A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 12 by Robert Kerr

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XI. SWALLOW HARBOUR. This harbour, when once entered, is very safe,
being sheltered from all winds, but the entrance is narrow and rocky;
the rocks, however, may be easily avoided by keeping a good look-out, as
there are large bunches of rock-weed upon them all. We found here a
sufficient supply of wood and water, the wood however was very small. As
the water is constantly smooth here, the landing is every where good;
but we found no supply of provisions, except a few mussels and
rock-fish. The mountains round it have the most horrid appearance, and
seem to be altogether deserted by every thing that has life. The
latitude is 53 deg.29'S., the longitude, by account, 74 deg.35'W.; the variation
is two points easterly, and the tide rises and falls between four and
five feet. We anchored here the 15th of March, and left the place the
next day.

XII. UPRIGHT BAY. This bay may be safely entered, as there is no
obstruction but what is above water. The wood here is very small, but we
found sufficient to keep up our stock. The water is excellent, and in
great plenty. As to provisions, we got only a few wild fowl, rock-fishes
and mussels. The landing is bad. The latitude of this place is 53 deg. 8'S.,
longitude 75 deg.35 W.; the variation two points easterly. The water rises
and falls about five feet, but the tide or current is very irregular. We
anchored here on the 18th of March, and sailed again on the 10th of
April.

There are three very good bays a little beyond Cape Shut-up, which we
called _River Bay, Lodging Bay_, and _Wallis's Bay_. Wallis's
Bay is the best.

About half way between Elizabeth's Bay and York Road, lies Mussel Bay,
where there is very good anchorage with a westerly wind. There is also a
bay, with good anchorage, opposite to York Road, and another to the
eastward of Cape Cross-tide, but this will hold only a single ship.
Between Cape Cross and Saint David's Head, lies Saint David's Sound, on
the south side of which we found a bank of coarse sand and shells, with
a depth of water from nineteen to thirty fathom, where a ship might
anchor in case of necessity; and the master of the Swallow found a very
good small bay a little to the eastward of Saint David's Head. A little
to the eastward of Cape Quod, lies Island Bay, where the Swallow lay
some time, but it is by no means an eligible situation. The ground of
Chance Bay is very rocky and uneven, and for that reason should be
avoided.

As all the violent gales by which we suffered in this navigation, blew
from the westward, it is proper to stand about a hundred leagues or more
to the westward, after sailing out of the streight, that the ship may
not be endangered on a lee-shore, which at present is wholly unknown.

The following table shews the courses and distances, from point to
point, in the streight of Magellan, by compass.[49]

[Footnote 49: Bougainville, in the account of his voyage, has given a
tolerably minute chart of the straight of Magellan, but the names do not
correspond with those used here, or by the English navigators in
general. Perhaps the fullest and most accurate chart of this very
intricate and unsafe passage ever published, is to be found in the
American Atlas of Jefferys, London, 1775. It is enlarged from one
published at Madrid in 1709, improved from the surveys and observations
of Byron, Wallis, and Carteret, and compared with those of Bougainville.
Like all the works of Jefferys, the Arrowsmith of his day, it exhibits
most commendable diligence and attention to every source of information.
After all, however, it seems unlikely that this streight will ever
become well known to Europeans, the inducement to navigate it being
indeed very inconsiderable at any time, and the dangers it presents
always highly formidable.--E.]

_Courses and Distances from Point to Point, in the Streight of Magellan
by Compass._

Cape Virgin Mary lies in latitude 52 deg.24'S., and longitude 68 deg.22'W.

From Courses. Miles. Latitude, Long.

Cape Virgin Mary to Dungeness Point S.by W. 5 52 deg.28' 68 deg.28'
Dungeness Point to Point Possession W.3/4 S. 18 52 23 68 57
Point Possession to the S. side of
the 1st Narrows S.W.1/4 S. 27 52 35 69 38
The N. to the S. end of the Narrows S.S.W. 9 ---- ----
The S. end of the Narrows to Cape
Gregory W.S.W.1/4 W. 25 52 39 70 31
Cape Gregory to Sweepstakes Foreland S.30 deg.W. 12-1/3 ---- ----
Cape Gregory to Dolphin's Foreland S.W.1/2 W. 14 52 43 70 53
Dolphin's Foreland to the N. end of
Elizabeth's Island S.1/2 W. 14-3/4 52 56 71 6
The N. end of Elizabeth's Island to
St Bartholomew's Island E.N.E. 1-1/2 52 56 71 4
The N. end of Elizabeth's Island to
St George's Island S.E. 8 ---- ----
The N. end of Elizabeth's Island to
Porpus Point S.byW. 12 53 6 71 17
Porpus Point to Fresh-water Bay S.1/2 E. 22-2/3 ---- ----
Fresh-water Bay to Cape St Ann, or
Port Famine S.S.E.1/4 E. 13-2/3 53 42 71 28
Cape St Ann to the entry of a great
sound on the south shore N.E. ---- ---- ----
Cape St Ann to Cape Shut-up S.byE. 12 53 54 71 32
Cape Shut-up to Dolphin's Island S.S.W. 7 53 59 71 41
Dolphin's Island to Cape Froward,
the southermost in all America S.47 W. 11 54 3 71 59
Cape Froward to Snug Bay Point W.1/2 N. 8 ---- ----
Snug, Bay Point to Cape Holland W.byS 13-2/3 53 57 72 34
Cape Holland to Cape Gallant W.1/4 S. 21-1/2 53 50 73 9
Cape Gallant to Elizabeth's Bay W.N.W.1/2 W 11-1/2 53 48 73 24
Elizabeth's Bay to York Point W.N.W.1/2 W. 6-1/3 53 39 73 32
York Road to Cape Cross-tide W.3/4 S. 10 ---- ----
York Road to Cape Quod W.1/2 S. 21 53 33 74 6
Cape Quod to St David's Head S.E. 4-1/2 ---- ----
Cape Quod to Butler's Bay S.1/4 W. 4 53 37 74 9
Cape Quod to Chance Bay S.S.W. 5 ---- ----
Cape Quod to Great Mussel Bay S.W.1/2 S. 6 ---- ----
Cape Quod to Snow Sound W.S.W.1/2 W. 10 ---- ----
Cape Quod to Lion's Cove W.N.W.3/4 W. 12 53 26 74 25
Lion's Cove to Good-Luck Bay W.N.W.3/4 W. 6 53 23 74 33
Cape Quod to Cape Notch W.N.W.3/4 W. 21 53 22 74 36
Cape Notch to Swallow Harbour S.S.E. 7 53 29 74 36
Cape Notch to Piss-pot Bay W.1/4 S. 23 ---- ----
Cape Notch to Cape Monday W. 28 53 12 75 26
Cape Monday to Cape Upright W.byN. 13 53 deg. 6' 75 deg. 38'
Cape Monday to a great Sound on
the N. shore N. 7 ---- ----
Cape Upright to Cape Providence N.byW.1/2 W. 9 52 57 75 37
Cape Upright to Cape Tamar N.W.byW.1/2 W 18 ---- ----
Cape Upright to Cape Pillar W.1/2 N. 50 52 43 76 52
Cape Pillar to Westminster Island N.E.1/2 N. 15 ---- ----
Cape Pillar to Cape Victory N.W.1/2 N. 28 ---- ----
Cape Pillar to the Islands of W.N.W. 23 52 27 77 19
Direction

SECTION IV.

_The Passage from the Streight of Magellan to King George the Third's
Island, called Otaheite, in the South Sea, with an Account of the
Discovery of several other Islands, and a Description of their
Inhabitants._

As we continued our course to the westward, after having cleared the
streight, we saw a great number of gannets, sheerwaters, pintado birds,
and many others, about the ship, and had for the most part strong gales,
hazy weather, and heavy seas, so that we were frequently brought under
our courses, and there was not a dry place in the ship for some weeks
together.

At eight in the morning of the 22d, we had an observation, by which we
found our longitude to be 95 deg.46'W. and at noon our latitude was 42 deg.24'S.
and the variation, by azimuth, 11 deg.6'E.

By the 24th, the men began to fall down very fast in colds and fevers,
in consequence of the upper works being open, and their clothes and beds
continually wet.

On the 26th, at four in the afternoon, the variation, by azimuth, was
10 deg.20'E. and at six in the morning of the next day, it was 9 deg.8'E. Our
latitude, on the 27th at noon, was 36 deg.54'S. our longitude, by account,
100 deg.W. This day, the weather being moderate and fair, we dried all the
people's clothes, and got the sick upon deck, to whom we gave salop, and
wheat boiled with, portable soup, every morning for breakfast, and all
the ship's company had as much vinegar and mustard as they could use;
portable soup was also constantly boiled in their pease and oatmeal.

The hard gales, with frequent and violent squalls, and a heavy sea soon
returned, and continued with very little intermission. The ship pitched
so much, that we were afraid she would carry away her masts, and the men
were again wet in their beds.

On the 30th, the variation, by azimuth, was 8 deg.30'E. our latitude was
32 deg.50; longitude, by account, 100 W. I began now to keep the ship to the
northward, as we had no chance of getting westing in this latitude; and
the surgeon was of opinion, that in a little time the sick would so much
increase, that we should want hands to work the ship, if we could not
get into better weather.

On the third of May, about four in the afternoon, we had an observation
of the sun and moon, by which we found our longitude to be 96 deg.26 W. the
variation by the azimuth was 5 deg.44'E. at six in the evening, and at six
the next morning, it was 5 deg.58'E, Our latitude, this day at noon, was
28 deg.20'S. At four in the afternoon, we had several observations for the
longitude, and found it to be 96 deg.21' W.; at seven in the evening, the
variation was 6 deg.40'E. by the azimuth, and the next morning at ten it
was, by amplitude, 5 deg.48'E.; at three in the afternoon, the variation, by
amplitude, was 7 deg.40'E. This day we saw a tropic bird.

At six o'clock in the morning of Friday the eighth of May, the variation
of the needle, by amplitude, was 7 deg.11' E. In the afternoon we saw
several sheer-waters and sea-swallows. At eight in the morning of the
9th, the variation, by azimuth, was 6 deg.34'E. and in the morning of the
11th, by azimuth and amplitude, it was 4 deg.40'E. Our latitude was 27 deg.20'S.
longitude, by account, 106 deg.W. This day and the next we saw several
sea-swallows, sheer-waters, and porpoises, about the ship.

On the 14th of May, the variation, by four azimuths, was 2 deg.E. About
four o'clock-in the afternoon, we saw a large flock of brown birds,
flying to the eastward, and something which had the appearance of high
land, in the same quarter. We bore away for it till sun-set, and it
still having the same appearance, we continued our course; but at two in
the morning, having run eighteen leagues without making it, we hauled
the wind, and at day-light nothing was to be seen. We had now the
satisfaction to find our ailing people mend apace. Our latitude was
24 deg.50'S. our longitude, by account, 106 deg.W. During all this time, we were
looking out for the Swallow.[50]

[Footnote 50: This is very liable to be controverted. Captain W. well
knew the bad condition and insufficiency of that vessel, and had, in
consequence, promised to _wait_ on her. But did he so, after he cleared
the streights? Did he even appoint a rendezvous or place of meeting with
her, after getting into the South Sea?--a thing so common for vessels
sailing in concert. He has assigned his reasons for not doing the
former, in Section II. Of his neglect of the latter, no satisfactory
account perhaps can be given. The reader will have some cause of wonder
and displeasure at more persons than one, when he peruses what Captain
Carteret has to say as to the propriety of sending out the Swallow on
this voyage. One can scarcely help inferring from his words, that he had
been intended as a mere forlorn hope, in navigating the difficult and
dangerous passage betwixt the two oceans.--E.]

At four in the afternoon of the 16th, the variation, by azimuth and
amplitude, was 6 deg.E. and at six the next morning, by four azimuths, it
was 3 deg.20'.

The carpenters were now employed in caulking the upper works of the
ship, and repairing and painting the boats, and on the 18th I gave a
sheep among the people that were sick and recovering.

On Wednesday the 20th, we found our longitude, by observation, to be
106 deg.47'W. and our latitude 20 deg.52'S. The next day we saw several flying
fish, which were the first we had seen in these seas.

On the 22d, our longitude, by observation, was 111 deg.W. and our latitude
20 deg.18'S. and this day we saw some bonettoes, dolphins, and tropic birds.

The people, who had been recovering from colds and fevers, now began to
fall down in the scurvy, upon which, at the surgeon's representation,
wine was served to them; wort was also made for them of malt, and each
man had half a pint of pickled cabbage every day. The variation from 4
to 5 E.

On the 26th we saw two grampuses; on the 28th we saw another, and the
next day several birds, among which was one about the size of a swallow,
which some of us thought was a land bird.

Our men now began to look very pale and sickly, and to fall down very
fast in the scurvy, notwithstanding all our care and attention to
prevent it. They had vinegar and mustard without limitation, wine
instead of spirits, sweet wort and salop. Portable soup was still
constantly boiled in their peas and oatmeal; their birth and clothes
were kept perfectly clean; the hammocks were constantly brought upon the
deck at eight o'clock in the morning, and carried down at four in the
afternoon. Some of the beds and hammocks were washed every day; the
water was rendered wholesome by ventilation, and every part between
decks frequently washed with vinegar.

On Sunday the 31st of May, our longitude, by observation, was 127 deg.45'W.
our latitude 29 deg.38'S. and the variation, by azimuth and amplitude,
5 deg.9'E.

The next day, at three in the afternoon, our longitude, by observation,
was 129 deg.15'W. and our latitude 19 deg.34'S. We had squally weather, with
much lightning and rain, and saw several man-of-war birds.

On the 3d we saw several gannets, which, with the uncertainty of the
weather, inclined us to hope that land was not very far distant. The
next day a turtle swam close by the ship; on the 5th we saw many birds,
which confirmed our hope that some place of refreshment was near, and at
eleven o'clock in the forenoon of the 6th, Jonathan Puller, a seaman,
called out from the mast-head, "Land in the W.N.W." At noon it was seen
plainly from the deck, and found to be a low island, at about five or
six leagues distance. The joy which everyone on board felt at this
discovery, can be conceived by those only who have experienced the
danger, sickness, and fatigue of such a voyage as we had performed.

When we were within about five miles of this island, we saw another,
bearing N.W. by W. About three o'clock in the afternoon, being very near
the island that was first discovered, we brought-to, and I sent Mr
Furneaux, my second lieutenant, my first lieutenant being very ill, with
the boats manned and armed, to the shore. As he approached it, we saw
two canoes put off, and paddle away with great expedition towards the
island that lay to leeward. At seven in the evening the boats returned,
and brought with them several cocoa-nuts, and a considerable quantity of
scurvy-grass; they brought also some fishhooks, that were made of
oyster-shells, and some of the shells of which they were made. They
reported that they had seen none of the inhabitants, but had visited
three huts, or rather sheds, consisting only of a roof, neatly thatched
with cocoa-nut and palm-leaves, supported upon posts, and open all
round. They saw also several canoes building, but found no fresh water,
nor any fruit but cocoa-nuts. They sounded, but found no anchorage, and
it was with great difficulty they got on shore, as the surf ran very
high. Having received this account, I stood off and on all night, and,
early the next morning, I sent the boats out again to sound, with
orders, if possible, to find a place where the ship might come to an
anchor; but at eleven o'clock they returned, with no better success than
before. The people told me that the whole island was surrounded by a
reef, and that although on the weather side of the island there was an
opening through it, into a large bason, that extended to the middle of
the island, yet they found it so full of breakers, that they could not
venture in; neither indeed had they been able to land on any part of the
island, the surf running still higher than it had done the day before.
As it would therefore answer no purpose to continue here, I hoisted the
boats in, and stood away for the other island, which bore S.22 deg.E.
distant about four leagues. The island which I now quitted, having been
discovered on Whitsun-eve, I called it _Whitsun Island_. It is about
four miles long, and three wide. Its latitude is 19 deg.26'S., and its
longitude, by observation, 157 deg.56'W.

When we came under the lee of the other island, I sent Lieutenant
Furneaux, with the boats manned and armed, to the shore, where I saw
about fifty of the natives armed with long pikes, and several of them
running about with fire-brands in their hands. I ordered Mr Furneaux to
go to that part of the beach where we saw the people, and endeavour to
traffic with them for fruit and water, or whatever else might be useful;
at the same time being particularly careful to give them no offence. I
ordered him also to employ the boats in sounding for anchorage. About
seven o'clock he returned, and told me that he could find no ground with
the line, till he came within half-a-cable's length of the shore, and
that there it consisted of sharp rocks, and lay very deep.

As the boat approached the shore, the Indians thronged down towards the
beach, and put themselves upon their guard with their long pikes, as if
to dispute landing. Our men then lay upon their oars, and made signs of
friendship, shewing at the same time several strings of beads, ribbands,
knives, and other trinkets. The Indians still made signs to our people
that they should depart, but at the same time eyed the trinkets with a
kind of wishful curiosity. Soon after, some of them advanced a few steps
into the sea, and our people making signs that they wanted cocoa-nuts
and water, some of them brought down a small quantity of both, and
ventured to hand them into the boat: the water was in cocoa-nut shells,
and the fruit was stripped of its outward covering, which is probably
used for various purposes. For this supply they were paid with the
trinkets that had been shewed them, and some nails, upon which they
seemed to set a much greater value. During this traffic, one of the
Indians found means to steal a silk handkerchief, in which some of our
small merchandise was wrapped up, and carried it clear off, with its
contents, so dexterously, that nobody observed him. Our people made
signs that a handkerchief had been stolen, but they either could not or
would not understand them. The boat continued about the beach, sounding
for anchorage, till it was dark; and having many times endeavoured to
persuade the natives to bring down some scurvy-grass, without success,
she returned on board.

I stood off and on with the ship all night, and as soon as the day
broke, I sent the boats again, with orders to make a landing, but
without giving any offence to the natives, that could possibly be
avoided. When our boats came near the shore, the officer was greatly
surprised to see seven large canoes, with two stout masts in each, lying
just in the surf, with all the inhabitants upon the beach, ready to
embark. They made signs to our people to go higher up; they readily
complied, and as soon as they went ashore, all the Indians embarked, and
sailed away to the westward, being joined by two other canoes at the
west end of the island. About noon, the boats returned, laden with
cocoa-nuts, palm-nuts, and scurvy-grass. Mr Furneaux, who commanded the
expedition, told me that the Indians had left nothing behind them but
four or five canoes. He found a well of very good water, and described
the island as being sandy and level, full of trees, but without
underwood, and abounding with scurvy-grass. The canoes, which steered
about W.S.W. as long as they could be seen from the mast-head, appeared
to be about thirty feet long, four feet broad, and three and an half
deep. Two of these being brought along-side of each other, were fastened
together, at the distance of about three feet asunder, by cross beams,
passing from the larboard gunwale of one, to the starboard gunwale of
the other, in the middle and near to each end.

The inhabitants of this island were of a middle stature, and dark
complexion, with long black hair, which hung loose over their shoulders.
The men were well made, and the women handsome. Their clothing was a
kind of coarse cloth or matting, which was fastened about their middle,
and seemed capable of being brought up round their shoulders.

In the afternoon, I sent Lieutenant Furneaux with the boats again on
shore. He had with him a mate and twenty men, who were to make a
rolling-way for getting the casks down to the beach from the well. I
gave orders that he should take possession of the island, in the name of
King George the Third, and give it the name of _Queen Charlottes
Island,_ in honour of her majesty. The boats returned freighted with
cocoa-nuts and scurvy-grass, and the officer told me that he had found
two more wells of good water, not far from the beach. I was at this time
very ill, yet I went ashore with the surgeon, and several of the people,
who were enfeebled by the scurvy, to take a walk. I found the wells so
convenient, that I left the mate and twenty men on shore to fill the
water, and ordered a week's provisions to be sent them from the ship,
they being already furnished with arms and ammunition. In the evening I
returned on board, with the surgeon and the sick, leaving only the
waterers on shore. As we had not been able to find any anchorage, I
stood off and on all night.

In the morning, I sent all the empty water casks on shore: the surgeon
and the sick were also sent for the benefit of another airing, but I
gave them strict orders that they should keep near the water-side, and
in the shade; that they should not pull down or injure any of the
houses, nor, for the sake of the fruit, destroy the cocoa-trees, which I
appointed proper persons to climb. At noon, the rolling-way being made,
the cutter returned laden with water, but, it was with great difficulty
got off the beach, as it is all rock, and the surf that breaks upon it
is often very great. At four, I received another boat-load of water, and
a fresh supply of cocoa-nuts, palm-nuts, and scurvy-grass; the surgeon
also returned with the sick men, who received much benefit from their
walk. The next morning, as soon as it was light, I dispatched orders to
the mate, to send all the water that was filled on board, and to be
ready to come off with his people when the boats should return again,
bringing with them as many cocoa-nuts, and as much scurvy-grass, as they
could procure. About eight o'clock, all the boats and people came on
board, with the water and refreshments, but the cutter, in coming off,
shipped a sea, which almost filled her with water: The barge was happily
near enough to assist her, by taking great part of her crew on board,
while the rest freed her, without any other damage than the loss of the
cocoa-nuts and greens that were on board. At noon, I hoisted the boats
in, and there being a great sea, with a dreadful surf rolling in upon
the shore, and no anchorage, I thought it prudent to leave this place,
with such refreshments as we had got. The people who had resided on
shore, saw no appearance of metal of any kind, but several tools, which
were made of shells and stones, sharpened and fitted into handles, like
adzes, chissels, and awls. They saw several canoes building, which were
formed of planks, sewed together, and fastened to several small timbers,
that passed transversely along the bottom and up the sides. They saw
several repositories of the dead, in which the body was left to putrefy
under a canopy, and not put into the ground.

When we sailed, we left a union jack flying upon the island, with the
ship's name, the time of our being here, and an account of our taking
possession of this place, and Whitsun Island, in the name of his
Britannic Majesty, cut on a piece of wood, and in the bark of several
trees. We also left some hatchets, nails, glass bottles, beads,
shillings, sixpences, and halfpence, as presents to the natives, and an
atonement for the disturbance we had given them. Queen Charlotte's
Island is about six miles long, and one mile wide, lies in latitude
19 deg.18'S., longitude, by observation, 138 deg.4'W.; and we found the
variation here to be 4 deg.46'E.