The Life and Voyages of Captain James Cook/Chapter 10
Arrival at Madeira—at St. Jago—and at the Cape of Good Hope. Letter to Mr. Walker. Voyage towards the Antarctic seas, and unsuccessful attempts to find Cape Circumcision, or any other land in the direction of the south pole. Numerous ice-bergs—Cold and stormy weather. The Resolution and Adventure parted in a fog. Aurora australis. Voyage of the Resolution to the eastward in a high southern Latitude. Arrival in Dusky Bay, New Zealand. Healthy state of the crew. Refreshments procured. Excursions in Dusky Bay, and friendly intercourse with the natives. Passage from Dusky Bay to Queen Charlotte's Sound. Happy meeting with the Adventure, which had touched at Van Diemen's Land.
On monday, July 13th, 1772, the Resolution and Adventure sailed from Plymouth; and on the 29th, they anchored in Funchiale Roads, at Madeira. Here our navigators met with a friendly reception; and having procured water, wine, and other refreshments, sailed again on the 1st of August. In the beginning of the month, Capt. Cook made three puncheons of beer, from the inspissated juice of malt; and found the liquor in a few days very brisk and drinkable. The stock of water being low, the ships, on the 9th, put into port Praya, in St. Jago, one of the Cape de Verde Islands; where not only supplies of water, but of meat and fruits, were obtained. They sailed again on the 14th; and on the 19th, one of the carpenter's mates, of the Resolution, a sober, worthy man, fell overboard and was drowned. On the 27th, a similar loss occurred on board the Adventure, where one of the petty officers died. At this time there was no sickness on board the Resolution. Heavy rains had recently fallen, which in hot climates often prove injurious to health; but the Captain, following some hints received from Sir Hugh Palliser, and Capt. Campbell, took care to have the ship aired and dried with fires made between decks, and obliged the people to air their bedding, and to wash and dry their clothes, whenever there was opportunity.
On the 8th of September the ships crossed the line, when the foolish ceremonies, usually practised on the occasion, were not omitted. These of course afforded some sport to the people on board. The officers and scientific gentlemen had their amusements also, on the voyage; making observations on the currents, the birds, and the luminous appearance which the sea occasionally presents. This last was ascertained, as in the former voyage, to be produced by myriads of insects. On the 11th of October, the Captain and his friends had an opportunity of observing an eclipse of the moon. On the 29th, they came in sight of Table Mountain, and next day came to an anchor in Table Bay; having reached the Cape, without experiencing any of those calms, or encountering any of those tornadoes, which some of their seafaring friends in England had assured them they would meet with near the line, in consequence of their sailing at an improper season of the year.
At the Cape, Baron Plettenberg, the Governor, received our navigators with great politeness; and informed Capt. Cook of two French vessels which, about eight months before, had made some discoveries to the southward of the Mauritius; and of other two French ships, under the command of M. Marion, that had passed the Cape in March, on a voyage of discovery to the South Pacific Ocean. Aotourou, whom M. de Bougainville brought from Otaheite, was to have returned with M. Marion, had he been living.
Three weeks were spent at the Cape, during which the Resolution and Adventure were caulked and painted, and in every respect put in as good condition as when they left England. Here Lieut. Shanks, being in ill health, was left behind, at his own request, to return home; Mr Kemp was promoted to be first Lieutenant of the Adventure; and Mr. Burney, a midshipman in the Resolution, appointed to succeed him as second Lieutenant. Here also, the scientific corps of the Resolution acquired an accession of strength, in the person of Mr. Sparrman, a Swedish naturalist, and a disciple of Linnæus, who at Mr. Forster's request and expense, was engaged as his assistant.
Two days before his departure from the Cape, Capt. Cook wrote a brief farewell letter to his Whitby friend, Mr. Walker, which the reader will be gratified to see; especially as it expresses his reliance on the care of Providence, in the view of approaching dangers.
On the 22nd of Nov. our navigators sailed from the Cape, directing their course southward for Cape Circumcision, the land said to have been seen by M. Bouvet in 1739. Warm jackets and trowsers, allowed by the Admiralty, were served out to the men, in anticipation of the colds and storms of the Antarctic regions. The advantages of this precaution were speedily apparent; for, on the 6th of Dec. the thermometer fell to 38, and a severe storm began, accompanied with rain, hail, snow, and sleet; which, continuing for several days, destroyed a great part of the live stock brought from the Cape of Good Hope, and drove the ships so far to the eastward of their course, that they had no hopes of reaching Cape Circumcision. On the 10th, being in latitude 50° 40' S. they began to see icebergs, which increased in number and size, as they advanced towards the south; some being about two miles in circuit, and 60 feet high; yet such was the force of the waves, that the sea broke right over them. On the 13th they reached 54° S., being the latitude of Cape Circumcision; but they were 10° of longitude cast of it. On monday the 14th, in latitude 54° 50' S. and longitude 21° 34' F., their progress was stopped by a compact field of ice; when they bent their course eastward, along the edge of this field, working their way among numerous icebergs, like so many floating rocks, the danger of striking against which, was much increased by frequent fogs. During this navigation, the cold was often so intense, that the sails and rigging were all hung with icicles. The sleeves of the men's jackets being too short, and their arms exposed to the cold, the Captain, with his wonted humanity, had them lengthened with baize, and had a cap of baize, strengthened with canvas, made for each of the men; which contributed much to their comfort. Symptoms of scurvy appearing also on board, recourse was had to the antiscorbutics, which were served out daily under the direction of the Surgeons.
After reaching 31° 30' E. longitude, our navigators changed their course, and stood to the south-west, still keeping among the icebergs; and on tuesday, the 29th, they were in 59° 12' S. latitude, 19° 1' E. latitude. No tokens of land having been seen, and no bottom found in sounding, Capt. Cook resolved, the wind being now favourable, to run as far west as the meridian of Cape Circumcision; and having sent for Captain Furneaux to come on board and dine with him, acquainted him with his plan. On thursday, the 31st, they found themselves in considerable danger, exposed to stormy weather, among fields and masses of ice, being then in 60° 21' S. latitude, and 13° 32' E. longitude. On saturday, the 2nd of January, 1773, they were favoured with a sight of the moon, which they had seen but once since leaving the Cape. The latitude was found to be 58° 53 S., longitude 9° 34' E. This being nearly the meridian of Cape Circumcision, though 95 leagues to the south of its latitude, the weather clear, and no land whatever in sight, Capt. Cook was of opinion, that Bouvet must have been mistaken with respect to Cape Circumcision, and that he had taken a large iceberg, or assemblage of icebergs, for land; a mistake which our navigators themselves were sometimes in danger of committing. Disappointed in searching for land in this direction, Capt. Cook now pursued a S.E. course, taking in during his progress masses of ice, which being melted afforded supplies of excellent fresh water.
On the 17th of January, when our navigators had attained the latitude of 67° 15', being only 22° 45' from the south pole, they found it impossible to proceed further, the ice being entirely closed to the south, without the least appearance of an opening. Here many whales were playing about the ice, while peterels, pintadoes, and other birds, were seen in great numbers. Returning towards the north, Capt. Cook proceeded to search for the land said to have been recently discovered by the French. For several days, the vessels kept a northerly, or N.E. course, in very unpleasant weather, sometimes thick and hazy, at other times stormy and boisterous, with showers of snow and sleet; till on monday, February 1st, they were in latitude 48° 30' S., longitude 58° 7' E., nearly in the meridian of the Mauritius, and about the place where the French were said to have discovered land. The Adventure, in this voyage, usually kept at the distance of four miles from the Resolution, that the ships might take in a wider range. Floating pieces of sea weed or rock weed, with numbers of divers and other birds, being seen from both ships, they were the more eager in searching for land, these being considered indications of its proximity. They sailed to the east, and south-east, till wednesday morning; when, Capt. Furneaux expressing his belief, that there was land to the north-west, Capt. Cook, though of a different mind, steered in that direction till the morning of saturday, the 6th; when, finding adverse winds, without any appearance of land, he again proceeded towards the south-east. On monday, Feb. 8th, in latitude 49° 53' S, longitude 63° 39' E, a thick fog came on, during which the Adventure parted from the Resolution; and although Capt. Cook continued to cruise about near the same spot for two days, making frequent signals, no answer was made, and when the weather cleared up she could not be seen. After this, Capt. Cook continued on a S.E. course in the Resolution till he reached the latitude of 60° and upwards, and then steered to the eastward, keeping nearly in that latitude until wednesday, March 16; when, having attained the longitude of 146° 53' E, being nearly the meridian of Van Diemen's Land, he turned towards the north-east. He proposed to examine the eastern point of Van Diemen's Land, and ascertain whether. it was joined to New Holland or not, a point not then determined; but the wind being unfavourable, he steered directly for New Zealand, where he hoped to find the Adventure; and having the advantage of a strong gale, he made the land on thursday, the 25th.
During the whole voyage from the Cape to New Zealand, the Captain and his scientific friends made frequent observations for ascertaining the variation of the compass; though they met with many interruptions, through hazy or stormy weather. The islands and masses of ice, which supplied them with water, furnished another subject of investigation; as also the appearances presented by extensive fields of ice, which, when partially enveloped in clouds, or fogs, were sometimes mistaken for land. Their attention was likewise directed to the currents, the sea weed, the birds, and the seals; and they found, to their mortification, that the presence of penguins, albatrosses, pintadoes, and seals, does not always indicate that land is near. But the most beautiful and interesting phenomenon observed in this voyage, was the aurora australis, or southern lights, which in clear evenings appeared toward the south pole, as the northern lights are seen in our country towards the north pole; and exhibited the same vivid and flitting coruscations, with parallel, and sometimes spiral rays. This splendid phenomenon was first seen early in the morning of Feb. 17th. Capt. Cook was not hitherto aware of its existence, although a bright light was seen toward the south, in his first voyage, during the passage from New Guinea to Savu.
It was on friday, the 26th of March, that the Resolution anchored in Dusky Bay, near the West Cape of New Zealand: and although she had been 117 days at sea, and had sailed 3660 leagues, without being in sight of land, the crew, with one exception, were all well; owing to the means so carefully employed by the Captain for preserving their health, and especially the judicious use of antiscorbutics.
An excellent harbour being discovered on the south-east side of Dusky Bay, by Lieut. Pickersgill, and hence named Pickersgill Harbour, the Resolution was here comfortably moored, in the immediate vicinity of wood and water; and as the place also abounded with fish and wild fowl, Capt. Cook resolved to make some stay here, especially as no European had hitherto landed in the southern division of New Zealand. A large overhanging tree, which reached to the gunwale of the ship, formed a communication with the shore; where a space was cleared in the woods for setting up an observatory, a forge, and tents for various uses. The place did not afford a supply of wholesome vegetables; but the Captain, who had made beer several times from the inspissated juice of wort during the voyage from the Cape, discovered in the woods a tree resembling the American black spruce; with the branches of which, together with the same inspissated juice and molasses, and an infusion of an herb growing here called the tea-herb, he made some fine spruce beer, at once refreshing and medicinal. The poor sheep and goats, that had survived the Antarctic storms, were so affected with scurvy, that they could scarcely eat even the most tender leaves, their teeth being all loose.
On the 28th, a canoe containing six or eight people came in sight, the first inhabitants seen since the ship's arrival. Signs of friendship were made to invite them to approach; but without effect. Some time after they had retired, the Captain went with two boats to seek them; but found only a canoe, in which he left some trinkets for them. No other natives were seen till tuesday, April 6th, when the Captain and the scientific gentlemen, on their return from examining a fine capacious cove, with a fresh water river, on the north side of the bay, observed a man and two women on a small island. The man hallooed to them as they were passing; but when the boat approached him, he discovered manifest signs of fear. He stood on the point of a rock with his club in his hand, while the two women stood behind him at the skirts of the wood, each carrying a spear. When the boat came to the spot, he still kept his post, and when Captain Cook landed, and went up and embraced him, all his fears were dissipated. The two women now ventured to draw near, while some of the party landed from the boat; and a friendly conversation, little understood on either side, was carried on for about half an hour. In this friendly chat, the youngest of the two women had the principal share, displaying a surprising volubility of tongue; and she also treated the company with a dance. Presents of fish and fowls were offered; but the natives declined accepting them.
Next day the Captain, with Messrs. Forster and Hodges, paid them another visit, and gave them several presents, none of which they appeared to regard, except hatchets and spike-nails. The party to-day met with the whole family, eight in number; and were conducted to their habitation, two mean bark huts, in the skirts of the wood. On the 9th, another visit was paid them, when they appeared in their best dresses, having their heads ornamented with fillets and tufts of feathers. Capt. Cook presented the chief with a cloak of red baize, which pleased him so well, that he gave his patoo-patoo in return. On monday the 12th, the natives visited Pickersgill Harbour, in their canoe, but could not be persuaded to come alongside the ship. They sat down, however, on the adjacent shore, where they conversed familiarly with the officers and men who went to them; paying particular regard to some young men, whom they appeared at first to mistake for women. In the evening they took up their quarters about a hundred yards from the watering place, thus shewing the confidence which they placed in the strangers. Next evening they returned to their own habitation.
During his stay here, our navigator was diligently employed in surveying the numerous coves and islands in the bay, and marking the general features of the country; while the naturalists were pursuing their favourite occupations, and the officers frequently went out in shooting parties. On tuesday, the 13th, the Captain, with Mr. Forster, went in the pinnace, to survey the isles and rocks in the mouth of the bay; where, after visiting an interesting cove, and killing some seals on the outermost isles, they rowed out to sea round the south-west point of Anchor Isle. Here they unexpectedly found the boat belonging to a shooting party who were on another island, and fortunately caught it just as it was going to be dashed against some rocks. The boat was secured in a small creek, while the Captain's party went in search of the sportsmen. The latter were found on a small isle in Goose Cove, so named because some geese were left here to breed; but they could not be approached till the return of the tide, and this not flowing till three in the morning, the Captain and his comrades, landing on a naked beach, where they kindled a fire and broiled some fish, made a hearty supper, having for sauce a good appetite. They then lay down to sleep, having no bed but the stony beach, and no covering but the canopy of heaven. At the rise of the tide, they took off the sportsmen, whom they conveyed to their boat; and both parties reached the ship about seven in the morning, not a little fatigued with their long excursion.
On monday, the 19th, the New Zealand chief, accompanied by his daughter, came on board the Resolution, not without much ceremony. He took a green branch in his hand, with which he struck the ship's side several times, repeating a speech or prayer; and then throwing the branch into the main chains, he went on board. He and his daughter were introduced into the cabin when the the officers were at breakfast; but they would taste nothing. He pried into every corner, and viewed every thing with much surprise; but could not fix his attention on any one thing for a single moment. He brought, as a present to the Captain, a piece of cloth, and a hatchet of green tale; and gave also a piece of cloth to Mr. Forster, while his daughter gave a piece to Mr. Hodges. Of the presents given in return, he set the greatest value on hatchets and spike-nails. They remained on board till noon, when he and his daughter joined the rest of his family, who were fishing in their canoe; after which, they all departed; and next day they left the place, and were no more seen in the bay; a circumstance which our navigators could not account for.
In the mean time, the Captain proceeded on monday with two boats, to explore the upper part of the bay on the south side; Messrs. Forster and Hodges being with him in the one boat, while Lieut. Cooper had the charge of the other. Both parties. passed the night on the shore; and next morning examined a river, on the banks of which they saw some natives, who would not accept an invitation to draw near, but retired into the woods. Afterwards two other natives were seen on the shore, armed with spears; and the Captain advancing to them alone, one of them was persuaded to lay down his spear and approach. He held out in his hand a grass plant, which the Captain took hold of also, and when both had muttered some words alternately, peace was considered as fully settled, and they saluted each other as friends. The New Zealander gave the Captain his hahou, or cloak; and received in return a hatchet and a knife, as did also his comrade. They invited the Captain and his friends, whom they kindly saluted, to go to their habitation, and get something to eat; but on account of the tide, he could not accept their invitation. They accompanied him and his friends to the boat, which they assisted in launching; having first desired them to put away the muskets, the murderous effects of which, in shooting ducks and other wild fowl, they had that morning witnessed. A few other natives appeared in the skirts of the wood, but did not come near.
Many other excursions were made in Dusky Bay, for surveying, botanizing, duck-shooting, seal-killing, and fishing. After the 25th of April, the weather became very rainy and hazy; which greatly marred the pleasure of such excursions. The Captain, however, completed his survey of Dusky Bay, with all its intricate windings, coves, and islands; and, on thursday the 29th, having got every thing on board, and having sown with garden seeds of various sorts a piece of ground where the tents had stood, he sailed from Pickersgill Harbour, and made for a new passage out of the bay to the northward, which he had discovered in his survey. Contrary winds and adverse currents, with the necessity of proceeding cautiously through this new channel, so impeded his progress outwards, that he did not get fairly out to sea till tuesday, May 11th.
Astronomical obscrvations were made at Pickersgill Harbour by Mr. Wales, for determining the variation of the compass, proving the chronometers, and ascertaining the longitude. This last was found to be 166° 18' E.; the latitude 45° 47' 261/2" S.
During the passage from Dusky Bay to Queen Charlotte's Sound, nothing remarkable occurred, except the appearance of some waterspouts, so often observed in the Pacific Ocean. On the 18th of May, the Resolution arrived in Queen Charlotte's Sound, where, to the great joy of both parties, the Adventure was found at anchor; having arrived here six weeks before, or about ten days after the arrival of the Resolution in Dusky Bay.
The Adventure, after losing sight of the Resolution on the 7th of February, had cruised some days near the spot; when not seeing the Resolution, nor hearing her signals, she bore away in the direction in which both had been sailing; but took an easterly course in a latitude about 8° lower than the Resolution. On the 9th of March, Capt. Furneaux fell in with the south part of Van Diemen's Land; and spent five days in a bay which he named Adventure Bay. He explored a part of the coast, but saw no inhabitants; although their fires were perceived in various parts, and some of their rude bee-hive huts were met with in Adventure Bay. Some small islands were discovered on the east side of Van Diemen's Land, and named Furneaux's Isles. Van Diemen's Land, like New Zealand, had been discovered by Tasman, in 1642; yet it was still uncertain, whether it formed the extremity of New Holland, or not. Capt. Furneaux, as well as Capt. Cook, was prevented by contrary winds from ascertaining the point; but he sailed northward till he saw a part of New Holland, lying about 39° S. latitude; and the impression on his mind was, that a deep bay, and not a strait, intervened between that point and Van Diemen's Land. He arrived off Cape Farewell in New Zealand, on the 3rd of April; but, the wind being unfavourable, it was not till wednesday the 7th that he anchored safely in Ship Cove, Queen Charlotte's Sound. Here Capt. Furneaux and his people waited the arrival of the Resolution, enjoying the refreshments which the place afforded, and having tents on shore on the island of Motuara, and an insulated Heppah adjacent. They had enjoyed friendly intercourse with the natives, who remembered the Endeavour, and made particular inquiries after Tupia, at the news of whose death they expressed much concern.
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New Zealanders in Dusky Bay.