Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks/Chapter 8
CHAPTER VIII
SOUTH SEA ISLANDS TO NEW ZEALAND (THAMES RIVER)
Aug. 15—Nov. 22, 1769
Waterspout—Comet: its effect on natives—Diary at sea—Condition of ship's supplies—Port Egmont hens—Land of New Zealand made—A native shot—Conflict with natives—Capture of a canoe—Poverty Bay—Natives come on board—Their appearance and clothing—Boy seized by natives—Appearance of the land—Occupations of the natives—Bracken as food—Mode of fighting—Religion—A large canoe—Natives throw stones on board—Coast along New Zealand—Habits of natives—Transit of Mercury—Shags—Oysters—Lobster-catching—Heppahs or forts—Thames River—Timber trees.
16th August 1769. Early this morning we were told that land was in sight. It proved to be a cloud, but at first sight was so like land that it deceived every man in the ship; even Tupia gave it a name.
17th. A heavy swell from the south-west all day, so we are not yet under the lee of the continent. Our taros (roots like a yam, called in the West Indies cocos) failed us to-day; many of them were rotten. They would probably have kept longer had we had either time or opportunity of drying them well, but I believe that at the best they are very much inferior to either yams or potatoes for keeping.
24th. The morning was calm. About nine it began to blow fresh with rain, which came on without the least warning; at the same time a waterspout was seen to leeward. It appeared to me so inconsiderable, that had it not been pointed out to me, I should not have particularly noticed the appearance. It resembled a line of thick mist, as thick as a middling-sized tree, which reached, not in a straight line, almost to the water's edge, and in a few minutes totally disappeared. Its distance, I suppose, made it appear so trifling, as the seamen judged it to be not less than two or three miles from us.
29th. In the course of last night a phenomenon was seen in the heavens which Mr. Green says is either a comet or a nebula; he does not know which; the seamen have observed it these three nights.
30th. Our comet is this morning acknowledged, and proves a very large one, but very faint. Tupia, as soon as he saw it, declared that the people of Bola-Bola would, upon the sight of it, kill the people of Ulhietea, of whom as many as were able would fly into the mountains. Several birds were seen: pintados, albatrosses of both kinds, the little silver-backed bird which we saw off the Falkland Isles and Cape Horn (Procellaria velox), and a gray shearwater. Peter saw a green bird about the size of a dove: the colour makes us hope that it is a land bird; it took, however, not the least notice of the ship. Some seaweed was also seen to pass by the ship, but as it was a very small piece, our hopes are not very sanguine on that head.
31st. Many millions, I may safely say, of the Procellaria velox mentioned yesterday were about the ship to-day; they were grayish on the back, and some had a dark-coloured mark going in a crooked direction over the back and wings. I tried to-day to catch some of these numerous attendants with a hook; but after the whole morning spent in the attempt caught only one pintado, which proved to be Procellaria capensis, Linn.
19th September. Shot Procellaria velox (the dove of the 31st), P. vagabunda (a gray-backed shearwater) and a Passerina. Took with the dipping-net Medusa vitrea, Phyllodoce velella (to one species of which adhered Lepas anatifera), Doris complanata, Helix violacea,[1] and a Cancer.
23rd. Dr. Solander has been unwell for some days, so to-day I opened Dr. Hulme's essence of lemon juice, Mr. Monkhouse having prescribed it for him; it proved perfectly good, little, if at all, inferior in taste to fresh lemon juice. We also to-day made a pie of the North American apples which Dr. Fothergill had given me, and which proved very good; if not quite equal to the apple pies which our friends in England are now eating, good enough to please us who have been so long deprived of the fruits of our native country. In the main, however, we are very well off for refreshments and provisions of most sorts. Our ship's beef and pork are excellent; peas, flour, and oatmeal are at present, and have been in general, very good; our water is as sweet and has rather more spirit than it had when drank out of the river at Otahite; our bread, indeed, is but indifferent, occasioned by the quantity of vermin that are in it. I have often seen hundreds, nay, thousands, shaken out of a single biscuit. We in the cabin have, however, an easy remedy for this, by baking it in an oven, not too hot, which makes them all walk off; but this cannot be allowed to the ship's people, who must find the taste of these animals very disagreeable, as they every one taste as strong as mustard, or rather spirits of hartshorn. They are of five kinds, three Tenebrio, one Ptinus, and the Phalangium canchroides; this last, however, is scarce in the common bread, but vastly plentiful in white meal biscuits, as long as we had any left.
Wheat has been boiled for the breakfasts of the ship's company two or three times a week, in the same manner as frumenty is made. This has, I believe, been a very useful refreshment to them, as well as an agreeable food, which I myself and most of the officers in the ship have constantly breakfasted upon in the cold weather. The grain was originally of a good quality, and has kept without the least damage. This, however, cannot be said of the malt, of which we have plainly had two kinds, one very good, which was used up some time ago. What we are at present using is good for nothing at all; it was originally of a bad light grain, and so little care has been taken in making it that the tails are left in with innumerable other kinds of dirt; add to all this that it has been damped on board ship; so that, with all the care that can be used, it will scarce give a tincture to water. Portable soup is very good; it has now and then required an airing to prevent it from moulding. Sour crout is as good as ever.
So much for the ship's company: we ourselves are hardly as well off as they. Our live stock consists of seventeen sheep, four or five fowls, as many South Sea hogs, four or five Muscovy ducks, and an English boar and sow with a litter of pigs. In the use of these we are rather Sparing, as the time of our getting a fresh supply is rather precarious. Salt stock we have nothing worth mentioning, except a kind of salt beef and salted cabbage. Our malt liquors have answered extremely well; we have now both small beer and porter upon tap, as good as I ever drank them, especially the latter. The small beer had some art used to make it keep. Our wine I cannot say much for, though I believe it to be good in its nature; we have not had a glass full these many months, I believe chiefly owing to the carelessness or ignorance of the steward.
2nd October. Took Dagysa rostrata, screna, and polyedra; Beroe incrassata and coarctata; Medusa vitrea; Phyllodoce velella, with several other things which are all put in spirits; Diomedea exulans; Procellaria velox, palmipes, latirostris, and longipes; and Nectris fuliginosa.
3rd. In the course of the day several pieces of a new species of seaweed were taken, and one piece of wood covered with striated barnacles (Lepas anscrina).
5th. Two seals passed the ship asleep, and three birds which Mr. Gore calls Port Egmont hens (Larus catarrhactes). He says they are a sure sign of our being near land. They are something larger than a crow; in flight much like one, flapping their wings often with a slow motion. Their bodies and wings are of a dark chocolate or soot colour; under each wing is a small broadish bar of a dirty white, which makes them so remarkable that it is hardly possible to mistake them. They are seen, as he says, all along the coast of South America and the Falkland Isles. I myself remember to have seen them at Terra del Fuego, but by some accident did not note them down.
7th. This morning the land was plainly seen from the deck; it appears to be very large. About eleven a large smoke was seen, and soon after several more sure signs of inhabitants. I shot Nectris munda and Procellaria velox, and took with the dipping-net Dagysa gemma, and a good deal of Fucus sertularia, etc., the examination of which is postponed till we shall have more time than we are likely to have at present.
8th. This morning we are very near the land, which forms many white cliffs like chalk. The hills are in general clothed with trees; in the valleys some appear to be very large. The whole appearance is not so fruitful as we could wish. We stood in for a large bay in hopes of finding a harbour, and before we were well within the heads we saw several canoes standing across the bay, which after a little time returned to the place they came from without appearing to take the least notice of us. Some houses were also seen, which appeared low but neat; near one of them there were a good many people collected, who sat down upon the beach, seemingly observing us. On a small peninsular at the north-east head we could plainly see a regular paling, pretty high, inclosing the top of a hill, for what purpose many conjectures were made; most are of opinion, or say at least, that it must be either a park of deer or a field of oxen and sheep. By four o'clock we came to an anchor nearly two miles from the shore. The bay appears to be quite open, without the least shelter; the two sides of it make in high white cliffs; the middle is lowland, with hills gradually rising behind one another to a chain of high mountains inland. Here we saw many great smokes, some near the beach, others between the hills, some very far within land, which we looked upon as great indications of a populous country.
In the evening I went ashore with the marines. We marched from the boats in hopes of finding water, etc., and saw a few of the natives, who ran away immediately on seeing us. While we were absent four of them attacked our small boat, in which were only four boys. They got off from the shore in a river; the people followed them and threatened with long lances; the pinnace soon came to their assistance, fired upon the natives, and killed the chief. The other three dragged the body about a hundred yards and then left it. At the report of the muskets we drew together and went to the place where the body was left; it was shot through the heart. He was a middle-sized man, tattowed on the face on one cheek only, in spiral lines very regularly formed. He was covered with a fine cloth of a manufacture totally new to us; it was tied on exactly as represented in Mr. Dalrymple's book,[2] p. 63; his hair was also tied in a knot on the top of his head, but there was no feather stuck in it; his complexion brown but not very dark.
Soon after we came on board we very distinctly heard the people ashore talking very loud, although they were not less than two miles distant from us.
9th. On attempting to land this morning the Indians received us with threatening demonstrations, but a musket fired wide of them intimidated them, and they allowed us to approach near enough to parley. Tupia found their language so near his own that he could tolerably well understand them. He induced them to lay down their arms, and we gave them some beads and iron, neither of which they seemed to value; indeed, they seemed totally ignorant of the use of the latter. They constantly attempted to seize our arms, or anything they could get, so that we were obliged to fire on them and disperse them; none were, we hope, killed. Soon after we intercepted a native canoe; but when we came up with it, the owners made so desperate a resistance that we were compelled to fire upon them, killing four; the other three (boys) attempted to swim to shore, but were captured and taken on board the ship. On finding that they were not to be killed, they at once recovered their spirits, and soon appeared to have forgotten everything that had happened. At supper they ate an enormous quantity of bread, and drank over a quart of water apiece. Thus ended the most disagreeable day my life has yet seen; black be the mark for it, and heaven send that such may never return to embitter future reflection.
10th. The native boys, after being loaded with presents, were put in the boats and rowed ashore by our men. They at first begged hard not to be set ashore at the place where we had landed yesterday, and to which we first rowed to-day, but afterwards voluntarily landed there. The natives again appeared threatening, but it was presently discovered that they were friends of the boys we had captured, and a peace was presently concluded by our acceptance of green boughs which they presented to us; a not unimportant ratification apparently being the removal by them of the body of the man killed yesterday, which had remained till now on the same spot.
11th. This morning we took leave of Poverty Bay, as we named it, with not above forty species of plants in our boxes, which is not to be wondered at, as we were so little ashore, and always upon the same spot. The only time when we wandered about a mile from the boats was upon a swamp where not more than three species of plants were found.
Several canoes put off from the shore, and came towards us within less than a quarter of a mile, but could not at first be persuaded to come nearer. At last one was seen coming from Poverty Bay, or near it. She had only four people in her, one of whom I well remembered to have seen at our first interview on the rock. These never stopped to look at anything, but came at once alongside of the ship, and with very little persuasion came on board. Their example was quickly followed by the rest, seven canoes in all, and fifty men. Many presents were given to them, notwithstanding which they very quickly sold almost everything that they had with them, even their clothes from their backs, and the paddles out of their boats. Arms they had none, except two men, one of whom sold his 
patoo patoo, as he called it, a short weapon of green talc of this shape, intended, doubtless, for fighting hand-to-hand, and certainly well contrived for splitting skulls, as it weighs not less than four or five pounds, and has sharp edges excellently polished.
The people were, in general, of a middling size, though there was no one who measured more than six feet. Their colour was a dark brown. Their lips were stained with something put under the skin (as in the Otahite tattow), and their faces marked with deeply-engraved furrows, also coloured black, and formed in regular spirals. Of these, the oldest people had much the greatest quantity, and most deeply channelled, in some not less than 1⁄16 part of an inch. Their hair was black, and tied up on the tops of their heads in a little knot, in which were stuck feathers of various birds in different tastes, according to the humour of the wearer. Sometimes they had one knot on each side, and pointing forwards, which made a most disagreeable appearance. In their ears they generally wore a large bunch of the milk-white down of some bird. The faces of some were painted with a red colour in oil, some all over, others in parts only. In their hair was much oil, which had very little smell, but more lice than ever I saw before. Most of them had a small comb, neatly enough made, sometimes of wood, sometimes of bone, which they seem to prize much. A few had on their faces or arms regular scars, as if made with a sharp instrument, such as I have seen on the faces of negroes. The inferior sort were clothed in something that very much resembled hemp: the loose strings of this were fastened together at the top, and it hung down about two feet like a petticoat. Of these garments they wore two, one round their shoulders, and the other about their waists. The richer had garments probably of a finer sort of the same stuff, most beautifully made, and exactly like that of the South American Indians at this day, and as fine, or finer, than a piece which I bought at Rio de Janeiro for thirty-six shillings, and which was esteemed uncommonly cheap at that price. Their boats were not large, but well made, something like our whale boats, not longer. The bottom was the trunk of a tree hollowed out, and very thin. This was raised by a board on each side, with a strip of wood sewed over the seam to make it tight. On the prow of every one was carved the head of a man with an enormous tongue reaching out of his mouth. These grotesque figures were generally very well executed; some had eyes inlaid with something that shone very much. The whole served to give us an idea of their taste, as well as ingenuity in execution. It was certainly much superior to anything we have yet seen.
Their behaviour while on board showed every sign of friendship. They invited us very cordially to come back to our old bay, or to a small cove near it. I could not help wishing that we had done so, but the captain chose rather to stand on in search of a better harbour. God send that we may not have the same tragedy to act over again as we so lately perpetrated. The country is certainly divided into many small principalities, so we cannot hope that an account of our weapons and management of them can be conveyed as far as we must in all probability go; and of this I am well convinced, that till these warlike people have severely felt our superiority they will never behave to us in a friendly manner.
About an hour before sunset the canoes left us, and with us three of their people, who were very desirous to have gone with them, but were not permitted to return. What their reason for so doing is we can only guess; possibly they may think that their being on board may induce us to remain here till to-morrow, when they will return and renew the traffic by which they find themselves so great gainers. The three people were tolerably cheerful; entertained us with dancing and singing after their custom; ate their suppers and went to bed very quietly.
12th. During last night the ship sailed some leagues, which, as soon as the three men saw, they began to lament and weep very much, and Tupia could with difficulty comfort them. About seven o'clock two canoes appeared, one of which contained an old man who seemed to be a chief, from the fineness of his garment and patoo patoo, which was made of bone (he said of a whale). He stayed but a short time, and when he went he took with him our three guests, much to our, as well as their, satisfaction.
In sailing along shore, we could clearly see several cultivated spots of land, some freshly turned up, and lying in furrows, as if ploughed; others with plants growing upon them, some younger and some older. We also saw in two places high rails upon the ridges of hills, but could only guess that they are a part of some superstition, as they were in lines not inclosing anything.
15th. Snow was still to be seen upon the mountains inland. In the morning we were abreast of the southernmost cape of a large bay, the northernmost of which was named Portland Isle. The bay itself was called Hawke's Bay. The southern point was called Cape Kidnappers, on account of an attempt made by the natives to steal Tayeto, Tupia's boy. He was employed in handing up the articles which the natives were selling, when one of the men in a canoe seized him and pushed off. A shot was fired into the canoe, whereupon they loosed the boy, who immediately leaped into the water and swam to the ship. When he had a little recovered from his fright, Tayeto brought a fish to Tupia, and told him that he intended it as an offering to his eatua, in gratitude for his escape. Tupia approved it, and ordered him to throw it in the water, which he did.
16th. Mountains covered with snow were in sight again this morning, so that a chain of them probably runs within the country. Vast shoals of fish were about the ship, pursued by large flocks of brownish birds a little bigger than a pigeon (Nectris munda). Their method of fishing was amusing enough: a whole flock of birds would follow the fish, which swam fast; they continually plunged under water, and soon after rose again in another place, so that the whole flock sometimes vanished altogether, and rose again, often where you did not expect them; in less than a minute's time they were down again, and so alternately as long as we saw them. Before dinner we were abreast of another cape, which made in a bluff rock, the upper part of a reddish-coloured stone or clay, the lower white. Beyond this the country appeared pleasant, with low smooth hills like downs. The captain thought it not necessary to proceed any farther on this side of the coast, so the ship's head was turned to the northward, and the cape thence called Cape Turnagain. At night we were off Hawke's Bay and saw two monstrous fires inland on the hills. We are now inclined to think that these, and most if not all the great fires that we have seen, are made for the convenience of clearing the land for tillage, but for whatever purpose they are a certain indication that where they are the country is inhabited.
20th. Several canoes followed us, and seemed very peaceably inclined, inviting us to go into a bay they pointed out, where they said was plenty of fresh water. We followed them in, and by eleven came to an anchor. We then invited two, who seemed by their dress to be chiefs, to come on board; they immediately accepted our invitation. In the meantime those who remained in the canoes traded with our people very fairly for whatever they had in their boats. The chiefs, who were two old men, the one dressed in a jacket ornamented after their fashion with dog skin, the other in one covered almost entirely with some tufts of red feathers, received our presents, and stayed with us till we had dined.
21st. At daybreak the waterers went ashore, and soon after Dr. Solander and myself did the same. There was a good deal of surf upon the beach, but we landed without much difficulty. The natives sat by our people, but did not intermix with them. They traded, however, for cloth chiefly, giving whatever they had, though they seemed pleased with observing our people, as well as with the gain they got by trading with them; yet they did not neglect their ordinary occupations. In the morning several of their boats went out fishing, and at dinner-time all went to their respective homes, returning after a certain time. Such fair appearances made Dr. Solander and myself almost trust them; we ranged all about the bay and were well repaid by finding many plants, and shooting some most beautiful birds. In doing this we visited several houses, and saw a little of their customs, for they were not at all shy of showing us anything we desired to see, nor did they on our account interrupt their meals, the only employment we saw them engaged in.
Their food at this time of the year consisted of fish, with which, instead of bread, they eat the roots of a kind of fern, Pteris crenulata,[3] very like that which grows upon our commons in England. These were slightly roasted on the fire and then beaten with a stick, which took off the bark and dry outside; what remained had a sweetish, clammy, but not disagreeable taste. It might be esteemed a tolerable food, were it not for the quantity of strings and fibres in it, which in quantity three or four times exceed the soft part. These were swallowed by some, but the greater number spit them out, for which purpose they had a basket standing under them to receive their chewed morsels, in shape and colour not unlike chaws of tobacco. Though at this time of the year this most homely fare was their principal diet, yet in the proper seasons they certainly have plenty of excellent vegetables. We have seen no sign of tame animals among them, except very small and ugly dogs. Their plantations were now hardly finished, but so well was the ground tilled that I have seldom seen land better broken up. In them were planted sweet potatoes, cocos, and a plant of the cucumber kind, as we judged from the seed leaves which just appeared above ground.
The first of these were planted in small hills, some in rows, others in quincunx, all laid most regularly in line. The cocos were planted on flat land, and had not yet appeared above ground. The cucumbers were set in small hollows or ditches, much as in England. These plantations varied in size from 1 to 10 acres each. In the bay there might be 150 or 200 acres in cultivation, though we did not see 100 people in all. Each distinct patch was fenced in, generally with reeds placed close one by another, so that a mouse could scarcely creep through.
When we went to their houses, men, women and children received us; no one showed the least signs of fear. The women were plain, and made themselves more so by painting their faces with red ochre and oil, which was generally fresh and wet upon their cheeks and foreheads, easily transferable to the noses of any one who should attempt to kiss them, not that they seemed to have any objection to such familiarities, as the noses of several of our people evidently showed. But they were as coquettish as any Europeans could be, and the young ones as skittish as unbroken fillies. One part of their dress I cannot omit to mention: besides their cloth, each one wore round the waist a string made of the leaves of a highly-perfumed grass,[4] to which was fastened a small bunch of the leaves of some fragrant plant. Though the men did not so frequently paint their faces, yet they often did so; one especially I observed, whose whole body and garments were rubbed over with dry ochre; of this he constantly kept a piece in his hand, and generally rubbed it on some part or other.
In the evening, all the boats being employed in carrying on board water, we were likely to be left ashore till after dark. We did not like to lose so much of our time for sorting our specimens and putting them in order, so we applied to our friends the Indians for a passage in one of their canoes. They readily launched one for us; but we, in number eight, not being used to so ticklish a conveyance, overset her in the surf, and were very well soused. Four of us were obliged to remain, and Dr. Solander, Tupia, Tayeto and myself embarked again, and came without accident to the ship, well pleased with the behaviour of our Indian friends, who would a second time undertake to carry off such clumsy fellows.
24th. Dr. Solander and I went ashore botanising, and found many new plants. The people behaved perfectly well, not mixing with or at all interrupting our people in what they were about, but on the contrary selling them whatever they had for Otahite cloth and glass bottles, of which they were uncommonly fond.
In our walks we met with many houses in the valleys that seemed to be quite deserted. The people lived on the ridges of hills in very slightly-built houses, or rather sheds. For what reason they have left the valleys we can only guess, maybe for air, but if so they purchase that convenience at a dear rate, as all their fishing tackle and lobster pots, of which they have many, must be brought up with no small labour.
We saw also an extraordinary natural curiosity. In pursuing a valley bounded on each side by steep hills, we suddenly saw a most noble arch or cavern through the face of a rock leading directly to the sea, so that through it we had not only a view of the bay and hills on the other side, but an opportunity of imagining a ship or any other grand object opposite to it. It was certainly the most magnificent surprise I have ever met with; so much is pure nature superior to art in these cases. I have seen such places made by art, where from an inland view you were led through an arch 6 feet wide, and 7 feet high, to a prospect of the sea; but here was an arch 25 yards in length, 9 in breadth, and at least 15 in height.
In the evening we returned to the watering-place, in order to go on board with our treasure of plants, birds, etc., but were prevented by an old man who detained us some time in showing us their exercises with arms, lances, and patoo patoos. The lance is made of a hard wood, from 10 to 14 feet long, and very sharp at the ends. A stick was set up as an enemy; to this he advanced with a most furious aspect, brandishing his lance, which he held with great firmness; after some time he ran at the stick, and, supposing it a man run through the body, immediately fell upon the upper end of it, dealing it most merciless blows with his patoo patoo, any one of which would have probably split most skulls. From this I should conclude that they give no quarter.
25th. Went ashore this morning and renewed our search for plants, etc., with great success. In the meantime Tupia, who stayed with the waterers, had much conversation with one of their priests; they seemed to agree very well in their notions of religion, only Tupia was much more learned than the other, and all his discourse was received with much attention. He asked them in the course of his conversation many questions, among the rest whether or no they really ate men, which he was very loth to believe; they answered in the affirmative, saying that they ate the bodies only of those of their enemies who were killed in war.
Among other knicknacks, Dr. Solander bought a boy's top, which resembled those our boys play with in England, and which they made signs was to be whipped in the same manner.
28th. On an island called Jubolai we saw the largest canoe which we had met with; her length was 68½ feet, her breadth 5 feet, and her height 3 feet 6 inches. She was built with a sharp bottom, made in three pieces of trunks of trees hollowed out, the middlemost of which was much longer than either of the other two; their gunnel planks were in one piece 62 feet 2 inches in length, carved prettily enough in bas-relief; the head also was richly carved in their fashion. We saw also a house larger than any we had seen, though not more than 30 feet long; it seemed as if it had never been finished, being full of chips; the woodwork was squared so evenly and smoothly that we could not doubt of their having very sharp tools. All the side-posts were carved in a masterly style of their whimsical taste, which seems confined to making spirals and distorted human faces; all these had clearly been moved from some other place, so that such work probably bears a value among them.
While Mr. Sporing was drawing on the island he saw a most strange bird fly over his head. He described it as being about as large as a kite, and brown like one; his tail, however, was of so enormous a length that he at first took it for a flock of small birds flying after him: he who is a grave thinking man, and is not at all given to telling wonderful stories, says he judged it to be yards in length.
29th. Our water having been got on board the day before yesterday, and nothing done yesterday but getting a small quantity of wood and a large supply of excellent celery, with which this country abounds, we this morning sailed.
30th. Before noon we passed by a cape which the captain judged to be the easternmost point of the country, and therefore called it East Cape, at least till another is found which better deserves that name.
1st November. Just at nightfall we were under a small island, from whence came off a large double canoe, or rather two canoes lashed together at a distance of about a foot, and covered with boards so as to make a kind of deck. She came pretty near the ship, and the people in her talked with Tupia with much seeming friendship; but when it was just dark they ran the canoe close to the ship and threw in three or four stones, after which they paddled ashore.
2nd. Passed this morning between an island and the main, which appeared low and sandy, with a remarkable hill inland: flat and smooth as a molehill, though very high and large. Many canoes and people were seen along shore. Some followed us, but could not overtake us. A sailing canoe that had chased us ever since daybreak then came up with us, and proved the same double canoe which had pelted us last night, so that we prepared for another volley of their ammunition, dangerous to nothing on board but our windows. The event proved as we expected, for after having sailed with us an hour they threw their stones again. A musket was fired over them and they dropped astern, not, I believe, at all frightened by the musket, but content with having showed their courage by twice insulting us. We now begin to know these people, and are much less afraid of any daring attempt from them than we were.
The country appeared low, with small cliffs near the shore, but seemingly very fertile inland; we saw plainly with our glasses villages larger than any we had before seen, situated on the tops of cliffs in places almost inaccessible, besides which they were guarded by a deep fosse and a high paling within it, so that probably these people are much given to war. In the evening many towns were in sight, larger than those seen at noon, and always situated like them on the tops of cliffs and fenced in the same manner: under them, upon the beach, were many very large canoes, some hundreds I may safely say, some of which either had or appeared to have awnings, but not one of them put off. From all these circumstances we judged the country to be much better peopled hereabouts, and inhabited by richer people than we had before seen; maybe it was the residence of some of their princes. As far as we have yet gone along the coast from Cape Turnagain to this place, the people have acknowledged only one chief, Teratu. If his dominion is really so large, he may have princes or governors under him capable of drawing together a vast number of people, for he himself is always said to live far inland.
3rd. The continent appeared this morning barren and rocky, but many islands were in sight, chiefly with such towns upon them as we saw yesterday. Two canoes put off from one, but could not overtake us. At breakfast a cluster of islands and rocks was in sight, which made an uncommon appearance from the number of perpendicular rocks or needles (as the seamen call them) which were in sight at once. These we called the Court of Aldermen, in respect to that worthy body, and entertained ourselves some time with giving names to each of them from their resemblance, thick and squab or lank and tall, to some one or other of those respectable citizens. Soon after this we passed an island, on which were houses built on the steep sides of rocks, inaccessible, I had almost said, to birds. How their inhabitants could ever have got to them surpassed my comprehension. At present, however, we saw none, so that these situations are probably no more than places to retire to in case of danger, which are totally evacuated in peaceable times.
5th. Two Indians were seen fighting about some quarrel of their own; they began with lances, which were soon taken from them by an old man, apparently a chief, but they were allowed to continue their battle, which they did like Englishmen with their fists for some time, after which all of them retired behind a little hill, so that our people did not see the event of the combat.
6th. The Indians, as yesterday, were tame. Their habitations were certainly at a distance, as they had no houses, but slept under the bushes. The bay where we now are may be a place to which parties of them often resort for the sake of shell-fish, which are here very plentiful; indeed, wherever we went, on hills or in valleys, in woods or plains, we continually met with vast heaps of shells, often many waggon-loads together, some appearing to be very old. Wherever these were it is more than probable that parties of Indians had at some time or other taken up their residence, as our Indians had made such a pile about them. The country in general was very barren, but the tops of the hills were covered with a very large fern, the roots of which they had got together in large quantities, as they said, to carry away with them. We did not see any kind of cultivation.
8th. We botanised with our usual good success, which could not be doubted in a country so totally new. In the evening we went to our friends the Indians that we might see the method in which they slept: it was, as they had told us, on the bare ground, without more shelter than a few trees over their heads. The women and children were placed innermost, or farthest from the sea; the men lay in a kind of semicircle round them, and on the trees close by were ranged their arms, in order, so no doubt they were afraid of an attack from some enemy not far off. They do not acknowledge any superior king, as did all those whom we had before seen, so possibly these are a set of outlaws from Teratu's kingdom. Their having no cultivation or houses makes it clear at least either that it is so or that this is not their real habitation; they say, however, that they have houses and a fort somewhere at a distance, but do not say that even there there is any cultivation.
9th. At daybreak this morning a vast number of boats came on board, almost loaded with mackerel of two sorts, one exactly the same as is caught in England. We concluded that they had caught a large shoal and sold us the surplus, as they set very little value upon them. It was, however, a fortunate circumstance for us, as we soon had more fish on board than all hands could eat in two or three days, and before night so many that every mess who could raise any salt corned as many as will last them this month or more.
After an early breakfast, the astronomer went on shore to observe the transit of Mercury, which he did without the smallest cloud intervening, a fortunate circumstance, as except yesterday and to-day we have not had a clear day for some time.
10th. This day was employed in an excursion to view a large river at the bottom of a bay. Its mouth proved to be a good harbour, with sufficient water for our ship, but scarcely enough for a larger. The stream was in many places very wide, with large flats of mangroves, which at high water are covered. We went up about a league, where it was still wider than at the mouth, and divided itself into innumerable channels separated by mangrove flats, the whole several miles in breadth. The water was shoal, so we agreed to stop our disquisition here, and go ashore to dine. A tree in the neighbourhood, on which were many shags' nests, and old shags sitting by them, confirmed our resolution. An attack was consequently made on the shags, and about twenty were soon killed, and as soon broiled and eaten; every one declaring that they were excellent food, as indeed I think they were. Hunger is certainly most excellent sauce; but since we have no fowls and ducks left, we find ourselves able to eat any kind of bird (for indeed we throw away none) without even that kind of seasoning. Fresh provision to a seaman must always be most acceptable, if he can get over the small prejudices which once affected several in this ship, most or all of whom are now by virtue of good example completely cured. Our repast ended, we proceeded down the river again. At the mouth of it was a small Indian village, where we landed, and were most civilly received by the inhabitants, who treated us with hot cockles, or at least a small flat shell-fish (Tellina), which was most delicious food.
11th. An oyster bank was found in the river, about half a mile up, just above a small island which is covered at high water; here the long-boat was sent and soon returned deeply loaded with as good oysters as ever came from Colchester, and of about the same size. They were laid down under the booms, and employed the ship's company very well, who, I sincerely believe, did nothing but eat from the time they came on board till night, by which time a large part were expended. But this gave us no kind of uneasiness, since we well knew that not the boat only but the ship might be loaded in one tide almost, as they are dry at half ebb.
12th. We all went ashore to see an Indian fort, or heppah, in the neighbourhood, uncertain, however, what kind of a reception we should meet with, as they might be jealous about letting us into a place where all their valuable effects were probably lodged. We went to a bay where were two heppahs, and landed first near a small one, the most beautiful romantic thing I ever saw. It was built on a small rock detached from the main, and surrounded at high water; the top of this was fenced round with rails after their manner, but was not large enough to contain above five or six houses; the whole appeared totally inaccessible to any animal who was not furnished with wings, indeed, it was only approachable by one very narrow and steep path, but what made it most truly romantic was that much the greater part of it was hollowed out into an arch, which penetrated quite through it, the top being not less than twenty perpendicular yards above the water, which ran through it.
The inhabitants on our approach came down, and invited us to go in; but we refused, intending to visit a much larger and more perfect one about a mile off: we spent, however, some little time in making presents to their women. In the meanwhile we saw the inhabitants of the other come down from it, men, women and children, about one hundred in number, and march towards us; as soon as they came near enough they waved, and called haromai, and sat down in the bushes near the beach (a sure mark of their good intentions).
We went to them, made a few presents, and asked leave to go up to their heppah, which they with joy invited us to do, and immediately accompanied us to it. It was called Wharretoueva, and was situated at the end of a hill where it jutted out into the sea, which washed its two sides: these were sufficiently steep, but not absolutely inaccessible. Up one of the land sides, which was also steep, went the road; the other side was flat and open. The whole was enclosed by a palisade about ten feet high, made of strong poles bound together with withies: the weak side next the hill had also a ditch, twenty feet in depth nearest the palisade. Besides this, beyond the palisade was built a fighting stage, which they call porāvā. It is a flat stage covered with branches of trees upon which they stand to throw darts or stones at their assailants, they themselves being out of danger. Its dimensions were as follows: its height above the ground 20½ feet, breadth 6 feet 6 inches, length 43 feet; upon it were laid bundles of darts, and heaps of stones, ready in case of an attack. One of the young men at our desire went up to show their method of fighting, and another went to the outside of the ditch to act as assailant; they both sang their war-song, and danced with the same frightful gesticulations as we have often seen, threatening each other with their weapons. This, I suppose, they do in their attacks, to work themselves into a sufficient fury of courage, for what we call calm resolution is, I believe, found in few uncivilised people. The side next the road was also defended by a similar stage, but much longer; the other two were by their steepness thought to be sufficiently secure with the palisade. The inside was divided into, I believe, twenty larger and smaller divisions, some of which contained not more than one or two houses, others twelve or fourteen. Every one of these was enclosed by its own palisade, though not so high and strong as the general one; in these were vast heaps of dried fish and fern roots piled up, so much so that if they had had water, I should have thought them well prepared for a siege, but that had to be fetched from a brook below; so that they probably do not besiege a town as we do in Europe. Without the fence were many houses and large nets, the latter, I suppose, being brought in upon any alarm; there was also about half an acre planted with gourds and sweet potatoes, the only cultivation we have seen in this bay.
14th. As we were resolved to stay no longer here, we all went ashore, the boats to get as much celery and oysters as possible, Dr. Solander and myself to get as many green plants as possible, in order to finish the sketches, etc., while at sea; so an enormous number of all these articles came on board.
Dr. Solander, who was to-day in a cove different from that I was in, saw the natives catch many lobsters in a very simple manner; they walked among the rocks at low water, about waist-deep in water, and moved their feet about till they felt one, on which they dived down, and constantly brought him up. I do not know whether I have before mentioned these lobsters, but we have had them in tolerable plenty in almost every place we have been in, and they are certainly the largest and best I have ever eaten.
20th. We had yesterday resolved to employ this day in examining a bay we saw, so at daybreak we set out in the boats. A fresh breeze of wind soon carried us to the bottom of the bay, where we found a very fine river, broad as the Thames at Greenwich, though not quite so deep; there was, however, water enough for vessels of more than a middling size, and a bottom of mud so soft that nothing could possibly take damage by running ashore.
About a mile up this was an Indian town built upon a small bank of dry sand, but totally surrounded by deep mud, so much so that I believe they had purposely built it there as a defence. The people came out in flocks upon the banks, inviting us in; they had heard of us from our last friends. We landed, and while we stayed they were most perfectly civil, as indeed they have always been where we were known, but never where we were not. We proceeded up the river and soon met with another town with but few inhabitants. Above this the banks were completely clothed with the finest timber[5] my eyes ever beheld, of a tree we had before seen, but only at a distance, in Poverty Bay and Hawke's Bay. Thick woods of it were everywhere upon the banks, every tree as straight as a pine, and of immense size, and the higher we went the more numerous they were. About two leagues from the mouth we stopped and went ashore. Our first business was to measure one of these trees. The woods were swampy, so we could not range far; we found one, however, by no means the largest we had seen, which was 19 feet 8 inches[6] in circumference, and 89 feet in height without a branch. But what was most remarkable was that it, as well as many more that we saw, carried its thickness so truly up to the very top, that I dare venture to affirm that the top, where the lowest branch took its rise, was not a foot less in diameter than where we measured it, which was about 8 feet from the ground. We cut down a young one of these trees; the wood proved heavy and solid, too much so for masts, but it would make the finest plank in the world, and might possibly by some art be made light enough for masts, as the pitch-pine in America (to which our carpenter likened this timber) is said to be lightened by tapping.
Up to this point the river has kept its depth and very little decreased in breadth; the captain was so much pleased with it that he resolved to call it the Thames. It was now time for us to return; the tide turning downwards gave us warning, so away we went, and got out of the river into the bay before it was dark. We rowed for the ship as fast as we could, but night overtook us before we could get within some miles of her. It blew fresh with showers of rain. In this situation we rowed until nearly twelve, and then gave over, and running under the land came to a grappling, and all went to sleep as well as we could.
21st. Before daybreak we set out again. It still blew fresh with mizzling rain and fog, so that it was an hour after day before we got a sight of the ship. However, we made shift to get on board by seven, tired enough; and lucky for us it was we did, for before nine it blew a fresh gale, so that our boat could not have rowed ahead, and, had we been out, we must have either gone ashore or sheltered ourselves. Before evening, however, it moderated, so that we got under way with the ebb, but did little or nothing.
- ↑ A species of Ianthina.
- ↑ An Account of the Discoveries made in the South Pacifick Ocean, previous to 1764. By Alexander Dalrymple. London, 1767.
- ↑ The same plant as the British bracken, Pteris aquilina.
- ↑ Hierochloe redolens, Br.
- ↑ Podocarpus dacrydioides, A. Cunn.
- ↑ The dimensions were left blank in Banks's Journal. In Wharton's Cook, p. 159, it is stated to be 19 feet 8 inches at 6 feet above the ground, and its length from the root to the first branch 89 feet; and it tapered so little that Cook judged it to contain 356 feet of solid timber, clear of the branches.