Voyage in Search of La Pérouse/Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
On the 24th of July about 11 A.M. we set sail from Carteret harbour, and took advantage of a gentle breeze at south-east, to pass through the north-west opening, between Cocos Island and New Ireland.
The current set to the W.N.W. and at noon we were 5,000 toises W.N.W. of our anchoring place.
The Esperance, not having hove up her anchor in time to profit by this breeze, a calm succeeded almost as soon as she set her sails, and the current drove her towards the breakers, on the starboard of her passage out of the harbour. She was therefore obliged to cast anchor, and wait for a wind, to extricate her from this dangerous situation.
We lay to, in hopes that she would soon rejoin us; but it was half an hour past four before she could overtake us. The captain then told us that he was in danger of being wrecked at the entrance of the harbour which we had quitted. Having been forced by the current to come to an anchor on a coral bottom, the cable had been cut by the rocks, at the moment when a breeze sprang up at south-east, and carried them from the rocks. They had come too near them to cast a second anchor with advantage; and the frigate quitted the station with the loss of an anchor, and three fathoms of cable.
Our position now enabled us to observe, that the channel of St. George is not more than 30,000 or 35,000 toises in breadth, at its southern extremity. The obscurity of the weather appears to have led Carteret into the error, of supposing its breadth almost double of what we found it.
We tried during the night, and the current carried us into St. George's channel, at the rate of 2,500 toises in the hour.
About one o'clock in the morning the Isle of Man bore W.S.W., distant 5,000 toises.
A very thick fog concealed from us, all day, the lofty mountains of New Ireland. But their summits appeared from time to time, and we had sight of mountains towards the centre of that island, at least 1,000 toises in perpendicular elevation. We observed large trees even on the highest of their peaks.
At four in the afternoon we lay to, with an intention to explore Sandwich Island the next day. But the currents hurried us along with such rapidity during the night, that at day break, when we were setting the sails, we were astonished to find ourselves not more than two hundred toises from that island.
The watch had probably been asleep; for we received no intimation that the current was driving us upon the coast; which, however, even at that small distance, happily presented no danger.
The island of Sandwich has no considerable elevation. Like New Ireland, it was covered with trees; and some old trunks, after losing part of their branches, were scattered here and there upon the little hills. Being covered with parasite plants, they looked like columns adorned with garlands, and added greatly to the picturesque appearance of that charming island.
The part of New Ireland too, which lies opposite to Sandwich Island, presents a tract but little elevated. There arose, however, in the middle of a vast plain, some little hills which might be 200 or 250 toises in perpendicular height.
The north-west part of Sandwich Island terminates in several points or slips of land, advanced into the sea. We distinguished five principal ones; and near the base of one of them, is a peaked hill, which is the highest land in the island; although its perpendicular altitude does not exceed 200 or 250 toises, and consequently it is much less elevated than Captain Carteret alledges. The clearness of the weather, and the near approach we made to this little mountain, enabled us to judge of its elevation.
Some huts in the shade of the woods of cocoa-nut trees, made us hope for an interview with the inhabitants of Sandwich Island; but it was doubtless too early in the morning for them to pay us a visit, for we did not see a single individual.
The most westerly point of that island is in 2° 59′ 26″ S. lat. and 148° 29′ 15″ E. longitude. Its greatest length, from E.S.E. to W.N.W. is 15,000 toises.
At its western point we observed a little island, which Carteret had not perceived.
Ten days had elapsed without our having had an opportunity of observing the passage of the sun over the meridian; but on the 26th of July, we found our latitude at noon to be 2° 50′ 29″ S., and our longitude 148° 16′ 50″ E.; and we were enabled to determine the situation of the northern, and most westerly point of New Ireland, which was in 2° 44′ 30″ S. lat., and 140° 11′ 30″ E, longitude. The obscurity of the weather must have occasioned the error of Carteret, who placed it above 10,000 toises farther to the north.
About four o'clock in the evening, we were distant about 1,500 toises from a great number of little islands, situated at the entrance of the channel which separates New Ireland from New Hanover; and we observed that the passage between those islands was obstructed by reefs. New Ireland is terminated by low lands.
New Hanover, towards the north-west, presents a flat surface, while its centre is occupied by a chain of very high mountains, which extend towards the south-east.
27th. In the morning of this day, we had sight of Portland Islands, which we coasted at a small distance. They form a group of seven little islands, which occupy a space of about 7,500 toises in extent, in the direction of east and west. They are very flat, covered with large trees, and are connected together by reefs and sand-banks.
Those little islands are in latitude 2° 39′ 44″ S. and in longitude 147° 15′ E.
28th. We continued to direct our course towards the Admiralty Islands, where Commodore Hunter, according to the account of two French captains, believed that he saw the wreck of the unfortunate expedition of La Perouse; and we steered for the most southerly of the little group. Like most of the islands in the South Seas, this is bordered by reefs at a small distance from the beach.
A line of fifty toises in length did not reach the bottom; although we were but 1,000 toises from the land.
We observed towards the S.W. some canoes proceeding along shore, within the reefs; but none of them seemed desirous of getting clear of the reefs, in order to come towards us. We also distinguished some groups of natives, upon the most advanced points of land, in order that they might have the better view of our ships.
A large tree standing above the breakers, was taken by some for the wreck of a ship; but the branches and roots which were distinctly seen, left no doubt that it was a tree, which had been detached from the coast.
The Commander sent an officer on board the Esperance, to concert with the captain the researches which it would be proper to make at the Admiralty Islands, agreeable to the intelligence 
View of the Admiralty Islands which had been sent us at the Cape of Good Hope.
We passed the night in beating about, and making head against the currents.
29th. Captain Huon waited on the General, early the next morning. He was of opinion, that we should visit the island E.N.E. of that we had coasted. In fact, according to one of the depositions which had been sent to the Commander of the expedition, it was on the most easterly island that the savages had been seen cloathed in the uniform of the French marine. About the middle of the day we were within 2,500 toises of that land, and saw some of the natives coming towards the beach. Some huts were seen among the cocoa-nut trees. Other islanders soon appeared on the south-east point; and their number increased as we approached them. Some canoes lay upon the sand, and we hoped to see the natives launch them, in order to meet us; but they made no dispositions for that purpose. As the General wished to have an interview with them, we went under the lee of the island, where we found but little shelter, it being of small extent. A crowd of natives now appeared. Some ran along the shore; others kept their eyes directed towards our ships, inviting us by signs to come on shore, and expressing their joy by shouting. Some of them launched a canoe, but hesitated for some time to come near our ship, and paddled towards the Esperance which was more to windward. This little canoe was furnished with an out-rigger, and had on board seven natives, who almost immediately returned on shore.
At half past one o'clock we brought to, and dispatched from each ship a boat, with different articles, to be distributed among the inhabitants of that little island. While the boats were approaching the land as near as they could, the frigates were in readiness to protect them, in case of an attack from the savages; for the perfidy, which the inhabitants of the most southerly of the Admiralty Islands had practised on Carteret, gave us some apprehensions with regard to the intentions of those. That voyager tells us, that in September 1767, when he discovered the southern part of that archipelago, the savages attacked him with two volleys of arrows, notwithstanding the marks of friendship which he had lavished upon them.
This island was cultivated to its very summit. Several pieces of land were fenced in, which made us believe that the inhabitants were acquainted with the right of property. The whole island presented the appearance of a little round mountain, the base of which was adorned with beautiful plantations of cocoa-nut trees, while its more elevated parts appeared to be allotted to the cultivation of different roots, which also furnish food to the inhabitants.
When the boats came within about fifty toises of the shore, they found no bottom with thirty-three fathoms of line; and the reefs, with which the island is bordered, prevented them from approaching nearer.
A great number of natives advanced to the beach. We counted more than an hundred and fifty, who practised every mean in their power, to induce us to land on their island; but the reefs were an obstacle which we could not surmount. They threw our people some cocoa-nuts, and were pleased and astonished to see with what facility they were opened with an axe.
One of the natives, distinguished from the rest by a double row of little shells, which adorned his forehead, appeared to possess great authority. He ordered one of the natives to swim towards us with some cocoa-nuts. The fear of approaching persons of whose intention he was ignorant, made the islander, swimming and defenceless, hesitate a moment. But the chief who, doubtless, was little accustomed to have his will disobeyed, did not allow him to reflect. Blows from a cudgel, which he held in his hand, immediately succeeded his orders, and enforced instant obedience. We did not expect to see a man treated in this manner, in the midst of a crowd of people, who appeared to be so little removed from a state of nature. By way of comforting the poor fellow, our people gave him some bits of red stuff, a few nails, and a knife, with which he was greatly pleased. No sooner had he returned to the island, than curiosity collected all the rest around him, every one wishing to see our presents. Canoes were immediately launched, many natives took to the water and swam, and in a short time there was a great concourse around our boats. We were surprized to see that neither the force of the surf, nor of the breakers, discouraged them from this attempt.
There was another chief distinguished by the same ornaments as he who has been already mentioned; and also by the blows, which he inflicted with his cudgel, on those to whom he gave his orders.
Those islanders, who signified the greatest satisfaction at the sight of our nails, and still more of our hatchets, had some difficulty in perceiving the value of our knives. At first they required them to be shut, before they would receive them; but their fears were very quickly banished, and they received them open as well as shut. Those people gave us some spears, armed with bits of vitreous, volcanic lava, terminating in a point, and very sharp in the edges. They also presented us with combs, having only three teeth, very distant from each other, very heavy bracelets, formed of large shells, and others consisting of small buccinæ, strung on a fibrous substance, as strong as the best hemp.
When asking for our articles in exchange for theirs, those savages often repeated the word capelle. It appeared to us that this was their name for iron, which they preferred to every thing we could offer them.
Like the natives of Bouka, they repeated with much justness, the French words which they heard us pronounce.
One of their canoes was driven by the swell against one of our boats, and received some damage. One of our rowers taking hold of it to prevent a second shock, a chief, misapprehending our intention, made the signal to the canoe-men, the greater part of whom precipitately jumped into the sea, with a design to swim on shore; but they returned as soon as they perceived their error, and confidence was re-established.
The women kept at some distance, under the cocoa-nut trees. Their whole cloathing consisted of a piece of mat, round their middle.
The men were very busy about our boats. Some swam towards them, showing their cocoa-nuts; and others seemed to be attracted by curiosity; but it was soon discovered that this was not their only passion; for they exerted all their address to get possession of our goods. Impunity increased their boldness; and, when they missed their aim, they were not discouraged; but presently endeavoured to seize something else.
One of those thieves seized upon a knife; but being caught in the fact, he was obliged to give it up. This did not make him abandon his enterprize, and he lost nothing by his failure. A flag, in which red predominated, attracted his regards: he found means to get possession of it, and the theft was not perceived till he had got a great way from the boat, and had almost reached the island.
A looking-glass having been given to one of those savages, he contemplated his image with surprize; but immediately broke the glass, hoping, no doubt, to find in it the objects which it reflected.
The complexion of those islanders is black, but not very deep. Their physiognomy is agreeable, and not very different from that of the Europeans. Born in a fine climate, and a fertile island, they seem to be happy, if one may judge from the air of satisfaction, which is expressed in all their features. The hair of their heads is crisped, and they are in the practice of removing it from every other part of the body. It appeared that the volcanic glass, with which they pointed their spears, supplied them also with razors; for they made signs to one of our gunners, who wore whiskers, to shave them with this sort of glass.
The boats had orders to return about four o'clock. Their departure seemed sensibly to affect the natives, who redoubled their importunity in soliciting us to land in their island. All the women came to the beach, and joined their invitations to those of the men. They were, no doubt, much surprised that they had not more success; but the order had been given, and our boats could not delay their departure.
It was with regret that we left those people, at the moment when they had launched several canoes, loaded with cocoa nuts, and were bringing them to us. The delicious water of these fruits, would have been of the greatest utility in stopping the progress of the scurvy, which had already begun its ravages in both the ships. If our boats could have stopped some minutes, they would have procured a great number of them.
The satisfaction with which those islanders received nails, and other articles of iron, and the anxiety they showed to obtain them, were proofs that they were acquainted with that metal.
Those people, at first, manifested every appearance of good faith; but they discovered their inclination to theft, as soon as they thought themselves certain of impunity. We had occasion to observe, that those who were the most advanced in years were the boldest thieves.
That little island, which is nearly circular, is about 25,000 toises in diameter, and is situated in 2° 18′ S. lat., and 145° 46′ E. long. It is extremely populous; for we saw about three hundred of its inhabitants.
The white appearance of several places of the island, where fractures discovered the strata, gave me reason to believe, that its base is of a calcareous nature, like the greater part of the South Sea islands.
As soon as the boats were hoisted on board, we directed our course towards the E. ¼ N.E.
30th. The next day we got to the northward of the Admiralty Islands. There we perceived, that an extensive mountainous island occupies the centre of the group, the circumference of which consists of a great number of little flat islands, which seem to have emerged from the bosom of the ocean, at no very distant period. Almost all of them are connected together by reefs and sand banks.
About sun-set we were 8,000 toises to the north-east of the little islands which were nearest to the principal one.
31st. As soon as day-light appeared, we steered W.S.W. standing in for the land. Some canoes, which a very high sail made to loom large, appeared at a distance.
We were to leeward of those islands, in a large bay, formed by their curvatures, and a short distance from the land. We sounded several times, with sixty-eight fathoms of line, but found no bottom.
There were many cocoa-nut trees on most of the little islands. A great concourse of natives came upon the beach, and some of them advanced as far as the adjoining reefs. The little islands where there were no cocoa-nut trees, did not seem to be inhabited; for we saw not a single savage upon them.
Several canoes were launched, many still lay on the sand, and six, which had set sail, were making towards our ship. We immediately lay to, in order to receive them. Some of them were manned with seven natives, and others with nine. Having come within 300 toises of our ship, they furled their sail, and used the paddle to make a nearer approach. Each canoe had a commander, who stood on a platform, and gave his orders. When the canoes had paddled about 150 toises, they stopped, and from that distance one of the chiefs addressed us in a speech. His eloquence was wholly lost on us; but the signs with which it was accompanied, did not allow us to doubt that he wished to induce us to land. Probably the paddlers were not permitted to speak; but they joined their signs of invitation to those of the chief.
We endeavoured, on our part, to prevail on them to come nearer our ship. They could not resist the sight of our large pieces of red stuff; and, after appearing to deliberate upon the case, they advanced a little.
Some of our officers imagining that the sound of the bells would be agreeable them, they were immediately rung; but, as several persons had foreseen, the noise, instead of attracting the savages, made them take to flight. They were induced, however, to return, by the sight of several flags which we waved, and by some tunes played by our fiddler.
Presents might procure us their confidence. We therefore threw them an empty bottle, which we supposed they would immediately seize upon. But they appeared to look upon it as a fatal gift; for they paid no other attention to it, than to keep at a distance from it.
Nails and knives which were floated to them upon a board, occasioned loud expressions of joy, when the savage who took them up showed them to his companions. It appeared then, that those natives were acquainted with the use of iron.
None of them had hitherto ventured to touch the bottle; but the presents having won their confidence, one of them took possession of it, and cut the string by which it was held, with a piece of volcanic glass.
The natives now made no difficulty of coming alongside of the ship, but would not consent to come on board. The number of canoes by degrees increased, and our barter was carried on with the greatest fairness imaginable. We even saw some of those people, who were pushed at a distance from the ship, by the concourse of canoes, before they could give us the article which they had agreed to exchange for that which they had received, making their utmost efforts for that purpose. They carefully sought for the persons to whom they were indebted; and some of them, after an interval of half an hour, came and delivered us the articles which they owed.
[In this place the Author has minutely described a singular custom which prevails among the natives, who, according to him, cover certain parts of their bodies with a white shell, denominated bulla ovum, (See Plate III.) which, however, they appeared willing to dispose of. Delicacy forbids the Translator from entering either into a description of the shell, or of its uses.]
The great number of canoes with which we were surrounded, prevented many of them from approaching the ship; but some of the canoe-men swam towards us with the objects of their barter. Those islanders preferred, to every thing that we offered them, bits of iron in whatever form they happened to be. They so well distinguished that metal from all other substances, that they recognized it, even when coated with rust.
I thought that habit must have rendered those people excellent swimmers. But their movements were too precipitate; though they differed in no other respect from our good European swimmers. They needed not, however, to have made great efforts to support themselves in the water; for, by keeping their mouths shut, they immersed a part of the head. Several supported themselves in the water, by the motion of their 
Savage of the Admiralty Islands. feet only, till they tied to our ropes, the articles which they wished to barter.
If we may judge of the character of those natives, by their conduct towards us, their dispositions were excellent: an air of goodness was expressed in their features. Very different from the savages of the little island, which we had visited two days before, they gave us proofs of great probity. It was surprising to meet with so great a difference in the manners of savages, so little removed from each other, and who practised the same arts. The disparity of their conduct towards us might have proceeded from this; that the savages of the little island had dealt only with boats, whereas the others did business with large ships, which inspired respect.
The commanders of the canoes commonly made the paddlers surrender the articles which we had given them. We saw with pain, that they sometimes employed violence for this purpose. One of those poor people had received from us a bit of red serge, which he was not willing to deliver to one of the chiefs; but the latter forced it from him, by repeated blows with his cudgel.
At the same time, one of the islanders, in another canoe, was treated with similar harshness, by one of the chiefs, because the poor wretch had allowed his attention to be occupied in contemplating our ships, and had forgotten to bale the water out of the canoe.
The natives who swam towards us, in order to exchange their commodities, were considered as competitors, and soon excited the jealousy of those in the canoes which surrounded the ship. These last took great care to preserve their situation: they endeavoured to keep off the swimmers, and would not allow them to rest, by taking hold of their canoes. The swimmers, being thus obliged to move about continually, in carrying on their barter gave a great deal of activity to this singular scene of commerce.
These natives, like those whom we had seen two days before, preferred nails to knives.
Several had in their hands calabashes of different shapes, filled with lime very finely pulverized. Others had their lime in pieces of bamboo. One of these last, who had a spoon in the shape of a spatula, filled it with lime, which he showed to us, no doubt by way of recommending its qualities. By making many motions with his mouth, and greatly inflating his cheeks, he seemed desirous to persuade us, that his lime produced very agreeable sensations.
Another chief had a little parcel of the leaves of the pepper tree, piper siriboa, Linn.
They probably chew them without the addition of arec nuts; for we saw in their mouths none of the marks which are produced by the mastication of betel. We observed those articles of luxury only in the possession of the chiefs, for whom they are probably reserved.
Some of those savages wore bracelets formed of large shells, among which we observed sea ears, ground in the middle and the edges.
Most of them had different kinds of shells appended to the inferior lobes of their ears, which, when pierced, they are in the habit of extending so prodigiously that they descend lower than their shoulders, as appears in Plate III. It seemed that they produced this great distension, by introducing elastic hoops into the holes. The only child we saw was furnished with two such hoops.
Their hair is crisped and black; but they frequently render it red with a mixture of ochre and oil, and sometimes they tie it up with a fillet of bark. Their skin is a light black, which they sometimes adorn with red figures in different parts of the body.
They carried neither bows nor clubs but only spears, from about five feet to six feet and a half in length. (See Plate XXVIII. Fig. 25.) The vitreous volcanic lava, of which their heads were formed, was ground to a sharp edge on each side, about three inches in length, and fastened with a string, coated with a kind of mastic.
This weapon must be dangerous among a people who wear no cloaths. Their skin, constantly exposed, must be ill able to resist so sharp a piece of glass, especially in places where it has a little tension.
This volcanic glass is perhaps not very common in the Admiralty Islands; for some of those savages had spears armed with sharp pieces of wood instead of glass.
Many had the septum of the nose pierced with a hole, which contained a string, to the extremities of which were suspended dogs' teeth twice as long as human ones. One of them, wishing to part with this ornament, a chief, in cutting the string aukwardly, which was too short, with a piece of volcanic glass, wounded the native.
An order issued by the General very much interrupted this bartering trade; although the natives still had a great many things which they wished to dispose of. One of the chiefs very much amused us with his calabash of lime, the properties of which he displayed with many ostentatious airs, thinking, no doubt, thereby to enhance its price. His gestures might have been considered, as a happy imitation of those of our most dextrous mountebank doctors.
We did not observe among those islanders any articles of European origin. As by this time, we bought scarcely any thing, they quitted our ship, and carried the rest of their manufactures alongside of the Esperance.
Their canoes are formed of the excavated trunk of a tree, with boards fitted to its sides. Their length is thirty-two feet, and their extreme breadth not more than twenty-six inches. Their sides are supported internally by cross boards, which form so many divisions, in the bottoms of which are the paddlers, towards the two extremities of the canoe.
Those canoes are furnished with an outrigger, about thirteen feet in length, which projects laterally and nearly at the same distance. On the opposite side is a counter-outrigger, which does not take the water, and which is eight feet in length. It serves as a place upon which to lay the sail; the commander sometimes sits upon it; but his station is commonly on an elevated platform or trellis, of the same extent as the outrigger.
The sail is a mat, in the form of a regular square, 13 feet in the side. Two opposite sides of it are fastened to poles of the same length, which serve for yards. When the sail is set, one of its diagonals is always vertical, and its upper angle is elevated three feet above the top of the mast, which is about twenty feet in height. The wind acts strongly upon so lofty a sail, and gives to those canoes an impulse, which makes them plough the water with astonishing rapidity.
When this swift motion is not required, they only hoist about five feet of one side of their sail in a horizontal position, while the rest of it lies on the canoe. But in this way they can only sail right before the wind.
Their paddles are very broad, and are furnished with a handle six feet and a half in length. They use them as our sailors do their oars; for they act like levers, whose point of support is on one side of the canoe. The steersman is stationed in the stern, and directs the canoe with his paddle.
After lying to till half past ten in the morning, we continued to follow the coast in a westerly direction. It is every where bordered with islands connected together by reefs. We observed, beyond those reefs, several fishing places, constructed with stakes fixed in the bottom, at a certain distance from the beach, and which resembled those which we afterwards saw in the Moluccas.
As soon as we set sail, the canoes followed our example, in order to accompany us. We admired the celerity with which that flotilla clave the waters. Although we had a very fresh breeze, and a great deal of sail set, those little vessels sailed a great deal faster than our ships.
Close to a fishing place, much larger than any that we had seen, were seventeen canoes which immediately paddled towards us. We hove to, in order to wait for them; but as, notwithstanding our invitations, they remained at the distance of five hundred toises from our ship, we resumed our course, directing it to the W. ¼ S.W.
At the close of the day, two canoes pushed off from the shore, and advanced towards us. It was night before they came within hearing. One of the commanders immediately addressed us in an elevated voice. It is proper to observe, that the voices of those natives are very shrill. As it was almost quite calm, we endeavoured to allure them to the ship; but they durst not venture near enough to receive our presents.
It was imagined that a squib would be a pleasing spectacle to them; but on the contrary it terrified them so much, that they retreated with precipitation.
Notwithstanding the darkness of the night, those two canoes, guided by our lights, returned towards us. We sent them some articles of hardware, upon a board along with a lighted taper. The light, which we soon left at a distance, engrossed their whole attention; but they durst not come nearer to it than about 200 toises. It was amusing enough to hear the two chiefs address long speeches to the taper. They spoke with much warmth, supposing, no doubt, that one of us was coming towards them with this light. Chagrined, perhaps, at its silence, which formed so direct a contrast to their babbling noise, they returned in about two hours towards their island. Fires were all the while kept burning upon the beach, perhaps to show the canoes the place to which they were to return.
We lay to all the night.
August 1st. In the morning we saw the western extremity of that little insular group, which extends about fifteen leagues from east to west. The most western island is in 2° 11′ 36″ south latitude, and in 143° 47′ 38″ east longitude.
Reefs and sand-banks extended beyond them 8,000 toises towards the south-west.
We soon came in sight of other reefs, which were 5,000 toises in extent from east to west. They are situated in 2° 13′ south latitude, and 143° 40′ east longitude.
We carried a little sail towards W.N.W. during the night.
At day-break we had sight of the Hermit islands, discovered in 1781, by the Spanish frigate the Princessa, which saw them at the distance of about 25,000 toises. Their high lands seemed, at a distance, to leave intervals between them sufficient to afford us a passage; but we soon perceived their low-lands advancing into the sea, and distinguished the reefs which connected them together.
That little cluster is composed of thirteen small islands, having in the middle, like the Admiralty Islands, a principal one, extending from south-west to north-east by east, about 15,000 toises. The islets which surround it on all sides, except the south, are very small and very low.
We were 10,000 toises to the northward of those islands, and to the leeward of the northern point of the great island, when we saw some canoes under sail. They were behind the reefs, in which we saw no opening through which they could pass, and we believed that they could not surmount such obstacles; but, having come close to the reefs, they took in their sail, and, going into the water, they carried their vessels fairly over the rocks into the open sea.
The canoe which was first got over steered towards our ship, and the rest, being five in number, presently followed; but as their motions were slow, they were soon nearer to the Esperance, which was in our wake, and they advanced towards her. After manœuvring with much intelligence to bring their sail into a proper position, they still chose to keep at the distance of about 100 toises. All the means employed to bring them alongside were ineffectual; but they went near enough to throw some apples of the spondias cytherea, and several other fruits of different species of the eugenia, all very proper to be eaten. The bottles and bits of stuff given to them were received with marks of the greatest satisfaction; but it was surprizing to observe that they had little value for iron.
Like all the other natives we had hitherto met with, they appeared extremely desirous that we should land on their island.
One of the canoes advanced towards our ship, while the rest returned to the shore. Notwithstanding our invitations, those natives kept at the distance of 150 toises from us. They durst not touch the different articles which we sent them with a view to gain their confidence. Some, however, appeared desirous that their canoe should be steered towards our presents in order to get possession of them; but the sentiment of fear prevailed among the majority.
It was noon before we resumed our course. All the canoes followed us for some time before they returned to our island. That which approached the nearest to our ship accompanied us with the greatest perseverance. It was a very large canoe, manned by thirty people, who all appeared more robust than the inhabitants of the Admiralty Islands, and of the same complexion.
Those natives advanced towards us with very pacific views; for they were not furnished with arms; and, from on board the Esperance, to which they approached much nearer than to our ship, no weapons were observed even in the bottoms of the canoes. Perhaps they thought that by this means they might induce us to land.
Those canoes, though similar in appearance to those of the Admiralty Islands, were not nearly such good sailers. That which came nearest to us had at first but one sail; but they set another abaft it, in order to follow us. This after-sail was much smaller than the forward one; and they were both in the form of a rectangle, the length of which was almost double its breadth. They were trimmed like the square sails of our long boats.
Their large sail was as much raised as that of the canoes we saw at the Admiralty Islands, and descended lower, so as to offer a greater surface to the wind.
The whole of the Hermit Islands, including the reefs, occupy a space about twelve leagues in circuit, the centre of which is in 1° 35′ 38″ south latitude, and 142° 41′ east longitude.
In the evening we were very near the most eastern of that little group, to which General Bougainville gave the name of Exchequer Islands.
It is very low, and only nine leagues W.S.W. of the Hermit Islands. The reefs on its north-west side form a basin, in which there appeared to be water sufficient for anchoring.
A great number of other islands were seen from north to west.
We made but little sail during the night, while tacking in order to keep to windward of those islands.
3d. At day-break the most easterly of the Exchequer Islands bore south, distant 5,000 toises. It is in 1° 29′ of south latitude, and 142° 26′ of east longitude.
At eight o'clock A.M. we steered towards the west; and we already reckoned thirty little islands from the N.N.E. to the W.S.W.
We steered for that which appeared to be the most westerly, to which we approached within about 2,500 toises. It is in 1° 34′ south latitude, and 142° 10′ east longitude.
All those islands are connected together by reefs, which seem to deny all passage. They are very low, and covered with very lofty trees.
More islands came into view as we advanced; and at last we had sight of the most south-westerly island of that little cluster, which is not connected to the rest by any reef. It is in lat. 1° 39′ S. and in long. 141° 58′ E.
We lay to during the whole night.
4th. This morning, we saw, towards the south, a low and very woody island, about 8,000 toises in extent. This new island was in 1° 31′ S. lat. and 140° 47′ E. longitude.
We soon discovered another island, still less than, and to the S.W. of, the former, from which it is 15,000 toises. It is equally low, and covered with large trees.
On those low islands near the Equator, the trees grow with astonishing rapidity and vigour;[1] as the atmosphere furnishes them at once with extreme heat and moisture.
Although we had been, for some days, very near the Line, and found the heat suffocating, the thermometer had not yet risen above 24½°.
We saw large trees floating, which had been detached from the low islands by the waves. One of those trees adhering to the prow of our ship, for some time retarded her motion.
8th. At five o'clock P.M. being upon the Equator, in 135° 4′ E. long. we saw a very considerable water-spout, forming in the south-west, at the distance of about 2,000 toises: although the air about us was very tranquil, the waves were foaming with agitation, at the place where the water-spout originated, over which a very small cloud hovered, apparently at the distance of a few feet. This phœnomenon was in the form of two very elongated cones, joined at their summits, the base of one being upon the sea, and that of the other lost in a very thick cloud.
The clouds appeared to me to be agitated by a whirlwind, which having held a great quantity of water suspended, discharged it again in torrents. Perhaps all water-spouts are formed in this manner. If, as some natural philosophers alledge, a water-spout carried up the sea-water, in a great body, it ought to be as salt in the moment of its descent, as in that of its ascent, which does not seem to accord with observation. A person, worthy of credit, who saw two water-spouts fall upon a vessel, assured me that they discharged fresh water. On the contrary supposition, it would not be easy to explain this phœnomenon.[2]
9th. The limpidity of the sea-water was very much diminished, during this day, by a fucus, the filaments of which were very loose and short. I met with it again on the 6th of September, and shall afterwards speak of it more particularly.
We found sharks very numerous in those parts. We caught several of the species squalus carcharias, which is the most extensively diffused through the ocean. One of them, of a moderate size, astonished us by its voracity. Although lacerated by four hooks, which it had taken within the space of half an hour, it followed us, till it was hooked successfully.[3]
Being near New Guinea, and but eight minutes distant from the Line, the thermometer only indicated 25°, although we suffered a heat much more oppressive than that which is experienced in Europe, when the thermometer is at the same elevation.[4] In observing that that instrument is a very uncertain measure of sensible heat, I ought to apprize the reader that I always speak of the mercurial thermometer of Reaumur.
11th. This day, the Esperance ran foul of us, being the sixth accident of this kind, since we left Europe. She broke the foot rope of her sprit-sail yard, on the fore part of our rigging. Fortunately we kept the frigates asunder, by placing a boom between them. As it was a dead calm, we put out two boats, to tow the ships still farther from each other.[5] The boats, at the same time, observed the direction of the current, which carried us to the N.N.E. at the rate of half a knot in the hour.
12th. At day-break, we had sight of the largest of Schouten's Islands, bearing S. ¼ S.W.
The surface of the water was violently agitated, in a large space, through which the Esperance had occasion to pass, in prosecuting her course. Fearing that it was caused by breakers, she put about; but the deception soon ceased. This motion was produced by a large shoal of fishes, swimming near the surface, and which was pursued by a great number of birds.
Although it was now the season of the eastern monsoon, the winds blew, for four days, from the south-west to the north-west; but on the 14th, they resumed their south-east direction.
The same day, we saw a little island, very near New Guinea, and which is 10,000 toises distant from the island of Providence. That little island is in 2° 18′ 48″ S. lat. and 133° 8′ 47″ E. longitude.
The incessant and great heats in those latitudes, accelerated the decomposition of our water, which was so much the worse, as that to the use of which we were by that time reduced, was somewhat brackish. For the water which we first took in at Carteret harbour, was taken up too near the sea, and had been preserved, notwithstanding its bad quality. Besides, that the ballast may not be diminished, it is usual to fill the empty butts with salt-water, which ought to be well rinsed out, before they are again filled with fresh. But the boatswain's mate, who had the charge of the water, did not take so much trouble. It was easy to free the water from its inflammable air, by the machine, which I have already described; but it always retained a brackish taste.
18th. A storm had howled, for a part of the night, on the coast of New Guinea, and had given us a great quantity of rain. The sky seemed to announce a tempest; but the storms, near the Equator, are more menacing, than really formidable,[6] and we soon enjoyed a very clear sky.
We saw a fine chain of mountains which ranged towards the east. The highest of them appeared to be at least 750 toises in perpendicular altitude. The large trees, with which they were covered, added greatly to the picturesque appearance of the country.
19th. Being in 0° 18′ south latitude, and 130° 52′ east longitude and 1,000 toises distant from New Guinea, we sounded with one hundred fathoms of line, but found no bottom.
The first indication we had of the inhabitants of that island, was the smoke of two fires, which rose from among the large trees near the coast.
We were then near the promontory of New Guinea, which is called the Cape of Good Hope, and which we doubled at the distance of 1,000 toises. It is 0° 20′ south latitude, and 130° 34′ east longitude. We were surprised that Forest, in other respects an accurate navigator, should have so much mistaken its true latitude; for that which he gave, differed from ours more than 20′ towards the north.
The variation of the compass, after a gradual diminution was now but 1° 30′ east.
We were prevented by calms from coasting along New Guinea, till a sea-breeze sprang up, about three o'clock P.M. The shore was generally broken and rocky: but we observed some sandy spots, of a gentle declivity, which presented convenient landing places.
21st. On the morning of this day we were very near the two little islands of Miss Palu. The least of them is in 0° 20′ south latitude, and in 130° 7′ east longitude. The largest is in 0° 19′ 57″ south latitude, and 130° 4′ 30″ east longitude.
23d. We steered close to the shore of New Guinea, with an intention to enter among the Moluccas, by Watson's Strait. It would have been agreeable to us to explore that strait, which is much less frequented than those further to the westward. Besides, we would have had the advantage of keeping more to the windward, than by passing through Pitt's Straits, which the continuation of the south winds induced us to take.
About eleven o'clock in the morning, being to the north-west, and very near it, we found that we were upon a shoal, which extends more than 5,000 toises from the coast of Bantana. We were strongly intangled in it, when the lead indicated eight fathoms water, rocky bottom. It was a bank of coral, which the transparency of the water displayed in all its whiteness. We were obliged to go about, in order to extricate ourselves from so dangerous a situation.
We entered the straits about half an hour past two P.M. A canoe which we saw at the entrance near the coast of Bantana, at one time appeared to us to be making for the Esperance; but it soon hastened towards the land.
Having lain to for some time to wait for the Esperance, we observed that the current carried us very rapidly through the strait. The tides very much influence those currents, which, about midnight, and early the next morning, were very considerably abated.
Five canoes were sailing along the eastern shore, at a good distance from one another. We observed, that one of them had a flag hoisted, which we took to be Portuguese. The wind was carrying us towards the coast of Salwaty, and hindered us from steering for those canoes. Besides, none of them seemed inclinable to meet us. These people did not know our intentions; and perhaps they were apprehensive that we were of the number of those Europeans, whose avarice induces them to employ every stratagem to entrap them, in order to make slaves of them.
High lands, every where covered with large trees, border the Straits of Pitt.
We lay to all night. At nine o'clock we heard from the western shore the voice of some natives, who seemed to address us. At the same time a fire appeared on the western point of the entrance, about the place from whence a canoe came off, when we entered the strait.
24th. At day break we were very near Passage Island, and we observed on the coast of Bantana, a little village, the inhabitants of which seemed to view us with much indifference.
The Strait of Pitt extends about 2,5000 toises from W.S.W. to E.N.E., and its mean breadth is about 5,000 toises. On heaving the lead from on board our ship, no bottom was found with seventy-five fathoms of line. But the boat, at 100 toises from the shore, had from fifteen to eighteen fathoms of water, the bottom being calcareous rock.
We went about, in order to avoid some shoals which we observed, on leaving the strait, very near the coast of Bantana. But several persons were of opinion, that there was water enough to carry over both the ships.
The opening of the strait on this end is near 15,000 toises in breadth. We observed in it two little islands, very near the Bantana shore.
The western point of Salwaty was found in 1° 2′ 10″ S. lat., and 128° 32′ E. longitude.
The constancy of the wind from S.S.E. deprived us of all hope of getting round Mixoal island to the eastward. We were therefore obliged to endeavour to make the north of Ceram, in order to get round, by the western extremity of that island, to Amboyna.
About six o'clock P.M. we were 15,000 toises distant from the island of Popo, which bore S. 6° W.
The next day we steered with that island on our starboard, distant about 8,000 toises. It presented a flat surface, in the midst of which rose three hills, near one another. We had a near view of some little islands to the south-west, and which extend nearly from the north-east, to the south-west.
The island of Popo is in 1° 9′ 44″ S. lat., and 127° 40′ E. longitude.
We saw the islands of Canary and Mixoal, with part of the little islands which surround them.
This morning we lost a young sailor of the name of Pichot, who died in a state of marasmus, the consequence of a dysentery, under which he had laboured for six months.
26th. This day the position of Canary Island was found to be in 1° 51′ 36″ S. lat., and 127° 35′ E. longitude.
27th. Our ship was this day surrounded with a kind of whales, which were from twenty to twenty-five feet in length. They were sufficiently numerous to afford fishers, by their oil, an ample compensation for their labour and expence.
29th. Very early this morning we came in sight of the lofty mountains of Ceram, which extending from the S.E. to the S.S.W., presented us with a very fine landscape.
Such high mountains afford effectual protection to the independence of their inhabitants. Hence it is, that only a small number of the natives settled on low parts of the island, near the sea, endure the tyranny of the Dutch.
September 1st. The clouds having been entirely dissipated from the land of Ceram, we enjoyed the magnificent prospect of several chains of mountains running parallel to each other, in the direction of east and west. The fine valleys which separate them, support a luxuriant vegetation, and have the appearance of the greatest fertility.
We observed many fires on the island of Ceram, some of them upon one of the highest mountains, which proves that their summits are frequented by the natives. That mountain appeared to us to be at least 1,200 toises in perpendicular elevation.
Availing ourselves of the calm, we sent a boat to ascertain the direction of the current, which then set to the N.E. ½ E. at the rate of three quarters of a knot in the hour. As, among those islands, the currents depend very much upon the tides, it may be supposed that their force and their direction vary extremely.
On the approach of night we were about 1,000 toises from the coast of Ceram, which becoming less elevated, seemed to indicate less depth of water on its coast. The lead, however, did not reach the bottom with thirty-seven fathoms of line.
Soon after this, we saw on the land side, several fires, which appeared to have been kindled by fishermen, in order to decoy the fish.
2d. About noon we descried the island of Bonoa, extending from W. 20° S. to S. 48° W. at the distance of near 20,000 toises. That island is in 2° 58′ S. lat., and 125° 56′ E. longitude.
We took care frequently to heave the lead, when we were near the land; but we had no soundings with sixty-six fathoms of line.
In the evening, a strong land breeze carried us into the channel between the islands of Ceram and Bonoa, in which, by moon light, we observed three small islands. Although it was quite calm, the current carried us almost to the other extremity of the channel.
About midnight, while the air scarcely moved, the waves which foamed very near our ship, made us apprehensive that we were approaching to breakers. But our alarm was of short continuance, having been only occasioned by the rapid current of the tide, which followed the direction of the channel, and opposed our progress.
5th. We were at a small distance from Kilang. The General intended to pass between that island and Ceram; but the channel, which at best is but strait, appeared to be additionally obstructed by reefs and a sand bank. We therefore made good our passage, very close to the westward of Kilang. The country presented beautiful plantations of cocoa-nut and banana trees, encircling a charming village.
We then continued our course between Kilang and Manipa.
About eleven o'clock A.M. the current of the tide raised a rapid succession of waves, tumbling over each other, in wild conflict. We were, in fact, several times witnesses of that phœnomenon, which Dampier and Bougainville compare to the current of a large and very rapid river.
About four P.M. we had doubled the island of Manipa, which is not more than 2,500 toises in extent from north to south. Though very mountainous, that island appeared to be populous, and many canoes were plying along its shore. Its latitude is 3° 21′ S., and its longitude 125° 47′ E.
The island of Kilang is in latitude 3° 17′ S. and longitude 125° 31′ E.
4th. A breeze which arose in the offing, at ten o'clock A.M. favoured our progress towards the south; and we soon had sight of a part of the west coast of Amboyna, bearing S.S.E.
The south wind afterwards opposed us, and obliged us to tack.
5th. A very fresh breeze from the south-east put an end to our hopes of gaining our intended anchoring place this day. Our scorbutic patients, whose number was rapidly increasing, and whose condition became daily more alarming, made us ardently wish for a favourable wind. Their disorder had been greatly influenced by the perpetual rains at Carteret harbour; and most of them were afflicted with great pains in the loins.
One of their first symptoms was the appearance of whitish tubercles, frequently as large as a pullet's egg, in different parts of the body, particularly on the arms, and which were commonly succeeded by others on the lower extremities.
It was remarkable that the skins of those patients were not discoloured with what are called scurvy spots, as that disease, in hot climates, rapidly suffuses the cellular membrane with a lymphatic humour, which scarcely alters the colour of the skin.
I must farther observe, that, although salted provisions be one of the principal causes of the sea-scurvy, yet two of our men, who did not subsist on such provisions, were violently attacked by that disorder. But one of them worked in the hold, the humid and spoiled air of which is a powerful cause of the malady.
By means of tacking, we came near enough the western extremity of Amboyna, to allow us to enter the road in the night. By the direction of Valentin's plan of it, we kept along its eastern side, at the distance of about 510 toises.
As soon as we had passed Portuguese-bay, we brought to, and waited till day light should discover to us a proper place to anchor in.
6th. The Esperance had not made such progress as our ship; but was 5,100 toises to the south-west of us, at seven o'clock this morning, when we were within a small distance of the principal establishment in the island.
Here I met with the fucus, which I had before observed near New Guinea. It resembled very fine tow, crossed by little pieces, somewhat more than an inch in length; the filaments are as fine as hairs. They are frequently seen united into a sort of bundles, and are so numerous that they sully the water in the road.
General Dentrecasteaux sent his second lieutenant to wait upon the Governor of Amboyna, in order to ask permission to stop at his island. The Governor immediately summoned the Council, and gave us leave to come to an anchor; but, as the act which the second lieutenant presented to them, in the name of the Commander, had net yet been communicated to them by the government of Batavia, they were inclined to impose conditions on us, to which we could not consent. Yet it was not difficult to make them sensible, that we had anticipated, by several months, the arrival of their dispatches from Europe, which seldom reach Amboyna, till eighteen months after their date. It appeared to us, that their caution originated in the desire of saving themselves from being blamed by the government of Batavia, to which that of Amboyna is subordinate; for as soon as they had adopted regulations in that respect, they rendered us every service in their power.
We found that little island much better provided than we could have expected, with every article necessary for the prosecution of our voyage.
A captain in the service of the Dutch East India Company was sent by the Governor, to point out to us a proper anchoring place; and having made some tacks, we let go our anchor about half an hour past one P.M. in twenty-five fathoms water, bottom mud and sand. The tower of Victory Fort bore from us E. 9° N. the nearest redoubt W. 35° S. and the western point of the entrance of the road, W. 26° 30′ S. We were about 340 toises from the landing place, a wooden wharf, near which there is water for large ships. One of the Company's ships then lay at it, taking in a cargo of cloves.
At the same time there were in the road eighteen vessels under Dutch colours; but only one ship: most of the rest were brigs and sloops.
The Esperance came to an anchor half an hour after us, and bore N.E. ¼ N. of our position.
- ↑ This is more particularly true of trees, which are of a spongy texture, as the silk cotton tree, bombax, the sand-box tree, hura, &c. But many of the hard woods, for example, the lignum vitæ, or gujacum, grow very slowly, and hence have been almost extirpated, in all the tropical islands, fully inhabited by Europeans.—Translator.
- ↑ It is not very easy to give a satisfactory explanation of this phœnomenon, upon any principles; though those of electricity seem to afford, or rather to promise, the most probable solution of it—Translator.
- ↑ I knew a similar instance, in one of those monsters, which was eighteen feet in length. It was supposed to be the same which had devoured a man, some days before it was taken. Its liver hung up in a net dropped about ten gallons of oil.—Translator.
- ↑ I have very sensibly experienced the same effect myself. Is it owing to the greater quantity of water, which the air, constantly heated, holds in solution in tropical climates?—Translator.
- ↑ The difficulty of keeping ships asunder in a calm, is commonly, and very properly, given as an instance of the mutual attraction of bodies.—Translator.
- ↑ Should not the Author have excepted, at least, the hurricanes at Amboyna, mentioned below (Oct. 14.) not to speak of those, which too often rage in the West Indies?—Trans.