind of ice lay to the S.E. of
us, of such extent, that I could see no end to it from the mast-head. It
was sixteen or eighteen feet high at least; and appeared of a pretty equal
height and surface. Here we saw many whales playing about the ice, and for
two days before had seen several flocks of the brown and white pintadoes,
which we named Antarctic peterels, because they seem to be natives of that
region. They are, undoubtedly, of the peterel tribe; are in every respect
shaped like the pintadoes, differing only from them in colour. The head and
fore-part of the body of these are brown; and the hind-part of the body,
tail, and the ends of the wings, are white. The white peterel also appeared
in greater numbers than before; some few dark-grey albatrosses, and our
constant companion the blue peterel. But the common pintadoes had quite
disappeared, as well as many other sorts, which are common in lower
latitudes.
[1] "In the midst of this heavy gale, I tried Dr Lind's wind-gage, and
the water in it was depressed by the force of the wind 45/100 of an
inch." W. According to the same authority, it was equally depressed on
the 30th, and on the 1st December, it sunk 4/10 of an inch in the
squalls. Mr G.F. relates an interesting enough alarm that occurred
during this stormy weather. "A petty officer in the forepart of the
vessel, awaking suddenly, heard a noise of water streaming through his
birth, and breaking itself against his own and his mess-mates' chests;
he leaped out of his bed, and found himself to the middle of his leg
in water. He instantly acquainted the officer of the quarter-deck with
the dreadful circumstances, and in a few moments almost every person
was in motion; the pumps were employed, and the officers encouraged
the seamen with an alarming gentleness, to persevere in their work;
notwithstanding which the water seemed to gain upon us; every soul was
filled with terror, increased by the darkness of the night. The chain-
pumps were now cleared, and our sailors laboured at them with great
alacrity; at last one of them luckily discovered that the water came
in through a scuttle (or window) in the boatswain's store-room, which
not having been secured against the tempestuous southern ocean, had
been staved in by the force of the waves. It was immediately
repaired," &c. Incidents of this kind are not often related by a
commander, but they are useful to a reader by diversifying the records
of bearings, courses, &c. &c.--E.
[2] "At half past ten in the evening, some water which had been
spilled on the deck was frozen, and in the morning we passed the first
island of ice. It was not very high, was smooth on the top and sides,
and not rugged like those I have seen in the north seas." W.--Mr
Forster in his observations has entered into a very important
discussion respecting the formation of the ice islands, but it is
vastly too long for insertion in this place. Few readers, however, it
is likely, will object to see it elsewhere.--E.
[3] "They constantly appeared about the icy masses, and may be looked
upon as sure forerunners of ice. Their colour induced us to call them
the snowy peterels."--G.F.
[4] "We had already had several false alarms from the fallacious
conformation of fog-banks, or that of islands of ice half hid in snow
storms, and our consort the Adventure had repeatedly made the signals
for seeing land, deceived by such appearances: but now, the
imagination warmed with the idea of M. Bouvet's discovery, one of our
lieutenants, after having repeatedly been up to the mast-head, (about
six o'clock in the morning on the 14th,) acquainted the captain that
he plainly saw the land. This news brought us all upon deck: We saw an
immense field of flat ice before us, broken into many small pieces on
the edges, a vast number of islands of ice of all shapes and sizes
rose beyond it as far as the eye could reach, and some of the most
distant considerably raised by the hazy vapours which lay on the
horizon, had indeed some appearance of mountains. Several of our
officers persisted in the opinion that they had seen land here, till
Captain Cook, about two years and two months afterwards, (in February
1775,) on his course from Cape Horn towards the Cape of Good Hope,
sailed over the same spot, where they had supposed it to lie, and
found neither land nor even ice there at that time."--G.F.
[5] "While we were doing this, so thick a fog came on, that it was
with the utmost difficulty, and after some considerable time, that we
found the ships again."--W.
"Their situation in a small four-oared boat, on an immense ocean, far
from any habitable shore, surrounded with ice, and utterly destitute
of provisions, was truly terrifying and horrible in its consequences.
They rowed about for some time, making vain efforts to be heard, but
all was silent about them, and they could not see the length of their
boat. They were the more unfortunate, as they had neither mast nor
sail, and only two oars. In this dreadful suspence they determined to
lie still, hoping that, provided they preserved their place, the
sloops would not drive out of sight, as it was calm. At last they
heard the jingling of a bell at a distance; this sound was heavenly
music to their ears; they immediately rowed towards it, and by
continual hailing, were at last answered from the Adventure, and
hurried on board, overjoyed to have escaped the danger of perishing by
slow degrees, through the inclemencies of weather and through famine.
Having been on board some time, they fired a gun, and being within
hail of the Resolution, returned on board of that sloop to their own
damp beds and mouldering cabins, upon which they now set a double
value: after so perilous an expedition."--G.F.
[6] "The encomiums on the efficacy of malt cannot be exaggerated, and
this useful remedy ought never to be forgotten on board of ships bound
on long voyages; nor can we bestow too much care to prevent its
becoming damp and mouldy, by which means its salutary qualities are
impaired, as we experienced during the latter part of our voyage."--
G.F.
[7] "That water melted from the ice usually found floating in the sea
is fresh and good, is no new discovery. The Hudson's Bay ships have
long made use of it; and I have mentioned it, from my own experience,
in the account of a voyage to Hudson's Bay." _See Phil. Trans. vol.
60_.--W. This is a solitary but most unexceptionable evidence. Mr
Forster, in the article before alluded to, has not failed to point out
much more.--E.
SECTION III.
_Sequel of the Search for a Southern Continent, between the Meridian of
the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand; with an Account of the Separation of
the two Ships, and the Arrival of the Resolution in Dusky Bay._
After meeting with this ice, I did not think it was at all prudent to
persevere in getting farther to the south; especially as the summer was
already half spent, and it would have taken up some time to have got round
the ice, even supposing it to have been practicable; which, however, is
doubtful. I therefore came to a resolution to proceed directly in search of
the land lately discovered by the French. And, as the winds still continued
at E. by S., I was obliged to return to the north, over some part of the
sea I had already made myself acquainted with, and, for that reason, wished
to have avoided. But this was not to be done, as our course made good, was
little better than north. In the night the wind increased to a strong gale,
attended with sleet and snow, and obliged us to double-reef our top-sails.
About noon the next day the gale abated, so that we could bear all our
reefs out; but the wind still remained in its old quarter.
In the evening, being in the latitude of 64° 12' S., longitude 40° 15' E.,
a bird, called by us in my former voyage Port Egmont Hen, (on account of
the great plenty of them at Port Egmont in Falkland Isles,) came hovering
several times over the ship, and then left us in the direction of N.E. They
are a short thick bird, about the size of a large crow, of a dark-brown or
chocolate colour, with a whitish streak under each wing, in the shape of a
half-moon. I have been told that these birds are found in great plenty at
the Fero Isles, North of Scotland; and that they never go far from land.
Certain it is, I never before saw them above forty leagues off; but I do
not remember ever seeing fewer than two together; whereas here was but one,
which, with the islands of ice, may have come a good way from land.
At nine o'clock, the wind veering to E.N.E., we tacked and stood to the
S.S.E, but at four in the morning of the 20th, it returned back to its old
point, and we resumed our northerly course. One of the above birds was seen
this morning, probably the same we saw the night before, as our situation
was not much altered. As the day advanced, the gale increased, attended
with thick hazy weather, sleet, and snow, and at last obliged us to close-
reef our top-sails, and strike top-gallant-yards. But in the evening the
wind abated so as to admit us to carry whole top-sails, and top-gallant-
yards aloft. Hazy weather, with snow and sleet continued.
In the afternoon of the 21st, being in the latitude of 62° 24' S.,
longitude 42° 19' E., we saw a white albatross with black tipped wings, and
a pintado bird. The wind was now at S. and S.W., a fresh gale. With this we
steered N.E., against a very high sea, which did not indicate the vicinity
of land in that quarter; and yet it was there we were to expect it. The
next day we had intervals of fair weather, the wind was moderate, and we
carried our studding-sails.[1] In the morning of the 23d, we were in
latitude of 60° 27' S., longitude 45° 33' E. Snow showers continued, and
the weather was so cold, that the water in our water-vessels on deck had
been frozen for several preceding nights.
Having clear weather at intervals, I spread the ships a-breast four miles
from each other, in order the better to discover any thing that might lie
in our way. We continued to sail in this manner till six o'clock in the
evening, when hazy weather and snow showers made it necessary for us to
join.
We kept our course to N.E. till eight o'clock in the morning of the 25th,
when the wind having veered round to N.E. by E., by the W. and N. we
tacked, and stood to N.W. The wind was fresh, and yet we made but little
way against a high northerly sea. We now began to see some of that sort of
peterels so well known to sailors by the name of sheerwaters, latitude 58°
10', longitude 50° 54' E. In the afternoon the wind veered to the southward
of east; and at eight o'clock in the evening, it increased to a storm,
attended with thick hazy weather, sleet and snow.
During night we went under our fore-sail and main-top-sail close-reefed: At
day-light the next morning, added to them the fore and mizen top-sails. At
four o'clock it fell calm; but a prodigious high sea from the N.E., and a
complication of the worst of weather, viz. snow, sleet, and rain,
continued, together with the calm, till nine o'clock in the evening. Then
the weather cleared up, and we got a breeze at S.E. by S. With this we
steered N. by E. till eight o'clock the next morning, being the 27th, when
I spread the ships, and steered N.N.E., all sails set, having a fresh
breeze at S. by W., and clear weather.
At noon we were by observation, in the latitude of 56° 28' S., and, about
three o'clock in the afternoon, the sun and moon appearing at intervals,
their distances were observed by the following persons; and the longitude
resulting therefrom was,
By Mr Wales, (the mean of two sets) 50° 59' East.
Lieutenant Clerke 51 11
Mr Gilbert 50 14
Mr Smith 50 50
Mr Kendal's watch 50 50
At six o'clock in the evening, being in latitude 56° 9' S., I now made
signal to the Adventure to come under my stern; and at eight o'clock the
next morning sent her to look out on my starboard beam, having at this time
a fresh gale at west and pretty clear weather. But this was not of long
duration; for, at two in the afternoon, the sky became cloudy and hazy, the
wind increased to a fresh gale, blew in squalls attended with snow, sleet,
and drizzling rain. I now made signal to the Adventure to come under my
stern, and took another reef in each top-sail. At eight o'clock I hauled up
the main-sail, and run all night under the foresail, and two top-sails; our
course being N.N.E. and N.E. by N., with a strong gale at N.W.
The 29th, at noon, we observed in latitude 52° 29' S., the weather being
fair and tolerably clear. But in the afternoon, it again became very thick
and hazy with rain; and the gale increased in such a manner as to oblige us
to strike top-gallant yards, close-reef and hand the top-sails. We spent
part of the night, which was very dark and stormy, in making a tack to the
S.W., and in the morning of the 30th, stood again to the N.E., wind at N.W.
and N., a very fresh gale; which split several of our small sails. This day
no ice was seen, probably owing to the thick hazy weather. At eight o'clock
in the evening we tacked and stood to the westward, under our courses; but
as the sea run high, we made our course no better than S.S W.
At four o'clock the next morning, the gale had a little abated; and the
wind had backed to W. by S. We again stood to the northward, under courses
and double-reefed top-sails, having a very high sea from the N.N.W., which
gave us but little hopes of finding the land we were in search of. At noon
we were in the latitude of 50° 56' S., longitude 56° 48' E., and presently
after we saw two islands of ice. One of these we passed very near, and
found that it was breaking or falling to pieces, by the cracking noise it
made; which was equal to the report of a four-pounder. There was a good
deal of loose ice about it; and had the weather been favourable, I should
have brought-to, and taken some up. After passing this, we saw no more,
till we returned again to the south.
Hazy gloomy weather continued, and the wind remained invariably fixed at
N.W., so that we could make our course no better than N.E. by N., and this
course we held till four o'clock in the afternoon of the first of February.
Being then in the latitude of 48° 30', and longitude 58° 7' E., nearly in
the meridian of the island of Mauritius, and where we were to expect to
find the land said to be discovered by the French, of which at this time we
saw not the least signs, we bore away east.
I now made the signal to the Adventure to keep at the distance of four
miles on my starboard beam. At half an hour past six, Captain Furneaux made
the signal to speak with me; and upon his coming under my stern, he
informed me that he had just seen a large float of sea or rock weed, and
about it several birds (divers.) These were certainly signs of the vicinity
of land; but whether it lay to the east or west, was not possible for us to
know. My intention was to have got into this latitude four or five degrees
of longitude to the west of the meridian we were in, and then to have
carried on my researches to the east. But the west and north-west winds we
had had the five preceding days, prevented me from putting this in
execution.
The continual high sea we had lately had from the N.E., N., N.W. and W.,
left me no reason to believe that land of any extent lay to the West. We
therefore continued to steer to the east, only lying-to a few hours in the
night, and in the morning resumed our course again, four miles north and
south from each other; the hazy weather not permitting us to spread
farther. We passed two or three small pieces of rock weed, and saw two or
three birds known by the name of egg-birds; but saw no other signs of land.
At noon we observed in latitude 48° 36' S., longitude 59° 35' E. As we
could only see a few miles farther to the south, and as it was not
impossible that there might be land not far off in that direction, I gave
orders to steer S. 1/2 E., and made the signal for the Adventure to follow,
she being by this movement thrown a-stern: The weather continuing hazy till
half an hour past six o'clock in the evening, when it cleared up so as to
enable us to see about five leagues round us.
Being now in the latitude of 49° 13' S., without having the least signs of
land, I wore and stood again to the eastward, and soon after spoke with
Captain Furneaux. He told me that he thought the land was to the N.W. of
us,; as he had, at one time, observed the sea to be smooth when the wind
blew in that direction. Athough this was not conformable to the remarks
_we_ had made on the sea, I resolved to clear up the point, if the wind
would admit of my getting to the west in any reasonable time.
At eight o'clock in the morning of the 3d, being in the latitude of 48° 56'
S. longitude 60° 47' E., and upwards of 8° to the east of the meridian of
the Mauritius, I began to despair of finding land to the east; and as the
wind had now veered to the north, resolved to search for it to the west. I
accordingly tacked and stood to the west with a fresh gale. This increased
in such a manner, that, before night, we were reduced to our two courses;
and, at last, obliged to lie-to under the fore-sails, having a prodigious
high sea from W.N.W., notwithstanding the height of the gale was from N. by
W. At three o'clock the next morning, the gale abating, we made sail, and
continued to ply to the west till ten o'clock in the morning of the 6th.
At this time, being in the latitude of 48° 6' S., longitude 58° 22' E., the
wind seemingly fixed at W.N.W., and seeing no signs of meeting with land, I
gave over plying, and bore away east a little southerly: Being satisfied,
that if there is any land hereabout, it can only be an isle of no great
extent. And it was just as probable I might have found it to the E. as to
the W.
While we were plying about here we took every opportunity to observe the
variation of the compass, and found it to be from 27° 50' to 30° 26' W.
Probably the mean of the two extremes, viz. 29° 4', is the nearest the
truth, as it nearly agrees with the variation observed on board the
Adventure. In making these observations, we found that, when the sun was on
the larboard side of the ship, the variation was the least; and when on the
starboard side, the greatest. This was not the first time we had made this
observation, without being able to account for it. At four o'clock in the
morning of the 7th, I made the Adventure's signal to keep at the distance
of four miles on my starboard beam; and continued to steer E.S.E. This
being a fine day, I had all our men's bedding and clothes spread on deck to
air; and the ship cleaned and smoked betwixt decks. At noon I steered a
point more to the south, being then in the latitude of 45° 49' S.,
longitude 61° 48' E. At six o'clock in the evening, I called in the
Adventure; and at the same time took several azimuths, which gave the
variation 31° 28'.W. These observations could not be taken with the
greatest accuracy, on account of the rolling of the ship, occasioned by a
very high westerly swell.
The preceding evening, three Port Egmont hens were seen; this morning
another appeared. In the evening, and several times in the night, penguins
were heard; and, at daylight in the morning of the 8th, several of these
were seen; and divers of two sorts, seemingly such as are usually met with
on the coast of England. This occasioned us to sound, but we found no
ground with a line of 210 fathoms. Our latitude now was 49° 53' S., and
longitude 63° 39' E. This was at eight o'clock. By this time the wind had
veered round by the N.E. to E., blew a brisk gale, and was attended with
hazy weather, which soon after turned to a thick fog; and, at the same
tine, the wind shifted to N.E.
I continued to keep the wind on the larboard tack, and to fire a gun every
hour till noon; when I made the signal to tack, and tacked accordingly.
But, as neither this signal, nor any of the former, was answered by the
Adventure, we had but too much reason to think that a separation had taken
place; though we were at a loss to tell how it had been effected. I had
directed Captain Furneaux, in case he was separated from me, to cruise
three days in the place where he last saw me. I therefore continued making
short boards, and firing half-hour guns, till the 9th in the afternoon,
when, the weather having cleared up, we could see several leagues round us,
and found that the Adventure was not within the limits of our horizon. At
this time we were about two or three leagues to the eastward of the
situation we were in when we last saw her; and were standing to the
westward with a very strong gale at N.N.W., accompanied with a great sea
from the same direction. This, together, with an increase of wind, obliged
us to lie-to till eight o'clock the next morning, during which time we saw
nothing of the Adventure, notwithstanding the weather was pretty clear, and
we had kept firing guns, and burning false fires, all night. I therefore
gave over looking for her, made sail, and steered S.E., with a very fresh
gale at W. by N., accompanied with a high sea from the same direction.
While we were beating about here; we frequently saw penguins and divers,
which made us conjecture the land was not far off; but in what direction it
was not possible for us to tell. As we advanced to the south, we lost the
penguins, and most of the divers; and, as usual, met with abundance of
albatrosses, blue peterels, sheer-waters, &c.
The 11th, at noon, and in the latitude of 51° 15' S., longitude 67° 20' E.,
we again met with penguins: and saw an egg bird, which we also look upon to
be a sign of the vicinity of land. I continued to steer to the S.E., with a
fresh gale in the north-west quarter, attended with a long hollow swell,
and frequent showers of rain, hail, and snow. The 12th, in the morning,
being in the latitude of 52° 32' S., longitude 69° 47' E., the variation
was 31° 38' W. In the evening, in the latitude of 53° 7' S., longitude 70°
50' E., it was 32° 33'; and, the next morning, in the latitude of 53° 37'
S., longitude 72° 10', it was 33° 8' W. Thus far we had continually a great
number of penguins about the ship, which seemed to be different from those
we had seen near the ice; being smaller, with reddish bills and brownish
heads. The meeting with so many of these birds, gave us some hopes of
finding land, and occasioned various conjectures about its situation. The
great westerly swell, which still continued, made it improbable that land
of any considerable extent lay to the west. Nor was it very probable that
any lay to the north; as we were only about 160 leagues to the south of
Tasman's track in 1642; and I conjectured that Captain Furneaux would
explore this place; which accordingly happened. In the evening we saw a
Port Egmont hen, which flew away in the direction of N.E. by E., and the
next morning a seal was seen; but no penguins. In the evening, being in the
latitude of 55° 49' S., longitude 75° 52' E., the variation was 34° 48' W.,
and, in the evening of the 15th, in latitude 57° 2' S., longitude 79° 56'
E., it was 38° W. Five seals were seen this day, and a few penguins; which
occasioned us to sound, without finding any bottom, with a line of 150
fathoms.
At day-light in the morning of the 16th, we saw an island of ice to the
northward; for which we steered, in order to take some on board; but the
wind shifting to that direction, hindered us from putting this in
execution. At this time we were in the latitude of 57° 8' S., longitude 80°
59' E., and had two islands of ice in sight. This morning we saw one
penguin, which appeared to be of the same sort which we had formerly seen
near the ice. But we had now been so often deceived by these birds, that we
could no longer look upon them, nor indeed upon any other oceanic birds,
which frequent high latitudes, as sure signs of the vicinity of land.
The wind continued not long at north, but veered to E. by N.E., and blew a
gentle gale, with which we stood to the southward; having frequent showers
of sleet and snow. But, in the night, we had fair weather, and a clear
serene sky; and, between midnight and three o'clock in the morning, lights
were seen in the heavens, similar to those in the northern hemisphere,
known by the name of Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights; but I never heard
of the Aurora Australia been seen before. The officer of the watch observed
that it sometimes broke out in spiral rays, and in a circular form; then
its light was very strong, and its appearance beautiful. He could not
perceive it had any particular direction; for it appeared, at various
times, in different parts of the heavens, and diffused its light throughout
the whole atmosphere.[2]
At nine in the morning, we bore down to an island of ice which we reached
by noon. It was full half a mile in circuit, and two hundred feet high at
least, though very little loose ice about it. But while we were considering
whether or no we should hoist out our boats to take some up, a great
quantity broke from the island. Upon this we hoisted out our boats, and
went to work to get some on board. The pieces of ice, both great and small,
which broke from the island, I observed, drifted fast to the westward; that
is, they left the island in that direction, and were, in a few hours,
spread over a large space of sea. This, I have no doubt, was caused by a
current setting in that direction. For the wind could have but little
effect upon the ice; especially as there was a large hollow swell from the
west. This circumstance greatly retarded our taking up ice. We, however,
made a shift to get on board about nine or ten tons before eight o'clock,
when we hoisted in the boats and made sail to the east, inclining to the
south, with a fresh gale at south; which, soon after, veered to S.S.W. and
S.W., with fair but cloudy weather. This course brought us among many ice
isles; so that it was necessary to proceed with great caution. In the night
the mercury in the thermometer fell two degrees below the freezing point;
and the water in the scuttle casks on deck was frozen. As I have not taken
notice of the thermometer of late, I shall now observe, that, as we
advanced to the north, the mercury gradually rose to 45, and fell again, as
we advanced to the south, to what is above-mentioned; nor did it rise, in
the middle of the day, to above 34 or 35.
In the morning of the 18th, being in the latitude of 57° 54' S., longitude
83° 14' E., the variation was 39° 33' W. In the evening, in latitude 58° 2'
S., longitude 84° 35' E., it was only 37° 8' W., which induced me to
believe it was decreasing. But in the evening of the 20th, in the latitude
of 58° 47' S., longitude 90° 56' E., I took nine azimuths, with Dr Knight's
compass, which gave the variation 40° 7', and nine others, with Gregory's,
which gave 40° 15' W.
This day, at noon, being nearly in the latitude and longitude just
mentioned, we thought we saw land to the S.W. The appearance was so strong
that we doubted not it was there in reality, and tacked to work up to it
accordingly; having a light breeze at south, and clear weather. We were,
however, soon undeceived, by finding that it was only clouds; which, in the
evening, entirely disappeared, and left us a clear horizon, so that we
could see a considerable way round us; in which space nothing was to be
seen but ice islands.
In the night the Aurora Australis made a very brilliant and luminous
appearance. It was seen first in the east, a little above the horizon; and,
in a short time, spread over the whole heavens.
The 21st, in the morning, having little wind and a smooth sea, two
favourable circumstances for taking up ice, I steered for the largest ice
island before us, which we reached by noon. At this time, we were in the
latitude of 59° S., longitude 92° 30' E.; having about two hours before
seen three or four penguins. Finding here a good quantity of loose ice, I
ordered two boats out, and sent them to take some on board. While this was
doing, the island, which was not less than half a mile in circuit, and
three or four hundred feet high above the surface of the sea, turned nearly
bottom up. Its height, by this circumstance, was neither increased nor
diminished apparently. As soon as we had got on board as much ice as we
could dispose of, we hoisted in the boats, and made sail to the S.E., with
a gentle breeze at N. by E., attended with showers of snow, and dark gloomy
weather. At this time we had but few ice islands in sight, but, the next
day, seldom less than twenty or thirty were seen at once.
The wind gradually veered to the east; and, at last, fixing at E. by S.,
blew a fresh gale. With this we stood to the south, till eight o'clock in
the evening of the 23d; at which time we were in the latitude of 61° 52'
S., longitude 95° 2' E. We now tacked and spent the night, which was
exceedingly stormy, thick, and hazy, with sleet and snow, in making short
boards. Surrounded on every side with danger, it was natural for us to wish
for day-light. This, when it came, served only to increase our
apprehensions, by exhibiting to our view those huge mountains of ice, which
in the night we had passed without seeing.
These unfavourable circumstances, together with dark nights, at this
advanced season of the year, quite discouraged me from putting in execution
a resolution I had taken of crossing the Antarctic Circle once more.
Accordingly, at four o'clock in the morning, we stood to the north, with a
very hard gale at E.S.E., accompanied with snow and sleet, and a very high
sea from the same point, which made great destruction among the ice
islands. This circumstance, far from being of any advantage to us, greatly
increased the number of pieces we had to avoid. The large pieces which
break from the ice islands, are much more dangerous than the islands
themselves. The latter are so high out of water, that we can generally see
them, unless the weather be very thick and dark, before we are very near
them. Whereas the others cannot be seen in the night, till they are under
the ship's bows. These dangers were, however, now become so familiar to us,
that the apprehensions they caused were never of long duration; and were,
in some measure, compensated both by the seasonable supplies of fresh water
these ice islands afforded us, (without which we must have been greatly
distressed,) and also by their very romantic appearance, greatly heightened
by the foaming and dashing of the waves into the curious holes and caverns
which are formed in many of them; the whole exhibiting a view which at once
filled the mind with admiration and horror, and can only be described by
the hand of an able painter.[3]
Towards the evening the gale abated, and in the night we had two or three
hours calm. This was succeeded by a light breeze at west, with which we
steered east, under all the sail we could set, meeting with many ice
islands.
This night we saw a Port Egmont hen; and next morning, being the 25th,
another. We had lately seen but few birds; and those were albatrosses,
sheer-waters, and blue peterels. It is remarkable that we did not see one
of either the white or Antarctic peterels, since we came last amongst the
ice. Notwithstanding the wind kept at W. and N.W. all day, we had a very
high sea from the east, by which we concluded that no land could be near in
that direction. In the evening, being in the latitude 60° 51', longitude
95° 41' E., the variation was 43° 6' W., and the next morning, being the
26th, having advanced about a degree and a half more to the east, it was
41° 30', both being determined by several azimuths.
We had fair weather all the afternoon, but the wind was unsettled, veering
round by the north to the east. With this we stood to the S.E. and E., till
three o'clock in the afternoon; when, being in the latitude of 61° 21' S.,
longitude 97° 7', we tacked and stood to the northward and eastward as the
wind kept veering to the south. This, in the evening, increased to a strong
gale, blew in squalls, attended with snow and sleet, and thick hazy
weather, which soon brought us under our close-reefed top-sails.
Between eight in the morning of the 26th, and noon the next day, we fell in
among several islands of ice; from whence such vast quantities had broken
as to cover the sea all round us, and render sailing rather dangerous.
However, by noon, we were clear of it all. In the evening the wind abated,
and veered to S.W. but the weather did not clear up till the next morning,
when we were able to carry all our sails, and met with but very few islands
of ice to impede us. Probably the late gale had destroyed a great number of
them. Such a very large hollow sea had continued to accompany the wind as
it veered from E. to S.W. that I was certain no land of considerable extent
could lie within 100 or 150 leagues of our situation between these two
points.
The mean height of the thermometer at noon, for some days past, was at
about 35, which is something higher than it usually was in the same
latitude about a month or five weeks before, consequently the air was
something warmer. While the weather was really _warm_, the gales were
not only stronger, but more frequent, with almost continual misty, dirty,
wet weather. The very animals we had on board felt its effects. A sow
having in the morning farrowed nine pigs, every one of them was killed by
the cold before four o'clock in the afternoon, notwithstanding all the care
we could take of them. From the same cause, myself as well as several of my
people, had fingers and toes chilblained. Such is the summer weather we
enjoyed!
The wind continued unsettled, veering from the south to the west, and blew
a fresh gale till the evening. Then it fell little wind, and soon after a
breeze sprung up at north, which quickly veered to N.E. and N.E. by E.,
attended with a thick fog, snow, sleet, and rain. With this wind and
weather we kept on to the S.E., till four o'clock in the afternoon of the
next day, being the first of March, when it fell calm, which continued for
near twenty-four hours. We were now in the latitude of 60° 36' S.,
longitude 107° 54', and had a prodigious high swell from the S.W., and, at
the same time, another from the S. or S.S.E. The dashing of the one wave
against the other, made the ship both roll and pitch exceedingly; but at
length the N.W. swell prevailed. The calm continued till noon the next day,
when it was succeeded by a gentle breeze from S.E., which afterwards
increased and veered to S.W. With this we steered N.E. by E., and E. by N.,
under all the sail we could set.
In the afternoon of the 3d, being in latitude 60° 13', longitude 110° 18',
the variation was 39° 4' W. But the observations, by which this was
determined, were none of the best, being obliged to make use of such as we
could get, during the very few and short intervals when the sun appeared. A
few penguins were seen this day, but not so many islands of ice as usual.
The weather was also milder, though very changeable; thermometer from 36 to
38. We continued to have a N.W. swell, although the wind was unsettled,
veering to N.W. by the W. and N., attended with hazy sleet and drizzling
rain.
We prosecuted our course to the east, inclining to the south, till three
o'clock in the afternoon of the 4th, when, (being in the latitude of 60°
37', longitude 113° 24') the wind shifting at once to S.W. and S.W. by S.,
I gave orders to steer E. by N. 1/2 N. But in the night we steered E. 1/2
S. in order to have the wind, which was at S.S.W., more upon the beam, the
better to enable us to stand back, in case we fell in with any danger in
the dark. For we had not so much time to spare to allow us to lie-to.
In the morning of the 5th, we steered E. by N., under all the sail we could
set, passing one ice island and many small pieces, and at nine o'clock the
wind, which of late had not remained long upon any one point, shifted all
at once to east, and blew a gentle gale. With this, we stood to the north,
at which time we were in the latitude of 60° 44' S., and longitude 116° 50'
E. The latitude was determined by the meridian altitude of the sun, which
appeared, now and then, for a few minutes, till three in the afternoon.
Indeed the sky was, in general, so cloudy, and the weather so thick and
hazy, that we had very little benefit of sun or moon; very seldom seeing
the face of either the one or the other. And yet, even under these
circumstances, the weather, for some days past, could not be called very
cold. It, however, had not the least pretension to be called summer
weather, according to my ideas of summer in the northern hemisphere, as far
as 60° of latitude, which is nearly as far north as I have been.
In the evening we had three islands of ice in sight, all of them large;
especially one, which was larger than any we had yet seen. The side opposed
to us seemed to be a mile in extent; if so, it could not be less than three
in circuit. As we passed it in the night, a continual cracking was heard,
occasioned, no doubt, by pieces breaking from it.[4] For, in the morning of
the 6th, the sea, for some distance round it, was covered with large and
small pieces; and the island itself did not appear so large as it had done
the evening before. It could not be less than 100 feet high; yet such was
the impetuous force and height of the waves which were broken against it,
by meeting with such a sudden resistance, that they rose considerably
higher. In the evening we were in latitude of 59° 58' S., longitude 118°
39' E. The 7th, the wind was variable in the N.E. and S.E. quarters,
attended with snow and sleet till the evening. Then the weather became
fair, the sky cleared up, and the night was remarkably pleasant, as well as
the morning of the next day; which, for the brightness of the sky, and
serenity and mildness of the weather, gave place to none we had seen since
we left the Cape of Good Hope. It was such as is little known in this sea;
and to make it still more agreeable, we had not one island of ice in sight.
The mercury in the thermometer rose to 40. Mr Wales and the master made
some observations of the moon and stars, which satisfied us, that, when our
latitude was 59° 44', our longitude was 121° 9'. At three o'clock in the
afternoon, the calm was succeeded by a breeze at S.E. The sky, at the same
time, was suddenly obscured, and seemed to presage an approaching storm,
which accordingly happened. For, in the evening, the wind shifted to south,
blew in squalls, attended with sleet and rain, and a prodigious high sea.
Having nothing to take care of but ourselves, we kept two or three points
from the wind, and run at a good rate to the E.N.E. under our two courses,
and close-reefed topsails.
The gale continued till the evening of the 10th. Then it abated; the wind
shifted to the westward; and we had fair weather, and but little wind,
during the night; attended with a sharp frost. The next morning, being in
the latitude of 57° 56', longitude 130°, the wind shifted to N.E., and blew
a fresh gale, with which we stood S.E., having frequent showers of snow and
sleet, and a long hollow swell from S.S.E. and S.E. by S. This swell did
not go down till two days after the wind which raised it had not only
ceased to blow, but had shifted, and blown fresh at opposite points, good
part of the time. Whoever attentively considers this, must conclude, that
there can be no land to the south, but what must be at a great distance.
Notwithstanding so little was to be expected in that quarter, we continued
to stand to the south till three o'clock in the morning of the 12th, when
we were stopped by a calm; being then in the latitude of 58° 56' S.,
longitude 131° 26' E. After a few hours calm, a breeze sprung up at west,
with which we steered east. The S.S.E. swell having gone down, was
succeeded by another from N.W. by W. The weather continued mild all this
day, and the mercury rose to 39-1/2. In the evening it fell calm, and
continued so till three o'clock in the morning of the 13th, when we got the
wind at E. and S.E., a fresh breeze attended with snow and sleet. In the
afternoon it became fair, and the wind veered round to the S. and S.S.W. In
the evening, being in the latitude of 58° 59', longitude 134°, the weather
was so clear in the horizon, that we could see many leagues round us. We
had but little wind during the night, some showers of snow, and a very
sharp frost. As the day broke, the wind freshened at S.E. and S.S.E.; and
soon after, the sky cleared up, and the weather became clear and serene;
but the air continued cold, and the mercury in the thermometer rose only
one degree above the freezing point.
The clear weather gave Mr Wales an opportunity to get some observations of
the sun and moon. Their results reduced to noon, when the latitude was 58°
22' S., gave us 136° 22' E. longitude. Mr Kendal's watch at the same time
gave 134° 42'; and that of Mr Arnold the same. This was the first and only
time they pointed out the same longitude since we left England. The
greatest difference, however, between them, since we left the Cape, had not
much exceeded two degrees.
The moderate, and I might almost say, pleasant weather, we had, at times,
for the last two or three days, made me wish I had been a few degrees of
latitude farther south; and even tempted me to incline our course that way.
But we soon had weather which convinced us that we were full far enough;
and that the time was approaching, when these seas were not to be navigated
without enduring intense cold; which, by the bye, we were pretty well used
to. In the afternoon, the serenity of the sky was presently obscured: The
wind veered round by the S.W. to W., and blew in hard squalls, attended
with thick and heavy showers of hail and snow, which continually covered
our decks, sails, and rigging, till five o'clock in the evening of the
15th. At this time, the wind abated, and shifted to S.E.; the sky cleared
up; and the evening was so serene and clear, that we could see many leagues
round us; the horizon being the only boundary to our sight.
We were now in the latitude of 59° 17' S., longitude 140° 12' E., and had
such a large hollow swell from W.S.W., as assured us that we had left no
land behind us in that direction. I was also well assured that no land lay
to the south on this side 60° of latitude. We had a smart frost during the
night, which was curiously illuminated with the southern lights.
At ten o'clock in the morning of the 16th, (which was as soon as the sun
appeared,) in the latitude of 58° 51' S., our longitude was 144° 10' E.
This good weather was, as usual, of short duration. In the afternoon of
this day, we had again thick snow showers; but, at intervals, it was
tolerably clear; and, in the evening being in the latitude of 58° 58' S.,
longitude 144° 37' E., I found the variation by several azimuths to be 31'
E.
I was not a little pleased with being able to determine, with so much
precision, this point of the Line, in which the compass has no variation.
For I look upon half a degree as next to nothing; so that the intersection
of the latitude and longitude just mentioned, may be reckoned the point
without any sensible error. At any rate, the Line can only pass a very
small matter west of it.
I continued to steer to the east, inclining to the south, with a fresh gale
at S.W., till five o'clock the next morning, when, being in the latitude of
59° 7' S., longitude 146° 53' E., I bore away N.E., and, at noon, north,
having come to a resolution to quit the high southern latitudes, and to
proceed to New Zealand to look for the Adventure, and to refresh my people.
I had also some thoughts, and even a desire to visit the east coast of Van
Diemen's Land, in order to satisfy myself if it joined the coast of New
South Wales.
In the night of the 17th, the wind shifted to N.W., and blew in squalls,
attended with thick hazy weather and rain. This continued all the 18th, in
the evening of which day, being in the latitude of 56° 15' S., longitude
150°, the sky cleared up, and we found the variation by several azimuths to
be 13° 30' E. Soon after, we hauled up, with the log, a piece of rock-weed,
which was in a state of decay, and covered with barnacles. In the night the
southern lights were very bright.
The next morning we saw a seal; and towards noon, some penguins, and more
rock-weed, being at this time in the latitude of 55° 1', longitude 152° 1'
E. In the latitude of 54° 4', we also saw a Port Egmont hen, and some weed.
Navigators have generally looked upon all these to be certain signs of the
vicinity of land; I cannot, however, support
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