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

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It is also probable that the place where we found them was only a
temporary residence, from their having here nothing like a boat or
canoe, of which it can scarcely be supposed that they were wholly
destitute, especially as they were not sea-sick, or particularly
affected, either in our boat or on board the ship. We conjectured that
there might be a streight or inlet, running from the sea through great
part of this island, from the Streight of Magellan, whence these people
might come, leaving their canoes where such inlet terminated.

They did not appear to have among them any government or subordination:
None was more respected than another; yet they seemed to live together
in the utmost harmony and good fellowship. Neither did we discover any
appearance of religion among them, except the noises which have been
mentioned, and which we supposed to be a superstitious ceremony, merely
because we could refer them to nothing else: They were used only by one
of those who came on board the ship, and the two who conducted Mr Banks
and Dr Solander to the town, whom we therefore conjectured to be
priests. Upon the whole, these people appeared to be the most destitute
and forlorn, as well as the most stupid of all human beings; the
outcasts of Nature, who spent their lives in wandering about the dreary
wastes, where two of our people perished with cold in the midst of
summer; with no dwelling but a wretched hovel of sticks and grass, which
would not only admit the wind, but the snow and the rain; almost naked,
and destitute of every convenience that is furnished by the rudest art,
having no implement even to dress their food: Yet they were content.
They seemed to have no wish for any thing more than they possessed, nor
did any thing that we offered them appear acceptable but beads.

In this place we saw no quadruped except seals, sea-lions, and dogs; of
the dogs it is remarkable that they bark, which those that are
originally bred in America do not. And this is a further proof, that the
people we saw here had, either immediately or remotely, communicated
with the inhabitants of Europe. There are, however, other quadrupeds in
this part of the country; for when Mr Banks was at the top of the
highest hill that he ascended in his expedition through the woods, he
saw the footsteps of a large beast imprinted upon the surface of a bog,
though he could not with any probability guess of what kind it might be.

Of land-birds there are but few; Mr Banks saw none larger than an
English blackbird, except some hawks and a vulture; but of water-fowl
there is great plenty, particularly ducks. Of fish we saw scarce any,
and with our hooks could catch none that was fit to eat; but shell-fish,
limpets, clams, and mussels were to be found in abundance.

Among the insects, which were not numerous, there was neither gnat nor
musquito, nor any other species that was either hurtful or troublesome,
which perhaps is more than can be said of any other uncleared country.
During the snow-blasts, which happened every day while we were here,
they hide themselves; and the moment it is fair they appear again, as
nimble and vigorous as the warmest weather could make them.

Of plants, Mr Banks and Dr Solander found a vast variety; the far
greater part wholly different from any that have been hitherto
described. Besides the birch and winter's bark, which have been
mentioned already, there is the beech, _Fagus antarcticus_, which, as
well as the birch, may be used for timber. The plants cannot be
enumerated here; but as the scurvy-grass, _Cardamine antiscorbutica_,
and the wild celery, _Apium antarcticum_, probably contain antiscorbutic
qualities, which may be of great benefit to the crews of such ships as
shall hereafter touch at this place, the following short description is
inserted:

The scurvy-grass will be found in plenty in damp places, near springs of
water, and in general in all places that lie near the beach, especially
at the watering-place in the Bay of Good Success: When it is young, the
state of its greatest perfection, it lies flat upon the ground, having
many leaves of a bright green, standing in pairs opposite to each other,
with a single one at the end, which generally makes the fifth upon a
foot-stalk: The plant, passing from this state, shoots up in stalks that
are sometimes two feet high, at the top of which are small white
blossoms, and these are succeeded by long pods: The whole plant greatly
resembles that which in England is called Lady's Smock, or
Cuckow-flower. The wild celery is very like the celery in our gardens,
the flowers are white, and stand in the same manner, in small tufts at
the top of the branches, but the leaves are of a deeper green. It grows
in great abundance near the beach, and generally upon the soil that lies
next above the spring tides. It may indeed easily be known by the taste,
which is between that of celery and parsley. We used the celery in large
quantities, particularly in our soup, which, thus medicated, produced
the same good effects which seamen generally derive from a vegetable
diet, after having been long confined to salt provisions.

On Sunday the 22d of January, about two o'clock in the morning, having
got our wood and water on board, we sailed out of the bay, and continued
our course through the streight.

SECTION VI.

_A general Description of the S.E. Part of Terra del Fuego, and the
Streight of Le Maire; with some Remarks on Lord Anson's Account of them,
and Directions for the Passage Westward, round this Part of America,
into the South Seas_.

Almost all writers who have mentioned the island of Terra del Fuego,
describe it as destitute of wood, and covered with snow. In the winter
it may possibly be covered with snow, and those who saw it at that
season might perhaps be easily deceived, by its appearance, into an
opinion that it was destitute of wood. Lord Anson was there in the
beginning of March, which answers to our September; and we were there
the beginning of January, which answers to our July, which way account
for the difference of his description of it from ours. We fell in with
it about twenty-one leagues to the westward of the streight of Le Maire,
and from the time that we first saw it, trees were plainly to be
distinguished with our glasses; and as we came nearer, though here and
there we discovered patches of snow, the sides of the hills and the
sea-coast appeared to be covered with a beautiful verdure. The hills are
lofty, but not mountainous, though the summits of them are quite naked.
The soil in the valleys is rich, and of a considerable depth; and at the
foot of almost every hill there is a brook, the water of which has a
reddish hue, like that which runs through our turf bogs in England, but
it is by no means ill tasted, and upon the whole proved to be the best
that we took in during our voyage. We ranged the coast to the streight,
and had soundings all the way from 40 to 20 fathom, upon a gravelly and
sandy bottom. The most remarkable land on Terra del Fuego is a hill, in
the form of a sugar-loaf, which stands on the west side not far from the
sea; and the three hills, called the Three Brothers, about nine miles to
the westward of Cape St Diego, the low point that forms the north
entrance of the streight of Le Maire.

It is said in the account of Lord Anson's voyage, that it is difficult
to determine exactly where the streight lies, though the appearance of
Terra del Fuego be well known, without knowing also the appearance of
Staten Land; and that some navigators have been deceived by three hills
on Staten Land, which have been mistaken for the Three Brothers on Terra
del Fuego, and so overshot the streight. But no ship can possibly miss
the streight that coasts Terra del Fuego within sight of land, for it
will then, of itself, be sufficiently conspicuous; and Staten Land,
which forms the east side, will be still more manifestly distinguished,
for there is no land on Terra del Fuego like it. The streight of Le
Maire can be missed only by standing too far to the eastward, without
keeping the land of Terra del Fuego in sight: If this is done, it may be
missed, however accurately the appearance of the coast of Staten Land
may have been exhibited; and if this is not done, it cannot be missed,
though the appearance of that coast be not known. The entrance of the
streight should not be attempted but with a fair wind and moderate
weather, and upon the very beginning of the tide of flood, which happens
here, at the full and change of the moon, about one or two o'clock; it
is also best to keep as near to the Terra del Fuego shore as the winds
will admit. By attending to these particulars, a ship may be got quite
through the streight in one tide; or, at least, to the southward of
Success Bay, into which it will be more prudent to put, if the wind
should be southerly, than to attempt the weathering of Staten Land with
a lee wind and a current, which may endanger her being driven on that
island.

The streight itself, which is bounded on the west by Terra del Fuego,
and on the east by the west end of Staten Land, is about five leagues
long, and as many broad. The Bay of Good Success lies about the middle
of it, on the Terra del Fuego side, and is discovered immediately upon
entering the streight from the northward; and the south head of it may
be distinguished by a mark on the land, that has the appearance of a
broad road, leading up from the sea into the country: At the entrance it
is half a league wide, and runs in westward about two miles and a half.
There is good anchorage in every part of it, in from ten to seven
fathom, clear ground; and it affords plenty of exceeding good wood and
water. The tides flow in the bay, at the full and change of the moon,
about four or five o'clock, and rise about five or six feet
perpendicular. But the flood runs two or three hours longer in the
streight than in the bay; and the ebb, or northerly current, runs with
near double the strength of the flood.

In the appearance of Staten Land, we did not discover the wildness and
horror that is ascribed to it in the account of Lord Anson's voyage. On
the north side are the appearances of bays or harbours; and the land
when we saw it, was neither destitute of wood nor verdure, nor covered
with snow. The island seems to be about twelve leagues in length and
five broad.

On the west side of the Cape of Good Success, which forms the S.W.
entrance of the streight, lies Valentine's Bay, of which we only saw the
entrance; from this bay the land trends away to the W.S.W. for twenty or
thirty leagues; it appears to be high and mountainous, and forms several
bays and inlets.

At the distance of fourteen leagues from the Bay of Good Success, in the
direction of S.W.1/2 W. and between two and three leagues from the shore,
lies New Island. It is about two leagues in length from N.E. to S.W. and
terminates to the N.E. in a remarkable hillock. At the distance of seven
leagues from New Island, in the direction of S.W. lies the isle
_Evouts_; and a little to the west of the south of this island lie
Barnevelt's two small flat islands, close to each other; they are partly
surrounded with rocks, which rise to different heights above the water,
and lie twenty-four leagues from the streight of Le Maire. At the
distance of three leagues from Barnevelt's islands, in the direction of
S.W. by S. lies the S.E. point of Hermit's islands: These islands lie
S.E. and N.W. and are pretty high: From most points of view they will be
taken for one island, or a part of the main.

From the S.E. point of Hermit's islands to Cape Horn the course is S.W.
by S. distance three leagues.

In the chart I drew of this coast, from our first making land to the
cape, which includes the Streight of Le Maire, and part of Staten Land,
I have laid down no land, nor traced out any shore, but what I saw
myself, and thus far it may be depended upon: The bays and inlets, of
which we saw only the openings, are not traced; it can, however,
scarcely be doubted but that most, if not all of them, afford
anchorage, wood and water. The Dutch squadron, commanded by Hermit,
certainly put into some of them in the year 1624: And it was Chapenham,
the vice-admiral of this squadron, who first discovered that the land of
Cape Horn consisted of a number of islands. The account, however, which
those who sailed in Hermit's fleet have given of these parts, is
extremely defective; and those of Schouton and Le Maire are still worse:
It is therefore no wonder that the charts hitherto published should be
erroneous, not only in laying down the land, but in the latitude and
longitude of the places they contain. I will, however, venture to
assert, that the longitude of few parts of the world is better
ascertained than that of the Streight of Le Maire, and Cape Horn, in the
chart now alluded to, as it was laid down by several observations of the
sun and moon that were made both by myself and Mr Green.[82]

[Footnote 82: This chart is necessarily omitted. Krusenstern, speaking
of the observations respecting the position of Cape St John, says,
"There are few cities in Europe, the geographical longitude of which is
determined with the same degree of accuracy as that of this barren rock,
in one of the roughest and most inhospitable islands of the globe. But
how infinitely important is this accuracy to the safety of shipping!" He
verified Cook's determination of the longitude of this cape.--E.]

The variation of the compass on this coast I found to be from 23 deg. to 25 deg.
E. except near Barnevelt's islands and Cape Horn, where we found it
less, and unsettled: Probably it is disturbed here by the land, as
Hermit's squadron, in this very place, found all their compasses differ
from each other. The declination of the dipping-needle, when set upon
shore in Success Bay, was 68 deg. 15' below the horizon.

Between Streight Le Maire and Cape Horn we found a current setting,
generally very strong, to the N.E. when we were in with the shore; but
lost it when we were at the distance of fifteen or twenty leagues.

On the 26th of January, we took our departure from Cape Horn, which lies
in latitude 55 deg. 53' S. longitude 68 deg. 13' W. The farthest southern
latitude that we made was 60 deg. 10', our longitude was then 74 deg. 30' W.;
and we found the variation of the compass, by the mean of eighteen
azimuths, to be 27 deg. 9' E. As the weather was frequently calm, Mr Banks
went out in a small boat to shoot birds, among which were some
albatrosses and sheer-waters. The albatrosses were observed to be larger
than those which had been taken northward of the streight; one of them
measured ten feet two inches from the tip of one wing to that of the
other, when they were extended: The sheer-water, on the contrary, is
less, and darker coloured on the back. The albatrosses we skinned, and
having soaked them in salt water till the morning, we parboiled them,
then throwing away the liquor, stewed them in a very little fresh water
till they were tender, and had them served up with savoury sauce; thus
dressed, the dish was universally commended, and we eat of it very
heartily even when there was fresh pork upon the table.

From a variety of observations which were made with great care, it
appeared probable in the highest degree, that, from the time of our
leaving the land to the 13th of February, when we were in latitude 49 deg.
32', and longitude 90 deg. 37', we had no current to the west.

At this time we had advanced about 12 deg. to the westward, and 3 and 1/2 to
the northward of the Streight of Magellan: Having been just three and
thirty days in coming round the land of Terra del Fuego, or Cape Horn,
from the east entrance of the streight to this situation. And though the
doubling of Cape Horn is so much dreaded, that, in the general opinion,
it is more eligible to pass through the Streight of Magellan, we were
not once brought under our close reefed top sails after we left the
Streight of Le Maire. The Dolphin in her last voyage, which she
performed at the same season of the year with ours, was three months in
getting through the Streight of Magellan, exclusive of the time that
she lay in Port Famine; and I am persuaded, from the winds we had, that
if we had come by that passage, we should not at this time have been in
these seas; that our people would have been fatigued, and our anchors,
cables, sails, and rigging much damaged; neither of which inconveniences
we had now suffered. But supposing it more eligible to go round the
cape, than through the Streight of Magellan, it may still be questioned,
whether it is better to go through the Streight of Le Maire, or stand to
the eastward, and go round to Staten Land. The advice given in the
account of Lord Anson's voyage is, "That all ships bound to the South
Seas, instead of passing through the Streight of Le Maire, should
constantly pass to the eastward, of Staten Land, and should be
invariably bent on running to the southward as far as the latitude of 61
or 62 degrees, before they endeavour to stand to the westward." But, in
my opinion, different circumstances may at one time render it eligible
to pass through the streight, and to keep to the eastward of Staten Land
at another. If the land is fallen in with to the westward of the
streight, and the wind is favourable for going through, I think it would
be very injudicious to lose time by going round Staten Land, as I am
confident that, by attending to the directions which I have given, the
streight may be passed with the utmost safety and convenience: But if,
on the contrary, the land is fallen in with to the eastward of the
streight, and the wind should prove tempestuous or unfavourable, I think
it would be best to go round Staten Land. But I cannot in any case
concur in recommending the running into the latitude of 61 or 62, before
any endeavour is made to stand to the westward. We found neither the
current nor the storms which the running so far to the southward is
supposed necessary to avoid; and indeed, as the winds almost constantly
blow from that quarter, it is scarcely possible to pursue the advice.
The navigator has no choice but to stand to the southward, close upon a
wind, and by keeping upon that tack, he will not only make southing, but
westing; and, if the wind varies towards the north or the west, his
westing will be considerable. It will indeed be highly proper to make
sure of a westing sufficient to double all the lands, before an attempt
is made to stand to the northward, and to this every man's own prudence
will of necessity direct him.[83]

We now began to have strong gales and heavy seas, with irregular
intervals of calm and fine weather.

[Footnote 83: Captain Krusenstern gave the preference to weathering the
island: "Although," says he, "the wind was very favourable for us to
have passed through Streight Le Maire, I thought it better to sail round
Staten Land, the violent currents in the streight being often very
dangerous to shipping, as the experience of many navigators has shewn;
and the advantages, on the contrary, but very trifling, since, the only
wind which will carry you through it, soon brings you back the short
distance to the westward, which you lose by steering an easterly course
round Cape John."--E.]

SECTION VII.

_The Sequel of the Passage from Cape Horn to the newly discovered
Islands in the South Seas, with a Description of their Figure and
Appearance; some Account of the Inhabitants, and several Incidents that
happened during the Course, and at the Ship's Arrival among them_.

On the 1st of March, we were in latitude 38 deg. 44' S. and longitude 110 deg.
33' W. both by observation and by the log. This agreement, after a run
of 660 leagues, was thought to be very extraordinary; and is a
demonstration, that after we left the land of Cape Horn we had no
current that affected the ship. It renders it also highly probable, that
we had been near no land of any considerable extent; for currents are
always found when land is not remote, and sometimes, particularly on the
east side of the continent in the North Sea, when land has been distant
one hundred leagues.

Many birds, as usual, were constantly about the ship, so that Mr Banks
killed no less than sixty-two in one day; and what is more remarkable,
he caught two forest flies, both of them of the same species, but
different from any that have hitherto been described; these probably
belonged to the birds, and came with them from the land, which we judged
to be at a great distance. Mr Banks also, about this time, found a large
cuttle-fish, which had just been killed by the birds, floating in a
mangled condition upon the water; it is very different from the
cuttle-fishes that are found in the European seas; for its arms, instead
of suckers, were furnished with a double row of very sharp talons,
which resemble those of a cat, and, like them, were retractable into a
sheath of skin, from which they might be thrust at pleasure. Of this
cuttle-fish we made one of the best soups we had ever tasted.

The albatrosses now began to leave us, and after the 8th there was not
one to be seen. We continued our course without any memorable event till
the 24th, when some of the people who were upon the watch in the night
reported that they saw a log of wood pass by the ship; and that the sea,
which was rather rough, became suddenly as smooth as a mill-pond. It was
a general opinion, that there was land to windward; but I did not think
myself at liberty to search for what I was not sure to find; though I
judged we were not far from the islands that were discovered by Quiros
in 1606. Our latitude was 22 deg. 11' S. and longitude 127 deg. 55' W.[84]

[Footnote 84: Arrowsmith has laid down Ducies Island very near to this
position. See his map of America.]

On the 25th, about noon, one of the marines, a young fellow about
twenty, was placed as sentry at the cabin-door; while he was upon this
duty, one of my servants was at the same place preparing to cut a piece
of seal-skin into tobacco-pouches: He had promised one to several of the
men, but had refused one to this young fellow, though he had asked him
several times; upon which he jocularly threatened to steal one, if it
should be in his power. It happened that the servant, being called
hastily away, gave the skin in charge to the centinel, without regarding
what had passed between them. The centinel immediately secured a piece
of the skin, which the other missing at his return, grew angry; but,
after some altercation; contented himself with taking it away,
declaring, that, for so trifling an affair, he would not complain of him
to the officers. But it happened that one of his fellow-soldiers,
overhearing the dispute, came to the knowledge of what had happened, and
told it to the rest; who, taking it into their heads to stand up for the
honour of their corps, reproached the offender with great bitterness,
and reviled him in the most opprobrious terms; they exaggerated his
offence into a crime of the deepest dye; they said it was a theft by a
centry when he was upon duty, and of a thing that had been committed to
his trust; they declared it a disgrace to associate with him; and the
serjeant, in particular, said, that, if the person from whom the skin
had been stolen would not complain, he would complain himself; for that
his honour would suffer if the offender was not punished. From the
scoffs and reproaches of these men of honour, the poor young fellow
retired to his hammock in an agony of confusion and shame. The serjeant
soon after went to him, and ordered him to follow him to the deck. He
obeyed without reply; but it being in the dusk of the evening, he
slipped from the serjeant and went forward. He was seen by some of the
people, who thought he was gone to the head; but a search being made for
him afterwards, it was found that he had thrown himself overboard; and I
was then first made acquainted with the theft and its circumstances. The
loss of this man was the more regretted, as he was remarkably quiet and
industrious.

On Tuesday the 4th of April, about ten o'clock in the morning, Mr
Banks's servant, Peter Briscoe, discovered land, bearing south, at the
distance of about three or four leagues. I immediately hauled up for it,
and found it to be an island of an oval form, with a lagoon in the
middle, which occupied much the larger part of it; the border of land
which circumscribes the lagoon is in many places very low and narrow,
particularly on the south side, where it consists principally of a beach
or reef of rocks: It has the same appearance also in three places on the
north side; so that the firm land being disjoined, the whole looks like
many islands covered with wood. On the west end of the island is a large
tree, or clump of trees, that in appearance resembles a tower; and about
the middle are two cocoa-nut trees, which rise above all the rest, and,
as we came near to the island, appeared like a flag. We approached it on
the north side, and though we came within a mile, we found no bottom
with one hundred and thirty fathom of line, nor did there appear to be
any anchorage about it. The whole is covered with trees of different
verdure, but we could distinguish none, even with our glasses, except
cocoa-nuts and palm-nuts. We saw several of the natives upon the shore,
and counted four-and-twenty. They appeared to be tall, and to have heads
remarkably large; perhaps they had something wound round them, which we
could not distinguish; they were of a copper colour, and had long black
hair. Eleven of them walked along the beach abreast of the ship, with
poles or pikes in their hands, which reached twice as high as
themselves. While they walked on the beach they seemed to be naked; but
soon after they retired, which they did as soon as the ship had passed
the island, they covered themselves with something that made them
appear of a light colour. Their habitations were under some clumps of
palm-nut trees, which at a distance appeared like high ground; and to
us, who for a long time had seen nothing but water and sky, except the
dreary hills of Terra del Fuego, these groves seemed a terrestrial
paradise. To this spot, which lies in latitude 18 deg. 47' S. and longitude
139 deg. 28' W. we gave the name of _Lagoon Island_. The variation of the
needle here is 2 deg. 54' E.