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There is scarcely any thing from which the natural curiosity of man
receives a higher gratification, than from the accounts of distant
countries and nations. Nor is it curiosity only that is gratified by
such accounts; for the sphere of human knowledge is hereby enlarged,
and various objects are brought into view, an acquaintance with which
greatly contributes to the improvement of life and the benefit of the
world. With regard to information of this kind, the moderns have
eminently the advantage over the ancients. The ancients could neither
pursue their enquiries with the same accuracy, nor carry them on to
the same extent. Travelling by land was much more inconvenient and
dangerous than it hath been in later times; and, as navigation was
principally confined to coasting, it must necessarily have been
circumscribed within very narrow limits.
The invention of the compass, seconded by the ardent and enterprising
spirit of several able men, was followed by wonderful discoveries.
Vasco di Gama doubled the Cape of Good Hope; and a new way being thus
found out to the East Indies, the countries to that part of the earth
became more accurately and extensively known. Another world was
discovered by Columbus; and, at length, Magalhaens accomplished the
arduous and hitherto unattempted task of sailing round the globe. At
different periods he was succeeded by other circumnavigators, of whom
it is no part of the present narrative to give an account.
The spirit of discovery, which was so vigorous during the latter end
of the fifteenth and through the whole of the sixteenth century,
began, soon after the commencement of the seventeenth century, to
decline. Great navigations were only occasionally undertaken, and more
from the immediate views of avarice or war, than from any noble and
generous principles. But of late years they have been revived, with
the enlarged and benevolent design of promoting the happiness of the
human species.
A beginning of this kind was made in the reign of George the Second,
during which two voyages were performed; the first under the command
of Captain Middleton, and the next under the direction of Captains
Smith and More, in order to discover a northwest passage through
Hudson's Bay. It was reserved, however, for the glory of the present
reign to carry the spirit of discovery to its height, and to conduct
it on the noblest principles; not for the purposes of covetuousness or
ambition; not to plunder or destroy the inhabitants of newly-explored
countries; but to improve their condition, to instruct them in the
arts of life, and to extend the boundaries of science.
No sooner was peace restored, in 1763, than these laudable designs
engaged his majesty's patronage; and two voyages round the world had
been undertaken before Mr. Cook set out on his first command. The
conductors of these voyages were the Captains Byron, Wallis, and
Carteret,[4] by whom several discoveries were made, which contributed,
in no small degree, to increase the knowledge of geography and
navigation. Nevertheless, as the purpose for which they were sent out
appears to have had a principal reference to a particular object in
the South Atlantic, the direct track they were obliged to hold, on
their way homeward by the East Indies, prevented them from doing so
much as might otherwise have been expected towards giving the world a
complete view of that immense expanse of ocean, which the South
Pacific comprehends.
[Footnote 4: The Captains Wallis and Carteret went out together
upon the same expedition; but the vessels they commanded having
accidentally parted company, they proceeded and returned by a
different route. Hence their voyages are distinctly related by Dr.
Hawkesworth.]
Before Captain Wallis and Captain Carteret had returned to Great
Britain, another voyage was resolved upon, for which the improvement
of astronomical science afforded the immediate occasion. It having
been calculated by astronomers, that a transit of Venus over the Sun's
disk would happen in 1769, it was judged that the best place for
observing it would be in some part of the South Sea, either at the
Marquesas, or at one of those islands which Tasman had called
Amsterdam; Rotterdam, and Middleburg, and which are now better known
under the appellation of the Friendly Islands. This being a matter of
eminent consequence in astronomy, and which excited the attention of
foreign nations as well as of our own, the affair was taken up by the
Royal Society, with the zeal which has always been displayed by that
learned body for the advancement of every branch of philosophical
science. Accordingly, a long memorial was addressed to his majesty,
dated February the 15th, 1768, representing the great importance of
the object, together with the regard which had been paid to it by the
principal courts of Europe; and entreating, among other things that a
vessel might be ordered, at the expense of government, for the
conveyance of suitable persons, to make the observation of the transit
of Venus, at one of the places before mentioned. This memorial having
been laid before the king by the Earl of Shelburne (now the Marquess
of Lansdown), one of the principal secretaries of state; his majesty
graciously signified his pleasure to the lords commissioners of the
Admiralty, that they should provide a ship for carrying over such
observers as the Royal Society should judge proper to send to the
South Seas; and, on the 3rd of April, Mr. Stephens informed the
society that a bark had been taken up for tire purpose.
The gentlemen who had originally been fixed upon to take the direction
of the expedition, was Alexander Dalrymple, Esq. an eminent member of
the Royal Society, and who, besides possessing an accurate knowledge
of astronomy, had distinguished himself by his inquiries into the
geography of the Southern Oceans, and by the collection he had
published of several voyages to those parts of the world. Mr.
Dalrymple being sensible of the difficulty, or rather of the
impossibility, of carrying a ship through unknown seas, the crew of
which were not subject to the military discipline of his majesty's
navy, he made it the condition of his going, that he should have a
brevet commission, as captain of the vessel, in the same manner as
such a commission had been granted to Dr. Halley, in his voyage of
discovery. To this demand Sir Edward Hawke, who was then at the head
of the Admiralty, and who possessed more of the spirit of his
profession than either of education or science, absolutely refused to
accede. He said, at the board, that his conscience would not allow him
to trust any ship of his majesty's to a person who had not regularly
been bred a seaman. On being further pressed upon the subject, Sir
Edward declared, that he would suffer his right hand to be cut off
before he would sign any such commission. In this he was, in some
degree, justified by the mutinous behaviour of Halley's crew, who
refused to acknowledge the legal authority of their commander, and
involved him in a dispute which was attended with pernicious
consequences. Mr. Dalrymple, on the other hand, was equally steady in
requiring a compliance with the terms he had proposed. Such was the
state of things, when Mr. Stephens, secretary to the Admiralty, whose
discrimination of the numerous characters, with which by his station
he is conversant, reflects as much credit on his understanding, as his
upright and able conduct does on the office he has filled for so many
years, and under so many administrations, with honour to himself and
advantage to the public, observed to the board, that since Sir Edward
Hawke and Mr. Dalrymple were equally inflexible, no method remained
but that of finding out another person capable of the service. He
knew, he said, a Mr. Cook, who had been employed as marine surveyor of
Newfoundland, who had been regularly educated in the navy, in which he
was a master, and whom he judged to be fully qualified for the
direction of the present undertaking. Mr. Stephens, at the same time,
recommended it to the board, to take the opinion of Sir Hugh Palliser,
who had lately been governor of Newfoundland, and was intimately
acquainted with Cook's character. Sir Hugh rejoiced in the opportunity
of serving his friend. He strengthened Mr. Stephen's recommendation to
the utmost of his power; and added many things in Mr. Cook's favour,
arising from the particular knowledge which he had of his abilities
and merit. Accordingly, Mr. Cook was appointed to the command of the
expedition by the lords of the Admiralty; and, on this occasion, he
was promoted to the rank of a lieutenant in the royal navy, his
commission bearing date on the 25th of May, 1768.
When the appointment had taken place, the first object was to provide
a vessel adapted to the purposes of the voyage. This business was
committed to Sir Hugh Palliser; who took Lieutenant Cook to his
assistance, and they examined together a great number of the ships
which then lay in the river Thames. At length they fixed upon one, of
three hundred and seventy tons, to which was given the name of the
Endeavour.
While preparations were making for Lieutenant Cook's expedition,
Captain Wallis returned from his voyage round the world. The Earl of
Morton, president of the Royal Society, had recommended it to this
gentleman, on his going out, to fix upon a proper place for observing
the transit of Venus. He kept, accordingly, the object in view: and
having discovered, in the course of his enterprise, an island called
by him George's Island, but which has since been found to bear the
name of Otaheite, he judged that Port Royal harbour in this island
would afford an eligible situation for the purpose. Having,
immediately on his return to England, signified his opinion to the
Earl of Morton, the captain's idea was adopted by the society, and an
answer conformable to it was sent to the commissioners of the
Admiralty, who had applied for directions to what place the observers,
should be sent.
Mr. Charles Green, a gentleman who had long been assistant to Dr.
Bradley at the royal observatory at Greenwich, was united by
Lieutenant Cook in conducting the astronomical part of the voyage;
and, soon after their appointment, they received ample instructions,
from the council of the Royal Society, with regard to the method of
carrying on their inquiries. The lieutenant was also accompanied by
Joseph Banks, Esq. (now Sir Joseph Banks, Bart.) and Dr. Solander,
who, in the prime of life, and the first of them at great expense to
himself, quitted all the gratifications of polished society, and
engaged in a very tedious, fatiguing, and hazardous navigation, with
the laudable views of acquiring knowledge in general, of promoting
natural knowledge in particular, and of contributing something to the
improvement and the happiness of the rude inhabitants of the earth.
Though it was the principal, it was not the sole object of Lieutenant
Cook's voyage to observe the transit of Venus. A more accurate
examination of the Pacific Ocean was committed to him, although in
subserviency to his main design; and, when his chief business was
accomplished, he was directed to proceed in making farther discoveries
in the great Southern Seas.
The complement of Lieutenant Cook's ship consisted of eighty-four
persons besides the commander. Her victualling was for eighteen
months; and there was put on board of her ten carriage and ten swivel
guns, together with an ample store of ammunition and other
necessaries.
On the 25th of May, 1768, Lieutenant Cook was appointed, by the lords
of the Admiralty, to the command of the Endeavour, in consequence of
which he went on board on the 27th, and took charge of the ship. She
then lay in the bason in Deptford-yard, where she continued to lie
till she was completely fitted for sea. On the 30th of July she sailed
down the river, and on the 13th of August anchored in Plymouth Sound.
The wind becoming fair on the 26th of that month, our navigators got
under sail, and on the 13th of September anchored in Funchiale Road,
in the island of Madeira.
While Lieutenant Cook and his company were in this island, they were
treated with the utmost kindness and liberality by Mr. Cheap, the
English consul there, and one of the most considerable merchants in
the town of Funchiale. He insisted upon their taking possession of his
house, and furnished them with every possible accommodation during
their stay at Madeira. They received, likewise, great marks of
attention and civility from Dr. Thomas Heberden, the principal
physician of the island, and brother to the excellent and learned Dr.
William Heberden of London. Dr. Thomas Heberden afforded all the
assistance in his power to Mr. Banks, and Dr. Solander in their
botanical inquiries.
It was not solely from the English that the lieutenant and his friends
experienced a kind reception. The fathers of the Franciscan convent
displayed a liberality of sentiment towards them, which might not have
been expected from Portuguese friars; and, in a visit which they paid
to a convent of nuns, the ladies expressed a particular pleasure at
seeing them. At this visit the good nuns gave an amusing proof of the
progress they had made to the cultivation of their understandings.
Having heard that there were great philosophers among the English
gentlemen, they asked them a variety of questions; one of which was,
when it would thunder; and another, whether a spring of fresh water,
which was much wanted, was any where to be found within the walls of
the convent. Eminent as our philosophers were, they were puzzled by
these questions.
Lieutenant Cook, having laid in a fresh stock of beef, water, and
wine, set sail from the island of Madeira, in the night of the 18th of
September, and proceeded on his voyage. By the 7th of November several
articles of the ship's provisions began to fall short; for which
reason, the lieutenant determined to put into Rio de Janeiro. This
place he preferred to any other port in Brazil or to Falkland's
Islands, because he could there be better supplied with what he
wanted, and had no doubt of meeting with a friendly reception.
During the run between Madeira and Rio de Janeiro, Lieutenant Cook and
the gentlemen in the Endeavour had an opportunity of determining a
philosophical question. On the evening of the 29th of October, they
observed that luminous appearance of the sea which has so often been
mentioned by navigators, and which has been ascribed to such a variety
of causes. Flashes of light appeared to be emitted, exactly resembling
those of lightning, though without being so considerable; and such was
the frequency of them, that sometimes eight or ten were visible almost
at the same moment. It was the opinion of Mr. Cook and the other
gentlemen, that these flashes proceeded from some luminous animal; and
their opinion was confirmed by experiment.
At Rio de Janeiro, in the port of which Lieutenant Cook came to an
anchor on the 13th of November, he did not meet with the polite
reception that, perhaps, he had too sanguinely expected. His stay was
spent in continual altercations, with the viceroy, who appeared not a
little jealous of the designs of the English: nor were all the
attempts of the lieutenant to set the matter right, capable of
producing any effect. The viceroy was by no means distinguished either
by his knowledge or his love of science; and the grand object of Mr.
Cook's expedition was quite beyond his comprehension. When he was told
that the English were bound to the southward, by the order of his
Britannic majesty, to observe a transit of the planet Venus over the
Sun, an astronomical phenomenon of great importance to navigation, he
could form no other conception of the matter, than that it was the
passing of the North star through the South Pole.
During the whole of the contest with the viceroy, Lieutenant Cook
behaved with equal spirit and discretion. A supply of water and other
necessaries could not be refused him, and those were gotten on board
by the 1st of December. On that day the lieutenant sent to the viceroy
for a pilot to carry the Endeavour to sea; but the wind preventing the
ship from getting out, she was obliged to continue some time longer in
the harbour. A Spanish packet having arrived at Rio de Janeiro on the
2d of December, with dispatches from Buenos Ayres for Spain, the
commander, Don Antonio de Monte Negro y Velasco, offered, with great
politeness, to convey the letters of the English to Europe. This
favour Lieutenant Cook accepted, and gave Don Antonio a packet for the
secretary of the Admiralty, containing copies of all the papers that
had passed between himself and the Viceroy. He left, also, duplicates
with the viceroy, that he might forward them, if he thought proper, to
Lisbon.
On the 5th of December, it being a dead calm, our navigators weighed
anchor, and towed down the Bay; but, to their great astonishment, two
shots were fired at them; when they had gotten abreast of Santa Cruz,
the principal fortification of the harbour. Lieutenant Cook
immediately cast anchor, and sent to the fort to demand, the reason of
this conduct; the answer to which was, that the commandant had
received no order from the viceroy to let the ship pass; and that,
without such an order, no vessel was ever suffered to go below the
fort. It now became necessary to send to the viceroy, to inquire why
the order had not been given; and his behaviour appeared the more
extraordinary, as notice had been transmitted to him of the departure
of the English, and he had thought proper to write a polite letter to
Mr. Cook, wishing him a good voyage. The lieutenant's messenger soon
returned, with the information that the order had been written several
days, and that its not having been sent had arisen from some
unaccountable negligence. It was not till the 7th of December that the
Endeavour got under sail.
In the account which Lieutenant Cook has given of Rio de Janeiro, and
the country round it, one circumstance is recorded, which cannot be
otherwise than very painful to humanity. It is the horrid expense of
life at which the gold mines are wrought. No less than forty thousand
Negroes are annually imported for this purpose, on the king of
Portugal's account; and the English were credibly informed, that, in
the year 1766, this number fell so short, that twenty thousand more
were drafted from the town of Rio.
From Rio de Janeiro, Lieutenant Cook pursued his voyage, and, on the
14th of January, 1769, entered the Strait of Le Maire, at which time
the tide drove the ship out with so much violence, and raised such a
sea off Cape St. Diego, that she frequently pitched, so that the
bowsprit was under water. On the next day, the lieutenant anchored,
first before a small cove, which was understood to be Port Maurice,
and afterward in the Bay of Good Success. While the Endeavour was in
this station, happened the memorable adventure of Mr. Banks, Dr.
Solander, Mr. Monkhouse the surgeon, and Mr. Green the astronomer,
together with their attendants and servants, and two seamen, in
ascending a mountain to search for plants. In this expedition they
were all of them exposed to the utmost extremity of danger and of
cold; Dr. Solander was seized with a torpor which had nearly proved
fatal to his life; and two black servants actually died. When the
gentlemen had, at length, on the second day of their adventure, gotten
back to the ship, they congratulated each other on their safety, with
a joy that can only be felt by those who have experienced equal
perils; and Mr. Cook was relieved from a very painful anxiety. It was
a dreadful testimony of the severity of the climate, that this event
took place when it was the midst of summer in that part of the world,
and at the close of a day, the beginning of which was as mild and
warm, as the month of May usually is in England.
In the passage through the Strait of Le Maire, Lieutenant Cook and his
ingenious associates had an opportunity of gaining a considerable
degree of acquaintance with the inhabitants of the adjoining country.
Here it was that they saw human nature to its lowest form. The natives
appeared to be the most destitute and forlorn, as well as the most
stupid, of the children of men. Their lives are spent in wandering
about the dreary wastes that surround them; and their dwellings are no
other than wretched hovels of sticks and grass, which not only admit
the wind, but the snow and the rain. They are almost naked, and so
devoid are they of every convenience which is furnished by the rudest
art, that they have not so much as an implement to dress their food.
Nevertheless, they seemed to have no wish for acquiring more than they
possessed; nor did any thing that was offered them by the English
appear acceptable but beads, as an ornamental superfluity of life. A
conclusion is hence drawn by Dr. Hawkesworth, that these people may be
upon a level with ourselves, in respect to the happiness they enjoy.
This, however, is a position which ought not hastily to be admitted.
It is, indeed, a beautiful circumstance, in the order of Divine
Providence, that the rudest inhabitants of the earth, and those who
are situated in the most unfavourable climates, should not be sensible
of their disadvantages. But still it must be allowed, that their
happiness is greatly inferior, both in kind and degree, to that
intellectual, social, and moral felicity, which is capable of being
attained in a highly cultivated state of society.
In voyages to the South Pacific Ocean, the determination of the best
passage from the Atlantic is a point of peculiar importance. It is
well known what prodigious difficulties were experienced in this
respect by former navigators. The doubling of Cape Horn, in
particular, was so much dreaded, that, to the general opinion, it was
far more eligible to pass through the Strait of Magalhaens. Lieutenant
Cook hath fully ascertained the erroneousness of this opinion. He was
but three-and-thirty days in coming round the land of Terra del Fuego,
from the east entrance of the Strait of Le Maire, till he had advanced
about twelve degrees to the westward, and three and a half to the
northward of the Strait of Magalhaens; and, during this time, the ship
scarcely received any damage. Whereas, if he had come into the Pacific
Ocean by that passage, he would not have been able to accomplish it in
less than three months; besides which, his people would have been
fatigued, and the anchors, cables, sails, and rigging of the vessel
much injured. By the course he pursued, none of these inconveniences
were suffered. In short, Lieutenant Cook, by his own example in
doubling Cape Horn, by his accurate ascertainment of the latitude and
longitude of the places he came to, and by his instructions to future
voyagers, performed the most essential services to this part of
navigation. It was on the 26th of January that the Endeavour took her
departure from Cape Horn; and it appeared; that, from that time to the
1st of March, during a run of six hundred and sixty leagues, there was
no current which affected the ship. Hence it was highly probable that
our navigators had been near no land of any considerable extent,
currents being always found when land is not remote.
In the prosecution of Lieutenant Cook's voyage from Cape Horn to
Otaheite, several islands were discovered, to which the names were
given of Lagoon Island, Thrump-cap, Bow Island, The Groups, Bird
Island, and Chain Island. It appeared that most of these islands were
inhabited; and the verdure, and groves of palm-trees, which were
visible upon some of them, gave them the aspect of a terrestrial
paradise to men who, excepting the dreary hills of Terra del Fuego,
had seen nothing for a long time but sky and water.
On the 11th of April, the Endeavour arrived in sight of Otaheite, and
on the 13th she came to an anchor in Port Royal Bay, which is called
MATAVIA by the natives. As the stay of the English in the island was
not likely to be very short, and much depended on the manner in which
traffic should be carried on with the inhabitants, Lieutenant Cook,
with great good sense and humanity, drew up a set of regulations for
the behaviour of his people, and gave it in command that they should
punctually be observed.[5]
[Footnote 5: The rules were as follow: '1. To endeavour, by every
fair means, to cultivate a friendship with the natives: and to
treat them with all imaginable humanity. 2. A proper person or
persons will be appointed to trade with the natives for all manner
of provisions, fruit, and other productions of the earth; and no
officer or seaman, or other person belonging to, the ship
excepting such as are so appointed, shall trade, or offer to
trade, for any sort of provision, fruit, or other productions of
the earth, unless they have leave so to do. 3. Every person
employed on shore, on any duty whatsoever, is strictly to attend
to the same; and if by any neglect he loseth any of his arms, or
working tools or suffers them to be stolen, the full value
therefore will be charged against his pay, according to the custom
of the navy in such cases, and he shall receive such further
punishment as the nature of the offence may deserve. 4. The same
penalty will be inflicted on every person who is found to
embezzle, trade, or offer to trade, with any part of the ship's
stores of what nature soever. 5. No sort of iron, or any thing
that is made of iron, or any sort of cloth, or other useful or
necessary articles, are to be given in exchange for any thing but
provision. J. COOK.']
One of the first things that occupied the lieutenant's attention,
after his arrival at Otaheite, was to prepare for the execution of his
grand commission. For this purpose, as, in an excursion to the
westward, he had not found any more convenient harbour than that in
which the Endeavour lay, he determined to go on shore and fix upon
some spot, commanded by the guns of the ship, where he might throw up
a small fort for defence, and get every thing ready for making the
astronomical observations. Accordingly, he took a party of men, and
landed, being accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Mr. Green.
They soon fixed upon a place very proper for their design, and which
was at a considerable distance from any habitation of the natives.
While the gentlemen were marking out the ground which they intended to
occupy, and seeing a small tent erected, that belonged to Mr. Banks, a
great number of the people of the country gathered gradually around
them, but with no hostile appearance, as there was not among the
Indians a single weapon of any kind. Mr. Cook, however, intimated that
none of them were to come within the line he had drawn excepting one,
who appeared to be a chief, and Owhaw, a native who had attached
himself to the English, both in Captain Wallis's expedition and in the
present voyage. The lieutenant endeavoured to make these two persons
understand, that the ground, which had been marked out, was only
wanted to sleep upon for a certain number of nights, and that then it
would be quitted. Whether his meaning was comprehended or not, he
could not certainly determine; but the people behaved with a deference
and respect that could scarcely have been expected, and which were
highly pleasing. They sat down without the circle, peaceably and
uninterruptedly attending to the progress of the business, which was
upwards of two hours in completing.
This matter being finished, and Mr. Cook having appointed thirteen
marines and a petty officer to guard the tent, he and the gentlemen
with him set out upon a little excursion into the woods of the
country. They had not, however, gone far, before they were brought
back by a very disagreeable event. One of the Indians, who remained
about the tent after the lieutenant and his friends had left it,
watched an opportunity of taking the sentry at unawares, and snatched
away his musket. Upon this, the petty officer who commanded the party,
and who was a midshipman, ordered the marines to fire. With equal want
of consideration, and, perhaps with equal inhumanity, the men
immediately discharged their pieces among the thickest of the flying
crowd, who consisted of more than a hundred. It being observed, that
the thief did not fall, he was pursued, and shot dead. From subsequent
information it happily appeared, that none of the natives besides were
either killed or wounded.
Lieutenant Cook, who was highly displeased with the conduct of the
petty officer, used every method in his power to dispel the terrors
and apprehensions of the Indians, but not immediately with effect. The
next morning but few of the inhabitants were seen upon the beach, and
not one of them came off to the shill. What added particularly to the
regret of the English was, that even Owhaw, who had hitherto been so
constant in his attachment, and who the day before had been remarkably
active in endeavouring to renew the peace which had been broken, did
not now make his appearance. In the evening, however, when the
lieutenant went on shore with only a boat's crew and some of the
gentlemen, between thirty and forty of the natives gathered around
them, and trafficked with them, in a friendly manner, for cocoa nuts
and other fruit.
On the 17th, Mr. Cook and Mr. Green set up a tent onshore, and spent
the night there, in order to observe an eclipse of the first satellite
of Jupiter; but they met with a disappointment, in consequence of the
weather's becoming cloudy. The next day, the lieutenant, with as many
of his people as could possibly be spared from the ship, began to
erect the fort. While the English were employed in this business, many
of the Indians were so far from hindering, that they voluntarily
assisted them, and with great alacrity brought the pickets and facines
from the wood where they had been cut. Indeed, so scrupulous had Mr.
Cook been of invading their property, that every stake which was used
was purchased, and not a tree was cut down till their consent had
first been obtained.
On the 26th, the lieutenant mounted six swivel guns upon the fort; on
which occasion he saw, with concern, that the natives were alarmed and
terrified. Some fishermen, who lived upon the point, removed to a
greater distance; and Owhaw informed the English by signs, of his
expectation that in four days they would fire their great guns.
The lieutenant, on the succeeding day, gave a striking proof of his
regard to justice, and of his care to preserve the inhabitants from
injury and violence, by the punishment he inflicted on the butcher of
the Endeavour, who was accused of having threatened, or attempted the
life of a woman, that was the wife of Tubourai Tamaide, a chief,
remarkable for his attachment to our navigators. The butcher wanted to
purchase of her a stone hatchet for a nail. To this bargain she
absolutely refused to accede; upon which the fellow catched up the
hatchet, and threw down the nail; threatening, at the same time, that
if she made any resistance, he would cut her throat with a
reaping-hook which he had in his hand. The charge was so fully proved
in the presence of Mr. Banks, and the butcher had so little to say in
exculpation of himself, that not the least doubt remained of his
guilt. The affair being reported by Mr. Banks to Lieutenant Cook, he
took an opportunity, when the chief and his women, with others of the
natives, were on board the ship, to call up the offender, and, after
recapitulating the accusation and the proof of it, to give orders for
his immediate punishment. While the butcher was stripped, and tied up
to the rigging, the Indians preserved a fixed attention, and waited
for the event in silent suspense. But as soon as the first stroke was
inflicted, such was the humanity of these people, that they interfered
with great agitation, and earnestly entreated that the rest of the
punishment might be remitted. To this, however, the lieutenant, for
various reasons, could not grant his consent; and when they found that
their intercessions were ineffectual, they manifested their compassion
by tears.
On the 1st of May, the observatory was set up, and the astronomical
quadrant, together with some other instruments, was taken on shore.
When, on the next morning, Mr. Cook and Mr. Green landed for the
purpose of fixing the quadrant in a situation for use, to their
inexpressible surprise and concern it was not to be found. It had been
deposited in a tent reserved for the lieutenant's use, where no one
had slept; it had never been taken out of the packing case, and the
whole was of considerable weight: none of the other instruments were
missing; and a sentinel had been posted the whole night within five
yards of the tent. These circumstances induced a suspicion that the
robbery might have been committed by some of our own people, who
having seen a deal box, and not knowing the contents, might imagine
that it contained nails, or other articles for traffic with the
natives. The most diligent search, therefore, was made, and a large
reward was offered for the finding of the quadrant, but with no degree
of success. In this exigency, Mr. Banks was of eminent service. As
this gentleman had more influence over the Indians than any other
person on board the Endeavour, and as there could be little doubt of
the quadrant's having been conveyed away by some of the natives, he
determined to go in search of it into the woods; and it was recovered
in consequence of his judicious and spirited exertions. The pleasure
with which it was brought back was equal to the importance of the
event; for the grand object of the voyage could not otherwise have
been accomplished.
Another embarrassment, though not of so serious a nature, was
occasioned, on the very same day, by one of our officers having
inadvertently taken into custody Tootahah, a chief, who had connected
himself in the most friendly manner with the English. Lieutenant Cook,
who had given express orders that none of the Indians should be
confined, and who, therefore, was equally surprised and concerned at
this transaction; instantly set Tootahah at liberty. So strongly had
this Indian been possessed with the notion that it was intended to put
him to death, that he could not be persuaded to the contrary till he
was led out of the fort. His joy at his deliverance was so great, that
it displayed itself in a liberality which our people were very
unwilling to partake of, from a consciousness that on this occasion
they had no claim to the reception of favours. The impression,
however, of the confinement of the chief operated with such force upon
the minds of the natives, that few of them appeared; and the market
was so ill supplied that the English were in want of necessaries. At
length, by the prudent exertions of Lieutenant Cook, Mr. Banks, and
Dr. Solander, the friendship of Tootahah was completely recovered, and
the reconciliation worked upon the Indians like a charm; for it was no
sooner known that he had gone voluntarily on board the Endeavour, than
bread-fruit, cocoa nuts, and other provisions, were brought to the
fort in great plenty.
The lieutenant and the rest of the gentlemen had hitherto, with a
laudable discretion, bartered only beads for the articles of food now
mentioned. But the market becoming slack, they were obliged for the
first time, on the 8th of May, to bring out their nails; and such was
the effect of this new commodity, that one of the smallest size, which
was about four inches long, procured twenty cocoa nuts, and
bread-fruit in proportion.
It was not till the 10th of the month that our voyagers learned that
the Indian name of the island was OTAHEITE, by which name it hath
since been always distinguished.
On Sunday the 14th, an instance was exhibited of the inattention of
the natives to our modes of religion. The lieutenant had directed,
that divine service should be performed at the fort; and he was
desirous that some of the principal Indians should be present. Mr.
Banks secured the attendance of Tuobourai Tamaide and his wife Tomio,
hoping that it would give occasion to some inquiries on their part,
and to some instruction in return. During the whole service, they very
attentively observed Mr. Banks's behaviour, and stood, sat, or
kneeled, as they saw him do; and they appeared to be sensible, that it
was a serious and important employment in which the English were
engaged. But when the worship was ended, neither of them asked any
questions, nor would they attend to any explanations which were
attempted to be given of what had been performed.
As the day approached for executing the grand purpose of the voyage,
Lieutenant Cook determined, in consequence of some hints which he had
received from the Earl of Morton, to send out two parties, to observe
the transit of Venus from other situations. By this means he hoped,
that the success of the observation would be secured, if there should
happen to be any failure at Otaheite. Accordingly, on Thursday the 1st
of June, he dispatched Mr. Gore in the long boat to Eimeo, a
neighbouring island, together with Mr. Monkhouse and Mr. Sporing, a
gentleman belonging to Mr. Banks. They were furnished by Mr. Green
with proper instruments. Mr. Banks himself chose to go upon this
expedition, in which he was accompanied by Tubourai Tamaide and Tomio,
and by others of the natives. Early the next morning, the lieutenant
sent Mr. Hicks, in the pinnace, with Mr. Clerk and Mr. Pickersgill,
and Mr. Saunders, one of the midshipmen, ordering them to fix upon
some convenient spot to the eastward, at a distance from the principal
observatory, where they also might employ the instruments they were
provided with for observing the transit.
The anxiety for such weather as would be favourable to the success of
the experiment, was powerfully felt by all the parties concerned. They
could not sleep in peace the preceding night: but their apprehensions
were happily removed by the sun's rising, on the morning of the 3d of
June, without a cloud. The weather continued with equal clearness
through the whole of the day; so that the observation was successively
made in every quarter. At the fort where Lieutenant Cook, Mr. Green,
and Dr. Solander were stationed, the whole passage of the planet Venus
over the sun's disk was observed with great advantage. The magnifying
power of Dr. Solander's telescope was superior to that of those which
belonged to the lieutenant and to Mr. Green. They all saw an
atmosphere or dusky cloud round the body of the planet; which much
disturbed the times of the contact, and especially of the internal
ones; and, in their accounts of these times, they differed from each
other in a greater degree than might have been expected. According to
Mr. Green,
_Morning._
The first external contact, or first appearance h. min. sec.
of Venus on the sun, was . . . . . . . . . . . 9 25 42
The first internal contact, or total immersion,
was . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 44 4
_Afternoon._
The second internal contact, or beginning
of the emersion, was . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 14 8
The second external contact, or total
emersion, was . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 32 10
The latitude of the observatory was found to be
17 29' 15"; and the longitude 149 32' 30" west
of Greenwich.
A more particular account of this great astronomical event, the
providing for the accurate observation of which reflects so much
honour on his majesty's munificent patronage of science, may be seen
in the sixty-first volume of the Philosophical Transactions.
The pleasure which Lieutenant Cook and his friends derived, from
having thus successfully accomplished the first grand object of the
voyage, was not a little abated by the conduct of some of the ship's
company, who, while the attention of the officers was engrossed by the
transit of Venus, broke into one of the store-rooms, and stole a
quantity of spike nails, amounting to no less than a hundred weight.
This was an evil of a public and serious nature; for these nails, if
injudiciously circulated among the Indians, would be productive of
irreparable injury to the English, by reducing the value of iron,
their staple commodity. One of the thieves, from whom only seven nails
were recovered, was detected; but though the punishment of two dozen
lashes was inflicted upon him, he would not impeach any of his
accomplices.
Upon account of the absence of the two parties who had been sent out
to observe the transit, the king's birthday was celebrated on the 5th,
instead of the 4th of June; and the festivity of the day must have
been greatly heightened by the happy success with which his majesty's
liberality had been crowned.
On the 12th, Lieutenant Cook was again reduced to the necessity of
exercising the severity of discipline. Complaint having been made to
him, by certain of the natives, that two of the seamen had taken from
them several bows and arrows, and some strings of platted hair, and
the charge being fully supported, he punished each of the criminals
with two dozen of lashes.
On the same day it was discovered, that Otaheite, like other countries
in a certain period of society, has its bards and its minstrels. Mr.
Banks, in his morning's walk, had met with a number of natives, who
appeared, upon inquiry, to be travelling musicians; and, having,
learned where they were to be at night, all the gentlemen of the
Endeavour repaired to the place. The band consisted of two flutes and
three drums; and the drummers accompanied the music with their voices.
To the surprise of the English gentlemen, they found that themselves
were generally the subject of the song, which was unpremeditated.
These minstrels were continually going about from place to place; and
they were rewarded, by the master of the house and the audience, with
such things as they wanted.
The repeated thefts which were committed by the inhabitants of
Otaheite brought our voyagers into frequent difficulties, and it
required all the wisdom of Lieutenant Cook to conduct himself in a
proper manner. His sentiments on the subject displayed the liberality
of his mind. He thought it of consequence to put an end, if possible
to thievish practices at once, by doing something that should engage
the natives in general to prevent them, from a regard to their common
interest. Strict orders had been given by him, that they should not
be fired upon, even when they were detected in attempting to steal any
of the English property. For this the lieutenant had many reasons. The
common sentinels were in no degree fit to be entrusted with a power of
life and death; neither did Mr. Cook think that the thefts committed
by the Otaheitans deserved so severe a punishment. They were not born
under the law of England; nor was it one of the conditions under which
they claimed the benefits of civil society, that their lives should be
forfeited, unless they abstained from theft. As the lieutenant was not
willing that the natives should be exposed to fire-arms loaded with
shot, neither did he approve of firing only with powder, which, if
repeatedly found to be harmless, would at length be despised. At a
time when a considerable robbery had been committed, an accident
furnished him with what he hoped would be a happy expedient for
preventing future attempts of the same kind. Above twenty of the
sailing canoes of the inhabitants came in with a supply of fish. Upon
these Lieutenant Cook immediately seized, and, having brought them
into the river behind the fort, gave notice, that unless the things
which had been stolen were returned, the canoes should be burnt. This
menace, without designing to put it into execution, he ventured to
publish, from a full conviction that, as restitution was thus made a
common cause, the stolen goods would all of them speedily be brought
back. In this, however, he was mistaken. An iron coal-rake, indeed,
was restored; upon which, great solicitation was made for the release
of the canoes; but he still insisted on his original condition. When
the next day came, he was much surprised to find that nothing further
had been returned; and, as the people were in the utmost distress for
the fish, which would in a short time be spoiled, he was reduced to
the disagreeable alternative, either of releasing the canoes contrary
to what he had solemnly and publicly declared, or of detaining them,
to the great damage of those who were innocent. As a temporary
expedient, he permitted the natives to take the fish, but still
detained the canoes. So far was this measure from being attended with
advantage, that it was productive of new confusion and injury; for as
it was not easy at once to distinguish to what particular persons the
several lots of fish belonged, the canoes were plundered by those who
had no right to any part of their cargo. At length, most pressing
instances being still made for the restoration of the canoes, and
Lieutenant Cook having reason to believe, either that the things for
which he detained them were not in the island, or that those who
suffered by their detention were absolutely incapable of prevailing
upon the thieves to relinquish their booty, he determined, though not
immediately, to comply with the solicitations of the natives. Our
commander was, however, not a little mortified at the ill success of
his project.
About the same time, another accident occurred, which, notwithstanding
all the caution of our principal voyagers, was very near embroiling
them with the Indians. The lieutenant having sent a boat on shore to
get ballast for the ship, the officer, not immediately finding stones
suitable to the purpose, began to pull down some part of an enclosure
in which the inhabitants had deposited the bones of their dead. This
action a number of the natives violently opposed; and a messenger came
down to the tents, to acquaint the gentlemen that no such thing would
be suffered. Mr. Banks directly repaired to the place, and soon put an
amicable end to the contest, by sending the boat's crew to the river,
where a sufficient quantity of stones might be gathered without a
possibility of giving offence. These Indians appeared to be much more
alarmed at any injury which they apprehended to be done to the dead
than to the living. This was the only measure in which they ventured
to oppose the English: and the only insult that was ever offered to
any individual belonging to the Endeavour was upon a similar occasion.
It should undoubtedly be the concern of all voyagers, to abstain from
wantonly offending the religious prejudices of the people among whom
they come.
To extend the knowledge of navigation and the sphere of discovery,
objects which we need not say that Lieutenant Cook kept always
steadily in view, he set out, in the pinnace, on the 26th of June,
accompanied by Mr. Banks, to make the circuit of the island; during
which the lieutenant and his companions were thrown into great alarm,
by the apprehended loss of the boat. By this expedition Mr. Cook
obtained an acquaintance with the several districts of Otaheite, the
chiefs who presided over them, and a variety of curious circumstances
respecting the manners and customs of the inhabitants. On the 1st of
July, he got back to the fort at Matavai, having found the circuit of
the island, including the two peninsulas of which it consisted, to be
about thirty leagues.
The circumnavigation of Otaheite was followed by an expedition of Mr.
Banks's to trace the river up the valley from which it issues, and
examine how far its banks were inhabited. During this excursion he
discerned many traces of subterraneous fire. The stones, like those of
Madeira, displayed evident tokens of having been burnt; and the very
clay upon the hills had the same appearance.
Another valuable employment of Mr. Banks was the planting of a great
quantity of the seeds of watermelons, oranges, lemons, limes, and
other plants and trees, which he had collected at Rio de Janeiro. For
these he prepared ground on each side of the fort, and selected as
many varieties of soil as could be found. He gave, also, liberally of
these seeds to the natives, and planted many of them in the woods.
Lieutenant Cook now began to prepare for his departure. On the 7th of
July, the carpenters were employed in taking down the gates and
palisadoes of the fortification; and it was continued to be dismantled
during the two following days. Our commander and the rest of the
gentlemen were in hopes that they should quit Otaheite without giving
or receiving any further offence; but in this respect they were
unfortunately disappointed. The lieutenant had prudently overlooked a
dispute of a smaller nature between a couple of foreign seamen and
some of the Indians, when he was immediately involved in a quarrel,
which lie greatly regretted, and which yet it was totally out of his
power to avoid. In the middle of the night, between the 8th and the
9th, Clement Webb and Samuel Gibson, two of the marines, went
privately from the fort. As they were not to be found in the morning,
Mr. Cook was apprehensive that they intended to stay behind; but,
being unwilling to endanger the harmony and goodwill which at present
subsisted between our people, and the natives, he determined to wait a
day for the chance of the men's return. As, to the great concern of
the lieutenant, the marines were not come back on the morning of the
tenth, inquiry was made after them of the Indians, who acknowledged
that each of them had taken a wife, and had resolved to become
inhabitants of the country. After some deliberation, two of the
natives undertook to conduct such persons to, the place of the
deserters' retreat, as Mr. Cook should think proper to send; and,
accordingly, he dispatched with the guides a petty officer and the
corporal of the marines. As it was of the utmost importance to recover
the men, and to do it speedily, it was intimated to several of the
chiefs who were in the fort with the women, among whom were Tubourai
Targaide, Tomio, and Oberea, that they would not be to leave it till
the fugitives were returned; and the lieutenant had the pleasure of
observing, that they received the intimation with very little
indications of alarm, and with assurances, that his people should be
secured and sent back as soon as possible. While this transaction took
place at the fort, our commander sent Mr. Hicks in the pinnace to
fetch Tootahah on board the ship. Mr. Cook had reason to expect, if
the Indian guides proved faithful, that the deserters, and those who
went in search of them, would return before the evening. Being
disappointed, his suspicions increased, and thinking it not safe, when
the night approached, to let the persons whom he had detained as
hostages continue at the fort, he ordered Tubourai Tamaide, Oberea,
and some others, to be taken on board the Endeavour; a circumstance
which excited so general an alarm, that several of them, and
especially the women, expressed their apprehensions with great emotion
and many tears. Webb, about nine o'clock, was brought back by some of
the natives, who declared that Gibson, and the petty officer and
corporal, would not be restored till Tootahah should be set at
liberty. Lieutenant Cook now found that the tables were turned upon
him: but, having proceeded too far to retreat, he immediately
dispatched Mr. Hicks in the long-boat, with a strong party of men, to
rescue the prisoners. Tootahah was, at the same time, informed, that
it behoved him to send some of his people with them, for the purpose
of affording them effectual assistance. With this injunction he
readily complied, and the prisoners were restored without the least
opposition. On the next day they were brought back to the ship, upon
which the chiefs were released from their confinement. Thus ended an
affair which had given the lieutenant a great deal of trouble and
concern. It appears, however, that the measure which he pursued was
the result of an absolute necessity; since it was only by the seizure
of the chiefs that he could have recovered his men. Love was the
seducer of the two marines. So strong was the attachment which they
had formed to a couple of girls, that it was their design to conceal
themselves till the ship had sailed, and to take up their residence in
the island.
Tupia was one of the natives who had so particularly devoted himself
to the English, that he had scarcely ever been absent from them during
the whole of their stay at Otaheite. He had been Oberea's first
minister, while she was in the height of her power; and he was also
chief priest of the country. To his knowledge of the religious
principles and ceremonies of the Indians, he added great experience in
navigation, and a particular acquaintance with the number and
situation of the neighbouring islands. This man had often expressed a
desire to go with our navigators, and when they were ready to depart,
he came on board, with a boy about thirteen years of age, and
entreated that he might be permitted to proceed with them on their
voyage. To have such a person in the Endeavour, was desirable on many
accounts; and therefore, Lieutenant Cook gladly acceded to his
proposal.
On the 13th of July, the English weighed anchor: and as soon as the
ship was under sail, the Indians on board took their leaves, and wept
with a decent and silent sorrow, in which there was something very
striking and tender. Tupia sustained himself in this scene with a
truly admirable firmness and resolution; for, though he wept, the
effort he made to conceal his tears concurred, with them, to do him
honour.
The stay of our voyagers at Otaheite was three months, the greater
part of which time was spent in the most cordial friendship with the
inhabitants, and a perpetual reciprocation of good offices. That any
differences should happen was greatly regretted on the part of
Lieutenant Cook and his friends, who were studious to avoid them as
much as possible. The principal causes of them resulted from the
peculiar situation and circumstances of the English and the Indians,
and especially from the disposition of the latter to theft. The
effects of this disposition could not always be submitted to or
prevented. It was happy, however, that there was only a single
instance in which the differences that arose were attended with any
fatal consequence; and by that accident the lieutenant was instructed
to take the most effectual measures for the future prevention of
similar events. He had nothing so much at heart, as that in no case
the intercourse of his people with the natives should be productive of
bloodshed.
The traffic with the inhabitants for provisions and refreshments,
which was chiefly under the management of Mr. Banks, was carried on
with as much order as in any well regulated market in Europe. Axes,
hatchets, spikes, large nails, looking-glasses, knives, and beads,
were found to be the best articles to deal in; and for some of these,
every thing which the inhabitants possessed might be procured. They
were, indeed, fond of fine linen cloth, whether white or printed; but
an axe worth half-a-crown would fetch more than a piece of cloth of
the value of twenty shillings.
It would deviate from the plan of this narrative, to enter into a
minute account of the nature, productions, inhabitants, customs, and
manners of the countries which were discovered or visited by Mr. Cook;
or to give a particular detail of every nautical, geographical, and
astronomical observation. It will be sufficient here to take notice,
that our commander did not depart from Otaheite without accumulating a
store of information and instruction for the enlargement of knowledge
and the benefit of navigation.
While the Endeavour proceeded on her voyage under an easy sail, Tupia
informed Lieutenant Cook, that, at four of the neighbouring islands,
which he distinguished by the names of Huaheine, Ulietea, Otaha, and
Bolabola, hogs, fowls and other refreshments, which had latterly been
sparingly supplied at Otaheite, might be procured in great plenty. The
lieutenant, however, was desirous of first examining an island that
lay to the northward, and was called Tethuroa. Accordingly, he came
near it; but having found it to be only a small low island and being
told, at the same time, that it had no settled inhabitants, he
determined to drop any further examination of it, and to go in search
of Huaheine and Ulietea, which were described to be well peopled, and
as large as Otaheite.
On the 15th of July, the weather being hazy, with light breezes and
calms succeeding each other, so that no land could be seen, and little
way was made, Tupia afforded an amusing proof, that, in the exercise
of his priestly character, he knew how to unite some degree of art
with his superstition. He often prayed for a wind to his god Tane, and
as often boasted of his success. This, indeed, he took a most
effectual method to secure; for he never began his address to his
divinity, till he perceived the breeze to be so near, that he knew it
must approach the ship before his supplication could well be brought
to a conclusion.
The Endeavour, on the 16th, being close in with the north-west part of
Huaheine, some canoes soon came off, in one of which was the king of
the island and his wife. At first the people seemed afraid; but, upon
seeing Tupia, their apprehensions were in part dispersed, and, at
length, in consequence of frequent and earnestly repeated assurances
of friendship, their majesties, and several others, ventured on board
the ship. Their astonishment at every thing which was shewn them was
very great; and yet their curiosity did not extend to any objects but
what were particularly pointed out to their notice. When they had
become more familiar, Mr. Cook was given to understand, that the king
was called Oree, and that he proposed as a mark of amity, their making
an exchange of their names. To this our commander readily consented;
and, during the remainder of their being together, the lieutenant was
Oree, and his majesty was Cookee. In the afternoon, the Endeavour
having come to an anchor, in a small but excellent harbour on the west
side of the island, the name of which was Owharre, Mr. Cook,
accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, Mr. Monkhouse, Tupia, and the
natives who had been on board ever since the morning, immediately went
on shore. The English gentlemen repeated their excursions on the two
following days; in the course of which they found that the people of
Huaheine had a very near resemblance to those of Otaheite, in person,
dress language, and every other circumstance; and that the productions
of the country were exactly similar.
In trafficking with our people, the inhabitants of Huaheine displayed
a caution and hesitation which rendered the dealing with them slow and
tedious. On the 19th, therefore, the English were obliged to bring out
some hatchets, which it was at first hoped there would be no occasion
for, in an island that had never before been visited by any European.
These procured three very large hogs; and as it was proposed to sail
in the afternoon, Oree and several others came on board to take their
leave. To the king Mr. Cook gave a small pewter plate, on which was
stamped this inscription; 'His Britannic Majesty's ship Endeavour,
Lieutenant James Cook, commander, 16th July, 1769, Huaheine.' Among
other presents made to Oree, were some medals or counters, resembling
the coin of England, and struck in the year 1761; all of which, and
particularly the plate he promised carefully and inviolably to
preserve. This the lieutenant thought to be as lasting a testimony as
any he could well provide, that the English had first discovered the
island; and having dismissed his visitors, who were highly pleased
with the treatment they had met with, he sailed for Ulietea, in a good
harbour of which he anchored the next day.
Tupia had expressed his apprehension, that our navigators, if they
landed upon the island, would be exposed to the attacks of the men of
Bolabola, whom he represented as having lately conquered it, and of
whom he entertained a very formidable idea. This, however, did not
deter Mr. Cook, Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander and the other gentlemen, from
going immediately on shore. Tupia, who was of the party, introduced
them by performing some ceremonies which he had practised before at
Huaheine. After this the lieutenant hoisted an English jack, and in
the name of his Britannic majesty, took possession of Ulietea, and the
three neighbouring islands, Huaheine, Otaha, and Bolabola all of which
were in sight.
On the 21st, the master was despatched in the longboat, to examine the
coast of the south part of the island; and one of the mates was sent
in the yawl, to sound the harbour where the Endeavour lay. At the same
time Lieutenant Cook went himself in the pinnace, to survey that part
of Ulietea which lies to the north. Mr. Banks likewise, and the
gentlemen again went on shore, and employed themselves in trading with
the natives, and in examining the productions and curiosities of the
country; but they saw nothing worthy of notice, excepting some human
jaw-bones, which, like scalps among the Indians of North America, were
trophies of war, and had probably been hung up, by the warriors of
Bolabola, as a memorial of their conquest.
The weather being hazy on the 22d and 23d, with strong gales, the
lieutenant did not venture to put to sea; but, on the 24th, though the
wind continued to be variable, he got under sail, and plied to the
northward within the reef, purposing to get out at a wider opening
than that by which he had entered the harbour. However, in doing this,
he was in imminent danger of striking on the rock. The master, who by
his order had kept continually sounding in the chains, suddenly called
out, 'two fathom.' Though our commander knew that the ship drew at
least fourteen feet, and consequently that the shoal could not
possibly be under her keel, he was, nevertheless, justly alarmed.
Happily, the master was either mistaken, or the Endeavour went along
the edge of a coral rock, many of which, in the neighbourhood of these
islands, are as steep as a wall.
After a tedious navigation of some days, during which several small
islands were seen, and the longboat landed at Otaha, Lieutenant Cook
returned to Ulietea, but to a different part of it from that which he
had visited before. In a harbour, belonging to the west side of the
island, he came to an anchor on the 1st of August. This measure was
necessary, in order to stop a leak which the ship had sprung in the
powder-room, and to take in more ballast, as she was found too light
to carry sail upon a wind. The place where the Endeavour was secured
was conveniently situated for the lieutenant's purpose of obtaining
ballast and water.
Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander and the gentlemen who went on shore this day,
spent their time much to their satisfaction. The reception they met
was respectful in the highest degree, and the behaviour of the Indians
to the English indicated a fear of them, mixed with a confidence that
they had no propensity to commit any kind of injury. In an intercourse
which the lieutenant and his friends carried on, for several days,
with the inhabitants of this part of the island, it appeared that the
terrors which Tupia had expressed of the Bolabola conquerors were
wholly groundless. Even Opoony, the formidable king of Bolabola,
treated our navigators with respect. Being at Ulietea on the 5th of
August, he sent Mr. Cook a present of three hogs, some fowls, and
several pieces of cloth, of uncommon length, together with a
considerable quantity of plaintains, cocoa-nuts, and other
refreshments. This present was accompanied with a message, that, on
the next day, he intended to pay our commander a visit. Accordingly,
on the 6th, the lieutenant and the rest of the gentlemen all staid at
home, in expectation of this important visitor; who did not, however,
make his appearance, but sent three very pretty girls as his
messengers, to demand something in return for his present. In the
afternoon, as the great king would not go to the English, the English
determined to go to the great king. From the account which had been
given of him, as lord of the Bolabola men, who were the conquerors of
Ulietea, and the terror of all the other islands, Lieutenant Cook and
his companions expected to see a young and vigorous chief, with an
intelligent countenance, and the marks of an enterprising spirit;
instead of which they found a feeble wretch, withered and decrepit,
half blind with age, and so sluggish and stupid, that he scarcely
appeared to be possessed even of a common degree of understanding.
Otaha being the principal place of Opoony's residence, he went with
our navigators to that island on the next day; and they were in hopes
of deriving some advantage from his influence, in obtaining such
provision as they wanted. In this respect, however, they were
disappointed; for, though they had presented him with an axe, as an
inducement to him to encourage his subjects in dealing with them they
were obliged to leave him without having procured a single article.
The time which the carpenters had taken up in stopping the leak of the
ship having detained our voyagers longer at Ulietea than they would
otherwise have staid, Lieutenant Cook determined to give up the design
of going on shore at Bolabola, especially as it appeared to be
difficult of access. The principal islands, about which the English
had now spent somewhat more than three weeks, were six in number;
Ulietea, Otaha, Bolabola, Huaheine, Tubai, and Maurua. As they lie
contigious to each other, the lieutenant gave them the general
appellation of the Society Islands; but did not think proper to
distinguish them separately by any other names than those by which
they were called by the natives.
On the 9th of August, the leak of the vessel having been stopped, and
the fresh stock that had been purchased being brought on board, our
commander took the opportunity of a breeze which sprang up at east,
and sailed out of the harbour. As he was sailing away, Tupia strongly
urged him to fire a shot towards Bolabola; and, though that island was
at seven leagues distance, the lieutenant obliged him by complying
with his request. Tupia's views probably were, to display a mark of
his resentment, and to shew the power of his new allies.
Our voyagers pursued their course, without meeting with any event
worthy of notice, till the 13th, when land was discovered, bearing
south-east, and which Tupia informed them to be an island called
Oheteroa. On the next day, Mr. Cook sent Mr. Gore, one of his
lieutenants, in the pinnace, with orders, that he should endeavour to
get onshore, and learn from the natives, whether there was anchorage
in a bay then in sight, and what land lay further to the southward.
Mr. Gore was accompanied in this expedition by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander
and Tupia, who used every method, but in vain, to conciliate the minds
of the inhabitants, and to engage them in a friendly intercourse. As,
upon making the circuit of the island, neither harbour nor anchorage
could be found upon it, and at the same time, the disposition of the
people was so hostile, that landing would be rendered impracticable
without bloodshed, Mr. Cook determined, with equal wisdom and
humanity, not to attempt it, having no motive that could justify the
risk of life.
From Tupia our navigators learned, that there were various islands
lying at different distances and in different directions from
Oheteroa, between the south and the north-west; and that to the
north-east there was an island called Manua, Bird Island. This he
represented as being at the distance of three days' sail; but he
seemed most desirous that Lieutenant Cook should proceed to the
westward, and described several islands in that situation, which he
said he had visited. It appeared from his description of them, that
these were probably Boscawen and Keppel's Islands, which were
discovered by Captain Wallis. The furthest island that Tupia knew of
to the southward, lay, he said, at the distance of about two days'
sail from Oheteroa, and was called Moutou. But he added, that his
father had informed him of there being islands still more to the
south. Upon the whole, our commander determined to stand southward in
search of a continent, and to lose no time in attempting to discover
any other islands, than such as he might happen to fall in with during
his course.
On the 15th of August, our voyagers sailed from Oheteroa; and, on the
25th of the same month was celebrated the anniversary of their
departure from England. The comet was seen on the 30th. It was a
little above the horizon, in the eastern part of the heavens, at one
in the morning; and at about half an hour after four it passed the
meridian, and its tail subtended an angle of forty-two degrees. Tupia,
who was among others that observed the comet, instantly cried out,
that as soon as it should be seen by the people of Bolabola, they
would attack the inhabitants of Ulietea, who would be obliged to
endeavour to preserve their lives by fleeing with the utmost
precipitation to the mountains.
On the 6th of October land was discovered, which appeared to be large.
When, on the next day, it was more distinctly visible, it assumed a
still larger appearance, and displayed four or five ranges of hills,
rising one over the other, above all which was a chain of mountains of
an enormous height. This land naturally became the subject of much
eager conversation; and the general opinion of the gentlemen on board
the Endeavour was, that they had found the _Terra australis
incognita_. In fact, it was a part of New Zealand, where the first
adventures the English met with were very unpleasant, on account of
the hostile disposition of the inhabitants.
Lieutenant Cook having anchored, on the 8th, in a bay, at the entrance
of a small river, went on shore in the evening, with the pinnace and
yawl, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, and attended with a
party of men. Being desirous of conversing with some natives, whom he
had observed on the opposite side of the river from that on which he
had landed, he ordered the yawl in, to carry himself and his
companions over, and left the pinnace at the entrance. When they came
near the place where the Indians were assembled, the latter all ran
away; and the gentlemen having left four boys to take care of the
yawl, walked up to several huts, which were about two or three hundred
yards from the water-side. They had not gone very far, when four men,
armed with long lances, rushed out of the woods, and, running up to
attack the boat, would certainly have cut her off, if they had not
been discovered by the people in the pinnace, who called to the boys
to drop down the stream. The boys instantly obeyed; but being closely
pursued by the natives, the cockswain of the pinnace, to whom the
charge of the boats was committed, fired a musket over their heads. At
this they stopped and looked around them; but their alarm speedily
subsiding, they brandished their lances in a threatening manner, and
in a few minutes renewed the pursuit. The firing of a second musket
over their heads did not draw from them any kind of notice. At last
one of them having lifted up his spear to dart it at the boat, another
piece was fired, by which he was shot dead. At the fall of their
associate, the three remaining Indians stood for awhile motionless,
and seemed petrified with astonishment. No sooner had they recovered
themselves, than they went back, dragging after them the dead body,
which, however, they were obliged to leave, that it might not retard
their flight. Lieutenant Cook and his friends, who had straggled to a
little distance from each other, were drawn together upon the report
of the first musket, and returned speedily to the boat, in which
having crossed the river, they soon beheld the Indian lying dead upon
the ground. After their return to the ship, they could hear the people
on shore talking with great earnestness, and in a very loud tone of
voice.
Notwithstanding this disaster, the lieutenant being desirous of
establishing an intercourse with the natives, ordered, on the
following day, three boats to be manned with seamen and marines, and
proceeded towards the shore, accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander,
the other gentlemen, and Tupia. About fifty of the inhabitants seemed
to wait for their landing, having seated themselves upon the ground,
on the opposite side of the river. This being regarded as a sign of
fear, Mr. Cook, with only Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Tupia, advanced
towards them; but they had not gone many paces before all the Indians
started up, and every man produced either a long pike, or a small
weapon of green talk. Though Tupia called to them in the language of
Otaheite, they only answered by flourishing their weapons, and making
signs for the gentlemen to depart. On a musket being fired wide of
them, they desisted from their threats; and our commander, who had
prudently retreated till the marines could be landed, again advanced
towards them, with Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Tupia, to whom were
now added Mr. Green and Mr. Monkhouse. Tupia was a second time
directed to speak to them, and it was perceived with great pleasure
that he was perfectly understood, his and their language being the
same, excepting only in a diversity of dialect. He informed them that
our voyagers only wanted provision and water, in exchange for iron,
the properties of which he explained as far as he was able. Though the
natives seemed willing to trade, Tupia was sensible, during the course
of his conversation with them, that their intentions were unfriendly;
and of this he repeatedly warned the English gentlemen. At length,
twenty or thirty of the Indians were induced to cross the river, upon
which presents were made them of iron and beads. On these they
appeared to set little value and particularly on the iron, not having
the least conception of its use, so that nothing was obtained in
return excepting a few feathers. Their arms, indeed, they offered to
exchange for those of our voyagers, and this being refused, they made
various attempts to snatch them out of their hands. Tupia was now
instructed to acquaint the Indians, that our gentlemen would be
obliged to kill them, if they proceeded to any further violence;
notwithstanding which, one of them, while Mr. Green happened to turn
about, seized his hanger, and retired to a little distance, with a
shout of exultation. The others, at the same time, began to be
extremely insolent, and more of the natives were seen coming to join
them from the opposite side of the river. It being, therefore,
necessary to repress them, Mr. Banks fired, with small shot, at the
distance of about fifteen yards, upon the man who had taken the
hanger. Though he was struck, he did not return the hanger, but
continued to wave it round his head, while he slowly made his retreat.
Mr. Monkhouse then fired at him with ball, and he instantly dropped.
So far, however, were the Indians from being sufficiently terrified,
that the main body of them, who, upon the first discharge, had retired
to a rock in the middle of the river, began to return, and it was with
no small difficulty that Mr. Monkhouse secured the hanger. The whole
number of them continuing to advance, three of the English party
discharged their pieces at them, loaded only with small shot, upon
which they swam back for the shore, and it appeared, upon their
landing, that two or three of them were wounded. While they retired
slowly up the country, Lieutenant Cook and his companions re-embarked
in their boats.
As the lieutenant had unhappily experienced that nothing, at this
place, could be done with these people and found that the water in the
river was salt, he proceeded in the boats round the head of the bay in
search of fresh water. Beside this, he had formed a design of
surprising some of the natives, and taking them on board, that, by
kind treatment and presents he might obtain their friendship, and
render them the instruments of establishing for him an amicable
intercourse with their countrymen. While, upon account of a dangerous
surf which every where beat upon the shore, the boats were prevented
from landing, our commander saw two canoes coming in from the sea, one
under sail, and the other worked with paddles. This he thought to be a
favourable opportunity for executing his purpose. Accordingly, the
boats were disposed in such a manner as appeared most likely to be
successful in intercepting the canoes. Notwithstanding this, the
Indians in the canoe which was paddled exerted themselves with so much
vigour, at the first apprehension of danger, that they escaped to the
nearest land. The other canoe sailed on without discerning the
English, till she was in the midst of them; but no sooner had she
discovered them, than the people on board struck their sail, and plied
their paddles so briskly, as to outrun the boat by which they were
pursued. Being within hearing, Tupia called to them to come alongside,
with assurances that they should not in any degree be hurt or injured.
They trusted, however, more to their own paddles than to Tupia's
promises, and continued to flee from our navigators with all their
power. Mr. Cook, as the least exceptionable expedient of accomplishing
his design, ordered a musket to be fired over their heads. This, he
hoped, would either make them surrender or leap into the water, but it
produced a contrary effect. The Indians, who were seven in number,
immediately formed a resolution not to fly, but to fight. When,
therefore, the boat came up, they began to attack with their paddles,
and with stones and other offensive weapons; and they carried it on
with so much vigour and violence, that the English thought themselves
obliged to fire upon them in their own defence; the consequence of
which was, that four were unhappily killed. The other three, who were
boys, the eldest about nineteen, and the youngest about eleven,
instantly leaped into the water, and endeavoured to make their escape;
but being with some difficulty overpowered by our people, they were
brought into the boat.
It is impossible to reflect upon this part of Lieutenant Cook's
conduct with any degree of satisfaction. He, himself, upon a calm
review, did not approve of it; and he was sensible that it would be
censured by the feelings of every reader of humanity. It is probable
that his mind was so far irritated by the disagreeable preceding
events of this unfortunate day, and by the unexpected violence of the
Indians in the canoe, as to lose somewhat of that self-possession, by
which his character in general was eminently distinguished. Candour,
however, requires, that I should relate what he hath offered in
extenuation, not in defence, of the transaction; and this shall be
done in his own words. "These people certainly did not deserve death
for not choosing to confide in my promises, or not consenting to come
on board my boat, even if they had apprehended no danger. But the
nature of my service required me to obtain a knowledge of their
country, which I could no otherwise effect, than by forcing my way
into it in a hostile manner, or gaining admission through the
confidence and goodwill of the people. I had already tried the power
of presents without effect; and I was now prompted, by my desire to
avoid further hostilities, to get some of them on board, as the only
method left of convincing them, that we intended them no harm, and had
it in our power to contribute to their gratification and convenience.
Thus far my intentions certainly were not criminal; and though in the
contest, which I had not the least reason to expect, our victory might
have been complete without so great an expense of life; yet in such
situations, when the command to fire has been given, no man can
restrain its excess, or prescribe its effect."
Our voyagers were successful in conciliating the minds of the three
boys, to which Tupia particularly contributed. When their fears were
allayed, and their cheerfulness returned, they sang a song with a
degree of taste, that surprised the English gentlemen. The tune, like
those of our psalms, was solemn and slow, containing many notes and
semitones.
Some further attempts were made to establish an intercourse with the
natives, and Mr. Cook and his friends, on the 10th, went on shore for
that purpose; but being unsuccessful in their endeavours, they
resolved to re-embark lest their stay should embroil them in another
quarrel, and cost more of the Indians their lives. On the next day the
lieutenant weighed anchor, and stood away from this unfortunate and
inhospitable place. As it had not afforded a single article that was
wanted excepting wood, he gave it the name of Poverty Bay. By the
inhabitants it is called Taoneroa, or Long Sand. I shall not regularly
pursue the course of our commander round New Zealand. In this course
he spent nearly six months, and made large additions to the knowledge
of navigation and geography. By making almost the whole circuit of New
Zealand, he ascertained it to be two islands, with a strength of
evidence which no prejudice could gainsay or resist. He obtained
likewise a full acquaintance with the inhabitants of the different
parts of the country, with regard to whom it was clearly proved, that
they are eaters of human flesh. Omitting a number of minute
circumstances, I shall only select a few things which mark Mr. Cook's
personal conduct, and relate to his intercourse with the natives.
The good usage the three boys had met with, and the friendly and
generous manner in which they were dismissed to their own homes, had
some effect in softening the dispositions of the neighbouring Indians.
Several of them, who had come on board while the ship lay becalmed in
the afternoon, manifested every sign of friendship, and cordially
invited the English to go back to their old bay, or to a cove which
was not quite so far off. But Lieutenant Cook chose rather to
prosecute his discoveries, having reason to hope that he should find a
better harbour than any he had yet seen.
While the ship was, hauling round to the south end of a small island,
which the lieutenant had named Portland, from its very great
resemblance to Portland in the British Channel, she suddenly fell into
shoal water and broken ground. The soundings were never twice the
same, jumping at once from seven fathom to eleven. However, they were
always seven fathom or more; and in a short time the Endeavour got
clear of danger, and again sailed in deep water. While the ship was in
apparent distress, the inhabitants of the islands, who in vast numbers
sat on its white cliffs, and could not avoid perceiving some
appearance of confusion on board, and some irregularity in the working
of the vessel, were desirous of taking advantage of her critical
situation. Accordingly, five canoes full of men, and well armed, were
put off with the utmost expedition; and they came so near, and shewed
so hostile a disposition by shouting, brandishing their lances, and
using threatening gestures, that the lieutenant was in pain for his
small boat, which was still employed in sounding. By a musket which he
ordered to be fired over them, they were rather provoked than
intimidated. The firing of a four pounder loaded with grape shot,
though purposely discharged wide of them, produced a better effect.
Upon the report of the piece the Indians all rose up and shouted; but
instead of continuing the chase, they collected themselves together,
and, after a short consultation, went quietly away.
On the 14th of October, Lieutenant Cook having hoisted out his pinnace
and long boat to search for water, just as they were about to set off,
several boats full of the New Zealand people were seen coming from the
shore. After some time five of these boats, having on board between
eighty and ninety men, made towards the ship; and four more followed
at no great distance, as if to sustain the attack. When the first five
had gotten within about a hundred yards of the Endeavour, they began
to sing their war song, and brandishing their pikes, prepared for an
engagement. As the lieutenant was extremely desirous of avoiding the
unhappy necessity of using fire-arms against the natives, Tupia was
ordered to acquaint them that our voyagers had weapons which, like
thunder, would destroy them in a moment; that they would immediately
convince them of their power by directing their effect so that they
should not be hurt; but that if they persisted in any hostile attempt,
they would be exposed to the direct attack of these formidable
weapons. A four pounder, loaded with grape shot, was then fired wide
of them; and this expedient was fortunately attended with success. The
report, the flash, and above all the shot, which spread very far in
the water, terrified the Indians to such a degree, that they began to
paddle away with all their might. At the instance, however, of Tupia,
the people of one of the boats were induced to lay aside their arms,
and to come under the stern of the Endeavour; in consequence of which
they received a variety of presents.
On the next day a circumstance occurred, which shewed how ready one of
the inhabitants of New Zealand was to take an advantage of our
navigators. In a large armed canoe, which came boldly alongside of the
ship, was a man who had a black skin thrown over him, somewhat like
that of a bear. Mr. Cook being desirous of knowing to what animal it
originally belonged, offered the Indian for it a piece of red baize.
With this bargain he seemed to be greatly pleased, immediately pulling
off the skin, and holding it up in the boat. He would not, however,
part with it till he had the cloth in his possesssion; and as their
could be no transfer of property if equal caution should be exercised
on both sides, the lieutenant ordered the baize to be delivered into
his hands. Upon this, instead of sending up the skin, he began with
amazing coolness to pack up both that and the cloth, which he had
received as the purchase of it, in a basket: nor did he pay the least
regard to Mr. Cook's demand or remonstrances, but soon after put off
from the English vessel. Our commander was too generous to revenge
this insult by any act of severity.
During the course of a traffic which was carrying on for some fish,
little Tayeto, Tupia's boy, was placed among others over the ship's
side; to hand up what was purchased. While he was thus employed, one
of the New Zealanders, watching his opportunity, suddenly seized him
and dragged him into a canoe. Two of the natives then held him down in
the fore part of it, and the others, with great activity, paddled her
off with all possible celerity. An action so violent rendered it
indispensably necessary that the marines, who were in arms upon the
deck, should be ordered to fire. Though the shot was directed to that
part of the canoe which was furthest from the boy, and somewhat wide
of her, it being thought favourable rather to miss the rowers than to
run the hazard of hurting Tayeto, it happened that one man dropped.
This occasioned the Indians to quit their hold of the youth, who
instantly leaped into the water, and swam towards the ship. In the
meanwhile, the largest of the canoes pulled round and followed him;
and till some muskets and a great gun were fired at her, did not
desist from the pursuit. The ship being brought to, a boat was
lowered, and the poor boy was taken up unhurt. Some of the gentlemen,
who with their glasses traced the canoes to shore, agreed in asserting
that they saw three men carried up the beach, who appeared to be
either dead, or wholly disabled by their wounds.
While, on the 18th, the Endeavour lay abreast of a peninsula within
Portland Island, called Terakako, two of the natives, who were judged
to be chiefs, placed an extraordinary degree of confidence in Mr.
Cook. They were so well pleased with the kindness which had been shown
them in a visit to the ship, that they determined not to go on shore
till the next morning. This was a circumstance by no means agreeable
to the lieutenant, and he remonstrated against it; but as they
persisted in their resolution, he agreed to comply with it, provided
their servants were also taken on board, and their canoe hoisted into
the ship. The countenance of one of these two chiefs was the most open
and ingenuous that our commander had ever seen, so that he soon gave
up every suspicion of his entertaining any sinister design. When the
guests were put on shore the next morning, they expressed some
surprise at seeing themselves so far from their habitations.
On Monday the 23rd, while the ship was in Tagadoo Bay, Lieutenant Cook
went on shore to examine the watering-place, and found every thing
agreeable to his wishes. The boat landed in the cove, without the
least serf; the water was excellent, and conveniently situated: there
was plenty of wood close to the high water mark, and the disposition
of the people was as favourable in all respects as could be desired.
Early the next morning, our commander sent Lieutenant Gore to
superintend the cutting of wood and filling of water, with a
sufficient number of men for both purposes, and all the marines as a
guard. Soon after he went on shore himself, and continued there during
the whole day. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, who had landed on the same
day, found in their walks several things worthy of notice. As they
were advancing in some of the valleys, the hills on each side of which
were very steep, they were suddenly struck with the sight of an
extraordinary natural curiosity. It was a rock perforated through its
whole substance, so as to form a rude but stupendous arch or cavern,
opening directly to the sea. This aperture was seventy-five feet long,
twenty-seven broad, and five and forty feet high, commanding a view of
the bay and the hills on the other side, which were seen through it;
and opening at once upon the view, produced an effect far superior to
any of the contrivances of art.
When on the 28th the gentlemen of the Endeavour went on shore upon an
island which lies to the left hand of the entrance of Tolaga Bay, they
saw there the largest canoe they had yet met with; her length being
sixty-eight feet and a half, her breadth five feet, and her height
three feet six inches. In the same island was a larger house than any
they had hitherto seen; but it was in an unfinished state, and full of
chips.
While the ship was in Hicks's Bay, the inhabitants of the adjoining
coast were found to be very hostile. This gave much uneasiness to our
navigators, and was indeed contrary to their expectation; for they had
hoped that the report of their power and clemency had spread to a
greater extent. At day-break, on the 1st of November, they counted no
less than five and forty canoes that were coming from the shore
towards the Endeavour; and these were followed by several more from
another place. Some of the Indians traded fairly; but others of them
took what was handed down to them without making any return, and added
derision to fraud. The insolence of one of them was very remarkable.
Some linen hanging over the ship's side to dry, this man without any
ceremony untied it, and put it up in his bundle. Being immediately
called to, and required to return it, instead of doing so, he let his
canoe drop astern, and laughed at the English. A musket which was
fired over his head, did not put a stop to his mirth. From a second
musket, which was loaded with small shot, he shrunk a little, when the
shot struck him upon his back; but be regarded it no more than one of
our men would have done the stroke of a rattan, and continued with
great composure to pack up the linen which he hard stolen. All the
canoes now dropped astern, and set up their song of defiance, which
lasted till they were at about four hundred yards' distance from the
ship. As they did not appear to have a design of attacking our
voyagers, Lieutenant Cook was unwilling to do them any hurt; and yet
he thought that their going off in a bravado might have a bad effect
when it should be reported on shore. To convince them therefore, that
they were still in his power, though far beyond the reach of any
missile weapon with which they were acquainted, he ordered a four
pounder to be fired in such a manner as to pass near them. As the shot
happened to strike the water, and to rise several times at a great
distance beyond the canoes, the Indians were so much terrified, that
without once looking behind them, they paddled away as fast as they
were able.
In standing westward from a small island called Mowtohora, the
Endeavour suddenly shoaled her water front seventeen to ten fathom. As
the lieutenant knew that she was not far off from some small islands
and rocks, which lead been seen before it was dark, and which he had
intended to have passed that evening, he thought it more prudent to
tack, and to spend the night under Mowtohora, where he was certain
that there was no danger. It was happy for himself, and for all our
voyagers, that he formed this resolution. In the morning they
discovered ahead of them several rocks, some of which were level with
the surface of the water, and some below it; and the striking against
which could not in the hour of darkness, have been avoided. In passing
between these rocks and the main, the ship had only from ten to seven
fathom water.
While Mr. Cook was near an island which he called the Mayor, the
inhabitants of the neighbouring coast displayed many instances of
hostility, and, in their traffic with our navigators, committed
various acts of fraud and robbery. As the lieutenant intended to
continue in the place five or six days, in order to make an
observation of the transit of Mercury, it was absolutely necessary for
the prevention of future mischief, to convince these people that the
English were not to be ill treated with impunity. Accordingly, some
small shot were fired at a thief of uncommon insolence, and a musket
ball was discharged through the bottom of his boat. Upon this it was
paddled to about a hundred yards' distance; and to the surprise of Mr.
Cook and his friends, the Indians in the other canoes took not the
least notice of their wounded companion, though he bled very much, but
returned to the ship, and continued to trade with the most perfect
indifference and unconcern. For a considerable time they dealt fairly.
At last, however, one of them thought fit to move off with two
different pieces of cloth which had been given for the same weapon.
When he had gotten to such a distance, that he thought himself secure
of his prizes, a musket was fired after him, which fortunately struck
the boat just at the water's edge, and made two holes in her side.
This excited such an alarm, that not only the people who were shot at,
but all the rest of the canoes, made off with the utmost expedition.
As the last proof of superiority, our commander ordered a round shot
to be fired over them, and not a boat stopped till they got to land.
After an early breakfast on the 9th of November, Lieutenant Cook went
on shore, with Mr. Green, and proper instruments, to observe the
transit of Mercury. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander were of the party. The
weather had for some time been very thick, with much rain; but this
day proved so favourable, that not a cloud intervened during the whole
transit. The observation of the ingress was made by Mr. Green alone,
Mr. Cook being employed in taking the Sun's altitude to ascertain the
time.
While the gentlemen were thus engaged on shore, they were alarmed by
the firing of a great gun from the ship: and on their return received
the following account of the transaction from Mr. Gore, the second
lieutenant, who had been left commanding officer on board. During the
carrying on of a trade with some small canoes, two very large ones
came up full of men. In one of the canoes were forty-seven persons,
all of whom were armed with pikes, stones, and darts, and assumed the
appearance of a hostile intention. However, after a little time they
began to traffic, some of them offering their arms, and one of them a
square piece of cloth, which makes a part of their dress, called
_haabow_. Mr. Gore having agreed for it, sent down the price,
which was a piece of British cloth, and expected his purchase. But as
soon as the Indian had gotten Mr. Gore's cloth in his possession, he
refused to part with his own, and put off his canoe. Upon being
threatened for his fraud, he and his companions began to sing their
war song in defiance, and shook their paddles. Though their insolence
did not proceed to an attack, and only defied Mr. Gore to take any
remedy in his power, he was so provoked, that he levelled a musket,
loaded with ball, at the offender, while he was holding the cloth in
his hand, and shot him dead. When the Indian fell, all the canoes put
off to some distance, but continued to keep together in such a manner
that it was apprehended they might still meditate an attack. To secure
therefore a safe passage for the boat of the Endeavour, which was
wanted on shore, a round shot was fired with so much effect over
their heads, as to make them all flee with the utmost precipitation.
It was matter of regret to Lieutenant Cook that Mr. Gore had not, in
the case of the offending Indian, tried the experiment of a few small
shot, which had been successful in former instances of robbery.
On Friday, the 10th, our commander, accompanied by Mr. Banks and the
other gentlemen, went with two boats, to examine a large river that
empties itself into the head of Mercury Bay. As the situation they
were now in abounded with conveniences, the lieutenant has taken care
to point them out, for the benefit of future navigators. If any
occasion should ever render it necessary for a ship either to winter
here, or to stay for a considerable length of time, tents might be
built on a high point or peninsula in this place, upon ground
sufficiently spacious for the purpose; and they might easily be made
impregnable to the whole force of the country. Indeed the most skilful
engineer in Europe could not choose a situation better adapted to
enable a small number to defend themselves against a greater. Among
other accommodations which the Endeavour's company met with in Mercury
Bay, they derived an agreeable refreshment from some oyster beds,
which they had fortunately discovered. The oysters, which were as good
as ever came from Colchester, and about the same size, were so
plentiful, that not the boat only, but the ship itself, might have
been loaded in one tide.
On Wednesday, the 15th, Lieutenant Cook sailed out of Mercury Bay.
This name has been given to it, on account of the observation which
had there been made of the transit of that planet over the sun. The
river where oysters had been so plentifully found, he called Oyster
River. There is another river, at the head of the Bay, which is the
best and safest place for a ship that wants to stay any length of
time. From the number of mangroves about it, the lieutenant named it
Mangrove River. In several parts of Mercury Bay, our voyagers saw,
thrown upon the shore, great quantities of iron sand, which is brought
down by every little rivulet of freshwater that finds its way from the
country. This is a demonstration, that there is ore of that metal not
far inland; and yet none of the inhabitants of New Zealand, who had
yet been seen, knew the use of iron, or set upon it the least degree
of value. They had all of them preferred the most worthless and
useless trifle not only to a nail, but to any tool of that metal.
Before the Endeavour left the bay, the ship's name and that of the
commander were cut upon one of the trees near the watering place,
together with the date of the year and month when our navigators were
there. Besides this, Mr. Cook, after displaying the English colours
took formal possession of the place in the name of his Britannic
Majesty, King George the Third.
In the range from Mercury Bay, several canoes, on the 18th, put off
from different places, and advanced towards the Endeavour. When two of
them, in which there might be about sixty men, came within the reach
of the human voice, the Indians sung their war song, but seeing that
little notice was taken of them, they threw a few stones at the
English, and then rowed off towards the shore. In a short time,
however, they returned, as if with a fixed resolution to provoke our
voyagers to a battle, animating themselves by their song as they had
done before. Tupia, without any directions from the gentlemen of the
Endeavour, began to expostulate with the natives, and told them that
our people had weapons which could destroy them in a moment. Their
answer to this expostulation was, in their own language, 'Come on
shore, and we will kill you all.'--'Well,' replied Tupia, 'but why
should you molest us while we are at sea? As we do not wish to fight,
we shall not accept your challenge to come on shore; and here there is
no pretence for a quarrel, the sea being no more your property than
the ship.' This eloquence, which greatly surprised Lieutenant Cook and
his friends, as they had not suggested to Tupia any of the arguments
he made use of, produced no effect upon the minds of the Indians, who
soon renewed their attack. The oratory of a musket, which was fired
through one of their boats, quelled their courage, and sent them
instantly away.
While our commander was in the Bay of Islands, he had a favourable
opportunity of examining the interior part of the country and its
produce. At daybreak, therefore on the 30th of the month, he set out
in the pinnace and long-boat accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander,
and Tupia, and found the inlet, at which they entered, end in a river,
about nine miles above the ship. Up this river, to which was given the
name of the Thames, they proceeded till near noon, when they were
fourteen miles within its entrance. As the gentlemen then found the
face of the country to continue nearly the same, without any
alteration in the course of the stream, and had no hope of tracing it
to its source, they landed on the west side, to take a view of the
lofty trees which every where adorned its banks. The trees were of a
kind which they had seen before, both in Poverty Bay, and Hawke's Bay,
though only at a distance. They had not walked a hundred yards into
the woods, when they met with one of the trees, which, at the height
of six feet above the ground, was nineteen feet eight inches in the
girt. Lieutenant Cook, having a quadrant with him, measured its height
from the root to the first branch, and found it to be eighty-nine
feet. It was as straight as an arrow, and tapered but very little in
proportion to its height; so that, in the lieutenant's judgment, there
must have been three hundred and fifty-six feet of solid timber in it
exclusive of the branches. As the party advanced, they saw many other
trees, which were still larger. A young one they cut down, the wood of
which was heavy and solid, not fit for masts, but such as would make
the finest plank in the world. The carpenter of the ship, who was with
the party, said that the timber resembled that of the pitch-pine,
which is lightened by tapping. If it should appear, that some such
method would be successful in lightening these trees, they would then
furnish masts superior to those of any country in Europe. As the wood
was swampy, the gentlemen could not range far; but they found many
stout trees of other kinds, with which they were totally unacquainted,
and specimens of which they brought away.
On the 22d, another instance occurred in which the commanding officer
left on board did not know how to exercise his power with the good
sense and moderation of Mr. Cook. While some of the natives were in
the ship below with Mr. Banks, a young man, who was upon the deck,
stole a half minute glass, and was detected just as he was carrying it
off. Mr. Hicks, in his indignation against the offender, was pleased
to order that he should be punished, by giving him twelve lashes with
a cat o' nine tails. When the other Indians, who were on board, saw
him seized for the purpose, they attempted to rescue him; and being
resisted, they called for their arms, which were handed from the
canoes. At the same time, the people of one of the canoes attempted to
come up the side of the Endeavour. The tumult having called up Mr.
Banks and Tupia, the natives ran to the latter, and solicited his
interposition. All, however, which he could do, as Mr. hicks continued
inexorable, was to assure them, that nothing was intended against the
life of their companion, and that it was necessary that he should
suffer some punishment for his offence. With this explanation they
appeared to be satisfied; and when the punishment had been inflicted,
an old man among the spectators, who was supposed to be the criminal's
father, gave him a severe beating, and sent him down into his canoe.
Notwithstanding this, the Indians were far from being reconciled to
the treatment which their countryman had received. Their cheerful
confidence was gone; and though they promised, at their departure, to
return with some fish, the English saw them no more.
On the 29th of November, Lieutenant Cook, Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and
others with them, were in a situation somewhat critical and alarming.
Having landed upon an island in the neighbourhood of Cape Bret, they
were in a few minutes surrounded by two or three hundred people.
Though the Indians were all armed, they came on in so confused and
straggling a manner, that it did not appear that any injury was
intended by them; and the English gentlemen were determined that
hostilities should not begin on their part. At first the natives
continued quiet; but their weapons were held ready to strike, and they
seemed to be rather irresolute than peaceable. While the lieutenant
and his friends remained in a state of suspense, another party of
Indians came up; and the boldness of the whole body being increased by
the augmentation of their numbers, they began the dance and song,
which are their preludes to a battle. An attempt, that was made by a
number of them, to seize the two boats which had brought our voyagers
to land, appeared to be the signal for a general attack. It now became
necessary for Mr. Cook to exert himself with vigour Accordingly, he
discharged his musket, which was loaded with small shot, at one of the
forwardest of the assailants, and Mr. Banks, and two of our men, fired
immediately afterwards. Though this made the natives fall back in some
confusion, nevertheless, one of the chiefs, who was at the distance of
about twenty yards, had the courage to rally them, and, calling loudly
to his companions, led them on to the charge. Dr. Solander instantly
discharged his piece at this champion, who, upon feeling the shot,
stopped short, and then ran away with the rest of his countrymen.
Still, however, they did not disperse, but got upon rising ground, and
seemed only to want some leader of resolution to renew their assault.
As they were now gotten beyond the reach of small shot, the English
fired with ball, none of which taking place, the Indians continued
together in a body. While our people were in this doubtful situation,
which lasted about a quarter of an hour, the ship, from which a much
greater number of natives were seen than could be discovered on shore,
brought her broad side to bear, and entirely dispersed them, by firing
a few shot over their heads. In this skirmish, only two of them were
hurt with the small shot, and not a single life was lost; a case which
would not have happened if Lieutenant Cook had not restrained his men,
who either from fear or the love of mischief, shewed as much
impatience to destroy the Indians, as a sportsman to kill his game.
Such was the difference between the disposition of the common seamen
and marines, and that of their humane and judicious commander.
On the same day Mr. Cook displayed a very exemplary act of discipline.
Some of the ship's people, who when the natives were to be punished
for a fraud, assumed the inexorable justice of a Lycurgus, thought fit
to break into one of their plantations, and to dig up a quantity of
potatoes. For
